EASY SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE SAUCE

1 kilo mince steak
2 jars napolitana pasta sauce (I used raguletto)
1 onion, diced
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 can mushrooms in butter sauce
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
salt and pepper to taste

in a large frypan, brown the mince. drain. put aside.

in the same frypan, saute onion and garlic until fragrant.

add back the mince, pasta sauce, mushrooms, herbs and ketchup. stir to combine.  bring to the boil then low simmer for 1 hour.

add salt and pepper.

serve over pasta of choice.

SPICED MELTING MOMENTS......gluten free

250 grams butter, soft
1 1/2 cups gluten free plain flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
2/3 cup gluten free custard powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

preheat oven to 160 c.  line baking trays with baking paper.

using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy.

stir in flour, custard powder, icing sugar and spices.

roll dough into walnut sized balls and place on trays, leaving room to spread.

lightly flatten each ball with a fork dusted with icing sugar.

cook for 15 minutes or until just firm to the touch.

cool on tray for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

fill.

FILLING

100 gms butter, soft
2 cups icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

rasberry jam, optional

icing sugar to dust.

stir the butter, icing sugar and vanilla together until well combined.

spoon or pipe onto the flat side of 1/2 the biscuits.

spread 1 teaspoon jam on the other half of the biscuits (flat side).
sandwich biscuits together.

dust with icing sugar to serve.

SLOW COOKER LAMB SHANKS

6 lamb shanks
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 brown onions diced
200 grams button mushrooms, sliced
4 rashers bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 cups water
2 oxo beef stockcubes
1/2 cup red wine
400 gram can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried rosemary

approx 5 tablespoons cornflour 
4 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste


in a large deep frypan, in 1 tablespoon oil,  brown the
shanks. remove, drain and put aside.

in the same pan, add the other tablespoon oil and saute the
onion, mushrooms, bacon and garlic until onion is
translucent.

add the water, stockcubes, wine, tomatoes and rosemary. bring
to boil. place shanks back into frypan with the vegies and
simmer for 5 minutes.

transfer all to the slow cooker and cook on low for approx 6
hours or until meat is starting to fall off the bone.

remove the shanks from the liquid and place on a plate. cover
with foil to keep warm.

place the gravy into a deep frypan.  mix the cornflour and
water together and stir into the gravy. bring to boil over
medium heat, stirring till thickened. add salt and pepper.

place the shanks into the gravy and stir to coat. cook until
heated through.

serve over mashed potato with vegies of choice.

CONDENSED MILK COOKIES.......gluten free

250 grams butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tin condensed milk
3 cups gluten free self raising flour

preheat oven to 180 c. (350 f.)  line baking trays with
baking paper.

using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.

add condensed milk and beat until well combined.

stir in flour until well combined.

from here you can add almost anything you like.  I just divided up the dough and made jam drops, lemon drops, nutella drops, chocolate chip and freckles.

TO MAKE THE DROPS....roll dough into walnut sized balls (or
larger if you like) place on tray and flatten lightly with a
fork dipped in sugar.  make indentations in the centre of
each cookie. 

cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until just golden then remove
from oven and lightly press the indentation again and fill
with desired filling. place back in oven and cook for another
5 minutes.

cool on trays for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool
completely.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CHIP.... just stir some dark chocolate
chips into the dough and roll into balls. place on tray,

flatten lightly with a fork dipped in sugar and cook for 20
minutes or until golden.

cool on tray for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool
completely.

TO MAKE THE FRECKLES....tip some 100's and 1000's into a
small bowl. roll the dough into balls and roll in the 100's
and 1000's to coat. place on tray and flatten lightly with a
fork. cook for 20 minutes or until golden.

cool on tray for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool
completely.

NOTE: I used coles brand gluten free self raising flour. 

RUSTIC APPLE TART....gluten free



100 grams butter, melted
100 grams caster sugar
250 grams gluten free self raising flour
2 eggs

800 gram can pie apples
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

butter and sugar to sprinkle

preheat oven to 190 c. (375 f.)  grease 23 cm. (9 inch pie dish)

mix the apples, sugar and cinnamon together until well
combined. put aside.

place butter and sugar into a medium sized bowl. stir to
combine.  add the flour and stir to combine.

stir in the eggs 1 at a time until well combined.

spread 2/3 dough across the bottom and  little up the sides
of the pie dish.

spread the apple across the dough.

blob the rest of the dough across the top of the apple.

cook for approx. 1 hour.  cover top with foil if browning too
quickly.

remove from oven and lightly brush with butter. sprinkle with some sugar.

serve warm. dust with icing sugar to serve

THAI PANAENG CURRY

1 kilo skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large yellow capsicum,
1 large red capsicum
1 onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 jar valcom panaeng curry paste
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 cans coconut cream
3 tablespoons fish sauce
12 kaffir lime leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped


spray a large deep frypan with cooking spray and saute
chicken until colour changes. drain and put aside.

place the canola oil into the same pan and saute onion for 1
minute.  add the capsicum and garlic. saute for another 2
minutes.

push vegies to the side of the pan and add the jar of curry
paste. saute until fragrant.  add the peanut butter, the
coconut cream, the fish sauce and the kaffir lime leaves.

add the chicken.

bring to boil then simmer for 15 minutes. remove from heat
and stir in the basil leaves.

serve with rice.

RASPBERRY FRIANDS....gluten free


200 grams butter (7 oz)
8 large egg whites
1/2 cup + 5 teaspoons gluten free plain flour
2 cups icing sugar
1 1/3 cups almond meal
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
36 frozen raspberries, thawed (or use fresh)

preheat oven to 190 c.( 375 f.) lightly grease and flour 12
hole friand tin.

melt butter and put aside to cool.

place egg whites into a medium bowl and whisk a couple of
times just to break up the membrane.

stir in the flour, almond meal and icing sugar until
combined.

stir in the butter and vanilla until well combined.

3/4 fill each hole of the friand tin with the batter and
place 3 raspberries into each, pushing in lightly.

cook for approx. 25 - 30  minutes or until golden and springy to touch.

cool in tin.

dust with icing sugar to serve.

STICKY HONEY BARBECUE CHICKEN WINGETTES


2 kilograms chicken wingettes

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup smokey barbecue sauce
1/2 cup "fountain" spicy red sauce
1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons cornflour
2 tablespoons water

preheat oven to 200 c.  line a large baking tray with baking
paper.

place wingettes on tray and cook for 1 hour.  remove from
tray and drain liquid away. place wings back on tray and put
aside. I also change the baking paper.

place the honey, all the sauces and the molasses into a small
pot.

mix the cornflour and water together and add to pot.

place pot on stove over medium heat and stir until sauce is 
boiling and thickened. remove from heat.

tip sauce all over the wings and stir to coat.

cook till golden or to required colour.

SPICY KOREAN CHICKEN STEW

1 kilo chicken breast fillets, diced

1/2 kilo potatoes, chopped
4 medium carrots, chopped
1 small green capsicum, diced
1 large onion, cut into small wedges
2 cups water
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

SAUCE

1 - 2  tablespoons korean red pepper paste*
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger, optional
1  - 2 tablespoon korean red pepper powder*
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey

spring onions, chopped,

mix all the sauce ingredients into a bowl and stir till well
combined.  add in the chicken and stir till well coated.

in a large deep frypan, heat the oil.  add the chicken with all the sauce, and saute until colour has changed.

add in the rest of the ingredients (except the spring onion) and simmer covered until vegies are soft. stir occasionally.

if desired thicken the sauce with some cornflour mixed with
water.

sprinkle with spring onion to serve.

* 1 tablespoon of paste and powder makes a mild stew. add the other tablespoon of each if you like it hotter.