Backpacker Stew

Or perhaps you prefer them roasted??? Stew is nicer...

I made a stew the other week that was a big hit with our packpackers. So I made it again to recall what I did, and wrote it down. This is it. Just a simple one.

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot finely diced

1 stick celery finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

500 to 600g backpackers, oops, I mean, stewing beef

2 beef OXO cubes

2 tablespoons flour

2 1/2 cups water

1 generous tablespoon mango chutney or some other sweet vinegary spicy stuff, like sweet chilli sauce, branston pickle or HP fruity sauce etc.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

In a heatproof casserole, Dutch Oven type pot, like My Precious, heat 2 tablespoons oil, then gently fry the onion, carrot and celery, stirring all the time, for 8 minutes or so, till the onion is meltingly soft and sweetened off. Don't skimp this bit, it is an important flavour creator and the secret to converting onion haters. Like Adam.

Then add the arlic and fry another minute, then add the meat and brown it all over, stirring all the while.

Add the OXO cubes and the flour, stir together for a minute. It will go kind of gluggy looking, this is ok.

Then add the water and stirring all the while, bring to a simmer and it will thicken up a bit. Once there, add a large cubed potato, some mushrooms or some other wintry vegetables, what ever rocks your boat. I just used mushroom and potato. Chuck in the chutney now.

Then pop it in the oven for 2 hours.

Serve with rice for Adam and Mash for Anna. Double mash for KISA and me.

Old Fashioned Porridge

The weather is getting colder and it is time to make porridge again. I love my porridge the way Mum used to make it. Old fashioned oats soaked overnight and cooked with salt.
Yum Yum.
But because it is a pain to make each day like that for just one..me, I make enough for 4 and dish it up into bowls. Eat one and cover and pop the others in the fridge. A minute in the microwave next day and its just like new. With 2 teaspoons psyllium husks and 2 prunes, cos I am getting old. Sigh. And 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and milk. Yum Yum. My dietician says I can only have 1/2 cup porridge, so I use a dessert bowl. It looks better and it is all about tricking your brain.

And here is the recipe.

1 cup oats. The big ones not the minute ones. Old fashioned oats.
3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon cooking salt.

Put in a saucepan the night before, cover and leave till morning.

Stir then pop on a low heat till bubbling. Simmer for a few minutes.

Eat.

If no one to share with put rest in bowls for tomorrow.

Mushroom Soup

This is soooo good. It is a recipe for Swiss Brown Mushroom Soup from April's SFI magazine. But try getting swiss brown mushies here! I used some on special regular mushies, $2 a kilo use today or else mushies. Otherwise they are $12 a kilo and thats too dear for soup. Enjoy. 2 tablespoons oil 20g butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 400 g mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 1/2 cups chicken stock 300ml pure cream Heat the oil and butter in large saucepan or My Precious over a medium heat. Cook onion, stirring for 5 to 6 minutes until softened and just starting to leave yummy caramel bits on the bottom. Add garlic and mushrooms. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes until mushrooms are just tender. Add wine. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wine is almost gone, then add stock. Cover, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then blend till smooth with a stick blender. Add the cream, and stirring occasionally, cook till heated through but not boiling. Ladle into bowls and slurp away!

Chorizo and Spinach Macaroni Cheese

This recipe was in March 11 Recipes+ magazine. Was a big hit and is great for the lunch box stash in the freezer. Where most of the extra serves from these recipes end up! 2 cups spiral pasta (the recipe says 375g elbow macaroni but I don't like too much pasta. You may feel differently) 2 teaspoons oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic (Yeah right! at least 3) 2 chorizo sausages, sliced up (we only had one left - these have a powerful flavour so one is ok too) 250g packet frozen chopped spinach, thawed. 340g tub fresh bechemal sauce (or you could make your own about 2 cups worth) 3/4 cup cream 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard 1 cup grated pizza cheese (or regular, don't make a special trip unless you want too) Cook pasta till tender, drain and return to pan. Heat oil in medium fry pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic cook stirring for 3 minutes or so till softened. Add chorizo, cook 2 to 3 minutes till crisping up. Add spinach, stir till liquid evaporates. Add sauce, cream and mustard, bring to boil, simmer 1 minute. Add haldf the cheese and the sauce mixture to the pasta. Spoon into a pyrex dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Pop under a preheated grill till bubbly. Stand 5 minutes then serve with a nice leafy salad.

Caramel Pecan Slice

A few weeks ago, I bought a tray of slice from a cake stall raising money for Relay For Life. It was so good, that I went searching online for a similar recipe. This is pretty close. 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed in. 1 1/2 cups plain flour 1 cup dessicated coconut 125g butter, melted 395g can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup golden syrup 20g butter, melted 3/4 cup chopped pecan nuts 200g dark chocolate Combine sugar, coconut and flour in a bowl. Add the melted butter and stir till well combined. Press the mixture into a greased and papered slice pan. Mix the condensed milk, golden syrup and melted butter in a bowl then pour over the base. Cook in a moderate (180 C) oven for 20 to 30 minutes till top is golden and starting to bubble. Easy to over cook be careful. Let it cool in the pan a little. Sprinkle the nuts over the top and press gently into caramel. Leave till cold. Melt chocolate in the microwave for a minute or two, stir gently then spread over the top. Pop in the fridge till set. Rich but good.

Blogger formatting issues

Apologies, I have typed up 4 recipes to post over the next few days and I assure you I have formatted them like I usually do. Then once I post them, blogger just mooshes them into one big paragraph. I go back and edit them.. then once I hit publish, it does it again. Very frustrating. I am hoping they fix it before the next recipe is scheduled to post tomorrow. Meanwhile bear with me and I will get it fixed..eventually!

Garlic Prawn Pasta

This is adapted from a recipe from Thats Life reader recipes sent in by a Kellie Merritt in the ACT. WAs a big hit with the man, who loves garlic prawns in any format. 600g raw green prawns, peeled and the shells reserved (heads too). 1 cup white wine 50g butter 4 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 300ml cooking cream 2 tablespoon fresh chives (I used parsley as it grows outside) 400g pasta, cooked and drained. (Kelli says spagettini, I use whatever is in the cupboard) Place the prawn shells, the wine and a cup of water into a saucepan over a medium high heat and cook till liquid reduces by half. Strain and resrve the liquid. Chuck the shells, I don't expect you do eat them. Or the heads. Melt the butter in a large frying pan, over medium high heat. Add garlic and prawn meat and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add mustard, cream and the reserved prawn liquid and cook 2 minutes. Stir through hebs and pasta and toss to combine. Serve in bowls with fresh parmesan. Too easy and so quick. Thanks Kelli!