Caramel Apple Pudding.

Comfort Food

Delicious Caramel and Apple Easy Pudding for 8.

5 medium apples- Granny Smith or Golden Delicious or Braeburn.

                          Peeled, cored and sliced 1/2cm thick.

1 and 2/3rds cups [250g] plain flour.

2 tspns baking powder.

150g caster sugar

200ml milk

140g melted butter

2 beaten eggs.              

Preheat oven to 180 C. Lightly butter a 2.5 Litre baking dish.

Place the cut apples into the dish.

Sift flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl.

Add sugar, milk, butter, and eggs.

Beat with electric mixer until pale. Spread over the apples.

2/3rds cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup golden syrup, 300 mls hot water.

Put these 3 ingredients in a pan, stir to dissolve sugar then bring to boil- no stir.

Pour over batter in dish.

Bake for 30  mins on fan bake or 35 mins  without fan.Fan may need to be 160C- check it after 10 mins. Bake till golden. Dust with icing sugar serve with thick cream.   Try to stop at one helping!

Easy Indian Kheema.

One Dish Dinner

Ingredients:3 Tblspns oil [vege or mustard oil]

                2 finely chopped medium onions.

                1 teaspn crushed coriander seeds
                1 teaspn turmeric

                1 teaspn coriander powder

                1/2 teaspn cumin seeds

                1/2 teaspn cumin powder

                1 teaspn mild curry powder

                2 teaspns crushed ginger or 2.5cm finely chopped fresh ginger

                1 heaped teaspn garam masala.

500g minced beef.

250g potatoes, quartered then cubed- 2cm

salt

250g peas- I used 350g frozen, then cooked and skinned, broad beans.

                 

Heat oil in a lidded pan.

Add onions and gently cook until soft.

Add spices and fry for 5 minutes.

Stir in the minced beef, cook over medium high until well browned.

Lower the heat and add the potatoes and salt [about 1-2 teaspoons]

Cover and cook 5-10 minutes.

Add the peas or broad beans

Cover, cook another 5 minutes until potatoes are cooked and peas/beans hot.

Serve hot with lime pickle, yoghurt and chapatis. Quick and delicious !

Italian Ham and Bean Soup.

Italian Soup.

Serves 8-10.

Ingredients: 2 onions

                 2 Carrots

                 3 stalks of celery or the ends minus the leaves.

                 20g butter

                 2 Tbspns olive oil. Chop onions, carrots and celery

                                           into cubes or small slices.

                                           Heat butter and oil in a large

                                           saucepan over medium heat.

                                           Gently fry the vegetables for about

                                           10 minutes.

Add           1 tin of chopped Italian tomatoes.

                1 Ham bone [the bone which ham off the bone has been taken

                from] The butcher or supermarket will find one. Don't accept

                a bacon hock instead as the flavour is too strong for this.

Add           2 litres of chicken stock [4 teaspoons of granules ] or to cover

                bone.

Simmer gently for 1 hour and 30  mins.

Remove ham and all loose fat and bones, cool, then remove lean flesh, chop and add to soup. Add 1 can of borlotti beans or other beans.

If you want extra thick soup add 100g short pasta and cook for 7 mins.

You may need to skim fat from top of soup before adding beans and pasta [if using it] Stir in parsley/chives and ground black pepper. Serve with parmesan and crusty Italian bread. Bella!

Healthier Veg and Meatloaf. Cannellini Bean Mash.

Healthier Meatloaf.

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

               1 small onion.

               500g lean beef mince.

               2 slices wholegrain bread.

               1 grated carrot.

               1 grated zucchini/courgette.

               2 Tblspns pesto.

               1 egg.

               2 Tblspns parsley.        

Process

               the onion, bread, parsley until fine.

Add          the egg, 1/2 teaspn salt, ground black pepper and the pesto.Pulse.

Grate        the carrot and zucchini.

Put           the minced beef and all other ingredients

               in a bowl. Mix well with hands.

Put into a loaf tin, press in and smooth top.

Bake        40 minutes at 180C /350F.                   

                                             

Cannellini Bean Mash: 1 can cannellini beans

                               1 large potato, cooked and mashed.

                               2 cloves of garlic.

                               1 plus 1 Tablspn butter.  Crush garlic and fry gently in butter for a few minutes, add beans to heat. Add potato and a little salt and butter. Mash roughly. 

                    Serve loaf with a good tomato sauce.

                              

 Serve mash and loaf with roast pumpkin, green veg or a green salad.

               High protein, lowish carb, economical, tasty.