Easy Beef Moussaka

Serves 4

2 eggplant, cut into 1cm thick slices
olive oil cooking spray
1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g beef mince
400g can peeled diced tomatoes
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
300ml sour cream
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius.  Grease 5cm deep, 23cm square ovenproof dish. 
2. Spray eggplant with oil.  Place onto a baking tray.  Roast for 20 minutes, or until golden and tender.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook for 3 minutes, or until soft.  Increase heat to high.  Add mince.  Cook, stirring until browned. 
4. Add tomatoes, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Combine parmesan, 1/4 cup parsley and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a bowl.
6. Lay half the eggplant over the base of the ovenproof dish.  Top with the mince mixture, parmesan mixture and then remaining eggplant.
7. Combine sour cream, egg, remaining parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Spread over the eggplant.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden.  Serve.

Easy Roast Lamb

800g oven roast potatoes
250g frozen baby carrots
olive oil spray
8 untrimmed lamb cutlets
fresh rosemary
250g frozen green beans

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius fan-forced.  Arrange potatoes and carrots in a baking dish.  Spray with oil and bake for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 180 fan-forced.
2. Sear cutlets in batches, in a hot non-stick frying pan, until just brown on each side.
3. Arrange meat over the vegetables. Scatter rosemary over the baking dish.
4. Return to oven for 10 minutes to cook the meat.
5. Serves with green beans, cooked according to packet directions.

All vegetables can be substituted for fresh, but the cooking times will need to be adjusted.

Marshmallow Shortbread

Makes 20

125g butter, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar mixture
1 cup plain flour, sifted
1/4 cup cornflour, sifted
1/3 cup strawberry jam
1 & 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup desiccated coconut

1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth.  Add flours.  Stir to combine.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead until smooth.  Roll out between sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Grease two baking trays and line with baking paper.
4. Using a 5.5cm heart-shaped cutter, cut shapes from dough.  (For a simpler biscuit, cut rectangles.) 
5. Place 2cm apart on the trays.  Repeat with dough scraps to make 20 hearts.  Bake for 1 minutes or until light golden.
6. Spread jam over biscuits.  Arrange marshmallows around edges.  Sprinkle coconut over jam.  Bake for 1 minute or until marshmallows soften slightly.  Cool on trays.  Serve.

Steamed Chicken Dumplings

250g chicken mince
2cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice wine
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup finely shredded wombok
20 gow gee pastry wrappers
chilli sauce or soy sauce to serve

1. Using hands, combine mince, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine, chives and cabbage in a bowl.
2. Spoon 2 heaped tsp of mince mixture on a half of each wrapper.  Brush the edge with cold water.  Fold wrappers over to enclose filling.  Pleat edges to seal.
3. Place dumplings on a tray lined with baking paper.
4. Place a large steamer lined with baking paper over a wok or large saucepan of boiling water.  Cook dumplings, covered, in batches, for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.
5. Transfer to a plate.  Cover to keep warm.  Serve with sauce.

Tuna Mac 'N' Cheese

Serves 4

250g dried macaroni pasta
2Tbs butter
1/4 cup plain flour
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 & 1/2 cups reduced fat milk
425g can tuna in springwater, drained and flaked
1 cup frozen peas
1 & 1/2 cups grated cheddar
steamed vegetables, to serve

1. Preheat grill on high.  Grease a 5cm deep, 18cm square baking dis.
2. Cook macaroni according to packet directions until tender.  Drain.  Return to the pan.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and garlic.  Stir until mixture thickens and bubbles. 
4. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in milk.  Return to heat.  Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat.
5. Add tuna peas and 1 cup of cheese.  Stir until cheese melts.  Stir into the pasta.  Spoon mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
6. Grill for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is browned and melted.

Jam Drops

Makes 10

125g butter, softened
1/3 cup castor sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg yolk
1 & 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
5 Tbs raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg yolk.  Beat to combine. 
4. Add flour.  Stir to combine.
5. Roll 2 Tbs of mixture into a ball.  Repeat with remaining mixture to make 10 balls.  Place balls 10cm apart on trays.  Using the palm of your hand, flatten each ball to form a 7cm round.
6. Using the tip of a small knife, scoop out enough dough to make an indentation.  Could use a shape like a heart.
7. Fill each indentation with 2 tsp of jam, spreading out to the edges.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden.  Cool on trays .

Baked Brunch Frittata

Serves 12

50g butter, chopped
1/2 brown onion, finely chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1/3 cup plain flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
pinch nutmeg
10 eggs
300ml thickened cream
3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
8 middle rashers bacon, trimmed and chopped
250g cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius fan-forced.  Grease a 5cm deep, 24 x 34 baking dish.  Line base and 2 long sides with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang.
2. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and bay leaves.  Cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion has softened.
3. Add flour.  Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until bubbling.
4. Remove from heat.  Gradually add 2 cups milk, whisking constantly until  smooth. 
5. Return to heat.  Add cheese and nutmeg.  Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. 
6. Remove from heat.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Discard bay leaves.
7. Whisk eggs, cream and remaining milk together in a bowl.  Add parsley and cheese mixture.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Pour into prepared dish.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 40 minutes or until edges start to set.
8. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.  Cook bacon for 3-4 minutes or until just golden.
9. Remove foil from baking dish.  Top frittata with bacon and tomato.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until just set in centre.  (Re-cover with foil if starting to burn.)
10. Stand for 5 minutes.  Top with parsley.