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.

Easy Chicken and Vegetable Pie

1 Tbs oil
30g butter
1 chopped onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
500g diced chicken fillet
1 Tbs plain flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup white wine (can be substituted for more stock)
1/2 cup thickened cream
2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
1 Tbs chopped parsley
250g frozen sweet potato crinkle cut chips

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees celcius.  Grease a 20 x 30cm pie dsh with a little oil.
2. Heat olive oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until golden.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 
3. Add flour to pan, stir to combine with any leftover pan juices.  Stir in wine, bring to the boil and add chicken stock and cream.  Cook, stirring for 5 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens.
4. Return chicken to the sauce in the pan along with frozen vegetables and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon chicken mixture into the pie dish and top with the sweet potato fries.  Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minuts or until chips are golden and crisp.

Serves 4

Hazelnut and Orange Shortbread Stars

160g unsalted butter
1/3 cup castor sugar
1 and 2/3 cups plain flour
1/2 cup hazelnut meal
finely grated rind of one orange
1/4 cup hazelnuts, halved

1. Blend the butter and sugar in a food processor until smooth.  Add the flour, hazelnut meal and orange rind and blend for 30 seconds.  Uing a spatula, scrape the sides and base of the bowl.  Blend again for another 30 seconds or until the mixture forms a dough when pressed togetehr between two fingers.
2. Turn out and use hands to bring the mixture together into a ball.  Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Line two baking trays with baking paper.
4. EITHER roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper until 8mm thick.  Cut out shapes (5cm stars look good) OR take teaspoon sizes pieces of dough and form balls that you can then flatten once they're on the baking tray.
5. Place a halved hazelnut kernel in the centre of each biscuit and place trays in refridgerator for 20 minutes.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.  Cool on the trays.

Makes at least 30.

Special Fried Rice

1 Tbs vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbs peanut oil
1 brown onion, halved and cut in thin wedges
1/2 small red capsicum, finely chopped
2 & 1/2 cups cooked, cold, white long-grain rice
1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
100g snow peas, thinly sliced
80g bean sprouts, rinsed

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan over a moderate heat.  Add egg and tilt to cover the base and sides.  Cook for 1 minute or until set underneath.  Fold in half and cook for a further 2 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board and silce thinly.
2. Add peanut oil to wok or frying pan.  Stir-fry onion and capsicum for 1 minute.
3. Add chicken and rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the carrot, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and half of the egg.  Stir-fry for 1 minute or until hot.
5. Remove from heat and add the snow peas and half the bean sprouts.  Toss to combine.
6. Serve topped with the remaining egg and bean sprouts.

Serves 4

Add other ingredients as you like.  Water chestnuts work well.

Spaghetti with Crushed Peas, Bacon and Ricotta

375g dried spaghetti
1 and 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/4 cup mint leaves
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
4 rashers middle bacon, rinds removed, chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
15g ricotta cheese, crumbled

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to packet directions, until tender.  Reserve 2 Tbs of the cooking liquid.  Drain.
2. Cook peas in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes or until tender.  Drain. 
3. Transfer peas to a processor.  Add 2 Tbs mint, lemon rind and reserved cooking liquid.  Process until roughly chopped.
4. Heat 2 Tbs oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cook bacon for 4-5 minutes or until browned and crisp.  Add pasta, pea mixture, lemon juice and ricotta.  Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with remaining oil.  Top with mint.

Serves 4

Fish with Oven-Baked Chips

300g sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1cm chips
300g sebago potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1cm chips
olive oil spray
vegetable oil, for shallow frying
8 flathead fillets (or I've been using Basa fillets cut into smaller pieces)
1 egg, lightly beated
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup aioli or tartare sauce
green salad to serve

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees celcius or 200 degrees fan-forced. 
2. Cook potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water for 8 - 10 minutes or until tender.  Drain well.  Place on paper towel and set aside to cool.
3. Place chips, in a single layer, on a large greased baking tray and spray with oil.  Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Season with salt.
4. Once chips are close to being ready, heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over high heat.  Dip fish into egg, then coat in breadcrumbs.  Shallow fry fish for 3 minutes or until crisp and golden.  Drain on paper towel.  Serve with chips and salad.

Serves 4

Satay Chicken Quesadillas

1 and 1/2 Tbs oil
60g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and chopped
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup satay sauce
50g baby spinach, chopped
8 flour tortillas

1. Heat 1 Tbs of the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until browned.  Add onion.  Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened.  Add satay sauce.  Cook for 3 minutes or until heated through.  Remove from heat.  Stir in spinach.
2. Heat tortillas following packet directions.  Place 1 tortilla on a board.  Spoon 1/8 of the chicken mixture along one side.  Fold to form a semi-circle.  Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.
3. Clean and dry the frying pan.  Heat remaining oil over medium-high heat.  Cook quesadillas, in batches, for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden and crisp.

Serves 4

Peppermint Bubble Slice

200g block peppermint chocolate, broken into pieces
180g block dark chocolate, brocken into pieces
50g copha
5 cups rice bubbles
3 x 35g Peppermint Crisp choclate bars, roughly chopped

1. Place peppermint chocolate, dark chocolate and copha in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring until melted and smooth.
2. Place rice bubbles and Peppermint Crisp into a large heatproof bowl.  Add the choclate mixture.  Stir to combine.
3. Divide mixture into two silicon slice forms.  (If you don't have once of these, see below for instructions on how to prepare a metal slice form.)  Be sure to press the mixture down firmly with the back of a spoon.  Cover.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
4. Cut into squares and serve.

When it comes to the slice form/tin.  I swear by Tupperware's slice forms and have two that get used constantly for this type of treat.  The beauty of a silicon form with a firm slice like this is that it doesn't get stuck and comes out easily in one neat piece.  If you are using a metal slice form, it's important to give it a quick grease and then line it with baking paper so that the paper hangs over two edges. This will make it easier to pull the slice out once you're ready to serve it.

Makes at least 24 pieces, it depends on how large you cut them.

Pumpkin, Spinach and Ricotta Frittatas

500g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
4 eggs
2 egg whites
125g ricotta (you could use low fat if you prefer)
4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
20g baby spinach leaves, torn
oil spray

1. Preheat the oven to a hot 200 degrees celcius.  Spray a 6-hole texas muffin pan with oil.  Also line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the pumpkin onto the prepared tray.  Spray with oil and season to taste.  (I just salted mine.) Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and tender.  Reduce ove nto a moderate 180 degrees celcius.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, ricotta and spring onions.  Season with salt and pepper, but be mindful of the seasoning that you've put onto the pumpkin already.
4. Divide the pumpkin and spinach between the muffin holes.  Fill with the egg mixture.
5. Bake frittatas for 15-20 minutes or until golden and puffed.  Set aside in pan to cool slightly.  Serve warm or cold.

Makes 6