Chipolata Hotpot

Chipolata Hotpot

Serves 4

1 tbs olive oil

500g beef chipolatas, halved

2 onions, thinly sliced

3 tomatoes, diced

1 green capsicum, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

420g can diced tomatoes

1 cup water

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the sausage and onion starts to brown. Add the diced tomato, capsicum and garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the canned tomato and water, cover and bring to the boil. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.

Meatball Soup

Meatball Soup

Serves 4

500g beef mince

1 red onion, grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup basil leaves, chopped

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1 egg, lightly beaten

720g bottle of tomato pasta sauce

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1/2 cup risoni

2 zucchinis, diced

150g green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds

Combine the mince, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, basil, parmesan and egg in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well, then roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on a plate.

Pour the tomato sauce, chicken stock and water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Skim the froth from the surface, add the meatballs and return to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the risoni and cook for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and beans, and cook until the vegetables and risoni are tender.

Lamb Korma Curry

Lamb Korma Curry

Serves 4

2 tbs vegetable oil

1kg lamb leg roast, cut into 3cm cubes

1 large onion, finely chopped

420g jar tikka masala simmer sauce

120g natural yoghurt

80g baby spinach

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a large saucepan over high heat, add a third of the lmab and cook until browned. Transfer to a plate and then repeat in 2 batches.

Reduce the heat to medium add remaining oil and onion to the saucepan and cook until the onion is soft. Return the lamb and juices to the pan, stir in the simmer sauce and yoghurt and bring to the boil. Simmer the curry, uncovered for 45 minutes.

Stir through the baby spinach leaves and cook until wilted. Serve with rice and pappadums.

Chorizo and Eggplant Risoni

Chorizo and Eggplant Risoni

Serves 4

1 tbs olive oil

200g chorizo sausage, quartered and thickly sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 large eggplant, diced

1/3 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups risoni

420g can diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken stock

50g baby spinach

parmesan, grated

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chorizo, onion and eggplant and cook until the eggplant is soft. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Stir in the risoni, tomato and stock, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often until the risoni is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the spinach and stir to combine. Serve with grated parmesan.

Pastisio

Pastisio

Serves 6

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

500g beef mince

200g mushrooms, sliced

500ml pasta sauce

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup grated parmesan

1 egg, beaten

Topping

250g macaroni

150g broccoli, broken into small florets

150g light ricotta

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 egg

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the mince and mushrooms, and cook until the mince is browned. Stir in the sauce, oregano and cinnamon and cook on medium for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Cool the mixture and then add 1/2 cup of parmesan and the egg. Transfer the mixture to a 8-cup capacity ovenproof dish.

For the topping cook the macaroni until al dente, in the last 3 minutes add the broccoli. Drain and then stir through the combined ricotta, sour cream and egg. Spread over the meat mixture and sprinkle over the remaining parmesan.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Chicken and Sour Cream Penne

Chicken and Sour Cream Penne

Serves 4

500g penne pasta

1 tbs olive oil

4 chicken thighs, fat removed

1 leek, pale section sliced thinly

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

2tsp lemon rind, finely grated

1 cup peas

Shredded parmesan to serve

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente, drain and return to the pan. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, transfer to a plate and cover. Add the remaining oil to the pan, add the leek and garlic and cook until soft. Stir in the sour cream, add the stock and stir until combined. Add the lemon rind and peas and bring to the boil. Thickly slice the chicken, add to the pasta along with leek mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle shredded parmesan over it to serve.

Slack!!!

I have been incredibly slack for a month now - no posts at all!!! The tiredness and exhaustion is really settling in from the pregnancy, and each night when I used to post I am just too tired to even turn on my laptop. I will be 37 weeks tomorrow, so it isn't long now until I get to meet my little baby girl. I think it is safe to say that I am incredibly excited and getting ever so slightly impatient. Everything is ready - now we just need the baby, the countdown is on.

And with that been said I think it is time to post up some more recipes...

Lamb Chops with Tomato Sauce Served on Polenta

Serves 4

1 tbs olive oil

4 lamb forequarter chops

1 brown onion, finely chopped

400g tin diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp caster sugar

2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup instant polenta

60g butter

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft. Add the tomato and sugar and bring to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season to taste. Meanwhile heat a frying pan over medium-high heat add the lamb and cook for 3-5 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Bring the stock and water to the boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium, add the polenta and stir until combined. Cook, stirring for 4 minutes. Stir in the butter and season to taste.

Finally divide the polenta among the serving plates, top with the lamb chops and the tomato sauce.