Texas Mince and Rice

Dinner tonight was a variation of a recipe found in a microwave cook book Mum owns. It's one of my favourites.

Texas Mince and Rice
Needed:
500g ground beef (mince)
2 tbsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 large can stewed tomatoes
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup instant rice

Method:
Mix together in a large microwave casserole dish the mince, chilli powder and pepper. Cook in microwave for 7 minutes, stiring half way. Drain all the horrible fat.  Then add in all other ingredients. WARNING: stiring this concoction is a nightmare, so be careful! Also, a suggestion - add the canned tomatoes last and don't bother stiring them in, just leave them on top.  Cook again for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the onions and peppers have softened. Sit for 5 minutes (a good time to cook the accompanying veggies!)

It's a nicely flavoured easy dish and I'd reccomend it for sure!

My Tools

So I figured I'd put up some images of my tools - the recipe books I own. Some of these are traditional family recipe books, others I have been gifted, and other still I have simply bought. If a recipe comes from any of them, I will note it. So far most of my recipes have been from people's own creation.

First I'll show the Family cook books:
(Mum has bought me copies over the years!)

Five Roses

The Personality of Meat

Cook and Enjoy it

Then there are the books I've been gifted:

Favourite Farmhouse/ British Recipes from Aunt Marlene 

Mrs Beetons - a gift from Mum, but not a traditional one we use.

Slow Cooker Recipes from Colleen and Wilfried

Cooking for Friends, also from Colleen and Wilfried
(co-owned)

Mastering the Art of French Cooking - my most recent cookbook, given to me by Mum and Dad in efforts to encourage my cooking, and because we recently saw that movie Julie & Julia (after I'd started my blog)...

500 Low Carb Recipes -

I'd bought this one a few years back...the Guacamole comes from it!

 And one I'm sure we are all familiar with now day! =P

There are a few books I'd like to get my hands on, when the time comes... :

The Joy of Cooking - apparently I can't cook in North America without it...

Cooks Illustrated, Cooking for Two - apparently really user friendly.

Anyone else have suggestions of cook books they can't live without?

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ta Dah!!! I have learned how to make one of the family favourites! Lemon Meringue!! And I have to say, it's the first really 'difficult' thing I've made so far and I did have a few 'bleep' moments with it, but I'm pleased I've made it. I'll have to do a repeat to be confident with it, but I'm pretty pleased with myself!

Lemon Meringue Pie
Need:
Crust
3/4 cup Graham Cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar

Lemon
1 can condensed milk
125 ml lemon juice
rind of 1 lemon
2 egg yolks

Meringue
2 egg whites
1/8 cup sugar

Method:
Crust - melt the butter and mix together all ingredients, then press into pie dish.
Lemon: mix together ingredients until one texture (ie fully mixed). pour into pie crust.
Meringue - this is the HARD part. (ugh). So you shouldn't have any yolk traces in the egg whites. If you do, start again. and again. and again. (and save the failures for breakfast the next morning..). Once you've got just whites, beat. We used the mixer, had it on high, and walked away for about 15 minutes. When it's all white and frothy, slowly add sugar.  The meringue is done when it 'peaks' - ie it can make a point similar to a Dairy Queen ice-cream cone.  Pour it on top of the lemon. (note: meringue is notoriously difficult. don't use the pictures here as references, as mine fell very flat. ideally it's quite light and puffy. next time...)
Put in an 350F oven for 10 - 13 minutes or until slightly brown on top.
Then CHILL.

This last direction, well, we didn't do enough of. So a hint - if you are serving this at dinner, make it at breakfast, as it need quite a long time to chill and set.  Mine tasted good but looked like a melted droopy mess!!

Edit: I just remembered, I had to double the entire recipe to fit the 9inch dish, so you are warned! :)

Also: get out of my kitchen! =P

Guacamole

So when mum was at the grocery store the other day the produce manager gave her a bunch of avacadoes for free as they were on their last day of 'possible sale'. Concerned with the idea of having to eat so many, we brainstormed with what to do with them all and remembered the birthday meal we were going to prepare. I declared that I would try make guacamole.

I don't like guacamole, but I like cooking, and I know others like the green stuff, so I'd better learn! 

I found the recipe in my low carb cookbook and it seemed pretty easy. Mum did the 'taste testing' and declared it to be the best guacamole she's had.

Guacamole
Need:
4 ripe avacados
3 tablespoons of lime juice
1/4 teaspoon tabasco sauce
3 mushed garlic cloves
2 tablespoons sweet red onions
salt to taste (we put quite a bit in).

Method:
Pit avo's, mush in a dish with a fork.Add in all other ingredients. Mix a lot!

We chilled it before serving it simply because I made it so early.  People seemed to really like it, so I'll have to make it for 'non-family' sometime to get more feedback. It was super easy, which I like!

Repeats: Salsa and Bruchetta

Earlier this week I made some Salsa again to use up some extra onion left over from the potato bake. My ratios were quite different from the previous attempt (far less onion), and I preferred this mix. It still didn't taste exactly how I want it too, but it's an improvement. I'll look up some recipies to try figure out the differences.

Mum and I cooked for hours yesterday to celebrate my Dad's birthday. I was in charge of three dishes, one was the repeat of Bruchetta. I made it the same way as before, so no need for a description. The only slight variation was that there was more tomato on each piece than last time, which seemed to be a good thing. 

Potato Bake

This was exciting!!! This is one of my favourite recipies my Aunt Martina makes when I go visit them. I called her up yesterday and begged for the recipe. As what seems to be a bit of a running theme on my blog so far, this recipe is a 'created' one, so it can be played with as much as we want!

Potato Bake

Needed:
1 potato per person (at least)
1 onion
1 small container of cream (I think that means 250ml)
lots of grated cheese
salt & pepper
bread to make bread crumbs.

Method:
Slice potatoes thinly, approx 3-5mm thick. If pre-preparing, soak potatoes in water.
Slick onion thinly, as above.
Grease the bottom of a casserole dish
Create a layer of potaotes, followed by some salt and pepper
Create a layer of onion
repeat, finishing with a layer of potatoes.
Dump a 'liberal' amount of grated cheese on top of all this.
Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the cheese to make the top 'crispy'.
Pour in cream, either until container empty, or until 1/2 way up the casserole dish.
Bake in oven for approx 30 - 45 min.

Issues I had:
Well, I didn't know how hot to set the oven. Our oven is notoriously horrid, so we set it at 400F, and baked it for 45 minutes. This was definitely not nearly enough - the potatoes weren't fully cooked, neither was the onion. The breadcrumbs over-cooked and absorbed all the cheese.  It was a yummy dish, but not up to my memories.

Variations I plan:
1) removal/ reduction of onion. 
2) addition of more cheese layers
3) baking for longer time at lower temperatures
4) we'll see what else I can come up with!

I made too much last night, so will experiment with smaller potatoes sometime in the weeks to come. Fingers crossed!  Anyone have any cooking advice for how to improve?

Steak Marinade

So Dad is teaching me about steak marinades. Apparently there are a few different kinds:

1) the 'flavour' marinade like teriyaki, peppercorn, bbq etc,
2) the syrupy kind, which almost makes the steak 'sticky' on the outside..
3) the 'flavour enhancing' kind. this isn't designed to give a flavour distinct of the meat, it's supposed to make the meat taste more 'meaty'.

Last night we made option 3.  Now Dad makes things up has he goes, so this is all just estimates.

Steak Marinade
Don't buy the most expensive cuts of steak for marinades, as they are designed to 'soften' or 'break down' the meat. We used Sirloin Tip Marinading Steak.  The steak should be put in a pot/container where the liquid will cover the meat entirely. Soak for a minimum of 5 hours, but preferably overnight.

Mix together:
100 ml of balsamic vineager
100 ml red wine
50 ml olive oil
5 'healthy shakes' of wochester sauce
1 teaspoon of liquid bovril
2 teaspoons of garlic
1 teaspoon of mixed herbs
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of sugar

The outcome: pretty good. I mean, I think I perfer the 'adds a flavour' kind (number 1), but this was an interesting experiment and had pretty good results!

Old-School Brownies

Had a bit of a slow down recently with the cooking, for not particular reason.

The other night I was feeling blue, so I made myself some brownies. And I did it 'old-school'.. ie I cracked open a box of pre-made brownie mix, added 1/4 cup of water, oil, and an egg, and baked. And as usual with me, I underestimated my timing, so they didn't even turn out properly! sigh

Yep, that's called backsliding. Don't worry, it won't happen again... 

so ya, not even gonna bother with a photo.  Hopefully more cooking to come.

Salsa and Bruschetta again

So part of learning how to cook is having the ability to make things again, without help. So today I tried to re-create salsa I was taught how to make over a year ago, and then also tried to re-make the bruschetta. I had mixed results, but generally it was a positive experience.

Salsa
chopped and mixed: 1 onion, 4 roma tomatoes, 2 jalapenos, some garlic, cilantro, and lime juice.

Results - well, it didn't taste quite right. I tried adding more lime juice but that didn't fix it. I think I'll do less onion next time and maybe more jalapeno? I don't know. Advice anyone?


Bruschetta - repeat
So this was my attempt at re-creating the Bruschetta from earlier this month. There were a few changes - I had much larger bread slices (which was a good thing for layering), and store-bought pesto (which was also good as it had garlic!).

Results - pretty darn good. I had forgotten to 'flip' the bread at first, but once I remembered, everything seemed to go well. The only downer on using larger bread was that after a while it got a bit soggy... but part of that was due to my over catering.

So overall, today's cooking adventure was a success.

Gobble Gobble!

My Mum has really jumped on my wanting to learn how to cook and this weekend throws me into the deepend - it's Thanksgiving! No, I'm not responsible for the entire meal, but I have been instructed on it all (including top-secret recipes!!) and was able contribute today in a few ways.  Specifically I have made the 'top-secret' stuffing and the Apple Crumble desert.

Stuffing
So I can't tell you what went into the stuffing, but I can show you a photo of it and some 'epic' proof that I made it (yep, in true form there I am cooking in my pj's!).


I can describe my Apple Crumble experience as it's pretty easy. However, I can't give measurments as once again it's a 'secret' family recipe. So, dear readers (if there are any!), your task is to try figure out the ratios yourself, if you so choose to make this crumble!

Apple Crumble
Apple's, either from a can, or peeled, cored and cut into crescents, layed out with some cinamon sprinkled on top.

Crumble = mixture of flour, butter, sugar and salt. Yup, that's it!

I tried something new this time and did an 'Apple Crumble Sandwhich' - crumble on both sides. I'm expecting it to be mega sweet, so will serve it with vanilla ice cream. Hope it's good! Will update later!

Also, for any special occassion with my family a special table is layed. Today I did a 'reverse' thanksgiving table - I used all stuff remembering our 'old world' life rather than 'new world' stuff. The placemats, coasters and drinkwear are all from Africa.


Update:
Well, the stuffing was too runny, so have to alter that recipe. Ah well, everyone said it was tasty. I'll take their word on it as I don't eat it myself!  The crumble seemed to be a hit... perhaps it will be my new 'thing'? Hrm.. we'll see. I'm so stuffed right now, can't really think about it!  

Rustic Curry

Colleen and Wilf declared that I would be learned how to make curry 'Rustic Wilfy Style' the other night, so that's what we did!  This was more a 'participate and learn' session, with both of them teaching me everything from how to properly chop an onion to the importance of 'cooking wine' (which has nothing to do with food...).

We made Chana Masala and Rustic Butter Chicken. I remember the recipe for the Chana but I'll have to get back to you about the specifics of the Rustic Butter Chicken.

Chana Masala
Needed:
1 can chick peas
1 red onion
2 chopped tomatoes
chana masala powder
baking soda and salt
water.

Method: heat oil in pan, fry chopped red onion until 'golden brown' or 'translucent'. I think this was called 'caramelizing'.  Then add two chopped tomatoes, 1/5 pack of the masala powder and some salt. Mix it all up for a while, then drain and add the chick peas.  Again, mix, then add 3.5 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.  Simmer for 40 minutes.  It won't end up looking super pretty, but it's yummy!!  I think next time I make it I may put more tomatoes in, or else I'll used canned ones to see if the colour can be different or if it could be more 'tomato-y'.

Rustic Butter Chicken
This is the one where I know the ingredients but I can't remember the order it was made in. I'll change this post once I find out!

Needed:
Butter
white onion
chopped chicken
ground almonds
canned 'mushed' tomatoes
yoghurt
spices: curry powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, cardnom and masala powder

Method:
sauté butter and onion until translucent. Add chicken chunks, then spices, then tomatoes, then yoghurt, and finally the almonds.

Reesa's Mac & Cheese

So Reesa and I decided to make one of our usual favourites, but this time NOT from a box of KD... It didn't work perfectly so we'll have to try again sometime, but in efforts to be true to my new cooking lessons, I'll list what we did.

Macaroni and Cheese
Melted butter in pan, then added 4 tablespoons of flour, mixing.
When it was warm & mixed enough, we slowly added 3 cups of milk, stirring constantly. This was confusing to me, as it took a really long time to notice any difference in the texture, but eventually it thickened.

The recipe Reesa had called for us to split the mixture in half, and then use two different kinds of cheese, and then bring the two back together. As we only had one kind of cheese, we ignored this. So in went approx 3 cups of grated cheese.

We continued to mix and melt and mix some more. We eventually dumped in the pre-cooked macaroni, and voila! We had our own mac and cheese.

Oh, we also mixed in some steamed cauliflower, but I think that's optional.

In hindsight, the sauce wasn't nearly cheesy enough and probably could have used some kind of spice or kick like paprika or cayenne pepper. We grated extra cheese and added salt & pepper to make it taste a bit more like what we wanted. I suppose that’s why you make things more than once before giving up! =P

Frikkadels

Last night I made dinner for my parents. Mum had mince (ground beef) out to thaw, so I was limited to that. We had a look through some recipe books and I saw Frikkadels and got excited. However, the recipe my family uses is not from a book, it's created by Mum, so I learned directly from her.  The meal was one I ate a lot when I was small - Frikkadels, Mashed Potatoes and Peas.

Frikkadels, for those who don't know, are South African meatballs. They are awesome.

Frikkadels
500g Mince
1 regular size onion
1 egg
2 slices of bread or 1 cup oats
mixed herbs
oil, flour and pepper.  
worcester sauce

Put onion, egg, oats/bread and water into the food processor and mix. Add meat, mix. add pepper, herbs, mix.
Roll golf ball size chunks of mixture into balls, rolling in flour.
Heat small amount of oil in frying pan, add meat balls. Cook and turn as appropriate.

Mashed Potatoes
Boil potatoes for approx 20 min. Add 'splash' of milk and approx 2 tablespoons of margarine. Mash.

Bruschetta

I visited my Aunt and Uncle this past weekend and assisted in making my cousins birthday dinner. My task = Bruschetta. I'll list roughly how it was made. Also, if every any recipe is 'secret', well, I won't give it away!

Bruschetta
Crusty bread cut diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces. Brushed olive oil on one side and baked in oven until crunchy.
Spooned on home-made (not by me) pesto sauce for a base layer.
Chopped up 3 skinless tomatoes (boiling water = good for removing skin). Put piles of tomatoes onto each piece of bread.
Grated fresh parmesean onto each piece.
sprinkled some form of green herb on each.
Into oven and then consumed! Yum!!

Baseline

So I've decided that part of the journey I'm on now (you know, figuring myself out and all that jazz), I'm going to learn how to cook.

I figured I needed to list my baseline or starting point.

As of now, I know how to cook the following:
Pancakes from scratch
Meat sauce for spagetti/pasta, but only with pre-made sauce.
Package cake/brownies
scrambled eggs
natchos!

I have participated in making (ie helped):
Curry via slow-cooker
Hummus
butterscotch brownies from scratch

So yes, I have some growth to do! And now it begins!