brown rice salad with butternut pumpkin

I made this salad yesterday to use up the ingredients that are floating around in my kitchen.  I have had a butternut pumpkin sitting on my bench for over a week now and the nut mix was not going to be nice if I didn't use it soon.  The last of the goat cheese was used and so was the sweet tomato sauce that was left over from the weekend dinner.  There are always onions and brown rice in my pantry.

For this  salad I used

1 cup of uncooked brown rice - cooked
1 butternut pumpkin - that was a lot you probably only need to use half
handful of nuts that I toasted  (tasti do a nut mix that have cashews, pumpkins seeds, sliced almonds and pinenuts)
2 onions cut into 1/8ths
bulb of garlic (optional) I over cooked most of mine
handful of water cress or rocket
chile flakes
a few crumbles of goat cheese or feta
chopped chives - they were in the garden - you can use any herb
sweet tomato sauce dressing

Start off by cooking your rice.  I did that as soon as I was up so it was already to go at lunch time.
Next cut your  pumpkin into whatever size you like.  (Jacob said he thought ours was too big).
Roast with the onions and garlic.  Divide up the bulb but leave the skins on.  I like to put all in a bowl and mix with the olive oil and salt and pepper before putting in the roasting pan so they all get a good coating.  Space out the vegetables as they will go soggy and gently turn them over 3-4 times during their cooking time.  A little care is required so the pumpkin retains it shape.  If the onions are getting too scorched, take them out ahead of the pumpkin.
While the veges are cooking make the dressing.  Use 2 tablespoons of the sweet tomato sauce along with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.  Whisk together and add to the brown rice along with some chile flakes and combine well.  Always a good idea to dress your rice first so it can absorb the flavour and it doesn't mush up your vege if you added it later.
Once the veges have cooked to your liking let them cool for about 15 mins then add to the rice mixture along with the rest of the ingredients.

prawn pasta

I decided to make this for lunch today as my old friend and neighbour Cathy who now lives in Canada, left me a comment saying she had made my prawn linguine.  I love to get comments and feedback as it reminds me of some of the recipes that I haven't made in a while.  This recipe is not the same as I didn't have all the ingredients.  I have come up with a flavour base that is not new but one that I have not done before.  That is to melt anchovies with garlic and olive oil.   Really delicious..

For this recipe I used

• 500g of dried linguine or bavette pasta
• 400g of raw prawns
• 4 large anchovies in oil
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of capers
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 cup of chicken stock ( I used some stock that I had  made from the scampi tail shells that I had in the freezer.)
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• a few shakes of chile flakes
• handful of italian parsley
• black pepper

Start off heating a good glug of olive oil in a large frying pan on low heat.  Add the garlic and anchovies.  You do not want the garlic to colour.  Once the anchovies had melted in the oil add the capers, chile flakes and tomato paste.  Stir around and cook the rawness out of the tomato paste and then deglaze with the stock.  Let it bubble away and reduce by at least half.  Add the prawns.  They will only takes minutes to cook through.  Next goes the butter, zest, and parsley.  The butter thickens it up a little.  Lastly add the cooked pasta to the pan mix through the lemon juice and the black pepper.

Finns' lunch - nachos

This was Finns' lunch today.  Sort of thrown together.  I used what was on hand.
I browned off some lean beef mince with some homemade taco seasoning and some tomato puree.  It looks a little dry, I should have added a splash of water to it.
I added the beef to the layer of tortilla chips and then added some sour cream, avocado, grated cheese, sweet chile sauce and the chopped mango (only because I know Finn likes it).
Add whatever you like, olives, tomato salsa, refried beans, fresh herbs and make a large plate for everyone to share.

Mouse traps

I haven't made mouse traps for years now.  I used to make them a lot when the kids were little.  Don't know why I stopped, as they are really delicious and great if you need to feed a lot people in a hurry.

I made Finn s using his gluten free baps (Venerdi range).  This is his favourite bread of the moment.
Use mustard instead of butter to spread on first.  Toast the bread lightly first.

Mix together all the ingredients so that it is all  ready just to spoon onto the bread before grilling.

For the cheese mixture you will need

• grated cheese.  I used 3 varieties - mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan, but anything is fine
• 1 finely chopped white onion
• 3-4 slices of ham or as much as you prefer, I used champagne ham, use what you have
• 3 beaten eggs
• lots of black ground pepper

Combine all the ingredients and pile on toasted bread that is on a baking tray.  Finn likes a swirl of sweet chile sauce on his before going under the grill.

It colours up really quickly so keep an eye out.
Jacob had his using Vogels 12 grain bread.

Basic fried rice

Finn's lunch is fairly basic today.  Mind you it is still very tasty.

You will need

• 2 cups of cooked rice
• 2 eggs made into an omlette and sliced
• 1 cup of steamed cauliflower
• 1 onion sliced
• 1/2 cup of finely sliced ham
• 1 spring onion sliced 
• 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet chile sauce

 First start by adding some peanut oil into the wok or fry pan and cook your omlette.  Remove and put aside.  Next fry the onions until cooked, add the ham and cauliflower, rice and egg.  Finish off by adding the soy sauce, sweet chile sauce and stir to combine and heat through.

Chicken wings 1

I intend to post a few different marinades for chicken wings over the next couple of weeks and I thought I would start off with the most familiar one first.  Who doesn't like sticky chicken wings.
First of all divide your chicken wings into 3 parts, discarding the tip ( or use them for your chicken stock)

Nibbles as you no them.

Marinade the chicken nibbles as many or as little as you like in

1/4 cup soy sauce or tarmari sauce
1 tablespoon of honey or brown sugar (what ever you have)
1-2 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
1-2 teaspoon of fresh ginger chopped
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of peanut oil or similar

Mix and coat the chicken wings and marinade for as long as you want.
Bake in a moderate oven for about 30 mins.
I baste and turn every 10 minutes.

The secret to making really good chicken wings that are marinated in something sweet, is to crowd them in the cooking pan so they don't scorch and burn.  The fat released from the chicken skin will mingle with the marinade and make a really delicious sauce to spoon over your rice.
Serve with coleslaw with sweet tart lime dressing.

I only made a small amount of wings as this was Finn's school lunch and my dinner to take to work tonight.

Finn's Lunch - Chicken balls and vegetables

Finn's lunch today was the left over chicken mince that I used for spring rolls that were made for my daughter's 13th birthday party yesterday.  I had hoped to have taken some photos but I was to busy to stop.  Feeding 12 hungry girls is a task.

Basically all it is, is chicken mince and a small amount of grated garlic (using my plane) and some salt.  Roll into balls and coat in cornflour and then shallow fry.  Really simple.  The cornflour provides a lovely golden colour and a slight crispness.

Served with the usual sticky rice and sweet soy sauce.  The vegetables are steamed broccoli and cauliflower with and added sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Finn's Lunch - Chicken and vegetables

Finns school lunch today.  Variation of the same.

This time stir frying chicken breast instead.  Remove from wok.  I cook with peanut oil.  Add some sea salt as well.  I probably crowded the wok by putting too much in the wok in one go.

Then do the vegetables, whatever you have got.  Slice finely red and white cabbage about a handful of each and the same for the bean sprouts.

I had already steamed some broccoli florets  and added them along with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Served with the usual sticky white short grain rice and sweet soy sauce.  There was even enough for me to take for my dinner tonight to work.

Finn's Lunch - Pork balls with sticky rice

This was Finn's school lunch today.  As he has Coeliacs and is really tiny I deliver his lunch to him so he has a nutritious meal.  I know it is a little over the top especially as he is 14 years old.  Anyway some things you just have to do.  Sometimes I make extra and Finn sells them to his mates.  I'd like to do it more often but I am out of disposal plastic containers.  I will have to go buy some soon.

500g pork mince
4 spring onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of grated fresh ginger ( I use my zester plane, it works wonders)
1tsp of Maldon sea salt or 1/2 tsp of table salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tsp of sesame oil
Mix till combined
I fry up a little bit to taste to see if need more salt or whatever

Shape into balls and shallow fry for a couple of minutes and rotate for even cooking.
I find it easy to do in the wok.
Serve with sticky white rice and sweet sticky soy sauce
Garnish with spring onions