MInce and Cheese Pie

Winter makes me crave a good mince pie.  I often make one out of left-over casserole or stew but came across this great recipe in the Sky Magazine, of all places.  The creator is Dean Brettschneider.

Butter Puff or Flaky pastry sheets - store bought

A little bit flat after being in the fridge overnight, but still yummy!

Or - make a mash from boiled root veges of your choice
1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp butter
1 med onion diced
2 cloves garlic crushed
500gm lean mince
1tbsp flour
175ml beef stock (ready made is fine)
175 ml beer
2 tbsp tomato puree or paste
1 tbsp Vegemite or Marmite (I didn't use quite this much as I thought it too much)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp mixed herbs
S & P to taste
200g grated cheese

Line a dish with one sheet of pastry, or alternatively you can make 4 individual pies.  If you don't want to use pastry, boil some root veges and mash to place on top.  Set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in large frying pan and add the onion and garlic.  Cook gently until onion is golden.  Add the beef mince and cook until well browned, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps forming.  Stir in the flour and cook approx 30 secs.  Gradually add the beef stock and beer, then bring to the boil.  Add tomato puree/paste, Vegemite/Marmite, balsamic vinegar and mixed herbs.  Taste and add S&P if needed.  Simmer for 10 mins, remove from heat and let cool.  ( I didn't let it cool and it was OK)

Fill the pastry lined dish(es) with the meat mixture or just place in pie dish if not using pastry.  Add cheese on top of meat.  Place another sheet of pastry over the top and seal the edges, cut a cross in the middle of the pastry.   Brush pastry with some milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.  Or spoon the mash over the top to completely cover and dot top with some butter.  (It says to rest for 1 - 2 hours or longer before baking but I didn't do this and it was OK)

Bake in preheated 220degC oven for 25 - 30 mins.  Serve with green salad or steamed veges - and tomato sauce.

How to never use Shampoo again

For the last three weeks I have been Shampoo-free. My scalp feels great, no itching or soreness - very comfortable. My hair has never had more body, it smells nice and people keep saying how shiny it is! I will never go back. Want to know how?

What you will need:

A big bunch of rosemary or lavender
Apple cider vinegar
Baking soda (Bicarb for Aussies)
A big jar
A tea cup
A small container with a lid

Making your hair rinse/conditioner:

Put your rosemary or lavender into the big jar and fill up to 2/3rds full with boiling water. Maybe put some cold in first or warm the jar so the hot water doesn't crack it! Like it did for me.

Leave it overnight to seep. In the morning top up the jar with cider vinegar. This is your conditioner! it keeps for about a week. I got this recipe from Wendyl Nissen's 'A Home Companion'.

Washing your hair:

Step 1: In the shower have some baking soda in a small container - about 1/2 a cup or a few handfuls per wash. Have a tea-cup or pouring device and your hair rinse handy.

Step 2: Wet your hair and rub a few handfuls of baking soda through it. I like to grab a handful and smooth it along my head from front to back - do the two sides, then the middle etc. When you have enough on there just rub it around a bit to clean your scalp.

Step 3: Tip your head forward and pour a tea-cup full of your rinse over your hair slowly. The rinse will fizz with the baking soda - but because it's watered down it will just be a gentle fizz.

Step 4: Wash this out. Your hair will feel very soft at this stage.

Step 5: Squeeze out the excess water from your hair and pour over one more tea-cup rinse. This time you will leave it on and dry your hair as normal.

If you have a sore or very sensitive scalp you could skip Step 3. Just wash out the baking soda then do the rinse, rather than letting it fizz. Also I'm pretty sure this is safe for coloured hair but maybe do a small test first.

Carole Walter's Double Chocolate Cake with Dates and Walnuts

175 g dates coarsely chopped
250 ml boiling water
1 tsp baking soda
200g plain flour (rice flour works well too)
1 1/2 tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
225 g unsalted butter at room temperature
200 g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
125 g chopped walnuts (5mm pieces)
125 g plain chocolate drops

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.  Butter a 33 x 22 cm tin.  Line bottom with baking paper.

Place the dates, boiling water and baking soda into a food processor and process until fairly smooth and thick.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until very light, then add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until pale and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla essence.

Fold in the flour mixture alternately with the pureed dates, beginning and ending with the flour.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with walnuts and chocolate drops.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Leave the cake to cool in the tin.

The photo is from another person's blog - it's the same cake.

Mexican beans/lentils

1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 large carrot, diced
1 green capsicum, chopped (I used celery the other night, Amy)
1 tsp chilli
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
tin of chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup dried green lentils (OR 1 tin of refried beans plus 1 tin of other beans of your choice like kidney)
1 cup water
fresh coriander

Method 1:
Fry onion until golden. Add garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add vegetables and saute on a low heat until they soften. Add the spices and cook for 2 minutes.

Now add the tomato, lentils and water.  If you are using canned beans, only use 1/2 cup water.

Simmer on a low heat until the lentils are cooked.  Usually takes about 40 minutes.

Serve with coriander.

Method 2:
Saute ingredients as before.  Add the lentils, tomato and water and bake in the oven, covered for 40 minutes.

Method 3:
Using other dried beans such as aduki, black beans, chick peas etc.

Soak the beans overnight in water. Boil them in new water for however long each one takes (or pressure cook them).

Add the cooked beans to the dish with the tomatoes - just add 1/2 cup of water and won't need to simmer for as long because they are already cooked.  Just enough to make a nice sauce.

Lewis's Famous Guacomole

2 ripe avocadoes
2 cloves garlic (don't be shy)
juice of 1-2 limes (or lemon)
chilli
salt and pepper - generous amounts
4 cherry tomatoes
handful of fresh coriander

Blend all these things in a food processor until desired consistency ie. smooth or chunky.

My Famous Carrot Dip

3-4 grated carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
handful of mint leaves

Blend all these things in a food processor.  May need to add extra olive oil and lemon to make a good consistency.  It wants to be light and juicy.

Apricot Chutney

I've just finished making this today out of some apricots that were too sour to eat raw.  It involves quite a lot of fine dicing and chopping, which next time I would do in the food processor, but the result has been so good and tasty I just have to add it to "OK Suit Yourselves" straight away!  It made the 3 jars shown here.


1kg apricots (I ended up with 760gm stoned fruit) diced fairly small
1 onion finely diced
1 chilli finely diced (I included the seeds)
1 cup raisins finely sliced
1/2 cup chopped candied peel
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger grated
3 cloves garlic crushed or finely diced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
2/3 cup malt vinegar
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds


Tie mustard & coriander seeds in a square of muslin or chux cloth and place in large saucepan with all other ingredients.  Cover and stand overnight.


Next day, place jars and lids in oven heated to 100degC to sterilise while you make the chutney.  Bring mixture to the boil and simmer for about 30 mins or until thickened.  Remove muslin/chux bag then ladle chutney into hot sterilised jars and seal.


Suit Yourselves
Replace apricots with mango, peaches, pears or other fruit of your liking or combine 2 or more fruits eg mango and peach.  Suit yourself!

Granny's Caramel Slice

125 gm butter

1 egg

small cup sugar

1.5 cups flour

1 tsp BP

1 Tbsp cocoa

Cream butter and sugar, add egg and other ingredients.  Press about 1/2 - 2/3 the mixture into a square tin (20 x 20 cm).  

Spread on the following mixture you have warmed in a pot until blended.

1/2 tin sweetened condensed milk

60gm butter

1 Tbsp golden syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Roll out the other half of the base mixture and put on top, or easier still, dot pieces of the mixture over the top randomly.

Bake 30 mins 185 deg C

Asian Poached Chicken Breasts and Salad

Asian Poached Chicken Breasts - by Annabel Langbein

2 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depending on how many people you wish to serve)

6 - 8 slices of fresh ginger

2 spring onions chopped

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp salt

several grinds of black pepper

3 - 4 star anise (optional)

enough cold water to cover

Place everything in a saucepan that fits the chicken in a snug, single layer and ensure there is enough water to submerge the chicken.  Cover and as soon as the liquid comes to the boil, remove pan from the heat and leave to cool with the lid on (about 1.5 hours)  Lift the chicken from the broth, cover and chill if not using immediately.  

Strain stock - or remove the star anise and liquidise the stock, ginger and spring onions with a stick blender and use for other purposes.  You can also re-use this stock when you cook the next batch of chicken.

Asian Chicken Salad

Poached chicken with chili and mint and separate salad

4 poached breasts as above

3 stalks celery, sliced diagonally

2 red capsicums, thinly sliced

2 spring onions, sliced diagonally

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

torn leaves of coriander or mint

Shred or dice the chicken and mix all tog with the following dressing.  You can also mix through 250gm crispy noodles, or soft cooked noodles just before serving.  Also add shredded lettuce if desired.  Suit yourselves!

Vietnamese Dressing

2 tbsp lime juice (or lemon)

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp brown sugar (or maple syrup)

1 tbsp sweet Thai chilli sauce

1 shredded kaffir lime leaf (or grated zest of a lime or lemon)

ground pepper

Place all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.

For a non-spicy dressing, replace the chilli sauce with olive or rice bran oil.

French Poached Chicken Breasts

Substitute a small handful of fresh thyme, 1/2 lemon, 2 bay leaves and 1 small onion for the ginger, spring onions and star anise.