Shitake Mushroom & Soba Soup

What with our house hunting getting serious, I've lost my appetite from the stress! Now is the perfect time for a bowl of refreshing noodle soup to help lift the spirits! Yesterday I didn't feel like eating either, so I made this with chicken. Today I had run out of chicken, so I used a small tin of flavoured tuna instead. Delish!

shitake mushroom & noodle soup is perfect when you're not feeling your best

Ingredients
5 or 6 dried shitake mushrooms
4 cups of water
vegetable stock, salt reduced preferred
quick cook noodles, like organic soba
2 cups fresh veggies eg. green beans, organic broccoli, finely sliced cabbage etc
optional, a handful of shredded roast chicken breast OR 90g tin of flavoured tuna eg. sweet chilli

mushrooms and soba noodles cooking on the stove top

1. soak 5 or 6 dried shitake mushrooms in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes, then cut in half
2. dissolve 1 or 2 tablespoons of powdered vege stock in 2 cups of water
3. add vege stock, mushrooms with water, broccoli and green beans (and the chicken if using) to a saucepan and bring to the boil
4. lower heat and add the noodles and cabbage to the boiling water, (add tuna if using), simmer for 3 minutes

by Teena from Flushed with Rosy Colour

Teena's Vegie Bake

David had a rare night off cooking last night, so I whipped this up! I'm not as good a cook as Dave, but this one was an unusual success. So now I just have to write down what I did so I remember for next time he wants a night off!

Teena's version of a veggie bake

I used to make veggie bakes a fair bit in my early 20s, when I attempted to be a vegetarian. I managed to refrain from eating red meat for 3 months, but I still ate chicken and fish, so I wasn't really a vegetarian! But after 1 month off not eating red meat, the aroma of red meat cooking became an unpleasant smell. I found the original idea for this veggie bake in the Australia the Beautiful Cookbook, which someone gave to me many, many years ago.

You will need -
your choice of veggies, enough to fill 2/3 of your casserole dish
your choice of a base, like rice or couscous, your choice of beans (optional), and olive oil
mushrooms, garlic, butter and flour for the mushroom sauce
grated cheese for on top, a couple of handfuls

For my adaptation last night, I began by preparing the vegetables. You can use any veggies for the bulk of the bake. Last night I used a bunch that needed to be used up, some home-grown potatoes and a squash from David's father's garden, a zucchini, a sweet potato, a red onion and some pumpkin. In my younger days, I would use celery and carrot as well, they are very cheap! There were enough vegetables to fill our small steamer.

Next I made a garlic mushroom sauce. That's a white sauce using butter, flour and liquid from the bottom of the steamed veggies. Then I fried up some butter, garlic and mushrooms in a small pan, and added that to the sauce.

I also prepared some couscous, which is too easy and convenient not to use. All you have to do is add boiling water to the same amount of couscous, I used half a cup which made plenty for us. Let it sit while you prepare other things, then fluff it up with a fork. To the couscous I added some olive oil and strained butter beans.

To put it all together you put the couscous mixture in the base of the casserole dish, you could also use rice or pasta for this. Next you pile in all the strained steamed veggies. Then you pour the mushroom sauce over them. Lastly, you put a couple of handfuls of grated cheese on top. I also put the last few dobbles of left over garlic herb butter on top to melt. Then it all goes in a 220 oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is golden brown, yum!

Gingerbread Hearts

We made these biscuits for Christmas in 2010.  Thomas was still in the Special Care Nursery at that stage so we were passing time before we went to visit him.  We travelled in to see him every day during the 7 weeks he was in the nursery, except for two days when it was flooding and we weren't able to get in.  We ended up giving the biscuits to friends and family as a nice home-made gift for Christmas.

An assortment of Gingerbread Hearts.

Ingredients

125g butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 1/2 tbs golden syrup

2 cups plain flour

Pinch salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp bicarb soda

2 tsp ground ginger

Cutting out the hearts.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and golden syrup, beat thoroughly.  Sift dry ingredients together and work into butter mixture to form a soft dough.

Knead lightly on a floured surface and roll out to about 3mm thickness.  Cut into heart shapes and arrange on a greased backing tray.  Bake in a preheated oven (180°C/350°F) for 15 minutes.

Teena was in charge of decorating the hearts.

Heart Shaped Steak Pie with Vegies

This year for Valentines day dinner, we had Heart Shaped Steak Pie, Crunchy Baked Potatoes with Rosemary, Baked Pumpkin, Honey and Soy Roast Carrots and Minted Mushy Peas.  The pies are adapted from a recipe at Taste.com.au

They turned out great and were very tasty.  We will probably use this recipe again, but make normal shaped pies as it should be a bit easier.  To save having to cook too much on the actual night, I made the pies the night before (right up until the point where you put them in the oven), wrapped them in cling wrap and popped them in the freezer.  Then it's just a matter of cooking them on the night, though they did take a little longer as they were still frozen.

A hearty meal!

Ingredients - Heart Shaped Steak and Gravy Pie

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 500g beef chuck steak, cubed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 2 tbs instant gravy powder
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry

These mini heart shaped cake tins were perfect for the job

Heat oil in a saucepan over high heat.  Cook beef for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned.
Add onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring, until onion is softened.
Add flour.  Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add gravy powder and water.
Cover and bring to the boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Stir in rosemary.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until beef is tender.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. Grease two heart shaped cake tins.
Line prepared tins with pastry. Trim excess. Spoon filling into cases. Brush edges with egg. Cut puff pastry into 2 squares. Place over filling. Press edges to seal. Trim excess. Brush with egg.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden.

The steak is chunky yet so tender

Spicy Broccolini and Bacon Spaghetti

Sometimes you don't have much time to cook or you just don't feel like standing in the kitchen for hours.  That is when a simple and quick meal like this one is great.  All up it should take well under 30 minutes to make and tastes delicious.

Quick, easy and tasty!

Ingredients

• 250g Spaghetti
• 100g Bacon, roughly chopped
• 1 Onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 bunch Broccolini
• 400g can chopped Tomatoes
• 2 tsp Hot Chilli Sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• Shredded Cheese (we used mozzarella as we were out of parmesan)

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling, salted water.
In a large frypan, cook bacon for 3 minutes.  Add Onion and garlic and fry for another 3 minutes.
Roughly chop the stems of the broccolini and add to the pan.  Continue frying for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes,chilli sauce, broccolini heads and water.  Bring to the boil then reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.  To serve, put spaghetti into bowls, then add sauce and top with cheese.

Chilli Mayonnaise

I tried making my own mayonnaise before I bought a food processor without much luck.  Using just a whisk I was never able to get the right consistency (it was always very runny).  Now that I have a food processor though, it's really easy to make mayonnaise and it comes out thick and creamy!

This is the chilli version that Teena and I both like, but we also make plain one with Dijon mustard and a garlic mayonnaise that I like.  I hear people talking about ranch dressing all the time but have yet to attempt that ( I don't think it's as popular in Australia as it is in America).

Chilli Mayonnaise

 
Ingredients
1 egg yolk
150ml canola oil
1 tbs hot chilli sauce
salt

Place egg yolk and 1 tsp oil in food processor.
Blend for 20 seconds.  With processor turned on, slowly drizzle oil into the top funnel.
Start with a very thin stream and increase as the mixture thickens.
After half the oil has been added, add a pinch of salt (to taste).  Add remaining oil slowly.
Once all the oil has been added, add the chilli and continue mixing until it is mixed through.

A jar of Chilli Mayonnaise

Beef Casserole with Rosemary Dumplings

Lots of vegies!

 There's nothing like a nice casserole or stew to warm you up in winter.  But it's not winter in Australia at the moment, it's actually quite hot.  That didn't stop us from making this delicious dish the other night.  We love the dumplings, they really make the dish in our opinion.  The best thing about a dish like this is that you can add just about anything you have on hand.

Ingredients

• 500g casserole steak, cut into small chunks
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large Clove garlic, sliced
• 1 red capsicum, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 1 sweet potato, roughly chopped
• 1 potato, roughly chopped
• 1 cup pumpkin, roughly chopped
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 4 cups vegetable stock (or beef stock)
• 1/4 cup wine

 Rosemary Dumplings

• (2/3 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 25g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tbs rosemary leaves
• 2 tbs milk

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Heat oil in pan.  Add steak and stir until browned.  Remove from pan and set aside.
Heat some more oil.  Add onion, capsicum and garlic.  Cook for 3 minutes on high.
Add carrots, kidney beans, green beans, potato, sweet potato and pumpkin.  Cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
Stir in flour and cook for a few more minutes.  Add stock and wine.  Bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

The dumplings soak up the delicious stew.

To make the dumplings, sift flour and baking powder into a bowl.  Add butter  and rub until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in rosemary, salt and pepper.  Add milk and mix until you have a soft dough.  Add the dumplings into the casserole and cook a further 20-30 minutes until dumplings are cooked through (test with a skewer).

Ready to eat!

The Rosemary was dried from the plants in our potted garden.  You can read more about our rosemary on my wife Teena's blog, flushedwithrosycolour.