Dish 11 - Grilled Salsa Burgers

Grilled Salsa Burgers

Prep Time: 30min; Total: 30min; Makes: 6

Ingredients:

1.5 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
3/4 cup shredded hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese (I used Colby as we don't have jack cheese in Aust)
6 burger buns, split, toasted
6 tomato slices
6 avocado slices
6 Tbsp sour cream

Method:

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. In medium bowl, mix beef, salsa and bread crumbs. Shape mixture into 12 (4-inch) patties, 1/4 inch thick). Sprinkle rounded tablespoon cheese in centre of 6 patties, spreading slightly. Top with remaining patties; press edges together firmly to seal.
2. Place patties on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 11-13 minutes, turning once, until meat thermometer inserted in centre of patties reads 160oF.
3. Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Top each with tomato and avocado slice and 1 tablespoon sour cream. If desired, top with additional salsa. Cover with top halves of buns.
   

Recipe Source: Betty Crocker

Dish 10 - Chow Mein Vegetables with Chicken Tenders

Chow Mein Vegetables with Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

Olive oil
400g packet frozen breast tenders
500g packet frozen stir fry vegetables
Chow mein recipe base packet
250g packet fresh noodles

Method:

1. Cook chicken tenders following packet directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a fry pan and cook the stir fry vegetables for 3 minutes.
3. Add recipe base (there should sufficient liquid from the moisture of the frozen vegetables, but you may need to add additional water, to ensure the vegetables don't dry out). Cook for a further 3 or so minutes.
   
4. Meanwhile cook the noodles following packet directions.
5. Once noodles are cooked, stir through the vegetables and plate up.
6. Top with cooked chicken tenders, cut into halves diagonally.
   

Recipe Source: Originated from a Woolworths recipe, but changed significantly due to items no longer being available at the same supermarket, go figure!

Dish 9 - Lusterman Style Tuna Fish Casserole

Lusterman Style Fish Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can of tuna fish
1 box elbow macaroni
1 can peas - drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkt potato chips

Method:

1. Boil macaroni according to package directions - drain.
2. In oblong cake pan - mix the macaroni, drained green peas, tuna fish and cream of mushroom soup.
3. Crunch up the bag of potato chips and sprinkle them on top of the tuna fish mixture.
4. Back in 350 degree oven about 30 minutes.
   

Notes: Makes HEAPS, so a little unsuitable for our small family, unfortunately, as it's not really reheatable or freezable due to the potato chips. I did have it for lunch the next day, and it certainly tasted good, but the chips didn't have quite the same crunch!

Recipe Source: Family recipe

Dish 8 - Grandma Ellie's Taco Salad

Grandma Ellie's Taco Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 small chopped onion
1/4 tsp salt
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 head lettuce, chopped
4 tomatoes, quartered
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 large bag Doritos, crushed
1 cup Thousand Island Dressing
1 small bottle mild taco sauce
1 avocado, chopped


Method:

1. Put beef in skillet and brown.
2. Add onion and salt.
3. Drain fat.
4. Add kidney beans.
5. Simmer for 5 minutes and cool.
6. Mix together the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and Doritos.
7. Add to meat, just before serving.
8. In a small bowl, place serving of mixture with dressing, sauce and avocado.
   

Notes: Another really easy meal to make. When I was cooking the meat and not adding any seasoning, except salt, I thought that it might be a little bland, but with all the ingredients together, it's actually a good combination of flavour. I might try and put some cumin, or taco seasoning in the meat mix next time, but trying to decide if it would then have too much flavouring. I guess I can only experiment and see!

Recipe Source: Grandma Ellie's Recipe Tin

Dish 7 - Grandma Ellie's Pasta Sauce

Grandma Ellie's Pasta Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup finely cut celery
1 chopped green pepper
250gm of pasta of choice

Method:

1. Combine ingredients (except pasta) and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Serve over cooked pasta.
   

Notes: Really easy to make, especially when you don't have much in your pantry/fridge. It doesn't look that appetising when plating, but has a surprisingly lovely taste. Sweet from the sugar, with tang from the vinegar and sauce. Wouldn't want to have it all the time, but good in emergencies!

Recipe Source: Grandma Ellie's Recipe Tin

Dish 6 - Cashew Chicken & Broccoli

Cashew Chicken & Broccoli

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 30min; Total Time: 30min

Ingredients:

2 tsp canola oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp finely chopped gingerroot
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup chicken stock
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups snap peas
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp vinegar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
2 medium spring onions, sliced
3 cups hot cooked rice
1/4 cup salted cashew nuts

Method:

1. In nonstick fry pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and gingerroot; cook and stir 4-5 miutes or until chicken begins to brown.
2. Add broccoli, 1/2 cup of stock and pepper flakes. Cover; cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring once. Add peas; cook 2-4 minutes longer, stirring once, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. In small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup broth, the soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch and sugar; stir into chicken mixture. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Serve over rice; sprinkle with cashews.
   

Notes: This was quick and easy, but I found it lacking a little taste. Admittedly, I omitted the pepper flakes as I didn't have any in the pantry, so maybe that would have given it the kick it needed. Big Spring said that he enjoyed the meal... the cook is always most critical of their dish, so maybe it was better than I gave it credit for... I'll attempt it again and perhaps it will be better next time, with the pepper flakes!

Recipe Source: Based on Betty Crocker's recipe

Dish 5 - Chicken Burritos

Chicken Burritos

Makes: 14; Prep Time: 20min; Cook Time: 40min

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp lime juice
1 cup salsa
1 pkt Continental Oriental Fried Rice
1 425gm can Old El Paso Mexe Beans
200gm frozen corn, thawed
2 x 125gm cans diced capsicum, drained
14 flour tortillas
Sour cream

Method:

1. In fry pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in centre.
2. Stir in water, lime juice, salsa and contents of fried rice mix, until blended. Stir in beans, corn and capsicum; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat tortillas as directed on package.
4. Spoon slightly less than 1 cup chicken mixture down centre of each warm tortilla. Top with sour cream. Fold bottom of each tortilla 1 inch over filling. Fold sides in, overlapping to enclose filling. Fold top over sides.
   

Recipe Source: Based on Betty Crocker's recipe, but modified for Australian products available

Dish 4 - Beef Lasagne

Beef Lasagne

Serves: 4-6; Prep Time: 20min; Cook Time: 35min

Ingredients:

400g lean beef mince
575g jar Leggo's Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce - Bolognese
1 packet fresh or dry lasagne sheets
565g jar Leggo's Bechamel Pasta Bake
1 cup grated tasty cheese

Method:

1. Brown beef mince in a saucepan.
2. Add bolognese sauce and heat through.
3. Spoon 1/3 cup of meat sauce over the base of a 20cm x 30cm ovenproof lasagne dish. Cover with a layer of fresh or dry instant lasagne sheets and 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat layers twice and finish with a layer of sheets.
4. Pour over Bechamel Sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 200oC for 35 minutes for fresh sheets or 45 minutes for instant sheets.
   

Notes: If I were to make this again, I would increase the mince to perhaps 500g as there wasn't really enough to cover 3 layers sufficiently. Also, I'm not sure why it happened, but I think the jar of Bechemel Sauce might have been too runny and it seeped into the lasagne, leaving the top layer of lasagne sheets exposed and therefore didn't soften during cooking so was hard.

Recipe Sources: Woolworths catalogue

Dish 3 - Bow Tie Pasta with Capsicum

Bow Tie Pasta with Capsicum
Serves: 4; Prep Time: 10 min; Cook Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

50g salami, sliced into strips
250g bow tie pasta
1 large red tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
1 yellow & 1 red capsicum, cut into strips and sliced on the diagonal
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
100g snow peas, halved and lightly cooked
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley & chopped olives to garnish

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
2. Sprinkle the tomato with the sugar and set aside.
3. Prepare the vegetables and other ingredients.
4. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently saute the capsicums and garlic until tender. Add the salami and snow peas then toss together briefly. When heated through, add the tomato.
5. Drain the pasta and add to the pan and toss together to combine well.
6. Season with salt & pepper. Serve the pasta topped with the cheese, parsley and olives.
   

Recipe Sources: Woolworths

Notes: Easy and delicious!