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Speaking in tongues (how to nag in several languages)

July 9, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Red meat · Tagged cooking techniques, family, parenting, recipe, vegetables

A top Aussie winter. Noice.

A good winter day in Australia isn’t too bad, is it? Even I concede that a sunny day of 18 degrees isn’t worth a rumble of dissatisfaction. And there’s been a stretch of them lately. Just beautiful cool clear days that magically lift me off the couch, away from carbs and float me off into the neighbourhood walking about and realising just how unfit I am.

It appears I’m not alone. The other day there were people out EVERYWHERE. Walking. With dogs. With friends. Laughing even. The joy of vitamin D! And of course people were flocking to their gardens – raking, weeding, smiling and just ‘being’ with nature.

The spell was broken though, by the cranky sounds of a mum screeching at her children. Let’s just say I’m familiar with the tone. As I got closer I realised that the words were in French and I couldn’t understand any of it. It was unmistakable though – the (well dressed) kids were giving the (well dressed) mum the shits.

Perhaps it was the general blissful tone of the day, but it did occur to me how much better pestering and nagging the kids sounded in another language. Lifting the everyday nasty into a realm of sophistication.

So with that in mind I’ve compiled a little phrase book with all sorts of useful sentences that you can whip out when your own English phrases are getting a bit well worn.

(French) Ne vous asseyez pas sur votre sœur.
(English) Don’t sit on your sister.

(Italian) Tirare su i pantaloni.
(English) Pull your pants up.

(Dutch) Leg de slak
(English) Put down the snail.

(Afrikaans) Raak nie.
(English) Don’t touch it!

(Russian) То, что вода или Ви?
(English) Is that water or wee?

With the discipline done, feed the kids this dish for dinner. It’s a ‘casserole’, which is much fancier than a ‘stew’, and technically it is different. A stew is cooked on the stovetop, a casserole in the oven. My kids like the flavor of this one, but not the texture of the butter beans, so when I serve theirs, I hack away with scissors until it’s all a jumble, then tidily plop a few dumplings on top. They eat it. Suckers.

Yum in any language.

Best ever dumpling-topped, beef casserole

Olive oil
600g chuck steak, cubed
Plain flour
1 onion, diced
1 leek, tough green bits removed, diced
2 carrots, peeled, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large parsnip, peeled, diced
3 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine (the better the wine, the better the casserole!)
1 tbsp Worcester sauce
1 cup peas
1 can butter beans, rinsed, drained

Dumplings
1 cup self-raising flour
60g butter, chopped into little cubes
2 tbsp parsley (I like the flavour of curly parsley in this)
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
1 egg
3-4 tbsp milk to bind

Use a large stove to oven dish (with a lid) for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Heat the dish over medium/high heat. Toss the meat in flour & shake off excess. Add the oil and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Lower to heat to medium, add more oil if necessary and saute the onion , leek, carrot and celery. Stir frequently for several minutes until the vegies start to soften. Add the parsnip for a minute or two more, then return the meat, add in the stock, wine and Worcester sauce.

Give it a good stir, removing any stuck bits to the bottom. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 hour.

While that’s cooking, make the dumplings: In a large mixing bowl, rub the butter into the flour (no need to sift). Mix in the parsley, cheese and egg. Add enough milk to bind it all into a sticky dough. Wear gloves or use spoons to roll or shape the mixture into about 18 bite-sized balls and set aside.

After an hour, remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid. Stir in the peas and beans. Season to taste. Pop the dumplings over the top and return, uncovered to the oven for another 30 minutes or until the dumplings are golden and cooked through.

Serves 2 adults and 2 kids.

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What the kids eat in… Russia

June 25, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Fish, What the kids eat in... · Tagged cooking techniques, feeding the family, recipe, salmon, vegetables

Perhaps it’s my frozen feet, but I’m back thinking about world food and looking for inspiring ways to warm my cockles. I’m figuring that a country with large chunks of permafrost might be able to give me some good guidance.

So what do the Russians feed their kids in those early years before Vodka becomes the staple diet? Well, the freezing climate and general poverty makes for a fairly grim culinary history (of course, this is just my opinion), but a fish pie or ‘kulebyaka’ is a bit of a bright spot. Traditionally it’s made with a thicker pastry, but I’ve got a great filo version that is so nice and crunchy that the kids are guaranteed not to notice the range of vegies which combine with the rice and boiled eggs to provide a complete nutritional shot.

Now, fearers of filo, I hear your pain. It can be a nuisance to work with. But if you give it plenty of time to defrost you’ll have a better chance of success. Once thawed, open it out, cover it with a clean, damp tea towel and be a bit patient. Your first one or two might not be quite so gorgeous, but they’ll still be yummy and that’s the main thing.

Crunch, yum. Crunch, YUM. Feet still cold though.

Filo ‘kulebyaka’ cigars

1 packet filo pastry
250g packet microwave rice
415g can red salmon (pink will do, but red is much nicer in this recipe)
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 small carrot, peeled, grated
1 small zucchini, grated
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, diced
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp dill
Pepper

Leave the pastry out to thaw – read packet for product specific instructions.

Preheat the oven to 190C, line two trays with baking paper.

Cook the rice according to packet instructions. Set aside leave to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine all of the vegies, salmon (crush any bones), eggs, zest, dill and pepper. Add in the rice and mix well.

Open the (well defrosted) filo out. Spray a sheet then fold it in half, so that it’s almost a square. Dollop ¼ cup amounts of mixture in a line parallel to the fold line. Allow about 3 centimetres free at either end. Roll the pastry around the mix. Don’t worry if you get a tear. Just keep gently rolling until you have a nice cigar shape. Squeeze the ends closed.

You can make these to this point then refridgerate until you want to cook them. Just give them a spray of oil and store them between layers of baking paper.

When you’re ready to cook them, pop them on the trays. Spray with oil and bake for 20 minutes until golden and crunchy.

Makes about 16.

128 pages, 40 projects, 85 pages of printables…

Did you see that I’ve birthed the latest Vegie Smugglers product? It’s a ‘Craft for non-crafty’ e-book. I’ve collated up all of my favourite projects and added a bunch more, covering food, fun & learning. It’s available now at the shop…

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Divide and conquer with minestrone

June 14, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Ham/pork · Tagged dinner, feeding the family, pasta, recipe, vegetables

Imagine if Australia was as fiercely food-parochial as Italy. Or maybe we are? In the same way that you’ll never get a risotto alla Milanese in Naples, you’ll be hard pressed to find a souvlaki in Sydney and you’d NEVER find a chiko roll in Bondi. Unless you were being cool retro, in which case you’d be having to eat it whilst wearing Le specs, your favourite pair of Okanuis and it would probably we served on a bed of shrimp foam. Hmmmm, ok, it might happen.

Anyway, regional food division is FIERCE in Italy, never more apparent than in their minestrone recipes. For me, being a bit of a bogan Australian, I like a classic winter-time thick soup – a cuddle in a bowl that warms my toes.

Controversy surrounded this soup in my house – both husband and daughter were unimpressed by the addition of cabbage. She thought it ‘gross’, he thought it ‘farty’. Mr M&P loved it all and so did I. So I’m leaving it as an optional ingredient and you can make the judgement call for whatever will suit your household.

Buon appetito!

Minestrone Soup

Olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
150g pancetta, diced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp tomato paste
400g can crushed tomatoes
1 ½ litres vegetable stock
1 zucchini (optional – they’re not great at this time of year)
Handful green beans (again optional, due to seasonality)
¼ small cabbage, sliced thinly (optional – see above)
½ cup peas
400g tin borlotti beans, rinsed, drained
¾ cup soup pasta (like rissoni)

Heat a large pot on medium heat. Add the oil and the onion, fry, stirring regularly for a couple of minutes. Add the pancetta, carrot and celery and continue to soften for 5-6 minutes.

Toss in the garlic for another minute, before adding the paste, tomatoes and stock. Stir well, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes or so.

Add in the zucchini (if using), cabbage (if using), peas, beans and pasta and cook for another 8-10 minutes until everything is tender and delicious.

Season well with salt & pepper. Scatter over parsley and parmesan and serve with breadrolls.

With all the vegies, this makes enough for 2 adults and 4 kids.

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Dad is fun. Mum is mad.

June 4, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, News, Red meat · Tagged cooking techniques, educational, feeding the family, freezer, recipe, vegetables

I’ve become the ‘writing lady’ at my kindy reading groups. Each week, armed with white boards, markers and plenty of patience (I stay firmly focused on getting home afterwards to a cup of tea and a sit down) I teach rotating groups of 5 year olds (the groups rotate, not the children) how to write beautiful sentences. Unlike my verbose writing style, I’m finding at this stage that their sentences are much more statement-like. Stating truths and myths from life as a kindy kid. It’s pretty interesting. Fact.

Today they had laminated sentence starters that they had to copy down and then they got to finish off with whatever words they liked. Conversation starters like, “I can…”, “I went…”, “My family…”. And of course “Dad is…”, and “Mum is…”.

Without fail, Dad was fun. Every time. Sometimes fun. One was funy. Another funne. One other funee. But always upbeat, jovial, joking, FUN.

Generally, Mum was mad. One mum was nortee (naughty). One mum was sad.

Now, I’ve noted in my own life, that dad is fun and mum is mad. So perhaps it is a universal truth. What do you think, is this the case at your house? Or maybe the genders aren’t important and actually it’s the primary caregiver that has the shits most of the time and whichever parent arrives home in time to read a book and have a cuddle at bedtime finds it much easier to remain AWESOME.

Or perhaps it was just a morning for clichés. Even without overhearing each other, the same word patterns got repeated again and again. Pretty much all the kids had also apparently been shopping or to the zoo on the weekend (“I went…sopig”), and they all like treats (“I like… pinc cak”).

Which seems like a perfect segue into food clichés, except we don’t cast such a negative connotation on them if we call them ‘classics’, which is what this beef stew is. It’s a slow-cooker classic, bubbling away for 8 hours in its glorious simplicity. I’ve been trialing a bunch of fairly similar ‘casseroles’ and this is my current favourite. This version (based on a Women’s Weekly recipe) is gluten free, but if you prefer to toss the meat in flour before you brown it, feel free – you’ll end up with a thicker gravy. If you don’t, make sure you pat the meat with paper towel to dry it off before you chuck it in the pan.

Before I could photograph it, it was eaten or frozen…

Beef & vegie slow cooker casserole.

1.5kg chuck steak, cut into large chunks
Olive oil for frying
2 large brown onions, cut roughly
2 large (or 3 smaller) carrots, peeled, chopped into thick rounds
3 stalks celery, chopped thickly
2 medium parsnips, peeled, chopped into chunks
1 swede, peeled, chopped into chunks
4 cloves garlic, crushed (use fresh garlic)
¼ cup tomato paste
400g can diced or crushed tomatoes
1½ cups beef stock (Massel brand is gluten free)
2 Bay leaves
Half a bunch of thyme
1 zucchini, sliced into rounds (optional)
8-10 button mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium/high heat. Once hot, brown your meat in batches, turning to seal all sides (yes, this may take 20 minutes or so to get through all of the meat, but the flavour will be AWESOME, and you can chop up the vegies while you’re doing it). Tip each batch into a 5.5ish litre slow cooker after it’s done.

Add more oil then fry off the onions, carrot and celery for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic for another minute (add it later so it doesn’t burn). Tip into the cooker.

Add more oil and fry off the parsnips & swede for 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, splash in a bit of stock to loosen all the yummy stuff stuck on the pan and and also tip this into the cooker, along with the rest of the stock, tomato paste & tin of tomatoes plus the herbs. Mix everything in, set the cooker to ‘low’ and leave for 8 hours.

If you’re out all day, then don’t worry about adding in the zucchini & mushrooms, but if you’re home after 6 hours, add these in, give everything a mix and leave it for another 2 ¼ hours (this extra cooking time makes up for you lifting the lid).

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 ADULTS & 6 KIDS

Have you got a link to a slow cooker recipe? Add it below – I’m going crazy with mine at the moment and am on the lookout for some tried and tested awesomeness.

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Get the machines to do the work (cause I’m guessing you’re pretty busy)

May 31, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged cooking techniques, feeding the family, ideas, kids, mealtime, recipe, vegetables, vegetarian

The MACHINES will do my work!

Have you noticed a bit less Vegie Smugglers chatter lately? I’ve been a bit scarce, having just started back into magazine land, working on a 6 month, part-time contract. A two-day a week job doesn’t come along every day, and I would have been an idiot to say no. I should be able to do it and keep VS running as well, with no discernable difference to you guys (maybe a few more spelling miztakes).

Heading back into the traditional workforce means that my CV gets updated, there’s enough cash to get the gutters fixed, the kids finally get to join their friends at after-school care and I’m plonked back into the time-poor, stressed, parenting cycle.

I used to work three days a week, so two should be easy, right? Sigh. I’m slowly getting back into the swing of it, but getting everyone out of the house by 7am is stinging a little.

At least the kids are a bit older now and night-times aren’t the disaster zones that they used to be. There’s nothing quite as harrowing as picking up toddlers at 6pm (lets not even discuss how bad the guilt levels are when your child is the last one to be collected), getting them home (singing songs the whole way, so they don’t fall asleep in the car), washed (mid-tantrum) and somehow fed (banana, anyone?). These days I have a bit more time before their behaviour turns rancid, but without a hot, daycare-supplied lunch, I’m more on the hook for providing a decent dinner each night.

So I’m turning to my fabulous kitchen machines to help me out. I’ve just bought a slow-cooker (I never had the space to store one before I moved to a house) and so far I’ve made beef stew, Italian casserole, pulled pork, chicken mole and poached pears! I need to tweak these recipes, but will try to post one or two of the best soon. And I’ve had my rice cooker working overtime. With my love of rice, I’ve always found this gadget to be extremely worthwhile. I’ve got a slightly fancy one with a sauté function. If you do too, then HOORAY, this recipe is especially for you (although you can still make it without)…

Pilaf. Fun to say and good to eat.

Cauliflower and cashew pilaf

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, finely chopped into tiny bits
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods (give them a smash with the back of a knife)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
3/4 cup brown rice, rinsed
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 carrot, peeled, grated
1/3 cup sultanas
2/3 cup cashews, roughly chopped

Heat oil in the rice cooker (on the sauté function, if it has one). Add the onion, stir then cover for two minutes. Add the cauliflower and spices; stir then cover for another two minutes.

Add in the rinsed, drained rice and the stock. Stir well, cover and leave the cooker to do its thing on the regular cook setting.

Once done, add in the carrot, sultanas and cashews, mix and leave on the warm setting for 5-10 minutes.

Cook this the day before work (cool quickly and refrigerate), and then you can reheat it (topped with frozen peas) and fry up a couple of cutlets to pop on top. Delish!

*NO RICE COOKER? Cook everything in a saucepan, as described. Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer until the rice has absorbed the liquid & is tender.

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Weekly menu plan 3 – a ‘thank you’ plan

May 27, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, News · Tagged feeding the family, mealtime, menu plan, recipe, vegetables

Knowing how you love to be organised, here’s my third-ever plan, and as always, there’s a shopping list to download at the end. This one includes two recipes that you can prepare ahead and whip up quickly and two that come out of the freezer. And there’s a breakfast biscuit thrown in too, made from whatever cereal your kids like to eat. They’re perfect for these cold mornings when getting everyone out of bed is trickier and you may have to eat on the run.

Perhaps you’ll think I’m being mean because this plan uses recipes that you can only find in my books, not online. But actually I’m just saying thanks to all of you fabulous folk who have purchased the books. This plan is JUST for you guys…

SUNDAY (make fresh)

Warm up and get the house smelling great with this Easy chicken pilaf (VS2, page 126).

A bit of gentle spice to start the week.

While that’s cooking, whip up these Breakfast (on the go) biscuits (VS2, page 130) and pop them in once the oven is free (don’t forget to set the timer!)

The week will start off easily with a batch of these ready to go.

MONDAY (freezer friendly)

I do like a bit of vegetarian to start the week, so tuck into this Tomato & Vegetable soup (VS2, page 86). Crusty bread is essential to mop up the thick ‘tomato sauce’.

TUESDAY (prepare ahead)

Stir-fried pork with rice noodles (VS2, page 44) are really quick to make, especially if the ingredients are all chopped and sitting in the fridge waiting for you to get home from piano/ballet/soccer/swimming/badminton/chess club.

Yes truly, a stir fry with mince – yum!

WEDNESDAY (freezer friendly)

Sounds a bit bogan, but this Sausage & tomato hotpot (VS1, page 101) will go down a treat and if you make a double batch and freeze half then you’ve got a dinner ready for next week too. You’ll possibly want to serve this with mash or pasta shells.

Always a crowd pleaser – fancy sausages!

THURSDAY (prepare ahead)

Salmon pies (VS1, page 42). Another delicious wintry dish, that uses tinned salmon (which still contains Omega 3s).

And a bit of pastry will keep them happy.

FRIDAY (quick!)

I don’t cook on Fridays, remember? But if you must, then what about these Tuna & corn pizza muffins (VS2, page 46).

Cooking, without really cooking.

So thanks to all of you who’ve bought the books – I hope you enjoy this plan. You can download the shopping list here.

And of course, if these recipes look yummy to you, you can buy the fabulous Vegie Smugglers books here…

And there are more of my recipes available this month in Practical Parenting Magazine. Don’t miss it!

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Do you cook with tubular herbs?

May 16, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Chicken, News, Vegetarian · Tagged chicken, dinner, ideas, mealtime, parenting, recipe, vegetables

I don’t often do PR-type posts. It’s not my thing to run a food/parenting blog then suddenly start posting about the awesomeness of a chainsaw – how easy it is to use, the sexy ear muffs etc etc. It makes for boring reading.

But I was sent a bunch of herbs in tubes from Garden Gourmet, on the proviso that I use them in some recipes and post about it. I’m happy to join in a ‘blog off’ if the products are relevant.

Now I’m sorry Garden Gourmet, but generally I like my herbs fresh – you’ll never convince me that anything from the supermarket is better than something freshly picked from my garden. HOWEVER, I can see two definite benefits to the tubular stuff… 1. when you want to use a herb that’s out of season and 2. convenience. So I’ve tested them out on two recipes that fit these categories.

1. OUT OF SEASON

Basil is the perfect example of a herb that really disappears during winter and seeing as the dried stuff is a waste of everyone’s time and money, I’m happy to have a go and see if I can get a bit of summer-loving into my cold nights.

All summery tasting, even though its winter…

I’ve tweaked my vegie lasagne recipe, using the tube garlic and tube basil. It worked out great…

The best-ever vegetarian lasagne

Tomato sauce
800g can chopped tomatoes
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp tube garlic paste
¼ cup sliced black olives (optional)
2 cups finely diced vegies (try broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and carrot)
3 tbsp tube basil
Salt & black pepper

Spinach layer
250g grated mozzarella
300g cottage cheese
150g other cheese of your choice (crumbled feta, grated cheddar, grated parmesan)
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 bunch silverbeet, blanched and chopped or a frozen 200g box of spinach, thawed, with the excess liquid squeezed out

500g box instant lasagne sheets
Handful grated cheese, for topping

Preheat oven to 180C. Spray a 5-litre lasagne dish with cooking spray.
For the tomato sauce, place all the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the initial crunch is taken out of the vegies and onion. Everything gets baked later, so avoid overcooking at this stage.

For the spinach layer, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to get everything mixed through well.

Now you’re ready to begin layering. This is the order: enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the dish, then pasta (break sheets to cover entire layer), half the spinach, pasta, half the remaining tomato sauce, pasta, rest of the spinach, pasta, rest of the tomato sauce. Did you keep up?

Top with a little more grated cheese and bake for 45 minutes or until golden and YUM.

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 4 KIDS
_________________________

2. CONVENIENCE

I was intrigued by the tube of Thai seasoning. With one squeeze I’ve got lemongrass, ginger, coriander & chilli. I can dig that. Here’s what I did with it…

Four herbs in one squeeze was pretty handy…

Asian chicken meatballs with udon noodles & vegies

2 slices wholemeal bread
1 zucchini
5 spring onions
1 egg
500g chicken mince
2-3 tbsp tube Thai seasoning (start with 2 if your kids are fussy)

Sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp tube garlic
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce

Serve with…
Udon noodles, beans & carrots. A sliced up spring onion for a garnish would be great.

For the sauce: Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes until syrupy. Remove from heat and leave to cool.

For the meatballs: Use a mini food processor (or stick blender, whatever you want to call them), to make breadcrumbs with the bread. Add it to a large bowl. Use the gadget to also quickly blitz up your spring onions and zucchini. Add them to the bowl, then add in the rest of the meatball ingredients and mix well. I use kitchen gloves to finish mixing by hand then roll out the meatballs.

Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning until golden all over and cooked through (takes about 10 minutes). Do this in batches rather than overcrowding the pan.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to packet directions. Leave the carrots & beans raw, or steam or microwave them slightly.

Pop everything in a bowl and you’re done. Somehow a splurt of coriander from a tube just doesn’t make a good garnish – next time I’ll make sure I have an extra spring onion to slice and scatter over to make it look pretty.

___________________

So yes, fresh herbs in plastic tubes are handy, and I’m looking forward to experimenting with them a bit more – at least until I can get my basil plant going again next summer.

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Supermarket memory games and Boston baked beans (TOOT TOOT)

May 15, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Ham/pork, News, Red meat · Tagged feeding the family, freezer, parenting, recipe, vegetables

So lucky I write these things down…

I’ve developed this amazing memory game for forgetful mums like myself, in need of some intellectual challenge. It goes like this…

Spend about 30 minutes menu planning for the week, then writing out a comprehensive shopping list with every single thing you need, vaguely sorted into aisle order. This will make your grocery shop as simple as possible so that you can spend the entire time on autopilot, letting your brain drift off elsewhere, like a beach, with a handsome man giving you a foot rub and thoughtfully applying sunscreen. ANYWAY. Pack the lunchboxes, get everyone dressed and off to school. Drive to the supermarket, remembering the reusable bags. Find a parking spot near the entrance, grab your bags, grab a trolley, roll into the store and spend the next few minutes checking every pocket like a flapping idiot before clearly remembering that the list is sitting on the kitchen bench at home.

Good game? I love it. I play it ALL THE TIME.

Yes, I know, there are apps to sort out this aspect of my life, but I’m old fashioned and find the act of writing lists surprisingly soothing. And generally the act of writing a word sticks it into my memory, which is handy, considering I’m now going to shop for a full week’s food without MY LIST.

Perhaps I should be pleased that my pass rate on this game is about 96%. The fun ‘marking’ bit of the game is when you get home, check through the list and realize that you‘ve only forgotten two things. FUCK FUCK FUCK. Almost always crucial items, which entails shifting meals around so that Tuesday’s dinner now becomes Monday’s, and Tuesday’s entertainment will be heading back to the supermarket for two missing items.

The silver lining is that today is only Tuesday and yet in a feat of time travelling mastery, I’m able to post a meal that I planned for Tuesday, since I had to make it on Monday. The fish sauce, which I needed for Monday night’s dinner will be procured today and used to make Tuesday night extra tasty.

Thankfully, this dish was a huge hit last night, which surprised me considering my kids are not big fans of tinned baked beans. Even better, the recipe uses treacle & mustard powder, items located but rarely used in my kitchen. I always feel good-homemaker-virtuous when I manage to run out of an ingredient before it reaches it’s use-by date.

Easy to make, freezes well, kids (and adults) love it.

Boston baked beans (with bacon & sausage)

4 sausages (tomato & onion flavoured ones are good)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, peeled, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
150g bacon, excess fat removed, finely diced
2 tbsp treacle
2 tsp mustard powder (or 1 tbsp Dijon mustard would be nice, but I forgot to buy it)
400g can crushed tomatoes
400g can borlotti beans (rinsed & drained)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Bake the sausages for 25 minutes (turn once halfway through cooking) while you prepare everything else.

You need a covered casserole dish for this recipe – save time & washing up by using a stove to oven dish. Otherwise, fry everything off in a frying pan and transfer to an ovenproof dish…

Heat the dish/frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil. Chuck in the onion, carrot, celery and bacon and fry, stirring fairly often for 8-10 minutes until soft.

Add the treacle and mustard powder and combine well. Pour over the tomatoes, add in the drained beans, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, let the cooked sausage cool enough to handle, then slice up.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid. Mix in the sausage and return the uncovered dish to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until thick and delicious.

Serve with green salad & a nice sourdough bread.

FEEDS 2 ADULTS & 2-3 KIDS.
__________________________________

If your kids like sausages don’t miss my sausage fried rice.

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From the suburbs to the world in just over an hour

May 8, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Fish, Food experiences, News, Vegie smuggling techniques · Tagged cooking techniques, feeding the family, fish, parenting, recipe, vegetables

I’ve got yet another awesome parenting moment to share with you (I do like to make you all feel better about your own efforts)… I went to pick up my daughter from her friend’s house at 3pm on Sunday afternoon. Was offered champagne. Had to admit that not only would I love one, but that I’d already had a couple, whilst on a playdate with my son, which had started at 10am. Bad look? Much?

It’s been nearly 8 months since THE MOVE and I’m having trouble keeping up with the partying pace of the suburbs, but I must say I’m having a great time and I’m wondering why I struggled raising kids in apartments for so long when there were spacious blocks, sunshine, beer (and champagne) fridges and HOBBIES to be enjoyed out here.

Still, with highs come lows, and Monday did roll around. Not only was the washing not done, but neither was the shopping, the nurofen box was empty and the kids were HUNGRY since all we’d managed for dinner the night before was boiled eggs.

I’m still trying to catch up, which is why it’s taken so long to post up this congee recipe. Over on facebook, some were intrigued and unfamiliar with congee, which is eaten by over 2 billion people throughout China, Asia & India. Basically it’s a rice soup, affordable to make and fantastic comfort food. The name, texture and additions change depending on the region.

In Japan it’s called Okayu, served thick, with eggs & grilled fish. Koreans eat juk, of course served with kimchi and the Indians call it kanji, a runnier version, served with lentils and chutney. Throughout all of these cultures, it’s commonly given as a first food to babies. Pretty similar to rice cereal after all, but a hell of a lot tastier.

My version is a cultural hybrid, quite thick, and cooked until the rice is breaking down but still has some texture. I use it as a carrier for small cubes of fish. But if your kids will fuss over that, then shredded cooked chicken (even a BBQ chicken) will be a fantastic variation.

Perfect for babies, the elderly, the sick (and hungover).

Fish & corn congee

¾ cup short-grain rice
6 cups good-quality chicken stock
3 tbsp shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
125g can creamed corn
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
White pepper
300g boneless skinless firm white fish fillets, diced
¼ red capsicum, seeded
125g can corn kernels

Sliced spring onions and coriander sprigs, to serve

Rinse the rice well under running water, drain and add to a saucepan with the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 50–60 minutes until the rice is soft and breaking down. Stir regularly to avoid sticking.

Add the shaoxing wine, soy and oyster sauces, creamed corn and ginger. Add white pepper to taste.

When this is nice and hot, add the fish and vegies and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until the fish is just cooked through.

Serve the congee topped with spring onion and coriander.

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 2 KIDS

Vegie Smugglers complete lunchbox planner

You can now buy the complete VS lunchbox planner for just $9.95!

Have you all seen that I’ve updated the Vegie Smugglers shop? And newly available is The Complete Vegie Smugglers lunchbox planner – which is a snazzy 92 page e-book, combining all of the term planners into one place for a bargain price of $9.95. Unlike my cookbooks, which only ship in Australia, you can buy my e-books worldwide! Click here to grab one.

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Romance is dead – long live romance

May 1, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Chicken, News · Tagged chicken, parenting, recipe, vegetables

My husband and I both forgot that today is our wedding anniversary. We’d spent last night discussing April-month-end issues without either of us tweaking to the fact that the next day would be May 1, the anniversary of our glorious wedded bliss. It wasn’t until this morning that it dawned on me that if yesterday was April 30, then that made today… THE MOST ROMANTIC DAY OF OUR MARITAL YEAR. Shame then, that I hadn’t had a shower or brushed my teeth and that Mr VS had just a minute to kiss me goodbye before heading out to hunt, gather, collect yams, kill oxen, run websites and do other manly things that support our family.

I yelled after his retreating back, “I LOVE YOU… AND I PROMISE TO HAVE A SHOWER BY THE TIME YOU GET HOME…”

I might even stop by the boozer to pick up a bottle of something fizzy. And I might even spend more than $10.

Older couples assure me that romance picks up again once the kids leave home. But considering how late we leave it to have babies these days, I’m not sure if I’ll have any working parts left by the time I hit 65 (apparently menopause will leave me shriveled and unwelcoming). So best to grab whatever romantic moments I can along the way, which means tonight I’m going all out. I’m going to put on my newest bonds undies, my best tracksuit pants and whisper really lovely things in my partner’s ear (but only during the ad breaks of The Voice).

Is romance dead when you’ve got children under 10? What do you think? How do you try to keep things a bit lovely at your place? I could use a few tips.

Now I know I promised either congee or rice paper rolls this week, but best if I post a recipe up that is one of Mr VS’s favourites – this chicken & udon soup from VS1 is always devoured with gusto and finished with proclamations of eternal love. But am I actually making this tonight for my beloved? Well… er… no. I don’t have any of the ingredients. But at least posting this, he’ll see my good intentions.

Happy Anniversary my love.

Not quite oysters & champagne - but chicken & udon soup instead.

Udon soup

2 chicken stock cubes
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp mirin
1 tsp crushed ginger (fresh is best but bottled is OK)
2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp ground white pepper
1 star anise (optional, but highly recommended)
500g chicken thigh
fillets, fat trimmed
¾ cup frozen peas
1 small carrot, peeled, cut into long matchsticks (just for fun)
½ green capsicum, deseeded, finely diced
Corn kernels from 2 ears of corn, rusks removed, kernels sliced off
400g packet udon noodles

Pour 6 cups water into a large saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Add the stock cubes, soy, mirin, ginger, sugar, pepper and star anise (if using). Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat, add the chicken and cover. Leave chicken to poach 10-15 minutes until just cooked through.

Remove the chicken and set aside to cool slightly. Once it is cool enough to handle, slice the chicken into thin pieces.

Return the pan to a low heat and bring to a simmer. Add all of the vegetables and chicken and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
Meanwhile, prepare the udon noodles according to packet directions. Usually soaking them in boiling water for a minute is enough to loosen them. Divide between the bowls and pour soup over.

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 2 KIDS