Val Pearson's

Green Living Australia .com.au
 
 

Just Great Food

Tried and Tested Recipes
(with more coming)

Have you been wondering what to do with all that pasta sauce you have been making? Here is a recipe that is a big hit at our house.

Chilli Pie©2004

Ingredients

For the "Chilli Pie" filling

For the topping
  • 500 grams of mince beef
  • 2 x 420 grams cans of kidney beans
  • 1 large jar of home made pasta sauce
  • Chilli powder to taste
  • 2 ¼ cup self raising flour
  • 2/3 cup corn meal (polenta)
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 ½ cup milk
  • 120 grams melted butter

Directions

For the "Chilli Pie" filling

Cook the minced beef in a large frying pan.

Once the meat is cooked through, add the 2 cans of kidney beans, drained, and the jar of home made pasta sauce.

Add chilli powder to taste.

Place the prepared chilli in a large casserole dish and set aside.

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees.

For the topping

Mix together the flour, cornmeal (polenta) and salt.

In a separate bowl combine the eggs, milk and melted butter.

Add this egg mixture all at once to the dry ingredients you had previously set aside.

Stir until just moistened.

Pour the topping onto the chilli in the large casserole dish and place in a hot oven (200 degrees) and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

To test if done, use a wooden tooth pick and insert it into the corn bead topping.

It is done when the tooth pick comes out clean.

Happy eating.

Angie’s Three Layer Lasagna©2006

Ingredients

General Ingredients:

Tomato Mixture
  • 500 grams of Mozzarella cheese
  • 6 fresh or frozen lasagna noodles
  • 500 grams sausage or mince meat (optional)

Cheese Mixture:

  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 500 grams Lemon cheese
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 jars Pasta Sauce (about 1000 grams total)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp parsley flakes (dry), or handful chopped (fresh)
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika (optional)

NOTE: This recipe can easily be prepared as either a meat or vegetarian dish, as it is a very basic but delicious lasagna.

For vegetarian, omit the meat by simply not doing Step 2.
For meat-lovers, cook the meat then add to the tomato mixture before layering the lasagna.

Directions

  1. Mix the parmesan cheese and lemon cheese together in a medium to large mixing bowl. Beat the two eggs and add them to the cheese mixture. Stir until well combined. Set cheese mixture aside.

  2. In a separate, medium sized pot, cook the meat until just done. Drain off any fat left over after cooking as this could make the lasagna greasy. (If vegetarian: omit meat and skip to Step 3.)

  3. Add the pasta sauce, chopped onion and crushed garlic to the pot (not to the cheese mixture). Mix in the salt, parsley flakes, pepper and sweet paprika and stir in well. Let simmer in the pot until the contents boil down to almost half the original amount. Set the thickened tomato mixture aside to cool slightly.

  4. Take two medium casserole dishes of about same shape and size. Some people prefer to use traditional square or rectangular dished, but I have found this is not necessary, as round or square work well.

  5. To layer: add 1/2 cup of tomato mixture in bottom of each casserole. Then put two lasagna noodles over mixture, folding or cutting if necessary, to cover maximum area. Add 1 cup cheese mixture on top of noodle layer. Sprinkle with 1/3 the Mozzarella cheese. This is your first layer. Add half the remaining tomato mixture and layer two lasagna noodles on top of it. Add half the remaining cheese mixture then another 1/3 Mozzarella cheese. This is your second layer. Add the rest of the tomato mixture. Place remaining two lasagna noodles on top. Layer the rest of the cheese mixture on the noodles and sprinkle the rest of the Mozzarella cheese.

  6. Place in 190 C oven for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted completely and top begins to golden.

    Happy eating.

    Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Rounds©2006

    Ingredients

    • ¾ cup butter, softened
    • ½ cup peanut butter
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup packed brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups rolled oats
    • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip pieces

    Directions

    1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds or until combined. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat as much of the flour in as you can with the electric mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in rolled oats and chocolate chips.

    2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 190 C (375° F) oven for about 10 minutes or until edges are set.