Menu Plan

Week 1
Monday: Nachos (beef/bean)
Tuesday: Teriakyi Salmon, sushi rice and green beans
Wednesday: Grandmas' for dinner
Thursday: Vegetable Soup
Friday: Lamb Chops and Roast Vegetables and feta
Saturday: Quiche
Sunday: Meat/Nut loaf







Week 2
Monday: Laksa
Tuesday: Enchiladas

Wednesday: Grandmas for dinner
Thursday: Pumpkin Risotto
Friday: Baked Potatoes with fridge fixings
Saturdy: Leftover
Sunday: Pad Siew takeaway

Tasty Tuesday: Chinese Chicken Wings/Tofu and Fried Rice

I feel that this heading may be completely fraudulent as I'm not sure if the wings are Chinese and the rice isn't fried but that's what my Mum called these when I was little and the name has stuck.

My family has been eating chicken wings as long as I can remember - whenever there is a family thing on or someone needs to bring a plate to something these chicken wings get brought out.  I haven't ever seen a recipe for them either - I'm not sure if Mum made them up or they are from somewhere - maybe a luridly coloured 80's cookbook that my Mum still has somewhere (where all the food was harisprayed to make it shiny - yuck).

I make these chicken wings when people come over and I am unsure what they will like -everyone likes these (or the vegetarian version I have invented) and several poeple have asked for the recipe.  This meal is also pretty economical even for a crowd - I bought a kilo of chicken wings for $3 on special last week - and apart from the chicken I always have everything needed for them on hand.  I have given approximate weightings below but it is a bit about taste - some might not like the amount of sugar I used or would prefer to use all honey - so trust you eye and your taste.

The rice is my Mum's version of "fried" rice - basically steamed rice, seasoned with mixed veggies and omelette.  Again I haven't ever seen a recipe written down so I have kind of used the EDC method for cooking the rice and the veg and Quirky Cooking's method for the omlette all in the Thermomix - but it's easy to do without - just with a saucepan on the stove top with a steamer and a fry pan (for the omelette).

i make this meal also for my husband (carnivore), myself (pescetarian) and my todeleer.  I have included pictures dwn the bottom about how I served it out.

Chinese Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• I kilo of chicken wings - jointed into 3 (freeze tips for stock or give them to your cat - you don't them for this recipe)
• Soy Sauce - 2 tablespoons
• Chinese 5 Spice Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Honey - 2 tablespoons
• Raw Sugar - 2 tablespoons
• Sesame Seeds - 2 teaspoons

Method

• Place chicken wings in a roasting tray
• Sprinkle over all the other ingredients
• Use your hands to turn the chiken wings in the seasonings
• Bake in a 180 degress oven for about 30 mins - turning them over half way
• The sauce should be sticky and making the wings all glossy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Tofu

Ingredients

• I packet of firm tofu
• 1 tin of water chestnts
• Soy Sauce - 2 tablespoons
• Chinese 5 Spice Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Honey - 2 tablespoons
• Raw Sugar - 2 tablespoons
• Sesame Seeds - 2 teaspoons

Method

• Place tofu and water chestnuts wings in a roasting tray
• Sprinkle over all the other ingredients
• Use your hands to turn the tofu in the seasonings
• Bake in a 180 degress oven for about 20 mins - turning over half way
• The sauce should be sticky and making the tofu all glossy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Fried Rice

Ingredients

• Jasmine Rice - 400 g
• I carrot - sliced finely into coins
• Red Cabbage - shredded - 1/2 cup
• I zucchini sliced into coins
• 1 ear of corn - cut into 3.
• Soy Sauce - 2 teaspoons
• Sesame Oil - 1 - 2 teaspoons

Omelette

• 2 eggs
• Soy Sauce - 1 teaspoon
• White Pepper - to taste
• Mirin - 1 teaspoon
• Water - 1 teaspoon

Method

• Cook rice according to the method you would like to use.  For the Thermomix - it's rinse the rice in the basket, measure in 900g water and place the basket inside the bowl.  Cook on Varoma/16 minutes/Speed 2.
• Place veggies in a steamer/Varoma basket and cook on top of the rice (I put them on at the same time as I wanted them quite soft for the toddler).
• When rice has about 7 minutes to go, make the omelette (mix eggs, mirin, black pepper and water - line the Varoma tray with wet, crumpled baking paper and let the omelette steam).  When cooked slice into strips
• When the rice is cooked turn into a dish Thermoserver and season with the sesame oil and soy sauce, then add the veggies and the omelette - or arrange all the elements separately for new eaters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serving Suggestions

 

The Meat Eater

 

The Vegetarian

 

The Toddler

 

The Toddler - the reality

He saw the bread rolls on the kitchen bench and was so not interested in what we had made (in his meal above I also offered a zucchini and cheese puff)

Menu Plan

Back from a swim

I have been menu planning all year long - I just forget to type them up - so here is lasdt weeks and this week's:


Monday: Involtini (based on Nigella Lawson's from Feast) and Salad
Tuesday: Chicken/Tempeh enchilada's
Wednesday: Grandmas for dinner
Thursday: Spiced Moroccan Lentil Soup (from the Thermomix EDC)
Friday: Chinese Chicken Wings/Tofu and "fried rice" (My Mum's recipe - will share soon)
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Pizza

Un-baked Pasta Bake

Monday: Meatloaf/Nutloaf - I have to remember to soak the nuts this time!

Carrot and Almond soup

Tuesday: Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Grandmas
Thursday: Carrot and Almond Soup - based on a Dr Gillian recipe
Friday: Burritos (meat and bean)
Saturday: Risotto (using the leftover soup as the stock - an idea I am stealing fro Nigel Slater)
Sunday: leftovers.

The first haircut

The extras I will make this week are:

• homemade yoghurt (the first time I will try it without the sachet but still in the easy-yo)
• Cream cheese - from the yoghurt
• Tomato sauce - again from the EDC with tweaks
• Cheese Puffs
• Apricot biscuits
• Sun dried tomato dip from the EDC (using the cream cheese I will have made)

Menu Plan

I think the last menu plan I posted was one of ones that I have actually almost followed perfectly.  I am trying to cut down on the amount of rushing in the afternoon and evening here (which is causing me to feel anxious) by sticking to the menu plan - even if I don't feel like cooking I am going to suck it up and just do it.  It has worked so far - we have eaten better, not wasted so much food and I am making inroads into my pantry!!!

Here is the menu for the next two weeks:


Saturday - at a Wedding!!!
Sunday - Nachos
Monday - Poached Eggs on Garlic Sourdough with spinach
Tuesday - Beetroot Risotto and chops
Wednesday - Grandmas
Thursday - Potato Torte (a favourite recipe from Laura Calder)
Friday - Soup or Leftovers with Salad


Saturday - Beef/Mushroom Pies
Sunday - Buckwheat Noodle bowl with Pickles
Monday - Cauliflower Cheese and Steak
Tuesday - Vegetable Lasange
Wednesday - Grandma's
Thursday - Leftovers/Freezer Meral
Friday - Roast Vegetables with Cheese and Sausages.

Menu Plan

Here is the first menu plan for 2104.  And in addition to myself being pescatarian - I am also considering following Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar plan for 6 weeks - and during the first two weeks you just cut down on your sugar consumption and really consider how  much you are currently eating.  So this menu focuses on vegetarian mains that also do not have much/no sugar in them.

This year one of my goals is to eat my way though the pantry - not all at once - just cut back on the amount of food in there - it is at capacity - I mean things falling onto your head when you open the door capacity! So after each item I will list the ingredients that I will be using up from my pantry.

Saturday - Pork Ribs/Tempeh, Coleslaw and Corn (ah - nothing in this one)
Sunday - Laksa (laksa paste, coconut cream, noodles, peanuts, fish sauce, soy sauce)
Monday - Nachos (dried beans, kombu, tomatoes, spices, corn chips)
Tuesday - Vegetable tart with cheese
Wednesday - Dinner at my Grandma's
Thursday - Leftovers/Quesadilla's (burrito breads, Tabasco)
Friday - Chops/Tempeh with Mashed Potato and green beans

Saturday - Fish Cakes and Cucumber salad (curry paste)
Sunday - Roast chicken and veggies
Monday - Vegetable Soup, Cheese and Bread
Tuesday - Red Lentil Dahl and Pratha (red lentils, spices, tinned tomatoes)
Wednesday - Dinner at my Grandma's
Thursday - Homemade Pizza
Friday - Noodle/Rice Bowl (noodles/rice, tamari. mirin, pickles)

I am also changing the day that I do my menu plan because I go shopping on every second weekend.

Christmas Baking - Day 2: Fig, Walnut and Fennel Roulade

So the second thing I am making this year for gifts is a Fig, Walnut and Fennel Roulade.  I know this sounds like some weirdly flavoured swissiroll but it's actually something that you would serve with cheese - in the same way you might have quince paste.


The recipe is from Feast magazine this month and was contributed by Matthew Evans.  I followed his ingredients but changed the method considerably.  Here is where you can find the original recipe and method or you can buy the magazine (well worth it for the delicious Tropfest menu they have in there - pretzels!!!)

 

Method

1.  I blitzed the figs in the food processor because I had my tiny assistant in the kitchen who can now reach the bench and I don't like using knives near him.

2.  I toasted the walnuts and then added them to the processor and blitzed again.








 

3.  I crushed the fennel and cloves together in a motar and pestle - such a good smell.








4.  In a bowl I put the brandy, fennel seeds, cloves, black pepper and honey then dumped out the figs and walnuts and mixed it all (use a spatula - so much less much).










5.  I portioned the mix into little logs (I will wrap them like bon-bons) and then rolled them in some rice flour.

6.  I then wrapped each individually in baking paper and put them in a contained to be weighted down with a tin of food I will never use!









Note: It says in the recipe to weight them down for three days and that they will keep air-tight for 3 weeks so they should be perfect for Boxing Day - Yum!

Menu Plan- when there it too much Christmas baking to do!

Please don't be alarmed - my child did not did the beer!

Argh!  So much to make for Christmas - so much in fact I cannot be bothered cooking proper meals - well almost.  I have tried to make this menu plan easy on me - minimal shopping and time spent in the hot kitchen away from the sparkling and Christmas food specials!.

Here we go:

16th - Monday - Poached Eggs with wilted spinach on sourdough
17th - Tuesday - Risotto with corn and prawns
18th - Wednesday - Grandmas
19th - Thursday - Vegetable Soup and Sausages
20th - Friday - leftovers (I am out with my lovey baby group Mums!)
21st - Saturday - Baked Eggs - Christmas Baking Day***
22nd - Sunday - Freezer meal (I am playing at the Church Christmas Carols)*

Can you believe this wasn't the cutest?

23rd - Monday - Pasta with fresh tomato sauce
24th - Tuesday - Laksa with prawns - Christmas Day baking**
25th - Wednesday - Christmas Day
26th - Thursday - Quesildillas with leftovers
27th - Friday - Corn fritters with smoked salmon and home made mayo
28th - Saturday - Vegetable soup and baked cheese
29th - Sunday - Home made pies (turkey/lentil)

Hates hats

*For the Carols service at Church everyone is taking a plate so I will be making two vegetable tarts - undecided yet but hopefully something without eggs as someone else always does a quiche.

**For Christmas Day I also have to bake two tarts - one will be Delia Smith's Thick Onion Tart - I make it every year and I am undecided on the other one yet (for a different household).

***I am making all of the gits for our family and friends this year and I am attempting to make a few different things this year.  I will hopefully remember to take photos of them and can share them with you.

Menu Plan October Week 3 & 4

So you remember those shaming photographs of my pantry - well for the next two weeks (and probably the rest of the year) I am going to try to use up all the stuff in there.

Here is a reminder:

This menu the ingredients I am going to try to use are red lentils (which are actually in a glass jar in another part of the kitchen!), tortillas, rice paper, rice noodles, and some beans.

Here we go:

Monday: Pasta bake with olives and pesto

Tuesday: Chops/Quorn with corn and asparagus

Wednesday: Grandma's for dinner

Thursday: Beef/Bean Burritos

Friday: Leftovers/Frozen dinner

Saturday: Fresh Spring Rolls - based on Janella Purcell's recipe (from her book Eating for the Seasons p16)
Sunday: Red Lentil Dahl (again from Janella p172)



Monday: Mexican bean burgers in lettuce cups

Tuesday: Quiche

Wednesday: Grandma's for Dinner

Thursday: Vegetable Stir Fry (page 29 - Janella)

Friday: Prawns in Chilli Oil and Turkish Bread and Salad

Saturday: Leftovers/Baked Eggs

Sunday: Healthy Fried Rice and leftover something