Tandoori Chicken Parcels

Last night I had planned Apricot and Ginger Chicken Stirfry but both kids turned their nose up at that decision and and after the busy day I had at work there was no way I was going to be cooking two seperate meals. So driving home I was thinking what is something that we would all enjoy and then "bingo" - pies! But not a plain jane pie I wanted to make something different, of course!

Knowing that I had all the right ingredients to make a 'cheats' tandoori chicken and that I also had filo pastry in the fridge I decided on these Tandoori Chicken Parcels and they were a hit! Not only did they taste great but they were very easy to make. I didn't precook the filling as I didn't want it to dry out too much and thankfully the filling was very most and full flavoured.

Served with a light salad, some mint raita and some mango chutney the room silenced as we ate!

Tandoori Chicken Parcels

Serves: 4

Points per serve: 7

200 grams low fat natural yoghurt

2 tablespoons tandoori paste

500 grams chicken breast fillet, diced

12 sheets Filo Pastry

cooking spray

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

In a large bowl mix together the yoghurt and tandoori paste until smooth. Add the chicken, stirring to mix well. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer if time permits.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Lay one sheet of pastry on a large chopping board or bench and coat with cooking spray. Lay a second sheet on top and spray again with the cooking spray. Lay a third sheet on the other layers. Place a quarter of the tandoori chicken mixture towards one end of the pastry. Fold over end and two sides to desired shape, respray edges and fold to enclose. Place on a lined baking tray. Repeat until all four parcels have been made.

Spray all four parcels with cooking spray and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cook in the oven for 25 - 30 mintures or until pastry is golden and chicken is cooked through.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Beef Stroganoff with Fettucine

Something quick and easy on the menu tonight as we went visiting Vicky and the boys while Sean is away and to be honest it's the first chance that we have had to go with us being so busy. Plus I wanted something that we would all enjoy on what has been a wet and cold day.

Beef Stroganoff or Beef Stroganov is a dish of beef peices served in a paprika flavoured sauce with sour cream. The dish itself originates from Russia but over time and due to it's popularity there is now many variations to the recipe. The first known recipe, dated 1861, used beef cubes, mustard and stock topped with sour cream but there is not mention of onions or mushrooms. Since then onions and mushrooms have been added, along with the use of tomato paste and paprika.

Some versions have a creamy white sauce whereas others, more commonly known, are that of a thick reddish sauce. The sour cream can be served on the side or mixed into the sauce to give it a creamier appearance. I prefer to stir the sour cream through my sauce prior to dishing up. But as this dish is a low fat version I decided to use evaporated skim milk instead mixed with a little cornflour and the result.... super delish!!

Of course tonight was the only night I didn't have fettucine in the house so I used spirals. LOL But served with warm pasta its a perfect week night meal but is also nice with mashed potatoes.

Beef Stroganoff with Fettucine

Serves: 4

Points per serve: 7

250 grams fettuccine or pasta of your choice
500 grams rump steak, cut into strips
2 teaspoons ground paprika
cooking spray
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
400 grams mushroom, sliced
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup extra light sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet instructions of until tender. Drain and keep warm.

Combine beef with paprika in a medium bowl.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add half the beef and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining beef.

Add onion and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.

Return beef to pan along with stock, tomato paste and sauce. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Stir sour cream through beef mixture. Place pasta into serving bowls. Spoon over beef and sprinkle with parsley.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Venison and Bacon Casserole

For months now I have been fancying venison. I have grown up eating different foods and one I always remember and looked forward to was venison especially a roast. My mam used to marinate her venison piece overnight, wrap it in bacon and roast it until tender but not overcooked. I also enjoyed eating vension while traveling overseas in both Sweden and Canada. Needless to say it would rank high on the list of my favourite meats.

I was very excited when I finally managed to get my hands on some venison, buying it in Springvale but have to be honest and say was dissapointed when I defrosted it to find it was diced. My longing for a venison roast went out the window and now I needed to come up with a recipe that used diced venison. Basing my thoughts along what I had eaten in the past, especially with it being marinaded in blackcurrant syrup we came up with the following.

Once marinaded I put everything in the slow cooker and let it work it's magic. And it did. To my surprise it was delicious and the kids thought it was brilliant also. The richness of the venison coupled with the slight sweetness from the berries and the bacon infusion made this dish rustic and a "comfort food" dish especially as we served it with creamy mashed potato.

The children had no problems with the fact that they were eating deer meat (secretly I knew they wouldn't as they eat nearly everything we give them anyway) in fact Alex did most of the preparation cooking. Both have said that they would like to try venison roasted - so the search for a roasting joint continues!!

Venison and Bacon Casserole

Serves: 8
Points per serve: 7

1 cup hearty red wine
1/2 cup blackcurrant syrup (I used Ribena)
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tablespoons lingonberry jam
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pieces orange peel
1 kilogram venison shoulder, diced
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
175 grams 97% fat free short cut bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, thickly sliced
1 stick celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 cup water
salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a large dish mix together the red wine, blackcurrant syrup, lingonberry jam, bay leaves, pepper and orange peel. Add the venison and allow to marinade overnight.

Drain the venison and reserve the marinade. Pat the pieces of venison dry and dust lightly in flour.

Heat a frying pan, add half the olive oil and brown the meat all over in batches. Place in slow cooker bowl. Spray the same frying pan with cooking spray add the the bacon and onion. Cook until golden brown and the onions have softened. Add to the cooked venison in the slow cooker. Once again spray the frying pan and add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook a few more minutes before adding the to venison and bacon mixtures. Add the reserved marinade. Season with salt and pepper, add water and cover with a lid.

Cook on low heat setting for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Ham Cheese and Tomato Omelette

Both Alex and I are sick today, she has a sinus infection and well as for me an accumulation of things relating to high blood pressure and high blood sugars combined with just feeling under the weather. Both of us went to see the doctor after dropping Oliver off at school so needless to say there was no breakfasts for either of us before we left.

I decided to make myself a nice healthy lunch, especially after the spray I got from my doctor about my blood pressure, sugar levels and then of course it all came down to my diet (or lack there of!). Like I was saying a healthy lunch (or I will say brunch) was on the menu, so we came straight home and I decided an omelette would fit the bill covering both breakfast and lunch, being low fat and of course yummy.

Of course you could share this omelette with someone and half the points but I was hungry and it has fit in nicely with my daily total.

Ham Cheese and Tomato Omelette

Serves: 1

Points per serve: 7

2 eggs

2 tablespoons skim milk

salt

freshly ground black pepper

cooking spray

50 grams lean ham, roughly chopped

1 tomato, diced

2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

30 grams grated reduced fat tasty cheese

Preheat grill.

In a small bowl or jug beat the eggs and milk together. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Spray a small frying pan with cooking spray, add ham and tomatoes and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until ham is slightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley. Pour in eggs ensuring to cover the base of the pan. Cook over a medium for a further 2 minutes or until eggs are starting to set.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and place under grill until melted and golden.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Pork Cutlets with Cranberry Wine Sauce

I feel as I have not only neglected this blog but my friends who pop in just to see what's been cooking at The House of Murray. Don't panic we are not giving up or stopping this blog, in fact it's for purely work and family related reasons that the posts lately have been few and far between.

Firstly I have just returned from a work road trip which has seen me travelling around Northern Victoria last Tuesday through to Thursday. Needless to say, I have been eating at motel restaurants and not cooking for myself. Noel and the kids have been at home but he didn't have time to contribute.

No sooner had I unpacked from the work trip Thursday evening than it was time to repack on Friday evening as we had a family holiday as it's the Labour Day long weekend. We left for Halls Gap, in the Grampians, early Saturday morning and returned Tuesday night. We did have a fantastic weekend break and enjoyed spending quality time together.

During our trip I was given "time off" from cooking dinners so we did eat out every night and had some wonderful meals. The first night we ate at The Kookaburra Restaurant in Halls Gap where I had a magnificent meal, Kangaroo Fillet with a Caramelized Port, Cream and Seeded Mustard Sauce and Noel had the Duo of Pork, Chargrilled pork fillet with slow-baked spare rib served with an apple, lime and ginger sauce. Both of us really enjoyed these meals, and the kids enjoyed their meals also which made it very tempting to return there for the next two nights but we didn't!!

We also ate at Mings Oriental at the National Hotel in Stawell which was a Chinese and Australian Restaurant within a wonderful old hotel. It was the type of place you wouldn't expect to find, if you know what I mean? An Aussie Pub, where you walk through the lounge area to see a couple of regulars propped up at the bar drinking their pots of beer. Through the door to the dining room you entered an old style dining room with a little servery and this massive chalk written menu half filled with Chinese style dishes and the other classic Aussie dishes such as steak and chips, parma and chips, etc. We had the Chinese banquet and everyone enjoyed that. All the individual meals were good including the Mongolian Combination, Sizzling Garlic Prawns but Noel and I really enjoyed the Beef with Lemongrass and Chilli (we even got a choice of the temperature scale 1 - 14! We chose 10 and that was quite hot!) As you can tell we would recommend both these restaurants if you are ever in the area!

As you can all imagine that I have so many new dishes that I want to try and replicate after reading all the lovely restaurant menus for the last week. Of course they will need to be Weight Watcher friendly so the next few weeks could be very interesting indeed for the family with experiments in the House of Murray kitchen!

So now we are back and settled we finally sat down to a home cooked meal - one which I enjoyed but must be honest and say that Noel found the sauce quite sweet. I had found this recipe some time ago and wasn't quite sure about serving cranberry with pork. In my mind cranberry goes hand in hand with turkey while apple sauce is the choice condiment for pork! However since trying I have to say that the cranberry mixed with the sage and thyme was quite suited for the pork and it's one of those recipes that you just cannot believe that it's actually low fat.

Pork Cutlets with Cranberry Wine Sauce

(recipe source delicious magazine - December 2005)

Serves: 4

Points per serve: 7

4 pork cutlets, trimmed of fat

salt

freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup (250ml) dry white wine
1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon thinly sliced sage leaves
1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the cutlets for 2 - 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer the cutlets to a baking tray and cook in the oven for 5 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, add the garlic to the frying pan and cook for a few seconds over medium heat. Add the white wine and cranberry sauce and stir to melt the sauce. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes, then stir in the sage and thyme. Return the pork cutlets to the pan and coat in the cranberry wine sauce.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Fettucine

The kids had been pestering me for pasta - it's one of their staple meals! The both enjoy pasta especially when a creamy sauce is part of the equation and tonight's meal definitely fit the bill. And to be totally honest we haven't had it for a while now.

This creamy sauce coupled with chicken and bacon, somewhat similar to the Carbonara sauce, was very easy and a flavoursome dish. Although a little higher in Weight Watcher Points values it provided great sized servings also which helps with a hungry family!!

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Fettuccine
(recipe sourced from Weight Watchers Cook Easy Cookbook)

Serves: 4
Points per serve: 7

240 grams dried fettuccine
cooking spray
300 grams chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced
1 small brown onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
125g Weight Watchers Bacon, thinly sliced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup reduced fat/light sour cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet instructions, or until just tender. Drain. Return pasta to the pan.

Meanwhile, lightly spray a large non stick frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3 - 4 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a bowl.

Cook onion, garlic and bacon in the same pan, stirring, for 3 - 4 minutes or until onion has softened and bacon is golden. Add wine and cook until reduced by half. Combine milk, egg and sour cream in a jug, season to taste with salt and pepper, and add to pan. Simmer, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chicken, cheese and parsely.

Add chicken mixture to pasta. Toss to combine and serve.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Jamaican BBQ Chicken

I love experimenting with marinades and we also are the proud owners of a new coal barbecue with we are loving to experiment with also. Needless to say tonight's dish was brought to you buy "experiments!"

I have always yearned to visit Jamaica and the flavours of any food from the Carribbean has always intrigued me... normally the tastes are a balanced blend between spicy and sweet but it's always a taste that leaves your mouth happy, sometimes wanting much more and more importantly leave you with a pleasant memory of that dish.

This dish did exactly that.... excited the mouth and the tastebuds, had a great aftertaste and I know I will talk about this one in the future so therefore leaving me a great memory.

It's not a traditional Jamaican recipe, I can claim this as my own but I did stick in line with many of the ingredients used in Jerk Chicken, although I just added a few of my own desired bits and pieces.

Jamaican BBQ Chicken

Serves: 8

Points per serve: 7

4 small chickens

1 onion, peeled

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons crushed chilli

1/2 cup fresh coriander

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup rum

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 2 limes

Cut chickens in half using chicken scissors, clean and towel dry.

In a food processor add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and combined.

Place chickens in a snap lock bag or large casserole dish and pour over marinade. Place in the refrigerator and leave for 4 hours or overnight if time permits.

Heat a bbq grill and brush with oil. Cook chickens 5 - 8 minutes each side or until no longer pink and cooked to your liking, basting with remaining marinade several times.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Pesto Pasta

If you want a really quick pasta to make, this really fits the bill. Not to mention after all the rich Christmas Food something "plain Jane" is something someone wants.. I know I really needed this last night.

Really it's only a matter of boiling the pasta, making the pesto, mixing through the pesto and voila it's done. Pesto itself is rather easy to make and done in a matter of minutes. There was quite a few of us last night eating this comfort dish but you could quite easily half the recipe.

Traditionally linguine is used with pesto but you can serve it with any pasta. Pesto sauce can be made up to a week in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Ensure the pesto is tightly packed and seal the surface with some plastic wrap or pour some extra oil over the top to prevent the pesto from going black.

Pesto Pasta
(Recipe sourced from The Essential Pasta Cookbook)

Serves: 8
Points per serve: 7

500 grams pasta of your choice
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Cheese, optional
1/2 cup olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook pasta as per the direction on the packet until al dente. Drain, return to the pan and keep warm.

About 5 minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the pine nuts to a heavy-based pan and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool. Process the pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic, salt and cheeses in a food processor for 20 seconds or until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

with the motor running, gradually add the oil in a tin steady stream until a past is formed. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss the sauce with the warm pasta until the pasta is well coated.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Garlic Prawn Pizza

I had to fend for myself last night which is very rare! With two sick men in the house, both in bed with buckets and my princess had her school Christmas concert. As the concert started at 6.30pm I treated her to chicken and chips takeaway beforehand ... plus I needed to sort the "sick" others out prior to leaving.

Needless to say at 8.30pm last night, when we returned home, I wanted something easy, somewhat and full of flavour. I had actually been craving pizza but didn't want a shop brought one as to have it delivered I would have had to order a large (8 slices)! And I didn't need the temptation.

So searching for pizza toppings I came up with one of the tastiest pizza's I have ever made and I enjoyed it thoroughly!

Garlic Prawn Pizza

Serves: 1

Points per serve: 7

4 raw prawn cutlets, rinsed

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 x Mission 96% Fat Free Tortilla

1 tablespoon tomato paste

30 grams reduced fat grated mozarella cheese

5 button mushrooms, sliced

1/4 red capsicum, diced

1/4 green capsicum, diced

1/2 tomato, diced

1/4 brown onion, thinly sliced

40 grams Extra Light Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

coriander leaves, to garnish

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Cut prawn cutlets in half (cuting down the back of the cutlet). In a small bowl mix prawn cutlets and garlic. Set aside.

Spray a pizza tray with cooking spray. Place tortilla on tray and coat with tomato paste. Sprinkle half the mozarella over the tomato paste. Top with mushrooms, capsicum, tomato and onion. Place prawns on top. Dollop small spoonfuls of cream cheese over the pizza and sprinkle with parsley. Sprinkle with remaining mozarella.

Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until cooked through and cheese golden. Garnish with coriander leaves, if using.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

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Don't forget to enter our 200th post giveaway, click here. Entry closes Monday 14th December 2009 at 12pm (EST).

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Chicken and Prawn Mornay

Firstly I have to apologize for my spasmotic blogging of late.. we have been quite busy especially with the new arrival of Daniel, a second boy for Noel's brother Sean and his wife Vicky and another nephew for us and a cousin for the kids. Needless to say went to visit both Daniel and Vicky last night at the hospital and I am only getting to blog last night's dinner this morning. Plus we haven't eaten out a few times recently leaving me not cooking anything to blog!

We had planned to have left over spaghetti bolognaise from the night before upon returning from the hospital. The kids had a bowl ful before we left but I must admit I am not a fan of leftover dinners. Don't get me wrong I eat them for lunch or freeze for lunches but I don't really enjoy eating the same dinner two nights in a row... not sure why I just don't.

Needless to say I was fancying something different and for some reason creamy! My initial thoughts were "Mornay" and then decided that chicken and prawns would be nice! And it was. Infact I was quite pleased with the outcome and will cook this again for sure.

Chicken and Prawn Mornay

Serves: 4
Points per serve: 7

500 grams chicken fillets, diced
cooking spray
300 grams prawns, peeled and deveined
2 springs onions, sliced
1/2 red capsicum, finely diced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
50 grams reduced fat tasty cheese, grated
ground white pepper
1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

Coat a small frying pan with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Cook the chicken until sealed and slightly browned. Remove from heat.

Spray 4 individual ramekins (1 1/2cup capacity) with cooking spray. Divide chicken evenly amongst ramekins. Divide the prawns evenly and add to the chicken. Top with the spring onions and capsicum.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and remove from heat, add flour and mix into a roux. Return to medium heat and add milk and wine gradually, stirring continuously with a whisk ensuring a smooth sauce. Add the garlic, mustard and tasty cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and prawn mixture evenly. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes in oven or until cooked through and cheese golden.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Requested by the children and lovingly agreed upon by the chef, last night's dinner was Sweet and Sour Chicken.

I love the fact that my kids ask for such dishes when I am in the mood for taking requests. They don't ask for fish fingers or two minute noodles or anything simple and I am REALLY proud of them for that. To be honest, I don't think I would cope that well with children that are fussy eaters especially considering both Noel and I love to cook a diverse range of foods.

This is the first time that I have ever cooked Sweet And Sour sauce from scratch. I have to say that in the past when making this dish I have used the sauce premade in a bottle. I was happy with the outcome and have a sneaky feeling that the kids did also as there wasn't a great deal left!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Serves: 4
Points per serve: 7

500 grams chicken breast fillet, diced
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/3 cup cornflour
1/3 cup water
oil for deep frying
1 red capsicum, diced
1 green capsicum, diced
1 onion, diced
1 440 gram can pineapple pieces, drained and reserve juice
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour, extra

Combine sugar, soy sauce and sherry in a bowl and stir well. Add diced chicken, stir to coast and leave to marinade for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Drain meat from marinade, reserve liquid.

Mix the cornflour and water in a bowl to make a batter. Add chicken pieces. Heat oil in wok or large frying pan. Cook chicken, several pieces at a time, cooking until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and keep warm.

Drain oil from wok, leaving about 1 tablespoon of oil. Return over high heat, add the capsicums and the onions. Stir fry for 2 - 4 minutes. Mix together tomato sauce, vinegar and reserved pineapple juice. Add to the wok, tossing through the vegetables. Add the pineapple pieces. Mix the remaining cornflour with water, add to the wok, stirring continuously until boiling and starting to thicken.

Place chicken on a plate and cover with sauce and vegetables.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb

I have had quite a busy week and Noel decided that he would cook on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend just to give me a break, isn't he sweet? And boy did he step up to the plate.

Noel, like me, enjoys the challenge of trying something new and when he puts his mind its sure to be a winner. What can I say - these were delicious and he can definately cook them for us any time he likes.

The lamb was delicately cooked, still nice and tender and was complimented by the crunchiness of the herbed breadcrumbs. I am positive that this would make an impressive main at your next dinner party.

Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb

(recipe courtesy of Noel)

Serves: 2

Points per serve: 7

200 grams fresh rich white bread

2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

100g unsalted butter

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 lamb racks

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

500 ml lamb or beef stock

1 large sprig of rosemary

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C.

Remove all visible fat from lamb racks.

Blend bread until fine, add herbs and garlic and blend for a further 30 seconds.

Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan until foaming. Season the lamb racks with salt and pepper. Add racks to pan, placing meat side down first, cook for 3 - 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and rest for 5 minutes.

Brush mustard onto the meat side of the racks ensuring you generously cover. Press herbed breadcrumbs onto the meat side, pressing firmly to form a crust. At this point, you can cover the bones with foil to reduce burning.

Place on a rack on a foiled lined baking tray. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Remove foil prior to serving.

While lamb is cooking, place stock and rosemary in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half. Strain before serving.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Spaghetti Bake

I was planning to cook good ol' Spaghetti Bolognaise tonight as I know that there is never any complaints from the Murray clan when it is placed in front of them but it is nice to always try something new especially when it is a dish that several of my online friends have made and encouraged me to try.

When I originally came across this recipe in one of the Symply To Good To Be True cookbooks, book 5, I knew that we would be trying it at some stage (but hadden as yet got around to doing so) and that I would be a winner considering my children's love of Lasagne and Macaroni Beef or to be totally honest anything with pasta in it!! And no, we do not have italian blood anywhere in the family tree!!

As per usual, a few ingredient changes nothing major except for increasing the herb quantity and adding more vegetables into the dish. I am big fan of "hiding" vegetables where and when I can. Isn't that what all good mam's do? Although in saying that I am proud that both my children eat lots of vegetables even brussel sprouts!

Spaghetti Bake
(adapted from Symply To Good To Be True #5)

Serves: 6 large or 8 average
Points per serve: Large - 7

Average - 5.5

300g spaghetti
cooking spray
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 brown onion, diced
500 grams very lean beef mince
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 red capsicum, diced
1 green capsicum, diced
200g mushrooms, sliced
2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes
3/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon chicken stock powder
2 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup low fat grated tasty cheese

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.

Cook pasta following instructions on the packet, drain and leave to one side.

Coat a large frying pan with cooking spray, saute garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add mince and combine, cooking until browned and cooked through. Add carrot, capsicum and mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, stock powder, basil, oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil then reduce to a slow boil cooking for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Fold the cooked spaghetti through the mince mixture until well combined. Pour into a large lasagne dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle top with combined cheeses and cooked in oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until cooked through and cheese is golden and bubbly.

This dish overall didn't take that long to get into the oven and then only 30 minutes cooking time. But it didn't take that long to disappear especially with hubby and son having two serves each!! LOL!! Definitely a "cook again" recipe in our house or a keeper as some of you call these types of recipes!!

.

Lamb Souvlaki

For an early week treat I thought we would have Lamb Souvlaki instead of a full meat and three veg dinner last night especially as I was fancying something different, plus they are quick and easy to make! Not to mention they go down a treat - yes another meal to be eaten with your hands - my kids are in heaven!! LOL

Lamb Souvlaki

Serves 6

Points per serve: 7

1 kg butterflied lamb leg (bone removed)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dried rosemary chopped

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

2 tablespoons dry white wine (chardonnay)

6 souvlaki or lebanese wraps

5 - 6 iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded

2 ripe tomatoes, sliced

1 red onion, finely sliced

1/2 cup low fat natural yoghurt

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Combine olive oil, rosemary, garlic and wine in a dish. Add butterflied lamb roast and marinate for several hours, overnight if time permits.

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Cover an deep oven tray with foil and place a rack inside. Lay the lamb on the rack and cook for approximately 10 minutes, remove from oven and turn over. Continue to cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes or until lamb is cooked to your liking. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before carving. When ready, slice lamb thinly.

While lamb is cooking, place yoghurt and garlic in a small bowl. Mix until completely and place in refrigerator to chill until required.

Lay a souvlaki bread on a chopping board and top with lamb, lettuce, tomato, onion, garlic yoghurt sauce, salt and pepper (and/or other toppings as desired), ensure you are placing the toppings in a line down the centre of the bread leaving a small portion at one end empty.

Folding the end over then wrap from one side to the other as tightly as possible. Secure with a napkin or a square of baking paper.

Other optional toppings (depending on your tastes) can include grated tasty cheese, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, hommus, cucumber slices, in fact the potential is endless....

Chicken Provencale

Last night I wanted to make something nice and suited to the cold weather we are starting to experience here in Melbourne. Winter is finally setting in so as you know so is the comfort food. The nice Warm dinners whether they be casseroles or soups or roasts.... yum!


This is an easy chicken dish which combines ingredients that Provence is famous for. It is full of olives, tomatoes and capsicum - typical Medditerranean flavours. Serve with mashed potatoes or plain pasta as these are great to mop up the juices just as nice crusty bread would.... what better for a cold winter's evening?

Chicken Provencale

Serves: 8

Points per serve: 7

1 red capsicum, quartered and deseeded

1 yellow capsicum, quartered and deseeded

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teapsoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 chicken chops, excess fat trimmed

2 brown onions, halved and cut into wedges

125ml (1/2cup) white wine

1 x 660 ml bottle passata (tomato pasta sauce)

250ml (1 cup) chicken stock

8 sprigs fresh thyme

80 grams (1/2cup) pitted black olives

Place capsicum, skin side up, under a preheated grill cooking for 8 - 10 minutes or until skin is charred and blistered. Transfer to a plastic bag, seal and set aside for 10 minutes. (This will help to lift the skin off the capsicum). After 10 minutes remove the skin from the capsicum and cut the flesh into thick strips.

Preheat oven to 200 deg C. Season the chicken chops with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add 4 peices of chicken at a time and cook for 3 - 4 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to large casserole dish and continue with remaining 4 peices of chicken.

To the same frying pan add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half. Add the capsicum, passata, stock and thyme.

Pour sauce over the chicken and bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in the olives and serve.

Okonomyaki (Japanese Pancake)

This is something I just had to try making especially with it being Shrove Tuesday yesterday but the idea of having normal pancakes for dinner didn't really inspire me although the kids would have approved without a doubt.
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I have read many recipes for Okonomyaki and like most recipes, there are so many different variations out there. Some with bacon, chicken or shrimps. Others with either grated potatoes or noodles. Ultimately I ended up making my own version of Okonomyaki or Japanese Pancake which I thought wasn't too bad and it got the thumbs up from Noel.

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Okonomyaki (Japanese Pancake)
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Serves: 4
Points per serve: 7
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1 cup plain flour
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup skim milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 wombok, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 large red capsicum, sliced
1 onion, sliced
150g bean sprouts
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce

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In a large bowl mix flour, eggs, garlic, ginger and skim milk together into a batter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir through wombok, carrots, capsicum, onion and bean sprouts until all coated with the batter and well combined.
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Heat oil a small frying pan and add 1/4 of the mixture. Cook over a medium heat until firm and golden brown on the underside. Flip over and cook the other side. Once cooked, remove to plate and keep in a warm oven and continue with the remaining mixture.
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To serve, place Okonomyaki on individual plates and drizzle with both the barbecue sauce and the mayonnaise.
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Honestly the potential of ingedients and toppings that can be used in this dish is literally endless and can be left up to your imagination. I cannot believe that this was as easy as it was to not only prepare but to cook. Go on - give it a go!

Fettucine With Creamy Spinach, Pinenuts and Sultanas

This is a recipe that Noel and I had at one of our favourite pasta restaurants and have tried to recreate it from scratch at home. We think we have done a good job with it!! .
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Fettucine With Creamy Spinach, Pinenuts and Sultanas

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Serves 6

7 points per serve

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250g fettucine (or pasta of your choice)

200g baby spinach leaves

60g pinenuts, toasted

80g sultanas

1 onion, diced

1 cup light (fat reduced) cream

1/2 cup water

1 tbs chicken stock powder

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil to serve

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Cook pasta as per directions on packet - do not overcook. Drain and set aside.
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To toast pinenuts you can either fry in a pan sprayed with cooking spray or place on an oven tray and place under the grill. Be careful they burn easily.

Spray a large non-stick pan with cooking spray and cook onions until soft. Add pinenuts and sultanas stirring for 2-3 minutes. Combine water and stock together and add to pan along with the cream, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.

Add pasta and baby spinach leaves stirring through until heated through.

Serve immediately, garnish with shredded fresh basil.