These nachos make an inexpensive, quick and easy-to-prepare snack or meal. Perfect for kids' teatimes on those days when they need something fast and nutritious.
It's light on vegies, so I like to include some raw carrot and cucumber fingers on the side; or raw peas, snow peas or broccoli heads depending on the season and cost!
A nice dollop of sour cream or my own preference, greek yoghurt (cheaper and healthier!) makes a wonderful dipping sauce for the vegies and also a nice topping for the nachos.
Corn chips (or sliced up pita bread, dried in oven)**
Baked beans (buy the plain-pack budget kind for this dish! They're usually no more than $0.99 (New Zealand Dollars!) for a 385g tin. And when mixed with the corn chips and cheese, no-one will taste the difference.) A 38sg tin feeds three kids or two teenagers :)
Grated cheese
Thick plain yoghurt or sour cream (optional)
Arrange the corn chips on a plate - a shallow dessert plate is what I find works best. Top with baked beans, and microwave for two minutes on high. Depending on your microwave, you might like to stir once during cooking. *
Top with grated cheese, and a dollop of sour cream if your kids like it!
**Top tip: Buy your corn chips in the largest bag you can find, and seal them in single-serve portions in freezer bags, in the cupboard. Each portion will stay fresh until required.
*Alternately, heat the baked beans on the stove pot in the saucepan, and finish the dish (with cheese, but without sourcream) with a few minutes under the grill - long enough to warm the corn chips and melt the cheese.
Make your own mouthwash
Found this little gem in How it All Vegan, a vegan cookbook by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer, and having tested it out, I can tell you that it does just the same amount of fresh, clean mintifying as the $5 store brands:
"Tea Tree - Peppermint Mouthwash": 1 1/2 cup water, 6 drops tea tree oil, 6 drops peppermint essential oil.
Pour water and oils into a clean, dry container. Cap tightly and shake well. Rinse mouth out, but DO NOT SWALLOW.
There's a whole great section in that book about veganism in household products, and has tons of other useful recipes like for shampoo, toothpaste, hot oil rinse, dandruff treat ment, bath slats, face scrub, skin toner, lip gloss. It's really a useful book, and that section in particular is the one I consult the most. Definitely see if your library has a copy on hand!
"Tea Tree - Peppermint Mouthwash": 1 1/2 cup water, 6 drops tea tree oil, 6 drops peppermint essential oil.
Pour water and oils into a clean, dry container. Cap tightly and shake well. Rinse mouth out, but DO NOT SWALLOW.
There's a whole great section in that book about veganism in household products, and has tons of other useful recipes like for shampoo, toothpaste, hot oil rinse, dandruff treat ment, bath slats, face scrub, skin toner, lip gloss. It's really a useful book, and that section in particular is the one I consult the most. Definitely see if your library has a copy on hand!
The Dress Up Box - Old Fashioned Toys for Today's Families
Sorry LastPenny's been quiet the last couple of days - I've succumbed to a nasty cold! But today things are looking up so we're back to our regular posting schedule :)
Kids today are not really any different from us when we were little. Sure, they've been exposed to electronics and communications from an early age - but that doesn't mean that the only toys that interest them are expensive, flashy electronics.
When kids play, they like to act out their fantasies. And toys that enable them to do that are the toys they'll come back to, time and time again.
The Dress Up Box
If your childhood was anything like mine, the dress-up box got to come out on "special occasions" - and looking back, those "special occasions" were any time our parents wanted us raptly amused for hours at a stretch!
Perfect for rainy weekends, cousins visiting, children's parties, or simply everyday play, a dress-up box costs around five dollars or less to assemble and will provide literally years of fun.
You can work with a simple cardboard box, but if you have an old suitcase, it's even better. I remember ours was in an old-fashioned leather trunk, which added to the air of mystery. If you're using a box, have the kids decorate it with stickers and drawings - you'll love to look back at the box in years to come.
A good dress-up box contains:
Kids today are not really any different from us when we were little. Sure, they've been exposed to electronics and communications from an early age - but that doesn't mean that the only toys that interest them are expensive, flashy electronics.
When kids play, they like to act out their fantasies. And toys that enable them to do that are the toys they'll come back to, time and time again.
The Dress Up Box
If your childhood was anything like mine, the dress-up box got to come out on "special occasions" - and looking back, those "special occasions" were any time our parents wanted us raptly amused for hours at a stretch!
Perfect for rainy weekends, cousins visiting, children's parties, or simply everyday play, a dress-up box costs around five dollars or less to assemble and will provide literally years of fun.
You can work with a simple cardboard box, but if you have an old suitcase, it's even better. I remember ours was in an old-fashioned leather trunk, which added to the air of mystery. If you're using a box, have the kids decorate it with stickers and drawings - you'll love to look back at the box in years to come.
A good dress-up box contains:
- Clothes. Rather than buying kids dress-up outfits from the store (expensive and unnecessary), go to your nearest op shop. Look for items made of glittery or shiny fabric, netting, velvet, corduroy - fabrics with texture and presence. The size and the fit of the items don't matter - kids will wear things the way they want to when they are dressing up, and "grown-up" clothes are half the fun.
- Little boys in general love suit jackets and ties. Look for 80s suits in bright colours, pin stripes and other eyecatching looks.
- If you have access to any kinds of old uniforms, pop them in. Lab coats can sometimes be found in op shops - grab one if they come up!
- Add things like old sheets and lengths of fabric (most fabric shops have cheap remnant bins) for making costumes.
- Accessories such as scarves, costume jewellery, handbags.
- Have plenty of reds and blacks for witch/wizard outfits.
- Don't include shoes, or bring them out only when supervised - kids can hurt themselves running about in ill-fitting shoes.
- Have face-paint or some cheap make-up for very special supervised play sessions :)
Frankenpesto (Reader Recipe!)
Thanks to Oddmonster at Hooray for Dogs!
The worst part about being broke, for me, has always been when you feel broke. When you let the bank balance and bare cupboards get you down, to the point where you start to feel like that wee one digit before the decimal point's some kind of judgment on your eternal sooooooooooooooul.
What can I say? When I get down, I get dramatic.
So I try to find some small indulgence I can give myself until things get better. It's gotta be small and it's gotta be worthy of the splurge, and let's face it, I am hella food-motivated. It's gotta be edible. For me, every time, basil does the trick. Fresh basil, in the summertime, is spectacular. It's fragrant and vivid and tastes amazing. As I have a black thumb, though, I have to buy it at the shop. If you're lucky enough to be able to grow it, it can still be an indulgence, and a clever one at that. Let me introduce: Frankenpesto!
(I feel like he should have some music or something)
The canonical ingredients of pesto are as follows: fresh basil, sweetest most virgin olive oil, aged parmesan, pine nuts picked by hand by retired left-handed nuns, and garlic.
Now, some of those things are perilously expensive, and are not, more importantly, threatening to expire in my fridge.
(Sidenote: it's true, I am possibly over-thrifty in using up everything in my fridge. This is genetic; my grandmother lived through The War, and we've caught her scraping mold off things that she really shouldn't have way too many times. On the other side of the coin, though, CHEESE IS ALREADY MOLD. Sigh. Where was I? Oh! My fridge.)
So, having gotten, out of the blue, a very large bunch of basil that needed to be used up before the heat got it, I canvassed the fridge, and found absolutely none of the above ingredients. Except I did have:
--cheddar
--suspect heel of cambozola
--spinach attempting wiltiness
--plain old canola oil
--cashews and almonds
Seriously, cooking should be fun, and I really can't taste the difference between my pesto and the store-bought pine-nutted version. Right! If you've never made pesto before, it's dead simple. Wash your basil leaves. I personally swear by my salad spinner, which I found at a garage sale for $1. Why? Because every single garage sale ever has a salad spinner. Don't believe me? Hit the pavement this weekend and check for yourself. They're super-useful little critters.
Wash your basil, and assemble the food processor. Or if you're cheap and broke, your blender, the same one your husband mixes margaritas in. Tequila forgives a multitude of sins.
Puree your basil in small batches, while adding tiny (tiny!) splashes of oil to keep things moving. Once you've got a nice base going, toss in some salt and some minced garlic. Puree puree. More basil. Puree. Now some shredded cheese (puree) or some roughly sliced cambozola (purrrrrree). Maybe a dash more oil and another thick handful of basil. Puree. I added spinach too, for undetectable bulk. Puree. Once you have a nice goopy base. Toss in your nuts.
(Now now, peanut gallery)
Puree. Thunkathunkathunka puree-under-protest. Puree.
Keep going until it tastes right. Seriously that's the whole process right there. Then you can freeze some, or mix some with pasta, or you can be me and suck it out of the blender with crackers before your husband detaches from You!Tube and wanders in looking for dinner.
Do not puree. That's punishable with a jail sentence. Instead, simply sit on the back stoop in the sun and have another cracker loaded down with garlicky, cheesy basil goodness, and feel like at least for the moment, you might be the richest person in the world.
The worst part about being broke, for me, has always been when you feel broke. When you let the bank balance and bare cupboards get you down, to the point where you start to feel like that wee one digit before the decimal point's some kind of judgment on your eternal sooooooooooooooul.
What can I say? When I get down, I get dramatic.
So I try to find some small indulgence I can give myself until things get better. It's gotta be small and it's gotta be worthy of the splurge, and let's face it, I am hella food-motivated. It's gotta be edible. For me, every time, basil does the trick. Fresh basil, in the summertime, is spectacular. It's fragrant and vivid and tastes amazing. As I have a black thumb, though, I have to buy it at the shop. If you're lucky enough to be able to grow it, it can still be an indulgence, and a clever one at that. Let me introduce: Frankenpesto!
(I feel like he should have some music or something)
The canonical ingredients of pesto are as follows: fresh basil, sweetest most virgin olive oil, aged parmesan, pine nuts picked by hand by retired left-handed nuns, and garlic.
Now, some of those things are perilously expensive, and are not, more importantly, threatening to expire in my fridge.
(Sidenote: it's true, I am possibly over-thrifty in using up everything in my fridge. This is genetic; my grandmother lived through The War, and we've caught her scraping mold off things that she really shouldn't have way too many times. On the other side of the coin, though, CHEESE IS ALREADY MOLD. Sigh. Where was I? Oh! My fridge.)
So, having gotten, out of the blue, a very large bunch of basil that needed to be used up before the heat got it, I canvassed the fridge, and found absolutely none of the above ingredients. Except I did have:
--cheddar
--suspect heel of cambozola
--spinach attempting wiltiness
--plain old canola oil
--cashews and almonds
Seriously, cooking should be fun, and I really can't taste the difference between my pesto and the store-bought pine-nutted version. Right! If you've never made pesto before, it's dead simple. Wash your basil leaves. I personally swear by my salad spinner, which I found at a garage sale for $1. Why? Because every single garage sale ever has a salad spinner. Don't believe me? Hit the pavement this weekend and check for yourself. They're super-useful little critters.
Wash your basil, and assemble the food processor. Or if you're cheap and broke, your blender, the same one your husband mixes margaritas in. Tequila forgives a multitude of sins.
Puree your basil in small batches, while adding tiny (tiny!) splashes of oil to keep things moving. Once you've got a nice base going, toss in some salt and some minced garlic. Puree puree. More basil. Puree. Now some shredded cheese (puree) or some roughly sliced cambozola (purrrrrree). Maybe a dash more oil and another thick handful of basil. Puree. I added spinach too, for undetectable bulk. Puree. Once you have a nice goopy base. Toss in your nuts.
(Now now, peanut gallery)
Puree. Thunkathunkathunka puree-under-protest. Puree.
Keep going until it tastes right. Seriously that's the whole process right there. Then you can freeze some, or mix some with pasta, or you can be me and suck it out of the blender with crackers before your husband detaches from You!Tube and wanders in looking for dinner.
Do not puree. That's punishable with a jail sentence. Instead, simply sit on the back stoop in the sun and have another cracker loaded down with garlicky, cheesy basil goodness, and feel like at least for the moment, you might be the richest person in the world.
DIY Dollars Competition
GIB living are hosting a competition where you can win $8000 of home improvement vouchers. Nothing to buy to enter, no cost etc.
Go here: http://www.gibliving.co.nz/room-for-improvement/
Go here: http://www.gibliving.co.nz/room-for-improvement/
Penny Saving Tip - Soap Bag
This is a top tip for anyone with kids!
Do you use bar soap in the shower or bath? Isn't it a pain how it gets wet and soggy in the soap dish, and what about those tiny slivers at the end, too small to be any use! What a waste throwing them all away...
But the alternative, body wash or liquid soap, just isn't viable with small children! They can keep themselves from playing with it, squirting it, or just using far too much...
A Better Way!
My mum did this using an "onion bag" - the plastic string netting bags you used to get onions in, the kind with holes about half a centimeter across. If you can still buy garlic or other items in them in your town, grab one! Failing that, buy a piece of the cheapest, strongest net curtain you can find! You can usually get quite large pieces in the remnant bin for cheap prices - about half a meter is great.
You can also make this by cutting up an old towel.
Do you use bar soap in the shower or bath? Isn't it a pain how it gets wet and soggy in the soap dish, and what about those tiny slivers at the end, too small to be any use! What a waste throwing them all away...
But the alternative, body wash or liquid soap, just isn't viable with small children! They can keep themselves from playing with it, squirting it, or just using far too much...
A Better Way!
My mum did this using an "onion bag" - the plastic string netting bags you used to get onions in, the kind with holes about half a centimeter across. If you can still buy garlic or other items in them in your town, grab one! Failing that, buy a piece of the cheapest, strongest net curtain you can find! You can usually get quite large pieces in the remnant bin for cheap prices - about half a meter is great.
You can also make this by cutting up an old towel.
- Cut a piece of fabric about 10cm wide and 20 long, or, take your onion bag :)
- Fold your fabric in half and stitch up the sides to make a bag. You can use a sewing machine, or a small blanket stitch. Or, if sewing is the bane of your life, cut a slightly larger square (15cm x 15cm) and you can tie it into a "bundle" instead.
- Gather together all those slivers of leftover soap. Pop them into your bag, and tie it closed. The onion bag or netting curtain bags can be simply knotted - flannel or heavier fabric can be tied closed with plastic string. "Bundles" can also be tied with plastic string.
- Hang the bag in the shower. It wont pool and go squishy in water, and kids love to use it. It even has a gentle exfoliating effect!
- As each bar of soap gets down to a sliver, add it to the bag. In our house, we only had bar soap at the handbasins - the shower only had the soapbag and it was great!
- Also great for using up those tiny soaps they give you in motels!
Kid's party treats - a sweet and affordable idea!
Banana-Choc Icebergs
The original recipe from littlies.co.nz can be found over here, but my method is cheaper and just as tasty!
Chop a banana into 1 - 2 inch long rounds. Into the base of each, push an iceblock stick** (don't poke all the way thru!). Lay on a foil-covered tray (You can also use an empty icecream container), not touching, and freeze for 15 mins.
Make butter-free chocolate frosting (I'll bring you the recipe in a few days - basically, it's icing sugar, cocoa and a little hot water.) You *can* use butter icing if you prefer here, but it's not necessary, and the creaminess in the taste is lost in the freezing, so it's a good opportunity to save a few pennies!
Dip each semifrozen banana in the icing, and top with hundreds and thousands. Pop a chocolate button or similar on at least one side of the icing - this is to "rest" on on the tray so the icing doesn't get smooshed!
Place back on the tray, button-side down, and pop back in the freezer, still not touching.
They'll store for a week nicely in the freezer, and once they are frozen, you can lift them off the tray and pop them in a container in the freezer - as long as they're frozen, they wont stick to each other.
**TOP TIP: When we were little, my mum used to use skewers for this. It meant she didn't have to go out and buy single-use iceblock sticks specially!
The original recipe from littlies.co.nz can be found over here, but my method is cheaper and just as tasty!
Chop a banana into 1 - 2 inch long rounds. Into the base of each, push an iceblock stick** (don't poke all the way thru!). Lay on a foil-covered tray (You can also use an empty icecream container), not touching, and freeze for 15 mins.
Make butter-free chocolate frosting (I'll bring you the recipe in a few days - basically, it's icing sugar, cocoa and a little hot water.) You *can* use butter icing if you prefer here, but it's not necessary, and the creaminess in the taste is lost in the freezing, so it's a good opportunity to save a few pennies!
Dip each semifrozen banana in the icing, and top with hundreds and thousands. Pop a chocolate button or similar on at least one side of the icing - this is to "rest" on on the tray so the icing doesn't get smooshed!
Place back on the tray, button-side down, and pop back in the freezer, still not touching.
They'll store for a week nicely in the freezer, and once they are frozen, you can lift them off the tray and pop them in a container in the freezer - as long as they're frozen, they wont stick to each other.
**TOP TIP: When we were little, my mum used to use skewers for this. It meant she didn't have to go out and buy single-use iceblock sticks specially!
One Pot Pork Chop Stew
These days, pork is often one of the cheapest meats you can buy. LastPenny recommends buying free range pork products.
This is a tasty and cheap recipe which can be made in under an hour, or alternately can be popped in the slowcooker. I usually use the slowcooker myself.
One Pot Pork Chops
7 pork chops ** You can also use pork belly slices, but these will be fattier.
2/3 cup of water
6-8 small potatoes *
6-8 carrots, split lengthwise and cut into 2" pieces
1 1/2 cans of tomato soup (For dollar value, I use powdered packet soup instead and add a couple of tablespoons of ketchup)
2 tsp. worcester sauce
1 tsp. salt
oil
In a saucepan (I use a big highsided stockpot, but you can also make this very effectively in an electric frying pan), brown the pork chops in just enough oil to coat the pan. Drain away the grease.
If you're using the slowcooker method, put the chops in the slowcooker, otherwise, simply add the rest of the ingredients to the pan. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Serving suggestions:
This is a tasty and cheap recipe which can be made in under an hour, or alternately can be popped in the slowcooker. I usually use the slowcooker myself.
One Pot Pork Chops
7 pork chops ** You can also use pork belly slices, but these will be fattier.
2/3 cup of water
6-8 small potatoes *
6-8 carrots, split lengthwise and cut into 2" pieces
1 1/2 cans of tomato soup (For dollar value, I use powdered packet soup instead and add a couple of tablespoons of ketchup)
2 tsp. worcester sauce
1 tsp. salt
oil
In a saucepan (I use a big highsided stockpot, but you can also make this very effectively in an electric frying pan), brown the pork chops in just enough oil to coat the pan. Drain away the grease.
If you're using the slowcooker method, put the chops in the slowcooker, otherwise, simply add the rest of the ingredients to the pan. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Serving suggestions:
- This is a one-pot meal, really, but for big eaters, you can serve it with mashed potatoes.
- I prefer to serve it with some toast and peas or beans
Tofu Scramble
Today we have a great recipe sent in by one of our readers!
Check out her blog at Hooray for Dogs!
Tofu Scramble aka How to Save the World with Tofu
You: 1, Your fridge: 0
Sooner or later, there comes a time when certain horrible forces in the universe combine and descend upon your kitchen. These forces are a) financial crunchage, and b) produce wiltage, and they can be pernicious and frustrating. However! You have a secret weapon in your arsenal that you may not have tried before: the tofu scramble.
Now now, I know what you're thinking. And yet! It is possible to use up all the produce wilting in the crisper like Aunt Gertie on her fainting couch while cheaply producing a tasty meal that feeds many. Including teenagers.
Ingredients:
1 potato, chopped
1 pkg extra firm tofu
1 yellow onion, diced
lemon juice
cooking oil
a fry pan that's seen better days
the spices of your choice
the contents of the fridge and/or fruit bowl
Right. First off, tofu retains its texture best when you squeeze all the water out of it. Easy: de-package said tofu and slice it into two thin rectangles laid side by side on a plate. Put a layer of paper towels over it, then squash it with the giant unwieldy casserole dish you could kill someone with.
While that's squishing, peel and chop the potato into wee chunks and pop them in a good-sized frying pan with a splash of oil. Leave them there and chop the onion, then turn and have stern words with the contents of the crisper. Basically, you're making a scrambled fry-up; the tofu, potatoes and onion will soak up the flavor of the oil and spices, and really, most other vegetables can be tossed in at will, browned nicely, and added to the dish for taste and bulk.
Last week when I made this, my crisper yielded a very suspicious looking kohlrabi, some leftover seitan bits from an earlier meal that were headed for the back of the fridge, green onions and an apple that had gone a bit soft. Normally, these are the types of things headed for the compost pile at speed, but behold the power of the scramble: chop chop chop into a pile with the onion.
Yes, an apple in a savory fry-up. It works really well if you use spicy seasoning such as various peppers, Old Bay or my favorite, Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning.
Anyway! Turn the heat on high under the potatoes, add some seasoning. Flip flip flip, brown brown brown. I mention using an old fry pan because my potatoes always burn, but maybe you're just better with potatoes. Go with what works.
When the potatoes are translucent, retrieve your drained tofu and crumble it over the potatoes, then dump all your veggies in on top. The mixture will hiss and crackle and just generally make much of itself, so add a splash of lemon juice to keep everyone in line, and stir, season to taste. It's ready to go when the tofu browns and the potatoes are soft.
Enjoy while sticking tongue out at vegetable crisper.
Check out her blog at Hooray for Dogs!
Tofu Scramble aka How to Save the World with Tofu
You: 1, Your fridge: 0
Sooner or later, there comes a time when certain horrible forces in the universe combine and descend upon your kitchen. These forces are a) financial crunchage, and b) produce wiltage, and they can be pernicious and frustrating. However! You have a secret weapon in your arsenal that you may not have tried before: the tofu scramble.
Now now, I know what you're thinking. And yet! It is possible to use up all the produce wilting in the crisper like Aunt Gertie on her fainting couch while cheaply producing a tasty meal that feeds many. Including teenagers.
Ingredients:
1 potato, chopped
1 pkg extra firm tofu
1 yellow onion, diced
lemon juice
cooking oil
a fry pan that's seen better days
the spices of your choice
the contents of the fridge and/or fruit bowl
Right. First off, tofu retains its texture best when you squeeze all the water out of it. Easy: de-package said tofu and slice it into two thin rectangles laid side by side on a plate. Put a layer of paper towels over it, then squash it with the giant unwieldy casserole dish you could kill someone with.
While that's squishing, peel and chop the potato into wee chunks and pop them in a good-sized frying pan with a splash of oil. Leave them there and chop the onion, then turn and have stern words with the contents of the crisper. Basically, you're making a scrambled fry-up; the tofu, potatoes and onion will soak up the flavor of the oil and spices, and really, most other vegetables can be tossed in at will, browned nicely, and added to the dish for taste and bulk.
Last week when I made this, my crisper yielded a very suspicious looking kohlrabi, some leftover seitan bits from an earlier meal that were headed for the back of the fridge, green onions and an apple that had gone a bit soft. Normally, these are the types of things headed for the compost pile at speed, but behold the power of the scramble: chop chop chop into a pile with the onion.
Yes, an apple in a savory fry-up. It works really well if you use spicy seasoning such as various peppers, Old Bay or my favorite, Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning.
Anyway! Turn the heat on high under the potatoes, add some seasoning. Flip flip flip, brown brown brown. I mention using an old fry pan because my potatoes always burn, but maybe you're just better with potatoes. Go with what works.
When the potatoes are translucent, retrieve your drained tofu and crumble it over the potatoes, then dump all your veggies in on top. The mixture will hiss and crackle and just generally make much of itself, so add a splash of lemon juice to keep everyone in line, and stir, season to taste. It's ready to go when the tofu browns and the potatoes are soft.
Enjoy while sticking tongue out at vegetable crisper.
Tasty Dips - quick, cheap, easy and such a success
Dips are great as a pre-dinner treat, as nibbles and also in a lunchbox for you OR for the kids. But buying pre-prepared dips is expensive and often not a very healthy choice.
You can make tasty, quick dips at home which are excellent with crackers, vegetables or chippies and can be made in minutes - and look just like the ones bought in the shop for three times the price!
My own favorite is the simplest of the lot:
Chilli Yoghurt Dip
Sweet chilli sauce (absolute favorite kind: Mae Ploy - it lacks the bitter aftertaste some sweet chillis have. But choose your own favorite)
Greek yoghurt (you can also use a plain acidophilus with a thick texture and a slightly sour taste - from my own experience, De Winkle works well, but Naturalea does not. But it tastes the BEST made with Yoplait Greek Yoghurt.)
Take a small bowl - glass for a pretty effect, but any kind will do.* Pour the sweet chilli sauce carefully around the edge of the bowl so that it runs down and coats the inside, all the way around. I find it's best to work fast with a generous pour.
Spoon the chilled greek yoghurt into the bowl. I use about 3 generous tablespoons in each of my bowls. Top with a little more chilli sauce - you can drizzle it in a pattern, or just pour over.
It's at its best with raw veges like carrots and celery, but really, this dip is wonderful with anything at all.
Garnish with sprigs of parsley if you want.
A New Twist on an Old Fave
Everyone knows how to make the good old Kiwi Nestle Reduced Cream and Maggi Onion Soup dip, right? Well, you can spice that up for the new millenium - and not just by using a different flavour soup, hee!
1 tin reduced cream
Fresh mint - you can grow mint in your garden very easily, and if you dont have a garden, mint lends itself very well to pot-life. Even if you're no good at gardening, mint will grow for you.
Cucumber
1 t white vinegar
Salt and pepper (the kind you grind are best for this one)
Chop the mint finely and dice the cucumber. You can blend these in a food processor if you want but I prefer to dice and chop with a sharp knife, as it doesn't bruise the leaves and flesh.
Mix through the reduced cream, and add a splash of the vinegar. Season (add salt and pepper) and give a final stir, then cover with cling wrap and chill for at least an hour and preferably four.
Yummy with chips!
Avocado Dip
When avocado is in season and they're cheap!
1 (or more!) ripe avocado
lemon juice
salt to taste
Scoop flesh out of avocado and discard stone. Place in reasonable sized bowl. The flesh should already be squishy - if it's not, it's not ripe enough, and you'll have to slice it up for sandwiches or something instead!
Whip avocado gently with a fork until it makes a thick paste. Add a squirt of lemon juice, and if you're that kind of person, a sprinkle of salt (I leave out the salt).
Stir again, then cover with cling wrap and chill til required. It shouldn't be very cold, but the lemon juice, covering it and the chilling prevents the fruit browning.
Wonderful with crackers.
*I bought a set of six textured glass dip bowls that are oval-shaped, each about the size of a breakfast cup, from an op shop, and I paid a dollar for the whole set. Every time I use them, people exclaim over them.
TOP TIP: Use a small container (such as the smallest kind of the Glad ones you can get in the supermarket). Put a tablespoon of one of these dips in the container, and take 6 water crackers or alternately fresh chopped veges for your lunch! Kids love dipping and it's a great way of getting some veges down them during the day! It's also a top after-school snack.
You can make tasty, quick dips at home which are excellent with crackers, vegetables or chippies and can be made in minutes - and look just like the ones bought in the shop for three times the price!
My own favorite is the simplest of the lot:
Chilli Yoghurt Dip
Sweet chilli sauce (absolute favorite kind: Mae Ploy - it lacks the bitter aftertaste some sweet chillis have. But choose your own favorite)
Greek yoghurt (you can also use a plain acidophilus with a thick texture and a slightly sour taste - from my own experience, De Winkle works well, but Naturalea does not. But it tastes the BEST made with Yoplait Greek Yoghurt.)
Take a small bowl - glass for a pretty effect, but any kind will do.* Pour the sweet chilli sauce carefully around the edge of the bowl so that it runs down and coats the inside, all the way around. I find it's best to work fast with a generous pour.
Spoon the chilled greek yoghurt into the bowl. I use about 3 generous tablespoons in each of my bowls. Top with a little more chilli sauce - you can drizzle it in a pattern, or just pour over.
It's at its best with raw veges like carrots and celery, but really, this dip is wonderful with anything at all.
Garnish with sprigs of parsley if you want.
A New Twist on an Old Fave
Everyone knows how to make the good old Kiwi Nestle Reduced Cream and Maggi Onion Soup dip, right? Well, you can spice that up for the new millenium - and not just by using a different flavour soup, hee!
1 tin reduced cream
Fresh mint - you can grow mint in your garden very easily, and if you dont have a garden, mint lends itself very well to pot-life. Even if you're no good at gardening, mint will grow for you.
Cucumber
1 t white vinegar
Salt and pepper (the kind you grind are best for this one)
Chop the mint finely and dice the cucumber. You can blend these in a food processor if you want but I prefer to dice and chop with a sharp knife, as it doesn't bruise the leaves and flesh.
Mix through the reduced cream, and add a splash of the vinegar. Season (add salt and pepper) and give a final stir, then cover with cling wrap and chill for at least an hour and preferably four.
Yummy with chips!
Avocado Dip
When avocado is in season and they're cheap!
1 (or more!) ripe avocado
lemon juice
salt to taste
Scoop flesh out of avocado and discard stone. Place in reasonable sized bowl. The flesh should already be squishy - if it's not, it's not ripe enough, and you'll have to slice it up for sandwiches or something instead!
Whip avocado gently with a fork until it makes a thick paste. Add a squirt of lemon juice, and if you're that kind of person, a sprinkle of salt (I leave out the salt).
Stir again, then cover with cling wrap and chill til required. It shouldn't be very cold, but the lemon juice, covering it and the chilling prevents the fruit browning.
Wonderful with crackers.
*I bought a set of six textured glass dip bowls that are oval-shaped, each about the size of a breakfast cup, from an op shop, and I paid a dollar for the whole set. Every time I use them, people exclaim over them.
TOP TIP: Use a small container (such as the smallest kind of the Glad ones you can get in the supermarket). Put a tablespoon of one of these dips in the container, and take 6 water crackers or alternately fresh chopped veges for your lunch! Kids love dipping and it's a great way of getting some veges down them during the day! It's also a top after-school snack.
Cheat's Smoked Fish Pie: quick, easy, tasty and CHEAP
This has always been an emergency staple in my house if I need to produce a quick and presentable hot lunch - unexpected guests, kids have their friends over to play etc.
It's also great on those nights you get home from work exhausted and need to feed the family in half an hour.
Today, I'm gonna bring you the *cheat's version* - using all prepackaged ingredients.
1 tin smoked fish fillets
Either 1 tin tomatoes (if whole tomatoes, crush with fork) or 1 packet prepared white sauce, cheese sauce, or my personal favorite, parsley sauce.
1/2 cup frozen mixed veges (or beans, peas, or corn - whatever you have)*
2 hard-boiled eggs (if you like them) - chopped up**
1 t mild curry powder (or add more or less to taste)
A grind of pepper
1 pack instant mashed potatoes (Of course, you can use real potatoes if you prefer - I told you, I'm presenting the cheat's version tonight)
Grated cheese (optional)
Paprika (optional)
Breadcrumbs (optional)
Preheat oven to 170C
White Sauce Method
Make up the white sauce (or cheese sauce or parsley sauce) following the directions on the packet. If the sauce has a stove-top option, use that for preference, although you can do this in the microwave too.
When the sauce is prepared, flake the fish into it (that is, tip out of tin, and break up into sauce :D), add the mixed veg, eggs (if used), curry powder and pepper. You shouldn't need salt (the smoked fish is fairly salty) but if you like it, you can add a little. Stir over a low heat on the stovetop (for preference) or stir well and give short burst in the microwave - about a minute - and then stir well again.
Tomato Method
Stir fish, mixed veg, eggs, curry powder and pepper together in a saucepan. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the liquid (this means "put in a container to use later") and add them, crushing them into mix. Add as much juice as necessary to make a nice, wet mixture - probably only about a tablespoon at this stage.
Warm through, stirring often. Add as much juice as required to keep mixture wet without being a soup.
Both Methods
Tip into an ovenproof dish. From preference I use a deep round casserole, 10 - 15cm in diameter, but then, tonight, I made it in a low square baking tray. Use whatever you have :)
Make up the Instant mashed potatoes following the directions on the packet. Spread over the top of the pie - you can be artistic and make nice peaks, or smooth it out flat, however you like it.
I like to make a topping using a mixture of grated cheese (approx 2/3 of a cup), breadcrumbs (1/4 cup) and paprika (1/2 tablespoon), shaken gently together in a bowl, jug or cooking bag, and sprinkled over the top. But, you can use each of these things on their own (ie top just with cheese, for example) or, just leave your potato plain if you prefer it that way.
Heat through and brown your lovely topping - 10 mins is usually sufficient. Keep an eye on the pie and when you see the top starting to bubble or crisp, you're good!
Serving Suggestions
**I omit the eggs if I'm making the tomato version, and use them with the parsley sauce version, but this is not a hard and fast rule :)
It's also great on those nights you get home from work exhausted and need to feed the family in half an hour.
Today, I'm gonna bring you the *cheat's version* - using all prepackaged ingredients.
1 tin smoked fish fillets
Either 1 tin tomatoes (if whole tomatoes, crush with fork) or 1 packet prepared white sauce, cheese sauce, or my personal favorite, parsley sauce.
1/2 cup frozen mixed veges (or beans, peas, or corn - whatever you have)*
2 hard-boiled eggs (if you like them) - chopped up**
1 t mild curry powder (or add more or less to taste)
A grind of pepper
1 pack instant mashed potatoes (Of course, you can use real potatoes if you prefer - I told you, I'm presenting the cheat's version tonight)
Grated cheese (optional)
Paprika (optional)
Breadcrumbs (optional)
Preheat oven to 170C
White Sauce Method
Make up the white sauce (or cheese sauce or parsley sauce) following the directions on the packet. If the sauce has a stove-top option, use that for preference, although you can do this in the microwave too.
When the sauce is prepared, flake the fish into it (that is, tip out of tin, and break up into sauce :D), add the mixed veg, eggs (if used), curry powder and pepper. You shouldn't need salt (the smoked fish is fairly salty) but if you like it, you can add a little. Stir over a low heat on the stovetop (for preference) or stir well and give short burst in the microwave - about a minute - and then stir well again.
Tomato Method
Stir fish, mixed veg, eggs, curry powder and pepper together in a saucepan. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the liquid (this means "put in a container to use later") and add them, crushing them into mix. Add as much juice as necessary to make a nice, wet mixture - probably only about a tablespoon at this stage.
Warm through, stirring often. Add as much juice as required to keep mixture wet without being a soup.
Both Methods
Tip into an ovenproof dish. From preference I use a deep round casserole, 10 - 15cm in diameter, but then, tonight, I made it in a low square baking tray. Use whatever you have :)
Make up the Instant mashed potatoes following the directions on the packet. Spread over the top of the pie - you can be artistic and make nice peaks, or smooth it out flat, however you like it.
I like to make a topping using a mixture of grated cheese (approx 2/3 of a cup), breadcrumbs (1/4 cup) and paprika (1/2 tablespoon), shaken gently together in a bowl, jug or cooking bag, and sprinkled over the top. But, you can use each of these things on their own (ie top just with cheese, for example) or, just leave your potato plain if you prefer it that way.
Heat through and brown your lovely topping - 10 mins is usually sufficient. Keep an eye on the pie and when you see the top starting to bubble or crisp, you're good!
Serving Suggestions
- With crusty bread and a green salad
- For lunch, with hot buttered toast on the side
- This pie suits being made in individual ramekins - hugely popular with kids, they love getting their own "personal" pie
- Reheats wonderfully for lunch on day 2!
**I omit the eggs if I'm making the tomato version, and use them with the parsley sauce version, but this is not a hard and fast rule :)
Freebie for Kiwis: Free Cereal Sample!
Are you in New Zealand? Sanitarium are giving away a free sample-size (45g) of their new product, Fibre Life Cereal.
This is an example of a free offer that LastPenny-ers like us are always on the lookout for! Ok, so 45g of cereal wont go all that far against your weekly budget - but remember your grandmother's words: Every little helps.
Go over here to check it out.*
LastPenny receives no payment nor incentive to place this link on our blog, and receives no benefit from any person following the link. The full url, if you prefer to type it into your own browser, is: http://www.fibrelife.co.nz/Default.aspx
This is an example of a free offer that LastPenny-ers like us are always on the lookout for! Ok, so 45g of cereal wont go all that far against your weekly budget - but remember your grandmother's words: Every little helps.
Go over here to check it out.*
LastPenny receives no payment nor incentive to place this link on our blog, and receives no benefit from any person following the link. The full url, if you prefer to type it into your own browser, is: http://www.fibrelife.co.nz/Default.aspx
Marrow: the veg that time forgot
The vegetable marrow (a type of squash, for American readers :D) is a veg that used to be a popular choice at the table. This is because it's nutritious, easy to grow, a good size to feed the large family, and lends itself to a range of different cooking options.
They're still available in supermarkets in season; and even more readily available at your local fruit & veg or sometimes at the chinese grocery.
To grow your own, plant zucchini (summer squash, I believe? comments to enlighten me are welcome!) plants and fertilise well (our own choice is horse or chicken manure! gleaned from a local riding school or horse paddock, for free preferably!)
The fruit will grow readily to large marrows, usually yielding almost more than you can eat.
PLain, steamed marrow is one of the least exciting foods you can eat, I have to say, and sometimes the flesh can have a slightly bitter flavour. In the upcoming weeks, LastPenny will bring you a host of marrow recipes, but for today I will leave you with a simple tip.
To prevent marrow bitterness and tenderise the flesh:
Cut the marrow in half lengthwise and core. Leave the skin on, but perforate gently in places with a fork.
Sprinkle the flesh-side of each half liberally with table salt. Wrap each half separately in tin foil, and leave in cool place (pantry is better than fridge, but if climate is hot refridgerate - food safety first) for an hour.
Rinse the salt away and leave marrow on paper towels to dry.
MMMMM - tasty, sweet marrow, ready for roasting, stuffing, or your choice of preparation.
They're still available in supermarkets in season; and even more readily available at your local fruit & veg or sometimes at the chinese grocery.
To grow your own, plant zucchini (summer squash, I believe? comments to enlighten me are welcome!) plants and fertilise well (our own choice is horse or chicken manure! gleaned from a local riding school or horse paddock, for free preferably!)
The fruit will grow readily to large marrows, usually yielding almost more than you can eat.
PLain, steamed marrow is one of the least exciting foods you can eat, I have to say, and sometimes the flesh can have a slightly bitter flavour. In the upcoming weeks, LastPenny will bring you a host of marrow recipes, but for today I will leave you with a simple tip.
To prevent marrow bitterness and tenderise the flesh:
Cut the marrow in half lengthwise and core. Leave the skin on, but perforate gently in places with a fork.
Sprinkle the flesh-side of each half liberally with table salt. Wrap each half separately in tin foil, and leave in cool place (pantry is better than fridge, but if climate is hot refridgerate - food safety first) for an hour.
Rinse the salt away and leave marrow on paper towels to dry.
MMMMM - tasty, sweet marrow, ready for roasting, stuffing, or your choice of preparation.
Lunch Box - packed lunch for grown ups!
Buying your lunch is a huge money-drain, especially if you do it 5 days a week. But the whole idea of a "packed lunch" takes us back to our school days - peanut butter sandwiches and soggy salad rolls!
But it doesn't have to be like that. Check out our lunchbox tips for snazzy, tasty lunches that wont break the bank!
Gourmet Lunch Salad
Your favorite salad greens*, torn or whole according to your preference.
Diced ripe tomato
If avocado is in season, and cheap, add a quarter!
Cook pumpkin in the microwave and cube, Add to your salad.
If you like cheese, add your favorite sharp-tasting cheese, or feta, crumbled or grated
Think about adding steamed baby asparagus spears, corn kernels, or any other favorite vegetable in season
Take balsamic dressing in a separate bottle and add at lunchtime - tasty!
Turkish wrap
Spread a wrap or pita bread with hummus. Add a thin layer of cooked chicken, salami or ham, top with cottage cheese, salad greens and grated carrot. Roll up, wrap in cling wrap, and it will be fresh and tasty for lunch.
Sweet Treat
Buy your favorite in-season fruit - strawberries, cherries, pears, apples, oranges, bananas. Slice into a container and top with a punnet of mixed-berry yoghurt. For something a little more filling, top with a lightly toasted muesli.
This is a great one for school lunch boxes too.
Vege Dip
This is a top selection for many diet lunches. Take one punnet low-fat cottage cheese and a selection of sliced veges for dipping.
Carrots are always a favorite, but try broccoli, cauliflower and celery too!
For added flavour, try these cottage cheese variations:
TOP TIP: Buy whole lettuce rather than bagged salad greeens - you'll save more than HALF. Even better, grow your own!
But it doesn't have to be like that. Check out our lunchbox tips for snazzy, tasty lunches that wont break the bank!
Gourmet Lunch Salad
Your favorite salad greens*, torn or whole according to your preference.
Diced ripe tomato
If avocado is in season, and cheap, add a quarter!
Cook pumpkin in the microwave and cube, Add to your salad.
If you like cheese, add your favorite sharp-tasting cheese, or feta, crumbled or grated
Think about adding steamed baby asparagus spears, corn kernels, or any other favorite vegetable in season
Take balsamic dressing in a separate bottle and add at lunchtime - tasty!
Turkish wrap
Spread a wrap or pita bread with hummus. Add a thin layer of cooked chicken, salami or ham, top with cottage cheese, salad greens and grated carrot. Roll up, wrap in cling wrap, and it will be fresh and tasty for lunch.
Sweet Treat
Buy your favorite in-season fruit - strawberries, cherries, pears, apples, oranges, bananas. Slice into a container and top with a punnet of mixed-berry yoghurt. For something a little more filling, top with a lightly toasted muesli.
This is a great one for school lunch boxes too.
Vege Dip
This is a top selection for many diet lunches. Take one punnet low-fat cottage cheese and a selection of sliced veges for dipping.
Carrots are always a favorite, but try broccoli, cauliflower and celery too!
For added flavour, try these cottage cheese variations:
- Herbed: finely chop your favorite fresh herb (we love mint, dill and chives) and stir through
- Hawaiian: stir through a half tin of crushed pineapple (choose the kind in natural juice!)
- Chilli: Stir through a tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce
TOP TIP: Buy whole lettuce rather than bagged salad greeens - you'll save more than HALF. Even better, grow your own!
Italian Vegetable Soup
2 cups sliced celery
1 large can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 green peppers, diced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large zucchini, peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp.crushed oregano
2 to 3 pounds mild Italian sausage
2 cans or 1 quart crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
small pasta (optional) (I use risoni)
Break up the sausage and brown in a fry pan. Add the celery and cook for 10 minutes. Drain off the grease. Put all the ingredients into a large pot and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
*Perfect* in the crockpot - simmer on low heat during the day while you are at work to be served for dinner - if you're crockpotting and the celery is young, there is no need to cook it in the fry-pan first.
This makes a big amount - perfect to feed the family for a few meals, or, to freeze for later.
Serving Suggestions:
1 large can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 green peppers, diced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large zucchini, peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp.crushed oregano
2 to 3 pounds mild Italian sausage
2 cans or 1 quart crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
small pasta (optional) (I use risoni)
Break up the sausage and brown in a fry pan. Add the celery and cook for 10 minutes. Drain off the grease. Put all the ingredients into a large pot and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
*Perfect* in the crockpot - simmer on low heat during the day while you are at work to be served for dinner - if you're crockpotting and the celery is young, there is no need to cook it in the fry-pan first.
This makes a big amount - perfect to feed the family for a few meals, or, to freeze for later.
Serving Suggestions:
- With fresh crusty bread
- Make buttered toast "soldiers" for kids to dip in
- I prefer to serve this as a main meal, but you could serve a small bowl as a starter if you preferred, as a prelude to a light, salad-y meal.
How to: Cream the butter and the sugar
A lot of baking requires "creaming butter and sugar" together. So, what does this *mean*? And *how* is it done?
"Creaming" the butter and the sugar means mixing or blending the two ingredients together until they take on a light, creamy texture. The purpose is to incorporate lots of air bubbles into the mixture, which ensures that your baked cake will be light and fluffy, and will rise nicely.
Food Processor Method:
Many recipes indicate that this process ought to be done with a food processor, and indeed it can be. Chop your butter into 1 inch cubes, add your sugar, and blend or pulse on low speed, using short bursts, until the two ingredients form the creamy paste we are after.
To cream by hand:
Never let anyone tell you you *need* a food processor to do this (or any other baking task, come to that.). Some people like to use a pastry cutter or a knife for this process, but here at LastPenny we prefer to use a heavy tablespoon (the oldfashioned serving kind) in a heavy old crockery bowl.
Place the sugar in your bowl, and cut the butter into slices - about 2 inches square, and each slice a quarter inch thick makes for the easiest to mix, I find, but you can use any dimension.
If using margarine, simply scoop out required amount and place in bowl.
You *can* do this with hard butter straight from the fridge, but it is much much easier and faster to do it with softened butter.
The *best* way to soften butter is to allow it to come naturally to room temperature. But it's rare we have the time to wait for that! Instead, you can place the amount of butter you want in a glass jug or bowl, and stand the container in a pan of warm water for 5 minutes. You can leave it longer if the butter is not yet soft enough, but keep an eye on it - you don't want it to start melting. Alternately, you can soften it in the microwave by giving it ten second bursts, checking after each.
Important: don't melt the butter at this stage.
Then, rub or cut the butter into the sugar. I like to "squash" the butter between my heavy spoon and heavy bowl, thus rubbing it into the sugar this way. After a few minutes, the mixing should get easier and you'll get the nice fluffy texture we're talking about!
TOP TIP: You can substitute margarine for butter, and use your choice of sugar - plain white, brown, raw, etc - and achieve the same or a similar result.
"Creaming" the butter and the sugar means mixing or blending the two ingredients together until they take on a light, creamy texture. The purpose is to incorporate lots of air bubbles into the mixture, which ensures that your baked cake will be light and fluffy, and will rise nicely.
Food Processor Method:
Many recipes indicate that this process ought to be done with a food processor, and indeed it can be. Chop your butter into 1 inch cubes, add your sugar, and blend or pulse on low speed, using short bursts, until the two ingredients form the creamy paste we are after.
To cream by hand:
Never let anyone tell you you *need* a food processor to do this (or any other baking task, come to that.). Some people like to use a pastry cutter or a knife for this process, but here at LastPenny we prefer to use a heavy tablespoon (the oldfashioned serving kind) in a heavy old crockery bowl.
Place the sugar in your bowl, and cut the butter into slices - about 2 inches square, and each slice a quarter inch thick makes for the easiest to mix, I find, but you can use any dimension.
If using margarine, simply scoop out required amount and place in bowl.
You *can* do this with hard butter straight from the fridge, but it is much much easier and faster to do it with softened butter.
The *best* way to soften butter is to allow it to come naturally to room temperature. But it's rare we have the time to wait for that! Instead, you can place the amount of butter you want in a glass jug or bowl, and stand the container in a pan of warm water for 5 minutes. You can leave it longer if the butter is not yet soft enough, but keep an eye on it - you don't want it to start melting. Alternately, you can soften it in the microwave by giving it ten second bursts, checking after each.
Important: don't melt the butter at this stage.
Then, rub or cut the butter into the sugar. I like to "squash" the butter between my heavy spoon and heavy bowl, thus rubbing it into the sugar this way. After a few minutes, the mixing should get easier and you'll get the nice fluffy texture we're talking about!
TOP TIP: You can substitute margarine for butter, and use your choice of sugar - plain white, brown, raw, etc - and achieve the same or a similar result.
Argentine Steak - Tasty, economical casserole!
Argentine Steak is a tasty casserole, popular with the whole family, extremely economical, and as an added bonus, perfect in the slow cooker.
If you're prepared to buy a slightly more expensive cut of meat, it is also able to made very quickly as a fast supper!
Argentine Steak
1 rasher bacon
1 t worcestershire sauce
1 T brown sugar
1/4 c tomato sauce
1 oz grated cheese (1/2 cup)
1/2 t curry powder
1/2 c water
1 large carrot
1/2 t ground ginger
2 t vinegar (I use white for preference)
1 T flour
300 - 400 grams (1 lb) beef steak - gravy beef is beautiful in the slow cooker, use chuck or blade steak for 1 hr in the oven, or if you buy rump steak you can cook this in 40 mins. The most economical method is gravy beef in the slow cooker!
Combine all ingredients in an ovenproof dish or directly in the slow-cooker. Yes: it really is this easy. Measure everything in any order and pour into pan. Stir gently to combine.
Preheat oven/turn on slow cooker. For gravy beef, cook all day in slowcooker; or cook 2 hours in 150C oven.
For blade steak, cook 55 mins at 170C.
For chuck steak, cook 1 hr 10 at 170C.
DO NOT use a fan forced oven for these cuts of meat - turn the fan off.
For rump steak, use a fan oven if you have one, and cook 45 mins at 180C. Stir a couple of times during cooking.
Serving suggestions:
If you're prepared to buy a slightly more expensive cut of meat, it is also able to made very quickly as a fast supper!
Argentine Steak
1 rasher bacon
1 t worcestershire sauce
1 T brown sugar
1/4 c tomato sauce
1 oz grated cheese (1/2 cup)
1/2 t curry powder
1/2 c water
1 large carrot
1/2 t ground ginger
2 t vinegar (I use white for preference)
1 T flour
300 - 400 grams (1 lb) beef steak - gravy beef is beautiful in the slow cooker, use chuck or blade steak for 1 hr in the oven, or if you buy rump steak you can cook this in 40 mins. The most economical method is gravy beef in the slow cooker!
Combine all ingredients in an ovenproof dish or directly in the slow-cooker. Yes: it really is this easy. Measure everything in any order and pour into pan. Stir gently to combine.
Preheat oven/turn on slow cooker. For gravy beef, cook all day in slowcooker; or cook 2 hours in 150C oven.
For blade steak, cook 55 mins at 170C.
For chuck steak, cook 1 hr 10 at 170C.
DO NOT use a fan forced oven for these cuts of meat - turn the fan off.
For rump steak, use a fan oven if you have one, and cook 45 mins at 180C. Stir a couple of times during cooking.
Serving suggestions:
- Tasty over mashed potatoes with steamed greens on the side
- Serve as a baked potato topping with coleslaw on the side
- The leftovers reheat wonderfully for a microwave lunch
