Australia Day & Start of School Year Menu

I quickly posted this last night to get the ball rolling to use the links. I am really looking forward to some of the recipes I have decided on for the first week. We had the beef and vegetable chow mein last night and I was happy as it definitely cheered up my husband. We already had vegetables for it, he has done the shopping for this first week of dishes. Now to add the rest.

I was unable to order fruit and vegetables this week because of the Australia Day holiday. My husband bought in a few extra things like the tomatoes and broad beans. I will be having pies while he is away this week settling our daughter into uni. Tonight there is only my little girl and I and we will enjoy that. Only two pies to heat up!

Coincidently at my son's house the four of them will be having meat pies to celebrate Australia Day. I chose salami etc. because of the weekly specials at the supermarket. I am choosing chicken burritos with brazilian black beans because of the black beans in my pantry. I didn't know what they are marketing them in Australia as, because in Australia black beans are Asian and salty. It is hard to find recipes because you get the Asian ones when you type in black beans. The lady who posted this recipe does cooking demonstrations in Geelong I think. The last recipe is for mushrooms because my daughter isn't here to eat them. From now on we will be able to make recipes that serves 4!!!

Tuesday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise
Wednesday ~ Cheesy Bacon & Pea Macaroni
Thursday ~ Spaghetti Carbonara (uses broad beans)
Friday ~ Stir-fry Beef & Vegetable Chow Mein (uses wombuk)
Saturday ~ Tomato & Salami Spaghetti
Sunday ~ pies
Monday ~ Pies
Tuesday ~ Lasagne
Wednesday ~ Savoury Mince & Potato Wedges
Thursday ~ Chow Mein
Friday ~ Taco Salad (for left over rocket?)
Saturday ~ Beef Chow Mein (uses pac choy, I'm going to try boc/buc choy)
Sunday ~ Chicken Burritos with Brazilian Black Beans
Monday ~ Tortellini with Creamy Pesto and Mushrooms

Success from last week:
Chicken, Olive & Fennel
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Pasta Primavera (my son asked for the recipe)

Interesting recipes:
Frittatine with Mushrooms and Peas this is ..."an easy-peasy Italian egg dish with an unusual technique that is part-omelette and part-scrambled eggs. It takes less than a minute to get a light, fluffy result."

Linguine with Bacon, Mushrooms & Feta

Odd Bodd Vegetables Menu

Thankfully we have had a break in the weather and things boiled don't seem so unappetising, neither does being in the kitchen with the oven on. My husband wants to have more bean dishes this week, he feels he has put on weight and I think is hoping it will save him lol. There are nice specials on meat locally. It seems the ones that chase the specials actually have to ask the shop to go out the back to get the specials. We usually just take what is there. I expect though being later in the week now there will be more put out. I don't think there is much left from any Christmas hampers, except the homemade plum pudding my Mum made for me. I am waiting for my daughter to come home from Beach Mission as she enjoys eating it. We have six people home, but not all have been home at once lately, though this fortnight they made all be.

Tuesday ~ Roasted Vegetable Risotto
Wednesday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise
Thursday ~ Roasted Sausages with Braised Lentils and Bacon
Friday ~ Sausage & Egg Muffin Burgers
Saturday ~ Rigatoni Milano (uses Italian sausages)
Sunday ~ Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake
Monday ~ Chicken, Olive & Fennel
Tuesday ~ Chicken & Vegetable Pasta Bake
Wednesday ~ Roast Vegetable Frittata
Thursday ~ Potato & Corn Salad with fish?
Friday ~ Chilli Bean Nachos
Saturday ~ Chorizo Hotpot with Braised Cabbage & Potatoes
Sunday ~ Spaghetti with Chorizo, Feta & Spinach
Monday ~ Chicken & Chorizo Paella
Sweet Potato & Chickpea Tagine
Pasta Primavera
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (uses pasta sauce and anchovies)
Vegetable Pancakes made with wombuk, cabbage & potatoes instead, and parmesan

Interesting recipes:
Pepperoni and Corn Frittata (uses blue cheese)

Chorizo/Kransky Hotpot with Braised Cabbage & Potatoes

Chorizo Hot Pot with Braised Cabbage

Serves about 6

Ingredients
Potatoes
Sauce
Oil
1 onion sliced
3 rashers of bacon chopped
500g or 6 chorizo (skinned type)
½ cup white wine
2 tsp chicken powder
400g chopped tomatoes
2 X 400g borlotti beans drained

Braised Cabbage
Oil
2 cloves garlic sliced thin
1 small red onion halved and sliced
½ green cabbage sliced
3 tsp chicken pwder

Method
Need large saucepan, large frypan and pot for potatoes.
1 :-Start by peeling the Potatoes and put on to cook.

2 :-Heat up frypan and cook chorizo’s slice about 1.5 cm thick and continue cooking, add bacon and when cooked a reasonable amount add the onions.

3:-When cooked well add the wine and allow alcohol to boil off.
(start cooking braised cabbage about now by beginning with sautéing onion and then garlic)

4 :-Back to sauce: add tomatoes, chicken powder and beans and cook for about 20 mins or more.
Braised cabbage pot

5 :-When the onion and garlic are cooked add chopped cabbage with a drizzle of oil and fry with the onions on med-low heat , stirring to ensure even cooking.

6 :-During cooking add chicken powder, continue stirring until well cooked.

Serve on plate separately braised cabbage, sauce and mashed potatoes.

Adapted from here. Too good a recipe to lose.

Post Christmas Menu

I ordered double the vegetables last fortnight because there are no deliveries. I have heard the local shop seems to have more vegetables than usual.

Tuesday ~ Lower-GI White Beans with Cherry Tomatoes & Zucchini
Wednesday ~ dates
Thursday ~ Special Macaroni Cheese
Friday ~ Hearty Beef Pasta (uses round steak)
Saturday ~ Spicy Sausages with Bean Salad
Sunday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise
Monday ~ Potato, Bacon & Blue Cheese Bake
Tuesday ~ Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake
Wednesday ~ Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce (uses ginger, chilli, parsley)
Thursday ~ Chickpea Tagine with Figs
Friday ~ Chicken Tacos with Corn Salsa
Saturday ~ Chicken, Broccoli & Cashew Stir-fry
Sunday ~ Chilli Sweet Potato & Beans with Polenta
Monday ~ Pies and mashed potato

Interesting recipes:
Summer Fruitcake with Lemon Mascarpone Cream

Recent successful recipes:
Nasi Goreng (uses bacon we had left from a hamper)
Pea & Mint Salad It was a salad to die for. My husband said I was a hippy in the city or something like that, he said I must like raw food or something. The mint was fresh from our garden.
Kransky Hotpot with Braised Cabbage we actually used hard chorizos which were in a bulk lot at Coles before Christmas
Raspberry Trifle uses fresh or frozen raspberries, we had our own from the garden, the trifle is very smooth

More hamper goodies thrown in the pot

I hope to go to the regional centre and buy some games for my daughter's new DS she is getting for Christmas and maybe buy some sage if I can get it for one of the meals, and pork. I went through some recipe magazines my Mum gave me after she read them and found some ideas as well. Having said that I have not looked at my budget and who knows will revise sometime. But I hope to do this.

I have had some health tests done recently and my sugar and calcium and iron were all good. I am relieved my diet is OK despite the lesser amounts of meat and cheese we have been eating, overall. In one of the magazines it suggested losing 10% of your weight as it will make a difference to your health. Coincidently this is how much I have lost over the past year or so. My receptionist at the dentist said I am fading away. I am still a very big person though, tall etc.

I saw some Castello cheese collections in Coles the other day. Much like the collection I got in my Christmas hamper. The meals we made with them so far were excellent. I was pleased, because in the shop these looked like they were saying buy me lol.

During this week a lady gave us a very large trout. My husband made this recipe and I really enjoyed it. Our potatoes were mashed, and I am pleased our mint was very lovely outside growing in the driveway and not dried up. My daughter had some yoghurt and garlic made up and we used that as well.

Rainbow Trout with Minted Pea Mash

Tuesday ~ Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce (uses ginger, chilli, parsley)
Wednesday ~ Chickpea Tagine with Figs
Thursday ~ White Bean & Fennel Soup (uses great northern beans & anchovies)
Friday ~ Fish with Warm Fennel Salad
Saturday ~ Boston Baked Beans with Sausages & Eggs
Sunday ~ Hoisin Pork with Pak Choy and Cashews
Monday ~ Tuna Casserole
Tuesday ~ Gnocchi & Three Cheese Bake (uses Castello white cheese)
Wednesday ~ Calamari with Lemon Aioli and Pea & Mint Salad
Thursday ~ Blue Cheese Tortellini with Walnuts
Friday ~ Sumac Chicken with Dried Fruit & Nut Rice
uses broccoli & apricots
Saturday ~ Chilli Con Carne (uses pasta sauce)
Sunday ~ Broccoli, Almond & Lemon Farfalle
Monday ~ Pork Meatballs with Polenta (uses pork mince)
Tuesday ~ Pies, chips & peas

Interesting recipes:

Pasta with Chickpea, Tomato & Cardamon Sauce
Lamb Shank, Star Anise & Noodle Soup
Oven-baked Sweet Potato and Tuna Risotto

Add on Menu

Wasn't able to make all the recipes from the menu I made up, so confusing so added this. Haven't had to buy anything extra, so still planned in a way. Had so many trips out with the kids had to conserve money. The chicken, roast beef etc. came from our Christmas hampers. Will still use the other recipes and move them to next fortnight. The last pay before Christmas!

The exciting thing is that I found a good recipe for my dried great northern beans!

Monday Dec 5 ~ Lentil & Kranksy Stew
Tuesday ~ Fish & Chips
Wednesday ~ Broccoli, Almond & Lemon Farfalle
Thursday ~ Tomato, Feta & Zucchini Ziti
Friday ~ Vegetable Japanese Pancakes
Saturday ~ Borlotti Bean, Bacon & Pasta Soup if we have tomato paste
Sunday ~ Babycorn & Spring Onion Soup with extra ingredients (we have a packet mix)
Monday ~ Chicken Tenders etc. with Roast Vegetables

Lunches: roast beef sandwiches

Interesting recipes:
Pastrami, Potato & Mustard Rosti may use this on Friday when there are less people here

BBQ Meatlovers Pizza (uses pastrami)
White Bean & Fennel Soup (uses great northern beans & anchovies)
Green Beans with Miso Dressing
Broad Beans with Chorizo & Coriander
Broad Beans with Tomato, Salami & Mint

Hamper Menu 2

Yes, I got a hamper with cheese and nuts. It is supposed to be for nibbles, but I am using the things for meals. Some of the dishes we made last week with special cheese in them were delicious.

Tuesday ~ Blue Cheese Tortellini with Walnuts
Wednesday ~ Fish Fingers & Chips
Thursday ~ Pies & Chips
Friday ~ Calamari with Lemon Aioli and Pea & Mint Salad
Saturday ~ Pumpkin & Spinach Stir-fry (uses macadamias)
Sunday ~ Chicken Chilli Wraps with Tenders
Monday ~ Broccoli, Almond & Lemon Farfalle
Tuesday ~ Papparadelle with Chilli & Cheese Kabana
Wednesday ~ Tomato, Feta & Zucchini Ziti
Thursday ~ Hoisin Pork with Pak Choy and Cashews
Friday ~ Tuna Casserole
Saturday ~ Mini Hot Dogs
Sunday ~ Gnocchi & Three Cheese Bake (uses Castello white cheese)
Monday ~ Lentil & Kransky Stew (use bacon pieces)

Success from last week:
Tuna & Haloumi & Bean Salad

Interesting recipes:
Spinach & Blue Cheese Crepes
Crisp Whitebait & Calamari with Quince Aioli
Pork Fennel & Sun-dried Tomato Sausages (uses pork/veal mince)
Zucchini & Feta Fritters (uses marinated feta)
Chorizo, Zucchini & Feta Rigatoni (uses rocket)
Sausage, Pea & Feta Salad (uses chicken sausages & marinated feta)
Spaghetti with Chorizo, Feta & Spinach
Pumpkin, Spinach & Feta Spaghetti (pumpkins are $8 ea atm)
Sausage & Vegetable Hotpot (uses chorizo & dates & pumpkin)
Mini Hot Dogs with Caesar Salad (uses chipolatas)

Lovely Simple Song

Free Design - Love You

Christmas Hamper Menu

I cleaned up this post, I found by the end of the fortnight I had planned just enough meals, the blanks were moved on to the next fortnight. I got hampers from three Christmas hamper companies this year. Cheese, smallgoods and nice cheeses, and yes, figs. My first try at haloumi, the salad was gorgeous.

Tuesday November 15 ~ Haloumi 180g to use up leaves Tuna, Haloumi & Bean Salad
Wednesday ~ Prosciutto & Rocket Lasagne
Thursday ~ Zucchini & Bacon Fettucine from Recipes+
Friday ~ Vegetable Pasta Bake (uses bacon, pasta sauce and silverbeet) (had this 12 November last year, lovely and rich, kids liked it)
Saturday ~ Fish & Salad
Sunday ~ Cheesy Zucchini & Bacon Slice (zucchini is cheap) uses vintage cheese
Monday ~ Crispy Salami Pasta (uses Smoked Cheese and maybe cabanossi & cherry tomatoes)
Tuesday ~ Pies & Chips
Wednesday ~ Chorizo & Spinach Macaroni Cheese from Recipes+
Thursday ~ Asparagus, Rocket & Ham Omelette (uses asparagus we already have)
Friday ~ we had tea/dinner out at my daughter's year 12 graduation
Saturday ~ Salami & Mushroom Linguini (uses broccoli)
Sunday ~ Carrot, Rosemary & Bacon Pasta (uses blue cheese)
Monday 28th ~ Lasagne & Wedges

Cabana/Kabana Recipes

I think I have been spelling cabana wrong on my blog. I have a picture from my Christmas hamper club, very small, but I think it is spelt Cabana. I am expecting some in a hamper and working out my menu. Kabanos?

So far on my blog I have recipes for cabana:

Versatile Paella
Macaroni Cheese with Kabana
Curry & Kabana Sausage Rolls
Kabana Cassolet
Kabana Fritters

Google is pulling up lots more recipes, which I'm sure everyone can find themselves. But for my menu planning I am going to post some below. Kabana is cheaper than Kransky I think.

Chilli, Kabana & Pumpkin Soup
Don Kabana Paella
Don Pappardelle with Chilli & Cheese Kabana (uses rocket, yum)
Polish Kabanos Soup
Kabanos & Lentil Casserole (excellent recipe for adapting!)
Fennel Seed Sauerkraut with Kabanos, Spring Onions & Sour Cream (video) this is getting exciting!
Chickpea & Kabanos Soup (uses eggplant which I don't like that much, another adaption coming!)
Creamy Kabana Pasta
Leek & Kabanos Frittata

If you are feeling generous with the meat
Gumbo Styled Chicken
One Pot Chicken & Kabana (uses beans, kidney etc.)
Kabana, Bean & Silverbeet Soup (sounds like a chorizo one on the taste site)


Put all your favourite stuff out there on your blog, seriously all my favourite stuff is getting more on the net, than when it was only me blathering about it. Coincidence maybe, true. If you have something that is little known, share. Same with kranskys, whatever you like that isn't popular put it out there.

We starting using cabana in meals because of a recipe from the McCormicks site in Australia for a lemon paella. They have since changed the meat in this recipe. I must post it, it was originally in a magazine, the page I still have. It is a family favourite.

I have found the original. I have linked back to this recipe but the page changes. So will post recipe and link this time.

Spanish Lemon Paella

Ingredients

• 100 g Kabana ( 1 stick ), sliced or 100g chorizo sausage, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 1.2L liquid (stock or water)
• 1 1/4 tbsp Lemon and Pepper Seasoning
• 2 tsp Turmeric
• 1 cup roast chicken
• 1 cup mixed seafood
• 2 medium, ripe tomatoes, diced
• 4 spring onions, sliced

Method

1. Fry the sausage and rice in a large, non stick pan for 3 minutes.
2. Add the liquid, one cup at a time, stirring so that the rice absorbs it all.
3. Just prior to adding the last cup of liquid, add the seasonings and roast chicken. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, to absorb all the liquid.
4. Stir through the remaining ingredients, then remove from the heat. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and a handful of fresh parsley if desired.

From here: McCormicks Spanish Lemon Paella

Our modification is using canned prawns. There may be some others. I noticed they have both meats on the recipe now, fantastic. I love the cabana version, and they spell it my way lol.

Pictured is kabanos from Flickr Creative Commons, click to go there.

Late Menu

Monday ~ swap recipe: using stuff we already have, Lentil & Potato Dhal
Tuesday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise
Wednesday ~ Stir Fried Mince & Vegetable Chow Mein (uses wombuk/wombok)
Thursday ~ Pork Sausages, Onions, Potato etc.
Friday ~ Chow Mein
Saturday ~ Tea Out
Sunday ~ Pies, Peas, WedgesMonday ~ Fettucine Carbonara
Tuesday ~ Sausage Bake with Rocket Pesto

The menu is going very slowly this week. I have all the vegetables and things, but not the meat. It is planned by the fact that I have everything if I wanted to go vegetarian, if I want to add meat I can.

I have buttermilk I have to use up because of the fry bread I wanted to make but didn't have the pork, meant to buy it in Coles at the same time.

Wednesday ~ Fennel, Pea & Salmon Risotto (from recipes+)
Thursday ~ Zucchini Pancakes with Bacon & Avocado
Friday ~ Taco Salad
Saturday ~ Bacon & Avocado Burgers
Sunday ~ Sausages in bread and pancakes
Monday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise


Interesting recipes:
Zucchini Pancakes with Bacon & Avocado (uses buttermilk)
Tex Mex Beef with Cornbread Topping (uses buttermilk)
Tortellini with Creamy Pesto & Crispy Bacon (uses buttermilk)
Chicken & Bacon Pita Salad (uses buttermilk)