Chinese savoury beef

Serves 4

1 tblsp oil
500g beef, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tblsp brown sugar
pinch of black pepper
2 1/2 cups water

Method:
Quick-fry beef in oil until brown, then add and quickly fry the onion, and garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 3 hours, adding extra water if needed. Serve over rice.

If you have a crockpot/slow-cooker, just put all the ingedients inside (doubling or tripling if necessary, so the crockpot is at least half full), then cook on High for a couple of hours, followed by 8-10 hours on low (or 5-6 on high if you don't have all day).
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If you have a bit of leftover wine in the fridge, you can add it with the water. You can also add in some sliced red or green bell pepper with the onion, if you wish. The amounts used are approximate - and I usually leave out the black pepper. Do remember to check the pan frequently while it's cooking, and top up with extra water when needed. It can cook for more than three hours if you wish.

We eat this with brown basmati rice, and stir-fried vegetables. If there's a vegetarian in the house, I serve something else oriental that can be eaten with the rice and vegetables.

Chocolate chip oat cookies

(makes about 30-40)

1/2 cup margarine [125g]
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tblsp milk or soya milk
7/8 cup wholewheat or spelt flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (US: baking soda)
1 1/4 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat margarine and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and milk, and beat well. Add flour and bicarb; mix in. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips gently, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 180C (approx 350F). Cool for about a minute, then move the cookies to wire rack using a spatula.

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Chocolate chip oat cookies are an easy and delicious variation of the classic chocolate chip cookie recipe which is a little healthier than some as it uses wholewheat flour and oats. You can use whatever margarine you like, so long as it's suitable for baking: avoid hydrogenated fats if you can. You could even substitute carob chips for chocolate if you wish.

Pre-heat the oven to the correct temperature; then ten minutes should be the correct cooking time. The cookies may look rather soft, but don't leave them in the oven for longer or they will over-cook. Take them out, but don't try to transfer to a wire rack until they have hardened for a minute, or they will collapse.

Teriyaki chicken

(serves 3-4)

500g/1lb chicken breast or fillet
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 tblsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground ginger

Mix all sauce ingredients to make marinade. About 6 hours before cooking, coat the chicken (cut into appropriate sized pieces) with the marinade and refrigerate, turning and re-coating occasionally. Half an hour before cooking, remove from the fridge. Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes in a hottish (350C/Gas 6) oven, then uncover and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.

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This is a Westernised version of a Japanese recipe. Teriyaki refers to a sweet, soy-based sauce which looks shiny when it's cooked. Turkey breast can be used in place of chicken, if wished.

I tend to add a little water during the final cooking, which probably makes it even less authentic, but I like a little sauce remaining - sometimes it can all get absorbed into the meat. We usually serve with baked jacket potatoes or potato wedges, and a couple of veggies, although it should probably be served with rice and a variety of other Japanese food.

Curried Carrot and Ginger Soup

Carrot and Ginger Soup

(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
5cm ginger root, peeled and grated
    OR 1-2 tsp ginger powder 
1 tbsp curry powder
900g  carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1.6 litres stock or water
200g cooked chickpeas (optional)

Method:
Gently cook the onion and garlic in the oil in a large pan, stirring, until softened. Stir in the ginger and curry powder, and cook for another minute. 

Add the carrots and a little of the stock, and cook for another minute or two. Add the rest of the stock, and the chickpeas, if used. Bring to the boil, and simmer for about 45 minutes. 

Cool slightly, then blend in a liquidiser (or with a stick blender) until it turns into a thick soup. Taste, and add a little salt or pepper if necessary. 

Return the soup to the heat and cook gently, stirring, until piping hot. Alternatively use a slow-cooker/crockpot to reheat gently for at least two hours, until gently bubbling.

 

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This is a tasty soup which is quite spicy. If you don't like hot tastes, reduce the amount of the ginger and curry powder, or even leave the curry powder out. The ginger does give a pleasant tang to what would otherwise be quite a bland soup.

I have a mini-processor that came with my stick blender, which I use to chop onions and also to chop the carrots, after peeling. I can't add them all at once, but it takes the tears out of the onion-chopping, and makes the carrots small enough that there are no pieces that remain unblended, as can happen with larger pieces. 

The chickpeas were not part of the original recipe, but I like to add something to give soup a bit of protein.  There's no discernible taste or texture to them after liquidising. 

Any kind of stock can be used, meat or vegetable, or with a stock cube; sometimes I just use water. If you have leftover wine that could be added too. And if you're serving to someone who hates garlic, just leave it out. You can always experiment with other herbs or spices.  

After the simmering, this looks most unappetising, with bits of vegetable floating in a sea of dark-coloured liquid. Don't worry. The blending turns it into a lovely orange soup that is excellent for a cold day, eaten with fresh bread. Using a stick blender, if you have one, is much easier (and less messy) than decanting into a goblet liquidiser, but avoid using a non-stick pan if you're going to use a stick blender. 

French stew

(serves 4)

750g stewing steak, chopped
150ml stock or water and marmite
1 large peeled, sliced carrot
1 cup french beans (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 cup water or wine
2 tblsp vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
pinch pepper
1 tsp mixed dried herbs

Method:
Mix all ingredients in a suitable-sized ovenproof dish with a lid. Bake in a slow oven (140C) for 4-6 hours, adding extra water if needed. Alternatively cook in a slow-cooker/crockpot for 8-10 hours on low. Excellent served with baked jacket potatoes and more veggies. Freezes well.

This can also be done in a slow-cooker (crockpot), doubling or trebling ingredients if necessary so the crockpot is at least half full. Place the carrots and onions at the bottom and the stewing steak on top, then the rest of the ingredients poured over. Cook for about an hour on high, then simmer on low all day. Even the cheapest stewing steak becomes tender with this method.

Apple cake

(makes one large flat cake,can be cut into many pieces)

4 cups chopped apple (leave the skin on - just remove the core!)
1 1/2 cups sugar (or subst ½ cup honey)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 cups plain flour (can be half wholewheat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1.5 teaspoons bicarb (baking soda)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Blend the sugar with the chopped apples and stand for a half hour. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Add the beaten egg, honey (if used), oil and vanilla essence to the apple/sugar mixture, and beat in with a wooden spoon. Then add all the dry ingredients and stir well. Pour in to a greased, lined roasting pan and put in the preheated oven. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Cool a bit, then turn onto a wire rack and cool completely before cutting into pieces.

Vegetable and Nut Cobbler

Vegetable nut cobbler
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 tblsp olive oil
1 small cauliflower in florets
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large carrots, sliced
180g green beans, sliced
1 tblsp curry powder
1 tblsp turmeric
200ml milk or almond milk

100g grated cheese (cow or goat)

For scone topping:
225g flour (can be half wholewheat)
3 tsp baking powder
100g butter or spread
120ml milk or almond milk
50g chopped walnuts
extra flour for rolling

Method:

Cook the vegetables in the oil, stirring, for about ten to fifteen minutes, until the onions are softened. minutes. Stir in the spices and milk. Put in a covered casserole and bake for 15-20 minutes at 200C.

Meanwhile mix the flour with the baking powder, rub in the fat, and add the nuts. Stir in the milk and mix to a soft dough. Leave to rest in the fridge for about 10 minutes. It will be very soft and sticky, so use liberal amounts of extra flour, and roll on a work surface to about 1cm thick. Cut into 12-15 rounds.

Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the cheese over the vegetables, then place the scone rounds on top, overlapping as shown. Brush with milk (or keep some of the cheese to sprinkle on top). Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, then lower heat to 180C and continue cooking until the scones are golden brown.

We like to serve this with roasted garlic tomatoes and braised red cabbage. For hungry teens, you could bake some potatoes too.