Yummiest Cottage Pie!

I created this tonite after trawling online for a recipe on Cottage Pie. I guess we know that Shepherds Pie has lamb while Cottage Pie has beef, right?

Anyhow, we just loved it - I did some tweaking in the recipe which came from numerous sources online.

From Food Box
2 small onions, finely chopped
6 small carrots, chopped
4 med potatoes, peeled and cut
1 large orange sweet potato, peeled and cut
handful of mushrooms, chopped

From Pantry
1 beef stock cube in 1 cup hot water
Olive oil
salt & pepper
1 small satchel of tomato paste
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of oregano

From Fridge
500g beef mince (ground beef)
1 teaspoon of garlic 
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of Djion mustard
Butter
Milk
cheese (I used parmesan)
Frozen peas (I used about a cup)


To create
Potatoes and sweet potato in pot and bring to boil.
Heat oil in pan and saute in onion, carrot, mushrooms and garlic till all are soft.
Add mince and brown it.
Pour in stock, worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, cinnamon, and oregano.
Stir and add frozen peas, salt and pepper to taste.
Stir until all are combined.
Leave it simmer until the potato mash is done.
Mash both potatoes in until all blended.
Add warmed milk (I used less than 1/4 cup) and beat till smooth.
Add dollops of butter (to taste) and djion mustard.
Stir to combine.
Spray olive oil in casserole dish.
Pour in the mince mix and level it.
Put potato mash on top, do section by section so all are covered evenly.
Sprinkle cheese on top and add a couple of butter dollops.
Bake for half hour (30 mins) at 200 degrees C.
Serve and eat!

Delicious Vegie Sauce with Pasta

Tonite I threw in a pile of vegies in and toss with pasta. Family loved it...

From Food box

2 Leeks, sliced

A bagful of Mushies, sliced (mushrooms)

1 Zucchini, sliced

2 Carrots, sliced

A handful of green beans, ends snipped off

A handful of Kale, shredded

From pantry

1 teaspoon of garlic

Olive Oil

1 bottle of pasta sauce (I used Brothers' Summer Basil)

A pot full of cooked pasta (I used penne pasta)

To create

Cook both leeks and mushies with olive oil till they're soft n brown, add zucchini and stir for a while in a deep based pan. Put aside in a bowl n keep warm.

Cook carrots in bit of olive oil then add sauce and bring to boil. Stir in the Leek mix in this sauce, until all's mixed well. Throw in green beans and kale and when the kale softens, stir in garlic.

Let it simmer for a few minutes then mix thoroughly with the pasta and serve!

Enjoy!

Dirty Fried Rice

Last nite I made a dish that I called "Dirty Fried Rice" - it's a hit with my family. Any vegetables that is nearly its end are good for this dish...

From Food box

1 clove garlic

2 large flat mushrooms

1 carrot

1 zucchini

From pantry

1 and half cup of brown and white rices

soy sauce

oil

boiled eggs (I used both chook and quails eggs as we have them here)

To create

1. Put brown rice on, boil for 15 minutes approx.

2. Using hand food processor, chop mushrooms, carrot and zucchini

3. Put oil and garlic in deep frypan, heat then add mushroom pieces and stir until its cooked enough

4. Add the carrot and zucchini and stir for another 10 minutes

5. In meanwhile, add white rice to the pot of brown rice (usually only need 15 minutes cooking)

6. Drain and rinse rice then add rice to the frypan and combine together

7. Give it a dose of soy sauce and stir quickly

8. Add chopped eggs and fold gently before serve.

Let me know how you go with this one, or if you've got a better improvisation...

Happy chowing!