Spaghetti Bolognese with Meatballs

Sometimes the old time favorites are the best - after all, who doesnt like Spaghetti with Meatballs. I made my classic Bolognese sauce which uses two types of mushrooms for added flavour. I baked the meatballs separately while cooking the sauce and then once the sauce was almost ready, I chucked in the cooked meatballs to saok in the flavour.

This is my own version of the classic Spaghetti and Meatballs.

Meatballs

600g Minced Beef
2 Tbsp Tomato Sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt
Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 200C. Mix all ingredients together and then form into small balls. Place on cookie tray and bake for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile make the sauce.

Bolognese Sauce

600g Minced Beef
4 tomatoes
6 cloves garlic -chopped finely
1 large onion - choppped finely
2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil
1 tsp Rosemary
200 g Button Mushrooms
200g Swiss Brown Mushrooms
1 large red capsicum - diced
1 carrot - diced
1 can stewed tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
Salt
Black Pepper

Sautee onions and garlic together with Black Pepper, Oregano, Basil and Rosemary.
Add in the beef and cook till well browned. Add in sliced mushrooms and cook till soft. Then add in the tomatoes and continue to cook, mixing well till tomatoes are soft. Add in can of stewed tomatoes, tomato paste and carrots. Cover pan and simmer. Season with salt and then add the capsicum and meatballs. Simmer for another 15 mins.

Meatloaf

Meatloaf

800g-1kg minced beef
1 large red capsicum - diced
2 slices bread
some milk
3 cloves garlic
1 large onion
2 handfuls raisins
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 200C. Lightly sautee garlic and onion and set aside. Slice crusts of bread then soak in the milk. Mash up with your fingers till it resembles a paste. Season meat with salt and pepper and then add in the onion, garlic, raisins and bread paste. Mix will. Pack meat mixture into a loaf pan and bake for about 40 mins or till done. Overturn onto a serving dish and let rest for about 10 mins before eating.

Stuffed Zuchini

I saw Stuffed Zuchinis on one of the blogs that I've come across on the net and that was basically the inspiration for my own version of Stuffed Zuchinis.

Stuffed Zuchinis

2 large zuchinis (I used yellow ones although I normally buy green ones)
150g Oyster Mushrooms
2 slices bread
2 cloves garlic
Handful of pine nuts
Chilli Flakes
Salt
Pepper


Preheat oven to 200C. Slice the Zuchinis in half widthwise and then lengthwise so you get 4 'boats' out of each zuchini. Scoop out the flesh from inside with a spoon and set aside. In a food processor, chop the oyster mushrooms finely. Remove crust from bread and process in food processor till you get fine crumbs.
Sautee garlic and pepper. Add in pine nuts and fry till golden. Add in mushroom and flesh of zuchini and fry till cook. Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Set aside.
Heat a little oil in a skillet and toss in breadcrumbs. Fry till golden. Fill zuchini 'boats' with filling and top with breadcrumbs. Bake for about 20 mins or till zuchinis are soft. The stuffed zuchinis turned out to be a hit not only with my wife but the kids as well.

Asian Fusion Linguine

Again, there is no real recipe to follow as I just chucked in this and that with a smidgen of this and a toss of that. But this is basically how it goes:

1 large onion - chopped finely
4 cloves garlic - chopped finely
1 tsp oregano
black pepper
250g brown mushrooms - halved
400g minced chicken
4 medium tomatoes - quartered
1 large green capsicum - cubed into large pieces

[the sauce is estimates only]
2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp HP Sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

Method
Sautee the onion, garlic, black pepper and oregano. Add in the mushrooms and cook till juices come out. Add tomatoes and continued cooking till tomatoes are mushy. Add in the chicken and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Pour in about 1 cup of water and mix in all the sauces. Cover and simmer for about 10 mins. Add in the capsicum. Season with salt.

I like my capsicum in this sauce rather tender so I let it cook until it is almost soft. If you prefer crunchier capsicum, then just add in in before serving.

Mini Chocolate Eclairs

Choux Pastry
60 g butter
60 g flour
125 ml water
2 eggs

Filling
300 ml thickened cream
4 tbsp icing sugar

Method
Pre heat oven to 220C
Melt butter together with the water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to the boil and then take off heat. Add in sifted flour and mix well till combined. Return to heat and continue to cook till mixture is glossy and holds together well. Allow to cool.


Add in eggs a little at a time and beat till smooth and glossy again. [I actually transferred it to a mixing bowl and used the electric beaters as the first time, the hand mixing grew quite tiring - and the eggs didnt combine quite so well]

Pipe out 5cm lengths and then bake for about 20 mins till golden.

Then you are supposed to take the eclairs out and make a small slit to allow the steam to come out then put back in the over again for 5 mins. I didnt see any difference with making the slit or without - maybe I was just lucky.

Cool on a wire rack.



Meanwhile, whip up the cream with icing sugar till stiff. slice the eclairs lengthwise (but not to the end) and then pipe in the cream. Top with melted chocolate or chocolate icing.

Spicy Aglio Olio Pasta

Aglio Olio (Garlic and Olive Oil) doesnt really need a recipe.




Loads of chopped garlic fried in Olive Oil with some oregano and basil and to make it spicy, add in Chilli Flakes. Cook your choice of pasta and then toss it in the oil.



Fry some sausages, bacon and mushrooms separately if you like and add it on

Apricot Walnut Cheesecake

Apricot Walnut Cheesecake with Almond Meringue Base

Base

3 Eggs whites
150 g castor sugar
150 g ground almonds

Filling

500 g Cream Cheese
4 eggs + 2 yolks (lightly beaten)
200 g castor sugar
3 tbsp self raising flour
1 tbsp corn flour
200 ml sour cream
200 ml thickened cream (unsweetened)
6 oz + 2 oz Dried Apricots
1 cup water

For the Praline

100g Walnuts
4 tbsp sugar

Method
Whip eggs whites and sugar till stiff. Fold in ground almonds.
Spread meringue mixture into a lined and greased springform
Bake in preheated 170C oven for about 40 minutes or till meringue is cooked.
Remove from oven and cool slightly. Remove springform and greaseproof paper from meringue. Allow to fully cool.