What's for dinner?

[Ceres]

I had lentil burgers with the beetroot relish based on Raiwyn's recipe and it was goooood. I just grated the beetroot and cooked it pretty lightly so it still had some crunch in it. Yummy. Unfortunately DS won't eat it so he's having crackers and hommus and some banana pancakes.

[~*heket*~]

Actually I think I'm gonna suggest pub dinner here tonight, can't be fuct cooking and the 10yr old is having a fit instead of washing up :bang :lol

[GreenGully]

We had couscous with steamed pumpkin and broccoli with raw capsicum from the garden, and avocado an sweet chilli sauce on top. We are just about out of veges so this was us using up what was left in the house.

[Beatrice]

I made a vege pasta bake which was pretty good :)

[GreenGully]

We are having homemade pesto with tomatoes, olives, fresh tomato and pasta. YUM!! My hands smell of basil lol.

[Beatrice]

Curried pumpkin and lentil soup with coconut milk. I'm bored of plain pumpkin :lol

[Sarasvati]

Lentil shepherd's pie. Taste.com.au has an AWESOME recipe.

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/3479/lentil+vegetable+cottage+pie+vegetarian is the link.

[Beatrice]

My soup was so chunky it burned out my blender's motor while I was whizzing it! Tastes marvellous, but :D

[GreenGully]

Oh no L! Our pasta was awesome.

[Beatrice]

Yay :) I love homemade pesto.

It was just a cheapie stick whizz thing from Kmart. I hate having to replace crappy cheap appliances, but I also hate spending lots of money on the things :disbelief

[Ceres]

Butter bean curry from the JB recipe....... fecking delicious!

[Sarasvati]

That's a yummo curry hey? We made it last week.

[Ceres]

It is fantastic.
Well last night I found some mushrooms that grew out of the mushroom compost around the potatoes, so tonight is stuffed mushrooms with zuchini, pesto, sundried tomatoes and cheese. It smells yummy! Hope it tastes good.

[Beatrice]

We're having shepherd's pie from the freezer, although it's a hybrid Australian version with a bit of roo mince and a lot of lentils :lol

[GreenGully]

Butter bean Korma here - smells sooooo good!

[Ceres]

Mushies were good. I'm always nervous eating mushrooms not from the shops! So if I die from toadstool poisoning tonight, it was great knowing you all! :lol

[Beatrice]

Ours turned out to have even more lentils than the original, since there wasn't enough sauce, so I added a tin and some more tomato sauce. And I couldn't be arsed peeling the potatoes because my vege peeler has gone AWOL, so the mash could be a bit special :lol But it smells okay.

It's the End Of The Month Odds And Sods Challenge every night for the rest of the week here :imateapot

[~*heket*~]

We're having stuff Beloved brought us :eager

[bella]

"stuff" Heket? LOL

Mushies sound delish. At least it was mushroom compost. You're on the right track there. I nibbled wild ones a couple of years ago and hope to again if I see them growing in our paddocks... I bought 2kg of organic mushrooms in the co-op box this week, you can imagine how much that cost me! :p

So what's the recipe/s for the butter bean curry/korma? Mouth watering here.

We had stir fry - onion, caps, mushrooms, snow peas, zucchini, carrots with hokkien (sp?) noodles and chili sauce. One pot dish and delish. :)

I've just been reading the hare krishna cookbook and inspired. :)

[Beatrice]

Hmm, I may have to go hunt down the back of the sofa. I just inventoried my vege crisper and I have 1 potato, 1 onion, 1 carrot, a chunk of pumpkin and some mushrooms...til the 15th :lol

[Ceres]

Want me to post you some zucchinis? :lol

[Beatrice]

:rofl I wonder what condition they'd arrive in? :uhh

[Ceres]

Well I just threw out half a one that had been in the fridge for a week and it still looked fresher than the ones you can buy at the supermarket!

[bella]

Beatrice, I could send you some chokos! :p And a dozen or so pumpkins?

We get paid on the 15th too. Really looking forward to it this month with a $5018.00 mechanic bill to pay tomorrow. Ouch!

[Ceres]

I'm roasting some vegies from the garden - I have pumpkin, potatoes, beans, zucchini amd I'm going to have them in a warm salad with tomato and rocket. All homegrown!

[bella]

I'm bulk cooking curry today - some for dinner, some for the freezer. YUM.

[Ceres]

What kind of curry bella?

[bella]

Um, vegetable? No idea what the different curries are, Ceres! It has red lentils, onion, pumpkin, choko, carrot, zucchini and cabbage in it - plus a tin of coconut milk, some water and a kazillion spices. :p And some sultanas. Makes the kids want to eat it more! Served with rice and natural yoghurt.

[Mama_Kaz]

We had a mass veggie cook up tonight...yummy pumpkin, green beans, broccoli, carrots :eager and added them to some new brown rice pasta we are trying...was yummm I wish I could say they are all homegrown though...sigh

[Ceres]

Not sure what I'm doing tonight. The zucchini triffids are still exploding so maybe zucchini fritters?

[Astarte]

Yummy chicken spring rolls (organic chicken breast, carrots, celery, bean sprouts, cabbage).

[Beatrice]

Stoo! With dumplings! Mmmm :D

[Anaed]

I keep reading that as Stool ... :lol ewwww

Zucchini slice here :)

[Sarasvati]

Homemade pizza here.

[~*heket*~]

Amazing veggie bake that I made last night, with organic steak, with organic that chili sauce. Just finished actually, it was YUM!

[Ceres]

Ended up making vegie spag bol.... with zucchini!

[~*heket*~]

Yum!!!

[birthdance]

Spiced pumpkin and apple soup from the latest Coles magazine - who would have thought they would have any decent recipes? :lol

It was really yummy, and easy!

[Beatrice]

I ended up making a vege loaf as well, with the eggs that I salvaged after H pulled the carton off the counter and cracked most of them :runcry It'll do for lunches. And the stoo with dumplings was yummy! (:lol @ Anaed).

[Beatrice]

My DH made laksa.

[~*heket*~]

laksa ROX!!!!
We're having home delivered thai. mmmmm

[Ceres]

We had takeaway curry and noodles. Bit of a lucury to have takeaway in the country :lol had to drive half an hour home to eat it though.

[Sarasvati]

Had had simple pasta with tomato sauce and basil last night, and I'm still considering tonight. Maybe curried cauliflower soup.

[Syrenex Maer]

Last night was DH's night, we had Sausages, chips(frozen shop ones), beans and corn. With yummy gravy :)

Tonight back to normal I am doing something with some yummy porterhouse steak. Most likely just steak and vegies, potato, carrot, broccoli, beans or corn.

[Beatrice]

My menu plan tells me we're having Lancashire 'ot Pot with Pickled Red Cabbage.

[Ceres]

We had left over curry and really yummy home made pumpkin bread with pumpkin from the garden.

[Anaed]

Potato & Leek Soup (http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/7397/potato+leek+soup) (minus the cream & croutons) with Popovers (http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2009/04/lemon-thyme-popovers.html) minus the lemon thyme & parmesan instead with mixed herbs & cheddar .. gooooood

ETA: Soup only for me, girls had omelettes and damien had leftovers, lots of soup to freeze!

[bella]

Pasta with creamy broccoli sauce. Slotted into the menu due to excess broc from the vegie box, and no time to get a BBQ sorted. :)

[Sarasvati]

Ooh Dee the croutons were worth it :lol.

We ended up having vege pie. Soup tonight, will make before man gets home so he doesn't know what it is PMSL.

[Anaed]

we had NO bread in the house, so no croutons ;)

[Beatrice]

Mac and cheese with spinach, sez the menu plan. But I'm feeling deeply organised since I also have pumpkin soup in the crockpot for lunch :lol

[bella]

Indian yumminess - dahl, curried vegetables, rice, raiti.

[Rosalie]

Tacos.....!

[Anaed]

Red Pesto Pasta with cheddar cause I couldn't find organic pecorino
SO GOOD, except peeling the caps was painful so i only took off what came away easily

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/14256/red+pesto+pasta

[gypsyoak]

pot pies and hopefully either hot sago pudding or rice pudding....

[mixy]

Tuna Risotto Cake

http://joyousbirth.info/forums/showthread.php?p=643976#post643976

[Ceres]

Pasta with pesto, vegies and olives... even better since I am not cooking it!!

[Plein D'espoir]

Tonight we're having stuffed zuchinis and capsicums, tabouli and rice with lentils. :)

[GreenGully]

We are having pesto pasta using home made pesto (hand made with a knife not an appliance).

[Plein D'espoir]

Oh yum we had pesto pasta last night, but not handmade pesto -it was from a jar. :oops

[Sarasvati]

Vego nasi goreng

[Aurora]

Take away tonight for me! Hunter Valley Gourmet Pizza... maybe meditterarean calzone (vego.) They do great pizzas and calzones. Woodfired mmmmmm.

[Beatrice]

Leftovers.

[homebirthmum]

oven risotto with roasted veg (pumpkin, eggplant, zuccini, red onion) a dob of pesto and a bit of goat fetta. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Ceres]

Vegie curry and dhal with rice here. I'm huuuuungry so I hope it's good!

[Beatrice]

Oh God. I don't know. Something involving plenty of ice, maybe.

[GreenGully]

The curry and dahl are delish!

[Beatrice]

Omelettes. It's too hot to make anything complicated.

[Ceres]

....and icecream!

[Beatrice]

I wish :lol But it's not like anyone in this family needed more sugar today!

[Ceres]

Have they made their way through the halloween stash yet?

[Beatrice]

Not yet for K and H (even with DH and I "helping" :lol), but I think B has finished most of hers.

[Ceres]

I made pesto in the food processor tonight.. it was unbelievably quick! A couple of handfuls of mixed nuts, then some rocket and basil from the garden and a clove of garlic, a swizzle of olive oil and some salt, blended it for about 20 seconds. I changed over to the grating blade and grated in the parmesan and then poured some more olive oil over the top.. bloody delicious! I had it on pasta with some cherry tomatoes from the garden.

[Anaed]

mmmmmm sounds delicious!!!

[zenifa]

Grilled Salmon and vegetables with a cheese sauce, very yum and the girls finished the lot!

[Echo]

Homemade pizza with lamb mince, leftover chicken & bacon, capsicum & mushrooms. I had enough toppings & cheese for 2 pizzas so there's leftovers in the freezer. :)

[Beatrice]

We had nachos. I made a semi-lazy bean sauce by chucking a cheap tin of chilli beans in a pot with a tin of corn, tin of kidney beans and tin of tomatoes (hmm, who's cooking out of the pantry tonight? :lol) and cooking it down. It was bloody gorgeous on corn chips with plenty of sour cream, cheese and sweet chilli sauce. Nom.

[Ceres]

Pesto pasta again :lol it's the lazy meal.

[Kris]

Yesterday I cooked up a basic spaghetti sauce using onion, garlic, tinned toms, a bit of brown sugar, a bit of stock. Once it was all cooked down I added a block of tofu and whizzed it up. Served it with quinoa pasta, parmesan and a tangy green salad with avocado, toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds (tossed in tamari) and tomatoes.

Really felt the need for a protein hit and this one was a big success with the kids who told me they were pleased I didn't tell them what was in the sauce until afterwards. Yoghurt for pudding.

Enough sauce left over for another meal.

[mummy2boys]

We had a veg/cheese bake - pumpkin, carrot, potato, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, corn, cheese sauce. EVERYBODY ate it willingly.

[Ceres]

That's big news in your family M2B :lol
We had chilli beans with rice, avo, cheese and sour cream. Twas very yummy. GG made it.

[Beatrice]

I piked out on making what was on my menu plan, so I used up the rest of the sour cream from last night to make pasta sauce, with a tin of salmon, onion, frozen spinach and peas. The smalls devoured a huge bowlful each and went back for seconds, then thirds about half an hour later, so I'd call that a success :lol

[Kris]

I got involved with an over tired toddler around dinner time last night and the big kids had to get to cubs early so I'd set DD1 to get potatoes ready but instead she cooked potatoes then fried them up with scrambled eggs, DS got salad ingredients out, DD2 did the drinks and all I had was a small pile of dishes to do :D I wonder if that'll work tonight :lol

[Sarasvati]

I was so close to ordering pizza tonight. I considered noodles, risotto and eventually decided on roast veges with fried tofu and haloumi. Odd but it's calling to me!

[Beatrice]

We're having roast veg too, Sarasvati. Mmm, I wish I had haloumi! I think I'll just chuck them on top of couscous and add a tin of chickpeas.

[Kris]

I just spent $500 on groceries and wanted Thai takeaway :lol but DH came home and surprised us all by cooking curried meat analogue in the shape of sausage with rice and vegies and it was damn fine.

[Janet]

I'm hoping for Japanese with Ceres soon!

[Ayla]

I was close to doing some form of takeaway too but went with my thermomix and made a minestrone soup, yum!

[Beatrice]

Didn't have a tin of chickpeas, and I'd forgotten that I also made zucchini slice at lunchtime to use up some elderly zucchini. So we had that with the roast veg, and DH had a hankering for some comfort food and cooked apple-flavoured stodge and jam (aka steamed apple pudding). I'm so not a fan of English puddings :lol

[Ceres]

Japanese had a long wait so we had Thai instead which was absolutely delicious!

[GreenGully]

I had kinda boring takeaway pizza but I didn't have to cook so I was happy none the less :)

[mummy2boys]

Tuna patties, garlic & rosemary potato wedges, & salad. And another batch of finger buns requested by DP.

[Sarasvati]

Beatrice I would have done couscous but Kira has decided it hurts her tongue grrrr.

[Beatrice]

I told DH I was having a night off cooking, so we're having bangers and mash.

[mummy2boys]

Spag bol with sauce I made last week out of the freezer, DP made garlic bread with parmesan using the rolls I made this morning. I had baked beans on toast cos I don't do red meat. L declared that he doesn't like "long noodles" any more. C spat it out. Twice.

[GreenGully]

DS had leftover pizza and I had some curry that ceres left in the fridge for me.

[Ceres]

Mmmmm that was good curry too. We had thai again. I'm loving that there is good takeaway here.

[Kris]

We had meat and three veg except the meat was teriyaki tofu and also garlic omelettes and the three veg was brown rice and salad. And I'm eating bliss balls now.

[Ceres]

Mmmm bliss balls, should add that to your "inspire me" thread GG.

[mummy2boys]

Made sweet potato gnocchi with basil pesto. It was ok, DP liked it but thought it'd be better with chicken, L didn't touch it, and C declared it "gross" from my plate and "yuck" from DP's.

[GreenGully]

I lurve gnocchi, must make it again one day! Tonight has been a bit rushed so a bit of this and that for me.

[Kris]

DS and I have decided on tacos, so we're about to start soaking the beans. I'm thinking it might be nice to cook some beans other than red kidney - maybe some black turtle beans.

[Beatrice]

Oh I luuuurve black turtle beans! They make the world's most gorgeous vego stroganoff *om nom nom*

[Kris]

Is the recipe on your blog perchance?

[Ceres]

Veg strog.... sounds intriguing!

[Beatrice]

It's not on my blog, but I will see if I can write it up at some stage. It's pretty much identical to most beef strog recipes out there, except using vego stock powder, subbing a couple of cups of black turtle beans for the beef and upping the amount of mushroom and onion, and we serve it on buttery mashed spud. OMG, my mouth is watering at the thought :lol

[Janet]

I lurve beans but I'm alone in that at my place. :lol I dunno about dinner, haven't thought that far, but lunch has involved finishing off with homemade icecream. :lol

[Kris]

I'm drooling now. We had donuts for dessert after lunch today :) Probably our favourite sweet yoghurt for pud tonight.

[Ceres]

Roast vegies and spicy beans here. Yummo.

[zenifa]

Using up lots of vegies before my next box arrives in 2 days, so its organic free range chicken and vegie pie (cabbage, celery, zucchini, mushrooms, silverbeet)

[Beatrice]

Leftovers. Not terribly exciting, in comparison to my black bean stroganoff :lol

[Kris]

Tease :lol

We did the tacos thing and it was fab! DS has voted we have tacos instead of nachos from now on but DD2 is complaining that they break (which I suspected she might - she has a horror of food breaking :uhh). For pudding I tried a Nigella thing they'd seen the other day which involved me breaking up soft pieces of white bread, sprinkling some sugar over and adding warmed milk to. DD1 loved it, the other two were not so sure.

[GreenGully]

I had some really yummy dahl made by ceres. Ds had wholemeal muffins with hommous.

[Beatrice]

Whereas I have a horror of bread puddings and suchlike soggy messes.

I had planned to do some baking after dinner, but somebody needs to do the washing up before I can, and he's off noodling around on his puter. I think I should prod some buttock so at least I can do some cooking tomorrow morning...

[Butterfly]

Yummy slow-cooked butter chicken left overs :D

[Ceres]

Mmmmm tacos. I love them, because you can load it up with salad as well as the beans and so on. Maybe your DD would prefer the ingredients wrapped in some flat bread? I can empathise with her terror of broken taco shells - it really does make it hard to eat.

[Sarasvati]

We had leftover soup and sourdough. No idea for tonight, am sick and sore and tired :(.

[zenifa]

We have leftovers tonight plus a salad!! When I cook, I prefer to make enough for two meals, so I don't have to think of something every day, esp if its a busy day. Another reason I love my slow cooker!!

[Beatrice]

I had pumpkin soup in the slow cooker overnight, because I started making it last night before I remembered we needed to eat up the leftovers (we're fridge-free so everything has to be eaten the next day or frozen, and this stuff wouldn't freeze). So I think I'll whizz that up and portion it out this morning, and anything over will go in the freezer.

[Janet]

I made pumpkin and leek risotto last night and had the leftovers for lunch _all on my own_. Soooooooooo goooooooooood. Yum yum yum. Tonight, I have nfi. I rang DP to ask him what he's cooking so I guess I'll find out then. :lol We're doing a bit of homemade icecream around here lately too and it's verging on healthy being full of homegrown eggs, organic milk, raw cacao and the like. ;)

[Kris]

We're rejecting the healthy for the "what's in the frozen gluten free vegetarian section in the supermarket". It's either that or chips (bleurgh). Need some good ideas for a dvd as there is also high expectations for that. I think the plan is: hot picnic food on coffee table in front of tv with heater and blankets then snuggling down into bed. Pudding of some description may be involved too.

[Sarasvati]

Ok pasta with arrabiatta sauce for dinner coz I have loads of heirloom tomatoes.

[zenifa]

I've made a nice banana cake, which I will top with some hazlenut praline (left over from DH's blackforest cake that he made for my bday), so there is dessert tonight too!! yummo!

[Ravensworn]

I have plans for dahl (babymoon meal :)) and rice, but I need to wash a couple of saucepans and don't really feel like it. Also suspect H isn't going to eat it as she's a carnivore and processed carb kind of girl. I need to make up my mind soon, as she's been tired all day, but only had a short nap in the car. :bah

ETA: I decide to use two clean saucepans, thus adding to Mt Washmore. :D

[Beatrice]

I have been having a totally incongruous craving for Scotch eggs for weeks, and since it wasn't going away I decided to just give into it and make them :lol We're also having cauliflower cheese, and some other steamed vege. It seems to be comfort food weather at the moment :)

[Ceres]

We went out for dinner, I had spagetti puttanesca (yuuum). I've got a special request for mushroom risotto tomorrow night.

[Butterfly]

laksa for my sniffles

[Ceres]

Last night we had mushroom and pumpkin risotto. There is a bit left over so I've been googling recipes for risotto fritters to use it up. Will probably give that a try tonight, and roasted vegies coated with toasted seeds.

[Beatrice]

I am feeling bereft of inspiration. We had last night's leftover pumpkin/spinach lasagne for lunch. I reckon that means I can get away with breakfast for dinner.

[Ceres]

I reckon you're right B :)
The risotto cakes ended up being really good. I put some basil in to freshen it up, and some parmesan and egg to moisten it a bit, and coated them in a mixture of polenta and flour. Yum yum.

[Beatrice]

Nom nom. I love risotto frittery things.

I had a craving for fried potatoes, so I made spicy fried potatoes to serve with scrambled eggs and baked beans. Twas very yummy.

[Kris]

We had sister in law soup again tonight but I'm really in need of new menu ideas. We've had lasagne this week and dh has a particularly fussy approach to it - he craves structural integrity in lasagne and gets very frustrated if it's sloppy and slides about so I leave him to it. Making the bechamel layers with slices of haloumi and half as much bechamel worked well, as did a drier lentil tomato sauce section.

[Ceres]

I'm in need of some new menu ideas too. I tend to cook variations on a theme most of the time. I have mushrooms, leek and cream so there will be a creamy pasta coming up in the next day or 2.

[GreenGully]

mmm creamy pasta.
I've been craving spicy beans a LOT lately so I'm going to make another batch this week (I did give most of it away the last two times). I'm also going to make some tamari seeds to snack on. I'm not sure about tonight. Something yummy.

[Kris]

Mmm tamari seeds.

DH just put in an order for peanuts when I go shopping this afternoon because he has been seized with an urge to make pad thai. nom nom nom :D he makes damn fine pad thai.

[Ceres]

Mmmm I love pad thai. Definitely best with lots of peanuts and a squeeze of lemon or lime on the top.

[Beatrice]

Ohhhhh, now I want pad thai! And I don't have all the ingredients for it, dangnabbit :runcry

[Kris]

I do ;) Bwhahahahaha.

:oops Sorry, Dr Evil moment there.

[Beatrice]

We're having my Cabbagey-Mincey-Noodley Thing instead.

[Ceres]

Oohhhh I have been waiting to post this all the way home. Our dinner was SO GOOD! GG made a bloody fantastic dip from basil, fetta and avo, then I made pasta with a creamy sauce. There were leeks, mushrooms, capsicum, broccoli, pine nuts and snow peas with raw cream and lots of parmesan and OMG it was delicious. All washed down with a good glass of red (beer for GG).

[GreenGully]

It was rooolly good!

[zenifa]

We had spinach and ricotta pie, and then chocolate cake for dessert, both very yummy.

[GreenGully]

We had bottle pasta sauce with heaps of spinach added and wholemeal pasta.

[Kris]

I made a mushroom flan :uhh which was interesting but nowhere near as good as the blueberry pie I made for pudding :lol

[Beatrice]

Hunza Pie (so good I immediately blogged the recipe) and baked potatoes. Ohhhh nom.

[Kris]

I read your blog. Then regretted making my rejected mushroom flan. That is definitely on my cooking list!

[Beatrice]

We have heaps of leftovers (didn't even eat half of it last night) and it's great cold, too. I know what we're having for lunch :eager

Dinner is allegedly Confetti Vegetable Bake (a Charmaine Solomon recipe, never tried it) and colcannon. Mmm, colcannon... potato and cabbage are one of those perfect culinary combinations, I think :D

[Kris]

I have nfi about dinner. I'm struggling with lunch ideas atm as our day got so disrupted that I haven't made it to the whole foods place yet. Porridge anyone?

[Ceres]

Not sure.. need inspiration!

[GreenGully]

I tried to make spicy black turtle beans, soaked 'em and cooked 'em etc, then I realised I'd left all of my spices at ceres's house! So I decided to have a salad and bean wrap only the mountain bread was mouldy. So I had a nachos sa**** thing. It was ok.

[Beatrice]

Ah, I hate those disaster evenings. At least you got something edible out of it!

I didn't start cooking til after 6:30 because the kitchen was a disaster and DH was farting around instead of washing up, so I swapped meals around on the menu plan and cooked sausages, mash, and pickled red cabbage. I told you my winter meals rely heavily on cabbage and potato :lol

[Ceres]

I made potato bake with cream and OMFG it was good. Really, really, really good. I just had it with some steamed vegies. Really not succeeding at this whole "increase protein" thing.

[Kris]

We had dinner at the Seaworld Nara Resort and it was Seafood night :eager :lol and my kids described as posh Sizzler and DD2 is SURE that it the kind of place that princesses eat at. DH at three moreton bay bugs and oh, about 24 oysters. Kids and I started with big plates of salad. There were even finger bowls on the tables! The desserts, oh the desserts. I finally tried Key Lime Pie which I've read about for years and now I know why writers stick it in their books. Little tiny mousses and parfaits and individual portions of strawberry blancmange. I don't know what we could possibly cook this evening that would even compare. What a brilliant, spontaneous night out. We didn't get home till 11 but ah, it was SO worth it.

[Ceres]

Seafood night at seaworld sounds soooo wrong! Here kids, look at the lovely exhibits.. now let's EAT one! :lol Glad you enjoyed it though. I miss sizzler in Adelaide. It's almost worth a trip up there for the cheesy bread.

[Ravensworn]

Ceres, I saw a recipe for cheesy bread just recently; want me to chase it for you?

[Ceres]

Sure :)

[GreenGully]

mmm cheesy bread.
I'm having spicy beans finally. I just realised I also left my tomato paste at ceres's house though, so it won't be quite right. I'm still looking forward to it though, I have brown rice, avo, sour cream, salsa and cheese to serve them with.

[Ceres]

Oh yum!

[Himalia]

We went to sizzler a little while ago and I am surprised how expensive it is now. It cost us about $60 (2 adults), should have had Indian or Thai instead.

Ceres, you cracked me up, it does seem weird eating seafood at sea world for some reason. Sounds like you all had a great time though Kris.

Well I've cooked about 3 batches of creamy chicken and veg pies for 3 mumma friends who have just had new born bubs, I'm all cooked out. Think we'll have cereal :)

[GreenGully]

Beans were goood. I can't find the bag of brown rice I bought though! It seems to have been eaten by the clutter...

[Beatrice]

We're having ye olde faithful chickpea curry.

[Ceres]

Leftovers for me :) too easy.

[Ravensworn]

Sizzlers Cheesy bread. As stolen from the Simple Savings (http://www.simplesavings.com.au/) forum:

500gms softened butter
250gms grated Parmesan Cheese (use that sprinkle stuff if you like but I'm not fond of it)
Thickly sliced home made bread or use something you can grab reduced at the supermarket....Vienna loaf, Tiger loaf, Ciabatta...anything really, so long as you can slice it yourself

Cream together the butter and cheese. Use a mixer or food processor and it's really quick and easy.

Preheat a griddle or large frying pan on medium-high.

Spread cheese mixture on bread thickly (I did say not that healthy...lol!).

Place bread cheese side down on griddle. Cook until cheese has browned on one side only. Leave the other side fresh and untoasted.

[GreenGully]

Nom nom. We gotta find you a frying pan asap ceres!

[Ravensworn]

I made pizza tonight! First time I've cooked in ages and H ate nearly all of hers (normally takes the topping off, eats all the base then picks at the topping).

[Ceres]

Butter and parmesan - it doesn't get much easier than that!! You need the really soft white bread don't you.
Speaking of bread, DS and I were negotiating about bread last night. He wanted me to buy some, I said I'll make some so that it's healthy. He had a great idea for healthy bread which is the bread with the seeds in it but without the seeds... :lol I think that's just white bread then isn't it?? Funny boy.

[Beatrice]

:lol Creative, anyhoo!

Tonight is the night I swapped from when I ran out of time to make the Confetti Vegetable Bake and colcannon, so we're having that tonight.

[Ceres]

I'm assuming it's confetti because it's multi-coloured?

[Beatrice]

Yeah, with grated veges (baked in a cheese sauce).

[Beatrice]

We just had the YUMMIEST vego Sunday roast lunch :D I roasted some sweet potato, potato, carrot, onion and cauliflower, reheated the leftover pickled red cabbage, and served it over couscous. I thought about making gravy but instead heated up about half a small jar of tomato chutney which nobody was eating, with a handful of sultanas and a bit of water added to make it more of a sauce. Oh my, it was scrumptious. Who needs meat? :lol

[Ceres]

That sounds amazing!

[Beatrice]

And soooo easy!

[GreenGully]

I'm having a go at making bread from scratch today. I usually use the breadmaker but I've given it to ceres cos it was annoying me. It is in the oven now and looks gooooood. Tonight we'll have more spicy beans nom nom. ETA the bread was a success! Sooooo yummy!
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs542.snc3/29730_401931966103_586531103_4761062_7467198_n.jpg

[Kris]

:shock that looks fantastic!

We soaked red kidney beans to whisk up in to nachos when we got home last night but we left MW so late we ended up at Sizzler :uhh We have been crowned "best parents in the world". Nachos tonight. Or more likely tacos now that I think of it. Need to splash out to get tomatoes, lettuce etc.

[Sarasvati]

Kris are they dried kidney beans? You know you have to cook kidney beans you can't just soak them? You probably are planning on it already but yeah they are toxic if uncooked so thought I should say something JIC!

[Kris]

Yes, I didn't know about the toxic stuff but I always cooked them and them leave them to sit for a day, then rinse and cook again. Better go and see if I've done enough :shock So far we haven't died so I must have been doing it right.

[Beatrice]

Drumsticks marinated in mango chutney and coconut cream, with rice and braised leafy greens. This is one of those meals that I make because everyone else loves it, not because I like it that much.

[LouGrace]

Meen Moilee (fish curry). My gorgeous husband can't help himself. He goes to the fish markets every weekend (usually very early and he takes the boys so I can sleep in, yay)! We are then forced to eat delicious fresh fish for dinner 3 or 4 days in a row. Tonight he is tackling something new, a South Indian fish curry. And it smells AMAZING. My tummy is grumbling.

[zenifa]

We had some lovely BBQed steak with sweet potato, onion, grilled halloumi and fresh green salad, very yum!

Plus I made a fish pie for tomorrow, using lots of arrowroot in the potato mash top!!

[Beatrice]

Oh nom, meen moiley is one of my favourites. Lucky you!

[anaya]

We had chicken and corn soup - is a huge favourite around here at the moment and sooooooo easy to make!

[Ravensworn]

We had toast. After I oversalted and burnt the frittata. :( I have been requested to stop experimenting with cooking for a while. :cry

[Beatrice]

Oh bummer :(

I made a really simple vege bake - all the leftover roast veges I made at the Solstice party last night, with a cup of cooked brown rice, 6 eggs and some cheese. It turned out really nice. H inhaled his first serving and went back for seconds but K "didn't feel like veges" :blueroll

[Kris]

Yum. - sounds delicious!

Dinner was vege soup and homemade bread but Mr Selective Deafness threw a whopper of a tantrum about it and I threw one back :(

[Ceres]

:( Kris
I had curry last night and made enough for tonight as well, thank goodness because I really don't feel like cooking today. Then we went to the par-tay and had cous-cous and beetroot salad, a warm rice and coconut salad and about 74 different types of cake.

[Kris]

Warm rice and coconut salad sounds really nice. And intriguing.

Made the sil soup tonight as requested by DS. Have had peaceful and happy evening,

[Beatrice]

Made this recipe (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Easy-Crock-Pot-Moroccan-Chicken-Chickpea-and-Apricot-Tagine-137530?scaleto=6&sys=m), but didn't leave myself enough time to make it in the crockpot, so just simmered it on the stove for an hour instead. Was very nom.

[Beatrice]

Oh, and I forgot: I defrosted what I thought was pumpkin soup for the kids, but it turned out to be the split pea and moong dal soup I made the other week that the kids didn't like. I, erm, practised some mild deception on them - I stirred some tomato paste through it to make it more orangey-coloured, added some more stock powder for extra flavour, and served it with lots of cheese on top, and they didn't notice anything strange and ate most of their servings :lol

[zenifa]

Made this recipe (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Easy-Crock-Pot-Moroccan-Chicken-Chickpea-and-Apricot-Tagine-137530?scaleto=6&sys=m), but didn't leave myself enough time to make it in the crockpot, so just simmered it on the stove for an hour instead. Was very nom.

This looks very nice, I have all the ingredients, will make this for DH's welcome home dinner on Friday night!!


Oh, and I forgot: I defrosted what I thought was pumpkin soup for the kids, but it turned out to be the split pea and moong dal soup I made the other week that the kids didn't like. I, erm, practised some mild deception on them - I stirred some tomato paste through it to make it more orangey-coloured, added some more stock powder for extra flavour, and served it with lots of cheese on top, and they didn't notice anything strange and ate most of their servings :lol

You are very clever, glad it worked out!!

[Ceres]

Ha ha, joke's on you kids! We had the curry from last night again.

[Janet]

I went to the local beautiful organic shop so I'm planning to put a heap of vegies in a cast iron pot and cook them to perfection, eat them all day, then maybe put some dead animal on the plate with them tonight.

[zenifa]

We have a chicken and vege type stew (paprika based), and have lots of lemons, limes, passionfruit and perhaps the world's largest grapefruit, so considering my options re:citrus based dessert, so suggestions are welcome. I was considering making a lemon curd....still deciding.

[Ceres]

Oooohhhh I love love love lemon curd. I was thinking a citrus cheese cake with a passionfruit icing as I read that though. Citrus desserts are my absolute fave.
I'm having some curry from the freezer because I feel too shite to cook.

[Lina]

A really tasty one tonight - watercress soup, potato and cauliflower pie (mashed potato and cooked, finely chopped cauliflower mixed together and seasoned, put into pie dish, sprinkled with parmesan and then baked), mushrooms pan-fried to make a bit of a sauce for the pie and pan-fried salmon.

Pie was left over from last night when we had it with bolognese sauce. Yum!

[Beatrice]

Things got a bit complicated :lol I started out planning to just make mushrooms samosas, but I ended up only making enough mushroom filling for four samosas, so then I figured I might as well make a separate filling instead of just making more mushroom, so I made some spinach, corn and cheese ones as well. We ate them with dhal, rice, and experimental greens in coconut milk (because I'm trying to eat more green leafies) which were really, really nice. A veritable feast!

[Ravensworn]

It was going to be steak and veges, then I didn't wake up until after 5pm, then I was going to do a meal that my mum made (so just reheating), then it was almost 6pm and I was still hanging washing out and needed to go to the toilet, changed C's nappy and feed him ... so we ordered pizza.

So hopefully it will be steak and veges tomorrow night.

[anaya]

Chicken and Leek Pie :)
http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/food/973928/chicken-and-leek-pie

yummmmmmm

[GreenGully]

I had mushrooms fried with tamari served with noodles. I always crave this when I am sick. So gooood!

[Kris]

I think I'm going to whip up some of those now, I'm starving.

[Ceres]

Something from the freezer again, although what I really want is laksa. There's nowhere around here to get it however, it would mean a 20 mins drive somewhere, which is a bit suckful.

[LouGrace]

Dead animal. Heh heh Janet, that cracked me up. We're going OUT to dinner. Kid free! We are so fortunate to have the best babysitter whom we've known for years and whom the kids love even more than their grandparents (don't tell THEM). Since the little one self weaned we've been having a fortnightly date night. No plans for where we'll eat, we'll wing it. Maybe catch a movie as well. Lovely lovely.

[GreenGully]

Shepherd's Pie courtesy of ceres. yuuuum.

[Beatrice]

I just rang DH to ask him to get something simple and easy. I'm not in the mood for cooking.

[zenifa]

Leftovers tonight, Dh is still away and I'm not feeling inspired. Did do some baking today - some apricot and carrot mini-cakes (like carrot cake but with almonds instead of walnuts), and a lemon syrup cake for DH's homecoming dinner, plus made lovely passionfruit, lemon and even grapefruit curd!! Oh and a batch of yoghurt, so busy times in the kitchen!!

[Echo]

Homemade chicken & veg soup with homemade bread & homemade butter. Only because I'm being cheap at the moment, this doesn't happen all the time! :lol

[Beatrice]

DH brought home sausages and frozen wedges, so I stuck them in the oven and made a big stir fry to go with it.

[Ravensworn]

Steak and veges. Yay me! Especially after getting home at 5:30pm after grocery shopping. Except H didn't like it (not that she said so, or asked for anything else ... until an hour later). Oh well, you can't win them all.

[zenifa]

Making that morroccan tagine suggested by B earlier in the thread, its in the slow cooker, looks and smells delish, plus lemon syrup cake for dessert!!

[Kris]

I have black turtle beans but no inspiration. Beatrice, where are you?

NFI after doing a monster shop yesterday. If we get really stuck we can use last night's pasta sauce on pizza bases and have pizza but I'm way bored with that as well. Bored, bored, bored with all our dinner ideas. Did I mention bored? :lol

Here's to a lightning strike of inspiration as I clean.

[Beatrice]

Mwahahaha. Make black bean stroganoff! Tis divine. Or black bean burgers. Or Moors and Christians (eg. black beans and white rice, very nom).

[Ceres]

Same thing as last night, reheated. I hope I feel well enough to cook tomorrow.

[Ravensworn]

Beef strips in tomato cream sauce that my mum made for us. Which I hated as a kid. :blueroll Hope I can eat it tonight.

[GreenGully]

I have no idea. My kitchen has been taken over by wool and dye... Possibly baked beans.

[Kris]

Mwahahaha. Make black bean stroganoff! Tis divine. Or black bean burgers. Or Moors and Christians (eg. black beans and white rice, very nom).

and does she post recipes? ....

Hope you're feeling better soon Ceres x

[Beatrice]

I'm sure I posted the strog recipe, didn't I? Or did I just say I was going to? :uhh

[Kris]

That :blueroll

[Beatrice]

*sticks tongue out* I have no idea of quantities, I just go by eye. But it's basically onions, garlic, heaps of mushrooms, precooked black beans, stock (I use vego beef stock powder), a splash of mushroom soy sauce, and sour cream, seasoned to taste and simmered very gently for about twenty minutes. Usually the sauce needs to be thickened with a bit of cornflour. Serve over mashed spud.

I don't have tried'n'tested recipes for the other two; but you could Google them :)

[Kris]

Will google moors and christians - sounds very intriguing. We have two on mushroom strike atm so might have to think of an alternative for when the three of us eldest and most gourmet have it.

[Kris]

Every recipe I've goggled includes ads for bible studies :lol

[Beatrice]

:lol I got some weird ones but trying recipe "moors and christians" got a few genuine hits (although ironically most of them contain bacon :lol).

[Ceres]

Every recipe I've goggled includes ads for bible studies :lol
:lol
Universe trying to tell you something, you heathen?!

[zenifa]

More of that morroccan tagine with couscous (love left overs). Plus more of that lemon syrup cake, just divine!!
I also made red lentil and ricotta lasagna, chickpea rataouille, and a cheesy rice vegie bake for our lunch visitors tomorrow. Just need to put it all in the oven before they arrive and put the spicy peach and mango crumble in the slow cooker and voila!! nom nom! I can just relax and enjoy catching up with friends. I think dinner tomorrow will just be leftovers!!

[Lina]

Leftover salad from lunch - barley, roasted pumpkin, roasted beetroot, walnuts, goats cheese, rocket, red wine vinegar and macadamia oil. Mmm...

[GreenGully]

I'm having some of the same vege curry that ceres mentioned above. That batch stretched so far!

[Kris]

Me? A heathen? NEVER :lol

OMG, Zenifa can I come to your house? I keep meaning to do big cook ups but something always gets in the way.

Tonight, some of us had nachos, others had buckwheat pasta with pesto and I had a bowl of Carman's Deluxe (cinnamon tossed) muesli.

[zenifa]

Kris, yes you can, anytime!! I wish it was a big cookup just for us, but we're having 3 other families over for lunch so we are going to need lots of food. I've got the spicy peach crumble in the slow cooker, everything is in the oven finishing off, and its an hour til my guests arrive, I'm totally relaxed, place is clean/tidy, girls are both napping, its bliss!! Looking forward to entertaining this afternoon!!

[Beatrice]

We're having friends over, and to make it an easy kid-friendly buffet I'm prepping ricepaper rolls, and everyone can make their own.

[Ravensworn]

I had big plans for roast chicken and bread and butter pudding, but am completely stuffed after a party last night so we're getting takeaway. :D

[Ceres]

I had the soup I made last night, which tastes good but looks weird. It has pumpkin, carrot, potato, sweet potato and one small beetroot in it which of course made the whole thing pink.

[GreenGully]

Sounds interesting ceres. I had a breakfast type fry up. Baked beans, fried mushies and egg, avo and toast. Oh and a glass of juice. Yum.
DS had an interesting one. Baked beans with salsa and grated cheese. Plus about 10 carrots from ceres's garden with hommous.

[Kris]

We went swimming this afternoon and needed comfort food so while the kids were in the bath I made macaroni and cheese bake and used a packet of silken tofu in the cheese sauce. Didn't tell the kids till they were nearly finished seconds :lol I made a pan of peanut butter brownies for dessert which we had with vanilla ice cream.

[Janet]

Mmmm mac'n'cheese. Mmmm.

I threw a heap of veg in a heavy based fry pan then cooked yummy organic lamb and leek sausages to go with them. Organic veg, I never stop marvelling that they taste like... well... like veg!

[Kris]

Leeks :disbelief I just can't go there BUT I do hear you on the organic veg. I think you'd enjoy Jackie French's Seasons of Content - she does a lot of that tossing veg into pan cooking in there too.

[Beatrice]

I made soup as well as the rice paper rolls. Twas yummy! And the rolls were a great hit with everyone, since vegetable-averse people could just fill theirs up with noodles and nothing else :lol

[Ceres]

You don't like leeks, Kris? I think they're great. Have some in my garden in fact! How about potato and leek soup?

[zenifa]

Loving J French's seasons of content!! Thanks Kris!!

Red lentil and ricotta lasagna tonight, lurve leftovers!!

[Kris]

I'm so glad to hear Zenifa.

Nope, I mean I'll eat them but they aren't something I'd a) buy or b) cook with.

I am attempting Beatrice's suggested black bean stroganoff tonight (with nachos for the mushroom averse). Will update with success or fail :lol

[Beatrice]

I have no idea what we're having tonight. I still have to do a menu plan for this week :uhh

[Kris]

Beatrice, I adore you - black bean stroganoff is a huge winner :drool

Added a tspn of paprika and two of thyme to the mix as well. Fantastic, my cockles are well warm.

[Ceres]

It sounds like a great recipe, will have to try it some time!
We got home at dinner time so I had pasta and sauce from a jar, and DS had an egg on toast.

[GreenGully]

I had dahl from the freezer that I made about a month ago and it was so good. DS is having seconds and usually he likes variety.

[Ravensworn]

The universe is trying to deny me my menu plan, but I won this evening. I was hanging out clothes when I should have been preparing for cooking, changing and feeding C when I should have been cooking, and it was only 20 minutes late to the table. Pasta bolognaise, in case you're wondering.

Attempt no. 2 at roast chicken tomorrow night, hope we get our dishwasher fixed asap, 'cos DH has a job interview tomorrow.

[zenifa]

Defn want to try that black bean strog recipe, sounds good!!

Our last night of leftovers tonight so might do my menu plan today, its been lovely having a break from cooking for the last two days!!

[Beatrice]

I'm making lentil burgers, since I went to the supermarket today and thus have lovely fresh hamburger buns and salad. And I found my favourite brand of mango chutney last week, so it will even have the correct condiment!

[Ceres]

We had nachos, thanks to GG :)

[Kris]

I made tofu and potato rogan josh this morning, when we got home, added a quick light dahl, basmati rice, lassi and papadums mmmmmmmmmm

[Sarasvati]

Last night we had a hardcore vege soup to try to get some nutrients into sick kiddos. Not sure tonight, am kinda liking living on the wild side atm!!

[Ravensworn]

Leftovers tonight. Our dishwasher isn't working and is full of dirty dishes, and DH just washed up the rest of what was in the kitchen (from Friday night ... he's been a bit busy). I hope it gets fixed soon. We have a stupid landlord who insists on looking at almost everything before deciding whether it needs fixing (despite hiring a property manager). :rolleyes

[Kris]

Nutroast, beef roast, potatoes etc an then cheesecake for dessert. I'm hungry now!

[zenifa]

I'm making a chicken and veg hotpot that has rice in it too (DH got the recipe from an inflight mag last week and wanted to try it) and am thinking of making some sweet slices (as we have a catch up with my old ie 5yo mum's group this fri) - perhaps a pineapple and coconut one, and something chocolatey, like a choc cheesecake slice.