Cooking Corner

Beef Lasagna

Ingredients

For Meat Sauce:
250 grams beef mince
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 Cups peeled tomatoes
1/2 Cup tomato paste
4 Tablespoons oil
1 Packet instant Lasagna sheets
2 Tsp chili powder
  Salt and pepper to taste

For Cheese Sauce:
60g Butter
1/3 Cups plain flour
2 Cups milk
2 Cups cheddar cheese (grated)

Method

Heat oil in hot pan and saute onions. Add mince and stir over heat until browned. Add tomatoes, chili powder, tomato paste, salt, black pepper and bring to the boil. Simmer until sauce has thickened and ingredients are well cooked. Sauce should be bit thick. Turn off heat and cover while you make the cheese sauce. To make the cheese sauce, first melt the butter in a saucepan. Add flour and mix to make a smooth paste. Cook for 1 minute then add milk a small amount at a time while continuing to stir. Once all the milk has been added, stir over heat until sauce thickens and boils. Add grated cheeses about just half cup save rest for top. To put altogether, grease a large ovenproof dish and fill with alternate layers of meat sauce, boiled lasagna sheets and cheese. Top with grated cheese and bake uncovered in a moderate oven for 30 minutes or until brown.

Fresh Spicy Salsa

Ingredients

4 Large ripe tomatoes (peeled and chopped)
3 Tbsp onion (finely chopped)
2 Small garlic cloves (minced)
2 Tbsp paprika
3 Tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)
2 Lemon juice
  Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Put chopped onion and garlic in a strainer; pour 2 cups boiling water over them then let drain thoroughly. Discard water and let it cool. Combine onions and garlic with chopped tomatoes, paprika, coriander leaves, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours to blend flavors. Serve with anything you want to eat along like chips, nachos, tacos and French fries.

Cooking Corner

Chicken Salad Wrap

Ingredients
2 medium flour tortillas
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced
1/4 cup red and yellow peppers, diced
1 small celery stalk,diced
1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, diced small
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon plain yogurt

Method

In a medium bowl, add chicken, bell peper celery, cheese, mayonnaise and yogurt. Mix the ingredients well and add salt and peper to taste. Lightly warm tortilla to amke handling easier and prevent it from cracking. Place 1/2-1 cup of filling on the bottom half of the tortilla, fold the right and left edges of the tortilla over the filling toeards the center. Fold the bottom edge of the tortilla towards the center and gently roll until the tortilla is completely rapped around the filling. You can add chopped cucumber. Zucchini, Tomatoes, Carrots, Peas or fresh Herbs likely parsley, dill or basil. You can also substitute cottage cheese for mayonnaise.

Chicken Pea Roll
Ingredients
2 Onions4 Garlic cloves
2 Tbsp ghee
1 Tsp chili powder
1 Tsp salt
1 Tsp turmeric1 Tsp Paprika1 Tbsp Cumin (Ground)1 Tbsp Coriander (Ground)
2 Cup Chick Peas (Boiled)
1/2 Cup Tomato (Cubes)
1 Tsp Garam Masla

Method

Slice the onion finely, crush the garlic. Heat ghee in a medium pan. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook over medium heat, strring until soft. Add chilli powder, salt, turmeric, paprika, cumin and coriander. Stir over heat 1 minute add the chick peas and tomatos; stir until combine. Simmer and cover it. Cook in low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionly. Stir in the garam masala. Simmer for 10 minute, cover with lid.
Now take chappati, paratha or nan and wrap inside the curry. Chick peas roll is ready to eat.

Cooking Corner

Cucumber Raita

Ingredients:
1     Large Cucumber
1/2  Cup Coriander leaves (chopped)
1     Cup Fresh Yogurt
1     Tsp Salt
1     Tsp Black Pepper
1     Green Chilli (chopped)

Method:
Make the raita by grating the cucumber and squeezing out any excess water. Mix all together with the remaining ingredients, mix well. Before serving place in refrigerator for an hour.

Spiced Potato Cones

Ingredients:
5      Large Potatoes (cut into chips shape or long slim
        wedges)
3      Tbsp Olive Oil
2      Tbsp Chaat Masala
1/4   Tsp Turmeric
1      Tsp Garam Masala
1/2   Tsp Chili Powder
        Oil for frying

Method:
In a bowl mix all the ingredients with potatoes and leave it for 3-4 hours to marinate. Heat oil in deep pan and turn by turn add potatoes in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Take colorful paper and make cones out of it. Serve hot in cone with either salsa or cucumber raita.

Cooking Corner

STRAWBERRY JAM
INGREDIENTS:
1 kg   strawberries, washed and hulled
1 kg  castor sugar
 pectin, if required
 

METHOD:

Place strawberries in a 5-litre casserole dish. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 minutes in micro wave oven. Stir in sugar and pectin if required. Cook on MEDIUM-HIGH for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.Check if the jam is setting. Cool and bottle in sterilised jars. Seal.

BLUEBERRY AND BANANA BREAD

 INGREDIENTS:
  1/2    cup self raising flour
  1/2    cup skim milk powder
   1/2   wheat germ
   1      teaspoon cinnamon
   2      teaspoon of vanilla extract
   1/2   cup of maple syrup or honey
   1/2    cup of dried banana
   2       ripe bananas, mashed
  250g  frozen or fresh blueberries
           Grated zest from 1 orange
   4       egg whites

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180oc/ gas mark 4. Using a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, wheatgerm, skimmilk powder and cinnamon. Use a different bowl to combine the orange zest, mashed bananas, vanilla extract, egg whites and maple syrup. Add the mashed banana mixture to the flour and until well mixed. Gentle fold in the blueberries and the dried banana chips. Pour mixture into a greased loaf tin ( optional: for a crusty top add a little brown sugar ) and bake in oven for 50 minutes. Remove from oven when cooked ( test with a skewer, if the skewer is clean when removed it is cooked ) and allow it to cool.

Cooking Corner

Spicy Nuts
Makes: 500g

Ingredients:
60 g butter or margarine
15-30 g curry powder
15 g Worcestershire sauce
330 g mixed nuts

Method:
Place butter in an oblong dish. Cook on HIGH for 1 1/4 minutes in microwave until melted. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well to coat nuts. Cook on HIGH for 5 to 6 1/2 minutes in microwave.

French Onion Soup
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
30 g butter
750 g onions, peeled and thinly sliced
30 g flour
1 litre beef stock
freshly ground black pepper
1 small French loaf, cut into 16 slices
125 g grated Swiss cheese 

Method:
Place butter in a 2-litre casserole dish. Cook on HIGH for 1 minute. Add onions and cook on HIGH for 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour, stir well and cook on HIGH for 1 minute. Gradually stir in stock and black pepper. Cook on HIGH for a further 10 to 12 minutes. Remove turntable and roller ring. Preheat oven on GRILL 1. Place slices of bread onto grill tray and cook on GRILL 1 to 3 minutes. Place bread on top of soup and sprinkle with cheese. Cook on GRILL 1 for 4 to 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted and is slightly golden.

Cooking Corner

Mexican Dip

Ingredients:
310 g can red kidney beans
60 ml oil
125 g grated cheese
2 g salt
5-7 g chilli powder

Method:
Place oil and beans in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, then stir in cheese, salt and chilli powder. Cook on HIGH for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until cheese melts (in microwave). Stir well. Serve with corn chips.

Mushroom Soup
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
15 g butter
250 g mushrooms, sliced
15 g flour
500 ml chicken stock
125 ml white wine
5 g mustard
125 ml cream

 Method:
Place butter and mushrooms in a 2-litre casserole dish. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 minutes in microwave. Add flour, stock, wine, mustard and cream to mushrooms and mix well. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 to 8 minutes in microwave, stirring halfway through cooking.

Tips:
This soup can be pureed if desired.