Frugal Meal - Savoury Mince Bake

I have been using some of my old time recipes lately as they always seem to be enjoyed more than the modern ones I try.  

They are made from the simplest ingredients that I always have on hand. Of course you can add extras to suit your own tastes.   This type of meal you can sneak some vegetables in and no one will notice.

Savoury Mince Bake

1 large onion, pinch of herbs, 1 lb mince, 1 tin tomato soup(16oz), 1 cup macaroni, grated cheese and breadcrumbs.

Chop onion and fry until brown.  Add mince, salt, pepper, pinch herbs and tomato soup. Simmer for 3/4 hour, adding a little water if necessary. Cook one cup macaroni according to instructions in salted water.  Drain and add to the mince mixture, mixing well. Turn into a flat dish, sprinkle with grated cheese and breadcrumbs and place in oven or under griller until brown.

*I added mushrooms, a little capsicum, grated carrot and zucchini to the mix. I also added a little more noodles.

This bake was served with even more vegetables J

This recipe can be found in the 1967 CWA Fingers and Forks cook book. 

As you can see this book has been well used.

Cooking away on the stove....

Combined with noodles and added to dish.

Topped with grated cheese and breadcrumbs.

Baked.

Enjoy!

Do you prefer modern or old fashioned recipes?

Mrs. Smart's Scones

You probably have your favourite recipe for scones, but I thought I would share mine with you all.

 Mrs. Smart (Audrey) lives next door to my parents and is a great friend of theirs and a fantastic cook.  One day when we were visiting for a cup of tea she brought out these yummy scones. I was really impressed so I asked her for the recipe. I have made these many times now and these are definitely the best scones I have tasted and baked. 

SCONES

Makes approximately 12

4 Cups of Self Raising Flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 -3/4 cup of Cream (I added one cup)

1 or 2 eggs (I added two eggs)

Milk to help mix to a soft dough

  Place flour and baking powder in bowl. Add cream and beaten eggs. Then add some milk and mix into a soft dough. Knead a little. Roll out and cut into rounds and place on oven tray.  Brush top with milk.  Bake in hot oven 220 - 240C. 

Enjoy!

***
Place flour and baking powder in bowl.

 I use a whisk to stir together

 No need to sift flour if you stir with a whisk.

Beat eggs together.

Make a well in the centre of flour and add cream and beaten eggs. 

 Using a knife, mix together

 Add enough milk to make a soft dough.

Knead slightly. 

Press or roll out 

Take a glass or scone cutter, dip in flour and cut into rounds.

Place on tray.

Use the leftover bits of dough to make some extra scones.

 Bake in hot oven 220 - 230C (400 - 450F)

Wrap in a tea-towel until ready to serve. 

We enjoyed ours with homemade apricot jam and whipped cream.

What is your favourite scone recipe?

Beef and Vegetable Curry

This recipe started out as a Curried Vegetable vegan meal I had planned for myself. I made it several times and every time the aroma wafting through the house would get noses twitching. They (son mostly) would say, "that smells nice, what is it?" When I would say vegetables they turned their noses up a bit, but in the end it got the better of them and they asked for a taste.  They liked it but said it would be so much better with meat!

 So I decided to give it a try with meat to see how it went.  Let me say the plates are always empty.

 ~The original Curried Vegetable recipe (just take out meat) would make a great meatless meal if you have those through the week. It really is flavoursome. I think the type of curry makes this recipe. This is one of my favourite vegan meals. Edited: To this recipe, I add one tin of drained and rinsed chick peas at the same time I add peas. This my personal preference.

I cook this meal in a pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes (10 minutes for veggies only), but I think it could be done in the slow cooker/crock pot with equally good results. 

As I haven't tried it, I am not sure how this would go on the stove top or oven with the meat in it.  It takes 45 minutes with just the veggies on the stove top.  The pressure cooker and slow cooker cause the meat to be very melt in your mouth tender.

Beef and Vegetable Curry

Gather your ingredients;

One onion, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped into chunky pieces

2 carrots, chopped into chunky pieces

2 large mushrooms, sliced(I add four because I like them) 

Some cauliflower and broccoli florets (about 2 cups?)

1/2 cup of peas

500 grams of stewing meat

1 -2 tablespoons of Massaman Curry Paste Thai Style (or favourite curry to taste) 

1 teaspoon of Garam Masala

1 tin of diced tomatoes

1 cup of water

1 teaspoon Vegeta stock powder (use other if desired)

Coriander to taste

Dice meat if required and fry 

 together with onion until onion is soft and meat browned.

Add remaining chopped veggies except peas.

Cook together for a few minutes.

Now add curry and garam masala and cook for one minute to enhance the flavours.

(I added the peas by accident this time)

Add the tin tomatoes, water, stock powder.

Bring to the boil and pressure cook for 15 - 20 minutes. 

Or place in slow cooker if that is what you use and cook for recommended time.  Last of all add peas and let sit for five minutes to heat through. Thicken with cornflour/water if needed. 

Garnish with coriander.

Serve with buttered toast, naan bread or warm bread rolls.

Enjoy!

Apple Sponge Pudding

APPLE SPONGE PUDDING

Ingredients

140gms/5oz SR flour

85gms/3oz butter, melted

1 tspn baking powder

100gms/3.5oz sugar

200mls milk

1 egg, beaten

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

140gms/ 5oz brown sugar

150mls of boiling water

Method

Grease a baking dish

Preheat oven to 180C

Put the caster sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl.

In another bowl, mix eggs, milk and melted butter.

Pour this into dry ingredients and mix well.

Place apples in the bottom of dish.

Pour the sponge mixture over apples.

Mix boiling water and brown sugar together until smooth.

Gently pour over the top of pudding. (This makes a delicious 

sauce on the bottom).

Bake in the oven about 45 minutes.

Serve with cream or ice-cream or both.

Enjoy!!

This recipe was taken from Penny’s Recipes and I made a few changes to suit.