Focaccia Bread

Hey There Readers,

Have been dying to learn to make bread and Focaccia is a good place to start if you lack a bread maker as I do. I got this easy recipe from allrecipes.com and added my own bits (in bold)


Ingredients

* 3 1/2 cups high grade flour
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
* 1 cup hot water
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1 egg
* 3 tablespoons canola oil
* 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
* 1 teaspoon sea salt / rock salt

Directions

1. Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix well. Mix water and 1st lot of oil, and add to yeast mixture along with the egg. Blend with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat for 2 additional minutes. Stir in 1 3/4 cup flour while beating, until dough pulls away from side of bowl.
2. Knead in 3/4 cup flour on floured surface. Cover dough with a bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes. Place dough on a greased baking sheet. Roll out to 12 inch circle. Cover with greased plastic wrap and a cloth towel. Place in a warm place for 30 minutes.
3. Uncover dough, and poke holes in it with a spoon handle at 1 inch intervals. Brush 2nd lot of oil on dough, and sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 17 to 27 minutes, until just golden. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on rack.

Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 braising steak (ie. blade steak) (~300g)
2 cups water
2 potatoes
1 carrot

Method

Heat oil on high in a medium or large saucepan.
Add seasonings.
Cube steak and add to pot and cook for several minutes stir to cook meat evenly.
Add water, cover, lower heat, simmer for 40 minutes.
Peel and cut potatoes and carrots into large cubes and slices, add to stew.
Cook for a further 20 minutes.

This is a bit of a long process however the meal is cheap and taste good.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients

Requires either 1/2 chicken breast or 1 chicken schnitzel cut per person

Recipe below serves 2 - multiply as necessary

1 Chicken breast (or 2 schnitzel cuts)
4 Tbsp Honey mustard sauce
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp mixed herbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.
Brush honey mustard sauce onto chicken.
Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and seasonings.
Cook for 20-25 minutes.

Easy... and delicious

I used a honey mustard simmer sauce and the remainder of the jar can be used for another meal - 2 for 1 is always good.

Food on a Budget

So... a full month of cooking wasn't cheap my way to fight back is with some great meals you can pull off on a budget.
Sorry it's taken so long to post (much drama in the real world unfortunately) however I now have a stack of recipes to share.
Enjoy.

January 7, Mango, Coconut and White Chocolate Muffins

To learn how to cube mangos see this link for a step-by-step guide with pictures.

Ingredients

2 cups of self-raising flour
1/2 cup coconut
1 cup raw sugar
2 Tbsp margarine
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 mango, cubed
1/4 cup white chocolate buttons, melted
2 Tbsp coconut

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.
Mix flour and first lot of coconut in a large bowl, make a well in the centre.
In a separate bowl creme sugar and margarine.
Whisk in eggs then mix in milk and mango.
Pour egg mixture into well in dry ingredients.
Spoon mixture into paper cup lined medium muffin tray.
Mix melted chocolate with remaining coconut.
Using one spoon part muffin mixture in centre, using another spoon pour one teaspoon of chocolate mixture into each muffin.
Bake for 15 minutes.

January 3, Chocolate Suprice Muffins

Warning: these aren't pretty muffins but they do taste pretty good.

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp margarine, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup mini marshmellows
1/4 cup milk chocolate buttons, crushed

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.
Mix flour, cocoa and sugar in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
In a seperate bowl whisk eggs then mix in margarine, milk and vanilla essence.
Pour egg mixture into the well in the dry mixture.
Mix until ingredient are just combined.
Mix in chocolate and marshmallows.
Bake for 15 minutes or until top rises after being lightly pressed with a knife.