Beef Stewed in Red Wine

Another yummy winter dish, best served with mash potatoes. Serves 2

Ingredients
500g of stew/casserole meat (ask your butcher), cubed
1 bottle red wine
1 cup water
1 paper bag of button mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1 white onion
1 tbsp tomato paste
bay leaf
1 bunch chopped parsley
1 pinch of rosemary
plain flour

1. Heat some oil in a large pot or casserole dish. Pour some plain flour onto a plate and season. Lightly coat the meat with the flour and pan fry in the oil. Once all the sides are brown, remove and put in a bowl to catch the juices.
2. Add some more oil and brown the garlic and onion until translucent. Add browned meat and its juices. Add the water and half a bottle of the wine. Add bay leaf and tomato paste, stir.
3. Cover and simmer on a low heat for approx. 2 hours. Check every half hour to see if you need to add more liquid. If so, keep on adding the wine a little at a time.
4. Meanwhile in a small pan, saute the mushrooms in abit of oil and salt. Saute until the liquid has evaporated.
5. After 2 hours, take out the bay leaf then add in the mushrooms, parsley and rosemary to the pot of stewed meat and cook for a further 30mins. You will know when it is ready when the gravy is reduced.

Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Photo coming soon!

Ingredients
288g white sugar
175g plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
118g melted butter
250ml warm water
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs then add in the melted butter and whisk to combine. Add in the water and vanilla, stir.
3. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combine.
4. Pour the batter into a greased cake tin and bake for 30mins.
5. When cooked, lay out on a baking rack to cool completely before spreading with ganache.

For the ganache
150ml thick cream
300g of dark cooking chocolate

1. Melt the chocolate until smooth. Keep the chocolate warm by sitting the bowl on top of a large pot of hot water.

2. Pour the cream into a small pot and on a low heat until the cream start to bubble. Immediately, take it off the stove and add to the melted chocolate. Whisk to combine. The ganache should be thick and glossy. Spread onto the cake and serve.

Shepard's Pie

Nice warm dish in time for winter! Make the filling and topping at the same time.

Ingredients
500g beef mince
2 large carrots, diced finely
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 can of tinned whole tomatoes
2 medium white onions, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp tomato paste
8 large desiree (or another mashing potatoes)
3/4 cup milk
bay leaf
hand full parsley, chopped
3 springs oregano, chopped
paprika (optional)

Filling
1. On a low heat and with abit of oil in a large pan, lightly brown the garlic. Then add onions and cooked until onions are translucent. Add the mince and cook unti brown.
2. Add the carrots, then the peas. Stir in tinned tomatoes, breaking up the whole tomatoes as you stir. Add in tomato paste and bay leaf. Cook until liquid has reduced.
3. Once the liquid has reduced, take out the bay leaf and add the parsley and oregano. Season to taste.

Topping
1. Peel and quarter the potatoes (this will hasten the cooking process). In a large pot boil potatoes with a pinch of salt. When the potatoes are soft, drain and return to the warm pot. Mash the potatoes, adding in abit of butter.
2. Put the milk in a cup and heat in the microwave until warm. Add the warm milk to the potatoes and season. To make mash potatoes fluffier, beat it with an electric mixer until smooth.

To assemble
Preheat an 180 degree oven. In a deep dish, cover the whole dish with the filling then roughly top with the mash potatoes ensuring the filling is all covered. Sprinkle some paprika on top for some colour (optional). Bake in the oven for 20mins or until the potatoes have slightly browned.

Fig and Baby Spinach Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 bunch baby spinach
2 fresh and ripe figs
Fetta cheese (to taste)
1 handful Walnuts (toasted)
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

1. Chop the walnuts into quarters and toast in a pan. Remove from pan when walnuts become golden.

2. Quarter the figs.

3. Arrange in a serving bowl the spinach and figs. Scatter the fetta and walnuts. Dress with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Olive and Basil Bread

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
1 x 7g yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 egg
3/4 cup warm water
1 handful basil, roughly chopped
1 handful olives, roughly chopped

For a bread maker:
1. Put plain flour, yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil. egg and warm water into a bread maker. Mix according to instructions to form a dough.

2. After the dough has risen, knead lightly on a floured surfaced.

3. Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees. Add in the basil and olives, and knead into the dough.

4. Grease a loaf tin. Shape the dough and put into the tin.

5. Bake for 15-20mins. Cool and cut into slices.

Easy Pizza Dough

This receipe serves 2.

Ingredients
3/4 cup warm water
1 x 7g sachet dried yeast
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
2 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

For bread maker:
1. Add all ingredients from dry to wet and mix to form dough as instructed!

2. Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees. Take out the dough when ready and lightly knead on a floured surface.

3. Roll and shape the dough to desired size and thickness. 4. Place on a pizza tray or a baking tray. Add desired toppings, season and bake for approx. 15mins or until base is golden.

No bread maker?
1. Use a fork to whisk water, yeast, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Cover and stand for 5 minutes, or until bubbles appear on surface.

2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and oil. Mix well to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 minutes.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees. Roll and shape the dough to desired size and thickness.

4. Place on a pizza tray or a baking tray. Add desired toppings, season and bake for approx. 15mins or until base is golden.