Shepherd's Pie @ my way

Hi my dear readers, how are you doing and how do you spend the whole last week? Me?! I'm quite busy with the daily routine and I've been out for almost the whole week for some personal stuffs. Back home to my kitchen, found my old oven has almost dying after accompanied me for all these years. Guess I got to look for a new one now. Any suggestions?

Meanwhile I'm using the portable air cooker for my daily recipes. Still can be done for those simple ones. 

Here, the 1st from the portable air cooker, Shepherd's Pie for our Festive dinner (Mid Autumn Festival) few days ago. Still goes well, and it did not dissapoint me...:) I did twist and turn the recipe to suite my taste, and I love it!

Ingredients:

2 tbsps olive oil

1 large onions (chopped)

1 carrot, finely diced

some green beans (as desire)

250g minced lamb ( I used the Australian Lamb)

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp dried bazil leafs

5 tbsps tomato paste

2 tbsps brown sugar

a pinch of salt

Marinate Ingredients:

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 tbsps A1 steak sauce

a little black pepper

a little salt and sugar

* marinate the minced lamb with the sauces above for at least 2 hours.

Topping:

600g fluffy potatoes, peeled and quartered

30g butter

1/3 cup fresh milk

a dash of black pepper

~ Steamed the quartered potatotoes for about 5-10 minutes or until potatoes are soft. 

~ Transfered softened potatoes into a tray, add in milk, butter and pepper and mash until smooth and fluffy.

~ Set aside.

Method:

~ Preheat wok and add in 2 tbsps olive oil, saute the chopped onions till fragnant.

~ Add in marinated meat, at medium heat stir fry awhile. Then add in the rest of the ingredients into the meat and keep stirring for few minutes. If the tomato paste is too sour, may add some sugar to adjust the sweetness. Total cook time is about 15-20 minutes.

~ Transfer the meat to a 1.25 litre overproof casserole dish.

~ Preheat oven to moderate 180'C.

~ Spoon the mashed potatoes evenly over the meat and fluff up into peaks with a fork.

~ Bake for about35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden.

Serve hot with a glass of red wine, the wine really brings out the dish quite well.
This was my 1st attempt making a Shepherd's Pie, and i'm very satisfied with the outcome!
I will definitely put this recipe in my top list menu...hehe!

Happy Baking!

Baked Tuna Pasta

These few days has been very lazy...;p After sending my daughter to school, i'll just sit by my laptop playing some games....blah blah blah......that's it! Half a day gone...;p Hee hee! You must have been thinking what on earth s happening to me?? Nothing wrong actually....it was just that my husband is away for his bussiness trip, my dear friend (my baking companion) is away for holiday..;) Guess i have to start baking some bread, cakes and other snacks for my daughter..:) She has been complaining that's nothing for her breakfast and tea...haha! Come on!! Take away those lazy bones and get started!

So then i started with her favourite....Pasta! But with alittle changes....."Baked Pasta".



Its yummy! That's her comment...:)
Another of those recipes that were handed down to me by my friend but i have made changes since then. Anyway if you like more cheesy texture, cheese can be added inside or more on the topping.
Here's the recipe......

250g Pasta or Macaroni
2 tbsps Olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
** Boil together till the pasta or macaroni are cooked. Set aside.

Ingredients for sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Plain flour
1/2 cup Fresh milk
1/2 cup Water
1 small can Tuna flakes in oil (drained)
1 small can (200g) Cream of mushroom
1 small Green Capsicum (chopped)
1 small Red Capsicum (chopped) -I used yellow
Salt and pepper to taste
Mozzarella Cheese for topping

Method:
~ Melt butter and add in flour. Stir well.
~ Add in water, milk and cook till creamy.
~ Add in tuna flakes, then cream of mushroom and capsicums.
~ Add in salt and pepper to taste.
~ Stir in cooked pasta and mix well
~ Pour into a Pyrex dish or any baking tray and topped with mozzarella cheese.
~ Bake at 190-200'C for 10 minutes or till cheese melts. Serve hot.

Mmm....really taste good..:) With those crispy cheese on top and the creamy sauce inside...YUMMY! I think kids like it more this way than the plain old way of creamy sauce pasta.

Its easy to prepare, only needs about 30 minutes. The amount of the ingredients here serves 4 adults, but my daughter took quarter of it...haha!

Try it out then you'll know!...............Enjoy!!