Savory Mince Bake

Basically a one-bowl dish, this is a winner. Mince is a very versatile kind of meat, but it can also turn boring quickly - just how many varients on Mince & Macaroni is there? But this dish is something quite different, packed with flavour to tickle your tastebuds and very filling.

Ingredients:
500g mince
1tbs oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup rice, raw
1x packet mushroom soup
450ml warm water
1/2 cup cream
1tbs dried parsley
1t salt
1t origanum
1 cup breadcrumbs
2tbs butter, melted

Method
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the mince till done. Be sure to break the mince well.
2. Add the onion and fry till lightly browned.
3. Mix the soup powder with the warm water and cream, dissolve well.
4. Add the rice, soup mixture, parsley, salt and origanum to the the mince.
5. Scoop into an oven proof dish with a lid and bake at 180 degrees C for 50minutes with the lid on.
6. Mix the breadcrumbs with the butter and sprinkle over the dish.
7.Bake uncovered for another 20min or so, until browned

Serve warm, with a salad for a side and red wine. (The kids can have milk, though!)

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Mince Pie with Yoghurt Crust

What is time?
My word, whatever it is, it sure does fly!! 
We are only allocated a certain amount of time on this earth, and that time is divided into 24 hours per day. What we do with this time, is entirely up to us. No, this is not suddenly a philosophy blog, I'm just sharing... Sometimes, (...times... get it?) we have to TAKE time. You cannot wait until you have enough time - you will never have enough time. It can't be stored, you can't save it for later... When you have it, you have to use it!! 
I want cook and bake (among many, many other things). I want to blog about my cooking, and I want to publish a recipe book. So, I am TAKING time, and will accomplish just that.
What do YOU want to do?

Today's recipe is a Mince Pie with a Yoghurt crust. It is something different, but still very delicious, easy to make, and can be made with the budgeted version, or the more delectable version... I have run out of soya sauce, and have started substituting it with worcestershire sauce, and I am impressed. It browns just as nicely and tastes just as great.

Ingredients 
500g mince
2tbs worcestershire sauce/soya sauce
1tbs spice for mince
1 onion, cubed
1 can tomato & onion 
1 packet Mushroom soup
600ml water
1/3cup flour
salt & pepper 

Topping
4 eggs
500ml plain yoghurt / amasi
1/3cup flour
salt & pepper

Method
1. Heat a pan to hot, add the mince and stir it, loosening it well, until browning.
2. Add the worcestershire sauce/soya sauce, & spice for mince.
3. Brown the mince well, make sure it is well loosened. 
4. Add the onion, mix.
5. Add the mushroom soup to the 600ml warm water and dissolve. Add to the mince.
6. Cook on slow heat for about 15 min, until it begins to thicken.
7. Add the flour and whisk it in. Stir continuously top prevent it from sticking or burning.
8. Whisk together the eggs, yoghurt/amasi, flour, salt & pepper to taste.
9. Scoop the mince into a baking dish, or several individual dishes.
10. Pour the topping over the back of a spoon onto the mince (this prevents it from making a hole in the mince).
11. Bake in an oven @ 160degrees C, until the topping is set.
12. Switch on the grill, up the temp to 200, and grill until lightly browned.

Serve warm!!

Optional Extras
250g/ punnet mushrooms, sliced
green pepper, cubed
1 rind feta
1/2cup cheddar cheese, grated

Add the mushrooms, green pepper and feta with the onion to the mince.
Add the cheddar cheese to the egg mixture and blend in a blender to make it fine.

Yours in oil and veggies
Risch

Chicken in Sauce

Yesterday was chicken or fish night. And I chose chicken. It kind of developed as I made it, but the end result was absolutely divine.... My word, I couldn't stop eating... Perfect for a Sunday Lunch, as this is a slow meal. Mine baked for about 3 hours, I think. Enough time for all those delicious flavours to develop. 

Preparation Time: 5min

Cooking Time: 3-4 hours

Difficulty Level: Very easy

Serves: 6

Ingredients

6 pieces of chicken

3 twigs of fresh rosemary

1/2t fennel

pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

1 cube chicken stock

1 packet of mushroom soup

500ml boiling water

2tbs soya sauce

1tbs balsamic vinegar

Method

Place the chicken pieces in an oven-proof dish with a lid. 

Pour over the soya sauce and balsamic vinegar. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the water, and add the mushroom soup. Whisk properly and pour over the chicken. Add the fennel, nutmeg and rosemary. 

Cover and bake at 140degrees C in the oven for about 3-4 hours. Before serving, remove the lid and put on grill for about 10min , just to get a little colour on the chicken. (We couldn't wait to eat, we completely forgot to take the picture!! 

Serve with brown rice and mixed veggies.

Enjoy! It's pure deliciousness on a plate...

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch