Sophia's Slow Cooker Beef Stew
This time of year, few things are as satisfying as a rich, hearty stew. This month, we share FWA Sales Manager Sophia Haugh's delicious Slow Cooker Beef Stew. This stew is so easy to make and is filled with plenty of veggies to keep your whanau healthy. You'll be sure to lick the pot once you're done eating this dish! Serve with rice and some fresh bread.
Ingredients:
600g Beef (stewing or sirloin, any beef will work)
1 Large Onion, chopped
3 Carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Kumara, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks (add later)
6 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Tomato Sauce
3 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Chili flakes (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp Onion flakes
1 tsp Garlic granules
1 can Wattie's Tomato Pasta Sauce (we use Garlic)
1 Maggi Beef Hot Pot sachet
2 tbsp Corn Flour
Beef Stock
Method:
Add onion, beef, carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker.
In a bowl, mix the Maggi mix, tomato pasta sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, tomato sauce, onion flakes, garlic granules and chili.
Add the sauce mix to the slow cooker and stir well.
Cover the meat and vegetable mix with beef stock. Mix well and cover.
Cook for 5 hours, while stirring occasionally.
Add the Kumara two hours before you are ready to eat.
Mix the corn flour with 1/4 cup of water to make a smooth paste. Add to the slow cooker, stirring as you do so. You will notice the stew start to thicken. You can add more to achieve the desired thickness.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and leave for another 2 hours.
Serve on rice with fresh bread.
Easy-peasy Chicken & Rice dish
Want to make a chicken & rice dish that is really good and easy to make? This recipe is so delicious and easy to make, it doesn't even have set measurements! You add spices and chicken to taste. This dish is perfect for those cold winter nights when you don't feel much like cooking.
Ingredients:
1kg skinned and deboned chicken thighs (Prefer more chicken? No problem! Just add more)
Your favourite curry powder
Salt
Ground Cardamom
Oil for frying
1 large onion, sliced
2 tbsp red curry paste
Half lemon juice
2 cups basmati rice (or long grain rice if you don't have Basmati)
1 tin coconut milk (if you have small tins, use two)
A dollop of butter
Some more curry powder, more cardamom and more salt
Lime juice, fresh cilantro (optional) and fresh basil
Method:
Season the chicken with curry powder, salt and cardamom and fry in large pan in a little oil.
Remove chicken from pan. In the same pan, fry the onion in some butter until soft. Add the curry paste. Stir till combined.
Add the rinsed Basmati rice (rinse the rice three times before adding). Add the coconut milk and stir. Add the chicken. Add a dash of lemon juice, more curry powder, more cardamom and more salt. Stir again and cover.
Simmer over medium heat, while stirring every now and then, until the rice is cooked.
Finish off with a dash of lime juice, some fresh cilantro and fresh basil.
The Best Ever Rice Pudding
Ingredients:
1 cup rice, cooked
4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs
60g melted butter
A sprinkle of nutmeg
Method:
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
Cook 1 cup of rice as per packet instructions.
In a bowl, whisk the sugar and butter together until creamy. Add the milk and vanilla essence while continuing to mix. Add the cooked rice.
Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. The pudding should be firm and the rice should have absorbed the wet mix.
Serve warm with ice cream.
Two Winter Warmer Butternut Soup Recipes
Roasted Butternut Soup
For this recipe, we roast the pumpkin as we believe it adds more flavour - releasing all that natural sweetness that makes a pumpkin so scrumptious!
Ingredients:
1kg butternut pumpkin
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 - 3 cups hot vegetable stock
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Half the pumpkin and remove the seeds and chop the pumpkin into small pieces. Place the pumpkin on a large roasting tray and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast the pumpkin for about an hour, or until soft and slightly caramalised at the edges.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the onion and add to a pan. Fry over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 10 minutes until the onion is softened. Do not brown the onion.
Add the ground coriander seeds and stir until fragrant.
Add 2 cups of the stock and stir. Add the pumpkin and blend with a hand blender until smooth, but still thick. Add the third cup of stock if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Ladle into bowls, garnish with cream and parsley. Serve with freshly baked bread.
Curried Butternut Soup with Toasted Coconut Shavings
This is great for the carb conscious, fat conscious, health conscious and it's vegan-friendly and dairy-free to boot!
Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
50g yellow curry paste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
500g diced butternut
1 Tablespoon Tamarind paste
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
2 cups good quality stock (vegetable or chicken stock)
Toasted coconut shavings and 1/3 cup chopped coriander to garnish
Method:
Fry the yellow curry paste in olive oil over a medium to low heat until fragrant.
Add the diced butternut, then turn up the heat and add the tamarind paste, coconut milk and stock. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened.
Remove from the heat and puree the soup with a hand blender until smooth, but still thick.
Run the blade of a vegetable peeler along the coconut pieces to create slivers. Toast the coconut slivers in a dry pan until golden brown.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with toasted coconut shavings and fresh coriander. Season to taste.
Jo's Speedy Apple Shortcake
This apple shortcake recipe is Jan's ultimate favourite, because it's quick and easy to put together for an afternoon tea or dessert.
Makes 20 pieces
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
3 apples, cored and diced into pea-sized pieces (no need to peel them)
125g butter, melted
2 eggs
icing sugar to dust
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a 20 x 30cm slice tin with non-stick baking paper.
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
Spread into the prepared tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool in the in. Dust with icing sugar and carefully lift out of the tin using the baking paper. Cut into portions.
This is great served with softly whipped cream, yoghurt or ice cream.
Allyson Gofton's Sally Lunn Bun
Jan loves to make this bun from leftover mashed potato. It is very versatile, because you can change the fruit and icing flavours! It's an oldie, but a goodie!
Ingredients:
1 cup cold mashed potato
1 cup sugar
2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sultanas (or currants)
1/4 cup milk
Vanilla icing
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp butter, softened
dash vanilla essence
1 to 2 tbsp milk
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and lightly grease a baking tray.
Beat the mashed potato and sugar together until smooth. Sift the flour and salt together and add to the mashed potato mix with the sultanas and sufficient milk to make a stiff dough.
Shape into a bun and place on the prepared tray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until well risen and golden. Cool on a cake rack before covering generously with the vanilla icing. Decorate with coconut if wished.
Icing:
Work the butter into the icing sugar and the add the vanilla essence and sufficient milk to make a thick but spreadable icing.
(Source: Allyson Gofton Website)
ANZAC Biscuits #WeWillRemember
Makes approx 20 biscuits
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup coconut thread
2/3 cup tightly packed brown sugar
1 cup jumbo rolled oats
125g unsalted butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp boiling water
200g good quality dark chocolate, melted (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Place flour, coconut, sugar and oats into a mixing bowl and combine.
Melt butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over a medium heat. While this is melting, place baking soda in a bowl, add boiling water and stir. As it fluffs up, stir into butter mixture.
Quickly pour butter mixture over dry ingredients while still fluffy. Stir to combine.
Using a tablespoon, roll spoonfuls of mixture into balls and place 3cm apart on prepared trays, flattening them slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden.
Once cool, dip edges of biscuits in melted chocolate, if desired.
When life serves you lemons....make Lemon Loaf!
Ingredients:
125g butter
3/4 cup of sugar
finely grated rind of 1 large or 2 small lemons
2 large eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1 and 1/2 cup of flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of sultanas
Topping:
1/4 cup sugar and juice of 1 lemon mixed together
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Melt butter in a large bowl and add sugar, lemon rind, eggs and milk. Mix together.
Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sultanas in a separate bowl.
Fold the flour mixture into the liquid mix. Take care not to over mix or you will have a tough loaf.
Spoon the dough into a prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the knife comes out clean.
While hot, spoon over the lemon & sugar topping mix.
Forgotten World Adventures' Unforgettable Slice (Fay's Mumbles)
Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
Makes approx 20 pieces
Ingredients:
125g butter
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup coconut
1 egg
1 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants etc)
5 weetbix or similar, crushed
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Line a 20 x 30 cm slice tin with baking paper.
Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
Add in all other ingredients & mix thoroughly.
Press into the prepared slice tin and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Cut into bars while still warm.
Store in an airtight container for about 10-14 days. This slice can be frozen.
Jan's Easter Chocolate Nests
Kids love making these!
(Makes 12)
Ingredients:
4 cups (100g) Cocoa Pops or similar
300g Dark Chocolate, melted
1 cup (70g) Long Thread Coconut
Candy Coated Eggs for decoration
Method:
Line a 12 hole standard muffin tray with paper cases or lightly grease.
In a large bowl, mix together the Cocoa Pops, melted chocolate and coconut until all the ingredients are well coated with the chocolate.
Spoon into the muffin cups and, using the back of a wet metal spoon, flatten the centre to create a nest shape.
Refrigerate until set, then fill the hollow with your choice of candy coated eggs.
Delicious Hot Cross Buns
(Makes 9)
Ingredients:
500g all purpose flour
5ml salt
12.5ml mixed spice
Good pinch cinnamon and nutmeg
60g margarine or butter
25ml sugar
1 sachet instant yeast
25ml mixed peel
125ml currants or raisins
1 egg, beaten
250ml milk (warm)
Method:
Sift flour, salt and spices. Rub in butter until texture resembles fine breadcrumbs then add sugar, yeast and fruit.
Add egg and milk to the flour mixture to form a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in warm place to rise to double its size. Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly. Divide into equal portions and with fingers form each into a bun.
Place on a greased tray. Cover and allow to rise for 20 to 30 minutes in a warm place.
Brush with a little beaten egg, pipe a cross on the top. Bake in a hot oven at 220 degrees Celsius for 10 to 15 minutes or until nicely browned.
For the Piping Dough:
50g Butter or Margarine
50g flour
1ml baking powder
Approx 35ml milk
Method:
Rub butter into flour and baking powder. Add milk to form a paste. Mix well until smooth. Place into a plastic sandwich bag. Push to one corner to form a piping bag. Snit the end with a pair of scissors.