Simple tomato pasta



Everyone has one of those dishes they can cook with their eyes closed, in 10 minutes, and know exactly what they’re going to get, right?
Well, this is mine. I’ve cooked it on more home-late-from-work nights than I care to remember, and even once for 20 people on an African safari. It’s simple, but comforting and a little bit healthy. What more can you ask for in 10 minutes?

Ingredients

  • 100g mushrooms
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 250g dried pasta
  • oil for frying
  • 400g tin crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp Italian herbs
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • Salt and pepper

Serves: 2
Cooking time: 10 mins

Spicy beef fajitas



Life is really hectic for me at the moment, so I decided to make something quick and easy for dinner. It’s a shame that making the recipic wasn’t so straightforward.

But there is a light at the end of the crazy tunnel I’m in right now. In about a month I’m going away on a round-the-world trip and I’m looking forward to trying real mexican fajitas. Who knows I may even have to post an authentic version of the recipic when I do.

Ingredients

  • 1 green capsicum
  • 1 red capsicum
  • 1 yellow capsicum
  • 400g of beef steak
  • 1 red onion
  • 200g mushrooms
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1Tbsp. crushed chicken bouillon cube
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1/2 cup water
  • oil for frying
  • 1 avocado
  • 16 tortillas

Serves: 4
Cooking time: 20 mins

Stuffed pumpkin flowers



A few weeks back my dad’s vegetable garden was overgrown with rogue pumpkin plants and I decided to make use of the beautiful yellow flowers. The fairytale soon turned into a disaster when I realised how awful and prickly pumpkin plants can be.

But the rumble of my stomach spurred me on, and I braved the elements, so that I might try this Italian cuisine that had been on my cooking to-do list for years.

The reviews from the family dinner table were all very positive, except for my mum who decided the stalks were not to her liking. Harsh critics aside, I enjoyed the experiment and I would defenitely do it again.

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoon plain flour
  • 12 pumpkin flowers
  • 200 g fresh ricotta
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon of chives, snipped or 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoon parmesan, freshly grated
  • salt and freshly milled pepper
  • olive oil for frying

Serves: 3
Cooking time: 30 mins

Onion and tomato tart



My old housemate Nina Las Vegas loves this dish. When we lived together it felt like she cooked it every second day. But when you try it, you’ll understand why it was on such high rotation in our house!

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet of puff pastry
  • 4 onions
  • 2 small zucchini
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Bocconcini cheese
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 egg
  • olive oil

Serves: 2
Cooking time: 1 hr 10 mins

Dessert wine jellies with strawberry



Day two. This project is going to be harder than I thought.

I made this dessert on Christmas eve for my family and it went down really well in the Sydney summer heat. Try it with some whipped cream on top. Yum Yum.

Ingredients

  • 400ml dessert wine
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 1 tbsp powdered gelatine
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 punnet strawberries
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 20 mins
Chilling time: 3-5 hours