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Starting out

I started this site hoping to make note of the things I have made, where I sourced the start recipe from and what awful things I did to it to make it allergy free, and how that turned out for me. I am in Australia, so my source recipes could be from anywhere, but I will have made them as much as possible with metric standards! My initial goal was for Cow’s Milk Protein free things for my dairy intolerant child. I have added tags that will hopefully help identify things like vegan, egg free, etc too.

Just for FUN, I have decided to throw Ads on here now. So, I guess, just don’t click on them if you don’t want to? It let me choose colours, so they ought to stand out. If you have an Ad blocker, GG … but if I work out how, I might have the site throw up a message about turning it off to make me money. LOL … I think I am the only one who visits the site, and usually only for the salmon pie! I am expecting to make 10 cents out of myself in the next 5 years… I hope it does not cost me anything.

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<< Did it work? 🤣

Back to my mutterings though.

When I started out, Iooked for a plugin to make things easy, but what I found was not quite that easy. There seemed to be a cheat ( http://recipeseo.com/ ) and a format for these things that should be … could be … (might be?) easy to follow. ( https://schema.org/Recipe )

 

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My Lasagne Version

More-Basic Lasagne

Alternative: Over-Complicated Lasagne

Ingredients

Pasta Sheets – let’s not complicate this!

    • 1 box lasagne sheets, https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/212064

Bolognese Sauce

    • 1tblspn oil
    • 2 large onion, finely diced
    • 1/2 red capsicum, finely diced
    • 1/2 zucchini (frozen works well), thinly sliced then diced
    • 1 broccolini stalk (frozen works well), diced
    • 1/2 packet baby spinach leaves (frozen works well), sliced/diced
    • 6 button mushrooms, well diced
    • 6-12 large garlic cloves, freshly minced
    • 300g middle bacon, diced
    • 1Kg beef mince
    • ~30g dry herbs (e.g. basil, oregano, parsley)
    • ~50g fresh herbs (e.g. basil, oregano, parsley), fresh chopped (frozen paste works too)
    • 250ml red wine
    • 1 qtr. lime (I actually forget this regularly)
    • 50g tomato paste
    • 800g tomatoes, diced (tinned, just don’t choose “crushed” to avoid chunks)

Bechamel Sauce

    • 1 to 2 jars of sauce, https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/758350/dolmio-lasagne-bechamel-sauce

Extras for Baking

  • 1tblspn butter or oil (oops … forgot this)
  • 100g sheep’s cheese (broken up as fine and dry as possible)
  • lots grated dairy cheese to taste

Method

Pasta Sheets

    1. Wash and dry hands well.
    2. Take sheets from packet and determine how many will create 1 x layer
    3. Prepare physically or mentally for about 4 layers of pasta sheets – for my tray and these sheets, it is 2.5 sheets, and I have not yet perfected breaking the half.

Bolognese Sauce

    1. Heat large saucepan to medium-high heat and add diced bacon and cook until the fat softens. (Generally safe to cook bacon and trust the fat will stop it sticking, but know your own pan/s and add oil first if required.)
    2. Remove bacon to a spare bowl for a minute.
    3. Brown onions and garlic. (At this point I also added the dry and frozen herbs)
    4. Re-add bacon.
    5. Add mince and cook until brown.
    6. Monitor the oil/liquid content as it starts too look well done enough. Push meat mix to the side and scoop/drain/use paper towel to minimise oil being kept in the pan. A lovely lean mince may not need this step.
    7. Reduce heat to medium.
    8. Add capsicum and allow to brown/caramelise/roast/cook a little.
    9. Add other vegetables (mushrooms, zucchini, broccolini, spinach, etc)
    10. Add wine, followed by the juice of the lime.
    11. Add tomato paste and tinned tomatoes and combine until there is an even consistency.
    12. Allow to simmer, stirring regularly.
    13. At this point, this is a lovely Bolognese, so I might pop on some spaghetti, and get a full taste test prior to making up the lasagne with it.

Prep for Oven

    1. Preheat oven to 180°. (Note: Skip this step if having Spaghetti Bolognese for dinner)
    2. Grease glass baking dish using extra butter or oil. (ooops – I have forgotten this a bit.)

Bechamel Sauce

    1. Open jar. Yes, this needs a step. Especially if you need to call in reinforcements and/or violently attack the jar to get it open.

Combine Parts and Bake

  1. Keep regularly stirring Bolognese until thick and consistent (usually around 40 minutes total).
  2. Add one layer pasta sheets – for this layer, overlapping is better. Followed by a layer of Bolognese, then ~1/4 of the Bechamel sauce. Ensure that the pasta sheets are completely and generously covered, using extra if you must.
  3. Sprinkle a mix of sheep cheese and dairy cheese. (Note – keep a slightly larger portion for the TOP!
  4. Repeat layers ~ twice more.
  5. For the top layer, make sure the pasta sheet nestles really well into the previous layer of Bolognese well to absorb that moisture while cooking, then coat with the last of the Bechamel sauce.
  6. Sprinkle extra sheep’s cheese/dairy cheese on top.
  7. STOP!
  8. Option 1 – cook TOMORROW! Cover with alfoil, allow to cool for a while and place in the fridge. Make sure the oven is off.
  9. Option 2 – cook NOW! (Or, start here tomorrow!) Place into the preheated oven (180°C), but be aware of the limitations of your dish! A glass dish may shatter going from the fridge temperature to an oven, so allow to rest, or put into a COLD oven and have both warm up at the same time.
  10. Once the oven is at temp, bake for ~40 minutes until the top is lovely and golden.

Once cooked, divide and serve with some fresh salad. Allow the remnants to cool while eating. Divide further (it holds together better when cooler) and place suitable servings in freezer safe containers. (This is a HEAVY dish, so eating a serve before doing the freezer prep gives a better idea of serving sizes required!) Make sure to label with contents and date prepared.

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Apricot Oat Breakfast Cake

Apricot Oat Breakfast Cake – NOT YET MADE

A soft, not-too-sweet oat slice with tinned apricots. Works as a snack or a make-ahead breakfast and freezes well.

Yield: 1 slice (about 12 pieces)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tin apricot halves in juice, drained and chopped
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup neutral oil (such as vegetable oil)
  • â…“ cup sugar or honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to about 170 Â°C. Line a slice tin or small rectangular baking dish with baking paper.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk the eggs, oil, sugar or honey and vanilla until combined.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the oats and stir until everything is moistened.
  5. Fold through the chopped apricots.
  6. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
  7. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the centre feels set.
  8. Allow to cool in the tin, then lift out and cut into squares or rectangles.
  9. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge, or wrap pieces and freeze.
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No-Bake Oat Slice

No-Bake Oat Slice – NOT YET MADE

Chewy no-bake oat slice held together with nut butter and honey. Great for hot weather when you don’t want to turn the oven on.

Yield: 1 slice (about 16 small squares)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup peanut butter or almond butter
  • â…“ cup honey or maple syrup
  • ½ cup chopped dried apricot, dried cranberries or other dried fruit
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt, to taste

Cooking Directions

  1. Line a small slice tin or square dish with baking paper.
  2. Add the oats, chopped dried fruit, chocolate chips (if using) and salt to a large bowl.
  3. In a microwave-safe jug or small bowl, combine the peanut butter and honey.
  4. Microwave for 20–30 seconds until just warm and easy to stir, then mix until smooth.
  5. Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the oats and stir until everything is well coated.
  6. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press down very firmly so it holds together.
  7. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
  8. Lift out using the baking paper and cut into bars or squares.
  9. Store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.
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Soft Chewy Fruit Oat Bars (baked)

Soft Chewy Fruit Oat Bars – NOT YET MADE

Soft, chewy oat bars made with oats and fruit. Great at room temperature or from the freezer, perfect for snacks or breakfast on the go.

Yield: 1 slice (about 12–16 bars, depending on cut size)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1–1½ cups mashed banana or unsweetened apple puree
  • 1 cup mixed add-ins (chopped dried apricot, dried apple, dried blueberries or chocolate chips)
  • 1–2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 pinch salt

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to about 170 Â°C (fan-forced if you like).
  2. Line a small slice tin or square baking pan with baking paper.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the oats and salt.
  4. Add the mashed banana or apple puree and honey or maple syrup. Stir until the oats are well coated.
  5. Stir through the chopped dried fruit and any chocolate chips or other add-ins.
  6. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan.
  7. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the slice feels set in the centre.
  8. Allow to cool completely in the pan, then lift out and cut into bars or squares.
  9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days, in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze with baking paper between layers.
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Classic Chewy Chocolate Brownie

Chocolate Brownies

stolen (with edits) from https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/classic-chewy-brownie/f0960a83-1fa9-4e3e-b616-a995182613e0 and stolen image by Brett Stevens

Yield: many brownies (depending on cut size)

Ingredients

  • 125g unsalted butter, chopped
  • 125g dark baking chocolate
  • 3 eggs, lightly whisked
  • 335g raw castor sugar
  • 115g plain flour
  • 30g cocoa powder
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
  2. Grease a 20cm square pan and line with baking paper
  3. Whisk egg and add vanilla in a small bowl
  4. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa and salt in a large bowl
  5. Melt butter and chocolate in a second large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring with a metal spoon
  6. Remove from heat
  7. Quickly stir in egg mix and dry mix
  8. Pour into a prepared pan and decorate with sprinkles if desired
  9. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with moist crumbs clinging
  10. Set aside to cool completely
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Chocolate Coconut Cake

Chocolate Coconut Cake

What I should have done: https://olivesandfeta.blog/cakes/chocolate-coconut-cake-quick-mix/

Yield: 1 x 24cm cake

Ingredients

  • 204g butter melted
  • 22g cacao
  • 44g cocoa
  • 1tsp instant coffee
  • 160g raw castor sugar
  • 3 eggs large
  • 85g desicated coconut
  • 42g shredded coconut
  • 202g plain flour
  • 3/4cup almond milk warmed – not boiled

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
  2. Place butter, cocoa, cacao, coffee, sugar and eggs in a bowl and whisk until well incorporated
  3. Place the coconut(s) in a bowl and seive in flour and baking powder.
  4. Add dry ingredients to your mix with your hand whisk.
  5. Stir while you pour the warm almond milk (after 30 seconds in microwave). Whisk until smooth.
  6. Pour into greased, lined tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. (Oven temperatures vary. Mine is set on 120 degrees C – aka 200 degrees C – and being turned every 10 minutes.)
  7. Allow to cool before removing from pan. (I’m not up to this yet, it is still baking!)
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Lasagne from Scratch

Lasagne that I will never make, but tastes good

Alternative: More-Basic Lasagne

Ingredients

Pasta Sheets

    • 275g plain flour (or fancy-white/pasta-specific/bakers/etc)
    • 50g plain flour (extra for dusting)
    • 3 large eggs
    • Pinch salt (to taste)

Bolognese Sauce

    • 1tblspn oil
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 6-12 large garlic cloves, freshly minced
    • 300g middle bacon, diced
    • 1Kg beef mince
    • ~30g dry herbs (e.g. basil, oregano, parsley)
    • ~50g fresh herbs (e.g. basil, oregano, parsley), fresh chopped
    • 50-100ml red wine
    • 1 qtr. lime
    • 50g tomato paste
    • 800ml tomatoes, diced

Bechamel Sauce

    • 50g butter (or margarine/spread1)
    • 50g plain flour
    • 50g sheep’s cheese (broken up as fine and dry as possible)
    • 750ml oat milk (or milk1)

Extras for Baking

  • 1tblspn butter or oil
  • 50-100g sheep’s cheese (broken up as fine and dry as possible)

1 Bechamel will thicken much quicker if using cow-based ingredients, but will still work without.

Method

Pasta Sheets

    1. Wash and dry hands well.
    2. Place flour in a pile on a large, clean, hard surface with a large well in the centre.
    3. Crack eggs into the well, sprinkle salt on top.
    4. Gently beat eggs with a fork, slowly adding surrounding flour.
    5. Continue incorporating all the flour using fingers until you have a big sticky mess that you could not possibly imagine would form a clean ball of pasta. If dough is not too sticky, add a tablespoon of water.
    6. Form a clean ball of pasta by kneading and squelching until it magically stops being a sticky mess.
    7. Keep kneading, stretching and folding dough for about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and soft.
    8. Form a ball, wrap in cling-wrap and place in fridge for 1 hour.
    9. Remove from fridge and break into ~4 equal portions.
    10. With each portion roll, turn and fold with a rolling pin, dusting with flour, until the dough is a consistent 1mm thickness throughout.
    11. Use a pastry wheel or knife to cut sheets into your preferred rectangular size.
    12. Leave out to dry (perhaps cover with tea-towel and/or dust with more flour) for at least 30 minutes but preferably overnight.

Bolognese Sauce

    1. Heat large saucepan to a medium heat and add oil.
    2. Brown onions and garlic.
    3. Turn to medium-high heat and add diced bacon and cook until the fat softens.
    4. Add mince and cook until brown.
    5. Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle and combine dry then fresh herbs.
    6. Add wine and reduce, followed by the juice of the lime.
    7. Add tomato paste and combine until there is an even consistency.
    8. Add tomatoes, combine and simmer, stirring regularly.

Prep for Oven

    1. Preheat oven to 180°.
    2. Grease glass baking dish using extra butter or oil.

Bechamel Sauce

    1. In a small saucepan on low heat, gently melt butter.
    2. In small batches and removing from heat where necessary, combine butter with flour until a smooth yellow paste (a rue!) is formed.
    3. In small batches, combine sheep’s cheese. Try to minimise lumps, but you can’t be perfect.
    4. In small batches, add oat milk and combine thoroughly, then stir often until mix becomes thick and viscous.
    5. Keep on very low heat until ready to use.

Combine Parts and Bake

  1. Keep regularly stirring Bolognese until thick and consistent (usually around 40 minutes total).
  2. Add a thin layer of Bolognese to the floor of the baking dish, then cover with pasta sheets followed by ~1/4 of the Bechamel sauce. Ensure that the pasta sheets are completely and generously covered in Bechamel, using extra if you must.
  3. Repeat layers twice more, using remaining Bolognese and Bechamel on top layer.
  4. Sprinkle extra sheep’s cheese on top.
  5. Bake for 40 minutes.
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Karen’s Salmon, Spinach & Feta Quiche

Karen’s Salmon, Spinach & Feta Quiche

stolen from http://www.findingfeasts.com.au/recipe-index/smoked-salmon-spinach-feta-quiche/ (yup, they watermarked their pic too!) and pre-abused by my mother already

Yield: 1 pie 22 cm square

Ingredients
  • 210g can of Salmon broken into large pieces
  • 1/2 pack frozen (defrosted and drained) or fresh spinach, finely chopped
  • 100g goat/sheep feta
  • 2 tbs dill, chopped
  • 3 eggs
  • ~50ml oat or almond milk (previously 100ml cream or yoghurt)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 sheet of short crust pastry
  • (capers and dill)
Cooking Directions
  1. Pre heat oven to 200/390 degrees C/F
  2. Defrost the pastry sheets and line a 22 cm square baking dish, trim off the excess. Cover with some greaseproof paper and pour in dried beans or rice to blind bake.
  3. Cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and take off the greaseproof paper and beans. Place back in the oven and cook for another 5 minutes. remove from oven and let cool.
  4. In a bowl mix the eggs and cream together and season with salt and pepper
  5. Stir in the spinach and dill. (?mystery capers here?)
  6. Scatter the smoked salmon and feta over the pastry and pour the egg mixture over the top.
  7. Cook for 40 minutes uncovered. It is cooked when the centre is firm to touch.
  8. Serve with a fresh salad (lol, who am I kidding … just make two!)
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Apple and Almond Cake

Apple and Almond Cake

Thoughtfully stolen and adapted from Donna Hay .

Extra notes:

  1. ^Measured whole, 2 granny smiths were under 300g. 3 seemed excessive, but were 305g after processing. I did not use all the apple in the end though.
  2. ^I didn’t have “mixed spice” so I made my own. A dash of ginger, a dash of all spice, a good shake of nutmeg and same for cinnamon, and then making sure it was all about a teaspoon.
  3. ^I have a silly sifter that is super slow for normal things like a cup of flour, but spread the icing sugar perfectly.
  4. ^My oven required 150 degrees C for around 45-50 minutes

Yield: 8 serves

Ingredients

  • 320g granny smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced ^1
  • 220g (1 cup) caster sugar
  • 195g plain flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice ^2
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 125g coconut oil, liquid
  • 40g blanched almonds, chopped (aka “Lucky” slivered almonds)
  • a spoon or two icing sugar for dusting ^3
  • a tub dairy-free substance (similar to double cream), to serve
Cooking Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C ^4
  2. Place the apples and one tablespoon of the sugar in a bowl and toss to combine, then set aside.
  3. Into a large bowl, sift the remaining sugar, flour, baking powder and mixed spice.
  4. Add the vanilla, almond extract, eggs and coconut oil and mix to combine. (I was successful with a whisk for this.)
  5. Fold through at least half of the apples keeping the most evenly sliced for the top!
  6. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 20cm round springform tin and spread evenly. (You may choose to line with baking paper too.)
  7. Spread the almonds over the top then lay the apple slices in your choice of pattern, or lack thereof.
  8. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes (LOL!) or until cooked when tested with a skewer. ^4
  9. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Dust with icing sugar and serve with your dairy free alternative “cream”.
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Will I make it??

Creating a list of maybes 🙂

Basically, I made ginger cupcakes with lemon frosting yesterday but managed to leave the PC without recording where I got the recipe. So, here is a preemptive strike!

  • https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/267811/green-power-muffins/
  • https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2018/03/26/vegan-chocolate-cupcakes-recipe/
  • https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/vegan_vanilla_cupcakes_62123
  •  https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/crispy-ginger-cookies.html
    • Just need to make … maybe less dough.
  • http://thedessertedgirl.com/2016/12/11/crunchy-ginger-biscuits/
    • less dough, less flavour …
  • Sweet potato: https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/mbatata-malawian-sweet-potato-cookies/
    • switch butter
    • needs raisins

And here is the list of “I have done it, but not created my edit page…

  • https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/classic-cupcakes/85286555-6ff1-40cc-a7aa-c8e63cb17933
  • https://vegandollhouse.com/recipes/vegan-chocolate-orange-cake/
  • Christmas biscuits http://www.inkatrinaskitchen.com/best-sugar-cookie-recipe-ever/
    • switch butter
    • needs almond extract
    • needs cookie tray that hasn’t been abused
    • These worked well! I made a full batch and decorated with icing below. Then made a full batch, baked half, then added ginger … now looking for a ginger biscuit recipe as this one makes SO much dough!
  • Biscuit icing https://www.tipsfromatypicalmomblog.com/2013/12/royal-icing-without-egg-whites-or.html
    • switch milk
  • http://www.findingfeasts.com.au/recipe-index/smoked-salmon-spinach-feta-quiche/
  • Not vegan or dairy free: https://chelsweets.com/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/ (9th birthday cake with coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and gel food colouring for layers – cake and icing. Needed HUGE bowl aka large stock saucepan.)