Manda's Menus

It's been a while.  Lots happening and I've been doing the "What Women Want" segment on ABC Regional Drive rather than the old cooking show.  But I made this last night, and I thought it was worth a mention on here. INGREDIENTS: Lemon Garlic Chicken Steaks - if you live in the Bunbury area then go to Pete's Chop Shop in Treendale. Macaroni pasta - as much as for the number you are feeding Frozen stir fry vege 1 tub of Black Swan Skinny Spicy Capsicum dip 1/2 tub Harvey Cheese Marinated Feta METHOD: You can grill or BBQ the steaks, but I actually did these on an oven sheet with some non-stick paper the day before as I didn't know how many I was feeding for lunch that day.  Turned out the home made pizza was enough.  So these were left over. In a big bowl I mixed the feta, the dip and the chicken and the veg (still frozen) while the pasta boiled.  Once that was cooked, I drained it, popped it into the bowl and mixed it all toge...

Another old classic that sounds like it's hard to make, or that people had in restaurants. It is in fact one of the simplest and tastiest to prepare so here goes. INGREDIENTS Thin steaks, so thin porterhouse, veal, rump are all great. Often good butchers will have 'minute steak' that they have already put through a mallet and thinned down. Butter approx 50gm Salt Pepper Worcestershire sauce Cream - Try the low fat cooking creams available as they are perfect for this Minced garlic METHOD I haven't been precise with measurements with this recipe as so much depends on quantity and also taste. Don't put a lot of garlic on if you don't like it, or don't put salt on if you don't use it. Using a teaspoon, put 1/2 - 1 tsp depending on taste of minced garlic on a steak and spread with the back of the spoon. Grind pepper and salt to taste over that and press in. A good heavy based skillet is perfect for this. Get the butter to a bubbly lev...

Now the traditional method for a Beef Stroganoff requires hours to slow cook and prepare this dish. The flavours will be a bit tangier, but just as great if you do it quick smart in a wok. So welcome to the quickest Stroganoff in the West. INGREDIENTS: Stir Fry Beef Strips available from good butcher or supermarket large spoon of plain flour and a plastic bag Olive Oil - remember the good stuff 1 Onion sliced thinly into strips 1 small punnet or about 12 small mushrooms.  Be adventurous and try some of the great gourmet varieties 3 rashers of bacon sliced roughly. 1 300ml tub of sour cream 1 dessertspoonful of crushed garlic 1 dessertspoonful of paprika powder 1 beef stock cube 1 dessertspoonful of Worcestershire sauce Cracked Pepper METHOD: Use a wok or heavy based pan for this as it needs to be hot to get this sizzling quickly. Place flour in plastic bag and add beef strips.  Hold the top tightly and shake it til the strips are covered. They will ...

When people talk about thick soup, they talk about Pea Soup. In the Goldfields when heavy rain strikes, the result is more like Pumpkin Soup!  That thick red dirt mixes with the heavy rain and the result is rich orange coloured liquid. It flows more like lava than water and has a strength many just don't realise. Cars get washed off roads, roads get closed and for basically it's just not for the feint hearted.  But the locals and those with red dirt in their veins love it. So here's my homesick Pumpkin soup dedicated to that thick red water body that only appears for a few days of the year called Gribble Creek in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. INGREDIENTS: 1 whole butternut pumpkin 3 potatoes 3 onions Water - not red just normal from the tap 3 chicken stock cubes 1 x 300ml tub of thickened cream. METHOD: Peel, de-seed and chop the pumpkin into smallish pieces - the smaller they are the quicker it will cook. Chop potatoes into similar size p...

Sometimes the best and quickest meals need to be thought of today when you know you will be busy tomorrow. This is one of those. So for those looking for divine inspiration for a quickie tonight, this may not be the best recipe for you. But if you know that Friday night drinks at work are going to mean take away on the way home because you won't get there in time to cook a nice home made dinner, this is spot on. 1 x500 gram bag of dried bortolotti beans. Dried beans are in the supermarket and are really cheap 1 x 400gram can of tomatoes. Save time and buy the ones with garlic, basil and all those yummy spices already in there. 300 gram pack of bacon. Again, if you don't like bacon, use less, if you love it use more. 1 cup of red wine Extras Now this is where you get creative. Cheese Mushrooms Fried onions Leftover cooked sausage, or steak or roast meat Leftover baked vegetables METHOD Tonight : Place beans in  by large bowl and cover with cold water, plus some...

For some this may be one of those "Nanna" recipes that they remember from their childhood, possibly liked, possibly didn't. But it is an old faithful and so many ways to eat it, as well as so many ways to make it your own too. Hot they are great with mashed potato, pasta, rice, salad. Try them as an extra for a BBQ when the grill is full but you need some extra food.  Cold, they make great lunch box or crib snacks too. Even as hors d'oevres at a party as you can slice them up into segments and serve on a salad platter or with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. INGREDIENTS: 6 Fresh hard boiled eggs, cooled and shelled 300gm sausage mince from the butcher or supermarket 1 egg 1 cup bread crumbs Spices and extra options (not all at once!  Just a few ideas to throw in the mix) 1 dessertspoonful each of paprika and crushed garlic 1 packet of chicken noodle soup 1 tablespoon of satay sauce 1 dessertspoonful each of tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce with a spr...

Manda's Menus: Williams Seafood Salad for Christmas : A seafood salad is always lovely, and especially at Christmas as it takes 10 minutes to prepare and everybody loves it.