Curried Pea Soup

500g frozen peas

hot water

60g butter

2 tablespoons flour

3 chicken stock cubes

1 litre (4 cups) water

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 cup milk

salt, pepper

Cover peas with hot water, bring to boil, boil until tender. Drain. Push through a fine sieve or puree in electric blender.

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour, mix well. Cook over low heat 2 minutes. Remove from heat, gradually add chicken stock (made with stock cubes and water). Return to heat, simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir pureed peas, curry powder, and milk into sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, stirring, reduce heat, simmer 2 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8

Old Fashioned Curried Sausages.

12 thick beef sausages (1.8kg)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium brown onions (300g), sliced thinly

2 tablespoons mild curry powder

400g (141/2 ounces) canned diced tomatoes

1 cup (250 ml) beef stock

1 cup(250ml) water

4 medium potatoes (800f), unpeeled, cut into thick wedges

1 cup (120g) frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup (80g) sultanas

1. Place sausages in large saucepan, add enough cold water to cover sausages, bring to boil. Boil, uncovered, 2 minutes, drain.

2. Heat oil in same pan, cook onion, stirring until softened. Add curry powder, cook stirring until fragrant. Remove from heat, stir in undrained tomatoes, stock and the water.

3. Place potatoes in 4.5 litre (18 cup) slow cooker, top with sausages and onion mixture. Cook covered on low for 8 hours.

4. Stir in peas and sultanas. Season to taste.

Beautiful Tomato Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

750g fresh ripe tomatoes

1 x 400g tin tomatoes

1 litre chicken stock

1 cup water

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.

2. Saute onion, carrot and garlic for 5 minutes.

3. Add sliced, unpeeled tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes,

chicken stock and water.

4. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

6. Puree and season to taste.

To serve, drizzle extra olive oil over soup if desired and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, or add a dollop of sour cream.

Boiled Fruit Cake

Place in a saucepan the following ingredients:

1 cup sugar

500g mixed fruit or sultanas

1 tin crushed pineapple

1 tspn bicarb

1 tspn mixed spice

125g butter

Boil for 3 minutes and cool.

Then add and mix well:

1 cup S.R. floiur

1 cup plain flour

2 eggs

Bake in moderate oven 375F for 1 1/2 hours.

Outside Hint For Pot Plants!

When potting plants place a rectangle of shade cloth over the drainage hole to prevent soil washing out during watering.

Sweet Impossible Pie.

4 eggs

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup plain flour

2 cups milk

1 cup sugar

1 cup coconut

2 tspns vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl or blend together in blender for a few minutes until will mixed.

Pour into well greased pie plate or 23 cm pyrex dish.

Bake at 180C for 1 hour or until centre is firm.

Savoury Impossible Pie.

3 eggs

1/2 cup SR flour

salt and pepper

1 cup milk (or half milk and half cream)

60g melted butter

Add any of the following: chopped bacon, onion, celery, apple, walnuts, mayonnaise, mushrooms, tomato, corn, asparagus, salami, salmon, parsley, or whatever you like.

Mix all the ingredients together with a fork.

Pour into a greased pie dish (you can melt the butter in the pie dish before adding to ingredients).

Top with two cups of grated cheese and bake in oven (180C) until firm.

Creamy Chicken.

1 chicken

1 stick celery

2 onions

3 rashers bacon

2 carrots (sliced diagonally)

Mushrooms (sliced chunky)

Cook chicken.

Saute union and bacon in 2 tlbs oil.

When transparent add carrots, celery and mushrooms. Saute for about 10 mins.

Place chicken in casserole then add onion etc.

In pan drippings, mix 2 tlbs flour. Take from heat and add 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup water.

Bring to boil, then add....

2 tlbs tomato sauce

1 tlbs worcestershire sauce

2 chicken stock cubes

1/2 tsp mixed herbs

1 tsp mustard

150-200mls cream

Bake in moderate oven until tender (about 30 mins)

Add more milk or water if needed.

Heavenly Tuna.

2 tlbs butter

2 tlbs flour

1 tspn dry mustard

1 tspn curry

salt, pepper

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tlbs lemon juice

425g tuna

2 hard boiled eggs

2 tlbs chopped parsley

45g pkt potato chips

Melt butter, add flour, mustard, curry, salt & pepper.

Stir over low heat one minute.

Gradually add milk - stir until boils & thickens.

Remove from heat, add lemon juice, drained tuna, chopped eggs, parsley, 1/2 the chips. Mix well.

Spoon into greased casserole dish. Sprinkle top with chips.

Bake 20-25 minutes.

Decorate with extra parsley.

Serves 2 adults & 2 children.

Porcupines

This is a family favourite from way back...comfort food for a cold night!

500g minced beef

1/2 cup soft white breadcrumbs

Pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 green capsicum, chopped finely

1 egg, beaten lightly

1/2 cup rice

125g can tomato soup

1/2 cup water

Combine minced beef, breadcrumbs, salt, paprika and green capsicum with beaten egg. Roll lightly into balls. Press into flat cakes, then roll in rice.

Heat soup and water in a heavy-based saucepan. Add meat cakes, cover and simmer gently for 30-45 minutes. Serve with peas, if desired.

Cooking time: 45minutes

Serves:4-6 (Hardly) I double this recipe to feed the family.