Slow Cooked Pulled Beef

Ingredients

1 brown onion, sliced

250ml chicken stock

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 pinch salt *to taste

1.5kg beef bolar blade, whole

Method

Place the first 9 ingredients into the slow cooker.

Add the beef and turn until it is completely coated.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Remove beef and set aside and cover to rest and keep warm.

Skim any fat from slow cooker juices and strain remaining liquid through a sieve.

Place strained liquid into a large frypan.

Set solids aside in a small bowl.

Bring liquid to the boil and gently boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened a little and reduced by half.

Shred beef using a fork and add to sauce mixture.

Add reserved solids and stir through.

Serve hot on long, crusty rolls or with creamy mashed potato topped with meat and gravy.

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

Ingredients
1 x instant pudding packet
3 cups milk
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup dried cranberries / dried blueberries / sultanas or a mix
1 tsp vanilla 

Method
In the slow cooker mix the pudding mix and milk together.
Add rice and stir to combine.
Sprinkle the dried fruit and stir to combine.
Cook in slow cooker for 3-4 hours on low until thick.
It will thicken as it cools.

Healthy coconut, pumpkin, mushroom and brie Quiche

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Roasted Pumpkin
1/2 butternut pumpkin, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sprinkle of thyme and cinnamon
Season with salt and pepper

Mushroom and red onion
1 red onion, sliced
200g mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Season with salt and pepper

Pastry

260g plain flour

145g butter, chopped

1 egg yolk

2-3 tablespoons iced water

Filling

Roasted pumpkin
Mushroom and red onion
100g brie, cubed

200g coconut milk

2 eggs

sea salt and cracked black pepper

Method:

Roasted pumpkin
To make the roasted pumpkin, after preparing the pumpkin into cubes toss the pumpkin in olive oil, cinnamon and thyme, salt and pepper and then either line a tray and cook pumpkin in 180 degrees oven for 30 minutes or put in air fryer on 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Set aside.

Mushroom and red onion
Slice red onion and mushrooms and cook in frypan for 5-10 minutes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Pastry

Place the flour and butter into the TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds/speed 6, or until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Set dial to closed lid position and add egg yolk and water.  Knead for 30 seconds/interval speed, or until the dough just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll the pastry out to 3mm thick and place into a lightly greased pie dish or tart tin. Trim the excess pastry, prick the base with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for a further 10 minutes or until light and golden. Allow to cool. .

Filling

Place mushroom and red onion on the bottom of the pie base, top with roasted pumpkin and then top with brie.

Place coconut milk, eggs, salt and pepper in bowl and mix for 15 seconds/speed 3.  Pour the coconut milk and egg mixture over the filling in the tart shell and bake in oven at 180 degrees for 40 minutes or until set.

Serve warm or cold with a simple green salad.

Apricot Slice

Ingredients:

Base

100g butter
3/4 cup (1/2 395g tin) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 tbsp lemon juice
375g plain, sweet biscuits, crushed to coarse crumbs

Icing

50g butter
3 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Method

Line a 30cm x 24cm sponge roll or baking tin with baking paper.

To make base, heat butter and condensed milk in a pot over a low heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Mix together apricots, coconut and lemon juice, then add crushed biscuits. Mix in butter and condensed milk, stirring until well combined. Press into prepared tin and refrigerate until set (about 1 hour), before icing.

To make icing, melt butter and mix to a smooth consistency with boiling water, lemon juice and icing sugar. Spread over base. Cut into slices and store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Blueberry Friand Slice

Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cups icing sugar mixture
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
150g margarine spread, melted, cooled
4 eggwhites, lightly whisked
150g frozen blueberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 3cm-deep, 16cm x 26cm slice pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at long ends.

Sift sugar, flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in almond meal and lemon rind. Make a well in centre. Add spread and eggwhite. Stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with blueberries. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Lift out onto a wire rack to cool. Cut into pieces. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

No Bake Choc Cherry Slice

Ingredients:

250g packet plain chocolate biscuits
125g butter, melted
4 cups desiccated coconut
395g can sweetened condensed milk
2 x 100g packets red glace cherries, quartered
125g copha, melted
Rose pink food colouring
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate melts, melted

Method:

Grease an 18cm x 28cm slice pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edges of pan. Place biscuits in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add butter. Process until combined. Press mixture over base of prepared pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place coconut, condensed milk, cherries and copha in a large bowl. Mix well to combine. Tint mixture with a few drops of rose pink food colouring. Mix well. Spoon mixture over prepared base. Using the back of spoon, press mixture to cover base evenly and level top. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Spread melted chocolate over top of slice. Stand for 1 hour or until set. Cut into squares. Serve.

No Bake Chocolate and Fig Slice

Ingredients:

2 x 200g pkts Nestle Plaistowe Dark Cooking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
250ml (1 cup) thickened cream
200g Arnott's Marie biscuits, coarsely chopped
1 x 375g pkt dessert figs, coarsely chopped
1 x 170g pkt craisins (dried cranberries)
125g unsalted pistachio kernels

Method:

Line a 16 x 26cm slab pan with non-stick baking paper, allowing sides to overhang.

Combine the chocolate and cream in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.

Add the biscuit, fig, craisins and pistachios to the chocolate mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon into prepared tray and use the back of a spoon the press the mixture into the pan and smooth the surface. Place in the fridge for 4-5 hours to chill or until firm. Cut into squares to serve.

Passionfruit Slice

Ingredients:

Melted butter, to grease
150g butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup self-raising flour
2 tablespoons milk
395g can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup passionfruit pulp

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. Brush a 16 x 26cm (base measurement) slab pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base and two long sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing the sides to overhang.

Using an electric beater, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg. Fold in the combined flours and milk until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Use the back of a metal spoon to spread and press evenly over the base of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Meanwhile, use a balloon whisk to whisk the condensed milk, lemon juice and passionfruit in a large jug until smooth and well combined. Pour the condensed milk mixture over the base.

Bake for 15 minutes or until firm to the touch. Set aside to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve.

Lemon Slice

Ingredients:

Base

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
100g butter
200g granita biscuits
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

Lemon icing

2 cups pure icing sugar
20g butter, softened
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method:

Grease a 3cm deep, 15.5cm x 25cm (base) slab pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edges of pan.

Place condensed milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until smooth and combined. Remove from heat.

Using a food processor, process biscuits until fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl. Add coconut and lemon rind. Stir to combine. Add hot butter mixture. Mix well to combine. Press mixture over the base of prepared pan. Cover. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours or until firm.

Make lemon icing: Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add butter and lemon juice. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and combined. Spread icing over slice. Stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or until icing has set. Cut into pieces. Serve.

Anzac Slice

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
150g butter, chopped
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 3cm-deep, 19cm x 29cm (base) slice pan with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at long ends.

Combine flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.

Place butter and syrup in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth. Combine bicarbonate of soda and boiling water in a jug. Remove butter mixture from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda mixture. Add to flour mixture. Stir to combine.

Transfer to prepared pan. Using the back of a spoon, press mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan. Cut into squares. Serve.

Mars Bar Slice

Ingredients:

50g butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
4 x 53g mars bars, finely chopped
3 cups (60g) rice bubbles
200g milk chocolate
20g copha

Method:

Grease and line the base and side of a 19 x 29cm slice pan with baking paper, allowing the sides to overhang.

Combine the butter, golden syrup and three-quarters of the mars bars in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until mars bars and butter melt and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

Place the rice bubbles and remaining mars bar in a large bowl. Add the mars bar mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Set aside for 1 hour to cool completely.

Place the chocolate and copha in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water, stir until chocolate melts. Pour chocolate over the top of the slice to evenly coat. Set aside for 30 minutes to set. Cut into squares to serve.

Marshmallow Slice

Ingredients:

1/3 cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup plain flour
150g butter, melted
2/3 cup strawberry jam

375g marshmallows
3 weet-bix, crushed

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C or 160C fan. Lightly oil an 18 x 28cm slice tin and line with non-stick baking paper, overhanging the two long sides. Combine Weet-Bix, sugar, coconut and flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.

Add melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix until evenly moistened. Tip into the prepared tin and use the back of a spoon to press into an even layer. Bake base for 25-30 mins until golden brown.

While slice base is still warm, spread with jam. Arrange the marshmallows on top and return to the oven for about 7 mins until just softened. Cool slice in the pan then cut into squares to serve.

Licorice Allsort Slice

Ingredients:

Melted butter, to grease
125g butter, chopped
160ml (2/3 cup) sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 x 250g plain sweet biscuits (such as Marie), crushed
45g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut
1 x 375g licorice allsorts, coarsely chopped
200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
30g coconut oil or copha

Method:

Brush a 19 x 29cm (base measurement) lamington pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly.

Combine the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Add the biscuits, coconut and licorice allsorts and stir until just combined. Press the mixture into the base of the prepared pan and set aside for 30 minutes to set.

Place the chocolate and copha in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Use a metal spoon to stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the slice in the pan. Place in the fridge for 1 hour to set. Cut into squares to serve.