Cheats Ice-Cream

 I feel I have neglected this space a little, I'm sorry.

I have been blogging daily for blogtoberfest on my other blog and, can I tell you? it's a just a little bit time consuming. In truth I haven't been cooking that much either, I have been fighting off (not so successfully) the dreaded flu. Mealtimes over the last couple of weeks have been very simple fare.

But today I wanted to get in and cook with strawberries before the season ends. We are lucky to have strawberry farms all around us and for the moment, the prices are still good. I have made jam (oh the smell of it) and this ice-cream.



I used to make this ice-cream all of the time, it is so easy to whip up. I have also made it before with passion fruit and once with fresh peaches. I hadn't made it for years. It has been given the thumbs up by the kids, so I think I will be making it quite a few more times this summer.

You should strain the strawberries, but I never do, basically because I'm lazy, but you can if you want.

Strawberry Ice-Cream 

makes 1.5 litres of ice-cream

• 600 grams thickened cream
• 1 x 400 gram tin condensed milk
• 250 grams strawberries (pureed)

Put the cream and condensed milk in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until thick and soft peaks have formed. Fold through the strawberry puree and mix well. Pour into a container and freeze overnight. 

Remove from the freezer about 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Passionfruit Ice-cream

• if you want to make passionfruit ice-cream, add the pulp of 5 passionfruits instead of the pureed strawberries.

I'd love to know what flavours you might make from this recipe.

Enjoy!

Lamb and Eggplant Casserole

Before the warmer weather returns again, I thought I would share this recipe with you. It was one of the recipes I cooked up last week (for the freezer) and one that I made a couple of times over the winter.

As with most casseroles, it is simple and delicious.

Lamb and Eggplant Casserole

serves 4

• 1 kilogram lamb - leg or shoulder (cut into 5cm pieces)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 onions (cut into wedges)
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 eggplant (cut into 5cm pieces)
• 1 large red capsicum (cut into 5cm pieces)
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• salt and pepper
• 1 sprig parsley

to serve

• 1 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped)

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Heat the oil in a heavy based casserole dish and brown the lamb in two batches. Set the lamb aside and add the onions to the pan. Cook for two minutes and then add the tomato paste. Cook for one minute and return the lamb to the pan. Add the eggplant, capsicum and stock. Season to taste. Stir well to combine and bring to the boil. Cover and put into the oven for 1 1/2 hours. After this time, remove the lid and return to the oven for another 30 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to the desired consistency. Serve, sprinkled with parsley.

I usually like to serve this with mashed potatoes and green beans, but rice or polenta would probably also be good.

This was adapted from a recipe in "Australian Table" magazine

Comfort food

If you have been reading my other blog, you would know that we arrived home from our holidays almost a week ago. Over at Monkeemoomoo, I have joined up for Blogtoberfest, which means I have been busy blogging daily and therefore I have been neglecting this space.

But I have been cooking. On the very day that we arrived home, my large garage freezer broke down and two days later my indoor fridge/freezer broke down. (lets not even mention the dvd player and the vacuum cleaner!!)

So, although I was hoping for a quiet week, with minimal cooking, I let the meat continue to defrost and then spent a couple of days cooking like there was no tomorrow. I have made: two different lamb curries, two different chicken curries, a lamb and eggplant casserole, a duck ragu, braised chinese spare ribs, three large tubs of bolognese sauce and roasted a chicken that was then used in a couple of different chicken salads.

Some tasted good and I will share the recipes later in the week, while others are just so so.

Speaking of things tasting good, I forgot to mention that after three full days of driving, the kids and I arrived home to find that my husband had cooked us up a treat.  He had made this delicious Beef and Guinness Pie (half the cheese) for dinner, served with greens and 'to die for' mashed potatoes, then chocolate mousse for dessert.

Honestly it was one of the best meals I had ever eaten. It was good to be home. The perfect comfort food.