So you’ve reached the end of a busy day, there’s still a list of emails to respond to, students and parents to follow up with, lessons to prepare, a tutorial to record and corrections to complete. For staff, this has been the general narrative this term, and for parents this experience has probably been quite similar… And now you’ve got to consider, “What on earth will I throw together for dinner tonight?” At the beginning of this pandemic, as the toilet paper disappeared from supermarkets, so too did basic staples like flour and a host of other items. Now that we’re several weeks in, we asked staff what they were doing this term with the items in their pandemic panic pantry. Read on for some comfort food favourites.
Delicious Brownies
Nicky Powell
375g soft unsalted butter (or margarine)
375g dark chocolate (I use nestle dark buttons)
6 large eggs
1tbs vanilla extract
500g caster sugar (granulated is also fine)
225 g plain flour (GF flour works well)
1tsp salt
300g walnuts (optional)
You will need a tin measuring approx 33x23x5cm I use a large heavy weight rectangular baking tin lined with baking paper (this will stick if you don’t line the pan)
Preheat the oven to 160-180 degrees or gas mark 4
Melt the butter and the chocolate in a heavy based pan stirring over a low heat to avoid burning the chocolate.
Beat in the sugar and vanilla then add the eggs and beat until combined.
Add the flour and mix well.
Pour into the pan and sprinkle the walnuts over the top if you are using them.
Bake for about 25 mins.
When it is ready the top will be paler but the middle will still be slightly gooey. Leave to cool in the pan. I often cover in foil and leave to cool overnight as they cut easier when fully cool but remember that they continue to cook while cooling so it is usually best to bring it out of the oven slightly early rather than slightly late.
No one has ever complained about them being too gooey. Gluten free flour often leads to a softer brownie.
Quick Cinnamon Rolls
Lizzie Orton
*Preheat oven to 220c
Dough:
3 Cups of self-raising flour
1 tablespoon caster sugar
80g butter
1 cup milk
Extra flour for rolling
Combine SR flour and sugar in medium bowl. Rub the butter into flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Add the milk and cut through with a knife to keep the mixture light. Roll out into a rectangle shape
Filling:
¼ cup softened butter
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
Spread butter onto the dough (use more if needed), sprinkle brown sugar on top of the butter, and then sprinkle cinnamon on top of the brown sugar.
Roll up into a log and cut into 4cm rolls.
Place into a greased rectangular pan and bake for 18-20 minutes or until they have cooked completely. Let cool for 5 minutes
Icing:
4oz butter
4oz cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream all ingredients together and top warm cinnamon buns. Enjoy! 🙂
Leftover lamb shepherd’s pie
Alison and Edwin Evans
We’ve been having many ‘paddock to plate’ experiences, using lamb, veggies, fruit and eggs from our property. The following recipe has been made a few times in the past weeks. Great for using up our freshly dug potatoes, and lamb from the freezer.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 75ml red wine
- 500g leftover slow-roast lamb, shredded
- 100ml lamb or chicken stock
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 800g floury potatoes, cubed
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 large free-range egg yolks
- 25g grated parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
Method
1. Heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then gently cook the onion, carrots, celery and garlic for 10-12 minutes until tender.
2. Add the thyme and red wine, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the leftover lamb, stock, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and tomato purée, then season. Simmer gently for 15 minutes until the mixture has reduced.
3. Put the potatoes in a large pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 12 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain, return the potatoes to the pan and mash until smooth. Beat in the butter and egg yolks, then stir through the grated parmesan.
4. Spread the lamb mixture in a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish and top with the mash. Sprinkle over a little extra parmesan and season. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden on top and bubbling.
We hope you can enjoy this recipe, too.
Cheese Souffle
Christine Duff
A lot of people think souffle is hard. This is a recipe I have made many times and it has never failed yet. I’ve altered the types of cheese over time and found that a half and half mix of parmesan and cheddar is best. I also like to add in a little of any mustard I have. I always have flour in my cupboard and it uses very little flour anyway. It’s hot and cheesy when you have virtually nothing in the cupboard but you’re too tired, it’s too wet or you can’t be bothered going out. You can put a salad with it to add your vegies. It’s also easy to make but easy to impress people with because-it’s a souffle.
Ingredients
plain flour ¼ cup(s), (35g)
skim milk 1 cup(s), (250ml)
egg(s) 3 medium, separated
reduced-fat 15% cheddar cheese 60 g, grated (forget the low fat if you want more taste and go 30 g parmesan and 30 cheddar grated)
extra light cooking cream 2 tbs (only if you want the healthy version, sometimes I leave this out)
oil spray to grease the ramekins
Butter 60 g (margarine or the butter marg mix works too)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced. Lightly spray a 3-cup (750ml) capacity round ovenproof dish with oil or four small ramekins.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. (or in a microwave) Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. (again you can do this in a microwave) Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook this mixture, stirring, for 5–6 minutes or until thickened. (you can also microwave it) Remove from heat and stir in cheese and egg yolks until combined. Stir in cream. (if you’re using it)
Using electric beaters, beat egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites, in 2 batches, through the cheese mixture. (use a knife to fold them through-you want to keep the air in the mix so DO NOT STIR)
Spoon mixture into greased ramekins and cook for 18–20 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned.
Mini Pizzas
Fiona Neal
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 multigrain muffins,
- 2 Tb tomato paste
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- 2 spring onions
- 1 mushroom
- c pineapple pieces
- ¼ Green green capsicum
- 1/4 green capsicum
- 2 tab grated cheese
- 1 slices each ham and salami
Method
Preheat oven to 180’C
Cut muffin in half and place on a foiled tray.
Spread tomato paste over base. Sprinkle herbs over.
Peel and chop spring onion. Chop, slice or dice other
ingredients how you want them and add to the pizza.
Sprinkle top with cheese.
Cook in oven for approx. 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.