Recipes From Down Under

30g (1oz) butter 1 medium onion, chopped finely 1 medium carrot, grated 2 tablespoons tomato sauce 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 450g (1lb) sausage mince 450g (1lb) ground beef 1 cup stale breadcrumbs salt and ground black pepper 3 sheets ready-rolled butter puff pastry 2 tablespoons milk NOTE: This recipe makes 18 rolls. Make "stale" breadcrumbs by processing one- or two-day-old bread. This recipe can be made a day ahead. Preheat the oven to moderately hot (200°C/180°C fan-forced). Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Heat butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion and carrot; cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until onion softens. Combine the onion mixture, tomato sauce, parsley, sausage mince, beef mince, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix well. Stand separated pastry sheets on kitchen bench for 5 minutes or until partially thawed. Place a sheet of pastry on a board, cut in half. Place one sixth of the mince mixture a

* This is a recipe I made up to take with me to a family dinner.  It was a big hit!  It is very creamy - if you like your salads to have more of a tangy flavour, I would suggest using a tangy mayonnaise instead of the one in the recipe, and I would also suggest reducing the sour cream (making up the difference with mayonnaise) or adding more vinegar.  This recipe is very versatile and can be easily changed in multiple ways to suit your tastes * 350g (12oz) uncooked pasta (I chose small shells, but you could use any kind you prefer) 1 large capsicum (bell pepper), cut in strips 600g (21oz) diced butternut pumpkin (you could try another pumpkin if you don't have butternut, but I can't guarantee it will taste as nice!) olive oil 250g (9oz) diced bacon 1 large brown onion, chopped finely Dressing: 2/3 cup creamy whole egg mayonnaise 1/3 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon vinegar 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF).  Grease a baking tray. Cook pasta al

Back at the beginning of July, I decided to try a new idea - making a menu plan for the whole month, and trying to really stick at it in an attempt to be more frugal (using ingredients on hand rather than shopping for special ingredients when they are required on impulse).  July's menu plan went  really well, so I have set up a plan for this month as well.  I thought you might find it interesting to see what we'll be eating this month...  And if you think any of these recipes sound interesting, ask and I will post them, if possible!  (The links take you to the recipes I've already posted, for your convenience). Sunday 1st - meatballs with rice and vegies Monday 2nd - tuna mornay bake Tuesday 3rd - spicy sausages, rice and vegies Wednesday 4th - roast pumpkin & capsicum pasta salad with bacon Thursday 5th - leftovers Friday 6th - slow cooker beef stew Saturday 7th - chicken fried rice Sunday 8th - pumpkin soup Monday 9th - toad in the hole Tuesday 1