Barley&Serene

Was feeling ultra unmotivated today – yucky grey weather and just so tired!

But this afternoon got a burst of energy and started a cooking spree. Baked several things – so dont have to cook dinner for the next three nights!
Bacon & Egg Pies (one large one and several mini ones for the kids lunches), Asian Mince Filo Parcels (will serve with stir-fried veges), Pantry Pie (literally that – a pie with everything that needed to be eaten – pork, pumpkin, mustard, tomato sauce, mushrooms, peas, onions, bacon etc!!) and chicken chippees and chips for the kids for tonight.
Also baked some honey chocolate biscuits – yummo!

Have put recipes on site (check out the menu to the left).

Am utterly exhausted now – been on my feet for 3 hours cooking and doing the subsequent dishes! Will be worth it to not have to cook for the next couple of days!!

What are your great Cooking Fest tips or recipes??

Here is a fabulous meal on a budget!

500gm of mince
1 courgette/zuchinni
1 onion
1 carrot
1 egg
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs – use the crusts from the kids lunches, or the two end crusts of yesterdays loaf of bread!

Grate the onion, carrot and courgette into the mince – if your veges are big, you may need only half of each item. If this is so, you can chop and stirfry the other half for a side dish.

Add the egg and breadcrumbs. Shape into patties or meatballs and bake.

Serve the patties on burger buns with lettuce, tomato and cheese.
If you baked meatballs, pour over a tin or two of diced tomatos and shake in some dried basil. Serve over cooked noodles/pasta.

Left-over Trifle

I made this yummy dessert to use up our left overs. I had left-over baking (muffins), cooked apple (I was making baby food) and half a packet of frozen berries in the freezer that needed to be used. You could use tinned fruit or fresh slice fruit. You could use sponge or other cake instead of muffins.

Break up the muffins/cake and cover the bottom of a nice glass serving bowl.

Gently heat the berries and cooked fruit and pour some of this mixture over the sponge.

Cover with a layer of fresh custard (milk, custard powder, sugar).

Repeat layers.

Finish with a layer of custard and slice some fresh fruit on top to decorate!

What a fabulous way to use up stale cake!!!