Panneloni (Twist on Canneloni)

This recipe is one of my husbands favourite, it happend quite by accident that I made it this way.  It is a twist on the Italian favourite Canneloni, I didn't have the original pasta noodles so I had to improvice and it worked out so well and so tasty.  We served it with some homemade garlic bread and a fresh garden salad. 

This recipe is exctremely filling and works very well when serving a lot of people...just one warning....don't attempt the recipe is you don't have lots of time, because it does take a lot of effort with all of the preparation and the ingredients....well enjoy.

So here we go:

Printable Version

What would you need

Since I have blogged about three of the magor parts of this recipe I have added the links....they are in the order that you might want to make them and prepare before you can start with the method as I will explain now.

1.  Pancake recipe
2.  Mince recipe
3.  White sauce recipe

and now the assembly method:

1.  Take your pancake and add a good dollop of mince and then roll the pancake until you can't see the mince anymore.

2.  Now take some tomato sauce pour it at the bottom of your oven dish and spread it nice and evenly, then pour some white sauce over the tomato sauce....That is your first layer.  Now you can start putting the filled pancakes on top of the white sauce....start fitting pancakes next to each other and make a layer.

3.  When you have completed one layer pour over some white sauce and then some tomato sauce...

4.  Sprinkle some grated cheese over the tomato sauce and then start making another layer with the filled pancakes.  Depending on your oven dishes it will also depend on how many layers you have..

5.  After you have completed you last layer then cover the pancakes with white sauce and sprinkle some cheese on the top.

6.  Place in the oven at 180C and have the cheese melt and brown.

Enjoy and serve with a fresh green salad & garlic bread.

Spicy Beetroot (Make it yourself)

Cooking is one of the loves of my life and I love figuring out recipes...I love going to restaurants and then "steal" ideas on what to cook or how to make something new and exciting.  I have always loved beetroot, the sweet but yet a bit sour taste...love it love it...like everything else i wanted to make it myself, i was so nervous with my first attempt and it came out better than what we were buying in the stores...I would recommend that everyone should start making their own....Back to Basics..that is what the world is coming to...enjoy.

So what do you need:

Printable Version:

11/2 kg Beet
500ml Water
500ml Vinegar
500ml Sugar
2ml Salt
2ml Cloves
2ml Cinnamon

1.  Cut off both sides of the beetroot and then place it in a big pot.  Cover the beetroot with water as much as you need and cook until soft.

2.  Pour out the beetroot and drain the water.  What's nice about beetroot is you can just peel off the skin when it's done.  Take the same pot and now cut the beetroot into slices.  Heat up all of the ingredients into the pot and let it cook with the slices.  Let it simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Spoon the beetroot with sauce into your glass containers and seal.  Keep it refrigerated.

And enjoy, it can be served with almost anything.

Plain old Mince (Ground Beef)

Some people say cooking is an art and yes in some degree they are correct, but you should love cooking first before it becomes your art...Once again I say I love cooking and I love creating and making things my own. 

Mince is one of the things that can be used with everything, especially if you don't know what to cook, just make some mince add some curry and peas and mix with pasta and there is another quick meal.  So here is an easy and favourable way to make mince, use this for Spaghetti Bolonaise, filling for sandwiches, Cottage Pie, "Pap" & mince...there are endless possibilities....Well enjoy

So here we go:

Printable Version

What do you need

Oil
Mince (Ground Beef)
Onions
Spice & or tomato paste

1.  First you chop up your onions and then pour a little oil into your pan, add the chopped onions, braze your onions until they are nice and brown. 

2.  Add your mince to the pan, add a bit of water, just so that the mince doesn't get burned and stuck to the pan.  When it has become more loose and has gotten some brown colour.  Then you can add your spice...I always add beef spice, soya sauce, herbs and salt & pepper...doesn't matter what or how I cook the mince...

3.  In the picture below I made the mince really sauce, but then it was actually a bit to saucy so I had to add some flour to thinking the sauce of the mince for the recipe that i was using it for.  When the mince is nice and brown you are ready to use and serve....Another idea is to make some mash & sweet peas, a nice gravy then you can eat.

Enjoy.



White Sauce (Béchamel Sauce)

I use this recipe a lot in my cooking, in my pasta's, as a start off sauce for mushroom sauce, which my family loves..Now a days I make it out of my head, but in the beginning I used to use the measurements...so I have added the recipe to follow...You can pour the white sauce over veggies, add some cheese or mushrooms and you have a cheese or mushrooms sauce...

So here we go:

Printable Version

 What you need for 250ml sauce



15ml butter
25ml tablespoon flour
250ml milk


Salt and pepper


 

1.  First melt your butter in your pot.  Make sure that it’s all melted.

2.  Now you can add your flour and keep mixing it until the flour & butter makes a “paste” or in cooking terms forms a “ball” as you can see in the pictures below.                                

3.  Now pour your milk into the pan little by little and keep mixing…use a egg mixer as you can see in the picture below, the consistancy should be smooth…the milk mixture should be thicking as the heat increases.

4. As you will notice the sauce will start to thicking, if it

totally thickens as if it isn’t runny at all, add some more milk, just keep stirring and adding milk. The sauce will be smooth and without any clumps…just keep using your egg mixer.

 

Heritage Day - Braai Day

On Saturday the 24th September 2011 it is Heritage Day - Braai Day...I love braaiing, fun times to get together with friends or family, or to just enjoy a nice fun meal...

So for the weekend I thought I would list some ideas you could use on what to make, now I haven't made these lately so that i can show you pictures but I thought you could get the ideas from the collective pictures at the top, and then me just adding the recipes.  I have personally tried and made all of these recipes so trust me they are good, at a later stage I will load each one separately.

Enjoy the braai day, I know I am.

Bier Brood (Beer Bread)

This was the bread that i made myself this past weekend

Curry Noodle Salad

Potato Bake

Twist on "Braai Broodjies" (Braai Sandwiches)(Found this recipe on the Internet - seems very interesting)

Green Salad