Home made Woolwash

I have made this wool wash, rather than buying it, and it works brilliantly. It leaves the woollens really soft and smelling lovely, and I also use it when I am wanting to freshen up sheets and doonas etc, and for sterilising these items while they wash. It's also great for towels. I have had this 1st batch for at least 6 months, and I freshened it up a week or so ago by adding some hot water to it, as it hard hardened up and was becoming hard to scoop out. It is now really good again, and should last many more uses before I need to make any more. This is the recipe:


Home Made Wool Wash

200ml methylated spirits
300g lux pure soap flakes or grated laundry soap
100ml eucalyptus oil

Mix all ingredients and store in a wide necked jar.

Use 1- 2 tablespoons per wash.  Mix with hot water and then add to warm wash.

Shepherds Pie

1 Quantity cooked roast meat - beef or lamb - minced up in food processor ( I usually buy about a 2 kilo roast and slice up enough for our roast meal, and use the rest the next day for this recipe, I would estimate about 400- 500g meat.

I onion chopped finely in food processor
1 large carrot chopped finely in food processor
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup grated cheese

5 medium sized potatoes - I like to use a mix of potoatoes, pumpkin and sweet potato which I estimate up to about the same quantity as 5 potatoes.

Boil potatoes and mash and put aside.
Combine all other ingredients except cheese, and place into a greased pie dish. Cover in mashed potato. Sprinkle grated cheese over top.
Bake at 180 deg until golden, approx 30 - 40 mins.

Cheesy tuna pasta bake

My own recipe for a lovely easy meal for a nice quick dinner. Yummy and tasty, serves 4 with leftovers for lunches the next day - yum!

Ingredients

1 Large tin tuna

2 cups dried pasta ( I used penne, but any type will do)

1 onion - chopped finely

1/2 capsicum - chopped finely

1 1/2 cups grated tasty cheese - parmesan would be good

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk extra

Method

Cook pasta according to directions, until just al dente and set aside.

Melt butter in saucepan, take off heat and stir in flour. Add milk and cheese, return to heat and stir until thickened.

Remove from heat, add pasta and all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Scoop into casserole dish, sprinkle with a little extra grated cheese, and bake 180 degrees for about 40 mins or until nice and golden and bubbly. Serve with a lovely salad or vegies.

Spaghetti Bolognaise

It has taken me many years to get the perfect bolognaise sauce, and I have finally done it. Everyone loves this recipe, and it is a great, filling, family favourite. It is lovely and saucy, with no watery bits.

Ingredients

500g mince

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves or 2 tspn garlic

1 cup chopped button mushrooms

1 tspn beef stock powder

1 tspn mixed herbs

1 tin diced tomatoes

1 tin tomato soup

Method:

Brown mince, drain off excess liquid. Add onion and garlic and fry off for a couple of minutes. Add all other ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes over a low heat with the lid on.  Serve over pasta of your choice.

Pumpkin Soup

I wanted to use up some of the many pumpkins I have stored at the moment, so pumpkin soup was on the cards - yum.

Ingredients

1 pumpkin cut and peeled

1 onion diced

2 stalks celery sliced

1 capsicum diced

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes peeled and diced

1 rasher bacon

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons flour

6 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup cream

Method

Melt butter, add vegetables and bacon and saute for 5 minutes. Leave lid on to sweat vegetables, but stir occasionally. 

Add flour and mix until combined,

 








then add chicken stock, and stir occasionally until boiling. Slow boil until vegetables are soft and mushy.

Remove from heat. Mash first with a potato masher, and then pulp up with a hand blender. Add half cup cream and stir, then serve. Serve with home made bread and butter.

Condensed Milk

This is exactly the same as the bought tinned stuff - yummo - and a fraction of the cost.

1 cup hot water

2 cups sugar

2 cups powdered milk - skim or fullcream is fine

3 tsp butter

Place sugar in a blender and dissolve with the hot water. Add other ingredients and mix for approx 2 minutes - that's it...easy.

Keep refrigerated. This makes the equivalent to 2 tins and can be used in any recipe that calls for it.

Deb's Sausage Hotpot

This is my original recipe, and tastes yummy. Much better than plain old snags.

8 Sausages - chopped into approx 1 in pieces

1 Chorizo sausage - chopped into 1cm pieces

1 onion - chopped

1/2 capsicum - chopped

2 stalks celery - sliced

2 tspn garlic

1 tin tomato soup

1 tin chopped tomatoes

Fry sausage and chorizo until browned, add onion and garlic, and fry off lightly, add all other ingredients and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste.