Tomatoes, Pumpkin & Cheese

I had a massive craving for Macaroni Cheese tonight, it is one of my favourites and definitely requested a few times for my birthday dinner as a kid... It was so yummy, and I added a bit of mozzarella to make it a bit stringy, such a good comfort food.


The tomato plants that I planted at the end of spring last year, are still blossoming away and I can't believe it - all this fruit and the plants are looking very ill. I made a basic pasta sauce a few weeks ago from Margaret Fulton's Encyclopaedia of Food & Cookery, I turned it into bolognese and have never had a sauce taste so fresh! I've picked lots of tomatoes tonight and might have to make something new with them... 


I'm setting myself a new dessert to accomplish - Pam Orr's Double Layer Pumpkin Pie! I haven't had it in years and must give it a go. 


Mum's Macaroni Cheese


2 cups Dry Macaroni
1 Packet Cream of Chicken Continental Soup
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
4 tablespoons plain flour
3 cups Milk
2 teaspoons butter
2 1/2 cups tasy cheese


Put dry soup mix and flour into a jug, and blend with milk til smooth, then add rest of milk and butter. 


While making the sauce, cook the macaroni. 


Put the sauce in the microwave for 2mins at a time, stirring in between until thick.


Grease an oven proof dish, add cheese, sauce and the cooked macaroni. 


Cook in oven on 180 degrees for 45mins - 60mins.


I'm thinking next time about adding some vegies to it and turning into a pasta & vegie bake.... maybe... 

How to make self-raising flour:

One thing I was taught that I use regularly, is how to make self-raising flour, it is quite useful if you don't have self-raising flour. 


Just remember that for every half cup of plain flour, add 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Pikelets

I'm a huge fan of pikelets and pancakes, this recipe is really easy and if you want to thin it out, just add more milk. 


Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour

2 tablespoons caster sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

¾ cup milk

Method

Combine flour and sugar in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in egg and milk to make a thick, smooth batter.

Drop dessertspoons of mixture into a greased heavy-base pan. Cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the pikelet. Turn and brown other side.

I always use my electric frypan as it has great temperature control. The first is always the test one! :)

First things first...

I have already put a little description up the top on a little about me but I thought I would elaborate... 


I'm 23 years old and I grew up in a family that appreciated wonderful food, though I hated drying the dishes - let alone thinking about cooking.. the most I ever made was scones or the occasional chocolate cake... Unless Dad was in the mood to help me make hedgehog! Mmmm.. yum. Actually, I used to do good ol' frozen pies & chips in the oven for Sunday night tea!


This blog is for all those people out there who like the idea of cooking but aren't sure where to start. I literally had no idea but had to drop the fear of making a 'dud', especially after the day I stuffed up toast. Pete will not let me live that down!


Thanks to Pete, my Mum, my sisters Jane & Sara, Aunty Jane, Grandma & Grandpa and Tricia for inspiring me to learn how to cook.