Asian Lasagne

A great gluten-free alternative to using pasta sheets. Looks ugly, but tastes hella good.

lasagne2

Ingredients

Filling

3 large sheets of 卷粉(Juan Fen) , that can be cut up to a total of 6 layers that fit your pan

250 gm grated cheddar cheese

2 tbs of dry sprinkle parmesan cheese

1 chilli, chopped

1 red capsicum (red bell pepper), chopped

1 tomato, chopped

¾ of an onion, diced

500 gm Beef Mince

1 large clove of garlic, chopped

1 large carrot, diced into small pieces

2 large shitake mushrooms, cut into small pieces

1 tsp Italian herbs

Bechamel Sauce (adapted from Taste.com.au)

60g chopped butter

1/3 cup plain flour

4 ½ cups milk

75g cheddar cheese, finely grated

½ tsp salt

Pinch of ground nutmeg

***Makes 4 servings.***

Procedure

  1. Brown beef mince, garlic and onion together with a little cooking oil and pinch of salt (in a wok or pan).
  2. Add chopped shitake mushrooms and Italian herbs to the mixture.
  3. Cook until fragrant and beef mince is just done.
  4. Set aside to cool. (Also can be prepared the day before and just thrown into the pan to warm up when ready to make the lasagne.)
  5. Using the same wok or pan, add a small amount of cooking oil, and brown the diced onion.
  6. Add in capsicum, tomato and chilli. Cook until fragrant and the tomato has lost some of its moisture. Around 5 minutes.
  7. Mix into the beef mince mixture, ensure both mixtures are incorporated.
  8. Make béchamel sauce (white sauce) by heating milk over a medium heat and melting the butter in it. Make sure you constantly whisk the milk as you make this to stop it from burning.
  9. Stir in flour slowly, a little at a time. You will notice that it thickens.
  10. Add cheese, salt and nutmeg whilst stirring.
  11. Remove from heat once everything has incorporated.
  12. Line oven pan with foil (or not, up to you!)
  13. Start with the 卷粉 Juan Fen on the bottom, Layer in the following order: 卷粉Juanfen, Meat mixture, layer of cheddar cheese, sprinkle Italian herbs.
  14. Repeat layers until ingredients run out. The top layer should be 卷粉 Juan Fen

    lasagne1
    The top layer is 卷粉 Juan Fen
  15. Top with shredded cheese, parmesan cheese and Italian herbs.
  16. Bake in oven at 180C for 30 minutes, or until top is brown and crispy.

Use a scoop or label to serve. Enjoy with garlic bread and/or salad.

Dark Sugar Cookies

These amazingly simple brown sugar cookies are quite decadent and rich. Using dark cocoa powder and brown sugar, it ensures the cookies are rich, yet not overly sweet. They go really well with a cup of tea or coffee.

Dark Sugar Cookies
Dark Sugar Cookies
Just out of the oven on waxed baking paper
Just out of the oven on waxed baking paper
Beautiful cracking that gives the cookies a home-baked feel
Beautiful cracking that gives the cookies a home-baked feel

Made these recently and they turned out really well!

Original recipe from: averiecooks.com , modified by angelxling

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup of softened butter

3/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

1 large egg

1 tbs of vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups plain, all purpose flour

1/2 cup dark cocoa powder

1 tsp cornstarch

3/4 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt (I did not use this)

***Makes 12 – 15 cookies, depending on size.***

 

Procedure

1. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or electric hand mixer), combine butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed. Approximately 5 – 7 minutes until light and fluffy.

2. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined (approx 1 – 2 min).

3. Make tablespoon sized balls and place on a plate. Flatten mounds slightly and cover with plastic wrap.

4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days before baking. (Baking the warm dough will result in thinner, flatter, spread out cookies)

5. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line two baking trays with baking paper or spray with cooking oil.

6. Place cookies onto the baking trays, spaced 4 cm apart (they will not spread too much).

7. Bake for 8 – 9 minutes, or until the edges have set and the tops are just setting. Rotate the trays at the 4 minute mark. Do not bake the cookies any longer than 10 minutes, as they will become hard, crumbly and crunchy. I look for the slight cracking of the edges.

8. Allow cookies to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool further.

 

Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Yummy for your tummy. Enjoy!

 

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

These yummy fragrant cookies are perfect for peanut butter lovers. You can also substitute M&Ms or chocolate chips instead of the peanut butter chips.

Also, see below for flour to self-raising flour substitute.

Peanut Butter CHip Cookies
Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Just baked, out of oven, hardening for 5 minutes. (approx 18)
Just baked, out of oven, hardening for 5 minutes. (approx 18)

Ingredients

150g softened butter (I used between 100 – 150 so that they were less buttery)

1 cup white sugar ( I went with slightly under a cup so that they weren’t too sweet)

1 egg

2 1/2 cups self-raising flour (see below for flour substitute)

400g ( 1 large packet) Peanut Butter Chips (I used Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips, but chocolate chips or M&Ms may also be used)

*** Makes approx 15 – 20 cookies ***

**** Flour – Self-raising flour substitute. I didn’t have any self-raising flour, so I added 2 teaspoons of baking powder to each cup of flour used ****

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper.

2. In a large glass/metal mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.

3. Add egg and stir until runny.

4. Add self-raising flour and mix with your hands (If mixture is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour and mix until soft dough forms).

5. Using a tablespoon, scoop dough and roll, place on baking trays.

6. Cookies can be gently pressed down to flatten slightly.

7. Press 5+ peanut butter chips into each cookie.

8. Bake for 10 – 15 mins or until golden brown. You can rotate trays at the 5 – 6 minute mark for even baking.

9. Remove from oven and leave for 5 minutes to harden.

10. Transfer to cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes.

Keeps for 1 week in an airtight container once baked. Unbaked dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

See below photo for M&M alternative. Enjoy!

M&M cookies!
M&M cookies!

Red Ramen Salad

Decided to try love4cre8ivity (on Instagram) recipe for Ramen Salad. Here it is, with my modifications!

Red Ramen Salad
Red Ramen Salad

Salad Ingredients

1 medium (head) cabbage – chopped OR 2 bags of shredded cabbage (I used red cabbage this time)

1 bunch spring onions – chopped

3 large chicken breasts – cooked (steamed) and shredded

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

1/2 cup toasted crushed almonds

2 packs of oriental flavoured ramen (instant) noodles – uncooked and broken up

Dressing Ingredients

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 flavour packets (from Ramen noodles)

Procedure

1. Mix all salad ingredients together.

2. Mix dressing ingredients together.

3. Pour dressing over salad.

4. Let the salad sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving.

** Serve hot or cold **

Ate the ‘left overs’ the following day. Decided to heat it up in the microwave for about 2 minutes as there was chicken in it. My biology brain told me that eating chicken cold is not the best idea. I think it tasted even better the following day! I really loved the toasted sesame flavour. Super delicious!

Enjoy! Please let me know if you try this and how it turned out!