American Apple Pie (inspired by Donna Hay)

Rummaging through the recipe book drawer, one cold Winter's afternoon I had the urge to bake something that would instantly fill my body with warmth and liven up everybody's spirits. It just so happened to be that there were endless amounts of Granny Smith apples at home and having stumbled across Donna Hay's fruit based recipe cookbook, it was decided that American Apple Pie was the way to go. This apple pie is best enjoyed straight out of the oven served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and a dollop of dulce de leche. 

            

  

American Apple Pie

Ingredients

1 quantity sweet shortcut pastry (see recipe below)
1 egg, lightly beaten
sugar for sprinkling (optional)
8 green apples (1.2kg/2lb 7oz), peeled and chopped
1 tbsp water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp almond meal


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius. 
2. To make the filling, place the apples and water in a deep frying pan over medium heat. 
3. Cover and simmer, shaking the pan occasionally, for 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and cool completely. 
4. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon.
5. Divide the pastry into two-thirds and one-third. Roll out the two-thirds portion on a lightly floured surface until 3mm (1/8 in) thick and place in a shallow 24cm (9 1/2 in) pie tin. 
6. Sprinkle over the almond meal and pack the apples tightly into the pastry shell.
7. Roll out the remaining pastry to fit over the top of the pie. Brush the rim with water, press the edges together and trim. Cut several slits (or whatever design you may prefer using a knife) in the top of the pastry, brush with the egg and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp.

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Ingredients

2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
3 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
150g (5 oz) cold butter, chopped
2-3 tbsp iced water


Method

1. Process the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. While the motor is running, add enough iced water to form a smooth dough and process until just combined.
2.  Knead the dough lightly, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

(recipe adapted from Donna Hay)

Quick and Easy: Chinese Egg Fried Rice with Veggies

Serves 3-4 people

Notes

• Chopping the veggies very fine helps in cooking faster. Sauteing the veggies in high flame gives a nice smoky flavour and also retains its crunchiness without the raw smell.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• Egg - 1
• Carrot - 2 small finely chopped
• Beans - 2 finely chopped
• Cabbage - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1/8 cup
• Spring onions (white part) - 1.5 tbsp finely chopped
• Spring onions (green part) - 1 tbsp finely chopped
• Garlic - 1/2 tbsp finely chopped
• Capsicum - 2 tbsp chopped finely
• Soya sauce - 1/2 tsp
• Green Chilli Sauce - 3/4 tsp
• Ajino motto - 1/4 tsp (optional) - I didnt use
• Pepper powder - 1.5 tsp
• Olive Oil - 2.5 tbsp
• Salt - to taste

Method

1. Rinse rice and pressure cook it with required water till rice grain is separated...Fluff it off with a fork add some olive oil, keep aside.Chop and keep all the veggies ready.Heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic and spring onions white part,fry till its starts browning.
2. Then add onions and fry till golden brown then add carrots, beans and cabbage and saute till they shrink and raw smell leaves. Add capsicum saute with the veggies for 2mins.
3. Then add soya sauce - and saute in high flame for 2mins stirring continuously. Keep in sim and then add green chilli sauce, pepper powder,ajino motto(if you are using)and required salt.Keep stirring continuously for few mins till the veggies are well blended with the sauces.
4. Then add the cooked rice and mix well.
5. Scramble the eggs in a separate pan with a tsp of oil, a drop of yellow food colouring and add it to fried rice.
6. Garnish with chopped spring onions. 

(recipe adapted from here)

Nutritious Muesli Cookies

I’ve always been a keen fan of ANZAC biscuits that you’d find in practically every pantry and household within Australia. It must be the golden crusty edge, the chewy texture of the oats all melded together with butter and the satisfying feeling you’d get upon licking the last crumb from your lips. In an attempt to use up the tonne of muesli sitting at home in the pantry and to give myself a viable excuse to be back in the kitchen without my mother’s disapproving glare, I set forth to make a delicious and healthy take on the regular oatmeal cookie and turn it into a healthy fanatic’s perfect treat for those times when one feels peckish. 

Nutritious and scrumptious muesli cookies are perfect for whenever you're feeling peckish