Foodstuffs Library

Crispy Potato Skins with Salsa Dip

2009-07-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

Recipe from taste.com.au...

Crispy Potato Skins with Salsa Dip

Ingredients (serves 4)

* 4 large (about 1kg) sebago potatoes, scrubbed
* Olive oil spray
* 1/2 cup (50g) grated cheddar
* Mild tomato salsa, or a dip of your choice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the potatoes on the shelf in the oven and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours or until tender. Set aside to cool slightly before handling.

2. Cut the potatoes in half lengthways. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the soft potato flesh, leaving some close to the skin. Cut each piece into 2 or 3 pieces lengthways.

3. Line a baking tray with nonstick baking paper. Place the potato skins on the baking tray and spray generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with cheddar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until skins are golden and crispy. Serve with the salsa or dip.

Lazy Lasagne...

2009-07-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

Recipe from taste.com.au...

Lazy Lasagne

Ingredients (serves 4)

* 7 tomatoes, chopped
* 300g fresh lasagne sheets
* 2 x 100g packets Primo Low Salt 97% Fat Free Shaved Leg Ham, chopped
* 1 zucchini, grated
* 1 1/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
* 1 cup purchased fresh creamy bechamel sauce

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a 6cm deep, 17cm x 27cm (base) ovenproof baking dish.

2. Spread one-third of the chopped tomatoes over base of prepared dish. Cover with a layer of pasta, trimming if necessary. Sprinkle with half the ham, half the zucchini, half the remaining tomatoes and one-third of the grated cheese. Cover with another layer of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining ham, zucchini, tomatoes and half the remaining cheese. Top with remaining pasta.

3. Spread bechamel sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden and pasta is tender. Stand for 10 minutes. Serve.

Chicken and Cheese Pasta Bake

2009-07-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

Chicken recipe from taste.com.au...

Chicken and Cheese Pasta Bake

Ingredients (serves 4)

--> 1 x Basic roast chicken ingredients (see related recipe)
--> 400g dried tortiglioni or rigatoni pasta
--> 1 tablespoon olive oil
--> 2 garlic cloves, crushed
--> 1 small red onion, finely chopped
--> 500g jar tomato pasta sauce
--> 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
--> 100g baby spinach leaves

Method

1. Follow steps 1 to 3 of Basic roast chicken recipe. Remove skin and meat from chicken. Discard skin and bones. Roughly chop flesh.

2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions, until just tender. Drain. Return to saucepan.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until tender. Add onion mixture, pasta sauce, chicken, 3/4 cup cheese and spinach to hot pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently until well combined.

4. Spoon pasta mixture into a 7cm deep, 24cm x 19cm (base) baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and heated through. Serve.

Banana Split

2009-07-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

A quick recipe from taste.com.au

Banana Split

Ingredients (serves 1)

--> 1 banana, peeled, cut lengthways
--> 2 scoops vanilla ice-cream
--> 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce (see related recipe)
--> 3 pecans, chopped

Method

1. Place banana slices on a plate. Top with scoops of ice-cream.

2. Drizzle with chocolate sauce. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve.

Cooking...!

2009-07-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

Cooking

The term "cooking" encompasses a vast range of methods, tools and combinations of ingredients to improve the flavor or digestibility of food. Cooking technique, known as culinary art, generally requires the selection, measurement and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure in an effort to achieve the desired result.

Cooking requires applying heat to a food which usually, though not always, chemically transforms it, thus changing its flavor, texture, appearance, and nutritional properties.

Some of the many cooking equipments being used in cooking are:

Ovens --> can be used for baking or roasting and offer a dry-heat cooking method

Cook-tops --> used to heat vessels placed on top of the heat source, such as a sauté pan, sauce pot, frying pan, pressure cooker, etc.

Grills --> operates with a radiant heat source from below (wood, liquid propane or charcoal), usually covered with a metal grid and sometimes a cover.

What is a Food...?

2009-07-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

Foods

Food is any substance that can be eaten or drunk by an animal or human for nutrition or pleasure. It is one of the physiological needs of our body that is very crucial for our survival here on the planet.

It is traditionally obtained through farming, ranching, fishing, and other methods. Some food can be eaten raw and some undergo some form of preparation for reasons of safety, palatability, or flavor.