Chocolate Vegetables

Porridge here is very simple.

I make it in these proportions.
2 parts rolled oats to 3 parts boiling water to 1 part milk
Mostly commonly I use a 2/3 cup for 1 part when there is 1 adult and 3 children eating.  I increase it to a 3/4 cup when there is an adult added (dh doesn't eat breakfast often) or when I am particularly hungry.

Method:
Put the oats into the saucepan with the boiling water and let sit until all the water is soaked into the oats.  Add the milk, stir and heat gently, stirring regularly until the oats are cooked to the consistency you like.

This topping mixture is from Jamie Oliver.  I tend to be pretty relaxed about the bottom half.  I have used fresh fruit with a little sugar, cinnamon and flour added, with a little water too.  I have also used tinned peaches with some of the juice added, although I am still to work  out how much fluid to add in each case.

For the topping:
4 ounces butter, chilled
8 ounces (225 grams) self-rising flour
2 1/2 ounces (70 grams) sugar
A large pinch salt
4 1/2 fluid ounces (130 millilitres) buttermilk
A little sugar, for dusting

Method:
Rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the sugar and salt, stir well, and then add the buttermilk to form a loose, scone-type mixture. Roll balls of the dough and place randomly over the hot fruit. Sprinkle with a little sugar, and bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.

from Dollars and Sense Cookbook by Alison Holst, published by C.J. Publishing

3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Method:
Put the rolled oats in a bowl.  Add the milk and egg and beat with a fork to mix.  Leave this mixture to soak while you get all the other ingredients.  Add the salt, sugar, sifted flour and baking powder and the melted butter and stir only until the ingredients are dampened and not until smooth.  (I have to mix until smooth, just my way, and it still works out.)

Heat a frypan until a water drop runs around its surface. (mark 5 to 6 on my electric frypan, thanks Mum!)  Lightly spray with oil and drop spoonfuls of mixture onto the hot surface.  When bubbles appear flip and cook the other side.

When done wrap in a teatowel and allow to steam.  This also keeps them hidden from little eyes until the whole batch is done.  lol

from Muffins (The Australian Women's Weekly mini series) published by ACP Publishing Pty Limited

2 ½ cups self-raising flour
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
410g can pie apples
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to moderately hot.  Grease 12 hole (1/3 cup) muffin pan.

Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in large bowl; stir in apple, then combined egg, buttermilk and oil.  Spoon mixture into prepared pan.  Bake in moderately hot oven for about 20 minutes.

Approx 11.8g fat; 1130kJ per muffin

2 cups SR Flour
2 teaspoon icing sugar
2 teaspoon butter
1 cup milk approx
jam
2 cups water approx
raw sugar

Method:
Rub the butter into the sifted icing sugar and flour.  Add milk until dough is moist but not wet.  Roll or press out into a rectangular shape about 1.5cm thick.  Spread with jam and roll up.  Place in casserole dish and pour approx 2 cups of water down side or until water is about 1.5cm deep.  Sprinkle with raw sugar and bake in moderate oven until done.  Serve immediately with custard or cream.

adapted from Family Circle Favourite Casseroles and One-Pots
(Murdoch Books, Australia)

1 Tablespoon oil
500g Chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm cubes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 medium carrots, sliced
250g potatoes, cut into 1.5cm cubes
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 bay leaves
2 onions, diced
8 baby squash, quartered (or 2 zucchini sliced into chunks)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup sour cream

Method:
1. Heat oil in a large pan and cook onion and  chicken quickly in small batches over medium-high heat until well browned.
2. Add stock, carrots, potatoes, allspice and bay leaves to pan; bring to the boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes until potato is cooked.
3. Add squash/zucchini and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Remove bay leaves.  Stir through pepper and sour cream.  Heat until cooked through, about 1 minute.  Potato disintegrates to become part of the creamy sauce.  Yumm!

Serves 4