Chocolate Fruit & Nut Flan

This I have made on an off for quite a while, it is always popular, and once you have one piece you will go back for more.
It is not hard to make. So try it and people will think you are a fantastic cook.
Pastry:
45g Marg
30g Castor Sugar
1 sml egg
1/3 cup S.R. Flour
1/2 cup Plain Flour
pinch Salt

Filling:
I do this first and let the fruit soak while I get everything else ready.
120g Dried Fruit Medely
grated Orange Rind
1 tbsp Brandy

Topping
2 eggs
90g Marg
3/4 cup castor Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 cup Plain Flour
1 cup small choc Bits
1 1/4 cups chopped Pecans or walnuts

Pastry:
Beat together marg ans sugar only until it is combined.
Add egg and beat lightly, add flours and salt sifted together and mix with a knife then use hands to combine into a ball.
knead lightly on a floured surface until smooth and roll out on a piece of greaseproof to fit a greased 20cm x 4cm fluted dish.
Place in the fridge for 30 mins. Then trim to fit dish.
For filling:
spoon fruit mix over the base of the pastry.
Topping:
Combine eggs, sugar, melted marg, vanilla and flour and beat until mixed. Stir in choc bits and nuts and stir until combined,
spoon over the fruit and bake at 160C for 45-50 mins.
Decorate with whipped cream and serve.

Hope you enjoy this one. I made it when we went out to dinner the other night and folks really liked it.

Beef Stew with Dumplings
This is one of the Childrens favourites, I watch for the meat to be on special and freeze it till needed.
I sometimes buy a piece of Topside roast and cut it up as it is often cheaper than the sliced stuff.

1.5kg Gravy Beef or blade or topside cut to 25mm pieces
1 large Onion diced
2 carrots peeled and chopped
1 parsnip peeled and chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 dsp Beef stock powder
2/3 cup Gravy powder

Dumplings
6 heaped Tbsp SR flour
1 tbsp cooking Marg
Salt & Pepper
Milk



Put meat. vegetables, canned tomatoes and beef stock in crockpot (mine has a removable bowl), I do this at night and then put it in the crockpot in the morning. Let it cook on low all day. Blend gravy powder with enough water to make a paste and add to meat to thicken(it thickens as it heats).
To make dumplings:
Sift flour then chop butter in chunks and rub it in to the flour and some salt and pepper. Then use enough milk to make a sticky dough. Place chunks on top of stew (which has been thickened) and put the removable bowl in microwave for 4 mins with the lid on.
Then put it back in the crockpot base until needed.
Leftovers Freeze ok, or you can freeze meat and veg and make fresh dumpling when required or If only meat is left I make single serve pies.

This is one No2 Sons favourite meals, and it freezes well. this recipe makes 2 loaves I wrap the leftover one in foil and freeze and he takes it back to Brisbane and defrosts and heats in the foil in the oven. His House mates dont get to share this one.
Glazed Meat Loaf
500 g Mince
500 g Sausage Meat
1 onion
1 tbsp Mustard (prepared)
1 tbsp Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 sticks celery
Combine mince, sausage meat, finely chopped onion, lightly beaten eggs, worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, finely chopped celery
and breadcrumbs. Shape into a loaf, and place in a greased baking dish, and bake in a moderate oven for 35-40 mins.
Turn once and baste frequently with pan juices.
Sauce
1 tbsp Plain Flour
470 g can Tomato Soup
1 tsp Beef Stock
3/4 cup Water
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
Remove loaf from pan and place in a heatproof dish and keep warm in oven
Pour off excess fat from baking dish and add flour, cook until lightly browned.
Add remaining ingredients, stir until sauce boils, reduce heat, simmer for 2 mins, return meatloaf to baking dish.
Reduce heat and baste often for another 15 mins.

Chunky Beef and Noodle Soup
This is one of my favourite Soups,it is not a thin soup,it is quite filling you can have soup and a toasted sandwich and it is quite filling.

500 g Topside or blade steak
1 carrot
2 onions
2 sticks celery
1/2 cup small noodles
2 heaped tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
8 cups water
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
4 tsp Beef stock Powder
salt & pepper
Peel and chop onions, carrots and celery, cut meat into 1 inch cubes. Brown meat and add vegetables, stir in flour and add water,
tomato paste, soy sauce and stock and stir until boiling.Cover and simmer for 1 hour Add noodles and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 15 mins.
I use my crock pot instead and so once I have added all ingredients except noodles I put it in the crockpot on slow and let it cook for the day.
then add the noodles and salt and pepper and it is ready for dinner.

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce
This would have to be one of the favourites at our house and it is not hard to make.

approx 1/4 of a med size Cauliflower cut into florets then steam till it is just tender (do not overcook)
60g cooking marg
2 tbsp plain flour
1 1/2 cups milk (I use low fat milk)
1/2 cup low fat grated cheese

Cook cauliflower and drain then place in heatproof casserole
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat and add flour (all butter should be absorbed by flour so you may need a little more flour)
slowly add milk until it is smooth stirring continuously( I use my mini whisk to do this), continue to add milk stirring as it thickens )I add milk until it is a smooth) then add the grated cheese. (you may need to add a little more milk to make it smooth again). Then pour
onto arranged cauliflower, Sprinkle with dried breadcrumbs and bake in moderate oven till golden on top.
This is great with a a roast or meat dish.