No Bakes
Published 1 May, 2011My sister brought this recipe home when she was in Girl Scouts, and it’s been a family favourite amongst us women ever since. Because only a few minutes of cooking are involved, this is a great recipe for celebrating life’s ups, and for bringing us comfort when we need the ‘hug’ that only chocolate can give. Because it has oats in it, this recipe is high fibre, so you can even say it’s good for you. Also, you can substitute Splenda for the sugar, also greatly reducing the calorie impact of going on a ‘No Bake binge.
No Bakes
Author: Gaelyne Gasson
Recipe type: Desserts
Prep time:
Total time:
No Bakes are chocolate and peanut butter biscuits (cookies) that are made on the stove stop rather than in the oven.
Ingredients
- 2 c sugar or splenda
- ½ c cocoa
- ½ c milk
- ¼ c butter or margarine
- ½ c peanut butter (smooth)
- 1 t vanilla
- 3 c oatmeal (quick)
- 1 c coconut or chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions
- In a heavy pot add the sugar (or Splenda), cocoa, milk and butter or margarine.
- Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat, add peanut butter, stir until well mixed. Add the vanilla, oatmeal, and if desired, the optional ingredients and stir until mixed. This needs to be done fairly quickly before the mixture ‘sets’.
- Drop by heaping tablespoon full onto waxed paper covered sheet pan. Alternatively, you can spread the mixture out onto the sheet of wax, then a few minutes later, slice with a knife.
- These can be eaten while still warm.
Notes
It helps if all ingredients are measured out before starting cooking as the last part of the recipe really does require you to be quite quick about getting the ingredients in, mixed and onto the sheet of baking or waxed paper.
Gaelyne’s Lasagne
Published 29 April, 2011I’ve been making this recipe for my birthday since I was 13yrs old. It’s a family favourite.
Gaelyne’s Lasagne
Author: Gaelyne Gasson
Recipe type: Main
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
I’ve been making this recipe for my birthday since I was 13yrs old. It’s a family favourite.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef (beef mince)
- ½ pound Ground pork (pork mince) – OR Italian sausae removed from the casing
- 1 Onion chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 16 oz tomatoes chopped
- 15 oz tomato sauce (not ketchup! Use spaghetti or bolognaise sauce)
- 3 tablespoons Parsley Flakes
- 2 tablespoons Sugar or Splenda
- 1 teaspoon Fennel ground
- 2 teaspoons Basil
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- 3 Cups Cottage Cheese
- 1 C Parmesan Cheese grated
- 8 or 16oz package Lasagne Noodles If in Australia & using ‘instant’ pasta, see notes.
- ¼ pound Mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Cook and stir ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic in large sauce pan or dutch oven until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off all fat.
- Add tomatoes and break up with fork. (You weren’t dating any forks? Oh well, break up the tomatoes with the fork, if you need to to).
- Stir in tomato sauce, 2T parsley, the sugar, 1t basil, 1t oregano, 1 t fennel (to taste).
- Heat to boiling while stirring occasionally. Do a taste test and adjust seasoning to your preference. Reduce heat, simmer uncover for an hour.
- Mix Cottage Cheese, Ricotta (if you have it), ½c Parmesan Cheese, 1T Parsley flakes, 1t oregano and 1t basil. You can do this part ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to layer the Lasagne.
- Heat oven to 350f or 180c.
- Reserve ½C to 1C of the meat sauce for a thin top layer.
- In un-greased baking pan (13x9x2) layer ¼ each of the noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese mixture. Repeat this process 3x or until you run out of the ingredients. Spread the reserved meat sauce over the top and sprinkle with ½ C parmesan cheese.
- At this point, the lasagne can be covered and put in the fridge until it’s time to cook it.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Allow an additional 10-15min if lasagne has been refrigerated. For easier cutting and indeed, the best flavour, allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Note: If using “instant’ Lasagne noodles (we have them here in Oz, don’t know about USA), double the sauce recipe. Before layering the Lasagne, put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan so the bottom noodles have some sauce to cook in.
You can also use ricotta cheese in place of or in addition to the cottage cheese. The more cheese, the better!
Add Basil and Oregano & Fennel to taste rather than by the amounts above.
I usually triple this recipe and use more sausage, as well as a lot more shredded mozzarella cheese.
Buffalo Wing Sauce
Published 29 April, 2011This recipe never fails me, and is easily adaptable if you want to mix things up a bit – such as using Peri Peri seasoning in it or otherwise experimenting. Buffalo Wing Sauce isn’t just for chicken wings. It’s great over chicken legs, Fish sticks/ fingers, meatballs, as a sauce for noodles… really I just love this stuff!
Buffalo Wing Sauce
Author: Gaelyne Gasson
Recipe type: Main
This recipe never fails me, and is easily adaptable if you want to mix things up a bit – such as using Peri Peri seasoning in it or otherwise experimenting. Buffalo Wing Sauce isn’t just for chicken wings. It’s great over chicken legs, Fish sticks/ fingers, meatballs, as a sauce for noodles… really I just love this stuff!
Ingredients
- 1 8oz bottle Hot Chilli Sauce (Durkee, Franks or in Oz, Maggi brand)
- 2 tablespoons Margarine
- 1 tablespoon Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 clove Garlic minced
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer on low until it is all melted / mixed well. It mellows and gets a nice sheen to it as it cooks.
- Keep it warm while you prepare your chicken.
- I usually put the sauce over the (already cooked) meat and then cook further in the oven, but it’s not a requirement.
Notes
Measurements are not exact. You can add more or less of any particular ingredient. Have fun. Play with it.
The honey softens the heat and also gives it that nice glaze look.
The lemon adds some tang.
And of course, without the hot sauce, it’s nothing!
You can also add chilli pepper, tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, etc if you like.
Gaelyne’s Tuna Noodle Casserole
Published 29 April, 2011My kids rave about this dish and often ask for the recipe, so here it is. The thing is, I always made it because it was cheap and tuna’s good for you.
Gaelyne’s Tuna Noodle Casserole
Author: Gaelyne Gasson
Recipe type: Main
My kids rave about this dish and often ask for the recipe, so here it is. The thing is, I always made it because it was cheap and tuna’s good for you.
Ingredients
- ½ to 1 pounds Wide Egg Noodles
- 1 can Evaporated Milk (Regular Milk is OK in a pinch)
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese (to taste)
- 1 or 2 cans Tuna (to taste, medium/normal size cans)
- 1 tablespoon Margarine (Omit if using oil packed tuna)
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 stalk Celery optional
- 1 tablespoon Chives optional
- 1 teaspoon each Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic, Pepper Plus any other seasonings to taste
Instructions
- First cook the noodles as directed on the package, but cook for a couple minutes less (as noodles will continue cooking and absorb the flavours from the casserole).
- In a largish bowl, mix tuna and margarine, then add about a tsp each of the seasonings along with the Parmesan cheese and mix well, Now grab a clean spoon and taste, adding seasoning and cheese as needed (and using a clean spoon each time you taste). When you find you want to just sit and eat it without putting it in the oven, you know it’s ready!
- HONEST, this is how I know it’s ready!
- Now mix in the noodles and once they’re mixed in, add some milk – just enough to make it wet.
- If you like really wet sloppy creamy tuna noodles, make sure to add enough milk so it’s quite wet. If you like yours dryer, use less milk. I have found a can of evaporated milk gives just enough whether I use two cans of tuna and 1 whole bag of noodles or if I use half a bag and 1 can of tuna.
- If you like, you can crumble up a bunch of potato chips to put on the top, but I usually skipped that (my Mom did the chip thing) and instead put a layer of Parmesan cheese and more seasonings on top.
- Cook for about 45mins at 350f (that’s about 180c) and check on it. The main thing is to make sure when you stick a big spoon in the center that it’s not all milk. If you like it dryer, cook it a bit longer.
Notes
The tuna, noodles and Parmesan cheese and milk are required, everything else is optional and to suit your taste.
DON’T add salt as the parmesan cheese is already quite salty.
The Tuna can be either the kind packed in oil or water is fine. Make sure and drain it though.
If you want to make less, use half a bag of noodles and half the tuna.
I purposely typed in instructions for a large batch so that you can either make it and freeze some or have enough to feed your army.
Avocado Salad
Published 29 April, 2011One of my favourite ways to enjoy avocado.
Avocado Salad
Author: Gaelyne Gasson
Recipe type: Salad
Prep time:
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A cool yet spicy blend of avocado, tomatoes and meat of your choice that can be served over a variety of foods. I like it over hot egg noodles.
Ingredients
- 3 Avocados Very soft / ripe
- 2 Tomatoes chopped
- 1 Onion chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Chilli Pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon Corriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
- dash Lime Juice
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- ½ pound Prawns/shrimp, Turkey or Chicken cooked
Instructions
- In a large bowl, blend all the ingredients and make adjustments to suit your taste. Allow to chill for 30 minutes or longer, and then serve over hot egg noodles, or use as a dip with corn chips. This can also be used to make sandwiches with.
