Chemical free oven cleaning "recipe"

I put this post on my personal Facebook page earlier this week and was surprised by the interest it created.  It was my DH who suggested that I share it here with you.

I'm aware that chemicals are out there are they might be great for cleaning floors, but I'm not a huge fan of them when it comes to food - I don't want chemicals near!  As a mother I am aware of what I feed my babies.  I don't like that commercial oven cleaners require gloves, make my eyes sting for close to an hour, take days to finally stop smelling and if you're really unlucky - your freshly baked shortbread will have a faint taste of oven cleaner (yes, this really happened to me!)  Needless to say, they got thrown out. 2008 was the last time I bought and used oven cleaner.

So here's my post:

I was chatting to a number of mums at school last week about cleaning our ovens. I clean mine every 4-6 weeks (because I use it 5-9 times a week - very regularly!)  They were surprised to hear that I use no chemicals and wanted to know what I do. It's due this that I thought I'd share what I told them (in case you were interested in a chemical free option).

Mix equal parts of vinegar and bicarb soda, you'll need a big-ish bowl as it foams (I use about 1/2 a cup of each). Rub on to the insides of a warm oven (NOT HOT - this loosens the grease) and leave for 10-60 minutes. Using a damp clean cloth wipe clean and good bye grease, grime and chemicals. This mixture also works in your shower. It costs almost nothing but works. The only downfall is a faint vinegar smell for a few hours.

Happy Cleaning!
Elizabeth x

Fish Cakes

This is such a cheap and child friendly meal that I have to share it. I have served this to adults - they also enjoy this simple dish.

I make this in the morning and let them sit in the fridge. If you prepare and make them at once, you run the risk of them falling apart while frying. When I come home and need to finish dinner, all I have to do is shallow fry these and make a simple salad or steam some vegetables. As there are mashed potatoes in the Fish Cakes I don’t serve any chips or extra potato/starchy sides with the them.

I love this recipe with tinned Ally Salmon, though you can use Tuna just as successfully, it is simply a matter of personal preference. The addition ofMasterfoods lemon pepper was shared to me a number of years ago by a professional chef, don’t leave it out! This makes 14 patties.

Recipe

4 large potatoes, peeled and diced smallish
2 large cans of Ally salmon, liquid and bones removed
2 spring (green) onions sliced small (the white and green parts)
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Masterfoods lemon pepper
1 egg
Extra bread crumbs for rolling (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup Oil( for shallow frying)
Lemon wedges to serve

In a large saucepan boil the potatoes in plenty of water. Once cooked (not over cooked and mushy) run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Strain well and remove all the water, mash well and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the Ally salmon, onions, bread crumbs, Masterfoods lemon pepper and egg.
Use you hands (I like to use kitchen gloves so my hands don’t smell like fish all day).
Roll into 14 patties , pat into a pattie shape and carefully roll in the extra bread crumbs.
Place on a large plate sprinkled with bread crumbs. 
If you have more than one layer of patties, sprinkle more bread crumbs over the first layer so they don’t stick.
Cover and pop into the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
Heat half the oil and fry the first batch of patties in a large fry pan, fry one side then the other (each side will take about 3 minutes to get a gorgeous crispy coating). Place on a plate topped with paper towel.
Add the rest of the oil and let it heat, cook the remaining patties as you did the first batch. Add to the plate.
Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Happy cooking!
Elizabeth x

Post

Double Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe came about due to having tried 3 different cookie recipes and liking all three but not loving any. I set about to find the perfect cookie for my families taste and this is what I created. If you enjoy Mrs Field’s soft chewy cookies, then you will love these. I spent a week baking every day and finally developed this recipe! Each batch makes 5 - 6 dozen cookies, so you an imagine - there were cookies everywhere. I gave lots away and made many new “best” friends in the process.

You will need a really big bowl for this recipe and a number of baking trays. I use 3 large baking trays and use each one twice. Before you start on the next tray of cookies make sure the tray isn’t hot from the previous batch. I have two airers that I use. One for the trays that are full of cookies and are cooling down, and one for the cookies that are cooled.

A word about the ingredients, I don’t usually use margarine, but in this recipe it’s a must. I only use Meadowlea magarine (it has to be butter flavoured). Using a vanilla flavoured pudding mix gives you a rich vanilla taste. Oats will give you a chewier cookie than flour alone (blend them to a fine dust so you don’t have any large oats - that will take away from the chocolate chips). The chocolate chips cannot be compound chocolate, Cadbury chocolate chips are great, but I prefer the small chocolate gems. Use them if you can find them!

Recipe:

1/2 cup butter, at room temp.
1/2 cup Meadowlea margarine, buttery flavour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 pkt vanilla instant pudding
3 cup oats
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon Ward’s baking powder
2 cups Cadbury chocolate chips (I like chocolate gems as they are smaller than choc chips)

Pre-heat your oven to as hot as you can and line baking trays with baking powder.
In a blender chop the oats to a dust type consistancy and set aside.
In a large bowl beat the butter, Meadow Lea margarine with the sugars.
Add the eggs, vanilla and vanilla pudding and beat.
Add the oats and beat again.
Add the flour, Ward’s baking powder and Cadbury chocolate chips. Stir until well combined.
Drop teaspoonfuls (yes teaspoonfuls) on to your prepared tray and slightly flatten. Allow room for slight spreading.
Pop into your pre-heated oven. Turn the oven down to 180oC (375oF) and cook for 10-12 minutes, remove the trays from the oven and pop on an airer to cool on the trays.
The cookies will be partially cooked and will continue to cook on the tray, don’t over cook them in the oven, they will be crunchy not chewy.
Repeat until all the dough has been used and you have an airer full of cookies.
Place your cold cookies into a Tupperware container and enjoy for up to two weeks (if they last that long)

Happy cooking!
Elizabeth x

Greek Feta Chicken with Spinach

This dish is delicious and fast! Need dinner on the table in 20 minutes? This recipe could be for you and your family.

Chicken is such a versatile meat - I’m pretty sure than chicken is eaten in just about every culture. My four children love Greek food. Whether its a Greek dip, Greek baked potatoes or this dish. They gobble it all up. My youngest son who is not quite 8 ate 2 large servings of this the other night.
I serve this with hot buttered rice or Greek baked potatoes. I was running late (the story of my life), so I started the rice in my rice cooker before I started the chicken. By the time the Greek Chicken was cooked, the rice was ready too (just had to add a dollop of butter and give it a stir). Our complete meal was ready in less than 30 minutes.

I make this dish when feta cheese is on sale, it makes it much cheaper. I use two large chicken breast fillets to make this (about 700 - 800g). I have been known to use fresh Spinach, but I find the sandy grit so hard to get off, so I often use frozen spinach (and its cheaper) instead. This recipe will give you 6 - 7 servings.

Recipe:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large chicken breast fillets cut in half longways and sliced (not too thin)
1 large onion, sliced thin-ish
2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
2 x 250 g package frozen spinach (thawed and water squeezed out)
1/2 cup Carnation evaporated milk (or pouring cream)
1/2 kilo block of feta cheese, diced smallish
1/2 teaspoon Masterfoods oregano

In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the onion and cook until translucent (about 3 minutes)
Add the chicken and garlic. Cook until the chicken, remembering to stir so both sides are well cooked (about 8 minutes in total).
Add the spinach and heat through (about 2 minutes)
Add the feta cheese, evaporated milk and oregano - cook for a further 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the dish rest for a couple of minutes (while you set the table)
Serve with buttered rice or Greek baked potatoes.

Happy cooking!
Elizabeth x