Free Recipe Blog

Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry
by: Paul Curran

Christmas recipe serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Calories per serving: 875

Suitable for freezing after step 3

Christmas recipe ingredients
Sherry or balsamic vinegar, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
Caster Sugar, 10 ml (2 tsp)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, 120 ml (8 tbsp)
Cranberries, fresh or frozen 50 g (2 oz)
Celery, 125 g (4 oz)
Walnuts, toasted 50 g (2 oz)
Turkey, roasted meat 450 g (1 lb)
Garlic cloves, 2
Olive oil, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
Fennel seeds (optional), 10 ml (2 tsp)
Oregano, dried 10 ml (2 tsp)
Cranberry sauce, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
Breadcrumbs, fresh 125 g (4 oz)
Eggs, 2
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 50 g (2 oz)
Oil
Green salad

Christmas recipe instructions

1. Chop the turkey, walnuts and celery into small pieces. Crush peeled garlic. Cook the oregano, fennel seeds, garlic and celery in oil for about five minutes. Then add the cranberry sauce. leave to cool.
2. Add salt and pepper to the vinegar and sugar, mix in the oil and cranberries. Heat to boiling, cook for 1 minute and leave to cool.
3. Combine salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, walnuts, eggs, breadcrumbs, celery mixture and turkey. Split into twelve golf-sized meatballs.
4. Deep-fat fry the meatballs until golden brown (about 4 minutes). Place them on kitchen towel paper to soak up the oil and serve onto green salad sprinkled with cranberry dressing from step 1

About the Author
(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts for Christmas, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for Christmas including their collectibles and Russian gifts stores. Send blank email to santa-52@aweber.com for free Xmas gags recipes.

Lamb with Chestnut and Tomato Relish
by: Paul Curran

Christmas recipe serves: 6
calories per serving: 450
preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking time: 20 minutes
not suitable for freezing

Christmas recipe ingredients:
chestnuts, peeled cooked, 175 g (6 oz)
tomatoes, cherry 75 g (3 oz)
bacon, rindless streaky, 175 g (6 oz)
lamb, 3 racks trimmed, 900 g (2 lb)
garlic, 3 cloves
pepper
olive oil, 100 ml (4 fl oz)
parsley, finely chopped fresh, 60 ml (4 tbsp)
caster sugar, 10 ml (2 tsp)
balsamic vinegar, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
garnish, flat leaf parsley

Christmas recipe instructions:
1. Rub the lamb with garlic and finely coat with pepper. Cut the tomatoes in half and the chestnuts into rough pieces.
2. Cook the lamb racks, having placed the bacon on top, at gas mark 9 (240 degrees centigrade, 475 F) for about 20 minutes or for about 30 minutes for well done.
3. For the relish; mix balsamic vinegar, sugar, parsley and the remaining garlic (peeled and crushed) with the olive oil. Then add the cherry tomatoes and chestnuts.
4. To complete the relish add the liquid from step 2 to the step 4 product.
5. Serve the lamb in six pieces wity the relish, garnished with parsley.

About the Author
(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts for Christmas, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for Christmas including their collectibles and Russian gifts stores.

Salmon Pate
1 cup salmon, flaked
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon onion, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke

Garnish:
almond slices
1 olive
Celery

Mix salmon with all of the other ingredients. Press into a fish shaped mold or shape by hand as such. Garnish fish with almond slices to resemble scales. Slice green olive for eye and thin strips of celery for tail. Garnish top with parsley.

Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

About The Author
Cafe Hobson
Mediterranean Restaurant guide with International & Mediterranean foods and Wines information along with home entertaining advice. For more information on Mediterranean foods, recipes and Host/ess tips for your entertaining, visit Café Hobson

Summer in Australia just over a month away but here in Hervey Bay Queensland the weather is already warm and when I found this recipe by Bek Davis I thought it would be great served with some marinated chicken tenderloins or a t-bone steak cooked on the BBQ.

Toni

Summer Basil Pasta Salad
by: Bek Davis

With the long hot days of summer, you will find that you will need something lighter than a T-bone steak.

If you are seeking a fresh and light pasta salad, then you will need to serve this at your next gathering.

Recipe:
16 oz. box Whole Wheat pasta, find a fun shape.
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach (2 cups fresh could be substituted)
1 cup fresh diced tomatoes
1/4 cup finely sliced red onion
4 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Pasta: Cook pasta according to the package. Drain and let cool. Or run under cold water and ice.

Vegetables: Thaw spinach and drain all excess water by pressing it with your hands.
Wash and dice tomatoes. Slice red onion. Chop fresh basil.

Mix cooled pasta, vegetables, and remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Let sit in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Garnish with Parmesan Cheese and Basil

Tips from Chef Bek:

About the Author: Bek Davis is a trained chef and a work at home mom. You can find more recipes, cooking tips, and mom resources on her highly recommended website: http://modernmom.info

Oatmeal-Apple-Raisin Muffins
by: LeAnn R. Ralph

These muffins are not only tasty, but they’re also a good source of fiber. In recent years, health experts have come to realize that fiber is an important part of a heart-healthy diet.

Using Canola oil also increases the health benefits of these muffins.

1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice added)
1 cup oatmeal (either quick-cooking or old-fashioned oatmeal; I like to use the old-fashioned)
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 apple chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Chop apple and put into a mixing bowl. Add the raisins. Measure out the remaining ingredients. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Grease muffin cups and fill to 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes then remove from the muffin tins. Makes 2 dozen muffins.

Hint: Instead of greasing the muffin tins, use cupcake papers. That way you won’t have to work so hard to scrub out your muffin tins.

About the Author:
LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the books: “Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)” and “Preserve Your Family History (A Step-by-Step Guide for Writing Oral Histories).” You are invited to order a book from Rural Route 2. You also are invited to sign up for the FREE monthly newsletter, Rural Route 2 News. Visit — Rural Route 2.

This recipe is one that I haven’t cooked in a long time because I now live in Hervey Bay where we don’t have a lot of cold winter nights. This recipe is great for winter and will warm you inside…

I serve this meal with some yummy greens such as peas, broccoli and my favourite pumpkin.

Corn and Tuna Bake

250grams wholemeal macaroni + boiling salted water
1 x 450 grams can of cream of chicken soup
¼ cup chopped red pepper
125 grams mushrooms, chopped
250 grams tasty cheese grated
1 cup thin cream
1 can whole corn kernels, well drained
¼ cup parsley, chopped
Breadcrumbs for topping

1. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water and drain.
2. Mix together in a “crockpot” soup, corn, red pepper, mushrooms, tuna, cream, chopped parsley and tasty cheese.
3. Cook on high for 1 hour or on low for about 2 hours or until well blended and vegetables softened.
4. To serve, pour mixture into greased casserole together with cooked, drained macaroni. Blend thoroughly and spread on topping. Bake at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees F) for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Serves 6 - 8 people.

Toni

Summer Rivers shared this recipe with me. For many years now Summer has been a vegetarian while I love chicken and fish and some red meats. Her recipes make my mouth water and I am sure you will enjoy her Easy Vegetarian Pita Sandwiches as much as I do…

Easy Vegetarian Pita Sandwiches

1 Box Falafel
Large Green Pepper, sliced
Large Onion, sliced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoon Olive Oil or butter
1 pkt Pita Bread

Optionals
Shredded Lettuce
Alfalfa Sprouts
Shredded Cheese (we like Mozzarella)
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Salad Dressing

Sauté the green pepper slices, onion slices and mushrooms together in the olive oil or butter until soft.

Follow the directions on the Falafel package. Most of them suggest you make little balls - we actually have found that small, flat round patties about the 1 1/2 inches across work better though.

I like to set everything out on the table and let people fill their own Pitas. Cut the Pita bread in half, split open and stuff!

If you like Mayo, Dressing, or Mustard, put a spoon into the Pita’s pocket, then “smoosh” the sides together - this will line the inside nicely with your dressing.

Then add a patty or two of Falafel, a spoonful of the onion/pepper/mushroom mix, and whatever other goodies you like.

Make sure you have napkins… these can get a bit messy!

This recipe feeds 3 or 4, just double or triple as needed to feed as many folks as you have. You could even prepare everything ahead of time - but I find the smell of those onions, peppers, and mushrooms as they sauté’ tends to get everyone’s appetite going.

If you don’t have a personal problem with the smell of meat cooking (I cannot cook meat any more), you could even sauté up some steak strips or chicken strips for the non-vegetarians. However, I have served these with “just” falafel to meat eaters and they loved them.

I love prawns and here in Hervey Bay Australia we can get them while they are fresh. There is nothing like throwing a shrimp or a prawn on the barbie to get everyone’s mouth watering… well this recipe can be cooked in a frying pan, a wok or you can cook it on the BBQ.

Enjoy my favourite Garlic Prawns recipe:

You will need:

1kg or (2lbs) green king prawns (shrimp), peeled
½ cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon salt.

De-vein prawns.

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and marinate for 2 hours. Heat your frying pan on 6 and add prawn mixture. Stir fry prawns until bright pink in colour.
Remove garlic cloves and serve hot.

Serves 6.

* Note - you can heat up the BBQ and toss the prawns on the heated

Shanti is a a gorgeous babe who comes from Canada. She loves cooking and from the photos she has shown me her meals and other goodies look delicious. Here is a recipe for Gluten Free Apple Crisp which I am sure those who follow a gluten free diet can enjoy.

Toni

Ingredients:
5 Cups apples (peeled, cored and quartered)
1/4 Cup water
3/4 Cup rice flour
3/4 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Cup butter (softened)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Places apples into a 9 x 3″ inch dish with water
Combine sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and flour
Add butter and mix with a fork until mixture is crumbly
Cover apples with the crumbly mixture
Cover pan with aluminum wrap and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes until golden
Delicious served with chilled rice milk or vanilla rice dream

Salsa is a great accompaniment with many meals including salads, seafood, chicken or steaks. It can be a side dish or served as a salad and many people enjoy a salsa as a dip with corn chips or bread sticks.

Toni

Salsa - great for salads, on top of fish or steak cooks on the BBQ or as a side dish

4 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
40g (1/4 cup) finely chopped red onion
25g (1/2 cup) chopped coriander
(cilantro leaves)
1 tablespoon lime juice

Combine the tomato, onion, coriander and lime juice, season to taste, then cover the salsa with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Remove the salsa from the refrigerator 15 minutes before you are ready to use it so the ingredients have time to return to room temperature and their full flavour.