Blondie's Recipes | Finding Feasts

Curried Vegetable Pie – Family Sized

This Family Sized Curried Vegetable Pie is jam packed full of vegetables that are only limited by what’s in your fridge at the time. Throw it all in!

I highly suggest going the extra step and blind baking a base for your pie. I’m still of the old school method in that a pie needs a base otherwise it’s just a stew with a lid. That is unless it’s a fish pie, in which case you can make the most spectacular puff pastry, lid only, pie possible. Cracking through the ridiculously high pastry top to reach the delicate fish and velouté centre, leaving shards of crispy, whisper thin pastry strewn across the table is quite possibly one of the food world’s greatest offerings … but I digress…

When making this pie, be sure to make a wide hole in the centre. This particular one closed up on it’s self leaving the filling a little wet but if vented, this pie is absolutely perfect.

Happy pie making – Blondie

Blondie2 Comments

Flaky, Cheesy Mushroom Puffs

Flaky, Cheesy Mushroom Puffs are perfect little mouthfuls of flaky pastry and creamy, savoury mushroom filling.

Although these were one of numerous canapés made specifically for my nana’s 90th Birthday party a couple of months ago; I will happily make finger food to freeze and serve with a glass of wine on the weekend or to reheat with a salad for lunch during the weekday.

These little morsels are sensational with their crispiness, creaminess and umami mushroom hit and most importantly can be eaten with one hand while you mingle and sip your way through the party.

When planning party food or canapés to serve to your guests, aim on having about 8 per person. A mix of hot and cold foods that can be prepared ahead of time and simply assembled on the day.

These can be made and then frozen. When ready, place in a 200°c / 400°f oven and cook till golden and puffed.

Happy partying! Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment

Chunky Oat & Raisin Cookies

Chunky Oat & Raisin Cookies … Who can resist a cookie, especially a large cinnamon and nutmeg scented one with sweet raisins dotted throughout? Certainly not me.

I don’t really have a sweet tooth and a mid morning snack is usually of the savoury kind but these have really been hitting the spot of late – a nice coffee and half of one of these cookies has been the perfect 11:00am breather.

A really nice idea is to keep some for yourself and then give the rest as gifts… maybe friends, your neighbour or your kid’s school teacher?

Share the happiness… Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment

Delicious Pork Mince Rice Bowl

Delicious Pork Mince Rice Bowls … Nothing beats a quick serve dinner, whether it be mid week or on the weekend. With the flavours bursting through in this bowl people will think that you slaved away in the kitchen for hours.

This is a take on the Korean Rice Bowl, which is one of my favourite meals to make at the moment. So full of textures and with a full range of flavours, you can really just use whatever is in the kitchen; you don’t have salad then use some roasted vegetables. Pick a different meat if you are currently without pork mince. These bowls are limitless in their combinations.

I know you will definitely be cooking this delicious pork meal again.

Happy eating! – Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment

Salisbury Steak w/ Miso & Mushroom Onion Gravy

Salisbury Steak Miso & Mushroom Onion Gravy — Click image for recipe

Salisbury Steak w/ Miso & Mushroom Onion Gravy – Winter nights have finally ascended on the east coast of Australia with a definite chill in the air once the sun goes down. So warming dinners with lots of sauce and a mashed potato to sop it up with are a must.

Having come across Salisbury Steak in my online travels (a very common T.V dinner in the US); this easy mid week meal with meat and gravy, finally had a chance to be made in my kitchen. After going though numerous recipes I finally nutted out what I wanted.

I have kept the patty recipe quite traditional but you could definitely use fresh onion and garlic in the mixture rather than the powdered form, just be sure to finely chop them so the steak holds together.

With the sauce I chose to make it rich and luxurious with the addition of miso paste, which adds so much depth to a dish that I’m sure you will be including it into alot more dishes after you try it in this recipe.

This American TV dinner classic will most definitely be put on our dinner rotation; it’s comforting, incredibly tasty and most importantly, is amazing with mashed potato.

Happy cooking – Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment

Tuna Casserole Pots

Tuna Casserole Mornay — Click image for recipe

Tuna Casserole or as it’s more commonly referred to here in Australia, Tuna Mornay, was a classic 70′s dish that most mums would have had as a routine family meal.

It’s funny though, looking through other tuna mornay recipes, not many use boiled eggs and I didn’t find one with capers or dill, but both my mum and my mother in law used these ingredients in their own tuna mornay recipes – maybe it was a recipe only shared amongst the army wives, their own secret recipe that no civilian would know about… till now that is.

This is truly an enjoyable dish and a version I’m sure you will adapt to your own tuna mornay recipe.

Spoon lickingly good! Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment

Smoked Salmon, Spinach & Feta Quiche

Smoked Salmon, Spinach & Feta Quiche – The only difference between a quiche and a frittata or a Spanish omelet is the use of a pastry base. I like to keep the sides of the pastry quite a bit higher to the inside mixture so there’s a crunchiness that goes so well the soft texture of the egg. Also, try making it in a square dish rather than a round one – it’s alot easier to serve up!

This is chunky and flavoursome and is a great partner to a crispy salad with a zingy dressing. It’s a moveable meal so great for picnics or taking over to a friends house. Served chilled and sliced into little squares makes this a delicious appetiser with drinks.

Blondie 🙂

BlondieLeave a comment