Chicken Pita Pizza

Pita breads

Tomato sauce / ketchup / tomato relish/pizza sauce

Cooked chicken, cubed

Grated cheese

Pizza spices (or just mixed herbs)

 

Preheat oven to 240 oC.    Lay pita breads out on baking sheets. Spread tomato sauce, to taste, over each round. Season to taste with spices/herbs. Spoon on the chicken and sprinkle on cheese as desired.

 

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted and browned in spots.   Serve immediately with salad / raw vegetables.

Recipe and photo:  Alma Pretorius 

 

Vienna Cheese Cocktail Onion Muffins

Makes 6 muffins

 

1 cup self-rising flour

1/2 cup milk (fat-free / 2% / full fat)

2  heaping tablespoons mayonnaise (low-fat / full fat)

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

½ cup Vienna sausages, grated

½ cup Cheddar cheese, grated

Herbs to taste (I used salt, pepper, oregano and chilli flakes)

2 teaspoons crushed garlic (optional)

12 miniature cocktail onions, white (A MUST)

Extra grated cheese for the top (a must)

Extra oregano for the top (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 230 oC. Grease / spray or line a 6 muffin pan.

Beat the milk, mayo and mustard together with the crushed garlic. 

In another bowl add the self-rising flour, herbs, Viennas and cheese.  Stir to coat the Viennas and cheese.  Add the wet mixture to dry mixture and mix carefully.  It will be a thick consistency. 

Spoon 1 tablespoon mixture into the 6 muffin cups.  Insert 2 cocktail onions in each centre.  Spoon rest of mixture on top. 

Sprinkle with the extra cheese and Oregano.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until a test pen comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and serve.

Recipe and photo:  Alma Pretorius 

 

Hake fillets in Sour Cream Sauce

    

800g frozen hake fillets

1 x 50g packet thick white onion soup powder

250 ml sour cream / natural flavored yoghurt

125 ml milk

Parsley

Cheddar cheese, grated

Coarsely grind pepper

Preheat the oven to 180oC and grease an oven dish.  Mix the sour cream & soup powder.  Rinse the sour cream holder with milk, add to the soup mixture and stir.  Arrange frozen hake fillets in the dish.  Sprinkle with pepper and spoon the sour cream/yoghurt mixture on top.  Sprinkle cheese and parsley on top.  Bake for about 40 min or till fish is cooked and flaky.  Serve with a lovely green salad & bread rolls or vegetables.

Recipe origin unknown

 

Lettuce quiche frittata combo

A combination of crust-less quiche and a frittata - trust me, it's good!!!  And what a fabulous way to use limp lettuce.

 

+ 220 g fresh Iceberg lettuce, rinsed, chopped roughly (see left picture)

½ - 1 onion, chopped roughly  ½ cup milk

3 large eggs  2 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tsp crushed garlic  Salt, pepper

Butter   Crumbled/cubed feta cheese

Cheddar cheese, grated

 

Preheat oven to 180 oC.  Pat the lettuce dry (or dry it in your salad spinner).  Heat the butter in pan (that can be used in the oven) on the stove top, fry the cumin seeds, garlic and onions on medium heat till nicely golden brown.   

 

Remove the pan from the stove top.  Stir in the lettuce and feta cheese, season.  Beat the milk and eggs together and pour into the onion-lettuce mixture.  Mix well.  Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and pop into oven on middle rack.  Bake for about 10 – 20 minutes, till top is golden and crispy and the centre of quiche/frittata is set.  Let it cool for a bit.  

 

If you don’t have a pan that is oven-resistant, follow the recipe up to where you add the milk-egg mixture.  Transfer the mixture then to an oven pan/quiche pan, sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake. 

Recipe and photos:  Alma Pretorius 

 

Celery Soup with Bacon

1 bunch of fresh celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

Crushed garlic to taste

Crushed chillies to taste

Fresh ginger, grated, to taste

2 and 1/2 cups boiling water

1 cup milk

Bacon (optional) leave in big pieces (easy to remove before blitzing the soup)

3 teaspoons onion stock powder

1 teaspoon chicken stock powder

Salt, pepper to taste

 

Fry the bacon with garlic, ginger and chillies in oil. Add the onions and fry for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 45- 50 minutes, till celery is soft. Remove the bacon, blend the soup till smooth – taste and adjust seasoning. Replace the bacon and serve.

Recipe and photo: Alma Pretorius