I love using the oven to make dinner. I will share three of my all time favourite dinners.

Lemon Roast Chicken with baked vegetables

Ingredients:

1 chickent

2 lemons

Pumpkin

Potatoes

Sweet potatoes

salt and pepper

seasoning (Tuscan or monteray chicken)

Olive oil

Method:

1. Wash the chicken

2. Cut the lemons and squeeze them over the chicken. Then stuff them inside the chicken

3. Season the chicken with Tuscan seasoning(Australia) or Monteray chicken seasoning (in the US)

4. Place in oven for 1.5 hrs at 200^oC

5. Before the 1.5hrs is up cook the potatoes in the microwave (skins on) or par boil them (boil them until they are almost completely soft- Skins off)

6. Cut up the pumpkin and sweet potatoe into pieces. Place in a clean plastic bag and add some seasoning and a splach of olive oil and shake.

7. Place the pumpkin and sweet potato on a baking tray and place the potatoes beside them. Squash the potatoes and season with salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil over them.

8. cook in oven for half an hour.

9. At the 2 hr mark take the chicken out and let it rest covered in foil.

10. Take the juices from the tray and separate them from the fat. I use ice cubes or place the juice in the freezer. The fat Will solidify first. When fat is removed place juice in a saucepan and add a stock cube, season with salt and pepper.

11. Before you heat the juices. Mix 2 tablespoons of corn flour with 1/4 of a cup of water. Slowly add this to the heated juices whisking with a balloon whisk.to keep it lump free.

12. Serve!

Pastistio

This is basically spaghetti bolognese with a delicious creamy topping.

Ingredients:

Pasta -spirals/tubes

500 g beef mince/chicken mince

1 Onion

2 cloves Garlic

1 Capsicum

8 Mushrooms

Bolonaise sauce or tinned tomatoes/tomato paste/stock cubes/basil/oregano

Egg

500 mlMilk

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

180g Cheese (cheddar)

Extra grated cheese

Bread crumbs

Method

1. Brown the mince and the onion and garlic together. If your mince is fatty then drain the juices and the fat. Then add the diced capsicum and mushrooms cook for a further 5 minutes

2. Add the Bolognese sauce or add 2 tins tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and a table spoon of basil and oregano and one stock cube. Allow to cook for 10 Min's

3. To make the Cheesy white sauce topping. Place 2 tablespoons butter into sauce pan and allow to melt. Then add 3 table spoons flour, cook for a couple of minutes on low heat. Then add 500 ml of warmed milk. Use a whisk to keep out the lumps. when the mixture has a thickened custard consistency then add 180 of grated cheese. whisk until smooth. When cooled slightly whisk in egg.

4. Cook the pasta tubes or spirals until al-dente drain. Then mix with meat mixture. Place into caserole dish and put cheese sauce on top. spinkle with breadcrumbs or more cheese. cook for 40 mins at 180^oC

5. Serve

Tuna Mornay

A cheap meal!

Ingredients:

1 large can tuna in brine/spring water

1 can corn kernels

2 tablespoons Butter

200g Cheese

3 tablespoons Flour

500 mls Milk

Bread crumbs

Extra Grated cheese

4 C cooked Rice

Method:

1. Cook rice

2. Place 2 tablespoons butter into sauce pan and allow to melt. Then add 3 table spoons flour, cook for a couple of minutes on low heat. Then add 500 ml of warmed milk. Use a whisk to keep out the lumps. when the mixture has a light  custard consistency then add 200g of grated cheese. whisk until smooth

3. Add drained Tuna and Drained corn Kernals. Mix with sauce until even

4. Add Tuscan seasoning or salt and pepper

5. Place Rice on bottom of casserole dish

6. Pour Mornay sauce over rice. Sprinkle with more grated cheese and breadcrumbs.

7. Cook in oven for 30 Min's at 180^oC

8. Serve