Vegetable Strudel

Next time that I make this recipe, I am going to try it with just puff pastry. I found the amount of butter between the layers if pastry became a little sickening. Also, before I tasted this, I wasn't sure of the eggplant as I know I don't like the taste (or texture, I'm not sure which), but it worked perfectly in this strudel.

- 12 English spinach leaves
- 12 tablespoons olive oil                        
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 1 red capsicum, sliced
- 1 green capsicum, sliced
- 2 zucchinis, sliced
- 2 small Lebanese eggplants, sliced
- 6 sheets filo pastry
- 40g butter, melted
- 20g finely sliced basil leaves
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 210 degrees celcius and brush an oven tray with melted butter or oil.

2. Heat the oil in a fry pan, add all the vegetables and cook until they've softened. Cool.

3. Brush 1 sheet of filo pastry with melted butter, then put another sheet on top. Continue until you have used up all the 6 sheets.

4. Place the spinach leaves, cooled vegetable mix, basil and cheese along one side of the pastry, leaving a 2cm border. Roll up tightly.

5. Place the strudel seam side down on the oven tray and brush with melted butter. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.  

Viennese Cookies

- 100g unsalted butter, softened                 

- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain flour
- 100g dark chocolate, chopped
- 30g unsalted butter, extra

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Cream the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg yolks and vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl and add the flour. Using a knife, mix until the ingredients are just combined and the mixture is smooth.

3. Make flat rounds of the mixture with your hands and place on the prepared tray.

4. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely.

5. Place the chocolate and extra butter in a heatproof bowl and melt them together. Dip one end of the cooled biscuits in the chocolate mixture and let set.

yoghurt cake with syrup

- 185g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 5 eggs, separated                                   
- 1 cup greek style yoghurt
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bi carb soda

SYRUP:
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cm strip of lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and prepare a cake tin.

2. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the egg yolks gradually. Stir in the yoghurt, lemon zest, baking powder and bi carb soda.

3. Whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until stiff peaks form, and fold into the cake mixture.

4. Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool.

5. FOR THE SYRUP:
Place the sugar and cinnamon stick in a saucepan along with 3/4 cup of water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, add the zest and juice, then reduce the heat and simmer 5-6 minutes. Strain.

6. Pour syrup over cooled cake.

zesty olive oil cake

- 2 eggs                              

- 2/3 cup caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and line a cake tin.

2. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with the electric mixers until well combined. Add the zests, then stir in the oil.

3. Stir in the sifted flour alternately with the milk and juice. Pour into the prepared tin.

4. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Thai Style Fried Rice

- 2 tablespoons oil                             

- 3 shallots, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 100g green beans, sliced
- 1 small red capsicum, sliced
- 90g mushrooms, halved
- 2 1/2 cups coked jasmine rice
- 1 teaspoon grated palm sugar
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 10g basil, shredded

1. Heat frypan and the oil. Add the garlic and shallots and fry for 3 minutes, or until fragrant.

2. Add the beans, mushroom and capsicum and stir fry until soft. Stir through the cooked rice and heat through.

3. Dissolve the palm sugar in the soy sauce and pour over the rice. Stir through basil.
 

Creamy Boscaiola

- 500g fettuccine                              
- 1 tablespoon oil                      
- 6 bacon slices
- 200g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups pouring cream
- 2 shallots, sliced

1. Cook the pasta according to packet.

2. In a frypan, heat the oil and add the bacon and mushrooms, cook, stirring for 5 minutes, or until golden.

3. Stir in the cream and bring to the boil. Cook over high heat for 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the shallots and toss in the pasta.

Tagliatelle with Veal Wine and Cream

- 500g veal, sliced                                                

- plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
- 60g butter
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons beef or chicken stock
- 2/3 cup whipping cream
- 600g tagliatelle

1. Cook pasta according to the packet.

2. Coat veal in the flour and melt the butter in a frypan. Add the veal and cook until browned. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the onion to the pan and stir until golden. Add the wine and cook rapidly to reduce the liquid. Add the stock and cream and season to taste. Reduce the sauce again and toss through the veal and pasta.

Lamb with Hokkein noodles and sour sauce

This recipe calls for lamb backstrap, and I absolutely adore this cut of meat. It is so tender and it tastes like beef.

450g hokkein noodles
2 tablespoons oil                                
375g lamb backstap, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic
75g shallots, sliced
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste
125g snow peas, sliced
1 small carrot, sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock
15g grated palm sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice

1. Prepare noodles to packet.

2. Heat the oil in a fry pan and fry the lamb backstrap. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the shallots, ginger and garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes.

4. Add the stock, palm sugar and lime juice, toss to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the noodles and meat and heat through.

 

Tagliatelle with salmon and creamy dill dressing

I am not a fan of seafood, and I could not eat this dish as it has salmon in it. But, according to the person who ate this dish, she said it was delicious.

350g tagliatelle
3 tablespoons olive oil                  
7oz skinned and boned salmon fillet
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups cream
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped dill
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. cook pasta according to the packet. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil.

2. Heat the remaining oil in a fry pan, cook the salmon for 2 minutes on each side and remove. Cut into chunks.

3. In the same pan, add the garlic and cook it for 30 seconds, add the cream, dill and mustard powder and bring it to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until sauce thickens.

4. Add the salmon, lemon juice and pasta and gently toss together.  

Pistachio Friands

This was my first attempt at making friands. I had no idea what to expect or what they're supposed to taste like, and do you think I could find a proper friand tin? NOPE. So instead I just used a small muffin tin.


1 1/3 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup plain flour                         
1 cup ground pistachio nuts
160g melted unsalted butter
5 egg whites, lightly beaten
1.2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius, and grease small muffin holes (or a proper friand tin)

2. Combine the icing sugar with the flour and ground pistachios. Add the melted butter, vanilla and the egg whites, and stir with a metal spoon, until just combined.

3. Spoon the mixture into prepared tin.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool.

5. Meanwhile, put the sugar and 1/4 of water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in chopped pistachios.

6. Working quickly, spoon hot sugar mixture over the top if the cooled cakes and sprinkle with extra icing sugar.

Devil's Food Cake

This cake is so moist, and quite easy to make. As with most of the cake recipes I try, I had to leave it in the oven longer than the time it said.

1 1/3 cups plain flour                          

2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon bi-carb soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
125g unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and grease and line a round cake tin.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa and bi-carb soda into a large bowl. Add the sugar. Combine the buttermilk, eggs and butter, and pour into the dry ingredients. Beat using electric beaters until there are no lumps.

3. Spoon mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  

Creamy Caprese Quinoa Bake

The first time I tasted quinoa, I wasn't really a fan. Honestly, I don't I cooked it long enough, making it feel like I was eating half cooked rice, which as you could imagine, wasn't very pleasant. So, I found, to cook quinoa, all it is is 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid. Bring it to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. This recipe calls for cooked quinoa.

 

 

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup of your favourite pasta sauce
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella, divided
• 1 cup tomatoes, halved
• 6 leaves of basil cut into ribbons
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius/.

 

2. Heat tomato sauce and tomato paste over low heat in a large saucepan. Once warm, stir in heavy cream, parmesan, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the quinoa.

 

3. Fold in half of the mozzarella and half of the tomatoes, then chop 6 fresh basil leaves and add them in too. Once combined, spray an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray and pour the entire quinoa mixture into the dish. Top with shredded mozzarella and the remaining tomatoes.

 

4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

 

 

 

 

 

Chilli Plum Beef

For such an easy recipe, I would have to say it is one of the most tastiest. Not all easy recipes are tasty though, like last night, I did a recipe for fettuccine carbonara. It was bland, and I think I curdled my cream and cheese. However, this recipe, there's nothing to it, and it pleases the tastebuds.

- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil                

- 600g lean beef, sliced thin
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 red capsicum, diced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chilli garlic sauce (I had to search for this)
- 1/2 cup plum sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- good pinch of white pepper


1. Heat the oil in a fry pan and cook your beef until it is just cooked. Remove and keep warm.

2. Add the onion to the pan, stir fry for 1 minute, then add the capsicum, continuing to stir fry until it is soft.

3. Add the chilli garlic sauce and stir fry for 1 minute, then return the meat, add the plum sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and white pepper.

4. Toss everything together and re heat for 1 minute.   

Chicken Fried Rice

I love the taste of the basil mixed in it all. It's quite fresh. I think I would like to add a few extra vegetables in it too like carrots and snow peas.

- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce            
- 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 600g chicken breast, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 cups cold cooked rice (I used uncle Ben's brown rice)
- 1 cup chopped basil (I may have used just under 1/4 cup)

1. Combine the sauces in a bowl and set aside. Heat a large frypan and add 3 teaspoons of the oil and swirl to coat. Add 1/2 the chicken and stir fry until browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the rest of the chicken and oil.

2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and onion to the pan. Stir fry until golden. Add the garlic and stirfry for 30 seconds. Add the egg and the rice. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until he egg is well combined with the rice.

3. Return the chicken to the pan. Add the sauce and basil. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes or until well combined.

Spicy Spring Rolls

I bought a sauce to go with these spring rolls, but it smelt a lot nicer than it tasted, so I went without. It's ok though, these spring rolls were still quite juicy.

*all vegetables are diced very small

- 1 medium carrot
- 2 sticks of celery                    
- vegetable oil
- 1/2 red capsicum
- 2 large mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
- 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 2 teaspoons cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon rice wine or vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts
- spring roll sheets

1. Prepare all vegetables and stir fry them in a frypan for about 3 minutes. Add the cold water, cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are soft.

2. Make a well in the middle and pour the cornflour mixture into it. Allow to thicken.

3. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, and sweet chilli sauce. Coat the vegetables and allow to cool. Add the macadamia nuts to the cold vegetables.

4. Place the spring roll sheets on a clean bench, place a spoonful of mixture on the sheet, leaving a 2cm margin. Fold the sides in to slightly cover the vegetables, and roll.

5. Heat remaining oil in a deep frypan, Drop 1/2 the rolls into the hot oil and fry until golden. Drain.

Roman Chicken Casserole

This recipe originally asks for 8 chicken thighs, with the bone and skin off. Instead of the thighs, I used 4 small chicken breasts. Only because I'm not a big fan of the texture of the thighs.

- 4 small chicken breasts, diced            
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onions, finally chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 chilli, seeds, all chopped
- 80g bacon, cut into little chunks
- 2x400g cans diced tomatoes
- big pinch of sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small jar of fire roasted capsicums sliced

1. In a large frypan, heat the oil and cook the chicken until cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

2. Tip out the excess oil. Add the onions, garlic, chilli and bacon to the rest of the oil and sauté, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, then sprinkle in the sugar, salt and pepper.

3. Return the chicken, turning it to coat it with the sauce. Cover the frypan, reduce heat and cook gently for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, stir in the sliced capsicums. Enjoy.
 

I'M BACK :D

Okay, so I have been a bit slack with cooking. After realizing how much food these recipes were making (I was feeding at least 2 extra people) and adding up how much money I was spending on ingredients every week, I decided to try already frozen meals. I thought it'd either run out the same cost or be cheaper. I think it worked out the same, but instead of having to cook myself, I just throw it in the microwave.

Speaking of microwaves, I had to get a new one :( . It would never keep going after 3 minutes, and would take at least 5 minutes to restart again. Not good for these frozen meals that needed more than 3 minutes. It also got really hot on top too. Does anyone else's microwave get really hot? there was enough space for air flow. IT COULD'VE BLOWN UP!

I ended up not liking these meals and started to resort back to home delivery. Chinese and Turkish food mainly. The only problem is, there is a minimum order of $25 before they deliver. So here I was spending at least $25-$30 a night. Add that up... that's at least $125 for a 5 day week!

At least when you cook your own food, you know what you're eating. The meals I were eating had vegetables, mashed potato and meat. The mashed potato, I think it was the powdered stuff. The vegetables... peas, beans and carrots... these were yum but there wasn't enough of them, and the meat? The steak tasted funny, and the chicken? I wasn't a fan of the texture, and it tasted a little funny too.

What was I really eating? I have absolutely no idea, and I think I'd rather not know. Cooking from recipes, a thickener means using cornflour mixed with water (for example). Not like in the already frozen meals where an ingredient is "thickener (1422)". I've read in places and learnt at school that if there is a number after the ingredient, it is a chemical kind. Not something you can just buy in a supermarket to throw in your dish.

But, I've pulled my act together and I've started looking up recipes again and ready to enjoy my food again.

Chow Mein

I think the next time I make this dish, I wont use as much ginger. It asks for 1/2 tablespoon, but it seems pretty strong, maybe 1/4 of that I might suggest. The sauce doesn't look like enough when you first put it in either, I was going to make double, but checked after a minute or so and it seemed to be plenty. I don't know where it all came from.

- 500g chicken, chopped
- 1 cup shallots, sliced                                 
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small cabbage, sliced
- 3 medium capsicums, chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon ginger                      
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chicken stock powder
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 1 packet thin noodles
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- salt
- 4 tablespoons oil


1. In a large bowl, marinate the chicken in 1 tablespoon of vinegar, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, and the cornflour for 30 minutes.

2. Cook the noodles according to the packet with the oil.

3. In a large frypan, fry the onions, ginger, garlic, and chicken until the chicken is cooked through. Add all the vegetables until they are starting to soften.

4. Add the rest of the sauces, vinegar, peppers, salt, tomato sauce and the chicken stock powder. Cook for 5 minutes continually stirring. Add the noodles.

Penne Rosa

- 1 1/2 cups penne
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic                     
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 4 cups of spinach, sliced
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup plain yoghurt

1. Cook penne according to packet.

2. In a large frypan, sauté the onion and garlic.

3. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach and wilt for 2 minutes.

5. Add the yoghurt, cooked pasta, and marinara. Heat through.

Simple Pad Thai

The first time I ever tried pad thai was when I was in high school. It was the first time I ever used lemongrass and I love that it looks and feel so woody, yet e can eat it. This recipe didn't have prawns in it, which is ok as I don't like them, and I added lemongrass to the dish.

- 500g chicken, chopped      
- vegetables of your choice. I used onion, carrot, broccoli, bok choy, beans, and lemongrass.
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 8 tablespoons oyster sauce
- salt and pepper
- 1 packet of wide noodles


1. Cook the noodles according to the packet.

2. Cook the chicken in the oil and remove one cooked. Add the garlic and vegetables to the same pan.

3. Once the vegetables are almost cooked, ad the chicken back and 1/2 of the oyster sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes.

4. Add the noodles and the rest of the sauce.

Thai style Curry Beef and Pasta

I found this dish to be a little bland, so you might need to add some salt.

- 1 box of spaghetti (I just used the left over pasta from the packet I hadn't cooked from the previous dishes)
- 500g beef strips
- 2 cloves garlic                              
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 cups of broccoli florettes
- 1 medium capsicum, sliced
- 1 medium onion, cut in wedges
- 2-3 teaspoons ginger
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- roasted nuts

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet directions.

2. In a large frypan, cook the beef strips and garlic in the oil.

3. Add the broccoli, capsicum and onion and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add 1-2 tablespoons water and ginger, combined with the coconut milk and the curry paste.

5. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

6. Toss with the pasta and garnish with nuts.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I really don't like the taste of tomato sauce. Can't stand it anymore. But it's so strange how if it's mixed with other ingredients, it works great. Without it just wouldn't taste the same.

- 4 tablespoons oil
- 800g chicken, chopped                  
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 1 small pineapple (I just used a can of unsweetened pineapple chunks)
- 1 medium capsicum, sliced
- 225g can water chestnuts
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2tablespoons soy sauce
- 2/3 cup tomato sauce
- (2x) 3/4 cup chicken stock

1. In a large frypan, heat the oil and cook the chicken . Remove and set aside.

2. Saute the onion and pineapple for around 3 minutes. Add the capsicums and water chestnuts and sauté until tender.

3. In a jug, combine the cornflour, vinegar, sauces and stock. Add the chicken back to the frypan and add the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Red Curry Meatballs

For this dish, I used the meatballs I made previously mentioned in this blog, but I couldn't find any lamb mince, so I tried veal mince. I do like it, and it's amazing how soft the veal mince feels too.

MEATBALLS:
- 500g veal mince
- 1 onion, diced                   
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1/4 bunch parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin                  
- salt and pepper
- 1 litre chicken stock

SAUCE:
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 can coconut milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice

1. Combine all meatball ingredients and roll into little balls. Boil them in the chicken stock until browned.

2. In a large frypan, sauté the onion and zucchini in the oil until tender.

3. Add the coconut milk, curry paste and the cooked meatballs.

4. Add the salt and pepper. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes and stir in the lime juice.

5. Serve over rice.

Oven Baked Chicken Fajata

This dish is quite spicy, had my dad's and my eyes and nose running. I ended up eating this chicken wrapped in Lebanese bread.

- 400g chicken, chopped
- 2 capsicums, sliced                    
- 2 onions, diced
- Fajita seasoning (below)
- 2-3 teaspoons red pesto
- 1/2 tablespoon oil
- squeeze of lemon juice

SEASONING: In a container, combine a pinch or 2 of each:

• oregano
• chilli powder
• salt
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• nutmeg
• coriander
• cayenne pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine the seasoning, oil, lemon juice and pesto. Add the chicken, onion and capsicum and mix well.

2. Line a baking tray with foil and spread the mixture evenly.

3. Bake at 200 degrees celcius for 45 minutes. Shuffle the mixture around half way to ensure even cooking.

Another Chicken Tikka Masala

Alright, so yes I know I've done a chicken tikka before, but I used another recipe. I'm not sure if it's the same one as last time, but I do think this one is tastier, as I found this quite moreish.

- 3 chicken breasts, chopped
- 1 cup of yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons pepper                               
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 jalepeno chilli, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup cream


1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, yoghurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, peppers, ginger and salt. Mix well and refrigerate covered for 1 hour.

2. Once the hour is up, cook the chicken in a frypan then set aside.

3. TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

 Melt the butter then add the jalepeno and garlic. Sauté for around 1 minute. Add the cumin, paprika and salt. Sauté until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cream. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer around 20 minutes, to thicken the sauce. Add the chicken and serve with rice.
 

Chicken with Cashews

Personally, I think this dish should be called Cashews with Chicken. I think 100g of chicken isn't enough for this dish. I also found I had to add some salt (even though you have the soy sauces). But saying this, it is such a quick and easy dish.

- 100g chicken, chopped
- 150g cashews                           
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 shallots (white part only)
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup chicken stock

SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon kecap manis
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- pepper

1. In a frypan, heat the oil and cook chicken.

2. Once the chicken is cooked, add all other ingredients including sauce ingredients and heat through.

Braised Coconut Spinach and Chick Peas with lemon

I have not much to say about this dish except for WOW! The flavours of everything just burst in your mouth. You can use this dish as a main meal or side dish.

- 2 teaspoons oil                

- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 can chick peas (400g)
- 1 bunch spinach, chopped
- 1 can coconut milk (400ml)
- salt

1. In a large frypan, heat your oil and add the onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and lemon zest and stri fry for 3 minutes.

2. Add your chick peas and stir until golden.

3. Add your spinach, a handful at a time. Add the coconut milk, salt and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes until the chick peas are heated through.

African Curried Coconut Soup with Chick Peas

Okay, so the colder weather is on its way and as the years have gone by, I've found myself enjoying these soupy kind of foods now. I'll admit, I never really enjoyed soups or fillers such as chick peas or lentils, but now, since finding all these interesting foods, I'm quite enjoying them and the unique flavours.

- 1 1/2 cups chick peas
- 1 cup of brown rice (I use the pre cooked rice in a packet)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped                      
- 1 medium capsicum, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 cups of vegetable stock
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- 1 bunch of spinach
- 1 can of coconut milk (400ml)


1. Put the chopped spinach in a pot and cover it with 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the liquid has evaporated.

2. In a large soup pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic and capsicum. Cook stirring until soft.

3. Add the vegetable stock, spinach, chick peas, tomatoes, curry, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat. Simmer gently stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.

4. Add the  coconut milk and rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes until heated through.

Vegetarian Sour Cream Pasta

I never thought that basil and parsley would accompany each other so well. Let alone basil in sour cream. Next time I make this dish, I think I might put a little bit of chopped up sun dried tomatoes in it.
                                                           

- 300g pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups of vegetables stock
- 200g sour cream
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 150g spinach (I just used a whole bunch)
- 100g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 capsicum, sliced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil


1. Cook your pasta according to the packet directions.

2. In a large frypan, heat the oil and add the zucchini, capsicum, mushrooms and spinach.

3. Once the vegetables are soft, add the vegetable stock, sour cream, tomato paste and paprika. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat.

4. Add the cooked pasta and the herbs.

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Soup)

When the hamburger shop down the road from me started cooking Thai food, I tried this soup that I thought the name sounded quite strange. I loved it! It was quite fresh with the lemony flavour, but I don't really like the Asian style mushrooms, so I would pick them out. Just scrolling through Thai recipes the other night, I came across a coconut soup with the same name. I just had to try it and I was so pleased it was the same one.


- 300g chicken, sliced and cooked                      

- 2 cups of coconut milk
- 2 cups of water
- 6 mushrooms (I just used a handful of sliced mushrooms)
- a little bit of grated ginger (I used about a tablespoon)
- 6 kaffir lime leaves ... can you eat the lime leaves? I always take them out in case you can't.
- 4 chillies (I only put a little bit as I'm getting mum used to the heat)
- 6-7 pieces of lemongrass
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons fish sauce (I used 1 and a bit teaspoons... bit pongy for my nose)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice


1. Boil the coconut milk and the water together over medium heat for about 8 minutes.

2. Add the ginger, lemongrass, sugar and lime leaves.

3. Add the chicken and salt and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and add the mushrooms and chilli.

4. Add the fish sauce and the lime juice as you desire.

Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken

I found the orange in this dish to be quite strong. Even though it dos say orange in the name of it, I still wasn't expecting it to be that strong. I think it might have tasted pretty strong to me because I'm not a huge fan of orange flavoured food, I prefer to eat the fruit itself.

- 3 tablespoons oil                      

- 1/2kg chicken tenderloins
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- 1/2 cup of honey
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- zest of 1 orange
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried sage


1. Heat the oil in a frypan and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook until golden.

2. In a jug, combine the honey, orange juice, orange zest, balsamic vinegar and the sage.

3. Once chicken is cooked, spread some of step 2 onto the pieces and turn over. Let cook for a few minutes to become sticky and repeat on the other side. (I did this a couple of times, then ended up tipping the rest of step 2 in the frypan with the chicken).

4. Serve accompanied with grilled potatoes.

Lime and Coconut Chicken

I found that when I was testing the sauce, I didn't really like what I think was the sour? Yes, I think it was sour, taste it left on my tongue. I added some salt and it balanced it out, making it taste delicious. To me, the taste of the dish reminds me of the taste of Thai food.


- oil
- 1 tablespoon Worcestshire sauce                
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 500g chicken, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 3 shallots, sliced
- 415 ml coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice


1. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon of Worcestshire sauce, the soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Add the chicken and set aside for 1 hour.

2. After an hour, cook the chicken with salt and pepper and the shallots until browned and cooked. Transfer to a plate.

3. To the same fry pan you removed the chicken from, add the coconut milk, lime juice, the remaining 2 teaspoons of Worcestshire sauce and the other 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar. Bring to simmer and simmer until the sauce reduces to around 1/3. (around 5 minutes). Stir in the chicken and shallots and season. Warm through.

Veal Martini

For 2 weeks, I am covering my boss' shift while she has time off. The part I like the best? Because I start early, I get to come home early. Just in time to make a yummy fresh dinner. So this week and next week, I have been and will be making my dinners fresh instead of making them in advanced and freezing them. As handy as having frozen dinners made for during the week, it is nice to fresh stuff. Looking for a recipe for dinner tonight, I came across veal martini. I've only known martini to be a drink, and after looking at the ingredients, I thought it sounded quite tasty.

- 500g veal steaks
- 3 cups of chicken stock             

- 1 cup of dry white wine
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (420g can)
- 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, oil patted from them with paper towel and sliced
- 1/4 cup minced shallot
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup finely sliced basil

1. In a saucepan, bring the wine an chicken stock to the boil and simmer until it is reduced by half.

2. In a frypan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add the mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and shallots. Cook until the mushrooms are soft and remove and set aside.

3. Combine the flour, salt and pepper, and coat the veal with it.

4. Add the rest of the butter to the frypan, and cook the veal to your liking. Remove and set aside.

5. To the same frypan, add the reduced wine and stock mix. Mix with the yummies left behind by the veal and cook for 1 minute.

6.  Return the veal and the mushroom mix to the sauce and stir in the tomatoes and basil.

*May I suggest maybe serving this dish with some mashed potato.

Orange Madeira Cake

Most times when I make a cake, I always seem to have to leave the cake in the oven for at least an extra 1/2 hour. This cake, it's so simple and only takes 1 hour to cook. You can also use lemon essence instead of orange, and I like to use this cake when I'm going to decorate one, because I know it will work straight away and not rise just in the middle. It stays nice and level.

- 1 1/2 cups self raising flour  

- 125g butter
- 150g caster sugar
- pinch of salt
- 3 eggs
- 6 tablespoons of milk
- 1 teaspoon of orange essence

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celcius and line a 20cm round cake tin.

2. Beat the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add the essence, and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients, alternating with the milk.

4. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 1 hour.  

Kibbeh Bi Laban

I have absolutely no idea what this dish is really supposed to taste like, never even heard of laban even. Kibbeh however, well, I love the food. For years I've wanted to try making it myself, and honestly, I think I will just buy it premade from my corner store. Tastes better and is easier for me. The kibbeh I made in this dish, I found to be too dry (that could be because I simply didn't put enough filling in the casing, as I was having a ton of trouble). The laban... well, I'm not sure exactly what the thickeness, taste, or texture is supposed be like. What I do know is that I adored the taste. Only problem was when it started to cool down, it started thickening back up, which makes me feel a little yuk in the tummy after eating even just a small amount. Years ago when I bought kibbeh cooked from a Lebanese shop, the owner told me if you don't know how to make kibbeh, you can't get married. Hmmm... looks like I won't be marrying.

Kibbeh:
- 200g veal mince                       

maybe I should've served this dish in a dark coloured bowl

- 200g bulgur wheat
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 onion, minced

Stuffing:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 200g veal mince
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- salt and pepper

Laban:
-  cup water (I had to add more water as my rice soaked it all up before it was soft)
- 1/2 cup rice
- 2 teaspoons corn flour
- 1 1/2 kg natural yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon dried mint

1. Combine all the kibbeh ingredients.

2. For the stuffing: Melt the butter and add the onion, mince, spices and pine nuts and cook for 10 minutes.

3. THIS IS WHERE I HAD THE TROUBLE...  Roll the kibbeh into balls, and leave it open at one end. Add some of the stuffing into the gap and seal.

4. Place kibbehs in an oven dish and roast for around 25 minutes. (the recipe didn't say what temperature, so I just used 180 degrees celcius.)

5. In a good saucepan, add the rice and water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes. (here I added extra water as my rice soaked up all the liquid before it was cooked.)

6. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with 1/4 cup cold water. Add it to the yoghurt and mix well.

7. Add the yoghurt to the rice and cook. Add the tahini, kibbeh and mint.

Savoury Mince Bake

I was shocked with the taste of the filling. The look of creamed corn always threw me off and I've only recently discovered my new liking for peas. Also, this was the first time using oats in mince. I guess it's a healthier alternative to using breadcrumbs. It works and tastes the same. The recipe I used looked like such a fiddley one because of the length, but it is really quite easy.

BASE:
- 800g beef mince
- 1 cup rolled oats
 1 onion, diced
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs (I used Italian salad herbs as I always have this  in the cupboard)
- salt and pepper to taste

FILLING:





- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons cornflour
- 30g butter
- 310g can creamed corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tomatoes, sliced (I used 3)
- grated cheddar cheese

1. BASE:

a) Combine all base ingredients well. Press into the base and sides of a large greased casserole dish.
b) Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 20-25 minutes. Mop up any excess fat with paper towel or stale bread.

2. FILLING:

a)  Blend a little of the milk with the cornflour to form a smooth paste.
b) Heat the remaining milk and butter together in a saucepan. Remove from heat and bend in the cornflour mixture.
c) Return to the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and boils. Simmer for 3 minutes.
d) Stir in the corn, peas and seasoning. Place 1/2 the tomato slices on the meat base.

3. Pour filling on top of the tomato, then add the rest of the tomato slices. Top with plenty of cheese and bake at 180 degrees celcius for 15 minutes or until heated through and golden.
 

Spicy Vegetable and Quinoa Laksa

"YOU EAT WITH YOUR EYES". I find this statement to be so true; But, the taste of dish, I must admit, tastes a lot better than it looks. I don't like the look of vegetables once they've been cooked for a while, they lose their crisp vibrant colour.

- 1 onion, diced
-  4 tablespoons curry paste
- 1 litre milk
- 750g frozen vegetables
- 175g quinoa, rinsed

1. In a large frypan, simmer the onion and curry paste for around 2 minutes, then add a splash of water. Simmer this for 5 minutes. Heat the milk in a jug in the microwave.

2. To the onion and curry, add the vegetables, quinoa, and milk. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked. The quinoa will absorb most of the liquid. *I noticed it absorbed a lot more once I turned the heat off and let it sit.* Check for seasoning.


how I like my vegetables to look

 



the finished dish

Kale, Lentil and Quinoa Soup

For this recipe, I substituted the kale for spinach as I can never seem to find any at my local supermarket. I found the cayenne pepper gave the dish a nice bite, but it still seemed a bit bland, so testing a little bit with my mum, we decided it needed a tablespoon or two of honey, and some salt.

- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 medium carrots, diced             

- 2 small parsnips diced
- 2 sticks of celery, diced
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 5 cups water
- 28oz/794g can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup caned brown lentils
- 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups kale (or spinach)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil and cook the garlic, celery, carrot and parsnip until it has softened slightly.

2. Add the garam masala, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, thyme and oregano.

3. Add the water, tomatoes, lentils and quinoa and bring to the boil.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes, until the quinoa soaks up most of the liquid.

5. Stir in the chopped kale (or spinach) and season with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

*if using honey, mix it in after taking it off the heat.* 

Creamy Chicken Fettuccine

You learn something new every day. I have had a can of cream of chicken soup in the cupboard for a little while now, and I've noticed there is no use by date on the can. I didn't know what to expect to see once I opened the can, but it was fine. I only realized it as fine once I went and bought another can. AND THERE'S LITTLE CHUNKS OF CHICKEN in the soup too! I never knew this.

- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 750g chicken                                 

- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 400g can cream of chicken soup
- 300ml thickened cream
- 375g fettuccine


1. Cook fettuccine according to packet directions.

2. Heat the oil in a large frypan. Cook the chicken then add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft.

3. Blend in the soup and cream. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Check for seasoning.

4. Mix the fettuccine in with the creamy sauce.  

Nutella Macarons

I have failed making macarons so many times it's not funny. If it's not my shell failing from being under cooked, put in the oven too soon, or the feet not rising much, it's my filling that fails. Well this day, somehow, my macarons decided to work.


- 1 egg white
- 50g caster sugar
- 30g icing sugar
- 30g almond meal
- some chopped hazelnuts (for the top)
- nutella (for the filling)


1. Whisk the egg whites with the caster sugar until stiff peaks form.


2. Fold in the sifted combined icing sugar and almond meal. (DO NOT OVER MIX)


3. Pipe blobs of mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and leave to rest for 30 minutes.


4. After 30 minutes, touch a blob lightly. If it doesn't stick to you, then they're ready to go into the oven. If they do, leave until it doesn't. Add some chopped hazelnuts to every 2nd blob.


5. Bake for 15 minutes at 150 degrees celcius. Once 15 minutes is up, if you lightly push on a shell and it doesn't move on the feet, they're ready. If they do move, leave for another minute. Remove from the oven and cool.


6. Once cool, sandwich together with the amount of nutella to your liking.

step 3

 

 

 

Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Cannelloni

Every time that I've made this dish I've used the hard cannelloni rolls to stuff. I have so much trouble trying to fill them because they always seemed to break on me. I've even tried to stuff them after cooking them a little bit making them softer... made it worse if you ask me. But when I shopping for my ingredients, I noticed in the fridge section there's fresh lasagne sheets and next to them were FRESH CANNELLONI SHEETS. These were so easy to use!! They're in little rectangles, you put your stuffing on them, then they just roll up without tearing!!

- 1 tub creamed ricotta
- 1 tub cottage cheese
- 2 packets fresh cannelloni sheets
- 1 bunch spinach
- 2 small cans of tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian salad herbs
- 1 packet parmesan cheese

1. Cook spinach until it is soft, set aside and cool.

2. When cooled, add the mixed cheeses and a little of the parmesan.

3. Stuff the cannelloni sheets with the spinach mixture and roll.

4. Make the sauce by combining the canned tomatoes with the salad herbs in a saucepan and heating. Add salt and pepper.

5. Put the rolled cannelloni into baking trays and top with sauce and parmesan cheese.

6. Bake at 180 degrees celcius until the cheese has browned to your liking.

step 3

step 5

step 5

 

Beef Stroganoff

Just when I thought I finished making the dish, I realized I forgot one of the main ingredients. The sour cream. Thank goodness I realized before it was too late.

- 2 tablespoons oil                    
- 500g beef, cut in strips                          

- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 420g can cream of mushroom soup
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon worcestshire sauce
- 150g mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons parsley

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the beef and cook for 3 minutes or until browned. Add the onion and paprika and cook until soft.

2. Add the soup, tomato sauce, and worcestshire sauce and mix well. Stir in the mushrooms. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until meat is tender.

3. Stir in the sour cream and parsley.  

Orzo with Sundried Tomatoes and Mushrooms

When I found this recipe, I didn't know what orzo was. I was thinking maybe it was some sort of Spanish meat. Boy I was wrong. I looked it up, and found it was a type of pasta. I just used risoni in the dish as it looked the same. I could not believe the taste of the sun dried tomatoes. They're so tasty!

- 1 cup orzo (in my case risoni)                    

- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat your stock in a saucepan.

2. In a large pan, heat the oil and cook the onion until it is soft.

3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are cooked. Remove to a bowl.

4. Add the orzo to the pan. Stir to coat the orzo with the oil.

5. Cook the orzo like a risotto... Add a little bit of the hot stock to the orzo, stir occasionally to avoid sticking, then when that stock is soaked up, add a little more. Continue until all the stock is gone ad the orzo is tender.

6. Add the mushroom mixture that you set aside in the bowl (STEP 3). Mix in the parmesan cheese and parsley.

7. Check for salt and pepper.