lebanese chicken and rice (minus the chicken)

This recipe called for a whole cooking chicken and then you use the stock that the chicken was cooked in. Instead, I left out the chicken and made only the rice and used campbells chicken stock instead.

- 2 cups long grain rice

- 1 tablespoon butter

- 2 teaspoons salt

- 1 tablespoon allspice

- 2 teaspoons cinnamon

- 4cups reserved chicken stock

 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds

- 1/4 cup pine nuts

- 113g butter


1. Wash and drain the rice. In a medium pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter, add the rice and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

2. Mix in the salt, allspice and cinnamon, stir and add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

3. While the rice is cooking, sauté the almonds and pine nuts in butter until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Mix into the cooked rice. 

whatever cookies

This recipe is the best! They taste great and you can have them plain, or you can throw 'whatever' you feel like into them... choc chips, bits of fruit, nuts, muesli,  the list is endless.

- 110g softened butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup self raising flour
- 1 cup of 'whatever' goodies you feel like


1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease 2 baking trays.

2. Cream the butter and sugar, then add egg and beat well.

3. Add the sifted flours and the goodies you chose and mix.

4. Roll mixture into balls, pkace on trays amd bake for 10-15 mins.

jelly crystal cookies

When I saw this recipe,  I just had to ty it! I think next time I make these, instead of tossing them in sugar, I might toss them in some extra jelly crystals of the same flavour in the cookies.

- 225g softened butter
- 2x 85g packets jelly crystals
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 cups self raising flour
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- white sugar to coat

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a baking tray.

2. Cream the butter and jelly crystal, beat in the eggs, then add the sifted flours.

3. Roll mixture into balls then toss them in sugar to coat. Place on prepared tray and press with the back of a fork. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

beef delicious

- 450g beef round steak
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 green capsicum,  cut into strips
- 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- pepper to taste

1. Cut steak into thin strips about 2.5 cm long. Put in a bowl with salt, egg white, bicarbonate soda, cornflour, wine and vinegar. Stir to mix thoroughly, then chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

2. Heat oil in a large frypan and fry meat quickly, stirring constantly until browned. Remove to a plate.

3. Add the onion and fry gently until soft. Add the capsicum and tomatoes, and cook for 2-3 minutes longer, stirring well. Return meat to the pan, add stock, soy sauce and sugar, and then cook, stirring constantly for a further minute or so. Season with pepper and serve 

cheese and chicken patties

Well it seems I have found a food that both mum and dad enjoy heaps. First it was those salmon patties which you'll find the recipe for here as well, and now these ones. I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO TASTE ONE!

- 500g lean chicken mince
- 1/2 onion, chopped very fine or grated
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
- 80g tasty cheese grated
- oil spray

1. Mix together the mince, onion, egg, breadcrumbs and cheese. Shape mixture into 8 balls and flatten slightly.

2. Spray a pan with oil and place over medium heat.  Cook patties for about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. 

layer caserole

This dish is si flavorsome considering there's not many ingredients

- 1/2 cup rice
- 500g beef mince
- 1 1/4 cups chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chooped green capsicum
- 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
- salt and pepper
- 450g can tomato soup
- 1 cup grated tasty cheese
- 2 bacon rashers

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C amd grease a casserole dish.

2. Spread the rice over the base of the casserole dish. Cover with a layer of mince, followed by a layer of onion, capsicum amd corn, seasoning with salt and pepper between each layer.

3. Pour the tomato soup over and sprinkle the grated cheese ontop. Place the bacon rashers on top. Cook on the bottom shelf of the oven for 1 1/2 hours.

asparagus chicken casserole

I decided to try this thinking I would love it because of the asparagus. I was wrong. Don't get me wrong, I still liked it a little,  but was hugely disappointed because the taste of the 'canned asparagus' took over.

- 1/2 cup oil
- 750g chicken pieces
- 1 onion, sliced
- 125g bacon, chopped
- 1/4 cup plain fkour
- 1 cup milk
- 440g can asparagus cuts
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- 90g cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Heat the oil in a frypan, add chicken and cook, turning occasionally until well browned. Transfer the chicken to an oven dish and set aside.

3. Add the onion and bacon to the panand saute until the onion is transparent.  Stir in the flour, then remove pan from the heat and add milk, 1 cup water, asparagus (undrained), crumbled stock cubes, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir until the mixture is combined, then return to the stove. Bring to the boil,  stirring and simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cheese.

4. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces and bake, covered, for 45-55 minutes.