Raspberry Frangipane Tarts

This is a beautiful, quick and easy recipe taken from Jamie Oliver's book "30 Minute Meals".

6 Small deep shortcrust pastry cases
1 egg
100gm ground almond
100g butter
90g caster sugar
1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (I used essence, tasted great)
1/2 a 350g jar of raspberry jam (that's an estimate, I used less)
1 tub of thickened cream or creme freche to serve

1. Turn your oven to 190c
2. Put 6 pastry cases on a baking tray
3. Make the frangipane mixture by cracking the egg into a mixing bowl and adding the almonds, butter and sugar. Grace over the zest of 1/2 an orange and add the vanilla. Use a spoon to mix everything together.
4. Spoon a teaspoon of jam into each pastry base. Top with a heaped teaspoon (I didn't heap it as my cases weren't deep) of frangipane. Add another spoonful of jam and finish with one more spoonful of frangipane.
5. Place the tray into the oven on the middle shelf and set the timer for 18 minutes.
6. When the tarts are golden and cooked, take them out and serve warm with the cream

Plum and Chocolate Clafoutis

This is from Donna Hay's cookbook "Seasons". I've adapted it to make it easier, because after making it I don't think it needs to be made in a fry pan at all...just something fancy that she did for looks.

1/3 cup (50g) plain flour, sifted
1/4 cup (25g) cocoa, sifted
1/3 cup (75 g) caster sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used essence)
3 eggs
1 cup (250ml) single pouring cream
1 cup (175g) chopped dark chocolate
20g butter
6 blood plums, halved and stoned

1. Preheat the oven to 180 (355 F).
2. Place the flour, cocoa and sugar in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, place the vanilla, eggs and cream and stir to combine.
4. Add the vanilla mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to combine.
5. Stir in the chocolate.

Now this is where she gets you to divide it between two 13 cm ovenproof frying pans. I used a 28 cm oven proof frying pan, but I would think if I did it again I would just use a cake tin. Perhaps the only advantage to using a fry pan is, that because the cake doesn't rise it is not very high, so a fry pan makes it easier to get it out. Up to you though!

6. heat butter in the fry pan and remove from the heat(or grease a cake tin) and then place the chocolate mixture into the pan.
7. Place the plums on top of the mixture and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until puffed up and cooked through.

Serves 7-8 people

It was beautiful having some chunks of melted chocolate, mixed with the plums... although word of warning, try a plum first. The plums I bought were very tart, so I ended up putting caster sugar on the top when we got it out of the oven.
Another fruit that would go great with this is cherries or raspberries instead of the plum. We served with some fresh cream. some nice vanilla ice cream would of been great too!

chicken pot pie

This is taken from Jamie Oliver's new cookbook "Thirty Minute Meals". I changed one or two minor things to work for my family.
Below is the recipe that I used. In brackets is what he has done.

600gms chicken breast ( OR 4x 180gm chicken breasts) sliced into 1cm strips
knob of butter
bunch of spring onions
150gm button mushrooms (about 5-6 of them)
1 heaped teaspoon plain flour
2 heaped teaspoons English Mustard (he used hot, I used mild)
1 heaped teaspoon cream for cooking (creme fraiche)
300ml chicken stock (or use one chicken stop cube in a cup of water-this is what I did)
Few sprigs of fresh thyme
sprinkle of nutmeg-dried (he used fresh nutmeg)
1 sheet pre rolled puff pastry (depends on the size of your pan. I used two sheets for mine)
1 egg

Method
(pre heat oven to 200C/400 F)
1. Cut the chicken into 1 cm strips
2. Add some butter and olive oil to a hot, large pan (he used a pan that goes from stove top to oven, as I did. Otherwise use a saucepan and then transfer it to an oven proof dish).
3. Add the chicken and cook for 3-minutes
4. Chop the spring onions and mushrooms and add these to the pan.
5. Add the flour to the pan and stir.
6. Add the mustard, cream and chicken stock and stir well.
7. Pick the thyme leaves and add these with some nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave to simmer gently.
8. Place your sheet of puff pastry over the pie dish or pan, using a knife to make light criss crosses in it. Tuck the pastry in around the edges of the pan. Brush an egg wash over the top of the pastry and cook for around 15 minutes (until the pastry is golden and cooked).

We served it with salad and mashed potato. Serve it with your favourite side dishes.
My kids, hubby and I ALL loved it! Had it for leftovers the next night.

Feeds 4 adults and 2 children

Jamie Oliver style cucmber/spinach salad

This is adapted from a salad in Jamie's new book "30 Minute Meals".
He added toasted pine nuts and lemon juice (I had none of these in the cupboard) and I added some feta, he did not. I also used mixed bag of lettuce (that includes baby spinach), he also added some mint at the end, I don't like mint. I added some bean shoots.

1/2 packet your favourtie mixed leaves, or use just baby spinach leaves

good handful sun-dried tomatoes

handful bean shoots (or alfafa would do good too)

handful danish feta crumbled

1/2 cucumber chopped

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

handful grated parmesan

Simple as. Place all the ingredients in a bowl, in a small bowl mix the oil, vinegar and salt and pepper, drizzle over just before stirring along with the grated parmesan on the top.

Creamy chicken pasta

This is similar to another creamy chicken pasta dish I have made, this was more creamier for some reason...Love it!

You will need:
500 gms shredded cooked chicken (you could use a cooked chicken from the store, or do what I did and cook two skinless chicken breasts and then shredded it)

1/2 brown onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic (good size) chopped

4 mushrooms sliced

2 handfuls baby spinach

1/2 butternut punpkin (squash) you could use sweet potato instead, into 2cm cubes

1 cup grated tasty cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan (the real stuff, not that gross stuff in a tin)

200 mls cream (that's used for cooking)

salt and pepper to taste


Linguine pasta


Method:
Shred already cooked chicken and set aside (or cook some chicken and then shred it)

Chop and dice all of your veggies/ grate the cheese

In a microwave proof bowl add your pumpkin and some water (don't cover the pumpkin) and heat for around 5 minutes until just soft)

Put water on for the pasta

As you put the water on you can start adding the onion/garlic to a pan
and frying them in some olive oil.

Add in the veggies (pumpkin, mushroom) and chicken. Heat these up and then add the cream and cheese (save some grated parmesan for the end) and cream and spinach. Place on low and let simmer. If you need to add some water to make the sauce less thick and sticky do so here. I added maybe 1/3 cup to mine. Also add some salt and pepper to your liking.

Once the water is boiling add your pasta.

Once pasta is cooked turn off the chicken sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce, stif around so everything is coated well.

Serve with some grated parmesan on the top.

This served about 6-8 people as we had a salad with it too. So it will probably serve 6 adults well.
My kids LOVED it and asked for seconds.

Spanish beef with rice

This is a wonderfully easy and delicious meal to make.
There are lots of ways to make it, but I tried to keep it as real to what I saw on alot of other sites, changing the tastes to suit my family (and adding veggies!!)

500gm beef mince (ground beef)
1 tin tomato soup ( i used salt reduced)
1 tin tomatoes
1/2 cup water with one beef stock cube dissolved
1 cup frozen veggie mix (I used corn, carrot, bean and pea)
1 cup rice (I use basmatti rice)
1/2 red onion chopped finely
1 clove garlic chopped finely
pinch chilli flakes
2 pinches coriander seeds (ground)
2 pinches Harissa
pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 handful of parsley finely chopped
corn chips (I use plain ones)
1 cup grated cheese (any of your fav cheese)

Heat a saucepan with some olive oil and cook the beef mince. Add the onion and garlic. Once they are softened turn down the heat. Add the tomatoes, tomato soup, stock and water and veggies and rice to the pan along with the spices.
Let this simmer and when the rice is cooked the meal is ready, add some parsley at the end.

Serve with corn chips for dipping and topped with some grated cheese.

home-made chicken and vegetable soup

This is a great cold remedy. Fills you up and restores health to your bones :)

500gms or half a cooked chicken (or 2 chicken breasts that you cook and then shred)
2 carrots finely chopped
2 sticks celery finely chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 large potato finely chopped (not too finely about inch sized pieces)
1 leek finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
good handful chopped fresh parsley
good pinch of sage (fresh or dried)
good pinch of thyme (fresh or dried)
3 litres chicken stock
2 cups water
handful of thin spaghetti

Shred your chicken or cook the breasts and then shred.
In a big pot cook off the onion and garlic, along with the leek.
Add in the other vegetables and cook for a minute or so.
Add in the stock and the water, salt and pepper and dried herbs
Leave this to get to the boil, add the chicken and broken bits of spaghetti in and turn down to a simmer
I let mine simmer for about 45 mins
about 10 mins before add in the parsley.

Eat and enjoy!!

kids loved this, they loved the spaghetti which is why I added it so it was like chicken noodle soup
This can be frozen if you wish

Asian style chicken burgers

A good friend of mine shared a recipe for some Asian style chicken burgers, so I altered it to suit my families taste. I don't have a picture because we ate them right away :P They were served on some nice fresh bread rolls, with salad.

Makes around 6 burgers

400-500gms chicken mince (ground chicken)
1 large garlic clove (or 2 smaller ones) finely chopped or crushed
1/2 brown onion finely chopped
1 small grated carrot
1 small tin of sweet corn kernals
1 tablespoon dried coriander leaves (cilantro) you can use fresh, but I am not a huge fan of coriander
1 tiny pinch of chili flakes (dry)
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
some flour to dust over the burgers

In a bowl place all the ingredients and mix well to combine. Form burgers, about the general size of a normal burger you would get from a take-away place and lightly cover it with some plain flour. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the burgers until cooked (just make a small cut in the middle to see if the meat is white or still pink)
You can serve with some sweet chili sauce, or the kids had tomato sauce (ketchup) and loved that too.
The original recipe from my friend had water chestnuts, and no carrot or corn, so you could try what you like. Grated zuchhini would work well too.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Although it takes some time to make this, it paid off well with the hubby and kids loving it. I still prefer good ol' bolognaise though :)

500gms (about 1lb)beef mince (ground beef)
2/3 cup (2oz) breadcrumbs (you could use fresh or from a box)
1/4 cup (3/4 oz) grated parmesan
1 onion finely chopped
1 garlic cloved chopped finely (or crushed)
Good handful fresh parsley finely chopped
1 egg
rind and jucie of half a lemon
3 tablespoons plain flour

sauce
700gm (14oz) italian tomato passata
I beef stock cube
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
handful fresh basil (can use dried if that's all you have)
handful fresh oregano (dry if that's what you have)
dash of salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

1. Mix together the mince, breadcrumbs, parmesan, onion, garlic, parsley, egg, lemon rind and juice, and some salt and pepper.
2. Roll the mixture into smallish balls and then roll in the flour.
3. Heat some olive oil in a pan (I used a big electric fry pan so I could make the sauce in that too) and fry the meatballs (in batches if you need to). Remove from the pan (turning with a fork is the easiest way) when golden brown and place on some paper towel to drain. Pour away the fat and meat juices to make the sauce.
4. Combine the passata, tomatoes, stock (in about half cup of warm water), basil, oregano, salt and pepper, sugar and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, and replace the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 15-20 mins.
5. While the meatballs are cooking add some spaghetti to rapidly boiling water. serve with some grated parmesan.

Spanish (mexican) rice

A friend shared a recipe that she was given for Spanish Rice (see Sarah's post here). I used that and another one I found online to make some to go with our mexican chicken last night. It was a hit with the kids, and more importantly my husband who hates to eat rice. Excuse the messy plate, I was in a rush to dish while the kids where screaming for their dinner :P

This will serve 4 adults. Please take note of the water:rice ratio on your packet and use that as a guideline for how much stock to add.

1 1/2 cup rice (I used basmati as this is healthier than plain white rice and cooks better)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup water (I didnt want too much salt, otherwise you could add 2 cups stock)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 cloves garlic (if they are small use 3) chopped
1/2 brown onion chopped finely
olive oil
handful parsely
1/4 teaspoon (maybe a little less) of Harissa (a middle eastern spice mix) if you don't want to add this then don't, it added a hint of spice which went well with the mexican chicken.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and cook cook the onion and garlic until they are soft (not burnt). Add in the rice and stir around until it turns a different colour (about 3 to 4 minutes).

Add the tomatoes, stock, water, parsley and Harissa and bring to the boil (this should happen within a minute or two.

Once boiling, place the lid on and turn down to simmer. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. Don't stir it or touch it. Leave it be for around 20-25 minutes depending on what rice you used. Lift the lid and fluff with a fork once you see that the water has evaporated, don't leave it too long otherwise it will go dry and stick to the pan.

Beef Curry

I saw this on the Biggest Loser the other night and thought I would give it a go. Never made one before as I thought they were too "hot" but this one was mild, it had a bit of a kick to it and the kids ate it too. Its good because it doesn't have very many calories at all and has more veggies than alot of other curries out there.

Serves 4 adults or ( 2 adults, 2 small children and some leftovers)

500g rump steak or chuck steak
1 and 1/2 cups pumpkin (butternut is best, but whatever you can find), cut into rough pieces
1 1/2 cups cauliflower (just cut up into pieces)'
1 cup peas (I forgot to add these!)
1/2 onion chopped finely
2 cloves garlic chopped
juice and rind of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon coriander (ground)
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (ground)
olive oil
3 1/2 cups to 1 litre of salt reduced beef stock (salt reduced only so it has less salt therefore better for you) you made only need around 3 cups of it, just see how much you think as you are cooking.


Heat oil in a large saucepan and brown off meat.
Add the onion, garlic and spices and heat for a minute or so.
Add the pumpkin and cauliflower, lemon rind and juice, and the stock.
Stir and let come to the boil then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Just before serving add in the frozen peas until they are heated.
Serve with basmatti rice (the healthiest rice)

Mexican Style Chicken

This is adapted from a recipe I found in a magazine. They added some rice and red kidney beans, and chicken stock (to cook the rice) I did not. ( I will post a picture when I am on next)

Preheat oven to 180 fan forced or 200 celcius.

Serves 2 adults 2 children (2-3 drumsticks per adult)
Chicken drumsticks
olive oil
jar (around 300 mls) tomato salsa (I used a mild one)
1 capsicum (pepper) sliced
300-400ml tin tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion diced
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients into an oven proof dish and cook for around 50 mins, turning the chicken over half way if you want both sides to be crispy.
I served with what I had which was potatoes but you could serve it with rice (or put the rice in the dish and into the oven).

Was simple to throw together, and very very tasty.

Stuffed Zucchini

We have an awesome veggie garden and the zucchini are growing so well. I have had to find other ways to use it other than just in the normal way I would. I stuffed these with other vegetables and cheese. My husband REALLY liked it which was great. The kids didn't like it, but they are going through a "we don't want anythign new phase".

preheat oven to 200 celcius (390 F)

What you need

1 large zucchini or 3 medium sized
2 garlic cloves
1/2 brown onion
1/2 red pepper (capsicum)
3 mushrooms
pulp of zucchini
one tomato chopped
handful parsely and oregano chopped finely (or use the dried stuff, 1 tablespoon each)
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
cheddar/mozzarella/paremsan (I used a mixture of these as this is what I had already in the fridge)

Chop all ingredients. Place some butter in a pan and cook the garlic and onion til soft, add in the capsicum, mushrooms, tomato and pulp and cook for a few mins. Leave to cool.
Once cool add in the bread crums, egg, herbs and salt and pepper and mix well.
Spoon into the zucchini, sprinkle cheese on the top.
Place in oven and remove when zucchini is cooked and the cheese has melted or around 30 mins

Baby Shower Cupcakes

My friends and I made some cupcakes for my sister in laws baby shower. I wasn't that happy with the actual cake, so I won't use that recipe I found, so I won't be posting a recipe for the cake, but pictures of the way we deocrate them.

We went with a "rubber duck" theme for the evening, hence the rubber duck patty pans but we also made it animal/bugs too.

For the icing we used a creamed cheese/icing sugar icing, and we also did another batch of butter and icing sugar. We used different food dyes to change the colour of the icing.



The butterfly was made using "freckles" for the wings, smarties for the body and pieces of licorice rope cut into antannae.


The dragonfly was made using jellybeans as the body, "banana" lollies cut into wing shapes and a smartie for its head.




For the ducks we cut out 2 "v" shapes from licorice allsorts for the beak and used smarties for the eyes (you could use M&M's etc).


These are "babies" we used writable ink that comes in a little tube for the outer part of the dummy (pacifer) and a jelly bean in the middle of that. The smile was made with some licorice as was the eyebrows. Smarties were used for the eyes.

Mango Salad

I made this salad to go with some grilled lamb chops that had a mango/curry sauce on them. It was so light and delicious. Was able to use the spinach and spring onion from our veggie patch.

You will need

Packet of baby spinach leaves (or around 5 cups) or your other favourite leafy vegetable.
2 spring onion stalks chopped
1 mango sliced (I added a tin of mango slices too to cut down on cost, but you could add another mando instead)
juice from tin mango
handful snow peas chopped
1 cup cucumber- finely cut
1 avacado cut into slices

prepare it all and put into your salad bowl, pour the mango juice over at the end.

Chicken and Broccoli pasta

Quick and easy meal that used our home grown broccoli!

You will need
2 chicken breasts diced
2 cups broccoli pieces
2 spring onions chopped
handful parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 cup grated parmesan (or shaved)
250 mls cream (I used light thickened cream)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 chicken stock cube and 1/2 cup hot water or half-1 cup of chicken stock

1.Cook chicken in pan until nearly cooked
2. Add in garlic and broccoli
3. once the broccoli has been cooking for a few minutes add in the onions, cream and let it simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add in the parsley and cheese at the last minute (saving some cheese to put on once you have served into bowls).
5. Serve with your favourite pasta, I used linguine. Top with some extra parmesan cheese.


Kids loved this, I have made it again and I didn't use stock but put some chicken seasoning on the chicken instead, still tasted pretty similar. I have also added mushrooms. Asparagus would be great with this too, and some bacon!

I'm still here

Hi all, I'm still here, just been a little snowed under lately and haven't experimented as much. I have made a broccoli (home grown!!) pasta and a chicken mango salad that I need to blog about. And I will hopefully next week!

Thai/Vietnamese Inspired Chicken Salad

I wanted to try an asian style salad I saw in a magazine. I did change it alot as there didn't seem to be that many things they had in their salad to make it filling enough.

After eating it I comfirmed that I don't like this type of asian sauce. Give me soy, honey, ginger, garlic. But not fish sauce and lime and coriander and mint. But hey, you might like those things! If I were to do it again I would use a different type different type of dressing. Maybe balsamic, or lemon, or even soy and honey.

What you will need:

I was lazy and used a bag of mixed lettuce and spinach leaves...

half red capsicum (pepper)

1/2 cucumber

cherry tomatoes (around a punnet)

1 carrot cut into matchsticks

1 stick celery

handful snow peas

1-2 chicken breasts

handful of fresh mint

handful of fresh coriander

dressing:

1/3 cup lime juice

1/3 cup fish sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 chilli finely chopped (I didn't add the chilli).

Method:

1. place chicken breast in pot and cover with cold water. Place on medium heat and when it starts to boil, turn it down to simmer, cover with a lid and let it simmer for around 10-12 mins or until cooked. Once it is cooked shred the chicken.

2. Cut all the salad ingredients and place in a bowl

3. Put shredded chicken into salad bowl and pour over dressing.

Menu for the week

Our menu for the week

Monday- Lamb Yiros
Tuesday- Honey Lemon Chicken with Rice
Wednesday-Beef stroganoff
Thursday- left overs
Friday-Vietnamese inspired Chicken Salad
Saturday-???
Sunday-Taco's

Greek Style Lamb Yiros

I LOOOOVVVEEEEEE Yiros! I thought it was time I made some of my own as I never really get to them much as we don't buy take away that often.

Very easy and delicious. Grace (4 yrs old) LOVED it. I was surprised, she doesn't normally like lamb, or lettuce but she gobbled it up and asked to have it the night after too :) The lettuce was grown in our own veggie patch, as well as some of the herbs that I put in the marinade.

What you will need: (for 4 people)

1 tomato sliced

2 cups lettuce sliced

1/2 red onion sliced

Yiros bread

Lamb marinade

500 gms lamb (I used leg steaks which are nice and tender and have alot of meat. You could use back strap, or use left over roast lamb, or just use plain old lamb chops and just cut the meat off) I cut my lamb into strips, you could do strips or chunks.

3-4 garlic cloves crushed or finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon sumac (dry you can get it in the herb section)

1 teaspoon thyme (fresh or dry)

1 teaspoon oregano (fresh or dry)

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon all spice

juice and rind of 1 lemon

salt

pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Yogurt (tzatziki)

Greek Stlye yogurt (I used a 200 ml tub but that was way too much, unless you want to use it as a dip the next day too) so perhaps only 100ml for just the yiros

1/2 continental cucumber (around a cup) peeled, and de-seed, then grated.

juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves (crushed or finely chopped)

salt

pepper

parsely (1 tablespoon)

optional is mint or oregano

Method

1. Cut lamb and herbs for the marinade and place all of those ingredients into a air tight container and place in the fridge (preferbly for atleast 4 or 5 hours so you can really get the taste).

2. Place the yogurt, lemon juice, herbs, cucumber into a bowl and stir around, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for the same amount of time as the lamb. (taste to see if you want to add more of anything, your tastes will be different to ours).

3.Heat pan or grill and cook lamb until its cooked to your liking (some like it rare, medium etc).

4. Slice the salad ingredients.

5. Place yiros bread in warm oven wrapped in foil for a few minutes or in the microwave (without foil!!).

6. Once lamb is cooked you can assemble your yiros. No real art to it, whatever takes your fancy. We put some lettuce, tomato and onion down, lamb on top and the yogurt and then wrapped and enjoyed :)

Serve with fries or garlic bread