Mmmmm Honeycomb

I had a go at making Honeycomb yesterday. It hasn't turned out too bad but I feel it could be a bit lighter so I'm going to work on that for the next time I make it. I used Nigella's Express Recipe which is quite easy. Here is the link for the recipe.... Nigella Hokey-Pokey

Smash it up when cooled and dip into dark chocolate, or into some vanilla icecream!

Mini Cheesecakes.. Cherry Ripe & Honeycomb

I haven't made cheesecakes in ages or desserts for that matter so for dessert tonight I thought I would please everyone with cheesecakes!

I crushed homemade choc chip biscuits and mixed in some melted butter for the bases. Line a large muffin tin with foil papers and press the biscuit mix into the bases. Set aside in the fridge to set while you make the filling.  To make the cheesecake mix beat 250g low fat cream cheese until smooth and then add 400g tin of skim condensed milk. Beat until combined. Dissolve a about 7g of gelatine in a few tbs of boiling water and stir until fully dissolved. Add this to the mixture and beat well. Melt 100g dark chocolate and add to the cheesecake mix and beat until combined. Pour the cheesecake mix into the prepared biscuit bases. Add the chopped dark Cherry ripe to half and chopped honeycomb to the other half. Top the honeycomb cheesecakes with a chunk of choc coated honeycomb. Top the cherry ripe cheesecakes with some coconut and dark melted chocolate. Pop into the fridge to set. Once set remove the wrapper and serve them on pretty bone china plates and serve! Watch them disappear!

Lj's Mexican Tortilla Stack

My Mexican Tortilla Stack

Ingredients:

Packet of Torillas 

Avocado/Sour Cream/Lemon Juice to make Guacamole

Salsa and Grated Cheese (whatever you prefer, I use Grand Padana/Extra Sharp Parmesan and mozarella)

Batch of Thick Home made  Beef Bolognaise 

(Add Kidney bean, tacos seasoning and Chilli Sauce)

What to do:

Make a thick bolognaise and let it cool completely.  (I use beef mince, onions, herbs, garlic, tin tomatoes, tomato paste, packet of taco seasoning mix, home made chilli sauce, ground sea salt and pepper to season and a tin of kidney beans drained.)

Use a spring form tin greased with cooking spray. Add a tortilla to the bottom. Make a layer of your bolognaise and sprinkle some cheese, on another tortilla spread some guacamole and put it face down onto your bolognaise and press down. Make a layer of salsa and sprinkle some cheese, then bolognaise and then on the next tortilla spread with sour cream and put face down on top and press down firmly. Keep layering until you reach the top of the spring form tin. You can decorate the top however you wish... I like to make a pattern with some sundried tomatoes and capsicum and then top with cheese. Bake for about half an hour on 180.

There are so many variations you can make of tortilla stacks. When I cooked at Cafe Devine I used to make these almost daily they were so popular!

Different variations I made depended on what we had in stock at the time, as in what cheeses, veges and fresh meats etc.

You can use Salami and layer with different char grilled veges such as eggplant, capsium, zucchini, sweet potato and sundried tomatoes and fontina cheese... leave out the Salami for something vegetarian.

There are so many variations you can use, just use your imagination! And if you come up with something wicked let me know and send a pic so I can post it on here!!

happy cooking!!!

 

Lj's Chicken Wellingtons..

It's our anniversary today so I thought I would make something special for dinner after a big day out having a beautiful seafood lunch at Portside Takeaway at Runaway Bay down the Gold Coast and shopping at Harbour Town!

Ingredients:

Chicken breast

Slice of tasty cheese

Shaved Ham

Onion finely chopped

Mushrooms thinly sliced

1 Slice Puff Pastry

What to do:

Brown the chicken breast and cook until almost cooked, set aside to cool. Saute the onion and mushroom and let cool. While the chicken is cooling place your slice of cheese and ham into the centre of the pastry. When the chicken is cool sit on the top and then top with the mushrooms and onions.

Wrap the parcel tightly and seal with egg wash.

As you can see I like things rustic lol..... Pop onto an oven tray lined with baking paper and cook at 200 deg for around 25 - 30 mins until the pastry is golden.

Dinner is served and the apron is off for today!

My Spinach, Bacon & Ricotta Pie...

Spinach, Bacon & Ricotta Pie... 1 Onion diced 2 Rashers of Bacon diced 100 English Spinach torn and the ends removed 500g Ricotta (I used my home made skim milk ricotta) 6 Eggs 125g Low fat Cream Cheese 6 Sheets Filo pastry Spray a frypan with cooking spray and add the onion and the bacon.  In a bowl add the Ricotta, spinach, cream cheese and eggs, salt and pepper and  combine.  Add the Bacon and onion and combine. Spray a round pie dish with cooking  spray and put 2 sheets of the rectangular filo one way on the bottom  and 2 sheets the opposite way. Place your filling in the center and fold the outside  of the filo into the center to cover the filling. Place the remaining 2 sheets over the top and fold into the sides of the dish.  Spray the top with a few sprays of  cooking spray and bake for around 25 - 30 minutes until the filling is  set and the top of the pie is golden brown.

Lj's Choc Mint Cheesecake!

I never measure the ingredients properly.....I just throw it all in....so if you want to try this recipe and have any questions just let me know.

For the base I use 2 packets of Mint Slice biscuits, process in a food processor until fine but still a little chunky, add some melted butter down the tube until the mix comes together... round about a table spoon I reckon.

Press the base into a spring form tin or a tin the base comes out of to make it easy to get out once it is set. (about a 20 - 25cm tin) Pop into the fridge while you make your filling. Oh.. you will need 2 Peppermint Crisps and 2 Choc mint aero bars, pop these in the freezer for now.

To make the filling I go all out and use 500g Cream cheese ( I prefer homebrand as it is firmer than Philly, helps it set I think) Tin of 99% fat free condensed milk, 300ml extra light cream. (You can use full fat if you prefer but this mix is so beautiful and creamy with half the calouries!) Add this to the food processor and mix until there are no lumps and it is really smooth. Dissolve 2 teas of gelatine in about a tablespoon of hot water and add while it is still mixing. Splash in a few drops of green food colouring until it is the colour you like! Then add some peppermint essence.. I use around 15 - 20 ml, add enough for it to taste the strength you want.. Chop up one of the peppermint crisps and one the aero bars. Place the filling into the biscuit base and then scatter the chopped up chockie over the top. Fold in gently with a knife until they are just sitting into the mix. Place the cheesecake into the fridge to start setting. The top of it is just a simple soft chocolate ganash. Melt about 200g of dark chocolate with 300ml extra light cream. Stir while the chocolate is melting, it will turn out a thick chocolate mix that will set firm on top of your cheesecake. Let it cool almost completely though before you pour it over the top. Let the cheesecake set the add the other chopped chockie bars when you are serving...

Lj's Lentils with Bacon in a Rich Tomato Sauce - served with Homemade Moroccan Bread

A really simple dish, but totally delicious with lots of flavour! I created the Lentil Dish and the Moroccan Bread Recipe is from Jul 06 Superfood Ideas Not the greatest photo but this really is Yummo!

For the Lentil Dish..

200g Bacon (around 4 -5 slices)

1 Medium Onion Diced

2 cloves Garlic crushed

2 tbs Tomato Paste

1 Tbs Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup dry White Wine

1 Tin diced Italian Tomatoes

400g Tin brown Lentil (I usually soak and cook fry lentil, I just didn't have time today)

Fry off the onion, garlic and bacon until the bacon is crispy. Add the tin tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar and wine. Season with cracked pepper and sea salt. Turn the heat down and simmer for 25 mins or until the sauce is thick and rich in colour. Add the lentils and simmer for a further 5 - 10 mintues so they absorb the flavours.

For the Moroccan Bread..

1 1/4 Cups Warm Water

7g Dry yeast

2 Teas Honey

1/2 Teas sea salt

2 Cups Plain Flour

1 1/2 Cups Wholemeal plain flour

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

Toasted Sesame Seeds

Combine 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, salt and honey. Cover and stand for 5 mins until bubbles appear on the surface. Combine the flours in a lge bowl. Add the yeast mixture , 2 tbs of the olive oil and the remaining 3/4 cup warm water. Stir to form a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 mins or until smooth. (If you have a bread maker you can put it on the dough setting and mix in there, takes half the time!) Place baking paper on 2 separate trays. Divide the dough into 2. Roll each piece of dough into a 22cm round. Place one on each tray and cover with plastic wrap to rise. Let rise for around an hour or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 200. Brush the tops with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm with your Lentil dish.

Lj's Asian Inspired Chicken Noodle Sausage Rolls

Ingredients...

600g Chicken Thigh Fillets trimmed of the fat

250g Sweet corn ( I used tinned this time but usually use a fresh cob and cut the kernals off with a knife)

1 lge Garlic Clove

2 Teas Sesame Oil

1 egg beaten

6 Sheets Frozen Puff Pastry

2 Tbs Sweet Chilli Sauce - Extra to serve

125G Rice Vermicelli Rice Noodles ( I use Pandaroo but any brand is fine)

What to do ...

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 5 mins and then rinse, drain and chop. I use scissors to chop it up roughly. Trim the chicken and roughly chop and throw into the food processor. Add the corn, coriander, garlic and sweet chilli and process until finely chopped. If you don't have a food processor you can substitute the chicken thighs for chicken mince and finely chop the other ingredients. Stir in the rice noodles. Cut the pastry sheets in half. Brush the edges with the egg and spoon the filling into the centre. Roll so that it is enclosed and sealed. I cut into 6 small sausage rolls, but you can make them bigger if you like. Place onto a baking paper lined tray and use a pastry brush to brush the tops with the egg. You can sprinkle with sesame seeds if you wish. bake for 25 mins or until the pastry is golden. Serve with sweet chilli dipping sauce!!! ENJOY!!

Choc Chip Moments made from nanny's Choc Chip Biscuits

Make a batch of Nanny's Choc Chips biscuits then sandwich together with some dark chocolate ganash! I can guarantee these won't last long!

For the biscuits...

Beat 125g butter with 1 cup Brown Sugar, add 1/4 cup of peanut butter and 1 egg. Mix well. Add 3/4 cup Plain and SR Flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats and 1 cup of roughly chopped dark chocolate. Bake for 15 mins on 180 degrees. Cool on a rack and make your ganash. Melt 150g of dark choc with 150ml cream until smooth. Pop in the fridge until spreadable. Sandwich the biscuits together and hook in!

Citrus & Garlic Marinated Chicken Pieces

I saw this recipe on 5 ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson, unfortunately I didn't write down her exact measurements! I think it was juice of one orange and 2 limes, add some zest of both. Mix in 2 smashed garlic cloves and some olive oil. (I also added some mixed dried herbs to mine as well) Throw in some chicken pieces and marinate. Claire marinated for an hour I think in the fridge. I left it overnight and roasted today. Place the chicken pieces onto a rack over a roasting dish and pour the remaining marinade over the top cook for around 45 mins. Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Herbed Chicken Rissoles Wrapped in Bacon

Ingredients

500g Chicken mince (I use thighs..chop and put through the food processor to mince)

1 Beaten Egg

1 Garlic clove crushed

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

2 Tbs of each, finely chopped basil and chives

1/3 cup BBQ Sauce

8 Rashers of bacon trimmed of the rind (remove the eye pieces and you can freeze to use later on)

What to do..

Combine the mince with the breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, herbs and BBQ Sauce. Shape into 8 rissoles. Wrap one piece of the bacon around each rissole and secure with a toothpick. Brown off the rissoles in a frypan and transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with the BBQ sauce and bake at 180 for around 15 minutes. Baste with the remaining BBQ sauce half way through cooking. Serve with your fave salad or veges.

Home made Lolly Pops

Ingredients: 

1 cup sugar 

½ cup light corn syrup 

¼ cup water 

¾ tsp extract of your choice (vanilla, mint, cinnamon, coconut, etc) 

Food coloring (optional) 

Lollipop molds and sticks 

Preparation:

1. Prepare your molds by spraying them with nonstick cooking spray and inserting lollipop sticks into the molds.

2. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Insert the candy thermometer and stir until sugar dissolves.

3. Allow to boil, without stirring, until candy reaches 295 degrees (hard-crack stage).

4. Once the candy reaches 295, remove it from heat. Stir in the extract of your choice, and, if desired, food coloring.

5. Spoon the candy into the mold cavities, making sure to cover the back of the stick.

6. Allow to cool completely and remove once hardened.

Cheese & Bacon Scrolls

Make a basic bread dough with 500g of bread mix, 345 ml of water, 1 teas of dried yeast, 1 teas of bread improver (optional) and a pinch of sea salt. You can mix this by hand if you wish, but it takes time to knead the dough. I make the dough in my breadmaker on the dough setting not only to save me time but to take the pressure off my silly wrist! Either way, once the dough has risen, roll into a rectangle and sprinkle over grated cheese and finely chopped fryed off bacon. Roll into a log and seal the end with some egg wash. Slice into scrolls and let them rise a little bit more. Lightly brush the top and sides with egg wash and bake for 25 mins or so or until golden.

To make a pizza type scroll, after you roll out the dough spread lightly with tomato paste/basil pesto and add a few other things you like along with the bacon and cheese.. like some fried off finely onions, sliced kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes/ or some chopped pineapple pieces. Only add a small amount of each and make sure they are spread evenly before you roll it in the log. Another great idea is to spread some ricotta then top with baby spinach leaves and a little grated cheese.

Home made Butter

Here is how...

http://networkedblogs.com/hkl4p

Thanks for sharing Rich!

I used the whisk attachment on my stand mixer.

I used the buttermilk to make 

Buttermilk Pancakes.. mmmm

Vege Stir fry with Chilli Plum Sauce

5 Minutes to throw together! Really easy stir fry veg with plum chilli sauce and udon noodles.... Chop up what ever stirfry veg you like.. today I have used what I have in the crisper.. Zucchini, carrot, tuscan red onion, mushrooms, garlic (add some capsiicum, corn, broccolini whatever you like) Saute with some peanut and extra virgin olive oil. Throw in a few tbs plum jam, some chilli sauce to taste (I used hot and spicy banana sauce) and a splash of lime juice, some sea salt and pepper.. add the udon noodles and heat through.. dig in! yummo!

Homemade Bake Beans with Bacon and Chorizo, stuffed into jacket baked potatoes..

Homemade Bake Beans with Bacon and Chorizo, stuffed into jacket baked potatoes.. Tin of canelloni beans Tin of diced or crushed tomatoes 1 Tbs Tomato Paste 1 Red onion finely diced Fresh Basil & Oregano finely chopped 1 Chorizo sausage sliced 2 Rashers of shortcut bacon diced Heat a heavy based saucepan and add a little splash of extra virgin olive oil. Add the Chorizo and cook on both sides until golden. Add the onion and the bacon and saute until the onions are soft. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 mins to release all the flavours.

Delicious & Healthy Chicken Pieces!

Delicious & Healthy Chicken Pieces! ♥ I placed the chicken on a rack in an oven dish, sprayed with cooking spray and then sprinkled a little mix of spice on the top! (mix together some Chicken Stock Powder and some Vege Stock Powder with some cracked sea salt and pepper & paprika) Yum! Make sure you make extra and even then there won't be leftovers! Not in this house anyway!

Lj's Italian style Chicken & Bacon Rice

Lj's Italian style Chicken & Bacon Rice 1 Lge Chicken Breast diced 3 Rashers of Bacon diced I onion diced I cup white rice 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup vege stock 6 Button Mushrooms sliced 1 Large Zucchini diced 1 large carrot diced 1 Tin diced tomatos 1 Bottle of pasta sauce or tomato puree Fresh basil and oregano In a large frypan with a lid or I use my big oval enamel lined crockpot . Fry off the bacon, chicken, onion and mushrooms until the onions are soft. When the chicken and bacon is browned add the rice and stir through. Add the stock, tin tomatoes, pasta sauce and carrots. Give it a good stir until all combined. Put the lid on and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and stir through. Put the lid back on and let it simmer until the rice is cooked. Stir through the chopped herbs a few minutes before serving. Top with some parmesan cheese. Serve on it's own or with some fresh crusty bread.

Lj's Lemon Pepper Tuna with Avocado and Cottage Cheese

Lj's Lemon Pepper Tuna with Avocado and Cottage Cheese Very quick and simple and much more flavour than store bought flavoured Tuna. I mix half an avo with 1/2 small tub of low fat cottage cheese. Add fresh lemon juice and cracked black pepper to taste. I have these on Cruskits or Rye Vita's for a lunch on the run on my busier days.

Skinny Choc Mint Icecream..

3 egg yolks

1⁄2 cup castor sugar

200ml extra light cream 

350ml skim milk 

pinch salt 

Peppermint Essense to taste and green food colouring to colour

100g chocolate bits (I used Mini Specked Easter Eggs)

Beat the egg yolk and sugar together until fluffy. Stir 

in the remaining ingredients. Pour into the freezer canister and allow to churn and freeze. 

Note: Any variation of chocolate bar finely 

chopped can be used i.e. Cherry Ripe, Mars 

Bar, Violet Crumble or Peppermint Crisp. 

If you don't have an icecream maker.... 

Take your ice cream recipe mixture and carefully pour it into the bowl, then chill in the fridge for up to 2 hours. 

Take the bowl out of the fridge and transfer to the freezer for about half an hour. Then check just how much the mixture has frozen - ideally, it should have started to freeze at the edges but not fully through to the centre. 

Take the bowl out of the freezer and beat the ice cream mixture until it’s creamy once again (to dislodge and break up the ice crystals that have formed). 

Put it back in the freezer for another half hour, then remove and once again beat with a whisk. 

Do this again so that you have beaten the mixture a total of 3 times whilst freezing in between. Put the mixture back into the freezer for a final time until it’s ready to eat. 

Lamb Shanks mmmm.. Yummy!

Quick and easy Lamb shanks seasoned with Cracked sea salt and pepper with some paprika. Brown on medium to high heat to seal, put the lid on and turn down the heat until tender. I take out the veg when almost cooked through and put in a hot oven to crisp up. Remove the lamb when cooked and leave to rest while you make gravy from the pan juices ♥

Very quick and easy one pot Chicken wonder ready for the oven..

Ingredients..

8 Chicken Drumsticks
Olive Oil and dried Thyme to lightly coat the chicken
2 Shallots finely sliced
2 lge Portabello mushrooms sliced
2 Rashers of bacon roughly chopped
1 Red Onion sliced
1 Clove garlic finely chopped
1 Tin of Cream of chicken condensed soup plus half a tin of water combined

What to do..

Coat the chicken in olive oil and thyme. Brown all sides of the chicken in an oven proof dish on the stove and remove from pan. Add the bacon, shallots, mushroom, garlic and onion and brown. Pop the chicken back into the pan and pour over the soup and combine. Bake in a 180 oven until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is thick, around 45 - 50 minutes. Serve with steamed veg and mashed potato.

The most dangerous cake recipe - 5 minute Chocolate Mud Cake..

The most dangerous cake recipe - 5 minute Chocolate Mud Cake.. A must share recipe given to me by one of my beautiful clients.

4 Tbs Flour

2 Tbs Sugar

2 Tbs cocoa

1 Egg

3 Tbs Milk

3 Tbs Oil

3 Tbs Chocolate Chips

A small splash of Vanilla Extract

1 Lge Coffee Mug

Add the dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and the oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract and mix in. 

Put the mug into the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high (1000 watts) The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly virtuous) And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from Chocolate Cake any time of the day or night!

Chocolate Oreo Whoopie Cakes! Cookies & Cream filling and topped with Chocolate Ganash..

I found this recipe in a book called Whoopies Cakes by Susanna Tea, she called them "Very Chocolate Whoopies" Mine look nothing like hers but they still tasted great!

Ingredients

100g Cooking Chocolate
115g Softened Butter
200g Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 large Egg
280g White Plain Flour
50 g Cocoa Powder
2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of salt
225ml Milk
Mini Oreo Biscuits to decorate
Oreo Cream Fillling
Chocolate Ganash for top

Preheat the over to 190 or 170 Fan forced. Line baking trays or I used a rounded old fashioned patty tin. Grate the chocolate and set aside. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy and then beat in the egg. Sift the flour, baking powder and the cocoa and salt into the bowl and fold together alternating with the milk until all combined. Using a tablespoon put the mixture onto the baking trays or into the patty tins. Bake for 10 - 12 Minutes or until firm to touch. Cool on a wire tray and then sandwich them together with the oreo filling. Ganash the top and decorate with a mini oreo!

Oreo Cream filling.... 3 oreo cookies, 55g softened butter, 115g cream cheese, 350g icing sugar. Crush the biscuits in a bag using a rolling pin or give them a quick blitz in the food processor. Beat the butter and the cream cheese until ight and fluffy then add the icing sugar until smooth. Fold in the biscuits.

Ganash...150g chocolate 150ml cream, small knob of butter...Heat the cream and chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate is melted, stir constantly. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool for a few hours until it firms up.. stir occasionally. To firm a bit quicker pop into the fridge.

Its a good idea to make your chocolate ganash and the filling first so they are ready once the whoopies cool

My Chocolate Mud & Peanut Butter Brownies..

125g Unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 tbsp peanut butter (I used chunky)
4 tbsp Chocolate mud spread (You could use Nutella, I used a nut free chocolate mud spread that is 60% less sugar)

Preheat oven to 180c. Line slice tray with baking paper. Melt butter then stir in sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in all of the remaining dry ingredients. Heat Chocolate mud spread and peanut butter until runny. Stir into brownie mix. Pour into tin and bake for about 25 min until top forms a crust.

My Chicken & Vege Pot Pies

Ingredients

6 Chicken thighs bone in and skin removed
2 Rashers of bacon
1 Large onion finely diced
1 Large carrot finely diced
6 button mushrooms sliced
1 cob fresh corn kernels removed
4 Tablespoons powdered chicken stock
5 Cups water
Cornflour and water to thicken

Heat a large stockpot on the stove and add a splash of olive oil. Saute the bacon & onion and then add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is brown on all sides and then add the water and the chicken stock.  Put the lid on and simmer on low until the chicken is  falling off the bone. Remove the pot from the heat and strain to remove the liquid.  Remove the meat from the chicken bones. Let the stock cool and then skim the fat from the top. Return the chicken to the stockpot and add  the veges (You can add any extra veges you like.. I have a fussy household so I've made mine basic) and the stock. Simmer until the veges are tender and thicken with cornflour. (approx 2 tbs cornflour mixed with 1/2 cup water) Add a little more water if it is too thick, or add a little more cornflour and water if it is not thick enough. Let the mixture cool and then place into oven proof dishes and top with pastry. Brush the tops of the pastry with egg wash and bake at 180 until the pastry is golden.

Homemade Ricotta

Not sure where I got this recipe but I have been making it for years. Ricotta isn't expensive to buy but I like making my own as I know what is in it.

Ingredients..

2ltrs Full cream Milk
250ml Cream
4tbs lemon juice
1 tbs vinegar

What to do..

In a heavy based saucepan slowly heat the milk and the cream. Stir occasionally while heating so it doesn't stick to the bottom. When the milk/cream begins to boil add the lemon juice and vinegar. It will separate into curds and whey. Keep stirring until all the curds form. Pour into a clean chux or teatowel over a sieve and bowl. Let it drain for 5 mins or so but don't let it drain completely as it will be too dry. Cool in the fridge.

I substitute using skim milk and extra light cream and it is still delicious. You can infuse with flavour if you like, herbs, garlic whatever.

Lj's Cannelloni with Homemade Ricotta, Tuna & English spinach

Lj's Cannelloni with Homemade Ricotta, Tuna & English spinach

Ingredients

425g Can Tuna in Springwater drained
50g Baby Spinach torn into 1/4's
1/2 Lge Red Onion finely chopped
1/4 Red Capsicum finely chopped
6 Button Mushrooms finely chopped
1 Egg
1/2 Batch of Homemade Ricotta (If you buy the Ricotta around 300g should be enough)
Fresh Lasagne sheets or Cannelloni tubes

Homemade Tomato, Red wine and herbs Pasta Sauce (to cut down your cooking time you can use bottled sauce)

What to do

Heat a frypan and add the Onion, Capsicum and Mushrooms and saute for a few minutes until soft. In a bowl add the Tuna, Spinach and crumbed Ricotta. Add the veg once cooled a little and mix through the egg to help bind it all together. Season with some fresh ground pepper and rock salt. I use lasagne sheets instead of the Cannelloni tubes basically because the fresher the pasta the nicer the dish. Add a few table spoons of the mix to the end of the lasagne sheet and roll it over to make a tube and seal in the mixture. Place into a greased baking dish. Keep making the tubes and place in a row into the baking dish until you have used up all your mixture. Cover the tubes with your favourite pasta sauce and top with grated tasty cheese and a little parmesan. This time we used a tomato based pasta sauce but a creamy sauce is also really yummy!

Bacon & Egg burger with fresh homemade Chilli Sauce... Delicious Sunday Brunch

Now this is a Sunday Brunch... Fresh bacon from the butchers, bread from the best baker in town, free range eggs from one of my clients and homemade chilli sauce.. mmm what a beautiful way to start a Sunday <3

Beef, bacon, mushroom pie with a layer of tasty grated cheese, potato/sweet potato mash topped with pastry

Beef, bacon, mushroom pie with a layer of tasty grated cheese, potato/sweet potato mash topped with pastry.. Ready for the oven.

Add a splash of olive oil into a frypan or I use my cast iron dish with a lid and let it heat up. Sauté the onions, mushrooms and bacon. Coat the diced beef in a mix of plain flour, beef stock and cracked pepper and salt. Add the meat to the pan and brown. Cover the meat mixture with a few cups of beef stock (just enough to cover it) being to the boil, then put the lid on and simmer on low for around 4 hrs or until the meat is melt in your mouth. Let it cool and put into individual serving dishes that are oven proof. Top with some grated cheese, mash (I used cream in the mash instead of butter and milk for a change)and then the pastry. Glaze with egg and bake in a hot oven until the pastry is golden.

My Homemade Spaghetti on English Muffins..

Homemade Spaghetti on English Muffins..

Boil some water and salt well. Add some spaghetti and cook until tender. In a fry pan saute some diced bacon, mushrooms and onion. Add a tin of diced roma tomatoes and some dried italian herbs. Simmer for around 10 mins until the tomatoes are soft and the flavours are fragrant. Add a little tomato sauce and some tomato paste to taste and then stir in the cooked spaghetti. Simmer for a few more minutes and then serve on toasted english muffins and top with grated tasty cheese. 

Sweet & Sour Pork stuffed Zucchini

I just made up some savoury mince sweet & sour style (My friend Honi's Recipe), scooped out the center of the zucchini to remove all the seeds. Added the filling and then top with cheese. Bake in a 180 oven until the zucchini is cooked and the cheese is golden.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 lge brown onion sliced
1 lge carrot sliced
3 tbs cornflour
440g can pineapple pieces in natural juice (drain and reserve juice)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbs soy sauce
4 tbs caster sugar
4 tbs tomato paste
200ml vegetable stock
1/2 red capsicum diced
1/2 green capsicum diced
200g Button mushrooms diced
500g Lean Beef Mince/chicken mince/Pork Mince
1 pkt French onion soup mix

What to do..

Heat the olive oil in a large frypan. Add onion and carrot and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the mince and brown off. Add the diced mushrooms and capsicum. Cook these ingredients through until almost cooked. Add vinegar, soy, sugar, tomato paste and stock to the pan. Bring to the boil. Mix the cornflour with the reserved pineapple juice and french onion soup mix. Add pineapple pieces to the frypan along with the remaining juice and the cornflour mixture. Stir until thickened. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

Alternatively you can make the same dish with tinned ingredients if you are camping and don't have fresh ingredients! Brown off the mince and add a bottle of sweet and sour sauce (any brand will do), tinned Mushrooms & tinned veges drained and the french onion soup mix.

My Slowcooker Veal, Red wine & Portabello Mushroom Casserole

My Slowcooker Veal, Red wine & Portabello Mushroom Casserole served on potato, sweet potato and carrot mash...l

500g Heart Smart diced veal coated in plain flour seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper
250ml Merlot
Tin of Diced tomatoes
500ml Beef Stock
2 large Portabello mushrooms sliced
1 tuscan red onion sliced


Brown off the meat in some extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion and saute. Add the remaining ingredients and slow cook until the meat is tender and falling apart and the sauce thickens. I usually leave it on for around 4 hrs, the first few hrs on high and then to low for the remaining time.

Serve on mash!

So quick and easy and so much flavour!

Feta & Pesto stuffed Chicken Breast wrapped in Bacon

Cut a pocket into your chicken breast. Stuff with some homemade marinated Feta and pesto. ( I used my homemade basil and walnut) Fold and wrap in a slice of bacon. Secure with a toothpick. Bake in a 180 oven with some jacket veges.

Chicken, Chroizo & Bacon Pasta bake with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Saute a diced red onion, with some crushed garlic and sliced mushrooms in a splash of olive oil. Add finely sliced chorizo and diced chicken. Fry until golden. Add halved fresh or tinned  cherry tomatoes, some tomato paste and white wine. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Add cooked pasta and pop into a baking dish and top with cheese. Bake on 180 until the cheese is golden.

Surf N Turf with Chilli Garlic Prawns

A delicious Saturday lunch.... just what the Dr ordered! Add some spice to your prawns by adding some chilli sauce... YUM!