Dried Blueberry & Honey Slice....

· 70g Dried Blueberries
· 1 cup rolled oats
· ½ cup desiccated coconut
· ½ cup s/r flour
· ½ cup raw sugar
· 125g butter
· 2 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat oven to 180C
2. Lightly grease slice pan and line base & sides with baking paper.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
4. Place butter & honey in a saucepan & gently heat until mixture is bubbling.
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the butter mixture.
6. Stir until combined.
7. Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan.
8. Bake for 10-15 mins, until golden. Cool for 10mins in the pan before cutting into squares.
9. Cool completely & serve.

Makes approx 12.

Everyday crispy chicken with sweet tomatoes..

SERVES 4

• 4 chicken legs, jointed
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a big bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
• 2 big handfuls of red and yellow cherry toms, halved, and ripe plum toms, quartered
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, broken up into cloves
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
• olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 180c
2. Season your chicken pieces all over and put them into a snug-fitting pan in one layer.
3. Throw in all the basil leaves and stalks, then chuck in your toms.
4. Scatter the garlic cloves into the pan with the chopped chilli and drizzle over some olive oil.
5. Mix around a bit, pushing the toms underneath.
6. Place in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, turning the toms halfway through, until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat falls off the bone.
7. Serve with a simple mashed potato.
8. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins before serving.
9. You could even make it part of a pasta dish - remove chicken meat from the bone and shred it, then toss into a bowl of spaghetti...

ENJOY .....

A simple Jamie Oliver Dish - yep he's done it again !!!

Lemon Coconut Slice

• 1 Cup self-raising flour
• pinch salt
• 1 cup coconut
• 125g margarine or butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs

Icing

• 1 cup icing sugar mixture
• 1 teaspoon margarine
• Lemon juice to taste

1. Put flour, salt and coconut into a bowl.
2. Melt margarine and sugars together in a saucepan.
3. Add to flour mixture and stir well.
4. Beat the eggs with the milk and add to the mixture. Combine well.
5. Pour into a greased lamington tin and cook at 190C for 18-20 mins.
6. To make the icing, combine icing ingredients and mix well.
7. Add warm water until desired consistency is obtained.
8. While still warm ice the lemon icing and top with extra coconut.
9. Cut & Eat.....YUMMO

Pancakes

Basic Pancakes (makes 4-6 decent size pancakes)

• 2 cups (300g) Self-raising flour


• 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour


• 2 tbs caster sugar


• 2 1/3 cups (580ml) milk


• 80g butter, melted, cooled


• 1 egg, lightly whisked


• extra melted butter

1. Sift flour into a bowl. Add sugar and stir well. Add milk, butter & egg. Whisk until well combined.


2. Brush non stick frying pan with a little of the extra melted butter. Heat over medium heat. Add some mixture to pan. Cook for 2 mins, or until bubbles appear on the surface. Carefully turn over and cook for another minute.


3. Continue cooking until all mixture has gone.


4. If you like you can dust with caster sugar and serve with lemon....or serve with your favourite topping - sweet or savoury.

Enjoy......

Creamy chicken & mushroom fettuccine

Fast & easy pasta that is as kind to your taste buds as it is to your budget ...

Serves 4

• 450g dried fettuccine pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 650g chicken tenderloins, tendons removed (or use a bbq chicken broken into pieces without the skin)
• 125g rind less bacon, diced
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 300g small cup mushrooms, sliced
• 420g can Heinz condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup light thickened cream
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large, fry pan over med heat.
2. Add chicken. cook for 4 mins on each side or until golden. Remove to plate. Cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken. Cut chicken into pieces.
3. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Drain pasta when tender & cooked.
4. Add bacon to fry pan. Cook for 2 mins. Add onion & mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 mins or until mushrooms are golden. Add soup, cream & Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined. Add mixture to pasta.
5. Toss to combine. Season with parsley & black pepper
6. YUMMO - ENJOY...

Mississippi mud cake

This is a dense, moist chocolate cake that can be eaten as a teatime cake or as an indulgent dessert when served with whipped cream or ice cream.

• 250g (9 oz) unsalted butter
• 175g (6 oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 340g (12 oz) light brown sugar
• 300ml (10 fl oz) hot water
• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 200g (7 oz) plain flour
• 55g (2 oz) self-raising flour
• 55g (2 oz) cocoa powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• icing sugar, to dust

1. Preheat oven to 160C (325F / Gas mark 3).
2. Grease a 23-cm (9in) square cake tin and line with baking paper.
3. Place butter, chocolate, sugar, water & coffee in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat until melted.
4. Stir until the mixture is smooth, then cool for 15 mins.
5. Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to a bowl, sift in the flours & cocoa and stir in the eggs.
6. Using an electric whisk, beat until smooth.
7. Pour batter into the cake tin and bake for 1 to 1 & 1/4 hours.
8. Remove the tin from the oven and cool for 10 mins.
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Dust with icing sugar and slice to serve.
11. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

ENJOY.....

Christmas Balls

Christmas Balls

makes approx 30

• 4 cups desiccated coconut
• 395g can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
• 1/2 cup (100g) red glace cherries, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan - forced.
2. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
3. Combine coconut, milk and lemon rind in a bowl.
4. Add cherries.
5. Stir until coconut mixture turns pink.
6. Using 1 level tablespoon mixture at at time, roll mixture into balls.
7. Place balls, 3cm apart, on prepared trays.
8. Bake, swapping trays halfway, for 12-15 mins or until balls are lightly browned.
9. Cool on trays.
10. Serve.

A simple recipe that looks great on any Christmas table...

Potato Salad

• 550g small potatoes, washed
• about 4 pieces 120g short-cut bacon, finely diced
• 3 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
• 2-3 shallots finely chopped
• 3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
• salt to taste

1. Place unpeeled potatoes in a large saucepan. Add water to cover potatoes. Cover saucepan and bring to the boil. Cool until potatoes are just tender. Drain potatoes and cool to room temperature.


2. In a small frying pan or saucepan, fry bacon over medium heat until cooked and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.


3. Remove skin from potatoes, if desired. Chop potatoes into bite sized pieces. Chop boiled eggs.


4. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently to combine.


5. Can be served immediately or refrigerated until cold.

This is a very easy very tasty salad.....

Banana Muffins/Loaf

• 3 or 4 ripened bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons milk
• pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease muffin tin or you can use loaf pan if you want to make banana loaf instead.


2. Beat eggs and bananas together, then add all other ingredients and mix well.


3. Fill muffin tin or loaf tin.


4. Cook for approx 20 mins until risen and golden.

Enjoy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Double Choc Chip Muffins

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup choc chips
• Extra choc chips to sprinkle on top (if desired)

1. Preheat oven to 200 C and prepare muffin pan by greasing or fill with paper liners.
2. In bowl, mix well the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla.
3. In another bowl, mix well the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt and choc chips.
4. Combine wet and dry mixtures and fold together gently until just mixed.
5. Spoon into prepared muffin pad and sprinkle choc chips on top of each (if required).
6. Bake at 200C for 15-20mins.
7. Remove from muffin pan and cool.
8. EAT THEM !!!!

Easy Pasta Salad

• Shell pasta
• crumbled bacon or ham
• hard boiled eggs
• halved cherry toms
• ranch dressing ( I used low fat)

This one is too easy...........cook the pasta and drain, then place pasta, bacon/ham, chopped hard boiled eggs, halved cherry tomato's into a bowl. Add ranch dressing to taste...add a little salt and pepper and you've got a nice pasta salad to serve on a bed of lettuce or it would be delicious with a nice piece of steak........

Sticky baked chicken drumsticks

• Olive Oil


• 10-12 drumsticks


• sea salt & pepper

Glaze

• 6 tbsp honey


• 3 tbsp fish sauce


• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce


• juice of 1 1/2 lemons


• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar


• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1. Heat the oven to about 180. Lightly oil a large baking dish. Season the drumsticks with salt and pepper and arrange in the dish in a single layer. Drizzle over a little olive oil and bake in the hot oven for 20 mins.


2. Prepare the glaze in the meantime. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl until evenly combined.


3. Take the chicken out of the oven and pour over the glaze, to coat each drumstick. Return to the oven and bake for another 20-30 minutes, turning several times, until the chicken is tender and nicely glazed.


4. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. For a balanced meal, serve with steamed rice and purple sprouting broccoli or green beans.....I served with my potato bacon bake........yummy

An absolutely gorgeous Gordon Ramsay recipe.....

Potato Bacon Bake

• 4 or 5 potatoes, thinly sliced


• 1 onion, thinly sliced


• 2 cups grated tasty cheese


• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


• 4 bacon rashers, chopped


• 1 cup thickened cream

1. Lightly grease a 22cm square, dish (4 cup capacity)


2. Layer half the potatoes, onion, cheese, parsley, bacon and cream into prepared dish. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients.


3. Place in 180 oven for about 40 mins or until potatoes are cooked.

This is a great recipe, so easy and delicious...great for barbeque's too..

Enjoy...

Choc Chip Muffins

This Australian Institute of sport recipe is sooooo simple...Give it a go !!

• 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 3/4 cups caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 1 cup nestle choc bits
• 310 ml (1 1/4 cups) skim milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Preheat the oven to moderate 180c. Lightly grease a 12 hole nonstick muffin pan.
2. Sift flours into a large bowl. Stir in sugar and choc bits.
3. Make a well in the centre of the mixture.
4. Whisk the margarine, milk, egg and vanilla together with a fork, then add to the flour mixture.
5. Stir gently until the mixture is just combined, don't over beat or the muffins will be tough.
6. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 mins or until muffins are well risen and spring back to the touch.
7. Leave in the pan for a few minutes then lift out onto a wire rack to cool, or eat while still warm.....YUMMO.

Seriously easy and yummy.

Sheppard's Pie

This is one of my families favourite dishes...Sheppard's pie. It's my Mums recipe. I thought I would share it with you....

approx 1kg mince
1-2 onions
7-8 spuds
4 carrots
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons (or to taste) tomato sauce
pepper
2 oxo cubes
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 cup tasty grated cheese

Chop onion and carrot and place in fry pan with about 1-2 tbsp of marge. Cook until onion is soft. Peel spuds and boil. Add mince to fry pan of onions and carrots, cook until browned. Add tomato sauce, pepper and worcestershire sauce to taste. Add plain flour and mix for 1 minute - stirring so it doesn't stick.

Fill a jug with boiling water with 2 oxo cubes in, mix then add to frying pan, turn heat down and simmer for few minutes...keep stirring.

Place fry pan mixture in heat proof dish, mash spuds and place on top of mince, then sprinkle cheese on top and place in oven until cheese melts and browns....Then enjoy....It's simple and delicious...try it yourself !

Toblerone Chocolate Mousse

• 1 x 200g Toblerone chocolate bar, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tsp gelatine
• 1 1/2 tbsp hot water
• 250ml thickened cream, whipped
• extra, 1/4 cup thickened cream, whipped
• 6 fresh strawberries for decoration

1. Place chocolate and water into a heatproof bowl. Place over a bowl of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate melts. Remove from the heat. Allow to slowly cool down to room temperature.
2. Combine the gelatine and hot water. Stir over simmering water until the gelatine dissolves. Stir into chocolate mixture. Gently fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into serving dishes. Chill 2-3 hrs or until firm.
3. Top with the extra whipped cream and a strawberry each.

Yogurt Berry Muffins

• 1 cup vanilla yogurt or d-lite berry flavoured yogurt
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 125g unsalted butter or Margarine melted
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 500g frozen mixed berries or your favourite berries
• Icing sugar mixture, to decorate
  

1. Line 24 holes of 2 x 12 hole muffin pans with paper cases.



2. Place yogurt, sugar, butter and eggs in a bowl. Stir until combined. Add flour and frozen berries to mixture and stir again until just combined. Divide mixture evenly among cases.



3. Cook in a moderate oven (180c) for 25-30 minutes. Stand in pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.



4. Serve cakes dusted with sifted icing sugar mixture.

Note...These muffins can be made up to two days ahead and stored in an airtight container. Cakes can also be frozen for up to one month.

Crispy & sticky chicken thighs with squashed new potatoes & tomatoes

This recipe came from the Jamie Oliver cookbook "Cook your way to the good life"

800g new potatoes, scrubbed
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
12 boned chicken thighs, skin on, preferably free-range or organic
olive oil
600g cherry tomatoes, different shapes and colours if you can find them
a bunch of fresh oregano, leaves picked
extra virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar

Put the potatoes into a large saucepan of salted boiling water and boil until cooked. While the potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Cut each chicken thigh into three strips and place in a bowl. Rub the meat all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper, then toss.

Heat a large frying pan, big enough to hold all the chicken pieces snugly in one layer, and put the chicken into the pan, skin side down. If you don't have a pan that's big enough, feel free to cook the chicken in two batches. Toss and fry over a high heat for 10 minutes or so, until almost cooked, then remove with a slotted spoon to an ovenproof pan of dish.

Prick the tomatoes with a sharp knife. Place them in a bowl cover with boiling water and leave for a minute of so. Drain and when cool enough to handle, pinch off their skins. You don't have to, but by doing this they will become lovely and sweet when cooked and their intense flavour will infuse the potatoes.

By now the potatoes will be cooked. Drain them in a colander, then lightly crush them by pushing down on them with your thumb. Bash up most of the oregano leaves with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar, or a flavour shaker if you have one. Add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a good splash of red wine vinegar and some pepper and give everything another bash. Add to the chicken with the potatoes, the tomatoes and the rest of the oregano leaves.

Toss everything together carefully. Spread out in a single layer in an appropriately sized roasting tray, and bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven until golden.

Lovely served with a rocket salad dressed with some lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil and a nice glass of white wine...Brown Brothers Moscato is my choice!