MIXED BERRY TARTS

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
500 grams frozen mixed berries, thawed
16 tablespoons sugar
16 level teaspoons butter
icing sugar to dust

preheat oven to 180 c. line 1 large or 2 small baking trays
with baking paper.

drain excess fluid from berries.

cut each sheet of pastry into 4 squares.

cut a border around each square.
fold one corner of the border across to the other
corner of the square.

repeat with other corner.

sprinkle 8 tablespoons of sugar across the bottom of the tray
and place the 8 pieces of pastry onto the sugar.

pierce the bottom of each piece of pastry 6 times with a fork.

fill the inner square of each evenly with the berries.

sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of sugar and dot each with
2 teaspoons of butter.

cook for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden.

dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream.

NOTE: can also use 1/2 sliced small granny smith apple in each tart instead
of the berries.

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BANANA NUTELLA CHOC CHIP SCROLL RING

3 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons  sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 cup hot (not boiling) milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg

3 small, ripe bananas, mashed
2 heaped tablespoons nutella
1/2 cup choc chips


line a round pizza tray with baking paper.


combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar salt and yeast.

add the milk, oil and egg. stir till well combined.

add in the other 1 1/2 cups flour.  stir till combined and formed into
a ball. I use my hands to combine the last bits.

tip onto a well floured board and knead for five minutes.
cover and put aside to rest for 20 minutes in a warm area.

on a floured board, roll out the dough to a rectangle 1/2 cm thick.

spread with the nutella, then the banana and then sprinkle with the choc
chips.

starting on a long side, roll up like a swiss roll, finishing with seam
underneath.

place on the pizza tray, forming a circle (doesn't  fit to the edge
of the tray.  will spread on cooking). join the ends.

cover and rise for another 20 minutes. HEAT OVEN TO 180C.

using a floured, sharp knife, cut  dough into about 16 even slices, but not quite all the way through.

cook for approx. 20 minutes or until golden.

cool on tray for 15 minutes and ice.

serve warm or cold with butter. (we had warm)

ICING

2 cups icing sugar
1 heaped teaspoon butter
milk

cocoa to dust

mix the icing sugar and butter together with enough milk
to make a spreadable paste.

drizzle each piece of scroll with a heaped teaspoon of icing.
dust lightly with cocoa.

CREAMY CHILLI CHICKEN

3 tablespoons canola oil
3 large chicken breasts, diced
1 red capsicum, sliced
1 green capsicum, sliced
1 yellow capsicum, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1200 mls thickened cream
1 teaspoon hot chilli powder (or to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin powder
4 teaspoons garlic powder
400 grams "kraft" hot n' spicy shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste

8 cups penne pasta, cooked

in a large frypan, using 1 tablespoon of oil, saute chicken
just till colour changes. drain and put aside.

in same pan, using the rest of the oil, saute the capsicums, onion and minced garlic
until onion is translucent.

add back the chicken plus the cream, chilli, cumin, garlic powder and cheese.
simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.

add in the penne and salt and pepper. simmer for 5 minutes or until penne is heated through.

serve.

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TOMATO VEGETABLE SOUP WITH TORTELLINI

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium carrots, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 teaspoons minced garlic
8 rashers short cut bacon, diced
2 litres chicken stock*
2 cups water
1200 grams canned diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
600 grams veal tortellini

"kraft" grated parmesan cheese to serve.

heat the oil in a large stockpot and add the carrots, celery,
onion, garlic and bacon. saute until onion is translucent.

add the stock, water and tomatoes.  bring to boil then simmer
covered for 15 minutes.

add salt and pepper.

add the tortellini and gently boil, uncovered, until tortellini
is cooked.

serve sprinkled with the parmesan cheese.

*I used 2 litres water and 8 oxo chicken stock cubes for the stock.

VERY BANANA CHOC CHIP MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups sugar
113 grams butter, soft
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
4 large very ripe bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

preheat oven to 180 c. line 2 x 12 hole muffin tins
with paper patty pans. the amount you will make depends
on the size of the patty pans you use. I used medium sized.

using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar, butter,
eggs and sour cream until well combined.

beat in banana and vanilla until well combined.

beat in the flour, bicarb and salt until well combined.

stir in choc chips.

3/4 fill each patty pan and bake for 20 -25 minutes until golden
on top and a skewer comes out clean.

cool.  ice.

ICING

3 cups icing sugar
1 heaped tablespoon butter, soft
2 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
approx 1/3 cup milk

choc chips to decorate

mix all together (except choc chips), adding milk a little at a time until you have
a spreadable paste. (if you add too much milk, just add some more icing sugar)

spoon or pipe on muffins. sprinkle with choc chips.

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PENNE WITH SAVOURY CHICKEN SAUCE

1 kilo chicken fillets, diced
500 gram jar sundried tomatoes
8 rashers shortcut bacon, diced
1 large onion, finely diced
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1200 mls thickened cream
100 grams fresh baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste

500 gram penne

in a large frypan, saute chicken till just cooked. drain, remove from pan and put aside.

drain and lightly rinse the tomatoes. blitz or finely chop.

using the same frypan, saute the tomatoes, onions, garlic and bacon until
onion is translucent. add the cream and bring to the boil stirring.

reduce heat and add the chicken back to the pan. simmer while penne is cooking.

cook the penne according to directions on packet.

in the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the spinach to the sauce, stirring to combine.

add the salt and pepper.

serve.

NOTE: I freeze any left over sauce.

BANANA SCONES...with cinnamon honey butter

3 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
50 grams butter, softened
2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup milk

preheat oven to 190 c. line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

place the sugar, flour and butter into a large bowl. using 2 knives,
cut the butter through until you can no longer see it.

mix in the bananas and milk.  use your hands to bring to a soft dough
making sure all ingredients are incorporated.  turn onto a lightly floured
board.

knead lightly then pat out to 1 1/2 cm thick. cut into rounds with a
scone cutter.  shape the offcuts together and pat out again to 1 1/2 cm
thickness and cut into more rounds.

place scones on trays and cook for 15 minutes or until golden on top
and cooked on bottom.

serve warm with the butter.

NOTE. these do not rise as high as normal scones.

CINNAMON HONEY BUTTER

226 grams butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup icing sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the honey.

add in the icing sugar and cinnamon and beat till well combined.

store leftover butter in fridge.