Thursday, 29 June 2017




LEMON CHEESECAKE QUESADILLAS

250 grams cream cheese, room  temp
1/2 cup icing sugar
finely grated rind 2 medium lemons

6 tablespoons lemon curd

6 tortillas

2 tablespoons butter, melted

extra sugar


make the sauce first...recipe below.


using an electric mixer, beat the cheese until smooth.  beat in the rind and the icing sugar.

spread the lemon curd across half of each tortilla, not quite to the edge.

spread the cheese mix evenly over the lemon curd.

fold the tortillas in half, covering the cheese mix.

heat a sandwich press or frypan on medium/low heat.

brush the top of the tortilla with butter and cook butter side down in the frypan, until golden brown.

brush what is now the top of the tortilla with butter and flip over to cook until golden brown.

sprinkle with sugar.

IF USING A SANDWICH PRESS...butter both sides at the same time and cook until golden on top.

serve with whipped cream  and lemon sauce.



LEMON SAUCE

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons butter, soft
2 tablespoons lemon juice

in a microwave safe jug, place the cornflour, sugar and cold
water. stir until cornflour is dissolved.

stir in the boiling water.

place jug in microwave and cook in 20 increments until
boiling and clear.  stir frequently.

stir in the lemon juice and butter until butter is well
combined.

place back in microwave and cook until just boiling again.

remove and put aside.

Wednesday, 28 June 2017






APPLE AND BERRY CLAFOUTI

1 x 400 gram can pie apples
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup self raising flour
3 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup thickened cream
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

icing sugar to dust

preheat oven to 180 c. lightly grease a 2 litre baking dish.

place the sugar, flours, eggs, cream, milk and vanilla into a
large bowl, whisk well to combine.

pour a little of the mix over the bottom of the baking dish
then place the apple and FROZEN berries on top.

cover with the rest of the mixture.

cook for 55 - 60 minutes until golden on top and just set in

the centre...use a knife to cut in to the centre to check, if
it's runny cook some more.

dust with icing sugar to serve.



yummy with whipped cream or icecream.



Sunday, 25 June 2017





SAVOURY PULL APART BREAD


dough

1 cup milk, warm
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons dried yeast
4 cups plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon bread improver

filling

113 grams butter, softened
2 heaped teaspoons minced garlic, or to taste
1 teaspoon italian herbs
1/4 teaspoon red chilli flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons grated extra sharp parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

top

2 slices ham, finely diced
parmesan cheese


lightly grease 1  extra large or 2 standard loaf tins.


place all the dough ingredients into a bread machine and set
on dough setting. when done follow the instructions below.

ALTERNATIVELY, place all the dough ingredients in to a bowl
and mix in to a dough. knead by hand or in an electric mixer,
with a dough hook, until smooth.

place dough in a clean, greased bowl. cover and let rise
until doubled.

mix all the filling ingredients together and put aside.

when dough is ready.....

tip onto a lightly floured board, knead a couple of times then cut the dough in half.  roll one half of the dough out into a 12 inch circle, 1/4 inch thick.

with a 4 inch round cutter, cut out circles. roll
left over dough out to 1/4 inch thick and continue cutting
circles. should have approx. 10 circles.

spread half of the filling evenly across 1/2 of each circle
and fold over.

place folded side down into tin/s.

continue with the other half of the dough.

cover the tins/s with a teatowel and place into a warm spot
to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.

preheat oven to 180 c.

sprinkle loaf/loaves with the ham and some parmesan cheese.

place tin/s in oven and cook for 25 - 30 minutes until golden
on top.

cool in tin for 5 minutes.

serve warm.

I used an extra large tin.



Friday, 23 June 2017






SHORTBREAD SLICE

250 grams butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 cup cornflour

6 tablespoons raspberry or apricot jam

50 grams white chocolate chips


preheat oven to 180 c.
grease and line 20 cm square cake tin.

in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

add the flours and beat until a dough starts to form then mix

with the hands until the dough comes together. knead lightly.

cut dough in half.

press half the dough into the bottom of the tin.

spread with the jam, not quite to the edges.

top with the rest of the dough*. press in lightly.

prick  all over with a fork.

cook for 25 - 30 minutes until just turning golden.

cool in tin.

remove from and cut into 16 squares.

melt the chocolate in a small microwave bowl in 20 second increments, stirring till smooth.

drizzle the squares with the chocolate.



*it's easier to use a rolling pin and roll the dough for the top roughly into a 8 inch square then press over the top of the jam.



Tuesday, 20 June 2017




HONEY AND WALNUT SWEET BREAD

500 grams plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon bread improver
100 grams butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons dried yeast.

honey (top)
crushed walnuts (top)



place all the ingredients except for the topping, into a bowl.

mix till combined.

on a lightly floured board, knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.

place dough into a greased bowl. cover and place into a warm position to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

tip dough onto a floured board, punch down and knead again for a couple of minutes.  divide dough into 3 equal parts.

roll each piece into a sausage shape 14 inches long.

place each sausage onto a baking tray covered with baking paper. pinch one end of the 3 sausages together then plait into a braid. pinch the ends together. cover braid with a teatowel and rise again for 1 hour.



heat oven to 180 c.

drizzle the braid with honey and sprinkle with the walnuts.

cook for approx. 45 minutes or when it sounds hollow when tapped.



ALTERNATIVELY.. use a bread machine on a dough+rise setting or an electric mixer with a dough hook. I used the bread machine.






Thursday, 15 June 2017




LEMON RICE PUDDING WITH MERINGUE

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups milk
2 cups water
2 tablespoons thickened cream
1 tablespoon butter
pinch salt

1 can condensed milk
finely grated rind 2 lemons
juice 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten

2 egg whites
1/2 cup caster sugar

in a medium saucepan, place the rice, milk, water, cream, butter and salt.

over medium heat, bring to a boil. reduce heat to simmer and cover.

cook for 20 -25 minutes until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. should have a creamy texture.

remove from heat and stir in the condensed milk, rind, juice and vanilla.

return to heat and cook for 5 minutes.

remove from heat and quickly stir in the egg. stir till well combined.

place in a small ovenproof dish and put aside.

heat oven to 180c

beat the egg whites till frothy.  add the sugar a little at a time and beat until stiff.

spoon meringue over the rice. place in oven and cook until
meringue is just turning brown. about 5 minutes.

remove from oven and serve.

NOTE: can also be browned under the griller or with a  kitchen blow torch.









SPICY CHICKEN, PUMPKIN AND SPINACH PASTA


750 grams butternut pumpkin, deseeded
750 grams chicken breast, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 oxo chicken stock cubes
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
200 mls thickened cream
120 grams fresh baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste

500 grams pasta of choice

wrap the pumpkin, with the skin on, in plastic wrap. cook in the microwave for approx. 6 minutes or until soft. remove plastic and cool.  when cool, scoop flesh out of the skin and place in a bowl.  finely mash and put aside.

cook your pasta  according to packet directions.

spray a large, deep frypan with cooking spray. on medium heat, stirring, saute the chicken until cooked through.

add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant.

add the stock cubes, stirring till dissolved.

add the pumpkin, water, chilli powder, chilli flakes and nutmeg, stirring to combine. bring to boil.

reduce to simmer and add the spinach, stirring till wilted. stir in the cream and salt and pepper to taste. simmer till starting to boil. remove from heat.

serve over pasta.  sprinkle with extra sharp parmesan cheese.

Sunday, 11 June 2017




BANANA CARAMEL SCROLLS

3 cups self raising flour
1 1/2 teaspoons bicarb soda
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, soft
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 small bananas, mashed

1/2 tin caramel top and fill


preheat oven to 180 c. grease a  cake tin.

in a large bowl, place the flour, bicarb, sugar and salt.

rub in the butter.

beat the egg into the milk with a spoon then stir the milk

mix into the flour.

stir in the banana.

tip onto a floured board and knead a few times, incorporating
more flour if needed.

using a rolling pin, roll out to a rectangle approx. 14 x 10
inches.

cover the dough with the caramel.

roll up like a swiss roll and cut into 10 equal sized pieces.

place into cake tin and cook for approx. 20 minutes or until 
golden on top.

cool in tin.

drizzle with icing.

ICING

1 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
milk

mix the icing sugar and vanilla together with enough milk to
make a drizzly paste.









TENERINA CAKE

200 grams dark chocolate
100 grams butter
4 eggs, separated
80 grams sugar
50 grams plain flour, sifted
pinch salt

icing sugar, to dust


preheat oven to 180 c. grease sides and line bottom of a 20 cm spring form tin.

in a heat proof bowl over a pot boiling water, melt the butter and chocolate. put aside.

using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 40 grams of the sugar, until fluffy.

add the chocolate and beat until well combined.

add the flour.

using a clean bowl and beaters, beat the egg white with the other 40 grams of sugar and the salt.  beat till stiff.

fold the whites into the chocolate mixture.

pour into tin.

cook for  30 minutes.

cool in tin for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

dust with icing sugar to serve.



Tuesday, 6 June 2017





CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

4 large carrots,
4 full sticks celery
2 large onions
4 medium potatoes
4 litres water
2 packets chicken noodle soup
2 oxo chicken stock cubes


1 x shop bought barbecue chicken
salt and pepper to taste

grate or finely chop vegetables.  I use a grater attachment on my food processor.

place everything except the chicken and salt and pepper into a large pot and bring to the boil, covered.

reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered,  for about an hour or until all vegetables are soft.

remove the skin and break up the chicken.  add to the soup, heat through. add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

keep refrigerated. will thicken overnight.


NOTE: this is my basic recipe that my kids love. add other vegies or more or less water as desired.




BLUEBERRY COOKIES...with lemon filling



100 grams butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups
plain flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon plain flour extra

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

coat the blueberries with the extra 1 tablespoon of flour.
put aside.

using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until
light and fluffy.

add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.

add the vanilla.

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

stir in the blueberries.

place heaped teaspoons of mix onto the baking trays. leave a
little room for spreading.

cook for approx 10 -15 minutes or until golden.

cool on trays.

fill.

FILLING

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
finely grated rind 1 small lemon
lemon juice

mix the icing sugar, butter and rind together with enough
lemon juice to make a spreadable paste.

place 1/2 the biscuits upside down and divide the filling
evenly between them.  spread to cover then sandwich together
with the other half of the biscuits.

dust with icing sugar to serve.

Monday, 5 June 2017




2 x 250 gram packets instant curly lasagne sheets

1/2 cup butter
1 packet cream cheese
2 jars dolmio bechamel sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder

1 kilo chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
200 grams ham
2 cups colby cheese, shredded

500 mls sour cream
1 - 2  cups tasty cheese, shredded

preheat oven to 200 c.


in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. stir in the cream cheese. stir till melted. stir in the garlic and onion powder then the bechamel sauce. stir till boiling.

using a 11 x 15 inch (approx.) baking dish, place  a little of the bechamel sauce mixture across the bottom.  place 1/3 of the chicken onto the sauce.

cover the chicken with lasagne sheets.

cover the lasagne sheets with half of the sauce then another third of the chicken, then 100 grams of ham and 1 cup of colby cheese.

repeat with another layer of sheets then chicken then ham then cheese.

cover with another layer of sheets.

cover the top sheets with the sour cream then cover the baking dish with foil.

cook for one hour. uncover and sprinkle the top with shredded tasty cheese.

cook until cheese is melted and golden.


Saturday, 3 June 2017





RASPBERRY CRINKLE COOKIES

200 grams butter
220 grams sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch salt
500 grams 00 flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
50 grams raspberries, pureed (fresh or frozen)
50 grams raspberries, chopped (fresh or frozen)

1/2 - 3/4 cup icing sugar

line 2 large baking trays with baking paper

using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until
light and fluffy.

beat in the eggs, vanilla and salt until well combined.

beat in the flour and baking powder.

stir in the raspberry puree and chopped pieces.

refrigerate in bowl, covered, for 1/2 hour.

heat oven to 180 c.

roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll in the icing
sugar.

place on a tray, leaving enough room for spreading.

cook for 10 minutes.  cool on trays.  will harden on cooling.







SOUR CREAM DINNER ROLLS

600 grams plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
200 mls sour cream
100 mls canola oil
200 mls milk, warmed
1 tablespoon sugar
7 grams dried yeast

1 egg yolk, beaten
sesame seeds

lightly grease 2 x 12 hole muffin tins.


in a jug, mix the warm milk, sugar and yeast. put aside

in a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder.
stir in the oil and sour cream.

add the yeast mix to the flour mix and stir to combine.

tip onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth.

heat oven to 190 c.

divide the dough into 72 x 15 gram pieces and roll each piece
into balls.

place 3 balls into each muffin hole. cover trays
with a teatowel and place in a warm spot for 30 minutes.



brush each roll with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with
sesame seeds

cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden.

serve warm.






SACHER TORTE

175 grams dark cooking chocolate, broken
150 grams butter
150 grams caster sugar
6 large eggs, separated
140 grams plain flour


150 grams apricot jam

250 grams dark cooking chocolate, broken
60 grams butter, chopped

preheat oven to 180 c. line a 22 cm. springform tin with

baking paper.  lightly grease sides.

using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 100 grams of

the sugar until very light and fluffy.

beat in the egg yolks one at a time

in a heat proof bowl over a pot of boiling water, melt the

chocolate, stirring until smooth. cool slightly.

stir the chocolate into the butter mixture. stir in the

flour.

using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until firm then

gradually add the rest of the sugar.  beat until just under

stiff peaks.

fold the whites into the chocolate batter.

spoon the mix into the tin and cook for 35 - 45 minutes or

until a skewer comes out moist but not runny.

remove from tin and cool on a wire rack

when cold...melt the apricot jam in a microwave or in a small

pot on the stove.

cut the cake in half widthways and spread the bottom half

with the jam. place the other half back on top.

in a heat proof bowl over a pot of boiling water, melt the
chocolate WITHOUT stirring. turn heat off after a couple of

minutes and let it melt. stir in the butter a few pieces at a

time.

pour the chocolate over the cake, spreading to cover the

sides. leave to set.

serve with whipped cream.


Thursday, 1 June 2017




CROQUE MONSIEUR....with chicken and asparagus



bechamel sauce...

60 grams butter
1/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoons mustard sauce
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt to taste

filling...

8 slices thick bread
4 slices leg ham
4 - 6 slices tasty cheese (depends on size of bread)
1 barbecue chicken, sliced
1 jar asparagus

top...

8 tablespoons shredded tasty cheese
8 tablespoons shredded colby cheese

preheat oven to 180 c. line a large baking tray with baking paper.

to make the sauce..in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until foamy.  whisk in the flour. when boiling, whisk for 1 minute. gradually add the milk, whisking until thick and smooth.  remove from heat and whisk in the mustard, nutmeg and salt.

toast one side of each slice of bread. place the slices on a board, toasted side down. spread the bread evenly with  bechamel sauce.

place 4 slices of the bread onto the baking tray and top each with a slice of ham, then the slice of cheese, then some sliced chicken and lastly divide the asparagus between them.

top  with the other slices of bread, sauce side up.

sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of tasty and 2 tablespoons colby cheese.

cook until the top is brown and bubbling.