CHICKEN CORDON BLEU PASTA BAKE

250 grams penne pasta, cooked (8 oz)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 cup milk
1 cup thickened cream
1 cup colby cheese, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup tasty cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon french mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup ham, chopped
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (approx 1 store bought bbq

chicken)

TOP
1/2 - 1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

preheat oven to 180 c. (350 f)

in a large pot, over medium heat, melt the butter. stir in
the cornflour till well combined then stir in the milk and
cream. stir until thickened and just boiling.

add cheese, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. stir
until cheese is melted.

add chicken, ham and pasta, stirring until well combined.

pour into a baking/casserole dish and sprinkle with the
breadcrumbs. drizzle with the melted butter.

cook for approx 25 - 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

DEVILS BROWNIE CAKE

1 packet betty crocker devils food cake
1 packet betty crocker triple chocolate fudge brownie mix
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups water

preheat oven to 180 c (350 f)  grease and flour sides and
line bottom of 23 cm (9 inch) cake tin or grease and flour
bundt tin. I used a 9 inch silicon bundt tin.

place all ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine.

pour into tin and cook 50 - 55 minutes or until a skewer
comes out clean.

cool in tin for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool
completely.

ice and decorate as desired.

I used the icing that came with the devils food cake mix.

VANILLA BLONDIE CAKE

1 packet vanilla cake mix
1 packet betty crocker white chocolate fudge blondie mix
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups water

preheat oven to 180 c. (350 f.) line bottom and grease and
flour sides  23 cm (9 inch) cake tin or grease and flour non
stick bundt tin.

place all ingredients into a bowl and whisk till combined. 
pour into tin and cook 50 - 55 minutes or until a skewer
comes out clean.

cool in tin for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool
completely.

ice.

ICING

3 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon butter
milk

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

decorate as desired.

PATATAS BRAVAS

1 kilo potatoes, peeled weight
drizzle olive oil

SAUCE
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 red onion, diced
800 gram can diced tomatoes (28 oz)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon mild chilli sauce
2 tablespoons spicy red sauce

heinz garlic aioli to serve

preheat oven to 200 c. (400f).

cut potatoes into about 25 mm (1 inch) pieces. place in a
bowl and drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat. place on
a baking tray and cook until golden and crunchy. (can deep
fry instead if desired).

TO MAKE THE SAUCE..heat the olive oil in a deep frypan. saute
the onion until translucent.  add garlic and cook till
fragrant.

add rest of ingredients and bring to the boil stirring.

reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring
occassionally.

place cooked potatoes in a large bowl and cover with the
sauce.

drizzle with garlic aoili to serve.

ICED APPLE CAKES

1 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
100 grams cold butter (3.5 oz)
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water

1 cup canned pie apple (or home cooked) lightly chopped


preheat oven to 180 c. (350 f.) line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

place the flours and sugar into a bowl. rub in the butter until resembling breadcumbs

beat egg and water together then stir into flour mix. use hands to bring to a dough.

using half the dough at a time, between 2 sheets baking paper, roll out to approx. 3-4 millimetres (1/8 inch) thick.

cut out circles using a 7 cm round cutter (approx. 2 3/4 inches).

place half the circles on the trays and place 1 teaspoon apple in the middle of each circle.

top with the rest of the circles, pressing to seal edges.

cook for approx 25 minutes or until just colouring.

cool completely and ice.

ICING

2 cups icing sugar
approx 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

ground cinnamon

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

ice top of biscuits and sprinkle with some ground cinnamon

LEBANESE FLAT BREAD WITH ZA'ATAR

5 grams fresh oregano, leaves only (approx 2 tablespoons)*
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons ground sumac
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 teaspoons caster sugar
7 gram pkt dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup hot water

TOPPING
2 tomatoes, sliced into small wedges
40 grams feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 small onion, finely diced
mint leaves


TO MAKE THE ZA'ÁTAR......mix the oregano leaves, sesame
seeds, 1 teaspoon salt and sumac with 2 tablespoons of the
olive oil. stir until well combined. put aside.

FOR THE BREAD.... mix the hot water,  sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
and yeast together in a jug.  stand in a warm spot for 10
minutes or until frothy.

place flour in a bowl and add the yeast mix and the rest of
the olive oil.  stir to form a dough.  tip onto a lightly
floured board and knead  until smooth.  place dough in a
greased bowl, cover and put in a warm place to rise until
doubled in size.

heat oven to 200 c.  line 2 large baking trays with baking
paper.

cut dough into 2 equal halves. roll each half into a 45 x 15
cm. (18 x 6 in.) rectangle. spread each piece evenly with the
za'atar.

cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden.

top each evenly with the tomatoes, onion, feta cheese and
mint.

serve immediately.

*can also use thyme leaves.

COFFEE OR STRAWBERRY ICED FINGER BUNS

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/3 cup caster sugar
80 grams butter, soft (1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon bread improver, optional
3 teaspoons instant dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup sultanas

line 2 x small or 1 large baking trays with baking paper.

BREAD MACHINE.....
place all ingredients except sultanas into bread machine in order as recommended by the manufacturer. set to dough cycle.

add sultanas once dough has come together. dough should double in size.

when ready, punch dough down and divide into 12 equal sized pieces and roll each piece into a log.

place logs onto baking tray. cover the tray with a teatowel and let dough rise for
another 45 - 60 minutes or until doubled in size.

heat oven to 190 c (375 c) and cook for 20 -25 minutes until golden.

cool on wire rack and ice when cold.  serve with butter

BY HAND....
in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
stir in milk, sugar, butter, salt, egg and 2 cups of the flour.

using an electric mixer, beat until smooth.( can also use a wooden spoon)

stir in remaining flour. if dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.

turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

place in a large greased bowl, then turn greased side up cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.

follow rest of the directions for bread machine from punch down.



COFFEE ICING....covers 6 buns

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 teapoon warm water
milk

walnut crumbs

mix the coffee and water together in a bowl. add the icing sugar, butter and enough milk to make a spreadable paste.

spread over 6 buns and sprinkle with walnut crumbs.

double recipe for 12 buns.

STRAWBERRY ICING...for 6 buns

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons strawberry essence
few drops pink food colour
milk
100's & 1000's

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

spread over 6 buns and sprinkle with 100's & 1000's.

double recipe for 12 buns.

CHICKEN IN MUSTARD SAUCE

4 skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
200 mls boiling water
2 oxo chicken stockcubes
250 mls thickened cream
2 tablespoons french mustard

1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon water

1 heaped teaspoon whole grain mustard
salt and pepper to taste

cut each chicken breast in half lengthways.

heat the olive oil in a large deep frypan.  saute the chicken until cooked through, turning as needed. remove from frypan.

wipe out frypan and add the butter. saute onions until translucent. 

mix the water and stock cubes together and add to the onions. cook until reduced by half.  add the chicken back and cook until chicken is heated through.

mix the cream with the french mustard and add to chicken. stir to combine. on low heat, bring to boil.

mix the cornflour and water together and stir into the sauce, stirring until thickened.

add the whole grain mustard and salt and pepper.

serve.