APRICOT OAT MUFFINS

1 cup self raising flour

1 1/4 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

preheat oven to 180 c.  line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper muffin patty pans. make 8 - 10 depending on size of tin.

in a small bowl, mix the milk oil and egg. put aside

in a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder oats, sugar and salt together.

stir in the milk mix until well combined then stir in the apricots.

3/4 fill each patty pan.

cook forapprox. 20 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

serve warm or cold with butter

I brushed mine with a little honey to glaze. apricot jam would also be good.

 

WATTLESEED SCONES.... with lemon myrtle cream

3 cups self raising flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

90 grams butter, cold (6 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon ground wattleseed

3/4 - 1 cup milk

1 egg

preheat oven to 200 c.(180 c fan forced)  350 f. line a baking tray with baking paper.

mix 3/4 cup milk and the egg together. put aside.

in a large bowl, add the flour, sugar and salt. stir to combine.

rub the butter into the flour until resembling fine bread crumbs.

stir in the wattleseed then the milk/egg mix. if the dough is a bit dry, add some more milk.

tip the dough onto a well floured board and knead afew times. flatten out to 2 - 3 cm thick. cut out scones with a scone cutter.

shape the left over dough and cut again.

place scones on tray, brush with a little milk and cook for approx.15 - 20 minutes or until golden.

serve warm or cold with jam and lemon myrtle cream.

LEMON MYRTLE CREAM

600 mls thickened cream'

1 tablespoon ground lemon myrtle

icing sugar to taste

2 teaspoons lemon extract

in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat all together until thick.

* I used native rosella jam.

WATTLESEED

Wattleseed is a nutritious roasted grain (acacia seeds) which boasts an amazing coffee, chocolate, hazelnut flavour which can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. Edible wattleseed comes from a small number of acacia tree.

LEMON MYRTLE

Lemon myrtle is used in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes. The milled leaves are often used to impart a distinctively clean and crisp citrus flavour in teas, drinks, syrups, glazes, cakes, biscuits, dressings, mayonnaises, sauces and ice creams.

ROSELLA JAM

Rosella is a type of hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) that has a fleshy seed casing that tastes like a tart combination of raspberries and plums. 

buy these items on line.

 

CHEESY POTATO AND BACON SOUP

2 kilos potatoes (peeled weight) roughly chopped

2 large onions, diced

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

10 rashers shortcut bacon, diced

8 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups grated tasty cheese

extra 4 rashers shortcut bacon, well cooked, cooled and crumbled

extra grated tasty cheese

in a large pot, place the potatoes, onions, garlic, bacon and chicken stock. cover, bring to boil then lower heat to simmer until potatoes are soft.

remove 2 cups of stock and put aside.*

remove pot from heat and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.

add the milk, garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper. stir to combine. 

place pot back on heat and stir in the cheese until melted.

at this point you can blend the soup if desired. I left mine as is because we like a bit of texture.

serve sprinkled with some extra cheese and crumbled bacon.

*if you like thinner soup add back some stock before serving. otherwise put the stock in the fridge because the soup will get quite thick overnight.

 

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MUFFINS

2 cups self raising flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa, sifted

3/4 cup canola oil

1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 packet (283 grams)reeses peanut butter chips

preheat oven to 180 c. line  2 x 12 hole muffin tins with paper muffin cases. amount depends on the size of the muffin tins.

place the flour, sugar and cocoa into a large bowl. stir to combine.

place the oil, milk, egg and vanilla into a jug/bowl and stir to combine.

tip the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

stir in the peanut butter chips.

3/4 fill each muffin case, levelling the top. 

cook for approx. 20 minutes or untl a skewer comes out clean.

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

ice.

ICING

1 cup butter, soft (226 grams)

1 cup crunchy peanut butter (245 grams)

3 cups icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons milk

in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter until creamy and well combined.

add in the icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until well combined

with the mixer on low, beat in the milk and vanilla until well combined. then up the speed and beat for another 10 seconds.

pipe or spoon icing onto muffins.

 

CURRIED VEGETABLE ROLLS......made in sausage roll machine

1 medium onion, diced

4 medium potatoes, 1 cm dice

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons curry powder 

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, corn and carrots

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons fruit chutney

salt and pepper to taste

5 frozen puff pastry sheets

sweet chilli sauce to serve

in a frypan over medium heat, saute the onion, stirring until translucent.

add the frozen vegies  stirring to combine.

add the potato, garlic, curry powder and tumeric. stir until the vegies are well coated.

add the stock. cover, lower heat to simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft and pretty much all of the liquid is evaporated. stir occasionally.

stir in the chutney and salt and pepper

remove from heat and allow to cool.

cut one sheet of the pastry in half and place one half on the bottom of the sausauge roll machine. place about 2 tablespoons of mix into each cavity. cover with the other half of the pastry and cook until golden.

serve with sweet chilli sauce.

 

CINNAMON SWIRL TEACAKE MUFFINS

TOPPING

1/2 cup plain flour

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

BATTER

2 cups  self raising flour

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

CINNAMON SWIRL

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

preheat oven to 180c. (350 f.) line 1 x 12 hole large muffin tin with paper patty pans or 2 x standard muffins tins....make 12 large or 18 standard.

mix all the ingredients for the topping together until just combined. put aside.

mix the cinnamon and sugar together for the swirl and put aside.

for the batter...in a large bowl, stir the flour and sugar together. stir in the rest of the ingredients until just combined.

evenly distribute the batter between the patty pans. 

sprinkle the batter evenly with the cinnamon sugar and lightly swirl through with the end of a teaspoon.

evenly place small blobs of the topping mix over the top of the batter.

cook for approx. 20 - 22 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

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

drizzle with icing.

ICING

1 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

enough milk to make a just runny paste.

mix all together and drizzle over the muffins.

 

CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS ....with choc chips

2 cups self raising flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

2 tablespoons cocoa, sifted

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon milk

3/4 cup canola oil

1 egg

4 medium over ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1 cup choc chips

preheat oven to 180 c (160 c fan forced) 350 f. line 2 x 12 hole muffin tins with  paper patty pans.

in a large bowl, place the flour, sugar, bicarb and cocoa. stir to combine.

stir in the milk, oil and egg. then add the banana and choc chips, stir till just combined.

3/4 fill the patty pans.

cook for approx. 18 - 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

I dusted with icing sugar mixed with cocoa.