QUICK AND EASY BUTTER CAKE

250 grams butter, soft
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup thickened cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups self raising flour


preheat oven to 170c. line bottom and grease sides of a 12
cup square or round cake tin.

using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and
creamy.

gradually beat in the sugar.

beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

beat in the flour, alternating with the cream and milk,
finishing with the flour.

spoon into tin and level top.

cook for approx. 1 hour or until golden on top and a skewer
comes out clean.

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

lightly dust with icing sugar to serve.

CREAMY CHICKEN, BACON AND MUSHROOM CASSEROLE


4 skinless chicken breasts, diced
8 rashers short cut bacon, diced
4 carrots, sliced
2 onions, sliced
1/2 green capsicum, diced
1/2 red capsicum, diced
200 grams mushrooms, sliced
2 cups chicken stock
2 chicken stock cubes
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon saffron powder (I used imitation)
100 mls thickened cream
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons cornflour
2 tablespoons water

in a large deep frypan, saute chicken until cooked through
but not brown. drain and put aside.

in the same frypan, heat the olive oil and saute the carrots,
onion and capsicum until the onion is translucent.

add the bacon and saute for another 3 minutes then add the
stock, stock cubes, garlic salt and garlic powder. stir till
well combined then add the chicken.

bring to boil, uncovered then simmer until carrot is just
tender. stir occasionally.

add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. add the saffron
and stir to combine then add the cream.

mix the cornflour with the water and stir into the casserole
until boiling and thickened.

serve with mashed potato and other vegetables if desired.

CAKE MIX ROCKY ROAD COOKIES......with craisins


1 packet greens chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
50 mls canola oil
1 cup craisins
1/2 cup choc chips
1/4 cup crushed nuts

1 packet mini marshmallows

85 grams choc chips, melted

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

in a bowl, place the cake mix (don't include the icing mix), eggs and oil. stir till well combined.

stir in the craisins, choc chips and crushed nuts until well combined.

drop heaped teaspoonfuls of mix onto the trays and lightly shape into mounds, leaving a little room for spreading.

cook for 12 - 15 minutes until just solid when touched.

as soon as you take them out of the oven, push 3 mini marshmallows into the centre of each cookie.

cool on the tray.

when cold, drizzle with melted chocolate.

store in an airtight container.

LEMON AND COCONUT CREAM CHEESE COOKIES


113 grams butter
85 grams cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 tablespoons cream
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup coconut
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

lemon curd to fill

preheat oven to 190 c.  line baking tray/s with baking paper.


using an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar
and vanilla.

add the egg and cream

stir in the flour, baking powder and coconut.

refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

roll heaped teaspoonfuls into balls and place on trays.

make an indent into the centre of each.  I use a melon baller
but a  finger or spoon is fine.

cook for 10 - 12 minutes until just browning.  remove from
oven and TURN OVEN OFF.

quickly push the indents into each cookie again. fill each
indent with lemon curd and place back into the oven for 5
minutes.(this just makes the curd set without running all
over the biscuit)

remove and cool on trays.

lightly dust with icing sugar to serve.

TACO POTATO SKINS


10 large, clean potatoes
olive oil
salt

1 kilo mince steak
1 x 40 gram packet taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup fountain spicy red sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1/2 green capsicum, diced
salt to taste
shredded tasty cheese

TOPPING
fresh tomato, diced
avocado, sliced
sour cream

preheat oven to 200 C. 

rub the potatoes with the oil and sprinkle with some salt. place each whole potato on a baking tray and cook until soft.
remove from oven to cool.

in a frypan brown the mince steak.  drain and put aside.

in the same pan, saute the capsicum and garlic until capsicum is tender.

add the meat back to the pan with the taco seasoning and water. stir to combine.  stir in the spicy red sauce.
add the salt to taste.

when the potatoes are ready, cut each of the potatoes in half longways. scoop out the centres of each potato, leaving about 3/4 cm around the edges.

fill each centre with some of the mince and sprinkle with some shredded cheese.

return potatoes to oven and cook until cheese is just melted.

serve potatoes topped with the tomato, avocado and sour cream.

BEER, BACON AND CHEESE BREAD


3 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon bicarb soda
1 cup shredded tasty cheese
6 rashers short cut bacon, diced
355 mls beer

extra shredded tasty cheese


preheat oven to 180 c. grease or spray a small non stick loaf
tin. (9 x 5 in.)

in a bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and
bicarb soda.  stir to combine.

add the cheese and bacon and stir to combine.

stir in the beer until well combined.

spoon into tin and cook for 40 minutes. remove from oven and
sprinkle top with the extra cheese.

return to oven and cook for another 5 minutes or until a
skewer comes out clean.

cool in tin for 10 minutes them remove to wire rack.

serve warm or cold with butter.

SUGAR AND SPICE CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

113 grams butter, soft
85 grams cream cheese, soft
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

extra sugar for rolling

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

using an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese.

slowly add icing sugar and beat until well combined.

beat in egg and vanilla until well combined then beat in the
flour, baking powder and spices.

refrigerate dough in the bowl, covered with plastic wrap, for
1 hour.

roll heaped teaspoons of mix into balls and roll in the extra
sugar.

place on trays leaving a little room between each for
spreading. lightly flatten each ball with a fork dipped in
sugar.

cook for 10 -12 minutes or until just slightly brown.