Creamy German Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers (700 g), sliced or small diced 
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sliced yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 cup sour cream 
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
2 Tbs chopped fresh dill
2-3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl and toss with the teaspoon of salt. Let sit for about 30mins then drain thoroughly. Add the sliced onions to the cucumbers.

Place all remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and stir to combine. Cover and chill for at least 2hrs before serving.

Bec's Best-ever Carrot cake

 

250g walnuts 
400g carrots, washed and roughly chopped
2 eggs 
220g sugar
160g olive oil
1 tsp vanilla essence 
1/2 tsp mixed spice 
1/4 tsp salt 
200g plain flour 
1 tsp bicarb soda
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup sunflower seeds 

220g icing sugar 
90g cream cheese 
45g butter, room temp 
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 185C. Grease 25cm round cake tin/ line with baking paper, and set aside. Place walnuts into blender and mill. Set aside. Place carrots into blender and chop. Set aside. Place eggs, sugar and oil in stand mixer and mix. Add vanilla, spice, salt, flour and bicarb to bowl and mix. Add walnuts and carrots and mix. Pour into cake tin and bake for 75 mins. Combine all icing ingredients in stand mixer and beat. Ice cake when it has cooled.

Chicken Marinade

700g chicken breast, tenderloins or thighs 

2 Tbs honey OR brown sugar 

1 Tbs olive oil (or any oil) 

5 Tbs soy sauce 

2 Tbs lemon juice 

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 

4 garlic cloves , minced 

1 tsp dried oregano (or rosemary, thyme, minced herbs) 

1/2 tsp black pepper

Cut large chicken pieces in half horizontally to form 2 cutlets. Mix marinade ingredients. Add chicken. Marinate 3 hrs to overnight, though even 30 minutes is effective. Grill or pan sear 2-4mins each side.

Christmas puff pastry tree

 

I've been wanting to try this for a Christmas get-together and finally did. So easy. Mix butter, garlic and parsley together and spread over puff pastry, cover in grated mozzarella, then cover with more pastry. Cut a triangle shape and slits, twist each one. Cut out stars and wash all with an egg wash before baking. I served mine with red and green dips, but it didn't need anymore flavour. It was delicious on it's own.

Firetruck cake

 Quite an easy cake. It was hard to get a real red colour. I had used a lot of dye already and it still wasn't firetruck red. I didn't know how I was going to do the ladder but this worked well, melting the malt biscuits to stick onto the Corinthian wafers. Marella jubes were perfect for the lights and of course the big licorice fire hose!

500g short pasta
3 broccoli heads (BIG!)
1.5 cup shredded cheese (or more!) 
3 tsp lemon zest 
3 Tbsp lemon juice (or more!)
7.5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp mixed dried herbs (or fresh!)
1.5 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper
BBQ chicken, shredded

Boil a large pot of water with 2 tsp salt, add pasta. Chop broccoli into small florets. Add broccoli into water 1 – 2 mins before pasta is cooked. Place Sauce ingredients in a jar with lid. SCOOP OUT 1 cup pasta cooking water just before draining. Then drain and return pasta back into same pot on turned off stove. Add 1/2 cup pasta water to Pasta Sauce jar, shake well. Pour Sauce and add cheese and BBQ chicken into pot with pasta. Stir vigorously, adding more pasta water if required. Add more salt and pepper if required. Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan.

Via Recipe Tin Eats 

Mario Cake

Myles has recently been playing the old Super Mario games on the computer, so loves Mario at the moment. So I got to do a classic buttercream character face with licorice outline for his birthday. It took me a while colouring all the areas but came out great! Myles got to eat the M! I also couldn't pass on a Super Mario jumper I found at the op shop in his size! (even if he has heaps of jumpers!) He LOVES it!

Rollerskate cake

 

While looking through cake books for Myles' birthday I came across this rainbow rollarskate and, since we were getting together the same weekend to see Michael for his 40th birthday rally car experience, we  couldn't pass up the chance! So I had 2 cakes to make for the weekend!

I originally wanted rainbow twizzlers for the rainbow from my reference pic but I couldn't get any on short notice so had a few options with different stripey rainbow lollies including these sour strips! Plus skittles and licorice strap laces and giant marshmallows for the wheels!

Berry Jelly Flan

 

 

 

10 x butternut OR oat biscuits OR other plain biscuit
100 g packet hazelnuts (or Almonds)
100 g butter, melted
85 g Raspberry Flavour Jelly
1 cup (250 mL) boiling water
500 g packet frozen mixed berries

 

In a food processor, crush the biscuits together with the nuts. Mix crushed biscuits with the melted butter, then press into the base of a 10cm x 30cm rectangular loose-bottomed flan pan. (If you have one with a removable base it is much easier to serve). Refrigerate while preparing filling. Whisk the Jelly Crystals with 1 cup (250 mL) boiling water until dissolved, then allow to cool. Pour the mixed berries over the chilled flan base, and then pour over the cooled jelly. Allow to set in the fridge before serving.

Serve with optional dollup cream. 

Apple Crumble

 

4 large apples
1 cup sultanas
2 Tbs water
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 Tbs coconut
1/4 cup flour
1/2c tsp cinnamon
60g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Peel. quarter and slice apples. Combine in medium saucepan with sultanas, water and juice. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, simmer for about 5mins or until apples are soft. Pour mixture into shallow ovenproof dish. 
Combine oats, coconut, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl, rub in butter with fingertips until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Stir in sugar. Sprinkle mixture evenly over apple mixture. Bake in 180C for 30mins or until topping is golden.

Stew apples in microwave option:
Place sliced apples, sultanas, water and juice in large, shallow microwave-proof dsih, cover, cook on high for about 3mins or until apples are soft.
 

Via "Women's Weekly Basic Cookbook" 

Appel's Flower Garden Cake

A last minute cake that turned out great! Bought a Woolies mudcake and stuck smarties, choc melts and clinkers to create flowers/garden. Clinkers probably weren't necessary. Looked impressive. 

 

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1¼ cups flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup grated zucchini, squeezed very dry and packed tightly (measure after grating and squeezing)
1 cup milk
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
¼ cup butter (melted, or use canola oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup chocolate chips (or 1 cup blueberries)

Preheat oven to 180C. Coat a standard size muffin pan with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Grate the zucchini with a box grater and squeeze as much liquid out as you can. Measure out 1 cup after this process. To a medium bowl, add the squeezed zucchini, milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Gently stir in the flour mixture. Gently stir in the chocolate chips (or blueberries). Divide batter among the prepared muffin pan, using a heaping ¼ cup in each. Bake for 16-18 mins, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of each muffin comes out clean. Let cool for a minute or so in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Serve muffins slightly warmed or at room temperature.

Via Yummy Toddler Food 

Jelly Slice

250g plain sweet biscuits (Marie biscuits)
175g butter, melted
Pinch of Cinnamon
395g can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup (125ml) strained lemon juice
3/4 cup (180ml) boiling water
2 tsp gelatine powder
85g Raspberry jelly crystals 

Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm x 30cm slice pan, extending paper 2cm above the sides of the pan.  Process biscuits in a food processor to fine crumbs. Add butter and cinnamon and process again. Press biscuit mixture into the base of prepared pan. Chill for 30mins or until firm. 

Combine condensed milk with lemon juice in medium bowl. Combine boiling water and gelatine in a small jug. Stir until completely dissolved, then stir into condensed milk mixture. Pour over biscuit base and return to the refrigerator for 1hr or until set. 

Meanwhile, prepare jelly according to packet instructions, using 100ml less cold water than directed. Allow to come to room temperature. Pour jelly mixture over set milk filling. Chill for a further 1hr or until jelly is set.

Via Taste.com

Marshmallow Slice

 

3 weetbix, crushed (or 50 grams of another similar wheat-based cereal)
½ cup brown sugar
190 grams butter
1 cup SR flour, sifted (130 grams)
¾ cup desiccated coconut (60 grams)
1 cup sugar (caster or white)
1 cup water
1 Tbs gelatine
2-3 drops pink food colouring (optional)
2-3 tablespoons sprinkles or flaked coconut (optional)

BasePre-heat oven to 180. Grease a slice tin and line with baking paper, leaving excess on the sides to lift out slice once cooked. Crush weetbix into a bowl. Add remaining dry ingredients to bowl and stir to combine. Melt butter and add to dry ingredients. Mix well. Press mixture into slice tin. Cook for 15mins. Allow to cool before adding marshmallow topping.   Marshmallow toppingPlace water, sugar and gelatine into a saucepan. Place on low heat and stir to dissolve sugar and gelatine. Bring to the boil and boil for 5mins. (You should only need very low heat to boil) Let cool for half an hour before beating (starting on low speed and moving to high speed) for about 5 minutes or until mixture is light and fluffy. Add food colouring if you are opting to colour the marshmallow layer and mix again until colour is even throughout mixture. Pour onto top of cooled base and use a plastic spatula to spread out evenly. Add sprinkles or flaked coconut to top of marshmallow. Allow to set in the fridge for about 2hrs. Lift slice from tray using the overhanging paper. Cut slice into squares using a sharp knife. Store slice in an airtight container in the fridge.

 Via

Garbage Truck Cake

 

I made this super simple garbage truck cake for Elliott's 3rd birthday. I actually bought the garbage truck a year ago for his birthday cake last year but changed my mind and did the Very Hungry Caterpillar instead. So I've been looking forward to doing this one. I wanted to keep it simple and colourful so used chocolate icing (instead of coconut grass etc) and wafers, smarties, licorice allsorts and freckles with some 100s and 1000s sprinkled around. And that was it! The buttons on the truck could be pressed to make it's noises, which was a bit of added fun..

Fruit-mince Pie Ice-cream

2L vanilla ice-cream
95g pure butter shortbread, roughly chopped
12 waffle cones, to serve
1 cup mixed dried fruit (Fruit medley)
75grams dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried diced figs
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs apricot jam
1/4 cup brandy 

Place mixed fruit, cranberries, figs, almonds, spices, sugar, jam and brandy in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Stir until well combined. Cover and stand overnight, stirring occasionally. Place ice-cream in a large bowl. Stand for 10 minutes or until softened but not melted. Add fruit mince mixture and shortbread. Gently fold until just combined. Spoon into a 11 x 21cm (7cm deep) loaf pan and gently press to compact. Cover and freeze overnight or until firm. Remove from the freezer and stand for 3 minutes. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop ice-cream and place in cones. Serve immediately.

 

Via Woolworths

Rainbow Cake

 

We had a left over round chocolate cake and M&Ms from Myles' Rocket cake so I planned with Myles to make this rainbow cake for Steve for his birthday. Myles loves rainbows and the rainbow colours and the rainbow order at the moment so he loved doing it and it was super easy. I just cut a round cake in half and iced it together standing up and decorated with the added marshmallow clouds and rainbow candles.

Rainbow Rocket Cake

Myles requested a rocket cake for his 5th birthday, as he is into space and rockets at the moment. He also likes rainbows, so wanted it to be rainbow. I think it worked really well. I used a round cake and loosely used this pattern to make the shape. The ice cream cones worked perfectly as rocket boosters and tasted yum too, and the sparklers added flair and suited the whole theme.

Raspberry muffins

2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup oat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
150 g raspberries fresh or frozen (or blueberries)
small handful oats for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cases. Mix flour, baking powder, bi carb soda and sugar together in a large bowl. Put sunflower oil, milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a separate bowl or jug. Mix well. Pour into the flour and mix until just combined. Add mashed banana and mix. Gently stir in the 150g raspberries. Spoon the mixture into your muffin cases and sprinkle a few oats over the top of each muffin. Bake in the oven for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Via Sneakyveg 

 

Zucchini Muffins

1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (100g) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup (130g) shredded zucchini (lightly blotted)
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup (180g) sultanas or semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) 

In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla, and zucchini together until combined. Set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sultanas/chocolate chips (or nuts) together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Pour into wet ingredients. Gently whisk until just combined; do not overmix. Batter will be semi-thick. Grease a 12-count muffin pan, spoon the batter evenly into each, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 180C for 20mins or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. (Mini muffins 11-13mins).

Options:
Make as a Zucchini bread in a loaf tin. Add streusel on top as in Sally's Baking Addiction or use her Easy Zucchini Muffins recipe.

Via Sally's Baking Addictions

Mug Cake

 

3 tbs plain flour
3 tbs sugar
1 tbs cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
3 tbs milk
1 tbs marg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Sift dry ingredients together in a mug. Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Microwave for 50-70 seconds. (Less microwave time results in a more molten) texture. Serve with ice cream. 

Via Kidspot

Black Bean Brownie Muffins

60g butter (or coconut oil)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar (or maple syrup/honey)
1 tsp vanilla extract
400g can black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 Tbs cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup whole wheat flour

Preheat the oven to 180C. Melt butter and chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave. Remove from microwave and stir together until blended together. Add the chocolate mixture to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients except the flour. Blend well. Pulse in the flour. Divide the batter among muffin cups. Flatten a bit with a spoon. Bake for 10-12 mins or until firm to the touch. Let cool fully in fridge before serving.

Makes 12 regular muffins or 24 mini muffin bites.

Via

Bolognese

1 Tbs oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g mince beef/pork
400g tin tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 beef stock cube, crumbled
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp mixed herbs (basil/oregano)
carrot, grated
zucchini, grated
Mushrooms

Garlic bread

Heat oil in saucepan, add onion and garlic, stir constantly over medium heat for 5mins or until soft. Add mince, stir constantly until well browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, stock, sugar, herbs and veges. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover, simmer for 30mins or until mince is tender and mixture has thickened slightly. Serve over hot pasta.

Easy to double.

 

Via Womens Weekly Basic Cookbook

Curried Mince Chicken

 

500g chicken mince
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
½ tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
2 carrots, diced
½ capsicum, diced
½ cup green beans/snow peas, chopped
½ cup of zucchini, diced
1 cup broccoli
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
½ cup of frozen peas/corn
¼ cup of soy sauce
2 Tbs mild curry powder
2 cups of chicken stock 

Sub any fresh or frozen veges you have on hand.

In a frypan, add the oil, garlic, ginger and onions and cook until onion is soft. Add in hard vegetables (carrots, capsicum, beans, snow peas) and cook for 5 mins. Add in the chicken mince and curry powder and stir (using a wooden spoon break the chicken mince into small pieces) and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Add in the soy sauce and chicken stock. Now add in the broccoli, zucchini and mushrooms and simmer until vegetables are to your liking. Add frozen peas and simmer until the stock has absorbed. Serve with rice and top with dried shallots (optional). 

Use big pot.

via 

Very Hungry Caterpillar Cake

 

I originally was going to do a generic cupcake caterpillar cake but I couldn't pass up the chance to do a Very Hungry Caterpillar cake! It is a great theme and quite an easy and effective cake. I used a fluted bundt/ring tin to make the cake (the bumps from the fluted part probably weren't necessary but looked great even without icing!) I did a double packet cake mix, which was handy as could cut it thinner and use the excess for his head. I cut the ring into 3 and arranged it into shape. Then coloured 2 different greens and iced his body alternating the colours and mixing as I went. (And red for the head of course) I ended up using fondant for the extra bits, which allowed me to create whatever shape I needed and worked well. I was thinking of using snake lollies and pineapple lollies but the fondant was very free.

Carpet Refresher Powder

For the deodorising and disinfecting of all carpets and rugs.

2 cups bi-carb soda
4 Tbs cornflour
4 Tbs borax
30 drops lemon essential oil
20 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops cinnamon essential oil
10 drops pine essential oil

Sift the dry ingredients together. Mix the oils and add to the powder 1 drop at a time ehile stirring thoroughly. Store in a glass jar with a sprinkler lid. Stir twice a day for 3 days before using.

To use:
Sprinkle the mix lightly on the carpet. Leave for a few hours or overnight before vacuuming.

Volcano cake

Myles wanted a volcano cake for his 4th birthday, so I made a piñata-style one. I baked two cakes, stacked them on top of each other, and shaped them into a volcano. I cut a hole out of the middle and filled it with red, orange, yellow and brown M&Ms that spilled out like lava when we cut it. Then I iced it with chocolate icing and covered it in popcorn, caramel popcorn, Malteasers and honeycomb. I melted some red, orange, and yellow hard lollies in the oven and shaped them into flames while they were hot. They looked great! (I was going to make some longer ones but they still looked awesome) Then I used white chocolate ganache with butter dyed red for the lava. The sparklers also made it great (although I should've had more people lighting them at once, as they didn't last long!) Myles loved it and told everyone who asked him about his birthday!

 

Chicken and Vegetable pie

 

1 small brown onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

1/4 bunch thyme, leaves picked

500g chicken breast, cut into 1.5cm pieces

2 tbs plain flour

2 cups light milk

4 cups fresh or frozen winter vegetables (eg. carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, corn)

1/2 cup shredded light tasty cheese

pastry or mash potato 

 

Cook onion in oil for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and thyme to pan. Cook, stirring, for 1min or until fragrant. Add chicken. Cook, stirring, for 5mins or until meat is browned. Add flour and stir to coat. Gradually add milk, stirring to combine. Add vegetables and cheese. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10mins or until chicken is cooked and sauce has slightly thickened. Serve with mash potato, bread/toast or place in pie dish, cover with pastry, brush with milk and cook in oven until golden.

Baked Eggplant Meatballs

 

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1cm cubes
500g Woolworths pork & beef mince
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1 cup breadcrumbs
25g parmesan, finely grated
1 free range egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp mixed herbs
500g tomato pasta sauce
100g Danish feta, crumbled
parsley, chopped
500g pasta

Heat oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C. Add mince, olives, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg and dried herbs and cooked eggplant to bowl. Stir until well combined. Using 1/4 cup mixture at a time, shape mixture into balls. Place balls in ovenproof frying pan. Spray with oil. Bake for 10mins or until golden. Add sauce to pan and top with feta. Bake for 15mins or until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is bubbling. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with pasta.

Savoury Yoghurt & Spinach Muffins

 2 1/2 cups SR flour
1 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups greek yoghurt 
1 cup baby spinach leaves, shredded
2 spring onions, sliced
1 cups shredded tasty cheese (plus extra for topping)

Preheat oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and yoghurt. Add flour and garlic powder to mixture and fold to combine. Fold through spinach, onion and cheese. Spoon mixture into a greased 12-hole, muffin pan. Top with extra cheese. Bake for 20 mins or until golden.

Via Woolworths 

Hunkar Begendi

2 Tbs olive oil
1kg lamb, cut into 2cm cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
pinch of ground cloves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbs tomato paste
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 cups beef stock
125g vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped

Eggplant cream
1kg eggplants
60g butter
2 1/2 Tbs plain flour
315ml cream
2/3 cup kasseri or Parmesan cheese, grated
pinch ground nutmeg

Pita bread

reheat oven to 200C. Heat olive oil in a large  deep saucepan over high heat and cook the lamb in batches for 4-5mins, or until well browned. Remove and set aside. Add onion to the pan, cook for 5mins, or until golden. Add bay leaf, cloves, garlic, tomato paste, tomato, parsley, stock and lamb. Stir well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 1/2hrs, or until the lamb is very tender and the sauce is thick. Season. Meanwhile, pierce the eggplants a few times with a fork, roast them over an open flame (either a gas stove or BBQ) for about 5mins, turning occasionally, until blackened and blistered all over, This will give them a good smokey flavour. Place the eggplants in a baking tray and bake for about 30mins, or until the eggplants are shriveled and the flesh is very soft. Transfer to a colander and leave to cool. When cool, peel the eggplants, ensuring all the skin is removed and discarded. Chop the flesh and set aside. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium hea tand add the flour. Stir for 2mins, or until it has a toasty aroma and darkens slightly. Gradually pour in the cream, whisking until smooth then add the eggplant and combine. Add the cheese and nutmeg and stir until the cheese has melted. Season. Spread eggplant cream on a serving plate then place the lamb braise in the centre and sprinkle with the chopped tomato and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately with pita bread.

Crispy Corn Fritters

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornflour / cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
2 Tbs milk
2 cups fresh corn kernels, raw (2 cobs)
1/2 cup parmesan , finely grated
3/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup coriander, roughly chopped (sub more green onion)

Place flour, cornflour and baking soda in a bowl, mix to combine. Add egg and milk, mix until incorporated (batter will be lumpy and thick). Add corn, parmesan, green onions and coriander. Mix until all the corn is evenly coated in batter. Add enough oil into a pan so it just covers the base. Heat over medium high heat. Spray the underside of a spatula with oil (so batter won’t stick when you flatten). Place 1/4 cup batter into pan, then flatten to 1cm thick. Repeat with 2 or 3 more, but don’t crowd the pan. Cook 3 mins until deep golden and crisp, then flip and cook the other side for 2-3mins. Serve with avocado, sour cream, relish or even poached eggs.

via Recipe Tin Eats

Lemon and Herb Risotto with Fried Mushrooms

1.5L chicken or vegetable stock, hot
2 Tbs olive oil
2 leeks (white part only), thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups risotto rice
2-3 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
2-3 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs parsley, chopped
2 Tbs chives, snipped
2 Tbs oregano, chopped
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
100g mascarpone cheese
30g butter
1 Tbs olive oil
200g mushrooms
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Heat oil over medium heat. Add the leek, cook 5mins, add garlic and cook further 5mins or until golden. Add the rice and stir until well coated. Add half the lemon zest and juice, then 1/2 cup hot stock. Stir constantly over medium heat until the liquid is all has been absorbed. Continue adding more liquid, 1/2 cup at a time until all the liquid id absorbed and the rice is tender and creamy (25-30mins). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in herbs, parmesan, mascapone and remaining lemon zest and juice, then cover and keep warm.

To cook the mushrooms, melt the butter and oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and vinegar and cook, stirring over high heat for 5-7mins, or until the mushrooms are tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Serve risotto topped with mushrooms, garnish with fresh herbs.

Best Choc Chip Cookies

½ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp salt
115g unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
220g milk chocolate chunks (or combo)

Whisk together the sugars, salt, and melted butter until a paste forms with no lumps. Whisk in the egg and vanilla, beating until light ribbons fall off the whisk and remain for a short while before falling back into the mixture. Sift in the flour and baking soda, then fold the mixture with a spatula (Be careful not to overmix). Fold in the chocolate chunks, then chill the dough for at least 30 mins or overnight. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough with an ice-cream scoop onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving at least 10 cm of space between cookies and 5 cm of space from the edges of the pan so that the cookies can spread evenly. Bake for 12-15 mins, or until the edges have started to barely brown. Cool completely before serving.

via 

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

 

I made cookie monster cupcakes for Elliott's 1st birthday, something I've seen and wanted to try. They were very easy and effective. I iced them with a regular rosette nozzle (a grass nozzle would be cool too) and used half a marshmallow and choc chips for the eyes, then put half a bought cookie on. I wanted to try Elmo too but kept it simple (next time!).

Happy 1st Birthday Elliott

While I was into the Cookie Monster I made these cookies for Christmas gifts. I made the cookies and packaged them up in blue gift bags that I had cut a cookie monster mouth shaped hole in and glued eyes on. I thought they were very effective too and the cookies are delicious!

Chicken, leek and mushroom pie

 50g butter
1 leek, cut in half and chopped
500g chicken thighs, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup (125g) corn kernels
salt and pepper
2 sheets puff pastry
 

Melt butter in a fry pan, add leek and cook until it starts to soften. Add chicken pieces, and stir constantly until chicken is brown all over. Stir in flour. Add mushrooms and corn, stir. Pour in stock and salt and pepper, simmer for 10mins. Spoon mixture into baking tray. Cover with pastry and brush with milk. Bake in oven 180C 20mins.

Alternatively, instead of pastry, cover the mix with 2 medium potatoes, sliced thinly. Sprinkle with paprika and 100g grated cheese.

Via Kinglake Cookbook

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

 

1/4 cup olive oil
600g chicken thighs, cut into 3cm cubes
200g chorizo, cut into 2cm slices
1 large red capsicum, cut into 5mm strips
200g mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbs lemon zest, grated
800g tin crushed tomatoes
200g green beans, cut into 3cm lengths
1 Tbs rosemary, chopped
2 Tbs parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp saffron threads soaked in 1/4 cup hot water
2 cups paella rice (short grain- Calasparra, Bomba or Velencia- Aborio as second choice)
3 cups hot chicken stock
6 lemon wedges, to serve

Heat olive oil in a large, deep heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. 
Add chicken and chorizo and cook for 5mins. 
Add capsicum, mushrooms, garlic and lemon zest to the pan, cook for 5mins. 
Stir in tomato, and cook for 5mins. 
Add the beans, rosemary, parsley, saffron mixture and rice. Stir briefly and add the stock. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30mins. 
Season with salt and pepper, serve with lemon.

Essential Rice Cookbook, pg. 49

Construction Cake

 

 I've been looking forward to trying a digger/construction cake for a while! Myles' 3rd birthday was a perfect time for it as he loves all things digger/construction! Not sure if he was more excited to eat it or play with it!! I was nervous about cutting into the cake and what chocolates to use but it was very easy in the end and effective. I made two round cakes on top of each other, then roughly ripped some of the top off and placed it on the board. I then iced it all over (it didn't matter if cake crumbs got mixed in the icing as it looked like dirt anyway). I then used crushed choc ripple biscuits to cover the 'hole' with 'dirt', added broken honeycomb and Malteasers and placed the mini construction vehicles on. The only problem was the honeycomb shrunk due to moisture being in the fridge over night, so needs to be added last minute to keep it's colour and shape. After cutting the back of the cake off we let him play in the crumbled down bit, which he of course loved!