Quinoa, Black Bean and Corn Tacos

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (1/2 uncooked)
1 Tbsp olive oil 
1 medium onion, diced 
3 cloves garlic, crushed 
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
400g can diced tomatoes
1 tsp chilli powder 
1 tsp ground cumin 
1/2 tsp paprika 
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 
1/4 tsp ground coriander 
Salt and pepper, to taste 
1 1/2 cups frozen corn 
800g can black beans, drained and rinsed 
juice of 1 lime 
1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped 

Toppings:
Corn or wheat tortillas 
Lettuce
Cheese 
Avocados
Tomatoes 
Hot sauce
Sour cream

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium high heat. Once hot, add onion and saute until golden and tender, about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Stir in stock, diced tomatoes, cooked quinoa, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, coriander and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover saucepan with lid and simmer about 20 mins, until mixture has thickened. Stir in corn and black beans and simmer, uncovered 5 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in lime juice and fresh coriander. Serve warm over tortillas with desired toppings.

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Pirate Treasure Chest

Pirate Treasure chest for Steve's 30th pirate party. Tried to find those edible necklaces to add but couldn't. I think it worked better with the limited colours/lollies! I also thought of kit-lat or choc finger biscuits to create the wood but think the frosting works really well!

Pirate Hat Cookies

230g butter, room temperature 
1 cup brown sugar 
1 egg 
2 2/3 cup flour 
2 1/2 Tbs cocoa powder 
24 miniature peanut butter cups, Rollo pieces or block caramel chocolate

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cream the butter and brown sugar together. Mix in the egg. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and cocoa powder together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.  Roll out dough to 3mm thick. Cut out two different sized circles. Place square of chocolate on larger circle and cover chocolate with smaller circle. Fold in three sides of the larger circle and pinch the three corners. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Make a light "X" in the center of each side of the hats. Bake for 10-12 mins.

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Chicken, cranberry and pistachio sandwiches

1 BBQ chicken
Whole egg mayo
Pistachios
Dried cranberries
Fried onion and chopped celery (optional)
Rocket

Mince chicken meat in food processor. Add generous amount of mayo to make a spreadable comsistency. Mix in 1/2 packet cranberries. Chop or process pistachios and add to mixture before serving so they don't go soft. Spread mixture onto bread with rocket in the middle.

Crispy Baked Garlic Tofu

400g block firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp cornstarch + 5 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp sriracha sauce

Preheat oven to 200C. Place tofu pieces on a lined baking sheet. Bake tofu for about 35-40 mins until golden and crisp around the edges, flipping tofu halfway through. To make the sauce add garlic, soy sauce, onion powder, brown sugar and sriracha in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add cornstarch and water to a small bowl and mix until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add to the saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and stir until everything is completely mixed and sauce has thickened. If your sauce is too thick, you can add another 1 tbsp of water to thin it slightly. Add tofu to saucepan and coat with sauce. Serve while warm with rice and asian green stirfry.

Coconut Jam Drops

125g butter, chopped, at room temperature 
2/3 cup caster sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla essence 
1 egg yolk 
1 1/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted 
2/3 cup desiccated coconut 
Jam

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla essence in a mixing bowl until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolk and mix well. Add the flour and coconut, and mix on low speed until just combined. Using a heaped teaspoon of mixture, roll into balls. Place onto greased baking trays, allowing room for spreading. Flatten slightly with a spatula. Using the end of round handled wooden spoon, make an indentation in the centre of each biscuit. Fill the hole with a 1/4 teaspoon of jam. Bake 1 tray at a time for 12-15 mins or until light golden. Stand for 5 minutes on tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

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Cauliflower Rice with Middle Eastern Roast Veges

1 large head (about 1.2kg) cauliflower, cut into small florets 
olive oil 
1 eggplant, cut into 3cm pieces 
1 red capsicum, cut into 3cm pieces 
1 large zucchini, cut into 3cm pieces
1 red onion, cut into small wedges 
400g pumpkin, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces 
1/2 tsp paprika 
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander 
1/4 tsp chilli flakes 
1/3 cup mint leaves 
1/3 cup coriander leaves 
1/3 cup feta, crumbled 
2 Tbs toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 200C. Grease and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Place cauliflower on one of the prepared trays. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Place eggplant, capsicum, zucchini, onion and pumpkin on the remaining tray. Combine paprika, cumin, coriander and chilli with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the mixed vegetables. Roast cauliflower and vegetables for 30 mins or until tender. Process the cauliflower in a food processor and until very finely chopped. Transfer to a platter. Toss vegetables with mint and coriander and arrange over the cauliflower. Top with feta and pine nuts.

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Dad's Pork Tenderloin and Green Asian Veggie Stirfry

1 Pork Tenderloin

Marinade
Lime juice and zest
Garlic
Chilli flakes
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Mirin

Stir fry
Red Onion
Bok choy
Broccoli
Beans/snow peas
Capsicum
(or any veggies you want)

Garlic
Chilli flakes
Soy sauce
Mirin
Mint
Coriander
Basil

Zucchini Spread

750g tender zucchini, grated

Salt

250ml white vinegar

2 Tbs sugar

1-2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 sml chilli, finely sliced

Oregano

250ml extra virgin olive oil

Place zucchini into a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Massage salt well into the zucchini so that it is distributed evenly. Let sit for 1/2 hour and massage again. Add vinegar and sugar. After another 1/2 hour, squeeze the zucchini to remove any liquid and place in a new bowl. Season the zucchini with olive oil, garlic slices, oregano and chilli. Pack into sterilised jars very tightly, squashing after each layer and drizzling olive oil as you go. Top the jars with olive oil and leave to sit for a couple of hours. Top up again with more olive oil.

Makes approx 600ml of spread (1 big olive jar)
Keeps for 3-6 months

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Chocolate Butterflies Cake

Cake I made for Appels and Kat's birthday. Nita's chocolate mud cake decorated with strawberries and chocolate filigree wrapped around the edge made by piping/dripping white and milk chocolate on baking paper and placing around edge before it sets fully. Butterflies made by piping shape on baking paper in an open book to get the shape of the wings.

Chilli Con Carne (Jamie Oliver)

2 medium onions 
2 cloves garlic 
2 medium carrots 
2 sticks celery 
2 red capsicum
olive oil 
1/2 tsp chilli powder 
1 tsp ground cumin 
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
salt and pepper 
400g tinned corn 
400 g tinned red kidney beans 
800 g tinned chopped tomatoes 
500 g quality minced beef 
1 small bunch fresh coriander 
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

Peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Roughly chop the capsicum. Place a pan on a medium high heat. Add olive oil and all your chopped vegetables. Add the chilli powder, cumin and cinnamon with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir every 30 seconds for around 7 minutes until softened and lightly coloured.

Add the drained corn, drained kidney beans and the tinned tomatoes. Add the minced beef, breaking any larger chunks up with a wooden spoon. Fill the empty bean tin with water and pour this into the pan. Add the balsamic vinegar and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to a simmer with a lid slightly askew for about an hour, stirring every now and again to stop it catching.

Serve with rice, bread over a jacket potato, with couscous or as a Burritos with:

wraps

guacamole

grated cheese

sour cream

lettuce

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Homemade Nutella

I wanted to give homemade Nutella a go so went to buy some hazelnuts, but the amount I needed cost more than a jar of Nutella! So I went to the bulk food shop to buy some and, although still expensive, I bought what I needed. Once home I followed the first recipe to roast the hazelnuts and BURNT THEM! Yuk! they wore so bitter and very gone. So, luckily I had also bought some almonds, which I think are my favourite nuts, so decided to substitute them. It turned out deliciously!
The following week I decided to try the second recipe (with almonds still), which uses cocoa powder instead of chocolate so would therefore be a little better for you and dairy free. I think the first one is yummier but could eat either of them by the spoonful.

Recipe 1 
1 cup hazelnuts (or almonds)
340g milk chocolate, melted
2 Tbs vegetable oil
3 Tbs icing sugar (or sugar)
1 Tbs cocoa powder 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 176°C). Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 12 minutes, until they’ve browned a little and the skins are blistered a little. Wrap them in a kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove as much loose skin as possible. Let cool completely.
In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts until they form a paste. Add the oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and continue processing until the mixture is as smooth as possible–or as smooth as you like. Add the melted chocolate, blend well. It will thicken as it cools. Scrape into a jar let it cool to room temperature. The Nutella will keep on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 weeks
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Recipe 2
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, peeled (or almonds)
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1/2 cup icing sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 Tbs canola oil

Place the hazelnuts in your food processor and blend continuously until they turn into a smooth butter, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and continue blending until smooth and creamy. If stored in the refrigerator, the Nutella is good 2 weeks.
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Spinach, feta and semi-dried tomato pull-apart

2 1/2 cups (375g) plain flour 
2 teaspoons (7g sachet) dried yeast 
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes 
1 teaspoons caster sugar 
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil 
1 cup baby spinach, shredded 
100g feta, crumbled 
1/2 cup (75g) semi-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
Olive oil, extra, for brushing 
Sea salt flakes, extra, to sprinkle

Spinach Pesto
1 cup baby spinach leaves 
1/2cup basil leaves 
1/4 cup (40g) pine nuts, toasted 
1/4 cup (20g) Parmesan, finely grated 
1 garlic clove, crushed 
2 tablespoon olive oi

Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add 3/4 cup (185ml) warm water and the oil. Stir to combine. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins or until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
To make the spinach pesto, place the spinach, basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and oil in a food processor and process until smooth.
Grease a 10cm x 21cm loaf pan. Gently punch down dough. Knead for 2 mins or until dough returns to its original size. Divide into 8 portions. Roll 1 portion into a 5cm x 20cm rectangle. Spread with a little pesto. Sprinkle with spinach, feta and tomato. Starting from 1 short end, roll to enclose. Repeat with remaining dough portions, pesto, spinach, feta and tomato. Place rolls, side by side, in the pan. Cover and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 mins to rise.
Preheat oven to 200C. Lightly brush the rolls with a little extra oil and sprinkle with the extra sea salt flakes. Bake for 10 mins. Reduce oven to 180C and bake for a further 20 mins or until golden.

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Billionaire Bars (Caramel Slice)

Butter Cookie Base

1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tbs brown sugar

Pinch of salt
2 1/4 cups plain flour
250g unsalted butter

Filling

125g unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 (400ml) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

Topping

2 cups (350g) dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup (90g) white chocolate chips

Soften butter and add it to all the dry ingredients for the base. Mix ingredients until it holds together like a dough. Press into lined and greased baking tray. Bake for 25 mins at 160C or until lightly browned. Let this cool fully.

For the filling, heat the butter, brown sugar and condensed milk over low heat in a heavy sauce pan. Let the mixture lightly simmer, and stir constantly until it thickens and becomes a medium caramel color (about 20 mins). Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla. Pour the filling over the cookie base, and spread evenly. Let this cool completely before adding the chocolate topping.

To make topping, melt the the chocolates separately (using a double boiler).  Spread dark chocolate over caramel and drop spoonfuls of white chocolate on top. Lightly drag lines of melted chocolate all over the top to create a marbled effect. Let the bars sit in the refrigerator, until the chocolate becomes firm. Allow them to sit at room temperature before cutting to avoid chocolate cracking.