Kids - Corn Fritters

Corn Fritters

These are great for kids snacks but for an adult version I like to add 1/4 cup of chopped chives to the mix and a nice big pinch of salt...  Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Self-Raising Flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 420g can corn kernels, drained
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• Oil
• chutney and or tomato sauce, to serve

Method

1. Sift flour into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Make a well in the centre.
   
2. Whisk milk, eggs and melted butter in a jug. Add to flour mixture with corn kernels. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold ingredients together until combined (don't over mix).
   
3. Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, remove from heat. Add some oil. Return frying pan to heat. Add heaped tablespoonfuls of mixture, 3 at a time.
4. Cook for 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on surface. Turn. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until fritters are firm to the touch. I like to keep them warm in oven while cooking remaining fritters. Serve with chutney or sauce.

Party Finger Food

Roasted Red Capsicum Dip

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Red capsicums
• 200g Cream Cheese
• 200g Australian Feta Cheese
• 50mls Olive Oil
• 3 Garlic cloves
• ¼ tsp Chili powder
• 1-2 tsp Salt
• 4-5 Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Method:

Cut the flesh off the capsicum and discard the seed core. Lay the capsicum pieces skin side up under the griller and grill until the skins are blistered and blackened. Transfer the capsicum pieces to a plastic bag and cool. When cool, open the bag, peel off the skins and place the capsicum pieces in a food processor (discard the skins).

To the processor also add the peeled garlic, oil, feta cheese, salt, cream cheese and chili powder and blend until well mixed. A popular option is to fold through the chopped mint leaves by hand and add more salt if necessary.

Serve with veg/bread sticks or corn chips!


Party Meatballs
Makes approx 20 meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef mince
• 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 jar tomato-based chili sauce (if not available, use pureed tomato jar and add chili sauce to taste)
• 1 1/4 cups grape jam (plum jam also works well)
• ¼ cup Oil
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and ground black pepper. Mix together, and shape into meatballs. (refrigerate for 30mins)
   
2. In a large Fry pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add meatballs, and cook until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels.
   
3. Add chili sauce and jam to saucepan; heat, stirring, until jam is dissolved. Return meatballs to skillet, and stir until coated. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
   
4. Serve hot with cocktail sticks.
   
   

Glazed Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 12 chicken wings
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
  

Method

1. Cut chicken wings into three sections; discard wing tip section. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.
   
2. Combine barbecue sauce, honey and soy sauce; pour over wings.
   
3. Bake, uncovered, at 220* for 50-60 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
   

Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe avocados
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, smashed then minced
• 2 green chillies, cut into rounds (remove seeds if you don't want it too hot)
• 1 big handful fresh coriander with stems, about 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Method:

Halve and pit the avocados. With a tablespoon, scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados using either a fork or potato masher, leaving them still a bit chunky. Add the remaining ingredients, and fold everything together. Drizzle with a little olive oil, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and give it 1 final mix with a fork.
Lay a piece of plastic wrap tight on the surface of the guacamole so it doesn't brown and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.


Hint: keep the avocado seed in the dip until serving, it stops the avo turning brown :)

Bacon Risotto

Bacon Risotto

Serving Size:
4 people

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Kg bacon, diced
• 5 cups chicken stock
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 1/2 onion, diced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  
• salt and black pepper to taste
  

Method

1. Cook and stir the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon and reserve.
   
2. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to low to keep the chicken stock hot.
   
3. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion begins to turn golden brown at the edges, about 2 minutes. Pour in the rice and stir until the rice is coated in butter and has started to toast, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir in one-third of the hot chicken stock and continue stirring until the rice has absorbed the liquid and turned creamy. Repeat this process twice more, stirring constantly. Stirring in the broth should take 15 to 20 minutes in all. When finished, the rice should be tender, yet slightly firm.
   
4. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the Parmesan cheese, and the reserved bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
   

Hints: Stock must be HOT and a cup of frozen peas is great thrown in five mins before the end.

Herbs - Coriander

Coriander

Cilantro and coriander come of one and the same plant, a pretty annual herb with feathery leaves and large white umbrella flower heads. The name cilantro refers to the fresh leaf, also known as Chinese parsley. Coriander is the name for the seeds.  Not only is it a wonderful herb to cook with as the roots, stem and leaves can all be used in different ways, but it is fantastic for your body!

Cilantro/Coriander has 11 components of essential oils, 6 types of Acids, Minerals and Vitamins (inc vitamin C) also contains Cineole which posses anti-rheumatic and anti-arthritic properties effective in reducing swelling and water retention.   Some of the acids contained in coriander help to reduce cholesterol, and the oils Borneol and Linalool aid digestion and proper liver function, whilst the anti bacterial oil Citronelol acts as an antiseptic and anti-microbial in the healing of mouth ulcers. 

Coriander also contains Iron in a direct source for anaemic’s and for digestion aids in the proper secretion of enzymes and digestive juices in the stomach.

Coriander also aids in the proper secretion of hormones to reduce PMS and Period pain, the anti-oxidants in coriander also help prevent aging of the eye and soothes against eye stress.

How to grow coriander

Coriander needs a frost free period to grow but it doesn't like extreme heat. So in milder climates you grow coriander during summer, in tropical climates you grow it during the cooler dry season.

To grow coriander you need reasonable soil and you need to keep the plants well watered.

Growing cilantro/coriander from seed

You can plant coriander in rows for easy harvesting or you can spread the seed over a wider area and rake it in. It depends how much seed you have available.

You want about 5 cm between plants if you grow coriander for the leaf. They need more space if you grow them for seed, but you can always eat the extre plants and just leave a few to go to seed.

coriander seeds take about two to three weeks to germinate. If they come up too thickly, just pull up and eat the extras...

Harvesting cilantro/coriander

After you have eaten all your thinnings, harvest individual coriander leaves of the base of the remaining plants. Just make sure the plant is big enough to cope and leave some leaves on it so it can continue to grow.

Sooner or later your coriander plants will flower. Once they start developing that flower stalk they stop making more leaves. Therefore it is a good idea to re-sow coriander every few weeks during the growing season. That way you never run out.

Some people also chop out the flower stalk as soon as it shows and manage to keep the plants going a bit longer. Or they harvest the whole coriander plant once it shows signs of wanting to flower.

Apart from that coriander has no special soil requirements. Rich, dark soil always produces the biggest, healthiest plants, but any reasonable soil with average nutrient levels should be fine. If you want to feed your plants extra, some diluted liquid fertilizer like fish emulsion never goes astray.

Kids - Muesli Bars

Muesli Bars

These are so easy to make, you can add whatever dried fruits or nuts you desire, they can be made to suit any taste and think not only of the money you will save on pre packaged muesli bars, but these have no additives, preservatives or any of the nasty numbers we're all trying to avoid.... These bars are fantastic for school lunch boxes, a quick brekky on the go, picnic or after sport snacks or just with a cuppa... Enjoy!...


(Makes 18 medium bars)

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Rolled (quick) Oats
• 1 cup desiccated Coconut
• 3/4 cup Dried Apricots (Chopped)
• 3/4 cup Sultanas
• 125g Butter
• 1/3 cup Honey
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar

Method

In a medium saucepan over medium heat simmer butter, sugar and honey until combined and frothy (Approx 5mins)

In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients together then slowly pour in hot honey mix and stir with a wooden spoon till all combined,
Press the mix into a pre-lined rectangle dish and refrigerate till firm (1-2hrs) then remove and cut into rectangles.  Store for up 10 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Top Ten Additives List - to avoid!!

Fantastic Iphone app!

Keep these numbers near your shopping list

 

102
104
110
123
124
211
220
310
621
635

Number                      Name                     Description and potential side effects                                              

E102                 Tartarzine                Colouring agent                 

(Syn)                 (Yellow)   

Histamine freeing agent, Asmatics should avoid.There is also a link to Hyperactivity in kids

 

E104                Quinoline                  Colouring Agent

(Syn)                 (Yellow)

Histamine freeing agent

 

E110               Sunset Yellow           Colouring Agent

(Syn)                (Yellow)                  

Histamine freeing agent, Asmatics should avoid There is also a link to Hyperactivity in kids when mixed with E210-215.

 

E123                Amaranth                 Colouring Agent

(Syn)                (Red)

Histamine freeing agent, Asmatics should avoid. There is also a link to Hyperactivity in kids when mixed with E210-215. Edvidence of  tumor delevopment in rats

Unapproved in Aust.

 

E124               Ponceau 4R              Colouring Agent

(Syn)               (Red)

Histamine freeing agent, Asmatics should avoid. There is also a link to Hyperactivity in kids when mixed with E210-215

 

E211             Sodium Benzoate       Preservative

(Min)

Has been know to cause pseudo-allergic reactions because its a histamine freeing agent

 

E220             Sulphur Dioxide          Antioxidant

(Min)

Asthmatics should avoid as it can trigger breathing difficulties. It has also been found to cause stomach upsets.

 

E310             Propyl Gallate              Antioxidant

(Syn)

Can cause stomach upsets, eczema & hyperactivity as it can be broken down in the intestines to gallic acid & octanol.

 

E621             MSG                              Flavour Enhancer

(Plant)

Gluten intolerant or Celiac's should avoid and children under 12weeks! Many side effects reported although not many proven.

 

E635            Disodium 5”-Ribonucleotides        Flavour Enhancer

(F,A,B)

Should be avoided by Asthamtics and people suffering from gout as it metabolises purines.

 

Key

(Syn) Synthetic based substance

(Min) Mineral based subtance

(plant) Plant based substance

(F,A,B) Fish, Animal, Bacteria based substance

Spring - Baked Lemon Chicken with Butter Bean Mash

Baked Lemon Chicken with Butter Bean Mash

Serving Size:
4 people

Ingredients:

• 650g Chicken thigh fillets, trimmed
• 1 large lemon, rind finely grated, juiced
• 2/3 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 x 400g cans butter beans, drained, rinsed
• 25g butter
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 bunch steamed baby carrots, or other spring vegetables to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place chicken, lemon rind, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of parsley, oil and salt and pepper in a large snap-lock bag. Seal bag and gently shake until chicken is coated in marinade.
   
2. Lightly grease a ceramic baking dish. Place chicken, in a single layer, in dish. Pour over marinade from bag. Bake chicken for 18 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.
   
3. Meanwhile, combine beans, butter and sour cream in a saucepan. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash bean mixture. Place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through. Stir in remaining parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
   
4. Serve chicken with bean mash and steamed carrots.
   

Spring - Asparagus Soup

Asparagus Soup

Asparagus is a favourite of mine and it's been a long time coming, the best part of Spring is all the fresh new vegies appearing in the markets, this delicious spring offering is so worth waiting for and this soup is one of my favourite ways of enjoying it.

Serving Size:
12 people

Ingredients:

• 30g butter
• 3 Spring Onions, white part only, thinly sliced
• 1 large potato, peeled, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, finely chopped
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (for vegetarian option)
• 1/4 cup pouring cream
• Proscuito, to garnish (optional)
  

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the spring onions, potato and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until spring onion softens.
   
2. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until wine reduces by half. Add the asparagus and stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until potato and asparagus are tender. Remove from heat. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
   
3. Transfer the soup to the jug of a blender or use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan if needed and place over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until heated through again. Add the cream and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
   
4. Ladle soup among serving bowls. Top with a little crispy proscuito to be a little bit fancy and serve immediately.



For the kids a Cheesy Crouton



For the Adults Crispy proscuito and Proscuito wrapped Asparagus Spears

Fish Pie

Fish Pie

Serving Size:

4 people
Ingredients:

• 400g boneless white fish fillets 
• 500ml milk (for more decadance replace half the milk with cream or for a more healthy option replace half the milk with vege stock)
• 750g potatoes, peeled, chopped
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 tbs (40g) flour
• 1cup frozen peas
• 1 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 50g grated cheddar cheese
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
   
2. Place fish in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper and pour over 450ml milk. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes until fish flakes away slightly when pressed with a fork. Remove fish, reserving milk. When cool enough to handle, flake fish into bite-sized pieces.
   
3. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and keep warm.
   
4. Melt half the butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes.
   
5. Slowly add reserved milk and continue to cook until thickened. Add fish, peas, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
   
6. Mash the potato with the remaining 50ml milk and the remaining butter until smooth, then season.
   
7. Spoon the fish mixture into a 1 litre-capacity baking dish, or individual ramekins and spoon the mash on top and smooth with a fork, sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
   

Easy Peasy Butter Chicken

This is a great "day before payday" meal as we more often than not have all the ingredients (except the chicken) in the pantry. 
I must admit when I first came accross this recipe I though it looked awful, my curiosity got the better of me, I gave it a go and I was not sorry, it is a beautiful smooth indian style butter curry sauce that needs to be tried to be believed. My family love it, even the youngest... Enjoy!!

Easy Peasy Butter Chicken

Serving Size:

4 people

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1kg Chickcken cut into large pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 x 425g can of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 cups o chicken stock

Method

1. Heat oil in heavy based pan and brown chicken and onion, add curry powder and fry or 1-2 mins.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for 25-30 mins stirring occasionally.
3. Serve with rice.

Hint: let this simmer for at least 10 mins before worrying, it all comes together in the end :)

Afternoon tea/Snack ideas

Afternoon tea or snack time can be a challenge with kids, from toddler to school age they are going to need an endless supply of snacks (at a quick calculation I make over 60 snacks in just one month and 756 in a year for my 3 little munchkins, now that requires some variety) I have found a great way to solve the problem for us mums having to come up with an endless supply of healthy snacks and keep up the kids demands for variety.....
                    Simply present the food differently!

Below are a few photos of some snack ideas using everyday fridge and pantry items that will keep not only your purse but the kids happy too! Enjoy!!

Will be updating with more regularly

Carrot Sticks, Sliced Kiwi, Mandarin segments and chees squares on water crackers.

Fruit Plate

Homemade Cookies, Strawberries, Kiwi and a bowl of Grainwaves.

 Apple & Strawberry wedges, Carrot sticks, Cheese shapes (use cookie cutter) on crackers.

Spring!

My Herb/Vege Patch
(early days yet)

Spring is here and its time to dust off the winter cobwebs and step outdoors again! The start of the warmer weather is a great time to change the menu, entertain friends outdoors again, spring clean the house and of course restock and repair the winter damage to the trusty herb/vege patch.  I spent most of last weekend fertilising and fixing up my little patch, which I must say is looking pretty poor at the moment but has huge potential... well in my eyes anyway.

We are keep hearing about "seasonal eating" more and more especially now that cooking food shows are becoming ever more popular, it is basically eating seasonaly, which is simply eating the fruits and veg of the season, for two main reasons, One, they are exceptionally fresh and tasty at at this time and two, of course they are cheaper!!

To help make life a little easier I have added a list below of some common fruits and veg to help you work out what is in season now! 

What foods to enjoy in Spring!

Enjoy now until the end of Spring

Melons (Honeydew)
Limes 
Swedes
Cauliflower
Brussels Sprouts
Spinach
Mandarins 
Figs
Kumquats

Enjoy at the peak of Spring (now)

Mulberries
Currants
Blueberries
Berries (Other)
Oranges (Valencia)
Loquats
Artichoke (Globe
Asparagus
Garlic
Beans (Broad) 

Enjoy now until the end of Summer

Passionfruit
Nectarines
Avocadoe
Mangoes
Strawberries
Onions
Zucchin
Squash
Spring Onions



In the next few weeks most of the recipes will be using the best that spring has to offer, although you can request recipes at any time!



Some pics from my yard

all inspired by the feeling of spring :)

FruitSalad Cake

FruitSalad Cake

I've seen this recipe about five times over the past few months and had to try it as it seemed to easy to be true, sure enough it is really really easy and really really good!  My boys (10 & 7) love to make it as it's something I can let them do alone.  Give this super easy recipe a go for your family, in fact it's so easy I am not going to write out the recipe, my boys are going to show you :) Enjoy!

 One plain cake mix (homebrand or whatever is on special) and one large tin of fruit salad

Pour in large bowl

 Mix together

 Pour into lined baking dish

Serve warm with ice-cream!! mmmmm

Gache Melee

Gache Melee

For my first ever recipe on the new website I thought it appropriate to do my favourite childhood recipe from my birthplace, Guernsey! A traditional Gache Melee.

Thinking back to my childhood I remember cold winter nights when mum would whip up a Gache Melee for a late night supper, with some apples from our ever overflowing fruit bowl, flour from the pantry and a few other bits (recipe below) we would soon be rewarded with delicious smells wafting from the kitchen then a streaming slice of yummy apple goodness and if we were really lucky we'd have a splash of double cream with it...

                  It was a favourite of mine, try it on your family. Enjoy!

 Hint – Traditionally made with Suet although in Australia “Copha” is a great substitute.

Recipe

450g Apples (peeled, cored & chopped)
140g Self Raising Flour

140g Sugar

100mls Milk

70g Suet (chopped small cubes)

10g Brown Sugar (Optional)

1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and combine with a wooden spoon.
2. Pour into a lined 7” by 9” bake dish.
3. Bake at 150*C for 1 hr 45 mins
   (a nice twist is to add a sprinkle of brown suger to the top 15mins before the end of the cooking time)
4. Cool slightly and serve with cream or ice cream or simply on its own.