Chicken & Mushroom Crepes

The quantities in this will vary according to how many you are cooking for. I used premade gluten free crepes available by Marcel.

I made it for three and this is what I used:

1 Tbspn olive oil

1 heaped tspn freshly chopped garlic

1 large chicken thigh – diced (1cm cubed or smaller)

8 moderately large button mushrooms

1 Tbspn slivered almonds

Stripped leaves of 2 sticks of thyme

Cracked pepper to taste

1 cup of roux based white sauce with freshly ground nutmeg

3 GF crepes

Heat oil in heavy based frying pan, add garlic before the pan gets too hot. As the garlic starts to sizzle, add chicken and lightly brown. Add roughly chopped mushrooms and cracked (or freshly ground) pepper and continue to stir. Add Thyme leaves, almonds and ¾ of the white sauce and stir through. Turn off heat.

Warm up crepes, put 1/3 of the mix in each crepe and roll up. Put white sauce back onto low heat, add extra milk to thin it and then pour over the crepes. Serve with fresh crisply cooked vegetables.

Bon Appetit!!

Cate

French Toast with Caramalised Apples

40g butter

3 red apples, cored, cut into thick wedges

75g (1/3 cup) demerara sugar

60ml (1/4 cup) orange juice

4 eggs

125ml (1/2 cup) pouring

2 tbs demerara sugar

4 tsp butter

6 thick slices bread

Make the apples: To make caramelised apple, melt 40g butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add apples. Cook, turning, for 5 minutes or until golden. Add sugar and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until dissolved. Stir in orange juice. Bring to the boil. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the mixture thickens.

Whip the batter: Use a fork to lightly whisk eggs in a bowl. Add pouring cream and demerara sugar. Whisk to combine.

Cook the French toast: Melt 2 tsp butter in a clean large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Dip 3 thick slices bread, 1 at a time, in egg mixture and add to the pan. Cook for 1 minute each side or until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 tsp butter, another 3 thick slices bread and remaining egg mixture. Halve diagonally. Top with apple mixture. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Notes

With a twist: Pan-fry banana pieces with melted butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes. Top the French toast with the banana and drizzle over maple syrup.

Baked Moroccan Chicken

I thought I’d share it, cos it is so yummy. I really like to use the “Moroccan Chermoulah” made by Zest rubs on the chicken. Makes it really yummy.

Baked Moroccan Chicken

* serves: 4
* yield: 4 servings
* ready in: 55 mins (20 mins Prep - 35 mins Cook)

Chicken & couscous ingredients

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* I teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* Salt
* 4 skinless, bone-in chicken breast halves (250g each)
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 cup couscous
* 11/2 cups boiling chicken stock
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander or parsley
* 1/4 cup chopped dates or raisins
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Chicken & couscous preparation method

1. Combine the cumin, ground coriander, ginger, cinnamon, pepper and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture onto the chicken.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over moderate heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

3. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add the couscous and boiling stock; stir, cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Gently stir in the chopped coriander and dates with a fork.

4. Make 4 mounds of the couscous mixture in a 23 x 33 cm baking dish and place a chicken breast half on each mound. Sprinkle the chicken with lemon juice, cover with foil, then bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve each person a mound of couscous topped with a sliced chicken breast half. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Cate Maguire

Shakshuka

Here's a recipe for the brave....

It's a traditional Israeli breakfast called shakshuka.

All the ingredients are approximate.....

Fry up an onion with some capsicum and add some fresh, ripe tomatoes or use a can, and boil slowly. Add some chilli and cumin.

When I used to make it at home, I didn't add any spices, but cumin is traditional.

When the tomatoes are all soft and mushy and it's just about ready, drop in a couple of eggs to poach and close the lid.

Cook for 3 - 5 minutes depending on how hard you like the egg yolks.

It can also be made in a small paella pan and finished off in the oven.

Serve with crusty bread....dip and eat.

Black Forest Cake

Dene's Black Forest Cake

2x20cm round chocolate cakes using your favourite recipe

Mascarpone cream

500g mascarpone

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 tbs icing sugar

Cherries

2 1/2 tbsp cornflour

1 jar of Morello cherries (about 670gms)

75g-100g sugar (depends on how sour the cherries are.)

30ml Kirsch

500 ml whipping cream

200gm dark chocolate

2 tbls extra Kirsch

prepared cake board (I used a chopping board covered in pretty silver paper)

Method

Cakes

Bake the cakes according to recipe or packet instructions, cool over night then trim and slice in half. Place in fridge or freezer whilst preparing fillings.

Mascarpone cream

Beat the mascarpone, vanilla and sugar in a bowl until smooth and slightly thicker in volume.

Cherries

Drain the cherries and reserve the liquid, then mix the cornflour with enough cherry juice to make a paste. Reserve 12 cherries for the top of the cake.

Combine the rest of the juice with the cornflour paste and put into a saucepan with the desired amount of sugar. Cook, stirring, until it boils and thickens. Add the cherries and Kirsch, remove from heat and place in the fridge to cool.

Ganache

Break 150gms of chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl.

Gently heat 75-100ml of cream in a saucepan until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate. Leave for a couple of minutes for the chocolate to soften then mix together until smooth. Put aside.

Cream

Whip the remaing cream with sugar to taste and the extra Kirsch. Take out one cup of whipped cream and set aside.

To assemble the cake

Place first layer on a board, spread half of the mascarpone cream on top of cake. Add one third of the cherry mixture and then top with one third of the whipped cream. Place on the prepared cake board and put in the fridge.

Place the second layer on the board. Take out half of the remaining cream and mix it with half of the remaining cherries, spread on the cake. Put the second layer on top of the first layer and place in fridge. Allow to set for 15 – 20 minutes.

For the third layer repeat the process for layer number one using the rest of the mascarpone cream, cherries and whipped cream then allow to set in fridge for 10 – 15 minutes.

For top layer, place cake on board, carefully spread ganache over the top of the cake, allowing a small amount to droop over the side of the cake. Pipe the reserved whipped cream into 12 rosettes on top of the cake; place a cherry on each rosette. Put final layer on top of the cake and refrigerate until needed.

Vegetarian Curry - Eggplant with Yoghurt (Baigan Dahi) Thanks Beck!

2 medium eggplants
3 tablespoons ghee
2 medium onions (chopped)
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garam masala
sugar
1 cup yoghurt

cook eggplants (slice to 1cm slices, spray with olive oil, and cook on tray in oven) slice up (or pull apart – mush it up with or without the skin – up to you)
- in a medium saucepan, heat ghee, fry onions, garlic, ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder and fry, stirring for another minute. Stir in salt and add the eggplant. Stir and cook for a few minutes then sprinkle with Garam Masala, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt and or sugar to taste. Add yoghurt and mix before serving.

Wendy One-tree’s Lamb Curry (slow cooked) via Beck

1 leg of lamb
Onions (2 or 3)
½ a knob of garlic Process these together
1 tablespoon ginger
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons coriander
1 tablespoon cumin
Chilli powder & fresh chillies to your taste (i use 2 of those long skinny green chillies)
Salt to taste
1 can coconut milk + another can of water

To prepare the lamb, you cut as much of the meat as possible off the leg of lamb, dice up the lamb meat. You will use all the meat AND put the whole leg (bone and all) into the pot for cooking.

Fry onions, garlic, ginger and chillies then add tomato paste and spices and fry for 5 minutes

Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low heat for an hour or more (up to you)

I like to make a vegetarian curry (found on this blog) to go with it. It is a lot spicier so it’s good if you have a range of people who like different spicy heat levels.

Spinach Quiche

Have heaps of it (Spinach) growing in garden and saw this simple recipe

1. Wash a decent amount of spinach- I used about 5 big leaves. Cut finely and cook in microwave 4+ mins till well wilted
2. Place in bottom of greased casserole
3. Beat together 4 eggs
4. Add in 3/4 cup SR flour
5. Add 1 1/2 cups of milk
6. Add Jude's secret ingredient- a good slurp of sweet chilli sauce
7. melt 1/2 cup of butter and cook 1 onion (cut up pretty finely) briefly in that
8. throw into the batter mixture
9. Add 125 gms grated cheese and 125 gms feta cheese
10. Pour batter over spinach
11. Cook moderate oven

Delicious and light and potential for many variations of veges, cheese or spices

Nice hot, cold or re heated!

Judy .. who must go to bed

Beetroot Chutney

Beetroot Chutney

6 medium (1 kg) beetroot, peeled and chopped

2 medium (240 g) onions chopped

4 large apples (800 g) peeled and chopped

2 large oranges (440 g) peeled and chopped

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups white vinegar

Cook beetroot until just tender. Combine beetroot with remaining ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to boil, simmer uncovered stirring occasionally for about 1 hour or until mixture is thick. Pour into hot sterilized jars.

Seal when cold.

Makes about 8 cups.

Apricot Chutney

Apricot Chutney

12 medium ( 1 kg) apricots chopped

3 medium ( 360g) onions, chopped

2 cups brown vinegar

1 cup sultanas

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil, simmer, uncovered stirring occasionally for about 1 ½ hours or until mixture is thick. Pour into hot sterilized jars. Seal when cold.

Makes about 5 cups.

Bread and Butter Cucumbers

3 ½ kg cucumbers sliced in rounds

2 large white onions sliced

¾ cup salt

Cover with crushed ice and leave for 3 hours. Wash twice and drain.

Add 5 cups vinegar

5 cups sugar

1 tablespoon mustard seed

1 heaped teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon turmeric.

Put in a large pan. Heat to boiling point (do not let them boil)

Bottle in warm jars and screw on tops immediately.

Tomato Chutney

Here's the tomato chutney recipe plus a couple of others i use most years for other things as well. The beetroot chutney is great on sandwiches for those who like beetroot but not the mess!
Joann

Tomato Chutney

8 lb skinned ripe tomatoes

2 lb onions mixed with 2 lb apples

3 tablespoons salt

2 lb sugar

2 pints vinegar

2 teaspoons mustard

2 teaspoons curry

2 dessertspoons mixed all spice

Cook until thickened (approx 1 hour.)

Fruit Cake - easy

I made a cake today too... something weird must be happening to the planets!...

Soak 1 kilo mixed fruit in 600ml carton of iced coffee, overnight

Stir in 1 cup of SR flour & cook

Smells & Looks OK... am about to try it

Dot

just had slice... very moist, yummy

Christmas Trifle

The trifle I make comes out of the Aust Women’s Weekly New Cookbook, published in 1978. I think it was an engagement present to us in 1980J It is probably very similar to what a lot of people make, but I started making it for Phil’s family Christmases as they didn’t ever have trifle, just Lemon Snow and mince pies and Christmas pudding and cake. I don’t eat dried fruit, so I decided to contribute the trifle. Anyway, recipe below.

Christmas Trifle

1 jam filled swiss roll

2/3 cup orange juice

¼ cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons sherry or brandy (I have also used whisky, and usually a bit more of whatever than the recipe states)

1 pkt port wine jelly crystals

470g can sliced peaches (I use pie fruit because you get more fruit and no juice)

470g can pineapple pieces

6 passionfruit

1 punnet strawberries

2 tablespoons sherry or brandy, extra (or more!)

1 ½ cups cream

About 600mls custard, either made or bought.

Make jelly as per instructions on pkt, refrigerate until set. Wash strawberries, cut in half; soak in extra sherry. Cut swiss roll into 1cm rounds, arrange evenly over base of bowl. Combine orange juice, lemon juice and sherry, mix well. Spoon over swiss roll slices.

Arrange drained peaches on top or in centre of swiss roll, pour over half the cold custard. Spoon chopped jelly on top of custard, then drained pineapple and passionfruit pulp over jelly. Pour over remaining custard, decorate with whipped cream and strawberries.

Serves 8. I usually double the quantity and it serves over 20 with other desserts. We still have a bit left.

Cheers

Linda W

Mud Cake with Ice Cream

Originally from Dot and seconded by Maxine

Can I add to this recipe - this is what my friend made for my kids last year for their birthday cakes (the one who we just spent Christmas with - she is kind of a godmother/auntie to my kids). She made the mud cake from a packet mix though. I would prefer home made - not that hard? Anyway - she then asked the kids what lollies they wanted - they chose stuff like maltesers - then she mixed those in with the icecream middle bit. Then made a chocolate cream to go on top - decorated with more maltesers and then froze it again.

Need to leave it to soften slightly before cutting. - You can use any mix ins in the middle icecream section.

Maxine

Take one purchased mud cake - cut icing from top - discard. Then cut in half across the middle (you will have two pieces - like a sponge). Roll first piece of cake between two pieces of glad bake with a rolling pin.

Place a circle of glad bake on the bottom of a cheesecake tin (sprung with side opening to remove from base) and put one rolled out piece of cake on top of the glad bake in the tin. Then add approx. one litre of softened ice cream. Then repeat process with second half of mud cake.

Spread approx. 1 litre of softened ice cream in top, place "topping" on top, cover with glad wrap and freeze.

Bring out of freezer approx half an hour ahead of eating - or less if weather is HOT.

Suggestions:

- choc/caramel mud cake with caramel swirl ice cream and topped with broken "crunchie" or violet crumble.

- white choc mud cake with cookies and cream ice cream and topped with broken "Flake" or grated white chocolate.

- choc mud cake with vanilla ice cream with respberries added - topped with flake and fresh raspberries.

- You can even make a type of frozen plum pudding by adding mixed fruit etc.

NOTE: If adding dried fruit or berries etc always soak in some sort of liquor to prevent freezing too hard - any of your old liquors that you have a little left in the bottle are perfect for this.

I have made the choc mud cake with caramel swirl ice cream topped with a broken up crunchie and it was very nice. It is not something for everyday, but great for a celebration cake and so very quick!