I'm the New Jamie Oliver!!

Or at least I think so!!

Today while relaxing watching 30Minute Jamie Oliver I watched Jamie whip up a Mushroom Risotto in 30 minutes. I sat and thought "I can do that", problem was I had no ingredients!! So I thought to myself .....I've been cooking for a while, why not create my own risotto with what I have in my fridge and cupboard.

The challenge was on. Yes I was bored!!

So what I created was

Risotto with Red Wine and Italian Sausage

Ingredients

5 Roma Tomatoes
1 Red Onion
1 large clove of garlic
1 Stick of Celery
2 heaped ts of tomato paste
2TS Parsley
1 cup of Red wine
500 mls chicken stock
500mls water
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
5 small sticks Italian sausage
2 TS double cream
Parmesan cheese (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
300 Arborio Rice

I bar mixed Roma tomatoes, garlic, onion, celery and tomato paste together and cooked on a high heat for around five minutes.
Add rice and stir then add your glass of red wine...maybe pour yourself one to help make cooking more fun!
Stir whilst on medium/high heat until rice starts to swell.
Add half the stock and stir....this is where my idea of cooking risotto was made easy. I thought you needed to stand over the pot the whole time. Here you turn down the dish to medium and let simmer for two minute blocks and slowly add stock until all absorbed.
While you leave the risotto you chop cherry tomatoes and Italian sausage and sweat in small pot
Then add to dish
Continue to add water as needed until rice is cooked through.
Add chopped parsley, parmesen, salt and pepper to taste
Take dish off heat and fold through cream
Allow to rest and dish after five minutes.


This is a yummy winter dish and now that I realise how easy it is to cook Risotto I will be making many different versions over the winter

Mousse Again!!

 I think it is time my search for the best Chocolate Mousse comes to an end. After trying quite a few recipes I think the first one I found was by far the best!

I found this recipe on the Cadbury website and thought I'd give it a go, like I suspected it tasted way too much like cheesecake for my liking and after just a few mouthfuls I had had enough. Everyone else enjoyed it but it definitely didn't rate compared to previous attempts!

Anyway for anyone who wants a rich, filling mousse come cheesecake type of dessert here is the recipe.

White and Dark Chocolate Mousse

250grams of cream cheese for desserts(double cream for alternative)

100 grams White Chocolate

100grams Dark Chocolate

2 egg whites

2 ts Castor sugar

Melt cream cheese and chocolate in simmering saucepan, repeat with white chocolate.

allow to cool

Beat egg whites until forms soft peaks, add in Castor sugar ad beat until form a light meringue

Gently fold in chocolate mixture. Place in bowls and allow to set for 20 minutes.

As I said, not my favourite but the family liked it!

White Chocolate Mousse

My love of Chocolate mousse continues with me deciding to taste a white version. Not sure how it will go, actually I think it will be a tad sweet compared to the dark chocolate I generally stick with but here is the recipe anyway.

White Chocolate Mousse

300grams of White chocolate
3 eggs
1/4 cup of Castor sugar
300ml whipping cream.

Beat eggs and Castor sugar together until light in colour.
Melt chocolate over boiling water in saucepan
Allow chocolate to cool and beat into egg and sugar mix
Beat cream until it forms soft peaks
Fold chocolate mixture gently into cream
Pour into glasses and allow to chill in fridge for two hours

Enjoy!!
So sweet, probably better to share but yummy by yourself also

The Final Product

Well the final product has been completed and it was beautiful, we sweltered a little as I had it cooking for much longer then the times specified. I love casseroles that melt in your mouth and this did not disappoint.

If this meal doesn't make me feel better I don't know what will!

The finished Product and the Verdict....A Masterpiece!

I look forward to cooking this a good deal more this winter when there is nothing more welcoming then a warm home with the lovely smells of a home cooked dinner throughout

Beef Casserole

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

120 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 80ml (1/3 cup) olive oil

• 1kg gravy or casserole beef, cut into 2cm cubes
• 10 pearl onions, peeled, halved 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 300g small button mushrooms
• 1 x 425g can diced tomatoes
• 375ml (1 1/2 cups) beef stock
• 55g (1/4 cup) tomato paste
• 80ml (1/3 cup) red wine vinegar
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

• Potato dumplings

• 2 large (about 400g) desiree potatoes, peeled
• 185ml (3/4 cup) milk
• 60g butter
• 225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
• 65g (3/4 cup) coarsely grated cheddar
• 40g (1/2 cup) finely grated parmesan
• 2 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley
• Pinch of salt

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat half the oil in a 2L (8-cup) capacity heatproof, ovenproof ceramic casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until brown. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef.
   
2. Heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add onion, bacon and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Add beef, mushrooms, tomato, stock, tomato paste and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and bake in oven for 1 1/2 hours.
   
3. Meanwhile, to make potato dumplings, place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well and return to pan. Add milk and butter and use a potato masher to mash until smooth. Stir in flour, cheddar, parmesan and parsley. Taste and season with salt.
   
4. Remove casserole from oven. Use a 60ml (1/4-cup) capacity measuring cup to shape potato mixture into 6 dumplings. Arrange over casserole. Cook, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly before serving.

 

Tonight's Dish is.....

I may be rather ready for winter to hit our shores....long over due mind you. As we still bask in temperatures well above the norm I am ready to add some winter fair to my cooking

Tonight I am cooking Beef and Cheese Dumplings!!

I'm not feeling well, I think this may be why I am reaching for yummy comfort food. I will be back with the full recipe as the day goes on and I can drag myself out of bed :).

Stay Tuned!

Aussie Beef Burger with Beetroot Relish...Delish!!

It feels like forever  since I've blogged on this page....probably because it has been a few months but as my life settles down and I start to look for interesting things to cook I hope to be one more. I LOVE beetroot and relish on a beef burger is divine....or was I must say a few nights ago when I did this recipe for the first time. Both these recipes are quick ad simple and my boys were very impressed. Something I always aim to achieve.

Aussie Beef Burger

 

Preparation Time

20 - 25 minutes

Cooking Time

18 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 750g beef mince (like topside)
• 1 large brown onion, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional), or to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
• 70g (1 cup) breadcrumbs, made from day-old bread
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• Salt & ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 6 hamburger buns, halved

Beetroot Relish

 

Ingredients

• 1 chopped brown onion
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch of ground cinnamon and cloves
• 225g drained canned beetroot, chopped

This recipe is so easy, you combine vinegar, brown sugar and onion with water, simmer for five minutes and then add cinnamon and diced beetroot and simmer until reduce. Then serve

I added lettuce, tomato, cucumber and egg with the burger and it was beautiful if I don't mind saying so myself. I will definitely be trying this again.

Pizza Night!!

Thursday night has become quite a ritual in my house. I cook something easy but nice and by 5:30 we are sat in front of the TV watching Dexter. It 's a tradition that I'm going to miss in a few weeks when the show comes to an end!

OK off track a little but last night it seemed like a nice night for home made pizza! I always have bases stored in my freezer for that quick easy meal but nothing beats home made bases and the kids rather enjoy creating their own toppings as well!

Pizza is quick and easy and although this recipe gave me sore arms I enjoyed kneading something out of nothing.

Tonight's creation saw me add Nando marinated chicken with Salami, Pepperoni, Feta and any type of tomatoes I could pick from my plants ;)

Preparation Time

15 minutes

Makes

3 pizza bases

Ingredients

• 375ml (1 1/2 cups) warm water
• 2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
• Pinch of caster sugar
• 600g (4 cups) plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil, plus extra for brushing

Method

1. Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture is combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.
2. Brush a bowl lightly with oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in the prepared bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

My overall judgement was this is not the best base I have created but maybe I hadn't mastered it yet! It was still very nice although I think I'll try a new recipe next time.

Christmas Eggnog

Christmas is here and for the first time this season I made my favourite Christmas recipe.
Eggnog!!
We had our staff Christmas party on the weekend and I had to make my special drink for everyone to drink. As always it was a hit!
Where ever I go at this time of the year I am asked to bring this with me. As you can tell I am hooked on Eggnog :)

EGGNOG

6 Eggs
1 cup of Castor sugar
1&1/2 litres of milk
600ml thickened cream
1 cup of Brandy
1 cup of Rum (optional)
Nutmeg

1. Separate eggs, set aside egg whites and add Castor sugar to the yolks, beat for around five minutes or until it is light in colour and creamy.
2. Slowly beat in Rum and Brandy (I never add Rum). Then slowly beat in milk and cream
3. Beat egg whites in separate bowl until they form a peak and then fold in to milk and cream mixture.
4. Dust with nutmeg and chill before serving. of coarse Eggnog is yummy served warm but in the hot Australian climate it is lovely served cold.

Pure Heaven

Best Ever Chocolate Mousse.....in minutes!!

 

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 300g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
• 1 tbs good-quality cocoa powder, sifted
• 300ml thickened cream, plus extra whipped cream to serve
• Grated chocolate, to serve

It's always a wonder to me that no matter what kind of day you have you can always beat chocolate, cream and eggs for the best comfort food possible!! This I have done and I know whole heartedly I will never look for another mousse recipe as I think I have found the easiest most delightful dessert around. No fuss just pure eating pleasure!!

Method

1. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Place eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters for 5 minutes, or until mixture is pale, thick and doubled in volume. Fold in cooled chocolate and cocoa powder until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whip cream until thickened (be careful not to over-beat). Use a large metal spoon to carefully fold the cream into the chocolate mixture, trying to keep the mixture as light as possible. Spoon into 6 serving glasses and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before serving, then top with extra whipped cream and grated chocolate to serve.

Notes

• 
  Add your favourite spirit. To keep it French, go for Cognac (or another quality brandy) or Grand Marnier, adding 1 tablespoon to the melting chocolate. For a flavour twist, add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to the chocolate as it melts. Chocolate and coffee make a great pairing, so try adding two tablespoons of prepared strong black coffee to the chocolate when melting. For a cool treat, serve the mousse as a semifreddo - freeze for about 3 hours (but don't freeze solid).

I Love My Chimichanga's

I love everything about Mexican food, the spices, smells and most of all the taste. To adapt it to Western cooking is fun, easy and also very good eating!


Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus 8 cups for frying
• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken breast, shredded while warm
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
• 8 (10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• Wooden toothpicks
• Jalapeno Salsa, recipe follows
• Sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the green chiles. Cook mixture for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Set aside and cool slightly.

One at a time, place the tortillas on a work surface, keeping the remaining tortillas covered with a damp towel. (For pliable tortillas, sprinkle lightly with 1/4 teaspoon water and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 10 to 20 seconds just before ready to stuff, and keep covered until ready to roll.) Spread 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in a rectangle in the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cheese. Fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling and then fold the sides over. Fold the top of the tortilla over the folded sides and secure the sides with wooden toothpicks. Place folded side down.
Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a deep stockpot or deep fryer to 360 degrees F. Using tongs, lower the chimichangas folded side down, 1 at a time into the hot oil. (It is helpful to hold the chimichanga with the tongs until it has "sealed" together.) Cook until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and continue with remaining chimichangas.
Remove toothpicks from the chimichangas and serve immediately with  Salsa, sour cream.
 Salsa:

3 1/2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
1/3 cup diced sweet onions
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped jalapenos
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime juice, chopped peppers in a medium bowl. Season with salt. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Serve chilled or at room temperature with chicken chimichangas.


I'm sure I will try these again soon but I like my bake more, it was tastier but took about the same amount of time and skill to make. Which wasn't very much.

Pastitsio for the first time

The only meat I had  in my freezer was turkey mince and these recipes are few and far between unless your looking for Christmas. I decided to opt to changing lamb mince for the turkey since it is a healthy option and very low in fat I cook turkey quite often but usually in lasagna. The boys loved the Pastitsio dish that I found, I had never cooked this before but I would say it reminded me of the Greek's version of Lasagna! It was definitely a hit with Nath even saying it was nicer than my lasagna, this is Nathan's favourite so I will definitely be trying this again soon!

Pastitsio

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of oil
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 teaspoon of chili ( I added this to the recipe)
750g Turkey mince
800g can chopped tomatoes
140g tomato paste
1 cup white wine ( you can add a little to the dish if you like, Joking!)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano ( I used fresh, always nicer if you have it on hand)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
500g macaroni pasta
180g butter
1 cup of plain flour
100ml of cream
3 1/2 cups of milk
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups of tasty cheese

Step 1: preheat oven to 180c. Grease baking dish. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat, add garlic, onion and chili cook until onion is tender. Add mince and cook, at this point I added some salt and pepper. Break up with wooden spoon and cook until browned

Step 2: Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, basil, oregano and cinnamon. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until thick

Step 3: Cook pasta in a large saucepan until tender. Drain and set aside

Step 4: Melt butter over high heat. Add flour and cook for a minute. Remove from heat, slowly add cream and milk, stirring constantly. Return to heat stirring constantly until sauce comes to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool for ten minutes and stir in eggs and cheese.

Step 5: Spoon meat and pasta mixture into prepared dish. Pour cheese sauce over mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 minutes covered with foil and then a remaining 20 minutes witl foil removed.

I loved this dish. It is nice as a hearty winter recipe or in summer with a side salad. So delicious I will be trying this one again soon.

I found Diane!!

Well I found a Steak Diane recipe that was simple and nice. I wouldn't rave about this one but it was so simple I would probably use it again just for that.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of brandy
2 tablespoons of worestchester sauce
1 clove of garlic ( I added this to the recipe)
400mls of thickened cream
1/2 cup of parsley

Simply add oil to pan and brown garlic to medium temperature, add Brandy and boil for a while allowing alcohol to evaporate. Add worestchester sauce and cook thorough. Last step is to add cream and parsley turn heat down to low and simmer until thick and ready to pour over your steak.

Simple yet satisfying!!

Hunt for Diane!

Tonight I am making Steak Diane so am off to find a yummy recipe to feed the family. Wish me luck!

Surprising Mexican

Last night I decided Mexican was what I felt like cooking and eating! I looked over the Internet for what took my fancy. It has to be an even balance of easy versus yummy as I have little time to spend hours in the kitchen after long hours at work and the two recipes I found didn't disappoint me at all. My decision was Chicken Enchilada Bake and Absolute Mexican Cornbread. Neither disappointed, I read the reviews and chose to make a few changes for myself and all worked a treat. I will be cooking this again. The family loved it, what I aim for!

Chicken Enchilada Bake:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion

1 long green chili

1 clove of garlic

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 tin of diced tomatoes

1 tin of Mexican Chile beans (I added this to the recipe)

10 tortillas

3 cups cooked chicken(I roasted a chicken the night before)

1 tub of sour cream

11/2 cups tasty Cheddar cheese

sliced green onions to serve

Step 1: Preheat oven to 180c. Lightly grease baking dish. Heat oil in saucepan over medium to high heat. Add onion, chili, and garlic, cook until soft. Add cumin, stirring until fragrant. Add tomatoes and Mexican beans, bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook until thick.

After step one

 Step 2: Spread one cup of mixture over bottom of the baking dish. Wrap tortillas in foil and cook in oven for seven minutes. Place chicken, sour cream and cheese in separate bowl and mix.

Step 3: Remove one tortilla from foil, covering remaining tortilla's. Spread one-tenth of chicken mixture on tortilla and roll tortilla. Place tortilla seam down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Step 4: Top tortilla's with remaining mixture and cheese. Bakefor25 minutes or until golden and heated through. Sprinkle with onion and serve.

Right before the dish goes in the oven.

Yummy Mexican cornbread!

Absolute Mexican Cornbread

1 cup of butter (I used 1/2 a cup of butter after reading reviews and was lovely, not too greasy)
1 cup of sugar (I used 1/2 a cup of sugar and will probably half that again next time I cook it)
4 eggs
1 small can of cream corn
1/2 cup diced jalapenos
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal ( I used polenta)
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Step 1: preheat oven to 150. Lightly grease baking tray ( I used muffin tins as it gave nice individual servings.

Step 2: in large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in cream corn, chillies and cheese.

Step 3: In separate bowl stir together sifted flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to corn mixture, stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Step 4: Bake in preheated oven for an hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

I loved these dishes a lot and will be doing them in the near future.

The Best Ever Beef Stroganoff!!

This recipe was borrowed by the Bower family and adapted by myself. My  Mother in Law made the best Beef Stroganoff I have ever tasted, she had taught me how to make it many years ago so I still had a few tips and ingredients that I remembered her using. Sadly she is deceased now so her wonderful culinary delights died with her.

So I took this yummy recipe and added a few of my boys Nan's ingredients....what turned out to be so heavenly I had to write it down so I will always remember it in the future.

My Recipe

Step 1: Cut beef into thin strips placing in a plastic veggie bag along with a cup of flour
I did this as it seals the beef strips locking in the full flavour of the meat and acts as a tenderizer and thickener for the sauce. I then add a little butter and cook off meat at high temperature until golden brown.
Remove meat from pan from pan and set aside

Step 2: Next add a cup of white wine and let begin to reduce. Then add onions, garlic and mushrooms into wine and cook until the wine has evaporated making sure you do not burn, again remove from pan and set aside.

Step 3: Add 2 tablespoon of butter and allow to melt, when butter is melted take off heat and add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk into butter making a roux.

Step 4: Something I didn't know from this step if you add milk and cheese instead of stock you make Alfredo! Add about 2-3 cups of stock to your roux stirring until you have a gravy type thickness.

Step 5: Stir in a cup of cream cheese and about 2/3 cup of sour cream. I had to barmix my gravy to make the texture smooth. Then add in 1 teaspoons of  mustard(the recipe called for 2 but I didn't like the thought of using that much mustard), 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and my main diversion from the recipe is that I added 2 table spoons of tomato paste as this what in my mind gives stroganoff it's rich full flavour.

If you try this and find you enjoy it please let me know and if you think there is something I could do different or add to it, I'd love to hear it.

Making Kettle Corn

I fell in love with Kettle corn around this time two years ago when I was in Oregon visiting a friend. It took me until this Halloween to realise I can google how to make it. I tried a number of recipes until I found what works best for me. This has definitely become a family favourite at movie time.

Kettle Corn

Half a cup of melted butter
Quarter of a cup of brown sugar
One teaspoon of salt(or to taste)

My main suggestion is to dissolve the sugar in the butter before popping corn kernels.

This is so delicious, I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.