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.