Homemade Gnocchi with Bolognaise Sauce

 

Here are my little Gnocchis ready to be poached, notice i didn't bother with the indenting with a fork it makes the process a lot quicker. 

 

Here is the finished dish with the bolognaise, and a delicious non edible bay leaf sticking out.

Pork Loin Stuffed with Almond and Apricot

Sorry i didn't take a picture of it served and cooked but this is it stuffed and rolled ready to go in the oven.
The quality of the pork loin from the butchers was so much better than what you get at coles or woolworths in termes of the size of the cut and it was absolutly fantastic.

This recipe was pretty simple i just make up a stuffing mixture placed in the center of my pork loin after removing the excess fat from the cut and then rolled it up and tied it. (If your not sure how to tie it just look on the internet but its pretty much just a really long present :P ) Stuffing recipe below...

Mango, Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry

Since mango is in season this is really a recipe worth trying, the whole mustard seeds really make this dish delicious.

I found this last year when I was searching for a mango and chickpea curry recipe, and this was the best one i found.

This curry is probably best with as a choice of a range of curries since it is slightly sweet.

Omelette

I LOVE OMELETTE!

It is easy, quick, filling and high in protein. Which is exactly what i want for breakfast, cereal is just not filling enough.
This picture above is 2 pieces of dark rye, hummus, a 2 egg omelette, 1 sliced tomato, shaved turkey and lots of grated pepper. YUM.

Mexican Dinner

This is how we do Mexican at home, it's not traditional really but it is totally delicious.

Tapioca and Mango Pudding

This is an old fashioned pudding with a modern twist. I adapted it from the recipe on the back of the Tapioca packet. I didn't have any limes on hand when I made it so it is shown with some toasted shredded coconut on top but the texture of the coconut is wrong for the pudding. I think that the brown colour from the palm sugar is not ideal - perhaps you could pour a thin layer of sweetened coconut cream on top but this would increase the calories unnecessarily, for those who care about calories.

Cajun Spice Mix

2 tblsp sweet paprika (generous)

2 tblsp onion salt

½ tblsp finely ground black pepper

1–2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp sumac

Mix together and use to coat fish or chicken.

Blacken fish or chicken in a non-stick pan with a little oil added then bake in oven at ~200C to finish cooking.

Vegetable and Lentil Curry with Whole Spcies

Ingredients & Method:

2 large onions, chopped
In a heavy based pan (preferably enameled cast iron), brown onion slightly in 2 tblsp oil over low heat

4 tsp cummin seeds
3 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
24 fresh curry leaves
Add whole spices to the pan, turn up heat a little and fry until the spices are fragrant and start to pop

3 cloves garlic, chopped
2-4 cm ginger, chopped
Turn down heat, add garlic and ginger to the pan and heat through

2 tsp ground tumeric
3-4 dried chillies, seeds removed then chopped
Stir tumeric and chillies though the onion and spices mix


2 cups red lentils (or use 1 1/2 cups red and 1/2 cup French lentils)
6 fresh tomatoes, each chopped into 8 pieces
Large wedge of Jap pumpkin, chopped into large pieces
Add lentils and vegetables to the pan and stir though, add enough water to cover the lentils then put the lid on the pan and cook over low heat. Stir occasionally and cook until the lentils are soft and the vegetables are tender.

Fresh baby spinach or rocket, roughly chopped
1/2 a bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
Stir the spinach or rocket though just before serving then scatter the fresh coriander on top

This is a great accompaniment to dry beef curry 

Barramundi with Fresh Fennel

Ingredients:
Barramundi fillets (enough for the number of serves required)
1 fennel bulb with green top
1/2 a lemon
olive oil
black pepper

Method:
I like to cook this on the Weber Q but you can use the oven.
Choose thick barramundi fillets and cut into serving portion size.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Drizzle with virgin olive oil then lay the fillet portions in a single layer.
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fish.
Chop the green tops of the fennel bulb and scatter over the fish.
Slice the fennel bulb into fine wedges and place on top of the fish.
Drizzle with a little more olive oil.
Season with plenty of freshly ground pepper.

Place on a baking trivet in the BBQ on low heat and bake for approx 30 minutes or until cooked (check to see if it flakes).

Serve with potato salad (boiled baby potatoes with chopped chives or spring onions, dressed with half/half mix of Greek yoghurt and real egg mayonnaise such as S&W) and a green salad of cos lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, fresh basil plus pitted Kalamata olives and crumbled fetta cheese. The creaminess of the potato salad and the saltiness of the olives and fetta plus the aroma of fresh basil are perfect accompaniments to the fish.

Deep south Chocolate Cake (Pumpkin, Chocolate and Orange Cake)

Nothing to say, this cake is delicious. YUM.

Ingredients:
125g butter
1/2cup caster sugar
1cup warm, mashed cooked pumpkin (just dice boil and mash)
1 egg
1T. golden syrup
1 1/2cup Self Raising Flour
1t. baking soda
2t. custard powder
1T. cocoa (i usually just chuck a heap in)
rind and juice of one orange
optional (100g chocolate finely chopped added to the cake, and whipped cream and chopped banana to serve)

Method:
Preheat oven to 180. Boil pumpkin, mash and let to cool.
Cream butter and sugar, add warm pumpkin gradually.
Beat in egg, golden syrup and grated orange rind.
Sift dry ingredients together and fold in, then fold in orange juice.
Add chocolate chips if you would like then place mixture into a 20cm square tin lined with baking paper and bake for 40minutes.

This is best sandwiched with whipped cream and sliced banana and dusted with icing sugar.

Chocolate Potato Cake

Putting vegtable in a cake may sound a bit weird but it worked for carrot cake and the addition of mashed potato makes gives this cake a delightfully moist and smooth texture. Despite the vegtables I would not go as far as to say it is healthy, but it can't make it any worse for you at least.

Ingredients:
cake,
125g chocoalte
1/4cup water
1 1/2cup plain flour
1 1/4t. baking soda
1 1/4cup sugar
125g butter
3 eggs
1t. vanilla essence
1cup mashed potato
1/2cup sour cream

glaze,
125g chocoalte
3T. water
1T. butter
1cup icing sugar
1/2t. vanilla essence

Method:
cake,
 Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Place chocolate and water into a pan and heat gently until the chocolate is melted, set aside to cool slightly.
Sift flour and baking soda together.
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in vanilla essence and melted chocoalte.
Combine the mash potato and sour cream, then gradually add to the chocolate mix.
Blend in the dry ingredients.
Turn into a buttered 23cm ring pan and bake for 3/4 hours.
Cool in pan slightly then place on a rack and let cool completely before glazing.

glaze,
Melt chocolate and butter in the water over low heat.
Remove from heat and add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla essence, beat until smooth.
Adjust consistency with a little milk if too thick. Spread on the top and sides of the cake.

Dahl (Vegetarian Lentil Curry)

This recipie is pretty much a once a week meal, served simply with natural yoghurt, mango chutney and rice. It is also good with homemade indian bread (rotli), i will put up a link once i post the recipe. It is easy to make a large batch and have plenty of leftovers, the recipie is fine to double the quantities.

I am always varying the recipe, the original is simply the cooked lentils but i have adapted the recipe to add chopped pumpkin, fresh or tinned tomatoes and baby spinach. I also have tried it with zucchini or eggplant which is also delicious.

The original recipe is from Charmaine Solomon's The Complete Asian Cookbook and the addition of vegtables is my variation.

Rosalie's Rum Truffles - To have with coffee!

Ingredients:
125g ground almonds
125g caster sugar
125g fine cake crumbs (use any cake a few days old and crumble finely, a plain sponge works well)
Apricot jam
4T (about) of rum, sherry or brandy

Method:
Mix almonds, sugar and cake crumbs.
Add alcohol and enough sieved warm jam to combine the mixture but not to make it wet.
Roll in chocolate sprinkles.
Place on foil lined trays and leave to become firm.

Rosalie's Cherry Almond Bars

Ingredients:
90g butter,
1/3cup caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1cup plain flour
1t. grated lemon rind
60g whole blanched almonds
60g whole glace cherries
4oz dark chocolate, melted

Method:
Combine softened butter, sugar and egg yolks to form a paste (a wooden spoon works best).
Stir in sifted flour, lemon rind, almonds and cherries.
Using floured hands form mixture into a bar approx 20 x 4cm.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour to set.
Preheat oven to 180.
Using a sharp knife knife cut into 5mm slices and bake for 10-15 minutes.
When cool dip half of each biscuit into the melted chocolate and shake off excess.
Refrigerate on trays to set.
Makes about 25.

Rosalie's Wholemeal Apple Slice

Ingredients:
base,
1cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1cup brown sugar
125g butter

topping, 
1/4cup plain flour
3/4cup caster sugar
1/2t. baking powder
2 eggs
1 peeled and grated granny smith apple
3/4cup sultanas
1/2cup coconut

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
base,
Mix flour and brown sugar in a bowl and then rub in butter until crumbly.
Press into the base of a lined 28 x 18cm lined slice tin.
topping,
Sift flour, sugar and baking powder into a bowl. Add beaten eggs, coconut, sultanas and grated apple. Mix well.
Pour over base and spread evenly.
Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until done.
Cut into squares with a sharp knife when cold. 

Rosalie's Cherry Chews

Ingredients:
base,
1cup self raising flour
1cup icing sugar
4oz (115g) butter

topping,
1/4cup plain flour
1/2t. baking powder
3/4cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2oz (60g) chopped glace cherries
1/2cup chopped walnuts
1/2cup dessicated coconut

Method:
Preheat oven to 180.

base,
Sift flour and icing sugar into a bowl and rub in butter until crumbly.
Press into base of a lined 28 x 18cm tin.


topping,
Sift flour, baking powder and sugar into a bowl.
Add beaten eggs, cheries, nuts adn coconut.
Mix well and pour over base.
Smooth top and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until the topping is set.
Slice into square or slices with a sharp knive when cool.

Rosalie's Caramel Walnut Slice

Ingredients:
base,
1/2cup self raising flour
1/4cup sugar
1/2cup dessicated coconut
60g melted butter

topping,
2 eggs
1/2t. vanilla essence
1cup coconut
90g walnut pieces
1 1/2cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2t. baking powder

Method:
base,
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Sift flour into a bown and add the sugar and coconut.
Add melted butter.
Place into a 28 x 18cm tin and press down smoothly.
Bake for 15 minutes.

topping, 
Lightly beat eggs and vanilla with a fork, add coconut, walnuts, brown sugar and baking powder. Mix well.
Spread mixture over the partly cooked base and return to the oven for about 30 minutes or until the topping is cooked.
Cool in tin and cut into squares or slices.

Rosalie's Lemon Coconut Slice (No Bake)

Ingredients:
250g plain sweet biscuits, crushed
125g butter
1 lemon, both the grated rind and juice
1cup dessicated coconut
1/2 tin condensed milk


Method:
Place crushed biscuits into a bowl.
Melt butter over low heat and add lemon rind and juice, condensed milk and coconut.
Place in lined 28 x 18cm slice tin and refrigerate until firm.
Ice with lemon icing and cut into small slices.

Rosalie's Chocolate Chip Biscuits

Ingredients:
4oz butter
1/2cup white sugar
1/2cup brown sugar
1/2t vanilla essence
1 egg
1 3/4cup self raising flour
1/2t. salt
4oz chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
2oz chopped walnuts or pecans

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Cream butter, sugars and vanilla then slowly beat in the beaten egg.
Mix in the sifted flour and salt, and then add the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Press rounded teaspoons of mixture into balls and place on baking trays (allow room for spreading).
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until firm to touch.
Remove from the trays whilst warm.

Rosalie's Crisp Coconut Biscuits

Ingredients:
125g butter
1cup caster sugar
2cups self raising flour
pinch of salt
1cup dessicated coconut
extra sugar to top with.

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar, beat in the egg and then the sifted flour, salt and coconut.
Roll into balls and press a bit flat. Dip the tops in extra sugar.
Place on trays lined with baking paper and bake for 10-15 minutes, cool on wire racks.

Rosalie's Pecan Biscuits

Ingredients:
4oz butter
1cup brown sugar
1 egg
1t. vanilla essence
1cup plain flour
1/2t. baking powder
1cup pecans, coursely chopped

Method
Preheat oven to 180.
Cream butter and sugar, then add vanilla and the egg.
Add sifted flour and baking powder mix and then stir in the pecans.
Scoop well rounded teaspoons of mixture onto a baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes.

Rosalie's Neenish Biscuits

Ingredients:
biscuits,
125g butter
1/4cup icing sugar
1/2t. vanilla essence
1cup plain flour
1/4cup cornflour
jam to fill

icing,
1cup icing sugar
1/2t vanilla essence
cocoa or pink food colouring

Method:
biscuits,
Beat butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence until creamy. Add sifted flours and mix well.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and kneed into a smooth ball.
Roll out on a well floured surface to 3mm thickness. Cut into rounds and place on non stick or baking papered tray.
Bake for 10 minutes or until light brown and cool on a wire rack.
Join together with jam.

icing,
Make white icing and ice half the top of each biscuit. Then add the cocoa or pink food colouring to the remaining icing mixture and cover the other half of the biscuits.
(Even if the icing isn't perfectly even on the white side you can neaten it up when you do the pink/chocolate side.)

Rosalie's Danish Christmas Biscuits

Ingredients:
125g plain flour
90g butter
125g caster sugar
1 large egg
2t. cinnamon
pinch of salt
18 almonds, blanched and halved

Method:
Preheat oven to 150 (low).
Separate egg and reserve the white in a bowl together with 30g of the sugar and 1t. of the cinnamon.
Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture is finely crumbled. Add egg yolk, the remaining sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
Mix dough with a wooden spoon, then kneed lightly into a ball until smooth.
Roll out on a board until 8mm thick and cut with a round or fluted cutter (40mm or whatever you have).
Place biscuits on baking tray.
Now beat together the egg white, sugar and cinnamon mixture from earlier and (this is the messy bit) brush the top of each biscuit with the mixture (a knife works well) then press an almond halve on each one.
Bake until light brown.

Rosalie's Chocolate Coconut Biscuits

Ingredients:
1T. cocoa, dissolved in 2T. of hot water and allowed to cool slightly
4oz softened butter
1/2cup caster sugar
1cup plain flour
1t. baking powder
1cup dessicated coconut

Method:
Preheat oven to 180.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, add the flour sifted with the baking powder then add the coconut and the dissolved cocoa.
Stir well and then kneed until smooth and the chocolate is through the mixture evenly.
Roll small quanitites into balls and place on baking trays, flatten slightly with the back of a fork and bake for 10-15 minutes or until done - do not overcook!
When cold join in pairs with chocolate glace icing.

Summary:
Should make about 30 double biscuits, preparation 15 minutes, cooking 10-15 minutes per tray.

Rosalie's Burnt Butter Biscuits

Ingredients:
4oz    butter
4oz    caster sugar
6oz    self-raising flour
1        egg
1t.      vanilla essence
24      whole almonds, blanched and halved

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan and work gently until turning brown (watch so it doesn't burn) then cool and pour into a mixing bowl.
Add sugar and mix well.
Stir in a beaten egg and vanilla essence and beat well.
Add sifted flour and mix to a stiff consistency (if the egg is too large you may need to add a spoonful more of flour).
Roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter, place on baking tray and press an almond halve on top of each.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown, cool a little before removing from the trays.

Tip - have a small mound of flour set aside to dip your palms into before rolling each ball it makes it less messy.

Rosalie's Lady Alice Biscuits

Perfect for christmas biscuits as trees, bells, and stars when you ice in different colours.

Ingredients:
6oz     plain flour
6oz     butter (take out of fridge so it softens)
2oz     custard powder
2oz     icing sugar
(6oz = 170g, 2oz = 57g)

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 
Sift dry ingredients together.
Cube butter and rub in until it forms a dough.
Roll out to about 5 mm thick and cut with cookie cutters into shapes, and place evenly spreado on a lined baking tray.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until just starting to golden. Turn tray around partway though cooking so they brown evenly.
Take out and cool on a rack before icing and decorating however you like.

Melting Moments:
This same mixture can be made into melting moments, just roll into small balls and place on the tray, then press each ball with the back of the fork to flatten slightly.
These take slightly longer to cook than the flat biscuits, when done join in pairs with a lemon glace icing.

Summary:
Preparation 20 minutes, cooking time 12-15 minutes per tray.

Margaret's Choux Pastry and Pastry Cream

Choux Pastry:
Ingredients:
90g   butter
1cup water
1cup plain flour
3       large eggs

Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees fan forced.
Heat the butter and the water in a saucepan until rapidly boiling.
Beat in the flour all at once, off the heat, until it forms a ball, do not over beat.
Allow to cool slighly before beating in the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to be fully incorporated before adding the next one.
Bake until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes (don't open the oven for the first 25 minutes)
Make a slit in the side of each puff when you take them out of the oven and allow to cool before filling with whipped flavoured and sweetened cream, or pastry cream. Finish with a dredging of icing sugar.

Pastry Cream:
Ingredients:
3       large eggs
60g   sugar
50g   plain flour
50g   cornflour
500g milk
Flavoring such as vanilla essence, lemon zest or 20g cocoa powder

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over gentle heat (don't let it stick, if it starts to stick lower the temperature) stirring with a whisk all the time until the mixture boils and thickens.
Use a pastry bag to pipe into the pastry cases.

Slow Cooked Shoestring Beef

Ingredients:
1-1.2kg braising (gravy) beef
2      onions, finely sliced
2cm square of ginger, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4     green or white cardamon pods
3     bay leaves
1     cinammon stick
1T.  garam marsala
2T.  ground fennel
1T.  chilli powder
2     pinches nutmeg
1t.   tumeric
1t.   salt
oil or ghee to cook

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Use a heavy based saucepan that can go in the oven, mine is cast iron.
Heat oil in pan and sear the meat on either side, you dont need to fully cook it just brown it off, and remove.
Put in sliced onions, ginger and garlic and cook over low heat till golden brown. Add spices and cook till aromatic. Take off the heat.
Nestle the beef into the pan with the onion so it sits in one layer, add up to a cup of hot water and cover with either a lid or alfoil.
Put pan in oven for about 2 hours at 180, when it is done the meat should be able to be pulled apart with a fork.
Take meat from pan and shread with two forks (into shoestrings) add back to the pan with all the onion and juices in it and stir it all together then serve.

Summary:
Serves 6, preparation 10 minutes before + 10 after cooking, cooking 15 minutes attentive + 2 hours in oven.

Ham and Asparagus Frittata

Ingredients: 
10g Butter
1 leek, halved and chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed
250g ham, chopped
6-7 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup plain flour
salt and lots of cracked pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to180 degrees.

Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Add the leek, spring onions and asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the asparagus is tender. Set aside.
Place the eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Arrange the asparagus mixture in the base of a 20 x 30cm ovenproof dish lined with baking paper. Pour over the egg mixture and top with a layer of shaved ham and lots of cracked pepper (taste the ham, if it is salty you wont need salt).
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Serve warm or cold.

Summary:
Serves 6; Preparation 15 min; Cooking time 30min.