Off the Air

I am going off the air for a bit.... So much work and I am having some work done on my house. But will get back to posting very soon.

No I am not going to stop cooking. I am just having a computer time management problem.

Pasta with chilli & proscuitto

If you have nothing organised for dinner, or you you are late home this is a magical dinner direct from your cupboard. Mega fast and easy. I make this without the cheese so it can be grated over after serving.

Ingredients:
50g finely sliced prosciutto & roughly chopped
1 chilli cut in half seeds in
1 large clove garlic finely chopped
5 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 egg lightly beaten and a dash of cream or milk added
250g dried spaghetti

Method:
1. In a hot frypan fry the prosciutto until just crisp, remove from pan
2. Turn the heat down to low and add the olive oil, garlic and the chilli seed side down
3. Heat the oil without sizzling - you are only infusing the chillie heat into the oil and exploding the garlic aroma
4. Heat a pot of salted water and cook spaghetti
5. Drain cooked spaghetti leaving a couple of tablespoons of water in the pot
6. Remove the chilli from the oil and discard
7. Add oil mixture to the spaghetti then the egg mixture taking care not to scramble the egg
8. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

In a flurry

Will this madness end. I really have been a little crazy with doing other stuff. Dinner really went on the back burner last night so it ended up that I had to make something from nothing. Good ole Pasta with Prosciutto and Chilli. Fast and easy.

Also another loaf of bread was put in the bread maker on timer for my hubbies lunch today. That is how slack I have been.

The Best Banana Bread

I searched high and low for the best banana bread recipe and found it. Unfortunately I don't know who/where/what/how I found it so I cannot acknowledge the creater even though I have modified the recipe somewhat.

Now some tips before I share the recipe buy bananas from the fruit market that are on special - you know the ones that they can no longer sell for full price but are still good enough to eat. Buy as many as you dare and put them in the freezer if room permits. Take them out a couple of hours before using - they will be black, mushy and watery but, you will not have to mash them before putting into the mix and they will give you a really lovely finish.

This bread has nuts in it. I use walnuts but you can use pecans if you desire or if you don't care for nuts or are allergic omit them.

Finally, this recipe makes 2 loaves of banana bread. It freezes really well. Depending on your situation you can freeze them whole, slice and wrap each slice separately to take out as you need or cut in half and freeze the 4 halves. Don't be tempted to halve the recipe - it is so yummy you will want to make 2 at a time.

Don't use margarine, it is not a natural product and you will get an inferior result.

If you can use silicone bake ware. It makes it quick and easy as you don't have to grease the pans. Otherwise you may have to line your loaf pans before using.

Ingredients
250g Butter
1 cup sugar
4 large free range or organic eggs
2 tsp bicarb soda
4 cups plain flour
6 large over ripe bananas (see notes above)
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Method
Heat oven to 160 degrees c
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition
Add flour and bicarb soda
Add bananas and mix well
Add walnuts and mix lightly
Spoon into 2 loaf pans

Cook for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. Using a skewer check to see if they are cooked at the 1 hour mark. If you skewer comes out clean they are cooked. The time will vary each time you cook these as it depends on the size of the bananas used.

Sunday nights are easy nights

I have a heap of bananas in my freezer so I whipped up a couple of my infamous Banana Bread's. Always a favorite toasted or untoasted.

My fridge is suddenly full of tantalising left overs. So much to choose from for last nights dinner we opted for the beautiful Lamb Shanks again.

It is not often we eat the same thing 2 nights in a row but Lamb Shanks really are comforting food.

Wholemeal Loaf

Fresh wholemeal bread is the best. It takes a little longer to make but it is worth it. I usually make this in my bread maker so it is ready when I get up the next morning.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 tsp dry yeast
300g Whole Wheat flour
100g bread flour (don't use plain flour the results will not be the same)
2 tsp milk powder
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
15ml sunflower oil
300ml water

Method:

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Make a well in the middle and mix the ingredients with your hands.
3. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky
4. Tip the mix onto a floured bench and with floured hands knead until smooth
5. Place back into lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap.
6. Leave in a warm place for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size
7. Punch the air out of the dough and tip onto a floured bench and kneed lightly
8. Place in a loaf pan and place in a warm place for 1- 2 hours
9. Heat oven to 200 degrees c and bake loaf for 10 minutes then turn heat down to 180 degrees c and back until golden or it sounds hollow when tapped.
10. Cool on on an rack.

If you have a bread machine: Just follow the instructions for your bread maker. Use the whole wheat bread option if you have one.

If you have a mixer with a dough hook: Only recommended if you have a Kitchenaid or Kenwood type mixer as they can handle the work. Use the mixer for steps 1 - 4.

Fast & Easy Lamb Shanks

This is a twist on the Jamie Oliver version of lamb shanks. I do this because I can be in a tremendous hurry sometimes and really want something simple yet yummy to eat.

I tend to be flexible with the vegetables I use as it depends on what I have in the garden at the time.

Ingredients:
6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
150g butter roughly chopped
15 fresh sage leaves roughly chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
4 lamb shanks
12 cloves of garlic, smashed and unpeeled
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 leek, washed, halved and finely sliced
1 stick celery finely diced
2 wineglasses of white wine

Method:
1. Heat oven to 180ºC
2. Line a  large baking dish with foil bringing the foil up the sides of the pan
3. Spread onion, leek, carrot on the base of the pan
4. Top with lamb shanks
5. Sprinkle fresh herbs, garlic and butter around the pan evenly
6. Pure in wine
7. Seal up pan with a foil top
8. Cook for 2 hours at  or until the shanks are tender

Home Made Peanut Butter

I know some of you reading this will think I am crazy making my own peanut butter. But, you know it is nicer, fresher than the bought stuff and it is really easy to make. The stuff you buy in your supermarket is full of things like sugar and other fillers that you really do not need. My version doesn't have the shelf life but it is so easy to make who cares. I buy my roasted peanuts in bulk as it is cheaper.

I make a small jar of this then store it in the fridge. Here is what you do.

Ingredients:
250g dry roasted unsalted peanuts
Enough peanut oil to have a spreading consisitancy - this will vary and will be a feel thing
Salt to taste
Sterilised jar (about a 375g size jar is good for this)


Method:
1. Put all but about 50g of the peanuts into a food processor (I use the mini processor attachment for my stick blender) and blitz until well blended. Add oil as needed to get a smooth consistency.
2. Add salt to taste
3. Add the extra peanuts and blitz again leaving mini peanut chunks for crunchy
4. Spoon into sterilised jar

Note: Do not expect this to look as smooth as the bought stuff. But it tastes just as good (well I think better).

Am I getting Lazy?

I think I might be. I have no excuses not to be cooking except that I think I have too many things on the go at the moment. I just cannot get myself organised enough.

Yesterday my husband rode to work and I really don't think he had enough to eat. He loves peanut butter sandwiches and I had not even bothered to make more peanut butter. So, while he dutifully got our breakfast I made some peanut butter for his sandwiches from wholemeal bread made in the bread maker overnight. (That is how slack I think I have become).

Our dinner last night was just dead easy. I did a variation on Jamie Oliver's Lamb Shanks. Great soul food.

Mystery Ingredient Fried Rice

This is a great easy one pan dinner. I make it in my wok because it is such a large quantity. There is always heaps of left overs for lunches or dinner accompaniment. Of course half the quantity to suite yourself.

Ingredients:
3 cups of washed and cooked long grain rice
1/2 red onion cut in half and sliced thinly
3 eggs beaten with a small splash of sesame oil
1 cup diced cooked chicken
150g diced ham
1 carrot diced into very tiny pieces
Stem of Broccoli diced into tiny pieces
Broccoli florets cut into small pieces
2 tsp thick Hoisin Sauce (the ones in the jar are best)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp peanut oil

Method:
1. Add sesame oil and peanut oil to hot wok
2. Add cooked rice and stir through to heat well
3. Pour egg mixture into rice, turn heat down and leave to set then stir through. Ensure the heat is not too high otherwise the rice will burn
4. Add ham, chicken and vegetables and stir through the rice well
5. Add Hoisin Sauce and stir through
6. Now just serve and eat.

This week has been crazy

I cannot believe that yesterday marked the end of my working week. I have been incredibly busy and it is all good. But eating still has to happen and that is always a challenge. I have to confess I hate grocery shopping. There are to many isles of pathetic fast type foods for me. My pantry and fridge is full of good store cupboard goodies so I can create my own meals.

So after yet another jaunt to the supermarket I still had to decide on dinner and it had to be high in carbs as my husband rode to work today and needed the extra energy store.

So the decision? Mystery Ingredient Fried Rice. This is usually a fish around for whatever I can find to include but keeping an Asian flavour.

Mixed Fruit Loaf

This is really yummy. As I am the only one that eats it I slice it and freeze it. That way I can enjoy anytime I want. Toasted of course with lashings of butter.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 tsp dry yeast
420g bread flour (don't use plain flour the results will not be the same)
2 tsp milk powder
1 3/4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
15ml sunflower oil
1 tsp All Spice/Mixed Spice
300ml water
1/4 Cup of chopped mixed fruit (if it has imitation cherries in it remove them)

Method:

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Make a well in the middle and mix the ingredients with your hands.
3. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky
4. Tip the mix onto a floured bench and with floured hands knead until smooth
5. Place back into lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap.
6. Leave in a warm place for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size
7. Punch the air out of the dough and tip onto a floured bench and kneed lightly
8. Place in a loaf pan and place in a warm place for 1 hour
9. Heat oven to 200 degrees c and bake loaf for 10 minutes then turn heat down to 180 degrees c and back until golden or it sounds hollow when tapped.
10. Cool on on an rack.

If you have a bread machine: Just follow the instructions for your bread maker.

If you have a mixer with a dough hook: Only recommended if you have a Kitchenaid or Kenwood type mixer as they can handle the work. Use the mixer for steps 1 - 4.

Another busy day

With my husband coming home late last night I knew I didn't have to worry too much about dinner. There was still some left over Curried Lentil Soup so that hit the spot. When it comes to lunch I tend to snack. But, I have had a craving for Fruit Bread for some weeks so I did make a lovely loaf of Mixed Fruit Loaf.

Wedges made easy

If you are buying potato wedges you are simply wasting your money. Wedges at home are dead easy to make. I have listed here is 2 simple variations.

Take your chosen number of potatoes and either peel or wash well (alternatively use new washed potatoes).

Leaving the potatoes whole pop into a bowl, add a small splash of water and microwave in 2 minute increments. You don't want to cook the potatoes so they should still be very firm when you check them.

Turn your oven onto 220 oC.

Line a very shallow backing tray or biscuit slide with baking paper. Brush the paper with peanut or vegetable oil and pop into hot oven until crispy and golden. Keep an eye on them because at this temperature they will cook quickly.

Variation 1: Sprinkle with chilli powder
Variation 2: Sprinkle with powdered onion

Cut the potatoes into wedges and place on a baking tray then spray or brush lightly with cooking oil.

Serve with sour cream to be really decadant. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Fried Moroccan Chicken

This is so easy you will want to make it more often. Your chicken pieces will be very tender and just melt in your mouth.

Ingredients:

400g chicken breast fillet thickly sliced
1 egg beaten with a dash of milk
1/4 cup plain flour
1 heaped tbsp Moroccan Spice
Peanut Oil for shallow frying

Method:
1. Mix the flour and the Moraccan Spice together
2. Dip each chicken piece in egg then spice mixture until well coated
3. Place on a plate and put in fridge for 15 minutes or ready to cook
4. Heat enough oil in a fry pan to shallow fry and cook each chicken piece until golden
5. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm until ready to serve

Moroccan Spice

I love this very easy to mix Moroccan Spice. It is very versatile and great when you have to jazz up a meal in a hurry. I seal this in the smallest size zip lock bag you can get from your supermarket. You can store it in the fridge if you are using it up slowly. I love my mortar and pestle so I use that to grind it up. It is theraputic to use and the aroma's from the herbs makes me swoon.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
3 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Method:

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove skillet from heat; add cumin and coriander seeds. Toast, stirring often, 2 minutes or until spices are fragrant (do not brown). Cool.

Process seeds, paprika, and remaining ingredients in a spice mill or coffee grinder until finely ground.

Dinner on the Run (again)

I don't know where my days are going to at the moment. I seem to be working and running around doing loads of stuff. I think I should be cloned and give the boring jobs to my clone.

Last night I had to think of something for dinner real fast. So with some chicken strips I made Moroccan Fried Chicken with Potato Wedges and Steamed Vegetables. So fast and simple and yummy with left overs to boot.

Nothing to say

Well yesterday disappeared in a blur. My day was all consumed with work and I hardly had time to eat. With my husband not home for dinner I knew I could turn to left overs for my dinner. Yes the trusty curried lentil soup from a couple of nights ago.

Gnocchi with Chicken and Zucchini

When dinner seems like a hardship then this nifty dish will set you right. As I have said before buy gnocchi that is at least 80% potato and is vacuum sealed. Unless you make it yourself then you will know it is quality. This took me 15 minutes to make from start to finish.

Ingredients:

300g chicken fillets, use thigh or breast it doesn't matter
1 large zucchini cut into
1/2 cup cream
2 tbsp Sunflower oil
Pepper
500g gnocchi
Parmesan Cheese

Method:
1. Heat a oil in a frypan
2. Lightly steam the zucchini so it is still very firm (not mushy please) and set aside
3. Fry the chicken until just cooked
4. Cool the chicken slightly then cut into 1.5cm cubes (bite size)
5. Cook the gnocchi as per the instructions on the package
5. Add the cream to the frypan and bring to boil to reduce slightly then reduce heat to low
6. Add the zucchini, chicken and pepper to taste
7. Simmer while the gnocchi finishes cooking
8. Drain gnocchi, stir in sauce and serve topped with grated parmesan cheese.

Onion Bread Rolls

The aroma of these bread rolls is likely to have everybody swooning and salivating. They are wonderful warm with lashings of butter and equally as good cold with lovely fillings for lunch.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 tsp dry yeast
640g bread flour (don't use plain flour the results will not be the same)
1 3/4 tbsp milk powder
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
25ml sunflower oil
1 small onion very finely chopped
400ml water

Method:

1. Steam the chopped onion in a little water in the microwave as you would any other vegetable. About 1 minute
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. Make a well in the middle and mix the ingredients with your hands.
4. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky - if it is too sticky add a little more flour.
5. Tip the mix onto a floured bench and with floured hands knead until smooth
6. Place back into lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap.
7. Leave in a warm place for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size
8. Punch the air out of the dough and tip onto a floured bench and kneed lightly
9. Shape into a fat sausage and cut into slices roughly shaping each slice into a roll and place on baking trays. I don't get to worried about the shape. I usually get about 10 large rolls or about 15 smaller rolls. Experiment. It won't hurt.
10. Place in a warm place for 1 hour
11. Heat oven to 200 degrees c and bake rolls for 10 minutes then turn heat down to 180 degrees c and back until golden or it sounds hollow when tapped - usually about another 5 minutes
12. Cool on on an rack.

Monday-itis

I really have no rights to suffer from Monday-itis, but today I did. It really was a struggle street day. However I did manage to make some to die for onion laced bread rolls that made the house smell divine and for dinner I rustled up a terrific gnocchi with chicken and zucchini.

Sometimes I don't know how I turn a lack of motivation to cook (only because I have customers to tend to) into a meal that is yummy and substantial. Yes I am blowing my own trumpet but I really must 'cause other than my husband who will?

Curried Red Lentil Soup

This seriously only took me 10 minutes to prepare. It was so easy to make. Best of all it convinced my husband that lentils are not so bad after all. He ate a huge bowl of it.

I served this with the last of the loaf of bread I made a couple of days ago toasted and also 1 lonely onion roll from my freezer toasted.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
1 tomato, roughly chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons yoghurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

 

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic for 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is soft. 2. Add curry powder. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
3. Add lentils, tomato, stock and 1 cup warm water. Bring to the boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until soup has thickened and lentils are cooked.
5. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with yoghurt and parsley

 

Open the fridge lunch stack

This is a great lunch or brunch feed. Warning though you should be hungry. I have just taken a whole lot of stuff from my fridge and turned it into a something that will make your taste buds swoon.

Ingredients:
A splash of sunflower oil to grease
4 fine slices of proscuitto
1/2 red onion diced
1 tomato
2 eggs
Avocado
Herb Butter (see Fast Herb Bread for recipe)
2 thick slices of bread

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large fry pan
2. Add the prosciutto and fry until just crispy, take out drain on paper towel and keep warm
3. Turn down the heat and saute the onion until soft, when cooked set aside and keep warm
4. While onion is cooking grease 2 egg rings well
5. Cut the tomato in half then slice off rounded ends. Place in pan and cook on both sides
6. Put a dash more oil in the pan, add egg rings and crack eggs into the rings.
7. Cook eggs sunny side up so the yolk remains runny
8. Toast bread
9. Spread the herb butter on the toast, then top with thin slices of avocado
10. Add tomato and break up over toast
11. Then add onion, egg and prosciutto
12. Just before serving break the egg yolk so the luscious yellow streams into the stack.

Fear of the Lentil and other stories

After a 3 hour walk yesterday morning we both came home starving. So I whipped up a lunch from stuff in the fridge. You will love this one.

A little jaded I knew I had to consider dinner as well. For years I have avoided the lentil. I have had a preconceived idea that they are just simply boring. Further to that the mere mention of the word lentil to my husband and I get a screwed up nose and declarations that he won't be eating anything with lentils in it.

Like a dog with a bone I have been scouring for lentil recipes. There are some out there and there are some really boring looking ones as well. I had already pre-empted my desire to cook with lentils so had the ingredients on the ready. So, I decided to give curried red lentil soup a go from the taste website.

Fast Herb Bread

There is nothing nicer than herb bread with your pasta dish. It is made even nicer if you are using fresh herbs and fresh bread. Crispy outside and soft and juicy on the inside.

Any left over butter can be used later. Just cover and put in the fridge. Try this out.

Ingredients:
2 thick slices of bread (about 2cm thick)
60g butter softened
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs or a selection of fresh herbs from the garden
1 small clove of garlic crushed (optional)


Method:
1. Mix butter, olive oil herbs and garlic together well
2. Under a grill toast the bread well on one side then very lightly on the other
3. Very liberally butter the toast on the lightly toasted side with the herb butter
4. Toast the bread again buttered side up until sizzling and serve hot

Smoked Salmon Pasta - Version 1

I just love this pasta. Ok it is a little bit naughty but I don't really mind about that. This is fast and easy to make and each time a little bit different to the last. This is my favorite version but I will post other versions as I make them. Remember all my recipes are for 2 people and are generous serves. Just double for more.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
30g butter
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1/2 cream
1 tsp capers chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
Black pepper to taste
200g smoked salmon slices shredded
250g dried spaghetti
Parmeson Cheese to finish

Method:
1. Melt butter and oil together until just hot
2. Saute the onion until soft in the butter and oil
3. Add cream and simmer until reduced by half
4. Meanwhile in a pot of boiling salted water cook the spaghetti
5. Just before spaghetti is cooked add the black pepper, capers and parsley
6. Drain the spaghetti leaving about 1tbsp water in the pot
7. Add the salmon to the sauce then pour sauce over spaghetti and mix well
8. Serve in deep bowls and grate fresh parmeson cheese over to taste

A fishy experience

For many the thought of smoked salmon may conjure up thoughts of extravagance. But, for me it is a staple in our household.

Contrary to popular belief it can be a very versatile and inexpensive fish to have for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I buy it in 1kg or 500g lots as it keeps very well in the fridge and it is cheaper to buy that way. Don't buy the cheap Scandinavian stuff though, it is fatty and tasteless. Because I am in Australia I buy Tasmanian smoked salmon.

Yesterday I made a beautiful loaf of fresh bread for our lunch then used nice
thick slices from the loaf smothered in herb butter to accompany our smoked salmon pasta. The recipes follow... I salivate as I write this.

Chilli Peanut Chicken Stir Fry

I just adore this dish. This is one that I have changed and developed over time from something I found on a recipe site years ago. I cannot even remember where.

What I love is I can be flexible with the ingredients, just you you can. I can also make it as hot or as mild as I like depending on my mood or who I am serving it to.

I don't give measurements for vegetables as I believe you can put as much as you like in. Remember to shred the vegetables so they cook nice and fast. This version is the one I cooked last night. Solicit some help (I use my husband as chop boy) and you can have this dinner on the table in 20 minutes from start to finish.

Remember all my recipes are for 2 people (usually with left overs).

Ingredients:
1 large chicken breast fillet finely sliced against the grain
1 tsp Chilli paste
1/4 cup peanuts crushed
Egg white
1 tsp sesame oil
1 large garlic clove finely shredded
Broccoli finely chopped
Broccoli stem finely sliced
Carrot finely shredded
Small bunch of very young spinach or silverbeet roughly shredded
400g fresh Hokkien noodles
1 tsp Lime juice
3 tbsp Peanut Oil
1/4 tsp sesame oil extra
Lime juice to serve

Method:
1. In a bowl add the chicken, chilli paste, peanuts, sesame oil and egg white. Mix well so the chicken is coated. Leave stand while the other ingredients are being prepared
2. In a jug add the noodles and pour hot water over to heat through
3. In a wok ad the peanut oil and extra sesame oil and heat until smoking
4. Turn heat down slightly and add chicken, stir fry quickly until just cooked. Take out with a slotted spoon and put back into bowl
5. Add the vegetables except the silverbeet/spinach and stir fry until barely looking like it is softening.
6. Drain the noodles and rinse under hot water. Tip into wok with vegetables
7. Pour lime juice in, add chicken and silverbeet/spinach . Mix well until all combined and the leaves have begun to wilt. This will take about 5 minutes as you will need to reheat the chicken.
8. Serve in bowls and squeeze a little more lime juice over.

Now just enjoy this vibrant dish!

Good Girl

Yesterday after spending most of the day out working and doing mundane house keeping stuff I still had to come up with a nice dinner. The previous couple of nights were rather a right off.

We have not had Asian for a while so I searched my trusty freezer and found a lovely chicken breast. So, the dinner for the evening was set: Chilli Peanut Chicken Stir Fry. This is one of my big favorites.