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Coffee Choc Chip Biscuits

If you love having biscuits to nibble with a cuppa then you will love these. Don't skimp on the quality of the chocolate. The choc chips you buy in your supermarket baking section are full of fillers and additives and are not that nice. I always buy quality 70% cocoa chocolate blocks and just chop it up when chips are required. The final outcome is far more superior.

Ingredients:
115g Butter
150g Brown Sugar
1 Egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee
200g chocolate chips


Method:
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees c
2. Beat butter and sugar together until well mixed
3. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix well
4. Add chocolate chips
5. Roll teaspoon fulls into a ball, place on baking sheet and press flat with fingers
6. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes

Store in an air tight container.

The Best Seafood Chowder - very fast dinner

When it comes to the end of the day I love nothing more than shutting the world out and just relaxing. In the Winter it is really time to snuggle up on the lounge with a good book or a good movie.

Top it off with a bowl of Seafood Chowder and it is complete. This recipe has evolved over the last 15 years to what I am giving you today. This is extremely fast to make. We once had a bowl of Seafood Chowder at Fishermans Wharf in San Francisco and it was lacking in the essential ingredients (seafood) and had no flavour. Not a good plug is is?

Enjoy my recipe it is warming and filling. Oh, and please experiment with the seafood ingredients.

Ingredients:
30g Butter
3 Rashes bacon rind removed and diced
1 Onion sliced
1 Clove garlic crushed
2 large potatos peeled and cubed
3 tbspn plain flour
2 cups milk
2 cups water
300g smoked fish (I use haddock or cod)
170g crab meat (use canned, fresh or frozen)
200g raw prawn meat (I use raw frozen prawns defrosted slightly)
1 x 310g can creamed corn
1 tbspn lemon juice
Black Pepper & Salt

Method:
1. On a medium heat melt butter in large saucepan and saute' bacon and onion until onion is opaque and tender
2. Add potatos and cook for 1 minute
3. Stir in flour ensuring it is mixed in well
4. Slowly add the milk stirring constantly to avoid lumps. When you have got past the really thick consistancy add the remainder of the milk and the water and mix well.
5. Bring to boil stirring to avoid lumps. Mixture will begin to thicken. Reduce heat.
6. Simmer for 15 minutes or until potato is tender.
7. Stir in seafood, creamed corn and lemon juice.
8. Season with black pepper & salt to taste.
9. Heat through ensuring the seafood is cooked. Do not boil!

Yummo - now serve with warm crusty rolls

Here I am again - up and running

My life is settling down again what with loads of work on and renovations happening it has been very hectic. I never stopped cooking though just stopped blogging.

It is Winter here and whilst our Winter's are quite mild in Sydney it is still chilly and it is lovely to snuggle in at night with comfort food. So, I suspect that is what I will be cooking and posting for the next couple of months.

Last night we had my hearty Seafood Chowder with crusty fresh home made Bread Rolls. Such contentment on a Winters Night.

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.