mmm something healthy??? what to make for a family?

After much googling I have found a few family friendly healthy meals that seem  to still have the YUM factor attached.

I intend to make this for our dinner tonight.

Three Layer Chicken & Bean Quesadilla ~ protein rich, oven-baked goodness

·                     4 large tortillas preferably whole grain

·                     1.5 cups refried beans

·                     450 grams chopped cooked boneless, skinless chicken

·                     1 cup grated Edam (or other low-fat) cheese

·                     1/4 cup pickled sliced jalapeno chilis, chopped,  plus more for decorating

·                     1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

·                     Handful fresh cilantro

·                     1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

·                     1/2 cup of your favourite salsa

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 200 oC.

Spray a baking sheet lightly with olive or canola oil.  Place one tortilla on baking sheet and spread a half cup refried beans on top.  Dividing chicken into roughly three even portions, top beans with one portion of chicken followed by a quarter cup of cheese.  Add a sprinkling of chopped jalapenos, olives and cilantro.  

Repeat layering two times.  Top with the final tortilla, pressing down slightly to help hold layers together. 

Cover the top of the quesadilla with foil (tucking foil under edges of bottom tortilla if possible) and bake the quesadilla for about 20 minutes or until heated through.  Gently remove foil, and place final quarter cup of cheese on top of quesadilla returning it to the oven for another 5 minutes until the cheese melts (or grill for one minute or so - watching carefully!).

For the presentation cut quesadilla into four (or more) pieces without fully separating them.  Spread Greek yogurt around cut lines and spoon salsa in the centre.  Top with pieces of fresh cilantro and jalapeno peppers.

My family love Mexican, so this will work for us - with a side salad. We'll be going mild - cos we're a bit wussy like that lol

Happy Cooking!!

So, those of you who have followed me over from Facebook will know that I am embarking on a bit of a lifestyle change. Nobody panic, I do still intend to create and find interesting recipes to share. I don't intend to become a food-police, but I am going to try and find recipes that will enhance the activity I'm introducing in my life, rather than add to my burgeoning body. The only challenge is that most of what I'm eating at the moment is with salad.. a bit boring for a food blog, but perhaps if I can share what to have then you can just add whatever salad you like! I promise I will still include desserts and the like too, I don't want to lose anyone now I've got you back!

Tonight at ours I am cooking Lime Chicken, asparagus, salad and couscous.


I started by marinating the chicken in olive oil (about 2 T for 6 thighs)and the juice of 1 lime, with a little seasoning added, just for taste. They're in the oven on 180oC for about 40 -45 mins, turning regularly and until cooked through. They should get a nice golden colour on them.

I'm serving mine with a green salad, blanched asparagus (which I will drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on and some slithers of parmesan cheese - just a tad!) and finish with that wonderful dish of couscous. SO yummy! I use the instant couscous in Morroccan Flavour (don't judge me, I know this meal hails from many origins ;P) Here's a nice recipe for couscous you could try if you don't have access to the packet mix one like I do:

Couscous

200g couscous
400ml chicken stock
2 T unsalted butter
1/2 c green olives chopped (optional)
1/4 of a lemon - zested with juice
2 T chopped flat leaf parsley
slivered pistachios to serve

Place couscous in a large bowl. Bring stock to the boil then pour over couscous. Add butter and stir well. Set aside for 15 mins before adding the olives, lemon and parsley. Season well and serve with the pistachios. mmm

Happy Cooking!

Mmmm tonights dinner is lingering on my palate and it was SOOOO yummy. The cream sauce i had made a few weeks ago and it made so much I froze it - well it heated up fabulously, so there's no issue with that - go for it! I served it with steamed asparagus and cauliflower, carrots and hasselback potatoes, was truly scrummy. Give this a go, it's truly delish

Bacon wrapped chicken with a cheese cream sauce

Bacon Wrapped Chicken
2 large chicken breasts
12 slices bacon (uncooked)
salt and pepper 

Cheese Sauce
1/2 cup butter
1 cup all purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 cup chicken stock
4 ounces (200g) cream cheese
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
powdered garlic, onion, mustard to taste
salt,pepper and paprika to taste

1.                  Preheat oven to 180oC

2.                  Cut each breast into 3 pieces. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

3.                  Wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each breast. 

4.                  Lay each piece out in a lightly greased baking pan.

5.                  Bake for 30 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked and bacon in browned.

Cheese Sauce

1.                  In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat.

2.                  Add flour, a little at a time, whisking to avoid lumps. Once well mixed, cook over low heat for several minutes to cook out the flour taste.

3.                  Slowly pour 1 cup of milk into flour mixture, whisking constantly to ensure smoothness. Once smooth, add the rest of the milk more rapidly, still whisking.

4.                  Add the cheese, whisking as you add so that it melts consistently.

5.                  Once all the cheese is added and melted, use the chicken stock as needed to thin to the right thickness.

6.                  Taste the sauce before adding salt, as the cheese can be salty. Add all spices, to taste.

Happy Cooking!

delish dip...

Years ago I made a very delicious cobb loaf dip... do you think I could find a recipe, so once again I was in creative mode, all because Cobb loaf was on special...

Now, there isn't exactly measurements for this its one of those recipes you play with...

Cobb Loaf Hot Dip

1 Cobb loaf
1 pottle of 250g cream cheese
1/2 c mayonnaise
then add whatever is in your fridge..

I added to mine 1 c grated cheese
1 onion, chopped finely
1/2 green and red capsicum
1/4 c chopped capers (or gherkins)
6 pieces salami chopped finely

You really can add whatever you like..

mix it all up.

Cut the top off the cobb loaf. Scoop out the middle of the bread, leaving about a 1cm lining. Fill the cheese mixture into the bread and replace the top. Place in an 180oC oven for around 20 - 30 mins, keep an eye on it, you want the bread crispy and the cheese gooey and melted. In the last 10 mins add the bread from the middle cut into chunks and let it dry out and crisp up. Serve with the lid off, dip the chinks into the hot mixture, cut up the lid and dunk, then as the dip goes down cut the sides and base off and dunk till gone. SOOOOO yummy!!

Happy Cooking!

K

PS, thank you to those who have commented, now I knw some people are interested ;)

Trying something new - YES, we CAN do it!

I know it's been awhile, but it is hard to think of posts that people would find interesting. I guess it's difficult to know if you are actually doing something useful, or boring people to death... Blogging is such a one-sided thing if you don't get any feedback.. (hint, hint, lol)

Last night I was pushed for time and motivation but I wanted to do something different for my family for dinner. Pork schnitzel was on sale at the supermarket and years ago I had a recipe for Pork Olives, so I thought I'd give it a go. Only snag is I couldn't find the recipe, not even online. I was determined to make it tho so I played with things and managed to make something so yummy I thought I should share it.

Pork Olives - Kerry Style

6 - 8 pieces of pork schnitzel (2 per person depending on size..)
2 cups rolled oats
1 small pottle of apple puree (120g roughly)
1 beef stock cube
1 dessertspoon fennel seeds
1 dessertspoon dried sage - or fresh chopped finely
2 t celery salt
salt and pepper
Gravy - packet mix is fine

In a bowl place the oats, apple puree, stock cube (crumbled), fennel seeds and dried sage (grind in a mortar and pestle if you have one) celery salt and salt and pepper. Mix. Lay out each piece of schnitzel and place oat mix on, roll up and secure with a toothpick. Continue until all are rolled up with mix. Place in a casserole dish. Pour gravy over the top. Cover and place in oven, 180oC. Cook for about 40 - 60 mins, turn occasionally) You want them to have colour and be tender and the gravy to thicken slightly. I served mine with new potatoes and mint and carrots, brocolli and cauliflower with cheese sauce. It was SO yummy!! I do hope you give it a try.

I really would love to get some feedback, perhaps some suggestions as to what you'd like to see, with Christmas coming I thought I might share some recipes of the things I cook for Christmas - if you think it's useful...

Happy Cooking,

K

Well tonight in Palmy it's pouring down and cold.. so what better than to make a big pot of the very yummy Pasta e Fagioli, or Pasta Fazool in some dialects. This is another recipe from Jonathon at Italy with Relish cooking school, where I had the privilege of attending for a week back in May. The history of the dish is that it is good hearty "peasant" food, made with good produce and everyday ingredients, it can vary across Italy, but has a similar basis. I am not a fan of tinned beans - but I absolutely LOVE this dish, so please don't be put off by them - give it a go, you WON"T regret it!

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta Fazool - That's Amore....)

1 carrot
1 onion
2 sticks of celery
about 250g chopped bacon
olive oil
1 tin of Borlotti Beans
handful of fettucine pasta
water
salt and pepper

Chop carrot, onion, celery and bacon into small pieces, place in a pot with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, saute till onion is soft. Add 2-3 cups of water and simmer for as long as you can - ideally 1-2 hours on a low heat if you can, but if you don't have that much time, just as long as you can, the longer it simmers the more flavour you can get.

About 10 mins before serving add about 1/3 of the beans from the tin, the other 2/3 and the juice they are in goes into a blender and you blitz it until it is liquid and it should thicken. Add then bean mix to the soup and stir. Add the fettucine (I break mine up into about 2cm bits, as it's easier when you come to eat it) stir and cook until the pasta is done.

I taste mine and then season as required, sometimes it needs more salt than other times, and I have found using celery salt definitely assists the flavour!

If more liquid is required it can benefit from adding some chicken stock, it really is a dish you can play with to get the flavour you like.

I serve mine with warm crusty bread, YUMMO!!

Happy Cooking!

I have talked to you about Pork Belly previously, but that was with an asian flavour. Tonight I cooked it, but with an Italian influence (that should surprise you lol).

While in Italy I tasted pork that was to die for. It had a coating on it that seemed a combination of a salty-sagey-fennelly taste (my best interpretation). Our chef guru, Jonathon, showed us how to replicate this delicious treat and we had it with chicken. Since I've been home I have made it many times with chicken, but more recently with pork, and it is truly YUMMO (highly technical term to describe a foods deliciousness).

I make a paste by putting fennel seeds, salt and pepper and chicken salt in a mortar and pestle and grinding it down to a fine powder, I then add crushed garlic, fresh sage and rosemary, chopped very finely and olive oil. I know I haven't given you quantities, but it really is to taste, you don't have to be exact. Using fresh rosemary and sage really is essential as the dried just doesn't give you the flavour explosion you need.

Whether you use pork or chicken you use this paste and rub it all over the meat, use your hands and massage it in. I used pork belly tonight, I rubbed this paste in the placed the pork belly in a roasting dish, I added 1 cup of chicken stock and covered it and placed it in the oven on 180oC for about an hour. I then removed the cover and left it in there until I was ready to make the crackling, and did this by putting the oven on grill and letting it crisp away.

I served it with braised red cabbage - it is So good!! even if you're not a cabbage fan you'd love this!

1T olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove crushed
1 t fennel seeds
1/3 c white wine
200g red cabbage, shredded
1 c frozen peas
50g chopped butter

Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring for 3 mins. Add garlic and fennel seeds and cook until it becomes fragrant, add the wine and simmer until it reduces by half. reduce the heat to medium and add the cabbage and peas. Cook, toss it around until the peas are heated through and the cabbage just starts to wilt, add the butter and toss until the butter is melted, season with salt and pepper and serve... mmmm

You can then cook something like potatoes... maybe cubed and covered with Italian seasoning, or rosemary salt and olive oil.. and baked in the oven till crispy. I do hope you'll try this, as the taste is amazing! and the whole family will enjoy.

Happy Cooking!

Well there's a been a long break I guess, but in the meantime I have travelled to the most gorgeous, fascinating and intoxicating country I've ever been to. I have totally and utterly fallen for Italy. If it weren't for my cats I would sell up and move my family over there, as I am sure that I could assimilate into the life there very easy.

While I was there I had the privilege of staying in Tuscany in the wonderful medieval town of Cortona. I attended a cooking school with the fabulous Jonathon Arthur and his really lovely family, wife Sarah and daughter Lizzy. They made us feel like friends rather than clients and they were so knowledgeable about the area, the food, the culture and the art etc. They were very generous of their time with us and it's a real privilege to have met them.

Jonathon shared with us the simplicity and beauty of Italian food. He showed us how easy it was with good quality, everyday produce, to create great food.

Tonight we are having one of those delicious recipes and I would like to share it with you. I hope Jonathon won't mind...

Steak Picciola

Pureed Tomato (I use Passata - I get it from Davis Trading 1 litre for $1.95! It is not the thick type that comes in tubes, it is a thin puree, quite juicy with the seeds removed)
olive oil
oregano (dried is ok)
capers
salt & pepper
Thinly sliced steak (at Countdown here in NZ they have a cut called sizzle                                  steak that is absolutely perfect and the closest I have                                  found to what I had in Italy)

I haven't given measurements because it is really to taste... but I will try in the method to give you an idea..

In a wide frypan/skillet put a good glug of olive oil (to thinly cover the bottom of the pan) cook the meat slices over a med-high heat, turning over. Once cooked both sides remove from the oil and set aside, keep warm. The meat will be cooked, but not browned.

Pour into the olive oil the passata - once again covering the bottom of the pan, probably about 1 - 2 cups... sprinkle over oregano, salt & pepper, and capers (that have been roughly chopped, probably about 2 tablespoons. Let this mix warm through on a medium heat, stirring through. Place the steak back in to the tomato mix, lower the heat right down, cover and let it cook through slowly to tenderise and absorb the flavours.

In Italy you don't have meat and veges like we do in NZ, traditionally you would have had a pasta first course that contains your veges etc, so it is not necessary to eat them with your meat. I am serving ours with a potato bake and some simple steamed vege.

The potato bake is just slices of potato layered in a oven dish, pour over cream and top with grated cheese. Bake on 180oC until potatoes are cooked and browned.

Check out Jonathons website here http://www.italywithrelish.it/

Happy Cooking

Tonight I made the oh so yummy Brocolli and Cheese Soup that I gave you the recipe for previously, but instead of making a cheese and herb loaf this time I made cheese and bacon puffs. These puffs are great for any soup or casserole!


Cheese and Bacon Puffs

1 c milk
60g butter
1 c flour
4 eggs
1 c cheese - I added a 1/4 c fresh grated parmesan cheese for flavour
5 slices streaky bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 t crushed garlic
good pinch mustard powder
salt and pepper

Combine milk and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat over a medium heat until butter is melted and mixture is simmering. Add flour all at once, continue to cook, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from the heat. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating in thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Drop teaspoonfuls onto a baking paper lined tray and bake in a hot 190oC oven for 15 - 20 mins or until puffed and golden. Serve warm or at room temperature (don't be in a hurry to get them out of the oven, open the door a little and let them dry).

Enjoy! They're as yummy as savoury scones, but so much lighter, mmm

Happy Cooking,

Kerry

Well it's been awhile and I have been asked by a few people whats going on - in truth, I'm not sure what to blog about... It's quite hard to come up with ideas to write about - so I would really appreciate your ideas. Please can you give me some subjects/questions/requests etc so that I can keep the blog interesting and get over my writers block lol

Today I was craving an old favourite, a South Island (of New Zealand) delicacy... the cheese roll! So I had to whip some up. I made enough so that the kids have a snack when they get home, but I also thought I would make heaps and freeze them - then all you need to do is take them out, pop them in the oven and eat! It'll be great for them when I'm away, which is fast approaching!

So here's the easiest recipe I know for Cheese Rolls...

1 tin reduced cream
1 pkt onion soup
1 cup of grated cheese
1 loaf of sandwich bread - crusts cut off.

mix the cream, soup mix and cheese together. Spread on the slices of bread and roll up. Brush with melted butter and bake at 180oC for 15 - 20 mins (or until golden and crispy.  mmmm

I remember when these were 25c at the canteen at school!

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,

K

Oh my goodness.... Tonight I made a little piece of heaven...

Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup:

100g unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
300mls cream

300mls milk

4 cups chicken stock
4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen), chopped small
1 cup grated carrot
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Individual hollowed out rounds of sour dough bread

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion in the butter for 5-6 minutes, or until it is soft.

Add the other 4 tablespoons of butter to the pot. Add the flour and whisk for 3-4 minutes, creating a roux. Once flour has cooked, slowly add the cream and milk, whisking constantly. Add the chicken stock and bring the entire mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrot, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the soup. Continue to simmer the soup for 20-25 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Remove the soup pot from the heat. If you want less texture and a smoother soup, pour batches of the soup into a blender or use a stick blender, blend the soup to your desired consistency. 

Return the soup to the pot and stir over low heat, add the cheddar cheese. Stir to melt the cheese, and simmer the soup for another 10 minutes. You can add extra milk to thin the soup to your desired consistency if needed. 

Cut a 1/2 inch thick slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centres, leaving 3/4-inch-thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately.

mmmm

Happy Cooking,

K

Tried something different for tea tonight and thought I'd share - pretty easy to make and YUM, nice family meal..

TACO PIE

Ingredients:
60g butter
2/3 cup milk
1 package taco seasoning mix - as hot as you like it (we're just mild here..)
2 1/2 cups mashed potato flakes (you could also use left over mashed potatoes and omit the butter and milk)
500g minced beef
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, 

sour cream, optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Add milk and 2 tablespoon taco seasoning. Remove from heat and add potato flakes until incorporated. Press mixture into the bottom of a pie dish (and up the sides).
2. Bake for 7-10 minutes until it just BARELY turns golden brown.
3. In a medium skillet, cook beef and onions until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain. Add Salsa and remaining taco seasoning. Cook until bubbly.
4. Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
5. Let cool for 5 minutes. Top with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Cut and serve with sour cream.

Happy Cooking!

K

Well it's been awhile... I have to admit I've been a bit stuck on what to blog about...

Following my cousins post on Facebook I did feel inspired to make a really yummy vege soup this week and I teamed it up with the yummiest cheese and herb loaf, with lashings of butter..

So with the weather changing perhaps it's timely to share with you my recipes.

Soup:

For my vege soup I buy bacon bones and place them in a pot, then cover them with water and place on the stove.

I then add grated and chopped veges - now what you choose is really up to you, the nice thing is you can add anything really.

I add -

2 onions chopped finely
2 carrots grated
1 big parsnip grated
1 smallish swede grated
2 sticks of celery chopped
1/4 pumpkin grated

to that I add salt and pepper to taste and then leave it to simmer for at least 2 hours..

Sometimes I add grated potato or chopped spinach or silverbeet, or small pasta shapes like stars... When the soup is done shred the meat and discard the bones.

This is delicious just like that, but you can also use it as stock to flavour your other soups too.

Cheese and Herb Loaf:

1 1/2 c flour
1/4 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 c grated cheese (I added some grated parmesan to add flavour..)
1/c chopped fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, sage & mint) or I used dried herbs to taste - approx 2 t of each..
pinch of cayenne pepper (I used paprika)
pinch of mustard powder (I added that, it intensifies the cheesyness)
2 eggs
1/2 c milk

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in cheese, herbs, cayenne pepper or paprika and mustard.

In another bowl lightly beat eggs and milk together and pour into the flour mix, move quickly to mix - only just to combine, no more. Mixture shouldnt be too stiff, it should be more sticky, if it's not add a little more milk. Pour into a baking paper lined loaf tin and back at 180oC for about 40 mins or until the loaf springs back when lightly touched. Leave in the tin for 5 mins before turning out onto cooling rack. Slice, and eat mmmmm

Happy Cooking,

K

I've never been very good at making Hot Cross Buns. I have tried many different recipes and they just don't get the height or fluffiness I want.. Last year I decided to make one of my FAVOURITE things about staying in Samoa. Each morning I'd get down to breakfast before they were all gone.. they are of course the MOST delicious Panipopo, or Coconut Cream buns... mmm

Now just a disclaimer here - I am in no way suggesting that these are healthy, or to be eaten every day lol that happens strictly on holiday :o)

Panipopo:

4 c flour                           50g butter
4 T sugar                         4 t dried yeast
2 cups very warm water      2 cans of coconut cream
1/2 c flour                        extra sugar
extra water

Place flour in a bowl and rub in butter until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and sprinkle the sugar in. In another bowl place yeast and then pour the warm water over the top. Stir yeast mix till dissolved and then pour into the centre. Fold the mix together with a wooden spoon. When all is combined place a damp teatowel over and store in a warm place for 1 hour. The mix should then have doubled in size and have little bubbles on top. Turn the mix out onto a floured bowl and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. roll into a ball and place back in the bowl, cover once again with the damp teatowel and place back in the warm, dark place. This time leave for 30 mins.

When the mix has done, grab small fist size balls of dough and roll into sausages. Curl round into a knot and place in a baking dish, leaving room in between them for them to rise.

In another bowl place coconut cream. Mix flour together with enough water to make a runny paste. Add that to the coconut cream and stir in. Now add sugar to your preferred taste, and then add a bit more, as some sweetness disappears in the cooking process.. Once mixed pour over buns up to about halfway. Place in 200oC oven and bake for around 20 mins or until the coconut is boiling and the buns are golden brown. They should have swelled and filled the pan. Brush the tops with a sugar syrup while warm, made by adding 3 dessertspoons on sugar with a little hot water - should be syrupy.. This stops them from drying out.

Once cooled to room temperature place in fridge, served cold.



These were made today and this was taken before sugar syrup was brushed on to them. They are really good!!!

Happy Cooking - and Happy Easter my dear friends :o)

K

In November this year my lovely Aunty passed away after a brave fight with Cancer. Her loss is immeasurable and today her darling daughter posted on Facebook that she was looking through her mother's cookbook and found a recipe her mum used to make for her. I thought it would be a lovely tribute if as many people as possible will give it a go this weekend, in her honour, and to remember those close to you taken by this b#@&dy disease!! Comment on here or post photos if you do it as a lovely tribute to the brave battle our loved ones face. Here's her recipe, in her handwriting, and it must be worthwhile to go to the effort because I see she noted at the top that it was "good"...

Happy Cooking my friends, and Happy Easter xxx

K

Mmm tonights dinner is cooking in the oven and I HAVE to say it looks and smells divine!!!

A Facebook friend has been posting recipes to die for all week - with American ingredients - but I am converting them to ones that we have in NZ.

Tonight's is Potato and Chicken casserole...

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole:

500g boneless chicken breasts, cubed 
5 or 6 medium potatoes, cut in 2 cm cubes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. garlic chopped 
3 Tbsp. hot sauce - use whatever you like thats a wee bit spicy, could even be a plum sauce - or tabasco, whatever and adjust the amount to taste...

Topping:
2 cups of a blend of cheeses, I used mozarella, parmesan and edam but you can use whatever you like - you do want something to be creamy tho...
1 cup diced bacon
1 cup diced green onion

Preheat oven to 250oC. Spray a 9X13" baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and hot sauce. Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat. Carefully scoop the potatoes into the prepared baking dish, leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mixture as possible. Bake the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and crispy and browned on the outside. While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the left over olive oil/hot sauce mixture and stir to coat. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 200 degrees. Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken. In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon and green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mixture. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious.
Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing.

SO GOOD!!! 

Happy Cooking!

K

From China to Mexico tonight Arriba, Arriba!!

I wasn't very motivated to make dinner tonight, but had to come up with something. I wanted tasty but light - Taco's - the perfect solution!

I like them because I can prepare everything before hand and put them in little bowls, and then my lot can put them together as they like.

I prepared 6 bowls. In them I put grated cheese in one, chopped tomatoes in another, sliced lettuce, taco sauce, sour cream and guacamole. 

I make my guacamole by mashing a ripe avocado, adding sweet chili sauce (to taste) and sour cream. Mix it all together - YUM. 

I buy the taco shells from the supermarket and just heat them through so they are crunchy and warm.

I saute onion and red capsicum till soft, then add mince. I stir this through until it is brown, and there is no liquid in the bottom. I added a taco powdered seasoning and water, but you can also buy jars of it. Simmer it through until it is absorbed into the meat.

Construct your taco how you like, but I like to put the mince in first and add the cheese quickly on top so that it melts a little. I then put the guacamole, taco sauce and sour cream, lettuce and tomato, that way the sauces hold the lettuce and tomato on. Definitely a meal best eaten with your fingers, and SO yum!!

Happy Cooking,
K

Mmmmm tonight I felt like dumplings... in a rich broth.. so a google search turned up a yummy recipe for Wonton Soup. Making your own wontons is really easy, I will definitely do it again.

The recipe called for wonton wrappers, but I couldnt find any so I bought spring roll ones and just cut them into 4 smaller squares. It worked out well!

So here it is:

• 4 cups salt-reduced chicken stock
• 2 carrots, peeled, cut into matchsticks
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 125g noodles
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Chicken wontons

• 200g lean chicken mince
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 20 wonton wrappers
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
  
  1. Step 1
     Make wontons: Combine mince, onion, ginger and garlic in a bowl. Place a rounded teaspoon of mixture in the centre of 1 wonton wrapper. Brush edges with egg. Fold corners together to form a pouch. Press to secure. Place on a plate. Repeat to make 20 wontons.
  2. Step 2
     Place stock, carrot and 4 cups cold water in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until carrot is tender. Add ginger, soy sauce, noodles and wontons. Simmer for 5 minutes or until wontons are cooked through. Serve topped with onions.
     
     
     
     
     Happy Cooking,
     K
     
     

I love cooking, I really wish I could just cook or bake all day.. unfortunately I have no head for business, and so therefore it will remain my interest rather than my job... I also love to cook for others and so when my lovely friends suggest I should make them something I love to give it a go.

Today I shared such a delight with my cat show buddies. I loved being able to bring something to life for them.. So I tackled a new recipe, and it got a good reaction, and I thought I would share it here. I adjusted the ingredients to suit New Zealand ingredients, because the original recipe on Facebook used prepackaged American products like Vanilla Pudding and Cool Whip.

Chocolate Eclair Cake!!!

1 cup water
1/2 cup (125g) butter
1 cup flour
4 large eggs

500g package Cream Cheese, softened

300 mls vanilla custard (buy ready made or make your own)

300 mls whipped cream

chocolate syrup or homemade chocolate sauce

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200oC. Lightly grease a 9″X13″ (22X33cm) glass baking pan (Pyrex)

Eclair Crust:

In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time, mixing completely before adding another egg. Spread mixture into pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly. *If the sides of your pan are too greased you won’t be able to get the mixture to stay up the sides so make sure to just lightly grease.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (Mine only took 25 minutes.) You may want to check it occasionally-you don’t want to overcook the crust, it will ruin the cake! Remove from oven and let cool (don’t touch or push bubbles down).

Filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl. Slowly add custard to cream cheese, mixing until there are no lumps. Place in fridge. When the crust is completely cooled, pour filling in. Top with a layer of whipped cream however thick you want it and serve drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Happy Cooking,

K

I am missing Samoa tonight, it is a land I love, influenced heavily by my Dad, who lived there in the early 1960's. I grew up hearing stories of Dad's time there, and listening to him speak the language so fluently, and I was in awe. Paul and I took the kids to Samoa for the first time in 2008, as soon as I stepped off the plane I felt like I was home... I guess it was Dad's stories that bonded me, but the island and the people themselves are just so wonderful that it's a place I love.

So tonight I made 2 traditional Samoan dishes for tea.

Sapasui:

500g thinly sliced steak

1 large onion (diced)

8 cloves of garlic (chopped)

50g ginger (chopped)

100g vermicelli (the glass noodles)

750 mls - 1l water

100 mls dark soy sauce

100 mls peanut oil

salt & pepper

Put water in a bowl and soak vermicelli for 1/2 an hour. Cut with scissors when soft along the middle and corners.

Heat oil on high, when sizzling add garlic and ginger. Fry till about to turn brown then add onion, cook till clear.

Add meat and fry till cooked, then add half of the soy sauce and cook for about 2 mins. Add vermicelli and any veges you may like to add (carrots, beans...) Stir well then simmer for 5 mins or until the vermicelli is clear, on a low note. Add more soy sauce if needed to bring the colour back to brown. Can be served on rice.

Oka:

2 large fillets of fish (Tuna, Snapper etc)

1/2 cucmber - seeds removed and diced

2 tomatoes - deseeded and diced

1 med onion diced

1 400g tin coconut cream (from Samoa of course)

1 lemon - juiced (or lime)

salt and pepper

Chop fish into bite size pieces, place in a bowl. Add diced cucumber, tomato and onion. Mix the coconut cream with lemon juice (or lime) and salt and pepper - be generous with the salt as the dish will benefit from it. Add to fish and stir. Refrigerate till cold. Serve in small dishes or bowls.

SO GOOD!! look out for my blog at Easter for another Samoan delicacy too! I have tried to make Hot Cross Buns for years, with limited success, but last year made Panipopo (Samoan coconut buns) and they were really good - so they are my new Easter tradition :o)

Happy Cooking,

K