Cupcakes for Canterbury

On Saturday 4 September there was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Canterbury destroying a lot of Christchurch city and homes all around the Canterbury region.  Red Cross are on the ground in Christchurch and around Canterbury helping out.  Being so far away in Auckland and feeling rather helpless I thought I could bake a big batch of cupcakes and sell them on at work to make some money to donate.  Vanilla cupcakes with butter cream icing recipe below.

Ingredients (makes 12)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup self raising flour
2 eggs
125 grams butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups icing sugar
125 grams butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
Food colouring
Cupcake papers

Directions
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, vanilla extract and butter until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Add the milk and flour alternately and mix until combined.  Line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake papers and place tablespoon dollops of the mixture into each paper.  Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden.

When the cupcakes have cooled beat the butter until light and fluffy, stir in the milk and icing sugar.  Add food colouring of your choice until you get the colour you desire.  Pipe or spread the icing onto the cupcakes.  I have also used fondant on these cupcakes and glitter icing pens..

Chicken and Coleslaw Pita Pockets

Tonight was shopping night so I wanted to make something yummy and easy.  Cabbages were on sale at the supermarket and because I love them I thought I would get one and make a coleslaw, yum yum!  No photo's tonight sorry...

Ingredients
1/4 green cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 small carrots, grated
1/2 cup Best Foods Lite Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Rock salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 chicken breasts, chopped into 2cm cubes
1 pita bread per person, halved

Directions
In a large bowl mix the cabbage, red onion, carrot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Place in the fridge to cool while you cook chicken.  Heat a non-stick pan over a high heat.  Drizzle some olive oil in the pan.  Cook the chicken and garlic in the pan until cooked through.  While the chicken in cooking place the pita breads in the oven to heat through for 5 - 10 minutes.  Once all cooked stuff the pita breads with the chicken and coleslaw.  Enjoy.

Banana Cake Muffins with Lemon Icing.

Today is Fathers Day and I decided to make a variation on one of my Daddy's favourites, Banana Cake, and make it into muffins.

Ingredients

125 grams butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups mashed ripe bananas

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons hot milk

2 cups standard plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups icing sugar

1/4 teaspoon butter, softened

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon rind

Directions

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add mashed banana and mix thoroughly.  Stir soda into hot milk and add to creamed mixture.  Sift flour and baking powder.  Fold into mixture.  Turn into a large greased muffin tin.  Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes or until the muffin springs back when lightly touched. 

While the muffins are baking sift the icing sugar into a bowl.  Add butter.  Add sufficient lemon juice to mix to a spreadable consistency.  Flavour with lemon rind.  Leave in the tin for 10 minutes.  While in the tin drizzle over some of the icing so that it drizzles down the side of the muffin into the bottom of the tin.  Turn out on to wire rack.  When cold drizzle with a tad more of the icing and leave to set.  Enjoy warm or cold.  Store in a airtight container.

Lamb with Green Beans and Creamy Potatoes

Tonight my lovely Daddy came for dinner and we had a couple of mini lamb roasts so decided to make something yummy, quick and easy. 

Ingredients
2 mini lamb roasts
Round green beans
Balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves
3 stalks fresh Rosemary
Olive oil
1 potato per person
125 grams butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon honey
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Season the lamb well and place in a hot pan with some olive oil and sear each side.  Once the lamb has been browned all over place the lamb in a baking dish on top of the garlic cloves and Rosemary stalks.  Add a few splashes on Balsamic vinegar over the lamb and cover with foil. 

Place in the oven and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for half an hour (medium).  Take the lamb out of the oven and place on a hot plate and cover with foil.  Rest for 15 minutes.  In a small pot place the pan juices from the lamb, 1/2 cup beef stock, 1 teaspoon honey and the garlic cloves and Rosemary from the baking dish.  Reduce.  While the lamb is resting boil the potatoes for mashing.  Cut the ends off of the beans and rinse.  When the potatoes are almost cooked place the beans on to boil.  Mash the potatoes and place a dollop on each plate.  Slice the lamb against the grain a put a few slices on the potato.  Place the beans alongside the potato and drizzle with the sauce.

Enjoy!

Eye Fillet Steak with Buttery Mashed Potato and a Red Wine Sauce

We eat a lot of steak in our household so I have to come up with a lot of different sides to have with it.  This is one of our favourites.  Very tasty, quite decadent and leaves you feeling nicely satisfied.

Ingredients
One piece of eye fillet steak (approx 120 grams) per person
Round green beans, ends trimmed
One Agria potato per person, peeled, cut into small pieces and boiled until soft
1 tablespoon butter
5 tablespoons milk
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup beef stock

In a small pot combine the wine, vinegar and pepper and cook over a high heat for 1 - 2 minutes.  Add the stock and cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.  Boil longer if you require a thicker, more reduced sauce.
While the sauce is reducing season the steaks well.  Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat.  Add the steaks and cook to your liking.  Remove the steaks from the pan and keep warm.  While the steaks rest steam the beans until they are a nice, bright green and still slightly crunchy to the bite. 
While the beans are cooking place the butter and milk into the potatoes and mash until smooth.  Season with salt.
Serve the steak, beans and mashed potato drizzled with the red wine sauce.  Delicious!

Turkey and Ricotta Ravioli

My camera has been MIA for the last few days so I am only now able to upload photo's from the last few meals that we have had that are worth blogging.  So, last Friday night my sister came to stay and we had some turkey breast out so to make it 'go the distance' we decided to make ravioli.  The meal was an absolute hit with everyone and it will definitely be on the menu again soon. 

Ingredients
300 gram turkey breast, finely chopped, cooked
250 gram carton of lite ricotta cheese
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
Fresh basil, finely chopped
Freshly ground pepper
Salt
Wonton wrappers
2 jars of Barilla Basilico pasta sauce, warmed through.

Directions
In a mixing bowl mix together the turkey, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Take one wonton wrapper at a time and place on a board.  Place a large teaspoonful of the mixture in the middle of the wonton wrapper.  Take a pastry brush and dip in water.  Brush around the edge of the wonton wrapper with the water and fold in half diagonally.  Cut around the edge of the ravioli with a pasty cutter.  Continue this process until all of the turkey mixture is used up.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season well.  Place the ravioli's in the water to cook.  When all of the ravioli have risen to the surface they are ready.  Remove from the pasta water and serve between bowls.  Cover with the pasta sauce and some freshly grated Parmesan.

Bon Appetit.

Homemade Hamburgers

Tonight I wanted to make an easy Sunday night dinner.  We were going to have a roast chicken however when I went to the supermarket to get a chicken they were a bit over-priced so decided to go with Homemade Hamburgers.  A yummy, easy favourite!

Ingredients
300 grams premium, lean beef mince
1 carrot and/or zucchini, grated
1 tablespoon Watties tomato sauce
Breadcrumbs
Fresh, chopped Italian parsley
Fresh, chopped basil
1 onion, finely chopped
Fresh hamburger buns
Beetroot slices
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Best Foods mayonnaise
Tomato sauce

Directions
In a mixing bowl mix together the mince, carrot, zucchini, tomato sauce, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil and onion.  Mix well.  Place a large fry pan over a hot heat and add a bit of olive oil.  Roll small handfuls of the meat mixture in your hands and then flatten.  Place in the hot pan and cook through.
Grill the buns then load up with a patty, tomato sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato and beetroot. 
Yum!

Chilli and Ginger Beef

Today I started back at Weight Watchers so tonight I made a yummy, easy meal out of the Secrets of Success recipe book. 

Serves: 1

Points per Serve: 5 1/2

Ingredients

100 grams lean, premium beef mince

2 slices red onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

75 grams green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/4 cup cooked rice

Directions

Add the mince, onion and ginger to a non-stick fry pay and cook, stirring, over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

While the mince is cooking, steam or microwave the green beans until just tender.  Add to the mince along with the sambal oelek and soy sauce.  Heat through while stirring.  Serve with rice.

Chicken and Pea Risotto

I love making risotto, there is something therapeutic about it as it's not something that you can rush.  Last night I had a couple of chicken breasts out and wasn't too sure what to have and then I thought, risotto...

Ingredients

190 grams arborio rice

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 organic, free range, boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 2cm cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup frozen peas

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Olive oil or butter

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place all of the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil, once boiling simmer over a low heat.

Heat oil in a sauté pan and add chicken.  Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Once chicken is cooked through remove from pan and set aside. 

In the same pan add a touch more oil and cook the onion and garlic until softened.  Season with salt to soften the onion.  Once the onion is softened and translucent add the rice and stir to coat in oil.  Place a ladleful of stock into the saute pan and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.  Repeat this until all the stock is gone and the rice is cooked through.  Return the chicken to the pain and add peas.  Add Parmesan cheese to your taste. 

Serve topped with some Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Extra Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce

This pasta sauce is extra easy to make using tinned tomatoes and goes well with any pasta dish.

Ingredients
2 400 grams tins of whole peeled tomatoes
1 onion, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch dried oregano
Pinch dried basil
Fresh red chilli, deseeded, chopped
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a large, heavy based pan heat up a drizzle of olive oil.  Place garlic into the warmed oil and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the tins of tomatoes, onions, oregano, basil and chilli and bring to the boil.  Simmer for about 10 minutes on low.

Serve over pasta with freshly grated Parmesan! 

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Tonight we felt like a yummy, warming winter meal and decided on Spaghetti and Meatballs.  One of my fave's.

Ingredients
400 grams premium, low fat minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Watties tomato sauce
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
Chopped fresh basil
Chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese
Linguine

Directions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
In a bowl combine all ingredients together and mix well.  Add more/less breadcrumbs if required.
Take tablespoon sized amounts of the combined mixture and roll into balls.  Place in an oven proof dish and cook for 10 - 12 minutes or until cooked through. 

While meatballs are cooking cook spaghetti to packet instructions and prepare the pasta sauce as per my Extra Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce recipe.
When the meatballs are cooked through place on top of spaghetti, cover with pasta sauce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Chocolate Caramel Slice

Mr FPTP's brother is coming to stay for a week and he LOVES Chocolate Caramel Slice so I decided I would make some for him when he comes to stay.  Before he arrives though had to make a trial batch to make sure it was up to his standard! 
This recipe makes a gorgeous batch of Chocolate Caramel Slice which is easy and yummy all at the same time.  The best part about it is that it has a good quantity of caramel in it; my favourite part!!!

Ingredients
Base
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup desiccated coconut
2/3 cup self raising flour
85 grams butter, melted

Caramel Filling
30 grams butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 395 gram can sweetened condensed milk

Topping
150 grams milk or dark chocolate, melted

Directions
Base
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin. 
Stir brown sugar, coconut and flour together in a large bowl until well combined.  Add butter and mix until well combined.  Press mixture firmly into the prepared cake tin.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly browned and slightly risen.
Set aside to cool for 10 - 20 minutes (while making caramel).  Leave the oven on.

Caramel Filling
Place butter and golden syrup in a medium, heavy based saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  When the butter has melted add condensed milk.  Stir constantly over medium heat for about 9 - 12 minutes, until caramel thickens.
Gently spread the caramel evenly over the base.  Return to the oven for a further 10 - 12 minutes until a 1/2cm border of lightly browned caramel has formed around the edges.
Allow to cool to room temperature.

Topping
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over a very low heat, stirring frequently, until melted.  Spread the melted chocolate over the caramel.
Refrigerate the slice until the chocolate is just set, about 20 - 30 minutes.  Remove the slice from the pan and cut into pieces.  I use a hot, dry knife to cut the slice.

Store slice in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The Ultimate Chocolate Brownie with Raspberries

Last week I made chocolate caramel slice (recipe to come) and took it in to work.  It went down so well that I have decided I am going to bake once a week and take it in to work for my colleagues to enjoy.  This week I have made The Ultimate Chocolate Brownie with Raspberries.  This was the winner of The Search for NZ's Favourite Recipe.  It is absolutely DIVINE and I'm sure it will go down extra well in the office tomorrow.  I omitted the raspberries this time.

Ingredients
320 grams butter, melted
1 1/4 cups cocoa
7 free range eggs
3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 - 2 cups dark chocolate chips/drops

1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
frozen/fresh raspberries (optional)
icing sugar (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.  Line a large baking tin/roasting dish (24x34cm) with baking paper.  Melt the butter.  Using an electric mixer beat the cocoa into the melted butter.  Add eggs, sugar and vanilla and mix with the mixer for 3 - 4 minutes until the mixture begins to whip up in volume.
Using a wooden spoon/spatula mix in the chocolate chips/drops.  Sift flour and baking powder in; stir until fully combined.  Pour into the lined baking tin; give it a gentle shake to even out the mixture.

If using raspberries, dot these evenly on top of the mixture, gently pushing them just under the surface.  Bake in the oven at 160 degrees Celsius for about 1 hour until an inserted skewer comes out clean.  Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to cool further.  If you want to make them look extra fancy, sift icing sugar over the top.

Enjoy warm or cold with some whipped cream or by themselves! 
DELICIOUS!!!

Jamie Olivers Perfect Roast Chicken and Consistently Good Gravy

I bought a whole chicken the other day from the supermarket and on Tuesday night I really felt like a nice warm roast meal so made Jamie Olivers recipe for Perfect Roast Chicken.

Ingredients
1 1.6kg free range, organic chicken

2 medium onions

2 carrots

2 sticks celery

1 bulb garlic

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 lemon

small bunch of fresh thyme, rosemary, bay and sage

Directions

Preheat the oven to 240 degrees celsius.  Chop the veggies and break the garlic into cloves and leave them unpeeled.

Pile all the vege and the garlic into the middle of the pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper rubbing it all over the bird.

Carefully prick the lemon all over and pop in to the microwave for 40 seconds.

Put the lemon inside the cavity with the bunch of herbs.

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting tray and put into the preheated oven.  Turn the heat down immediately to 200 degrees celsius and cook the chicken for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

If you are doing roast potatoes and veggies get them in the oven for the last 45 minutes of cooking.

Baste the chicken halfway through cooking and if the veg look dry add a splash of water to the tray.

When cooked take the tray out of the oven and transfer the chicken to a board.  Cover with foil and tea towel to rest for 15 minutes.

Time to make the gravy!!!

Consistently Good Gravy

Ingredients

As well as the roasted vege from the roast chicken recipe you will need:

1 heaped dessert spoon of flour

a wine glass of red or white wine

1 litre of vege, chicken or beef stock

Directions

Using a spoon remove 90 percent of the hot fat from the tray.  Put the tray on the hob over a high heat.  Add the flour and stir through.  Using a potato masher, mash all the vege to a pulp.  Don't worry if it's lumpy.

You can rip the wings off the chicken and break them up in to the tray to add more flavour at this point.

When everything is mixed and mashed up add the wine to give a little fragrance before you add your stock.  Keep it over the heat and let it boil for a few minutes.

Pour in the stock or boiling water.  Bring everything to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Pour the gravy through a sieve into a bowl.

Discard any meat or vege left behind. 

Serve or put back on the hob to thicken/heat.

Beef Curry

Tonight for dinner I made a beautiful beef curry.  The meat was so tender and tasty and was loved by all!

Ingredients

50 grams unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 thumb fresh ginger, finely grated

3 tablespoons curry powder (use mild or hot depending on taste, I used mild)

1 teaspoon each: yellow mustard seeds, salt

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1.5kg rump steak, cut into 2.5cm cubes

1 teaspoon chilli paste

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

Directions

Heat the butter and the oil in a heavey-based saucepan over a gentle heat and cook the onion, garlic and ginger until soft.  Add the curry powder and mustard seeds and cook until fragrant.  Add the salt and vinegar and stir well.

Increase the heat slightly and add the meat, tossing to to coat well.  Add the chilli paste and tomatoes, bring to the boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  Cover the pan and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.  If you have too much juice at the end of cooking, remove the lid from the pan and cook on a high heat until the juice has reduced.  Serve with white rice.

Italian Style Risoni Soup

Tonight we felt like something light but warm for dinner so we decided on soup.  This soup was perfect.  Nice and light but warm and filling at the same time.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium fennel bulb, ends trimmed, finely chopped

1 large carrot, peeled, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1.5 litres low sodium chicken stock

1/3 cup risoni

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sliced Ciabatta, to serve

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat.  Add the fennel, carrot and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until just tender.  Add the stock and bring to the boil.  Add the risoni and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.  Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes or until the peas are bright green and tender.  Remove from heat.

Add the tarragon and stir to combine.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup among serving bowls and serve with Ciabatta.

Beef Stew

Yesterday was Mr PTP's birthday and when asked what he wanted for birthday dinner, he requested stew.

Below is a recipe adapted from Ina Gartens 'Parker's Beef Stew' recipe.



Ingredients 1kg good quality chuck beef, cut into 2cm cubes
1 (750-ml bottle) good red wine
3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
3 bay leaves
2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil
2 yellow onions, cut into 2cm cubes
450 grams carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 2cm chunks
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 cups chicken stock
1 large (or 2 small) branch fresh rosemary
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce


Directions
Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper.

Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves and garlic, saving the marinade.

In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly.

Place the beef in a large crockpot and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary. (If the beef is very lean, you'll need more oil.)

Place all the beef in the crockpot.

Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil to the large pot and add the onions and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Place all the vegetables in the crockpot over the beef.


Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pan and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Add the chicken stock, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the crockpot and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove.


Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn on to low for 6 to 8 hours.


Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and peas.

Chicken Citrus Salad

Tonight after going for a run around at the park and a bike ride we felt like a nice light salad for dinner. I had a yummy recipe from Giada that I wanted to try and it worked out perfect for tonights dinner.

adapted from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe

Ingredients
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Salad
baby spinach leaves or mesclun salad
1 orange cut into segments
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
1 chicken breast per person (approx 100 grams each)

Directions
Slice the chicken into thin strips.
Heat a non-stick pan and drizzle with olive oil.
While the pan is heating put all the vinaigrette ingredites into a jar and shake to blend.

Place the chicken in the hot pan and season well.

While the chicken is cooking combine all the salad ingredients in a salad bowl, drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine.

Serve out on to serving plates and top with chicken.

ENJOY!