Turkey Shui Mai (dumplings)

I was in the grocery store staring at a packet of ground turkey but I had no idea what I was going to do with it. I had lost all inspiration.  I didn't want to make meatballs or another burger, but I knew I had to incorporate this healthy, light choice of meat into our diet this week or all my hard work in front of Jillian (US Biggest Loser Trainer) and running on that damn treadmill would be for naught.  I came home, read The Age newspaper online and went straight to the Good Food section.  They had a little special on some New Years Eve party ideas and were making chicken dumplings using wonton wrappers. I knew I had some of those in my fridge, as I had bought them ages ago thinking I might not ever find them again.  I got started and combined a few ideas to make this delicious meal.  I actually ate a few as a starter as soon as I steamed them but actually ended up eating them in a miso soup as a full meal.  Despite these being totally uncomplicated and pretty neutral in flavour the girls tried them but didn't really eat them. I'll give them another go as they normally eat dim sims or dumplings without much hassle and they love noodles and Chinese food usually.  

These were so easy to make, the pre-made wonton wrappers cut out most of the prep work and the chestnuts gave it such a delicious crunch, it made them interesting while still maintaining the mild and subtle flavors.  I really enjoyed these.  

Makes approx 30 dumplings

Ingredients:
250g (1/2 lb) ground turkey
1/4 cup tinned water chestnuts, finely diced
2 spring onion
1 tspn ginger, minced
1 tspn garlic, crushed
egg white (I used about half)
1 tspn salt
pinch of white pepper
30 wonton wrappers

Asian Dressing:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup peanut or grapeseed oil
1/3 soy sauce
2 tblpsn ginger
4 spring onions
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tblspn fish sauce
pinch of salt
1/2 tspn sugar
1 tblspn freshly chopped mint or cilantro

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients for the dumplings together in a bowl using your hand to combine well.
• Holding a wonton wrapper in your palm, drop a spoonful of mixture into the centre.  Run a little water around the edges of the wrapper before folding it into a triangle and pressing the sides firmly.  I then bring the two corners together at the bottom and pinch the edges together to make it look like a chinese fortune cookie.  (Instructions for this are usually on the back of the wonton wrapper packet).

• Place the sealed wontons in an oiled bamboo steamer, cover and cook for 5-7mins
• Serve with the Asian Dressing as an appetizer or in an Asian soup, like miso for a complete meal

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

I did the unimaginable this past week and bought the massive bag (could it 5lbs?) of baby spinach from Costco and then had to find one hundred and one ways to eat spinach!  Who are those bags for?  Families are seemingly larger here in the mid west but surely not large enough to eat all that spinach before it went off!  Well, I did my best and I am pleased to say after using a good portion to make Palak Paneer for our Annual Curryfest, then layering it between lasagne, and even hiding it under our  Christmas Roast Beef as creamed spinach which the girls didn't seem to notice... it was gone.  For a simple mid week meal, this easy chicken dish was really tasty and absolutely kid friendly - if they aren't scared of 'green'.  It helps to keep the chicken moist and the use of the bacon wrap is just plain delicious. We ate it with a bunch of steamed vegetables but given the oven is on, you could easily do this with my scallop potato dish http://whatsfordinner-mum.blogspot.com/2012/04/scallop-potatoesthe-perfect-side.html or just regular roasted mixed vegetables.

Makes 2

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast, butterflied

2 cups spinach, wilted (or defrost a packet of spinach)

50g feta
2 tblpsn ricotta (optional)
a shake of nutmeg

salt and pepper

1/3 cup parmesan

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 rashers bacon to wrap

Method:

• Heat a large pan or wok and cook the spinach over medium heat, add salt and cook until wilted.  You many need to add a drop or two of water to aid the wilting process. When cooked, remove from heat and drain all excess water on a paper towel.
• Preheat oven to 400'F
• Using a hand blender, roughly puree the spinach in a tall cup and allow to cool
• In a bowl, mix the spinach, feta, ricotta (if using) and parmesan, seasonings and crushed garlic.
• Slice your chicken breast almost all the way through and open it out.
• Spoon your spinach mixture into the gap and then wrap the bacon around the chicken keeping it in place.  Use a toothpick to secure.

• Spray an oven proof dish with a little olive oil spray and place the chicken in the dish.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 12mins, covered with foil.
• Uncover and let the bacon crisp up, another 3-5mins.
• Serve with your choice of vegetables or salad

Rumballs

A simple, no bake Christmas treat.  I remember making these almost every year around this time with my Dad and sister. The chain gang of balling and rolling in coconut made it a quick task so I recruited some smaller helpers today as well.... little Georgia was to keen to get her fingers mucky and Lucy tried her hand at it too for a time.

Ingredients:
250g weetabix, crushed

1 400g tin of sweetened condensed milk

3 tspn cocoa powder

1/2 cup sultanas/raisins, chopped (optional but highly recommended)

1 1/2 cup dessicated unsweetened coconut

2 tbspn rum (white, dark, doesnt matter) or more if you want a Merry Christmas.

Method:

• Combine the crushed weetabix, rum, condensed milk, cocoa powder, sultanas and 1 of the cups of coconut in a large bowl and mix until well combined
• Roll roughly 1 tablespoon of mixture into a ball and then drop into another bowl of the remaining coconut to coat

Georgia says she might become a real cooker one day! 

• Place on a tray and continue until all the mixture is used.
• Place in the refridgerator for 25-30minutes to chill
• Store in an airtight container, for as long as they last... or up to about 10 days if that's possible.
• They get even better after a few days as the rum seems to intensify

Chocolate rolo cookies

My girls' had their School Holiday Sing Concert this week and their 'after party' called for cookies.  In a cookie mad country I had to find something good. I have to admit as a general rule, I don't like cookies. And I totally suck at cooking them. So from my perspective I have perpetuated the belief that they are completely overrated and generally dry and boring. I needed to change my attitude if I was going to fit in at school though so after much searching, I saw this  recipe on pinterest (my new late night hobby) via a website called liluna.com and immediately thought, these have potential. You've probably all seen this recipe a thousand times before but for me, cooking cookies are along the road less travelled. It is a cake mix, so it has body and above all - it has a rolo shoved in the middle.  You can't go wrong with a rolo shoved in anything so I gave it a go. At this time of the year I was also keen not to make it all totally from scratch.  It was more like a brownie than a cookie but with a little surprise.  I liked it.  The girls cleaned the plate of leftovers the next day so I was well pleased.  I didn't want them hanging around our house too long over this crazy festive season, I'll put on enough calories with wine and champagne, I don't need any further temptations.  

So if you have the need this holiday to share a plate of 'cookies'...make a batch of these.  

Makes approx 24

Ingredients:
1 packet chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter
8oz cream cheese
1 tspn vanilla essence
1 egg
powdered sugar
rolo's

Method:

• Pre heat the oven to 350'F
• Beat the butter, egg, vanilla and cream cheese together until fluffy
• Add the dry cake mix and continue to beat until it begins to form a dough
• Place the mixture in the refridgerator for 30mins to chill
• Roll about a tablespoon of mixture into a rough ball and then press a rolo into the middle, making sure it is covered with dough.  
• Drop the ball into a bowl of powdered sugar and dust off excess, then place on a greased baking sheet
• Allow enough space between each cookie for expansion, you might get about 9 or 10 per tray
• Bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Dust a little powdered sugar to the top if you like, as they cool.
• Eat at least one while they're hot!

No Cream Carbonara

Is Carbonara one of those dishes you love but are never too sure when to add the egg?  This is the most simple and tasty dish and it avoids the guilt of a carb-loaded meal made with cream.  It has none!  This should not take more than about 15mins to cook from start to finish.  The girls enjoy the simplicity of this dish, so I often just toss the cooked mushrooms through our portion after I've dished up theirs.  Mushrooms are one vegetable I can understand them not liking, I never did as a kid!

I love my carbonara with mushrooms, not totally traditional but by far the best!

NB. I will update this with a photo the next time we eat it... after a late evening playing out in the snow, we all rushed in to eat too quickly tonight!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
pasta: penne - spaghetti - whatever you like!
salt
cracked black pepper
1 tblspn butter
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
200g streaky bacon, sliced
3 eggs, beaten
1/3-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
4-6 portabella mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Method:

• Bring a pot of salty water to the boil on the stove.  Add pasta when boiling.
• In a non-stick pan, heat a good knob of butter.  Sauté the sliced mushrooms with salt and pepper and cook until browned.  Set aside.
• Add the onions and cook until soft and clear, then add the garlic
• Add bacon/pancetta to the pan and cook until tender and crispy.    
• In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and combine with the majority of parmesan. 
• Drain the pasta, keeping aside a little of the pasta water, and add pasta to bacon and stir to mix through.  
• Remove the pan from the heat entirely and use some pasta cooking water to move the pasta around in the pan, if necessary.
• Stir in the egg while the pasta is still hot and coat all the strands of pasta with the egg/cheese mixture.

Serve immediately with a shaving of additional parmesan and some cracked pepper.  Freshly chopped parsley if you want to add a touch of green.

Peachy pops

I was looking for a fun way to use up about 30 tins of sliced peaches... see earlier post on http://whatsfordinner-mum.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-craft-tradition.html which I prepared for my two girls' class.  I searched 'what to do with tinned peaches' and Del Monte, the brand of peaches had this delicious recipe listed on their website.  These are ideal, pureed peaches and vanilla yoghurt - low calorie and delicious. 

I have a few classroom parties coming up over the festive season so this is the perfect solution!

You could of course use peaches, strawberries, mango, banana or any combination you like. The girls helped me pour them into the cups and they were frozen in just a few hours.  These are going to become a regular treat in our house from now on.

Makes 8 serves

Ingredients:
1 15oz (430g) tin of sliced or halved peaches
8 oz low fat vanilla yoghurt
8 (4oz) plastic cups
8 wooden icypole sticks

Method:

• Pour the entire undrained tin of peaches into a blender and puree
• Add the yoghurt and blend until well combined and smooth
• Pour into cups and place in the freezer until partially frozen (about 45min-1hr) and then place a wooden stick in each cup
• Continue to freeze completely, 3+ hrs or overnight
• Run a little warm water over the cups and twist them out when you're ready to eat

Simple Pancakes

My eldest daughter Lucy loves pancakes.  I always pretend they take too long to cook and so it's usually something she orders if we ever go out for Breakfast.  Kind of my way of encouraging her to be satisfied with porridge 7 days a week!  Well, I saw this cute little pan in Costco the other week and thought, this is it, this just makes it too easy.  The perfect circular pancake, my OCD about uniformity has been mitigated, no excuses left.

This morning Lucy woke at 4:58am and was up, bed made and dressed by 5:12 ready for school. We had a long morning ahead so I pulled out my new fancy nancy pan and tried this recipe from Food Network. It worked like a charm, I was impressed.  They were light and fluffy and so simple. We started with the simple pancake  I didn't add vanilla but I'm sure as the weeks pass she'll get a little more adventurous and we'll start making them with mashed banana or blueberries or something.  On weekends only... this is not becoming a new habit!

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose (plain) flour
1 tblspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
1 tblspn sugar
1 egg
2 tblspn vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1 tspn vanilla essence (optional)

Method:

• In a bowl sift together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.  
• Make a well and crack the egg.  Whisk it well with a fork
• Add the oil and milk and gradually combine until smooth
• Heat a griddle pan and brush a little oil or butter over the surface
• If using a molded griddle like mine, pour out approx 2 tblspn of batter into each mold and cook until it bubbles.
• Turn and cook on the other side
• Serve immediately with your choice of toppings, maple syrup, butter, fruit or lemon and sugar

Blue Cheese Burger

Mid week burgers don't have to be boring and they honestly don't have to take long to prepare.  I decided, made and was eating this one within 30mins.  I had some fresh ground beef in the fridge  and had been eating a little blue cheese on my salads this week so it didn't take me long to put two and two together.   What a hit!  I had given the girls dinner earlier so they didn't eat this but I would definitely try a version of this for them.  Maybe just use a nice aged cheddar and crumble that.  I wouldn't necessary add the hot sauce to theirs but a little dry mustard is an awesome hit of flavor with the worchestire sauce.  

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 brown onion, finely diced

400g ground beef sirloin

1 tspn dry mustard powder

a splash of worchestire sauce

sea salt and cracked pepper

2 tblspn hot sauce

3-4oz blue cheese or gorgonzola roughly crumbled

nice ciabatta rolls, heated

avocado, sliced

arugula

cucumber, sliced

mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing* or aioli 

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350'F
• Finely dice your onion and cook gently over medium heat until translucent (I hate nothing more than raw onion in my burgers!). Allow to cool
• In a large bowl mix together the raw ground beef and all the other ingredients.  I added the onion while they were still a little warm but I was cooking the burgers straight away.  If you are planning on doing these ahead of time and refridgerating them, then please let the onion cool right down before mixing with your raw meat. 
• Divide your meat into 4 equal portions and roll into a ball
• Roll or rub a little oil over your patties and then place on a hot grill or grill plate on the stove. 
• I have the oven on, for the buns but I also use it cook the patties all the way through.  I like the outside charred and full of flavor but then I like them to give them some time and retaining their moisture by finishing them in the oven.  Get the grill hot, cook for approx 3-4 mins each side and then place them in the oven to continue to cook for another 5-8mins.  It also allows me to prep the other items.  
• Heat your buns in the oven for the last 4 mins to warm through and to get a little crunch on the outside.
• Build your burger however you like, but I kept this simple with some arugula, avocado and cucumber.  I could have probably done with some slightly carmelized red onion but it could have made it to sweet.  
• A little dollop of blue cheese dressing and it was divine!
• 
  

*A nice low(er) fat Blue Cheese Dressing

50g / about 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup non fat greek yoghurt (or sour cream)

2 tblpsn white wine vinegar

3 tblspn pure orange juice

1 tblspn walnut oil

sea salt and cracked pepper

generous pinch of sugar

mix together in a bowl and refrigerate for up to 7 days

Christmas Craft Tradition

It is popular to share Holiday Traditions with the class at school so while I was thinking what it was that marks this time of year for us, I found myself at a disappointing low... 'how come we don't have any real traditions!'  There are the usual culinary traditions but even those seem to change depending on who's coming, the weather, the time of day, where we live... we don't ALWAYS have prawns or turkey, sometimes it is a beef fillet grilled on the BBQ or this year I'm even thinking a Beef Wellington.  We have trifle when it suits us and christmas pudding at others.  We do hang a stocking, we don't do St Nick, we have an "Elfie", we eat Indian curry on Christmas Eve and call it Curryfest and sometimes are back home to celebrate my sister's birthday with a cheesecake. Our girls have just turned five and six so I went looking for someone else's tradition we could hijack for our family for the rest of time.  Pinterest.  What a time waster that is, but wow - it shares some pretty cool ideas.  Check this out. A new update: I was brand new to Pinterest when I first found this idea and didn't actually 'pin it' to a board so I now can not find where I originally saw it but in doing a new search I think I may have found the original owner... a very talented woman at www.bluecricketdesign.net has something very similar as well as a million and one other creative ideas to do as a family or for special occasions.  Please look her up,  she is amazing!

This is a lovely gesture of gratitude and giving.  We've never seen houses so beautifully decorated than here in Wisconsin.  Obviously it's not limited to the Festive season, all year round they seem to take pride in their houses and adorn them in appropriate wreaths and garland for every season or occasion.  It's a real reminder of the changing land and weather.  We love it.  This idea resonated with me because it's nice to tell people you noticed what they do and appreciate it.   

Drive around your neighborhood and decide on the top  2 or 3 houses with the nicest Holiday decorations.  

Using a tin with a pull top, open the bottom rim with a can opener leaving the ring pull end in tact.

Empty the contents (we now have an enormous amount of peaches as I prepped this exercise for 2 classes 30 kids!) and wash the tin out thoroughly. 

Once dry, fill your tins with candy (leftover from Halloween perhaps) but ensure they are individually wrapped for hygiene purposes.

Seal the end using hot glue and push together to set.

Using any assortment of card paper or even wrapping paper, buttons, ribbons, sparkles or stickers... decorate your tin.  Write or print a little message saying how much you like your neighbors lights and then drop it off on their front door step over this Festive season.  It will bring a smile to their face and you would have fun enjoying their lights and making a small gift of appreciation.

I'd like to update this with some of the results from today's JK and SK class craft project if I can.... I hope the kids enjoy doing this!

Samosa pies & pasties

This is, in principal, a variation of my earlier curry puff recipe I suppose but with a chunkier, spicier filling.  A samosa pie similar to this won the popular vote at my friend's recent Annual Pie Party (more on that in another post) so I wanted to spruce up my curry puff in the same vain. My husband and I like things spicy so I knocked it out of the park with this one, please feel free to taper the heat if you prefer a milder curry.  It is easily done in this recipe, just cut the chili and curry powder by half.  I played around with a few different sizes and presentation methods today but the folded large pasties is a good package if you wish to freeze them for another time. The individual ramekin was perfect for our evening meal and looked adorable on the plate.  Of course you can omit the heavy spice altogether and make a kid friendly version easily enough, the use of the mash potato to help bind all the other ingredients makes it simple to manipulate and it has a wonderful mouth feel.  I love a pot pie of any variety and these are no exception. Have a go and see what you can come up with!

Makes approx 12 large pasties (1/2 sheet) 
or 24 medium (1/4 sheet)

Ingredients:
2 potatoes, diced and mashed
1 sweet potato, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup green beans, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tspn ground coriander
2 tblspn hot Indian curry powder
1 tspn chili powder
1/2 tspn turmeric
1 tblspn brown sugar
3 spring onions, diced

1/2 brown onion, diced
1 fresh red chili, diced (with or without seeds)
2 chicken breasts, poached in chicken stock with 1/2 tspn curry powder
cashew nuts, chopped (optional)
2 tbslpn freshly chopped cilantro
6 puff pastry sheets
1 egg, brushing pastry

These would be lovely without the chicken if you wanted to make a vegetarian option.


Method:

• Allow puff pastry sheets to defrost to room temperature
• Boil the potatoes in salted water, mash and allow to cool
• In a microwave safe bowl, par cook the sweet potato
• Poach the chicken pieces in chicken stock/broth with 1/2 tspn curry powder, once tender but not overly cooked, drain and set aside.
• In a pan, fry off the onion in a little vegetable oil.  Once the onion turns clear, add the spring onion and fresh chili.  I added the cooked chicken into this pan to sauté quickly with the chili powder, turmeric, sugar and ground coriander and the remaining curry powder (amount to your liking)
• Set aside and allow to cool
• Combine all the cooked vegetables, mash potato, uncooked beans and frozen peas, chicken etc in a large bowl and mix until well combined.  Stir in the fresh cilantro and cashew nuts.
• Cut pastry sheet in half diagonally (for large pasties) or in square quarters for smaller pasties.
• Preheat the oven to 425'F 
• Pierce the sides of the pastry you wish to seal with a fork, run a little egg wash over the pricks.  Place mixture on one side of the triangle fold over and fold and twists the edges to seal.  
• Brush top of pastry with egg wash and bake for approx 20-25mins or until golden brown
• Serve with sweet chili sauce or if you're game, Sriarcha hot chili sauce

Festive Season Stuffing

Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Boxing Day leftovers... however it rolls in your house, you might want to give this stuffing recipe a go next time you are hosting a Holiday Dinner. We thought it was sensational and as far as I'm concerned the best part of my Roast Turkey Dinner this Thanksgiving.  I had never cooked a roast Turkey before moving here let alone tried my hand at stuffing, so this was a surprise to me and the result was incredible.  I had heard rumors of what made a good foundation for stuffing but until I started to pull it together I didn't realize how far I could go with this.  Growing up, Mum used to cook her Turkey for Christmas Day with the stuffing inside the bird and that always gave the meat lovely flavor so I had never contemplated cooking the stuffing outside the bird, as a side dish.  This really appealed to me.   It also cuts down what you need to do at the last minute as so much of this can be prepared the day before.  

Ingredients:

1/2 brown onion, finely diced

1 carrot, diced

2 sticks celery, diced

200g (4 oz) pork sausage or 2 thick pork sausages, meat removed

a good handful of dried cranberries

1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock

2-3 thick slices stale bread, cut into cubed croutons

handful of roughly chopped walnuts

tblpsn each of freshly chopped sage, thyme and rosemary

1 clove garlic, crushed

3/4 cup diced mushrooms

butter (and more butter)

cracked pepper

sea salt

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400'F
• In a large fry pan, heat a little butter and saute the mushrooms with salt and pepper and garlic. Once cooked through, remove from the pan.
• Add more butter or oil and fry off the onion, then carrots and celery until soft and tender
• Add the pork sausage meat and break it up using a spoon and cook until browned
• Replace the mushrooms and now add the fresh herbs, cranberries and walnuts and toss well with a little of the chicken stock.
• Season with salt and pepper as needed
• In an oven proof dish, add the stuffing mixture together with the croutons
• Pour in the remainder of the chicken stock, tossing through the croutons until moist.
• Cook in the hot oven until the croutons brown and return to crunchy
• Then serve alongside your Christmas or Festive roast meat.

Quick gnocchi with chili and parmesan

I do like to make gnocchi from scratch, it's a fun and relatively easy process but the title of this recipe was "quick" gnocchi so here's the thing....You can buy some pretty good gnocchi in vacuum packs  from the supermarkets these days. I have some standing by at all times in my cupboard for those days when I really have run out of time.  I throw in as few ingredients as possible to whip up a quick, satisfying and flavorful meal in literally minutes.  Of course you can go to more trouble and fry off some lovely bacon or prosciutto and add peas and basil and whatever else takes your fancy but gnocchi is often just as good if it's left pretty much alone.  My girls like it with butter and parmesan which is a great side dish to any grilled meat and steamed veggie combination but we like it like this... A big bowl of spicy, gooey, cheesey goodness!  

Ingredients:
1 packet of vacuum sealed store bought gnocchi
1 fresh red chili, finely diced
freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese
cracked black pepper
sea salt
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tin of anchovies (optional)

Method:

• Boil the kettle and then fill a saucepan with boiling water and add salt
• Add the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi floats to the surface
• Once the gnocchi have boiled on the surface for about 1-2mins (they do need a little time on top to cook through) transfer the cooked gnocchi using a slotted spoon to a waiting fry pan full of butter.  Cook off the gnocchi in the butter and add the fresh chili
• Add some parmesan cheese to the pan and season.  
• If the gnocchi begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a dash of chicken stock or broth to loosen
• Serve with additional parmesan and chili flakes if you like it hot and eat immediately!

Chow Mein

I was after a quick and healthy fix for tonight's dinner so I remembered my friend Vanessa's chow mein. She has a wonderful little food blog too so if you need some more family friendly meal ideas, check out her blog at http://mums-in-the-kitchen.blogspot.com.  I decided to use ground turkey to keep it light and to make the most of this American favorite ground meat.  There is not a lot of choice in Asian noodles here so I made tonight's dish with just regular dried 2 minute ramen noodles.  The girls love them so I always have some in the house for emergencies and I figured by not using the 'sachet of evilness' I can actually make it into a totally acceptable meal.  It worked, this was awesome and super cheap and easy. I added the chili and chili sauce to our portions only, so the girls enjoyed it too.  They did their best to avoid the vegetables but it was proving difficult so they ended up just spooning it up.  I love a quick dish like this and you can mix it up using ground chicken, beef or even strips of flank steak or chicken breast for a chunkier version.  The ground meat works beautifully with kids in the picture as it just becomes a part of the meal not the main feature. Give this one a go for sure, you won't regret it.  

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
500g or 1lb ground turkey (or chicken) breast meat
1 tblspn sesame oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 brown onion, finely diced
1 cup carrots, grated or blitzed
3/4 red pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup green beans, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tblpsn oyster sauce
1 tblspn curry powder
2 tblpsn hoisin sauce
1 tspn sriarcha sauce (hot chili sauce) or to your taste
1 fresh red chili, diced
2 tblspn fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 chinese cabbage, shredded or about 2 cups
170g (6oz) singapore egg noodles (or 2 packets of dry ramen noodles)

Method:

• Boil the kettle and cook the noodles in a saucepan for approx 2mins until just tender.  (I added some chicken stock powder to the water for added flavor - do not use the sachet included in the noodles....evil!)  Once tender, drain and then pour over some cold water to stop the cooking process.
• In a large wok or fry pan, heat the oil and cook the onion until clear.
• Add the ground turkey and fry until fully cooked and browned.
• Add the garlic and continue to stir until fragrant, then add the fresh chili
• Add the oyster and hoisin sauces and curry powder. 
• Add the carrot, beans and red pepper and cook for a few minutes
• Now add the cabbage and the chicken stock and either put a lid over the wok to help steam or stir continuously until softened.
• Stir in the noodles and add a little more chicken stock or water if necessary to keep it loose and to create a little sauce.
• Stir through the cilantro and serve

Sauce Romesco

This roasted red pepper sauce is delicious with a number of things.  I eat with grilled chicken, roasted pork and a favorite, baked fish.  It is simple, tasty, so fresh and full of flavor that it adds something special to the most basic of meals.  You could even use it as a base for your next pasta sauce or as an alternative to pizza sauce on a flatbread pizza for lunch if you wanted.  I love it, as I think it changes a boring old meal into something really exciting with a minimal amount of work.  Give it a try, it will take you 30mins of total cooking time, about 10mins of actual prep time and it will spruce up your world when you feel you have nothing new to cook for dinner. 

Served here over a fillet of baked cod, pea and parsnip puree
and steamed asparagus and israeli cous cous

Ingredients:
Sauce Romesco 
20g garlic cloves - roasted
3 red capsicums - deseeded, roasted and skinned
30ml extra virgin olive oil
15ml red wine vinegar
50g flaked almonds - taoasted, dry roasted until golden brown
30g stale white bread -  diced

Method:

• Pre heat the oven to 375'F and roast both the red peppers and garlic until charred - about 25mins.  (I always roast my garlic wrapped in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and a few leaves of thyme if I have any).
• Remove the peppers and place them in a ziploc bag for a few minutes to help steam them so peeling the skins is easier.
• Soak the bread in vinegar
• Puree almonds, garlic and peppers to a smooth paste in food processor
• Add rest of ingredients, season with salt and pepper
• Serve warm over grilled pork, chicken or fish

Grilled pork with pea puree

I have been very quiet these past few weeks, I am embarrassed almost that I have only 4 posts in November!  I've been away traveling for the most part and we got home to our daughters 5th birthday and Thanksgiving... A busy busy time with family and so very enjoyable.  I will try and make it up to you in the next few weeks although I sense the lead up to Christmas is going to be equally as crazy.  I have yet to post my incredible Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, although it's far too late for that those of you here in the States - I think some friends in Australia may like to try it for Christmas lunch if they eat a hot meal.  U.N.B.E.L.I.E.V.A.B.L.E and I don't often boast about my dishes like that.  Give me another few days and it will be up.

For now, I have a few everyday dishes to share.  Some old favourites and some with a new twist.  

Roasted pork and apples are a traditional success story and are always delicious together but to add another element, try this pea and parsnip puree with your next roast pork leg or tenderloin.  I think parsnip and anything is a winner but this dish is a lovely alternative to using regular mash potato or pureed cauliflower as it gives the pork something to hang on to.  The girls think the green mash is pretty unique so it makes for some fun jokes at the dinner table.  

We all enjoyed this simple and tasty mid week meal.

Pea puree
2 cups frozen peas
1 large parsnip, diced
handful of fresh mint leaves
1/2 apple, diced
butter
salt and pepper

Method:

• In a saucepan, with boiling salted water, add your diced parsnip and apple let cook until tender - approx 6-8mins. 
• Add your frozen peas and bring back to the boil
• Remove from heat and drain, retain 1/3 cup of water in case you need to add some back in.
• Using a hand blender, puree the pea and parsnip mixture with some mint, butter and more salt and pepper if necessary until smooth

Season a pork tenderloin simply with sea salt and cracked pepper, maybe some fresh thyme leaves and rub a little olive oil into the skin then roast in a hot oven for approx 25mins or until cooked through.  Cook your other vegetables, like butternut squash, carrots or potatoes, in a pan next to it and serve the pork sliced over the pea puree with apple sauce.

Apple sauce:
2-3 apples, diced
1 1/2 - 2 cups of water
up to 1/3 cup sugar, brown or white
cinnamon, a good shake

Simmer all ingredients over medium heat for 20-25mins.  Mash with a potato masher or use a hand blender to puree half of the mixture, leaving some chunky.

On a short break

A quick note to say I'll be back next week! I'm on a little holiday with my hubby in Eastern Europe and won't be posting any delicious recipes until I get home after Thanksgiving.  Also, my blog site is appearing in German at the moment and I only managed to remember enough from my four years of high school to navigate my way to enter this post! Stay tuned, I'm having some wonderful beef stroganoff, goulash, schnitzel, apple strudel and soups this week.

Beef Wellington

A beautifully presented dish for a weekend dinner with friends, or in our case a quiet night in with our girls. I have had this on my radar for months now and just haven't had the right moment to pull it together.  It was honestly not as time consuming as I had remembered and it is certainly not difficult so please give it a try, it will impress you.  Get yourself a lovely cut of beef fillet or tenderloin and you can't go wrong.  My boss at Scotch College, Colin, shared his technique with me about 12 years ago and I still refer to my scrap of paper with his instructions on it!  I did add the prosciutto this time to help keep it altogether and I like that addition.  He used to make individual ones I remember which I've done in the past but this is an easier method I think and looks great when you are ready to slice and serve.  (NB. I do like my meat medium rare so you can cook slightly longer for a more well done result).

serves 4 - 5

Ingredients:
1.3lb (600gm) beef fillet or tenderloin
1.5 cups portobello mushrooms, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 sprigs thyme
80g / 3oz duck liver pate
prosciutto or parma ham, approx 6 slices
sea salt and pepper
1 sheet, puff pastry
1 egg, beaten (egg wash)

Method:

• Pre heat the oven to 425'F 
• Begin to defrost a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface
• Season the beef fillet with salt and pepper
• Sear the beef on a hot pan for 2-3 mins and roll on each side until fully seared.  Remove and allow to cool

• Place the mushrooms in a mini processor and blitz until finely diced
• Sauté the mushrooms in the hot pan, add the garlic and thyme and season well with salt and pepper.  Remove and place on paper towel to help absorb the excess water
• Place a large piece of cling film (glad wrap) on the bench and lay the prosciutto down, overlapping to form the casing of the dish
• Now spread the mushrooms evenly over the prosciutto
• Spread a thin layer of pate over one side of the cooled beef fillet and place face down on the mushroom spread.  Continue spreading the pate over the other side of the beef until fully coated in pate

• Using the cling film as a blanket, roll the prosciutto over the beef and roll until tightly encased. Wrap the cling film tightly over to seal and place in the refridgerator for 15-20mins

• Roll out the pastry to ensure an even sheet
• Remove the cling film from the beef roll and place on the prepared pastry sheet.  Brush the edges of the sheet well with the egg wash to ensure the edges seal properly and fold the pastry over to seal.

• Brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash and score the pastry with even strikes.  Bake on a lined baking tray for appox 25-30mins or until the top is golden brown.
• It is important to allow the meat to rest for 8-10mins before slicing.

• I served this with some sautéed baby spinach leaves, pan fried roasted potato wedges and a rich brown gravy.  

Flat bread pizza breakfast

This is a fantastic weekend brunch.  My husband and I were in Boston recently and had this in a groovy little cafe near Harvard, Tory Row.  Here are two versions, flatbread with scrambled egg, bacon and tomato, a little cheddar cheese and arugula.  Mark had his with chicken sausage, egg, tomato, herbs and hot pepper sauce.  Absolutely delicious and we figured, not too unhealthy either.

Ingredients:
Flatbread, lavash or naan, or make your own pizza dough I suppose
a good aged cheddar cheese
eggs
bacon
tomato, diced
arugula
1/4 red onion, finely diced

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 400'F and pizza stone.
• In a bowl, crack two eggs and beat with a fork until well combined.  Add a good drop of milk and stir well.  
• Dice your bacon, tomato and red onion.
• Cook the onion in a small skillet until slightly clear, do not overcook.  Remove and sprinkle over the flatbread. 
• Add the bacon to skillet and cook until browned, add the beaten eggs and cook until lightly cooked.  Use a fork and stir constantly so the egg is ribbon like, not thick and chunky.  
• Remove and pour over the flatbread, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the tomato and cheese and cook until browned on top. Approx 3-5mins
• Garnish with baby arugula and chop the bread into 2"strips

My Pizza Oven - "Just Pizza" Maker

Jambalaya

Wow.  This dish is amazing.  A true Southern soul food which has taken me by storm. It's similar to a good paella or gumbo but easier in many ways as the rice is cooked in the same pot with stock, the vegetables and meat and seafood.  You don't use okra either in a traditional Jambalaya which makes it super easy. This is spicy and  has a party of flavours happening - it is just awesome, I love it.  I didn't serve this to the girls but they ate some of the core components before they were melded with the beautiful southern creole seasoning.  I think next time I will, I'll just go easy on the spices on the chicken for them.  The tomato flavor is gentle but complex enough with the peppers and onion so I think they'd enjoy it, they love risottos so it wouldn't be a big stretch for them. 

I had all these spices in my cupboard already, so I made up the full 2/3 cup mix ready for another time.  I can see now I will be making this again and again.  

Ingredients:
12 medium peeled, deveined and chopped shrimp/prawns
2 chicken thighs, chopped/diced
1-2 tblspn creole seasoning (see below)
2 tblspn olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/3 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup celery stalk, diced
2 tblspn garlic, crushed
1 tin diced tomatoes
3 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock
2 tspn worcestershire sauce
1 tspn tabasco
3/4 cup rice
3 andouille sausages, sliced (substitutes are difficult: it has to be heavily smoked and spicy, so perhaps a good spanish chorizo except the texture isn't quite right or perhaps a spicy kielbasa)
salt and pepper

Creole cajun seasoning: makes 2/3 cups
2 1/2 tblspn paprika
2 tblspn salt
2 tblspn garlic powder
1 tblspn black pepper
1 tblspn onion powder
1 tblpsn cayenne pepper
1 tblspn oregano
1 tblspn thyme

Method:

• In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces and sliced sausages with the creole seasoning. Keep the shrimp in a separate bowl with its own creole seasoning.
• In a large saucepan, wok or soup pot, heat the oil and cook off the onions for 2-3mins
• Add the celery and peppers and cook until tender

• Add the garlic, tomatoes, bay leaf and worcestershire sauce and tobasco sauce
• Stir in the rice, and add the stock in 2/3 cups at a time and continue to stir,  I added more stock once the first had been absorbed almost like a risotto.
• Add the chicken and sausage and stir until almost cooked.  You could add more stock or even another tin of tomatoes, pureed if you want it looser or more soup like but I thought this was spot on.

• Now add the shrimp, you don't want these overcooked and tough so only add them when you almost ready to serve.  I forgot to cut the tails off mine but I will next time as it made for a bit of fiddling around.
• Season to your taste with more creole seasoning, salt and pepper

Busy Day Chicken

This has been a favourite of ours for many years.  It's not flashy, or difficult but it is certainly the easiest thing in the world to do and has all the necessary ingredients for a wholesome and healthy every day meal.  I had all my vegetables cut up earlier in the day - already laid out in the baking dish, the potato and pumpkin I left soaking separately in cold water so they didn't go brown. I put the oven on when the girls got home from school, arranged the (raw) diced chicken, added the potatoes and pumpkin, spooned on the soup, mayonnaise and seasoning and away it went to cook.  We were eating in an hour and I had one dish to wash up.  I hadn't made it for the kids before but they enjoyed it, well - as much as they enjoy eating that many vegetables normally.  I serve it on a little rice and the soup bubbles away at the bottom of the baking dish to make a sauce which helps bring it all together.  It was delicious, hubby and I love it.  A great go-to recipe when you think there is nothing in the cupboard to eat or you want to finish up stray vegetables in your fridge.

Arrange all the chopped vegetables and chicken

Add the soup, mayo mixture and cheese and bake

Serves 4

1(440g) tin fat free cream of mushroom soup

2-3 cups mixed vegetables - cut in roughly the same sizes (1'inch cubes) broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, potato, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots

1 chicken breast, diced

salt and cracked pepper

1 tspn mild curry powder

2 tblspn mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated tasty or cheddar cheese

1/3 cup sprinkle of breadcrumbs

sml knobs of butter

As you can see, we ate it before I had time to photograph it -
it smelled SO good!!

Cook in a preheated oven at 375'F for about 1 hour or until the top is golden brown and vegetables are cooked through.

Halloween Party Ideas

Five little pumpkins sitting on the gate, the first one said "Oh my it's getting late", the second one said "There are witches in the air", the thrid one said "but we don't care", the forth one said "lets run and run and run" the fifth one said "Isn't Halloween fun!!".... Well Halloween was certainly fun for my two little pumpkins this year!

School had a fabulous Halloween parade for all of Lower School followed by classroom parties all over the Pre-Primary area!  The girls were surrounded by Halloween fever from mid last week through to the weekend.  Here are some cute ideas to use at your next Halloween party.  Most of it comes to life with some thoughtful presentation but a few little treats can make all the difference.

I used a lot of short clear plastic cups which I drew on with black markers, different jack o lantern faces. I used these for both portion control as I was dealing with 5 yr olds (!) and as a cute way to fill the table.  I had orange cheetos in some and had sliced peaches with an orange fork my older daughters classroom as a healthy treat.

Larger plastic cups decorated with black and orange ribbon added some height to the table and I placed dried apricots and cracker mix in others.  A big bowl of candy corns added color as well and the kids thought all their halloweens had come at once!

Rice Krispie Jack-o-lanterns

makes approx 60 pumpkins

Ingredients:

11.5 cups rice bubbles/rice krispies
1 full stick of butter / 113 gm
1 tspn vanilla essence
16oz bag of mini marshmallows
red and yellow food coloring
mini tootsie rolls




Method:

• In a large pan or wok, heat the butter until melted.  
• Add the marshmallows and stir constantly until they melt completely.
• Add the food coloring and vanilla
• Now add the rice bubbles and stir until well combined
• Take off the heat.
• Using mini muffin trays, spoon a good teaspoon of mixture into the muffin tray and mold using the back of the spoon and your fingers, until you get a dense ball. 
• Once in a ball shape, remove and place on a lined baking tray.  Continue until all the mixture is used up
• Then using green icing or a gel cake decorating pen, scribble some green 'leaves' on the top of each pumpkin
• Melt one end of a mini tootsie roll, using a hand stove ignitor (a 'clicker' I call them) and push onto the top of each pumpkin to form the 'stem'
• Using black cake decorating pen or a bag of icing with black food colouring pipe on your jack o lantern faces.

Ghost cupcakes

Using my vanilla cupcake recipe already posted, http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3258279163478692852#editor/target=post;postID=4692017559725332244 make a batch or two of cupcakes, however add red and yellow food colouring to make them orange.  I made these about a week before I needed them and froze them in plastic cupcake trays wrapped in plastic, so I only had to decorate them the day before the party.

• Using rolled white fondant, (found in most cake decorating stores or good supermarkets) roll out your fondant until it is about 2mm (1/8th inch) thick.  Use a circular cookie cutter and cut out as many circles as you have cupcakes.  Roll each circle then into a slight oval shape. 
• Use your index finger to help mold the ghost shape or hang it over a small rounded top bottle if that is easier so you can create the ghost folds.  Allow them to sit on a baking tray until fully dry and hard, about 3-4 hours.  Don't over work them, they're ghosts - they don't have to be perfect.
• Using the same black icing as above or decorating pen, pipe on your little ghost eyes.

Make your preferred frosting or icing, or use a store bought vanilla frosting and pipe on each cupcake enough to cover the top.  When you're ready, sit your ghost on top and display on a tiered cake stand for the best effect.