Tzatziki

I saw this being made on Masterchef by George Calombaris and had to try it. I was not disappointed. It really is the best Tzatziki I have ever had. Served as a sauce with some grilled chicken & vegetables. Would be wonderful on it's own as a dip with Pita Bread too.
http://www.masterchef.com.au/prawn-kalamaki-with-tzatziki-and-herb-salad.htm 

4 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled
2 cups Greek yoghurt
1/2 clove garlic, finely grated
1 small eschalot, finely grated
½ bunch dill, fronds finely chopped
1 lemon, zest finely grated
1 pinch Cayenne pepper
1 tsp Greek honey
4-5 tbs olive oil

Coarsely grate the cucumbers onto a tray covered with a clean cloth so the liquid from the cucumber can drain into the tray. Spread cucumber out evenly, season lightly with salt, cover with a clean cloth and leave for 5 minutes then roll up to extract the juice. Set drained cucumber aside.

Place ½ cup of the thickened yoghurt in a small bowl with the garlic, eschalot, dill, lemon zest and cayenne pepper.

Add drained cucumber to the yoghurt mixture and stir to combine. Add olive oil and stir well.

Ritzy Chicken Nuggets & Capery Salad

This is my very favourite Nigella Lawson recipe. I have changed the salad a bit so it's more kid friendly. The chicken is just sooo tender and yummy. You will never have store bought nuggets again!  In Summer I serve this as written but in Winter I will add a Cauliflower Gratin as another side dish. Her original recipe is here:-
http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/1643/ritzy-chicken-nuggets-and-capery-salad

NUGGETS

2 x chicken breasts
1 cup Buttermilk
Spray Olive Oil
1 box 250g Ritz Crackers processed into crumbs (I use both packets inside)

Butterfly out the chicken breasts until thin and even. Slice into about 6 to 8 slices.

Put the slices into a freezer bag with the buttermilk and leave in the refrigerator to marinade for at least 24 hours up to 48 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200 deg C.

Tip the cracker crumbs into a wide shallow bowl, and then shake off the excess buttermilk from the nuggets and dip them in the crumbs. Lay the crumb-coated chicken nuggets on a lined baking sheet and spray well with Olive Oil Spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

You can also Deep Fy them if you prefer.

SALAD
1 tablespoon Capers squished into a semi-paste (use the back of a large knife)
2 diced gherkins
2 tablespoons gherkin brine
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Dijonnaise (or 1TBS Dijon Must & 1TBS Mayo)
1 bag of mixed lettuce leaves
1 cucumber sliced
1 avocado diced
1 red capsicum finely sliced

Combine the capers, gherkin brine, olive oil & dijonnaise to form a dressing.

Combine the lettuce, diced gherkins, cucumber, avocado & capsicuim in a bowl. Toss through the dressing.

Easy Egg Free Ice-Cream

I do love a rich egg custard ice-cream but it takes a bit of work (and a lot of egg yolks!). This one I can whip up in about 5 mins and usually have everything I need in the cupboard / fridge. It will set up harder than a store bought or egg ice-cream. Just let it soften for 5-10 mins before serving. 

My ice-cream maker is not great. So I chill the mixture in the freezer (in a pyrex measuring cup) until it just starts to freeze. Then I stir it and churn in the ice-cream maker. You can do the same thing without an ice-cream maker by beating it with electric beaters for 5 mins then freezing in a container until firm.

1 x tin Sweetned Condensed Milk
2 cups thickned cream
1 cup full cream milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
+  flavouring of your choice (see suggestions below)

Mix everything together and chill until ready to churn in ice-cream maker. Transfer to a container and store in freezer.

Makes approx 1 litre.

Flavour Ideas
Cherry (pictured) - drain liquid from 2 tins dark cherries (I use Woolworths Select brand). Puree until smooth
Strawberry - puree 2 punnets of strawberries until smooth
Rich Chocolate - melt 200g of 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate
Pistachio - ground up 1 cup of shelled pistacho nuts
Rocky Road - add 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder, mini marshmellows and roasted peanuts
Cookies & Cream - crush 2 packets of Oreo Cookies
Choc-Orange - same as Rich Chocolate but add the zest of 1 orange as well

Baked Blueberry Cheesecake

Blueberries are reasonably priced at the moment so I have been doing lots of 'Blueberry' baking. This is my favourite recipe so far. It's based on one by Rachel Allen and is super easy to make.

1 x vanilla biscuit base (using a springform cake tin)

2 x 125g punnets blueberries
500g soft cream cheese (room temp)
1/2 cup castor sugar 
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Beat the soft cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and the eggs together in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.

Add one punnet of blueberries to the biscuit base. Pour over 3/4 of the cream cheese mixture. Add the 2nd punnet of blueberries and pour the remaining cream cheese mixture over.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until it is pale golden and should only wobble very slightly when you gently shake the tin.

Allow to cool in the tin for about an hour before removing. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Banana Creme Pie

I first had this Dessert when on holiday in America. I came home and started to work on replicating it - this recipe is the result. My Husband loves anything Banana flavoured so it's one of his favourites. It really pays to make this the day before serving. It is so much better after time in the fridge as all the flavours have a chance to develop.

1 x Biscuit Base (recipe in below post)

3 cups milk
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup cornflour
2 tablespoons Brandy (or Whisky or Dark Rum)
2 - 3 bananas
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup Thickened Cream
2 Cadbury Flake Chocolate Bars

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla and cornflour until combined. Set aside.

Heat the milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When the milk is just about to boil, take the pan off of the heat.

Slowly add the hot milk to the cornflour mixture, whisking constantly. Then transfer the mixture back to the saucepan.

Whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, and continue whisking until the mixture thickens (it should be very thick). Take the pan off the heat and add the 2 tablespoons of Brandy. Let the filling cool for 30 minutes.

 Slice the bananas, and toss them with the lemon juice. Lay the banana slices on the biscuit base. Pour the cooled filling over and chill the pie for at least 8 hours (or overnight).

 Before serving, whip the Thickened Cream until soft peaks form. Spread over this chilled pie and sprinkle with the Flake bars.

Biscuit Base

This is my basic biscuit base for making cheesecakes, tarts etc.... It has a very light chocolate flavour. When I am not in the mood for making pastry I often use this as an alternative (like in Lemon Meringue Pie). However I would never use it for a fruit pie like Apple or Cherry. That kind of pie needs proper pastry. 
This recipe may make a bit more or a bit less than you need. It all depends on the size of the tin you are using.

1 & 1/2 packets McVites Milk Chocolate coated Digestive Biscuits
100g melted butter

Crush the biscuits in a food processor or blender until they form fine crumbs. Mix with the melted butter and press firmly into your pie or cheesecake tin. Chill for at least 2 hours in fridge before adding filling.

Variations:-
For a Vanilla Crust - use Arnotts Nice Biscuits instead of Digestive
For a more Chocolate Crust - add 2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder

Note: I use McVites Digestives because they taste really good and crush very easily into a fine crumb. You can use another brand if you wish.

Mexican Burritos

I like to make these for a big party (cooking the capsicum/onion & meat on the BBQ plate) and providing lots of different filling choices. Doesn't take much effort to make a huge batch and it even keeps Vegetarians happy if you provide some Refried Beans as one of the fillings. We also enjoy this as a regular week night meal.

500g beef, chicken or pork strips
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons Smokey BBQ Sauce (I use Fountain brand)

Combine everything and marinate for at least 8 hours. It will not be a 'wet marinade'. Should just be enough to coat the meat.

Cook on a BBQ Plate or in a frypan (high heat) and serve with any or all of the following:-

Burrito Wraps (heated in the oven)
Grated Cheese
Sour Cream
Shredded Lettuce
Sliced Avocado or Guacamole
Grilled Onion & Capsicum (I use 1 yellow and 1 green for colour)
Fresh chopped Tomato mixed with Fresh Chopped Corriander
Refried Beans

Almond & Cranberry Florentines

My picture does not do this justice. These little florentines are just yummy. We polished off the entire lot in one day. Really easy to make too. Once again, Gary Mehigan has produced a wonderful recipe. Love that Bad Chef!!! 
http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/11401/almond-and-cranberry-florentines  

100g slithered almonds (I used Flaked Almonds which worked just fine)
75g craisins (dried cranberries)

40g plain flour

2 tsp orange zest

40 unsalted butter

2tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

100g dark chocolate

Combine almonds, craisins flour and orange zest.

Melt the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup, bring to the boil and add to the dry ingredients.

Stir and mix evenly. Place table spoon size pieces onto a baking sheet 8cm apart and bake in a moderate 160C oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool.

Melt the chocolate and temper if using couverture. Dip the flat base into the chocolate and turn chocolate side up onto a baking rack until set.

Sweet & Sour Pork

Hubby decided to buy some food court Sweet & Sour Pork for his lunch the other day. My Daughter asked if she could try some. She then promptly finished off his plate and asked for more!  So I decided to try making my own without all the colouring, MSG etc.... that is added to commercial sauces. I used Kylie Kwong's recipe as it is full of fresh vegetables. Turned out very well and the whole family loved it. http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/331/sweet-and-sour-pork

Pork
500g pork fillet cut into half lengthways then diagonal bite size pieces
1½ tablespoons Cornflour
1 tablespoon cold Water
2 egg yolks lightly beaten
3 teaspoons light Soy sauce
2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup Plain Flour
¼ cup Cornflour extra
vegetable oil for deep frying

Sweet and Sour Sauce
¼ small ripe Pineapple peeled
1 small carrot peeled
1 small Cucumber peeled
¾ cup malt vinegar
5 tablespoons shao hsing wine or dry sherry
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt extra
4 Cloves Garlic crushed
2 tablespoons Ginger julienne
½ medium yellow pepper julienned
2 small Tomatoes finely sliced
2 tablespoons light Soy sauce

Blend cornflour with water in a medium-sized bowl until dissolved. Add pork, egg yolks, soy sauce, sesame oil and salt and mix well.Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Combine plain flour and extra cornflour.
Add to the marinated pork and mix well.
Heat vegetable oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer slightly.
Deep-fry pork in batches over high heat for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium and fry for another 2 minutes, or until pork is almost cooked through.
Remove from wok, using a slotted spoon, and drain on kitchen paper.
Gently reheat Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Finally, return all pork to the hot wok and deep-fry for a further 3 minutes, or until lightly browned, crispy and cooked through.
Remove from wok and drain well on kitchen paper.
Arrange pork on a platter and serve immediately with a bowl of warm Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
Remove core from pineapple and finely slice into pieces.
Using a vegetable peeler, finely slice carrot lengthways into ribbons.
Cut cucumber in half lengthways, slice on the diagonal and set aside, together with the pineapple and carrot.
Place vinegar, wine or sherry, sugar and extra salt in a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan and stir over
high heat until sugar dissolves.
Bring to the boil, add garlic and ginger, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add reserved pineapple, carrot, cucumber, pepper and tomato and simmer for a further 3 minutes or until pineapple is tender and tomato has broken down slightly.
Stir in soy sauce, remove from stove and set aside.

Chicken Potato Bake

OK I know this is not a low fat dish..... but it's quick, economical, can easily be doubled/tripled, is full of vegetables and kids love it. You can replace the Potato Gems with regular mashed potato but I find it lacks the texture the gems give it. I make this whenever any 'fussy' children come over who insist on Nuggets & Chips. They always gobble it up (veges included).

2 chicken breasts diced (or use already cooked & shredded BBQ chicken if you prefer)
1 onion diced
2 cups veges frozen or fresh (I usually use carrot, corn, peas, capsicum, celery)
1 can condensed Cream of Celery Soup
1 cup sour cream
1 bag of Frozen Potato Gems

Cook the chicken in a little oil until browned all over. Set aside. Cook the onion until soft. If using fresh veges add to the onion & cook for ten mins (if using frozen you don't need to do this).

Mix the cooked chicken, onion, veges, soup & sour cream together. Put into a large baking dish. Top with the Potato Gems.

Bake in the oven until bubbling and the Potato Gems are brown & crunchy.