Oaty Pancakes with Strawberries

I am the early riser in the family. Morning is my favourite time of the day and my alarm goes off at 5.30am every day. When the mood strikes I get up and exercise, or I'll just have a cup of tea and enjoy some peace and quiet, mentally preparing myself for another busy day with my 2 little people.

After yet another long week of illness in the food.baby household a yummy Sunday breakfast was definitely in order so that's what I spent my early morning doing.

Usually after having a breakfast of pancakes made with white flour and loads of sugar I will crash a few hours later, starving and with a headache. Recently though I've been making simple changes to our diet, swapping white rice for brown, always buying wholemeal or multigrain bread, reduced fat cheese and the like. So my challenge was to make some pancakes that the kids would actually eat while still being pretty healthy.

Oats are my breakfast of choice most days so that's what I used here and I was really happy with how these turned out. The batch of 12 disappeared in record time and with the strawberries on top it was the perfect start to our Sunday!

Oaty Pancakes with Strawberries
Makes 12 pancakes, serves 4.

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tbs sugar
1 ts vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup almond milk (or whatever milk you like)
1 punnet of strawberries
1 tbs orange juice
1 tbs maple syrup

Wash, de-stem and halve the strawberries and place them in a bowl. Pour over the orange juice and maple syrup and toss well to combine. Leave to macerate while you make the pancakes.

In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, oats and sugar. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Lightly grease a large fry pan with butter and cook pancakes over medium heat 4 at a time (or whatever will fit in your pan). You should get 12 pancakes from this mix. Cook on the first side until you see lots of bubbles start to form then slip over and cook until golden brown. Continue with the remaining batches.

Serve warm with a big spoonful of strawberries and syrup. Yum!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

I blogged a few days ago about the amazing Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream I made for our Father's Day dinner. Well I also made a more kid-friendly ice cream. Both my boys love peanut butter so when I saw this recipe it was perfect. It's also such an easy recipe with no cooking involved at all that older kids would be able to make it themselves!

If you love peanut butter you will LOVE this ice cream. I served it with hundreds and thousands but I think having it in a sundae with hot chocolate fudge sauce and a scattering of roasted salted peanuts would be divine. Yum!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream
From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz p50

180g smooth peanut butter
180g sugar
330ml full cream milk
330ml pure cream
Pinch of salt
1/2 ts vanilla extract

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Chill thoroughly in the fridge then churn in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Makes approx 1 litre.

Best Ever Brownies with Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream

It was Father's Day here in Australia yesterday, so belated good wishes for all the amazing dads out there!

We didn't really have the best weekend, with 3 out of 4 of us coming down with a bad cold and cough, and poor Charlie had conjunctivitis as well. Needless to say there were no fun father's day activities to be had, unless you count hubby and Oscar going to the library and to Coles to pick up a few essentials. Oh well, there's always next year!

In spite of feeling like crap I still cooked up a storm, doing toasted ham and cheese croissants for breakfast, this creamy prawn curry with naan for dinner and of course a yummy dessert.

You really can't go wrong with chocolate for my husband. He is the ultimate chocoholic! So what better for a decadent Father's Day dessert than these amazing fudgy brownies topped with a spicy chocolate ice cream?

I spotted this ice cream recipe in The Perfect Scoop on my first read flick through. It is a Philadelphia style (no eggs) chocolate ice cream with cinnamon, chili and brandy to give it some kick. I also added the zest of an orange to ramp up the flavour.

The taste test ...

Sensational! Incredibly smooth and luscious but with a bit of a fiery kick at the same time. Hubby said it tasted like Christmas. Adding alcohol to ice cream stops it from setting too hard and I definitely think that's what made the texture so luscious. Served on top of a fudgy chocolate brownie this was a chocoholic's dream. Success.

If there are any chocoholics in your family then you should definitely make these!

Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz p 29

560ml pure cream
50g cocoa powder
150g sugar
85g dark chocolate, chopped
310ml full cream milk
1 ts vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 ts cinnamon
1/2 ts hot chilli powder
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 tbs brandy

In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the cream, sugar, orange zest and cocoa until it comes to a full rolling boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, whisking until it is completely incorporated. Stir in the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, chilli and brandy. Pour the mix into a blender or food processor and blitz for 30 seconds or until completely smooth.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the fridge and then churn in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Makes approx 1 litre.


Rick Katz's Brownies for Julia
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours, p 91

1 cup plain flour
1 tsp salt
250g butter
120g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
60g milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (160 degrees fan-forced). Line the base of a 9 inch square baking pan with baking paper and place on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour and salt and set aside.

Place a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the butter and chocolate in. Stir frequently until the ingredients are just melted-you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Add the brown sugar and whisk gently just to incorporate it, then remove the bowl from the pan of water. Stir in the vanilla and transfer to a large bowl.

Put the remaining cup of sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl and whisk in the eggs. Switch to a rubber spatula and little by little add half of the sugar-egg mixture to the warm chocolate, stirring very gently without stopping-you don’t want the heat of the chocolate to cook the eggs.

With the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer beat the remaining sugar and eggs on medium-high for about 3 minutes, or until they double in volume. Using a spatula and a light touch, fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate, stopping just short of blending them in completely.

Sprinkle the dry ingredients and the nuts over the batter and delicately fold them in, working only until they disappear. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the top looks dry. Use a thin knife to check for doneness - the brownies should be only just set and quite gooey. (Mine took about 40 minutes to reach this point so just keep an eye on them and keep checking regularly).

Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into pieces while still in the pan. Makes approx 16.

No-Bake Lemon Slice

I love a good slice and it's such a shame that they're a bit hard to find. Everyone seems to have jumped on the cupcake, whoopie pie and macaron bandwagon. Not that there's anything wrong with those but they don't have that nostalgia of childhood and simpler times like a slice does. The thought just occurred to me though that maybe my kids will yearn for cupcakes, whoopies and macarons when they're older!

This is now my second no-bake recipe for the month which I think just shows what a busy month it has been. Between the flu, chest infections and my bad back there hasn't been a whole lot of spare time for baking.

So when I needed something to take for a morning tea the next day I immediately thought of this easy lemon slice which I saw on Around Here. Basic pantry ingredients and no need for the oven. Perfect!

Lemon Slice
(Very) Slightly Adapted from Around Here

1/2 cup (162g) condensed skim milk
100g butter
200g Granita biscuits
1 cup dessicated coconut
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 cups icing sugar
40g melted butter
2 tbs lemon juice

Lightly grease a slice tray (approx 15 x 25cm), line with non-stick paper and set aside.

Place the condensed milk and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter is melted.

Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs and add to a large bowl along with the coconut and lemon rind. Pour in the condensed milk and butter and mix until well combined. Press firmly into the prepared tray and refrigerate until firm.

Once the slice is firm, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the butter and lemon juice. Mix until smooth and spread onto the chilled slice. Refrigerate again until set. Slice into squares and serve.

This was a real hit with kids and adults alike at our morning tea. Sweet and lemony and very easy to eat!

This post is linked to Crazy Sweet Tuesdays:

Chocolate and Zucchini Muffins

I don't really need much of an excuse to bake. And when recipes like this come along you don't need one! Not only will you probably have all the ingredients already, they're healthy! Well healthier anyway.

The recipe seems pretty flexible so you could use whatever type of milk or oil suits you. Some chocolate chips or grated orange zest would be lovely additions!

So how did they taste? These muffins were moist, really chocolatey and slightly fudgy tasting. There was absolutely no detectable zucchini flavour and both the boys loved them and kept asking for 'more cake please.' This is definitely a keeper!

These would be a perfect treat for the lunchbox, just not everyday because they are still pretty sweet.

Chocolate and Zucchini Muffins
Recipe slightly adapted from Vegie Smugglers

1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cup traditional rolled oats
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
3/4 cup coconut or macadamia oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 small zucchini, finely grated

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees fan-forced). Grease a 12 cup muffin tray or line with paper liners.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, oats, cocoa, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl mix together the milk, egg, oil, vanilla and grated zucchini.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and mix gently until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly between your muffin holes and bake for 25 minutes or so, until they spring back when touched and a skewer comes out clean. Make sure you check a few minutes earlier, mine were one at 22 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Makes 12.

If you haven't been there before make sure you check out Vegie Smugglers for more great kid-friendly meal ideas!

Baking with Julia - Popovers

We've had one of those weeks around here. Those weeks where things are a bit crappy and the house is a mess and nothing gets done. I managed to hurt my back last weekend (standing still I might add) and literally couldn't leave the house for the ENTIRE WEEK. Things are finally starting to improve and get back to normal which means I can get back to normal baking and blogging.

Anyway, on this week's Baking with Julia recipe!

My first thought when I read this week's pick was 'what on earth is a popover?' Some research showed it seems to be a cross between a profiterole and a Yorkshire pudding. Very interesting!

I made these yesterday afternoon and was very happy that worked and puffed up like they were supposed to. Even after reading all the suggestions though I still wasn't really sure how to serve them. Or even what meal they are supposed to be. I ate one warm from the oven and enjoyed it, if only for the novelty of never having eaten one before.

Hubby came home, had one look and promptly declared they needed custard. Guess he thought they were like profiteroles too. So being the awesome man he is, he made his own chocolate custard and had one for dessert!

Sometime soon I'll have to work on a perfect chocolate custard recipe. Will keep you posted!

Our hosts this week are Paula from Vintage Kitchen Notes and Amy of Bake with Amy. They will have the recipe up today so make sure you check it out!

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

I've made a lot of cheesecakes over the years like these here, here and here. But I can't even remember the last time I made a no-bake one! So in honour of my dad coming to dinner I decided to make this no-bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.

The taste test ...

Wow, seriously good! The filling is smooth and light and the natural yoghurt gives it a lovely tangy creaminess. I actually chopped the chocolate rather than grated it so I had a few bigger chunks of chocolate that sank to the bottom. Not that there's anything wrong with that! Served with fresh strawberries this was the perfect make-ahead dessert and a great alternative when you don't have time for a baked cheesecake. Two thumbs up!!!

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Recipe by me

250g chocolate chip biscuits
100g melted butter
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
1 x 400g tin condensed milk
300ml natural yoghurt
1 ts vanilla extract
100g dark chocolate, grated
3 ts gelatine
1/4 cup hot water

Line the base of an 8 inch springform pan with baking paper and set aside. Using a food processor, crush the biscuits into a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and blitz until well combined. Pour the crumbs into the prepare tin and smooth over the base and about halfway up the sides. Place in the fridge to set.

Sprinkle the gelatine over the hot water and set aside for a few minutes then stir to make sure it is completely disolved.

Wipe out the food processor bowl then add the cream cheese and whiz until smooth. Add the condensed milk, yoghurt and vanilla and mix well. Add the cooled gelatine mixture and whiz for 1 minute until thoroughly combined. Tip in the grated chocolate and blitz to mix through.

Pour over the prepared base then refrigerate until set, a few hours at least or overnight. Serve with sliced strawberries and a dusting of icing sugar. Serves 8-10.

Baking with Julia - Berry Galette

After making a delicious (but boring) apple pie last time, there was no way I was passing on berries again this week! I did have to resort to frozen berries but honestly they worked just fine.

This is one of those cases where the end result is far greater than the sum of it's parts. The galette is a simple, buttery pastry folded around mixed berries. That's it. 

I made only slight changes to the recipe, based on what I had in the pantry. That meant using semolina instead of cornmeal in the pastry. After reading the P & Q this week I decided not to add any water at all to my pastry. I used 3 heaped tablespoons of natural yoghurt (instead of sour cream) and the dough came together perfectly. I also added the zest of 1/2 an orange in with the berries and sugar which gave a lovely citrus perfume when it came out of the oven. 

The resulting galette was insanely good and seemed far more special than just pastry wrapped around frozen berries!

I was surprised by how small the galette was, and I think next time I would use the full batch of pastry with double the fruit.

Our hosts this week are Lisa of Tomato Thymes in the Kitchen and Andrea of The Kitchen Lioness. They will post the recipe under today's date so make sure you check it out. Like Dorie says, this recipe is a keeper!

Peanut Butter Cookies

In the midst of a flu-ridden and miserable week the urge for peanut butter cookies struck. These went from bowl to belly in 20 minutes flat...

Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 24

1 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup wholemeal flour

1/2 ts salt

1 ts vanilla extract

1 egg

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (160 degrees fan-forced). Line 2 trays with baking paper and set aside.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl then add the egg, vanilla and peanut butter. Mix well. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on the prepared trays. Flatten each ball slightly then bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through.

Remove trays from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before turning the cookies out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Devour.

TWD BWJ - Pear and Apple Pie

Oh how I envy you all in the midst of summer right now. Not because of the heat, I hate hot weather. Just because of all that glorious summer fruit! There were definitely no blueberries or nectarines to be had around here, fresh or frozen. So I chose to make the most of two fruits which I think are perfect in winter, pears and apples. 

I upped the wintery-ness of my pie by adding the zest of a lemon, a splash of brandy and a generous pinch of allspice to the filling. Absolutely delicious and very warming!

My pie was baked in an 8 inch cake pan and I used 4 pears and 3 large gala apples for the fruit. I also replaced the shortening in the pastry with coconut oil (which is solid at room temperature) which gave a lovely flaky result. 

Served with a generous dollop of my best ever custard (which I posted a few weeks ago) this was the quintessential winter dessert. 

Our hosts this week are Hilary of Manchego's Kitchen and Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake. Make sure you check their blogs for the original Blueberry and Nectarine Pie recipe. It sounds delicious!

Meatless Monday - Leek and Cheese Tart with Olive Oil Pastry

I live in a house full of boys and yet this tart still went down a treat! Perhaps it's because I didn't call it a quiche.

While the filling was smooth and creamy and packed with leek and cheese goodness, it was the pastry that was the real revelation. Having run out of butter (gasp!) I trawled the interwebs for a pastry recipe that used oil instead and came across this beauty. It was my favourite part of this tart and could become my go-to recipe for savoury pastry. Absolutely delicious!

Leek and Cheese Tart

4 large leeks, washed and sliced thinly
1 tbs butter

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 eggs

1 cup (250ml) full cream milk

125g strong cheddar cheese, grated

Olive Oil Pastry

Recipe adapted from Chocolate & Zucchini

125g plain flour

125g wholemeal flour

1 ts salt

60ml olive oil

100-120ml cold water

Lightly grease a 28cm tart dish (mine is pyrex). Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 degrees fan-forced).

To make the pastry, place the flours and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Pour in the oil and stir with a fork. Add the water and continue to stir with a fork until it is just absorbed then start to knead with your hand, until the dough forms a ball and comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to fit a 28-30cm tart pan. Transfer the dough to the pan, trim the edges and place in the fridge for 30 minutes (I actually forgot this step and had no problems).

While the pastry is chilling, make your filling. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring often for about 15 minutes or until the leeks are softened and creamy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes or so. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and milk along with salt and pepper to taste.

Blind bake the pastry for 10 minutes (I line the pastry shell with baking paper then fill it with rice that I keep just for this purpose) then remove the rice and paper and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until the edges are golden and the base is totally dry to the touch. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

To assemble the tart, fill the pastry shell with the cooked leek mixture, sprinkle over the cheese and then pour over the egg mixture. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. The filling should be just set and the edges of the pastry a deep golden brown. Cool for a few minutes before serving with a green salad.

This post is linked to Veggie Mama's Meatless Mondays:

Vanilla Mint Tea Cake

I am most definitely a tea girl. I've been through phases of enjoying coffee but I always come back to tea, mostly herbal and green teas lately.

Since T2 recently opened near us we went for a look and came up with some beauties including the Vanilla Mint Tea. It's a blend of, unsurprisingly, vanilla and spearmint and it sounded delicious! We bought quite a few varieties that day though and that one has been sitting in the pantry unopened. We may not feel like drinking it right now, but what could be better that incorporating actual tea into a teacake? So here is my Vanilla Mint Tea Cake ...

Vanilla Mint Tea Cake

Recipe by me

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tbs vanilla mint tea leaves

1 ts vanilla extract

185g butter, at room temperature

1 cup caster suagr

3 eggs

225g self-raising flour

1/4 cup milk

icing sugar, sifted, to serve

Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (150 degrees fan-forced). Lightly grease a 22cm round cake pan and line the base with non-stick paper.

Place the water and tea in a mug and allow to infuse for 10 minutes then strain, discarding the leaves. Pour the milk into the tea and set aside until needed.

Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix the flour and milk/tea alternately into the butter mixture, beating until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to gently bring in the last few bits of flour around the bowl.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Once cool, dust with icing sugar and serve with your favourite cup of tea. 

The taste test ...

Just wonderful! Both the peppermint and vanilla shine through perfectly in this moist buttery cake, without being overpowering. It doesn't need any adornment other than the dusting of icing sugar. But a dollop of double cream on the side would be lovely, as would a dark chocolate icing if you wanted to really dress it up. I will definitely be making this again.

Meatless Monday - Red Lentil Dhal

You really can't beat a Saturday night curry and this one was fantastic. Actually I'm loving all curries at the moment and could quite honestly eat them every night! Luckily my boys are all as keen as me and this one was especially well received. My 3 year old gobbled his down in what seemed like 5 minutes.

My 20 month old was not so keen but that's mainly because he's developed a fear of his high chair and screams bloody murder every time we try to put him in it. Mealtimes have not been pleasant for the last few days and I'm dreading going out for dinner this week because of it!

The recipe below is for a double batch because I wanted the leftovers for the following night and a serve for hubby's lunch during the week. You could of course halve it for a standard 4 serve meal.

Red Lentil Dhal

Adapted from Taste.com.au

serves 6-8

2 cups red lentils

6cm piece fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic

1 tin diced tomatoes

60g butter

4 bay leaves

1 ts cinnamon

4 ts turmeric

2 ts cumin

1 ts coriander

1 ts garam masala

1/2 ts chilli flakes

1-2 ts salt

4 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs fresh coriander leaves

plain yoghurt, rice or naan bread to serve

Rinse the lentils well under running water and discard any discoloured ones. Place the lentils, ginger, bay leaves and tomatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with 6 cups of water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until lentils are soft. Discard the bay leaves.

While the lentils are simmering, melt the butter in a frypan. Add the onion and fry for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garam masala and chilli and cook for another minute or so until the spices and fragrant. Add the lemon juice, mix well and then pour the mixture over the lentils. Increase the heat and boil for a few minutes or until the sauce has thickened, stirring often to prevent it sticking on the bottom. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander.

Top with a dollop of plain yoghurt and serve with brown rice or naan bread.

 

Slow Cooked Baked Beans

I'm loving my slow cooker at the moment. It's just so handy to get everything prepped in the morning so that come 5pm when the kids are ratty dinner's already made. And of course you get delicious cooking smells wafting through the house all day making it feel warm and cosy even when it's not.

The last time I made beans in the slow cooker we we having people over for brunch. I set them to go before I went to bed thinking how much time we would save in the morning if they were already done. What I didn't count on was being sick with gastro that night and honestly the smell of those beans while I was lying in bed trying not to throw up was almost enough to turn me off baked beans for life! Luckily I got over that.

The only problem this time was that some of the beans were still crunchy! After soaking overnight then 8 hours of cooking, how is that even possible? Anyway, next time I would soak and then par-cook the beans to guarantee tenderness. I have noted this in the recipe below.

The verdict? Packed with flavour and absolutely delicious. The perfect winter dinner or anytime brunch. We will definitely be making these again!

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

1 ham hock

375g dried four bean mix (or just cannelini beans)

500g mushrooms

2 onions

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tbs worcestershire sauce

2 tbs brown sugar

2 tins tomatoes

The night before, place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. 

The next morning, drain the beans and rinse them well. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring to the boil. Boil uncovered for 15-20 minutes, scooping off any scum that rises to the surface. Drain and set aside. 

Finely dice the onions and chop the mushrooms into pieces roughly the same size as the beans. Place the onions, mushrooms and all remaining ingredients into the slow cooker along with 1 cup water. Stir to combine. Place the ham hock into the middle and squish it down so it's about half covered with the bean mix. Cover and turn the slow cooker on to auto. Leave for 8 hours.

Serve with toast and a little fresh parsley. Serves 8-10.

TWD BWJ - Semolina Bread

I really love making bread. I love the way the dough feels, the aroma when it bakes and of course nothing beats eating it warm from the oven. Making this bread was also a reminder that I need to read recipes properly because I didn't realise until I started that each step took 2 hours. Oops!

This bread was new to me because it contains semolina which I've never used before. The result was a slightly dense but incredibly flavourful loaf. I didn't love it straight from the oven and thought it was a little too salty. But it was wonderful toasted the next day and I think it would make fabulous garlic bread.

I have no idea if I slashed the top the way I was supposed to. Was it just me or were the directions a little confusing?

We ate most of the loaf toasted with some slow-cooked baked beans (recipe to come!) and it was the perfect accompaniment to soak up all the sauce.

Our hosts this week are Renee of The Way to My Family's Heart and Anna of Keep it Luce. They will post the recipe today so make sure you check it out!

Meatless Monday - Peanut Sesame Noodles

I just realised most of my vegetarian meals contain chickpeas. We go through a lot of chickpeas in this house! So it's definitely time to try something different.

I've always loved satay but hubby hasn't been keen. So when he mentioned he'd like to try one I jumped at the chance to try this recipe from Smitten Kitchen that I've had my eye on for ages!

The original recipe called for plain tofu but that gives me the heebies so I used a marinated Thai style tofu instead. Sweet chilli tofu nuggets would also be a great choice. The fresh vegetables were lovely and crunchy and honestly, I could have just eaten them with a bowl of the sauce to dip into and been a very happy girl.

Fresh, creamy, crunchy and absolutely delicious!!!

Peanut Sesame Noodles

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup boiling water

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbs ginger, grated

1/2 ts chilli paste

2 ts honey

1 tbs sesame oil

1 green capsicum

1 medium carrot

1 cup firm tofu, plain or marinated

2 packs hokien noodles

3 tbs toasted sesame seeds

1 lime

Place the peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, chilli, sesame oil and honey in a large jug. Pour over the boiling water and whisk to combine. Slice the capsicum and carrot into thin batons. Fry the tofu until it is crispy and golden then slice into small cubes.

Cook the noodles in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes then drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the noodles to the pot and add the sauce and chopped veges. Stir well to combine and add a little of the reserved cooking water if it looks a bit gluggy (I needed about 1/2 cup).

Serve topped with sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime.

Serves 4 as a main or 6-8 as an entree.

Crepes for Bastille Day and a blogiversary!

Happy Bastille Day! And happy blogiversary to me!

It's been 4 years and 285 posts since I started this little blog. I had zero clue about what I was doing or where I wanted to go with this, all I knew was that I loved to bake and wanted to share that with my little corner of the interwebs. You can find my first post here. Read it and cringe along with me!

I definitely lost my blogging mojo after the boys were born but now that they are a little older I have a bit more time and am committed to posting at least twice a week and broadening my food horizons. To all my lovely readers and followers, thank you for sticking with me!

In honour of Bastille Day today we made crepes for breakfast served my favourite way, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar. Delicious!

Crepes

From The Australian Women's Weekly Original Cookbook, ACP 1970 p180

1/3 cup plain flour

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

pinch of salt

1 tbs oil or melted butter

Place the flour in a large bowl along with the eggs, salt, oil and 2 tbs of the milk. Whisk until smooth then add in the remaining milk and beat well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place a heavy bottomed frypan over medium heat. Grease with a small amount of butter. Pour about 1/8 cup of batter into the pan, tilting to cover evenly. Cook for about a minute, or until the top is dry. Flip and cook on the other side for 10-20 seconds. Turn out onto a plate and repeat until all the batter is used. Makes approx 10-12.

Sausage and Bean Casserole

This was a really delicious dinner so I hope you can look past the horrible photo! We are having a run of very cold weather at the moment and as a result we're all looking for comfort food. This casserole is an easy weeknight meal and with sausages, beans and rice it fit the bill perfectly.

I feel a little ridiculous putting my copyright info on a such a bad photo but I recently discovered that not one but two lowlifes had stolen virtually every post and photo from my blog. It's taken a little while but both blogs and the other sites where they had used my stolen content seem to have all been taken down. I actually feel quite violated by the whole experience.  Anyone else had this problem? How do you protect your work online?

Anyway. You can see that comfort food is most definitely required.

Make this!

Sausage and Bean Casserole

6 sausages of your choice

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tin diced tomatoes

1 tin five bean mix (or any beans)

1 heaped ts hot english mustard

1 tbs brown sugar

1/2 dozen shakes of worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 180 / 160 degrees celsius fan forced. In a large fry pan fry off the sausages until mostly cooked. Remove and place into a 3 litre casserole dish and once cool enough to handle, slice into 2cm rounds.

In the same frypan add the onion, garlic and carrot and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes, beans, water, mustard, brown sugar and worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined. Bring to the boil, season to taste and then add to the sausages. Mix well to combine then cover and place in the oven for approx 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Serve with rice or crusty bread for a hearty winter meal.

Meatless Monday - Moussaka

So it's not the most photogenic dish in the world. Trust me it looked worse after it was served up. But this was delicious!!!

I've never made a vegetarian moussaka before and this one was all vegetables, no fake mince, and let me tell you, even my meat-loving husband really loved it! This is a great alternative to lasagne if you are trying to cut back on carbs. Or even if you're not, it's well worth a go and perfect for this time of year.

Moussaka

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, grated

2 zucchinis, grated

2 large eggplants

3 cloves garlic

1 ts mixed dried Italian herbs

1 tin diced tomatoes

1 tin red kidney beans

2 ts chicken style veggie stock powder

2 x 2tbs olive oil

60g butter

1/4 cup plain flour

2 cups milk

125g grated tasty cheese

2 tbs grated parmesan cheese

2 tbs dried breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsisus fan-forced. Lightly grease a lasagne style baking dish and set aside.

To prepare the eggplant - slice crossways into 1cm rounds. Spread the pieces out on 1 or 2 baking trays, sprinkle each piece with salt and leave for around 20 minutes. You should see liquid on the top of each piece. Rinse them well under running water and pat dry.

To make the sauce - heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Fry off the onion, garlic, carrot and zucchini until they are soft and any liquid has evaporated. Add the herbs, tomatoes, beans and stock powder, along with 1/2 tin of water. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer while you prepare the rest of the dish. Season to taste.

Once your sauce is simmering you can cook the eggplant. Heat 1 tbs oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium high heat. Fry off the eggplant in batches until it has softened and is golden brown on each side.

To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Once melted add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk all in one go and whisk well. Keep stirring until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the cheese, stir to combine and set aside.

To assemble the moussaka, place layers of tomato sauce, eggplant and white sauce into the baking dish finishing with a final layer of white sauce. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake for approx 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is bubbling and golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Serves 6-8.

Creamy Rice Pudding

While I've never really jumped on the '4 ingredients' bandwagon, this recipe does have just 4 ingredients and it takes just 40 minutes of simmering on the stove to get a creamy and luscious rice pudding. It doesn't really get much better than that!

Arborio Rice Pudding

1/2 cup arborio rice

4 cups full cream milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 heaped ts vanilla paste

Place all ingredients in a medium sized heavy-based saucepan.  Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for approx 40 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent it sticking. Start checking for doneness at 30 minutes, the rice should be soft and plump and the pudding melt-in-the-mouth smooth.

Scotch Eggs

So Scotch Eggs are pretty retro. I remember them from childhood dinners but I had never attempted them before, partly because I was put off by having to deep fry them. Luckily there are an abundance of  baked versions out there. I took a photo of this recipe from an old Better Homes and Gardens magazine and then promptly lost all other details. 

The verdict? Really tasty! The kids loved the surprise egg in the middle and I loved that they tasted just as good cold from the fridge the next day. Perfect for school lunches or a picnic. I guess some things are a classic for a reason!

Baked Scotch Eggs

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

6 large boiled eggs

500g pork and veal mince

2 rashers of bacon

1 small onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 ts dried oregano

1 tbs worcestershire sauce

1 tbs tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 180 / 160 degrees celsius fan-forced. Lightly grease a baking tray with oil spray and set aside.

In a large bowl add the mince, bacon, onion, garlic, oregano and sauces. Add some freshly ground black pepper and mix well to combine. Use your hands for best results. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and roll each into a ball. 

Using wet hands, flatten out each ball into a large patty, place the egg in the middle and wrap the mince patty around the egg, making sure it is completely enclosed. Repeat with remaining mince and eggs then roll each of them in breadcrumbs and place on the baking tray.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Fruit Scones

Apart from being absolutely delicious, what I love about scones is that they take no time at all to prepare! There are lots of scone recipes out there, most of which contain cream and most of which I find very rich and a bit heavy. This recipe is one I have been making since I was a kid. It's virtually foolproof. I even make it in a food processor and they still turn out well!

Fruit Scones

Recipe from The Australian Women's Weekly Original Cookbook, ACP 1977, p194

3 cups self-raising flour

1/4ts salt

1/4 cup sugar

60g cold butter, in chunks

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup sultanas or dried fruit of your choice (I used mixed fruit)

Preheat the oven to 270/250 degrees celsius fan-forced. Lightly grease a baking tray and set aside.

Sift the flour into a large bowl and rub the butter in using your fingertips. Stop when the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. Stir in the sultanas and sugar then add the beaten egg and most of the milk. Use a butter knife to bring the dough together, it should be soft and not too sticky.

Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and gently bring together, patting it out to approximately 2cm thick. Use a 5cm (2 inch) cutter to cut out rounds and place on prepared tray, leaving a centimetre or so between them. Gently press together the scraps and dough and repeat. Brush the tops with milk and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and smelling delicious.

Makes approx 12 depending on the size of your cutter.

These are also great to freeze for snacks. Scones do tend to dry out a little when frozen but if you don't overbake them, a quick zap in the microwave will freshen them up. A generous smear of butter also helps!

TWD BWJ - Biscotti

I think every baker has something they fear, whether it be caramel, pastry or decorating cakes. For me in the past it has been biscotti. Sounds crazy for something so simple but I have never been able to get it right! So in an attempt to overcome this silly fear I made this week's pick twice (which I never do).

I have a huge bag of raw almonds in the fridge so that's what I went with rather than buying hazelnuts. 

Batch one I made with almonds, vanilla and cinnamon and replaced the booze with milk. The dough mixed up well, looked great when it was baked but then pretty much fell apart when I sliced it. So I ended up with chunky crumbly-edged tooth-breakers. Really tasty dunked in tea but not much good for anything else!

Batch two I made with almonds, cocoa and brandy. I chopped the nuts up more finely and when it came time to slice I used my best serrated knife and took it really slowly. 

Success!  These were pretty much the perfect biscotti. I got the size right, they sliced cleanly and were lovely and toasty. And of course delicious! I would happy giving these as gifts come Christmas time which is a pretty big tick of approval!

Our hosts this week are Jodi of Homemade and Wholesome and Katrina of Baking and Boys. They will have the recipe for the original hazelnut biscotti on their blogs so make sure you go and check it out!

Meatless Monday - Chole Chaat (Chickpea Curry)

Chole Chaat is basically a chickpea and tomato curry flavoured with ginger and garam masala. It is hearty and warming and just perfect for this ridiculous cold-snap we are having in Brisbane at the moment. 

It is hands-down one of our favourite meals and both our boys practically lick their plates clean when we have this for dinner, which is a pretty big tick of approval! I honestly don't think I was eating chickpea curry at 19 months old!

Like most curries it tastes better the next day so make it ahead of time, even a few hours, if you can.

Chole Chaat

Adapted from A Little Taste of India, Murdoch Books, 2003 p129

3 cans of chickpeas

2 tbs ghee or oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 ts ground coriander

1 ts ground cumin

1 ts ground turmeric

1 ts garam masala

2 cm piece fresh ginger, grated

2 red chillies, finely diced (or 1/2ts hot chilli powder)

1 tin diced tomatoes

1 tbs veggie stock powder

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion until golden and softened. Add the dry spices and cook 1 minute. Add the ginger, chilli and tomato and stir to combine. Add the chickpeas and 1 tomato tin of water along with the stock powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 - 30 minutes. Serve with brown rice and a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

Serves 4. 

This post is linked with Veggie Mama's Meatless Mondays:

Sunday Baking - Apple and Cinnamon Muffins

I've been thinking a lot about healthy lunchbox ideas recently. My husband takes his lunch to work every day (saving us literally thousands of dollars a year!) and always likes a little sweet something to have with his morning coffee. It's now also only a matter of months until Oscar starts kindy next year when having interesting and healthy treats will become even more important. 

These apple and cinnamon muffins are something I've been making for awhile and are a bit of a twist on what can be a sugar and fat-filled indulgence. They stay really moist and are perfect to freeze for lunches.

Apple & Cinnamon Muffins

Recipe by me

3/4 cup self-raising flour

3/4 cup wholemeal plain flour

1/4 cup rapadura or brown sugar

1 ts baking powder

1 ts cinnamon

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup low fat milk

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 ripe banana, mashed

1 large apple, washed and grated (skin and all)

1 egg

Preheat oven to 180 / 160 degrees celsius. Line a 12 cup muffin tray and set aside.

In a large bowl add the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, oats and sugar and whisk to combine. 

In a smaller bowl place the milk, egg, coconut oil and banana and whisk together. 

Add the grated apple to the dry ingredients then pour over the wet ingredients. Using a fork, stir until only just combined.

Spoon the mix into the prepared tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Makes 12. Suitable to freeze.

I was pretty happy with this batch but they did stick to the paper cases a bit. Not a huge problem though and Oscar loved eating the extra 'cake' on the paper!