These savoury scones are great lunch-box treats or as an accompaniment to a chilli or stew so that you can mop up all of the gravy
Makes 16
5 rashers short cut bacon, rind removed, finely chopped
3 cups self-raising flour
80g butter, cubed
150g tasty cheese, finely grated
1 to 1 1/4 cups milk
plain flour, for dusting
butter, extra, to serve
pinch of cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a flat baking tray with baking paper or a baking liner.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Cool completely.
Sift flour into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add bacon and cheese. Mix well.
Make a well in centre of mixture. Add 1 cup milk. Mix with a flat-bladed knife until mixture forms a soft dough, adding more milk if required. Turn dough onto a lightly floured bench or chopping board. Knead dough gently until smooth (take care not to knead too much).
Pat dough until 2.5cm thick. Using a 5cm cutter, press gently and cut 16 rounds from dough. Place 1cm apart. Sprinkle tops of scones with flour. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and well risen. Serve scones hot with butter.
Variations:
Sprinkled some grated cheese on them before putting them in the oven.
Instead of cutting rings, flattened the dough into a circle, about 2-3 cm thick, and cut into 8 triangles.
Add chopped chives, mixed herbs and add diced mushrooms to the bacon..
Adapted from a recipe in Super Food Ideas - May 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Brown Rice Salad
This salad is great to make in large batches and use for several meals throughout the week. It can be served warm or cold.
Some ideas for using this healthy salad:
- Serve along side a grilled chicken breast, tuna or salmon steak, or lean pork chop, topped with spicy mango salsa.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce for a quick, tasty, hearty lunch
- Stuff into pita pocket or wrap & add crunchy romaine or other greens.
- Make a quick tortilla soup by adding a couple cups to low sodium chicken broth, add diced chicken & baked corn tortilla strips.
- Freeze in portion size containers for any of these uses. (when freezing, don't add avocado to entire batch, add fresh when using)
30 Minutes to Prepare and Cook
8 cups cooked brown rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 mango, diced
2 firm, yet ripe avocados
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1/2 yellow capsicum, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch fresh coriander
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1/4 tsp cumin
sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper
Optional: diced jalepenos
Cook rice in rice cooker, fluff & allow to cool.
Chop all fresh ingredients.
Mix olive oil, teriyaki sauce, garlic & lime juice in small bowl.
Toss all ingredients in large bowl, season with cumin, salt & pepper to taste.
Makes 12 portions
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories: 286.1
Total Fat: 10.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 520.5 mg
Total Carbs: 44.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.6 g
Protein: 6.3 g
Adapted from a recipe submitted by KGBRACKETT on SparkRecipes
Some ideas for using this healthy salad:
- Serve along side a grilled chicken breast, tuna or salmon steak, or lean pork chop, topped with spicy mango salsa.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce for a quick, tasty, hearty lunch
- Stuff into pita pocket or wrap & add crunchy romaine or other greens.
- Make a quick tortilla soup by adding a couple cups to low sodium chicken broth, add diced chicken & baked corn tortilla strips.
- Freeze in portion size containers for any of these uses. (when freezing, don't add avocado to entire batch, add fresh when using)
30 Minutes to Prepare and Cook
8 cups cooked brown rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 mango, diced
2 firm, yet ripe avocados
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1/2 yellow capsicum, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch fresh coriander
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1/4 tsp cumin
sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper
Optional: diced jalepenos
Cook rice in rice cooker, fluff & allow to cool.
Chop all fresh ingredients.
Mix olive oil, teriyaki sauce, garlic & lime juice in small bowl.
Toss all ingredients in large bowl, season with cumin, salt & pepper to taste.
Makes 12 portions
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories: 286.1
Total Fat: 10.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 520.5 mg
Total Carbs: 44.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.6 g
Protein: 6.3 g
Adapted from a recipe submitted by KGBRACKETT on SparkRecipes
Monday, October 24, 2011
Sausage Hotpot
A good hearty one pot meal, this hotpot is delicious with any kind of sausages. Try chicken, pork, beef or Spanish chorizo.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
500g beef and cracked pepper sausages
2 brown onions, halved, sliced
1 red capsicum, cut into thick strips
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
400g can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
500g beef and cracked pepper sausages
2 brown onions, halved, sliced
1 red capsicum, cut into thick strips
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
400g can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp crushed chilli
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausages. Cook, turning often, for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove sausages to a board. Thickly slice.
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil, onions, garlic, chilli, paprika, oregano and capsicum to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft. Add rice, tomatoes, stock and sausages. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil.
Cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add frozen peas. Remove pan from heat. Set aside, covered, for 15 minutes (this allows rice to complete cooking). Season with salt and pepper. Spoon hotpot into serving bowls. Serve.
To reheat hotpot, spoon into serving bowls. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons chicken stock and cover with damp paper towel. Microwave on MEDIUM (50%) for 3 to 4 minutes.
Adapted from: Super Food Ideas - November 2006. Recipe by Michelle Noerianto
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausages. Cook, turning often, for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove sausages to a board. Thickly slice.
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil, onions, garlic, chilli, paprika, oregano and capsicum to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft. Add rice, tomatoes, stock and sausages. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil.
Cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add frozen peas. Remove pan from heat. Set aside, covered, for 15 minutes (this allows rice to complete cooking). Season with salt and pepper. Spoon hotpot into serving bowls. Serve.
To reheat hotpot, spoon into serving bowls. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons chicken stock and cover with damp paper towel. Microwave on MEDIUM (50%) for 3 to 4 minutes.
Adapted from: Super Food Ideas - November 2006. Recipe by Michelle Noerianto
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Baileys Balls
If you like my Rum Balls, you will love these Bailey Balls. For something different add a bit of Butterscotch schnapps to the baileys for Cowboy Balls...
1 packet of Marie biscuits
1 tin condensed milk
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons of cocoa
6 (or more) tablespoons of Baileys
Place biscuits into a food processor and blend into fine crumbs.
Pour into a large bowl with the coconut and cocoa and stir to combine.
Add the condensed milk and baileys and mix well.
1 packet of Marie biscuits
1 tin condensed milk
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons of cocoa
6 (or more) tablespoons of Baileys
Place biscuits into a food processor and blend into fine crumbs.
Pour into a large bowl with the coconut and cocoa and stir to combine.
Add the condensed milk and baileys and mix well.
NOTE: You may not need the whole can of condensed milk, the consistency of the mixture should be slightly wet and sticky but still hold it's shape.
Roll the mixture into balls and coat with coconut. Refrigerate overnight.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Chicken With Dates & Couscous
I made this last night and it was the perfect amount for the two of us but this is a very straightforward recipe so if you want to stretch it a bit further just double the ingredients or increase the chicken and couscous to suit your needs.
Serves 2
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
4 chicken thigh fillets, cut into 4 pieces
1 knob butter
1 Tbps olive oil
8 dates, thinly sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch saffron threads in 1 Tbsp warm water
400g can chopped tomatoes
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
1 cinnamon quill
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup instant couscous
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock, boiling
1 tsp lemon pepper
20g (1/4 cup) flaked almonds
1/4 bunch coriander
Heat butter and 1 tbs oil in a deep heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate.
Return pot to medium heat. Add onions, garlic and salt, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add cumin, cinnamon and saffron to onion mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Return chicken to casserole and add tomatoes, the first cup of stock, cinnamon quill and the dates. Bring to a simmer, then cook, partially covered with a lid, for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Place couscous and 1 tbs oil in a heatproof bowl or container. Pour over the hot stock and stir to combine, then cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Set aside for 10 minutes or until water is absorbed.
Toast almonds in a small frying pan, tossing regularly, for 3 minutes or until almonds are toasted.
Fluff couscous with a fork, then divide among plates with chicken. Tear leaves from coriander, then scatter over chicken with almond mixture to serve.
Serves 2
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
4 chicken thigh fillets, cut into 4 pieces
1 knob butter
1 Tbps olive oil
8 dates, thinly sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch saffron threads in 1 Tbsp warm water
400g can chopped tomatoes
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
1 cinnamon quill
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup instant couscous
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock, boiling
1 tsp lemon pepper
20g (1/4 cup) flaked almonds
1/4 bunch coriander
Heat butter and 1 tbs oil in a deep heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate.
Return pot to medium heat. Add onions, garlic and salt, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add cumin, cinnamon and saffron to onion mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Return chicken to casserole and add tomatoes, the first cup of stock, cinnamon quill and the dates. Bring to a simmer, then cook, partially covered with a lid, for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Place couscous and 1 tbs oil in a heatproof bowl or container. Pour over the hot stock and stir to combine, then cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Set aside for 10 minutes or until water is absorbed.
Toast almonds in a small frying pan, tossing regularly, for 3 minutes or until almonds are toasted.
Fluff couscous with a fork, then divide among plates with chicken. Tear leaves from coriander, then scatter over chicken with almond mixture to serve.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Coleslaw
With 1/4 cabbage left over from Sundays corned beef feast it was only natural that my mind turn to coleslaw. But instead of the standard recipe I decided to make a few additions. I used the food processor attachment on my Kenwood for the cabbage, carrot and cheese but you could also use a mandolin/V-slicer.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
1/4 large cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium (about 130g) carrot, peeled and grated or shredded
1/3 small-medium red capsicum, thinly sliced
1/3 small-medium yellow capsicum, thinly sliced
8 cherry tomatoes, chopped
50g tasty cheese, grated or shredded
Dressing
1/3 cup kewpie mayonnaise*
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons caster sugar
Salt, to taste
Stir mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small bowl. Cover bowl and refrigerate until required.
Toss vegetables and cheese together in a large bowl. Store in the refrigerator and dress salad just before serving.
*Kewpie is a Japanese mayo which has a rich creamy texture with a higher egg ratio than western mayonnaise. It also tends to suit Japanese flavours more because it’s made with rice vinegar and has an umami characteristic not present in western mayo.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
1/4 large cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium (about 130g) carrot, peeled and grated or shredded
1/3 small-medium red capsicum, thinly sliced
1/3 small-medium yellow capsicum, thinly sliced
8 cherry tomatoes, chopped
50g tasty cheese, grated or shredded
Dressing
1/3 cup kewpie mayonnaise*
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons caster sugar
Salt, to taste
Stir mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small bowl. Cover bowl and refrigerate until required.
Toss vegetables and cheese together in a large bowl. Store in the refrigerator and dress salad just before serving.
*Kewpie is a Japanese mayo which has a rich creamy texture with a higher egg ratio than western mayonnaise. It also tends to suit Japanese flavours more because it’s made with rice vinegar and has an umami characteristic not present in western mayo.
Panko crusted veal schnitzel with Sweet Potato Chips
1/2 cup plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbs milk
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
5-6 veal escalopes
1 tbs oil
25g butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Sweet potato, cut into chips
Olive oil spray
Tuscan seasoning
Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with a baking sheet.
Place sweet potato on baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with tuscan seasoning or salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until edges are lovely and crisp.
Pay veal dry with paper towel.
Place flour onto a plate and add salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
Combine eggs and milk in a shallow bowl.
Place breadcrumbs onto a plate.
Dip veal one at a time into flour and shake off excess. Dip into egg wash then coat with breadcrumb mixture, pressing crumbs on firmly with your fingertips.
Heat oil and butter in a frying pan, add veal and cook for about 3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan.
Serve schnitzels with sweet potato chips.
Serves 2-3
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbs milk
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
5-6 veal escalopes
1 tbs oil
25g butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Sweet potato, cut into chips
Olive oil spray
Tuscan seasoning
Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with a baking sheet.
Place sweet potato on baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with tuscan seasoning or salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until edges are lovely and crisp.
Pay veal dry with paper towel.
Place flour onto a plate and add salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
Combine eggs and milk in a shallow bowl.
Place breadcrumbs onto a plate.
Dip veal one at a time into flour and shake off excess. Dip into egg wash then coat with breadcrumb mixture, pressing crumbs on firmly with your fingertips.
Heat oil and butter in a frying pan, add veal and cook for about 3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan.
Serve schnitzels with sweet potato chips.
Serves 2-3
Corned beef with cabbage, horseradish mash and mustard sauce
Corned beef and mash has got to be an all-time family favourite. I adapted this from numerous recipes and what I had on hand. Paired with horseradish mashed potato, mustard sauce and cabbage with bacon it was the perfect Sunday dinner.
Corned Beef1.5 kg corned silverside
1 1/2 brown onions, quartered
6 whole cloves
4 Tbs brown sugar
3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
8 whole black peppercorns
2 dried bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 carrot, roughly chopped
Push a clove into each onion quarter. Place all ingredients in slow cooker and top with just enough water to cover. Cook on High for 6 hours.
TIP: To keep corned beef submerged during cooking, weigh it down with a small lid or plate.
Mustard Sauce50g butter
2 Tbsp plain flour
1 cup milk
1 cup strained cooking liquid
2 tsp mustard
Heat butter in a pan over low-medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until it bubbles. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in strained cooking liquid milk. Return to heat and stir until mixture thickens. Stir in mustard.
Horseradish Mashed Potato3 medium brushed potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
milk
butter
2 tsp horseradish
freshly cracked black pepper
strained corned beef cooking liquid or water
Strain a third of the cooking liquid into a clean saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes and mash or put through a potato ricer. Add milk and butter and mix gently with a fork. Add horseradish and freshly cracked black pepper.
Fried Cabbage with Bacon2 tsp olive oil
100g bacon, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 large cabbage, shredded
freshly cracked black pepper
Heat oil in a large deep frypan or wok and fry the bacon for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minute.
Stir in the shredded cabbage and season with freshly cracked black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Cabbage will retain it's crispness, if you prefer it softer you can cover it and let it steam until it is coked to your liking.
Remove meat from cooking liquid and slice against the grain.
Corned Beef1.5 kg corned silverside
1 1/2 brown onions, quartered
6 whole cloves
4 Tbs brown sugar
3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
8 whole black peppercorns
2 dried bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 carrot, roughly chopped
Push a clove into each onion quarter. Place all ingredients in slow cooker and top with just enough water to cover. Cook on High for 6 hours.
TIP: To keep corned beef submerged during cooking, weigh it down with a small lid or plate.
Mustard Sauce50g butter
2 Tbsp plain flour
1 cup milk
1 cup strained cooking liquid
2 tsp mustard
Heat butter in a pan over low-medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until it bubbles. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in strained cooking liquid milk. Return to heat and stir until mixture thickens. Stir in mustard.
Horseradish Mashed Potato3 medium brushed potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
milk
butter
2 tsp horseradish
freshly cracked black pepper
strained corned beef cooking liquid or water
Strain a third of the cooking liquid into a clean saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes and mash or put through a potato ricer. Add milk and butter and mix gently with a fork. Add horseradish and freshly cracked black pepper.
Fried Cabbage with Bacon2 tsp olive oil
100g bacon, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 large cabbage, shredded
freshly cracked black pepper
Heat oil in a large deep frypan or wok and fry the bacon for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minute.
Stir in the shredded cabbage and season with freshly cracked black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Cabbage will retain it's crispness, if you prefer it softer you can cover it and let it steam until it is coked to your liking.
Remove meat from cooking liquid and slice against the grain.
Serve with steamed broccoli & cauliflower, horseradish mashed potato, cabbage with bacon and mustard sauce.
Monday, October 17, 2011
My first Brisvegas hail storm
Queensland, beautiful one day, perfect the next.. How about Brisbane, beautiful one minute, hailstones the next.. After living in Brisbane for a few months I am slowly becoming acclimatised to the warmer weather and wasn't expecting a hail storm to come out of nowhere.
First came the dark skies
Then a came the hail
'Sizzler' Style Cheesy Toast
Having recently moved to Queensland I was craving Sizzler because it closed down years ago in Victoria but was still going strong in the sunshine state. After going two or tree times I'm certainly over it (maybe I'm not good at restraining myself at all you can eat buffets...) but I still enjoy the cheese toast. Here is a pretty good replica. You can use any sort of bread or bread rolls, but if you want to duplicate the original make them thick slices of white bread.
Cooking Time: 2 minutes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6
12 slices thickly sliced white bread
250g butter, softened
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Mix the softened butter with the Parmesan cheese.
Heat the grill or griddle pan and 'toast' your bread until lightly browned.
Spread the bread thickly on the UNCOOKED side, and set aside. Allow the spread to melt a little into the surface of the bread.
Heat the frypan over the highest hotplate setting, and quickly 'sizzle' your toast, spread side down for 20-30 seconds to melt the spread and crisp the surface.
Press on the bread with a spatula to get the spread all hot and super crispy.
Serve immediately
Cooking Time: 2 minutes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6
12 slices thickly sliced white bread
250g butter, softened
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Mix the softened butter with the Parmesan cheese.
Heat the grill or griddle pan and 'toast' your bread until lightly browned.
Spread the bread thickly on the UNCOOKED side, and set aside. Allow the spread to melt a little into the surface of the bread.
Heat the frypan over the highest hotplate setting, and quickly 'sizzle' your toast, spread side down for 20-30 seconds to melt the spread and crisp the surface.
Press on the bread with a spatula to get the spread all hot and super crispy.
Serve immediately
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