Chocolate balls

Everybody I know loves these little balls of yum, how can just a few ingredients turn into something that makes you just.want.one.more...

Made a double batch of these tonight, hoping that some will last the week to pop into lunchboxes, yeah who am I kidding?

I am pretty sure everyone knows the recipe, but just incase, you know, if you feel the need to go and make some right NOW ;)

photo taken by Aidan

Chocolate Balls

1 packet of Marie biscuits (minus 3)

1 tin condensed milk

½ lb coconut

4 generous tablespoons baking cocoa

Water

Extra coconut to roll

Crush biscuits and place in large bowl, add coconut and cocoa, mix together.  Add condensed milk, scraping contents, then add a small amount of water to the tin and ‘swish’ to get the remains.  Pour watery mix into bowl.  Mix ingredients together until well combined.  Shape into small balls and roll in extra coconut.  Let set in fridge until firm.   The adults might like to add a splash of rum to these ;)

OK so try stopping at one...

Mushrooms

I love mushrooms, have been known to just grill a huge mushie, salt and pepper and scoff it.  I am so thrilled that I married a man that loves them just as much as me, actually I 'think' he loves them more!

So after our discussions about what else could go into the Filo pastry in the fridge, I decided that mushrooms needed to feature.

The basis to this recipe is from a recipe on the 12wbt, although I have added to and tweaked it so much it's not the same, but there you have it, it's derived from a lowfat/joule recipe which is also delicious.

Mushroom and Leek Filos with Chicken and Asparagus

300g Mushrooms (dark/field) sliced

 1 tblsp Water

½ Leek finely sliced

 1 tsp EVOO

Pepper and Salt

3 tsps Dijon Mustard

¼ cup Extra Light Cooking Cream (philly 60%)

2 tblsp light Sour cream (weight watchers)

2 tsp cornflour

Extra water

2 tblsp Shallots, finely chopped

100g cooked chicken, shredded

Bunch fresh asparagus, chopped and  blanched to al dente

1 tblsp Extra shallots, finely chopped

Filo pastry

Olive oil spray

Poppy seeds

Method:

Bring a small pot of water to boil, add asparagus and blanch until just tender.  Drain and set aside.

Add EVOO to large frypan,  add mushrooms, leeks and water and cook until leeks have wilted.  Stir in mustard and then both creams,  reduce heat until mushrooms are softened, add shallots  and thicken with cornflour/extra water mix.
Season with Salt and Pepper.  Cook for 2 mins.  Remove from heat.  Add chicken, asparagus and extra shallots, stir though and sit mixture aside while preparing filo as per Cheesy Spinach and Feta Triangles.  Assembly is the same.
Cook for 9-10mins @ 200 C.

 Verdict was... APPROVAL from my husband :D  he told me to blog that!  They are full of flavour and the filling can be made ahead of time (which actually enhances the flavours) and kept in the fridge.  These could be made totally vegetarian by taking the chicken out, it's only a nice hint of chook anyway.  What do they say? Feed the man meat?  how about feed him MUSHY's! :D

I have always loved those little spinach and ricotta pastries that you get as finger food... then discovered they sold them in the freezer section, yay!  Oh the OIL! I wanted that burst of flavour without that 'feeling', you know one you get in your mouth when all you can taste is the oil?  So I decided to fashion my own recipe after having a look around at the basics of what could go in them.

These are now a favourite and really nice and filling!

  

Cheesy Spinach Filo Triangles

I have adapted this recipe to be lower in fat/calories than the original from 

Allfoods Aus 

Ingredients:

1 tsp EVOO

1 large or 2 small/medium brown onions, diced.

2 packets frozen Spinach (I usually use Logan Farm), thawed in microwave according to directions and then drain excess fluid (or you’ll have soggy filos!)

¼ - 1/2 tsp salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste ( I like less salt)

200g reduced fat Australian Feta, crumbled

500g tub Weight Watchers cottage cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten (can use 1 egg and 1 egg white to reduce fat/calories)

2 packets filo pastry

Sesame seeds/poppy seeds for the tops (optional)

Spray Olive Oil.

Method:

Heat oil in large frypan, add onion and sauté until soft, stirring often.

Add spinach and salt and pepper, making sure liquid has evaporated from spinach, stir in feta, cottage cheese and eggs. Cook and stir until slightly thickened approx. 5-10 mins. Remove from heat and sit while preparing filo.

Preheat oven to 200 C.

Unroll filo pastry sheets on a flat surface. Keep a damp tea-towel over them to keep them to stop them drying out.  Cut the sheets in half horizontally (so you have 2 ‘strips’ of pastry).  Each filo uses 3 strips, so start by placing 1 strip down, then a light spray of oil, add 2^nd strip, spray again then add 3^rd strip.  On left hand bottom side place about 1-2 tblsp of spinach mixture. Fold bottom up to form a triangle enclosing the mixture, then continue folding in a triangular motion until the end of the strip, spray a little more oil before final fold.  Place on baking tray and then repeat with remaining mixture and strips.  Spray each filo with oil and top with choice of seeds. 

Bake in fan forced oven @ 200 C for 9 mins, they should be browned and visibly crisp.

Eat and enjoy a ‘healthier’ favourite.  

These could also be made smaller by making making ‘strips’ and using less mixture. I’ve also made these as rolls as pictured.

Proud

a word I am usually hesitant to use, but I made something and I am really very proud of myself.

My Master 7 is obsessed with Lego, he breathes the very nature of it.  I love Lego, I still have my Lego Castle from circa 1982, the yellowness of it is very dating, but I can almost do it without the instructions.


Master 7's wishlist came in and on it of course was Lego, but he also wanted a bed cover for his double sized doona.  I went in search of something that was boyish but not babyish and of course nothing 'suited' his little quirky ways.  I surfed around and came across a site Lego quilt where a very talented lady had made a Lego brick doona cover for her little Lego fan... You could say I had a lightbulb moment, "I" could totally do that I thought to myself and WOW wouldn't the smile on Master 7's face light up the room (and be seen from Mars) on Christmas morning.


I downloaded her template for the Lego brick stamp and ordered some carvable artists erasers (wow aren't they hard to find), then I sneakily made a 'template' of the exact size in scale form out of actual Lego blocks!

I then took a very obliging hubby along to Spotlight to find those 'exact' colours.  We were so lucky to find everything we wanted PLUS a large piece of Aqua for the backing (as specifically requested by Master 7 (shhh sneeky Mum asked him his very favourite colour in the whole wide world).

I then painstakingly hand cut 380 12x12cm squares of material.  I found muscles in my hands that I never knew existed!  Crazy chick.




Then pinned the entire thing together (ok I think I now need committing, especially as I could only really do this at night...late at night (to keep the surprise from my clever boy).

So now what did I do? no I didn't sew it, you see that would be WAY too easy... I dismantled the damned thing and started handstamping it with my groovy little stamp. I found myself swearing... ALOT




Ah now the sewing begins... in my infinite wisdom, I decided to colour co-ordinate each block with matching thread.  So all the individual 'bricks' were sewn together...  then the arduous task of lining them all up in correct position and sewing them... see you in about 100 years!  I am now completely certifiable and certain that the next knock on the door will be little men in clean white coats to take me awaaaaaaay haha... I digress.

Here is the finished product and that is the face of a VERY happy child, he cuddled that thing like nothing else on this earth mattered.  Happy Mumma :D

  
So anyone who would like me to make them one??? can um er, how do I say this politely... NOT ASK LOL or I would simply have to charge a ridiculous amount of money... how much does one charge for one's sanity?

What is it about a curry?, that captivating aroma that wafts through every room in the house.  Even though it reached 31 here today with humidity somewhere ^^up there, I had already thawed the casserole beef so decided to whack the air-con on and proceed with tonights yummy Beef and Spinach Coconut Curry.  It's a recipe that I have adapted so much from a basic pie filling, to a beautiful rich (but light) curry. It's not a hot curry, I am not a fan of hot, but it has a nice warming taste and suitable for all the family.

I have also made this successfully with Veal T-bones and some pork loin that I had rattling around in the freezer, I think I actually prefer the pork and veal mix!

photo taken by my son Aidan :D

Beef and Spinach Coconut Curry

750g chuck steak (or casserole steak)

1 tblsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

2 large brown onions, sliced

1 clove of garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons of Curry powder

410g can of crushed tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock (I use homemade)

2 tblsp plain flour

1/3 cup light coconut milk

1 tbslp tomato paste

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp yellow mustard seeds

Handful sultanas

Salt and pepper

150g baby spinach leaves

Cut steak into 3cm cubes.  Heat oil in pan and cook steak in batches until browned. Remove from pan and place in slow cooker.  Add onions, garlic, curry powder, cumin, turmeric and mustard seeds to same pan, cook, stirring, until onions are soft and spice are aromatic.  Add tomato paste and stir through, add undrained tomatoes and stock, stir through and bring to simmer.  Season with salt and pepper.   Pour mixture over steak in slow cooker, stir through and cook on low for 4-5 hours.  Half an hour before serving,  add flour to coconut milk and make a pourable paste, add to slow cooker and stir through mixture. 10 mins before serving,  add spinach and stir through.  Serve once wilted.  Serve with rice and  Naan bread.  Cucumber Raita is also nice, I have a basic recipe for that too.

The verdict was, clean plates by my big boys, hey I'll take the compliment, I like how this is not a heavy overly creamy or oily curry, lots of nice fresh flavours. The best thing about these sorts of meals is they are set and forget.  I managed to whip this up in 30 mins this arvo before I went to collect Miss 4 from Pre-Prep and came home to a big bang of delicious smells when I walked through the door.

Let them...er ME eat cake. Well since it is 'my' birthday next on the birthday calendar :D *mumbles something about being 40*

My absolute favourite cake is without a doubt Angel Food Cake.  I have been making this cake since I was knee high to a grasshopper (my Mother will atest to this) and it's one of those cakes that knocks people's socks off.  Originally this cake was made in a 9inch tube pan, because that's the size tin my Mum had, but we then needed to buy a NEW tin and could only get a 10ich tube pan.  So the recipe was adjusted to suit (clever Mummy).  The beauty of this cake is it has an evil sister that you just HAVE to make to complete this picture of absolute deliciousness, your hips will hate you, so make sure you take some to work/school/wherever! and share, share, share.  You will get compliments.  The evil twin was affectionately dubbed 'The DOORSTOPPER' by my friend Court... you will see why in the pic

I'll post BOTH recipes so you can't pester me for the other ;)

 

Angel Food Cake (this recipe is for a 10 inch tube pan)

5oz Plain Flour

10oz Caster Sugar

Pinch salt

15 egg whites (retain egg yolks for Yellow Sponge Cake)

1 ¾ tsp Cream of Tartar

1 ¾ tsp Vanilla Essence

¾ tsp Almond Essence

Sift flour and 5oz of Sugar 3 times.  Put egg whites into a large bowl, add salt, beat until frothy, add Cream of Tartar and beat until mixture forms soft peaks.  

You need a large bowl

Gradually sprinkle remaining 5oz Caster Sugar into mixture beating until dissolved.  Add vanilla and almond essence.  Add sifted flour one tablespoon at a time, fold in very gently with a large Metal spoon or whisk.

Put batter into non-greased 10inch tube pan with a removable base (available from specialty cake shops and some kitchen shops/dept stores).  Cut through mixture once with a knife (this removes any air bubbles).

Bake in moderate oven for approximately 25-30mins (fan forced). Remove cake from oven and “hang” (stand inverted atop an upturned flat bottom glass/cup) *important so cake does not flop* until completely cold.  Remove from pan by cutting around the edges with a knife (cut and release the bottom too).  Serve decorated with lashings of sweetened whipped cream and strawberries.

'hanging' the cake

 before adding the cream

 
 Now here is what you do with all those egg yolks!  My Dad calls this "cholesterol cake".  Funny man :P... The texture of this cake is like a 'sponge' literally!  it's got this wicked sugary crust that you just want to savour...  Don't stuff around trying to fancy this cake up with toppings or icings, it needs a serated knife to cut it into nice chunks and don't bother with a plate or fork, just stuff it in your gob :) 

Yellow Sponge Cake (same tin and bowl needed)

2 cups plain flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

½ tsp salt

15 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 ¾ cups sugar
½ cup cold water
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tsp vanilla essence

 

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together 3 times. Beat egg yolks and whole egg until thick (about 5 mins), gradually beat in sugar. Then beat in flour mixture alternately with water mixed with orange rind, orange juice and vanilla.

Pour into non-greased tube pan. Drop full tin once on bench (to remove bubbles). Bake in a slow oven 140 degrees Celsius for approximately 45-50 mins (fan forced) or until top springs back when lightly pressed. Invert and hang until completely cold. Loosen as per Angel Food cake. This is best eaten without toppings with tea or coffee.

Both of these cakes bring back lots of happy memories, I even have a photo from my own Mother's 40th(?) birthday with the exact same cake... now it's MY turn for 40 :)

School Holidays are nearly finished, bittersweet really, I actually do enjoy having the kids home (*for the most part when they aren't screaming at each other!)

Master 14 made a batch of these amazingly CHEAP biscuits (recipe from Katy B) the other day and I chucked them in the freezer in logs to cook on a day just like today... 3 bored kids and rain.

Suffice to say, they (2 whole logs) are all gone, actually ALL within 20 mins :/

Tip 1:  freeze in logs and then cut while still frozen into discs.  The ones I made today are Milo and Coconut which are so so yummy.  I usually divide the whole mixture in half and add 1.5cups milo and about 1/2 - 3/4 cup coconut to one half and add 125g elcheapo choc chips to the other half (kids do not know the difference between cadbury's and plain wrap when devouring these, trust me).

Tip 2:  plain wrap lite canola spread is about $1.20 a tub.  It works just fine and is slightly 'better' than margarine spread. Plain wrap condensed milk is also just fine in making these.  Hence the $4 disclaimer. You can get 120 biscuits out of this mix (I've done it) but they are teeny tiny and honestly you are just going to have 2 so what's the point?  just make decent sized biscuits and be done with it :D

Make over 120 cookies for just $4.00! This fantastic basic cookie recipe is terrific value, makes loads and has lots of room for variations:

500g margarine
1 tin condensed milk
1 cup sugar
5 cups self-raising flour

Cream sugar and margarine. Add condensed milk and flour. Roll into teaspoon sized balls and press down with a fork. Place on greased trays and bake in moderate oven until golden brown (approximately 10-15 minutes).

Before baking I divide the mixture into five and add the following ingredients for different flavoured cookies:
1.Chocolate chips
2.Cornflakes and sultanas
3.Hundreds and Thousands
4.Jam drops
5.Milo and coconut ( sprinkle with sugar of choice before baking)

You could add any number of other things like Rice Bubbles, Smarties, nuts, cinnamon and other spices and so on. The raw mixture can be frozen in balls or logs, just thaw slightly before baking.

 

*I am a firm believer that the person that invented alcohol had a child/children

Summer... sunshine, BBQ's, lots of yummy salads.

Somebody in the Sunshine State has missed this memo...

So I've dug out the warming comforting food, although with a twist that's not so stodgy and not going to make your scales burst!  I always try and find the 'lighter' option when cooking, while trying to retain flavour.

A big favourite here would be Beef Nachos, EVERYONE loves nachos yes?  I can even get the kids to eat them.  BUT all that meat and the cheese and the corn chips, calorie city you are thinking.  Not anymore!

I recently dipped into the world of Michelle Bridges 12wbt (12 week Body Transformation).  That woman is a machine and quite a few of the recipes actually had low cals AND taste.  I have since tweaked a few recipes to suit our tastes, without adding loads of calories or fats.

So back to the Nachos... I added a few extra ingredients to this recipe, I found the taste to lack depth of flavour.  I added grated carrot and frozen (or fresh) corn kernals, some brown sugar and tomato paste and a splash of tobasco. I didn't add the chopped tomato on the top, instead I added shallots.

It's now a staple in our house and I must say I actually prefer the lightness of the mountain bread 'chips' over corn chips.

Trisha's 'not so naughty' Nachos ( I can't post the recipe as this is part of a paid subscription only plan) although it seems to have been posted on blogs elsewhere :/)  These are my own photos :)

Forty... FOUR ZERO

It's really just another number... applied to different settings it can be exciting.

This is just another blog about food and thoughts and dreams and life.  But it's different because it's MY bits and pieces that are jumbled up keeping me awake at night.

This idea came from a friend.  So thanks Anita for shoving me into the blogosphere :)