“Master Chef”… in Miniature

Woowee…picture this, kindy to yr 2  (ages 5-7) for a 2 hour cooking working shop. You really don’t have sufficient adult supervision to do any actual cooking i.e. no hot pans!  So…what’s a girl to do?  Vietnamese spring rolls, (see www.somethingfromnothing.com.au for the recipe) for a start and then ‘cookie monster’ cupcakes.Then Kids coloured their own personalised cook book whilst I prepared hot chocolates, (with my cappuccino machine), and marshmallows to have with their cupcakes.  The kids had an absolute ball.  One hint was to make sure the children had plastic disposable gloves, especially whilst preparing/soaking their rice paper roll wrappers…very tactile, heaps of fun, 2 hours flew by in a snap!!  Catch ya’ later!!

Cookie monster cupcakes

Oven baked pork loin chops

Sorry guys can't help myself (but you'll thank me)...another winter warmer. Ideal comfort food for those freezing winter nights. Trendy in restaurants of late is slow baked pork belly (not that I would know!). Here's a great peasants alternative for the fam'.

For more yum recipes…www.somethingfromnothing.com.au

Oven Baked Pork Loin Chops          Serves 8
Ingredients
8 large Pork Loin chops
1/3 cup good Balsamic Vinegar
3 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
Method
Remove Pork chops from fridge and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile pre-heat your oven to hot (240c). Next, lightly grease two large baking trays. Using a small bowl combine balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard and marmalade. Toss Pork chops completely through this marinade. Place Pork chops onto your baking trays and drizzle any remaining marinade onto Pork chops. Place Pork chops in the oven and cook on hot for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 150 and cook Pork chops for a further 40 minutes, basting Pork chops with pan juices occasionally. Remove and serve, using remaining pan juices as a Jus’ (sauce). Serve with your choice of vegetables. I suggest creamy mash potatoes and vegies…yum!

Nic’s Corner

Morning Tea at Nic’s.  We love ya’  Nic…you certainly have the ‘nac’, with lace tablecloths and ‘big girl’ cups and saucers… bring it on.  This tart is the absolute perfect blend of  mild citrus combined with creaminess and a yum biscuit crunch taboot!Citrus Tart with Cinnamon Pastry  (Y-U-M!!)   serves 8-10

Ingredients
Pastry;
1 pack ‘Nice' biscuits
100g butter, melted
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Filling;
1 tin Condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
3  egg yolks

Method;
Preheat oven to moderate, (180c).
Blend biscuits, then combine with butter & cinnamon.  Press into a tart/flan dish and chill in fridge for about 10 minutes.  Combine all ‘filling’ ingredients, then pour evenly over biscuit base.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Allow to cool…absolutely delish with a dollop of whipped cream!!

‘Double dipping’ exemption??

Recently at her 5th birthday party, my 5 year old, Jo jo, was warned by one of her 5 year old guests, “no double dipping”, to that remark my daughter regally turned to her guest and replied, “the birthday girl is allowed to double dip!!” hmmm certainly is food for thought?  I wonder if it would stick in the wider community?  For the moment I think it ranks up there with the ‘10 second rule’.

speaking of birthday parties.. here’s a yummy one for the kids that takes three minutes max to prepare (for those birthdays that have slipped your mind!).

check out my website: http://www.somethingfromnothing.com.au/ for this recipe. you’ll also find an ‘adult’ version of this cake, which is just delish!

Pizza ‘snack’ wraps Serves 6

Wow what  a busy week! thank God its almost  Friday!! These easy pizza ‘snack’ wraps are my saving grace when hungry children come in the door wanting food ASAP! A delicious,  quick and easy snack! For more ‘life saver’ recipes go to www.somethingfromnothing.com.au

       
Ingredients
6 tortilla wraps
3 tablespoons tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 cup grated cheese
1 large tomato, diced
½ cup pineapple pieces, drained
100g shaved ham
½ small red onion, very finely chopped
Method
Preheat oven to about 200c. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce evenly over the base of each wrap. Cover each wrap with a layer of cheese and top with tomato, pineapple, ham and a sprinkle of onion (optional). Place of a couple of flat baking trays, a few pizzas on each tray and cook for 5-10 minutes, until cheese melts and bubbles.

Nutella Cravings…

Britt here …( Leanne’s daughter)  I was just discussing with a girl at school today about how much better the world would be if there was Nutella ice cream.. Ferrero Australia – there’s your million. Anyway this discussion led to other Nutella cravings…

 

mum’s AMAZING Nutella choc torte (yes there is a link – look at it. do it. really you will thank me forever! it is soooo good :) follow the ‘cakes and cookies’ link)

and the delicious after school snack Nutella Pinwheels (follow the ‘cakes and cookies’ link for this one too)

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY: eat directly from jar… 

mmm :)

Cookie-eating Cookie Monster!

Just ‘surfing’ the web and I found these gorgeous cupcakes on Time Out New York.. how cute are they?! i will certainly be making these for someone or other’s birthday…

My Beef Massaman Curry

Serves 10-12
 Massaman curry is a sweet, mild Thai curry. It’s very popular and for good reason, it’s delicious. It is also often used with lamb; however beef is also popular and more readily available (in Australia anyway). Here’s my version….enjoy!!

Ingredients
2 kg chuck beef steak, cut into cubes (2cm)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons garam masala spice blend
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 brown onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 tablespoons Massaman curry paste*
3 x 400ml tin coconut milk/cream
200ml water
2 tablespoons beef stock powder
2 teaspoons tamarind paste/puree*
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons palm sugar*or brown sugar
800g chat potatoes, cut into chunks
300g sweet potatoes, peeled cut into chunks
4 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method
Toss the beef in the cinnamon and garam masala. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add the beef in batches and cook, turning to cook other side. Add remaining oil to the pan, reduce heat to medium, then sauté the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes, stirring until softened. Add curry paste and stir for a minute until fragrant. Add coconut milk, stock, tamarind, fish sauce and sugar and bring to the boil. Place everything (including potato and sweet potato), into a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours, until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through. Garnish with chopped peanuts, serve with rice.
Fancy; peel some sweet potato strips, (not the skin), and deep fry in about 1 cup of sizzling hot oil. Add a handful at a time (too few and the crisps will cook too quickly and blacken instead of turning golden); stand back for any splattering of oil due to water content in potato. Serve as a fancy garnish with chopped peanuts.

*From Asian food shops or in the Asian section of supermarket

Bangers and Garlic mash

Here’s another winter warmer, with a real rustic feel, goes down well with a nice soft red wine (Merlot)! 
Have a great Mother’s day for Sunday (in Australia anyway) and don’t forget for more recipes go to;
http://www.somethingfromnothing.com.au

 

Bangers & Garlic Mash         Serves 8
Ingredients
Bangers
750g cooked sausages
200g bacon, rind removed & diced
1 large jar pasta sauce
1 825g tin tomatoes
2 large carrots, peeled & sliced
1 large brown onion, peeled & cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon beef stock powder, to taste
½ cup frozen peas
Mash
2½ kg peeled potatoes
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
White pepper, to taste 
2 tablespoons Garlic salt
Method
Bangers: Cut sausages in half or thirds. Place all of the above ingredients, (except peas) into a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. In the final hour add and stir through peas. Alternatively place into a large, deep baking dish, cover well and cook in a preheated oven on 180c for 2 hours.
Mash: Boil potatoes until completely cooked. Drain then pour in milk. Using a potato masher or an electric cake mixer (high setting), mash potatoes thoroughly. Add more milk if required. Fold through butter, season with pepper, to taste and Garlic salt.
Tip; after a BBQ, freeze any left over sausages, ready for when you need them for your bangers & mash; thaw before use!