Super Yummy Noodle Stirfry!

This stirfry is soooo tasty and sure to please the fussiest of tastebuds....I have included substitutions to turn it into a vegetarian option as everyone needs to taste the flavours of this dish!

Ingredients

1 x 440g pkt flat rice noodles
1/3 cup chicken stock (for vegetarian option use Vegeta mixed with water for stock)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
1 tbs peanut oil
500g chicken stirfry strips (for vegetarian option use tofu)
1 bunch broccolini, coarsely chopped
1 small red capsicum, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled, halved crossways, cut into matchsticks
1 can baby corn spears thinly sliced
2 large shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced

Method 

Prepare the noodles following packet directions. Combine the stock, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger and Chinese five spice in a small bowl.Heat a wok over high heat. Add half the oil and heat until smoking. Swirl to coat. Add the mince and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the mince changes colour. Transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Add the broccolini, capsicum and carrot. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the broccolini is bright green and tender crisp. Add the stock mixture, mince, noodles and shallot to the wok. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the noodles are soft and heated through. Divide among serving bowls to serve.Enjoy

 

Creamy Tuna Bake!

Ingredients:
2 or 3 sticks celery chopped
1/2 red Capsicum chopped
1 cup corn kernels
400gms tinned tuna
2 tins of condensed soup (celery or mushroom or both) - if you want to make less salty/healthy you could use reduced salt
1 cup tasty cheese
350gms of your favourite pasta cooked as per instructions (I used spirals)
1/2 tsp hot paprika (leave this out to make kid friendly)
1/2 cup tasty cheese extra
1/2 tsp sweet paprika


Method:
Fry chopped celery & capsicum until softish in a saucepan - 5 minutes or so.

Stir in soup (don't dilute it), drained tuna, corn and cheese. Let it bubble away until it's all nice and gooey - low heat. Add hot paprika if you're using.

Mix sauce with cooked pasta  in a deep baking dish. sprinkle extra grated cheese on top and then sprinkle the sweet paprika on top of the cheese. Bake until it's really bubbly and brown.
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Soup!

Who can resist a nice big bowl of pumpkin soup with a side of garlic bread?

Ingredients:
1/2 butternut pumpkin cubed (skin removed)
1/2 brown onion diced
1 carrot diced
1 potato diced
2 cups vegetable stock Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of cream
Pinch of parsley

Method:
In a large pot place all ingredients except cream and parsley. Cook on medium heat until all vegetables are tender. Cool then blend with a stick blender until smooth. Reheat until hot then serve into bowls, add a little cream to the centre of each bowl and garnish with parsley.
Enjoy!

Picture to come soon!

Chilli Chicken Noodle Stirfry!

Super tasty...this makes for a quick and easy stirfry with a bit of bite! Reduce the amount of chilli to make it more kid friendly if your kids dont like spicy food.

Ingredients:
3x 2 minute noodle cakes
1 chicken breast diced
1 hot chilli finely diced
1/2 cup fresh coriander chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 red capsicum sliced
1 can baby corn cut
1 carrot julienne cut
2 shallots diced
1/4 cup oyster sauce

Method:

Marinate chicken, chilli, coriander and garlic in the fridge overnight for best flavour or whatever time you have available is also good. In a large pot cook 2 minute noodles as per instructions. drain and allow to sit. in the same pot heat oil then add chicken mixture and cook until chicken is almost cooked. Add the remaining vegegtables and cook stiring until until vegetables are still a little crunchy in the centre. Put noodles back into the pot along with the oyster sauce and stir until everything is evenly covered with sauce and noodles are hot. Garnish with a little extra fresh coriander. Enjoy!

Picture to come soon!

Chilli Con Carne Nachos!

Super easy, super yummy and the whole family will enjoy including the kids!

Ingredients:
500g beef mince
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chilli crushed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 brown onion finely diced
400g can diced tomatoes
400g can baked beans
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 cup beef stock
2 cups tasty or mexican mix cheese
1 bag of nacho chips

Method:
In a pan, fry the meat and onion in the olive oil, add the chilli and garlic and cook until well browned. Stir through the tomatoes, tomato paste with the beef stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, then add the beans, oregano and cumin.
spoon over warmed nacho chips, top with cheese and grill until cheese is just melted. serve with mashed avocado and sour cream and a side salad. Enjoy!

Delish Devilled Sausages!

All the family will be sure to go back for seconds with this yummy dish! Super easy  (I think its just as easy as the packet stuff if you pre measure everything out) and walks all over the packet stuff. Perfect for a quick easy meal on weeknight or a nice hearty dish in winter!

Ingredients:
500gms beef chipolata sausages
1 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 large onion sliced
1 medium apple sliced
1x 400gm can of tomatoes pureed
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup bbq sauce
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

Method:
Brown sausages in a large frying pan with the oil, add onion and apple until slightly softened add remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes or until sausages are cooked through. Serve with a creamy potato mash and your favourite seasonal vegetables.
How easy is that? Enjoy!

Easy Peasy But Oh So Yummy Cous Cous

This cous cous is very yummy and easy! Its the perfect with just about any meal and is great and cheap for a take along dish to a party can be severed cold, room temp or warm!

Ingredients:
1 cup dry cous cous
1 small or half a normal brown onion finely diced
2 sticks of celery finely diced
1 tomato diced
1 tsp vegeta stock powder
1 tsp chopped parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup tasty cheese

Method:

Saute onion, celery and minced garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent and celery is softened. Remove from heat and put into a large bowl (keep the oil and put it in too as it will stop the cous cous from being too dry), add remaining ingredients except cheese and mix. Add boiling water according to cous cous instructions on packet (usually same amount as the cous cous) and give it a quick stir then cover with clink wrap and set aside for 5 mins for the water to be absorbed then fluff up the cous cous mixture with a fork until fluffy then put into your serving dish or alongside your meal and sprinkle with the cheese.
To pretty up the dish when taking to parties slice a couple of cherry tomatoes into a cross shape without going all the way through and open up alternate with bunches of basil or parley (see pic)
Enjoy!

Pictures of my cakes!

These are some cakes I have made for various occassions for both my family and for friends. I am not going to put a detailed how I made each one description as it would be too time consuming but if anyone is interested in how I put a particular one together please dont hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to give you a run down!

This was the cake I made for my youngest daughters baptism, it was an effort and a half to make and took me all day as I was soooo sick the previous night with food poisoning!

 My husband is a mad Kiss fan so these little beauts were made just for him!

 A friend requested this cake for her birthday, she was sick on her 40th birthday so celebrated 6 months later when she was 40.5!

 Another request from a friend....a basket weave cake!

 Frangipani cake with white choc panels!

 Cupcakes to match the previous cake!

 My two eldest girls Baptism cake....love the frills!!

 Naming day cake with a bear as requested by a friend!

 Someone is a bulldogs supporter lol....I cannot stand football!

 Under the sea themed cake for a friends grandson!

 Early days cake decorating....Dora the explorer!

 My eldest daughters Naming day cake...one of my firsts!

 My eldest daughters 1st birthday cake...we were carebear mad then...well i was!!

 self explanitory boob cake lol....the boobs were even moulded from cake!

 Christening cake for a friends daughter!

 Dorothy the dinosaur cake...Dorothy was piped by me with royal icing....mammoth effort lol

 ok dont laugh....this was the very first ever cake I made!!

 Frangipani cake for a friends mum!

 Poker themed cake for my brother!

 Black and white themed cake!

 Lillie cake...long story behind this one lol

 some sugar paste frangipanis!

 my middle babies 1st birthday cake for our quiet family celebration!

 ok not a cake but who can resist sticking a gingerbread house in?

 21st black and white with a splash of green cake for my sisters 21st!

I think this one is my favourite cake...nearly ended up a disaster but Elmo lived in the end!


I still have more cakes to add but i need to gather them all together as they are spread around in every which fill across my pc and external harddrive plus I am continuosly making more so check back often :)

Cake Pops!

super scrummy, they look very effective and are the latest trend at parties. Can be a bit tricky but once you get the hang of it are super easy! I made a ''strawberries and cream version but you can make any flavour your heart desires.

Ingredients:
Your favourite cake recipe or packet cake mix cooked according to instructions (I used Betty Crockers new strawberries and cream cake mix)
1/2 - 1 cup of icing  prepared or use one out of the box
2 blocks of your favorite chocolate (I used white chocolate)
sprinkles of your choice to decorate
lollipop sticks or skewers

Method:
Process the cooled cake until it resembles fine bread crumbs. In a mixing bowl, mix the cake crumbs with the packet icing that comes with the box (I found this was enough but you may need more) until it is well mixed and will form balls in your hand. Roll the mix into approx 20-25 even sized balls of approx a tablespoon each and refrigererate on a tray for around 30 minutes or until cool and firm to touch. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 1 minute increments until chocolate is melted to a smooth consistency then let cool until almost room temperature. Now comes the tricky bit, you will need to move quickly so that the chocolate doesnt set lumpy as you will be working with cold cake balls. Dip your lollipop stick into the chocolate about 1cm then stick it into the ball on the flat bit (the bit that was sitting on the tray) about 3/4 of the way into the ball then dip the ball into the chocolate, let excess chocolate run off and then rotate the cake pop to stop any more from drizzling off and to get a smooth finish then really quickly sprinkle with your sprinkles. Set the cake pop upright in a sturdy cup or foam block until set completely. Repeat with remaining cake balls until all done then refrigerate for another 30 minutes until completely set.
Wrap them in cellopane or clear lolly bags and tie with a pretty ribbon to finish

Yummy Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks!

Ok so this isnt my recipe but I certainly wish it was!  I have however adapted it to cook in the slow cooker as opposed to the oven to make it a super easy meal for any night of the week with minimal wash up. I came across it on the taste.com website after one taste I was in foodie heaven...these lamb shanks really are to die for!

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 1 cup plain flour
• 8 large French-trimmed lamb shanks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, unpeeled, cut into 1cm slices
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cups beef consomme
• 3/4 cup red wine (such as merlot)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons cornflour
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Method

Place all ingredients except cornflour and cold water into the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours or until meat is tender and falling off the bone. Transfer shanks to a platter and cover to keep warm. Strain cooking liquid through a sieve. Discard onions. Put liquid into a saucepan. Mix cornflour and water in a bowl until smooth. Stir into liquid and bring to the boil, stirring, over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced slightly. pour some of the reduction over your plated shanks.
Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, steamed carrots and green beans...Enjoy!

Vegetable Quiche!

Who can resist a yummy Quiche with a side of garden salad for lunch or a light dinner?

Ingredients:
1 sheet of puff pastry
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1 Tbsp vegeta seasoning powder
2 cups of your fave vegies chopped into similar sized pieces (I use carrot (parboiled or canned), canned tiny taters, capsicum, corn kernels, zucchini)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
thin slices of tomato for decoration (optional)
1/4 cup extra tasty cheese
1 tsp  extra chopped parsley

Method:
Preheat fan forced oven to 180 degrees celcius. Spray a quiche dish with oil and line it with your puff pastry. Cut excess around the top of the dish off and blind bake in oven at approx 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes. While blind baking the pastry mix the vegeta, 1/2 cup cheese and  1 Tbsp parsley  into your chopped vegies then crack the eggs into a measuring jug and whisk the milk in until thoroughly mixed. Remove quiche dish from oven and pop your chopped vegie mix into the dish evenly and pour over egg mix until just covers the vegie mix. Top with the sliced tomato, extra parsley and cheese then bake in the oven at 180 degrees for approx 30-40 mins or until centre of the quiche is set and raised.
Slice and serve with a garden salad and your favourite dressing...enjoy!!