Cheesy Broccoli Filled Chicken Kiev

Super delish and a hit for all of the family!

Ingredients:

For Filling
2 cups Broccoli florets
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup milk (approx)
1 tsp vegeta stock
1/4 cup cheddar cheese chopped/grated

2 chicken breasts
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 cups bread crumbs

Method:
Cook Broccoli in pot of boiling water for approx 5 mins until tender then drain and put into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. In a small pot melt butter over medium heat add in flour and stir constantly for approx 30-60 seconds slowly add in the milk while still stirring until sauce is of desired thickness (about mayo consistency). Add in vegeta stock, cheese and broccoli and stir to combine and roughly chop the broccoli with the spoon into smaller pieces. Set aside while chicken is prepared.
To prepare chicken, pound with a meat mallet until breast is of even thickness and cut each breast into two (4 pieces total). Cut a little pocket into each piece of chicken and insert as much of the broccoli mixture as you can without over filling it.
In one bowl whisk egg and milk to combine and in another place your bread crumbs. Carefully wash the chicken in the egg mixture and then place in the crumbing and cover with the crumbs pressing the crumbing on while being careful not to squeeze the filling out. Repeat with the egg wash and crumbs again then set aside on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Once all of the chicken is crumbed preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees then cook chicken for approx 30 mins or until crumbing is golden and cooked through.
serve with chips and a garden salad
 Enjoy!

Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad

So full of flavour, super crunchy, healthy and delicious...what more could you want?

Ingredients:
4 single chicken breast fillets
1/2 (about 730g) wombok (Chinese cabbage), hard core removed, finely shredded
1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked
2 small carrots, peeled, cut into matchsticks
2 Lebanese cucumbers, cut into matchsticks
1 Red capsicum, cut into matchsticks
4 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
2 cups trimmed bean sprouts
2 fresh red birdseye chillies, deseeded, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs caster sugar
1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Changs original fried noodles

Method Place the chicken in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, turning once, for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Coarsely shred.Combine the wombok, mint, coriander, carrot, cucumber, shallot and bean sprouts in a bowl. Whisk the chilli, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a small jug. Add the chicken to the salad and toss to combine. Drizzle over dressing. Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with peanuts and noodles to serve.
 Enjoy!

Minestrone Soup

Yummy, budget friendly, good for you and the kids love it not to mention its one pot cooking so less washup!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 karge onion finely chopped
2 stalks of celery finely chopped
2 medium carrots finely chopped
1 zucchini finely chopped
1 small tub tomato paste (salt reduced)
2x 420g cans of crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegeta stock powder
enough water to cover vegies
dried italian herbs to taste
1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
1 220g can baked beans
1 cup uncooked macaroni pasta

Method:
Put the first 4 ingredients into a large soup pot and add enough water to cover the vegies. Add the vegeta stock anddried herbs then simmer on a medium heat until vegies are softened approx 15-20 mins. Scoop the sum off the surface of the soup and discard. Add canned tomatoes and and macaroni pasta, continue cooking for 10 minutes then add the zucchini. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until pasta and zucchini is soft. Add the tomato paste and baked beans mix well then add the fresh parsley.
Serve with warm crusty bread and a bit of butter.
Enjoy!

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!

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!