American Pumpkin Biscuits (dumplings)

Great with stews!


1/2 cup Mashed Pumpkin
1 Tbsp Butter
1/4 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 Cup Plain Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
Salt


Method


Preheat oven to 180 (fan forced)
Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mash boiled pumpkin with wet ingredients until smooth.
Mix into dry ingredients spoon onto lined baking sheet (makes 6 x 1/4 cup dumplings). Cook for approx 12 - 15 minutes until firm and golden, serve warm.




I served them as a side, would recommend making smaller dumplings for stews.
Definitely tasty and good for vegetarians!

Served with Smokey sausage and bean casserole

Two Potato Bake

This is a very simple potato bake. The measurements are just rough as I threw it together.
Definitely not over the top, but sometimes the classic tastes are better!


1 Medium Sweet Potato (sliced thinly)
2 Medium Potatoes (sliced thinly)
1/2 Onion (sliced finely)
2-3 Bacon Rashers (diced)
Plain Flour 
Pepper
Garlic
Grated Cheese
1 cup Milk (approx)


Method


Grease baking dish and pre heat oven to 180 (fan forced)
Place one layer of potato in dish, sprinkle with flour, pepper, onion, bacon and cheese (I added a sprinkle of garlic granules here as well). Repeat until potato is used up - top layer to be just potato and cheese. Pour milk over and bake for approx 1 hour.


Like I said - with this one I really did just throw things together, it tasted really good though!


And some pictures...

Layer potato...

 Sprinkle with flour, garlic, onion, seasoning, cheese...

 Repeat through all layers... Bake in oven

Mini Puff Pizzas

I cook these quite often for Steve - he tends to go nuts over them.
If they were for a kids party you could always use some cookie cutters to make little round pizzas.




Ready Rolled Puff Pastry Sheets (cut in quarters)
Philly Cream Cheese
Mozarella Cheese
BBQ Sauce
Bacon/Ham (sliced thinly) 
Mince
Onion (diced/sliced very finely)
Chicken Breast (diced small)


1. Cook mince and chicken completely. 


2. Brush edged of each square with water or egg wash - fold over to create 1cm edge on all sides. Prick entire bottom of pastry with fork (inside the crust line).


3. Spread with philly then bbq sauce, sprinkle cheese and add toppings.


4. Place in oven until pastry is cooked.




Obviously can be done with variety of toppings! Cream cheese just seems to finish it off perfectly.

Cheesy Potato Mash

** An interesting twist on mash!


4 Medium Potatoes - Mashed
1/2 Cup Whole-Egg Mayo
2 Green Onions - Diced Finely
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 Cup Tasty Cheese
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Paprika to top.


Method


Pre-heat oven to 200c.  Combine first 4 ingredients and place on baking tray. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika, bake for 20-25 minutes.

*** Orange and Rosemary Chicken

[I'm yet to try this one - I posted it so that I wouldn't lose it - will leave remarks when I have done it - or remove it if it was blah]


2 Seedless Oranges
1/2 Cup Honey
1 1/2 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
4 Cloves Garlic
1.5 Kg Chicken Legs


1 Juice one orange, add honey, rosemary, garlic and mustard - slice remaining orange.


2 Add chicken to mixture, season - bake for 40-50 minutes, basting and turning halfway through.

Creamy Chicken & Pumpkin Pasta

700g Butternut Pumpkin
300g Dried Pasta
3 Chicken Breasts (diced)
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp Plain Flour
375ml Evaporated Milk
60ml Water


Method


1 Dice pumpkin and bake until cooked. Cook pasta.


2 Fry chicken, add garlic and season, add flour, remove from heat, stir through milk and water, cook until thickens.


3 Stir through pasta and pumpkin.

*** Apricot Sesame Glazed Chicken

*** Another one I am looking forward to trying.


4 Chicken Breast
3 tbsp. dijon mustard
3 tbsp. soy sauce
3/4 cup apricot nectar (keep small amount aside)
1 tbsp sesame seeds


1 Combine sauce and rub over chicken. Grill in oven for 10 minutes.


2 Add apricot and sesame seeds to remaining sauce and brush over chicken - flip and repeat.


3 Brush remaining apricot nectar over chicken when removed from oven.


*** This recipe is a bit vague. I'll leave any tips once I have done it.

*** Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

*** I want to try this recipe so much!


2kg boneless pork shoulder
1-1 1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt


1 Mix in bowl. Rub onto pork. Put into slow cooker. Add 1 cup of water. Cook on slow for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.


2 When done, shred pork by pulling apart with two forks. Add a bottle of smokey/hickory bbq sauce.




*** When I get around to trying this one I will post a comment with what I thought.

Mini Moist Chocolate Cakes

Note:

This recipe is going to seem a little weird because I'm posting it how I made it - halved. It made 8 cupcakes. These are amazing and really simple to make! They are meant to be a cake - but who doesn't love a cupcake right!?

I would recommend serving warmed with vanilla ice cream, they are lovely and moist! Very delish!!

3 Tablespoon vegetable oil

3 Tablespoon chocolate chips/melts

2/3 cup plain flour

1/2 cup sugar

6 Tablespoon water

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 small egg

6 Tablespoon chocolate chips/melts (separated into two piles)

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180 c (fan forced)

1 Place the 3 tablespoons of chocolate melts and oil into a oven proof jug and into the oven for approx 4 minutes.

2 Combine the rest of the ingredients leaving one pile of chocolate melts aside (for tops).

3 Remove chocolate and oil from oven and stir, ensure chocolate is melted through. Add to other ingredients and mix well.

4 Spoon into cupcake cases, top with remaining chocolate melts and bake in oven until skewer comes out smoothly. There will be some residue on the skewer as they are a moist cake.

Potato And Bacon Soup

2 Bacon Rashers - diced
2 Cups Potato - cubed
1/2 Onion - diced
1 Cup Chicken Stock
Parsley, Salt & Pepper - to taste
1 1/2 Tablespoons Plain Flour
1 1/2 Cups Milk (I used light milk)
1/4 Cup Philly Cream Cheese - cubed


Method


1 Spray large pan with oil, cook bacon. Drain any excess grease from pan. Add chicken stock, potatoes, parsley and seasonings. Cook on medium-high for 15 minutes or until potato is tender.


2 Combine milk and flour, whisk until smooth. Add to pan, bring to the boil, cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes, stirring until cooked through. 


3 Add cream cheese, cook on medium - low until well combined.


Serves 2 - 3 mains, serve with warm crusty bread.

Gingerbread Cookies

150g butter, chopped
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup golden syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, sifted
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoon ground ginger, sifted
1 teaspoon mixed spice, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
3 cups plain flour, sifted


Method
1 Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

2 Place butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda.

3 Pour into dry ingredients, add egg and mix until combined and forms a dough. Flatten dough and wrap in plastic wrap, allow to cool in fridge.

4 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease 3 baking trays. Line with baking paper. Roll sections of dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut int desired shapes.
Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 8 minutes or until just firm to touch. Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

(2011)

(2010)