Lemon cheesecake

Ingredients

Base:
1 cup plain sweet biscuits, crushed
1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling:
3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tsp finely grated lemon zest
6 tsp lemon juice
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp double cream, whipped

Method

Base:
Place the biscuits and butter in a bowl and mix to combine. Press the biscuit mixture over the base and up the sides of a well-greased 23cm flan tin with removable base. Bake for 5-8 minutes, then cool.

Filling:
Place the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a bowl and beat until creamy. Beat in the egg, then mix in the condensed milk and fold in the cream. Spoon the filling into the prepared biscuit case and bake for 25-30 minutes or until just firm. Turn the oven off and cool the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar.

Chill before serving.

This recipe was adapted from one that used half orange and half lime zest and juice instead. I have made it a couple of times, and once substituted raw sugar for the brown sugar, and it turned out fine, possibly even a little firmer. It can be topped with toasted dessicated coconut (as per original recipe), but I made passionfruit butter to put on mine:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
pulp of 4 passionfruit

Method

Place butter and sugar in the top of a double saucepan, mix. Blend in egg, then passionfruit pulp. Place over water simmering in the base of the double saucepan. Stir occasionally until mixture thickens, approximately 1/2 hour. Cool.

Naomi Absalom

Vegetable Gyoza

Makes around 20

Ingredients

Filling

2 cups finely sliced cabbage

½ cup grated zucchini (juice squeased out)

½-1 cup finely sliced spring onions (depending on taste)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon grated ginger (I used from a jar)
1 teaspoon garlic (I used from a jar)
Salt and pepper to season
Gyoza wrappers (most asian supermarkets have them in fridge, there are recipes online to make the wrappers but I have not tried them...yet)

Method

To make filling:

1. Cook cabbage, zucchini and spring onions with a little oil
2. Combine sauce and add to pan with cabbage mix
3. Cook until sauce has mostly gone
4. Put in fridge into cool

To fold into wrapper:

1. When mixture cools, place desert spoon full mixture into middle of Gyoza wrapper
2. With your finger, wipe water around the edge
3. Fold both sides together and pleat around the edge

Cooking:

1. Place a little oil in a hot pan
2. Place the gyoza's (not touching) into the pan
3. When the base is slightly brown place a cup of water (or enough water to fill the bottom of the pan) and place a lid on for them to steam
4. While they are steaming make the sauce (1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or mirin)

Although there are lots of steps, they are very easy to make and taste great.

This recipe I have adapted from a traditional recipe I found online that included shiitake mushrooms and no zucchini (I just had some in the fridge to use up). I also adjusted some of the ingredients in the sauce from what I knew I would like.

These can also be made with pork, beef or chicken mince.

Felicity Caterer

Fruit muffins

Ingredients

3/4 cup white sugar
1  1/2 cup SR flour
1 teaspoon bi carb soda
1 cup sultanas
3 teaspoons mixed spice
60g margarine
1 egg
1 cup stewed apples

Method

Mix dry ingredients, add beaten egg, melted butter and apple mix.
Drop spoonsuls into muffin pan 3/4 fill.
Bake moderate oven for 12-15 minutes.

This is another recipe Mum makes at home that I took with me when I left. I have made it many times with apple (no sultanas), banana and a few other varieties of fruit (all tin fruit - squeeze out the liquid, some liquid fruit like tin peach, you need to add a bit more flour to compensate for all the liquid).

Felicity Caterer

Impossible Pie

Ingredients

At least 4 serves (more if you add a little salad)

4 eggs
2 cups milk
½ cup plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
125g margarine (melted)
Pasta (small pasta eg. swirls, macaroni etc)
See variation below for the other ingredients
Cheese

Method

1. Cook pasta (follow packet instructions)
2. Wisk eggs, milk then add melted margarine
3. Add flour and baking powder to wet mixture
4. Add one of the variations
5. Spread pasta in the bottom of a greased large dish then pour all mixture on top.
6. Sprinkle grated cheese on top
7. Bake in the oven until firm and cheese is golden brown

 Variations

• Corn and asparagus - medium sized can of drained corn and a can of asparagus, drained and cut into pieces
• Tuna - large can of tuna drained and medium sized can of corn drained (corn can also be added)
• Silverbeat/spinach - sliced into small pieces then dunked into boiling water to make it limp
• Bacon and tomato - cut bacon into small pieces, ensure there is not too much liquid in the tomato

Not sure where this recipe came from but it was always cooked at home (at least once a week). There is almost always left-overs to be reheated for the next night as it makes heaps. The reason that we called it impossible pie is because it is impossible to get wrong.

If you know more variations please write them below.

Felicity Caterer

Banana cake/muffins

Ingredients

125g butter or marg
1 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas mashed (best when they are over-ripe)
2 cups SR flour
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
pinch salt
4 tablespoons milk

Method

1. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla then beat in eggs
2. Fold in mashed bananas and combine well
3. In a small dish, disolve soda with milk
4. Add milk mixture alternate with sifted flour to banana mixtre
5. Greeze and foil loaf tin, pour in mixture
6. Cook until cake comes away from the sides of the tin.

I have made these as muffins and when cooled I cut in half, butter then indivdually wrap and freeze. In the morning before work I take one out and by morning tea it is defrosted ready to eat.

I have no idea where this recipe came from, it was one that Mum always made at home.


Felicity Caterer

Gluten free brownies

I had a group of friends over for supper the other night, one friend has gluten free requirements. I found  the most wonderful, easy and very yummmmmmy brownie recipe on the Taste.com.au website. Please see the link below for the recipe.

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/17650/chocolate+fudge+brownies+wheat+and+gluten+free

Felicity

Cream cheese tree or cob loaf dip

For non festive dip this is good served in a hollowed out cob loaf or something similar. But for Christmas, take the time and make it look like a tree!!

Ingredients

1 block cream cheese
1 tub sour cream (full fat for both to help it set)
Box of frozen spinach
I packet Spring Vegetable Soup

Method

Mix all ingredients together. (This is where it gets fiddly).
Make a cone shape out of baking paper (much like a piping bag if you were going to ice something) and fill it to the top.
Put in the fridge overnight.
Unwrap and sprinkle parsley over all of it (fresh or dried). You might need to roll it around a bit to get a good tree shape.
Put it into the freezer for a few hours so it hardens a bit.
You can decorate it with capsicum and a cardboard star!
It’s a bit messy when you are doing it, but it looks great in the end!

Naomi Hobbs

Recipes

I have run out of recipes to upload.

Question: (please post your comments below, easiest way is write your name in the comment and post it as anonymous)

If you are given 500g mince and a can of tomatoes

- What would you do with them?
- What other ingredients would you include?

Hedgehog

Ingredients

1/2 cup (125g) butter
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons coconut
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup chopped walnuts and glace cherries (I never put these in but you can if you really want to)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups crushed sweet biscuits (just buy a pack of marie biscuits or something and throw them all in, it doesn't really matter how much there is)

Method

1. Collect ingredients.
2. Melt butter and sugar, add cocoa and mix well.
3. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and egg.
4. Add walnuts, cherries and vanilla.
5. Stir in biscuit crumbs and mix well.
6. Press into greased pan and chill.
7. Cut into fingers.

From 'Cookery the Australian Way'

Naomi Absalom

Pastry

Does anybody have a never fail sweet or savoury pastry recipe? I tried a sweet pastry that failed badly so I would love to know one that works.

If you have any requests or cooking hints and tips, please let me know, the aim of this blog is to share.

Fresh Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients

500g pumpkin
250g carrots
6 cups stock (or stockcubes and water)
can of tomatoes (undrained)
1 onion
Fresh Basil

Method

1. Dice pumpkin and carrots, bring to the boil in stock and cook until soft.
2. Cook tomatoes and onion in small pan over low heat until onions soften a little.
3. Add tomato mixture to pumpkin mix and puree until smooth.
4. Add chopped fresh basil and season to taste.

Note:
This soup has a little magic in it as it seems to be not only a hearty winter soup but also somehow seems light and fresh enough for summer meals. The kids love it (don't even question the vegetable-ness of it) and the no dairy aspect makes it a winner too -great for kids with allergies!
 
Alison Farr-Handley

Meringue Smash (also known as Eton Mess)

Meringue smash is also pinched from my Mum, but I have seen it sometimes in restaurants known as Eton Mess....presumably it was served at that illustrious boys' school!!

Meringue Smash (also known as Eton Mess)

Serves 6

1. Crush 6 meringue nests (or any equivalent quantity of any meringues, bought or home made)
2. In large bowl, mix 250 mls of thick pure cream, or whipped cream, plus 200 mls of plain low fat yoghurt.
3. Mix half a punnet of strawberries and half a punnet of raspberries, sprinkled with sugar.
4. Combine the whole lot, and then spoon into dessert dishes.

Variation

Use any berries you fancy! (and reduce or increase quantities to suit your needs)
 
Julie Houghton