Breakfast scrolls

Makes approx 8

Dough

1cup               Self-raising flour

1cup               Plain flour

1tblspn           Dried yeast

1tbslpn           Sugar

1cup               lukewarm water

Filling

3tblspn           Tomato paste

2tblspn           Basil pesto

1/2cup            Mozzarella cheese, grated

2                     Eggs

4rashers          Bacon, grilled, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1. In a bowl place all the dry dough ingredients and whisk lightly to incorporate the yeast and sugar.

Step 2. Add warm water and stir until a dough forms then turn out onto a floured bench top and knead until a ball is formed.

Step 3. Turn dough out onto floured bench and knead until well combined.  Then, using a rolling pin roll the dough out so that the dough is 15cm x 30cm long.

Step 4. Using a pastry brush spread tomato paste on liberally then top with pesto.

Step 5.

In a small bowl mix eggs with cheese lightly then spread mixture over the top of the dough, then top with chopped, cooked bacon.  Season.

Step 6.

Roll dough with toppings up using the longest sides so that the roll is quite long.

Step 7.

Cut the roll across ways, cutting about 8 or 9 pieces.

Step 8.

Arrange the pieces in the Sautepan and cover with the lid and the vents closed and place over medium heat for 10mins or until the lid is hot.

Step 9.

Flip scrolls over in the pans lid and slide back into the pan and reduce the heat slightly and cook for a further 10mins and serve hot!

Passionfruit cupcakes

This recipe make 12 cupcakes

cupcakes

125g   Unsalted butter
150g   Caster sugar
3         Eggs
150g   Self-raising flour
125ml Sour cream
1tsp    Lemon zest
The pulp from 2 passion fruits

Icing

90g     Cream cheese, softened
225g   Pure icing sugar
2tblsp  Butter, softened
1tsp     Lemon zest
The pulp from 2 passion fruits

1. Preheat oven to 170deg and line a 12 hole muffin pan with cupcake wrappers of your choice (or do as I do and use a silicone mould and save trees!) bake for 25-30mins in the oven 
2. Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl,  (I use a stand mixer because I can walk away from it and do other things at the same time but you can use hand beaters too), and mix on low until combined then turn up the speed to high and mix until the butter/sugar mixture is light in colour and fluffy.
3. Add each egg one at a time while beaters are on low then add the flour and salt whilst the beaters are on low then follow with sour cream, the lemon zest & the passion fruit pulp and mix until all combined.
4. Bake in oven for 25-30mins, meanwhile make the icing;
5. Place butter, cream cheese and icing sugar in mixing bowl and beat on low until combined, then turn up the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy then add passion fruit pulp and lemon zest. 
6. When cupcakes are ready place on a cooling rack
7. Spread icing on when the cupcakes are completely cool! 

Too excited to not share this special!!!

Book it in quick!!!

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Asian style chicken soup with wontons

SOUP

2L          Chicken stock
1L          Cold water
2            Bird's eye chilli's, deseeded & chopped
1bunch   Coriander, washed and cleaned
2inches   Ginger, peeled
1stick     Lemongrass, chopped
1tblsp     Fish sauce
4tblsp     Lime juice, freshly squeezed

CHICKEN WONTONS

4cloves   Garlic
1             Egg, lightly beaten
1             packet of wonton wrappers
120ml     Canned water chestnuts (or thereabouts), drained and finely chopped
500g       Chicken mince

salt n pepper

1. Make a paste from the chilli's, coriander, ginger & lemongrass, using either a mortar and pestle or a stab mixer, season and set aside a tablespoon of the paste for use in the wontons. 
2. In a large pot bring the chicken stock, paste, fish sauce, lime juice and water to the boil slowly. Taste the soup to make sure that it isn't too salty, sweet, hot or sour. It should balance nicely. 
3. Meanwhile, make the wontons.  Add the garlic cloves and a little salt and pepper to the reserved paste in the mortar and pestle and then add the finished paste to the chicken mince, water chestnuts and egg in a bowl and mix well.
4. Wrap teaspoons of mince mixture in the wonton wrappers.  I've added a fabulous tutorial for you to watch below.
5. Gently place the finished won ton's into the simmering soup. They are cooked when, having risen to the top of the soup they've simmered for a further 5mins. 
6. Serve in deep bowls. 

Cauliflower, leek & potato soup w crispy bacon & croutons

Today I've had a sick little man at home. Paddy, who is four, has a terrible earache AND super grumpy AND tired.  Soup is just about the only thing that makes me feel better when I'm crook so being the 'food cures all' mum that I am, I made soup. Unfortunately Paddy thought differently. "Ewwww" was all he said, thankfully the teenagers came home from school and saved my self-esteem by declaring the soup, super-soup!!

Here's how it goes:

1tblsp  Oil
1         Cauliflower head, florets
3         Leeks, sliced finely
8         Desiree potatoes, peeled & chopped
3         Garlic cloves
2l        Chicken or Vegetable stock
2l        Water
1cup    Croutons, home made, bought, whatever you choose!!
4         Bacon rashers, grilled & chopped
           Sour cream
           salt & pepper

1. Heat oil in a large stock pot then saute the leeks until soft, season.
2. Add potatoes, cauliflower and garlic cloves and cover with stock and water, stirring 
3. Cover and slowly bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. 
4. Cook for 2-3hrs or until the potatoes are falling apart, then blend with a stab mixer. 
5. Serve in deep soup bowls sprinkled with croutons, bacon and a little dab of sour cream. 

Laksa - a little north of the border style

Quick and easy, but not so traditional laksa!

Recipe By :Jacinta MacDonald
Serving Size : 6
Preparation Time 0:15mins
Cooking time 0:30mins




3 chicken thighs without skin
3 tblsp laksa paste
2 tblsp Gourmet Garden Thai seasoning
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1 can coconut milk
1 litre chicken stock
1 tblsp brown sugar or palm sugar
1 tsp fish sauce
10 raw prawns
1 tblsp oil
1 packet rice noodles
1 packet egg noodles
1 cup bean sprouts


Place 2 cups of water & the chicken thighs & bring to the boil then simmer for ten minutes and leave to cool a little. r\Remove thighs from pot and shred the chicken, set aside.


In a frypan or wok heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat then add the prawns. When the prawns start to turn pink add the laksa paste with sugar & fish sauce. Stir around the pan a little bit to mix then when pan is just starting to smoke add the coconut milk,stock & Thai seasoning.


Slowly bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins


Meanwhile place noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over the top and allow to sit for 5mins


To serve: place half a cup of noodles in each bowl then distribute the chicken and prawns amongst the bowls, top with carrots, some coriander sprigs and beanshoots. Ladle some of the soup into each bowl.
                                  


NOTES : This is a great way to introduce your family to Laksa, as your skills improve you can start to make your own pastes, experiment with other ingredients and dial up the spicy-ness! You can buy laksa paste at any supermarket

Baked lemon chicken - serves 4

I've been decluttering & reorganising my house. It's been a big job but my family have been really reaping the benefits. Before I headed away for the weekend to the Bellarine big4 mums sleepover I had decided to treat my family to a nice meal but in the decluttering craze I forgot to get it done! I panicked mildly until I realised I had some great ingredients that I could literally throw together...
1.5kg Chicken pieces, on the bone
2        Lemons, quartered
1tbs   Gourmet garden chunky garlic
1tbs   Gourmet garden thyme
4        Desiree potatoes, quartered
400g  Green beans, top & tailed
Salt & pepper


1. Preheat oven to 180deg
2. Throw chicken, potatoes, thyme & garlic in an ovenproof dish & squeeze lemon juice over, throw the lemon pieces into the dish & season. Give a good stir & bake uncovered for 1hr.
3. Meanwhile steam green beans until they are bright green & stir through cooked chicken.
4. Serve! 

Throw it all in!!

Bake it!!

Serve it!!