Too excited to not share this special!!!

Book it in quick!!!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/3-DAYS-ONLY--Save-over--314-on-the-Kitchen-Essentials-Pack-when-you-host-a-Cooking-Party-in-July-.html?soid=1101235841392&aid=22CVrdqmXr8

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!!

Chicken Kiev w mash

What a big hit last nights dinner was!! I served lightly steamed asparagus and carrots with the Kiev's and mash, not a scrap left...

Ingredients:

100g    Breadcrumbs

4         Chicken breast fillets
           Plain flour
1         Egg white, lightly beaten
50g     Butter, room temp
2tbs    Gourmet garden chives
2tsps   Gourmet garden chunky garlic
750g   Desiree potatoes, peeled and chopped
125ml Cream
           Salt & Pepper

Here's how it's done;

1. Preheat oven to 180deg.
2. To make the Kiev filling, combine 30g's of the butter, the chives and garlic and a little salt and pepper in a bowl.  Pile onto non-stick paper or cling-wrap and roll into a log and freeze for 30mins.
3. In a saucepan place the potatoes covered well with cold water and bring to the boil. This should take 15-20mins
4. Bash out the chicken fillets between glad-wrap using a meat-mallet so they are thinner, about 4mm thick.
5. Unwrap the butter and quarter it, lengthways and place one on top of each bashed-out fillet and fold in the ends and roll up so the butter is completely enveloped by the chicken. 
6. Place the roll in flour and dust lightly so there is no dampness left on the chicken but not excess flour.
7. Dip the roll in the egg white and allow excess liquid to drip off placing the roll straight into the breadcrumbs.  Roll the Kiev around the plate until it's coated with crumbs.
8. Repeat steps 6, 7 and 8 with all the Kiev's.
9. Place on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30mins
10. Meanwhile your potatoes should be cooked, these can be tested by sticking a sharp knife in them, if it comes away easily they are done! Drain them and using the pot mash using the 20g of unused butter and the cream and salt and pepper.
11. Slice the chicken and serve atop the mash with steam steamed veg.

What an awesome idea for a competition and right up my alley!! I've decided to enter for lots of reasons, I love to cook (duh, right), I'm fiercely competitive and I love the Gourmet garden herbs. I use them all the time for their convenience and their fresh taste! 

Over the next week i'll feature some recipes using their herbs. Their site is full of great information with lots of ideas, recipes and product info! Check them out at www.gourmetgarden.com

Jacinta