Recipes - Margherita Pizza

The Margherita pizza is one of the most common and widely recognised traditional pizza varieties. It is, quite simply, cheese, tomato and herbs on a tomato sauced pizza base.  It's great to serve to kids as it is simple and tasty with uncomplicated flavours. Because it is so simple and very traditional there are a hundred different recipes with slight variations in ingredients used.  My recipe will just add to that list.

Ingredients

1 pizza base

1-2 tbs pizza sauce

8-12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2 cup mozzarella, grated

1/2 cup tasty cheese, grated

basil leaves, to serve

I forgot the basil leaves!

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C.

Step 2 - Place pizza base on a lightly greased pizza tray. Spread pizza sauce over base and sprinkle with dried herbs.  Evenly distribute mozzarella and half of the tasty cheese over sauce.  Top with cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  

Step 3 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until base is crisp. Top with basil leaves and serve with a simple, lightly dressed green salad.

Notes:

Amounts of pizza sauce and cheese can be increased or reduced, depending on how saucy or cheesy you like your pizza.

Recipes - Antipasto Skewers

I love antipasto and almost always serve it at my own events.  I've found, however, that it's not the easiest thing to serve when catering or when going for a picnic.  So my quick fix is to skewer it.

Ingredients

Antipasto, for example:

salami, prociutto, ham

olives, sundried tomatoes

cherry tomtoes, artichoke

fetta, bocconcini, 

roast capsicum, chargrilled eggplant

chargrilled zucchini, stuffed bell peppers

marinted button mushrooms

toothpicks

Step 1 - If required, cube fetta, tear meats into smaller pieces, halve button mushrooms and bell peppers, or cut larger vegetables into small pieces. 

Step 2 - Thread 3 things onto each toothpick, making sure to create as many combinations as possible.

Notes:

Skewers can be prepped in advance and refrigerated for several hours before serving.

Recipes - Cookie Cups

What do you get if you turn a muffin tray upside down?  A cookie cup tray!  I saw this on some random internet site somewhere and thought it was pure genius.  After keeping it in mind for several months I thought it was finally time to get a basic cookie recipe and give them a go.  Such a cool idea, super versatile and great to get kids involved in the making of them and of course, they'll want to eat them afterwards!  

Ingredients

185g butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups plain flour

extra flour

Step 1 - In a large bowl cream butter, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until pale.  Add egg and beat until incorporated.  Sift flour over the mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon.

Step 2 - Use your hands to bring the mixture together into a soft dough in the bowl and transfer to a lightly floured surface.  Flour your hands and knead dough for a few minutes until flour in incorporated, adding a little more as you go if need be.  Roll into a sausage shape, wrap in glad wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3 - Preheat oven to 180.  Turn two 12 hole muffin trays upside down and grease every second mound. Cover in foil, wrapping tightly around each mound.

Step 4 - Remove dough from fridge and unwrap.  Cut in half, wrap one portion and return to fridge.  Cut remaining portion into 12 rounds. Place each round between two sheets of baking paper and using a rolling pin to roll out into a circle, approx 3mm thick and 70mm in diameter.  Place dough over a greased mound and repeat.  Bake for 12 minutes, swapping trays halfway through.  

Step 5 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the tray before transfering cookie cups to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat step 4 with remaining dough.

Step 6 - Serve warm or cold, filled with ice cream, custard, jam and cream or anything your heart desires.   

Variations:

For chocolate cookies add 2 tbs cocoa powder with the flour. 

For confetti cookies add 1/4 cup of 100's and 1000's with the flour.

For coconut cookie add 1/4 cup desiccated coconut with the flour.

Recipes - Brownies

Have I mentioned that taste.com.au is an awesome website?  I found this brownie recipe there and it is tops. Super quick to throw together and simple, so it's a great recipe to do with kids. I changed it a bit but it worked perfectly so I'll let you know how I do it and you have the link to the original recipe.  There is only one flaw, it's so chewy and chocolatey and rich and delicious that you can't stop at one!!


Ingredients
200g good quality dark chocolate, chopped
150g unsalted butter, cubed
160g brown sugar
1/2 tbs vanilla extract
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
85g plain flour
50g walnuts, roughly chopped
25g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
20g white choc chips
icing sugar and cocoa to dust

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 160°C.  Grease and line a slice tin with baking paper.
Step 2 - Place butter and chocolate in a large microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 1 minute on medium-high heat.  Remove and stir with a balloon whisk.  If not completely melted, return to microwave for 20 seconds.
Step 3 - Add sugar and vanilla and whisk until incorporated.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating will with the whisk after each addition then finally add the yolk and flour and stir well.  Lastly, fold through the nuts and white chocolate.
Step 4 - Pour mixture into prepared pan and place in the oven.  Cook for 45 minutes, then remove from oven and leave at room temperature to cool.  Brownies may appear to be runny or soft in the middle when removed from the oven but will set as they cool.  
Step 5 - Once cooled, turn onto a wire rack and gently peel off baking paper.  Slice into pieces and dust with a mixture of icing sugar and cocoa to serve.

Recipes - Bigilla

Bigilla is a Maltese dip made with dried broadbeans.  When I decided to make it I didn't think getting my hands on some dried broadbeans would be too difficult.  I was wrong.  In their absence I used frozen.  My Mum insists that this is not a bigilla because it has not been made with dried broadbeans.  It's also true that usually the dip is a medium-dark brown and mine is bright green.  Whatever it is and whatever broadbean you use, this dip is addictive!!  And just between you and me, I think it tastes better than the original.

Ingredients

500g broadbeans

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup parsley, firmly packed

1 tsp harissa

salt and pepper, to season

Step 1 - Boil broadbeans in lightly salted water for 4-5 minutes, or until soft.  Drain and transfer to food processor while still warm.

Step 2 - Add garlic, lemon juice, parsley and harrisa to broadbeans, season well with salt and pepper and process.  With motor running, drizzle olive oil in a thin stream until incorperated.  

Step 3 - Taste and adjust seasoning as required.  Serve warm or cool with crackers or bread. 

Notes:

If using dried broadbeans reduce the amount to 300g and soak overnight. Drain and rinse before commencing step 1.  Cooking time will also need to be extended.


I forgot to pick up some harissa so used tabasco sauce instead.  Not traditional but still gave it the kick it needed.  A fresh birdseye chilli could be used also.

Recipes - Pineapple, Coconut and Lime Cookies

I had an idea for summer in a cookie. The idea is good, the flavour combination is great, but it's not quite what I had in mind.   This is the recipe I used on my first attempt.  The cookie itself is soft and chewy, but a little stodgy in the middle, kind like a subway cookie.  They are yummy but I want to improve them.  Stay tuned for attempt two, coming soon.

Ingredients

125g butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 cup pineapple, chopped

1 lime, zested

1 cup desiccated coconut, toasted

3 1/2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 tbs baking powder

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 190°C.  Line a flat tray with baking paper.

Step 2 - Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until pale then add sugar  bit by bit until incorporated.  Add egg and beat until combined.

Step 3 - Add vanilla, pineapple and coconut to bowl and mix well then fold through sifted flour and baking powder.  

Step 4 - Drop heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto prepared tray leaving ample room for spreading. Bake for 18 minutes then cool on tray.  Repeat with remaining mixture.

Recipes - Garden Salad

I've noticed over the years that everyone does their garden salad a little differently.  Some people keep it super simple with just a few ingredients, some people like sliced carrot and cheddar cubes and other throw everything in, including mango, pineapple, apple and orange (yes! with lettuce, tomato and cheese).  I like to use the very best the garden has to offer and a few things from my fridge and pantry.  I think my garden salad is pretty alright.

Ingredients

150g mixed mesculan, washed

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved

1 lebanese cucumber, halved and sliced

1/2 red capsicum, thinly sliced

1/4 - 1/2 small spanish onion, sliced very thinly

1 avocado, diced

100g fetta, cubed

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

1/2 lemon

olive oil

salt and pepper

2 tbs dukkah (this will MAKE the salad! Seriously, make sure you use it!)

balsamic glaze (optional)

Step 1 - Tip lettuce into a large salad bowl then layer capsicum, cucumber, tomatoes and spanish onion. Scatter avocado, fetta and olives on top.

Step 2 - Season well with salt and pepper then squeeze juice from lemon over salad. Drizzle with olive oil, I am a bit heavy handed but you can be as lite or heavy as you like. 

Step 3 - Sprinkle salad with dukkah and drizzle over a little balsamic glaze if desired. Serve immediately. 

Recipes - Basic Cupcake and Buttercream Icing

Who doesn't LOVE cupcakes!  The perfect, pretty, light, fluffy, sweet little treat that is so delicious and super versatile.  Cupcakes are so in right now and this is a great base recipe for a vanilla cupcake and butter cream icing that can be coloured, flavoured and decorated to match your mood, your event or your creativity.  Being Christmas, I have decided to use some green and red sanding sugar, some edible glitter and some little green and red Christmas trees.  These decorations (and many, many, many more) are available from cake decorating retailers. 

Ingredients

200g butter, softened and cubed

1 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups SR flour

1/2 cup milk

Buttercream Icing

250g butter, softened and cubed

3 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup milk

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180°C.  Line 3 x 24 hole mini cupcake tray or 3 x 12 hole regular cupcake tray with patty pans.

Step 2 - Cream butter and sugar then add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

Step 3 - Fold through half the flour, then half the milk.  Fold through the remaining flour then the remaining milk.

Step 4 - As this mixture rises very well, 1/2 fill patty pans.  Bake for 10-12 minutes for mini cupcakes or 15-17 minutes for regular cupcakes.  

Step 5 - Remove from oven and stand for two minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Step 6 - To make buttercream, beat butter until pale then  beat in half the icing sugar.  When incorperated, beat in 1tbs milk, then remaining icing sugar, then remaining milk.

Step 7 - Pipe or spread icing over cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.

Note:

This recipe makes about 72 mini cupcakes or about 36 regular sized cupcakes.

Recipes - Baked Spring Rolls

Lots of research went into this recipe as I spend hours trawling over spring roll recipes to see how people do it.  I'd always wanted to make spring rolls, but never really put much thought into it until my daughter insist she serve them at her 5th birthday party.  As I was making them with kids in mind, I opted for a healthier baked vegetable spring roll packed full of flavour.  But they're not just for the kids, they'll be loved by all.

Ingredients

1 x 20 pkt spring roll wrappers 

1/2 wombok, roughly chopped

100g vermicelli noodles

2 carrot, pelled and julienned

1 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 clove garlic, crushed

1 x 5cm knob ginger, peeled & finely grated

6 shallots, end trimmed and finely sliced

2 cups been shoots

2 tbs oystery sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

sweet chilli sauce to serve

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 220°C.  Grease and line two baking trays.

Step 2 - Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water.  Stand for 5 minutes, drain and return to bowl.

Step 3 - While noodles are standing, heat 1tbs olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat.  Add garlic, carrot, celery, shallots and wombok.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Step 4 - Add ginger and been shoots, toss and cook for a further 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add to bowl with drained noodles.

Step 5 - Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Combine well and leave to cool.  Remove spring roll wrappers from freezer and allow to thaw.

Step 6 - When wrappers are thaw, place between a damp tea towel to avoid drying.  Carefully peel a wrapper from the stack and place on a clean dry work surface.  Place about 1-2 tbs of mixture across the middle on a diagonal.  fold sides in and roll tightly.  Place in baking tray and repeat with remaining wrappers and mixture.

Step 7 - Spray with a  little olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and crisp. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Notes:

Spring roll wrappers are very delicate and require a lot of care and patience as they tear very easily.  When peeling a wrapper from the stack, keep your hand close to the stack and keep the wrapper taunt, peeling slowly and firmly.  Funnily enough, do not worry if you 'scrunch' the wrapper, as they unfold to be perfectly flat.

I tried a few ways of rolling these; fat and short, long and skinny, 1 tbs filling, 2 tbs filling, etc. I found the best way is the make them like a cigar, that is, spread the filling in a thin line almost to the edge of the wrapper and roll a tight, long, skinny roll, as pictured above and in the diagram to the right.

While I have labelled this as a vegetarian dish, some oystery sauces are not vegetarian friendly, so please check ingredients before use.

Spring Rolls can be made to the end of Step 6 and frozen in an air tight container between layers of baking paper for up to one month.  Remove spring rolls from freezer and continue from step 7, no need to thaw! 

Recipes - Muffins

This basic muffin recipe can be used to create any flavour combination your imagination can conjure.  I have listed the recipes for both sweet and savoury muffins.

Ingredients - Sweet Muffins
2 cups SR flour
1 cup sugar 
1 egg
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup milk
1-3 cups additional ingredients

Ingredients - Savoury Muffins

2 cups SR flour

1 cup grated cheese, tasty or parmesan 

1 egg

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup milk

1-3 cups additional ingredients

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 200°C.  Grease muffin tray.
Step 2 - In a large bowl add dry ingredients and mix to combine.  Make a well.  
Step 3 - Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not beat mixture as muffins will become tough. 
Step 4 - Fill muffin tray holes 3/4 full with mixture.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  
Step 5 - Remove from oven and turn out onto wire rack to cool.


Notes:


Depending on additional ingredients, the amount of milk or flour may change.  If the mixture is too wet, add flour tbs at a time until you have reached the right consistency.  If mixture is too dry, add milk 1 tbs at a time. 




I'll be posting my Top 5 Sweet Muffins and Top 5 Savoury Muffins soon. 

Recipes - Sushi

Sushi.

Ingredients
2 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbs sugar
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve
fresh salmon fillet approx. 250-300g
1 pkt nori sheets
1 cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 avocado, peeled and cut into thin slices
wasabi, plus extra to serve
pickled ginger, to serve

Step 1 - To make sushi vinegar place rice vinegar, sugar, salt and soy sauce in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar and salt have dissolved. Set aside.

Step 2 - Cook rice. Spread cooked rice in a baking dish and pour sushi vinegar over rice.  Use a spatula to fold together, spread into a single layer and leave to cool.

Step 3 - Remove bones and skin from salmon and cut into thin strips.

Step 4 - Place a nori sheet, shiny side down, on a board or bamboo mat.  Spread a thin layer of rice over nori, leaving a 1/2cm at top.  Spread a very thin layer of wasabi about 1.5cm from the bottom and layer salmon, avocado and cucumber. Roll firmly.

Step 5 - Repeat until you have used all the rice.  Rolls can be cut in half or into 1cm rounds.

Step 6 - Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

Notes:

For a variation, cut a chicken breast into strips and marinade in teriyaki sauce.  Cook in a grill pan and allow to cool before making sushi.  


As the rice is sticky, make extra sushi vinegar and use it to dip your fingers into before working with the rice.


This recipe makes about six rolls.

Recipes - Choc Coconut Slice

This is my go to recipe when unexpected guests drop by.  The ingredients are staples in my kitchen and it is so easy to whip up. I believe the recipe came from a Women's Weekly cookbook but I have not seen the recipe for years and have most likely modified it from the original.  Still, it tastes pretty good and it's a great recipe for kids who like to cook as it only requires a little help from an adult. 

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 tbsp cocoa

1 egg

125g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing 
1 cup icing sugar
30g butter, melted 
1 tbs cocoa 
1 tbs hot water
Shredded coconut, toasted

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180°C.  Line a swiss roll tin with baking paper. 
Step 2 - Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and combine.  Make a well, add wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Step 3 - Transfer mixture to prepared tin and use fingers to press down into an even layer.  Bake for 20 minutes.
Step 4 - Remove from oven and leave in tin to cool.
Step 5 - Turn out cooled slice onto a board.  In a small bowl, add all icing ingredients except coconut and stir until combined.  If needed, add more hot water, little by little, until the icing has reached a smooth spreadable consistency. Spread over slice and refrigerate for 10 mins to set icing. 
Step 6 - Sprinkle with toasted coconut and cut into pieces. 

Recipes - Guacamole

Who doesn't love a good guacamole?  Great for kids and vegetarians, a must when eating nachos and is great as a dip or spread on sandwiches and wraps.

Avocados, the main ingredient, are high in potassium, B vitamin, vitamin E and vitamin K.  They also contain more fibre than most fruits. 

Traditionally, guacamole is made by mashing avocado with sea salt. The essence of my recipe embodies this simplicity; maintaining the integrity of the avocado while adding a few simple, complimenting flavours.  

Ingredients

2 Hass avocado, skin removed

1 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp smoked paprika 

tabasco, to taste

sea salt, to season

pepper, pinch 

Guacamole pictured on right

Step 1 - Put all ingredients in a mini food processor and process.  

Step 2 - Taste, adjust seasoning as required and process.

Step 3 - Move to serving dish, sprinkle with paprika and serve with toasted turkish bread. 

Notes:

If you don't have a food processor, place ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork.

Sweet chili sauce can be used in place of tabasco.  As with all seasonings, add a small amount to start with, then add more if required.

This is a great recipe to get kids involved in!  Reduce the amount of chili and encourage them to try it.  As they build a tolerance to chili, increase the amount used. 

Recipes - Hummus

Hummus is a middle eastern dip made from chickpeas.  It is high in iron, vitamin C, folate and vitamin B6 and the chickpeas provide a good source of protein and dietary fibre.  Traditionally, hummus is a mezze dish, but it can also be used as a dip or as a spread for sandwiches and wraps. It compliments lamb and roasted Mediterranean vegetables.  

Ingredients

400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tbs tahini

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 a lemon, juiced

salt, to season

Step 1 - Put chickpeas, tahini and garlic in a food processor.  Process.

Step 2 - Scrap down sides of food processor, add remaining ingredients. Process.

Step 3 - Taste mixture for seasoning and add salt, cumin, tahini, oil or lemon juice as required.

Step 4 - Move to serving dish, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with cumin and serve with toasted turkish bread.  

Notes:

When checking the seasoning and balancing the flavours, ensure you only add small amount of the ingredient and process well after each addition. 

Tahini is a paste made from hulled and ground sesame seeds.  It is available from most supermarkets and has a very long shelf life.  After opening, store at room temperature and ensure you mix it thoroughly before each use.  

Leftover hummus should be stored in an airtight container with a thin layer of oil covering it and refrigerated.  Do not freeze.