NUTELLA / HAZELNUT SPREAD RICE PUDDING

Ingredients..... 1 litre of milk, 20 gm / 1 and 1/2 tbs of castor sugar, 1 dsp of vanilla extract, 100 gm of aborio rice, 3 tbs of nutella / hazelnut spread. Bring the milk, vanill extract and sugar to the boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat and add the rice to the milk mixture and cook over a gentle heat until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir through the spread, making sure it is well combined. Divide the mixture between 4 dishes and leave to cool. Top with a swirl of the hazelnut nut spread to serve .

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ?

Here are the answers to April's challenge: 1. Drippings 4. Treacle 2. Plump 5. Water bath 3. Steam 6. Fudge Here is the May chellenge for you: 1. A confection made of egg whites, honey and nuts ? 2. Edible pumpkin seeds with husks removed? 3. A sweet edible coating? 4. Tiny tube shaped pasta used un soups? 5. Rich fudge like biscuit usually made with chocolate and cut into squares? 6. To incorporate air into food to make it lighter?

ZUCCHINI SLICE

Ingredients.....5 eggs, 1 cup of plain flour, 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1/4 cup of rice bran/ canola oil, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper, 2 cups of grated zucchini, firmly packed , 1 medium onion , finely chopped, 200 gm of diced bacon pieces, 1 cup of grated tasty cheese, 200 gm of feta cheese, finely chopped, 2 tbs of chopped fresh herbs, parsley and or basil. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a 22cm x 33 cm slice tray with baking paper. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, oil and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining ingredientsand stir until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tray then cut into slices to serve warm or cold. Store covered ion refrigerator for upto 3 days. To freeze , cut the cold slice into squares and individually wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

CHEESE AND APPLE SCONES.

Ingredients......210 gm of self raising flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, pinch of salt. 60 gm of fine oatmeal, 1 tsp of mustard powder, 1 tsp of brown sugar, 4 tbs of butter/ marg, 125 gm of grated tasty cheese, 1 apple peeled, cored and thinly sliced into pieces, 5 tbs of sour cream, extra sour cream for glazing. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Stir throught the oatmeal, sugar and mustard pwder. Rub in the butter/ marg with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Fold in the cheese and apple and just enough sour cream to make a soft dough ... NOT a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape the dough out into a thickness of 1 "/ 2 cm. Cut out into 10 - 12 scones. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little extra soured cream and dust lightly with oatmeal. Bake in the preheated oven until well risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

CHICKEN IN A GINGER SAUCE.

Ingredients.......30 gm of plain flour, 1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper, 8 chicken pieces, 30 gm of butter/ marg, 300 gm of ginger marmalade, 1 onion, chopped, 125 ml of bar be que sauce, 2 tbs of soy sauce, 60 gm of sliced and drained water chestnuts, 1 green capsicum, sliced into thin strips. Lightly spray the bowl of your slow cooker with cooking oil. Melt the butter/ marg in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the chicken until lightly browned. Place the lightly browned chicken pieces in the bowl of your slow cooker and turn the cooking temperature to high. Combine the marmalade, onion, bar be que sauce and soy sauce in in a small bowl along with the cracked black pepper and mix well. Pour the marmalade mixture over the chicken pieces in the slow cooker. Add the water chestnuts and capsicum, cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5 - 4 hours, until a skewer inserted into the thickest parts of the joints, sees the juices run clear. The aromas wafting from the slow cooker are so inviting... I serve this dish with steamed mixed grains, it is your dish, serve it as you like.

RAW CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Ingredients......128 gm of almond meal, 60 gm of cocoa powder, 130 gm of crunchy peanut butter, 80 gm honey, 80 gm nutella. Line a 17cm x 11cm pan with baking paper. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl with a pinch of salt and stir well. Press the mixture into the prepared panand refrigerate for intil set. Slice to serve.

MINI SAVOURY CROISSANTS

Ingredients.......2 sheets of puff pastry, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 1 tb s of water. Asparagus and cheese filling.....60 gm of tasty grated cheese, 4 fresh asparagus spears , blanched and finely chopped, 1/4 tsp of cracked black pepper, 1/4 tsp of ground paprika. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. In a large bowl , combine the grated cheese, asparagus, paprika and pepper. Lay out the puff pastry sheets and cut each sheet into 4 squares. Fold each square into a triangle. Divide and place a little of the filling across the base of each triangle. Roll up the pastry from the base and mould into a croissant shape. In a small bowl mix the water with the lightly beaten egg and brush over the croissant. Place the croissants on the lined oven trays. Bake until puffed and golden. Serve hot or cold.