EGGPLANT AND ZUCCHINI PASTA BAKE.

Ingredients....1 and 1/4 cups of penne pasta, 375 gm of eggplant , cut into 1 cm slices lengthways, 250 gm of zucchini, cut into 1 cm slices lengthways, cooking oil for brushing, canola / rice bran oil, 1 cup of fresh basil, firmly packed, 1 cup of bottled pasta sauce, 1 cup of grated mozarell cheese, 1/2 cup of grated tasty cheese, 1/2 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 1.5 litre loaf pan and line with two layers of baking paper, overlapping the long sides by 7 cm. Line a baking tray with foil. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water. until just cooked/ el dente. Cool under running water and drain. Brush the eggplant and zucchini strips with the oil and arrange in a single layer on the foil covered baking tray. Grill on both sides until golden. Layer a 1/3 rd of the eggplant slices, overlapping to fit into the base of the prepared loaf pan. Repeat with a 1/3 rd of the zucchini slices, basil leaves, pasta and sauce. Scatter 1/3rd of the combined cheeses over. Repeat the layering twice more, finishing with a layer of the cheeses and press firmly into the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cover with baking paper after the first 30 minutes to prevent over browning. Leave the cooked pasta dish sit in the pan for 60 minutes, then using the over hanging paper, lift from the pan, remove the paper and cut into slices to serve. Serve hot.

BAKED RICE PUDDING.

Ingredients.....1 tbs of melted butter / marg, 115 gm of risotto rice, 55 gm of castor sugar, 850 ml of milk, 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract, 40 gm of butter / marg, cut into slivers, ground nutmeg for topping, optional.. cream, jam, honey or ice cream for serving. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease a 1.2 litre ovenproof dish / casserole with the melted butter / marg. Place the unccoked rice in the dish and sprinkle with the sugar. Heat the milk in a saucepan until simmering, then remove from the heat and pour over the rice. Add the vanilla extract and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Scatter the slivered butter / marg over the surface of the pudding. Sprinkle the nutmeg over the top. Place the dish on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes and then stir to break up the rice. Continue cooking for 1 and half hours or until the pudding is well browned on top. Serve hot with or without a topping.. your choice!

CHICKEN AND CHILLI WITH BASIL.

Ingredients.....1 onion, diced, 450 gm of chicken breast fillet, diced, 1 tbs of fresh red chilli, seeded and chopped, 1 tbs of soy sauce, 1 tbs of brown sugar, 1 dsp of fish sauce, 1 cup of fresh basil leaves, torn. Add 2 tbs of canol / rice bran oil to a large frying pan, add the chopped onions and stir fry till tender. Add the chicken and stir fry until browned all over. Add the chillies, soy sauce, sugar and fish sauce, stir until sugar is disolved. To finish off add the chopped basil and stir until combined. Serve in warmed bowls with a rice salad and or vegetables. Enjoy.

GARDEN PIZZA

Ingredients.....I used a store bought pizza base, 250 gm of asparagus spears, cut into 4 cm pieces, 125 gm of baby yellow squash or zucchini, sliced, 3 spring onions , chopped, 155 gm of broccoli, cut into florets, 125 gm of peas, 1 dsp of dried basil / 2 tbs of fresh basil, chopped, 70 gm of grated mozzarella cheese, 70 gm of grated Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper, to taste. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Arrange the asparagus, squash / zucchini, spring onions, broccoli, peas and basil over the pizza base. Sprinkle with the mozarella and Parmesan cheeses and cracked black pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the cheeses are golden and the base is crisp.

CHEESE SCONES

Ingredients....2 cups of self raising flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp of mustard powder, 30 gm of cold butter/ marg cut into pieces, 1/2 a cup of grated cheddar cheese, 1/4 of a cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese, (found in the pasta section of your supermaqrket), 1 cup of milk, 1/4 of a cup of grated cheddar cheese, extra for topping. Preheat your oven to 220 deg C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Sift the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt and mustard powder into a bowl and add the butter / marg. Rub the butter / marg in with you fingertips. Stir in the Parmesan and cheddar, make sure they do not clump together and make a well in the centre. Add almost all the milk and mix with a flat bladed knife of the milk in a cutting action until the dough comes together in clumps, using the remaining milk if necessary. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured bench, using floured hands, gently pat into a smooth ball, do not knead, otherwise you will end up with tough scones. Pat the dough into a 2 cm thickness, use a floured 5 cm cutter and cut into 5cm rounds. Gather the scone trimmings together and shape again into a 2 cm thickness and cut out more rounds. Place the scones together close together on the prepared tray. Sprinkle over the extra grated cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Best served warm or at room temperature. These are so good.

COUSCOUS AND POMEGRANATE SALAD.

Ingredients....2 cups of couscous, 2 cups of boiling water, 1 pomegranate, halved and seeds removed, 1 continental cucumber, finely chopped, 1 cup of roughly chopped fresh mint leaves, 1 cup of roughly chopped fresh flat leafed parsley, 1/3 rd of a cup of canola / rice bran oil, 1/4 of a cup of granulated nuts, 2 tbs of sesame seeds. Place the couscous in a large heat proof bowl. Add the boiling water. Cover and set aside until all the water has been absorbed. Use a fork to fluff and separate the grains. Set aside to cool. When the couscous has cooled, transfer to a large serving bowl. Use a handle of a wooden spoon to hit the pomegranate all over before cutting in half, this will help to dislodge the seeds. Release the seeds over the couscous to catch any juices. Add the cucumber, mint, parsley, oil, nuts and sesame seeds. Season with cracked black pepper and gently toss to combine. Serve at room temperature. Delicious, enjoy.

RASPBERRY SLICE.

Ingredients...Base..90 gm of butter / marg, at room temp, 1/2 cup of castor sugar, pinch of salt, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 2/3 rds of a cup of plain flour, 1/3 rd of a cup of self raising flour, 1/2 of a cup of raspberry jam. Ingredients...Topping...2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1/3 rd of a cup of castor sugar, 2 cups of desiccated coconut. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease a slice pan ( 28 cm x 18 cm ) and line with baking paper,leaving a little hanging over the two long sides. Use your electric mixer to cream the butter / marg, sugar, salt and vanilla extract until white and fluffy, then beat in the egg. Mix in the combined flours and press the mixture evenly into the lined pan, use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, check with a skewer inserted comes out clean. Spread the jam over the base. Beat the topping ingredients together to combine and spread over the jam. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool, then cut into squares. Great with a cuppa.