EGG FRIED RICE

This is an oldie but always well received. Ingredients......310 gm of rice, ( traditionally white rice is used but it is your dish your choice.) 1 litre of water, 1 carrot, finely chopped, 80 gm of frozen or fresh peas, 2 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 2 tbs of soy sauce / tamari, 1 tbs of sesame oil, 2 tbs of spring onion, chopped to garnish. Cook the rice in the water in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until water has been absorbed. In a small saucepan, boil the carrots in water for 3 minutes, add the peas and continue to cook for 3 minutes and drain. Heat a frypan over a high heat with the canola / rice bran oil. Add the carrots and peas, stir fry for 30 seconds, then pour in the lightly beaten eggs, stirring to scramble with the vegetables. Stir in the cooked rice, pour in the soy / tamari sauce and toss to coat. Drizzle with the sesame oiland toss again. Serve garnished with the chopped spring onions.

SUNFLOWER AND SESAME SLICE

A high in fibre treat. Ingredients......90 gm of butter / marg, 1 tsp of grated lemon rind, 2 tbs of castor sugar, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 100 gm of plain flour, 80 gm of wholemeal flour, 80 gm of sunflower kernals, 80 gm of ginger marmalade, 2 tbs of sesame seeds. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Line a 24 cm square pan with baking paper. Beat the butter / marg, rind, sugar and egg in a medium bowl with your electric beater until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and sunflower seeds. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the slice with the ginger marmalade and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool the slice in the pan before slicing.

HOMEMADE PESTO WITH ZUCCHINI NOODLES.

Ingredients.....Pesto..1 cup / 30 gm of fresh basil leaves, 30 gm of pine nuts, 60 ml of olive oil, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper, 30 gm / 1/4 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese, handful of basil leaves to garnish. Zucchini noodles...4 zucchini, 15 cherry tomatoes, halved, 1/2 cup / 60 gm of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Place the basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, and pepper into your food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add the Parmesan and pulse until a thicker consisitency is reached. Cover and place in your refrigerator until required. Now finely julienne the zucchini using a kitchen knife. Steam the zucchini noodles for 2 minutes. Place the zucchini noodles, tomatoes, and pesto in a large bowland toss well to thoroughly coat the noodles. Garnish with the finely grated Parmesan cheese and basil leaves to serve. Delicious.

HOMEMADE OLIVE BREAD.

Ingredients....300 gm of strong white flour / bakers flour, plus extra for dusting, 1 and 1/2 tsp of instant yeast, 1 tsp of salt, a pinch of castor sugar, 100 ml of lukewarm water, 250 gm of silverbeet, chopped, 100gm of sliced black olives, 2 tbs of olive oil. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a bowl and make a hollow in the middle. Add the lukewarm water. Knead the mixture into a smooth, silky dough. Leave to rise, covered, for about 1 hour or until doubled in size in a warm room. Now preheat your oven to 220 deg C. Knead the chopped silverbeet and sliced olives into the dough, then divide it into thirds. Form each loaf into a rounded rectangular loaf. Place each loaf on the lined baking sheet. Cover with a flour dusted cotton tea towel and leave for for an hour. Brush the loaves with oil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing to serve. This is so good.

GINGERBREAD LOAF.

Ingredients.....100gm of butter / marg, 25 gm caster sugar, 100 gm of treacle or golden syrup, 225 gm of plain flour, 1 tsp of bi carb of soda, 1 tsp of ground ginger, 1 tsp of mixed spice, 2 eggs, beaten. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a small loaf pan and lightly sprinkle with polenta. Melt the butter/ marg, sugar and syrup / treacle over a gentle heat. Mix the flour, bi carb of soda and spices together in a mixing bowl. Stir in the cooled liquid and then the beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly and beat until you have a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, use the back of a spoon to smooth over the the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 3/4 - 1 hour or until tested with a skewer. Cool the loaf in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack. This loaf improves with keeping and freezes well.

YOGHURT SULTANA SLICE

Ingredients.....Base..125 gm of plain sweet biscuits, 60 gm of butter / marg. Topping...250 gm of cream cheese, 400gm of natural Greek style yoghurt, 3 eggs, lightly beaten, 1/2 cup of sultanas, 4 tbs of honey, ground cinnamon. Base... crush the biscuits finely add the melted butter / marg and mix well. Line a 28 cm x 18 cm / 11" x 7" lamington pan with baking paper , bring the baking paper 5 cm / 2 " over the sides of the pan, this makes it easy to remove the slice for serving. Press the crumb mixture on the base, refrigerate while preparing the topping. Topping... Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Beat together the cream cheese, yoghurt, eggs and honey. Use a wooden spoon to stir through the sultanas. Pour the filling on the prepared crumb base. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven or until the filling is set. Cool in the pan before removing from the pan. Refrigerate before removing from the pan. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon to serve.

SPICY CHICKEN GOUJONS

Ingredients......3 chicken breast fillets, plain flour for coating,oil for deep frying, 1/2 tso of ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp of ground cumin, 1/2 tsp of chilli powder, 1/2 tsp of ground coriander. Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips and toss in the plain flour, shakink off any excess. Fill your deep fryer with the oil (about 1/3 rd full) and heat to 180 deg C. Cook the goujons in batches until golden brown. Drain on kitchen towelling paper. Set aside and keep warm. Mix together the cumin, coriander, chilli and turmeric with a tsp of salt. Toss the goujons in the mixture, shaking off the excess. Enjoy as a nibble.