BOILED PINEAPPLE FRUIT CAKE

Pre heat your oven to 160 deg C. Place 1 x 440gm can of crushed pineapple , 1 cup of castor sugar , 125 gm of marg / butter , 2 and 2/3 cups of mixed dry fruit and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan over a medium heat Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes . Stir in 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda and then remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Then add 2 lightly beaten eggs , mix till well incorporated . In a separate bowl mix together 1 cup of plain flour with 1 cup of self raising flour and 1 tsp of mixed spice . Gently fold the flour and spice into the fruit mixture . Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 20cm round or square cake pan . Bake for 2 and 1/4 hours or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Leave in the pan to cool on a cake cooler .

CHILLI CON CARNE

In a large frypan over medium heat , cook 500gm of mince beef , 1 onion peeled and sliced , 1 tbs of minced garlic and 1 finely sliced chilli pepper including seeds . Cook until the beef is browned and the onion and chilli is tender , stir to separarte the beef. Stir in 1 can ( 420 gm ) of red kidney beans undrained , 2 tbs of malt vinegar and 1 can (170gm) of tomato paste . Heat to boiling then reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 15 minutes , stirring occasionally . Serve over grain of your choice .

GINGERED VEGETABLES

Here is my recipe for perfect stir fry vegetables , it's not rocket science but it works. You will need 1 cup of diagonally sliced carrots , 1 cup of diagonally sliced celery , 1 cup of red sliced red capsicums and finally 1 cup of peeled , sliced and chopped onion . Place these in a wok or a frypan over a high heat in 2 tbs of peanut oil for 3 minutes . Now add 2 cups of brocoli florets , 1 cup of snow peas , 1 dsp of minced garlic , 1 dsp of minced ginger . Sprinkle 2 tbs of cornflour or arrowroot over the vegetables . Stir in 375 ml of vegetable stock , reduce heat and stir until the mixture thickens and then simmer until the vegetables are tender crisp .

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE ORIENTALE

I had left over cooked chicken meat which has been stored in the refrigerator , the following is what I have prepared for tea . Preheat your oven to 160 deg c . I added 1 peeled and sliced onion to an ovenproof dish , 3 cups of sliced and mixed vegetables ( carrots , brocoli , capsicum ,cauliflower , beans ,( 1/4 cup of sliced black olives optional extra ). 750gm of cooked chicken pieces , sliced into strips . Drizle over a tbs of rice bran oil and stir through . Add to the mix 1 x 440 gm of condensed cream of chicken soup , stir through 1 tbs of water , 2 tbs of soy sauce and season with cracked pepper . Cover and place in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender . Serve the chicken and vegetable orientale over rice or grain of your choice . Serve with extra soy sauce in a small bowl to the side .

PUMPKIN FLOWERS STUFFED WITH PRAWNS bong bi don thit

Stuffed zucchini flowers were so 90's and very trendy . I'm bringing them back and putting them on the plate . You will need 12 pumpkin flowers , stems intact with the stamens removed , set aside . Place 150 gm of green prawns , shelled and deveined in a mortar and pastle into a fine paste. Add 10 gm of dried dill , 1 tbs of fish sauce , 1 tbs of minced garlic ,a pinch of salt and pepper . Mix until it comes together . In a separate bowl beat 2 egg whites togeher lightly . Take a tsp of the prawn mixture and carefully stuff each pumpkin flower . Brush each flower with egg white then dust each flower with rice flour until dry , shake of excess flour . In a deep fryer , saucepan or wok add enough peanut oil and heat to 180 deg C . fry the flowers until crisp ,taking care not allowing them to brown , remove and place on absorbent paper towel . Serve as a shared entree on a large platter with a sqeeze of lime and a sprinkle of dried dill .

CORN RELISH

Combine 1.3 kg of whole kernal corn ( or 3x 420 gm tins of corn kernals )in a large saucepan with 2 brown onions , coarsley chopped , 1 red capsicum coarsley chopped ,1 green capsicum coarsley chopped ,2 celery stalks coarsley chopped , 500ml of apple cider vinegar , 430 ml of white vinegar ,220gm of raw sugar , 1 tbs of dry mustard , 1 tbs of mustard seeds , 1 tsp of dried turmeric , 1/2 tsp of dried cloves . Bring this mixture to the boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered till the mixtures starts to thicken , stir occasionally . Then mix together 35 gm of cornflour with 60 ml of white vinegar , stir until the mixture boils and thickens . Pour into hot sterilised jars and seal . To make a delicious potato salad , mix this corn relish with 2 kg of cooked and sliced salad potatoes , 6 spring onions green stalk only then finally stir through 250 grams of bacon pieces . stir through a little french dressing .

KOURABIEDES. GREEK SHORTBREAD

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Beat together 250 gm of butter ( softened ), 1 tsp of vanilla extract , 220 gm of castor sugar in a small bowl with an electric beater , until light and fluffy . Add 1 lightly beaten egg and 60 ml of brandy . Transfer this mixture to a processor Add 120 gm of finely chopped almonds and gradually add 225gm of self raising flour , 375 gm of plain flour , 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg . Turn the dough onto lightly floured surface , knead gently until smooth . Shape level tbs of the dough into crescent shapes , place about 3 cm apart on lined trays . Bake, uncovered for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned . Move shortbreads to a cooling rack and brush hot shortbreads with a mix of rosewater (60 ml) and water (125ml), then coat thickly with icing sugar (480gm) and cool to room temperature . Delicious ..