Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients 

• 1 butternut pumpkin or small Japanese pumpkin
• 1 large potato or 2 small
• bacon bones or chicken carcass
• 1 small carrot
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 small onion

Method

1. Peel and chop vegetables
2. Place all ingredients in a pot of water completely covered
3. Boil, then simmer for approx 2 hrs until all ingredients are overly cooked and water has reduced
4. Remove the bones/carcass
5. Puree the ingredients 
6. Add salt and pepper to taste, if bland add chicken stock, ginger or nutmeg
7.  Put back on the heat and add cream or milk

Sticky Ginger Prawns

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• vegetable oil for frying, plus 1 teaspoon
• large raw tiger prawns 800g, peeled and deveined
• fresh root ginger 4cm, finely chopped
• garlic cloves, 2 crushed
• shallots 2, finely chopped
• brown sugar 4 tablespoons
• white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon
• water 2 tablespoons
• soy sauce 2 tablespoons

Method

Heat a wok, add the oil and cook the prawns until pink. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan and cook the ginger, garlic and shallots until soft. Add the sugar, vinegar, water and soy sauce and simmer gently for 3-5 minutes, until the liquid evaporates leaving a rich coating sauce. Serve the prawns on a bed of noodles with the sauce drizzled over. Top with shredded spring onions and orange rind.

Fajita Seasoning/Spice Mix

Overview

Does anyone else have a problem finding Old Elpasso Fajita seasoning? I have no trouble finding their other products, just this one. In the end, I decided to create a recipe of my own. There are many fajita seasoning recipes around, but they are waaaay too hot for my partner's taste buds.

After much tweaking, I have come up with one that still leaves a tingle on your taste buds but doesn't have you rushing for a glass of milk!


Ingredients

• 3 tbsp corn flour
• 3 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp paprika powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
• 1/4 tsp capsicum flakes (optional)
• 2 1/2 tsp chicken or beef stock powder
• 1.5 tsp onion flakes
• 1/2 tsp garlic granuals
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley

Method

1. Grind the garlic granules and onion flakes to a fine powder.
2. Add the dried oregano and parsley and grind for a little while to break the flakes up.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoughrally.

Notes
Even though I give the option of using chicken or beef stock powder, I have found that the beef stock powder tastes great on chicken!

Beef Bulgogi

Overview

For those of you who live near a Costco, you can buy beef bulgogi and it is delicious. We first came across it whilst visiting our friends in Yass, NSW. My OH fell in love with it, so I had to find something that tasted close to the Costco version.

Whenever I do this recipe, I tend to make it in bulk and freeze it (uncooked). Traditionally, it should be served in lettuce cups, but I find some rice and steamed Asian vegetables is perfect.


Ingredients (Serves 10)

• 1kg beef, I used whatever "steak" is on special, usually sandwich or blade 
• 10 tsp light soy sauce 
• 4-5 tbsp white sugar 
• 1 bunch spring onion, thinly sliced 
• 4 tbsp minced garlic 
• 4 tbsp sesame seeds 
• 4 tbsp sesame oil (if prefer fragrant sesame oil) 
• 1 tsp ground black pepper 

Method

1. Slice the beef paper thin and place into a bowl. You need to cut the beef paper thin, it doent work with chunks or strips. Some recommend partially freezing the beef so you can cut it, but I find a sharp knife and room temperature is fine. 
2. Add the other ingredients, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or over night (or put into containers and freeze) 
3. Cook in a frypan or flat grill. Mine always goes juicy so I sprinkle corn flour over the beef before I cook it to make the sauce stick to the beef. 
4. Serve with rice and steamed Asian vegetables.

Anzac Biscuits

Ingredients:

4 oz butter
1 1/4 tbsp. golden syrup
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp. water
3 oz plain flour
8 oz caster sugar
3 oz desiccated coconut
4 oz rolled oats


Method:

1. Heat oven to moderate (350 degrees F)
2. Grease two baking sheets
3. Melt the butter with the golden syrup in a saucepan, then cool for a short time
4. Add the bicarbonate of soda blended wit the water
5. In a bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients
6. Gradually stir in the contents of the saucepan, blending well
7. Roll the mixture into walnut sized balls and place on the baking sheets allowing room for spreading
8. Bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes
9. Cool slightly before removing from the sheets.

Cottage Cheese Cheese Cake

Overview
This is a smashing cheesecake for those on a diet. Each serve is contains the following (unsweetened)

280 kj
1.0g fat
9.1g protein
5.2g carb


Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 350g Low fat cottage cheese
• 150ml Light natural yoghurt
• 2 tbsp sugar/sweetener (optional)
• zest of one lemon (20g)
• juice of one lemon (80ml)
• 2 egg whites (60g)
• 2 tbsp gelatine

Method

1. Using a stick blender, blend the cottage cheese until smooth
2. Add the sugar (optional), lemon juice, lemon zest and yoghurt to the cottage cheese
3. In a separate container mix the egg whites until stiff
4. Mix the gelatine with 1/2 cup boilng water and add to the cheese mixture
5. Fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture
6. Pour into a 7" cake tin and refrigerate until set.

Notes
Apparently you can add a few scoops of protein powder if you want to up the protein content, or ommit the lemon rind and zest and use a flavoured powder if you want to change the flavour.

Caramello Koala Cheese Cake

Overview

They say the way to any man's heart is through his stomach. Feel free to use the recipe, but stay away from my man *cheeky grin*. This is a favourite amongst friends, very very rich.

Ingredients
Base:

• One packet of chocolate cream biscuits ( If you are feeling really naughty you can use Oreos)
• One large packet of Maltesers
• 50g butter

Filling:

• Two packets of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• One small carton of cream
• Two table spoons of lemon juice
• 3/4 of a cup of caster sugar
• One packet of Caramello Koalas
• One table spoon of gelatine

Method
Base:

1. Crush one packet of chocolate cream buscuits in a bowl. Make sure you preserve the cream filling as this helps to bind the base and reduce the amount of butter required.
2. In a separate bowl lightly crush one bag of Maltesers.
3. Add the crushed biscuits and Maltesers until you have the right amount of Maltesers per biscuit.
4. Melt 50g of butter in the Microwave
5. Mix the melted butter and biscuit/Malteser mix in a microwave safe bowl.
6. Pot the combined mix in the microwave for 30 seconds. This helps the melt the biscuit cream and compensate for the reduced amount of butter used in this recipe.
7. Spread the warm mix over the base of your spring form tin and place in the fridge to harden.

Filling:

1. Whip a small carton of cream in a bowl until stiff
2. Cut the two blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese into small squares and pop it in the microwave as suggested on the packet. Heating the cheese will extend the lifetime of your electric beaters enormously
3. In a separate bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice.
4. Whilst beating the above mix add the cream. Continue to mix until everything is combined
5. In a cup dissolve 1 tablespoon of gelatine in no more than 1/4 of a cup of boiling water
6. Add the gelatine mix to the cheesecake filling and beat on high until everything is mixed thoughrally. ( I usually beat for a few minutes to try and get a bit of air into the mix ) 
7. Roughly chop all but one of the Caramello Koalas. 
8. Using a spoon, gently mix the koala chunks into the cheesecake mixture.
9. Pour the cheesecake filling over the base and refrigerate over night. 
10. Once the cheesecake has set, place the remaining Caramello Koala in the centre (assuming it has not been eaten by now) of the cheesecake.

Sweet Potato Cottage Pie

Overview

Apparently I will be hung, drawn and quarted if I loose this recipe. My partner loves it. This is a great recipe for office lunches. Easy to warm up, smells great and the smell makes your co-workers jealous.

Ingredients (Serves)

• 500g beef mince
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 tbsp. chicken stock powder
• 1 tsp. vegetable stock powder
• 2 tsp beef gravy powder
• 1 tsp chicken gravy powder
• 3 cups mixed frozen vegetables (peas, corn, capsicum, etc)
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 1 kg sweet potato, cooked and mashed

Method

1. In a large stockpot, brown the onion and beef mince.
2. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, parsley, and stock powders. Stir in the mixed frozen vegetables.
3. Simmer until the frozen vegetables have cooked.
4. Stir in the gravy powders and transfer to an oven dish.
5. Top with mashed sweet potato and bake at 180 degrees for 45 minutes.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Overview

A friend of mine gave me this recipe for protein packed pancakes. It is a stellar recipe, a perfect breakfast before a morning sporting event. I have immortalised it here, because I am so scared of loosing the piece of notebook paper it is written on. These are absolutely delicious served with bacon and maple syrup!


Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour

Method

1. Place all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine using a hand blender.
2. Cook until golden brown.