Turkish Delight Mocktail

200g turkish delight, chopped
1 cup reduced fat milk
8 scoops vanilla ice cream
chocolate flakes, to serve


Place turkish delight and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring for 10-15 mins or until smooth. Remove from heat. Add remaining milk. Refrigerate until chilled.


Blend milk mixture and ice cream together until smooth. Top with chocolate flakes. Serve.

Quiche #1

4 eggs
2 tsp butter, melted
2/3 cup  milk
4 tbsp SR flour
3 slices lean ham, diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup cheese, grated
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 tin corn


Combine egg, butter, flour and milk. Mix well in an oven proof dish.


Add ham, onion, 1/2 cheese and corn. 


Top with tomato and 1/2 cheese. Bake for 30 mins at 180C (fan forced) or until set.






I add other items to this too. I also add grated carrot and mushrooms, amongst others.

Garlic steak with creamy mash

WW 6pt

serves 4

2 cups Jap pumpkin, chopped
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 x 150 sirloin or scotch fillet steaks
4 large potato, peeled and diced
1 cup skim milk
2 tbs wholegrain mustard
2 cups steamed beans, to serve


Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan forced). Place pumpkin on an oven tray, lined with baking paper. Bake for 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, combine the balsamic, worcestershire sauce and garlic in a shallow non-metallic dish. Add the steak and turn to coat. Stand for 10 minutes


Cook the potato in a large pan of boiling water for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to pan. Add the milk and mustard and mash until smooth, seasoning to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.


Meanwhile, preheat and oil-sprayed chargrill pan or small frying pan over high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and cook for 3 minutes each side (for medium) or until cooked to your liking. Remove from pan and cover with foil and stand for 5 minutes. 


Spoon  mash onto a serving plate, top with the steak and serve with steamed beans and roasted pumpkin.

Coconut Fudge Squares

Coconut Fudge Squares

125 g butter spread, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 whole whole egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 1/2 tbs cocoa powder
1 cup self-raising white flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup icing sugar
1 tbs milk

melt butter and mix in sugar. 

Add egg and beat well.

Mix in vanilla and cocoa. 

Add sifted flour alternativley with coconut. 

Spread into a lamington tin and bake 180 for 20 mins. 

Ice while hot with chocolate icing and when set, cut into squares.

This is sooo delish! When I make it, it rarely lasts long!

Hot Crossed Muffins

2 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
2/3 brown sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
125g butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup mixed peel
1/2 walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup white chocolate melts, melted


Preheat oven to 180C and 160C fan forced. Line 12 large muffin pans with paper cases. Sift flour, spice and brown sugar into a large mixing bow and make a well in the centre.
Whisk mil, eggs, butter and vanilla together in a jug. Pour into dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to gently combine. Add dried fruit and nuts and gently fold through.
Divide mixture evenly between muffin pans. bake for 20 mins, until risen and golden and firm to a gentle touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Place melted chocolate in a snap locked bag and snip off one corner. Pipe a cross over each muffin and leave to set.

Tomato and basil lasange

50 g butter, chopped
1/3 cup plain flour
2 cup milk
400 g can chopped tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
2 tbsp basil pesto
4 fresh lasagne sheets
1 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan


Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Grease a 23cm square baking dish.
Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add flour and stir until mixture comes away from sides of pan. Gradually add combined milk and reserved tomato juice, stirring for 5 mins until sauce thickens. Season to taste and simmer for 2 mins.
Spread 1-2 tsp pesto over each lasange sheet. Spoon a quarter of the sauce  over base of prepared dish. Top with a lasange sheet. Add another quarter of sauce  and top with half of mozzarella, half of drained tomatoes, 1/4 cup parmesan and another lasange sheet. Repeat layers once more finishing with sauce and parmesan.
Bake for 35-40 mins, until golden and cooked through.

Heavenly Hot Chocolate

170g dark cooking chocolate
300 ml thickened cream
1 tbs dark cocoa
500 ml milk
1 tbs honey
40 ml Tia Maria (optional)
20 ml Frangelico or Kahlua (optional)
Ice cream or double cream, to serve


Melt cooking chocolate. Pour over thickened cream and microwave for 3 mins. Stir until mixture is smooth.
Move mixture to a bowl and sift cocoa and stir until smooth. Cover and set aside.
Place milk, honey and liqueur in a microwave-safe jug and microwave for 4 mins.
Whisk hot milk mixture into the cream mixture. Divide between glasses, top with a scoop of ice cream or double cream. 
Serve immediately.


Notes:
Light cream, milk adn ice cream can be used.
Soy and rice milk may be used.
Non-alcoholic syrups and essences are available from specialty stores and can be used as a substitute for the alcoholic version.

Chocolate Liqueur Coffee

200 ml thickened cream
6 tbs freshly ground good quality coffee
3 cups boiling water
1 cup milk (optional)
8 squares or rounds of cooking chocolate
4 tsp sugar (optional)
2tbs (40ml) liqueur - such as Irish Cream, Cointreau, Frangelico etc
2 tsp cocoa to serve


Whip cream. Set aside.
Place ground coffee into a coffee plunger and pour over the boiling water. Allow to stand 3-4 minutes to infuse. Slowly plunge the coffee.
(if using)Pour milk into a microwave safe jug and microwave for 2 minutes. Set aside.
Divide chocolate, sugar and choice of liqueur evenly (about 2tsp per serve) between glasses.
Fill about 2/3 of the glass with the coffee  and light stir to dissolve chocolate and sugar. Pour in the hot milk (if using) and top with a large dollop of the cream.
Dust with cocoa and serve immediately.


Notes:
Ground coffee is best used within 6-8 weeks

Choc Banana Pancakes

Need to use that squishy banana in your fruit bowl?


40g butter
1 3/4 cup Self Raising flour
1/2 cup castor sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 ripe banana
250 ml milk
100 ml water
1 egg
extra banana and ice cream for serving - if you wish ;)


Melt butter.
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and cinnamon until evenly combined. 
Break banana into bite sized pieces and add to mixture with milk, water and egg. Combine.
Heat fry pan over medium heat. Brush pan with melted butter.
Pour 2 amounts of batter (roughly 1/4 cup each) into the pan, making sure when the batter spreads that they don't touch.
Cook for about 2 minutes, or until l bubbles appear randomly. Flip and cook for 30 seconds or until just firm.
Repeat with remaining batter. Make sure the pan does not become too hot.
Serve the pancakes with extra banana slices and/or ice cream.




Notes:
If the pan becomes too hot, the pancakes will turn very dark and burn around the edges.
These pancakes will keep in a sealed container for 2 days (if they last!), but are best eaten on the day they're made.
If the banana is over-ripe, just mash!




Chef's idea:
Strawberries can be added in place of the banana, if desired. 

Banana and Coconut Muffins

WW 3.5pt

1 cup skim milk (or whole milk if you prefer)
1 cup self-raising white flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
3 medium banana, mashed

Combine all ingredients. Place in cake tin (or muffin/patty cake tins for little cakes) and bake in preheated 180 oven until cooked (15mins?)

nb: Changing to whole milk changes the WW pt value.