Christellas Kitchen

Malai Chicken

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:26:04 GMT

Serves 4
2 tablespoons oil
700g chicken breast, skinless and boneless cut into bite size pieces
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon of crushed cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mild chilli powder
1 tablespoon tomato puree
150ml chicken stock
150g low fat natural yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat
Add the cardamom and curry powder fry for 10 seconds
Add the chicken and fry over a high heat for 5 minutes
Add the turmeric and the chilli powder then season well
Mix the tomato puree, yogurt and stock together then pour into the pan with the chicken
Only bring to a simmer DO NOT BOIL, if you boil the mixture will curdle
Cover and gently cook for 15 minutes
Serve over a bed of rice and drizzled with a little more yogurt

I am a great curry fan. This Malai Chicken is a lovely mild curry for those of you who don’t like hot curry! By using low fat yogurt instead of cream this is also a low fat meal!

Bakewell Tart

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:05:47 GMT

1 sheet of shortcrust pastry
75g butter
75g sugar
75g ground rice
75g ground almonds
1 egg yolk beaten
1 teaspoon of almond essence
2 egg whites beaten until forming peaks
3 tablespoons of raspberry or strawberry jam
2 tablespoons of icing sugar for dusting

Grease an 8" flan tin and line with the pastry, trimming around the edges. Save the trimmings for decoration at the end
Spread the jam over the base of the pastry
Preheat the oven to 180`c
Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan
Remove from the heat then add the ground rice, ground almonds, egg yolk and almond essence, mix well, then leave to cool for 5 minutes
Fold in the egg whites
Spoon the filling over the jam spread out evenly
Roll the pastry trimmings into strips and arrange them in a lattice fashion over the filling
Cook the tart for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is set and the pastry is golden
Leave to cool then dust with icing sugar

Bakewell Tart was one of my childhood favourites, delicious served with a nice helping of cream!

Double Cheese Burgers

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:38:19 GMT

Serves 4-6
450g lean minced beef
1 onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon of mixed herbs
1 tablespoon of vegetable stock powder
1 tablespoon of Worcester sauce
1 egg beaten
8 Slices of Cheddar Cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Fry the onion to soften
In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together including the onion, add a good sprinkle of salt and pepper
Shape the mixture into burgers (around 8)
Chill for 30 minutes
Grill or fry for 10 – 15 minutes or until cooked through
Top with the cheese then place back under the grill until melted
Serve in a bun with mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato!

There are so many variations of the Beefburger recipe, this is one we enjoy. My boys like their burgers topped with a nice thick slice of cheese and make them Double Cheeseburgers as in the picture, I personally prefer Beefburgers without the cheese!

Peanut Crunchies

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:14:45 GMT

100g packet of ready to eat Asian noodles
180g milk cooking chocolate
2 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup

Line a tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper
Melt the chocolate along with the peanut butter and golden syrup in a heatproof bowl placed over a pan of boiling water on a low heat. One of my tips when melting chocolate is not to let the bowl touch the water and use a metal spoon to avoid the chocolate going lumpy!
When the chocolate has melted remove from the heat
Stir in the noodles carefully until all noodles are covered in chocolate
Place tablespoons of the mixture onto the tray
Put the tray into the fridge until the crunchies have set

Thank you to Amanda Lawler for sharing this recipe with us! These Peanut Crunchies are delicious, and can be ready to eat in an hour, they keep very well in the fridge.

Pork Medallions and Spicy Beans

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:28:38 GMT

Serves 4
4 pork medallions or lean pork chops
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions peeled and thinly sliced
2 fresh green chillies seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon of minced root ginger
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pint of stock
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 aubergine/eggplant trimmed and cut into cubes
1 x 400g can of red kidney beans drained
4 tablespoons of double cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy based pan, add the pork and fry to seal and brown both sides, then remove from the pan and set aside
Add the onions, garlic, chillies, ginger and spices to the pan, fry gently for a couple of minutes
Add the stock, tomato paste, and aubergine then season with salt and pepper, stir and bring the mixture to the boil
Place the pork on top then cover and simmer over a medium heat for 30 minutes
Remove the chops so that you can stir in the red kidney beans and cream, place the pork back in the pan cover and heat through gently for a further 5 minutes
Salt and pepper to taste

This recipe for Pork Medallions and Spicy Beans is another one of those One Pot Recipes that I love. This dish can be served by itself, with cous cous, even some nice crusty bread!

Cinnamon Shortbread Microwaved

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:48:29 GMT

Makes 30+
2 cups plain flour
1/2 icing sugar
1/2 block of butter, melted
1 egg beaten
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Splash of milk
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup mixed crushed nuts

Combine the flour, icing sugar, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl
Add the butter and egg and combine to form a soft dough
If the dough is too dry add the splash of milk
Divide the dough into 5 portions
Roll each portion into a sausage about 18-20 cm on a piece of greaseproof paper
Press down on the top of the dough to flatten the top and sprinkle with caster sugar and nuts
Cook each roll in the microwave separately for 3 minutes
Remove from the microwave, cut into slices then leave to cool
Store in an airtight container between layers of greaseproof paper

I had a request for some microwave sweet treats and what a lovely, simple recipe this Cinnamon Shortbread is, it certainly gets the thumbs up from my family!

Welsh Cakes

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:48:54 GMT

Makes12-14

220g self raising flour

100g margarine

75g caster sugar

100g currants or sultanas if you prefer

1/2 teaspoon mixed spices

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

· Place the margarine in a mixing bowl

· Sift in the flour and rub together until it resemble breadcrumbs

· Add the sugar, currants and mixed spice

· Beat the egg and milk together and add to the flour then mix to form a stiff dough

· Roll out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 3 inch rounds

· Heat a heavy based pan, cook the cakes in small batches on a low-medium heat for 3 minutes each side or until golden brown

· Cool on a wire rack and serve with a dusting of icing sugar

These very traditional Welsh Cakes are best eaten the day they are made, which never seems to be a problem in our house. If you have a griddle, that would be the ideal way to cook them. Then serve with butter and jam or just as they are.

Coconut Macaroons

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:21:08 GMT

Makes 16-18

1 egg separated

1 egg yolk

55g caster sugar

120g desiccated coconut

Preheat the oven to 150`c or 130`c if fan forced
Grease and line an oven tray
Beat the 2 egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until creamy then stir in the coconut
Beat the 1 egg white until it forms peaks then gently stir it into the coconut mixture
Drop heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto the prepared trays
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes
Reduce the oven temperature to 120`c or 100`c if fan forced and bake for a further 30 minutes or until the macaroons are a golden brown
Leave to cool on the tray

My son loves Macaroons and enjoys following this easy coconut macaroons recipe. You can add some chocolate to them making them Chocolate Coconut Macaroons by melting a small amount of chocolate in a bowl placed over a pan of boiling water. Dip the base of the macaroons into the chocolate, then place on a wire rack to set.

Turkey Creole

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:20:33 GMT

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove crushed garlic
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 teaspoon medium chilli powder
1 can chopped tomato’s
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups chopped turkey
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
Salt and pepper

{gallery}turkey_creole{/gallery}

Heat the butter in a medium sized saucepan
Fry the garlic and onion until softened
Stir in the flour and chilli powder cook for a further minute stirring continuously
Add the tin of tomato’s and chicken stock stir until the sauce boils and thickens
Add the turkey and mushrooms
Add salt and pepper to taste then serve over a bed of rice

If you’re looking for ways to finish the leftover turkey, this Turkey Creole is a great option, simple and quick to make.

Light Christmas Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:11:49 GMT

1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
250g butter softened
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 eggs
1/2 cup sherry or brandy
325g sultanas
1/2 chopped mixed peel
1/4 cup preserved ginger
2 slices of glace pineapple chopped
6 chopped glace apricots
A handful of sliced almonds

{gallery}cc{/gallery}

Grease and line and 8" cake tin
Combine the sultanas, mixed peel, pineapple, apricots, and ginger, pour the sherry or brandy over, cover and set aside for half hour or overnight if you can!
Cream the butter and sugar together
Beat in the eggs
Sift in the flours along with the cinnamon and salt
Stir the flour mixture into the fruit mixture
Spoon the mixture into your cake tin
Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top of the cake
Bake slowly at 150-160`c for 3 hours or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean!

As requested, a cake that can be made at the last minute. Merry Christmas to all!

Festive Mince Pies`s

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:09:08 GMT

Makes 12
200g plain flour
100g butter
25g icing sugar plus a little extra for dusting
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons milk
300g mincemeat
1 egg beaten for sealing and glazing

{gallery}festive_mince_pies{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease a 12 hole tartlet tin
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl
Add the butter and rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
Mix in the sugar and the egg yolk
Stir in enough milk to make a dough, then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth
Roll out the dough and cut out 12 rounds 7cm and 12 rounds 5cm
Line the tartlet tin with the 7cm rounds firstly, pricking the bases with a fork
Half fill each pie with the mincemeat
Brush the rims with the beaten egg then press the smaller rounds on top to seal
make a small hole in the top of each pie
Decorate the pies with tree`s or holly leaves made from the trimmings
Brush all over with the beaten egg then bake for 15 minutes
Cool on a wire rack then dust with icing sugar

Hope you all enjoy these Festive mince pie`s. Merry Christmas from Christella`s Kitchen & all the very best wishes for 2012!

Slimmer`s Hawaiian Quiche

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:52:22 GMT

Serves 3 to 4
5 Ryvita crushed (the dark rye are good)
3 eggs
2oz ham diced
100g diced pineapple pieces
8oz very low fat cottage cheese
1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard

{gallery}hawaiian_quiche{/gallery}

Grease and line a flan tin/ dish 6-7 inches
Preheat the oven to 180`c
Crumble the ryvita until they resemble breadcrumbs
Beat 1 of the eggs then mix this with the ryvita until all moist then press into the flan dish
Mix the cottage cheese, 2 eggs and mustard together then stir in the ham and pineapple
Pour onto the base
Place into the oven for 30-40 minutes or until set

This Slimmer’s Hawaiian Quiche is certainly not lacking any flavour, great for those watching the waistline or just wanting a healthy option. Serve with a side salad. Tastes good hot or cold.

cheese and Pecan Nibbles

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:47:11 GMT

1 1/2 cups of plain flour
1 1/2 cups of self raising flour
Pinch salt
Pinch of ground chillies
60g butter
1 1/2 cups of grated mature cheese
1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons of beer or water

{gallery}cheese_pecan_nibbles{/gallery}

Grease and line a couple of baking trays
Sift the flours and salt into a mixing bowl
Add the ground chillies
Rub in the butter with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
Stir in the cheese and pecans
Add the beer or water and mix into a dough
Chill for 30 minutes
Roll out thinly onto a lightly floured surface
Cut into small rounds or squares
Arrange onto the baking trays and bake at 180`c until lightly golden and crisp
Cool on a wire rack then store in an airtight container

This cheese and pecan nibbles recipe is a good one to add to your Christmas nibbles!

Apple and Sultana Slices

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:43:10 GMT

1 1/4 cups of self raising flour
1 cup of milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 apple diced into small pieces
1/2 cup sultanas
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Grease and line a slice tray
Preheat the oven to 180`c
Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl
Add the apple, coconut, sugar, sultanas and cinnamon
Stir to combine
Gradually add the milk, mixing until the mixture has a firm consistency
Scoop the mixture into the tray and spread evenly
Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden

This recipe for Apple and Sultana Slices is a lovely simple recipe that I helped some of the children at my son’s school to make in a cooking lesson. We all enjoyed making and eating them, I am sure you will too!
Also try swapping the sultanas for chopped dates or apricots for a change.

Pumpkin Spinach and Cottage Cheese Tart

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:12:00 GMT

Serves 4
2 medium sized pitta breads
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
400g pumpkin
100g baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons currents
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds (optional)

{gallery}pumpkin_spinach_and_cottage_cheese_tart{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Place the pitta breads on pie plates and spread cottage cheese evenly over them
Cut the pumpkin into cubes then steam for 6-8 minutes until just tender
Place the pumpkin on a lined oven tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until it just starts to brown on the edges
Steam the spinach until it has just started to wilt
Place the spinach in a bowl with the pumpkin, add the chilli sauce, currents, rosemary and cinnamon, toss carefully taking care not to break up the pumpkin
Place the pumpkin mixture evenly over the pitta breads, sprinkle with the sesame seeds then bake for 20 minutes.

This Pumpkin, Spinach and Cottage Cheese Tart is a low fat healthy option, great for those of you getting trim for summer!

Cowgirl Cookies

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:26:15 GMT

Makes about 30 cookies

1 1/2 cups of plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
250g/1 block, unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups of rice bubbles/crispies
1 cup raisins
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

{gallery}cowgirl_cookies{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line a couple of baking trays
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars
Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition
beat in the vanilla
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, mix until combined
Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, rice bubbles and raisins
Drop tablespoons of the mixture on to the baking sheets and bake in your pre-heated oven for 16-18 minutes or until light golden
Leave to cool completely on wire racks!

These gorgeous Cowgirl Cookies are packed full of oats, raisins, chocolate chips and rice cereal, sure to help when hunger strikes!

Seared Tuna Steaks with Sesame Spinach

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:52:46 GMT

4 tuna steaks
2 red chillies de-seeded and finely chopped
250g baby spinach leaves
220g halved baby plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
4 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
Juice of half a lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

{gallery}seared_tuna_steaks_with_sesame_spinach{/gallery}

Place the tuna into a shallow dish
In a small jug, mix together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and the chopped chillies. Pour this over the tuna, season with salt and pepper, then set aside for 30 minutes
Tip the toasted sesame seeds into a small jug, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, the sesame oil and lime juice, then season to taste
In a large bowl combine the spinach and tomatoes. Add the sesame dressing and toss well together
Heat a non stick frying pan until really hot
Add the tuna along with any marinade and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking
Pile the spinach on to the middle of four plates and top each with the tuna steaks

A Tuna Steaks Recipe is very popular and definitely one of my favourites. This Seared Tuna Steaks recipe is so simple to make, perfect if your entertaining friends or just fancy a little treat yourself!

Millionaire Shortbread

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:06:05 GMT

250g butter softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups plain four
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 tin condensed milk (I use light)
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 cup dark chocolate melts (or milk chocolate if you prefer)
1/2 cup white chocolate melts

{gallery}millionaire_shortbread{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 160`c
Grease and line a baking dish 8" x 12" or similar
Cream the 250g of butter and sugar together until light and creamy
Add the flour and combine well
Press the shortbread into your lined dish then prick with a fork
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until firm and just golden, then set aside to cool slightly
In a small pan, add the condensed milk, golden syrup and the 2 tablespoons of butter, mix over a gentle heat until the butter has melted, and bring the mixture to a simmer taking care not to burn!
Spread the caramel mix over the shortbread base then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes
Remove from the oven and cover with the dark chocolate melts then set aside for just a few minutes before gently spreading with a knife
Melt the white chocolate melts in a microwave on reduced heat or in a bowl over a pan of boiling water
Drizzle the white chocolate over the dark chocolate
When set cut into squares and enjoy!

This recipe for Millionaires shortbread is, very, very naughty but very, very nice!! Mine is my Melbourne Cup treat!

Carrot and Walnut Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:26:19 GMT

500g carrots
200g brown sugar
5 tablespoons of plain flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
The rind off one large orange
60g crushed walnuts
4 eggs separated

{gallery}carrot_and_walnut_cake{/gallery}

Grease and line an 8" cake tin or a loaf tin
Peel and cook the carrots, then mash until smooth
Add the sugar, orange rind, and walnuts, mix well
Add the egg yolks and beat
Sift the flour and baking powder, then fold into your mixture
Beat the egg whites and fold in with your mix
Pour the mix into your prepared loaf tin
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180`c for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean

This Carrot and Walnut cake is beautifully moist, ideal for that midday or mid-afternoon snack!

Crunchy Nectarine yogurt Pots

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:18:06 GMT

Makes 4
4 nectarines
170g crunchy oat cereal with nuts
300mls low fat natural yogurt
3 tablespoons of apricot jam
3 tablespoons of apricot nectar

{gallery}crunchy_nectarine_yogurt_pots{/gallery}

Cut the nectarines in half, remove the stones, then chop into bite sized pieces
Mix the jam and apricot nectar together in a small jug
Place a few pieces of nectarine into the bottoms of four sundae dishes
Place a layer of the oat cereal over the nectarine pieces
Drizzle a layer of the yogurt over the oats
Drizzle a little of the jam mixture over the yogurt
Continue building up the layers in this way, again starting with some nectarines, finishing with a layer of yogurt with a sprinkling of the oat cereal
Decorate with a few nectarine pieces and serve

These Yogurt Pots make a lovely, refreshing, low fat desert, breakfast, or snack! Create your own Fruit Pots using fruits of your choice, what a great healthy option.

Savoury Tart

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:56:58 GMT

Serves 4-6
8oz plain wholemeal flour
3 1/2 oz margarine light
4 tablespoons water
Pinch salt
6 oz red lentils
300ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoon margarine
1 onion chopped
2 red peppers deseeded and diced
1 teaspoon yeast extract (vegemite)
1 tablespoon tomato puree
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Ground black pepper

{gallery}savoury_tart{/gallery}

Grease an 8-9 inch quiche dish/tin
To make the pasty, sift the flour and pinch of salt into a mixing bowl, rub in the margarine, then add a tablespoon of water at a time only add enough to form a dough. Wrap, then place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes
For the filling, put the lentils in a pan with the stock, bring to the boil, and turn down to a simmer until tender. Mash to form a puree
Melt the tablespoon of margarine in a small pan and cook the onion and red peppers stirring until soft
Stir in the lentil puree, yeast extract, tomato puree and parsley. Season with the pepper
Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and line your quiche dish. Prick the base with a fork
Pour your lentil mixture into the pastry case then bake in a preheated oven 200`c for 30 minutes until the filling is firm

Savoury Tarts and Savoury Flans can be served hot or cold. This Savoury Tart Recipe is low fat and vegetarian!

Butterscotch Oat Slices

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:09:19 GMT

Makes 8

1/4 cup butter or margerine
2/3 cup brown muscavado sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

{gallery}butterscotch_oat_slices{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 160`c
Grease an 8" round or square cake tin
Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat
Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla
Remove from the heat
Stir in the rolled oats and nuts
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, mix well
Turn into your prepared tin, press down evenly
Bake for 20-25 minutes until set and golden
Leave to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into slices, then cool completely!

Another quick and easy recipe. Butterscotch oat slices and perfect for that quick fix, also ideal for a lunch box!

Cheese Souffle

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:53:21 GMT

Makes 4
35g butter
35g plain flour
4 eggs separated
1/4 pint milk
50g grated cheese
1/2 onion or 4 spring onions chopped
Salt and pepper

{gallery}cheese_souffle{/gallery}

preheat the oven to 180`c and grease 4 ramekin dishes
Melt the butter over a low heat
Add the flour to the pan mixing well
Add the milk, mixing to form a thick batter consistency, add a little more milk if required
Remove the pan from the heat
Beat the egg yolks then gradually add to the batter mix well
Combine the cheese and onion
Add a sprinkling of salt and pepper
Beat the egg whites until they form peaks, then fold into your mixture
Pour the mixture into the ramekin dishes
Bake for 40-45 minutes until browned and well risen

Cheese soufflés can be hit and miss, but with this Easy Cheese Soufflé recipe provided by Marianne you just can’t go wrong. My boys and I really enjoyed this, along with some coleslaw, salad and crusty bread!

Sultana Slices

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:10:32 GMT

Makes approx 12
1 1/4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons of mixed spices
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of rolled oats
125g margarine
2 tablespoons of honey
1/2 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

{gallery}sultana_slices{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line a medium size baking tin
Over a low heat, melt the margarine and honey
In a small jug, add the boiling water to the bicarb, then pour into the pan with the margarine, mix well then remove from the heat
Add all the other ingredients and combine
Turn the mixture into the baking tin spreading it evenly
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is browned and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean

My son recently made these Sultana Slices at school and he enjoyed them so much he asked me to share the recipe with you. Ideal for a snack and perfect for a lunch box!

Savoury Fritters

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:15:33 GMT

Makes Approx 12
1 egg
1/2 cup of self raising flour
125 ml low fat milk
40g diced bacon
1 cup creamed sweetcorn
1 small onion diced
1 large tomato, skinned, de-seeded and diced
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1 handful of chopped chives
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

{gallery}savoury_fritters{/gallery}

Combine the eggs, flour and milk
Add the remaining ingredients and stir through
In a lightly oiled non stick pan, over a medium heat add spoonfuls of the mixture. Cook until the mixture bubbles then turn the fritter over to cook the other side

Fritters are good served hot or cold, with some salad and dip of your choice, salsa being a popular choice.
A tip to skin a tomato easily is to submerge it into boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove carefuly so not to burn yourself. Pierce the skin with a knife and you should now be able to peel back the skin!

Double Chocolate Muffins

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:25:27 GMT

Makes 10-12

1 1/4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
100g butter, melted
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup milk

{gallery}double_chocolate_muffins{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line your muffin tray
Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl
Add the butter to the flour mixture and combine
Add the eggs and milk mix together well
Stir in the chocolate chips
3/4 fill the muffins pans
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of one comes out clean

This Double Chocolate Muffin Recipe goes down a treat in our house with a little chocolate monster, that stands by waiting for me to take them out of the oven. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Thai Salad

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 03:36:44 GMT

Serves 4

1 English cucumber peeled and sliced into bite sized chunks
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 spring onions finely sliced
1 red capsicum chopped
1 red chilli de seeded and finely sliced
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts chopped
1/2 cup of fresh coriander
1 cup of cooked baby shrimp (if using as a main salad)

Dressing
2 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Juice of half a lime
2 garlic cloves crushed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

{gallery}Thai_salad{/gallery}

Place in a salad bowl, the cucumber, red onion, spring onions, capsicum, chilli, 1/4 of the cup of coriander, and the prawns
Mix the dressing together then taste test. If the dressing is too sour add a little more sugar
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well
Top with the ground peanuts and the rest of the coriander

This Thai Salad was a request from Suzanne, I hope you like it, we do!

Banana and Coffee Pots

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 03:36:47 GMT

Serves 4
2 teaspoons of instant coffee
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 large banana mashed
200g low fat natural yogurt
10g dark or plain chocolate, grated
2 tablespoons of flaked, toasted almonds

{gallery}banana_and_coffee_pots{/gallery}

Mix the coffee and sugar together with a tablespoon of boiling water then leave to cool
Stir in the mashed banana
fold in the yogurt
Transfer to four small glasses and chill until required
Top with the chocolate and almonds to serve

Don’t we just love simple recipes like these Banana and coffee Pots, that enable us to have a sweet treat, without being too unkind on the waistline!

Spinach Omelette With Walnuts

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 02:37:21 GMT

Serves 4
1 large leek
150g spinach
4 spring onions
6 eggs
3 tablespoons of chopped mixed herbs
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons of chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons of raisins
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of softened butter

{gallery}spinach_omelette_walnuts{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 160`c
Grease and ovenproof dish with the butter
Wash the vegetables
Beat the eggs and season
Add all the other ingredients to the eggs and mix well
Pour the mixture into the dish and cover with foil
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes until set with a golden crust on top.

This spinach omelette is delicious served hot or cold. Try Spinach and feta omelette also by switching the walnuts and raisins for cubes of feta!

Apricot and Honey Muesli Bars

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:36:25 GMT

125g butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups rice bubbles
1 cup toasted muesli
1/2 cup chopped apricots
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup mixed seeds
1/4 cup silvered almonds

{gallery}apricot_honey_muesli_bars{/gallery}

Line a baking tray
combine the butter, honey, peanut butter and sugar in a saucepan, place over a medium heat, stir until the butter has melted and sugar dissolved, then take off the heat
Add all the other ingredients, mix well
Turn onto the baking tray, spread evenly and compact
Chill for at least an hour, then slice into fingers.

These Muesli Bars are great for breakfast, a snack and in lunch boxes. You can change the ingredients to suit your taste!

Indonesian Prawn Curry

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:31:56 GMT

Serves 4
For Marinade
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
325g peeled large raw prawns

For the curry
Spray oil
2 medium onions cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, sliced
4 tomatoes cut into chunks
3 tablespoons of crushed ginger
3 green chillies, sliced and deseeded
2 green capsicum (peppers) deseeded and sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tablespoon tamarind paste mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
Handful of coriander leaves roughly chopped
1-2 spring onions to garnish

{gallery}Indonesian_prawn_curry{/gallery}

Combine the marinade ingredients, then massage the mixture into the prawns, leave for 15-20 minutes
For the curry, heat a non stick wok or frying pan with some spray oil
Add the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes over a medium heat, not browning so add a little water if required
Add the garlic, ginger, and chillies cooking for a further 2 minutes
Add the capsicum, and spices and stir for a further 2 minutes
Add the tomatoes and tamarind, increase the heat and cook for 3 minutes adding more water if required
In a separate non stick pan sprayed with a little oil, cook the prawns in their marinade for 3-4 minutes until they turn pink, then fold into the curry sauce
Serve sprinkled with the coriander and spring onions

When my mum came to stay in the summer she was watching her weight, so brought along some of her recipes. This Indonesian Prawn Curry was one that we enjoyed, being huge curry fans! Serve with basmati rice!

Caramel Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 03:06:00 GMT

125g softened butter
125g brown sugar
125g self raising flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon of mixed spices
2 tablespoons milk

Icing
50g butter
125g brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
225g icing sugar

{gallery}caramel_cake{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 190`c
Grease and line a shallow 8" cake tin
Cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy
Beat in the eggs
Fold in the flour and mixed spices
Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and place into the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a skewer placed into the center comes out clean
cool on a wire rack
For the icing, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sugar until it dissolves. Stir in the milk
Remove from the heat and beat in the icing sugar
Spread the icing generously over the top and sides of the cake

This recipe for Caramel Cake with its Caramel Cake Frosting is another one of those quick and simple cake recipes we all love. You can also decorate the top with chocolate drops or treats of your own choice, a job my son loves to take on before devouring the first slice!

Pork and Cider Stew

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 04:41:02 GMT

Serves 4

50ml oil
10 floz chicken stock
300ml dry cider
675g diced pork
3 tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 desert apples peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley to garnish if desired

{gallery}pork_and_cider_stew{/gallery}

Heat the oil in a medium sized heavy based saucepan, add the onion and pork, fry for 5 minutes or until the pork is browned
Sprinkle the flour over the pork, stir to form a smooth paste
Gradually add the stock and cider, bring this to the boil, stirring constantly then turn down to a simmer
Stir in the sage, then add salt and pepper to taste
Cover & simmer for 2 hours or until the meat is cooked through
30 minutes before the end of the cooking time add the apples

Pork and Cider stew is a great winter warmer for the whole family!

Wholemeal Bread

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 02:28:22 GMT

Makes 2 x 1lb loaves

750g strong plain wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon salt
25g lard, cut into pieces
1 sachet of easy blend yeast
3/4 pint warm water

{gallery}wholemeal_bread{/gallery}

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl
Add the lard and rub until the contents resemble fine breadcrumbs
Stir in the dried yeast
Add the water to form a soft, not sticky dough, adding a little more water if necessary
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes then place it into a lightly oiled polythene bag. Leave in a warm place for 45 minutes until it has doubled in size
Knead again for 5 minutes then shape into loaves. Divide the dough in half. Flatten each one to the length of your loaf tin and 3 times the width. Then fold the dough in 3 by folding the shorter edges over the center
Place into a lightly oiled loaf tins and brush the tops with lightly salted water
Place back into lightly oiled polythene bags for 40 minutes to prove, until the dough reaches the top of the tin
Remove from the bags and glaze either with salted water or milk
Bake at 200'c for around 35-40 minutes until golden and shrinking from the sides of the tin. Tap with your knuckles, if it sounds hollow it is cooked. Cool on a wire rack.

Well, if like me, you thought Making Bread took too much effort without a bread maker, you will be impressed with this, quick and easy to make Wholemeal Bread! I love the smell of freshly baked bread, do you?

Chocolate Profiteroles

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 03:00:08 GMT

Makes 16 to 18

50g butter
60g strong plain flour
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs beaten
Topping and filling
280ml double cream, whipped
200g plain chocolate, chopped

{gallery}chocolate_profiteroles{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 200'c. Grease and line a large baking tray.
In a saucepan, heat the butter along with 1/4 pint of water until the butter has melted. Bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat
Add the flour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball
Allow the pastry to cool slightly
Add the eggs a little at a time until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy
Put teaspoons of the mixture onto the prepared tray
Bake for 10 minutes then increase the oven temperature to 220'c for a further 10-15 minutes or until the buns are golden and crisp
Remove from the oven and pierce each bun to allow ant steam to escape, then leave to cool completely on a cooling rack
Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl placed over a pan of simmering water until smooth
Cut each bun in half and fill generously with the cream.
Dip each top into the melted chocolate and place on top of the filled buns
Ready to serve!

You just can’t beat the Chocolate Profiteroles, great if you’re entertaining, but also perfect for a little self indulgence!

Passion Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 06:13:43 GMT

10oz plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bicarb
2 teaspoons baking powder
5oz soft brown sugar
3 eggs beaten
2 ripe bananas mashed
6oz grated carrots
6 floz corn oil
2oz chopped walnuts (optional)

Frosting
3oz soft butter
3oz cream cheese
6oz icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

{gallery}passion_cake{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180'c
Mix all the cake ingredients together to form a batter like consistency
Divide the mixture between two greased & lined 8" cake tins
Place into the preheated oven and bake for 40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean
Leave the cakes to cool completely
Mix the frosting ingredients together until smooth, then, use half to sandwich the two cakes together, and top with the remainder
Decorate with the chopped walnuts

This gorgeous Passion Cake Recipe was given to me by a friends mum around 20yrs ago, (thank you Marion). This recipe is simple, no fussing, and never lets me down. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Lemon Sponge pudding

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:04:16 GMT

125g butter
125g sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons of finely grated lemon rind
Juice of 2 lemons
2 eggs
125g self raising flour sifted
50g caster sugar

{gallery}lemon_sponge_pudding{/gallery}

Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy
Stir in the lemon rind
Beat in the eggs
Fold in the flour
In a jug, mix the caster sugar and lemon juice together and pour into a heat proof basin
Pour the batter mix over the juice
Place the basin into pan half filled with boiling water and steam over a low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean.

This Lemon Sponge Pudding is beautiful and refreshing served either with, fresh cream, or custard!

Easy Oat Biscuits

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 01:21:47 GMT

Makes approx 30

125g butter
125g sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
125g self raising flour sifted
250g rolled oats
5ml of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 4 tablespoons of boiling water

{gallery}oat_biscuits{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line a couple of baking trays
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy
Beat in the syrup
Gradually add the flour, oats and soda mixture to form a stiff dough
Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and space them well apart on the baking trays then press them down flat
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until brown and crisp

This Easy Oat Biscuit recipe is a hit in our house. Quick and simple to make, plus your home will smell lovely. I’m off to enjoy my biscuit now with a cappuccino!

Thai Chicken Soup

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:23:59 GMT

Serves 4
2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of root ginger
2 pints of chicken stock
6 tablespoons of coriander leaves
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
4 tablespoons of coconut milk light
4 spring onions trimmed and finely sliced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

{gallery}thai_chicken_soup{/gallery}

Place the chicken, zest of lime, ginger, and stock in a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil
Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through
Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and tear into bite sized shreds
Return the chicken to the pan along with the lime juice, coriander leaves, soy sauce, red chilli, coconut milk and most of the spring onions, (leave enough to garnish)
Season well and simmer for a further 4-5 minutes until warmed through
Serve garnished with the remaining spring onions

This Thai Chicken Soup is great for those of you watching the waistline, and also a great winter warmer. Vegetarian Thai Green soup can be made by exchanging the chicken for tofu and the chicken stock for vegetable stock, then half the cooking time.

Microwave Pumpkin Pecan Bread

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 31 May 2011 02:39:25 GMT

1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup of cooked, drained and mashed pumpkin

{gallery}pumpkin_pecan_bread{/gallery}

Grease & line a microwavable loaf dish
Blend all of the above ingredients in a mixing bowl on low speed for 20 seconds, then on high speed for 1 minute
Spread the mixture into the loaf dish
Cook on medium for 9 minutes
Cook on high for 4 - 5.30 minutes, after the 4 minutes check if the top still looks too moist try 30 seconds at a time as microwave ovens can vary, mine needed the 5.30 minutes
Let stand for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Alternatively this Pumpkin, Pecan bread can be cooked in the oven, 180`c for 40 minutes, or until a skewer placed in the center comes out clean!
I have received a few requests for some microwave meals and cakes. This Pumpkin Bread is perfect when you’re pushed for time and fancy a sweat treat!

Peppermint Slices

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 24 May 2011 03:04:52 GMT

Makes about 20
180g milk cooking chocolate
60g butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/4 tablespoon of peppermint essence
3 drops of green food colouring
3 tablespoons of milk

{gallery}peppermint_slices{/gallery}

Grease and line a square 8" x 8" dish
Break the chocolate into squares, then along with 40g of the butter, melt in a bowl placed over a pan of boiling water, stirring until smooth
Pour the melted chocolate into your prepared dish and chill in the refrigerator until set
In a medium sized bowl, combine the icing sugar, the remaining 20g butter, milk, peppermint essence and food colouring, mix until smooth
Spread over the chilled chocolate and refrigerate until firm
If you like more chocolate you can melt a few more squares and simply drizzle over the top then leave to set, this is optional!
Cut into squares

If you like after eights you will love these peppermint slices, some people call them chocolate mint creams. Store, covered in a refrigerator, if they last long enough!

Smoked Haddock Kedgeree

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 17 May 2011 03:43:57 GMT

Serves 4

170g rice
600g smoked haddock or cod
2 eggs
1 onion
60ml fish or vegetable stock
315g frozen peas
A handful of fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spray Olive oil light

{gallery}smoked_haddock_kedgeree{/gallery}

Cook the rice according to the packet instructions, drain and set aside
Poach the haddock/cod in water for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through, drain, remove any skin or bones, then flake the flesh & set aside
Boil the eggs for 7-8 minutes, allow them to cool then cut into quarters
Chop the onion and chives
Spray a large frying pan with oil and cook the onion for 3-4 minutes
Add the rice, stock and peas and cook for a further 2-3 minutes
Add the haddock/cod, turmeric and cayenne pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes
Serve with the eggs placed on top of the rice & garnish with chives

This Kedgeree recipe is simple to follow, low fat and suitable for vegetarians, you can change the fish, for a fish of your choice or even a large tin of tuna.

Easy Pikelets

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 10 May 2011 03:38:27 GMT

Makes 10 -12
1 cup self raising flour
1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of butter, melted

{gallery}easy_pikelets{/gallery}

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a mixing bowl
Add the other ingredients and beat until smooth and thoroughly mixed to a batter like consistency
Heat a little oil in a frying pan, med-hot
Drop a tablespoon of the mixture at a time into the middle of the pan, when bubbles form, flip the pikelet over to cook the other side

These easy Pikelets are delicious served hot or cold, with or without a little butter and jam!

Lime Butter Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 03 May 2011 01:32:52 GMT

3 cups of plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
220g butter softened
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs beaten
1 cup milk
Grated peel of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

{gallery}lime_butter_cake{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 160`c
Grease and line an 8" cake tin
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt then set aside
Cream together the butter and sugar
Gradually add the eggs and beat for 5 minutes
Fold in the flour, then gradually, bit by bit add the milk
Fold in the lime peel and juice
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin smoothing over the surface to finish
Bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean
Remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes before turning out of the tin
Leave to cool completely before dusting with the powdered sugar

This Lime Butter Cake, is a lovely, simple, moist cake, perfect to serve with that afternoon tea!

Thai Coconut Prawns

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:55:29 GMT

Serves 2
4 spring onions
100ml coconut cream
100ml water
1 fish stock cube
1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste
280g large prawns, thawed if frozen and shelled
2 tablespoons of chopped coriander
Salt and ground black pepper
10ml sesame oil

{gallery}thai_coconut_prawns{/gallery}

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the spring onions and stir fry for 2-3 minutes to soften
Add the coconut cream, water, stock cube and curry paste and bring to the boil
Add the prawns and cook over a moderate heat for 5-6 minutes
Add 1 teaspoon of the coriander and season with salt and pepper
Serve on a bed of savoury or plain boiled rice, then garnish with the remainder of the coriander

Another delicious Thai recipe. Thai Coconut Prawns are very quick and easy to prepare. There really is no excuse not to eat fresh, healthy and well with meals like this is there!

Easter Nests

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:36:37 GMT

225g milk chocolate
50g butter
2 tablespoons of golden syrup
100g cornflakes or shredded wheat
Packet of mini eggs
11-12 cake cases

{gallery}easter_nests{/gallery}

Place the cake cases onto a baking tray
Break the chocolate up and place into a saucepan along with the butter and syrup
Heat the pan, stirring the mixture all the time until the chocolate and butter have melted, then turn off the heat
Add the cornflakes gently stirring until they are covered with the chocolate
Put tablespoons of the mixture into the cake cases
Press a few eggs into the center of each nest, then place into the fridge to set for about an hour.

Especially for Jeanne! The children love these Easter Nests, as do the big children amongst us, so come on let’s get Easter started! Serve with or without the cases. Best kept in an airtight container in the fridge and eaten within three days.

Thai Style Prawns

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:44:14 GMT

Serves 4

2 tablespoons of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
2 tablespoons of grated root ginger
2 tablespoons of chopped coriander
1 - 2 teaspoons of chilli paste, according to your taste
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
420g of peeled prawns (thawed and drained if frozen)

{gallery}thai_style_prawns{/gallery}

In a heatproof bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the prawns
Add the prawns and toss well
Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, cover and steam for 10-12 minutes until the prawns are hot and cooked through
Serve with plain boiled rice, or rice of your choice!

After special request from Beverley for a Thai Prawn recipe, I found this one, very quick and easy to prepare, watch out for more!

Chocolate Refrigerator Slices

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 03:34:16 GMT

Makes 8-10
100g digestive biscuits, crumbled
80g ready to eat apricots, finely chopped
50g raisins
30g mixed chopped nuts
150g milk chocolate
50g butter or margerine
Icing sugar for dusting

{gallery}chocolate_refrigerator_slices{/gallery}

In a mixing bowl, combine the digestive biscuits, apricots, raisins, and nuts
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of boiling water, stirring until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly
Pour the chocolate over the biscuit mixture and combine
Spoon the mixture on to a sheet of greaseproof paper, then wrap the paper around the biscuit mixture to form a sausage shape about 8 inches long
Chill for about 30 minutes until firm
Cut into 1 inch slices and dust with the icing sugar, ready to serve!

What a great treat these Chocolate Refrigerator slices are. You can change the apricots for dates or cranberrys or something of your choice.

Beef and Spinach Balti

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:20:58 GMT

Serves 4
3 tablespoons of olive oil
500g beef steaks cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of chopped root ginger
2 teaspoons garam masala
200g cherry tomatoes halved
100g mushrooms quartered
100g baby leaf spinach

{gallery}beef_spinach_balti{/gallery}

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the meat and toss for 4-5 minutes until sealed and turning brown
Add the garlic, ginger, and garam masala and cook for a further 2 minutes
Add the tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, tossing well
Add the spinach and cook for a further 2 minutes, tossing well to combine all the ingredients
Serve with boiled rice and naan breads

Balti dishes are popular and simple to prepare. You can either add chicken to make this a chicken Balti recipe, tofu or vegetables to make it a vegetarian Balti recipe, or something to suit your taste!

Ginger Loaf

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:53:23 GMT

2oz golden syrup
2oz treacle
4oz unsalted butter
3oz dark brown sugar
6oz plain flour
1 level teaspoon bicarb of soda
1 tablespoon ginger
1 large egg beaten
1/4 pint milk

{gallery}ginger_loaf{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line a loaf tin
Sift the flour and bicarb into a mixing bowl, then add the ginger
Heat the golden syrup, treacle. butter and sugar in a saucepan until the butter has melted
Pour the contents of the saucepan into the mixing bowl along with the egg and milk, mix together well then pour into the loaf tin
Bake in your preheated oven for 35-40 mins, until the top of the loaf splits along the middle and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean

Thankyou to Tim for this delicious easy to make ginger loaf. Tastes superb, serve either on its own cold, or warm with some custard or cream!

Malt Loaf

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 22:32:27 GMT

350g self raising flour
50g caster sugar
150g currants
4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
4 tablespoons of golden syrup
1/2 pt milk

{gallery}malt_loaf{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 160`c
Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin
Mix all the ingredients together to form a thick batter
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin
Bake for 1hr-1 1/4 hrs until golden brown
Turn out onto a wire cooling rack

There are many malt loaf recipes, this malt loaf is a Greek version, an inexpensive family loaf, delicious served with a little butter!

Baked Fish and Chips

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 22:43:28 GMT

Serves 4
500g potatoes suitable for baking, washed, peeled and sliced into thick chips
(I like to use sweet potatoes)
4 snapper or cod fillets
55g plain white flour
55g breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper
Olive oil spray
1 egg

{gallery}baked_fish_and_chips{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 200`c and line to baking trays with non stick baking paper
put the chips in a bowl and spray with oil, toss together until they are all coated
Spread the chips on one of the lined baking trays and cook in the oven for 40-45 minutes turning occasionally
Put the flour on a large plate, the breadcrumbs on another then beat the egg in a shallow dish
Dip the fish fillets one at a time firstly in the flour to coat, then into the egg allowing any excess to drip off and then into the breadcrumbs patting them into the fish
Place the fish onto the other lined baking tray
15 minutes before the chips have cooked bake the fish fillets turning half way through the cooking time
When the fish is tender serve!

After fish and chip recipes being so sought after and people wanting to know how to bake fish in the oven I thought I had better get one of the family favourites on here!

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 01:19:08 GMT

Serves 4
12 Cabbage leaves washed
1 1/2 lb minced lamb, beef or quorn for vegetarians
1/2 cup rice washed & drained
1 egg beaten
Jar of passata
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt & pepper

{gallery}stuffed_cabbage_leaves{/gallery}

Pre heat the oven too 200`c
Place the cabbage leaves in a saucepan of boiling water, turn off the heat & soak for 5 minutes, then drain & cool.
In a bowl, combine the mince, rice, egg, cinnamon and a sprinkle of salt and pepper
Place 2 tablespoons of the mince mixture onto each cabbage leaf & roll tightly
Spray an ovenproof dish with oil
Layer the cabbage rolls in the dish then pour the passata over them
Cover the dish, & cook for 40-45 minutes

Stuffed cabbage Leaves are simple to prepare and can be served alone or with a side salad and crusty bread.

Fish Florentine

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:03:43 GMT

Serves 4
650g boneless fish fillets
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of lemon juice
3 sticks of celery finely chopped
4 shallots finely chopped
1 bay leaf
100g spinach leaves washed
1 large tomato thinly sliced
1 cup of grated low fat cheese

{gallery}fish_florentine{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
place the water, lemon juice, celery, shallots, and bay leaf in a pan, bring to a simmer then add the fish, continue to simmer until the fish is tender
Layer the spinach in the bottom of an ovenproof dish, then place the fish on top of the spinach
Evenly pour the rest of the contents of the pan over the fish, followed by the sliced tomato, then top with the grated cheese
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and serve.

This fish Florentine recipe is simple and quick to prepare, and low in fat.

Spicy Rice Salad

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 01:05:30 GMT

Serves 4

1 onion chopped
100g mushrooms sliced
1 green capsicum/pepper cored, seeded & chopped
Handful of fresh chives chopped
150g long grain rice
150g slicing sausage (or tuna)
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise (whole egg)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt & pepper

{gallery}spicy_rice_salad{/gallery}

Cook the rice according to the packet instructions, drain & set aside
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and gently fry for 5 minutes
In a salad bowl combine the rice, onion, sausage, capsicum, mushrooms, and onion
Mix together the mayonnaise (whole egg) lemon juice, paprika and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then mix this with the rice salad until all the ingredients are thoroughly coated, then season with salt and pepper
Sprinkle with the chopped chives

Spicy rice & rice salads are ideal to accompany a meal or barbecue and also make good lunchboxes. An alternative to the sausage can be left over cooked meat, or fish.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 01:08:09 GMT

Serves 4

511g extra lean mince pork, beef, or vegetarians can use quorn
4 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 onion finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
2 celery sticks chopped
700g jar passata
1 tsp sweetener
2 tablespoons olives oil
Handful of fresh parsley

{gallery}meatballs_tomato_sauce{/gallery}

Place the mince, garlic, cinnamon and cumin in a bowl and combine, then shape into small balls
Using a large heavy based pan, add your oil, then cook half of your meatballs 2-3 minutes on each side, drain on kitchen paper then repeat with the other half
Now fry the onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes
Stir in the passata and sweetener, bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, add the meatballs and cover for 25 - 30 minutes stirring occasionally
Place the meatballs into bowls, cover with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with fresh parsley

This meatballs in tomato sauce recipe is one the adults and the kids love. The children love helping to shape the mince. Another great low fat meal!

Chicken and Mushroom Carbonara

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:48:26 GMT

Serves 3 to 4

2 chicken breasts cubed
1 cup of mushrooms sliced
1 egg beaten
2 tablespoons of olive oil
600ml of cream
Spaghetti pasta 100g per serve
Salt and pepper to season

{gallery}chicken_carbonara{/gallery}

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions
Heat the oil in a pan. add the chicken and cook all sides for about 3-4 minutes until golden then reduce the heat for 15 minutes turning the chicken occasionally
Add the mushrooms and continue on the low heat for a further 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through
Add the cream and the beaten egg bring to a gentle simmer
Season with the salt and pepper and stir until the sauce has thickened (if you like your sauce thicker mix two tablespoons of flour with a little water to form a paste, then stir this into your sauce)
Pour over the cooked pasta

This Easy Carbonara Recipe is a great family meal, and again, the ingredients can be changed, ham and bacon being a popular choice with mushrooms.

Asparagus and Walnut Pie

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:14:11 GMT

Serves 4
1 1/2 cups of brown rice, cooked and drained
3 eggs
3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons of chopped walnuts
50g low fat feta cheese
400g can of asparagus
125ml low fat unsweetened natural yoghurt
125ml low fat milk
2 garlic cloves minced
12 cherry tomatoes halved
Salt and pepper

{gallery}asparagus_pie{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Combine the cooked rice with one of the eggs and the parmesan cheese then spread over the base of a pie dish and bake for 15 minutes
Sprinkle the walnuts over the rice base
Place the asparagus over the walnuts then crumble the feta over the asparagus
Mix together the eggs, milk, yoghurt, garlic, salt & pepper, then pour the mixture over the asparagus
Top with the cherry tomatoes then bake for 35-40 minutes or until the pie is set & lightly browned

This is another low fat meal, which can be eaten hot or cold. This Asparagus pie is delicious; you can try other vegetables as an alternative, broccoli and mushrooms are a great choice!

Stuffed Pitta Pockets

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:33:14 GMT

Serves 2
2 pita bread
160g low fat cheese grated
130g mushrooms sliced
120g sliced zucchini/cucumber
1 large sliced tomato
1/2 sliced onion
1/2 red capsicum/pepper sliced
Handful of fresh chopped basil
4 tablespoons of whole egg/mayonnaise

{gallery}stuffed_pitta{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Split open the pita bread to form pockets
Spread the whole egg/mayonnaise inside the pita
Divide the ingredients in two, and stuff each pita and then close
Bake for 10-15 minutes
Serve with salad

This recipe for pita pockets is a great light lunch idea which you can play about with different fillings to suit your taste. You can keep this a healthier option by choosing low fat cheeses and mayonnaise.

Greek Baked Butter beans in Tomato sauce

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:55:48 GMT

Serves 4
1/2kg dried butter beans that have been soaked overnight
2 large onions
4 garlic cloves crushed
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 green capsicum sliced
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup of fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil

{gallery}baked_butter_beans{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 150`c
Gently fry the onions and capsicum in the olive oil until soft
Simply place all the ingredients in an ovenproof dish
Sprinkle generously with freshly ground salt and pepper
Cover and place in your preheated oven for 1,1/2 hours
You may need to add a little water so you have a little bit of sauce each
Serve with rice

If you like Traditional Greek food, then this one of my Traditional Greek Recipes, is one of those great foolproof recipes that you will want to keep close to hand. This meal is healthy, low cost, filling, and can be served hot or cold!

Cheese and Onion Pasties

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 02:00:03 GMT

Serves 2
1 frozen puff pastry sheet defrosted for 12 minutes
2 small/medium potatoes sliced into cubes
2 spring onions sliced
100g cheddar cheese grated
30g butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil

{gallery}cheese_pasties{/gallery}

preheat the oven to 180`c
Cut the pastry sheet along the centre into two triangles and prick each triangle with a fork 8 times then place them onto a greased baking tray
Cook the potatoes in a medium size pan, bringing them to the boil then simmer until tender
Gently fry the spring onions in the olive oil until soft
Mash the potatoes with the butter and cheese
Add the spring onions also salt and pepper to taste
Add half of your potato mix to half of one of your pastry triangles leaving 1/2" from the edge then repeat with the rest of your potato mix to the other pastry triangle
Using water wet all around the edges of the pastry, then fold the plain side over your filling until the edges meet then pinch together adding a little more water to seal if needed
Cook in your preheated oven for around 20 minutes until puffed and golden

These Cheese and onion pasties are so simple and you can make them more interesting adding some spices, vegetables or some meat of your choice!

Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Bake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 02:51:10 GMT

Serves 4

1 medium sized broccoli cut into florets
1 small cauliflower cut into florets
200g cheddar cheese grated
15g butter
15g plain flour
1/2 pint milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Place the broccoli and cauliflower in an ovenproof dish
Melt the butter in a saucepan
Add the flour and cook over a low heat stirring for two minutes, not allowing the mixture to brown
Blend in the milk gradually
Cook, stirring until the sauce thickens and boils
Remove from the heat and stir in 50g of the cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper
Coat the broccoli and cauliflower with the sauce
Sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese
Bake in the oven 180`c for 35-40 mins until the cheese is nicely browned on the top

Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Bake is simple to prepare can be used as a main meal or to accompany a meal. We like ours with a piece of fish.

Christmas Nut Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:20:08 GMT

7oz Brazil nuts
5oz walnuts
3oz almonds
4oz chopped dates
4oz chopped figs
3oz raisins
6oz multi coloured cherries
3oz mixed peel
3oz plain flour
3oz soft brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
Nice dash of port or brandy (optional)

{gallery}christmas_nut_cake{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 150`c
Mix together the nuts, dates, figs, raisins, cherries and peel
To make the batter whisk together the flour, sugar, eggs, salt, baking powder, lemon juice, vanilla essence and port
Pour the batter mix over the nut mix and fold together
Place your mixture into a greased and lined cake tin
Cook in your pre heated oven for 2 1/2 hours
Leave to cool on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes before turning out.

Happy Christmas to you all from Christella`s kitchen. I am sure this beautiful Christmas cake will go down a treat with your friends and family, enjoy!

Stuffed Capsicum

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:40:26 GMT

Serves 4
4 red or green capsicums
175g brown rice
4 tomatoes skinned and chopped
1 onion finely chopped
50g pine nuts
25g raisins
100g cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
300ml stock

{gallery}stuffed_capsicum{/gallery}

Cook the rice as per the packet instructions
Half the capsicum lengthways, removing the cores and seeds and place them upright in an ovenproof dish
When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and gently stir in the tomatoes, onion, pine nuts, and raisins
Stir in half of the cheese, the parsley and the cinnamon, then season with salt and pepper
Divide the rice mixture equally between capsicum and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the tops
Pour the stock around the capsicum and cover with foil
Bake in a preheated oven at 190`c for 40 minutes

Stuffed capsicum is simple to prepare and a filling meal, lovely served with salad or seasonal vegetables.

Cheesy Bake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 01:41:10 GMT

Serves 4
340g potatoes
300g broccoli florets
140g zucchini/courgette cubed
1 onion sliced
3 garlic cloves crushed
200g cherry tomatoes halved
115g cheddar cheese light grated
3 tablespoons Olive oil light
190g frozen peas
3 large eggs
198g quark (Can be found in the dairy section of supermarket. IGA in Australia)
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
Salt and pepper

{gallery}cheesy_bake{/gallery}

Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Place them in a pan of boiling water and simmer until tender. Drain and set aside to cool
Preheat the oven to 200`c while the potatoes are simmering
Using a large heavy based frying pan, add your oil. Fry your onion over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes
add the broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes and peas, fry for a further 2 minutes
Mix with the potatoes and then transfer to an ovenproof dish
Whisk the eggs, quark, chilli flakes and garlic together until smooth and season well with the salt and pepper
Pour the mixture into the ovenproof dish evenly distributing over the vegetables
Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake for 40 minutes when the cheese should be golden brown.

This Cheesy Bake is a great all round family meal & even kind to the waistline if you use the light cheese!

Nut Loaf with Cheese

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 22:17:14 GMT

Serves 4

75g chopped nuts
75g chopped mushrooms
100g wholemeal breadcumbs
1 medium onion chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
100g cheddar cheese grated ( I always buy the light version)
1 egg beaten

{gallery}nut_loaf{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Mix all the ingredients together well
Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined loaf tin
Cook in your pre heated oven for 40 minutes

This nut loaf can be served hot or cold, with a salad garnish or with veg and gravy. One word, delicious!

Breakfast Smoothie

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 02:20:00 GMT

Serves 2

300ml half fat milk
175g pot of low fat strawberry yogurt
2 bananas, cut 4 slices to decorate, mash the rest
2 strawberries to decorate

{gallery}breakfast_smoothie{/gallery}

Whisk the yogurt, milk and banana well together, or use a blender if you have one
Pour into two glasses
Decorate with your Strawberries and banana slices

Start your day with a Breakfast smoothie for a great healthy start. You can change your Smoothie ingredients to suit your taste, there is a huge variety of yogurt flavors and fruits out there, so have fun!

Simple Mushroom Risotto

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 23:26:21 GMT

Serves 4
10 spring onions finely chopped
4 small leeks finely sliced
390g mushrooms chopped into bite size pieces
100g peas
4 garlic cloves crushed
255g Arborio or risotto rice
1 3/4 pt of vegetable stock
A handful of fresh parsley chopped
Salt and pepper
Olive oil light spray

{gallery}mushroom_risotto{/gallery}

Spray a large non stick pan with the oil and stir fry the onions, garlic and leeks for 4-5 minutes
Add the mushrooms, rice and peas, then stir fry for a further 4-5 minutes
Add a cup of stock and stir until the liquid has been absorbed
Repeat adding a cupful of stock at a time until all the stock is used up and the rice is creamy and tender, this usually takes 20-25 minutes
Remove from the heat, season well, stir in the parsley and serve!

This is such a Simple Mushroom Risotto with a beautiful creamy taste. Risotto is good served hot or cold!

Crunchy Nut Snack

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:31:45 GMT

Makes 12
200g rolled oats
55g chopped mixed nuts
55g plain flour
115g unsalted butter
80g soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons of golden syrup (or honey)
55g chocolate chips (we like the white)

{gallery}crunchy_nut_snack{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c. Grease and line a baking tray about 9" square is ideal
Mix together the oats, nuts and flour in a mixing bowl
Place the butter, sugar & syrup in a large saucepan and gently heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves then turn off the heat
Add the dry ingredients to the pan and mix well
Stir in the chocolate chips
Turn the mixture into your prepared tray and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and firm to touch
Using a knife mark into 12 triangles and leave to cool in the tin

Okay, maybe a little bit naughty, but extremely nice!

Greek Cous Cous

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:42:41 GMT

Serves 3-4

150g pack of cous cous
100g pitted black olives
220g cherry tomatoes halved
1 medium red onion finely sliced
1/2 zucchini/cucumber cut into cubes
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped
3 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
salt and pepper to season

{gallery}greek_cous_cous{/gallery}

Make up the cous cous according to the packet instructions and leave to cool
Combine the cous cous with the zucchini/cucumber, onion, tomatoes, herbs and the oil marinade from the feta cheese pack
Add the cheese and olives
Season with the salt and pepper then mix together

Greek Cous Cous and Moroccan Cous Cous are fantastic recipes for Cous Cous that you can use either as a main meal, light bite, or an extra dish to accompany the BBQ. Greek Cous Cous is ideal for lunchboxes and picnics. The other great thing is, it takes less than 20 minutes to serve!

Penne with Tuna, Chilli and Coriander Sauce

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:00:19 GMT

Serves 4
2 tablespoons of olive oil
250g penne pasta
1 chopped onion
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 small broccoli, floretts only
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of chilli flakes
2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
1 x 425g can of tuna chunks in springwater
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
30g parmisan (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
some fresh coriander to serve

{gallery}penne_tuna{/gallery}

Start cooking the penne pasta according to the packet instructions
Pour the oil into a non stick pan, over a medium heat add the onion, garlic and ground coriander, gently cook for 2 minutes until the onion is soft
Add the tomatoes, broccoli, lemon juice, chilli flakes, tuna, cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add the coriander, salt and pepper to taste
Drain off the penne pasta and serve with the sauce poured over the top, garnish with some fresh coriander and sprinkle parmesan if desired.

Simple, quick, easy, that’s what we all like isn’t it, oh and not forgetting healthy. Penne pasta recipes are great meals when you’re in a rush, or just finished a busy day and just don’t want to be fussing around.

Curried Chickpea Soup

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:25:45 GMT

Serves 4
160g chickpeas, washed and soaked overnight
1 pint vegetable stock
400g can of chopped tomatoes
4 crushed garlic cloves
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and sliced
2 tablespoons of minced ginger
1 onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of chilli flakes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Some fresh coriander to serve

{gallery}curried_chickpea{/gallery}

Use a stock pot, heat the oil, then add the onion, for a minute gently fry, then add the garlic, jalapeno pepper, ginger, bay leaves and spices for a further minute
Add the stock, chickpeas and tomatoes, salt & pepper, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 40 minutes
Remove the bay leaves, use a blender or mash for your desired texture
Garnish with the fresh coriander

Chickpea recipes are very sought after mainly because chickpeas are an excellent low fat source of protein & make you feel fuller for longer. Curry Soup Recipes I have to say are always my favourites, especially when not feeling 100% and not knowing what to eat, this is a winner for me, I hope you like it too.

Halloween Chili

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 04:49:34 GMT

Serves 4

2 tablespoons of olive oil
400g of pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite size chunks
1 large onion sliced
1 jalapeno chili sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 x 220g tins of chopped tomatoes
1 x 220g tin of kidney beans drained and rinsed or chili beans to add a bit more heat!
200ml of apple juice
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

{gallery}halloween_chili{/gallery}

In a large heavy based pan heat the oil over a medium heat
Add the onion, chili and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes until softened
Add the pumpkin, tomatoes, apple juice, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper, mix well, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 25 minutes when the pumpkin should be tender
Add the beans and a little water if the sauce looks too thick, cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Can be served with rice and crusty bread.

Halloween Food Recipes are becoming more and more popular. This Halloween Chili (purposely spelt like this because this is what people seem to search, not chilli like me) is a great recipe not only for its lovely colour, but also because a low fat and healthy.

Vegetarian Laksa

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 01:26:54 GMT

Serves 4

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of salt
400g pumpkin diced into bite sized pieces
200g rice stick noodles (find in the Asian section in the supermarket)
100g Laksa paste (find in the Asian section in the supermarket)
200ml vegetable stock
398ml can of coconut milk
250g tofu cut into bite sized pieces (find near the dairy section in the supermarket)
180g green beans remove the tails and chopped in half and half again
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon of ginger finely chopped
1 large green chilli sliced

{gallery}vegetarian_laksa{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 200`c
Spread the pumpkin out on a baking try, coat with the oil, sprinkle the salt over the top, and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden
Put the noodles into a pot of water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 8-10 minutes when nearly tender, drain and set aside
In a large heavy based pan whisk together the coconut milk, stock, Laksa paste, chilli powder, ginger and sugar, bring to a simmer, add the beans, continue to simmer for 8 minutes
Add the roasted pumpkin, tofu, lime juice and noodles and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until the noodles are soft and the beans cooked, and serve with a few slices of chilli on the top.

I received a few requests for Curry Laksa. This gorgeous Asian Laksa recipe is so simple to make and the tofu can be changed for prawns or some cooked chicken to suit your taste. Another great Low fat Meal!

Tuna and White Bean Loaf

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 22:31:42 GMT

Serves 4
1 x 425g tuna in springwater drained and flaked
420g can of white beans drained and rinsed
5 spring onions chopped
150g rolled oats
2 egg whites
1 large carrot grated
230g chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 tablespoons of mustard of your choice. I like the wholegrain one!
1 tablespoon of currants
Sprinkle of salt and pepper

{gallery}tuna_loaf{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 190`c
Grease and line a large loaf tin
Combine all the ingredients and place into the loaf tin
Bake for 45 minutes then leave to stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Another great low fat meal. Good Vegetarian Recipes that are also Healthy Vegetarian Recipes, perfect for all, there really is no excuse, so easy and enjoyable.

Nutty Vanilla and Strawberry Jam Drops

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 04:59:34 GMT

Makes 16
120g softened butter, plus a little extra for greasing
60g caster sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
140g plain flour
Pinch of salt
40g chopped mixed nuts
4 tablespoons of strawberry jam

{gallery}jam_drops{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 190`c, grease and line a baking tray
Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon
Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla essence
Sift in the flour and salt, add the nuts then stir thoroughly until combined
Scoop tablespoons of the mixture, shape into balls with your hands then place onto the baking tray, not placing too close together
Use the handle of your wooden spoon to make a hollow in the centre of each cookie then put a little jam in each of the hollows
Bake in your preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown
Leave to cool slightly on the trays 5-10 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely

Always good to have these Simple Biscuit recipes in the house and Easy cookie recipes for the kids will keep them out of mischief, including the big kids! Have fun.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:25:54 GMT

Makes 12
1 3/4 cups self raising flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 cup sugar or sweetener
1 tablespoon of poppy seeds or other seeds of your choice
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup of apple sauce or puree
1 cup skimmed milk
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
12 muffin cases

{gallery}lemon_poppyseed_muffins{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 190`c
Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl
Add the sugar and seeds
Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the bowl, mix with a wooden spoon until just combine, do not over mix
Spoon the mixture into a 12 cup muffin tin
bake for 15-20 minutes

Low Fat Muffin Recipes are great when you need something sweet but don’t want to spoil that diet. The Lemon Muffin recipe is simple & quick & easy!

Mixed Bean Stew

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:28:08 GMT

Serves 4
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 x 400g cans mixed beans
400g can of plum tomatoes
300ml vegetable stock
16 pitted black olives
Salt

{gallery}mixed_bean_stew{/gallery}

Heat the oil in a pan over a low heat
Add the onion and a pinch of salt, fry gently for about 5 minutes
Add the garlic and cayenne pepper and stir through
Pour in the tomatoes and mixed beans including the juices, pour over the stock. Bring this to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes
Add the olives and simmer for a further 5 minutes topping with a little water if required. Sprinkle with a little bit of coriander to serve.

This is a lovely warming Vegetarian Stew recipe. I serve mine over a bed of spinach for its iron and calcium content, then a layer of rice makes this a great filling meal that is good for the waistline and the purse!

Cheese and Onion Tart with Olives

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:27 GMT

Serves 4-6
For the pastry
115g butter
3 tablespoons of milk
150g self raising flour

The filling
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3 onions
1 tsp caster sugar
3 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves
1tsp salt
240ml double cream
3 eggs beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
30g parmesan
2 tablespoons black olive tapenade

{gallery}cheese_onion_tart{/gallery}

To make the pastry, heat the butter and milk together in a saucepan until the butter is melted. Stir in the flour and mix until it forms a ball. When the pastry is cool enough to handle, press it into an 8" tart tin and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190'c.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the onions, stirring over a high heat. Add the sugar, thyme and salt then reduce the heat and cook slowly, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes or until the onions are caramelized.
Meanwhile, whisk together the cream and the eggs season with the black pepper and stir in the parmesan
Place the tart tin on a baking tray, spread the tapenade over the base of the pastry. Spread the onions on the top and carefully pour over the cream filling
Bake for 30 minutes or until set
Serve while still warm or serve cold. Great with a salad.

This pastry recipe is so simple and melts in the mouth. Suitable for vegetarians and can be eaten hot or cold. You can change the fillings to suit you.

Pear Gratin

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:58:22 GMT

Serves 4
4 large Ripe pears or a large 820g tin
150g blackberries
60g chopped walnuts
225g mascarpone
30g dark muscovado sugar

{gallery}pear_gratin{/gallery}

Preheat the grill on a high setting
Quarter the pears and remove the cores, place them upside down in a shallow flameproof dish
Scatter over the blackberries and walnuts
Drop over spoonfuls of the mascarpone and sprinkle the sugar on top
Grill for 3-5 minutes or until the mascarpone is hot and bubbling, and the sugar begins to caramelize.

If there are Pear Dessert Recipes on the menu, that is what I tend to choose. This one of my Pear Recipes is very quick and simple to prepare, and always goes down a treat!

Lamb and Orange

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:27:47 GMT

Serves 4
300g diced lamb
1 onion chopped
2 soft tomatoes
50g butter
Grated rind and juice of one large orange
Salt and pepper to taste

{gallery}lamb_orange{/gallery}

Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, remove the skins, then chop them
Melt the butter in a heavy based pan, add the lamb and onions, cook over a high heat to seal the meat
Add the orange juice, rind and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper
Cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 40-45 minutes or until the meat is tender

Serve with rice or baby potatoes. This lamb Sauce Recipe is so quick and simple, and this is one of those Left over Lamb Recipes that you just keep forever. Enjoy!

Cheese Quesadilla with Onion & Gherkin

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 23:53:14 GMT

Serves 4
8 tortillas
100g cheddar cheese (I use the light option)
1 onion sliced
6 gherkins from a jar sliced
4 tablespoons of Olive oil or use fry light

{gallery}quesadilla{/gallery}

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan
Place one tortilla in the pan sprinkle 25g of cheese leaving a little gap around the edges so it doesn’t spill out, then add some slices of onion and gherkin
Lay another tortilla precisely over the top and press down firmly with a spatula to seal
Leave to warm through for a couple of minutes then flip the quesadilla over and leave it to cook on the other side for a minute or two
When cooked transfer to a plate and cut into halves or quarters
Repeat with the remaining tortillas
Serve immediately while hot

Quesadillas Recipes are great for a quick, easy snack, the fillings can be varied to suit your taste, and they are great to play around with. Serve with some side salad.

Vegetable Tagine

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:04:12 GMT

Serves 4
1 Cougette (zuchini) chopped
2 onions chopped
1 red pepper (capsicum)
3 celery sticks, sliced
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons of plain flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3/4 pint of vegetable stock
410g can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
60g ready to eat chopped apricots
60g ready to eat pitted prunes
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 large red chilli finely chopped
4 tablespoons of corriander
Salt and pepper to taste

{gallery}vegetable_tagine{/gallery}

Heat the oil your tagine or heavy based pan add the onion, celery, garlic and capsicum and fry for 3-4 minutes
Add the cinnamon, stock, chickpeas, courgette, apricots and prunes and bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes
Mix the flour with a small amount of water to form a paste then add to the tagine
Stir in the cumin seeds, chilli and coriander and cook for a further 15 minutes
Add salt and pepper to taste.

This vegetable Tagine is one of many of my Moroccan Tagine Recipes. You can add a meat to this dish Lamb Tagine is a popular, just add the diced lamb fillet at the beginning, fry until browned, and add another 15 minutes to the simmering until the meat is tender. Delicous with cous cous.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:03:16 GMT

200g caster sugar
215g Self raising flour
85g cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
60ml vegetable oil
2 eggs beaten
185g sour cream
170ml water

Easy chocolate icing (if desired)
60g butter
100g dark chocolate
1 tablespoon of cream

{gallery}sour_cream_chocolate_cake{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 190`c
Grease and line an 8" cake tin or ring tin
Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and mix well together either with a wooden spoon or a mixer
Spoon the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the Easy Chocolate Icing place the ingredients in a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stir until the butter and chocolate have melted and the mixture is smooth.
Cool slightly until the mixture is cool enough to drizzle over the cake.

This Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Recipe is so simple to make and you can cut out quite a few calories by using sour cream light, save some of the guilt!

Apricot and Chicken Rice Salad

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:42:34 GMT

Serves 4

300g long grain rice
30g butter
2 medium sized chicken breast, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup apricot nectar
1/2 sliced black olives
6 spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh coriander

{gallery}apricot_chicken_rice_salad{/gallery}

Rinse the rice well then add to a pan of boiling water, boil for about 12-15 minutes or until tender, then drain well
heat the oil and butter in a large pan, add the chicken and cook until browned all over and tender
Combine the rice, chicken, nuts, apricots, coriander, olives, shallots and coconut in a bowl
Add the nectar just before serving, toss the salad well.

Another great dish that can be served hot or cold, ideal for a lunchbox! This is such an Easy Chicken and Rice Recipe, I think a quick salad Recipe is perfect for hitting the right spot to stop us reaching for something naughty.

Crunchy Peanut Cookies

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:47:34 GMT

Makes 20

1 egg beaten
100g unsalted butter
100g soft light brown sugar
100g crunchy peanut butter
150g self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
50g puffed rice cereal

{gallery}peanut_cookies{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 190`c
Grease and line a large baking tray
Cream together the butter and sugar
Add the egg little by little, beating after each addition
Add the peanut butter and mix well
Sift in the flour and baking powder, mix all together
Pour the puffed rice into a separate bowl
Scoop teaspoons of the mixture, shape into a ball and roll each one through the puffed rice, then flatten it slightly and place onto the baking tray
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes
Leave in the tray for 5 minutes before transfering with a spatula to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

I love cooking with peanut butter as we all love it. See also Peanut Butter Truffles.

Weetabix Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:49:19 GMT

3 Weetabix (vitabix or weetbix)
1 cup of mixed fruit
1 cup of black tea
1/2 cup of artificial sweetener (or soft brown sugar)
2 eggs beaten
2 cups of self raising flour
3 teaspoons mixed spices

{gallery}weetabix_cake{/gallery}

Soak the weetabix and fruit in the tea for two hours
Preheat the oven to 180`c and grease and line an 8"cake tin or a loaf tin
Sift in the flour
Add the sweetener and mixed spices, mix all the ingredients together well
Transfer the mixture to your prepared tin sprinkle with a little of the sweetener or sugar if desired and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour until a skewer pushed through the center comes out clean

This Weetabix Cake compares to the Weetbix Slice and is fantastic if you are watching the waistline but need a treat, it is healthy and low fat so do not feel guilty!

Chicken Myers

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:13:40 GMT

Serves 4
4 chicken breast portions
225g broccoli florets
298g can of condensed chicken & sweetcorn soup
50g mayonnaise (whole egg if in Australia!!)
4 tabelspoons of double cream
2 tablespoons of medium or mild curry powder
25g cheddar cheese, grated

{gallery}chicken_myers{/gallery}

Simply place the chicken & broccoli florets in an ovenproof dish/pot
Mix together the soup, mayonnaise,double cream and curry powder. Pour the mixture over the chicken and broccoli, coating them well
Sprinkle the cheese over the top
Bake at 190`c for 50-60 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.

This is so simple to prepare, I love these one pot meals. A great, filling family meal

Chestnut Sofrito

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:32:54 GMT

Serves 4-6

1 onion
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 inch piece of root ginger peeled and finely chopped
1 large sweet potato (about 400g) cut lengthways and thickly sliced
4 carrots (about 400g) sliced
410g can of chopped tomatoes
2 x 250g cans of whole chestnuts drained
410g can of chickpeas drained
1 pint vegetable stock
1 tsp turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
Salt and ground black pepper

{gallery}chestnut_sofrito{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Place the sweet potato, carrots, chestnuts and chickpeas in a casserole dish
Make up the stock, then add the tin tomatoes, stir in the garlic, ginger, and turmeric, mix well
Pour the sauce into the casserole dish, mix well, add the cinnamon stick, cover and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour until tender.
Remove carefully from the oven, add salt and ground black pepper to taste

With its Middle Eastern flavour this dish is very satisfying to the taste buds. Delicious served with cous cous or rice. This dish is suitable for vegetarians.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Truffles

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:21:07 GMT

Makes 28-30 Peanut Butter and Chocolate Truffles
80ml thickened cream
200g milk eating chocolate broken into pieces
70g crunchy peanut butter
110g crushed peanuts (or mixed crushed nuts)

{gallery}peanut_butter_truffles{/gallery}

Place the cream and chocolate into a small saucepan, and over a low heat stir until smooth, stir in the peanut butter
Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight
Roll teaspoons of the mixture into balls, roll the balls through the peanuts, then place them on an a tray or plate, put them in the fridge until firm

Making Chocolate Truffles is easy and after all, We all need a treat now and then!!

Pak Choy and Carrot Soup

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:18:36 GMT

{photogallery}images/stories/pak_choy_soup{/photogallery}

Serves 8
2 baby Pak Choy, sliced
1 kg carrots, sliced
1 medium sized onion diced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 pints of vegetable stock
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons flour mixed to a paste with a little water
Salt and pepper to taste
Natural yogurt to serve

Mix the stock and flour mixture together in a large saucepan
Add the carrots, onion, lemon, garlic, chilli and curry powder bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes
Add the Pak Choy and simmer for a further 10 minutes
Remove from heat and blend either with a blender of use a sieve, puree in batches
Return to the pan, reheat gently and season to taste with the salt and pepper
Serve with a swirl of natural yogurt (or cream)

Delicious served with garlic bread or fresh crusty bread. Suitable for vegetarians!
Being a Chinese cabbage, Pak Choy can boost the immune system, acts as a cleansing agent for the digestive system and it is also believed to lower the risk of certain forms of cancer.

Basic Chocolate Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:44:05 GMT

140g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
2 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
250g self raising flour
125ml milk
2 tablespoons of icing sugar for dusting (optional)

{gallery}basic_chocolate_cake{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line an 8" cake tin
Beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy
Gradually add the egg, beating after each addition
Add the vanilla essence, beat until combined
Fold in the flour and cocoa
Add the milk and stir until combined and the mixture is smooth
Spoon the mixture into your prepared tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon
Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

Haddock and Broccoli Chowder

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:08:57 GMT

Serves 4
5 spring onions, sliced
450g new potatoes
300ml of fish stock
300ml skimmed or semi skimmed milk
1 bay leaf
225g broccoli florets
450g smoked haddock fillets,skinned
198g can of sweetcorn, drained
black pepper

{gallery}haddock_and_broccoli_chowder{/gallery}

Keep a handful of the spring onions aside for garnishing, place the rest into a large saucepan along with the potatoes, add the stock, milk and bayleaf, bring to the boil, then cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes
Add the broccoli to the pan
Cut the fish into bite sized pieces and add to the pan with the sweetcorn
Season with black pepper then cover the pan and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
Remove the bay leaf.
Serve with the spring onions scattered over the top and with crusty bread

Fantastic, filling, low cholesterol meal, suitable for vegetarians!

Chocolate Chip Shortbread

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:45:38 GMT

makes 15

230g plain flour
110g cornflour
100g caster sugar
230g diced butter, plus a little extra for greasing
80g chocolate chips (I used dark)

{gallery}chocolate_chip_shortbread{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 160`c
Grease and line a 9 inch baking tin
Sift the flour and cornflour into a large bowl,stir in the sugar
Add the butter and rub together until the mixture starts to bind together
Turn the mixture into your prepared tin, press evenly over the top. Prick the surface with a fork,
Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and lightly press them in
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until cooked but not browned
Mark the portions with a sharp knife then leave to cool for about 15 minutes when you can carefuly remove and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

So Simple Mushroom Stroganoff

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:41:01 GMT

Serves 4

500g mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion sliced
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 red capsicum (pepper)
30ml olive oil
100ml red wine
2 tablespoons of double cream
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 desert spoon of corn flour
1 tsp paprika
1 handful of coriander

{gallery}mushroom_stroganoff{/gallery}

Gently fry the onion and garlic or 3-4 minutes
Add the mushrooms and capsicum, fry until softened and mushrooms browned
Add the wine and vinegar, simmer gently for 10 minutes
Combine the flour with some water to form a paste, then add to the pan and mix well.
Add the coriander & cream

Serve with rice or cous cous, delicious! This is such a quick simple meal to make, and suitable for vegetarians. Meat lovers can add some chopped cooked meat of their choice when adding the wine and vinegar!

Spicy Lentil Soup

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 06:09:29 GMT

Serves 4-6
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 large onions finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
350g pre soaked red lentils
2 pints of stock
1 1/2 tsps cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsps crushed dried red chillies
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Chopped Parsley to garnish
Natural yogurt to serve

{gallery}spicy_lentil_soup{/gallery}

Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear
Heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan, fry the onions until soft
Add the garlic and fry for a few seconds
Add the lentils to the pan and stir well until coated with oil
Add the stock and bring to the boil. If a foam rises to the top, scoop it off and discard
Dry roast the cumin seeds in a small pan until they are aromatic and then grind to a powder. Add this to the soup with the chilli flakes
Simmer with the lid on until the lentils are really soft and start to break down (around 20-25 mins) You may need to add a little water during this time as the lentils absorb a lot of liquid
Add salt, freshly ground black pepper and the lemon juice
Blend in a food processor until smooth
Garnish with a tablespoon of natural yogurt or cream and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

A friend recently gave me this Lentil Soup recipe as she swears it fights away nasty colds, which I had at the time. I now agree, and would like to share it with you. Its also a great vegetarian Recipe

Nutty Brownies

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:54:33 GMT

Makes 12-15

140g plain flour
100g demerara sugar
140g plain chocolate
225g unsalted butter
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
55 g mixed chopped nuts

{gallery}nutty_brownies{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line a baking tray
Place the chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water and heat until melted
Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder into a bowl
In a separate bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then add the almond extract and egg, mix well.
Remove the chocolate from the heat and add to the butter mixture, and mix
Add the nuts, flour mixture and milk, mixing until well combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tray, smooth over the top and place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until firm to touch. The mixture will still be a little soft in the center.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
Cut into squares and remove from the tray.

Delicious Nut Brownies another easy Brownie Recipe. Enjoy!

Victoria Sponge

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:15:37 GMT

175g softened butter
130g caster sugar
175g self raising flour
3 eggs beaten
Pinch of salt
5 tablespoons of raspberry jam
1 tablespoon of icing sugar to sprinkle over the top

Ingredients for butter icing (optional)

100g butter
225g icing sugar
2 tablespoons of milk
A few drops of vanilla essence

{gallery}victoria_sponge{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line two 8" sandwich tins
Cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy
Add the egg a little at a time and beat well
Sift in the flour and salt and fold in with a metal spoon
Divide the mixture between to two tins, smoothing over the top
Place in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes when well risen and golden brown
Allow to cool slightly before gently turning out onto wire cooling racks to cool completely
Mix the butter icing ingredients together
When to Sponges have cooled sandwich together after spreading with the jam and cream, sprinkle the top with icing sugar.

This Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe is a classic family favourite. Freshly whipped double cream is a fabulous treat in place of the butter icing!

Domino Biscuits

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:06:52 GMT

Makes about 20

225g self raising flour
115g softened butter
60g caster sugar
Finely grated lemon rind
1 egg, beaten
110g dark chocolate drops

{gallery}domino_biscuits{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
Stir in the sugar and lemon rind
Mix to form a dough with the egg
Turn onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth
Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick
Cut into bars about 7x3cm, then transfer to a greased baking tray
Mark each bar in half with a knife and arrange the chocolate drops on each side to resemble domino dots
Bake for 12-15 minutes
Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tray before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the big kids amongst us and the little ones!

Marble Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:12:17 GMT

55g plain chocolate
1 tablespoon of strong black coffee
280g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
225g softened butter, plus a little extra for greasing
225g caster sugar
4 eggs beaten
50g ground almonds
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
125g plain chocolate
2 tablespoons butter

{gallery}marble_cake{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180'c. Grease and line an 8" cake tin
Melt the chocolate and coffee in a heatproof dish over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Leave to cool.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
Add the butter, sugar, eggs, ground almonds and milk, mix well until smooth.
Transfer half of the mixture to another bowl and stir in the vanilla extract, stir the cooled chocolate into the other half of the mixture.
Place spoonfuls of the two mixtures alternately into the prepared tin then drag a skewer through to create the marbled effect, smooth the top over.
Bake in a preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Leave in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing up by placing the chocolate, butter and 2 tablespoons of water into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, heat until melted. Stir well then pour over the cake. Work quickly to cover the top and sides.
Leave to set before serving.

Naughty but light Truffles

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:37:31 GMT

makes 25 truffles

1 packet of milk coffee biscuits, crushed
1 tin of condensed milk light
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 cup of desiccated coconut

{gallery}truffles{/gallery}

Mix together the crushed biscuit, condensed milk and cocoa powder together.
Roll into 25 balls
Roll the balls on by one through the coconut to cover
Put them on a tray & into the fridge for a couple of hours

Hey presto, gorgeous Naughty but light Chocolate Coconut truffles, not as naughty as most!

Banoffee Flan

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:51:50 GMT

1x 7-8"Sponge flan case
270ml can of condensed milk
500ml whipping cream
3 bananas sliced
Tin of sliced pears
6 stawberries (or fruit/chocolate/nuts of your choice to decorate)

{gallery}banoffee{/gallery}

Place the can of condensed milk in a saucepan of boiling water, boil for 2 hours
Line your sponge flan case with sliced banana
Top the banana`s with the condensed milk (now yummy toffee)
Whip the cream until thick, then layer this over the toffee evenly
Decorate the top with the pears and strawberries . ( A dusting of chocolate powder looks very nice)

This is such a impressive dessert, so easy to whip up, always a winner!

Butternut pumpkin, Basil, and Ricotta Lasagne

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:22:47 GMT

Serves 4
420g pumpkin peeled & cut into 1cm slices
2 tablespoons of olive oil
500g ricotta
150g mushrooms sliced
50g pine nuts, toasted
35g fresh basil (I used the red basil)
35g finely grated parmesan
125g lasagne sheets
185g grated mozzarella

{gallery}lasagne{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180"c
Lightly grease a baking tray and arrange a single layer of the pumpkin, brush with oil and cook for an hour or until softened, turning half way through cooking.
Place the ricotta, pine nuts, basil, and parmesan in a bowl and mix together.
Lightly grease an ovenproof dish 20cm square.
Cook the lasagne sheets according to the packet instructions, or until tender.
Cover the base of the dish with a single layer of the pasta sheets.
Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, then top with the next layer of pasta.
Arrange the pumpkin and mushrooms evenly over the sheets with as few gaps as possible. Spread the other half of the ricotta mixture over the pumpkin and mushrooms, and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
Top with the final layer of pasta sheets.
Sprinkle with the grated mozzarella and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden,
Stand for 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

This is one of our family favourites!

Easy Chilli Con Carne

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 13:19:12 GMT

Serves 4
500g beef mince
420g can kidney beans
400g can diced tomatoes
35g packet of taco seasoning mix
1 tsp chilli powder
125 ml water
2 fresh long chillies
1 onion, chopped
A handful of chopped fresh coriander
2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

{gallery}chilli{/gallery}

Oil and heat a large frying pan, add the mince & chopped onion stirring until browned.
Add the chillies, seasoning mix, and garlic, stir for a further 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, undrained and the water to the pan bring to the boil, then reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the beans and simmer for a further 5 minutes
Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander.

Vegetarians can enjoy this dish using quorn instead of beef mince. Serve with rice or couscous. Also very nice with a little sour cream!!

So Simple Biryani

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:32:02 GMT

Serves 4

400g basmati rice
1 3/4 pints of vegetable stock
3 tablespoons of medium curry powder
Sprinkle of salt to taste
1 onion
100g cauliflower florets
100g broccoli florets
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 courgette diced
A handful of coriander leaves chopped
2 tablespoons of mint leaves chopped

{gallery}biryani{/gallery}

Place the rice in a large saucepan with the stock and curry powder and salt, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Add the onion, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes and courgettes, bring back to the boil, then cover and cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
Stir in the herbs and leave to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Delicious served with a tablespoon of low fat yogurt and a side salad. Also for people that like meat, you could stir some sliced cooked chicken, or meat of your choice in place of a couple of the vegetables, or as well as.
The other great thing with this recipe is the fact it is low fat, and ideal in a lunchbox because it tastes great hot or cold

Cranberry Scones

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:05:50 GMT

Makes 9-10 scones

200g self raising flour
50g caster sugar
50g margarine
1/4 tsp salt
100g cranberries
1 medium egg
75 ml milk
6-7cm round cutter

{gallery}cranberry_scones{/gallery}

preheat the oven to 220`c
Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the sugar and salt.
Using your fingertips, rub in the margarine until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Stir in the cranberries.
Break an egg into a small bowl and beat it. Stir in the milk.
Place a teaspoon of the egg mixture aside for later
Pour some of the egg mixture in with scone mixture and keep adding small amounts at a time until it forms a dough.
Sprinkle some flour onto a work surface. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick, use the circle cutter to cut out circles.
Roll out the left over dough and cut more circles until all used.
Put them onto your baking tray.
Brush with the left over egg mixture.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.
Place on a wire rack to cool.

These scones are delicious served with fresh whipped cream!

So Simple White Chocolate brownies

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:53:39 GMT

Makes 9 - 12 Chocolate Brownies

115g butter, plus a little extra for greasing
225g white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
2 eggs
115g light brown sugar
115g self raising flour
80g chopped walnut pieces

{gallery}white_chocolate_brownies{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180`c
Grease and line a 7" square baking tin and line with greaseproof paper.
Melt 180g of the chocolate and butter together in a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. When melted set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together the eggs and sugar, add the melted chocolate, mixing well.
Fold in the flour, walnuts and left over chocolate pieces.
Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
A crust will form on the top when ready. It will be soft in the center so no need to worry if testing with a skewer, leave to cool in the tin.
Cut into squares and serve.

I’m sure friends smell these white chocolate brownies from a mile away, as they always appear just in time for them to be served!! They smell and taste delicious.

Boiled Fruit Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:23:07 GMT

225g butter
Cup of raisins
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups of self raising flour

{gallery}boiled_fruit_cake{/gallery}

Place the butter, raisins and sugar in a saucepan, over a medium heat, melt the butter, bring to the boil, then leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180"c
Add the eggs and self raising flour, mix well.
Pour the mixture into an 8" round greased and lined cake tin.
Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer pushed through the center comes out clean.
Leave to cool thoroughly before turning out of the cake tin.

This cake never lasts more than a day in our house!

Courgette, red Capsicum and Mint Frittata

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:23:57 GMT

Serves 4
6 spring onions
2 courgettes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 red capsicum, de-seeded & cut into 1cm pieces (pepper)
6 eggs
3 tablespoons of finely chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
Salt and ground black pepper
50g cheddar cheese light

{gallery}courgette_red_capsicum_and_mint_frittata{/gallery}

Spray a medium sized non stick pan with olive oil light and place over a high heat.
Add the spring onions, courgettes and red capsicum, stir fry for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned or just tender.
Break the eggs into a bowl, lightly beat in the chopped herbs, season well and pour over the vegetables in the frying pan, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook gently for 12-15 minutes,
Heat the grill to a medium heat, uncover the frying pan, sprinkle over the cheese and grill for 5 minutes or until the frittata is set on the top and golden.
Remove from the grill and allow to cool slightly before cutting it into wedges and serving.

Frittata is great served hot or cold. If served with salad or vegetables, this makes a very healthy option. Ideal for lunchboxes!

Nibbles

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:52:12 GMT

Choose from the menu and click to see the Recipe

Here you will find quick simple sweet treats from Cookies to Truffles some Healthy and Some Naughty but Nice!

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loaves

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:39:21 GMT

Choose from the menu and click to see the Recipe

Free Homemade Loaf recipes, include low fat loaf options which are suitable for Morning Coffee or Afternoon Tea

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Cakes

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 13:53:28 GMT

Choose from the menu and click to see the Recipes

The cakes section contains Free home made cake recipes which are quick and simple to make and would impress your family or friends.

Find a sweet treat for the whole family or to simply indulge yourself.

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Lite Bites

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 13:16:59 GMT

Choose from the menu and click to see the Recipe

The Lite Bites section contains Free Healthy Savoury Snack Recipes which are great for a Quick Healthy Lunch suitable for one or the whole family.

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Simple Beef Stroganoff

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:58:01 GMT

Serves 4
1kg beef round steak
1/2 cup flour.
1/2 tsp mustard
2 onions, thinly sliced
227g fresh mushrooms sliced
1 pint beef stock
1/2 cup of dry white wine or cooking wine
227g sour cream
Sprinkle of salt and pepper

{gallery}beef_strogonoff{/gallery}

In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, mustard and a little salt & pepper, then toss the steak in the mix.
Place the steak in the slow cooker.
Cover with the mushrooms and onions.
Add the beef stock and wine.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Serve with some sour cream.

(This can be cooked on a stove top, bring to the boil and then simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally & top with water if required)

Also a Great Recipe for the Slow Cooker

Yummy Nutty Ice Cream

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:45:50 GMT

600ml double cream
425g tin of condensed mild light
Tsp vanilla essence
200g crushed mixed nuts (or something of your choice, i.e. chocolate chips, fruit)

{gallery}yummy_nutty_ice_cream{/gallery}

Simply whip the cream until thick
Add the condensed milk, vanilla essence and half of the nuts, mix well.
Place into a 1.5 – 2ltr freezer container.
Top with the remaining nuts.
Freeze.

(This is also a lovely dessert without being frozen)

Winter Warming Minced Chicken

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:46:52 GMT

Serves 4
8oz minced chicken
2 celery sticks sliced thinly
2 carrots sliced
1 small red capsicum sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 pint chicken stock
1 tablespoon of flour
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

{gallery}winter_warming_minced_chicken{/gallery}

Fry the minced chicken for 10 minutes or until browned
Add the celery, carrots, capsicum and garlic to the pan, fry for another 5 minutes.
Add the flour, mixing well
Pour the stock in the pan, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer,
Add salt and pepper to desired taste
Simmer for a further 30 minutes
Serve with spaghetti

The Best Ever Chocolate Fudge Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:29:11 GMT

Serves 10-12
175g unsalted butter (a little extra for greasing)
175g caster sugar
3 eggs beaten
3 tablespoons of golden syrup
40g ground almonds
175g self raising flour
Pinch of salt
40g cocoa powder
Icing

225g plain chocolate, broken into pieces
55g dark muscovado sugar
225g unsalted butter
5 tablespoons of evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

{gallery}chocolate_fudge_cake{/gallery}

Grease two 8" sandwich tins & line the bases with baking paper
Preparing the icing - place the chocolate, muscovado sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract in a saucepan. Heat gently until melted. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Place in the refrigerator for about an hour or until spreadable.
Preheat the oven to 180'c
Place the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Stir in the golden syrup, ground almonds, sift the flour, salt & cocoa powder then fold into the mixture. If required add a little water to make to a dropping consistency.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 35 minutes, or until springy to touch & a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Leave the cakes in the tins for 5 mins before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely. When cold, sandwich together with half of the icing. Spread the remainder of the icing over the top and sides of the cake.

Viola, Chocolate Fudge Cake, a great family favourite!!

Salmon Fish Cakes

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:18:24 GMT

Serves 4
270g cooked and flaked salmon
270g mashed potato
100g peas
1 egg

{gallery}salmon_fish_cakes{/gallery}

preheat the oven to 200'c
Mix the ingredients together and then roll into 8 balls, then place onto a lightly greased oven try
Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are browned
Serve with Vegetables or salad

The Salmon Fish Cakes are Really Healthy and are suitable for Vegetarians

Cheese and Bacon Quiche

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:08:49 GMT

225g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
100g butter
8tsp water to mix to a dough.

Make the pastry up, wrap in aluminium foil, or place in a sandwich bag. Put this in the fridge for an hour.
Grease an 8inch by 10 inch dish. (Or a dish of similar size)
Turn out the pastry mix onto a lightly floured work surface, roll out, then line your dish.

Filling
200g mushrooms
4 eggs
200g of low fat cottage cheese (the cheese and chives is a nice choice)
150g diced bacon (Tuna/salmon or a filling of choice can be used as an alternative)
A sprinkle of salt and pepper.

{gallery}cheese_and_bacon_quiche{/gallery}

Place the mushrooms and bacon in your pastry lined dish.
Whisk the eggs, cottage cheese, salt and pepper together, then pour the mixture over the mushrooms and bacon.
Place the quiche in a pre-heated oven, 200'c (400'f) mark 6 for 10 minutes.
Decrease the oven temperature to 170'c (325'f) mark 3 for a further 45 minutes or until set.

Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:57:54 GMT

Pizza Base (makes 2 x 8" pizza`s)
250g plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 tablespoons of water

Topping (Can be varied. This can be fun to create your own)

160g pepperoni sliced
260g cheese (I used a low fat tasty cheddar) shredded
120g mushrooms sliced
4 tablespoons of tomato puree

{gallery}pepperoni_and_mushroom_pizza{/gallery}

Mix the pizza base ingredients together to form a dough, divide into two, then leave to stand for 15 minutes
Roll the two pieces of dough to size on a lightly floured work surface
Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a frying pan and gently fry the first pizza base until it starts to raise and brown on both sides, then remove and place on a grill tray, and do the same with the second base.
Top the pizza bases with the tomato puree, spreading evenly
Add the cheese, then pepperoni and mushrooms
Grill the pizza until the cheese starts to brown
Serve immediately

Mushrooms with Camembert and watercress pesto

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:45:27 GMT

Serves 2

4 large flat mushrooms
1 tablespoon clear honey
75g Camembert, sliced
50g watercress
1/2 red chilli, deseeded
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

{gallery}mushrooms_camembert_and_watercress_pesto{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 220'c
Place the mushrooms, gill side up on a baking tray
Drizzle over the honey and season
Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the juices start to run
Brush the mushrooms over with any excess juices
Top with the cheese and return to the oven for 2-3 mins
Mix together the remaining ingredients until smooth
Drizzle the home made pesto over the mushrooms and serve with salad.

Mocha Walnut Cookies

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:25:56 GMT

115g softened butter
80g light muscovado sugar
60g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in a tablespoon of hot water
1 egg
175g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
55g choc chips
55g chopped walnuts

{gallery}mocha_walnut_cookies{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180'c
Grease two baking trays and line with baking paper.
Place the butter, muscovado sugar, and caster sugar in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Put the vanilla extract, coffee and egg in another bowl and whisk together.
Gradually add the coffee mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat until fluffy.
Sift in the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda into the mixture, fold in carefully.
Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Spoon 16 heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, allowing room for the cookies to spread.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, until crisp on the outside but still soft inside.
Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 2-5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Lemon Honey and Banana Cheesecake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:56:01 GMT

75g butter
200g crushed digestive biscuits
600ml double cream
400ml condensed milk
1 Lemon plus the Zest
2 Banana,s
4 tablespoons of honey

{gallery}lemon_honey_and_banana_cheesecake{/gallery}

Grease an 8" deep dish
Melt the butter and add the biscuit crumbs. Stir well.
Press the biscuit mixture into the dish, spreading evenly and place in the fridge to chill for twenty minutes.
Whisk the cream until stiff then add the condensed milk, juice and zest of the lemon, and two tablespoons of the honey.
Fold the mixture together until well mixed.
Slice the banana and place it in a layer over the biscuit mixture.
Spoon the filling over the biscuit & banana base spreading evenly.
Drizzle the other two tablespoons of honey over the cheesecake to decorate.
Place back in the fridge for two to three hours until set.
Ready to serve and enjoy!

( For those who love banoffee, this is very similar)

Italian Pasta Bake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:47:46 GMT

Serves 4
225g Penne pasta
Salt and pepper
275g ham cut into strips (or diced bacon pieces)
Butter for greasing
3 eggs
450ml single cream
150g Gruyere cheese, grated
50g Parmesan cheese, grated.
1 Tomato, sliced.

{gallery}italian_pasta_bake{/gallery}

Pre heat the oven to 190`c.
Put the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 8-10 minutes until just tender. Drain well.
Stir ham into the pasta and put into a greased ovenproof dish.
Beat together the eggs, cream, seasoning and add half of the Gruyere cheese.
Pour the mixture over the pasta.
Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere and the parmesan cheese over the top and dress with tomato, bake for 40 mins, until golden brown.

Healthy Fish Pie

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:39:20 GMT

Serves 4
390g potatoes
390g carrots
5 eggs
400g low fat yogurt
290g cod
290g salmon
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon dill
190g frozen peas
15ml milk

{gallery}healthy_fish_pie{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 200'c
Peal & dice the potatoes and carrots, then boil until tender, drain & mash together. Leave to cool.
Beat 1 of the eggs, mix with 4 tablespoons of the yogurt and the milk, stir this into the mash.
Steam the fish for 8 minutes then set aside to cool.
Boil the 4 remaining eggs for 10 minutes, cool under cold water, peel & cut into quarters.
Flake the fish into an ovenproof dish, add the eggs, peas, remaining yogurt, herbs and gently combine.
Spoon the mash over the top, rough up the surface with a fork, sprinkle with a little parsley.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
Serve with some vegetables.

Hazelnut Chocolate Crunch

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:31:53 GMT

Makes 12

200g rolled oats
55g hazelnuts, chopped
55g plain flour
115g unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
85g muscovado sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
55g plain chocolate chips

{gallery}hazelnut_chocolate_crunch{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180'c. Grease a 9 inch shallow square tin.
Mix the oats, hazelnuts and flour in a large bowl.
Place the butter, sugar, and golden syrup in a large saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour in the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Turn the mixture out into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and firm to touch.
Using a knife, mark 12 triangles, and then leave to cool before carefully removing from the tin.

Greek Chicken and Potatoes

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:24:34 GMT

Serves 4-6

8-12 mixed chicken pieces
12 small potatoes halved or quartered
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 lemon
1 orange
Handful of fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup of pitted mixed olives
Salt and pepper to season

{gallery}greek_chicken{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180'c.
Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces.
Place the chicken in a roasting dish/tray with the potatoes and garlic.
Mix together the olive oil, juice of the lemon and oregano, and season well with salt and pepper.
Add the mixture to the tray, pour evenly over and toss to coat.
Chop the orange roughly and add to the tray.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, turning halfway, placing the chicken skin side up to make it nice and crispy.

This dish is lovely served with a Greek salad!

Gingerbread Hearts

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:16:19 GMT

250g plain flour
70g light soft brown sugar
100g butter
1 Egg
4 tablespoons of golden syrup
1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
12 Chocolate drops (optional)

{gallery}gingerbread_hearts{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180'c

Place the flour, ginger, bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, and rub in the butter until crumbly.
Add the sugar, syrup, and egg, mixing until it forms a firm pastry.
Roll out onto a lightly floured surface and use a heart shaped cutter to cut out your biscuits. (or use a man to make gingerbread men, or shape of your choice)
Place the hearts on a greased baking baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes.
When cooked place on a wire cooling rack.
Place a chocolate drop on each or decorate with smarties, raisins or something of your choice.

Fruit Tea Loaf

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:01:14 GMT

350 mls cold tea
175g Raisins
175g Sultanas
275g Self raising flour
200g Soft bown sugar
1 Egg

{gallery}fruit_tea_loaf{/gallery}

Place the fruit in a bowl with the sugar, pour over the tea and leave to soak overnight.
The next morning, Peheat the oven to 150'c.
Add the flour and egg to your tea & fruit mixture, mix well.
Place the mixture in a greased and lined 500g loaf tin.
Cook for around 1hr and 30 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

Flapjack

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:56:43 GMT

200g butter
75g golden syrup
75g honey
100g soft brown sugar
450g rolled oats

{gallery}flapjack{/gallery}

Place the butter, syrup, honey, and sugar into a saucepan and stand over a low heat until melted.
Remove from heat
Stir in the oats and mix well
Spread into a greased 12x15 inch baking tray, and smooth the top over with a knife.
Bake at 180'c (350'f) for 20 minutes.
Leave for 5 minutes then cut into 25 squares
Remove from the tin when cooled.
Store in an airtight container

Alternatively- you can just double up on the golden syrup, leave out the honey, or visa versa to make them a healthier option.

Ferrero Roche

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:41:12 GMT

** Healthier Option **

Makes 25 sweets

10 Rivita
4 tablespoons of nutella warmed in the microwave
Sweet cases

{gallery}ferrero_rocher{/gallery}

Crush the rivita`s
Pour the crushed ryvita`s into the nutella & combine
Roll the mixture into balls and place into the sweet cases
Refrigerate for a couple of hours

We think these taste delicious, just the same as the original Ferrero Rocher, but not nearly as naughty!

Go on, enjoy, you’re worth it!

Date Loaf

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:35:38 GMT

2 teaspoons of instant coffee
375g packet of pitted dates
1 cup of self raising flour
1/4 cup slivered almonds

{gallery}date_loaf{/gallery}

Add the coffee to 1/2pt of boiling water and mix well.
Pour the coffee over the dates and soak overnight.
Sift in the flour & mix well.
Pour the mixture into a greased loaf tin.
Sprinkle with the almonds.
Bake in a pre heated oven 160'c for 45 mins or until cooked.

Creamy Chicken & Capsicum

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:25:01 GMT

Serves 4
300g pack of chicken breast pieces
3 capsicum deseeded & sliced into strips
1 loose red onion peeled and sliced into wedges
400g can of cream of mushroom soup
500g pack of cous cous
2 tablespoons of olive oil
250ml boiling chicken stock made with 1 stock cube

{gallery}chicken_cous_cous{/gallery}

Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and fry the chicken breast pieces until they brown then remove from the pan
heat another spoon of olive oil to the pan and add the onion and capsicum for 1 minute
Return the chicken to the pan and cook until the capsicum have softened and the chicken has cooked through
Add the cream of mushroom soup, stir through and heat for another 5 minutes
meanwhile pour the cous cous into a bowl and pour over 250ml of boiling chicken stock made with 1 stock cube. Stir well and leave to stand for 5 minutes, then fluff up with a fork
Serve the chicken immediately with the cous cous on the side.

Cottage Pie

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:17:34 GMT

Serves 4
450g minced lamb or beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2tbsp plain flour
300ml (1/2pt) lamb or beef stock
1 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 garlic clove crushed
salt and freshly ground pepper
700g potatoes, chopped
25g butter
3 tbsp fresh milk

{gallery}cottage_pie{/gallery}

Dry fry the mince in a non stick pan until browned.
Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the flour, stirring for 1 minute
Gradually blend in the stock. tomato puree, garlic, herbs and season to taste.
Cook, stirring until the mixture thickens and boils, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes
Pour the mixture into a 2 pint, ovenproof dish
Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling water (salted if desired), for 20 minutes until tender.
Drain well, mash with the butter and milk
Cover the mince with the potato.
Bake in the oven 180'c for 25 minutes, until the potato browns.

Enjoy!!!!

Classic Chicken Curry

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:09:28 GMT

Serves 4

2 1/2 lb chicken pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
1 onion peeled and chopped in chunks
2 tsp finely grated ginger
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 cardamom seeds
1/4 tsp crushed cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon mild or medium curry powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
400g can chopped tomatoes
1/2 chicken stock
1/4 tsp sugar

{gallery}classic_chicken_curry{/gallery}

Season the chicken & set aside
Oil a frying pan place over a medium heat then add the onion, ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, curry powder, paprika, and turmeric, turn to high heat and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook for a further 2 minutes or until sealed.
Add the tomatoes, stock & sugar. Bring to the boil, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the pan from the heat, adjust the seasoning to taste.

Chocolate Yoghurt Cake

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:02:41 GMT

1 cup of plain yogurt
1 cup of corn oil
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 heaped tablespoons of baking powder

{gallery}chocolate_yoghurt_cake{/gallery}

Preheat the oven to 180'c
Stir the yogurt, oil, and sugar together with a wooden spoon.
Sieve in the remaining ingredients.
Stir until thoroughly mixed.
Put the mixture into a greased 7" cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Turn out onto a wire cooling rack to cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:56:44 GMT

Makes 22

3/4 cup of self raising flour
3/4 cup of plain flour
2 tblsp cocoa powder
125g butter
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup chocolate chips
8 squares of cadburys chocolate to melt

{gallery}chocolate_chip_cookies{/gallery}

Pre heat the oven to 180'c
Line two flat baking trays with baking paper
Sift the flours into a bowl, and add the cocoa.
Beat the eggs, sugar , vanilla and butter.
Fold the egg mixture into the flour until combined then add the chocolate chips.
Using a tablespoon, make small balls space 5cm apart, slightly patting the tops flat, place on the baking trays.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until they are browned.
Allow to cool on the tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Drizzle with melted chocolate & leave to set.

Choc Chip Butterfly Cupcakes

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:47:38 GMT

Ingredients
12 cake cases
1 1/2 cups of Self Raising flour
1/2 cup of chocolate chips
1/2 cup of castor sugar
100g butter, melted
1/2 cup of milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
12 smarties or m & m's
12 marshmallows

Icing - 20g butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla essence, a couple of drops of food coloring, 1 1/4 cups of icing sugar plus 1 tblsp of boiling water.

{gallery}choc_chip_cupcakes{/gallery}

Let’s get started...

Preheat the oven to 200'c, 180`c if fan assisted.
Line a 12 cup cake tray with the cases
Place the flour, caster sugar, choc chips, into a mixing bowl, making a well in the middle
Add the butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Using a large spoon, mix until combined.
Spoon 2 heaped tablespoons of mixture into each muffin case
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of one cake comes out clear. Stand for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool.
While the cakes are cooling make the icing
place the icing sugar, butter, vanilla essence and boiling water into a bowl. stir a little, then add the food coloring
Stir until smooth.
Spread each cake with the icing
Cut the marshmallows in half so you have two round circles
Place the marshmallows on each cupcake with a smartie or m & m in the middle to form your butterflies.

My son and I enjoyed making these gorgeous cup cakes with a lovely little mother’s day recipe he made from school. We are sure you will enjoy them too.
** Always a winner with the little ones! **

Breakfast Muffins

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:40:06 GMT

Makes nine

180g self raising flour
80 mature cheddar
Pinch of salt &pepper
60ml olive oil
60ml milk
10 eggs
80g ham chopped into pieces

Preheat the oven to 180’c

{gallery}breakfast_muffins{/gallery}

Grease your muffin tin or line with 9 muffin cases.
Place the flour, cheese, ham. salt & pepper into a bowl.
In a jug measure the milk & oil, add 1 of the eggs and whisk together.
Pour the mixture into your bowl, mix all ingredients together well.
Spoon enough mixture in each muffin case to cover the bottom then set aside.
Carefully crack an egg into each case
Top with the remaining mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Leave to cool slightly before carefully removing from the tray & serve warm.

Banana and Raisin loaf

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:30:41 GMT

3 bananas mashed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
3/4 cup of raisins
1/2 cup oil/or butter
2 cups of self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Tablespoon of water

{gallery}banana_raisin_loaf{/gallery}

Mix all the ingredients together to form a batter like consistency
Pour the mixture into a loaf tin
Place into the centre of a pre heated oven 180'c (350'f) for 1 hour
Cool in the tin before turning out on to a wire cooling rack.

**Alternatively some mixed nuts instead of raisins, or a mixture of both is very nice, even an extra of your choice!!**

Bread and Butter Pudding with Dates

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:17:47 GMT

8 slices of bread, crusts removed
50g butter
30g jam (any flavour)
50g chopped dates
40g caster sugar
2 eggs
1pt fresh milk

{gallery}bread_and_butter_pudding{/gallery}

Spread the bread thickly with butter and half of the bread with jam too. (4 slices)
Place the jammed half into a 2pt greased ovenproof dish.
Sprinkle with the dates and half of the sugar.
Top with the remaining bread, buttered sides uppermost.
Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
Beat the eggs and milk well together. Pour into the dish over the bread.
Leave to stand for 30 minutes so that the bread absorbs some of the liquid.
Bake at 170'c for 45 mins to 1hr until the pudding is set and the top is crisp.

Beef Stew with suet free Garlic & Herb dumplings

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:43:35 GMT

Serves 4-6

450g stewing steak, cubed
1 tablespoon of oil
1 large onion sliced
3 large carrots chopped into chunks
2 large potatoes cut into chunks
1/2 butternut pumpkin
2 pints of Beef stock
2 tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon of mixed herbs
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dumplings
125g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 tablespoons of milk

{gallery}beef_stew{/gallery}

Mix the dumpling ingredients together to form a soft dough
Roll into 10 small hazlenut sized balls and pop in the fridge until required.
Pan fry the steak and onions until browned, then sprinkle with the flour, fry for a further minute
Add the stock, garlic, herbs, puree, salt & pepper to taste, bring to the boil, then cover & simmer for 1, 1/2 hrs
Add the vegetables, (if required top with boiling water to just cover the veggies) stir well, then place the dumplings on the top
Bring to the boil, then cover & simmer for a further 30 minutes.
Lovely served with crusty bread.

Beef Laska

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:27:27 GMT

Serves 4
2 heaped tablespoons of malaysian Laska paste
2 x 400ml cans of coconut milk
1 tsp ground ginger
1.2kg cubed beef
1/2pt beef stock
1/2 cup shredded coconut

{gallery}beef_laska{/gallery}

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a wok over a high heat.
Add the beef, Laska paste. and ground ginger, stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and beef stock, bring this slowly to a simmer stirring often for 10 minutes
Reduce to a low heat for an hour.
Add the coconut and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Serve with rice.

Main Meals

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:37:01 GMT

Choose from the menu and click to see the Recipe

Delicious Low Cost Meal Ideas which have Quick and easy Free Recipes to Follow step by Step

There are lots of Low Fat Healthy Options for you to Enjoy!

{jcomments off}

Beef Kofta Curry

admin@chrissieskitchen.com.au (Administrator) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:28:02 GMT

Serves 4

8oz extra lean minced beef
2 tsp peeled and finely grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mild or medium chilli powder
1 tsp tumeric
2 tablespoons medium curry powder
500 ml passata
1/4 tsp sugar
Sprinkle of salt and ground black pepper.

To serve
Very low fat yogurt
Chilli powder
Mint leaves or a few slices of chilli

{gallery}beef_kofta{/gallery}

Place the minced beef in a bowl along with the ginger, garlic, fennel, cinnamon and chilli powder. Season and using your hands, mix thoroughly until well combined. Form the mixture into small, walnut sized balls and set aside.
Place the tumeric, curry powder, passata and sweetener in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Season well.
Place the meatballs in the sauce. Cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes turning the meatballs occasionally until they are cooked through.
Remove from the heat and serve with a some very low fat yogurt, sprinkled with a pinch of chilli powder and garnished with fresh mint or a some slices of chilli.