Easy does it...

RISOTTO

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup boiling water

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin diced tomatoes
185ml evaporated milk

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

cooked chicken

spinach
red capsicum
mushrooms
avocado
olive oil

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil; add the garlic and cook.

2. Add the rice and cook, stir a couple of times, until the grains are glistening.

3. Add the boiling water, wine and stock.

4. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, partly cover and cook for 15 mintues. Stir 2 - 3 times during this time.

5. While your rice is cooking, chop your chicken into small pieces or strips and cook in some butter in a frying pan until brown. Place to the side.

6. Dice the capsicum, slice your mushrooms and cook in frying pan. Add spinach at the end to wilt.

7. When the 15 mintues is up for your rice, add the tinned tomatoes, evaporated milk and parmesan. Sitr to combine.

8. Add chicken and veggies, stir again.

9. To serve, pop in a bowl and top with some sliced avocado and a sprinkle of parmesan.

**Notes

- The EASIEST risotto you will ever make. None of this constantly stirring stuff!

- Takes exactly 30 minutes from start to finish

- Feeds 4 people

- Once you have the 'base' right (the rice and liquids bit) you can add or omit any veggies you like. My sister cooks sweet potato in some garlic and pops that in. You could also try pumpkin, fresh tomatoes, green capsicum, onions etc - it's up to you! A great recipe for using up stuff from the fridge!

That's a bit different...

KINGSTON CAKE


2 packets Kingston biscuits (keep 4 or 5 aside)

300ml thickened cream

1. Whip the cream until stiff.

2. Using a spatula, spread a teaspoon or so of cream onto a biscuit. Pop another biscuit on top. Top with more cream, then place biscuits on their side onto a platter. Repeat until all biscuits have been used to form a log. (Just use as many biscuits as your platter is long!)

3. Spread remaining cream over log.

4. Place your spare 4 or 5 biscuits in a freezer or snap lock bag. Grab a rolling pin and crush those biscuits!

5. Sprinkle crushed biscuits over the top of the cake.

6. Pop in fridge for as long as possible before serving.

**Notes

- Some people like to put a little smear of cream on their platter first, to ensure no slippage of the biscuits.

- This cake does not go nearly as soft as your standard chocolate ripple cake. The inside chocolatey bit of the Kingston tends to remain hard. Still tastes good though!

- You need to have this in the fridge for as long as possible before serving. Try and make it the night before.

- I like to top my Kingston and Choc Ripple Cakes with stuff as soon as I've made them, but if you are a little time poor, it can wait.

- Please let me know what you think of this one, and if anyone could suggest ways to make it less hard, I'm all ears!

Ode to the Anzac Biscuit...

HONEY OAT FINGERS

3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp bi-carb soda
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup coconut
1 tblspn honey
125g butter

1. Sift together the flour, bi-carb soda and sugar in a large bowl.

2. Add rolled oats and coconut and stir well.

3. Melt honey and butter in a saucepan until runny.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the honey and butter and stir until a 'slice-like' state.

5. Lightly grease a slice tin and press mixture into it.

6. Pop in a 180degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes.

7. When out, let it cool for 5 minutes or so, then cut into 'fingers'

**Notes
- Store in an air-tight container
- Taken from my Year 7 Home Ec notes!

I made it myself...

HOME-MADE HUMMUS

1 can chickpeas

1 tblspn tahini paste

2 tblspn lemon juice

3 tblspn olive oil

1 clove garlic^

pinch paprika

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Place in a food processor.

2. Chuck everything else in the food processor as well.

3. Process until you reach a smooth consistency. You will probably have to add more olive oil as you go. You may also need to stop processing and use a spatula to scrape down the sides.

4. Empty into a nice dish and top with another sprinkle of paprika.

**Notes

 - When we first started making and eating this, we weren't the biggest fans. We realised that we were missing the more sweet taste of store-bought hummus ie - sugar!! Now, this is so delicious, we couldn't go back :)

- I use the cheap Homebrand chickpeas and they are just fine. As for tahini, unhulled is better for you, but I think hulled actually has a nicer taste - not as strong. You'll find it in the health food section of the supermarket. (Sometimes in the spreads section too).

 - ^ Those of you who know me well know that I *clearly* wouldn't just put one clove of garlic in. I usually put 2 - 3 depending on how big they are. But I LOVE garlic, so add however much you like :)

Oh, how slice of you...

UPDATES!

Here is a picture of the Magic Slice I posted a few weeks ago. Not much to look at, but oh, so delicious!

Also, a friend of mine commissioned me to do some slices for an event she was attending. Magic Slice, Malteaser Slice and Sour Cream Slice. Yum!

Unusual Slice...

SOUR CREAM SLICE

1 packet vanilla cake mix

1 cup dessicated coconut

1/2 cup melted butter

1 large tin apples

300ml light sour cream

1. Mix cake mix, coconut and melted butter in a large bowl. Mixture will be crumbly to start, but will start to mould together as the butter works through.

2. Press mixture into a greased slice tin and bake at 180degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.

3. Take base out of the oven and spread the apples over that. Use enough for an even coating of apples.

4. Pour sour cream over that. Place back in the oven for another 5 - 10 minutes.

**Notes

- It seems unusual for a dessert/sweet recipe to have sour cream in it, but it is really nice! It's a great slice for those people who don't have a huge sweet tooth (whoever they are!)
- Don't make the cake mix so it is a batter, just pop in the mix as is.
- Wait for a while before cutting it of you can, as the base can be crumbly.
- Recipe taken from Mum's cookbook, from a recipe she was given by a friend many years ago!

Happy Easter!

EASTER BUNNY CUPCAKES

For cupcakes:        1 cup SR flour

                                90g butter, softened

                                1/2 cup caster sugar

                                2 eggs

                                2 tbspn milk

                                1/2 cup white chocolate 

                                1/2 cup dessicated coconut

                                16 dark choc bits

                                1 liquorice strap

For ganache:        1/3 cup thickened cream
                               (+ a little more)

                               180g white chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 180degrees/160degrees fan forced. Line 8 holes of a 12 muffin pan with paper cases.

2. Beat flour, butter, sugar, eggs and milk together with an electric mixer. Increase speed and continue to mix until batter has changed to a paler colour.

3. Fill paper cases roughly halfway. Bake around 20 -25 minutes or until cooked and a wooden skewer comes out clean.

4. Make chocolate ganache#

5. Using melted white chocolate, pipe 16 bunny ears onto a sheet of baking paper.

6. Spread cakes with ganache, sprinkle (or dip) in coconut, then decorate with ears. Use the choc bits for eyes. Cut the liquorice into very thin strips then criss cross 2 pieces for each nose.

#Ganache: Bring cream to the boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat. Add chocolate, stir until smooth. Refrigerate until firm.

**Notes:

- I have actually halved the ganache quantities from the original recipe. There was almost a decent bowlful leftover and I was fairly generous when icing the cakes.

- I also halved the amount of white chocolate used to make the ears. Again, there was lots left over and that was after I made an extra 12 ears!

- I would set the ears in the fridge. The original recipe called for them to set at room temperature - but they just wouldn't set.

- I don't own a piping bag, so I just used a teaspoon to flatten and shape my ears.

- Recipe taken from Womans Day magazine.

Have a Happy and Safe Easter everyone! :o)