Pasta with potato, beans and pesto

Recipe from Perfect PastaImages by Yasmin

Use the recipe for making pasta/fettuccine previously to enable this dish to be created. In this post I will show you one way to serve your homemade pasta. This recipe is vegi-licious! No meat required.

Ingredients:

• 600g small new potatoes, halved or quartered
• 250g broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup  shelled broad beans, peeled or 350-400g in pods
• 175g fine green beens, topped and tailed
• 2 zucchini, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 300g fettuccine or tubular and hollow pasta shapes (homemade)
• sprigs of fresh basil to garnish

For Pesto:

• 3-5 cloves garlic, coarsley chopped
• 2 tblsp pine nuts
• 100g fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parnesan
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• salt

Method:
Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes or until they are tender but not soft. Add the broccoli, broad bean, green beans and zucchini, simmer together for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the homemade pasta in boiling water for 2-4 minutes or until al dente. If not using homemade pasta, cook in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.

Make the pesto while the vegetbles and pasta are cooking. Using a food processor, add all ingredients except for the oil and whiz to paste. Gradually add the oil through the feed tube with the motor running.
Drain the pasta and vetgetables  and toss both together. Top with the pesto, garnish with sprigs of basil, scattering them over the top. Serve immediately.

Orange Creme Caramel

Recipe from Women's Weekly Barbecue Cookbook

Images by Amanda and Yasmin

This is a yummy dessert with an interesting texture. It is not as hard as a cheesecake but not as soft as custard. This dessert has double points for me because it is a citrus flavoured dish; however, it looses points because it is a very subtle flavour of citrus orange - and I love a strong citrus flavour. However, if you have a pallet similar to my sisters, you will love the infusion of orange you taste with each bite. It seems as though you might taste the orange but then as you grasp for the flavour it slips out of reach until another bite is taken. I served this dessert on Boxing Day and everybody loved it.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar, extra
• 300ml jar thickened cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tsp grated orange rind

Method:

Combine sugar, lemon juice and water in pan, stir over low heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, do not stir. Boil rapidly, uncovered, until syrup turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour the syrup into an 18cm round cake tin.

Lightly beat eggs and extra sugar together. Heat cream, milk and orange rind until hot, whisk into egg mixture. Strain mixture into tin, place in baking dish with hot water to come halfway up side of tin. Bake in moderately slow oven 45-50 minutes or until set. Remove from water, cool, refrigerate overnight. Turn onto serving dish, decorate with cream and orange segments if desired. Serves 6.

Post Competition

Hello everyone!

I would just like to inform everyone about the recipe sharing that is happening on Taste of Pearl City. It is an 'Anyone Can Cook' competition which ends this friday. It is a really great way to share you simple and quick recipes with everyone and gather some great ideas too! All you have to do is go to this website: http://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/ and follow the linking process. It is really simple and fun! I hope you get the chance to look and enter! There are some prizes too! I have already entered the following recipes:

Coconut Loaf with Passionfruit Sauce










Scrolls










Incredible Pie












Pasties












These are some of my favourites!!! I hope you share your simple and quick favourites as well!

Cheers,
Yasmin

Coffee-soaked Gateau

Recipe from Cakes, Pastries and Breads
Images by Yasmin

This cake was served as a 53rd birthday cake for my father. He is a very happy man who loves his coffee. This cake matches his personality perfectly; strong (flavoured), handsome (appearance), hearty (dessert), and an all round (shape pun intended!) lovely man (cake). This cake I am told tastes like Tiramisu, but I wouldn't know because I have never tasted one. But I can tell you that this cake tastes delicious and has a strong coffee/liquor flavour! This post is dedicated to all those hard working fathers who need to be thanked and given a treat to commemorate their birth, which is definately something to celebrate. I love you dad! Happy Birthday!



Ingredients:

For Cake:

• 185g butter
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 3 x 60g eggs, lighty beaten
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

For Syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 3 tblsp strong black coffee
• 3 tblsp rum

To decorate:

• 1 1/2 cups cream, lightly whipped
• cocoa, to dust

Method:

Well grease a 20cm cake tine and line the base with greased greaseproof paper. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last amount. Sift in the flour, then fold in carefully. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level off. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.

While the cake is cooking dissolve the sugar in the water and coffee in a pan over a low heat and add the rum.

Turn the cake out of the tin on to a serving plate. Pierce it all over with a skewer, then pour over some of the warm coffee syrup. Leave this to soak in, then pour over some more and continue to do this until the cake has absorbed all the syrup. Leave the cake to stand for at least 6 hours.

Spread the whipped cream all over the top and sides of the cake and decorate the top with a dusting of cocoa. Serve with coffee.

Microwave Caramel Self Sauce Pudding

Recipe from Super Food Ideas
Photo by Yasmin

I'm sorry that I have not been able to post any of the recipes I have listed in the 'Soon to come' column. I have had this recipe and photos ready to post since Mother's Day; however, have not had the time to post it. My mother enjoyed her first of two desserts I prepared for her, the second, Lemon Meringue Pie, will be posted shortly. I have just been sooo busy with one million and one things to do, I'm sure you all know the feeling. If you are in that stressed and hectic situation, I recommend that you be naughty and eat some of this delicious comfort food. This self-sauce pudding takes less that 17 minutes to prepare and cook, and it is absolutely fabulous! It can be made with or without the nuts, I prefer without. This pudding is perfect for a truely naughty afternoon tea or dessert, especially in the now cooler months when you need that bit of warmth. I'm telling you now, this hits the spot. I also appologise for the unprofessional photograph of this pudding, I was craving food and comfort, so I just took one quick photo, which wasn't very neat.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 60g butter, melted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts (optional)
• 1 cup boiling water
• icing sugar and ice cream, to serve

Varitations: Replace pecans with chopped hazelnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts.

Method:
Grease a 6cm deep, 6 cup capacity, heatproof, microwave safe dish. Combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add butter, milk and egg. Whisk to combine. Stir in pecans. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Smooth top. Combine boiling water and remaining sugar in a heatproof jug. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Pour mixture over the back of a large metal spoon to evenly cover pudding batter.

Place dish on a microwave safe rack or upturned dinner plate. Cook, uncovered, on Medium (50%), for 9-10 minutes or until the pudding comes out clean. Carefully remove from microwave. Stand for 1 minute. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with ice cream.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Recipe from I Love Sugar
Images by Yasmin

(serves 6-8)
I have always loved caramel flavoured treats and desserts, and recently at a friends house I was reminded of one of my favourites; Sticky Date Pudding. This dessert was so delicious that I promised myself that I would make it again soon. So when the occassion arose, I jumped at the chance to offer this twist to a classic; Sticky Toffee Pudding. Although it almost turned out as a disaster because I forgot to fold in the flour, this dessert will serve everybody's cravings for sweet and scrumptious. I served this cake as a welcome home dessert for my sister, Alana, who has been in Japan for the past three months and is homesick for my cooking! What separates this dessert from the original is that it has more dried fruit, not as many basic cake ingredients, and a new and improved sauce, Sticky Toffee Sauce. I loved this dessert and I know you will too! Did you know that dates are old fruits from the holy land that grow on Date Palms?

Ingredients:
Pudding:

• 75g sultanas
• 150g stoned dates, chopped
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
• 25g butter
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 200g SR flour

Sticky Toffee Sauce:

• 25g butter
• 17ml double cream
• 200g soft light brown sugar

Method:
Preheat oven to 180'C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm round cake tin.

To make pudding, put the sultanas, dates and bi-carb soda into a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to soak. Put the butter into a separate bowl, add the sugar and mix well. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the flour. Drain the soaked fruit, add to the bowl and mix.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and turn out onto wired racks to cool if not serving immediately.

About five minutes before the end of the cooking time, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the cream and sugar and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Turn out the pudding onto a serving plate and either pour over the sauce or place in a jug and allow guests to serve themselves. Serve with whipped cream or unwhiped cream drizzled on or ice-cream or custard (optional).

Coconut Cake with Passionfruit Sauce

Recipe from Erica
Images by Yasmin

This is a beautiful little tea cake to share among friends. I first ate this cake at a family friends home for morning tea a few years ago and have been baking it ever since. It is just so simple and sweet. I love the different textures of the coconut, passionfruit pulp and soft sponge cake, all combining perfectly in your mouth as you take the first bite. The mixture of textures, flavours and the hot sauce, balances this cake perfectly.

Ingredients:
Cake:

• 170g raw sugar
• 120g butter
• 150g SR flour
• 50g desiccated coconut
• 1 egg
• 60g milk
• 60g coconut milk
• whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Syrup:

• 170g tin passionfruit pulp
• 50g water
• 60g sugar

Method:
Preheat oven 180'C fan forced. Prepare square cake tin. Place sugar in food processor. Pulverise. In seperate bowl, melt butter. Add to sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour into prepared tin. bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool for 10 minutes in tin. Put on rack to cool completely. For Syrup recipe visit the Icings and Sauces Page on this blog. Serve with cream and syrup.

Whole Orange Cake

Recipe from Super Food Ideas
Images by Renata and Yasmin

(serves 12)

The first time this cake was made in our household it was prepared by my mother. I watched intricately as she showed me the important steps preparing this cake; you must boil the oranges whole, with skin, twice. This is done to remove the bitterness of the orange and softening the peel and pitch; leaving a sweet taste for the cake. I have now successfully, as my friends told me, made a replica of this cake - following my mum's example. Everybody enjoyed devouring this cake at afternoon tea along with a wide collection of my favourite recipes; Gooey Caramel Muffins, Rum Balls (which will sadly not feature in this blog as it contains chocolate) and Scones (an old family recipe). Everybody always has a great time when surrounded by friends, family and great food!

Ingredients:

• 2 small (400g) oranges
• 125g butter, melted
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups SR flour, sifted
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
• Orange zest to decorate

Orange Icing:

• 1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
• 10g butter
• 2 tblsp orange juice

Method:
Preheat oven to 160'C fan-forced. Grease a 24cm (base) fluted ring pan (as seen below).

Place oranges in a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to boil. Drain. Cover with cold water. Return to the boil. Drain. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Roughly chop oranges in quarters. Remove and discard seeds. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Stir  in butter, milk, eggs, flour, sugar and almond meal until combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in cake comes clean. Stand cake in pan for 10 minutes. Use a knife to lightly cut around the edge and middle to separate cake from edges of the tin. Turn onto wire rack and cool.

To make icing: Place sugar, butter and orange juice in a heatproof bowl  over pan of simmering water (bain marie). Stir for 5 minutes or until smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over cake. Top with orange zest. Stand for 15 minutes or until set.

Mango Chicken Leaves

Recipe from Helen Gilmore


This is one of the many beautiful and exotic entrees that I was served when I visited some family friends. My family was treated like royalty and were showered with many delicate, little masterpieces before lunch. This is one of those pieces. It is so simple and easy to prepare, as well as being healthy too!

Ingredients:

• Chicken, cooked, cooled, cut into strips
• Cos lettuce leaves
• 1-2 tsp curry powder
• mango, chopped in small cubes
• 2-4 tspmango chutney
• 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
• paprika, to dust

Method:
Place small lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon about 1 tblsp of mango cubes onto lettuce leaf. Place cooked chicken strip on top of mango base. In a bowl, combine Greek yoghurt, curry powder, and mango chutney. Spoon mixture in tblsps on to the chicken. Dust lightly with paprika. Serve as an entree.

Spinach, Garlic and Fetta Dip

Recipe and Image from Coles

(makes 2 cups)

This combination of flavours is spectacular! All of the ingredients compliment one another; producing a wonderful dip.

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic
• 150g baby spinach leaves
• 200g fetta, crumbed
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• focaccia, to serve
• 1 tsp oil, for drizzling, optional

Method:
Bring a large saucepan of water to oil. Add garlic and simmer for 1 minute. Add spinach and blanch for 1 minute, until wilted. Drain spinach again, squeezing out excess water. Roughly chop. Place spinach and garlic in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well. Drizzle with oil, if using. Serve with focaccia.