bri's summer mango muesli

Bri sent me this recipe while she was on holiday in Bali...I like to think it was a little summery gift to add some sunshine to these cold winter days. Gorgeous way to start the day, summer or winter. Thanks beautiful girl!

4 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
1 & 1/2 cups moist shredded coconut
1 cup dried mango (unsulfured is healthiest), chopped
1 cup sultanas
3/4 cup linseeds
zest of 2 oranges
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup macadamia nut oil
cinnamon to taste

Preheat oven 180 c. Combine all dry ingredients & orange zest. Heat honey, maple syrup & macadamia oil in pan til you achieve a nice thin consistency. Add honey mix to dry ingredients & mix well to coat. Spread mixture out in thin layers on glass or ceramic baking trays and cook for approx. 20 mins, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning. Leave to cool completely then store in an airtight container. Makes about 12 cups.

eve's cheesy chicken & spinach lasagne

This is Eve's tried and true lasagne & is also simple to prepare and will have the family eating in just over half an hour! Thanks Eve.

1 tbls oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
500g chicken mince
4 tbls tomato paste
400g can diced tomoatoes
500ml chicken stock (Eve uses Campbell's Real Stock, salt reduced)
6 instant dried lasagne sheets
80g baby spinach
125g light cream cheese
1 cup grated tasty cheese

Preheat oven 180c. Heat oil in saucepan over high heat, add onion & garlic then cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook until browned. Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes & stock. Bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce heat & cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. In a 1 &1/2 litre baking dish, spread 1/3 of the chicken sauce on the base. Top with three lasagna sheets. Layer another 1/3 chicken sauce, baby spinach & remaining three sheets of lasagna. Finish with remaining chicken sauce, small dollops of the cream cheese then sprinkle over grated cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

tiramisu.....our italian farewell

Just over a week ago we lost my uncle, Rob, to cancer. He was a gorgeous, inspiring and talented man. And he was Italian and he loved to cook and entertain, usually in partnership with my cousin, the beautiful Gemma. So this weekend just gone, my little family had an italian dinner of lasagna & tiramisu to celebrate this great man. We will miss you so much. x

Here is the recipe for the tiramisu.

4 eggs
4 dessert spoons sugar
400g marscopone cheese (or cheat like I do with 300ml cream & 80g philly cheese)
2 cups espresso coffee
1 large packet savoiardi (lady finger) biscuits
cocoa

Seperate eggs. Beat whites until stiff. Beat yokes & sugar together, add cheese and mix until smooth (I use a hand beater). Gently fold in whites. Quick dip biscuits in coffee one at a time and arrange first layer. Just cover with some mixture. Repeat layering til all mixture is gone (finish with mixture). Cover & refridgerate over night. Dust with cocoa prior to serving.

healthy(er) raspberry muffins

I used to make these before I was a mum (and only had my waistline to think about) but have busted the recipe out to add something a bit more substantial to the kids lunchboxes. The wholemeal flour will sustain them longer and they aren't as sugar and butter laced as other muffins....and no, they don't raise the same enthusiasm as my choc chip muffins but they always get eaten so I must be getting something right!

2 cups wholemeal self raising flour
1/2 cup white self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons lemon rind
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
125g raspberries (I use frozen as they hold their shape)
1/4 cup flake almonds
cooking oil spray

Pre-heat oven to 180c. Spray 12 hole muffin tray with oil. Sift flours, soda & sugar into a bowl. Stir in rind, eggs, milk & oil then raspberries. Mix until just combined; don't over mix. Spoon into the muffin pans. Sprinkle with flaked almonds & bake for about 25 minutes.

fran's apricot loaf

On a loaf roll (!) my mum has delivered up another great loaf, this time an apricot one from a recipe she got from a lady she used to work with called Fran. So thanks mum, for making it and thankyou Fran, where ever you are! Like the sultana loaf, this is great with or without butter.

140g dried apricots
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp bicarb soda
2 & 1/4 cups self raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
55g butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

topping:
25g butter
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp sugar
40g chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 180 c. Chop apricots and soak in the water with bicarb for at least 1/2 hour. Rub butter into flour & salt. Add sugar, egg & apricot mixture. Put (won't pour, use spatula) in greased loaf tin. Sprinkle some of the topping oats on then mix remaining oats with butter, melted and the sugar & walnuts. Spread over top of cake then bake for 45-50 minutes.

kimmy's double choc fudge brownies

Yey! Another recipe donation! These are Kimmy's fab chocolate fudge brownies which she usually makes as mini muffins. Serve warm with cream for a great dessert. They also freeze well but then you will need to have leftovers for that! Happy baking. x

250g butter, roughly chopped
1 & 1/2 cups castor sugar
1 & 1/4 cups plain flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup good dark cocoa
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
chunks of good quality dark chocolate

Preheat oven 180 c (fan forced). Place butter & sugar in a bowl together and microwave for 3 mins, stirring at each minute intervals. Sugar won't completely dissolve. In a sep bowl, sift flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl. Make a well in the centre, add eggs & vanilla. Add butter mixture and mix gently. Don't overmix. The mix should begin to lift from the bowls sides. Spoon mixture into muffin holes, filling to the top of the tray. Place a piece of chocolate in the centre of each muffin. Bake on the lower shelf for 20-22 min for standard muffin tins, less for mini. Cool in tray for 10 mins before turning out.

nini's sultana loaf

This is my mum's sultana loaf which she will often make to rid herself of all those dried up last sultanas in the container. It's equally nice with or without butter (I looove it with!).

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup sultanas
1 level tsp bicarb soda
60g butter
2 cups self raising flour
pinch of mixed spice
1 egg, beaten
cinnamon & sugar to top

Pre-heat oven 180 c. Place water, sugar, sultanas, bicarb & butter in a medium pan and bring to the boil, ensuring butter is melted. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients to the pan. Mix and then pour into greased loaf tin. Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar. Bake 40-45 mins.