Chicken Corn and Cheese Quesadila

The kids had a really nice sleep in this morning and I must admit we did too.  Then I remembered I had to pick up my car from a friend's house as we left it there overnight (yes we were being very responsible adults after enjoying a few drinks last night).

 

Needless to say that breakfast was missed so I treated the kids to a very tasty brunch.  One I knew that they would enjoy as it was different to toasted cheese or baked bean sandwiches - which are a staple go to food in the Murray household.

 

Tortillas filled shredded chicken, corn kernels and red onion enveloped in melted cheeses laced with Mexican seasoning - who could wish for more today?  I used a mixture of cream cheese and tasty cheese which gave it a nice mixed cheese flavour and texture.  The Mexican seasoning was just a sprinkle of Homemade Taco Seasoning but you could use packet mix.

 

The kids enjoyed them so much that Noel and I didn't even get a look in as there were none left.....

 

 

Chicken Corn and Cheese Quesadila

 

Serves: 2

SmartPoints per Serve: 9

 

cooking spray

4 extra light tortillas

50 grams Philladelphia Extra Light Spreadable Cream Cheeses

100 grams shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted and drained

1/2 red onion, finely dice

50 grams grated light tasty cheese

1 teaspoon homemade taco seasoning or packet mix

 

Preheat a flat sandwich press.  Spray with cooking spray.

 

Spread cream cheese over two tortillas.  Equally divide chicken and sprinkle over cream cheese.  Top with both the corn and the onions.

 

Sprinkle each with half of the grated tasty cheese and then the taco seasoning.

 

Top each stack with remaining tortilla.

 

Transfer to sandwich press and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until cooked through.

 

Cut and serve. 

 

 

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Chilli Chicken, Mushroom and Pesto Pizza

Nothing beats a Saturday night relaxing with a few drinks and a pizza especially when the pizza is home made and so fresh.

Noel enjoys simple plain and tasty pizzas whereas I tend to experiment a lot with flavours.  I first saw this recipe in one of our many cookbooks a long time ago and knew it would be cooked.  I had to adapt it a little as I am also a huge fan of mushrooms and bocconcini  on pizza and of course, omitted the olive oil from the chicken mixture as it simply does not need it.

The flavour kick was amazing.... chilli and garlic enveloped in freshly shredded chicken, vegetables and cheese with mouthfuls of basil pesto drizzled on the top.  What more could a girl ask for?  Maybe a bigger tummy.....  LOL!!

Chilli Chicken, Mushroom and Pesto Pizza

(recipe adapted from Women's Weekly Weeknights Fast and Fabulous Cookbook) 

Makes: 1 large pizza

Serves: 4

1 ball of Noel's pizza dough or a shop brought base

1 skinless chicken fillet

cooking spray

1/4 cup tomato paste

50 grams grated tasty cheese

1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 brown onion, thinly sliced

100 grams button mushrooms, sliced

100 grams cherry tomatoes, sliced thickly

100 grams baby Bocconcini

1/4 cup basil pesto

Make dough as per recipe.

Place 2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium - high heat.  Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.  Drain and allow to cool.  Once cool, shred chicken into small pieces.

Preheat pizza oven to 280 degrees Celsius or oven to 240 degrees Celsius or 220 degrees Celsius fan-forced.

Spray pizza tray with cooking spray.

Roll out dough and place on pizza tray or place pizza base on tray.

Spread dough or pizza base with the tomato paste and sprinkle over the grated cheese.

Combined chicken, chilli flakes and garlic in a small bowl. Arrange chicken mixture, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes over pizza. Top with Bocconcini.

Bake pizzas for 10 minutes in pizza oven or 15 minutes in oven or until browned lightly and bases are crisp.

Drizzle pizza with with pesto and serve.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Glazed Meatloaf

Comfort food doesn't come any better than dishing up slices of meatloaf into a soft white bun with cheese and salad.... and that's what we did tonight.  Everyone here loves quick, fork free dining and this is just perfect.

A glazed meatloaf, somewhat retro is character, is definitely a favourite in our house. Using a combination of beef and pork this meatloaf was moist and as usual I managed to pack it full which was jam packed with vegetables and it was bursting with flavour. I love using fresh herbs as they add so much flavour, dried herbs can be used though and will still give you the flavour.

This meatloaf is perfect hot or cold, served with vegetables or salad and a nice relish or packed up for a picnic..... so versatile but more importantly very yummy!!!

Glazed Meatloaf

(Recipe adapted from A Feast for the Eyes)

Serves: 4

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 large eggs

1/2cup milk

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon hot sauce or chilli sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh marjoram

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme

salt 

freshly ground pepper

500 grams lean minced beef

500 grams lean minced pork

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 zucchini, grated

2 carrots, grated

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

 

Stir together ketchup, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, and hot sauce together. Add marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meats, egg-milk mixture, bread crumbs, parsley, onion, zucchini and carrot.  Mix until well combined (use your hands LOL).

Transfer meat mixture to an oiled loaf pan, place on an oven tray and bake in oven for 15 minutes or until meatloaf feels firm to touch.  Remove from oven.

Line another baking tray with foil and cover with baking paper.  Place this baking tray upside down on top of meatloaf and invert to remove meatloaf from loaf pan.

Brush meat with ketchup glaze. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, until glaze has set.  Continue to brush meat loaf with remaining glaze every 10 minutes for a further 30 minutes or until meatloaf is cooked through.  Remove from oven and let stand for 5 - 10 minutes prior to slicing.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Char Siu Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

It was definitely BBQ weather tonight so we had our first official House of Murray Summer 2015/2016.

On the menu was Char Siu Beef and Vegetable Kebabs and I decided to team these with a nice healthy serve of Sesame and Soy Stir Fried Vegetable Noodles.

Kebabs can be so much fun. To be honest anything you can eat fork free is fun, right? When I say kebabs can be fun I mean that it just starts as a plain bamboo skewer and you can put anything on it, marinate it, pop them on the BBQ  and voila you have an instant meal on a stick!!

Noel was in charge of the marinating of these bad boy kebabs and they were, as always, delish.  The marinade itself was Asian inspired hence why I felt the need to serve with some noodles.  A Char Siu Sauce base with undertones of garlic, ginger and chilli made the beef and vegetables dance on my tastebuds with every mouthful.

Char Siu Beef and Vegetable Kebabs

Serves: 4

8 bamboo skewers

1/2 cup Char Siu Sauce

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

800 grams beef, cut into 2 cm cubes

1 red capsicum, cut into 2 cm pieces

1 green capsicum, cut into 2 cm pieces

1 onion, cut into 2 cm pieces

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.  Remove skewers from water.

In a medium jug mix together the Char Siu Sauce, wine, garlic, ginger, and sambal oelek.

Starting with a piece of capsicum, thread one piece onto a skewer, then a piece of onion, followed by the beef.  Repeat process 3 times or until skewer is full.  Continue with all 8 skewers.

Place in a shallow baking dish.  Pour over marinade, turning to ensure that the skewers are coated.  Allow to marinade for 2 - 3 hours or overnight if time permits.

Heat a BBQ plate or grill plate and cook skewers, turning occasionally, for 5 - 10 minutes or until beef is cooked to your liking.

Serve.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Jo's Tex Mex Beef Burger



Every now and then all one craves is a Burger and not a tacky takeaway mass produced like McDonald's or Hungry Jacks one either except of course in a hungover state they are indeed pretty comforting.

This burger was made even better by the fact that we minced our own beef to create the patty.  The patty itself was so different being freshly minced with nothing added to it except for some salt and pepper.

A soft bap, some coleslaw, guacamole, sliced cheese, onion, grilled pineapple, jalapenos, and a dollop of homemade Chipotle and Molasses Steak Sauce and to be perfectly honest I was in Burger Heaven!!!!

This now has to be my all time favourite burger even if I made it up myself.

 

Jo's Tex Mex Beef Burger

Serves: 4

1 kilogram diced chuck steak (or minced beef)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil

1 brown onion, sliced

1 ripe avocado

1 teaspoon Homemade Taco Seasoning

440 gram tin sliced pineapple rings, drained

4 soft white Bap rolls or rolls of your choice

4 slices tasty cheese

4 tablespoons Chipolate and Molasses Steak Sauce

1 cup coleslaw

sliced pickled jalapeno's to taste

Using a grinding attachment to the mixer put the diced chuck through the grinder on the rough (thickest) blade first.  Then change blades to the finer setting and push the meat through again.  In a large bowl season the mince with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Mix well.  Form into 4 round balls and place on a plate.  Put in fridge for 30 minutes.

Cut avocado in half, remove stone, and scoop flesh out of each half.  Place in a medium bowl.  Add the taco seasoning and mix well.  Place in fridge.

Heat grill or large frying pan.  Add oil and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 5 - 10 minutes or until onions are softened.

Place burgers on the grill and flatten to desired thickness.  Cook over medium- high heat for 5 minutes each side or until cooked through, only turning once.

Place pineapple slices on the grill or in frying pan and cook until golden brown on each side.

Cut bap rolls in half and place on individual plates.  Place two tablespoons of avocado mixture on the bottom bun and spread over to cover.

Then assemble the stack with the beef burger, onions, cheese, jalapeno's and pineapple.  Dollop with 1 tablespoon of Chipolte and Molasses Steak Sauce, top with 1/4 cup coleslaw and the bun lid.

Grab in both hands and enjoy...... have napkins ready.

Noel getting his mince on..... LOL!!!  The key is to mince the meat twice.  Put it through the rough setting first and then through the finer grinding blade.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Slow Cooker Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork Sliders with Slaw

This was a wonderful feed, especially with it being school holidays here in Victoria and we had a house full of extra children sleeping over.  Fork free dining is always a treat for the kids and adults a like and this was definitely a meal that was a relaxing event - even cooking it was easy.

A piece of Pickled Pork drowned in a thick aromatic marinade slow cooked for 9 hours, shredded apart just before serving and then served with the sauce, coleslaw and nice fresh buns.... every meal should be this easy.

Slow Cooker Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork Sliders with Slaw

(recipe adapted from Just A Taste)

 

Serves: 12

ProPoints per Serve: 9

1 kilogram Pickled Pork or boneless pork shoulder

1 onion, diced

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup blackberry or raspberry jam

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon crushed chilli

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon cornflour

3 tablespoons cold water

1 x 200 gram packet coleslaw kit (with dressing included)

12 slider-sized buns or  dinner rolls

Trim any excess fat from the pork shoulder and place it in the slow cooker.  Sprinkle with onions.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, balsamic vinegar, jam, hoisin, chilli, chicken broth, garlic, salt and pepper.  Pour the sauce over the pork shoulder.

Cover the slow cooker and cook the pork shoulder on LOW for 9 hours until it is no longer pink and is cooked through.

Using tongs, remove the pork shoulder from the slow cooker (reserving the liquids) and place it on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the pork shoulder into smaller pieces. Place the pulled pork in a large bowl.

Meanwhile remove all liquid from slow cooker into a saucepan, draining the onions out if preferred.  Place over medium heat, slowly bringing to the boil.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cornflour with water.  Whisk through the cornflour, mixing well.  Bring to full boil and cook until it reduces and has thickened slightly for about 5 minutes.  Put into a serving bowl and set aside.

Make the coleslaw as per the packet directions using the sauce included.

Halve the buns. Divide the pulled pork between the buns, drizzling sauce over the pork and serving with some slaw.

Note: I have allowed 3 ProPoints per roll (35g each).  You could also serve with a 0ppt salad on omit the Coleslaw at 1ppts per serve.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Mu Shu Pork

I fell in love with this recipe the minute I turned to the page in the new Weight Watchers Cookbook Eat and Enjoy.  It quickly took it's place on this weeks menu planner and I think we have all been looking forward to trying it.

Fork free dining is always a hit at our house with rice paper rolls, tacos, fajitas etc frequently on the menu - the dinner table is always relaxed and we seem to chat more (I have no idea why) except for tonight - everyone was too busy eating. 

This dish from northern China combines pieces of delicately flavoured pork and the pungent yet sweet flavour of hoisin sauce in everyone's favourite Peking Duck pancakes.  I changed the suggested vegetables as I knew my kids wouldn't eat the choy sum by itself.

All I can say was it was amazing and has already been requested again.

Mu Shu Pork 

(recipe adapted from WW Eat and Enjoy Cookbook)

Serves: 4

ProPoints per serve: 8

1 tablespoon salt reduced soy sauce

1 tablespoon shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon canola or sunflower oil

450 grams lean pork fillet, trimmed, cut into 3 cm pieces

4 green shallots, cut into 2 cm pieces plus extra for garnish

2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, crushed

150 grams fresh shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, shopped

1 tablespoon water

12 peking duck pancakes

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 bunch choy sum
1 bunch broccolini
2 teaspoons kecap manis

Combine soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil and sugar in a small bowl and stir until sugar has dissolved.  Set aside until required.

Heat a wok over a high heat heat.  Add half the canola or sunflower oil and heat for 30 seconds.  Stir fry pork, in batches, for 3 - 4 minutes or until lightly browned.  Transfer to a plate.

Reheat wok over high heat.  Add remaining oil and heat for 30 seconds.  Add shallots, ginger and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.  Add mushrooms and bamboo shoorts and stir fry for 1 minute.  Return pork to wok along with soy mixture and water.  Stir fry for 1 minute or until heated through.

Meanwhile warm pancakes in microwave following packet intstructions.

Steam choy sum and broccolini until just tender.  Place on a plate and drizzle with kecap manis.

To serve spread 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce over each pancake.  Top with pork mixture and roll to enclose filling.  Sprinkle with extra shallots and serve with steamed choy sum.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)