Mojito

I fancied something different to drink... something alcoholic of course and was very excited when I saw this cocktail over at My Tasty Treasures. I just knew that I had to try it ~ thanks Donna.

While I must say it was delicious and would be very refreshing on a hot summers day there is no way that you could drink too many of them..... but we will see how I go.. wink wink!!

Mojito

Serves: 4

Points per serve: 3

ice

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves

1 cup Bacardi Rum

3 cups soda water

juice of 1 lime

lime slices

Place ice, caster sugar and mint leaves in a jug or pitcher. Mix around to bruise the leaves and also to start disolving the sugar.

Add rum and soda water. Mix well to dissolve the remaining sugar.

Add lime slices and serve.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Pesto and Chilli Oysters ~ Oysters with Vodka Salsa

On a whim I purchased some oysters Saturday afternoon as a treat for Noel, who loves them, as he was working all day on Saturday. He had requested steak for dinner but for a starter I thought these would be a nice surprise for him.

He loves eating Oysters with Vietnamese Dressing and would have that every single time - I however like to try different styles of dressings/toppings as I am not such a huge fan and only tend to eat a few anyways.

With a mission to find some different dressings and reading through lots of recipes I ended up just making these two toppings up and to my surprise they were quite nice and enjoyed by us both.

The chilli oil I used is homemade (I will have to blog as I am about to make some new batches) but you can purchased chilli infused oil at some supermarkets and deli's.

Left: Pesto and Chilli Oysters ~ Right: Oysters with Vodka Salsa

Pesto and Chilli Oysters

Serves: 2
Points per serve: 3

6 natural oysters in shells
3 teaspoons basil pesto (premade)
3 teaspoons chilli oil
dried chilli flakes (if desired)

Remove oysters from shells, rinse and drain. Return to shells and place shells onto a patty pan tray.

Preheat grill to high.

Place 1/2 teapsoon of pesto on to each oyster. Drizzle with 1/2 teapsoon chilli oil and sprinkle with chilli flakes.

Place under grill and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until oil is sizzling.

Remove from grill, allow to cool slightly and serve.

Oysters with Vodka Salsa

Serves: 2
Points per serve: 1.5

6 natural oysters in shells
1/2 tomato, finely diced
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoons vodka
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Remove oysters from shells, rinse and drain. Return to shells.

In a bowl combine tomato, spring onion, coriander, lime juice and vodka. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow to stand for 1 hour for flavours to fuse.

Top each oyster with salsa mixture and serve.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Mexican Style Rice

This is a quickie cheats version of a Mexican Rice that we actually had with Chicken Taco Bake and it complimented it nicely.

A dish full of colourful vegetables and spiced by using packet taco seasoning made it not only an easy dish to prepare but had a nice Mexican taste and look to it.

Mexican Style Rice

Serves: 4
Points per serve: 3

1 cup long grain white rice
cooking spray
1 brown onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 red capsicum, diced
1 green capiscum, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn kernals
2 tablespoons packet taco seasoning

2 tablespoons water
fresh coriander to garnish

Cook rice in a large saucepan of water as per packet instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.

Spray a large frying pan over medium heat, coat with cooking spray and cook onions and carrots for 3 - 5 minutes until softened. Add capsicum and corn, cooking for a further 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and water mixing through vegetables, cook for 2 minutes. Add rice and stir until mixed completely.

Serve sprinkled with remaining taco seasoning and garnish with coriander.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Roast Pork

Sunday is traditionally a "roast" day at our house - no matter how hot it is during summer. There is something about sitting down at the dining table, especially with family, and enjoying a full roast dinner with the trimmings - roast potatoes and pumpkin always loved side dishes.

Jamie and the boys came for lunch today as Grandma is returning to Queensland tomorrow and it was the last chance that my mam would she all her grandchildren together. I know she had been eyeing off the pork roast sitting in the freezer and when I ask what she would like for her farewell luncheon I already knew she would say Pork!!

The piece of pork, all 3.4kgs of it, was boneless and the crackle covered the whole of it. MMMM!! That's another thing we fight over - the crackle.

Anyway there isn't much to this recipe as it's just cooked in the Weber and then eaten but I had to show you the photo's of just how yummy it looked!! Cooking in the Weber is much quicker than in the oven and to be perfectly honest since purchasing our Weber 8 years ago I haven't cooked a roast in the oven!

Roast Pork

Serving size: 100 grams cooked meat

Points per serve: 3

Crackle:

Serving size: 20 grams

Points per serve: 2.5

1 piece of pork

olive oil

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Prepare Weber as per normal.

Score pork skin if required. Rub pork with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place in Weber and cook basing the timing on 10 minutes for every centimetre in height (so if pork is 10 centimetre at the highest point cooking time would be 100 minutes or 1 hour and 4o minutes).

Noel checking the pork ~ the skewer test!! If the juices run clear it's cooked!!

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Prawn and Vegetable Spaghetti Fritters

I am not quite sure where the idea for these fritters came from - maybe from the fact that I am so over Festive Food at the moment and I really wanted something different or the fact that I had some left over cooked spaghetti sitting on the bench staring at me. Where ever it came from though I am glad as they went down a treat.

Very easy to prepare and cook, these were full of prawns and vegetables and overall very tasty. In fact several of the household had seconds so that must be a good sign. Nice by themselves or serve with a sauce of your choice such as kecap manis or tomato.

Prawn and Vegetable Spaghetti Fritters

Serves: 8
Points per serve: 3

2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
200 grams cooked small prawns/shrimps
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 red capsicum, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1/4 cup plain flour
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
freshly ground black pepper
salt
3 cups cooked spaghetti
2 tablespoons oil

In a large bowl mix together eggs, parmesan, prawns, spring onions, capsicum, carrot, flour and parsley until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Mix through cooked spaghetti.

Form into 8 patties, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan and cook the fritters, in batches of 4, over a medium to high heat until golden brown. Continue with remaining oil and fritters. Serve immediately.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Lamb Skewers with Satay Sauce

Something extra tasty and always a winner in our house was on the menu tonight. Skewers! Doesn't matter what meat is on the bamboo skewer but the fact that it's on a stick and nine times out of ten serve with satay sauce they are always devoured normally ending in an argument as to who is having the last one.

Tonight we had lamb skewers, marinated in a combination of prepared satay sauce and dry sherry, then barbequed. They taste brilliant by themselves but are accompanied sensationally by homemade satay sauce.

Lamb Skewers with Satay Sauce

Serves: 8

Points per serve (2 skewers): 2

Points per serve with sauce: 3

16 bamboo skewers

500 grams lean lamb strips

1 tablespoon prepared satay sauce

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon oil

1 brown onion, finely diced

3 teaspoons curry powder

2 tablespoons prepared satay sauce

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup lite and creamy evaporated milk

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons cornflour

Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes (this will prevent them from burning).

In a glass bowl add lamb, satay sauce and dry sherry. Mix well to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile add oil to a small saucepan and over medium heat cook onions until transparent. Add curry powder and saute for 1 minute. Add satay sauce, soy sauce, sherry and sugar and cook for a further 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add the evaporated milk, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat until meat is cooked.

Heat the bbq flat plate or large frying pan. Spray with cooking spray and cook skewers for 2 - 3 minutes on each side or until cooked for your liking.

Reheat sauce and add combine cornflour and water. Stir constantly until thickened slightly. Serve with skewers.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Braised Prawns and Vegetables in Birds Nest

The "Birds Nest" would have to be one of the dishes we always order when dining at a Chinese Restaurant. The kids love them and I must admit so do I. From the minute it arrives at the table to minute the last piece is eaten it is just such a treat. Starting crispy in the beginning and then as it mops up the juice of the dish it becomes soggy and you can guarantee there is always an argument of "he had more than me" or "that was meant to be my piece"!!

You need quite a saucy dish to put into the bird's nest so you end up with the soggy noodles at the bottom. Braised Prawns and Vegetables fits this bill nicely and has a clean taste. But you could use any of your favourite chinese dishes, afterall the baskets are just like using rice or noodles as a side.

Braised Prawns with Vegetables in Birds Nest

Serves: 4
Points per serve: With Bird's Nest: WW "danger beware"
Without Bird's Nest: 3

250 gram packet long life nooodles
oil for deep frying
500 grams raw king prawns, peeled and tails removed
250g can bamboo shoots
250 grams brocolli
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
200g button mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespooon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon cornflour
salt
pepper
pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

Bring a saucepan of water to boil and cook noodles according to the packet directions. Drain and spread on a tea towel to dry. Allow to dry for 30 minutes or more if time permits.

Heat a wok or large saucepan full of oil, enough to cover the noodle enclosed sieves completely.

Line the bigger sieve with a layer of noodles, covering completely. Place the smaller sieve on top of the noodles and press firmly to mould, secure with two wire clips if a little loose. Place sieve in the hot oil and cook for 3 - 5 minutes or until noodles are crispy and cooked through. Carefully remove from the hot oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. Allow to cool slightly before attempting to remove from sieves as the metal will be hot.

Meanwhile heat oil in the wok add prawns and quickly sautee until just pink. Remove from heat.

To the same pan add the bamboo soots, broccoli, carrot and mushrooms. Stirfry for 4 - 5 minutes or until broccoli has started to soften. Add spring onions. Toss for 1 - 2 minutes.

Blend together the cornflour, chicken stock, oyster sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and ginger. Add to the vegetables. Bring to the boil. Return the prawns to the pan, continue to stir for 1 - 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve in the birds nest.

Note:

Although the noodle baskets are quite easy to prepare, there is a little fiddling with it especially cooking with the hot oil. So please, be careful. You can prepare these earlier, store in a air tight container and warm in the oven prior to serving. To shape the baskets you need two metal sieves. One needs to be just a little smaller than the other so it fits inside, enclosing the noodles tightly.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Singapore Chilli Prawns

Singapore Chilli anything is one of my all time favourite flavours so I was really glad when I came across a recipe for Singapore Chilli Prawns a while back on Kevin's blog, Closet Cooking. Ironically, Kevin who is based in Toronto, Canada, thanked Ellie at Almost Bourdain for this recipe and Ellie lives here in Australia, Sydney in fact! And I have to say thanks to both!!

There are many variations to this recipe especially when it comes to Singapore Chilli Crab. Some are quite complex and hard to follow. Others easy, some very spicy and others quite sweet. The recipe on both Ellie and Kevin's blogs is quite simple. Ellie makes comment in her blog post that this recipe is quite adaptable to suit everyones tastes. As both Noel and I are lovers of hot and spicy I have modified the recipe a little to reduce the bulk of the sweetness but saying this it still has the element of sweet and sour that makes this dish so incredible.

My favourite thing about this recipe and others like it, is the concept of adding a beaten egg, there is just something beautiful about the way the egg cooks and looks dependent on the dish it is being added too. Adding egg to red chilli sauce looks amazing giving so much texture and of course, adding extra protein is always a bonus. But as with most asian inspired dishes ensure that you have all your ingredients ready.

Next stop Singapore Chilli Crab!! But that will be another story.....

Singapore Chilli Prawns

(recipe adapted from Almost Bourdain & Closet Cooking)

Serves: 4
Points per serve: 3

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoon garlic, chopped,
2 teaspoon ginger, crushed
1/2 brown onion finely chopped
3 red chillies, seeded (if desired) and chopped
500 grams raw prawns, shelled and deveined
4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons hot chilli sauce
1 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 egg, lightly beaten
fresh coriander, chopped, for garnish

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the garlic, ginger, onion, and chillies and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the prawns, saute for a minute on both sides or until they start to turn pink.

Add the tomato sauce, chilli sauces, lime juice and combined water and cornflour and bring to a boil.

Stir the egg into the pan and continue stirring until the egg is cooked. Sprinkle with chopped coriander.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Roast Beef

I remember as a little girl every Sunday was traditionally "roast dinner" day and without fail I think my Mam cooked a roast every week, not just for my family but for the whole family. At times there could be 18 or more people sat around the table, ranging from aunties and uncles to close family friends.

Now I am grown up and have a family of my own, Sunday's roast dinner is not a 100% regular occurance at our house mainly due to social commitments but it is a tradition that I too want to set up so my children understand family values and have happy memories to look back on.

However, I do have a confession regarding tradition..... we cook most of our meats in the Weber. I cannot remember the last time we cooked a joint of meat in the oven. The Weber gives it such a magnificient flavour.

Anyway (another brag) tonight, Noel spoiled me by cooking a yummy roast beef as I spent all day up at the football club. It was such a nice surprise to come home to and I enjoyed every mouthful.

Roast Beef

(recipe courtesy of Noel)

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Serves: 12

Points per serve: 3

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2kg beef silverside

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

Prepare Weber as per directions, ensuring that all heat beads are heated up (no black remaining).

On a tray, drizzle olive oil over the peice of beef, season generously with salt and pepper, rub in to ensure fully covered.

Place on Weber rack, cover and cook for 1 hour or until meat is cooked to your liking. Allow beef to rest before carving.

Alternatively preheat an oven to 180 degree Celcius. Season as above and place on a rack over an oven tray and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is cooked to your liking.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Honey Dipped Crunchy Chicken Nuggets

I have to say my kids LOVE these nuggets.... they are so much better than shop bought nuggets for sure.

For the extra crunchiness this recipe calls for using Cornflake crumbs, which can be bought in the supermarket or you can crush some Cornflakes using your blender. Normally breadcrumbs can be used but they are not as crunchy.

Quite easy to prepare, which is always a good thing, knowing that they are homemade and full of good ingredients makes the little effort required well worth it.

Honey Dipped Crunchy Chicken Nuggets

(recipe adapted from WW Secrets of Success)

Serves: 10

Points per serve: 3

cooking spray

1 tablespoon honey

1 eggwhite, lightly beaten

1 kg chicken fillets

1 cup Cornflake crumbs

Preheat oven to 200 deg C.

Line a baking tray with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix together the egg white and honey. Add chicken pieces and toss in the mixture. Place in a colander over a sink or bowl and allow excess to drain.

Place cornflake crumbs in a bowl. Roll chicken pieces in crumbs, one at a time ensuring they are fully coated and place on baking tray.

Lightly spray with oil and bake in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until cooked.

Serve with Honey Mustard Mayonnaise.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Chilli, Ginger and Garlic Scallops (Scallops ala Noel)

Although Noel is definately the master chef of this creation I have the pleasure of being privileged to blog about it!! And yes I feel very special indeed.
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This dish is intense with flavour but enough to not overpower the delicateness of the scallops. I have been told to also say that it's the use of fresh ginger, garlic and chillies that make the dish and you would not get the same flavour from the jar variety of each ingredient. And as usual with most asian stir fry dishes ensure that you have all of your ingredients prepared so you are ready to "Wok and Roll"!!

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Chilli, Ginger and Garlic Scallops

Recipe Source: Noel

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Serves: 2

Points per serve: 3

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500g scallops

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 red birdseye chillies, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 thumbsize peice of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

2 spring onions, sliced

1/2 red capsicum, finely diced

1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

2 teaspoons cornflour

1 tablespoon water

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Clean and rinse scallops. Individually pat dry scallops on paper towell (especially if using frozen scallops as this helps eliminate any extra water).
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Add oil to a wok and heat over high heat. Add the chilli, ginger and garlic. Stirfry for 1 minute. Add spring onions, red capsicum and broccoli. Stirfry for 2 - 3 minutes.
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To the vegetable mixture add scallops and toss over high heat for 2 - 3 minutes or until scallops are turning whiter. Add the teriyaki sauce and combine cornflour and water. Continue to stirfry until sauce thickens. Serve immediately.

Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

My children devour this soup like it is going out of fashion or as if they hadn't eaten in weeks. However I am not complaining as I am really happy that the love it and are happy to have it whenever I fancy making it. Today was one of those days, and as usual it went down a treat.

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Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

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Serves: 8 as a main

12 as an entree

Points per serve: Main 4.5

Entree 3

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1 kilogram chicken fillets and/or chicken thigh fillets, skin and fat removed

8 cups water

1 onion diced

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

2 teaspoons crushed ginger

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon dried parsley

salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 x 425 gram cans creamed corn

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice

2 slices ham, finely sliced

4 shallots, chopped, reserving 1/2 cup for garnish

4 tablespoons cornflour

4 tablespoons water

3 egg whites, lightly beaten

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In a large saucepan place chicken, onion, water, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and sherry. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked, removing any forming scum from time to time.  Remove chicken from pan, reserving all the liquid, and allow the chicken pieces to cool until pieces are manageable. Shred all meat finely.

To the same pan add the shredded chicken, creamed corn, sesame oil and Chinese five spice. Stir until heated through. Add the shallots, reserving 1/2 cup for garnish, along with the ham and stir. Mix the cornflour and water together adding to the saucepan, stirring continually. When soup begins to thicken reduce heat to a simmer.

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Before serving stir through the egg white by adding to soup in a thin stream while stirring.

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Serve immediately topped with remaining spring onion as garnish.

Cajun Beef Salad

There is something wonderful about adding warm meat to a cold salad and topping it off with a really tasty dressing.

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This is a quick prepare, favourite dish of both Noel and mine. I have only ever used beef but I would presume that any meat could be substituted and still taste great. The dressing in this recipe actually suits other salads so don't be afraid to use it by itself.

Cajun Beef Salad

Serves: 4

Points per serve: 3

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400g porterhouse steak, fat removed

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

cooking spray

200g mixed salad leaves, rinsed and drained

6 roma tomatoes, quartered

1 lebanese cucumber, sliced diagonally or diced

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 carrot, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/2 teaspoon white sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To make dressing, combine olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, white sugar in a jug or a screwtop jar. Mix or shake to combine. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.

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Coat porterhouse steaks in Cajun Seasoning. Heat a large non-stick frying pan and coat with cooking spray. Cook steaks for 3 - 4 minutes each side or to your liking. Remove from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and grated carrot onto either a large serving plate or individual plates.

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After the steak has rested, slice into thin strips cutting accross the grain. Top salad with the beef strips and serve.

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You could drizzle with dressing prior to serving if serving immediately. However I prefer to let everyone help themselves to the dressing.