Easy Gluten Free Ginger Bread Christmas Biscuits (GF)!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Gluten Free Plain Flour
• 125g of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp of bicarb soda
• 1 tsps of ground ginger
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of golden syrup 
• 1 tablespoon of milk

Method

1. Put the golden syrup into a bain-marie and heat til soft.
2. Cream butter and sugar in mixer until creamy and light.
3. Add egg yolk into sugar, butter mixture and beat well.
4. Gradually add the flour, ginger, bicarb soda, and warm syrup and mix well.
5. The mixture will be the consistency of bread crumbs, start kneading and sticking the mixture together. Add the milk to the dough to make it stick together and knead into a better consistency.
6. Wrap the dough in glad wrap and leave to cool in the fridge.
7. Heat the oven (fan forced) to 180 degrees Celsius.
8. When dough is cool, roll out onto a bench dusted with flour (gf) and roll with a rolling pin in an even approximately 5mm thick dough. Use cookie cutters in whatever shape you like and place biscuits onto greased trays.
9. Bake gingerbread in oven for 15minutes. 
10. Leave to cool on trays for 5 minutes.
11. Feel free to decorate the gingerbread with icing or serve as is.

Sweet and Sour Style Chicken (GF)

Ingredients

• Chicken breast fillet, sliced
• 3 egg whites
• 2 1/2 table spoons of corn flour (gluten free)
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 cucumber or zucchini 
• 1 white onion
• 1/2 a pineapple, chopped
• Chilli, finely chopped
• 1 Garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp of ginger, crushed
• 1 cup of oil
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Chop up chicken into small cubes
2. Make a paste with the egg whites and corn flour, mixing together making sure there are no lumps.
3. Chop up all the other ingredients. 
4. Heat up the oil in the wok or deep frying pan.
5. Deep fry the chicken until crisp and place in oven to keep warm. 
6. Take out all the oil except a table spoon and fry the onions, chilli, ginger and garlic. 
7. Add the pineapple first and cook until starting to soften.
8. Add the rest of the vegetables and and stir in hot wok until tender. 
9. Add lemon juice to wok and add the chicken back into the wok. Serve with rice.

Gluten Free Double Choc Chip Cookies (GF)

Ingredients

125grams butter, softened
1 cup of Brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup GF plain flour
3/4 cup GF self raising flour
1/4 cup of Cocoa
250grams choc chips/ chocolate sliced

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar together and add the egg until light and fluffy
2. Gradually add the flours and the cocoa and mix together 
3. Add the chocolate and stir til evenly spread through the mixture
4. Make teaspoonfuls of mixture onto greased trays
5. Bake in a 180 degree oven for 12-15minutes or until cracks form on the biscuits.

Gluten Free Pancakes (GF)

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 cup Gluten Free Self Raising Flour
• 1 cup of Milk

Method

1. Place flour in bowl and make a well in centre
2. Mix together the milk and egg and gradually add mixture to the well of flour and whisk in to remove lumps
3. When mixture is completely combined heat a pan and add a tsp of butter until melted
4. Add a ladle full of mixture into the pan, when bubbles form flip pancake over
5. Once both sides are cooked serve with favourite topping. I have topped mine French style with Nutella and fresh strawberries

A Tip From The Garden

Having caterpillar trouble with your brassicas (cabbage family) and don't want to lose your organic pride? Place netting to cost-effectivley stop the butterflies from laying their eggs on your plants.

Spencer and Elise's Colour Crunch. *(GF)

Ingredients:

Salad:
2 small carrots
1 small red capsicum
1/2 small green capsicum
2 large tomatoes
1 stick celery
1/2-1 cucumber (whatever suits you, I like a whole one)
1 medium red onion
salad leaves (optional, we use baby spinach and rocket)
1 avocado
1 small pumpkin (optional, we used butternut)

Dressing:
1/2 lemon or lime
drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 small chilli
2 small cloves garlic
small nob ginger
(cut everything finely and add to salad)

Method:
dice all salad ingredients, (except leaves and avocado) place in a large bowl and toss through; pour dressing over salad and toss once more before adding the avocado and lightly mixing it through.

Serve on pile of leaves (if using them), and if using pumpkin trickle over the top.

Vegetarian Paella* (GF)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of white rice (or brown rice)
• 1 litre (4 cups) of Gluten free Vegetable stock 
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon of Paprika (mild)
• 1 tsp of Turmeric
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 small red chili (finely chopped)
• 1 red capsicum roughly chopped
• A handful of small cherry tomatoes roughly chopped
• A handful of pumpkin roughly chopped
• 1 carrot finely chopped
• 3-4 button mushrooms roughly chopped
• Bunch of parsley finely chopped
• Seasoning to taste

Method

1. Heat stock in saucepan
2. Fry onions, chilli, garlic, paprika and turmeric with olive oil in large saucepan.
3. Add pumpkin and fry for a couple of minutes, then add capsicum, carrot, and tomatoes.
4. Fry vegetables for a couple of minutes til a bit softened and then add rice and stir through.
5. Pour 3/4 of hot stock over the vegetables and rice and stir through.
6. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes occasionally stirring so rice doesn't stick to the pan.
7. After 20 mins stock should be absorbed and rice expanded, add the chopped mushrooms and remaining stock and stir through.
8. Leave to simmer for another 3-5 mins and add some finely chopped parsley and seasoning to serve.

Chocolate Brownie with Raspberries* (GF)

Ingredients

• 200g (7oz) Dark Chocolate, chopped
• 250g (8oz)  Butter
• 1 3/4 cups (205g/ 7 1/4oz) Brown Sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups (200g/ 7oz) Gluten Free Plain Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/3 cup (40g/ 1/12oz) Cocoa powder, sifted (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a 23cm (9inch)  baking tin with baking paper.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan until smooth and glossy.
3. Mix together the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
4. After melted chocolate mixture is cooled a bit, add it to the egg and sugar mixture while stirring quickly.
5. Sift in the gf plain flour and baking powder (and cocoa powder if desired).
6. Stir in half of the raspberries and pour the mixture into the baking tin.
7. Add the remaining raspberries sprinkled on top and put in the oven.
8. Bake for 45 mins or until set, while still a bit moist and fudgy in the middle. (Skewer need not come out completely clean).
9. Leave in tin for 5 mins and then leave to cool, then chop into pieces and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Note: This recipe is adapted from a Donna Hay recipe.

Mushroom Broth Soup* (GF)

Ingredients

• 1 litre of (GF) Vegetable or Chicken Stock 
• 1-2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary (finely chopped)
• 1-2 sprigs of fresh Thyme
• 1 large bag of fresh button mushrooms or dried shitaki mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tablespoon of Butter
• 1 tbsp of olive oil

Method

1. Chop up mushrooms and herbs and fry in a hot pan using olive oil and butter to make them crispy
2. Cook mushrooms for 5-10 mins or until cooked and crispy
3. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil
4. Add seasoning and bring heat down to a simmer
5. Leave to simmer for 1 hour.
6. Add seasoning to taste and serve hot with added fresh parsley or grated parmesan if desired.

Elise's Malaysian Chicken Curry* - 6th of June 2011

Elise's Malaysian Chicken Curry*

Ingredients:

Spice Paste

• 1 Brown Onion, finely diced
• 1 inch square of fresh ginger, finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, finely diced
• 1 red chilli, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• Large handful of cashews (process in food processor with 1 tsp of olive oil until paste like consistency) 

Curry Powder Mix

• 1 tbs ground coriander
• 1 tbs ground cumin
• 1/2 tbs ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients

• 2 small potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 tbs caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 176ml (small can) Coconut milk
• Splash of water (100ml)
• 2 chicken breast fillets

Method

1. Make spice paste in mortar and pestle

2. Cook spice paste in medium hot pan with olive oil for 10mins

3. Add curry powder mix and cook for 2mins

4. Add caster sugar, salt and stir

5. Add coconut milk, potatoes and water and stir through

6. Bring up to simmer and cook for approx 15 mins

7. Dice up 2 chicken breast fillets

8. Cook 1 cup of rice absorption method when adding chicken to curry

9. Cook chicken in curry for 15mins (if curry is too soupy add a teaspoon of corn flour and stir through making sure to cook well)

10. Add cashews a few mins before curry and rice are ready

11. Add chopped parsley when finished and serve with lime wedges

Aranchini Balls - 4th of June 2011

Aranchini Balls

Ingredients:

Risotto

• 1 1/2 cups of arborio rice
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• Rosemary, finely chopped
• Fresh thyme or dried thyme
• 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 litre of vegetable stock
• 1 cup of grated parmesan (or pecorino)
• Butter
• Lemon zest and or juice
• Parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper seasoning

Aranchini

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Fine breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Flour
• Vegetable oil

Method

1. Cook risotto (or use left over risotto from night before)

2. Roll golf ball sized balls of risotto and press half of a baby bocconcini into the ball until cheese is completely enclosed and place on floured tray

3. Roll the balls until coated with flour, then dip in lightly beaten egg mixture and then dip into breadcrumbs until completely covered

4. Heat oil in wok until sizzles when you add a bit of mixture, then place aranchini balls into wok and cook for a few mins and turn over so browns evenly. 

5. Serve Aranchini balls with a side salad. You can put cooked aranchini in fridge or freezer and re-heat in oven for around 20mins or serve fresh

Lamb with Roast Pumpkin Crunchy Salad* - May 2011

Crunchy Roast Pumpkin Salad

Ingredients

• Pumpkin, chopped and oven roasted
• Almond Slivers, toasted
• Feta, broken up
• Lemon Zest
• Lemon Juice
• Cherry Tomatoes, diced
• Olive Oil
• Parsley and Basil, roughly chopped
• Chili, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese, fine slices on top

Whole Roast Chicken Dinner - May 2011

Chocolate, Raspberry & Vanilla Macaroons* - May 2011

Chocolate, Raspberry and Vanilla Macaroons

Chocolate Macaroons Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 125g ground almonds/ almond meal (approx 1 cup)
• 125g icing sugar (approx 3/4 cup)
• 25g cocoa (approx 1/4 cup)
• 125g caster sugar

Method

1. Pulse almond meal, icing sugar and cocoa in food processor to a fine powder
2. Sift mixture into large bowl
3. Place egg whites and half of caster sugar into mixer and beat on low/ medium 
4. After 2mins increase speed and gradually add the rest of the sugar until dissolved
5. Gently fold almond mixture into egg whites until smooth and glossy and lava like consistency
6. Fill piping bag with mixture and pipe into rounds from centre onto lined baking trays
7. Tap the trays on bench to get rid of any air bubbles
8. Leave to sit on bench to form skin for 30mins, mixture should spread out into smooth and glossy consistency
9. Bake at 160 degrees celcius for 12-14mins (more like 20-25mins) or until glossy and firm to touch
10. Cool slightly before removing and piping filling

Ganache Filling Recipe

• Add dark chocolate and some cream to bain marie and melt together until smooth (approx 2 parts chocolate to 1 part cream)
• Allow to cool on bench and then use to fill macaroon shells together
• Place a small dollop of ganache into centre of macaroon and place macaroon shells together and twist to spread ganache evenly

Vanilla (& Raspberry) Macaroons recipe

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (3oz/ 85g) Ground almonds/ almond meal
• 1-1/2 cups (150g) icing sugar
• 3 Large egg whites
• 5 tbsp (65g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Method

1. Pulse almond meal and icing sugar in food processor
2. Beat egg whites until foamy in mixer, gradually adding caster sugar
3. Add vanilla into egg white mixture and stir through lightly
4. When meringue is stiff firm and glossy it is ready
5. Gradually add the dry almond mixture into the egg whites stirring through until combined  (for Raspberry macaroons add a small amount of pink food colouring and stir through to desired colour)
6. Mixture should be a lava like consistency, not too thin and runny, but not too grainy and thick
7. Scoop mixture into piping bag and pipe into rounds on baking paper lined trays
8. Bang trays on the bench to get rid of any air bubbles and leave to rest on bench for 15-30mins to create a 'foot'
9. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees celsius and bake macaroons in oven for 15-18mins, macaroons should be nice and shiny and sticky shell like to touch and sound hollow when tapped on the base
10. When macaroons are cool, add a small bit of butter cream or ganache into the centre of one macaroon shell and press the other shell and twist together to spread filling evenly.
11. Serve

Vanilla Buttercream Ingredients

• Softened/ creamed butter
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla bean paste

Method - Vanilla Buttercream

1. Cream butter and add vanilla bean paste and beat together into smooth creamy consistency

Raspberry Buttercream Ingredients

• Softened/ creamed butter
• A few fresh or frozen raspberries

Method - Raspberry Buttercream

1. Cream butter and add raspberries and beat together into smooth creamy consistency

Alternate Option

Instead of making two separate batches of raspberry and vanilla macaroons you can split the mixture and add the flavours and mix and make a half batch of each.

Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding - May 2011

Chicken Thigh Coconut Thai Curry* - May 2011

Roast Pumpkin Risotto* - April 2011

Vegetable Pasta Bake - April 2011

Vegetable Pasta Bake

Chicken Enchiladas - April 2011

 Chicken Enchiladas

Burnt Butter Biscuits - April 2011

Spencer's Burnt Butter Biscuits

Recipe

Chocolate Eclairs - 10th April 2011

Ingredients - Choux Pastry

• 1 cup (250ml/ 8 fl oz) Water
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) butter, chopped
• 3/4 cup (120g/ 4 1/2 oz) Plain Flour
• 5 eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius 

2. Place water and butter in a saucepan over high heat and cook until butter is melted and the mixture starts to simmer. (It's better to add water gradually as melting the butter).

3. Add the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.

4. Cook, stirring over low heat until mixture leaves the side of the pan.
5. Remove from heat and place in bowl of electric mixer.

6. Add eggs gradually, beating on high speed until well combined. (Mixture will be quite hot so beat fast first to get some of heat out, will create steam, but adding eggs bit at a time on very high [kitchen aid on 10, top speed] doesn't cook the eggs).
7. Spoon mixture into a piping bag with a 12mm (1/2 inch) plain nozzle. Pipe 8cm (3inch) lengths of mixture onto baking trays lined with non stick baking paper.

8. Bake for 20-25mins or until puffed up and golden.

9. Cool on wire racks.

Ingredients - Chocolate Creme Patissiere

• 2 cups (500ml/ 16 fl oz) Milk
• 200g (7 oz) Chopped dark chocolate
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla paste
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup (75g/ 2 3/4 oz) Caster (superfine) Sugar
• 1/3 (50g/ 1 3/4 oz) Cornflour (cornstarch)

Method

1. Place milk, chocolate and vanilla in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Bring to the boil.

3. Whisk together egg yolk and sugar until thick and pale.

 4. Slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking continuously.

5. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan over medium-high heat and simmer rapidly while whisking continuously for 5mins or until thick.

Put Together the Eclairs

• Cut the eclairs into halves.
• Pipe the chocolate creme patissiere onto one side of each chocolate eclair halve.
• Drizzle the top of the chocolate eclairs with melted chocolate and serve.