Anzac Biscuits with Lemon Zest

Happy Easter fellow Foodies. Well I'm not a big chocolate fan so today on Easter Sunday I have made some Anzac biscuits.

I used a traditional recipe & simply added extras. This batch has almonds, pecans, dates, apricots & lemon zest. I added the zest of one lemon to get a really fragrant flavour. They taste really fresh.

Anzac biscuits are an Aussie classic, so celebrate our National Day of Remembrance with these tasty homemade treats.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons golden syrup or treacle
150g unsalted butter, chopped
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Extras

Zest of one lemon
Handful of Almonds/Pecans
Few chopped dates or apricots

Method
Preheat oven to 170°C. Place the flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl and stir to combine. In a small saucepan place the golden syrup and butter and stir over low heat until the butter has fully melted. Mix the bicarb soda with 1 1/2 tablespoons water and add to the golden syrup mixture. It will bubble whilst you are stirring together so remove from the heat. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together until fully combined. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on baking trays lined with non stick baking paper, pressing down on the tops to flatten slightly. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Barbequed Ocean Trout

 Yes it was the family coming to dinner.

And it was 'oh so easy'

These vegetables are a mix of home grown and bought. You can create you're own mix to 'stuff' the trout but this is what we did....

Sliced a large leek

Then we sliced a large red capsicum

We added plenty of sliced Australian garlic

Sliced up half a red onion

Squeezed in lemon juice

Added a handful of lemon thyme

This Ocean Trout weighed approximately 3.6 kilograms. We placed the fish on foil with leeks on the base. We then cooked in a 'medium' heated BBQ for 40 mins. It was sensational - a real crowd pleaser. 

Note ... friends cooked a salmon about the same size in a pre-heated BBQ but with the heat turned off. They said it 'sat' in the BBQ for 45 minutes and cooked to medium rare and was delicious. 

Rose Frill Cake

Source: maggieaustincake.com via Sarah on Pinterest

If I was a cake, this is what I would look like. I love the delicate frill and how pretty it looks.

• 250g butter, softened
• 3 cups white sugar
• 7 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 250ml (1 cup) sour cream

Preparation Method

Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 1 hour

• Preheat oven to 160 C. Grease and flour a 23cmx30cm cake pan or a 25cm Tube or Bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the vanilla.
• Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix until all of the flour is absorbed.
• Finally, stir in the sour cream. Mix for 1 or 2 minutes just to be sure there are no lumps. Pour the mixture into the choice of prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean. 

*The above recipe makes one Cake, if your are making 2 Layers, Reduce the Ingredients by 1/2 and bake in a smaller tin.

Suppliers of Gumpaste and Fondant in Sydney -

http://www.sydneyessential.com.au/essential-guides/cake-decorating/all-pages
http://bakingpleasures.com.au/

How to make - Fondant Roses

Fondant Ruffles

Create the Ruffles as in the Video below, and add the Ruffles upside down.

Garlic and Chilli

Chili - A divine way to add some spice into your life..

Source: Uploaded by user via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Lisa on Pinterest


I love Garlic, and cant live a day with out it...

Source: Uploaded by user via Lisa on Pinterest

Home Grown on Woodhill Mountain

Home grown with love. This salad needs no recipe to be perfect ... just fresh ingredients. The surrounds of Berry are perfect for growing seasonal fruit, vegetables and having a few chooks.  This salad has beetroot which is tricky to grow in this area but was just delicious.

Lean Chicken & Herb Pesto

This is a great quick low carbohydrate lunch.

• Chicken Thigh fillets or Chicken breasts
• Fresh herbs from your garden
• I used a few basil leaves, sage, parsley & shallots
• Small handful of Almonds or pine nuts
• 3 x garlic cloves
• Juice of 1 x lemon
• 2 x small chilies
• Big handful of baby spinach leaves

Method:

• Blend herbs, almonds or other nuts with a splash of olive oil and lemon juice in a food processor
• Add Garlic & chili
• Add a fresh grind of pepper and salt
• (Add more cold water if its not moving in the processor)

Marinate for at least 5 mins.
Cook in a Teflon fry-pan with a small amount of olive oil
When Chicken is almost done, gently stir in spinach leaves to wilt lightly.

This has a herbaceous and lemony flavor, with a fresh clean taste.

Vegemite, Garlic & Rosemary on Sour Dough

This might sound odd, but it is one of my favorites for breakfast.

You will love the taste of this, it's fab with a pot of tea or a fresh coffee.

• 1 x Sour Dough loaf
• Toast 1 slice of Sour Dough
• Butter the toast (has to be butter)
• Smear a piece of garlic across the toast while hot
• Spread Vegemite
• Sprinkle fresh or dried Rosemary on the toast

Sit back enjoy as your taste buds experience a new sensation.

Quick Christmas Cake

Ingredients (serves 20)

• 510g (3 cups) sultanas
• 265g (1 1/2 cups) Sunbeam flame raisins
• 155g (1 cup) currants
• 150g (1 cup) pitted dates, finely chopped
• 50g (1/4 cup) mixed peel
• 185ml (3/4 cup) brandy
• 2 tsp finely grated orange rind or I used Marmalade
• Melted butter, to grease
• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 200g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 300g (2 cups) plain flour
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• Blanched almonds, to decorate
• Red glace cherries, extra, halved, to decorate
• 2 tbs brandy, extra

Method

1. Combine sultanas, raisins, currants, dates, cherries, raisins, pineapple, mixed peel, brandy and orange rind in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside, stirring occasionally, for 2 days to macerate.
2. Preheat oven to 150°C. Brush a round 22cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and side with 3 layers of non-stick baking paper.
3. Use an electric beater to beat butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between each addition until just combined. Add butter mixture to fruit mixture and stir to combine. Add flour and mixed spice and stir until well combined. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Lightly tap pan on benchtop to release any air bubbles. Arrange almonds and cherries on top of the cake.
4. Bake in oven, covered with foil, for 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Drizzle hot cake with extra brandy. Set aside to cool before turning out.

Thai Noodle Salad

Ingredients:
The dressing:

2 tsp chopped Garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp Japanese Rice vinegar
1 Tbsp  soy sauce
4 Tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp sesame oil
2-3 Tbsp water (to desired consistency)
1 tsp hot chili sauce
1 Tbsp honey or sugar
Cut 2 large Kaffir Limes leaves with scissors
Juice from 1 Lime or Lemon
fresh Red Chilli for decoration & or Taste (Cut with Scissors)


The Salad:

4 oz Glass noodles (Vermicelli bean thread) (Coles/Woolworths)
1 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken or you can use any meat (Tuna/Beef)
1 cup shredded cabbage
or I buy the mixed bag of Coleslaw mix from Coles
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 Tbsp chopped Coriander
2 Tbsp chopped Mint leaves
½ cup matchstick carrots
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips (use ½ if a large pepper)
Pea pods sliced long ways
¼ cup seedless cucumber sliced in 2” strips (optional)
Toasted almond slices or nuts

Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and rinse well under cold water.
I pour boiling water over and fork for 10mins, then put into a colander and drain

Whisk together the dressing ingredients until thoroughly combined.
In a large glass bowl, toss together the noodles, chicken, and vegetables and gradually add the prepared dressing...little at a time while tossing to coat all ingredients. You may not need all the dressing, so don’t add all at once. Chill until ready to serve.