Apple Strudel with Cinnamon Sauce

INGREDIENTS
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped
1/2 cup almond meal
75g sultanas (optional!)
12 sheets filo pastry
75g unsalted butter, melted
Icing sugar, to dust

CINNAMON SAUCE
300mL thick cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
15g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD
Thinly slice apples.
Place in a pan with 3 tablespoons of water, sugar and vanilla pod and seeds.
Cover and cook over low heat for 6-7 minutes or until apples start to soften.
Uncover and cook until apples are very soft.
Remove from heat, add meal and sultanas and cool.
Preheat oven to 180C and grease a baking tray.
Brush 1 sheet of filo pastry with butter, then fold in half, butter-side in.
Repeat with another sheet and place on top.
Place 2 tablespoons of apple mixture along short edge of pastry and start rolling, turning in sides as you roll.
Place strudels seam-side down on tray.
Brush with butter and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Cool, then dust with icing sugar.

CINNAMON SAUCE
Place cream and vanilla in a pan.
Bring to just below boiling then remove from heat.
Beat eggs, sugar and cornflour until light.
Stir in warm cream then cook over low heat for about 3 minutes or until thickened.
Add cinnamon.
Place baking paper over surface of sauce to prevent a skin forming.
Cool, then serve with strudels.

SERVINGS
6 (or 24 mini strudels)

SOURCE
Delicious Magazine

Nutty Choc-Orange Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups blanched almonds
2 1/2 cups walnuts
200g dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
250g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 tbs finely grated orange rind

METHOD
Preheat oven to slow (140C).
Grease deep 23cm square cake pan.
Line base and sides with baking paper.
Blend or process nuts and chocolate until chopped finely.
Beat butter, extract and suagr in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add yolks, one at a time, beating until just combined between additions.
Transfer mixture to large bowl.
Stir in chocolate mixture and rind.
Beat egg whites in a small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Fold in chocolate mixture, in two batches.
Pour mixture into prepared pan.
Bake, uncovered, about 1 1/4 hours.
Cool to room temperature in pan.
Cover, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Cut cake into squares and serve dusted with icing sugar.

SERVINGS
25

SOURCE
Women's Weekly Party Food and Drink

Crunchy Thai Chicken Rounds

INGREDIENTS
250g minced chicken
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp finely chopped fresh lemon grass
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 large green cucumbers (800g)

METHOD
Cook chicken in heated medium non-stick frying pan, stirring until browned lightly.
Cool 5 minutes then process chicken until finely chopped.
Combine chicken with coconut milk, sauce, lemongrass, juice, coriander and garlic in medium bowl.
Cover, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Cut cucumbers diagonally into 1cm slices.
Divide chicken mixture among slices, top with coriander leaves if desired.

SERVINGS
25

SOURCE
AWW Bites

Char-Grilled Beef Salad

INGREDIENTS
500g beef rump steak
¼ cup (60ml) fish sauce
¼ cup (60ml) lime juice
3 lebanese cucumbers (390g), seeded, sliced thinly
4 fresh small red thai chillies, sliced thinly
8 green onions, sliced thinly
250g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup loosely packed fresh vietnamese mint leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1 tablespoon grated palm sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed

METHOD
Combine beef with 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of the juice in large bowl.
Cover, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Drain beef; discard marinade.
Cook beef on heated, oiled grill plate (or grill or barbecue) until browned and cooked as desired.
Cover beef, stand 5 minutes; slice thinly.
Meanwhile, combine cucumber, chilli, onion, tomato and herbs in large bowl.
Combine remaining fish sauce and remaining juice with sugar, soy sauce and garlic in screw-top jar; shake well.
Add beef and dressing to salad; toss gently.

TIPS
Substitute brown sugar for the palm sugar, if desired. The salad dressing can be made a day ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.

SERVINGS
4

SOURCE
Women's Weekly website

Boxing Day Garlic Prawns

INGREDIENTS
1.5 kg fresh uncooked prawns
8 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Parsley and lime cheeks, to serve

METHOD
Shell prawns, leaving tails intact.
Butterfly, de-vein and wash.
Pat dry.
Marinate in garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper for 1 hour.
BBQ or grill until pink.
Serve with lime cheeks and sprinkled with parsley.

SERVINGS
8

SOURCE
Jules

Traditional Christmas Roast Turkey

INGREDIENTS
Purchase turkey with self timer
Use a different stuffing each year
Defrost day before

METHOD
Place in large baking dish, stuffing with different stuffing each year.
Bake for 3-4hrs keeping eye on timer which will pop out of turkey skin.
Place vegetables in pan with turkey and use extra pan for additional vegetables.
When cooked make gravy from juices and serve with mango sauce.

SOURCE
Mum

Mango Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 whole mango
1 tbs butter
1 onion
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp chicken stock
1 tbs corn flour
1/3 cup water
1 stick celery
2 tbs chopped walnuts or pecans
¼ cup sour cream or yogurt

METHOD
Puree mango in blender.
Cook onion in butter.
Combine with puree, lemon rind, lemon juice and stock.
Blend cornflour and water.
Add to mixture.
Cook till thickened.
Stir in celery, nuts and cream.

COMMENTS
Fabulous accompaniment to Christmas Roast Turkey!

Mozzarella and Sun-dried Tomato Risotto Balls

INGREDIENTS
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup water
1 tbs olive oil
1 small brown onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic
¾ cup Arborio rice
1 tbs finely chopped fresh basil
1 tbs finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbs finely chopped semi-dried tomatoes
60g mozzarella, diced into 1cm cubes
¼ cup packaged breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for deep frying

METHOD
Place stock and water in medium saucepan and bring to boil.
Reduce heat, simmer, covered.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in medium saucepan.
Cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens.
Add rice and stir to coat in onion mixture.
Stir in ½ cup of the simmering stock mixture, in ½ cup batches, stirring, until liquid is absorbed after each addition.
Total cooking time should be about 35 minutes or until rice is just tender.
Stir in herbs and tomato.
Cover and cool for 30 minutes.
Roll heaped teaspoons of the risotto mixture into balls.
Press a piece of cheese into centre of each ball, roll to enclose.
Coat risotto balls in breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in wok.
Deep fry risotto balls, in batches, until browned lightly and heated through.

SERVINGS
30

SOURCE
AWW Party Food and Drink

Satay Chicken Skewers

INGREDIENTS
1 tbs soy sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbs sweet chilli sauce
100mL coconut milk
1 stem lemongrass, finely chopped
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
400g chicken fillet

METHOD
Place all ingredients except the chicken in a food processor.
Add 6 tablespoons (120mL) hot water.
Process until smooth.
Chop the chicken into bite size pieces.
Toss in the mixture.
Refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate.
Preheat grill or bbq to high heat.
Thread the chicken onto skewers.
Grill or bbq chicken until cooked through and slightly charred.
Serve as is or with satay sauce.

SERVINGS
25

SOURCE
Delicious Let's Entertain

Satay Sauce

INGREDIENTS
2cm piece ginger, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp turmeric
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup crunchy peanut butter
1 red chilli, pounded
2 tsp palm sugar
1 cup coconut milk

METHOD
Process together the ginger, onion and garlic until mushy.
In a small saucepan on low heat, gently sauté the onion mixture in oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Combine spices in mortar and pestle and crush.
Add spices to onion mixture in saucepan and cook for one minute.
Add soy sauce, peanut butter, sugar and chilli, stir.
Add coconut milk to peanut sauce and stir thoroughly until the sauce is smooth.
Cook on low heat for a further two minutes.

COMMENTS
This sauce is very adaptable as well as delicious. After cooking, it can be added to a stirfry, with veges, meat and noodles or rice. Alternatively, it is a fantastic crowd pleaser when placed in the middle of the table with lots of chicken sticks for dipping.

SOURCE
Jules

Chocolate Mud Cake

INGREDIENTS
400g dark chocolate, chopped
6 eggs
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup thickened cream, whipped
2 tbsp Cointreau or fresh orange juice

METHOD
Grease a deep 19cm square cake pan, line with baking paper.
Melt chocolate in microwave, in one minute bursts on medium heat (remember to stir each time, as chocolate holds its shape when melted otherwise).
Beat eggs and sugar until thick and creamy.
Fold in combined cream and liqueur, then chocolate.
Pour mixture into pan, stand pan in baking dish with enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of pan.
Bake in moderate oven for about 1 hour, or until cake shrinks slightly from sides of pan.
Remove pan from baking dish, cool cake in pan, then refrigerate till cold.
Dust with sifted icing sugar or high quality cocoa and serve with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.

COMMENT
Also delicious as mini mud cakes - halve the recipe, cook in mini patty cases for 8 minutes. Absolutely divine!

SERVINGS
12 (30 mini-mud cakes)

SOURCE
Jules

Chocolate Raspberry Pudding Cake

INGREDIENTS
185g self-raising flour
30g cocoa powder
250g unsalted butter
2 tbs creme de framboise
95g caster sugar
95g light muscavado sugar (or light brown sugar)
250g good quality dark chocolate
3/4 cup brewed black coffee
3/4 cup water
2 eggs, slightly beaten,
250g raspberries, plus extra to serve
Icing sugar, to dust
Thick greek yoghurt or whipped cream (if desired), to serve

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Grease a 22-23cm springform cake pan and line the base with baking paper.
Cover the bottom and sides of the outside of the pan with a layer of foil.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder together into a bowl and set aside.
Put the butter, framboise, sugars, chocolate, coffee and water in a heavy-based saucepan.
Stir over low heat until everything melts and is thick, glossy and smooth.
Stir into the flour and cocoa.
Beat well until smooth and glossy again.
Beat in the eggs till runny.
Pour into the prepared pan until you have covered the base with about 2cm of mixture.
Cover with raspberries.
Pour the rest of the mixture on top (push raspberries back under cake batter by hand if necessary).
Bake for 40-45 minutes until top is firm and slightly cracked.
Take the cake out of the oven and place on a rack.
Leave in pan for 15 minutes then turn out.
Just before serving, dust with a little icing sugar pushed through a tea strainer.
Serve with lots more fresh raspberries and a dollop of yoghurt or whipped cream, if desired.

SERVINGS
8

SOURCE
Nigella Lawson How to Eat

Filled Baguette

INGREDIENTS
2 long french baguettes
1 bunch fresh spinach
2 capsicums, roasted, skinned and seedless
4 small eggplants, sliced and grilled
300g pumpkin, sliced and grilled
250g fetta cheese, sliced or crumbled
200g mortadella or mild salami (omit for vegetarian)
hummus, to spread
1 small can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced (optional)

METHOD
Horizontally slice baguettes in half and pull soft bread out to form bread cases.
Spread hummus over all four cases, then line with washed and dried spinach leaves.
Fill baguettes by layering other ingredients on top of each other.
Place top case onto filled bottom case and press both together.
Refrigerate for two hours until ready to serve, allowing time for the flavours to meld together.
To serve, slice baguettes diagonally and arrange on a platter.

SOURCE
Juliette

Quick-as-a-Wink Pumpkin Soup

INGREDIENTS
800g pumpkin, peeled and finely diced
4 cups chicken stock, or
2 cups unsweetened OJ and 2 cups water
1 medium sized onion
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup salt free tomato paste
½ tsp cumin

METHOD
Cook onion, garlic and ginger in 2 tablespoons of water for 3 minutes, or until transparent.
Add all other ingredients.
Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender.
Puree.
Serve with a thin slice of orange and garnish with parsley.

COMMENTS
To get the best flavour from onions without cooking in oil, always place lid on saucepan while onions are cooking.

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne

INGREDIENTS
1 kg spinach, trimmed
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (400g) ricotta cheese
1/4 cup (20g) coarsely grated parmesan cheese
3 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups (375ml) bottled tomato pasta sauce
12 sheets instant lasagne
1 cup (120g) coarsely grated cheddar cheese

METHOD
Boil, steam or microwave spinach until just wilted, drain.
Squeeze excess liquid from spinach, and chop roughly.
Combine eggs, ricotta, parmesan and onions in large bowl.
Stir in spinach.
Spread half the pasta sauce over base of oiled baking dish.
Cover with 3 sheets of lasagne.
Top with a third of the spinach mixture.
Cover spinach layer with 3 sheets lasagne.
Repeat layering with remaining spinach and lasagne sheets.
Top lasagne with remaining tomato sauce.
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
Cover lasagne with foil.
Bake in a moderate oven for 40 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until browned browned on top.

SERVINGS
4

SOURCE
AWW Meals in Minutes

Rich Butter Cake

INGREDIENTS
Cake
2¼ cups self raising flour
½ cup custard powder
2 cups caster sugar
1 cup milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
250g butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla essence

Icing
125g butter
1½ cups icing sugar
2 tbsp milk

METHOD
Cake
Grease a deep 25cm square cake pan, cover base with paper, grease paper.
Combine sifted flour and custard powder with remaining ingredients in large bowl of electric mixer.
Beat on medium speed for 10 minutes, or until mixture is thick and creamy.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake in moderate oven for 1¼ hours, or until lightly brown and cooked when tested.
Let stand in tin for five minutes, then turn onto wire rack to cool.
Ice with rich icing, and decorate as desired (great for birthday cakes!).

Icing
Combine butter, milk and sugar until smooth and creamy.

COMMENTS
Very nice tasty cake

SOURCE
AWW

Roasted Vegetable Pate

INGREDIENTS
500g orange sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 red or yellow capsicum, cut into chunks
2 zucchini, sliced
350g eggplant, cut into chunks
2 tomatoes, cut into chunks
8 spring onions, cut into lengths
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD
Preheat the oven to hot 220C.
Place vegetables in a large baking dish, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with sea salt and roast for 45 minutes, or until soft.
Transfer the vegetables to a food processor, add the lemon rind and the lemon juice.
Blend until smooth.
Spoon into a serving dish and cool to room temperature.

SERVINGS
4 cups

SOURCE
AWW Dips and Dippers

Guacamole

INGREDIENTS
2-3 ripe avocadoes
1 large ripe tomato
1 small chilli, or chilli sauce
1 spanish onion
½ cup chopped coriander
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed, to your taste
juice of two limes

METHOD
Scoop flesh from avocadoes and mash in medium bowl.
Chop tomatoes and onion finely and add.
Finely chop chilli and add with garlic.
Chop coriander roughly, and finally add with lime juice.
Fold all ingredients together and store in fridge.
Best made close to serving.

SOURCE
Melissa

Traditional Olive Tapenade

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp capers
30g anchovy fillets, drained
50g tuna in oil, drained
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1½ tbsp brandy, optional

METHOD
Place capers, anchovies, tuna, garlic, olives and lemon juice in blender and process until finely chopped.
Add olive oil and brandy while motor is running, until mixture comes to a smooth paste.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

SOURCE
AWW Dips and Dippers

Pork Spring Rolls with Trio of Dipping Sauces

INGREDIENTS
12 spring roll wrappers
400g pork mince
1 clove garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp chilli sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 lime, juice of
½ carrot, julienne
2 spring onions, julienne
12 medium sized choy sum or bok choy leaves
100g pad thai noodles
Dipping Sauces
¼ cup soy, sweet chilli and peanut satay sauces

METHOD
Gently saute pork mince with garlic and ginger till cooked.
Drain off pork fat.
Add chilli, fish and soy sauces, sugar and squeezed lime to taste (you may want to add a pinch of salt). Set aside.
Place noodles in bowl, pour over boiling water to cover, place plate on top to keep in steam and leave for 10 minutes.
Gently peel off three spring roll wrappers and place one choy sum leaf on the bottom left hand corner of each.
Place several julienne of carrot and spring onion on leaf, several noodles and then a dessertspoonful of mince mixture.
Roll corner of pastry over filling, bring in sides and roll up.
Repeat process three more times.
Deep fry spring rolls in wok, three at a time on med/high heat for approximately 7-10 mins.
Repeat process.
Serve spring rolls on a platter with trio of dipping sauces, with plenty of napkins.

SOURCE
Juliette