Carrot Slice

A lovely moist slice, which freezes well and thaws quickly. Great to have on hand for those unexpected visitors.

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 1 1/2 cups carrot grated
• 1/2 cup walnuts finely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp mixed spice

• Method

  • STEP 1Grease and line base of a 27 cm square tin.
  • STEP 2Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
  • STEP 3Pour mixture into tin.
  • STEP 4Bake at 160C for 30-40 minutes.

  • Notes

    This slice doesn't really need icing, but it is especially delicious with a cream cheese topping.

Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 20 g parmesan cheese finely grated
• 1 tbs fresh curly parsley chopped
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 300 g macaroni
• 175 g bacon rashers chopped
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup thickened cream
• 50 g butter
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 1/2 cups tasty cheese grated

• Method

  • STEP 1Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 5 cm deep, 6 cup capacity baking dish. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and 2 teaspoons oil in a bowl. Set aside.
  • STEP 2Cook pasta in a saucepan of salted water following packet directions until just tender. Drain.
  • STEP 3Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a frying pan. Add bacon and cook until crisp.
  • STEP 4Combine milk and cream in a jug. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 or 2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk mixture. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium.
  • STEP 5Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in mustard and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
  • STEP 6Cook for 2 minutes or until combined and cheese is melted.
  • STEP 7Add sauce and bacon to pasta. Stir to combine. Spoon into prepared dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

These are great to make whenever you have a party, or just want to snack on something homemade.

Chicken Spring Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken mince
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/2 green chilli finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 carrot grated medium
• 1 zucchini medium grated
• 3 spring onions chopped
• 1/4 cup kecap manis
• 500 g spring roll wrappers gow gee wrappers
• 3 tbs canola oil
• 100 mls kecap manis *to serve

• Method

  • STEP 1Brown chicken in a little oil.
  • STEP 2Add garlic, chilli, curry powder, carrot, zucchini and spring onions.
  • STEP 3Cook until vegetables collapse.
  • STEP 4Add Kecap manis and fry until reasonably dry.
  • STEP 5Transfer mixture into bowl and cool for 1-2 hours.
  • STEP 6On a spring roll pastry sheet, place 1 tablespoon of mixture onto the middle of the bottom of the sheet.
  • STEP 7Fold both left and right sides in, then roll up. Seal the end of the spring roll with a little milk.
  • STEP 8In batches, fry spring rolls in canola oil.
  • STEP 9Serve spring rolls with Kecap manis.

  • Notes

    The spring rolls can be frozen after they are made and can be cooked frozen or defrosted.
    Kecap manis can be found in most supermarkets in the Asian food section or near the soy sauce section

BLUEBERRY, CHIA AND OLIVE OIL CAKES

BLUEBERRY, CHIA AND OLIVE OIL CAKES

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, paste or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 1/4 cup of self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• chia seeds to sprinkle on top

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Line a medium sized muffin tin with wrappers.
  • 2
    Beat the eggs with sugar for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy and the sugar crystals have dissolved. Add oil, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well.
  • 3
    Add the almond milk and gradually incorporate the flour, beating gently, until a wet batter is formed. Add the blueberries and fold them in gently.
  • 4
    Pour the batter into the muffin tin making sure not to fill to the rim as the cakes with grow a lot whilst baking. Top each cake with chia seeds.
  • 5
    Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through if tested with a skewer.

his light and moist cake is ready at the push the of a button - a food processor button, that is

LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 21/2 cups (375g) self-raising flour, sifted
• 11/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk
• 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• Lemon thyme sprigs (optional), to serve

Lemon Glaze

• 1 cup (150g) pure icing sugar, sifted
• Juice of 1 lemon

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.
  • 2
    Combine flour, sugar and lemon zest in a bowl and set aside. Place eggs in a food processor, then, with the motor running, gradually add buttermilk, oil, vanilla seeds and lemon juice, whizzing until smooth.
  • 3
    Add the dry ingredients and pulse until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake for 45 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  • 4
    Allow to cool in pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. For lemon glaze, place icing sugar in a bowl and gradually stir through enough lemon juice until a smooth, runny icing.
  • 5
    Drizzle glaze over the cake and top with lemon thyme, if using, to serve.

SILVIA COLLOCA'S HEALTHY DAIRY-FREE PEAR, SULTANA AND OLIVE OIL CAKE

Nothing soothes the soul more than a bit of home baking

INGREDIENTS

• 150g brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 75ml olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 tsp ground cloves
• seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• 170g self-raising flour, sifted
• 50g almond meal
• 100ml almond milk
• 50g raisins, soaked in grappa (or rum) for 30 minutes
• 3 bosc or corella pears, peeled and cut into eighths
• cinnamon sugar, for dusting

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly oil a 25cm cake tin and dust with flour, shaking out the excess.
  • 2
    Whisk the sugar with the eggs until fluffy; add oil, spices, vanilla, flour and almond meal. Pour in the almond milk and mix gently to create a loose batter. Drain the raisins, squeezing out any excess liquid, and add them to the batter along with the chopped pear pieces.
  • 3
    Pour the cake batter into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean if inserted in the centre of the cake. As most ovens vary, check your cake after 25–30 minutes.
  • 4
    Cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
  • 5
    Serve dusted with cinnamon sugar and an espresso, in true Italian style.

This cake is so easy to make and tastes great

Fruit Cake

As this cake has no added sugar. Great warmed from the oven, cold spread with butter, or heated with custard. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 375 g mixed fruit
• 600 mls chocolate flavored milk
• 2 cup self-raising flour

• Method

  • STEP 1Soak the fruit in the chocolate milk overnight.
  • STEP 2Stir in flour.
  • STEP 3Bake at 160C for approximately 1½ hours, or until skewer inserted comes out clean.

  • Notes

    Low fat chocolate milk can be used. Try an interesting alternative using banana flavoured milk.
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