Serve with hot chips in winter, or salad in summer.

Bacon and Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients

• 
  
• 1 tbs butter
• 3 button mushrooms sliced
• 4 bacon rashers sliced
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tsp garlic minced
• 2 tsp French mustard
• 1 tsp chives chopped
• 7 egg beaten
• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese grated
• 3/4 cup mozzarella

• Method

  • STEP 1Preheat oven to 180C.
  • STEP 2In a large pan, place butter, onion, mushroom and bacon. Fry lightly until the onion begins to turn translucent. Remove from heat before anything starts to brown.
  • STEP 3In a mixing bowl combine eggs with garlic, mustard and chives.
  • STEP 4Line a round baking tin with pastry. Cut off any excess and use it to fill up the blank areas around the rim.
  • STEP 5Sprinkle a little cheese over the pastry base.
  • STEP 6Top with mushroom/bacon mixture.
  • STEP 7Pour the egg mixture over the top, ensuring ingredients are evenly dispersed.
  • STEP 8Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and put the tin in the oven.
  • STEP 9Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through.

Chocolate on chocolate - need we say more?

Chocolate on Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 
  
• 250 g butter chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 180 g dark chocolate chopped
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 egg lightly beaten
• 1 cup plain flour sifted
• 1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
• 46 g Cadbury Picnic finely chopped
• 1/3 cup caramel spread
• 2 x 46 g Cadbury Picnic chopped *to decorate

Milk chocolate ganache

• 2 x 220 g milk chocolate chopped
• 1 cup thickened cream

Dark chocolate ganache

• 90 g dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup thickened cream

• Equipment

  • 1 22cm round cake pan
  • 1 heatproof bowl
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 microwave

  • Method

    • STEP 1Place butter, milk, chocolate, ¾ cup water and sugars in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool completely.
    • STEP 2Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced. Grease a 6cm deep, 22cm round cake pan. Line base and side with 2 layers of baking paper.
    • STEP 3Stir egg into chocolate mixture until combined. Add sifted flours and cocoa. Mix well. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.
    • STEP 4Make Milk chocolate ganache: Place chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%), stirring with a metal spoon every 30 seconds, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until mixture is a thick spreadable consistency.
    • STEP 5Cut cake in half horizontally. Place cake base on a serving plate. Spread with ¹⁄³ of the milk chocolate ganache. Top with finely chopped Picnic bar and dollop with caramel spread. Top with remaining cake half. Spread remaining milk chocolate ganache over top and side of cake.
    • STEP 6Make Dark chocolate ganache: Place chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%), stirring with a metal spoon every 30 seconds, for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until cooled and thickened slightly.
    • STEP 7Spread top of cake with dark chocolate ganache. Decorate with extra chopped Picnic bars. Serve.

    Nutrition information

    2253 kJ Energy, 30 g Fat Total, 19 g Fat Saturated, 60 g Carbohydrate Total, 7 g Protein, 1 gDietary Fibre, 239 mg Sodium, 69 mg Cholesterol

Rich chocolate cupcakes

Easter Egg Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 
  
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tbs instant coffee powder
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 30 mls dark rum *optional
• 250 mls boiling water
• 150 g unsalted butter softened
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 egg
• 1 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 18 mini caramel-filled Easter eggs

• Equipment

  • 1 baking tray
  • electric beaters
  • 18 paper cases
  • wire rack

  • Method

    • STEP 1Preheat oven to 160C degrees (fan forced). Add 18 cardboard baking cups to a baking tray.
    • STEP 2Add cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, brown sugar, dark rum in a bowl. Pour boiling water into bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside while you prepare the other steps.
    • STEP 3With electric beaters cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until combined.
    • STEP 4In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Sift again for a light cupcake.
    • STEP 5Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat until combined.
    • STEP 6Add the cocoa-coffee mixture to the batter and beat until combined. Beat for a further 2 minutes on medium speed until well-combined and mixture looks smooth.
    • STEP 7Add three tablespoons of cake batter to baking cups. Pop one Easter Egg into the cup and then cover with three tablespoons of cake batter. The baking cups should be 3/4 full.
    • STEP 8Bake for 18-22 minutes. The cupcakes are ready when the cake bounces back at your touch, and a skewer poked into the cake comes out clean.

    Notes

    To make sure the Easter Eggs don't completely melt - place the eggs in the freezer for 5 minutes or fridge for 15 minutes before adding to the cake batter. I use cardboard baking cups but you can also make these in a cupcake cases too. Double sifting the flour will make for a nice and light cake. The cupcakes are pretty rich and with the caramel-centre surprise you don’t really need an icing but I have used a chocolate cream cheese icing or a rich dark chocolate ganache. Best enjoyed warm from the oven as the caramel-centre is gooey. You can re-heat in microwave for 10 seconds per cupcake (avoid if icing cupcake).

A decadent breakfast

Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

• 6 slices ham (deli)
• 1 1/2 tbs butter
• 3 English muffins split toasted
• 6 egg

Hollandaise sauce

• 90 g butter
• 1 egg yolks
• 1 tbs cold water
• 1 tsp salt and pepper
• 1/4 lemon juiced

Equipment

• 1 frying pan
• 1 glass bowl
• 1 whisk

• Method

  • STEP 1Sauté the ham slices in the butter for a couple of minutes.
  • STEP 2Place the ham on the English muffins. Pour on any butter from the frypan.
  • STEP 3Poach the eggs in salted, simmering water in a frypan. Spoon the water over the eggs. When set, remove with a slotted spoon. Place on top of the ham.
  • STEP 4Sauce: Melt butter and add the juice of a quarter of a lemon.
  • STEP 5Place egg yolk and water in metal or glass bowl sitting over a pan of hot water on low heat, with bowl touching water. Whisk mixture while slowly pouring in the melted butter.
  • STEP 6Whisk yolk mixture briskly as it cools. It will thicken and double after five minutes.
  • STEP 7Spoon over the eggs on the muffins.

  Notes

  You can substitute ham for bacon, or smoked salmon. Baby spinach leaves under the eggs is also a nice addition. If the hollandaise sauce starts splitting, add a drop more water over low heat and whisk, and it should come together again.

A very tasty and simple Thai curry

Chicken and Pumpkin Red Curry

Ingredients

• 
  
• 2 tsp peanut oil
• 3 tbs red Thai curry paste
• 1 onion cut into wedges
• 2 garlic clove diced
• 1 lemongrass stalk thinly sliced
• 850 g (fillets) chicken thighs quartered
• 400 mls coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock (liquid)
• 700 g pumpkin chopped
• 1 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1/3 cup basil shredded

• Method

  • STEP 1Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and curry paste and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.
  • STEP 2Add onion, lemongrass, garlic and chicken and cook until browned.
  • STEP 3Add coconut milk and stock and simmer, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes.
  • STEP 4Add pumpkin and simmer uncovered, for 15 minutes or until tender.
  • STEP 5Stir through fish sauce, lime juice and basil.
  • STEP 6Garnish with extra basil and serve with steamed rice.

  Notes

  I use vegetable oil as I have to maintain a peanut free household. I also replace the lime juice with lemon juice when necessary. I prefer the Mae Ploy brand curry paste.

Great for dinner parties

Chicken in Cream Sauce

Great for dinner parties, and so easy to make, very filling also.

Ingredients

• 
  
• 4 chicken breast fillet
• 300 mls cream
• 3 shallots chopped
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 tsp garlic chopped

• Method

  • STEP 1Put chicken breast in microwave for 5 minutess on high, then brown in a frying pan.
  • STEP 2Place cream in saucepan along with chopped shallots, crushed stock cube and chopped garlic.
  • STEP 3Bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
  • STEP 4Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

  Notes

  To serve, place chicken on plate and pour sauce all over the chicken. Serve with mashed potatoes, baby carrots and beans. I use whipping cream.

An easy chicken casserole.

Supreme Chiken

Ingredients

• 
  
• 6 (fillets) chicken thighs
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 4 bacon rashers diced
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 onion chopped large
• 2 cup chicken stock (liquid)
• 500 g mushrooms sliced
• 3 carrot finely chopped

• Equipment

  • 1 frying pan
  • 1 casserole dish

• Method

  • STEP 1Preheat oven to 160C.
  • STEP 2Fry onion and bacon in a large frying pan. Add mushrooms and cook gently.
  • STEP 3Remove and brown chicken which has been coated in flour.
  • STEP 4Add all ingredients to a large casserole dish, cover and cook for 2½ hours.
  • STEP 5After cooking for 2 hours remove lid for the last half an hour of cooking.

  Notes

  Use salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, parsley, etc. for seasoned flour.