Recipes Twenty One and Twenty Two: Arancini & Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni.

Last night, after work I had a dinner party.

I'm not sure when I decided getting home from work & having only an hour to get myself, the house and food ready for 5 guests would be a good idea but I must have been seriously sleep/caffeine/sanity deprived.

That said the night actually turned out really nicely.

No-one mentioned the slightly unkempt house or host and everyone ate up with tonnes of enthusiasm.
We then made coffee and had the funniest, uncivilized game of scrabble I have ever been involved with.

Like I said, excellent night.

On the menu was Arancini, Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni & Double Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake.

The last of which I will be putting in its own glorious post on Monday.

Oh, and before I get started a big thank you to my little, although much taller brother  for manning the camera whilst I cooked away.

Arancini:

2 cups of left over Risotto.

(I am doing a post of my favourite, 'non stir-stick in the oven and wait' recipe soon)

1/2 a cup of Plain flour in a bowl.

1 Egg

1 tablespoon of Milk

1 cup of Panko bread crumbs in a bowl.

1cm cubes of Mozzarella

Vegetable oil for deep frying (the amount will depend on the size of your pan)

Roll two tablespoons of risotto into a ball and press one piece of mozzarella into the center, 

mould the risotto back over the cheese.

Combine milk & egg in a small bowl and give a slight whisk so they are combined.

Once all of your balls are made coat them all in this order:

Flour

shake off excess

Milk & Egg mix

drain off excess

Bread Crumbs

Next up you want to heat up your oil until a cube of bread dropped in there will sizzle around and brown in about 10 seconds. Then gently fry your arancini in batches until heated through and brown.

Serve nice and hot so your mozzarella is nice & melty.

Serve.

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni:

8 Lasagne Sheets

500gms of Ricotta Cheese

100gms of Fetta (crumbled very finely)
1 cup of grated cheddar
1/2 a cup of parmesan

1 Tablespoon of Basil

1 Jar of Passata
1 teaspoon of sugar.

1 large red capsicum

1 packet of frozen spinach, thawed.

Preheat the oven to 200C

Slice your capsicum into 4cm strips and place under a very hot grill until the skin blackens.
Once the skin is black immediately transfer to a tupperware container or zip-loc bag. The capsicum will sweat in here and make the skin very easy to remove.

Combine ricotta, fetta and Parmesan in a bowl, add thawed spinach and the salt and pepper to taste.

In blender add the passata, basil, sugar and skinned capsicum.
Blend until smooth.

Take 1/2 of this sauce and spread over the bottom of a large oven safe dish.

Cut each lasagna sheet in half through the long side.
Then on the short side of the half spoon approx 1/4 cup of filling along the edge.
Roll up and place join side down on the sauce in the dish.
Continue until all cut sheets are filled.

Spread the rest of the sauce over the top of the cannelloni and sprinkle with the cheddar and more Parmesan if desired.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese has browned and the cannelloni are warmed through.

Serve.
Play Scrabble.

xx

Minecraft Cake

In April last year I made my husband a Minecraft birthday cake. I posted it on my other blog (horrible photo and all) and it has been an absolute hit ever since. It still gets heaps of visits everyday.

I think about if any of those people then click to see the rest of the blog & notice I don't use it anymore and then they never give it a second thought?

Now what if they came here & noticed I write ALL the time and then they decided to have more of a look around and then what if they were inspired enough to make something else from here!!!???

Anyhow, I am putting up said 'horrible photo'.

If you've come here after searching for 'Minecraft Cake' or something similar, please have a look around :) Tell me what you think, maybe take away another recipe to make for yourself or your family?

Oh and here is the link back to the original post.

xx

Resolutions & Recipe Twenty: Choc Chip Cookies

I was taking down our Christmas decorations yesterday  a week ago and I thought to myself what is life going to be like when I pull these out again? 

I read an amazing post "Pardon Me, Your Awesome is Showing" (go read it you will be inspired). 

I remembered the writing at that moment and thought: 

'Actually, how do I want life to be when I pull these out again?' 

I think about my Mum who took the leap of faith and made her creative passion her occupation. 

Who, even with 5 children (and adding another along the way) went back to University then moved the whole family and a cousin states to do her Masters. 

Now she blogs (go there too, also inspiring) and is currently writing her first book.

She took responsibility for making her life how she wanted.

My resolution for 2012 is to do the same.

(Make my own life amazing that is not have 6 children, become an Art Therapist and start writing a book)

Now I think I was writing a recipe.... 

I know it's two cookie posts in a row but I'm not feeling well & Miss MT (with her amazing aquamarine nail polish) said she would come over and bake some for the blog. 

How could I say no? 

I have such an awesome little sister.

150gms of Butter

120gms of Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Caster Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

1 egg + 1 yolk

2 1/2 cups of Flour

1/2 a teaspoon of Bicarbonate Soda

250gms of Choc Chips

Preheat your oven to 170C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Melt your butter and set aside to cool for two minutes.

Put your sugars in your bowl and then pour over your melted butter.

Beat together.

Add egg, yolk and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Add your flour in thirds, combining each time before adding more.

Fold in your chocolate chips.

Roll tablespoon sized amounts into balls and place about 3 inches apart on your baking tray.

Bake for 17-20 minutes or until cracked on top and very lightly brown.

Cool of racks and serve!

xx

Recipe Nineteen: Peanut Butter Crinkles

I am a sucker for peanut butter.

I love the stuff and if it's in baked, 'melt-in-your-mouth-yet-has-a-slightly-chewy-center' shortbread then I love it even more so.

125g unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cupbrown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 1/4 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 180C

Cream together butter, peanut butter, sugars, vanilla and lemon rind.

 Add flour, bicarb and salt and mix until you get a sturdy dough.

Roll teaspoon sized balls out and place them about 3cm apart on a lined baking tray.

Press them flat with a fork cross ways and length ways to get the crinkle.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Leave them to cool on the tray for a few minutes before moving them onto a cooling rack.

xx

Recipe Eighteen: Savoury Muffins

This recipe was adapted from 'Savoury Mighty Muffins'

I made these at night and as such the light wasn't very good for pictures. 

I made the decision to take a picture of the finished product in the morning.

To be honest it was quite a new year miracle that any of them survived that long. 

They just sat there on the counter tempting me with their cheesy, bacon-y goodness.

1 1/2 cups of Self Raising Flour
1 Zucchini, Grated.
150gms of diced Bacon.
2 cups of grated Tasty Cheese.
2 thinly sliced Spring Onions
 1 Egg
3/4 of a cup of Milk
1/4 cup of Sweet Chilli Sauce
OR
1/4 cup of Fruit Chutney

Preheat oven to 200C and grease a 12 cup regular size muffin tin.
Sift your SR flour into a bowl.
Add your zucchini, bacon, cheese and spring onions and combine
In a separate bowl whisk together you egg, milk and chilli sauce or fruit chutney.
Make a well in the center of your flour mix and pour in the milk mix.
Using a silicone or metal spatula mix the dry ingredients into the liquid in the center.
Divide the mix between the sections and bake for 15-17 minutes.

xx

Kindle Kitchen Craft: 'Love' Cushion Cover.

The recent weeks of cooking have really taken their toll on my crafting hours and so I have decided to devote a little time to doing some "Kindled Kitchen Craft" posts.

First out of the gate is the "Love" cushion cover.

I saw this picture on theBerry last night and when I woke up this morning I set about seeing if I could re-create it.

What you'll need:

1/2m of buttercup coloured cotton

1/2m (or largish scraps) of white cotton.

White felt for the lettering.

Thread.

The first step is to measure up your cushion. Measure from seam to seam:

Top to Bottom Seam & Left to Right Seam. Add some extra for seam allowances.

I add 1/2 an inch to the length & width measurements (1/4 of an inch for each seam.)

Using these measurements cut out a rectangle from the buttercup fabric.

This is the front of your cushion cover.

For the back add 5" to the longest measurement (the top/bottom edge) & cut your white fabric in half.

The extra 5" are to allow for a hem and some overlap which will allow you to slip the cover on & off.

Hem one of the short edges of each piece , these will eventually overlap in the middle to create a sort of envelope.

Next you want to create you lettering

Choose a which ever font you like and print up the word 'Love' to the correct size to fit onto your finished cover.  Cut this out and pin face down on your felt.

Trace lightly around the word and then cut out from the felt.

Turn the felt wrong side up and spray with spray adhesive.

Stick to the center of your buttercup rectangle and lightly iron the felt to help set the glue.

At this point you can top stitch around the lettering in a matching thread.

I plan on doing this with my next one.

To assemble place all right sides together and line up the un-hemmed ends of the white cotton pieces with the ends of the buttercup piece. You should have an overlap in the center.

Pin all the way around the edge and then sew all the way around the edge.

Turn the cover in the right way, give it a light press and slip over your cushion.

The Raspberry looking cushion I also made this morning I used the same basic principals as the other cushion but with the addition of ruffles!

Here is a really good tutorial

xx

Recipe Seventeen: Beauty is on the inside Apple Pie.

Ugly but delicious.

Best eaten with closed eyes. 

That is all I have to say on the matter.

Apple Pie:

Pastry
1 cup of Plain Flour

1/2 a cup of Self Raising Flour

1/4 cup of Corn Flour

1/4 cup of Custard Powder

2 tbsp of Caster Sugar

100gm of Cold Butter (Chopped)

1 Egg, Separated

1/3 of a cup of Water

Filling

1.5kg of Granny Smith Apples

1/2 cup of Water

1/4 cup of Brown Sugar

1 tsp of fine Lemon Rind.

1/2 a teaspoon of ground Cinnamon

Process all of your flours, custard powder, caster sugar and butter together until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Then add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring the mixture together.

Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Make filling by peeling, coring and quartering the apples and then adding them and the water to a large pan and place over low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes or until just tender.

Dont be silly & add the wrong sugar and cinnamon before cooking...your flavours will end up down the drain and you'll have to add everything again once it has cooked.

Don't realise your friend put her New Years Eve pictures on facebook and accidently leave them there for much, much longer or you'll end up with a mush.

Drain liquid and pour apples into a bowl along with your sugar, cinnamon and lemon.

Leave to cool completely.

Preheat your oven to 220C

Take 2/3rds of your pastry and roll to fit the bottom and 3/4 of the way up a 25cm spring form tin.

Gently line the tin with the pastry & brush the top edge with your egg white.

Fill with apple mixture.

Roll out your remaining pastry to cover the top.

Place over the apples and press the edges of the pastry together

Cut of excess and brush the top with your remaining egg white.

Sprinkle with caster sugar & put in the oven for 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 180C and cook for a further 25minutes of until the pie is brown.

Cool for 10 minutes and serve with custard or ice-cream!