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

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 Fifteen: Mum's Salsa

This is my Mum:

I've noticed that so many times when I go to write out a recipe the title starts with
the word 'Mum's'.

I have to say that although I never noticed it growing up, my Mum makes some pretty
spectacular food. 

It's a shame my child/teenage year-old self never really appreciated it.

Think of all the wasted time not stealing her recipes!!!

I mean look at this:

I never thought to ask for this recipe!

(It's ok though she's going to make it again & guest post. Thanks Mum!)

I remember when I was about 8 and mum brought home a blank exercise book and told me she was going to write recipes in there for me to cook for the family. 

It rocked.

Anyhow time for another one of 'Mum's' recipes. 

A super easy but super popular:

 Sweet Chilli Salsa.

All of the following vegetables need to be diced:

2 Tomatoes

1 Cucumber

1 Avocado

1 Red Onion

+

1 regular sized tin of Sweet Corn

Sweet Chilli Sauce

250gm of Cream Cheese.

Combine all of your vegetables and add to them sweet chilli sauce to taste.

(Make sure you actually taste it or said author of he original recipe might pull you aside to gently ask whether you had in fact added it at all....)

Place your cream cheese in the middle of a plate and flatten slightly

Pour over vegetable and sweet chilli mix.

Serve with corn chips.

xx

Recipe Seven: Party Meringues

When you are going to an event with a significant guest list under 10years (eg. The family Christmas get together)

things like Vietnamese cold rolls or Oysters never go down as well as when you take something made from sugar and food colouring...

Party Meringues

4 eggs whites, at room temperature

3/4 of a cup of caster sugar

2 teaspoons of cornflour

1 teaspoon of white vinegar

Food colouring

Sprinkles.

STEP ONE:

Preheat your oven to 100C

You want to whip your egg whites in a steel bowl until soft peaks form.

Next up you want to gradually add your sugar, making sure it has dissolved between each addition.

STEP TWO

Continue to beat until the meringue is thick and glossy and leaves big thick ribbons when you lift the beaters out of the mix. Whisk in the cornflour and vinegar.

STEP THREE:

Add pink food colouring to half of your mix.

You can then pipe out the meringues in beautiful little swirls or go for a more lazy rustic option by just spooning the same size heap fulls onto your baking sheet.

Add sprinkles.

Table spoon sized heaps with need 2hrs in your preheated oven and it's a good idea to switch your trays half way through.

When the meringues are ready they will sound hollow when you tap them.

Once out of the oven and cooled transfer them somewhere air tight until you are ready to bring them out. 

If they come in contact with any moisture you'll end up with a sticky, chewy mess

xx