MasterBLOGchef Week 9 - Lamb Shanks with Zucchini & Bazil Salad

Im running several weeks late with this, but i will catch up!

Last night we had:

Lamb Shanks with Zucchini & Bazil Salad

It wasn't too bad, but i think i will stick with my recipe for lamb shanks... It is one of the few things i do well.

4 x Lamb Shanks

4 Sprigs rosemary & Thyme

2 cloves garlic

40g softened butter

1 TSP lemon rind

Sea salt & Pepper

3/4 cup Lemon juice

2 Zucchini (courgette), thinly sliced

1/2 cup pine nuts toasted

1 cup bazil leaves

1 cup shaved parmesan

2 TSP lemon zest

1/4 cup olive oil

1 TSP lemon jiuce

Preheat oven.

make an incision at the top of each shank and insert a sprig of rosemary and thyme.

Mix 1/2 the garlic, butter, lemon rind, salt & pepper, to combine.

wrap shanks in Aluminium foil and drizzle butter mixsture over top.

Roast for 2 hours or until tender.

Place the zucchini, pine nuts, basil, parmesan, lemon zest, olive oil, and lemon juice and remaining garlic in a bowl and mix to combine. 

Serve up lamb with Zucchini salad.

MasterBLOGchef Week 8 - coconut and white chocolate chip cookies

Seeing as the other bickies werent quiet a hit..

I made these ones with normal flour!
Much Yummier!

•  125g butter, chopped
•  1 cup (220g) white sugar
•  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 egg
•  1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour
•  1 cup (150g) self-raising (self-rising) flour
•  1 cup (80g) desiccated coconut
•  100g white chocolate chunks

  Preheat oven to 180ºC (355ºF). Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the egg and beat well. Add the plain and self-raising flours and coconut and mix with a butter knife until a soft dough forms. Add the chocolate. Using your hands, mould 2 tablespoons of cookie mixture into a flat round. Place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, leaving room to spread. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden. Allow to cool on trays. Makes 18.
* To check if the cookies are done, look at the bottom not the top. If you wait until the top looks right you risk overcooking them. To check, lift a cookie with a spatula so you can see underneath. The bottom should be deep golden. Cool on trays as the cookies will continue to cook after you've removed them from the oven.

MasterBLOGchef Week 7 - double-choc chip cookies

I made these with Gluten Free Flour!
Big Mistake!!!

But they dont taste too bad... jsut the consistancy is a bit weird!

• 125g butter, chopped
•  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1⅓ cups (295g) caster sugar
•  1 egg
•  ⅓ cup (80ml) milk
•  2 cups (300g) plain (all-purpose) flour
•  ⅓ cup (35g) cocoa
•  1 teaspoon baking powder
•  1 cup (190g) dark or milk chocolate chunks

  Preheat oven to 180°C (355ºF). Place the butter, vanilla, sugar, egg, milk, flour, cocoa and baking powder in a food processor and process until a soft dough forms. Place dough in a bowl and stir through the chocolate chunks. Shape 2 tablespoons of dough into flat rounds and place, allowing room to spread, on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until brown. Cool on trays. Makes 18.
* To check if the cookies are done, look at the bottom not the top. If you wait until the top looks right you risk overcooking them. To check, lift a cookie with a spatula so you can see underneath. The bottom should be a deep brown colour. Cool on trays as the cookies will continue to cook after you've removed them from the oven.

Week 6 MasterBLOGchef - spinach and three-cheese pie

 Told you i would catch up!!
This was lunch today.....

Ymmy too!

spinach and three-cheese pie

•  5 sheets ready prepared filo pastry
•  50g butter, melted
•  1 bunch English spinach, trimmed and blanched
•  ½ cup (100g) ricotta, crumbled
•  ¼ cup (50g) feta, crumbled
•  ¼ cup (20g) finely grated parmesan
•  3 eggs
•  ½ cup (125ml) pouring (single) cream
•  2 tablespoons chopped chives
•  sea salt and cracked black pepper

 Preheat oven to 180ºC (355ºF). Layer the filo sheets together, brushing with the butter between each sheet. Trim to a 30cm x 20cm rectangle. Line a 10cm x 20cm shallow ovenproof baking dish with the filo sheets and top with the spinach, ricotta, feta and parmesan. Whisk together the eggs, cream, chives, salt and pepper and pour over the spinach mixture. Brush edges of pastry with remaining butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until egg is set and pastry is golden. Serves 2. 

(I dont know about serving two though........ i had about 1/8th and was totally full!)

MasterBLOGchef Week 5 - Crispy skin tarragon chicken with beans

 This is Week5

Loving this challenge 

and i am realising, thats its not necessarily the cook.. 

Its just the unexplained incorrect receipies ive followed, because so far its all good!!!

WEEK 3 Is:

crispy skin tarragon chicken with beans 

• 80g unsalted butter, softened
•  1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves
•  2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
•  sea salt and cracked black pepper
•  4 x 240g chicken breast with part wing bone, skin on (I used 5)
•  150g green beans, trimmed
•  100g butter (yellow) beans, trimmed
•  3 sprigs lemon thyme
•  1 cup (250ml) hot chicken stock

 Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Place the butter, tarragon, lemon rind, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix to combine. Place the butter under the skin of the chicken. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the chicken skin-side down for 4 minutes or until crispy, turn and cook for a further 2 minutes. Place the beans and lemon thyme in a baking dish and pour over the stock. Top with the chicken, pour over the butter from the pan and bake for 12−15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the beans are tender. Serves 4.

This was totally YUMMY!!!

MasterBLOGchief - Recipe 3

Sundays come around fast!!!!

Had no idea what i was going to make this week,

and ended up looking up on Donna Hay's website to find some recipes

and found 3 i wanted to play with!!!

I dont bake!

Infact i always burn bickies!

But today i made two different types and both are edible!!

I made some

chocolate chip and hazelnut cookies

 you will find the recipe here

and also

caramel cookies

 which you will find here here

I had to replace the jersey caramels with coconut caramels as there weren't any jersey caramels in town!! Can you believe that!! Searched everywhere!!!

Then tonight i made:

lamb cutlets with sugar snaps, green beans and parsley butter

You will find recipe here

I added some herb crusted baked potatoes.

(My own Recipe!)

And there were cheers all round!

I was a bit worried about the bean accompaniment, but together it all tasted brilliant!!

So yummy!!!

MasterBLOGchief - Recipe 2 BBQ Ribs with Corn & Spicy Lime Butter

Week 2

My cooking is improving.

I made a regular spagetti and meatballs through the week 

and added some fresh herbs and bits and pieces that i wouldnt have before

and i got yummy comments from all!!

I pat myself on the back!!

So this week..

Please bear in mind that this recepie is meant to be BBQ not fry panned...

But it tasted pretty damn good!!!

BBQ Ribs with Corn & Spicy Lime Butter

This was also from Novembers Donna Hay Magazine

Brown Sugar

Tomato Purea

Worcestershire Sauce

Olive Oil

Garlic

Sea Salt flakes

Pork Ribs

Cobs of Corn with Husks (Because i didn't BBQ mine i took the husks off)

Butter

Buuter

Lime Zest

Chilli

This is how it turned out.

Stuart had it all over him!
The flavour of the marinade was really yummy but the ribs were tough as!
Next time i will make the same marinade using pork chops or something!
The Chilli Lime butter was delicious!!!

I will scan the web site for next weeks feast i think!!