Seafood Chowder

Shamelessly stolen from Nadia Lim, but we make slight changes every time we make it.

Ingredients 

• butter 50 grams
• leek 1, finely chopped (white part only)
• garlic 3 cloves, finely chopped
• plain flour 2 level tablespoons
• milk 2½ cups
• fish or chicken stock 2½ cups
• cream ½ cup
• handful shellfish in shells (eg mussels or clams) scrubbed and cleaned – optional
• raw fish eg monkfish, snapper, tarakihi, hapuku 250 grams, cut into 3-4cm chunks
• raw prawns (and/or scallops) 250 grams
• smoked fish or salmon 200 grams, flaked
• lemon ½, juice
• finely chopped parsley ¼ cup
• chives, to serve ¼ cup, chopped

Method

1. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook leek and garlic with a good pinch of salt for a few minutes or until soft.
   

2. Stir in the flour and cook, while stirring continuously, for about 1 minute.
   

3. Stir in about ½ cup of the milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps forming. Gradually stir in the rest of the milk, then the stock and cream. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
   

4. Add seafood (if using shellfish, add first and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding other seafood) and continue to simmer for a few minutes or until seafood is just cooked through. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Stir in parsley.
   

5. Ladle into bowls, distributing seafood equally, and garnish with chives.Serve with warm flatbread smeared with garlic and herb butter.

Pasta and Bean Soup

A lovely chunky soup that freezes well.  Perfect for a filling lunch or a light dinner.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
50-100g cubed ham or chopped bacon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 bay leaves (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
400g can whole tomatoes in juice
425g can red kidney beans
440g can four bean mix (or any bean mix you can get)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup short pasta (macaroni, etc)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pot.
Add the garlic and onion (plus ham or bacon if using) and cook, without browning, until the onion is soft and clear.
Stir in the chili powder, bay leaves and thyme.
Cook for one minute longer.

Add the canned tomatoes, beans and the stock. Heat until boiling, then add the pasta. Allow to boil gently until the pasta is cooked (usually 10-12 minutes), then add salt and pepper to taste.

Chocolate cardamom pudding with chai ice-cream

This is another recipe from taste.com.au - they say that it was the winner of their 5th birthday celebration. It sounds like a yummy mix, given that I've recently got into chai flavouring. However, I'm not big on making icecream, so am thinking of just mixing some chai flavouring into vanilla icecream, and making the pudding separate.

Ingredients:

Ice cream:
1 cup whole milk
150g caster sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cardamom pods
6 cloves
4 dried black peppercorns
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger
2 cups cream
6 egg yolks
2 tablespoons loose leaf black tea

Pudding:
100g dark chocolate, chopped
50g butter
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 cup plain flour

Method:
1. For the ice-cream, put the milk and 150g sugar in a saucepan. Add cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, and ginger and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.
2. In a jug, mix the cream and 6 egg yolks together. Add this to the milk mixture and stir constantly until the mixture thickens.
3. Add the tea, turn off the heat, cover saucepan and allow to infuse for about 20 minutes. Strain, chill the mixture in the fridge, and once cool, pour into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the ice-cream maker's instructions.
4. For the puddings, grease two 200ml metal pudding moulds. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
5. Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and 1 egg yolk with 50g sugar with an electric beater until thick.
6. Add the chocolate mixture to the beaten eggs and fold in the flour and the ground cardamom. Pour mixture into moulds and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the top feels firm but the middle is still soft. Allow to cool in moulds for 2 minutes before turning out. Serve with the ice-cream

Chicken Tikka Masala Kebabs

Taken from the taste.com.au website, these would be yummy with a green salad in summer, I reckon.

Ingredients:
2 tbs tikka masala paste
1 1/2 cups (420g) thick Greek-style yoghurt
1kg skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces
1 bunch coriander
2 tsp caster sugar
4cm piece ginger, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
1 telegraph cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tbs sunflower oil

Method:
1. Soak 8 wooden skewers in cold water for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine tikka masala paste with 1 cup (280g) yoghurt and season well. Coat the chicken in the marinade, then cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. Place coriander stalks and leaves, sugar, ginger, garlic, olive oil and half the lime juice in a food processor and whiz until a coarse puree. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup (140g) yoghurt. Season. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, toss the cucumber with remaining lime juice. Season. Set aside.
5. Heat sunflower oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers, then cook, turning, for 8-10 minutes until cooked through.
6. Serve the skewers with coriander dressing and cucumber salad.

Parmesan Scrolls

These sound like a variation on cheese sticks (which I make with edam cheese and cayenne pepper) - I'm loving the idea of parmesan, though!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
Coarse salt and ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for rolling
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten

Method:
1. In a bowl, mix cheese and paprika; season with salt and pepper.
2. On a floured surface, roll out pastry to 10 by 14 inches.
3. Brush with egg. Sprinkle with cheese mixture; using a rolling pin, roll mixture into pastry.
4. Roll up pastry, starting from short end. Refrigerate until firm, about 25 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. Cut roll into 3/8-inch-thick slices.
7. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheet; transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Lemon Yoghurt Cake

This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, I believe - sounds yummo!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of a standard-sized loaf pan with parchment paper – grease and flour the pan.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes – until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear – set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool the cake.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Knobbly Stirfry

I've named this Knobbly Stirfry, because it's sort of a veriation on Knobbly Mince variation - I made it up as I went along at dinnertime tonight, and it turned out pretty well!

Ingredients:
Zucchini - I used one large (almost-marrow) size, but 2 regular-sized would work just as well
Carrots - I used two small-ish ones
Crushed garlic - 1 tsp
Crushed ginger - 1 tsp
Stirfry beef - I used two pieces of schnitzel, cut into stirfry strips

Method:
1. Grate carrots and zucchini
2. Cook meat with garlic and ginger
3. Add vegetables and cook until the mixture is dry (zucchinis have a lot of water in them!)
4. Enjoy!

Bacon Spinach Dip

Have you ever seen those dips in a hollowed-out loaf of bread? This is one of them - sounds great, so now I'm just looking for an excuse to make it!

Ingredients:
1 loaf bread with solid crust
Olive oil
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed & well drained
2 medium tomatoes, ripe & chopped

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Carve out center core of bread within one inch of bottom and sides, keeping bread intact.
Cut reserved bread horizontally into 1/2-inch layers.
3. Brush both sides of layers with olive oil. Use cookie cutters to cut bread layers into fun shapes; place on foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Brush inside of bowl lightly with olive oil.
5. Place bowl on separate baking sheet.
6. Bake bowls and bread shapes for 11-13 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Blend mayo and sour cream together in a medium bowl. Add bacon and spinach; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
8. Just before serving, stir in tomatoes; salt and pepper to taste.
9. Transfer to bread bowl and serve with toasted bread shapes.

Banana Bread

How easy and yummy does this sound? I might just have the ingredients to try this tonight!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113g) butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
2 1/3 cups bananas (overripe, mashed)

Method:
1. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cream the butter and brown sugar in another bowl.
3. Stir the eggs and banana into the butter and sugar.
4. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture.
5. Pour the batter into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven until a tooth pick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

White Chocolate Brownies

I love the bit at the end of this recipe that says the brownies (surely they're whities though, aren't they?!) can be frozen - I doubt they'll make it to even room temperature in our house!

Ingredients:
125g butter, chopped
250g white chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, lightly beaten,
1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
2 cups chocolate chips

Makes 24 brownies.
I have used two patty cake pans with a 1/4 cup (water) capacity. Generously spray with non-stick baking spray or line with paper cases. Larger muffin pans can be used just be aware that you will make less brownies and need to bake them a little longer.

Baking temperature.
The oven should be preheated to 160oC (325oF)

Method:
1. In a medium size microwave safe bowl heat the chopped butter on high for 30 seconds. Stir then repeat for another 30 seconds, the butter should be melted. Add the white chocolate and heat for another 30 seconds. Remove and stir until blended. You may need a further 20 seconds. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly so that you do not cook the eggs when you add them.
2. Add the brown sugar and the beaten eggs. Stir through.
3. Add the sifted flour and stir through until smooth.
4. Divide the brownie batter evenly into the patty cake pans. Using a small icecream scoop makes this quick and easy.
5. Evenly divide the chocolate chips and press lightly into the top of the batter. Don’t be suprised by how many there are I have been very generous but then again I really love rich chocolate brownies. The reason I do not mix the chocolate chips into the batter is that this way you can instantly see what type of brownie you are eating increasing their WOW! factor.
6. Bake in a preheated oven set to 160oC (325oF) for 22 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a cake rack to cool completely. If you have not use paper liners take great care, I usually use a flat knife to help lift them out.
8. Store in an airtight container for one week. The white chocolate brownies can be frozen for up to two months.

Farmer's Casserole

Thanks to Pinterest for this one - sounds like a tasty dish for winter.

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers or shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
1 cup diced cooked ham, cooked breakfast sausage or Canadian-style bacon
1/4 cup sliced green onions (2)
4 beaten eggs or 1 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
1-1/2 cups milk or one 12-ounce can evaporated milk or evaporated fat-free milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
add ingredients to list

Method:
1. Coat a 2-quart square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with cheese, ham, and green onions.
2. In a bowl combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in dish.
3. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.
4. Make-ahead directions: Prepare as above through step 2. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
5. Farmer's Casserole for 12: Prepare as above, except double all ingredients and use a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Creamy Avocado Pesto with Spinach and Arugula

I love pasta, so will definitely be trying this one out soon.

Ingredients:
1 ripe medium avocado, halved, peeled, and seeded
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup baby arugula leaves
1/2 packed cup fresh basil leaves, washed
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about one lime, you could probably use lemon juice as well)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup lightly toasted pinenuts (or could sub sliced almonds)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 lb pasta of choice

Optional garnish:
Basil leaves
Toasted pine nuts
Additional grated parmesan

Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according the package’s instructions or until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain and reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Place drained pasta in a serving bowl.
2. While pasta cooks, use a spoon and scoop out the flesh from the avocado and place in a food processor. Add the spinach, arugula, basil leaves, lime juice, garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour the pesto over the pasta and toss together. Add the cheese and toss together until coated, adding the pasta water a little at a time as needed, to loosen the sauce (I only needed a couple tablespoons). Garnish with additional cheese, pine nuts and basil, if desired, and enjoy!

Tomato, Basic and Bocconcini Chicken

Renee sent me this recipe through a recipe swap email - it sounds like a super-yummy dish, so it'll be tried out very soon here!

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This dish is sooooo scrummy. I get really excited when I see it coming up on our menu planner! Bocconcini has to be one of my favourite cheeses - It is usually a "one for the dish, one for my mouth" scenario when I am using it in recipes ;)

Tomato, Basil & Bocconcini Chicken
1 400g tin diced tomatoes
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons of shredded fresh basil
Olive oil spray
2 single chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced horizontally
75g bocconcini, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 190 celsius.
Heat tomato in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add garlic and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in basil and season with pepper.

Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray. Heat over high heat.
Add half the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to an oven proof dish and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken and bake in oven for 10 minutes.
Arrange the bocconcini over the chicken and bake for a further 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

The website that I found this recipe on (www.taste.com.au) recommends serving this dish over polenta....which is very yummy. However I find that my arm practically falls off when I have to stir that polenta for hours as it cooks...so I prefer to serve it over cous cous with a little side salad. Just as yummy :)

Triple Butterscotch Cake

Borrowed from here, this cake sounds complicated but delicious! Might have to make one for our wedding anniversary coming up in a month's time.

Yield: One (2 layer) 8-inch cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:
2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) butter, softened
2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

For the butterscotch buttercream:
1 pound butter, softened (Yep, a pound. You read it correctly.)
2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoons dark rum
2-2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar***I actually ended up using about 3 cups because the consistency was not what I wanted.

For the butterscotch sauce:
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Method:
1. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Beat in the oil until well combined.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down th sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Beat in the rum and the vanilla.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
7. Add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, alternating with the sour cream.
8. Mix in the chopped pecans, and continue to beat at medium speed for one minute more.
9. Butter and flour your 8-inch cake pans.
10. Divide the cake batter among the pans, filling about 2/3 full.
11. Bake the cake at 325F degrees for 40-50 minutes, until it is golden brown and a cake tester inserted emerges clean.
12. Transfer both the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
13. For the buttercream: Melt 8 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it turns deep golden brown and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
14. Add the brown sugar, cream, and salt, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 3 minutes longer.
15. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat it at high speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch, 8-10 minutes.
16. Beat in the rum.
17. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the remaining butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating until incorporated. Continue to beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy.
18. Add enough confectioner’s sugar to the mixture to achieve a thick and spreadable consistency. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
19. For the sauce: Place the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.
20. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
21. Remove the mixture from the heat and mix in the cream.
22. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook for 2 minutes more; let cool to lukewarm.
23. Once everything is completely cooled, place a layer of frosting on one top of a cake, followed by a thin layer of the butterscotch sauce.
24. Place the other cake layer on top, and spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake.
25. Refrigerate for at least one hour (this will help “glue” crumbs down and serve as a nice, smooth canvas for you to apply the “real” frosting later.)
26. Once set, decorate the cake as desired. Garnish with extra pecans (optional.)

Pillow Cheesecake with Salted Butter Caramel Sauce

This sounds absolutely divine - the chef of this recipe can be found here. All the annotations in the recipe are her's - I've left them there because they sound quite helpful!

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It is better to start the cake a day ahead of time, as it needs to refrigerate for a leat 6 hours.

Chocolate Shortbread Base, from Trish Deseine:
250 gr. butter, very cold, cubed small
85 gr. sugar
300 gr. flour
25 gr. cacao powder

Preheat the oven to 350.Work the butter, sugar, flour and cacao with a food processor or your fingers to get a sandy mixture. Work the dough for a minute. Divide the dough in half. Reserve one half to make shortbread cookie or refrigerate for another time.Press one half into the bottom of a 10 or 12 inch springform pan. Bake for 40 minutes.Let cool completely.

Cheesecake Batter:
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter (115 gr), softened
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
2 Tb. cornstarch, sifted
zest of one lemon

Combine the cream cheese, butter, sugar, lemon zest, creme fraiche and cornstarch in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until combine. Do not incorporate too much air or the cake will crack. Make sure the cream cheese and butter are very soft. Add the egg yolks one at a time and whip just until combined.Whip the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold them in the cream cheese batter.
Pour the batter over the chocolate shortbread crust. The batter will reach the rim of the cake. Wrap your springform pan with heavy duty aluminium foil, set it in a large roasting pan, add enough hot water to come up halfway up the side of the pan. Bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the oven off, crack the door of the oven open and let your cake cool in there for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate completely for a few hours or better yet overnight.

Salted Butter Caramel Sauce, adapted from Guillemette:
240 gr. sugar
80 ml water
115 gr salted butter
150 ml heavy whipping cream

In a heavy saucepan set over low heat, combine the sugar and water and heat just until the sugar is dissolved. Add the butter. Let it come to a boil and cook until it reaches a golden caramel color. Remove from the heat and add the cream ( it will splatter and get crazy, but do not fear and trust the recipe). Whisk to combine and put back on the stove. Let it come to a boil again over low heat and cook 10-15 minutes until you reach a nice creamy consistency. Pour into a jar and try to refrain yourself from drinking it!

Black Olive Penguins

How cute are these little guys?! Perfect for entertaining. I found them on Pinterest - here's the original link.

Ingredients:
1 can (about 16) colossal pitted black olives, drained
16 (give or take) small pitted black olives, drained
about 4 ounces (1/2 of a standard 8 oz brick) of Cream Cheese- I like the 1/3 less fat Neufchatel here as it is softer and easier to stuff into the olives
16 thin slices (give or take) of the fat end of a peeled carrot
8 green onions, long green section only
16 (give or take) toothpicks

Method:
1. Cut a small triangular wedge out of each carrot slice.
2. Use a skewer or toothpick to push the narrow end of a carrot triangle through the wide hole of each small olive until it pokes out the narrow pitted hole.
3. Make a lengthwise slice halfway into each colossal olive. Gently hold the olive open and push as much cream cheese into the opening as you can, filling the olive. Use your fingers or a paper towel to tidy up along the edges of the opening.
4. Place a filled olive, large hole side down, on a carrot round, lining up the white of the cream cheese with the wedge cut from the carrot round. Use a toothpick pushed down through the center to hold the "chest" of the penguin to the "feet".
5. Push one head, "beak" side lined up with the "chest" and "feet" down onto the toothpicks.
6. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Flaxseed Crackers

I'm not too sure about these - the instructions sound simple enough, but I'm fairly skeptical about how well they'll actually stay together.  I'll try it out and let you know!

Ingredients:
1 cup flax seeds
1 cup water
4 cups chopped sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 tsp salt

Method:
1. Soak flax seeds in water for one hour.
2. Combine all ingredients together and mix well.
3. Spread mixture out on baking paper for 5mm thickness
4. Score cracker sizes before baking.
5. Set oven to lowest temperature and leave the door open a crack.
6. Bake crackers for about 3 hours.
7. Flip crackers and bake for another 30-60 minutes.

Coconut Cloud Cake

This is a Martha Stewart recipe, and looks too good not to include a photo - I love how white it is on the inside.

Ingredients:

For The Cake:
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
14 large egg whites (1 3/4 cups), room temperature
1 tablespoon warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For The Seven-Minute Frosting:
3 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 tablespoons cold water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Topping:
3 to 4 cups flaked coconut

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a fine sieve, sift together flour and 3/4 cups sugar four times.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed, beat together egg whites and water until foamy. Add salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium-high and sprinkle in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff but not dry.
3. Transfer to a large bowl. In six additions, sift dry ingredients over meringue, folding in quickly but gently.
4. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom. Smooth top with an offset spatula.  Run a knife through batter to release air bubbles. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and springy to touch.
5. Invert pan on its legs or over the neck of a glass bottle, and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
6. Make the frosting: In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites, sugar, water, and cream of tartar. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
7. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the mixture on high speed until glossy and voluminous, about 7 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
8. Carefully run a long offset spatula or knife around the inner and outer perimeter of the cake pan to release cake.
9. Place on a plate, bottom side up. Using a long serrated knife, carefully slice off 1 1/2 inches from the top of the cake, being sure not to break the layer. Set aside. Cut out a 1-inch-wide, 1-inch-deep channel halfway between the center and edge of cake. Spread icing into channel and over entire layer. Sprinkle with coconut.
10. Gently place reserved layer on top and ice with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with coconut and serve immediately.

Healthy Chocolate Pudding

I'm quite intrigued the sound of this one - simple and healthy, and with avocado for dessert. I'll have to give it a go, and feed it to the family without telling them what's in it...

Ingredients:
2 avocados
1 banana
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup dates, pitted, soaked in water for a few hours, and drained
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Transfer to a bowl or individual serving bowls and chill several hours before serving.

Homemade Oven Fries

I just thought I'd post this because, although quite straightforward and not in need of a recipe, it's been a huge success with my boys lately. Yay!

Ingredients:
Potatoes (I used red skinned ones, unpeeled)
Olive oil
Salt

Method:
1. Wash potato, cut out any eyes or other nasties.
2. Cut lengthwise into chip shapes - shoestring or chunky.
3. Place in a shallow microwave dish with some water barely covering them.
4. Cook for 5 minutes on high.
5. Drain and pat dry.
6. Place in a single layer in an oven dish that's been pregreased with olive oil.
7. Slosh olive oil over the top.
8. Bake at 325°C until crispy - time will vary depending on the thickness of the chips. Turn occasionally.
9. Drain on paper towels before serving and sprinkle with salt if desired.

Note: olive oil produces the nicest tasting chips, we've decided! If you find another oil that produces a nice flavour, do let me know.