Tag Archives: Foodie

Caramel Oreo Cheesecake Celebration Cake

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Are you wanting to create a show stopping cake for a special someone or to just treat the fam? Well do I have the cake for you, Caramel oreo cheesecake cake. The title could be a little confusing so let me explain. Dark chocolate velvet cake with dollops of cream cheese and oreo cookies baked into it creating a baked cheesecake texture. Then layered with cream cheese icing, bakers dulce de leche caramel and finally some more oreo crumb.

Caramel Oreo Cheesecake Celebration Cake

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
250ml water
2/3 cup canola oil
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
125gm cream cheese
1 cup.  oreos, crushed
Icing
2 1/2 cup icing sugar
250gm cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
To garnish
Bakers of Geraldine Dulce de leche caramel (found at most supermarkets)
1x packet Oreos, crushed

Method:

  1. Pre-heat to 180ºc fan bake.
  2. Line 2x sponge tins with baking paper on base and sides, if you spray with oil the baking paper sticks like a dream.
  3. In bowl sieve together flour, baking soda, cocoa, sugar into a bowl and whisk to add air and incorporate all ingredients.
  4. Add oil, vanilla, water and vinegar to dry ingredients and whisk until batter is smooth. Pour evenly into lined sponge tins.
  5. Add dollops of cream cheese to both tins followed by the crushed oreos.
  6. Bake for 28 minutes until cake springs back when touched.
  7. Allow cakes to cool, remove from tin and place on  your cake stand or serving plate.
  8. To make the icing, sieve icing sugar into stand mixer bowl and add vanilla and cream cheese. Whisk for 5 minutes until light and fluffy make sure you scrape down the sides.
  9. Remove lid from caramel jar and microwave for 30 seconds.
  10. Lather half the icing on the base cake, drizzle over caramel and sprinkle with oreos.
  11. Top with second cake and repeat making a ring around the edge with the oreos this time followed by caramel.

Serves 10-12

 

Oaty Cashew Ginger Crunch

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Just out of the blue I had a craving for ginger crunch! So decided to change it slightly and add some salted cashew nuts to the base and a sprinkle in the topping. Its a good addition to your classic and think I will be making this one again soon.

I really enjoy using brands that are an affordable price but also a good quality, this recipe is made 100% from Pams. I didn’t realize until I had all of the ingredients out, they are clearly my go to!

Oaty Cashew Ginger Crunch

Ingredients
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup salted cashews
250 gm butter
Icing
80 gm butter
3 tbsp. golden syrup
2 1/4 cup icing sugar
3 tsp. ground ginger
2 tbsp. salted cashews, rough chop
2 tbsp. crystalized ginger, diced

Method:

  1.  Pre-heat oven to 180ºc.
  2. Line square cake tin with baking paper and half way up the sides.
  3. In food processor combine all ingredients for the base and process for 2-3 minutes until a dough is forming.
  4. Press into tin evenly and bake for 22 minutes until brown, remove and allow to cool slightly.
  5. Sift icing sugar and ginger into a large bowl. Melt golden syrup and butter in microwave or stove top until melted.
  6. Stir the butter golden syrup mixture into the icing sugar until smooth, pour and smooth over slice base.
  7. Cut crystalized ginger and cashews and sprinkle over icing push in slightly and allow to set.
  8. Cut and store in an airtight container.

Serves 10-12 slices

 

 

Blueberry Banana Cake

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Bananas are one of the easiest fruit to get your hands on which is great for cake making. Sometimes the kids don’t eat them and they get squished, brown in their school bags or the fruit bowl. Over ripe brown bananas are the best for banana cakes as they get a little sweeter. One of my top berries is blueberries fresh or frozen and they go insanely good with bananas.  We were wanting to change the humble banana cake up slightly so I added some blueberries and finished with the easiest vanilla cream cheese icing. The man of the house is very happy he has a sweet treat going into the lunch box this week.

Blueberry Banana Cake

Ingredients

125 gm. butter, softened
1/2 cup. brown sugar
1/4 cup. white sugar
3 eggs
4 ripe bananas
1 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. milked, warmed
2 cup. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup. blueberries
Cream Cheese Icing
125 gm. cream cheese
1 1/2 cup. icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Method:

  1.  Pre-heat oven to 180 degress.
  2. Cream butter, sugar in bowl or stand mixer until it is soft and pale, scrap down the sides.
  3. Beat in eggs 1 at a time followed by the banana. I don’t mash this before hand because it has more texture in my opinion.
  4. Add baking soda to the warmed milk and stir. Sift flour and baking powder into bowl and add the warm milk mixture.
  5. Give a light stir, fold in blueberries and pour into lined cake tin. Don’t over stir as it will make the cake go blue.
  6. Bake for 45 minutes until skewer comes out clean, allow to cool.
  7. In stand mixer or with electric beater, add cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla to bowl and beat for 2 minutes then scrap down sides and beat for 1 more minute.
  8. Cover your cake and enjoy.

Serves: 10-12 slices

 

Pumpkin Corn and Bacon Chowder

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With a massive winter front hitting Canterbury this weekend with rain, sleet and snow depending where you are there are only a few things perfect for this type of weather and they are staying at home in the warmth with good company. good food, good book or movie and pjs.

Well for the good food option on this wintery Sunday I have chosen to make a chowder now they don’t have to be seafood based to be good! Pumpkin season is currently here also so crown pumpkins are very, very cheap! I picked a small one up for $1 which was a great bargain. I wanted to make something different this time rather than your standard pumpkin soup which I have a couple of variations on already. So here it is folks Pumpkin, corn and bacon chowder.

Pumpkin Corn and Bacon Chowder

Ingredients:
1 small crown pumpkin, peeled and 2-3cm dice
2 tbsp. garlic, small dice
1 cup. bacon, diced
1 small brown onion, diced
50gm. butter
1/2 cup. white flour
1 litre. chicken or vege stock, hot
1/2 cup cream
1 tin corn kernels in spring water
salt and pepper

Garlic bread to serve

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees fan bake.
  2. Add pumpkin, garlic, salt and pepper to lined baking tray and roast for 22 minutes until tender.
  3. In a large heavy based pot fry onion, bacon and butter cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent., over a medium heat.
  4. Add flour and stir constantly, cook for 2 minutes now add half a cup of the hot stock and stir in well this will thicken, now add another 1/2 cup of stock and cook out. Repeat this step until all stock has been used.
  5. Do not add it all at once or it won’t thicken properly.
  6. Add cream, corn and pumpkin, allow to simmer for 10minutes and check your seasoning I added quiet a bit of seasoning for it to be a perfect flavour.
  7. Serve with buttery toast or garlic butter.

Makes 3 liters

 

Beef Stroganoff

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It was the first day of winter yesterday here in New Zealand and its a season I don’t overly enjoy. However one of the highlights of this cold season is the comfort food that comes along with it. As im sitting here writing this post I’ve just enjoyed a nice hot bowl of pumpkin, corn and bacon chowder which I will be sharing with you soon.

Beef Strog is something that has warmed up to me as I have grown older, but now I highly enjoy the dish and decided to whip one up for our lunch yesterday and a easy recipe for all of you.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:
1 red onion, sliced
1 tsp. garlic
200gm meadow mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tbsp. butter
500gm beef stir-fry
6 tbsp. canola oil
salt and pepper
70gm tomato paste
3/4 cup gherkins, sliced
250gm sour cream
1/2 cup. cream
1 tbsp. sugar

Rice or pasta to serve

Method:

  1. Heat fry pan over high heat add 2 tbsp. oil.
  2. Coat stir-fry beef with salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
  3. Fry beef in two batches to achieve nice brown colour around 2 minutes each side, once browned put in a bowl and set aside.
  4. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in your fry pan add onions and garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add mushrooms and butter cook for a further 2 minutes.
  5. Add gherkins, tomato paste, cream and sour cream stir well, add beef and its juices.
  6. Cook for a further 10minutes add sugar and check seasoning.
  7. Serve with rice or cooked pasta.

Serves: 3-4

Sunday Brunch

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Looking for something yummy to make for breakfast in bed or treat the other half? Here’s a simple recipe that will please you both; Creamy mushrooms and zucchini with fresh thyme. I served mine with poached eggs but you could easily just have them on chunky toast without eggs or take it to a whole new level and add crispy bacon as well as the poached eggs. This is a super fast recipe have it on a plate and in your mouth within 20 minutes.

Creamy Mushrooms and Zucchini with Fresh Thyme

Ingredients:
250gm button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. crushed garlic
3 tbsp. canola oil
70gm butter
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 spinach balls, pams frozen portions
1/2 cup cream
To Serve
Toasted Vienna or Ciabatta bread
Poached eggs

Method:

  1. Heat fry pan over high heat add oil, butter, mushrooms, zucchini, garlic salt, pepper and crushed garlic.
  2. Fry for 3-4 minutes until starting to brown, add spinach balls and cook for a further 3 minutes.
  3. Add cream allow to reduce and cook out for a further 5-6 minutes.
  4. Poach eggs and toast your Vienna bread.
  5. Check your seasoning and serve on buttered toasted Vienna with poached eggs.

Serves: 2-3

Venison Rigatoni

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Pasta, their is something very comforting about sitting down to a big bowl of hearty pasta after a long day at work. Been dreaming of a having rigatoni pasta and was leaving work the other day and venison mince caught my eye and well that, was that!

I’ve used venison with a tomato base and raisins for a bit of sweetness finished with some crunchy green beans and baby spinach. My partner and I were both pretty happy with the outcome but why don’t you be the judge and make it for yourself ?

Venison Rigatoni

Ingredients:
500gm Venison mince
1/2 white onion, diced
1 tbsp. fresh garlic crushed
2 tbsp. oil
1c tin diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 continental beef stock jelly pot
1 cup. raisins
1/4 cup. red wine
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. Worchester sauce
500gm rigatoni pasta
salt and pepper
200gm green beans
1 1/2 cup baby spinach

Method:

  1.  Heat frypan over medium to high heat add oil, onions and garlic until brown.
  2. Add chunks of venison mince and brown pieces season well.
  3. Add raisins,  tomato paste, stock, sugar, Worchester sauce and red wine. Stir well to combine and add tin tomatoes, simmer for 30minutes over a low heat.
  4. Cook your rigatoni pasta in boiling well salted water for 11 minutes and drain keeping 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
  5. Blanch green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes and run under cold water to keep them nice and green.
  6. Add venison base to drained pasta with blanched green beans and baby spinach followed by the 1/2 cup of pasta water.
  7. Stir well to combine check and adjust your seasoning.

Serves:4-6

Sticky Pork and Broccoli Udon Noodles

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Sometimes you really want takeaways but it can be much cheaper making it yourself. I’m happy to say these pork udon noodles are delicious we both ended up going back for seconds and there was none left for lunches, we were not complaining though!!

Minimal amount of effort went into this dinner only 3 vegetables broccoli, capsicum and mushrooms and the udon noodles come pre-cooked they just need rinsing and added to the hot sauce. I just got my udon noodles in 200gm packets from the mad butcher they will sell these at most supermarket and Asian grocers.  The sauce base for this recipe could be used with chicken, beef or just vegetables its a very versatile mix of Asian flavours. The udon noodles soak up the sauce and are just delicious!

Sticky Pork and Broccoli Udon Noodles

Ingredients:
400gm pork mince, room temp
1 red capsicum, sliced
1 1/2 cup broccoli, small florets
3-5 button mushrooms, sliced
1 spring onion, sliced
3 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. sweet soy
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
2 tsp. crushed ginger
1 tbsp. crushed garlic
1 tbsp. sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped
1 tsp white sugar
1/4 tsp. fish sauce
2 cups water
2 tbsp. corn flour
400 gm. udon noodles. precooked
2 tbsp. sesame seeds to serve

Method:

  1. Heat a large fry pan on a high heat, add 2 tbsp. of oil and pork mince in spoonful’s. Brown each side 3-4 minutes until golden.
  2. In a bowl combine soy sauces, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, coriander, sweet chili and sugar together. Pour into hot fry pan over beef coasting the beef remove from fry pan into bowl and set aside. Sprinkle with corn flour and mix in well.
  3. Heat remaining oil in fry pan and add broccoli, mushrooms and capsicum sauté for few minutes until browned add 1 cup of water and let cook out until all water is evaporated and vegetables are tender.
  4. Add pork and sauce back to the fry pan. Let cook out for 2 minutes to start thickening, add last remaining cup of water and rinse udon noodles.
  5. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve with sesame seeds and chopped spring onion.

Serves: 2-4

Paprika and Capsicum Venison Sausages

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I love devilled sausages, well anything that has meat and a gravy like sauce to be honest with you! But what if you want to make your own from scratch? I have made a simple yet very satisfying alternative using venison sausages, which could easily swapped for beef finished with a thick bold gravy. I served this simple dish with some sesame cumin roast pumpkin, white rice and handful of spinach.  This dinner was on the plate and ready to eat within 30 minutes of starting so it would be perfect for a week night meal!

Paprika and Capsicum Venison Sausages with Sesame Cumin Roast Pumpkin

Ingredients:
5-8 venison sausages
3 tsp. canola oil
1 onion, sliced
1 red capsicum, 3cm chunks
1 tsp. garlic
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tbsp. cornflour
1/4 cup. Worchester sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 cup. water or stock
salt and pepper
Roast Sesame Pumpkin
1/2 small crown pumpkin, sliced
1 tsp, cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tbsp. garlic, thinly sliced
salt and pepper

To serve steamed rice and 1/2 bag baby spinach

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven 200 degress fan bake.
  2. Peel pumpkin and slice, lay out on lined roasting dish and sprinkle with cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, slat pepper and oil. Roast for 25 minutes
  3. Heat fry pan over medium heat, add oil and sliced onion sauté slightly and add sausage browning each side around 2 minutes on each.
  4.  Add capsicum, garlic and paprika stir to combine.
  5. Sprinkle with cornflour until mixed in well.
  6. Combine Worchester sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and stock in a jug.
  7. Pour into sauces stirring well to avoid lumps, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for a further 10 minutes until thick and glossy.
  8. Check your seasoning, and remove pumpkin from oven this will be tender.
  9. Serve sausages on rice with a handful of fresh baby spinach and the roast sesame pumpkin.

Serves 3-4