Tag Archives: Loveforfood

Leek and Potato Soup

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Super easy dinner, have this on the table in 30minutes! Perfect warmer for those cold autumn days. As we near closer to winter its nice to warm your self up with soups, slow cookers and comforting dishes. This soup is sure comforting on a cold night!

Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2 agria potatoes, small cube
1 1/2 cup leek, sliced
1/2 onions, diced
1 clove garlic
4 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 tbsp chives, chopped
1 tbsp cream, garnish

Method:

  1. Place medium size pot on medium heat, add 1 tbsp canola oil followed by onion. leek and garlic. Saute until lightly brown, season.
  2. Add potatoes and stock. Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer for 30minutes until potato is tender.
  3. Blitz with stick blender or in stand blender.
  4. Check flavour add salt and pepper to your liking.
  5. Serve with a drizzle of cream and chopped chives.

Serves: 2-3

Serving suggestions: -Add crispy chopped bacon to your bowl when serving for a little extra. – Or keep it vege and add spinach right when your serving!

Superb Chocolate Caramel Slice

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Everyone loves a chocolatey caramel sweet treat every once and a while. Most of us also have some stray Weet-bix lying around. This recipe uses Weet-bix in the base and is super delicious with the gooey baked caramel topped with simple chocolate icing. Why not give this one a go this week or even better get in there with the kids and have a family baking day with some other tasty treats.

I’ve used EquaGold Premium Dutch Cocoa in this recipe and it just takes it from average to amazing with such a deep chocolate flavour!  You can purchased here.

Weet-Bix Chocolate Caramel Slice

Ingredients

Base
180g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup weet-bix, crumbled
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp equagold dutch cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup coconut, shaved/thread or desiccated
Caramel
1 395g tin condense milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla eseence
80g butter, cubed
Icing
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp equagold dutch cocoa
3 tbsp water

2 tbsp coconut to garnish

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Line square 20cmx20cm cake tin with baking paper base and sides. (help you to pull out once cooked.)
  3. Combine all base ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Press into the lined cake tin.
  4. In small saucepan combine condense milk, brown sugar, vanilla and butter over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly. Once thickened pour over base and bake for 30 minutes, until caramel is golden brown and bubbling.
  5. Allow to cool, once cold remove from tin.
  6. Sift icing sugar and cocoa together into bowl stir in water, add more if necessary. (needs to be a thin icing)
  7. Pour over cooled slice and smooth out evenly, top with coconut once set cut into 12 squares.

Squares: 12

Perfect with a hot cup of tea!

 

Tender Venison Necks

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Everyone who knows me knows I absolutely love a good bargain! One of my favorite things to do is get the reduced to clear meat goes very cheap and usually still has 2 days good before it must be frozen. However these were not reduced to clear they were full price $3.86 for 5 venison necks, $5.99kg now that is awesome isn’t it?

Venison is one of my favorite meats its super high in iron and very lean! Today I was in a relaxed mood as it was my day off so i decided to put the slow cooker on. I love the thing I must say switch it on in the morning by dinner time all you have to do is thicken and make some mash. Love a simple dinner and here is a beauty one im sharing with you all!

Venison necks are a nice cheap cut of meat and they have a surprising amount of meat on them to so its a great value for money meat. You can find them at most supermarkets i picked these up from pak n save however i used to get them at countdown and sometimes new world as well. The ones here are from Canterbury from a farm called the Merchant of Venison.  If your lucky enough to have wild venison or know a hunter who could get you some give it a go with that it has a more gamer flavour and is also delicious.

Slow Braised Venison Necks with Cranberry and Pumpkin
on
Swede and Agria Mash

Ingredients

5-6 venison necks
1 tsp paprika
1 onion, fine dice
1 stalk celery, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, fine dice
2 carrots
1/2 small crown pumpkin, peeled and 3-4cm dice
1 tin diced tomatoes
400ml water
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
2 tbsp cornflour + water for slurry
Swede and Agria Mash
1/4 swede, peeled and small 2cm dice
3 medium agria potatoes, peeled and 4cm dice
1 spring onion, finely sliced
50gm butter
1/8 cup milk
salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Turn slow cooker onto low.
  2. Season venison generously with salt, pepper and the paprika on both sides.
  3. Heat medium fry pan over a medium to high heat, add 1 tbsp oil followed by onion, celery and garlic. Saute until opaque add to slow cooker.
  4. Brown venison necks both sides add to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients, apart from the cornflour.
  5. Cook on low for 6 hours, combine cornflour and small amount of water to make a slurry stir into venison and cook for further 10 minutes.
  6. Bring swede and potato to the boil and cook until tender. ( it is important to cut the swede smaller as it takes longer to cook than potato.)
  7. Drain, mash and stir in butter, milk, spring onion, salt and pepper. Stir well.
  8. Serve venison necks on bed of swede and agria mash with sprinkle of crumbled feta and chopped celery leaves.

Serves: 2-4

Feijoas yes please!

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I love feijoa’s hence this is my second post on feijoa’s today ! Make the most of them while they are nice and cheap and are available. If you get a your hands on to many you can always peel and freeze for when you have a feijoa craving!

This is one of easiest cake recipe out! You put all the ingredients in the food processor so no mixing or hand beating requires! It a moist upside down feijoa and lime yoghurt cake, it goes down a treat warm with a cup of tea. Would be perfect served warm with ice-cream for a different dessert but is just as good cold!

Upside Down Feijoa and Lime Yoghurt Cake

 

Ingredients:
5 feijoa’s, peeled and slice thick rings
2 limes, zest and juice
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 cup canola oil
1 cup yoghurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients in food possessor apart from the feijoa’s!
  3. Puree until combined scrap down sides and blitz once more.
  4. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and arrange the feijoa slices along the bottom making sure there are no gaps.
  5. Pour over cake batter and bake for 40-50 minutes until golden brown and a knife comes out clean when tested.
  6. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes until turning onto serving plate.

Serve warm or cold.

*this can be made in either a loaf tin or cake tin but it is important that you line it or it wont turn our of the tin.

 

French Toast At Home

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Heres a great french toast recipe using my homemade banana bread recipe

Banana Bread French Toast with Bacon and Maple Mascarpone

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf banana bread
4 eggs
3/4 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
50gm butter, cubed
canola oil
100gm mascarpone
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup white sugar
8 rashers streaky bacon, cooked until brown and  crispy
2 bananas, thinly sliced
Extra maple syrup for serving

 

Method:

  1. Combine mascarpone and maple syrup in a bowl, mix well and set aside. Mix together cinnamon and sugar in small bowl, set aside.
  2. Whisk together eggs, cream and milk, pour into a deep rectangular dish.
  3. Slice 6 2cm thick slices of banana bread.
  4. Heat fry pan over medium heat
  5. Place banana bread into egg mix, leave for 1 minute and then turn to the other side.
  6. Add cube of butter and small amount of oil to the hot fry-pan, pick up banana bread, let excess egg mix drip off and place in hot pan.
  7. Cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
  8. Layer banana bread with crispy bacon, freshly sliced banana a dollop of maple mascarpone and dusting of cinnamon sugar

Serves: 4

Mix together mascarpone and maple syrup.

Mix together mascarpone and maple syrup.

Cut banana bread into 2 cm thick slices.

Cut banana bread into 2 cm thick slices.

Then slice in half on a angle.

Then slice in half on a angle.

Place sliced banana bread in egg, cream and milk mixture. soak 1 minute on each side.

Place sliced banana bread in egg, cream and milk mixture. soak 1 minute on each side.

Add a cube of butter and a little oil to fry pan. Brown soaked banana bread for 2 minutes each side.

Add a cube of butter and a little oil to fry pan. Brown soaked banana bread for 2 minutes each side.

Arange banana bread layered with bacon and fresh banana topped with maple mascarpone and cinnamon sugar.

Arange banana bread layered with bacon and fresh banana topped with maple mascarpone and cinnamon sugar.

Deviled Sausages a Classic

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The classic deviled sausage, I was brought up with my mother cooking this delicious meal a lot during my childhood and still to date.

Here i have created my own recipe for deviled sausage, with tart apple, tomato notes with whole grain mustard and a zing of balsamic vinegar and a hint of spice from the cayenne.

Heres the recipe I hope you enjoy making it and eating it as much as I do!

Robyn’s Deviled Sausages

Ingredients

8-9 beef or pork sausages
2 apples, cored and sliced
2 onions, medium dice
3 garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. worcester sauce
2 tbsp tomato chutney
2 tbsp. tomato sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp whole grain mustard
salt & pepper
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp. cornflour, combine with water
2 tbsp. cold water

Method

  1. If using oven method pre-heat to 180 degrees or pre-heat slow cooker to desired setting. See notes below*
  2. Heat oil and brown onions, garlic over a medium heat, remove and add to your slow cooker or oven dish.
  3. Brown sausages 2 minutes each side, add to your chosen dish.
  4. Combine brown sugar, balsamic, worcester sauce, tomato chutney, tomato sauce, soy, mustard and salt and pepper. Stir well, add to the 1 cup of vegetable stock and into your sausage, onion mix.
  5. If using oven method cover your roasting dish with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove tin foil and stir in cornflour mixture bake for a further 15 minutes with no tin foil. For slow cooker steps check below in notes.
  6. Serve alongside your favourite greens and mashed potato or rice.

I’ve served mine with some creamy garlic polenta and sautéed lemon sliver beat with red capsicum.

Serves: 4

Notes*:

For fast slow cooker: Cook on high for 1 hour and 45 minutes then add cornflour mix, stir well and cook for a further 15minutes, change to keep warm until ready to serve.
For long slow cookery, pre-heat to low and cook for 3 hours and 45 minutes add cornflour mix, stir well and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Gluten Free
Brown sausages, onions and garlic.

Pour in cornflour mixture, stir well.

Pour in cornflour mixture, stir well.

Mine is served with sautéed greens and creamy polenta.

Mine is served with sauteed greens and creamy polenta.

Stomach Pleaser

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Cauliflower and Cheese bake with Bacon Crumb

Cauliflower baked with gooey molten cheese sauce topped with bacon crumb = Stomach pleaser!

Perfect accompaniment to shepherds pie a side of cauliflower cheese.
Well tonight I thought I would change it up a wee bit and halve cook my cauliflower place in an earth ware oven proof dish and cover with cheesy chive sauce follow by a couple of slices of aged cheddar and bake until golden brown and bubbling. Sprinkle with bacon crumb and return to the oven for just a few minutes. Leaving you with a deliciously gooey cheesy baked cauliflower with crunchy bacon crumb.

Perfect side for my shepherd’s pie and balsamic cherry tomatoes!

New Zealand Food Writers Competition

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Here is the lastest page I have added to my blog, showcasing my entry into the New Zealand Venison Food Writers Competition in 2013. I did not win however I had the honor of them publishing my recipe and the picture is featured on their page and I was also mentioned in the New Zealand Hospitality magazine last year.

 

New Zealand Food Writers Competition.

Soul Packed Snack

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Coriander Spiked Guacamole with Cajun Spiced Baked Wedges

Coriander and Lime spiked Guacamole with Cajun Oven Baked Potato wedges

Fresh quality ingredients used to create a flavour packed afternoon snack.  Smooth avocado with diced red onion and fresh coriander folded in with a hint of lime zest and a squeeze of tangy lime juice, served alongside slightly spiced Cajun oven baked wedges garnished with fresh coriander, spring onion and smoked paprika. Now that’s a perfect afternoon snack or starter to any meal.

I had an abundance of Avocados and Limes were so cheap this week at the fruit and vegetable grocer I couldn’t resist.

Fresh, Quality Ingredients

Guacamole in the Making

Garnishes

Season the Base of the Bowl

Ready to be Finsihes and Served

Oven Baked Cajun Wedges

Coriander and Lime Spiked Guacamole

Coriander Spiked Guacamole with Cajun Spiced Baked Wedges

Would you like the Recipe? Comment Below

From my home to yours

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Apple Heaven
Apple Heaven

Tonight I had a sweet tooth coming on so I decided to head to the fruit one ripe banana and 3 crispy golden delicious apples.
What next?
Well I am thinking a baked apple filled with a coconut milk and cinnamon caramel , fresh banana and served with white chocolate vanilla bean custard with French vanilla ice-cream. This is my choice of spending a night with great friends.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 IMG_0161 Apple Heaven Custard and Ice-cream Complete apple heaven

Would you like this recipe to try at home? I PROMISE you will make your guests smile.

Comment below and I will post a recipe.

Its  a simple easy dessert on the table within in 30 minutes it has a beautiful contrast of flavours from tart apple too sweet caramelized banana and a velvety smooth vanilla bean custard. You will enjoy this as much as I did I PROMISE!