Fudgy Brownie Cookies

I found this recipe when searching through some old cookbooks and thought I'd give it a go. I love them! Paul isn't a fan - they are too chewy and rich for his taste but I love a good chewy cookie. This is like eating a brownie but shaped like a cookie and with a crispier outside. These are my go to sweet tooth craving cure! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 packet of brownie mix (I use Betty Crocker)

1 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp water

I cup chocolate chips 

Method:

Whisk together brownie mix, flour and sugar. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Add butter and water and mix until combined. *Note: Batter will be thick*. Fold in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350'F. Grease or line a cookie sheet. Place heaped tablespoons of mixture on cookie sheet and press down lightly with the back of a spoon. Bake 8-10 minutes. 

Caramel Turtle Cheesecake Ball

Ok - this recipe is full of everything you shouldn't eat but love. It is sinfully delicious and a hit for parties! A friend of mine has nicknamed this 'crack ball' and it has slowly stuck. no one refers to this with its actual name now. SO delicious! 

Ingredients:

8oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/3 cup icing/powdered sugar

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/2 cup choc chips

1/2 packet vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup caramel topping

Extra caramel topping for drizzling

Method:

Cream butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add caramel topping, beat well. Mix in brown sugar and powdered/icing sugar. Add vanilla and dry pudding mix and stir well. Fold in choc chips and nuts. Refrigerate mixture until it starts to set (about one hour). Shape into a ball and drizzle with extra caramel topping. Serve with fruit or chocolate cookies. 

Bec's Tips:

I like butterscotch chips so I use 1/4 cup of choc chips and 1/4 cup of butterscotch chips. I also add 1/4 cup of crushed heath bars/toffee bits. I also sprinkle extra chopped pecan nuts on top. I love to serve this with cadbury finger biscuits! 

Creamy Bacon Carbonara

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/4 cup cream

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

parsley to taste

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 pound bacon, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1/2 pound pasta (I use rigatoni)

Method:

Beat eggs, cream, cheese, parsley, salt and red pepper flakes until well combined, set aside. Fry bacon, onion and garlic until bacon is well browned, keep warm. Cook pasta, drain and add to bacon mixture. Pour cream mixture over the pasta and bacon and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until cheese has completely melted. Serve with extra parmesan cheese and garlic bread. 

Honey-Lime Chicken Skewers

This is my FAVORITE chicken recipe for the barbeque! These are so good on a hot day with summer salads! My kids even love them and they are SO fussy! Trust me - you will LOVE these!

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 red/purple onion
1 red capsicum/pepper
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 cloves of garlic, mined
1-2 tsp saracha (hot sauce)

Method:

Combine all ingredients except onion and capsicum/pepper. Allow to marinade for at least one hour. Skewer chicken alternating between meat and vegetables. Grill under chicken is cooked through. 

Parmesan Chicken Bake

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
1 cup light mayo or greek yoghurt
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 375'F. Spray the inside of a 9x13 pan. Lay the chicken inside. Mix together remaining ingredients and spread over the chicken (make sure all raw meat is covered). Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for 45 minutes. 

Easy Garlic Chicken

Ok. I am a huge chicken fan and was searching the internet one day for new recipes.I stumbled upon this one and it is my new favorite! It is so delicious and makes your house smell divine as it cooks! I am obsessed with this new recipe!

Ingredients:
4 Chicken breasts
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
4 Tbsp brown sugar
5 tsp olive oil

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 500'F. Lightly grease a casserole/baking dish or line with parchment paper. Cook onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender. Remove from the heat and stir in brown sugar. Place chicken breasts evenly in baking dish. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken so that all of the meat is covered. DO NOT leave any flesh exposed. Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 

Grandma Grinceri's Meatballs

This recipe is one of our family favorites! Paul's Grandma used to make these a lot when he was growing up and they always make him feel nostalgic! 

Ingredients:
1 kg Minced meat
2 onions, diced
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup romano cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
8-10 eggs
1 tsp salt
parsley to taste

Method:

Mix all ingredients until well combined. Roll into balls and place on a lined cookie sheet. Bake in a moderate oven until browned. 

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork & Green Sauce

This is a recipe I got from my friend Mandy and is the closest copy cat recipe to Cafe Rio that I have tried. It is so simple and easy and one of my favorite 'go to' crock pot dishes! 

Ingredients:
Pulled Pork - 
1 Pork Loin
2 Cups Salsa
2 Cups Brown Sugar

Green Sauce - 
1 1/3 Cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonaise
1 Small bunch of cilantro
I packet of hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1-2 cloves of garlic
1-2 dashes of tabasco
4 Tbsp Salsa Verde
1-2 Limes Juiced

Method:
Pulled Pork - 

Mix salsa and brown sugar in bottom of crock pot. Add Pork loin and baste with salsa mixture. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8 hours. 

Green Sauce - 
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. 

Bec's Tips: 

I don't love the taste of cilantro so I use half a bunch of cilantro and half a bunch of parsley instead. It makes the sauce not as strong. The recipe for the green sauce makes a lot so I halve it and find we still have lots left over. 

I have also made this recipe using chicken before as I had no pork. I used 4 chicken breasts and cooked it on low for 6 hours. 

Turtle Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 1/2 cups graham crackers

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

Crust Layer 2:

30 caramels

3 Tablespoons milk

1/2 Cup chopped pecans

Filling:

3 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 whole eggs

Topping:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup hot fudge, heated

10 melted caramels

Directions:

Crust:

Mix together graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Bake in 9 inch springform pan for 10 minutes. Cool

Crust Layer 2:

Place caramels and milk in microwave, melt on medium power. Pour over cooled crust, and sprinkle on the 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

Filling Directions:

Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth; scraping side of bowl to ensure creaminess. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Pour this mixture over the caramel layer on top of the crust. Bake at 325 degrees F until center is set (approximately 30-40 minutes).

Topping Directions:

Arrange pecans around outside edge of cheesecake, drizzle top with melted caramel and hot fudge.

Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Butter
I onion, chopped
1/4 Cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cans of creamy evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups of water
1 can of chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds (1 head) of cauliflower, chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 cups of cheddar cheese

Directions:
Melt butter in large pot. Add onion and cook for two minutes. Whisk in flour and salt until combined. Gradually stir in combined milk, chicken broth and water. Add cauliflower. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Allow to cool. Blend soup under smooth then return to stove. Heat (do not boil). Stir in cheese until melted. Add mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Bec's Tips: 
I like to add a tsp of garlic salt for extra flavor! My family also enjoys it when I make mini roasted curry potatoes to add instead of croutons! (Recipe coming soon). 

Cabbage Crunch Salad

My Dad had a cabbage salad at a work party one time and we tried to re-create it over Christmas last year. It turned out really yummy. This recipe is the closest I can find to the one we had.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Flavour packet from Ramen noodles

1/2 head of chinese cabbage, shredded

4 spring onions

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 packet of Ramen noodles, broken up and un cooked

1/2 cup sliced or slithered almonds, toasted

Method:

In a bowl, blender or food processor combine the oil, sugar, vinegar, salt and flavouring from the Ramen noodles. Pour over shredded cabbage. Add spring onions and sesame seeds. Toss together. Just before serving add Ramen noodles and almonds.

Hash Brown Quiche

Ingredients:

8 hash brown patties

1/2 cup butter

1 cup cubed pre-cooked ham or bacon

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup grated swiss cheese

8 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 tsp salt

Method:

Place hash brown patties in a greased baking pan. Pour melted butter evenly over the surface of the patties. Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle potatoes with ham and cheeses. In a large bowl beat eggs, add milk and salt. Stir. Pour the mixture over the cheeses, ham and patties. Return to oven and continue cooking for about 30 minutes.

Corn and Bacon Soup

Ingredients:

425g can creamed corn

2 cups chicken stock

30g butter

1/2 green capsicum

4 spring onions

2 bacon rashers

3/4 cup cream

Method:

Combine creamed corn and chicken stock, heat gently. Melt butter in a pan, add chopped capsicum, chopped spring onions and finely chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is almost crisp. Puree capsicum, onion and bacon in a blender. Add corn mixture and blend until smooth. Cool slightly, stir in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

This soup is best made the day before as it tastes better after it has been completely chilled and then reheated. It allows the flavours time to develop.

Bacon and Cheese Muffins

Ingredients:

I cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups bran

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups milk

1 egg

1 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp golden syrup

3 rashers cooked bacon

1 cup grated cheese

Method:

Sift flour, salt and baking powder. Stir in bran and sugar, and make a well in the centre. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and beat the egg slightly. Combine milk, melted butter, egg and golden syrup. Add chopped bacon and cheese to dry ingredients, then pour in milk mixture. Stir until just combined. 3/4 fill greased muffin pans and bake at 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

ANZAC Muffins

Ingredients:

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup warm milk

50g butter, melted

2 tbsp golden syrup

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 egg

2 cups flour

Method:

Dissolve baking soda in milk, then add butter, golden syrup and brown sugar and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir until just combined. 3/4 fill greased muffin pans and bake at 190 degrees for 15-20 minutes.