Corn and Feta Pikelets



Looking for that classy starter for a picnic, dinner party or even something nutritious for kindy or school lunches?  This versatile base can be topped with all manner of deliciousness.
This recently made it into our picnic basket for an evening at the "Simply Red" concert, it sure did impress fellow attendees.

Great to make ahead and freeze also.

Ingredients

Half a tin of creamed corn (220gm)
1/4 cup of milk
150gms feta
1 egg
2 green spring onions
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon dried mint
1 cup Self Raising flour
Black pepper


Method

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined.

Heat a small amount of oil in a frypan and spoon in a large teaspoon of batter. Turn once browned on one side and cook till pikelets are still moist but cooked through so there is no raw mixture.

Cool then top with favourite topping.

Topping ideas

Smoked Salmon and sour cream
Guacamole
Caramelised onion
Prawn & Dill
Salsa of fried chorizo, herbs, tomato and chilli (pictured recipe)

Mamma Marmalade

Panna Cotta

 

This is a failsafe basic Panna Cotta recipe for you to "pimp" with any flavour combination you are after.  Here we have included lime zest in the Panna Cotta and then topped with some diced mango.

Ingredients

480ml milk
4 sheets gelatine (available at good delis)
240ml cream
Zest of 1 lime
1/2 vanilla pod, split lengthways
100g caster sugar

Method

Place 60ml of the milk in a small bowl and pour the gelatine on top. Stir to combine and set aside.
Place the remaining milk in a saucepan, add cream, lime zest and vanilla pod.
Heat gently until it starts to simmer.
Add the sugar, stir to dissolve.
Add the gelatine mixture and stir constantly to dissolve the gelatine completely.

Pour into your favourite mould and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until well set.
Either top with fruit in container or unmould by gently running a small knife around the edge of the custard and upending onto individual serving plates.

Serve with berries or tropical fruit.

My favourite

Mamma Marmalade

Rouladen

Looking for a tasty dinner to serve to your friends following a Paleo or no carbohydrates diet?

This is your salvation, the flavours make every mouthful a taste sensation, thank you Samantha for sharing your zucchini pasta idea.

Ingredients

Rouladen

6 slices thinly cut veal or topside steak
German mustard
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
300mls Water or beef stock
Olive Oil

Stuffing
400g pork or veal mince
1 small onion grated
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Mix all together

Zucchini Pasta
4 zucchini
Trim both ends off zucchini
Using a peeler, peel slices of zucchini from each side, avoiding the seeds in the middle.
Sauté with olive oil and crushed garlic until al dente.

Stuffed Tomato
4 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
2 slices of Capsicum, charred, and chopped
2 small chillies, finely chopped (available from the deli)
1 roasted artichoke heart, chopped (available from the deli)
4 olives, chopped
6 sprigs of thyme, chopped

Combine all ingredients, scoop out flesh of tomato, add half of the flesh to the stuffing ingredients.
Spoon stuffing into Tomato.
Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour.

Roulades Method
Preheat Oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Flatten meat between two pieces of cling wrap with a rolling pin or meat cleaver.
Spread mustard over the meat, then spoon a dessertspoon of stuffing at one end.
Roll up and tie with kitchen string or secure with a small skewer or toothpick.
Heat oil in a large heavy base casserole pan fry the roulades until brown on all sides.
Remove roulades and add onion, carrot and celery to the pan.
Sauté for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Add stock or water, scraping all meat crust from the bottom of the pan.
Return roulades to the pan, cover and pop in a moderate oven for 2 hours.

Very healthy

Mamma Marmalade

Chicken Bacon and Almond filled Croissants

Sometimes I wonder where the years go.  I can remember making this recipe in the 1980's!! Eeeeck! So, it is very retro - and still tastes great!  A classic and a family favourite.

During the weekend, family members were popping in and out.  I needed an easy, pre-prepared, simple to serve one plate nibble / quick bite option ready to serve with the minimum of fuss. I used some purchased roast chicken - the takeaway chook - but if you have some leftovers of your own cooked chook this is a great way to revive leftovers.

My Chicken, Bacon and Almond filling is so versatile - an easy sandwich filling, a dip or spread with crackers and celery, or, like I did here, slice open some croissants - regular or mini size, stuff with the filling and pop in the oven for a few minutes. Delish served like an open grill too - is that retro enough for you?  So good whichever way you choose to serve them.

Chicken Bacon and Almond Filled Croissants by Feed your Inner Cook

Preparation  10 - 15 minutes.  This is mainly chopping and assembly
Cooking       Chicken is already cooked so allow 5 minutes to cook almonds and bacon.

Measurements are very flexible - if you want a looser consistency for a cracker dip spread - add a bit more sour cream or mayo.  It is up to you - and adjust the ingredients to your preference.
  
Double this if you want - will keep refrigerated for a couple of days

Ingredients

¼  large  OR  ½ small cooked chook depending on size ( or grilled chicken fillets) cooled

4 rashers bacon. Fat and rind removed. Cooked, cooled and chopped

4 tablespoons slivered almonds (lightly toasted)

1 tablespoon chopped chives

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 tub (250 - 300ml approx) thickened Light Sour Cream

dash of mayo   (a tablespoon more/less)    - to your taste

ground cracked black pepper.    (Extra salt if you prefer - bacon is salty)

options: few mushrooms, chopped shallots, etc

Method 

Mix together in a large mixing bowl until the desired consistency.  

or

In food processor   ( Hint - do not overprocess)     

zap chook, bacon, herbs as thickly/finely as desired

Then add cream, mayo.  Zap till just mixed through.

 Add the almonds and do a very light zap to just mix in.

Serving options:

Filled croissants – baked preheated moderate oven 5-10 mins  (best if using a chunky consistency)

Sandwich fillings (better finely processed – your preference)

Grilled open sandwich  - spread on toast and lightly grill

           

Spread for crackers, mini toasts, bagel crisps, or serve with celery sticks etc etc.  Best if finer and looser consistency.

                           Enjoy!  Colleen.   PS some great stuff was made in the eighty's