♥ yummy 6 herb linguine ♥

nothing could be simpler (or more satisfying) than a dish of pasta flecked with a mix of fresh green herbs and dusted with parmesan cheese.

what you'll need...
♥salt
♥pepper
♥2 teaspoons olive oil
♥2 medium onions, finely chopped
♥2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
♥8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
♥1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
♥1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
♥1/2 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
♥1/2 cup dry white whine
♥12 ounces linguine
♥1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
♥1/4 cup flat leave parsley leaves, plus springs for garnish
♥1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
♥2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated - about 1/2 cup

what you'll do...
1. heat covered 6-quart pot of boiling water on high and add 1 teaspoon salt

2. meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, heat oil on medium. add shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. add garlic, sage, oregano, rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. cook for 1 minute, stirring. add broth and wine. heat to boiling on high. reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 mintes or until reduced by half, stirring then remove from heat

3. while sauce cooks, add pasta to boiling water and cook as label directs. finely chop basil and parsley and set aside.reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. drain pasta and return to saucepot. stir in wine mixture along with chives, basil, parsley and reserved pasta water. toss until well combined

4. divide pasta among 4 serving plates and top with parmesan

nutritional information (per serving)
calories - 415
total fat - 8g
saturates fat - 3g
cholesterol - 13mg
sodium - 500mg
total carbs - 68g
dietary fiber - 3g
sugars --
protein - 18g
calsium --

♥ fat free and low cholesterol chicken cordon bleu ♥

this must be one of the yummiest recipes i've found so far in my search for the best fat free or low fat dinner YET! my man's still riding the healthy dinner wave and i'm splashing along - not that i mind at all...

i couldn't find the fat free swiss cheese so i spend about an hour scratching through all the cheeses at our local shop and just took the one that had the least amount of fat content.

fat free and low cholesterol chiken cordon bleu

what you'll need...
♥4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
♥4 slices nonfat swiss cheese
♥4 slices smoked turkey ham
♥1/2 cup nonfat bread crumbs
♥1 egg white
♥1/4 skim milk
♥salt
♥pepper
♥onion powder
♥garlic powder
♥chicken broth in a spray bottle

what you'll do...
1. preheat your oven to 180 degrees

2. pound the chicken breasts untill they are tender and flatened. place a slice of a cheese and one slice of a ham on one side of each pounded breast.

3. fold the other side over, press the edges together to seal and coat the chiken in bread crumbs.

4. in a small bowl, mix the milk, egg white and seasonings to taste.

5. dip the breaded chicken in the egg white mixture and dip again in the bread crumbs.

6. place the chicken on foil-covered cookie sheet and spray with broth.

7. bake for about 20 minutes.

when ready, take it out of the oven and get ready to serve. i like it with boiled sweet potato and steamed veggies like brocoli, cauliflower or carrots. you can have it with potatoes, mashed potatoes or rice.

bon appetit!

♥ beautiful morgans, beautiful baby shower snackies ♥

so we had our first lil babbas baby shower last weekend - 23 july 2011 - being the nut i am, i obviously went a little overboard when it came to the planning - what i did and didn't want... i pondered and schemed and then pondered some more and eventually came up with what i thought was the perfect baby shower menu.

but, when i first started planning - little did i know what it was also a rugby day and if it being a rugby day wasn't bad enough, the game had to be at noon! hubby and i decided to have a joint baby shower, so while he was busy planning lunch for everyone (a yummy lamb spit) my mom, my beautiful sis in law - tali - and gorgeous friend - cara - took on the task of preparing snacks for everyone!

♥ healthy vegetarian skewers ♥

♥ fruity skewers ♥

♥ teddy bear shaped sandwiches ♥

(apologies for the quality - photo taken with my phone)

♥ chocolate eclairs ♥

♥ carrot and cranberry cakes ♥

♥ apple tart ♥

♥ my moms famous tuna tarts ♥

♥ mini sausage rolls ♥

♥ neets fav - chocolate brownies ♥

♥ lemon meringue ♥

♥ a little candy buffet ♥

♥ tali's yummy scones ♥

♥ savoury muffins ♥

and then... no party is a real party without a stunning cake:

♥ morgans amazing baby shower cake ♥

please feel free to contact me should you need any baby shower assistance, i have loads of other options and would love to help you to make your day as perfect as ours!

kisses

♥

♥ lemon meringue ♥

you'll unfortunately have to convert the ingredients in this one - will take a little longer, but sooooo worth it!

what you'll need...
♥1 can condensed milk
♥3 eggs separted
♥1/4 cup lemon juice
♥1 9 inch regular pie shell (storebought or home made)
♥1 teaspoon lemon zest
♥1/4 cup sugar
♥1 teaspoon vanilla

1. preheat oven to 375.

2. prick pie shell with fork on bottom and bake until light brown. remove from oven and let cool ten minutes.

what you'll do...
for the filling:

1. separate eggs, placing whites in clean,small mixing bowl.

2. in medium bowl, mix condensed milk, egg yellows, lemon juice, and zest, until well blended and thickened (just a few minutes should do it as lemon juice "cooks" custard.)

3. pour lemon mixture into pie shell.

for the meringue:

1. with mixer, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks.

2. add sugar and vanilla and beat until nice shiny stiff peaks form.

3. spread meringue over pie with spatula, pressing lightly and lifting to make nice peaks.

♥ better than grammys milk tart ♥

what you'll need...
pastry:

♥2 cups flour

♥1 egg

♥0.5 cup sugar

♥2 tsp baking powder

♥125g butter

♥pinch of salt

what you'll do...

1. cream butter and sugar well together and add the egg, before beating well.

2. add all other ingredients - making a stiff dough.

3. press into one or two round cake tins/pie dishes and bake at 180°C until light brown.

what you'll need...
filling:

♥4.5 cups milk

♥2.5 tbsp cornflour

♥1 cup sugar

♥3 eggs

♥pinch of salt

♥2.5 tbsp flour

♥1 tsp vanilla essence

♥a big spoon of butter

what you'll do...

1. bring milk to the boil.

2. beat eggs well and add sugar, flour, cornflour and salt.

3. mix well.

4. pour boiling milk into the mixture and stir well.

5. return to stove and stir well until mixture thickens.

6. add butter and vanilla essence and pour into cooked shell.

to decorate, sprinkle with cinnamon.

♥ s'mores cupcakes ♥

this recipe makes 24. if you only have 1 muffin tin, halve the recipe.

what you'll need...
♥2 1/2 cups (360g) whole wheat pastry flour
♥1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
♥1/2 teaspoon baking soda
♥3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
♥1/2 cup (30g) oat bran
♥1/2 cup (30g) wheat germ
♥1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
♥1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons, or 170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
♥3/4 cup (165g) brown sugar
♥3/4 cup (200ml) honey
♥4 eggs
♥2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
♥1/2 cup (60g) sour cream
♥1 1/2 cups (340ml) milk
♥ganache (recipe follows)
♥marshmallowy frosting (recipe follows)
♥2 or three good quality chocolate bars, broken into 24 pieces

what you'll do...
1. preheat oven to 180C and line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.

2. in a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, germ, bran, and cinnamon.

3. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth, about a minute on medium speed. add in sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes more. with mixer on medium-low, add in honey. then incorporate the eggs, adding them in, one at a time, beating well after each addition. add in vanilla.

4. with mixer on low, add in a third of the flour mixer, followed by half of the milk and the sour cream. add in the next third of flour, the remaining milk, and finally the remainder of the flour mixture. mix until just combined. use a rubber spatula to fully incorporate the mixture, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

5. with an ice cream scooper, divide up the batter evenly among the paper liners. (use a scoop that holds 1/3 cup, which works perfectly.) tap pans on the counter to remove any bubbles.

6. bake at 180C, or until a toothpick inserted into the center ones comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. let cool in pans for at least ten minutes before removing to a cooling rack. let cool completely before decorating.

7. remove a bit of cake from the top of each cupcake with a melon baller, and using a piping bag or a teaspoon, fill with cooled ganache.

working quickly, use the ice cream scooper to top each with marshmallowy icing and use the back of a spoon to create little peaks all over the top. (if at any time the icing gets too dry and is no longer smoot whisk it up again in mixer until smooth.)

8. use a blow torch to toast the icing.





9. top each cupcake with a piece of chocolate bar.



for the ganache:
♥1 cup (240g) heavy cream
♥1 1/4 cups (212g) chocolate chips
♥1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

heat cream in a large glass container in the microwave until just boiling, about 60 seconds. pour in chocolate chips and vanilla and let sit for about 1-2 minutes. whisk until smooth. refrigerate for 10-20 minutes until almost cooled.

for the meringue:
♥2 cups (380g) granulated sugar
♥1 cup (250ml) water
♥8 egg whites
♥2 teaspoons of very good pure vanilla extract

1. combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat until dissolved. bring to a boil without stirring, and continue to boil until the temperature reaches the firm ball stage, or 248 degrees.

2. while the sugar syrup comes to temperature, beat egg whites in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. with the mixer on low, slowly pour in the hot sugar syrup.

3. gradually increase the speed to high, and whisk meringue until stiff and cool, about 7 minutes and whisk in the vanilla.

♥ chocolate fudge cake ♥



what you'll need...

♥200g plain chocolate, broken into chunks

♥200g butter

♥200g light brown muscovado sugar

♥100ml soured cream

♥2 eggs, beaten

♥200g self-raising flour

♥5 tbsp cocoa powder

♥1 can caramel

for the icing:

♥100g plain chocolate

♥170g can condensed milk

♥100g butter

what you'll do...

1. heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. line a 22 x 22cm square tin with baking paper. put the chocolate, butter and sugar into a large pan with 100ml hot water and gently melt together. set aside for 2 minutes, then stir in the soured cream followed by the eggs. finally, stir or whisk in the flour and cocoa until lump-free, then pour into the prepared tin. bake for 50 - 55 mins until a skewer comes out clean. sin the tin on a wire rack to cool.

2. meanwhile, make the icing. gently melt together icing ingredients in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, then chill or cool until spreadable.

3. to decorate, carefully turn out the cooled cake and peel of the baking parchment. spread the icing over the top and scatter with decorations, cut into triangles or fingers before serving.

per serving:

502 calories, 6g protein, 49g carbohydrates, 33g fat, 20g saturated fat, 1g fibre, 35g sugar & 0.66g salt

  

♥ nyummy chicken caesar salad ♥

what you'll need...
♥1 medium ciabatta loaf (or 4 thick slices crusty white bread)
♥3 tbls olive oil
♥2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
♥1 large cos or romaine lettuce, leaves seperated


for the dressing:
♥1 garlic clove
♥2 anchovies (from a tin is perfect)
♥medium block parmesan or grano padano cheese for grating and shaving (you won't use it all)
♥5 tbls mayonnaise
♥1 tbls white wine vinegar

what you'll do...
1. heat oven to 200C / fan 180C / gas 6. tear the bread into big, ragged croutons or, if you prefer, cut with a bread knife. spread over a large baking sheet or tray and sprinkle over over 2 tbls olive oil. rub the oil into the bread and season with a little salt if you like (sea salt crystals are best for this). bake 8 - 10 minutes, turning the croutons a few times during cooking so the brown easily.

2. rub chicken breasts with remaining oil and season. place pan over medium heat for 1 minute, until hot, but not smoking. lay the chicken on the pan (it will sizzle if it's hot enough) and leave for 4 minutes. turn the chicken, then cook for 4 minutes more. check if it's cooked by poking the tip of a sharp knife into the thickest part - there should be no sign of pink and juices will run clear. 

3. bash the garlic with the flat of a knife and peel off the skin. crush with a garlic crusher. mash the anchovies with a fork against the side of a small bowl. grate a handful of cheese and mix with the rest of the dressing ingredients. season to taste. it should be the consistency of yoghurt - if yours is thicker, stir in a few tsps water to thin it.

4. shave the cheese with a peeler. tear lettuce into large pieces and put in a large bowl. pull chicken into bite-size strips and scatter half over the leaves, along with half the croutons. add most of the dressing and toss with your fingers. scatter the rest of the chicken and croutons, then drizzle with the remaining dressing. sprinkle the parmesan on top and serve straight away.

...happiness...

♥ best lasagna ever ♥

This recipe isn't as fast as the others but it is worth the wait! 

what you'll need...
♥ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

♥ 1/2 onion, chopped
♥1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
♥ 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 
♥ 2 cloves garlic, crushed
♥ 1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
♥ 1 1/2 cups water
♥ 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
♥ 1 (8 ounce) package part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
♥ 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
♥ 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
♥ 1 teaspoon salt
♥ 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
♥ 1 egg
♥ 8 ounces lasagna noodles
♥ 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken

what you'll do...
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. 


2. In a large pot over medium heat saute spinach, cooked chicken, onion, oregano, basil and garlic in the olive oil. Pour in spaghetti sauce and water; simmer 20 minutes.


3. In a large bowl mix cottage cheese, 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and egg. 


4. Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan. Place 4 uncooked noodles on top of sauce and top with layer of sauce. Add 4 more noodles and layer with 1/2 sauce and 1/2 cheese mixture, noodles and repeat until all is layered, finishing with noodles and the rest of the mozzerella cheese. 


5. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 55 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.
Let sit 10 minutes before serving. 


Calories: 361 | Total Fat: 11.8g | Cholesterol: 51mg 

♥ spatchcock chicken with greek yoghurt and indian spices ♥

here the bird is opened out and flattened – see the instructions in the recipe method or ask your butcher to do it for you. i tend to cook this recipe all together in the oven, but if you’re using a grill or on the braai, you will need less of the marinade. You don’t have to stick exactly to the marinade recipe, try mixing and matching your favourite spices if you want. moroccan flavours like cinnamon, cumin and apricots would also work well with the yoghurt

serves 4

what you'll need...
MARINADE
♥1 tsp fennel seeds
♥1 tsp fenugreek seeds
♥2 tsp black onion seeds
♥1 tsp ground turmeric
♥2 tsp dried oregano
♥2 tsp peeled and finely chopped garlic
♥2 tbsp peeled and finely chopped root ginger
♥250ml plain greek yoghurt whisked until smooth
♥4 tbsp lime or lemon juice
♥2 tsp sesame oil
♥salt and black pepper
♥1 tbsp olive oil or water (optional)

CHICKEN
♥1 x 2kg chicken spatchcocked (see above)
♥300g cherry tomatoes

what you'll do...
1.to make the marinade, first grind all the seeds for 1 minute in a spice grinder or coffee grinder, or using a pestle and mortar, then mix with the remaining ingredients, adding the oil or water to loosen the mixture if necessary.

2.to spatchcock the chicken place it, breast side down, on a chopping board and use scissors to cut through the flesh and bone along both sides of the backbone, in a strip about 5cm wide. cut from tail to head end, completely removing the backbone.

3.open out the bird, like opening a book, by gently pulling the two halves apart. use a sharp knife to lightly score the top of the breastbone. run your fingers along and under the sides of the breastbone and attached cartilage and pop them out. Spread the chicken out flat, then turn over and make a slit about 2.5cm long in the skin between the lower end of the breastbone and the leg, on each side. stick the end of the leg on that side through the slit and repeat on the other side.

4.spread the marinade all over the chicken, then place on a plate or baking tray, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally for up to 24 hours.

5.when ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

6.remove the chicken from the fridge and place in a roasting tin. bake for 25 minutes; if it seems to browns too fast, cover with foil for part of the time as necessary. add the cherry tomatoes to the tin after the first 25 minutes and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes or until cooked through. remove from the oven, allow to rest for 10-15 minutes then carve the chicken into slices and serve with the tomatoes and some boiled rice or a dressed salad.



Serve with yummy roasted veggies and



and crisp avo and couscous salad!

♥ yummy smummy bran muffins ♥

i don't think there's anything better than a perfectly baked muffin or scone with my morning cuppa - if there is, i'm yet to experience it! i can't remember where i found this recipe, but i've made it a gazillion times before and i can almost swear that it keeps on getting better and better every time i make them!

yummy lil bites of heaven!

what you'll need...
♥2 cups digestive bran
♥2.5 cups flour
♥2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
♥0.5 tsp salt
♥2 eggs
♥2 cups brown sugar
♥0.5 cup oil
♥2 cups milk
♥1 tsp vanilla essence

what you'll do...
1. beat the eggs, then add the sugar and beat until creamy. 

2. add the oil and continue beating.

3. add milk and vanilla essence.

4. beat all together.

5. fold in all the dry ingredients.

6. place in a greased muffin tray and bake for 12 minutes at 180C

make sure to store these lil bits of heaven in a air tight container and they'll stay yummy for about 3 days.

best if served warm with a lil butter and grated cheese but they're also just as good cold with a warm cuppa! 

the spot i enjoyed my daily muffin while on holiday for neets birthday!

♥ mucking famazing chocolate brownies ♥

we're heading to the mountains this coming weekend to celebrate my mucking famazing husbands birthday. there's no electricity, no cellphone reception - pretty much no anything! we have to pack everything ourselves and take everything we might possible need with us.


so as soon as they boys started taking about braai wood and how to keep the ice frozen the whole weekend, i obviously started thinking about how to keep our tummies nice and full! can't imagine anything worse than being stranded in what could very easily be the set of a horror movie and that without foodies - sweet and savoury obviously!


so to start the list of recipes i'll be making in preparation for this coming weekend, i just had to start with the love of my life's fav! he is the birthday boy after all!

serves 16 


what you'll need...
♥ 1 cup water
♥ 125g margarine
♥ ½ cup oil
♥ ¼ cup cocoa
♥ 2 cups sugar
♥ 2 cups flour
♥ ½ tsp salt
♥ ½ tsp bicarb
♥ 1 tsp vanilla essence
♥ 2 eggs
♥ 1 cup pecan nuts, finely chopped 

what you'll do... 
1. Melt and blend the water, margarine, oil and cocoa in the microwave.
 
2. Add the sugar, flour and salt. Whisk together.
 
3. Add the bicarb, vanilla essence and eggs.
 
4. Beat with an electric beater for about three minutes.
 
5. Add the chopped nuts and mix throughout.
 
6. Pour into a greased Swiss roll pan and cook for 20-30 minutes at 180°C.
 
To make the icing:
melt 62.5g margarine, 2 tablespoons cocoa and 2½ tablespoons milk in the microwave, then add 2½ cups icing sugar. 
More milk may be needed if icing is not runny enough. Cut the cake when cold, after spreading icing when hot.

come on everybody... lick those lips! teehee! 

♥ neets amazing bolognese recipe ♥

my husband is a precious gem all by itself, but every now and then he lets a reason to brag out of the bag - like this recipe! he first made this for me after we've only dated for a very short while and today this remains one of my absolute-lick-your-lips-favourites! it's suppose to go on top of macaroni, smothered with cheesy white sauce and extra cheese on top, but i prefer the simple version, served on top of fettucini.

what you'll need...
 ♥250g mushrooms - chopped
 ♥1 onion - chopped
 ♥about 1 kg extra lean mince
 ♥1 packet tomato paste
 ♥1 tin chopped tomato
 ♥1 tbls worcester sauce
 ♥3/5 bottle tomato sauce
 ♥2 tbls sugar
 ♥fresh herbs

what you'll do...
1. fry the mushrooms and onions in a little butter

2. add the mince and cook until its almost done

3. add the packet tomato paste - mix through

4. add the tin chopped tomatos - stir well

5. add the tomato sauce

6. add the worcester sauce

7. add the sugar and herbs and let it cook to perfection!

i'm sure you'll enjoy this as much as we do - time and time again!

♥ what the bleeeeeep-bleeeeeep ♥

so i've been in love with the australian masterchef and have been pretty much as hooked to that show as a person can be BUT last night my lil obsession reached a skyrocketing high with this increadibly edible candle made by super chef heston blumenthal - i couldn't resist! i just had to go and find the recipe, sure i was in for a lil surprize as soon as i read the "how to", but what the hell, i'm always up for a challenge with such a oh so very yummy ending!

i haven't yet made this baby, but i'm def planning to do so - in the meantime though - i just had to post the recipe. i just kknow it will become one of my fav's, so i might as well blog about it already! teehee :)

the recipe's in ounces, so just incase there's not enough work involved already, go ahead and start converting!

what you'll need and special equipment needed:
♥32 ounces white chocolate, tempered
♥powdered food colors
♥8 ounces cocoa butter, melted
♥8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, tempered
♥candle molds (each mold has 3 parts - 2 candles pieces and a base)
♥rubber stamps

what you'll do...

1. Make the candle base and the candle: Use a ladle to fill each mold (2 candle halves and a base) with chocolate. Tap the mold on the counter to encourage the air bubbles to depart. When the mold is full, set it aside and let it harden. You can place the mold in the refrigerator for several minutes to help the chocolate to harden. Repeat with as many molds as you would like.
2. For the homemade transfer sheets: Place the powdered food colors in small bowls. I used orange, green and blue. Add a few tablespoons of cocoa butter to the food color and stir until well combined. Pour a little of the colored cocoa butter onto a clean dishtowel. This will serve as a blotter or ink pad for the color. Place the sheet of acetate on the work surface. Press the rubber stamp into the blotter and then press onto the acetate sheet. Continue using this same process to create as many colors and stamps as you like. Be sure to clean the rubber stamp between colors. If you need to reheat the cocoa butter, use a hair dryer or heat gun.

3. When the stamped transfer sheet has set, use an offset spatula to spread a 1/8-inch thick layer of white chocolate over the acetate sheet. Break the cooled colored chocolate into interesting free-form shapes.

4. Fill a cornet with bittersweet chocolate and use it to write names onto the transfer sheet shapes. This will be the place card for the candle.

5. To stick the candle halves together: Invert a flat baking sheet over a pan of hot water. Press one half of the candle against the warm surface. When the chocolate begins to melt, press the other half of the candle into place. Press the candle bottom onto the warm pan. Center the melted candle bottom on the base. Allow it to set until hardened.

6. Make the flame of the candle: Use an offset spatula to spread some white chocolate candle flames onto a sheet to acetate. The chocolate should be tapered at one end to resemble the flame. Allow it to set, then remove from the acetate. Press the bottom of the flame onto the warm baking sheet. Then adhere it to the top of the candle.

7. Place some powdered red food color in a small bowl. Add a few tablespoons of cocoa butter to the food color and stir until well combined. Use a paintbrush to paint the flame with the color.

8. Place a small amount of white chocolate in a cornet. Pipe white chocolate at the top of the candle until it runs down the side. This resembles the melted wax of a real candle. Place a small amount of bittersweet chocolate in a coronet and use it to make small dots for the candles' eyes.

9. Use more tempered white chocolate to glue the nameplate to the base of the candle.

♥ a well loved fav in our house ♥

i ran to the shops and got my copy of the woolies taste cookbook pretty much as soon as they unpacked the boxes they arrived in! i love woolies and just knew that the book would (as it did) become one of my fav things.
one of the recipes that i've made quite a few times - like today - is this lil puppy! my family and most of our friends love basil pesto and all things cheesey - it obviously didn't take long before this recipe entered the "best loved" list in our house!

basil pesto loaf
serves 4-6 and takes about 3 hours

what you'll need...
♥15 roma tomatoes
♥olive oil
♥240g flour
♥2tsp baking powder
♥6 free-range eggs
♥1 cup milk
♥250g basil pesto
♥320g parmesan cheese

what you'll do...
1.preheat the oven to 140ºC.

2.halve and season roma tomatoes, then drizzle with olive oil and slow-roast in the oven for 2 hours.

3.remove and allow to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 180ºC.

4.Combine flour and baking powder. In a bowl, beat  eggs then lightly mix the flour mixture into the egg mixture.

5.Add milk and basil pesto, and stir through. Fold half the tomato into the mixture then stir through grated Parmesan cheese.

6.Spoon into a greased, medium-sized, Teflon-coated loaf pan.

7.Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the pan.

8.Top with the remaining tomato and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Best served with loads of love and eaten on the day! :)

♥ peppermint crisp tart to die for ♥

my mother in law loves this tart, and as a belated mothers day snackie i've decided to make it again. just reading through the recipe got my mouth watering again and have me clock-watching like you wont believe! i can't wait to get home and cracking!

what you'll need...
♥250ml orley whip, whipped

♥2 packets of tennis biscuits (although you will probably use less)

♥375g caramelised condensed milk

♥20ml caster sugar

♥3 peppermint crisp bars crushed

♥3-4 drops of peppermint essence (more, if you like)

what you'll do...
1. whip the orley whip and then add the caramelised condensed milk castor sugar and peppermint essence

2. beat until well mixed and then stir in 2/3 of the crushed peppermint crisp
3. place a layer of whole tennis biscuits in a buttered 29x19x5cm dish

4. spoon 1/3 of the caramel mix over the buscuits and spread evenly. continue in layers, finishing with a layer of filling on top.
5. refrigerate for at least 4 hours. decorate by sprinkling the remainder of crushed peppermint crisp on top. cut into squares and serve.

you can substitute whipping cream for Orley Whip, but the outcome may be even richer than this pudding already is! for caramelised condensed milk, you can use dulce du leche or you can make your own by boiling a tin of normal sweetened condensed milk.

♥ oh so heavenly-heart-healthy-chix ♥

so the love of my life decided that it's time to shape up a bit - not that i can see any reason why, but that's another thing all on its own! i'm obviously 110% supportive but i will admit that the first time i heard about his new plan the first thing i though about was "what the hell am i going to do with all the yummy recipes that i still want to try out" - obviously all the deep fried, covered in batter, 5 million gram fat recipes went out the window faster than you can say Big Mac - all i could do was to get creative and find some oh so very yummy and healthy recipes, all in one.

so last night i made this puppy - heart healthy and oh so delicious! the pic isn't mine, also not 100% what it looked like, but it should give you some idea what i'm on about...

healthy oven baked barbecued chicken

what you'll need...
♥1.5 kg chicken
♥1/4 cup water
♥1/4 cup vinegar
♥3 tbsp oil
♥1/2 cup tomato sauce
♥3 tbls worcestershire sauce
♥1 tsp mustard - powder or prepared
♥1.5 tsp salt
♥1.5 tsp pepper
♥1 small chopped onion
♥1 tbls brown sugar or 2 pkgs equal

what you'll do...
1. combine all the above ingredients except the chicken and simmer for ahout 10 minutes

2. place the chix in a large baking dish

3. pour sauce over chicken

4. bake, uncovered, at 180 degrees for 1 - 1 hour 15 minutes

5. turn chix every 20 minutes, spoon sauce over chix the last time you turn it.

6. serve with yummy veggies!

im definately making this again in a few days

♥ ridiculously chocolately chocolate lava cup ♥

the love of my life has been going on about me making him one of his fav sweet desserts - chocolate fondant. so being the good wifey that i am (blush - teehee) i dove into my millions of food mags and found what looked like the perfect one. after reading the recipe, i could feel my veins clogging up from all the sweetness, but we had to mission forth and the perfect chocolate fondant had to be made!

i feel like i should add - if you're on a diet, considering going on a diet or even remotely feel like there might be any weight loss activities in the near future - this might not be the ideal recipe for you BUT should you make this and devour it like all of us did, it will change your life and add a lil more love to your heart.

chocolate lava cup:
makes 12 - takes 30 mins

what you'll need...
♥400g good quality dark chocolate
♥400g butter
♥6 large eggs
♥4 large egg yolks
♥200g sugar
♥200g cake flour
♥12 blocks white chocolate

what you'll do...
1. preheat oven to 200C

2. melt the chocolate and butter together - the original recipe asked for double boiler, i did this in the microwave, much faster! stir constantly and let cool slightly once done

3. beat the eggs, yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy

4. gradually add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture - mixing well after each addition

5. slowly add the flour, a tablespoon at a time, stirring until smooth

6. lightly butter 12 medium-sized ramekins - pour mixture into the ramekins up to 3/4 full (i used cook and spray instead of butter and i also used tea cups instead of ramekins, it just adds a little something)

7. bury one block of white chocolate in each pot. bake until crisp on top, but gooey inside - about 12 to 14 minutes and serve immediately (with a scoop of ice cream)

8. prepare bed or couch for when you're done eating - you will need about an hour to just lay down and not move any part of your body!