I found a lovely looking gnocchi bake recipe on simply-delicious.co.za (what is the 'za' for?). I have added some more vegies and herbs into mine. The result will hopefully be something very tasty and comforting. I'm in a very average kind of mood.

You will need:
2 packets of 'Simply Wize' Gluten Free Gnocchi (I got bought them from Woolworths)
A dash of olive oil
1 packet of short cut bacon, rind removed and diced
1 large punnet of mushrooms (chop them a bit finer, especially if your DAD DOESN'T LIKE MUSHROOMS AND COMPLAINS!)
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
2 teaspoons of paprika
1 400g can of diced tomatoes
3 generous tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of caster sugar
20 mini-roma tomatoes, halved
A dash of oregano
2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 a cup of cream for cooking (I used 'Bulla' brand)
2 cups of grated mozzarella
1/2 a cup of parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

First, fill a large pot (or in my case, two medium pots) with water, and add salt. Bring to the boil and add gnocchi. The gnocchi will cook rather quickly. Stir it sometimes to prevent pieces sticking to the bottom of the pan. You will know when the gnocchi is cooked because the water will be bubbling again, and the gnocchi will all float to the top of pan. Drain the gnocchi.

Next, cook your bacon to however you like it. Add mushrooms, garlic and paprika and cook until some of the mushroom liquid has been released and cooked away. Don't let the garlic get overcooked and become bitter.

Add the tomatoes (canned, roma and paste) and mix through. Let the mixture simmer, and add sugar, oregano and parsley. Take the mixture off the heat and stir through the cream. Season to taste. Add the gnocchi and mix through, then pour into a baking dish. Sprinkle generously with mozzarella and then parmesan. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling (about 10-15 minutes), at 200 degrees, and ENJOY!

Draining the gnocchi...

Cooking the sauce...

Ready to bake...

For dessert tonight, I wanted to use up some of the berries in the fridge, so Strawberry Raspberry Cobbler fit the bill. I was inspired by www.wickedgoodkitchen.com for this recipe.

For this recipe, you will need:
FILLING
2 250g punnets of strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup of frozen raspberries
1/2 a cup of castor sugar
2 teaspoons of lemon zest
a couple of squeezes of lemon juice
4 tablespoons of cornflour
3 tablespoons of cold water
6 tablespoons of blackberry jam (or any other berry jam you want to use)

CRUST
1 and 3/4 cup of gluten free, plain flour, sifted
1/2 cup of castor sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
a pinch of salt
1/2 a cup of butter, chilled and diced
1 egg and 1 egg yolk, beaten lightly
2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
1 tablespoon of castor sugar
a dash of cinammon
a dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

To make the filling, combine sugar, zest, juice and berries in a bowl and let macerate for about half an hour. Mix cornflour and water in a bowl, until you have a thin mixture. Place the berries in a saucepan and mix through the cornflour mixture. Cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, then mix in the jam, and let melt through the berries. Allow to cool, then pour into a baking dish. 

To make the topping, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Rub butter into the mixture to make a fine crumb. Whisk vanilla into the beaten eggs, then toss through the crumb mixture. Crumble over the fruit.
Sprinkle with sugar, cinammon and nutmeg, to your taste.

Bake for about 45 minutes; with foil covering for the first 20 minutes, then remove. Serve with cream, or ice cream.

Chicken, Bacon and Wild Rice Soup

My family is coming over for dinner, so I am making two different kinds of soups; one vegetarian, one with meat.

Here's a lovely comforting soup, inspired by http://minabema.blogspot.com.au/.
I used Red Cheddar instead of regular cheddar, for something a little bit different.

CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

1 small onion, or a couple of stalks of green onion (I used green), sliced finely
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour (I used gluten free flour)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
4 cups of chicken stock (I use Massel, which is chicken flavoured, but vegetarian)
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used Rubicon Red)
 
Saute onion, garlic and celery in butter until softened. Stir in
flour, pepper, and dry mustard. Add chicken broth and milk. Heat to boiling over
medium heat stirring constantly. Stir in cheese over low heat just until cheese is melted. If you don't want big chunks of onion and celery, then use a stick blender to blend them down. 
Season with salt and pepper to your taste. 

The second soup that I am making is Chicken, Bacon and Wild Rice Soup, adapted from http://www.onelovelylife.com/

CHICKEN, BACON AND WILD RICE SOUP

4 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of water
1 small packet of wild rice (equal to about 3/4 cup)
A few stalks of spring onion, sliced
1/2 cup of butter
3/4 cup of flour, sifted
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup light cream
1 cup of milk
1 and 1/2 cups of diced, cooked chicken
1 pack of bacon, diced and cooked
A dash of chilli flakes
6-8 sprigs of thyme

Pour chicken stock and water into a large pot, and bring to a simmer. Add wild rice and green onions. Simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
In a separate pan, melt the butter on a medium to low heat. Add the flour and pepper to make a roux, stirring constantly, to a smooth consistency. Slowly add the cream and milk, stirring. When combined, add to the rice/stock pot and stir. Add the chicken and bacon, plus some chilli flakes and thyme leaves. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes. If the mixture cooks down too much, or catches, add some water. 

Both of these soups were so nice, I didn't know which one to pick to have for my dinner!

I served the soup with gluten free garlic pizza. I adapted the recipe from here: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/1953/garlic+pizza. 

Now I'm so full, I can hardly move!

Rubicon Red Cheddar!

Stick blenders come in handy! (Cheese soup)

Cheddar Cheese Soup, the finished product!

Here's a recipe for gluten free, strawberry, yoghurt and choc-chip muffins.
 
Ingredients:
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of unflavoured, Greek yoghurt (I used light)
1 and 1/2 cups of caster sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cups of gluten free, self-raising flour
300g strawberries, sliced
About 1 and 1/2 cups of milk chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
Line a muffin tin with paper cases (I only had one tin of 6, so I made this in two batches, and ended up with 12 muffins).
Mix butter, yoghurt and sugar in a mixer, until pale. Beat in eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is well mixed-in.  Add vanilla.
Sift in the flour, and fold in, with the strawberries and chocolate chips.
Spoon into muffin cases, about 3/4 full.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean.

You can freeze these for lunch-box treats if you like! They're quite large, so they are kind of a meal in themselves!

It has gotten very cold again in Melbourne, after a couple of days that were quite mild, like Spring. I'm disappointed. I don't like the cold weather much. Anyway, I thought I'd make something nice and warm, and comforting. A stew? I saw a few recipes for white bean stew, and have tweaked their info to make my own. I'm not sure if this is a stew, or a thick soup.

Ingredients:
3 x 400g cans of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 packet of short-cut bacon, rind removed, diced
1 cup of diced spring onion
1 cup of diced carrot
A good handful of baby sprinch leaves
1 and 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms
A splash of olive oil
1 quarter of a cup of butter
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
4 cups of hot chicken stock
A few sprinklings of dried oregano
Torn parsley
Lemon juice, about 2 tablespoons worth

1.   Cook the bacon (up to you how crispy you want it) in a large pan, then add olive oil and butter. Have your heat on medium-high. Add spring onion, carrot and mushrooms, and sautee until soft. Add spinach leaves and garlic, then cannelini beans. Add all of the stock, and bring to the boil, adding the herbs. Simmer for 45 minutes, with the lid half-on.

2.   Using a masher, mash some of the vegetables, or alternatively, use a stick blender and blend some of the mixture. I used my stick blender, and it became more of a soup. Make sure you taste the soup/stew and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice, stir through, and let simmer for another 45 minutes.

The flavour of this soup is BEAUTIFUL! Because you blend or mash the beans, it makes for a very creamy taste. Give it a try!

Vegies, bacon and beans...

Simmering in the stock.

I haven't made cupcakes in aaaaaages! So I decided to have a go today. I got the recipe for double chocolate cupcakes from Sweet Hart's Cakes and Bakes, at http://www.sweethartscakesandbakes.com/2011/06/love-chocolate-sweet-tooth-perfect.html#.UgdYdj-GuZS   I'm not posting the recipe here, because I'm feeling lazy. But seriously, go to this site, it's fantastic! My only change made was to use gluten free flour (of course).

I tried to make a ganache for my cakes, and it was way too runny. So, instead of piping a lovely white chocolate ganache, I drizzled a puddle onto each of my cakes, which were a bit sunken in the middle (which worked out well for holding the ganache!). The cakes still tasted lovely! Add some white and chocolate sprinkles, and we're done! These cakes are very rich and chocolatey, so I could only eat one!

I made some lasagna for tea tonight, and I kind of made up the recipe. I saw a couple of recipes I liked on the internet and then just took the bits I liked from them. So it was a bit experimental!

Ingredients:
500g beef mince
1 teaspoon of milk
250g packet of short-cut bacon, diced
3-4 sprigs of spring onion, sliced
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 large punnet of sliced mushrooms, chopped into finer pieces
2 medium sized carrots, diced
2 400g cans of whole tomatoes
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
Dried oregano
Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
1 cup of red wine
1 box of San Remo gluten free lasagna sheets
190g packet of gruyere cheese, grated
400g grated mozzarella
A handful of grated parmesan

Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large pan, and on medium-high heat, cook the bacon with the spring onions, until the onions are soft. Add the mushrooms and carrots, continue to cook until the carrots begin to soften. Add the garlic and mix through, allowing the garlic to brown lightly. Take the pan off the heat.

In a separate pan, heat oil and add the beef, using a spoon to break down the mince. When the mince has browned, add the milk and allow the liquid to boil and cook away. Then, add the wine. Cook until nearly all liquid is gone, and you lose that 'alcohol smell.' Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, plus the oregano. Mix through. Add your vegetable and bacon mix to this pan, and mix all ingredients through, then add parsley. On a low simmer, allow your sauce to sit for about half an hour. Taste it, and season to your taste, with salt and pepper. 

Grate the gruyere cheese into a bowl, and combine it with the mozzarella. 

Layer your lasagna: Add a few spoonfuls of the meat sauce to your dish, and spread the sauce to cover the base. Sprinkle cheese over the meat, then place 3-4 sheets of lasagna along the cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Add parmesan to your final layer of cheese.

Cover with foil. Bake in the oven at 190 degrees for 40 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes, to let the cheese melt on top. Cut into pieces and serve!

I don't have any pictures to show you of this lasagna, because it all got eaten very quickly! It went very well!!!! I will definitely be trying this again! 

Here's a picture of one of my boys, to tide you over:

As you know, I like to have a few things hidden away in the freezer, for lunches and so on...Today I looked through the fridge and there were some vegies there that I haven't used (I haven't cooked all week!!!!!), looking a bit sad, so I decided to use up as many as I could. I made a crustless quiche, because I'm a bit sick of making pastry!

I kind of guessed what I would need, so it's a bit of a rough recipe.

You can use:
5 eggs
About 100g of grated sharp grated cheddar
A couple of handfuls of grated parmesan
A punnet of sliced mushrooms
2 zucchini, sliced into rounds
2 cups of baby spinach leaves
1 cup of sundried tomato pieces, sliced
1/4 of a cup of sliced, pitted kalamata olives
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/4 of a cup of finely chopped basil leaves
Salt and pepper to season
Olive oil

Lightly grease a cake tin or quiche tin (I used a cake tin).

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium high heat, then add the sliced mushrooms. Salt lightly to release the juices, and add zucchini. Sautee until softened, then toss through the spinach leaves and add the garlic. Let the garlic brown lightly. Turn off the pan, and allow to cool. Spread the vegetables onto your tin's surface.

Meanwhile, crack your eggs into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Beat lightly, then add the basil and cheeses. Mix through. Pour over the vegetables in the tin. Add the pieces of sundried tomato to the tin, and sprinkle the olive pieces on the top.

Cook into the oven for about 25 minutes, or until set. Allow to cool slightly before serving. :)  It's very easy, healthy and delicious!

I like to make tarts. I was inspired by the Australian Bake-Off the other night, looking at all their lovely tarts. I keep trying to make tarts, and I get the filling part done just right, BUT the crust: so far this had eluded me. The problem is that my tarts are gluten free. I have yet to find a fail-proof pastry recipe. But I keep trying. Potential recruiters for employment: notice my tenacity?

ANYWAY....(After that brief plug!) I also love passionfruit. If I find something that has passionfruit in it, I will eat it, guaranteed. So today I'm going to make a passionfruit curd tart, for tomorrow night's dessert.

My shortcrust pastry recipe today is by William Angliss (which is a hospitality school). And of course, I'm converting it to gluten free.

Ingredients:
175g unsalted butter, softened
100g pure icing sugar, sifted
a pinch of salt
1 egg
250g plain, gluten free flour

Cream the butter and icing sugar, with the pinch of salt (I used a mixer).
Add the egg and sift in the flour, mix until all ingredients are combined.
 
When you have formed a dough, place the dough in a piece of glad-wrap and wrap it up, to chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Note: At this point, I am finding the dough to be incredibly sticky, so we'll see if it improves after chilling!

I put the tart shell in the oven after rolling it into my tart tin. I have the oven at 170 degrees. On the Greatest Bake-off, they suggested that instead of blind baking with baking beads, just prick your tart shell. So I am watching the tart, through the oven door, and it looks horrendous! All puffy and melting and awful! I'm going back to my baking beads next time.

I decide to make the curd while I'm waiting...This recipe is adapted from annabellewhite.com

Ingredients:
2 eggs
200ml cream
3/4 cup of passionfruit
2 tablespoons of castor sugar
a few drops of vanilla

Mix all ingredients together with a mixer, until combined...Pour into COOLED tart shell.

Bake at 160 degrees for about 25 minutes. The tart centre should still have a slight wobble.

The recipe suggests that the tart filling is very sweet, and I agree, so I did what the author suggested, and drizzled tinned, unsweetened passionfruit pulp over the top of the tart, which cut through the sweetness.

My tart shell wasn't the best, due to my mishap with the pricking vs. blind baking (my sister suggests that you should freeze the tart shell before pricking it, so give this a try!). It was thick and lumpy in parts, but it tasted nice. And the filling was beautiful! Definitely pour the pulp onto the filling, it makes the flavour so much fresher!

Here is a quick, easy recipe for a dessert-type of cake, that you can make gluten free. It's from an old magazine clipping from 'That's Life' magazine, and the recipe is by Darlene Allston.  

Ingredients:
1/3 cup plain flour (you can use gf flour)
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup almond meal
100g butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 egg whites
1 cup frozen or canned cherries, well drained
2 tablespoons flaked almonds

1.   Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 20cm spring-form pan (I used a quiche tin instead).
2.   Sift plain four and icing sugar into a bowl. Add almond meal, melted and cooled butter and vanilla. Place egg whites in a mixer bowl and beat until loose, soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into other ingredients with a metal spoon.
3.   Pour batter into prepared pan and top with cherries and almonds. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Serve with a dollop of cream and a dust of icing sugar.

Note: If you make this cake gluten free, it will not rise very high.