Bread and Butter Pudding

My hubby's favourite dessert when he was a kid was always bread and butter pudding. He actually use to make this all by himself when he was young but I'm yet to try his version of it.... He's quite the experimental cook and I haven't let him cook anything lately if it can be helped! 

Anyway, he hasn't been feeling well these days just down and miserable with a bad cold so I made this for him tonight. I hope it cheers him up.

Bread and Butter Pudding

3 slices of thickly sliced bread, cut into quarters

30g butter

3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp cinnnamon

1 tsbp desiccated coconut

1/4 cup sultanas

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups milk

1. Cut the bread into triangular quarters. (I used a Japanese sliced bread for this pudding, thick and sweet) Butter each piece of bread and arrange them with the triangle upright into an shallow ovenproof dish.

2. Sprinkle the cinnamon, sugar and sultanas over the bread. 

3.  In a bowl combine the milk, eggs and vanilla essence. Pour the mixture over the bread and leave it to soak for about 5 mins. 

4. Sprinkle the desiccated coconut over the pudding and bake it for about 40 mins or until the top is golden. Remove and serve hot.

Spicy Potato Wedges

Who could resist a potato chip or better yet a Spicy Potato Wedge?? 

So having made my Chicken Pie I had to think of a vegetable to accompany it and so I thought of the simple potato. Dress it up and make it homestyled with a few spices to add flavour and bake in the oven till it's crisp.

Spicy Potato Wedges

12 small potatoes, throughly cleaned and cut into wedges

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp ground rosemary

1/4 tsp ground coriander

pinch of cayenne pepper

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Sea salt

1. Clean and cut the potato into small wedges.

2. Using a roasting pan, add all the ingredients and thoroughly mix making sure to coat all the wedges.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C. Arrange the wedges skin side down. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake in the oven for 35 mins or until golden.

Chicken Pie

I've been thinking lately of what sort of snacks I should keep for the kids. Something that would fill the tummy especially after they come home from school. They always seem to want to eat anything in sight and it has to been quick and filling just to tie them over till dinner time. 

So I was thinking back on what I use to like to eat as a kid and I have to say I've always been in love with bread and anything that had some sort of pastry to it. Mum's curry puffs... warm crusty rolls, Danish pastries (yum!) and typical Aussie treats like meat pies and sausage rolls! 

.... Hhhmm PIES!! That's it! I've made meat pies before and so today I made chicken pies... enough for now and some for the freezer.

Chicken Pie

2 chicken leg quarters, skinned, boned and cut into small cubes

1 potato, chopped into small pieces

2 tbsp finely chopped capsicum

2 tbsp finely chopped carrot

8 large shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 medium onion, chopped finely

1 clove garlic, chopped finely

3/4 cup of chicken stock

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp thyme

salt and pepper to taste

30g butter

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the onions and garlic. Add the chicken and sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Stir until cooked.

2. Add in all the vegetables and stir well. Pour in the chicken stock and milk and bring to the boil, simmer and cover for 10-15 mins. 

3. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until the sauce thickens. It should be thick and creamy. Remove from heat and set aside.

Shortcrust Pastry

2 1/2 cups plain flour

100 g butter, chilled and chopped roughly

1/2 cup cold water

1. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and add the chopped butter. Rub in the butter until is resembles breadcrumbs. 

2. Add in the cold water and knead into a ball. It might get a bit too sticky but just work it until it's smooth. Wrap it in cling wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 mins. I normally put it in a plastic kitchen bag as it's easier to handle than using a wrap.

3. Roll the dough onto a floured surface and use the pie cutters or shape it to fit the pie moulds (if you're using pie moulds in the oven).

Pie making

1. Preheat the pie maker for about 8mins or until the light switchesoff OR preheat oven for 180C.

2. Layer the pie moulds with the shortcrust pastry and fill with the chicken filling (about 1/2 cup or more). Don't over fill the pie as it will eventually ooze out at the side!! Cover with the pastry top and seal the edges.

3. Cook in the pie maker for about 8 mins or until the top is browned. I lost my pie cookbook that can with the pie maker so i just check to see if it has browned, all depending on what pastry you use.

For the oven you can egg wash it if you like. Bake it in the oven for about 10-15mins or until it browns.

Happy 101

Thanks Angeline for tagging me for this award. I'm so touched.


1. Copy and paste the award

2. List who gave you the award and link back to their blog : 
Received from Angeline @ http://angelinej.blogspot.com/

3. Tell us 10 things that make you happy:

The 10 things that make me happy in no particular order:
1. My hubby for loving me and taking on this lifelong journey together
2. My three beautiful children; Ashley, Tristan and Jacob
3. My family back in Sydney so very far away but so near
4. Visiting Sydney and family there.... get awfully homesick
5. Travelling and holidays together with the family and building memories
6. A good book to read
7. Spending time with great friends
8. Shopping with an unlimited budget....if only
9. Surfing the net with super fast speed
10. Cooking perfect meal and someone else to clean up the mess

4. Pass the award to 10 bloggers that brighten your day.
In random order as well:

1. Ratz @ http://ratz-saywithme.blogspot.com/
2. Chef Dennis @ http://morethanamountfull.blogspot.com/
3. Mary @ http://www.keeplearningkeepsmiling.com/
4. Michelle @ http://www.warsawmommy.com/
5. Danielle @ http://helloowl.blogspot.com/
6. Denise @ http://quickiesonthedinnertable.yolasite.com/
7. Adna @ http://elixelle.blogspot.com/
8. Rosaline @ http://rosalinetwentynine.blogspot.com/
9. Melissa @ http://sugercoatit.blogspot.com/
10. Kristin @http://www.wanderlustlust.com/

Capsicum Mushroom Pork

After a busy weekend out on the town and eating lots of rich yummy food, it was back to the kitchen tonight for a homecooked dinner and a one dish wonder. 

Capsicum Mushroom Pork

200 g lean pork, sliced thinly into strips

1 green capsicum, sliced into strips

6 large shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 medium onion, chopped finely

1 clove garlic, chopped finely

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 tsp cornflour

1. Heat some oil in a wok and saute the onions and garlic. Add in the pork and season with the soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir over high heat until cooked.
2. Add the mushrooms and capsicum and cook for a further 5 mins. Mix the cornflour and water and pour over the pork and vegetables. Stir and cook until a light sauce forms. Serve hot over rice.

Away for the Weekend...

This weekend I was away from the kitchen spending some quality time with my dad and sampling some local delights. 


A walk to the local Central Market & Fish Market to have a look at what the fishing boats brought in that morning.....


 
Fresh Garouper, Rock Cod, Red Snapper, Parrot Fish and some Flounder.

Fresh Crabs... all different sizes and some lalas.

Dried ikan bilis (anchovies) & dried chillies.

An assortment of dried fish all different varieties and sizes.

Sea Cucumbers...






Dried seafood.....fish, sea cumber, scallops, prawns, fish maw, squid & ikan bilis.

Yep... It's mango season!

A weekend full of food... steamed tofu, deep fried intestines (I didn't eat this!), fish porridge, tempura, pork tonkatsu, tom yum fish & prawns, fish noodle soup (lots of thickly sliced garouper, fish cake!), kit chai ping (preserved plum and fresh lime iced cold), sashimi and sushi.

Jacob enjoying a bowl full of handmade noodles and having a treat of sesame seed ice cream.... mmmm yum!

Banana Choc Muffins

Preparing a healthy easy snack for school lunches doesn't have to be too complex and sometimes a simple muffin can do the trick. Mash a few ripe bananas and add some chocolate mini buttons and you have a snack ready in bite!

.....That's what I'll be packing in the kid's lunch boxes for tomorrow!

Banana Choc Muffins

2 ripe bananas

1/4 cup chocolate mini buttons

60 g butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1. In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla essence and mix well. 

2. Mash the bananas and chocolate mini buttons and add to the butter mixture and combine well.

3. Sift the plain flour and baking powder and fold into the butter mixture. Alternate with the milk and stir until well combined.

4. Preheat the oven to 180C. 

5. Line a muffin tray with paper patty cups. Spoon the muffin mixture evenly into the muffing cups. Bake for 15 mins or until golden. Remove muffins from the muffin tray and cool on a wire rack.