Snicker's Salmon Tarts

This is a quick and easy recipe that is sure to make a good impression on guests.

I buy the tarts pre-made and an hour before assemble. I add cottage cheese in the base and salmon on the top. I grow chives in my herb garden, so I just chop chives and sprinkle on top.

Done!!

Enjoy!

Snickers

Women's Weekly Scones

Great recipe. It is easy to make and perfect for afternoon tea.

Friends were impressed I had made them and not bought them.

I encourage you to give it a try.

Enjoy!

Snickers xxx

Women's Weekly Classic: Honey Jumbles

These Honey Jumbles were very time consuming to make. They were delicious but..... I would rethink making them anytime soon.

When I served these to friends they were impressed. But I don't think they are worth the effort.

Snickers

xxoo

Women's Weekly Classic: Rock Cakes

Easy and low in sugar. This is the perfect recipe for a morning tea biscuit for the kids. Simple recipe and quick to make. I took 30 of these to work for morning tea and so many people commented that they haven't had a rock cake since they were a kid. I say bring back the "Rock Cake".

Try it for yourself.

Enjoy! 

Snickers

Donna Hay: Coriander Chicken

Donna Hay: Coriander Chicken

One of the best meals ever. It is a staple weekday meal for my family. It is easy, good for you and tastes great the next day for lunch.

Start with the curry paste. Blend ginger, garlic, fish sauce, a onion, coriander,  and chilli into a paste. Brown off curry paste in a pan, then add the chicken cut into strips. Then add a cup of chicken stock and two minutes later the light coconut cream. Cook for 20 minutes. At this time put of the Jasmine rice and presto! You have a perfect winter mid-week meal!

Enjoy 

Snickers

The Perfect Giant Cupcake

The "Finding Nemo" Cupcake Cake.

This cake recipe is the German Chocolate Layer Cake Recipe from "Meals in Heels". 

I used a giant cupcake pan to create this great shape. Very easy, the only tip is to use a dense cake when using this tin because one side is thicker than the other. To prevent the muffin top from burning put foil over the top when you want the slow down the cooking. Just keep an eye on it.

 Icing the cake, I took a short cut. I used bought royal icing. I dyed a section of the icing blue to create the stars. If the icing is too cold, microwave it for 10 seconds before you roll it out.

 Decorating the base of the cupcake to resemble a traditional cupcake case.

 Adding the "muffin top". I iced this with butter cream icing that I dyed blue!

Enjoy Your Food!

The perfect time to enjoy your family and good food is Sunday Night Dinner. The end of the weekend is an opportunity for you to spoil yourself even at home! Preparing good simple food, setting the table, lighting candles, and yes .... pull out the nice cutlery. You deserve it!

One of our recent Sunday Night Dinners involved a beautiful easy carve leg of lamb  from Craig Cook Butchers. Found in the David Jones Food Hall. http://www.primequalitymeat.com.au/pages/we_have_such_a_beef



It was cooked on the Weber! I love the Weber! I think the Weber deserves an extra B! It is soooo easy and this method of cooking is fool proof! Your meat will be tender every time.








Try it!

Enjoy!





Snickers

The Royal Wedding!

Congratulations Kate and Wills.
What a beautiful wedding!!
The dress in one word "stunning"!
Pippa's bridesmaids dress also gorgeous and did you see their second dresses for the party afterwards... I'll bet there will be plenty of copies on the rack soon.

Hollywood xox

Hollywoods Sunday Lunch Pumpkin Soup

So I was home alone today as I said before because hubby is off playing golf. So I decided to make myself some yummy pumpkin soup (perfect for the cooler weather).
So here's how I did it:

chopped up butternut pumpkin (can also use Kent Pumpkin)
put on baking tray lined with baking paper, sprinkled over olive oil, sea salt and fresh rosemary leaved.
Baked at 180 degrees until cooked and golden

Placed two chopped onions, 1 chopped clove of garlic in large saucepan and cooked until onion caramelised. Added baked pumpkin and vegetable stock and cooked over stove for approx 30 minutes.
Then used the kitchen whizz to blend and added a dash of milk, salt and pepper to taste.

x Hollywood

Now did I mention that the swans lost on Friday ..... I should have stayed home and watched the royal wedding live!!

Check out the photos I added to the Rhubarb Tarts

Vege and Herb Garden

So husband is at golf today and I have done 4 loads of washing. When I was hanging the last load of washing out I looked over at my vege/herb garden and thought that our followers might be interested. Both Snickers and I grow some of our own veges and herbs. I live in a unit block and only recently created our communal garden. It has been great because I have met so many people in our unit block through doing the garden!!
If you live in a unit block remember to seek Strata approval before starting.
Im currently growing:
* cherry tomatoes
* rocket
* chilli
* celery
* silverbeet

* herbs (basil, chives, mint, thyme, corriander, parsley, rosemary)
* and I have a bay leaf tree!!

I used fresh chives and parsley straight from my garden for the poached chicken sandwiches and pumpkin soup - fresh rosemary.

Secret ingredient to a successful vege/herb garden - cow poop!

x Hollywood

Mother's day special : Hollywoods famous poached chicken sandwiches

Ok so I am really trying to make up for my slack blogging now.... this recipe is for my famous poached chicken sandwiches. I get asked to make these time and time again.  They are perfect for a picnic (we had them on our wedding day when at the photo location :) ) and would be ideal to make this mothers day.
They are SO EASY!!!

Boil chicken breast (as much as you require for the amount of people you are cooking for) in vegetable stock until the chicken is well cooked through.

Remove chicken from stock and allow to cool.

Chop celery, fresh chive and fresh flat leaf parsley and place in a bowl.

Finely chop chicken and add to herbs.

Add whole egg mayonaise and sour cream until it coats the chicken. Use approx 1/2 cup mayonaise to 2 tablespoons sour cream.

Add slithered almonds (to add a nice crunch) and then season with salt and pepper.

Now add to buttered bread and slice as you wish.

Occasionally I mix things up a bit, here are a few variations:
* basil instead of chives and parsley
* seeded mustard
* add avocado

Note: this sandwich refridgerates well, so you can make it the day before required.

Hope you enjoy, my secret easy sandwich recipe is out!!!

X Hollywood

Easter Potato Bake "slightly healthier than usual"

So I have been away up to Northern Queensland for easter. We ate fresh coral trout, bugs, tiger prawns, tusk fish etc etc. To compliment all our fresh seafood we ate a lot of fresh salads but also I made this fabulous potato bake off the top of my head.....
it goes a bit like this....

Peel and very finely slice potatoes (however many you need for you guests - we were cooking for 11 people)

Peel and also finely slice 2 small onions

Spray olive oil into you baking dish

Neatly layer the dish, 1 layer of potatoes and then sprinkle some finely slice onion. Continue until you reach desired quantity.

Mix 1/2 cup of light cream with about 1 cup of light milk, add 1 teaspoon garlic, 2 tablespoons seeded mustard and 2 table spoons of plain flour. Beat with a whisk until well combined. Poor over potatoes.
Garnish top with freshly grated parmesan, nutmeg and freshly chopped chives.

Opps nearly forgot to add taste the milk mixture first and adjust quantities of garlic and mustard to suit your palate. Season with salt and pepper

Cook in a 180 degree over until the potato is cooked through and the top is crispy golden brown.

Sorry about the photos, I only took photos before I put it in the oven

It was delicious and much healthier than full cream versions.

x Hollywood

I've been a slack blogger!!

OK, so you may be wondering why you havnt seen a blog from Hollywood lately? Well, the only real, truthful answer I have is that I have been slack!! I have cooked and photographed just havnt got around to putting them up.
So for this I get the title "slack blogger"

To make ammends to all our faithful followers I promise to do a 'super blog session'..... starting now....

Posh Shepherd's Pie p88

Prep Time 40mins / Cooking Time 4 hours / Serves 6-8

Braise Lamb Shanks.

Add a good bottle of red wine. If you wouldn't drink it don't cook with it!

Bake for 3 hours until the lamb falls off the bone.

Get your basic veges going. Sweat them until soft. Combine with more red wine and shredded lamb.

Assemble in baking dish with mash potato and sliced leek. You can freeze at this stage and just defrost overnight and cook the next day.

Bake till steaming hot. This is a perfect winter meal. My husband loves this dish. This is the second time I have made it and it tastes even better than I remembered it.

Enjoy with a nice bottle of Coonawarra Shiraz! Yum! 

Enjoy! 

Snickers xoxo