Look what's cooking today....

I love Summer Time in Australia as we have very hot and humid weather so it's only appropriate I have some cooling recipes to help beat the heat Aussie Summer Heat!!! Eat and enjoy...

Marinated Chicken & Tropical Fruit Salad

1 warm BBQ chicken
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon seeded mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
1 tablespoon pine nuts
100g mixed salad leaves
1 red capsicum/pepper seeded and sliced
1 red onion
1/2 pineapple, peeled and chopped
1/2 pawpaw, seeded, peeled & chopped

Remove skin from chicken. Shred and place into a bowl.

Combine juice, oil, vinegar, mustard & coriander. Pour over chicken. Mix well. Allow to marinate for min. 15 minutes.

Toast pine nuts in a hot pan or oven for a few minutes until golden.
Combine leaves, capsicum, onion and fruit in a large bowl. Add chicken and dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately topped with pine nuts. Accompany with crusty bread.

Sweet Corn & Zucchini Burgers

420g can corn nibblets, drained
2 zucchinis, grated
1 onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
3/4 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons oil
1 egg, beaten
4 seeded rolls, split and toasted lightly
1/2 cup hommus

Combine corn, zucchini, onion, parsley and sauce in a bowl. Mix in flour and combined oil and egg until smooth. Form into 4 even-sized patties.

Spray a hot frying pan with oil. Fry patties for 5 to 10 mintues or until cooked through, turning once.

Top each roll with lettuce, a corn pattie and hommus to taste. Serve open-topped. Yummmmmy !!

Sangria Punch

Method:

Combine wine, juice, sugar and brandy in a jug, mixing well. Refrigerate until required.

When ready to serve add slices of fruit, ice and some mint leaves.

Variation: Make this punch with a bottle of dry white wine instead of red - this is called Sangria Bianco.

Some Australian Recipes for you to try....

Damper

Damper is an unleavened bread traditionally made by bushmen. They baked it in the hot ashes of a fire. The outside was burned, but they broke open the damper and ate only the center. This is a modern version of the basic recipe.

2 cups self-raising flour
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp sugar

Sift flour and salt. Add sugar. Rub in butter. Mix in milk to make medium soft dough. Knead lightly on board until smooth. Pat into round shape. Place on greased baking sheet and glaze with milk. Bake in hot over, reducing heat until cooked (20 minutes). Turn out onto clean dish towel, wrap and cool. Serve with butter and jam.

Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin scones (rhymes with John's) are called biscuits in the United States. They are associated with the state of Queensland. Australia's favorite pumpkin - the Queensland Blue - is readily available there. It is like a giant sized buttercup winter squash. The Queensland Blue has hard, bluish-green skin. Inside is firm, orange flesh. The more easily available butternut squash can be substituted in this recipe.

2 ozs softened butter
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 cup mashed, cooked pumpkin
2 3/4 cups self-raising flour

Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly grease baking trays. Cream softened butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Add mashed pumpkin and milk. Fold in flour using fork, and mix well. Place on well-floured board or pastry sheet and gently press out to approximately 1/2" or 3/4" thickness. Cut into scone shapes using round cutter (2" diameter). Makes approximately 24.

Place on greased oven tray and brush tops with milk. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, turn out onto clean dish towel, wrap and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm, split open and spread with butter.

Pavlova

The Pavlova dessert has a meringue base and fresh cream and fruit topping. It is a refreshing summertime favorite. Both Australia and New Zealand claim the pavlova as a national dish. Stories abound as to the history of its creation. They do agree, however, that the dish was named after the famous Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova.

4 egg whites
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/8 cup confectioner's sugar, if desired
3 drops vanilla extract
1 cup fruit (strawberries and sliced kiwi fruit are popular)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 pinch salt
3 tbsp passionfruit pulp

Preheat oven to 200° F. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil, and grease foil -OR- grease 9" spring form pan. Beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar a little at a time. Continue beating until peaks are formed and sugar is dissolved. Beat in vanilla extract. Mark 9" circle on baking sheet and spread meringue evenly within lines -OR- pile mixture into spring form pan. Make sides as vertical as possible, and create furrows with spatula to increase stability. Make slight hollow in center for filling. Bake one hour. Turn off heat and let dry at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, whip cream until thick. Sweeten with confectioner's sugar, if desired. Spread on top of meringue. Decorate top with fruit, and drizzle with passionfruit pulp.

ANZAC Biscuits

Anzac biscuits (cookies) are crunchy and economical. They are an Australian favorite. Anzac biscuits were created during World War I when there were egg shortages. Australians sent them in food parcels to the troops who became famous as Anzacs (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) . The coconut is available from health or Asian food stores.

1 cup Rolled Oats
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
2 tbsp boiling water
4 oz butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp golden syrup

Preheat oven to 300° F. Lightly grease baking trays. Combine oats, coconut, flour and sugar. Combine butter and syrup in saucepan and stir over low heat until butter melts. Mix soda with boiling water; add to melted butter mixture. Stir into dry ingredients. Drop teaspoonfuls onto baking trays and press with fork. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on trays for a few minutes, then carefully remove to wire racks. Store in airtight containers. Makes about 48.

Lamingtons

Lamington cakes are delicious 2" cubes of sponge cake with a chocolate and coconut coating. They originated around 1898 in what later became the state of Queensland. They were named after Lord Lamington, a popular governor of that colony. The chocolate icing keeps the cake moist. It protects it from drying out in the hot climate. Lamingtons are the most popular fund-raising item for school groups, scouts and girl guides. Bake the cake 24 hours before icing it. A slightly stale cake is easier to cut and frost, and the icing moistens it up again. The coconut is available from health or Asian food stores.

1 pkg Duncan Hines butter cake mix
3 tbsp cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp boiling water
2 cups unsweetened, desiccated coconut

Day 1: Preheat oven as directed. Grease 9" x 13" pan as directed. Prepare cake mix, bake and cool as directed. Turn out on a rack, and when cold, wrap in foil and let stand in refrigerator 24 hours.

Day 2: Sift powdered sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Blend in butter and add boiling water. Mix well until smooth. Stand bowl in pan of boiling water and stir until runny. Leave bowl in hot water while dipping cake squares. Place coconut on sheet of wax paper or in large baking dish. Cut cake into 2" squares. Hold piece on fork or barbecue skewer and dip into warm icing, drain and toss in coconut to cover evenly. Place on wire rack to set. Repeat with remainder.

Aussie Meat Pie

Ready rolled puff pastry.
1 medium chopped onion.
2 bacon rashers.
750g. (3/4lb) of mince (hamburger)
425g can tomatoes.
1 cup (250ml) beef stock.
1/4 cup (60ml) Worcestershire sauce.
2 tabs. tomato sauce. (ketchup)
2 tabs. cornflour (cornstarch) blended with
2 tabs. water to a paste.

Line bottom of pie tin with pastry and lightly prick base. Line the tin with ovenproof paper and fill with dried beans or rice. Bake in moderate oven for 10 minutes, remove paper and beans, and bake further 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool. Press pastry cases with back of spoon to remove any air bubbles.

Spoon cold filling into cases, brush edges of remaining pastry for top, with beaten egg, and gently press onto base. Make 2 small slits in centre of pies for air to escape. Brush tops with a little more egg, and bake in mod. to hot oven for about 15 minutes or until browned.

Filling : Fry onion and bacon and mince until cooked. Stir in undrained crushed tomatoes, stock and sauces. Simmer, uncovered about 25 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in blended cornflour and water and stir until mixture boils and thickens.