I'm in need of some iron, so here's a quick and easy steak sandwich.

New York Strip (marinate in a little soy sauce and fresh garlic, thinly sliced, for 20 mins or so)
Antipasti roast bell peppers
Onion jam
Raw red onion
Camembert (or Brie)
Mushrooms

Fry the New York strip on a medium heat, with the mushrooms, until it's done as you like. There's no need to flash or seal the steak, cooking slowly leaves it more tender. I do about 5 mins each side at the most.

Once nearly done, add the camembert to the top of the steak to help it relax a little. Once starting to melt, place the steak and mushrooms in your bread roll / sandwich, add the onions, bell peppers, smear a generous dollop of onion jam on the top of the bun. Add English mustard too for a bit more of a pep.

Serve with rocket (arugula) salad with cherry tomatoes, or if it's not enough to fill you up, beer battered chips go well.



It's almost compulsory to wash it down with a glass of Cabernet Suavignon

Here is a simple snack recipe that anyone can do ...

Fried Pickles

Shake pickle slices in 50% Flour 50% Corn Meal
Deep fry covered pickles for 2 minutes or until floating
Let drip dry and cool on paper towel
Ranch Dressing or What You Like of Dressings for dipping

Now you also can do a Cayenne powder flavored pickles just cut flour to 25%
and add 25% Cayenne Powder.

Fair Warning: Don't use Hot Pickles. Trust me I have experimented.

an easy to bake banana bread! got this from another site, tweaked it a little and viola!

4 or 5 Large over riped bananas, mashed (the more bananas the moister, so I use 5)

1/4 cup brown sugar (original recipe calls for 1 cup, but I don’t like them too sweet)

1/4 cup honey

1 slightly beaten egg

1/3 cup melted margarine or butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups flour

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and margarine together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Mix wet and dry ingredients all together! Pour into a wax paper lined loaf pan or greased muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes.

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Smile at your enemies.. It makes them crazy...

Pear tartlets!

◦9 oz thawed puff pastry sheets
◦2 tbsp brown sugar
◦2 tbsp butter, with a little extra melted for brushing
◦1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
◦3 pears, peeled and sliced

Roll out the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut out six 4-inch round circles (you can press them out with a small bowl).

Arrange the pastry circles on a cookie sheet and refrigerate while you peel and slice the pears.

Mix the sugar, butter, and ginger in a small bowl. Prick the pastry circles evenly with a fork and spread the mixture on each.

Arrange pear slices on each pastry circle and brush them with melted butter.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with a little ice cream or vanilla sauce <3

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The fear and the yearning
It's gonna eat you alive

Made up this cake for my birthday a while ago, was very rich

Chocolate Layer Cake
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients
1+½ cup (340 g) butter, softened
1+2/3 cup (365 g) sugar
6 eggs
2+2/3 cup (300 g) all-purpose flour
About 3/4 cup (120 g) finely ground almonds
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup boiling water
Ingredients for frosting
6 tablespoons (80 g) butter
7 oz (200 g) semisweet chocolate (40-60% cocoa)
2 eggs (salmonella-free)
7 oz (200 g) icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).

2. Line two 9 inch (23 cm) cake tins with greaseproof or other non-stick paper and grease the tins.
3. Beat the softened butter with sugar.
4 . Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.
5. Mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla extract, and finely ground almonds.
6. Add ½ cup of boiling water and mix well.
7. Transfer to two separate cake tins and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle, approximately 30-45 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over-bake!
8. Cool the cakes and cut each in half, horizontally. They are easier to cut if they are kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.


Instead of using a frosting (which was nice), I used this instead.

Heavenly Chocolate Mousse
By: Christy Freeman

Prep Time:
30 Min
Ready In:
30 Min

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
• 224 g semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 120 ml water, divided
• 30 g butter (no substitutes)
• 3 egg yolks
• 25 g sugar
• 295 ml whipping cream, whipped

Directions
1. In a microwave or double boiler, heat chocolate, 1/4 cup water and butter until the chocolate and butter are melted. Cool for 10 minutes.

In a small heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and remaining water. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F, about 1-2 minutes.

Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate mixture. Set saucepan in ice and stir until cooled, about 5-10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream.

(Spoon into dessert dishes if just making on own.) Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Once the cake and Mousse were both cool I cut the two cakes in half and began filling the layers with the mousse and covered the top as well.

I also put a layer of salted caramel inside it as well

Salted caramel layer
• 150g caster sugar
• 30g glucose
• 60g water
• 110g cream
• 2.5g gelatine leaves
• 62g butter unsalted
• 1g sea salt flakes

Directions:

Heat cream
Put sugar, glucose (honey) water, in a saucepan, cook to caramel colour
Deglaze caramel with cream
Add gelatine
Cool to 50C
Add butter and blitz
Put in container and freeze.

This is my decadent choccy birthday cake, and while I didn't get it to look perfect it tasted awesome!!

THAI CHICKEN WRAPS WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

Ingredients
3 chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
4 flour tortilla wraps (12 inches)

For the salad:
1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on an angle
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrots, available packaged in the produce department at the grocery store
3 scallions, sliced on an angle
12 leaves basil, chopped or torn
3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
Salt

For the spicy peanut sauce:
1/4 cup room temperature chunky peanut butter, softened in the microwave if it has been refrigerated
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation
Heat a grill pan over high heat. Toss the chicken with soy sauce and oil and grill for 6 minutes on each side.
Combine the cucumber, sprouts, carrots, scallions, basil, mint and sesame with a generous sprinkle of sugar and vinegar. Season the salad with salt, to taste.
Whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and cayenne together. Stream in the vegetable oil.
Slice the cooked chicken on an angle. Toss with the veggies and herbs.
In a very hot nonstick skillet, or over a gas burner, heat the tortillas for 15 seconds on each side.
Pile the chicken and veggies in the wraps and drizzle liberally with spicy peanut sauce before wrapping and rolling.

SERVES 4

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NEW ENGLAND CRABBY MELTS

Ingredients

3 jarred roasted red peppers, drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon hot sauce
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
12 ounces fresh lump crabmeat (from the seafood counter)
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay seasoning
2 celery ribs from the heart, finely chopped
2 sprigs tarragon, leaves stripped from stems and chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
4 sandwich-size English muffins, split
Unsalted butter, softened, for buttering
2 cups watercress, chopped
2 cups Gruyère cheese (about 8 ounces), shredded

Preparation

Place the peppers in the bowl of a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and hot sauce (eyeball it), then put the lid in place and turn on the processor. Add the EVOO in a thin stream (eyeball it as well) and process until smooth.
Pre-heat the broiler. Using your fingers, check the crabmeat for pieces of shell. In a medium size bowl, combine the crab and seafood seasoning. Add the celery, tarragon and scallions to the crab and toss with the red pepper dressing; adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Toast the English muffins under the hot broiler, then lightly butter them. Top each with a small handful of watercress, then with a scoop of the crab salad. Pat down the salad a bit, then top with a handful of cheese and return to the broiler to melt the cheese, about 1-2 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

SERVES 4

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Archie's BBQ Sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup of worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup of brown sugar (or 1/2 cup if you like a sweeter sauce)
1 1/2 cup of ketchup
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon of dried mustard
1 teaspoon of chili pepper powder
pepper

*Combine in sauce pan, stirring until blended over medium heat. Turn to low, allowing the garlic to heat and release its flavour. If you have left overs, cool before putting in the fridge. Use up in a week.

* if you want it more chunky - chop up some fresh ripe tomatoes ... and go wild!

fabulous on RIBS!!

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for someone!! :p yummmmm!

Nutella Cheesecake

Ingredients

* 250g digestives (approx 1 c)
* 75g soft unsalted butter (approx 1/3 c)
* 400g jar Nutella, at room temperature
* 100g chopped toasted hazelnuts (approx 1 c)
* 500g cream cheese, at room temperature
* 60g icing sugar (approx 1/3 c)

Method
Serves: 12 - 14
Break the digestives into the bowl of a processor, add the butter and a 15ml tablespoon of Nutella, and blitz until it starts to clump. Add 25g of the hazelnuts and continue to pulse until you have a damp, sandy mixture.
Tip into a 23cm round springform and press into the base either using your hands or the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge to chill.
Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and then add the remaining Nutella to the cream cheese mixture, and continue beating until combined.
Take the springform out of the fridge and carefully smooth the Nutella mixture over the base. Scatter the remaining 75g of chopped hazelnuts on top to cover and place the tin in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight. Serve straight from the fridge for best results.

sited: http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/nutella-cheesecake

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Stir Fry Vegetables and Chicken with Ginger and Orange

½ head Bok Choy (about 3-4 stalks)
1 Cubanelle Pepper (2 if small ones)
1 Roma Tomato
1 piece fresh ginger (about 1” x 3/8” dia)
½ Large California Navel orange
2 t. finely chopped Garlic, divided (I used from a jar, ‘cause that’s what I had)
4 T. Sesame oil, divided
2 chicken breasts
1-14oz can chicken broth
1 cup rice
¼ t. salt

Place 2T oil in wok and heat to shimmering. Add 1t.garlic. Peel and finely chop ginger. Peel orange and finely chop the peel. Add orange peel and ginger to garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Slice chicken breasts into strips, about 1/8” square and 2” long. Toss in wok and cook, stirring often with a wok spatula until chicken is completely cooked, but not dried out. Remove from wok and wipe out wok with paper towel.
Add remaining sesame oil. Heat to shimmer once again, and add remaining garlic. Cook about two minutes, or until garlic is evenly browned.

While garlic is cooking, remove leaves of bok choy and discard. Cut stalks into ½” squares. Chop orange, pepper and tomato the same size. Add all to wok, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until bok choy is hot all the way through, but still crunchy. Return chicken to mixture, and stir thoroughly, until everything is evnly coated with the orange peel and ginger. Add chicken broth, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover while preparing rice.

Rinse rice seven to ten times with cold water. Place in a saucepan with two cups of water, and salt. Bring to boil. WATCH CAREFULLY, OR IT WILL BOIL OVER AND MAKE AN UNHOLY MESS!!!! Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer, uincovered for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest for a few minutes. Fluff with fork. Place rice on plate, and place vegetable/chicken on top.

Serves two easily, with lots of stir-fry leftover. With double the rice, would easily serve four.

Serve with slightly fruity, well chilled white wine. Spaatlese or Leibfraumilch also goes well with this dish.

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"There's only three tempos: slow, medium and fast. When you get between in the cracks, ain't nuthin' happenin'." Ben Webster

Spinach Pie:

3 boxes of Philo dough (usually found in supermarket next to frozen baking items).
6 containers of Feta Cheese (preferably the one in a cylindrical plastic container rather than the one in the plastic see through container)
6 eggs
8 packs of frozen chopped spinach
10 – 12 green onions (a.k.a. scallions)
Small container of powered oregano (the chopped oregano does not have the kick the powered does)
One small container of dill weed.
Mint is optional, and is the most traditional way but takes a long time if you are not adept at cutting herbs.
Small container of pepper
Small bottle of virgin olive oil
One stick of butter (doesn’t matter what type)
Small bbq brush


1. Defrost spinach and separate in a bowl. Strain all excess water till you can make little spinach balls, put in feta cheese blocks, and put all the eggs in. Place your mixture in bowl and leave in fridge while doing the next part. Also, leave the philo dough out of the fridge so it may thaw and makes it easy to work with.
2. Chop scallions/green onions. Not too much so you don’t bleed out all the juice and drop the scallions into the mix in #1. As you clean the green onions, make sure to do so under water, lots of small dirt particles.
3. Powder the top of the mix with almost all of the oregano and pepper. With the spinach you will get a nice dark green hue. Half portion of dill weed compared to pepper and oregano.
4. Once everything is in one bowl, mix it in with hands. This will help in thoroughly breaking down the feta and mixing all ingredients.
5. Taste the mixture to see if you need more of anything. If too much of any ingredient is overpowering you can either put in a little olive oil or more spinach.
6. Put the mixture in the fridge and cover while working on the pan and philo.
7. Butter your pan on all sides and bottom, be generous.
8. Use about one and half boxes of the dough for the bottom and the other box and half for the top of the pie. As you layer your pan use the brush, dip into oil and brush the philo after every 4th or 5th sheet. Be generous to the corners since those usually come out dry if not enough oil is used. Once the bottom of the pan is covered, grab your mix and put it into the philo.
9. Press down on the mixture to distribute evenly, and then fold the philo on top of the mixture.
10. With the other box and a half, layer the top, repeat with oiling every 4th or 5th sheet. Also tuck the edges as you go. The oil will help that as well. Oil the last top sheet and voila!
11. Once you’re done, stick it in the oven at 375 for two to two and a half hours. Easiest way to know you’re done is the top of the pie will be a golden brown, and your house will smell like pie.

Bon Appetit!

Is this Spanakopita?
We just had a Greek festival here this week-end. What a feast! OPA!

Tarpon Springs, Chef? I have a couple of friends there. Yes, it's Spanakopita. There is a more traditional version, this one is the one most found during those feasts.

Spasta, kale.

(Break everything, dear.)