Curry Puffs

I went to a Thai restuaruant the other day and tried these things called Curry Puffs, they were really good and I decided to try and make them myself. I didn't get it exactly the same but I think I got the basics down so now I can just try different variations. It is a good way to use some left overs as well such as left over meat and potatoes. Essentially it is deep fried pastry, why I never thought of this before is beyond me.

Ingredients
Puff Pastry
Meat with some seasoning, I used left over Chicken Tikka Marsala
Oil for frying

1. Heat Oil, I used a deep fryer but you could use a pot and some oil if you like.
2. Cut Puff pastry into squares, I used about 3inch squares.
3. Place filling/meat onto pastry and enclose, make sure it is sealed tightly. Might want to use some water or egg/milk wash it make sure you have a good seal, but I didn't use any and didn't have problems.
4. Place in deep fryer/oil. It will seem like the oil isn't hot cause there isn't the usual sizzle but it is and the pastry will soon rise to the top and fizzle away.
5. Turn over after a few minutes.
6. Once nice and golden brown and the pastry is starting to seperate a bit take out and drain.

Ingredients

Puff PastryCurried Meat, (I used some left over Chicken Tikka Marsala)

Cakes

Well I figured with having kids and many birthdays to come I thought I would work on some cake decorating. I am still working on it and my skills are fairly basic but I enjoy it and thought I would share some of my designs with you.

Update

Well I didn't have any pictures cause I hadn't made anything on there yet, but I have just made some Naan bread so check out the pictures, including how Matt and I eat things a bit differently. Will try and put some more stuff on here this weekend.

Chocolate Caramel Slice

Alright well in New Zealand they love slices, I wasn't really sure what they mean by a slice at first but it is something that is cooked in a pan of sorts and then cut (sliced) into squares. So here is a recipe that Joanna, my mother-in-law, gave me but for some reason I can make way better than her, I think cause I actually follow the recipe. It is really good, a bit time consuming cause I like to let it cool between a few steps but not difficult. H0pefully it translates to America.

Ingredients
Base
175g softened butter (about 3/4 cup I think)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tbls cocoa
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder

Caramel Filling
50g butter
3 tbls golden syrup (this is the part I am worried about, it is syrup but not maple just golden, that is what it says on the bottle, so have a look)
1 tin condensed milk (if you can find caramel flavored condensed milk, then it might take the golden syrup part away)

Base
1. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla
2. Add egg and beat well
3. Sift dry ingredients and mix thorougly
4. Press into a greased and floured pan. (I use baking paper as well)
Now I find that for a 13x9 pan I need to make this recipe 1.5 times or I double it and it makes a 13x9 plus one smaller. Will have to try and make one batch in a 13x9 but I like the base so like it a bit thicker. So if you have a smaller pan try that.

Also it will be very sticky and a bit hard to spread, so I dip my hand in some flour and that helps, just keep touching the flour and then the mix to help spread it out.

Caramel Filling
1. In a microwave safe bowl put all ingredients in and cook in micorwave for about 2.5 minutes
2. Remove and stir, let sit for 2 minutes
3. Return to microwave for a further 2-3 minutes.
Now it will look like it has curdled a bit but that is fine, I think it helps make it nice and firm. So just stir it out, it will look a bit smother and even if there are a few lumps left, don't worry you won't notice when it is done.

Now once base is cool, spread warm caramel filling. Now I put it in the fridge to let the caramel set, this is the part that takes awhile. Once set, which probably doesn't really take that long spread with chocolate icing. I like the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting I use for the brownies, or you can use any cocolate icing you like but you want it to be a bit solid.

Once 3 layers are done and set, cut into squares and enjoy. Now these are good just as they are, but I like to keep them in the fridge and eat them from there, just gives them a nice texture, but they are great as is.

Chocolate Chip Slab Cookies

Got the recipe from a cookbook given to me by Rachel, it is great for something fast and good to take away something cause you can make it in a few minutes and there is no fiddly bits.

Ingredients
220g (7 3/4 oz) butter, softened
200g (7oz) brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
300g (10 1/2 oz) flour
200g chocolate chips, or as many as you feel

1. Beat butter and sugar together until nice and creamy, this is kind of important.
2. Add vanilla and continue to beat.
3. Stir in flour and then chocolate chips. The mixture will seem really dry and crumbly.
4. Pat into a greased 13x9 pan. Once you pat it down it will seem a bit more moist.
5. Bake at 350F/180C for 22-25 minutes or until the edges are slightly crisp, it will look nice and golden brown.
6. Allow to cool and cut into squares.

I can bang these out in about 10 minutes, then about after cooking and a bit of cooling they are ready to go. They are amazingly addictive.

Tortillas

Well since I moved to New Zealand I no longer have access to the number of tortillas I did in Texas. I have not been able to bring myself to spend $5 on 8 tortillas when $5 would have bought me about 800 tortillas in Texas. So I started making them myself and am really happy with them, they don't take too long and will last a few days, just cook what you need at the time.

This makes about 12 tortillas, so I usually double it or so.

Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt or just a dash will do
4-6 tbls shortening
warm water

1. Combine all the ingredients minus the water.
2. I use my mixer with dough hooks but you can use your hands, I used to do it that way. But cut the shortening in with the flour, until it is broken up a bit.
3. Slowly add warm water until you make a dough that is not sticky.
4. Divide into balls and let rise for about 10 minutes.
5. Roll out into torillas.
6. When ready to eat, heat a dry frying pan to medium heat, not too hot but almost.
7. Grill tortilla on dry pan until bottom is brown and it is bubbling up a bit
8. Turn over and grill other site, second side does not take long, a few seconds.
9. Remove from pan and keep warm till dinner time.

Naan Bread

Decided to try and make Naan bread to have with some Indian food. Found this recipe and it worked well, plus I had all the ingredients which is always a plus. I make it ahead of time and then cook when it is time to eat or while everything else is simmering away.

Ingredients

1 (1/4 oz) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tbls milk

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp minced garlic or garlic powder

melted butter

1. Dissolve yeast and a bit of sugar in warm water.

2. Once frothy stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt and enough flour to make a soft dough. I use my mixer with dough hooks. Once combined I kneed on a flour surface till smooth.
3. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.



4. Punch down dough, and kneed (you can add some garlic in now if you like).
5. Break into small balls about 12-15 or less for bigger naans. Place on tray, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. (At this point I usually stop and wait till I am ready to eat, they expand out alot but still taste great.)

6. Heat pan, and roll out dough.
7. Place a bit of butter in the pan and grill dough on both sides until puffy and lightly browned.
8. Remove from pan and brush with melted butter (I add garlic powder to the butter)

These may be a bit messy to eat with the butter on both sides but they sure are yummy.

This is what I had for dinner.

And this is what Matt had for dinner. He had Naan, sour cream, Tikka Masala, Tomato slices and then cheese.

Its amazing how I can make one meal and Matt and I have two totaly different dinners.

Blueberry Muffins

After recieving 2kgs of Blueberries I decided I needed to find a good muffin recipe so tried a few different ones and found that I really like this one. The muffin part is really fluffy and the topping is fatastic! Haven't tried it without the topping but I am sure it would still be great.

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
milk
1 cup blueberries

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter cubed
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1. Heat oven to 400F/200C
2. Combine flour, sugar, sald and baking powder
3. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup, add the egg and enough milk to make 1 cup.
4. Mix with flour mixture.
5. Fold in blueberries.
6. Fill greased muffin cups almost to the top and sprinkle with topping. I use silicone muffin cups and don't grease them at all and they are perfect.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes

Topping
1. Mix sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon (if using) and mix together with a fork or fingers till well combined, will be clumpy.

Fudge Brownies

This is a recipe I got from my Aunt Candice. We have been making them since I was little which I can prove since I am using the recipe from an elementry school cook book. They are really easy to make and everyone loves them.

Ingredients
Brownies
3/4 cup or 175g butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1tsp vanilla
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup flour

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
4 tbls butter
4 tbsp cocoa
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbls milk

1. Beat butter and sugar together.
2. Add eggs, one at a time and beat will after each egg.
3. Add vanilla.
4. Sift together flour and cocoa and add to butter mixture.
5. Mix until just blended, don't over beat or mixture will get too smooth and won't be as fudgy, more cake like then.
6. Put in UNGREASED 13x9 pan and bake at 350F/180C for 25 min
7. Let cool and frost with frosting

Frosting
1. Beat butter and cocoa together.
2. Add powder/icing sugar and mix well.
3. Add vanilla and mix.
4. Add milk tbls at a time until you get the desired consitency.

This is a great frosting and I use it for lots of things, probably one of my favorites.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

These are my world famous chocolate chip cookies, I have been making them for years and they are fantastic everytime, everyone loves them.

Ingredients
1 package instant pudding (choc or vanilla, I like vanilla)
dash of salt
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs
1 cup/250g butter, softened works best
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Lots of Chocolate Chips!

1. Mix first 4 ingredients, the dry ingredients.
2. Beat eggs, butter, sugars untill a bit creamy.
3. Add vanilla and mix.
4. Add in dry ingredients bits at a time.
5. Once all mixed together, add chocolate chips.
6. Place on baking sheet, I like to use baking paper or something non stick.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375F or 190C.
8. Cover rack with foil and let cookies cool if you can wait that long.

Chili Macaroni Casserole

So I found this recipe while searching through the internet, tried it and Matt and I loved it, a bit like Hambrger Helper but homemade and since there is no HH here, it makes me happy.

Ingredients
1lb ground beef/500g mince
2 tbls garlic
1 onion chopped
1-2 teaspoons chilli powder, or anything spicy like cayane, up to you
2 packs/1 ounce taco seasoning,
1/3 c grated parmesan
8 slices bacon, cooked till crisp (optional)
1 can tomato sauce or puree for the NZers
2 cans tomato soup
1-2 tbls brown sugar
salt/pepper
3 cups cooked macaroni, but I think I used more, like 500g or so.
4 cups tex mex cheese but for the NZers, colby works well but I am sure any cheese will do, you could probably cut back on it too if you like.


1. Brown beef, onion, and garlic and drain.
2. Mix in chili, taco seasoning and parm, cook for about a minute.
3. Add in bacon, tomato soup and sauce and brown sugar. Simmer for 30-40 mintues stirring occasionaly.
4. Season with salt and peper and mix in 2 cups of the cheese.
5. Add in cooked macaroni and mix to combine.
6. Place in greased casserole dish, at least 13x9.
7. Sprinkle rest of cheese on top
8. Bake at 180C or 350F for about 20 minutes until all the cheese is nice and melted.