It’s funny how things sometimes fall into place. Just the other day I was smitten by Katherine’s recipe for Shrimp with Redeye Gravy over Cheesy Grit Cakes. The dish just looked too good to pass by eventhough I’m no big fan of grits (aka polenta).

It also happened that I was asked to review a new recipe app America’s Family Recipes ($0.99 for iPhone and iPad) and for the life of me I could not decide which mouth-watering recipe to try – there are over 120! Yes, there is more to American cuisine than burgers and fries.

Would it be the classic pecan pie, or maybe the corn and clam chowder… or wait, the cobb salad or Boston beans? Browsing through numerous tempting recipes with gorgeous pictures to match, I stumbled upon their version of Prawns with Grits. I was drawn to the this Southern gem of a recipe instantly and may I say I love it! It even makes for a great h’ordeuvre as I found out last night – served in those Chinese spoons, delish!

So that’s the verdict on the dish, now what did I think of the app?

The user friendly interface provides a nice introduction to each dish, a little history and tasting notes. The rest is a breeze too. Clearly laid out ingredient list with an option to add items to a shopping list which then can be printed straight from the app and cooking instructions are well-worded and easy to follow.

For those of you into baking, there is even a timer attached to the instructions but I found it to be a little useless when on mute and annoying when the volume is turned up – you’re either going to hear nothing, or every second tick before the timer’s “ding” goes off. On the upside, though, the option to have the measurements listed in imperial and metric is most helpful for cross-country cooking. And you can share recipes with friends via email or Facebook (perhaps Twitter would be useful too?).

All in all, it really is a nifty little app for anyone wanting to try a few more authentic American dishes. Now if you excuse me, pecan pie beckons…

Wholesome Cook received a copy of the app for free, courtesy of Parragon Books Ltd.

Serves 4

Southern style prawns with grits

Adapted from America’s Family Recipes app by Parragon Books. To lighten up the dish a little, I used smoked cooked pork neck – it’s like bacon only a lot less fatty, and added 1 cup arrabiatta pasta sauce instead of stock (it’s nice and spicy). If you are unable to find fresh jalapenos, use green long chilli instead. To make grits (polenta) I used full cream milk instead of water and butter.

{Printable recipe}

For the prawns:

• 450g large raw prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning (choose MSG free)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper

For the sauce:

• 100g cooked pork neck //or rasher bacon, cut into 1cm chunks
• 1 cup arrabiata sauce
• 2 tbsp cream
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno chilli // or green long chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley (+extra)

For the grits (polenta):

• 3/4 cup instant grits (polenta), cooked according to packet instructions

To prepare the prawns: place prawns, Cajun seasoning, salt, black and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

To make the sauce: add pork neck or bacon to a large fry pan and cook on medium heat until most of the fat has melted away and the bits are lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon and add cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and arrabiata sauce.

Return the pork pan back to the heat and when it’s starting to smoke lightly, add the prawns, spreading into a single layer. Cook for about 1 minute on each side, then turn over using tongs. Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, spring onions, chilli and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the sauce mixture and allow it to heat through. Remove from heat and stir through the parsley.

To serve: divide cooked grits between 4 serving plates and top with Southern prawn sauce. Sprinkle with extra chopped parsley if you wish.

If you are a serious coffee lover like me, you will appreciate the intense flavours of freshly brewed espresso and ground coffee beans in this delicious yet simple to make ice cream. No custards to make – just coffee, some sugar and cream. Oh, and choc chips for good measure!

No ice cream maker? Head on over to Delicieux to WIN a Cuisinart Ice cream maker (closes Sun 4 March, Australian residents only).

While the recipe has been right under my nose eversince I got my Cuisinart ice cream maker, it was Chanel who first alerted me to its existence. I knew I had to make it, after all coffee and chocolate and an occasional glass of red wine is what my doctor had ordered to alleviate those nasty migranes I sometimes get. Now, I can do that on a hot day with a scoop or two of this cool treat.

I can imagine the ice cream going extremely well with an oozy chocolate fondant cake or in a double hit affogato, but it’s just as delicious eaten straight out of the tub, in a waffle cone or a cup.

Makes 5 cups (1.25 litres)

Coffee choc chip ice cream

I’ve changed the original Cuisinart recipe to incorporate freshly brewed espresso, extra cocoa and some freshly ground coffee beans for intensity. I also used skim milk and whipped my cream before churning the ice cream, for a lighter consistency.

{Printable recipe}

For the ice cream:

• 1 cup skim milk, well chilled
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 60ml espresso coffee, chilled
• 2 tbsp freshly ground coffee
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate (chips), chopped finely
• 2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To make the cie cream: in a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso and ground coffee until the sugar is dissolved. In another bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add whipped cream and chopped chocolate to the coffee milk mixture and whisk gently to combine.

To churn: turn the machine ON, pour the mixture into freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 25 – 30 minutes.

To store: transfer  to a chiled loaf tin or an airtight container and freeze for 2 hours before serving. The ice cream is ready to serve even after longer chilling time – the cream keeps it scoopable at all times.

Time flies and it was only last week that I came to truly realise this. I was talking to Mum, who made a comment in passing that my passport was about to expire next year, and so, in a seemingly related way my memory of the wonderfully rich and addictive flavours of the yakisoba noodles, was prompted. It’s been almost 10 years, I thought to myself, since I was first introduced to the slinky noodle dish served with my favourite side of char-grilled chilli octopus…

I’ve been back since, of course. Ducking across the Harbour at lunch time to savour only the best yakisoba I’ve ever had, enjoying every strand of noodly goodness as if it were the last while hiding from CityRail safety guards on the North Shore line train back into town. It was probably the only time and the only reason why I would put my fate in the hands of the city’s rail system even though there were only 2 short stops between me and my beloved sweet and spicy soy noodles, I just couldn’t wait that long. It may come as a surprise though, that the dish of such splendour was procured from a little Asian food court spot (Motto Motto – I had to refer to Google to jog my memory) inside Greenwood Plaza, but may I just say, it was worth every minute of that dreaded train trip.

Now, it’s been a while, and judging from my Google research above, the place still exists, but at least now I’ve perfected the recipe to the point at which it resembles the Greenwood noodles so much, I can hardly tell the difference and I no longer have to rely on the trains to get my fix. Win win. Oh, and in case you were curious, yakisoba refers to  the sauce and does not actually mean that soba noodles are used in the original recipe. However, I actually prefer it with soba, “yakisoba soba” drives the spell checker mad!

Serves 2

Yakisoba soba (with chilli octopus)

I like to use organic soba noodles, to make the dish a little more wholesome considering the dark rich soy sauce is quite high in sugar. I also add a dash more chilli to the mix because I like my noodles spicy – Malaysian Sambal paste is great, or just a pinch of the good old chilli powder. Omit octopus for a quicker vegetarian version. One note on octopus: for tenderness in this recipe, flash fry on high heat for no longer than 30 seconds on each side, otherwise stew or braise for at least 30 minutes.

{Printable recipe}

For the yakisoba sauce:

• 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet thick soy sauce)
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp ketchup // or tomato sauce
• (chilli to taste)

For the yakisoba soba:

• 50g dry soba noodles
• 1 (120g) carrot, julienned
• 1/4 red onion, sliced finely
• 1 sprig spring onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp peanut oil

For the chilli octopus:

• 300g baby octopus, cleaned
• 2 red long chillies, chopped finely
• 1 sprig coriander, chopped finley
• 1 lime, juice and zest

To marinate the chilli octopus: combine all ingredients in a ceramic bowl and mix well. Cover with cling film and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

To make the yakisoba sauce: combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Season to taste with chilli.

To make the yakisoba soba: cook soba noodles according to packet instructions, but a minute shorter than it would in boiling water – see note on packet about stir frying cooking option. Drain, rinse with cold running water and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok until smoking hot. Add carrot and onion and stir fry for 30 seconds or so. Add extra oil and noodles then pour over yaki soba sauce. Stir fry the noodles for about a minute to allow them to soak up the sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl.

To cook the octopus: return wok to heat and add 1 tbsp peanut oil. Heat until smoking. Add octopus and stir fry for about a minute to allow all the pieces to cook through. Trasfer into a warmed serving bowl.

To serve: mix chilli octopus into the noodles, or serve separately as a side.

I thoroughly enjoy an occasional muffin, and who doesn’t? But when I think of grabbing a coffee shop bought one on the go, I quickly change my mind: grease, refined sugar and flour and probably a bunch of additives. No, thanks; I prefer to whip up a batch of these gorgeous wholemeal yoghurt muffins instead.

For a while now, I’ve been wanting to make a yoghurt cake of some sort and when I was contacted by Chobani, a newcomer to the Aussie Greek yoghurt market, to sample some of their low and no fat varieties I thought it the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.

For the time being Chobani is only available at Woolworths (Safeway), but it’s worth the trip. The yoghurts are natural with no preservatives and artificial sweeteners. They are strained for extra thickness without added gelatin or other thickeners and come in a variety of fruit flavours as well as plain vanilla. They are also relatively low in sugar, containing around 10g per 100, which makes me happy because they have become my little kitchen assistant’s favourite yoghurts, and I have to say I like them too! I can’t wait for the Blood Orange flavour to be released here in Australia *hint hint*

Makes 12

Passionfruit, blueberry and Chobani yoghurt muffins

You can use plain white flour if you wish, but wholemeal flour makes the muffins more wholesome. I used 2 small containers (340g in total) of Chobani Greek Yoghurt in passionfruit and blueberry, with the latter being fat free. And considering I recommend use of a good nut or olive oil as the fat in the recipe, you don’t have to worry about trans fats when you snack on these. Use cupcake or muffin wrappers to avoid extra fat in greasing the tins.

For the muffins (dry ingredients):

• 1.5 cups wholemeal (wholewheat) flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarb (baking) soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup sugar

For the muffins (wet ingredients):

• 1 (170g) Chobani passionfruit yoghurt
• 1 (170g) Chobani blueberry yoghurt
• 1/2 cup light olive // or peanut oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 passionfruit, pulp only

Preheat oven to 190C (170C fan forced, 375F, gas mark 5). Line your muffin tray with muffin wrappers.

To make the muffins: combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. In another, larger bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, oil and egg.

Add dry ingredients to the yoghurt mixture and mix together with a wooden spoon but no longer than 30 seconds. Add blueberries and passtionfruit and stir through 3 times to mix them in.

To bake: spoon batter into a 12-hole wrapper-lined muffin tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins have a nice golden brown crust. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool before serving.

To serve: serve warm muffins as a morning or afternoon tea snack, cold or toasted lightly in a sandwich press, or zapped in a microwave for 20 seconds.

To store: once cooled, keep in an airtight container in the pantry or fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze for enjoyment later.

I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been wanting to bake a good old Polish cheesecake, only to find that getting my hands on the main ingredient: curd or farmer’s cheese in Sydney was as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. There have been times when I’d seen it, only to forget where it was or the Polish delis had run out, and so the cheesecake making remained on an infinite hold.

I thought my best bet to figure out a way of perhaps making it myself or at least finding a substitute would be to ask Mum, because I recall Grandma used to make her own buttermilk and a bunch of different cheeses at home, and Mum makes a killer cheesecake! And sure enough, she knew. All it takes is 1 ingredient, 10 minutes cooking time and a little patience… and that ingredient? Buttermilk! As you can imagine, the cheese is different from the widely available ricotta in that it is low in fat (2%) and has a slight sour tang to it. Lovely.

Although the yield is not high, 1 litre of buttermilk makes about 200g curd cheese, it’s just perfect for us and a small cheesecake to share. Having said that, I have eaten the last batch spread on slices of rye sourdough, drizzled with honey. Like in the old days, when I was a little girl back in the 19 hundreds, as I was reminded cheekily by a little boy recently…

Makes 200g

Farmer’s (curd) cheese

Any good quality buttermilk will be fine for this recipe. While it is advisable to use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the milk has reached 70C (160F), you should be able to see clearly when to turn the heat off – most of the cheese will have separated and the yellowish whey will be covering more than three quarters of the pan. The longer you leave the cheese to drain, the drier it will become, I recommend about 2 hours. Add a tablespoon of fresh cream to the cheese if you want it less crumbly. I use a large hospital grade gauze as my cheesecloth.

{Printable recipe}

For the curd cheese:

• 1lt buttermilk
• 1/2 m² cheesecloth

To make curd cheese: pour milk into a 2lt capacity saucepan. Place over small heat and warm up, stirring occasionally until the milk has reached 70C (160F) and the whey has clearly separated from the curd – see note above. Cover with a lid allow to cool to near room temperature.

Line a sieve with a cheesecloth. Place over a large bowl. Strain the cooled curd and whey mixture over the cloth, discard the whey. Gather the curd up in the cheesecloth and twist the overhanging cloth, squeezing out extra whey. Leave in a sieve or hang over the bowl using a chopstick threaded through the gathered cloth and allow to drain for up to 2 hours.

To store: remove cheese from the cloth (it should be a nice rustic ball), and transfer to a food safe container.

To serve: use for cheesecakes, dumpling and crepe fillings, crumbled over salads and spread on sourdough bread and drizzled with honey or your favourite fruit compote.

Pink donuts that are naturally coloured and good for the heart? Yes M’am! These delicious baked beetroot donuts are a perfect treat for you and your Valentine if you’re on a bit of a health kick.

They are vegan – if you wish, and low in fat. Flavoured with some cinnamon to keep with tradition they are best eaten warm, straight out of the oven, well almost, they will be hot. But if you make a big batch like this, they will also taste great cold, almost like a sweet beetroot bagel or pretzel! Can’t beat that!

A little melted chocolate to dip them in might help with the Valentine’s Day theme too. Aaahhh…

Makes about 20

Baked beetroot donuts (vegan)

Beetroot adds a lovely colour to the donuts and sweetens them naturally, but I still added some sugar as special treat. Ratios of wholemeal and plain flours can be adjusted to what you prefer, but for a lighter consistency I would recommend not going over half half for wholemeal. For a vegan option, use non-dairy milk and margarine spread. Oh, and wear gloves when handling beets, otherwise your hands will be pink for the occasion too.

{Printable recipe}

Wet ingredients:

• 400g beetroot
• 12 tbsp non-dairy milk
• 6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• Omit in a low fat version: 4 tbsp Nuttelex (or other non-dairy spread), melted

Dry ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 4 tbsp lightly packed brown sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup wholemeal flour

For dusting:

• 1/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• oil spray

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced 350F, gas mark 4). Grease your donut trays or a small muffin tray if making donut holes. Set aside.

To prepare the beetroot: cook whole unpeeled beets in a pot of water for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to cool. Wearing gloves, peel the beets and cut into small chunks. Puree with a food processor or a stick blender in a large bowl, big enough to hold all the wet and dry ingredients combined.

To make the batter: add all wet ingredients to your pureed beetroot bowl. Mix all dry ingredients in another bowl. Pour in dry ingredients into the wet ones and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

To pipe the donuts: transfer the batter into a large zip-lock bag. Close the zip lock, releasing all the air and squeeze batter toward one of the bottom corners. Twist the empty end of the bag a couple of times and secure with a rubber band – voila, you have a nifty piping bag! Cut off the corner at about 1cm wide. Pipe whatever shapes you like, in this case hearts, onto a cookie tray lined with some baking paper.

For oven baked: bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden around the edges and springing back to the touch. Remove from oven and cool in the tray for 5 minutes. Lift out of the tray and cool on a wire rack.

To dust with cinnamon sugar: spary each donut with oil spray. Wipe excess fat with a paper towel and rub the same towel over the dry side of the donut. That should allow sufficient greasing for the cinnamon sugar to stick to. Transfer to your sugar bowl and toss around to cover.

Donuts will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

When I was contacted by Game Farm to sample some of their fine quail products, I quickly jumped on the opportunity because I love the flavours of the little birds. Game Farm’s produce is HACCP and halal accredited and as the largest multi-species game bird producer in the Southern Hemisphere their retail range includes duck, spatchcock and a variety of delicious quail products, in addition to a number of other birds available by direct order.

Considering my recipe options carefully, I had decided to go with two dishes which I think showcase the simplicity with which the breasts are cooked while highlighting the complexity of flavours of this gamey meat.

The first, sticky braised quail breasts with fried quail eggs, is an Asian inspired dish full of five spice aromas and a sweet flavour from the sticky glaze. The quail breasts are braised to keep the meat succulent and infuse all those wonderful flavours into the fillets. The eggs, tiny as they are, a fried sunny side up until the whites are crisp around the edges while the yolks remain runny. It’s a perfect dish for more formal affairs.

My second choice, Scotch quail eggs with lingonberry jam, was inspired by a recent visit to District Dining where Warren Turnbull’s team churns out one of the best appetizers ever, the crispy quail egg ($14). My version, however, consists of quail breast mince in which the egg is encased and lingonberry jam (from IKEA Food) to complete the gamey, forest inspired dish. While I tried to keep the yolks soft, between the short boiling time and then frying off the mince rolled eggs, they did harden. Nevertheless, I think it was a better outcome considering the saucy nature of the jam which would have clashed with the runny yolk. These were my favourite, wonderfully moist and great as finger food.

Now it’s not often that I get to enjoy quail in the comfort of my own home, mainly because Mr Chipconnoisseur is yet to warm up to the flavours of game. One day he will get there, I’m sure, but for now the indulgence is all mine to keep.

Serves 2

Sticky soy quail breats with fried quail eggs

Because they are tiny, braising quail breasts in a fragrant, Asian-inspired liquid helps the meat retain moisture and infuses it with wonderful aromas of warm herbs and spices. Leave the skins on to keep more moisture sealed in. Serve with steamed or garlic fried rice. While I left the seeds in my chilli to accentuate the spice, feel free to deseed your chilli first.

{Printable recipe}

For the sticky soy braised quail breasts:

• 200g Game Farm quail breasts, skin on

Marinade:

• 1 cup salt-reduced chicken stock
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 10g fresh ginger, peeled and chopped roughly
• 1 sprig of spring onion, chopped roughly
• 1 tsp fresh red long chilli, chopped finely
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp five spice

Sticky sauce:

• reserved braising liquid, strained
• 1/8 cup brown sugar

For the fried quail eggs:

• 4 quail eggs
• 4 tsp peanut oil

To serve:

• 2 tsp chopped chives
• coriander (cilantro) leaves
• steamed rice

To make the marinade: combine all ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the breasts as well. Mix well until the sugar dissolves. Add quail breasts and marinade for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced, 350F, gas mark 4).

To braise the quail breasts: place marinated breasts along with the marinade into an oven-safe dish or tin, spreading them out into a single layer. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and braise in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer into another bowl and leave to cool, reserving the braising liquid. In the meantime prepare the sticky sauce.

To make the sticky sauce: place strained braising liquid and brown sugar into a small saucepan and heat over small heat to reduce to a warm honey-like consistency. Keep an eye on it as you don’t want it to burn. When it’s ready, add braised quail breasts, smother them in the sauce and allow them to warm through. In the meantime, fry the eggs.

To fry quail eggs: use a large pan so that the eggs won’t stick together. Heat 4 “patches” of peanut oil in the pan over medium high heat. Break quail eggs into each spot and fry, sunny side up until crisp eround the edges, the whites have set but the yolks remain runny.

To serve: place sticky quail breasts on top of steamed rice, add fried eggs as a side and garnish with some chopped chives and coriander leaves.

Makes 5

Scotch quail eggs

I think traditionally, Scotch eggs are made with a mixture os sausage and regular mince. For mine, I used Game Farm‘s quail breasts to make the mice. Lingonberry jam can be easiest found at, out of all places, IKEA Food. When frying the “meatballs” stand back a little or use a splatter guard as the oil may spit around because of the water content of the marinade from the Worcestershire sauce.

{Printable recipe}

For the Scotch quail eggs:

• 5 Game Farm quail eggs

For the quail breast mince mixture:

• 200g Game Farm quail breasts, skin off
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Italian dried herb mix
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp peanut oil + extra for shallow frying
• 1/2 cup multigrain breadcrumbs

To serve:

• 4 tbsp lingonberry jam

To cook the quail eggs: place eggs in a small saucepan filled with lukewarm water. Bring to a boil, and cook for a further 90 seconds. Drain and place in another bowl under cold running water for a couple of minutes to stop the cooking process. To peel, roll the egg around gently on the benchtop. Store in the fridge, covered, until ready.

To make the quail breast mince: process skinless quail fillets in a chopper attachment of your stick blender or in a food processor until almost smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce, Italian herb mix, pepper and a teaspoon of peanut oil. Mix well and allow to marinade for at least 2 hours.

To make Scotch quail eggs: place breadcrumbs into an easily accessible bowl. Divide the mince into 5 even quantities. Using one hand (I’ve found gloves help) and a spoon, flatten the mince gently, push a quail egg into the middle then wrap the meat around so that no egg is visible. Drop into the breadcrumbs and roll around to cover. Repeat with the rest.

To fry: place enough oil in a small saucepan to come about 1cm up the meat balls.  Heat oil over small heat until very hot but not smoking. Using tongs, place heatballs gently into the pan and cook for about 20 seconds on each side, plus any parts that may not have browned. Remove from the pan and drain on some kitchen paper.

To serve: arrange warm Scotch quail eggs on a plate and serve with a little bowl of lingonberry jam for dipping.

I was reminded of Straciatella soup by Ms_Sharn on Twitter the other day when I mentioned I made some ice cream by the same name. Confuson ensued: chicken and egg ice cream? No, no - vanilla with chocolate shavings! Apparently the word, which means torn apart in Italian,  has different meanings.  And eventhough the soup is originally Italian, the Italians will also know what flavour you’re talking about if you asked for some in a gelateria.

When I offered to cook a few meals for a friend recovering from a shoulder surgery, I knew this egg protein-boosted chicken and veg soup would be perfect to help soothe her aches and pains. I added some gluten and wheat free penne to the mix and liked the soup so much I’m keeping a portion to myself.

With the weather forcasted to be gloomy all week, I am somewhat glad I’ll have a portion of the soup tucked away in the freezer for a comfort food dinner one night.

Serves 2

Soup a la Straciatella (gluten and dairy free)

You are most welcome to use regular pasta if you don’t have a wheat or gluten intolerance. It may need an extra 2-3 minutes of cooking though. I’ve used free range barbecue chicken and eggs, and Massell chicken-style stock, because it is gluten, wheat and MSG free. Omit cheese for a dairy free version.

{Printable recipe}

For the soup:

• 4 cups vegetable // or chicken stock
• 150g shredded BBQ chicken meat
• 150g broccoli, cut into florets
• 150g cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 cup gluten and wheat free pasta
• 2 eggs, beaten lightly

To serve:

• pepper to taste
• (2 tbsp grated parmesan or pecorino)

To make the soup: place stock, carrot, broccoli and cauliflower into a large stockpot. Cook over high heat until the soup comes to the boil. Add pasta and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Add egg, mixing continuously. Reduce heat to meadium, add shredded chicken and allow it to warm through. By this stage veggies should be cooked but slightly al dente.

To serve: divide soup between serving bowls. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste (and sprinkle with some grated cheese).

Oh boy! Last Monday, Coles supermarkets have launched a new “freshness” campaign, slashing prices on 12 fresh fruit and veg products and promoting it with a very annoying “there’s no freshness like Coles freshness” jingle. According to their major competitor, Woolworths the fresh food people, there’s nothing special about what’s on offer and, considering that out of shoppers with a basketful of similar items on sale from both supermarkets, Woolies customers come out on top budgetwise,  the campaign could even be considered misleading. According to Twitterverse, people are finding it pretty annoying, laughable and misleading to say the least. As do farmers.

To be honest, I’ve never bought anything from the Coles’s deli counter because all the products look dry around the edges and don’t even get me started on the sad looking fish. Woolworths is much better at this and I feel safe buying those products there. Fruit and veg? I prefer an extra trip to the local grocer or a farmers market, which we are so blessed with here in Sydney – everything is so much fresher, strawberries are mould free and you get to chat to the producers who get a fair buck for their work.

However, what I have found a clear but a rarely advertised advantage of Woolworths over Coles, which in my books makes Woolworths a better choice for pantry essentials, is their fairly recently launched Macro Wholefood Market range. One such item I discovered is Woolworths’ Macro certified organic meatballs. Yes, they are pre-made , but because they are certified organic, I have the confidence of knowing that nothing harmful has been added to the mix and the meat itself comes from a good source. And they taste pretty good too.

While most of the time I don’t mind spending a good hour preparing a meal, there are times when such an extravagant use of my time is, well, too extravagant and certain pre-made foods come in handy. I still read the labels and pick things that are free of nasties, but at least I know that choosing products from the Macro range will make life a lot easier, and our food choices that little bit more whole.

Thoughts?

Serves 4

Organic spaghetti and meatballs

To make this meal, I have used Woolworths’ Macro Wholefood Market range certified organic meatballs and spaghetti. Tomatoes and herbs for the recipe came from our lovely neighbour’s garden, and while not certified organic, they were bursting with so much freshness the kids ate a whole handful on the way home, and were themselves commenting on the wonderful flavour.

For the spaghetti and meatballs:

• 400g pack Macro organic meatballs
• 100g Macro organic spaghetti, dry
• 8 large tomatoes, chopped roughly
• 1 cup of mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
• 2 sprigs of basil, leaves only
• 1 cup of red wine
• 1 tbsp olive oil

To serve:

• parmesan cheese

To make the meatball sauce: heat oil in a medium stockpot over high heat. Brown meatballs for about 2 minutes in two batches then remove and set aside. Place the pot back on the stove over medium  heat, add tomatoes, crushed garlic and herbs. Stir around to release the juices and flavours. Add wine and meatballs. Cook for another 10 minutes to allow the meatballs to cook through.

To make the spaghetti: cook according to packet instructions.

To serve: divide spaghetti and meatball sauce between your serving plates. Sprinkle with a little flaked parmesan cheese.

A couple of years ago I’ve committed to only buying dark chocolate at home, because when it came to milk chocolate, my ability to resist eating the entire block was non-existent.

But then came these dark chocolate truffles and my world changed. Rich and yet velvety smooth in the texture, all thanks to the new range of Cadbury real chocolate melts, once again it’s become hard to stop at just one. Yup, the chocolate in these melts and chips is real, unlike some of the other major brands’ compound chocolate products. Even the white choc is. I might as well come clean here, having them in the house is almost as good as having a collection of wafer-thin Easter chocolate bunnies and hollow egg confections. Milk chocolate went first, then most of the white, in between we baked some cookies with them and bought some more to replace the mysteriously disappearing melts.

Sorry, I digress. But you get my point.

The other ingredients in our school holiday truffles were uncomplicated too: orange zest and oil from the peel, crushed up waffle cone and, last but not least, a smooth white chocolate and coconut ganache akin to the centre of a Rafaello. They all lent a delicious flavour and texture to the truffles, making it hard to choose a favourite. Although mine had to be the orange, the boys liked the coconut ganache hearts – which would be perfect for Valentine’s Day, and the little girl fell in love with the waffle cone stars.

It was good to see everyone enjoying a bit of dark chocolate, even Mr Chipconnoisseur who initially turned up his nose at the mention of it. Dark chocolate is actually said to be beneficial to good health, and is exactly what my doctor ordered to counter severe migraines I get from time to time. Needless to say, that week was headache free. Thank you to Cadbury for providing us with the new product range.

Makes about 12 bite-sized chocolates

Dark chocolate truffles: orange zest, waffle cone and coconut ganache filled

We used Cadbury’s new range of real chocolate melts, and a 1100W microwave to melt them. Miniature silicone moulds are perfect for this, or you could use the special aluminium foil chocolate cups.

{Printable recipe}

For the truffles:

• 80g Cadbury real dark chocolate melts

Orange and cashew (4):

• 1 orange, peel only
• 2 cashews, chopped

Waffle cone (4):

• 1 ice cream waffle cone, crushed to bits

Coconut ganache (4):

• 50g Cadbury real white chocolate melts
• 2 tbsp double cream
• 1/8 cup dessicated coconut + extra

To prepare the coconut ganache: place white chocolate melts and cream into a small milk pan and melt over low heat, stirring continuously. Add coconut, take off the heat and allow to steep for a fe minutes, while you melt the chocolate.

To prepare the dark chocolate: divide dark chocolate melts between 3 bowls, placing 20g into one bowl and 30g each into the others. Working one at a time, melt the chocolate in the microwave, for 15 seconds at a time checking after each zap – 2-3 should do it. Mix until smooth.

For orange and cashew chocs: zest 1/4 of the orange peel into the chocolate, then squeeze in the oil from the little “pores” on the remaining peel into the chocolate as well. Mix well and spoon into your casings. Sprinkle with some chopped cashews.

For the waffle cone chocs: place crushed up cone into the melted chocolate and mix together. Spoon into moulds.

For the coconut ganache chocs: using the handle of a teaspoon, spread melted dark chocolate on the bottom and side of the casings. Spoon in a little coconut ganache into the middle, leaving about 2mm gap to the top. Top with extra melted darck chocolate and spread it gently to the edges. Sprinkle with extra dessicated coconut.

To set: place chocolates on a tray and into the fridge to set. Store in the fridge or in an airtight container in the pantry.