I've never been very good at making Hot Cross Buns. I have tried many different recipes and they just don't get the height or fluffiness I want.. Last year I decided to make one of my FAVOURITE things about staying in Samoa. Each morning I'd get down to breakfast before they were all gone.. they are of course the MOST delicious Panipopo, or Coconut Cream buns... mmm

Now just a disclaimer here - I am in no way suggesting that these are healthy, or to be eaten every day lol that happens strictly on holiday :o)

Panipopo:

4 c flour                           50g butter
4 T sugar                         4 t dried yeast
2 cups very warm water      2 cans of coconut cream
1/2 c flour                        extra sugar
extra water

Place flour in a bowl and rub in butter until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and sprinkle the sugar in. In another bowl place yeast and then pour the warm water over the top. Stir yeast mix till dissolved and then pour into the centre. Fold the mix together with a wooden spoon. When all is combined place a damp teatowel over and store in a warm place for 1 hour. The mix should then have doubled in size and have little bubbles on top. Turn the mix out onto a floured bowl and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. roll into a ball and place back in the bowl, cover once again with the damp teatowel and place back in the warm, dark place. This time leave for 30 mins.

When the mix has done, grab small fist size balls of dough and roll into sausages. Curl round into a knot and place in a baking dish, leaving room in between them for them to rise.

In another bowl place coconut cream. Mix flour together with enough water to make a runny paste. Add that to the coconut cream and stir in. Now add sugar to your preferred taste, and then add a bit more, as some sweetness disappears in the cooking process.. Once mixed pour over buns up to about halfway. Place in 200oC oven and bake for around 20 mins or until the coconut is boiling and the buns are golden brown. They should have swelled and filled the pan. Brush the tops with a sugar syrup while warm, made by adding 3 dessertspoons on sugar with a little hot water - should be syrupy.. This stops them from drying out.

Once cooled to room temperature place in fridge, served cold.



These were made today and this was taken before sugar syrup was brushed on to them. They are really good!!!

Happy Cooking - and Happy Easter my dear friends :o)

K

In November this year my lovely Aunty passed away after a brave fight with Cancer. Her loss is immeasurable and today her darling daughter posted on Facebook that she was looking through her mother's cookbook and found a recipe her mum used to make for her. I thought it would be a lovely tribute if as many people as possible will give it a go this weekend, in her honour, and to remember those close to you taken by this b#@&dy disease!! Comment on here or post photos if you do it as a lovely tribute to the brave battle our loved ones face. Here's her recipe, in her handwriting, and it must be worthwhile to go to the effort because I see she noted at the top that it was "good"...

Happy Cooking my friends, and Happy Easter xxx

K

Mmm tonights dinner is cooking in the oven and I HAVE to say it looks and smells divine!!!

A Facebook friend has been posting recipes to die for all week - with American ingredients - but I am converting them to ones that we have in NZ.

Tonight's is Potato and Chicken casserole...

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole:

500g boneless chicken breasts, cubed 
5 or 6 medium potatoes, cut in 2 cm cubes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. garlic chopped 
3 Tbsp. hot sauce - use whatever you like thats a wee bit spicy, could even be a plum sauce - or tabasco, whatever and adjust the amount to taste...

Topping:
2 cups of a blend of cheeses, I used mozarella, parmesan and edam but you can use whatever you like - you do want something to be creamy tho...
1 cup diced bacon
1 cup diced green onion

Preheat oven to 250oC. Spray a 9X13" baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and hot sauce. Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat. Carefully scoop the potatoes into the prepared baking dish, leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mixture as possible. Bake the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and crispy and browned on the outside. While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the left over olive oil/hot sauce mixture and stir to coat. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 200 degrees. Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken. In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon and green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mixture. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious.
Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing.

SO GOOD!!! 

Happy Cooking!

K

From China to Mexico tonight Arriba, Arriba!!

I wasn't very motivated to make dinner tonight, but had to come up with something. I wanted tasty but light - Taco's - the perfect solution!

I like them because I can prepare everything before hand and put them in little bowls, and then my lot can put them together as they like.

I prepared 6 bowls. In them I put grated cheese in one, chopped tomatoes in another, sliced lettuce, taco sauce, sour cream and guacamole. 

I make my guacamole by mashing a ripe avocado, adding sweet chili sauce (to taste) and sour cream. Mix it all together - YUM. 

I buy the taco shells from the supermarket and just heat them through so they are crunchy and warm.

I saute onion and red capsicum till soft, then add mince. I stir this through until it is brown, and there is no liquid in the bottom. I added a taco powdered seasoning and water, but you can also buy jars of it. Simmer it through until it is absorbed into the meat.

Construct your taco how you like, but I like to put the mince in first and add the cheese quickly on top so that it melts a little. I then put the guacamole, taco sauce and sour cream, lettuce and tomato, that way the sauces hold the lettuce and tomato on. Definitely a meal best eaten with your fingers, and SO yum!!

Happy Cooking,
K

Mmmmm tonight I felt like dumplings... in a rich broth.. so a google search turned up a yummy recipe for Wonton Soup. Making your own wontons is really easy, I will definitely do it again.

The recipe called for wonton wrappers, but I couldnt find any so I bought spring roll ones and just cut them into 4 smaller squares. It worked out well!

So here it is:

• 4 cups salt-reduced chicken stock
• 2 carrots, peeled, cut into matchsticks
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 125g noodles
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Chicken wontons

• 200g lean chicken mince
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 20 wonton wrappers
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
  
  1. Step 1
     Make wontons: Combine mince, onion, ginger and garlic in a bowl. Place a rounded teaspoon of mixture in the centre of 1 wonton wrapper. Brush edges with egg. Fold corners together to form a pouch. Press to secure. Place on a plate. Repeat to make 20 wontons.
  2. Step 2
     Place stock, carrot and 4 cups cold water in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until carrot is tender. Add ginger, soy sauce, noodles and wontons. Simmer for 5 minutes or until wontons are cooked through. Serve topped with onions.
     
     
     
     
     Happy Cooking,
     K
     
     

I love cooking, I really wish I could just cook or bake all day.. unfortunately I have no head for business, and so therefore it will remain my interest rather than my job... I also love to cook for others and so when my lovely friends suggest I should make them something I love to give it a go.

Today I shared such a delight with my cat show buddies. I loved being able to bring something to life for them.. So I tackled a new recipe, and it got a good reaction, and I thought I would share it here. I adjusted the ingredients to suit New Zealand ingredients, because the original recipe on Facebook used prepackaged American products like Vanilla Pudding and Cool Whip.

Chocolate Eclair Cake!!!

1 cup water
1/2 cup (125g) butter
1 cup flour
4 large eggs

500g package Cream Cheese, softened

300 mls vanilla custard (buy ready made or make your own)

300 mls whipped cream

chocolate syrup or homemade chocolate sauce

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200oC. Lightly grease a 9″X13″ (22X33cm) glass baking pan (Pyrex)

Eclair Crust:

In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time, mixing completely before adding another egg. Spread mixture into pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly. *If the sides of your pan are too greased you won’t be able to get the mixture to stay up the sides so make sure to just lightly grease.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (Mine only took 25 minutes.) You may want to check it occasionally-you don’t want to overcook the crust, it will ruin the cake! Remove from oven and let cool (don’t touch or push bubbles down).

Filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl. Slowly add custard to cream cheese, mixing until there are no lumps. Place in fridge. When the crust is completely cooled, pour filling in. Top with a layer of whipped cream however thick you want it and serve drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Happy Cooking,

K

I am missing Samoa tonight, it is a land I love, influenced heavily by my Dad, who lived there in the early 1960's. I grew up hearing stories of Dad's time there, and listening to him speak the language so fluently, and I was in awe. Paul and I took the kids to Samoa for the first time in 2008, as soon as I stepped off the plane I felt like I was home... I guess it was Dad's stories that bonded me, but the island and the people themselves are just so wonderful that it's a place I love.

So tonight I made 2 traditional Samoan dishes for tea.

Sapasui:

500g thinly sliced steak

1 large onion (diced)

8 cloves of garlic (chopped)

50g ginger (chopped)

100g vermicelli (the glass noodles)

750 mls - 1l water

100 mls dark soy sauce

100 mls peanut oil

salt & pepper

Put water in a bowl and soak vermicelli for 1/2 an hour. Cut with scissors when soft along the middle and corners.

Heat oil on high, when sizzling add garlic and ginger. Fry till about to turn brown then add onion, cook till clear.

Add meat and fry till cooked, then add half of the soy sauce and cook for about 2 mins. Add vermicelli and any veges you may like to add (carrots, beans...) Stir well then simmer for 5 mins or until the vermicelli is clear, on a low note. Add more soy sauce if needed to bring the colour back to brown. Can be served on rice.

Oka:

2 large fillets of fish (Tuna, Snapper etc)

1/2 cucmber - seeds removed and diced

2 tomatoes - deseeded and diced

1 med onion diced

1 400g tin coconut cream (from Samoa of course)

1 lemon - juiced (or lime)

salt and pepper

Chop fish into bite size pieces, place in a bowl. Add diced cucumber, tomato and onion. Mix the coconut cream with lemon juice (or lime) and salt and pepper - be generous with the salt as the dish will benefit from it. Add to fish and stir. Refrigerate till cold. Serve in small dishes or bowls.

SO GOOD!! look out for my blog at Easter for another Samoan delicacy too! I have tried to make Hot Cross Buns for years, with limited success, but last year made Panipopo (Samoan coconut buns) and they were really good - so they are my new Easter tradition :o)

Happy Cooking,

K

One of the yummiest things I love to make is a meatloaf, and that's what we had for dinner tonight.

Meatloaf is so underrated as a dish, and gone are the days of the stodgy tasteless wonder. I make mine and bake it glazed and the flavour is amazing.

Glazed Baked Meatloaf

500g beef mince                          2 T brown sugar
1 egg                                         2 T grainy mustard
1 onion chopped                          1/3 c tomato sauce
1 c milk                                      crushed garlic 
1 c breadcrumbs                           2 T soy sauce
salt and pepper                            2 T tomato chutney

In a bowl combine beef, egg, onion, milk and crumbs. Season with salt and pepper. You can add things like grated carrot or zucchini, chopped tomatoes etc I like to add some flavours to the mince too like garlic or Italian herbs etc but the original recipe didn't state this, so just play with it to taste. In a baking dish form into a loaf.

In a smaller bowl mix brown sugar, mustard, sauce, garlic, soy sauce and chutney. It should be a thick paste. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf. Bake at 180oC for 1 hour.

Serve it with coleslaw and crispy baked potatoes in Summer, or creamy mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots and broccoli and cauli with cheese sauce in Winter, mmm - mmm!

Happy Cooking,
K

How do you make the perfect pavlova??

I find pavs the easiest things to make, yet I see so many people struggling with them, so I thought it might be an idea to share how to make them and have them work out every time!

One of the key things is the bowl you use. Never use plastic or metal bowls (unless its copper.. apparently they are very good, I've never used one though) I use a glass bowl. It needs to be clean and dry. This is important, as the egg whites may react and then you won't get the height and stability you need from the egg whites. 

When separating eggs there are many different techniques and really you need to find the one that works for you. When cracking the egg be careful not to be too aggressive, you could break the yolk, try not to create jagged edges either. I use the method where you break the egg and keep the yolk in one half, then transfer it back and forward until all the white is out. If you are not confident with this, do it over a small bowl and if you are successful then put the white into your large bowl - if the yolk breaks, you have only lost 1 egg white instead of them all..

Another tip is to keep the yolks - we'll use them in this recipe - no wastage! 

SO here goes... this has been my secret recipe for so long (I got it from a book years ago...) - you really are a privileged lot lol

4 egg whites
1 c castor sugar
1/4 c sugar
1 T cornflour
1 t lemon juice

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form (when you lift the beaters up the mix should just rise too) Gradually add castor sugar in batches, beating all the time, until the sugar is dissolved (about 8 mins). Combine sugar and cornflour and fold into the egg white mixture. The meringue should be firm - you should be able to hold the bowl upside down without any mix coming out.

Place a sheet of baking paper on an oven tray, mark a circle on the paper - about the size of a bread and butter plate - or just slightly bigger - not as big as a dinner plate though. spread about 3 heaped tablespoons of the meringue over the circle. Now you can either pipe the remaining mix around the outside of the circle - or you can do what I do.. I drop spoonfuls of meringue around the edges - I like to make it quite rustic so drop it and leave peaks on top, so it eventually looks like a crown. We're going to fill this later with custard..

Bake in a slow oven - 150oC for 40 mins. Watch the pav - it will darken as it cooks - but it shouldn't go dark brown! Once cooked turn the oven off and open the door slightly BUT leave the pav in there, DO NOT remove! this is really important because it will prevent the pav from cracking and collapsing. If it can cool down in the oven it will be much more stable and hold together better. Once cold you can fill with custard, top with cream, and strawberries, passionfruit, kiwi, chocolate, whatever you fancy.

Now - I use the egg yolks we saved to make the custard to go in the middle.

4 egg yolks                            1 T cornflour
1/4 c sugar                            3/4 c milk
1 t vanilla                              1/2 c cream

Beat egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and cornflour until smooth and creamy. Put into a saucepan, gradually add cream and milk, stir until smooth. Stir over a medium heat until the sauce thickens, bring to the boil then remove from the heat - stir it constantly so it doesnt burn on the bottom! remove from the heat and allow to become cold stirring occasionally. Chill and fill pavlova when cold.

I know this looks long - don't let it put you off - it's just cos I added tips - it really is easy and you get a fabulous pav every time!

Happy Cooking,
K

Don't you love it when you stumble over something in the kitchen and it turns out FAB!!!

I'm doing this protein diet at the moment. I had to have a grilled chicken for dinner, with limited prospects as to what I could do to it to make it edible I handed the challenge over to hubby... I had made a wonderful lamb casserole with mashed potatoes and beans, carrots, broccoli and cauli for him and the kids so it only felt right he could help me with this task, I was a bit Created-Out... 

Anyway.. he marinated the chicken breast in lime juice and sprinkled chicken seasoning and a little olive oil and placed it on the grill. It was amazingly yummy. The breast stayed tender and the combination of flavours was just incredible.

The lesson here is that sometimes the simplest of flavours can blow us away. 

I watch all the cooking shows - MKR, Come Dine with Me, Masterchef etc, and what I always say is that they need to KISS - keep it simple stupid! Why complicate things?? The key is to think about flavours and what will complement each other, rather than fight against each other - don't be afraid to experiment.

Happy Cooking,
K

We have new neighbours....

Now this IS NOT meant to be offensive or racist in anyway.. but they are driving me crazy!! They are Indian  The smells wafting from their garage (where they are cooking) are driving my taste buds wild! After a comment made to me this week I have embarked on a Diet, so food isn't quite as exciting for me right now, but I'm finding it fine and I'm not hungry... but the smell of onions and spices in the air is testing my resolve.

So tonight I want to share with you one of my favourite Indian recipes - they're a little fiddly - but SO worth the effort - you honestly will love them. If I can convert Brittany's usually conservative foody friend to these yummy morsels, then anyone will love them.

Indian Pan Rolls:

Pan Rolls

2 c flour                              2 T melted butter
3 eggs, beaten                     pinch of salt
1 c milk

Mince

500g mince                          1 onion chopped
1 t chopped garlic                 1 t chopped ginger
2 t chilli powder                   2 med potatoes peeled and cubed
salt to taste                        1 t garam masala or all spice
1 t ground cumin                  1 t ground coriander
1 egg lightly beaten              1 c panko breadcrumbs
oil for frying

Dipping sauce

Edmonds One-egg mayonnaise
Sweet chilli sauce

Mix flour, eggs, milk, butter and salt with a little water to make a thin batter. The batter should be very thin, to make a crepe rather than a thick pancake. Drop batter on a flat pan and cook pancakes on one side only. Stack them to one side.

On a low heat cook mince, onion, garlic, ginger, potato, chilli, garam masala, cumin, coriander and salt with 1/2 c water till the potatoes are soft and the mince is cooked. Cool and keep aside.

Place each pan cake on a plate add a tablespoon of mince on one end and roll up, tucking in sides as you would a spring roll. Follow the same procedure until they are all used up. Heat oil, dip each pancake in beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs. Shallow fry until golden. Drain on paper towel. Serve with dipping sauce, that is made by adding the chilli sauce to the thick mayonnaise to taste.

VERY yummo!! I usually find there's more mince than pancakes, so I freeze it, then next time I only have to make the pancakes.. mmm

Happy Cooking,
K