Satay Burgers

Some nights there are too many comings and goings to allow us to sit down and eat dinner together.

Those nights the boys cook their dinner on the bbq and burgers are a favourite.

I’ve used pork in this recipe but minced chicken is delicious too. As the gluten rolls that we like are long and skinny, I just make the patties to fit the roll.

Makes six burgers.

Ingredients

500g minced Pork

3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

30g fresh coriander chopped

Salt and pepper

Method

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and form into burgers.

Heat your bbq or pan over a medium flame.

Once hot cook the burgers, as it is pork, you need to cook it all the way through.

Brownie Cakes

We have an ongoing argument in the family as to what to call these, bruffins is the boys choice but they really are just a brownie.

As they are a brownie, they come out of the oven puffed in the middle and rapidly fall as they cool, the icing then fills the gap but be warned, these are rich!

Makes 16.

Ingredients

120g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids

120g butter

70g smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

300g caster sugar

120g ground almonds, almond meal

3/4 tablespoon baking powder

3 eggs

ICING

130g butter, at room temperature

225g icing sugar

25g cocoa powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Centigrade.

Take two muffin tins and line 16 holes with muffin cases.

Either over hot water or carefully in the microwave, melt the butter and chocolate gently, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.

In another bowl, measure out the sugar, ground almonds and baking powder.

In a third bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy.

Pour the chocolate into the dry ingredients and then fold in the eggs gently.

Spoon into the prepared cases and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.

Once the cakes are cool, make the icing.

In a food processor, blitz the icing sugar to get any lumps out or sieve it.

Add the cocoa powder and then beat in the butter.

Spread a little icing into the middle of each cake and then grate over some white chocolate.

Baked Ricotta With Oregano

This is a great gluten free alternative to quiche and savoury tarts.

If you don’t have Pecorino Romano, a sheeps milk hard cheese, Parmesan works brilliantly too and the oregano can be swapped with fresh thyme.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

750g smooth soft ricotta

4 eggs, beaten

150g Pecorino Romano, finely grated

12 oregano sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped

Freshly ground pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Grease a 21cm side sprung loose bottomed cake tin. Line the base and sides with baking parchment, make sure that you have an overlap on the base to ensure nothing can leak out.

In a large bowl whisk all of the ingredients reserving a little cheese and oregano to top the ricotta.

Spoon the ricotta mixture into the prepared tin, smooth out the top and then sprinkle over the reserved cheese and oregano.

Place the cake tin on a baking sheet and slide into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes and then turn the oven down to 160 degrees Centigrade and bake for a further 15-20minutes until the ricotta is golden and set. 

Allow to cool a little in the tin before gently loosening the sides and pulling off the baking parchment.

Cheese And Bacon Puffs

I have shared my cheese puff recipe before but these combine two of my all time favourite foods.

These little gems are crispy on the outside, slightly gooey on the inside and utterly delicious!

I like to use a smoked bacon as it gives more flavour.

Makes 48-60 mini muffin sized puffs. Leftover batter happily lives in the fridge for 48hours.

Ingredients

200g bacon

350g tapioca flour

170g Cheddar, grated

2 eggs

150mls oil

350mls milk

A pinch of cayenne pepper

A little salt

Method

Over a high heat, fry the bacon until crispy and the fat has rendered.

Spoon the cooked bacon onto some absorbent kitchen towel and squeeze to get as much fat out as you can.

Place the bacon in a food processor and pulse to create bacon crumbs.

Now add all of the remaining ingredients and whizz to form a thick batter.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Grease 2 x 24 hole mini muffin tin, I just use the fat from the bacon!

Fill the muffin hole to two thirds and pop the tin in the oven.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. 

Depending on the size of your muffin tins you may have batter leftover, you can repeat the above or cover and keep it in the fridge, it will last 48 hours.

Brazilian Chocolate Orange Balls

These are a rather dangerous treat to have in the house!

I get the boys involved in rolling the balls out as they are often for their social events or cricket club morning teas.

Makes 28 balls.

Ingredients

30g butter

395g tin condensed milk

100g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa

Zest of one orange

150g desiccated coconut

Method

In a large heavy based pan, heat the butter and condensed milk over a low heat, slowly bring it up to the simmer and simmer, stirring all the time, until it thickens, around ten minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and beat in the chocolate.

Once the chocolate has melted add the orange zest and 100g of coconut. Stir well and set aside to cool.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, pour the remaining coconut onto a plate and roll walnut sized balls of the chocolate mixture in the coconut. Repeat until all of the chocolate mixture has been used up.

Keep in a cool place.

Almond And Cherry Mini Cakes

With the start of cricket season here in Western Australia it is time to get back to baking for the shared morning teas when the boys play matches at their home ground.

These are lovely sweet treats that disappear quickly. Any leftovers freeze very well and are perfect for school lunch boxes.

Makes 48 mini cakes.

Ingredients

150g ground almonds, almond meal

140g gluten free plain flour

80g caster sugar

1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder

100g butter, melted

140g Greek yogurt

1 egg, beaten

125mls milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

140g cherry conserve

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Centigrade. Line 2 x 24 hole mini muffin trays.

In a large bowl, combine the ground almonds, flour, sugar and baking powder. Give it a whisk to get rid of any lumps.

In another bowl combine the butter, yogurt, egg, milk and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and begin to fold in, don’t over mix it.

Spoon the conserve into the batter in dollops and then fold in gently.

Spoon into the prepared cake tins.

Bake for 17-20minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Taco Coleslaw

I’ve found that the best way to get raw vegetables into the boys is make them an essential component of their tacos!

We have this coleslaw with most of our tacos, fajitas and burritos. Due to the creamy dressing I tend not to have sour cream as well, another incentive to get the boys to eat veg and not just meat and sour cream!

We love dill so there is a fair whack of it in this salad but cut it back if you aren’t a fan. I do deseeded the pickled chillis but if you love spicy food, leave them in.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

1/4 large white cabbage, very finely sliced

2 large carrots, peeled and julienned

25g fresh chives, snipped

25g dill, fronds picked and roughly chopped

2 pickled jalapeños, deseeded and finely diced

DRESSING

130mls mayonnaise

100mls sour cream

1 lime, juiced

Salt and pepper

Method

Combine the dressing ingredients.

Pour over the slaw ingredients and mix well, I use my hands.

Allow to sit for 30 minutes if you have time and then serve.

Gluten Free Donuts

Unfortunately, these don’t last long in our house!

Quick to make, baked not fried and leftovers, if you have any, freeze well.

Makes 18 donuts.

Ingredients

75g Greek yogurt

3 eggs, beaten

125mls oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

110g gluten free plain flour

80g ground almonds/ almond meal

2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

200g caster sugar

Icing sugar to dust

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Centigrade.

Butter the donut tins very well.

Combine the yogurt, eggs, oil and vanilla

In a large bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, baking powder and sugar.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold in.

Pour the batter into an icing bag or a large plastic bag. If using a bag, cut the corner off to create a piping bag.

Squeeze the batter out into each individual ring, no more than a third filled.

Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes.

Allow to cool a little in the tin before tipping out onto a baking rack.

Dust with a little icing sugar and serve.

The Real Deal Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets

A ridiculously long name for these but it so fits the bill!

It might sound like a large quantity in this recipe but honestly, make at least a kilo of these! They don’t last so, to tell the truth, I use a couple of kilos of chicken, bake and freeze the leftovers, they freeze brilliantly for a quick dinner another night and can be gently reheated from frozen, too easy!

The bread that I use is a bit of a heavy wet loaf so by whizzing it with the polenta you get a lighter crumb rather than wet globby balls! 

And remember, use the heels and crusts of the loaf, it adds a little colour and saves any waste of what is always an expensive ingredient here in Australia.

Makes 42-50 depending on size.

Ingredients

450g gluten free bread

160g polenta

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

1kg minced chicken

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1&1/2 teaspoons salt

Pepper

2 eggs

40mls milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade.

Line three baking sheets with baking parchment.

In a food processor, whizz the bread and polenta until you have fine breadcrumbs. 

In a large bowl or on a tray, combine the chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and 280g of the breadcrumb mix.

Whisk the egg and milk in a bowl.

Add the mixed herbs to the breadcrumbs, mix well.

Take small amounts of the mince mix, form into a nugget shape or rough circle, dip in the egg and then in the reserved breadcrumbs to cover.

Lay the raw nugget onto the prepared tray and repeat with the remaining mix until it is all used up.

Bake in batches for 17-20 minutes, you might need to swap the trays half way through to get an even bake.

Serve hot.

Chocolate And Peanut Butter Brownies

Gluten free decadence here! 

If you don’t do peanut butter chips you can happily swap them for chocolate chips of omit them completely, this recipe will still work.

Makes 16 pieces.

Ingredients

125g butter

125g 70% coco solids chocolate

330g caster sugar

115g ground almonds/almond meal

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

100g peanut butter or chic chips plus extra for topping

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Centigrade. Grease and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin.

Melt the butter and chocolate, using a bowl over a pan of water or I just do it carefully in the microwave.

Weigh out the sugar, almonds and baking powder in a large bowl.

Whisk the eggs in another bowl and whisk in the vanilla extract.

Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold them in.

Spoon the batter into the lined tin, sprinkle over a few more chips and bake for 35 minutes.

Allow to cool a little in the tin before removing.