Easy Baked Lemon Cheesecake

This baked lemon cheesecake recipe has been a favourite of mine for years. My friend Lorraine used to make this for my husband and I every time we visited them in Hamilton as she knew it was our favourite (my husband's especially). It's always my go to dessert because it is simple to make and always a hit with friends!

BAKED LEMON CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

250g Ricotta cheese

250g cream cheese

300g sour cream

1 cup castor sugar

1/4 cup corn flour

2 eggs

Finely grated rind of 2 lemons

Preheat oven to 160 degrees and grease spring-form tin. Mine is 25cm I think. Mix all ingredients together well. Put in tin and bake for 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool. 

The second time I made this I cracked the top and we were taking the cheesecake to friends for dessert. I couldn't bare to serve it up like that so I went to our local supermarket on the way to dinner and bought two punnets of fresh blueberries to put on top to hide the imperfections. It was so tasty with the blueberries that I do it every time now. 

Simple Halloumi Salad

Do you ever freak out when "the vegetarian" comes for lunch or dinner? My family do all the time. They are traditionalists in the kitchen and can't understand how I don't eat red meat. "You'll eat lasagne won't you Kelly?", "No Mum it's got red meat in it". I used to adore my Mum's beef lasagne as a child, but I can't go there now. I think she's a little taken aback by that.
I must admit, I know I confuse them as I have changed my diet a few times over the years from being a complete vegetarian, to eating chicken, to pescatarian, to no dairy, then dairy.
My husband and I have now mastered the art of coming up with quick fresh and tasty vegetarian meals that don't contain pasta. Some amazing ones do, but not this one. A simple fresh and delicious vegetarian halloumi salad. It takes just minutes to make and vegetarians and non vegetarians will love it. Try it next time 'the vegetarian' visits you. They'll be impressed.

GRILLED HALLOUMI SALAD

Ingredients
A couple of handfuls of rocket
A handful of flat leaf parsley
A handful of mint
1/2 cup of frozen (or fresh) peas, steamed
Halloumi
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
About a 1 tspn brown sugar


Place all greens in a bowl. Feel free to tear the mint and chop the parsley a little if preferred. Cut halloumi into fours. I usually cut it in half down the centre to make it a little thinner. Baste with olive oil and grill or fry in pan for a few minutes either side until brown. Add to salad and then dress with olive oil, vinegar and brown sugar.  We had this just the other night, but it'd be great in summer too, cooked on the BBQ. Yuuum!

Warm Rocket, Roast Vegetable and Fetta Salad

I felt like something warm and yummy today for lunch, and healthy too. My daughter and I made this Warm Rocket, Roast Vegetable and Fetta Salad and it is absolutely delicious.  I could quite happily eat this for every meal I think. If you enjoy meat you could also add some chicken tenderloins or grilled lamb and serve it as a side dish. I love it on it's own.

Warm Rocket, Roast Vegetable and Fetta Salad

Ingredients
Assortment of root vegetables (or any veggies you love - I also add zucchini and eggplant if I have it)
Rocket
Fetta
Olive Oil
Sticky or aged balsamic

Peel and cut your veggies into medium sized pieces. Place on baking paper in a roasting dish or a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 40 minutes in the oven on 180 degrees. Get a large handful of rocket leaves and place in a large salad bowl (I picked mine from the garden). Crumble fetta into the bowl and then add your roast veggies. I had potato, parsnip, carrots, sweet potato and zucchini (courgette) in the house so that's what I went with. Beetroot is also yummy. Drizzle a little balsamic over the top and give it a gentle mix then serve. OMG!

Fig and Roast Almond Jam

Last week my friend gave me a bag of delicious figs, and we couldn't eat them as fast as they were ripening, so I decided yesterday to make some fig jam. I love Beerenberg's Fig and Almond Jam and so I tried (successfully) to replicate it. I looked up quite a few recipes, but then decided to just keep it simple. Here is my recipe:

Fig and Roast Almond Jam

Ingredients
Figs
Sugar
Lemon
Mixed Spice
Large handful of Almonds (we just happened to have roasted ones in the pantry)
Medium sized jars, washed and labels removed (I only needed 4)


Cut the stalks off your figs and then weigh them. Add figs into a bowl (or the saucepan you are going to cook them in) and cover with half their weight in sugar (I had 1.2kg of figs and so covered with 600gms of sugar). Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring fig and sugar mixture to the boil and simmer until sugar has dissolved and the consistency is thick (Put a spoonful of mixture onto a saucer and place in the refrigerator to set to determine whether it is ready) - I think I had mine on the stove for about 40 minutes. While the jam is simmering place almonds in boiling water, then peel their skins off (or buy blanched almonds). Roughly chop almonds and place into mixture  along with about a teaspoon of mixed spice and the juice of half a lemon. Alter amounts to what you prefer. If you like your jam chunky (I do, yum!) scoop your figs out with a slotted spoon half way through the simmering process, simmer the syrup and then return the figs to the mixture at the end.

Now you need to sterilise your jars. Rinse jars and lids with water. Place in a warm oven, just on the racks to dry completely. While jars and jam are still hot, carefully pour or ladle your jam into the jars and seal. Then when cool cover the lids with pretty fabric, label them how you wish and enjoy or give to friends. YUM!

Tea time... Sensational Vegetarian Lasagne

I have to tell you how wonderful it was to come home from work today to find my husband in the middle of making his sensational vegetarian lasagne. Not just any vegetarian lasagne, but one which has been passed down from his Uncle who hails from Calabria, the toe of the Italian Peninsula. I have to tell you at this point that we have never actually ever been given quantities of ingredients... we estimate as we go along depending on the crowd we are feeding, but what I have written down works. It is so simple and so incredibly tasty. I took additional photos as he was layering it up which might also help when putting this masterpiece together. 

Vegetarian "Eggplant" Lasagne

Ingredients

3 large eggplants

2 packets of fresh lasagne sheets (the thinner the better.. we like Latina)

5 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

plain flour

olive oil

garlic

150g of Pecorino cheese, grated finely (can substitute with Parmesan, but it's not quite as tasty)

Place tomatoes in saucepan with garlic, a little bit of olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Reduce over medium heat, until it forms into a nice thick sauce consistency. While the tomatoes are doing their thing, slice the eggplants thinly, pat both sides of each eggplant round in plan flour, baste (or spray) with olive oil and fry or grill for a few minutes each side until tender. Place onto a plate as you go until you are ready to layer up.

Once the tomatoes are ready you are now set to layer up your lasagne. You might want to turn your oven on at this point to 180 degrees. 

Now, grab a dish and start by placing a light layer of sauce on your dish, then layer with lasagne sheets, top with a light layer of eggplant followed by a light layer of sauce and a sprinkling of cheese, then repeat, pasta, eggplant, sauce, cheese for a few layers (depending on the size and depth of your dish). The final layers include pasta topped with a light layer of sauce and a sprinkling of cheese. Hope that hasn't confused you. 

Cover dish with al-foil and cook for 30 minutes in a pre-heated oven of 180 degrees. Then remove the al-foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes to brown the top. Serve with salad and savour the moment. 

Too fast

Where has this week gone? I can't believe it is mid week already, and another pizza night is nearly around the corner. We have had lots going on in our household this week, hence why this is the first opportunity I've had to jump online. I mentioned on Friday that I would share my pizza craving... smoked salmon and capers wins for me every time. Keeping the toppings simple always works in my book. Hope you are having a great week. I am focusing on getting my first assignment in for my Interior Design course this week.Enjoy whatever it is you are up to.

Tea time... Spicy Indian Cauliflower

Ok, so my husband has made it his year long goal to cook more with cauliflower and cabbage... I have no idea why, but he is a strange cat and most of the time I just go along for the ride. If you have ever had a cauliflower in your fridge and were not craving cheese sauce smothered all over it, or cauliflower soup... I am yet to have a nice one... then have I got the recipe for you.

Spicy Indian Cauliflower

Ingredients
1 Cauliflower
Peanut Oil
2 tablespoons of cumin seeds
2 tablespoons of mustard seeds
1 tablespoon of chilli powder or dried chillies
1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
A pinch of salt
Greek yoghurt to serve

Break up the cauliflower florets. Heat peanut oil in pan, then add cumin seeds and stir for about a minute. Add mustard seeds, stir again until they start to pop. Add chilli powder, turmeric and salt and then the cauliflower florets, making sure they are covered in the spices. Place lid on frypan until florets are tender, stirring every few minutes so they don't burn. Serve with lots of Greek yoghurt. If you are not a fan of cauliflower, this may just bring you around. Seconds please!
By the way, if you have any delicious cauliflower or cabbage recipes to pass on to my husband, please let me know.

Tea time recipe

New Years  Day 2012, welcome to it! Hope you enjoyed your celebrations. I can't believe another festive season is over for the year. We spent the day at home today which was lovely, just pottering. The temperature reached 41 degrees in Adelaide today so a nice one to stay indoors and relax. I took down the Christmas tree, packed away the decorations for another year, sorted through some photos, and then pondered what to cook for tea. I wanted something yummy and light perfect for a hot day, and the result... an easy Falafel recipe with salad, and boy were they delicious.

Falafels

Ingredients:
400g of soaked chick peas (about 200g pre soaking)
2 cups of chopped parsley
1 cup chopped coriander
Handful of chopped mint
2 garlic cloves chopped finely
1 onion finely chopped
3 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon of ground cumin or cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
Vegetable oil for frying (about 600ml)

Dressing
1/4 cup of Greek yoghurt
A good dollop of extra virgin olive oil
1 crushed garlic clove
Juice of half a lemon
Finely chopped mint

Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until combined. You may need to do this in two batches if your processor isn't large enough. Then set mixture aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan. While heating, roll chickpea mixture into balls about the size of golf balls or slightly larger. Place them in oil and shallow fry for about  3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel to soak the excess oil. Hey presto... home-made falafels!
These are fantastic served with your favourite salad and a yoghurt dressing. To make the dressing just whisk together all ingredients. If you make this ahead of time just leave it in the fridge until you are about to serve. The coolness of the dressing is refreshing, especially on a hot day. Enjoy! My husband said they were the best he's tasted. I hope you enjoy. Happy cooking!

Tea time... Lemon pasta recipe

I was craving lemon last night and came up with this delectable delicacy. I made a slightly different version for lunch today so I will write them both down. Vary amounts depending on your taste and how many people you are feeding.

Lemon Pasta
Pasta, any type
Rind from 1 lemon
Juice from about 2 lemons (for 250g of pasta)
2-3 tablespoons of Olive oil
Handful of basil
Pinch of salt
Finely grated Parmesan

Optional but recommended
Tin of Tuna in oil
Handful of pitted Olives chopped

Cook pasta in salted water, in the meantime beat rind, juice and olive oil together. Once the pasta is cooked, drain, put back in saucepan, mix through sauce, basil and Parmesan. Also add the tin of tuna and olives if you are keen. Serve and enjoy. If you can't get enough of lemon (like me) you'll love this.

Tea time...

Ok, so I am no Donna Hay, and my Tunisian fish soup looks more like a Paella, but how deliciously fragrant and comforting. Our little family just arrived back from our regular Friday night trip to the Adelaide Central Markets. We didn't really have a plan this week. Normally I have a list in hand and a fierce eye on the ball, but tonight was more about just taking it all in. We did purchase the usual bagels, smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers for Saturday morning breakfast, as well as beautiful Asian greens. Without any idea of what to make I bought some fresh succulent snapper and then decided how to prepare it once we arrived home. This is what I came up with.... kind of.

Tunisian fish soup

Ingredients
olive oil
chopped onion
chopped celery stalk
garlic cloves
tomato paste or puree
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons harissa
1 litre of fish or vegetable stock
skinless snapper cut into chunks... or fish of your choice
2 bay leaves
handful of arborio rice
chopped mint
lemon juice

Heat oil and cook onion and celery, then add garlic, tomato, turmeric, cumin and harissa. Pour in stock and bring to boil then simmer. Add rice and stir occasionally until rice is nearly ready. Add fish, then stir in mint and lemon juice. I sprinkled it at the end with a pinch of sea salt, and a little extra lemon juice on mine. Wow, what a quick and tasty Friday night tea. It serves around three (with salad or steamed greens), although 2 hungry people could finish it off. Bon appetit x

Tea time...

One of the best gifts we've ever received is our divine little Pizza Maker pizza oven (thanks C&J). Apart from Russell's Pizza in Willunga (a must to visit if you are in SA), it consistently turns out the best pizzas I know.
Tonight I came home from work to be welcomed by my husband cooking Onion Confit Pizza for tea. It was so delicious I just had to share it.

Onion Confit Pizza

Ingredients
Pizza Dough
2 cups of plain flour
3/4 cup of warm water
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 sachet (7g) yeast

Topping
2kg brown onions peeled and sliced thinly
20g butter
dash of olive oil
herbs from the garden (Josh tonight used a bay leaf and thyme)
anchovies
black olives (could use Kalamatas or green if you already have those)


Firstly I have to say, you need to cook your onions in a shallow baking dish in the oven along with the butter and olive oil for about 1 1/2 hours at 150 degrees. This makes them nice and caramelised, which is essential to the flavour. Thankfully it is easy, just a little time consuming. You need to heap them though, if they are spread thinly they will burn. Turn the onions every 15 minutes or so. Remove from the oven... the smell is divine! Remove the bay leaf and thyme. If the thyme is cut finely I'd leave it in there.

To make the dough, add the yeast and sugar to the warm water, stir until frothy and then add to the flour. It's easier to mix if you make a little well. Knead for about 5 minutes, then put in clean bowl and cover with a tea towel or cling wrap and leave for at least 30 minutes. The dough should make about 4 pizzas. Divide the dough and then roll out to your preferred thickness. I love them thin. Top with onion confit, a sprinkling of olives and a few anchovy fillets. You can cut the anchovies finely or even not use them at all if they aren't to your liking. I am not usually a fan but they do add a pleasant pizzang. Place in pizza oven or normal oven (on stone or tray on about 220 degrees) until the bottom of the dough is crisp and the edges are lightly browned. Drizzle with a little olive oil if you like and serve. WOW the flavour is magnificent. It'd go nicely with a fresh rocket and pear salad. Enjoy!