White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan.

Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

Snapper with Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil

Ingredients
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
4 (6-ounce) snapper fillets, with skin
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, pepper flakes, and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the tomatoes get juicy, about 15 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl and toss with the basil.
Dry the fish very well all over. To keep the fish from curling in the pan, lightly slash a cross-hatch pattern into the skin of the fish with a sharp knife. Brush the rounded flesh side of the fish with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the fish, seasoned side down, in the oil, and cook undisturbed over high heat, until the fish turns both opaque along the edges and golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Lightly salt the skin side of the fish. Flip the snapper and turn off the heat and let the fish cook in the residual heat of the pan until the fillets are firm but still juicy, about 1 minute more.
Divide the fish among 4 plates. Top with the tomatoes and serve

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

1/2 lb beef tenderloin -- cut in thin strips

2 tbsp soy flour

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups beef bouillon

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp paprikasalt to tast

Direction

Dredge beef in flour. In a heavy skillet, melt butter with oil and brown the beef (about 5 minutes). Slowly add bouillon to beef, stirring well. Bring to a boil. Combine sour cream, tomato paste, paprika, and salt. Slowly stir sour cream mixture into beef mixture. Turn heat to low and bring to a bare simmer. Cook 20-25minutes, stirring frequently and never allowing mixture to boil.

Serve with rice or egg noodles.

Chocolate cake

Ingredients

5 oz. semisweet chocolate, choopped
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, choopped
1/4 lb. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into pieces plus more for the pan
4 eggs, at room tenperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brewed espresso or double-strength coffee, cooled to room tenperature
1 Tbs. sifted, finely ground espresso beans (from about 1 heaping Tbs. whole beans)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour plus more for the pan

Direction

Heat the oven to 350 F.
Butter an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with Pan Liners (parchment).
Butter the parchment and lightly flour the pan, shaking out the excess.
In a small, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring frequently. Set aside.
Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the eggs, sugar, brewed espresso, ground espresso beans, and salt on medium-high speed until thick and voluminous, at least 8 min.
Turn the mixer to low and mix in the butter-chocolate mixture.
Sift the flour over the batter and fold until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 min.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 min.
Set a plate over the torte and carefully invert the torte onto the plate; peel off the parchment. Flip the torte back onto the rack to cool completely before slicing

Chessecake with ricotta and creamchesse

PREP TIME
30 Min
COOK TIME
2 Hrs 30 Min
READY IN
3 Hrs 10 Min

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds ricotta16 ounces cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
6 eggs
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTION

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C.) Wrap the outside bottom of a 10 inch springform pan with foil to prevent water seeping in while baking.
Cream together ricotta cheese, cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Add flour one tablespoon at a time, mixing well. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Pour mixture into a 10 inch springform pan.
Place cheesecake in a large rectangular pan filled with 2 inches of hot water. Carefully put into preheated oven without spilling water. Bake for 90 minutes.
After 90 minutes turn oven off, but leave the cake in the oven for another 60 minutes (do not open door).
Cool on counter for 60 minutes and then refrigerate. Serve when thoroughly chilled.
Serve when thoroughly chilled

Roast beef burritos

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
3 medium brown onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
400g tin red kidney beans, drained
200g chopped tinned tomatoes
300g roast beef, cut into thin strips
8 jumbo tortillas
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice, warmed
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
8 heaped tbsp guacamole (seerecipe on this page)
2 handfuls rocket, picked andwashed
pickled sliced jalapenos

Direction

Place olive oil in a saucepan over high heat

Add onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until starting to colour। Add salt and spices and cook a further 2 minutes. Add beans and tomatoes and cook 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add beef and stir, cook on high for 3 minutes or until meat is heatedtrought

Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in the oven or warm them in a sandwich press for a few seconds to make them easier to handle। Lay out on a bench and fill evenly with rice, bean mix, cheese, guacamole and rocket. Serve with jalapeno peppers and your favourite chilli sauce.

Lentil soup

Ingredients

2 Tbs olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cups dried lentils
2 carrots, chopped
8 cups of water
1 small can tomato paste
4 cups shredded spinach
Salt and white pepper to taste
3 Tbs lemon juice

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan and saut onion until soft
। Add remaining ingredients except spinach and lemon
Mix वेल. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook 10 more minutes. Stir in lemon juice and serve.

Bruschetta with Tomato-Basil Relish

Ingredients

Grilled Toast Rounds 16 slices French bread (or about 8 slices Italian bread)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove

Brush both sides of bread slices with olive oil and place on medium hot grill; grill until lightly brown; turn and grill other side.

Remove from grill and rub one side of toasts with garlic.

Serve with Tomato- Basil Relish (below).

Tomato-Basil Relish

1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped basil

SaltPepper

Mix tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste Cover and let stand about 30 minutes

Muffins - prune and bran

Ingredients:

1 cup processed bran breakfast cereal, (pre soaked for 40 mins in 1 cup of water)
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup brown sugar, finely chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil, (extra canola oil for greasing muffin tins)
1 egg , lightly beaten
1 cup self raising flour, sifted

Direction

:1. Place prunes, sugar and bran in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place mixture in bowl.
2. Add oil and egg, mix well.
3. Fold in flour, until well combined.
4. Spoon into greased small muffins tins.
5. Bake at 180˚C for 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

Pasta with roasted pumpkin, basil and tuna fillet

Ingredients:

800 g Queensland blue pumpkin, peeled, seeled and cut into 2cm cubes

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1/2 red capsicum, seeded and slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup basil leaves, finely sliced

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

2 x210g can tuna filled, cut into 2cm cubes

400 g dried pasta shapes, (for example penne)

100 g semi-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese,

gratedblack pepper, cracked

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. Place pumpkin, onion, capsicum, olive oil, basil and garlic in a shallow roasting pan, season to taste.

3. Toss to coat in oil.

4. Roast at 200°C for 20 - 30 minutes or until pumpkin is soft. Squeeze cooked garlic from cloves and stir through pumpkin mixture.

5. Add tuna and semi-dried tomatoes and roast for another 5 minutes or until pumpkin is browned around edges.

6. Cook pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water until just tender (al dente). Drain pasta and return to saucepan, add pumpkin mixture and toss to combine.Notes: High in carbohydrates, medium in fat, low in sugar. Use egg free pasta if you are preparing food for people with an allergy to egg. Divide pasta among 4 bowls, and top with Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.

Vegetable, bean and bacon soup

Ingredients

2 cups salt-reduced chicken stock
2 cups water
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 leek, washed and sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
375ml can lite evaporated milk
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped mint
2 bacon rashers, rind removed
1/2 loaf Turkish bread, cut into slices

Directions

1. Combine stock, water, potatoes, parsnips, leek and garlic in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
2. Ladle one-third of the soup into a blender or food processor and blend until almost smooth (it’s better if the soup is a little bit chunky). Pour into a clean saucepan and repeat, in 2 more batches, with remaining soup. Add beans, evaporated milk, peas and mint to the soup and reheat.
3 .Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high. Cook bacon for 1 minute each side or until crisp. Roughly chop. Lightly toast Turkish bread under the grill.
4. Spoon soup into bowls, and top with bacon and mint. Serve with toasted Turkish bread.

Celeriac and herb salad with smoked salmon

Ingredients

1 small celeriac
1 lemon, halved
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
Flaked salt and cracked black pepper
1 tbsp chopped oregano
1 tbsp chopped chives
8 slices smoked salmon
2 limes, cut into cheeks

Directions

Peel celeriac thickly, cut into quarters and place in a bowl of water with the halved, squeezed lemon. Combine mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice in a bowl and stir well to combine. Season to taste. Remove celeriac from water, drain and shred pieces using the grater disc on a food processor (or use a hand grater). Mix immediately with the mayonnaise.
To serve, add oregano and chives to celeriac mixture and stir to combine. Pile celeriac onto four serving plates and top with curls of smoked salmon. Accompany with lime cheeks and cracked black pepper.

Serves 4.

Baked apple, ricotta and honeycomb

Ingredients

4 small red apples
80g sultanas
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp honey
60g butter
250g ricotta
120g honeycomb

To improve the final presentation of baked apples, slice off the top 5 millimetres of each fruit with a sharp knife before cooking.

Remove the core and, once the centre of the apple has been filled, replace the top before baking.

This way the cooked dessert looks more like a whole apple and, if the fruit was bought with stalks, these can be removed and reserved before baking and then popped back into the top of the apple for serving.

Directions

Preheat oven to 200C.

Slice the tops off the apples, reserve.

Remove cores with an apple corer. Mix sultanas and cinnamon in a small bowl and stuff into apple cavities. Place in a baking tray, drizzle each apple with honey and top with a tablespoon of butter. Roast for 10 minutes.

Turn oven to 170C.

Baste apples and bake a further 20 minutes. Serve with a spoonful of ricotta, a chunk of honeycomb and a drizzle of pan juices.

Serves 4

Minestrone

INGREDIENTS

2 onions, peeled

2 carrots

2 courgette

2 celery stalk

2 potatoes,

2 tomato50g

2oz green beans

2 small cauliflower

1 small head of broccoli

1 Swiss chard leaf

3 tbsp olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves,

crushed100g/3½oz peas

3 handfuls of alphabet pasta

shapeshandful of spinach leavessea

salt and freshly ground black pepper

parmesan cheese, freshly grated, to serve



DIRECTIONS


1. Cut the onions, carrots, courgette, celery, potatoes and tomato into 1cm/½in dice.

2. Top and tail the green beans and cut them into 1cm/½in lengths.

Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small florets.

Separate the green leaf from the stalk of the Swiss chard and set aside.

Cut the stalk into 1cm/½in dice.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep saucepan, add the onions, carrots and garlic, and sweat gently for 2-3 minutes. Then add the courgette, celery, potatoes, green beans and Swiss chard stalk and sweat until the vegetables start to yield a little moisture.

4. Put half the peas in a bowl and crush with the back of a fork. Add to the pan with the whole peas and cook for 3-4 minutes.

5. Cover the vegetables with double the volume of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

6. Add the pasta, cook for 10 minutes, then add the broccoli and cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes.

7. Roughly chop the spinach and the Swiss chard leaf and add to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes longer, then add the tomato and warm through for a minute or two. Season to taste and serve with grated parmesan

Fennel with parmesan cheese

Prep time:10 min

Cook time:35 min

Ready in:45 min

INGREDIENTS

2 fennel bulbs
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
3/4 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Cut the base off of the fennel bulbs, and cut a cone shape into the base to remove the core. You can see the core because it is whiter than the surrounding green. This is optional, but helps the fennel cook faster. Slice the fennel vertically (upright) into 1/4 inch thick slices.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel, and fry for about 5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and creme fraiche until well blended. Transfer to a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown and the fennel is tender enough to pierce with a fork.

Mediterranean chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs,

1/2 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can (14 1/2 ounce) stewed tomatoes

1/2 cup dried plum (prune)

juice or orange juice

6 pitted dried plums (prunes)diced

1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepepr

1 cup plain tabouleh

1/3 cups boiling water

1/2 cup chopped parsey

Preparation Time: Approximately 30 minutes

Cook Time: Approximately 50 minutes

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on one side. Turn and add the onions; continue cooking until the onions and chicken are browned. Drain the excess fat. Stir in the tomatoes, dried plum juice, dried plums, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Uncover and and simmer about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the chicken is done; turning the chicken and stirring the sauce occasionally. Meanwhilecombine the boiling water and the tabouleh. Cover and rest fro 5 minutes. Add the parsley to the tabouleh and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken and sauce on a bed of the tabouleh.

Servings: 4

Caesar salad

Prep and Cook Time:10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large head romaine lettuce, outer leaves removed & discarded
* (optional) 1/4 cup walnuts
Dressing:
2 TBS roasted tahini
1 2oz can anchovies, drained of oil, rinsed and chopped
4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBS lemon juice
3 TBS balsamic vinegar
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

Rinse lettuce, cut into bite size pieces, and dry. Try to get lettuce as dry as possible so dressing is not diluted. If you have a salad spinner it is best.
Blend dressing ingredients together for 1-2 minutes, drizzling the olive oil in at the end a little at a time. Toss romaine with desired amount of dressing and walnuts and chicken if desired. There will be dressing left over. It keeps very well in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Serves 4

Healthy Cooking Tips:
Make sure your lettuce is well dried so you don't dilute the dressing. This salad dressing is great if you want a healthy Caesar dressing with anchovies. If you don't like anchovies I would not bother making it, as it isn't nearly as good without them.

Tuna salad

Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 6 ½ oz cans of light tuna, drained
1/4 cup finely diced celery
4 TBS chopped walnuts
4 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely minced onion
salt & black pepper to taste
1 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 small tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed and chopped
Dressing
2 medium cloves garlic pressed
2 TBS prepared Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
4 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
4 oz silken tofu
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
*a little water to thin if necessary

Directions:
Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for 5-10 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
Blend dressing ingredients in blender adding oil a little at a time at end (to incorporate.) Blend well to make sure sunflower seeds are ground.
Mix tuna, celery, walnuts, parsley, onion, salt and pepper.
Mix desired amount of dressing with tuna mixture.
Serve on bed of chopped romaine lettuce with chopped tomato.

Serves 2

Broccoli vith cheese

PREP TIME
15 Min
COOK TIME
30 Min
READY IN
45 Min

INGREDIENTS

8 cups fresh broccoli
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 eggs, beaten




DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Place broccoli in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 2 to 6 minutes. Drain.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add flour; cook until bubbly. Stir in onion and gradually add milk, stirring well. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and eggs; mix well. Combine mixture with broccoli and transfer to a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Asparagus and mushrooms

PREP TIME
10 Min
COOK TIME
15 Min
READY IN
25 Min

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly spray a cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray.
Place the asparagus and mushrooms in a bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, then season with rosemary, salt, and pepper; toss well. Lay the asparagus out on the prepared pan in an even layer. Roast in the preheated oven until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.