Hot Cocoa with Cream

The best hot cocoa :)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

Combine cocoa, sugar, salt and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Add milk and cream and continue heating over medium-low until hot.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla...and Enjoy!
Makes 4 servings

Crustless Bacon Quiche

This is really amazing,  and gluten free!

Ingredients:

8 eggs
1/2  cup milk
1 packet of bacon (chopped into small pieces)
1cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green beans or broccoli
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Beat together milk & eggs add salt & pepper for flavor
2. Fry bacon and chop into pieces
3. In a glass dish pour the egg mix and sprinkle grated cheese, bacon  and beans on top of the egg
4. cook  in the oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes
5. serve with fresh tomatoes and basil

...forgot to take pictures :) 

Tomato Beef Casserole

It's been far too long sine I posted, but made this casserole last week and it was so good and really super quick!

Ingredients:

6 whole tomatoes, sliced
1 kg beef mince
2 onions, diced
2 tins chopped tomatoes (you can totally use fresh ones, i was just being lazy!)
1 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar, the recipe said parmesan though)
4 egg yolks
3 T Worcestershire sauce
mixed herbs
salt&pepper

Directions:

1. Slice tomatoes into thick pieces and lay on an olive oil greased oven tray, grill for 10-15 minutes at about 200*C

2. Brown onions and mince together

3. Add tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper too mince and stir

4. Combine egg yolks, herbs and grated cheese,and stir well

5. One mince is cooked pour into oven dish and lay tomato pieces on top, cover all with egg and cheese mixture and cook at 180* for about 30 minutes, or until cheese and egg is bubbling at the edges.

Serve with fresh vegetables and...Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Potatoes

These potatoes are an amazing, quick, (gluten free) healthy lunch! And they taste so good :)

Ingredients:
1Tbsp olive oil
1 packet bacon
10 medium sized potatoes, peeled
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup cheese, grated
salt & pepper
fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Boil peeled potatoes until fork tender
2. Chop bacon into squares and cook until almost done, on a hot skillet in a little bit of water (don't use any oil, the water will help the bacon to not stick initially then the bacon will produce it's own fat)

3. Cover bacon and leave potatoes to cool slightly
4. prepare a baking sheet with olive oil, place the cut up potatoes on the sheet and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cook at 200*C for 30-40 minutes, turning half way

5. Reduce oven temperature to 180*C and add the bacon, garlic and cheese

6. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until potatoes are crispy and cheese is all meted, sprinkle fresh cut parsley and serve straight away...Enjoy!

*Best served with either fresh tomatoes or tomato relish*

Yum!

Grilled Greek Chicken Breasts

End result...yum!

These were super easy, prep time was about 5-8 minutes and cooking time 20 mins, it is good to have about an hour for them to marinate before cooking tho!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Put lemon juice, dried oregano, garlic and olive oil together in a bowl
2. Stir together and pour over chicken breasts
3. Marinate for at least an hour, the longer the better
4. Grill at a high temp. for 20-25 minutes or until your chicken is done, every oven is different though

**Serve with cherry tomatoes and feta cheese**

Step 1

Step 2

Ginger Snaps

This is one of my absolute favourites! It's so quick and they last for days without going bad!

Ingredients: 

250 g flour

175 g golden syrup

125 g butter (of good margarine)

125 g sugar

1/2 tsp. bicarbonate of soda

2 large tsp. ground ginger

Directions:

1. Melt butter, sugar and syrup together

2. Add dry ingredients and mix together well until it's a sticky dough

3. Roll into balls and place 1 inch apart on a well greased tray, press down with a fork 

4. Bake at 180*C for about 10 minutes

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

This recipe is so easy and tastes amazing, I'm not a fan of basil so decided to do some without the basil...but it's way better with it, i would never leave it out again!It's also great re-heated!

 Ingredients: 

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons of olive oil

500 g fresh tomatoes-cubed, you can use canned ones, then use 2 tins, or like me cut up fresh ones and cook first (much tastier)  

2 cups of stock (chicken or vegetable)

1 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup of cream

3 tablespoons of fresh basil

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, saute garlic in olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute - being careful not to burn the garlic. 

2. Add the cooked (or canned) tomatoes.  

3.  Add chicken stock, salt, pepper and sugar.  Cook the soup on medium at a simmer for 10 minutes.  

4. Add cream and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring continuously

5. Add chopped basil and serve right away

TIP: if you want to make the soup go further just add more stock with a little more seasoning and basil.

Best served with croutons!...Enjoy!  

Nadine enjoying the soup...