Potato and avocado salad with mixed herb dressing

Serves 6

1kg golden delight potatoes, peeled, cut into wedges
1 large avocado, sliced
3 celery stalks, trimmed and thinly sliced
2/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp drained capers, chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Cook potato in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 8-10 mins or tender. Refresh under cool water. Cool 20 mins.

2. Make dressing - place oil, vinegar, parsley, mint, chives, capers and garlic in a bowl and mix.

3. Place potato, avocado, celery and walnuts in a bowl. Drizzle with dressing.

NB Can serve this dressing with prawns, fish or BBQ chicken

Kel M's Butter Cream Icing

125g butter
500g icing sugar
food colouring
a couple of tablespoons hot water
1 tsp vanilla essence

Cream the butter & essence until smooth. Gradually add icing sugar, adding water when you need it. Remember you want a good piping consistency - too firm & it won't pipe, too soft and it will flop over

Gnocchi Pie

olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
250g mince
2 celery stalks, cut into cubes
2 small carrots, cut into cubes
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup beef stock
1 can crushed tomato
1 packet potato gnocchi
Herbs, to taste
Grated cheese

Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and herbs and cook for 5 minutes or until soft.

Add mince, celery and carrot, increase heat to high and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until meat browns.

Add stock, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3-5 minutes until liquid has almost evaporated.

Add tomato and tomato paste. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Transfer to a baking dish.

Wash pot and return to stove. Use it to cook gnocchi according to instructions. Drain.

Top tomato mixture with a single layer of the gnocchi, cover with cheese and herbs, then bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.

North Pole Shortbread

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• Finely grated rind of 4 mandarins
• 200g caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbs glace orange peel, very finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour
• 2 cups (300g) plain flour
• 375g Nestle White Chocolate Melts, melted following packet directions

Method

1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, rind and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and peel, beat until combined. On low speed, gradually beat in combined sifted flours until mixture comes together. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of lightly-floured baking paper until 3mm thick then, using a 7.5cm Christmas tree-shaped cutter (or cutter of your choice), cut out shapes and place on baking paper-lined oven trays. Repeat, rolling dough scraps until all the dough is used. Refrigerate dough on oven trays for 30 minutes, then bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool biscuits on trays.
3. Half dip biscuits in melted chocolate, place on baking paper-lined trays and stand until set. Biscuits will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Source

Notebook: - December 2005, Page 45

Recipe by Sophia Young

Chelle's hot potato dish

2kgs chat potatoes boil till soft but slightly hard in centre & chop in rough quarters
3-4 rashers of bacon
1 small onion finely chopped
minced garlic i'd put in at least 1 tablespoon but to your own taste.)

1. Saute all that together
2. Put it all in an oven dish and top with grated cheese
3. Prob bout 200C and cook till cheese is golden & the potatoes are softer

Caramello chocolate slice

Ingredients:
1 packet of biscuits - Marie or Morning Coffee
1 block of Caramello Chocolate
1 can Skim Condensed Milk
A "sprinkling" of Coconut

Method:
Crush biscuits & chocolate (or process in a food processor)
Mix in a large bowl with the condensed milk until thoroughly combined
Stir in the coconut - just enough to make the mixture less sticky
Press mixture into a slice tin & set in the fridge for at least half hour before cutting

Prawn Fried Rice

• 500g (2 1/2 cups) long-grain rice
• 1 tbs peanut oil
• 800g peeled green prawns
• 6 bacon rashes, rind removed, coarsely chopped, about 1.5cm pieces
• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• 8 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
• 100g (1 1/2 cups) bean sprouts, ends trimmed
• 80ml (1/3 cup) soy sauce

Method

1. Cook the rice following packet directions or until tender. Spread the rice over a baking tray. Place in the fridge overnight to cool completely.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat until just smoking. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until the prawns curl and change colour. Transfer to a plate. Add the bacon and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to the plate.
3. Add the egg and swirl slightly. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until almost set. Use a wooden spoon to stir and break up the egg. Add prawns, bacon, rice and soy sauce and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the rice is heated through.
4. Add the shallot and bean sprouts and stir-fry for 1 minute or until combined. Spoon into serving boxes and serve immediately.