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.

AJ's fav. stirfry recipe

2 teaspoons cornflour
1/2 cup beef stock
2 table spoons of soy
1 teaspoon sesame oil
800g sirloin finely sliced
1 tablespoon of peanut oil
1 clove of garlic chopped
1x 2cm piece of fresh ginger grated
4 spring onions cut into 2cm pieces
100g snow peas
there is supposed to be mushrooms

"Other" Kels Chocolate Cupcakes and Icing

Chocolate Cupcakes

90g butter, melted

1 cup SR flour, sifted

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons good cocoa (I use Dutch process)

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 celsius (160 fan forced). Sift the flour and cocoa together. Add all other ingredients and mix until just combined (don't overmix as your cupcakes will be tough and won't rise well). Spoon mixture into cupcake papers and lightly tap to remove air bubbles. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the cakes spring back when lightly touched.

Chocolate Buttercream

I don't actually measure so I guess posting a recipe is sort of pointless. Oh well, here's the basics!

160g butter, cubed & at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

3-4 tablespoons good cocoa (I use Dutch process)

approximately 600g icing sugar

warm water

Beat the butter and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the cocoa and icing sugar, pausing to add a little warm water as required. Adjust the icing sugar/water according to your desired consistency.

Chickpea and Cous Cous Filled Capsicum

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 large (600g) red capsicums, halved, deseeded
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 140g (2/3 cup) couscous
• 310ml (1 1/4 cups) boiling water
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 1 300g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 85g (1/2 cup) chopped dried pitted dates
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup loosely packed chopped fresh continental parsley
• 1 200g container natural set yoghurt, 99.8% fat free

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Brush capsicums with 1 tsp of oil. Place, cut-side up, in roasting pan lined with foil. Roast for 10 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, place couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water, stirring with a fork. Cover, set aside for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork. Heat remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5-6 minutes or until brown. Reduce heat to medium, add couscous, chickpeas, dates, ginger, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until combined. Add parsley.
3. Remove capsicum from oven. Spoon couscous mixture into each half. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until brown. Serve with the yoghurt.

Lamb Souvlaki

Ingredients:

500 grams lean lamb, cubed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon (juice and zest)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano (dried or fresh)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
1. Combine all the ingredients and let the meat marinate in the fridge, from 30 minutes to overnight. The longer you marinate it, the more tender the meat will become.
2. Remove the lamb from the marinade and skewer. Use wooden skewers soaked in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent burning, or steel skewers.
3. Grill the skewers for about 3 to 4 minutes each side, until medium rare.

Food tip 1: Serve with a salad of cubed tomato, cucumber and feta cheese, a bowl of low-fat Greek yoghurt and a platter of warmed wholemeal pita bread.

Food tip 2: Keep a plastic bag of soaked wooden skewers in your freezer, so you can repeat this recipe without having to wait for the skewers to soak for 30 minutes.