Melting Chocolate Meringues

They may not look like the do in the book but they taste amazing, they were a huge hit and if you have a sweet tooth family you may need to double the recipe.

 

Need:

2 egg whites

1 cup icing sugar (powered)

1/8 salt (I didnt put this in)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2oz chocolate chopped to pea size chunks

1.  Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine egg whites, icing sugar and salt in stainless steel bowl, place over a pan with just-simmering water. Whisk to combine, then continue to whisk until temp reaches 49C/120F
3. Take off the heat, add vanilla and using electric whisk, whisk until whites form a stiff peak. fold in chocolate.
4. scoop into piping bag (or in my case a sandwich bag with corner cut off) pipe each one about a table spoon size.
5. Place in oven with door ajar with wooden spoon, cook for about 20 minutes, you should be able to move them easily around the paper

Punch

Easy, Fun and so yummy

1 bottle of sprite (2 litres)

I packet of cool aid

Small tub of frozen sherbet

 

Mix altogether and enjoy!!

Macaroons

Easy recipe even for little ones that are excited to bake.

You Will Need:

2 egg whites

4 1/4oz caster (super fine) Sugar

1/8 salt

2tbs honey

3 3/4oz desiccated (dry unsweetened) coconut

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 3/4oz chocolate

 1. Preheat oven 160c or 325f
2. line baking tray with parchment paper
3. Combine all ingredients except chocolate in heavy pan, cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes, stir constantly until mixture is opaque and sticky
4.Put mixture in bowl and allow to cool completely.
5. Roll into desired size balls and place on baking tray, dent the middle
6. bake for about 12 minutes until they are golden brown
7. Melt chocolate, place in a sandwich bag and cut the corner
8. "pipe" chocolate in the center of each Macaroon. Unless you are allergic to chocolate and then just leave it off.

Mum and Daughter Marshmallows

This is a bit tricky but well worth it, if you want a good laugh with your Mum this is a good start.

Needs:
Vegetable oil, Greasing
50g or 1/2 cup icing sugar (confectioner's)
50g or 1/2 cup corn flour (cornstarch)
2 Egg Whites
400g or 2 Cups Caster Sugar
15ml or 1tbsp glucose syprup (light corn syrup)
375 ml or 13oz cold water
60ml or 4 tbsp powered gelatine
5ml or 1tsp vanilla
3 drops of green color
3 drops of yellow color

1. Grease baking tray, Combine icing sugar and corn flour in large bowl. Put it through a sieve into another bowl. Liberally sift some of the mixture on the baking tray. Set aside.

2. Whisk the egg whites until they form peaks (electric whisk works much better and faster). Set aside, when ready to use them give them an extra whisk as they separate slightly.

3.Combine caster sugar, corn syrup and half the water in a small pan over low heat, stir until sugar dissolves.

4. Bring syrup to boil and boil until it reaches the hard boil stage (130c/266f)

5. Meanwhile, soften the gelatine with the remaining cold water in a small pan, off the heat. Just before before the sugar syrup reaches the hard-ball stage, place the gelatine mixture over a low heat and stir til dissolved.

6. When the syrup reaches the correct temp and the gelatine has dissolved, combine the two. Stir in vanilla extract.

7. While whisking the egg whites with electric mixer pour in the syrup and gelatine mixture with a slow and steady stream.

8. Whisk mixture on high for 7 minutes or until it holds soft peaks.

9. Divide the mixture into two bowls and add a different color to each one. Using the electric whisk, mix (both) until almost stiff.

10. Pour one part onto prepared baking tray and and spread quickly.

11. Quickly spread the other part on top.  Allow to set for 5 hours.

12 Dust the top with remaining Icing sugar and cornflour mixture, then cut marshmallow into strips with oiled knife.

13. Serve immediately or store in air tight container.

Nestle Cookie's

Ingredients

 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1tsp baking soda
1 cup of butter or margarine
3/4 granulated sugar
3/4 brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cup (11.5 oz pkg) chocolate morsels (chips)

Directions
Combine flour and baking soda
Different bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs one at a time beating them into the mixture. Add the flour mixture and beat (electric whizzer). Stir in morsels
Drop rounded tablespoons onto un greased baking tray
Bake for 9-11 minutes in pre heated oven (375 F)

The best cookies ever!

Nachos and Banana Lollies

Nachos might not be the healthiest dinner but it sure is tasty.  A quick Friday night meal.

Ingredients

Tortilla chips

Ground Beef (or turkey)

Taco seasoning

Nacho cheese

Any topping that suits your family, mine includes: Guacamole, chopped onions and tomato's black olives

 Basically pour on the cheese & meat (cooked and seasoned) and add whatever you want on top.  The picture below is my allergy version, crumbled goats cheese with a few teaspoons of water mixed in and microwaved for 30 seconds.

 We used the store brand Banana pops and the kids loved them, As the chocolate is not the best tasting I thought next time we would try with some Cadburys or Hersey chocolate and see if it would work.  I don't see why not. Freeze the bananas for about 2 hours, warm the chocolate and dip.  The cold banana and warm chocolate make a crisp coating, Yum.

Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is time consuming but so worth the wait.

Ingredients:
4 1/4 c. Flour
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 1/4 c. Milk
1/4 c. Sugar
1/4 c. Butter
2 Eggs
6 tbsp. Butter, softened
1/2 c. brown sugar (white sugar works well too)
2 tsp ground Cinnamon

Step 1: Combine 1 1/2 cups of flour & yeast. Heat the milk, sugar (1/4c.) and the butter until warm (butter will be almost melted). Keep it moving.

Step 2: Add milk mixture to flour mixture, add the eggs. Beat with electric mixer for 30 seconds on low.  Beat on high for 3 minutes. using a spoon, stir in remaining flour (dough will be soft). Place dough on floured surface, knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Shape into a ball.

Step 3: Place dough in lightly greased bowl. Cover. Let rise in warm place until doubled (roughly 1-1 1/2 hours)

Step 4: Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, divide into half. Shape each one into a ball. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Step 5: On a lightly floured surface roll half the dough, not too thin. Spread with 3 tbsp of butter. combine brown sugar and Cinnamon in a bowl and sprinkle half over the prepared dough. Roll up and seal the edges. Repeat on other half.

Step 6: Slice each dough roll into 8 pieces. Arrange slices, cut side down onto a greased baking tray. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Step 7: Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until lightly brown. Place each roll onto a wire rack, cool slightly then drizzle with glaze (below). Serve warm.

Powdered sugar glaze
1 cup of powered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 3-4 tsp of milk.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is my eight year old daughters favorite meal, the best thing about it is that most of the ingredients can be changed to whatever you have.

First the Pastry:

2 1/2 cups of flour

2/3 shortening

1/2 - 3/4 ice cold water

First add the shortening into the flour and rub it gently until it looks like bread crumbs, then slowly add the water, don't try and form it yet, the idea is to just get the whole thing moist. Once it looks like it can be formed started squeezing it together into a ball.  Cut in half and you now have a top and bottom (role out).

Ingredients for the Pie

Chicken 1 1/2 cups

1 tbsp oil

1 onion

3 potatoes chopped

Carrots and celery 1 1/2 cups

2 cups of chicken bouillon

3tbp of parsley

1tsp oregano

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup milk

3tbp flour

                                                                                                

 Directions

Heat the oil in a large pan

Add chicken, onion and seasonings

Pour in the Bouillon and vegetables

Gently boil until potatoes are cooked but still firm

In a separate pan heat the milk and flour

Pour into the mixture and leave to thicken for a minute or two

Pour into prepared pie dish, add the pastry lid and press the edges

Slit the top a few times to allow steam to escape

Bake for 1 hour at 350*F

 With the left over pastry roll it out and put it on a baking tray, sprinkle with sugar and Cinnamon and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. YUM

Peanut Butter Bars with Chocolate Chips

I can say that they smell Delicious and everyone that takes one comes back for more but sadly they were not taste tested by me. Among my many allergy's, peanuts of any kind react to me severely if I eat them. Thankfully I can still handle them and make them for my neighbours and family.

Ingredients

1 cup of creamy peanut butter

6Tbsp of Crisco (or softened butter)

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup of flour

1 3/4 cups chocolate chips

Directions

Mix the peanut butter and Crisco together until smooth

Mix in sugar, eggs and vanilla

Mix in the flour and 3/4 chocolate chips

Spread in and ungreased pan 13 x 9 works well

Bake in pre heated oven (350) for 25-30 minutes until sides are lightly brown.

Take out of the oven and sprinkle over the last cup of chocolate chips, when melted, spread.

Cool in pan on wire rack, then slice.

Guacamole

This is the best Guacamole you will ever taste, seriously if you like avocado you have to try this simple recipe. Hailey and I can finish a whole batch in one sitting.

Ingredient's:
2 ripe Avocado's
1 jalapeno
1tsp garlic

Directions:
I use a hand blender to whizz the avocado, then I add desired amount of jalapeno (I boil it first to make it soft) sprinkle in the garlic, one finally whizz with the blender and voila, home made Guacamole to die for.

Whole Chicken

I usually try to keep things simple, running a daycare and a home gets time consuming.  So I look for simple ways to make food delicious. So this chicken was basically washed out real well and patted dry. Then I rub some olive oil into the skin and go a little crazy on the salt and pepper (I use the grind kind) then I simply add some Sage,Thyme and Tarragon. Pop it in the oven at 350*F for the packaged time. After 45minutes I base the chicken every 20 minutes to keep the meat moist.

Banana Bread

This is one of my favorite things to make, first because its so delicious and second because I hate wasting food so when the bananas are not eaten quick enough they are made into bread. I do not like any brown on bananas so we don't get long to eat them. I have this really cool stone pan from Pampered Chef that I LOVE, look how cute the loaves come out.

How do you make this awesome, delicious and easy snack? Follow these directions.
Ingredients:
3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup of butter, melted
1 cup of sugar, I use 3/4 cup and its plenty
1egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp, baking soda
1 1/2 cups of flour

Directions:
Pre-heat oven 350*F
Use a wooden spoon to mix the butter into the bananas, then mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla. sprinkle the baking soda on top and mix in. Add the flour and it is ready for the oven!! Place it into greased pan or muffin cups and bake for 30-45 minutes (depending on the size).

Enjoy!!

Make your own Pizza

Pizza is a favorite food for a lot of people, its nice to go out for a pizza or just have one delivered to the door, but that gets very pricey.  Pizza is the easiest meal to make from scratch and so fun. So for this recipe you will need:

Ingredients:

1. (.25oz) pack of active dry yeast

2. 1 cup of warm water (not to hot)

3. 2tbs of oil

4. 1tsp sugar

5. 1/4 salt

6. 2 1/2 cups flour

7. Pizza Sauce

8. pizza toppings of your choice.

 Notes: I have allergies to so many things, cheese and pork being just a couple of many, so pizza is something I can not eat unless I make it myself.  The pizza below is made with goats cheese, turkey pepperoni and black olives.

Directions:

• Dissolve the yeast in the water
• Add the oil, sugar, salt and flour
• Mix together and then form into dough
• Place on floured surface and let sit for about 10 minutes
• Grease pan and sprinkle a little flour over it
• Put dough on prepared pan and bake for 12-15 Minutes at 425*f
• Add pizza sauce and desired toppings and bake for another 10 minutes.

Banana and Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Ingredients:

2 cups of flour

1tsp baking soda

1/2 cup soften butter

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1tsp vanilla essence

1 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*f/180*c

2. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until lightly creamy

3. Add egg and vanilla, mix until combined

4. Add flour, bananas and baking soda and stir

5. Drop desired amount onto baking tray (greased)

6. Bake for 15-20mins until golden brown

7. Cool

Notes:

I choose to make larger cookies as I didn't want to do more than one batch, although they were 100% successful with everyone they were more like little muffins than cookies. Maybe the size I chose or the recipe, who knows.

 

Welcome

This could be a disaster or awesomely wonderful. Who would have thought that I, Kerry Dorcheus would love to cook, not me that's for sure. Since getting an oven that actually works I have been experimenting a lot more in the kitchen. Many fails but more successes, my love for cooking has grown. I really enjoy baking and whizzing up yummy dinners. I plan on sharing some recipes, with pictures and directions. Please note that they are not all my recipes, some are mine, some are family and some are from the World Wide Web. Which ever it may be, it is new to me.
Lets get this party started!!!!