Chicken Milano from ladyb

I love SWAPBOT! Just in case you hadn't caught that vibe from this blog. I am just getting back into it all after the wedding and after wedding recovery (imagine sitting on the couch doing NOTHING). One of my many Swapbot addictions is swapping recipes. It is so interesting to see how food is created across the globe. I have received some wonderful dishes and many have entered my monthly mmmm whats for tea. This is one such recpie. A BIG thanks for ladyb for this yummy simple recipe.

Chicken Milano

Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2 skinless chicken breast (1 1/2 inch cubes)
-2 tbsp butter
- 1 med. onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tin tomato soup
- 6 fresh sliced mushrooms OR 1 jar sliced mushroom
- 2 medium zucchini (slice)
- 1/2tsp basil
-1/8 tsp chilli powder

Method
1. Prepare rice as label directed.
2. In large skillet over medium heat in hot butter, cook onion and garlic until tender. Add chicken and brown on all sides.
3. Stir in soup and remaining ingredients. Over high heat, bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve by spooning mixture over rice in a deep platter.

Wedding Day Professional Photos

A big thank you needs to go to Roy Leigh from Zen Images for these amazing images from our special day. Here are his other wedding albums. This is but a snippet of the amazing photos he took on the day, it was hard to choose. Our wedding took place in the beautiful council park Palmetum and our reception took place at Reef HQ.

Chocolate Walnut Cupcakes

I have been using this recipe on and off for the past few years. I love the soft fluffiness of the cupcake with the crunch of the chopped nuts. Enjoy for a bit of crunch on your chocolate cupcakes. This is also lovely to have with coffee after a LONG work day. 

Chocolate Walnut Cupcakes

Ingredients

150g lightly salted butter

150g caster sugar

175g self raising flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

3 eggs

3 tbs baking cocoa

1 tsp vanilla essence

Spare chopped walnuts (to top cupcakes)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰ prepare cupcake tray.

2. Combine butter, sugar, eggs, flour, cocoa and vanilla essence in a bowl. Mix with a hand held mixer until light and fluffy.

3. Gently fold through walnuts. Spoon into cupcake tray. Sprinkle with spare chopped walnuts.

4. Cook for 20-25 mins. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack. 

Breakfast Muffins

I made these a few weeks ago and have been playing with the recipe to make it work for me. I originally had mushrooms but took them out, however I have not given up on the idea. Patience, patience, patience Mushrooms will appear in one kind of breakfast muffin I make. This one is my left over veggies and bacon muffin, it was a random find. Have a go and let me know how it went.

Bacon, Carrot and Zucchini Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients

3 rashes of bacon small dice
1 tbsp oil (I used olive oil)
1 sml carrot grated
1/2 sml zucchini grated
1/4 cup shallots
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3 tsps baking powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheese (I use tasty)
80g butter melted
2 eggs lightly beaten
2/3 cup of milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200⁰C and prepare muffin tray. Fry bacon until crispy and put to one side.
2. Place flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and cheese into a bowl, mix.
3. Whisk butter, eggs and milk in a mixing bowl.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and combine. Stir through carrot, shallots, zucchini and bacon.
7. Spoon into muffin trays and cook for 20mins.
8. Serve warm or cool for lunches or afternoon tea.

So...not a lot happening this week. I am working on my second turtle and have played with a few old recipes. I haven't been feeling crash hot thanks to a nasty virus so not to many new things happening. I have been chilling a lot and watching a few anime series. Plus, I am doing data analysis at work (read home because of time) to provide evidence for results etc. I have got a few more fabrics which is oh so exciting from Fabric Love Australia. A wonderful site and now many new projects to plan for.