Pumpkin and Red Onion Muffins

Mmmmm...I love these. Especially the coriander. I have been meaning to post this recipe for the past 2 weeks but sadly have been bogged down with work and a nasty bug. :( But, I am back :) So I hope you enjoy this lovely savoury recpie. Pop me a message and tell me how you go.

Pumpkin and Red Onion Muffins

Makes: 12

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Ingredients

550g pumpkin

1 red onion diced

5 tablespoons olive oil

275g self raising flour

50g cornmeal

15g chopped fresh coriander

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 eggs, beaten

150ml milk

Method

1. Line a 12 section muffin tray with paper muffin cases. Cut the pumpkin into small dice, discarding seeds/skin. You should have about 350g flesh. Spread out on a roasting tray with onion and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast in preheated oven 220⁰C for 30-40mins. Leave to cool.

2. Mix together flour, cornmeal, coriander, celery salt and baking powder in a bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk and remaining oil with a fork in a small bowl. 

3. Stir the cooled pumpkin and onion into the dry ingredient. Add the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Divide muffin mixture between paper cases.

4. Bake in oven for 20 mins or until risen and just firm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold. 

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.

Strawberry Pie, so simple!

I adore strawberries! Punnets, punnets and punnets of strawberries. In QLD at the moment they are in season and smelling amazing. I have had 4 punnets in the fridge ALL day and not had a single one. I wanted to save them for a Strawberry Pie. This recipe was nothing like what I was expecting, but it is so simple and amazing. Plus, I made sure I had extra strawberry and warm syrup left over so I could have half a bowl of the mixture warmed. YUMMY! 

Soak your strawberries

If you love strawberries have a go because this is such a refreshing dessert. I received this recipe from a partner in a swap on Swapbot. She also sent me a surprising hint when using strawberries in cooking. You need to soak your strawberries for at least an hour before use in cooking. I usually just wash it under the tap and then go but, it makes a different to the flavour. The strawberries absorb some moisture and it throughly cleans them. I will be doing this from now on.

Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:

Baked and cooled sweet pie crust (you can make your own or buy pre done)

3 punnets strawberry

1 cup of water

1 cup of of sugar

2 tbsp of cornflour

1/3 cup strawberry jelly crystals  (jello)

Methods:

1. Ensure you cook your sweet pie crust so it is browned. Set aside to cool.

2. Slice strawberries (you can use whole if you wish but I find more flavour when sliced) and set aside.

3. Mix sugar and cornstarch.

4. Place water in sauce pan and begin to heat. Add sugar/cornflour mixture until softly boiled. It will start off cloudy and then become clearer consistency.

5. Once clearer stir through jelly crystals (jello) until all dissolved. Take off stove top and cool. 

6. Place strawberries into pie crust.

7. Pour over jelly mixture and place in fridge overnight. 

8. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. So glossy.