Foody Friday

This weeks recipe attempts - hope you enjoy.

Mushroom and Cashew Pilaf


1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1 cup cashew nuts
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion chopped
300g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup currants
lemon juice
125 g feta cheese
parsley

Cook rice. Heat a frypan add cashews cook for a few mins till heated through. Add oil, onions and mushrooms cook 2 mins until tender. Add currants, lemon juice. Cook 1 min. Add rice, cashews and feta. Toss to combine. Stir in Parsley.

I love anything that combines currants and cashews... I think the feta could even have been left out. We ate this with the Tuscan Bean soup (I made it twice in 2 weeks!! So that means I must like it, since I rarely cook the same things) and crusty bread as it is cold here now - A complete vegetarian meal - I am so proud of myself!!

Savoury Mighty Muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
2 cups grated tasty cheese
100g mortadella, chopped
1 zucchini, grated
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup fruit chutney
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 6 x 3/4-cup capacity Texas muffin pan. Line bases of holes with baking paper.
Sift flour into a large bowl. Add cheese, mortadella, zucchini and chives. Whisk milk, egg and chutney in a jug until well combined. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients. Pour in milk mixture. Using a large metal spoon, gently mix until just combined. Spoon into muffin holes.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 3 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Source
Super Food Ideas - February 2005 , Page 24

Brownies
These were used for FHE game
8 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with butter. Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two sides. Butter paper, and set pan aside. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of gently simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes; remove bowl from pan. Add sugar; mix to combine. Add eggs, and mix to combine. Add flour mixture; mix just until moistened (do not overmix). Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Using paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to a rack to cool completely (still on paper). On a cutting board, using a dampened serrated knife, cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Creamy Linguine

Ingredients
25g butter
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup pouring cream
1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
250g green beans, halved
400g linguine pasta
200g prosciutto, chopped ( I used bacon)
120g parmesan cheese, shaved ( I didnt have any so used tasty cheese)

Method
Melt butter in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is soft.Combine cream, and stock cube in a jug. . Add cream mixture to frying pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until sauce begins to bubble.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add beans and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Remove beans from saucepan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Return water to the boil. Add pasta and cook, following packet directions, until tender. Drain. Return pasta to saucepan.

Add cream mixture, beans, bacon and three quarters of the parmesan to pasta. Toss over low heat until well combined and heated through.Spoon pasta into bowls. Top with remaining parmesan. Season with pepper and serve.

SourceSuper Food Ideas - February 2006 , Page 36

Ceasar Noodle Salad


Chicken Breast
3 rashers bacon
1 cos lettuce
3 hard boiled eggs
Ceasar salad dressing
100g packet Changs Fried Noodles

Cut chicken breast in half to form thinner fillets. Heat oil and cook. Add bacon, cook 3-4 mins until crisp. Transfer to plate. Cut lettuce into strips. Thinly cut chicken and arrange over lettuce. sprinkle with bacon. Top with eggs. Drizzle dressing over salad. Sprinkle with noodles. Serve.