Pumpkin & Feta Tarts

These are my favourite thing to cook & eat. I first found this recipe a few years ago on Taste & adapted it along the way, making adjustments where needed. I’ve made them for both cocktail parties (adapting the recipe to make them bite size by using a mini muffin tray & a smaller cutter) & summer luncheons (served with a yummy side salad & lots of drinks!).

They have a great balance between the saltiness of the feta & the smoothness of the pumpkin. It’s the stuff dreams are made of!

Makes 20

Ingredients
• 350g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 2 eggs
• 100ml light thickened cream
• 100g low-fat feta, crumbled

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease two 12-hole muffin pans.

2. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle rosemary on top and season. Roast for 20 minutes or until cooked.

3. Cut 20 rounds from the pastry sheets using a 6.5cm cutter. Press into muffin holes to cover base and a little of the sides.

4. Whisk eggs and cream together.

5. Divide pumpkin among rounds, top with 1 teaspoon of egg mixture, then sprinkle with feta. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool slightly, then turn out.

Now go & melt their hearts with your culinary skills!

x Sunny x

Chocolate Risotto

OK so after posting my risotto & risotto ball recipes I was inspired to try making a sweet risotto. It’s something I’d heard of & read about but hadn’t actually tried yet. Whilst it was verrrry yummy, I’m not a fan of rice deserts because of the texture. But for those of you who are, I would greatly recommend it!

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 1/2 tbsp. cocoa
1 vanilla bean, split or 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup Arborio rice
2 cups (500ml) milk
1/2 cup caster sugar or brown sugar depending on your preference
30g unsalted butter
250ml (1 cup) thick cream
60ml (1/4 cup) brandy or alcohol of your choice. Baileys or Kahlua also work quite well.
Ice cream and biscotti, to serve

Method:
1. Place cocoa in a saucepan with 1 cup water and vanilla bean, bring to the boil.
2. Add rice then turn off heat and allow to soak for 5 minutes.
3. Return rice to low heat, add the milk and cook very gently, stirring occasionally until rice is tender.
4. Add sugar, butter, cream and brandy, and cook over low heat, stirring for a further 5 minutes. 5. Remove vanilla bean pod (if used). Serve immediately with a biscotti & some ice cream.


Change it up by adding some coffee or cinnamon!

x Sunny x

Sunny’s Risotto Balls

(Makes 20 – 50 depending on size) - Picture taken by Milton at my birthday party.

I made these for my Prom Night and they were enjoyed so much that I have since been hounded to put the recipe up!

Whilst my Grandma was the one who taught me how to cook risotto, these were essentially a ‘see a need, fill a need’ recipe. I always had leftover risotto (I am completely unable to cook for just one person!!) and it never tasted as good the next day. And so, my risotto balls were born! They are great for parties as you can make & even cook them the night before & simply reheat when needed.

Ingredients:
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 batch of Parmesan Risotto – see this recipe for the how-to.
1 block of tasty cheese
Oil for frying

Method:
1. Cut the block of tasty cheese into 1cm (or less) cubes. Put aside.

2. Roll a tablespoon of risotto into a ball (you can change the size of these depending on your preference). Using either the small end of a wooden spoon or your thumb, create an indent in the ball. Place a cube of cheese inside and form the rice around it. Put the ball aside on a plate. Continue doing this with the remainder of the risotto mixture.

3. Place the egg, flour & breadcrumbs into separate bowls. Roll balls in the four mixture, then coat with the egg mixture & finally with the breadcrumbs. Place on a plate & chill for half an hour.

4. In a large fry pan, heat the oil until a piece of bread turns slightly golden within 2 seconds. Add the risotto balls, working in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Turn, ensuring all sides are golden. Place onto some absorbent paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve immediately or place aside to be reheated in an oven. The cheese in the centre should be melted and gooey when you bite into it.

You can mix it up by trying different risotto’s (although keep extra ingredients like bacon or zucchini chopped quite finely) and different cheeses. It’s really good with a mushroom risotto. I like to keep mine bite size & make sure you hand people napkins when you offer them one as it is definitely finger food! This is one of my favourites & one of my most requested foods.

Enjoy!

x Sunny x

Parmesan Risotto

(Serves 4 as a main, or 6 as an entree)

Ingredients:

1 cup of arborio rice
3 cups chicken stock
Water, as needed
½ white onion, diced – I like to use frozen diced onion as there is no watery eyes & it’s wicked easy.
½ tsp minced garlic
½ cup grated Parmesan (the best kind you can get)
1 large or 2 small bay leave/s
1 Glass of white wine
Olive Oil

Method:

1. Heat a large pot over a high heat with a splash of olive oil. Add the onion & cook for 2 minutes or until soft without turning brown. Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds.

2. Add the Arborio rice and stir until the grains are coated and glossy. Add the glass of wine and bay leaves, stirring constantly, until the wine is absorbed.

3. Begin adding the stock in 1 cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. If you run out of stock, finish with water (otherwise I find it gets too salty). The risotto is ready when the grains are well cooked. Some people like their risotto more al dente, but I like mine relatively soft.

4. Remove the bay leaves and stir through Parmesan. Garnish with extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

This is the way my Uruguayan grandmother taught me to make risotto but you can make it any way you like! For instance, create a more complex flavour by:

- Frying some bacon & mushrooms, then adding them when you add the wine & bay leaves.
- Once served, top it with some pieces of cooked zucchini or asparagus.
- Adding your favourite herb/flavouring like thyme or lemon zest.
- Mix up the alcohol. Try adding champagne or a sweeter/dryer wine instead to alter the flavour.

Sunny xx

- Picture source unknown -

The Perfect Sunday Breakfast

Sunday mornings were made for eating fantastic breakfasts, lazing around in your pajamas & doing relaxing activities like having picnics & reading your favourite book. But what classifies as a fantastic breakfast? For starters it helps if it's aesthetically pleasing - set out on a tray, on gorgeous serving ware with a special touch like a flower or beautiful cloth napkin.

My idea's of a perfect breakfast are:

- The classic: Eggs, bacon & a hash brown

- Eggs Benedict - the one breakfast I never cook at home!

- Waffles or pancakes with maple syrup & a good quality vanilla bean ice cream

- Fresh strawberries & vanilla yogurt perhaps with a piece of oatmeal slice (recipe to come!)

- Asparagus, fried haloumi & a poached egg.

- Cinnamon toast

All these served with orange juice, your favourite tea/hot chocolate or coffee. These breakfasts will brighten up any day & make life endlessly fantastic!

Enjoy your weekend!

x Sunny x

Scones

Nearly everyone loves scones. Personally I think there is nothing better on a Sunday afternoon than sitting down to scones with cream and jam, a great tea (see my tea post for inspiration) and good friends! And they are so yummy that one is never enough... just ask my workmates who beg me to make them every Melbourne cup day! So for those who agree with me, here is my favourite recipe!

Ingredients:

4 cups Self Raising flour
300 ml Thickened Cream
350ml Lemonade

Method:

1. Sift flour into bowl and make a well in the middle.

2. Pour cream and lemonade into the well of flour.

3. Mix until it makes a firm dough

4. Roll out and cut into rounds with a scone or cookie cutter.

5. Bake at 180C in a fan forced oven (200C if not fan forced) for about 10 - 20 minutes depending on the size of the scones. When they are golden on the top and fully puffed up take them out of the oven and cool on a wire rack. TIP: Scones rise higher if you keep them close to each other when they cook!

6. Serve with your preferred condiments whilst scones are still warm.

7. Stuff face

Enjoy my darlings!

xSunnyx

Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or about 250g), melted
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt or chicken salt (which ever you have on hand)
A large pinch of dried Italian herb mix
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
600g (approx) Chicken Tenderloins

Method

1. Preheat oven to about 210/220 Celsius in a fan forced oven.

2. In a bowl, combine the minced garlic with the melted butter. In another bowl mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into garlic butter, then into crumb mixture to coat. Double crumb if you want a crunchier finish.

3. Place coated chicken pieces on to a baking dish. Try to leave a little room between each piece. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter and bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Note that the chicken will get much more browned on the bottom side than on the top.

Serves 4-6 - or two very hungry people :) Try it for yourselves and you'll see what I'm talking about!

xSunnyx

85 Degree Bakery, Chatswood

If you haven't been to 85 Degrees Bakery, then you haven't lived! Its full of carby, sugary goodness! Me & my friend Amanda frequent the Chatswood store (326 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, NSW, 2067) and every time we go we like to see if they have these adorable sheep & naughty bear cakes! I haven't tried one but they would totally make your birthday that much brighter!! One day I'm going to try make one at home... one day haha.

Basic Crepes

I was the very lucky recipient of a crepe maker for Christmas (it's basically a round fry pan thing) and have been eager to use it. It was a gift from my parents, and holds a lot of sentimental value to me as my grandma's most famous dish is her crepes & now I can recreate them in my own home!

So this morning I opened the box, made a couple batches of batter & got cooking! There were a few recipes for crepes online so I tried a couple different ones. I found a batter containing sugar made them a bit rubbery & another batter took forever to unlumpify. Just like Goldilocks & the three little bears, the third batter was just right! Perfect, in fact. This is my favourite crepe recipe & I found it on Taste.com (one of my favourite places to trawl for new recipes).

Ingredients:
1 cup (150g) plain flour, sifted
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (310ml) milk
15g butter, melted


1. Place sifted flour & salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Use a whisk to mix together the eggs, milk & melted butter.

2. Pour milk mixture into flour & whisk until smooth. Cover & refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Heat your crepe maker or crepe pan to medium. Lightly grease with butter. Pour about 1/4 cup mixture on to your pan, spread out or swirl pan until batter is thinly covering most of the surface. Cook until golden, then flip & cook for another 30 seconds or so. Serve.

Suggested toppings:
- This morning I spread a bit of Nutino (Italian nutella) on my crepe, rolled it up & served it with whipped cream.
- Squeeze some lemon on top & sprinkle with sugar.
- Top with maple syrup & ice cream
- Serve with strawberries & whipped cream.
- Recreate yum cha Mango Pancakes by filling with mango & cream then rolling into a delicious package.

xSunnyx

My Favourite Chocolate Cake

(serves 8)

Ingredients:

200g butter, chopped
300g good-quality dark chocolate
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup self-raising flour
pure icing sugar, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 6cm deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan. Line with baking paper.

2. Place butter, 200g chopped chocolate and hot water in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100%) for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, or until smooth.

3. Add cocoa to warm chocolate mixture. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla, caster sugar and egg. Sift flour over chocolate mixture. Stir gently to combine.

4. Pour half the batter into cake pan. Chop remaining chocolate and sprinkle half over batter. Top with remaining batter and chopped chocolate. Bake cake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre has moist crumbs clinging.

5. Allow cake to cool completely in pan. Remove and dust with icing sugar. Serve. This cake keeps well for up to 1 week stored in an airtight container lined with baking paper.

I hope you enjoy it as much as i do! i like to heat my slice in the microwave for 40 seconds and then top with cream or ice cream and suddenly nothing else in the world matters! Its quite a rich & moist cake so a little goes a long way!

Love and sunshine,

xSunnyx

Fried Brie

OK, let me start by saying - if you're on a diet, don't even look at this!

I have seen many fried brie recipes but never dared to go there... however Valli Little inspired me to give it a shot. I used one of her recipes but over time it has evolved into my own no-fuss version!

Remember with this recipe - a little goes a loooong way! I usually serve a couple small wedges next to a lightly dressed salad. And for the record - it's the sweet chili sauce that makes it, so please please please use it!

Ingredients:

2 cups breadcrumbs
2 tbs of either finely chopped fresh parsley or basil (or none if your not a herb person)
3 tbs plain flour
1 egg, beaten
2 tbs milk or cream (whichever you have on hand)
350g (approximately) of brie or Camembert cut into 8 small or 4 large wedges
Oil for frying - I use sunflower or vegetable but I've tried with olive and still tastes as good
Sweet chili sauce - my favourite brand is Trident.

Method:

1. Mix breadcrumbs & parsley together. Place breadcrumbs and flour in separate bowls (or plates). Whisk the egg & milk/cream in another bowl.

2. Toss wedges first in flour, then egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs.

3. Place on a plate & chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (or up to four hours ahead).

4. Pour enough oil in a pan so that it reaches a few millimetres up the side. The oil should be hot enough that it turns a cube of bread golden in 30 seconds.

5. Fry the cheese on each side until golden. Drain briefly on paper towel. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce.

I tend to flip back and forth between brie and Camembert (which ever is on sale) and it comes out perfect every time! This recipe makes enough for four people.

Valli recommends using Panko breadcrumbs, a coarse & light Japanese breadcrumb variety. Personally, I like the regular stuff :)

Enjoy my darlings!

xSunnyx