Blueberry bliss

Ingredients (serves 4):
FairPrice Blueberry Pound Cake
1/2 cup blueberries, plus a few extra for garnishing
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup whipping cream

Method:
1. Wash the blueberries and place them in a medium saucepan. Stir in the water and sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the berries are soft and have released their juices. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
2. Pour the whipping cream into a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form (don’t over-whisk or the cream will curdle).
3. Pour the cooled blueberry sauce over the whipped cream and gently fold the mixture until the blueberries and the cream are well combined. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
4. To serve, slice the FairPrice Blueberry Pound Cake and spoon a pillow of the blueberry fool over it. Garnish with a few fresh blueberries.

Tips:
Recipe uses FairPrice Pound Cakes ($2.85) available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Recipe source: Today newspaper (12 Feb 2009)

Shrimp wontons with chilli and dried shrimps dressing

Ingredients (serves 2):
1 box FairPrice Shrimp Wontons
30g dried shrimps
20 dried red chillies
3 cups FairPrice canola oil
6 shallots, sliced lengthways
10 cloves garlic, sliced lengthways
2 tbsp fish sauce
40g shaved palm sugar
1 tbsp tamarind paste

Method:
1. To make the chilli dressing, soak the dried shrimp in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly with a paper towel.
2. Soak the chillies in hot water for 2 minutes, then drain. Pat dry.
3. Fill a deep pan or wok with the oil until it starts to shimmer. Fry each ingredient separately — the dried shrimps, chillies, garlic and shallots — until golden. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool for a while.
4. Place the deep-fried shallots, garlic, chillies and shrimps, as well as 2 tablespoons of oil from the wok, into a food processor and blitz till it forms a paste. You could do this in a mortar and pestle if you prefer.
5. Place the paste in a hot wok, bring it to a boil and season with fish sauce, tamarind paste and palm sugar.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring every now and then, until it thickens.
7. Remove and allow to cool.
8. To prepare the wontons, bring a pot of water to the boil. Place the wontons in the boiling water and cook till they float to the top.
9. Drain and then toss with a few spoonfuls of the chilli dressing. Serve hot. The rest of the sambal dressing can be kept for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tips:
Recipe uses FairPrice Shrimp Wontons ($4.75) available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Recipe source: Today newspaper (5 Feb 2009)

All-in-one breakfast

Morning feast - Friday.

Ingredients (serves 4):
Eggs:
4 eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 tsp bacon bits

Sundried tomato bread fingers:
2 tsp sundried tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp tomato paste
30g butter, softened
2 slices focaccia bread

Beef patties:
300g minced beef
50g breadcrumbs
1 tsp Worcester sauce
1 tsp dried coriander leaves
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Pinch of salt and white pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Fruit salad:
One punnet fresh strawberries, chopped
1/2 can of peaches, chopped

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 175 deg C. Break an egg each into 4 mini ramekins - try not to break the yolk. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with bacon bits.
2. Bake the eggs for 15 minutes until the surface turns white. Remove and set aside.
3. To make the bread fingers, combine all the ingredients except the bread and mix well. Spread on bread and toast for 3 minutes, or until slightly brown. Remove and cut into fingers. Set aside.
4. To make the beef patties, mix everything except the olive oil in a mixing bowl. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the mixture.
5. Roll the meat mixture into balls and flatten into patties. Using the rest of the olive oil, pan-fry the patties for 5 minutes on each side, or until they are brown and cooked through. Remove from pan.
6. Mix the strawberries and peaches in a bowl. Serve everything together.

Tips:
Serve the bread fingers with store-bought cheese or pesto dip.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (May 2008)

Cheesy tortilla wraps with sundried tomatoes and ham

Morning feast - Thursday.

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 cups grated cheese
300g shaved honey baked ham
12 pieces sundried tomatoes
A head of butterhead lettuce
2 tbsp olive oil
4 fresh tortilla wraps

Method:
1. Divide the cheese, ham, sundried tomatoes and lettuce into 4 portions each. Add the olive oil to a non-stick pan and heat up a tortilla wrap.
2. Melt a portion of grated cheese on the wrap, then add a portion each of the ham and tomatoes.
3. Brown and crisp the bottom of the wrap, then remove from the pan.
4. Add some lettuce, fold into half, then cut in two. Repeat for the rest of the tortillas.

Tips:
For the filling, you can also use leftover chicken chunks and avocado, canned tuna with raisins, or bacon and sour cream.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (May 2008)

Salmon mustard pancakes

Morning feast - Wednesday.

Ingredients (serves 4):
8 slices smoked salmon
2 tbsp pickled relish

Pancake mix:
200g self-raising flour
1 egg, separated
1 tsp mustard powder
1/4 cup fresh milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups cold water

Mango cream sauce:
2 tbsp thickened cream
2 tbsp mango yogurt

Method:
1. To make the pancakes, put the flour in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add in the egg yolk, mustard powder, milk, salt and pepper. Mix well and add cold water. Stir until a smooth batter forms.
2. Whisk the egg white until fluffy and fold into the batter.
3. Brush a round cookie cutter with butter and place in a heated pan. Pour the batter into the cutter and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Remove the cutter and flip the pancake over. Repeat with remaining batter.
5. To make the mango cream sauce, stir the cream and yogurt together.
6. Serve the pancakes with smoked salmon and a drizzle of mango cream sauce. Add pickled relish for a tangy twist.

Tips:
If smoked salmon is too fishy for the kids, use honey baked ham instead.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (May 2008)

Baked chicken and carrot porridge

Morning feast - Tuesday.

Ingredients (serves 4):
3 chicken thighs
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup white rice, washed
3 shallots, chopped
2 carrots, cubed
1 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
Chopped spring onions, to garnish

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 175 deg C. De-bone and remove chicken skin. Set the meat aside and wash the bones with hot water.
2. Place the chicken bones into a pot of water with the chicken stock. Add the rice and shallots and boil for 30 minutes on medium heat. Turn off the heat when a porridge consistency forms and pour into 4 bowls.
3. While the porridge is cooking, marinate the chicken and carrots with dark soya sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from the oven and slice into pieces, then place on top of the porridge with the carrots. Add spring onions.

Tips:
Throw in peas and corn to the porridge to add more flavour.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (May 2008)

Breakfast oatmeal bars

Getting a healthy, hearty start to the day is easy with these scrumptious breakfast ideas.


Morning feast - Monday.

Ingredients (makes 16):
5 cups oatmeal, toasted
75g butter, melted
1 1/2 cups dried apple and cranberry mix (sold pre-packaged at supermarkets)
2 1/2 cups ground almond meal
1 cup almonds, chopped
3 tbsp honey

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 175 deg C. In a bowl, combined the toasted oatmeal and butter. Then add the dried apple and cranberry mix, almond meal, almonds and honey.
2. Lay a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the oatmeal mixture evenly over the base. Flatten with a spoon.
3. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, and leave to cool before cutting into bars to serve.

Tips:
Make these the night before and store in ziplock bags in the fridge. To serve, reheat in a toaster for 3 minutes. They can last a week.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (May 2008)