Marshmallow Caramel Sauce

I have renewed my love of marshmallows. Not from a stuff in the mouth or toast over a smoking fire perspective but as a cooking ingredient. 

Marshmallows have an esteemed history dating back to approximately 2000 B.C when the Egyptians used the root of the mallow plant to make candied delicacies for their gods, nobility and pharaohs. 

Found mostly in Europe and western Asia, Althaea officinalis grows as high as 180cm (6 feet) tall and sprouts light pink flowers. A member of the mallow family, it grows mainly in wet or marshy areas—and thus, "marsh" meets "mallow."

This recipe is super fast and foolproof. Great over fruit, ice cream or both, it can be made ahead, stored in the refrigerator and gently reheated in the microwave whenever the craving takes you. 

Despite the ingredients, it is not sickly sweet like some caramel sauces and bears a striking resemblance to MacDonald's caramel fudge topping. Yummo!

Ingredients
125g butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
100g white marshmallows (Add a few pink if short on white ones. You will never know the difference.)
2 tablespoons milk. 


Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a large, microwave safe jug.
2. Cook on HIGH  for 30 second bursts stirring in between until the marshmallows are melted. 
3. Stir or whisk well to mix.

4. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator if not eating straight away.

Super easy Dip Quiche

It's a bit cold here in south-east Queensland this weekend. By cold I mean less than 20 degrees C. This may not seem cold to many but to me it signals hot lunch.

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So a quick trip to the supermarket and I had the makings of this incredibly easy quiche. I am a woman of few ingredients so during my searches for recipes I found a fabulous book by Kim McCosker. 4 Ingredients: One Pot, One Bowl. 

Her book has many fabulous recipes. This and her other books are available at Dymocks and other good book stores. Check the link on my blog. 

This recipe, like most that choose, has flexibility. Additions and variation can be added.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 5 eggs
• 1 tub (150g) Basil & Cashew Chunky Dip- I used Aldi brand Deli originals. Aldi sweet potato and cashew dip is also delicious.
• 100g grated cheddar cheese
• a few slices of ham/salami or 1/5 cup chopped cooked chicken (optional)
• add anything else you fancy- cooked, chopped vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

2. Spray a 25cm pie or quiche dish with cooking spray.

3. Cover with pastry.

4. Crack eggs into a bowl and beat well.

5. Stir in dip and 1/2 cheese.

6. Slice or chop any meats and place evenly over pastry.

7. Pour filling into dish.

8. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

9. Bake for 30 minutes or until set.

This is delicious served hot or cold straight out of your lunchbox at school or work. 

Spicy Spanish Almonds

These delectable almonds are another of my range of delicious nuts. For some bizarre reason they seem a bit more 'masculine' than my traditional sweet roasted macadamia nuts so I cooked a batch for brother's birthday. 

INGREDIENTS
3 cups of raw whole almonds
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1 teaspoon ground rock or sea salt 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 135 degrees Celsius (275F)

2. Line large baking tray with baking paper
3. Mix sugar, spices and salt in large bowl
4. Whisk egg white and water until thick and foamy
5. Tip almonds into egg white mix and stir to coat 
6. Tip into spice and mix to coat
7. Spread evenly onto baking sheet
8. Bake for 30 minutes
9. Stir and separate any that are stuck together
10. Reduce oven temperature to 100 degrees Celsius (205F) and bake about 30 minutes until dry.  
11. Stir and leave on tray to cool. They will become crisp once cool.
12. Store in airtight container. 

A few interesting facts about almonds

• The trees and their blossoms are truly beautiful.
• Technically, almonds are the seed of a tree.
• They are a member of the Amygdalus family and related to other fruits that contain hard pits, including cherries, plums and peaches. 
• They thrive in mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers in full sun.
• Nutritionally they are praised due to the presence of monounsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibre, antioxidants, vitamins like riboflavin, and trace minerals such as magnesium.

Quick Vanilla Fudge

There are times when what you really need is something sweet and delicious. Fruit and vegetables are "great" but just don't do the job when it's Sunday evening, tomorrow is the start of another working week and you feel more tired than you did when the weekend started.

Today is one of those days so a batch of quick vanilla fudge would be absolutely perfect. 

INGREDIENTS
400g white chocolate
250g butter, chopped
3 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup cream
vanilla essence to taste

Topping of choice such as:
   hundreds and thousands
   grated dark chocolate 

METHOD

1. Place chopped chocolate, butter, sugar and cream into a heavy bottom saucepan.

2. Stir over gentle heat until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is smooth.

3. Simmer for 1 minute.

4. Beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes.

5. Add vanilla.

6. Pour into foil lined tin. Suitable sizes are 20cm square or 28cm x 18cm.

7. If decorating with hundreds and thousands, sprinkle over and refrigerate until firm. 

    If decorating with grated chocolate (I used dark chocolate for this batch) wait until fudge cools to warm then sprinkle over.

8. Refrigerate until firm.

9. Cut and store in airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Makes about 36 pieces. 

 

Peanut and Pepper Chicken

This is a favourite recipe that Mum used to cook.
It is a type of satay chicken but Mum always called it peanut chicken and I haven't changed it's name. The dish doesn't have lots of creamy satay sauce like some so I suppose it is appropriate. 
Originally it was a microwave recipe but Mum changed it and cooked in on the stove top. I like it both ways. 
Here is the recipe for the stove top version.
It makes a quick and healthy meal for mid-week or a family get together on the weekend. 

INGREDIENTS
500g skinless chicken fillets- breast or thigh
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion sliced
1 clove of garlic crushed.
1 medium red capsicum sliced
1 medium green capsicum sliced
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lime juice.
Rice to accompany. 

METHOD
1. Cut chicken into slices or cubes.
2. Place chicken in plastic bag with flour and shake to coat chicken.
3. Heat oil and butter in heavy based pan or wok until butter melted and combined and pan is hot. 
4. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute.   
5. Increase heat and add chicken. 
6. Stir fry until chicken is browned. 
7. Add capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes until cooked but still crisp.
8. Mix together peanut paste, spices, soy sauce, honey and lime juice.
9. Add to the pan and mix through.
10. Continue stirring over medium heat until chicken is cooked.  
11. Serve with rice. 


Serves 4.