Apple and herb stuffing/dressing

• Stale bread cut into cubes
• Diced apple or two
• Diced onion & celery
• Toss in seeds (sesame, sunflower, etc.)
• Toss in herbs (thyme, oregano, garlic, etc.)
• Splash of olive oil 
• Big glug of apple juice

1. Saute the onion and celery
2. Toss all of the ingredients into a baking dish with a lid and stir to coat
3. Bake with lid on for about 30 minutes
4. Remove lid and continue baking for about 10 more minutes or so

Pear and feta flatbread

4 T olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 small firm pears, cored and sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 C cashews (unsalted)
feta cheese, crumbled
grated cheese (edam is nice)
1/2 batch of Miranda's pizza dough recipe

• Prepare pizza dough recipe and set aside to rise.
• Add the garlic to the olive oil and set aside.
• Saute onions in a dash of oil until very soft (15-20 minutes). For last 5 minutes, add sliced pears. Set aside.
• Once dough has risen, divide into three and roll each into long rectangles.
• Brush with the garlic oil mixture. Arrange peppers, nuts, pears and onions and top with the two cheeses.
• Bake in hot oven for 12-15 minutes or until nicely browned on top.

Whipped coconut cream

1 can full fat coconut milk (or coconut cream)
2-3 T powdered sugar

• Place can in fridge overnight.
• Carefully open the can without shaking or turning upside down. Scoop out the thick top layer into a mixing bowl. Add sugar.
• Blend with a hand-beater until thick and creamy.

Taco bites

1 can black or kidney beans
1 t cumin
1/2 t cayenne
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small red pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/3 C frozen corn
Flour tortillas
Grated cheese
Salsa
Jalapenos
Sour cream

• Saute the pepper, onion, corn and garlic until soft. Add cumin, cayenne and beans and mash until smooth (add a bit of water)
• Use a glass or cookie cutter to cut small circles from the tortillas. Press the circles into muffin tins and fill half way with bean mixture. Top with a scoop of salsa, some jalapenos and grated cheese.
• Bake in 350F oven until cheese melts. 
• Serve with more salsa and top with sour cream.

Black bean burgers

3/4 C panko
3 T oil
2 cans black beans
2 large eggs
1 t cumin
1/2 t salt
1/4 t cayanne
1 red pepper, diced
1 small onion, minced

• Toast panko and let cool.
• Drain and mash beans, combine eggs and seasoning and mix everything together.
• Form 1-inch patties and cook over medium heat for 8-10 min, flipping part way through.

Chicken and corn patties

200g chicken breast – minced
1/3 large fresh corn-on-the-cob
3 pieces of water chestnuts – finely diced
10 strings of fine French beans – finely diced
1 small red onion (about 60g) – minced
½ cup normal breadcrumb/ panko crumb (Japanese breadcrumb)
2 ½ tbsp cornflour
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
2 tsp cooking oil

Seasoning:
1 tsp salt
¾ tsp sugar
¼ tsp paprika (optional)
Dash of pepper

• Put chicken breast, sweet corns, water chestnuts, fine French beans and red onion into a mixing bowl and combine well. Add in breadcrumb and cornflour to the mixture.
• Add in egg, seasoning and oil. Stir in one direction until the batter is well distributed.
• Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan. Drop1 tablespoonful of batter into the pan and flatten slightly with a spatula/ fork. Lower heat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Cook the patties in batches.
• Transfer patties to a serving plate lined with kitchen paper.

Miranda's salsa

1 can diced tomatoes
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeded & minced (less if you prefer!)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
Fresh pepper
Salt to taste
Sriracha for the brave

Pea and Feta Risotto

Pea puree:
1 C. frozen peas
10 g butter
2 T chicken stock or water

• Cook the peas (steam or microwave) until hot.
• Place in a blender along with butter and stock.
• Blend until smooth.

Risotto:
2 1/2 C. chicken stock
1 small leek, trimmed, sliced and washed
1 C. risotto rice
1/2 C. dry white wine
1 C. frozen peas
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
50 g traditional feta, crumbled

• Heat stock until almost boiling. Set aside.
• Heat oil in large saucepan. Add sliced leek and cook over a medium heat until leek starts to soften but not brown. Add rice and stir until the grains whiten.
• Pour in wine and allow to reduce by half. Add 2 cups of hot stock and stir. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
• Stir in peas. Continue cooking for further 5 minutes, adding extra stock if necessary, until rice is tender. Carefully stir through prepared pea puree, lemon zest and juice and crumbled feta. Season to taste.

James' Spag Bol Sauce

According to James...

"Thousands....well one of my dearest chums has asked me for my Spag bol recipe.
So like the genome project people I'm going to share it with all.
I know, I know it's okay you don't have to tell me deep down I know.

So here goes, chop up an onion or two and gently fry it in your pot, add as garlic as much as you like, personally I like to smell like a Frenchman from 200 yards. Crumble your mince up and season, I can't stress how important it is to season the mince and to use good mince.

So season the mince ok!

While that is all mingling and the mince is slowly browning. Grate a carrot or two, chop up a pile of mushrooms and slice up a RED capsicum pepper, use a green one and it will ruin it for me and you. Throw it all into the pot and give it a stir. Add one tin of chopped tomatoes and some tomato paste/puree and some beef stock, use the good stuff here makes all the difference. Add a sprinkle of mixed herbs. Give it all another thorough stir, put the lid on turn the heat down to low, put the kettle and Dr Phil on, stir every ten mins and SLOWLY simmer a for at least one hour, two is best.

If your feeling really flash you can add a splash of red wine and or a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce. The really important thing is to use the best ingredients you can.

Next week I'll be doing toast!"

Rice pudding

1 L milk
1/4 - 1/3 C caster sugar
2 cinnamon quills
1/2 C arborio rice
1/2 t ground cinnamon

• Place the milk, sugar, and cinnamon quills in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to help dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.
• Place the rice and one ladle-full of the warmed milk in a large saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir until all the milk is absorbed. Continue to add the milk, 3/4 C at a time until all the milk has been used up and your rice is al dente. Make sure each ladle of milk is fully absorbed before adding the next.
• Remove the cinnamon quills, and stir one last time.
• Serve with ground cinnamon.