Strawberry Kisses Oatmeal Cookies

I am not a usual fan of strawberry flavours but this recipe combining strawberry choc and oatmeal melts deliciously in the mouth. "Hacer la boca agua"

What goes in:

1/4 C butter
1/2 brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 C milk
1/4 t pure vanilla extract (the real stuff vs vanilla essence)
3/4 C strong flour
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 C rolled oats
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C raisins
1 C roughly-chopped strawberry chocolate
1/2 C roughly-chopped white chocolate (optional)

C-cup
t-teaspoon

1. Prehaet oven to 175 degrees celsius. Grease cookie sheets.

2. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add egg, beating well, then stir in vanilla and milk. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. Mix well then gradually stir into creamed mixture. Finally, stir in rolled oats, walnuts, raisins, strawberry & white chocs. Drop by rounded spoonfuls unto prepared cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 10-15 min in pre-heated oven.

Mushroom Pepper Steak with Orange-Flavoured Onions

Orange adds a nice twang but not too much of a twang as lemon does.


What goes in:

tenderloin, 5 medium juicy ones
garlic, 5 cloves
portabello mushrooms, 5 large caps, soaked and washed
one large purple onion, sliced into thin rings
one orange, the best u can find
butter
dried myrtle leaves
HP sauce
corainder to garnish
S&P to taste


1. Massage steaks with crushed garlic, freshly-ground pepper, salt, myrtle leaves and a dash of HP sauce. Leave to marinade for at least 30 minutes, overnight if possible. Meats usually taste best when they've been pampered with TLC "spa treatment".

2. Cut some butter onto heated pan/grill. Toss the mushrooms till soft. Add some HP sauce to help them soften. Set aside.

3. Cut butter onto heated pan and toss onion rings till they soften. Add a pinch of salt, dash of pepper and 3 T of freshly squeezed O juice. Set aside.

4 Lay steaks onto heated pan and cook over high heat for one minute or till one side is slightly charred. Turn fillets and heat for 30 seconds till centre of steak is pink.

5. Serve tenderloin with mushrooms and onions. Add garnishing.

TIP: Steak sets off nicely with mashed potatoes.

Bon Bon "Spaghetti" Bolognese

A must-have staple at any restaurant. Someone told me that this should only be served with "angelhair" pasta and nothing else,...no, not even spaghetti. Hmmmm...

What goes in:

evoo
bacon, 5 slices
garlic, 5 cloves
fresh rosemary leaves, 2 stalks
one large white onion
dried oregano leaves, 2 heaped T
minced beef, 450g
sherry cooking wine, half bottle (this makes the difference!)
7 large fresh tomatoes
one fresh chilli, finely chopped OR tobasco sauce
a handful of fresh basil
Parmesan cheese, grated
angelhair pasta

1. Boil angelhair.

2. Heat evoo and add ingredients one by one in the above order (except basil and parmesan). Remember to add ingredients individually to enjoy each layering of aroma. This is an important part of the experiential process for the chef....TAKE IT ALLLL IN....Ahhhhhhh....

3. Once the meat sauce has simmered sufficiently (say about 30-40 mins), ladle some pasta onto a plate, top it with the sauce and throw some basil & parmesan over it. Voila!