FINYS FABULOUS FOODS AND FINDS

I had family from Interstate, and did not have much in the house, so we decided to make our own pizzas.  These are far healthier than bought ones, and two of the people also had to eat dairy free, so I knew exactly what was in the pizzas. Pizzas are not really difficult to make, nor do they take a long time to make.  I usually make double the dough and freeze it so that I can just take it out of the freezer and make a pizza whenever I feel like it, or whenever I have leftovers! However, in this instance, I had no dough and was in a hurry so used a bought base, which is not as nice as my own! Pizzas are great as they can be made with whatever you have in the pantry, or the fridge, and the following are some suggestions for when you have unexpected visitors, or if you want a very tasty casual meal.  It is also a way to get children to eat vegetables, as they are often "hidden" when cut finely and cooked.  You could also put grated vegetables in the dough which...

This is a family meal, and a good way to get children to eat vegetables, as they are hidden!  If need be, cut them up very small so they do not actually see them.  This is healthy, as it has tuna in it which is rich in Omega 3's. The taste of this meal is extra delicious, and quite easy to make with only 30 minutes of cooking time.  It can also be heated up easily in the microwave if you are making it for less people than five - I generally only cook for about 2 people but had visitors when I made this meal. I generally use John West large tins of tuna in spring-water, however tuna in brine will also be OK - I do not use much salt in cooking due to high cholesterol problem! Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Makes: 5 servings Ingredients 50 g butter 1 medium onion, sliced thinly ¼ cup plain flour 2 cups milk 150 g baby spinach leaves 425 g can tuna in spring-water, drained 2 tbsp lemon juice Mushrooms (optional) POTATO AND CELE...

These are healthy spring rolls which are not fried, and therefore have no oil.  Rice paper rolls are easy to work with, and are an Asian speciality and available in the Asian isle of most supermarkets. The prawns have been roasted in the oven, and the quinoa boiled, plus the recipe has raw vegetables in it.  It therefore has many healthy elements to it and saves you making a salad.  They are great either hot or cold, on a buffet table, and I also made a dipping sauce with them. They are also good for lunch boxes, and are very versatile, and most importantly, my lovelies, they are very delicious!  I am often tempted to buy these, however even though they are a bit fiddly, they are quite easy to make, and you can virtually put in whatever filling you want.  If you don't eat prawns, substitute - anything goes with this recipe.  I also love cooking with Hoisin sauce as love both the smell and the taste of this Asian sauce. I ate them on their own with ...

This is an interesting mixture of ingredients, and is both sweet and salty. I love food cooked using Hoisin sauce - this is the sauce that is used in Peking Duck which is one of my all time favourite foods.  It has an unusual taste, and goes very well with so many other ingredients, whether they are vegetarian or meat dishes. This meal has a rich and unusual flavour, and could be also served with steamed vegetables.  Cashew nuts could replace the walnuts if need be, however I had walnuts in my fridge so that is what I used in this instance. I served it over potatoes so that I could soak the sauce into the potatoes, and then I dipped fresh home made bread into the left over sauce!  This was delicious and well worth eating a bit less so you can fit this in. And remember, as I always say, my lovelies, do NOT over cook chicken breasts - they become dry and tough when overcooked.  If you JUST cook them so the pink is only just gone, they will be melt in your ...

This chicken roulade (or roll) has a wonderful mixture of smooth cream cheese with bacon and almonds, and a hint of olives. They are a bit fiddly to make, but well worth the effort. The taste is very delicate and the flavours are brilliant mixed together. You need to flatten out the chicken as it is nicer if it is thinner, however this is optional.  I always cut off the bits of fat if there is any on chicken breasts, and I generally use Mt Barker (A West Australian chicken company) as I find their free range chickens are nicer than the cheaper ones. I always emphasize, however, that you never over cook chicken breasts or they become dry - if you just cook them till the pink is gone, they will be tender and delicious. This recipe is suitable at a buffet, as you can slice the chicken into thin slices and serve with any other finger foods. Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes Makes: 5 servings Ingredients 2 large or 4 smaller chicken breasts 125 ...

I made this loaf of bread in my bread-maker, and adapted it with things that I like in bread!  You could add whatever you wanted, or just have it plain. It is a 1 kg size, and I generally slice it and then put the slices individually in the freezer.  This way there is no wastage, and I just take out one piece at a time, and it is always fresh. I used Laucke bread mix as they have the European style bread, and I can add other things to many of their mixes, and get an excellent result. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: Varies Makes: About 15 slices Ingredients I packet Laucke sourdough rye bread mix Handful of walnuts Sunflower and/or Pumpkin seeds Instructions Follow your bread-maker instructions to make rye bread. Add the nuts and seeds as per instructions - I put small seeds in with the mixture and larger ones.  I also put walnuts in the special holder that my bread-maker has for larger items. You could also add other things as w...

This recipe is very simple, quick to prepare, and also tastes very good. It is a handy "stand-by" in case you have unexpected visitors, and is a great family meal, and always impresses visitors! It is one of those recipes that just keeps improving each time you reheat it, so make double  the quantity, and freeze it, or eat it for several days. You could also add bacon or chorizo, for even more taste, and this would need to be browned first before adding to the rest of the meal. Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 60 minutes Makes: 4-6 servings Ingredients 6 x skinless chicken thighs ½ cup chutney (any) ¼ cup mayonnaise (a good one) ¼ cup tomato sauce Tsp curry Potatoes (optional) Instructions Clean the thighs, and cut them again in half as they are usually large - take off some of the fat, and place the thighs in an ovenproof dish. Add the other ingredients plus a bit of salt and pepper if desired. Mix this until it is smooth, and all mixe...

This is a baked Hawaiian chicken with mustard, honey and pepper strips.  I originally made it without bacon, however the addition of bacon has given it more flavour.  I have served it with broccoli and Falafel balls which I made from a packet mix.  Falafel balls CAN be made from scratch, however on this particular occasion, I did not have spare time to make them, so used the packet.  Of course home made is always far nicer! I have also added sliced part cooked potato slices to the top, and this is also optional.  It is baked as against fried, making it a healthier option. Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 60 minutes Makes: 3 servings Ingredients 3 rashers shortcut bacon (optional) ½ chicken cut to serving size 1 tblsp butter ½ small green pepper 125 g can crushed pineapple, drained 3 tsp mustard 3 tsp honey 3 tsp rum or sherry Paprika Sliced potato (optional) Instructions: Cut the bacon and fry it for a few minutes -I like bac...

This fish pie is unusual in that it has a crunchy Filo pastry baked on the top. I have served it with broccoli and a salad of carrots and fresh green peas, and I soaked the broccoli in the gravy from the fish pie! I try to eat fish once a week, as it is healthy however fish is not quite as versatile as chicken!  This is an easy pie to make and is just that little bit different. Serve it with a salad or even baked or boiled vegetables. Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Makes: 3 servings Ingredients Bit of oil ½ leek, sliced 1 clove garlic 3 tbsp flour ¾ cup fish or chicken stock 70 g Philadelphia cream cheese (could use small tubs) 400 g white fish, cut into thick strips Grated rind of lemon Salt and pepper 3 sheets Filo pastry Olive oil spray Instructions Heat a bit of oil in a fry pan or small wok, and add the leek and garlic.  Saute this for about 2 minutes until it has softened. Add the flour and cook 1-2 minutes more. T...