FINYS FABULOUS FOODS AND FINDS

This is quite a hot (spicy) dish, so if you do not like hot and spicy, just use less curry paste and/or less fresh chili. Potatoes and prawns go very well together, so my lovelies, this is quite an easy recipe even for the beginner.  Remember however, never over cook prawns as they then become tough. I have added broccoli which I partly microwaved first, to make it a one pot meal, and therefore less washing up.  You could serve this with any vegetables, or even a salad if you prefer.   You could also substitute chicken or any meat if you do not like or eat prawns.   I often now use coconut powder in recipes, as this is handy to keep.  This is especially so if you need small quantities, this is a great way to go as you do not waste half a tin, which I used to always do. Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Makes: 3 servings Ingredients: ½ tbsp oil ½ onion, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, chopped ½ red chilli, seeds...

DUCK - I used to breed them, so now it is a bit odd to eat them! They are beautiful creatures, but then again if you think this way, we would all be vegetarians! Many people just love duck and some, of course, do not like it.  I think there is an art to cooking it, and I have cooked it over the years many way. One of my favourite meals, when I eat out is Peking Duck and you can read about some of the restaurants I have tried at this link , or this link . When done correctly, duck can be tender and delicious, however getting it right is not so easy. The latest way I am doing it is in slow oven, and baking it for longer than normal.  Getting the skin crisp is an art that I sometimes achieve and sometimes not.  I have even bought an Asian speciality to make the skin look like it does in the photos on the above links, however it was difficult to work with, went a nice colour but was still not crisp. One good way to bake duck is in a clear bag that is freely availa...

Gozleme - these are Turkish and are a stuffed flat bread type of meal. The Turkish people have been making these for many years, and I have been eating them out for about a year. In fact, I have written an article about Gozleme cafes, which you can check out here .   There are all different fillings you can put in these, however they are mostly spinach and feta, or rather that is a very popular option.  You can also have them with meat however I no longer eat red meat very often. Eating them out at Turkish cafes is usually very cheap and one serving is enough for two people for lunch.  This makes them only about $6 Australian each for a lunch, which is indeed very cheap! They are always made fresh, and you can often watch the skill and dexterity which they use in making this bread - I find this fascinating to watch. I decided I would try them myself as I generally prefer home made food as I know exactly what goes in it, and there are usually less chemical...

 Once a week I eat just 500 calories in a day for health reasons.  This is on the 5/2 diet and I do not do it to lose weight. This is a filling meal you could make and still be within your 500 calories for one of your two fasting days. I am always on the lookout for ideas for these days as a salad gets a bit boring after a year or so of being on this diet. This egg white omelette is ideal for this, or if you want an easy, low fat, low calorie meal.  It has approximately 235 calories in the whole meal! You can add whatever vegetables you like, and I have used what I had left in my fridge. I used the spinach that I grow in my garden as this climbing type variety is ideal for cooking or eating in a salad. Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Makes: 1 omelette Ingredients 3 large egg whites A handful of spinach ½ stick celery, chopped fine ½ onion, chopped 25 g Mozzarella cheese (or any tasty cheese) oil, or spray 10 g parsley, chop...

Fish pie on it's own can sometimes be a bit tasteless.  So because I love prawns, I decided to add some prawns to a fish pie. Now, I have to admit I tried this twice as it did not turn out the first time!  This was really annoying as I wasted the prawns, but it made me more determined to get it right the second time. This fish pie is made more tasty by the addition of  these king prawns.  The two textures go very well together, and the prawns are nice and soft if not overcooked.  I have served it with my  quinoa salad . If you do not like prawns, I would put some soy sauce in, or extra salt and pepper, or even a bit of chili or curry to give it some extra taste. Or, the prawns could be replaced with a similar quantity of extra fish if you do not like prawns. Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes Makes: 3 servings Ingredients 400g potatoes, peeled 1 medium leek, washed 65g butter 250g king prawns  20 g plain flo...

Chicken parmigiana is one of my favourite ways to do chicken, however it CAN sometimes be fiddly to make. But not now, my lovelies, here is an easy way to make it, AND it is an unusual dish with the addition of Ramen noodles, mushrooms and tomato- so not your ordinary parmigiana!  Parmigiana is generally also put in the oven as well as on the stove top. Ramen noodles are an inexpensive type of noodle and I find they are very versatile. This recipe is very tasty, easy and uses just one pot, making it quicker, and my favourite point of sale - less washing up! I served this with my mini pumpkin pies, and it was all so very "yummy" that I urge you to try it. Preparation Time : 20 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings Ingredients 2 boneless chicken breasts (about 600g) 1 small egg beaten Up to ½ cup breadcrumbs 2 tbsp olive oil 500 - 600 g jar spaghetti sauce ¾ cup water 225 g mushrooms, quartered 150 g packet Ramen noodles, broken up ¼ to ½ ...

This recipe will have everyone coming back for seconds, as it just delectable. My visitors voted this a hit, and gave it an 11 out of 10, and quickly came back for more!  Sadly, there were no left-overs for me for the next day - it is quite rare that visitors ask for another lot of dessert, but this one with it's tart sweet taste is just one of these popular desserts that most people seem to love. I have made several different versions of a lemon dessert, however I think this one is the best. The flavour of the lemon mixed with cream, and the runny texture of the middle of the pudding, will make this dish a "stunner" for any visitors, or family.  Best make it for family, then you might get more yourself! Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time : 45 minutes Makes: 5-6 servings Ingredients 60 g softened unsalted butter, or ordinary butter 1 cup caster sugar 1 tbsp marmalade 3 eggs 60 g self raising flour 350 ml milk Grated zest of 2 lemons 80 ml lem...

Hello once again, my lovelies! This chicken can be served for dinner in whole breasts, or to look more spectacular, you can serve them sliced and arranged on a plate for everyone to help themselves! There are many recipes which put fruit, nuts and cheese in the middle of rolled meat, and I really enjoy the chicken ones.  This is the first in my series of fillings for chicken, so keep on the lookout for more.  These really impress visitors, even though they are quite easy to make! A beginner just learning to cook that special meal, would have no problems with this recipe - the hardest part is cutting the pocket in the chicken. In this instance, I have used small chicken breasts as I find these rolled chicken delights are tastier with thinner chicken.  I also mainly buy free range or sometimes organic chicken. I have cooked this on the barbecue, however you could also do it in a pan.  I like that "smokey" flavour of the barbecue, so thought I would try it - I...

Lovely ladies and men - Do you ever get tired of having plain salads with tomatoes and lettuce, and similar ingredients?  I certainly do and am therefore always looking for great combinations that are both easy to make, as well as healthy, and this recipe ticks both those boxes. This recipe also gives you sliced beetroot, or you could always increase quantities to keep more of this healthy snacks or accompaniments. I used a green apple (a Granny Smith which I believe is only available in Australia) as these, although slightly sweet, are the most tart apples we can buy.  This goes very well with the slightly sweet vegetable, beetroot. Although it takes longer to make, I usually always make my own beetroot as I find the tins or jars of these are just too sweet, and my recipe included no added sugar whatsoever! This is probably a European salad, or possibly even Israeli, and it turns out a bright pink, though I didn't put in a lot of mayonnaise. You could serve it as a ...