Zucchini & Herb Fettucine

 

Serves: 4
Hands-on time: 35 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 oz whole-wheat fettuccine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 zucchini (preferably 1 green and 1 gold), halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 lb tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 1/2 tbsp chèvre (spreadable goat cheese)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a large skillet or sauté pan on medium-high, heat oil. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots and garlic are tender, about 1 minute. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes, salt and pepper, stirring until tomatoes are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in basil and chèvre.
4. Divide fettuccine among 4 serving bowls. Top with sauce, dividing evenly, and serve.

Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados, in thick slices
• 1 red onion, sliced in half moons
• A generous handful of cilantro
• Cherry tomatoes, sliecd in half
• Salt and pepper to season

Dressing

• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and set aside. Assemble the ingredients for the salad on a serving platter, start with the slices of avocado then top with the red onion slices and then the cherry tomatoes.  Sprinkle cilantro all over the top of the salad.
Drizzle over the dressing and then season with sea salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Serve straight away. Makes 4 Servings.

Raspberry Lemonade Dessert

Dessert style

A winning combination..

RASPBERRY LEMONADE (Adapted from The Improv Kitchen)


Crust:

9 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt

Filling:

2 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice (about 3-4 medium lemons)
zest of 3 lemons
3 egg whites
1 egg
2/3 cup flour
pinch of salt, extra

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line and grease a 8x8 inch square baking dish.
To make the crust, cream together butter and sugar until light. Add the flour and mix until combined well. Do not over mix as this can make the base tough. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.

To make the filling, place all thawed raspberries in a fine sieve and press them into a large bowl with the back of a spoon. Discard the caught seeds and skin. Add the sugar, juice, zest, whites, egg, flour and salt and combine, until well incorporated.
Pour the raspberry mixture onto the base and place in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool on the bench before placing in the refrigerator to set completely (about 3-4 hours) Cut and decorate as desired.

NOTES: This slice freezes well and makes a great dessert or afternoon tea to have handy for unexpected guests or dinner parties.

Cinnamon Puffs with Caramel Creme

CINNAMON PUFFS

1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
90g unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup plain flour
2 eggs
3 cups vegetable oil

Put sugar and cinnamon in a baking tray and combine. Put milk and butter in a medium pan and cook, stirring over a low heat until the butter has melted (do not boil). Add flour and stir until mixture forms a ball. Transfer to a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until completely combined. Put mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Heat the oil over a high heat. Pipe blops of mixture into the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the balls float to the top and are golden. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to the sugar and roll until well covered.

CARAMEL CUSTARD FILLING:

2 cups milk

4 large egg yolks

6 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp corn flour

40g butter

1 tsp caramel essence

To make the custard, bring milk to the boil. At the same time, in a separate saucepan, combine yolks, corn flour and sugar together and whisk over a low heat until the milk boils. Add a splash of boiled milk to the yolk mixture and begin to whisk vigorously. Gradually add the rest of the milk, continuing to whisk constantly, until thick and smooth. Remove from heat and immediately scrape the custard into a bowl and place in a basin containing a few inches of cold water. Add the butter in 3-4 installments. Add caramel essence to flavour. Cool.
Peirce each cinnamon ball with a knife. You will notice one side of each ball has an air pocket. This is the side to pierce. Fill a piping bag with the custard and pipe into each hole. Serve.

Raspberries and Chocolate

 

It's so simple, it's silly. Everyone has probably seen it or done it already, but this is just a sweet idea. Stuff your raspberries with dark chocolate and white chocolate chips. As if the raspberries aren't sweet enough.

They're cute on their own or they'd be even cuter on ice cream. What about making a white chocolate raspberry ice cream and garnishing it with some of these?

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spinach & Tomatoes

This delicious dish is full of plump pasta, juicy tomatoes and sweet spinach, tossed with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a white sauce made from a little olive oil, sauteed garlic, heavy cream, and lemon zest and juice. Served alongside grilled chicken breasts, it made for a light but mouthwatering meal, but this pasta can also be served on its own, or with a salad and garlic bread. You can also swap the pasta for whatever else is in your cabinet, such as farfalle, fusili, rigatoni or penne. Or, you could even add some cut-up cooked chicken or shrimp and toss it together for a whole meal in one pot!

However you dress up this simple dish, it's sure to be delicious. I know you'll just love the bright lemon flavor combined with the pasta, creamy Parmesan and tender, colorful summer produce as much as me.

Now put down those packets of rice, print this recipe and get cookin'!

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spinach & Tomatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
2 lemons, zested and juice reserved
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound rotini pasta
3 ounces baby spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions
Set a large pot of water to boil.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the cream, the lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, add some salt to the boiling water and add the pasta; cook according to the directions on the package, stirring occasionally.

Drain the pasta and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta.

Take the pot off heat and add the spinach, Parmesan, and tomatoes. Toss well until the spinach has wilted. Season to taste, and serve hot.

Enjoy!

All Because Two People Fell in Love

 Wedding Inspiration