Xmas menu

[mellie]

A clever blokey way of cooking prawns on the BBQ, we marinaded ours in garlic, sweet chilly sauce, honey, olive oil, and lemon pepper seasoning, (my step fathers preferred seasoning) first for an hour before using the following method.

We used 1kg green banana prawns, so allowed them to cook/steam for 6 minutes, not the 4 recommended for smaller tiger prawns the guy in this clip used.

We found letting them chill after cooking, then peeling them was fantastic, but you could of course eat them straight away.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yAnwoez ... re=related

[mellie]

Xmas breakfast was yummy, we made Eggs Florentine, served with hash-browns, and pork chipolatas(Tiny spiced sausages).

All you do is spray a 12 cup muffin pan with spray oil, line each cup with a thin circular round of double-smoked ham,(from the packet is better, so they are all the same size, and paper thin).

Then you crack an egg into each ham lined muffin cup, sprinkle over some grated parmesan cheese then halve a cherry tomato and place halves on top.

Bake at 160 degrees, 20 minutes.

So simple.




_____________________

You know those tiny little round crispy dinner roles you buy from coles?

Well this recipe works well with these too if you carefully cut the top off the roll, and hollow out the bread roll (remove soft bread from inside with your fingers) then use the above method spray the inside of the roll then line it with ham..and so on.


Everyones oven is different, so keep an eye on them so the egg doesnt over cook.

Then just decorate with some snipped chives, mint, parsley, what ever you have in the garden to finish.

[mantra]

The prawns around my area look terrible and haven't tasted that nice either. I didn't bother with them this Xmas, but went for the usual bakefest as well as cold meats and salad. This is the last year I spend my time in the kitchen - next year, we're going to a restaurant. It will probably work out less expensive in the long run, as too much good food goes to waste.

I can't cook banana prawns. I don't even like handling them. On the cooking shows they always look so firm, but in reality they're soft and slimy.

Hope everyone had a good Xmas, although it's always nice when it's over - except of course when you have children. Christmas is all about them really and once they're grown - it's just a ritual we go through because that's the right thing to do.

[mellie]

Beer Can BBQ chicken (Another blokey BBQ hit)

In cooking this you could be forgiven for thinking you reinvented the wheel.

Ingredients
-2 x 1.5kg chickens
-1 lemon
-1 tablespoon cajun spice seasoning
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 tablespoon each of finely chopped tarragon and parsley
-2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander
-2 tablespoons lemon juice
-2 x 375 ml cans of beer
_______________
-coriander extra roughly chopped for sprinkling for serving
- wedges of lemon or lime for serving.


What to do...

1)Wash the chickens inside and out with water, then pat dry with absorbent paper towelling.

2) Combine the cajun spice seasoning, herbs and oil in a little bowl to form a paste.

3) Rub chickens all over with lemon juice (can just rub them over with a couple of the wedges) then brush over the cajun paste with a brush, then sprinkle over a good amount of sea salt.

4) preheat the BBQ to hot. If you have an average 3 burner BBQ, (one hot plate and 2 grills, or vice versa) put them all on as you really want to crank the heat up so it acts like an oven.
Note: You will need a BBQ with a lid for this.

5) Drink some of the beer, not too much, a couple of big mouthfuls from each can will do.

6) Sit the birds over the top of each beer can so the chickens fit snugly, and the end of the drum sticks are at the same level as the bottom of the beer cans on the BBQ hot plate.

7) Close the lid and cook for 1 hour, longer if the chooks are a bit bigger.

8) remove chickens from BBQ and lightly cover with foil for 15 minutes before cutting each chook into pieces. To serve, sprinkled with coriander and a squeeze of lemon or lime.



9) Eat and enjoy.

This is a great recipe for those who don't have a spit-rotisserie on their BBQ...but if you do, you can still use the cajun spice rub minus the beer cans.

The beer gives it a special flavour, and the chicken melts in your mouth, ... who says chicken has to dry out on the BBQ?

[mellie]

The prawns around my area look terrible and haven't tasted that nice either. I didn't bother with them this Xmas, but went for the usual bakefest as well as cold meats and salad. This is the last year I spend my time in the kitchen - next year, we're going to a restaurant. It will probably work out less expensive in the long run, as too much good food goes to waste.

I can't cook banana prawns. I don't even like handling them. On the cooking shows they always look so firm, but in reality they're soft and slimy.

Hope everyone had a good Xmas, although it's always nice when it's over - except of course when you have children. Christmas is all about them really and once they're grown - it's just a ritual we go through because that's the right thing to do.

We weren't going to bother with seafood this Xmas either Mantra... but mum bought these prawns on special Xmas eve at the last minute so we had to use them up.

You are right, the seafood hasnt been overly spectacular this year, probably because most of it is imported, and the best of what we do have gets shipped over seas.

[mellie]

Mantra, I swear to god one of these I am going to abduct you and make you to spend Xmas with us....

I reckon you would be awesome to have around for Xmas.

xxoxo

[mantra]

Mantra, I swear to god one of these I am going to abduct you and make you to spend Xmas with us....

I reckon you would be awesome to have around for Xmas.

xxoxo

Mel - my possessive little family wouldn't let you. Someone tried to do that once and all hell broke loose. It's a day I give to them and then my conscience is clear for another year.

Thanks for the offer anyway. It's appreciated.

[mellie]

hahahah, then i'll invite all of you over......

Lets see you all say no then.