Ingredients:
CAKE:

• 2 cups AP flour (10 oz)
• 2 cups granulated sugar (16 oz)
• ¼ teaspoons salt
• 8 Tblsps. dutch-processed cocoa (2 0z)
• 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
• 1 cup boiling water
• ½ cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla

FROSTING:

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans (you can change this to your liking)
• 1-¾ sticks salted butter
• 4 Tblsps. dutch-processed cocoa (1 oz)
• 6 Tblsps. whole milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 pound confectioners sugar (i.e. one box)

Cake Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and salt; whisk to combine these. Put on you tea kettle to boil water.
2. In a heavy bottom saucepan, melt the 2 sticks of butter. Add the cocoa; whisk smooth (like you would do for a cream gravy...you don't want lumps!)
3. Add boiling water and allow mixture to bubble for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
4. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool. (You want to make sure that the mixture is not too hot, otherwise you will scramble the eggs when you add them to the batter).
5. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together; add the baking soda and vanilla.
6. Fold the buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture.
7. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes rotating the pan half way through for even baking. (I used the same temp and baked the cupcakes for 20 minutes and it works out perfectly; just be sure not to overfill your muffin tin otherwise your frosting will slide off the cake if you don't have a bit of a lip. I used a small ladle Aunt B gave me and put only one scoop in...roughly 1/3 of the well.)

Frosting Directions:

1. While cake is baking, prepare the icing.
2. Toast the pecans in a dry pan--roughly 5-7 minutes (nuts can be tricky--when you start to smell them they are almost too toasty so keep an eye on them). Cool a bit & then chop finely.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
4. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Whisk to combine. Fold in pecans.
5. Pour over warm cake (or spoon over cupcakes) 

Source: Here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise
• 1 tbs chopped fresh dill
• 20ml (1 tbs) lemon juice
• 1 quantity pizza dough (see Notes & related recipe)
• 250g bocconcini, chopped (or grated mozzarella)
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 12 slices smoked salmon
• 2 tsp capers 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 230°C.
2. Combine the mayonnaise, dill and lemon juice in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Roll out the dough to fit two lightly oiled 30cm pizza trays. Sprinkle each pizza with half the bocconcini and bake in oven for 12 minutes until crisp.
4. Top each pizza with the spinach and salmon, then sprinkle with the capers and drizzle with the dill mayonnaise.

Source: Here

Ingredients:

• 60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
• 2 brown onions, halved, thinly sliced
• 60g (1/4 cup) vindaloo paste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 long fresh green chillies, thinly sliced
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 800g diced lean lamb
• 3 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 500ml (2 cups) water
• 3 Coliban potatoes, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces (see note)
• 1 eggplant, cut into 3cm pieces
• Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve 

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until golden.
2. Add the curry paste, garam masala, chilli and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic. Add the lamb and stir to coat. Add the tomato and half the water. Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, for 1 hour or until the lamb is tender.
3. Add the potato, eggplant and remaining water. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until the potato is tender and the sauce thickens. Season with salt. Top with coriander to serve.

Source: Here

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 leek, trimmed, halved, washed, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 400g can borlotti beans, drained, rinsed
• 400g can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• 80g baby spinach

 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and paste. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomato, stock and 1 cup cold water.
2. Using a fork, crush half the beans. Add to pan. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.
3. Add spinach and remaining beans to pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve.

Source: Here

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar
• 3 ounces creamy peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Grease three 9 x 1 1/2 inch pans.(I personally used just one 9 x 13 pan). Line your bottoms with parchement. Set aside.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Mix together brown sugar, peanut butter and butter for two minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and mix for another 2 minutes. Scarpe down the sides and mix for another minute.
5. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until incorportated about 20 seconds. Then add the sour cream, mixing again for 20 seconds. Gradually add the remaining flour mixture.  Add the hot water in a slow, steady stream and mix on low to combine, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and mix for another 10 seconds. Add the chocolate chips and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
6. Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans, spreading it evenly. Bake for about 22 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Icing

• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 cup granulated sugar
• 2 TBSP peanut butter
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter

Place the chocolate in a bowl and set aside. Heat the cream, butter, peanut butter and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, stir to disolve sugar and peanut butter. Bring to a boil. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate. Wait 5 minutes and stir the mixture until smooth. Place in fridge for about 5-10 minutes and place into a pipe bag.

 

Assemble:
Cut cake into square pieces. Place one piece on your plate. Pipe your icing just around the perimeter of the cake. Place another piece of cake on top. Again, pipe around the perimeter and follow up with one last piece of cake.

Ingredients:

•     1 pound chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)
•     3 cloves garlic (grated)
•     1 inch ginger (grated)
•     1/2 small onion (grated)
•     1/2 Asian pear (grated)
•     1/4 cup soy sauce
•     1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
•     1 tablespoon brown sugar
•     1 green onions (chopped)
•     1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Directions:

1. Mix everything in a freezer bag and marinate for at least an hour.
2. Skewer the chicken on wet skewers and set aside.
3. Strain the solids from the marinade and simmer the marinade until it thickens and becomes saucy, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Grill the chicken until cooked, about 5 minutes per side basting it with the marinade as you go.

Source: Here

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