Christmas Punch - secret ingredient revealed!

My all-time favourite refreshing Punch with a delicious ingredient that hits the spot!
Prep 10 mins   Serves 6     Non-alcoholic

• 4 Cups (1 litre) Lemonade
• 2 Cups (500ml) Cranberry Juice
• 2 teaspoons Rosewater  (secret ingredient)
• 1/2 punnet Raspberries
• 6 Mint Leaves

1. Into Punch Bowl Pour:

4 Cups (1 litre) Lemonade
2 Cups (500ml) Cranberry Juice
2 teaspoons Rosewater  (secret ingredient)

2. Stir gently

3. Carefully Add:

1/2 punnet Raspberries
6 Mint Leaves

so they float at the top

Place in fridge until ready to serve .... delicious :-) 

Lemon, Lime & Bitters Punch

5 Stars

This is a great drink option for those designated drivers out there!
Prep 10 minutes plus refrigeration time to chill
Serves 2.5 litres (10 cups)

• 2 Limes & Lemons sliced thinly
• 5 lemon infusion Tea Bags
• 1.25 litres (5 Cups) Lemonade
• 1/4 cup (60ml) Lime Juice Cordial
• 1 teaspoon aromatic bitters
• 1 litre (4 cups) of boiling water
• 3 cups ice cubes

1. Combine :

5 Tea Bags & 1 litre (4 cups) of boiling water, stand for 5 minutes

2. Remove tea bags and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate

3. Into a large jug Add :

2 Limes & Lemons sliced thinly

1.25 litres (5 Cups) Lemonade

1/4 cup (60ml) Lime Juice Cordial

1 teaspoon aromatic bitters

3 cups ice cubes

then Stir to combine

Watermelon, Watercress, Fetta & Mint Salad

5 stars ES
Prep 15 minutes   Serves 8+ as a BBQ side and Serves 4 as a Main @ 247 Cal per serve

• 2 bunch of watercress, trimmed with leaves  (rocket is a great alternative)
• 1/2 Cup torn Mint leaves
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1600g Watermelon, peeled & cut into small wedges
• 200g  Low-cal fetta crumbled
• 2 tblsp white wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• freshly cracked black pepper

1. Combine in bowl & season with black pepper:

 2 bunch of watercress leaves

 1/2 Cup Mint,

 1/2 red onion,

 2 tblsp vinegar

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2.Transfer to a large plate and top with :

1600g Watermelon,

200g  Low-cal fetta

A firm winner ! When I serve this simple, low cal dishes people always ask me for the recipe :-)

Adapted from Losing the Last 5 Kilos by Michelle Bridges 

Juice Bar : smoothies

Fruit Juices 

Feel Good : Watermelon, Mango, Strawberry

Jungle Juice : Coconut water, Banana, Mango

Pear Flair : Pear, Pineapple, Apple, Mint

Tropical : Mango, Pineapple, Banana, Apple.

Smoothies

Summer : Strawberry, Mango, Milk, Frozen Yoghurt

Tropical Banana: Banana, Milk, Frozen yoghurt, honey

Bruschetta with Tomato & Basil - L

5 Stars L

Serves 4-6  (makes 12)  Approx 15 mins to put together, maybe less :-)

Grill or  ridged Griddle

• 1 ciabatta loaf -sliced

• 6 Red Ripe plum tomatoes
• 1 red onion chopped (optional)

• handful of torn basil leaves

• 1 garlic clove - peeled & rubbed in a little salt

• about 8 tbsp's of extra virgin olive oil

• sea salt & freshly milled pepper

1. Preheat grill/griddle, for 10 min

2. Place 6 tomatoes in a bowl, pour over boiling water & leave exactly 1 minute, then drain, de-skin, cube.

3. If using a griddle, place slices of bread diagonally on hot griddle, both sides for about a minute.
- Or lightly toast slices of bread under conventional grill, both sides.
4. Then quickly with sharp knife make 3 little slashes across each slice, take the clove of garlic and rub each slice & then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
5. Now top Bruschetta with the mix of tomatoes, red onion & basil leaves
6. season with freshly milled salt & black pepper, sprinkle more drops of extra virgin olive oil over before serving.

Its a simple, wonderful, fresh lunch to share with friends.
Adapted from Delia's Vegetarian Collection

Last Min Entertaining menu - Easy BBQ

Arrival

• Salted chips(crisps) & dips ; pumpkin, spinach 
• Turkish bread slices : Dukkah, olive oil
• mixed fruit & nuts platter

Oven cooking

• 2 kg of Marinated honey/soy Chicken wings & nibbles : 20 min
• Frozen Potato wedges : 20min   with dips - sour cream & sweet chilli sauce

Steam / microwave

• Fresh corn on the cobs

Salads

• Caesar 
• Asian mix
• cucumber, 

Rolls for Sausages & Burgers

Meats

• Honey sausages 
• Healthy option Beef burgers
• Lamb Burgers
• Lamb Cutlets

Accompaniments 

• Heinz Tomato Sauce
• sliced tomatoes
• sliced cheese
• sliced onions
• cooked sliced mushrooms 
• sliced avocado

Sausage Pasta Bake - F

5 Stars   F & E

Serves 6   Prep 20 minutes Cooking 45-50  749 Cal  Make Ahead 

Preheat oven 190 C  /Gas 5/fan 170c

• 1 onion
• 1 large carrot
• 200g fresh spinach
• 400g pork sausages
• 600ml/ 1 pint milk
• nutmeg - few pinches
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 300ml vegetable stock
• 50g plain flour
• 500g rigatoni or penne pasta
• 50g butter
• 140g mature cheddar
• 150ml / 1/4 pint red wine
• 1 tbsp olive oil

1. Split 400g sausages & remove skins, chop into bite size pieces.

 Heat oil, fry

1 onion for 5 mins til soft & browned

-Stir in sausages & fry until light coloured

Add 

-1 large Carrot

-Stir in  150ml Wine

-300ml Stock

-3 tbsp Tomato Puree

-seasoning

2. Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for about 15 mins until thickened. 

taste season set aside

white Sauce

3. Put in pan

-50g butter

-50g plain flour

-600 ml milk

Gently heat, whisking until thickened and smooth

-Add a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg,season

Simmer for 2 mins

4. Bring a large pan of slated water to boil.

Add 500g Pasta , stir well cook for 10-12 mins, remove from heat

Stir in 200g spinach - when wilted drain.

5. Tip half the pasta into shallow ovenproof dish about 2.2 litre

Spoon the sausage sauce over

Add the remaining pasta

Top with white sauce

Sprinkle 140g cheddar cheese over

Bake for 20-30 mins until golden brown.

Leave to cool a little before serving.

Risoni, Fetta & Capsicum Salad - ES

5 Stars  Great BBQ side dish & for bring a plate entertaining

Serves 4  prep 20 mins & cooking 10 mins

• 1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped mint
• 200g Fetta
• 250g Risoni pasta
• 2 tbsp Pine nuts -toasted
• 100g Chargrilled red capsicum strips, drained
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

1. Toss & combine then Allow to marinate 15 min

1 red onion

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar 

2. Cook 250g Risoni as instructions on packet, then drain, rinse under cold water

3. Add to onion mixture (1) & toss together:

risoni

200g fetta

100g capsicum
4. Toast 

2 tbsp pine nuts toasted

5. Arrange all on platter &  scatter over 1/2 cup mint to serve

each serve 2180 kj    521 cal

(from Australian Good Food Nov 2009)