Havana Christmas - aka vanilla latte sugar scrub

Coffee, sugar, vanilla, coconut...sounds like a festive hot drink.  And you could totally make an amazing drink from this, I'm sure.  I love the smell of coffee and I love drinking coffee, so I'm pretty excited to be adding it into my skincare routine.  This simple scrub smells like a vanilla latte, hence its name, and leaves the skin really silky.  It smells and looks sophisticated, but is incredibly simple and inexpensive to make, so makes a perfect gift for friends and family for Christmas!  I'm going to make a second batch, so I can keep some too!

Here's a run-down of the benefits of these tasty ingredients...

• Coconut Oil – naturally nourishes skin (I used an organic virgin oil which is also super cheap, from Go Native NZ - $21/kg!!)
• Olive Oil – contains antioxidants 
• Coffee - caffeine has a tightening and stimulating affect on skin 
• Sugar - naturally exfoliates
• Vanilla – smells good :) 

1/4 cup finely ground dry coffee (I used my favourite, Havana)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp coconut oil 

2 tbsp olive oil (it was supposed to be made with castor oil, but I didn't have any)

1 tsp vanilla essence 

1. Place coffee and sugar in medium-sized bowl. 
2. Add vanilla, mix well. 
3. Add oils and stir with a fork until well mixed and moistened.  
4. Stir in an air-tight container.  

Keep in the shower, so you always have it handy to keep your skin feeling great!  

Toast pies

Toast pies.  In the culinary world they're called croustades, but to our 2.5-yr old, he has 'toast pie' on his plate.  Bread cases, filled with any manner of things, are a popular canapé the world over - creamy fish or mini quiches anyone?  Well, we had leftover shepherds' pie in the fridge and a hungry young boy who, like most of his peers, loves toast, loves mince and loves cheese.  So, alright then, toast pies for tea!  

12 slices bread 

Butter

Leftover bowl of bolognese mince/shepherds pie

Grated cheese

1. Turn oven on to 180 degrees celcius (160 fanbake).  
2. Trim crusts off your bread.  Flatten completely with a rolling pin - real elbow grease here, 'cause the flatter your bread, the crunchier your edges will be.  And the base will be soft, but not soggy.  
3. Butter bread and place butter-side down in muffin tray.  
4. Fill with mince (you want this to be cold, or at least cool, if possible).  
5. Place grated cheese on top (I like quite a lot).  
6. Bake until cheese is browning.  
7. Leave out of the oven for a few minutes before attempting to eat them.  They are crazy hot when first pulled out!  

Muffnuts - sounds wrong, tastes great!

KB passed this recipe onto me the other day.  It's been floating around Facebook for a while, so was about time I gave it a try.  I love a cinnamon donut.  But I wouldn't have a clue how to make them.  And, frankly, I'm not overly inclined to learn.  But muffins that taste like a jam donut, yes, that I can try!  

You can use whichever jam you like, I went with raspberry.  That was partly preference, and partly what we had in the fridge.  I also did a few with maple syrup in the centre.  Yum.  I am sure other jams would be equally good.  The recipe I used recommended a fairly small amount of jam in the centre, but I reckon you need a little more.  If it comes out the side a bit, who cares eh?  

So, without further ado - duffins, muffnuts, uh jammy donut-muffins... 

Makes about 18 standard-size muffins 

Donut-muffins:
4 cups SR flour
1 + 1/3 castor sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
2/3 cup oil (I used Lupi Organic Olive and it wasn't too strong in flavour)
2 large eggs 
350 ml buttermilk (or normal milk with 2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar added) 
2 tsp vanilla essence
jam 
Topping:
50 g butter 
1/2 cup castor sugar 
1 tsp cinnamon 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Spray muffin tins, or line with cupcake cases. 
2. If making your own buttermilk, add the lemon to the milk and set aside for 5 minutes.  
3. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients (except jam).  
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine gently - only until the mixture just comes together and no flour is showing.  You don't want to overmix muffins.  
5. Place some into each muffin tray (about 1/3 of the way up).  Place a dollop of jam in the centre.  Cover with more muffin mix.  You want them to fill about 3/4 of the way up the tin.  
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes (I used fan-bake and 15 minutes was enough).  
7. Remove from oven and set aside for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. 
8. Once the muffins are cool enough to handle, melt butter and put sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.  
9. Brush tops of muffins with butter and roll around in the sugar, coating the tops with tastiness.  
10. Enjoy warm, or keep in an airtight container for another day.  Buon appetit! 

Tortilla sabroso

Leftover roast chicken.  Not a bad thing now, is it?  There are a million and one things you can do with leftover roast meat, especially chook.  We typically have a day or two of roast chicken sandwiches for lunch, a curry and perhaps a stir-fry or fettucine too (depending on the quantity left over).  I also love to use shredded roast chicken for lasagne, instead of mince.  The other day though, none of our usual go-to meals got me amped up for gastronomic greatness.  So I called on Dr Google.  

Google search - leftover roast chicken recipes.  A myriad of responses.  One page with 21 ideas.  And one of those ideas was for tortilla stack.  Yum.  And we had everything needed.  

1 cups roast chicken

1/2 tin red kidney beans (black-eyed peas would also be amazing!)

1 tin diced tomatoes

fresh herbs (I used basil and marjoram)

a few teaspoons sour cream, to dollop between layers

4 tortillas 

handful chopped capsicum and mushrooms

6 bok choi or pak choi leaves, sliced into strips 

packet of taco/burrito seasoning (or fresh garlic, onion and cumin powder with a little chili)

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 cup grated cheese

2 eggs

50 ml milk

salt and pepper

guacamole, to serve 

1. Grease casserole dish (one that will fit the tortillas laid flat) with butter or oil.    
2. Place chicken in frypan with a little butter.  Stir in seasoning.  Add beans, tomatoes, herbs and vegetables and heat through.  Stir through the bok choi.    
3. Place a tortilla in casserole dish.  Spoon chicken onto it and spread evenly to edge of tortilla.  Place a few dollops of sour cream and sprinkle with some of the cup of cheese.  Place another tortilla on top.  Continue this until chicken/tortillas finished.  
4. Beat eggs, salt and pepper, and milk together.  Pour over tortilla layers.  Cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 hours, to let the egg mix soak in.  
5. Preheat over to 180 degrees celcius.  Remove foil, sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over tortillas.  Replace foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for further 5-10 minutes, until egg is set and cheese is melted and browned.  
6. Serve with guacamole and a salad.  Sabroso!

Got milk?

It's about time I got a new post out.  Have been a bit slack lately, though in my defence I had my wisdom teeth out last month, so wasn't eating for a while, therefore not really much fodder (ha ha, pun) for bloggery.  This one's not a recipe, but a discovery of a fantastic local product which I think is worth sharing.

Anyhoo...  Last weekend we went and stayed with brother- and sister-in-law.  They buy raw milk from a guy just out of town.  Organic, raw milk.  That will either sound heavenly or horrible, but OMG if it's the latter, give it a try.  Amazing!  I would have expected it to taste great, but also to come with a great price tag.  Nope, same price as the supermarket for a 2L ($3.50).  So, I went online and found a place near to us which sells the same.  There's a list on Cottage Crafts of numerous places around NZ who sell raw milk.  Our guy, just out of Pirongia, is certified organic and the litre I bought this morning was milked this morning.  Can't beat that, really.  And it's soooo yum.  Up here it cost me $4 for two litres, so a fraction more costly (plus the cost of the drive to get it, I suppose), but totally worth it.  

So, if you're keen to find some kick ass milk in your area, check out the website.  You may be surprised how many places there are.  Good, local tastiness.  

chia oat pudding brekkie

Chia seeds are great.  I've waxed lyrical about their awesomeness before (Chia bro, too much), and love finding different ways to use them.  I can't remember whether I got this idea from Katie, aka Wellness Mama, or from my sister-in-law, Tessa, but it is soooooo good!  Good tasty and bonus, good for you.  I made some up for me and baby Frankie to try for breakfast, and it got the thumbs up from both of us.  It would be nice warmed up, but I enjoyed it cold.  Easy as too, which is essential in the mornings.  

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/3 cup rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup almond milk (normal milk, rice milk, soy milk, coconut milk...)

drizzle of syrup (optional - I used agave nectar 'cause was for Frankie too, but maple would've been really yum!)

1. Mix together in bowl. 
2. Place in fridge overnight. 
3. Serve in the morning with fruit and/or yoghurt, or simply as is.  

Limey-coconut madness - aka You put da Lime in da Coconut 2

I saw a thing on Facebook yesterday about palusami and ota ika, using coconut cream.  I didn't have any taro leaves, nor any fresh fish with which to make ota ika, but it got me thinking.  Coconut cream eh?  Yep, we can do something with that.  Now, what would really make that coconut pop?  Peanut satay, I though.  But then I remembered that we've had satay quite a lot lately.  Suddenly it hit me - you put da lime in da coconut and drink 'em bode up...  Limes.  Poptastic.  

So, into our ninja (a food processor would have worked fine too, or just some good ol' fine chopping) went the ingredients for a kick ass marinade.  I used chicken drumsticks, but thighs would've been great too.  This marinade, which then got cooked with the chicken, made the most amazing sauce.  We had kumara mash and it tasted awesome - the limes were strong enough to come through the coconut's flavour, but didn't take over.  

While we're talking about limes - they're in season now, so can be found on backyard trees the country-wide, and in supermarkets relatively cheap.  Come summer, which is when we desperately NEED lime juice - think mojitos, soda and lime, gin and tonic (I know it's usually lemon, but I like lime), salads, fresh fish, fish tacos, salsa... - they go for about $35/kg.  Which is CRIMINAL.  So, please please please - go out into your backyard, or your neighbour's, or down to your local fruiterer, and stock up.  Bring them home, juice the suckers and freeze in ice cube trays.  Bam, you have a supply for later.  It freezes brilliantly, and once frozen, you can transfer into a zip-lock bag.  Easy peasy, lime squeezey.  

Ok, now on with the show...  

6 chicken drumsticks

1/2 cup coconut cream (I used half a tin)

1/2 cup lime juice

2 tbsp honey

pinch or two cayenne pepper (omit, or use paprika, if cayenne is too hot)

2 cloves garlic 

2 tbsp finely chopped/grated ginger

1/2 onion, or 1/2 cup spring onion

as much coriander as you can rustle up - I only had a tsp, but a half cup would've been good!

1. Blitz everything (except chicken) to make marinade.  
2. Pour marinade over chicken and place in the fridge for at least an hour.  Several hours would be great.  Turn drums every now and again.  
3. Bake for 20-30 minutes.  We threw in some whole mushrooms here too - they really soaked up the flavours. 
4. Serve with mash and steamed vege (or maybe rice and a salad in summer?), with sauce drizzled over.  

NB: Hold onto any leftover sauce, 'cause it'll make a brilliant curry - add in the rest of the tin of coconut cream, a dollop or two of green curry paste and you're away.  A stalk of lemongrass too, if you have any.