Broccoli Salad

Okay so this is one of those recipes where I don't do exact measurements and it really doesn't matter anyways :)  You can put as much, or as little of all the extras as you please!  (But the Broccoli to dressing ratio is pretty accurate, however, if you leave it to sit in the fridge for a while, the dressing will get soaked up and you'll want to make extra dressing).

Salad:
1 head of Broccoli
1/2 - 1 diced red onion
Chopped up cooked bacon bits
Grated or cubed cheese
Craisins
Sunflower seeds or pine nuts
Slivered almonds -optional

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar

Mix it all up and enjoy!! We love eating this salad!
(Really, you can add whatever you like.  We added stuff we had in our fridge and substituted heaps of the ingredients the last time we made it like adding apples and cucumbers, although it wasn't the same without the bacon and red onion lol. [See picture below]  My cousin grates in carrot too :D )

Fluffy Pancakes

So this is the best pancake recipe we've come across thus far.  I'm pretty sure that its the buttermilk that makes it! They are always fluffy and delish.  You can find the original recipe here.

3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted (make sure this isn't hot when you add to the mixture)

Combine the milk and vinegar in a large bowl and leave for 5 mins as it gets sour.
In another bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Then whisk egg and butter into the soured milk.
Then slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and whisk until all lumps are gone.

Fry them up on medium heat. (I find the best way to get that even McDonalds pancake colour, is to use a non stick frying pan.  However, because the first batch is always the worst, I only use butter for frying for that first batch.  The rest should be fine :)  Once you see bubbles forming on the pancakes, like all over then you'll know its time to flip them).

Add your favourite toppings...and enjoy!

Southern Biscuits

This recipe is yummy, super easy and quick to make.  From start to finish it takes about 30 mins tops! I also treat them as scones too and add butter/jam  :)  The original recipe can be found here.

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons of shortening (i didn't have any so just added more butter)
1 cup of buttermilk (add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to almost a cup of milk)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius/450 Fahrenheit.
Combine all dry ingredients into a bowl.  Cut up butter (and shortening) and rub it into the flour, (try do this as quick as you can so you don't melt the butter with your hands).
Make a well in the mixture and pour in milk, mix until its just combined. (the dough will be very sticky and wet)
Transfer mixture to a well floured board, add a handful of flour to the top and fold the dough 4 or 5 times, then pat it out to about an inch thick.
Cut it up using a knife or use a cutter to cut out your biscuits.
Put on a greased tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown :)

and ta da!!

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Chicken Salad Sandwich
2-3 cups chopped rotisserie or roasted chicken
1/2 - 1 cup mayo
chopped green onion, 2-3 stalks are good
1/2 cup grapes, halved
celery, half a stalk diced
pan juices from the chicken
salt/pepper

And that's all folks.

Mix everything in a bowl and have a taste.

Add a little or a lot more of what you like (like more Mayo if your like my husband, or more grapes and celery if your like me). 

This recipe is easy to adjust to your liking.

Spread the mix on your favorite bread or rolls and enjoy.

Other variations: some people like to add apples and cashews and whatnot. hmm...I wonder how mandarin slices would taste instead of grapes? But yeah I like this version best (yes im biased) and I think the grape texture holds up better and gives a nice sweet bite. 

You can use canned chicken chunks or cooked chicken...but if you do I suggest heating the chicken in a pan and adding a splash of soy sauce, garlic, minced onion, and whatever seasoning you would use on a roasted chicken. Then adding it to a bowl and mixing in the other ingredients.

I like to use my left over chicken from a store bought rotisserie or home roasted chicken. 

Sweet Onion Sauce

Yes this is my copycat version of Subway's sweet onion sauce.

Sweet Onion Sauce

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 T mustard
2 T soy sauce
6 T white vinegar
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 an onion chopped
1 T cornstarch 

In a small pot, on medium heat, add the first 7 listed ingredients and whisk away until the sugar is dissolved.

Place the garlic and onion in a blender and blend til it's liquefied. Add to the pot.

*If you don't have a blender or food processor or whatnot then just chop the garlic and onion into really really small parts OR you can use a garlic press or grate the onion/garlic into the pot.

Mix the cornstarch with a little bit of water and add to the pot. Try using only a teaspoon and adding more later depending on how thin or thick you want your sauce. 

*Cornstarch mixes better in cold/cool water. Adding it straight to the hot sauce may result in little cornstarch pebbles. 


Bring to a boil and then allow to cool. Make sure to whisk/stir. 
Store in the fridge. 

Banana Cake and Cream Cheese frosting

This cake is from the Edmonds cookbook and its such an awesome recipe! My aunty always makes this cake and it is always deelish!!
Sorry, measurements are all metric system, so you gotta google it lol.

125g butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 egs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp Baking soda
2 Tbsp hot milk
2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add mashed banana and mix thoroughly.
4. Stir baking powder into hot milk and add to creamed mixture.
5. Sift flour and baking powder together and stir into the mixture.
6. Turn into a 20cm round cake tin 
7. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 50 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
8. Leave in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

When cool, ice with cream cheese or chocolate icing.


Cream Cheese Icing

2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind (I just added a lemon juice instead, and then a little vanilla essence)

Beat butter and cream cheese until creamy.  Mix icing sugar and lemon rind, beating well to combine.