Banana and Choc-chip Muffins

Adapted from taste.com.au

Ingredients

60g butter

2 cups self raising flour

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup of choc-chips

Method

1) Preheat oven to 180°c. Line a muffin tray with cup cake cases.

2) Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl, and set aside to cool slightly.

3) Sift flour and sugar, then make a well in the centre.

4) Whisk the eggs, milk and butter in separate bowl, then add to the dry mix, along with the mashed banana and choc-chips.

5) Mix until just combined. Don't over-mix or you'll end up with tough muffins.

6) Spoon into the cup cake cases.

7) Bake for 20 -25 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

8) Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer onto a rack to cool.

Vegetarian Dumplings (Japanese Gyoza)

Ingredients
300g firm tofu
20g shiitake mushrooms, diced
1 spring onion, sliced
2 tsp fresh ginger root, peeled
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame seed oil
1 tsp teriyaki sauce
A package of wonton or gow gee wrappers
A small bowl of water
Soy sauce, ginger and chilli to serve

Method
1) Drain the tofu and use some paper towel to dry. Place in bowl and mash until tofu has a mince like consistency.
2) Add the shiitake mushrooms and spring onions. Use a microplane to grate the ginger and garlic, add to the mix. Add an egg.
3) Add the soy sauce, sesame seed oil and teriyaki sauce. Mix until combined.
4) Separate the wrappers. Spoon a heaped teaspoon of the mix into the middle of a wrapper.
5) Dip fingers into a bowl of water, dampen the edges of the wrapper, then fold the wrapper in half and pinch the edges until the dumpling is closed. Place on some non-stick paper.
6) Repeat until the mixture has been all used. Be careful not to put dumplings too close together or they may stick to one another.
7) Place non-stick paper on a steamer. Fill a saucepan to below the steamer height, then boil water.  Place steamer into the saucepan once the water is at a light boil. Steam 4-6 dumplings at a time for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked.
8) Serve with some soy sauce mixed with ginger and/or chilli.

Spinach Potato Top Pie

Spinach Potato Top Pie

Ingredients

1 cup rice, cooked
8-10 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1- 2 bunch of spinach
1 -2 onion, diced
1 -2 egg, whisked
1/4 cup olive oil/peanut oil
1 cup cheese, grated

2tbsp-1 cup of milk (in mashed potato, to taste)
A very large nob of butter(add more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 180°c for a fan forced oven. Grease a large 8 cup baking dish with oil.

2) Cook the rice according to packet instructions (either boiling or absorption method). Boil the potatoes.
3) While the rice and potatoes are cooking, slice the spinach close to the stalks, discard the stalks, then finely shred the leaves. Put the shredded leaves in a very large bowl.
4) Add cooked rice, onions, oil, half of the cheese, eggs, salt and pepper to the shredded spinach. Mix until well combined (I just use my hand unless rice is boiling hot). Put the spinach mix into the greased baking dish.
5) Mash the potatoes with 2 tbsp milk and a large nob of butter. Spoon the mashed potato on top of the spinach mix and spread with a fork. 

6) Spread the rest of the cheese on top of the mashed potato.
7) Bake for 45-60 minutes at 180°c until cooked through. (Bake on the bottom rack of the oven so the cheese doesn't burn.)

8) Serve with tomato sauce.