​As a general rule I don't cook gluten free food, but every now and then when I have family come over that have a gluten intolerance I make the effort to try something new that we can all eat together. 

So when my cousin came over recently I decided I would try this Ham and Green Onion Fritter recipe. Originally it was an egg free, dairy free, gluten free and nut free recipe. I modified it and made it gluten free and nut free only. I loved them, I found them delicious, especially when served with the roasted tomato and avocado salad. Absolutely delicious, that was for you Matz.

I like to make them smaller for parties, I use a heaped dessert spoon as a measure. This way you can get 15 pieces. The recipe can be doubled, if needed.

Now if you need them to be egg free, just remove the egg and add more milk, about 3/4 cup instead of the 1/2 cup. If you need them dairy free, I made them also with soy milk and they tasted lovely, you couldn't tell the difference. If you don't have a gluten intolerance you can use normal self raising flour, you may need to use less milk though. This recipe can be adjusted to suit your needs.

These are great as a light lunch, great for parties, I'd even have them for dinner. These are simple to make and tasty, a combination I love and hope you do to.

​Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's weekly Cookbook 'Gluten Free Food for the Family'
​
​Makes 8 fritters

250g red grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (135g) gluten free self-raising flour
½ cup milk
2 eggs
250g gluten free shaved ham, chopped finely
4 green onions, sliced thinly
1 large avocado, chopped coarsely

Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced.

Place baking paper on an oven tray. Place tomatoes on the oven tray, drizzle with vinegar and 1 teaspoon of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until tomatoes just soften.

Place flour into a large bowl. Add milk and eggs, whisk until lump free. If it feels too thick, add a little more milk. It needs to be like a pancake batter. Add ham and green onion; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Add a little of the oil into a large non-stick frying pan over low-medium heat. Spoon ¼ cup of the batter into the pan; if your pan is large, make a few fritters at the same time, side by side. Cook for 2 ½ minutes each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat until you have used up all your batter.

Mix together the roasted tomatoes and avocado, stir gently.

Serve fritters with avocado and tomatoes.

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​So my daughter has been begging me to make cinnamon buns for, for well forever. But most recipes I found in the past used store bought dough, which was not available in Australia. I couldn't find a recipe for the dough. Until now.

So I follow Kristina Kuzmic on social media, I find her quite funny, she has a Croatian background like myself so when I found her recipe I figured I had to try it. One because I like her, two because we have similar backgrounds and three her recipe looked so good.

Well, these were the softest Cinnamon Buns I had ever tried, she called them To Die For Cinnamon Buns and I had to as well, they are so good, I mean really really good.

I tried taking some of the sugar out of the filling on one attempt, and I found I had to put it back. So although a little sweet, they just have to be.

After I knead the dough, I wash the bowl I mixed to dough in, in warm water and dry it quickly then place the kneaded dough back in that bowl, and cover, the warm bowl assists in the dough rising.

So if you like me have wanted to try Cinnamon Buns but haven't yet, you need to make these, soft and delicious cinnamon buns, and they are simply to die for.

Recipe adapted from kristinakuzmic.com 

​Makes 12-14

For the dough:
2 ½ teaspoons (8g) active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons (36g) white sugar
1 cup (240ml) warm milk
4 ½ cups (750g) bread flour
1 teaspoon (5g) salt
⅓ cup (75g) white sugar
⅓ cup (75g) butter, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten

For the filling:
⅓ cup (75g) butter, softened
3 Tablespoons (25g) ground cinnamon
1 cup (200g) brown sugar, firmly packed
​
For the frosting:
3 tablespoons (42g) butter, softened
⅓ cup (75g) cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ cups (185g) powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl combine yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar, and warm milk. Let sit for about 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the dough ingredients to the yeast mixture, and combine using your hand. Place on a clean bench and knead for a few minutes, about 5 minutes (the dough will be a little sticky, but if it’s too sticky add a bit more flour). Place in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

​​Roll the dough into a large log, and cut into 12 segments.

​Grease a 22 x 33cm baking pan with cooking spray. Place the rolls in the pan, cover, and let rise for about 30 minutes (or overnight in the refrigerator).

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 205C/185C fan forced. ​Bake the rolls for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

​Make the frosting. Using an electric mixer, beat the frosting ingredients until well incorporated. Place into a zip lock bag, set aside until needed. Once the rolls are baked, snip one corner of the zip lock bag and immediately spread the frosting evenly over the rolls. Use a knife or spoon to spread the frosting all over the buns.

​Serve warm.

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​Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced.

Place the ricotta, mozzarella, spinach, lemon zest and egg in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
​

Lay one sheet of pastry on a chopping board. Spread over the cheese and spinach mix, leaving a 2cm border on two edges. Brush the top edge of the pastry with some beaten egg, this will act as a 'glue' when you role it up.

​When the pastry has softened enough, roll up the pastry, relatively tightly, place seam side down on board. Slice into 1-1.5cm thick slices. Brush entire pastry with some beaten egg.

​​Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.

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​My youngest son and I love going on walks, he scooters while I walk beside him, and one morning on our walk we were discussing what cake I will be making for his birthday. He replied as per normal that he doesn't want a cake, this year he wants a pie. He couldn't decide on the filling, he was tossing between an Apple, Berry and Rhubarb Pie or a Blueberry Pie, but then he asked if it can be a crumble pie also, as he loves crumbles and he loves pies.

So I knew I had a recipe for an Apple, Berry and Rhubarb Crumble Pie, but I had to find a Blueberry version, and here it is. This was delicious, simple and tasty.

The pastry is really easy to make, you just stir the ingredients together, the filling is just as easy, you just stir the ingredients together and the crumble topping you blitz up in seconds, if you do it by hand it could take a little longer, but still very quick.

In the end I decided to make both pies for him as I had a pastry recipe that would make enough pastry for two pie bases.

This will definitely be made again and again in my house as it is easy to make and tastes so good and there is just something special about making a pie, they are so pretty and who can say no to pie.

​Recipe adapted from www.epicurious.com 

​Serves 8

Pastry: makes enough for 2 pie bases
2 2/3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk

Filling: 
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 cups fresh blueberries

Crumble Topping:
3/4 cup plain flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
70g cold unsalted butter, cubed
​
Make the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornflour and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add blueberries and lemon juice, toss gently to coat and evenly distribute. Let filling stand, tossing occasionally, until blueberries release their juices, 20-30 minutes.
​
Meanwhile, make the pastry: In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Pour the milk and oil into a jug, but do not stir it. Add the oil mixture to the flour. Stir until mixed well, knead for a minute or two, then shape into 2 flat balls (it will be crumbly, squish it together). Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Grease a large pie dish with cooking spray or butter.

Roll out half of the pastry between two sheets of baking paper. The pastry can be crumbly, if it is keep flipping it over, while rolling, as I find it the easiest way to get both sides smooth. If it splits or cracks around the edges pinch it together. Roll out until it is 3-5mm thick and will cover the base and sides of your pie dish. If you have cracks or holes, use a little pastry from the leftover pastry, to press onto the cracks. It doesn't matter if it isn't perfect looking, just make sure there are no holes in the base.

Place the pie base in the oven for 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
​
Make the crumble topping: In a small food processor add the flour, brown sugar, caster sugar, cinnamon and salt. Blitz for 5 seconds to mix it together. Add the cold butter and blitz until it looks like coarse sand.
​
Assembly: Spoon the blueberry filling over the cooled pastry base. Sprinkle over the crumble topping. Bake pie until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cover with foil after 30 minutes if the top is browning too fast.

Allow pie to cool, eat warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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​Every year for my birthday I refuse to eat cake. My birthday is in early January and after the food and festivities of Christmas and the New Year, I am tired from all the cooking and cleaning and I can no longer eat anymore.

So as my birthday arrives I tend to make something special for me, but it is never a cake. This year it was a pie, a delicious, easy, apple crumble pie.

The pie pastry will give you enough dough to make two pie bases, which quite often I will do, just make two pies at once, I have a delicious blueberry crumble pie recipe or a delicious Strawberry, Rhubarb and Apple Crumble Pie recipe that I make, but this time I chose to decorate my pie with a plait around the edge, it looked great and baked really well.

The crumble topping can be made by hand if you don't have a food processor, just rub the butter into the flour and sugar using your fingertips.

This is delicious served with vanilla ice cream or custard, is easy to make and you really need to try it.

​Recipe adapted from www.tasteofhome.com

Pastry:
2 2/3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk

Filling:
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 cups chopped peeled granny smith apples (about 5 medium apples), peeled, cored, diced

Crumble Topping: 
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
​
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Pour the milk and oil into a jug, but do not stir it. Add the oil mixture to the flour. Stir until mixed well, knead for a minute or two, then shape into 2 flat balls (it will be crumbly, squish it together). Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Grease a large pie dish with cooking spray or butter.

Roll out half of the pastry between two sheets of baking paper. The pastry can be crumbly, if it is keep flipping it over, while rolling, as I find it the easiest way to get both sides smooth. If it splits or cracks around the edges pinch it together. Roll out until it is 3-5mm thick and will cover the base and sides of your pie dish. If you have cracks or holes, use a little pastry from the leftover pastry, to press onto the cracks. It doesn't matter if it isn't perfect looking, just make sure there are no holes in the base.

Place the pie base in the oven for 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
​
​Meanwhile, make the filling: In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add diced apples and toss to coat. 


To make the crumble topping: ​In a small food processor add sugar, flour and butter, blitz until you have fine crumbs.

Pour over the apples onto your cooled pie base. 

If you like, it is purely decorative, but delicious, you can use some of the remaining pastry and make a plait around the edge. Just roll it out, cut out long thin strips and plait. Then place over the apples around the edge of the pie. This is optional.

​Sprinkle over the crumble topping.

​Place pie on a baking tray. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden and apple is cooked (cover with foil if over browning). Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream.

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​My husband has a vegetable garden and this year his beans have gone crazy, the more he picks the more they keep flowering and growing.

So after many a bean salad, which although delicious, I could eat no more, I had to find other ways to cook beans, and so I found this goulash type soup.

My family love this, when I make this the whole pot goes. 

It is so simple to make, and I mean ridiculously simple. It is one of those dishes that after a little preparation, it cooks itself.

We love hot paprika powder, but if you don't like spicy food, just add normal paprika.

You can use chuck steak instead of beef spare ribs, if you prefer.​

This is something my mum or mother in law would cook, quite a traditional dish. So if you are looking for a hearty soup, that is simple and tastes great, or your beans have gone crazy to, give this soup a try.

​Recipe adapted from www.coolinarika.com

Serves 4-6

800g beef spare ribs, cut into individual ribs
900g yellow and green beans
5 medium sized potatoes, peeled, cut into a 1.5-2cm dice
1 onion, peeled, diced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
150ml white wine
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 tablespoon vegeta
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour

​
Heat oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot, saute until the onion has softened. Add the beef pieces, saute for 2 minutes.

Add the wine, bay leaves and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to the boil, simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Now add the potatoes, simmer for 15 minutes, top up water to cover, if needed.

Now add the beans, hot paprika and vegeta, top up with more water to just cover, if needed. Bring to the boil.

Mix the plain flour into some water in a small bowl, mix to remove any lumps. Add it to the soup. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the meat is cooked, it needs to be soft.

Serve with toasted Italian bread.

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