​​Give this or any of the cheesecakes above a go, they are simply amazing, the flavour, the texture, it is so good.

Recipe adapted from www.chef-in-training.com

Makes 1 loaf

1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
2 cups (300g) plain flour
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (250g) Nutella  
​
Preheat oven to 180C/160C. Grease and line with baking paper a 11.5cm x 21.5cm (base measurement) loaf tin.

In a large mixing bowl add the softened butter and sugar, beat until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the mashed banana, milk and vanilla extract, beat until well combined.

Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt, using a spoon, mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

In a medium bowl add the nutella and 1 cup of the banana mixture, stir well to combine. (You can heat the nutella in a microwave for 15 seconds before adding the banana mixture, I don't do this, but you can, to soften the nutella).

Add alternate spoonfuls of the nutella mixture and the banana mixture into your prepared loaf tin. Once it has all been added, use a knife to swirl the mixtures together, do not over swirl.

Bake for 1 hour or until it feels baked by pressing on the loaf in the centre, it shouldn't feel too soft, it can take an additional 10 minutes, depends on your oven, just start checking at the one hour mark. 

​Allow to stand in the loaf tin for 15 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Julie Goodwin's cookbook 'Gather'

Serves 4

1/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1.5kg chuck steak or gravy beef, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 long green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
1 litre beef stock


Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan forced.

Place the flour, cumin, chilli powder, salt and pepper in a large snap lock bag. Give it a shake to combine. Add the diced beef, shake the beef about to coat it in the flour mixture.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a large enamel pot over a medium-high heat. Shake the excess flour off 1/4 of the beef (it will burn if you don't, reserve the flour in the bag). Add the beef to oil and brown, until golden on all sides. Transfer to a bowl, then cook the remainder of the beef in three more batches.

In the same pan, heat the remaining oil and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato paste and chillies, sauté a further 1 minute.

Return the beef to the pot, along with any flour left in the snap lock bag. Add the stock, give everything a good stir, bring to the boil.

Once it is boiling, place the lid on the pot and bake in the oven for 2 to 2.5 hours or until the beef is very tender. Take out of the oven, if the stew is too liquid, just place it on the stove top for about 10-20 minutes over low heat to thicken up. Just watch it and stir occasionally as it will thicken quickly and can catch on the bottom.

Serve over a bed of rice, a spoonful of salsa and a dollop of sour cream.​