hello everyone

im back,,still recovering from a stroke in feb

Avocado Sauce

Avocado Sauce 1 large , ripe avocado 1/3 cup sour cream or yoghurt 1/2 small clove of garlic Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup (packed) coriander / cilantro, roughly chopped Salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients in a food processor, blend until very smooth. Use water to adjust consistency as required. Adjust lemon or lime as required. Should have a bit of tang if intended to be paired with rich, bold flavoured food like Mexican food. Keeps for 4 days in an airtight container - and stays green

Garlic Sautéed Spinach

Garlic Sautéed Spinach 2 bunches spinach (Note 1) 1 tbsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped Salt and pepper Trim the stem from the leaves, then wash the leaves very well (spinach often holds a lot of dirt). Shake off excess water but do not dry (water droplets helps steam-cook the spinach). Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds until it becomes light golden and smells amazing. Add spinach, then use tongs or 2 wooden spoons to toss until the spinach wilts - about 2 minutes. I like mine just wilted. Remove from heat immediately and sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss once more. Transfer to serving platter and serve. Notes: 1. Spinach is sold here in Australia in bunches. Once the leaves are cut from the stem, the leaves for each bunch amount to about 3 to 4 big handfuls. So use around 8 handfuls of spinach - it wilts by about 80% once sautéed. Recipe will also work with baby spinach but you will need even more because it's more delicate so it wilts even more. I also use this recipe for: Chopped kale, silverbeet / Swiss chard and Asian greens. 2. Scaling recipe (click on servings and slide) - best to cook spinach in batches OR use a very large wok!

Asian Mushroom Ramen Noodles

Asian Mushroom Ramen Noodles 2 packets ramen or other instant noodles , uncooked, discard seasoning (Note 1) 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil (or other neutral flavoured oil) 14 oz mushrooms , sliced (any type) 2 garlic cloves , minced 2 tsp sesame oil (or more oil) (Note 2) 5 green onion stems (shallots/scallions) 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) water, plus more as needed SAUCE: 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 3) 1 tbsp Oyster sauce (or Hoisin, Note 4) 2 tsp Hoisin sauce (or more Oyster sauce) 1 tbsp mirin (Note 5) Mix Sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Cut green onion into 5cm/2" lengths. Separate white/pale green part from green part. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sesame oil, cook until mushrooms and garlic are golden. Add Sauce, give it a quick stir. Add white part of green onions. Cook 1 minute until mushrooms are caramelised. Push mushrooms to the side to make a big well in the centre. Add water then squidge noodle cakes in. Cook 45 seconds, then flip. Cook 30 seconds then break up the noodles. Add green part of green onions and toss well, adding more water if needed to make it saucy. Serve immediately! Notes: 1. Instant or Ramen Noodles - Make this recipe with any instant noodles like ramen or 2 minute noodles. Any brand or type is fine here, though avoid the extra large ramen packets because you'll struggle to fit two in the pan (though you could break them). Discard seasoning packet. 2. Sesame oil - Use toasted sesame oil if you've got it, otherwise untoasted is fine (brown sesame oil = toasted, yellow / clearish = untoasted) 3. Dark Soy Sauce has a darker colour and more intense flavour than all purpose and light soy sauce. If you can't find it, any soy sauce is fine here but the sauce colour will be lighter. 4. Oyster Sauce - I've noticed vegetarian oyster sauce in the supermarkets lately! Can sub with more Hoisin. 5. Mirin - a sweet Japanese cooking sake that is a very common ingredient in Japanese cooking, also used widely by other Asian cuisines. Found in most large supermarkets, or at Asian grocery stores. Can sub with Chinese cooking wine, dry sherry. Non alcoholic sub: use 1/2 cup water + 3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock/broth (instead of 1 1/4 cups water) and skip the Mirin. 6. Total cook time for noodles should be per packet. Add a touch more water if noodles need longer. 7. SCALING recipe up (click servings and slide) - use a larger skillet. Can break noodle cakes if necessary to fit.

Really Quick Broccoli Pasta

Really Quick Broccoli Pasta 12 oz dried short pasta (I used small shells) 2 broccoli heads (BIG!) 1 cup (100g) shredded cheese (or more!) PASTA SAUCE (NOTES FOR SUBS): 2 tsp lemon zest 2 tbsp lemon juice (or more!) 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup (30g) parmesan, finely grated 2 garlic cloves , minced 1 tsp mixed dried herbs (or fresh!) 1/2 tsp+ red pepper flakes 1 tsp sugar 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper SERVING: More parmesan Boil a large pot of water with 2 tsp salt, add pasta. WHILE PASTA IS COOKING: Chop broccoli into small florets. Place Sauce ingredients in a jar with lid. Add broccoli into water 1 - 2 minutes before pasta is cooked. SCOOP OUT 1 cup pasta cooking water. Add 1/2 cup pasta water to Pasta Sauce jar, shake. Drain pasta and broccoli, put back into same pot on turned off stove. Pour over Sauce, add cheese. Stir vigorously, adding more pasta water if required. Add more salt and pepper if required. Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan. Notes: This recipe will serve 4 as a main or 6 to 8 as a side. To scale recipe, click Servings and slide. Recipe substitutions: Pasta - any short pasta is fine here, macaroni/elbow, twirls, penne, ziti, orecchiette etc. Broccoli - this dish can take loads of broccoli, and still worth making even if you're a bit short (or scale recipe down - click on servings and slide). Cheese - any melting cheese fine here, preferably flavoured like cheddar, Monterey Jack, tasty, gruyere, Swiss. Mozzarella also fine but you'll probably need more salt. Parmesan - store bought pre grated fine in this recipe. OK if you don't have (as long as you have shredded cheese!) Lemon - not intended to be a full on lemon pasta, but the subtle tang and hint of lemon is terrific. Feel free to jack up the lemon flavour. Subs: 1.5 tbsp more oil or a mild vinegar like white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, even rice wine. Garlic - could stir through green onions instead, or add 1/2 tsp garlic or onion powder into Sauce. OR finely grate any onion and add 2 tbsp it into dressing (juices and all). Herbs - mixed herbs includes a bit of rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, dried basil. Feel free to use any you want, skip it, OR use fresh herbs 1/2 cup sliced fresh basil right at the end would be amazing 1/4 - 1/2 cup chives, parsley 2 tbsp oregano Red pepper flakes - for touch of heat, totally optional Sugar - totally optional (takes edge off the sour)

Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken

Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken CHICKEN MARINADE 1.2 - 1.5 lb chicken breasts (4 pieces) or boneless thigh (Note 1) Zest of 1 lime (zest before juicing) 4 tbsp lime juice (1 - 2 limes) 2 garlic cloves , minced 3 tbsp brown sugar 1/4 tsp pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro/coriander (optional) 1 tbsp fish sauce (OR 2 tbsp soy sauce) (Note 2) COOK 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil Use fist (or rolling pin!) to pound fat end of chicken breast to about 1.7 cm / 2/3" thickness (not required for thigh). Place chicken and Marinade in a ziplock bag, massage to distribute marinade evenly. Place on a plate or bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours (min 12 hrs, max 48 hrs - Note 3) Remove chicken, discard Marinade. Cook using one method below. TO COOK (COOKED INTERNAL TEMP 165F/75C) STOVE: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken for 3 minutes on each side or until caramelised and golden brown (see video!). BBQ: Brush grills with oil and heat to medium high (or medium if your BBQ is strong). Cook chicken for 3 minutes on each side until caramelised (see video!). OVEN: Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Bake 15 minutes, then flick broiler/grill on high and grill for 3 minutes to caramelise surface & finish cooking. REST AND SERVE: Transfer chicken to a serving plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 3 minutes. Garnish with extra coriander/cilantro, lime wedges and chilli if desired, then serve! Notes: 1. Chicken - chicken breast pictured in post. Marinade is especially great for breast because it adds juiciness and caramelises the surface. Also terrific with boneless thigh, and any other cut of bone in skin on chicken, but see notes for adjusted cook times and methods. 2. Fish sauce is better than soy because it has deeper, more complex flavours. Adds depth of flavour to this otherwise simple marinade, but does NOT make it taste fishy! Sub with soy - but use more (1.5 tbsp) because soy doesn't have as complex flavours as fish sauce. Soy - use light or all purpose, do not use dark soy (too strong) 3. Marinating time - Lime juice will make the surface of skin white with 24 hour marinating time but it won't break down the surface. 12 hours minimum to really get the lime flavour into the chicken. 48 hrs is the max marinating time - after this, chicken will start to break down. Prepare ahead, place the chicken and marinade in a ziplock bag in the freezer straight away, then defrost in the fridge overnight, during which time the chicken will marinate. 4. Optional extra flavourings: chilli is fantastic in this. Add finely chopped fresh chilli or chilli paste added to the marinade.

Seasoned Baked Potato Wedges

Seasoned Baked Potato Wedges 2 lb / 1 kg potatoes , peeled (4 large ones) (Note 1) 3 tbsp olive oil SEASONING 1 1/2 tsp paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder (or sub with more garlic powder) 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper TO SERVE (OPTIONAL - BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR OPTIMAL EXPERIENCE!) Sour cream and Sweet chili sauce Other options: Ketchup, tomato sauce, aioli, mayo, yogurt, BBQ sauce, relish Avocado Dipping Sauce Preheat oven to 220°C/430°F (200°C/390°F fan/convection) Mix the Seasoning ingredients. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 "wedges" (so you get 8 pieces from each potato). If your potato is small/medium, just cut into 6 wedges. Place potatoes in a large bowl, drizzle over oil and seasoning. Toss with hands. Spread out on tray, ensuring cut side lies flat on the tray. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, turning once, or until dark golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately! Dipping sauces: Classic Aussie way is with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce. Otherwise, try tomato sauce/ketchup, BBQ sauce, yogurt, ranch, aoli. Notes: 1. Potatoes - I've found over the years that you can make great crunchy wedges with starchy OR all rounder, medium starch potatoes. The only ones that don't work are really waxy potatoes, so just avoid them! Australia - the common dirt brushed potatoes are the best. These are a great all rounder. DO NOT use desiree (the red ones) - these are waxy, suitable for potato salad. US - Russet, Idaho and Yukon Gold are great! UK - Maris Piper is a good all rounder which is suitable and readily available in all the supermarkets. 2. Freezing! I found these freeze quite well! I let them cool, then froze them. Then I defrosted them, sprayed with oil and baked them at 200C/390F for around 12 minutes, just to heat through and crisp up again.