Philly Cheesesteak Star

I'm sure you've seen this recipe and video, making it's rounds around social media, more specifically on Facebook.

I saw it a while ago and saved it to my favorites, but only really got around to trying it yesterday.

The first thing that caught my eye was that it's pretty inexpensive to make.  I used one thin steak and it was only a little over a dollar for it, and I made my own pizza dough recipe, which you can find here on the blog.

The results, super delicious, quick, easy and I think one of the family's newest faves.  It almost tasted like the Domino's Philly Cheesesteak pizza.  Yum!!

Philly Cheesesteak Star

Source: Tasty Meals

1 pre-rolled pizza base
1 sirloin steak, very thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 block pizza mozzarella, sliced
salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp oregano
3 tbsp olive oil



1.Fry your steak slices in 1 tbsp oil until a little coloured. Season well and set aside.
2.Fry your onion and pepper separately in the remaining olive oil. Set aside.
3.Lay down your pizza base and make 3 incisions in the centre with a pizza cutter. These individual triangles will be folded out to the edges.
4.Spread over the cream cheese in a ring around the incisions. Lay on your steak, peppers and onions. Top with mozzarella. Brush the central triangles with egg and fold out to join with the outside of the pizza base. Brush the entirety with egg and sprinkle with oregano.
5.Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F.

Carrot Cake

Hello friends, I'm pretty sure you're surprised to see me here.  I know, I've been an awful food blogger, but so much has been going on in my life the past year and a half, that it's been quite hard to consolidate my personal life, moving across States, dealing with some family health issues and cooking.

Some meals have been whatever is on hand.  Some meals have been based on the cheapest ingredients I could find, some meals have happened thanks to local take outs.  But, with that said, the love that I have for being in the kitchen and cooking, has never diminished in any way, shape or form.  It's just had to take a back seat.

I don't know how things will go from this moment on, but I've been severely lacking some updates here on the old blog, and I've also terribly missed trying new recipes, posting, sharing and all that fun stuff.

So I'm back, and I decided that the way to come back would be by bringing some cake for us to share over a cup of coffee.

There are not many cakes I consider my favorites, I would have to actually state quite firmly, that my cake loves center on Chocolate, Tres Leches, or Carrot.  That's it!!!  I am not saying I won't eat others, but I don't crave them, I don't go out of my way to make them or have them, they're just there.

Right, so Carrot Cake, homemade, with fresh carrots, some mixed nuts thrown in, cinnamon and sweetness......all rolled into a great Fall cake.

If you want to make something for your family, that is not out of a box (and I'm totally not judging, boxed mixes live in my pantry and are often used in a pinch), then give this one a try. 

Carrot Cake

Source:  All Recipes

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Pickled Fish or Curried Fish

Now here's a recipe that you may not have tried before or even heard of.  To be honest, I didn't really try it until this past Easter, when my sister in law mentioned the pickled fish that her mom Valerie, would make for Easter every year.

It is pretty much a tradition for them in South Africa.

Having lived in that country for bout 15 years when I was growing up, I do remember seeing it and hearing about it, but I just never got around to eating it.  I wish I had, because I am absolutely in love with it.

The recipe comes from Auntie Valerie, and although there are measurements, she is used to making it all by eyeballing, pretty much like I cook my meals.  But, I'm giving you the recipe as she has given us and I promise you, if you love pickled anything, or curry flavors, you will fall in love with it too.

I'm giving you the recipe for the pickled mixture, not the fish itself.  You can fry up some battered fish, about a pound for this recipe.  Or you can even use the ready bagged breaded or battered fish fillets.  Just bake them in the oven according to directions and then place in a casserole dish and pour the pickled sauce over.

Pickled or Curried Fish

Source:  Auntie Valerie

1 big onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
Butter
2 teaspoons masala
10 pepper corns
6 cloves
6 bay leave
3 curry leaves (you can leave out if you don't have)
2 tablespoons apricot jam
Half a cup of vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 heaped tablespoon of curry powder
2 tablespoons of chutney (very important, do NOT leave out)


Braise Onions and green pepper in butter with the masala, pepper corns, cloves, bay leaves, curry leaves thin straps of green pepper.

Add apricot jam, vinegar, sugar, curry powder and chutney.  Simmer for a few minutes until onion and green pepper are tender.  Check spices, if it is too sweet for your liking, add a bit more vinegar.

Pour over fried fish and refrigerate for at least a day.

It tastes better as it sits and soaks in all that goodness.  We eat ours cold.  You can serve it with potatoes, or rice, enjoy as a snack or even as a sandwich (one of my favorite ways to eat it).

Enjoy!!!  

Texas Hash

If there is one thing I enjoy, are casseroles or one dish meals.  I can throw it all in one pan, cook it, serve it and only have to worry about very minimal cleanup.

Not to mention, casseroles have always been synonymous with comforting and filling food, which when you're cooking for 7 people at a time, can mean inexpensive and I'm all about that.

This was pretty good, the whole family enjoyed it.  I served it with a salad and some steamed broccoli and it got thumbs up from everyone, so I hope you enjoy it too.

Texas Hash

Source: A Family Feast

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound ground beef, 80/20
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup long grain white rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce



In a skillet that has a tight fitting cover, heat olive oil over medium high.
Add onion, peppers, garlic, ground beef, dry mustard, chili powder, salt and pepper. Sauté until ground beef is no longer pink, breaking up beef as you cook.

Add rice and cook for two minutes letting rice absorb liquid.  Add tomato paste and cook for one minute.  Add canned tomatoes with juice, water and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes covered.

After 20 minutes, remove lid and fluff the mixture then serve. If the mixture is to wet, cook for another few minutes with lid off.

Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake - No Bake

Ferrero Rocher.......and cheesecake......all in one delicious mixture.  I mean, what is there NOT to like about that?

Last week it was my sister in law's birthday and she had been eyeing out this cheesecake, so I decided that instead of a birthday cake, I would make her this instead.

It was a hit.  I think it's the perfect combination of chocolate and hazelnuts and cream cheese.  It's not overly rich and sweet which makes it even better, in my opinion.

Super easy, no bake cheesecake.

Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake

Source: Tastemade

8 ½ oz of crushed corn flakes

2 ½ oz unsalted butter, melted

4 tbsps cocoa powder

7 oz hazelnut

1.1 lbs cream cheese

1 ½ cup + 4 tbsps cream (25% fat content)

3 oz sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

170g dark chocolate

8 Ferrero Rocher chocolates


Crush the cornflakes with melted butter and cocoa powder. Cover the bottom of a springform pan with the crushed corn flakes and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Toast the hazelnuts in the oven.

Blend the still warm hazelnuts to form a paste. Add the cream cheese, half of the cream, vanilla extract and sugar and beat until all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour it in the pan and spread with a spatula. Refrigerate until firm.

Melt the chocolate with the rest of the cream.

Cover the cheesecake with chocolate. Decorate with Ferrero Rocher chocolates let it cool for 30 minutes. Serve.