**FEBRUARY RECIPES 2**

MOUSSAKA:

1.5kg (about 2 large) eggplant, cut into 5mm-thick slices
Salt
1 tbs olive oil, plus extra to brush
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves
1/2 tsp Masterfoods ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1kg lamb mince
1 cup (250ml) red wine
400g can diced tomatoes
1 cup grated parmesan

Method
Sprinkle eggplant with salt. Set aside for 1 hour. Rinse and pat dry.

Preheat a grill. Brush the eggplant with olive oil. Grill for 4-5 minutes each side until golden.

Cook the onion, oregano, cinnamon and nutmeg in a frying pan with the oil until soft. Add the mince and cook until browned. Add the wine and tomatoes. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until it thickens.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Layer the eggplant, parmesan and mince in a 12-cup ovenproof dish finishing with eggplant. Spread over the bechamel sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden. Set aside for 15 minutes before serving.

LAMB & WATERMELON SALAD:

2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbs fresh rosemary
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp dried chilli fl akes
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
100ml extra virgin olive oil
4 x 200g lamb backstraps, trimmed
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
1/3 cup (95g) Greek-style yoghurt


WATERMELON SALAD:

1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
300g watermelon flesh, roughly chopped
120g feta, crumbled
1/2 cup mint leaves , sliced if large
1/2 cup (60g) pitted kalamata olives, sliced

Pound cumin, rosemary, peppercorns, chilli and 1 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle, until coarsely ground. Add the lemon and orange zests, then stir in oil. Place lamb in a shallow dish, pour over marinade, then turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Heat a heavy-based frypan over medium-high heat. In 2 batches, sear the lamb on all sides, turning, for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a baking tray, then roast in the oven for 7 minutes for medium-rare, or until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the watermelon salad, whisk together the oil and lemon juice, then season and toss in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients.

Stir the mint into the yoghurt and season well. Slice the lamb backstraps and serve with the watermelon salad and minted yoghurt on the side.

**FEBRUARY RECIPES**

PEPPERED CHICKEN SALAD WITH MANGO:

100g skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 leaf iceberg lettuce
80g fresh mango, sliced into cubes
50g avocado, sliced into cubes
60g red capsicum, diced
Sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper

Dressing:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard


Preheat non stick frying pan, add chicken to pan and cook under golden brown.
Place lettuce leaf on plate, arrange chicken, mango, avaocado and capsicum on top of leaf.
Mix red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard together until mixed well, drizzle over salad.
Serve immediately.


PUMPKIN CURRY & NAAN BREAD:

400g pumpkin
100g carrot
150g onion (approx 1 onion)
50g Thai curry paste
250g Naan bread
20g baby spinach


Recipe Method:
Peel pumpkin, cut into small cubes.
Peel carrot and cut into small cubes.
Dice onion and preheat pan over medium heat
Add onion, spray with cooking spray and cook until lightly browned.
Add pumpkin and carrot.
Cook for about five minutes or until pumpkin and carrot is a little tender.
Add curry paste to pan, stir to mix through pumpkin / carrot well.
Add warm water, mix through and simmer for 2-3 minutes, if the mixture looks too dry add a little more warm water.


Heat naan bread in microwave to refresh.
Add spinach to pumpkin/carrot and cook until wilted.
Serve immediately on top of Naan bread.


FIELD MUSHROOM WITH CHICKPEAS & TOMATO

4 large field mushrooms
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 400g can chick peas, drained
1 roma tomato, diced
1 small onion, diced


Preheat non stick frying pan over low - medium heat.
Mix olive oil and garlic together and brush all over mushrooms.
Place mushrooms in pan and cook each side until golden brown (about 2 minutes each side).
Set aside.
In the same pan, add onion, cook until golden brown, add roma tomato and chickpeas and cook for about 2 minutes.
Serve chickpea mixture on top of mushrooms and serve immediately.

**VALENTINE'S DAY RECIPES**

MOIST CHOC CHIP COOKIES:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.
Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy.
Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.
Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted.
Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.


CHOC LAVA CAKE:

5 squares (1 oz./28 g each) semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup (50 mL) butter
2 eggs
2 additional egg yolks
1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
2 tsp. (10 mL) vanilla
1 tsp. (5 mL) instant coffee powder
1 tbsp. (15 mL) all purpose flour
whipped cream and berries as an accompaniment


Grease four 3/4 cup (175 mL) custard cups or individual souffle dishes.
In a small saucepan, melt together the chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
Remove from heat.
In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, additional egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and instant coffee powder until very thick, about 5 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to form a ribbon when you lift the beater from the bowl.
Gently fold in the flour and the chocolate mixture, mixing just until combined.
Pour batter into prepared baking dishes, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until about one hour before you're planning to serve dessert. (You can prepare the batter as much as 24 hours before serving -- great for do-ahead entertaining.)
Remove baking dishes from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Arrange baking dishes on a large pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the top is just barely set. (A toothpick poked into the center of one of the cakes will come out with batter attached.)
Let cool for 5 minutes, then very carefully loosen the sides of the cakes by running a knife blade around the inside surface of the dish and turn them out onto individual serving plates.
Serve immediately with whipped cream and, if desired, fresh strawberries or raspberries.

**ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE.......**

Well what do you know??the month of LOVE is upon us!!!

Chocolate candy hearts,moonlit strolls & lavish gifts.....is what you can expect if your'e young & experiencing new love but hang on till you married for yonks & V'DAY does not register anymore.........hahahaha!!

My big fella might not be as indulgent with the pressies anymore but he still cherish & appreciates me just as much......wait a tick, even more so??!!.....:)
I might have to remind him when the day aprroaches,maybe even make the reservations myself, possibly.......maybe this year I'll cut back on the choc hearts & settle for a few extra zzzzzzzzz's!!!

Oh LOVE.......love is grande!!