A few of my most popular recipes, some of my favourites,

and my kitchen tips & hacks...Lee-Ann x

1. Pesto Lamb Cutlets with Prosciutto - house favourite

2. Easy Date Slice Recipe Melt & Mix - top post ever, by a mile!

3. Lamb Sausage Pasta with Basil & Tomato - house favourite

4. Oven Roasted Lamb Ribs with Yoghurt Mint & Garlic Sauce - 2nd top

5. Creamy Crab Pasta with Chilli & Basil - 3rd top

6. Braised Lamb Shanks with Fennel & Giant Couscous – house favourite

Hint No 1: Citrus ZestI NEVER use a piece of citrus fruit without zesting it first, even if I only need the juice. I then storethe zest wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for later use in recipes that require citrus zest but

not juice. They store easily in a container in the freezer.

Pesto Lamb Cutlets with ProsciuttoINGREDIENTS Serves 4 / 20 mins

• 12 lamb cutlets – trimmed (or not!) to your liking• 1 ½ tbsp basil pesto – store bought if you like but even better

with my easy basil pesto recipe• 12 very thin slices of prosciutto

METHOD1. Flatten each cutlet slightly with the flat side of a meat mallet2. Roughly coat each side of the cutlets with basil pesto3. Wrap one slice of prosciutto around the meaty end of each cutlet – the prosciutto will

overlap4. Repeat for remaining cutlets and prosciutto slices5. Pan fry cutlets in a large non-stick fry pan over medium heat for 4 – 5 mins on each side, or

grill/broil for 8 – 10 mins each side, depending on how pink you like your lamb

See my original post Pesto Lamb Cutlets with Prosciutto for more detailed hints & tips

Hint No 2: Grow Your Own HerbsThis is one of the easiest ways of getting maximum flavour into your cooking, and it saves you

money if you buy fresh herbs. I think that fresh herbs taste quite different to dried. I will say thatI'm HOPELESS at growing plants, but there are a few herbs that even I haven't managed to kill!

• Rosemary – EXTREMELY hardy, I find it lasts through each season – at least here in our corner of Australia

• Parsley – one of the herbs I find I would like to add to dishes but hasn't got a really strong flavour, so I leave it out rather than shell out to buy it – solution – grow your own! You'll be surprised how much you use it when it's on hand

• Thyme – really hardy and a lovely flavour that tastes much different to dried• Oregano – looks after itself & beautiful to look at too

Hint No 3: Smelly Cooking Fingers?Moisten your hands with a little water & rub them around the inside

of your stainless steel sink.Garlic, chilli, onion...cooking with these kinds of foods can leave your fingers or hands smelling.Have you heard of stainless steel soap? No need to buy some, just use the stainless steel sink

instead. Cheap, and it's not like you can lose it in the kitchen junk drawer!

Easy Date Slice Recipe – Melt & MixINGREDIENTSMakes 12 squares / 40 mins

• 1 ½ cups / 200g dried dates – chopped• 1 ⅓ cups / 240g self raising flour – sifted• ⅓ cup / 70g light brown sugar• 150g salted butter – cubed• 2 tbsp golden syrup• rind of 1 lemon finely grated

METHOD1. Pre heat oven to 180c / 350f2. Grease and line an 18 x 18 cm / 7 x 7 inch (base measurement) baking tin and set aside3. Combine butter, sugar & golden syrup in a medium heat proof bowl (place a piece of kitchen

towel/paper on top but not touching the contents – this will keep your microwave clean)4. Microwave on high for 1 - 1 ½ mins until butter has melted, remove & mix to melt sugar &

combine5. Meanwhile combine dates, flour & lemon rind in a medium bowl & mix6. Add butter mixture to dates & flour, mixing well to combine (see hint No. 4!)7. Press mixture into prepared tin, smoothing the top, bake for 13 – 15 mins or until golden8. Allow to cool in tin for 30 mins before cutting into 12 squares

See my original post Easy Date Slice Recipe Melt & Mix for more detailed hints & tips

Hint No 4: Floury Hands = COLD WaterIf you have floury hands from kneading/mixing, don't wash them in hot water, this will “cook”

the flour, making it hard to remove. Same goes for mixing bowls or sieves that contained a flourymixture, rinse them in cold water first before doing your final hot wash.

When cleaning flour off your bench after kneading/rolling dough, “dust” the flour off first usinga dry cloth before wiping with a damp one. This will stop clumps of flour sticking to the bench.

Hint No 5: “Core” Your GarlicI learnt this tip from Italian cook Anna del Conte. Have you noticed that garlic cloves have a centralcore? (google says it's a “germ”) The older the garlic gets, the greener & more bitter the core gets,compared to the sweet outer flesh of the bulb. Anna recommends removing the core before usingit, especially if the garlic is going to be used raw (such as in pesto) or only quickly cooked. Prove it

to yourself – remove the core & smell it, then smell the garlic. I core mine every time now.

Lamb Sausage Pasta with Basil & GarlicINGREDIENTS25 mins / Serves 4

• 500 g good quality lamb sausages• 1 tsp olive oil• 1 cup basil leaves – firmly packed• 250 g cherry tomatoes – quartered• 2 garlic cloves – crushed (see hint No 3 & 5!)• 4 sundried tomato halves (not oil packed) very finely chopped• ½ cup pouring/pure cream• juice of 1 lemon (see hint No 1!)• 375 g fettucine pasta (I use fresh) & fresh parmesan to serve

METHOD1. Cook pasta according to packet directions & set aside2. Meanwhile, squeeze meat from sausage casings & shape into bite-size rustic meatballs3. Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat & fry meatballs for 1 -2 mins, or until just

cooked and remove to a plate lined with kitchen towel/paper to drain any excess fat4. Wipe any excess fat from the pan, fry tomatoes over medium heat for 1-2 mins or until they

start to soften, scraping any flavour from the base of the pan5. Add garlic & sundried tomatoes & fry for 1 min6. Add cream, lemon juice, basil & meatballs, turn heat off after 30 seconds, & continue to stir

until basil wilts & meatballs are heated through then add pasta & serve with parmesan

See my original post Lamb Sausage Pasta with Basil & Tomato for more detailed hints & tips

Hint No 6: Powdered Garlic HackGarlic powder in a jar ALWAYS went hard on me after a few uses. I tried rice to absorb the

moisture...then I had to fish rice grains out of the powder to use it AND it still went hard...BOO!Solution - sacrifice a little extra out of the jar on the first use, put in a moisture absorber pack

from a vitamin bottle/jar...YAY!

Hint No 7: Plastic Wrap & Foil HackI found this out by accident – when you open your new pack of foil /plastic wrap and put it back inthe dispenser, I always put it in with the foil/wrap coming out over the TOP. If you turn the roll upthe other way and have the foil/wrap coming out from the BOTTOM it works MUCH better! The

tension gives you more control. Sorry if you knew this, but it was a recent ah-ha moment for me!

Oven Roasted Lamb Ribs with Yoghurt,Mint & Garlic Sauce

INGREDIENTS1 hr 45 mins – Serves 4

• 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs lamb ribs (approx)• 3 tsp dried oregano• 2 tsp ground cumin• rind of 1 lemon – finely grated• ½ tsp fine salt• 2 tbsp olive oil• 60g danish feta – crumbled• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves – sliced• ½ tsp garlic powder (see hint No 6!)• 200 g low fat greek yoghurt

METHOD1. Pre heat oven to 150 c/ 300 f2. To make sauce, combine last 4 ingredients & set aside to let flavours develop3. Place a cake rack / baking rack over a rimmed baking sheet4. Place first 5 ingredients in a plastic bag & mix to coat thoroughly5. Evenly space ribs in a single layer on cake rack, bake for 1 ½ hours or until tender & cooked

through (check after 1 ¼ hours – baking time will vary depending on size of your ribs)6. Serve ribs immediately with yoghurt sauce

See my original post Oven Roasted Lamb Ribs with Yoghurt Mint & Garlic Sauce for detailed hints & tips

Hint No 8: I LOVE Zip Lock Bags & My FreezerI LOVE to cook ahead & freeze meals – and my trusty zip lock bags make that soooo easy!

I put 2 serves in each bag (this makes it quicker for defrosting even if you are feeding 4) seal outthe excess air, label them & freeze them laying flat.

The bags I use (and buy religiously when on special/sale!) are 22 cm / 8 ¾ inch square. The onlything to watch is food with bones (read: lamb shanks) be careful not to pierce the bag – I have

been know to double bag these.

Hint No 9: Don't Eat Your CrustsAny crusts from bread loaves go into a bag in my freezer, then when I have a sizeable bag-full I let

them defrost on the kitchen bench then process – “fresh” bread crumbs.If I want “stale” bread crumbs – then I put the crusts in a single layer on a baking sheet & bake at

130c / 265 f, for 15 – 20 mins to dry out then process when cool.If I want “dry” bread crumbs – like the ones that come in a box/bag in the supermarket – I use the

steps for stale crumbs, but after I process them I put them back in the oven to dry out a bit more for 10 mins, then process them again until they are fine – these I use for crumbing

things like lamb cutlets etc.The finished crumbs get labelled & go into zip lock bags (big surprise!) in the freezer for later use...

Creamy Crab Pasta with Chilli & BasilINGREDIENTS20 mins – Serves 4

• 420 g blue swimmer crab meat – drained & picked for shell• 250 g dried angel hair pasta• 1 tbsp olive oil• 250 g cherry tomatoes cut into quarters or eighths if large• 2 garlic cloves – crushed (see hint No. 3 & 5!)• 1 long red chilli – finely chopped (see hint No. 3!)• 1/3 cup dry white wine• 300 ml pure cream• 1 cup basil leaves – firmly packed• juice of 1 lemon (see hint No. 1!)• salt & pepper to taste• grated parmesan to serve

METHOD1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat2. Add tomatoes & cook for 1 – 2 mins or until tomatoes start to break down3. Add garlic & chilli, and cook stirring for 1 min4. Add white wine to pan to deglaze (it might sizzle a bit) then bring to a boil. Let simmer

for 1 – 2 mins, or until wine has reduced by half5. Add cream, crab & basil to pan and leave on medium heat until cream starts to bubble &

thicken slightly6. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to packet directions & drain7. Add pasta & lemon juice to cream & crab mixture, stirring to combine.8. Serve immediately, topped with parmesan.

See my original post Creamy Crab Pasta with Chilli & Basil for detailed hints & tips

Hint No 10: My Fave Kitchen UtenstilsThis is a list of the utensils/gadgets/appliances that make my life much easier in the kitchen...

• Kitchen scales – you seriously have to get these guys! Mine are electronic & I don't know how I ever cooked without them! Not just for recipes, but portioning food for the freezer or dividing up things like bread dough – it helps you get a more consistent result.

• Silicon – actually almost anything silicon! From big spatulas to small spatulas, my silicon pastry brush, oven mitts (check the temperature rating on those beforepurchase) My secret to making a lump free white sauce involves (amongst other things) a silicon spatula. Heat resistant & so easy to clean. Love it.

• A pastry brush – mine is silicon. I do have an older one with nylon bristles and a plastic handle which is not really as hygienic as the all-in-one silicon one. I don't just use it to brush things, I use it for mixing too. I use it to apply melted butter more evenly to chunky food, like large croutons for example. See my recipe for Crunchy Garlic Bread Bites

for an example.

• A melon baller – I know you are probably thinking that you don't want to ball any melons so why do you need one. Well. I use mine a lot, and I have NEVER balleda melon with it! It can be just the right size for portioning things like truffles, or doubled for cookie/biscuit dough. The scoops also have quite sharp edges, so they are great for shelling out things like potatoes for Oven Baked Super Crispy Potato Skins & Homemade Ranch made with chat/baby potatoes, or for my Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Bacon recipe.

• My dishwasher – fair warning that I have only recently had one installed for thefirst time (yes – I hear the gasps...) and I LOVE cleaning other stuff with it.I chuck in my silicon oven mitts for a clean up on a regular basis. I have also managed tofit (just!) the filters from my kitchen range hood/extractor hood/exhaust hood – they came up a treat. (I think it's the cleanest they have been since it was installed)

• Mortar & pestle – this is one of those great kitchen gadgets that is really simple, and sometimes there is just no substitute for simple. Just does it's job & helps you grind stuff up.Simple. See my recipe Braised Lamb Shanks with Fennel & Giant Couscous for an example.

On a personal note...Thank you SO much for showing an interest in my blog and deciding to subscribe.

This blog is my little piece of the world where I get to share my love of cooking, and I hope that myrecipes help to make your little piece of the world a bit tastier...chef not required...

Lee-Ann x

Braised Lamb Shanks with Fennel & Giant CouscousINGREDIENTS4 hrs 20 mins – Serves 4

• 4 lamb shanks – fat trimmed• 2 tbsp olive oil• 200g short cut bacon – roughly chopped• 2 medium carrots – roughly chopped• 1 large baby fennel bulb – roughly chopped• 1 brown onion – roughly chopped• 2 tbsp tomato paste• 2 large garlic cloves – crushed (see hint No. 3 & 5!)• 2 tbsp fennel seeds – dry toasted & ground in a mortar & pestle or spice mill/grinder• 1 dried bay leaf• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves• 1 cup dry white wine• 4 cups beef stock• 1 cup giant/pearl/israeli couscous

METHOD1. Pre heat oven to 150c / 300f fan forced2. In a large heatproof casserole or dutch oven, fry lamb shanks over medium high heat for 12

– 15 mins or until browned onall sides and remove to a plate (you may need to do this in batches)

3. Using kitchen towel/paper, carefully wipe any excess fat from the pan4. Add bacon, carrot, fennel & onion to pan, cook stirring over medium high heat for 5 – 8

mins or until veg starts to soften5. Add garlic & tomato paste, & cook stirring for 1 min6. Add wine & allow to simmer for 2 – 3 mins, or until wine starts to reduce7. Add thyme, ground fennel seeds & bay leaf to pot8. Add back shanks & any resting juices to the pot, doing your best to nestle the shanks

amongst the veg & down to the base of the pan, then top with stock & bring to a simmer9. Bake, covered for 3 hrs – at this stage the lamb should be cooked & tender10.Remove pot from the oven, turn the oven temperature up to 180c / 350f, add couscous to

cooking liquid, making sure that the couscous is completely sumberged11.Bake, uncovered for 35 mins, or until couscous is tender & lamb should fall away from the

bone. Serve immediately.

See my original post Braised Lamb Shanks with Fennel & Giant Couscous for detailed hints & tips