I've been buying store bought Granola for years...now I won't be bothering after finally making my own version. So happy with this and the whole house will smell like cinnamon and honey! Ingredients: 2 cups Walnuts 2 cups Pecans 1 cup Slivered Almonds 1 cup plain Oats 1/2 cup Sesame Seeds 1 cup LSA Mix (remove sultanas so they don't burn in oven) 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil 1/2 cup Pure Honey (I use our local Arnold’s brand) 1 tblsp Cinnamon Method: Preheat oven to 180. C Cut all nuts roughly and add to large bowl.  Add sesame seeds, LSA mix and oats. Stir.  Add oil, honey and cinnamon. Stir well.  Pour into oven tray covered in baking paper.  Cook for 15 mins stirring every 5 mins. You don't want it to burn Let cool and store in a air tight canister. Serve with fruit and yogurt.  Enjoy!

I love entertaining and particularly whipping up delicious nibbles for my guests to enjoy at the start of the evening. THIS IS A MUST MAKE. It's incredible easy and the flavour combo is awesome. I put this together just before my guests arrive so it doesn't get soggy. Ingredients: 250g Cream Cheese; softened 1 small jar Jim Jam Quince Jelly or Jam (at Arnold's) Drizzle of Caramelised Balsamic Vinegar  Handful of Pecan Nuts; chopped roughly  Handful of fresh Thyme leaves Method: Smother the cream cheese over a flat platter. Dollop teaspoon size amounts of quince jelly randomly over cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and caramelised balsamic vinegar. Scatter over nuts and thyme leaves. Serve with crackers and wine (of course!)

This cake is the perfect dessert cake. And the fact that it uses two whole oranges (skin and all!) makes it super moist and oh so fabulous! I remember my Mum making this in the 80s. I often boil the oranges the day before so they can then cool in the fridge then make the cake the day of serving. It doesn't need icing, just a dust of icing sugar and serve with cream and berries. Enjoy! This is a fave of mine. Ingredients: 2 Oranges, Washed 1 Cup Caster Sugar 6 Free Range Eggs 1 Cup Almond Meal 1 Tsp Baking Powder Icing Sugar, To Serve Method: Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Wash the oranges and cook in the boiling water for 2 hours. Keep an eye on the water level and top up if neccesary. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature or in fridge, then puree in a food processor. This step can be done ahead of time. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 22cm spring form cake tin with baking paper. Beat the eggs and caster sugar until well combined. Stir in the orange puree followed by the almond meal and baking powder. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and cook for 1 hour. Once cooled dust with icing sugar and serve.

Roasting the pumpkin just brings this soup up to another level! And it’s ingenious because the oven does all the work and you just scoop out the flesh. I’ve been known to eat the roasted pumpkin skin as a snack – its delicious! Ingredients: 2 Butternut Pumpkin 2 Brown Onions 1 Whole head of Garlic; cut in half Salt and Pepper 4 Cups Chicken Stock 1 Cup Cream 1 Tblsp Honey Sour Cream; to serve Method: Preheat oven to 220°C Cut the pumpkins in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place the pumpkins, cut-side up, along with the whole onions (unpeeled) and garlic on a baking tray. Drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 1 hour or until the pumpkin is just soft and starting to brown. Once cooled a little, scoop the pumpkin flesh out of its skin into a blender. Squeeze the onion flesh away from its skin and add to the blender. Squeeze the garlic cloves from the skin. Add half the chicken stock and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a saucepan, add the remaining stock, the cream and honey. Place over medium heat until the soup is heated through. Serve with sour cream and crusty bread.

This is an absolute winner!! And the first recipe I posted on Facebook back in the day that went gang busters. I now only make risotto this way … no more standing by the stove and stirring! The oven does all the work and the flavour is awesome. Ingredients: 2 tblsp Olive Oil 2 rashers Bacon, Chopped 1 Leek, Rinsed and Sliced 2 cloves Garlic 3/4 Cup Arborio Rice 2 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock 500g Butternut Pumpkin, Skin Removed and Cut into Cubes 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese; Freshly Grated 20g Butter 100g Spinach Leaves 2 tblsp Parsley; Finely Chopped 1/2 tsp Salt & Pepper Method: Preheat oven 180.C Heat pan with olive oil. Add bacon and leeks to pan and cook 4 minutes. Add garlic. Cook 2 minutes. Transfer to large oven proof dish. Add Arborio rice and chicken stock along with pumpkin to dish. Add lid and place in oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven and add Parmesan cheese, butter and spinach leaves along with salt and pepper. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes. Add parsley on top for garnish. Serve and enjoy!

This is on repeat at my place! Lots of vegetables along with beef mince makes for a great family meal on a budget! The flavour of the Chicken Noodle Soup packet takes it to the next level. I have to credit Hubby for this recipe; but I've made some tweaks. Ingredients: 1 Brown Onion; Peeled and Diced 1 Carrot; Diced 2 Celery Stalks; Chopped 800g Beef Mince 1 tblsp Curry Powder 2 packets 45g Continental Chicken Noodle Simmer Soup Mix 1 cup Water 1 quarter Cabbage/Wombuk Cabbage; Shredded 1 cup Frozen Peas Method: Heat pan and add olive oil. Cook onion, carrot and celery 5 mins. Add beef mince and brown. Add curry powder. Add Chicken Noodle soup mix. Add water. Toss. Bring to boil then place lid on and simmer 10 mins. Add cabbage. Pop lid back on for 10-15 mins or until cabbage is wilted. Add frozen peas, stir and sit for 5 mins. Serve.

I prefer recipes that are easy and this one is SUPER easy! And you get a great result. Perfect for a mid week meal or even a luncheon with the girls. I often have a big bag of spinach leaves on hand to make this! Ingredients: 1 Tblsp Olive Oil 400g Spinach Leaves 4 Green Eschallots; Thinly Sliced 1 Garlic Cloves; Crushed 1 Tbslp Dill; Fresh 100g Feta Cheese; Crumbled 1/2 Cup Tasty Cheese: Grated 4 Eggs 1/2 Cup Self Raising Flour 1 1/2 Cups Milk Method: Preheat oven 180°C. Lightly grease a 4 cup-capacity, 23cm (base) pie dish. Place on a baking tray. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Add spinach. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until wilted. Transfer to a plate. Cool for 20 minutes. Meanwhile prepare remaining ingredients. Heat remaining oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook for 1 minute or until softened. Add garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl. Place spinach in a sieve. Using the back of a large spoon, press liquid from spinach. Add spinach, dill, feta and tasty cheese to onion mixture. Stir to combine. Spoon over base of prepared dish. Whisk eggs and flour together in a jug (mixture will be a little bit lumpy). Gradually add milk, whisking to combine. Pour egg mixture over spinach mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until risen, lightly browned and set. Cut into wedges and serve with a salad.

Every time I make this I get asked for the recipe! It looks absolutely fantastic on the table. Make sure you use fresh corn and charring them makes a difference. Ingredients: 6 Sweet Corn Cobs; Silks and Husks Removed 1 Tblsp Olive Oil 1/2 bch Mint; leaves picked and chopped 150g Feta Cheese; crumbled 4 Green Eschallots/Spring Onions; finely chopped 1 Red Capsicum: Diced 1 Ripe Avocado; Flesh Cubed Dressing: 1/2 Tsp Chilli Flakes 1 Tsp Dijon Mustard 100ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 1/2 Tblsp White Wine Vinegar Method: Heat pan and add olive oil. Cut off kernels from corn and cook in a hot pan for 5 mins or until beginning to blacken and pop. Let cool and then place in a serving bowl. Add the Feta, eschallots, capsicum, avocado and mint to bowl. Make dressing by combining chilli flakes, mustard, oil and vinegar in a small jar and shake well to combine. Add dressing to salad, toss gently to combine and serve!

This is all done in one pan, so there’s minimal washing up! The rice cooks slowly in the liquid and then once the cheese is added and melts, you’re left with a delicious budget family meal. Ingredients: 2 Tblsp Olive Oil 1 Brown Onion; Peeled and Diced 3 Garlic Cloves; Crushed 500g Beef Mince 2 x 45g Packets Old El Paso Chilli Mix 1 Red Capsicum; Chopped 1 Green Capsicum; Chopped 1/3 Cup Tomato Paste 1 1/4 Cup Long Grain White Rice; Uncooked 2 Cobs Sweet Corn; Kernels Cut off 400g Can Black Beans; Drained 2.5 Cups Chicken Stock 1 Cup Green Eschallots/Spring Onions; Chopped 2 Cups Grated Tasty Cheese Sour Cream; to serve Avocado Slices; to serve Corn Chips; to serve Method: Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook 1 1/2 minutes until onion is translucent. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see raw meat (about 2 minutes). Add El Paso Chili Spices packets and cook for 30 seconds. Add capsicums and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and broth, stir to mix in. Add rice, corn kernels and black beans. Stir, bring to simmer then cover and lower heat to medium low (simmering gently). Cook 15 minutes. Remove lid, quickly stir through Eschallots/Spring Onion and HALF the cheese. Smooth top then sprinkle on remaining cheese. Cover and leave for 5 minutes just to melt cheese. Remove from stove and serve immediately, topped with sour cream, avocado and corn chips.

I often have over ripe bananas in my fruit bowl which means it's time to make Banana Bread! This is an original Donna Hay recipe that I then experimented with adding the cream cheese filling...and it really takes it to another level! Or you can just make the bread on its own if you like. Ingredients: 4 over ripe mashed Arnold’s bananas ½ cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 ½ cups brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 ½ cups SR Flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon     Cream Cheese Filling 150g softened cream cheese 1 egg 1/4 cup caster sugar 2 tblsp plain flour Method: Preheat oven to 180.C Place mashed banana in a large bowl.  Add oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix to combine. Add flour and cinnamon and mix to combine. Do not over mix. Grease a loaf tin and line with baking paper. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into tin. Make cream cheese filling by adding all ingredients into an electric mixing bowl and combine well. Dot the cream cheese filling over the top then marble with a knife. Add more of the mixture, then the cream cheese layer, then the mixture etc. Bake 55-60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in tin 5 minutes then place on a wire rack to cool.

One of my favourite summer nibbles for a crowd using fresh ingredients including raw Salmon that is “cooked” with lime juice.   Add it to a bed of guacamole and scoop the deliciousness up with corn chips. Ingredients: 1 Salmon Fillet (approx 150g) 1 Cob of Corn 1/2 Red Onion 1/2 Punnet Cherry Tomatoes 2 Tbsp Fresh Mint 2 Tbsp Fresh Chives 1 Tsp Dried Paprika 2 Limes 1 Ripe Avocado 1 Tbsp Sour Cream Salt & Pepper Method: In a large bowl combine the guacamole ingredients, mash and mix until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.   In a second bowl mix together the chopped salmon *, tomatoes, red onions, sweet corn kernels, fresh herbs, dried paprika and mix together. Add the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Mix quickly.   To serve plate up on a lovely platter. Spread the guacamole on the base of the plate. Top with the tartare and garnish with sour cream dollops and extra coriander leaves. Serve with natural corn chips on the side.   *to chop the salmon easily; place fillet in freezer for 30 mins

Slow cooked sticky onion jam is my jam! I first had this as a nibble with Brie cheese and crackers at my friend, Ingrid's home. It literally blew my mind! You will LOVE this combo. Keep it on hand to add to pizza, toasted sandwiches, burgers and steak. Ingredients: 4 Red Onions 1/2 Cup Caster Sugar 1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar 1/4 Cup Water Method: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over med-high heat. Finely slice red onions and add to pan and cook, stirring for 10 minutes or until soft. Add caster sugar and red wine vinegar along with quarter cup water. Stir to combine. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes or until caramelised and liquid reduced.