FoodieChat

This monthly magazine is one of FoodieChat’s favourites.  There are numerous recipes which not only look good due to the styling, but also are easy to prepare and offer a good variety. The travel features provide a run down on great places to eat and shop around the place, and delicious. has a good basket of well known chefs which write regular articles and recipes. My favourites include Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, Bill Granger to name a few.

At only $6.50 an issue it is a great value read – you will also be guaranteed to get good use of the recipes, whether it be “Tuesday night cooking” (weeknights), or an internationally themed dinner party.

Leftover chicken can be made into sandwiches with turkish bread and rocket. A great BBQ dish!

Ingredients

500g chicken breast fillet, cut into 3cm wide lengths
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
4 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
 

Method

1. Mix together lime juice, olive oil, parsley, garlic
2. Marinate chicken breast strips and season, leave for at least 30 minutes
3. Thread chicken onto wooden skewers
4. Cook chicken skewers on an oiled grill pan until cooked, turning once
5. Serve with side salad or couscous. Serves 2-3

Making your own pizza not only takes less time than waiting for home delivery, but it is many times healthier too.  Buy a few frozen bases to keep in your freezer, and always have on hand sachets of tomato paste. You can freeze what you don’t use for up to three months!  I like to sprinkle some chilli flakes on for a bit of zing.

Ingredients

Serves 2

1 cup of veges, sliced (see suggestions)
½ cup of meat  eg Shredded salami, ham, SPAM, shredded chicken, cooked mince
¾ cup grated mozarella cheese
½ small thinly sliced onion
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
A few fresh basil leaves and oregano leaves (substitute 1 teaspoon dried italian herbs)

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees celcius
2. Spread unthawed pizza base with tomato paste leaving a 1cm border for the crust
3. Sprinkle half cup mozarella on the base. At this stage, add your herbs (chilli flakes, basil leaves, oregano etc)
4. Arrange topping in a consistent layer on base and top with remaining cheese
5. Place on a tray in oven for 10-15mins (see instructions on pizza base box) – or for extra crispy base, place directly onto oven rack.

Suggestions

Mushroom pizza – 1 cup of sliced mushroom caps
Ham and mushroom – ½ cup sliced ham, ½ cup shredded mushrooms
Supreme – 8 whole slices of salami, ¼ cup thinly sliced green capsicum, handful sliced mushrooms, pepperoni
Chicken – ¾ cup shredded barbeque chicken, 2 rashers thinly sliced bacon, ¼ cup diced red capsicum

My friend Annie made this for me when I went to her place, and my dislike of raw tomatoes was instantly dissipated!

Method

1. Mix together onion, coriander, and add vinegar, oil, chilli and seasoning
2. Leave for 15 minutes
3. Slice tomatoes, and arrange on a serving plate
4. Spoon onion relish onto tomato slices and serve. Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients
6 vine ripened tomatoes
½ spanish onion, very finely chopped
Handful fresh coriander finely chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ small chilli, seeds removed, very finely chopped