Slow Cooker Adobo Chicken

This is a recipe I've had 'pinned' for a while. While I had not heard of it before the ingredients looked good.
I made it today with boneless chicken thighs and it was worth making again. It cooked really fast though. I think I'll do it with chicken with the bone in next time.
I reduced the sauce down in the slow cooker (using the browning setting) and it made a really intensely flavoured sauce...best used sparingly but well worth using.
It had quite a bite from the cayenne pepper. To cater for the little person, I just left the sauce off.

Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo 

Yields 4-6 servings

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 pounds chicken thighs, fat trimmed
• Brown rice, for serving

Mix ingredients, add chicken and coat well.

Cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove chicken and put in dish to grill in oven.

Strain remaining liquid, then simmer 8-10 minutes to reduce by half.

Baste chicken with liquid then  grilling for about 2 minutes on each side.

Serve with rice.

White Chocolate Creme Brûlée

This recipe is a family favorite. Almost a guarantee to get the family together for dinner!
I first made it as part of a chocolate dessert platter for a very special birthday dinner for a friend.
I can't remember the last time I made it and as we have a bowl of egg yolks just calling out to be used I'm really left with no choice.
Having not made this for a long time, I was amazed at how simple it really is...simple in that there are not too many steps, but not simple in that there are a few things that can go wrong!

I left making it a bit late today...well, actually a lot late but discovered a way to speed up the cooling process. After the cook brûlées had cooled a bit I put them back in the water bath and slowly added ice.
I left then in there while I caramelised the sugar too. Not ideal in that they were a wee bit runny but good enough to get them finished in time for dinner tonight.


White Chocolate Creme Brûlée

500ml (2 cups) cream

100g (1/2 cup) sugar (plus 5 tsp for topping)

1/2 vanilla bean (split in half lengthwise)

75g white chocolate (best quality tablet, roughly chopped) ( white chocolate melts are not suitable)

5 egg yolks

• Preheat oven to 150°C.
• Pour cream into a medium heavy based saucepan and add half the sugar. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean and add seeds and bean to cream.
• Place saucepan over a low heat and stir till sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow cream to sit for 2 minutes.
• Away from heat add white chocolate to cream mixture and stir till smooth.
• Place egg yolks and remaining sugar into a bowl and combine with a wooden spoon hoping not to create froth.
• Gradually and slowly pour warm cream mixture into egg yolk mixture stirring till combined. Pour liquid through a sieve to remove vanilla bean, any strands of egg white and froth. If any froth remains on liquid scrape it off.
• Pour liquid into 5 small ovenproof ramekins or cups. Place ramekins into a roasting tray and add enough warm water to roasting tray to come halfway up the sides of ramekins.
• Place in oven and bake for 55-60 minutes or till custards are just set in the centres. They should still appear wobbly. Immediately remove from water and cool. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or preferably overnight.
• To serve: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over each custard and brûlée till sugar is browned. Serve immediately.

Honey Rice Bubble Slice

Isabella has finally developed a taste for honey so this was another quick easy and cheap thing to make for the school gala. Even though I remember them from when I was a child, I've never made them. If I realised just how easy they were they would have featured at a birthday party before now.
I added colourful sprinkles for the gala but they are great without them.

The tray before cutting.

I have to admit the picture isn't mine. I forgot to take one when I was cutting and putting them on plates.

Honey Rice Bubble Slice

Ingredients

100g butter
100g Chelsea White Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
3-5 cups of rice bubbles

Method

Melt the butter, sugar, and honey in a saucepan. When melted, boil for 3 mins, take off the heat and add rice bubbles, mix in.
Put in a swiss roll tin and leave to cool before cutting into squares.

Afghan Biscuits

These are a bit of a favourite from my past. They are always really popular and pretty quick and easy to make. My only challenge is that we don't have cornflakes in the house so when I decide to make them I have to remember to buy the cornflakes.
I made these for a school gala - hence the smarties on top. A chocolate button or the more traditional walnut looks much better.
I like these small because they are quite rich with the chocolate icing on top but big ones look prety impressive too.

Afghan Biscuits

Biscuits
200g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups Edmonds, standard plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups cornflakes
Chocolate Icing (see below)
walnuts, optional

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Sift flour and cocoa.

2. Stir into creamed mixture. Fold in cornflakes.

3. Spoon mounds of mixture onto a greased oven tray gently pressing together. For Afghan Ice Cream Dessert, take balls of the mixture and press into discs before placing on trays.

4. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and firm.

5. When cold ice with chocolate icing and decorate with a walnut piece if you like.

Chocolate Icing: 
200g dark chocolate
1/2 cup cream
25g butter

1. Break chocolate into top of a small bowl. Add butter and cream.

2. Set over hot water and heat, stirring constantly, unit it has melted and smooth. Alternatively, microwave on MEDIUM power for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

3. Beat until thick before using.

Oat Cakes

With an afternoon 'drinks and nibbles' ahead of us I've been thinking about what I could make.
After a busy week, I'm pretty happy to let the super market do most of the 'cooking' for me but remembered this recipe. I've made these before and they are really nice as part of a cheese board. They are simple, cheap and pretty quick too.

The recipe makes about 50. I'm going to freeze some to take away for our Easter weekend away.





Oat Cakes
360g oatmeal (I use rolled oats...not sure if that is the same but it works)
100g plain flour
2 1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbs sugar
130g butter
200 mls milk

Preheat oven to 200degrees C.
Combine all ingredients except milk.
Add milk and mix for several minutes...the food processor is great for this.
Roll out very thin and cut into biscuits.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.