FUDGE CAKE

This is my mothers recipe...in fact the original recipe in my battered old cookbook asks for 1/4 lb of butter! And I recall as a child a large tin of 'broken biscuits' in the cupboard which she more than likely used to make this with. An absolute must have for my daughters birthday parties when they were growing up too...

• 125g butter (1/4 lb!!!)
• 1 tblspn cocoa
• 2 tblspn milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 x packet super wine biscuits
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped assortment of dried apricots/dates/walnuts (whatever you have in the pantry)

Melt the butter, cocoa, milk and sugar,stirring in a small saucepan until all combined.
Process the biscuits in a food processor until almost breadcrumby, but don't worry if there are a few larger pieces. 

Place in a bowl with the chopped apricots etc and pour melted mixture in. Mix until combined and press into a cake tin, put in fridge to cool. Ice with chocolate icing, cut into squares and serve.

Lasts well refrigerated but it doesn't usually last longer than 2 days before it is all eaten (especially when the Greek guy has never tasted it before and keeps having to have 'one more piece'!!!

GREEN OLIVE SCROLLS

Nothing could be easier than these pastry scrolls! They can be filled with a variety of spreads - Roast Red Pepper Pesto and Green Olive Pesto are just as delicious. If you are making them with pesto, sprinkle a small handful of grated parmesan on top of the pesto before rolling up the pastry. I have made so many of these scrolls over the years, always a firm favourite! Made trays and trays and trays for my girls' 21st birthdays.

• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, coarsley chopped
• 1/3 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup feta crumbled
  
• 2 x frozen puff pastry sheet squares 

Take puff pastry out of the freezer and leave to defrost while you prepare the filling.

Place the olives, cream cheese and feta in a bowl and mix well. Spread the filling all over the sheets. Roll up the pastry from one side until it comes to the middle, then roll opposite side to meet it, brush with a little water so they stick together. Cut into .5 cm slices and place side down on baking tray. Easily prepared ahead of time - refrigerate until you are ready to put them in the oven.

Bake in pre-heated oven @ 200oC for 10 -15 minutes until golden. Serve immediately. Yum!!!

GREEN OLIVE PESTO

I love green olives and have been going a bit mad lately with them! With the addition of green olives, this recipe is a nice change to a traditional 'basil' pesto. Serve tossed through hot pasta, spread on bruschetta, toast, sandwiches, thinned and drizzled on poached eggs... delissimo...

• 1/2 cup pitted green olives
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves
• 3 tblspns pinenuts (lightly toasted in a dry pan)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 grated parmesan cheese

Throw everything in a small food processor and process until combined.
Nothing easier!
Store in the fridge for one week, or freeze for up to 3 weeks.

ONE POT CHILLI

I love Sundays when I have plenty of time to make meals that take a little longer to cook. We had a wet Sunday recently so I made the most of it! I made this chilli, froze half and had the other half the next night when the flavours had really developed. Then when I have a busy day I can go straight to the freezer and voila - a delicious 'frozen'meal (and not from the supermarket!!!) Nice too in a hollowed out baked potato heated in the oven with lots of cheese on top. Mm mmm and so easy.

• 500g beef mince
• 1 x chorizo sausage chopped
• 1/2 - 1 tspn chilli flakes
• 1 tspn dried oregano
• 1 tspn smoked paprika
• 1 tspn ground cumin
• dash cayenne
• ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 x 420g can diced tomatoes
• 1 x 420g can red kidney beans
• 1 x 420g can chilli beans
• 1 x large red onion finely chopped
• 1 x clove garlic crushed
• 2 x tblspn tomato paste
• 1 x tblspn worcestershire sauce
• 1 tspn salt

Heat a good splash of olive oil in a heavy based pan, add the beef, chorizo, chilli flakes, oregano, smoked paprika, cumin and cayenne. Break up mince with a fork, then cook everything until lightly browned.

Add all the rest of the ingredients to the pan, plus a tin of water. Mix until combined. Simmer covered on low heat or bake in oven @ 150oC for 1 - 1/12 hours . Stir from time to time and add more water if necessary.

Serve with rice, pasta, corn chips and grated cheese, in a wrap or taco shell, whatever you fancy! Nice with a dollop of sour cream, natural yoghurt or guacamole.