Spanakopita Snacks! Spinach never tasted so good!

Spanakopita Cups

These are a variation of the traditional Spanakopita Triangles. I had intended on taking them to my MIL's for Boxing Day but there was so much food left over from Christmas that they were never made. I was also going to make them in mini muffin pans but as we had them for dinner I made them in the Texas muffin pans. They are delicious with a dab of plum sauce!


Ingredients:


1 x Small onion chopped
1 x Pack frozen spinach (if using fresh then you'll need 2 bunches)
1 x Pack feta cheese (crumbled)
1 x Cup cottage cheese
1 x Egg
50g Butter melted
8 Sheets Filo Pastry


Method:


1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. Thaw the spinach (in a saucepan or the microwave) and drain as much water out as possible. If using fresh - cut all the white stalk off and shred the spinach. Saute in a pan until quite wilted.
* At this point you can choose to saute your onion to soften it or leave it raw. I leave it raw as it cooks a little in the oven later and has a great little crunch.
3. Combine the spinach, feta cheese, cottage cheese, onion and egg.
4. Lay out 4 of the filo pastry sheets. Using a pastry brush, brush each layer with butter and stack on top of each other. Cut into 4 equal parts.
5. Brush a little butter inside each of the muffin wells of the pan.
6. Place each section of stacked filo into each of the wells. Gently pushing in so there isn't too much overhang outside of the well.
7. Repeat step 4-6 with the other 4 filo sheets and muffin pan.
8. Spoon the spinach mix into the filo cups.
9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins.
10. When cooked, let sit in the muffin pan for a minute or two, then gently lift out and place on a plate for immediate devouring! Alternatively set on a cooling rack before packing into a container to take on that picnic or to your friends house!

Homemade Muesli Bars

The kids and I made some snacks for the week. We started with some muesli bars. These are packed with fruit and oats and are a great source of protein and energy.

Don't worry if you don't have these particular fruits or nuts. Put what you like in, just try to keep the ratios the same!

Feel free to share this recipe but please link back to me or credit me as the source. Thanks!

Let me know if you make it!


Homemade Muesli Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup sultanas (or raisins)
1 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
1 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
1 cup chopped dried apples
1 cup chopped mixed nuts (we used cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts and almonds)
1/2 cup pepitas and sunflower seeds
6 cups rolled oats
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
1 bottle shaker pancake mix
*milk if needed

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a deep baking tray with baking paper. (This will aid in lifting out the slice).

2. Gently melt the peanut butter and honey together until just warmed and a little runny. Do not cook them. They will taste bitter.

3. In one bowl mix all the fruit.

4. Pour the peanut butter and honey mixture over the fruit and fold gently to combine.

5. Mix in another bowl the oats, seeds and nuts.

6. Follow instructions to make the pancake mix liquid.

7. Pour the pancake mix over the oats mix and stir in.

8. Add the fruit mix and using your hands combine together. The mixture must be sticky but not wet. If it needs more liquid add milk.

9. Press the mixture into the baking tray firmly. Push down and into corners so it is evenly in the tray.

10. Bake for 20-30 mins until the top is a light golden brown.

11. Allow to cool slightly (about 10 mins) then lift out of tray. Before it cools totally slice into squares or rectangles.

12. Enjoy. These slabs are slow release so will fuel your kiddies or you for a while and will also fill them up in between meals!


Let me know if you make them and if you make any adjustments!

Kitchen Delights and Kitty Brights ...

Yay for summer ... in my house we like to cook light and summer is the season for fish and salad. We can't seem to get enough and it's amazing how the same four basic ingredients can be so wholly changed with a few extra herbs and spices ...

Last night it was a throw together - I had meant to have a Thai Salad but we didn't go shopping so with the fish Pete brought home I julienned some potatoes and after frying them up I doused them with a sprinkle of lime and chilli salt.

The fish was pan fried with more lime and some Ketjap Manis. I used baby roma tomatoes and chunks of coriander in the salad. After sprinkling with ground coriander I mixed up some olive oil, sweet chilli, lemon juice and salt and poured that over.

YUMMO

We had a garage sale last weekend and my neighbour and friend Liz popped over and we were discussing wool. She recently started felting and loves it. I happened to have a few balls of wool that she could no longer get and to show her gratitude she made Erin a felt Kitty like the others she has been making.



B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L
The photos really don't do this kitty justice

She makes Babushkas, Retro Kitty Cats and she brought over a bag with a beautiful wrap and hat and some felt slippers she has made.

I'm trying to get her onto Etsy because her stuff is that great

Pie?

I love Pie.

I love to make all sorts of pies. The other night we had plain meat pie.

It was good ... so good the eldest child requested I make another pie because Grandpa and Daddy ate what was left of this one.

So here ... two pies

Too good not to share ...

I go through phases of being a foody, where all I can think about is cooking or baking and playing with ingredients and then it seems to just fade away while I get inspired with my sewing or other crafty stuff.

This week however was a food week, we had a few dinners based around simple fish and squid and they were so delicious I just have to share them ...

1. Grilled Sea Perch with a Chilli and Lime crispy outer on a bed of Thai Salad (cucumber, tomato, coriander, basil, red onion, rice vermicilli and carrot dressed with a *secret* Thai sauce

2. Grilled Sea Perch with Cajun Spice (homemade) on a bed of mint salad (mint, cucumber, spring onion, tomato and a dressing of garlic mayo

3. Salt and Pepper squid with a crisp rocket salad

4. Can't deny oneself of tea ... so have to top it off with some iced tea and mint!

Yum Yum

If you would like a recipe please comment here with your e-mail address and I will send it to you ...

Kitchen Delights

I bought some "new" things at the markets on Sunday. While I was there trying to sell my wares I purchased some objects I have been trying to chase down for ages.
Yay
A blender
and
Yay
Analon Knife Block
I am in love
and planning what to make for dinner so I can use my new knives