25eachBamboo SkewersSoak in water overnight to prevent burning
Satay Marinade
3tbspOil
2stalksLemongrasswhite parts only
2clovesGarlicpeeled
6smallShallotspeeled
2tspTurmeric Powder
1tspCoriander powder
1tspChili powder
0.5tspSalt
2tbspHoney
Instructions
Cut the chicken into strips. Set aside
Blend all the marinade ingredients in a food processor, add a little water if required
Combine the cut chicken and marinade. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight or minimum 6 hours.
Thread 3-4 strips onto each bamboo skewer.
BBQ or grill the chicken skewers 2-3 minutes each side until the meat is fully cooked and the surface is nicely charred. Brush with some oil while grilling.
Authentic spicy peanut sauce. Goes great with the chicken satay recipe
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 6people
Ingredients
1cupPeanutsDry roasted, unsalted
1tbspTamarind Paste
0.25cupvegetable oil
1cupWater
0.5tspSaltor to taste
2.5tbspPalm Sugar
1tspCoriander Powder
1tbspSoy Sauce, SweetUse the thick sweet stylle
Spice Paste
4wholeChillis, drieddesseded and soaked in warm water
3ClovesGarlicpeeled
4smallShallotspeeled
1StalkLemongrassCut into three strips
0.5InchGalangalbuy frozen from chinese supermarket, just grate it frozen
Instructions
Crush the peanuts till fine in a food processor.
Chop the spice paste ingredients corasly and blend in a food processor till very fine. Add a few tbsp water to help blending.
In saucepan heat the oil on medium and add spice paste. Add two of the strips of lemon grass. Fry until aromatic and smell spicy.
Add ground peanuts, water, tamarind, salt, palm sugar, coriander powder and sweet soy sauce. Stir to combine well.
Reduce the peanut sauce on medium-low heat, stir continuously for 5-10 minutes or until the peanut sauce thickens to your desired consistency, or until the oil and the peanut sauce separates.
Let cool to room temperature and serve with satay chicken.
It's a real simple glaze for roast veges and meat. It's got sugar in it so works best when not cooked too long. Baste while cooking for a sticky gooey deliciousness.
Prep Time 2 minutesminutes
Total Time 2 minutesminutes
Servings 3people
Ingredients
1tspWorcestershire Sauce
2tbspTomato Ketchupor use your favourite bbq sauce
1tbspSoy SauceI use Kikkoman but a nice sweet thick soy would work
2tbspBrown Sugar
1tbspOlive OilAny light oil will do
1 tspGarliccrushed
2tspApple Cider VinegarAny vinegar will do really
Instructions
Combine all and mix well.
Slather over meat and veges before roasting
baste a few times during cooking
Brush the pan juices and thickened sauce over food and grill until caramelised and gooey. Yummo
In the spirit of being kind during COVID-19 IKEA have released their famous Swedish meatball and cream sauce recipe
Servings 4people
Ingredients
Meatballs
500gmBeef Mince
250gmPork mince
1Onionfinely chopped
1CloveGarlicCrushed or Minced
100gmBreadcrumbs
1Egg
5TbspMilkUse full fat / blue / whole milk not low fat stuff
Salt & PepperGenerous serve
Cream Sauce
1dashOlive Oil
40gmButter
40gmPlain Flour
150mlVegetable Stock
150mlBeef Stock
150mlCreamThick / Double Cream
2tspSoy Sauce
1tspDijon Mustard
Instructions
Meatballs
Combine beef and pork mince and mix with your fingers to break up any lumps. Add finely chopped onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, and mix. Add milk and season well with salt and pepper
Shape mixture into small, round balls. Place on a clean plate, cover, and store in the fridge for 2 hours. This will help them hold their shape whilst cooking.
In a frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. When hot, gently add meatballs and brown on all sides.
When browned, add to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place in a hot oven (180°C or 160°C with a fan) and cook for 30 minutes more.
Cream Sauce
Melt 40g of butter in a pan. Whisk in 40g of flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add 150ml of veg stock and 150ml of beef stock; continue to stir. Add 150ml of double cream, 2 tsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp dijon mustard.
A easy make chicken and bacon pie with a creamy sauce. Family favourite
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 50 minutesminutes
Servings 4people
Ingredients
1WholePrecooked Roast Stuffed ChickenSupermarket hot birds are great. Let them cool overnight before use
6RashersStreaky Bacon
3SheetsFlaky Pastry
1PacketMaggi Cream of Chicken Cuppa Soup Mix
1CupWater - Boiling
1CupBaked beansDrain most of sauce
Instructions
Once the chook is cold remove all the meat from the bones. You want a range of sizes for the chicken bits. Cube up the stuffing.
.Fry up the bacon, Get it good and nicely well done. Chop up roughly once cooked
Spray oil a 10x10 square baking tin. Cut Once sheet of pastry in half and use this and one other sheet to line tin. Seal edges by squeezing together
Put the chicken in the pastry lined tin. Dot the stuffing over top and the baked beans then spread the chopped bacon around.
Mix the soup mix with a cup or so of boiling water. Pour the soup mix evenly around the pie. Cover with last sheet of pastry. Seal edges well. Cut a slit in the top to vent steam.
Bake for 30-45 minutes depending on oven. Fan bake for a bit then classic bake so the pastry doesn't get burnt.
Once baked remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
Pan-seared lamb with fresh basil, tender new potatoes and green pesto
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Total Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 3
Ingredients
1wholeLamb Leg or shoulderbutterflied
750gNew Potatoesbaby spuds
250gFrozen Peas
5sprigsBasilFresh is best
2tablespoonsGreen Pesto
Instructions
Halve any larger potatoes, then cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender, adding the peas to the party for the last 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, rub the lamb all over with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
Starting fat side down, sear the lamb in a non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat for 15 minutes, turning regularly until gnarly all over but blushing in the middle, or use your instincts to cook to your liking. For larger pieces of lamb you may need to finish it in an oven.
Remove to a plate to rest, then, with the frying pan on a low heat, make a liquor by stirring in a splash of water and a little red wine vinegar to pick up all those nice sticky bits, leaving it to tick away slowly until needed.
Drain the potatoes and peas, tip into the liquor pan, pick over most of the basil, add the pesto and toss it all well.
Serve with the lamb, sliced thinly, then pour over the resting juices. Pick over the remaining basil leaves, and tuck in.
Put a 26cm non-stick frying pan on a high heat and pour in 250mls of water.
Halve the eggplant lengthways, quickly slash the skin of each half a few times and place skin side down in the pan, then season with sea salt and black pepper.
Cover and cook for l0 minutes, or until it boils dry and begins to sizzle (listen for the change in sound).
Meanwhile, trim the spring onions. Cut the whites into 3cm lengths at an angle and put aside.
Deseed the chilli and finely slice Iengthways with the green part of the spring onions. Place both in a bowl of ice-cold water and put aside to crisp up.
When the eggplant starts to sizzle, add l tablespoon of olive oil, the white spring onions and the peanuts to the pan, stirring regularly.
After a few minutes, add a splash of water, drizzle in the teriyaki and reduce to a medium heat.
Turn the eggplant, jiggle the pan and let it get sticky for a few minutes, then serve sprinkled with the drained green spring onions and chilli and a few peanuts scattered over the dish.
SO I’m compiling a list of commands I’ve used with google home that are confirmed to work. It’s starting out small and hopefully will grow large.
Sanity Check: Commands can and do change as Google updates and generally screws round with the Google Home app. I’ll try keep a status and last confirmed date but hey things change.
I use a simple setup. I’ve got a Google Home mini, a bunch of chromecasts and some of the last available Chromecast Audio’s which are a great way to add an old but awesome set of speakers with an analog or optical input and turn them into a cheap Sonos type speaker that you can add to speaker groups or use as a single set of speakers.
“Hey Google. Play the latest episode of Aly & Fila on the Kitchen Stereo
Hey Google. Louder.
So here are some things you can try on your Google Home while you listen to some awesome music.
I have a little Satnav, it sits there in my car.
A Satnav is a driver’s friend it tells you where you are.
I have a little Satnav, i’ve had it all my life.
It’s better than the normal ones, my Satnav is my wife. Continue reading “Before Google Maps We Had SatNav”→
This makes me very proud to be a New Zealander. When it became apparent a pristine beach in the Able Tasman National Park was about to be sold by it’s owner and could fall into foreign ownership New Zealanders got behind a public campaign organised by Duane Major to raise funds to buy the beach so that it could remain in public ownership for all New Zealanders to enjoy. Continue reading “Public campaign to buy Able Tasman beach successful”→
5 years ago today at 12:51pm Christchurch was rocked by a large earthquake that killed nearly 200 people. Since then the region has experienced over 14,000 additional shakes. The most recent large quake being on Valentine’s Day 2016.
Each dot on this interactive map represents a quake, With the most significant activity occurring from September 2010 when the Greendale fault ruptured. At the time we had no idea what was to come. Continue reading “5 Years Ago”→
Alcohol contributes to around 30 percent of New Zealand’s fatal road crashes. Over the last 10 years, fatal crashes caused by drink-driving have claimed the lives of around 1,100 people and caused serious injuries to another 5,300.
From 1 December 2014, the alcohol limit lowered for drivers aged 20 years and over. This has created confusion and people are unsure of how much they can drink before being over the legal driving limits.
You can use our calculator below to ESTIMATE your Blood Alcohol Level (BAC)
Before you do though, please read the notes below !!
Temperatures in Christchurch reached 36.1c at Christchurch Airport around 3pm on 21st December 2015. This is the highest recorded temperature ever in Christchurch and beats the previous December record of 34.5 set in 1975.
At one point MetService recorded 40 degrees at Ohoka in North Canterbury.