Rocky Road

Some days, you just need an excessive amount of chocolate and someone to tell you it'll be okay. Today is one of those days.

Rocky Road

(makes 24 squares)

Ingredients

2 x blocks of chocolate

1/2 pack of marshmellows

1 x pack of glace cherries

1 x pack of crushed peanuts

1/2 cup of coconut

Method

Put the chocolate into a bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan. Let it melt and, once its all yummy and melt-y add all of the other ingredients. Stir it around and pour it into a pan. Throw it into the fridge to set.

Price

$4.26 for the chocolate
$1 for the marshmellows

$3.20 for the glace cherries

$1.11 for the peanuts

25c for the coconut

At $9.82, it is one of the more expensive things I've cooked, but with a nice quality chocolate and that reassuring chocolate taste that I needed, it was worth every cent.

Vanilla Cupcakes w/ Lemon Icing

My best friend finished all of his exams today and I am super dooper proud of him. Congratulatory cupcakes were baked and then nommed. (But first, to his amusement, photographed for my blog)

Vanilla Cupcakes w/ Lemon Icing

(Makes 15)

 

Ingredients 

Cupcakes:

2 cups self raising flour 

100 grams of butter, softened 

3/4 cup sugar 

2 eggs

1 cup milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Icing:

1 cup icing sugar

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

Cream the butter and the sugar, adding the egg, vanilla and milk when it looks nice and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and scoop the mixture into a cupcake tray. As you may be able to see, I used patty cake thingies. I have no real reason for this, I just think they're cute.

Cook at 180 degrees for twenty minutes or until golden on the top. Now is the hardest part. Let them cool down before icing them.

Eep. Icing is easy. Just throw everything into a bowl and stir. But look at your cupcakes! Don't you just want to eat them now? You can't wait, can you? Oh, you can? Good job.

Price

Cupcakes:

5c for the self raising flour 

44c for the butter

18c for the sugar 

74c for the eggs

25c for the milk 

8c for the vanilla essence

Icing:

37c cup icing sugar

4c for the butter

2c for the lemon juice

I've separated the icing and the cupcakes for this one because I know that some people don't like icing and what not. Personally, I prefer them without, but hey, they were best friend cupcakes so the decision was his.

Either way, when your cupcakes are only costing $1.74 splashing out 43c for some icing isn't really a big deal.

Easiest Stir Fry Ever

You know those days when you are too lazy to do anything? Yup, it's one of those days. So, here in all it's glory is the easiest stir fry ever.

Easy Stir Fry

(Serves 3)

Ingredients

1 pack Hokien Noodles

3 tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 pack Frozen Vegetables

Method

Soften the noodles in boiling water and put the vegetables into a wok. Once they look reletively cooked, add the drained noodles and three teaspoons of  soy sauce. Toss it together and cook for a few more minutes.

Price

$2.16 for the Hokien Noodles

2c for the Soy Sauce

$3.20 for the Frozen Vegetables

It will take no more than ten minutes from pang of hunger to plate. I know this isn't really cooking, but I just want you hungry students to remember that eating doesn't have to be a hassle and for $5.38 they can have food to last them a few days.

Coconut Macaroons

Anyone who grew up with me will remember these biscuits fondly. I have been making these for years from a recipe I found in a cute little book that I still own today. Even eight year old me thought they were easy, and eighteen year old me is not only inclined to agree, but just wants to eat them all of the time.

Coconut Macaroons

(Makes 18)

Ingredients

2 cups of coconut

1 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons of corn flour

2 eggs

a pinch of salt

Method

Combine the ingredients.  Yup, that's it. I have seen so many complex recipes for these where you are asked to only use the whites of eggs are the yolks or spin around three times and sift the flour through a conch shell. But really, I'm not a fan of complex.

These do get a little sticky, so I would suggest lining the tray with foil first, but aside from that, set them all out nicely then throw them in the oven at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Price 

$1 for the coconut

23c for the sugar
74c for the eggs
3c for the corn flour

As an afternoon treat, $2 seems a pretty reasonable price. Trust me, you'll enjoy them.

Vegetable Soup

I love winter. Cute clothes, warm food and snuggles. Mum used to make vegetable soup all the time, (and for those of you who've met my mum, you know that must mean it's simple.) It's such a versatile recipe and it keeps well so when it's too cold to stay out of the covers for long, it's easy just to reheat.

Vegetable Soup

(serves 6)

Ingredients

3 Carrots

1 Zucchini

4 Sticks of celery

4 Potatoes

1 Onion

1 Can of diced tomatoes

1 Can of mixed beans

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/4 Cup of lemon juice

2 Cups vegetable stock

Method

If this soup weren't so good, there is no way I would be cutting up this many vegetables. Not a chance. But, once they're all diced, it's pretty simple. Throw the vegetables into a pot with the olive oil for about 10 minutes. When it looks like they'll start sticking to the pan, throw in the stock, juice, beans and tomatoes. Cover this little concoction and cook for another 15-20 minutes.

That's honestly it. Too easy, right? I also enjoy heating up dinner rolls to eat with it. Just butter them up and throw them under the grill til they're nice and warm.

Price

90c for the carrot

$1.26 for the zucchini

$2 for the potatoes

50c for the onion

40c for the diced tomato

$1 for the mixed beans

35c for the lemon juice

80c for the celery

25c for the vegetable stock (I use the stock cubes. It's much cheaper.)

Now, before you question how expensive this is ($7.46) consider how good it is for you. The fresh vegetables are divine and all things considered, if you were to go out and get one bowl of soup, it would cost you more than that anyway. So, verdict is, this soup, I always want it to live in my fridge.

Carrot & Bean Thai Curry

As winter draws closer, all I want to do is eat spicy foods and nap. With three of my courses finished, the napping is becoming a far more feasible option. And the spicy food? Well, its even possible for all of you insomniacs out there ;)

Carrot & Bean Thai Curry(Serves 2)

Ingredients

1 cup carrot sliced (approx 1 large carrot)

1 cup green beans sliced

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/2 cup milk

2 garlic cloves

3 teaspoons curry powder

1 cup rice, to serve

Method

To start, you need to do the boring bits of peeling and cutting the carrots and beans and tomatoes. If you have a significant other/parent/room mate/paid labour that you can enlist to do this, I suggest you take advantage of them. I hate preparing vegetables.

Now, I find, as I only ever make very simple curries, it is best to put the rice on when you start cooking. It means everything will be ready at the same time.

So, once that's on its way, throw the carrot, beans, water and one teaspoon of the curry powder into a saucepan. Cover and cook for about ten minutes.

I actually use tinned tomato for this, although I'm sure fresh would be just as good, if not better. Whatever your choice, add the tomato, remaining curry powder, milk and garlic into the pan. Cover and cook again for another 5 minutes or so.

Viola! It actually is that easy. Drain the rice, throw your little concoction on top and eat it to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside (if this actually makes your insides feel fuzzy, please check the expiration date of your milk.).

Price

30c for the carrot

60c for the beans

20c for the tomato (assuming you used tinned)

12c  for the milk

20c for the garlic cloves

14c for the curry powder

40c for the rice

This is easy, cheap (coming in at only $1.96 for those of you who are as mathematically inept as me) and really really yummy. Also, as Jesse isn't quite as partial to spicy foods as I am, there were a few leftovers. If this is also the case with you, may I suggest not including the rice in your little tupperware container? Because rice gets congealed and icky, whereas, heated up again, this curry stays just as smooth and spicy. But hey, your call.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well, it is coming to the end of my first semester at UQ. This is simultaneously awesome, petrifying and a reason for cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

(makes 24)

Ingredients

125 grams butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs 

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup chocolate chips

Method

Cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs. Mix in the flour and you have dough. I knead this a little bit first before adding the chocolate chips. Then, knead it some more. Now, refrain from just eating the cookie dough (or don't and make another batch)

Make little balls of cookie dough and put them on a greased tray. Throw them in the oven at 180 degrees for about 10 minutes, maybe a little longer if you like them crispy. Now, all you need to do is decide whether these cookies are celebratory or mournful at the end of the semester.

Price

72c for the butter

34c for the brown sugar

74c for the eggs

5c for the self raising flour

60c for the chocolate chips

Yes, $2.45 is pretty good for cookies. What is absolutely priceless however, is your beautiful house mate noticing you've baked and offering you a cookie jar. I'm way too lucky.