New York Strip with mushroom sauce

It has been a while since I cooked a big juicy steak for the family dinner. There's no reason for it other than I just kind of forgot about it.

How do you forget about steak?

To tell the truth I forget about a lot of different flavours and meals this time of year, it's what ever is leftover in the fridge, or I double up on what I am cooking for a function. October through to December it is pretty much 15 minute meals in our house!

I was at work yesterday when a colleague came in with a bottle of Shiraz and started telling us about how good it was, and how it is on sale....and did we want to buy a case?.... Of course a tasting was in order before buying anything and seeing how it was after 12pm all was OK. The wine was very quaffable and moreish so I put in my order for a case on the spot. I was also lucky enough to be the only one not working a dinner party that night (I had a canape drop off- yippee!). So I was the lucky one who took the bottle of red home to drink with.....STEAK!

See how my brain works?  Anyway, off to the butcher I went and picked out some fabulous New York strip steaks for tea.
If your buying a good quality steak you really want to taste the meat so I don't over do all the trimmings. A simple potato mash (I leave the skin on which drives Nic a little mad!), steamed beans tossed with a hint of olive oil and lemon juice and a delicious mushroom sauce.

The boys thought I was trying to burn the house down when I showed them what happens when you add brandy to the sauteing mushrooms...

-'You shouldn't do that mum, you could burn the house down!' says Max with a serious look on his face while Alex looked on horrified.

Thankfully I managed to keep everything under control and we sat down to a forgotten family favourite of steak and mash that tasted wonderful, especially when served with a smooth bottle of Shiraz.

Drunken Chicken- family favourite

Ouch! I was just looking at my stats and realised September didn't even get a look in!!
I feel guilty and sad that I haven't been able to keep up with my blogging and, as I scroll through my favourite bloggers work and see they are in top form as always I wonder if this is the month I stop for good?

Before I make such a big decision like that, I just want to share with you a recipe I have been really enjoying this past month. It is from one of my favourite cookbooks 'Cocina de la familia' by Marilyn Tausend with Miguel Ravago.
This was a fabulous buy and am pleased to say I have used many recipes from it over the years- I highly recommend it to everyone.
The recipe I want to share with you is the drunken chicken recipe. When I first made it I followed the recipe to the T and it was wonderful. Since then I have added extra bits and pieces or had to make do with what was in the cupboards, but, whatever I do I always get the big thumbs up from my boys- it's a family favourite. I have cooked if for quite a few people and always get the same reaction "delicious!"

So, to redeem myself I hope you will try this one on family and friends and see if you agree with me. I couldn't help but serve it with fresh corn smothered in butter and some black beans, however, I have served it with beans, broccoli, rice pilaf, potatoes.....the list goes on!

Enjoy!

 Drunken chicken (Pollo Borracho)

2 Tablespoons oil

3 chicken breasts and 2 thighs (or 4 breasts) skin on, cut into 3 pieces

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

 1 tin whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 cup of beer (I tend to take a good swig and then use the rest)

preferably an amber ale

2 sprigs of oregano

3 pickled jalapenos, sliced

2 tablespoons vinegar from the chilies

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Use a cast iron pot with a lid or a good quality pot with a lid.

Warm oil in the pot on med-high heat, season the chicken with salt and pepper then saute the chicken pieces until browned (you will need to do in batches).

Once the chicken browns, remove to a tray and set aside.

Add the onion to the still hot pot and cook until quite soft and brown (about 4 min).

Add garlic and tomatoes, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Return chicken (skin side up) back to the pot with onions and tomato, lower the heat to medium and add beer, oregano, jalapenos, their vinegar, salt and pepper.

Stir to combine then leave, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve it with fresh oregano and avocado for best results.

Mini baked cheesecakes

I had a catering job last week that called for a 1.5 kilo block of cream cheese. This is a lot of cream cheese!
I got through about a kilo of it for my function and was left with the perfect amount for a family cheesecake. The last time I made cheesecake I didn't quite get the response I was after from the boys so I decided to revisit my old recipe and see if I could tweak it some how. I can't remember when I last made a full sized cake for the family? My mini cheesecake tin is an absolute favourite of mine at the minute and I love the look of individual portions not to mention the portion control. If I'd made a regular cheesecake I would of got about 10 pieces from it, however, the individual sizes gives me 14 portions which also makes me feel less guilty when I eat one.
OK so back to making these little lovelies.....I remembered I guessed the butter-biscuit ratio for the base last time and I hadn't put enough butter, hence, this time around I followed my original recipe to the T and was very happy with the end results as you can see.....

I didn't do a lot of changing, however, I did make a much better batch than the last effort and I think that was because of two reasons:
a) I set the oven at 170 degrees and turned the fan off
b) I beat the cream cheese and sugar until it was light and fluffy, then I added the cream

Whether I am right or wrong I cannot say for sure but one thing I do know, the family are hanging out for afternoon tea time just so they can have their own little cheese cake and lick the plate clean.

These light and yummy morsels are passion fruit and blueberry flavoured, however, I know they will work beautifully with raspberries (fresh or frozen), chocolate, orange, lemon, rhubarb, apple and the list goes on.

Egg and bacon pies are always delish

I got a text from my hairdresser a couple of days ago telling me she was looking forward to seeing me this Friday as it had been too long between cuts. It's the kind of text you love to receive because somebody is actually looking forward to seeing you!
My 6 weekly hair experience is always a pleasurable one. Teneil, my hairdresser is a gorgeous lively fun 20 something who always has plenty to talk about. After we get the pleasantries out of the way it is not long before I hear what she has been creating in the kitchen for herself and partner. She is stick thin but LOVES food, cooking and eating....how could I not like her?

I once told her about my favourite meal Nic cooks (stir fry beef with red cabbage and coriander), she got so excited, she went home and made it that night and loved it so much she took a photo and sent it to me!
She made me feel special, (always a warm fuzzy feeling) so I decided to make a yummy little something to take to my 10am appointment. I made one of my all time favourite snacks- egg and bacon pies.
It takes all of about 5 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes to cook and 2 minutes to eat- delicious!!!

I flavoured these little beauties with basil and goat's feta to give them a bit of a "I didn't really use up the only things left in my fridge feel" and it worked a treat.
My three top tips when whipping these up are:
a) hot oven, about 200 degrees
b) use a 'butter' puff pastry, the flavour is ten times better. The butter puff is usually only used for desserts but it is fab with these.
c) I also find that extra cracked pepper works a treat with the egg and bacon pies.

If all else fails and you don't have the time to make these then pop on over to www.camillabaker.com.au and I'll whip you up a batch myself.