20 Barbeque ideas to inspire you this spring

Here's some inspiration to get your BBQ mojo now the warmer weather is on it's way!

I know I am already planning social gatherings, but sometimes it's hard to remember what you normally have or you just want to try something new...  so he's a list of BBQ recipes to inspire and remind you how good a BBQ can be!

Enjoy your weekend!

Last minute spiced BBQ prawns...

I'm absolutely thrilled it's Spring. Thrilled.  As much as I love the casseroles and puddings of winter, they are feeling a little bit done now and I'm ready to move on... to Spring.  I feel so grateful to live somewhere where we get to experience all four seasons.

Another thing I love about the warmer weather is cooking and eating outside.  On Tuesday it was 26.8 degrees and I couldn't wait to get the BBQ fired up.  I was pumped.  Unfortunately the gods were against me with timing.   Tuesday being my only day off work was crammed-full of errands and as a result I didn't get home in time to give the BBQ its spring clean.

So I cheated.  I made a quickie rub and used the stove grill.

I would totally recommend buying a stovetop grill if you don't have one.  Even if you have a BBQ, it allows you to cook BBQ year round and is particularly useful in doing small quantities of grilled vegetables or a steak here and there.

OK, onto the recipe:

Quickie spicy marinade enough for 50 prawns
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tb olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice


Method:
Mix all your marinade ingredients together with the exception of the lemon juice.

Add marinade to a ziplock bag,add the lemon juice and the prawns, seal and give it a good shake.  Let it sit for as long as you can, but if you need to - just let it sit for a few minutes whilst you heat your BBQ/grill and soak some skewers in hot water for about 5 minutes.

Thread prawns onto your skewers and place onto your grill.  Grill for about 1.5 minutes on each side... I like to get 'em a bit crispy to allow the spices to get a bit crunchy.

My grill sits across two of my burners on my stove, love it!

Serve with salad and baked potatoes if you've got a bit more time!

What food are you looking forward to this spring?  Have you been using your barbeque yet or do you use it year 'round?

Lunchbox legends: Apple Rhubarb and Custard Muffins

Rhubarb feels like a special treat for me, as it was as a child so when I see it at a good price, I simply cannot resist.   I quickly chop off the stems and leaves, put into an oven proof dish with some sugar a little water (or if I'm feeling very good just some orange juice) and seal it with alfoil and bake it for 30-40 minutes.  Too easy. It's great to have with icecream or cream and especially good with custard.

That was my inspiration for today's recipe - the loveliness of rhubarb and custard, with a bit of apple for good measure - use pear if you like too.   If you're not a fan of rhubarb or it's not available to you - quickly stew some berries with some water and sugar...


Ingredients:
2 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup custard powder
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup stewed rhubarb
100g butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract


Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees c

Into a bowl, add flour, custard powder, sugars, apple and rhubarb, give it a quick stir.

Add milk, vanilla extract, eggs and butter and stir until just combined and  no lumps of flour..

Spoon into muffin/cupcake papers until about 3/4 full.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top.

A tip:  Whilst these are delicious cold, there's something a little more special about them warm, so serve them up with icecream or extra custard warm if you like too (reheat them in tin foil enmasse if you become a bit addicted!)


So are these up your alley?  Does rhubarb hold a special place in your heart?

Banoffee Pie

You know last week's conversation with my uncle about the recipes you pick up along the way got me thinking.... almost twenty years ago when I lived in London my boyfriend at the time loved Banoffee pie.   When he told me this I had no idea what a Banoffee Pie was.  So before the days of google he took me to a cafe in Paddington that served his favourite.

My forensic eating skills are well known.  I like to dissect my foods flavours and try and work out what is in it. This one was an absolute no brainer.  So I surprised him one weekend and made it.  He was amazed I did it without a recipe - but really I couldn't work out how he hadn't worked it out.  What I couldn't work out the most is why he paid £5 a slice.


It's very rich and not exactly weight-watchers-friendly but it is a slice of heaven and my husband who doesn't even like bananas wasn't the least bit perturbed at their presence or the fact that I used to make it for my ex-boyfriend.  He was too busy scoffing himself....




Ingredients: 
200g nice biscuits (or other sugar cookie)
100g melted butter
1 tb golden syrup (optional)
2 tins skim sweetened condensed milk
300ml cream, whipped
2 bananas, slice


Method:
Process or crush your biscuts until they are bread-crumb-like.. A few chunks isn't going to break you...

Melt your butter and mix in your golden syrup..  Pour into your biscuits and mix well.  Press down into a greased pie tin.

Make your caramel... put it on a medium heat and don't answer the phone.  Stay there and stir that thing until you can't stand the sight of it any more.. that should take about 10 or so minutes.  If you walk away to answer the phone you'll come back to a little crust around the outside of your pan like I did (and luckily it didn't burn but I was NOT happy!)

It will change colour to a caramel colour and start to become heavy.

Now if you have an urge to answer the phone or children or even husbands who love to interrupt, don't worry - you can sieve it and get out most of the brown bits if you haven't burnt it.

Pour into your base - try to resist the urge to pour it into your mouth - because it will hurt.  Trust me.

Smooth it out.... leave it for about 15 minutes.   Whip your cream...

And spread it over the top and then slice your bananas and place on top before serving.

 If you MUST be one of these people who needs chocolate on everything - sprinkle with a little flake if you like.. personally I don't think it needs it.

Slice it up and savour!  Close your eyes and tell the weight-watcher folk it's worth the points.. A little bit goes a long way!

One for the mealplan: Turkish Lamb Pide

Three words:
Holy freaking dooly.

For something that actually doesn't have a lot of ingredients it tastes pretty fancy.  Hearty and yummy but fresh - perfect for this time of the year when it's still a little cool but we want it light and fresh too.  My only recommendation is that you make two.  OK, try one and then do what I did and make two the next time!

Ingredients:
Dough
300ml warm water
1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
2 1/2 cups plain flour
tsp salt flakes


Filling
1 brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 kg lamb mince
2 tb paprika
2 tb cumin
1/2 cup red wine (I used Shiraz, use whatever you like the drink!)


To serve:
1/4 cup sour cream
2 sprigs fresh parsley, choppped
2 springs of mint, chopped


Method:
Prepare your dough first by adding yeast to your water and leaving for about 10 minutes until it foams up a little.

Add your flour and mix it into a soft dough (a little soft, if it's too soft - add a little flour, if not soft enough, add water) knead for about 3-4 minutes.

Place into a greased bowl for about 2 hours or until it doubles.

To make the filling, brown your onions and soften the garlic, then add the lamb and brown that before adding the wine, cumin and paprika.  Simmer for about 15 minutes and then turn off the heat.

Heat your oven to 220 degrees c.

Roll out your dough onto a floured surface to a kind of oval shape.

Roll out until it's about 3/4cm thick.

Transfer onto a greased tray.

Pour your lamb mixture into the middle and spread out sparing 2 inches at the edges. Fold over the ends.

Then fold up the sides by slightly pinching it so it holds into place.

Then put into the oven for about 20 minutes until the dough it cooked and slightly golden.

Dab with sour cream, then add the mint and parsley...

Slice cross-ways and devour.  Then chastize yourself you made just one.

New and established bloggers - get Probloggered up!

Yep, that's right!

I'm giving away a ticket to the Problogger Training day PLUS a signed copy of 'Problogger - the book'!


Prize Pack
Problogger Training Day
Admission for one 21st October (Admission only, no travel included)

"The ProBlogger Training Day has been created for bloggers of all levels to come together to learn and network - with the goal of building better blogs.

Blogging continues to grow in Australia as a medium that allows individuals and organizations to find their voice, grow influence and credibility and become more profitable. This event exists to resources bloggers to reach their potential.

The day will involve a mix of keynote training presentations, panels with opportunity for Q&A, workshops in small groups and time for networking with other bloggers."

At the time of publishing, only TEN tickets left - this is an exclusive event! If you're lucky to be part of the last ten, buy tickets here

Problogger, the book!  Signed and everything!

Get a copy of Darren and Chris' book, it's signed by Darren you could take it on the day and get it signed by Chris too!

• How Bloggers Make Money
• Direct Income Earning vs. Indirect Income Earning methods
• Why Niches are Important
• 20 Ingredients for a successful blog post
• Optimizing advertising
• Which advertising platforms work best
• Expert analysis of Technorati’s Top Blogs – why they work

and so much more.

You can find out more about the book and buy it from here

To enter:

• Tell me your favourite blog (beside your own) and why! (links too please!)
• An extra entry for each share on facebook, twitter or Google+ (don't forget to tag me in them so I can count the entry!)
• Entries limited to those with Australian postal addresses

Entries close September 30, midnight Sydney time.

WHO LOVES COOKBOOKS?

ME, ME, PICK ME!

I have a major cookbook addition.  To me, they are like friends, you can never have too many and good ones last forever.

I'm giving away a bunch of my favourites in a bundle - this is open WORLDWIDE (if you're on a space station, sorry..)

In the bunch is:
Best of Bill - Bill Granger
Ministry of Food - Jamie Oliver
Nigella Kitchen - Nigella Lawson
Rachel Allen - Bake!
Piece of Cake - Leila Lindholm
Giada at Home - Giada De Laurentis


So to enter....
- Comment and tell me what your favourite cookbook is and why for one entry
- Get two entries if you do the above, and share the giveaway on facebook or twitter (don't forget to tag Frills in the Hills on Facebook and @frillyhills on twitter so I can count the entries!)

Entries close midnight 30th September Sydney time

And the winner of the iPad is....

First of all thank you for the wonderful entries into last month's giveaway  - we have TWO giveaways this month... stay tuned!

I'm glad I didn't have to choose this winner - so many worthy entries!

Rocketman have chosen:

Suzie on August 4, 2011 10:38 PM said...

My RocketFuel is not food or drink. You'd think it would be but I'm finding I need Twitter to get me going. If I don't get my Twitter fix in the morning then I'm slightly off all day.

Congratulations Suzie - please email me me and I will put you in touch with the team!

Thanks to Rocketfuel for the fabulous prize!

Life is your recipe book

(image credit)

I've just been visiting with my Uncle.  We don't see each other very often as he lives in Melbourne, but as I'm here for work we arranged to meet up and he made me his speciality:  Steak dinner.

It was delicious and we chatted as he cooked for me and as he likes to he talks about the past.  Me as a little girl (I was his off-sider quite a bit in those days) and his childhood.

He was telling me how he makes his best mashed potato when he launched into telling me about a conversation he had with my Nan (his Mum).  My uncle is a confirmed bachelor but he's had his fair share of romances - he's just not the 'settling down type' and my grandmother was quizzing him:

'What ever happened to that girl (insert name)?  She was nice..' said my grandmother

"Yeah" responded my uncle :"It didn't work out but she made the best lamb curry, I still make it'.

'And what happened to what's-her-name... you know the one that lived in that house on the beach, she was nice...'

"oh yeah, she taught me how to make Beef wellington, top chick that one'

Eventually the story came around to the mashed potatoes which he credits another one of his former loves with imparting his favourite potato recipe to him.. and now to me.

And he said - although he's a bachelor, and there's no one in his life, he has the best lot of recipes from these women who have come in and out of his life - it wasn't wasted.

Interesting! And such a great philosophy!

So then I started to think about it - yes, I learned how to fry an egg properly from one of my ex-boyfriends and of course all the recipes I've learned from my Nan, Mum, Dad - even my mother in law...

And of course, I left him with a recipe of my own - my famous meatloaf!


Where have you picked up recipes along the way?  Ex-boyfriends, girlfriends, flatmates, friends...?  

Baked doughnuts (not half as naughty!)

Have I got your attention?  Yes? When I saw the recipe for these from Krissy - there was no choice - I was making them and that was that.   I changed out the nutmeg for cinnamon and glazed mine instead of half-half glaze/sugar, but you can get as fancy as you like - these might even be a great activity for a birthday party - and eat afterwards right?  You could even freeze the doughnuts before you ice them...!

The taste isn't exactly like a real doughnut although they are light and tasty - do remember they are bread... if you want the real thing - try this recipe here.

Ingredients:

For the Dough

3/4 cups Warm Milk

1 tsp yeast powder

1 egg

1 tb butter, softened

1/3 cup caster sugar

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp salt

For the Glaze

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 cups sifted icing mixture

colouring if you wish

100's and 1,000's if you like too!

Method:

Add your yeast to 1/4 cup of your warm milk, and set aside for about 15 minutes, until it foams up a little:

Add the rest of your milk, egg, and butter and sugar, then gradually stir in the flour eventually kneading it into a smooth dough.   Place in a greased bowl covered with cling wrap for about 2 hours or until it has doubled in size:

Preheat oven to 190 degrees c

Pour out your dough onto a clean floured surface

Roll out until quite thin, about 3mm thickness

Cut out your doughnut shapes - I used an ikea cup and a tupperware melon baller!  Improvise as you like (or you can buy a doughnut cutter, yes, you can!)

In the leftover pieces of dough, cut out extra holes - but don't re-knead the dough - it will be too tough when baked.

Place on a greased tray (I made 18 dough-nuts and about 30 holes!) and allow to rise for another hour

Aren't they beautiful!?

Bake for 7 minutes then allow to cool.

Make your glaze by adding the vanilla and colouring to the icing mixture and whisking in the milk until you get a thick-ish but spreadable consistency.

Dip your doughnuts in and then get an eager assistant to 'sprinkle them'

Now if you like a light glaze, dunk them when they are a little warm (on the left) but leave them until they are cold and dunk, and the icing will be more pronounced (I personally loved eating them warm...)

They look like the real thing right?  My kids didn't even care!  Now if you are going down the artificial colouring free route - can I suggest hopper .. great resource on artificial colourings/flavours and also where you can buy the alternatives (which don't look any different!)

On your list?