Spicy coriander chicken with udon noodles

This recipe is what you call a "speedy dinner" in one of my Donna Hay bibles and she is right! If you're after a midweek meal that is fast and full of flavour and most importantly can be clasified as being good for you I think you should try this one. One word of warning though.....remove the chilli seeds if you're wanting the kids to try it or you don't want the "kick". I left the seeds in and even though it was pretty spicy No 1 and 2 gave it a go but No 3 was sipping water after every mouth full!! It was so easy and I will remove the chilli seeds next time just to compare but if you're a chilli junkie like I'm a chocolate junkie just leave those seeds in.

You will need:
3 cups coriander (cilantro) leaves, plus extra, to serve
2 long red chillies, chopped
1/2 cup (70g) unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup (125ml) lime juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar
3 x 200g chicken breast fillets, cut into strips
2 x 440g packets udon noodles, blanched
200g green beans, thinly sliced and blanched

Place the coriander, chilli, peanuts, lime juice, oil, mirin and sugar in the bowl of a small food processor and process until roughly chopped.

Place half the coriander mixture in a bowl with chicken and toss to coat.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the chicken for 12 - 14 minutes or until cooked through.
The udon noodles need to be blanched in boiling water as per packet instructions and I also blanched my beans at this point in the same saucepan of boiling water.

Place the noodles, beans and remaining coriander mixture in a bowl and mix to combine.

Top the noodles with the chicken and extra coriander leaves to serve.

Enjoy! M x

Quick coconut & lime cake

My early memories of my cooking obsession go back to my early years watching my Mother whip up creations and also to the many dinner parties that my parents would host. I also studied home economics at school and remember how I enjoyed being partnered with a particular friend and the antics we would get up to. This was, of course, whilst following the strict instructions of our teacher. I would be in fits of laughter, as I'm sure we would eat most of the ingredients before we would even start the recipe, especially if cream was involved.

It was then on to High school and many fond memories of cooking continue to flood back. Have you ever been to a friend's places and eaten food that is unforgettably good? Something that just sticks in your memory? I have on a number occasions. So good, that I have had to have the recipe. I remember one such time when I attended a teenager's dinner party hosted by a "Ms K". It was such a great night and the fantastic food made it all the more memorable. I can sit and think about that particular time and see every detail so clearly. The fond memories of that meal are often brought to life when I cook that meal for my three darlings.

I now have my own daughter coming home asking me to make things she has eaten at friends' places! Today, I'm cooking a recipe kindly given to me by one of my Miss 9's friends, "Miss S". Miss 9 came home after a sleepover and just couldn't stop talking about the wonderful time she had, and most importantly, the wonderful "Coconut and Lime Cupcakes" they had devoured. Her first words were, can you make those cakes Mum.

This is a cake recipe, however, I have made cupcakes. All you need to do is adjust your cooking times. It is from Good Taste collection - Anneka Manning

You will need:
150g butter, at room temperature
165g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
2 limes, rind finely grated, juiced
2 large eggs
45g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut
190g (1 1/4 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
icing sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 170 degrees. If you are wanting to make the round cake, line the base of a round 18cm cake pan with non-stick baking paper. Brush the pan with melted butter to grease and then dust with the plain flour to lightly coat. I just used patty cake cases for mine and it made 12.

Place the butter, sugar and lime rind in the bowl of a food processor and process until pale and creamy.

Add the eggs and process until well combined. Add the lime juice, coconut and self-raising flour, and process until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of the spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in preheated oven for 55 minutes (my cup cakes took around 25 minutes) or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Set aside for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar (We made a white chocolate ganache)

They were very yummy!! Thanks Miss S and Mother of Miss S.......it says these are best eaten same day! Well I don't think we had any trouble doing that!

Enjoy M x