Easy Chicken and Vegetable Pie

1 Tbs oil
30g butter
1 chopped onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
500g diced chicken fillet
1 Tbs plain flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup white wine (can be substituted for more stock)
1/2 cup thickened cream
2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
1 Tbs chopped parsley
250g frozen sweet potato crinkle cut chips

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees celcius.  Grease a 20 x 30cm pie dsh with a little oil.
2. Heat olive oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until golden.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 
3. Add flour to pan, stir to combine with any leftover pan juices.  Stir in wine, bring to the boil and add chicken stock and cream.  Cook, stirring for 5 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens.
4. Return chicken to the sauce in the pan along with frozen vegetables and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon chicken mixture into the pie dish and top with the sweet potato fries.  Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minuts or until chips are golden and crisp.

Serves 4

Hazelnut and Orange Shortbread Stars

160g unsalted butter
1/3 cup castor sugar
1 and 2/3 cups plain flour
1/2 cup hazelnut meal
finely grated rind of one orange
1/4 cup hazelnuts, halved

1. Blend the butter and sugar in a food processor until smooth.  Add the flour, hazelnut meal and orange rind and blend for 30 seconds.  Uing a spatula, scrape the sides and base of the bowl.  Blend again for another 30 seconds or until the mixture forms a dough when pressed togetehr between two fingers.
2. Turn out and use hands to bring the mixture together into a ball.  Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Line two baking trays with baking paper.
4. EITHER roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper until 8mm thick.  Cut out shapes (5cm stars look good) OR take teaspoon sizes pieces of dough and form balls that you can then flatten once they're on the baking tray.
5. Place a halved hazelnut kernel in the centre of each biscuit and place trays in refridgerator for 20 minutes.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.  Cool on the trays.

Makes at least 30.

Special Fried Rice

1 Tbs vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbs peanut oil
1 brown onion, halved and cut in thin wedges
1/2 small red capsicum, finely chopped
2 & 1/2 cups cooked, cold, white long-grain rice
1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
100g snow peas, thinly sliced
80g bean sprouts, rinsed

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan over a moderate heat.  Add egg and tilt to cover the base and sides.  Cook for 1 minute or until set underneath.  Fold in half and cook for a further 2 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board and silce thinly.
2. Add peanut oil to wok or frying pan.  Stir-fry onion and capsicum for 1 minute.
3. Add chicken and rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the carrot, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and half of the egg.  Stir-fry for 1 minute or until hot.
5. Remove from heat and add the snow peas and half the bean sprouts.  Toss to combine.
6. Serve topped with the remaining egg and bean sprouts.

Serves 4

Add other ingredients as you like.  Water chestnuts work well.