Cooking with Noelene - October 2026

Flavour Filled Chicken Mango Loaf.

Ingredients:

500 gm chicken mince, 2/3 rds cup of chopped onion, 2/3rds cup of frozen mixed vegies, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 2 tbs chopped fresh mint / 1 tbs dried mint, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 8 fresh whole mint leaves, 4 tbs mango chutney.

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a loaf pan (11 cm x 21 cm) with baking paper, so the paper overhangs the ends. Put the chicken mince, frozen mixed vegies, chopped onion, breadcrumbs, spices, mint, 2 tbs mango chutney and egg in a large bowl.

Mix well to combine. Press the chicken mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the remaining 2 tbs of mango chutney over the top. Press the whole mint leaves down the centre of the log. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven or until tender. Oh the aromas wafting through the kitchen.

Drain off any excess liquid and remove the chicken loaf from the pan. Serve hot or cold. I love to serve this chicken loaf with mashed potatoes or if I am serving it cold, it is perfect with sliced cucumber and plain yoghurt.

Homemade Olive Bread.

Ingredients:

300 gm strong white flour / bakers flour, plus extra for dusting, 1 and 1/2 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp salt, a pinch of castor sugar, 100 ml lukewarm water, 250 gm silverbeet, chopped, 100gm sliced black olives, 2 tbs olive oil.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a bowl and make a hollow in the middle. Add the lukewarm water. Knead the mixture into a smooth, silky dough. Leave to rise, covered, for about 1 hour or until doubled in size in a warm room. Now preheat your oven to 220 deg C. Knead the chopped silverbeet and sliced olives into the dough, then divide it into thirds. Form each loaf into a rounded rectangular loaf. Place each loaf on the lined baking sheet. Cover with a flour dusted cotton tea towel and leave for an hour. Brush the loaves with oil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing to serve. This is so good.

Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1.8 kg chicken, trimmed, washed and dried, 8 onions, halved, 1 lemon, sliced, 1 bunch of thyme, woody stems trimmed, 3 tbs minced garlic, 2 cups of dry white wine, cracked black pepper to taste, vegetables of choice to serve.

Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Place the chicken in a large non metallic casserole. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings under. Add the onions, lemon, thyme and garlic to the tray. Pour over the wine and season to taste with cracked black pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 40 minutes, turning once. Bake in the preheated oven, basting occasionally with the pan juices, for 75 minutes or until golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer. Cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Carve the chicken and serve with vegetables of your choice.

Polenta and Zucchini Patties with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups water, 1 and 1/2 cups polenta, 2 zucchini grated, 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tbs rosemary leaves, cracked black pepper, to taste.

Bring the water to boil in a medium saucepan, over a high heat. Pour in the polenta. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the grated zucchini, Parmesan and rosemary. Season to taste with cracked black pepper. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Allow to cool. Divide the mixture into 8 even sized patties, set aside.

Tomato sauce:

30 gm butter/ marg, 1 onion, sliced, 2 tbs minced garlic, 400 gm can of diced tomatoes, 2 tbs canola / rice bran oil, 8 cooked chipolatas, (mini sausages), mixed leaf salad leaves to serve (optional).

Melt the butter / marg in a frying pan over a medium heat. Saute the onion until softened and add the garlic, stirring until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Set aside, cover and keep warm. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Cook the patties in two batches until golden each side. Drain on paper towelling. Cover and keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and patties. Serve the zucchini patties with the warm tomato sauce, cooked chipolatas and salad leaves or whatever you choose. These are so easy to prepare and make for a tasty meal.

Savoury Cheese Shortbread

These are a rich, savoury and crunchy shortbread.

Ingredients:

50 gm butter / marg, 50 gm plain flour, pinch of cayenne pepper, pinch of cracked black pepper, 50 gm finely grated Parmesan cheese (found in the pasta aisle of your supermarket, well it is in mine).

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cream the butter / marg. Season the flour with cayenne, cracked pepper and Parmesan. Gradually work in the creamed butter/ marg. Knead until smooth and then refrigerate until stiffened. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch/ 5 mm thickness. Cut into small squares or circles and using a palette knife carefully transfer to the prepared tray. Re work any excess dough and shape into biscuits. Prick all prepared biscuits with a fork and bake in the preheated oven until the shortbreads are firm and golden. Cool on a wire tray and store in an airtight container.

Simple One Bowl Easy Mix Butter Cake

Ingredients:

125 gm butter / marg at room temp, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 275 gm castor sugar, 3 eggs, lightly beaten, 150 gm plain flour, 75 gm self raising flour, 1/4 tsp bi carb soda, 125 ml milk.

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Lightly grease a 20 cm round or square cake pan and line with baking paper. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of your electric mixer. Beat on a low speed until all the ingredients are just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the batter is smooth and pale in colour. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 75 minutes or until tested with a skewer, (one inserted and coming out clean). Leave the cooked cake in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack, turn the cake top side up to cool. Sprinkle the cake with icing sugar to serve.

Wonder Loaf

Ingredients:

1 cup milk, 1 cup All Bran, firmly packed, 1 cup soft brown sugar, firmly packed, 140 gm glace cherries chopped, 1 tbs honey, 1 cup self-raising flour.

So now you have read the ingredients, you have to be wondering how will this produce a loaf ? But trust me, it does and it is delicious!!

Combine the milk, All Bran, brown sugar, chopped glace cherries and honey in a medium bowl. Cover and stand overnight. Next day preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease a loaf pan (20 cm x 10 cm / 8" X 4") and lightly sprinkle with polenta. Add the flour to the combined mixture and mix with a wooden spoon, do not overmix. Spoon the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Turn out and cool on a wire rack, before slicing to serve. Wrap loaf in foil and keep in an airtight container.