Banana & Walnuts Bread (Lactose Free)

Gluten free baking has been popular at cafe these days but there are hardly any lactose free baking available. My son is lactose intolerance so every time when he goes to camp with the school, he has to supply his own milk and request a special diet. He just miss out all the fancy shakes and milk based beverage when we are out dining. Most of the time he can tolerate cheese, ice-cream and chocolate but when his stomach is not well, these special treats are out of the question.

One of my friend's son has very bad reaction to dairy product so all her baking would be dairy free by using lactose free product. You can find lactose free milk, yoghurt and cheese easily these days so it is not a problem if your kids don't like soy or other milk substitution. I come across this recipe from Coles website of Curtis Stone's recipe and decide to making it a lactose free version. Usually my son doesn't like baking contain banana or walnut but he has been eating a few pieces and I guess I can call it a success!


Banana & Walnuts Bread (Lactose Free)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons Lactose Free yoghurt
3 bananas, mashed
1 2/3 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped (leave 3 whole walnuts for garnish)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Sift flour into a mixing bowl, add sugar, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. 
2. Add the oil, beaten eggs, vanilla essence, yoghurt and banana to the dry ingredients, then add the toasted walnuts until it is well combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a paper lined loaf pan and top with 3 whole walnuts for garnish.
4. Bake for 1 1/4 hours at 180c or until the skewer comes out clean when insert into the cake.

Not Quite High-Hat Cupcakes

I got this recipe from my daughter through an email with a title of "Make this".  We don't leave apart and in an actual fact, her room is right next to mine.  This is the modern way of talking to each other, I guess!

I made it for her 16th birthday, a very sweet cake for a sweet 16! It was a bit too sweet for everyone but just let it be sweet .... leaving us a sweet memory!

I should have watched the video on how to ice the chocolate icing beforehand because the high hat shrink and I much prefer icing with dark chocolate than milk chocolate! Overall, I am please with the result, at least it's edible! I think it's a beautiful cupcake, don't you?

There are two versions of the recipes from Martha Stewart's High-Hat Cupcakes, I use version 1, please check the recipe and video here, and version 2 uses commercial cake mix and the frosting don't use almond essence, whether it's better or not, I'd have to make it to find out. Please click here for version 2 recipe.

Perfect Poached Eggs

On the Sunday Market, there usually a stall run by the local community group selling sausage in bread or bacon & egg burger for fundraising.  Egg is a cheap food with lots of nutrient.  We love a big breakfast which consists of egg, bacon, sausage, toasted bread with tomato and mushroom for brunch or lunch on a lazy Sunday.

I have to thank Julie Goodwin for her advice in her cookbook, Our family table on how to make perfect poached eggs as I have given up making poached eggs so long ago.  I think it's such a fuss playing with something so soft with hot water. She has a simple way to do to make a smooth egg with running yolk and if I'm not beware of my cholesterol, I could eat more than one egg! Opps!

Julie also mentioned that there are so many names for poached egg breakfast such as eggs Benedict is served with ham and English muffin in hollandaise sauce, eggs Royale is served with smoked salmon and eggs Florentine is served with spinach.  I prefer my poached eggs with bacon with low fat honey mustard sauce on toasted turkish bread. What about you?

Perfect Poached Eggs

1. Pour water into a large non-stick deep pan till it is about 4cm of water (that would be enough to cover the egg), bring to the boil then lower the heat so the water is barely simmering. 
2. Crack one egg gently on the side of the pan and carefully lower it into the water with a spatula.  Then leave the egg by itself as the egg will gather the bilk of its white to itself and don't worry about the stringy floaty bits.
3. Crack another egg and do the same. Julie suggests you can cook 4 eggs at a time but I only do one or two at a time. You need to strain the water or replaced with fresh one after few batches.
4. After 3 minutes or when the egg whites looks cook through, lift the egg out with a slotted spoon  and drain the excess water.  Slide them straight onto the serving plate.   

Lamb Kebabs for the Australia Day

It wouldn't go wrong to celebrate Australia Day with this lamb kebabs on the BBQ.  One time I asked a visiting student from China who has spent a few days with the Australian family that what was the most memorable time she had in Australia.  Her answer was the BBQ!  The great thing of BBQ is that you throw in all sort of different things such as sausages, chops or prawns onto the BBQ and you talk and drink while cooking the food.  The atmosphere is relaxing and food are cooked to your liking.  And lamb, I would say it's the number one red meat that Aussie love!

Have a lovely Australia Day!

Lamb Kebabs
(make about 10)

500g trimmed lamb, cubed
mushroom, halves
onions, cubed
skewers

Marinade:
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic mince
cracked black pepper

Method:
Marinate the meat with the marinade for at least an hour.  Spike each piece of meat alternatively with onion and mushroom (or capsicum). Pan fry it in the grill pan or on the BBQ, turing regularly till you get a nicely charred meat on the outside with juicy pink on the inside.

Source: adopted & modified rom the cookbook "jamie's kitchen" from Jamie Oliver.

Honey, Peanut Butter & Tomato Drumsticks

This Sunday is Father's Day for the Australian.  Chicken is the most popular meat and my husband will not sick of having chicken everyday.  This chicken drumstick would be a great dish to give the male a treat!  The original recipe use tahini (sesame paste) but I replace that with peanut butter and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the roasted chicken instead of baked with it coated.  After all these modification, I could't think of a name to it but I love this Asian kind of twisted dish!

Have a happy Father's Day!

Honey, Peanut Butter & Tomato Drumsticks

6 Chicken Drumsticks
1 heap tablespoon peanut butter
1 heap tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
salt and pepper
few drops of sesame oil
1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with peanut butter, tomato paste, honey, chilli powder, salt, pepper and sesame oil.  Let stand for 10-15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven at 200c.  Place the baking tray with baking paper, arrange the drumsticks onto the tray and spoon all the sauce over the chicken.
3. Bake for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.  Turn over once or twice.  Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Source: adopted and modified from the cookbook, "I Love to bake!" by Tana Ramsay

Almond Jam Drops with Homemade Strawberry Jam

So it is time to make some jam as the market is filled with delicious and sweet strawberries.  My mother-in-law is visiting us later this year and she has ordered two bottles of jam already.  Jam is a good gift as it always taste better than the commercial one, and it's made with your heart but doesn't cost you heaps! I  have made a bottle of strawberry and another one with pineapple and passionfruit from my bread machine.  The passionfruit tree in our yard grow like grapes and I think I have collected more than fifty passionfruit so far.  That's another good reason to make jam with seasoned fruit so you can enjoy them a bit longer.  I will post the recipes of those jam in my next post.

I'd say I have a collection of quite a few yummy cookies recipes but I don't get a good one from jam drops.  Such a simple cookie but I always have problem with the recipe that the cookies are either too hard or too sloppy and most of the time the jam goes all over the cookies.  Here is my new found from Tana Ramsay's cookbook!  It is the best I have so far, it's chewy, rich in butter taste and the jam sits in the middle of the cookie liked a jewel.

Almond Jam Drops
(make about 35)

185g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla essence
165g caster sugar
2 egg yolks
60g almond meals
1/2 tsp baking powder
strawberry jam

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 180c.  Line 2 baking tray with baking paper.
2. Beat butter, vanilla and sugar until creamy and fluffy.  Beat in the egg yolks.  Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, then almond meals.  Mix until all combined.
3. Take a tablespoon of the dough and roll dough into a ball. Place onto baking tray and make a 1cm deep hollow with the end of a chopstick.
4. Fill the cookies with jam and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cookies turn slightly brown.  Cool biscuits on a wire rack.

Source: Modified and adopted from the cookbook, "I Love to Bake" by Tana Ramsay. 

Bus Driver's Mother-in-law's Almond Honey Slice

This recipe is given by the bus driver to the mother-in-law of the Australian food critic, Matt Preston during a country bus trip.  It's a recipe belonged to the bus driver's mother-in-law's.  Isn't it funny that recipe can be found from anyone at anywhere!  Matt has been hosting the Australian Master Chef and the 2012 Master Chef will be on TV tonight! Yay!

As most of the mother-in-law's recipes are good and so would be this one, too!  The slice was crumbly with a rich buttery, nutty taste.  It would be nice to share this with your mother or mother-in-law this Mother's Day for a special treat.

Have a Happy Mother's Day!

Almond Honey Slice

For the Base:
90g melted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup ground almonds

For the Topping:
125g butter, chopped
1/2 cup honey
200g slivered almonds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170c.
2. Combine base ingredients and mix well.  Press into a 18cm x 32cm paper-lined lamington pan.
3. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly brown.  Meanwhile, prepare the topping.
4. Combine butter and honey in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until butter is melted.  Simmer uncovered for about 3 minutes or until mixture is a light caramel colour.  Stir in nuts.
5. Spread base with hot topping and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in tray before cut into shapes.   

 Source: adopted from the cookbook, "Baking,"edited by Kylie Walker.

Rustic Caramelized Peach Tart

This peach tart is the front cover for the cookbook written by Maxine Clark.  I made her strawberry vanilla tart a few months ago when strawberry is in season.  I don't think that tin peach would taste the same as the fresh one so I wait till the peach season arrives to make this French style tart.  I chose to make the pastry using the cheat's rough puff pastry method by grating frozen butter onto the flour before folding.  The best part of this tart is the crispy buttery crust and the sugary caramelized peach syrup.  It's a simple form of tart that doesn't need any special tart tin but you need the skill to fold the pastry.  And I could tell you that it worths the effort!  I could image myself sitting at the veranda with red and white checkers tablecloth looking at the rural view from the French farm while sipping a cup of tea.  It's so simple and so good.  

Rustic Caramelized Peach Tart


Pastry:
250g plain flour
a pinch of salt
150g unsalted butter. frozen
150ml or a bit more iced water

Filling:
4-6 ripe peaches
55g butter
juice of 1/2 lemon
150g caster sugar
whipped cream or creme fraiche, to serve

Method:

1. For the pastry: Sift flour and salt in a mixing bowl.  Hold the butter in a tea towel (I use glad wrap) and quickly grate the butter into the flour.
2. Stir the butter into the flour with a knife.  Pour in water and mix with knife again until a messy lump is form.  Add a bit more water if needed.
3. Knead until it forms a streaky, lumpy ball.  Wrap with glad wrap and chill for 30 minutes until firm.
4. Sprinkle some flour onto the kitchen bench or work on a piece of baking paper.  Unwrap the dough and roll out away from you into a long rectangle 3 times longer than it's wide with 1 cm thick.  Remove any excess flour on the surface with a brush.
5. Lightly mark the pastry into 3 equal parts with knife then fold the 3rd closest to you over the middle and then fold the top third to cover the folded parts.
6. Turn it anticlockwise 45 degree like a book shape, then mark at one edge with finger to indicate you have completed 1 roll, then repeat the rolling and folding once more.  Rewrap and chill for 15 minutes.
7. Repeat rolling and folding twice more then wrap and chill for 30 minutes ( I chill for 15 mins) before rolling into shape.
8. Roll out the pastry and cut into a circle with 28cm in diameter about the size of a large dinner plate over baking paper.  Twisting the pastry over itself to make the edge.  Press slightly to seal and transfer onto a baking tray and chill for a further 15 minutes.
9. For the filling: Halve and pit the peaches and cut into chunky slices.  Heat butter in a saucepan the add the lemon juice and 1/2 sugar.  When the butter and sugar melted, add the peaches and toss gently.  Pile the peaches over the pastry with some butter sugar sauce and sprinkle the remaining sugar.  Bake at preheated oven at 230c for 20-25 minutes or until golden, puffed and caramelized. Serve with cream.

Source: adopted from the cookbook, Tart - sweet and savoury by Maxine Clark

Cranberries Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

I have been searching for good oatmeal cookies with nut and fruit for a long long time.  Every time when I try a new oatmeal cookies recipe (except the anzac biscuits), none of my family like it!  I end up eating them all by myself.  When this happen, I just feel that I am the lousy garbage bin!  Finally, I find this at Ina Garten's cookbook from the library.  Like me, she has been looking for good oatmeal cookies recipe for a while.  In her recipe, she uses pecans and raisins and I substitute them with walnut and cranberries because I have none of them in my pantry.  This time, I don't need to eat them all by myself as my family all grab a few and the cookies are gone in a flash!  

Cranberries Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

(make 35)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups walnuts

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter at room temperature

3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar

3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon castor sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3 cup rolled oats or old-fashioned oatmeal

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c/350F.  
2. Place the walnuts onto a paper lined baking tray, bake for 5 minutes or until crisp.  Let cool then chop coarsely.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar and castor sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs to the mixture one at a time, then add in vanilla essence.
4. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in another bowl.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.  Add oats, cranberries and walnuts until just combined.
5. Place a heap tablespoon of dough onto the paper lined baking tray.  Flatten slightly with a fork.  Bake for 20 minuted or until lightly brown.  Cool on the rack.

Source: modified and adopted from "bared foot contessa - back to basic" from Ina Garten.

Strawberry Vanilla Tart

Instead of staying in bed with a bad cold, I think I should get up to work on the computer.  Couldn't remember the last time I logged into blogger but there are so many new posts of yummy dishes from my blogging friends.  I guess if I don't change, the world still changing so I got to keep up...

I have been collecting tart tins and baking equipments at the moment so I can try to make some of the pies and tarts I always want to make.  I got very excited with my first oblong tart tin.  After I made this french dessert, I realise I don't have a plate long enough to fit it in.  I'm using my bread board until I find a plate to fit it properly.

Strawberry Vanilla Tart


For the pastry:
200g plain flour
75g caster sugar
75g butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
pinch of salt
2-3 teaspoon s of iced water

For the custard:
4 egg yolks
75g caster sugar
25g plain flour
300ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons kirsch

For the topping and glaze:
450g equal sized strawberries, sliced
75g fresh strawberry, chopped
1 tablespoon caster sugar
5 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon gelatine mixed with 2 tablespoon hot water

Or replace the glaze with 1/3 cup strawberry jam stirs with 1 1/2 tablespoon water under low heat

Methods:

1. For the pastry: Put the sugar, butter, egg yolks and vanilla into a food processor and blend until smooth.  Add the cold water and blend again then add in sift flour and salt.  Use "pulse" action and blend until the dough is just combined.
2. Transfer the dough to the working space lined with baking paper and dusted with a little flour.  Knead gently until the dough is smooth and not sticky.  Cover it with wrap and put into fridge for half and hour.
3. Dust the rolling pin with a little flour, then roll the dough into thin long shape to fit into the oblong tart tin.  Wrap up a little of the extra dough with plastic wrap and press along the side of the edges.  Use a fork to prick some holds at the base and chill for further 15 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven at 180c, line the base with baking paper with pie weight.  Bake blind for 15 minutes.  Remove the paper and pie weight and bake a further 10-15 minutes.
5. For the custard: beat egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, add in flour and vanilla.
6. Bring the milk to boil in a saucepan then pour in the egg mixture and stir constantly.  Cook gently in low heat until a few minutes until the custard is thicken.  Add in kirsch and let it cool completely.
7. Pour the custard over to the tart tin and spread evenly.  Lay the top with sliced strawberries and glaze.
8. For the glaze: Combine the strawberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan, let it simmer for a few minutes or until the strawberries become tender.  Blend the mixture into a puree and add in the gelatine mixture.  Return the puree into the pan and stir until it thickens. 
9. Keep the tart into the fridge for 4-5 hours until the custard is set and the flavour develops. 

Source: adopted and modified from "Tarts Sweet and Savoury" by Maxine Clark

Custard Tart

Many people may have heard or have had Hong Kong's egg tart already.  Some may have already master  how to make this delicious food.  There are a few different types of egg tarts, one of it has a shortcrust pastry that usually sell in bakery.  The other one has puff pastry that is sold at Yum Cha in Chinese restaurant.  When I first come to Australia, we find custard tart selling in the bakery that look and taste so close to Hong Kong's egg tart except the one in Australia is larger.   As Hong Kong and Australia are both Commonwealth countries, I believe that British has the influence in the creation of Hong Kong egg tart.

Talking about Britain, I have just got an emil saying I have won 1 million pounds from the British Lottery but I need to give some of my personal details to this yahoo email.  I have not purchased any lottery ticket so how could I win this...... wouldn't it be nice to win a million!

This recipe is taken from the book "a passion for pastry" again and it is the recipe given by Grace Henderson.  I am not going to put this post up because ready roll shortcrust pastry really not as tasty as homemade pastry.  However, it is so easy to make if you are craving for a quick dessert.  On the other hand, it's also difficult to get the floral shape right if you are making your own shortcrust pastry.  My son takes one for school and he gives a piece to his friend.  His friend asks where does he gets it and the answer is homemade by his Mummy.  So, if my kids and his friends like it, it should be OK!  My kids eat around the crust, then take a deep bite into the middle, that's not bad as they say. 

Custard Tart

(make 8)

2 sheets of shortcrust pastry

2 large eggs

25g caster sugar

a few drops of vanilla essence

150ml milk

nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 200c.  Cut a piece of pastry into 4 equal size squares.  The recipe asked to be 10cmx10cm and I have mine 12cmx12cm.  Repeat for the other pastry.
2. Grease 8 muffin holes if needed.  Push the pastry into the hole with four corners poking upward like petals.  Bake for 10 minutes then remove it from the oven.
3. While the pastry is cooking, beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence.  Heat the milk until almost boiling, then stir briskly into the eggs.  Strain into a bowl then pour into the pastry cases.  Sprinkle some nutmeg over the top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the custard is set.

Seafood Chowder

My cousin-in-law just come back from their 3 weeks US tour.  Besides taking the photos of the magnificent view of America, they had also capture some photos of the unique American food.  One of it is the photo of calm chowder from the wharf in San Francisco.  Coming from a family that enjoy seafood, I would love to have a taste of that one day if I have the chance to travel to the US.  (hope I don't have to wait too long)

I have had  seafood chowder in restaurants but I'm not a big fan of fish (I like sashimi though)  so I have never try cooking it at home just in case it turns out too fishy and nobody would eat it.  Then this recipe of seafood chowder comes to my door from the free weekly magazine featuring our local chef's recipe.  The recipe only call for few ingredients and the technique is quite simple.  I would expect it to have cream or cheese to enrich the soup.  But the use of butter and flour making the roux already create a lovely bowl of creamy soup which is not too heavy.  Or is it rather the white wine doing the magic to bring everything together?  My daughter says this is her new favourite soup and I'm so please to find a good recipe right at my door.

I didn't have a good sleep last night as my daughter kept message me about her bus trip to Sydney.  Telling me how bumpy the road was, where she was and how far to to go Sydney.... This is her first time going away for so long but I'm sure she'll have fun visiting Sydney, playing at the snow field at minus degree and learning more about the country at Canberra with her school camp.

Have you have a look my hand made craft page yet?    


Seafood Chowder
(serve1-2)

120g fresh seafood marinara
(white fish, salmon, squid, prawns and mussels)
1 tablespoon carrot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon peas
1/4 teaspoon chopped parsley (the seafood marinara I have already marinate with some parsley)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup stock

Roux:
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons plain flour

Method:

1. For the roux, melt the butter in a pan, add flour and stir then gradually add milk to create a bechamel sauce.  Set aside.
2. Combine the wine and stock in another pan, add in carrot and onion and let it boils until the stock reduced by 1/3.  Add into the bechamel sauce and stir.
3. Add seafood and peas to the mix, let it simmer for about 3 minutes or the seafood is just cooked.  Seasoned with salt and pepper.  Squeeze in some lemon juice just before serving if needed and serve with croutons. 

Chinatown Chicken Pies with Sticky Rice Sushi

This recipe is adopted and modified from the cookbook "a passion for pastry" written by Britain's top chefs and food writers that I borrow from the library.  This is Jill Dupleix's recipe and I have never thought of putting chinese mushroom into pies and I like the name of it.  I've changed some of the ingredients to suit my liking and I serve it with sticky rice of my own creation.  When I was living in Hong Kong, my favourite winter breakfast is sticky rice filled with yu tyau (油條) and a glass of warm soy milk.  Yu Tyau is a deep fried pastry that is eaten with rice congee at breakfast.  I  mixed the rice with chinese mushroom and dried shrimp, filled and topped with yu tyau and Japanese fish eggs as my Chinese version of sushi.  I really like this asian twisted kind of dish! 

As I don't live near Chinatown, I often go there on school holiday to stock up some Asian groceries and take the kids to enjoy some authentic asian food.  We always come home with bags and bags of goodies that will last us till the next trip.      

Chinatown Chicken Pies with Sticky Rice Sushi
(make 8-9)

Ingredients:

1 chicken fillet
1-2 dried shiltake mushroom, soaked with water till soft
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/4 cup baby peas
4-5 puff pastry
1/2 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon corn flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
coriander leaves
egg, beaten
Method:

1. Cook the chicken with the vegetables, add in the sauces and water.  Then season it with salt, sugar and pepper.  Thicken it with the corn flour mixture and finally add in the cooking wine.  Leave cool a little.
2. Cut the pastry into 4 equal sized squares.  Place 1 tablespoon of filling onto the pastry.  Brush the sides with egg then place another pastry over the top.  Use a cup as a guide to fold up the pastry.  Brush the top with egg and place a piece of coriander leave on top.  Brush the leave with more eggs.  Repeat the process until all the fillings is gone.
3. Bake at a preheat hot oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed.  Turn down to moderate and bake for further 10 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. 

Stuffed Chicken Maryland with Vegetables

This is probably the first recipe I get from the Australian Women's Weekly magazine.  It is not written down any where and I only remember it in my heart.  I have added some tomato paste over the chicken to give it more flavour and I think it's French style to put stuffing between skin and meat. (???) It's a recipe adopted from Margaret Fulton when she was working for the magazine a long time ago.  You can see her judging at MasterChef Australia and promoting for the supermarket, her food has been labeled as "honest to goodness."  I haven't got many of her cookbooks, only two books for the beginners but her recipes are simple and easy to follow.

This is the main course for my Mother's Day Special and I'm serving it with the stuffing made from my friend, DeLynne who comes from US.  She bakes the chicken stuffing on its own rather than stuffing into the chicken, so it is has a crispy crust like the quiche.  I don't fancy stuffing too much but DeLynne's stuffing has changed my view for it.

Stuffed Chicken Maryland with Vegetables
(serve 4)

4 chicken maryland
1/2 cup bacon pieces
1 small zucchini, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup shredded cheese
1 teaspoon garlic mince
tomato paste
extra shredded cheese
salt and pepper

For the vegetables:
steamed broccolini
mashed sweet potato

Method:

1. Trim off excess fat of the chicken maryland, season it with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in pan, add in onion, bacon and garlic.  Stir for a while then add in zucchini and cheese.
3. Stuff the zucchini mixture underneath the skin of the chicken.  Place it onto the baking tray lined with baking paper.  Spread some tomato paste over the skin of the chicken.  Baked in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes, then sprinkle extra cheese over the chicken.  Bake for another 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.  To test the chicken is cooked, poke it with a fork, it is done if the juice runs clear.
4. For the vegetable: Peel and chopped the sweet potato.  Cook it in boiling water until soft.  Mash it with a masher until fine.  Serve it with steamed broccolini and chicken.  

zucchini stuffing