autumn inspired

I love this time of year! The fresh mornings, the still warm days and the cool evenings......it always inspires me, that change in the light. I thought I would share a few recent purchases that reminded me of Autumn and the cooler months ahead.

The purse -  I just love the tone of it. It's so rustic and pretty. Just like Autumn.

The beads and the game - Don't you just love olive green! Quoits make a fun display but you can also pull them off the shelf and use them. With the recent rain we've been playing them inside with the kids and doing silly things like hopping on 1 foot when we have a turn.....funny! The beads, well, they are a great length and I like that they are little chunky.....and they aren't rediculusly heavy which is a bonus!

The book - Laura Ashley Bedrooms, 1988 by Susan Irvine. Who doesn't love their bedroom in the cooler months! I love the cover on this book. So pretty. and inside, I love the chapter about, The Rustic Bedroom. Aren't those soft blue tones beautiful? I had to have this book when I saw this picture. It just reminded me of those cool mornings when we pull the covers up a little higher and delay the start of the day....just by a little bit....

the saying - I'm not normally one for sayings and things of this nature but I thought this was adorable and so beautifully made.......I couldn't believe someone had parted with it. It's now living in our kitchen, next to the stove, watching me as I bring in the harvest from the veggie patch and waiting then to see what I'm going to do with 9 capsicums and 1 tomato!

Sweet Potato, Parsnip and Rosemary Soup

Our good friends over at Fox Drink Water are taking little short breaks for their honeymoon instead of 1 big one. I think it is such a lovely idea - why go one place when you can go several? Why go straight after the wedding when you can stretch it out over a year or even two? When Caroline asked me about Tasmania (where we went for our Honeymoon) I pulled out my travel diary and started reminiscing about the most romantic time of my life - snow at Cradle Mountain, a secluded old farmhouse on Bruny Island, A Honeymoon cottage overlooking the Bay of Fires, A trip to the Theatre and many, many delicious meals and log fires........this dish of course came from our Honeymoon. We were at the Tavern Bar at Cradle Mountain Lodge and having eaten non-stop all day I felt like a simple but warm soup for Dinner. This delicious meal was exactly what this newlywed required, here is my version....

Ingredients
1 large piece of sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small pieces
4 small to medium parsnips, peeled and sliced in half length ways
2-3 tablespoons chopped rosemary
extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, white part sliced finely
butter
salt
1 litre chicken stock

How to make your Sweet Potato, Parsnip and Rosemary Soup

Pop your oven on to about 170C. Throw the sweet potato, parsnip and rosemary in a roasting pan and toss with some salt and extra virgin olive oil. Roast for about 40 mins or until everything is lovely and soft. be sure they don't char too much.

Melt about 20g butter in a saucepan and add the leek.Throw in a little salt and sweat down until soft. Add the roasted vegies and a little stock and puree with a stick blender. Pop back on the heat, add the remainder of the stock (or until it reaches your desired consistency) and heat through. Check seasonings and serve with some snipped chives if you like and some warm crusty bread. Enjoy!

Quince Quirkcake

My Mum came across this recipe a little while ago and mentioned that it sounded nice. Since it is nearly Mothers Day and we won't actually be seeing my Mum on the day I decided I would make today Mother's day, for her. I pulled out Margaret Fultons recipe and thought, instead of making the Strawberry Shortcake that was in front of me, what about, Quince Quirkcake?

Well, it worked!! H-E-A-V-E-N can only describe this cake!!!!!!

If you would like to make this using quinces just use my recipe here While the quinces are going follow Margaret's recipe and make the cake. When the quinces are done, leave them in their stewing liquid but pop everything into a large lidded container so it can cool down.

Once everything has cooled down you are ready to assemble. Just ensure that you are ready to eat it as this piece of heaven is best eaten fresh!

Cut your cake in half and seperate the 2 halves. Pop the bottom half on your serving plate.

Whip the cream. When done, add quince pieces to the base then top with half the cream

Add the top part of the cake, the remainder of the cream and the remainder of the quinces. Cut into large pieces and devour!

Enjoy!

Slightly Tweaked Scones....

I was all ready to put up a Scroll recipe this week but then I got distracted (as I do) and here I am throwing around this old chestnut......This recipe first appeared on the blog on the 24th April last year. It's hard to believe that I am already a year old. The very first recipe along with the first dodgy photo appeared on the 6th April 2010.....hopefully my pics are a tiny bit better now!

I really wanted scones for breakfast. I don't know why or where I pulled that idea from but there I was on Sunday morning thinking I had everything and d'oh, no buttermilk. Then I spied 2 little tubs of Vanilla yogurt, just looking at me.....So here's the same recipe but instead of the buttermilk I've used 2 x 200g tubs of Jalna yogurt in Vanilla flavour. The result: YUM!

ingredients
3 and 1/2 cups Self raising flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
pinch of salt
60g chopped butter
2 x 200g Jalna yogurt tubs

how to make your slightly tweaked scones

Pre-heat oven to 200C (fan forced). Place baking paper over a tray, set aside. Place 3 and 1/2 cups Self raising flour, 2 tablespoons caster sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Combine. Add 60g chopped butter and rub through with your fingers until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the mix and add your 2 tubs of jalna yogurt. Using a flat blade knife, stir until dough almost comes together. Place on a floured surface (or another piece of baking paper on the bench). Give it a really good knead until dough comes together then using a rolling pin, roll out to a 3cm thickness. Then cut out rounds and place on your tray. Cook for approximately 18 - 20 mins, until golden brown on top and they sound hollow when tapped. Makes approximately 12.

I made a simple caramel sauce with equal amounts of butter and brown sugar and then added some chopped figs.........perfect start to Sunday!

Kitchen love and Kids Casserole

I heart my kitchen, especially first thing in the morning when it's still clean and the morning light touches everything so softly. I love to just stand in there surrounded by my pretty things drinking my morning cup of tea thinking about the day ahead........life does not get anymore perfect than that, does it?

Wherever we have lived we have been blessed with beautiful rustic kitchens and by rustic I mean, usable! Our current house we bought in 2009 and I remember when I first saw the kitchen the walls were painted in an awful khaki colour with a suede effect.....I remember thinking, "How could you even feel like eating!".......but we looked past that, bought it anyway and painted every wall in the house a milky white! (Did I mention that the lounge room was orange and lavender and the second bedroom, the darkest in the house, was painted a deep navy blue. We called it the cave).....The kitchen has been my favourite room in the house ever since......which is a good thing since I love to cook! and your kids will love this casserole.....my kids can't get enough!

ingredients

750g (approx) chicken drumsticks
750g (approx) chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic,peeled and halved
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
10 cherry tomatoes from the vine
2 dried bay leaves
fresh thyme leaves, about 3 or 4 teaspoons
750g pumpkin, peeled and chopped into smallish chunks
300g green beans, topped and cut in half
1 tin of cannelini beans

how to make your kids casserole

Pop your oven on to 180C. Line a large baking dish with baking paper and pop it in the oven to keep warm until ready. Grab a large saucepan and pop about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in it. add salt and pepper to the chicken. Put your pot over high heat and brown off all the chicken. Make sure they don't burn. Set aside. Lower the heat and add the onion and garlic, cook until softened. Add the water and wine and get all the lovely bits from the base of the pan. Add the cherry tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, some salt and pop the chicken back in. Bring to the boil. Transfer to the roasting pan you have in the oven. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins. Add the chopped pumpkin and the cannelini beans and bake for 30 mins. Add the beans and cook for a further 10 mins. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the yummo juices!!!

Enjoy!

Roast Carrot Hummus

I've been wanting to make this for years and seeing as though it took me about 40minutes to make from go to woe I really don't get why it has taken me this long....

Things like mayonnaise and hummus are forbidden in our house because both our kids have allergies to sesame, eggs and nuts - so that pretty much rules everything out except for chutney.....and if I even look at chutney again I'm going to barf!

Anyway, I saw the words "carrot hummus" somewhere along my travels, I never saw the recipe, not even a pic but those words have always stayed with me and today I finally brought it to fruition.

This recipe is so simple and it's easy to add your own artistic flair to it as well if you are serving it as a dip with some oven crispy lavosh bread......drool...

ingredients

2 large carrots (approx 175g each)topped, peeled and chopped into batons (not too skinny though)
extra virgin olive oil
salt
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon honey (optional)
1 can chickpeas
coriander leaves and pine nuts (optional)

how to make your roast carrot hummus

Pre-heat your oven to 200C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Chop the carrots into batons and lay them individually on the baking paper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, scatter with some salt and the fennel seeds. Bake for 30 mins (don't let the carrot burn)

Rinse the chickpeas in a colander under running water. If using as a dip, keep a handful aside for decoration. Pop all the carrot along with the accumulated juices in a bowl and add the chickpeas. Using a stick blender, pulse to a thick puree. Add some more extra virgin olive oil to give it a nice consistency. It's up to you if you want to add the honey or not. I think it tastes delicious either way. Just be careful the honey can make it too sweet so use it scant and see how you go. DONE!

If serving as a dip pop the hummus in a dish and drizzle with a little extra oil, scatter over some chickpeas, pine nuts and coriander leaves......YUM.


Enjoy!

4p pie

It's nice to back in the world again! Our laptop died 2 Fridays ago and we only got hooked back up to the net a few days ago.....it feels like it's been years! One good thing came out of it....this recipe! I own lots and lots of cookbooks but really I know them inside out.However, these books I hold onto so that one day I can pass them on to my children, so I can say,"you can feed an army with this Sweet potato curry recipe!". My Mother-in-law always passes on her Country Style magazines to me when she has finished with them....usually up to a year later. I decided to dig them all out and flick through them when I had some time to myself (since there was no Internet to distract me) It was such a good thing to do, I surprised myself. I saw things in peoples homes that I have for sale in my little shop, it got me thinking about display and memories and how these two things are always linked; it reminded me that simple things give small joys and the recipes, well, they weren't half bad! The following one is actually inspired by a recipe I found in one of these Magazines. They were named Shiraz Pies (How cute is that...I'll have a lamb and shiraz pie please...and hold the lamb!) but I've changed the whole dynamic of the recipe to make it my own. The 4p doesn't relate to the price or even an English heritage it's because of the ingredients: pork, parsnip, pumpkin and pastry. Enjoy! it's nice to be back....


ingredients

1 onion,chopped
4 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped length ways
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
500g cubed pork (I used forequarter chops but you can use any suitable cut)
1 cup white wine (I used a Riesling)
1 cup chicken stock

1 cup plain flour
125g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1/3 cup sour cream

1 fennel, cut the white part into wedges (discard green bits)
1 large piece of butternut pumpkin, chopped into cubes (discard skin)

how to make your 4p pie

Saute the onion in a large saucepan. Add the parsnip and garlic and sweat for a few minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the pork and brown well.Turn up the heat. Add the wine. Wait a minute then add the stock and the pop the vegies back in. Simmer for 40 minutes. Cool. Cover. Refrigerate until needed or at least 2 hours.

Put 1 cup plain flour in a bowl and add the cubed butter. Rub it through your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream until a smooth pastry forms. Wrap in glad wrap and pop in the fridge for at least 1/2 an hour. Stand at room temp for about 10 mins before rolling out.

Pop the pumpkin and fennel in a roasting pan and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 180C for about 30 - 40 mins or until soft. Puree with a hand held blender. Cool slightly before assembling your pie.

Roll out the pastry. Depending on the size of your dish. I only had enough to cover the base and sides so that is how the pumpkin topping came about.Over the pastry add the pork and parsnip mix. Over this top with the pumpkin mash. Pop in the oven for at least 45 mins at 180C or until the mash has a bit of colour to it.

Serve with some peas scattered over the top and sea salt and freshly grinded pepper.

Note: You could omit the home made pastry and use store bought and you could leave out the pumpkin mash and top with pastry instead. It's up to you. Have fun!

Enjoy!

spice it up - chai tea cake

When I met my husband in 1999 he was the one who first introduced me to chai tea. On one of our very first dates we discovered this sweet little modern australian cafe in Glebe called 'The Edible Trader', which unfortunately is no longer there, but they had the most wonderful food and they made excellent chai tea, the traditional way.
So, soon after trying it and of course making our own at home, I had to make it into a cake! My first attempt for our very first house warming party (little did we know we would move 7 times in 11 years) was kind of a disaster. Something was not quite right, the cake came out as flat as a pancake. So for the night I called it my chai tea slice. Back to the drawing board I finally came up with this recipe and it has never let me down since. As you can see from the photo I made them into muffins but you can do either really, it's up to you. If you collect old copies of foodie magazines like I do, you may find this recipe in a 2003 issue of Australian Table, in the reader's recipe section!

ingredients

7grams of ginger, skin off
10 cardamom pods
10 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tea bag of your choice (I use a plain black tea)
2 teaspoons honey
60g Nuttelex
200g brown sugar
2 eggs
170g Self raising flour
100g hazelnuts, roasted, skins off and chopped (keeping some hazelnuts whole for topping each muffin or a few for the top of the cake)

when roasting your own nuts, put the oven on a lowish heat, place them on a tray lined with baking paper and leave them in for 5 mins or so. You can test one by taking it out of the oven carefully, using your fingers to rub off the skin. If it comes off easily they are done.

how to make your cake

pre heat your oven to 180C. Get your cake tin or muffin tray ready with baking paper, cases and/or oil spray.

Place ginger, cardamom, cloves and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan with 3/4 cup of water on high heat, bring to the boil and boil for 2 - 4 mins. Reduce heat to medium, add soy milk and the tea bag and simmer for 2 minutes. remove from heat, add honey and stir well to combine. Strain the liquid into a jug or bowl and set aside to cool. You will only use 3/4 cup of this chai liquid. Also at this point you could just enjoy it as a chai tea!

Place nuttelex and sugar into a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3 mins untl pale and thick (it will happen!) Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold through flour and hazelnuts, alternating with the chai liquid until well combined. Pour into prepared tin. Cook the cake for 55 minutes or until browned and a skewer comes out clean. Cook the muffins for about 20 - 30 minutes, checking them as you go. When you take out your muffins/cake pop your whole hazelnuts on top while the cake(s) are hot, this should keep them in place! Serve with a little thickened cream if you like but this cake is really yum on it's own.

For a double dose, enjoy with a cup of chai tea!

quince jam - marmellata di mele cotogne

First and foremost I would like to acknowledge that this recipe comes from the cookbook, "Twelve - A Tuscan Cookbook" by Tessa Kiros. As this was my very first attempt at jam making I have not altered the recipe at all, I followed her every word! This book was given to us as a wedding present in 2004 and unbelieveably I have never made anything from it. This recipe, however, was always in the back of my mind saying, "make me!, make me!". Well, I finally listened.

The process, from start to finish, took me 3 hours (not including cooling time at the end). I'm sure when I make it again it will be a little quicker and hopefully I will give you some tips that will lessen the time for you too. I have to say though I felt like an Italian Mama with my headscarf on, chopping and stirring and developing flavours. At each step I marvelled that it was all doing what it was meant to. The aroma throughout the house was like a beautiful rosy perfume. The whole experience was all very magical, especially seeing these bright yellow quinces transform into a rosy red jam in a space of a couple of hours. Truly worth every minute.


Pre-jam making - what you need

* A very large stainless steel pot (or 2 if you have them) to make the jam in but also to sit the filled jars in when you are ready to create your vacuum.
* Have some small jars on hand (I bought special preserving jars that actually did'nt work)Smaller jars that once held dijon mustard or salsa or whatever will be easier to use up as once they are opened they should be kept in the fridge and consumed fairly quickly
* Check that your oven can do 100C for the steralisation process. I discovered on the day that our oven started at 120C! Thankfully I found I could just as easily pop each jar in the microwave to steralise. Whichever you end up using just make sure they are clean
* Make sure everything else you use is clean too, like tea-towels, spoons, knives, chopping boards and even your sink
* You'll also need good kitchen scales, a timer and a hand held blender


Ingredients

* Buy about 2kgs of quinces (You will need 900g worth or 1.3kg depending on whether you want to add the pears too, but by the time you cut out the cores or discard any rotten bits I think it's better to have more on hand then less - in the end I had 3 spare)
* about 3 pears (You will need 400g worth after they have been peeled and cored)
* 1 cup of good red wine (I used Petit Clos by Clos Henri Marlborough New Zealand Pinot Noir - a gift from our friends who we helped cater their wedding)
* 500g Caster sugar (Next time I will use a little less but it in the end it all comes down to taste - see what you think)
* 1 lemon (You will need the zest and the juice)
* 1 litre cold water plus an extra 2 cups of hot water for later


How to make your jam

Wash the quinces with water and dry them with a tea towel to wipe away any fur and grit. Get out your saucepan and bottle of red wine. Cut the quinces into quarters, leaving the skins on but removing the cores. Pop them into the saucepan with the wine and over a low to medium heat, let the wine reduce a little. (If you are not using pears as well make sure you use 1.3kg of quinces instead of just 900g) Meanwhile, get your other bits ready. Peel and core the pears (if using) and zest the lemon. pop these into the saucepan along with the lemon juice, the sugar and the 1 litre of cold water. Bring to the boil then lower the heat slightly and cook for about an hour or until there is only a bit of thickened, syrupy liquid in the pot. (Be careful towards the end of the time as it may catch on the bottom. Stir it often or lower the temp but only until you are happy you are left with the thickened syrup) If using the oven to steralise your jars, pre heat it now to 100C.

Take the pot off the heat and add 2 cups of hot water and puree the quinces with a hand held blender. Put back on the heat and simmer for another 30 to 40 mins or until the jam has thickened and is a deep red colour. Spoon a little jam onto a plate and tilt the plate slightly. The jam should slide down with a little resistance. Take it off the heat if it is ready.

Just prior to this you should wash your jars and lids in the sink using very hot and soapy water. Rinse them, dry them and pop them onto a baking tray and place them in the oven for 10 mins prior to filling them. Take them out very carfully from the oven and carefully fill with the hot jam. Alternatively wash and rinse your jars (don't dry them) and pop them into a microwave, one at a time, for 1 minute per jar. Take them out very carefully and fill with the hot jam. Screw the lids on very tightly. If you have another large pot, use that, otherwise you will need to wash the pot you just made the jam in. Make sure it is extremely clean then fill it with cold water. Place the jars in the water bath ensuring they are well covered (you don't want water to evaporate during the boiling process,exposing the tops. You want to create a vacuum.) Now bring to the boil and once boilng, do so for 20 mins. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the jars to cool in the pot before removing them. Check the lids to see a vacuum has been created. Store them upright in a cool dark place and the jam will keep like this for up to 1 year. Once opened, store in the fridge.

I hope you enjoy making this jam as much as I did! have fun mxx

Cheap and Cheerful - Chicken and Rice

This is another dish that I grew up. I remember my Grandmother making this and when she grinded the pepper it seemed to go on for hours. She loved the peppery flavour the simple spice imparted. However, when I started eating grown up food I remember complaining about this. So for many years, untl my palate had grown up a little, my family would add the pepper after the cooking process or my Grandmother would make one especially for me, in a seperate roasting pan. She always knew how to keep everyone happy. Now I absolutely LOVE lots of pepper in this dish. The success of this meal kind of counts on it.

Depending on how many people you are feeding I generally do 2 chicken legs per person or 1 per child. This recipe will feed 4 people easily. Traditionally we ate this dish with some crusty bread but I think you can have too many carbs!

You'll need:
1 onion, chopped
500g uncooked, medium brown rice
8 chicken drumsticks
salt and pepper

Pre - heat oven to 190C and place baking paper in a roasting pan or use a creamic dish with a lid (no baking paper required) Heat oil in a fry pan and add your onion. Fry over a low heat so the onion softens. Turn up the heat a little and add your rice. Stir to slightly fry the rice. Now add salt and plenty of pepper. (You may want to see how you like the pepper taste after it's cooked so maybe go easy the first time you make it - it's up to you) Take off the heat and pour into your roasting pan. Now place the chicken drumsticks on top of the rice and pour over 2 cups of water. Cover tightly with 2 layers of foil or put on your lid and pop into your oven and bake for 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours.

The chicken will be falling off the bone so take them out carefully and hopefully the rice will be lovely and crispy around the edges, mmmmmmm my favourite part!

Heyyyyyy Macaroni! - Macaroni Cheese with baby spinach

I love traditional Macaroni cheese but I always feel so guilty after I've eaten it. Well, now I don't have to feel guilty. Just add spinach! This dish is really simple, fairly quick and everyone will love it on a really, really cold night. In place of the baby spinach I'm sure you could even use a cup of peas or maybe even some leftover roast pumpkin. Have fun!

First of all get a large pot of water on to boil and add a dash of salt. Measure out 300g pasta and set aside.(doesn't have to be macaroni - up to you but with the timing, a pasta that needs 14 minutes cooking time works well)Now pre-heat your oven to 190C. Get out your oven proof dish and set aside. Get out 100g baby spinach leaves, wash them, drain them well and set aside. When the water starts boiling add the pasta and set your timer.
Melt 50g butter in a large saucepan (If you don't have another large saucepan that's fine, it just means when you mix everything together you'll be using the pot that the pasta is cooking in) When it has melted remove from the heat and add 50g plain flour, mix in to make a roux. When it has all come together pop back over the low heat and very slowly add 500ml milk, stirring constantly. When it starts boiling let it cook for 1 minute, stirring occaisionally, then take off the heat.

Drain the macaroni and mix it with the sauce, baby spinach, salt and pepper and 100g parmesan cheese. Check your seasoning. Pour into your ovenproof dish and scatter with another 100g parmesan cheese. Cook in the oven for 15 mins or until lovely and golden.

Serve immediately on it's own or with a simple garden salad.Serves 4 - 6 people. You could swap half the parmesan for a tasty chedder cheese too. This recipe is adapted from the really cute little cookbook, "Love your leftovers".

Crazy fun with jam - Jam Crumble Tea Cake

I'm sorry but this cake must be eaten on the day it is cooked. (Hooray!)
This cake always surprises me. It's a Donna Hay recipe that I came across years ago and I've been playing around with it ever since. Trying out different jams; what works and what doesn't. Mucking around with the quanity of eggs and flour. It's been alot of fun experimenting (ie eating!) It is such a wonderful combination of flavours - the sponge cake, the jam, the crumble topping and then when it comes out of the oven - YUM!. You get to use your favourite jam and no one can mock you. If you really want to use your melon and pineapple jam, then do it. It's so exciting trying out different ones to see how they alter the taste of the cake. This is my other secret obsession - JAM. If there is a Church fete on you'll find me there, stocking up on jars filled lovingly with homemade jams and chutneys. I LOVE them. Which one to try today? I decided on Dried Apricot Jam. Sounds strange, I know, but it wasn't too sweet, it had an old worlde charm about it.......

Take 185g butter out of the fridge, chop into smallish pieces and pop into a bowl. Set aside to soften. Pre heat oven to 180C and line your cake tin with baking paper. You'll need 1 cup of jam. If using one from the fridge measure out what you need and leave out at room temperature. Now you can make your crumble topping . Place 5 tablespoons plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup of firmly packed brown sugar and 45g cold butter, chopped into tiny pieces into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingers until the mix resembles fine bread crumbs. (If the room is very hot try not to overwork the crumble as the heat from your hands will melt the butter) Set aside.
Now back to the 185g butter. Add 1 cup caster sugar (I use a bit less) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add 3 eggs and beat well to combine. (I usually use just 2 eggs with a bit less flour but it's totally up to you - see what you think) Fold through 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1 and 1/2 cups plain flour until combined.(Don't be worried about the mix - it is quite thick) Spread into your cake tin. Now get your 1 cup or so of jam and swirl it through the mix. You want it throughout the cake not just on the top so use a knife to make grooves into the cake. (This is the fun bit and each time you make it from now on you'll experiment with this) Now all you need to do is sprinkle your crumble topping all over the top of the cake. Pop it in the oven for about 55 mins. (When you test the top it will still feel squishy but don't worry it will be cooked through) Leave to cool slightly in the tin and then serve straight away. Enjoy with thick cream or icecream or just on it's own.

It's a funky take on an old tradition. Enjoy!

I like 'em rich - My Bolagnaise Sauce

I think most people grew up with their families version of Spaghetti Bolagnaise. There is no right or wrong with this meal. I've known people to even add vegemite. My own Bolagnaise has evolved over time. Now with small children I make sure I add some vegies in there too.
My most standout memory was when my husband and I were on our honeymoon in Tasmania. We had a quick meal at an Italian restaurant in Hobart before seeing a show at the Theatre. The place was packed and we were squeezed into a tiny table next to the Gelato freezer. I ordered a simple Spaghetti Bolagnaise. What was delivered in front of me will never be forgotten. I could taste lamb, rosemary, red wine, sweet, sweet tomatoes. The balance of richness and saltiness and sweetness was unbelievable. I often think back to that beautiful meal and I've tried to emulate it ever since. Here's my version, I hope you enjoy it too.....

Chop 1 brown onion, 1 stick of celery and 1 carrot finely. Add some oil to a frying pan and pop over a low heat. Add the vegetables. Chop up 2 cloves of garlic finely and add to the vegetables. Let them sweat down for about 5 minutes until they are lovely and soft. When ready add 500g lamb mince. Brown the meat over a high heat then add 4 slices of prosciutto or about 30g worth, torn up(alternatively you can use 2 rashers of bacon, diced - The prosciutto will give it a more richer flavour but it will also give it a lot more fat so you may prefer to use bacon instead, it's up to you) Now throw in your herbs. I like using dried herbs so i use a mix. A touch of marjoram, a touch of oregano and a touch of thyme and then I use some fresh finely chopped rosemary. I love the flavour of rosemary so I use a good teaspoon but see how you go, you may want a more subtle flavouring. Stir and when it is fragrant add a good half cup of red wine. When the liquid has nearly all evaporated add your tin of chopped tomatoes and a touch of salt and pepper. (You don't need a lot of salt because of the bacon or prosciutto and you'll add more pepper just before serving. I just like to add it to tomatoes.) Give it all a good stir. Turn the heat down to medium. For the sweetness I add some ripe cherry tomatoes which I keep in a bowl at room temperature in the kitchen. Chop about 8 or so in half and add to the frypan. Now fill the tin that had the tomatoes in it with water and add to the pan. Depending on how long you want to simmer it for. I add 2 full tins of water to simmer it for an hour and a half but you can just use 1 full tin of water for about 30 - 40 mins. It's ready when all the water has gone and you are left with a rich, thick Bolagnaise. Serve with spaghetti and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Happy memories!

What's yours is mine! - Chocolate Panna cotta

This is not the easiest dessert to make,though on paper there are only a few ingredients but it is exquisite!! Sometimes you just want to work that little bit harder to create an amazing treat. To go to that extra effort so you can casually say, "yeah, I just made some Chocolate Panna cotta for dessert" when your guests arrive. This would be the perfect end to a dinner party. Let's face it, what's an ending without chocolate! I love it when the kids are in bed and I can sit back and have a cup of tea and out comes the "good" chocolate.
When making this dessert I can't stress enough the accuracy you need with your measures/weights etc. Timing needs to be accurate as well but I will explain this in the recipe. Enjoy!

Place 4 cups of pouring cream, 3/4 cup icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Stir occasionally until the liquid has reduced by a third. (approx 20 minutes) When you have nearly reached this point measure out 2 teaspoons of gelatine and place in a ceramic bowl. Add 1/4 cup water and put aside. Set the timer for 5 mins. When the cream mix has reduced by a third add 185g milk or dark couverture chocolate which has been chopped. Stir over the low heat until combined and smooth. meanwhile When the timer has gone off add the contents of the bowl to a small saucepan. Stirring over a low heat until gelatine is dissolved. (You'll find yourself stirring both the cream mix and the gelatine mix at the same time). When the gelatine has dissolved and the chocolate has been mixed in,add the gelatine to the chocolate mix and stir simmering for 1 minute.
Pour into 1/2 cup capacity moulds or ramekins (or cute little tea cups like I used) and refrigerate until firm (approx 6 hours)Serve on their own or with some fruit - depending on the season - right now I'd go with beurre bosc pears or maybe some kiwi fruit.

Mother's Day Picnic - cauliflower and cannelini bean puree and caramelised onions

I love Picnics. I think it's a mix of that happy outdoor feeling and fantastic food. It's usually homemade, something that people have grown up with or at the very least, wonderful comfort food. With my sons allergy to eggs I miss whipping up a quiche to take to these outdoor events but there are so many other things that can be enjoyed. Here are a few..... I bought some rare roast beef; ham off the bone and some sopressa della nonna. Lovely crusty bread, juicy grape tomatoes and I made some Cauliflower and cannelini bean puree and caramelised onions. Delish!

Allow about 45 minutes to get the 2 made before you head off to your picnic.

Cauliflower and Cannelini Bean Puree
Chop up 1/2 a cauliflower into smallish pieces (the bigger the pieces the longer they will take to cook - the smaller the pieces the liklihood of burning so be careful)Pre-heat your oven to 200C and grab your oven tray. Line it with baking paper, chuck on your cauliflower pieces and liberally drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Pop in the oven and cook for 30 - 35 mins. When softened and some of the cauliflower has browned up, take out of the oven and pop in a bowl. Drain a tin of cannelini beans and rinse through with water. Add it to the cooked cauliflower and grab your bamix. Give it a whiz until smooth. (I have to say,I like it left a little chunky but it's up to you) season to taste with salt and pepper and add some more extra virgin olive oil if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature or even cold. If you have some you can dress it up with a little chopped parsley.(Also delicious with lamb cutlets and roasted cherry tomatoes)

Caramelised Onions
In a large frypan melt 40g butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Chop 3 large brown onions and add to the pan along with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cook over a lowish heat until they are very soft and have a lovely brown colour. (approx 25 mins) Then over a medium heat add 1/2 cup of water to the pan, give it a stir and cook until water has evaporated. Serve. Dress it up with some thyme leaves if you like. (Great with barbequed sausages and soft rolls)

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mums out there. I hope you got spoilt rotten like you deserve....xx

Oooh-lah lah - chicken and vegetable pie

This recipe comes from 'Real Living' magazine. I've changed it a little, but then I tend to do that to a recipe. The original also said you could use the meat from a BBQ chook but I thought it was easier just cooking some chopped up thigh fillets rather than trying to cut all the meat off a chicken. See what you think.
I always feel a little bit French when I make this dish. I'm not sure if it's the leeks together with the chicken and butter or maybe it's the pastry. Who knows? It's just something that flashes through my mind while I'm cooking it. I usually serve this pie with mash potato and peas. If I add a little less flour to the dish the sauce doesn't go as thick; this mixed with the mash potato on your plate is heaven. But you don't have to. It's up to you. It is much easier to portion up when the sauce is thicker, especially when you are serving guests. You can see the delicious mess in my photo!

The list of stuff:
3 Tablespoons butter
2 leeks, sliced thinly
1 - 2 sticks of celery, sliced thinly
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 cup chicken stock
200g button mushrooms, cut in half
600 - 700g chicken thighs, cut into uniform bite size pieces
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 - 4 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry (depending on the size of your pie dish)
1 egg, beaten lightly to brush the top of the pie. (I don't usually bother but it's up to you.)

Have everything chopped and ready to go. Don't take out your pastry just yet as the filling needs to cool for about 20 mins.
In a frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and cook mushrooms until golden. Meanwhile, in a seperate, smaller saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and cook leeks, celery and carrot, until softened.
Add the chicken to the mushrooms and cook through.
Add the flour to the leeks, celery and carrot and cook stirring for 2 mins then chuck in the chicken stock. Heat until thickened.
When the chicken is ready add the vegetables, mix to combine and season with salt and pepper. Throw in your parsley and stir through.Cover with a lid or tea-towel and Set aside to cool. Take out your pastry. Allow at least 20 mins for it to defrost so it will be flexible enough for you to use.

Pre-heat oven to 180C. Line your pie dish with a sheet of pastry, allowing a lip around the edges. Pop in your slightly cooled chicken mixture. Then top with pastry, crimping the edges to seal and cut a few slits in the top, allowing the steam to escape. Bake for 45 mins until lovely and golden. Sit for 5 mins (if you can wait that long!) then serve.

Serves 4 people with just the pie or about 6 with the mash potato and peas.

The best pies I have ever tasted are from 'Hayden's Pies' in Ulladulla on the New South Wales South Coast. They are all heavenly! If you are ever in the area, I can't reccomend them enough. And 'Jasper Peel' bakery too for awesome pizzas, breads and sweets.....It's a Foodie's paradise!

Sugar and Spice - Polka-dot gingerbread

I came across the recipe for white chocolate and gingerbread slice in a magazine and thought I would give it a go but found I was short on a few ingredients. So I improvised. Polka-dot gingerbread was born! This would be perfect for a kids party, cut into 28 squares or an adults party cut into 14 fingers. Enjoy with tea or coffee and with or without a sprinkle of icing sugar. Eitherway, it's pure YUM!

Place 100g unsalted butter, chopped into a saucepan, along with 3/4 cup golden syrup, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground ginger and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Stir over a low heat until butter has melted and mix is combined and smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Pre-heat oven to 180C and line a slice tin with baking paper.
beat 1 egg lightly and add it to the saucepan. Then add 1/3 cup milk and mix well.
Sift 2 cups plain flour into a bowl. Add 180g chocolate. (I used 100g dark choc and 80g white choc as that was all the white choc I had in the cupboard; you could use half and half - it's up to you) Fold through the golden syrup/egg mixture and mix until combined.
Spread out evenly in prepared tin. Bake for 30 - 35 mins until firm. Cool in pan. Dust with icing sugar before serving, if you like. Enjoy!

Afternoon delight - banana and honey muffins

I have a trusty muffin mix that I am always re-working and changing and adding different flavours to. I used the same basic principles for the fig cakes with chai syrup. I had a couple of really ripe bananas so I thought I'd make some banana muffins and add some delicious honey from the markets.

Grab your muffin tray and spray with an oil spray or pop in cases. Pre heat oven to 200C. In a bowl add 220g self raising flour and 1/2 cup caster sugar. mix through.
In a seperate bowl add 1/2 cup of light oil, 1/4 milk, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1/4 cup plain yoghurt and 1-2 tablespoons honey. Mix to combine.
Grab 2 over-ripe bananas and slice 1/2 of one very thinly into slivers (you'll pop these on the top for decoration) mash the remaining banana and add to the flour along with the wet batter. Mix until combined. Don't overwork the mix. Spoon into muffin tray. Top with banana slices, add a sprinkle of brown sugar. Bake for 18 - 20 mins. makes 12.

A quick afternoon pick-me-up!

food for thought - fish and chat potato chowder

You can probably tell by now that I LOVE soups. This one is my other favourite. My husband loves seafood but I don't cook a lot of fish at home. I'm just not that confident with it. Then I came across this recipe about a year ago and thought I'd give it a try. It is, without a doubt, absolutely beautiful. When you make it, just make sure that the vegetables at the beginning have been sweated down enough so that they are lovely and soft, otherwise you will crunch your way through the soup and it just wont taste as amazing. This soup is meant to melt in your mouth with the beautiful fresh fish,a dash of cream and yummy bacon and potatoes.....mmmmmmmmmmmm

The list of stuff:
olive oil
250g smoked speck, pancetta or bacon, chopped finely (I've only ever cooked this with bacon and it is very yummy)
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 baby fennel bulb, trimmed (fronds reserved) and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 and 1/2 tabelspoons plain flour
1 cup dry white wine
8 baby chat potatoes, each cut into 8 pieces
2 and 1/2 cups milk
1 bay leaf
500g skin removed, bones and bloodlines removed of Blue eye, chopped into chunks
1/2 cup pouring cream or single cream
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley

Heat oil in a large heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Cook bacon for 3-4 minutes until starting to brown. Reduce heat to low and add onion, celery, fennel and garlic, cook stirring for 4-5 mins or until vegies are soft. Add flour and stir until well combined. Pour in wine and bring to the boil then simmer over med heat for 3 mins or until liquid has reduced by half. Add the potatoes, milk and bay leaf and simmer rapidly for 12 mins over med-high heat. Stir in the fish and cream and simmer for a further 5 mins or until fish is cooked through. (make sure the fish isn't overcooked either or else it will taste like rubber) Season to taste then ladle into serving bowls and top with chopped parsley and reserved fronds. Enjoy!

Have everything chopped and ready to go, except for the fish, you can prepare this during the 12 min time frame.

An oldie but a goodie - Lumberjack cake

My Mum came across this recipe in a Woman's Day (or something like that) in the late 80's. It was suggested in the article that Lumberjack cake was far better than any chocolate cake. Even then I thought that was a pretty big call but it's almost true. It is deliciously moist and tastes better for days after it is made. If it lasts that long, of course. I couldn't even tell you how many times I've made this cake. It was my best seller at the markets. Each month I would get more and more people asking me for this cake (my flourless chocolate came in at a close second)so it must be pretty good! This is going to sound totally disgusting but when I was in my 20's and I'd had a big night, if there was a slice of this in the fridge, I'd put it in a bowl and douse it in milk like it was cereal. One word - Heaven!

I always make this cake the day before I serve it. I think it tastes better the next day after it's been in the fridge but it's totally up to you. It tastes good straight from the oven too!

Take 125g butter out of the fridge, chop up and place in a large bowl, set aside to use later.
Chop up 200g pitted dates and 2 large delicious apples (skin and core removed and finely chopped) place in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of bicarb soda and 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and stand until warm (about 10 mins or so).
Pre-heat oven to 180C and line your cake tin with baking paper.
Beat the butter that you had put aside with 1 teaspoon vanilla essence and 1 cup raw sugar (I usually put a little less). Use an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add 1 egg, beat until combined. Stir in 1 and 1/2 cups sifted plain flour alternatively with the apple/date mix, then pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 mins. Around the 40 min mark, get your topping ready.
In a small saucepan combine 60g butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed, 1/2 cup milk and 2/3 cup shredded coconut. (I didn't have any shredded coconut in the cupboard so I used desicated instead - It doesn't alter the flavour, just the look). Stir over a low heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Set aside until cake is out of the oven, spoon over topping carefully and bake in the oven for a 30 mins until topping is a lovely golden brown.
Enjoy on its own or with some cream. Freeze it in pieces. Keeps in the fridge for days.