16
NOV
rocky road
I had some leftover marshmallow from the toadstool cake I made Erika for her birthday (piccies on Insty), so thought I would make some rocky road. Easily the most addictive and moreish treat — even hubby, who doesn't like overly sweet things, gobbled it up. So here's the recipe:
11
NOV
making macarons…again
28
APR
spoiled rotten
Oooh, I am so very excited — check out the spoils from my recent shopping adventure! Can't wait to play!
21
APR
macaron mania
Yes, I have succumbed. And before you say 'puh! She's spelt macaroons wrong!', as I did the first time I saw it spelt this way, I should tell you that 'macaron' is French (although apparently derived from an Italian word). The English word 'macaroon' can also refer to a coconut macaroon (one of my mum's favourite biscuits from the Women's Weekly 'Beautiful Biscuits' cookbook!)...
18
APR
fig clafoutis
Success! Fig Clafoutis was delicious! Reminded me a little of mum's Lemon Delicious – a cross between a pudding and sponge. I got my recipe from Taste.com.au (click link to view), but I would make one change for next time...
12
APR
fig love
Over Easter, hubby, bubby and I, plus my extended family, holidayed in Blairgowrie. We had such an amazing long weekend — full of great food, walks on the beach, table tennis, tennis, card games and laughs. We also visited my sister-in-law's family on their gorgeous property in Red Hill. We have a wonderful tradition of drinking...
01
APR
fudgy brownies
I had a hankering for baking. So I made brownies. Oh so delicious, and oh so simple! We were feasting on slabs of this little beauty in no time. fudgy brownies 200g chocolate, chopped (milk or dark, whichever you prefer. I only had milk chocolate in my pantry at the time the craving sprouted, so that's what I used) 150g butter ½ cup caster sugar...
21
MAR
what i made
Snapper with fennel, capers and lemon Delicious November 2011 (issue 110) p. 170 I honestly wouldn't change a thing about this recipe. The fish was awesome and ready in a flash (great for a quick mid-week meal)...
14
MAR
mars bar bites
I made these delicious little bites for Lucy's first birthday and they were a hit! And so easy to make... this recipe makes about 28 bites. mars bar bites 3 x 60g Cadbury Whip or Mars bars, chopped 75g butter 1 tbsp golden syrup 3 cups Rice Bubbles 150g milk or dark chocolate (cut up into chunks, or chocolate buds) Handful hazelnut kernels...
10
MAR
what i made
Those long time readers may remember 'menu monday'? Well, seeing as things are a little more chaotic around here these days, I didn't want to commit to doing that every Monday (we won't starve, I promise), so ta-da! Here I present 'what I made'... just a little food diary so that I can keep track of the recipes I've cooked...
13
FEB
pikelets! pancakes?
Well, my mum always used to call these pikelets. Not sure what the diff is between pikelets and pancakes, but this is a fool-proof recipe to golden brown deliciousness. I cook them so often that I no longer need to check my scribbled notes. It's so easy peasy: Put the following ingredients...
06
FEB
crochet softie
My beautiful long-time mate Ali made this crochet softie for Erika. Isn't she a star? I have not been brave enough to try — to crochet a softie looks so hard! Aren't home-made gifts just tops? Love, love and more love. Peace out. xo
23
JAN
crochet monkey rattle
How gorgeous is this crochet monkey rattle? I just had to purchase when I spied it at Mathilda's Market in Malvern last year. From memory I was either very close to my due date, or overdue — hubby spotted quite a few stares and the odd person pointing at me and my enormous belly. Ah, those were the days...
28
OCT
baby blankie in progress
The little cot blanket I started is coming along nicely — finished the first two bands of colour (of four), just started on the third. It's lovely to have a little project to work on that doesn't involve much brain power. I'd really like to have the quilt finished first, given that winter is more than 6 months away and I probably won't need this little wooly blanket...
03
OCT
a quick project
...or so I hope. I know what you're thinking: why o' why am I starting a new project when I haven't finished the last? Because I am impatient! It's been so long since I'd picked up a pair of knitting needles, I was afraid I wouldn't remember how to knit. But, as they say, it's just like riding a bicycle. My hands remembered even if my brain didn't...
28
SEP
baby shower
Last Sunday my gorgeous mum and sister hosted a beautiful baby shower for George and I, surrounded by all the lovely ladies in my life (with a few notable exceptions). There were delicious finger sandwiches, sausage rolls, mini quiches and sweet treats as far as the eye could see. I put in my two bob and made the Lamington...
05
SEP
back on track…
After a frustratingly time-consuming set-back, 'Project Sunspot' is back on track. I had crocheted together about 25 rounds — 19 in the first strip, then rounded the corner to come back the other way — when I discovered the vague 'pattern' (read: trying to decipher stitches via pictures) I had been following didn't quite work as I had anticipated...
31
AUG
sugar flowers from the source
I went on a mission today to purchase some more sugar flowers to decorate the cupcakes I'll be making for my (fast-approaching) baby shower. And I found a doozy! Hot tip for my baking buddies: West's Cake Decorations in Burwood make all their sugar flowers on site, so they're cheap as chips. Great range too, and since they make...
17
AUG
baby shower invitation
With an ever-growing belly (and my sister's persistent nagging), I thought it was about time I designed my baby shower invitations. I can't believe how quickly time is flying — George is almost 30 weeks! No mistaking my baby bump for an overly indulgent lunch now. As much as I love it, I really do wish I could get some SLEEP....
10
AUG
burch & purchese
This new-ish addition to the South Yarra end of Chapel Street makes me as happy as a kid in a candy store... because well, I am a big kid and this is a very schmancy candy store. If you haven't heard the Burch & Purchese buzz around town, then let me enlighten you! Well-known around foodie circles, the general public may recognise...
11
JUL
sunspot crochet is a-go!
NOW I can take a deep breath and savour the moment — I'm almost there! The rounds are complete (with new Zara colours done and dusted; it did put me behind schedule, but I'm glad I bothered because they've added more blues and greens to the mix and made the overall size of the rug larger), now it's time to put them all together. It's lovely...
29
JUN
uh-oh, new colours
I was walking past Clegs on Elizabeth Street last week when I noticed they were having a big yarn sale. Lo and behold, they were stocking new colours from the Filatura Di Crosa Zara range. Just when I thought my sunspots were finished, time to whip out the crochet hook and make a few more rounds — 71 extra rounds...
06
JUN
yarra valley treat
Hubby and I picked up our new family-friendly wagon during the week, so we thought it would be fun to test it out on a good ol' day trip. We hadn't gotten up early enough to make the trek to Daylesford, so were content to enjoy the spoils of the (much closer) Yarra Valley. Have you ever been to the Bella Vedere restaurant at Badger's Brook...
07
APR
delizioso!
Tucked away just off Collins Street, this little restaurant is a real find. The new venture of Tobie Puttock, The Kitchen Cat delivers fresh and traditional Italian fare. My partner-in-crime and I shared several dishes, each of which was incredibly delicious. This is what we had: • One of the pasta specials of the day, lamb ragu tagliatelle...
19
JAN
wristworms
Love. Love. Love! I just had to share ‘wristworms’ with y’all. They are the work of Sandra Juto in Sweden and an absolute delight. I am particularly besotted with her ‘Buttcrack’ characters (Mr. Sunburn had me in stitches, no pun intended). Both the little wristwarmers and softies would make brilliant gifts — and of course you can buy online!...
17
JAN
menu monday 9
Review of last week’s recipes: Hmm, the highlight last week is a toss up between the salmon with the preserved lemon mayo, and the schezuan pepper beef. I didn’t have the chervil required for the preserved lemon mayo, so I substituted with some fresh mint from my garden, which was just delish. Mint and asparagus (which I grilled...
11
JAN
halfway there
Time to pat me on the back, folks! I finished my goal number of crochet rounds on Sunday — 208 — with no days to spare before returning to work! (I’ll admit that, yes, there was at least one day during my break that I wore my PJ’s all day). And yes, I am just a bit daunted by the thought of sewing all those ends in (but don’t they look pretty!)...
10
JAN
menu monday 8
This week I’m giving Donna Hay’s No Time To Cook book another bash. I haven’t used it as much as I have her other books, but I imagine that’s just because I am now so spoiled for choice with the foodie magazines I work for. I like to get a good balance of meats when planning our meals — this week I’ve included chicken, beef, pork...
30
DEC
i’ve been busy
I have added to my collection of rounds (whilst watching just about every soppy girly movie I own), from the 31 I had when I first posted, to 94! (And just in case you’re Rainman, no — there isn’t 94 in this photo, I have done even more since I took this pic!). Thank you to Sharon who gave me extra encouragement by commenting on my first ‘sunspot’...
26
DEC
a day of food and fun
Whew! What a whirlwind of a day! I hope you all had a magical time with family and loved ones. To those of you whom I didn’t have the opportunity to give a big bear hug — I was thinking of you! Hubby and I started early by hosting breakfast for his mum, her husband and husband’s brother, plus hubby’s sister and husband. There was lots...
25
NOV
in the round
This is a little project that I kind of made by accident. You see, I wanted to make a scarf in the round (kind of like a big cowl-neck warmer) but had never done it before. Linda (co-worker and knitter extraordinaire) said it was easy, but frankly, I didn’t believe her. She also says knitting socks is easy and they look like an absolute mo-fo...
24
NOV
more than a mere trifle
Heeelllo peeps! I have missed writing to you all, I have! Ok, I know what you’re thinking. I missed Menu Monday. Again. Oh I know!! But seriously, my weekend was madness — I didn’t even have time to clean the house, let alone write a meal plan (friends and fam, had you popped by unannounced, I would have drawn the blinds...
17
NOV
a little bit of sunshine
This wee little project (ok, you’re right, it’s not little — it’s gargantuan), entitled ‘sun-spots’, has been put on the back-burner for... oh I don’t know, six months? (Oh, I know exactly when I started — I blogged about the wool I bought for the project here). Pathetic, I know. I think I’m daunted by the sheer size... plus, now that I’m out of practice...
15
NOV
menu monday 7
Well, I’m finally eating normal foods again after a nasty bout of food poisoning (which lasted two weeks — didn’t know that was possible!). Last night I cooked a t-bone steak with thyme butter and mushrooms, and if I say so myself, it was friggin’ awesome. I had been craving flavoursome foods after dining on mashed potatoes and bread...
06
NOV
saturday treat
It was such a beautiful day today, we couldn’t resist taking a drive to the Yarra Valley for lunch. If you’ve never been to Giant Steps Innocent Bystander in Healesville, you really ought to give it a go. Not only does the cafe/bistro serve wood-fired pizzas and bakery goodies, but they do wine and cheese tastings and sell all manner of jams,...
01
NOV
menu monday 6
Review of last week’s recipes: The highlight this week is a toss-up between the polenta-crusted veal and the middle-eastern chicken. I was particularly impressed with the juicy tenderness of the chicken, I think I’ll be cooking breast in this way every time: Pan-fry on each side for about 5 minutes or until golden, then transfer to a pre-heated...
25
OCT
menu monday 5
Review of last week’s recipes: The family faves last week proved to be just what I needed. So comforting and delicious. Mum and Dad ended up popping round for dinner on Teriyaki Chicken night, bringing with them another family favourite — Dad’s special fried rice. Yummo. Oh and a quick tip, if you’ve got left over polenta...
18
OCT
menu monday 4
Welcome back to Menu Monday! I’ve been a bit slack since returning from Italy, mainly feasting on whatever I can scrounge together (the other night I whipped up a tuna salad with lettuce, corn, beetroot, tomato and a red wine vinegar dressing — well done, pantry!). I haven’t yet finished the travel journal, I’ll get back to that soon...
23
AUG
menu monday 3
Review of last week’s recipes: Roast salmon with tarragon and caper pangrattato, served with green beans and scalloped potatoes: I purchased the recommended four fillets of salmon — they were huge! So, we invited hubby's mother and partner over for dinner, and it went down a treat. The pangrattato (essentially a flavour-infused toasted...
18
AUG
bake sale
The ‘Creative Pod’ (as we like to call ourselves) and Vogue Jo, with the help of super-organisers Bec and Tam, put on an old-fashioned bake sale at work to raise money for the RSPCA. It was an unbelievable success — much more so than we were expecting! We had morning and afternoon sessions; we sold out 16 minutes into the...
16
AUG
menu monday 2
Review of last week’s recipes: Highlight was definitely the sage-roasted pork belly. It is so deliciously rich and decadent, perfectly offset by the fresh fennel salad. Regarding the recipe, it says to roast in the oven at 160 degrees celsius for 3 hours, then increase the heat to 180 for the remaining 30 minutes. The increased heat is required to crisp...
09
AUG
menu monday
Welcome to Menu Monday! Every Monday from today, I intend to share with you our menu for the week. I'm hoping this will motivate me to plan our meals every week (honestly, the planning can be more time-consuming than the cooking) and it will be a great documentation of the recipes I've cooked. So many times I have wanted...
01
AUG
jam and cream, oh my!
I love a good scone. It makes me think of Aussie country wives of my grandmother’s generation, who would have morning tea ready and waiting for their hard-working husbands. I’m sure I have a very romantic notion of what it was like to live in that period, far from reality! And besides, a scone is a jolly good vehicle for jam and cream!...
01
JUL
the inner sanctum
Following on from my last post, in which I uploaded an article featuring Shannon Bennett and Guy Grossi... Last year I had the unbelievably good fortune to oversee a photo-shoot in the Grossi Florentino kitchen of Guy Grossi. The shoot was to promote Leggo’s tomato paste, and I was so excited to see the inner workings...
30
JUN
gastronome menu
Oh my goodness. Dining at Vue de Monde last night was a once in a lifetime experience: and it ought to be, because we can’t afford to go again! Whilst the final bill was what any ordinary Aussie would call ridiculously exorbitant, I couldn’t help but feel we were getting value for money. The luxurious surroundings alone warrant high...
31
MAY
comfort food
I cooked a favourite comfort food last night — chicken, pancetta and cannellini bean stew, topped with crispy fried sage, and served with baby chat potatoes and green beans (from Delicious magazine, issue 93, page 132). For all winter’s down-falls, I love winter food. I love cooking it and I love eating it...
29
MAY
spreading the crafty joy
I have a great job (mostly — ask me again when I’m stressed and under deadline!). I work in Melbourne for News Magazines, designing across the women’s titles (Country Style, Delicious, Donna Hay, Vogue Australia and Vogue Living, etc.). This week, News Magazines was invited into the offices of Mindshare,...
15
MAY
knit knit
About a year ago, my lovely Nan taught me to knit. Slow and oh-so-awkward at first, with each project my skill and speed improve. It will, however, take me until I reach Nan’s age to match her — she’s a machine! My first project was a scarf (of course) — I played with knit and purl to create...
08
MAY
spring: high time for high tea
Each month my immediate family members take it in turns to host a get-together. We are all such massive foodies — and I’m chuffed that each child has either married a foodie or converted their partner into one! To keep things interesting, we will often adopt a theme — spanish tapas one month, and a modern...
04
MAY
somewhere over the rainbow
I have crochet fever. Since the lovely Carly taught me the basics, I have been thinking about little else. She spotted a beautiful granny square rug on a blog, which has been the inspiration for my purchasing wool in every colour in the rainbow. The idea is to put together rounds of three different colours,...
29
APR
stocking up
My chicken stock stocks had run low, so this past weekend I hunted and gathered — and came home with a bountiful supply of bones and vegies to cook up a storm. Store-bought stock cannot compare with home-made. It provides the base to so many delicious recipes: from slow-cooked stews, to soups and risotto’s...
24
APR
granny squares
Ok, I was going to share my crafty journey with you in chronological order, but I’m going to skip a few chapters, just this once (‘cos I’m so excited). On Friday, my mate Carlz (crazy monkey, you can read her blog here) taught me how to crochet granny squares! She was such a brilliant little teacher,...