Potato, Chorizo, Red Coats and Road Trips!

So Friday night I was lucky enough to go to dinner with the girls where we shared an awesome chicken, cranberry, bacon and brie pizza and I had a fabulous mushroom risotto and then we went late night shopping at Kmart where I picked up some bargain underwear :) All in all a great Friday night!

Then yesterday OH and I took a road trip up to Burnie which is 3.5 hours drive away to look at a bike for me! It was a little 250 Virago and it was just perfect, when I sat on it, it just felt right, everything was comfortable and easy to reach so hopefully it is going to be a great learner bike for me :) My uncle is doing some negotiating and all things going to plan, it will be here waiting for me when we get back from Melbourne next Saturday! To be honest I'm terrified about riding on the road, but you never know if you don't give these things a go! Whilst we were up north we also went to the Imaginarium (like a science works) where they had a display on all things spy related which was pretty cool, to Penguin where we saw the small, medium and large Penguin statues scattered through the town, to Anvers Chocolate Factory which was very impressive, just a shame the factory wasn't operating because it's all glass windows so you can see everything being made, and for a scenic drive through the Great Lakes which was just beautiful and we even saw wild deer - when we got home we were exhausted but it was a great day :)

Today I went shopping, OH brought me a gorgeous winter coat a few weeks ago, but since then I have worn it like every single day so today I went in search of another one in an effort to preserve the first one, I was thinking red, I was thinking thick, I was thinking warm...but in my wildest dreams I could not have imagined this - OH says I remind him of Paddington Bear in it, but I just love the look of it and it's so cosy!


And then tonight we had a big bowl of potatoes, spring onion and chorizo topped with cheese and sour cream...oh it was soooooo good!! Just boil the some halved spuds while you cook the spring onion and chorizo in the fry pan. Add the boiled spuds to the fry pan and cook for a few mins or until they start to get that golden look about them and serve :)


Hope you all had a fantastic weekend :)

Em x

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

At work yesterday we hosted an Australia's Biggest Morning Tea event to raise money for the cancer council. The ladies at work did an amazing job, so good in fact we had enough food left over to do it all again today! We had a fantastic vartiety too, from fresh fruit and vegies, bruschetta, biscuits, cheese and dip, lemon cakes, ice cream cakes, coffee streudels and my contribution - Mini Sponge Cakes with Lemon Cream Filling and Strawberry Jam Blondies




For the Mini Sponge Cakes with Lemon Cream Filling, I used the Lemon Cream Filled Sponge from the Women's Weekly Card File. I thought the indivual cakes would be easier to serve up then the large cake and I loved the look of it on the card.


This was the finished product :)


And these were the Strawberry Jam Blondies - so soft and chewy and the jam sort of caramelizes on the top making them to die for!!


For these delicious creations you will need:

2 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
250g butter
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup strawberry jam (or jam of your choice)
50g chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180C and line a slice pan.
Melt butter and sugar together, either in the microwave or on the stove top. Quickly whisk eggs and vanilla into butter/sugar mixture.
Stir in flour, baking powder and chocolate chips.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Spoon jam over batter and then swirl into batter with a butter knife or skewer to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from the center of pan. Cool before cutting into squares and serving.

So easy yet so very very good!!

Ohhh and at the hairdressers on Tuesday they straightened my hair....my thick, painful, frizzy mop is dead flat straight....I nearly proposed to my hairdresser on the spot...every day it amazes me even more, I even walked in the wind today and it remained straight and flawless....and it's so versatile, no longer am I confined to up and back or well up and back, I can wear it up or out or however the hell I want! So that confirms it, I'm investing in a good quality hair straightener! Here let me show you a picture :)



Happy Friday!!

Em x

Go Team Julie!!

Last night was Tuesday night dinner at Mum and Dads....when we got there as usual there was a flurry of activity in the kitchen and we were quickly ushered out before we could see what was going on.

It wasn't long however before we were greeted with delicious bubbling plates of tomato and cheesey goodness


Woohoooooooooo it was cannelloni! And not just ordinary cannelloni, but Cannelloni Stuffed with Ricotta, Carrot and Zucchini - see I even got you an inside shot it was that good!


And because I am always thinking of you, I got the recipe so you can make it for yourselves :)

6 fresh lasagne sheets (cut in half to make two smaller rectangles)
15g butter
2 zucchini grated
2 carrot grated
2 chicken stock cubes
250g grated cheese
250g light ricotta
1 red onion diced
2 x 400g tins of diced tomatoes with herbs

Melt the butter in a fry pan over medium heat. Add zucchini, carrot, onion and stock cubes and saute until soft. Remove from heat and stir through 1/2 cup grated cheese and all of the ricotta. Season with salt and pepper.

Pre-heat oven to 180C and grease a baking dish. On one of your lasagne sheet halves, place a good tablespoon of the mixture down one edge lenghtways and roll up to make a tube. Place in a baking tray and repeat with remaining mixture and sheets. It's ok if they sit snug in the tray.

Top with diced tomatoes and remaining cheese.

Bake for 15-20 mins or until cheese is melted and golden.

Everyone loved this, it was such a gorgeous filling, we thought we might try it in lasagne form next time!

So after dinner we all sat in the lounge room with our happy, content bellies...but there was something else brewing - we weren't allowed in the fridge, we weren't even allowed in the kitchen which could only mean one thing....dessert was coming!

Now I feel this is a good time to point out that Dad did ask me last night if we could call a truce at some stage because Mum and I use these Tuesday night dinners to whip out some impressive recipe we have been dying to try and it has ended up being a bit of a joke to see if we can out do each other each week....

This is when dessert came out....


Individual trifles...raspberries topped with jam roll topped with more raspberries, some raspberry jelly, double thick vanilla custard and a generous dollop of whipped cream...The jam rolls soaked up the juice from the raspberries and it sort of had that summer pudding look to it...and the taste...it was decadent, it was devine, it was delicious...and OH (who normally is a very slow eater) had inhaled his before everyone else had taken their second spoonful!

So this is me....waving my little white flag...I surrender Mum!!!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Em x

The Weekend That Was.........

So what did I do this weekend?

I went for a walk in the sunshine on Saturday morning...

I gave money to a homeless man....

I browsed through some new stores and brought Pilsbury Dough Boy Lip Balm in Cinnamon Roll flavour...

I ate some of the most gorgeous fresh dates I have ever tasted...

I had a delicious bowl of apple and yoghurt for lunch...

Then I weeded the vegie patch :(

That was Saturday....but yesterday I did some groceries...

Went to the movies with OH to see Pirates of the Caribbean 4 in 3D (it was pretty good!)...

Then I went home to imerse myself in my kitchen :)

First things first, OH required a beverage so I used these ingredients to make him a Caramel and Whiskey Thickshake


I melted some cream (about 2 tbspns), brown sugar (about 3 tbspns) and whiskey (a good dash) together in the microwave to make a whiskey caramel sauce, then I combined that with about a litre of milk and a good scoop of vanilla ice cream in the blender. I couldn't get any photos of the finished product because OH demolished it before I had the chance! The sauce would also be spectacular just poured over vanilla ice cream or you could use it to make rice pudding or hell, eat it on it's own, it was that good!

So now that OH was content, I got on with my baking.

I made a Tuna, Vegie and Rice Bake for one of the ladies at work who has injured her elbow and can't cook much right now.


I also made her my Mum's Zucchini and Carrot Pancakes.


These are delicious and so easy.

In a bowl combine 1 grated zucchini, 1 grated carrot, 1 cup of grated cheese, 1 diced onion (cooked), 3 beaten eggs, 3/4 cup of water, 1 crumbled stock cube, 2 cups of plain flour and 1 cup of milk. Season with salt and pepper. Let the mix rest in the fridge for an hour or so. Using a buttered fry pan over medium heat or a pancake maker if you have one, cook the mix 1/4 cup at a time. These are delicious hot or cold, my Mum and Dad make them all the time and this is one of my favourite dishes from when I was younger :)

Then I made myself some Roasted Tomato and Lentil Soup for lunch at work this week


This is also our favourite winter dishes, it's so easy and so tasty!

To start with you will need roughly 1kg of tomatoes, halved lengthways. Place the tomatoes on a lined baking tray cut side up and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 200C (fan forced) for about 40-50 mins or until they are starting to look roasted. When the tomatoes are done, chuck them in the blender with 2 tspns crushed garlic and blend until smooth. Meanwhile place a cup of dried red lentils in a saucepan or microwave safe bowl and pour in about 3 cups of water. Cook for 10-15 mins until water is absorbed and lentils have pretty much turned to mush. Pour the tomato mixture into the lentil mixture and stir well to combine. This gave me 5 good size bowls for lunch, or normally if OH and I have it for dinner we add a cooked onion as well and it all disappears in a night! One thing I will say about this soup though is that if you do have the willpower to leave it overnight the flavours really develop so try and make it the day before serving :)

And once all that was done, I finally got started on our dinner! Pizza Pull Apart Bread



We did not intend to eat all of this last night....but we did, it was just too good...soft pillows of herbed dough filled with tomato paste, ham, tomatoes, capsicum, cheese and pineapple...oh it was good...it was so good....

This recipe was slightly more complicated then the others though so I better write it out in steps!

You need:
2 cups of self raising flour
30g butter
3/4 cup of milk
Fillings of your choice.

In a bowl use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre of the bowl and add the milk. Stir with a flat bladed knife until the mixture resembles a soft dough. You may need to add more milk.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and if you are making a savoury dough you can knead in 2 tspns crushed wet italian herbs.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle. Now here you can go for your life. You can spread it with vegemite and sprinkle with cheese then roll it up or you could do what I did and spread it with tomato paste then layer fresh cut tomatoes, ham, cheese, pineapple and capsicum in a strip down the middle. I did this so that all I had to do was bring the two lengthways edges together, fold up the ends, and I had a nice little parcel where my layers would show up nicely. Before you put it in the oven (@ 200C fan forced for 35 mins or until golden) cut deep slits every 3-4 cms but be careful not to cut all the way through, this makes it look pretty and makes it easier to pull apart!

Did I mention it was freakin' awesome?? Think dessert, think apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, think lunch boxes with chutney and cheese or vegemite and cheese...get creative people!!

So what did you do this weekend??

Em x

Caramel Mud Cupcakes

Last night I was getting ready to make a carrot cake for work today when I realised it's been some time since I've made cupcakes...far too long in fact.

So I ditched the carrot cake (sorry old faithful...maybe next week we will meet again) and I started looking through my favourite cupcake book for a recipe, I knew exactly what I wanted to make...Caramel Mud Cupcakes.

You need:

100g white chocolate
125g butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup (due to the lack of golden syrup I used 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 2 tbspn honey instead)
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
1/3 cup self raising flour

Combine the chocolate, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey and milk in a bowl and microwave for 50 seconds. Give it a good stir and then microwave for a further 50 seconds or until melted. Stir the mixture until well combined and sit to cool for 15 mins.

Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 150C (fan forced) and line a 12 hole muffin pan with cases (although I actually got 16 cupcakes out of this recipe).

Once the wet mix has had time to cool, sift in plain flour, self raising flour and egg. Beat well.

Fill cases about 3/4 full with mixture and bake for around 20-25 mins or until they bounce back when touched.

You could top these with a maple or vanilla flavoured frosting, but I think they will be delicious just the way they are.

Oh my god they were good! The maple syrup was the perfect addition but be warned they are more-ish....I ended up having two...OH claimed the rest for his lunches so I had to make the carrot cake for work after all!! The tops had a crunchy caramelised taste, the cakes themselves were dense but still soft and delicious...these are a definetly a keeper!!

Lol and here is a photo of OH's 'snack pack' for work today...two caramel mud cupcakes, a whiskey ball (I had no rum for rum balls!) and some jelly cheesecake slice :)


Happy Friday everyone!!

Em x

Fruit Platter and Shoes!

I was looking for a nice dessert to cook for Mum and Dad when they came up last Tuesday night, I trawled through my new 'Puddings' cookbook for ages drooling over self saucing puddings, upside down cakes, mini cakes, tortes, mousses, souffles....but you know what, they just weren't doing it for me. I wanted something fresh, something relatively light, something delicious...and then I remembered I had a recipe for a dip to serve with fruit!

It is so easy :)

You just need:

100g philly
1/4 cup lemon juice
The juice from one orange
225g tin of pineapple pieces in juice
2 tbspns caster sugar
1/4 cup thickened cream

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend well. Pour into a bowl.
Refigerate overnight to set and serve with fresh fruit.

We served ours with fresh dates, apple, pineapple, banana and of course, some marshmallows! It would make a lovely summer breakfast / brunch or would be beautiful to serve up at a morning or afternoon tea.

OH also thought this dip might be nice with some mini marshmallows stirred through and then some gelatine added so it set like a mousse. The boy does have some good ideas sometimes!!


It's been awhile since I've had some shoes to show you! Well the other day I picked up a lay by...got these lil babies just in time for Fri the 13th! And I also picked up my wedding shoes too, but OH was lightning fast at hiding them so I don't wear them out before the big day...Damn him! Hasn't he heard of wearing them in!?



Em x

WW Card File Challenge #4 Corned Beef

Love can make you do things you normally wouldn't do.

When your loved one turns to you and asks you to cook them Corned Beef...what do you do? Do you deny them their favourite dish? Do you buck up and give it a shot? Do you look for the silver lining? Do you start plotting the long long long list of things they are going to have to do to make it up to you??

Well I think I began by saying something to the effect of Hell No and made my refusal very very clear. I used to be totally vegetarian, but due to iron issues, I try and eat a bit of meat, but I still have issues with big chunks of the stuff, it has to be in something or covered in something and it has to be in small pieces...roasts are not yet on my list of conquered meals.

But when I thought about it, I thought well he eats lentils and fake meat for me, the least I could do is cook him some Corned Beef and it was a good opportunity to knock off another one of my WW Card File Challenges (silver lining!).


It was actually pretty easy!

All I did was put a 1kg piece of corned beef into a pot with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 bay leaves, a tbspn of peppercorns and an onion cut in half. Bring it to the boil, turn the heat down to simmer and let it bubble away for around an hour (30-35 mins for every 500g of meat). And there you have it! No nasty fat and drippings and horrible roasty things to deal with, just one very happy OH!


He had it with some mustard (sounds odd to me, but he says it's the done thing....) and a whole heap of steamed vegies and I have got brownie points coming out of my ears!! Hmmm foot rub anyone???

Em x