Biscuits and Gravy! If you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating this Southern delicacy for breakfast, then I really don’t need to say another word before you start salivating.

For the rest of you, this is your lucky day.  I enjoyed this delicious breakfast for Mother’s Day yesterday, and today I’m going to share my recipe for Biscuits and Gravy with you.  I suggest that you add this to your weekend breakfast menu ASAP.

Necessity being the mother of invention and all that, I’ve had to make some changes from the traditional recipe.  You see, there is no such thing as Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage in Australia.   This recipe has evolved from the original “cheats” recipe I found on the web to reflect my own tastes.  I not sure that it tastes like an actual roll of Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage anymore, but it is seriously good.

As a word of warning, do NOT buy the low-fat ground pork to make the sausage.  You’ll need that fat to make the roux for the gravy.    I made this mistake once, and it was a disaster.   Who was I kidding trying to make low-fat sausage gravy?  This is a very decadent meal.  Go with it.

Once your sausage is made, you’ll need to make some delicious Buttermilk Biscuits (recipe here) to drizzle the sausage gravy on.  I typically get these in the oven, and then make the gravy while the biscuits are baking.

Enjoy!

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I had the pleasure of attending a Mother’s Day morning tea hosted by Appliances Online and Breville last week.  Several members of the Monday Morning Cooking Club were there too and cooking up storm.

I had not heard of the Monday Morning Cooking Club, but, my oh my, they were something.  These 3 ladies had the most delightful time whipping up some sweet treats in the Appliances Online test kitchen using a Breville All In One Food Processing Station.  And, with every dish, we heard the story of how the recipe founds its way into their hearts.  I loved every minute of it!

These kindlech were like a strudel filled with nutella and raspberries.

The honey macadamia nut wafers were sinfully divine.

The almond kifli (the white cookies) were my favorite.  Yum!

And, then there were the chiffon cakes.  There are 3 of them in the Monday Morning Cooking Club cookbook because they simply couldn’t decide which was best.  Nice problem to have, isn’t it?  Personally, I must admit that this custard chiffon cake was pure perfection and stole my heart.

I was also pleased to find out that the Appliances Online call center is right here in Sydney, and I would not hesitate to use them for any future appliance purchases (like the LG French Door fridge I’m currently lusting after).

Sending out a big “Thank You” to the teams at Appliances Online and Breville for the lovely time at the Mother’s Day Morning Tea.  Also, thanks for the lovely gifts including the Monday Morning Cooking Club cookbook and a Breville All In One Food Processing Station.  I am now whipping up the same goodies in my own kitchen much to the delight of my family.

Disclosure:  I have not received monetary payment for this post, but I did receive gifts at the Morning Tea.  All opinions are my own. 

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I’m super excited to share this story with all of you, and I have a special treat for you at the end.

4 weeks ago now, I had an amazing experience with my very own personal stylist.  Can I say that again?

My Very Own Personal Stylist!

I always thought personal styling was the domain of Hollywood starlets, not overweight suburban housewives like me.   Wrong!

The Aussie gave me this shopping trip with My Very Own Personal Stylist for Christmas.  I wanted to get out of the fashion rut I’ve found myself in since having kids but wasn’t sure how.  I’ve never been a fashionista, but since the girls were born, it’s all been about comfort, practically, and price.  Like most mothers on a budget, my own personal fashion needs are at the very bottom of the list.

Enter Charlie, from Style By Charlie, My Very Own Personal Stylist.  Before we met for a 2 hour shopping trip, I sent Charlie a couple of pictures of myself so she could see my coloring and shape.  I also filled out a questionnaire detailing what I like and don’t like about my body, my goals for the shopping trip, and my budget.

My goals were simple.  First, I wanted to find some classic looks that suit my figure so that I can take Charlie’s advice and continue to look my best for years to come.  Second, I wanted to get out of my “mom uniform” rut and add some color and fun back into my wardrobe.

Charlie then took this info and did a pre-shop so that she knew exactly which clothes and shops she wanted to take me to.  This was great as our shopping trip was only 2 hours, and we were really able to maximize that time.

Here is my “before” picture.  This is what I was wearing when I met Charlie.  It’s my typical “mom uniform”.  Denim of some sort (jeans, shorts, or skirt depending on the weather),  a solid colored t-shirt (usually black or white) and a cheap cardigan in the cooler months.

I was really excited when I arrived at the mall, but also slightly worried and unsure what to expect.  Charlie greeted me like we were long lost friends and whisked me off for a whirlwind of shops and fashion.  Charlie has a unique talent of maintaining her professionalism by making sure we cram as much fashion as possible into the 2 hour window without feeling rushed while also being very personable by making me feel like I was shopping with an old friend.  I loved every minute of it!

At every shop, Charlie and I would split up for a few minutes browsing.  She would grab the items she wanted to show me, and I picked out anything I liked.  In the dressing rooms, I would put on my picks and then Charlies.

Amazing differences.

Most of the stuff I gravitated toward actually looked awful on me compared to Charlie’s picks. And, she was choosing stuff I never would have dreamed of wearing.  Leggings, for instance.  Never in my life would I have ever thought leggings would suit my figure, but I bought 2 pairs.

Without further ado, here are some after pictures.  And, yes, I felt like a dork while channeling my inner Cindy Crawford for these photos.

This first one was my favorite outfit on the day.  Except for the t-shirt and boots, this outfit was from Country Road.  I had never been in that shop before as I just assumed I was too heavy for their clothes.  I could not have been more wrong.   I felt like I’d lost 15 pounds in the dressing room mirror just by changing my clothes.

This outfit also came from Country Road.  Love, love, love the leopard print, but I never would have even tried it on without Charlie’s guidance.  How’s that for adding some fun?

And, finally, this blue top came from Sussan.   Charlie says this blue is my color, and I rather like it too.  It’s still a work in progress though as I’d like to add some accessories to complete the look.

On top of all the tidbits Charlie shared while we were shopping (like pulling my sleeves up to 3/4 length to elongate my body), she also sent a detailed list of fashion do’s and don’ts suitable to my body.  These were things like what colors suit me, silver jewelry is more complimentary around my face than gold, wear belts to accentuate my waist and curves, which size bag to carry, and lots of info about accessorizing.

I’ve been taking her advice and trying to mix and match the clothes I already have in a new way.  I put this outfit together yesterday.   You’ll recognize the red cardigan from my shopping trip, but everything else was already in my closet.  I still need to work on accessorizing, but I’m off to a good start.

This was such an awesome experience for me, and  nearly 4 weeks later, I am still on a high.  I feel so much more confident in my body and my clothes than I did before.  And that, my friends, is worth every cent and more.  Sending out a big “Thank You” to Charlie and The Aussie for this amazing gift.  I did not realize how stuck in that rut I was, but I am ever so grateful to be out of it.

Now, for that special treat I promised you.  I’m so excited to share this with you.  Are you ready?

Charlie has generously offered readers of this blog 15% off  of her personal styling service.  Now, you can have Your Very Own Personal Stylist too!  To claim this offer, contact Charlie through her website, Style By Charlie, to book a shopping trip.  Make sure to tell her that Christy from  A Cajun Down Under sent you to claim your discount.

Are you stuck in a rut?

Disclosure: This is not a paid advertisement, and I did not receive any free services in exchange for this post.  Just sharing a really awesome experience with you. 

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Last week I was shopping in Target for some warm winter bedding for the girls.  While I was stuck somewhere between goose down, woolen underlays and flannelette, both my girls found some decorative birdie pillows that they wanted for their beds.  They were on sale, and I told them they could buy them, but only if they paid for them from their allowance.  Both agreed, and I went about my shopping.

A few minutes later, Grace discovered this purple puppy dog pillow pet and started carrying it around too.  This went on for a while as I was still digging for 2 of everything I’d chosen.

Finally, I was finished, and Grace was carrying on that she could not decide whether to get the birdie pillow or the pillow pet.  She “needed” both of them.

A quick price scan showed that the pillow pet was $20, and Grace already has a perfectly good pillow pet at home.  I didn’t think she needed to spend even more of her allowance on a pillow pet that I suspected she would lose interest in within a week. I was encouraging her to just get the birdie pillow, but she was struggling to say goodbye to this purple puppy.

Finally, I had a good look at the pillow pet, and realized that this was no ordinary puppy.

It was a One Direction pillow pet.  “1D” is embroidered on the back along with all the autographs of the band members.

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I’m sure the teeny bopper music crazes are in front of me as a parent.  Anyone who knew me in the early 80′s when I was obsessed with Duran Duran and planning to marry Simon LeBon will know that karma is going to kick my ass when my girls hit 13.

But, Grace is only 4.  She has no idea who One Direction are.

In an attempt to ditch the puppy, I pointed this fact out to her.  Grace responded, “Yes I do!”  Then she held her arm out to the right, pointed and said, “that’s one direction.”  She pointed again to the left this time and said, “and, that’s the other.

How could I possibly argue with logic like that?

After a few more minutes shopping, it was time for Grace to say goodbye to 1D so we could check out.  That’s the proverbial shit hit the fan.

Grace just lost it.  I tried to leave the puppy on one of the display beds, but she wanted to cuddle him as long as possible and say goodbye at the register.

Long goodbyes suck!  Especially when your child is in near hysterics in the Target checkout line because she is “in love” with a One Direction puppy that  she has to leave behind.

To her credit, Grace was not begging me to buy her the puppy.  She tearfully hugged the puppy and handed him over to the sales clerk.  Then, through sobs, Grace asked her to hide the puppy so that no one else could buy him before her birthday in August.  She asked the clerk to write her name and birthday on the puppy and save him for her.  Thankfully, the sales lady played along as she pretended to write Grace’s name on the tag and tucked the One Direction puppy under the counter.

By this point, the other mom’s in line were all staring at the spectacle of Grace’s tearful goodbye.  The lady directly behind us who was close enough to hear what was going on said “aw, poor thing”, but those in the back of the line were all sneering with looks that said, “hurry up” or “just buy her the damn puppy”.

We finally managed to say goodbye to One Direction and get out of Target, but Grace needed some time too grieve.  Not just a few minutes either.  She buried her face in her brand new birdie pillow and howled.

I had a couple more stops to make before heading to the car, and Grace sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed from one end of the shopping center to the other and back again.  She was inconsolable.

Unfortunately, I had parked near Target, and we had to walk right in front of the store to get back to the car.  By this point, Grace had been crying for about 45 minutes, and the wailing only got worse once the Target bullseye was in view.

It is with real sadness that I must admit this to all of you – I caved.

I bargained with Grace that I would loan her $20 to buy the puppy, but she would have to pay me back once we got home.  She quickly agreed as if I was offering her manna from heaven.  So, we went back in to Target, retrieved the puppy from under the register, and bought the damn thing.

Grace hugged that One Direction puppy tighter than any stuffed puppy has ever been hugged in the history of the world.  Then she looked up at me with a smile on her red blotchy, tear-stained face and said, “Mommy, we belong together.”

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One of the things I love best about The Aussie is that whenever I get a crazy culinary idea, he makes it happen.

There was the time I wanted the build a smokehouse in our rather small back yard to make homemade bacon.   We ended up buying a smoker instead of building a smokehouse, and The Aussie is happy to spend the day smoking bacon whenever I’m ready with whip up another batch.

Then, there was also the weekend many , many years ago now we tried making homemade sausages.  It took the whole day and a couple of trips to the butcher for more casings, but the result was a freezer full of Italian, Cajun and chicken sausages.  Yum!

About the only time I’ve gone too out there for The Aussie was the time I decided to make a Krispy Kreme burger.   Frankly, he was appalled by the idea, but he drove to our nearest Krispy Kreme (which is about 25 km away) and bought me a dozen donuts.  He grilled the burgers too, but I could not convince him to have a single bite.

As the Easter long weekend approached, I had another crazy idea.  I thought it might be nice to take advantage of the Indian summer we have been enjoying in Sydney and make some preserves before the summer veggies are all gone.  The Aussie thought it was a good idea too, so we went off to the markets and bought 30kg of tomatoes, 10 kg of cucumbers and 1kg of raw peanuts.

We set about making tomato sauce  like The Aussie’s grandmother used to make, Rotel style tomatoes and dill pickles.  The Aussie also found his “inner Southerner” and made some boiled peanuts.  I knew were ambitious, but it took us 2 days to make all these goodies.  2 whole days.

Once we finally turned off the stove after 48 hours of near constant use, loaded the last of the dishes into the dishwasher and tiredly sat down to admire our handiwork, The Aussie turned to me and said “Next time you get one of your ideas on a holiday weekend, I’m just going to say NO!  Don’t get any ideas about the June long weekend.  I’m kicking back and relaxing.”

I said, “But, I was thinking we could make some sausages over the June long weekend.”

The Aussie said “No!”  Then he smiled and said, “Well, so long as we make sausages on the Saturday so that I still have a couple of days to relax.”

I love that man!

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Easter is just around the corner, and I am confronted with Hot Cross Buns everywhere I turn.  The grocery stores have been baking and selling them since the day after Christmas, and this month all the bakeries are joining in.

I absolutely love Hot Cross Buns!  I look forward to Easter every year, and then I eat enough hot cross buns slathered with butter to kill the craving for the 11 months until my local bakery will be baking them again.

But, since I started this sugar free journey with my family last year, the traditional Hot Cross Buns I used to buy are off limits.  Not one to be easily deterred, I set about creating my own fructose free Hot Cross Buns.  I didn’t want to just make a plain bun minus the dried fruit.  I wanted to make a bun with some sort of filling that would give me a burst of flavor in every bite.  I knew I had the answer when I found this recipe for cinnamon chips, and I set about making my usual Hot Cross Bun recipe fructose free. Look at the little burst of cinnamon flavor in these. Yum!

If you are not fussed about being sugar free, my old recipe can be found here.  However, if you want to sink you teeth in some delicious, cinnamony, fructose free Hot Cross Buns, I’ve got you covered.  In butter.

Happy Easter, y’all!

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G’Day!

How are all my lovely readers today?  Are any of you still here?

It’s all been quiet here on the blog lately.  It’s not because I don’t have anything to say, but rather I have been living at full speed lately.

I think it’s time for a catch-up chat.  Don’t you?

I’ll go first.  Here are the top 3 things that have happened since my last post, in no particular order.

1.I’m officially a “Uni” student!  Again!  I’m studying to be a Maths teacher.  No, that’s not a typo.  Math is plural in Australia.  Go figure.  I’ve spent the last few weeks dusting the cobwebs off my brain and getting it working like a well oiled machine again.  That and trying to re-familiarize myself with 7th grade math.  Who loves fractions?

2. We have been celebrating lots of birthdays.  For the last 7 weekends, we’ve had at least 1 birthday party to attend or host (or both depending on the day), and more yet to come.  My darling Lizzie is now 6 years old and growing like a weed.   Also, we had a Cajun/Aussie booze fest here at the house to celebrate The Aussie’s 4oth.  Cajun food, Aussie booze, and jello shots thrown in for good measure.  Fun night!

3. Last night, The Aussie took me to see Bruce Springsteen in concert.  Have you ever seen The Boss perform live?  This was my first time.  I remember once reading an article about my favorite band Cowboy Mouth who put on the most fantastic live show I’ve ever seen which said something like “on a bad night they’ll burn the roof down, and on a good night, they’ll save your soul”.  It’s a pretty accurate description of a Cowboy Mouth show, and I’ve never felt that way about another live performance from anyone until I saw The Boss with the E Street Band last night.  It was a soul saving revival from the moment Bruce Springsteen and the band took the stage until they left nearly 3 1/2 hours later.  No breaks.  Most of the songs even flowed into one another like one big medley.   Springsteen crowd surfed, took requests from the crowd, pulled a couple of people on stage with him, and he did all this while rocking our sock off.  Awesome!

Well, that’s it for this highlight’s package.  It’s your turn now.

What’s been happening with you?  Leave me your “top 3″ highlights in the comments below.

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It’s Valentine’s Day once again.  That international day of love, romance and over commercialization.

Call me a spoil sport, but The Aussie and I have never been a couple to celebrate Valentine’s day with the traditional flowers, gifts and fancy meals out.  Frankly, I never though it was worth the money, and I love him just as much on Valentine’s Day as I did on Feb 13 or Feb 15.  Instead, we have always just cooked a nice meal and enjoyed it right here at home.

Life changed though when Lizzie and Grace came along.

When I was a kid, I remember every year my Dad would bring home heart shaped boxes of chocolates for all of us on Valentine’s Day.  My mom would do fun stuff like serving red mashed potatoes for dinner, baking heart shaped cookies, or making red and pink popcorn balls for afternoon snack when we came home from school.

It was always lots of fun, and The Aussie and I wanted to create similar memories for our girls.  So, my girls did in fact eat “love heart” shaped french toast for breakfast and will find heart shaped sandwiches in their in their lunch boxes today.  There may also be a heart shaped dessert after dinner tonight as well as a very small gift from their Daddy.

How do you and yours celebrate Valentine’s Day?

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Let me just start by saying that at the moment I feel like a total Rock Star!

Or, maybe a Master Chef would be a better description.

You see, I created something totally awesome in the kitchen today, and I an bursting to share it with you.

I made a King Cake. With Cream Cheese Filling.

That’s enough of a accomplishment by itself, but my King Cake had a little something special inside.

Well, yes, King Cake Baby was playing hide-n-seek inside my King Cake, but that’s not what’s so special about this particular cake.   Are you ready?

It’s a fructose free King Cake.  And, if my very quick google search is anything to go by, this may be a first.  It was absolute triumph.  So, so delicious.  And, none of us missed all that sugar one little bit.

You may remember that a few weeks ago I confessed that I have been quietly sugar free of the last 8 months.  It can be challenging converting the old, favorite recipes to fructose free while maintaining the same flavor and consistency.  A couple of years ago, I started a tradition of baking a  King Cake on Fat Tuesday.  It’s something my girls and The Aussie look forward to each year, so I knew I’d have to rise to the challenge of taking the sugar out of my traditional King Cake recipe.

Not only did I rise to the challenge, I totally smashed it!  I took the “have beaters, will bake” attitude and set about trying to bake a mostly sugar free King Cake.  I say “mostly” because I was initially planning to sprinkle colored sugar on top as per tradition.  There really is no substitute for sugar sprinkles, at least not that I’ve come across.

However, once my fructose free, cream cheese filled King Cake came out of the oven smelling so damn good, I simply could not spoil it by covering it with sugar.  So, I adapted a cream cheese glaze recipe, threw in some food coloring, and fructose free King Cake was born.

Unfortunately, I was just experimenting and did not realize I was in the presence of greatness until I was nearly finished baking.  So, I have no step by step photos.  But, look at how if turned out.  Wow!

Yummy, yum, yum!

Before I get to the actual recipe, let me offer a quick word about the “fructose free” part of this recipe.  I have used dextrose to sweeten the cake in place of sugar.  Dextrose is pure glucose as opposed to sugar which is half glucose and half fructose.  Dextrose does not have the same preservative properties as sugar, so baked good made with dextrose need to be eaten quickly.  Alternatively, if you are looking for a traditional King Cake recipe made with sugar, click here.

Enjoy!

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It’s official.  I’m the mother of a school kid.

My darling Lizzie had her first day of school last week, and I’m happy to report that we all survived.  As you may remember, I was struggling to make this transition.  However, writing about my struggles really helped me get all the tears out.  Thanks goodness, as I was able to enjoy the first day with Lizzie who was so very excited.

We arrived at school, and Lizzie could not get to her classroom quick enough.  Once she stored her ginormous school bag and found her desk, she looked up at The Aussie and I and said,  “You can go now, Mommy”.

No chance for tears then, and we left her to it.

She says she had a great first day doing lots of craft and fun stuff.  The only downside was that there was “too much sitting”, and she happily reports that recess is her favorite part of the day.

Did you have a child starting school this year?  How are both of you handling the transition?

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