Bake Bike Blog

Let’s get this grand adventure started

2013-05-13T10:00:00.000+10:00

Our bags are packed and we are all set for our grand Noosa adventure – courtesy of Gourmet Garden.

Tonight the little Miss and I fly to Melbourne, to spend the night with my family, then tomorrow we head to the Sunshine State for a few days filled with food, new friends and, of course, the big Cook Off on Friday!

I can’t wait to share my competition dish with you, and hope to check in from time to time as the week goes by. While I’ll be sure to post a full recap when we get back, you can follow my adventures in the meantime through twitter (@bakebikeblog) and instagram (@bakebikeblog1).

See you on the flip side!

Mother’s Day 2013

2013-05-12T14:32:00.001+10:00

I think Mother’s Day will forever be a day of reflection for me. For while some days slip by without too much thought, Mother's Day is one of those days where I take a step back and think about how much life has changed in just a few years.

In 2010, I travelled to Melbourne to spend time with my own Mum. We ate, we laughed, but I was longing to become a Mum myself. The memory of our first miscarriage still weighing heavily in my heart.

In 2011, I ran my fastest 10km, but was in the midst of fertility treatment. And the feeling that perhaps I was not ever going to become a Mum was ever present in my mind.

Then this little miracle happened.

And by Mother’s Day in 2012, I was blessed to be a Mum. Feeling sentimental, grateful and so very happy.

And here we are – one year on – and still feeling that huge sense of gratefulness that comes with waking up to this smiling face each morning. Feeling grateful that we have been given this beautiful opportunity to raise a strong and proud daughter, but while remembering that our road to get here was not as easy as some.

So what did we do to celebrate? I had a glorious sleep in – then hit the pavement for a solo run in the Canberra sunshine..

Then we showered and got ourselves all prettied up, for a yum cha brunch with Mr BBB’s parents.

A lazy afternoon followed, filled with lots of cuddles, a rather perfect Mother’s Day indeed.

But now, its time to pack!

5 things Friday

2013-05-10T05:52:00.001+10:00

1. I’m loving sushi at the moment.

And it probably helps that a new sushi place has opened up down the road! Mr BBB and I have been buying a variety rolls, slicing them, and sharing them for lunches on the weekend. Just lovely.

2. Miss C is most certainly walking these days, or if she had her way, running. So loves following the kitties around the house (although I am not sure they enjoy having a mobile C to quite the same extent) – and also running away with laundry when I am hanging it out.

Or putting it on her head and sneaking up on her Mama?!

3. Another moment of adorableness – peeking out of the front windows looking for her Daddy.

4. While last weekend was all about family fun – this weekend ought to be relatively low key.

A casual yum cha lunch for Mother’s Day, and hopefully a run, but then I have to start packing because….

5. Next week I head to Noosa for the Gourmet Garden Cook Off!!

Having got through the cook off stage all those months ago, the time has now arrived for the final!

I’ve been working on my dish for a few weeks now, and I hope that it comes together on the day. I’m a little nervous, a lot excited, and can’t wait to spend the better part of next week thinking about all things food and cooking! Not to mention meeting some lovely fellow bloggers along the way

More details to come!

Cous cous loving

2013-05-09T06:11:00.001+10:00

One of my staples in the cupboard recently would have to be cous cous. Taking only 5 minutes to prepare, and being ever so versatile – its no surprise really.

I find that I tend to lean towards ingredients like this particularly on Mondays – when I have been at work all day, dashing afterwards to pick up C from crèche, without generally having the time (or inclination) to head to the supermarket.

Normally I go with the regular or pearl variety, but on this occasion this flavoured cous cous caught my attention.

Coupled with some veggies, and leftover chorizo sausages…

Served on a bed of crunch cos lettuce…

Sprinkled with feta…

And well this ended up being quite a tasty evening meal! Random yes, but certainly full of flavour.

Actually, if I were to be honest, the cous cous probably had too much flavour. It tasted very ‘chicken stock’ heavy – and is probably not one I would buy again.

But you have to try these things no?

What about you? Are you a fan of the cous cous?

Chaos.

2013-05-08T10:00:00.000+10:00

I think I’ve mentioned it once or twice in recent times, but we are most definitely going through a busy patch at the moment.

Work is busy.

Family is busy.

Life is busy.

You get the idea.

And while I am normally one for a clutter-free house (as well as a clutter-free “life” where possible), I had to have a little chuckle to myself as I walked through our house yesterday after putting C down for her nap.

For little piles of half finished jobs have started to appear.

And to prove that casa BBB can be a little chaotic at times……here is what I mean!

Toys – left where they fell…

Laundry – washed but not yet put in the drier…

Recipes, bag, camera and wallet – strewn on the kitchen counter…

Our entryway – looking a tad more lived in than usual…

The bag we took to the rugby on the weekend, still only half unpacked…

Paperwork literally falling out of the office – although I suspect the little Miss had something to do with this!

More laundry, more piles…

But hey – at least the bed is made right?!

Well – enough blogging – time to do some tidying up it seems!

What about you? Are you a tidy person? Or do you operate better in chaos? I am 100% FOR tidiness – so these half started piles are driving me crazy!

Ice-cream making and a cacao review

2013-05-07T09:06:00.001+10:00

As you will recall, I was very spoilt at Christmas time, receiving this gorgeous and grand machine from Mr BBB and Charlotte.

Actually, know I think about it, it was rather appropriate that Charlotte was the bearer of this gift as my love for ice-cream really developed when I was pregnant with her.

But I digress.

My ‘must have’ when it came to an ice-cream maker was one with an in-built compressor. Our freezer is jam packed at the best of times, and I didn’t want to have to worry about pre-freezing the bowls etc.

And can I just say, I am glad I insisted on this machine. More expensive, yes – but over the last 5 months we have indulged in the most delicious homemade ice-cream. Many of you asked for my thoughts on the machine, and the process, so here it is!

I have tried several recipes, but I always return to the“simple” vanilla recipe in the book that came with the machine.

Not your ‘traditional’ ice-cream as such, ie there are no egg yolks in sight, but I find that if you use a good quality cream, the ice-cream still turns out rich and luscious.

I always mix the ingredients the day before churning, and let them rest in the fridge overnight. Apparently this helps the flavours to combine and stops the fat particles from icing when you churn the ice-cream. I’m not one for science, but I can say it works!

On this particular occasion, I had two ice-cream flavours in mind. First – a simple vanilla – flavoured with just a hint of maple syrup.

Using my standard ingredients – cream, light milk, caster sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt as the base, then adding a splash of maple syrup to the vanilla mix.

As for the cacao version – well this was inspired by the lovely cacao powder the lovely people at Cheap Super Foods sent me.

From the website:

Raw cacao powder has four times the amount of antioxidants than goji berries, helping protect the body eradicate free radicals. Free radicals are unstable chemicals that damage cell membranes and attack healthy cells which can lead to disease and damage of the body. Raw cacao powder is so high in antioxidants it tops the ORAC chart (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), a rating system devised by the USDA to measure levels of antioxidants in food.

The presence of seratonin, dopamine, PEA & anandamide in raw cacao powder explains the high or happy feeling people associate with eating chocolate. These neurotransmitters regulate the pleasure centre in the brain, and cacao powder has enough of these pleasure-boosting chemicals to provide a noticeable increase in mood and general feelings of well-being.

Cacao mixed with the milk, sugar and salt…

Whisked…

Finished with the cream and vanilla.

Then into the fridge overnight.

The next morning, it was time to get my ‘churn on’.

First – the vanilla maple.

Poured into the maker, and churned for 45 minutes. Taking it from this….

To this!

As the finished product is generally a tad soft for my liking, at this stage I transfer the ice-cream to a container and put it into the freezer for another day or so until it has reached a firmer consistency.

Like so…

Rich and luscious – just how any good ice-cream ought to be, really.

And after a day in the freezer, it is at perfect scooping consistency!

With the vanilla done, it was time to make the more indulgent flavour – the cacao. Again, churned for 40 minutes….

Then in went the toasted coconut.

Although, as you can see, I left it too late to add the coconut – and the ice-cream was not soft enough for it to incorporate properly while in the machine. I was able to stir it through manually, however, when pouring the finished ice-cream into its container.

Newby mistake I suspect.

Again, into a container to firm up overnight…

Until….

This ice-cream.

Oh my lord I am in love with it.

The cacao works perfectly – adding a hint of bitterness to an otherwise sweet ice-cream.

While the coconut adds texture, and makes this ice-cream not unlike a frozen coconut rough bar!

Yup I don’t see this lasting in our household very long!

So what are my thoughts on homemade ice-cream and this ice-cream maker in particular?

Pros? It is pretty fast, not that loud, and there is no pre-freezing of the bowl required. And, the resulting ice-cream is just delightful.

Cons? It is big and takes up a fair bit of cupboard space. The best results also come with cooling your ingredients overnight, then freezing the finished product, so its not necessarily something you can whip up at the last minute.

Despite the cons, this machine gets used pretty much weekly in our house and I have had a lot of fun experimenting with flavours. I’ve made chocolate mint, orange, chai and even peanut butter. But as I am always on the lookout for new flavours I would love to hear your suggestions!

5 things Friday

2013-05-03T06:24:00.001+10:00

1. I bought (or should that be Charlotte ‘bought’) me an early mother’s day gift..

And I am so very excited!

While I LOVE my DSLR, it can be quite cumbersome to carry around, particularly when travelling. With that in mind, I purchased a cheap point and shoot a while ago, but the photos it took were terrible, so I decided it was time for an upgrade! And, with a pretty exciting trip coming up, I think I may even leave my beloved DSLR at home (*gasp*) and just take this little beauty.

2. There are two moments in the day that never cease to melt my heart. One is at breakfast when our little hobbit has her ‘first breakfast’….aka most of her Daddy's weetbix!

The second is just before C’s bed time, when she has some quiet time and reads a book with her Daddy.

So damn adorable.

3. This week I finally got around to documenting both my thoughts on yoghurt making and ice-cream making, so be sure to keep a look out for the related posts next week!

The added bonus being that we now have two new ice-cream flavours in our freezer to enjoy.

4. I was also lucky to receive some delicious samples in the mail this week, courtesy of Cheap Super Foods, which I may or may not have ‘un-healthified’ relatively promptly(see post 4 above…..)

5. This week also saw me take a step, or perhaps more appropriately a ‘giant leap’ out of my comfort zone, and attend a ballet class.

Yes you read that right.

This little biker / runner pulled on some leggings and took her first ever adult beginner ballet class. I loved it – although I am far from a graceful ballerina….

What about you? Stepped out of your comfort zone lately?

Couscous chicken salad

2013-05-02T09:13:00.001+10:00

Another evening, another quick yet delicious dinner.

Lashings of salad, roasted pumpkin, smoked chicken, and the star ingredient….couscous!

While the roasted pumpkin took a little time to cook, the rest of the dish came together really quickly.

The couscous cooks within 5 minutes, and then it was just slice and serve really.

Delicious! And a great way to use up those fridge and pantry ingredients without too much effort.

What about you? Are you a fan of couscous?

Easy burger, speedy dinner

2013-05-01T10:00:00.000+10:00

Let me share with you my latest “easy” dinner.

A far cry from the homemade meals I lean towards, but a tasty (and more importantly a speedy) dinner, for those evenings when you just want to get dinner on the table. Stat.

Take 1 packet of these burgers…

And grill for a couple minutes each side.

Pop in between a sandwich thin, load it up with cheese and caramelised onion relish…

Couple with a side salad…

And you are done.

Literally from thought to plate within 10 minutes.

The added bonus being that the veggie burgers are pretty damn tasty!

Dinner is served!

What about you? Any speedy meals you have been loving lately?

Malaysian fish curry

2013-04-30T09:12:00.001+10:00

I had great hopes for this dish.

Fish curry, using lots of yummy ingredients.

Made with a homemade curry paste, and toasted coconut.

Sadly, however, despite all appearances, the end result was a little lacklustre.

The flavour was there, and it sure looked pretty…..it was just a tad too subtle for my liking.

Beautiful, in colour. Just a bit bland. Even with the punch of chilli and fresh coriander on the top.

It was, however, a perfect dish for the little one. And she quite happily gobbled up a big bowlful for dinner.

But my quest for a good, reliable homemade curry paste continues!

What about you? Any good curry paste recipes you would care to share?

Why I run

2013-04-29T10:00:00.000+10:00

While my true love will always be biking, recently I have been running. Generally twice, or even better, three times a week.

Keeping things interesting with lots of new routes around my neighbourhood.

Heading out early along the undulating roads and paths, watching the sun rise and the neighbourhood wake up around me.

Noticing the leaves turn from green, to red, to amber. Knowing that they soon will disappear for the winter.

The chill on my face, the breathlessness in my lungs, the rhythmic sounds of my feet hitting the ground.

Thinking of everything. Yet thinking of nothing.

Feeling calm, happy and content.

Yes this is why I run.

What about you? Why do you run?

5 things Friday

2013-04-26T06:06:00.001+10:00

1. Week 2 of what is set to be a crazy 8 weeks looks like is almost done. Lots of hours spent working (and stressing), but with this little munchkin never being too far away – well she manages to make me forget what I was stressing about pretty damn quickly!

Even her cranky faces make me smile.

(On this occasion, I asked her to stop eating her sock. Offensive, obviously hehe)

2. So while the temptation has been to run around crazily, I have been reminding myself to be “present”.. There is always 5 minutes for a play at the park right??!

For that is what life is all about.

3. This wine….

Delicious….

Particularly when paired with a beef stew that we had cooking on the stove all afternoon.

4. Although C apparently prefers plastic bacon….

Gosh she makes me laugh.

5. ANZAC day turned out to be a beautiful day in the nation’s capital. Clear skies, warm breeze, and the perfect weather for a 5km run around the lake.

There were people everywhere – joggers, families, and walkers. And it was such a delight to be a part of it.

5 speedy kms later (apparently the undulation of the routes around my neighbourhood have paid off when it comes to a flat run?!) and we headed home for a lazy lunch and family afternoon.

Just bliss.

On a different note - anyone else getting a tonne more spam in their comments these days? It feels like I am constantly marking and deleting messages as spam. I know there is the option of approving comments or entering catchpa phrases but…..

ANZAC baking

2013-04-25T09:03:00.001+10:00

Today we are keeping it low key. Charlotte and I were up bright and early to watch the various dawn services from the comforts of our living room, but aside from some work and hopefully a little run later, there is not much else on the agenda.

But today is certainly a day of remembrance.

For the soldiers and families who gave so much for this wonderful country.

For my friends still serving in the ADF, on deployment and risking their lives every single day.

I say thankyou.

And while I would love to have factored some ANZAC themed baking into today’s activities, a re-post of a favourite recipe of mine will have to do instead.

On the menu?

ANZAC cheesecake with macadamia praline.

ANZAC biscuits, cooled and turned into the buttery biscuit base.

Pressed into a lined spring form pan...

Topped with a cheesecake mix comprising cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, coconut, golden syrup and eggs....

Beaten until smooth, then poured on top of the biscuit base, and baked for 50 minutes (allowing the cake to cool in the oven with the door ajar).

Topped with a macadamia praline, of sorts.

Sweet, without being too sweet...

And the coconut added a nice touch.

A rather delightful cheesecake indeed.

ANZAC cheesecake with macadamia praline (serves 8 -12)

250g ANZAC biscuits (either homemade or store bought)
125g butter, melted
500g cream cheese
200g sour cream
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup coconut
1 tbs golden syrup + extra
3 eggs
100g macadamia nuts
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Macadamia praline: Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat, until bubbly and golden in colour (do not stir). When the sugar has reached the desired colour, stir in the macadamia nuts, and spread the entire mixture on a lined baking tray. When cooled, break into pieces.
Preheat oven to 160C. Grease and line the base of a round spring form pan with baking paper.
Process biscuits until fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, and process until combined. Press into the base of the prepared pan, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Beat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, coconut and golden syrup until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one.
Pour on top of biscuit base, and bake for 1 hour.
Turn off oven, and cool in the oven with the door ajar.
Cover, and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
To serve, top with macadamia praline pieces and a drizzle of golden syrup.

What about you? How do you commemorate ANZAC day?

Lamb curry and ginger molasses pudding

2013-04-24T10:00:00.000+10:00

The lovely Em reminded me that I never posted the lamb curry and ginger pudding from our recent Indian Affair. A complete oversight on my part, as the weeks seem to fly past so quickly these days!

So without further ado, both dishes came courtesy of this cookbook….

Aka my new favourite cookbook!

I think what made this lamb curry so very delicious, was the abundance of spices. You can find the recipe online here.

And also a long sloooooooow cooking time. While the recipe asked for the curry to be cooked for 1.5-2 hours, I put it on at lunchtime and let it slowly cook throughout the entire afternoon.

The result?

Melt in your mouth lamb, that was full of flavour.

Spicy and aromatic, without being ‘hot’ for the milder palates at our dinner table.

And it must have been good – for my biggest critic (Miss C) ate a big bowl of it for dinner the next night!

But now, onto dessert. Again courtesy of this cookbook (email me if you want the recipe)

Ginger and treacle pudding. Or in my vase, ginger and molasses pudding as that’s what I had in the cupboard.

So very simple to put together. Cream the butter, add the sugar and molasses, then the remaining ingredients.

Spread into a lined baking dish, and baked for 40 minutes.

What a pretty and aromatic pudding this turned out to be.

Moist and flavoursome…

Served with double cream while warm, then sliced and served with a big scoop of homemade vanilla ice-cream the next day.

Simply delightful. And one I will definitely make again!

What about you? What is your ‘go to’ meal when cooking for a crowd?

When life calls for brownies

2013-04-23T09:00:00.001+10:00

Sometimes life just calls for a little indulgence.

A little sweetness, a little richness.

And what better way to indulge than with a big batch of chocolate brownies!

I used this Donna Hay recipe, finished with some fresh raspberries pressed into the batter before it went into the oven.

Perhaps I let them cook a little too long, as they weren’t as fudgy as I would have liked. Perhaps more cake-like, than brownie-like…

But no matter as the flavour was spot on!

Rich, dark chocolate.

With bursts of tartness from the fresh and gorgeous raspberries.

I served these warm, with a scoop of double cream. And yes, they were just what the doctor ordered!

What about you? Are you a fan of brownies?

Masha Review - roasted garlic and spinach mash

2013-04-19T10:00:00.000+10:00

With the cooler months on our doorstep, it is no secret that my cravings turn towards rich and hearty stews and curries. Served with a good carby base – such as mash or polenta.

So when I was given the opportunity to review a new product on the market – affectionately known as the Masha – well I wasted no time in saying ‘sure will!’.

From the media release:

"Unlike conventional cutting blades that over-process and rupture the starch grains in potato producing glue like mash, the Masha’s innovative design works to create a perfect mash every time.

But don’t just stop at potatoes! The Masha can be used to mash a variety of vegetables such as pumpkin, to prepare baby food, make a creamy guacamole, or even to rub butter into flour for cake mix.

The Masha uses patented Rotor Cone technology, which allows the motor to gently squeeze potato through the outer mesh at a safe, low speed. As the Masha has no blade it is safe for the whole family.

Storage is not an issue as the Masha’s sleek design means it slips into the cutlery drawer, so that it’s always on hand. The design also makes it easy to clean as the Rotor Blade can be removed easily. The Masha is safe to use in dishwashers and on non-stick pots.”

My usual method of making mash is rather traditional. Boiled potatoes, mashed with butter and milk. However, not having the inclination to push it through a sieve, the result is usually far from the silky, smooth mash I come across in restaurants.

Then the ‘Masha’ arrived on my doorstep, and suddenly my lumpy, bumpy mash is more akin to its silky smooth restaurant cousin.

Yes I think I am in love.

I was going to keep it simple for the first test run, but then ideas started swirling in my head. So, instead, I ended up making this tasty version…

Roasted garlic and spinach!

The stars of the show…. some beautiful potatoes that I peeled and boiled until tender.

And cloves of garlic that I roasted with their skins on for 15 minutes or so.

But no mash would be complete without some extra fixins’….

In my case, crème fraiche, butter and a packet of frozen spinach that I defrosted in the microwave.

In with the potatoes and roasted garlic, then it was time to get my mash on!

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, to be honest. And I was even a little dubious that the potatoes wouldn’t turn into a gluey gluggy mess.

But the Masha worked just as it said it would – with the plastic ‘blade’ pushing the ingredients through the outer mesh.

Mashing…

Until I had a big pot of beautifully creamy, lump-free mashed potato!

I really, really liked this little gadget – and it is definitely one I will turn to when making mash in the future.

True to its word, the resulting mash was smooth and not gluggy.

And when combined with roasted garlic and spinach, well it was quite tasty (even if I do say so myself!)

We served the mash along with a slices of roast beef and a red wine jus.

Just heavenly for the cool Autumn evening!

Roasted garlic and spinach mash (serves 4-6 as a side)

1kg potatoes (peeled, cubed and boiled for 15-20 minutes or until tender)
6 cloves garlic (roasted for 15 minutes at 180C, then peeled)
50g butter
3 tbs crème fraiche
250g frozen spinach (thawed in the microwave, squeezing out the excess liquid)
salt and pepper

Place the warm potatoes, garlic, butter and crème fraiche in a bowl, then use your masha until just combined.
Add the spinach and continue to ‘mash’ until the desired consistency is reached.
Season to taste.

A big thanks to Masha for sending me this gadget to try!

What about you? Do you have a favourite ‘mash’?

Hectic.

2013-04-18T05:49:00.001+10:00

Hectic.

I think this is going to be my mantra for the next 8 weeks, as the reality of picking up the extra workload is starting to sink in.

But, luckily, I am fairly good with time management, particularly when it comes to food!

(and vino!)

Take this Asian Beef and noodle salad, for instance.

Looks fancy, filled with lots of yummy ingredients, but took only 20 minutes or so to put together. Courtesy of Jamie Oliver’s 15 minute meals cookbook, of course!

And yes, this is no optical illusion. This salad was HUGE!!! Filled to the brim with soba noodles, spiced steak, lettuce, carrot, coriander, cashews and chilli.

Brought even more to life with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, toasted sesame seeds and a dipping sauce comprised of soy sauce, chilli and pickled ginger (genius!!!).

Served communal style, and enjoyed as we chatted the evening away.

A truly lovely way to end a busy day.

What about you? Are things in your life ‘hectic’ at the moment?

Shocked. Sad.

2013-04-16T09:05:00.001+10:00

Today started like most others.

I was up before sunrise, and out for a 5km run as Canberra slept and dawn started to break.

I came home, ate breakfast, then dropped Mr BBB at work. I went to the post office, and organised a few office things.

Just your typical morning really.

Then on the drive home I switched on the radio and heard the most horrific news. My eyes were wide, my heart was heavy. What had been a very typical day for me, was most certainly not a typical day for many people around the world.

I can only imagine the fear, the pain and the confusion that the people affected by the Boston blasts are experiencing. And while there is little I can do from this side of the world, my thoughts and prayers are with all those going through this horror.

You just never know what might happen hey…..

Bring a plate - tomato, olive and boccocini bites

2013-04-15T05:17:00.001+10:00

We were invited to a cocktail party recently and asked to “bring a plate”. Something savoury to share, and soak up the effects of tequila-laden margaritas.

And I think these little bites fit the bill just perfectly.

Pitted kalamata olives, baby boccocini and serrano tomatoes (halved), threaded onto skewers (aka.. toothpicks).

For a ‘dip’, I cheated and spooned some store-bought basil pesto into a small bowl in the middle of the plate.

For we all know that tomatoes + basil are a match made in heaven!

Although these take a little time to put together, they are super easy and rather cute!

A lovely little retro ‘bring a plate’ contribution.

What about you? What do you bring when asked to ‘bring a plate’?

5 things Friday

2013-04-12T13:01:00.001+10:00

1. If I was to describe ‘life’ in one word right now, it would be “busy”. I’ve upped my own work hours, am helping out at the Husband’s business for the next 8 weeks, playing mama (of course) and feel as if there is a tonne of other ‘life’ things going on. But as they say, when it rains it pours…I’m just hoping I don’t drown!

2. With a view to putting some stress reducing measures in place, we have hired a cleaner to come by once a week.

And I am seriously wondering why we didn’t do this sooner!!

3. With a busy life, comes excuses to skip working out – a trap I am trying hard not to fall into. So, I have been aiming to run 3 times per week, generally in the morning before the household wakes.

My reward? Beautiful dawn breaks and an amazing sense of calm, as I pound the pavement in the early hours of the morning.

5. One thing that has not been calm-inducing, however, is technology. Between setting up new work laptops and dealing with frustrating software issues and glitches, I think I am slowly being driven insane!

Ugh.

5. But now, onto something a little more positive…the little Miss is 13 months old today! Still not walking, but standing and moving herself around the furniture…

And reminding me of what life is really all about

What about you? Anything driving you insane at the moment?

An Indian Affair

2013-04-11T10:00:00.000+10:00

Sadly, we farewell my sister in law and niece this week, as they embark on an overseas trip. They are headed to Vietnam to volunteer at an orphanage for 8 weeks, which will be, I have no doubt, an amazing and fulfilling adventure.

To say ‘bon voyage’, we had the family around for dinner the other night – a perfect opportunity for me to get busy in the kitchen. I had been wanting to try a lamb curry recipe that I found in a cookbook, and the theme for the evening kinda grew from there. I’ll be posting the dishes / recipes next week, but for now, here is a glimpse into our Indian Affair.

From the prep…

To the wine…

(We opened this bottle – and it proved to be the perfect accompaniment to our dinner).

And, to the all important food!

Pappadums to start – with mango chutney and lime pickle (that I had combined with natural yoghurt).

For main we had a fragrant lamb curry – that had been slowly cooking on the stove for 6 hours!

Served with a cucumber raita, tomato/onion salad, coriander, roti and fresh lime.

But no meal would be complete without dessert. Well no meal in our household, at least.

And it was here that I deviated from the Indian theme, opting instead for a ginger and treacle pudding, topped with homemade orange ice-cream.

Need I say more!?!

Only 8 weeks until we can throw the girls a ‘welcome home’ party! Until then, I will be living vicariously through them as they explore a region I have wanted to visit for so long!

What about you? Are you a fan of Indian food?

15 minute meal - crispy polenta chicken salad

2013-04-10T10:00:00.000+10:00

With Winter fast approaching, sadly I start to say goodbye to my cravings for salad-based dinners.

But not before we gave this crispy polenta chicken salad a try – well my version thereof - courtesy of Jamie Oliver’s 15 minute meals cookbook.

And fitting with the overall theme of his book, the meal was not only speedy to put together, but packed full of taste and flavour.

I started by making a simple salad – using crunchy cos lettuce, tomatoes and roasted capsicum.

Then got to work on the ‘warm’ components.

A lovely slice of sourdough, grilled then rubbed with garlic…

Prosciutto – grilled until crispy….

The chicken – coated with polenta and paprika – and pan-fried until cooked though.

And last, but not least, the lovely caesar dressing – made simply with garlic, parmesan, natural yoghurt, mustard and red wine vinegar.

What more can I say! I enjoyed every mouthful of this flavour-packed salad!

What about you? Are you a fan of salads in the cooler weather? Or do you prefer hearty stews like me?

Chilli salmon noodle salad

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Another night, another dinner inspired by a recipe courtesy of the recent Donna Hay magazine.

This time?

Chilli salmon noodle salad.

Salmon fillets, sliced and sprinkled with chilli and salt, then wok fried with a mixture of mushrooms, kejap manis, garlic and ginger.

Served atop a bed of rice noodles.

And finished with a good amount of fresh coriander.

Simple, speedy, scrumptious.

A winner all-round really!

What about you? Cooked any speedy dishes lately?

Sometimes life calls for pizza

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But not just any pizza.

No – it calls for a homemade pizza….

Topped with lashings of tomato, basil, prosciutto, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella…

With a glass of vino poured for the chef, sipped while the pizza is baked to perfection.

Just heavenly.

What about you? What does your life call for right now??

5 things Friday

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1. Tonight we take Charlotte to her first rugby game.

Ok, well actually it is her third, but she was such a sleepy newborn at the other two that I don’t think they really count?

Plus, this time, she will be wearing this adorable jersey that her cousin gave her! Baby-sized jerseys…..is there anything cuter.?!

2. With the little Miss going through a lot of yoghurt each week, we have been making our own lately.

Buy packet, fill with water, shake, and let it set overnight. Resulting in a big container of beautiful vanilla yoghurt for the whole family to enjoy (and for a fraction of the price).

3. It seems the Easter Bunny was feeling generous this year…

As is obvious from our chocolate drawer that is overflowing. Loving it!

4. And if that wasn’t enough, I made a few extra purchases to make a sweet treat for a party we are going to this weekend.

Any ideas?

5. I am sure the mamas out there can relate, but Charlotte has the uncanny ability to turn my otherwise (generally) neat living room into a toy explosion in approximately 2.5 seconds flat.

Bless her little unpacking heart

What about you? What are you up to this weekend?