Bake Bike Blog

Merry Christmas

2015-12-17T13:46:00.003+11:00

It appears I am being forced into taking a little blog break, with some 'technical' issues making getting draft posts onto the blog difficult.

I would, however, like to take this opportunity to THANKYOU for your support and 'bloggy' friendship over this past year. And what a year it has been! From being pregnant to having a loud, crawling 10 month old. And we can't forget the ever-energetic 3.5 year old!

But I really do enjoy having my little piece of cyberspace, and can't wait to return to blogging more regularly in the New Year.

So the plan is to try and work some blog-technology magic over the holiday period, and come back better and brighter in 2016!

Until then, I wish you all a magical Christmas and a splendid New Year.

Happy Baking!

Salted Caramel Baked Doughnuts #SweetenYourSummer

2015-12-08T13:37:00.001+11:00

A little while ago I was approached to by Equal to create a recipe using their product. And, while artificial sweeteners may not be everyone’s cup of tea, you can’t really go wrong when the end product involves both doughnuts and salted caramel!

In fact, my recipe is now included in their free #SweetenYourSummer e-Cookbook, which is a tad exciting too.

You can download a copy of the free cookbook here: https://www.equalchoice.com.au/sweetenyoursummer/

What about you? What is your favourite doughnut ‘flavour’?

“Honey, its crunch time” Cake

2015-12-04T13:33:00.001+11:00

It is no secret that I favour quick, healthy and easy food. Meals that are fresh, and that can be thrown together with relative ease.

This cake is none of those things.

For it involved multiple steps, a few days to make, and is positively laden with chocolate and calories. But the whole process was rather fun. From an idea, to a finished product, created mostly while the kids slept. All with a sense of gratefulness that I had found myself with some spare and un-rushed moments to get creative in the kitchen once more.

However the hidden story behind this cake starts with peanut brittle. And the distinct lack thereof in the finished product. For when creating this cake in my mind, I had envisaged that it would be topped with peanut brittle shards (although I didn’t feel like making the peanut brittle myself…yes I am still a bit of a sugar-making-gumbie).

First shop – sold out.

Second shop – none to be found.

Third shop – sold out.

And even a fourth mercy dash to another supermarket at 7.00am proved fruitless.

Seriously! There is apparently a peanut brittle shortage in Canberra!??

Anyway I went with plan B, and created some white chocolate / honeycomb bark to decorate the cake instead.

Then later that day, while innocently standing in line at the post-office – there it was.

A bag of peanut brittle on the shelf beside me.

One lonely little bag.

Taunting me.

And with my cake already decorated with the ‘plan B’ white chocolate bark, it appeared that Murphy had struck again.

But the end product was a little different to what I had envisaged, I was still really pleased with the overall result. Inspired by the iconic crunchie bar, this chocolate cake has a thick layer of rich honeycomb buttercream, and is covered with a silky dark chocolate ganache outer layer.

Finished with a sprinkling of crushed crunchie bar and, of course, that white chocolate honeycomb bark.

No peanut brittle in sight.

“Honey, its crunch time” Cake

This cake is best started the day before, as it involves quite a few elements. I *cheated* and used a packet chocolate cake mix (gasp!) but you could, of course, make the chocolate cake element yourself too.

1 rich chocolate cake, cooked and cooled. Then split into two even layers horizontally.
150ml cream
300g dark chocolate, chopped
200g white chocolate
200g crunchie bars, crushed
200g butter, softened
380g caramel sauce (such as top n’ fill)
2 cups icing sugar (+ extra until desired consistency is reached)

To make the chocolate ganache, place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan until almost simmering, then pour onto the chocolate. Allow to sit for a minute or so, then stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is rich and glossy. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
To make the white chocolate bark: Line a tray with baking paper. Melt the white chocolate, and pour onto the baking paper, spreading out to desired thickness. Top with 50g of the crushed crunchie, and place in the fridge to set overnight. Break into ‘shards’.
To make the buttercream: Whip the butter until it is light and fluffy then add the caramel sauce. Gradually add the icing sugar, until the buttercream has reached a good consistency (you want it to be quick thick). Stir through 50g of the crushed crunchie bars.
Begin to assemble the cake, by lining a round spring-form pan (use the one you cooked the cake in) with cling-wrap. Place one of the chocolate cake halves into the bottom of the pan. Cover with the buttercream, then place the other layer of cake on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
On the day of assembly, remove the ganache from the fridge and allow to come to ‘peanut butter’ consistency (you may need to give it a short burst in the microwave.) Carefully remove the cake from the pan and place onto your serving dish. Cover lightly with ganache to form a crumb layer, then refrigerate for 5 minutes (no more). Place another thicker layer of ganache over the cake, using a palette knife to create swirls around the edges. Top half the cake with the remaining crushed crunchie bars, and the white chocolate bark. Place in the fridge – and remove 15 minutes before serving.

What about you? What is your favourite chocolate bar?

Spicy Thai Beef Salad

2015-12-01T05:52:00.001+11:00

“Hello December. Where did you sneak up from?”

Anyone else feeling as if 2015 has been a bit of a time-warp!?

But the weather is warm and we are officially in ‘count-down’ mode to a little break over Christmas, so we really can’t complain!

And salads are well and truly back on the menu.

On this occasion, it was a Spicy Thai Beef Salad. Dressed with all the usual ingredients you might find in such a salad – lime juice, sugar, garlic, chilli and coriander.

Drizzled over lettuce, carrot, onion, tomato and avocado. Oh and some beautiful fillet steak , of course, that had been cooked on the BBQ.

Yes, friends, Summer in this (non-air conditioned) house is all about keeping the oven off and the BBQ on!

What about you? Do you like to cook outdoors when the warmer weather arrives?

Quinoa and smoked salmon sushi

2015-11-25T14:01:00.001+11:00

It’s been a little hectic of late, or perhaps feeling hectic is just the new norm (particularly in the lead up to Christmas)? One thing that remains constant, however, is our assurance of a home cooked meal most evenings.

In fact, after a busy day kid-wrangling, teleconferencing and document reviewing, I quite look forward to my little bit of time in the kitchen. Tinkering away at dinner after Little J has gone to bed and Miss C is reading stories with her dad. The whole process can be quite therapeutic, really.

On this occasion it was sushi, but with cooked quinoa in place of rice. The other usual suspects were there though – smoked salmon, avocado, carrot, capsicum and cucumber.

I made four large rolls – two for ‘now’ and two for ‘later’, served with a simple side salad. Sadly I’d forgotten the wasabi and pickled ginger, but they were tasty never-the-less. Not to mention colourful!

And my verdict on the quinoa substitute? Loved the crunch! Definitely a substitute to keep in mind for the future.

I do, however, have to work on my sushi rolling skills – they are pretty hopeless.

What about you? Are you a fan of sushi?

Sunshine ‘pull-apart’ Pie

2015-11-19T13:21:00.001+11:00

I am certainly someone that its attracted to cooking magazines, particularly when they have something scrumptious on the cover. And a recent edition of Taste magazine (which is one of my favourite ‘everyday meal’ recipe magazines at the moment) captured my attention in no time at all.

The ‘sunshine pie’ which featured on the cover – had everyone in our household intrigued. For the magazine had turned a humble spinach and ricotta pie into something rather spectacular!

Spinach, ricotta, goats cheese, cheddar, green onions and eggs, combined then sandwiched between two layers of puff pasty that had been cut into rounds. Then, with some creative knife and twist work – a lovely little ‘sun’ was ready for baking.

And after 35 minutes in the oven – what a pretty addition to the dinner table we had!

These photos were taken after 30 minutes or so, as I par-cooked the pie in advance of the dinner party we were having that evening. Needless to say that when it had an extra 10 minutes in the oven before serving, it puffed up even more and turned beautifully golden brown.

I loved loved LOVED the three-cheese combination – particularly the goats cheese that really gave the pie a flavour hit. And I can’t help but think that the ‘twist’ method would work with lots of other flavour combinations too. Time to get my thinking cap on!

Blood orange and vanilla ice-cream

2015-11-12T10:45:00.001+11:00

It goes without saying that as soon as the warmer weather arrives, even just a glimpse, my ice-cream maker is pulled out of storage. I tend to keep to tradition and make simple vanilla ice-creams, although hopefully this Summer I will get a little more adventurous.

The arrival of a beautiful box of blood oranges from Red Belly Citrus a little while ago was just the motivation I needed to get creative. I made blood orange cordial, froze some juice into ice-cube trays for a zesty addition to mineral water (mocktail anyone?) and, my favourite, a refreshing blood orange and vanilla ice-cream.

While I’ve tried my hand at custard-base ice-creams, I always return to an ol’ recipe favourite. No eggs, and no need to heat ingredients. Just milk + cream + sugar + whatever flavours you want. Then into the ice-cream maker to churn for 45 minutes or so.

Until you have yourself, a big bowl of homemade ice-cream!

I loved how refreshing this blood orange version was, perfect for a little treat after dinner. I think it would work beautifully spooned high on a warm chocolate brownie too, or blended into a tropical smoothie. Mmmmm…

Blood orange and vanilla icecream

1.5 cups milk
1 cup caster sugar
pinch salt
600ml cream
1 tsp vanilla
juice of 2 blood oranges (+ zest of one)
juice of 1 lemon

In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, sugar and salt until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the cream, vanilla, juice and zest, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight (if you have the time) or for a few hours.
Pour into the ice-cream maker, and churn for 45 minutes. Place into the freezer overnight for a firmer consistency.

What about you? What is your favourite ice-cream flavour?

Batemans Bay Half Marathon (and the rookie mistakes I made along the way)

2015-11-10T13:39:00.001+11:00

A few weeks ago, I ran my sixth half-marathon. My finish time was rather disappointing, although I was grateful to be ‘racing’ again – not to mention in a new location too!

The race was in its first year at Batemans Bay – and offered a variety of distances – a full marathon, a 6km event, a 14km event and the distance I chose – the half marathon.

From the website -

“With sections of the course on firm sand and stunning flat bush tracks this half Marathon is a little different from most. Starting at Corrigans head into the Town of Batemans Bay, over the bridge, through Surfside and around the back of the local school. Then head down into gorges Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve where the breath taking views await. Once out the reserve follow the course back through Surfside, over the bridge and along the cycle track back to Corrigans and across the finish line.”

True to form, there were some brilliant sections - particularly the short trail section through the bush and the run along the sand.

Being able to cross the finish line with Miss C, and dipping my feet in the ocean post-race, well that was pretty special too.

But it would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention the ‘not so great’ sections. Namely - the seemingly endless laps of the school oval in the sun (that we had to do twice), and the kicker of a hill in the middle.

And while I finished the race with a smile on my face, it was clear that I had made some rookie mistakes along the way. So rookie, in fact, that you would have thought it was my first half marathon and not my sixth!

1. I did not train properly

In fact, I did not really train at all. Only a few runs here and there, and a long run the weekend before. I was pretty confident that my ‘mind’ could get me over the finish line, but the lack of training base meant that the run hurt. And I was slow.

2. I did not check my equipment

My new Garmin read splits in miles, not kilometres – which messed with any attempt at pacing. I had also downloaded some new music which didn’t work, so I had very limited music to keep me distracted for the few hours (not good when you are under-trained!)

3. I went out too fast

Perhaps it was being caught up in the moment, or perhaps the general confusion caused by my Garmin, but I went out waaaay too fast. Which only meant I felt like I was crawling by the end (probably because I pretty much was).

4. I did not fuel properly

I brought some new gel-lolly things with me, but on reflection, these weren’t great for my tummy at all.

5. I skipped water stations

Despite being a hot and sunny day, I skipped a few water stations early on. While I made sure to stop at most of them in the second half, I suspect I was already dehydrated.

6. I did not survey the course pre-race

I read that the course was flat, and took the description at its word. Had I done a little more checking I might have discovered that there were a couple of hills along the way (some on trails), and I could have prepared for them. Coming across them mid-race was a little frustrating – particularly when I realised that I would have to run them more than once!

7. My shoes were well past their use-by date

Ahhh my shoes. I knew they were on their last legs but I didn’t have enough time to get a new pair and break them in before the race. So I ran in my old battered up sneakers, and most certainly had the blisters to prove it!

Rookie mistakes aside, it was still a great day out, and I am sure I will be back to compete again!

Hopefully I’ll be a little more prepared next time, though….

Halloween and Eyeball cupcakes

2015-11-02T12:24:00.001+11:00

This past weekend was rather fun indeed. Well Little J’s sleep regression / teething / generally crankiness was not so fun, but the Halloween costume party we went to on Saturday certainly was!

We decided on a family ‘pirate’ theme for our costume, and had quite a few laughs along the way. Cranky parrot and all!

And well a party invitation was the perfect excuse to get creative in the kitchen. I’ve really missed baking lately, so wasted no time in heating up the oven and dragging out the mixer.

On the menu?

Eyeball cupcakes!!

Visually impressive - but actually quite easy to prepare.

Simply – chocolate cupcakes, topped with cocoa buttercream and drizzled with (store-bought) salted caramel. Finished with some eye-ball chocolates that I found at the shops.

Pretty much a sugar-coma on a plate!

Chocolate ‘eyeball’ cupcakes

1 cup plain flour, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
80 g butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs

Buttercream

250g butter, softened
3 cups icing sugar mixture (+ extra if needed)
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs cocoa powder
salted caramel sauce to drizzle
chocolate eyeballs for decorating

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C . Line 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cases.
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Gradually add eggs and mix until just combined.
Combine flour, cocoa and bicarbonate soda. Add to creamed mixture with milk. Beat until just combined.
Spoon mixture into liners until each case is half full. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the chocolate butter cream: Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add icing sugar and cocoa and combine well. Beat in milk until mixture is fluffy (add extra icing sugar if needed, to get to a good piping consistency).
Pipe into swirls onto cooled cupcakes, drizzle with caramel sauce and top with eyeball chocolates.

What about you? Did you ‘celebrate’ Halloween this year?

A little farm break

2015-10-26T13:15:00.001+11:00

I feel as if we are treading water right now. The in-tray is growing, and the number of posts I have in draft is rather embarrassing. I suspect it is partly the usual ‘end of year’ rush, but mostly just a case of not seemingly having enough hours in the day.

But there have been moments of fun. Of family. And we cling on to these pockets of sanity when the crazier moments strike. This last weekend being one such example.

A whirlwind trip down the Coast – to the family farm (and for the Batemans Bay Half Marathon – race recap to follow).

.We piled into the car Saturday morning, and were home by Sunday afternoon. A short break – yes. But a rewarding one also.

The girls loved the change in scenery, as did we. For it is all too easy to stay in work mode when you are at home. But when you are away? Well the in-box doesn’t seem too pressing. At least for that moment.

We played, we patted horses, we went to the beach. We read stories, we camped out in front of the TV and watched cartoons.

Yes it was just the little break that we needed.

A high tea baby shower

2015-10-19T10:21:00.001+11:00

I think it was only a matter of minutes after my brother and his fiancé shared their wonderful news that they were having a baby – before I asked whether I could throw them a baby shower. For welcoming my own two girls into the world has shown me just how magical babies are, and how much joy and happiness this newest addition will inevitably bring to the whole family.

After finding out they are having a little boy, and that K will soon be inundated with all things trucks, trains and football, I couldn’t resist making the baby shower as girly as possible. An afternoon tea with lots of dainty nibbles, lace and roses. Yes that was the theme of the day.

So a few weekends ago, it was go-time. We cleared out the lounge-room and created an impromptu cafe. Tables were set, food was prepared and the camera was at the ready.

The food

Being an afternoon tea, we didn’t go too overboard with food. We filled tiered stands with chocolates, macarons, lemon tarts, scones, sandwiches and quiches (not pictured).

We made the scones and the tarts, but ‘cheated’ and purchased the other items. To drink there was a selection of tea, mineral water and champagne.

The games

I wanted to steer clear of some of the regular baby shower games, so went with a few new ones instead. The first being a ‘pass the parcel’ game, which was a great ice-breaker.

We also ran a ‘what’s in your purse’ tally along with and old favourite - ‘guess the lollies in the jar’.

My favourite game of the day was ‘play-doh’ babies – when each guest was asked to model a baby out of play-doh and the mum-to-be chose a winner.

There were so many creative entries – although a certain 3.5 year old was less than impressed when she did not win….

The favours

My mum had the great idea to order cupcakes instead of a large cake, so that each guest could take one home. The wonderful Sarah at My Little Cake Dream created these beautiful white chocolate cupcakes, that we displayed with pride on the present table.

I also separately ordered white boxes, which proved to be the perfect carrier for guests to take a cupcake (or two) home when they left.

And as for the bub, well we had one final gift. Each guest completed a ‘wishes for baby card’ which will hopefully be something nice for him to look back on over the years.

Overall, the mum-to-be was absolutely radiant, and it was a delight to share the occasion with her and her family and friends.

The details…

Cupcakes from My Little Cake Dream
Macarons from Frankie’s Patisserie
Furniture / crockery and glassware hired from ACE Party Hire
Cupcake boxes from Flavour Box
Games from Notable Affairs
Wish cards from TracyAnn Printables

Road-tripping to Melbourne

2015-10-13T11:08:00.001+11:00

Apologies for the little bloggy-break. But if you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen that the past few weeks have been far from quiet. For, C, J and I headed off on a ‘girls road trip’ down to Melbourne.

Yes, that’s right. Just the girls and I.

I was well and truly out-numbered, and the trip certainly had its challenges along the way, but we made it! Stopping overnight in Albury, both on the way down and way back, was a great decision(with the bonus discovery that our motel had a great kids playground!)

Our time in Melbourne, well that was pretty special.

I was honoured to host a baby shower for my sister-in-law (more on that later this week).

I also managed to catch up with some high school friends, take a glorious hike with my little brother, spend time with my Papa (the girls’ great grandfather), explore new playgrounds and have lots of long chats with my Mum.

Not to mention being able to (mostly) disconnect from work – and spend some quality time with these two ...

A wonderful family week indeed.

Sweet potato, broccoli and quinoa salad

2015-10-06T10:00:00.000+11:00

Taking a look back into the depths of my photo archives, I was shocked to see that this tasty little dish had not found its way onto the blog. For if I remember correctly, it was rather delicious – and a perfect lighter meal when the warmer weather hits.

Sweet potato, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with ground cumin and coriander. Roasted for 40 minutes at 200C. .

Combined with a cup of cooked quinoa, baby spinach, steamed broccoli florets and cherry tomatoes.

Piled high, and finished with a sprinkle of slivered almonds and dressed with this gorgeous spiced beetroot finishing vinegar. The perfect sweet / sour combination to pull the whole dish together.

Definitely a salad that I see us making more often now that Spring has arrived!

What about you? Discovered any delicious salad combinations recently?

Chilli lemon chicken Banh Mi

2015-10-01T15:32:00.001+10:00

I *could* bore you with stories about our lack of sleep this week, owing to a teething (?) bub and a generally overtired pre-schooler. But instead I want to take a delicious trip down memory lane, when this delightful little dinner made an appearance in our household.

Chilli lemon chicken Banh Mi.

Try saying that 5 times fast

A quick and easy dinner, thrown together in under 10 minutes. I kid you not.

Roast-chicken, reheated with a little oil, lemon zest and a tablespoon of chilli sauce.

Piled into a baguette spread generously with mayonnaise (jazzed up with a teaspoon each of minced ginger and garlic and a little squeeze of lemon juice).

Then topped with a carrot pickle (shredded carrot, 1/2 red onion, 1 tbs vinegar, 1tsp sugar and a pinch of salt).

Finished with a good amount of fresh coriander and some mixed lettuce leaves.

And dinner was served! I loved the lemony-take on an old classic, with the chilli chicken flavour shining through too. Definitely a great meal when short on time!

What about you? What is your favourite sandwich filling?

A family weekend

2015-09-29T14:02:00.001+10:00

There is something rather lovely about a long weekend. Particularly when Mr BBB has a whole 4 days off in a row (!!!) and a trip away is planned.

And so we found ourselves on the road to Bundanoon last Friday. The car and camper trailer laden with all the bits and bobs that a 3 year old and 7 month old require. And then some more.

A few hours later, the rest of Mr BBB’s extended family arrived, and the reunion celebrations kicked into gear. For a Golden Wedding Anniversary for his Aunty and Uncle, and 70th Birthday for his Aunty, were the perfect reason to get the family together.

Aunties, Uncles, Cousins….the whole clan had an absolute ball. We chatted, we caught up, and we ate. Oh how we ate!

The littlest cousins – ranging from 7 months to 7 years – did not stop from the moment they arrived. It didn’t seem to matter that they don’t get to see each other that often, for they wasted no time in making up grand adventures and generally just having a ball!

And while the youngest member of the family could not yet join in with the bigger kids, she lapped up the endless cuddles and attention that were on offer!

And as for us, well we opted to stay an extra day – and what a day it turned out to be! The rain finally stopped, the sun came out, and we jumped at the chance to explore a nearby National Park.

You can’t help but feel a little lighter and happier after weekends like these. Even with the over-tired kids and multiple mounds of laundry!

What about you? What did you get up to this weekend?

Asparagus and spinach soup

2015-09-23T06:50:00.001+10:00

The lovely people at the Australian Asparagus Council surprised me with multiple bunches of asparagus recently. And, given that asparagus is one of my favourite Spring ingredients, I wasted no time in putting it to good use.

First up – was this delightful soup. Made one particularly chilly day – when time was short and comfort food was craved. And, as is the case with most homemade soups, it was so easy and speedy to prepare.

And despite being a comforting meal, this was also a healthy one. With lots of green!

I loved the little roasted spears on top, and the drizzle of natural yoghurt. And a good amount of black pepper. Never forget the pepper!

Asparagus and Spinach soup (serves 2-3)

1tbs olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed into 3cm pieces
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 L vegetable stock
60g spinach leaves
1 tbs lemon juice
pepper, to taste
natural yoghurt to serve

Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add the asparagus, onion and garlic and sauté until the onion starts to soften. Remove a few of the asparagus tips for serving later.
Add the potato and stock, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potato is tender.
Add the spinach leaves and allow to wilt, before blending the entire mixture until smooth.
Add lemon juice and pepper to taste.
Divide among serving bowls and top with natural yoghurt and the asparagus spears to serve.

Oh and be sure to check out asparagus.com.au for more recipe ideas.

What about you? Are you a fan of asparagus?

Spring vegetable miso risotto

2015-09-18T13:37:00.001+10:00

Ever have one of those ‘why didn’t I think of that’ moments when you read a recipe? I sure did when I came across a recipe for a spring vegetable miso risotto in a recent edition of the Taste magazine.

It substituted miso paste + water for stock, and sake for white wine, transforming the usually Italian-influenced dish into one with a Japanese feel.

And, well I am rather partial to Japanese food, and even had a bottle of Japanese wine in the cupboard from the last time we visited!

Perfect!

Needless to say, I wasted no time in adding the dish to our weekly meal plan, and no time in sharing the photos with you. For it truly was scrumptious, and thoroughly enjoyed by all in our household.

The other ingredients were rather Spring-like, with the addition of asparagus, corn and snowpeas. I forgot to sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, although that would have been a great addition too.

I was so pleased with the flavour of this risotto, that I have already decided that I will be making it next time my vegetarian friend is in town!

Spring vegetable miso risotto (taken from Taste magazine, with some substitutions / alterations). Serves 2 adults + 2 kids.

1L hot water
1/4 cup white miso paste
1/4 cup mirin
1tbs rice wine
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
270g aborio rice
1/4 cup Japanese wine (or sake)
1 corncob – kernels removed
1 bunch asparagus, sliced
200g snow peas, sliced thinly
toasted sesame seeds and parmesan cheese to serve

Combine water, miso paste, mirin and rice wine in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Meanwhile, in a large frypan, heat the oils, garlic and ginger – stirring. Add the rice, stirring to coat.
Add the wine, and allow to evaporate.
Add the miso mixture, one ladle at a time, stirring well until the liquid is absorbed. Continue until all the miso mixture has been incorporated and the rice is almost cooked (this took me about 15-20 minutes).
Add the corn, asparagus and peas, and allow to heat through.
Divide among serving bowls, and sprinkle with sesame seeds and cheese.

What about you? Have you ever been to Japan?

Mexican-inspired soup

2015-09-15T06:40:00.001+10:00

I have this feeling that our household is feeling the strain of what has been a rather big year. Everyone is a tad under the weather and Little J is, we think, cutting a new tooth (and waking up hourly overnight as a result). The bags under our eyes grow, as does my reliance on caffeine, and we are definitely counting down the days until we can all take a nice holiday together!

In the meantime, though, we are trying to keep healthy and happy. At least in the kitchen – where dinner time is a lovely constant amongst the chaos.

Not that it needs to be fancy, though. For this meal was inspired by little more than a tin of condensed soup.

We’d had limited sleep the night before, and the littlest member of our family took only a short nap during the day. The change in season had also brought with it a barrage of sniffles and sneezes, and a general lack of energy.

But dinner time was fast approaching, so I decided to get creative with that humble tin of soup. And it didn’t take much to turn it from a “plain jane” tomato soup, into something more exciting!

Onion, garlic and corn were added, as was a good amount of chilli. Blended until smooth, then finished with beans and more corn. And more chilli.

Topped with all the good stuff too – avocado, coriander, sour cream and spring onions. Served alongside some cheese-topped corn chips that we’d oven baked for 10 minutes or so.

Who says canned soup has to be boring!!

Mexican-inspired soup (serves 2 – 3)

1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 corn cobs, kernels removed
2 red chillies, sliced
1 300g tin of condensed tomato soup (+ 1 tin of water)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tin 4-bean mix, drained and rinsed
Toppings: avocado, sour cream, coriander, spring onions

Sautee onion and garlic in a little olive oil in a medium saucepan until soft.
Add half of the corn kernels, chillies, soup and water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes or so. Blend until smooth.
Add the remaining corn, chilli powder and beans, and stir to combine. Heat through, and season to taste.
Divide among serving bowls, and top with avocado, sour cream, coriander and spring onions (or a selection of these!)

What about you? Do you like to jazz up the humble tinned soup?

Father’s Day 2015

2015-09-08T11:10:00.001+10:00

This year, like most years, we celebrated Father’s Day with a little international flair. We’ve previously had Chinese, and Turkish, but this year it was all things Mexico!

We actually had a ‘linner’ in place of brunch, so that everyone could attend. And we ate, drank and chatted into the early evening.

We served a variety of dishes – including slow-cooked pulled pork tacos, coleslaw, salsas and enchiladas.

While to drink, there were a few options on offer. From Mexican beers, to mango margaritas and Mexican softdrinks.

I had a lot of fun with the vibrant Mexican colours – with this pretty table runner and some potted cacti setting the scene.

Dessert was a little fun too – with our piñata cake revealing a secret sweet surprise inside.

And so our Father’s Day celebrations came to a close for another year. Deliciously filled with family and food (not to mention the extra addition to our family too!)

What about you? How did you celebrate Father’s Day this year?

5 things Friday

2015-09-04T11:27:00.001+10:00

1. Seriously – talk about a super-speedy week! I blinked and suddenly it is Friday. Not that I am complaining – for we have a jam packed weekend planned. A bit of family, a bit of food and a bit of fitness. Great combination if you ask me.

2. A hint of the ‘family’ and ‘food’ element…

Any guesses?

3. And the ‘fitness’ element? Well that might just be my first race post little J! I have a feeling its going to hurt. A lot.

4. I really don’t want the weekend to end though, for I also have my first interstate work trip on Monday. It’s only for the day, but not having been away from little J for more than an hour or so since she was born, the idea of flying interstate for the day is unsettling. I am sure she will be fine, and it will be me that is the one freaking out lol.

5. Speaking of J, she is 7 months old today! Such a gorgeous, goofy little thing…

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

Slow cooked chilli con carne

2015-08-31T14:23:00.001+10:00

I am 100% head over heels in love with our slow cooker.

Yes, I know I’m sounding like a broken record when it comes to our newest kitchen addition, but it has seriously been a game-changer these last few busy months.

Work has ramped up, our calendar is filling up, and the kids have been sick.

Ugh – yes. The dreaded lurgy has hit the two youngest members of our family pretty hard, and although they remain in relatively good spirits (all things considered) there have been a lot of last minute plan changes.

So needless to say that not having to worry about dinner on the “slow-cooker nights” has been rather splendid.

Take this chilli, for instance. All the ingredients were thrown in around lunchtime, and the cooker set on low. I then had the afternoon free to do what had to be done, and it didn’t even matter that we had to take an unexpected trip to the doctor or that Miss C was dragging her heels when it came to bed time.

For once the kids were all tucked up in bed, we could sit down to a hot meal – that had patiently been waiting for us. All we had to do was add some chopped avocado, sour cream, corn chips and a sprinkling of spring onions.

And dinner was served. Stat. Let me know if you’d like the recipe.

I think I’m almost going to be a little sad to pack up this beauty when Summer arrives (although then, no doubt, I will be singing the praises of the BBQ!)

What about you? What is your favourite ‘slow cooker’ meal?

5 things Friday

2015-08-28T12:57:00.001+10:00

1. In the past 10 days, we have had two rounds of conjunctivitis, an ear infection, vomits, multiple spiked temperatures, 2 trips to the chemist and 2 to the doctor.

And it has rained. A lot.

Bring on the weekend, I say!

2. Rainy days + sick kids = comfort food. Enter: loads of toast with lashings of marmalade.

3. Also feeling grateful for? My slow cooker – and its ability to make meals like this slow cooked chilli with minimal fuss.

4. In an attempt to try and organise the ‘to do’ pile (which sadly has grown, and not shrunk, this week) I picked up this new planner …

5. We’ve a good weekend planned – with a party to attend, (hopefully) a bush walk and a family afternoon at the trampoline park. Here’s hoping everyone is on the mend soon!

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

What the photos don’t tell you…

2015-08-26T10:26:00.001+10:00

A picture speaks a thousand words. Or does it?

I had this thought recently, when scrolling through my albums. For while the photos therein conjure up so many memories, often it is what the photo doesn’t show that is the most memorable.

Take these recent photos, for example...

1. Photo: Two gorgeous girls, filled with sisterly love.

What the photo doesn’t show? The meltdown from both that occurred no more than 2.5 seconds after the picture was snapped.

2. Photo: An awesome family walk up the mountain.

What the photo doesn’t show? C searching for trolls when we crossed a couple bridges. Adorable!

3. Photo: A family walk in the morning sunshine.

What the photo doesn’t show? The endless negotiation with a spirited 3.5 year old who got bored of sitting in the pram about 10 minutes in. And, the fact said child insisted on wearing slippers, and gloves, then demanded that I fed her rice crackers while I pushed the pram(because she apparently forgot how to feed herself?).

4. Photo: A smiley happy swaddled baby.

What the photo doesn’t show? It was 4am. Enough said …

5. Photo: Fun at the supermarket.

What the photo doesn’t show? C running around the shop playing hide and seek with another little girl who also had a trolley. And declaring that they were now ‘best friends’.

6. Photo: A gorgeous ‘fog covered’ view from Mt Ainslie.

What the photo doesn’t show? Just how peaceful and mind-calming this walk was. With little J snoozing on my chest, and the silence.

7. Photo: Mum and baby cuddles.

What the photo doesn’t show? The fact that little J vomited on me seconds later.

8. Photo: A morning bike ride.

What the photo doesn’t show? Miss C losing interest in riding her bike, and me carrying it – while pushing the pram – for 2 kms.

Goes to show that you can’t always trust a photo eh?

Blood Orange and Frangelico Marmalade & a recipe

2015-08-24T10:59:00.001+10:00

The lovely guys at Red Belly Citrus surprised me with a big box of blood oranges recently. And while most got put to good use as juice and afternoon snacks, and some were gifted to fellow orange-lovers, I couldn’t resist trying my hand at marmalade. For I am quite partial to the citrus-based spread, and I knew that it would be a welcomed addition to our pantry.

I followed this recipe – and well it was pretty straight-forward to prepare.

Blood oranges, sliced thinly and soaked overnight in water….

Simmered for about 45 minutes, before adding the Frangelico and jam setting sugar. Then boiled until setting point.

So much marmalade goodness!

This yielded a lot of marmalade. I bottled some – and used the remainder for a sticky marmalade chicken.

Simply – chicken thighs, thrown into the slow cooker with 1 cup marmalade, 2 tbs water, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tsp minced ginger – and cooked on low for 6 hours.

Served on quinoa, with a side of vegetables.

Sticky, sweet and delicious!

What about you? Do you make your own jam or marmalade?

Smoky BBQ pulled pork

2015-08-17T15:00:00.001+10:00

Friends, one thing I’m a little short on at the moment is time. The early mornings are becoming earlier mornings, and even that’s not making my in-tray smaller. If anything its getting bigger!

But there was something on our dinner table recently that benefited from time. Lots of time.

9 hours be to be precise.

Smoky BBQ pulled pork.

Pork shoulder, honey, BBQ rub, BBQ sauce and bourbon. Into a slow cooker – and cooked for 9 hours.

Yes 9.

And, if I ever needed reminding just how wonderful slow cooking can be – I could barely get the pork out of the cooker in order to shred it when those 9 hours were up. It literally felt apart between my tongs.

Yes. It was as good as it looks!

Melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork – with a rich smoky BBQ sauce. Served on some toasted bread rolls – with a good amount of coleslaw and salad on the side.

Yes sometimes it pays to find the time!

I followed this recipe – You’ve gotta give it a try!