Housewife

I cooked the most amazing dinner for my housemates the other night #ifidosaysomyself

Slowcooked shoulder of lamb with roast cauliflower salad and spiced sweet potato.

The lamb was on the slow cooker from 8am til 7.30pm and the sides took 20 minutes to pull together. Such an easy and relatively healthy dinner. 

The lamb was based on this Jamie Oliver recipe, but I put about 1.5 cups of chicken stock in the bottom of the slow cooker because I had it on for so long and didn't want it to dry out.

The roast cauli salad was from the Women's Weekly fast diet cookbook. It was kind of similar, sort of, almost, to this one.

And then there was the sweet potato that was gingery and delish with preserved lemon and fresh coriander. Find it here.

I cheated with dessert and picked up some absolute delights from Millstone Patisserie in Malvern. Get there as soon as humanly possible. Run, don't walk. It's phenomenal.

Lamington love

How is it the first day of February already? Seriously!

I haven't even recovered from Christmas and New Years etc and already I've been to New Zealand and back and fallen behind in work . . . only one month into the new year!

Anyway, speaking of New Zealand, on the way home I sat next to a mother of two travelling on her own back to Melbourne from Wellington. She had a four month old and a two year old and they were already settled when I got to my seat. I could see the strained look on the mother's face and instantly thought of my friends Bree and Gemma who travel with their little munchkins on their own all the time.

So I smiled and introduced myself to the two year old and offered to help out during the flight. The mother described me as a "Godsend", I think I've racked up enough karma points to last me the year!

Anyway, part of the kids morning tea on the flight was a lamington but Ariel (the two year old) had never had one before. As luck would have it, her Mum had packed Possum Magic to read during the flight so we got stuck into the picture book and discovered all sorts of yummy Aussie treats (they were kiwis but now living in Melbourne).

The timing was perfect as Australia Day closely followed so I got into the spirit and whipped up a batch of Donna Hay's cheats lamingtons. No, I didn't make my own sponge, but if it's good enough for Donna, it's good enough for me.

I took them to long weekend drinks with my friends Lill and Shuggie at the Pop Up Patch veggie garden in Federation Square. A gorgeous afternoon in the sun with vodka lime and sodas - and sexy straws. Shuggie brought Toobs and Burger Rings and a delicious beer and Lill supplied Prosecco. I was well and truly tickled by the time I stumbled home.

I love following my instagram feed over the weekend and seeing how all my friends and family were celebrating Australia Day. There were lots of pavs and lamingtons and lashings of Vegemite. I spent the public holiday at the Hanging Rock Races which felt very Aussie with kangaroos jumping past the track.

And now here we are at February. I hope it's a good month for you all.

xx

lamingtons

• 1 store-bought sponge cake or 1 quantity basic sponge cake, see recipe
• 3 cups (480g) icing (confectioner's) sugar
• ¾ cup (75g) cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup (80ml) boiling water
• 75g butter, melted
• dessicated coconut, to coat

Make 1 quantity basic sponge cake in an 18cm-square cake tin and cool on a wire rack. Cut into 6cm squares. Sift together the icing sugar and cocoa. Mix with the boiling water and melted butter. Using 2 forks to hold the sponge squares, dip in the chocolate icing and roll in desiccated coconut. Allow to set on a wire rack. Makes 9.

Recipe from here

You can have your cake

So, I promised the chocolate cake to end all chocolate cakes? 

Well, I'm one to stay true to my word . . . even if I don't make deadline.

On a recent trip back to the Rads, we celebrated my dear friend Ad's birthday with a dinner party at her place. It was beyond spectacular. Three courses of amazingness - so good that I stole two recipes from the night and pulled them out at my own fundraising dinner part a few weeks later.

One of these recipes was for Ottolenghi's chocolate fudge cake. It was seriously the best thing I'd ever tasted. The table went silent when Ad served it up. We were lost for words, totally caught in the moment.

So it's only fair that I share the love with you . . .

Ottolenghi’s Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients:
240g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
265g dark chocolate (52% cocoa), chopped into small pieces*
95g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped into small pieces*
290g light muscovado sugar
4 tablespoons water
5 large eggs, separated
pinch of salt
cocoa powder for dusting

Method:
Preheat your oven to 170°C (350°F) and butter a 20cm (8″) spring form pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment/baking paper.

In a large heat proof bowl, combine the chopped chocolates and butter.

Combine the muscovado sugar and water in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Pour the boiling syrup over the chocolate and butter and stir until they have melted. *If you ignored the “chopped into small pieces” instructions, insert another step; melt mixture further over a double boiler until smooth…

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the chocolate mixture and then set the bowl aside until the mixture comes to room temperature.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt to a firm but not dry meringue. Using a rubber spatula, fold a third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture. Once combined, add another third, fold and then fold in the remaining third until just combined.

Pour 2/3rds of the batter into your prepared pan (about 800g, reserving the remaining batter for later) and bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it on a wire rack to cool completely. Flatten the cake with an offset spatula. Don’t worry about breaking the surface crust and pour the rest of the batter on top. Level the surface again. Return the cake to the oven and bake for a further 20-25 minutes. When tested with a skewer the cake should have a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Allow to cool completely in the spring form pan before attempting to unmould it.
Dust with cocoa powder before serving & serve with double cream.

** Recipe taken from Duchess Roz

So as you can see, the cake needs to be made in stages. And I was juggling a couple of dips, the lamb tagine and a few other dishes as well. As well as a date or two. Big week.

I started on the Thursday night with stage one - my housemates all chipped in and helped me make the batter. I let them eat the leftovers. Best housemate ever.

The first layer was sublime. Perfection. I was proud as punch. I had to leave it overnight to cool and then planned to cook the second layer on the Friday. I came home from work and was in a frantic rush, the tagine was on the stove top, I was monitoring the cake and slapping on some makeup for a date that night.

I was all set to go, glammed up and feeling top of the pops when the timer went off and I opened the oven door to take out the cake. It was heavenly, the perfect amount of rise, still gooey in the centre but crunchy around the edges.

I was a little cocky, perhaps. Then . . . the oven mitt got caught and I burnt my hand on the cake tin. It was bloody hot so I squealed a bit and moved my hand from the edge of the tin to the base. Which was loose. Which detached from the sides. Which upended all over my benchtop.

I hate springform tins.

I swore like a sailor and stamped my feet in a tantrum like a three year cracking the shits in the toy department at David Jones. What a waste! All that chocolate, all that melting, all that cooking, all that waiting!

My housemate rushed over to help - but his version of helping was getting a bowl and a spoon and salvaging the cake for himself. He seriously stood there and ate it while muttering nice words of support.

"If it makes it any better, Kate, it tastes really good!" quickly followed by "Oh, are you going to cry?" at which stage he put the bowl down and went to fetch a bucket and mop.

I couldn't do anything but pick up my phone, take a photo, clean up the mess, top up my red lippy and head off on my date. Where I drank far too much champagne far too quickly.

Apparently you can cook it all in one go, saving yourself that second cooking stage, but if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well so I mustered up the courage (and the budget!) to start all over again the next day. 

And boy, it was worth it.

A berry happy household

It's fair to say I'm the favourite housemate around these parts in the last few weeks.

I've been playing Suzie Homemaker and baking up a storm in the kitchen. My waistline isn't thanking me, but I'm in the good books with my friends.

Tonight I made the super easy and super tasty donna hay chicken and haloumi skewers and a yummy citrus, pomegranate and mint cous cous salad. I've also got some bircher muesli brewing in the fridge overnight. Almost want to go to bed early to wake up and have it for breakfast!

And in the last week, I've been going for the sweet angle and and baked ms hay's oat, ginger and orange crisps (gourmet ANZAC biscuits) and a delicious blueberry yoghurt loaf - both from her Oct/Nov issue.

The cake was for morning tea with a dear old friend and her almost six month old. It was soooo easy and really tasty. I took the leftover half a loaf down to the farm with me for Carri and her hubby so that I didn't have to polish it off myself at home - I have no self control!

The bit I like the most about this recipe is that the butter is melted, so there's no creaming, or blending, or hard work. It's just a case of mixing it all together with a big whisk!

Blueberry and yoghurt loaf
150g unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup (140g) greek style (thick) yoghurt
1 Tbspn finely grated lemon zest
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (225g) self raising flour, sifted
125g fresh blueberries, plus extra to serve (I used frozen)
icing sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 160 C
2. Place the butter, sugar, eggs, yoghurt, lemon zest and vanilla in a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Add the flour and whisk until well combined.
4. Fold through the blueberries and spoon into a lightly greased 22cm x 8cm x 7cm loaf tin lined with non-stick baking paper.
5. Smooth the top with a palette knife and bake for 1hr - 1hr 10mins or until cooked when teested with a skewer.
6. All the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Dust with icing sugar and top with extra blueberries to serve (I also added a dollop of yoghurt which was delish)
8. Serves 6-8

Just in case

I love giving DIY gifts for Christmas and try to always have something on hand for those 'just in case moments'.

You know the ones - the next door neighbour, workmates and distant aunts.

Enter the world's easiest Christmas cakes.

And parochially South Australian with the secret ingredient . . . Farmers Union Iced Coffee!

Simply take 1kg mixed dried fruit 

Add 500ml of iced coffee and leave to soak overnight in the fridge

The next day, or later that night if you soak the fruit during the day, add 2 cups of self raising flour and stir to combine.

The recipe is for one large cake, but I decided to share the love wide and filled little cupcake wrappers with tablespoons of cake mix. Would've been great with some extra glace cherries or nuts thrown in for good measure.

Little cakes took about 25-30 mins to cook at 180 - you know they're done when the skewer comes out clean.

And voila!

Little bites of merriment! I wrapped them up in individual cellophane bags with red ribbon. Very pretty.

Here's Jane Doyle's pic of her cake - definitely more impressive but she probably has the luxury of a fan forced oven. Not me. No. My oven hates me.

See her recipe here.

Cake to your heart's content

I can't take a trick when it comes to my health lately. I'm like a two year old at childcare, I pick up all sorts of bugs.

So it hasn't been a good week ... but then there was cake and order was restored to the world.

Sweet tooth fairy

I love a food blog as much as I love Wednesday nights on the couch with Farmer Wants a Wife on telly. Possibly even more.

On my usual Pinterest stalking adventures the other night, I came across a fabulous Pin by Miss Brown Button herself . . . an iced vovo cake.

I followed the links through and found myself at what only could be described as Heaven.

Raspberri Cupcakes is my new favourite blog. I have an unhealthy obsession with it. The strange bit is that I'm not much of a sweet tooth, yet the pics of these masterpieces have been drooling on my keyboard.

Stephanie's very clever recreations of chocolate bar and biscuit classics have me most impressed. Whether it's the Tim Tam cake or Rolo cake, she manages to reinvent a family favourite for the fussiest of cake lovers.

I think I'd like to put in an order for that trifle next year. The only one I know who'd be up to it is Anna.

Do you accept the challenge, Miss P?

xo

Pics from here

It's raining Spring

Spring is a beautiful time of the year and what better way to ring it in than with a celebration of new life?!

The girls threw a beautiful baby shower for Michelle last week that was full of colour, fun and lots of bubbles!

We had lots of fun creating singlets and bibs and Emily and I were {not so} quietly thrilled when Mum-to-be chose our clothesline version as her favourite!

Anna made the most fabulous lemon curd friands and I just wish I had a photo of them to share, I ate them faster than you could say 'taste.com.au'

Here's to the healthy arrival of the little one next week, Pete and Michelle xo

Lemon Curd Friands

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Makes

10

Ingredients

1/2 cup (75g) plain fl our, sifted

1 1/2 cups 185g almond meal

1 1/3 cups (200g) pure icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust

5 eggwhites

200g unsalted butter, melted, cooled

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

5 tsp lemon curd, plus extra to serve

Whipped cream (optional), to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 10-hole friand pan or line with paper cases.
2. Mix the flour, almond meal and sugar in a bowl. 
3. In a separate bowl, lightly beateggwhites with a fork until foamy, then add to dry ingredients with butter and zest and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. 
4. Divide batter among friand pans. Place 1/2 teaspoon of curd on each friand and use a wooden skewer to swirl through batter.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden. Cool, then dust with extra icing sugar. Serve with extra lemon curd, and whipped cream if desired.

Recipe from taste.com.au

Here's to the boy!

I know I've talked about my clever friends before and today I'd like to introduce you to the gorgeous Sam.

Sam and I grew up around the corner from each other and we went to competing all girls schools. She was GK on the netball court and I was her direct opponent in GS. We weren't the best athletes and spent most of our time talking about the 'gatherings' we would go to on Saturday nights.

We went on to go to uni together and then headed overseas around the same time (Sam to Japan and me to the UK) and then we both found careers in Comms/PR when we got back with Sam ultimately helping me get the job I'm currently in . . . we get to work together nearly every day!

That was until she went on maternity leave last year. Oh how I miss her!

Oh, and did I mention I was one of her bridesmaids? Most. Stunning. Wedding. Ever. She looked like one of those magazine brides in the Estee Lauder ads. Gorgeous.

She and her hubby (and Ollie the pug) live just around the corner and we enjoy many a red wine together. I love having her so close.

Anyway, Sam became Mummy to adorable Harrison last year (remember the nappy cake I made for the baby shower?) and this weekend just gone, we celebrated his Christening at the church where Sam and Sime got married. Afternoon tea followed at Sam's Mum's house, it was gorgeous. She'd gone to so much trouble - everything matched but most importantly, tasted ah-mazing.

Lemon meringue pies, chicken sandwiches (see here for a similar recipe), mini melting moments and the most scrumptuous Christening cake by Sugar and Spice. Oh, and the sausage rolls did wonders for the teeny headache I had from all the bubbles last night!

I've just sat down to enjoy my gingerbread H biscuit with a cup of peppermint tea in front of Howzat (love me some cricket history and helllllooooooo Matthew LeNevez with a mo!) and gosh it was good. Perfect end to the day x

Let them eat cake

Now that I'm out of my birthday funk, I thought I'd better share with you my family's favourite birthday cake recipe.

I've had lots of interest via email and instagram - even the odd heytell or two (isn't social media wonderful!??!) - asking what the secret ingredients are.

I'm almost embarrassed to share it as it's just ridiculously easy!

Honeycomb sponge

2 chocolate or vanilla sponges (I've used choc this time)

500mL carton thickened cream (make sure it's one you can whip)

1 large bag choc honeycomb

2 Tbspn golden syrup

• Cut each sponge in half horizontally so that you have four slabs of cake
• Smash the bag of choc honeycomb with a rolling pin. You should have some chunky bits and some dusty bits
• Pour the cream into a mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form
• Fold through golden syrup and smashed up choc honeycomb.
• Lay down one slab of cake on a serving plate and top with a couple of spoonfuls of cream mixture, spread to cover.
• Layer the rest of the cake and cream until you place the last piece of sponge on top, making sure you reserve enough cream to cover the entire cake.
• Cover the entire cake - sides and top - in the rest of the cream
• Enjoy!

Happy birthday to me!

Cake demolished.

Sugar high? Tick.

Recipe to follow ... (yes Gemmy, hold your horses!)

Off to lunch now. Gosh, I need a wine after the week I've had

Happy birthday to moi (if I don't say so myself!)

xo

You can have your cake

My gorgeous little niece turned 1 last week and her family and friends celebrated with a little party in the park.

Top effort on the cake, Sam and Ange!

You can have your cake . . .

. . . and eat it too!

Love Eddie Ross's take on the styley rainbow cake that has captured the imagination of party planners worldwide.

Just WAIT until I show you pics of the most gorgeous rainbow party a friend of mine threw for her three year old last week. Re-live Kelly's little birdie and Humpty Dumpty efforts to whet your appetite for this latest party perfection.

Lunch with heart

We had the most fabulous lunch at Sally's last week with guest of honour Kim honoured in true prep style.

Emma worked her magic to produce the most stunning table setting ever - totally gorgeous and so up my alley. Could it get any more perfect?

Art School Prep. Pink. Navy and white stripe. Ranunculus. Oh and a fabulous spread of food.

Read more about Emma's efforts here.

Doesn't she look fabulous in her Catherine Ogust dress? 

I'd better hold up my end of the bargain and supply the recipes!

This watermelon and feta salad is a favourite of mine. It just smacks of Summer and I make it at every opportunity. Perfect accompaniment for a summer BBQ - it's amazing how it can make even the most basic of sausages all of a sudden seem posh!

 

Over the years, I've played with a few variations on this salad and have come up with one that mixes a few together. Blokes are always wary of the unusual combination of flavours and textures - but they're the first to come back for seconds!

Watermelon Salad

Large quarter of seedless watermelon, removed from skin and diced into large chunks

1 block of feta (I like Danish for its creamy texture, but Greek tends to hold its shape better)

handful of pitted kalamata olives

half red onion, sliced very thinly

2 limes, juiced

handful mint and continental parsley, coarsely chopped

splash of olive oil

sea salt and cracked pepper

1. Put the thinly sliced red onion in a bowl and pour the juice of the two lines over the top. Leave the onion to soak for a good half hour or so (this takes out the harshness of the onion and turns the juice a gorgeous pink)
2. Lay the watermelon on a big flat platter and crumble the feta over the top
3. Scatter the onion over the top, dot with olives and then sprinkle with herbs
4. Pour the lime juice over the top of the salad and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and cracked black pepper

The next salad is a great leafy alternative that is lovely and fresh with the splash of lime (obviously flavour of the month in my kitchen!) 

Check back here for the recipe.

Sally and Emma created this delicious baked pasta dish - and they swear it's deceivingly healthy!

I don't have the exact recipe, but it was basically Lattina Fresh spinach ravioli with a homemade tomato sauce featuring onion, carrot and olives with a few dollops of low fat ricotta on top. Baked in the oven for a perfectly cosy lunch.

Dessert was out of this world ah-mazing. Sally outdid herself with cupcakes, chocolate brownies and lemon meringue pie (Emma's no fail recipe).

Derek's crushed raspberry tart was also a winner - such a refreshing and light end to a meal (thanks Donna Hay!)

Sally and Emma are living it up on the Gold Coast this weekend so I'll track down the dessert recipes later, but I have got my hands on the Donna Hay recipe for the crushed raspberry tart that Derek whipped up. I can imagine how totally fabulous it would be using Careme pastry - have you seen how high that stuff can puff?!

Crushed Raspberry Tart
(Recipe from Donna Hay)

375 g block store-bought puff pastry, thawed
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tbsp caster sugar (we used regular granulated)
2 cups raspberries
1 tbsp icing sugar

sour cream filling:
1 cup sour cream (I think it would work better with the really thick type)
1/4 cup single or pouring cream (half and half; we used whipping, mmm)
1/3 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and trim to a 20 cm square.
2. Cut 8 strips measuring 1x20cm from the remaining pastry.
3. Place the pastry square on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Brush with the egg white and place half the strips around the edge to form a border.
4. Brush the borders with the egg white and place the remaining strips on top. Prick the base with a fork.
5. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the pastry with caster sugar.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
7. To make the sour cream filling, whisk the sour cream, cream, and brown sugar in a bowl until smooth.
8. Combine half the raspberries with the icing sugar and crush lightly.
9. Fold in the remaining raspberries. Spoon the sour cream filling over the pastry base and spoon raspberries on top.

And do you know one of the best things about the lunch (besides the great company, the delicious feast, the top tunes and the gorgeous setting)? It was the fact we were paying tribute to Pink Ribbon Day and raising money for breast cancer research.

Lunch with heart. I likey.