Comfort Food

With the help of Miss Kylie, I have perfected the Potato bake. Actually I take that back, Miss Kylie's is the most perfect of perfect so mine isn't quite that good, but it does a good impression so that makes me happy. It is funny that such a simple food had foiled me so many times before (I think it came down to just not cooking it for long enough) but bingo! I am now on a winner :-)

Lumberjacks Perfected

I don't like dates. Actually I need to clarify, I will projectile vomit if my tongue feels a date on its tastebuds. It is not something I can control. You can then imagine my "delight" when I was asked to make a lumberjack cake! Nonetheless, I girded my proverbial loins and got going. Actually time was short so I skipped the "cake" and decided "muffins" would be much more practical. Accidentally I tasted one of the extra ones - I was just trying to taste the topping but a little muffin got included. WOW! I couldn't taste the dates - even though there is a ton in there. In fact most of them appeared to have "melted" into the muffin. These are gorgeous!

After some tweaking the original recipe I have some up with what I determine to be the "perfect" Lumberjack Muffin. I couldn't decide which photo to use - the one with or without the flash - as neither is ideal, so I have included both.


1 1/2 C apple, peeled and chopped
1 C dates, chopped
1 t bicarbonate of soda
1 C boiling water
2 eggs
1 C sugar
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 - 2 C SR flour

Topping:
1 1/2 T butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C milk
2/3 C shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare muffin pans - this recipe makes about 12 regular muffins AND 10 - 12 mini muffins.

Place the dates in a bowl with the bicarb and boiling water (yes there should be fizzing), making sure the dates are covered. Add the apples on top - these don't have to be fully covered by the water. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl beat eggs, sugar and oil for 3 minutes.  Add the apple and date mixture (including the water) and fold. Then fold in 1 1/2 C flour until well combined. If the mixture is too loose (it should be a wet batter but not watery) add the extra flour.

2/3 fill each muffin hole. Bake for about 12 minutes until almost cooked.

While this is happening, prepare the topping. Add ingredient to a small pan and mix until butter is melted.

While still in the tray, top each muffin with a small amount of coconut mixture. Return to the oven and cook for about 8 minutes.

PS: A Lumberjack Cake recipe is pretty generic but in order to be ethical I got the original ones here and here.

Jewish Apple Cake

3 C SR flour

2 C sugar

1 C vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

3 T orange juice

2 T vanilla

3 medium peeled and thinly sliced apples

5 T sugar mixed with 5 t cinnamon and ½ C chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 180 C.  Line and grease a springform pan.

Combine flour and sugar. Pour in oil, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until well blended, to yield a very thick batter.

Combine the apples and sugar-cinnamon mixture just before preparing layers. (if allowed to stand, the mixture becomes too wet).

Spoon a third of the batter into a well-greased tube pan. Add half the apples, but do not allow them to touch the sides.

Layer another third of the batter on top of the apples, add another layer of apples, and finish with remaining batter.

Bake for 45 minutes, then check to make sure cake isn’t getting too brown. If it is, cover with tin foil. Bake for another 30 minutes. Wait about an hour before removing cake.

Serve hot or cold. Delicious!

Based on a recipe I found here.

Flavor Trends

I previously posted that I try to have a feature salad for each summer (and a soup for winter) for those times when I need to bring a plate to a barbecue or whatever.

It doesn't need to be a "fancy" recipe as such, just something a bit different. I had this one perfectly planned out - it would be a Chicken and Mango Salad with a Thai-style dressing - I even made it again a couple of weeks ago to confirm it was what I wanted. It was! Divinely delicious, healthy, reasonably priced, easy to make - tick, tick and tick :-)

And then I picked up a recipe magazine and noticed a very similar one was being featured. Obviously my original plan got canned on the spot - oh I will make it again, just not as a 'feature'.

So that means I have spent the last day or so trawling through recipe books looking for flavor ides - I am tossing a few ideas around but nothing definite so far.

What i have noticed (again) is our trends with foods and flavors - my books from the seventies relied on some weird combinations of food (think banana, cucumber and carrot or a celery and olive salad (no other ingredients or even dressing for that one) - and lots of canned goods rather than fresh alternatives. Sauces were heavy and plentiful. There was often a "lovely" circle of tomatoes or olives around the edge. Nonetheless, these recipes can easily be updated and tweaked - both in ingredients and presentation.

The aspic ones can not. I have eaten these - I even enjoyed some but then I was under 10 and didn't appreciate what I was doing. Now I somehow fear that by mentioning these joys - consider "Creamed Fish in Aspic" or "Jellied Tomato and Spiced Ham" - it will somehow inspire someone somewhere to reintroduce the "under glass" look. Don't. Please stop now. This cannot be made "nice" - no way, never, na ah. Run from the idea, forget you ever even heard it, change the subject! Just say no!

And if the chefs insist on foisting this on a new, unsuspecting generation, then it is up to us to steer these naive consumers away from the travesty that is aspic.

Day 7 and 8 Reports

Okay I have been buying stuff. I would like to say I had to, but no, I didn't need to, I just wanted to. I have been thinking about the expenditure - should I really be including the total bill or just to portion that I have used. Take the honey for example, there is no way I can use 1 kg of honey over the time of the challenge - or even over a few months, so to be accurate, the cost should be reflective of the amount I actually use. Is this a loophole or a reality, not really sure. In any case the full $10 is still included in the total expenditure.

Day 6 Brunch: Vegetarian Pastie (homemade) with extra vegetables

Dinner: Mushroom Pizza (homemade) (97c for the mushrooms)

Now I always insist that my pizza are the best ones I have ever tasted - and as I am dealing with my tastebuds I must be right. Actually I have never made one for someone else, so you will just have to take my word for it. It is based on a pizza bianca but there are obviously variations sometimes. Usually I make a really thin base (2 C flour mixed with 3/4 C warm water that has had a sachet of yeast activated with a  little sugar for food, and 1 T olive oil kneaded and allowed to prove before being kneaded again and rolled out) with a garlic and evoo base with cheese and maybe tomato. This time I left the bases a little thicker (about1/4"), topped with the usual evoo and garlic, cheese and then mushrooms. They were drool-worthy! Crispy bottom, fluffy inside with juicy galic-y mushrooms on top. Definitely going to be made again :-)

Day 8 Brunch: Pumpkin and Chickpea stew with bread roll ($1.70 for the bread roll)

Dinner: Massaman Beef Curry with green vegetables and rice ($1.84 for the coconut milk, $1.76 for the vegetables and $1.32 for the rice)

Total expenditure so far $18.87

Image: "Coins" by lubroz

Day 1 Report

Brunch: Tomato and white onion sandwich x 2 (can someone who is not pregnant have cravings because I have them bad for these).

Dinner: Mushroom Stroganoff Soup with crusty bread.

Chop an onion and sweat in a butter/oil mix with 1 - 2 teaspoons garlic. Add 600g  sliced mushrooms of whatever variety/ies you have to hand. As they begin to cook add about 1 C rice. Mix well. Add 4 C hot water/chicken stock/vegetable stock. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Blitz until smooth. Serve with a swirl of sour cream and a sprinkling of parsley. As with all soups the measurements are very flexible - it is just roughly what I used, because that is what I had to hand :-)

Drinks: Lemon tea, peppermint tea

Total expenditure so far: $0

Image: "Coins" by lubroz

Soupy Days

I continue to make soups - white ones this time. Yesterday it was a potato, leek and rosemary, today it is a cannellini bean soup.

The first one was just for me and Val (next door) and the freezer. It had only six ingredients was delicious!

Today's soup is still cooking so I can't give a verdict but it was a trial run for the birthday dinner (yes as well as the virtual party I am having a dinner party for those that live in the neighborhood).

Long live cool days :-)

More Gifts

As well as warm fuzzies I got cookies. Okay I had to pinch Miss K's pic because these didn't last very long - White Chocolate and Macadamia Biscuits. Now I say this because I mean it and I am not trying to be polite - THESE WERE THE BEST COOKIES I HAVE EVER HAD EVER! And I am not a huge fan of the genre - I mean I can usually take 'em or leave 'em for the best part (cookies and cakes and other sweet things that is) but these were incredible! I don't really know how many were on my plate - and I did make them last for a fraction over 24 hours but that was only because I was trying so hard not to be piggy. The recipe is here. And I mean it - they are soooooooo good - make two batches because one will never be enough lol.

Green Soup x 2

Following the joy of the orange soup I have now been investigating green - and I have come up with two alternatives that are making my tastebuds zing.

Two Pea Soup
1 packet of green split peas cooked in vege stock until some are mushy and some are still whole.
1kg peas, blanched and pureed.
Combine and season to taste. I did originally intend to add extra spices and flavorings (and I might still do that next time) but the combination of the earthy nutiness of the split peas, combined with the fresh sweetness of the fresh peas .... divine!

Broccoli Soup
Steamed broccoli pureed and mixed with vege stock until the desired thickness (or thinness is achieved). Add nutmeg and season to taste. Swirl through a little cream or sour cream when serving. I served it with toasted turkish bread.

Can you tell I am in soup-y heaven :-)

Image: "Royal Green" by DemonMathiel

Orange Soup

Last night as a night for orange soup - and for just such moments, I keep a supply in my freezer. And no, orange soup doesn't have any oranges in it - it refers to the color. I make it in the crockpot and it is a mix of roast pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots (yes I know I have carrot issues but it does got in this soup), onions, red lentils, chickpeas as well as some random herbs and spices all cooked in a rich vegetable stock until it is almost a chowder consistency. Oh, and some bread for dunking purposes.

I tell ya on a crisp autumn evening, its good for the body and good for the soul.

Art: "Orange" by fallinreality

I Had A Win In the Kitchen

Well two actually.

On Friday night I needed to make an apple sauce to accompany my pork chop and twice baked potato. I combined apple puree (granny smith of course), ginger and white wine vinegar. Okay the ginger might be optional but otherwise it is a standard recipe and one I have made a million times. This time though, I got the proportions so perfect it felt like there was champagne bubbles in my mouth when I tasted it. It zinged!

Yesterday I made some hummus to go with my Italian bread. Again it was the recipe I always use (chick peas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil) but I just jagged it more right than I ever have before. It sounds like something Nigella would say but I could almost feel a rainbow of flavors moving through my mouth - each ingredient being focussed, melding with the next - different flavors appearing in different places on my palette. Now I don't like the supermarket varieties at the best of time - they have no real flavor profile - which is why I make my own but this just blew me away.

Now both of these cooking triumphs won't be repeated - they are not real recipes - just a combination of ingredients that you mix and blend. But I do have some more hummus to enjoy - and I took a photo so I will never forget the joy :-)

Tuna and Rice Cake

I made this last weekend. I have included the recipe below but can I suggest that it only be a guide - replace the rice with pasta, change the vegetables to anything you want or have on hand, replace the tuna with chicken or leftover taco mince or extra vegetables, change the spices to whatever suits you. I am thinking it would be great with pasta and roast vegetables, served with a balsamic dressing lol. Serve it hot or cold - or even as a picnic food. Make it in a square plan and include slices in kid's lunchboxes. And it definitely suits the someone on a Lentil Club budget.

425 g tuna, drained
3 C cooked rice
1 C peas
1 C corn
2 T chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, gently whisked
2 T cream
1 C shredded cheese

Combine the first six ingredients in bowl. Turn into a greased springform pan and press down gently. Combine the eggs and cream and pour over the rice mix. Top with cheese. Bake at 180 C for about 50 minutes or until firm. Cut into wedges and serve with salad leaves.

Mango Chutney

1 T oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 ripe mango, diced
2 T vinegar
2 T sugar
1 - 2 chillis, chopped
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch cardamom seeds
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in small saucepan. Saute onion. Add mango. Add vinegar, sugar and spices. Add chilli. Keep at a low simmer until the liquid has cooked off and the chutney is well blended. Season to taste.

I served this with some lentil croquettes, and pumpkin and chicken patties (still working on those recipes - I will post them when they are a bit more refined) with a side salad.

Note: you could also add a pinch coriander powder to the mix. I am a hot kinda girl so I left the membrane and seeds with the chillis - obviously you can take them out.

Lentil Club Luncheon

It was over a week ago that I invited myself and Dad to Kylie's for the day - and once she agreed obviously the invitation to Abz went out too. And so we gathered on the veranda and chatted and talked and played. Dad and I brought lunch. I can't find the recipe for the top one but essentially it is a spinach and ricotta plait with the variation that grated lemon rind has been included in the mix in addition to the usual nutmeg etc. Dad made that one. I brought the salad with was pretty simple with some roasted beetroot, funky lettuce (mesclun), sprouts, tomato and boiled egg.

Many thanks to Josh for the photos :-)

Dining Delights

Dad and I watched River Cottage together last night (yes Dad is here for a visit - yah!) and we were suitably inspired by Hugh's chef who created this recipe of Deep Fried Camembert with Cauliflower Sauce (or as the called with Cheesy Cauliflower) to make it immediately.

Dead easy and particularly delicious. For the cheese: cut it into wedges, flour, egg and breadcrumb and then deep fry until golden (but no so golden that the cheese has melted). For the sauce: cook cauliflower florets in milk with 1 bay leaf and 1 clove until the cauliflower is tender. remove bay leaf and blend until smooth.

Dip cheese into sauce and grin madly :-) All up, from start to finish, about 15 - 18 minutes.

PS: The left over sauce made a scrummy topping for toast lol

Kitchen Kitsch

I love cook books of all shapes and sizes but I hold a special place in my heart for kitschy books. I know I am not alone in this - Nigella featured a book with Elvis's recipe for Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich at one point.

Now the way to determine whether a book is worthy of the category is that it must make you laugh, cringe ... and then contemplate having a go at one or two of the recipes.

But I think I now might have the ultimate in kitsch books - "What's Cooking at Twitty City" by Conway Twitty's wife Mickey Twitty. This features recipes, photos (including their house 'Twitty City' and their buses "Twitty Bird One' and 'Twitty Brd Two'), a bit of family history and an explanation of who's favorite each recipe was.

My own piece of heaven :-)

Tomatoes

I found some tomatoes for $2 kg so I have bought enough for a big pot of soup.

I started making it today. And no, this isn't done for an "Italian-momma" reason (unlike making your lasagna one day but not eating it until the next), I am just working around my logistics. I have cooked the tomatoes up with onion, garlic and seasonings. Tomorrow I will add the sugar, blend and season. I have some baby basil I can throw in towards the end.

There will be enough for about 4 - 5 meals so much of it will end up in the freezer (without the basil) for consumption at a later point.

Easy :-)

PS: Yes this is a photo of the little beauties lol.

Pumpkin Risotto Soup

I made this for the last time The Lentil Club got together for a craft day (read a good excuse to catch up and drink coffee and chat for many hours). Actually I started it and then delegated to the wonderful Gabby and Robbie who did most of the work so I can't actually say that I made it lol.

It is based on a recipe from The Australian Women's Weekly's "The Essential Soup Cookbook".

To serve 8

2 kg pumpkin, chopped and roasted
1/4 C olive oil
large knob butter
2 onions, finely diced
4 t minced garlic
2 C arborio rice
1 C dry white wine
3 litres vegetable stock
2 litres water
1 C cream
1 C shredded cheese

Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add rice and cook for about 2 minutes, making sure that each grain is shiny and becoming translucent. Add stock and water and bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Cool, then stir in pumpkin.

Blend half of the soup until smooth. Combine all of the soup in the saucepan again. Add cream and cheese. Stir until hot.

Serve with crusty bread (we used a garlic sourdough).

Lentil Club Update

My first week of official membership has been a triumph (well so I say anyway). At this stage I am working on a weekly grocery shopping budget (including all food as well as cleaning products, tissues and the like) of $50.

I made meatballs using 500g mince ($4) with onion, breadcrumbs, herbs and seasoning and got 20 golf-ball sized meatballs. I cooked them in a baking dish topped with a jar of spaghetti sauce. I had 4 for my dinner (served a cob of corn that I got for 50c and mashed potato) ... well 3 plus one left for a midnight snack. So that works out to be 4 serves of meatballs left over for another time - and all at less than $1 a serve!

I have made four serves of Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup - all are in the freezer. I just boiled the cauliflower ($1.69), pureed it, added the cheese ($3) and homemade chicken stock and seasoned to taste. Just over $1 each serve (plus I will need some crusty bread when it comes to eating time).

The chicken stock was easy - a couple of roast chicken carcasses that I was saving for just such an occasion with an onion, a couple of bay leaves and herbs from the garden. I probably used 1 litre for the soup but I have managed to freeze about another 3 litres. And I am saving vegetable off-cuts to do a vegetable version. Total cost - negligible ...

And I am rediscovering the joy of oatmeal (porridge) for breakfast - warm, filling, healthy and less than 10c a bowl!

I also managed to jag myself a microwave from freecycle. On the way back from collecting it I dropped in to see Miss Abbey. 5 cups of coffee and about 5 hours later I was on my way back home. A big day out - I left home at 8 and got home at 5, which also included stopping in Coffs to run errands on the way up to get the microwave, came to about $15 worth of petrol (it was about an hour either way).

Apart from having Miss Abbey, Miss Kylie and Miss L to swap ideas with, the best part of my new life is that I don't feel like I am missing out on anything! It is just using my time better, planning more and putting all the other things I try and do (100-mile eating, cooking healthy on a budget etc).

Dinner

After not being inspired to really cook (or eat) since I came back from holidays I turned it around last night.

I made a simple salad made out of iceberg lettuce topped with Ranch Dressing that had had garlic and basil added to it with crumbled blue cheese on the side and bacon bits on the top.

I was heading to full boneless buffalo wings but stopped before I added the hotsauce (while the crispy cool lettuce would have made a good side for the heat, I didn't want to lose any flavor - being that it was the first time I had made the salad recipe) so I just had crispy chicken instead - I have more chicken so there is always tomorrow night lol.



It wasn't the healthiest meal I had ever made but it was delicious and will definitely stay on the rotation.

Thanks to Miss Weasley for the recipe card :-)