Watching Nigella Express on Friday afternoon, I saw her make a soup that was so simple it had to be my dinner. I had all the ingredients ready and waiting and my super blender (you can use a regular blender) was excitedly ready for duty. If you're looking for a quick and easy dinner then […]
Checkerboard hot cross buns
Can't decide between chocolate and traditional hot cross buns? Combine them both with my easy checkerboard hot cross bun recipe. Checkerboard hot cross buns I was a latecomer to the tradition of hot cross buns. My latent childish food issues stopped me from eating the traditional fruit-filled version (and I still don't like them) but […]
Honeycomb - easy edible gift
Last week I decided to break away from stingy Claire and fork out the extra $2 a week so I could finally have the food channel on Foxtel. In one week it's changed my life. Ok not totally earth shattering change but I have learned so much in the few hours of cooking shows that […]
Easter woopie pies
The four people who I told I had made woopie pies yesterday all reponded 'what are woopie pies?!' If you're also wondering what I'm on about then allow me to explain. A warning though, once you make these you'll be hooked. A woopie pie is like two cake-like biscuits sandwiched together with some sort of […]
Crumpets
Crumpets with honey are one of my favourite breakfasts or mid-morning snacks. They're so comforting on a cold winter's morning. Now I know that crumpets are rather inexpensive to buy but I'll give making-it-at-home a go for everything I can at least once. The recipe turned out beautifully. If you have the time and would […]
Coconut macaroon ice-cream sandwiches
When I saw how simple it is to make these macaroon biscuits I had to give it a go. It literally takes about 20 minutes from start to finish and that includes baking time. With only 3 ingredients (plus your choice of ice-cream), could this fancy-looking dessert be any betterr? Well yes, it also tastes […]
Cafe style banana bread
If you're looking for a recipe for cafe style banana bread then you have found it. This recipe is simple and delicious especially toasted with butter. Cafe style banana bread I am on a quest to find the best banana bread recipe out there and today, cafe style banana bread is on the menu. It's […]
Lemon polenta cake
To go with the fabulous risotto bolognese I made the other night, I had to have the perfect dessert. Ever since I won the Barilla pack from Not Quite Nigella a few months ago I have had a box of polenta sitting in my cupboard waiting for the perfect recipe. Nigella's lemon polenta cake fit […]
Risotto bolognese
Yet another dish that combines two of my favourite Italian meals, Nigella's risotto bolognese is one of the most delicious meals I've made. Ever. It was so tasty and satisfying but being rice-based instead of pasta-based, it wasn't too heavy (unless of course you had two serves which I wouldn't blame you). This recipe is […]
Mexican lasagna
Mexican food is probably my second favourite cuisine after Italian. I love burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, nachos, corn chips... I won't list them all! That will explain why, when I saw this recipe, I had to make it. It has all the elements of a fabulous Mexican dish and an Italian name. I found the recipe […]
Greek yoghurt and raspberry cake
My mum's favourite colour is orange so for her Birthday this year, I decided to extend the colour theme from the balloons to the Birthday cake. We're also all huge fans of George's Greek yoghurt. If you haven't tried it you need to. It's thick and creamy but low in fat. We buy ours at […]
Smoked chili chicken burger
When I watched Donna Hay make this burger on her 'Fast, fresh and simple' show the other night I knew what I was going to have for lunch 5 days later. It was just as she promised - really easy to make, quick and scrumptious. Lay our the ingredients. The recipe says to use two […]
Flourless chocolate lime cake
Today is my Birthday! One of my favourite things about Birthdays is the cake. I'm a firm believer in the ridiculous lie we all tell ourselves 'it doesn't count, it's my Birthday' and I also like to make Birthdays last a few days either side of the actual date. Of course I also had to […]
Healthy hummus
I love hummus. It would have to be one of my favourite dips and I go through vast quantities of it at home. Anything I purchase vast quantities of I like to have a go at making from scratch to see if I can come up with something just as good and a little more […]
Tomato chicken risotto
So far for coeliac awareness week I've had breakfast and dessert/afternoon tea, now it's time for a dinner recipe. Risotto, depending on what you put in it, is a coeliac-friendly dish and something that I would have regularly if I couldn't eat pasta. I'd also have nice lean arms from all that stirring. It's a […]
Gluten-free orange coconut cake
Back when I was making goodies for baked relief, I was asked to make a gluten-free afternoon tea cake. I'm not quite as experienced with gluten-free baking as I am with gluten free cooking so I turned to good old Google for some help. That's where I came across the recipe for this orange and […]
Quinoa porridge - coeliac awareness week
This week is coeliac awareness week. People with celiac disease can't eat anything with gluten or wheat in it (are they the same thing?). It may sound simple to us non-coeliacs, no bread, pasta or cakes but if you really look, gluten is hidden in so many things. It's in everyday sauces, icing mixture, baking […]
Black forest slice
My grandma loves black forest cake so when I came across this recipe for black forest slice I knew I had to make it for her. Although she's never given me a bad report on anything that I've made for her this recipe got the best reception I can remember (apart from Nigella's brownies). It […]
Orange and almond cake
Continuing on from my recent fruit baking obsession, I recently made orange and almond cake and decorated it with my new found butter cream icing skills that I learned over on I am baker. There are some great tips for making professional looking cakes in no time at all. The cake recipe is from Souvlaki […]
Moroccan lamb curry in the slow cooker
I know winter is still a long way off but the change of seasons got me very excited about bringing out the slow cooker very soon. It's my favourite way to cook. How can you not like throwing a whole lot of things in a bowl, turning a switch and 8 hours later coming home […]
Garlic and soy steak with smashed potatoes
Every year I say the same thing. 'I'm going to learn to sew this year.' Every year it gets to the end of the year and my sewing skills are still severely lacking, okay non-existent. Not this year though. On Thursday I had my first sewing lesson with my very patient Aunt/new teacher. See that […]
Devil's food cake
This cake is very very well named. It seems that when you bake it, a little devil invades your body making it impossible not to devour and off-cuts or leftover icing. The name doesn't describe the cake though. It is rich, smooth, chocolaty and heavenly. Made with cocoa instead of chocolate, it's less expensive to […]
Vanilla ice cream - bye bye summer
Today is the last day of summer. It hasn't really been a typical hot summer here in Brisbane but the season has definitely thrown us some interesting weather. In honor of the season and to wish it goodbye until December 1st, I thought I would attempt a new recipe for one of my favourite, classic […]
Passionfruit and pineapple cake
Considering it's the last Sunday of summer and in keeping with my 'cooking with fruit' theme that I seem to have developed lately, today I bring you pineapple and passionfruit cake. The recipe is described as a 'budget winner at just under $1 per serve' so of course it caught my eye. It was dense, […]
Chicken, broccoli and carrot Madras curry
Who doesn't like a good curry? I don't think there are many people who would put their hand up to that question. There are Indian restaurants popping up on every corner in Brisbane. It makes resisting the buttery, creamy goodness very difficult. With this recipe, you can have your curry fix and skip the calorie […]
Pork fillet with apricot glaze and crispy fries
I think poor old pork fillets often get forgotten while their more popular brothers, pork chop and pork roast take the spotlight. I've never really been a huge fan of its famous relatives, always favouring the fillet. It's so easy to cook - flavour it and bake it for 25 to 30 minutes. Easy peasy! […]
Orange syrup cake
Recently, I seem to be doing a lot of experimenting with fruit in my cooking and baking. I've used passionfruit, banana, apple, raspberries and most recently, for my grandma's 93rd Birthday, I made an orange syrup cake. It is eaten warm so it's probably not the best summer recipe but it's sweet and scrumptious just […]
Best low calorie spaghetti bolognese
I think everyone has a family recipe for good old Spaghetti Bolognese. It's a weekly staple in so many households and why wouldn't it be? There aren't many people who don't enjoy a steaming hot bowl of it topped with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan. While it isn't really a health-conscious person's meal […]
Gyoza
I have been wanting to give making dumplings a go for months but I've made every excuse possible not to try. On the same day, in the morning I read about Not Quite Nigella's dumpling making and in the afternoon I was with my mum and she had to make a detour via the Asian […]
Love heart jellies for Valentine's Day
I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a cynical love-hater, I just don't like how commercial the 14th of February has become. The price of a box of chocolates skyrockets and you practically have to mortgage your house to buy a dozen roses and for what? I think […]
Low calorie banana bread
Banana bread would have to be one of my favourite morning tea foods. Toasted and warm spread with butter mmm. Unfortunately, despite the deceivingly healthy name, cafe-style banana bread is little more than dense cake with banana in it. We could fool ourselves into thinking it's just bread and fruit but our waist lines would […]
Baguette
My next baking quest is to be able to make bakery-style loaves like Vienna loaf and Baguettes. I'm well practiced at the good old sandwich loaf (getting close to perfecting it) but the fancier styles are still challenging. It's tricky to get a crispy crunch with soft, luscious, bready insides. When I stumbled on this […]
Happy Birthday cupcakes
Today is my cousin's twin boys' 3rd Birthday. Happy Birthday boys! Of course a Birthday cannot pass without taking cake to work/uni/school or in this case kindy. Thinking about it, it's really quite a strange thing to do. Why, when it's your Birthday should you be the one to give people cake? Shouldn't it be […]
Savoury rice bake
This recipe has been staring at me for at least 6 years. My lovely mum made me a recipe file when 9 friends and I ventured over to Canada to 'do' the ski season quite a while ago. Even at the tender age of 19 I loved cooking for people and fell into the role […]
Melbourne day one, part two
The rest of my first day in Melbourne was as much a treat for the senses as the first half. I decided to stick close to the hotel after my 4.15am wake up so wandered the streets of the inner city. My first stop was the Block Arcade on Collins Street. That's where I stumbled […]
Torta Caprese
I read somewhere this morning (probably twitter knowing me recently) that today is national chocolate day so what better day to share another chocolate cake recipe. This one is so rich and goey it's guaranteed to be a winner. I even made the mistake that the recipe says to be careful not to make and […]
Queen Victoria Markets - Melbourne day one
Last Friday I got up at the crack of dawn, actually a little earlier, for the first flight of the day to Melbourne. Will was going down for work (and to see the tennis) so I took the opportunity to use some well-earned frequent flyer points and explore a small portion of the food world […]
Lamingtons for Australia Day
Please don't judge me for what I'm about to say. I am an Australian I swear but until this year, to my memory I have never tried a lamington. Mum said that we used to make them a lot when I was little but I would never eat them. Well this year I had to […]
Muesli bars
Pretty much the only cooking I've been doing this week has been for Baked Relief. I have such a supply of cooked meals in the freezer I decided I'd have a week off cooking so I could bake up a storm and help out. With so much sweet stuff being passed around, I thought something […]
The Queensland floods
My heart goes out to the people in Brisbane and the rest of Queensland who have lost everything and my deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones. It is a disaster of gigantic proportions and like nothing I've ever seen before. I keep saying it's like something out of a movie and it […]