This, that and the other ...

 

These are the paper cake cases that I use in my loaf tins. Look for them in the kitchen section of your local cheap shop. Our shop is called Absolutely Anything and I love having a browse.

Recently, I saw on the 'interwebs' a great way to cook sweetcorn. Leaving the corn in the husk, trim the wider end off, throw the cob into the microwave and zap for 4 minutes (that time works for me, yours may be more or less). When done, take it out, place on a plate and carefully squeeze the pointy end. The corn slides out of the husk clean, leaving all the hairy bits behind! Mind blown!

Sometime on the weekend, on a blog, this children's book was mentioned. Suddenly, I was transported back to being 7 years old, listening to this story being told on Play School. I loved this story! So much so, I went online and ordered a copy!

Wow, rainbow do's are the go at the moment...would I dare? I think not!

I had another kitchen failure on Sunday. I had bought a little kitchen blow torch so I could have a go at Creme Brûlée. There was a recipe in Rachel's book...

I halved the recipe so it only made two (thinking of our waistlines)...

I made the custard as directed, placed them in a water bath then popped them in the oven at 110C (very slow oven) for 40 minutes as it said.

They were very liquid after that time so I gave them 10 minutes more at 140C. Still wobbly, I took them out of the oven and water then let them cool to room temperature. Popped them in the fridge for 1 hour - still the consistency of gravy. I know it said to chill for at least 4 hours but they just were never hoing to set so I tossed them! No dessert for us (sad face)!

My Sunday slow cooked ragout (ragou/ragu) was yummy. Just my own recipe - I chopped up 2 large lamb leg chops, 1 large pork chop and about 400gms beef mince. I marinated the meat for 3 hours with 1/2 cup of red wine, 3 cloves of garlic, a sprig of fresh rosemary, a shake of dried oregano and basil (I forgot to buy fresh), salt and pepper and a slosh of olive oil. Then I fried off an diced onion, carrot and celery stick and a nearly dead large mushroom then added in the meat. Browned it off for a few minutes then added 750mls chicken stock, 250mls of passata and 4 tblspns tomato paste. Once at a slow boil, I turned it right down so it was just ticking over and it bubbled away for nearly 3 hours. Along the way I put in a tablespoon of sugar which takes the tartness away from the tomatoes and a slug of balsamic vinegar for richness.

This is a lovely hearty sauce and I had enough for our lunches the next day and to freeze a big tub for another time when we need a quick dinner.

I made some Country Boy cookies on Monday afternoon...

To save my waistline, I had a couple with a cup of tea that night then I bagged them up and gave them away.

Man Pleasing chicken was on the menu Monday night...

http://www.wittyinthecity.com/2011/08/man-pleasing-chicken/

We've been juicing again and enjoying it!

Wednesday is here again, I can't believe how fast this year is going!

I didn't make it to yoga last night, it was 9C and I didnt get home from work and shopping until 5.40pm. Gus walked this morning at 6.45 but I wanted to go later at 8.30am.

Still having cold, cold weather but at least its not windy!

Cheers - Joolz xx

 

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4 hour Parisian Baguettes...

I tried this recipe some time ago and thought I'd give it a whirl again as Sunday night's dinner will be slow cooked lamb ragout with pasta. Crusty bread is a must! This is quite labour intensive so stick with me for the ride!

http://www.farmgirlfare.com/2013/05/easy-french-bread-recipe-four-hour.html

 

First, mix the ingredients to a shaggy dough, let it rest for 20 minutes in a warm place ...

Next, I dumped that into my Kenwood mixer and let it knead for 8 minutes - no sweat for me! Then it goes into a plastic container (mine is a 3 litre) to prove for 45 minutes. It said it wouldn't double in volume but ...

Yikes! It over doubled! Anyway, next job is to take it out of the container (gently keeping its shape)...

Pat it out to a 6 x 8 inch rectangle - be gentle ...

Now fold the top down to the middle...

Then bring the bottom up to the middle...

Now you've made some nice layers...

Now it goes back into the container with the lid on ...

My oven was just warm from making my cake so I snugged it in there to prove again for another 45 minutes...

I was a good girl and decided I should got for a quick walk while it was rising. I am so unfit, 15 minutes did the trick, but it was better than nothing!

When I got back, I set the oven going to 250C - hot! Three or four minutes went by then I suddenly thought ... THE DOUGH !! ... Its still in the oven in the container! I quickly retrieved it and no, it hadn't melted, TG!

Now, a lesson on kitchen cleaning... When you notice a spill in the bottom of your oven ( and in this case, it was oil/animal fat, I'm not sure!) - get in and clean that sucker up!! ... Because ....

After retieving the dough, 10 minutes later I start to smell something like hot, burning fat (der!) and go to the oven to see it full of white smoke! Aaagh! Instinctively, I opened the oven and let out a cloud of acrid smoke... Bloody hell, now the smoke alarms will go off!! So I am dashing around the kitchen and family room like a lunatic, madly waving a tea towel to dissipate the smoke, opening the front screen door, flapping, flapping!!

Anyhoo, the alarms didn't go off (thank goodness, they are deafening) and the smoke cleared. But then I had the conundrum of how to clean a 250C stinking hot oven of burnt on fat so that I could bake my precious baguettes which needed to go in very soon!

I carefully wiped it out with an old dish sponge soaked in water, there was much sizzling and lots of steam until it cooled down a bit! Then I got ruthless and took to the spillls with a knife, scraping it all off. Another good wipeover and we were good to go! Now, turn on oven to 250C ... I am using a pizza stone to cook the baguettes on so that goes in now to heat up. Always put the stone in a cold oven then start heating it otherwise it may crack.

Now the dough is ready to be formed. Divide it into 3 even pieces and it says to cover them with a damp towel and let them relax.... I wish I could relax!

Gently pat each piece into a rectangle about 5 x 7 inches...

Then fold it in half...

Do this for all three...

Roll each one carefully out to a 12 inch roll, making sure the fold is underneath. Don't they look perty?

Place the baguettes onto a tray with baking paper between them so they have room to expand. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

The oven should be hot, hot, hot! This method uses steam to achieve a good crust so I put a baking tray on the bottom shelf of the oven to heat up too.

Now quickly and oh so carefully take out the pizza stone and place the baguettes onto it. Score the baguettes with a very sharp knife or scalpel.

Do not do what I did next!

I opened the oven door, carefully picked up the HOT pizza stone, got it half way in the oven then the door decided to spring closed on me! One of my roly poly baguettes decided to roll off the pizza stone into the crack between oven and door and doubled over on itself! Shit, shit!

Juggling the pizza stone back onto the stove top, I man handled the squished baguette back on to the stone and reshaped it! Phew, looks okay now into the oven for this troublesome trio!

I quickly tossed in 2 cups of icecubes (yep, ice!) into the baking tray underneath. They start to sizzle and steam. Now turn the oven back to 230C.

Thirty minutes later, out they came. Crunchy, golden and ready to sop up my pasta sauce!

I actually think it would be easier to fly to Paris and buy a baguette next time!

Cheers - Joolz xx

 

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Peach Blossom Cake ...

 

I thought I'd have a go at the revered Peach Blossom Cake from Liz Harful's Australian Blue Ribbon Cookbook...

I lined my tin with a cake tin insert (very handy, they are) and made sure I had the correct sized tin ...

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy...

Beat the egg whites until firm peaks form...

Incorporate flour and milk into butter mixture, in small batches...

Now gently fold in the egg whites, again in small batches until all in...

Here is the batter all mixed in...

Now take about 1/3 of the mixture and colour it light pink with rose pink colouring...

Place most of the white mix in the tin then scoop a valley in the middle. Scoop in the pink mix and pat down. Add in any other white mix left and smooth over.

Bake for approx. 45 minutes...

Et voilta!

Mix icing sugar, a little butter, vanilla and water together (I used beaters) to a spreadable consistency...

This is meant to have icing only on top but I like icing so it dripped over the sides a bit. This cake is not for show purposes!

I couldn't wait to cut into it! I think it is pretty much perfect!

The cake is buttery, light and moist and the pink colour is just right...

~

A lovely cake to make when having high tea!

To protect copyright, I won't publish the recipe. Many recipes can be found on line so have a look or better still, buy the book - its a ripper!

Cheers - Joolz xx

 

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It's been a long week...

After my visit to the Naturopath on Wednesday, I've been feeling a bit off. I slept really well Wednesday night but Thursday I got a fuzzy headache which lasted all day and then had another one yesterday. I felt almost jet-lagged, wanting to sleep and had heavy eyes. I came home, took some Panadol and slept from 5.30 - 6.30pm. At least that got rid of my headache.

My neck feels quite good and I have been doing the stretching exercises she suggested for my hips (leg lifts done in bed before my feet touch the floor). Not too sure about the Magnesium I am taking - I had extreme um, tummy rumbles and had to do several restroom dashes - I put that nicely, didn't I? I hope this settles down otherwise I will discontinue that, we'll see what the weekend brings.

Thursday night I tried another flavour sachet in my chicken stir fry. These are all the veggies I put in it...

The flavour was good but yikes, it was hot, hot hot, for a 'medium' rated sauce!

Quick and easy but you'd have to like peppery hot!

When I was growing up, my mum always made this 'salad dressing' in the summer. No such thing as a fancy tossed salad with 8 ingredients back then, just iceberg lettuce, quartered tomato and some cheddar cheese, maybe.

Boiled Salad Dressing

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp dry mustard powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbspn corn flour

~

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring continuously. Slowly increase heat until mixture just comes to the boil. Dressing should coat the back of a spoon when done. Store in clean jars and refrigerate. Consume within 2 weeks.

Makes a nice coleslaw dressing (white cabbage, grated carrot, sliced red onion, diced celery, grated cheddar cheese and a small can of pineapple pieces and half the juice and dress with this dressing).

We had lamb parcels for dinner (purchased at our locally owned supermarket). Diced lamb with spices, sundried tomatoes and fetta cheese encased in a puff pastry lattice. Bake for 40 minutes along with foil wrapped potatoes) and you have dinner (good choice last night)! I went a bit overboard with the dressing!

August 8 was International Cat Day (who knew?) so I did a collage of Bonnie, our moggie! She's 7 1/2 now, quite a record for us! She is a great mouser and loves to show off her catches to me. She brings mice into our garage then bangs up against the door so I go to investigate. Then she gleefully plays with the mouse before 'disposing' of it! She is an outdoor cat but is always beautifully clean.

What a great young man Prince William is. He is about to start a new job flying a helicopter for East Anglian Air Ambulance, retrieving road accident victims and heart patients. He could just sit back and do nothing, but not Wills!

I just can't wait to see him become King. Do you think Charles will step aside for him? Imagine if the Queen lives to be 100+ like the Queen Mother? Currently 65, Charles could be 78 before he is crowned King, surely that is too old to take on the job. William, however will be in the prime of his life with a beautiful wife by his side and an heir (and hopefully more children) to complete his family. Who knows?

 

Looking through some photos, I cant wait for spring when my roses will bring me some pretty roses. I love winter but I'm ready for some brighter days. Where we live, there are Radiata pine forests and I noticed yesterday, my dark grey car was covered in yellow pollen dust. A sure sign spring is around the corner. Bring on September 1st!

I took this pic a few years ago, over in the Coonawarra wine region, just on my iPhone.

I have a free weekend so I am going to make some bread - crusty baguettes and some more bread rolls for the freezer. Gus is in charge of dinner tonight (chicken wingettes with roasted root veggies) and I am doing a slow cooked ragu to serve with pasta tomorrow night - all sorted!

If the sun shines I might tackle a few rose bushes but I must be careful of my neck and shoulders. Slowly does it.

What are you up to?

Cheers - Joolz xx

 

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