Zucchini is one of my favourite vegetables.  Actually, even though you will find the humble zucchini in the vegetable department of your green grocer, it is indeed a fruit.  Such a versatile fruit it is too.  It lends itself so easily to both savoury and sweet dishes.  Is used perfectly in a range of cuisines and you can even use the flowers.

I cook with zucchini quite a bit in my kitchen.  It always seems to make its way into a stir-fry, my green curry wouldn’t be the same without it and flowers are stuffed with cheeses or crab then deep fried.  Zucchini fitters with tzatziki and salad are the perfect summer dish.  I love them even just simply steamed.

I recently came across some old home economic notes from back in high school.  A big smile crossed my face when I spied the recipe for my first baking effort in class.  It was also the first time I had used a ‘vegetable’ in a sweet capacity.  The other dish being cooked on the day was carrot cake, but I wanted to do something I had never attempted before and chose the zucchini loaf. Read more →

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Happy Australia Day!  What could be more Australian than lamb on Australia Day?  You could add a breakfast of Vegemite on toast.  Chug back a few VB’s on the day, even with breakfast if that’s your thing.

My mum and Mac adore lamb, Josh is quite fond of it too, even Ms Lily has a bit of a love affair going with lamb.  I have a secret, I don’t like lamb, actually like is too soft a word, I hate lamb.  I do like lambs in their living form, they are so cute as they frolic around the paddock.  Butcher one, cook it up and my love goes out the window.  I’m not too fond of Vegemite either, and detest beer.

Some would consider that I am very un-Australian for hating the big three; lamb, Vegemite and beer.  But what really makes you a dinky-di Aussie anyway?

I think I am the perfect example of what makes you an Aussie.  I was born here, so instantly have my papers in order.  My mother’s side are Irish/English and came out here when Australia was discovered/stolen/overtaken/settled (not getting into that mind thought right now) to start a new life.  My father’s side came to Australia a little later to escape the horrors of World War 2, settle and make a new life.  Unless you are native Australian, you were either born here or came here to better your life and that of your family.  Actually those we consider native Australians also came here, and we have to assume their agenda was also to better their lives. Read more →

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Firstly it is my pleasure to announce the winner of the Wonderful Pistachio Giveaway.  Congratulations Brad Iverson.  I will be in contact with you shortly.

One more sleep and Christmas will be here.  Time has flown and I can’t believe how quickly it has crept up on us.  Did it creep up on you too?  Here are five festive ways to use fruit mince.  All very quick and easy.  You can use your own fruit mince, I did make some earlier this month.  Alternatively grab a jar from the supermarket, either way, quick and easy festivity at your finger tips.  Perfect for that last minute baking. Read more →

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When my home fills with the smell of baking gingerbread cookies, I know Christmas has arrived.  Of course in my household the cookies disappear as quickly as they are baked.  Therefore I tend to put off baking until a few days before Christmas.  The ones in these pictures have been greedily devoured already and we still have a week to go until Christmas.  Looks like I will be busily baking more.

I like to use treacle as well as golden syrup to give more depth to the flavour of the biscuits.  The addition of allspice brings a little more ‘Christmas’ to their taste.  Use your favourite cookie cutters and decorate as you desire. Read more →

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I cut this recipe out of the paper years ago.  It looks like it came from the Sydney Morning Herald, but not 100% sure on that, and I have no idea of who the chef of the original recipe is.

These onions have become a family favourite and have been made at Christmas time over the past few years.  A big thank you to whomever the original chef was, as this recipe is a winner.

There onions are rich and hearty.  They go perfectly with a roasted Christmas dinner.  As they are stuffed, they are just that little more special as well.  We also indulge on these in winter with a roast as Christmas is only once a year, and these onions deserve to be eaten more than once. Read more →

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Amongst the sophisticated hors d’oeuvres that may grace your Christmas table, it is always nice to have something for the kids.  The only thing that really makes these sausage rolls festive is the use of cranberry sauce in the filling.  I feel it is enough of a ‘Christmas’ ingredient to slide these in to my Christmas recipes, just.

As easy as this recipe is, the sage and cranberry sauce does take the humble sausage roll to a new level.   The beauty of this recipe is the sausage rolls can be made in advance and frozen once they have been assembled.  If not used for Christmas day, they really are great to have on hand in the freezer to pop in the oven when unexpected guests pay a visit.  Trust me, big kids will devour these just as quickly as the little ones. Read more →

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Home-made Christmas presents are always high on my Christmas cooking list.  Something I enjoy doing for family and friends.  There is one special member of our family that tends to come in front of all others in my desire to make something special for.  Sally of course.

Sally has her own stocking on the fireplace and looks forward to Christmas day as much as anyone else in our family.  She knows which stocking is hers, she has had that same stocking for nine years now.  She knows it will be filled with goodies just for her.  She also knows there will be a present or two under the tree all her very own.  This is all followed by a special Christmas breakfast and then on to a day of celebrations with the rest of our family.  She loves Christmas. Read more →

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You may remember my first road test of Adriano Zumbo’s new macaron mix, which is now available in supermarkets around Australia.  It was a great success.  I ended up with awesome looking macarons.  Sadly not the case for my second road test.

Even though the salted caramel macarons looked great once made, I wasn’t happy with the flavour.  They tasted a touch too artificial for my liking.  Decision was made to give the other flavour in his range, passionfruit, a try.

shells just out of the oven, hit and miss, they tried hard to have feet

I followed all the steps as with my first road test.  Unfortunately this time my macarons didn’t work out.  They were a bit of a disaster.  No feet and the shells were thin and flat. Read more →

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It really was only a matter of time before the master of the macaron, Adriano Zumbo, put his own macaron mix on the market.  Move over Donna Hay.

Actually when I picked up my macaron mix ($7.99) from Woolworths, Donna’s equivalent was marked down for clearance sale.  Not sure if that is just a marketing ploy, or if Donna Hay macaron mixes will no longer be available.

You may recall I road tested Donna’ s macaron mix back in August last year when it first hit our shelves.  I was very impressed with the result and thought they were fantastic for something that came out of a packet. Read more →

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