I was pulling this out of the oven tonight when Timbo got the phone call from his mum; his grandma Lyn had sadly passed away. Lyn, more commonly known as ‘Nin’ to her 6 grandkids, 10 great grandkids (and counting), was an absolute larger than life character. Always with a huge smile on her face, […]
It’s getting colder and if you’re anything like me – you’re looking for something ‘winter-ey’ to cook. Something new and a bit different, that’ll have you feeling satisfied and all warm inside. Something to make when you have friends or family popping over for dinner. So many comfort food recipes end up in the ‘slow […]
Is there anything better than some good old fashioned country hospitality? Nothing says ” I love you” more than a thoughtful display of home cooking. And with covid restrictions lifting and regional travel opening back up again – we’ve got family coming to stay. Who cares if the house is a mess; the washing pile […]
My favourite soup in the whole wide world is Mum’s pea and lettuce soup (or green soup as Charlotte calls it). This broccoli soup is nearly as good. So easy to make, simply whack it all in a pot and let it cook until the veggies are nice and soft before giving it a whizz […]
I saw something on Facebook the other day that said “Find out what Donna Hay’s favourite kitchen utensil for under $20 is!” Of course I couldn’t help but click on it and for some unknown reason, the page didn’t load. Bugger. Anyway, I then got distracted doing something else and annoyingly, I still don’t know […]
Let’s talk mix masters. Do you have one? I was lucky enough to be given a Kitchen Aid as a wedding present (sorry, correction ~ “we” were lucky enough to be given a Kitchen Aid as a wedding present) by my grandma, Mim. It stands in pride of place in our kitchen, is constantly covered […]
Sweet and sour pork, honey chicken, beef with black bean, Mongolian lamb; don’t forget the spring rolls and our all time favourite – fried rice of course! Does any of this ring a bell? Growing up – going to our local Chinese restaurant was something we always looked forward to; just as exciting as seeing […]
So often the hardest thing about midweek cooking (or any type of cooking) is trying to figure out what to cook don’t you think? I’m always looking for inspo in the kitchen and I haven’t made cannelloni in ages! When browsing the aisles of Woolies this arvo, I came across a shelf with half price […]
Has anyone seen ‘The Naked Chef?’ It’s old school Jamie at his best. Married to Jools but pre his 5 kiddies, he looks so young and with more energy than ever – I love it! He serves up this asparagus dish for a lunchtime feast for his goddaughters’ christening, to go with roasted brill and […]
You really won’t believe me until you try it – but there has never been a simpler recipe to cook for a crowd when entertaining. This Chicken Marbella comes from ‘The Ignatian Table cookbook’ – a fabulous book that’s filled with so many good and hearty, tried and tested recipes. My sister in law, Lou […]
Another oldie but a goodie – my mother-in-law, Nee remembers this cake as being the first cake she ever cooked. So quick and easy – you simply throw all ingredients in to a bowl and mix on high for 3 minutes. Whack it in the oven and Viola! You’re left with a cake that’s light […]
We’ve been enjoying ‘the picnic in the paddock’ in Boorowa for as long as I can remember. I always look forward to the end of summer where the weather starts to cool off a bit, happily saying goodbye to the stinking hot days with temps above 40℃. The change of season is a great excuse […]
This is such a lovely little cake recipe. Handy to have up your sleeve if you’re lucky enough to have a stone fruit tree out the back or if you’re like me – have a family friend who does. It works perfectly with any variety of stone fruit – think peaches, nectarines, plums or apricots. […]
Mum’s been making this easy and delicious 200 gram cake since my twin sisters (AKA the twinnie bubbies) were born over 23 years ago. Using only 4 ingredients – Mum loved it because she was able to make it whilst carrying one of the girls in the baby carrier strapped to her chest with the […]
My sister Elles has always had a way with words. You could say that she’s a real wordsmith; I know, I know – sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Now all the Thomas girls are pretty good at talking; Cork Daddy will attest that it’s often hard to get a word in when we’re […]
Hands up if you’ve ever made a gingerbread house before? I love making one at this time of year. There’s something really nice and carefree about setting time aside to do nothing other than faff in the kitchen, designing and constructing your own little gingerbread house. With life feeling increasingly busier and busier, somehow it […]
November is the new December. Or so my good friend Anna tells me. It’s only the 13th of the month and judging by my insta feed, you’d think it was Christmas Eve already. I must admit it felt like Christmas here today. Along with the smell of gingerbread in the air, there were Santa lists […]
It was snowing in Boorowa today. Snowing icing sugar that is. The girls and I sifted icing sugar snow not only over our fresh rosemary Christmas trees, but over half the kitchen. Such a sweet little decorating idea that can be used to top any cake at this time of year. All you need is […]
A favourite past time of mine is flicking through Nee’s old cookbooks; The Australian Women’s Weekly, ‘Best Ever Recipes’ cookbook – the best. I’m yet to make anything out of it that hasn’t worked. This ginger cake being a perfect example. It’s great because you don’t need any fancy ingredients and I couldn’t get over […]
We didn’t grow up eating potato gnocchi. My sister Casey can attest to that. During high school she was in a public speaking competition. Dad reckons she “had it in the bag” after absolutely killing her prepared monologue and of course without bias thought she was a shoe in for a place. The contestants were […]
Homemade focaccia. Sounds like an effort. Can I let you in on a secret, it’s actually not. This is simple and easy cooking, one for the novice cook. And after making it a couple of times you’ll be able to do it in your sleep. I know for the ‘focaccia first timers’ you might read […]
I have the memory of an elephant. Oh hang on. No I don’t. Do they have good memories or bad? I forget. I have the memory of whatever animal is really bad at remembering things. Take this recipe for example. I have been racking my brain to try and remember which friend of mine introduced […]
This is the same recipe that I used to make with Mim at the farm in school holidays. They were my Pa’s favourite. We’d always make a double batch as they’d disappear pretty quickly, that’s for sure. Such beautiful, happy memories to cherish forever. I make these with my girls all the time and they […]
It was my birthday yesterday. I had the most magical day, being absolutely spoilt rotten by Cork Daddy and the girls. The day started with a delicious hot breakfast of perfectly poached eggs, sautéed mushrooms and spinach, topped off with what I call ‘bacon sprinkle’ and hot buttered toast, all made by my incredibly capable […]
Do you ever watch ‘Surfing the Menu’ on SBS Food? Old school Curtis Stone and Ben O’Donohue – it’s really good. I remember seeing an episode years ago where they made some one-pot-wonder seafood creation in front of the Sydney Opera House. Now it’s really weird but all I can remember about that dish was […]
How good is lockdown. Said no person ever. I have to admit, I’ve become such a lazy writer lately. Most of what I do write is done through texting; favouring the use of emojis to express my emotions, as opposed to actually using the English language. So if I was writing a message saying “How […]
As I sit here enjoying a piece of this freshly baked lemon cake, being washed down by a cup of scorching black coffee, I’m taken back to the Amalfi coast. The smell of fresh lemons and coffee in the air, I have to admit I even have a glass of sparkling mineral water fizzing away […]
I’ve gone to make my own toasted muesli so many times but have always put it in the too hard basket; too much hassle (or is it hastle? I don’t know.) I never seem to have any of the long list of ingredients you see in so many cookbooks. I went through a stage of […]
Although food generally fills my constant thoughts, I too, have those days where I’ve zero idea what to cook for dinner. Sometimes, with no motivation, I find deciding what to cook can actually be harder than the cooking itself don’t you think? Especially on busy weeknights; if I make one more batch of spag bol, […]
Before you read this… ask yourself these two questions. Do I own a food processor? And do I have an abundance of greens in the garden (or if you’re like me, have a friend that does?) If you’ve answered YES – then please, carry on reading. This recipe comes from a friend, Annalise Merriman, who […]
Don’t get me wrong – I like spag bol. It’s just that yesterday afternoon I caught myself standing at the fridge staring at the packet of beef mince I’d bought for dinner, thinking “gosh I can’t possibly cook spag bol again!” So off to Google I go.. typing ‘beef mince recipes’ quickly in to the […]
Winter school holidays and what better time to whip up a batch of these Smartie cookies. We’re lucky enough to be spending them at the beach; filled with lots of walks, park dates, cousin catch ups, ice cream cones and loads of beach time. And talk about the perfect beach weather. I love it when […]
One of my favourite things to eat for lunch is Mim’s bacon and egg pie (or quiche Lorraine as it’s more commonly known). This quiche comes in a close second, using fresh silverbeet straight from the St Joseph’s school veggie patch and encased in this easy homemade short crust pastry; I promise you – it’s […]
It’s a myth that osso bucco is difficult to cook; I don’t know why, but there seems to be someone going round telling people that it’s hard to make. Same goes with polenta. How many of you haven’t even tried it because you think it’s too fiddly or chef-y? Well I’m here to tell you […]
I was pulling this out of the oven tonight when Timbo got the phone call from his mum; his grandma Lyn had sadly passed away. Lyn, more commonly known as ‘Nin’ to her 6 grandkids, 10 great grandkids (and counting), was an absolute larger than life character. Always with a huge smile on her face, […]
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