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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
If you’ve got lemons on tap, this is the recipe for you. And if you do… I’m jealous. Oh to have a lemon tree outside like the one at my sister in law’s place (thanks Ju) that grew these deliciously juicy lemons – perfect for this tangy, zesty and punchy lemon slice. How very ‘Amalfi […]
You’ve heard of the saying “the dog ate my homework”. In this case, it’s more like “the dog ate my cupcakes”. Blue Dog ate the entire tray of Charlotte’s chocolate cupcakes! Blue. Dog! Oh, and it gets worse. Not only did he pinch the cupcakes, but also gone was a whole loaf of freshly baked […]
The thing I love about cooking is that you can cook things depending on your mood. One day you’ll lose yourself in making a trendy Vegan chickpea stew (thanks to Soph for the inspo) and the next – you’ll feel like throwing everything in a pot and chucking it in the oven. Tonight’s mood calls […]
Funnily enough I got asked today whether or not I had a recipe for a muesli slice, just as I was sitting down to type up the recipe for this very ‘seed-y’ one. Seed-y in the “it has lots of seeds” sense and not because it “tastes like bird food”, thanks Aunty Ali. It’s a […]
I have a confession to make. Whilst so many of you “essentials” are out there working hard to keep everyone safe; keeping our economy ticking over, do you want to know what I’ve been doing? I’ve been at home writing an acrostic poem. About French toast. A FRENCH TOAST ACROSTIC POEM! “Are you serious?” you […]
Everyone should master the simple ‘frittata’. Easy and delicious, once you’ve got the hang of it – you can whip one up using just about anything. Think sliced ham, smoked salmon, roast pumpkin, feta, grilled capsicum strips, mushies, cherry tomatoes, asparagus or even some leftover roast chook. My favourite is this simple potato and bacon […]
Cork Daddy’s been making this chorizo pasta forever; since his flatting days in Randwick and he’ll freely admit that it was the only dish he knew how to cook back then. My sister and brother in law, Lou and Matt (who are both really good cooks) make this pasta all the time too, having made […]
Standby spaghetti… for those nights when you’ve got something better to do than cook. Take tonight for example. Saturday’s in iso – we’re burning a few snags on the fire with the kids for a late lunch and then I’m challenging Cork Daddy to a pool comp tonight. So far, Meemar and Grandad AND Gen […]
In some ways I feel a little funny writing about ‘Armah’s Caramel Cake’ as I never met her myself; I never met Armah. I never met the lady who was famous for her caramel cake. So famous in fact, my friend Em (one of Armah’s many beloved grandchildren) tells me that her recipe was shared […]
I went through a stage of making my own sourdough a couple of years ago; almost at around the same time I started writing the blog. I was inspired by my sister Elles, who gave me the Gail’s cookbook for Chrissie one year – sent all the way from London. And talk about satisfying! I […]
In times like these… drink coffee. I’ve been drinking lots of coffee. I’ve been feeling helpless;I’ve been laughing at memes;I’ve been picking flowers from the garden;I’ve been browsing through my cookbooks, my endless number of cookbooks;I’ve been doing anything to try and take my mind off what’s happening in the world right now. I’ve been […]
