I remember going to the Dural butcher years ago when staying at Mum and Dad’s for the weekend. Determined to crumb some lamb cutlets for tea, I recall counting out in my head how many I’d need to feed everyone. “I’ll get 20 lamb cutlets thanks”, I said convincingly as I happily watched the beautiful […]
Author: locorcoran
creamy salmon + broccoli pasta
I can’t think of many recipes I make that don’t call for “browning an onion”. Isn’t ‘the onion’ just the absolute king of flavour? If we run out of onions in our house, we’re in trouble. I panic in the same way I would if we ran out of toilet paper or milk (or chocolate). […]
watermelon christmas trees
We’re big in to Christmas trees in our house. Did you know that my Mum and Dad grow fresh pine trees, selling them at their ‘cut your own’ Christmas tree farm each year? For as long as I can remember we’ve always had a fresh tree, no fake plastic ones in sight. We’ve got many […]
gingerbread house
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 […]
gingerbread cookies
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 […]
christmas tree cake
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 […]
simple ginger cake w lemon icing
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 […]
homemade potato gnocchi with burnt butter + sage
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
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 […]
baked ricotta
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 […]
vanilla cupcakes
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 […]
prawn + asparagus spaghetti
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 […]
mushroom spaghetti w garlic + rosè + mint
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 […]
aussie post sultana cake
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 […]
lemon drizzle cake
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 […]
lo’s toasted muesli | with cashews + cranberries
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 […]
pizza pasta
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, […]
homemade pesto
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 […]
beef mince stroganoff
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 […]
smartie cookies
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 […]