“…brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favourite things”. Charlotte loves The Sound of Music just as much as I did growing up (and still do for that matter). On the other hand, Cork Daddy isn’t in to old movies. Instead favouring the action packed blockbuster with all the bells […]
Author: locorcoran
salmon w chorizo | a jamie oliver recipe
One word for you. Flavour. When Jamie Oliver wrote his ‘5 Ingredient’ cookbook, in my heart I know why he wrote it. Not to ditch the Ottolenghi’s of the world, instead to say that food doesn’t need to be complicated and time consuming to be ‘oh so right’. Cork Daddy’s at rugby training and I HAD […]
egg + bacon pie | a family recipe
I’ve been wanting an excuse to make this egg and bacon pie for ages, ever since I came home one day to a parcel at my door step – a shiny new deep quiche pan which had come all the way from France; a gift from Mim on my birthday! So when good friends of […]
the original all-bran muffins | the ultimate lunchbox snack or on-the-run breakie
I recently bought a box of All-Bran. Random I know. I thought I might enjoy eating it for breakfast. Turns out, that wasn’t the case and it’s just been sitting in the pantry ever since. Not in it’s original packaging mind you as everything that enters our pantry, enters at it’s own risk. Packaging is […]
red lentil dhal | meat free monday
Weeks ago I made dhal for a meat free Monday night dinner and whilst doing a million other things, simply forgot about it, leaving it on the stove to burn. To a crisp. Talk about ruining a dish. We ate spag bol instead. And I’ve been wanting to make it again ever since. I was […]
beef bourguignon | made in the slow cooker
I made this beef bourguignon for the rehearsal dinner at my favourite cousin (if I’m allowed to call her that) Jess’ wedding in Kangaroo Valley last year. Rehearsal dinner. That sounds so American. Anyway, so I made three slow cookers worth and still recall sending guests home from the weekend with Tupperware containers full of […]
nan’s date + walnut loaf
I’m so pumped for the weekend. We’ve got a friends engagement party on Saturday night and Meemar and Grandad are in town to babysit. This means a couple of things. Firstly, that I’m spending the day in the kitchen as what better way to make a guest feel welcome than by having a house full of […]
the classic curried egg sandwich
I have to admit there’s nothing sexy bout an egg sandwich. When you hear the words ‘egg sandwich’ images of a grey’ing egg mixture sitting untouched behind the glass counter in a sweaty plastic container at a take away shop might come to mind. Now try and get that image out of your head. So […]
cheats prawn laksa
Chatting to my good friend Lizard recently, she told me she’d made a chicken Laksa for dinner. This gave me the inspiration to reach for that jar of Laksa paste whilst browsing the gourmet food aisle at Knights Meats last week. This prawn Laksa is the quickest and easiest soup you can make and although I […]
lo’s kitchen signature sponge cake
It’s about time I updated this blog post. First published over four years ago, I’ve lost count of the number of sponge’s I’ve made since then. Original post below. If you haven’t seen the film Calendar Girls, do yourself a favour and watch it. I’ve always loved the scene where the unlikely winner Chris enters a […]
pumpkin + pea + pine nut pasta
Try saying ‘pumpkin, pea and pine nut pasta’ really fast three times. That may be difficult, but making this tasty little pasta dish isn’t. The perfect meat free Monday meal, it’s made even easier if you can roast the pumpkin on Sunday night and have it in the fridge ready to throw in. Made with simple […]
salmon paté | the quickest + easiest + tastiest ‘no cook’ canapés
Origin night. Game 3. 7 kids under 4 tearing round the house while us adults try and sneak in a couple of drinks before the wheels fall off and it’s home to bed for the littlies. The perfect way to end the weekend. I made homemade burgers and chips for a cas’ ‘stand around the […]
asparagus with brie cheese | the perfect side dish
How many times have you gone overboard with the cheese and dip platter when friends come round for dinner? So often after a party I find myself scraping the leftover bits of cheese and what used to be fresh crackers in to the bin (whether that be late at night once everyone has gone home […]
mim’s pumpkin scones
Back in the 60’s Mim used to go to these weekly cooking classes that were run by the SCC (Sydney County Council). She remembers sitting up in an amphitheatre style classroom and scribbling down notes on the recipes that were printed out and distributed to the eager young cooks. To this day, Mim still has […]
mim’s famous fettuccine
There’s a story behind this fettuccine. When Charlotte was born Mim came and visited us in Wagga. A fabulous cook, she made a huge batch of my favourite fettuccine – decadent and rich, it’s a real crowd pleaser. Mim stocked the freezer with scrumptious home cooked meals for Cork Daddy and I – as new sleep […]
cream of mushroom soup | w grilled goats cheese toasts
One for the mushroom lovers out there, I’m giving you some grey soup on this very cold and overcast wintery day. If you don’t like mushies – sorry, you won’t like this soup. It is quite ‘mushroomy’ indeed and would make for a nice little starter at a dinner party or for a cas’ meat […]
coq au vin | chicken in red wine | made in the slow cooker
Have you seen the film ‘Julie and Julia’? A terrific chick flick, it’s based on the life of Julia Child who is recognised as bringing French cuisine to the United States. Her first cookbook ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ is on my Christmas wish list. I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without a […]
mushroom sauce | to accompany steak + vege
I wouldn’t say I’m a crazy sauce person. Unlike my brother-in-law Jezza who is obsessed with condiments, I actually confess to ordering chicken schnitzel at a pub without gravy. I love making mushroom sauce at home though and this one is absolutely delicious. Inspired by my Mum who always makes a mushroom sauce to serve […]
a warm winter salad | roasted pumpkin + cauliflower brown rice salad
This roasted pumpkin salad is the perfect thing to bring when told ‘not to bring a thing’. So leave the Favourites at home and turn up with this impressive salad instead when invited to a friends place for a barbie. Goes down really well with any grilled meat, tastes delicious, looks great and is sure to […]
easy peasy apple cake | simple + tasty + homely
I had a little helper in the kitchen this arvo. ‘Annabelle darling’ helped every step of the way; licking the bowl completely clean, arranging the apples on top of the cake and sprinkling the brown sugar over everything, all while happily chomping on pieces of apples as we went. She said it looked like a […]
