Growing up, Mum and Dad used to host these elaborate black tie dinner parties. The open fire raging, the silverware all laid out to be polished and the smell of roast lamb wafting from the kitchen, there was a real sense of occasion in the air. I’d watch in awe as Mum put on her […]
Mum makes pumpkin soup all the time. She always says that the success of the soup lies in the quality of the pumpkin. I won’t be let down here as I have an absolute cracker of a pumpkin. So fresh and grown by my good friend Georgie, it makes this dish taste that little bit […]
I’ve given myself an unofficial mystery box challenge it seems like. A good friend of mine gave me a huge pile of oranges from her abundant tree and a pumpkin so big that I was determined to come up with a dish that used both ingredients. A fan of Masterchef over the past decade, I love […]
When I was at uni I was given this amazing opportunity to travel to Scotland with a lovely family who at the time had two little boys. Lorna, the boys mum and I nursed a baby each on our laps from Sydney to London and needless to say, we earnt our drinks when we arrived. […]
Pumpkin, spinach and feta together is always a winning combo. You can add these three ingredients to virtually anything and it’ll work. Think pasta dishes, rice salads, quiches or pies. If you’re new to the whole ‘frittata’ business and are not quite sure what it is – basically it’s just a cross between an omelette and […]
My brother and sister-in-law are in Wagga this weekend with their two kids. Sitting at Trail Street coffee shop this morning we were reminiscing of the days gone by when their visits to Wagga, pre-kids consisted solely of going from pub to pub to pub; managing to get kicked out of a few over the […]
I went through a stage of making butter chicken all the time when I was a teenager living at home. I was addicted. I used to use chicken breast, a jar of store bought butter chicken sauce, tomato paste and a tin of coconut milk. I’d always add carrots and green beans and the best […]
This pasta dish was inspired by my very first casual job which feels like it was donkey’s years ago – at Cafe Tropez. Soph and I worked there for a couple of years as teenagers and my favourite dish on the menu (apart from the hot chips with aioli and chicken risotto) was their tomatoey/creamy […]
Growing up, my Aunty Jen (AKA hippy aunty) made the best spag bol. I remember she used to always have that grated parmesan cheese in a plastic shaker, container thingy. The one with a green label and yellow lid from memory? Oh how I used to love that stuff. Mum mustn’t of bought it because […]
If you’ve ever been to England, chances are, you’ve enjoyed a shepherd’s pie in a nice warm pub. Or if you’re like me – enjoyed one too many shepherd’s pies in too many pubs. Talk about the Heathrow injection. When I lived in England on my gap year, it was served at the school for both […]
The ultimate trick to cooking a good stir fry is all in the pan and the high heat. I would love to get my hands on a commercial wok like they use in restaurants. I’ve always loved watching the chefs toss the ingredients high in the air and adding in the oil and sauces using […]
Growing up, one of my favourite meals was Mum’s ‘mince in pastry’. Hands down. Basically, Mum would make her bolognese mince and instead of serving it with the usual suspect – spaghetti, (which she used to add some chopped parsley and a dash of cream to) she would wrap it in puff pastry instead. Served […]
The word on the street is that Prince Harry proposed to Meghan Markle over a home cooked roast chook. So with the royal wedding fast approaching I thought it fitting to cook some dinners inspired by some of my favourite British chefs, starting with a chicken. Everyone knows I’m a fan of Jamie (haven’t forgotten […]
I make this soup often. I make it when it’s freezing cold or when we’ve got friends or family staying for the weekend. It’s delicious, easy to make, freezes well and is really filling. It’s also Cork Daddy’s favourite. A good reason if ever there was one. If you make this minestrone, please leave your […]
I’m on a bit of an ‘old school recipe’ roll at the moment. I’ve made three batches of jam drops in the last week trying to perfect my recipe before posting it (they taste out of this world but can’t get the jam to sit still in the middle). I’ve been scouring through the old […]
My mother-in-law Anne Corcoran is a wonderful home cook and has taught me a lot over the past 12 years since I’ve known her. It’s quite fitting that I write this post this week, considering Mother’s Day is this Sunday. Anne (or ‘Nee’ as my girls call her) cooks good, hearty, no-fuss, country style meals […]
How about a delicious warm salad for a healthy meat free Monday night meal? This cous cous salad is filling and delicious. Meat free Monday for me is really about playing around with ingredients and flavours. We’re constantly told to ditch the red meat for more veggies, (now please don’t get me wrong – I […]
I love a good recipe for the slow cooker. Especially when the weather is starting to get cool and you’re looking for something comforting to warm you up. This chicken recipe is so easy to make, tastes delicious and can be served with rice, salad, mashed potato or steamed vege. It’s so versatile, a must […]
When my sister Elles lived in Sydney, she used to always have Chinese containers full of leftover risotto in her freezer. Whenever I’d head to the big smoke to go out for a night on the town, Jez and Elle would kindly let me crash at theirs. Oh how good was a steaming hot serve […]
Am I even allowed to call this Caesar salad a salad? With the deliciously salty prosciutto, toasted to perfection crunchy sourdough crumbs, freshly shaved parmesan and the delightfully anchovey-ie dressing – it seems too good to be called a salad. It’s a complete meal in itself, perfect for a weekend lunch or for a midweek […]
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