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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
School went back last week. A busy and emotional time in our household as our darling Charlotte headed off to Kindergarten. People have always told me how busy it is when your child starts school and I have to say – I totally agree with them! I’ve been flat chat keeping up with all 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 […]
There is one word to describe moving house and that is ‘takeaway’. Gosh have we gone through some of it this week. Chinese on Tuesday, pizza delivery Wednesday and Indian on Thursday. We finally have a fridge plugged in at our new digs which means there is not only somewhere to put all the leftovers […]
I saw an episode of Masterchef a while ago where they held a race to see who could chop an onion the quickest. Gosh how I wanted to have a go. My sister Ali asked me how I dice onions as she admits to having a bit of trouble. Sorry Ali for throwing you under […]
What seems like decades ago – my good friend Kateo Mac, a fabulous cook, served up a risoni salad with chicken, peas and mint. I can still remember how much I enjoyed this dish and have been using risoni in salads ever since. Often mistaken for rice, risoni is a form of pasta. It is […]
The weekend is so close, I can taste it. As a young uni student, living in Neutral Bay, I remember inviting friends around for drinks, setting up rugs and cushions in the backyard and having a “roll your own nori roll” party. I had everything ready to go in Tupperware containers and my friends all enjoyed […]
Mum’s speciality. Rarely is there a party at Tomalong without a platter (or two) of these. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled when cooking for a party and talk about an affordable way to feed a crowd! Ali and Case (my twin sisters) made hundreds of these balls for Elles’ engagement party (my […]
Anne Corcoran’s sausage rolls. They are legendary. They originate from the good old Australian Womens Weekly cookbook and are the epitome of country comfort cooking. There is nothing better than walking in to my mother in law’s kitchen in Boorowa on a cold winter’s afternoon to the smell of these sausage rolls coming out of […]
Living in Wagga, with family in Sydney – we sometimes feel like we live on the Hume Highway travelling back and forth! Forget stopping at Macca’s on trips down the Hume however. If you haven’t been to the Eling Forest Winery Cafe – on the Sydney side of Sutton Forest, do yourself a favour and […]
