This stem ginger and pear cake is so easy to make, resulting in a top layer of pear, a very moist cake texture and lots of warm, cosy spice and ginger flavours. We love using stem ginger when baking sweet things, and this cake gives a perfect result. It is now one of my favourites to bake.
What an action packed month October was! It was Mr. HRK's birthday so we dined out twice in one day, and why not? During October we included some essential kitchen maintenance and reorganising, some cooking (of course) and food blogging, gardening, talking to our son and grandchildren each week in Montpellier, France, and catching up with our daughter and lovely friends. We also played some pickleball a few times a week and I wrote up a few articles about our Mackay Indoor Pickleball Club for the local free weekly newspaper. How did we ever find time to go out to work?
Sourdough Bread baking is a science, and there is lots to learn. This is a high hydration bread loaf, more water is added to the dough, which suits this style of bread. My recipe is taken from my favourite bread making guide, Artisan Sourdough, Made Simple, written by Emilie Raffa, c2017. I think that this is the best book for a novice bread baker to start with, as far as I am concerned anyway.
This Shawarma meatloaf from Yotem Ottolenghi's "COMFORT" is a departure from the Aussie style meatloaf I was used to when I was growing up. A whole suite of aromatic Shawarma spices and herbs such as cumin, allspice, cinnamon, mint and turmeric are used along with bulgur wheat instead of breadcrumbs. The texture is moist and fluffy thanks to the zucchini, and the burghul and eggs binding it altogether.
This Spinach and Cheese frittata is perfect when served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Frittatas, omelettes and eggs, whether poached, scrambled or fried, are in general a popular choice for brekkie or brunch when we are dining out. Here we have a really delicious frittata that you can easily cook and eat in the comfort of your own home, for 4 people, and very economically. Think comfort food as well.
Warm cauliflower salad with Sweet Potato puree, will bring healthy fresh vegetables to your meal table in a delicious and attractive way. Cauliflower loves to be the hero of the dish and combined with sweet potato, feta cheese, chickpeas, red onion and zesty Middle Eastern spices is a meal in itself. We all need to be eating more veges.
It's been a while since I posted an In My Kitchen, but we are now home after 3 months away in Cairns in Far North Queensland, so grab a cuppa and make yourself comfortable, I have lots to tell you. It was really lovely to be away and with our family, but there's no place like home.
