Thursday, May 30, 2024

Chai-spiced Pear Cake

Emelia Jackson in her latest book, "First, cream the butter and the sugar" has developed this glorious chai tea flavoured cake, it's a Chai spiced Pear Cake. It's absolutely delicious with a very tender crumb, and was a pleasure to make this week. I'm delighted to be able to share the cake making process with you, at last. Thanks Emelia.

Monday, May 27, 2024

Tandoori Chicken Tray Bake

This is another delicious chicken traybake recipe using Tandoori paste for maximum flavour. For busy  cooks who are time poor, traybakes can be our saviour. By now, you will know how much I love a traybake.

Thursday, May 16, 2024

"Sunday with Mum" at Palooka Restaurant, Cairns, in Far North Queensland

 Mother's Day at Cairns Palooka Restaurant, in Far North Queensland, totally exceeded my expectations. They describe their food as contemporary modern European dining, or Mediterranean, and the French and Italian influences in their cuisine are very obvious. The restaurant is situated in the heart of Stratford village in Cairns, offering cosy seating inside or outside on the footpath, which is well protected from the weather by sturdy blinds if needed. The restaurant is very accessible, and parking along the side street is generally available.

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Slow-cooked Italian Lamb Shanks

Italian lamb shanks are one of my favourite meals, and is often what I order when we are dining out. This recipe had a lot to live up to, however it is as delicious, even more so,  than any Italian Lamb Shank meal I have ever eaten. It's made from scratch, without the use of any packets of supermarket branded products, such as a packet of red wine jus. There's just no need.

Monday, May 6, 2024

In My Kitchen - May 2024

 It's May already, and I'm about to share with you what I've been cooking and enjoying in my kitchen during April, which is always a busy month. This year we were home for all of April, which was lovely. I resorted to making a few of my favourite recipes, and cooked up some new ones. April brings Easter, precious thoughts about loved ones during Anzac Day, and our wedding anniversary as well. All of these events are full of memories, as are so many food recipes that I cook. May brings the very welcome cooler weather, and that means that I start making delicious soups again.

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Roasted pumpkin, beetroot, pearl barley and haloumi salad recipe

 

This is a hearty, vegetarian Autumnal salad, celebrating the in-season vegetables, jap (Kent) pumpkin and beetroot, which are in plentiful supply at the Australian markets and retail supermarkets right now. Photos can't fully portray the delicious flavours contained in this salad, with pops of maple syrup sweetness accentuating the warm crispy haloumi, and a refreshing mint pesto combining with all the ingredients.

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Afghan biscuits, the traditional New Zealand Anzac Day biscuit and homemade Anzac biscuits

 LEST WE FORGET!

 ANZAC Day is remembered in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday the 25th April each year and is a declared public holiday in Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Norfolk Island, and Tokelau. To commemorate this sad occasion, many of us in Australia and New Zealand will be either making a batch of the traditional Anzac biscuits, or a batch of these delicious Afghan biscuits, which have no connection to the Afghan people or their country of origin.