Bean and Bacon Soup
05 Jun 2019 Leave a Comment
Winter decided to start with a big bang in Brisbane! The temperature has plummeted to levels that I am not happy about in the slightest and to no surprise as we were whinging about how cold it was at work, the topic of soup popped up. One of my co-workers mentioned that she loves making an easy soup using McKenzie’s 12 blend soup mix and she loves it.
Needless to say I was heading home to make soup that night. I could not get a vegetable soup pack so I just grabbed a few things that normally go into soup and ended up with an easy and super yummy soup that is perfect to warm you up on a chilly day.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 sticks of celery, diced
- 1 swede, peeled and diced
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- 2 bacon bones
- 1 2lt carton of vegetable stock
- 1 cup of 12 blend soup mix (soaked overnight as per instructions on the pack) and then rinsed with fresh water.
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
These ingredients made 4 generous serves, and only used part of the 12 blend soup mix, to make a larger batch just increase the quantities.
DIRECTIONS
Place the diced onion in a large saucepan with the olive oil and over medium heat fry until golden.
Add all the other ingredients and gently boil for approximately 30 minutes.
Normally I would have added salt and pepper, but I forgot and I am glad I did, as between the stock and the bacon bones the soup was salty enough for my taste, but you can always add seasoning if you like once it is cooked.
The soup is now ready to eat if you like yours chunky, but I prefer to attack mine with a stab blender after removing the bacon bones and making it all nice and smooth.
Its not the prettiest soup I have ever seen, but the flavour is awesome and it turned out nice and thick. You could always add a little water to make it go further if you don’t like yours like that.
If we have to endure winter, we might as well make sure it tastes good!
Enjoy……..
Do you turn to soup during the colder months?
Good Mood Food
23 Jan 2019 7 Comments
I don’t know about you, but after all the hype and fun of Christmas and then the glorious feeling of two weeks of annual leave, by the time mid January hits it feels like you ran into a brick wall and fell face down into the mundane business of normal life.
One of my many goals for 2019 is to reduce the amount sugar I am consuming, and so my usual good mood food of chocolate is no longer my go-to. That is a good thing as all the fun sugary stuff is great at increasing serotonin and dopamine levels, which provides a positive lift, but it only lasts for a very short time and the crash back down can usually leave you feeling worse.
Fortunately there are some great foods that can be included in your daily diet that will help to improve your mood and they are good for you at the same time.
DARK CHOCOLATE
Thankfully chocolate is not off the list forever. A small amount of good quality dark chocolate can not only ease stress but boost your mood at the same time. Chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa is high in antioxidants and is loaded with tryptophan that triggers the release of endorphins. I don’t like dark chocolate anywhere near as much as I like milk chocolate, but this handy as just a couple of squares lets me feel like I have had a treat, but the whole block won’t have magically disappeared by the next day.
OILY FISH
I can’t stomach sardines or tuna, but I don’t need an excuse to eat smoked salmon or a flash fried salmon steak. If you have never tried Huon Salmon, do yourself the biggest favour and try some soon. It is totally delicious and so good for you as its full of omega-3 fatty acid that helps the cell membranes of the brain and in turn boosts its ability to correctly send the right electrical messages and produce more serotonin. Eggs, linseeds and walnuts can help in the same way if you don’t like salmon.
OATS
A bowl of oats will help keep your blood sugar levels steady and will reduce the emotional roller coaster ride we often find ourselves on. Thanks to their soluble fibre they help to keep you feeling full well into the day and their amino acids will help create dopamine, vital for felling good.
When making burgers or meatloaf, use oats instead of breadcrumbs to help them hold together. You won’t even notice the difference but it will make them that little bit healthier.
YOGHURT
Natural yoghurt, especially of the Greek variety is full of probiotics which can improve your gut health. There has been a lot of research done on healthy guts and how they can have a very positive affect on your happiness.
Make sure choice of yoghurt is not laden with added sugar as this strips away all the benefits of probiotics. If you find the taste a little tarte add some berries or banana slices to make it a little more palatable.
BANANAS
Speaking of bananas, those sunny coloured fruits that look like a smile will help put one on your face. Bananas help to increase your serotonin levels and will also deliver a good dose of potassium which can reduce blood pressure and decrease fluid retention.
They are the perfect on-the-go snack as they come in their own protective wrap and are great blended in a smoothie to add a rich and creamy taste.
LEAN RED MEAT
If you are craving a nice juicy steak…….then have one. You will add a big dose of B12 and folate to your body that are important part of serotonin production, but also very supportive to your nervous system.
Add a selection of steamed fresh greens and you have a low carb, high protein meal that will also provide an energy boost thanks to the iron content.
Feeling happy is an inside job and with these great food additions and less dependence on sugar is great way to help improve your long-term health.
What is your go to ‘happy’ food?
Sharing for ‘Lovin’ Life Linky’ at Write Of The Middle.com
Mini Food, Big Fun
18 Apr 2018 10 Comments
I have always loved making mini food for parties but have not done any for quite a while, so when I was choosing a menu for Easter, I decided to do the whole meal bite size. It is a really fun and easy way to feed guests whether it is for a party or just a casual get-together.
All you need is a packet of disposable shot glasses and any food that is cooked or will set in the fridge as you can’t put these plastic ‘glasses’ in the oven. The two above were super quick to make and disappeared in a flash. Best of all they can be done in advance so you don’t have to spend all your time in the kitchen.
MINI PRAWN COCKTAILS
Simply layer finely shredded lettuce, cooked prawns that have been chopped into small pieces, Masterfoods Seafood Cocktail sauce and a mini lemon wedge.
MINI THAI BEEF SALADS
Layer shredded carrot, finely diced cucumber, small slivers of beef and a few pieces of red onion.
(To make the beef, fry or BBQ a 500gm piece of rump steak and allow to rest wrapped in foil for 10 minutes. Mix together in a glass bowl 1/2 cup lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 red chilli finely diced and one spring onion chopped. Slice the meat into slivers and then place in the marinade. Making this the day before required allows the flavours to develop a lot more.)
Here is a few other ideas that I have done in the past:-
Tomato bruschetta with tiny toast fingers, diced chicken with mayo and sundried tomatoes, mini ‘buckets’ of hot chips, mini fried rice cups, potato salad with crispy bacon bits. Any food that can be cooked in advance and served cold or gently warmed will work.
Filling them full of sweet things for dessert is fun too. Chocolate mousse, Tiramisu, Eatons Mess, cheese cake, fruit salad, jelly and custard all work really well. Jelly shots with a splash of Vodka are always popular.
I usually buy a packet of cocktail forks from the supermarket to serve with mini food just to make it a little easier to eat without having to tip the food into your mouth. Small spoons work better for desserts and I get these from my local cheap shop.
The best part is cleaning up, you just through it all in the bin when you are finished. But if you want to be more environmentally friendly I also have a big stash of mini latte glasses that I have used when I want the event to have a bit more formality and I just pop them in the dishwasher at the end of the night.
What is your favourite party food that you could serve in mini form?
Sharing for The Lovin’ Life Linky at Write Of The Middle
The One Minute Mojito
01 Mar 2018 8 Comments
It might be the first day of Autumn, but you sure wouldn’t know it if you are outside today here in Brisbane. It is so hot and steamy that my new favourite drink will probably make an appearance today. The One Minute Mojito was an accidental discovery I made on an equally hot day a month or so ago.
Scrolling through Facebook as you do on a hot Saturday night at home, someone posted an image of this cool and refreshing looking drink and I wanted one immediately. Having rediscovered my love for Mojito’s at Christmas time, I decided to see if I had the ingredients needed to make such yumminess.
This version is not 100% correct to the true recipe, but it is a quick and easy alternative that tastes great and has far less sugar than the original version and I am all about less sugar at the moment…but that’s another story for another post.
Follow these simple steps and you will be sipping in no time.
- Get a large glass or mason jar and place two slices of lime in the bottom and muddle it with a spoon to help release some of the juice.
- Add a shot or two of Bacardi.
- Fill the glass 3/4 full with ice and add 4 torn mint leaves.
- Top up the glass with Schweppes Lime Infused Soda Water. (Not sponsored, its just the best stuff)
- Add a straw and you are ready to drink……enjoy!
Now my next job on the to-do list is to buy a mint plant and have it growing in a pot so I always have some fresh leaves at hand.
What is your favourite go-to drink for a really hot day?
Sharing for #LLL at Write Of The Middle
Favourite Finds This Summer
05 Feb 2018 11 Comments
in Brilliant Books, Fabulous Food, Harmonious Home, JoyFULL
Summer has sure thrown some hot days at us over the past few weeks and the last couple of rainy days have brought great relief. I love summer but as I can’t spend every day at the beach unfortunately, so I am always looking for ways to make coping with the heat a little easier. Here are some of my favourite finds that have helped me survive the heat wave.
DRY FINISH SUNSCREEN
At the beginning of summer Miss WW spent a couple of weekends away at the beach and scored herself some pretty bad sunburn. I keep reminding her to apply ALL the sunscreen ALL the time to protect her beautiful skin, it easy to get caught up in all the fun and forgetting to reapply regularly has not been happening. I tried to get her to use good old zinke stick especially on her nose, but most sunscreens tend to make her break out and she hates that.
After checking out all the sunscreens on the shelf these two have proved to be real winners in our house. Dry touch sunscreen is the bomb! That heavy and sticky feeling that is often experienced with normal sunscreen is no more. Both of these only take a couple of minutes to ‘set’ and you don’t even feel as though you have sunscreen on. Miss WW is happy to reapply regularly and neither of them caused her to breakout. That’s a major win in my books as life in Queensland without sunscreen is just not on.
COOL COTTON FOR HOT DAYS
Wearing long sleeves in summer for sun protection is a great idea, but ahhhh no, its too hot for that! I was invited to a picnic in the park on the banks of the Brisbane river and rain was forecast for that evening and I thought it might get a bit cool once the clouds rolled in.
This super light, 100% cotton long sleeved top from the Portobello range by Vivid International (gifted) turned out to be a perfect choice and was so cool to wear in the hot afternoon. The best thing about this top is it comes all rolled up and when you wash it you roll it up again and its crinkled look does not require ironing.
Just love the colours in this one!
KEEPING DRINKS SUPER COOL
Hot weather requires cold drinks and tiny little ice blocks that melt in a flash don’t help the cause.
Giant ice blocks are the answer and this awesome ice cube tray was one of my fav finds from Kmart and cost a whole $1.50 each. Buy a few and store them in a large plastic container so you always have plenty on hand.
Freezing coffee in these and adding one to a glass of milk makes a very yummy iced coffee too!
RELAX WITH A GOOD READ
Just before Christmas my mum went to a charity market and bought three books for $1.00. She liked the look of the covers and thought they would be a good romance novel read. Had she read the back and saw the words such as warlocks and vampires she would have put them back in a flash. I am so grateful she didn’t.
So not have I only devoured the three part The Infernal Devices book series, I am on the 6th and final installment of The Mortal Instruments. Miss WW has been a big fan of these for a few years and I showed zero interest in reading them. They are thrilling reads will lots of plot twists and I won’t mention that they are listed as ‘Young Adult’ reading….because I am way past that stage of life and just love reading them. This is one of new habits that I have been working on to go with my word of the year ‘Joy’.
The only other thing I need to find is a mascara that will not give me panda eyes when the heat is on. I have tried so many and not one of them has done what it promised! Any suggestions?
Have you found any great things this summer to help you keep cool?….and moving to the Southern States is not an option as I hate winter, even our pretty mild Brisbane version.
Sharing for #LLL at Write In The Middle.com
10 Things To Do Now To Make Christmas Easier!
12 Nov 2017 Leave a Comment
in Fabulous Food, Harmonious Home, JoyFULL
As soon as the Christmas magazines hit the stores, I know it is time to get myself organised. In years past, I would have already done all my shopping and would coast into the festive season with ease, BUT life has been chaotic and I am behind this year, but starting now I am getting on it.
I love Christmas, cause I love sparkly things and I get to play with them for a whole month and nobody thinks I am nuts. With a little bit of planning and action, get these jobs done in November and you will have more to time to enjoy the season rather than running around trying to get everything done.
One – Make ALL the lists!
- If you don’t already have some to-do lists done, sit down today with a notebook and start making them. The easiest way to not forget any of the important things you need to remember, keep this list handy so you can keep adding to it as you remember things.
- Include lists for gifts, food, shopping, decorations, events, travel arrangements and cleaning. Carry a red pen with your notebook to tick of things when they have been completed, as that is such a satisfying things to do.
Two – Stocktake the PANTRY
- Don’t do what I did one year and try to start a Christmas bake-a-thon without caster sugar! Take a good look at each shelf on the pantry and make a list of everything that is running low, or you know you will need extra of and buy them now when you next grocery shop. Or put in an online order and have it all delivered. If you have a little spare space in a cupboard don’t even unpack it, just put it away until you actually need to start using it.
Three – Wrapping supplies!
- I always stock up on gift wrap and cards at the Boxing Day sales. If your stash is looking a bit bare, buy all that now. Why not add it to your online order and have it delivered at the same time. Make sure you include paper, gift bags, cards, tags, sticky tape and ribbon if you like to use it. Setting up a gift wrap station in a spare room makes things easy for quick access, but if you don’t have room, keep all the supplies in washing basket or cardboard box so that it is quick to grab and you don’t have to waste precious time collecting what you need when its time to wrap.
Four – Eat from the freezer!
- For the next two weeks make an effort to use up all the things you have stashed away in the freezer. Having space in your freezer is a must at Christmas time, so eat up things that are lurking in there so you can make space. When frozen nibbles, berries and other goodies go on sale you will be able to grab them knowing you have room for them. Its a great way to build a stash and save some dollars.
Five – Stock up on gift cards on sale!
- Keep your eye on your junk mail in the lead up to Christmas. Supermarkets will often offer discounts on gift cards in the lead up to the big day. Instead of spending hours looking for the perfect gift for those hard to buy for, a gift card can save your sanity and if you feel that gift cards a little impersonal you can always add a little gift as an extra.
Six – Pick a Theme!
- Whether it is a colour or symbol theme, picking one now can help you create a cohesive look for Christmas that will have others thinking you are totally awesome. Traditional, pastel or metallic are these easiest colours schemes to work with and using a tree, bell or star as your centering object if you want to pick one can make your shopping trips quicker. When you choose a new decoration or ten, candles, serviettes or any other festive items, if you stick to one style you can grab what you need without having to decide which ones you prefer. The end result is a home and table that all fits together beautifully.
Seven – What needs a wash?
- Christmas tablecloths can get a little musty from being hidden away in the linen cupboard for a whole year. Pull yours out now and check if they are clean and ready to use. If not, wash and iron them now, so they are ready to go. If you are having guests coming to stay with you, make sure sheets and towels are ready for the onslaught.
Eight – Find it fast!
- Every year I go through a pile of recipe books and magazines trying to decide what to make. When it came time to make a final list and grocery list sometimes I could not remember which book or magazine it was in. Now I make a list with the recipe, book or magazine it is in and the page number so that I can find it in a flash. Recipes from past magazines are now stored in a lever arch file in plastic sleeves and the ones I want to use are placed on the top so I have instant access.
Nine – Count the cutlery, and the plates, and the glasses!
- Miss WW is chief executive dish washer in this house and at her last birthday party afternoon tea, I discovered I had a whole TWO teaspoons to my name. Yep, 4 cutlery sets including my good one no longer included teaspoons. No idea where they have gone, but probably they ran away with all the single socks. Needless to say, more have now been purchased and if you are entertaining at your home, make sure you have enough of all the basic supplies required to eat a meal comfortably. If not add them to the shopping list asap!
Ten – Pencil in some ME time!
- Save your sanity and pencil in some time just for you. Book in to have your hair done, nails painted, a massage or anything that will give your some time to yourself. Hairdressers and beauticians will be busy as everyone wants to look their best so if you have a favourite book them now so that you don’t miss out. Your happiness will flow on to all those around you so make yourself a priority this year.
*****
Make this the year to coast through Christmas with ease and grace and leave the stressing last minutes rushing around to everyone else. Start today and spend 15 minutes getting those list done and the rest will flow.
How sorted are you for Christmas?
What is your favourite tip for getting it all done?
Chocolate Grazing Plate, A Great Alternative To Cake!
14 Sep 2017 Leave a Comment
in Fabulous Food, JoyFULL
A few weeks ago my ‘baby’ turned 18! How the hell did that happen, it did not seem that long ago that she had her first day of school….
Both of my girls have always had a birthday party every year….yep, I am one of those mums that loves organising parties, coming up with themes and baking up a storm.
As we were planning her 18th party, she informs me she does not want a cake….WHAT!
Who has a major life event party without a cake? Miss WW does. Ok, time to come up with plan B.
We did have a caramel and pecan mud cake at her family and friends lunch, but I hatched a different plan for her party.
Admittedly I did notice at last years party that the awesome cake I made did go virtually untouched so I did not argue about not having one this time.
Miss WW loves chocolate and adores brownies, so I combined the two and popped it all on a large white platter and that was a huge hit and was literally inhaled by everyone.
I did not have time to experiment with brownie recipes so I played it safe and went with my one pot brownie that is just lush and you can get the details here.
Then I added the following goodies:-
A packet of Cadbury Milk Chocolate Finger biscuits
A packet of mini Kit Kats with the wrappers removed
A packet of mini Twix bars with the wrappers removed
A block of Nestle Cookies and Cream chocolate cut into pieces.
But you can use whatever chocolates are your favourites. Nestle was on special that week so they won out.
Sparklers also won out as I did not want to try and stick 18 candles into all the brownie pieces.
The brownie can be made the day before and with virtually not preparation required so it is an easy dessert for any party.
Have you gotten into the grazing plate style of food service that is so popular right now?
Easy Gluten Free Ice Cream Cake
21 Apr 2017 12 Comments
When my family gets together for holiday celebrations, I am always in charge of making desserts.
I love baking and making sweet treats and could spend hours looking through recipes for something new to try.
This Easter I was doing my usual search for something delicious, when I remembered that whatever I made had to be gluten free, as a family friend who was joining us can’t tolerate the stuff. Automatically I thought about orange and almond cake, but that really seems to be the go-to choice of cakes and…..how many of those do you need to eat in a lifetime?
My other dilemma was that it would need to be made at least 2 days in advance and not go stale and yuck by Easter Sunday. I could not find anything that I really liked in all my recipe books, so I decided to make up my own. After enlisting some help from a friend who does not do gluten, I had all the info I needed to construct my ice cream cake. The perfect choice for a make in advance dish.
Please excuse the not-so-flash image, but we were happily munching away when mum suggested that I should pop the recipe on the blog! Clever girl that mum of mine.
INGREDIENTS (Serves 10)
1 X 2LT tub of Bulla Vanilla ice cream
1 x packet of Woolworths Mini Meringues
(or you can make your own and have plenty leftover to munch on later)
1 x packet Double D Marshmallows, chopped into little chunks
2 cups of frozen mixed berries
METHOD
Step 1 – Place the frozen berries in a large bowl so they start to defrost.
Step 2 – Prepare your pan. I used a round 22cm deep dish pan, but you can make it into a log or even a square if you prefer, as long as it has at least a 2 1/2 litre capacity. Cut a sheet of baking paper long enough to fit the base, up both sides and a little extra overlap. Fold the paper over twice to create a strip. Lay it across the centre, up the sides and fold the excess over. Using two or three lengths of cling wrap, line the base and sides completely. This will make the cake really easy to remove when you are ready to eat.
Step 3 – Mash the berries a little and then scoop the vanilla ice cream into the bowl. Using a wooden spoon mix until just combined, crush the meringues in your hands and place in bowl with marshmallow pieces.
Step 4 – Mix again until just combined and then spoon the mixture into your prepared pan. Press down with the wooden spoon to make sure it fills all of the pan without spaces and smooth over the top. Cover with more cling wrap and place in the freezer.
This recipe should be made at least the day before required so that it is frozen solid.
You can decorate each slice with fresh berries or an extra meringue if you made your own.
Enjoy!
What is your favourite gluten free dessert recipe?
Sharing for #IBOT at kyliepurtell.com
Party Perfect Pavlova!
20 Dec 2016 Leave a Comment
A fresh pavlova is hard to beat for good looks and great taste, and best of all they are SO easy to make.
I whipped up this one for a girls Christmas get-together, but you can change the toppings to suit any season or occasion.
It is always best to make the pavlova the day before required so that it can completely cool in the oven otherwise you risk it collapsing.
****
INGREDIENTS
4 large egg whites at room temperature
(Its best to separate one egg at a time into a small bowl first so that if any of the yolk accidently makes it through you can ditch that one and start again, as egg yolk will stop the whites from whipping stiffly enough.
1 cup of caster sugar
300 ml thickened cream
1 cup of thawed frozen raspberries mashed
2 kiwi fruit with skin removed and sliced
****
METHOD
Preheat oven to 140C.
Line a 28cm round baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
(If you don’t have a round tray you can trace a circle on to the baking paper and place on a square tray)
Place the 4 egg whites into a ceramic or glass bowl and beat with electric beater until thick and soft peaks form.
Add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition until the mixture is thick and glossy.
Spoon the mixture into blobs around the edge of the tray to form a wreath shape.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, and then turn off the oven and do not open the door, until the pavlova is completely cold.
Transfer the wreath onto a serving plate.
Beat the thickened cream until stiff peaks form.
When you are ready to serve, dot the cream all around the top of the wreath as this is the ‘glue’ that holds the toppings in place.
Add the sliced kiwi fruit and drizzle the raspberry mixture over the top.
Serves 10 people.
****
Another really yummy pavlova topping to try is sliced banana and a smashed up peppermint crisp bar…..yummy!
This recipe gives you a firm pavlova, if you prefer a chewier style, try this recipe instead.
What is your favourite pavlova topping?
How To Turn A Gourmet Food Hamper Into A Delicious Christmas Lunch.
29 Oct 2016 13 Comments
in Fabulous Food, JoyFULL
Every year without fail Christmas rolls around again and the hunt for perfect presents and planning luscious meals begins. If you are like me and don’t have hours spare battling the crowds at the shops or flipping through a pile of recipe books, I might just have the perfect solution for you! Last week I enjoyed an afternoon of taste testing beautiful products from a gourmet food hamper or ten that were provided by Australian Gourmet Gifts.
Whilst munching away on an amazing selection of goodies and sipping on a glass of wine, I was already ticking people off my present shopping list who I know would love a big dose of good food in their home this festive season. At the same time I was planning a menu that was easy to prepare but would taste fantastic and impress all those sharing the table on Christmas Day.
When only the best will do!
I come from a family of dedicated foodies that spent decades involved in restaurants and gourmet food shops. A BBQ chicken from the supermarket deli and a store bought pavlova just will not cut it with my clan. Putting a really nice meal together can be easy with the clever use of tasty ingredients with really fresh produce and choosing recipes that can be prepped well in advance so that you can spend the day relaxing and not slaving away in the kitchen.
With so many hampers to choose from, the hardest part was picking the best hamper to use as the base for creating the menu. In the end the Gourmet Connoisseur Hamper won out for its great blend of savoury and sweet inclusions and there will still be plenty of goodies left to enjoy in the new year.
Image Credit – Australian Gourmet Gifts
Delicious Christmas Lunch Menu Ideas
EASY ENTREES
Plate Up A Platter – The easiest way to start off Christmas Day celebrations is with a platter of delectable nibbles. Take The Natural Nut Company – Entertaining Nut Platter and the Absolute Organic – Antipasto Organic Mixed Olives to get started. Add your favourite cheeses, dips or pate and a selection of savoury biscuits and chunks of fresh sourdough bread.
Pesto Puffs – Ready made puff pastry sheets can quickly be turned into yummy mini quiches that can be made the day before and reheated on the day or served cold. Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of Australian Country Gourmet – Sun Dried Tomato Pesto to each one before adding the egg mix from this recipe.
MAKE AHEAD MAINS
Ham It Up – A freshly baked ham will be a winner for you this year and any leftovers can be frozen in portions for use throughout the New Year. Place the whole ham on a chopping board and using a small sharp knife gently remove the rind leaving as much of the fat as possible. Score the fat in rows firstly across the ham and then from top to bottom. Spread a generous amount of Hank’s Jams – Fig & Cinnamon Jam all over the scored section and sprinkle with finely chopped macadamia nuts. Place the ham in a large baking dish lined with foil and baking paper. Sprinkle a little water into the pan before baking at 180C for 45 minutes, basting after each 15. Serve warm or cold with a big bowl of crisp salad.
Terrific Turkey – Instead of spending hours baking a whole turkey, why not try a turkey breast roll instead. Follow the roasting direction on the packet and when it is done remove from the pan, but don’t throw out the all the deliciousness remaining in the bottom. Scrape it all into a small saucepan and over gentle heat add 300ml of thickened cream and 1 heaped dessert spoon of Australian Country Gourmet – Chardonnay & Sage Creamy Mustard and bring to a gentle boil for 1 minute and you now have a super sauce to serve with your turkey. Bake a large tray of mixed vegetables at the same time as the turkey sprinkled with Maggie Beer – Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some fresh sage leaves.
DELECTABLE DESSERTS
Posh Pudding – A store bought plum pudding can be ready to eat after just a few minutes in the microwave. Have your guests begging for more by serving it with the best Brandy Cream. For the final touch grate a few pieces of Rinati – Elite Almond Hard Nougat to sprinkle over the top.
Individual Ice Creams – If you would prefer something cold for a hot Christmas day, why not make these little ice cream bombs. Into a large bowl add a tub of good quality vanilla ice cream and beat until softened. Add some crushed Ital Choc Hazelnut Biscotti and a handful of frozen raspberries. Spoon this mixture into bowls that have been lined with cling wrap for easy removal and place in the freezer until it is time to serve. Swirl a generous amount of Australian Country Gourmet – Rich Chocolate Sauce on to each plate before placing the ice cream on top.
Image Credit – Grace and Co. Property Styling
Don’t forget to stock the fridge with plenty of Christmas cheer and make sure you add a bag or two of ice to the shopping list.
You can order all the Christmas hampers and gift baskets (including the really lovely ones that come delivered in the luxurious black metal cooler in the pic above) that you could ever need without stepping into a single shop from Australian Gourmet Gifts and free delivery is included, so it does not get any easier than that!
This is a sponsored post as I was a guest of Brand Meets Blog that organised this tasty get together on behalf of Australian Gourmet Gifts and all opinions and ideas are my own.
Which is your favourite gourmet food hamper?
Are you cooking Christmas Day lunch this year?
Sharing for #IBOT with KyliePurtell.com
Yummy and Healthy Avocado Hummus
20 Sep 2016 10 Comments
This yummy dip was an accidental experiment that turned out to be really awesome.
I have never made my own hummus before and decided to give it a try when I had the family over for Fathers Day.
I wanted something easy and tasty for us to nibble on before lunch.
My original plan was to have a bowl of hummus and a bowl of guacamole, but when I opened the seemingly perfect avocados they were almost completely black!
I salvaged what I could and decided to throw it into the hummus, glad I did.
Thankfully there was a tub of marinated antipasto goodies in the fridge to add to the platter and save the day.
***
INGREDIENTS
1 avocado (skin and seed removed)
1 400gm can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1 small clove garlic (finely diced)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
salt & pepper to taste
***
METHOD
Place all ingredients into a jug and blend together well with a stab blender until smooth or use a food processor if you prefer.
(I am just tooooo lazy to wash all the bits, so the stab blender is one of my favourite kitchen tools.)
The recipe is enough to fill two of the bowls shown in the picture.
***
You can make this a few hours in advance, cover tightly with cling wrap and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Wholemeal pita bread makes a great accompaniment and are also very easy to make.
Slice a whole pita bread in half and they cut each half into wedges. Bake in a moderate oven for approximately 8 – 10 minutes until they are crispy.
If you want to make these in advance you can by allowing them to cool to room temperature and then seal in a freezer bag until required.
Enjoy!
Have you ever accidentally made something yummy?
Linking up with Kylie Purtell for #IBOT
Easy Chorizo and Lentil Soup
23 Jul 2016 Leave a Comment
Every now and then I crave a veggie fix and after a very long, hard day at work I was wondering around the supermarket trying to work out what we were going to have for dinner.
I remembered there was a recipe at home that I wanted to try, but that was not much good to me as I was not there.
I literally grabbed what thought might be in it and set to creating my own version without even checking the recipe.
The result was a really healthy but very tasty soup that I will definitely be making again.
I cooked this soup in my slow cooker as I have to go to Physie on Monday nights, but you could also make this just as easily in a normal saucepan.
INGREDIENTS
1 x Winter Vegetable Soup Pack or buy the vegetables individually –
1 brown onion
1 large carrot
1 swede
1 stick of celery
1 parsnip
1 x 1lt salt reduced chicken stock
1 x 400gm tin of crushed tomatoes
1 400gm tin of brown lentils
1 chorizo
5 fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mild paprika
METHOD
Turn your slow cooker on high and place the olive oil in to it.
Finely dice the peeled onion and chorizo and place into the slow cooker, allow them to brown lightly.
Meanwhile peel and finely dice all the other vegetables.
Add them into the slow cooker, together with the stock, lentils and the tin of tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper if you like, but I didn’t add any and it was really flavoursome without the addition of them.
Cook on high for 3 hours.
Service with crusty fresh bread.
Note – If you prefer a chunkier soup and you have time to cook it a little longer or would like to get the soup started in the morning before you go to work, follow all of the above steps and cook on low for up to 8 hours.
If you like things nice and spicy use hot paprika instead!
Enjoy!
Do you have a slow cooker?
Do you like experimenting with food?
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