The festival of food continues

We had a family get together on Christmas morning at the Sofitel Hotel. Thankfully this year we managed to do some really lovely shots. Surprise surprise we even manage one that is worth framing.
Maybe it is the dressed up thing in a 5 star hotel and a random stranger volunteering to take photographs that made everyone behave for a whole 2 minutes.
It could have also been my threatening voice to all to co-operate.

I went to lunch at favourite friends house R and S. 2 ancient fathers and a fun friend D from Sydney, we had a wonderful time.

I went over on Christmas eve early to stuff the turkey 'Bernard King' style. Mushrooms, bacon cream and breadcrumbs up under the breast skin and fill the cavity with stone fruit.

Came home to prepare Christmas Eve dinner for friend C before she sang in the choir at St Andrews for midnight mass.

Duck and mango salad

This dish was first made by sister J. It is delicious, and perfect as a light meal.

Also made 1960's fried rice

Christmas lunch

Wonderful salads

And vegtables

I made a mangomisu with raspberry coulis.

Delicious

Johnny the beagle resting after lunch

Too tired to move

Clever grand daughter G made various sweet treats including Ferrero Rocher

Amazing

The lovely L made biscotti, rum balls, and rocky road. Neighbour P came for coffee and road tested the biscotti - Yum! The rum balls are excellent. Not game to open the rocky road yet, have to pace myself

Clever packaging

The cheese cake has been made for the family lunch on Lamb Island tomorrow - another feast

Lead up to Christmas

Again this year I 'cooked' most of my gifts. The usual Tomato Relish, my fabulous new Roasted tomato and Fennel Jam that goes so well on a cracker with sharp cheese, and more Peach Chutney.

Plus I made the usual festive biscuits. Ginger this year along with cranberry and pistachio.

It is always good to have these as hostess gifts etc for the usual get togethers.

I made a entree platter for a get together in my old neighbourhood last week. Rockmelon and cured ham, red globe grapes with mint and feta, cherry tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, and fresh dates.

Platter, hostess gift and gifts for guests

Sister J and I made sweets until we both suffered a sugar coma. I made Joy's refrigerator cheese cake in muffin patties (60 of them), cranberry and pistachio biscuits, and coconut ice. J made coconut macaroons, white christmas and the all time favourite chocolate crackles. This was a project to give each tenancy a plate of home made Aussie Christmas sweets.

Our sweets gifts

We were very happy with the result 

Wrapped and ready for delivery

I made 2 lots of coconut ice. One with copha and the other with condensed milk. The condensed milk one was much better.

I still have 2 desserts to make tomorrow and another cheese cake for lunch on Lamb Island on Sunday. Plus friend C is coming on Christmas Eve. So off now to prepare the next shopping list as tomorrow is my final shopping trip.

The next project will be New Years Eve.

Some cooking and random events

I went to the Spring Hill Reservoir to attend an event directed by a friend of mine. It was a delightful afternoon with aria's from popular opera's, and stage musicals treats thrown in for good measure.
I just love this kind of event. Up close and personal with the performers.

So close to the stage

This is a heritage listed building that the council rents out for community events. It would make a great party venue.

I found a gardenia bush on our street corner that was in bloom, so of course had to 'souvenir' some blossoms. Also found a tree with red berries.

Just love volunteer flowers

Christmas cooking has just started, I made my usual tomato relish and 2 batches of the fabulous roasted tomato and fennel jam.

Tomato relish

Roasted tomatoes half way through the jam process

Last Sunday night we had another possum invasion. Usually it has been just one possum. They come in through the ceiling (even though we thought all areas were covered) and panic when they knock something over. I had a suspicion that I had a visitor since the last possum proofing as there were pieces eaten out of about six potatoes in a basket. On Sunday night there were 2, one with a baby on her back. They feasted on a lovely truss tomato and then knocked the bowl down.

A midnight snack

#1 possum took off out of the door as soon as I opened it, but the mother and baby stayed put.

If I shut my eyes you can't see me

She tucked the baby up against the wall and hid her face. I didn't want to force her down and have her leave the baby behind, so went back to bed with the door and gate wide open. I left all of the lights on so she wouldn't get comfortable and go to sleep. After half an hour she climbed down and scurried away. I was left with possum poo and pee to clean up. Had to light incence to get rid of the smell.

We know have another layer of possum proofing done. Fingers and toes crossed.

We had a tenant leave last week and in the clean up I found copious amounts of spices. This is not unusual in fact I haven't had to buy saffron or turmeric since I moved here. Amongst the items this time was roasted cumin powder, we have never seen this before. Plus the most wonderful smoked paprika. Sister J immediately said 'Goulash' so I did as I was told and made Hungarian Goulash with egg noodles and cucumber salad.

Delicious

On the cooking side of events I also made a Nigella Lawson meatloaf.

All wrapped up and ready

So so good

And what is not to love - the onions cooked in duck fat and the loaf layered with bacon, how can you go wrong.

The petunias are doing well

My old Christmas wreath looks lovely here

Today I made the first batch of Christmas biscuits for the 'bring a plate' Christmas events.

Good old ginger biscuits

Just to end the week on a colourful note, we have a new car on the premises and so it had to have a blessing. Flowers, fruit, incense, it was wonderful.

Life is never boring at Dahrl Court.

My first Pannacotta

After almost 10 months in 'The Little Spring Hill Kitchen', I really feel that I have come to grips with cooking in a small space.
The trick is to gather ingredients, measure, prep, and put everything away before you actually start to cook. The big wood cutting board over the sink works a treat and moving the dish drainer also gives more work space. These things are never an issue in a 'regular' kitchen.

I actually made my first pannacotta! I can't believe that I haven't done this before. Fabulous do ahead dessert, in fact has to be done the day before to set properly.

Pannacotta affogato

I have another recipe using coconut milk that I will try next.

Had Graham to dinner and made his favourite roast lamb and vegetables with lots of gravy. When Graham was a neighbour and the boys were still at home a favourite summer dessert was Joyce's refrigerator cheese cake. She used to make this in the 60's and it has always been a family favourite.

It worked

Even though I had made this many times in the 70's for some reason I hadn't done the measurement conversions to metric. It did concern me that the ingredients are 1 x packet Nice biscuits, I block Philladelphia cream cheese, 1 tin of Carnation milk, 1 lemon jelly - are the packet/tin sizes the same as the 60's. Probably not I thought but what the hell - just do it! I did cut down the amount of sugar (a shocker) and converted the butter measurement to grams. He ate a huge piece and went home with a second for today.
I found a roasted cauliflower dip on a blog earlier this week. Roasted cauliflower, roasted garlic, toasted pumpkin seeds, olive oil. Not as exciting as I expected.

It may taste better tomorrow

 The egg plants looked luscious and cheap so of course had to make roasted eggplant risotto. I grilled the eggplant on the bar-b-que for the best result.

Making risotto is so soothing

Dinner

I am as always obsessed with candles. I even like one burning during the day, it gives the apartment a lovely feel. I especially like the look of this one outside.

Just says welcome

October - a busy month

For some reason this month has seemed to be so busy, but I did find time to cook a couple of new recipes as well as some favourites.

The weather is getting warmer by the day but I am still in roasting, pasta, risotto mode. In 2 weeks we will be back to the usual salads and Asian food that eat in the warm weather.

Started swimming again last week, and hope to make it a twice weekly event.

The herb garden is coming on well especially the basil. I planted it as a community garden and the other tenants are now starting to use the herbs as well - I like this.

Son M bought me some pickled pork. I haven't had this since the 70's. I cooked it old school style with an onion, brown sugar, bay leaf and vinegar. Let it cool in the cooking liquid. I did roasted vegetables, green beans with pangrattato, and stuffed zucchini.

Pickled Pork with onion and parsley white sauce

This sauce reminds me of Lucy Jamieson at 'The Crescent' Coorparoo. She made this sauce once for me to go with boiled potatoes when George cooked corned meat.

The vegtables

The jasmine is wonderful

Last week I found some wagu beef mince on special so made hamburgers 'Slack's Creek' style.
I did add caramelized onion something we didn't know about back then

Brown sugar and red wine vinegar

I made a batch of pasta sauce for the freezer. The easiest thing to have on hand when you need comfort food.

Ready for the freezer

New spring cushions

One of my favourite things to do since retiring, is not only encouraging friends to donate to 'Op shops' but to shop there as well. I am now volunteering at our RSPCA shop in New Farm on Friday afternoons. So many people shop here on a regular basis, and donate many items as well.

Two years ago I found a lovely 'apple' plate for $3. This month I found a friend for it for $2.

I love these in my kitchen

As summer will soon be upon us there will be no more cut flowers for the apartment. Cut flowers just don't last in our humidity. I treated myself to some lilies that were on sale in Woolworths. I actually managed to keep them looking good for a week.

$4 special

I made a roast lamb dinner for sisters and brothers -in-law. We chatted and laughed so much I forgot to photograph the cooked dishes.

This is all I managed to photograph

Bathed in olive oil, garlic, salt, rosemary and crushed coriander seeds. You will just have to believe me that it was fabulous.

Liver and bacon - the real comfort food

In the mid 1970's on winter Sunday evenings I used to make liver and bacon for dinner. It was the time when the boys were at high school and would eat everything in sight. I always hoped that there would be left overs for the after school snack on Monday afternoon - but it didn't always happen that way. Served with mashed potato and peas of beans, or just on toast if it was a busy day, it was a favourite.

When I cook liver now it is with onions, lemon, white wine and fresh sage. Much more sophisticated.

However son M requested 'old school' liver and bacon. He promptly delivered the largest lump of beef liver, a bag of bacon and a big bag of mushrooms.

So this morning I cooked up a storm.

caramelising the onions

Plenty of bacon and mushrooms

The end result 

Of course I just couldn't resist adding fresh sage and deglazing the pan with verjuice. It tastes just wonderful.

On the sweet side this week I made a Dutch Stroopwafel cake. I have never heard of this cake before. BUT thanks to Aldi and a recent 'Dutch Week' I just couldn't resist. They had a cake mix plus the wafers to go in it. You make the cake batter and fold through pieces of the wafer. Then sprinkle pieces of wafer on top.

Step 1

These wafers are great

Lovely crunchy top

I also managed an arrangement with 'found' flowers this week.