End of winter post

Whilst I haven't been inspired to write for the past couple of months, I have been cooking (as usual) and taking the odd photo. I fell out of the pattern of regularly blogging when I had a bad bout of flu that returned, so it was a double wammy. It is still amazing to me how we can learn a habit and or quickly fall out of it if we are distracted by events or illness or life gets in the way.

I have been visiting the Op shops but have not found any treasures in the past 2 months. I did find a glass dish that I had seen originally in bed Bath and Table for about $10.

The dish cost me $1. It is next to the glass dome that I found on the side of the road earlier this year. The shells look good in this.

I can smell this as I write

I made Osso Buco again - it is just not winter if I haven't made this at least once. I make it from my original recipe from the 70's

Good old Supercook book

This series of books has been my cooking bible since 1974

I use more modern recipes now but for the original recipe and the history of a dish this is invaluable.

Pork and fennel meatballs

I finally made Ribollitta. An Italian peasant dish that is actually a vegetable soup with kale and the meatballs.

Delicious magazine

So easy to cook

I have made it 3 times now - it was so popular. Everything in it is good for you. Even the actual cooking - so soothing for the soul

With crunchy sourdough croutons and cheese

Pea and ham soup for the freezer

Lovely leaves from my neighbour's garden

I love the colours

I have been doing a lot of gardening. Nothing fancy, just trying to keep alive the things I have. more info in the next post.

Old School Date Roll

My friend and neighbour C makes an excellent date roll in a very old date roll tin. As I was dropping off some bits and pieces at the local Anglican Church Op shop, I noticed a date roll tin in the box of baking items. By the way the best place to buy used cake tins of old fashioned shapes - and cheap. My date roll tin cost $1.

Bargain of the week

Then I had to borrow C old handwritten cook book for the recipe.

Place in a bowl: 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup of chopped dates and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Then pour over 1 cup of boiling water until all combined.
Sift in 1 1/2 cups of SR flour and beat well. I added half a cup of chopped walnuts. Place in very well greased tin and bake in moderate oven for 50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer come out dry.

I can't see why this cannot be made in a normal loaf tin.

It worked

Great for morning tea

Not forgetting the butter

More cooking for pleasure

My friends R and S spent last weekend working moving their book shop to another location. I volunteered to make sunday night dinner as I knew that they would be exhausted.

I arrived just after the dogs had been walked and they had both had a good hot soak in the tub. Ready to eat.

I made celeriac remoulade to start.

This doesn't look good to start with

But when grated, plunged in boiling salted lemon water for 2 minutes and then mixed with mayonaise flavoured with mustard, parsley, red wine vinegar and a polish dill pickle it is wonderful.

Lots of grating, plunge in boiling water and then dry

Left overs made a lovely lunch

Lasagne is always a favourite and can be prepared way ahead.

Ultimate comfort food-lasagne

R loves a dessert. I have never cooked with quinces before and they are always eager to try my new recipes.

Preparing the quinces

I was nervous making the syrup

Keeping the pieces whole while making a syrup

But it all turned out well

Excellent with yoghurt

I have also just made my orange syrup cake for a dinner tonight at my neighbour C's house. Her neighbours are off on another European jaunt for 2 months so we will be wishing them well with good food and wine - fun times ahead.

Again served with yoghurt

Autumn mornings

The sun has been shining and the skies are so blue. I have been having breakfast on the back patio to sit in the early sun. Not something that we can do here in Brisbane most of the year - it is just too hot.

I made my breakfast and went back inside to get a napkin and something to read and found this bird trying to eat my food.

Not at all concerned when I caught him out

He just sat and stared at me and when I sat down just moved a little.

Moved to the chair to wait for snacks

The cats were too busy sun baking to worry about a bird on the table.

Two cats on a mat

The start of minestrone

I used some left over speck, bacon rinds and end of the leg of ham from Christmas. Grand daughter G had to cut the end off the ham bone so that it would fit in the oven.

Such a lovely lunch

I stir a big spoonful of pesto through the soup and top with parmesan.

My flowers are lasting well because of the cooler weather.

Cheap and cheerful

I cooked pickled pigs trotters this week, and made them into a brawn. I remember pigs trotters from my childhood. I just love them.

Lovely with a polish dill pickle

My next food experiment is with quinces.

New Recipes and a Sunday lunch

The cooler weather really inspires me to try new recipes.

I decided to try pork rilettes. A very french peasant dish I imagine was devised to use up the fat belly pork. It is cut into small pieces and popped in the oven for 3 hours with garlic, bay leaf and a big sprig of thyme, plus half a cup of water.

All cut up

Then blended together and then traditionally put in bottles and bought out to be served with hot toast and cornichons.

Served like this

A good pot full

My sons call this the 'pate pot'. We always used this for chicken liver pate their favourite snack. The recipe was a perfect fit for the 'pot'.

Bendigo Pottery

This was purchased from the pottery direct in the early 1980's.
We had the rilettes for lunch when son M and daughter in law C visited. I also made a 'salt cake'.

This has feta and yoghurt in it

A savoury cake that I have wanted to make for a couple of years.

Served with tomatoes

This was very popular.

We also had salad

Neighbour's flowers cheered up the kitchen 

Dreaming of colder weather

We are having unseasonal warm weather this April. I am seriously over the heat. I want to be able to walk without getting hot and sticky and to eat comfort food.

I have been making lasagne lately with ricotta cheese as the topping instead of béchamel sauce. So much easier and less calories.

A family favourite

Last weekend I went to my friend C's house for dinner and took potato salad. I do mine with lightly fried bacon and red onion, then polish dill pickles and hard boiled eggs tossed through with the mayo.

I make small amounts - otherwise I eat too much of this

For a very short time the creeper on C's back deck produced these wonderful flowers.

So pretty

Last June I got the family together - not an easy exercise with crazy work schedules - for a Sunday lunch. It had to be early and filling as 3 members were going straight to work.

So inviting in the morning light

I made croque madame as well as roasted tomatoes and tiny sausages. I prepared the croque the night before and it worked wonderfully well.

Hot and crunchy

It will be time soon to start planning another family breakfast/lunch/dinner. I must start thinking of ideas. Maybe even a picnic.

A bargain buy

I rarely buy flowers, especially in the summer as they do not last. I couldn't resist these though as they were a bargain and looked so cheery.

Sunroom at night

I love sitting here in the early evening and having a glass of wine. This really is my favourite room. It is so relaxing. One side is screened but open to the elements. In the summer it is cool in the mornings and in winter it is cosy in the afternoon and early evening with the heat of the sun.
When I fist saw the tiles on the floor I was horrified - so 1970's mission brown. But of course when I really thought about how the room could be used (and lived in the house for a year) It started to come together.

Now I love them

The whole feel of the room is wonderful. With rugs, potted plants and the fish pond it is a wonderful introduction to the house.

Fish tank and plants

Food for Family and Friends

One of the things I enjoy most in life is cooking for Family and Friends. Even though I do cook my favourites again and again more often than not I am trying something new.
I just love trying new recipes, especially when they are a success.

Son M gave me 2 cook books for Christmas 2012 - I have so many that but can't resist reading a new one - food porn.

Old school but good

I found a couple of things in here that I wanted to try. I made the Summer desert for a family dinner and then made it again yesterday as my contribution to a regular dinner at friend D's last night. the first time I made it everyone had seconds, last night friend R had 3 helpings - a success I would say.

Has to be good with this at the start

All soaked

Ready for the top

The topping is sour cream and fresh cream

Fabulous

2 cups of walnuts

I also made the Greek Walnut cake a second time in 2 weeks for lunch at Palm Beach when niece L and her son visited.

Delicious with Greek yoghurt

ANZAC biscuits - tradition

Friend C bought a box full of red capsicum for $2 so I was given half. Wonderful to roast and store to add to Autumn dishes.

Wonderful smell

I am baby sitting some plants while sister J is staying at Palm Beach. I thought that I may as well incorporate them into my life while I have them.

At home by my back door