Been a bit of a rough patch foodwise.....

........shared a nice take-away meal from Chilli Charlies in Buderim with the Support Team, we collected the goodies and whizzed them down the hill, phoned ahead so all was ready, plopped the containers onto the table and plopped ourselves down to enjoy. Didn't take a pic 'cause a bunch of take-away containers really don't look at all that inspiring, but the food was really nice, lovely and fresh with clear flavours.

Tuesday nights dinner, beef and mushroom stroganoff with parsley fettucini was from a "Slimmers" cookbook, thought one could stand to loose a kilo or ton or so, now I remember why I have barely ever used this book, should have been flavour packed but really was quite flat. The Darling was not impressed.


Dinner last night was more of a success, after spending the whole day out zoomed into the butchers and picked up some of these pre-assembled chicken sticks, they wern't too bad, cooked them fast in my new cast iron pan, nice browning on the surface and still moist and juicy inside. I stir-fried a collection of vegetables with honey, soy, & chilli in the wok, served it all with steamed rice and called it done. So much more successful than the previous nights dinner and still low fat.

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

was the choice for dinner last night, crumbed fillet, mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, sno peas and baby peas.
The mushroom sauce was just a little different to the usual one, added just a little bacon.

Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Sauce
Slice half a brown onion finely, put into a small saucepan with a little oil, and saute until transparent, meanwhile finely dice 1 bacon rasher, with as much fat removed as possible, add to saucepan, slice about 100grams of mushrooms, add to saucepan and continue to cook until softened.
Sprinkle 1 dessertspoon plain flour over the mushrooms and stir, add half a can of evaporated skim milk and stir until thickened, add more milk or some stock if sauce is too thick.

No mention of Tuesdays dinner you will note, it was supposed to be a shepherds pie, but instead was yuck, complete disaster. Moral to this story, don't try to cook when not well. Just pan fry something and hope a lot.

I'm pooped.........

the youngest is on a health kick, came around this arvo to cook portion controlled mini meals for the next 2 days, he is to have 6 mini meals a day.
We did broccoli frittata, broccoli soup, tuna and vegetable casserole and then the lamb roast for dinner. It was all go there for a bit.

And what the heck is this broccoli thing?......I couldn't get broccoli onto his plate when he was a kid.........sheesh..........

He researched the recipes and couldn't find one for broccoli soup, so when his back was turned I slapped a soup together, thinking this will not suit at all, he loved it!!..........I'm gobsmacked. In fact I'm was so gobsmacked I forgot to get a pic of anything. Well actually I did remember when I was putting the soup into jars, but green runny stuff? umm.......no ta.

Anyway in case there is someone else out there interested in Broccoli soup this is how I did it.

chop 1 large brown onion
finely chop 2-3 cloves garlic
chop 1 medium sized head of broccoli, including the entire stalk
finely slice 5-6 basil leaves
sweat the onion, garlic and broccoli stalks in olive oil until beginning to soften, add the sliced basil and the chopped head of the broccoli and cook until the broccoli turns a brighter green.
Pour in about a liter of good chicken stock, simmer until the broccoli is really soft. If it looks like the fluid is getting a bit sparse add more, either stock or water. Puree. I used one of those stick blender things straight into the saucepan, adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
The idea is to have a free flowing but not watery soup.
As I said, he loved it.
I'm mystified.

Cold & windy day........

..felt like some nice comforting soup for dinner, it was such an awful day out plus still recovering from yesterday, we didn't get too active, spent most of the day inside, so made a bacon, tomato and vegetable soup for dinner, sprinkled some ground Parmesan over and made garlic, onion & Parmesan croutons.
Tomato Vegetable & Bacon Soup
The soup was simply made, trim the fat from a couple of bacon rashers and dice, transfer to a saucepan and cook till crisp, add any selection of vegetables you have around, I used sweet potato, carrot, beans onion, garlic, broccoli stems, and corn off the cob, sweat till starting to soften, add a 410gram can of crushed tomatoes, some fresh basil leaves and chopped parsley and two cans of stock or water. Simmer until veg is soft, serve with croutons or toast with some freshly ground parmesan sprinkled on top of the soup.

Whew, what a day........

phone call from the Grandies just after 8a.m., could you come and pick us up?, It was a beautiful warm sunny day, almost summerish, so we packed a lot in, took them home at 4.30 so we were all exhausted.
On one of our excursions I saw this lettuceso decided that as a salute to the end of summer a salad was the only thing to have for dinner.
layered some leaves and topped it with a greek style salad and chunked cold chicken, sprinkled grated parmesan over and served it with a rissoni pasta salad and some parmesan croutons


Rissoni Salad
To make the rissoni salad, bring medium saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil, add a 1/4 cup of rissoni and cook until al dente, approx 10 mins. Meanwhile finely chop about 1 tablespoon of parsley, 3-4 leaves of basil, 1 tablespoon of very finely minced red capsicum, 1 tablespoon of finely chopped black olives, add to a screw top jar with 1 dessertspoon balsamic vinegar and 1 dessertspoon olive oil, shake and pour over drained rissoni, Toast 1 tablespoon of pine nuts and sprinkle over top

Lovely Surprise..........

.........our youngest came for dinner last night, he was in town and popped in to say Hi and stayed to munch, (mind you, he only lives half an hour away), luckily I had one of his fav's lined up for dinner, lamb cutlets, did them with a crisped bacon rasher, garlic mashed potatoes, baby green peas, and corn on the cob with the Darlings favourite mint jelly.

The potatoes were neither a good variety, nor quality, having been bought at the supermarket.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
They were turned into reasonable mashed potatoes by steaming 2 large potatoes, cut into quarters, with a sprinkling of sea salt flakes over them. While they were steaming I pulverised to a cream a large clove of garlic in the mortar. Heated a 1/4 cup milk to scalding in a saucepan, added the cooked potatoes and the creamy garlic and using a whisk, mashed till fluffy, when plated, put a good dob of butter on top, a little more than half a teaspoon each......very naughty but yummy.

The bacon was crisped in the heavy baking dish on top of the stove, when almost done, pushed to the other end of the baker, wiped up the excess fat with paper towel, added the cutlets and did them on top of the oven, being singles and therefore thin they only took a couple of minutes, plated the meal and deglazed the pan with a little stock and spooned it over the cutlets.

Thursday Dinner.

Porterhouse steak for dinner, simple and easy, served it with pumpkin in sage butter, steamed potatoes with a cheesey topping, steamed beans and an onion & mushroom sauce.

I use a heavy non-stick baking dish to finish everything off at the one time in the oven, this is how it all came together.

Steam 2 small potatoes

In a small saucepan, caramelise ( 1 small, finely sliced onion) in 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter, finely slice 6 small mushrooms, add to pan and when softened, sprinkle in a little plain flour , just enough to take up the oil and butter, (about a dessertspoon), stir and cook until flour is starting to colour a little, add just enough water to make a very thick beginning of a sauce, you will be adding the pan juices later to finish the sauce. Remove from stove and keep warm.

Cube a scant cup of Butternut Pumpkin and add to the almost done potatoes, the pumpkin will not take long to soften.

Place a heavy baking dish on the stove top and heat to moderate. Turn oven on to high, about 220 deg C.

Cheesy Topping for Potatoes
Finely dice 1 Tablespoon of each Red and Green capsicum with spanish onion. Add to baking dish with 1 teaspoon oil, soften and remove from baking dish.

While capsicum is cooking, remove pumpkin cubes and potatoes from steamer, put beans into steamer on low heat.


Melt 1 teaspoon butter, at one end of the baking dish, add 4-6 sliced fresh sage leaves , add steamed pumpkin cubes and toss to coat with the butter.

Increase the heat under the other end of the baking dish, by placing the end directly over high heat.
Add the two Porterhouse steaks to the baking dish to brown.

Halve the potatoes, and spoon the capsicum and onion mix onto the cut surface, place cheese slices (used Grana Padano but I think a softer melting cheese or even a brie would be nicer) over the capsicum and put potatoes into the baking dish.

Quickly toss the pumpkin cubes, to brown the other sides

Turn the steaks, salt the browned side and pop the baking dish into the oven for 4-7 mins, depending on how well done you like your steaks - ours was 5 mins.

Re-heat the beginning of the mushroom sauce,

Plate the meal onto warm plates, use a little water from the bottom of the steamer to deglaze the baking dish, pour the pan juices into the mushroom sauce, stir over heat to finish the mushroom sauce.
By this time you deserve a nice glass of something to go with your dinner.............enjoy!

Catch up .........

Mondays dinner was a non event after the big steak lunch.

Tuesdays dinner was rather nice, pork fillet thinly sliced, pan browned and then into a creamy mushroom sauce and simmered just long enough to meld the flavours and finish cooking the pork, served with creamy mashed potatoes, a dish of corn cut from the cob and sweated down with spanish onion and finely diced red capsicum with just a tiny dash of honey and steamed beans with a sprinkling of crisped bacon pieces.
Sadly no piccy.

Tonights dinner was crumbed chicken fillet topped by a tomato and basil pan sauce with fetta cheese crumbled over, potatoe wedges that were steamed and then pan crisped, lovely fluffy inside and crispy outside and steamed beans.
After a day spent at the Cottage, something simple was the only way to go, and I had to have a 15 min "nanna nap" to get the energy to do that, gee having fun with friends is just exhausting.

Monday Lunch

We went off to our local pub for a steak lunch, they do a great steak, some of the other dishes leave a lot to be desired, the use of part prepared food and the microwave have a bit to answer for.
This is the entry, very imposing, the glass wall at the end look down over our coastal views.


The view to the right, out towards Caloundra.

and the View out to the left, to the ocean and Kawana, Mooloolaba is further around to the left but the supermarket blocks that View.

Mothers Day, what a fabulous day.........

started with Morning Tea, courtesy of Support Team and Grandies, They bought a lovely spread, We had sausage rolls, a fav of the Grandies, a tray of pastries, cut into little nibble pieces, 3 cheeses, sliced watermelon and grapes.



















There was much building of towers with glass blocks, blocks seem to be the pass time of the moment.















They then went off to Lunch and a trip to the beach, while Eldest Son and New Bride came for Lunch, The Darling did a barbeque, Our Youngest, who worked Mothers Day Lunch at the Restaurant, arrived for a late lunch.

We were all lolling around the lounge when Support Team re-appeared and we fired up the B.B.Q. for another go. Wonderful Day.

Thursday, Not a good food day......

..bad attack of the "who me"?'s, didn't seem to be able to get my act together, so just for a change we ordered takeaway pizza from our local pizzeria, fresh made and delivered, not too bad, rather enjoyable, fed the four footed fluffy beings while we awaited the delivery, the delivery chap made it to the door and not a bark to be heard, he thought something was wrong.. yep, he's been here before.......the Shitzu in particular, being as blind as a bat, flew out barking like he wanted to separate something from someone, looked around at the delivery guy, jumped up for a pat and then went on barking into the darkness, with occasional runs back to be friendly and get another pat. The Pizza is most reasonably priced but the tip kills.
Then of course tonight is Friday night, take it easy night, oh yes it is, so did one of the Darlings fav "t.v. dinner in a bowl" dishes, the Wilted rocket, Prosciutto & balsamic pasta dish that we both love.
Had better get organised for Sunday, Darling has invited all our sons for a "Barbie Lunch". They are to bring the whatever's but has anyone decided what whatever? could all bring lettuce leaves..........now wouldn't that be a laugh.

Roast Lamb Dinner

Our youngest son came for dinner last night so did his favourite, well one of them, a Lamb Roast with all the trimmings, I rubbed the lamb with a variety of garlic that has really large sweet cloves, it is locally grown but more information than that I haven't been able to get as yet, then drizzled some lemon juice and olive oil over, roasted on a rack above water. All the root vegetables got the 'steam first, roll in pan drippings treatment' described in earlier posts.
We had baby onions, pumpkin, 2 varieties of potatoes , Ruby Lou and Dutch Cream and carrots with steamed beans and asparagus spears and of course peas and mint jelly. Did up two extra plates for him to take home. He left happy. Somehow or other forgot the piccies. Duh!!

Put some Pork on your Fork.......

....an advertising catch cry from quite a number of years ago, too many to mention really, but for some reason it has come back to me. Tonight's pork dinner had a Mediterranean influence, lots of garlic, lemon and olive oil. The Darling isn't a fan of citrus in his food and although I halved the lemon the dish wasn't a huge success, I on the other hand loved the melding of flavours.
This is what I did and the ingredients I used:
Chats for 2, steamed and then quartered,
Into a bowl, put a crushed clove of garlic, 1/2 chilli, cleaned and finely diced or use some chilli jam, ( 1 teaspoon - scant) 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, swish around and add the quarterd chats, put on an oven tray and sprinkle with sea salt, place into a 220 deg C oven for 10 - 15 mins to brown and crisp a little.
Slice a pork fillet diagonally into mid thick slices, not too thin.
put 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves, 1 tablespoon olive oil and some cracked black pepper into another bowl, add the pork and really squish around, coating pork slices with the mix, leave to sit for a few mins.
Steam 2 serves of green beans.
Heat oiled non-stick pan, add pork slices and brown quickly, turn and brown other side, do not overcrowd the pan or pork will just stew in its own juice........not good. Do this in batches if you only have a small pan.
Remove pork to platter to rest a little, pour stock, about 1/2 cup into pan to de-glaze, stir quickly to lift all pan brownings, for a sauce, lower heat or turn off completely.
Layer potatoes, then steamed beans, then pork slices over beans, pour sauce from pan over pork. Serve with any other vegetables of choice, I pan fried button squash, zucchini and tiny tomato halves in the remains of the garlic oil from the potatoes.
Serve with cracked black pepper and a glass of something nice, we had a merlot, perhaps a little heavy but still most enjoyable.

Dangerous practice........

to drag a woman away from a passionate pass time, spent the day quilting, really achieved, made a mystery quilt, designed a border and half assembled it for another quilt, also worked out it's quilting design, so come dinner, and it was late, the dogs were all in with me nudging legs and just plain begging. I gave up, fed them and made a beef curry thingie for us, tasted really great, the darling was most appreciative ( perhaps just plain relieved) but couldn't tell you how I did it except, browned beef cubes, with onion, the Green Curry paste from
.........as used in a previous post, vegies that were on hand and a can of coconut milk, sometimes the Gods smile on culinary adventures, misadventures?

Then last night after a day of visitors, lunches and just generally face stuffing we didn't really have dinner. Am I seeing a trend here?, big lunches no dinner.

Swimming in Gravy,

When the call came yesterday re: the chinese takeaway, I was half way through braised steak and onions, so tonight a real easy dinner, added some carrots and peas, dried of course, to the steak and gravy and did some mashed potatoes, flavour was great, pics leave a bit to be desired though, we weren't exactly hungry for dinner and this is part of the reason why
Our fav restaurateurs recently sold their restaurant, he has the same heart valve problem that my Darling HAD, surgery is in a couple of weeks, so we were invited around for arvo tea, O.M.G., heaven on a stick doesn't come close, we had this divine lemon tart, home cooked biscuits, baklava, jellies for the kids, theirs, not ours and halved home grown passion fruit, what bliss, and we got to take some lemon tart home for after our humble little dinner. Oh B.T.W she is the dessert chef, they are a wonderful young family, the kiddies have lovely manners, the little daughter, folded, with great care and attention to detail, the napkins for our arvo tea, a real little princess, their son was playing "guitar hero on wee" opps could that be WII? whatever, he came upstairs stood a few mins and then turned to leave, what are you doing asks Dad, "oh just came up to check how loud the music is" how good is that?

Call from D.I.L.............

Home made Pizza is off..........Hubby too tired (not to mention stressed).........Chinese Take-away is all the go, did we want to be involved? well who is going to pass up the chance to meet with Grandies and Support Team? so D.I.L. made the calls, we were given the pick up time and place, then duly presented ourselves at their front door, yummies in hand, well the Darling had yummies in hand, I had two arms full of Grandies.
There were so many dishes, so much to choose from, but this was my selection.
Clockwise from top left corner, lemon chicken, steamed rice (just in case you couldn't recognise it) beef in black bean sauce, sichuan lamb and in the center chicken satay.
After dinner we all settled down to watch one of Grandads Movies, little 3 min segments of life..........we all had the best time, little 3 min segments seem to be the best way to present tiny peeks back in time to when our boys were little, lots of comments, lots of laughs, lots of drawing comparisons between the young version of Dad and the Sons. A lovely night, finished off by a story in bed. Precious times.

Looking for something

..........a little different for dinner, the Stephanie Alexander book fell open at "wrinkled salty potatoes" well how apt, so gave them a go, she suggests a couple of sauces to go with the potatoes, one being aioli, o.k., I love her aioli, another plus. so tonight we had pan fried lamb cutlets, wrinkled potatoes using kipfler potatoes, the favourite peas on a bed of sno peas, steamed carrots and of course the aioli

The wrinkled salty potatoes are waxy potatoes cooked in a salt brine, 1 part salt to 4 parts water, when cooked drain off brine and put the pan of potatoes over a low flame to steam off the excess water and dry off the potato skins, they will then be covered with a film of dry salt. Needless to say you probably won't want too much salt on anything else on the plate. ;)

The Aioli is not so easy to make as a 1 off serving for 2, but this is what I did...
peeled and rough choped 4 juicy cloves garlic, popped into mortar with a good pinch of salt.
pounded and ground the garlic into a sloppy smooth paste - - gotta be sloppy - - gotta be smooth, add 1 egg yolk, and really work that sucker into the garlic,
Add olive oil, few drops at a time, I use about 1/2 to 3/4 cups, just keep adding until it is a lovely thick mayonnaise, the amount of oil will depend on the freshness and size of the yolk., when a thick glopping consistency, (thicker than dropping consistence.) squeeze in about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and make sure its really mixed in well. This is best made a bit before hand and left to mellow, can be a bit hot otherwise.