Cherrylicious cherries

Put the rosy-hue back in your cheeks with some Cherrylicious recipes this month. Bursting with flavour, cherries are a quick & healthy snack any hour of the day. The kids will love finding these hidden in their school lunch box for a cheeky cherry treat.

The most popular variant; sweet cherries are used universally in cooking and baking alongside their in ‘vogue’ sister the sour cherry. Sour cherries are a superior choice when making Cherry jam due to their high pectin levels, which make for a better set jam.

Cherries are a perfect accompaniment to cheese platters, great in a sauce, served with pork or as a super-sweet Cherry cheesecake.

Fresh cherries found in roadside stalls are a delicacy and a ‘dime a dozen’ if you come across one; freshly picked straight from the tree there is no sweeter way to eat these tiny, fleshy sweet bursts of flavour.

If fresh are unavailable due to seasonality, frozen pitted cherries or canned in syrup are a perfect alternative all year round. A low-budget alternative to when cherries are out of season.

A known healthy snack, cherries are a great source of Vitamin C and Potassium. Cherries are the new red hot super food, higher in antioxidants than many other known ‘super-food’ fruits (blueberries and strawberries).

Get your cherry a day and enjoy the delicious variety of recipes you can create with this wondrous fruit!

Poached cherries

1/2 orange, grated

200 ml red wine (Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon)

1/2 stick of cinnamon

1 clove

1 teaspoon caster sugar, plus extra to taste

200g frozen black sour cherries, defrosted

Place all ingredients into the como advanced 2L saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced and sugar has melted.
For a low-fat dessert in minutes, serve Poached cherries with this deliciously sweet baked ricotta.

love amie x

Vealicious Veal

Veal the baby of the meat family or otherwise known as ‘young beef or bobby beef’ has a more delicate flavour and rose-like appearance compared to beef.

Its low-fat quality, makes this meat vulnerable to overcooking in the pan so take care when cooking, otherwise it will taste like a rubber boot!

A simple coating of flour, egg and fresh breadcrumbs to veal schnitzels makes a classic and easy meal in minutes.

Or if the budget has been bruised post-Christmas then try this Veal, pork & chicken terrine, wrapped in bacon or prosciutto this low cost dinner is a real winner in the next day sandwiches too.

For a vealicious dinner-party pleasure, try Poaching veal in stock and serve it with a light and zesty salsa verde sauce.

The wonderfully long and hot summery nights don't seem to be relaxing anytime soon!

But if you feel like tickling your taste buds with a wintry classic, then you must try a slow cooked, melt in your mouth delicacy when the Hot sultry weather does cease. A dish I seldom tire of throughout winter is veal ragout; a rich and full flavored Italian pasta delight. A must try feast in anyone’s repertoire.

For summer meals pair your luscious veal with a light butter & sage sauce, some lovely lemons, perhaps pasta, tomatoes, white wine, capers or olives!

Good quality veal is hard to find so do some research and talk to your butcher about where you can find ‘milk fed’ veal, which is of a superior flavour and texture.
Enough of the spiel on veal I am hooked! Happy cooking and enjoy this delicious and delicate meat.

Veal, pork & chicken terrine

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Makes: 2 meatloaves
Keeps: 3 days; covered & refrigerated, frozen for up to 1 month

The Ingredients
100g pistachios, shelled
¾ cup (90g) dried cranberries
500g veal mince
500g chicken mince
500g pork mince
4 rashers rind less bacon, chopped
Optional 10 rashers of rind less bacon, extra to enclose meatloaf

Lets have some fun
Preheat oven to 180ºC for 15 minutes.Place pistachios on baking tray lined with baking sheet; roast pistachios for 7 minutes.
Combine pistachios, cranberries, mince and bacon in a large bowl; mix well to combine.
Line each loaf pan with 5 rashers of streaky or thin strip bacon, overlapping slightly; divide the mince mixture evenly between the two loaf pans, pressing down firmly. Enclose meatloaf with excess bacon and place in oven.
Bake meatloaf for 45-50 minutes or until temperature reaches 70C when probe is inserted in the centre of terrine and bacon is crisp.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Drain excess liquid from loaf pans. Serve warm with Roasted Pear & Rocket Salad (http://www.chefstoolbox.com.au/

Tips
Replace pistachios with roasted walnuts
A great quick and easy gluten free meal
A fantastic picnic terrine to share amongst friends

love amie xo

One banana two banana’s, 3 bananas, 4 banana’s! Banana’s are an all round favourite food, comic skit (Banananman), and comedy (Banana Split’s) an oldie but by no means forgotten favourite! Easy to love this hearty and robust starchy fruit, provides a powerful energy hit mid-afternoon.
A delicious addition baked in these banana & double choc muffins or they team perfectly in a super-simple banana cake, serve in pancakes, porridge, ice-cream or try your hand at banana custard (a delicious dessert the kiddies will adore! I did :-)
Could you really live without the ‘best friend’ of all fruits, the humble banana?
Carried in school lunch boxes, handbags, man bags and even gym bags, this robust fruit is a best friend to all. It picks you up when you’re feeling down, is by your side through the good and the bad and can be super sweet even at its worst!
Nutritionally high in potassium and fiber so enjoy a banana a day! Sliced and added to cereal, toast or fruit salad either way makes a great start to the day!

Banana's love being paired with chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, cream, even cumin and curry spices!

Try these quick and easy Banana & double choc muffins anytime of the day...
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes for 12-cup & 12 minutes for 24 cup
Makes: 12 large or 48 mini

Keeps: Best served on day of making; wrap individually in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 3 months.

The Ingredients
2 cups (300g) Self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup (125g) sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ cup (40g) white chocolate, chopped
¼ cup (40g) dark chocolate, chopped
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup (250ml) milk
65g butter, melted

Lets have some fun
Preheat oven to 180ºC for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine; flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and half the chocolate. Add banana, egg, vanilla, milk & butter; stir gently until just combined.
Spoon muffin mixture evenly between the 12 cups of the Flexibake muffin & top each muffin with extra chocolate pieces.
Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Tips
Muffins don’t like to be over mixed, so as a rule of thumb only stir the mixture 15 times.

Enjoy experimenting with banana's & happy cooking,

love amie x

PASSIONS

What are your passions?

With Christmas just around the corner this time of year always makes me ponder even more (some could argue that this couldn't be possible!!!) the highs and lows of the last year.

Here is a tiny sneak....Of a few of mine!

What are your passions from 2008?
Is it music, politics (yuk!), food (yum!), sports, arts, religion???

I recently found a new cook book (something new!) called Table Tucker, Penina Petersen.

http://118.127.10.68/~earthhap/shoppingcart/index.php

I was inspired by this woman's refreshing take on a cook book. Every day it seems we are inundated with new cookbooks, springing up from out of nowhere.

This book makes getting organised look like FUN! Perfect for busy people who like to be organised. Featuring tips on shopping, budgeting along with beautiful writing by Penina.

Take a look and see what you think.

I love that 'Table Tucker is like having your mum in your back pocket!'

love amie x

what i love xox

Golden Syrup Dumplings or have you tried Jamlings!

A sweet surprise and a true Nana favourite, Golden syrup dumpling's are as easy as 1, 2, and 3. A budget-friendly dessert the whole family will adore time after time.

This dessert favourite is something I never tire of or mess with, until my friend suggested I try Jamling's!!!

'Jamling's, I retorted.'
'What are Jamling's?'

Curious but not overly impressed by the idea I decided to try this recipe before I could form a complete judgement on the Jamling!

The verdict is still out on this one, sorry mate!
I still prefer the un-adulterated version of the Golden syrup dumpling's best, served with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice-cream, YUM!

Golden Syrup Dumplings or Jamlings (see TIP)!

It will take you: 10 minutes, preparation
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4-6 people

The Ingredients
1 cup (155g) self-raising flour
60g butter, cubed
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
Pure cream or ice-cream to serve

Syrup
30g butter
1 cup (220g) caster sugar or brown sugar
4 tablespoon golden syrup

Let’s have some fun
Add flour to a medium bowl; rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and milk into flour mixture. Combine to form dough, then divide dough evenly into small balls.
To make the syrup, combine the ingredients together with 1 cup of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Carefully add dough balls to syrup and boil for 20 minutes. Serve with syrup, cream & ice cream.

Tips
For Jamling's and an added sweet burst of flavour try these Golden syrup jamling's – Make a small hole with your finger in the center of each dumpling, add ½ teaspoon of your favourite jam to each dumpling, smooth over. Cook as directed.
To balance the sweetness you can add a little lemon juice or zest to the syrup.

Enjoy the beautiful sweet aromas of this yummy dessert whilst its cooking. Just be careful, once the neighbours catch a sneaky whiff of the toffee and caramel like smells they will be hard to restrain!

Enjoy.

love amie x

Eating Pizza Out vs In, which is better?

This week has re-kindled my thirst for a good quality pizza; A crisp base with deliciously inviting toppings are a must for my choice of pizza. What is yours?

After dining at Hugo's in Manly and devouring the most magnificent Asparagus, goats cheese, Parmesan, egg and truffle oil pizza, I was excited and slightly obsessed yet again about this deliciously simple tasting meal and so too was my dinner date!

Perhaps it was the company, the wine or maybe that fact that we were sitting on the edge of the water, watching the sun whispering its good nights across Sydney harbour, whilst the last lazy ferries sailed their final voyage.

Whatever the reason my love of pizza has grown again, much to my swim wears disgust coming into the hot summer season. A pizza obsession is just not on the cards!

So last night's dining was pizza, an Aristo's (surprise chef) special...

A throw together (whatever ingredients were in the fridge) pizza, ours was Mexican-style with avocado, tomatoes, cheese's (Tasty and Parmesan), field mushrooms and a secret sauce recipe, was just the ticket for a budget-friendly and relaxed mid-week meal.

Try this super-easy & kid-friendly chocolate and banana mini pizza recipe, the perfect sweet treat for any birthday or entertaining occasion.

The Ingredients
Dough
1 cup (155g) Self raising flour
1 cup (155g) Plain Flour
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup lukewarm water

Topping
240g Hazelnut spread (Nutella)
3 Banana’s, sliced
200g fresh Ricotta
Walnuts, roasted, optional to serve

Lets have some fun

Preheat oven to 220ºC for 15 minutes. Place the Baking Stone into the oven.

In a medium bowl combine; flours, salt, yeast, honey and water. Knead dough for 3 minutes or until smooth.

Divide dough evenly into 6 portions. Roll dough using rolling pin or press out with the tips of your fingers, until the base is about 1cm thick.
Spread each pizza base evenly with hazelnut spread, top with banana and ricotta.
Place mini pizza's on the Baking Stone. Bake for 15 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve with ice-cream.

Tips
Add a sprinkling of strawberries, fresh berries or slivers of sliced pear with some grated dark chocolate.

love amie x

P.S Let me know your BEST pizza eating experience!

Tiny tropical treats

A mango obsession...

Dear reader, last night I re-visited an old but cherished friend…..

The magnificent mango, it should be crowned a golden saint or at the very least a shining goddess. It’s the ‘bee’s knees’ of all the fruits & the most exciting fruit I look forward to eating each season with child-like anticipation.


A true tropical fruit with more friends than foe; this deliciously sweet and juicy fruit comes in yellow, green or red hues and is arguably one of the most favored fruits around. Mango Teams superbly with simply grilled fish in a Mango Salsa, or salad; then finish with this tiny tropical treat; Mango and Kiwifruit Cheesecake Tartlets.

Best eaten freshly sliced; cut the cheeks then score the flesh in a cross-hatched pattern and turn inside out. The juicy and sweet texture is at its most vulnerable in this way. Just make sure you have a serviette handy to sop up all the sweet juices.

Use mangoes in curries, salsa’s, salads or sliced and grilled on the BBQ with a touch of honey and a sprinkling of chopped pistachios; it’s a simply sensational crowd-pleasing dessert.

If fresh are unavailable canned, mango cheeks in syrup are a good substitute; pureed and stirred through ice-cream or served atop Pavlova’s and trifle.










A moreish must this summer! Try something super special over the break and delight your friends and family with these Tiny tropical cheesecakes!
Ingredients
150g wheat biscuits (Granita or Digestive)
70g butter, melted
2 teaspoons lime zest, finely grated
1-2 tablespoons gelatine
2 tablespoons water
250g cream cheese, softened
1 x 395g can condensed milk
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1 mango, peeled and sliced
3 passion fruit
6 mint leaves, finely chopped

Lets have some fun
Process biscuits until they resemble fine bread crumbs. Add butter and blitz for 10 seconds.
Divide mixture evenly between 12 Tartlets, pressing down firmly into the base and sides with finger tips. Place on tray and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Pour water in a cup and sprinkle with gelatine. Stand the cup in a small saucepan of gently simmering water; stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Remove the cup from the water and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Place the cream cheese, condensed milk and lime juice into the bowl of the food processor and blitz until combined (approximately 10 seconds). Add gelatine mixture and blitz for 2 seconds. Pour into firm biscuit bases. Refrigerate until set (4 hours or overnight).
Decorate with kiwifruit, mango slices and mint. Drizzle with passion fruit.


love amie x

Christmas made easy with some essential kitchen tools.

Here are a few simple tools to help guarantee a sensational (and stress-free) Christmas this year.

- como advancedTM Square Roaster; a heavy-duty roasting pan is essential for every Christmas day, whether its for a chicken, ham or turkey. This durable pan will suit any occasion and cooks meat evenly every time.

- Digital Timer/ Thermometer Fitted with a clock and timer and also a handy probe to test your meat, which will be cooked to perfection every time.

- Electronic Scales Makes cooking and baking even more simpler; measure's in increments of 1g & up to a maximum weight of 5kg; comes with a handy conversion chart.

There is nothing I like more then things being simple; when I am cooking I need good quality ingredients but also product s to make the ingredients come to life.

Enjoy experimenting with some classic and new recipes this Christmas.

love amie x

Dairy Free Fruit Cake

If Christmas cake isn't your 'cup of tea', then you must try this dairy-free fruit cake; filled with deliciously moist dates & figs. A sprinkling of vibrant pistachio's and crunchy hazelnuts make this one Christmas recipe tradition you will want to keep.

Dairy-free fruit cake

Preparation: 10 minutes, Cooking: 55 minutes Serves:8-10

Ingredients

100g dried dates, roughly chopped

100g dried figs, roughly chopped

200g sultanas

100g pistachios, shelled

100g hazelnuts

Rind of 1 lemon or orange, finely chopped or grated

2/3 cup (100g) plain flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon cocoa

140g caster sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Lets have some fun

Preheat oven to 150ºC/300F for 15 minutes. Place dried fruits, nuts, and rind into a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, cocoa and sugar. Add eggs to fruit and nuts; mix until combined. Pour cake mixture into Flexibake Slice tray.

Bake for 55 minutes or until skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Serve topped with glace fruit.

Maybe just a sliver, as this is super-sweet on your tooth!

love amie x

mixing mince's

Last night we dined with an old but not forgotten favourite dish.

Who loves Spaghetti Bolognaise? If I'd been asked this question 10 years ago I would have scoffed and said,
'Please, not for dinner again tonight mum,'

Now fending for myself I have revisited this dish often and what a dish it can be. Make this recipe as versatile as you like without being cruel to your hip pocket.

Spaghetti Bolognaise is more Aussie now than the standard meat and three veg, we were once accustomed to eating as a youngster. Has the influence of other cultures, modernised family dinners?

When I was little, spaghetti bolognaise was a change from the norm but a regular fixture on my dinner table. Yes, it is cheap to make and perhaps its also the 'foolproof' simplicity of the recipe that makes this Aussie tradition an easy choice for dinner's.

Don't be scared to mix up your mince's and try using 2 or even 3 different mince meats to make your standard spaghetti Bolognaise mixture; beef, veal, pork or even chicken mince can 'lighten' a dull meal.

Enjoy experimenting as this is one recipe, which is 'foolproof'!!!

Amie x

Veal & Beef Spaghetti Bolognaise

1 teaspoon oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 rashers bacon, rind and fat removed, finely chopped
500g beef mince
500g veal mince
1 x 400g can tomatoes, crushed
200g tomato puree
1/2 cup stock; beef, vegetable
1/4 cup red wine
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
fresh pasta to serve

Heat saute pan over medium heat and add oil.
Add garlic and bacon; cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
Add mince meat and cook, stirring regularly for a further 10 minutes or until mince is browned. Add tomatoes, puree, stock, red wine, seasoning and oregano. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste.
Serve with fresh paparadelle pasta, top with grated Parmesan and parsley.

Tip:
Add a sprinking of chilli, to taste or if your a chilli addict, like some (Aimee) then the more the better!

Freeze any leftovers for up to 3 months.
Add left-over mince meat mixture to baked potatoes for a low fat and quick dinner.

summer lov'n xxx

Who remembers how good the vegetables used to taste freshly picked from grandpas’ bulging backyard vegetable patch?
I vividly still remember, the fresh taste of the first sweet peas of the season, which were found hiding in their little pods just busting to pop out and be enjoyed.
Local seasonal foods are tastier, fresher and more nutritious.Why? It’s because the produce has been harvested in the last few days and has only travelled a short distance to market. This means less packaging, processing and refrigeration. Helping to reduce your carbon footprint so it’s good for the environment (no flying in food from all corners of the planet) and for your health.
It’s now summer and the festive season can be felt amongst us all. There are so many new and exciting flavour’s to experiment with; Asparagus and avocado’s are divine this time of the year. Added to summery salads or just eaten alone with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of salt. Simple and satisfying!
Just like the many beautiful colours you see in a rainbow variety in your diet is the spice of life so think colourful when choosing your produce next; Apricots, Bananas, Berries (Raspberries, Strawberries), Beans and Capsicums are a great start to keeping up with what’s in season this month. In the spirit of Christmas and being ‘green’ in the kitchen this month choose fresh seasonal produce when shopping and help care for your body and the environment.

Love amie x

melbourne eats

Some time off can mean relaxation or for me it was time to investigate some new spots to eat out with friends and enjoy a little bit of socialising.....
A quick trip to Melbourne where I dined out down Brunswick St. Fitzroy. A quirky eclectic mix of eateries and eccentric shops line this busy little precinct. For those of you who know this strip well you will know that the new St. Judes Cellars, which is where we dined was originally the old Hide Out Cafe. A major renovation has rejuvenated this dated eatery into a chic warehouse-style wine bar with fabulous wine and food menus. The sommelier is extremely cheerful and knowledgeable. Even after my friend accidentally broke her wine glass!
If your heading down to Fitzroy then I suggest you pop in for some wine, giggles and a few plates of food to share. Try the lamb pots, but be careful the lamb doesnt melt off your fork before you eat it or the velvetly veal served alongside pearl barley and baby carrots. Enjoy St. Judes Cellars for a night out with friends or a special occasion with your loved one...
love amie x

Beautiful Berries

Berries, Berries and more Berries;

Small, sweet, juicy and brightly coloured luscious little gems explode with flavour at the beginning of spring. Some of the more common Berry varieties include strawberries, blueberries, mulberries, blackberries & who could forget the Charming Cherry.
I remember scurrying up mulberry trees, equipped with buckets and an eager appetite to seek out the plumpest and juiciest mulberries. Returning home blue toothed with a palette of mulberry bursts stretching from head to toe.
If you are lucky enough to grow your own berries, freshly picked from the tree or straight off the garden vine there’s no finer way to enjoy them.
If fresh are unavailable due to seasonality then frozen varieties are a great substitute in most baking, compotes and sweet sauce recipes.
Their small stature is no smudge on the nutritional benefits they offer. Fresh berries have recently been classified as a ‘super food’ high in antioxidants which help in reducing the risk of some cancers. So enjoy the bounty of berry season!
For a special touch to the family picnic this month try the Chefs Toolbox champagne berry jelly in the FlexibakeTM 1-cups.
The unique FlexibakeTM pans are easy to release after baking and perfect for any occasion
In preparation for Halloween this month check out http://www.chefstoolbox.com.au/ for some inspiring Berry recipes in readiness for the scary ghosts and villains who will soon be paying you a visit.

Stove Top Carrot Cake

This is a deliciously moist Carrot Cake with a cream cheese icing. A subtle twist on tradition is to cook this cake on the stove top using The Chefs Toolbox 2L saucepan. Enjoy experimenting & Happy baking, or cooking!
Ingredients
1 cup olive oil
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups firmly packed grated carrot (approximately 4 carrots)
1 cup walnuts
Icing: 250g cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar
Zest of 1 orange

The Fun
Place oil, sugar and eggs in a bowl. Whisk well to combine.
Stir in flour, bicarb soda, and cinnamon. Stir in walnuts and carrots. Mix well. Lightly dust the saucepan with plain flour, pour in cake mixture.
Place on stove top (heat setting 6) for 15-20 minutes or until the lid is HOT. Cook for a further 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Invert onto a cake cooling rack & allow to cool before icing.
Beat all icing ingredients together until combined. Spread over cake and serve.

Love amie x

Pear Tarte Tatin

The Classic French Dessert, Pear Tarte Tatin is much easier to make than it may appear... A one pan dessert, using only 4 ingredients.
It is so easy to make you will curse yourself for not trying this sumptuous dessert earlier.

Pear this fab little dessert with a smidgen of ice-cream or cream if you must just before summer rolls around!

We used Packham Pears for this recipe but most varieties can be substituted. Make sure whatever variety you choose they are firm to touch. This will ensure they hold their form when cooking. Giving the beautiful concentric shape once baked.
The beautiful caramelised flavour comes from the cooking process not the pears.

Love amie x

Gingerbread houses.....

Individual Mediterranean Vegetable Terrines

Mediterranean Vegetable Terrine

A great entertainment starter rolling into the spring months; make this recipe a day ahead and serve when guests arrive with a simple green salad and a sprinkling of fresh pesto.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Makes: 4-6 people
Keeps: Best served on day of making

The Ingredients
5-6 red capsicums, spilt in half length ways
1-2 medium eggplants, sliced length ways
3 medium zucchinis, sliced into 4 length ways
100mL olive oil
3 large red onions
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Teaspoon brown sugar
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
200g goat’s cheese, optional

The Fun
Grill peppers until skin blister and blackens, place in to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Heat Griddle Pan over medium heat, brush or spray eggplant and zucchini slices with oil on both sides. Cook vegetables for 3 minutes each side or until browned and softened. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining slices.
heat saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil & onions, cook for 5 minutes or until onions have softened but not brown. Add vinegar, sugar & tomato paste, reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring for 20 minutes or until jam consistency. Remove from heat, set aside to cool.
Remove skins from capsicums & line base and side of flexibake 1-cups with capsicum slices.
Cut vegetables to fit moulds, layer eggplant, onion jam, zucchini & goats cheese; repeat layers until all ingredients are finished.
Add goats cheese to the top layer & cover with slices of capsicum.
Cover terrine, weigh down and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Love amie x

Chocolate Sprinkle Cake

Just like mum used to make; Chocolate Sprinkle Cake was always my lunchbox treat. Tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and hidden amongst a soggy sanga, a piece of over-ripe fruit, & a salada with cheese and vegetmite!

Which one do you think I ate first?

This is such an easy recipe, in readiness for a sometimes treat the kids will love finding hidden in their lunch box.

Enjoy amie x

Moroccan Salmon w Salad & Lime Yoghurt

Salmon sizzles in my kitchen... A rich & tasty fishy fish, high in omega 3's, which helps keep your skin looking radiant!

Salmon is one of my favourite healthy mid week meals when I'm in a hurry, grilled with a little lemon, salt and pepper and served with salad or vegetables.

Last week Chris & I visited a new cafe close to work called Bitton. After perusing the menu and chatting to the owner (who ordered for us!!!)we walked out happy & laden with lots of goodies. A selection of Bitton sauces, jams and oils (Moroccan Spice Paste to name one) to sample. We felt lighter (literally) with a new found spring in our step and a smile on our face. Perhaps it was the convival European dining experience we experienced...

Mid week I put a little recipe testing into practise ...

Moroccan Salmon w Salad & Lime Yogurt

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2 people
Ingredients:
1 -2 pieces of salmon fillet
2 Tablespoons Moroccan Spice Paste (I used Bitton)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 Lebanese cucumber, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 avocado, peeled, chopped
5 mushrooms, chopped
1/2 bunch coriander, washed, roughly chopped
1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
juice of 1 lime
extra coriander to serve
salt and pepper to taste

The Fun
Coat Salmon with Moroccan Spice Paste & set aside.
Pre-heat Square Griddle Pan over a medium heat for a few minutes.
Sprinkle Salmon with a little oil and place skin side down onto Square Griddle Pan.

Cook for 5 minutes each side or until cooked to your preferred rareness...

Add salad ingredients to a medium bowl and toss to combine.

In a small bowl combine yoghurt with half the lime juice.
Place salad onto serving plates and top with cooked salmon.

Drizzle with extra lime juice, dollop of yoghurt and sprinkling of coriander.

Minis Tips

Replace Salmon with king green prawns, chicken thigh fillets or lamb fillets.

Love amie x

Low Fat Date & Apple Slice

With Summer just around the corner its time to lay off the tempting treats and look for some healthier low fat alternatives.

Low in fat but not in flavour the Low Fat Date and Apple Slice is a favourite within the TCT walls!

Hungry & greedy eyes lingered briefly over the bulging sweet plate in the tea room....Self restraint is hard to master at TCT especially when fresh baking smells make their way teasingly up the stairs, cheekily running through staff office's like a naughty child....

Maybe just another sliver!

love amie x

PEAR PEARfection

Is your life at times a little Topsy-Turvy with Ups & Downs?
Like life for many you can feel like a ‘busy little bee’ buzzing about & this cake’s name as my friend Brooke put it is not too dis-similar to how life can feel at times!
To turn an ‘Upside-down’ day into a PEARfect one try just a sliver or two of this divine dessert Upside-down Pear Cake.

Upside-down Pear Cake
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 8-10 peopleKeeps: Best eaten on day of making

The Ingredients
50g butter, melted
½ cup (125g) demarara/raw sugar
4 Pears, peeled, cored, quartered
1 ½ cups (225g) self-raising flour

pinch salt
1 cup (250g) brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (125mL) milk
175g butter, softened
2 Tablespoons golden syrup

The Fun
Preheat oven to 180ºC/160 C fan forced for 15 minutes. Lightly grease the sides of Flexibake with cooking oil spray
Pour melted butter over Flexibake base, sprinkle over raw sugar. Arrange pear quarters, cut side up, in the base of the Flexibake.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, brown sugar. Add egg, milk, butter and golden syrup & beat with whisk until mixture is smooth. Pour cake mixture evenly over Pears in the Flexibake.Bake for 45-50 minutes or until skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, invert cake onto a wire cake rack to cool completely.
Chefs Tips
Replace Pears with plums, apples, apricots or dried dates & prunes.

Love Amie x

Made in the Chefs Toolbox Flexibake Round Cake w Rack

Playing with Pears

Poached Pears with Red Wine

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes Serves: 4 people
Keeps: Best eaten on day of making

The Ingredients

1 cup (250g) caster sugar

2 cups (500mL) water
1 cup (250mL) red wine

4 cloves

1 vanilla bean

Juice of 1 lemon

4 Buerre Bosc pears, peeled, stems intact

The Fun

In a saucepan heat sugar & water over medium heat for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Add red wine, cloves, vanilla bean and lemon juice to the saucepan. Cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes Add the pears and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, turning occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until pears are tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pears to a heatproof bowl. Increase heat to high and bring the syrup to the boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly. Pour over the pears and set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4 hours to chill.

Chefs Tips

Replace red wine with sweet white wine, orange or apple juice.

Pears are so lush at the moment and when poached in a light sugar syrup or baked in a moist upside-down cake (coming soon!) they transform into a decadent dessert.

Love Amie x

hOW tO mAKE a gERMAN fEAST

I really thought that my addiction to comfort food would have diminished heading into the warmer Spring months...

But my love of soul warming stews made a come back last weekend.

A girls night in featured Beef Goulash w Herbed Spatzle. Spatzle is a traditional southern German egg noodle or dumpling.

Made from a combination of flour, egg and liquid (water, milk or cream) it can also be flavoured with nutmeg and fresh herbs.

Amie x

Fun FOOD in the Office

Some offices go out to lunch but at The Chefs Toolbox we prefer to eat in!!!
Uruguayan Tart, Gluten Free Beef Lasagna, Snazzy Spring Inspired Salads, Cool Citrus Kugelhopf Cake, a Gingerbread House.
and much more adorned The Tool Box Kitchen this week for a lovely lunch.
Cooking at home can be so rewarding. But with everyone getting increasingly busier and busier. I am often asked for simple, nutritious and delicious meal ideas & recipes.
Here are some simple tips I use to keep healthy on the run...

• Stock up on fresh seasonal fruit & vegetables weekly. Ask your local grocer what's in season; Seasonal produce not only taste's better but it is also has a much higher nutritional value. So don't be shy, ask questions....
• Add frozen vegetables to your next shopping list. If you do run out of fresh then you always have a healthy alternative on hand ready to go. Frozen vegetables can be added to risottos, stir fry's, curries and even pastas! Bon appetite!
• Stock your kitchen cupboards with convenient canned beans; cannellini, chickpea, butter beans & lentils. Fish; tuna, salmon, anchovies and vegetables, which are a great healthy meal starter or a perfect lunch idea for home or the office.

Watch this space for more healthy tid bits & recipes to come. In true spirit of the Olympics, which start this weekend we should all be inspired to eat healthy and stay active.

Go Aussies!

Cheers, Amie x

Pretty in Pink

Growing up in a house of all girls my sisters and I were destined to be girly girl's and more than likely to have a strong affinity & love of all things Pink!

Cupcakes and Flowers included!

Flowers in Food Styling peaked in the 70's and I think perhaps they are making a massive resurgence onto the food scene as seen here!

Whatever your reason for flowers of something sweet I believe A girl can never have enough Pink of anything!

Love Amie x

ToolBox Designs Platter by The Chefs ToolBox

mini cupcakes made in the Flexibake 24 cup muffin tray by the Chefs ToolBox

Moorish Muffins & Cutesy Cupcakes

For a special event or for the pure pleasure & delight one can associate with baking. Aromatic cinnamon coupled with sweet caramel dates & bran muffins are a healthy morning heart starter.
A little more wicked are the Cutesy Cupcakes, tiny but still sweet enough to satisfy!
These baked beauties are two of my favourite childhood treats. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

My mum's overnight Bran & Date Muffins

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 12 Keeps: Best served on day of making

The Ingredients
1 ¼ cups (200g) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup (125g) caster sugar
1 ¾ cup (100g) unprocessed bran
125g dates, finely chopped
½ cup (125mL) oil
1 ½ cups (325mL) buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten

The Fun
In a medium bowl, combine flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and sugar. Stir in bran and dates.Add oil, buttermilk and egg, mix until combined.
Cover, refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 180ºC for 15 minutes.
Spoon muffin mixture evenly into the 12 cups of the Flexibake muffin Pan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Chefs Tips
Serve immediately with butter or fresh ricotta and honey.
Thanks Mum ;-)

Cutesy Cupcakes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cooking: 12-15 minutes
Makes: 24
Keeps: 3 days in airtight container

Ingredients
2 eggs
125g (4 oz) butter
180g (6 oz) sugar
250g (8 oz) self raising flour
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fun

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time (take them out of shell first!).Add flour, milk and vanilla extract alternately until combined.
Spoon cake mix evenly into the Flexibake Mini Muffin.
Cook for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Decorate cakes as desired.
To make Frosting (Beat together 125g softened butter with 125g pure icing sugar until thick and creamy, add 1 tablespoon milk or water and stir until combined. Add colouring if desired, spoon onto cupcakes and dip little cakes into coloured sprinkles.

Amie x