Roasted Pumpkin Risotto with baby spinach & herbs

A great gluten free fare; Pumpkin and spinach risotto is a fabulous winter warmer to indulge your souls in especially if you are a coeliac sufferer*.
Made with arborio rice (Italian medium grained rice), roasted bite size pieces of buttery pumpkin, a splash of colour with green spinach leaves & then finished with a generous sprinkling of parmesan and a knob of salty butter.
YUM!
Enjoy warm with your favourite dry white vino!

*Coeliacs: Please make sure you purchase gluten free chicken/vegetable stocks as some variants contain gluten. Check the ingredients labels on the packaging.

Chocolate Again!

I just cant get enough of chocolate...
Whether its this cold wintery weather, which has sprung upon us or the fact that Kylie Minogue has just turned 40. I just cant get chocolate out of my head!
So in honour of our beloved Kylie and the TCT's absolute obsession with chocolate this week.
I think we should all celebrate this great Aussie icons birthday with a gorgeous steamed Chocolate Pudding served with a Rich Chocolate Sauce* and fresh cream.
I have to admit, I am slightly addicted to this smooth & velvety melt in your mouth dessert.

I just cant get you out of my head
Boy your loving is all i think about
I just can't get you out of my head
Boy it's more than I dare to think about

Cant get you out of my head - Kylie Minogue - 29/09/2001 - 4 weeks at no.1

Cheers, mini g x




* If the chocolate sauce is too rich, simply add an extra 1/2 cup (125ml) of cream to the mixture & whisk until smooth.

Toolbox training in Sydney

Toolbox training night in Sydney - May 2008

Arrival was early onto the Sydney scene

We were so impressed & the consultants keen

Excitement and laughter

What was to come after

Davids de-brief on como- advanced

With mini's recipes in high demand

Sharon shone on her toolbox skit

Next it was Phip who was such a Hit!

Thanks to all the girls who attended training this month in all parts of Australia - I hope you enjoyed!

Recipes will be posted on the TCT webpage soon....

Steamed Chocolate Puddings

Chocolate Sauce

mini beef pies
Chestnut soup with thyme and rosemary

love amie x mini guru

Saute pan Scones

Simple Scones

I first tasted this scone recipe with my sister (Kate), brother in law (Craig) and my nieces (Isabella & Charlotte), in a small Boutique vineyard in the Yarra Glen! We were so in love that we went back the next weekend with friends for a BBQ, wine and of course more scones!!!
I hope you enjoy these little delights as much as we did...
Using lemonade and cream in place of butter and milk; lends a lovely smooth & velvety texture to your scones!!!

The Ingredients
3 ½ cups (525g) Self raising flour
1 cup (250ml) cream
1 cup (250ml) lemonade
The Fun
· Pre-heat oven to 220 C for 15 minutes.
· Place flour into a medium bowl and make a well in the center.
· Add cream & lemonade, stir with a spatula until dough starts to come together.
· Turn mixture onto a lightly floured surface, gently bring together.
· Flatten dough with the palm of your hand until dough is 2-3cm thick. Use a 6.5cm cookie cutter to cut scones, brush with milk.
· Place scones in sauté pan, 1cm apart.
· Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Chefs Tips
Serve with your favourite strawberry jam and freshly whipped cream.

love amie x

Scones anyone?

The many different faces of a ‘high tea’…

High teas conjure up images of petite, high society ladies sipping English-style tea from dainty flowered fine china.

The actual term ‘High Tea’ was created in the US from the traditional style English ‘Afternoon Tea’. This tradition still holds many of the same customs it originated from.
‘Crème with your tea, anyone?’

We as Australians relate to ‘High Tea’s’ in many different forms; afternoon tea, morning tea, tea break, high tea or ‘koffie’….
My dad to this day uses the very blue collar/country description being; ‘smoko’.

The names, what is consumed and perhaps what is said!!! May all differ from house to house, but it still holds one major commonality, which stands strong in all cultures; it signifies a gathering; of friends, family, colleagues or acquaintances.

Served mid afternoon; scones with preserves and clotted cream, fresh cut cucumber and egg sandwiches, tiny pastries, all set atop a thick built wooden table, draped with beautiful clothes, fine crystal and served with decorative antique plates. Is a very charming way to entertain or enjoy a relaxed afternoon with friends.

Try these simple scones on the Queens birthday long weekend, whilst sipping a cool glass of punchy PIMMS or a more civilized cup of earl grey tea, perhaps!!!

Love Amie x

Chocolate, Chocolate & more Chocolate....

Chocolate is more than a treat; it’s our friend in times of sorrow, our companion when we are lonely and our indulgence whenever we feel the need!!!
Simple Individual Chocolate Puddings with chocolate sauce are divine.
My ultimate extravagance if I want to be really bad is truffles…. Belgian truffles; white, milk and dark are all a good choice…
If you dare to be naughty try the Chefs Toolbox Chocolate Truffle recipe & indulge this winter. A little of everything is my mantra!!!

love amie x - mini g

Champion Chestnuts...

Cherish this time of the year with the delicious 'Chestnut'.

This delightful little gem tastes superb roasted; it is surprisingly sweet with a texture similar to a roasted potato making it perfect for warm wintery soups!


Love Amie x
The Recipe - Chestnut soup with thyme and rosemary
The Ingredients
1kg chestnuts, scored across the top (ask for easy peel chestnuts in season May-June)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 eshallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 rashers bacon, rind removed, diced
8 cups (2 liters) chicken stock
1 Tablespoon Rosemary or thyme
Salt & pepper to season
The Fun
· Pre-heat oven to 200 C for fifteen minutes. Place the baking sheet onto a baking tray.
· Place chestnuts onto baking sheet.
· Cook for 30 minutes or until skins start to come away from the chestnut flesh. Peel chestnuts immediately whilst still warm, discard the skins & set aside.
· Heat oil in the stock pot over medium heat.
· Place eschallots, garlic & bacon into pot.
· Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
· Add chestnuts, chicken stock & herbs; simmer for 30 minutes.
· Remove from heat, set aside to cool & puree until smooth.
· Season to taste.
· Ladle soup into serving bowls; serve with a dollop of crème fraiche & snipped chives and

Chefs Tips
Indulge in a European extravagance; Rug up and step out doors this winter; Roast chestnuts on your BBQ saviour on the grill plate of your BBQ for 30 minutes or until skins are blackened, using a clean kitchen towel, peel skins immediately.
Enjoy warm!

The Home Gardener

 

 

 

The joys of growing your own fresh produce far outweight the hectic supermarket line ups we have become accustomed to.

At christmas I visited my sister's cattle farm in Naracoorte (south east SA). Much to my delight but later envy, she had started her own vegetable patch. It was simply the most stunning thing I had laid eyes on since our departure from melbourne some 5 hours previous...
The size of the patch we decided would by far outgrow my tiny but homely dot of an apartment, which I now rented in Sydney!!!

Note: I will simply research inside plants to ease my jealousy of my sisters vast space for growing anything she wants!!!
My Pa would be very proud!

check out this recipe for Chicken & vegetable soup only seems fitting with this colder weather & fresh produce banter. Enjoy ;-)

Ps - picture is of my friend Sarah, who for the first time visited a real Farm and from what you can see it was thoroughly enjoyed, a second trip soon TBA....

Love amie x

Yummy pics!

Some new delicious recipes are now available online!!!

Luv'n Lumberjacks

Little Lumberjacks.....

My mothers absolute treat to cook for me is her Lovely Lumberjack cake. A moist Apple & Date cake with a crsipy caramelised coconut top.

My last visit to my parents in the country I found my mums favourite handwritten Lumberjack Cake recipe. Without telling her I gathered it amongst some other hand written recipes and headed back to the city....

About a month had passed since my visit. Busily back into the city life I led I received a call from my mum....
'Amie, said my mothers voice, sternly.'
'The lumberjack cake recipe?'
'Yeeesss, I replied sheepishly with a cheekish grin appearing on my face!!!'
'I cannot find it anywhere... Have you taken it?'

My mind raced back to my parents house one month previous, to my mums kitchen drawer.
Overflowing with her favourite recipes collected over time; recipes from family, recipes from friends, recipes from the football canteen, recipes from afternoon tea's, dinner's and desserts...
I loved this drawer not just for the hundreds of recipes within it but for the many memories it held...Of special moments shared between my mother and her friends......

I recently recieved a request for this recipe from my lovely friend Jacqueline who had reluctantly sampled this cake during her pre-wedding diet! Her instant love for the cake transpired to a decision to bake this cake for her new husbands family...
Monday morning at work I asked how the cake went down with the new 'in-laws?
'She simply answered 'A treat!' They loved it and all went back for seconds!'
This little dessert cake is my special treat first shared with my mother and now shared with friends.

For those that decide to try you definately wont be dis-heartened!

To make the Little luv'n lumberjack hearts in this picture. Simply click on the link Little luv'n lumberjack to find recipe. I used the love heart cookie cutter from The Chefs Toolbox Kids Toolbox.

Place the cooled cake onto a chopping board, cut cake into love hearts, dust with icing sugar. makes 12.

Thank you Mum.

I love you lots, lots & lots.

love Amie x