tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55824862794607111582024-03-13T11:53:20.483-07:00Foodopera: A blog about two sisters writing, cooking, photographing and eating good foodTwo sisters from New Zealand who love to eat, cook and take photos of delicious food. We also create recipe gift cards and food inspired stationery that sell in gift and food stores throughout NZ.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-2634660906122988712012-11-03T12:59:00.004-07:002012-11-03T13:49:19.766-07:00Easy and moist apple and banana loaf<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S4rCoY2ttY0/UJV1OcXMmgI/AAAAAAAAByI/RLnnlcVQOsI/s1600/Banana+Bread+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S4rCoY2ttY0/UJV1OcXMmgI/AAAAAAAAByI/RLnnlcVQOsI/s1600/Banana+Bread+.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toasted banana and apple bread - delicious</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Easy and moist apple and banana loaf</span><br />
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Ingrid and I were catching up at the beach for a relaxing morning (hmmmm not sure relaxing was the right word) with our kids to enjoy the beginning of the warm weather. We usually make all sorts of bits and pieces for our kids to eat and often I feel for the time I spend, things only get nibbled and they come home again with me and can't really be eaten at a later stage. This time I decided to use up what I had in the fridge and just make one thing, a moist fruity loaf.<br />
The recipe came from the magazine <a href="http://www.acpmedia.co.nz/ACPMagazines/Recipes/tabid/716/Default.aspx">Recipes+</a> however as always, I have changed it a wee bit.<br />
The great thing about this recipe is it is very adaptable. I added all the leftover apple slices that were browning in my fridge and cooked it in a square dish rather than a loaf tin.<br />
The loaf was divine, very moist and Ingrid as I scoffed nearly all of it whilst sorting out the numerous arguments our boys had over toys and ignoring the pleas of "mum ma push me, push me" on the cute tree swing we sat besides...<br />
The photos is what was leftover, toasted in my panini maker and spread thick with butter and eaten for breakfast. <br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">What you need</span><br />
125g melted butter<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 eggs lightly beaten<br />
1 1/2 cups banana mashed<br />
1 cup chopped apples<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla essence<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)<br />
2 cups flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">How to make </span><br />
Oven 180 regular 160 fan forced<br />
Grease a loaf or cake tin<br />
Melt the butter and stir in the sugar, eggs, mashed bananas, vanilla and cinnamon.<br />
Sift the flour and baking powder and stir through until combined.<br />
Add the chopped apples<br />
Pour into greased tin and bake for an hour or until a skewer or knife comes clean.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-85449276449787539722012-10-30T19:32:00.000-07:002012-10-31T02:28:31.546-07:00Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream and marshmallows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; font-style: italic; text-align: left;">Want to keep it simple: Omit the icing and marshmallows and just dust with icing sugar.<br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This cake has been doing the rounds in our family, lots have tried making it, </span>experimented with it, and changed it up a bit, so it's a cake that can be personalised.<br />
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Recently I even made a tractor cake!!! for my son's third birthday using this recipe. I changed the cocoa for melted dark chocolate and I made a creme fraiche chocolate icing with the number 3 ploughed out of the icing (and a few chocolate flakes broken over the ploughed field) and a toy tractor on the side. It was a kids birthday cake, that the parents enjoyed as well. However, it wasn't as pretty as this cake and I wont be posting a pic. It needed a bit of visual refinement.<br />
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I'm not a fan of cakes that don't look like cakes anymore....or food for that matter, I cant stand green or blue cakes (Thomas!!!) I know the kids love it but I just don't get why you would want to make a cake that simply looks like a rainbow of additives and chemical components.<br />
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Therefore this cake is my 'go to' for any special occasion, I know it works, it can be dressed up or down, and it tastes like a REAL cake. <i>Enjoy, Ingrid</i><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream and marshmallows</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What you need:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups of flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups of brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup cocoa</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 large eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp vanilla essence</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">handful of pink marshmallows</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to make:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 180c. Mix everything together until smooth. Pour into greased 20cm diameter (deep) cake tin and bake for 45mins (approx). Test with skewer, cake is ready when it is clean.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vanilla buttercream</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What you need:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">125g unsalted butter, softened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp vanilla essence</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups icing sugar, sifted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tbsp milk</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to make:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Beat butter and vanilla with electric beater. Gradually beat in half the sifted icing sugar, milk, then the remaining icing sugar. Add milk to get the consistency you desire. Spread onto cake and top with marshmallows.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-37475802493793474912012-10-28T00:51:00.000-07:002012-10-30T19:32:07.643-07:00Cheap Eats - Poor Man's Parmesan <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mKEuJzTi0us/UIzlqqPqbwI/AAAAAAAABwc/Qw55NrfhA8s/s1600/Poor+mans+pasta+text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mKEuJzTi0us/UIzlqqPqbwI/AAAAAAAABwc/Qw55NrfhA8s/s1600/Poor+mans+pasta+text.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Poor Man's Parmesan with olive oil, lemon and edamame beans</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Cheap Eats </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Poor Man's Parmesan</span></b> <b>(<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Pangritata)</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I can't remember where I saw this idea but its been one on my list of things to do for a while. I love Parmesan cheese but as a weekly ingredient with all the other expenses these days (nappies and baby stuff) its not a regular feature. This recipe gives pasta texture and crunch and a lovely garlic flavour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All you need for the basic mix some bread - any will do fresh, frozen or even stale and some garlic, Olive oil and salt. To bump up the poor man's Parmesan you can add herbs such as parsley, chives, basil, oregano, rosemary or chili</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Other ideas with poor man's Parmesan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with grilled asparagus, capsicum (peppers) or aubergine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with a fried egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with crispy ham, bacon, shredded corned beef</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with peas or edamame beans </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with garlic sauteed spinach</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with tinned tuna, salmon or sardines</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with rocket or baby spinach topped with walnuts</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with fresh or grilled cherry tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with a marmite sauce (<a href="http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/SPAGHETTI-WITH-MARMITE-5306">Nigella</a>) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with vegetable ribbons (carrots and courgettes)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with lemon, chili, olives and anchovies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with crumbled feta or blue cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> With steamed mussels</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with flaked smoked fish or a firm white fish</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">How to make 'EASY'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Toast 4 slices of bread (or similar)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In a food processor blitz the bread with 4 cloves of fresh garlic, salt to taste and I added a handful of parsley from my garden.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Toast in a pan with olive oil until lightly browned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stir through steaming hot pasta with a good splash of olive oil. I added lemon and edamame beans to the photo above.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Simple, cheap and delicious</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Vanessa X</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-63237684483549240622012-10-24T23:54:00.000-07:002012-10-24T23:54:19.509-07:00Honey and banana buns with cream cheese icing <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FdoL9zohr0Y/UIUN0MZs7yI/AAAAAAAABq4/dI0e7DWyQpc/s1600/Honey+and+banana+buns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FdoL9zohr0Y/UIUN0MZs7yI/AAAAAAAABq4/dI0e7DWyQpc/s1600/Honey+and+banana+buns.jpg" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">A while ago Vanessa and I created a range of <a href="http://www.foodopera.com/">recipe cards</a> that are selling throughout gift and food shops around New Zealand. This is one of the recipes that proved to be popular.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"> It's a great recipe that's not too sickly sweet like some 'kid's birthday cupcakes, so it's loved by not only the kid's, but the adults will get stuck in as well. You can omit the icing and hundreds and thousands, if you just want these buns as a great snack or for a morning tea, just serve with lashings of butter. <i>Ingrid</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgZVxFDAVQg/UIetr_T-jVI/AAAAAAAABsY/w4jOgDwMWKs/s1600/banana+buns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgZVxFDAVQg/UIetr_T-jVI/AAAAAAAABsY/w4jOgDwMWKs/s1600/banana+buns.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Honey and banana buns with cream cheese icing</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Makes 12</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What you need:<br />
</b>100g butter, softened <br />
1 banana, ripe<br />
1/2 cup honey<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1 cup fruit yoghurt<br />
2 cups self-raising flour<br />
2 tsp cinnamon</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to make:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 200C. Cream butter and add honey. Beat in eggs, yoghurt and banana. Fold in sifted flour and cinnamon. Don't overmix. Spoon into muffin trays and bake for 15-20 mins until golden. Serve with icing for a treat, but they taste great as is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Cream cheese icing</b><br />
175g cream cheese, softened<br />
50g butter, softened<br />
2/3 cup icing sugar</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to make:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Beat all ingredients until smooth but thick consistency. spoon into piping bag and get creative.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-88623786919417611392012-10-22T00:05:00.000-07:002012-10-25T02:02:32.647-07:00Cheap Eats: Mexi Macaroni<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RITANyChmJ8/UITrh_DeYUI/AAAAAAAABoE/xrN-JQe6TSo/s1600/Mexi+Macaroni+$5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RITANyChmJ8/UITrh_DeYUI/AAAAAAAABoE/xrN-JQe6TSo/s1600/Mexi+Macaroni+$5.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Can you feed four for under $5?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When <a href="http://www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz/feed-a-family-for-5/">Sweet Living Magazine</a>, gave us a challenge to come up with a meal to feed four for under $5, we have to admit, we didn't know what we were going to end up with. Easy enough to throw together a packet of pasta and a can of tomatoes, but making something tasty, flavorsome and appealing is quite hard on a budget. Whilst walking up and down the isles of the supermarket many protein and meat options were off limits as they blew out the budget. However beans and pulses fill you up, are cost effective and versatile. I know you are probably thinking that these ingredients are more suited to vegetarians or people who don't have a huge appetites but believe us, both the men and the kids in our lives were impressed. The beans were the star of the show, they thicken the sauce without needing to add more expensive ingredients such as tomato paste. They came from the "Delmaine" range and were large butter beans in a rich sauce and even better they were on special. </span></div>
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<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Top tips for budget shopping</span></b><br />
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<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You need to get products on special, our butter beans were 69c, reduced from $2.35. Quite often tins of tomatoes are on special, so buy up in bulk as they are useful in all sorts of budget dishes (pastas, stews, soups, slow cooked meals). Also seek out the largest tin as they are often cheaper and the excess can be frozen.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When checking out the food on the shelves ALWAYS look to the bottom of the shelf - that is where you will find the cheapest options, generic brands or less common and reasonable products.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's hard to make a cheap meal that contains meat, but if you can get some cheap sausages, they would be great chopped up and mixed in with this meal. </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Make more than you need, so it can be frozen and used for another family meal at a later date.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dried herbs and spices might seem expensive to buy at the time, however they can go a long way for many meals if you choose right. We added a teaspoon of smoked paprika, that gave this meal a real gutsy kick. Other good spices to buy are chili powder, great for bean or meaty dishes and if you like your meals to have a kick. I often use premixed Moroccan seasoning which contains garlic, turmeric, paprika, chicken extract to name a few, I shake it over chicken, potatoes, or roast vege, or even to season rice or couscous.</span></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>Toasted breadcrumbs and garlic sprinkled on top (poor mans parmesan), </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>would work brilliantly with this dish.</i></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Mexi macaroni </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Serves 4 adults</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What you need:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 onion (16c)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 can of 800g homebrand tomatoes (80c) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 can of corn ($0.95)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cans of Butter Beans (69c x 2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 x packet of Macaroni (95c)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon of smoked paprika </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons of Moroccan seasoning (or similar, or even just a whole chili simmering in the sauce) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons of oil ( we used olive because thats what we had, but any cooking oil will do) </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">= $4.24 (+ spices and oil would make this up to $5) (NZ Dollars)</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to make</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Chop and sauté the onions until soft and add the smoked paprika and Moroccan seasoning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes on low.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Add the beans and simmer for another 10 mins on low. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Add the corn and warm through. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Don't over cook the sauce as the beans will go mushy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. Boil the water and add salt and cook the macaroni according to the packet. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Stir the sauce through the pasta and serve. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. Garnish options - grated cheese (if you are feeling flush), chopped green herbs such as parsley, chives or coriander or toasted breadcrumbs and garlic which is actually called poor mans parmesan.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-74110902920239608852012-10-21T01:41:00.001-07:002012-10-25T02:02:56.536-07:00Cheap Eats - leftover chicken<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Cheap Eats </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since doing a "feed a family for $5" guest post for <a href="http://www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz/"><span style="color: #1a37ef;">SweetLiving Blog</span></a> I have been thinking more about what I spend on food. Ingrid and I are both on maternity leave and down to one income so the reality is something has to give. Gone are the boozy foodie nights out, random clothes and makeup purchases, the gym membership and expensive bottles of chardonnay. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Chicken and cannellini bean pate - a great way to use up leftovers...</span></i></td></tr>
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When I shop I look for things I can stretch further without compromising on taste. For example I would never buy cheap mince but rather bump up the premium mince with beans. I bought 2 cooked chickens the other day for $20. They made a fantastic meal that night and the thighs were the first things to go, the next day I made Ingrid chicken wraps with lettuce, mayo and anchovies. The day after that the left over breast meat (it's never my favourite part) was looking a little sad, and unappetizing but with a little creativity I made this spread/pate. The beans, like with the mince stretch it out further especially if you don't have that much leftover and the mayo and lemon moisten it up.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Other ways to serve this would be in crusty rolls, on crackers, in lettuce cups, in a tortilla wrap, a rice paper wrap or mixed through shredded lettuce and carrot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Never throw away leftover chicken again!</span><br />
<i>Vanessa X</i><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RmO_iuhxoZQ/UIO-WpplSrI/AAAAAAAABms/vk70qXowu2U/s1600/Chicken+and+bean+pate+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RmO_iuhxoZQ/UIO-WpplSrI/AAAAAAAABms/vk70qXowu2U/s1600/Chicken+and+bean+pate+2.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-77491394572425126142012-10-06T03:23:00.000-07:002012-10-06T03:23:37.026-07:00Inspire me with asparagus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These are our lastest recipes from our Sister vs Sister cook off in New World supermarket's REAL Magazine, and the photos in their full glory. We had so much fun coming up with the recipes using Asparagus, styling and photographing them, and best of all taste testing them...over and over just to make sure they worked.....(what a job!) we really wanted to share them with you...so here they are...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfIjakLHIy4/UG_TS9fSLGI/AAAAAAAABjw/WFVdwXcUwtM/s1600/IMG_9365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfIjakLHIy4/UG_TS9fSLGI/AAAAAAAABjw/WFVdwXcUwtM/s1600/IMG_9365.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.newworld.co.nz/inspire-me/whats-for-dinner/sister-vs-sister-a-toast-to-tips/"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">VOTE FOR VANESSA'S DISH TO BE IN TO WIN</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Asparagus and eggs are a match made in heaven – they just work. My pasta dish is a take on the traditional carbonara. Once again, it’s a dish I have never made before because I generally don’t cook with cream, however I often order it when out. I decided to use evaporated milk as it’s not as rich as a restaurant dish and has less fat, so it could be served often as part of your family meals. However, if you prefer cream, use it by all means. The asparagus gives the dish a healthy shot of colour and a break from the creaminess of the sauce. Buon appetito!</span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Vanessa's Spicy Sausage and Asparagus Cabonara</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What you need</span></b><br />
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<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 garlic cloves, chopped or sliced</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6 good-quality spicy sausages</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 bunch fresh asparagus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 eggs, beaten</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">375 ml-can evaporated milk or cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup grated Parmesan cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">500 grams penne pasta</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fresh parsley </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to make</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Pan-fry the garlic in a little oil over a medium heat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />2. Grill or pan-fry the sausages and then slice diagonally.<br /><br />3. Remove woody ends from the asparagus and microwave (2-4 minutes), boil or steam. If microwaving, add 3 tablespoons of water. Check the asparagus so you don't overcook it – it should still be firm to the bite.<br /><br />4. In a bowl mix the cooked garlic, eggs, evaporated milk and half the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.<br /><br />5. Cook the pasta in rapidly boiling salted water until al dente (firm but not hard to bite) for about 14 minutes.<br /><br />6. Drain and return pasta to the pot (don't put the pot back on the element as the heat will cook the eggy carbonara sauce). Stir through the egg mixture.<br /><br />7. Serve sprinkled with remaining Parmesan and top with the sausages and asparagus.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Garnish with ground black pepper and chopped parsley.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>TIP...</b>I made the mistake of putting the pan with the sauce and pasta back on the element with it turned off as I like my food really hot. My recommendation is not to do this as it's a fine line between ending up with scrambled eggs or having a silky smooth sauce!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ingrid's Spring Asparagus Farinata</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love making pizza and bread and in memory of our Nonna Maria, who passed away recently at the grand age of 91, and who cooked with such passion, hands waving all over the place, flour flying through the air, I’m attempting a farinata.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is an Italian flatbread made with chickpea flour. No kneading required in this dish, so it’s much simpler than bread making and similar to a crispy savoury pancake. Asparagus goes well with the nutty flavour of the chickpeas and the shavings crisp up nicely under the grill. It’s known as street food in Italy and made in large copper pans in wood-burning ovens. Vendors tear off pieces and serve it on wax paper to eat on the spot, however I think it’s a nice change for lunch served with a crisp green salad.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-exPx1ocGVQw/UHACUR5pPkI/AAAAAAAABkY/zcD9o8yts4A/s1600/IMG_9349.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.newworld.co.nz/inspire-me/whats-for-dinner/sister-vs-sister-a-toast-to-tips/"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">VOTE FOR INGRID'S DISH TO BE IN TO WIN</span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-exPx1ocGVQw/UHACUR5pPkI/AAAAAAAABkY/zcD9o8yts4A/s1600/IMG_9349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What you need</span></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">I used a 30cm pizza pan but you could use a large oven-proof frying pan. Do it in batches if your frying pan is small. The batter only needs to line the pan, much the same as a pancake.</span></i><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Batter</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup chickpea flour </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup lukewarm water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">½ teaspoon salt </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon ground pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons oil</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Topping</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 bunch fresh asparagus, shaved (see tip)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tablespoon fresh herbs (oregano or thyme)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tablespoon oil</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to make</span></b><br />
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<ol style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 17px;">
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 3px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 230°C or 210°C fan bake.</span></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 3px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a bowl sift the chickpea flour and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.</span></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 3px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Slowly add the lukewarm water, whisking continuously until smooth. Stir in the oil. Allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes.</span></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 3px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Place the shaved asparagus in a separate bowl. Add a splash of olive oil; mix to coat.</span></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 3px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Drizzle olive oil into pizza pan. Place pan in the preheated oven for 5 minutes until oil is hot.</span></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 3px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pour in the batter. Scatter with the shaved asparagus and fresh herbs.</span></li>
<li style="list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 3px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until batter is set. Turn the oven grill to highand grill the top for 5-10 minutes until golden and crispy.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To serve: Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt then, when slightly cooled, cut into wedges and serve with a green salad.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">TIP...</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To shave asparagus, hold the woody ends like a handle and peel with a vegetable peeler; set aside the tough ends. Slice any leftovers into thin strips. Use the woody ends to flavour soups or stocks.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-6558245453678750822012-09-26T02:20:00.000-07:002012-09-26T02:20:46.447-07:00Raspberry and Beetroot JellyThis retro cool jelly/ relish was such a hit at a recent family garden party on my recent trip to England, I just had to share it. It's super easy but looks pretty damn complicated to make (so a good dish to impress the guests!) It's a real showpiece on the table! I'm so glad there was enough for the party and leftovers for the next few days as I couldn't get enough of it. <i>Enjoy, Ingrid</i><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n08AgdUsl2A/UE33lA1NzxI/AAAAAAAABWI/P6kA9y14pf8/s1600/beetroot+and+raspberry+jelly.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n08AgdUsl2A/UE33lA1NzxI/AAAAAAAABWI/P6kA9y14pf8/s1600/beetroot+and+raspberry+jelly.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Grandma Mimi's Raspberry Beetroot Jelly</span></b><br />
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Serves about 20 party guests<br />
<b>What you need:</b><br />
1kg cooked beetroot (diced)<br />
1 packet of raspberry jelly<br />
250ml water (boiling)<br />
250ml white wine vinegar<br />
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<b>How to make:</b><br />
Pack the diced beetroot into a jelly mould. Dissolve jelly into boiling water and add white wine vinegar. Add to the beetroot. Refrigerate overnight until set and keep cool until ready to serve. Serve with a tub of sour cream and chives.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tips: </span></b></div>
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<li>Perfect with bbq food or cold meats such as ham.</li>
<li>Will last for at least a week in the fridge.</li>
<li>If you want to make a family sized jelly, just halve the ingredients.</li>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zXXdEzTYGY8/UGKaXhuSmII/AAAAAAAABhg/kEXc0WlSFRY/s1600/beetroot+jelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zXXdEzTYGY8/UGKaXhuSmII/AAAAAAAABhg/kEXc0WlSFRY/s1600/beetroot+jelly.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Tangy and fruity, a refreshing change to the usual staple bbq salads. </b></i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-84040888416969913652012-09-22T00:05:00.001-07:002012-09-26T02:13:48.049-07:00Lemon and Sour Cream Loaf <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Lemons ideas part four </span><br />
The problem I have is whatever I make, I am tempted to eat. I decided to make these loaves for my mum and dad, my auntie and a family friend. There is no calories in licking the bowl is there?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n2bJUI3u4cs/UE_uc--zLpI/AAAAAAAABYU/jtvQgEGp7MI/s1600/Lemon+Cake+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n2bJUI3u4cs/UE_uc--zLpI/AAAAAAAABYU/jtvQgEGp7MI/s640/Lemon+Cake+.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All ready to give to my lovely dad... </td></tr>
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I ended up making 3 smallish loaves so sandwiched them together with a bit of the icing and topped them with the candied lemons in from my <a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/candied-lemons.html">last post.</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P-qGeEgmHv8/UE_xjltVheI/AAAAAAAABY8/S4vk282l15A/s1600/Lemon+Cake2+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P-qGeEgmHv8/UE_xjltVheI/AAAAAAAABY8/S4vk282l15A/s640/Lemon+Cake2+.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Topped with candied lemons - will tell you how in the next post!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Lemon and sour cream loaf </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.ecook.co.nz/recipe/Sour-Cream-And-Lemon-Loaf/?r=445">Lemon and Sour cream loaf from ECook</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">125 grams butter</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">3/4 cup caster sugar</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">3 grated rind lemons</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">1 egg</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">1/2 cup sour cream</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">1 3/4 cups self-raising flour</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">1/4-1/2 cup mixed peel</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">1/4 cup milk</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">2 tbsp lemon juice</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
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1. Beat the butter, sugar and lemon rind to a cream. Add the egg and beat well.</div>
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2. Beat in the sour cream. Fold in the sifted flour and peel alternately with the milk and lemon juice.</div>
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3. Spread into a well-greased and floured 10 cm x 20 cm loaf tin.</div>
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4. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes until cooked when tested.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Sour cream icing </span><br />
All I did for the icing was follow the same method as a cream cheese icing on a cheese cake. Sour cream is not as thick as the cream cheese so beating it with icing sugar made it on the runny side so I decided not to add any lemon juice. In hind sight lemon peel would have been nice. Refrigerate before you spread it on the cakes.<br />
Enjoy X<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-82098947906416530812012-09-18T14:25:00.002-07:002012-09-26T02:15:27.831-07:00Candied Lemons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Lemon ideas part three</span><br />
Lemons or oranges done this way are really really addictive. They make a fantastic garnish on cakes/cupcakes and would even be cute as a garnish to lemon tea at a tea party. A celebration ham topped with sliced oranges and lemons coated in a sweet whisky marmalade syrup/ golden syrup/brown sugar also works well.<br />
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You could even pack them into a preserving jar and keep them for when you need a sweet and sour sugar rush, I imagine they would last quite a while...<br />
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All you need to do is slice up the lemons, place on baking paper and add a teaspoon of sugar to each slice. Bake them in a moderate oven for around 20 minutes. Do keep checking them as they can go from soft to crispy pretty quickly.<br />
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I used my ones on a lemon and sour cream cake (below) with sour cream icing - delicious.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-46741710387366339292012-09-12T18:24:00.002-07:002012-09-26T02:16:36.007-07:00Lemon Syrup Yoghurt Shake <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hundreds and thousands bring back childhood memories...</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Lemon ideas part two </span></div>
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My last post was like making pancakes, the first one is never the best! The recipe is great but I wasn't happy with the images or the font. Last night I had a 3am moment (well to be honest it was 5am and I was up with bubba #2) thinking about lemon syrup...</div>
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I thought about all the lemony things I love. <a href="http://www.tiptop.co.nz/products/yoghurt/">Tip Top lemon yoghurt ice-cream</a> and <a href="http://www.puhoivalley.co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/6/pi_productid/128">Puhoi lemon yoghurt </a> being two of the best I have been indulging in for a while and you cant go past a good zesty lemon curd on your toast. This sparked my imagination for a lemon yoghurt shake and I couldn't wait to get out of bed and make it...</div>
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With an abundance of lemons check out the <a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/lemon-syrup.html">previous post</a> to make the syrup. It lasts for ages and has many uses, this being one of my favourites. Its reasonably healthy other than the sugar and a great way to get your kids to drink milk and yoghurt. To thicken it up you could add vanilla ice-cream or for the healthier option throw in a banana. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preserving jars make great milkshake containers</td></tr>
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In a blender add 1 pottle of yoghurt, 2 pottles of milk, 1/2 -1 pottle of lemon syrup and blitz for a minute or so. To make the hundred and thousands stay on the jars, dip them into the shake (just the rims) and agitate in a saucer of hundred and thousands. I tried chocolate hail but it wasn't very successful, it just wouldn't stick!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-71938531025124844352012-09-11T18:47:00.000-07:002012-09-12T21:20:35.958-07:00Lemon Syrup <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Lemons ideas part one...</span><br />
Ingrid is away and I am in charge! She is sunning (fingers crossed) herself in the UK and Croatia whilst I am finally getting it together post baby. Its only taken 5 months to get my head around when my baby sleeps, poops, eats and cries! Meanwhile our poor blog has been neglected...<br />
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I am getting the ball rolling with some spring ideas for using lemons. <br />
I love "Roses lime cordial" and saw in my aunties fridge the other day a bottle of "posh" lemon cordial. I looked at the label and all it had in it was water, sugar and lemon juice. It came from a shop up the road from me so I popped in to get some but was horrified at the price $15.00 (It came in a beautiful bottle so that's probably what you are paying for) so with an abundance of lemons I decided to make my own.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EfSVAq7Lr-s/UE_kM5DUlNI/AAAAAAAABW8/-IHuOZqTxCk/s1600/Lemon+Syrup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EfSVAq7Lr-s/UE_kM5DUlNI/AAAAAAAABW8/-IHuOZqTxCk/s640/Lemon+Syrup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>What you need</b><br />
1 1/2 cup lemon juice<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 cup white sugar<br />
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<b>How to make</b><br />
Bring to the boil and simmer until the liquid becomes syrupy. It will take about 20-30 minutes.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2WMHVn40mg/UE_nbcZYX6I/AAAAAAAABXg/3UlI4W6ESuA/s1600/Lemon+Syrup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2WMHVn40mg/UE_nbcZYX6I/AAAAAAAABXg/3UlI4W6ESuA/s640/Lemon+Syrup2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Other ideas for lemon syrup...</span><br />
Drizzle over cakes and loaves<br />
Mix with gin/vodka and lemonade<br />
Mix with tonic water for a non alcoholic G+T<br />
Pour over pancakes or piklets<br />
Pour over vanilla ice-cream<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-26497743105802146252012-09-10T02:26:00.002-07:002012-09-10T07:46:14.719-07:00Get Voting: Sister vs sister - Round Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We go head to head in our second cook-off for New World Supermarket's Real Magazine. </span><b>Our challenge:</b> To create a dish using that wonderful spring ingredient – <b>asparagus!</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The competition is on!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Growing up with an Italian dad, asparagus was commonplace at the table. His regular offering at barbecues was a salad of asparagus and hard-boiled eggs dressed in olive oil and vinegar, seasoned with salt and pepper. It's a winner. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;">While living in the UK in our 20s, we noticed that in spring, restaurants went crazy putting new-season asparagus on the menu, most often served with a luscious hollandaise sauce. They even peeled the skin! We always giggled that asparagus was elevated to "entrée" status and treated like a delicacy because in our family home, it was tossed nonchalantly into a myriad of meals.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The recipes we've compiled are in remembrance of our wonderful Italian Nonna. See what we came up with and tell us what tickles your fancy by voting. </span>All New Zealand voters go in the draw to win $50 New World vouchers</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.newworld.co.nz/inspire-me/whats-for-dinner/sister-vs-sister-a-toast-to-tips/">TO VOTE</a></span></b></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-73415608421499282532012-09-06T01:41:00.001-07:002012-09-06T01:41:15.769-07:00Vanessa's guest interview<br />
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<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="color: #ff75cd; font: normal normal bold 24px/normal 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; position: relative;">
<b><a href="http://kitchen-maid.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/be-my-guest-foodopera.html">Be My Guest: The KitchenMaid Interview</a></b></h3>
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by Lucy Corry</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uh60M1s38so/UEW5J8QcLAI/AAAAAAAABBw/P84zFal1Huk/s200/calamari.jpg" width="132" /> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk6SUO2jch0/UEW4TFyrZFI/AAAAAAAABBo/snXDr1TRRlU/s200/Brussel+Sprouts+mustard.jpg" width="132" /> </span></span></span></span><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E1vfFf9oVkI/UEW376OHUgI/AAAAAAAABBg/xgQoU2CSmZ4/s200/chilli+choko+chutney.jpg" width="133" /> <img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DkEj2nEpVKw/UEW7DKtpCHI/AAAAAAAABB4/kyatq5aOZrk/s200/Peach+Pastries+3.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="133" /></div>
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I am currently caught in a frustrating battle to figure out what exactly has gone wrong with the connection between my camera and computer. I can't imagine anything so basic happening to Vanessa and Ingrid Opera, the sister act behind <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">New Zealand food blog </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/" style="color: #46939c; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Foodopera</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">.</span></span></div>
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<br />These two juggle blogging with babies, magazine shoots, day jobs and photography - but Vanessa still found the time to fill in the blanks for this week's Be My Guest.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Who are your food heroes?</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;"><span lang="EN-NZ">I know Ingrid quite likes Bill Gran</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">er, his simplicity and freshness. I used to be really into Nigella Lawson, I just loved her appetite for everything food. Rick Stein is also a bit of an old favourite too. However currently I am into anything Asian, I love Kylie Kwong, her books and TV show.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 1.4;">I own HEAPS of cook books so its actually really difficult to have just one hero. My aunty recently gave me the book Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi that has amazing ways with vegetables and I picked up "Dinner at Matt's" by Matt Moran at the library. It features fancy pants food that you could cook at home. The photography is great too.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b><a href="http://kitchen-maid.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/be-my-guest-foodopera.html">Read the full interview here</a></b></span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="line-height: 22px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-44266510420451270652012-08-04T01:10:00.001-07:002012-08-04T01:10:43.927-07:00Part 2: How to become published food bloggers?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-om0fdRwh-fo/UA5pMXALH8I/AAAAAAAABQU/T4U6mg_TbW8/s1600/kids+and+apples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-om0fdRwh-fo/UA5pMXALH8I/AAAAAAAABQU/T4U6mg_TbW8/s1600/kids+and+apples.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Jake munching on a lemonade apple - the ingredient for the sister vs sister cook off</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>Continued from</b><a href="http://www.foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/part-1-how-to-become-published-food.html"> Part 1: How to become published food bloggers?</a><br />
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Getting the gig for <i><a href="http://www.realmagazine.co.nz/">Real magazine</a></i> was actually the easy stage, cooking, photographing and writing, although our passion, threw us a few challenges, mainly due to NEWBORN babies!!! <br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d;">THE FOOD SHOOT </span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Through trial and error we have worked out it's better to have a plan of how we want our images to look before we start. We scan magazines, cookbooks and google images for inspiration and either print out, bookmark or sketch a rough idea. For this shoot we had some specific shots to get so that gave us some direction. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We have worked out that doing it together is a lot easier than going it alone, there is always someone to brainstorm ideas with, check camera settings, angles and hold bits and pieces whilst the other, aims and fires. </span><br />
For this particular shoot <a href="http://www.foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/part-1-how-to-become-published-food.html">Ingrid's dish</a> required shooting straight away whilst mine could be made in advance. The dishes that require a fast shoot are so much easier with a second pair of hands.<br />
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We have spent quite a while now musing over our photographic style and that of the blog, there are so many inspirational ideas around its really difficult to hit the nail on the head. For this particular shoot we stuck to a simple and tight shot for both, showcasing the food. In hindsight we would have liked to mess it up a bit and make the image look like people had just started tucking in. This ironically is quite hard to achieve. Firstly we should have taken slices and scoops out of the food, we didn't for my dish because cutting warm custard doesn't really work and for Ingrid's after a minute or so it had de-flated. I told you it ain't easy!!! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Make apple tea with leftover apple peelings</span></i></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Another issue we always come up against is the lighting.</b></span><br />
After doing lots of research it seems most food bloggers seek natural lighting for food. We always photograph on my back porch (I know, very unglamorous), but it has a transparent roof, so it filters the light, even on harsh sunny days, however when the sun greets us at about 11am its a mission to diffuse and reduce the harsh shadows. We have been known to hang a variety of bedding, sarongs and table cloths from the roof to diffuse and also use a collapsible diffuser that works well but requires a second pair of hands. We did purchase 2 different sets of lights the <a href="http://www.lowel.com/ego/">Lowel EGO</a> and some cheap and cheerful lights with soft boxes to allow us to shoot larger settings or even people. This also allows us to shoot at night although we do prefer the ease and look of natural light. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Yep, the bags under my eyes are there, no gel in the kids hair and the kids clothes were what they chose, not what we wanted.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: inherit;">THE SHOOT of the CHILDREN</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Never work with children or animals don't they say, and especially never try it when your sleep deprived, and you have angry newborns and ratty kids. We shot these at our parents house, one Sunday afternoon as we needed extra hands to rein in the kids, hold babies, rock buggies. We set up a bit of a scene outside with apples, bowls, golden syrup and cute apple tea drinks. The challenging bit was getting our big boys to cooperate and smile! Ingrid shoots me and I shoot her and the mantra is keep it short, sweet and simple. Both our boys are going through a "pulling face" stage and whilst it can be funny, it's not what a national magazine required. The sweetener for the kids was they thought they were actually baking (awww bless them) whilst we yelled (encouraged) instructions at them. On reflection the best shots were the ones where we weren't even looking at the camera and more natural. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">A tip for getting nice shots without the clutter of your home/venue is to diffuse the background. If you are reading this with a point and shoot camera, its unlikely you will be able to achieve this BUT if you own a Canon camera these are the two options we use. One is cheap and cheerful the <a href="http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-50mm-f-1.8-II-Lens-Review.aspx">Canon 50mm F1.8 lens</a> and the other, our first major purchase with Foodopera $$$ is a <a href="http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-100mm-f-2.8-USM-Macro-Lens-Review.aspx">100mm f2.8</a> prime lens. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Making it fun for the kids and keeping them busy also works well whilst the photographer is freed up to move around the scene getting a variety of shots. The kids shoot would have been no more than 10 minutes per kid whilst we are known to spend ages trying to get the food shots right! </span></div>
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Like they say though practice makes perfect and every shoot we do, it gets easier and we feel less stressed and more satisfied. Now our next challenge is synchronizing the babies... <br />
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<a href="http://www.foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/part-1-how-to-become-published-food.html">READ Part 1: How to become published food bloggers?</a><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-size: large;">Vanessa's apple custard tart </span></span></b><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/p/featured-in.html">as featured in Real Magazine</a></span></i></div>
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My tart looks café quality but is easy to make, as well as economical. Custard pies are so homely and comforting. Remember the ones you could buy at the school tuck shop or local bakery when you were a kid?</div>
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I love trying to re-create recipes at home that I have enjoyed out and about. I had assumed making custard was time consuming and tricky but now I know better. I would even go as far to say, this is a no fail, baked custard tart recipe.</div>
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With a newborn baby and friends around for afternoon tea I thought I would wow my guests with the impression I was coping better than expected. The pie was changed to a tart so I didn’t need dishes or cutlery, my guests could enjoy it straight from the tart tin and devour it with their hands. (The difference between a pie and a tart is that a tart is served out of the dish it's cooked in and a pie is served in the dish it's cooked in). My strategy worked, my friends posted Facebook comments about how well I was coping second time round!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i><b>Ingrid's tip: </b>When lining your dish with pastry, allow it to go over the sides, as it will shrink when cooked. Trim excess pastry before adding custard. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Vanessa's apple custard tart</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What you need:</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">400g packet of frozen sweet short-crust pastry, defrosted<br />1 egg white, lightly beaten<br /><br /><b>Filling </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 eggs<br />2 egg yolks<br />1/2 cup sugar<br />1 teaspoon vanilla essence<br />1 teaspoon nutmeg or ground cinnamon<br />1 cup cream<br />2-3 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced<br /><br /><b>Method </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1. Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C fan forced (or 200˚C conventional).<br />2. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use to line the base and sides of a 23cm loose-bottom tart dish or flan tin. Trim off any excess.<br />3. Bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove baking blind material and brush the pastry with egg white. Return to the oven for a couple of minutes until the egg white has cooked. This helps seal the pastry so the custard doesn’t make your pastry go soggy. Remove from oven and set aside.<br />4. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg or cinnamon. Stir in the cream.<br />5. Arrange the apples into the flan in a circular pattern. Pour over egg custard over, taking care not to disturb the pattern and to submerge the apples.<br />6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until custard is set. Check the tart half way through cooking and ensure the apples are still submerged. Set aside to cool.<br />7. Remove from the tart dish when it has cooled. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of Greek yoghurt or cream.<br /><br /><b>Prep time:</b> 30mins<br /><b>Cooking time:</b> 30mins<br /><b>Serves: </b>8<br /><br /><b>TIPS </b><br />* <i>Keep pastry cool when working – lest it becomes too warm and will shrink when baked.<br />* To bake blind, line a raw pastry shell with baking paper, pressing it firmly into the corners. Fill with baking blind material like dried beans or rice, or ceramic baking blind beans. Allow the beans to cool before storing in a lidded container for use again.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>CHECK OUT THE NEXT SISTER VS SISTER COOK OFF IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF REAL MAGAZINE: </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">On sale early August </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cook Off #2: </span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Sister vs sister:</b> We take on </span>Asparagus</i></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-21806500367358012512012-07-26T02:38:00.000-07:002012-07-26T02:57:15.273-07:00Part 1: How to become published food bloggers?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tuVABEvZrx4/UA4CBqGlAgI/AAAAAAAABPY/H-_XadqqVco/s1600/Apples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tuVABEvZrx4/UA4CBqGlAgI/AAAAAAAABPY/H-_XadqqVco/s1600/Apples.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>WE WERE SO</b> stoked to be featured in the latest <i><a href="http://www.realmagazine.co.nz/">Real Magazine,</a></i> in a sister vs sister cook off and thought we would share with you the fruits of our labour and a bit of a run down of how we got to do it.</span>Vanessa and I were both eight months pregnant when we managed to score a face to face with the Editor and Art Director of Real Magazine (<i><a href="http://www.newworld.co.nz/inspire-me/out-of-the-mixing-bowl/sister-vs-sister/">New World's foodie magazine</a></i>), we literally waddled in, to two very surprised faces when they both realized that we really did do things 'together'!<br />
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<b>HOW TO SCORE A FACE TO FACE?</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It really is a 'who you know' kinda senario, I used to work at Fairfax Media Magazines, designing and art directing lifestyle magazines. When Vanessa and I started getting serious about our blog and about our cooking, food styling and photographing, I started getting serious about trying to get us a foot in the door. I started with the Photo Editor at Fairfax, showing her our work, and wondered if she could advise us. Thankfully she quite liked our photo's, and the ball started rolling. She started to mention us to Editors, Art Directors and we sold a few pics that were published in some of the food, gardening and lifestyle magazines. Then we did a job for <a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2012/01/how-to-style-food-for-magazine.html">Life and Leisure Magazine</a>, and finally we had some published work that we could use in our portfolio. (This is invaluable, so even if you have to do some jobs for free, or cheap to start with, your gain is getting a portfolio of published work to use to promote yourself).</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Real Magazine - July/ August 2012</span></i></td></tr>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">THE MEETING</span></b></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We had about 20 minutes to show them our photography, food styling and we talked (rather frantically) about what we were all about (sisters who loved food, photography, like to write about it blah blah) but the clincher was when we started talking about our <a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/p/sister-vs-sister-food-fight.html">sister vs sister food fight </a>- two sisters, one ingredient, very different results, and the faces lit up a bit, so we kept talking (again, way too fast) and we left feeling hopeful we might get a phone call in the near future.</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">THE BRIEF</span></b></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">A few weeks later the phone rang and Claire, the Editor said "hey girls, lets give it a go and see if it captures the reader's imaginations". Yep, we tried to act all professional, and not yelp....YIPPPPEEEE ! but lo and behold a wee little....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">yippee......</span>left my lips and went down the phone line. So our brief was set. Cook Off #1 was Apples. </span><br />
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<b>WHAT WAS EXPECTED?</b><br />
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<li>Intro's for each recipe explaining why we chose the dish</li>
<li>2 x Apple based recipes + photographs of the finished dishes</li>
<li>Photos of apples on a light background with space for a heading</li>
<li>Photos of the kids and us cooking (not as easy as it sounds!)</li>
<li>Photos of us together (self timer) and profile shots of each of us</li>
<li>Interesting facts about apples</li>
<li>Tips for cooking our dish</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">How it all looked published in the magazine.</span></i></td></tr>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">WORKING MOTHERS , NEWBORN BABIES</span></b></div>
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Even though Vanessa and I have two older children, we failed to remember the newborn stage, and kept uttering out loud, " It will be easy, newborns sleep a lot don't they?" even Claire, Real Mag's Editor emailed us saying sorry about the timing, she couldn't even achieve anything for the first six weeks when her son was born. But, with our blinkers shining bright, I had my baby daughter, Eliza a week before the brief was set, and Vanessa had baby Leo a week after, and off we went co-ordinating some sort of working life, and baby sleep sync program.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>THE INTERVIEW</b></span><br />
When we heard we were also going to be interviewed, we assumed it would be by telephone, so we thought, "Great, we can literally stay in the pj's and keep up appearances!", but NO.....that wasn't to be the case, they wanted to see us, and get off the cuff quotes. Thankfully, the journalist who turned up, was a woman called Katherine, who as a mother to young kids herself, was understanding to our chaos, and didn't seem to mind our half finished conversations. Somehow, she managed to fill in the blanks and make us sound like we had it all together.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Just like newsreaders we looked the part from the waist up.</span></i></td></tr>
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<b><b>THE COMPETITION</b></b></div>
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Little did we know the big plan with the Sister vs Sister concept was to get the public voting. And little did we know, sibling rivalry that has lay dormant for a few years, has returned with some gusto. What dish would you vote for?<b style="font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.newworld.co.nz/inspire-me/out-of-the-mixing-bowl/sister-vs-sister">Vote here</a></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">JULY 24, 2012</span></b></h2>
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<dt style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Vanessa's Apple Custard Tart</b></dt>
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<b><span class="bar" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #dddddd; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; display: block; margin-top: 5px;"><span class="bg-red ir poll_option_bar" style="background-color: #f00017; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: white; direction: ltr; display: block; height: 12px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; text-align: left; text-indent: 100%; white-space: nowrap; width: 294px;"></span></span><em style="display: block; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 5px; text-align: right;"><span class="poll_option_percent" style="display: inline; margin-top: 5px;">51</span>% (<span class="poll_option_count" style="display: inline; margin-top: 5px;">354</span> votes)</em></b></div>
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<dt style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Ingrid's Sweet Apple Yorkies</b></dt>
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<b><b><b><br /></b>WHO's WINNING?</b></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It's pretty close, but Vanessa has the edge with 51% of the vote, it seems voters love the nostalgia of a good custard pie, and the timings seem to be very important. The baked pancake requires resting, so that adds an extra 20 mins to the process, an issue for some time-poor cooks.</span></div>
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<u>In our next post Vanessa goes into more detail about the food, the photoshoot and behind the scenes.</u></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Ingrid's Dish: Sweet apple yorkies </b></span></div>
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I love pancakes, but I hate waiting for them. With a new baby and a toddler, I haven't got time to stand over a hot element cooking them, making sure they don't burn. I also made the rule in my household that the one cooking them always gets the first pancake, however, the first pancake always seems to be the malformed, or the thinnest, the one that doesn't bubble. A stack of oven-warmed pancakes arriving on the table just so everybody can eat them together just doesn't cut it for me either. I want them straight from the pan, butter still sizzling and hot enough to melt my refrigerated golden syrup swirls. <br />
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This baked eggy puffy cloud packed with sticky gooey caramelised apples is about as close as I can get to my idea of breakfast heaven on a cold winter’s day. It's sort of a sweet version of the Yorkshire pudding (which appeals to my English Hull-born bloke) and also why I call my dish Sweet Apple Yorkies. <br />
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It has origins from the Apple Dutch Baby or the German Pancake and could be filled with just about any stone fruit or spice. Caramelised apples, however, are just perfect, and your whole family will get excited watching the magic of the custardy egg rising over the edges of the pan in the oven. One more rule however, these must be eaten immediately, or risk watching them fall. <br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Vanessa's tip:</b> Top pancake with grilled bacon for a hearty brunch.</span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><b>Ingrid's sweet apple yorkies</b></span></div>
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I used 2 x 20cm [pie tins but you could also use a large , 30cm wide, cast iron skillet or deep ovenproof frying pan and divide the pancake into 4 when cooked – it would save on dishes!<br />
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<b>What you need: </b><br />
<b>Caramelised apples </b><br />
25g butter <br />
4 cooking apples peeled, cored and roughly chopped <br />
¼ cup golden syrup <br />
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<b>Batter </b><br />
¾ cup flour <br />
½ teaspoon salt <br />
1 cup milk <br />
1 teaspoon vanilla essence <br />
4 eggs <br />
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<b>Method </b><br />
1. Preheat oven to 200˚C or 180˚C fan. Divide the butter between the pans and allow it to melt in the oven for a few minutes. <br />
2. Place chopped apples evenly over the pan. Pour over melted golden syrup and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the apples are caramelised. <br />
3. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and gradually add the milk and vanilla , whisking to remove any lumps. <br />
4. Add eggs one at a time. Lightly whisk the batter. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Pour batter over apples. <br />
5. Bake for 20 minutes until the batter puffs up and the edges are golden. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt. <br />
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<b>Preparation time:</b> 30 mins + 20 mins resting time <br />
<b>Cooking time:</b> 20 mins <br />
<b>Serves</b> 4 <br />
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<b>TIPS</b> <br />
* <i>Resting the batter allows time for the starch to absorb the liquid and air bubbles to form making your batter light and fluffy. <br />* Don't over mix your batter as you will get rubbery pancakes. </i><br />
* <i>Remember to have your table set and plates ready, as the yorkies will sink a few minutes after you remove it from the oven. </i><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-66350892958845235772012-07-22T02:44:00.000-07:002012-07-22T14:17:34.050-07:00A tale about travel and a cheesecakeThis post was suppose to be about using up lemons, but when I decided to make a classic baked cheesecake, it got me thinking about when I went traveling overland through the Middle East and I set about trying to order a birthday cake in Pakistan.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--L2pl5c3VvM/UAvKuWdD8AI/AAAAAAAABOM/Z4YaxZrN9Tw/s1600/lemon+cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--L2pl5c3VvM/UAvKuWdD8AI/AAAAAAAABOM/Z4YaxZrN9Tw/s1600/lemon+cheesecake.jpg" /></a></div>
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A bit random, I know, but bear with me. My trip took me from Egypt through Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iran, Pakistan and through into India. I was traveling with two girlfriends and one poor Aussie bloke, pre Sept 11. Six weeks in and after a 24 hour journey in a minivan with 24 people stuffed in every cavity, we arrived in the town of Peshawar, the city that borders the Khyber Pass route into Afghanistan. We were all in need of some rest, vitamins and decent food.<br />
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This Aussie bloke just happened to be in the worst shape, sick from all sorts of travel bugs, but mostly sick from lack of nutrition. He was pretty fussy, he only ate plain, simple food. His favorite dish being pasta with sliced tomatoes and grated cheese, followed by cheesecake. Now I can't imagine getting to adulthood and with all the options for food in Australia and picking this meal as my all time fav - however this was the case and it went against him when traveling in such countries as we did.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As it turned out, it was his birthday the week we were there, so us girls thought, lets cheer him up and make him his favorite meal. </span>Easy, if your at home, easy if we were in Europe, probably easyish in Asia, but not so in Pakistan. But we weren't deterred, hey, we had mince and cheese pies at the Australian embassy in Pakistan, we must be able to get pasta, tomatoes, cheese and a cheesecake. So we set about our mission and by the end of the day we had procured our ingredients and found a local bakery that were willing to bake a cheesecake for us.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The next day, we surprised the Aussie bloke with his bowl of plain and simple pasta, sliced tomatoes and grated cheese. He just smiled. But wait, we said, there's more. We produced a cake box, he lifted up the top, and in sat a cake, a birthday cake, with grated cheese melted on top. He smiled.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fyi: Grated lemon rind not grated cheese on this one!</span></i></td></tr>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Donna Hay's classic baked cheesecake</span></b></div>
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330g cream cheese, softened <br />
500g ricotta <br />
4 eggs <br />
1⅓ cups (295g) caster (superfine) sugar <br />
¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice <br />
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind <br />
½ teaspoon vanilla extract <br />
1½ tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) <br />
1½ tablespoons water <br />
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⅓ cup (40g) almond meal (ground almonds) <br />
¾ cup (105g) plain (all-purpose) flour <br />
¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar <br />
90g butter, chopped<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 150°C (350°F). To make the base, place the almond meal, flour, sugar and butter in a bowl. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until a rough dough forms. Line the base of a lightly greased 20cm-round springform tin with non-stick baking paper. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the base. Bake for 15 minutes or until light golden. Set aside. To make the filling, place the cream cheese, ricotta, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and rind and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor. Combine the cornflour and water until smooth and add to the cheese mixture. Process the mixture until smooth. Lightly grease the sides of the tin and pour the filling over the base. Tap the tin lightly to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and stand the cake for 1 hour, leaving the door closed. Refrigerate until cold and serve with fresh berries, <u><i>or sprinkle with icing sugar and lemon rind (Ingrid's suggestion)</i></u> Serves 10.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Extracted from <a href="http://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/classic-baked-cheesecake">Donna Hay</a></span><br />
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<i><b>TIP:</b> The only problem I had with this recipe, was trying to remove the baking paper from the bottom of the cake, so I would just grease the bottom of the cake tin, unless you don't mind the baking paper being there at serving.</i><br />
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<i><a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2011/08/my-little-lemon-tree.html">More recipes using lemons</a></i><br />
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<i><a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2011/03/new-york-style-lemon-curd-cheesecake.html">New York style lemon curd cheesecake </a></i></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-24387138431161606542012-07-09T18:59:00.000-07:002012-07-18T03:28:38.499-07:00Kohu Road Creamery and Cafe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WYDogzXgSiY/T_uAZRrgKgI/AAAAAAAABG4/RFW8JeF-wLI/s1600/Kohu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WYDogzXgSiY/T_uAZRrgKgI/AAAAAAAABG4/RFW8JeF-wLI/s640/Kohu.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It was raining, so with all four kids in tow, their weren't many options for a peaceful and pleasant morning! So Vanessa called and said, " Lets check out <a href="http://www.kohuroad.co.nz/cafe.html">Kohu Road Cafe</a>, recommended in our <a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/p/food-news.html">best cafes to take the kids</a> list, at least we can bribe the kids with ice cream! Vanessa made it there quite easily, I got lost (<i>not unusual when you don't ever look at a map and you try and wing it</i>) but I asked at the local paint shop (<i>Kohu Rd cafe is located in the industrial area of New Lynn</i>) and I was told look for two green poles, parkings a bit of a squeeze, but it was so worth it as the coffee alone was amazing.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">When I arrived, Vanessa looked like she had bedded down for the night - Jake was happily checking out the 50's caravan, which according to one boy, "No adults were allowed". Fine by us....that was exactly what we were hoping!</span></div>
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Most of the food is on display at the counter and cooked on the premises. (you can see the chef in action whilst at your table). Its rustic cafe style rather than full on meals but sure to please a variety of tastes. I had a freshly baked bacon and egg pie and Jake couldn't go past the sugary jammy doughnuts. When Ingrid and kids arrived they tucked into brioches with their coffee and fluffy. There was also a soup option on the blackboard menu.</div>
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Like Ingrid said, the caravan was a definite drawcard for two boisterous boys so leaving came down to bribery with ice creams. There were about a dozen flavors on offer as well as a freezer stocked with takeaway options.</div>
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We are constantly on the look out for places to go that suit the boys, babies and us. We both love our coffee and the cafe scene and struggle to find places that fit the brief. <a href="http://www.kohuroad.co.nz/cafe.html">Kohu Road cafe</a> is spacious, not too precious, welcome kids with big open arms, and the staff are super friendly. It's a working creamery out the back, and the cafe is sectioned off with used lolly trays (see Jake below resting up) that you can purchase for $10. Perfect for breakfast in bed, toys or crafts, or paint with blackboard paint, add a rope and hang in your kitchen. The caravan is a winner, complete with a flat screen TV and selection of DVD's. Three comfy couches in front of caravan in which to watch the kids.</div>
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Initially we were just buying cookies and cream ice cream for the boys and as it was Monday and we were both on our post babies diets LOL. There is always next Monday! Ingrid and I tucked into the BEST chocolate sorbet EVER! The staff assured us it was dairy free but full of sugar. I told Ingrid, you burn sugar quicker than fat, so we should be right. Ingrid replied, No chance, if we sit around cafe's all day! I would make the trip from the shore just for the chocolate sorbet, it was that good!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W2jBy7qZu94/T_uAgjkBPFI/AAAAAAAABHQ/ZmWfr-8_5k0/s1600/Kohu+Road+cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W2jBy7qZu94/T_uAgjkBPFI/AAAAAAAABHQ/ZmWfr-8_5k0/s640/Kohu+Road+cream.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;">A great cafe to serve the needs of both adults and kids, go early if you want to get the parks, and don't leave without an ice cream.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Kohu Road Creamery and Cafe, New Lynn </b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.kohuroad.co.nz/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">www.kohuroad.co.nz</span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">44 Portage Road, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">New Lynn</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span">09 827 9990</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Monday to Saturday from 8am to 4:30pm</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com6New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand-36.9055201 174.6860273-36.930914099999995 174.6465453 -36.8801261 174.7255093tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-49645467617163118822012-07-04T01:16:00.004-07:002012-07-18T03:30:31.299-07:00What's in season: Yams, sprouts and cabbages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iJfNTvLCabA/T_P3b966XGI/AAAAAAAABF4/wPQ5kAdn_Oo/s1600/Winter+Yams+Blog-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iJfNTvLCabA/T_P3b966XGI/AAAAAAAABF4/wPQ5kAdn_Oo/s200/Winter+Yams+Blog-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f; font-weight: bold;">HOW TO COOK WITH YAMS: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Most of us stick to the usual veges in our winter roasts. We often comment "<i>I wonder how you would cook those? or they look interesting</i>". Yams look pretty weird, they are small and knobby but have an appealing yellow/pink colour.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">They are super simple to cook and cook quite fast because they are so small. I decided to throw them in with a roast dinner, but jazz them up a bit with a honey and spice coating. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Don't be scared and give them ago. If your kids like potato, they are sure to like the sweet sticky cute yams!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2011/07/ever-wondered-how-to-eat-yams.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to eat yams</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ucq_7eBHsik/T_PTxpq3u-I/AAAAAAAABFc/KSBxHxAZSpY/s1600/Brussel+sprouts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ucq_7eBHsik/T_PTxpq3u-I/AAAAAAAABFc/KSBxHxAZSpY/s200/Brussel+sprouts.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">LEARN HOW TO LOVE SPROUTS:</span> </b>A big favorite of mine is brussel sprouts, which seems to disturb most people. In winter, I'm always throwing them into the roasting dish with other winter veg, drizzle some olive oil, add some rosemary or thyme, salt/ pepper and you have an easy throw together side to any meat. Just the other night, I threw in cut yams and sprouts, olive oil, a sprinkling of seasoning (cumin, ground coriander and cayenne pepper) and roasted them for around 30 mins, it was a perfect match for my roasted chicken legs. <i>Check out some other easy ideas for sprouts below. </i></span><br />
<a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2011/05/how-to-love-brussel-sprouts.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to love brussel sprouts</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pfTUm4kNSAE/T_P2tZF7QeI/AAAAAAAABFo/oesOUBei9vM/s1600/Template+Savoy+Cabbage+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pfTUm4kNSAE/T_P2tZF7QeI/AAAAAAAABFo/oesOUBei9vM/s200/Template+Savoy+Cabbage+.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>TWO WAYS WITH CABBAGE: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">My memories of cabbage are of coleslaw's at summer barbies or Dad eating his German sausages with sauerkraut. As an adult I have discovered the Asian influence adding cabbage and it many varieties to stir fries. It really makes a meal go further, is low fat and very very tasty! <i>Try two very different takes on making a meal out of cabbage.</i></span></span><br />
<a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/2011/09/cabbage-day-keeps-doctor-away.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooking with cabbage</span></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com0Kingsland, Auckland, New Zealand-36.8707173 174.7469289-36.8834238 174.7271879 -36.8580108 174.7666699tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-64141914468470854592012-07-01T19:33:00.002-07:002012-07-18T03:31:52.962-07:00Vote for the winning dish<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;"><i>Real</i> Magazine, New World's food magazine, set us a challenge, to each create </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">a winning dish using apples. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ar2D7eTxeCA/T_EJMadaFkI/AAAAAAAABE0/Vy4RLkSzQW4/s1600/SistervSister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ar2D7eTxeCA/T_EJMadaFkI/AAAAAAAABE0/Vy4RLkSzQW4/s1600/SistervSister.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">They have put it to the public vote....ekkkkk and everyday we both see the slider showing who got the most votes. It's driving us crazy, it's getting us all edgy and a spot of sibling rivalry has emerged! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I never thought Vanessa would start a voting campaign against me on Facebook </span>- but right back at you sis...x</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">SO CHECK IT OUT & GET VOTING</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_493568205"></span><span id="goog_493568206"></span><a href="http://www.newworld.co.nz/inspire-me/out-of-the-mixing-bowl/sister-vs-sister/">www.newworld.co.nz/inspire-me/out-of-the-mixing-bowl/sister-vs-sister</a></span></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-20871048061853288092012-06-20T19:32:00.000-07:002012-07-18T03:33:38.483-07:00Easy Italian seafood dishes for the family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sadly a few days ago our Nonna passed away. She was the quintessential Italian Nonna, she always wore an apron, had a strong Italian accent and was often emotional. Our memories of her are surrounded by food. Thankfully she passed on her recipes to our dad who bought us up on lots of Italian inspired meals. This blog post is dedicated to our Nonna Maria...</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Vanessa's dish:</span> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Classic and easy tomato sauce </b></span></div>
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<b>What you need </b></div>
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Olive oil</div>
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Salt 2 teaspoons but if you are like me, you will want to add more.</div>
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2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes </div>
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1 punnet or tube of tomato paste (you can use a tin of tomato puree instead)</div>
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2 onions</div>
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4 cloves of garlic</div>
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Secret ingredient - a teaspoon sugar (optional but it does sweeten the tomatoes)</div>
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Add enough oil to a pot to cover the bottom and saute the chopped onions, when soft add the garlic and soften. (be careful not to burn the garlic)</div>
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Add the tins of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste or puree and then add 1 tin of water. </div>
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Add salt and sugar to taste </div>
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All you need to do now is simmer the sauce uncovered until it starts to reduce. its a bit of a balancing act where you will need to add more water if it becomes too thick and more puree/paste if its not thick enough. The paste/puree adds extra depth to the tomato taste and help thicken along with the simmering. </div>
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I usually simmer it for at least 30 minutes however 20-30 minutes still results in a good sauce. Often its even nicer the following day.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jo5b1_fHc5U/T-JRKd4_f7I/AAAAAAAABEE/BZf0TLjEEKo/s1600/Mussels+Nonna.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jo5b1_fHc5U/T-JRKd4_f7I/AAAAAAAABEE/BZf0TLjEEKo/s1600/Mussels+Nonna.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Steamed mussels</b></span></div>
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Add clean and de-bearded mussels to a pot with a lid with a couple of tablespoons of water or wine. Turn up the heat to high and wait a few minutes. Don't be tempted to open the lid to often as it lets the steam out and reduces the temperature. You need it to be HOT to open the shells. When I check the mussels I take the open ones out straight away and quickly put the lid back on and steam the rest. </div>
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If after about 10 minutes some shells haven't opened - throw them away. </div>
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I find the quicker you get the mussels out once they have opened, the better - they don't need to cook any longer. Set them aside until you are ready to plate up. </div>
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Cut both the tomatoes and lemons on half. Place in an oven proof dish and drizzle with olive oil. (don't bother using oil on the lemons)</div>
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Grill until the tomatoes are soft and starting to caramelize. </div>
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Set them aside until you are ready to plate up.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>How to assemble</b></span> </div>
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1. Cook your spaghetti in lots of salted rapidly boiling water. It is said the water needs to be salty like the sea and use a large pot. </div>
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2. When al-dente (to the bite) - meaning taste it and it should be firm, not soft like tinned spaghetti!!! </div>
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3. Drain and add the tomato sauce and mix through. </div>
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Some people like to mix the sauce through it first, others like to add the sauce to individual bowls of spaghetti - your choice. </div>
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4. Arrange the mussels, tomatoes and lemons in bowls and top with black pepper. </div>
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Enjoy</div>
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<i>Vanessa X </i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3bLYCGP1SvY/T-JsvpWLFtI/AAAAAAAABEc/AvRtcrAeftU/s1600/Nonna3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3bLYCGP1SvY/T-JsvpWLFtI/AAAAAAAABEc/AvRtcrAeftU/s1600/Nonna3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nonna Maria with her grandchildren Vanessa and Ingrid picking and eating oranges in Keri keri and Nonna with her first born son Rino (our dad) </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ingrid's dish:</span> Crispy fried calamari</b></span></div>
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Whenever I think of Nonna, she's either sitting in her rocking chair, a big mug of coffee in her hands, watching daytime soaps on TV or she is cooking in the kitchen. Nothing was ever too much trouble, if you wanted gnocchi made at ten o'clock at night, the potatoes were boiled up and mashed and a simple tomato sauce was created. The tablecloth came out and we sat up to buttery soft italian dumplings. As a kid, I remember feeling very cherished by my Nonna. </div>
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I also remember fried calamari being thrown together at a moments notice, a few visitors popping over, the playing cards coming out and a raucous night filled with loud laughter and hands slamming down on the table when the last card was played.</div>
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When I decided to do fried calamari for this blog post, I could imagine Nonna trotting off down to the local fishmonger, whereas I went to the local asian supermarket - how things have changed! I picked my squid, and regrettably told the fishmonger not to prep it, as I'll do it myself! (um...crazy idea...)</div>
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<i>An economical dish, this whole squid cost $4.50 and served four people accompanied with a wintery salad.</i></div>
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So I brought it home and googled - "How to prepare squid, which I have to say, totally grossed me out. I couldn't do it without gloves on, I was a total wimp! When I accidentally pressed the eye a little too hard and it squirted 'eye juice' all over my kitchen window, I could hear my Nonna laughing out loud in the background thinking what a ridiculous situation I had got myself in. So please, what ever you do, get it prepped at the asian supermarket, fish monger, or risk being turned off calamari for life!</div>
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However, it was all worth it in the end. It's a great dish to share, its rustic, economical and it really does transport you to al fresco dining on a cobblestone street on the Mediterranean seafront.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make a simple tartare dip, by mixing 3 tablespoons of store - bought mayonnaise, a handful of capers, a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped gherkins.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large;"><b>Crispy fried calamari</b></span></div>
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Serves 4</div>
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<b>What you need </b></div>
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1 fresh squid (cut into strips)</div>
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1/2 to 1 cup of standard flour</div>
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vegetable oil, fill frypan up to 1cm</div>
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salt and pepper to taste</div>
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lemon wedges</div>
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<b>How to prepare</b></div>
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First, get the fish monger to prep the squid! (i.e.: remove all the yukky bits!!!) Once home, pull the tentacles out and cut the tentacles away from its body. Slice open the body, lie it flat and lightly score the surface to tenderize it. Cut into even strips same width as tentacles. Pat dry with a paper towel.</div>
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In a plastic bag, mix flour and salt and pepper. Add squid strips to the bag and give it a shake until squid is evenly coated.</div>
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Heat oil in a frypan on high heat. When sizzling, add calamari in batches until crispy and golden. They should only take about 2 mins. Drain on a paper towel. Serve piled high with lemon wedges. </div>
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ALSO TRY: Sprinkled with fresh Italian parsley or parmesan.<br />
HAVE WITH: Thinly sliced boiled potatoes garnished with olive oil, salt and cracked pepper.<br />
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<i>Enjoy</i></div>
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<i>Ingrid X</i> </div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com10Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand-36.8099428 174.7280374-36.835368800000005 174.6885554 -36.7845168 174.7675194tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-23078627555346343432012-05-30T16:06:00.001-07:002012-07-18T03:34:56.791-07:00Pork: Dinner party recipes<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>With both of us on maternity leave this year we have more time on our hands to be domestic goddesses LOL ...</b></span> well that was the plan! The reality is somewhat different. Being on one income and becoming 'stay at home' mums has meant we now want easy, quick dishes and economical meals. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0YAe2OOFxjc/T7_mNH5VAiI/AAAAAAAABA0/_NecNtORYNg/s1600/Pork+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0YAe2OOFxjc/T7_mNH5VAiI/AAAAAAAABA0/_NecNtORYNg/s640/Pork+Blog.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both of us buy and eat quite a bit of chicken, its so versatile, but not the cheapest. Pork seems to be overtaking chicken by being an economical meat and like chicken, can be used in so many ways. It also ticks the boxes for the lads too. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each week our Mum arrives at our homes with food parcels - <i>sometimes the parcel contains only one leek, two onions, three carrots and one roll of toilet paper, and I always ring Ingrid to see if she received the rest of the bag! </i>However I have noticed in the last year or so pork has been a regular feature. She buys a variety of cuts and hunts out the specials, it has certainly made me more aware of pork and its flexibility. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So we both thought, lets give pork a go, have a casual family dinner party, <i>which really means no dressing up, no fuss and using fingers </i>and this is what we came up with. Enjoy! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pork Belly Bites with Dipping Sauce - addictive</span></i></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">VANESSA</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large; font-style: italic;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Pork belly bites with </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">ginger and chili dipping sauce </span>+<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"> spiced red wine vinegar sauce</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love pork belly, I know its hardly the "healthy cut" but all the juicy fat running through it makes it tender and hard to resist. I have ordered it occasionally at restaurants but more frequently at <a href="http://yellow.co.nz/y/Cafes/Canton+Cafe/100862254_417.html">Canton Cafe</a> in Kingsland - their crispy pork is a regular feature whenever the family gathers for a no frills feast. Like many restaurant and cafe meals I put pork belly in the 'too hard' basket deeming it difficult to get right and easier to buy. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pork belly in fact couldn't be easier - the prep is simple, the time factor is pretty much throw it in a low heat oven and leave and the sauces can even be straight out of a jar if you are pushed for time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I have only made it once, the pork I used was supplied by the lovely folk at <a href="http://www.harmony.co.nz/">Harmony</a>, it was organic and the result was melt in your mouth. My advice, buy the best pork you can afford and always seek NZ born and bred piggies...</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perfect bite sized snack for parties - the lads LOVE them!!!</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pork belly bites </span></b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you need</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pork belly - we were supplied with 800g </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Olive oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 onions sliced into thick circular disks</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tinfoil</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to make</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 160 degrees</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dry the pork belly with paper towels, especially the skin.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an oven proof dish line with tin foil so the pork belly can be covered loosely on the sides but keeping the top/fat side free to crisp up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Layer the onions on the bottom of the tin foil so the belly can be placed on them. (Apparently you can also use apples)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Score the skin - the point of this is so the skin crisps up well and its easy to cut up when its cooked. I scored the skin in even squares about 2cmx2cm.</span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was difficult to cut through mainly because my knives weren't sharp enough. I re-scored it half way through the cooking process which helped. I haven't tried it but assume a heavy craft knife would do the job well!</span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rub the pork belly with oil and salt and place on top of the onions skin side up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bake in the oven for 3 hours - <b>DO NOT BASTE</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 3 hours turn the heat up to 200 degrees and bake for a further 20 Min's, checking regularly to ensure the skin isn't burning.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ended up also grilling the skin to ensure it was crispy all over. I covered the bits that had crisped up nicely with tin foil so they didn't burn.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut into cubes and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">save the juices</span></b> for the spiced red wine vinegar dipping sauce or make a traditional gravy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ginger and chili dipping sauce</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you need</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A palm sized chunk of fresh ginger</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 large chili (Add more or less depending on how spicy you like it)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup white sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cups water</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp fish sauce (from Asian supermarkets or Asian section of the supermarket)</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to make</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blitz everything in the food processor</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a saucepan bring to the boil and simmer until it reduces to a sauce like consistency.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Spiced red wine vinegar dipping sauce</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you need</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Juices from the pork belly pan</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup red wine vinegar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp cinnamon</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to make</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bring to the boil and simmer until it reduces to a sauce like consistency</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Tip</b></span> - When making the sauces above, taste taste taste and don't be afraid to add more or other ingredients to suit your taste buds. If its not thickening up it hasn't had enough time to reduce or you need to add more sugar. </span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vanessa X</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">INGRID <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Honey glazed pork fillet with bacon and pear </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">+</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"> </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">prunes wrapped in bacon</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been over twenty years since I last tasted pork or bacon. I became a '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-vegetarianism">flexitarian</a>' when I was 15, worked in a bakery and had to fill pie casings with gristly meat. It turned me off beef mince, then other meats soon followed. This was before Ponsonby Pies or <a href="http://www.menumania.co.nz/restaurants/fridge">The Fridge</a> Pies in Kingsland, your pie choices were Big Ben, Georgie Pie, or your local bakery. Funny that chicken never got the heave ho, probably had more to do with my best mate at the time who also adopted a semi vegetarian lifestyle and also a love of my mum's chicken schnitzel that I wasn't prepared to give up.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tried different sized pear wedges - small wedges worked and looked best!</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I came back to meat via a medium rare eye fillet steak that Vanessa ordered at <a href="http://www.menus.co.nz/listing/q17x/sausalito-cafe/">Sausalito Cafe</a> in Northcote Point. I was 7 months pregnant with my first born, Rhys and whether I was iron deficient or something chemical had changed, I didn't just eye up Vanessa's steak, I stuck my fork in and ate it!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two and a half years later and I'm rediscovering all different types of meat. I can't believe it took me so long to return. I've always loved the smell of bacon frying, but being a flexitarian (<i>don't you just love that word!</i>), I ate chicken bacon, Vanessa always said " why don't you just eat the real deal?" and I have to agree, its seems quite ridiculous now.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qf0DKVF4VEk/T7yzdaosGBI/AAAAAAAABAo/ANvE8ABKq2A/s1600/pork+fillet+with+pear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qf0DKVF4VEk/T7yzdaosGBI/AAAAAAAABAo/ANvE8ABKq2A/s1600/pork+fillet+with+pear.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did you know? Pork Fillet has less fat than chicken breast but twice the iron.</span></i></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we decided to do a food fight using pork, it was a big challenge for me, as I mentioned I'm a pork cooking virgin, so I needed to create a dish that was simple to prepare (within my 'first timers' capabilities), used seasonal ingredients (pears), was quick to cook and had a bit of a wow factor (to prove my skills).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I checked out the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><u><a href="http://www.extraordinarykitchen.co.nz/">extraordinary kitchen</a></u></span> website which has great tips for cooking pork, recipes, ideas etc and <a href="http://www.extraordinarykitchen.co.nz/videos.aspx?video=1">Simon Gault</a> videos on how to cook with pork. I even found out that you can eat pork quite pink too, in fact whatever you do don't overcook it (unless your cooking pork belly that is, cook it slow and low). <i>Enjoy, Ingrid</i></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Honey glazed pork fillet with bacon and pear </span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">enough for 2 </span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you need:</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Olive oil</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt/ pepper</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 fillet of <a href="http://www.pork.co.nz/">nz pork</a> (per 2 persons) We used <a href="http://www.harmony.co.nz/">Harmony</a> free range pork</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 pear (Any type will do, but I used Packham) cut into six to eight wedges (any leftover pear cut it into chucks and chuck in the roasting dish.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 to 8 rashers of streaky bacon (I used <a href="http://www.harmony.co.nz/">Harmony</a> free range bacon) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 tbsp of manuka honey (although you could use any type of honey also)</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to make:</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set oven temp to 180C. Rub pork fillet in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and in a pan sear each side of the fillet for 3 mins. Place fillet in a roasting dish. Wrap each rasher of bacon around a wedge of pear. Cut 6 to 8 slices down the fillet away from the grain, and shove a bacon wrapped pear into the slice. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roast for 25-30mins until bacon is cooked (this really depends on your oven, the best way to check the fillet is to make sure the outside is cooked but the inside of the pork is cooked but a pink color. Remove from oven and drizzle with honey. Finish it off by grilling for a few mins in oven until the bacon crisps.</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Roast prunes wrapped in bacon</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you need:</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prunes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bacon</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">toothpicks</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to make:</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simply wrap bacon around a prune and stick a toothpick through, the middle holding the bacon in place. Roast for 25- 30 mins alongside your pork fillet. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">A BIG THANKS to <a href="http://www.harmony.co.nz/">Harmony</a></span> for supplying us with our free range pork. It got the thumbs up from all our taste testers, the kids, a handful of friends, and especially the blokes.</span></b><br />
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com5Auckland, New Zealand-36.8484597 174.7633315-37.2550762 174.1316175 -36.4418432 175.39504549999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-19086980446889284182012-05-14T18:16:00.000-07:002012-07-18T03:51:48.783-07:00Easy pizza dough<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qJYE5EO7wA0/T7GnjyjUZMI/AAAAAAAAA-o/Qr6lv3Gpc4M/s1600/kids+pizza+dough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qJYE5EO7wA0/T7GnjyjUZMI/AAAAAAAAA-o/Qr6lv3Gpc4M/s1600/kids+pizza+dough.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">A play on words for our two boys who got stuck in rolling the dough, <br />however the name also means maori dumplings.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Making your own pizza dough REALLY is easy! Too often we perceive making things by scratch to be difficult and end up spending way too much money to buy a sub-standard product. Time is also an issue, even more so now, as Ingrid and I have just added a baby each to the mix. However pizza dough really is easy and so much more delicious than anything you can buy. </span>All it takes is a little organisation and a hot water cupboard!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N11OPcXExdc/T7GnqQdhVLI/AAAAAAAAA-w/RQLnN0P9YPo/s1600/pizza+dough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N11OPcXExdc/T7GnqQdhVLI/AAAAAAAAA-w/RQLnN0P9YPo/s1600/pizza+dough.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Jake was methodical in placing the toppings, Rhys was more concerned with eating the toppings.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The first stage involves the yeast sitting in your hot water cupboard or a warm place for about 15 mins, the second stage is where for give yourself an arm workout for about 10 mins and the third stage is when it proves in your hot water cupboard again until it doubles in size. The time for this varies but I have experienced success every time I have made it even though I have left it for different amounts of time!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ma6z0xtI18c/T7Gp9Qfe9MI/AAAAAAAAA-4/Gw-UdgAh2I0/s1600/pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ma6z0xtI18c/T7Gp9Qfe9MI/AAAAAAAAA-4/Gw-UdgAh2I0/s1600/pizza.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Thin and crispy, perfect for little hands.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Easy Pizza Dough</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>You will need</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp yeast (instant dried)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp sugar</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tbsp olive oil</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 cups of plain flour</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup warm water</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>How to make</b></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In a bowl add the warm water, yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil. Leave for about 10 minutes until its activated and a bit bubbly. </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Add the yeast mixture to the flour by making a well in the centre and mixing it with your hands to form a dough ball. </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Knead it until its smooth - this takes about 10 mins - using the heel of your hand works well and you get in to a rhythm. Great exercise!</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Put into a bowl coated in a bit of olive oil and place some where warm to let it prove (rise) to double its original size. I leave it for an hour or so. (I used the hot water cupboard)</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">When ready, punch the dough as its quite light and re-work it into a ball. </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Its now ready to use. </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Roll it out to the desired thinness/thickness - I always go thin.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Place on to a floured pan or pizza stone and add toppings. TIP: Uncooked p</span></span>izza dough can be frozen in balls or flat between baking paper.</li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bake at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes. </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGt6dPPSJ30/T7GrZO_Xv5I/AAAAAAAAA_A/YX2x9ouheGk/s1600/eating+pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGt6dPPSJ30/T7GrZO_Xv5I/AAAAAAAAA_A/YX2x9ouheGk/s1600/eating+pizza.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">...the best bit is always the tasting at the end. <br />Ham, cheese and pineapple was the toppings of choice for these kids.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"></span></b></i></span></span></div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Interesting toppings and hints.</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Use a base of tomato sauce or pesto, you can even use store bought pasta sauce.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>TIP:</b> Be careful with ingredients that have a high water content such as fresh tomato, mushrooms, pineapple or frozen spinach - this can make the pizza soggy if you add too much.</span><br />
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<ul>
<li>Prawns, capers and anchovies</li>
<li>Spinach, Parmesan and Cracked egg</li>
<li>Jalapeño and spicy salami</li>
<li>bacon, blue cheese and leek</li>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com4Auckland, New Zealand-36.8484597 174.7633315-37.2550762 174.1316175 -36.4418432 175.39504549999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-59281662420298375912012-04-07T02:56:00.006-07:002012-07-18T03:37:15.273-07:00Balsamic Mushrooms<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oyPNYfAerWk/T4AGExYr78I/AAAAAAAAA94/SpK6jvR1kKI/s1600/Balsamic+Mushrooms+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oyPNYfAerWk/T4AGExYr78I/AAAAAAAAA94/SpK6jvR1kKI/s1600/Balsamic+Mushrooms+3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balsamic Mushrooms - Delicious</td></tr>
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Every so often Ingrid and I (OK often) head out sans kids to a cafe for most of the morning. Dizzengoff on Ponsonby Road has been a regular favourite for years, in fact I have been frequenting the place for nearly 10 years and that's pretty amazing for cafe culture.<br />
They do strong coffee and the most amazing and addictive mushrooms (LOL). No matter what I order I always get a side of mushrooms. Re-creating this dish was actually pretty easy, I think I nailed it the second time.<br />
Now if there is anyone from Dizzengoff reading this, I know you wont want to part with the recipe but please please please let me know if I am close...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBA6h-ZOgwg/T4Jp_GuNm-I/AAAAAAAAA-Y/ymkFX5YSlns/s1600/Balsamic+Mushrooms+4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBA6h-ZOgwg/T4Jp_GuNm-I/AAAAAAAAA-Y/ymkFX5YSlns/s640/Balsamic+Mushrooms+4a.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b><br />
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<b>What you need (recipe for one person - double for two)</b><br />
About 12 button mushrooms per person<br />
1-2 garlic cloves finely chopped<br />
Olive oil for cooking mushrooms<br />
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar<br />
50mls cream<br />
Salt/pepper to taste<br />
<br />
<b>How to make</b><br />
Add the oil, garlic and mushrooms to a frying pan and saute for a few minutes.<br />
Add half the balsamic vinegar to the pan and turn up the heat so it bubbles and reduces, when its reduced quite a bit, add the rest of the vinegar. Keep it bubbling but don't let it reduce to nothing.<br />
Take it off the heat and add the cream and salt/pepper.<br />
Reduce the heat and cook until the cream is hot - you may want to reduce it a bit more.<br />
Pour over crunchy ciabatta bread or serve as a side dish.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NE12KNetjsQ/T4AN5UQ8-nI/AAAAAAAAA-I/JJsE8pGFE_w/s1600/Balsamic+Mushrooms+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NE12KNetjsQ/T4AN5UQ8-nI/AAAAAAAAA-I/JJsE8pGFE_w/s1600/Balsamic+Mushrooms+5.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So good you could easily eat two...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5582486279460711158.post-25784699175089588882012-03-31T17:27:00.000-07:002012-07-18T16:18:19.382-07:00Smoked Fish Pate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was 21 when I got my first proper fishing rod, my boyfriend at the time bought it for me and we embarked on numerous trips, trying different bait, different locations, by boat, on wharf, surfcasting from the beach and all were pretty miserable - not one fish was caught that year, so my love affair of fishing ended and so did my romance.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-746dRz_O90Q/T3edOHGdYaI/AAAAAAAAA9o/EGREB6Xjo20/s1600/smoke+fish+dip+with+capers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-746dRz_O90Q/T3edOHGdYaI/AAAAAAAAA9o/EGREB6Xjo20/s1600/smoke+fish+dip+with+capers.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Takes only a few minutes to prepare but tastes like you've spent the whole day making it</i></td></tr>
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These days, I envy those who can fish, I never realised how aligned everything needs to be in order to hook a 'big in'. Weather patterns, moon phases, the right hook, bait, sinker. . . now I just leave it up to the experts, which is usually the <a href="http://www.afm.co.nz/"><b>Auckland Fish Market</b> </a>- which is exciting in itself just to visit and see the different species, colors, shapes as well as a great place for fish n chips, and a cold beer.<br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It was also recommended in our <b><a href="http://foodopera.blogspot.co.nz/p/food-news.html">Best eating places to take the kids</a></b> list, as it has a massive courtyard with a sandpit, and also the marine inspired playground across the road.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xl0jWO0qlnY/T3eXRIlwYMI/AAAAAAAAA9g/Cl-U4OYTd4U/s1600/kingfish.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xl0jWO0qlnY/T3eXRIlwYMI/AAAAAAAAA9g/Cl-U4OYTd4U/s1600/kingfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></span><br />
The whole reason for this post, is because my neighbour, Steve, turned up with some Smoked Kingfish, caught from a recent trip to Whananaki<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;">, </span>(</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">40 minutes drive northeast of Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"> he<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;"> hooked a 35lb Kingfish and my, what a catch! It's was quite a dry texture, so I decided the best thing to do was to make a quick pate/ dip for lunch. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Because the pate was so easy to make, and I'm never one to rest on any success, I decided to make the bread as well, which unfortunately went the same way as my fishing - lets just say it was super crunchy, and enjoyed as soon as it exited the oven, but a few hours later, it was used for cricket balls in a match in the backyard.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; line-height: 17px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So what went wrong with my bread? </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Type of bread: </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;">Italian style Cottage Loaf from the book Italian Home Baking by Gino D'Acampo </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Ingredients:</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;"> 680g strong white flour, extra for dusting: 2 tsp salt : 10g </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; line-height: 17px;">fast-action dried yeast : 400ml water, warm : Olive oil for brushing</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; line-height: 17px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">How to make: </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;">Brush tray with oil. Mix flour, salt, yeast in a bowl. Make well in centre. Pour in water and mix to a firm dough. Add more flour if necessary. Transfer to floured surface and knead for 10mins until smooth and elastic. Brush inside of another bowl with oil and place dough. Cover with cling film and leave to rise in warm place for an hour </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>(</b><i><b>I used my hot water cupboard and I left it for 3 hours!!!</b></i><b>)</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;">. Turn the dough out on floured surface and punch down. Knead for 3 </span>mins<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;"> and divide into two thirds and one-third, shape each into a ball </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><b>(I divided the dough into 12 rolls)</b></i><b>. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;">Place on oiled tray. Brush the tops with oil </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>(</b><i><b>I also added sesame seeds</b></i><b>)</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;"> Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for a further 30 </span>mins<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b> </b><i><b>(I left it for about an hour and when I saw how much they had risen, I thought, my rolls were way too BIG, so I re-sized them into smaller rolls - round shaped and oblong, not really kneading the dough much again, just reshaping). </b></i></span>Preheat oven to 220C. Bake on the bottom of the oven for 40mins until loaf is golden. Serve warm.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">The Outcome: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;">My rolls were too hard and too dense.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; line-height: 17px;">So folks, if you have any answers, let me know in the comments below</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Steve's wife and ex chef, Johanna recommended:</b> Use the dough hook on your kitchen mix, you may not have kneaded the bread enough.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">Moving on to my pate, which thankfully was a triumph and as I said so simple to whip up, if your lucky enough to have a smoked fish dropped off at the front door. However this would also work with supermarket bought smoked fish, or even tinned salmon, tuna or sardines. Enjoy, Ingrid</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r8MtZyCWbmI/T3edqcQMhLI/AAAAAAAAA9w/9cLadWBGn54/s1600/Smoked+fish+pate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r8MtZyCWbmI/T3edqcQMhLI/AAAAAAAAA9w/9cLadWBGn54/s1600/Smoked+fish+pate.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 17px;"><b>Smoked Kingfish Pate or dip</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>What you need</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">200g kingfish (or any smoked fish or a tin of salmon, tuna, sardines)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">250g cream cheese (softened - i.e. leave it out of the fridge for awhile)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">4 tbsp milk</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">50g capers </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">1/2 lemon (juice of, and grate some zest)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">salt and pepper (to taste)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>How to make</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">In a bowl, put cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, zest and fold through flaked fish and capers. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill until needed. Serve with crackers or crusty bread.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1c2a47;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088411170015322238noreply@blogger.com9