Rustic mushrooms and bacon on toast

 

If you’ve been following A Spoonful of Country, you know that I’m all about cooking quick, rustic dishes using whatever I have in my kitchen with only a handful of ingredients. Mushys are so good, not to mention easy and delicious, it’s a simple pleasure of mine and I like to make it for myself as a quick lunch or a hearty weekend breakfast for the farmer and I.

The possibilities are endless with the ingredients, as long as you have mushrooms, bacon and a few slices of bread. Any combination of mushrooms would work. I like the Swiss Brown button mushrooms from the supermarket but field ones picked fresh are by far the best. If you are feeling indulgent, you can add some cream to make a sauce but it isn't necessary.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-4 slices bread, toasted
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 250gm mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 3-4 rashers of bacon, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons herbs (parsley, thyme and rosemary would work)
• 1 onion sliced or chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cream (optional)
• salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD:
 In a pan, sauté garlic and onion in olive oil on medium heat for a minute. Then add bacon pieces, mushrooms and herbs to pan and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, toast your bread slices. In pan, season with salt and pepper, then stir in cream and butter if you are using cream. Serve mushrooms on top of buttered toast with a good cup of tea of course!

Toffee Pop truffles

These little guys are amazing, not only because they take about 5 minutes to make but because they are sooooo good. Perfect for entertaining or for camp mother to take on netball trips, these truffles are a crowd pleaser. But beware they are very moreish and sweet- a recipe for a sore tummy for those that overindulge!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 packet of toffee pops (the cheap ones are fine)
• 3 Tblsp cream cheese
• 1 Tblsp icing sugar
• drinking chocolate or coconut to dress

METHOD:

Put the toffee pops into the food processor and turn on high until they are like bread crumbs. Then add the cream cheese and icing sugar and pulse until the mixture combines. Roll into little (I say little because they are very sweet!) balls and then coat in the drinking chocolate or coconut. Refrigerate for as long as you can stand not eating them or until the party.

TIPS:

• Coconut flour would be a lovely coating or crushed flake chocolate.

Enjoy xx
A

Stu Robbie Outdoor Furniture

Decorate your home's outdoor spaces with natural and rustic elements, inspired by Otago's natural timbres. Why cover up the knots and curves that nature has supplied? Stu's furniture is a beautiful combination of practicality, comfort, high quality craftsmanship and eco-friendliness that makes for a one off piece that compliments any outdoor area. Stu Robbie has a unique talent for making furniture from wood and with over 35 years of cabinet making experience, he is one of the best in his field. This Dunedin based craftsman makes a range of furniture from platters to large swing seats and is happy to tailor a project to any landscape requirement. So pour a cuppa and plonk yourself into one of his seats at the first opportunity you get.

This is one of his new range, combining recycled coffee bean bags and stunning wood- one of these would be so nice to have…..

Check out some of his creations at www.sturobbie.co.nz or contact him on 03 476 7603

Roasted Rack of Venison

Venison is a must have on the menu at our house- not just because the farmer is a deer farmer either. These Balmoral Estate venison racks are about to change your life. Sam used one word to describe the experience as I ran the knife through the rack like butter-boom.

Venison is really easy to cook, tastes spectacular and packs a punch nutritionally as well. If venison is not on your shopping list then get out your pen and put it on there!

INGREDIENTS

• x1 8 rib venison frenched rack
• 1 dozen cherry tomatoes
• pinch of salt
• ground peppercorn
• dash of oil
• 500g button or assorted field mushrooms

METHOD:
Wash cherry tomatoes. Season the rack with salt and ground peppercorns
Sear the venison on a hot plate (really hot!) and roast in the oven at a moderate temperature (160 ̊C) for 20-25mins (less if it is small but the Balmoral ones I use are big fat juicy ones so need a few more minutes!). Add the tomatoes for the last 5 minutes.
Remove meat from the roasting pan and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes- 15 would be better (but you may not be able to wait that long because the smell is going to make you want to eat it straight away!)
Heat the oil in a pan. Slice mushrooms, then sauté until cooked.
Serve with the mushrooms, tomatoes and seasonal vegetables.

You can see here that I should have rested it a bit longer because the juices are coming out

TIPS ON VENISON:

The three keys to success are:

• Serve medium rare. This is the most juicy, tender way to have the meat.
• Rest meat after cooking for at least half as long as you cooked it for, this will make your meat juicy and delicious
• Don't be restricted by traditional or preconceived notions of venison dishes, farm raised venison is extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of culinary styles.
  -Though seasoning with salt and plenty of pepper, hot pan, quick cooking, straight off the pan and into the mouth is the best in my view!

And remember: 

•  Always pre-heat the oven, pan or grill before cooking – hot pan is essential
• Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking, not straight from the fridge
• When barbecuing, grilling or pan frying, brush the venison on each side with a light cooking oil or spray. Less is more when it comes to oil and venison.
• Sear the meat quickly over a high heat on each side, to seal in its natural juices
• As there's so little fat, there's little shrinkage when cooking and it's best served medium-rare
• When roasting, quickly sear the venison first then roast in a hot, pre-heated oven
• Resting venison in a warm place for a few minutes, covered loosely, allows its natural juices to disperse evenly, enhancing its succulence.
• Don't reheat venison unless it's in a casserole (it is so good, it seems a crime to have any leftovers anyway)
• Thaw frozen venison in a fridge, slowly. If you use a microwave I will kick you.

Egg in hole

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that are the best food for the soul. The farmer LOVES egg in a hole. I think it is comforting even to the hardiest of men to have food that their mums made for them when they were a ‘snork’ (that’s a word the farmer uses for small children- some will remember the TV show in the 80’s that had these little creatures- anyway- rambling now).
Called “Egg-in-a-Hole” by his mother who made them for him during his childhood, I’ve learned not only to love them through our years together…but to need them. These little guys are comfort food; I mean the serious type of comfort food that change a day from potentially stressful, crazy busy into something bearable and even pretty good. Your Labrador could have a crack at making these they are so easy …. They are not going to save your life, but some mornings it feels like they just might.

INGREDIENTS:

•  1 slice of your favourite bread (wholemeal is best)
• 1 Tblsp butter
• 1 egg
• Salt & Pepper

METHOD:
With a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, press a hole in the center of the slice of bread.
Next, heat a frying pan over medium-low heat and melt a Tablespoon of butter in it. When the butter is all spread out, place the piece of bread in the pan and crack the egg straight into the centre of the hole.

Cook for at least 30 seconds or so before attempting to move the bread or things could get messy. Sprinkle the egg with salt and pepper to taste. After about a minute, flip it over with a spatula and salt and pepper the other side. Now move the whole piece of toast around the pan, soaking up all of the glorious butter. Let it cook until the yolk feels, to the touch, still soft without feeling over-wobbly. The secret is to cook the egg perfectly and not burn the toast. But if it isn’t perfect it is still going to be soooo good. 

 Enjoy xx
A

Bacon egg rolls

This is my version of egg rolls for a lazy dinner when there isn't much in the cupboard or no one can really be bothered with tea. You can add your own twist to what you put in them and they are ready in about two minutes.

INGREDIENTS: (per roll)

• 1 rasher bacon (or 2 strips)
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tblsp water
• Salt & pepper
• mozzarella cheese
• tomato relish
• 2-3 basil leaves 

METHOD:

Put two eggs and the water in a bowl and whisk until fluffy. Add your salt and pepper. Heat either a large non stick frying pan or your crepe maker. Pour the egg mixture into your pan a swirl to coat the pan (depending on the size of your pan you may have to swirl a few times until the egg has created a layer and there is none running any-more). Cook for about 1 minute until the egg is just cooked. Turn out onto a plate and top with cheese, tomato relish and bacon. Roll up to complete and put your basil leaves on the top.
Repeat for as many people you are feeding (or at least twice for the farmer who always wants more than one!).

TIPS:

• You can replace the water for cream for a lovely velvety egg roll
• You can add the grated mozzarella while the egg is still in the pan and it melts and goes all creamy.
• Oven roasted cheery tomatoes are yummy to put in when they are in season also.

Enjoy xx
A

Pikelets

This post is for my friend Staz, who up until the weekend had never made pikelets. I promised I would share my simple pikelets recipe becasue I'm not sure how she ended up with such a complicated one! In this post you are going to see a kitchen appliance that changed my life. I got a crepe maker given to me for my 21st, at the time I wasn't that thrilled (how wrong I was). This has turned out to be one of the best things I have ever owned in the kitchen. I have even convinced others to buy one since. Staz even borrowed mine on Saturday to learn how to make her first ever pikelets. Now I think she will buy one too.

Who doesn't love pikelets- the farmer LOVES pikelets lathered in butter.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c sugar
• 3/4 c milk (approx)

METHOD:

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In another bowl beat egg and sugar until thick. Add with milk to the sifted ingredients. Mix until just combined. Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture from the point of a spoon onto a hot, lightly greased girdle, non stick frying pan or crepe maker. Turn pikelets over when bubbles start to burst on the top surface. Cook second side until golden.

Cheesy onion potato bake

Potato bake is a great side for any meal, this one has no cream so not so bad for the size of your bum- just don't think about all that cheese! Oh who cares anyway- potato bake is so yum, just don't put it on the menu every night of the week.
This version of potato bake was made up because of a lack of cream in the house, however it still has all of the characteristics of a traditional potato bake- rich, creamy and very morish!

INGREDIENTS:

• cooking spray
• 1 kg potatoes (about 6 potatoes)
• 1 large brown onion, sliced
• 1 c grated cheese
• 1 c milk
• 2 tsp chicken stock powder
• 2 Tblsp fresh chopped parsley
• freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Spray a 20 x 20cm casserole dish or similar with cooking spray.
Peel potatoes and evenly thinly slice. Place 1/4 of the potatoes in a layer at the bottom of the baking tray. Cover with 1/3 of the onion slices and then sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat layers of potato, onion and cheese. The last layer should be potato and cheese.
Combine milk, stock powder, parsley and pepper, mixing well. Pour evenly over potato layers.
Cover with foil and bake in oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and potatoes tender.

Enjoy xx
A

Calm in a tea cup

Everyone knows that tea is delicious, but it can also be a nutritional powerhouse that provides an excellent source of antioxidants that can be linked to energy, fluoride levels, bowel health and some anti cancer properties. Stir Tea has an enormous range of fabulous tea from all over the world for you to choose from. Personally I find the white tea with pomegranate very hard to go past, this leafy white tea is blended with safflowers, rosehips and pomegranate to produce a refreshing tea for all occasions. Grab a pack and dust off the teapot because this is a cup of tea you don't want to miss!

Stir tea is based in Queenstown and can be purchased online at www.stirtea.co.nz

Stir fried Brussels sprouts

I went and saw Jax Hamilton- form Masterchef and she cooked this as one of her dishes. Her advice was to sneak the sprouts into the house so no one sees them because no one will eat them otherwise.
I totally agree with her, it is so worth getting this one to the table without any one knowing what it is because they will not have a clue that what they are happily munching through is actually Brussels sprouts. There is no boiling, that is the main thing which automatically makes them a million times better than the green mush my mother used to serve up! I encourage you to give these a try- the farmer and I have been enjoying them just about every night with tea.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 tsp seasame oil
• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• small knob of butter
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 2 rashers streaky bacon, sliced thinly
• 4 spring onions thinly sliced
• 1 tsp mixed dried herbs (or Tblsp fresh)
• 1 Tblsp soy sauce
• 1 Tblsp chopped fresh parsley

METHOD:

Purchase the sprouts in secret and prepare them while no one is watching- that is the secret to this recipe.
Take the sprouts and cut them in half, then slice thinly. Put them in a colander and rinse with cold water. Allow to drain. Using a large frying pan or wok over a medium heat, pour in the oils, butter and season with plenty of ground black pepper. Allow the butter to melt and then turn up the heat and add the garlic. Cook for about a minute and then add the sliced bacon. Fry until golden and then add the Brussels Sprouts. Mix in with the bacon and garlic for about 2 minutes until the sprouts start to wilt.
Now put in the spring onions, herbs and soy sauce. Taste and season. Cook for another two minutes or until they are as cooked as you prefer. We like them to be crispy at my house but you choose.  Now finally toss in the parsley and remove from the heat.

TIPS:

• Serve as a side dish with pretty much any meat but chicken is particularly good.
• Make sure you don't go overboard with the sesame oil- it has a very strong flavour.
• grab a copy of Jax Hamilton's book Jax Cooks, because it is great!

Fabric beach balls

I made these fabric beach balls for my friend Ange's baby shower last weekend. I thought that a nice handmade gift would be a bit special and you also know that your gift will be unique if you make it yourself. I am by no means a great sewer and these were really easy to make and the result was great. These remind me of the kind of thing that my gran would have made for her friends and for us when we were little, really traditional.
Affordable gifts that are made with your hands, from your heart- can't go wrong. 

Instead of re-writing a tutorial, visit Purlbee and use theirs, because it is great and really easy to follow.

I am sure that any little person will get loads of hours of fun with these little gems- I filled mine with washable cotton filling and pre-washed all the fabric so the balls can be put in the washing machine after messy play (which is the best kind)!

Enjoy xx
A

Simply the Best Banana Cake

I am not a very good baker, I think it is because I tend to sort of throw a bit of this and that into my cooking instead of strictly following a recipe. So when a friend asked me to bake two cakes (yes TWO!) for a joint thirtieth- I freaked out a little. The Farmer's Aunty Lesley was immediately called in for a crisis meeting because she is an AMAZING baker. Lesley also has a pretty impressive cook's office and from that she shared this fantastic banana cake recipe that even I have managed to have good success with. Pity I drank a bit much wine to remember to get a picture of the two cakes- one had a tractor ploughing a paddock iced on top and the other was a helicopter on a landing pad (a farmer and a chopper pilot turning thirty- the Woman's Weekly cake decorating book would have been so proud!).

Making a high cake keeps it really moist and delicious

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 c self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 c castor sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/2 c mashed bananas (about 4 big bananas) 
• 1 c oil

METHOD:

Sift the flour and soda into a bowl. Make a well and stir in the sugar, eggs, banana and oil.
Mix gently to a smooth batter. Pour into a greased and baking paper lined 20cm round tin.
Bake at 160 degree Celsius for approximately 1 1/2 hours.
Ice with chocolate or cream cheese icing.

TIPS:

• I use a 20cm cake tin to produce an impressively high cake. If you prefer to use a larger tin, adjust your cooking times- it will take less time to cook.

I baked this cake and iced it with chocolate icing ready for decorating

Using rolled out fondant icing, I cut out this flower and put it on the cake

Scotch eggs

Scotch eggs are something that I tend to forget about when I am pondering what to feed the farmer for dinner. But they are so good and pretty easy to make too. This is not glamour food, this is comfort food- the kind that reminds you of Grandma and school holidays.  Great for lunch boxes, picnics, boating trips, hangovers and surprise lunch guests, Scotch eggs are underrated in my book. You can serve them cold with some sauce to dip them in or have them hot with mashed potato on a cold winter night- either way you should put these on the menu.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 eggs
• 500g sausage meat (or 250g beef mince/250g sausage meat- I prefer the mix of the two)
• 1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp of dried mixed herbs or 1 handful of freshly chopped parsley & 1 tsp fresh thyme
• salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Breadcrumbs

METHOD:
Hard boil your eggs and peel the shell off them (see my blog of how to perfectly boil an egg). While your eggs are boiling prepare the meat.
In a large bowl, mix together sausage meat, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and herbs (if you are using just beef mince because you forgot to buy sausage meat, then you will have to add an egg and 1/2cup of breadcrumbs to bind it all together).
Divide meat mixture into six equal portions & wrap the meat around each hard-boiled egg.  Coat each meat-wrapped egg with breadcrumbs.
Now there are two ways you can cook scotch eggs;

1. Deep fry them. Fill a saucepan about 1/3 with oil and heat till it bubbles. Deep fry Scotch eggs for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
2. Place eggs in a large non stick muffin pan, bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15-20mins.

TIPS:

• wet your hands before you wrap the meat around the egg and then it won't stick to you as badly.
• these are great to serve cold. You cut them into quarters and serve with a dipping sauce, the best is Glass Eye creek wild meat sauce-yum!

Enjoy xx
A

Quick Chicken, Pesto and Ricotta Ravioli with Basil Butter

 

Sent from the gods of convenience, wonton wrappers are great and really affordable- about $3.50 for 100 of them!

I love to cook but I also love it when cooking isn't hard. I should be able to drink too much red wine when I am preparing a meal for friends. That is why I love this recipe. This is a great one to pull out if you are having people for a dinner party because it is really, really easy. Wonton wrappers are awesome for heaps of things- cheating at making Italian food is one of them. You can vary the fillings but this classic combo is my favourite.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 c smoked chicken
• 1/2 c basil pesto
• 1/4 c ricotta
• zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper
• 50 wonton wrappers (the steaming kind)
• Parmesan to grate
• 6 Tblsp butter
• 1/2 c fresh basil leaves (about 15-20)

METHOD:

In a food processor, pulse the chicken until it is chunky mush, then add pesto, ricotta and lemon zest. Pulse together until you have a nice chunky mixture. Add lemon juice and season to taste.

On a floured surface, lay 25 wonton wrappers out and put about one heaped teaspoon of chicken mixture in the centre of each wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrappers with water using a pastry brush. Take one of your remaining 25 wrappers and place over the filling and stick together to make a parcel, ensure you remove any trapped air by working your way around the filling to seal the two wrappers together (taking out the air means they don't explode and split when you cook them). Repeat for all 25. Use a cookie cutter to cut out a perfect circle. Set aside on a floured surface and cover with a damp cloth so they don't dry out.

Fill a large saucepan with water (about 2-3 Litres), add salt and bring to the boil. Once the water is boiling, add the ravioli and give the water a stir (stir carefully, this will stop them sticking together or to the pot). Cook for 2-3 minutes. They will float to the top once they are cooked. Remove from the pan and drain using a slotted spoon or egg drainer.

To make the basil butter, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat until it goes golden, then add the fresh basil leaves and toss them in the butter. Remove from heat.

Divide the ravioli between bowls (5-7 pieces each) and spoon the basil butter over the top. Grate the parmesan over the top and season with fresh ground black pepper.

Bloody hell that's good!!
xxA

TIPS:

• These are great to freeze, I always have a stock for an easy tea when the farmer is away. All you do to freeze them is lay them (uncooked) on a baking tray and put the tray into the freezer. Once they are frozen take them off the tray and put them into snaplock bags. When cooking from frozen just add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.
• Spinach, pinenuts and ricotta is nice vegetarian version of these

If you fold the wraps this way you only use one wrapper per parcel. You put the filling in the centre and fold into a triangle. Then fold the corners together. These are then called Capalletti, which means 'little hats' in Italian.

Introducing Dougal Dog (and Mack)

Dougal Dog likes catching leaves.

Dougal and mack have entered our lives and begun to chew on everything! Mack is a Huntaway work dog that the farmer assures me will be out with the work dogs in a motel kennel soon. Dougal is a Little Border Terrier with a big personality. He does a funny little scuttle that makes him look rather like a Guinea pig at the moment. I am soaking him up because unfortunately they don't stay puppies for long. Having two puppies is very full on, particularly when you want to complete simple tasks like put on socks without the other being stolen and chewed on.

Dougal is a cheeky little guy and I am sure he is going to be lots of fun to have in the family. I am not so attached to Mack. Mainly as a self preservation thing because I know he is going to be the Farmer's work dog and not a pet. I certainly don't want to confuse him about what his role on the farm is by treating him like a pet, and the farmer doesn't want a dog that is more interested in cuddles than deer! And lets not lie- he is a bit stinky and a bit boisterous for me anyway!

How can you not fall in love with them tho??

Watch this space for the adventures of Dougal Dog. I am thinking that he is going to be quite the character.......

The Tin Kitchen Gluten Free Walnut Bread

Derek making bread at the Tin Kitchen

Regardless of whether you are Celiac or not, a lot of people have decided to go gluten free (blame google is suppose), most don't actually need  to take gluten out of their diet but claim that they feel a lot better for doing so. In a lot of cases it is probably because they are reducing the amount of carbohydrates they eat (most of us eat WAY too many carbs).
Anyway if you are going to go gluten free, then one of the problems you strike is that most gluten free bread resembles a small windowless building- it's heavy, dry and not that tasty. Derek at the Tin Kitchen has developed a range of gluten free bread mixes that are none of these things, they are in fact light, moist and very tasty. I am not gluten free but I still love this bread and I think you will too. You can buy this mix online at www.thetinkitchen.co.nz  or at the Geraldine Orchard and farm shop and I suggest you do!

INGREDIENTS:

• 500gm (I use half of the bag) walnut gluten free bread mix
• 520mls warm water

METHOD:

For each 500gm of bread mix, add 520mls of warm water and mix well together. Half fill a bread tin with the mixture. Leave to rise until it has risen to the top of the tin. Bake at 220 Degree Celsius (standard bake) for 35 minutes on the lowest shelf of the oven.

Pull out of the oven, slice off a piece, lather with butter and enjoy!!

TIPS:

• Visit Derek at the Tin Kitchen in the Geraldine Orchard Shop next time you are in Geraldine.

Chilli and garlic prawn kebabs

Tails on, if you serve on a bit of rice like this the marinade drips onto the rice-yum!

During the summer these are great to fire on the barbie, once winter rolls round just cook them inside in a big cast iron pan. These are fantastic on their own but the best is to cook them up and serve them with steak for a surf 'n' turf. I serve them with a bit of aioli too. You can buy prawns frozen or fresh, if you can get them fresh- then do, if not just make sure you defrost them correctly otherwise they can be a bit tough (read the packet for instructions).

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 Tblsp sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• Salt and cracked black pepper
• 750g raw king prawns, peeled, de-veined, tails intact (or not, read tips)
• Lime wedges, to serve
• Aioli or mayonnaise, to serve

METHOD:
Place the garlic, sweet chilli, oil, lime juice, salt and pepper in a large non-metallic bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the prawns and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Heat a barbecue grill plate to high, or large cast iron pan/skillet. Remove prawns from marinade and thread onto metal or bamboo skewers (see tips).
Grill prawn skewers for 2 minutes each side or until prawns are cooked through and golden (they will change colour to orange). Serve skewers with lime wedges and aioli or mayonnaise.

I threw these together to show them made with prawn meat, no tails. Poor photo- apologies!

 TIPS:

• If using bamboo skewers, soak then in cold water for at least 30 minutes before threading prawns to prevent burning while cooking. If you prefer, do not remove the seeds from the chilli for some extra heat.
• If you like a bit more a of a kick, replace the sweet chilli with a fresh seeded and finely chopped chilli
• If king prawns are a bit over the budget then prawn meat is fine (these are a bit smaller and have already been skinned and de-veined for you) , they don't look as pretty but they still taste great

Kale for flower arranging

Today I purchased some flowers (let's be honest the farmer does not, will not, has never bought me flowers- tell him that he should next time you see him!) and in the bunch was two chrysanthemums, three pink flowers (name unknown), some ferns and two brassicas- kale to be precise. Most non-farming people would just think they are pretty purple flowers with a thick stem, but I thought "geez we feed that stuff to the cows and I just got stung $6 a stem!". Anyway the bunch of flowers is lovely and the recipient will be very happy to receive them, but I thought I would share this nifty idea with you, because you may enjoy having some of these in your next bunch of flowers as much as the cows enjoy munching on them.

Enjoy xx
A

Savoury scrolls

 

These are great for in-betweens, ignore the calories, they are yummy cheesy goodness. I sometimes throw a batch of these in the oven and serve with soup for winter lunch. You can put pretty much anything in them and they are a great thing for little people to help with too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large sheet flaky puff pastry (homemade is best but not compulsory)
• 1 cup grated tasty cheese
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (optional)
• tomato sauce
• 2 rashers of bacon chopped into 1cm squares
• 8 (approx) sundried tomatoes chopped 

 METHOD: 
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roll out your pastry to make a large sheet. For an easy pastry recipe try my quick puff pastry recipe.

Leave a border- not like my slap happy sauce spreading here!

Spread tomato sauce over dough, leaving a 3cm border along both long edges. Sprinkle with Cheese, bacon and sun-dried tomatoes. Roll up dough firmly. Cut into slices about 2-3cm thick. Arrange scrolls close together on prepared trays (I advise baking paper to avoid cheese stuck to your trays), ensuring join is turned inwards so scrolls don't unroll while cooking. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until light golden and cooked through.

Easy peasy!  Enjoy xx
A

Pepperdew treats

Cream cheese and basil at front & roasted garlic hummus at back

These little treats are so good and so easy! They look so impressive and I must say they have sort of changed my life, because they are such morsels of peppery, spicy, sweet goodness! My sister introduced me to them in Melbourne and I have been a lover of them ever since. You can stuff them with pretty much anything and they are good even on their own. So find a jar, or look at the deli because you have to try them!
INGREDIENTS:

• Peppadew mild whole piquanté peppers (as many as you like)
• 100gm cream cheese (will fill about 25)
• 2 Tblsp basil pesto

METHOD:
Mix the cream cheese and basil pesto ina bowl. Spoon mixture into a piping bag (or small plastic one with the corner cut off it) and 'pipe' the mixture into each pepper until it is full. The best way is to put the piping bag all the way to the bottom and let the mixture push the bag out the top, that way it is nice and full.

TIPS:

• Other flavours to stuff pepperdews are:
• 50gm blue cheese & 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and then bake them for 10mins
• Roasted garlic hummus
• seasoned natural yoghurt and cucumber
• any dip mixture
• shredded chicken & mayo
• smoked salmon blended with cream cheese
• guacamole