Recipes

Easy Pumpkin Risotto Recipe–  This easy and very delicious pumpkin risotto recipe is sure to be a hit as a main meal with your family or dinner guests at your next dinner party. It would also make a delicious side dish too! With Thanksgiving coming up so soon this recipe is sure to add a little extra zing to your Thanksgiving menu! As it’s a little different from other regular sides and also a bit fancy. I must admit that when it comes to cooking risotto I usually feel a little less than confident. But if you follow this easy recipe and remember a few simple tips. You will end up with a great dish that will be sure to become a favourite. This easy pumpkin risotto got a double thumbs up from my family and my mother even loved it. She was an amazing cook in her heyday and she is a really tough critic! Pumpkin Is Good For You Pumpkin also has so many great health benefits too because it’s packed with nutrients. So adding some into your diet in creative ways is a great idea! Pumpkin contains beta carotene which is a powerful antioxidant Fiber, potassium, and vitamin C that is found in pumpkin is great for the health of your heart Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and beta carotene that is found in pumpkin will benefit the health of your eyes. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber These are just a few of the nutrients that are found in pumpkins. With so many health benefits it’s a great idea to find ways to incorporate some into your weekly menu. Easy Pumpkin Risotto Recipe Ingredients 250g – 300g pumpkin 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion chopped salt and pepper to taste 2 cloves garlic crushed 1 ½ cups Arborio rice ⅓ cup white wine 4 cups chicken stock 1 cup of cooked pumpkin 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated Fresh parsley Instructions Cut pumpkin into medium-sized cubes and cook in boiling water. Then once it is cooked set aside In a large frypan add olive oil and cook chopped onion and crushed garlic. Cook until the onion is slightly translucent. Add rice and cook stirring often for approximately 1 minute.  Add the wine and ½ to 1 cup chicken stock and stir. Cook until liquid is almost all absorbed, remember to stir constantly. Continue until the stock is fully absorbed. Repeat this process until there’s no stock left and the rice is fully cooked. Stir the cooked pumpkin cubes through the rice add the parmesan cheese, and continue to cook until the pumpkin is heated through. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with more parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Recipe Notes Make sure to add the stock one cup at a time Stir consistently Serve your risotto straight away. If you prefer you could mash the pumpkin and then stir it into the risotto. I prefer cubes because to me it looks better when it is served. Other Recipes If you are looking for other sides, why not try this recipe for easy and creamy mashed potatoes. References https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279610#nutrition    

This super easy pinwheels recipe will be sure to be a big hit with your kids. You only need two ingredients and any toppings you fancy! Plus you can pop them in the freezer too as they freeze really well. Packing sandwiches all the time can become a bit boring, these delicious pinwheels will be sure to bring a smile to your children’s faces when they open up their lunchboxes. When kids come home from school and they burst through the door, they are usually starving. These pinwheels will satisfy that afterschool starvation and keep them happy until dinner time. Have A Go At Making This Easy Pinwheels Recipe With Your Kids Cooking with your kids is so much fun for them and it has many amazing learning benefits too. So if you are looking for a simple recipe, then this easy pinwheels recipe is perfect. It’s not at all complicated and the kids will love getting their hands into the dough and helping you roll it out. They will also have fun choosing the toppings or perhaps even creating their own combinations. In fact, my sweet friend made these with her son, he kindly offered me the recipe and inspired me to do this post! So Many Toppings To Choose From Savoury Pinwheel Toppings Pizza sauce, bacon and grated tasty cheese Shredded ham, Cheese and pizza sauce Spinach, fetta and grated tasty cheese Ham, pineapple, pizza sauce with grated tasty cheese Vegemite and cheese Sweet Pinwheel Toppings Nutella Chocolate spread and banana Grated apple, sugar and cinnamon Sugar and cinnamon Apple sauce and blueberries Recipe For Easy Pinwheels Ingredients 1 cup Greek yoghurt 1 1/2 cups of self-raising flour Extra flour for dusting Instructions Preheat oven to 180 C Line a tray with baking paper and set it aside In a bowl add the self-raising flour and Greek yoghurt. Stir until combined. Knead for several minutes You can sprinkle more flour if the dough feels too wet Make sure your rolling pin and bench is floured and then roll out the dough into a rectangle approximately 1cm thick. Generously add the toppings of your choice Flour your hands and then starting from the top edge carefully roll the dough towards you. Use a sharp knife to slice 1-2cm slices. Gently place the rolls onto the prepared tray and reshape them into a circle if you need to Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack Notes If you plan on freezing the pinwheels just make sure that they are completely cool first before you pop them into the freezer. Don’t be shy about being generous with the toppings! Enjoy!

Fall Apart Roasted Pork Leg is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. I was trying to decide what to cook for our Halloween Dinner Party. I wanted a delicious main dish that was easy to cook, and that would feed a small crowd. It had to be something simple so I was as free as possible to enjoy the evening. I was really excited about spending as much time as I could with my family especially since we hadn’t been together since before lockdown. In addition, I was looking for something I could cook in advance and just reheat when the time came. I went through the list of usual crowd favorites like lasagna, nachos, pot roast. Then I thought of pork. Pork is less expensive than other meats and you can easily cook it in advance. Plus it tastes great especially when you cook it until it’s tender and falling apart. How To Cook Fall Apart Roasted Pork Leg In The Oven The key is to preheat the oven to 200 C. Then cook the pork for about 15 minutes at 200 C. Afterwards reduce the temperature to 150 C for the remaining cooking time. I think that the best way to cook fall apart pork in the oven is to use an oven bag.  Oven bags are great because they cut down your cooking time and your meat will be cooked juicy and flavoursome. As an added bonus your oven won’t get dirty with greasy splatters. Pork Shoulder Roast You can also make this recipe using a shoulder roast too. Marinate for Extra Flavour Rubbing the marinade into the pork meat and leaving it for about a minimum of one hour before cooking will ensure that the pork is really succulent. What To Serve With Fall Apart Pork Leg Roast Coleslaw Potato Salad Beetroot, walnut, and rocket salad Rice Roast Vegetables Mashed Potatoes Ingredients pork leg (2.5kg) 2 tablespoons crushed garlic 1 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/3 cup olive oil Directions In a small bowl combine garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and paprika Trim the pork leg of any fat Rub the spices and oil all over the pork, cover loosely with wrap and refrigerate from 1 to 24 hours Preheat oven to 200 C Place the pork into the oven bag and put it into a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 200 C for about 15 to 20 minutes then turn the heat down to 150 C. Cook for approximately 3 -4 hours depending on the size. Pork is cooked once it falls apart easily. Once cooked remove from the oven and let rest for about 20 minutes. Take the pork out of the oven bags. Slice the pork as thin or as thick as you like. Skim the fat off the juices and return the meat to the juices once you have sliced it. Enjoy! Notes If you are cooking for a larger crowd then all you need to do is double the ingredients like I did.

This easy quiche recipe is ideal for those nights when you don’t know what to make for dinner. It’s also perfect as a breakfast dish too! There is no need to make a pastry base from scratch, all you need for this easy recipe is frozen shortcrust pastry. It’s delicious and full of tasty ingredients like bacon, chives, cheese, and baby spinach. But you could just as easily add any other fillings you like. Whatever takes your fancy really. Some Ideas For Quiche Fillings Ham Broccoli Zucchini Bacon and Leek Mushrooms Cherry tomatoes Easy Quiche Recipe Can Be Made Ahead Of  Time The great thing about this easy quiche recipe is that it can be cooked in advance and stored in the fridge for a later time. Just make sure that is fully cooled first before popping it in the fridge. Then warm it up in the oven at 175C, remember to cover it with foil so that the crust doesn’t burn. You can make this easy quiche the night before for breakfast the next day. Alternatively, it can be cooked in the morning and served later for lunch or dinner. What To Serve With Quiche A Leafy Green Salad This side is just right for the warmer Spring or Summer months. Slices Of Fruit Another light warm-weather alternative is to serve quiche with slices of refreshing fruit. Apples and pears make an excellent choice. Chips Or Wedges For a more sustainable lunch or dinner add a side of hot chips or wedges. This is sure to feed a hungry family. Roast Vegetables Another healthy option is to serve quiche with a delicious tray of roast vegetables. Zucchini, eggplant, carrots, and sweet potatoes are excellent choices. Jacket Potatoes Hot and steamy jacket potatoes make an excellent side for cold winter nights. Add sour cream and chives for a complete taste sensation. Easy Quiche Recipe Frozen shortcrust pastry 4 large eggs 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup cream Cooked bacon diced or strips 1 1/2 cups shredded tasty cheese 1/2 to 3/4 cup of baby spinach 1 tablespoon chives Salt and pepper Instructions Preheat oven to 175 C Press defrosted shortcrust pastry into a 9-inch pie dish. Make sure to cover the sides of the dish with pastry right up to the rim. To do this you may need more than one sheet of defrosted shortcrust pastry Pierce the pastry with a fork multiple times along the bottom, then place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry. Place uncooked rice or dried beans on top of baking paper and blind bake for approximately 10 minutes Remove from oven and set aside Whisk eggs together with milk and cream. Add salt, pepper, and chives Carefully remove the uncooked rice or dried beans along with baking paper from the semi-cooked pastry. Then sprinkle cooked bacon, baby spinach, 1 cup of cheese into the pastry crust. Gently pour the eggs, milk, and cream mixture over the top, and then sprinkle the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes Quiche is cooked when the centre is set completely allow to cool for approximately 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Yesterday’s post was all about The Benefits Of Cooking With Children.  So today I thought it would be fun to share a simple Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men Recipe that you could easily make with your kids at home. This recipe contains beautiful aromatic spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, and of course ginger. So you will be able to smell and taste the flavours of all the spices without the ginger dominating. I love the smell of gingerbread men baking in the oven because it reminds me of Christmas. Indeed Christmas is fast approaching and this recipe would make a perfect treat to bake with the kids. I’m sure they would love to leave these delicious Gluten-free Gingerbread men for Santa on Christmas Eve. Along with a glass of milk of course! Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men Ingredients 100 grams softened butter 100 grams brown sugar 50 grams golden syrup or treacle 1 egg 250 grams gluten-free self-raising flour 2 teaspoons ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 250 grams fondant icing 3 tablespoons water Instructions Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F Add the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Whisk until light and fluffy with an electric handheld whisk. Add the syrup and egg, continue whisking. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until the mixture comes together. knead gently until it forms a dough then wrap in cling wrap and chill for one hour in the fridge. Sprinkle flour onto the work surface then roll out the dough. Use a gingerbread men cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Place the gingerbread men onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15-18 minutes in the oven until golden and firm in the middle. Leave to cool Icing Whisk together the icing sugar and water until smooth. Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a small hole. Pipe eyes, mouth, buttons and any other designs onto the gingerbread men cookies. As another option, you can use Writing Icing Pens to decorate the gingerbread men. These Writing Icing Pens come in a variety of colours and they are very easy to use. Notes When using gluten-free self-raising flour the dough may be a little moist. If this happens then you can just add a bit more flour to the mixture until you have the right consistency. This recipe can also be made with regular self-raising flour. Instead of butter, you can use Nuttelex or lactose-free buttery Enjoy! This delicious gluten-free gingerbread men recipe is sure to be a big hit.  

These delicious and healthy pancakes are made with bananas, spelt flour, sunflower seeds and pepitas. Indeed they are not only great to eat for breakfast, but they also make a tasty snack too. You can also add them to your kid’s lunchboxes because they are a fantastic, tasty and nutritious treat. Your kids will thank you!! The mashed banana gives the pancakes a yummy natural sweetness and the ground sunflower seeds and pepitas add extra protein. Therefore this will keep you fuller for longer and you won’t be tempted to snack on empty calories throughout the day. Wholemeal spelt flour contains important nutrients such as iron, magnesium and zinc. It also gives the pancakes a really nice nutty flavour. Another great thing about wholemeal spelt flour is that it is an excellent source of fibre. I like to have the mixture all prepared the night before and stored in the fridge. So all I have to do is cook them in the morning and serve them all nice and hot. You can serve these healthy pancakes with Berries, Greek yoghurt, or Ricotta and of course Natural Maple Syrup or Honey. But you don’t have to add anything if you don’t want to because they are delicious enough to eat on their own.   Healthy Pancakes Ingredients 1/4 cup pepitas 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 2 cups wholemeal spelt flour 2 eggs beaten 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey 2 cups milk 2 ripe bananas Method Grind pepitas and sunflower seeds in a blender or food processor. Making sure they are finely ground. In a bowl mash bananas and mix together with honey or maple syrup, milk and lightly beaten eggs. Then set aside In another  bowl add the finely ground seeds, flour, baking powder and cinnamon Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix them together. Heat a frypan over medium heat and melt butter Pour pancake batter into frypan in round circles Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side. Then turn over and cook for another 1-2 minutes; Serve with your choice of toppings Enjoy!   If you are looking for another healthy breakfast option. Try my delicious  Apple and Berry Gluten-Free Loaf

Whipped Coffee was the hot trend last year. I was a bit late to the party because I only discovered it this year! Anyway better late than never right? What Is whipped Coffee? Well, apparently it is called Dalgona coffee in South Korea where it originated from. It became very popular during the lockdown in 2020 and was also known as  ‘quarantine drink’. People in South Korea began posting themselves making their own homemade versions of whipped coffee on YouTube under the hashtag #dalgonacoffeechallenge. It eventually went viral on TikTok and then spread worldwide. It is now the most popular type of coffee that is searched on Google. How Do You Make Whipped Coffee? Probably one of the reasons why it became so popular was because it was so simple to make with ingredients everyone has commonly at home. It takes next to no time, plus you only need instant coffee. It’s almost hard to believe that you don’t need any other complicated coffee, just instant. How good is that? So basically you just whip equal parts instant coffee, sugar, and hot water until you end up with a nice creamy coffee mixture. Easy peasy! Be Careful, It’s Addictive! This coffee drink is so delicious and just right for when the weather is warm like it is at the moment here in Sydney. It tastes like something you would pay a lot of money for at a cafe and it looks really fancy too with all the whipped creamy coffee sitting on top of the milk and ice. I made mine with low-fat milk and it was so good! You can also make it with regular milk too but I thought the low-fat version was better calorie-wise considering it does contain sugar. Speaking of sugar, Whipped Coffee is quite high in sugar.  So I try to only indulge in this as an occasional treat. It is really delicious and refreshing though and it is really nice to have it sometimes and that way it never loses its ‘specialness’. I think there are some sugar-free versions of Whipped Coffee where you add low-carb sweeteners instead of sugar. I might try this one day but for now, I am loving the sugar version of Whipped coffee but only occasionally. Instructions For How To Make Whipped Coffee I used a tall plastic cup and added the instant coffee, sugar, and hot water I bought this electric stick mixer from Kmart a few years ago. This was such a great buy only costing me $29.00. It comes with a variety of attachments and it’s fantastic to use for making this delicious coffee drink. I also use it to make my easy hummus because it comes with a perfect size attachment for puréeing. Whip for about two minutes until it is the right creamy consistency This is the colour it should be and what it should look like. Add Ice together with the cold milk Carefully spoon the creamy coffee on top of the ice and milk. Hmmm yummy and creamy, ready to drink! Ingredients 2 Tablespoons of Instant Coffee 2 Tablespoons of sugar 2 tablespoons of boiling water 1 cup of milk Ice Instructions Add instant coffee, sugar, boiling water in a bowl or tall cup Using a hand mixer whip at high speed for about 2 minutes Add ice to a glass of your choice add milk Spoon the whipped coffee on top of the milk and ice then stir Enjoy! Notes Any type of instant coffee works well. I used the Moccona Barrista Reserve Crema You can use different types of sugar such as granulated, white, brown, or raw If you are looking for a vegan Whipped Coffee option all you need to do is use almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, or soy milk. The easiest way to make Whipped Coffee is if you use an electric hand mixer or stick mixer like the one I used. But you can also make it by hand using a whisk. Word of warning though, it does take a whole lot longer. If you want more Whipped Coffee all you need to do is increase the ingredients but just make sure to keep the same ratio. Whipped Coffee can also be made as a hot drink, just warm up your milk first then add the coffee mixture over the top!  

I thought today I would share with you the easiest way I know how to make easy and creamy mashed potatoes. Trust me you will want to throw away that old potato masher for good. If you’re like me and love comfort food, creamy mashed potatoes would have to be at the top of the list. There’s nothing like it is there? It’s the perfect side to so many dishes. Additionally, if you have leftovers there are a ton of things you can do with them. There is literally no excuse for ever having to throw any away. With Autumn/Fall happening in the Northern Hemisphere and Thanksgiving coming soon, this mashed potato recipe will for sure come in handy! So Many Types Of Potatoes I have heard that the best type of potato for mashing is the Yukon Gold with its distinct creamy flavour and yellow flesh. Unfortunately, this variety of potatoes are not readily available here in Australia. So here is a list of other potatoes found in Australia that are also good for making yummy creamy mashed potatoes Russet Potatoes- A large potato with brown skin. It is also known as the Idaho potato in the United States. It has white fluffy flesh and is high in starch. Apparently, this is probably the best substitute for the Yukon Gold Potato. Dutch Cream Potatoes -These are large and waxy with a yellow flesh Sebago – A long oval-shaped potato with white flesh. This potato is also great for roasting, boiling, and frying. It’s a great all-round potato Desiree- This potato has red skin and yellow flesh White potato- Another good all-rounder because white potatoes are also great for boiling, frying, and even microwaving. When I make mashed potatoes at home I usually use the good old White potatoes because they make a nice creamy and fluffy mashed potato. Plus they are always available at my local supermarket. Get Rid Of The Potato Masher As much as I love mashed potatoes, they can be time-consuming to make. I always found the potato masher hard work and also not great when it came to ensuring the potato was creamy and lump-free. So I have ditched the old masher and now I use a handheld mixer. That’s right, forget the old masher use a handheld mixer instead!!. Doing this is SO much easier and takes much less time. I just make sure the potatoes are really well cooked and that I heat up the milk before I add it to the potatoes. The mashed potatoes are always free of lumps and they turn out so creamy and fluffy. Seriously a game-changer when it comes to making easy and creamy mashed potatoes. Of course, you can also use a free-standing mixer. However, this means transferring the ingredients to another bowl and more washing up. If you use a handheld mixer, you can mix the potatoes right in the pot.     Recipe 6 Large potatoes suitable for mashing 1/2 cup cream 1/2 cup milk 100 grams butter Salt and Pepper Instructions Wash, peel, and chop the potatoes Add the potatoes to a large pot of cold water. Don’t forget to add approximately 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil, reduce heat then cook the potatoes until they are quite tender. Drain the potatoes Add the warm to hot cream and milk to the potatoes in the pot along with the butter. Use a handheld mixer to mash/blend the potatoes until they are smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Easy Peasy! Just don’t forget to make sure the milk and the cream are warm to hot before adding. For a healthier version, I also make mashed potatoes using one cup of light milk instead of half cup of cream and half a cup of regular milk. They turn out just as tasty but with a much lower fat content. Other Things You Can Add To The Creamy Mashed Potatoes Roasted garlic Bacon Cream Cheese Chives Green Onion   In case you are looking for more recipes You can find a recipe for a healthy and delicious sweet treat here.    

This year I made my mum a Pineapple Upside-down cake for her birthday and it was a great success! Happy 93rd Birthday Mum! Hi everyone hope you are all doing well. Thanks for stopping by today. It was my mum’s birthday yesterday and she turned 93! Yes Sir, 93 now that’s a big number. If she knew I had just revealed her age on this blog, I would be in big trouble. She actually looks very good, Mum has great skin and I really hope I look as good as she does when I’m 93!! My Mum has been living with us for about 7 years and she was always very mobile and independent up until about 3 years ago. Unfortunately, she had a few falls and age finally caught up with her so now she gets around using a walker. Reminiscing About Last Years Celebration Last year we had the whole family over for a little celebration, but this year things were a lot different. We are currently in week 12 of lockdown and still have many more weeks left to go. I think maybe mid-October restrictions might be lifted if we get our vaccination rate up to 70%. Anyway, lockdown this year meant it was just us celebrating my mum’s birthday. By us I mean myself, my husband Steve, and Sam our 16 soon to be 17 years old son. The Pineapple Cake I made some of Mum’s favorite dishes for dinner and instead of a traditional birthday cake, I made her a pineapple upside-down cake. Mum doesn’t like creamy cakes anyway, so this was just right. Whenever I see a pineapple upside-down cake it takes me back to my childhood. They were hugely popular back then and if my mum wanted to impress, that’s what she would bake. I make mine from scratch but I have to tell you something funny, I grew up thinking that the only way you could make a cake was if it came out of a boxed packet mix. My mum used to cook like a champ and all her food was always so delicious and lovingly made. But when it came to cakes and biscuits, they were either store-bought or from a packet mix. Mum even made the pineapple cake using the packet mix and I must say it still tasted really good!! Ikea Measuring Spoons While I was making the cake yesterday, I found myself thinking that packet mix might be the way to go! I love all things Ikea, but earlier this year I bought a set of measuring spoons from Ikea without realizing that they are all in Decilitres. WHAT??? They are marked with DL. I had never even heard of a decilitre before so I had to quickly google ‘what is DL on my measuring spoons’. Turns out there are a bunch of angry DL measuring spoon owners out there on the internet and they’re all mad at Ikea. I am going to invest in another set of measuring spoons soon because every time I bake I have to do maths measurement conversions. Let me tell you something about myself I HATE MATHS, like with a passion. Numbers are up there with clowns for me. I’m scared of both of them. A Quiet But Fun Birthday Dinner Anyway, we did have a nice dinner together even though we ate super late. We waited for Steve to get home from work. Normally we wouldn’t have waited but none of us had anywhere to go the next day. We knew we could afford to stay up late and sleep in if we needed to. Mum was very happy with the cake, she said it tasted delicious, so that was good. Instead of the usual glacé cherries, I used walnuts to decorate instead. I don’t think the cake looked as pretty as it does with the glacé cherries but we all prefer the taste of walnuts. Sam said he liked it too but for his birthday in October, he would like a Pavlova. Following in my Mum’s excellent baking tradition, I will be BUYING the pavlova base from the supermarket and decorating it. Done and done!!   Recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Cake Ingredients For the topping 50 grams melted butter 50 grams brown sugar 7 pineapple rings Glace cherries or walnuts For the cake 100 grams softened butter 100grams caster sugar 100grams self-raising flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs 2 tablespoons pineapple juice from the tin of pineapples Method Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan Grease and line a round cake tin with baking paper pour melted butter into the prepared cake tin making sure it is spread evenly sprinkle brown sugar evenly Arrange pineapple rings and place glacé cherries or walnuts in the center of pineapple rings. Set aside Place softened butter, caster sugar, self-raising flour, baking powder, vanilla, eggs, pineapple juice in a bowl. Beat until it’s soft using an electric mixer. Spoon cake mix on top of the prepared cake tin. Make sure to smooth it out evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer comes out clean One Last Thing If you are looking for something sweet but healthy you can find my recipe for healthy banana bread here.