Valentine's Day

I am growing to love valentine's day more and more as I get older.  I have ignored the commercialisation and present side of it, and have been embracing the love and sharing side.  This year baby boy and I made sugar cookies to share with work and kindy friends- I knew it was a success when we got a write up in the 'What we did today' section of his class kindy book :-)  I also woke up on valentine's morning to a pathway of cut out hearts down the hallway-ending in a love note and turkish delight chocolate.  (my other half leaves for work before I wake up).  It was a beautiful day that we shared with family and friends.  No expensive gifts needed.

My sugar cookie recipe was from the 'Lion House Classics Cookbook'.  I have a great memory of eating there with my mum and dad on my very first visit to Salt Lake City.  I found an online version of the recipe here.

My go to recipes (for this month anyway)

I am not much of a cook, and I really hate going to the effort of cooking something new and either not liking it or it just not turning out right.  So i have started a list of my 'go to' recipes for when I am asked to bring something along to an event.  These recipes have to be easy, work everytime and I have to like eating them.

For something sweet, I have been loving Chocolate and Coconut Slice.  I follow this recipe exaclty and am always pleasently suprised.  And the bonus is, I always have the ingredients in by cupboard (no fancy stuff).

My go to salad at the moment is Roast Pumpkin and Spinich
I see this salad around quite a bit but I have adapted it to my liking:
-Cut 1/2 a butternut pumpkin into 1 cm cubes, coat in olive oil and salt and roast on an oven tray for approx 25 minutes.
-Once the pumpkin is cooled you can make up the salad.
-Mix lightly in a flat salad bowl, one medium sized bag of fresh spinish leaves, 100 grams of broken up feta, roasted pumpkin and 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds.
-Dress with olive oil and salt and pepper.

2012

Baby boy turned 3 last week.  Those three years really have flown by; which makes me realise its been three years since I had my own little baby in my arms.  He is now a walking, talking little man!  He definately isn't a baby any more (sad face).  But it is exciting to think that next year he will officially be in Kindergarten, and the year after starting school...I really need to make the most of this year. 

I am looking for what 2012 will bring.  What do I want to achive and what do I want to do...and so far I am coming up a bit blank.  So over the next week I am really going to try and nut down some goals and achievements...and will hopefully post them here to make sure I stick to them.

In the meantime, I attempted a rainbow cake for the 3rd birthday party, and despite the icing melting and dissolving into the cake I think it turned out ok.

(party inspiration from here)

I love pizza!

 
We love pizza in our house!  I mean we really say those words....and this week we discovered our new love, homemade pizza dough in the kitchenaid.  So good!  I followed this easy recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 1/2-3 1/2 cups plain flour

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed bowl.
2. Add salt, olive oil, and 2 1/2 cup flour.
3. Attach bowl and dough hook, turn to speed 2 and mix 1 minute.
4. Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to dough hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on speed 2 for 2- 5 minutes.
5. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top.
6. Cover, let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
7. Punch dough down.
8. Brush 14 inch pizza pan with oil.
9. Press dough across bottom of pan forming collar around edge to hold filling Top with fillings and bake at 200 degrees celcius for 15 to 20 minutes.

(edited by me, original recipe found here)
http://www.food.com/recipe/kitchenaid-crusty-pizza-dough-64860#ixzz1WbMI0FAT

New skills

I am loving my new KitchenAid and it really has been motivating me to cook more and try out new recipes.  My first recipe was "Gluten-free Chocolate cupcakes" and was lots of fun to make because I had one of my favourite nieces helping me!

I have also used it to make some cakes, mashed potato and can't wait to try it out to make some pizza dough!  I will keep you posted.

It was my birthday..

It was my birthday this week, one of the big ones that has a zero on the end, and I received one of these.... :-)

Now I have to learn how to use it...I could have some new skills coming.

Meat free Mondays...we are leaning into it

Our house is slowly leaning into 'Meat free Mondays'.  I have felt I wanted to give it a try after quite a few things I have read and watched lately(inparticular 'Food Inc' the movie).

We are leaning in as 1.  Man-of-the-house loves meat and 2.  All my best recipes are meat based.  

So on Monday night we compromised by having vege burgers with home made wedges, and man-of-the-house got free range bacon on his as well. So...its happening slowly.  If anything it has also made me aware that I can really vote with my wallet, and encourage companies to make small changes.  eg.  One of our major ham produces now sells free range bacon.

Here's to trying something new!

Let them eat cake (well it was bread actually)

With banana's so expensive at the moment, you don't want any to go to waste.  Here is what I love to do with banana's.

My favourite banana bread recipe

90g unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed (over-ripe) banana (about 2 large banana's)

1 cup plain flour

1 cup self-raising flour

1. Preheat oven to 160 degress (fan forced).  Grease and line loaf pan.

2. Beat butter, vanilla and sugar in a bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Stir in banana then sifted flours, in two batches.  Spread mixture into a pan; cover with a strip of pleated foil.

3. Bake bread 40 min; uncover, bake about 30 min.

(I love to add about a teaspoon or 2 of cinnamon in the mix, and I also sprinkle extra cinnamon on top before baking)