Thursday, September 30, 2010

Kids Cooking Thursday: Sultana Spice Cookies

A variant on the $4 Biscuits we made last year, which didn't cost me anything, because I had all the ingredients either in the freezer or pantry. Nothing like knocking up a quick batch of biscuits to keep them quiet during the school holidays! As usual, if you don't have speculaas kruiden, you can substitute Dutch cinnamon, but do try your local international deli, because it makes a world of difference!

Sultana Spice Cookies
500g butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 can condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 cups SR flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp speculaas kruiden (or cinnamon)
1 1/2 cup sultanas

Beat butter + sugar 'til creamy.
Beat in condensed milk.
Add in essence.
Mix in flour, spice and sultanas until all doughy and combined.
Shape into Tbsp sized balls
Bake for 12 mins @ 180°C. Cool on a wire rack.


If you'd like to join in with Kids Cooking Thursday please leave a permalink to your own Kids Cooking Thursday post, as per the rules.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Product Review: Longlife cream

This is an unpaid review, more like a recommendation really. I love this stuff so much I just had to share.

I never buy regular cream on a weekly basis, as it tends to go off before I get around to using it. But once I found this, I had a solution. At only $1.19 for 200ml, I can afford to buy a couple of cartons, and leave them in the cupboard for whenever the urge for creamy pastas or rich sauces takes me. Like whenever I spend too long reading The Pioneer Woman's site.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Menu Plan Monday

Monday

Spinach & Parmesan Spaghetti

Tuesday

Sweet & Sour Hokkien Noodles

Wednesday

Creamy Lemon Pasta, with Parmesan Garlic Panini

Thursday
Chicken, Chips & Coleslaw

Friday

Quesadillas

Saturday
Homemade Pizza

Sunday
Spaghetti Napoli


Check back during the week for the recipes, and as usual, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for literally hundreds of other menu plan blog posts, and please come back here for Kids Cooking Thursday

Friday, September 24, 2010

Strawberry Cheesecake

I had a bit of a flop this month with the Strawberry Cheesecake from Everybunny Loves Food. Most likely because I used ricotta instead of paneer because I am lazy I ran out of time. It may have looked a little ugly, and it may have been a little sloppy, but oh my goodness was it tasty! I only had enough biscuits for a half sized base, so I froze the rest of the topping, and it made such a great ice cream! Fresh, and light, full of strawberry flavour without being over powering - definitely a recipe I will use again!

Flash Game Friday

Tic Tac Toe

Sure, it's an oldie, and a kids game to boot, but can you beat the computer every go? Even when you don't start?

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Kids Cooking Thursday: Fudge O' Plenty

Based on the Cherry Ripe Fudge we made a little while back, and the new Cadbury Bar of Plenty Berry Fruit & Vanilla Shortcake flavour, Master Two and I proudly present: Fudge O' Plenty!

Cranberry Shortbread Fudge
375g milk chocolate melts
375g can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup broken shortbread chunks (ours was butterscotch flavoured)
1 cup Crasins (dried cranberries)

Cook milk and chocolate in microwave on HIGH for one minute. Stir to combine. Heat for 30 seconds more, or until melted and smooth.

Mix in the berries and biscuit pieces.

Spoon mixture out onto a long piece of baking paper.

Fold paper over, and smooth the fudge into an even log.

Tightly cover the paper with glad wrap and hold it by the overhanging ends

Spin the log around until the glad wrap makes a tight sausage, and fold the ends under.
Chill for 4 hours or until set. Cut into slices to serve.

If you'd like to join in with Kids Cooking Thursday please leave a permalink to your own Kids Cooking Thursday post, as per the rules.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Sushi


I wanted to try sushi, and today while in town for school holiday activites, we all had some for lunch. Then I remembered why I had yet to try sushi. I don't like fish. I might have been able to handle the crab in my California Roll, only I don't like avocado either. And the smell of the nori killed any chance I had of eating more than a few bites.

Miss Four had a similar problem with the nori, but ate her crispy chicken and rice once I opened it for her. But Master Six had no problems with his Avocado Roll, and Master Two not only wolfed down his Beef Teriyaki Roll (I tried a bite, it was delicious), but the remaining 3/4 of my California Roll as well.

13% of the list done now.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Free chocolate balls!

I got sick of trying to find tiny treasures to hide, so I bought a big bag of chocolate soccer balls, and left a bunch of them everywhere.

Mostly on those $2 ride things, because Master Two kept dragging me over to them, and also, it kept him occupied while I hid them and took a photo.

Status: 28/43

Monday, September 20, 2010

Sexy Carbonara

This would have to be the easiest sauce I have ever made for pasta. Ever. And it was so good I almost ate the lot straight from the pan with a wooden spoon. I seriously did contemplate giving the kids jarred sauce, but then I thought of what I put into the sauce, and decided to share after all.

Yes, it's one of those sorts of recipes, something you'd expect to see on P-Dub's site, not mine. But it's super easy to whip up, done in the time it takes the pasta to boil, and everyone needs at least one awesome "I don't care about the calories this is damn good" recipe in their repertoire!

Sexy Carbonara Sauce
175g short cut rindless bacon, chopped finely
4 heaped teaspoons of minced garlic
200ml cream
50g butter
sprinkle of smoked paprika (optional)

Fry the bacon and garlic gently, over medium heat. When the garlic is starting to brown, add the cream. Reduce for however long it takes to get your pasta cooked, and add the butter in an attempt to thicken the sauce slightly. Fail in that regard, but taste sauce, and completely stop caring. Season to taste, with S&P and a generous sprinkle of smoked paprika, then toss your drained pasta straight into the frying pan. Mix it all around, then serve, if you are feeling indulgent, with shaved parmesan, or just a grind of fresh black pepper.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday

Spaghetti Carbonara so good I almost made love to the sauce

Tuesday
Freezer Suprise

Wednesday

Spaghetti with red sauce, pesto & veg

Thursday

Frozen BBQ Chicken pizza, with added baby spinach & pineapple

Friday

Pies and Chips (Go PIES!)

Saturday

Pizza Hut

Sunday

Sandwiches after a trip to a farm


Check back during the week for the recipes, and as usual, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for literally hundreds of other menu plan blog posts, and please come back here for Kids Cooking Thursday when we make Cranberry and Shortbread Fudge.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Yarrr!

I milked a cow me hearties! That be one more thing off me list, bringin' me to 10%, so a very merry International Talk Like A Pirate Day to ye!



Friday, September 17, 2010

Flash Game Friday

Talk Like A Pirate Day Official Game!

In honour of International Talk Like A Pirate Day on Sunday, here is a simple little flash game made by a pirate-y fan for the occasion, to help be gettin ye in thar mood. Yarr!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Kids Cooking Thursday: Popcorn

The tightness of money again this week meant no elaborate cooking, but I decided to post this weeks cookery anyway, just to remind you that kids will love the simple things just as much, if not more, than the elaborate and expensive cooking favoured by their parents. I'm sure I don't need to give a recipe for this ;)








If you'd like to join in with Kids Cooking Thursday please leave a permalink to your own Kids Cooking Thursday post, as per the rules.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Food Preservation with the Daring Cooks


The September 2010 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by John of Eat4Fun. John chose to challenge The Daring Cooks to learn about food preservation, mainly in the form of canning and freezing. He challenged everyone to make a recipe and preserve it. John’s source for food preservation information was from The National Center for Home Food Preservation.

I started this month thinking that I'd make the recipe John gave us for Oven Roasted Tomatoes. Just halved or thirded tomatoes, sprinkled with salt, olive oil, minced garlic and basil (which I skipped because I was out of it). Slowly roasted at a low temp. They were fabulous, and although I had intended on preserving them, in the spirit of the challenge (freezing), they were so good, I ate a third of them before they'd finished cooling, and then used the rest in a pasta sauce for dinner that night.

While that would have fulfilled the challenge technically, I decided I could do a bit better.

I was looking at the recipe given for Apple Butter, thinking it would be great in the slow cooker, when I came home with a discounted 1kg tub of strawberries. Bingo. This was the easiest thing in the world to make. I halved or quartered what was left of the strawberries, after the kids had some for afternoon tea, and in their lunchboxes - it came to 5 cups of pieces.

Then I put them in the crockpot and cooked them on slow for 19 hours, mashing after 3 hours, and stirring occasionally.

It could have definitely done with a shorter cooking time, as parts of it did scorch a little, and made the overall product a little bitter, but it wasn't yet done when I went to bed after 11 hours cooking, so I had to make do. Quite possibly I'd have had better results if I'd pureed the strawberries first. Ah well, live and learn. May be I should try with apples....

Monday, September 13, 2010

Menu Plan Monday

Monday
Freezer Suprise

Tuesday

Pies

Wednesday

Spaghetti with Pesto & Cream

Thursday

Puff pastry Pizzas

Friday

Chips and Dims Sims while watching old school Yogi Bear :)

Saturday
Takeaway, while I was at a 30th Birthday Party

Sunday

Vegetable & Ham Pasta

Less of a lazy week, and more just taking advantage of the warmer weather. At least, that's my excuse. Check back during the week for the recipes, and as usual, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for literally hundreds of other menu plan blog posts, and please come back here for Kids Cooking Thursday.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Flash Game Friday

Red Bugs

Another puzzle game, because I love them so much, and because your brain should still be getting a workout, even though it's almost the weekend.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Kids Cooking Thursday: Shake and Bake Muffins

We were running short of money and time this week, and I saw this jug of Just add Milk Betty Crocker Chocolate Muffins discounted to under two dollars, so I got it as a fun treat. See how much they both enjoyed it?




Master Two having a shake.


If you'd like to join in with Kids Cooking Thursday please leave a permalink to your own Kids Cooking Thursday post, as per the rules.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

One man's trash...

...is another's arty photo :P