Rocky Road for the Road

Yesterday Dyllan and I made a big batch of rocky road to pass out to our new (not so much anymore) neighbors.  I figured it was about time we actually get out and meet our neighbors- and Im so glad we did.  We met some nice and interesting people.  The people who live behind us- a family of 4- just got a new puppy- a 10 week Dalmatian pup named Isabella.  I told them we would love to babysit any time.  The people on the right hand side happen to be camping in Yamba the same time we are (just after christmas) and have offered us to use their kayaks.  The family a few doors down have kids- and the son is the same age as Dyllan (plus they have a trampoline and swimming pool- score!) as well- the husband is on the school board and has offered to put in a good recommendation for Dyllan to get into the Kindy program (the wait list is more than 5 times the allowed number of students).  We ran out of rocky road before we finished the street.  And as always- my intentions were good- and I thought I'd have time to make another batch and finish the block.. but its not looking promising.  Today we will be packing for our big trip down south (10 hour drive) for Christmas to be with Dan's family at Marianne and Lauries new home.

I am bringing my good camera- so Ill have some fun photos to share.

Wanna make some rocky road yourself?  Its really easy to make, but be warned.. its very addictive.. and you can't stop eating it.  So my advice is to bag it up quickly and either freeze it.. or pass it out to friends for xmas.  Enjoy!

The Ultimate Rocky Road
Easy to make pink and white marshmallow and chocolate fun for any occasion!

Prep. Time Cooking Time Serves
Skill Level
what you need

20 minutes 5 minutes

11⁄2 cups PASCALL Marshmallows, halved
1 cup peanuts, chopped
3⁄4 cup red glacé cherries, halved
220g CADBURY Dark Baking Chocolate, chopped 220g CADBURY Milk Baking Chocolate, chopped 150g shortbread finger biscuits, broken  

** I can't follow a recipe ever- and I changed it.  I added some ghiradelli chocolate chips instead and i used a different kind of cookies.  oh and i did salted mixed nuts.   Also instead of saving some for the top- i just mixed it all in- then sprinkled crushed mixed nuts on top.  I dont think you can go wrong no matter how far you stray from the recipe. 
make it
1. COMBINE 1/3 each of the marshmallows, peanuts and cherries and set aside.
2. MELT together the milk and dark chocolate in a glass bowl over simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
3. STIR the biscuits and remaining marshmallows, peanuts and cherries into the melted chocolate. Spoon mixture into a lined 18cm × 30cm slice pan. Gently press the reserved marshmallow mix into the top of the slice. Chill until firm and then slice into squares to serve.
To view this recipe online, please visit
http://www.cadburykitchen.com.au/recipes/view/the-ultimate-rocky-road/1/ 

Whats for dinner?! Curried lentil and pumpkin soup

Recipe from here

This is the second time I have made this soup- this week.  It is that good.    Maybe because I have been feeling sick- or maybe because the weather has gotten cooler - either way- this makes a great meal.  Its pretty easy too.  I decided to use my slow cooker for this one- but you can do it without (the directions don't call for a slow cooker).  And as always- I couldn't just follow the recipe- I had to go and add my own ingredients to it.  Last time I added chopped carrots and tons of extra garlic and also doubled the curry powder.  This time I added extra carrot, curry powder, and added celery.  I'm sure it will be just as good as last time.  I doubled the recipe - I usually make things harder for myself by adding ingredients and doubling recipes- but I figure if you're gonna go to all the trouble to cook something- may as well share, right?!  Tonight I plan to share with everyone- its Lionel's Birthday, after all!  So there is soup for Yunny and Loz, Lionel, Granny and Gaga, Dyllan Bug, Dan and I.  Should be enough.. I hope!

You can serve this with basmati rice- or pita and hummus or both- which I'm doing tonight.  Enjoy! Oh, and the best part?  Its so good for you!  That reminds me- quick story... On Monday when I first made this- I was down at the grocery store shopping for ingredients- and in the refrigerator section- there were "Fresh Organic Soups" on display.  They looked fantastic- the packaging looked healthy- the soup looked healthy- the names sounded good "Pumpkin Ginger Lentil Soup" (or something like that) - anyway- I say it and thought... why bother making soup if I can buy pretty much the same soup here already made?!  The little bag (which probably serves two) cost $7- so out of curiosity I checked the back for ingredients.. expecting to find something similar to my recipe.. but was surprised to see that not only did 30% of the soup contain potato (a filler!) but it also listed sugar!  RUDE.  You package yourself as organic- you appear healthy.. and your price tag confirms these assumptions.. but no.  So I put the bag back.. and finished getting my ingredients.  Just a little reminder I guess.. to look at the ingredients.  Packaging and wording is so misleading!  It probably cost me about $7 to make this whole pot anyway! 

 

Curried lentil and pumpkin soup

Curry powder makes this lentil and pumpkin soup zing.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed ** I always use way more garlic than they say
• 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder * Same with curry powder
• 1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
• 1.75kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• ** I added carrots (and this time celery) chopped small

Method

1. Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Stir in curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
2. Add lentils, pumpkin, and stock. Stir until well-combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly until pumpkin is just tender.
3. Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of natural yogurt if desired.
4. My Method

   

   
   

   

   A little trick I learned from my Aunt Karen- is to wash fruits and vegis with vinegar.  I filed up this spray bottle with vinegar- and I use it to wash everything (fruits vegis, counter tops, floors, cutting boards..high chairs) the smell goes away after a few min.  If you use it to was your produce- you can spray it- then wash it off.  Cleans better than water- and kills bacteria.  And its just vinegar- so its safe! And cheap!  Thats all the "fruit and vegi wash" is really anyway- so why waste your $ ?!

   
   

   

   boil carrots, pumpkin and celery

   
   

   

   Tons of Onion

   
   

   

   Wear your sunglasses when you cut the onion- it didnt stop the crying but it helped!  Also sticking your head in the freezer helps the tears too.  Ohh, onions...

   
   

   

   Sauted onions garlic and celery leaves- with curry

   
   

   

   1. Wash then cook lentils on high in slow cooker with chicken or vegetable stock and some bay leaves
   2.  Chop carrots, pumpkin, celery and boil for 5 min- strain- throw in slow cooker
   3. Saute onions and garlic (tons of onion and garlic) then add curry powder as directed above (but I add at least double the curry- what?  I like a lot of flavor!)
   4. Throw them in the slow cooker and cook on low till dinner time (approx 2 hours- or high for an hour) depending on how long it takes the lentils to soften.  
   5. I love Greek yogurt- so I use that on top- and I use more than just one dollop.. I use 2 or 3- and stir in in.  The boys like to add cheese to theirs.. but they add cheese to everything.. 
   6. Also- if you want you can pure the soup- but I kinda like it chunky.  Probably most people would pure it though.. its probably the consistency its supposed to have.. 

And just for fun... here is what Dyllan was doing while I was cooking...

Snack time!

Quick pit stop for a sweet potato fry!

Zooooooooom!!!

Peeling out- turning her truck 

Whats for dinner? Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata

Every good Chef needs a Sous Chef. I have mine:)

 Last night I decided to make a frittata for dinner.  We love frittatas around here (Laurie got us hooked a few years ago- its kind of one of his specialties)- they're easy- they use up ingredients in the fridge and they taste great.  And the best part- is they make a great lunch the next day- so we usually make a massive one!  The only problem?  Dyllan hates eggs.  Not sure why... she is the least picky eater I have probably ever met.  She gnaws on raw asparagus and broccoli, she eats parsley straight from the garden, she wow's people with her love of vegis (even when they are still frozen!), she snarfs down avocados like they're candy... but eggs?  Wont have a bar of it.  Not scrambled, hard boiled, fried, or even mixed in with vegis (in the form of a frittata)!  Dang.  So.. Dyllan gets her dinner separately on frittata nights.  Oh well. 

Ready to cook, mom.  Let's get this frittata started!

Eating the raw asparagus and broccoli.

Here comes trouble...

My sous-chef was in charge of the asparagus.

Thanks Dyllan.  Clearly the asparagus didnt belong in the strainer anyway. One by one- out they flew!

Dyllan snarfing down her daily avocado (and frozen spinach clumps- haha, what a MESS!)-pretty pleased with herself- and staying put in her chair while I finished putting the frittata together.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 leek, pale section only, washed, dried, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths
• 4 eggs
• 4 egg whites
• 50g goat's cheese (South Cape brand), crumbled
• 1 1/2 tbs fresh thyme leaves
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil, to grease
• ** I add any vegis I have in the fridge
• ** In tonight's frittata I added a can of cream of asparagus soup too

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 400° (250° in Australia- and 300° in our slow cooking oven!)
2. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
   
3. Meanwhile, cook the asparagus in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes or until bright green and tender crisp. Refresh under cold running water. Drain.
   
4. Whisk together the eggs and egg whites(*I add a splash of water to make the eggs fluffier) in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the leek mixture, asparagus, goat's cheese (* I save all the cheese for the top) and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Bake until eggs have set (our oven takes a few hours- but yours shouldn't take that long)- maybe 45 min.

** In this recipe I added broccoli, and frozen spinach (2 packets)- as well as a can of cream of asparagus soup to the egg mixture.  The best part about a frittata?  You can add whatever you want. 

I like to add a spinach and rocket (arugula) salad with goat cheese and cherry tomatoes on the side.  I usually mix it all together- but that didn't look as pretty.  Dan on the other hand- drowns his with BBQ sauce (should I be offended?!).  Laurie- dips his in sweet chili sauce.  Everyone is different- but we can all agree that this is a tasty- and super healthy dinner- lunch- or even breakfast!  Give it a try.

Whats for dinner?!

Is it just me, or is "whats for dinner?" the questions that pops in your head just around the time that its too late to actually find a recipe and get down to the grocery store... but early enough to sit there and ponder what you can make with the items in your kitchen.  I am not a planner.  I am not a cook... or even a take out, order in, or get out of my sweats and go out for dinner kind of person.  Not these days anyway.  There are a number of reasons I prefer cooking dinners at home these days.  One- Dyllan eats around 5pm and is in bed by around 6pm- which means we can't go anywhere after 5pm (unless we have a babysitter).  Two- I am trying to eat healthy- which rules out most take out or restaurants (for the most part).  And three- and this is a big three- we are doing our best to stick within our food budget- which is tough enough as it is.. not taking into account many meals out or takeout.  Food in Australia is expensive.  Rediculous in fact.  A block of cheese is $8.. meat is usually a treat...fruit is a delacacy (3 banannas yesterday costed me $7.50).   Lucky we "hook-up" at Bakers Delight.. a friend of Lionel's works at the bakery down the road and every Thursday at the end of her shift- we get anything and everything we want.  FOR FREE... cinamon rolls, custard berry log loafs, apple cinnamon scrolls, Vegemite and cheese scrolls, loaves of bread, hot cross buns (yes, they actually sell and eat those here.. I thought it was only in nursery rhymes!) scones.. you name it.. we get it.  So every Thursday- our fridge, freezers, and cupboards are packed with bread, bread, bread.

Yesterday morning as I was working my butt off in spin class.. it dawned on me that the reason I have been feeling so lazy and "doughy" lately.. is because of all the bread.  Duh.  I have never been a huge carb person.. I dont love pasta, and I can usually pass on breads, rice, grains.. (sweets- though.. thats a different story..another day)  and all this bread has really effected me.  There are two.... ok 3 things that taste better here in Australia:  Breads, Cheese, and Chocolate.  Yikes.  Basically until today- my diet has consisted LARGELY on those 3 things.. in any form.  Melted.. Grilled Cheese, Tuna Melts, Chocolate ice cream bars (mini's so it doesn't count, right?), Shredded cheese out of the bag, cheese and tomato, chocolate scones, chocolate covered pretzels... you get the picture.  Ontop of all these tasty melty treats.. I live with a husband who is in training for an Ironman.  Can you imagine what he needs to eat with all that training?  Well, imagine that.. and me eating dinner with him.. pretty much bite for bite we eat close to the same amount.  (to my credit- I go to the gym and work out too... just not nearly as hard or as long as him.)

So today is the start of my road to recovery.  I am not going to order the sweet pasteries on Thursdays anymore.  (we will still get bread.. obviously.  Can't pass up a (free) good thing) but no more custards, choc chip, or apple cinamon glazed treats.  I usually make healthy choices when it comes to dinners- but my downfalls are snacks, sweets and now breads and cheeses.  So I have decided to share with you- some of the things I have made for dinner.  They are quick.  Easy. Cheap. and best of all.. Healthy.  I actually enjoy cooking these things- and they taste great- Bonus.  Once a week (maybe more) I will share a dinner that I have made- that I really enjoyed.

The first one I'll start with is this....

Last week Dan and I had our friends Mere and Eva over for dinner.  I had come up with a few ideas of what I wanted to fix before hand.  On my list was bruchetta, rocket (arrugula) and spinach salad with goat cheese and pear, and for desert fresh strawberries dipped in greek yogurt and brown sugar*. I was missing a main.  So who better to call on than one of my best friends Jessica.  The Chef.



*One of the many tasty recipes we learned from Jodi Wes