Q. Why is a tomato round and red? A. Because if it was long, skinny, and green, it would be a bean. My grandmother used to cook a batch of this sauce every week, and use it for a variety of purposes. I learned to make this recipe by avidly watching her and, bit by […]
Easy Nutella Cheesecake Recipe
“….I can dream away a half-hour on the immortal flavor of those cheese cakes we used to have on a Saturday night.” ~ Mary Antin, ‘The Promised Land’ (1912) This is probably the easiest cheesecake I have ever made. It only requires a few ingredients, and it is seriously yum. Not too sweet, not overpoweringly Nutella flavoured, […]
Easy Bread Recipe
“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.” ~ James Beard My lovely neighbour, Richard, shared his bread recipe with me last week. He assured me that the bread was both tasty and quick to make. I hadn’t thought I would try it […]
Heavenly Blueberry Crumble Slice Recipe
It’s bucketing down here at the farm again, and there’s not much for me to do but sleep, cook or sit on the verandah sipping tea. We still have no power here after the big Australia Day Weekend Wet, but Ben has fired up the generator for a while and my biscuit tins are empty […]
Passionfruit and Lime Curd ~ Passionfruit Butter Recipe
Two things grow like crazy in our neck of the woods come summer – limes and passionfruit. A friend gave me a bag of old wrinkly-looking passionfruit yesterday and asked if I might still be able to use them. You bet I can! Passionfruit are very pretty when they are all firm and plump, but […]
Simple Baked Camenbert Recipe
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” ~ C. S. Lewis Our little farmhouse is as popular as any Byron Bay bed and breakfast come weekends,especially on Market Weekends! I’m returning home this morning, after a very big […]
Best Coconut Ice Recipe ♥
This is my prize-winning Coconut Ice recipe, which made me almost as much of a Show Queen as my precious cow 767. It has been entered in many agricultural shows, and won me incredible trophies. As well as the 22 Blue Ribbons and Prize Certificates, this recipe has netted me (among other things…) a tea-towel […]
Nana’s Pikelet Recipe and a Few Good Yarns
Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things. ~Saki Pikelets are a bit of an institution round here, especially for morning or afternoon tea. For those of you not in the know, pikelets are like fluffy little pancakes – very tasty with a cup of […]
Marga’s Orange Syrup Cake Recipe
We’re picking the last of our organic oranges before the heat of summer sets in, and I know a perfect way to use some of them up: my maternal grandmother’s orange syrup cake recipe. Marga gave this recipe to me when I held my first proper dinner party – a rural affair at my college […]
Lemon Delicious Pudding Recipe
My Meyer Lemon tree is dripping with ripe fruit right now, and this pudding is a perfect way to use some of them up. The pudding is served warm, and is light enough to be enjoyed all year round. If you are lucky enough to have any left over it is also tasty eaten cold! […]
Cheesy Grilled Mushrooms Recipe
I love this recipe. You can make it in five minutes flat, and it works as a breakfast, lunch or dinner solution! If you’re a vegan you can omit the cheese, or use a cheese substitute. It’s also a great gluten and carb free alternative to pizza, but tastes every bit as good. Ingredients: Flat […]
Healthy Breakfast Parfait Recipe
I love this raw food recipe as it can be assembled ahead of time, and makes a tasty breakfast, healthy dessert or a great ‘anytime’ snack. It is a simple combination of bircher muesli and fresh seasonal fruit, but the combination of flavours is a real winner! Kids love to make and eat this dish, […]
Easy Lemon Curd ~ Lemon Butter Recipe
When life gives you lemons? Be grateful and get into the kitchen! It’s my favourite home-produce time of year – the Meyer Lemon tree in my back yard is groaning under the weight of ripening fruit. Be prepared for plenty of lemon-y recipes over the next few months. Most Australians call this recipe Lemon Butter, […]
Bread and Butter Pudding Recipe
In a recent post My ‘One Lovely Blog’ Award, I confessed that one of the fascinating facts about me is that I can make a meal out of nothing. Well, almost nothing. That talent came in handy last night when friends dropped by unexpectedly, at dinner time. Of course I invited them to stay. It’s […]
Walnut and Basil Pesto & Pasta Recipe
My summer garden plantings are coming to an end, and I have more fresh basil than I know what to do with. The rabbits, possums and wallabies don’t like it much, and have left plenty for me – while they nibble my kale, parsley and coriander into oblivion! This pesto recipe is such an easy […]
Cheesy Mexican Bake with Home-made Coleslaw
All my clients and friends keep telling me they want to eat better but have no time to cook! In response to this I’ve decided to post some quick-to-prepare recipes that will allow you to eat well, and get food on the table fast, with a mimimum of fuss. This recipe is embarrassingly easy and […]
Virtual Vegan Potluck – Creamy Satay Hotpot Recipe
Welcome to the Virtual Vegan Potluck: bringing vegan food bloggers together to share a virtual potluck, linked by a blog circle – and our love of cooking, eating and sharing. Participating bloggers will be posting recipes – from appetizers to desserts. Many Blessings to Annie from the wonderful blog an unrefined vegan for bringing us […]
ANZAC Biscuits – Nana’s Traditional Recipe
Tomorrow is ANZAC DAY in Australia, so I’ve been baking up a storm. Of course, I think we may be the only country in the world where one of our most important national holidays celebrates a great war time defeat. But that’s another story, best told tomorrow. My Nana was given this recipe by her […]
Healthy Apple Crumble Recipe
Apple crumble has been a family favourite in our house for years. Now Autumn has arrived in Australia all the new season apples leave us spoilt for choice, and they taste positively delicious baked into a dessert. I’ve modified this recipe so that it is gluten-free, sugar-free and so that it can also be dairy […]
Drink your vegetables – some great juice recipes!
Health requires healthy food ~ Roger Williams I am a firm believer in that old saying, ‘we are what we eat’. That’s why I love freshly made juices so much. They enable me to get a stack of nutrition into my body fast, and they are easy to make and consume when I’m in a […]
Marshmallow Recipe – Perfect for Easter
Homemade marshmallow is the yummiest, fluffiest thing. Easy and inexpensive too. The recipe will make the sort of standard coconut-covered marshmallows most people know, but it can also be used in moulds to make cool shapes. At Easter, marshmallow eggs or bunnies are very appropriate, and make delicious gifts. This Easter I’m making quite a […]
Psychic Dogs and Chicken Recipes
Yes, I know that is rather a strange title, but I promise there’s a link! I have been in Brisbane for over a week, and I’m feeling long overdue to return to my farm. There are a few things I need to tidy up this morning before I go, then I shall pack the ute […]
Spicy Calamari Stir Fry Recipe
I find cooking to be one of the most grounding and nurturing activities in my sometimes crazy life. This is a fantastically easy and tasty recipe that works equally well for squid/calamari, firm white fish fillets, tofu, chicken or pork. Pair it with a white wine, beer or a smoky tea. And please think about […]
Coconut and Jam Slice Recipe & Country Funerals
Our town had a funeral this week. This is the sort of funeral I don’t mind – an old lady, well-loved, dying of old age after a full life. Country funerals are always well attended, and country people are big eaters, so there needs to be plenty of food at the wake, especially for the […]
Thai Sticky Black Rice Recipe – a breakfast favourite
I’m all for nourishing the soul with food, and this is one of my all-time favourite recipes. This rice dish can be eaten for breakfast, or as a dessert. In fact, it’s good anytime. You’ll need: 1 cup of black glutinous rice, 2.5 cups of water, some palm sugar or soft brown sugar, salt, a can […]