Berry Cupcakes

Who doesn't like a cupcake? You could be a massive hard-ass grown bull of a man, and I'd bet you'd still like a cupcake.

Especially these ones.

The batter I found to be a bit plain, but a great base for flavour. The berries mixed in (I used frozen berries even though the recipe calls for fresh berries to be pushed into the top. Not spending $8 on a punnet of raspberries out here!) made the world of difference. As mine were frozen, I found I had to cook it for a little longer, but still got a great end result.

The best part about these cupcakes was the icing on the cake - or so to speak. Thick cream mixed with crushed berries (I used fresh blueberries) and meringue just worked so so well. The sweetness of the berry complimented by the smooth cream and the crunch of the meringue.

So perfect I gave some to our neighbor who'd told me our dogs had escaped earlier that day. After a mad rush around I found them safe, thankfully!

Steak Sandwich

Every time I go out for lunch with my Mum, without fail she'll order a Steak Sandwich. I was thinking of her lots as Hubby chose this one to try out last week.

It's a lovely simple dish, with a chive and garlic butter smeared on toasted baguette, peppery baby spinnach and a well cooked steak. The recipe calls for a veal steak, but as Hubby and and I aren't all that partial to veal, we had beef instead.

I cooked it for dinner and it was a great light dinner with the hot and humid days we've been having lately. Very tasty, easy and would be a great dish with BBQ'd steak and friends over.

Yoghurt and Passionfruit Syrup Cake

The thing I really liked about this cake was that it's made from things I generally already have in the kitchen. I love yoghurt in baking and how light it makes the final product, so was eager to try this cake out.

Loved it. And I really like that it can act as a base for a lot of different flavours. Like the passionfruit syrup.

In all honesty, I'm not a big fan of passionfruit (don't shoot me!). It makes my eyes cringe and my face squint up like I'm sucking on a lemon. I did make the syrup and was pleased with how the sweetness removed the cringe-factor from the fruit, but it made me think of other possibilities for this cake. A strawberry or raspberry syrup, even a mango one would work well.

Or if you're going to be completely indulgent, a chocolate syrup. With a little hazelnut liquor. Mmmm....

Sorry, no photo. I was too slack that week.

Frozen Yoghurt and Strawberry Milk

It's the middle of summer and so damn hot lately, so these turned out to be a fantastic afternoon cool-me-down. Even if we were in the air-con. Something sweet and cold and somewhat healthy for you, this drink went down perfectly.

I've always loved Strawberry Coulis as you don't get as many pips and seeds like you do with other berries. Plus they already have their own sweetness, so not as much sugar is needed. I've since made the coulis from this recipe again as my son loves having a spoonful in some milk as a milkshake. And I know it's nice and fresh and not full of additives.

I used natural yoghurt instead of Vanilla and froze it in my Ikea heart shaped molds. Add the strawberry coulis and pour over milk. Don't forget to give a little stir or the berry syrup will just sit on the bottom of the glass.

Enjoy!!

Scallops!!

One of the things I love about Summer and living in Queensland is the abundance of seafood. Even living two hours inland we're able to buy our weekly fill of fish and other desirable seafood. Including Scallops.

I love scallops. I love their lightness, their subtle flavour and how they'll soak up rich garlic and lemon sauces, or just a few herbs and a light grill and they're ready to eat. And quick! I've been looking forward to trying these recipes as I haven't cooked scallops before and have heard about how easy it is to overcook them, but I'm quietly proud of myself for how well I did.

With the lime, the scallops are cooked in a garlic and butter sauce then a light Wasabi and lime dressing is poured over them, topped with some chopped spring onion. I was quite apprehensive about tasting the Wasabi ones as I don't have a palate for heat in food but they were really nice and not hot at all.

The lemon scallops were cooked in a similar butter and garlic sauce, that some thyme had been pulled into. Once the scallops were cooked (both recipes read 30 sec each side but I found with my not-gas stove top it took a little longer) they were removed from the pan. Some lemon juice and chives were then added to the butter sauce and poured over the cooked scallops. These were awesome. Melt in the mouth.

Love that I've finally cooked these delicacies and can't wait to get my hands on more!

Mixed Berry Layered Pavlova

I'm part of a photography group for my town and the prompt last week was 'Chocolate' so I had to get two birds with one stone and make something from my Donna Hay book....then cover it with Chocolate.

Which is what I did.

No, there was originally no chocolate in this dish, but there were Raspberries and I couldn't buy fresh ones for less then $9 a punnet so I substituted the berries for chocolate. Good exchange, hey?

Also, I suck at making meringue. Of any kind. It never ever ever ever works for me. Like, ever. So I was already skeptical about making it, but wanted to give it a crack just the same. I figured that if it didn't work, like normal, I'd just crush up whatever did cook and make an Eton Mess out of it instead.

It was just egg whites and icing sugar - where I usually use caster sugar - so it mixed in really well. I used my mixmaster and just turned it on and walked away. I don't think I usually give eggwhites enough time to expand before I bake.

But by some divine intervention (must have been the full moon) my meringue worked!! I don't know how, I didn't do anything different from the other times I made them, but something clicked and they both worked so well, I had a very proud moment. :)

With the warmer weather, I took this to a BBQ for dessert and it was a hit. It was lovely and light and sat just right after a meal of sausages, chicken skewers and salad.

I may have ammended the original recipe a little, but it was so good just the same.

Tomato Salad with Garlic and Anchovy Dressing

Do you have something you don't eat, but don't know why? It's just one of those things then when offered, you automatically turn your nose up at and 'no thanks, I don't eat them' even though you've probably never tried it. I do. I have a few actually. Oysters. Sorry, but they just look like a pile of snot sitting in a shell. How appetizing. Mussels. Brains. And Anchovies.

When I decided to start this challenge I told myself that I would try new food. Probably not everything I cook I'll eat, but I'm hoping to be brave enough to try most of it. This is the first 'new' food thing I have cooked so I was a bit apprehensive.

It was an easy dish to make. It'd be even easier if I had've kept an eye on the oil and garlic cooking the first time, rather then burn it and have to start the dressing again. The ingredients are naturally contemplative of each other. Tomatoes, beans and basil. Oil, garlic, anchovy and sherry vinegar. I didn't have any sherry vinegar so I substituted with Balsamic. Yes, I know it has a different taste but I wasn't going to go out and buy a whole bottle for a few tablespoons. And trust me, balsamic worked. 

Cut up tomatoes and beans and set aside. Heat oil, garlic and anchovy in a pan and cook till the garlic is golden. Now, you know when you're watching a cooking show and the chef puts in anchovy and they always say 'they dissapear, you'll never know they're there, it's just for flavour.' Well, I never believed them. How could it dissapear? Seriously?

I looked. It dissapeared. So sue me.

I think the best part of this dish is what I learnt. Once the garlic is cooked, remove it from the heat and carefully pour in the vinegar. The pan and oil is still so hot that it starts cooking the sugars in the vinegar and the whole dressing becomes this lovely sweet, sticky, garlicy liquid that I could've savored for days. I mean, it was awesome. Once the dressing is ready, pour over the tomatoes and let marinate for half an hour. Add some basil, shavings of pecorino (again, I didn't have this and substituted for Parmesan) and voila! 

As with the last salad it's missing the 'you'll need a big chunk of bread to soak up the remainder of the dressing or you'll end up licking the plate clean' bit at the end of the recipe. Yes, I can see how it's healthy without it, but I think the bread would round it up nicely.

Seriously good food.