Sparkles Delights

Things I do for love!

2009-03-07T19:31:00.000-08:00

After looking at our fruit bowl this morning, I decided to make a loaf of Banana bread, for my man. The only problem is I HATE Banana's! Don't like the taste or texture of them and I feel ill when I smell them. However, I always ensure that I do buy them for ny main man. Afterall, why should he not have them because I hate them!

BANANA BREAD

100g Self-Raising flour

50g Unsalted Butter-soft

75g Brown Sugar

1 Egg

225g Mashed Ripe Bananas (2 small, or 1 large)

OPTIONAL

50g Sultanas

12g Walnuts

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180 C/356 F Gas Mark 4.

Rub butter into flour until combined. Then stir in sugar, sultanas and walnuts. Followed by the egg and mashed bananas. Mix together well to fully combine ingredients. Place mixture into mould, then into preheated oven for approx. 30 minutes.

It's more like home here on Blogger

2009-03-07T19:27:00.000-08:00

I've decided after a little time on wordpress, to return to blogger, It's more user-friendly system to use! I'm planning to blog a little bit more then I have in the past few months!

Slight change!

2008-09-11T15:10:00.001-07:00

Hello, I have just moved to wordpress. Come say HELLO at http://sparklesdelights.wordpress.com
Just bear with me for a few days till I settle in, may be a little bumpy for a little while.

Lychee Delight

2008-09-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

Spring has arrived. I was feeling like treating my love one with....A fruiting, yet sugar coating treat. A spring-time delight! The unique flavour of lychee is delightful in this colourful and refreshing delight.

Here is the recipe as found in "Chinatown" by Ross Dodson.

Lychee Delight
750ml (26fl oz/3 cups) Lychee syrup, from tinned lychee
200g (7 3/4oz/1 cup) sugar
125g (4 1/2oz/1 cup) cornflour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
pink food colouring
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour, extra

Line a 20x30x4cm (8x12x1 1/2in) baking win with plastic wrap.
bring the lychee syrup to boil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add sugar and stir until dissoved. Remove from the heat.
Combinine the cornflour, cream of tartar, and 250ml (9fl oz/1 cup) cold water in a bowl. Gradually add this to the syrup. Return the saucepan to medium heat and stir until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes, stirring freqently.
The mixture will thicken and become clear. add a couple of drops of food colouring and stir well. Pour the mixture into the tray and leave to set for 4-6 hours.
Combine the icing sugar and extra cornflour in a bowl. Before serving, cut the set mixture into 3-4cm (1 1/4-1 1/2in)squares and dip one side of the square into the icing sugar mixture.

Photo to follow at later stage.....

What better way to start the week-end!

2008-09-05T22:09:00.001-07:00

Besides freshly baked bread, what else do you needon a Saturday Morning?

Execpt maybe a copy of the days newspaper and a few hours to spare!

Rosemary Olive Bread

3 cups "000" flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
3/4 cup warm water
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2-1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsley chopped

Combine yeast and warm water until yeast becomes creamy, about 10 minutes.Add olive oil, salt, sugar, rosemary and olives into the yeast mixture and add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until dough comes away from the side of the bowl. Move dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.Preheat oven to 400F.Shape dough gently into a ball. Place on a baking sheet and let rise, covered with a damp towel, for 30 minutes. Dust the bread ligtly with flour, slash the top and put into the oven.Bake for 35-45 minutes, until bottom sounds hollow when tapped.Place on a wire rack to cool.

Come visit the world in my kitchen

2008-08-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Please come visit the world in my kitchen!

My newest project! still work in process
http://comevisittheworldinmykitchen.wordpress.com/

Such a country thing to do.....

2008-08-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday, 30th August 2008.

As I was walking home from the supermarket, I found this just outside the fence of a strangers home!

Free lemons. Now what can I make with them! Lemon ice-cream? Lemon meringue pudding? Lemon Cheesecake? Lemon Cordial? lemonn Finger Biscuits?

Awards and a big bunch of Roses!

2008-08-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

August 30, 2008

I have been awarded this LOVELYl award from a wonderful lady, named Sally. She writes the beautiful blog called

http://pinkbytes.blogspot.com/

Please take some time to read her blog, it is well worth the visit, Such wonderful reading materals and beautifuly presented, as well as great cooking and baking ideas!

Thank you so much Sally! I was rather suripice to be given an award.

The rules for this award are quite simple.

1. Choose 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and their contribution to the blogging community.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name of and link to the blog that presented her/him with the award.

4. The award winner and the one who has given the prize has to show the link of Arte Y Pico blog so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. Show these rules.

Now, whom shall I give it to?

1. Anna at .............. http://atannaskitchentable.blogspot.com/

2. Linda at.............. http://wwwthinkingaboutfood.blogspot.com/

3. Kerry at ................http://kerry-meandmythree.blogspot.com/

4. Laura at................http://www.hungryandfrozen.blogspot.com/

5. Sarah at.................http://sarah-cooks.blogspot.com/

HAPPY BLOGGING to you all.

This is how Chocolate is meant to be!

2008-08-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Gooey warm chocolate pudding with a smidgen of vanilla ice-cream ozzing down slowly melting down the sides. What else do you need on cold and wet winter night?

Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding

1 cup (120g) self-raising flour
3 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup (125g) caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
60g butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanillia essence
1 cup (185g) soft brown sugar

Preheat oven to moderate 180 C. Brush a 2 litre heatpoof dish with meltedt the flour and I tablespoon cocoa into a large bowl and add the caster sugar. Make a well in the mixture.

In a jug, beat the egg and add the milk, melted butter and vanilla essence. Pour the liquid into ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, stir until well combined and lump free. Pour into the prepare dish.

Combine the brown sugar and the remaining cocoa and sprinkle evenly over the batter. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water gently and evenly over the ingredents in the dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the pudding s cooked, a sauce will have formed undernealth.

**I like to use coconut milk or creeam instead of using milk. I also LOVE to add some chopped nuts or chocolate pieces.

Daydreaming of France!

2008-08-16T04:36:00.000-07:00

16 August 2008.

This afternoon I curled up on the sofa to spent the afternoon daydreaming of living in the france country side; through a wonderful Australian auther called Mary Moody. Mary is a fairy well-known Australia she has been a prolific gardening auther and a former presenter on ABC's show "Gardening Australia" She is a wonderful auther, as you read her books it is like she is right next to you telling you personally about the time spent in France, as well as heaps of juicy bits of her personal life, including one or two love affairs, and the issues relating to her loving, caring husband finding out about them!

She was writen some lovely bestsellers including Au Revoir (2001), Last Tango in Toulouse(2003) amd The long Hot Summer (2005). Today, I was looking at her book, "Lunch with Madame Murat" It is part travelogue, part history, part culinary adventure, and a wonderful visual journey through the riches of life and food in rural France.

After spending a few hours looking at the book, I decided to make Creme Brulee. The recipe can be found in this lovely book.

Creme Brulee

Serves 8

1 L Milk
1 Vanilla Pod
1 soup spoon Corn Flour
6 Egg Yolks
100g Sugar
Sprinkling of Brown Sugar

Add vanilla pod to the milk and bring to simmering point but do not boil.

In a bowl mix all the other ingredients, slowly adding the milk and stirring well.

Remove the vanilla pod and pour the mix back into pan.

Cook until it starts to thicken, stirring constanly. Pour into eight individual ramekins and leave to cool. Just before serving, spinkle brown sugar on the custard and heat with a blow-torch or under a grill until carmelised.

Sleeping Marmalade

2008-08-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

I've been out trying to find a wedding present for a girlfriend, (no luck, will continue hunt next weekend) came home to find Marmalade fast asleep!

Feeling the wonderful warmth of soup on a chilly winter night!

2008-08-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

9th August 2008.

Another cold, wet, and chilly day in Melbourne. The need for some warm comfort food for our evening meal was required. Parsnip and Pear Soup with Herb and Cheese Scones seemed to hit for our taste bubs.

Herb and cheese scones

3 cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon salt
pinch cayenne pepper
50g butter, chilled, chopped
1/2 cup mixed herbs (such as oregano, rosemary and basil), finely chopped
1/3 cup grated light tasty cheese
1 cup reduced-fat milk

Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Sift flour into a large bowl. Add salt, cayenne pepper and pepper. Mix well to combine. Add butter. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add herbs and cheese to flour mixture. Stir well to combine. Add milk. Mix with a flat-bladed knife until a soft dough forms. Knead lightly on a floured surface. Pat dough into a 2cm-thick round. Using a 5cm cutter, cut into 12 rounds. Place rounds close together on a baking tray.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden and well-risen. Makes 12.

Pear and Parsnip soup

30g butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

250ml milk

500ml vegetable stock

2 tablespoons plan flour

pinch cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

4 parsnips

2 pears

Cook parsnips and pear (peeled and cut) in vegetable stock, once cooked and cool, puree.

Mix butter in a saucepan, add flour, salt, and cayenne papper, cook a few minutes.

Gradually add milk and the bay leaf, bring to the boil, stirring constantly.

Stir in cooked parsnip and pear mixture and simmer for a few minutes.

Remove bayleaf and serve.

Leek pikelets with Smoked Barramundi

2008-08-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

4 August, 2008.

While hunting though the frigde looking for something to make for dinner, I came across some Smoke Barramundi which I had forgot about. and wondered if I could use it instead of Rainbow Trout, in a recipe I found in this months copy of Australian Gourmet Traveller. I also used duck eggs instead of normal chicken.

(Recipe as found in magazine. page 90)

Leek pikelits with smoked rainbow trout and soft-boiled egg
Serves 4
Cooking Time Prep time 15 mins, cook 30 mins
110 gm butter, coarsely chopped
1½ leeks, thinly sliced
300 gm crème fraîche, plus extra to serve
1 green onion, thinly sliced, plus extra to serve
2 lemons, finely grated rind only
6 eggs, at room temperature
100 gm (2/3 cup) plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
200 gm smoked rainbow trout, bones removed, coarsely flaked (see note)
To serve: lemon wedges

1 Melt 70gm butter in a saucepan. Add leek and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft (6-7 minutes), transfer to a bowl and cool slightly. Add crème fraîche, green onion and lemon rind to bowl, season to taste and stir to combine. Separate 2 eggs, adding yolks to leek mixture, then stir in flour and baking powder. Whisk eggwhites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form, fold into leek mixture and set aside.

2 Melt 10gm butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until butter foams. Add ¼-cups of pikelet mixture and cook in batches until bubbles appear on surface (2-3 minutes), then turn and cook until golden (1-2 minutes). Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining butter and pikelet mixture, wiping out pan with absorbent paper between each pikelet. Keep pikelets warm in a low oven.

3 Meanwhile, cook remaining eggs in gently boiling water until soft-boiled (5-5½ minutes). Cool briefly under running water, then break in half. Scoop eggs from shells with a teaspoon. Serve immediately with leek pikelets, smoked rainbow trout and lemon wedges.
Note Smoked rainbow trout is available from select fishmongers and delicatessens. Substitute with good-quality smoked salmon.

Luv-a-Duck Massaman Curry

2008-08-01T17:15:00.001-07:00

2 August 2008.

After experiencing yet another one of Melbourne's cold winter day, (with only 29 winter days left for the year) I felt like spending some time heating up in the kitchen. (Although defrosting seems more like I felt!) I started to prepare tomorrows nights dinner. Massaman Duck Curry. Massaman Curry is one of those curries that sits very well and develops complexity and depth with time; it tastes great if you let it sit overnight so that the spices penetrate the meat and potatoes. I find that the tastes just do not "come together" until the next day.

Massaman Duck Curry served with Potatoes
(Recipes from Luv-a-Duck), serves 4

4 Duck Legs cut in half
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of good quality massaman curry paste
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup duck stock
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
500g baby chat potatoes
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
5 cardamom pods lightly crushed to release flavour
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Steamed jasmine rice to serve

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the duck legs and seal until evenly browned then transfer to a plate.

Add 2 tablespoons coconut cream to pan, cook over medium heat for 20 seconds or until hot.

Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic. Return duck and juices to pan.

Add coconut milk, stock, peanuts, potatoes, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom pods, sugar, tamarind concentrate, fish sauce and remaining coconut cream. Stir to combine.

Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until duck is tender.

Serve with rice.

Fabulous Lemon Hand & Foot Scrub

2008-07-31T15:16:00.000-07:00

This "recipe" I found in a newsletter for Childcare Professionals, called our little treasure (www.ourlittletreasures.com.au)

We all can do with a little treat every now and then; no matter if we are childcare professionals, mothers or just busy women who work very hard both at work, play and home! All ingrendents are easrly found it the kitchen. It takes only a few minutes to make the wonderfully smelly scrab. A faulous and refreashing exfoliation treatment, we all battle colds, fatigue and the urge to sometimes just stay at home, rather then go to work or shopping. Here, is a great idea to keeo you feeling refreshed and relaxed after a long and buzy day. Enjoy!

Fabulous Lemon Hand & Foot Scrub
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons caster sugar
5 drops of lemon essential oil

Mix all ingredients together in a plastic container. Place a towel and a bowl of warm water close by. Massage the scrab into your hands and feet. Rinse off in the warm water. Pat dry with the towel.

Lemon Ice-Cream. So so easy!

2008-07-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

This is the most yummy and most easy ice-cream to make as well as very quick! However if you are looking for a low-fat ice-cream, I wouldn't ever consiter this one, using a low-fat cream just doesn't work, you really need double cream, or cream higher then 35% fat content. It tastes like REAL ice-cream, so creamy and you only need to serve little amounts. It is also nice made with Mandarin juice insteed of lemon juce, (Mandarin ice-cream only has a light taste of mandarin, where I find the lemon ice-cream very lemmonly and tangy) I must admit this is my favoute ice-cream recipe (and I don't need to flaff around with the ice-cream maker) Recipe is found in Nigella Lawson's How to Eat, in the Week-end Lunch section.

Lemon Ice-Cream
Recipe from Nigella Lawson, How to Eat.
3 juicy lemons, perferably unwaxed
420ml double cream
170g icing sugar

Grate the zest from 2 of the lemons. Sqeeze the juice of all three and pour into a small bowl with the zest and icing sugar, stir to combine and leave for 30 minutes, if you can, to let the flavour deepen.

Whip the cream with 3 tablespoons iced water until holds soft peaks, then whisk in the sweetened lemon juice. Tun into a shallow container, cover and freeze- no stiring, crystal-breaking-up, mixing or anything needed-until firm. Place in fridge around 40 minutes before serving to ripen/soften.

Photo to come.

Quince and Nut Cake

2008-07-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

26th July 2008
After a visit to Camberwell Food Market, I was left wondering how to cook some Quinces which I brought. I was looking for a different idea rather then just the normal way of roasting or poaching them, and serving them on top of Bircher muesli for a healthy breakfast or as a dessert served along with Vanilla Yogurt or ice-cream. This recipe was found in The Cook's Companion by the wonderful Auststralian food writer and well-known foodie, Stephanie Alexander.

Quince and Nut Cake (from Stephanie Alexander’s The cook’s companion)
This cake can be made using walnuts, almonds or pecans, or a mixture. I used a mixture of 3/4 cup walnuts and 1/4 pecans nuts) I also used Duck eggs, rather then chicken.

375g plain flour
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
Pinch of salt
1cup roughly crushed nuts
2 cups poached Quince
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
250g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Pure icing sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 180 C, then butter a 23cm ring tin and dust it with flour. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt and stir in nuts. Combine quince and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk eggs into butter and gently stir quince mixture and mix well. Spoon into prepared tin. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake in tin. Unmould and scatter with icing sugar, if desired, to serve.

Lamb Shanks

2008-07-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

22 July 2008
We are in the middle of winter, here in Melbourne, and feeling the extremes from mother nature, we were feeling the need for a simple nice, warming winter meal. lamb Shanks seem to be sceaming out to me, what else could you feel like but a slow cooking meaty meal!

Before heading off to work in the morning I placed four lamb shank in the slow cooker as well as some cut up carrots, a celery stalk, light amount of garlic and mixed Itailan herbs, corn cut of the cob, 2 cans of tomatoes, thyme (4 teaspoons) 1 cup soup mix (soup beans) 1 cup red wine, I then turned the slow cooked to a low cook, went to work and return around 9 hours later to a wonderful cooked dinner.

havin' Fish & Chips for tea tonight

2008-07-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

19th July, 2008.

After spending the morning visiting the Booroondara Farmers Market, I decided we were having fish and chips for dinner tonight. I brought a wonderful whole Barramundi as well as some Kipper potatoes at the market. I also did cauliflower with cheese and white wine sauce.

To do the fish I simply slide a knife down one side of the fish (about 1cm) and then stuffed it with ginger and Vietnam mint (polygonum odoratum) wrapped up the whole fish (yak, head and tail too!) with foil, placing slices of lemon on top of the fish and baked for 45 minutes.

I cup the kipfler Potatoes in to chip-like shapes (6 in total) placed in small roasting tray with 3 tablespoons of duck fat and roasted for the same time as the fish.

While making the white sauce for the Cauliflower, in the microwave went 1/2 cauliflower cut into small flowers (around 2-3cm) to cook on med for 10-12 Min's. Making the white sauce, I melted 3 table spoons unsalted butter, once melted I blended 6 tablespoon plain flour flat tablespoons, and cooked on high till blended together, then adding 1/2 cup dry white wine, followed by 1/2 cup milk (low-fat) continue, till you achieve a thick and slow following liquid while moving a wooden spoon though your saucepan. Place the cook cauliflower in an oven poof dish, place the cheese sauce on top with grated cheese mixed in to it. Bake for 30 minutes.

Note: Oven temp should be around 180 Degrees.