Ginger teriyaki salmon

Restraint and moderation are two concepts that I have trouble understanding and putting into practice.

At first I only ate half of the Oreo fudge bar I made yesterday. Today, I ate 2 whole, larger than the size of my palm slices consecutively. To say I had a sudden burst of energy is an understatement - on the plus side I powered through a decent amount of laundry and house work before crashing on the couch. To counteract my sugar-heavy morning/afternoon I thought I would be a good girl and make something super healthy (but filling - no light salads for me) for dinner.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 39mins - 9mins for glaze, 30mins for marinating.
cook time: 6mins.
total: 45mins.

taste: 3.5/5. It was nice; the ginger added a nice spicy dimension whilst the honey and orange juice added a sour sweetness. 6mins under the broiler was not enough; I like my salmon pink, but the middle of the fish was completely raw - too chewy for my taste. I served mine with steamed snow peas and rice.


would I make it again: No. I prefer the mirin glazed salmon over this.

recipe: http://www.foodchannel.com/recipes/75-ginger-teriyaki-salmon

Oreo fudge bars

Aren't Public Holidays one of man's greatest inventions?

I absolutely love long weekends; as we work Saturdays, Sunday is really our only day off, which means it is used to catch up on the 6 days of housework I haven't done. With long weekends I get that blissful Monday, where there is no housework that needs doing, nor any work that must be done. Ahh, like a mini holiday. In preparation for a Monday spent reading or catching up on recorded TV shows, I thought I would make a really indulgent snack. Keeping with my chocolate enthusiasm I thought these Oreo fudge bars would be the perfect Long Weekend treat.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 12mins.
cooking time: 22mins to cook and 30mins to cool in fridge.
total: 34mins (not including cooling time).

taste: 4/5. These are basically crushed Oreos with melted chocolate on top, which was a little disspaointing as I was hoping they would have more of a brownie texture/taste.
Modifications I made:

• I used a 9x11inch baking pan
  
• I used 350g of Oreos - with 8 put aside to crumble on top
  
• I melted just 1/2cup of white chocolate to drizzle.
  

I kept the other measurements the same. Keep them in the fridge as when the chocolate is solid it is nicer to eat than when it is melting.

would I make it again: Yes (amended) - at first they were too sweet but after hardening up in thr fridge I kept going back for more.

recipe: http://thecrepesofwrath.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/oreo-fudge-bars/

Spiced chocolate mousse

Luc Clairemont: [at confession] Each time I tell myself it's the last time, but then I get a whiff of her hot chocolate, or...
Madame Audel: ...Seashells. Chocolate seashells, so small, so plain, so *innocent*. I thought, oh, just one little taste, it can't do any harm. But it turned out they were filled with rich, sinful...
Yvette Marceau: And it *melts*, God forgive me, it melts ever so slowly on your tongue, and tortures you with pleasure.

From the film Chocolat (2000)

Chocolat is one of my all time favourite movies. Once a month I used to sit on the couch, hot chocolate in hand, and blissfully watch (more intently on Johnny Depp of course). I must admit it has been a long while since I have done so, too long in fact. As I was reminiscing about my past habits I saw that I have posted very few Chocolate recipes - which was a little shocking to me as I eat chocolate every single day. I cannot remember one day where I have not even eaten one small square of 70% cacao heaven. Chocolate is the one food I would never give up, ever.


As we are having one of Ryan's friends for dinner before we head out to see Watchmen, and as the food shop is tomorrow, I thought a chocolate mousse would be the perfect last minute dessert to whip up - everyone likes chocolate mousse right?

ease: 4.5/5.
prep time: 15mins to make mousse and praline.
cooking time: 3hours chilling time.
total: 3hours and 15mins.

taste: 4/5. I added a little less chilli powder and upped the cinnamon as I thought they might be too spicy - but they definitely weren't. I would probably keep the spices as they are next time around. The mouse was light with a subtle hint of spice whilst the hazelnut praline added a nice crunch to the smooth texture.

would I make it again: Yes - pretty easy and simple dessert.

recipe: http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/spiced_chocolate_mousse.htm?rcid=1298&mode=rcid

Moroccan-style chicken pie

Sweet & Savoury - generally opposites, but sometimes great friends.

I have played around with the idea of sweet and savoury main courses as well as desserts before. Take for example, the addition of cinnamon to meats such as lamb or chicken. I love cinnamon, absolutely adore it. I also liked adding it to meat dishes back when I was a meat eater. It especially helped if the lamb was nearing its use by date.

My brother was in need of a good meal seeing as though my dad and his partner hadn't been home in over a week, so I wanted to make a big, warm meal that would be perfect on a rainy, damp night. I love Moroccan and Moroccan-inspired meals; they use such gorgeously fragrant spices that create truly flavoursome food.


ease: 4.5/5.
prep time: 50mins (includes cooling time).
cooking time: 30mins.
total: 1hour & 20mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Ryan really loved this - ate every last bit - 'almost perfect'. Modifications I made:

• 8 phyllo sheets - 4 on the bottom and 4 on the top
• 1 1/2 tbs plain flour
• No cilantro
• 1/4 sultanas in place of golden raisins (didn't have any on hand)
• 2tbs raw sugar in place of 3tbs powdered sugar

As I don't eat chicken I can't tell you the overall taste, but I had a little bit of the pastry with some sauce and it was divine. Perfect balance between the sweet and savoury tastes - not overpowering or boring.

would I make it again: Yes. Would use the golden raisins next time otherwise I would keep everything else the same.

recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Moroccan-Style-Chicken-Pie-351511

Mango & coconut flognarde

I like to organise and plan; I really love doing it.

Pretty much everything I do day-to-day I have pre-planned the night before; sometimes even the week before. What we eat each week from breakfast to dinner or even sweets I have organised a week earlier. I have even planned holidays that we never actually go on; I like looking at countries and wondering if I went there where would I stay and what would I do.

Sometimes though, when something unexpected happens, like receiving mangoes from your mother-in-law, I will do something on the fly. I hadn't planned on making a mango & coconut flognarde, in fact, it wasn't even a recipe I had bookmarked.

Finding myself with some unexpected mangoes I searched for a recipe to make sure they did not go to waste. I narrowed it down to three and submitted them to my husband and brother for a vote. This won by default (sorry coconut rice pudding, I shall make you another day).


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 6mins.
cooking time: 40mins.
total: 46mins.

taste: 3.5/5. I made the following modifications:

• 45g plain flour
• 15g self raising flour
• 1/4tsp cardamom

It has that almost custard-like texture of a clafoutis which is really lovely with the soft, refreshing mango chunks that dissolve in your mouth. I didn't think it tasted like coconut that much and would perhaps put a tablespoon or so of dessicated coconut in it, and perhaps a touch more cardamom as well to get a little more flavour in it.

would I make it again: Yes - with some modifications. Really, easy, light dessert or even breakfast.

recipe: http://www.flagrantedelicia.com/en/desserts-puddings-and-souffles/un-rendez-vous-tropical/

Banana tatin verrines

Today is bizarre. Truly bizarre.

There was rain for a few hours this morning; around lunch I looked out the window to gauge what I should wear - the sky was overcast, windy and had that 'just about to rain' look on its face. I decided on a turtle neck and jeans, one step outside and I was hit by heat -around 27C hot. Not only that but the wind, which I normally love, was acting weirdly. Like it was up to something. It was eerie enough to make me want to head indoors immediately, and after a few random chats I wasn't the only one finding the weather a little duplicitous. Victorians even received text messages from the Victorian police warning of extreme weather conditions, those close to locations where fires are still burning were cautioned to be alert and to prepare to evacuate if necessary.

I re-thought my outdoor laundry plans; as my dishwasher broke last night I thought I would get onto washing the load it flaked on. Being in the kitchen I felt like whipping something up to reward myself for doing some chores - I found a tub of creme fraiche lurking in the back of my fridge and thought this would be a perfect afternoon snack for two.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 10mins.
cooking time: 15mins to bake topping and caramelise bananas.
total: 25mins.

taste: 3.5/5. I made a few modifications to the crumble which I have listed below:

• 3 1/2 tbs plain flour
• 3tbs oats
• 1tbs dessicated coconut
• 1tbs crystallised ginger

The creme fraiche was just that little bit too rich for me - I would have loved this even more with creamy, tangy Greek yoghurt. Otherwise everything else was lovely - I am glad I added coconut and oats as they added more of a textural and flavour contrast, as Ryan doesn't really like ginger so I didn't want that to be the main taste.

would I make it again: No. It was nice but nothing I would spend more than 10mins making in the future.

recipe: http://tartelette.blogspot.com/2008/12/banana-tatin-verrines.html

Greek pancakes

Whilst I am of mixed background my father is 100% Pontian Greek, so I am quite familiar with the Greek culture and definitely the food, thanks to the most gorgeous little Greek grandma in the world, my yia yia Sofia. Growing up, my brother and I spent a HUGE amount of time at my yia yia's simply because she spoiled us rotten. We would literally be eating the entire day in between playing on the makeshift swing of a blanket tied between trees.
For example I shall tell you about breakfast:

• orange juice
• milkshake
• cooked eggs
• slices of crusty white bread
• sliced cucumber and tomatoes with salt
• kalamata olives
• tsoureki (sweet bread, similar to challah I think)
• pancakes (tijanites)
• slices of feta or saganaki
• half a watermelon (no joke)

Did I mention this is what we ate when we were only 6years old? Miraculously none of us grandchildren became overweight either. My yia yia loves to cook; whether it be pitas she would make on her kitchen table with a huge wooden rod we later used to chase each other with, or little servings of semolina halva dotted with sultanas. Whilst I have a few of her recipes written, I did not write down the recipe for the pancakes. Luckily I found them on Greek Gourmand (eerie isn't it?) and was able to give my hubby a taste of Greece.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 5mins.
cooking time: 5mins.
total: 10mins.

taste: 4/5. It only made 6 small pancakes but they were lovely and light, not as fluffy as the one's pictured here (my eggs were too cold I think) but still yum. I think this was the first time I have made pancakes that didn't have any sugar in them, and it wasn't missed at all. I served mine with maple syrup, french butter, walnuts and cinnamon. Yum.

would I make it again: Yep - super easy recipe that makes just enough for two.

recipe: http://greekgourmand.blogspot.com/2008/09/tiganites-greek-pancakes.html

Coconut & mango friands

"The coconut trees, lithe and graceful, crowd the beach like a minuet of slender elderly virgins adopting flippant poses."

William Manchester

I have proclaimed my love of coconuts many times I am sure. Whilst I regularly indulge in either the liquid or dried forms, I rarely eat them from the shell; let's face it, if I were to open them like my grandmother used to, with a cordless drill and a machete, I'd most likely lose a limb...or two. And as much as I love them fresh, that's just a little too much effort for me most of the year.

So I satisfy my cravings with coconut milk or cream in drinks or curries, or most commonly with dessicated coconut in baked sweets. One of my wedding gifts was a friand tray, so what better way to have my fix and de-virginise some bake ware by making Coconut & Mango Friands.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 6mins.
cooking time: 25mins.
total: 31mins. I ended up with 9 friands from my tray of 12.
taste: 4.5/5. They had a buttery almost crispy shell which yielded a moist coconut cake. The mangoes added tanginess whilst the cranberries added a tart sweetness all of which came in and out with the coconut. Great afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee.

would I make it again: Yes. I would swirl the mango and cranberries through the mixture next time so they are better dispersed and I get the three flavours with each mouthful. They only made 9 small friands though.

recipe: http://australianfood.about.com/od/bakingdesserts/r/MangoFriand.htm

Presley's perfect pancakes

Thank God for sites like Tastespotting and Foodgawker - if it weren't for them I would have completely missed Shrove Tuesday or otherwise known to some as Pancake Day.

Now I generally make pancakes fairly regularly, most often drenched in maple syrup with some sliced bananas or berries on top. However, for pancake day I wanted to make some a little more special.

A favourite snack of mine is sliced banana slathered with gooey peanut butter eaten with toothpicks; it satisfies my sweet tooth and is surprisingly filling. I have made Elvis Presley's favourite fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches before (my God they are sinfully divine) but never Presley pancakes - how can they not be great?


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 8mins.
cooking time: 7mins for 3 batches of 3.
total: 15mins.

taste: 3.75/5 (my husband and brother made me add the extra .25). The only thing they thought brought down the score is too much peanut butter. I used about 2tbs between the 9 pancakes - so I would recommend a maximum half a tablespoon for each three tier stack. I added 1tbs lemon juice to the milk as I didn't have any buttermilk. They were quite sweet as you would expect with lovely caramelised bananas and melted salty peanut butter. The maple syrup is a must as it helps to unstick the unctuous peanut butter from the roof of you mouth.

would I make it again: Yes - with less PB.

recipe: http://asoutherngrace.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-want-you-i-need-you-i-love-you.html

Well deserved rest

There will be no recipes to post today as I am still recovering from yesterday; my year-in-the-making Wedding Day. Although there were a few last minute hiccups (cupcake company was sold 1 week before the wedding along with a last minute flower change as two types of flowers were destroyed in the heatwave) the day ended up going really well and every one of my 49 guests said they had fun. I have posted a sneak peek with a few photos my dad and his partner took - I shall post some more once the official photographs are ready.