Wednesday 15 January 2014

Heatwave!

Just putting it out there, but it's bloody hot!

America is in the grips of a polar vortex? Ha! I'll raise you a Melbourne heatwave!

I think we win. Four days over 40? Get outta town! 

And now there are planned power outages, to help cope with the huge demand on the power grid.

I LOVE MELBOURNE!

Sunday 12 January 2014

Challenge 2014 - Week Two - Steak, Mushroom & Red Wine Pie

Mmmm mmmm mmmm! Pie! Everyone loves pie!

We made pie! From scratch, pastry and everything! Look, a little spoiler for you... It was delicious. I found this delicious recipe on a fellow Blogger blog Exclusively Food.



Firstly, you want to start with meat that is designed for slow cooking. For our pie, we used gravy steak, but you could use chuck steak too.

If you want to make your own pastry, I suggest making it now, because it will need some time (about 2 hrs) to 'rest' in the fridge. 

Prep Time: 30 mins
Initial Cooking: 2.5hrs
Additional Cooking: 15-20 mins

40ml (2 tablespoons) oil
850g trimmed beef chuck or blade (or similar cut of meat), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large (about 200g) onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves (about 17g total), peeled and crushed
24g (1 tablespoon) tomato paste
125ml (1/2 cup) red wine
375ml (1 1/2 cups) beef stock (we use a low salt stock)
335ml (1 1/3 cups) water
20ml (1 tablespoon) worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/3 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
Salt and pepper, to taste (we use about 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper)
300g mushrooms (cup or flat mushrooms)
24g (2 tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
20ml (1 tablespoon) water
2 sheets puff pastry (each about 25cm by 25cm)
2-3 sheets shortcrust pastry (each about 25cm by 25cm)


Preheat oven to to 180 deg C.


Method:

We need to first brown the meat. We did it in two batches, to avoid stewing. Once it's all browned, set it aside.

Now throw in your onions, and brown them off. Add your garlic and tomato paste, stirring till combined. 

Pour in the red wine and bring to the boil. Add stock, water,  Worcestershire  sauce, meat, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir and cover, on a low heat, simmering for 2hrs, or until the meat is tender.

Add your chopped mushrooms to the pot, return to the simmer, and cook until mushrooms are cooked, or meat is protruding over the liquid. 

Stir through the cornflour (mixed with a little water), and return to simmer. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat.

Spoon into your prepared pie dish (We used a family sized glass Pyrex dish, but the original recipe calls for individual metal pie tins, just use whichever is easier for you). Place in the oven, and bake until the pastry is golden. 

Enjoy!

A quick note: Try to let the pie cool for a few minutes before taking it out of the dish, or cutting it. It will help the contents to settle, and will be easier to eat (because no one enjoys scolding hot meat, all up in their mouth...).

For more information on the original recipe:



Love

Jayde xx

Tuesday 7 January 2014

14 Things For The 14th Year...

Well, 14th Year into the 2000's. It sounded better in my head!

Anyway, thought I would share 14 things about me, that you might not know.

1 - I have never broken a single bone in my body. I have come close, but the worst I have ever done is splitting my head open when I was four.


2 - I'm trying to be 'green'. I make all of my own cleaning products, and when I can't I only buy Earth products. I believe there is no need to have so many horrible chemicals in my life, when we have previously lived without them.

3 - I am also learning how to make my own beauty products, like shaving cream and moisturising bars.

4 - I absolutely LOVE Halloween. I don't care that everyone thinks it's too American. I love the (modern) idea of getting candy from strangers, and being able to dress up and look hilarious for one night.
5 - I believe the end of the world will eventually come, and I want to be prepared for it. I know it probably won't be in my life time, but it makes me feel calmer knowing that I am mildly prepared for it.

6 - I have a fear of churches. I'm not going to try and explain this, because everyone just gives me strange looks when I do.







7 - I'm also horrified by the sight of seashells and pine cones cut in half. I remember vividly, we were sitting in science class in year 10, and we were in the first classroom on the right, and I was sitting at the 2nd table from the front, on the left hand side, on the very right hand side of the table, and we were flicking through our text books. I happened across a diagram of a conical seashell cut in half (where it shows all the little creepy sections), and I have never been the same. I don't know why but it makes me feel sick and I feel like they're going to slice my skin in creepy little sections too.


8 - I miss working in the hospitality field. I used to love getting to meet so many different people.

9 - I still have night terrors.

10 - I am a qualified driving instructor. I passed my course in 2012, but wasn't able to afford to pay for my licence. So I have my certificate that says I can teach people to drive, but the government says I'm not allowed. (Boo-Urns)

11 - I have an obsession with cupcakes. If you've seen my house, there are small tell tale signs. I have cupcake themed: cookie jar, jewellery box, tea towels, oven mits, apron, lip gloss, pot holders and general trinket boxes. I have to hide it all in a box in my wardrobe so it doesn't get ruined.

12 - I want to go back to school and do my nursing. I would like to become an EEN (Enrolled Endorsed Nurse), and work in the community to help people stay independent and at home for as long as they can. 

13 - I 'mother' people, and I don't even realise I'm doing it. I love to look after people. I am the mother hen of my friends, and I'm okay with that.

14 - I love lists. Not that you would have known that though...



So there you go, 14 facts about me. 

Thanks for reading, now to work out what to cook for dinner....


Love

Jayde xx

Monday 6 January 2014

Challenge 2014 - Week One - Cheeseburger Soup

Yes, you read right. We made "Cheeseburger Soup".

No, we didn't blend a few cheeseburgers and chug it down, that would be gross!

What we made was in a world of its own. I was given the recipe a couple of days ago, and I just couldn't shake it. The though of mince and cheese in a soup was haunting my dreams. 


When we started on this venture, everything seemed to be going well, until we added the herbs to the vegies, then the stock, then the mince. Justin and I just looked at each other in disbelief, "We couldn't possibly eat this mess...could we?". I still had hope, I didn't want to give up yet. 

It definitely did not improve once we added the cheese and milk, but we soldiered on. Man am I glad we did! The soup is chunky and delicious, and was just the right mix of cheesy goodness. Even though it's creamy, the stock helps cut through that. It would be perfect on a cold winters day, curled up on the couch with a blanket and a good movie.

(Sadly we were so preoccupied with cooking this oddity, that we forgot to take photos. So the shots are from the website listed below.)

Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

Ingredients

500mg beef mince
3/4 cup diced onion
3/4 cup grated carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
4 tbsp butter, divided
3 cups chicken stock
4 cups diced peeled potatoes 
1/4 cup plain
2 cups grated cheese
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream












Directions
  1. In a large saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small pot, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream.


I would certainly make this again!

Stay tuned for more cooking adventures!

Love 

J xx

Saturday 4 January 2014

Challenge 2014 - Week One - Mac n Cheese

Week One - Mac n Cheese

Alrighty, so we started week one off with a cheesy bang! I wanted something simple to try. Something that I had eaten before, but not made. I figured if I had eaten it before, it meant I had something to compare it to. 

Ingredients
500gm pasta
1 1/2 cups full cream milk
2 tablespoons plain flour
2-3 cups grated cheese,
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

  1. Cook the pasta till it's el dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Warm 1 cup of the milk, and whisk the flour and rest of the milk in a separate bowl. When the milk on the stove is steaming, add the milk/flour mix and whisk till smooth and thick.
  3. Add the cheese and seasoning and continue to whisk. The sauce till become thick and creamy.
  4. Mix the sauce in with the pasta and enjoy!

We used cheddar, Parmesan, and colby cheese

Cook extraordinaire!  

Let the sauce and pasta combine!


Ta Da!



So overall it was pretty easy to make. Though I think next time I might make a roux for the base of the sauce, as the flour didn't quite cook off. We didn't have mustard powder, so made do with actual mustard. Next time I would add more salt, and get some actual mustard powder.  

Not sure what we're going to make next week, but stay tuned for more!

Love

J xx

Look At Me Learning!

With my self set challenge at hand, I wanted a way to make what I was going to be posting about, interesting and pleasing to the eye. I thought to myself, 'but how?'.

The food, of course!

Everyone loves a good photo of food. From sweets, to soup. Food can be an enticing reason to read a book or post. Looking at all of the delicious photos of food that we see every day, it got me to thinking, 'how do I take good photos of food?'. I went on a search for some information, to help me on my journey of food photos. This is what I've found:


  1. Lighting: One of the most important elements in photography! You want to try and use natural light, and avoid your flash at all costs. Using natural light brings out the natural colours in food. Find a sunny spot, but one without direct sunlight. If you can't, use a sheer cloth or paper to help diffuse the light. Try also using black or white foam board to adjust the reflected light (White reflects, black absorbs).
  2. Props: A bowl of delicious soup, looks all the more delicious, when it's served in a crisp white bowl, a soft white napkin, and a shiny polished soup spoon. Think about not only the arrangement of the food, but how it's displayed. Try not to clutter the photo with a full table setting, instead use one or two simple props, like a spoon, napkin or a glass. Start collecting props you might want to use, you can find some brilliant additions to your collection from op shops, garage sales, flea markets, or online from places like Etsy.
  3. Timing: Food looses that "I'm delicious, eat me now" look quicker than you think. So make sure you have everything set up and ready to go, before you add your food to the shot. This is especially pertinent with foods that melt, such as ice cream. Some photographers even go so far as to have a mock item to test shoot with, then, when everything is perfect, they switch out the mock item, with the real one.
  4. Trick Or Treat: Try brushing on a light coat of oil onto food, to help bring out the natural colours and make it appear to be 'glistening'. You can also try the trick of steam, simply soak a cotton ball in water, zap in the microwave, and place behind food. The water starts steaming from the cotton ball, and can make food look freshly cooked and steaming hot.
  5. Style: Pay attention to the balances in your food. The different shapes, colours and textures can add or detract from a photo. Try shooting in many varied angles, until you find one that helps the food "speak to you". Follow the 'Rule of 3rds' when shooting, as it helps bring the viewers eye into line. Overall, don't be afraid to try new things!
  6. Staging/Storytelling: Are you trying to get a shot of the finished result, or the process it took to get there? think about the story your photo is trying to tell. If you're baking a cake and want to shoot the bowl of whipped cream, try taking the shot when the cream is still in the bowl, with the whisk. It helps tell the story better than a single bowl of whipped cream.
  7. Multiples: Don't think you're going to get the perfect shot in only a few frames. Sometimes it may take dozens of shots, and a couple of hours to get that perfect shot. So don't despair, just keep trying new things when you shoot. It's always better to have 100 photos to choose one from, than ten, so think about this.
  8. Enhance: Don't be afraid to enhance your assets. Just do it sparingly! Programs like Photoshop, iPhoto, Adobe Lightroom etc can be a great tool to use, but remember you want to make the food look 'real'. So avoid changing the colour properties too much. Just think about it this way, if you're shooting a lemon pie, and the pie wasn't actually fluro yellow, then why portray it that way?
  9. Fresh & Clean: Always make sure you're starting with the best quality ingredients and props. Avoid fruits with bruises, overcooked meats, or vegies that are nearly at their useby. Before you start shooting, make sure you've given the cutlery and glasses a quick polish. You might think a small smudge here or there is fine, but it can simply ruin an otherwise brilliant shot.
  10. Garnish: Garnishes are the lacy lingerie of the food world. They give people a hunt of what's to come. So dress your dish! even just a small sprinkle of freshly ground pepper can help and otherwise flat dish come to life.
  11. Tripods: If you can, try and use a tripod when shooting. It will minimise/remove camera shake, and allow you to take long exposure shots. Especially helpful when shooting in low light situations, like restaurants.

So there you go, I've gone and done all the hard research for you! If you have any additional tips or tricks you want to share, post them in the comments section below!

Now if I can just practise what I preach....

Wish me luck!

Love

J xx


References for the above information:

Thursday 2 January 2014

Challenge Yourself

So, being the brand new year (holy crap it's 2014 already?!?!), I've decided to set myself a challenge. Probably one of many to come, but it's a start at least.

As you may or may not know by now, I love food and cooking. I also love to learn. So I've decided to challenge myself to learn how to cook something new every week. It can be anything, from something small like cookies, to a full on meal. But I have to have never cooked it before. I have so many amazing cook books, including some excellent home made ones, and I only ever pull them out for the same old recipes.

I think it will be interesting to see how long it takes me to get bored, or start giving palming food off to my friends....

Along the way, I want to share some tips and tricks, so all of you, my lovely readers, can learn something new. 

So, stay tuned for a new receipe next week, including the highs and lows (and probably failure).

Love 

J xx

2014

Every year we set ourselves unrealistic goals and call them "resolutions". The only thing I want this year, is to be happy. I know it's not going to happen all the time, but most days, i want to have a sunny outlook on life. I want to love where I am, what I'm doing, who I'm with, and who I am. 
I want to challenge myself and go back to school. I want to eat new foods, and learn to cook something different every week. I want to travel to new places, and learn new things. I want to meet new people and make new friends.

They're lots of things to want, but I think I can handle that. 

Hello 2014!