Pad Thai

The measurements are simply a guide as I tend to cook from the heart.

You will need:

• 400g dried flat rice stick noodles
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 eggs lightly beaten (I use four as we have an abundance of eggs)
• 1 onion cut into thin wedges
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• red capsicum - 1/2 large
• 100g of fried tofu - trust me, do it - there is a lovely thai flavoured one in the vegetarian section of most supermarkets
• 6 spring onions sliced on the angle (go on you know you want to)
• 1 x bunch of coriander chopped
• 1 cup of bean sprouts
• Handful of roughly chopped peanuts

Mix the following in a bowl;

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of lime juice
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• Sambal oelek or chilli sauce (to taste)
  
  

Putting it all together;

1. Cook noodles in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 - 10 minutes, until soft. Do not over cook them. Drain and set aside
2. Heat wok, with oil…..swirl the oil around to coat the wok.
3. Add egg, swirl the egg a bit to create a omelette. Remove, place on paper towel. When cold chop it into 2cm cubes (ish)
4. Heat oil in wok. Stir fry onion, garlic, and capsicum over high heat for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add noodles, tossing well.
6. Throw in omelette, tofu, spring onion and coriander
7. Pour sauce mix over the noodles and toss well. 
8. Sprinkle with bean shoots and nuts.

I serve this with condiments on the side - chilli, basil, salt, cut lemon and lime….people can then adapt it to suit their personal taste. 

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

         

You will need

            
100g packet vermicelli noodles

            
1 tablespoon peanut oil

            
3 shallots, sliced

            
2 garlic cloves, crushed

            
1 large carrot, peeled, coarsely grated

            
1 ½  cups shredded Chinese cabbage

            
1 x can water chestnuts, drained, roughly chopped

            
1 tablespoon soy sauce

            
A hefty shake of pepper white pepper

            
2 teaspoons cornflour

            
20 frozen spring roll wrappers (21.5cm square), thawed

            
Vegetable oil, for frying

Optional Extras: cashews, mint, coriander, curry powder (I used them all)

            


         What you need to do;

·      Place noodles in a large, heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes or until soft. Drain. Using scissors, cut noodles into 3cm lengths.

·      Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Add peanut oil. Swirl to coat. Add onion, garlic, carrot and cabbage. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft. Add noodles, water chestnuts, soy and pepper. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside to cool.

·      Combine cornflour with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.

·      Place 1 wrapper on a board with a corner pointing towards you. Brush edges with cornflour mixture (keep remaining wrappers covered with damp tea towel).

·      Spoon 1 tablespoon vegetable mixture into corner of wrapper. Fold corner over filling then roll up from corner to corner, folding edges in to enclose filling.

·      Repeat with remaining wrappers, cornflour mixture and filling.

Spaghetti with Lemon, Rocket, Basil and Cashews

Spaghetti with Lemon, Rocket and Basil

What a lovely meal this is. I made the spaghetti from scratch, having received a pasta machine as a gift last year. I have decided it is time to take charge and command of the kitchen. Too often recently I/we have resorted to quick and easy – which doe not always equate to healthy.

To make the pasta you will need:

·                400 grams of flour – Graded 000 pasta flour or plain

·                4 fresh eggs (straight form Cluckingham Palace – thanks ladies)

The rest is very easy. Simply prepare the following, place it in a large bowl.

The following are rough guesses. I simply cook prepare this according to my tastes, what is available in the garden and what happens to be convenient. Except for the oil, feel free to chop and change accordingly

·                300g Rocket

·                zest from one lemon

·                handful of basil - chopped

·                1 small chilli chopped

·                125ml of extra virgin olive oil

·                ½ cup of finely grated parmesan cheese

·                handful of cashews, chopped

When the pasta has cooked, drain and toss it through the ingredient prepared in the bowl. Season with sea-salt and pepper

Banana, Coconut and Cashew Muffins

Here we go.

Dry mixture: Sift into bowl #1
- 1.5 cups of self raising flour
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet mix: combine in electric blender
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 grated carrots
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/2 cups coconut
- handful of nuts - any variety
-2 bananas

Combine bowl #1 into bowl number 2

Mix well

If it is too dry add some milk

Patty pan the mixture. (I spray these with olive oil so the cake does not stick to the paper.

15-25 minutes. I check on them every five minute as ovens differs.

170 degrees C

They should brown up nicely. Poke them with a skewer - if the skewer comes out clean, you know they are ready.

Ice with cream cheese icing…….we keep ours nude……although we love the icing.

Pumpkin Salad with Honey and Balsamic Dressing

Well here is a simple yet lovely salad. One of my favourites.

There are few quantities:

Gently roast pumpkin that has been cut in to cubes. Before roasting gently toss through some olive oil.

Once it has been roasted, place it into a bowl.

I then add a handful of almonds or cashews and some sultanas.

The dressing is simple. In a saucepan I slightly heat ¼ cup of honey and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and mix it well.

I pour this over the pumpkin and gently toss. A lot of people throw spinach leaves through this. I do if I have them on hand, but not necessary.

A walk through the back yard.

Hi there, we have a new camera and we decided to experiment with some lovely shots of the back yard, which is springing to life around us. Spring 2013.

This is a beautiful close up of a day lily in the yard.

A beautiful ginger flower.

A glorious Canna Lily.

Hippeastrum Annabelle

A tract of Cannas.

 Wisteria and Evening Primrose

Greeting the sun.

Canna Lilly.

The pink and white garden with a sneaky bit of blue lobelia.

Arium Lily.

Beaming bright.

Butterfly Bush.

Feeding frenzy with Cluckingham Palace.

Our hairy garden gnome.

Looking back at the house.

Tall and Proud.

Playing hide and seek.

Sweet Peas