Sunday, December 14, 2014

Pancakes!

I've managed to get all the way through to my late 30s without making pancakes. It's been a great combination of hubby being really good at them, and me being lazy. 
The conversations have always gone "Mum, can we have pancakes?"
"Not unless Dad is making them... You know I always burn them!"
But today? I got conned into it. 
I used hubby's recipe. Difference is, I used coconut oil in the pan instead of butter.



Perfect colour, and no burning.

Simple sweet pancakes (makes a double batch)


  • 2 cups SR. flour.
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cups milk
  • Sugar to taste
  • A pinch of salt


  1. Mix eggs and milk together.
  2. Pour into flour in a large bowl, slowly incorporating with a whisk. Stir in the salt and sugar. Set aside.

  3. Heat a large cast iron pan/skittle. Melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in the pan, making sure to cover the entire bottom of the pan.
  4. Add the batter in 1 cup (a ladle) at a time.
  5. When you see bubbles through the batter, it's time to flip them. (As we've already discussed, I'm lazy. I use a spatula) Cook for a further minute or two in the other side, and serve up.
  6. Repeat until all batter is used (coconut oil and batter)



I made 12 pancakes from this. The girls like them with maple syrup. I like them with lemon juice and caster (superfine) sugar.

Just remember to eat them while they're hot!






Thursday, May 15, 2014

Cheesey pasta

Have I ever mentioned the favourite food of my three girls? As in, the one food they would eat with every meal. No joke. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Second breakfasts, eleveses, morning tea, luncheon, afternoon tea, supper, pre dinner snacks... Seriously, every meal.
It's my go to dish. 
It's quick, easy, 3 food groups in each serve. What more could a mum ask for?

So, you cook the pasta as you normally would. I'm using penne tonight, mostly because I have it. I've also used spirali, fusili, farfalle, and in a bind, broken up spaghetti. Around one minute before it's cooked, add in a serve each of frozen peas and frozen corn kernels per person. By the time it's boiling again, the pasta should be done. Strain, and stir through enough grated cheese (I'm using tasty cheddar, like usual).
Tonight, it's going with rissoles.

Enjoy, and remember its a quick, easy side dish.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Kitchen gardens

I have what can only be called a kitchen garden.
I have carrots (round), capsicums (peppers for those in the US), chilis, tomatoes (4 different heirloom varieties), beetroot, rainbow beets, lettuces, purple beans, onions etc. I also have an apple tree, a nectarine (white fleshed) tree, a decorative plum tree and an apricot tree in the back yard. I believe there's also a peach tree, but the birds and dogs got to it before I really got to see the fruit. Oh, and we have a mulberry tree and a chestnut tree, and in pots, I also have strawberries, marjoram, sage and horseradish. I did have tarragon, but its been so hot and dry out here that it died :( . Add to that, we have chickens (3 ISA browns and 2 leghorns. Interestingly, the leghorns are better layers - we were informed by a friend at the DPI that ISA browns are better layers), so we're always in supply of fresh eggs (though again, in this heat, they're struggling. They're not eating as much, and they're walking around with their wings out, trying to cool down).
I also happen to know the school has a kitchen garden, though I have no idea what happens to the veg that are grown.
I'm very tempted to ask the school if they want a cooking club after school one afternoon a week, so that some of the food can be used.
Thoughts?