vintage kitcheny goodness

I have a few weaknesses.

Yes, fabric. Wool, guilty.

But lovely kitchen vintagey goodness I just can't go past. Hello, pyrex. Hi there, fire king. Any of this good stuff in an opshop, and I can't leave empty handed.

And, let's face it. Everything, even just a basic lasagne, looks better in fire king.

baking with kids: schiaccata

  

My boys love to bake. Who could blame them, especially when there are always treats at the end?

 

Today we outdid ourselves - we made dough, people! This takes time to rise, knead (read: waiting) - something I didn't think my boys would tolerate. But there you have it, they're full of surprises.

 

Determined to use the grapes slowly getting softer in the fridge, today we made Schiaccata, using Ian Parmenter's original recipe from his book L Plates. It's like a sweet grape sandwich pizza. But this doesn't sound very appetising, does it? Probably better to just look at the pictures, really.



 

 

This was pretty simple to make, but we would adjust some of the ingredients next time. Interestingly, Ian has since appeared on a number of ABC programs, radio and telly, and has altered the recipe . I think these changes (increasing ratio of grape to dough, increasing flour in the dough), are fairly much in line with our experience.

 

 

Our dough at first was more like goo, and required a LOT of extra flour to be added in the kneading stage. Thankfully my dad assured The Gherkin over the phone that all was not lost, or I may have just chalked this one up to a sensory experience for the boys, and an important life lesson about baking...

 

But in the end, our resulting schiaccata was a hit, scoring a five out of five on The Gherkin's scale (where 1 = this is terrible, and 5 = this is the best thing I have ever eaten). Little Pickle was also impressed, but just as happy with the honey mixed through natural yoghurt. Not sure if there was more in his mouth or on his clothes, bless him!

 

 

 

I feel like I may be slowly getting toward one of my new years resolutions - to bake bread without a breadmaker. One success with yeast under my belt, and the year only young, I may bake a loaf of bread yet...

 

 

 

Chat soon xx

 

 

 

 



sticking to a (yummy) budget.... oh, and more crochet

Today I bring you delicious leftovers! And a new crochet pattern discovered.

This week, we revisited our family budget. Because we have now been on one income for more than 18 months. And this wasn't part of our plan. However, daycare waiting lists being what they are...

So working to a budget are we! How do we do it??? Leftovers (oh, and staying in, and opshop adventures).

Yummy. Leftover pumpkin risotto, wrapped around a small cube of mozzarella, crumbed, fried and served with salad and veg... delicious! Anyone who might call them balls would have to be completely delirious (try square, flat, misshapen head... etc etc), but they were yum, and loads of fun for us to eat with our fingers with our wild boys, "stretchy cheese" ooozing out of the balls as we bit into them.

On a completely different note, I have also been go go go-ing for it with crocheting for Christmas. Yep, it's October! So what better thing to be doing than crafting up a storm for the lovelies in my life

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I found the pattern below in another gorgeous vintage crochet book - Motif Crochet, a Coats Sewing Group Book No. 1010 - that Ipicked up at the opshop for just 50 cents - hooray! This motif comes from the Motif Stole on page 12, however it has another life intended, as crocheted coasters. Gorgeous. I'll make a set in this wool, but would also love to see this motif in a range of brights.

Other crafting has been underway, a stretchy dress refashioned for the summer, etc etc .... but more later (rest time is over for another day).

Chat soon lovelies xx





work in progress... sunnyside up!

  Hello!

I have been busy, not doing anything too exciting that no one has done before, but crafting felt food for the gherkin's (shhh) birthday present.

I am pretty happy with my eggs (easy) and love my pile of beans! I am now a complete convert to wool felt - this process has shown me just how much better wool felt is to work with.  My bread is ok - love the shape and thickness, although if I had my time again I would make with quilt wadding rather than just stuffing it with polyfill, so it didn't puff up too much. I am very unimpressed by my first watermelon attempt - I think I really have to make a three dimensional slice,rather than trying to cheat with a flat version! Cheating never pays...

Sadly, I am only able to handstitch these, as my machine is strictly off-limits at night due to our teeny weeny new home in Sydney and our very light sleepers...
So, next on the list is... more fruit and veg. Because the gherkin has significant allergy to nuts and peanuts (and not long ago, sesame too), he hasn't eaten much packaged food, so all of the foods I will be putting in his kitchen will be the key staple sorts of foods - bread, pasta, fruit, veg. I also want to make up some cartons for milk etc. And bought a small variety pack size box of weetbix (you know the single serve sized boxes) yesterday just for the box! (weetbix is the only cereal we can eat in this house when mummy's not doing porridge).

I have been super-inspired by a number of felt food genii (?the plural for genius?) on the net...

amazing range (and diy e-books for purchase) from lilly bean

gorgeous lunchbag tutorial from skip to my lou

plus many many many more.... it seems the world loves felt food. My Pinterest has been getting a real workout!

Have fun, I'll check back in shortly with another update.

xo

chicken soup... no, not for the soul, for the 'flu

One of the girls from work brought her rotten 'flu to the office, and now I have it. Have been feeling gross all day (have discovered the 'flu is much worse when you're working on building a baby), and so decided it was time for some chicken soup.

Here is my recipe for chicken noodle soup... (makes enough for two to three people)

garlic - as much as you like

ginger - as much as you like (I put in plenty - I love it!)

onion - a small one, cut into little moons

chilli - as much as you like

chicken stock - around 4 cups

soy sauce - a good few splashed

mushrooms - a few, chunky slices

boy choy - quite a few bunches

coriander - as much as you like

chicken - I like to use chicken breast, but you could use thighs

enoki mushrooms - a good handful

noodles - preferable flat rice noodles, but udons are okay too

sesame oil

Pop some sesame oil (not much at all) into the bottom of a deep non stick saucepan. Throw in some slices of ginger, garlic, and some onion crescents. Then throw in your mushrooms (not the enokis just yet). Stir them around til they're coated in the sesame oil and starting to stir fry a little. Then, pop in a few good splashes of soy sauce, spin that around with the ingredients already in the pan for a short while, and then pour in your chicken stock. Slide your chicken (chopped into chunks) into the stock and bring to a boil. This is when I throw in the first handful of coriander. Pop your noodles in at the same time - these will not take long to cook at all. Once your chicken is looking just about cooked through, rest your bok choy on top of the soup along with your enoki mushrooms. Allow these to soften up and then serve.

You can garnish with some extra chilli and extra coriander (mmm...)

This soup tastes great, but also makes the house smell divine, and does make you feel better, even when you have a rotten 'flu! Oh, and the dog loves it... check him out in this photo, hoping to get some! (He didn't get any because of the onion and chilli, but he did win a couple of small pieces of chicken breast... spoilt little dog!)

Have a gorgeous week everyone x

what i did this easter

what we did this easter
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

1. new button bracelet 2, 2. gone!, 3. pancakes for Easter brekkie, 4. cheap entertainment

Hope everyone else had a good one! x

christmas 07 - pavlova end result

christmas 07 - pavlova end result #2
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

Here it is... my first ever pavlova baked for christmas day...the final product --- love these berries! (from the south melbourne market).

This photo also features the bargain fabric I got at spotlight on Christmas Eve... only $20 for 6 metres.

More Chrissie photos later... oh! and I promise the house update next post!!!

Chat soon, x

ah, melbourne!

I know, I have gone on about Melbourne in the past, but here I go again.... am thinking this might be a regular feature on this blog, so I hope you will be happy to read these mini-tributes to a beautiful city!

So, some of you may remember my writing about Melbourne as a city with soul previously, and about my love of the little laneways with amazing secrets!

Well, this past week was no exception! I was fortunate enough last Wednesday, to go to the famous spiegeltent with some gorgeous friends, to see croque monsieur (wonderful Melbs band... see them if you get the opportunity!). Fab venue, fantastic music... just wonderful (though we wished there was dancing space, as we felt a bit held back by the seating!).


Then, after a brilliant time at the spiegeltent, we went in search of a restaurant one of our friends had heard of, but which none of us had been to.... gill's diner!

Gills Diner is a new favourite. It is NEW and hidden away down a little laneway in the city. The food is divine ! I had squids ink linguine with salted cod and potatoes... oh, so delicious! My friends had the gnocchi al forno (amazing), the fish of the day (melt in your mouth) and the spaghetti marinara (more marinara than spaghetti). We were also fortunate enough to receive a taste of the rabbit wrapped in proscuitto which was just beautiful... can't wait to return! (and very reasonably priced! under $20 a main). I should mention too that the staff were amazing... we could have stayed all night.

Ah, Melbourne. (I am in love).

xx

a new recipe!

photo originally posted at http://allsorts.typepad.com/

Wow, I just foud this amazing recipe for a bread and butter currant & raspberry pudding on allsorts' blog. This looks amazing! I can't wait to try this out! Will have to see if I can get some berries from the markets this weekend (though it is probably the wrong time of year here....oh well). Thanks Jenny for sharing this recipe xx

Happy baking everyone! xx

mmm...tamantha's banana bread...

Thankyou Tam for the terrific banana bread recipe..as you can see, it turned out really well! I LOVE this recipe, and it is so easy...(shh!)

Here it is for others to share...

tamantha's banana bread
100g butter
3/4 cup caster suger
2 eggs
1 cup banana mash (2-3 bananas)
2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp cinnamon

1. cream butter and sugar
2. add eggs, banana
3. fold in dry ingredients
4. bake at 180 degrees celcius (140 for fanforced) for 45 minutes
5. enjoy!

have a lovely week! xx