Rainy day (or in our case too hot to play outside day)

Salt dough has been a revelation. Until a few weeks ago I had no idea it existed. I have made other non-edible dough but never have I seen 2 people have more fun than my kids and this dough. There is no "cooking" except the 20 mins in the oven and you most likely have everything around the house for this one. Salt, flour, oil, water. It can be that simple but then we decided to paint them. We used poster paint mixed with PVA or craft glue (Elmers) but I would recommend using acrylic paint if you have it. The glue makes it nice and shiny so I would still mix it in to the paint. If your kids are big paint wasters (yep) then maybe just stick with poster paint. Its way cheaper. This was a great activity for us because Poppy, being 7, is a little more advanced artistically than Asher who considers all activities in this world a type of smashing game. But they both had fun and can do it to their own skill level. I gave them a huge pile of kitchen gadgets like the garlic crusher, forks, paper clips, erasers, plastic bottles and lids, cookie cutters, anything you can use to make a pattern is fun. 

**I can not stress enough that this is a non toxic dough but it is in no way edible! YUCK.**

You will need 

a big bowl

the recipe

cookie/play dough cutters

kitchen/play dough gadgets

rolling pins 

a baking tray

paint

PVA glue

and a big pile of news paper

Rolled out and ready for the oven

Just out of the oven

Aren't we supposed to be painting the dough?

Some of the finished projects

Recipe
300g(10 oz) plain flour
200ml(1/3 pint) water
300g (10 oz) table salt
2 tsp oil
mix and squish until a dough forms
(adapted from the Rainy Day Book by Jane Bull)

You can play with this the way it is or shape it and bake it for 20 mins at 180º/350º. Some pieces may take less or more time depending on size and thickness.

This dough will last a couple of weeks in a air tight container. It does get softer as the salt absorbs moisture but we just added more flour.

Don't use kosher or flake salt for this or the dough will be to rough for little hands.

Pancake Perfection

I must preface this by saying that these are pancakes not crepes. Pancakes! The fluffy sweet pillowy type you get at real old school pancake restaurants. So for those Aussie readers out there who masquerade crepes with lemon and sugar as pancakes this is not the recipe for you. You can however use this recipe for pikelets. I will at a future date post an amazing recipe for crepes but not today. These are our Dinner Cup pancakes and the recipe is fool proof and easy. Almost always served with blueberry sauce and often with crispy bacon. You will, I hope, notice a pattern which makes it easy to remember.






Perfect Pancakes

2 cups Self-raising flour
2 cups milk

Time to flip...

2 large eggs
2 tbls melted butter (cooled)
2 tsp sugar (optional)
2 tsp vanilla
a generous pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Let sit for 20-30 mins.

Heat a large non stick pan on medium heat. Spray once very sparingly with non stick spray. Pour 1/3 cup of batter in to pan and cook until big bubbles form all over the pancake then flip. I never re-spray and if you have a good non stick pan you should not need to*. Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup or my quick blueberry sauce. 

Quick BlueberrySauce

In a medium glass bowl add

1 cup frozen blueberries

2 tsp sugar

1/4 teaspoon of corn starch (optional)
1 tbls butter (optional)

Put the blueberries, sugar, and corn flour in a microwave safe bowl.

Cover

Microwave on high for 2-3 mins depending on your microwave. You want it to boil and bubble for about 30 seconds. Let cool for 5 mins and it will thicken slightly. Stir in the butter. I say optional for the corn flour and butter because some frozen blue berries are more mushy than others and the butter because some folks just don't do butter. The butter does give a glossy sheen to the sauce.
Serve over pancakes.
Incidentally this sauce is delicious served warm over ice cream and anything else you can think of. 

Tip:
*If you follow this method you will get perfect pancake house pancakes. When you add oil it makes patterns on the surface of the pancake and they are not as tender. 

The happy diners.

Asian Meatballs

These are in the Dinner Cup and even before the dinner cup they are a family favourite. So much so I even served them to my somewhat finicky extended family for my son's 2nd birthday. I have adapted this from a recipe I found in a magazine called Family Fun its a great magazine and has a really easy website with lots of ideas for crafts and recipes.

My take on it


Meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken or pork
2 green/spring onions you can also use a small white onion
1/2 cup cilantro/coriander leaves or a mixture of cilantro, mint and basil. Whatever you have on hand.

1 generous tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup fine, dry bread crumbs (unseasoned) I usually use wholewheat
1 egg, lightly beaten

Sweet Soy Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 or 5 slices fresh ginger 

Directions


To make the meatballs: Heat the oven to 400º F/200º C

Add the herbs and onion to a mini food processor and process them until it is very finely chopped.
Gently mix together all ingredients (hands are best for this), then form meatballs. I use a small ice cream scoop. But you can use a spoon and then gently roll in your hands. Wet hands will stop the meat from sticking to your hands.

Arrange on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until well-browned and cooked through.

To make the dipping sauce: In a small pot, stir all the ingredients together over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens a bit.
Remove the ginger. Serve in a little dish (to avoid double dipping each person gets their own)

If we are having just meatballs we usually have rice or chow mein on the side and always a vegetable stir fry.

I also put these in a coconut soup (recipe to follow). They are great hot or cold and taste like the filling in a pot sticker.

The Dinner Cup Menu

A few weeks ago I wrote about the dinner cup. Which is by the way still working great. In fact my daughter asked the other day if we could add some more "food I haven't tried" to the mix. I gladly obliged. I thought I might share with you some of the meals we have in there.
I am going to write a list and then as time goes by I will put recipes for as many as I can. So this is what is currently in the dinner cup.
Pizza- homemade dough with whatever toppings we feel like on the day. She likes plain cheese and tomato sauce. Roasted cauliflower, bacon and fontina cheese is another favorite as is broccoli and bacon and this unusual combo of blue cheese, bacon, grapes and caramelized onions.
Crispy Honey Chicken-  This is a new addition and it is delicious! I found this one on Pinterest.
 Double crunch honey garlic chicken
Lasagne/Pasta Bake- Made with our chock full of veggies spaghetti sauce.
Grilled Cheese sandwiches and Tomato Soup- This is a classic and most often we have it on a Friday night.
Mac 'n Cheese- Sometimes homemade sometimes from a box. It depends on if mummy wants to eat it too.
Meatloaf- Meatloaf Cupcakes with mashed potatoes and usually broccoli.
Tacos- With chicken or beef
Spaghetti- Loaded with veggies. The kids love this one.
Creamy Pork- Diced pork in an apple cider and cream sauce. With mashed potato, noodles or polenta.
Coconut Chicken Fingers- This is a favorite from one of my favorite mum cook books. The Jessica Seinfield book Deceptively Delicious.
Gnocchi- Home made delicious little potato dumplings.
Fried Rice- Again this is full of veggies.
Beef Stew/Meat Pie
Cottage Pie
Breakfast For Dinner- Most often pancakes but sometimes french toast or crepes.
Fish Fingers- Yep from a box. But not the ones made from icky minced fish. Usually they are fish fillets. And mashed potatoes, or noodles and peas and corn.
Risotto- 7 Veggie Risotto
Coconut Chicken- Coconut Lime Chicken we have this with stir fry veggies and rice.
Chicken Schnitzel- usually mashed potatoes and broccoli, cauliflower or peas and corn.
Asian Meatballs- Asian Meatballs I really must put this recipe on here first is is soooooo good.
Asian Meatball Coconut Soup
Quesadillas- Cheese, corn, chicken, tortillas.
Slow Cooker Beef Ribs- Rice and sugar snap peas.
Sausages and Mash
Ham and Chicken Rollups
Garden Of Eve Noodles- A concoction of bacon, apples, brussels sprouts with spaghetti. Made up by my husband.
I will put all these recipes on here as we make them that way I can put in pictures. All the dishes make the rounds. And we will be adding more soon. Feel free to ask questions.

Make this!

My husband and I came across this dish in a restaurant in Seattle about 15 years ago. Sadly the place is no longer there but this delicious appetizer stuck with us all this time. We call it Hot Cheesy Bread but you can call it what ever you want. Sometimes we have it on its own or sometimes we have it as part of an antipasto plate with nice salami and some olives. However you serve it you will make it again.

Step one is a nice crunchy/chewy bread roll. Something like a bolo roll, small ciabatta or rustic bread roll. It is essential to use the best chewiest roll. Not a yucky soft one. Cut a square in the top and scoop out some of the insides.

Step two is to stuff it with cheese. The original dish used Cambozola which is a soft blue cheese with a Camembert like rind. Here in Australia we have used Tasmanian Heritage Blue Brie and Costello blue with success. Once you have stuffed it put the square of bread back in place.

Step three is cut another roll or a piece of baguette into thin slices and brush with olive oil. Lay these and the stuffed roll on a tray lined with baking paper or a silpat and bake for about 20 mins in a moderate oven. About 325ºF/160ºC.

Let is rest for about 5 mins unless you like to scorch your taste buds off. Dip, scoop, rip, eat.

Make this!

I saw a picture of potatoes cooked like this on pinterest last week and showed them to my husband (he loves potatoes) and he insisted I make them for dinner that night. And why not? They looked delicious. After looking in to the recipe I found they are sometimes called swedish potatoes. The original post was here http://foodgawker.com/popular/favorites/

Step one is to scrub the potatoes and slice them very thinly but not all the way through. After slicing through a few times I found it much easier to stick a cake tester (you could use a skewer) through the potato to stop me from cutting all the way through.









Step two is seasoning. We sliced garlic really thin and slipped it in each crack along with a sliver of butter. I added rosemary, salt and black pepper then drizzled the whole lot with olive oil. A few more dabs of butter on the top and into the oven.










Step three is patience and a very hot oven 220º C/450ºF for as long as it takes for them to get really crispy. About 40 mins.

They were delicious and definitely worth the wait and the calories. We had them with a steak and some amazing horseradish my aunt brought back for us from Tasmania.

Not The Recipe

I have a problem with recipes... I can never seem to follow them. I don't think I have tried many recipes I haven't changed, the one exception would be baking. So today I decided to make a dish from the August edition of the Coles grocery store magazine and actually follow it. It looked so good in the picture I knew I had to make it.(Below)

I decided to make it for a meatless dinner tonight. I was following the recipe to the letter and then I remembered that my daughter does not like cooked carrots. Yes, I know but she eats so many other veggies we overlook this one. I also have a fridge full of veggies because my hubby and I are on a juice kick. So I decided to tweak the recipe. This is the result. I was quite happy with the way it looked but not so happy with the photos. Food pics are so difficult.

It was delicious and we will definitely be making it again. I tried to post a link to the original recipe but I can't seem to find it on the Coles website. So here is mine instead.
1 Bunch of Dutch carrots or an assortment of veggies
375g block of puff pastry,thawed
300g fresh ricotta
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest 
1 tbsp chopped oregano, thyme, parsley or any other herb you want.
1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Scrub carrots and trim the leafy parts. Cut each carrot carefully lengthways or slice veggies in to 5mm slices. Arrange in a single layer on tray and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and and herbs you like. Bake for 10-15 mins. Cool slightly.
2. Roll out pastry to 5mm thick. Score a line 2cm from the edge being sure not to cut all the way through. Poke holes with a fork all over the area within the line. Combine ricotta, lemon zest, herbs and salt and pepper and spread over the pastry. Arrange veggies.
3. Bake for 20-25 mins until the pastry is golden brown.
The beets were peeled and sliced thin. Next time I will probably add nutmeg to the cheese and will say the lemon is essential. I do recommend a block of puff pastry not a pre-rolled unless you want a square and then its no big deal. I could see doing this with any veggie. Thin ribbons of zucchini sprang to mind or lovely colourful tomatoes. I am really looking forward to playing with this one. Everyone loved it...well the 6 yr old ate the veggies (not the carrots) and the pastry but I got no further in my goal of trying to stick to the recipe...again.

Meatless Monday

7 VEGETABLE RISOTTO

You can use any veggies in this but these are the ones I had in the house. I only puree the veggies my daughter has tried and didn't like ie squash. I use my kitchen aid stick blender with the chopper attachment for this but a Cuisinart will work too.

2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup of white wine

2 cans of swansons "natural goodness" chicken broth

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 carrot

1 stick of celery

1 cup of finely chopped cauliflower

1/2 cup of finely chopped broccoli

1 cup of butternut squash peeled and cut into chunks

1 ear of corn or 1/2 cup of frozen corn

2 oz cheese grated, you pick. I used gruyere because that is what I had but you could use any tangy cheese just not that gross orange cheddar. Parmesan is another good one.

First prep the veggies...

Chop cauliflower, broccoli, cut corn off ear and put in a bowl to the side.

Peel and chop onion, celery, carrots into large chunks then process with garlic in a food processor until they are finely chopped but not pureed.

Steam butternut squash chunks until they are soft. I do them in the microwave. Puree.

In a large deep fry pan add 2 tbl olive oil add pureed onion mixture cook for a few mins over med to high heat. Next add the rice and cook for 2-3 mins until the rice looks shiny.

Lower heat to med/low add wine and stir until wine is absorbed. When the liquid has absorbed add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir until absorbed. Keep adding liquid in this way until you use up all but 1/2 cup of stock. Cook until the rice is soft but not mushy..."al dente". Add the last 1/2 cup of stock and add the broccoli/cauliflower/corn and the squash puree. Remove from the heat and add cheese. If the risotto seems to thick add some more stock or water.

WARNING Do not walk away from this dish. It needs to be stirred constantly. It does not take long to make.

Now this dish can be adapted in many ways... you can leave out or add any veggies you like except for the onion mixture which I think gives it too much flavor. But of course if you are allergic leave it out. Vegetarians You can definitely use veg stock.

Vegans You could also leave out the cheese if you want. The butternut squash puree makes it very creamy.

It is also very good if you add bacon or prosciutto.

Other veggies I like in this... zucchini, pattypan squash, asparagus, spinach, peas, swiss chard, fennel, leeks.

Questions are welcome...

One ingredient ice cream... really!?

No really... so easy I can't believe it. So great for people who have an allergy to dairy but love ice cream. So I hear you saying "how do I do it?" Simple. Take some ripe bananas and freeze them. Without the skin. Chopped or not. Put them in the food processor. Blam! It really does taste like ice cream. I know your'e skeptical but it works. You can also add peanut butter, chocolate, nutella or anything else you think would taste good with bananas. I would eat it but I hate bananas. But my munchkin loves it. I think you could also give it to the baby.
So for all you vegans out there...

feed the baby

For me it was a no brainer when Pop was ready for solids I made her food. I mean duh! Plus I tasted the jarred baby food and gagged. Why would you feed that to anyone. No wonder kids don't like veggies. So I jumped in with both feet. I didn't have to buy anything really because as many of my friends know I have every kitchen gadget known to man. The one thing I did buy was a cheap food mill. You do not need this but it does help create some different textures in the food. What you do need is a food processor (not a blender) some ice cube trays, lots of ziplock bags and a total lack of fear.
I feel like I got lucky because she was a good eater. She ate whatever I gave her. This kid would eat babaganoush! But that is not where we started.  We did as the experts advise and start off with rice cereal ... no go! She flat out hated it! So next roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, spinach, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower then bananas, apples, pears, peaches etc. Now I know there are rules but I am terrible at following rules so I did put salt and pepper and butter. Yep butter. Why? Because it tastes good! I was not afraid to season the food. When I made carrots I put in ginger and a little agave nectar. Peas had s&p and butter and sometimes mint(yum!), sweet potato had cumin. It was yummy. So why do baby food manufacturers make the food so gross? When we started meat it was a little trickier because meat has such weird texture if it is all ground up in the food processor. I quickly discovered it will make your baby gag and choke. My solution was ground beef, chicken, lamb etc. Much better. One particular chicken dish has become a family favorite. I make it all the time. The best part about this dish is you can use it in a 1000 different ways. So make this...

1 lb of ground chicken (organic)
2 inch piece of fresh ginger
2 cloves of garlic
1 medium yellow onion
1 can water chestnuts
2 tbl fish sauce
1 tbl soy sauce
1 tbl raw sugar
juice of 1 lime
oil for frying

Peel the ginger and add it with the garlic and the onion to the food processor and chop finely. If you don't have a food processor then just chop as finely as possible or use a grater. Chop the water chestnuts finely.
Coat a wok or pan with oil. On medium heat add the onion mix. Cook for a few mins until soft. Add the chicken and brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
This recipe can be doubled.
I freeze this in a large ziplock bag. I flatten the whole thing out and then you can break pieces of it off for the baby.

We use this in the following ways.

Lettuce cups serve with rice
In soft tortillas with sauteed veggies(my hubby calls these chinesey tacos) and hoisin sauce
As a soup add chicken broth and greens(bok choy) or thicken the broth and serve over rice
Quesadillas
Wrapped into summer rolls with veggies and peanuts and noodles
For the baby mix with any veggie puree and rice

This dish is now in the family menu everyone loves it. I hope some of you out there will think about making your own baby food because it just isn't as difficult as you think. And the best part is you can start your baby off with a much more broad palate.

mmmouse snack

These are one of miss polkadots favorite snacks. We call them apple mice. Duh.

If you absolutely need a recipe.

Take an apple and slice it thin into mouse shapes

spread with peanut butter or some other nutty substance

add currants for eyes and fruit leather for a tail.

We use nantes currants and target fruit leather. It doesn't matter what flavor.

Enjoy!

What do your kids like???

Make this!

Ingredients:
olive oil
1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin (it is best to use the tenderloin)
1 tbl fennel seeds
1 tbl salt
1 tbl thyme
10 small potatoes
4 asian pears
2 large carrots
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup cooking sherry or other sherry or white wine
1/2 cup sour cream
4 or 5 dashes of lancershire relish or worcestershire sauce
1tbl of seeded mustard

Perheat oven to 400º
Use a pan with a handle that can go from the stove top to the oven... it is best.
peel and cut potatoes into chunks, peel and quarter pears, peel and chop carrots into large chunks
put salt, thyme, fennel seeds into a mortar and pestle and smush
rub on outside of pork
saute pork in hot pan with olive oil until all sides are brown
remove from pan
Add the veggies to the pan and more olive oil if needed and bake for 20 mins
add the pork back in to the pan and bake a further 20 mins or until it reads 160º
remove the meat and the veggies from the pan then add the sherry bring to a boil or flambee
then add the sour cream, relish and mustard simmer on low low low.
Slice the pork serve
EAT