from the blue shed

holidays end (and mashed potato bread!)

It's the last day of the school holidays. It's grey and gloomy outside ensuring we don't do too much on our last day. We spent last week down south. We were lucky to receive that "Hey, we are away for the holidays, why not use our house" call and headed to my SIL's by the beach. Once again that country air and beautiful scenery created the perfect landscape for a relaxing holiday and the inspiration to get in that kitchen. It's like you are making Vegemite sandwiches and doing dishes for the first time when you can see the ocean.

We walked;

Collected;

Seriously relaxed;

And baked;

The winning recipe of the holiday was Annabel Langbein's Crusty Flat bread. Other bread recipes I have tried always seem to resemble dense cakes rather than fluffy loaves. This recipe however is a winner. Beautiful beautiful bread. What can't you do with a potato??

Crusty Flat Bread 1 1/2 cup warm water

1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 packed cup of mashed potato
1/4 cup olive oil
4 1/2 cup plain flour
2 tsp salt

Topping 

2 tbl olive oil
2 tsp fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp sea salt

Place warm water and yeast in a mixing bowl and let stand for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients starting with the potato, stirring in between each one.  Once combined, work dough on a floured surface for approximately 4-5 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and covered in a warm spot for 3-4 hours. 

When ready to bake, place baking tray/pizza stone in oven at 220 degrees to pre heat. Punch down dough and cut in half to make 2 loaves. Roughly shape dough to fit on tray. Press dimples into the dough, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh rosemary and sea salt. Place on lined baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

homemade jelly

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a fresh, over due, long awaited for baby. No, not ours. A few of us put together a rather attractive high tea, if I do say so myself, to celebrate the nearing birth. Our initial idea of collecting a teacup and saucer for each of the 20 guest later seemed a bit ambitious. We did however manage, with great excitement, to find an eclectic collection for the party. Oh the treasures people toss away!  Odd teacups and saucers, plates and hand crocheted doilies were collected from every second hand shop in a 100 kilometer radius. We raided a sideboard full of silver platters, teapots and lace table cloths. Everyone bought a plate (and, ahem, a bottle of champagne) and shabam! a beautiful afternoon in the sun. 

A beautiful and surprisingly delicious treat on the menu was the mango jelly. I say surprising as I really dislike jelly (aka. jello). This is nothing like the powdered variety. 

Mango jelly and raspberries

250g of fresh or frozen mangoes (2 mangoes if using fresh)
1 tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 tbs of gelatin powder
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 cup orange juice
120g of fresh or thawed raspberries to garnish

~ Blend mangos and lemon juice until smooth.
~ Dissolve gelatin in a 1/4 cup of boiling water. 
~ Heat sugar and orange juice over a medium heat until it boils, dissolving the sugar.
~ Combine mango and gelatine mixtures, followed by the sugar mixture.
~ Divide into 4 portions. Let cool until room temperature and then refrigerate for 3 hours.

The perfect dessert for all of you entering summer. For the rest of us, we can enjoy while dreaming of warmer days. 

Now baby, just hurry up and get here would you!

garden gnome party

We have been to a couple of really lovely parties the last few weekends. Beautifully made and thoughtfully put together. Our little friend Frankie celebrated her 3rd birthday on Sunday.

Her mum put to together the sweetest garden party ever. Fabric covered toadstool seats, lady bug party hats, and gnomes decorated the garden. An obstacle course, buried treasure and musical statues entertained the guests.

The menu was Heston Blumenthal inspired. Kie thankful steered clear of the bacon and egg flavored ice cream and the pate in the form of a fruit platter. The kids instead dined on tea cups of chocolate pudding with homemade marshmallow that looked like baby cinos, and mini cupcakes that looked like ice cream cones.
 

After a peaceful and festive morning where children played happily and parents sipped coffee and completed full conversations (surprising, I know) each child was presented with their very own garden gnome to take home. 

Although garden statues I have crossed in the past have met an unfortunate end, I feel this little guy could have a few friends joining him soon. Just look at him! Do I see pink flamingos in my near future?? No no, that would be over the top... wouldn't it?? 
Another brilliant party Kie. Thank you. 

cinnamon buns

Our suburb could keep the dairy farmers in business at the moment with the mass amounts of butter that has been purchased in the last couple days alone. It all started with a recipe. Quite possible the single greatest discovery in the world of baked goods, the cinnamon bun. I have always been a big fan of the cinnamon bun or sticky bun as we like to call it. They remind me of home, my mum and the cottage and I have always wanted to have a crack at making them. When the Pioneer Woman's recipe came my way, the time was right. Ree's cinnamon roll recipe makes an obscene number of trays. Everyone has had a taste; friends, neighbours, my children's teachers... That's how it all began. Well, the butter purchasing anyway.

If you don't try this recipe, you haven't lived, seriously. Every person I have watched taste these had the same reaction; they stop, their eyes close, their shoulders relax and then I witness them experience a moment of pure and utter joy.
On that note, I am going to go and grab me 8 cups of flour, crud loads of butter and go and make me another batch of joy. Thanks Ree.

rice krispie snowman

Rice Krispie Snowman

~ 450g box of rice krispies (rice bubbles)
~ 1 bag of white marshmallows
~ 2 tbl butter
~ white melting chocolate
~ candy - soft black licorice, milk/dark chocolate buttons, red sour strap, mini chocolate chips, raspberries (or other) 

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot till melted.
Add one bag of marshmallows and stir over a med heat until  melted.
Add 3/4 of a 450g box of cereal.
Once all the cereal is coated, pull off the heat and spread across a sheet of baking paper to cool down. 

You may need to add a bit more cereal depending on how wet your mix is. You want all the cereal to be coated but not too sticky that it won't hold shape. As it cools down, it will become easier to work with. Makes approximately 25.

Lightly grease your hands and roll cereal mix into two different sized balls. Press the mixture firmly in your hands to hold the shape. Store on baking paper until you are ready to assemble your snowman.

Scarfs ~ Cut strips of sour straps (or similar) into thirds to make the scarf. Clip the ends of the scarfs to create a fringe.

Top hats ~ Using melted white chocolate, glue a piece of soft black licorice onto top of a milk chocolate button. When warmed in your hand it is quite easy to roll. Put in the fridge to set.

Assembly ~ Use the melted white chocolate to assemble your snowman. Sandwich a little scarf between two of the rice krispie balls and refrigerate. Once set, add chocolate chip eyes and buttons and a little carrot nose. I found rolling a small piece of a raspberry jube jube works well for the nose. Finally, top with the hat and refrigerate again before serving.  

Once they are set, slice a little off the bottom so your snowman can sit up nicely. 

I won't lie, it takes a bit of time. Each step is simple though and the assembly is fun. Each snowman takes on a little personality of their own. The end result is so cute. 

baked pretzels

One of the first blogs I started reading introduced me to this recipe. Unfortunately I can't give credit where credit is due. It found it's way out of my recipe box once again this week. Fun to make and delicious. Do yourself a favour.

Slathered in mustard and served with beer, or in this case champagne, it won't last. Oh so versatile. 

gingerbread house

I have mentioned in the past that along side The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and A Christmas Story, we have always watched the Die Hard trilogy at this time of year. Another family tradition that my brother has carried on into his adulthood is making a gingerbread house. Their structure, not traditional in nature, has always been preceded with a blue print. The outcome always fabulous. I thought it would be close to impossible to top Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, but this year he's done it. Nakatomi Towers from Die Hard. Complete with over turned car, helicopter on exploding rooftop and Hans Gruber falling to his death. It makes this girl just a little more homesick this year at Christmas and driving straight to the video shop. 

Another masterpiece Bruv.

Gingerbread house update (and some decent photos) 

 

Demolished by my gorgeous nephew. 

 

salt dough ornaments

Our first efforts at homemade salt dough ornaments was a lot of fun. On the tree, the finishing touch on a gift or wrapped around a jar of baked goodies, these little snowflakes are the perfect festive touch. I was found rolling and cutting long after the children had finished. I clearly need to spend a little more time with the kids when the playdough is out. 

We made (or should I say I made) a bunch of starfish for our by the beach themed Christmas table. I can wait to put these together with all of our beachy collections. Let's hope the vision comes together! 

Salt dough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup water

mix together to make a soft dough. Cut shapes and bake for 40 min at 100/200 degrees.
note: If your oven is too hot the dough will crack.  

oatmeal cookies

I was flicking through my recipe box when I found this treasure. A well loved, grease stained beautiful page covered with my Gran's handwriting. There is something so special about holding a piece of paper and looking at the familiar handwriting of a letter or a recipe. I inherited my Gran's recipes and have never really had the chance to go through them all. I feel both of my grandmother's around during this time of year. Baking recipes they use to make is a tradition I just love.

If only they still made stationary like this. Sigh.

A simple and delicious recipe. 

Muskookoff - cooking competition

Three summers ago a delicious competition was born. A group of friends and family were spending a long weekend together in Muskoka, relaxing, eating ... Being competitive in nature, they soon formed teams made up of international competitors from Canada and Australia. The objective; to out cook, out eat and out perform. The first 'Muskookoff' had each team cook for an entire day. They would be judged on taste, presentation, whole day experience and x factor. You know, that little something extra. 
Muskookoff 2010 took place a few weeks ago. The rules were changed slightly. Each team only made one meal. The enthusiasm however was as keen as ever.
Our first meal was with an Italian theme dining on bowls of pasta, many bottles of wine and gifts for the children. The next day we were treated to breakfast made from homegrown and local produce. The biggest highlight (even for this vegetarian) was the introduction of bacon jam . With two teams still to compete we were all ready to throw in the towel and declare them as the winners. Team bacon jam also organized with team three to create a treasure hunt for the kids. Serious X factor. That though deserves it's own post.

My team closed the competition with a cottage themed brekky. Eggs benedict, a stack of fresh trashy mags layed out on the dock and my mother's Tom Thomson inspired the canoe centre piece.

It was team three's efforts though that took the prize in the end. They had organised a late afternoon painting session for the kids. We were then all asked down to the dock for pre dinner drinks.  We were greeted with a rustic Christmas tree decorated with the children's painted artwork and mulled wine.


Christmas music played in the background as presents were handed out. I received a new MacBook! Hang on this is my MacBook.


The greatest feat was dinner. We not only had a traditional turkey dinner, but dishes representing different traditions and cultures of the other competitors. X factor! Perogies from the Ukraine, prawns from Australia, sweet potato mash and marshmallow from the US.

Another delicious and impressive round. Until we are all together again.


Congratulation team Drikel. Valiant effort.