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Chicken, Bacon & Cream Cheese Volauvents
2007-10-10 12:29:00
I know Volauvents are kind of dated and unfashionable now but I can't help but love them. I have made this recipe for years and it has always been a winner. You just have to love all that crispy perfect puff pastry and no again I don't make them myself, I am still afraid of puff pastry and yes I know Duncan from http://www.syrupandtang.com/ will be disappointed in me for still being a fraidy cat. Sorry Duncan :( The store bought ones are so perfect and lovely, I just can't help myself. I just hand the money over blindly and try not to give myself a good slapping for not making them myself. These are extremely fattening people, just the way I like them. Adds to my squishyness and I am all about the squishyness. Yeah Baby!!! So here is the recipe.750 grams of Chicken Thigh Fillets, chopped into little cubes4 Rashers of Bacon , chopped into little bits12 medium Volauvent shells250 grams of Philadelphia Cream Cheese , sliced into pieces50 grams of Butter2 tablespoons of Plain Flou...

Balsamic Strawberry Mini Pavlovas
2007-10-06 03:10:00
This is one of those recipes I have had in my head for months. Strawberries and balsamic are a wonderful combination together, why not take that a step further. I have created my own easy balsamic glaze. Made mini pavlovas, filled them with fresh whipped cream, sliced strawberries and topped it all with the Balsam ic glaze. It is what it is and that is Gorgeous!For the Balsamic Glaze:Take one 250 ml bottle of a standard balsamic vinegar, place in a saucepan, simmer and reduce by half. Then add 2 tablespoons of Glucose Syrup (Corn Syrup) whisk the syrup through and allow to cool. Your done. This is also the perfect glaze for roasts, steak, carrots the list goes on. For the Mini Pavlovas:4 egg whites, 1 cup of castor sugar ( superfine sugar), 3 teaspoons of cornflour, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. Whisk your egg whites on a high speed until they form stiff peaks. Then still whisking on a high speed, add your castor sugar little by little. The mixture should be stiff, glossy and all the ...
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Finally !!!
2007-10-04 13:27:00
After 3 months of traumatising events with my computer, I am online again. Let us just say never, ever, ever, let your children use those free game sites on the net. I am telling you what a nightmare. Even though I have anti virus software, nothing can prepare you for the devastation that a virus can do to your computer. Also nothing can prepare you for the time it takes for someone to diagnose your computer and fix the problem. Every time I called the reputable computer repair guys it was, sorry I have not had time to look at it yet. We finally just went over and picked it up and went to someone else. HP specialist the first mob were supposed to be. Now taking your computer to a repair person is a scary experience. You are afraid of how much it is going to cost You are afraid whether or not they will be able to fix your computer How long is it going to take Are they going to be able to save all the beloved info and pics on your computer Is it going to cost me hundreds of dollars a...
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Where did I go?
2007-09-27 00:48:00
Hi Everyone,I am still here. Just having problems with my computer. It is being repaired but it is taking a little more time than expected. My Internet connection is suspended while I am not using it, but I did not realize it was going to affect my emails. I have updated my email address on blogger to my hot mail so I am up and running again.The move has gone exceptionally well and I love our new house, especially my kitchen.I will try and post a new recipe this weekend, fingers crossed I get my computer back shortly.I would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support and hope that you are all well.Cheers Amelita

We are moving!
2007-08-29 02:16:00
Hello everyone,Just a quick post to let you all know that there will be no posts for a week or so. Our house that we have rented is going up for sale and we have found a new house to live in. We are moving this weekend and it ain't going to be pretty.Fantastic thing about the new house though is a GAS STOVE!!!!!!! More pantry space and a bigger kitchen. So I will see you all in a week or so and look after yourselves.Cheers Amelilta
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Can you tell I don't live in the City anymore?
2007-08-15 00:53:00
Country living really is a wonderful thing. You see things that you never get to see living in a big city. This is one of them. When we took the kids to the Townsville show, it was an eye opener. It was a day of family and down to earth fun. Duck racing and Duck fashion parades.................................. .............what the!!!!!!!!The man who owns the ducks took it all very seriously. He stated that he has a very nice old lady who designs the ducks outfits for him. He said, he gets ideas for their outfits, out and about, in shop windows. He comes home and describes them to the lovely old lady. She in turn then makes their gorgeous little outfits and Walla, you have a duck fashion parade. It was extremely funny and quite entertaining. The pictures really do explain themselves. The kids found it fascinating. Enjoy the pics!
More About: Live , City , Tell , In the City

For Tony by request - something easy :)
2007-08-10 23:21:00
My Boss Tony asked me the other day to make something on my blog that he could make. So here it is, Peach & Mango Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice and Cooling Yogurt. You can make this Tony, it's easy and you can make it as hot as you want.This is David's favourite curry that I make and we like it hot. You can see all the beads of sweat come off his forehead as he is eating it. Looks like he has been in a Sauna. Just the way he likes it. This really is a very simple curry, you can adjust the heat and I will tell you how to in the recipe. My kids love it :)Ingredients1 Kilo of Chicken Thigh Fillets, sliced (don't be tempted to use chicken breast, it's not the same)410 gram tin of Peaches, in syrup (reserve syrup)410 gram tin of sliced Mangoes, in syrup (reserve syrup)2 x large red onions, sliced thickly into half moons2 x large cloves of Garlic, chopped400ml tin of Coconut Cream2 tablespoons of Curry PowderA knob of ButterA splash of Peanut Oil, or Olive OilOnce all of your in...
More About: Request , Easy , Some

Vietnamese Transparent Pork & Prawn Rolls with Bean Sauce
2007-08-08 09:42:00
I would have to say Vietnamese food is one of my favourites cuisines. It is so fresh, so inviting and so yummy. I love these pork and prawn rolls. Lots of ingredients, lots of flavour, a little fiddly to make but absolutely worth it. Firstly you need rice paper. You can pick it up pretty much at most supermarkets. I buy mine at the Asian supermarket. Firstly you make the bean sauce. Very simple to do. Empty out the contents of one jar of Hoi Sin Sauce into a saucepan, then fill the jar with two thirds water, shake it about to get out the remainder of the Hoi Sin and pour into the sauce pan. Then add one large tablespoon of peanut butter. Bring to a simmer stirring all the time. Once everything has combined into a smooth thick glossy sauce, take off the heat and refrigerate covered until it is nicely chilled. Char Sui Pork is your next main ingredient. Slice it into about 5 ml slices ready to put into your rolls. You will need about 500 grams of lovely fresh prawns. Peel and devein i...
More About: Bean , Ames

7 Food Facts
2007-08-05 00:53:00
The lovely Miss Margot from Coffee & Vanilla had tagged me a while ago to answer 7 Food Facts about myself. Due to the plague in my house I had totally forgotten about it. Sorry Margot. So here it is finally. I would like to tag in turn a couple of my favourite bloggers Uncaring Bear, Little Miss Moi and finally Duncan from Syrup & Tang.I am a totally messy cook. Without my Dave I would be stuffed. Example above of my true messy style. Also my kitchen is to small. I need a bigger one so I can make even more mess.I hate, hate, just hate, any bread over a day old. If it hasn't been baked that day, it's only use to me is either toast or homemade bread crumbs. Coming from a very poor family, I came to appreciate very fresh bread when we had it. I am scarred for life!Offal, can't eat it, won't touch it, I run in the other direction, it just gives me the willys and turns my stomach. I have turned my children into food snobs. Simply the best is only good enough for them. They are t...

Weeks on the brink of madness!!!!!!!
2007-08-04 01:35:00
Finally the madness is over and the sickness that has plagued our lives has dissipated. Pheeeew!!! I have been absolutely exhausted and my brain has turned to mush. I am starting to feel normal again and the old routine has just gotten back to where it needs to be. Work is back on track and now it is time to start really pulling out some great recipes. So what's in store for you, you say?Well............................Raspb erry & Rose Water Meringue Pie...................Vietnamese Transparent Pork and Prawn Rolls with Vietnamese dipping sauce....................Ben's fantastic chicken wraps and more. There will definitely be a delicious post before the weekend is up and I thank you guys so much for your support and understanding during the plague that has swamped our house.Cheers Amelita
More About: Madness , Weeks

The Plague!
2007-07-22 13:48:00
Always in winter the usual coughs, colds and sometimes the flu breezes through and gives us all our turn to feel completely crappy and in totally needing of some bed rest. I feel like the last five weeks we have gone through at least 20 boxes of tissues in our house. But the last 2 weeks have been particularly gruesome in our house. This particular illness is one that any family dreads. The lovely gastro bug plague as I call it. That sensational nauseous and sick feeling that overwhelms you, so you can't move. It has been raging in all our hospitals at the moment. This particular strain has hit our family very hard. It started with the Peanut, I think he must have got it at the usual place................childcare. With babies you have to be so careful that they do not dehydrate. Then it hit me of course after caring for him while he was ill and now poor David, extremely contagious people. I am just hoping Ben and Maddy don't get it, but Ben is starting to look a little ill now a...

Playing Wtih Flavours - Asian Style Roast Beef
2007-07-10 14:18:00
I have been wanting to do an Asian Flavoured Roast Beef for a while and on the weekend was the perfect time to just throw caution to the wind and just chuck lots of my favourite Asian flavours together. It was a success. I marinated a 900 gram Rib Fillet roast for about 6 hours. I drained away the marinade. Reserve the marinade. I then seared it for two minutes all over with a little olive oil in a nice heavy based fry pan. I baked it in the oven for 45 Min's on 180 degrees and then gave it a good half an hour to rest covered in tin foil. While the roast was resting. I put the drained marinade into a large heavy based saucepan with 500 mils of beef stock. I reduced it on a high simmer for about 15-20 Min's, until it reduced by two thirds. Taste for seasoning. Slice your beef across the grain and serve with the lucious, rich, sweet sauce. To accompany, some snow peas and sugar snap peas in a really hot wok for 2-3 Min's with a knob of butter, a splash of sesame oil and a good spri...
More About: Style

My New Piece
2007-07-07 04:45:00
Hey guys, I am back up and running. My computer has not been fixed yet, but it is all good, the laptop I have procured has everything I need.Which in turns means a new recipe will go up this weekend................Phew!Hope you like my new piece of artwork? She is softer in colouring than I usually do. I normally have black in all my pictures, but I am trying to get myself out of the box I have drawn myself into.Cheers Amelita
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The Sky Is Falling! Help - The Sky Is Falling!
2007-07-01 03:44:00
My Computer is dead! How can this be? I am having a total meltdown. It really has spat the chewy this time. Normally I just cross my fingers and hope like the buggery its all going to be OK, but not this time. So my posts will be limited for a little while. I will be taking my computer to the nearest emergency department tomorrow for a full check up and recovery plan. Stay tuned..............Cross your fingers for me. I feel so lost................................ :(
More About: Fall

Banana Nut Wellingtons
2007-06-28 14:49:00
OK, so I have a fascination at the moment with Well ington style food. First I made a Beef Wellington, tonight I have made Banana Nut Wellingtons and soon I will be delving into the Seafood World of Wellingtons. I love Puff Pastry and no I don't make my own, but I would like to sometime. Making Puff Pastry scares me ohooooooohohhhooooo, no, really it does, something about all the folding over and over again with butter. I will get there though.So tonight there are six kids in the house, one of them asleep. The others are nagging at me, come on Mum make dessert. So this is what I came up with. Really it is just putting a few things together. Cut up Cavendish bananas, dark chocolate melts, puff pastry, some beaten egg and flaked almonds. What could be simpler than that? Huh I tell you Easy Peasy!All you have to do is put a few Cavendish banana slices in the middle of a square piece of pastry , just add on top about 6 large chocolate melts, fold it up into a parcels, with beaten egg to...
More About: Nana

Blueberry Cream Cheese Filled Chocolate Brownies
2007-06-24 03:33:00
OK................. so this is my new creation. Blueberry Cream Cheese Filled Chocolate Brownies . Yummo!!!!!! They are moist and rich, with that gorgeous tang of blueberry heaven. Enjoy!!!!Ingredients for the Brownie Part125 grams of Butter250 grams of Dark Chocolate2 cups of Sugar2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract4 large Eggs1 1/2 cups of Plain Flour1/2 teaspoon of SaltIngredients for the Cream Cheese Filling Part375 grams of Cream Cheese Softened1/2 cup of Sugar2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract1 large Egg1/2 tub of frozen BlueberriesMake the Cream Cheese filling first. Blend the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract in a free standing mixer until smooth and creamy. Then add half the blueberries and blend some more. This should break the blueberries down a bit and start oozing out the juices, so that you get that luscious purple colour. When that is done, stir through the remaining blueberries so that they stay whole in the mix. Add more blueberries at this stage if you wish, I did...
More About: Late

Paronella Park - The Spanish Castle in the North Queensland Rain Forest
2007-06-21 10:15:00
This is a place that has to be seen and experienced to really be appreciated. We stopped off here on our special weekend away. A Spanish man named Jose came to NQ in the 1920's and it has been a wonder ever since. Jose made his dreams come true and built a Spanish Castle in the Rain Forest. He truly was a very creative man with vision that others only dreamed of having. This is a place that words cannot express enough. It gives you such a feeling of awe. You stand there and think to yourself, I never want to leave. It is a must see if you are coming to NQ. Just 20 Min's drive south of Innisfail. You will not be disappointed and if you are, the owners promise to give you a full refund of your entry price. The money from the entry goes to conserving this beautiful place so it can live on forever. http://www.paronellapark.com.au/
More About: North , Park

Cassowary Country
2007-06-16 04:45:00
Cassowary Count ry is what the surrounding areas of Mission Beach inclusive of Mission Beach are called. They are big man eating birds that will attack you, if you try and run away. They inhabit this area and they are a protected species. You have to slowly back away from them if they approach you and you must always keep your eye on them. They are an extremely aggressive bird. The sign above is one of about 10 or more and they are there to warn you when driving through the area. Now seriously this is what they look like in the picture below. Of course they are not that big, otherwise shit you wouldn't go near the area. Let's just say they must be in plague proportions because everything in the area is cassowary this and cassowary that. He He He!!!! We didn't see one. We stayed in the Cassawong Cottages. Now it is a nice place and very comfortable. But not the romantic isolated cabin I was picturing that they describe on their site. If anything the place is far from isolated and r...

Cardwell - The beginning of our journey
2007-06-14 02:09:00
We made our journey north to Mission Beach last Friday for our three days of freedom. Right from the beginning it was a memorable trip. The views were spectacular and breathtaking. The photo above is at a lookout just before Cardwell. The magical Hinchinbrook Island. Looks prehistoric and very untouched. We will have to go over there sometime. Next stop Cardwell for a famous Mud Crab sandwich. MMMMMMmm was very yummy, but unfortunately the Crab meat had been frozen. There is nothing like fresh Crab. North Queensland just seems to love everything in a giant size. Look at the size of that Mud Crab in front of Muddy's Seafood Restaurant. Do you think Gordon Ramsay would have one of these outside of his restaurant? Packed full of crab. Good value really.Came with a lovely side of chips. They were crispy and yummy. No reservation necessary at our little spot to have an early dinner on the road. How beautiful is the view? Looking over at the gorgeous other side of Hinchinbrook Island as ...
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Happy Belated 40th Birthday Clare
2007-06-07 23:50:00
Happy Birthday Beautiful Friend! Now isn't she just Gorgeous?
More About: Happy , Late , Clar

Just The Two Of Us!
2007-06-07 23:37:00
Unfortunately there will be no recipe post this weekend. We are up and away for a long weekend just the two of us. Heading up to Mission Beach for a romantic Shagalicious weekend for two. No Kids Allowed! We have booked into a secret location where no one will find us, for some serious parental rejuvenation. Hell Yeah, we need it. So I hope everyone enjoys it? I believe it to be the last long weekend in QLD for the rest of the year. I have no doubts that we will be loving it ;) Cheers Amelita

The Other Side Of Our Kitchen - written by CHOPPER!
2007-06-03 13:34:00
Yes folks, Chopper is back with another installment of the Other Side of Our Kitchen !Amelita's kick arse Barbecue Sauce! Mmmmmm Let me tell you right now folks, not everything that comes out of our kitchen is without incident. For example, today Amelita made her fabulous Barbecue Sauce and everything started fine. The problems started when the sauce became a tad large for the pot she was using, and when giving the sauce a routine stir some of it decided to escape the pot and make a run for it. It didn't get too far though, landing right on Amelita's toes! Ouch!! Thats gotta hurt! But (still stirring the sauce mind you) she just wiped off the simmering hot sauce from her little tootsies and kept going. Now that's dedication!But wait, there's more! After the incident with the toes, Amelita had to use the hand held blender to smooth out the sauce and the blender lifted out of the pot a little and splashed hot sauce all over her hand! A few course words could be heard coming out of...
More About: The Other , Chen

Nannygai
2007-06-02 13:50:00
This is such a simple dish. I really think you could use any fish with this. I went for a fish that is very common in North Queensland. I hope I have spelt it correctly, it's called a Nannygai. This fish is so meaty. Just like chicken, but it's fish. It is quite an extraordinary fish. Basically you just pan fry your thick fillets of fish on a high heat in a little butter and olive oil for about 2-3 Min's on the first side. Then flip them over for 30 seconds on the other. Remove from fry pan and place in a lined oven dish. Top with this gorgeous mixture of one cup of Almond Meal and 3 rashers of Bacon diced finely, (that has been already fried till crispy in the fry pan before you fry your fish). Bake the fish with the topping on, in the oven for 7- 9 Min's on 180 degrees.Then drizzle with this amazing product I found at Woolworths. It's an Italian Balsamic Reduction. Simply stunning and so convenient. Especially if it is a weekday meal.Serve with your choice of yummy veggies a...

Sunday Gravy - My Way
2007-05-26 14:56:00
This is a spectacular sauce. The depth of flavour in this sauce is exceptional, if I do say so myself. This recipe makes a very large pot full, great for the large family or dinner party, or pop half of it in the freezer for another day. Sunday Gravy really isn't a gravy, it's an Italian slow cooked tomato and meat sauce. You choose the meat you want to use. I have used lamb in this one, but sometimes I make it with pork and beef, sometimes just beef. This definitely is a weekend dish. You pop on a low heat for about 4 to 5 hours. Time is the key to this recipe and the key to having a sensationally rich sauce and simply tender meat. So give it a go and enjoy. Sorry it took so long to finally post it. I haven't cooked it for a while because I have been distracted with lots of new flavours. With the present of my glorious pasta machine for Mothers day, I just had to make fettuccine to go with it. Yummo ;) Ingredients 1 Lamb Rack1 Lamb Fillet4 Lamb Steaks5 Cloves of Garlic, Chopped...
More About: My way

Garbage and the Prime Minister
2007-05-24 14:53:00
Alot of the time in life I think I forget about the impact I make everyday to the environment and then I got a total reality check. Last Friday I had the pleasure of meeting the dump one on one for over an hour. It was a day of observing what happens after I sell my front lift bin. I sell Waste Management everyday and really, I didn't actually think about what I was selling. We all have garbage to get rid of but I saw on Friday how much we actually do get rid of in just one day. To be honest with you, it really is scary. My day started with the excitement of 'I am going to ride in a big garbage truck today, oh I feel like a big kid' lets just say the novelty of it wore off quickly and reality set in. I jumped into the truck with my Bosses get the job done attitude and off we went. He then proceeds to tell me about how he had just lifted a bin and it was chock full of stuffed up uncooked bread dough, I am talking at least 3 cubic meters of it. So we headed off to the dump to disp...
More About: Prime Minister , Garbage , Minister , Prime , Rime

Rejuvenation
2007-05-14 10:54:00
Hello Everyone,Just thought I would let you all know, I have given my blog a little makeover. There are some new pictures of food and lots of pics of my artwork. So if you usually just check out my most recent post and have not wandered downward for a while, check it out. I try to keep my blog fresh, fun and interesting. So go on, scroll down, yes, all the way down and enjoy ;)Cheers Amelita
More About: Juve , Rejuvenation

San Choy Bow - So Easy
2007-05-11 10:04:00
San Choy Bow is one of our favourite dishes. It is so morish and so refreshing to eat. I love the saucy flavour. This is such a simple dish and is sure to be a favourite for you as well. Ingredients2 Iceberg Lettuces, separated into leaves500 grams of Pork Mince or Beef lean2 small Carrots, grated1 tin of Water Chestnuts, sliced and diced2 large cloves of Garlic, chopped finely1/2 bunch of Eschallots, sliced, keep separated the white ends and the green top3 tablespoons of Oyster Sauce3 tablespoons of Sweet Thick Soy or Kecap ManisSplash of Sesame OilSalt & Pepper to season To start in a large pan, fry on a high heat the Eschallot white ends and garlic in some peanut oil with a sprinkling of salt for a couple of minutes. Then add your mince and brown. Next step is to throw in the grated carrots, water chestnuts, oyster sauce, sweet thick soy and sesame oil. Stir and bring to a simmer. Allow to bubble for a couple of minutes until the sauce seems to thicken and look syrupy. Tast...
More About: Easy

My fridge - Completely Naked
2007-05-10 11:50:00
OK, so I was inspired to bare all in my fridge from a post on Becks & Posh. They did it and have inspired others to do it, so I thought why not join in. So here it is. Not very exciting. Working our way down from the top. Up there on the left is this little area where I stash my chocolate and chocolate biscuits, but for some reason someone has put some leftover artichoke oil up there. Then there is some sliced cheese just beneath that, garlic cloves peeled, some Turkish delight thins I bought Dave. Now on the same shelf all the way to the right is a jar of tamarind paste, with that I just made some Thai marinade I am working on perfecting. You can see the jars of marinade beneath on the next shelf. Also there are some jars of a Onion, Chili, Apple and Raspberry Jam. It came out more like a sauce, so I am still working on that recipe. Greek yogurt in case I want to make tatziki.Next shelf there is a giant tub of Kalamatta olives that we are trying to work our way through. Egg whi...
More About: Complete , Fridge

Chocolate Fudge Sauce
2007-05-07 03:17:00
How is this for a Banana Split? My kind of comfort food. Every mouthful is just sinful, rich and disgustingly fattening. Bananas, Vanilla Ice Cream, Cream, Toasted Peanuts and of course, the richest most delicious chocolate fudge sauce to top it off. As you can see I love rich food. I am not obese, nor am I an over indulger but these kind of treats just make life a bit sweeter. MMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmChocolat e Fudge Sauce Ingredients400 grams of a good quality dark Chocolate, chopped2 cups of Cream40 grams of Butter, real butter no substitutes1 teaspoon of Vanilla Bean PastePop your cream and vanilla bean paste into a heavy based saucepan. Bring up to the simmer and take of the heat. Then add your butter and chocolate. Stir until the chocolate and butter has all melted through. You should have a thick, glossy, smooth mixture. Suggestions for other use, great on cupcakes, fabulous as a hot chocolate base - just add warm milk, perfect on top of a pavlova, great for using with fresh strawberr...
More About: Cola , Late

White Choc, Pecan and Mango Cookies
2007-04-28 04:41:00
Cookies, mmmmmmmm gotta love cookies. These are so good. The white chocolate, dried crystallized mango and pecan nuts, make for a sensational taste combination. This is based on a Mrs Fields Cookie recipe with a little change to it, the mango. Go for it! 2 & 1/4 cups of Plain Flour1 tsp of Baking Powder1 cup of Brown Sugar, firmly packed1/2 cup of White Sugar250 grams of Salted Butter, softened2 large Eggs2 tsp of Vanilla Bean Paste1 cup of Pecan Nuts, chopped1 & 1/2 cups of White Chocolate Melts100 grams Dried Crystallized Mango , choppedPreheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a medium sized bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well with a whisk. Set aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or freestanding mixer blend sugars and butter on a medium speed until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla bean paste, beat at a medium speed until well combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on a low speed until just combined. Then stir in pecans, mango and white chocolate ...
More About: Cookies , Cook , Cookie