Country Scones Rock....again

I don't think scones are a summer or a winter treat, they are one of those wonderful, easy recipes that can be whipped up at anytime of the year for just about any type of reason, or no reason at all.

We have just got back from a glorious two-week holiday at the beach in Victoria where we ate like kings for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, pre-dinner nibbles, dinner and dessert EVERY DAY!
I am not going to beat myself up about the extra 5 kg I have hanging around my waist because a lot of yummy food was consumed over these Christmas holidays and that also means wonderful memories, so beating myself up about 6 courses a day really doesn't make for good memories.......it just means I need to blow the dust of my trainers!

Anyway, we arrived home from holidays and after the usual b'fast and lunch, 3pm rolled around to  cries from the family of 'what's to eat??' We were all still in holiday mode and weren't quite ready to go cold turkey (meaning 3 meals a day) this week, so I went for something that I could whip up in a matter of minutes and be ready to eat with our cups of tea at 3.30pm.

I have blogged about these scones before, when first introduced to this recipe. The recipe comes from a friend of mine who use to work with me a few years ago. Jess grew up in country Victoria and often talked of the food she missed from home. I can't remember how it came up in conversation but scones were the topic and, of course, it went down the road of 'who has the best scone recipe'.
When Jess came into work with her gran's recipe and a batch of her scones, it was declared they were the best ever!

I have a recipe for scones that make 40 in one batch and I use it often for work, but if I am to make a batch of scones at home for a handful of people then Jess's gran's recipe is the one I reach for.
The texture is so short, rich and delicious I dare anyone to disagree.

If you do go ahead and give it a go then there are a couple of things you must take into consideration
- the mixture is very wet but DO NOT mix it with a wooden spoon, always cut through it with a butter knife until it just starts to form a dough
- knead it lightly with floured hands so it doesn't stick to you
-bake it as a 'loaf' shape and make your cutting markings with a floured butter knife so it is easy to separate when hot.
Just a few tips but if you get it right then you'll have a little bit of country Victoria in your kitchen. Click on the link and it will take you back a few years when I first published this recipe.

Donuts dusted in nutmeg sugar

One of my all time favourite pleasures in life are donuts just out of the oil and dusted in sugar and cinnamon. I love, love, love them! A few years ago I decided to spend mothers day with my mum in Tassie. It also happened to be the same weekend as Agfest (a massive Agricultural event) and dad was in the Rotary caravan making none other than sugar coated donuts- you betcha I volunteered to help!

I know how bad they are for you and I know you really don't need them, and this is why I haven't had one since then. However, when I got the latest Saveur email and saw the delectable photo of donuts I couldn't help but whip up a batch. They would have to be one of the easiest recipes I have made in a long time and they taste fantastic!!!! But don't take my word for it, click on this link and make them for yourself....your family, neighbours, whoever. I can guarantee one thing, they won't last long.

And while I'm on the subject of favourite things, I also am an avid lover of cake stands and lids (I know weird right?) anyways, this is a great find and a wonderful blog that kindly featured family of foodies as one of it's favourite blogs of the month, so if you have time, stop by and check it out.

Anzac Day Biscuits

How did you spend your Anzac day?
I had grand ideas of seeing the dawn service.....then read it was at 4.15am in Sydney, so I respectfully stayed in bed.
I was going to join friends in the park for a picnic, alas, quotes needed to be written, functions needed to be organised and food needed to be made....so I stayed in the kitchen.
The only thing I did that I wanted to do today was buy alcohol for the Footy Fundraiser I was organising on Friday night.......I know how to have a good time on a public holiday!
All was not lost, as I came in from the car I could smell the all familiar smell of baking biscuits. Nic and Alex had whipped up a batch of Anzac cookies while I was out. Now our afternoon is set- a cup of tea, warm Anzac biscuits to dip in my tea while watching the Essendon/Collingwood football game on the telly.

GO THE BOMBERS!!!!

Delicious Corn Fritters

One of the most versatile fritters on earth! Like lamingtons and roast chicken; there is more than one way to whip up a batch.....not to mention in a matter of minutes. I'm not to sure why I threw this combo together, I think I was low on time and energy and the buttermilk was the first thing I saw in the fridge if the truth be told!

One of the best secret high fives I gave myself was serving these to the kids and watching them eat every last bite. They didn't even notice the mushrooms until I told them of my trickery after Alex swallowed his last mouthful. Max shrugged his shoulders and told me he actually likes mushrooms, while Alex sat in disbelief and then tried to tell me he didn't really like them as much as he thought he did- Ha!

Whatever the case, I loved how these fritters puffed up when cooked and tasted light and fluffy- perfect for a canape perhaps? or remove the mushrooms and make a corn and crab fritter with lashings of lemon aioli on the side........or add grated zucchini instead of bacon for a delicious veggie option- the list is endless. Whatever you decide to do with them, you won't be disappointed at the taste and speed when whipping up a batch of your own, even for the fussiest eater.

Yummy Corn Fritters  
1 cup self raising flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
1/2 cup chopped Swiss brown mushrooms (or any other variety)
5 rashers of bacon, diced
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh is great and gives the fritters a sweet crunch)
salt and pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl add the above ingredients in order of list. Be generous with your seasoning.
Stir to combine and then fold so you thoroughly coat the kernels in the batter.

Once mixed, heat a frying pan on medium heat.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and drop in 2 heaped tablespoon size fritter mix (about 4 in a large frying pan).
Cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove from frying pan and place on kitchen paper until needed.
Serve with a delicious seasonal salad, as a base for smoked salmon canapes, smothered in butter or a la natural.

Recipe makes 12 large fritters

Blueberry pikelets- an after school favourite

It doesn't get any easier than this people! It has been raining all day, the kids are starving, cold and a bit whingy.....me too. It wasn't a day to hang around the play ground and make small talk while the boys ran their pants off.
This afternoon was all about feeding, keeping the feet dry and warming the belly.
Pikelets are seriously easy, quick and almost 100% guaranteed satisfaction with the fussiest of eaters.
One batch produces about 30 mini pikelets so what they don't eat today goes in the freezer and pulled out when needed.

Alex came up with the idea to pop in some frozen blueberries, while Max pleaded the case for Nutella on top. Of course I could of said no, but instead I obediently grabbed the jar of Nutella and started spreading.

Yummy, yummo! With bellies filled, the boys did their homework in record time and there seems to be a calmness about the house......hm mm.

Blueberry pikelets with nutella ROCK!.......but only on occasion otherwise they might loose their calming power, so it's back to crackers and Vegemite tomorrow boys!

Lamingtons--Max's first batch

It has been a busy this week. The kids are back at school and straight back into homework, trumpet practice and complaining about all the homework- yep, just as I remember!

Max is in grade five this year and Nic and I can hardly believe where the time has gone. It only feels like yesterday that he was learning to walk and now he is wanting to learn how to make lamingtons.

This year in the 5th grade the kids have weekly projects to complete. They have a grid of several options, and get to choose a project they would like to work on that week and then talk about it on Friday in class. Monday just past, Max informs me he MUST make lamingtons because it was one of his school projects. It didn't sound unreasonable so I didn't bother checking the sheet and it also bought on a wave of excitement in the homework hour and who was I complain about that?

Max ended up making his first batch of lamingtons from scratch over two days (on my advice of leaving the cake to dry out a little so the icing would hold better, much to his annoyance) and did a great job. When I went to refer to his sheet about something I spotted that in fact you didn't actually have to make the lamingtons only find a recipe and write it in the homework book!

I love the idea of getting older kids to read an assortment of miscellaneous documents, such as we all read everyday and the fact that he actually wanted to make the lamingtons and take them into class and share them around make me really proud of him....now I just need him to learn how to clean up after himself and he would be perfect!

What's the first step when you cook something Max?

Oh, read the recipe! Ok now weigh out all the ingredients and make sure you have everything....

two eggs...yep, sounds right but you tell me? What does your recipe tell you?

That's right, sometimes you have to use your muscles when baking...

Ok in the oven to bake and make the whole house smell yummy.

Day 2 and the fun begins with chocolate coating and.....

rolling the lamingtons in coconut. After the first five were done, I jumped in and gave him a hand as he was a bit overwhelmed with doing the whole 26 of them!

I hope your class enjoys all your hard work tomorrow Max, well done x.

Raspberry and honey muffins- lunchbox treats!

Today was the boys first day back at school and to my shock and horror they weren't giddy with delight at the prospect. About the only thing I saw a hint of a smile at was when they asked if they could make their own sandwiches!!
Sandwich fillings of the day were ham, seeded mustard and pickles....of course, why didn't I think of that?
Like all kids, mine are starving hungry when they arrive home, so I made a batch of muffins to stamp out the hunger pains. I'm on a bit of a health kick at the moment (due to excessive eating on holidays), so I used whole wheat flour and replaced the sugar with honey. Max thought they were yummy and gobbled down two, while Alex wasn't so impressed and wanted the sugar back in! (our compromise was cutting the muffin in half and lashing it with butter....I think I lost that battle).

They are so quick and easy to make and great for breakfast too!

Raspberry and honey muffins

2 cups whole wheat self raising flour

4 tablespoons honey ( or 2/3 cup sugar)

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

125 grams melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 cup frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 190 degrees and spray a 12 pce muffin tray with oil.

In a medium size bowl add the above ingredients in order from flour to raspberries.

Fold ingredients together until well combined -don't beat mixture.

Place in muffin tins then bake for 20 minutes, cool and dust with icing sugar.