120 cookies on pretty plates

What could be prettier than decorated butterfly cookies on gorgeous china?  Especially when that china is a family heirloom...

You may have read about my recent venture to the nearby Mill Markets in the search for pretty plates for my baking.  It was a great adventure but got me thinking that many were similar to those in my mum’s crystal cupboard which have been handed down by grandmothers and great aunties.  So there the adventure continued.  Off to mum’s to open those long unopened cupboards and see what we could find. 

And wasn’t I a happy shopper (or borrower)... A gorgeous Royal Albert tea set with matching cake plate in a vintage Rose Garden pattern.  Along with a beautiful gold trimmed floral plate I simply couldn’t leave them in the cupboard any longer.  They needed to be adorned with baking. You wouldn’t believe the care that was taken in wrapping them, transporting them home, then hiding them far from little fingers of my hurricane children.

Then today I needed to bake some cookies for a birthday so I decided to use the well worn recipe of 120 cookies which has been converted by Retromummy.   As the name states the mixture is quite large for the 2L Thermomix bowl and I tend to mix it in batches for a thorough mix.  I usually break it down into a few flavours and often freeze part of the dough for later use.

Today I stuck with vanilla for the butterflies and chocolate for the freezer but in the past we’ve had great success with hundreds and thousands, sultana and orange, cinnamon and choc chip varieties.  I’ve changed the original recipe a little by adding a teaspoon of vanilla and ½ cup custard powder for a tastier and smoother biscuit.

120 Cookies

1 cup raw sugar

500g butter at room temperature (cubed)
1 tsp vanilla

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 ½ - 5 cups self raising flour

½ cup custard powder

• Place sugar in your Thermomix bowl and mill for 9-10 seconds on speed 9

• Add butter and vanilla to now icing sugar and cream for about 30 seconds on speed 4 (you may need a little longer depending on how soft your butter is)

• Scrape down bowl and add condensed milk (licking the spoon optional) and flours and mix for 40 seconds on speed 3.  Start with 4 ½ cups of the flour and add the extra if needed to form a dough.

• If you’re making various flavours, remove half the dough then add other ingredients, eg 1 tbls cocoa and mix for a few more seconds.

• Knead dough by hand into a disc shape, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or freeze for later use

• When you’re ready to create biscuits either roll into small balls and flatten or roll out dough to about 5mm thick for using cookie cutter.  I like to roll the dough between my Thermomat sheets of baking paper.  Dip your cookie cutter in a little flour to prevent sticking and easier removal especially for delicate shapes like butterflies!
• Place on a non stick or baking paper lined tray and bake for about 10 minutes at 180 or until golden.
• Decorate or just eat them up and enjoy!

Stay tuned for decorating tips and more pretty plate ideas!

Broccoli, Craisin and Feta Salad

The weather’s starting to warm up and we’re thinking salads.  Especially for the warmer evenings where the kids love eating outside early enough before the crisp air sets in.  It's a great way to get the kids to quickly eat their dinner then run off their endless amount of energy before bedtime.  This salad is quite hearty and is great for lunch the next day when the flavour has continued to soak through and work it's magic on your tastebuds. 

Broccoli, Craisin and Feta Salad

When I make dressed salads like this I often whip up some mayonnaise from the Thermomix EDC and just leave enough in the bowl to coat the ingredients.  So simple and saves an extra bowl to wash up.  We served it along with my Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Millet burgers and some sliced potato chips cooked on the bbq.  Yum and fun!

Summer is ready to take the salad outside for dinner

 Broccoli, Craisin and Feta salad

1 head of Broccoli
1 Carrot
2 tbls mayonnaise
1 tbl craisins, raisins or even incaberries
Handful cherry tomatos halved
Tbls Pepitas
50g feta or goats cheese cubed or crumbled

• Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil
• Chop broccoli into florets including stems and place in boiling water for about 1 minute then remove
• Add carrot to Thermomix bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6 (or grate by hand without TM)
• Add broccoli, tomatos, craisins, pepitas and mayonnaise to bowl with carrot and mix on Reverse speed 2 for 3 seconds or until just combined (or mix by hand in a bowl)
• Transfer to serving bowl and top with feta

Enjoy!

Mexican Inspired Vegetarian Pancakes

When the kids say “yum” after the first mouthful of dinner you’re a happy mum.  Especially if the recipe is easy, nutritious and most of all voted delicious by the whole family.  Today was a rainy day and we stayed indoors for most of it but had plenty of fun.  We made a tent over the kitchen table and created our own imaginarium!  There was even a rare moment where I found my 16 month old Finn sitting reading a book.  A rare moment I say as he’s a typical little boy who is always on the go, and he really doesn’t stop all day so it was quite a pleasant surprise.  So cute...

This gave me time to whip up some dinner.  Summer had asked for pancakes for dinner (I think she meant the breakfast type).  However she loves Mexican and wraps so she was pleasantly surprised that this was a combination of all of the above.

Red Kidney Beans



I made a savoury version of Tenina’s buckwheat crepes which were delightfully light.  I just added a splash more milk than the recipe.  And while you could any Mexican or other flavoured filling, I found the flavours in this mix were just right. 

 

Another happy family!

Mexican Style Vegetarian Pancakes

Pancakes

¼ cup buckwheat groats

2 eggs

1 cup milk (plus a little extra if too thick when cooking)

1/4 cup plain yoghurt

1 cup plain flour

• Place buckwheat into Thermomix bowl and mill for 1 minute on speed 9
• Add remaining ingredients and blend for 1 minute on speed 6
• Set batter aside and allow to rest while you prepare filling

Mexican Inspired Vegetarian Pancake filling

50g tasty cheese
1 onion
1 clove garlic
Olive oil
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp cinnamon
1 celery stick
1 carrot
1 zucchini
Approx 100g mushrooms
Approx 80g silverbeet
150g vegetarian mince such as Quorn
1 tin tomatos
1 tin kidney beans drained

• Place cheese in Thermomix bowl and grate for 5 seconds on speed 8 then set aside
• Place onion and garlic in bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6 then scrape down
• Add a splash of olive oil and spices and sauté for 2 minutes on speed 1 at 100°
• Add silverbeet and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6
• Add celery, carrot, zucchini, mushrooms and chop for an extra 3 seconds on speed 6
• Add tomatos, kidney beans and mince and cook for 15 minutes on speed 1 Reverse at 100°
   
• While mixture is cooking preheat a large frying pan
   
• Add a little butter just before pouring mixture in, just enough to cover when swirled to edges (add a little extra milk if mixture is not thin enough)
   
• Cook for 1 minute until golden before flipping and cooking for another minute
   
• To serve, scoop mixture onto a pancake, top with grated cheese, roll up and top with your favourite guacamole (we love tomatos, avocado, a squeeze of lime juice and a little pepper!)

Banana and Date Muffins

Banana and Date Muffins

I think I’ve just discovered the why people enjoy antique shops and opp shops.  They really can be fun!  My 3 year old daughter and I ventured out to the ultimate in antique shopping at our nearby Mill Markets and we were lost in world of years gone by obliviously for many hours.  We made party plans for tea parties on old phones (phones that I clearly remember), we sat in all sorts of chairs next to teddy bears, explored a variety of gadgets and could only imagine what they were used for, read chapters of well read books and most importantly discussed which queens had eaten from which glorious plates.

And that was my purpose.. to find a plate.  A pretty plate, most likely a cake plate but really just something that called out to me to be taken home and adorned with baked delights.  And after many hours (helped out by a cup of tea and a strawberry milkshake) that’s just what we found...

My first Antique plate

And what did this plate ask to first wear in its new home?  My new favourite Banana and Date  Muffins.  Yum!  Can you smell them, fresh from the oven?  And even the next day (if there’s any left) warmed for a few seconds in the microwave and tasting like little banana and date puddings?  And did I mention they’re actually way better for you than any store bought muffin with very little sugar (I’ve even used 30g which is sweet enough) but loads of taste?

Banana and Date Muffins on my new plate!

Actually I think I can hear one calling me now....

Banana and Date Muffins

2 large bananas (the riper the better)
100g pitted dates
70g grapeseed oil
2 free range eggs
50g rapadura or raw sugar
1 tbls honey
80g plain yoghurt
120g milk
150g SR flour
150g wholemeal flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon

•  Preheat oven to 180° and grease muffin trays (I like to use a mini tray of 24 for the kids and a guilt free I plus 4 large ones visitors)
• Add dates and banana to Thermomix bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 6
• Add oil, eggs, sugar, honey, milk and yoghurt and mix for 20 seconds on speed 4
• Add flours, baking powder and cinnamon and blend for a further 10 seconds on speed 4
• Pour into muffin trays and bake for 15 minutes for small or 20 minutes for large muffins or until they spring back when pressed

I'm sure this could be easily made in your chosen mixer other than a Thermomix with the wet ingredients blended then the dry mixed ingredients added.

And of course, enjoy!

Ricotta and Banana Hotcakes

What’s there not to love about weekend breakfasts? Especially when it’s easy and delicious, and everyone thinks it’s a treat even when it’s quite healthy and nutritious.  These Ricotta and Banana Hotcakes are a staple in our home for birthdays, mother’s and father’s day or just any weekend that we feel like something special.

Ricotta and Banana Hotcakes

We love them topped with fresh strawberries, blueberry compote, Greek yoghurt, and occasionally a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. With the eggs and ricotta these hotcakes are high in protein and light and fluffy.  Having two Thermomix bowls makes it easier to beat the eggs whites in one then use a 2^nd bowl for the mixture but I also managed just fine with one.  It can also be easily made in a mixmaster.

 

Well what are you waiting for? Put a smile on your family’s face and make them.

Thermomix perfect egg whites!

Cook until just a few bubbles burst

 Ricotta and Banana Hotcakes

4 free range eggs separated
350g Ricotta
140g milk
1 banana
80g wholemeal flour
80g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp raw sugar (optional)

• Heat frying pan to moderately hot with a little butter to coat if required
• Ensure Thermomix bowl is clean and dry, insert butterfly and beat egg whites for 2 minutes on speed 4 at 50° then set aside
• Add all other ingredients including egg yolks and mix for 20 seconds on speed 4.  Scrape down with spatula and repeat for 5 seconds
• Insert butterfly and add egg whites and gently mix for around 3 seconds on speed 3 without loosing lightness of the egg whites
• Pour batches into preheated frying pan and cook for about 2 minutes until a few bubbles start to burst
• Flip and cook for only 1 minute on the other side

Serve warm with berries, extra bananas, yoghurt or whatever favourite toppings you desire

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

It was grand final weekend and as most people do we decided to watch the game with some friends and have “footy food”.  As vegetarians the food I chose to make and share was Vegetarian Sausage Rolls.  We had all good intentions of watching the game but with young kids who really cannot sit still we decided to venture outdoors to explore instead.

Vegetarian sausage rolls

We headed to a nearby parkland to kick the footy but soon Summer lead us into the forest to where “the fairies used to live...” As her imagination and storytelling ran wild the younger 2 followed in awe as we crept through the lush growth with the sunshine peaking through in a real fairy land kind of way.  It really was pure magic.

The kids in fairy land...

 Back to the Vegetarian Sausage Rolls which are super tasty and even look strangely meaty.  I’m not one to try and make vegetarian food look “fake” but even my friends were a little confused when I turned up with sausage rolls.  They are nutritious and have plenty of protein with the addition of walnuts, sunflower seeds, lentils and cottage cheese and most importantly the kids love them.  In fact they're a great way to "hide" lots of goodness for fussy ones.  And while there may seem like a lot of ingredients, this recipe makes quiet a lot so there’s plenty to share or even pop in the freezer for a rainy day.  Dip them in some tomato sauce or chutney and they’re a really tasty and healthy treat.  Yum!

Brainfood - walnuts

Remember breadcrumbs are easily made from frozen left over bread.  Lentils can be cooked in Thermomix by placing in basket with enough water to cover and cooked for 30 minutes on speed 3 at 100° or using the canned variety is just fine.

 Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

5 sheets of store bought or homemade puff pastry
100g cooked green lentils
100g walnuts
½ MC sunflower seeds
50g breadcrumbs
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
10g olive oil
1 carrot
1 zucchini
70g mushrooms
50g rolled oats
100g cottage cheese
3 eggs (a little reserved for brushing)
1 tbls soy sauce
1 tsp vege stock
2 tbls tomato paste
Sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

• Preheat oven to 200° and grease or line baking trays
• If using frozen puff pastry remove from freezer and separate to thaw
• Add walnuts and sunflower seeds to Thermomix bowl and chop for 6 seconds on speed 6 then remove from bowl and set aside
• Add onion and garlic and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7
• Add olive oil and sauté for 2 minutes on speed 1 at 100°
• Add carrot, zucchini and mushrooms and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6
• Add all other ingredients except tomato paste and blend for 10 seconds on speed 6, scrape down with spatula then repeat for another 5 seconds on speed 6
• Cut pastry in half and spread with tomato paste
• Spread mixture down centre of each piece of pastry, roll up with overlapping pastry and brush with beaten egg
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds
• Place on baking trays and make ¾ cuts at 2 inch intervals
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden

Enjoy with your favourite sauce or chutney!