Strawberry Pie, so simple!

I adore strawberries! Punnets, punnets and punnets of strawberries. In QLD at the moment they are in season and smelling amazing. I have had 4 punnets in the fridge ALL day and not had a single one. I wanted to save them for a Strawberry Pie. This recipe was nothing like what I was expecting, but it is so simple and amazing. Plus, I made sure I had extra strawberry and warm syrup left over so I could have half a bowl of the mixture warmed. YUMMY! 

Soak your strawberries

If you love strawberries have a go because this is such a refreshing dessert. I received this recipe from a partner in a swap on Swapbot. She also sent me a surprising hint when using strawberries in cooking. You need to soak your strawberries for at least an hour before use in cooking. I usually just wash it under the tap and then go but, it makes a different to the flavour. The strawberries absorb some moisture and it throughly cleans them. I will be doing this from now on.

Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:

Baked and cooled sweet pie crust (you can make your own or buy pre done)

3 punnets strawberry

1 cup of water

1 cup of of sugar

2 tbsp of cornflour

1/3 cup strawberry jelly crystals  (jello)

Methods:

1. Ensure you cook your sweet pie crust so it is browned. Set aside to cool.

2. Slice strawberries (you can use whole if you wish but I find more flavour when sliced) and set aside.

3. Mix sugar and cornstarch.

4. Place water in sauce pan and begin to heat. Add sugar/cornflour mixture until softly boiled. It will start off cloudy and then become clearer consistency.

5. Once clearer stir through jelly crystals (jello) until all dissolved. Take off stove top and cool. 

6. Place strawberries into pie crust.

7. Pour over jelly mixture and place in fridge overnight. 

8. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. So glossy.

YAY!

I may be excited about booking my honeymoon to Green Island. Days of laying and just being on a tropical island in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef! So keen!!! It is going to be a long wait for summer.

Sea Turtle Meanderings

I had one thing I did not get done in time for the wedding. It was Scott and my own sea turtle for the wedding table. This was sad, but, with the unsettled lead up due to health it was something I had to let go of. I managed to complete Scott's turtle and I will now ever be known as the one that was late (insert many eye rolls). 

It is 1 month after the wedding (as of tomorrow) and I am celebrating a wonderful first month by posting pics of Scott's turtle pal Percy. We each selected our own fabric and buttons for eyes. Scott has gone for a spotted green shell and latte skin tone with shell buttons for eyes. Which I then hand sewed because my sewing machine hates me. He adores it. I wish you could see the itty bitty tail, so cute. He is 40cm in length, so quite a large project.  I have also almost completed my own turtle, just the shell construction left to go (the hardest part). I hope you all like. Please note the lounge featured is our new chocolate recliner and coach set. SO COMFY!!! Good night blogging world. 

Pattern is from one of my favourite stores, Funky Friends Factory. Check them out when you get a spare moment. Wonderful patterns. 

Slow Cooked Chicken Paprika

I think I have an obsession, I love my slow cooker. I can make all this yummy food with it. Chuck in ingredients and then BAM! 2,4,6 or 8 hours later, with me barely lifting a finger food it produced. Yummy food too. You can literally chuck in random things and hope for the best or follow a recpice. I am beginning to experiment with drier recipes in the slow cooker.

Here is one I tried last week with Scott. I really like this for something different, although I only had smoked paprika last time I made this which totally changed the taste. Have a go and let me know what you think.

Chicken Paprika 

Ingredients

1 tsp of butter

1 tbsp paprika

3 tsp of sugar

2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp grounded oregano

1/2 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1kg of chicken breast (skin removed)

Method:

1. Grease the inside of the slow cooker with butter.

2. Combine the paprika, sugar, salt, oregano, mustard powder and pepper in small bowl. 

3. Cut chicken breast in half length ways. Coat with the paprika mixture. 

4. Place in slow cooker for 2 hours on high.

5. Serve with creamy mash potatoes and steamed greens (beans/snow peas/broccoli) and carrot. 

Baked Banana Dessert/Arvo Snack

Okay, I have to admit I LOVE sweet things but, I also need balance. So I am attempting to change my approach to cooking and in particular dessert. I adore chocolate, ice cream, cake and every other 'bad' kind of dessert. So instead of chowing down on these things I am trying to adjust. Though this particular dessert is not 'healthy' it is a better option. I present to you the simple Baked Banana.

Baked Honey Banana

Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp of butter
- 3/4 cup of mixed nuts

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C.
2. Peel and halve bananas, place onto baking tray.

3. Combine honey and butter, drizzle over banana. Place in oven for 10 mins.
4. Take out of oven, place onto serving plate. Sprinkle with nuts.

Optional: Serve with vanilla ice cream or sorbet.

Muffin Fix- Cranberries and Almonds!

Well back into the hum drum of reality with work, cleaning, gardening, work, not sleeping and basically not enjoying it all so much. So I took some time out to bake some yummy more savoury type of muffins and enjoy the foggy rain. The weather looks like it is trying to clear but, it was a lot of fun today weeding the front garden bed in the wispy rain. One of these guys jumped on me however, once I realised it was on the glove he was so cool to look at. 

I have been craving dried cranberries all week for some random reason and low and behold I stumble upon some in the quick sale section. :) This made my day. But what to do with them...I could put them in a trail mix for school over the week, I could dip them in chocolate, I could eat them one at a time and enjoy the tart taste...So many choices. Eventually, after much debate, I decided to try out combining 2 different recipes to make Spiced Cranberries and Almonds Muffin. I LOVE the result. They hit my savoury craving just right. Although this idea won by a nose to the Cranberry and Almond Loaf. That may have been due to the loaf tin growing legs and running away from home. That's my story anyway.
I hope you like. 

Spiced Cranberry and Almond Cupcakes

Prep: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Makes: 10 large muffins, 20 cupcakes

Ingredients

150g butter, softened
150g white sugar
175g self raising flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup of dried cranberries
1 cup of slivered almonds
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C, prepare cupcake/muffin tins with butter or paper/foil

2. In a large bowl add butter, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla essence, ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend with hand mixer until creamy.

3. Stir through almonds and cranberries.

4. Place mixture into muffin/cupcake tin, place a small dried cranberry on top of each muffin/cupcake.

5. Cook for 20-25 mins or until golden brown. Serve warm or cooled. 

I may also be stupidly excited about my new electronic scales from 'Three Hats'. Most importantly it is red and I finally have something to measure weight instead of esimating. I haven't had an official scale for 2 years and this has resulted in me not trying some recipes. Woot woot!!!

Margarita Pizza

I love using fresh ingredients on pizza, particularly herbs. I have become lazy and really need to clean up the garden and get back into growing what I can from home. This is my all time favourite pizza to make. It smells amazing while it is cooking and that smell hangs around for days. Recently I have lent towards using pre made pizza bases with whatever is on sale at the local supermarket. However, this is my dough recipe.  

Pizza Dough

Prep Time: 15 mins
Makes: 3 round doughs (or 2 of my rectangle)

Ingredients
375ml (1 1/2 cup) warm water
2 tsp dried yeast
Pinch of caster sugar
600g (4 cups) plain flour
60ml (1/4cup) olive oil, plus extra for brushing

• 
  
• Method
• 1. Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy. 
• 
  
• 2. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture is combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.

3. Brush a bowl lightly with oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in the prepared bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

Margarita Pizza

Ingredients
Pizza Base
Tomato Paste
Fresh Basil Leaves
Roma tomatoes/ vine ripened tomatoes
Finely diced garlic (optional)
Mozzarella cheese shredded


Method:
Preheat over to 200 degrees Celsius
Prep pizza base (as directions on packet or see above)
Smear tomato paste over base, sprinkle on garlic
Place whole basil leaves across base then add thinly slice tomatoes
Sprinkle on cheese to taste.
Cook fro 20 mins or until cheese is golden.
Serve warm with fresh salad and garlic bread.

Wedding In Pics

Well, it has finally happened. I am now officially married to the sweetest, kindest, funniest and many other -est words man that I know. The wedding ceremony is such a blur. All I remember is trying not to fall down and then seeing Scott. Lots of flashes, Scott, blur of faces, Scott and so on and so forth. So here is my day in a few pictures (it was hard to choose what to put up). These are not professional, they are all taken from friends and family on the day and span over 11 hours.

Simple Reef/Beach Themed Centre Pieces

Okay, I get this question a lot in regards to my wedding. What are you doing for your centre pieces? How are you going to use them? What materials do you need? What is a simple way?

I work with a few rules when planning for my wedding.

Rule 1: KISS- Keep it simple stupid
In anything with a wedding you get to complicated you will increase the chance of it stuffing it up. Simple is key.

Rule 2: Use local supplies or suppliers from your country

Rule 3: When creating or crafting refer to rule 1 constantly.

Rule 4: Plan ahead, because sales are your friend and random things happen (e.g. operation!)

Okay, so using the above rules I have created the following centre piece. I love it! It is simple and matches beautifully with the surrounds at the reception (Reef HQ), when surrounded by ocean aquariums...you just need something simple.

Reef/Beach Centre Pieces

Large mix shells
Small mix shells
Star fish
Coral sand
Taper Candle
Large balloon vase

Steps
1. Ensure marks on bowl are cleaned.
2. Pour in the reef sand filling the base.
3. Place candle in the centre of the bowl.
4. Place 1 starfish and 3 large assorted shells in the bowl (aim for varying kinds)
5. Sprinkle with small shell mix.
6. Store safely in a box with bubble wrap for transport to and from venue.

I used the following local business/chain stores:
- Hired vases from Doug Ede's Marquee and Party Hire
- Coral Sand from Pet HQ
- Candles from Dusk

Online Ordering
-Australian Sea Shells for bulk shells and star fish. This company was brilliant, particularly in regards to maintaining contact and ensuring customer satisfaction.