Summer Christmas Desserts

Christmas pudding has never been on the radar at Christmas in our family, mainly because my dear husband won’t eat it. Instead Christmas dessert is more likely to be Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Delicious Dessert or Pineapple Coconut Pie. All of these recipes are up on the food blog. Pavlova is another favorite Aussie Christmas dessert, though not is much in our house as it is a bit too sweet for my liking. I’m actually just as happy with fresh fruit salad and frozen yoghurt. But this year I might just try something different for Christmas dessert, a recipe a … Continue reading

Delicious Lemon Coconut Dessert

Necessity is the mother of invention so they say. Also of good recipes. This is another delicious coconut pie which came about because I didn’t have a tin of pineapple one time when I wanted to make it. Rather than rush up to the local store, which would have cost me more as they are expensive I opted to adapt. Yes, I know, if I’d planned ahead it wouldn’t have happened. But hey, we won’t go there. And tinned pineapple is usually a staple in my pantry. Anyway the result was an even more delicious dessert. Wheat and Gluten Free … Continue reading

Freezer Cooking Dessert Recipes

The perfect end to most meals is dessert. Even desserts can be made ahead and frozen. Having a dessert ready and available to me in our freezer has saved me several times when I had unexpected company arrive or just last minute decided to throw a BBQ or get-together with family and friends. All types of desserts can be frozen, but it’s important to test them before trying to serve them. Sometimes something might not freeze correctly, or upon thawing, can become too soggy. The following recipes have been tried and tested and are delicious! They are all freezer cooking … Continue reading

Keep it Simple

Cooking for guests can sometimes be tricky, particularly if they have any specific allergies. I try to always check with anyone we invite for a meal if they have any allergies. There’s nothing worse than watching everyone tucking in to a meal and not being able to eat it. It’s something I encounter at times if people don’t know me well and know I am wheat and gluten and honey free. One of the people we had over for a meal didn’t eat red meat or chicken. Not a problem, I assured her. The weather was cool and I had … Continue reading

Great Potatoes

Not everyone likes rice. I have a friend who doesn’t consider a meal finished unless it contains potatoes in some form. But potatoes can get boring so here are a couple different ways to use the humble spud, as we call potatoes in Australia. Indian Potatoes These are great served as part of a curry meal instead of rice and will keep people like my friend happy. HINT Make sure if you use fresh chilies, you wear disposable gloves and throw them straight out afterwards. We keep a pack of disposable gloves in the panty just for chilies. Ingredients Quarter … Continue reading

The Joy of Food Shopping

Last Saturday we visited one of our favorite places- a food warehouse. From the moment you walk in the door the smell of Indian and Asian spices wafts around you. It’s great. We bought our share of gluten free products, shedded coconut, dried lentil and beans, a kilogram (which is over two pounds) of chili flakes and a large number of dried cranberries imported from the USA. The guy on the checkout as he rang our items up had a chuckle about the number of bulk packets of dried cranberries we bought. What can I say? Mick and I love … Continue reading

Two Quick Tips and an Apology

I owe everyone here on the food blog a huge apology. Not long after I started on the food blog, I posted my recipe for Middle Eastern Chicken Aussie Style. This weekend as I went to make it, when we were having guests for dinner, I found out there is a critical ingredient missing in the recipe I gave you. Fortunately I noticed that as I went to make it rather than afterwards Rather than hunt through all the myriad and books and files in which recipes are written I thought I’d just take it off my blog. That’s when … Continue reading

Sweetly Good For You

Cranberries have become my husband’s and my new favorite fruit. The best thing is that they’re not only tasty but they’re good for you as well. Cranberries have long been known to be good for urinary tract infections but they also contain vitamin C and antioxidants. If that’s not enough, experts have discovered they can have an anti inflammatory effect and are good for fighting infection and can help with cholesterol problems. They are also good for your heart and can help prevent kidney stones. Sound like a wonder food, don’t they? They are. I’ve found them a helpful way … Continue reading

Take a Step Back and De-Stress This Christmas

Instead of stressing out about food and baking and so on at Christmas, why not let everyone chip in? A lot of get togethers of people I know, work on the basis of people combining food to make a birthday or special occasion or Christmas feast. Someone might bring dessert, another salad or a casserole or nibbles. It doesn’t matter. If people have a special dish they like make and want to bring it, fine. We often take dessert because I’m gluten free and some people seem to think it’s a hassle making gluten free cakes and desserts. It’s not. … Continue reading

Christmas with Family

In some families what happens at Christmas is that the family takes turns about whose place it will be held at for the rest of the family to gather. This sounds fine in theory, but it can be a problem if someone is set in their ways and refuses to accept something different. For example, if Mom always cooks certain meals for the Christmas season, there’s no reason it always has to be that way and that everyone else in the family needs to follow suit when it’s their turn and do it the same when it is held at … Continue reading