The best burger in town

You just can't beat a good burger!

The smokeyness of a grilled pattie, the softness of a fresh bun - it's the simplicity that makes it so delicious.

So last night, with the family over for Ailish's birthday, I made some delicious patties and everyone got to build their burger of choice.

What do you like in a burger?

Egg?

Mayonnaise?

Beetroot?

Relish?

Cheese?

Beef Burger

Ingredients

500gm Beef mince
3 Springs Rosemary, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Clove of garlic, finely chopped
Pinch of mild paprika
2 Tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 Eggs
2 Tbs Almond meal
1/2 C Bread crumbs

Assembly

• Combine almond meal, rosemary, mild paprika on a baking tray and place in a moderate oven for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the almond meal is golden brown.
• Combine onion and garlic in a fry pan and fry until the onion's are soft and brown. Allow to cool.
• In a large bowl add the beef and all the ingredients together. Mix well.
• Make your patties and refrigerate before grilling.

Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding

With the cool evenings here to stay for a while my mind, & stomach, turn to warm comfort food. And nothing says comfort like Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding topped with vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding

Ingredients

60gm Butter

1/2 C Milk

1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract

3/4 C Caster sugar

1 C Self-raising flour

1 Tbs Cocoa powder

3/4 C Firmly packed brown sugar

1 Tbs Cocoa powder, extra

2 C Boiling water

Assembly

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius and grease a 1.5 litre overproof dish.
• Melt butter with the milk in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract and caster sugar then sifted flour and cocoa. Spread mixture into dish.
• Sift brown sugar and extra cocoa over the mixture. Gently pour the boiling water over the mixture.
• Back for about 40 minutes or until the centre is firm.

Pork loin cutlets with creamy mustard sauce

What is ~

Simple, easy, one-pot-wonder, set & forget

Answer ~

Phrases that I prefer in a recipe

You know how it is, you're either at work or running around during the day, you pick the kids up from school and you taxi them from one after-school activity to the next, all the while your sifting through your memory for a quick, easy meal for the evening that has just a smidge of nutritional value.

Toasted cheese sandwiches are served up on a weekly basis in our home as a "meal!" and this is how I justify it nutritionally ~ fibre from the bread, calcium from the cheese!!!!

It's never easy, so when I came across this recipe from taste.com.au and saw that it ticked most of my requirements, and that I had most of the ingredients, I knew it was going to be a mid-week meal for us, and maybe for you!

Pork Loin Cutlets with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

800gm Desiree potatoes, unpeeled and cut into wedges

1 Red capsicum, deseeded & thickly sliced

1/4C Wholegrain Mustard

1Tbs Olive oil

1/3C Chicken stock

4 Pork loin cutlets

1/2C Thickened cream

1/4C Flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Assembly

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius
• Place the potatoes and capsicum in a large roasting pan.
• Combine mustard, oil, stock & salt and pepper in a jug & pour over the vegetables.
• Place the pork cutlets on top of the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes or until the pork is just cooked through.
• Remove the pork, cover with foil and let them stand for 10 minutes.
• Add the cream & parsley to the vegetable in the pan, stir to combine and return them to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Great Food & Great Company

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Last night I went out to dinner with some friends from Singapore. Ping had studied in Adelaide years ago and had a hankering to visit his favourite Italian restaurant in Adelaide Enoteca. It was some of the best food I have ever tasted. I started with the salmon entree, it was very velvety. The salmon roe would pop in my mouth showering my tastebuds with salty delight. Then I had a gnocchi main meal and as a general rule I don't choose gnocchi but I figured that my chances of getting a first grade gnocchi was pretty good this time.

I was blown away. The gnocchi pillows were light and fluffy without a hint of studgyness. The rabbit and swiss brown mushrooms were rich and very fulfilling. A first rate meal. The company was so enjoyable that we didn't even notice the lateness of the hour till we got up to pay the bill. It was 11pm and we were the last ones there.

I know this is a recipe blog but this time I took some liberty with the term kitchen comfort because last nights meal was the epitome of comfort food as only the Italians know how.

Scones with Jam & Cream

Afternoon tea at my sisters house for Mother's Day and this is what I'm taking.

Warm, fluffy scones served with Blackberry jam and a dollop of cream.

Simple and delicious, perfect Mother's Day fair.

I hope your Mother's Day is just as simple and enjoyable.

Scones

Ingredients

2 1/2 C Self raising flour

1 Tbs Caster sugar

30gm Butter, chopped

1 1/4 C Buttermilk

Jam and Cream to serve with scones

Assembly

• Preheat the over to 200 degrees celsius. Grease a baking pan
• Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl then rub in the butter
• Add the buttermilk and using a knife cut the buttermilk through the flour mixture to make a soft, sticky dough. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently until smooth.
• Press the dough out to 3cm thickness and cut out with a round cookie cutter. Place the scones, just touching, on the pan. Gently knead the scraps of dough together and cut out further scones. Brush the scone tops with a little buttermilk
• Bake the scones for about 15 minutes
• Serve warm with jam and cream

Hints

• I got 12 scones out of one batch
• Gentle is the key word ~ if you handle the dough too much it will become tough and your scones will turn into rocks

Recipe from Australian Women's Weekly

Tarragon & Lemon Chicken

So I haven't flown the coup (chicken pun intended!) just was on a little blogging hiatus, but I'm back.

So the other week my soon to be sister-in-law flew into town for the weekend and so the family got together for an evening of food & movies.

As evenings go there are always highs and lows ~

Highs: everyone around / cousins causing havoc / conversations going on everywhere / food, and lots of it

Low: stupid movie

Luckily the highs out numbered the lows and made for a very enjoyable evening.

So on the night I made Tarragon & Lemon Chicken.

This is a dead easy recipe and is perfect if you need to feed a large crowd.

Tarragon & Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

All herbs are fresh

1/4 C Tarragon leaves

1/2 C Flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1/4 C Thyme, roughly chopped

2 Lemons

2/3 C Virgin Olive Oil

Salt to season

8 Chicken drumsticks

Assembly

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius
• In a medium bowl combine the herbs, olive oil, zest from the two lemons and the juice from the lemons, and a pinch of salt
• Place the chicken pieces in a roasting pan and liberally spread the herb marinade over the chicken
• Cook the chicken in the oven for about 40 - 50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked

Hints

• There is nothing like the aroma of fresh herbs, but if you don't have them available dried herbs would still work but not in the same quantities.
• Use drumsticks or thigh pieces, whatever is your personal preference.
• This marinade can be easily increased to accommodate 10 pieces of chicken or 20, depending if you're feeding the neighbourhood or not.