Daisy Chains and Picnics

Coming from Scotland, we have visited Edinburgh on numerous occasions, we always went for the shopping not for the 'touristy' things which now that we live in Australia, I hugely regret. You know it is that thing where you live so close to somewhere that at the time the tourist gems don't really appeal to you, you only have the time to get done what you set out to do then head home again. Isn't the internet a hive of information!. I came across this article on the Edinburgh Spotlight website, for more information go  here . I never even knew this place existed, if at anytime I am fortunate to return to visit this beautiful city, I will for sure be going here. Check this out... The Real Mary King’s Close The Real Mary King’s Close The Real Mary King’s Close  is buried deep beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The city’s deepest secret; a warren of hidden streets that has remained frozen in time since the 17th Century. There is nowhere in the world quite lik...

A little twist on an Aussie classic. Damper is the bush-bread of Australia, traditionally baked in the hot ashes of campfires.  A number of flavour combinations are on the go, I liked the idea of trying it with black pudding and bacon, it turned out delicious. Quick and easy to make, the perfect picnic lunch. Ingredients 3 cups self-raising flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp caster sugar 75 g chilled butter, chopped 2 slices cooked bacon 1 black pudding 1/2 tbsp dried parsley 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup water Method 1.  Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Chop bacon into pieces, remove skin from black pudding and dice. 2.  Sift flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in bacon and black pudding pieces and parsley. 3.  Add milk and water to flour mixture. Stir until mixture becomes a sticky dough, add extra water ...

Mushrooms, one of my most favourite vegetables, I love cooking with them, adding them to different dishes, they are so versatile. Coat them in some super crispy tempura batter and they are even more scrummy. Look how beefy these babies are. Ingredients 1 egg 1 cup icy cold water 3/4 cup plain flour pinch bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp garlic powder 3-4 portobello mushrooms Method 1.  Slice mushrooms into 3/4" thick slices. 2.  Heat some oil in a heavy based pan over med/high heat until hot, test with a droplet of batter, if it bubbles and rises the oil is ready. 3. Meanwhile, beat egg and water together until light and frothy. Sift together flour, bicarbonate of soda and garlic powder. Add to egg mixture and whisk together, don't over whisk. 4.  Dip the mushroom slices in batter, shake off excess, gently lower into heated oil, cook, turning once, for 3-4 minutes or until batter is golden and crispy. 5.  Drain on paper ...

The combination of the subtle spice of black pudding, pork and sweet tangy apple sauce really works. Some people cringe at the thought of black pudding or also known as blood sausage but growing up in Scotland this type of foods were eaten and enjoyed. We were fortunate enough to be raised eating traditional as well as modern foods. My gran and mum were amazing cooks. Gran was incredibly versatile in her variety of cooking for her age (born in 1910), she could whip up the most delicious up to date food just from tasting and adding as she went along, her sweet and sour and spaghetti bolognese were delicious, no ready made jars with her!. It is only now that I am trying to log recipes for my kids that I wish I had paid more attention to grans recipes and method of cooking, as the saying goes "there's no school like the old school" Ingredients 1 black pudding, skin removed 1 clove garlic, crushed 500 g pork mince 1/2 small onion, finely chopped...

These were delicious and so easy to make. We cooked them on the campfire but they can also be cooked on the stove. Ingredients 1 red capsicum 1 yellow capsicum 4 eggs Method 1. Slice capsicums into thick slices to form a ring. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Spray with a little cooking oil. 2.  Place capsicum rings into pan. Crack eggs into separate small bowls. Carefully pour egg into ring, season with salt and pepper. Cook until egg is cooked on the bottom, we placed a piece of foil over the pan to create heat to cook the eggs without having to flip them over, this worked great. Delicious as a snack or side dish.

HAPPY LOVE DAY 💘 We spent Valentine's day at home. We don't do the whole gift giving thing, no expensive cards or flowers, we just prefer to cook a nice meal together and spend the evening with our kids. Scott and I went to our local for a celebratory drink before we cooked dinner.  It was a wet and windy evening, so we just enjoyed a special dinner, a glass of bubbles then curled up with the kids to watch a movie (kids choice). PERFECT 💋 We had sushi for a starter. Followed by a main of T-bone steak, capsicum eggs and grilled asparagus. For dessert I made a jelly, custard, strawberry and cream concoction. It was delicious. Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's day filled with lots of love 💕

A very interesting read found on the Woman's Day website  here . Check it out. 12 Things You Didn't Know About Valentine's Day Get in the mood for love with interesting facts about the sweetest holiday. BY  KATHLEEN DAVIS Jan 9, 2018 Get in the mood for love with interesting facts about the sweetest holiday by Kathleen Davis Why are red roses so popular? How many candy hearts are produced every year? And most important, how many single men are actually out there? Love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Whether you're steadfastly single or joyfully coupled up, chances are you have a thing or two to learn about love. Read on for surprising stats and unexpected info about the holiday. 1. Valentine's Day started with the Romans. There are two theories about the origin of Valentine's Day. The first is that the day derives from Lupercalia, a raucous Roman festival on February 15 where men stripped naked an...

An great informative article on Harry Potter things by This is Edinburgh, Official guide to Edinburgh at http://edinburgh.org/ . Check it out.. (Information sourced  here ) Must-sees in Edinburgh for Harry Potter Fans 18 November 2016 Share:       Category: things to do The Harry Potter book series is surely well-known by almost everyone on the planet, but did you know that JK Rowling penned the world's favourite wizarding stories right here in Edinburgh? As you walk around the city, you can see the streets and sights that inspired the global sensation. Visit the locations in our guide and get a real sense of Hogwarts and the wizarding world, right here in Scotland's capital... The Elephant House and Spoon Café [Image by  Alf Melin ] Start your journey where it all began. Before she made her millions with the Harry Potter books, JK Rowling would seek refuge from the cold and write her early manuscripts in Edinburgh's warm and welcoming...