Di Mill

Recipe Organisation

 

I love anything that has to do with being organised. Organisational books & tools always catch my eye and encourage me to have a clutter free, organised home.  Having said that - I am far from being organised and it is a topic  I am always working on. One area that I have got under control is my recipes. In theory, you should be able to find any recipe you want online when you need it but I am always finding recipes in magazines, or writing down a friends never fail dish and I needed somewhere to keep all of those pages.

 

My daughter gave me a recipe binder from Kikki K a couple of years ago and I love it. I have filled it with clear plastic sleeves and I just pop a recipe into the sleeve, in the relevant section.

I only keep recipes in the folder that I've tried and really liked or recipes that look interesting and I am yet to try.  Sometimes it's just a photo of an idea for breakfast or an idea for plating up.

 

The back of the book is for presentation ideas and different versions of tablescapes that I might use in the future (although most of my ideas are on my pinterest board)

 

 

The trick with one of these folders is to go through it a couple of times a year and throw out any recipe that you haven't tried and that has been sitting there for quite a while. Otherwise you will find that your folder will be overflowing within a year or two.

 

My recipe books are on a shelf in the pantry but this folder sits out in the family room, near the door to the pantry, where everyone in the family can grab it and flick through looking for some dinner inspiration.

 

How do you keep your recipes in order?

 

Take care....Di

 

 

The Woodbox

Every once in a while I have a small break inbetween customers where I can grab some lunch. The other day it was raining and I stopped at West Burleigh to have something to eat. I came across the quaintest little cafe called The Woodbox - food for the mind body & soul.

 

I was wet and cold and this cafe was the perfect choice to spend the 30 minutes I had spare. The room was filled with recycled timber tables and chairs that were painted in delicate shades of blush & duck egg blue. My table top was a combination of stained wood and painted panels with a metal framed tile as a placemat or coaster.

 

I chose pumpkin ravioli for lunch and it was delicious. My English Breakfast tea arrived in a funky black with white spot tea pot & matching cup & the cutest little milk bottle. My lunch was served on a sweet pale pink vintage place with mismatched vintage silverware.  The light fixtures were a mix of industrial & pretty and were very eyecatching.  This place has a warmth about it that makes you want to stay and linger a while longer, taking in all of the different layers of design.

 

 

There are cosy corners for you to relax in while you have a coffee and something delicious to eat.

 

There are shelves full of lovely things to tempt you.

 

 

The Woodbox is just off the highway so if you are in the area, call in and enjoy some beautiful food and delightful decor.

 

Take care...Di

 

 

Sunday Morning Muffins

 

I have a standby muffin recipe that I use when I have to make something for morning tea in a hurry for unexpected guests or when I have a houseful of hungry kids. This recipe will not win any awards or ever be on Master Chef but it's quick & easy to adjust to whatever ingredients you have in the house. I love how each muffin is slightly different - no perfectly shaped muffins in this house!  

 

 

This is my basic recipe which I change all the time. Sometimes I omit the chocolate chips and add coconut or I omit the jam and add mashed banana. I just add some more milk if it looks a bit dry or another egg if the eggs are slightly small.

 

 

If adding jam on top, the mixture needs to be dense or the jam will work it's way to the bottom of the muffin while it cooks so be careful if you are adding extra milk etc.

 

These muffins are best straight out of the oven after they have cooled slightly. I can pull these out of the oven 30 minutes after I began making them so they have been a great standby when I've needed to make something quickly with limited supplies in the pantry.

 

Do you have a standby recipe that you rely on?

 

Take care....Di

 

 

Burgers at Bondi

There is nothing nicer than a good burger and whenever I'm at Bondi Beach, it's the Swiss-Grand Hotel that wins the "best burger" award.  It's not just the delicious burger that makes this treat a winner...it's the chunky chips that come with....mmmm....yum.

 

 

I hope you are eating something delicious this weekend.

 

Take care...Di

 

 

Pears

With the change of season, it's exciting to see different fruit and vegetables start to arrive into the stores. We don't get a huge difference in our environment when Autumn arrives here in Queensland so it's the subtle changes that I try to notice and that includes a change in available produce or different varieties of flowers on display. A couple of days ago I saw that the most beautiful Corelle pears had arrived in the supermarket. I love their colour and how it changes from the soft celery green to a pinky red - lovely.

 

 

 

What are you enjoying with the change of the seasons?

 

Take care....Di

 

 

Comfort at my table

Every week I get together with a group of girlfriends for coffee and a chat. We have been getting together each week for over 15 years, since our children were young. I love that time each week when we can catch up on what has been happening in each others lives and talk about our own issues and seek advise. It's normally at the same cafe each week but every so often we have an adventure and try somewhere new - just for something a bit special. Last week we went to Comfort at my Table - a lovely cafe in Cribb Street, Milton in Brisbane. It was delightful and the food was superb. This cafe/coffee shop is light and airy with an eclectic mix of vintage objects scattered throughout  the shop. There is a collection of the latest cookbooks for you to peruse while you wait for your order and fresh flowers on all the tables.

 

 

 

The wall art was delightful:

 

There are a variety of floral arrangements on the tables throughout the cafe and we had beautiful roses:

 

 

So if you are in Brisbane and looking for a lovely place to have a cup of tea or coffee and some mouth watering food...stop by Comfort at my Table. You won't be dissappointed and I am definately returning one Sunday morning with my partner for breakfast - amazing menu.

Take care...Di

Cupcake dreaminess

I saw these sweet adorable cupcakes and I just had to share them with you. It's not the cake that is making me sigh....it's the icing. The rose type flowers are so delicate and soft piped in the most gorgeous shade of shell pink. I have no idea how to made these but I think I will have to try it. I have a girlfriends birthday coming up and I thought they would be perfect for afternoon tea.

I actually have these cupcake liners. I haven't been able to source them here in Australia but while I was in the USA recently, I found them and bought them all the way home with me! I think my partner thought I was a bit odd - buying cupcake papers overseas and trying to get them safely home - but I'm sure you guys can understand??

 

 
image via whisk kid

 

If you know how where there is a tutorial on how to ice a rose like this, please forward me the link. In the meantime....I'll just have to get out my icing kit and start experimenting.

Take care...Di

Chocolate Coated Strawberries

I often make chocolated coated strawberries as a dessert if I'm going over to friends for dinner or a sunday lunch but I've never presented them like this:

 

 
yum!..the Godiva Store in Times Square, NY

 

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday...Di

Bread & Butter Pudding

With the cooler weather starting to creep in, one of my family's favourite desserts is Bread & Butter Pudding. The kids have been very spoilt as we have a wonderful bakery down the road from us called Miettes and they started making their own B & B puddings using their own chocolate croissants. Sadly they are no longer making them and I have had to try and replicate the recipe. So after a few trial and errors, I've come up with recipe that both kids think is pretty close. It is delicious and the croissants are a refreshing change to the traditional bread and butter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bread & Butter Pudding using croissants

Ingredients

• 3-4 chocolate croissants (or plain croissants if you prefer)
• 75g sultanas
• 3 tablespoons rum
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 500ml double cream
• 200ml milk
• 2 tablespoons demerara sugar

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
• Grease a pudding dish with a capacity of about 1.5 litres, with butter.
• Put the sultanas in a small bowl, pour the rum over, and microwave them for 1 minute, then leave them to stand.
• Sprinkle the sultanas evenly across the bottom of the dish
• Place the croissants into the pudding dish (I usually slice across them gently before placing them in the dish as this allows the custard mixture to soak into the croissants slightly better)
• Whisk the egg yolks and egg together with the caster sugar, and pour in the cream and milk. Whisk the mixture until blended.
• Pour the egg mixture over the croissants and leave them to soak for at least 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle the top of the pudding with demerara sugar.
• Place the pudding dish onto a baking sheet and put into oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the custard has set and puffed up slightly. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes - spoon into bowls and serve with cream, custard or ice cream.

 

I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as we do. There is never any leftovers as it is just too yummy.

Take care...Di

Donna Hay Day

Bacon and Egg Pies

 

 

 

 

I've been working my way through my favourite Donna Hay Cookbook - Fast, Fresh and Simple.  Last time I made the delicious Brownies but this time I was looking for a breakfast dish. I love cooking a delicious breakfast on a weekend. I'm too busy through the week, so on Saturday or Sunday, I really enjoy pottering in the kitchen and spending time at the table as a family before we all head off in different directions.

 

 

 

Today I settled on Donna's version of bacon and egg pie. It was so quick and easy to prepare, and it tasted superb.

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't have small pie tins so I used ramekins and they worked well. The bacon provides a nest for the creamy light egg mixture.

 

 

If you are looking for something special for breakfast but don't have time to fuss..this is the dish for you!

What is your favourite breakfast?

 

Take care...Di