Hail to chocolate - hail!

When I was younger I really did not get that excited about chocolate but something shifted in my brain when I hit a certain significant birthday! So now I share the love chocolate with my lovely daughter and consider being in her company, with a cake of our favourite chocolate between us (children in bed - us watching rubbish television) - maybe with a glass of wine as well - as something pretty darn special! 

Chocolate Cacao shell made by a craftsman

I emailed to say I was attending the opening of the NZ Chocolate Festival 2012 in the Capital, she was jealous. 
I really wish she was able to come with me now as I know she would have been in heaven and we would have really enjoyed it together! I honestly would not have believed it - here was I eating copious samples of chocolate at nine o'clock in the morning. Promise to self - I am booking her with me next year.

This recipe came from one of my ladies in my Old Girls group. I recently made them for a Bellyful fundraising event and they went down a treat. The man and I are still eating the left-overs....YUM! 
RUM AND RAISIN TRUFFLES

¼ cup raisins, finely chopped                   2 tablespoons rum

250g dark chocolate chopped                   ¼ cup icing sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons butter, softened                  chocolate sprinkles/hail

1 small egg white, lightly beaten

Place raisins in a bowl with the rum and allow to stand for 10 minutes (I left it overnight to really soften).  Melt chocolate in basin over hot water and add butter, icing sugar, egg white, raisins and rum mixture.  Mix to combine and chill mixture until firm.  Shape into small balls the size of a walnut and roll in chocolate sprinkles.  Place on a tray and chill until firm.If preferred place in small paper cases.

Ready to be eaten

Pretty as a picture

A yummy way to use some of that Silver Beet from your garden

I enjoy working in my vegetable and herb garden and I am very proud of everything I produce for the table.  However, I would love it to be a little more prolific than it is. That may require heaps and heaps of hours working in it ( I have so many other loves in my life that take my attention!) or really working out what is missing in the soil.
It might help if I actually tested the soil to find out what is lacking (i.e. what stops certain things from growing to a luxurious abundant end). I recently went to talk by gardening guru - Kay Reardon. She was very helpful and inspiring and if I put some of the knowledge I learned into practice it might help my crops improve. Watch this space!
One thing I seem to be able to grow is Silver Beet (or Chard). When I proudly said recently "my Silver Beet just keeps growing and growing" a dear friend put me in place by saying "everybody can grow silver beet" well that might be the case but it is a jolly useful vegetable to have constantly on hand in your garden.
Looking at my wonderful crop last week, I decided to research my vegetarian cookbooks for a recipe that used about two big bunches.

The following  is perfect for a main dish for vegetarians or a lunch dish for carnivores served with a side salad. I really like the lightness of the dish. You may wish to add extra tasty cheese to the sauce but I thought is was lovely the way it was.
Cannelloni with Chard filling

(from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone – Deborah Madison)  

Serves – 4-6

8 ounces of pasta – if using lasagne sheets - homemade is best

Béchamel sauce made with 1 ½ cups milk, 3 tbsp. butter, 3 ½ tbsp. flour, salt and white pepper

2 large bunches of chard (or silver beet)

1 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 onion – finely chopped

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

1 cup ricotta

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tbsp mascarpone or crème fraiche

1 tsp grated lemon zest

Salt and pepper and freshly milled nutmeg

Butter or olive oil

You can use cannelloni tubes or do what I did and use lasagne sheets – it’s easier than trying to stuff tubes. Cook pasta in fast boiling lightly salted water to just done. Watch they don’t stick together. Make béchamel sauce. Cook chard leaves in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, drain well and squeeze excess water and chop finely.

Heat the oil in a small pan, add onion, parsley and cook until the onion is soft. Add the onion to the chard and mix with the ricotta, half the Parmesan, the mascarpone, lemon zest and 1/8 tsp of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fill cannelloni tubes, or place chard mixture on a sheet of lasagne and roll up. Arrange in a greased lasagne dish. Cover with the béchamel sauce and remaining cheese. Bake until browned and bubbling – about 25 – 30 minutes.

 
Cover with the béchamel sauce and remaining cheese. Bake until browned and bubbling – about 25 – 30 minutes.
Serve with a salad.

A Fork in my thinking

As you all know I have been at the Food Bloggers conference for the last 2 days. It was an amazing time and I thoroughly enjoyed myself thank you! I have a few extra kilos around my waist to prove it. Thank you to Allison and her team, it was so superbly organised, count me in for next year.
We had a huge variety of amazing speakers and sponsors - too many to single out but it reminded me how hard people work to make a successful business and the effort they have to make to get on the 'food stage' and be noticed. My ultimate highlights were the NZ Chocolate Festival watching a demonstration making chocolate balloons and chocolate spaghetti and the Master Class on making pastry at the Le Cordon Bleu School. http://www.lecordonbleu.co.nz/ I picked up so many great tips and new ideas.

Chocolate balloon and spaghetti

All the participants were sponsored for a lunch - how generous is that?? Our names were pulled out of the hat and I was wishing, wishing, wishing to be going to one of my favourite places. Confession time - my heart sank just a little when I heard I was going to The Fork and Brewer http://forkandbrewer.co.nz/
as 1. I had not been there so their food was unfamiliar and 2. my thoughts were 'oh right, so we are going to a pub and I am not a pubby person'.
How wrong was I. The decor is quirky and fun and the warmth and the passion for food (and beer) demonstrated by Anton the Chef was to be applauded. I know it was in his interest to come and talk to us, but he went well beyond the call of duty to ensure we felt welcome and to give us the low down on everything he had cooked for us. I chose the duck ham starter and for the main chilli in a corn tortilla. Both were washed down with a (sample size) beer match, and were very, very tasty.

Fork and Brewer chilli

Our group had opted not to have dessert but Anton brought out a tasting plate of Beer & brioche pudding, Chocolate beer cake and coconut marshmallow with beer! Suffice to say all got eaten.

Before we attacked with spoons

To top off our experience Anton gave us a sample jar of Barmite to take home (and not share). Thank you everyone at The Fork and Brewer, I will be back!

My blog is not meant to be a blog for restaurant reviews but foodies can't ignore the goings on during Visa Wellington on a Plate and the Monteith food challenge and the sharing of food and ideas such events bring to the Capital.

Another Capital meal - this time Foxglove Cafe

I love the ocean and I love eating seafood! Does that make me a Seafoodaphile!? Probably!
Anyway, when I eat out at restaurants I (almost) always pick the seafood option, I love it that much. We also eat a lot of fish at home but not a lot of  shellfish, except maybe raw oysters drizzled with balsamic vinegar....
So this week our mission was to try another Visa Wellington on Plate menu. Our choice was Foxglove www.foxglovebar.co.nz as friends told us it was a great place to dine and of course you get a nice view of the harbour while enjoying your meal.

My first impression walking in the door was the bright and cheerful greeting by the bar staff, so far so good! Then I spotted the white tablecloths and viola! a bit of sunshine trying its best to milk its way to our table with a view of the harbour, tick! Our waiter appeared at our table toot sweet and we sat back and enjoyed a wonderful lunch with wonderful company.

My man chose the same meal as me, Waikanae Crab Tortelinni and Yellow Brick Seafood - today Tarakihi (nestled on a lovely rissotto) but one friend had the pork main, the other the vegetarian option starter. I was intrigued by the Kina Hollandaise on the fish dish, having never been keen to try Kina - I can now say I have - well sort of!




All were pronounced delicious and with a glass of Palliser Estate wine - great value for money. We will return.....
P.S. I love the living plant/fern wall in this restaurant, but we gather it is a little challenging to manage!!

Old Fashioned cooking and mousetraps

I have never been a great fan of takeaways, I know they have their place when life is busy and everyone in the household is too tired to cook! But to me they lack any goodness, and of course being a home baker they lack the love and taste of homemade! Over the years things have improved a bit, I look at takeaway meals in the supermarket, at least they look homemade but they are so expensive for the average household (gosh is that my mother coming out in me!). Yes, cooking at night time after a busy day requires a bit of effort and planning but your children will thank you for it! I can hear mine saying 'well Mum you were hardly ever home to cook for us when we got older' well yes, I was busy earning a 'crust' (excuse the bad pun) and building my career but secretly.....I hoped that as teenagers they would cook the odd meal for me!!
As it turns out both the boy and girl have ended up being great cooks and bakers and are wonderful providers for their families (a bit of pride sneaking in!). I'd like to think they learnt from me when they were much younger, especially when I had to make ends meet while being supported by the welfare system!
When you look at the simplicity of cheese on toast you really wonder why you have to buy a hamburger for a quick meal! I think most homes have their favourite recipe but this one has a bit of a twist. It is a bit fancier than my Mums recipe I have previously posted! I've no idea where the recipe came from - just another cutting I have collected. Lovely for a quick lunch or supper snack for two to four people (depending on how hungry they are) on a wet and windy Capital day! You can alter the amount of bacon to suit.

4-6 slices of bread
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp (or a good slosh of Worcestershire sauce)
1 tsp grainy mustard
 salt and pepper to taste
 6 - 8 rashes of bacon (I used less) chopped or snipped into pieces

Mix all ingredients and spread onto bread, I used Burgen but nice on white bread too. Either cut into soldiers before baking or do it after. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes until golden and puffed with the toast crispy and dry.

Cheese Puffs and babies

Recently I joined up as a volunteer for Bellyful  - a fantastic organisation 'providing  meals for families with newborn babies, and families who are struggling with illness'. For information go to www.bellyful.org.nz

I can recall how hard it was trying to 'whip up a meal'  while managing with a newborn. I had both of my children living in a country area away from family support and really had no idea what I was doing most of the time. When I look back I really don't know how I managed, I don't think I did that well at times! It would have been wonderful to have had Bellyful around!

Apart from helping to cook the meals for Bellyful, I also help deliver them. The service has only been going for in my area for 12 months but in that time they have delivered 700 meals - which is truly amazing!

I willingly donate my hours to this wonderful cause, its mission is totally along the lines of mine - to cook, share food and bring happiness to people!

When I was interviewed by Jacqui for my volunteer role, she served these lovely Cheese Puffs straight out of the oven, and because they were so tasty and me being me, I asked her for the recipe!

Thanks Jacqui! They are so easy and quick to make

Cheese Puffs

from Jacqui – Bellyful Karori

1 c flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 ½ cups tasty cheese

2 eggs

6 tbsp milk

Mix together by folding gently and bake in moderate oven until golden for about 8 – 10 minutes

(Makes 10-12 depending on the size you choose, you can make in muffin tins or as I have in the picture - a spoonful on a greased baking tray or baking sheet).

Cheese Puffs and babies

Recently I joined up as a volunteer for Bellyful  - a fantastic organisation 'providing  meals for families with newborn babies, and families who are struggling with illness'. For information go to www.bellyful.org.nz

I can recall how hard it was trying to 'whip up a meal'  while managing with a newborn. I had both of my children living in a country area away from family support and really had no idea what I was doing most of the time. When I look back I really don't know how I managed, I don't think I did that well at times! It would have been wonderful to have had Bellyful around!

Apart from helping to cook the meals for Bellyful, I also help deliver them. The service has only been going for in my area for 12 months but in that time they have delivered 700 meals - which is truly amazing!

I willingly donate my hours to this wonderful cause, its mission is totally along the lines of mine - to cook, share food and bring happiness to people!

When I was interviewed by Jacqui for my volunteer role, she served these lovely Cheese Puffs straight out of the oven, and because they were so tasty and me being me, I asked her for the recipe!

Thanks Jacqui! They are so easy and quick to make

Cheese Puffs

from Jacqui – Bellyful Karori

1 c flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 ½ cups tasty cheese

2 eggs

6 tbsp milk

Mix together by folding gently and bake in moderate oven until golden for about 8 – 10 minutes

(Makes 10-12 depending on the size you choose, you can make in muffin tins or as I have in the picture - a spoonful on a greased baking tray or baking sheet).

Why I love living in the Capital

Last weekend I had an amazing time in the Capital - the weather was all over the place but it didn't matter - my enjoyment was spent inside - catching the last of the movies at the NZ Film Festival in Wellington and experiencing some amazing food during Wellington on a Plate.

On Saturday while catching the Diana Vreeland movie I had the opportunity to see the new alterations at the Embassy Theatre. The creation of two new theatres and the new downstairs bar area are beautiful. It is the most amazing decor and in keeping with the rest of the superb renovations completed a few years ago.

On Sunday we went to The Penthouse to see Shadow Dancer, a very powerful movie. Their restaurant is  always a firm favourite for us and the Gurnard we had for dinner beforehand was sooo.... nice!

Hungry and ready to sample some fabulous food (after the Embassy) we took our chances (with no reservation) to lunch at Capitol as they were participating in  wellingtononaplate.co.nz

I had checked out their menu beforehand and I liked what I saw! A starter of Mushroom and Lentil Soup and a main of Veal with Pancetta, Sage and Mash. I really cannot remember the last time I ate veal  or cooked veal for that matter so I was really keen to have someone cook it for me. I wasn't disappointed! 

The soup was delicious, I could of eaten the croutons alone and been happy. The veal -  loved it, melted in my mouth and the creamed potatoes (I'm sure there was a cup of cream in them) were divine!

The man in my  life chose the soup and the squid, he was very content with his choices. Everything was washed down with a glass of Borthwick Riesling 2010. Happy, happy, happy!!

Mushroom & Lentil soup

Veal, pancetta, sage and mash

Squid with rocket salad

 

Why I love living in the Capital

Last weekend I had an amazing time in the Capital - the weather was all over the place but it didn't matter - my enjoyment was spent inside - catching the last of the movies at the NZ Film Festival in Wellington and experiencing some amazing food during Wellington on a Plate.

On Saturday while catching the Diana Vreeland movie I had the opportunity to see the new alterations at the Embassy Theatre. The creation of two new theatres and the new downstairs bar area are beautiful. It is the most amazing decor and in keeping with the rest of the superb renovations completed a few years ago.

On Sunday we went to The Penthouse to see Shadow Dancer, a very powerful movie. Their restaurant is  always a firm favourite for us and the Gurnard we had for dinner beforehand was sooo.... nice!

Hungry and ready to sample some fabulous food (after the Embassy) we took our chances (with no reservation) to lunch at Capitol as they were participating in  wellingtononaplate.co.nz

I had checked out their menu beforehand and I liked what I saw! A starter of Mushroom and Lentil Soup and a main of Veal with Pancetta, Sage and Mash. I really cannot remember the last time I ate veal  or cooked veal for that matter so I was really keen to have someone cook it for me. I wasn't disappointed! 

The soup was delicious, I could of eaten the croutons alone and been happy. The veal -  loved it, melted in my mouth and the creamed potatoes (I'm sure there was a cup of cream in them) were divine!

The man in my  life chose the soup and the squid, he was very content with his choices. Everything was washed down with a glass of Borthwick Riesling 2010. Happy, happy, happy!!

Mushroom & Lentil soup

Veal, pancetta, sage and mash

Squid with rocket salad

 

Flat Biscuits

This recipe was on a very yellowed newspaper cutting dated 5th September 1994 and filed away in a folder for future use. In that year my children were aged 18 and 20, gosh! Now they are married and parents to two children each! I never got around to making them for them -  so I thought I would give them a trial run before my B and her little T come to stay in September. It does use a lot of chocolate chips but most passionate bakers have those in the cupboard don't they.....!

For most cookies, or as we in NZ call them - biscuits - you start by creaming the butter and sugar then add an egg or two. This recipe is a little different and ideal if you have run out of eggs and need to whip something up real quick. Their finished texture is a little less crumbly than the traditional cookie and a bit chewy but delicious just the same!

While in Minneapolis I bought myself a very flash Martha Stewart cookie scoop. It works like  an ice-cream scoop and gives you perfect matching sized portions on your baking tray. 

A wee bit over the top you  might say but I am a little attached to it already!

Flat biscuits

185g soft butter

185g white sugar

2tbsp golden syrup

250g flour (or if self-raising – leave out the BP)

2tsp baking powder

2tbsp milk

2tsp vinegar

Half a packet of chocolate chips - the more the merrier!

precooked cookies flattened with your palm

Cream butter, sugar and golden syrup together.  Add milk and vinegar and beat for a minute. Add flour, BP and chocolate chips. Beat for a further minute.

Roll small spoonfuls of the mixture with the palm of your hand and place on cold oven tray, I use baking paper as it makes cleaning up easier and stops them sticking to the tray - flatten with hand (or use a back of a fork).

Bake 15 minutes at 180°Celsius (if fan oven lower to 170), take out when golden brown, leave on a tray to cool then move to a wire rack.

stacked and ready to go

Flat Biscuits

This recipe was on a very yellowed newspaper cutting dated 5th September 1994 and filed away in a folder for future use. In that year my children were aged 18 and 20, gosh! Now they are married and parents to two children each! I never got around to making them for them -  so I thought I would give them a trial run before my B and her little T come to stay in September. It does use a lot of chocolate chips but most passionate bakers have those in the cupboard don't they.....!

For most cookies, or as we in NZ call them - biscuits - you start by creaming the butter and sugar then add an egg or two. This recipe is a little different and ideal if you have run out of eggs and need to whip something up real quick. Their finished texture is a little less crumbly than the traditional cookie and a bit chewy but delicious just the same!

While in Minneapolis I bought myself a very flash Martha Stewart cookie scoop. It works like  an ice-cream scoop and gives you perfect matching sized portions on your baking tray. 

A wee bit over the top you  might say but I am a little attached to it already!

Flat biscuits

185g soft butter

185g white sugar

2tbsp golden syrup

250g flour (or if self-raising – leave out the BP)

2tsp baking powder

2tbsp milk

2tsp vinegar

Half a packet of chocolate chips - the more the merrier!

precooked cookies flattened with your palm

Cream butter, sugar and golden syrup together.  Add milk and vinegar and beat for a minute. Add flour, BP and chocolate chips. Beat for a further minute.

Roll small spoonfuls of the mixture with the palm of your hand and place on cold oven tray, I use baking paper as it makes cleaning up easier and stops them sticking to the tray - flatten with hand (or use a back of a fork).

Bake 15 minutes at 180°Celsius (if fan oven lower to 170), take out when golden brown, leave on a tray to cool then move to a wire rack.

stacked and ready to go

Chocolate Bubble Cakes

This is from my daughter's Milk and Honey inspiring blog, http://beckypiesky.blogspot.co.nz/ she makes these a lot because....

1. they are quick and easy to make

2. they are great to take to a children's party - they LOVE them!

3. they are very sweet and chocolately and who doesn't like that!

It has been about 30 years since I made them and I had forgotten how nice they were - and how easy they were to make! I took a plate along to treat my Old Girls - it was so nice to see their faces and hear them say "oh I haven't had one of these for years, they are lovely - I must make them again - can I have the recipe?"

I think that is one of the reasons why I love to bake and cook - sharing - it is such a lovely thing to bring a bit of cheer through sharing food and recipes. 

My mother was a great 'bring a plate' person, between my daughter and I we are carrying on the tradition big time!

It is best to place the cupcake papers in the patty tin, then add the mixture, my photo shows the ones that were not 'moulded' properly - they don't look as 'pretty' as they should. I forgot to photograph the nice ones!

It's funny - I can't recall using Kremelta for any other recipe than this one and I really didn't think it was easy to buy, but I need not have have worried - it was there on the shelf at my local supermarket. The recipe can be found in the Edmond's Cookery Book Pub 1998.

Prep time:   10 minutes
Servings:   2 – 3  dozen
Ingredients:
250g Kremelta
4 cups rice bubbles
1 ½ cups sifted icing sugar
1 cup dessicated coconut
4 tbsp cocoa
24 - 36 mini paper cupcake liners
Directions:
Melt the Kremelta over a low heat.
Mix the rice bubbles, coconut, cocoa and icing sugar in a bowl and pour in the Kremelta. Mix well and scoop into the cupcake liners. Refrigerate until set about 20 minutes.

Chocolate Bubble Cakes

This is from my daughter's Milk and Honey inspiring blog, http://beckypiesky.blogspot.co.nz/ she makes these a lot because....

1. they are quick and easy to make

2. they are great to take to a children's party - they LOVE them!

3. they are very sweet and chocolately and who doesn't like that!

It has been about 30 years since I made them and I had forgotten how nice they were - and how easy they were to make! I took a plate along to treat my Old Girls - it was so nice to see their faces and hear them say "oh I haven't had one of these for years, they are lovely - I must make them again - can I have the recipe?"

I think that is one of the reasons why I love to bake and cook - sharing - it is such a lovely thing to bring a bit of cheer through sharing food and recipes. 

My mother was a great 'bring a plate' person, between my daughter and I we are carrying on the tradition big time!

It is best to place the cupcake papers in the patty tin, then add the mixture, my photo shows the ones that were not 'moulded' properly - they don't look as 'pretty' as they should. I forgot to photograph the nice ones!

It's funny - I can't recall using Kremelta for any other recipe than this one and I really didn't think it was easy to buy, but I need not have have worried - it was there on the shelf at my local supermarket. The recipe can be found in the Edmond's Cookery Book Pub 1998.

Prep time:   10 minutes
Servings:   2 – 3  dozen
Ingredients:
250g Kremelta
4 cups rice bubbles
1 ½ cups sifted icing sugar
1 cup dessicated coconut
4 tbsp cocoa
24 - 36 mini paper cupcake liners
Directions:
Melt the Kremelta over a low heat.
Mix the rice bubbles, coconut, cocoa and icing sugar in a bowl and pour in the Kremelta. Mix well and scoop into the cupcake liners. Refrigerate until set about 20 minutes.

A change is as good as a rest!

Well that was an interesting trip! I have just returned home from Minneapolis in the U.S. (to attend a N.F.P conference), so surprised by the quality and presentation of the food in this city, everything was lovely and fresh and tasted great! I take it all back about America, you just have to find the right city and follow the advice from the locals about where to eat!!

I had some really memorable meals, made very special by the company of 'Minnesota Nice' people. The local specialities were panfried Walleye fish and a Wild Rice soup, simple but delish!
The weather was hot, the sky a bright blue every day and it was lovely to explore and shop. The Thursday food market in the CBD offered everything imaginable! One lunch plate I enjoyed was a wonderful crab meat salad at the Mission restaurant, the best I have ever, ever tasted!

Another stand out meal was a visit to a Spanish restaurant where I was treated to the daily special - two tapas, handmade quacamole with corn chips (forget the packages ones - these were to die for!) and mini tortillas with succulent prawns smothered in a  gorgeous sauce and a squeeze of lime juice, washed down with a a bottle of Mexican lime soda - divine!! I felt very happy eating while sitting on a high stool at the bar (yes that's me in the mirror!)
My time in Minneapolis was a great experience but as they say there is no place like home....
I'm definitely going to try and make that Wild Rice soup....