The Year In Review

New years eve is the time to look back and reflect on the year that was!

This year has been a year of incredible highs and lows for me.

I got to do my ultimate trip to Italy. I got to experience all that I had dreamed about for so long. The trip was everything I had hoped for and more. It also gave me a chance to be "me" again, and not be Mum for 2 weeks! 

Looking back though that was to be sum total of "highs" for me for the year!

The morning I landed back home, I landed with a thud! Within 3 hours of arriving home I was at the vet's having the family dog put to sleep. I guess they wanted me to be the one to do the dastardly deed. Putting this dog to sleep was so much more than putting the family pet to sleep. This dog was my son who has special needs' best and probably only friend. He was distraught, and it led him into a downward spiral of behavioral problems.

After 6 weeks, I succumbed and got the family a new dog! A rescue dog, I'm not sure exactly why he was surrendered, but he was a very emotional young "teenager" when he joined our family.

Looking back on Milo's entry into our home, I can see this is where the year went all pear shaped. Jack loved this dog, sure not as much as the other one, but it was still early days. He took him for walks, and that is when the bottom fell out of our world!

Those of you that have been followers for a while will know that Jack has Prader Willi Syndrome. This syndrome is a cruel one, and has many unfortunate characteristics, one of which is a high pain threshold. While out walking Milo (who happens to be an incredibly strong dog for such a medium sized animal) Jack managed to slip his femur out of the socket! A normal person would be screaming in agony, he simply complained of a pain in his hamstring. We rubbed, and went to doctors and physios, but there didn't seem to anything glaringly obvious wrong. Three weeks later, after my savior of many occasions in the months to come saw Jack, and pondered this strange set of symptoms, he suggested we should get a hip x ray done.

A six hour Emergency surgery followed, the blood supply was dead, and Jack was to be in a wheelchair for 12 months!

The worst however, was still yet to come. As I have said Prader Willi Syndrome has many issues, most we learn about along the way as we travel the journey. Four days post surgery, Jack slipped into a psychotic/delerium state. My seemingly "normal" 14 year old was little more than a baby again. I have since learnt that people with PWS can slip into these psychotic states, Jack was the youngest to have ever done this. The prognosis was not great - this state could last anyway from days, to weeks, to months!

Fortunately, we only visited "la-la land"for 35 days.

After 3 months in hospital, it was time to face the next hurdle - how to care for this child who already was more than I could handle, but now had all these new issues to deal with?

After much soul searching and tears, a decision was made to place him in "out of home" care. This is by no means an easy decision to make. I always wanted to take care of him, and to find a suitable place in the future, so that he could lead a relatively happy, normal, independent lifestyle. This was all so much more earlier than we had anticipated. Unfortunately services and facilities for adolescents with special needs are few and far between.

So while I used to write a daily blog, I now started putting all those words to good use. I started to writing to anybody who I thought would listen to me. I think nearly every politician in the state knows about Jack now!

It seems though that my words found listening ears. I now have a real chance to try and make a difference to the lives of young people with PWS. I am stepping into the new year fighting a battle that is for me a personal battle , but I am fighting not only for me, and my child. I aim to raise the level of awareness about PWS, and I am determined to get housing built so that our young adults with PWS can live meaningful, productive lives.

So Dear Readers, while I might not have been blogging, I have certainly been busy. I have often wondered if anyone has even missed me? We have still eaten, for many months though it was certainly not up to our usual calibre, but it was sustenance (and often times it was provided by good hearted samaritans!)

So I leave you here, at the end of a year I would sooner rather forget with a beautiful roasted pork belly.

I'm not going to give you the recipe, other than to say - it's all about simplicity.

8 Hour Slow Roasted Pork Belly

Score your pork belly rind. Place it on a rack in the sink, and pour over a kettle of boiling water. Dry well with paper towels. Rub oil and salt into the rind.

Turn the oven onto 100 degrees C.

Place the rack in a roasting pan. Carefully pour in a cup of cold water into the base of the roasting pan. Roast for 8 hours, checking that there is still water in the pan every couple of hours.

After 8 hours, turn the oven up to 220 degrees, roast for 20-25 minutes, or until you have perfectly crispy crackling!

Serve with whatever sauce you desire - port and cherry sauce, or as I did a caramelized peanut salsa.

Is there anything better than the crunch of pork crackling? I think not!

So Dear Readers I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year. I hope that 2013 holds good things for everyone (someone told me that its the years with the even numbers that are the bad ones) - so let's hope 13 is good because it's odd!

Asian Style Pork Chops on Wilted Asian Greens

This is pure agony!!! As I type and look at the photos of this meal my belly is rumbling.  I didn't think that I was hungry, but obviously my stomach thinks differently!!!

Why is dieting so hard?  Why can't I just use zen thoughts to whittle away the kilos??  How long am I going to have to deprive myself for??

I know, it's all of my own doing - the love of food ultimately leads to an increase of girth, but why, oh why is it so hard to remove those few extra indulgences?  Why cant, say one week of really hard dieting remove - oh 5-10 kilos!!  Wouldn't that be nice???  I have been really good this last week, but the numbers coming off are oh so slow!!  I am finding myself during late afternoon almost beside myself.  "The Darlings" come in from school and cook up popcorn, have chocolate paddle pops, or whatever, and I just want to gnaw off my arm at the elbow (but then I have to tell myself - that isn't going to help - it's protein, and you will just have to have less at dinner time!!!)  So I console myself with a cup of miso soup, and countless glasses of water in an effort to distract myself from thoughts of real food.

Finally dinner time rolls around, here is what I had the other night!

Asian Style Pork Chops with Wilted Asian Greens
Adapted from Taste.com.au

Serves 4-6

8 Pork Cutlets
2 tbs brown sugar
8 whole star anise
2 tbs finely grated ginger
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup light soy sauce

Wilted Asian Greens
1 bunch asparagus, cut in half
1 bunch gai choy, ends trimmed, coarsely chopped
1 bunch bok choy, ends trimmed, coarsely chopped
1/2 wombok cabbage, shredded
1 tbs sesame seeds

Combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, star anise, ginger, vinegar and oil in a large ziploc bag.  Add the pork, and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours, or longer if possible, to allow the flavours to develop.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.  Place the pork chops from the marinade, and place in a disposable foil baking tray (gets you out of the kitchen faster - less washing up!!!).  Place the reserved marinade in a saucepan.  Place the pork chops in the oven, and cook for 20 minutes.  ** Remove from the oven, and cover with foil to keep warm while you are cooking the veggies.

 **Add approximately 1/4 cup of water to the marinade, and bring to the boil.  Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until thickened slightly.

To cook the greens, heat the wok over medium high heat, and gently toast the sesame seeds.  Remove to a plate.

Add the chopped green vegetables, and a small amount of water.  Toss gently until they are just wilted.

Place the wilted greens on a plate, sprinkle over the sesame seeds, then top with a pork chop.

For those not counting their carbs, add a serving of steamed rice.

So did this put the monsters to bay?  Yes, having a huge amount of veggies certainly fills up the belly in the short term - but I find after a while I am hungry again - so my remedy - clean your teeth, and off to bed to read!!!

It's only 60 more days til I go away, will I last?

So Dear Readers, do you have any diet tips, or recipes you would like to pass along?  Please share!!!!

Thai Style Pork Burgers with Pineapple Relish and Snow Pea and Mint Slaw

The other day I was at a real loss as to what to make for dinner.  So much so that I ventured into a supermarket that I don't usually buy at just to pick up their "freebie" recipe magazine for inspiration!! Thank goodness I did.  Sometimes picking up something different is like a breath of fresh air (and sometimes it isn't, as they all seem to just recycle the same ideas -but slightly differently!!  I have seen Rueben Sandwiches in two current magazines lately!!!)

Anyway I picked up Curtis Stone's "Feed Your Family" brochure.  In it were several ideas that I could quite happily have made - but the one that struck a cord was the Thai Style Burgers.  The little "reluctance motor" in my brain was working overtime (did you like how I slipped in the Thermomix theme?).  I am going to make these burgers, but I am going to make my own mince!!!  Why you ask??? Well 1) 'cos I can, and 2) I am sure that my mince is going to be so much better than what I can buy already pre packaged - I am going to use pork scotch fillet (which at $7.99 per kilo is cheaper too!!!).  So here is the meal that was - all food preparation was performed by my sous chef "Thermie".

Thai Style Pork Burgers with Pineapple Relish and Snow Pea and Mint Slaw
Adapted from recipe by Curtis Stone - Coles "Feed Your Family Brochure"

Serves 6

Burgers

1.2kg pork scotch fillet (or pork mince)
4 cloves garlic
3cm piece ginger, cut into slices
4 tsp fish sauce
4 tbs hoi sin sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil

To make the mince - cube the scotch fillet into pieces and process in batches of 250g -300g each batch.  Place the meat in the TM bowl - set the dial to closed lid position and press Turbo 3-4 times, or until the meat has been minced to desired consistency.  Place in bowl and process remaining meat until all meat has been minced.

Place the ginger and garlic in TM bowl and process for 3 seconds on speed 7.

Place the ginger and garlic into the bowl with the mince and the add remaining ingredients.  Mix well.  With wet hands form the mixture into patties.  Place on a foil lined tray and place in the fridge until ready to cook.

Pineapple Relish

2 cups diced fresh pineapple, cut into 2cm cubes (approx 1/2 a pineapple)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 red chilli, seeded
2cm piece ginger, cut into slices

Place the ginger and chilli in the TM bowl and process for 3 seconds on speed 7.  Add the remaining ingredients to the TM bowl.  Cook for 25 minutes at 100 degrees on Reverse and speed soft - with the MC removed.  You want most of the liquid to have evaporated.  If there is still a lot of liquid cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.  Place the MC back on the lid and with the dial set to closed lid position press turbo 1-2 times, or until you have a chunky consistency.  Allow to cool.

Snow Pea and Mint Slaw

1 carrot, peeled and finely julienned
100g snow peas, ends and string removed, finely julienned
1/2 wombok, finely sliced
1 green shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
3/4 cup finely diced fresh pineapple

Vinaigrette Dressing


1 tbs rice wine vinegar
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a small screw top jar and shake until sugar has dissolved.

Toss all the slaw ingredients in a large bowl.  Just before serving toss through the dressing.

To cook the burgers heat a large frying pan over medium high heat.  Add a small amount of olive oil to the pan and cook the patties for 4-5 minutes each side, or until browned and cooked through.  Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.  You may also like to cook these on the BBQ - but be careful that they don't burn - the sweetness of the hoi sin sauce may over caramelise!

To serve place a mound of the slaw on the plate, a pork patty and a dollop of pineapple relish.  If you want to complete the picture add some fries!!!

This was a lovely take on the old burger - with beautiful fresh flavours.  The slaw, by adding a small amount of pineapple, really brought it all together nicely.  This would be a great meal to serve on a hot summer's evening.

Of course you can make this without using a Thermomix - simply use prepackaged mince, cook the pineapple relish on the stove, and then process in a food processor.

So as the weather is starting to show sings of changing is your menu changing too???  HAve you lightened up a "classic"?  Do tell.

Sweet and Sour Sesame Pork

Sweet and Sour Pork - it's one of those perennial favourites that you get when you go the local Chinese Restaurant for dinner.  Well it is with our family!

I don't tend to make it that much at home as I tend to shy away from anything  that I need to fry in batches - I find that by the last batch the first has gone soggy!!!  So don't ask my why I was tempted in anyway to make this dish - perhaps the "inspiration fairy" had deserted me this week - I don't know - but somehow Sweet and Sour Pork made it onto the menu at our house!  I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the results too!  This is a lovely fresh Sweet and Sour - I think the addition of cherry tomatoes makes all the difference.

Sweet and Sour Sesame Pork
Adapted From MasterChef Magazine- June Edition

Serves 4-6

1.2kg pork scotch fillet (neck) steaks
1/2 cup cornflour
1 tsp garam masala
1 egg
2tbs soy sauce
2tsp sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
5cm piece of ginger, cut into matchstick size pieces
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine
400g pineapple, cut into 3cm pieces
250g grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red capsicum, cut into 3cm pieces
2 tbs sesame seeds
2 spring (green) onions, thinly sliced
rice bran oil to shallow fry
1/4 cup plain flour

Steamed rice to serve

Cut the pork into 3cm pieces.  Place 2 tbs cornflour and garam masala in a bowl.  Whisk in egg, soy sauce and sesame oil until combined.  Add the pork and toss to coat.

To make the sweet and sour sauce, place the garlic and ginger in a pan.  Add the tomato paste, vinegar, sugar and rice wine.  Combine.  Add the pineapple pieces, cherry tomatoes, and capsicum.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar, then cook for 20 minutes, or until the capsicum is tender, but the tomatoes are still holding their shape.  Keep warm.

Meanwhile heat the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, or golden (stirring).  Transfer to a bowl.  Add the sliced spring onions along with 1 tsp salt.  Reserve.

Fill a frying pan or wok with 3 cm of oil.  Heat over medium heat.  Add the remaining cornflour, the plain flour and 2tsp water to the pork mixture.  Toss the pork to coat.  Fry the pork in batches for 3 minutes each side, until golden and cooked through.  Drain on paper towel.

Combine the pork and the sauce.  Scatter the pork mixture with the sesame seed mixture.  Serve with rice.

This was really lovely, much better than I expected.  I think choosing the right cut of pork made a big difference as well.  The pork scotch fillet made for a nice tender piece of meat.  The flavours in the sauce were also excellent.  I Will definitely make this one again!!!

So Dear Readers what is your favourite dish when head on out the the local Chinese Restaurant with the family?

Pork Schnitzel with Apple Salad

Things in this house have been a little crazy of late.  What with children with broken arms, dogs having strokes, and me setting off on the Thermomix Demonstrating journey, it has all been a bit hectic to say the least!  Shopping has sort of fallen by the wayside a few times, and meals have been flung together as and when I can.  I did plan a meal a while ago, but somehow I never got around to making it - some of the components got used in other meals, and when the time came to make this dish I found myself lacking a few ingredients.  It was late, I was frazzled - it was just going to have to be made with what I had on hand!

The dish was featured in an article called On the Mountain in the latest edition of Delicious Magazine.  It was another Valli Little recipe so I was sure it would be good.

Pork Schnitzel with Apple Salad
Adapted from Delicious Magazine - August Edition.  Recipe by Valli Little

6 x 100g pork schnitzels
250ml greek yoghurt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp german mustard
1 cup plain flour, seasoned
2 eggs, and small amount of milk
3 cups panko breadcrumbs

Apple Salad
juice of 1 lemon
splash extra virgin olive oil
salad leaves
1/3 cup walnut pieces
2 red apples, cored, and sliced into wedges

Place the garlic clove in the TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on speed 7!  Why?? Because I can!!!

Combine the yoghurt, garlic and mustard in a large bowl.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Add the pork schnitzels and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, longer if time permits.

Combine the eggs, and a small amount of milk in a large flat plate.  Gently whisk to combine.

Place the seasoned flour on a large flat plate.

Place the panko crumb on a large flat plate.

You know the routine.

Remove the pork from the yoghurt mixture - allowing the excess to drip off.

Place in the flour, lightly coat.  Shake off excess.  Place in the egg mixture, and then into the breadcrumbs.

Cover and chill until ready to cook.

For the salad.  Combine the lemon juice with a good splash of olive oil.  Season well.  Add the apple and toss to combine.

To cook the pork, heat 1cm of oil in a large heavy based fry pan over medium heat.  Cook the schnitzels in batches for 3 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through.  Drain on paper towels.

Just before serving add the salad leaves to the apple mixture.  Toss gently.

Serve the pork schnitzel with apple salad, topped with walnut pieces, and fries.

Now while this meal was not as Valli Little intended - I must say - it was very tasty indeed.  The recipe stated the yoghurt should be buttermilk and have the addition of sage leaves.  I was also supposed to marinate the meat in this mixture for up to 4 hours.  Try it that way if you like - but I think the way I did it worked out very well.

Pork Cutlets with Parsnip Puree and pan fried Apples

Sometimes it's the simple things that are often the best.

Take for example the marriage of pork and apple.  It has been around forever, and why is that so?  Purely and simply because it works so well.  Add another simple element like parsnip puree and you have a truly winning combination.  You can slave away all day over a hot stove making some gastronomic delight, but often times you will receive just as many accolades when you produce a simple meal just like this.

Pork Cutlets With Parsnip Puree and pan fried Apples
Adapted from From Delicious Magazine June Edition to use the Thermomix

Serves 4-6

5 parsnips (approx 1kg), peeled, cut into small pieces
200g milk
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs olive oil
6 pork cutlets
50g unsalted butter
3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1 cm thick wedges
2 tsp caster sugar
1/4 cup sage leaves

I adapted the parsnip puree to make in the Thermomix.  I will give both sets of directions - with and without the Thermomix - if you are making this in a saucepan note that the amount of milk used is slightly different.

TM Version

Place the parsnip pieces, garlic and milk in the TM bowl.  Cook for 20 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1.  Insert the butterfly.  Add the butter, and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Mash for 20 seconds on speed 3.  Place in the thermoserver to keep warm.

Non TM version

Place the parsnips and garlic in a saucepan.  Add 2 2/3 cups of milk.  Bring to just below boiling point, then reduce the heat to medium low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the parsnip are tender.

Remove the parsnip and garlic from the milk, reserving the milk.  Place the parsnip and garlic in a food processor, add 1/2 to 1 cup of the reserved milk, the process to a smooth puree.  Add ing more milk if necessary.  Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Seat aside to keep warm.

Meanwhile heat 1 tbs of olive oil in a frypan over medium high heat.  Season the cutlets with sea salt and pepper then cook for 2-3 minutes each side, or until just cooked through.  Remove from the pan, loosely cover with foil and rest while you cook the apple.

Heat a small amount of butter and the remaining 1 tbs of olive oil in the same frypan.  Add the apple and caster sugar, season with sea salt and black pepper, then cook for 5-6 minutes, tossing until the apple is lightly caramelised and tender.  Add the sage leaves and cook for a further 1 minute, or until wilted.

Serve the pork and apple on top of the parsnip puree, then drizzle over pan juices.

My "Partner in Crime" told me how wonderful this dish was, and she was not wrong!!!  Simple to cook, and delicious to eat!!!  Perfect comfort food!!!

Pork Ragu

I think I am becoming a little blase about life with Thermie!  I just didn't realise how much he helps me out in the kitchen until I looked back at the photos of all the things I had made this week (that I have yet to post!!).

So in the way of a wrap up I will show you what Thermie has done with me lately....

Saturday
As you know he helped me out with the sofrito base of my Osso Bucco, and then cooked the polenta (which meant no pot of bubbling yellow lava on the stove - hurray!!!)

Sunday
After spending the day at Rugby, and being really tired, I didn't feel like making dinner - but Thermie whipped up some hummus,

and then some tabouli

to go with the lovely fresh chevapi I had bought in Haberfield the other day.

Dinner was on the table in minutes!

Monday
I had purchased some lamb skewers from the Haberfield IGA (which incidentally were delicious - and so, so tender!!!) .  To go with these Thermie made a ham and cheese pullapart bread.

While the bread was proving Thermie then got to work making up a pot of Minestrone Soup for "the Lad" to take to school for his lunches!!!

Tuesday
Having an extra person for dinner, and not knowing exactly whether sport was cancelled due to rain, I was a little unsure about what to make for dinner.  Quick dash around the supermarket to pick up a few things, then back home to Thermie for some assistance!  Once again he came to the rescue and helped me make the sofrito base to the night's meal.

According to Wikipedia Sofrito is the culinary combination of aromatics used as a base in Mediterranean based cooking. Typically onion, garlic and tomatoes are used - but of course you can add to it!!  I have added carrots and celery - and then mushrooms.

While having no particular recipe I was following last night here is what I threw into the pot .....

Pork Ragu

1.2kg pork scotch fillet (neck) cut into large chunks
1 onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
3 small carrots, finely diced
100g pancetta, roughly chopped
200g mushrooms, quartered
2 x 400g canned cherry tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs Thermomix vegetable stock concentrate
3/4 cup water
375g pappardelle pasta (cooked according to packet directions)
parmesan cheese, grated

Add a little olive oil to a large saucepan.  Add the onion and garlic, cook over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until starting to soften.  Add the pancetta and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until starting to crispen.  Add the carrot and celery, and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms start to soften.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, stock concentrate, and water.  Mix well and bring to the boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the lid and allow to simmer for an additional 1-2 hours - or until the meat is tender and you are able to break the meat apart easily.

After 2-3 hours cooking time (yes I know it is a long time - but you will be rewarded with this dish!!!) Using the back of a wooden spoon gently push to meat into the side of the saucepan to break up the meat. You should end up with lovely stringy pieces of meat!!!

Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve on top of pappardelle pasta, then top with freshly grated parmesan cheese (which Thermie has grated for you while you have been watching the news!!!!)

Not only was this a lovely warming meal - it was a great budget buster!!!  The piece of pork cost only $13 and I will be able to get 2 meals from what I made last night.  Loyal readers will know how much I love my pork scotch fillet!!!  So very versatile!

If you are looking to impress, and make a beautifully tasty meal - try making a ragu like this - it is so much nicer than using regular old mince.  It may take a little longer - but there really is no more effort involved - just set it up and let it simmer it's little heart away!!  You won't be disappointed with the aromas or the flavour!!!!

Wednesday
Never being off duty, my faithful friend Thermie rocked up for duty early this morning and made us some wonderfully warming porridge for breakfast.

Will I give Thermie the day off today - not likely!! Tonight he will be making the mashed potato and gravy to go with the tomato and provolone sausages I picked up last week.

What is that saying - There's no rest for the wicked!!  and Thermie - you are wickedly good to have around the kitchen!!!!

Pork and Pasta Bake

"The Darlings" gave me an Italian Cookbook for my birthday, and on first glance I didn't think there was anything in there that jumped out at me and said "make me!"  So what I did was turn the book on them, and ask them to pick a dish that they would like me to make.  

This is the dish that they picked.  On closer inspection I  saw that there were vegetables in there - they of course hadn't read the ingredients - just looked at the picture!

I thought to myself - just another pasta dish.  Boring!!!  But, boy was I wrong - this dish was great - so much flavour, and it pleased everyone because it had the best of both worlds in there.  The creamy sauce, and the meat sauce!!

Pork and Pasta Bake
Adapted from Best Ever Italian Cookbook

Serves 6

1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely diced *
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped *
2 carrots, finely diced *
100g pancetta, chopped *
200g mushrooms, chopped *
1kg pork mince
1 cup dry white wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tbs fresh sage, finely chopped
500g penne pasta
240g mozzarella cheese
8 tbs freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 cups Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel Sauce
From EDC Thermomix Cookbook

1000g milk
100g flour
100g butter
1 tsp salt
pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.  Add the onion, garlic and carrots and cook stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion has softened.  Add the pancetta and cook for a 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the pork and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until all the meat is browned all over.  Add the wine, tomatoes and the sage.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about 1/2.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

* I used the Thermomix to cut up all the vegetables - simply processed the onion and garlic for 3 seconds on speed. 7.  Then did the same for the carrots, and then the mushrooms, and then the sage.  Made it all too easy!!!!

While the meat is cooking, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.  Cook pasta for 8-10 minutes, or until still al dente.  Drain well.

Bechamel Sauce

TM Method:
Place all the ingredients in the TM bowl and cook for 12 minutes at 90 degrees on speed 4.

Once the sauce is cooked add the mozzarella cheese, and 4 tbs of the parmesan cheese to the sauce, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Mix on speed 5 for 5 seconds.



(I did not make this recipe - I used the TM version above!)
Conventional Method:
110g unsalted butter
110g (3/4) cup all purpose flour
1000ml (4 cups) milk
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium - low heat.  Add the flour, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the milk.  Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.  Add the bay leaf and let simmer gently for 2 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and season to taste with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.


Spoon the pork mixture in a large ovenproof dish.  Add the bechamel sauce to the drained pasta.  Mix well.  Spoon the pasta and sauce mixture over the pork mixture.  Sprinkle the top of the sauce with the reserved 4 tbs of parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with additional parmesan cheese on the side.

I must say this was one of the nicest pasta dishes I have had in a long time.  The flavours were great, and a big bonus for me was that there vegetables in there - and "The Darlings" had no clue!!!  Just gobbled it all down!!

This was a big winner in my books - and there was sufficient left over that I have put some in the freezer for another night for "The Darlings".  Everyone is a winner now!!!  Got to love that!!!

So Dear Readers tell me what is your favourite pasta dish?  Is it creamy, meat, seafood, vegetarian?? Do tell.

Hoisin Pork Belly Rashers

Is there anything better on a cold winter's night than a piece of meltingly soft, sweet, juicy pork belly?  I think not!!

Last night was a cold blustery night here in Sydney - and we were in need of some serious comfort food!!

I was inspired by a recipe that I saw in Super Food Ideas - in the magazine there was a section on pork spare ribs.  Whenever I serve pork ribs of any kind in this house I know that everyone will leave the table smiling!

I used to steer away from cooking the pork belly rashers - I felt that they were just too fatty - but if you treat them lovingly and cook them well, then a lot of the fat is rendered out of them (that's what I like to tell myself anyway!!)

Hoisin Pork Belly Rashers
Adapted from a recipe in Super Food Ideas June edition

Serves 6

2kg pork belly rashers, cut into approximately 10cm long pieces
3 cloves garlic, crushed
5cm piece ginger, finely chopped
1 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup Shao Xing Cooking Wine
3tbs brown sugar

2 tbs hoisin sauce, extra
1 tbs honey

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

Combine the garlic, ginger, 1 cup hoisin sauce, light soy, cooking wine and brown sugar in a large bowl.

Add the pork belly rashers, mix well to coat the pork in the sauce.

Line a large disposable foil baking tray with baking paper.  Add the pork belly rashers to the pan.  I lined mine all so that the skin side was facing up to start off with.  Make sure there is adequate amount of the marinade on the pork, but make sure you still have some left to brush over during the cooking.

Cook in oven for 2 hours - turning every 30-45 minutes.  Brush with reserved marinade as needed.

When you get to the last 20 minutes of baking.  Combine the extra hoisin sauce and honey together.  Brush this over the pork, and bake for an additional 20 minutes to make them irresistibly sticky and sweet!!!

I am not going to tell you that these are low fat - but a lot of the fat had rendered out and was left in the baking dish (if you are smart and use disposable - you can now just throw the "washing up" out!!!).

To make yourself feel a little bit better I recommend you serve a big plate of steamed greens, that have been drizzled in ketchap manis, along with the pork.

Of course the obligatory steamed rice is needed here as well!  Am I making your mouth salivate????

Last night "The Darlings" must have been off their game a little, and we did end up with a few pieces left over - but you know what - as one of them said "This is going to make a great pizza!!!"  Into the ziploc bag they went, and they were loving tucked away in the freezer until we make pizza on sunday night!!!  Sticky Hoisin Pork Pizza!! Yum!

So Dear Readers how did you keep yourselves warm last night - was it a soup or a stew?

Korean BBQ

The words "Yummy Mummy" are like music to my ears.  It means that I have hit a "dinner winner"!

This meal has been a long time coming - you see the theme for this fortnight's Cookbook Challenge is "Outdoors".  Every time I planned to have this meal, the weather turned inclement - as it is want to do at the end of the season!!  Anyway..... the sun sort of came out yesterday, so it was now or never for the Korean BBQ!!!

I have told you before about my little "Korean Barbeque"

 - it is just great - it means the kids can help cook the meal, and the food is always hot.

My menu for last night's meal was Ginger and Honey Chicken and Bulgogi.  Bulgogi is usually beef, but it can also be chicken or pork - last night I decided to go with pork as I had picked up some Pork Sizzle steaks at the "local".  I know that traditionally there are lots of side dishes with Korean food - but truly - "The Darlings" aren't much into green stuff - so why waste the time - but if you are looking for inspiration for some side dishes to serve with this, take a look at the current edition of Good Taste. In it you will find recipes for kimchi, sesame and spinach salad, plus lots more.

Bulgogi
Adapted from Good Taste Magazine - March Edition

Serves 6 as part of a Banquet


800g sizzle steaks (very thinly cut steaks) I used pork
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
pinch white pepper
1 nashi pear, peeled, cored, coarsley chopped
1 small red onion, coarsley chopped
1 tbs sesame oil

Place the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic and pepper in a large ziploc bag.  Mix to combine.  Add the steaks, and rub the mixture well into the steaks.  Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours to marinate.

Blend the nashi pear and red onion in a blender until smooth.  Add the mixture to the bag with the steaks, and leave to marinate for a further 30 miutes.

Preheat your little BBQ to high.  Cook the steaks for 1-2 minutes, or until golden.  Turn over.

Ginger and Honey Chicken
Adapted from Good Taste Magazine - March Edition


Serves 6 as part of a Banquet


1kg chicken thigh fillets, each piece cut into quarters
1/4 cup light soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbs grated ginger
2 tsp honey

Lettuce leaves and quartered cherry tomatoes, and toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Steamed rice to serve.

Place the soy sauce, garlic, ginger and honey in a large ziploc bag.  Mix well.  Add the chicken pieces, rub well to coat in the marinade.  Place in the frige for at least 4 hours to marinate.

Preheat BBQ flat plate to medium high (you may need the big BBQ for this!!).  Drain the chicken from the marinade.  Cook the chicken for 3 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through (you are almost doing a stir fry on the BBQ - don't leave the pieces too long - or they will burn due to the honey!)

Transfer to a serving plate that has been lined with lettuce leaves.  Scatter with cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

What we did was start with the chicken, and then cooked the sizzle steaks while we were eating the chicken - each person was responsible for their own piece of meat!!!  What fun!!

This was a great end to summer - and will probably be our last outdoor dinner of the season.  Now it's time to start thinking about stews, soups and casseroles!!!

Babi Pong Tay

I am currently experiencing Asian Shop withdrawal symptoms.  My favourite Asian supermarket closed down just before Christmas, and the replacement within our local Westfield leaves me sadly wandering the aisles trying to find the ingredient that I am looking for.  No lovely helpful lady who always knew where to find just what I was looking for.  This new shop is manned by people who, I don't think know how to cook - and really have little interest in helping you at all - if they can talk on the phone, or to someone else while they are serving you - so much the better.

This week's recipe called for fermented soy beans. Not so hard to find you would think - the problem however was that the shop assistants could not understand what I was looking for - they offered me Endamame - no not green beans - "fermented soy beans" I say, they then offered me some kind of canned beans - "no I don't think so - I need fermented soy beans!!!" - they then offered me bean paste - I was not sure about this offering - but I did know that I already had some of this in the pantry - so I would go with what I had.  First mistake!!  It was not the correct ingredient!!

I was trying out a pork belly recipe that is featured in this year's Thermomix Calendar - Babi Pong Tay.  I was already starting to have anxiety attacks looking over the recipe - I have had a few failures cooking "stew" type recipes in the Thermomix of late.  I was thinking that I was probably headed for disaster tonight too!  You see I had approximately doubled the amount of meat the recipe called for (would it all fit in the TM bowl??).  Anyway, with my heart in mouth I started cooking.  I doubled the amount of liquid, this could be a problem - usually meals with liquid end up too sloppy, but it really didn't seem like a lot of liquid - don't think, just keep going.....

Anyway to cut to the chase, the meal turned out really well.  It was a little too salty - but this was because of the "bean paste" - so I am not going to tell you too much about what I did - I will just give you the recipe - because if I had used the correct ingredient it would have been so much better than "good" - it would have been great!!!  Oh, and don't worry too much if you don't have a Thermomix - you can just as easily cook this on the stove.

Babi Pong Tay
From Thermomix - Food Lovers Calendar 2011

1kg pork belly, but into 3cm cubes
2 tbs each thick soy sauce and light soy sauce
2 tbs Chinese cooking wine
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tbs cornflour
5 cloves garlic
1 tbs ground coriander
1 cm piece ginger, peeled
1/2 onion
1 1/2 tbs fermented soy beans, rinsed
1 cinnamon stick
25g oil
8-10 pieces dried shitake mushrooms, soaked
white pepper to taste

Marinate the pork in a large bowl with the soy sauces, sugar, Chinese wine, sesame oil and cornflour for at least 15 minutes - longer is best.

Place the garlic, coriander, ginger, onion and soy beans into the TM bowl and chop for 30 seconds on speed 6.

Add cinnamon stick and oil and saute for 3 minutes at varoma temperature on speed 1.

Add the marinated pork and sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes at varoma temperature on reverse and speed soft.

Add enough water to just cover pork and cook for a further 15 minutes at varoma temperature on reverse and speed soft.

Cook for a further 45 minutes at 100 degrees on reverse and speed soft, or until the pork is tender.

Add pepper to taste and serve with steamed rice.

Knowing that I had used the bean paste - I expected some turned up noses, but I must say everyone raved about the meal - it just was a little too salty - so we just added more rice to the bowl.  It was a very rich (fatty) meal - but the flavours were oh so lovely!!!

What did I do???  I did manage to get all the pork into the bowl (no mushrooms at this stage) - I cooked it for double the cooking time for all the times up until the last 45 minutes.  At this stage I took out some of the liquid, and added the mushrooms.

Now a big tip I have learned lately is that you need to keep the opening at the top of the TM open - but when you do this you sometimes get a kind of volcanic eruption of sauce from the opening - pay attention - here is the really big tip!!! Use your basket - place it over the hole - cover with a paper towel if needs be - but this allows the steam to escape and not make excess liquid!!!  Genius idea!!!

I am beginning to learn that when you get a Thermomix life is a bit of trial and error until you become really familiar with all that it can do, and how it actually works.  I have my days when I am not so enamoured with it, and others when I am totally in love with it - give me time - I will get it down pat!

So dear Readers what is the worst "replacement" ingredient you have used - and was the meal edible??

Stuffed Pork Chops with Zucchini and Apple Salad and Homemade Brioche Bread

When I saw this recipe in the latest edition of Good Food Magazine I just knew I had to try it.  It was one of Dominique Rizzo's recipes.  The last recipe that I made of hers, Middle Eastern Style Chicken with Jerusalem Artichoke Puree,  was a sure fire winner, and this one was too!  The flavours were beautiful.  Mind you saying that, if fruit and meat are not your thing - then this may not be the recipe for you!  We, however, loved it and I am sorry that my photographic skills do not do it justice!!!

Stuffed Pork Chops with Zucchini and Apple Salad
Adapted From Good Food Magazine - March edition


Serves 4


4 x pork chops (I used cutlets as they were the thickest on offer at the butcher!)
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tbs honey
1/4 cup verjuice
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup mint *
1 clove garlic
1 tbs butter, melted
2 cups fresh brioche breadcrumbs
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tbs TM stock concentrate made up to 1/2 cup, or 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

* The recipe called for Apple mint - I was unable to find it so I just used regular mint

Zucchini and Apple Salad


1 tbs olive oil
1 yellow squash zucchini, cut into batons
1 green zucchini, cut into batons
1 large green apple, peeled, cored, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tbs white wine vinegar
2 tbs verjuice

Cut a pocket into each pork chop (be careful not to cut all the way through).  Combine the mustard, honey and verjuice in a large ziploc bag.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the chops and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Process the walnuts, mint, garlic and butter until crumbs form.

Combine the walnut mixture with the brioche breadcrumbs.

Remove the chops from the marinade.  Stuff the chops with the breadcrumb/walnut mixture.

Heat the oil in a heavy based pan over medium heat.  Cook the chops for 2-3 minutes each side, or until golden.  Transfer the chops to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm.  Add remaining marinade to the same pan and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove form the heat and set aside.

To make the salad, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Cook the zucchini for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the pan.  Cook the apples for 5 minutes, or until golden.  Add the cooked zucchini, garlic, rosemary, thyme and vinegar.  Simmer for 2 minutes.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Divide the chops between the plates, top with the salad.  Scatter the plates with the toasted almonds. Serve with roasted baby potatoes, and the remaining brioche bread.

Homemade Brioche Bread
From EDC - Thermomix Cookbook

30g sugar
330g warm milk
20g dry yeast
1 tsp salt
80g butter
650g baker's flour
1 egg

Place the sugar in the TM bowl and pulverise for 3 seconds on speed 9.  Remove from bowl.

Place the milk into TM bowl heat at 37 degrees for 1 minute 30 seconds, soft speed.

Add the yeast, salt, butter, flour, egg and sugar to the warm milk.  Mix to combine for 10 seconds on speed 7.

Set dial to closed lid position.  Knead for 3 minutes on Interval speed.

Remove dough and let prove for 30-60 minutes. (I actually went out, and left it proving for several hours - no harm done!!!!)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Place the bread onto baking paper that has been lightly sprayed with olive oil spray.  Bake in hot oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

If you don't want to have the brioche with your pork chop meal, then use the bread to make french toast tomorrow morning - yum!!!

All in all this meal was a huge success.  The bread was lovely, and the flavours of the pork with the apple, zucchini salad was superb.  On a swelteringly hot night in Sydney, when no one felt like eating, (let alone cooking) the plates were all licked clean!  (Well figuratively speaking!!!) In my book that signifies a good meal!!!

Citrus Pork Chops with Roast Pumpkin and Chickpea Salad

So what is that is appeals most to you about Blog Surfing?

In many ways it is a lot like picking up a magazine - a good blog will have the lovely photos there to entice you and tantalise your taste buds, and the stories abound - but somehow Blog Surfing is a little different.

To me the difference is that in "Blog World" the words in the stories have not been touched by countless wordsmiths, and polished and buffed until they shine like pure poetic prose - they are words from the heart, purely and simply, as they are felt.

These stories offer us a glimpse into other people worlds.  We can live vicariously through the blogs that travel to places we only dream of going.  Others take us to eat at restaurants that we have heard about, and would one day like to go to.  Or others still, offer us a glimpse, almost voyeuristically, into other people's lives - we get to see how they live, what they eat, and I think more importantly, we get a glimmer that they are real people just like us.

Dear Readers I have not been posting much this week as I am afraid there has not been much that is bloggable. You see I am embarking on... and dare I say it .... but if I do then it is committed to cyberspace and I must make good.....yes, I have started the New Year's Resolution Diet!!!

So rather than post a somewhat Bridget Jones' Diary type of post - you know the kind

0 units cigarettes
0 unit alcohol
lost 1.5kg

I am only going to blog meals that I think are worthy of mention.  Last night's fell into that category.

I had saved all my protein for dinner - had only had a lunch of Hommus (homemade of course in the Thermomix!!) and vegetables - so I was pretty hungry come dinner time.

This salad looked absolutely scrumptious (and it was!!) - all vegetable - so could eat lots of it - and the flavour.... well you have to try it yourself.

The recipe also has the Citrus theme for the Cookbook Challenge!

As usual what to put with it... how about some pork cutlets, we had a citrus theme going with the salad dressing, so let's concoct a marinade in the same vein for the pork.  Here is what eventuated.

Citrus Pork Chops


Serves 4-6

Pork Cutlets - 1-2 per person
5cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tbs honey (50g)
1/2 cup sweet sherry (120g)

Now because I have the Thermomix I tend to throw all the ingredients that need chopping (garlic, ginger, and orange) into the TM bowl (just cut the orange into quarters) and give it a whizz on speed 7 for 20 seconds, scraping down the bowl halfway through.  Then add the sherry and honey, and process on speed 4 for 7 seconds.  Of course if you don't have the Thermomix - just combine all the ingredients.  Once combined, place the marinade and the chops into a large ziploc bag and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer.

When ready to cook, preheat the BBQ to medium high, and cook for 4-5 minutes each side, or until cooked to your liking.

Roast Pumpkin and Chickpea Salad
Serves 6
Recipe from Super Food Ideas February edition

700g butternut pumpkin, cut into 2cm cubes
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 cup olive oil *
1 tbs orange juice*
1 baby cos lettuce
400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup chopped pecan nuts
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 200C.  Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Combine pumpkin, coriander, chilli flakes and 1 tbs of oil in a bowl.

Place pumpkin mixture on prepared tray.  Roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender.  Set aside for 40 minutes to cool.

Place orange juice and remaining oil in a secure top jar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Secure lid.  Shake to combine. ** I actually used the juice of the whole orange and used less oil - and I really liked it this way.

Remove the outer leaves and core from the lettuce, separate and wash the leaves.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Roughly chop the leaves.  Place the lettuce, chickpeas, pecans, parsley and pumpkin mixture in a bowl.

Add dressing, and toss to combine, when ready to serve.

Serve with some corn on the cob, and you have a lovely healthy dinner!  This was a true winner - the citrus flavours combined so beautifully - I just couldn't get enough of the salad -
(well I was pretty hungry!)This meal in no way felt like I had made any compromises ... yumm.

So Dear Readers, what do you like most about blog surfing, dare to tell - are you one that lives your life vicariously through others, or are you a little voyeuristic??  Do tell.