Category Archives: Food

So I panicked and ordered a custom-made cake for the MURDER IN THE MAIL: A BLOODY BIRTHDAY opening/launch this Saturday 3:30-5pm at The Front. Cassie of Cassie’s Custom Creations is the amazing lady whose response to “Canihaveacustom3tiercakebysatudayohplease” was, “YES!” And this is what she’s working off—the incredibly intricate pic by Shauna O’Meara: I can’t waitContinue reading “Bloody Cake!”

Okay, this one made me nervous. It was invented by one of the kids “inspired by the giant packet of seaweed paper he asked his mum to buy at Costco”. What could possibly go wrong? Ingredients Rice Smoked salmon Avocado Seaweed paper Soy sauce Method 1. Cook rice. 2. Put rice in a bowl. 3.Continue reading “Sushi Bowl Recipe”

I forgot this one: Choc Chip Cookies Ingredients 125g butter, cubed 3/4c brown sugar 1/4c caster sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 c self raising flour 1 c plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 c choc chips Method 1. Melt butter. 2. Add the sugars to the butter and mix well. 3.Continue reading “Oops cookies”

I went through a sushi phase long ago so I was pretty confident going into this. I was also pretty confident the kids would be determined not to give this beautiful-looking food a chance. So… how did it go? Ingredients Rice Seaweed sheet Cucumber Japanese mayonnaise Soy sauce [I added a small tin of tunaContinue reading “Sushi”

I’d never heard of Chicken 65 (a popular South Indian dish) but a quick google shows I’ve been missing out. Ingredients 500 gm chicken 1 tsp lemon juice/plain yogurt 1 tsp corn flour 1 tsp chickpea flour/plain flour 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste 1 egg 1 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tsp mixed spice powder PinchContinue reading “Chicken 65”

Louisette was deliriously excited about these. I’m mildly intolerant of bananas, especially the smell of bananas. When I gathered the courage to breach the banana, I realised that the recipe didn’t include proportions. I googled, and adjusted this recipe. Ingredients 130g butter (melted) 70g caster sugar 1 egg 1 banana, mashed 1/2 tsp baking powderContinue reading “Going Bananas”

This was never going to go well. . . Ingredients 1 kg skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I used half a kilo chopped chicken thigh and adapted from there) 2 tsp salt (I left it out) 1/2 c cooking oil 1 and a half c chopped onion (I used half a fennel bulb) 1 TContinue reading “Chicken Curry”

I thought this was a dip until I googled it, at which point I went, “Ah, a dessert! That explains all that sugar.” Ingredients 2c grated carrots 1c milk 3/4c palm sugar/brown sugar 3 T ghee (clarified butter) Pinch of cardamon powder 10 cashews (optional; I used much more than 10) 1 T raisins (I leftContinue reading “Carrot Halwa”

Sugar, pastry, butter, and nuts? What could possibly go wrong? Ingredients 1/2 kilo Antonnious Filo Pastry (we used some other brand) 2 c crushed almonds (we used a combination of cashews and walnuts) 1 and a half c butter 1 T cinnamon Syrup 3 c sugar 1 c hone* 2 c water Cinnamon stick 1Continue reading “Baklava”

Butter chicken is the biz. Everyone knows that. Making it without using a packet was a strange and wondrous experience.   Ingredients 2 T peanut oil 3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped (I used a fennel bulb instead) 1/2 white onion, peeled and chopped (I used a fennel bulb instead) 40g butter Juice of 1/2Continue reading “Utter Butter Chicken”

You may know me as a novelist, but for most of my life my true claim to fame was as the maker of pancakes. Technically, I actually make crepes (with lemon and sugar*), usually so thin that they’re slightly see-through. My recipe is: 1 egg + 500ML milk (I use lactose free) + anywhere betweenContinue reading “Pancakes #1”

If it wasn’t for procrastination, I’d never get anything done. Today the kids are both with grandparents, so it’s definitely time to focus on my Top-Secret Well-Paid Writing Thingy. (I’m not allowed to tell people what it is, but it’s super awesome). I prepared by getting all the current “Murder in the Mail” stuff sorted:Continue reading “Muesli Bars”

And so we come to the “actual meals” part of my daughter’s class recipe book. First, we have Sweet Chilli Chicken Skewers.   6 chicken tenderloins, sliced in half lengthwise 12 bamboo skewers, soaked 2 T sweet chilli sauce Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 T grated ginger (I got mine from a jar)Continue reading “Are ya chicken?”

Regular readers will know I’m a sucker for punishment. Allow me to rephrase. It really helps my depression to have a win in life, and taking on something a little bit special/difficult/unusual really works for me (while also making all my near relatives—except my Mum, who also loves a good project, and my Dad, whoContinue reading “Excuse my French”

TJ insists that I’m wrong to call these “Anzac Biscuits”. Well, what would I know?   Ingredients:   1 c rolled oats 1 c plain flour 2/3 c brown sugar 2/3 c desiccated coconut 130g butter 2 T golden syrup 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda Method: Mix oats, flour, sugar, and coconut in a bowl. CombineContinue reading “Isaac Biscuits”

The Year 1 teacher who organised Louisette’s new recipe book wanted FAMILY recipes (with a strong hint of ‘multicultural, please’) and this one is a ripper. My children are dead-set against anything to do with tomatoes (except of course, for tomato sauce, which bears little resemblance to the fruit*) so I knew that this wasContinue reading “Grandma’s Spaghetti”