New Year, New Start Again

Apparently I decided at the same time last year to commit to posting regularly on this blog. Clearly that didn't happen in 2011 so let's hope for a much better result in 2012.

Summer is in full swing here and for us it means lots of picnics, boating and catching up with friends. Yesterday as I was preparing for a houseful of guests I decided I would host a themed dinner every month in 2012.

Last night's dinner was an easy favourite a pizza and pasta night. We made a double batch of pizza dough and made up four pizzas; ham and pineapple, ham and mushroom, supreme and bbq meatlovers. I also did a big batch of bolognese suace and pulled a ham, pea and mushroom pasta bake from the freezer. Friends brough nibbles, garlic bread and salad. Easy.

Some of the themed dinners I have in mind for the year include:

• Chinese New Year
• Greek night
• Indian or Curry night
• Christmas in July
• American
• Paella night

Meanwhile we have been doing some dinners of fish which we catch on the harbour. We usually serve it with home made tartare sauce. Tartare sauce is really very easy to make and the homemade is far superior to the stuff you get in the jar so take 5 minutes to make your own next time you are having fish for dinner. The most important thing is to use good whole egg mayonaise - if you use the cheap vinegary stuff you may as well just open a jar or tartare. I like the S&W brand but there are other good ones out there such as Paul Newmans and Hellmans.

This is the basic recipe but you need to taste for for sweetness and saltiness yourself.

Tartare Sauce
1/2 a cup whole egg mayonaise (you can of coure make your own)
1/2 teaspoon dill (Fresh or dried)
2 sweet cucumber pickles diced
1 teaspoon of capers
generous squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

 Combine all in a small bowl or ramekin. Enjoy! It does taste better if you can pop it back in the fridge for a while to let the flavours combine but you can certainly have it straight away.

Re-igntiting my interest in the kitchen

I am just back from a fabulous month-long vacation in the USA. We drove over 3,000 miles through the South-West, we took on Orlando with a vengeance and we sampled some of the best that NYC and Washington D.C have to offer.

We collectively agreed we probably didn't need to eat another burger or fry for quite some time and my daughter definitely doesn't want to see a children's menu featuring cheese pizza, pb&j or mac and cheese anytime soon.

So now we're home and it's back to the kitchen for me. It's time to get creative and it's spring which means a shift in how we eat; more eating outside, less casserolles and pasta bakes.

Tonight however we're having a Shepherd's Pie. I found some nice lamb mince at a bargain price and it's a nice hearty veggie filled dinner. For a twist I'm cooking it in my cast iron skillet which we are putting in the oven to cook the potato. Sometimes just altering the way you serve or present a meal can alter your experience of it entirely.


Sheperds Pie in a Skillet
500g lamb mince
1 onion diced
2 carrots diced
2 celery sticks diced
1/4 cup tomao paste
1 tin crushed tomato
1/2 jar spagetti sauce
1 tablespoon worstershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried italian herbs
4 chopped basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped dill
1/2kg potato, boiled
1/2 cup grated cheese.
1/4 cup grated cheese (reserved)
paprika if desired

Soften onion, celery and carrot in oil in skillet or oven-proof fry pan. Add lamb mince and herbs and brown. Add tomato paste and cook off to release flavour. Add tomato, spagetti sauce and worstershire and cook till delish and flavours melded...about 1/2 an hour.(you may need to add water if it is too dry).

Mash potato to taste and stir in grated cheese. Top meat mix and sprinkle on extra cheese(and parika). Cook in oven till potato sets...about 1/2 an hour.

Enjoy. We're having ours with corn, brocolli and grean beans. The whole meal works out at about $2 a head which is very good value for a meal laden with veggies.