Getting ready for Spring…..

This week has been great!
I often like to start it off with coffee at a local cafe….it’s amazing what catches your eye when you have time to look around.

On Tuesday I popped over to the Inside Out Magazine #openforinspection event showcasing the Maxadesign home in Melbourne’s East. These were some of my favourite pics, I really love these rooms! ( you can read about it on a my blog in a separate post). It was a ‘tick the box’ moment when Inside Out Magazine shared my blog post on their Facebook & Instagram accounts, I was absolutely thrilled!!

Here are some pics from my week & around my home.

I’ve had a colourful cooking week as well, here are some of my creations.

I’ve also taken some time to try & finish re-styling Maxwell’s bedroom. His brief was; Colour, Fun, Starwars! He was a happy customer! We made some of the decorations in his room which he enjoyed!

I have also entered his room in Inside Out Magazines #sharemystylekidsroom & #sharemystylecolour competitions for a bit of fun!

I hope you’ve had a great week too!

✖️

My week of Cooking ….

After a busy weekend, I visited the green grocer early on Monday after dropping off the kids to school. I visit Toscano’s in High Street, Kew..THE BEST….when I can’t get to the market.

Fruit & vegetable shopping was done in record time and I picked up some of the most amazing blubbererries. Inspired by this, I was determined to enjoy them all week ( & try not to share any 😉).

I particularly enjoyed them in my yoghurt with home made granola….delicious!

My baking this week consisted of Molten Chocolate Chunk Brownies ( thanks Donna Hay), made from a packet mix in record time!

I also made a delicious Banana Bread, again inspired by Donna Hay, but with a little tweaking. ( recipe on my blog in an earlier post)

Inspired by a post from Yvette Wilson from The Stylist SplashI was hoping to make her Baked Chicken Dish which featured on her blog, as part of her challenge for ‘Salt & Pepper Bake Off’. But after getting prepared & chopping all my ingredients, I found one of the major ingredients missing! Bugger! So plan b came into play, a baked Portuguese Chicken Dish was made instead. It was delicious, full of colour & a little spicy! Yum!

I hope you’ve had a fun week cooking too ! I love taking pictures of my creations, I hope you enjoy looking at them!

✖️Kelly

Home Made Preserved Lemons

I made these a while ago & let me tell you I’m very happy now!

Preserved lemons add a zesty punch to any dish with so much intense flavour. Make these now & pop them at the back of the pantry / fridge. Use after 2 months or so & add to salads, dressings, marinades, pastas, tagines & stews.

You’ll be happy you bothered to do this now!

✖️ Kelly

Preserved Lemons

Ingredients

5 (about 600g) small to medium lemons

145g (1/2 cup) sea salt

375-500ml (1 1/2-2 cups) fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Wash and dry a 1L (4-cup) capacity glass jar with a plastic or plastic-lined lid (a metal lid could corrode).

2. Wash and dry lemons with warm water. Scrub the skin to removed any dirt.

3. Cut one end of each lemon, about 5mm from the base, so they sit flat. Place 1 lemon at a time, cut-side down, on a chopping board and cut lengthways into quarters without cutting all the way through to the base. So it opens up like a flower. Repeat with remaining lemons.

4. Place the lemons, in a single layer, in a freezer bag and expel air. Seal and place in freezer overnight. Remove from freezer and transfer to the fridge to thaw for 6 hours or overnight.

5. Fill the middle each lemon with as much salt as possible. Salt extracts juice from the lemon, softening the rind. Push lemons into jar. Sprinkle over remaining salt.

6. Squeeze other extra lemons. Pour lemon juice over the top to completely cover lemons. Seal, label and date. Place in a cool place, away from direct sunlight, for at least 4 weeks.

7. You might need to add more lemon juice to ensure the lemons remain covered. They will start to soften and might start to float. May develop a harmless white mould, if not fully covered.

8. To use, remove a lemon from brine and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towel. Using a sharp knife, cut flesh from rind. Discard flesh. Cut off white pith from rind. Discard pith.

( This recipe was adapted from one I saw in Taste Magazine)

White Chocolate Muffins for afternoon tea anyone ???

Super super easy, quick recipe you can whip up for afternoon tea with friends! They won’t last long & will be ready in no time ✖️😉

White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

Ingredients:

300 grams plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
150 grams caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
230 ml milk
50 grams butter
150 grams frozen raspberries
110 grams white choc bits

Prep time: 10 mins
Makes : 12 muffins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees (fan forced) & prepare a 12 muffin tin with patty tins or baking paper.

2. Sift flour and baking powder into large bowl. Stir sugar into flour mixture.

3. Melt the butter.

4. In a separate bowl will the egg, whisk in the vanilla extract, milk and melted butter.

5. Stir the liquid mixture into the dry mixture.

6. Carefully & slowly fold in the frozen raspberries and chocolate into the cake mixture.

7. Pop into the muffin cases & cook for approximately 25 min ( check with a skewer) …. Check after 20 mins.

ENJOY!

✖️Kelly