Lemon Meringue Pie

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Lemon Meringue Pie was always my childhood favourite dessert. Mums recipe was a little cut out one from some out dated ’70’s magazine and I thought it was heaven in a pie dish.

Actually I still think its heaven in a pie dish.

There are so many sweet lemony concoctions that pass as lemon meringue pie. Pastry base vs biscuit base. Tangy vs sweet. Meringue that is sky high or just slapped on.

I get nervous ordering this if I am out somewhere as its such a let down when the taste isn’t up to scratch.

My mums lemon meringue pies have actually evolved a little over time, and depends on who is coming to visit on which type she will make. For me the original is still the best, with a few tweaks from me if I make it though. I’ve only made it a few times as,

1/ I’ll eat it all with no holding back and,

2/ When something is such a favourite, I actually get a little nervous cooking it. High expectations!

The original recipe calls for a biscuit crumb base, but I think the pastry does it more justice though.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Pastry

300gms (2 cups) plain flour

150gms butter

1 tsp vinegar

1/2 cup icing sugar

a little cold water

Knead dough lightly, cover in cling wrap and rest in fridge for about an hour. Roll dough out. Cutting to pie shape (I did individual sized ones), bake blind at 180C. Pastry does shrink a little, so allow room for that. Any left over pastry can be put in the freezer for another time.

Lemon Mixture

1 tin condensed milk

1/2 cup lemon juice

grated lemon rind of 2 lemons

3 egg yolks

Add all the ingredients together, combining well, and then carefully spoon into cooked pie shells.

Meringue

3 egg whites

1/2 cup caster sugar

In a mixer slowly add sugar to egg whites until forms stiff meringue peaks.

Dollop meringue on to lemon mixture in the pie shells, and bake at 180C until peaks start to colour (approx 15 mins).

I also had some left over lemon mixture and meringue, so rather than make up more pies I made a Lemon Meringue Cake. Just added a cup or so of S/R flour to the lemon mixture and then folded the meringue through. Whack it in the oven and bake until springs back and golden. Easy- peasy.

feeling mortal…I think we need to do some cooking

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Strangely enough I am not superhuman. This came as a bit of a shock. I thought as long as you put the fuel in, were kind to your body, mind and soul things would continue on even after major hiccups like hospital stays. Apparently it’s not true though.

Apparently even super heros get sick now and then.

Now I know I’m no super hero, and never try and pretend that I am, but getting blasted with a virus (with super evil powers) still was a bit of a shock. The kind of virus that lands Little Monkey in hospital for two days, Monkey Boy not to eat for 6 days and me to be a quivering mess in a darkened corner for far too long, (I have things to do damn it!)

So what does this have to do with cooking? It dawned on me as I pointed Mr Chocolate towards the fridge and told him “whatever” to feed our children for another consecutive night that all the cooking is central around me. The Monkeys are too little to really help out, and there is only so long the freezer meals will last. Mr Chocolate does long working hours so all the cooking pretty much I do. I have all these simple recipes in my head that mean the difference between screaming toddler at 4.30pm, who just needs a little something to tide him over until dinner, but all fairly useless if I’m not there to execute them.

If I was really sick for a really long time or really wanted a really long holiday…(oh!) Does that mean that’s the end of all the food that my family rely on and enjoy? Now don’t get me wrong, Mr Chocolate can cook a bit, and certainly wouldn’t let the boys starve but if he knew how to cook a few of the staples it would make me feel a little easier.

Even just to feed the sourdough starter.

So last weekend was spent with Mr Chocolate becoming Mr Sourdough and Mr Biscuit. The following weekend will be spent in a similar fashion, compulsory cooking classes.

Everyday Biscuits

* for use for snacks, cure for my belly is so hungry I may explode before dinner, or some after dinner dunking.

100gms softened butter

1/2 cup honey (125mls- a little more if you want them chewier)

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups plain flour (225g)

Cream the butter, honey, vanilla and then add flour. Lightly roll in a ball, then squish down a little. Bake at 180C until light golden.

Now how easy is that?

Pet envy

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Sometimes I really miss having a pet. I know I have the worms, but I sometimes I need a little more to love. I had always grown up with a various menagerie around me. From dogs, cats, chooks, mice, rabbits, guinea fowl, fish. There was always something to love. Living in a flat in the city, yes we could get a small dog or cat. However the moment just hasn’t seemed right yet. The added responsibility for me isn’t something I have been ready for. We don’t have a backyard, and The Monkeys keep me occupied enough for the moment.

The Monkeys however, I think would really benefit from having a pet around. Everyone benefits from it. Pets bring a certain amount of joy to people’s lives. So I had to go looking for a pet… that we could give back. Off to the local Vets, with our noses squashed against the glass, we eyed off the Re-home Kitten… Wonder if she needs some love?

The Veterinary hospital is really big. Holiday homing an array of animals, a day grooming room along with the usual run of pets in need of help. The window had been full of kittens that needed a home and now there was one left, and she was getting cuddles whether she wanted them or not. I put on a big smile and asked sweetly whether there were any animals we could cuddle for a while. The staff were really kind and brought out the little kitten straight away, and then also a 6 month old terrier X that was boarding with them as well.

Enter Peggy…ah Peggy.

She stole my heart and is yet to give it back. If I could have taken her home that afternoon I would have. Space and responsibility be damned. 45 minutes later, the staff had let us maul their pup and kitten long enough. It was time to give them back. We left smelling of dog shampoo and covered in fur. The Monkeys and I were smiling from ear to ear. I had got the pet therapy I had been after and Monkey Boy…well he knew we were going to the playground next.

For people living in cities wanting a bit of pet therapy there are a few ways to get it. Quite often animal rescue outlets are happy for you to come in and help “socialize” some of their re-home pets. This helps them see which animals are suitable for children, families, singles’, etc. These outlets along with veterinarians may need help with cleaning out cages, dog walking etc. You never know what a big friendly smile will get you.

Vanilla Champagne Coconut Cupcakes

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You know when you ponder on something for awhile, thinking, I think it will work, I think it will, I think it will… Well this was one of those moments. Experimenting in the kitchen at its very best. Why? Not because I think my cooking is the bees knees, but because the cupcakes turned out even better than I had hoped they would.

These are my favourite thing I have cooked this month. Moist with a hint of champagne. Melt on your tongue, fantastic straight from the oven or just as good a few days later. These were a hit with The Monkeys, neighbours, family and Mr Chocolate.

Vanilla Champagne Coconut Cupcakes

125 grams softened butter

1/2 cup castor sugar

1 vanilla pod scraped (or two tsp of essence)

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 beaten egg

1 1/2 cups s/r flour

1 cup bubbly champagne (sparkling wine)

Cream the butter sugar and vanilla together. Then add the egg, coconut and champagne. It should look a little like soggy bread crumbs. Then fold in the flour. Cook at 180 until just cooked.

I have done batches in mini cup cakes, cupcakes and whole cakes, just adjust the time according to size. Should be just firm on top, not golden as they will be too dry then.

(20 mins for cupcakes as a guideline.)

Follow on effects

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I was thinking the other day about how a person can be effected by what ever they are watching on TV or a computer. Musing about how the effects may be so subtle that the person may not even be aware that it has had an effect. Obviously it depends on the programme, type of person, circumstances etc etc. But on a basic level, how could you not be effected after watching a programme for an hour?

Three examples came to mind.

Monkey Boy after watching a children’s programme, promptly leapt off the couch when the Tv was turned off, and ran into a bedroom. Out he flew again, with a blanket draped around his shoulders, flying off to save somebody in need of rescuing. I had vaguely been aware that they had been talking about superheros on the TV, and now I had my very own little superhero dashing about, helping any needy children in his path. This I thought was sweet. He hadn’t been watching for that long, and the superhero theme stayed on and off for the rest of the week… What do you think Superhero’s eat for lunch Mama?

Notching up a few more years, there is a certain teenager in my life that loves to play warcraft computer games. Too me its boring, repetitive, antisocial, violent…etc etc…To him I’m an old bugger that just doesn’t ‘get’ it. I’ve tried to look at it from his perspective, but I still struggle. Why would I want to pretend to kill a lot of people? After an hour of killing, maiming and hunting other cyber people, how could I not be effected by it? I’m not saying replicating the exact same behaviour, but even minor changes such as being a little more antagonistic, quick tempered, and anti social. All these things have an effect, especially if they were being played for long periods of time and frequently. Could a person really play something like that for extended times, and then instantly flick over to be all sweetness and light?

That’s not to say I’m all sweetness and light myself.

The Wire is a programme that I really like. The box set, with all 5 seasons sits comfortably in our lounge room. It’s well written, it’s adult, it’s clever, and it’s intriguing. I don’t want to be a policewoman after I watch it, and I don’t want to be a drug lord… I do however have quite the ‘potty’ mouth after watching it. Words just sort of slip out a lot easier after watching an episode. The Monkeys are in bed, so they don’t hear anything that they shouldn’t be and 20 minutes later my saintly words are back in my mouth where they belong. Right back to be the sweetness and light that I usually am.

Similar things could be said about reading books. If you are reading a little Shakespeare before bedtime, will a few words of “doth”, “hast”, “hither” and “thee” slip in before switching off the light?…Goodnight my beloved, where for out thy pillow, sleep be upon me as I shall be wanting to rise in the morrow, and bake a morning crust….

…or some such words.

Just as any of these similar scenarios could be seen as detrimental, they also could be seen as a positive and do nothing more than inspire and provoke greatness in people. A book that prompts a best selling writer. A reality cooking show prompting a child to become a successful chef. Or simple blog reaching out to someone, encouraging them to do humanitarian work in a needy country.

No words of wisdom here with this topic unfortunately, just merely musing…

How does watching TV or reading effect your language or behaviour?

Sourdough Flat bread

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Sometimes I don’t feel like thinking “what am I going to cook for dinner”.  I really love cooking, but sometimes I get tired of trying to hide vegetables, mixing tasty and healthy together, and generally being in the kitchen…. Sometimes the call of the outside is just too strong and the The Monkeys are just begging for rumbles in a park, rather than watching me cook another dinner in the kitchen.

Times like that I cook Bolognese. Whats so exciting about that? It will last 3 days and no one will ever realise that just ate the same meal that got upcycled…huh?

Follow if you will…

Day One– Cook up a lovely BIG batch of Bolognese Sauce. Finely dice those all those vegetables so the kids/partners don’t actually suspect there might be a whole garden in there.

DINNER- Spaghetti Bolognese… Buon Apettito!

Day Two- Now in another pot add oil, lots of lovely cumin, coriander, red kidney beans and perhaps a little chilli. Now add it to your bolognese. Bolognese just turned into Mexican flavours. Cook up some rice and spoon your mexican beans on top. A dollop of sourcream on the side, and a wedge of lime.

DINNER- Mexican Beans and Rice… Pass the Corona please.

Day Three– Now you still have a bit of the Bolognese/Mexican Beans in a pot but it surely isn’t enough to feed every one again. However if you add, a fried egg on top of the beans, some chopped up fresh tomato, spanish onion, coriander, a little avocado and a dollop of the sour cream, and serve with some lovely flat bread, your away.

DINNER- Huevos Rancheros… Would please any Mariachi band member.

I didn’t ‘pretty’ this one up at all. But you get the picture.

Sourdough Flatbreads

1 cup of sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tps salt

1/2 tps bicarb soda

1 1/2 tbs olive oil

water (I’m not sure how much I put in, go slowly until the right consistancy)

Let it rise in a lovely warm spot until double in size. A quick knead, and then divide into equal balls. Rolling dough out until quite flat, then cook under the grill and turning once. Should cook in just a couple of minutes. Serve straight away or freeze them for a rainy day.

The best pet for small spaces…or big spaces

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Living in a flat sometimes you can be a little restricted with sort of pets you can have. Constrained because of space, landlords, body corporate, prying childrens fingers. All sorts of reasons.

This pet ticks all those boxes though. It doesn’t need regular walks, doesn’t need a kitty litter tray, doesn’t hog the bed at night time, doesn’t chew furniture, doesn’t eat a lot, don’t need costly visits to the vet and doesn’t take much to set them up in their new home.

So what pet is that?

A worm.

Actually a lot of them.

Thousands of the little critters. A worm farm may not be the most interactive of pets, but they eat your compost, don’t take up much space and provide lots of wonderful solid (castings) and liquid fertilizer for your garden or pot plants. Sure you don’t get to play with them, stroke their tiny baldy heads, and their recipricle loving attention is a little wanting but they are still cute in their own hairless way. (And The Monkeys still want to poke and touch them as they would any other pet.)

The average household garbage is about 50% compostable. So instead of going to landfill it gets chewed up and turned into liquid gold by these little fellas.

10 top tips for worm farms

1/ Needs a cool well shaded spot to sit in (easy for a flat or balcony).

2/ You can buy a ready made worm farm (usually made out of recycled plastics) or you can easily make your own. (Try local councils for ready made ones as they quite often have them at cheaper prices, may deliver it and set up for free, and also run free worm farming courses.)

3/ They don’t like eating acidic foods such as onion/ garlics/ citrus fruits. Also no meat/ grains or dairy.

4/ Worm farms shouldn’t smell. There should be a lovely earthy smell, if it does get a bit pongy (stinky) then just stop feeding them for a few days, let them break down the food a bit more. Loosen the food and castings- so its easier for them to manouvre through.

5/ The smaller you chop the food, the easier they can break it down. Saying that, you can also just throw in your scraps, it just takes a while longer to break down.

6/ You can toss in all your vegetable and fruit scraps, but can also pop in ripped up newspaper, soggy egg cartons, hair, tea bags, vacuum dust…. you can do dog poo, but not advised on using the worm castings for your plants afterwards though.

7/ The worm wee can be used as a fertilizer mixed with water. 1 part wee to 9 parts water, and then just watered in to your plants. Your plants will love you for it.

8/ If you were a fishing kind a person= live bait!

9/ Worms like a nice moist environment. The water from the scraps is generally enough to keep things at a moist level during cooler months. However during hotter weather, a little extra added water may be needed intermittently. Some moist newspaper on top of the food scraps (or a hessian bag) acts as a blanket and keeps things at a stable temperature.

10/ After the initial start up, there is no ongoing costly maintenance. The worms continue to multiply (as long as they are fed) and you can’t have too many of the useful little critters.

Monkeys dance the Banana Tropicana

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Their eyes raise expectantly.

Looking at me, ready.

His toe starts wiggling. His brothers foot starts tapping.

The knees start bopping up and down. Their heads begin to nod along with the beat.

The music builds up and so do they.

An arm gets pushed to the side like a puppetier is controlling it. Each jab of the elbow is timed with the pounding beat. Feeling the rhythm from deep within, heads held back, the music takes them over.

The Monkeys dance.

Dance like their lives depend on it.

They dance for a slice of cake.

****

Banana cake has long been a staple in this household. What to do with a few manky bananas?… Banana smoothie, banana bread, banana muffins or banana cake. Now banana cake is usually a bit of slap and dash sort of affair. I cook with what I have at hand, and that depends on whether it is a healthy one or not (honey instead of sugar, substituting seeds for flours etc.) I thought it was about time I gave the old Banana Cake the respect it deserves.

Banana Tropicana Cake

4 mashed up bananas

125g softened butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup rum

3/4 cup coconut

2 1/2 cups s/r flour

Mix wet ingredients together, then fold in coconut and flour. Pour into greased and lined tin. Cook at 170C for approx 1 hour, or until skewer comes out clean.

This is a lovely moist cake with medium tones of rum. Actually The Monkeys didn’t get to sample this one, as I thought it was a bit too rummy for them. Plus I wanted it all for myself. Three days in and it was still a lovely moist cake that tasted just as good as the first day.

7 little things…

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In the last week, I have been passed on three lovely “get to know you” awards (sunshineaward.jpg and onelovelyblog.jpg ) to me by three equally lovely people (Clutterpunk, Light Shade of Green and Twisted Vines). It really is lovely to feel part of a bloggy community.

…and really?… you actually want to know 7 MORE things about me?…Alrighty then.

1/ I love vintage kids books. The original Grimm Brothers stories, and all the wonderful pictures people have put to the stories over the years… I say pfffft to Disney, give me gore.

2/ I knew my man was the one for me when I found out he could quote as much from the movie ‘The Blues Brothers’ as I could. Who needs visuals when between the two of us we could go through the whole dialogue and soundtrack….obviously as kids we had far too much time on our hands.

3/ I am fascinated with all things related to women’s health, pregnancy and babies. I’m a hands on belly kind of gal…beware.

4/ I love nothing better than a daggy dance off. One day I will get to Wrong Prom if it kills me.

5/ As a kid I could make an Iced VoVo biscuit last a full 20 minutes. First you got to nibble and grind all that biscuit off with your teeth and then the you slooowly sucked the marshmallow and jam until it just disolves. I always was a saver not a scoffer…oh how things have changed!

6/ In my dream kitchen everything would either be retro, or brand spanking new and still looks retro, and all in a lovely retro green colour.

7/ My ultimate dream would be to own a B&B in a foodie orientated area, the area full of lots ‘green’ like minded souls. Where the local river is heard with swimming kids jumping off ropes, the star lit night is filled with the sounds of laughing and drums. Jagged snow capped mountains dot the distance and my espresso pot is always at the ready for people dropping by…ahhhhh.

Passing on to 7 other great bloggers-

cookbookmaniac

ecomilf

frugalistmassive

heidiannie

littleecofootprints

slowlivingessentials

zebbakes

Orange and Cardamom Biscotti

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Some times you need something a little civilised. A little treat, a little daintiness perhaps…

This particular day something civilised was making some biscotti and having some dessert wine to dunk them in. Dunking…not so civilised. Dessert wine…very civilised!

Dessert wine is always sweet. I believe its supposed to be served sweeter than whatever your dessert is. You sip it in a civilised fashion, not guzzle…(note to self.)

To be enjoyed in restrained amounts- dunk a few biscotti in there however and I say drink what ever amount needs to be drunk.

The Monkeys helped me out with the cooking of the biscotti. Little Monkey had woken from a nap clingy and grizzly. Not wanting to leave my arms, it was raining heavily outside so that didn’t leave too many options of what to do with the boys. So with an eager Monkey Boy wanting to help and Little Monkey clinging to my hip like someone had super glued him on- cooking biscotti was locked in for the afternoon.

Now this was the that part wasn’t so civilised. With little thumbs stuck in egg shells, more than ample amounts of cardamom being flung in and flour being strewn on the floor- they were done. So easy, they can be done with one adult hand, two Monkey Boys hands, and two flaying Little Monkey hands while still clinging on to a hip.

Best eaten dunked into a little dessert wine or coffee after dinner, when its quiet and…civilised.

Orange and Cardamom Biscotti

3/4 cup raw sugar

2 eggs

2 tps grated orange rind

Beat together, and then add

1 1/3 cups of plain flour

2/3 cup of almond meal

1 tps ground cardamom (or what ever is left in the bottle!)

Mix it altogether to form a dough, and roll out to form a long log. Cook at 180 C for about 35 mins. Cut log on the diagonal and bake at 150C until dry and crisp- turning once in between.

(adapted from a Women’s Weekly Cookbook)

Gift idea– bag full of biscotti and a lovely bottle of dessert wine.

*The dessert wine we had was a Southern Highlands Wine. Located within my locavore area, it’s a stunning winery that has tastings and a gorgeous barrel room that can be hired out for functions- (…as it so happens we had our wedding reception there.)

Very civilised…