Food Envy

In my spare time at work, I love to browse Taste.com.au. I love food, and I like getting inspiration for new recipes. I take pleasure in looking at recipes that make my mouth water and stomach rumble. This also leads to a lot of food envy.

Below, here are some recipes I'm feeling massive food envy towards at the moment.. Click the title of the links to view the yummy recipes.

Savouries

Tomato, bacon & bocconcini gnocchi bake

Italian-style shepherd's pies

Broccolini & chilli spaghetti with pangrattato

Coconut chicken and lime curry

Antipasto pizza

Mozzarella-stuffed veal schnitzel

Speedy Tuscan white bean soup

Sweets

Chocolate and hazelnut soft-centred puddings

What's for dinner tonight?

With it being such a miserable, rainy, cold and wet day today, I can't wait to get home and put my trackies on and cook something warm and delicious.. and Beef Bourguignon is ideal for a night like tonight.

You might be wondering what exactly Beef Bourguignon is? Well it's a French recipe that entails a stew prepared with beef braised in red wine and beef broth, and is flavoured with garlic, onions and mushrooms. Serve it on a bed of polenta, cous cous or rice and the meal is complete.

Heart-warming and delicious. Tender pieces of goodness in a rich and tasty sauce. I'm excited to be curled in front of the television tonight eating this fabulous dish! What more could you ask for on a night like tonight?

I think I'm turning Japanese

I am obsessed with Japanese food. Their food is so healthy, fresh and tasty and is a nice change to add to the diet every now and again.

It's hard to find good sushi, I pretty much refuse to eat the pre-made rolls that sit in the window of shopping centre stores; cold, hard and off-tasting sushi is definitely not my thing. My ideal sushi has to be freshly made, warm and delicious.

Which is why when Foodbox Sushi opened locally in Waitara, I finally found the perfect sushi! Their sushi rolls are huge, and are sliced up into various large pieces. It is all made fresh to order and tastes absolutely devine. My personal favourite is the salmon sushi and the tempura prawn, mixed with wasabi, ginger and a generous amount of soy sauce of course.

They also make beautiful crunchy and fresh tempura vegetables, which is a great starter to the meal. Can't go past their gyoza's either; tasty little morsels that burst with flavour in your mouth.

Excellent value for money, this restaurant is high up on my list of favourites!

Bontà Vita

Before a night out in the city for a friend's birthday on the weekend, Jayce and I decided we would go in early and grab dinner together. As the event was at a bar on Sydney's Oxford Street, we wanted to find a place close by where we could walk to afterwards.

Wondering down the busy street we stumbled across an Italian restaurant called Bontà Vita. From the exterior, it looked like a small and simple restaurant, but upon walking in we discovered it actually expanded out to a cosy little room downstairs which had a lovely set up. The interior of the place looked very Italian, and for a second I almost pretended I was at a beautiful place somewhere romantic in Italy.

Starving hungry, we ordered the Aioli Bruschetta. While only small servings, it was absolutely delicious and full of flavour. This was the first time I've tried Aioli Bruschetta, and I must say it will definitely be something I'll be wanting to order again when the opportunity arises. I love both Bruschetta and Aioli as two separate items, so it went without saying that I would love them even more combined.

We ordered two pizzas; The Verdure, which was a mixture of eggplant, artichoke, peas, mushroom, onion, sundried tomato, tomato and Napolitano topped with Mozarella, as well as a chicken pizza which we ordered olives as an extra on top.

The pizzas tasted sensational, and although the bases could have been crispier, we walked away satisfied and ready to start the night. We will definitely be returning to this cute little restaurant sometime in the future. Bellissimo!

Cupcakes Make the World go Round

It's true when they say that 'cupcakes make the world go round'. They make the world a better place. There's something about those cute little fluffy delights that bring a smile to your dial on almost any occasion.

I'm not a massive cake eater, I find some cakes to be too rich and heavy on the stomach, but cupcakes are another story.

For as long as I can remember, it is a tradition that I bake cupcakes to celebrate close friends birthdays. Not only do I love the joy in baking the cakes, but I find it so rewarding when I see the happiness it can bring. I personally like baking vanilla cupcakes and decorating them with bright and cheerful colours - pink being my favourite.

I recently baked the beneath cupcakes for several special birthdays and they were an absolute treat, well worth the effort!

Can't be bothering whipping them up yourself? Cupcakes on Pitt (now conveniently located at several Sydney outlets) have an arrangement of outstanding cupcakes to suit any occasion. Why not try the Mango & Coconut, the Peanut Butter, the Cherry Ripe, the Chocolate Sundae, or perhaps the Green Tea may tickle your fancy? Too many options if you ask me, I can't pick a personal favourite, would have to be a tie between the Tiramsu or the Lemon Meringue. Yum! 

Picnic Perfect

For me, picnic's are always associated with happy memories; loved ones getting together, relaxing in beautiful surroundings, basking in the sunshine and indulging in delicious foods. As a child, I loved family picnics, but unfortunately as I have gotten older they seem to have become a distant memory.

Which is why when I wanted to do something special and meaningful for Jayce's and my anniversary, I thought what better way to celebrate then a lovely surprise picnic. As we were driving to Coffs Harbour for the Easter long weekend, I packed and cooked the food the night before and had everything ready in a pretty wooden picnic basket. The setting was beautiful; we stopped about 10km out of Coffs at a secluded park that sat alongside a river.

I thought long and hard about what food to pack, and it was enjoyed by both of us. The highlight was the asian noodle salad with prawns that I cooked up, which is one of my personal favourite salads; so fresh and satisfying. The combination of the chilli, mint and lime juice are to die for.

We also enjoyed an assortment of dips, cheeses, olives, antipasto, pate, grapes, chips and crackers, and for sweets we had lamingtons which I purchased at Thomas Dux Grocer's, who make them fabulously rich and fluffy.

It was a lovely opportunity to enjoy each other's company in celebrating a special occasion.

I'd like to share the recipe for the asian noodle salad as it is mind-blowing. For the picnic I added prawns to the salad, but it's just as great with chicken or other meats. If you have never made it, I strongly suggest you do. Now!

Asian Prawn Noodle Salad

Serves 4

500g fresh rice noodles

100g snow peas, trimmed

2 long red chillies, deseeded, thinly sliced lengthways

1 cup snow pea sprouts, trimmed

4 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

750g cooked prawns, peeled, tail intact, deveined

1 cup coriander leaves

1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce

2 small limes, juiced

1. Place noodles and snow peas in 2 separate heatproof bowls. Cover noodles and snow peas with boiling water. Stand for 3 minutes. Drain. Refresh in cold water. Pat snow peas dry with paper towels. Thinly slice lengthways.
2. Combine noodles, snow peas, chillies, snow pea sprouts, green onions, prawns and coriander in a large bowl.
3. Whisk sweet chilli sauce and 1/4 cup lime juice in a small bowl until combined. Pour dressing over prawn noodle salad. Toss to combine. Spoon salad onto plates. Serve.

Fish & Chip Gelato. What in the World?

Don't get me wrong, I love a good gelato. And nothing beats a good serving of fish and chips. But together? I'm not so sure. So when I recently read about the new 'Fish and Chip' gelato now serving at Kailis Fish Market Cafe in Fremantle, Melbourne, I couldn't help but cringe.

It's just not something you could imagine until you try it, so I'm not going to rule out that I won't enjoy it. I'd be very keen to give it a go sometime if I'm ever visiting Melbourne!

1kg Schnitzel Challenge

As mentioned in a previous post, myself and some friends went to The Austrian Schnitzelhaus in Erina. As well as a friendly get together, the main point of the night was to watch the boys attempt the 1kg Schnitzel Challenge; a monstrous 1kg of crumbed schnitty, chips and 1 litre of beer.

The rules were simple; finish it all in 1 hour. Sounds easy? Think again. I had high expectations that the 4 boys we were dining with would finish the challenge. However when the meal came out served on a platter, I was not so sure. An hour passed and all the boys had given the challenge a good go, but hadn't come anywhere close to finishing the food on their plates, and left feeling disappointed and 5kg heavier.

I ordered the Vienna Schnitzel; crumbed schnitzel with wedges of lemon, and a side order of Mushroom sauce. I was surprised at how delicious the meal was. The rich mushroom sauce was a winner with the schnitzel, and I left feeling satisfied. I enjoyed the vibe and interior of the restaurant, which really made you feel like you were dining in Austria. All in all a fun experience!

Paella

I love the Spanish dish Paella. It ticks all my boxes in what a fantastic meal should be; easy to throw together, versatile, tasty and heart warming, and it is ideal for the cooler months. I also love the fact that you can add pretty much anything you want to the combination of white rice and vegetables. I often add chicken to the pot, and once saffron and olive oil are added, a delicious aroma instantly fills the kitchen.

It's quite rare that I cook a Paella, so when I went out for lunch recently at the Caves Beachside Hotel and spotted a lady cooking up a massive pot of the steamy meal, I couldn't resist the temptation to order the dish. And I couldn't have been more happier with my decision. It was served up with a generous amount of seafood; large juicy prawns, squid, mussels and pieces of fish. It was absolutely delicious, and would have been perfect with a glass of white wine.

I've found a paella recipe from taste.com.au (which is one of my all time favourite websites for new recipes and inspirations), and I know it won't disappoint.

Seafood Paela

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 cups fish stock

1 teaspoon saffron threads

2 tablespoons olive oil

250g firm fish fillets (such as blue eye), cut into 2cm pieces

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups arborio rice

2 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, diced

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

500g medium green king prawns, peeled, deveined

150g baby squid, cleaned, cut into 1cm-thick rings

12 mussels, scrubbed, debearded

2/3 cup frozen peas

1. Combine stock, 1 cup cold water and saffron in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Keep at a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 24cm (base) non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook for 1 minute each side or until light golden. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add rice, tomatoes and paprika. Stir to combine. Using a spoon, spread mixture evenly over base of pan.
3. Add half the stock mixture to frying pan and bring to the boil over high heat. Shake pan to spread mixture across pan (do not stir). Reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, without stirring, for 10 minutes or until stock is absorbed.
4. Add prawns, squid and mussels, pressing into rice mixture. Add 1/2 cup stock mixture and cook until all liquid is absorbed. Repeat with remaining stock mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, adding fish and peas with the last 1/2 cup stock (this will take 15 to 20 minutes). Remove from heat. Stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Season with pepper. Serve.

Succulent Seafood

With my parents travelling around Europe, I've had the opportunity to cook more dishes. Seafood is one of my favorite cuisines, it's so delicious and fresh and it's a lovely and healthy treat every once in awhile.

I had some spare time on my hands over the weekend and decided to cook an entree of Oysters Kilpatrick. I am sometimes a little iffy about eating raw oysters, I think it's the slimy mouth texture that gets me. But I adore cooked oysters, with Kilpatricks being on top of my list.

I purchased a dozen of these beautiful delights, and cooked up the dish which was a perfect start to the night. The combination of the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice provide the ultimate accompaniment to the cooked oyster and bacon slices. The parsley adds an element of freshness and completes the dish. Serve with extra lemon slices and you are in Heaven!

My Nanna invited myself and Jayce over for dinner last night and it was lovely to enjoy a home cooked Greek meal. She is so talented and her cooking is always unbelievable. For entree she cooked up fresh Garlic Prawns that melted in your mouth; olive oil, chilli, parsley, garlic and crusty bread.. sensational!

The Quest for the Perfect Eggs Benny

I absolutely love lazy Sunday mornings; sleeping in and relaxing, before heading to a nice cafe for a late breakfast. It has almost become a ritual for Jayce and myself, and as they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Since this weekly special date has taken off, we've both become obsessed with ordering Eggs Benedict and order it 95 percent of the time. There is something about those beautifully cooked runny eggs and the creamy hollandaise sauce that I die for. I prefer the smoked salmon over the ham, whereas Jayce is the opposite.

Our obsession with Eggs Benny has become almost dangerous as our expectations for the perfect dish have meant that we are often let down. On our endeavours, I have found the bee's knee's of Benedict - a beautiful cafe on Darby Street in Cooks Hill, Newcastle called Goldbergs Coffee House.  A generous serving of two toasted sourdough muffins topped with poached eggs and drizzled with a generous amount of sweet, tangy hollandaise sauce that melts in your mouth. Grilled tomatoes are an added extra to the plate, and this dish never fails to impress, I've brought my girlfriends along and they couldn't agree more.

We decided to save money one weekend and attempt cooking the dish ourselves, which turned out delicious (image beneath). I must admit it isn't easy achieving the combination of the perfect runny yet cooked egg, although it is good fun to give it a go!

Comfort Food

With Winter fast approaching, nothing beats a nice home cooked hearty meal to dig into after a hard day's work. I decided to surprise my boyfriend Jayce and cook him a lovely dinner, something I enjoy doing every so often when I get the chance.

Being of an Italian background, I'm used to growing up eating different varieties of pastas, and find that they are so easy to throw together yet the end experience is so rewarding. Almost anything in the pantry can be put into a saucepan to make a yummy sauce.

I decided to make a pasta with chorizo sausage, one of my favorites. When it comes to pasta, I prefer to not follow any recipes but rather include what I feel it needs. To the pan I added a few tins of diced tomatos, chilli flakes, black olives, chorizo sausage, eggplant and threw in some spinach leaves and parmesan towards the end. The aroma of the sauce cooking was mouth-watering, and the end result was a tasty and heart-warming pasta with just a little bit of a kick from the chilli.

The pasta sure did hit the spot, and although we were full as googs, I went ahead and made dessert as planned. What better end to the night then a home-made hot chocolate fudge sundae? I went all out with the contents of the sundae, and to the below recipe I added slices of warm banana, chocolate bits, and wafer biscuits. Food coma??!

Hot chocolate fudge sundae

• 2 1/2 tbs (50ml) chocolate sauce, plus extra to decorate the glass (see related recipe)
• 1 tbs chopped peanuts, plus extra to decorate the glass
• 2 small scoops chocolate ice-cream
• 2 small scoops vanilla ice-cream

Dip the rim of the sundae glass in the chocolate sauce, then dip in the chopped nuts. Place 1 scoop of each ice-cream into the glass, then add 1 tablespoon each of chocolate sauce and peanut butter sauce. Sprinkle over half the nuts, then repeat layers. Drizzle with the remaining chocolate and peanut sauces, top with whipped cream and decorate with chocolate flakes

ENJOY!

Schnitzel Madness

Nothing beats a good schnitzel. I've always been a massive fan of schnitty, it's such a versatile meal with never ending options for all tastebuds; grilled schnitzel, crumbed schnitzel, schnitzel with mushroom sauce, tomato sauce, eggplant parmiciana schnitzel, the list goes on. Throw it on a plate with salad, veggies or chips and Voila!, you've got the perfect meal for both Summer and Winter.

My personal favorite is crumbed schnitzel with freshly squeezed lemon juice poured over the top. Something about that tangy, warm, cripsy meat that melts in your mouth. It's always been a long tradition that Mum cooks up this delicious treat every so often, and pub schnitty's never seem to compare!

This evening I am going to The Austrian Schnitzelhaus in Erina (Sydney), with some friends and my boyfriend. The boys are taking part in the Schnitzel Challenge - 1kg of GIANT schnitzel with chips and a whopping 1kg of beer, all for $55. If the entire meal is completed within the hour, winners receive a free dessert (not that they'd have room to fit that in!), a t-shirt, and their photo put up on the 'Champions Wall of Fame'.

For the girls, there is a wide range of different schnitzel options. Some I have never heard of include the 'Cordon Bleu' schnitzel, which is stuffed with ham and swiss cheese, crumbed and shallow fried. I like the sound of the 'Italian Schnitzel', where the schnitzel is dipped into flour, egg and Parmesan cheese, pan fried and topped with a homemade Neopolitan sauce. Yum!

I think I'm going to stick with the healthier option and my all time favorite - the 'Vienna Schnitzel' - crumbed meat pan fried and served with lemon wedges, or I may go the 'Natural Schnitzel', which comes topped with Garlic & herb butter or Red wine sauce. Too many choices if you ask me!

Can't wait to see who finishes the challenges, who throws it all up, as well as try authentic Austrian Cuisine!