In my Kitchen November 2015

It’s that time of month again where we have a look at some beautiful kitchens from all around the world. We get to see, and sometimes drool, over the goodies everyone has. Every kitchen I sneak a peek into, I find at least one item I must find to try or make for myself. It’s so much fun to catch up with everyone every month and escape the hectic pace we live for a couple of hours every day to enjoy a laugh over a cuppa. Celia at Fig Jam & Lime Cordial hosts this wonderful party – we love finding new inspiration from all over the world. Come join us by the 10^th of every month – we’d love to see the goodies in your kitchen!

Above is one of the amazing sunsets from our balcony. We sometimes forget that we live in the hustle and bustle of busy Melbourne! Sunsets are our favourite, the way the colours shine across the sky, always put a smile on my face. Do you enjoy a good sunset?

In my Kitchen . . .

. . . is Curtis Stone’s new cookbook, Good Food, Good Life. I picked it up for a bargain at Target for $10 instead of $26! (Although I have seen it for $39.95!) It has inspired me to create a couple of delicious & very tasty recipes, which I’ll be sharing with you in the next couple of weeks. It’s a great cookbook, sharing 130 of his favourite recipes for breakfast, snack, drinks, dinner, desserts, light meals and family sides. I’m so glad to have found inspiration in this cookbook and I’m lucky to add this in my cookbook repertoire.

In my Kitchen . . .

. . . is corn tortillas to make quesadillas (pronounced key-suh–dee–uh). This was the first time I tried my hand at quesadillas and we wanted more! They were that good that you must give them a try – my recipe is coming soon. At the moment, me and my husband are so over wheat breads or any products made from wheat that wheat alternatives are something I keep looking for. I think it’s time to get Riley (my sourdough starter – Priscilla’s offspring) to good use, maybe using rye or chickpea flour. Does anyone have any good bread recipes they’d like to share? Please place them in your comments below. We’d love to be inspired with some non-wheat bread recipes you’ve all made & are proud of.

In my Kitchen . . .

. . . are avocados. They are in season at the moment and taste just amazing – I can’t seem to get enough of them. I have them in my salad sandwiches or as a dip. My dip is so simple and delicious that I can’t wait to share it with you 🙂

In my Kitchen . . .

. . . is my meatballs in tomato sauce. I had a craving for meatballs and usually my husband makes them but I couldn’t wait until the weekend! I still think my husband’s are awesome (his recipe is a secret!) but seriously, mine were full of flavour and I’ve given him a run for his money 😉 Meatballs are so versatile – meatball subs one day, spaghetti and meatballs the next – I’m writing up the recipe as you read this. TIP: Make extra and freeze them for next time.

In my Kitchen . . .

. . . are two of my favourite kitchen gadgets, that I couldn’t live without. My trusty spatula – she’s a but faded but well loved and I’ve had her since I first moved out of home. I keep buying spatulas, hoping they’ll be the replacement when she goes but I can’t seem to find anything close to her! The other gadget I love is my OXO garlic press, which I use if I’m not in the mood to finely chop the garlic. I love that I can put the whole clove of garlic in it, skin and all and I get perfect minced garlic every time. TIP: Always use the back of the knife, never the blade edge of the knife, or a wooden spoon to remove the minced garlic from the garlic press.

In my Kitchen . . .

. . . is some dried oyster mushrooms I found in an Asian store in the city. I had to get them to try as I’ve only ever had fresh. I always have dried Shiitake mushrooms in my cupboard – next stir fry I’ll throw them in.

And last, but never least, In my Kitchen . . .

. . . is some Natural Organic vanilla bean protein powder from Bare Blends, who are located in Byron Bay, NSW. I received this free sample from them to try. I’m thinking about making a sugar-free cheesecake. What would you use this protein powder for? Please share your recipes in the comments to help get me inspired.

Oh, and in case you missed it, a new foodie experience is on its way to Australian TV – inspiration galore! Thanks for joining me on my kitchen tour, love to see you all again soon.