Recipes of mine 
Mama’s Christmas Cake
Cake mixture divided up
dense rich cake
All set for Christmas!
It’s that time of year again when we stay home, or up all night! We have to, because it takes 4 hours to bake this ubiquitous Christmas cake. This recipe has been in my family for years. It’s so easy and fun. It also makes a giant cake, so if you do want to divide it into two, or as I have done, use some of the mixture to make smaller ones to give away as presents, then you can have your cake and give it away too. 🙂 As you know all Christmas cakes get better with age. Well, I am still eating this one in March if there’s any left. So here’s the recipe, enjoy: (more…)
It’s my daughter’s last day of school and she needed a shared lunch. You know what it’s like, they fill up on sweets and unhealthy snacks. Some kind Mum makes her daughter take grapes and you are grateful (no pun intended) while the rest of the kids take cake and chips. Now that’s not really lunch is it!? Today I made these little Pizza snacks for her to take, whipped them up in the morning. They took 20 minutes because 
I am an avid watcher of master chef and had to buy Julie’s recipe book, the first winner of Master chef Australia as soon as it came out. It’s great. Simple honest food. And it’s true, it never fails to amaze me how lush and moist this cake turns out every time. I added grated orange zest and sliced almonds to the mixture. It’s the sort of cake you can add flavours to if you want.
I love sweet peas and cornflowers especially, so old fashioned and beautiful. Recently I bought a coriander seed pot which I have planted and have on the window sill. I am waiting for the seeds to sprout, fingers crossed.
I did an amazing cooking class in Ubud, Bali. First we went to the local market to see the fresh produce,fruits specific to the region including dragon fruit, snake fruit, hairy fruit, Jade fruit, Durian and Mangosteen. 
They were all very tasty and seemed a combination of fruits we already know, e.g.lychee with a coconut texture. I have included here two recipes from the class in Ubud at 
Walking the dog yesterday by the marina gave a sense of freshness. The air, the sea, a shag perched on a pier, the oysters under the docks. You can’t beat the smell of sea air and fresh fish. Here is my recipe for ceviche, which I learnt how to make from a Peruvian, but have added my own twist. 
This is a staple of any New Zealand cuisine. It is good for a meal or for a picnic or to take to someone’s place to share. With all the tragedy and uncertainty around these days, with people suffering from depression and them and their families suffering the sometimes devastating consequences of this, we need to look after each other. A friend recently posted on Facebook ” It is easier together, It is easier TOGETHER. If you are doing this life heavy, don’t do it in secret. Tell me. Tell someone. We can do it together.” It’s so important to look out for each other, especially those that are doing it tough, or may be feeling vulnerable and alone. I recently experienced an intervention when I felt someone wasn’t safe. Sometimes we have to put ourselves out there, intervene, even if we risk interfering. Take them a bacon and egg pie, sit down and have chat. Here’s the recipe: 
I got concussed in the weekend, very random accident of an elbow shoved in the temple. Anyway, on Monday morning, prediagnosis, I decided to make a cake. I threw everything into the kitchen wizz, starting with butter, oh dear, just a little left in the house, cooking oil then? None. The only thing I could find to use was lemon infused olive oil so I added that to the left over softened butter, (about 2 tbspoons butter and 1/3 cup oil) I got a recipe book out but found all the measures in ounces so I decided to wing it, make up the recipe as I went. And here it is… 
It’s time to bake a chocolate cake. With all this baking believe it or not, we have no baking in the cupboards for school lunches, go figure. I am spending so much time on my Great British Bake Off Bakes, I haven’t had time to fill the tins!!! I got home from my friends book launch tonight and as I ventured over the harbour bridge decided to bake this when I got home. Unfortunately, we had no eggs so will have to do it in the morning. This is our family’s chocolate cake recipe. My sister acquired it some years ago and we have been using it ever since. It NEVER fails!!! And it is so easy, just add all the ingredients to a bowl 
Master chef are making pancakes and this recipe for pancakes (pikelets as we call them) are a great staple for Sunday lunch with the family around the table. Fantastically easy and whipped up with ease, they are a delight to eat warm with jam and cream. This is my mother’s recipe which makes a large quantity – all the better.