Chocolate Chip Cookie

My mission over the last few weeks was to find a charming little chocolate chip cookie recipe- one that produced the perfect cookie, a cookie that was everything a good cookie should be- soft, chunky, not too moist and not too dry, one that was able to make you feel at home and happy.

The recipe had to produce a classic chocolate chip biscuit; simple, understated and delicious. I just wanted a something that was easy, uncomplicated and one that did not make too much of a mess when baking. It has been a long and might I say very delicious road, I have made plenty of biscuits over the last few weeks tweaking the recipe as I went along. After the first couple of batches (which I polished off with little help from my friends and family) I decided only to bake when there were 5 or more people in the house, it was a necessary condition, I was not too keen on the idea of having to buy a new wardrobe or spend the next 3 months at the gym (something to horrible to even contemplate!)

I think I have found a recipe that produces a really nice soft and chunky biscuit, I am not a fan of the cookies that are extremely sweet or and chewy, so this is a winner in my books.

Ingredients

125g butter, room temperature

1/2 cup castor sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

2/3 cup self raising flour

1 cup plain flour

1 rounded cup chocolate chips (I used the larger variety)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.

2. In a bowl start to cream the butter on a low speed, then add both sugars and vanilla and continue to mix until pale and creamy.

3. Add the egg to butter mixture and combine

4. In a separate bowl mix together the 2 flours, then add this to the butter along with the chocolate chips and mix well

5. Form small balls of the mixture and place on tray (ensure there is sufficient space between each one as they will expand when cooked)

6. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until they are a light golden colour and are still soft

7. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an air tight container

My dear readers I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

Miss SS xxx

Cinnamon crunch muesli

It's already March, I can't believe that we are 3 months into the new year! I don't know about you but life seems to be getting busier and busier! When life gets busy I become a "breakfast skipper" - although breakfast is my favourite meal of the day I very rarely eat it- some mornings amongst the eye lash curler, hair straighter and staring into my wardrobe exclaiming "I have nothing to wear!" I can't seem to find the time to make myself something to eat. I am not a fan of cereal, for some reason I have never been able to stomach a huge bowl of milk and special K so early in the day, so a convenience breakfast for me is normally half of a chocolate chip cookie or a handful of grapes and a quick cup of coffee- admittedly not the breakfast of champions. I decided it was time to make a change- so I found some time and whipped up some Cinnamon crunch muesli- delicious breakfast treat by the wonderful Bill Granger, best of all it can be made in advance so you can always have something to nibble on. This is so yummy, admittedly it is quite rich but you only need a sprinkling on some yogurt or fruit to make a delicious morning meal.

Cinnamon crunch muesli

Ingredients:

• 125g of unsalted butter
• 60g of brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 300g of rolled oats
• 160g of natural almonds (skin on)

Directions:
Pre heat the oven to 160°C (320°F) line a baking tray with baking paper and roughly chop almonds.

Pop the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a large pan or pot over a medium heat and stir until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved- it will turn into a deep rich nutty colour. Take the syrup off the heat and mix the oats and almonds into the mix and coat evenly.

The spread the mixture evenly over the baking tray (you must try to resist sampling as it could be hot)

Pop in the oven and bake for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure that the oats are crispy all over.

Wait until the muesli is completely cool before putting it in an air tight jar.
Enjoy over some yoghurt, poached fruit and a drizzling of honey!

Stylish Kitchen Essential

No kitchen is complete without a recipe stand- they are the perfect assistant in the kitchen and such a help when cooking up a storm! I really wanted to share this gorgeous stand that I came across by Oasis Homewares. Something a little different and very stylish!

I hope you are all having a lovely Monday!

Mss xx

Fabulous Friday Pizzas!

One thing I have learnt over the last week is- never wear ballet flats in the rain- big mistake, I mean huge! It has been raining in Queensland over the past week, so much so rivers are forming where they shouldn't, fields are turning into lakes and.... well it is impossible to do anything outside. I parked my car on Monday night and jumped out stepping right into what seemed to be a newly formed sea! I was drenched- soaked to the bone. My spirit was damaged, as were my shoes (which still have not recovered from the drowning) so for the rest of the week I have tried to stay out of the rain. As soon as the rain starts and the temperatures drop I can feel the kitchen beckoning me- it is my only retreat to this wild weather! Nothing makes me feel better than to put on some Norah Jones get a hot cup of green tea, cosy up and start cooking! Today was a day for homey comfort food- the type of cooking that makes you forget the worries of the world, sometimes only rich flavorful food will do- and today that food was  pizza!

To make a good pizza, really you need homemade pizza base (one that is light, fluffy and crispy), a rich pizza sauce and quality toppings. You really have to make the base by hand- trust me it makes the world of difference! Making pizza base is quite an easy thing to do, and it can be quite relaxing, the kneading could help anyone work out the stresses of life! The amount of dough makes enough for 2 good sized pizzas (each would feed 3 very hungry people) you could also double the recipe if you are ravenous or simply have lots of mouths feed.

The tomato sauce is such a cooking basic- while I used it for the pizza base, any left over’s can be popped in the freezer. It also tastes great tossed through pasta with some grated parmesan on top; it is a very versatile staple. When I make pizza I like to make a tandoori chicken with lime yogurt and coriander, and a pancetta, potato, mozzarella and basil- both very different, but very very yummy! The best thing about making pizza is you can get creative- pretty much put on it what you - it is a safe place for experimentation.

Pizza

Pizza Sauce

• 
  
  2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 
  
  2 ½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 
  
  1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• 
  
  1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 
  
  Cracked pepper
• 
  
  2 cloves of garlic

In a saucepan cook the tomatoes over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and turn the heat right down to a gentle simmer and simmer for approximately 25 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and has thickened. Remove from the heat.

Pizza Base

• 7g of yeast (one sachet)

• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• 500g of strong flour

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 300ml of luke warm water

Pour the water into a bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast in and whisk with a form until all the yeast is dissolved (the water will become milky), then add the olive oil, mix and set aside.

In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt together. With a hand mixer with the dough hooks attached mix the flour on a low speed gradually adding the liquid containing the yeast- I usually leave 1 or 2 teaspoons in order to help to fold in the remaining flour that might have been left behind- also this ensures that the dough does not become too wet, you can always add more if needed. Continue kneading the dough on a low speed for 15 to 20 minutes- or you can knead by hand on a lightly floured surface. After the dough has become smooth and springy, knead for 1 minute by hand.

Place the dough in a large bowl that has been lightly brushed in oil (this will stop the dough sticking to the sides) then brush the top of the dough lightly to stop a dry crust forming and cover with a damp tea towel or cling film. Place the bowl in a warm place or in a very low oven for about 1 hour- the dough will then have become very light and airy and should have doubled in size.

Take the dough out and knead for 1 or 2 minutes on a lightly floured surface- this is called knocking back the dough and helps to get rid of excess air. Turn the oven to 230 degrees celsius to preheat for the pizzas.

Separate the dough out into 2 large portions, or alternatively you can make 4 smaller individual pizzas. Flatten the dough out with your hands as best you can, then using a large rolling pin roll out the dough into the shape of your choice (circle or rectangle is the easiest). Try to get the dough to a thickness of about 3 mm as it will rise when cooking- if the dough is too thick at this stage when cooked the base will become quite thick and will not have as much crunch.

Spread the base with the tomato sauce using the back of a spoon.

Chicken Tandoori, with lime yoghurt and coriander

• 2 chicken breasts- I like to use a BBQ chicken for this as it is easy and the meat remains tender after being cooked in the oven

• ½ of a red onion very thinly sliced

• 1 vine ripened tomato

• 1 tablespoon of tandoori paste- can use less if you do not like it hot

• 2 ½ tablespoons of natural yogurt

• 1 lime

• Grated Cheese

• Handful of fresh coriander

Shred the chicken and mix with 1 tablespoon of yogurt and Tandoori paste and set aside. Can add more yogurt if you do not want the chicken to be too hot.

Top the pizza with the sliced onion then the slices of tomato. I usually put the grated cheese on at this stage as I find that it helps the ingredients to stay put when cooking. Then top with the chicken and you can sprinkle a little more cheese on top if you like.

Put the pizza in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the base has puffed and crisp. Finally mix the left over yogurt with half of a lime and drizzle over pizza, top with the coriander and serve with extra lime wedges.

Pancetta, Potato, Mozzarella and Basil

• 5 slices of pancetta

• 1 small potato thinly sliced

• Mozzarella

• Handful of torn basil

Lightly fry the potato until just cooked through, place on paper towels to remove excess oil. Once oil has been removed from potato place on the pizza base, top with torn pancetta and fill in the gaps with slices of the mozzarella. Like the chicken pizza, cook in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the base has puffed and crisp. Remove from the oven and top with torn basil and enjoy!

Good bye summer, hello autumn!

Well its official- autumn has arrived!! I don't know about you, but I am very much looking forward to mugs of hot chocolate, baking pastries, and cooking comfort food- all of which go beautifully with the cooler days and longer nights that are to come. Well its been nice, but I will see you soon Summer!

Mss xx

Creative Chocolate

 They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but in my opinion so is chocolate. I found these quirky blocks of chocolate when I was wandering the aisles of the supermarket which definitely put a smile on my dial, so I thought I would share them with you! (sorry about the photos, they were taken on my phone)

Bochox

For the relief of wrinkles and crows feet.

Warning: may cause weight gain if used incorrectly

Directions: Simply break off the desired dosage and consume.  You should quickly be overcome by stress relieving endorphins, and no longer concerned in the slightest about your wrinkles.

Martial Bliss Bar

(Enough said really!)

GirthControl Chocolate:

Directions: Simply break off the desired dosage and consume. You should quickly be overcome by stress relieving endorphins and no longer concerned about 'those' thoughts.

Warning: If you experience a hot flush, do not loosen clothing under any circumstances, as this may aggravate your condition.

 

Emergency Chocolate

For Immediate relief of: Chocolate cravings, lovesickness, exam pressure, mild anxiety

Mss  xx

Thursday is tea day!

"Would you like a tea or coffee?" I'm sure we have all been asked this question countless times in our lives, and for me the answer was always coffee, simply because I found tea to be a tad boring. I mean just go to Starbucks and there is an endless array of possibilities for the humble coffee bean- villa soy latte, mocha, iced coffee, cappuccino etc etc. In my mind tea was only ever white, black or green. However I now consider myself quite the tea connoisseur! Lately I have been noticing a very strong movement towards tea. I find that it has become almost a boutique drink, there are now hundreds of different flavours to choose from, not only that, tea is so accessible and easy to make- really the only equipment you need for a good cup of tea,  is a kettle!

T2 is fast becoming one of my favourite stores; it is a tea drinker’s paradise! The choices here are endless; seriously, if you love Chai Lattes, why not try the chocolate chip chai ? or maybe strawberries and cream, or maybe a simple green and jasmine tea. T2 is a great place to get comfortable with the idea of drinking tea. It is has plenty of mood lighting, is very cosy and I find the staff to be friendly and very knowledgeable- which is a must in a store like this as a novice could easily be overwhelmed! All you need to do to find the drink that suits you, is simply tell them what you like and they will find a tea to match your taste.  Simple!

                                        

Rosebud tea

Today I took home the Crème Brulee, and can I just say it is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It really is a fantastic tea! It is a vanilla and caramel flavoured black tea and really is quite sweet, the perfect antidote to a hard day at the office. The kind gentlemen helping me suggested it is best with vanilla soy milk and a little sugar, and just quietly,  he says it works a treat after a big night out (this is always a bonus!). I whipped up a cup when I returned home and just used plain milk and it still knocked my socks off!

                                                         Creme Brulee, $12.75 per 100g

Another favourite of mine is the Turkish apple, which falls into the fruit tisane category- this is particularly sweet, they normally suggest to serve it cold, and on a hot summer day it is a god send! I have also been told that this particular flavour is particularly delicious with a splash of vodka! Who would have thought?!

If you prefer a more conventional black tea, then there is the simple English Breakfast, you can't go wrong with this classic. If you are bored with English breakfast they have tea inspired by some of the Australian capital cities. Brisbane Breakfast which has a mango flavour, the Melbourne breakfast a vanilla favoured tea and the Sydney breakfast which is a full bodied tea with a hint of bergamot.

 

T2 is very hands on, they have teas you can sample in store or they normally can make up a sample packet so you can take home and try a particular tea before you buy. They have little tea pots, delicate tea cups and saucers and anything else that is needed in making a perfect cup of tea!

If you do not have a store close by, do not fear! You can always  jump onto their website (http://www.t2tea.com.au/) where you can buy tea and also pick up a few hints and tips on how to brew a great cuppa! T2 is defiantly worth a try!

Mss xx