Everyday Cook's Slow Roasted Moroccan Lamb

This is Everyday Cook's Slow Roasted Moroccan Lamb

(Pic from her blog)

I adore people who can cook better than me. One time I would have been jealous, now I love the fact that they can teach me even more and surprisingly sometimes I actually teach them!

One of my favorite cooks is my friend Jacquie or Everyday Cook as she is known in Social Media circles. She is one of a kind. She can cook and she can bake. And bake she does!

You can follow her on
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM (everydaycook)
BLOG

I have made quite a few things from her blog over time, and last night I attempted her Slow Roasted Moroccan Lamb.

Now Jacquie is not your ordinary women, she has lived in Paris! And while there she enjoyed many a Moroccan meal. Who knew France was more about bread, cheese and croissants?

So, back on task, my friend Bec and I both tried this new recipe last night and we have both put it on the MUST MAKE AGAIN list. We also both cooked ours in our oval Aldi knock off Le Creuset with lid on. PERFECT!

Your to do list.

1.   Add these item's to the shopping list (which sound so good!):

1 large leg of lamb

a little olive oil

4 brown onions, peeled and sliced

1 bunch of coriander

1 teaspoon of chilli

50 g ground cumin

3 pieces of preserved lemons cut into slices

small piece of grated ginger

1 teaspoon of tumeric

2 pinches of saffron

2 cinnamon sticks

1/4 cup of honey

5 garlic cloves diced

250 ml of white wine

1 litre of chicken stock

{I had mine with sweet potato mash}

1 kg sweet potato

2. Go to Everday Cook's blog HERE to follow the steps.

3. Enjoy a most delicious slow cooked meal!

Mine on the left and Bec's on the right.

I served mine with cinnamon sweet potato mash in the thermomix and a green salad.

Winter

I don't mind it when it becomes cold in Brisbane. Gives me a chance to rug up like in Melbourne but with generally sunny skies. Although how warm do the days get! Layer layer layer is essential.

Saturday was filled with sport and the school fete. Fete is just another word for donationing two cubic meters of your own trash and treasure and returning home with at least one cubic meter of trash and treasure and up to $200 missing from the wallet having to swing by woollies to grab  detol to scrub the kids! 

On Sunday we headed to Southbank (Brisbane) for some more sun with a water view.

 Picked myself up an Alice bow!

Some afternoon reading which lasted about as long as it took to take this photo before my wine will spilled over me.

Southbank 

Pasta for lunch and minestrone for dinner. Was an Italian kinda day! 

Breakfast Bars by Nigella

The teenagers have become busier in the mornings and I feel extreme mother guilt if they haven't eaten breakfast.

Shoving one of these in their hand as they rush out the door wipes most of that morning breakfast guilt away on those busy days. 

I use 1/2 macadamia and 1/2 raw peanuts to make up to the 125 grams. You used what you love. Also finely chopped apricots work in lieu of cranberries, but I LOVE the cranberries.

A piece of my heart in Tokyo

I obtained a passport.

14 days later I left Australia.

Tokyo was nothing like I had expected but so much more.

Beautiful.

Busy.

Quiet.

Exciting.

Calm.

Tasty.

Sensational.

With the trip so quickly arranged and a full schedule leading up to the departure there was no time to research my guts out (like I normally do).

The best thing was having a loose plan of what we wanted to do, have accommodation and airport transfers booked and for the rest - wing it!

To keep track of the itinerary I used Tripit. Which is both web based and has an app for your phone. You provide Tripit with your email and it searches through your inbox for travel bookings and populates the itinerary online for you. Just a little tweaking and its complete, ready to forward to family and friends to keep track of your adventures. Best of all, it's easy to use and free! 

https://www.tripit.com/

Accommodation = The peninsula

http://m.peninsula.com/Tokyo.aspx?sc_lang=en

Transfers = Limousine bus 

http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

Activities to make the kids as happy as a kid at, er, well, Disneyland! 

http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/en/ 

In short.

Tokyo changed my life. 

To read more about Japanese Culture these are my two best blogs

http://japangasm.wordpress.com/

http://loverlyjapan.blogspot.com.au/?m=1

If you are thinking of a family holiday to Tokyo, send me an email and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

I have to resist all temptation of doing it all over again too soon, but as they say 'if you're onto a good thing, stick to it'.

Baked Relief 2013 Update #3

Updated 9:10am Saturday

~PLEASE CHECK LATEST POSTS FOR CURRENT NEEDS AND DIRECTIONS~
or
FOLLOW ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK

@digellabakes or @bakedrelief with hashtag #bakedrelief
or facebook link below

Facebook


WHAT CAN YOU BAKE?

Individually wrap goodies for good health and safety. Label with all ingredients too if possible. Gluten free goods are always required too, label well.

They love brownies (cut them into little pieces to go further) piklets, scones... that comfort style food that makes you think of home!

The idea is to look at these locations as a guide and go forth, bake and deliver some treats to those who you think need it. This is not a comprehensive list, but just an idea. Report back to us with updates of what is needed!

BUNDABERG THIS WEEKEND (Priority for clean up)

Citicoast Church
140 Elliot Heads Road
Bundaberg
East State School
33 Scotland St
Bundaberg
What: Food and drinks

Liberty Villa's
3 Oven's St
East Bundaberg
What: Food and drinks

 

Bundaberg ICC (Approx 200 fire fighters)

Amanda (0401 382 442)

Address: 2 Regent St Avoca Q (Bundaberg)
Time: Saturday between 8-11am
What: Sandwiches for the weekend clean up.
 

What: Amanda posted "We have been working sincelast  Sunday to try to supply food for our emergency services, clean up volunteers and those displaced by the floods. Today was around 80 firefighters, clean up groups and had food delivered to Coonar for those people who are still cut off from town without power and food supplies. Tomorrow we expect 150 firefighters at lunch and the Coonar community to cater for. We have had great support from Chic's bakery, butchers and a few helpers. We would love anything that can be transported! Sandwiches, bread scrolls (my bread maker has been working overtime!) pies, sausage rolls, slices, muffins or anything as we have so many people to feed." THANK YOU

BRISBANE AREA:


DROP OFF: Deception Bay
WHAT: Baked Relief (sweet and savory) and school stationary packs
WHERE: Deception Bay SES, 24 Old Bay Road, Deception Bay
WHEN: Sat 2 Feb 6pm-6:30pm (they are there ready to be deployed at this time)

Members of the Deception Bay SES are travelling up in their SES vehicles to Bundaberg to assist. They've requested some Baked Relief to fuel them on the way & to help feed them while they are working in Bundy, so they won't i...

mpact the local resources.
They are also happy to take school stationery packs to deliver (eg 1x ruler, 2x lead pencils 1 x rubber and 1 x pack of colour pencils and 1xa4 lined book.)

Please just be mindful that your goodies will packed in the SES trucks, so plastic containers etc that can be thrown in a box would be good, instead of just a handful of wrapped muffins. We want everything to get there cleanly & safely. Ditto re statoinery - large plastic ziplock bags or similar would be great.

Logan:

ADDRESS: Logan Central Community Centre 9 Jacaranda Avenue, Logan Central QLD (follow the Meals on Wheels Queensland signs)

TIMES – 9am – 4pm Sat and Sunday
WHAT: All types of food. Sweet and savoury. Fruit and drinks. Plastic plates, cups, cutlery.
CONTACT PERSON - Justine (Red Cross Volunteer on site)

 Justine wanted to let you all know "The biggest thing at Logan recovery today was singing your praises. Each and every person was fed today with amazing food at Logan Recovery Centre. Some of the volunteers were cheered by large crowds and applauded on arrival. Your efforts made the difference by lifting spirits. Hungry people are usually grumpy people. We had no grumpy people 8). Thank you wonderful people for making many people smile today under trying conditions ♥” 

GLADSTONE:

DROP OFF: Gladstone area (Calliope)
WHAT: Baked Relief for Baffle Creek
ADDRESS: 37 North Ridge Drive, Calliope
TIMES: Saturday until 1pm, Sunday until 1pm
CONTACT: Sara Cummings
LOGAN & GOLD COAST:

Mt Tamborine Evacuation Center
Tamborine Bowls Club
Beacon Road, North Tamborine
NORTHERN NSW:

Many Grafton residents are evacuating to South Grafton High School. If you are in the area & it is safe to travel, Baked Relief would be appreciated (95 Tyson St, South Grafton)

DONATIONS OF GOODS

Connected Relief
143 Saint Vincents Road
Virginia, Brisbane
Website

• Facebook

Queensland Community Flood Relief
Corner of Wellington & Shore Streets, Cleveland.
Closing at 7pm tonight and 10am to 6pm tomorrow Saturday.
Facebook

Baked Relief 2013 Update #2

Updated 10:30am
~PLEASE CHECK LATEST POSTS FOR CURRENT NEEDS AND DIRECTIONS~
or
FOLLOW ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK

@digellabakes or @bakedrelief with hashtag #bakedrelief 
or facebook link below

Facebook 


WHAT CAN YOU BAKE?

Individually wrap goodies for good health and safety. Label with all ingredients too if possible. Gluten free goods are always required too, label well.

They love brownies (cut them into little pieces to go further) piklets, scones... that comfort style food that makes you think of home!



Today the Brisbane River will peak. From expereience today the SES centers will be quiet while volunteers rest up for the big job of clean up in the coming days.

With 180,000 homes still without power, 400 Energex crews are on the ground so find your local Energex Crew - crew members have told us sometimes they can go 18 hours without food relief when they are busy working to get our power back on. For those on the Northside of Brisbane there are Energex Hubs at Geebung and Caboolture however the BEST option is to go to where trees are down near you and get the attention of the Police on duty or a member of the crew - all power will be off if they are working on the power lines - but SAFETY is important - get permission from the team first and then handover your baked treats :) let us know how you go and post photos!

The idea is to look at these locations as a guide and go forth, bake and deliver some treats to those who you think need it. This is not a comprehensive list, but just an idea. Report back to us with updates of what is needed!

Alderley Police Centre LOVED Baked Relief back in 2011. Aside from that, drop off at any Northside Police, Fire or Ambulance.



BRISBANE:

Vanilla Pod Cafe and Deli
119 Lancaster Road, Ascot

Sandgate

Billycart Markets has offered their shop as a drop off point for Baked Relief for TODAY ONLY (Monday 28 Jan)

2.6 Knox Street Sandgate on Northside Brisbane (Next To Railway Station) 

Cnr Victoria Newton Office

Cliff Street, Sandgate

LOGAN & GOLD COAST:

Mt Tamborine Evacuation Center
Tamborine Bowls Club
Beacon Road, North Tamborine


Coolangatta SES
Southern most end of Coolangatta Road,
Bilinga

Carrara SES
Eastlake Street, Carrara

Southport SES
Owen Park, Queen Street, Southport

Tweed Heads SES
Cnr Tarranora Drive & Kiora Street
Banora POint (access via Pioneer Parade)


NORTHERN NSW:

Many Grafton residents are evacuating to South Grafton High School. If you are in the area & it is safe to travel, Baked Relief would be appreciated (95 Tyson St, South Grafton)


IPSWICH AND REGION:

Ipswich SES 
South Street, Ipswich

Shiloh Church (Evac Center
72 Redbank Plains Road
Goodna

LOCKYER VALLEY & BRISBANE VALLEY
Laidley Grandchester Road, Laidley
Police Station

Also, drop non perishable times and baby goods and food TODAY (between 9am-1pm) to:

TheLifehouse
57 Brooke Street
Toowoomba 

BUNDABERG


Citicoast Church
140 Elliot Heads Road
Bundaberg

Bundy SES shed on Kendalls Rd

Volunteers at Bundy Civic Ctr and Bundy Nth HS evac centres

FULL LIST OF SES LOCATIONS

DONATIONS OF GOODS

Connected Relief 
143 Saint Vincents Road
Virginia, Brisbane

• Website 
  Facebook

Baked Relief Update #1 2013

Updated 2pm
~PLEASE CHECK LATEST POSTS FOR CURRENT NEEDS AND DIRECTIONS~
or
FOLLOW ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK

@digellabakes or @bakedrelief with hashtag #bakedrelief 
or facebook link below

Facebook 

IMPORTANT UPDATE - if you are looking for somewhere to deliver your wonderful Baked Relief - why not find your local Energex Crew - crew members have told us sometimes they can go 18 hours without food relief when they are busy working to get our power back on. For those on the Northside of Brisbane there are Energex Hubs at Geebung and Caboolture however the BEST option is to go to where trees are down near you and get the attention of the Police on duty or a member of the crew - all power will be off if they are working on the power lines - but SAFETY is important - get permission from the team first and then handover your baked treats :) let us know how you go and post photos!

The idea is to look at these locations as a guide and go forth, bake and deliver some treats to those who you think need it. This is not a comprehensive list, but just an idea. 

Also, if you are on your way to an SES location and you see an Energex crew, they are dry inside and working hard to get our power back on. Drop off some treats to them. They will really appreciate the baked love!

Our Emergency Services need nurturing too. The Northside of Brisbane seems to be hardest hit and need help the most. They work around the clock to keep us safe. 

Alderley Police Centre LOVED Baked Relief back in 2011. Aside from that, drop off at any Northside Police, Fire or Ambulance.

BRISBANE:
Sandbagging Locations for Baked Relief 

• Newmarket SES Field Services Group, Wilston Rd, Newmarket (in carpark off Erneton Street)
• Balmoral Field Services Group, Redfern Street, Morningside
• Darra Field Services Group, 48 Shamrock Rd, Darra
• Virginia Field Services Group, Unit 1, 7 Lathe Street, Virginia
• Stafford Field Services Group, 7 Brockman Street, Stafford

Sandgate

Billycart Markets has offered their shop as a drop off point for Baked Relief for TODAY ONLY (Monday 28 Jan)

2.6 Knox Street Sandgate on Northside Brisbane (Next To Railway Station) 

LOCKYER VALLEY & BRISBANE VALLEY
Laidley Grandchester Road, Laidley
Police Station

BUNDABERG
(info from Bundy local)

Bundy SES shed on Kendalls Rd

Volunteers at Bundy Civic Ctr and Bundy Nth HS evac centres

FULL LIST OF SES LOCATIONS

What can you bake?

Individually wrap goodies for good health and safety. Label with all ingredients too if possible. Gluten free goods are always required too, label well.

They love brownies (cut them into little pieces to go further) piklets, scones... that comfort style food that makes you think of home!

DONATIONS OF GOODS

Connected Relief 
143 Saint Vincents Road
Virginia, Brisbane

• Website 
  Facebook

Baked Relief 2013

Hi all,

Yes, we are back again. Unfortunately. But great to see so many people wanting to come together and bake to help our SES!


~PLEASE CHECK LATEST POSTS FOR CURRENT NEEDS AND DIRECTIONS~
or
FOLLOW ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK

@digellabakes or @bakedrelief with hashtag #bakedrelief 
or facebook link below

Facebook 


CONTACT SES HERE to check other locations

If you can get there safely, please take some cheer to these hard workers. It will mean a lot.


What can you bake?

They love brownies (cut them into little pieces to go further) piklets, scones... that comfort style food that makes you think of home!

To see more about bakedrelief in 2011 on this blog, go HERE

Blog Revamp and Launch

I am relaunching my blog.

Currently scoping for designers to rebrand and set up a fresh, new look and feel.

Why?

Because I have seen a missing link in the blogging market. Both in Melbourne and Brisbane where I spend much of my time.

I met some very passionate people last week in Melbourne, well I do every time I am here, but this time was different.

What if instead of reading long blog posts about places, you could watch a video which only goes for a few minutes from the propriator of a venue about what they are passionate about?

Include a few photos and a short blurb about why I love it and not only recommend it, but want to visit it all the time! Complete it with all the required stats of how to get there and when to go and we are done!

So stay tuned shortly. I have to get this youtube thing sorted and we are ready to roll.

To keep you entertained here are some of my adventures the past week.

Happy Melbourne Cup Day

There comes a time in many mothers lives when you realise that your daughter's social life is more exciting than your own.

Today was that day. She is 10.

The joys of motherhood!

Have a lucky day.

Babes in Business Lunch 2012

Babes in Business and their guests are invited to saddle up and indulge in a touch of desolate glamour in the heart of the CBD.

Pull on your finest feathers and join us at high noon on Friday 7 December, as we celebrate 2012 stationed at Brisbane’s smouldering new riverside venue, Pony Eagle Street Pier.

Relax and replenish over a three course meal and flowing wines, before riding on into the sunset as Pony transforms into the twilight saloon.

We’ll also be supporting Cherish Foundation and vital gynaecological cancer research with a herd of luxurious prizes to be won in our raffle.

Partners

Group Bookings

This year group seating configurations are available in groups from 6 up to 20, please note tables are limited so if you’re looking at booking 6 or more people, contact us on 3136 2505 to best fit your group.

*Group bookings for 6  people minimum, includes members & non-members.

Early Bird Group Price: $165 (until 5pm, 12 November 2012)
Regular Group Price: $175 (after 5pm, 12 November 2012)

Individual Tickets

Early Bird Member Price: $165 (until 5pm, 12 November 2012)
Regular Member Price: $175 (after 5pm, 12 November 2012)

Early Bird Non-Member Price: $190 (until 5pm, 12 November 2012)
Regular Non-Member Price: $200 (after 5pm, 12 November 2012)

Go HERE to book!

Tangalooma Island Resort

Earlier this month I was lucky to get taken on a trip to Tangalooma.

You get there on a very comfortable ferry from Hamilton in Brisbane. It takes about an hour through the beautiful Moreton Bay.

I can not believe that I had been before.

It was so beautiful. Here was the day in photos.

Dolphin feeding, sand tobogganing, beaching etc etc

NEVER let them take you to the second location

Australia and indeed Melbourne has been rocked by the rape and murder of Jill Meagher's.

As ABC radio host and colleague of Jill said on Friday, he doesn't want this to change the view we have of the muched loved Melbourne. This was a complete random attack and so very sad.

But this is a timely reminder: NEVER LET THEM TAKE YOU TO THE SECOND LOCATION!

I will never forget as a 13 year old watching this Oprah episode with my grandmother one school holidays when it first aired. I have NEVER forgotten that advice. I was attacked in a carpark, at Australia Fair shopping center in 1996. It was late night shopping on a Thursday at about 8pm. I didn't know what they wanted, but I knew in that moment that I was not going to be moved from my car. I remember hanging onto the steering wheel and not letting go. These men were never caught, but I remained safe and I am here to tell this tale.

Please share this link. It WILL save a life.
 

http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/Never-Go-to-the-Second-Location-Video

Retrolicious Pineapple Upside Down Cake

There has been a huge response on my facebook about this cake. So I thought it was time to pen this for history to always reference.

Here goes everyone.

 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This recipe comes from the Webber Cookbook. Dead set! Webber! I had to adapt it for the real oven because the first 20 times or more I have made it as a treat after a lamb roast in the late 1990s. I still make it in a disposable oven tray (Glad BBQ tray 29cm x 19cm x 5cm) because its easy and no clean up required.

Topping
125g butter
1 cup brown sugar
440g tin of pineapple thins drained or fresh pineapple slices
Red glace cherries

Cake
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
125g butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

• Combine butter and brown sugar and spread over oven dish.
• Place pineapple and cherries over sugar arranging like in my photo.
• Put all cake ingredients in mixmaster and beat until creamy.
• Pour over the buttery sugar mixture.
• Bake in oven (180 degrees) for 25-35 mins. Just check with a cake tested to ensure cake is cooked.
• When cooked leave 5 mins to cool before turning out only a platter and serve with cream and strawberries. It is also great cold the next day in school lunches

ENJOY xo

Magically Six Months

Our beautiful boy is six months old today. What a journey it has been.

He truly is the most joyful baby. We are blessed with him and cursed with distance a lot of the time. Skype is our friend and like baby daddy says "we use planes like taxis"

Life will settle... Maybe in 20 years!

Winter in South East Queensland

I spend a lot more time in Melbourne now, which I love. The changing seasons are wonderful to watch. But really, winter belongs to Queensland. Cool nights and warm sunny days. It is seriously perfection.

We have been spending a lot of time on the family farm in the Lockyer Valley. Weekends spent there provide a cleansing and contrasting outlook.

The kids enjoy it most.

Sydney and Melbourne

I am not a fan of Sydney. It's big and scary and hard to get around with public transport. I've never had a great time when I visit and leave feeling glad to be going home.

I'm just a 'big country town' girl at heart and a little bit of my soul dies during the harsh anonymity of the place. I have friends and family who LOVE that aspect though.

To me it reminds me of that song/speech 'Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen' line: "Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft."
Sydney is the hard... Maybe Byron Bay is the soft?

When I think about Melbourne I have a totally different view. Sure, Melbourne is big. It doesn't have the harbour, it's a flat city with no real city view. But what it does have are many little places to discover with charm and heart... And I'm talking about the people! Then the surrounding just adds to that.

I remember my first visit to Melbourne at 22. This was also my first time on a plane. And my first time doing anything like that alone! I remember what I ate, what I wore, what I saw, who I met. I made a friend on that flight and we have stayed in contact since then.

Living in a city is different though, as my good friend DOC has told me. She is right. A certain charm is lost. The excitement and the holiday spirit withers. I no longer wear my holiday perfume to Melbourne as its now partly my home. But like falling in love, once the excitement period of wanderlust fades, a deep and calm romance develops. That's how I'm beginning to feel about Melbourne as a city.

Deep I know. But it's been a reflective week for me.

These are some of the iPhone photos I shot during my last visit to Sydney and Melbourne.