Finding Feasts | Cooking Eating Storytelling

Best Ever Slow Cooker Cinnamon Scrolls

Best Ever Slow Cooker Cinnamon Scrolls – Is there really anything better than warm, soft cinnamon rolls?

How do you eat them? Do you pull them apart revealing the lightly textured sweet bread, gently scented with cardamom. Then slowly unravel the curl to unveil the sweet, cinnamon sugar centre. Or do you bite straight into it getting a perfect mouthful of both soft bread with crusty sugar and a firm crust?

The benefit of making cinnamon buns in a slow cooker is that they stay so soft and although you don’t get a brown top you do get a beautifully browned base and sides.

Make these over the weekend so everyone can enjoy the warming spice and bread aromas that will waft through the house as they cook.

Try not to eat them in one sitting … Blondie 🙂

Blondie2 Comments

Spicy Cumin Lamb & Noodle Soup

Spicy Cumin Lamb & Noodle Soup – Ever since Master S and myself came across Spicy Cumin Noodle Soup from Noodle Warriors in the new Hawkers Lane Chatswood, Sydney, I have been frantically trying to mimic the flavours. We fell head over heels in love with this soup; the best way to describe the flavour is as a taco flavoured soup. Amazing.

I’ve made so many versions of it to date and I think this one is the closest. It’s super spicy with a magnificent cumin and sichuan pepper hit (don’t you just love that tingly, mouth numbing effect you get from sichuan pepper!) The lamb is fall apart tender with the vegetables adding the sweetness that compliments the flavours of the cooking broth.

This soup is traditionally served with smashed noodles, which are handmade noodles torn into rough strips. They are quite thick and play an important part in this soup, so this will be next on the agenda.

I used a slow cooker but you can certainly make this in the oven, just keep it to about 100°c/210°f. The original soup is time absorbing but make sure you freeze the leftover cooking broth from the lamb and you will have an amazing soup flavour base to use in other soup dishes.

Happy slurping! Blondie 🙂

BlondieLeave a comment

Chicken Eggplant & Mushroom Pie

Chicken Eggplant & Mushroom Pie – I am a huge fan of having multiple, ready made meals in the freezer for when it really is just too much of an effort to think about the family dinner. So this recipe is made using leftover chicken; you could buy a bbq chook or some breasts or thighs to poach yourself.

After picking up a couple of chickens to make a yummy chicken stock, and being a lover of all things pastry, a pie was the natural metamorphosis for the poached chicken meat. I made 8 mini pies and a large family one, and still had some white sauce leftover to make some Tuna Mornay. It’s amazing how many meals you can cheaply produce with just a few basic ingredients.

When I make White Sauce I always make a big batch of it as it really is so useful to have on hand. PLUS, it freezes exceptionally well! Just portion it into batches of convenient sizes and you will always have that special extra element on hand.Just some of the ways you can use White Sauce is … Tuna Mornay, Macaroni Cheese, Soufflé, as a pie binder – like for this recipe and Bechamel Sauce.

My latest addiction is doing a double layer of puff pastry to really get some lovely, flaky height to my pies. If this is something you would like to do too then make sure you have enough pastry… I promise you it is so worth it!

The mini pies are the perfect size for lunch. Just make up a nice salad and a zingy Balsamic Dressing to have on the side.

Lunch and dinner sorted… Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment

Curried Vegetable Pie – Family Sized

This Family Sized Curried Vegetable Pie is jam packed full of vegetables that are only limited by what’s in your fridge at the time. Throw it all in!

I highly suggest going the extra step and blind baking a base for your pie. I’m still of the old school method in that a pie needs a base otherwise it’s just a stew with a lid. That is unless it’s a fish pie, in which case you can make the most spectacular puff pastry, lid only, pie possible. Cracking through the ridiculously high pastry top to reach the delicate fish and velouté centre, leaving shards of crispy, whisper thin pastry strewn across the table is quite possibly one of the food world’s greatest offerings … but I digress…

When making this pie, be sure to make a wide hole in the centre. This particular one closed up on it’s self leaving the filling a little wet but if vented, this pie is absolutely perfect.

Happy pie making – Blondie

Blondie2 Comments

Flaky, Cheesy Mushroom Puffs

Flaky, Cheesy Mushroom Puffs are perfect little mouthfuls of flaky pastry and creamy, savoury mushroom filling.

Although these were one of numerous canapés made specifically for my nana’s 90th Birthday party a couple of months ago; I will happily make finger food to freeze and serve with a glass of wine on the weekend or to reheat with a salad for lunch during the weekday.

These little morsels are sensational with their crispiness, creaminess and umami mushroom hit and most importantly can be eaten with one hand while you mingle and sip your way through the party.

When planning party food or canapés to serve to your guests, aim on having about 8 per person. A mix of hot and cold foods that can be prepared ahead of time and simply assembled on the day.

These can be made and then frozen. When ready, place in a 200°c / 400°f oven and cook till golden and puffed.

Happy partying! Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment

Chunky Oat & Raisin Cookies

Chunky Oat & Raisin Cookies … Who can resist a cookie, especially a large cinnamon and nutmeg scented one with sweet raisins dotted throughout? Certainly not me.

I don’t really have a sweet tooth and a mid morning snack is usually of the savoury kind but these have really been hitting the spot of late – a nice coffee and half of one of these cookies has been the perfect 11:00am breather.

A really nice idea is to keep some for yourself and then give the rest as gifts… maybe friends, your neighbour or your kid’s school teacher?

Share the happiness… Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment

Delicious Pork Mince Rice Bowl

Delicious Pork Mince Rice Bowls … Nothing beats a quick serve dinner, whether it be mid week or on the weekend. With the flavours bursting through in this bowl people will think that you slaved away in the kitchen for hours.

This is a take on the Korean Rice Bowl, which is one of my favourite meals to make at the moment. So full of textures and with a full range of flavours, you can really just use whatever is in the kitchen; you don’t have salad then use some roasted vegetables. Pick a different meat if you are currently without pork mince. These bowls are limitless in their combinations.

I know you will definitely be cooking this delicious pork meal again.

Happy eating! – Blondie

BlondieLeave a comment