My name is Liz and I am a “Masterchefaholic” … sorry Manu!!  What I love about Masterchef is that the best cook wins on the day.  The judges have the final word and there is an amazing camaraderie and support between the contestants who are under extreme pressure to perform.
I can’t think of any chef who is more intense and intimidating than the remarkable Marco Pierre White (except maybe Gordon Ramsay).  During Masterchef’s “Marco Week” I found myself yet again captivated by this enigmatic and intelligent chef.  Marco’s book “White Heat” rests proudly in my recipe book collection.  Featuring a stylish black and white cover, on first glance it does not appear to be a recipe book.  I very much enjoyed reading about Marco and his intense obsession for food.  Marco’s dishes are a gastronomic delight and superbly presented.   At the top of my “love to try” list would be Ravioli of Lobster with a Beurre Soy Sauce, Potage of Shellfish with Truffle and Leek or Assiette of Chocolate.  I will, however, give the pigeon cooked in a pig’s bladder a solid gold miss!!
As much as I would love to recreate Marco’s divine dishes, I need to win Gold Lotto to be able to afford the ingredients.  To substitute or use less expensive ingredients would be a disservice to the great Marco Pierre White.  For now I will save this treasured publication for those times when I want to read and enjoy.
Until next week, I leave you with a few words from the great man …
“Be generous, be extravagant.  Without generosity there’s no love, and without love there’s no understanding.  A mean cook is a failed cook” - Marco Pierre White

Better late than never!!!  Way, way back at the end of November 2014 I decided that I really should use my cookbooks more often (as I tend to use my hand-written recipes or those which I have torn from magazines).  Well ... that didn't pan out.  So, I am going to try, yet again, to use my treasured recipe book collection, and share the results with you.
The first dish I prepared (way back in November 2014) was Chermoula Marinated King Prawns from page 11 of "The Heart of the Home" by the lovely Julie Goodwin.
This was a simple dish to prepare and just perfect to toss on the BBQ on a hot Queensland summer afternoon (served with a XXXX beer of course).  I prepared the prawns a few hours before serving to allow the flavours to develop.  The only change I made to the recipe was to add a finely chopped red chilli for a little "kick". 
Simple, spicy, tasty and a real crowd pleaser.  This dish ticked all of my boxes.  Thanks Julie.
Until next time,
Cheers
Liz

Do you have a collection of beautiful recipe books that you just don't use?  I found myself staring at my beautiful collection just now and thought to myself what a shame that I don't use them.  I love the chefs (they are my rock stars).  I love watching them on TV or meeting them at food festivals but what an absolute shame that I don't honour them by actually trying many of their recipes.  It's not intentional, it's just that I have so many recipes stored in my head and thousands that I have taken from magazines or scribbled down while watching the tele.  Well, that my friends is about to change!  Starting now, I have made a pact to try at least one recipe per week from my treasured collection.
​First up is "The Heart of the Home" by Australia's first MasterChef, the delightful Julie Goodwin.  This is a beautifully presented book with full page coloured photos (I never cook a recipe without a photo ... it's like buying a dress without trying it on).  Julie's cooking style is so similar to mine, featuring a repertoire of hearty, homestyle, comfort food.  The first recipe I am going to try is ..... drumroll please .... Chermoula Marinated King Prawns (from page 11).  They look so good and will be perfect for a light, fresh Queensland summer meal.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know how it goes.  Have a wonderful weekend :D

We have just returned from four fabulous days in the Queensland's glorious Glasshouse Mountains.  We took time to breathe in the fresh mountain air, walk in the bush and interact with the wildlife.  Kookaburras and magpies were our constant companions.  We sourced local produce and created simple meals ... every dish was cooked outdoors on a BBQ hotplate.  Instead of the usual cheese platter we enjoyed sweet summer Queensland fruits and cracked macadamias (with a glass of wine of course).  We even enjoyed a beer at the historical Landsborough Hotel.  How beautiful it was to "go back to the basics".   I returned to Briz Vegas feeling invigorated and relaxed.  Cheers, Liz

Isn't it amazing how a humble little cupcake can bring so much joy.  I recently baked these Peanut Butter Cupcakes for a fundraiser at work.  I was so delighted to win a prize for my efforts (some gorgeous treats from Noosa Chocolate Factory).  A photo of my cupcakes was then shown to a client who chose them as the winner of their bake off.  I won some lovely prizes for which I am sincerely grateful.   I also shared my cupcakes with Cadbury who were running a favourite flavours promotion.  Today Cadbury selected and published my photo as one of their favourite flavour creations from this week's bake off challenge.  Not bad for a home cook.  I'm chuffed.  Cheers :D

You KNOW what I'm talking about.  Let's be honest, sometimes our creations just don't work!!  It's heartbreaking to spend time lovingly creating a dish for your family and friends and it turns into an epic fail.

The first "dodgy dish" was created by one of my dearest friends.  Can you imagine her horror after spending time finding the perfect recipe, shopping for the ingredients, preparing the cheesecake mix and then, when transferring the dish to the oven, the base fell out and the mixture spread itself across all four corners of her kitchen.  Brings a tear to your eye doesn't it!!

In the middle is one of my "dodgy dishes".  It was corned beef with cheese sauce.  I've made it many times and on this occasion it just did not work (and of course I was cooking it for a special occasion).  The meat was stringy, dry, tasteless and practically inedible.  What went wrong ... who knows.  My family still smiled and commented how delicious it was, but I knew it was wrong on every level.

Finally, another friend followed the packet directions carefully to create an amazing dragon cake and, sadly, it just did not look like the perfect dragon on the packet.

My point is that we are all human.  Accidents happen, recipes fail and we all have "off days" in the kitchen.  Not all of our cooking will grace the cover of a magazine, however, it will still put a smile on the face of our loved ones.

Cooking makes me happy, no matter the outcome.  It distracts me from bad times, however, I have many beautiful memories of sharing food with my family and friends.  If it doesn't work, laugh it off and try again.

Happy cooking :D

Today I was feeling very "housebound".  Almost six weeks since surgery and I REALLY miss cooking.  I took a moment to look through a couple of my "classic" cookbooks including this one (published in 1972) ...

Although the title may say "Cooking with Wine and Cheese" I could find very little which included these ingredients.  However, what I did find was a collection of forgotten favourites including:

1. Balls, Blue Balls and Cheesy Balls
2. Cheese Soup, Bubbly Soup and Hungarian Soup with Liver Dumplings
3. Vegetable Creme with Cheese Dumplings, Hawaiian Meat Roll
4. Fish Delite, Tuna Nut Bake
5. Egg and Cheese Casserole, Chicken Mould, Prawn & Egg Bobbles
6. Savoury Devon & Asparagus, Chipped Beef, Sherry Fried Eggs

And for dessert Oporto Prune Whip.

My goodness, how cooking styles have changed!!

Wishing everyone a very happy weekend :D

Welcome to my first ever blog.  I have to say I'm really quite nervous.  This "blogging thing" is a whole new world of which I really understand nothing.  I hope I don't bore you ... here we go :D

After work on a Friday evening, whilst sipping a glass of vino, I logged on to Facebook and created a post which simply said "I am really interested to know what was your first cookbook and who gave it to you?"

Much to my surprise, the response was overwhelming.  Here I was thinking it's only me who has a weird obsession with cookbooks!  Many of my friends responded to my post and shared their stories with me.  Some were school text books, some were gifts and many were handed down from grandparents or other significant relatives, some were beautifully hand-written and held in a box.

What really touched me was the memories that these cookbooks evoked.  It appears the good old-fashioned cookbook is not just a collection of recipes, it is a treasure, a link to our heritage.  It has a heart, a soul and many stories to tell.

My first cookbook (not counting school text books) was "The Complete Margaret Fulton Cookbook".  It was given to me for my birthday in 1984 by my darling grandmother "Hootenanny".  I use it all the time and I think of Hootenanny when I do.  Hootenanny described herself as  terrible cook.  I will never agree :D

So, again I ask the question, "What was your first cookbook and who gave it to you?".  I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers and happy weekend
Liz