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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Winter Fare...



As Autumn slips into Winter I've been busy in the kitchen cooking all my favourite comfort foods. Earlier in the week I made my first apple pie of the season this time using an Australian Women's Weekly recipe. I wasn't all that happy with the pastry (it only had 1 tablespoon of sugar in it so was more savoury than sweet) but we all agreed that the filling was our best one yet. The recipe called for 10 apples (I used a mixture of Granny Smiths which hold their shape so beautifully and Pink Ladies which cook to a silky smooth mush) which I flavoured with sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and ground cloves.

I was also lucky enough to be given some lovely organic beetroot by a friend at work. I thought about making Sophie Dahl's Borscht but then I remembered Jane Clark's Beetroot and Sweet Potato Soup which is always such a hit with the kids. Unlike the more traditional earthy beetroot soup, the addition of sweet potato gives this soup a wonderful sweetness and the colour is just amazing.

Breakfasts have also undergone a bit of a makeover with porridge back on the menu. We've been experimenting with different toppings (honey, cinnamon, nuts, dried fruit compote) but I'm dying to try this Carrot Cake Oatmeal perhaps with a Rhubarb Smoothie.

What's cooking at your house?

6 comments:

  1. Lovely photo caz...we eat tons of apples both cooked and just as they come. Ahmad's favourite are Pink Ladies, I love Jazz, Gala, or Jubilee but we can only get those late in the year.

    I usually use Bramley apples for baking except for windfall when making an apple cake...but like you I might try using eating apples with the addition of lemon zest, cinnamon and cloves which are something I don't think I've ever used before except to make mulled wine...this sounds like a lovely combination.

    I'm into porridge at the moment too, with lots of lovely fresh fruit, raisins and either honey or sometimes maple syrup for a treat...mmm....

    By the way your lemon and honey drink with star anise really seems to work...I'm not sure if it was just a case of mind over matter but I swear that my chest stopped tickling and aching as soon as I'd drunk a big mug of it!

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  2. ps just noticed your edit re the star anise... really interesting...

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  3. Yum!! It's been ages since I've tried making my own apple pie, but it's definitely the season to try it again.

    I love your idea of using a mixture of different types of apples ... I think I would enjoy the different textures that would produce.

    Porridge is back on my breakfast menu too (I love porridge). I enjoy it rather simply with brown sugar (or maybe I'm just a lazy cook). ;)

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  4. Deb - we've been enjoying Galas and Jazz over here too. Bramleys seem not to be commercially available in Australia which is a shame. I always add clove to my apple pie because I remember having it that way when I was little (perhaps my Nana's?).

    I'm glad you tried the star anise drink - it's great isn't it? My friend Manu left a comment on the last post saying that she also puts it in her Earl Grey tea so I've tried that too and it was lovely.

    Tracey - it was quite satisfying making my own apple pie. I'm more about apple than pastry so I made a lattice top rather than a full one which I think works well. If you'd like I can post a recipe once I find a different (better)pastry recipe?

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  5. all of this autumny goodness is making me long for my favorite season! thanks for the peek and the tempting recipes :)

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