Christmas Greetings 2014

Christmas is the time of goodwill, to reflect and appreciate our loved ones.  

At feedyourinnercook we believe cooking is our way of showing we care for those we love.

So,

we hope you are able to hug those dear to you

but if not, hold their memory in your heart.

Share food cooked with love

and

don't be in a rush to clean up after,

savour the taste, the moment and make memories.

At Christmas 2014, we all need to be kind to ourselves and others

and

may the new year be serene for you and yours.

Thank you for your support and encouragement throughout the year.
Best wishes for a Happy Christmas
and
we look forward to sharing more cooking adventures in 2015.

Now, put on a silly hat, tell daggy jokes and laugh, laugh and laugh.

Cheers
Colleen and the feedyourinnercooks



Photo taken at 'Art of the Table" exhibition.  National Gallery of Victoria. Melbourne. Australia.

more details at    http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/art-of-the-table/

Apple pie made easy

This recipe will result in an outstanding apple pie with the minimum of fuss.
We used the ready made short crust pastry from Careme, it may cost a little but the results are guaranteed to give you a short flaky pastry without the fuss. It is available at all good deli's.

As Aussie music industry legend Molly would say "Do yourself a favour" and I encourage you all to do so.

Ingredients

6 large granny smith apples
Juice 1 lemon
45g unsalted butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 packet of Careme sweet short crust pastry (defrosted according to directions on the packet)
Extra sugar
Beaten egg yolk

Method

Peel, core and cut apples into 8ths, immediately pop in a bowl with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
Melt butter in a pan, then add apples, sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
Gently toss to incorporate all ingredients.
Continue to stir for 10 minutes or until apples are soft, you still want them to retain their shape.
Leave to cool a little.
Grease pie dish with butter.
From the one sheet of pastry cut size for base of pie dish and a smaller shape for lid.
Place the pastry on the base of the pie dish, gently lift in the apples.
Place pastry on top and brush with beaten egg and a sprinkle of caster sugar.

Bake in a moderate oven 180 degrees Celsius or until pie is golden.

Serve with top quality vanilla ice cream and or cream.

Mamma Marmalade

Lemon Myrtle Cordial

Now that the summer heat has arrived, it is always nice to have a refreshing non alcoholic beverage to offer guests. I made this drink a couple of weeks ago and received rave reviews, people offering to pay me to make bottles for them. So it could be an ideal homemade Christmas gift with a pretty ribbon tied around the bottle.

It is also a very attractive shrub and this bush tucker plant has many uses, so why not plant a hedge.

Ingredients

1 cup lemon juice or a combination of lemon and lime juice
4 cups water
2 cups caster sugar
1 piece of organic lemon rid pith removed the size of a  tablespoon
1 1/2 half cups of fresh, young lemon myrtle leaves well washed


Method

Combine all the ingredients apart from the fresh lemon myrtle leaves in a large saucepan.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar
Remove from heat, add fresh lemon myrtle leaves and steep for half an hour at least.
Remove the leaves and pour the cordial into clean bottles and store in the fridge.

Then when ready to serve simply add iced water or soda/mineral water to a measure of cordial depending on taste.

It will disappear quickly.


Mamma Marmalade