articles, recipes, ideas and tips for entertaining at home

Pasta comes in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from tagliatelle and tortellini to penne and pappardelle. Matching pasta with a compatible sauce is instinctive for someone that has grown up eating pasta as a staple, but for the rest of us some guidelines are necessary to attain the best complement of flavour and texture.

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Today is entertaining made easy’s second blogiversary. It’s been a big year of recipe development, cooking, photographing, writing and of course eating!

I would like to thank my loyal readers:  thank you for continuing to visit this blog and leave your comments which are always welcome (both positive and constructive). Your loyalty inspires me to continue the sometimes lonely pursuit of blogging. I hope my recipes and articles have inspired you to cook and entertain over these past 2 years, and I look forward to your continued visits and contributions.

Gail
xxx

At this time of the year in many parts of Australia, cumquat trees are bursting with ripe fruit. Many suburban homes have cumquat trees in their gardens as an ornamental, but sadly the fruit is left to rot as it is too tart for most people to eat.  However, cumquats make fantastic marmalade – the perfect way to use that cumquat crop that you didn’t know what to do with.

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An oldy but a goodie, chocolate mousse never goes out of style. It is a perfect dessert for a dinner party as it can be made fully in advance. This adult version has the addition of  liqueur, which of course could be left out but why would you? Any liqueur can be used - use your favourite or experiment for different results. My favourite – Cointreau.

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It’s winter in Oz, and even though I am lucky enough to live on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, we still have chilly evenings. Slow-cooked lambs shanks hit the spot perfectly for a winter-warming meal. [Read more →]

Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is a food lover’s haven – the region is blessed with top quality produce and gourmet products grown and made with love by dedicated local farmers and artisans. The fine climate and fertile soil provides ideal growing conditions for a wide variety of produce and foods.      

The rolling hills of Maleny

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When following a recipe, a cup refers specifically to 250ml, not a coffee cup pulled out of the cupboard, and a tablespoon is 20ml, not a serving spoon! Although cooking is essentially an art, when following a recipe it pays to have a degree of accuracy, especially for beginner cooks and in particular when baking. [Read more →]

Until last weekend I had zero experience in making a child’s themed birthday cake (probably because I don’t have children). I hear from my friends that do have kids just how highly competitive childrens’ birthday parties can be. It seems that all the parents are trying to out-do the other parents, particularly when it comes to the cake. 

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If you enjoy cooking and eating Thai food, Essentially Thai by Helen Briety and Annette Fear is a must for the home cook and chef alike. This is the third book from renowned Sunshine Coast restaurant The Spirit House, and like its predecessors it simplistically demystifies all the components of Thai food: fresh and dry ingredients, utensils and cooking techniques.  The easy to follow instructions and FAQ’s will ensure your Thai cooking experiences are a success. [Read more →]

With the temperatures dropping, the time is right for warming winter dishes. At this time of the year I am cooking Beef Bourguignon, Osso Bucco, slow-cooked lamb shanks, Coq au Vin and similar comfort foods.  Many winter dishes involve braising liquids, so it’s nice to serve an accompaniment that can soak up all those lovely juices. Mashed potato is a popular choice, but for something a little different try polenta. [Read more →]