There are so many great things about a stir-fry – it’s quick, easy, healthy and tasty.  This Thai-style recipe of mine appeared in the That’s Life! Reader Recipe Cookbook last year, and its a dish I make regularly. I love the use of Kaffir Limes leaves and Thai basil – it gives it a really authentic Thai flavour. You can use chicken or prawns instead of the pork, and substitute broccoli, beans or asparagus for the snow peas. If you’re entertaining, just prep all the ingredients before your guests arrive and stir-fry up a storm just before you are about to eat. Too easy.

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This delicious dip can be put together in a matter of minutes. It’s lovely served as part of an antipasto platter, or on its own with grilled crostini or fresh crusty bread. Confit garlic is available from gourmet stores, but if you’re not able to find it it, just roast 3 cloves of garlic by wrapping them unpeeled into foil and putting them in a 180ºC oven for 20 minutes or until soft when pressed, then squeeze the garlic from the skins. The flavour of the dip improves with age, so you can make it 1 or 2 days ahead of time. Perfect for entertaining.

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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 →]

This stylish yet simple dessert is made in less than 15 minutes in total and tastes as good as it looks. Cannoli are Sicilian pastry desserts, and ready-made cannoli shells are a terrific time-saver. The ricotta filling can be made ahead of time and stored covered in the refrigerator. The cannoli just need assembling at serving time, which takes less than 5 minutes. Your guests will love these!

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With summer drawing to a close, mangoes are starting to become more expensive and less plentiful. I say make the most of them while they’re still around, and this recipe is a great way to enjoy the last of the season’s mangoes.

The divine Thai flavours of garlic, chilli, ginger, lime and coconut marry beautifully with the prawns and mango. The curry sauce can be made in advance – you only need to add the prawns and mango just before serving time. Perfect for entertaining and a piece of cake to make, you’ll make this recipe time and time again. [Read more →]

Primavera in Italian means “spring style” and this salad showcases the best of spring produce. This is lovely as an accompaniment to fish or chicken, and makes a delicious entree served with smoked salmon. [Read more →]

So simple and a real crowd-pleaser, this pie is perfect for lunch, served with a simple green salad and fresh crusty bread. You can also bake it in a slab pan, cut it into small squares and serve as an appetiser or as part of an antipasto platter.
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These blueberry muffins take little more than 5 minutes to mix up and are as tasty as they are easy.  They are perfect for morning or afternoon tea, or even dessert served with ice-cream and fresh berries. Frozen blueberries will give a fine result, however use them straight from the freezer and don’t allow them to defrost. You can substitute other berries, such as raspberries or strawberries.
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It’s winter in Australia, and time to nestle in and enjoy the culinary delights that the cold weather brings. Whilst we don’t have snow in Sydney, it can still get mighty cold at this time of the year. What better way to warm up than with heart-warming fondue shared with a group of good friends?

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Morish is the only way to describe this dessert, but tell your guests watch out for the booze-bus on the way home as it’s fairly high in alcohol!  This famous Italian dessert, known as a Sabayon in France, is traditionally served hot.   The addition of cream in this chilled version creates a lighter-style dessert. Divine served with sponge fingers, biscotti or fresh berries, this is a perfect dinner party recipe as it can be fully prepared in advance. [Read more →]