Go Figga!

My neighbour called me really early and asked me to help harvest her figs. Seems the birds and flying foxes AKA Fruit Bats (so called for obvious reasons) had just discovered a way to circumvent her netting protection. If she didn't get in quick there would be none left. So off we went in the rain to pick figs. They are delicious. Fat juicy sweet. A tiny twist of the wrist and the ripe ones pop straight into your eagerly waiting hand. I then watched her slice them on hot buttered raisin toast and drizzle them with honey, for her breakfast. The honey came from her brothers farm and a new breakfast dish was born.

I was rewarded with a small basket full of them and having Mascarpone Cheese in my fridge I decided to turn mine into a crisp free form galette with honey and mascarpone. Strong coffee and a small pot of dipping yoghurt to serve yummmm YUMMMM YUMMMM http://youtu.be/9MORuSYY-R8

Now we adore Fig Jam and had we realised the resourcefulness of Fruit Bats and Birds I just may have been able to bring that recipe to you too. There is always next year. We were very happy with our little Rustic Fig Tart, which only used 5 ingredients, one of those ingredients was a little scrap piece of whole meal flour pastry we kept in the freezer for later use. This was really too small a quantity for anything else and was simply perfect for out morning tea for 3.

Richo's not going anywhere.

After having a Slasher dropped on his foot it was time to address the damaged toenails, 2 on one foot with the nail bed ablation and one on the other foot. Intense pain, foot elevation, bleeding and constant discomfort. Worse still no swimming, walking or playing with Tilly. Ye for me to be a nurse for a change.

Back to the kitchen!

After 5 days of a very unpleasant dose of stomach flu it is time to get back into the kitchen. Headaches, fever, stomach cramps, rumbling tummy and loss of appetite, incredibly frequent urgent trips to the bathroom have left us both washed out and exhausted. The humidity and heat either real or perceived has totally drained our energy. Sipping gingerbeer, filtered water and white tea has helped with hydration but it has been an uphill battle. The merest exertion has been very taxing. I, or should I say the pressure cooker, made a huge pot of soupy chicken and Vege risotto. There is no way I had the energy to stand at the stive a stir and cook. The very smell and thought of food turned my stomach but food was needed as was fluids. For 2 days we had a small scoop of it a couple of times a day. The dogs had the same. Chicken 'n rice just what a vet would order. Portie the antique chihuahua has quite enjoyed the holiday, no tools, no  vacuum, 3 videos a day. Her favourite dinner and the aircon in the bedroom, don't forget sooky cuddles from a sick mum. She could really get used to this life. Tilly on the other hand had been bored. She has been taken on some runs the last two days that wore her out, plus the daily hunts for intruders in the pumpkin patch have kept otherwised engaged.

Portia performing her nursing role.

Moroccan Couscous Easy Vegan Side

I tried this at a Christmas Party and simply had to share it. Without access to a recipe, whilst I ate it I tried to identify all the different flavours so I could replicate it at home. I'm the one at the table rolling food around my mouth like a seasoned wine taster, making a mental note of each ingredient and committing the taste to memory. Back home as soon as I can I  cook that recipe whilst the flavour is still fresh in my mind.  Sometimes a little tweak here and there and it usually comes out pretty close. This is just one recipe I have made using this method. The great think about doing this you can adjust the recipe to suit your personal taste, some like it hotter, sweeter, tangier but we loved it just like this.

It makes a larger serving probably easily feed about 6 people as generous side dish or 4 as a main with salad. We had so much left over we had it cold with salad the next day and marvelled at how delicious and cheap it was to make. Little tubs of the stuff in the supermarket are about $5-$7 which I happen to think is highway robbery and without seeming conceited ours was way better, preservative free and packed with fresh flavours. We can't decide if we liked hot or cold better but either way the leftovers had a more intense and different flavour as the sauce nestled in amongst the soft grains. http://youtu.be/KvgLuRbKgNc

Giant Iced Vovo Icecream Cake

My favourite biscuits as a child were iced vovos, which were made by the Arnotts biscuit company. They have been around for about 100 years, a little longer than I have. Something that enduring must have something going for it. My Nana always had a packet on hand and we would eat them with a large glass of icy cold milk. I was thinking about my Nana and those afternoon treats and I thought if iced vovos tasted that good with freezing milk how would they be made into and ice cream slice. ??

Some of the fondest childhood memories are reborn into something new. I decided to invent a Giant Iced Vovo Icecream Cake, as a tribute to My late Nana, Australia Day and to every little girl who has warm memories of a grandmothers soft, cool skin, twinkly eyes and infectious laughter. I know my Nan would've approved of my tweaking one of our favourite biscuits into a truly Australian Classic Summer Dessert. Why don't you check it out and don't forget to stop By our Australia Day recipes playlist for some old fashioned and new age Aussie Day inspired meals. http://youtu.be/6LRktJO8bgY

Nutella Rice Pudding 4 ingredients

We decided to make Chocolate Creamed Rice and after receiving a lovely box of Ferrero Rocher Chocolates from a nephew I got to thinking, Nutella Rice  Pudding. Mmmm topped with a blob of Creme Fraiche and a little ball of Chocolate Hazelnut deliciousness or Marachino Cherries or both 🍒 yes that's it , so we did both, kind of a chocolate Hazelnut risotto using only 4 ingredients.

The result was lick the spoon clean superb. Great hot, warm or chilled, perfect mid afternoon pick me up, budget lunch box treats or an after school snack, we used low fat milk. A smidge of brown sugar and the co stars of the show Arborio rice and Nutella it cooked and stirred itself to perfection and we are a little bit proud of our latest easy dessert. We do hope you stop by our cheekyricho YouTube channel and check out our version of  Nutella Rice Pudding.

http://youtu.be/ wPRGRo4xq3o

One Ingredient Recipe Cheekyricho YouTube Playlist.

There are so many possible ways to use ingredients with other ingredients but in this cheekyricho YouTube playlist we show you how to make recipes using only one ingredient.  It may be frozen, dried, dehydrated, baked or just cooked but one thing is for sure each of this innovative recipes on,y uses one ingredient. Why not check it out, and let us know of some other 1 ingredient recipes you'd like us to share. 

Chocolate Honeycomb Icecream Slice

Working very hard on the renovations at the moment but had to down tools for a Christmas party. I always take a lovely dessert but being time poor and pretty well exhausted I opted for an easy one. Something unusual, delicious that the adults and kids would enjoy. We took the camper and kept it in the freezer until after dinner, decoarated it in the van and carried it to the table pied piper style with a band of kids and adults following me. Every single crumb was devoured with gusto and orders have already been put in for another one.

Doesnt look that fancy yet does it?

But when it's topped with shards of honeycomb and biscuit chunks you will have a hard time revisiting a second piece. Check out the super simple video recipe on our cheekyricho YouTube channel http://youtu.be/izVqZuoC1VE