Continuing on with the Cheerios Motif...

Salted caramel.  Have you tried it?  

Now, I'm a chocolate girl, through and through, but salted caramel has me a bit smitten. I had a salted caramel cupcake in Seattle that was absolute perfection.  Don't even get me started on Teresa's Salted Caramel Frosting.

After making the Peanut Butter Cup Cheerios Bars, these Dulce de Leche Cheerios started calling my name.

Caramel Cheerios are perfectly delicious in a bowl with milk, and would be perfectly delicious in a bar on their own.  But, BUT (!), with layers of salted caramel sauce and just a *sprinkling* of flaky sea salt to make SALTED CARAMEL CHEERIOS BARS?  Oh baby.

{Did you know that food bloggers are not supposed to use the word "delicious?"  I just used it twice in the same sentence.  I hope I don't get kicked out of the union.}
 

Salted Caramel Cheerios Bars

for the sauce:
1 (14 oz.) package Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

for the bars:
3 TBSP salted butter
1 (10 oz.) package marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups Dulce de Leche Cheerios
flaky sea salt

Grease a 8" or 9" square pan and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the caramels and evaporated milk over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted.  Stir in the salt.  Keep warm over very low heat and stir occasionally while making the bars.

In a large pot or a dutch-oven, heat the butter, marshmallows, and vanilla over low heat until melted.  Remove from heat and stir in the Cheerios.

Place your hand in a baggie, spray with cooking spray and use your covered hand to press 1/2 of the mixture into the pan.  Drizzle on a heaping 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce.

Add the remaining Cheerios mixture on top.  Drizzle on 1/3 cup of the caramel sauce.  Sprinkle on flaky sea salt.  Set aside to cool and set before serving. (A bench scraper is the best tool for cutting.)

One word of warning...you will have extra caramel sauce.  Use it as an ice cream topping, to drizzle on your morning latte, or. or. or....do like I did and grab a spoon.

Dear Cheerios, may I suggest your next flavor be birthday cake? ;)

Salted caramel.  Have you tried it?  

Now, I'm a chocolate girl, through and through, but salted caramel has me a bit smitten. I had a salted caramel cupcake in Seattle that was absolute perfection.  Don't even get me started on Teresa's Salted Caramel Frosting.

After making the Peanut Butter Cup Cheerios Bars, these Dulce de Leche Cheerios started calling my name.

Caramel Cheerios are perfectly delicious in a bowl with milk, and would be perfectly delicious in a bar on their own.  But, BUT (!), with layers of salted caramel sauce and just a *sprinkling* of flaky sea salt to make SALTED CARAMEL CHEERIOS BARS?  Oh baby.

{Did you know that food bloggers are not supposed to use the word "delicious?"  I just used it twice in the same sentence.  I hope I don't get kicked out of the union.}
 

Salted Caramel Cheerios Bars

for the sauce:
1 (14 oz.) package Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

for the bars:
3 TBSP salted butter
1 (10 oz.) package marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups Dulce de Leche Cheerios
flaky sea salt

Grease a 8" or 9" square pan and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the caramels and evaporated milk over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted.  Stir in the salt.  Keep warm over very low heat and stir occasionally while making the bars.

In a large pot or a dutch-oven, heat the butter, marshmallows, and vanilla over low heat until melted.  Remove from heat and stir in the Cheerios.

Place your hand in a baggie, spray with cooking spray and use your covered hand to press 1/2 of the mixture into the pan.  Drizzle on a heaping 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce.

Add the remaining Cheerios mixture on top.  Drizzle on 1/3 cup of the caramel sauce.  Sprinkle on flaky sea salt.  Set aside to cool and set before serving. (A bench scraper is the best tool for cutting.)

One word of warning...you will have extra caramel sauce.  Use it as an ice cream topping, to drizzle on your morning latte, or. or. or....do like I did and grab a spoon.

Dear Cheerios, may I suggest your next flavor be birthday cake? ;)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Double Crunch Fried Chicken Parmesan Burgers on Parmesan Herb Buns with Chunky Fresh Tomato Compote

This is one delicious and very satisfying chicken parmesan burger that is very traditional in terms of flavours but a little different in the way those flavours come together. Traditional Italian herbs are baked into the fresh buns and also included in the super crunchy fried chicken crust on the succulent  chicken breasts. In the sauce however, it's all about the sweet summer tomatoes. The tomatoes are very simply seasoned and quickly pan fried to a chunky compote that gets served on the burgers along with mixed mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

This terrific sandwich is a meal in itself, all we ever serve with them is a simple salad on the side.

Parmesan Herb Burger Buns

3 cups flour
1 pkg (5 grams) instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano, chives, basil and rosemary)

Makes 12 burger buns

Combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour along with the sugar, instant yeast, cheese and herbs and salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of a large electric mixer that uses a dough hook. Add the melted butter and warm milk. Using a wooden spoon or the regular paddle of your electric mixer beat for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is smooth with no lumps. If using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook at this point and begin to slowly incorporate the remaining  flour. If not using an electric mixer keep mixing in the flour gradually until a soft dough forms that leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto the counter top or bread board to knead. You may need to use a little less or a little more flour, this is not uncommon. Knead the dough for an additional 10 minutes either in the electric mixer or on a bread board or counter top.

Cover dough and leave to rest and rise for one hour. Punch the dough down and knead it for a few minutes by hand before letting it rest for another 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, forming each division into a ball.  Roll the ball into about a 4 or five inch disk and place on baking sheets 2 to 3 inches apart. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a draft free place for about 1 1/2 hours or until at least doubled or tripled in size. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Double Crunch Italian Fried Chicken Breasts

6 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the meat to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Alternatively, you can slice the breasts by placing them flat on a cutting board and using a very sharp knife to slice them into halves horizontally.

Sift together:

2 cup flour
4 tsp salt
4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried thyme

1tbsp garlc powder
1 tbsp dried oregano finely chopped

 
Make an egg wash by whisking together:

4 eggs
8 tbsp water

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dip the meat in the flour and herb mixture. Dip the breast into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and herb mix, pressing the mix into the meat to get good contact.

Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Drain on a wire rack. Hold in a warm oven.

Quick Chunky Tomato Compote

4 cloves minced garlic
6 tbsp olive oil
8 large ripe tomatoes diced
2 tbsp brown sugar
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to season

Sauté the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chilli flakes, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final few minutes of cooking time before serving.

Toast the burger buns under the broiler. Place the fried chicken breasts on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish spoon on some of the warm tomato compote, then top with a mixture of:

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place under the broiler to melt and lightly brown the cheese. Serve on the toasted burger buns.

This is one delicious and very satisfying chicken parmesan burger that is very traditional in terms of flavours but a little different in the way those flavours come together. Traditional Italian herbs are baked into the fresh buns and also included in the super crunchy fried chicken crust on the succulent  chicken breasts. In the sauce however, it's all about the sweet summer tomatoes. The tomatoes are very simply seasoned and quickly pan fried to a chunky compote that gets served on the burgers along with mixed mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

This terrific sandwich is a meal in itself, all we ever serve with them is a simple salad on the side.

Parmesan Herb Burger Buns

3 cups flour
1 pkg (5 grams) instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano, chives, basil and rosemary)

Makes 12 burger buns

Combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour along with the sugar, instant yeast, cheese and herbs and salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of a large electric mixer that uses a dough hook. Add the melted butter and warm milk. Using a wooden spoon or the regular paddle of your electric mixer beat for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is smooth with no lumps. If using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook at this point and begin to slowly incorporate the remaining  flour. If not using an electric mixer keep mixing in the flour gradually until a soft dough forms that leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto the counter top or bread board to knead. You may need to use a little less or a little more flour, this is not uncommon. Knead the dough for an additional 10 minutes either in the electric mixer or on a bread board or counter top.

Cover dough and leave to rest and rise for one hour. Punch the dough down and knead it for a few minutes by hand before letting it rest for another 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, forming each division into a ball.  Roll the ball into about a 4 or five inch disk and place on baking sheets 2 to 3 inches apart. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a draft free place for about 1 1/2 hours or until at least doubled or tripled in size. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Double Crunch Italian Fried Chicken Breasts

6 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the meat to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Alternatively, you can slice the breasts by placing them flat on a cutting board and using a very sharp knife to slice them into halves horizontally.

Sift together:

2 cup flour
4 tsp salt
4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried thyme

1tbsp garlc powder
1 tbsp dried oregano finely chopped

 
Make an egg wash by whisking together:

4 eggs
8 tbsp water

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dip the meat in the flour and herb mixture. Dip the breast into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and herb mix, pressing the mix into the meat to get good contact.

Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Drain on a wire rack. Hold in a warm oven.

Quick Chunky Tomato Compote

4 cloves minced garlic
6 tbsp olive oil
8 large ripe tomatoes diced
2 tbsp brown sugar
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to season

Sauté the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chilli flakes, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final few minutes of cooking time before serving.

Toast the burger buns under the broiler. Place the fried chicken breasts on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish spoon on some of the warm tomato compote, then top with a mixture of:

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place under the broiler to melt and lightly brown the cheese. Serve on the toasted burger buns.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Quick and Easy Salt and Pepper Grilled Potato Chips

Summertime means lots of fun and lots of activities that take up most of our time. When I was looking for a super quick and easy way to make french fries, to go with our barbecue I decided to cut them thin and grill them. No time for parboiling when there is so much to do!

Continue Reading »

Summertime means lots of fun and lots of activities that take up most of our time. When I was looking for a super quick and easy way to make french fries, to go with our barbecue I decided to cut them thin and grill them. No time for parboiling when there is so much to do!

Continue Reading »

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Tuesdays At The Table - Quinoa Fruit Salad

I think that one of the best parts of summer is the wonderful offerings of the fruit stands and produce markets in my area.  Nothing against grocery stores...but it's nice to know that when I drop by a fruit stand a few miles from my house, that I'm actually supporting local growers!
Someone on Twitter (sorry, I don't remember who!) was talking about a quinoa fruit salad over the weekend...and that got me curious.  So I played online, then I played in the kitchen!

Quinoa Fruit Sald
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
1 apple, rinsed and diced
2 peaches, rinsed and diced
1/2 pint blueberries, rinsed
1 pint strawberries, rinsed and sliced
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans

Cook the quinoa according to package directions, remembering to rinse it well first to get rid of the bitter taste.

In a large bowl, dump all your rinsed and diced fruits. When your quinoa is cooked and fluffed, add that in too.  Then add the balsamic vinegar, orange juice and honey...and mix well.

Let cool for an hour or so.  Just before serving, sprinkle nuts of your choice on top. (And maybe a little vanilla ice cream too!)

What's cooking in your kitchen?

I think that one of the best parts of summer is the wonderful offerings of the fruit stands and produce markets in my area.  Nothing against grocery stores...but it's nice to know that when I drop by a fruit stand a few miles from my house, that I'm actually supporting local growers!
Someone on Twitter (sorry, I don't remember who!) was talking about a quinoa fruit salad over the weekend...and that got me curious.  So I played online, then I played in the kitchen!

Quinoa Fruit Sald
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
1 apple, rinsed and diced
2 peaches, rinsed and diced
1/2 pint blueberries, rinsed
1 pint strawberries, rinsed and sliced
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans

Cook the quinoa according to package directions, remembering to rinse it well first to get rid of the bitter taste.

In a large bowl, dump all your rinsed and diced fruits. When your quinoa is cooked and fluffed, add that in too.  Then add the balsamic vinegar, orange juice and honey...and mix well.

Let cool for an hour or so.  Just before serving, sprinkle nuts of your choice on top. (And maybe a little vanilla ice cream too!)

What's cooking in your kitchen?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The Unblogged Files: July

Hello hello! Five days without a new post - that's almost a record for me this year! But I had good reason, as over the weekend we were moving house! It was a super-busy weekend, packing, carrying boxes and bags up and down stairs, driving back and forth, cleaning, setting things up, and a lot of takeaway. Phew! My arms and legs are knackered! But finally, everything has been moved and I can breath a sigh of relief and devote a little time to my beloved blog.

So, here are my unblogged files for July!

I baked scones with Dad, using my favourite scone recipe.

And you know what, it turns out that my dad is a better scone baker than me! It was his first go and he made these light and fluffy little beauties! Good work Dad!!

And I think that his watching all that Lifestyle Food channel has really paid off - this month he also made a fabulous tiramisu, using Ina Garten's recipe. So yum!

And speaking of parents and their amazing culinary skills, check out this pork belly my mum made for us for dinner one night:

Crispy pork belly

The recipe is from the latest issue of MindFood magazine (with Marion Cotillard on the cover), and is rubbed in dry mix of Asian spices (5-spice, chillies, anise etc) before being roasted to crispy perfection. Fabulous!

This month I became obsessed with that English classic: Egg and Chips. (I'm not sure whether people in England actually eat this, or if it is just a culinary stereotype... but either way I always associate it in my mind with England).

I'd never had it before, and only knew of it from Shirley Valentine, and well, articles and shows that deride English cuisine. One day I was starving, and all I had in the pantry were eggs and frozen oven chips, so I decided to give it a go. It was absolutely delicious! So perfect with a cup of tea.

Yolk smash!

A new Cacao Green frogurt shop opened up in my area, and I've been a few times - I really like their plain frozen yogurt. I totally want to try the green tea flavour, but they never seem to have it when I go!

Tropical parfait - $6.90

FYI, buying a parfait is way better value than buying frogurt and adding toppings - the below cup cost $4.50 plus $1 for a teensy spoon of strawberries on top! I still enjoyed it, obviously, but it was a little small for the price.

Small plain frozen yogurt with strawberries - $5.50

I made heaps of waffles this month - funnily enough I made a big batch at the start of the month, putting lots of them in the freezer... only to remember that we were moving house at the end of the month and that I needed to eat All The Waffles. Whoops! (A happy accident!)

First round: brekky waffles with fresh apples, oranges, and vanilla bean mascarpone...

Brekky waffles

One night when my cousin came over I whipped out the frozen waffles and topped them with fresh strawberries, vanilla ice-cream and espresso chocolate sauce.

And finally, a midweek brekky waffle, topped with milo and peanut butter. Truly the food of the gods! (And Malaysians).

Following that big Nigella round-up post, I just had to try a bit more Nigella cooking. Nigella's pasta al forno and vegetarian chilli con carne, both from the Partyfood chapter of Feast, were excellent warming suppers.

Pasta al forno

The pasta al forno is like a lasagne (pasta, meat sauce, bechamel), except that instead of lasagne sheets, you use short pasta. I used my favourite short pasta: mini pennete rigate. So cute! This was incredibly good. My tip: double the amount of bechamel that the recipe asks for and pour more on the top. "More bechamel" is always the answer.

Cornbread-topped vegetarian chilli

The cornbread topped veggie chilli was also a winner, and helped me to use up all the last remaining pulses and polenta that I had in the pantry. With loads of lentils, beans, and cornbread, it was both a healthy (I hope!) and filling meal.

Cornbread topped vegetarian chilli

Being impressed with our lovely dinner at Merchant Osteria Venezia, I decided to visit again for drinks and cicchetti at the bar. I loved the Aperol spritz and the crunchy arancini!

Aperol Spritz - $18

Arancini - $10 for 2

Another day, Sandra surprised me with a bag of biscuits from Merchant - super yay! The fudgy brownie was a highlight, as was the cranberry and pine nut biscuit.

Biscuits from Merchant

After drinks at Merchant, we met some friends for a late dinner at The Aylesbury. Reading the menu, I thought it seemed a little pricey, but when the food came, and it was obvious that a lot of thought and care had been put into it. I'd like to go back to try more from the menu! The peppers and the carrot salad were both excellent, and the gnudi were good, but very heavily salted.

Clockwise from left:
Gnudi (ricotta gnocchi) with burnt butter and sage - $18
Carrot, smokey eggplant, labneh - $11
Fried peppers - $7

After that ginormous lunch at The Merrywell, I couldn't face a big dinner, and made myself an easy little Caesar salad, with cos lettuce, wholegrain croutons and parmesan cheese.

Caesar Salad

Well, there was one more component: my own homemade Caesar dressing! It's just like a mayonnaise, with some anchovies added to the egg yolk at the start. I made it all by hand, with a tiny little hand whisk, and I was very, very proud of the result. (You may remember I struggled to make mayonnaise during my How to Eat Project - so yay for improvements!)

Home-made Caesar dressing

This month I finally, finally tried the fried chicken at Gami, along with a big group of friends who were all surprised that I'd never eaten it before. Between twelve of us, we devoured four platters of chicken and two of their Gami kegs of beer! (I liked the garlic flavoured chicken the best).

Mmm... fried chicken.

More scones, this time another round of Steph's fabulous banana scones.

Banana scones

I have mentioned these banana scones here before, but I must admit I just wanted an excuse to show off my fab Market Lane coffee cup! I got it for my birthday from my good friends Georgina and Adri, and I just love it! Somehow it makes my morning coffee taste better (although I'm 100% convinced that's a psychological effect). The sunny yellow colour definitely brightens my mood!

I also had a fun lunch with my parents at Cafe Vue in Heidelberg.

Lunch at Cafe Vue

The standouts were the juicy beef burger, and the healthy (yet still tasty!) salad with pumpkin and Meredith feta. Unfortunately the wagyu pie that I ordered was very dry, and the base pastry was so hard I couldn't cut through it, but had to stab it to break it up and eat it. I wonder if it had been overbaked, or potentially sitting for too long in a warmer? The sweets redeemed themselves though - we all thought the soft amaretti biscuits were fantastic! (I thought it was funny that my short black came out in a Nespresso cup, even though they were using a normal group head coffee machine - i.e. definitely not a Nespresso machine!)

And finally, over the weekend we moved house! I'll try not to bore you with too many details (save that for Twitter, haha) - but I can happily and highly recommend Man with a Van for moving. They did a fantastic job for us! One thing I do want to show you, however, is my collection of cake tins. Whenever did I get that many cake tins?

Cake tins

Over the weekend we ate heaps of takeaway (KFC, Crust, the local Chinese - that sort of thing), but I did eat a proper meal too. Look at this amazing lunch my Dad made for me on the first day that I didn't have any cooking facilities - tau yuu bak (soy sauce pork belly with hardboiled eggs), and assam prawns (stir-fried prawns in tamarind).

Tau yuu bak, Assam prawns

So delicious! Just look at that golden egg yolk. Perfection!!

And that was my July! I'm looking forward to August - we're off to Sydney on the weekend and there are lots of fun and exciting things planned for next month!

Hello hello! Five days without a new post - that's almost a record for me this year! But I had good reason, as over the weekend we were moving house! It was a super-busy weekend, packing, carrying boxes and bags up and down stairs, driving back and forth, cleaning, setting things up, and a lot of takeaway. Phew! My arms and legs are knackered! But finally, everything has been moved and I can breath a sigh of relief and devote a little time to my beloved blog.

So, here are my unblogged files for July!

I baked scones with Dad, using my favourite scone recipe.

And you know what, it turns out that my dad is a better scone baker than me! It was his first go and he made these light and fluffy little beauties! Good work Dad!!

And I think that his watching all that Lifestyle Food channel has really paid off - this month he also made a fabulous tiramisu, using Ina Garten's recipe. So yum!

And speaking of parents and their amazing culinary skills, check out this pork belly my mum made for us for dinner one night:

Crispy pork belly

The recipe is from the latest issue of MindFood magazine (with Marion Cotillard on the cover), and is rubbed in dry mix of Asian spices (5-spice, chillies, anise etc) before being roasted to crispy perfection. Fabulous!

This month I became obsessed with that English classic: Egg and Chips. (I'm not sure whether people in England actually eat this, or if it is just a culinary stereotype... but either way I always associate it in my mind with England).

I'd never had it before, and only knew of it from Shirley Valentine, and well, articles and shows that deride English cuisine. One day I was starving, and all I had in the pantry were eggs and frozen oven chips, so I decided to give it a go. It was absolutely delicious! So perfect with a cup of tea.

Yolk smash!

A new Cacao Green frogurt shop opened up in my area, and I've been a few times - I really like their plain frozen yogurt. I totally want to try the green tea flavour, but they never seem to have it when I go!

Tropical parfait - $6.90

FYI, buying a parfait is way better value than buying frogurt and adding toppings - the below cup cost $4.50 plus $1 for a teensy spoon of strawberries on top! I still enjoyed it, obviously, but it was a little small for the price.

Small plain frozen yogurt with strawberries - $5.50

I made heaps of waffles this month - funnily enough I made a big batch at the start of the month, putting lots of them in the freezer... only to remember that we were moving house at the end of the month and that I needed to eat All The Waffles. Whoops! (A happy accident!)

First round: brekky waffles with fresh apples, oranges, and vanilla bean mascarpone...

Brekky waffles

One night when my cousin came over I whipped out the frozen waffles and topped them with fresh strawberries, vanilla ice-cream and espresso chocolate sauce.

And finally, a midweek brekky waffle, topped with milo and peanut butter. Truly the food of the gods! (And Malaysians).

Following that big Nigella round-up post, I just had to try a bit more Nigella cooking. Nigella's pasta al forno and vegetarian chilli con carne, both from the Partyfood chapter of Feast, were excellent warming suppers.

Pasta al forno

The pasta al forno is like a lasagne (pasta, meat sauce, bechamel), except that instead of lasagne sheets, you use short pasta. I used my favourite short pasta: mini pennete rigate. So cute! This was incredibly good. My tip: double the amount of bechamel that the recipe asks for and pour more on the top. "More bechamel" is always the answer.

Cornbread-topped vegetarian chilli

The cornbread topped veggie chilli was also a winner, and helped me to use up all the last remaining pulses and polenta that I had in the pantry. With loads of lentils, beans, and cornbread, it was both a healthy (I hope!) and filling meal.

Cornbread topped vegetarian chilli

Being impressed with our lovely dinner at Merchant Osteria Venezia, I decided to visit again for drinks and cicchetti at the bar. I loved the Aperol spritz and the crunchy arancini!

Aperol Spritz - $18

Arancini - $10 for 2

Another day, Sandra surprised me with a bag of biscuits from Merchant - super yay! The fudgy brownie was a highlight, as was the cranberry and pine nut biscuit.

Biscuits from Merchant

After drinks at Merchant, we met some friends for a late dinner at The Aylesbury. Reading the menu, I thought it seemed a little pricey, but when the food came, and it was obvious that a lot of thought and care had been put into it. I'd like to go back to try more from the menu! The peppers and the carrot salad were both excellent, and the gnudi were good, but very heavily salted.

Clockwise from left:
Gnudi (ricotta gnocchi) with burnt butter and sage - $18
Carrot, smokey eggplant, labneh - $11
Fried peppers - $7

After that ginormous lunch at The Merrywell, I couldn't face a big dinner, and made myself an easy little Caesar salad, with cos lettuce, wholegrain croutons and parmesan cheese.

Caesar Salad

Well, there was one more component: my own homemade Caesar dressing! It's just like a mayonnaise, with some anchovies added to the egg yolk at the start. I made it all by hand, with a tiny little hand whisk, and I was very, very proud of the result. (You may remember I struggled to make mayonnaise during my How to Eat Project - so yay for improvements!)

Home-made Caesar dressing

This month I finally, finally tried the fried chicken at Gami, along with a big group of friends who were all surprised that I'd never eaten it before. Between twelve of us, we devoured four platters of chicken and two of their Gami kegs of beer! (I liked the garlic flavoured chicken the best).

Mmm... fried chicken.

More scones, this time another round of Steph's fabulous banana scones.

Banana scones

I have mentioned these banana scones here before, but I must admit I just wanted an excuse to show off my fab Market Lane coffee cup! I got it for my birthday from my good friends Georgina and Adri, and I just love it! Somehow it makes my morning coffee taste better (although I'm 100% convinced that's a psychological effect). The sunny yellow colour definitely brightens my mood!

I also had a fun lunch with my parents at Cafe Vue in Heidelberg.

Lunch at Cafe Vue

The standouts were the juicy beef burger, and the healthy (yet still tasty!) salad with pumpkin and Meredith feta. Unfortunately the wagyu pie that I ordered was very dry, and the base pastry was so hard I couldn't cut through it, but had to stab it to break it up and eat it. I wonder if it had been overbaked, or potentially sitting for too long in a warmer? The sweets redeemed themselves though - we all thought the soft amaretti biscuits were fantastic! (I thought it was funny that my short black came out in a Nespresso cup, even though they were using a normal group head coffee machine - i.e. definitely not a Nespresso machine!)

And finally, over the weekend we moved house! I'll try not to bore you with too many details (save that for Twitter, haha) - but I can happily and highly recommend Man with a Van for moving. They did a fantastic job for us! One thing I do want to show you, however, is my collection of cake tins. Whenever did I get that many cake tins?

Cake tins

Over the weekend we ate heaps of takeaway (KFC, Crust, the local Chinese - that sort of thing), but I did eat a proper meal too. Look at this amazing lunch my Dad made for me on the first day that I didn't have any cooking facilities - tau yuu bak (soy sauce pork belly with hardboiled eggs), and assam prawns (stir-fried prawns in tamarind).

Tau yuu bak, Assam prawns

So delicious! Just look at that golden egg yolk. Perfection!!

And that was my July! I'm looking forward to August - we're off to Sydney on the weekend and there are lots of fun and exciting things planned for next month!

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Copycat Jack-in-the-Box Chocolate Malt Crunch Ice Cream Milk Shake

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

Jack in the Box serves this out of this world Malt Crunch Ice Cream Shake. It is seasonal or something, so I created this copycat version. You are going to love it!

Continue Reading »

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

Jack in the Box serves this out of this world Malt Crunch Ice Cream Shake. It is seasonal or something, so I created this copycat version. You are going to love it!

Continue Reading »

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Chocolate Orange Date Crumbles

Yes, I know I'm obsessed with chocolate-orange, we've covered that...but more than another excuse to indulge in one of my favorite dessert flavour combinations, this scrumptious square is a great example of how I like to play with a great recipe to create something new. After I recently re-shot and re-posted the photo for Newfoundland's favorite cookie square, the Date Crumble, a  reader wrote to say that she sometimes adds cocoa powder to her crumble to make a chocolate version of date crumbles to I know I had to try that idea but I also decided to really amp up the filling with intense orange flavour. I loved the result  and I know that this version will make it to my Christmas cookie freezer selection this year for sure. 

First prepare the filling. In a medium saucepan combine and gently boil until thickened (about 10-15 minutes).

18 ounces dates, chopped
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
finely grated zest of one small orange

The filling should be very thick; you will need to watch it carefully and stir constantly in the last few minutes of cooking time. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the crumble mixture.

Crumble:

In a large bowl toss together:

2 cups rolled oats (large)
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar

Using your hands, rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:

1 ½ cups butter, cut in small cubes.

Divide crumble mixture in half and press half into the bottom of a 9x13 inch greased baking pan. Spread date mixture over the base. Top with remaining crumb mixture, pressing it together in clumps in your hands and then breaking it into small pieces with your fingers. Press down lightly. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Yes, I know I'm obsessed with chocolate-orange, we've covered that...but more than another excuse to indulge in one of my favorite dessert flavour combinations, this scrumptious square is a great example of how I like to play with a great recipe to create something new. After I recently re-shot and re-posted the photo for Newfoundland's favorite cookie square, the Date Crumble, a  reader wrote to say that she sometimes adds cocoa powder to her crumble to make a chocolate version of date crumbles to I know I had to try that idea but I also decided to really amp up the filling with intense orange flavour. I loved the result  and I know that this version will make it to my Christmas cookie freezer selection this year for sure. 

First prepare the filling. In a medium saucepan combine and gently boil until thickened (about 10-15 minutes).

18 ounces dates, chopped
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
finely grated zest of one small orange

The filling should be very thick; you will need to watch it carefully and stir constantly in the last few minutes of cooking time. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the crumble mixture.

Crumble:

In a large bowl toss together:

2 cups rolled oats (large)
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar

Using your hands, rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:

1 ½ cups butter, cut in small cubes.

Divide crumble mixture in half and press half into the bottom of a 9x13 inch greased baking pan. Spread date mixture over the base. Top with remaining crumb mixture, pressing it together in clumps in your hands and then breaking it into small pieces with your fingers. Press down lightly. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

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Blueberry vanilla panna cotta

My family and I are in the middle of moving. My husband and I found our dream home, and it's only half a mile down the street from where we currently live. The new house has a gorgeous kitchen and plenty of room for all of my cooking-related items. Now might be the time where I can finally buy a food processor! I never had room to store one before... but I digress.

So far, the process leading up to our move has not been easy. We were supposed to close on our house on a Friday. It was originally scheduled for 11:00 am, but we ran into a few snags. The lawyers needed some paperwork from the mortgage company and the homeowners association, and the paperwork was either incorrect or incomplete. I was sitting on pins and needles anxiously awaiting the phone call that would tell me when we needed to come in to sign our names on the (million) dotted line(s).

And because I had to be available to leave in an instant, I didn't want to make or bake anything that would require a lot of time. I came across this blueberry vanilla panna cotta on the Williams-Sonoma website and thought it would be perfect. It didn't take long to put together and didn't require an oven or a mixer. Instead, I let the refrigerator do all the work for me. Plus, I wanted to feature the fresh blueberries from my biweekly CSA box.

The phone call from our realtor finally came, and our closing had been delayed until 5:00 pm. Sigh. I'm glad we were able to close on the day we wanted, even though we were the last appointment for the day. At least I had some amazing dessert waiting for me in the fridge to help celebrate the purchase of our new property!

[Note from Eva: Clearly, I have zero skills when it comes to unmolding any type of desserts from a ramekin or other round pans. If you have any tips for me, please share them with me! I tried running the ramekin under hot water to loosen it, but it obviously didn't work for me.]

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tsp. (1 package) unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups blueberries, plus more for garnish

Directions

In a bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the milk. Let stand for about 2 minutes.

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream and sugar. Using a small knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds into the cream and add the pod. Heat, stirring, until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Let cool briefly.

Remove the vanilla bean. Slowly add the warm cream mixture to the gelatin mixture, stirring constantly until dissolved. Stir in the vanilla extract and the 2 cups blueberries. Pour the mixture into four 3/4-cup ramekins, dividing evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Just before serving, run a thin knife around the inside of each ramekin and invert onto a dessert plate. Garnish with blueberries and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Williams-Sonoma; originally adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cooking from the Farmers’ Market, by Tasha DeSerio & Jodi Liano (Weldon Owen, 2010).

My family and I are in the middle of moving. My husband and I found our dream home, and it's only half a mile down the street from where we currently live. The new house has a gorgeous kitchen and plenty of room for all of my cooking-related items. Now might be the time where I can finally buy a food processor! I never had room to store one before... but I digress.

So far, the process leading up to our move has not been easy. We were supposed to close on our house on a Friday. It was originally scheduled for 11:00 am, but we ran into a few snags. The lawyers needed some paperwork from the mortgage company and the homeowners association, and the paperwork was either incorrect or incomplete. I was sitting on pins and needles anxiously awaiting the phone call that would tell me when we needed to come in to sign our names on the (million) dotted line(s).

And because I had to be available to leave in an instant, I didn't want to make or bake anything that would require a lot of time. I came across this blueberry vanilla panna cotta on the Williams-Sonoma website and thought it would be perfect. It didn't take long to put together and didn't require an oven or a mixer. Instead, I let the refrigerator do all the work for me. Plus, I wanted to feature the fresh blueberries from my biweekly CSA box.

The phone call from our realtor finally came, and our closing had been delayed until 5:00 pm. Sigh. I'm glad we were able to close on the day we wanted, even though we were the last appointment for the day. At least I had some amazing dessert waiting for me in the fridge to help celebrate the purchase of our new property!

[Note from Eva: Clearly, I have zero skills when it comes to unmolding any type of desserts from a ramekin or other round pans. If you have any tips for me, please share them with me! I tried running the ramekin under hot water to loosen it, but it obviously didn't work for me.]

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tsp. (1 package) unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups blueberries, plus more for garnish

Directions

In a bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the milk. Let stand for about 2 minutes.

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream and sugar. Using a small knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds into the cream and add the pod. Heat, stirring, until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Let cool briefly.

Remove the vanilla bean. Slowly add the warm cream mixture to the gelatin mixture, stirring constantly until dissolved. Stir in the vanilla extract and the 2 cups blueberries. Pour the mixture into four 3/4-cup ramekins, dividing evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Just before serving, run a thin knife around the inside of each ramekin and invert onto a dessert plate. Garnish with blueberries and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Williams-Sonoma; originally adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cooking from the Farmers’ Market, by Tasha DeSerio & Jodi Liano (Weldon Owen, 2010).

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5 Minute, 5 Ingredient, 5 Star Homemade Brown Gravy

Moms, dads, working men and women: there just never seems to be enough time. Some days you are just short on time for dinner, and you need simple, fast and flavorful. That is the exact time to make this 5-5-5 Gravy. Perfect for any dish that calls for brown or beef gravy. I use it on Munchkin Meatballs served over egg noodles, roasts, meatloaf and time I any need brown gravy quick I pull out this recipe. It is delicious!

It is thick, full flavored gravy and only takes 5 minutes to prepare. The recipe calls for ingredients that virtually everyone has on hand at all times and it tastes awesome! We love it and I am sure you will too!

Continue Reading »

Moms, dads, working men and women: there just never seems to be enough time. Some days you are just short on time for dinner, and you need simple, fast and flavorful. That is the exact time to make this 5-5-5 Gravy. Perfect for any dish that calls for brown or beef gravy. I use it on Munchkin Meatballs served over egg noodles, roasts, meatloaf and time I any need brown gravy quick I pull out this recipe. It is delicious!

It is thick, full flavored gravy and only takes 5 minutes to prepare. The recipe calls for ingredients that virtually everyone has on hand at all times and it tastes awesome! We love it and I am sure you will too!

Continue Reading »

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Easy as Pie

Lamb Pies

We were given a pie maker for Christmas a few years ago and whilst it isn't exactly an appliance I pull out on a weekly basis it is still an amazing gadget (for the kitchen that has pretty much all of them!) All Aussie love a meat pie but who knows what goes into them? Well this pie maker means that I always do! We recently got a bumper slow cooker so I could make multiple quantities of stews to freeze and what great pie filling they make! A quick defrost and then we're a go. I just use the ready made pasty sheets for convenience, cut a few rounds to fit the machine and we're cooking! A great way to engage fussy eater kids and whip up a quick but scrumptious lunch!

Lamb Pies

We were given a pie maker for Christmas a few years ago and whilst it isn't exactly an appliance I pull out on a weekly basis it is still an amazing gadget (for the kitchen that has pretty much all of them!) All Aussie love a meat pie but who knows what goes into them? Well this pie maker means that I always do! We recently got a bumper slow cooker so I could make multiple quantities of stews to freeze and what great pie filling they make! A quick defrost and then we're a go. I just use the ready made pasty sheets for convenience, cut a few rounds to fit the machine and we're cooking! A great way to engage fussy eater kids and whip up a quick but scrumptious lunch!

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Where the Magic Happens

Sometimes you're lucky enough to be where the magic happens.

Last weekend, I was here...

Have a guess?

 

How about now?

Now?

Now?!?

So, a few of us were were at THE ranch for a cheese (bread & red pepper jam) class taught by the beautiful Rebecca of Foodie with Family.
{recipe and instructions are over at PW's}

We laughed, we cried, we squealed, we sang songs from Grease.  We wondered what our parents were thinking when they let us WATCH Grease.  We made "cheesy" puns that were "whey" bad.  Get it?

I really, really, really want you to know these girls if you don't already.

 

{Rebecca, me, Robyn, Amy, Wendy, Sandy, photo credit: Sandy}

Sandy decided this looks like a promo shot of a new TV series, "Pioneer Wives."

or maybe, Real Housewives of the Ranch. 

This is Ree.  Hostess with the mostess.  If you don't know Ree, please come out from under your rock now.  If you are not living under a rock, I hope you get a chance to meet Ree someday.  What you love about The Pioneer Woman blog, books, TV show, etc., you'll find tenfold in Ree herself.  Genuine, generous, FUNNY, and can rock a pair of skinny jeans.
{I'm not jealous about that last bit or anything.}

Sandy.  Sandy is a-DOR-able and was my roomie for the weekend and I've decided that she needs to move her whole family to Texas from Oregon and be my next-door neighbor.  (Too much to ask?) Sandy publishes the blog Reluctant Entertainer and has a book of the same name.  Her book really spoke to me...I AM a reluctant entertainer (entertaining means I have to mop the kitchen)...and made me look at entertaining differently.

Georgia.  Miss Georgia.  You've met Georgia and her book Girl Hunter here before.  What can I say?  Georgia kinda does it all.  She's drop-dead gorgeous, hunts her own food, and is an exquisite cook.  She also elevates the plaid shirt to high fashion. 
{photo credit for this and horse pic up top: Wendy}

Wendy.  Wendy, Wendy, Wendy.  Wendy's blog, Wenderly, feels like home.  Food, entertaining, decorating, finding joy in the everyday....that's Wendy.  Wendy also designs cards, like AMAZING cards.  Here, look at these.  Mr. E thinks she looks like a young, Body-Heat-era Kathleen Turner.  I think he's right.

Robyn.  Robyn is a beautiful, southern lady.  I've wanted to meet her for so long now...and really felt like I already had just through reading her posts.  Robyn's blog, Add a Pinch, is full of easy, southern recipes that you'll want to add to your grocery list right now.  I think I've pinned everything on her blog.  Have I mentioned that all of these ladies are stunning? Truly....look at those eyes. {photo from Ree}

Amy.  I've had the pleasure of hanging out with Amy on two different occasions.  I remember before I met her the first time, I was so NERVOUS to meet the creator of She Wears Many Hats.  I mean, this girl takes killer photos, makes killer recipes, all while maintaining killer hair and a gorgeous smile. Somehow I managed to come home with only this picture of Amy....we were the gingham twins for horse riding.  Real cowboys wear gingham, right?

And now to Rebecca, our class leader.  Rebecca homeschools 5 boys, bakes bread every day, makes her own cheese, and raises chickens.  I think she even manages to slip in sleep every now and then. Seriously, I'm not sure how she does all that while managing to look elegant and maintaining the perfect side-swept bangs. I was so, so impressed with not only her cooking, but the way she is raising her boys.  Her blog, Foodie with Family is a treasure.  I love the way she writes! 

I don't want to forget the local girls who came in for the day.  Julie from Another Chance Ranch and Stephanie.  I had the pleasure to meet both of these ladies at the cookie decorating class and LOVED seeing them again.  They tolerate me even though I'm a Sooner. 

Shari from Really Most Sincerely and her aunt came in for the day.  Loved their aunt/niece story.  Also, Shari was wearing Burt's Bees Raisin lip balm which looked so beautiful on her, I ran out about bought it the next day.  She wears it better.

And then, there's Meseidy from The Noshery.  The girl can COOK, y'all.  She's also funny as heck.  You need to know her.

I brought cookies. And was so nervous about being there, I forgot to pass them out.  Instead I opened the box and set them on a table.  The heart is supposed to be over Pawhuska, but Pawhuska isn't *quite* that big. MM assured me I had covered Osage County. ;)

 {photo credit: Sandy}

So, that about wraps it up.  I'm still not quite sure I was really there.  But, I'm in some pictures....I guess that's proof.

Next time, I'm taking you all with me.

Sometimes you're lucky enough to be where the magic happens.

Last weekend, I was here...

Have a guess?

 

How about now?

Now?

Now?!?

So, a few of us were were at THE ranch for a cheese (bread & red pepper jam) class taught by the beautiful Rebecca of Foodie with Family.
{recipe and instructions are over at PW's}

We laughed, we cried, we squealed, we sang songs from Grease.  We wondered what our parents were thinking when they let us WATCH Grease.  We made "cheesy" puns that were "whey" bad.  Get it?

I really, really, really want you to know these girls if you don't already.

 

{Rebecca, me, Robyn, Amy, Wendy, Sandy, photo credit: Sandy}

Sandy decided this looks like a promo shot of a new TV series, "Pioneer Wives."

or maybe, Real Housewives of the Ranch. 

This is Ree.  Hostess with the mostess.  If you don't know Ree, please come out from under your rock now.  If you are not living under a rock, I hope you get a chance to meet Ree someday.  What you love about The Pioneer Woman blog, books, TV show, etc., you'll find tenfold in Ree herself.  Genuine, generous, FUNNY, and can rock a pair of skinny jeans.
{I'm not jealous about that last bit or anything.}

Sandy.  Sandy is a-DOR-able and was my roomie for the weekend and I've decided that she needs to move her whole family to Texas from Oregon and be my next-door neighbor.  (Too much to ask?) Sandy publishes the blog Reluctant Entertainer and has a book of the same name.  Her book really spoke to me...I AM a reluctant entertainer (entertaining means I have to mop the kitchen)...and made me look at entertaining differently.

Georgia.  Miss Georgia.  You've met Georgia and her book Girl Hunter here before.  What can I say?  Georgia kinda does it all.  She's drop-dead gorgeous, hunts her own food, and is an exquisite cook.  She also elevates the plaid shirt to high fashion. 
{photo credit for this and horse pic up top: Wendy}

Wendy.  Wendy, Wendy, Wendy.  Wendy's blog, Wenderly, feels like home.  Food, entertaining, decorating, finding joy in the everyday....that's Wendy.  Wendy also designs cards, like AMAZING cards.  Here, look at these.  Mr. E thinks she looks like a young, Body-Heat-era Kathleen Turner.  I think he's right.

Robyn.  Robyn is a beautiful, southern lady.  I've wanted to meet her for so long now...and really felt like I already had just through reading her posts.  Robyn's blog, Add a Pinch, is full of easy, southern recipes that you'll want to add to your grocery list right now.  I think I've pinned everything on her blog.  Have I mentioned that all of these ladies are stunning? Truly....look at those eyes. {photo from Ree}

Amy.  I've had the pleasure of hanging out with Amy on two different occasions.  I remember before I met her the first time, I was so NERVOUS to meet the creator of She Wears Many Hats.  I mean, this girl takes killer photos, makes killer recipes, all while maintaining killer hair and a gorgeous smile. Somehow I managed to come home with only this picture of Amy....we were the gingham twins for horse riding.  Real cowboys wear gingham, right?

And now to Rebecca, our class leader.  Rebecca homeschools 5 boys, bakes bread every day, makes her own cheese, and raises chickens.  I think she even manages to slip in sleep every now and then. Seriously, I'm not sure how she does all that while managing to look elegant and maintaining the perfect side-swept bangs. I was so, so impressed with not only her cooking, but the way she is raising her boys.  Her blog, Foodie with Family is a treasure.  I love the way she writes! 

I don't want to forget the local girls who came in for the day.  Julie from Another Chance Ranch and Stephanie.  I had the pleasure to meet both of these ladies at the cookie decorating class and LOVED seeing them again.  They tolerate me even though I'm a Sooner. 

Shari from Really Most Sincerely and her aunt came in for the day.  Loved their aunt/niece story.  Also, Shari was wearing Burt's Bees Raisin lip balm which looked so beautiful on her, I ran out about bought it the next day.  She wears it better.

And then, there's Meseidy from The Noshery.  The girl can COOK, y'all.  She's also funny as heck.  You need to know her.

I brought cookies. And was so nervous about being there, I forgot to pass them out.  Instead I opened the box and set them on a table.  The heart is supposed to be over Pawhuska, but Pawhuska isn't *quite* that big. MM assured me I had covered Osage County. ;)

 {photo credit: Sandy}

So, that about wraps it up.  I'm still not quite sure I was really there.  But, I'm in some pictures....I guess that's proof.

Next time, I'm taking you all with me.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad