Little Crystal Creek

So we went out for a day trip in the car before JD and Miss A went home to their mother. We decided to go up to the rain forest just 40 Min's north of here. Our first stop on the way was here, little crystal creek. This place is just beautiful. My goodness the rain forest was sensational and the views of the mountains just made me feel so relaxed in awe. To top it off little crystal creek to me is not a creek, it's a perfect set of waterfalls big and small. The man made stone arch bridge was gorgeous. It was like a scene out of a movie, a place I never knew I would see.
The pictures just do not do the experience justice. You have to be there to understand how amazing it is. No words can describe the feeling this place creates in your soul.
I imagined seeing a horse and carriage stroll across this bridge. The place really is nearly untouched. The pathways and bridge feel like they have always been there.
You are surrounded by the biggest trees that have the most amazing ferns hanging from them. Dark green moss grows on any spare patch it can hang on to.

I urge anyone to visit this simply beautiful place. You can't tell be the pictures but there is a light drizzle of rain falling while we are there and it makes for a brilliant atmosphere.
Little crystal creek is on the edge of the Hervey Ranges, along the way to Paluma village. North Queensland is such a beautiful place and I live here. How lucky am I? I feel so grateful to the powers at be that have nudged us in the North Queensland direction.

If you ever come and visit North Queensland make sure you stop by and enjoy this place.

Cheers Amelita

XoxoxoX

Banana Pancakes with Bacon & Maple Syrup

The first time I had bacon plus maple syrup on pancakes was in the US. I thought it was strange. But I am always up for new things. They are so delicious and so yin and yang, sweet and salty, and all that JAZZ. You get the picture. I have become addicted to them. On a Sunday morning all of our family just can't resist a hot brekky. It's a must have. Even in summer and yes in Tropical Queensland. This Easter Sunday with everyone here was a good reason to indulge in some extra fat molecules. Since our move, two of our midgets have been in Brisvegas and come up here on school holidays. So it has been just awesome having them home again. They took their first plane trip and I was jumping up and down with excitement as they waddled down to the gate to get off the plane. All seven of us together again. I think everyone else thought we were a pack of wild monkeys Oo Oo Oa AAAAAA. Sorry, I digressed yet again. Back to the pancakes. I had some bananas that were looking really ripe and the kids won't touch them when they look like that. So banana pancakes it was. We demolished them. So I hope you do to? I am getting hungry again just looking at the picture mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ingredients

Lots of crispy Bacon

Maple Syrup

For the Pancakes

3 cups of Plain Flour

3 Eggs

3 cups of Milk

1 teaspoon of Vanilla Bean Paste

2 mashed large Cavendish Bananas

Pinch of Salt

Simply whisk all the pancake ingredients together. It's that easy. Butter your fry pan or flat grill on a medium to high heat. Place a big dollop of the pancake batter in the pan. Cook until golden on one side and bubbly on the top side. Then flip. Cook for a minute or so longer and your done. Once all the pancakes are cooked assemble the crispy bacon on the top of them and pour on the Maple Syrup goodness. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............ yummo.

Tips

Grill your bacon in advance and place on a tray, in a warm oven. Same with the pancakes when you are making them, just pop them into the oven to. Keeps everything warm and assembly is quick smart. Cheers Amelita :)

Pan Fried Salmon on Mash with Hollandaise

Ingredients

2 pieces of Salmon, skin on of course
Mashed Potato, the way you like it.



For the Hollandaise


3 tbsp White Vinegar
Ground Course Black Pepper
125 grams Melted Butter
6 Large Egg Yolks
Good Pinch Salt Flakes
1/2 Lemon Juiced
Love

Reduce vinegar with black pepper in a small saucepan until about 1 tablespoon is left. Melt butter and allow to sit for a minute, so that it separates. Place the 6 egg yolks into a clean mixing bowl and whisk together with vinegar, until fluffy. Then pour the melted butter in a thin stream while you continue to keep whisking on high speed. Leave the remaining solids from the butter in the jug. Try not to get to much in the sauce when pouring. Whisk in the lemon juice and salt. Taste for seasoning.

Once your mash and hollandaise are set to go. In a hot fry pan with a good knob of butter and a splash of olive oil, place the salmon skin side down and fry for about 3 Min's. You want the skin to be crispy and golden brown. Turn the salmon and season with salt and pepper. Fry for a further one minute and take the pan off the heat. Allow to sit in the still hot fry pan, for a further 5-7 Min's. This will finish off the cooking and will not overcook the salmon. While the salmon is resting, reheat your mash in a saucepan with an extra dollop of cream and a good knob of butter. Don't you just love recipes that have cream and butter in them? Love the flavour. Then all you have to do is assemble on the plate. Place a big spoonful of mash in the centre of your plate, top with the salmon skin side up. Then last but not least, dollop with as much hollandaise as you like. I like lots. This is a lovely dish and everyone I know always licks their plate clean. Naughty, but you gotta love a plate licking dish. Enjoy, serves two.

Brilliant Bread

We really have gotten out of the habit of making bread since we moved up here to Townsville. We used to make it every weekend and kind of took it for granted how lovely it is to make our own. The smell of the yeast is just heady and then when it is baking in the oven the whole house fills with an amazing smell. Who needs air freshener when you can bake? I have always been partial to a fresh baked loaf smothered in good old fashioned butter. Crusty on the outside and that incredible flavour of toasted sesame seeds. MMMMMMmmmmmm

4 cups Bread Flour
400 mils Water
2 tsp Dried Yeast

Little extra Milk
Passion

Place all ingredients in a good stand alone mixer, attach dough hook and mix for a good 4 - 5 Min's on slow speed. Stop mixer and touch dough with finger tip. If it is sticky add a little more flour and mix until combined well. Keep testing as needed. When your finger comes away from the dough without it sticking you have finished. Pull from mixer and knead on a floured surface by hand for a couple of Min's. Then place on a lined baking tray on top of a warming oven at 200 degrees. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 30 Min's.

Once risen, place dough on a floured surface. Don't worry if it seems really soft, stretchy and sticky a bit. Give it a quick knead, then form a long log shape. Brush on some milk and then smother with sesame seeds. With a very sharp knife, cut slash marks into the top of the log about a centimetre deep. Then bake for about 35 to 40 Min's. Once golden and crusty, pull out of the oven and allow to cool till warm. If you can wait that long. I never can. Enjoy :)

The Sopranos and how it relates to my job.

http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/
Here he is, Anthony Soprano. I don't know why he is sexy, he just is. Maybe it's the power associated with his character. But I love him.

This is my favourite television series. It is just fantastic. I thoroughly enjoy every moment watching it. I can't help it, The Mafia and Me, make for a very interesting combination. In my heart I don't think the Mafia is a good thing and I am morally concerned with my obsessive interest in it. But I find the Mafia fascinating. They seem to exude this perverted confidence that I just can't help but enjoy. Goodfellas another fantastic film is just a classic. I think deep down inside I am definitely a naughty girl. Being naughty is alot of fun. You know what I mean ;)

So how does this all relate to my job and a naughty girl like me. I'll tell you, in Townsville I am selling Waste Management and my bosses name is Tony. Freaky Huh? I just love, love, love and love my job. It suits me. I am part of the Family!

Weird Coincidence or Fate?

Chilli Crab Linguine

Look at these bad boys. Mud Crab is truly my favourite seafood. They are so sweet and so luscious and so sexy to eat. The fresh smell of a Mud Crab is intoxicating.
What to do, what to do with these gorgeous bad boys. I want to do something that makes them the stars of the show. Chilli Crab Linguine is an excellent way to show off their talents.
The hardest part about this job is getting the meat out of these very hard shelled crabs.

This is an easy recipe and I always, just get happy, with heaps of chilli in it. But the recipe for you will be a little toned down. I may love to scorch the inside of my tongue and mouth with chilli, but you may not.

Ingredients

1. 1 Mud Crab, with all the flesh taken out and the shell discarded
2. 400 grams of Linguine
3. 2 small Birds Eye Hot Red Chillies, finely chopped
4. 3 cloves of Garlic finely chopped
5. 1 large Lemon, juiced
6. Good Olive Oil
7. Knob of Butter
8. Salt Flakes & Pepper to season

So get some water boiling in a very large pot, add a good pinch of salt and add the Linguine. Give it a stir and put the lid on and allow to come back to the boil. As per the instructions on the packet, until aldente. Then simply fry your garlic in a splash of olive oil, knob of butter until bubbling pale and white, add half the chopped chilli and fry for a further two minutes.

Basically, just drain your pasta and toss strait into the fry pan with the garlic and chilli, toss through the mud crab, lemon juice, salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle with good olive oil and extra chopped fresh chilli.

Serves 4. Lovely and really, really easy.

Cheers Amelita

Just had to share :-)

Couldn't help myself but share this little photo with you all. I has a Flavor. Sorry that I have not been posting it has been one hell of a week. Dave has been away and I have been all over the shop. I have been sulking, yes that's right I said sulking. I have been sitting here pouting away until his return. I am an extremely social girl and I have been going nuts. I hate going to bed at night by myself. I have not been inspired to cook all week. Sunday night was make your own night. We had cereal or toast. On Monday we bought a BBQ chicken and some pasta salad with fresh bread rolls from the supermarket. Tuesday I made a basic chicken pasta with a tomato sauce. We even had chicken with ham and cheese inside from Leonard's, and potato gems. I won't go on, but lets just say I was completely uninspired with Dave not about. Really not an eventful cooking week. So that's why no posts. But I picked up the ball when he came home on Friday night. So over the next few days I will show you what I have been up to. Again sorry for the neglect but it is the first time it has happened so I will be sure not to let it happen to often.
It's Easter this week so enjoy all those Chocolate eggs, especially the Lindt ones, my personal fav. Oh and Pink Lady Easter eggs to, can't forget those. Thank you everyone for reading and supporting my blog. I really do appreciate it.

Cheers Amelita

Oysters Kilpatrick

How could you not love them? But alot of people hate them. Me, I am an addict. I love them. They are just one of those foods that unless you understand them, take in their elegance and respect the beauty within, you can't really appreciate them. They are more than just food they are a true delicacy to me. I am one of those people you see, who could just keep eating them, one after the other. Some people cringe at the thought of eating one, just like I do when you mention foie gras. Yuk, can't imagine eating foie gras. Sorry, I know all the groovy chefs love it and think that it just exudes some kind of status or something. But there is no way in hell I am going to eat it. Weird huh? Anyway back to the Oysters I digressed again. Sorry.
So I know this is one of those classic simple recipes and I know practically every restaurant up here serves them, but there is nothing like doing it yourself. These gorgeous oysters are from Coffin Bay in South Australia and still up here they are so fresh. Beautiful at $12 a dozen, which I think is an excellent price. The recipe is easy. 2 parts tomato sauce or ketchup, 1 part Worcestershire sauce and finely chopped bacon. That's it. Just mix the quantities you like together really. Just basic, then pop them under the grill until they bubble and look like the pictures above and your done. Go on make some, soon :)

Lemon Lattace Cheesecake Slice

These are so yummy. A lady about 8-9 years ago at work brought them in for a morning tea once and everyone just adored them. I can't remember her name. I asked her then, how do you make them? It went in one ear and out the other. All I remember her saying was, it was so easy and that she used one 250 gram butter and one 250 gram Philadelphia cream cheese. I kept thinking, that's alot of butter. Anyway I craved them for months after that morning tea. So I came up with my own recipe and it works really well. Enjoy them, they are so beautiful and perfect with a coffee.

Ingredients

1. 250 grams of Butter softened
2. 500 grams of Philadelphia Cream Cheese softened
3. Juice of one large Lemon, or two small Lemons
4. 1 tablespoon of Gelatin
5. 3 tablespoon of Boiling Water
6. 1 cup of Caster Sugar
7. 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Bean Paste
8. 2 packets of Lattace Biscuits or Similar ( puff pastry biscuit)

Blend butter in a free standing mixer and blend on high until light and creamy. Add cream cheese and blend again on high till all smooth and creamy. Add gelatin to the boiling water and allow to dissolve and cool slightly. While beating on a low speed add the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste and dissolved gelatin. Once combined, turn the speed up to medium and keep beating until light and fluffy. Line a large slice pan or baking tray with grease proof paper. Line one packet of biscuits in the tray. Pour over the cream cheese filling and smooth out flat. Then line the second packet of biscuit on top of the filling. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or until set. Then cut into squares. Which if you place them symmetrically, then each biscuit is it's own little sandwich. These are gorgeous and get eaten very quickly. Very rich and very decadent, but worth every fat molecule in them.

Oh - I miss Brisbane :(

Don't get me wrong I love where I live, but really, I am a city girl at heart. Try as I might not to miss Brisvegas, I can't. My heart yearns for her. I miss my friends so much and I feel so isolated here sometimes. Everyone really is a stranger and the comfort of being able to cuddle a friend I love and trust, is gone. Sure I can pick up the phone, but it's not the same. Everything here seems so foreign and un-lived in for me. It's a beautiful place but there really is nothing like home. Knowing every short cut, knowing the supermarket aisles back to front. The city and her buildings, the river with it's twists and turns. How beautiful is the city with her lights?

I'm not moping and I am not feeling sorry for myself, nothing like that. I am enjoying the adventure that is Townsville. I just can't help but miss her. I miss breakfast at the Red Deli in Clayfield, the Chandler Flea Markets, the Cabbage Patch fruit shop and deli, Zone Fresh at Windsor, the chocolate custard cannolis at Dolci in Clayfield, China town in the Valley, the Confectionery Warehouse at Hendra, Sam's Seafood( yes even Sam's Seafood) in Eaglefarm, lots of things, mostly food related things. Sometimes it feels so backwards in food up here. No offence Townsville, but it really is a place that allot of people don't really have the passion for food I do. We have had people over for dinner twice now and they never finish their meals. Why? They say they like it, but don't finish. This has never happened to me before. They're full before dessert as well. Who doesn't want Dessert, now you tell me? Do they eat less up here? I have been, but I gathered that was because I am getting used to the heat and the humidity up here. Drinking more, rather than eating. The main deli and specialty store up here scares me. It has some amazing things, but holy crap talk about expensive. I seriously think these guys need some kind of layby system. The place feels strange. But I suppose, I will get over it. My friend Clare said it took her a good 12 months before she felt at home after relocating to Bundaberg by herself with her kids I might add. Brave girl. The force is strong in her.

Anyhoo off I go. Time for bed, tomorrow if your really lucky I am making Lattace Lemon Cheesecake Slice. Yum :)

Szechann Pork Salad with Chilli Honey Dressing

This really was one of those days today where I had no brain. Wasn't even thinking properly when I just randomly chose some items at the supermarket. I was on auto pilot. How the hell do you come up with something, that turns out a triumph, when your not thinking and have no plan whatsoever for dinner. I amaze myself. This is absolutely the best salad I have ever come up with. Truly incredible, total 100% triumph if I do say so myself. You have to try it. No really, you have to try it. Don't just pretend your going to make it. Do it, please, for me? Pretty please?

Ingredients

1. 100 grams of Rocket Leaves
2. 10 Cherry Tomatoes, sliced into little wedges
3. 1 Red Onion, sliced into half moons
4. 100 grams of Greek Low Fat Feta, cut into small cubes
5. 1 Pork Fillet
6. 2 Tablespoons of Szechann Pepper ground

The Dressing

1. 2 tablespoons of Hot Chilli Jam
2. Juice of 1 Lemon
3. 2 tablespoons of Honey
4. 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

To start rub your pork fillet in the Szechann Pepper, all over it. Then in a fry pan heat some olive oil. Sear the rubbed fillet on a high heat for about 2-3 Min's on each side. Take off the heat and all to cool to room temperature. It is really important to rest the pork. You want it juicy and rare. Slice the pork into thin strips. For the dressing it's simple. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together. In a large salad bowl add the rocket, tomato, red onion, feta and the star of course the sliced pork. Toss the salad with the dressing and your done. You can vary the amount of dressing to suit your taste. This is so fresh and so lovely. I could eat another bowl of it right now. MMMMMMmmmmmm Serves 2 as a main or 4 as an entree or side salad. Enjoy and you really, really, really have to try this one.