2006
2006 was the year we had no digital camera – there is probably roll film floating about but Cath assures me a lot of that is quite dodgy as Sebastian had learnt by that stage how to reach and use the camera… 😀
Pavlova
1 tablespoon cornflour
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/3 cups caster sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
200ml cream, whipped with 1 tsp sugar
250g strawberries, halved
Preheat oven to 200°C. Draw a 24cm circle on a sheet of baking paper. Place, pencil-side down, on a baking tray. Dust lightly with cornflour.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until thick and glossy. Add remaining 3 teaspoons cornflour with the last tablespoon of sugar. Fold through vanilla and vinegar very carefully.
Spoon meringue onto baking paper. Shape into a circle, using the pencil mark as a guide, with a slightly higher edge and a low center. Reduce oven to 100°C. Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until dry and crisp. Turn off oven and open oven door. Cool completely in oven (pavlova may sink during cooling).
Slide pavlova onto a serving plate. Top with cream and strawberries.
Noncompliant Chicken Wontons
500g Chicken mince
100g cashews – ground
2 eggs
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 small red capsicum, roasted, peeled and de-seeded
1 small onion, grated
2 handfuls of baby spinach – blanched in boiling water
3 cloves garlic, crushed
The idea of wonton wrappers (any quantity will do)
Breadcrumbs (enough to form a firm rollable doughy mix)
Salt to taste
Brown onion, garlic and chicken in a tiny bit of oil. Make sure to stir well so the mix doesn’t stick together. Take off the heat and mix in all ingredients except the idea of wonton wrappers which should be discarded.
Form balls out of the mix and roll them in more breadcrumbs – deepfry.
I served these with soy sauce but they would have gone just as well with sweet chillie or sweet and sour sauce. Presenting them on a bed of salad is also a good idea.
Tallulah’s Song
She was singing this to herself while doing some colouring in at the table – I had to write it down 😀
on a stormy night it’s a stormy night
and you can’t go outside on a stormy night
and if you go outside
your drawing might be blown away
and your baby will be blown away up in the sky
and it will be scary
and thats why you shouldn’t draw a stormy night
scary scary scary (scary scary)
it’s so scary on a stormy night
you might get trapped you might get scared
or you might get something blown in your mouth
or up your nose
and you will need a dooooctoooor
