gingerbread men.

INGREDIENTS:

• 125g butter, softened
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2½ cups plain flour
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup white chocolate melts

METHOD:

1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy with an electric mixer or food processor
2. Add maple syrup and egg, beat to combine
3. Sift flour, bicarbonate soda, ginger and cinnamon over butter mixture
4. With a wooden spoon, stir until just combined and a soft dough forms
5. Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth
6. Shape into disc and wrap in plastic wrap, place in fridge for 1 hour or until firm
7. Preheat oven to 180˚C
8. Roll dough beween 2 sheets of baking paper until about 5mm thick
9. Cut shapes out of dough with cutters, I used a gingerbread man cutter
10. Re-roll dough scraps and continue to cut until dough is used up
11. Place shapes/men on baking trays lined with baking paper about 2cm apart
12. Bake trays separately for 20 to 25 minutes, or until firm to touch
13. Stand tray to cool for 5 minutes
14. Place melts in a heatproof/microwave safe bowl and microwave enough to melt the chocolate melts. Stir the melts until smooth consistency and decorate your gingerbread men with a skewer or pipping bag
15. VOILA! Tasty ginger treats are ready to be enjoyed!!

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the rustic pie co., top ryde.

Recently I paid a little visit to my second closest shopping Mall, Top Ryde. Although I've been to Top Ryde more times I can count on my hands and feet, I had only ever really walked around the carpark and the first two levels. However, on a whim, one day I decided to visit it on my own which meant I took public transport and upon doing so I came across the open air strand which housed a variety of cute cafes such as The Rustic Pie. A few days later I dragged my boyfriend to pay a visit to my new found food street.

I had the chicken and vegetable pie with a side of rustic chips and gravy while my boyfriend had the osso bucco beef and mushroom with a side of sweet mash potato and gravy. Both meals were a decent $8.90 and absolutely delicious and filling. The pies individually without the side would've cost $6.60 and $6.80, respectively. Any pie plus one side is $8.90 - sorry I didn't note down the prices for pie deals with more than one side.

They also had a really cute milkshake bar area which seems really promising. Will definitely have to go back and try out their milkshake!

Find them:
Located on the open air level "La Strada" at Top Ryde shopping centre, Sydney.

 

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frangelico hazelnut fresca carafe.

This recipe is perfect for parties because, let's be honest, you don't want to be caught out making cocktails for your friends all evening. So this is your solution, a 1L jug of cocktail mix ready to be enjoyed! This was definitely my favourite carafe cocktail mix from the Frangelico Master Class. And in true Maggie style, the measurements were all estimated...

This recipe makes 1.4L.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200ml Frangelico
• 200ml SKYY Vodka
• 100ml fresh lime juice
• 900ml ginger ale
• 5 lime wheels
• 5 orange wheels

METHOD:

1. Pour all ingredients into large 1L carafe
2. Put two or three scoops of ice and stir
3. Serve in glasses filled with ice and garnish with a lime and orange wheel
4. VOILA! You can now sit back and relax at your party, or just at home alone or with your loved one!

 Image courtesy of @lpmmags Instagram

 

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chicken & olive bake.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 Chicken drumstick
• 250g pitted Kalamata olives
• 5 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1 can of diced tomato

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C
2. Lightly brown chicken drumsticks in a pan, then remove onto baking tray
3. With a little oil, brown garlic then add olives and canned tomato - I like to use the same pan as the drumstick pan so to save on using too many utensils
4. Simmer for 5minutes then pour over chicken drumsticks
5. Cover tray in aluminum foil and bake for 45minutes
6. VOILA! Dinner is served! Serve with a side of salad or roast veggies :)

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mad mex, sydney.

Mexican food is probably my second favourite type of food right after a tied first of Japanese and Thai. I first stumbled across my real love for Mexican when I paid a visit to Baja Cantina (review coming soon!). I say real love because having school canteen nachos every week for a year doesn't really count...

So when I first stumbled across Mad Mex I knew this was going to be a love that lasted. Although the way the food is made is more fast food (the people behind the counter work through orders, and shoot through questions so quickly my boyfriend actually stumbled to order - so note: make sure you know EXACTLY what you want by the time you step up to the counter!) the quality of the food is absolutely spectacular!

My boyfriend got beef nachos while I got a beef quesadilla, and we both got a frozen margarita each. The nachos were good, but I've had better and a larger quantity at other places. The quesadilla was absolutely fantastic though! I loved it, so I definitely recommend this! The frozen margaritas were also really good, without a copious amount of tequila - something some places, and my boyfriend, have a tendency to overdo.

Find them:

I went to the one across from Central station in Sydney but they have a heap of different franchises popping up everywhere. Find your closest one on their locations tab.

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adrian richardson's blueberry pancakes.

A few months ago I was invited to enjoy a breakfast whipped up by Adrian Richardson, the ambassador of Magimix. I loved the blueberry pancakes that he made for us so much that I nabbed the recipe and recreated it at home. This was the second time I tried making pancakes from scratch and let's just say this recipe works so much better than my previous one!!

This recipe makes 4 large servings of 10cm pancakes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 4 whole eggs, separated
• ¼ cup castor sugar
• 2 ½ cups milk
• 1 punnet (250g) blueberries
• Optional: Vanilla Labne (yogurt) / some more blueberries / maple syrup - to serve

METHOD:

1. Whisk egg whites - if you have a Magimix, use the whisking blade
2. Mix flour, yolks, sugar and milk together in a bowl until smooth
3. Fold in egg whites
4. Add the blueberries to the batter
5. Place a little bit of butter in a warm pan on low to medium heat - if the butter immediately sizzles and begins to brown your pan is too hot
6. Ladle some mixture into the pan until desire size is reached - make sure each pancake is about 1cm thick
7. Cook until each side is golden brown
8. Serve with a generous dollop of vanilla labne, maple syrup and fresh blueberries :)

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travel: china.

Over the Christmas/New Year break, while all my friends were soaking up the sun and enjoying a traditional Christmas feast, I was in China enjoying yum cha twice a day followed by a huge banquet for dinner every night for two weeks.

I've always been a bit iffy on Chinese food as I grew up eating it everyday, only having recess and lunch at school where I was spared the pain of eating everything with a side of white rice. However, I learnt from my earlier trips to China that the Chinese food in China is nothing like it is here. The Chinese we experience, for those who live outside of China, is completely westernised, as much you may not know or like to ignore. I noticed this distinctly as I matured that dishes such as moo shu pork (I have never seen this served in China) alongside many other western favourites either don't exist or are done completely differently.

But what I enjoyed the most, other than eating so much each meal that none was digested by the next meal, was the plethora of fresh fruit I had the opportunity to try and feast on. From stumbling across my new love for dragon fruit and green guava to being reunited with my favourites of durian, star fruit and jack fruit. I'm excruciatingly picky when it comes to eating fruit but the way I inhaled the fruit in China you would never have guessed it, I suppose I just have a palate for Asian fruits that are ridiculously expensive here.

For those who get the opportunity to visit Lijiang, which is gorgeous but boring, you must try the local Nasi food. The three photos before the instagrammed mojito (which was only $6 AUD!) and dragonfruit are the local Nasi food I ate while I was Lijang. But take this as a warning, if you can't do chili then you most definitely cannot do their mild dishes! Even I had a tinge of a tear or two and I can take a decent serving of chili! And the burger - well that most definitely isn't local food, but it was the best burger I have ever had. It was a Japanese Wagyu beef burger and absolutely mouth-watering.

Ok...now I'm drooling over these pictures - kind of wish I was back in China and having my "normal" two yum chas and a banquet a day food regime!

Last two images from @lpmmags Instagram

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frangelico hazelnut espresso martini.

This cocktail was definitely a hit at the Frangelico Master Class! However, I wasn't a huge fan of it. Having weened myself off coffee, a shot of espresso was too much for me - but that's not to say I didn't finish it! (Oh Maggie, you're such an alcoholic...)

This recipe makes one serving.

INGREDIENTS:

• 45ml Frangelico
• 15ml SKYY Vodka
• 30ml espresso coffee
• 10ml Illyquore

METHOD:

1. Pour Frangelico, SKYY vodka, espresso coffee and Illyquore into glass shaker filled to top with ice (it's very important to fill the ice to the very top!)
2. Put metal bottom to glass shaker - hit the bottom of the metal shaker to tighten to glass
3. Carefully turn shaker over, holding both top and bottom and shake! (Seedy) Advice from the brand ambassador Olive Stuart, 'the harder you shake, the better the head' - so shake, shake, shake for that nice frothy coffee espresso head!
4. Strain into martini glass
5. Garnish with three coffee beans - yes, three, no more, no less :P
6. VOILA! Your hump day drink is ready to be sipped and enjoyed!

 Image courtesy of @lpmmags Instagram

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pumpkin soup.

I love pumpkin soup! I have always loved it as a kid, however, as I grew up I noticed canned soups made me feel sick and just didn't taste right, and let's not even go near powdered sachet soups! So I decided to start making my own, this way I could control the flavours and knew the ingredients I used were the real deal and not fake, powered, imitation flavours of pumpkin.

This recipe is perfect for winter, but my wisdom teeth don't like to follow the weather when it comes to growing time and therefore rendering me unable to eat.

This recipes makes a generous serving...I drink a lot of soup so I can't tell you exactly how many "regular" servings it gives BUT I can tell you it has 1L of stock....

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 whole butternut pumpkin
• 3 medium (handful) sized potatoes
• 1 medium sized brown onion
• 1L chicken stock
• Drizzle of oil
• Salt & pepper to flavour

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C
2. Chop pumpkin and potatoes in small chunks
3. Roast pumpkin and potatoes with salt, pepper and a drizzle of oil - I love pepper so I cover it generously
4. Roast for approximately 30mins
5. Sautee onions until soft
6. Throw in pumpkin and potatoes into pan along with chicken stock
7. Simmer for approximately 15mins
8. Puree ingredients and VOILA! You have pumpkin soup! Have it on its own, or with a little bit of bread!

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il goloso, haberfield.

I love Italian food. I grew up going to Leichhardt's Italian forum for all occasions with my family. For those who don't know, Haberfield and Leichhardt are the Italian food central of Sydney. My mother decided to take us out to lunch to Il Goloso in Haberfield to have a pre-Christmas lunch before we jetted off to China late last year.

The food were served in decently large portions and there was just SO much food I couldn't even finish my meal, the gnocchi! The antipasto was too oily for my liking, but the garlic prawns were spectacular! My gnocchi was delicious, the gnocchi itself was gorgeously fluffy. My mum, dad and brother's meals (respectively) were also all very delicious! If I had any qualms it was that the prices were quite dear, not something I could've afforded on my own.

Find them:
60 Dalhousie St
Haberfield, NSW

Garlic Bread, $3

Vegetable Antipasto, $15

Garlic Prawns, $18

Linguine Prawns & Asparagus, $22

Spaghetti Marinara, $22

Fettuccine Terramere, $22

Homemade Potato Gnocci with Sorentina Sauce, $22

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potato bake.

One of my winter favourites as a side is potato bake. It's a hearty dish that just warms up the soul. I was a bit hesitant in cooking this recently as I'm dating an Irish guy and didn't know whether this would meet his families standards (I always thought the whole Irish and potato thing was a joke...it's not...my boyfriend's dad even showed me how to peel potatoes properly...). Alas, I overcame my anxiety and made it with it being polished off almost immediately. That's got to be a good sign, right?

This recipe makes a pretty big dish, approximately 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 large cream delight potatoes - I like to use these as the skin is white and clean you can keep them on
• 1 small or medium brown onion - depends on how much you like onions...I quite like them so I tend to put more
• 300ml thickened cream
• 50ml milk
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 250g shredded cheese
• Salt & Pepper

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C
2. Cut potato into thin slices, slice onion and dice garlic
3. Mix thickened cream, milk and garlic together
4. Layer potato to cover base of tray
5. Layer a handful of onion over the potatoes
6. Lightly cover potato with garlic cream mixture
7. Crack some salt and pepper over the top before sprinkling a little cheese
8. Repeat until dish is covered, ensuring the top layer is thoroughly covered in cheese
9. Bake for approximately 45mins or until cheese is golden - I slightly overcooked my tray...
10. VOILA! The perfect hearty winter side dish!

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