~Cook Up With Donna Hay (No 18) ...Vicki...and Irina~porcini and mixed mushroom risotto and ~Pirates of Penzance~

First of all a lovely welcome to Irina who has joined me in doing Cook Ups from Donna Hay magazine

We cook something from the latest issue of the magazine and then blog it.....easy peasy

Anyone can join so just drop me a line if you are interested

Menu from Issue 64 Aug/Sept 2012

Porcini and Mixed Mushroom Risotto ~very similar recipe over here

Strawberry, Mascarpone and Almond Tray Tart

Chocolate Butterscotch Truffles with Almond Praline

Salted Dark Chocolate Truffles......because I couldn't resist

Basic Chocolate Truffle recipe over here

The Risotto......you can't see the Mushrooms really well as I went a bit crazy with the Baby Spinach Leaves and Parmesan Cheese.......but wow, was it delicious

I used Porcini......Portobello......Swiss Brown and Baby Mushrooms

I used a Gluten Free Pastry from Rick's Pantry available at Coles

Salted Chocolate Truffles.....not as smooth looking as Donna's......but nice and salty

And the Butterscotch Truffles......delicious with a glass of Butterscotch Schnappes

A very, very tasty meal and a seal of approval for the Salted Chocolate from Mr Armchair

Only 2 weeks to go until The Bay Theatre Players production of Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance opens

I'm part of the Chorus of Police and we have been rehearsing since May

Sunday is our first full dress rehearsal and then after that it's 3 times a week till Curtain Up

So not much stitching will be happening here at a guess but I will try and fit some in Chooky

Till next time......Happy Stitching and Bon Appetit

~Tarantara......Dzintra~

~A Gardener's Journal......Block H...and Dinner to Celebrate~

I'm nearly there...

Presenting Block H of A Gardener's Journal by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched

I am part of Stitch-a-long hosted by Chookyblue for this quilt

Woo Hoo one to go.........and I'm excited!!!!!

Violet Wreath

Seed Packets

All together in the block

And waiting for Block I to join in to the rest of this beautiful quilt!!!!!

So after photographing the block I thought this was worth a special meal

I used Donna Hay's 50th issue birthday edition

and chose Veal Cutlets with Sherry Mushrooms and Giant Yorkshire Pudding

I had done this meal in a Cook Up before over here

I'm not a big mushroom fan but I have recently discovered Swiss Brown mushrooms and love them!!!

Yorkshire Pudding all cooked

Mr Armchair, JoJo and I think we should have this pudd more often!!!

Together with vegies a great meal on a cold night....

and I like a lot of sauce!!!

I thought I would include the recipe for Yorkshire Pudding...this one is a gluten free one and is adapted from the donna hay magazine

~  3/4C gluten free plain flour
~1/4t sea salt
~ 2 eggs
~ 2/3C milk
~ 2/3C water
~ 2 T oil...I used coconut oil which made for a very interesting flavour

Oven 220c
18cm round cake pan
Cook 25-30m
Serves 4-6

~  Place flour, salt, eggs milk and water in bowl and whisk to combine
~  Set aside for 30m
~  Pour oil into cake tin and heat in oven for 5m
~  Pour batter into tin and cook for 25-30m or until puffed and golden
~  Serve immediately

Some gluten free pastry from Rick's Pantry

Together with some Pampas Pastry

Topped with Strawberries and Cream......pure indulgence!!!

Bon Appetit......and Happy Stitching ~Dzintra~

Cook Up With Vicki No 6...Bag Update...And A Win!!!

Another Cook Up with Vicki ...and I love having these...

this almost always turns out to be a Tuesday evening...

For tonight...Veal Cutlets with Sherry Mushrooms and Giant Yorkshire Pudding...

I wasn't able to get Veal Cutlets so I used Rib Eye...

and not having any Sherry on hand I used Marsala...thought it wouldn't hurt...

I loved it...Mr Armchair thought it a bit too sweet...

Swiss Brown Mushrooms...the recipe also stated Field Mushrooms which I couldn't get so I used Portobello...
I'm not a huge mushroom lover but I think the Swiss Brown has converted me...absolutely delicious!!!

Green Buttered Garlic Beans...


And here's the Yorkshire Pudding...
I used Gluten Free Plain Flour so it probably didn't rise as much as it should've...
I've never had Yorkshire Pudding before...but I loved it!!!

Rib Eye Steak with Marsala Mushrooms...
Oops a mushroom fell on the Pudding...
Yorkshire Pudding and Green Buttered Garlic Beans!!!
Served with a red...
For a Yorkshire Pudding recipe from Donna Hay...go over here

And this is Donna Hay's 50th Issue Celebration which I did the Cook Up from!!!

This is the pattern from Anni Downs that I am using for

this bag...Now if I can get my act together and stop dreaming about what to cook in the oven I could get this done for this months's OPAM (One project a month)!!!

Meanwhile my luck's been holding out with me and when I came back from Carerfest I had the news that I had won a pattern over at Gail Pan Designs...

The pattern is entitled Annabella's Flower Garden...

this came with perfect timing as we had just lost a very special person...

and she loved her garden...having left 2 of her plants for me to look after!!!

So this will remind me of Kerri...

Gail also sent this very sweet little photocard!!!

Thank you so much Gail...your news put a smile on my face at just the right time!!!

Bon Appetit...Dzintra