Quake!

Big quake in Christchurch on Tuesday. I was halfway through a very boring lecture desperately looking for an excuse to leave- that was as good of one as any. At uni it was relatively calm. Some people panicked, but most just filed out and left. But by the time I got into the car the news was already reporting deaths. It took me over an hour and a half to drive what is usually a 10 minute drive. everyone around me looked so haggard. Cars covered in rubble were driving past. I was getting more and more distressed trying to get home. Driving during aftershocks is a pretty surreal. all of the sudden your car shakes side to side and you rock back to forth.

Luckily I came home to a house still standing and all my loved ones are safe and sound. We were one of the first to get power and water back so we have had heaps of friends and some strangers come over to use our power and to sleep somewhere safe. Last time there was a big quake we went out with the "student army" and shoveled silt but this time they seem to have so many helpers I feel like the best I can do is open my doors to anyone who's house didn't make it through as well as ours. Its been great having everyone around us but now the reality is setting in.

The city is in ruin, all the gig venues in town are gone, Christchurch is a small place and these deaths our going to hit our community hard.

I'm going to Melbourne for a couple of weeks, get out of here, have some fun and come back refreshed for when uni starts back.

It will be a trying year for us all as we rebuild our city but I guess there are always opportunities that arise from these sorts of situations. It will be interesting to see what Christchurch becomes after this. Here's hoping that all the gaps left by building will be filled with public spaces, community gardens and sustainable housing. But the current mayor and half the Councillors are either developers or in bed with developers who are never up to any good so I don't have much faith.

Here are a few pics I got of the quake (coming soon). Didn't want to be rubbernecking so didn't take many but there's some good ones here.

UGLY BUDDAS

This is a recipe my friend Andy gave me. I met Andy at Campus A Low Hum. On the last night we stayed up all night and talked about a whole load of crap about our childhood and politics that we didn't really understand (an awesome way to start a friendship FYI). Anyways I told him about Foodblog and he shared with me his own recipe. When his band came down to play a show in Chch I made them all dinner and I made these.

They are very easy and tasty. Feel free to tweak the recipe and add any of your favourite pizza topping in them.

1 packet of puff pastry (Pams do a pre rolled one which makes it easy)
a small can of tomato paste.
Cheese (I used mozzarella to be legit)

I also used Homemade pesto
tomatoes
pinenuts

but any pizza toppings can be used.

optional- sesame seeds

roll out the pastry, spread the tomato paste across it. sprinkle cheese over it and the toppings. roll up width-ways. slice inch thick slices. put on a greased baking tray on their side so they can puff out. Brush with water and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake in a 190 degree oven for 20 mins or until the pastry browns.

Enjoy!!

Can be eaten hot out of the oven or they will keep for a couple of days. Also good if you freeze them and pop one in your lunch box every morning. Yummo- Thanks Andy!

Thai Pumpkin Soup

My friend Simon recently had to have surgery on his face and couldn't eat anything but soup. I took this as an opportunity to make my favourite pumpkin soup. Because its summer soup isn't really on my agenda but this one is perfect even in the heat!

I love having it really spicy and chunky because often people label soup as not a real meal but this one will definitely satisfy you.

Thai Pumpkin soup

1 small pumpkin peels and chopped into small pieces

2 onions (diced)

6 cloves of garlic (finely diced)

3-5 chilis (depending on how hot you want it)

1tbsp grated ginger

2 tsp vege stock powder

1 can coconut cream

Split red lentils (optional)

1/3 c fresh coriander

2tbsp lime juice

Boil the pumpkin until it is soft (Can also microwave it). Fry up the onions, garlic, chilli and ginger until soft and fragrant. Using a potato masher or a whizz stick break down the pumpkin (leaving most of the water it was boiled in- how much depends on how thin you want it). I tend to leave a few lumps in the soup but if you like it smooth then whizz it lots- careful it can get messy! Add the onion mixture and mix well. Simmer soup for a while until you feel all the flavours have mixed. Add a can of coconut cream, the stock and half the coriander finely chopped. Mix every couple of minutes. If the soup is too runny you can add some split red lentil to thicken it. After about 20mins the soup should be ready and the lentils cooked. Add the rest of the coriander, the lime juice and if you want a little more ginger.

If the soup is very thick it is nice to serve with rice. I like to drizzle some coconut cream on top and eat it with bread. YUM!

Simon said it was the best soup he had receoved and he'd gotten about 4 kinds of soups so I'm pretty stoked with that critique.

Bananananana LOAF

We went to Campus A Low Hum and it was amazing. Go figure. But the night before I stayed up til 2am making treats to eat. They were very handy- especially for that 2am regroup at the campsite. This is one of the recipes I made. A couple more are coming up soon!

Banana Loaf is the best! Its so easy and yummy and a great way to use bananas that are overripe or frozen ones. Its nice on its own or with spreads or toasted when its stale.

Banana Loaf

2 ½ c flour (white or wholewheat is good depending on personal preference)

1 c sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1tsp cinnamon

2-3 mashed bananas

3 tbsp oil

1/2cmilk

Sift together dry ingredients. Add mashed bananas and oil and half the milk. Mix together. Add rest of milk or if still too dry add a little more milk. Poor into a loaf tin. Bake on 180 for about 30 mins or until knife comes out clean.

Can be frozen in slices so you can make it last longer. If you leave it for a few days and its stale it will make amazing French toast!

Postscript: At camp we had it with peanut butter spread on it,.AMAZING!!!!

Pie pie pie

Spicy Vege Pie

A pie is always a nice thing to make for guests- looks impressive but it relatively easy. I love combining lots of fresh veges and spices in pastry. Delish!

With this one feel free to substitute with any veges you have lying around but the ones I used all went together very well. You can make your own pastry but I find puff pastry a little cumbersome and you can pick up a packet from the supermarket for under $2.

2 Onions

2 Peppers (red and green)

1/4 of a pumpkin

1 1/2 c tomatoes or canned tomatoes

2 c Spinach (frozen ok)

Feta (optional)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or chilli

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 Pkt pastry (Pams ist he best or your own)

milk or egg for brushing the pastry

sesame or sunflower seeds

Finely slice the onions and gently fry. Dice peppers, pumpkin and tomatoes to bite size pieces, shred the spinach.

Add to the onions and fry until almost soft. Add spices and feta and take off the heat. Roll out 2/3 of pastry to cover the base and side of your oiled pie dish, fill with vege mix, roll out other 3rd and lay on top. Wet your fingers and press the two parts together (the water helps the two sides stick together). Prick the top with a fork a few times. Brush with milk of oil (gives the pastry a nice colour) and sprinkle with the seeds. Bake for 40 mins or until top browns. Let cool for 20 mins before serving so the filling can solidify.

Orange Almond Syrup Cake

I had this once at a cafe and it was amazing so I ended up replicating it and now its one of my favourite recipes to bring to dinner parties and BBQs. Its important you pour the syrup on while it's still hot so it sinks in and makes the whole cake gooey.

Orange Almond Syrup Cake

2c Flour
3tsp baking powder

3/4c sugar
1-2 oranges (depends how juicy they are)
1½ tsp almond essence
32Tbsp light oil
1 egg
Milk (if needed)

Syrup
1 orange
2 Tbsp sugar

Pre heat oven to 180c. Sift flour and baking powder, add sugar. Juice oranges and grate the rind. Make a well in the dry mixture. Pour in orange juice and rind, essence, egg and oil. Mix until combined. Add milk if needed to get a thick batter consistency. Not too thin or cake will take too long to cook on the inside. Pour into oiled cake tin. Bake for 30 mins or until knife comes out clean. Prepare syrup by heating orange juice and sugar and mixing. This can be done in a microwave or on the stove. The juice will turn translucent when sugar has dissolved. While cake is still hot in tin, pour syrup and let cool

Enjoy!

A summer treat!

My dad is an organic grower which means every summer I get inundated with hoards of beautiful and fresh organic veges. The most exciting thing I think is the amount of basil I get my hands on. The only thing I ever use it for is to make pesto (except Bloody Marys- but that's another post coming soon!).

This recipe is easy and can be frozen so you can relive the summer deliciousness when it grey and dreary in the winter. I like to eat it on spaghetti or linguine with fried courgettes on top and a good dose of grated Parmesan or Grano Padano cheese. Also amazing in toasted cheese sandwiches!


Basil Pesto

2 cups of basil leaves (stalks removed and washed)
3 cloves of garlic
2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 c pine nuts
1/4 c Parmesan
Salt and lots of pepper

Put into a small food processor or use a whizz stick in a deep dish to whizz the crap out of it all. Whizz on a high sped to get a smooth consistency. Serve immediately or seal in an airtight container. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You will notice it oxidize very quickly if there isn't much oil in it but the bright green colour remains underneath that dark layer.

You only need about 4 TBSP for a decent pasta dish. it should cover all the noodles in a thin layer but don't use too much or it will be overpowering.

If you are broke and can't afford pine nuts roasted sunflower seeds work too but lack that punch that pinenuts give.

Another idea (thanks T) is to freeze it in ice trays and just use a couple of cubes at a time. 1 cube could be good for a sandwich and 3-4 for a pasta dish.

Welcome

This blog is something I have been meaning to do for quite some time now. I will mainly fill it with recipes and craft/ gardening projects and the occasional tidbit. Expect this to be very prolific around exam times (I am a very skilled procrastinator by now)and very ad hoc the rest of the time. Once I get a working camera the posts will have nice pictures to accompany them. Well here's hoping the next one isn't too far off!

Good day to you.