How To Make Labneh

Some days are not magic. Some days you will wake up sure that your jeans have mysteriously shrunk at least one size, your brioche bread will not rise properly, you will look at the clock at least five times every hour, only to find that time has decided to slow down at work today. Some days you will have a headache, you will eat too much chocolate at work, and all the coffee in the world could not wake you up. Some days you will realise you have made a dreadful mistake dyeing your hair brown and decide to cheer yourself up by spending way too much money on goats cheese, smoked chicken and heirloom tomatoes, making you afraid to look at your bank account. 
Today was one of those days, where the mundane ho hum of life took over all the magic. Everyone has these days. Looking ahead at my nine day work week to come I have been thinking long and hard about what things keep us afloat in life when we are feeling a little flat. What are the beautiful things that keep us with a cheeky smile on our face and the will to push through a long eight hour day of rolling bread dough and organising functions? 

The thing I've been learning lately is that life doesn't always just feel great on its own, and no amount of coffee, wine or chocolate can fix a thing. I think its so important to keep inspired creatively when things are starting to feel a little gloomy. This week coming I've been setting myself some little goals to pull myself though the work week. I've been very inspired by the book 'Homeward Bound', which is about women feeling empowered to learn new skills and promoting more environmental awareness in the home. It makes me want to run outside and plant a garden, start a home business, and learn how to forage for mushrooms and wild herbs. These things aren't super practical for my life at the moment however; so I'm starting small, with a project of making some home made labneh.

For those of you who don't know Labneh, it is a strained yoghurt. It'

s a little like a cheese, and seems to be popping up all over the city on breakfast menus. It can be made sweet to serve with muesli or savoury to serve with bread. I thought I'd give the sweet version a go so that I could eat it as a cheering breakfast before I trundle off to the city at 5am.

The best thing that I've learnt from all of this is, the more creative and inspired I push myself to be, the more inspired I get. One thing leads on to another good thing and before you know it long days at work don't matter too much and you're glad you spend too much money on heirloom tomatoes so you can cook your boyfriend a beautiful dinner. You can put a ribbon in your brown hair to cheer it up. You can be thankful you have a job to go to at all, and you can enjoy the naughty amounts of chocolate you ate that day, and if your jeans feel too tight, you can buy new ones. You can put on some music and be glad you're alive, and feel happy to be the sort of person who wants to be inspired on a daily level.

Sweet Labneh


You will need:

• 500g of yoghurt
• 3 tbs sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• One small piece of muslin cloth
• Kitchen string
• A large bowl 
• A colander

What to do:

• Mix together the yoghurt sugar and vanilla.
• Give your muslin cloth a wash and place it in the colander.
• Pour the yoghurt mixture into the middle of the cloth.
• Gather together the edges of the cloth so that the yoghurt forms a small ball. 
• Wrap the string around the fabric at the top of the ball of yoghurt and tie a knot.
• 
  Place the colander over the top of a large bowl so that all the liquid can drain out of the yoghurt and into the bowl. 
• Place a plate and something a little bit heavy (such as a can) on top of the little parcel to add some extra pressure.
• Place in the fridge and leave to drain for 24 hours.
• Once the majority of the liquid had drained from the yoghurt you can remove it from the cloth to find a little bundle of labneh!
• Serve on top of granola with poached fruit and it will be truly wonderful.  

Cheer up body breakfast

Lately I've been getting the feeling that my body doesn't like me. The subtle hint was the flue that seemed to last forever, then the food poisoning, and then today when I woke up with every bone in my body aching I got the message. YOUR ANGRY I GET IT.....BUT WHY? I live a pretty healthy lifestyle. I must admit I do like my coffee and wine, and a few treats but apart from that Im pretty good. Im one of the few people I know that runs consistently, eats fruit or vegetables for at least two meals per day, and tries to get a good 8 hours sleep. Recently when I offered to pitching in for some fish and chips with a friend she looked at me surprised and said "what? thats something you do? You eat junk food?"

So get the picture. I'm pretty nice to my little body, but these days its not being so nice to me. I felt like I was the princess and the pea waking up with all my bones in pain today, I felt like me fragile little self was beaten up by the springs in my usually soft bed. Who knows what is going on?

To try and appease my body, and to make up for this freezing winter weather I made some warm porridge for breakfast. It was warm and silky smooth and made me thing that life is pretty good after all. I recommend it.

Cheer up old body breakfast......

• Half a cup of quick oats
• 2tbs of sunflower seeds
• 3tbs of dried cranberries
• 1 tbs of honey
• 1 cup of soy milk.
• pinch of cinnamon

1. Place your oats in a pot with seeds, spices, and berries and a bit of water (about 1/4 cup)
2. Stir on a low heat until dissolved
3. Add half a cup of milk and continue to stir
4. Once this is dissolved as well add the remaining milk and continue the process. 
5. Tip into a bowl and drizzle with honey.
6. Clime back into bed and eat it all 

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Today I made bread.....I'm going through a bread phase, and its excellent. I'm loving it so much (nearly as much as the pie phase, and a heap more than the scone phase.) There is just something so very wholesome about making your own bread. Its best to do when you're having a home day so you can give it as much time as possible to prove, and rise. So its perfect for a lazy sunday........I know, I know, making bread from scratch doesn't sound like a lazy Sunday, but trust me, it feels sooo good. The kneading is so good for your soul, and having fresh bread for breakfast makes getting up at 6 am so much less scary. Unlike the picture of me......which is super scary. So scary in fact, I had to hide behind the bread.

This is a treat bread, and its so very yummy. I got the recipe of another food blog and I've tweaked it to work for me. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Cinnamon swirl bread.

What you will need:

• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 and 1/2 tbs of butter
• 1tbs of olive oil
• 1 egg
• Half a cup of warm water
• 1 and 3/4 tsp of yeast (just the dried packet stuff)
• 1/8 cup of sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 tbs cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of currents
• 1 and 3/4 cups of plain flour
• 1 cup of wholemeal flour

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup of sugar (I used raw caster sugar......its less processed, better for you)
• 1 tbs of cinnamon
• 1 tbs of milk

What to do: 

 Place your milk, butter and oil in a pot. Warm slightly so that the butter melts. Put aside to cool.



Next place warm water (just luke warm...you don't want it to be too hot or the yeast wont like it) in a bowl with the yeast. Leave for about 10 to 15 minutes until it starts to bubble.

Once your milk mix has cooled down add, beat the egg and add it.

The next step can either be done in a kitchen aid or buy hand. Basically all you need to do is mix all the ingredients together. So place the cinnamon, sugar, currents, yeast mix and flour in a bowl. Give it all a stir, and then slowly add the egg and milk mix.

Once all the ingredients are incorporated, its time for the kneading! In a kitchen aid you the dough hook attachment, but if your doing it by hand, just use a lightly floured bench. Knead for about ten minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. If its a little big too sticky feel free to add extra flour.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave it here to rest until it doubles in size. This will probably take about an hour. 

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it in the middle to knock the air out of it. Roll into a rectangle and brush with milk.

Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the bread. 

Roll the bread up into a log shape and place in an oiled bread tin. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for about an hour until it has doubled in size. If it takes longer thank this don't worry, just give it all the time it needs.

Bake the bread in a moderate oven (180) for 45 minutes, or until its brown on top and sounds hollow when you tap it on the bottom.

Blue berry and dark chocolate Scones

Do you ever have those moments where you look at a movie, a photo, or film clip and think "gosh that look like so much fun, I wish that was me!" Lately I feel like everyone is pasting pictures all over face book of there new husbands, new babies, and chic jobs........and Im not going to lie, IM ENVIOUS!!! It all looks so wonderful and charming.


Today one of my friends came over for afternoon tea (because I'm fancy like that) and brought with her some photo's of my 22nd birthday party. I had this surreal moment while looking at the pictures where I felt completely detached from them. "Look at that little pixie girl opening a present from her friends," I thought. "She looks so happy! And look at that cute boy she is sitting next too. He is a total babe. I bed she has a crush on him. They look cute together don't they? Such a pretty setting. So many nice looking friends." It all looked so good. Then I realised.......they were pictures of my life. That wee pixie was me, and the boy was someone in my life, and the friends were my friends. The whole beautiful setting belonged to me. It was lovely. I just wanted to go back and relive that night over and over.....because it was mine, and it was beautiful.


On a more serious note however, here is something you really can relive over and over....... Blueberry and dark chocolate wholemeal scones. Yep you heard me! and Yes they are as amazing as they sound. Full of delicious berry goodness, wholemeal flour and just a touch of chocolate (ok a heap of chocolate) you will want to eat these bad boys for afternoon tea....or breakfast every day. 


I know I have been going on and on about scones a little bit lately, but there is a reason............Its because they are excellent! So bake them. It will make your day.


Blueberry and dark chocolate Scones


You will need:

• 3 cups of self raising wholemeal flour (this makes them healthy right?)
• 1 cup of cream
• 1 cup of mineral water
•  2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tbs melted butter
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• 1/2 cup of chopped up dark chocolate (you can use choc chips but I prefer to buy a block and cut it up....the quality is usually better and its more rustic, which we like.)

What to do:

1. This is super easy.... Just combine flour, blueberries, and chocolate
2. Make a well in the middle of the mix, and add vanilla, cream, and mineral water. 
3. With a knife mix everything together, you don't want to work the dough too much or it will make it tough.
4. Turn mixture onto a floured surface.
5. Shape into 9 small balls
6. Place on a lined baking tray.
7. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake at 200 for 15 to 20 minutes. 
9. Eat them. Be happy.  

P.s...... How super cute is my life!

Poaching eggs

Last year when things got oh so busy with studying two courses, I thought to myself from time to time "wouldn't it be nice to have a breakdown?" I could just lay in bed all day and watch 100's of episodes of mindless t.v. shows, and not feel any pressure to do anything, or be anywhere. It just seemed so.......lovely. Well obviously I am not stupid enough to really believe that It would be 'nice' to have a breakdown. From what I've heard they are awful, and not very restful at all.

Today I announced to my housemate that I was in fact having a 'breakdown' as I have hardly left the house for three days, and am completely content with this. In reality land (a place I sometimes choose not to live) I think I'm just having a holiday. A real one. Not the sort where I go home and see a different friend everyday, or where I go out to bars and drink with friends. Its the sort of holiday that I used to take with my boyfriend back home. We would pack up our bags, go someplace nice and ..............rest!!

So this is what I have been doing for the last few days. My life has fallen into a strange little pattern. I wake up late, poach some eggs, read a bit, maybe watch a show, potter around my room, look at recipes, look at food blogs, take a few calls, stretch out on my bed, go for a little jog, potter around some more, see some friends for a few hours at dinner time, and go home to read some more. Its divine. I keep planning on doing things, like cooking, or cleaning, or going to the gym, but it just doesn't happen. I am perfectly content in my little snail shell at home here. Everyday I compose a list in my head of all the things I am going to do the next day......and the knowledge that I plan on doing something keeps me satisfied until the next day, when I don't do it, but make plans for the next day.

I know I will snap out of this soon. I have a theory that somehow I know subconsciously what works for me best. So when its the right time to get busy again, then bam! I'll feel like doing it. It usually works, but until then I'll continue with this mini holiday.

So apparently......this is meant to be a food blog. Im so sorry about the lack of food that has been mentioned. I like to think people do read this to find out about cooking tips and not just listen to "they unsuccessful yet very eventful love life of Cherry Murphy."

As I am on my mini holiday I actually haven't been doing too much cooking. The one think I have been making a lot of though, is poached eggs. My housemate asked me recently how to make them, and I realised that I get asked this often. Its one of those skills in life (yes poaching eggs is a life skill) that not many people know how to do well. To me its like falling in love (incredibly easy and I do it all the time) but apparently a lot of people don't know how (to poach eggs......not fall in love....you following me here?) So I'm going to give you my sneaky egg poaching tips.

Poaching an egg

You will need:
eggs
water
1tbs of vinegar
a pot
a slotted spoon

What to do:
Ok its really easy.....you just need the tips

1. Fill up your pot half full with water and add the vinegar.
2. Bring the water to a simmer. You don't the water to be bubbling fast or it will break up your eggs, and you don't want it to not be hot enough or your eggs wont want to hold together. So simmering water is perfect.
3. Now a lot of people will tell you to stir the water and what not, but I say that is rubbish. Just crack your egg, as close as you can to the surface of the water and gently drop it in. You really want to be careful with it and treat it with some respect.
4. Then just leave it be for about 2 minutes, or more. It probably takes between 2 to 5 mins to poach depending on how soft or hard you like it. You can use the slotted spoon to lift it up and check it. Just poke it with your finger to feel how runny it is.
5. Once it's done, simply lift it out and eat it. The good thing about using the slotted spoon is that you don't have to drain the egg, the water should just run off, and you wont have soppy toast.

Crumpets

I have no idea what is wrong with me at the moment but I have come over all romantic. All I listen to are love songs, I get misty at weddings on TV and I get super soppy when anyone mentions that they are seeing someone. It's ridiculous considering the state of my heart these days. I still feel so caught up in my past romances that I just can't seem to move on to a positive place of recovery. My heart (alas) is still in Noosa, and at this point there is nothing I can do about it. Soon it will be summer though, and this makes me think that maybe things will get better.

Cooking school is plodding along nicely, despite a few disaster cakes last week. Lets just say I had a bad kitchen day...which may have ended with my sobbing on the couch. Just a bad day in general when I come to think of it, but these things happen. All we can do is pick up the disarrayed pieces of our heart, throw some ugly cakes in the bin and move on, and that is exactly what I did.

We are still working on seafood dishes at the moment in one of my classes. I am loving this and so is my stomach! Today I feasted on oysters and calamari for morning tea. Such a treat! I'm finding it really easy too. It's so frustrating at times that my commercial cookery classes are coming so very easily to me but patisserie is a constant struggle when that's the one I really want to be doing. I will push on though in a hope that it will finally come together.

Earlier in the week I had a go at making some homemade crumpets, and I must say they were very delicious. I found the recipe in Gourmet Traveler and simply halved it (because it made so very much). When you cook them you need little silver rings to fry them in. I didn't have any of these so I made some out of silver foil and then lined them with baking paper. It wasn't super effective but it did the job. I think egg rings would work to make mini ones or otherwise you could go to a cooking shop and buy some cooking rings. Either way here is the recipe and it's great! Don't be intimidated to work with yeast, truly it's beautiful and quite easy to use. I served mine with yoghurt, jam and poached pears. Delicious!

Home made crumpets

You will need:

• 400ml milk
• 20g butter
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 1/2 g dried yeast (this is half a packet)
• 250g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

What to do:

1. Place milk and butter in a pot on low heat, and warm till butter melts. Let stand until it is lukewarm
2. Combine the yeast and half the milk in a small bowl. Let sit for about five minutes or until it's bubbly.
3. Combine the yeast mix, flour, a pinch of salt and the rest of the milk in a larger bowl and set aside until it is very foamy. This should take about an hour to an hour and a half.
4. Dissolve the bicarb in 25ml of water and add to the batter. Beat to combine and then set aside for another half an hour until bubbly again.
5. Heat a nonstick fry pan and add some butter. Spray rings with some oil and two thirds fill with batter. Cook until mixture bubbles. Remove the rings and turn over to cook on the other side.
6. Serve warm, and enjoy.

Pancakes

I have never dated a stingy man in my life. At the age of fifteen my first boyfriend saved up $100 of his pocket money to buy me a silver inscribed ring. I am now twenty-one and have had the privilege of experiencing more rings with that same sentiment, jewellery, five-star hotels, holidays in the mountains, expensive perfumes, nice restaurants, wine, clothes, lingerie, shoes, bed and breakfasts, and the list goes on. None of this I even asked for. Some of it I didn't even want. All I have ever done is loved in my simple way, cooking, and giving from the heart...and this is how I was often repaid.

So it didn't surprise me at all today when I received a big box of fruit delivered to my door from an ex-boyfriend as a 'get well present.' I wanted to savour every last piece of fruit in memory of this person. If I had the heart to, I would have baked all the apples into cakes, and made blueberry pancakes, but I couldn't.

There is no blessing in receiving gifts in exchange for love when all you want is pure, raw love. One gets sick of sorry presents when one has to keep forgiving. To this day I have every piece of jewellery ever given to me by a boy...and I don't wear one bit of it. But I like to think the boys I have dated are probably a little bit healthier due to my feeding.

I believe we all just want to be loved on a ground, base level. I cook when I love someone because it's caring for their core needs...hunger, warmth, comfort. That makes sense to me. I think deep down...it makes sense to us all. I am tired of gifts, and ready for the real stuff...love.

Actually for goodness sake....... Why mope? I'll have my damn pancakes if i want to. Not even a boy can wreck that for me. Here is one of donna Hays recipes for pancakes

ricotta hotcakes with maple butter

RECIPE SEARCH

1½ cups (225g) self-raising (self-rising) flour ½ cup caster (superfine) sugar 4 eggs, separated 1½ cups (375ml) buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 200g ricotta ¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar, extra 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon maple syrup and lemon wedges, to serve maple butter 80g butter, softened 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup To make the maple butter, place the butter and maple syrup in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Place the flour, sugar, egg yolks, buttermilk and vanilla in a bowl and mix to combine. Whisk the eggwhite until stiff peaks form and fold through the flour mixture with the ricotta. Heat a lightly greased large non-stick frying pan over low heat. Cook 2 tablespoons of the mixture, in batches, for 3–4 minutes each side or until puffed and golden. Combine the extra sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the pancakes. Top with the maple butter, drizzle over the maple syrup and serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4. * For blueberry ricotta hotcakes, add 1 cup (150g) fresh or frozen blueberries to the flour mixture with the ricotta. Top hotcakes with maple butter and drizzle over maple syrup. I stole it off her sight.......so no one sue my for stealing it please.

Bircher Muesli

This week has been a little rough. Nothing really flowed easily, and I have been afraid to write my blog, not knowing what was going to flow from my subconscious. Sometimes it is much easier not to connect to things. I did make it through the week though. By myself, but not alone.

When my bread didn't rise, my cooking partner took most of the blame. When I was feeling a little low, my housemates cooked me a dinner party. When I hit rock bottom, my mum sent me my teddy bear in the mail. Its so lovely to be supported, and know that someone (or lots of someones) have our back.

The real reason I haven't written a blog though is because I wanted to get a message across to someone, and I couldn't quite find the right words. I couldn't quite voice everything I wanted to say with only a mere 26 letters. I'm sure they know what I want to say, I've spent the last two years of my life trying to express it in every way possible. You know who you are....... thank you dearest, and goodbye.

This recipe is for my best friend, because its one of his favourites.

Bircher Muesli:

You will need:

• 1kg Natural Muesli
• 1kg Vanilla Yoghurt
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 1lt skinny milk (to keep us skinny)
• 150g honey
• 3 grated green apples
• 1 and a half tsp lime juice
• 1 zest of lime
• 1 tsp fresh ginger (grated finely)

What to do:

1. Mix it all together the day before you want to serve it.
2. Cover and keep in the fridge.
3. Serve with fresh berries or poached fruit.

Enjoy it lovelies.......

Spanish breakfast

Today was another day just like the rest. Except today was Easter. I know that this should be wonderful and lovely and all that, but really it just made me a bit homesick. This time last year I was nearly engaged, and my partner made me an egg hunt around the whole house. Life is so very different now. I worked today and then came home for a rest. I've been feeling a bit sick for the past few days. So I'm just having a quiet night reading the sunday paper, cooking dinner and drinking turkish apple tea. Its good....

School starts back in a few days and I'll be back to the books. Holidays didn't last nearly long enough. I think next holidays if I have the money I might make a little trip to Tasmania. Its so very close, and the ferry that takes you there is only about ten minutes drive from my house. I've heard that they have an amazing food and wine scene, so I'm quite keen to check it out. I love taking little trips away. Especially foodie trips away.

Tonight I cooked one of my favourite breakfast dishes. I change the recipe every time I make it, so i'll just give you a basic one, and you can add or take from it as you like. Its very simple and so tasty. I served mine tonight with the home made bread that I made this week. It was so perfect! The picture really doesn't do it justice. I love this dish because of all the different textures in it. You have the runny egg, crunchy cheese and the thick sauce.

Spanish Breakfast (it serves two hungry people if you serve it with bread)

What you will need:

• One onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 5 mushrooms
• I red capsicum
• 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes
• Half a bunch of dill
• About one cup of tomato based pasta sauce (I used a wine flavoured one and its perfect)
• 1/2 cup of cheese
• I can of can of cannelloni beans
• two eggs

What to do:

1. Fry onion and garlic in the bottom of a fry pan until see through.
2. Add mushrooms (diced) and chilli flakes, cook for 5 minutes
3. Dice the capsicum quite small, and add.
4. Once the vegetables are almost cooked add the beans, and tomato sauce.
5. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring, and then add the dill
6. With a wooden spoon make push the mix aside to make two holes. Crack the eggs into the holes and cook on low for 2 minutes.
7. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the whole dish.
8. Wrap a tea towel over the handle of the frypan (so it doesn't melt) and place it under the grill with the handle sticking out (again so it doesn't melt.)
9. Let it cook for about 3 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the egg is cooked to your liking.
10. Serve with fresh bread.

This is so perfect to share and super yummy.

Poached Duck Eggs

I have had some incredibly bad luck so far this week. Yesterday my house got broken into, and then today I had a reaction to some lipstick I was wearing. Both events left me feeling sick, an with an acidic taste in my mouth.

Its strange when things in life happen that we have no control over and have done nothing to cause. Things sometimes just happen. Its how we deal with them that matters. My first reaction has always been to find the biggest man around and run into his arms and cry. I have learnt however this isn't always the most empowering way to deal with situations and I'm slowly working on learning how to fix things myself. It is very easy to get used to giving your emotions to someone else to deal with. One of my previous partners used to remind me on a daily basics just to breath. Since we went our different ways I have realised, I can breath all by myself, in, out, in, out, in, out, everyday with no help.

Some lovely things have still been happening over the past few days despite my bad luck in other areas. For a start I poached some beautiful duck eggs for breakfast and put them on bagels with spinach and tomato. Just grand!!!

If you want to treat yourself to breakfast in bed (this is what I have been doing all week as I had late starts at work) here is what you can make:

Poached duck eggs with bagels, spinach and tomato.

what you will need:

• 2 duck eggs
• I bagel
• A knob of butter
• one tomato
• one handful of spinach
• one teaspoon of vinigar

What to do:

1. Bring a pot of water with the vinigar in it to the boil and reduce to a simmer.
2. Toast bagel
3. Gently add eggs to the water (they take about 2 mins to cook)
4. Heat up a fry pan, add butter
5. Add spinach and season, stir till wilted
6. Slice tomato
7. Chuck it all together
8. Get back into bed and eat it.