Chicken Tortillas

Spring is finally here. I can't believe I've made it through yet another Melbourne winter! As the sun comes out I feel like I'm slowly starting to thaw. The cold is seeping out of my bones, and I feel ready to come out of hibernation. Its funny how much of a difference a little sunshine can make. I've been jumping out of bed in the mornings and setting off on jogs around the park. Things seem a bit more possible when its warm. Adventures feel more likely, and instead of opting to head home, now I feel like suggesting going out for pints of cider in the sun.

So to celebrate all this sunshine I decided to head to the park with a couple of friends for our first picnic of the season. It felt glorious to be eating outside. I really can't stress enough how happy this warm weather is making me. I feel like a different person.

Anyway.....I got very inspired and decided to make some treats for us to eat while we drank our cider in the sunshine. I made some chicken tacos which I must say were delicious, and then for desert we had spiced cookie sandwiches with peanut butter and chocolate filling (because that totally goes with my whole 'getting fit for summer' thing......oh well, you have to live....and cookie sandwiches are truly living.) The idea for cookie sandwiches came from a mish mash of left overs. I had some chocolate gnash from a chocolate cake I had make earlier in the week, and the cookies were left over from a batch I had made on Sunday but never got around to icing......and well everyone just loves peanut butter. I could very easily get addicted to this new treat. I'll give you the recipe for this later in the week.

Lets talk about chicken tortilla's. They are so yummy and incredibly easy to make. For some reason most people are intimidated by making bread of any sort (even though its easy) but this my friend doesn't even have yeast (or any of that scary jazz) so its just a matter of mixing and kneading and rolling......no big deal at all. You can really do whatever you want for the filling. I marinated chicken is some garlic and spices and then grilled it. Then we added some store bought dips, organic mescaline mix, and avocado. Its perfect for shared park food, because you can make it up on the spot and its not too messy to eat.

So make it.... get out into the park.....and enjoy this wonderful sun!!

Tortillas
(Makes 18)
4 cups of plain flour
50g of butter
1 tsp of salt
2 and 1/2 cups of boiling water

1. In a large bow,l rub the butter into the flour and salt until the mix resembles bread crumbs.
2. Pour in the boiling water.
3. Mix with a wooden spoon until the mix comes together.
4. Pour out onto a floured surface and knead for two minutes until smooth.
5. Divide the mix into 18 equal portions.
6. Roll each piece into a circle. They should be quite thin and about 20 cm round.
7. Heat a non stick fry pan and add a few drops of oil.
8. Cook the tortillas one at a time for about 1 minute on each side.
9. Place them in a stack, covered with a tea towel to keep them warm while the rest are cooking.

Spiced Chicken

4 chicken thighs

1tsp of chilli flakes

2tsp of smoked paprika

1tsp of thyme

2tbs of soy source

1tsp of sesame oil

2 cloves of crushed garlic

2 tbs of oil

1tsp of turmeric

1. Mix all the ingredients in with the chicken in a bowl.
2. Massage the chicken to make sure everything is mixed through.
3. Cover and place in the fridge  for an hour.
4. Take the chicken out of the fridge and put in a preheated not stick frying pan.
5. Cooking the chicken, turning occasionally, on both sides, at a medium heat until cooked though (you can always cut into it if you are unsure.)
6. Slice the chicken up into small pieces.

Bring your other favourite fillings for the tortillas and roll them up!!

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

I wish I could report that I spent my whole day studying for exams that are next week....but unfortunately this is not the case. Instead after school I took a (much needed) nap and did some cooking. Neither of these things will help me pass my law subject, but I can always convince myself that cooking is a justified procrastination......as I am studying at a culinary school after all, which is basically just cooking..... sort of......

My intentions have been so good all week. I was going to run more, and organise more 'things' that need organising, and be wonderful and productive. I have been pushing so hard lately to get everything done, and now the end is in sight I have fallen into a bit of a heap. At the start of the term I made a list of things I really wanted to achieve. I wanted to get ready for the wedding I am catering, I wanted to do more yoga, I wanted to fit into my tiny silk dress, and I wanted to meet a nice boy(lets just leave that last one alone, as I have decided that the boy on the tram who offered me a shot of tequila probably wasn't relationship maternal). I am happy to report that I am extremely prepared for the wedding. The good work stops there though. I have not attending one yoga class, and despite going for 30 minute runs 3 to 4 times a week it is starting to become glaringly obvious that that dress does not want to fit (goodness....who wants to be a size 8 anyway?) The longer I continue my profession as a pasty chef, a cake maker, and food blogger, the more I realise I may never be the size of all the wildly inappropriate girls my ex boyfriend back home dates.

The thing is though.......I love my life here in Melbourne selling cakes and practicing recipes, and I wouldn't give it up....even to be size 8. I have this beautiful tiny little apartment and some amazing friends.......and right now, thats kinda perfect.

Today one of my best friends and I went to a little community market and sold all our old clothes. We sat in the sunshine all day eating organic cakes and drinking lots of coffee. It was super lovely. To prepare for this though and discus our market plans we had a 'pre market stall dinner' the night before......followed by martini's at one of my favourite little spots in Melbourne.

Its about time I post up a savoury recipe after all the cakes I've been cooking lately. Here's the dinner I made.

Cheats Spinach and Ricotta gnocchi with chunky tomato and prosciutto sauce.

What you will need:

Gnocchi:

• 2 eggs
• 300g blanched silver beat
• One cup of ricotta
• 2/3 cup plane flour
• 2/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

1. Break up ricotta cheese
2. Mix all ingredients together, until it forms a sticky dough.
3. Roll teaspoon sized balls, using floured hands.
4. Place balls on a floured tray and set aside.

Sauce:

• One onion
• Five clothes of garlic
• One tine of diced tomatoes
• 3 slices of prosciutto
• Half a cup of red wine
• One cup of stock (chicken or vegetable)
• Half a bunch of basil
• 1 tbs of tomato paste

What to do:

1. Dice onion and garlic and saute in a fry pan on low heat until clear.
2. Finely dice prosciutto and add to onion and garlic. Cook until slightly crispy.
3. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring continually for one minute.
4. Add wine and let cook down for 4 minutes (this gets out the bitter flavour, but leaves the yummy wine taste.)
5. Add the tomatoes, stock and half the basil (with stalks and all.) 
6. Bring to the boil, turn down and simmer for half an hour.
7. Add the gnocchi (oh oh but first remove the basil stems) place the lid on the sauce.....cook for five minutes, or until the gnocchi is firm. If it is not fully submerged in the sauce you may want to turn the gnocchi half way through the cooking. 
8. Shred the remaining basil and add to the sauce. 

Korma curry from scratch.

Are you scared of making curry paste from scratch?

I am too.

Lets hold hands and do it together.

Its nearly valentines day after all. So we can do that.

There are two things I love:

1. Holding hands (I remember distinctly the first time I ever held hands with a boy. I was fourteen. He was sixteen it was bliss.)
2. A good curry. I love a really well made one, but I always get intimidated by all the spices. Its not hard.

Last night I made a curry from scratch and was left thinking "Well that wasn't scary at all," because its not. I hate having to buy all the spices, and I don't have a little grinder. Its not required. It makes it easier, but don't panic if you don't have one.

Cherrys Super Vegetable Korma Curry:

You will need:

• Vegetables. Any you like really. I used potato, pumpkin, and cauliflower, and thats it.
• 4 diced tomatos

Spice mix:

• 1 tsp of cardamon pods
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 1 tsp of black pepper (like the sort you put in your grinder)

Toast these bad boys in a little pan for about two minutes. They will go a little bit brown and smell amazing. Take them out of the pan and grind them up. I just cut them with a knife. This takes much longer, but it works. You could use a food processor.

Add:

• 3 cloves of garlic
• A small piece of ginger (about the size of a twenty cent coin)
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• 2 tsp of ground coriander
• 1 tsp of garamasala
• 1tsp of turmeric
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tablespoon of minced coriander
• 1 green chilli.
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup ground almonds (this makes it thick and delicious)

Still with me here? It hasn't got scary yet. So cut up your garlic, ginger and chilli super small. Add it to your toasted spices. Keep cutting it until its like a paste. You want it to be nice and fine.

Lets get started!

• 3 onions diced small.

1. Take out a pot and add some olive oil. On a low heat add your onions. Cook them until they go see through.
2. Add your spice mix and all the dried spices. Stir it on a medium heat for two minutes until is smells good.
3. Add your tomato paste, coriander, and almond meal.
4. Stir it all around.
5. If it starts to stick turn down the heat.
6. Add the tomatoes. This will provide some moisture so it doesn't burn.
7. Add your vegetables. Stir stir stir.
8. Add one cup of vegetable stock.
9. Put the lid on. Let it simmer for about an hour. Check on it from time to time. Its ready when the vegetables are tender.
10. Serve it with rice and flatbread. Maybe add some yoghurt on top.

That wasn't hard was it? And we got to hold hands on the sly. This was my plan all along.

Lunch frittata

I have been terrible this month with writing, and have neglected my blog so very much. I am very sorry to those of you who are lovely enough to read it. I have hundreds of excuses, I promise. Firstly, there was all my pastry school assessments. Not only was there a huge amount of practical cooking to do, there was some huge assignments this term which bored my brains out. Then I moved houses, started getting ready for Christmas (this involved a lot of gingerbread house making, and also a decent amount of wine), work was also pretty hectic, and because all that wasn't quite enough...I fell a bit in love. So all of these activities, along with seeing friends, trying new recipes, and basically just living have been keeping me pretty busy. I am dreadfully sorry though.At the moment I've gone home for Christmas. I'm back on the hot and sticky Sunshine Coast with my family, helping arrange all the dinner parties, and catching up with friends. It's such a relief to be away from all the hustle and bustle of the city...although not being within walking distance of a coffee shop is one trial I am trying to bare quietly, if not resentfully. It's lovely to be here though.What I love about coming home, apart from seeing all the family and friends is the pantry. It's so very full all the time. There is nothing (well maybe one or two things) more lovely in this life than a full pantry. It's very satisfying to know that at any time there is enough ingredients around to make a delicious meal.I was discussing with an old friend that I ran into recently while I have been home about our ideas of the perfect holiday. She said the best thing for her would be a place where she could read books all the time and not have to bother about cooking or eating. To me this is the biggest disaster of a holiday. Unless there is a kitchen on my holidays, there is no point in going. Even when my ex and I used to go and stay in luxury bed and breakfasts in the forest we would always make sure the room had a little stove so I could cook. Before a two day holiday I would drag my partner through the farmers markets in order to find 'the best holiday cheese' and 'the tastiest pastries' to take with us (all the while flirting with the cheese man and bakers...gosh I miss the farmers markets in Noosa.) Then we would pile into the car in amongst all the food and about 7 cook books.I started thinking about this...and my love of food in general. Why do I insist on cooking, even when I'm on holidays? I think the reason is...the kitchen is where I feel most at home, most comfortable. I feel like life makes a lot more sense while I am quietly chopping, and stirring and baking.I forgot how much I have missed writing and have rambled on something awful. Well, I'll give you a little holiday recipe to make in case you too feel most at home in the kitchen. It's just an easy one that I whipped up the other day for lunch.

Spring lunch frittata
What you will need:
7 eggs
half a cup of milk
salt and pepper
one onion
garlic
4 baby zucchini's (or two normal size ones if you can't get the babies)
8 cherry tomatoes
a small tin of salmon
250g goats fetta
A handful of basil

What to do:
You need a big non-stick frypan with metal handles for this recipe. So firstly make sure you have one of those.Dice your onion and crush your garlic, cook over a low heat in the frypan until it becomes transparent.Slice the zucchini lengthwise and add to the onion, frying on medium heat. Add tomatoes and continue to cook until zucchini is nearly softBreak the eggs into a bowl and add the milk. Whisk to combine and seasonMake sure that all the vegetables are evenly distributed over the bottom of the pan and pour in the egg mix. Continue to cook on a medium heat.When the egg mix has set about 2/3 of the mix poke in the cheese and salmon. Place the whole pan under a oven grill and cook until set.Once the whole thing is set, turn out onto a plate (this can be done by placing a plate on top of the fritatta and holding onto it while turning the whole pan upside down...sounds hard but really it isn't. Just believe it will work...and umm hopefully it will.)Tear up the basil and place on top.Eat it!

Chinese Spice Dahl

I have spent the better part of this year trying to heal myself from what appeared to be my largest heart break. I have done every imaginable thing possible to speed up the journey, but unfortunately things like this just take their time. I have gone out, got drunk, taken a lover (or a few), run a lot, danced a lot, worked a lot, cried a lot, and thrown myself wholeheartedly into my study. I have worked so very very hard this year (honestly who in their right mind takes on two full time courses and a part time job?) and now I am finally having a rest. So after all this exhausting running around, and getting lost and caught up and found again, I have discovered...I am actually quite happy.

I have cut down on my work load at culinary school and settled into a routine of working part time and studying two days a week. I have all this free time to think and explore again. For the first time in months I have picked up my paint brushes again and started to paint.

All my ideas and dreams are coming back to me. All the things I have been pushing out of my head for so long, in fear of actually FEELING anything. It's wonderful. It has taken me a whole year of heartbreak to realise...I'm really happy, and I love who I am.

So I have decided that while life is so beautiful and simple for a while (and I know this calm won't last forever) to just embrace it. I'm giving myself a little holiday from stressing. I think I'll just enjoy being a part-time student/chef/writer/artist/cupcake seller. I'll spend my free time drawing, and cooking, reading and looking for inspiration. I'll take a muse (someone stunningly beautiful) and enjoy the rest of the year of being 21. I won't worry about money because I have none to worry about and I'm going to enjoy all my lovely friends.

A crazy lady once told me...everyone can survive off kisses and lentils...and I think she was right.

In case your in the market for beauty on a budget, this is what I have been living off.

Chinese Spice Dahl

You will need:

• 1/4 pumpkin
• Half a red onion
• 2 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 1 tsp of Chinese five spice
• 1 tsp each of tumeric, coriander, and cardamon
• half a cup of red lentils
• 2 stock cubes
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• A wee bit of love

What to do:

1. Dice your onion and garlic, sweat it in a pot with some olive oil
2. Cut the pumpkin in to small cubes. Add to the pot and cook on low until it starts to soften. You will need to stir is quite a bit so it doesn't stick
3. Add the spices and tomato paste, stir
4. Add the lentils, enough water to cover and throw in the rest of the ingredients
5. Keep stirring on a low heat and adding more water when it is absorbed.
6. From here on in there is really no technique, you just stir and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add more spice if it needs it.
7. It will be ready when the lentils and pumpkin are soft.

It's super yummy and kind of a nice twist on the normal Indian dahl. Enjoy

Beef Goulash

What I would like to know is when life got so complex? Nothing these days seems simple. On a beautiful enjoyable night out to dinner in the city instead of enjoying my surroundings, my mind is caught up on how much my heart aches these days. "Who is this person," I asked myself as I looked in the bathroom mirror at myself. I remember a very different girl who arrived in Melbourne less than a year ago. Wide eyes open and ready for everything. Now, however, I feel old and jaded. Things have changed.

Three years ago I remember working in a cafe in Melbourne loving the simplicity of life as I thought to myself "this is it. I am so content. I have a job I love, and I want to be cooking for the rest of my life. I have an amazing boyfriend and I know what I want. My life is basically set" It was such an amazing feeling to be so content with my lot, so very sure of myself. Three months later the cafe went broke, the head chef had a mental breakdown, my apprenticeship fell through, and I left the man I was with. Three years later, I have no idea what became of that chef, the cafe is now a Chinese take out, and the boy I was seeing presumably hates me as much as I do him.

When we are young we look ahead at the future at our 'grown-up life' and dream of all the beautiful things we will do. Things are so simple. So black and white. There are good guys and bad guys. Over the last few years I have been discovering that there are just ...guys (and that is not a promising reality at times.)

I am afraid I am becoming jaded, that I feel so let down by these complexities and have hardened myself a bit.

I have been working with red meat at cooking school at the moment and one thing I have learnt about cooking really tender stews and braises is that you must cook the meat slowly for a really long time. If you boil it, the meat will turn tough, and taste like an old boot. I can't help but wonder...have I been boiling instead of simmering my heart? Jumping from one relationship to the next, and throwing myself into situations that I do not yet have the skill to deal with, feels like this harsh boiling process that is making me tough...but not in a positive light. I would love to think that the older I get the more experienced I get, so I can deal with things beautifully and gracefully. Lately, however, I haven't always been feeling like that. I just feel old and haggard. So despite life being complex, I'm going to try and work on letting things simmer for a while. I'll see if I can't soften up a bit.

Here is something that takes hours to simmer...It's delicious and nice for these last few days of winter...

Beef Goulash

Serves one...so if your not single, double it, or if you have a big family make heaps!

You will need:

• 100g onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 sprig of marjoram
• 1g caraway seeds
• 1/4 lemon
• 25g butter
• 200g diced beef
• 15g tomato paste
• 5g paprika
• 500ml of stock

What to do:

1. Dice your onion and garlic.
2. Melt half the butter in a pot, add the onion and garlic. Cook without colouring it but so it's translucent.
3. Add the beef and seal (this means just cook so it's brown on the outside.)
4. Add the tomato paste, stir through.
5. Add paprika, stir through
6. Add the rest of the butter, the zest of 1/4 lemon, marjoran, and caraway seeds.
7. Add your stock (make sure all the meat is covered)
8. Bring to the boil (but only for a few seconds....or your meat will go tough)
9. Turn down the heat to a light simmer and good for 3 to 5 hours. I know that sounds like a really varied amount of time, but the longer you cook it the nicer and softer the meat will become. You will know its ready when all the liquid has thickened into a nice sauce that coats the meat and all liquids have absorbed.

This can be served with rice, or pasta, potatoes, or anything you like really. Enjoy

Baked flathead!!

I was not too keen on the idea of getting out of bed today. I was not too keen on my shower. I was not even that keen on my peanut butter toast (can't wait till pay day...peanut butter toast can get pretty dull after a while.) I was not keen on the walk to the train and I was not keen on facing another whole day without coffee.

Yes, today I was a wee bit moody. I couldn't pinpoint the emotion but I have been feeling just generally a little low lately. I'm not sure if it's the lack of time off, the constant early mornings, or the recent departure of coffee in my life. Just for the back story...coffee and I have recently broken up (again). It has been an ongoing lover of mine and a habit I just can't shake, despite the fact it makes me feel a lot tireder (is tireder a word? If it is it's my new favourite one. "Hey don't you complain, I'm much tireder than you!"...anyway). So I've been trying to cut it out of my life. I do have a small problem with letting go, though. Like most of the men I date, even after the break up I will keep them in my life, just lingering, just in case, for months and sometimes even years on end. I miss coffee a lot. I think about it all the time. I try to see myself ten years down the track without a coffee in my hand, and I just can't picture it (all I see is me in very, very stylish designer clothes, taking my six kids to soccer practice and ballet lessons, then heading off to work at a huge beautiful glorious commercial kitchen where I produce my cook books and run cooking lessons...ALL THE WHILE WITH A COFFEE IN MY HAND). I toy with the idea of buying one, "just this once", I tell myself, "one more can't hurt." So far I have stayed strong. It has been four days and I actually feel much much better. However, it is inevitable that after a while my resolve will die down and I will call him...I mean, have a coffee.

If this is one of my biggest issues in life I feel that things probably aren't that bad. Unfortunately though, I have had this niggling feeling that they are. Something, and I know not what, has been eating away at me. I just feel a bit glum. When expressing this to a friend recently, they brought everything into perspective for me. "Cherry," he said, "Honestly there is nothing wrong with you at all. It's just that you have only had one day off in the last four weeks." And I'm starting to think maybe he has a point. So I'm looking forward to Sunday, like a shining beacon of hope, and a day to have a rest.

Here is a recipe I learnt at school this week. Maybe you can make it on Sunday for me while I'm having my day off and resting.

Baked flathead with daikon pickle.

You will need:

One flathead, gutted and scaled, (also cut off the fins)

A couple of very generous pinches of sea salt

30ml oil

20ml rice vinegar

1/2 chilli diced with seeds removed

3 sprigs of garlic chives

I love this recipe because its super simple. All you need to do is oil your tray, sprinkle your whole fish with salt and bake it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at a moderate temperature

Then for the pickle, very very finely slice the daikon, mix with the chilli, chives and rice wine vingar. Serve the cooked fish with the pickle, and eat it!!

Pork Dumplings with Asian Greens

It is finally the weekend, and I feel a bit adrift. After being so busy lately, I sometimes don't know what to do with my free time. I searched my room for a book to read today, but was surprised to find I didn't own any. Now don't take that the wrong way. I love reading, and I read all the time. My room is filled however with cook books. They are stacked high next to my bed, next to my chair and on my table. My teacher laughed at me this week when I admitted that I sometimes fall asleep with a cookbook in my bed. It doesn't take a psychologist to recognise that I'm filling a very man shaped whole in my life (and my bedroom) with my career. Is this healthy? I don't know. Do I care? No! Of course not! Well maybe a little. Missy Higgins doesn't seem to be the only one "fearing she's the bad fruit nobody buys."

I keep telling myself maybe if I went out more I would meet someone, but its so cold this time of year, and I have nothing to wear, and and and and. I have a thousand excuses all leading to the same point. I really don't want to. The only "Meat Market" I want to go to is my local butcher, to buy ingredients for dinner. I fear that no one is going to knock on my door and say "Ummm, is there a sexy blond chef that lives here? I'd like to take her on a date." (Although once a complete stranger called me by mistake and ended up asking me out...true story!)

The real issue is...am I lonely? The real answer is...yes, just a little bit. This has nothing to do with being alone. I spent all morning with a friend, and now have the afternoon to myself. I can't fill every moment of my life with people. So I am confused! Is there anything wrong with spending time alone? I'm not sure. I actually quite enjoy it, most of the time.

So while I work out my head and my heart I'll cook myself a dinner for one. Here is what I'll be eating tonight. Its a recipe for two...but ummm...sigh, oh well. Enjoy

Pork Dumplings with Asian Greens

What you will need:

• 250g minced pork
• 2 sprigs of spring onion
• 1 tbs coriander paste
• 1 tsp of ginger finely grated
• 1 tbsp of Hoi sin sauce (find it in the asian section
• 1 pack of dumpling wrappers (these are found with the fresh pasta in the cold section)
• Half a cup of chicken stock
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1 bunch Chinese greens (like bok choy)
• Soy sauce, to garnish.

What to do:

1. Mix together mince, sauce, garlic, ginger, sliced spring onion, and coriander. Season
2. Take your dumpling wrapper, place some of the mixture in the middle. With your finger, rub some water around the edge of the wrapper. Pick up the sides and squish them together to enclose the mixture. If you pleat the edges they make more of a dumpling shape, but you can do it however you like.
3. Heat a one teaspoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick frying pan. Place your dumplings in the bottom. Fry for about four minutes until they are crispy and a little golden on the bottom.
4. Add your greens to the pan, and your stock. Put a lid on the pan and cook for about five minutes until the greens are steamed through and the insides of your dumplings are cooked
5. Serve the dumplings on top of the greens. Sprinkle with some soy sauce.
6. Eat them alone, or with someone else...whatever.

Prosciutto wrapped lamb with baby carrots and quince paste

Today is a cold and windy Melbourne day. Most people are rushing around hating the weather and trying to keep out of the cold. Not me though, I love the rain. There is something so glorious about baking on a cold wet day. School finished early today so I was able to go home and do some cooking.

I've been really enjoying having a bit of free time lately. I'm not sure if my workload has gotten lighter or I have just become more used to it. Life as a student is so very different to working full time, and its taken me a while to get used to having a bit more time on my hands. Last year I was so preoccupied with work and cleaning up after smelly boys that I hardly had a moment to stop. I somehow managed to keep a full time job while cleaning the house, cooking for two, doing the laundry, having a social life, redecorating the bedroom, going to the gym and sending my partner off to work with a pack lunched (because of this I'm not really scared of what life as a mum will one day be like, I've already had a pretty good taste of it.)

When I first moved to Melbourne I was unsure what to do with this time and booked up every living moment with friends, dates, gym sessions, and work. I'm slowly learning how to relax though, and still get everything done that I want to. In saying that I did spend my afternoon cooking creme brulee, going for a run, ironing my whites, practicing recipes, reading recipes, doing my food shopping, and doing some cleaning.

I made a really yummy dinner that I loved. I'll put the recipe up so you can make it. I'm pretty wrecked now after my day. I can't wait to curl up in bed and not think about food for a whole 7 seven hours while I sleep....unless I dream about it.

Prosciutto wrapped lamb with baby carrots and quince paste.

What you will need:

• Two pieces of lamb backstrap
• 8 slices of prosciutto
• 2 tbs of quince paste (you can find this with the dips in the supermarket)
• One bunch of baby carrots (I love them)
• One whole knob of garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbs sugar
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• Olive oil

What to do:

1. Preheat your oven to 200. Wash your baby carrots but leave skin on. Place them in a baking tray. Drizzle over the oil. Add seasoning, sugar, and rosemary. Break up the garlic and add the cloves whole to the tray. Bake for 15 minutes
2. Place the back strap on the bench. Spread on the quince paste and wrap in prosciutto.
3. Place meat on top of the carrots.
4. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is cooked to your liking
5. Serve with a mash or polenta.

Pad Thai

I was worried that this week would be a little hard after going home for the weekend. Sometimes the city can seem so unromantic with all the running around and stressing.....especially when you are studding how to debone and break down a chicken all day. It makes me so very queazy, all the slicing, dicing, and bone popping. I squirm just thinking about it.

Nothing much had changed since coming back. I got up, went to school, had a coffee at my local spot, went to school, smiled at the cute boy (we never talk........just smile at each other), did my work and then came home.

A couple of lovely things happened though. I dropped into work, and all the girls were so lovely to me it made Melbourne feel like home. Having some amazing friends really makes a difference.

A man walking down the hall called me 'Cinderella' and this also cheered me up a lot too. I love it that there are some cheeky boys out there, that go out on a limb to compliment and make you feel special, even when it makes them look silly.

There I always a little magic to be found, no matter how bleak and cold Melbourne can me.

Tomorrow night one of my friends is coming for dinner. I'm planning to cook up a mini feast for us. If all goes well I'll take some photo's and post up the recipes.

Tonight I made some Pad Thai. It was such a yummy treat. Its sometimes nice to know you can make your favourite take out meals at home for half the price. Here's the recipe incase you feel like an easy dinner to eat at home with a movie and some wine.

Pad Thai

You will need

• Half a pack of flat rice noodles
• One chicken breast
• One lime
• One tsp grated ginger
• Two cloves of garlic crushed
• Quarter of a stem of lemon grass sliced finely
• Three quarters a cup of coconut milk
• Two tablespoons of Peanut butter
• Two tablespoons of crushed peanuts
• Two tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
• One carrot, sliced finely
• One capsicum, sliced finely
• One handful of snow peas, sliced finely
• One button onion, sliced finely.

What to do:

1. Place a wok (or fry pan) on the stove top. Cook your sliced chicken in a little oil until its almost cooked through. Take out and set aside.
2. With some more oil in the wok sweat your onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass.
3. Add your vegetables. Stir continually. They wont take long to cook (depending on how small you cut them). You still want them to be a bit crisp so don't overcook!!
4. In a pot of boiling water cook your noodles for 3 to 4 minutes (or as it says on the pack)
5. Add peanut butter to wok with sweet chilli, lime juice, and coconut milk.
6. Through in your drained noodles and stir. Cook for five minutes, stirring all the time.
7. Plate up and sprinkle with some chopped peanuts. Yummm.

Lazy ladys pasta

Its finally the weekend, and I am one wrecked waif of a girl. My one day off today was so cherished. I had so many plans of all the wonderful things I was planning on doing, but in the end I slept most of it. Halfway through coffee with a friend I found my eyelids drooping (mind you not because she was boring at all, just because I was tired) so I went home and tucked myself up in bed.

Life is so busy at the moment, and people asking questions like "how are you doing it all?" and "aren't you a little worn out?" So this my friends is my secret...........I Cherry, am a little bit of a workaholic. Not so much too the point that I have to go to meetings, and talk about it (Im sure there is W.A. for people who work too hard, just like A.A. for people who drink too much.) I do get a giddy thrill though, from looking at my calendar and seeing every day full. On friday when I got into school this week I looked in the mirror to find the girl wearing chefs whites looking back at me from the mirror had huge dark circles under her eyes..................I looked at this and smiled! Yes I smiled. "Im getting there" I thought. But getting where? Heading towards a mental breakdown? Yay, go me! This was a small wakeup call.

Apart from all the tiredness though, I'm still really enjoying Melbourne. This city is so amazing, and pastry school is very inspiring. I feel like all sorts of creative projects are going to flow forth from this time in my life. Its nice to be learning all the basics, and getting a good foundation to build upon.

Every day I start my morning with coffee and end it with wine. Its probably not the best routine for my health, but there is something very soothing about it. They are my little treats I look forward to, and are keeping me sane. On top of that I've been surprised to find how supported I've felt lately. Lots of friends have popped out of the woodworks and really been amazing. People I didn't expect to help out so much, have proved to be amazing friends. So I never really get the chance to feel very alone in this big city.

For the last few nights I have been much too tired to cook anything special. This is what I have been putting together to get me by. It surprisingly delicious, as all simple food is. I hope you enjoy it.

Lazy ladys Pasta

You will need:

• Pasta (as much as you like, and any sort you like. I love fresh pasta but its a bit on the expensive side for this little student, so I've been settling for organic spaghetti.)
• Olive oil (just a dash)
• One garlic clove
• 4 button mushrooms
• Splash of red wine
• 5 cherry tomatoes cut in half
• Half a cup of pasta sauce (choose an organic one with lots of herbs.)
• Salt and pepper

What to do:

1. Boil your water and cook your pasta
2. In a fry pan heat your oil, and add your diced garlic.
3. Add mushrooms, fry till they are a little bit brown on the outside
4. Add Cherry tomatos.
5. Deglaze with wine (yes I said deglaze....because i go to to pastry school, and I'm cool, and I know what that means. Sorry about that. What I'm really trying to say is...........add the wine and cook it for a few minutes. This helps incorporate all the flavours that have stuck to the pan.)
6. Add pasta sauce. Season
7. Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Stir it round so it all gets coated nicely.
8. Plate it up. Add some cheese if you like. Eat it with a nice red wine.

Braised Lamb and risoni

This is just divine. My best friend and I ate it recently at a greek restaurant, and I just couldn't stop thinking about it. So tonight I recreated it, and it was just as yummy as I remembered. Give it a go. Its super good.

You will need:

• 300g diced lamb
• 4 button mushrooms
• 1 brown onion
• Half a red capsicum
• one jar of pasta sauce (use a good quality one! I usually buy a wine flavoured one to give it a kick)
• 1 zucchini
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Half tsp of chilli flakes
• One cup of red wine (and a glass for yourself.)
• 200g risoni

What to do:

1. Put some olive oil in a pot with your lamb and brown the outside. Take out of pot and place in a bowl.
2. Lightly fry your diced onion and garlic, in the pot with some more olive oil. When clear add all the vegetables (diced).
3. Cook, stirring for five minutes till partly cooked. Add spices and return to the meat to the pot.
4. Add the pasta sauce and some water to cover all the ingredients. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook for two hours on a very low heat.
5. Add your risoni and some more water if dry. Cook stirring continually for 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
6. Serve sprinkled with some feta cheese.

Posh Pizza

Back at school today, and it felt quite good. I was cheery most of the day...probably something to do with my high caffeine levels. I really love being at school and feeling like I'm learning something useful. Its nice being around other people who care about the same things you care about. I love that I can sit down with someone for half an hour in the lunch break and just talk recipes.

I was very chuffed with myself today as I managed to talk the nerdy boy at school into selling me his text books (he didn't use them anyway) for much less than I was going to have to pay. Really I was doing him a favour......ok ok, maybe he was doing me a favour. I have a feeling I'm going to regret it though. He followed me around like a puppy all day. Previous to this the most words we had exchanged was the time he was telling the class about all his girlfriends (imaginary of course) and I mentioned quite loudly that his mother doesn't count. I was having a bad day....and he had been pushing the whole class to their limits with stories of drunken escapades that no one believed.

With the money I saved on the books I was able to pay for my gym membership. I've decided Its high time I get back into working out. Here again though I ran into trouble. All I wanted to do was sign up and pay my fee, but the recruitment guy wouldn't stop making fun of me and chatting. I wanted to stop him and say "listen, I know how this works out....we go for a drink, one sip in you ask me if i like sport. I say no. You act surprised and a little hurt. I start talking about cooking and writing, and this is your turn to be disinterested. We pick a mutual subject like music, but again, we find we have different tastes. You ask me about clubs, but I only know cafes........but you don't drink coffee. So lets just save us both the time and embarrassment, and stop before we start. ok?"

Why am I so bitter today? Because I have decided today that I have 'bad love karma' at the moment (as a result of hurting someones feelings at the start of the year) and only the people I don't like, like me but the ones I love wont. I'm hoping it will pass, because I don't know how many more bad dates and 'inconvenient loves' I can take.

On a brighter note, last nights dinner party was lovely. It was so nice to have good friends over to cook for. Its really what life is all about. I made a heap of pizza's which I really enjoyed. I'm so obsessed with cooking breads and doughs at the moment. Here's the recipe for one of the pizza's I made. Its one of my favourites. They used to sell it at my favourite bar in noosa, and I'd always go there for a cocktail and some dinner with girlfriends.

Posh Pizza

You will need:

• One pizza bace (you can make your own, or buy a made one from the supermarket)
• Cranberry sauce
• One chicken breast
• One avocado
• Half a red onion
• A handful of rocket
• Half a round of brie

What to do:

1. Slice up the chicken breast and pan fry. It doesn't need to be cooked all the way through because it will cook again when it goes on the pizza (you don't want to dry it out, but also make sure its not raw in the middle when your pizza comes out of the oven.
2. Slice red onion, avocado, and drie
3. Spread your bace with the cranberry sauce (you don't need too much)
4. Layer all your ingredients on top (except the rocket)
5. Crack some salt and pepper over the top
6. Place in the oven and cook until bace is ready (or if your using a ready made one, until cheese is melted.)
7. Sprinkle the fresh rocket over the top and serve.

Fettucini

So as much as I try to make everything in my life look neat and orderly..... its not always dinner parties and pretty dresses. Last night I spent the whole evening dancing with drag queens....and had a wonderful time. Sometimes when life gets a wee bit too much you just have to let loose. Forget about all the things you should be doing. Forget about being neat. Forget about everything.

When I woke up this morning I remembered why I don't drink very often. My poor head hurts a lot and I invited lots of people over for dinner tonight. The last thing I feel like doing is cooking, but alas life goes on. I'll probably enjoy it once I start. I'm so addicted.

I realised how dedicated I am to cooking last night when I stumbled in the door at 4am and started making pasta (to soak up the drinks.) Most people stop by McDonnell's or grab a kebab....... but not me. Even in my most drunken state, I feel there is no reason to abandon all class. So I cook up a nice bowl of fettucini. Here is the recipe for you just in case you need it too. It a great through together meal when you can't be bothered doing much cooking (or have had a few drinks.)

Tipsy Fettucini

You will need:

• You can use whatever you have in your pantry (and just cook as much as you want depending on how hungry you are.)
• One egg
• A dash of cream
• Salt and pepper
• A handful of cheese (whatever you like best. I used a tasty cheese, but brie would be nice too.)

What to do:

1. Cook your pasta in salted water till cooked.
2. Drain reserving about 2tbs of the cooking water still in the pot
3. Add cheese and cream
4. Crack in egg
5. Put back on the stove on very low for 30 seconds (If you have it on high the egg will scramble and be yucky.)
6. Season
7. Settle into bed, eat it.