Raspberry and white chocolate cornflake cookies

This is my birthday post!  Finally, we get to my actual birthday, and Mr P. and I are away in freezing cold Granite Belt country.  Yay!  Hopefully it will snow.  I know I've said it before, but people just do not believe it sometimes snows in sunny Queensland.  Even Queenslanders tend not to believe it, but I assure you it does.

Admittedly it's on the border country with New South Wales (you should see the funny contours of the border), but boy does it get cold.  Officially the coldest town in Queensland!  Long-time readers will remember my story of getting lost here, and planning how we would keep warm overnight when it snowed on our (almost) petrol-less car!  Thank heavens we made it to Tenterfield (in NSW) where we found a petrol station!

so delicious - crispy, fruity and chocolatey

(Recipe from Some of my best friends are Cookies by Emelia Jackson - she of Masterchef Australia fame.  Soooo many recipes I want to make from this book!)

Makes 12 (or 13):

ingredients:

220g./8 oz plain flour

1/2 tsp bi-carb (baking) soda

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp sea salt flakes

150g./5.5 oz butter, softened (not melted)  Emelia says to use unsalted, but no!  that's the devil's work :=)

125g./4.5 oz brown sugar

100g./3.5 oz caster sugar

1 large egg, at room temp.

2 tsp vanilla bean paste  (or extract if you don't have the paste)

40g./1.5 oz shredded coconut

25g./1 oz cornflakes

125g./4.5 oz fresh raspberries

255g./9 oz white chocolate chips

15g./0.5 oz freeze-dried raspberries  (optional - as if!)  see Notes

bi-carb (aka baking) soda

Method:

Heat your oven to 180C/355F fan forced

Grab 2 baking trays and line 'em with baking paper

Into a medium bowl, tip the flour, bi-carb, baking powder and salt

Give them a good stir and a thorough whisking

Now get hold of your electric handbeaters (or a mixer with the paddle attachment, says Emelia), and cream the butter and sugars together till fluffy

Then add the egg and vanilla paste, and give it another good whizz

Add the flour mixture, and combine firmly but gently - you know what I mean? :=)

In go the coconut, cornflakes, raspberries and 180g./6 oz of the white chocolate drops, and fold them in; not too roughly

Weigh out 75g./2.5 oz blobs of the mixture  (Emelia says 12, but I got 13, so I ended up making my 12 blobs a bit bigger)

No need to shape them I found, just drop them onto the trays, leaving lots of room for each one, as they spread themselves out like a sunbather on a lounge chair

Bake for 20-22 minutes, till golden around the edges, and still soft and blonde towards the centre (says Emelia)

Take them out, and gently press the other 75g./2.7 oz of white chocolate drops into the tops of the biscuits/cookies

Then crumble the freeze-dried fruit (use whatever berry you fancy) over the tops

Cool completely on the trays, and hide from hungry husbands if you want to have some around for a bit

Will keep for a few days in an airtight container  (hahaha - as if)

Notes:

I could only get freeze-dried strawberries, and they worked out fine!  Tho' I did have to throw them into my mini food-processor for a bit, as they were jolly hard; too hard to crumble by hand

gather those ingredients

and beat that butter with the sugars

looking creamy

now mix in the other ingredients

plop 'em (75g. each remember) onto your lined trays

these took 21 minutes

press in the choc drops, and crumble over the berry bits

and let 'em cool right down

oh yes, get ready to be devoured little (actually big) biscuits!

white chocolate - but you know it's not really chocolate :=)

raspberries!

Lemon Soda Bread

I can't believe this recipe has been sitting in my drafts for just over a year!  I made this bread for Cookbook Club last May; and the recipe is from Anna Jones's Easy Wins.  Mm, I might have to make this one again, because it was delicious.  And it's citrus season, so lemons abound.  

I like to buy local honey, not that I use a lot, but I do want to support our local apiarists.  We have several just in our little neighbourhood!  And we often see honesty stalls when going on country drives.  We were down the coast one time, well in the hinterland really; there was a stall but I didn't have enough 'real money' on me, so sadly I had to leave that jar there.  Now I make sure there is enough coinage sitting in the car for such harrowing emergencies :=)

looking good and crunchy

Makes one beautiful round:

ingredients:

400 mL/13.5 oz milk, or oat milk

3 lemons, unwaxed if possible, otherwise scrub them well under warm water

350g./12.5 oz plain flour

350g./12.5 oz wholemeal flour

2 tsp bi-carb soda (baking soda)

2 tsp sea salt flakes

150g./5.3 oz butter

2 tsp honey or maple syrup

1-2 tsp of lemon juice (optional)

or try oat milk

Method:

Turn on your oven to 180C/360F to heat up

Line a baking tray with baking paper, flour (and a scattering of cornflake crumbs if so inclined)

To make the buttermilk:

Grab yourself a jug, add the milk, and then stir in the juice and zest of 2 of the lemons - give it a really good stir

Set aside for 10-15 minutes to allow it to thicken up (the oat milk won't thicken tho', so don't worry if you're using that, it's fine)

To make the dough:

Haul out a large mixing bowl, place both flours, the bi-carb soda and one teaspoon of the sea salt into it, and give it a good whisk

Now make a well/divot in the middle of the flour mixture, and pour in the buttermilk mixture 

Stir until there are no floury patches (but not too violently), then go in with your hands and form into a shaggy dough - be gentle!

And tip it out onto a well-floured surface, shape into a rough but relaxed round, and then place on your lined tray

Make a large cross with a knife on top of the dough, and brush with some extra milk

Then bake for about 40 minutes till nicely golden-brown all over

While it's baking, make the lemon-honey butter:

Get yourself a small bowl, and mash up the butter with the zest of the other lemon, and the honey or maple syrup

Add the other teaspoon of sea salt (or part of it) to the mix, and beat that in too  (add the lemon juice here, if  using)

Now check your bread, give it a tap on its bottom (it should sound hollow when done), and leave it to cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes or so

Slice and serve lavishly spread with the butter

(Will keep for a couple of days, wrapped and in an airtight container, or sliced and in the freezer for a few weeks or so)

Ye olde Bi-carb soda

Notes:

I got 150 mL/5 oz of lemon juice from 2 lemons; you can just squeeze and drink down the juice of the other lemon!

zest those lemons

Dino overseeing the zest-fest

making the buttermilk

mixing up the dough

shaping it onto your lined tray

you can add the extra lemon juice here, if you like it tangy!

golden and crunchy

Dino says: "it's time to eat"

just a wee smidge of butter :=)

honey

Mushroom Stroganoff

I love mushrooms (who knew some folk don't feel the same?), so this recipe from The Irish Countrywomen's Association Cookbook was calling my name.  I used to make a similar dish which is a mushroom and paprika soup, also an Irish recipe.  Maybe there's foraging to be done in those Irish landscapes :=) - but grab yourself a mycology handbook first!

Well, now you know I'm going to have to mention The Mushroom Killer!  There is a murder trial going on at present, where a Victorian woman has been charged with poisoning four relatives (three died) with a Beef Wellington dish (recipe from Nagi/Recipe Tin Eats can you believe?).  There's so much circumstantial evidence pointing to her guilt, but we will have to wait to see what the jury thinks.   

But you definitely won't get ill when you eat this delicious 'shroomy dish, my friends.  It's vegetarian, of course, but I added some chicken to pump up the protein factor.  Maybe add some marinated tofu steaks instead ...

butter makes everything better :=)

Serves 4:

ingredients:

450g.-500g./16-18 oz mushrooms, chopped into quarters  see Notes

2-3 Tbs olive oil

50g./1.8 oz butter (more or less, as you see fit)

2-3 Tbs brandy, sherry, vodka (optional) - a splash of water if needed

1 large red or brown onion, finely chopped

1 Tbs sweet paprika

1-2 tsp dried garlic granules  (optional)

250 mL/8.5 oz stock  (chicken/veg./whatever)

150-200 mL (5-7 oz) crème fraîche or double cream

sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

a handful of parsley (or chives, or dried oregano), chopped

To serve:

Brown rice   (I get Mr P. to cook up the rice, as he has the knack)

mushies

red onions

Method:

Once you've chopped the mushrooms, add half the olive oil and butter to a large frying pan

Tip the mushies into the heated oil/butter mixture, and cook over a high heat for a good 5 minutes or more till tender (stirring frequently)

Add the brandy, etc (or water), and stir in well for a minute or two

Then spoon them into a dish, and put aside while you make the sauce

Turn down the heat to medium, and add the rest of the olive oil and butter to the same frying pan

Now fry up your chopped onion till nicely golden and smelling oh-so-good (I'll have to air the house out again)

Stir in the paprika and garlic granules for 30 seconds, and add the stock

Let it come to a boil, and reduce it by a third

Stir in the crème fraîche, and simmer for a couple of minutes

Spoon the mushrooms back into the creamy sauce 

Season with salt and pepper

Serve up on brown rice, and strew chopped parsley over the top

Add some marinated chicken or tofu to the plate, if you are inclined

parsley

Notes:

Use whichever mushrooms you fancy, or a mix, and chop into quarters or whatever size you like (depends on the size of your mushroom too)

Can be served with chicken tenderloins or breast fillets, marinated in olive oil, herbs and seasoning for about 20 minutes, then baked or grilled till cooked thru

(Thanks to Norah McDermott of Kildare, who supplied this recipe to the ICA)

smiley mushies

gather your ingredients  (darn, I bought the wrong parsley!)

marinate your chicken or tofu

yep, delicious butter about to sizzle

put aside while you make the sauce

smelling delicious!

about to stir it all together

throw on your herbs!

I'm ready to eat!

(Joining in with Jo from BKD Cookbook Club; this month's theme is Comfort.)

cheeky little 'shroom

In My Kitchen - June 2025

Yay - my birthday month!  Again??  But aren't I still 25?  Nope, that ship sailed aeons ago, even though it feels like a flash in time.  Mr P. and I are heading off to the Granite Belt area for my birthday late June.  I always bring home a swag of local goodies, so expect to see some of 'em in my July IMK post.

May was a quieter month for us, and Autumn is very slowly turning into Winter.  I had to haul out another blanket and a throw rug from our voluminous blanket box, as the weather is slightly cooler these days.  I even made a pot of chicken soup the other day.  I came upon a chicken corpse in the freezer, so soup it was!

there was cake in the kitchen - of course:)

In My Kitchen:

I bought these in a small general store in Clunes, NSW

Clunes is one of my fave tiny country towns.  It has one thriving general store cum liquor store cum café cum weekly marketplace cum ... well, everything!  

I got these online from my fave Sydney store selling Japanese goodies

gorgeous ceramics from our potter friend at Red Door Studio

I made chocolate muffins for Bookclub

colourful mugs and plates from Donna Sharam Gallery

We bought these from Donna when we stayed at her BnB for Mr P.'s birthday.  Such a gorgeous place, and she and her hubby and Ollie the dog are wonderful!

local goodies from the Clunes store

Mt. Warning aka Wollumbin is in the Byron Bay hinterland.  The indigenous peoples of the area have asked people to stop climbing it these days (you can be fined), but years ago, Mr P., myself and a friend climbed up it.  I got to the very top on my lonesome, which meant hauling yourself up the last bit via a fixed-line chain, hand over hand.  When I got to the top, it was incredibly foggy and creepy, so I skedaddled back down rapidly :=)

delicious hazelnut items from Tasmania

gorgeous cake platter made by our friend Brooke

Mr P. had this made for me a few years ago by our lovely friend Brooke the potter!  Newer readers of this blog would not have seen this in recent times, so I thought I'd share it again!  It's the Byron Bay Lighthouse, it's whales, it's the sea, and the mountains, and cake ...

I love this tumbler!  This is by another Northern Rivers potter

some more goodies from our local providore Mumbleberry

The drink is non-alcoholic (I gave up the grog a few years ago).  And those Freckle Face biscuits are so good; you know I can't resist anything bejewelled with 100s and 1000s :=)

gotta love B. Dylan!

the curveball - cute ceramic by our mate Nat (aka NatPop and Austin Flowers)

c. Sherry M.

Be a part of our friendly IMK community by adding your post here too - everybody welcome!  We'd love to have you visit.  Tell us about your kitchen (and kitchen garden) happenings over the past month.  Dishes you've cooked, preserves you've made, herbs and veg. in your garden, kitchen gadgets, and goings-on.  And one curveball is welcome - whatever you fancy; no need to be kitchen-related.  

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