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An Exciting Announcement

February 19, 2019 By Laura 2 Comments

Guess what?

Sadie is as excited as we are (or so she thinks!) to tell you that she is going to be a big sister in August!

We are so over the moon to share our news, especially after our miscarriage in October. We feel so lucky that it has happened for us quickly as we know this is not the case for everyone.

I put off taking a test until I was already about 6 or 7 weeks as I was so nervous about both possible outcomes. Obviously, being pregnant was what we wanted but the fear of having another miscarriage was very real, and still is. I'm still not sure that I will be able to truly relax and enjoy this pregnancy until much closer to the end.

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Easy Zucchini Fritters with Feta

February 18, 2019 By Laura 1 Comment

Make the most of a glut of zucchini in your summer garden by making easy zucchini fritters! They take 10 minutes to mix together, 10 minutes to cook and they are the perfect lunch or snack!

Plate with zucchini fritters topped with sour cream and more fritters in the background

Hands up if you planted too many zucchini plants (again) and you are drowning in marrows? (Hi, yes that would be me!)

Well guess what - would you believe me if I told you we have been keeping on top of them, purely because we have been eating zucchini fritters for lunch every second day for the last few weeks! And we are not even sick of them yet!

This is the recipe to solve the "we have nothing to eat except zucchini and someone is coming for lunch" panic. It couldn't be more simple! Pantry staples plus grated zucchini and you are on your way to a cafe style lunch in no time.

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How to freeze green beans

February 16, 2019 By Laura 4 Comments

If your beans are going crazy in the garden this year let me show you the best (and easiest) way to preserve them for use all year long - here is a quick tutorial on how to freeze beans!

Our beans have gone CRAZY this year! I grow them every year and it seems that every other year is a great year. We grow Scarlet runner beans which are actually perennials. You grow them one year, let them die back when they're done and they grow again when it's warm enough the next spring!

So this year is year 2 for our plants and they have done better than I hoped for. Considering that I also planted 16 bush beans to ensure we had a good supply of beans all winter, we have really been drowning in them! I think at last count I have frozen 3kg of beans which I am pretty excited about and the plants are still going strong!

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How to Bottle Plums (and other stone fruit)

February 12, 2019 By Laura 12 Comments

Bottling plums and stone fruit is the perfect way to preserve the summer harvest to enjoy all year round. If you are new to bottling fruit, here is an easy to follow, step by step tutorial on exactly how to do it!

Update September 2020: I now exclusively use the water bath method for canning/bottling everything as an extra layer of food safety. I will be updating instructions over the next few months to share how I do that. I have never had any problems bottling them this way but now prefer the water bath method in terms of ease and having a higher success rate with jars sealing. Laura

Sealed jars of bottled plums with bowl of plums in background

When I was a kid, bottling season was always a big deal in our house. My grandma would come and stay to help my mum bottle boxes and boxes of peaches, pears and more. On the other side of my family, my Granny also used to bottle a lot of fruit, especially plums.

Our wardrobes were always full of colourful bottles of fruit and I don't think a bought tin of peaches ever crossed the threshold to our house!

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Easy Potato Salad Recipe

February 11, 2019 By Laura 7 Comments

This classic potato salad recipe is perfect all year round. You can add any extras that you like and the homemade potato salad dressing is the best!

Overhead of bowl with potato salad, chives and tea towel in background

When I was at university and I had to take a salad to a BBQ, I would always take potato salad. I was soooo fancy back then - cook some spuds, chop them up and throw in a jar of potato salad dressing. Genius!

I'm happy to say things have changed a little bit since then. Not only are we making our own mayonnaise we are turning that into an epic homemade potato salad dressing that is being added to potatoes, bacon, peas and whatever else you like adding to your potato salad.

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How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise (in 2 minutes!)

February 7, 2019 By Laura 19 Comments

How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise in less than 2 minutes! You will never go back to buying it from the supermarket after you learn how to make it at home!

I've gotta tell you, I have NO idea why it has taken me so long to try making homemade mayonnaise! Out of all the things I make from scratch, this is probably the easiest. I mean bread, ice cream and marshmallows are a piece of cake but for some reason mayonnaise seemed kind of intimidating.

Maybe it's because so many recipes tell you to slowly stream the oil into the mixer as you are making it and there just seem to be so many things that can go wrong.

Well not anymore! Add ingredients to a tall jar. Place the immersion blender in the bottom then turn it on, and slowly bring it up through the mixture. It will turn to thick creamy mayo in less than 1 minute - it really couldn't be more simple!

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Grilled Herb Lamb Chops

January 27, 2019 By Laura Leave a Comment

Perfect for summer, these grilled garlic and herb coated lamb (or mutton) chops are fast and simple to prepare and cook!

Lamb chops covered in herb marinade in a grill pan

It's that great time of year where dinner involves a simple salad, new potatoes. maybe some corn on the cob and whatever meat you have taken out of the freezer thrown on the BBQ. I can eat like this every night in summer, especially when we are alternating between grilled zucchini and beans from the garden or freshly picked tomatoes and peppers!

This is another one of those "is it really a recipe?" recipes. It's more of a new way to cook something simple, which if you are anything like me is always welcome!

I asked on my instagram stories the other day how many of you buy your meat fresh from the supermarket. Most of you get meat from the farm which is awesome - we do too! Because of that, I'll be sharing more recipes and ideas for things like mince, sausages and chops - all the things that we end up with lots of when we get meat from the farm!

These herb coated lamb chops (feel free to use mutton if that's what you have, it's what we use!) are really just a new way to serve a pretty simple dinner.

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How to make Ice Cream Sandwiches

January 16, 2019 By Laura Leave a Comment

How to turn chewy homemade chocolate chip cookies and no-churn vanilla ice cream into the best ice cream sandwiches! A great dessert for summer, BBQ's or kids birthday parties!

Container with 3 ice cream sandwiches covered in chocolate chips and sprinkles

How good is summer?! For the last few weeks our days have looked something like this. Wake up. Have breakfast including homemade granola and yoghurt with ALL the best summer fruits and berries. Sunblock, hat and into the pool. More food. Nap time. Popsicles or homemade lemonade turned into ice-blocks. Back into the pool. Dinner and bed. Repeat for infinity please because summer is the greatest.

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No Churn Vanilla Ice-cream

January 10, 2019 By Laura 25 Comments

The easiest and most delicious homemade no churn vanilla ice-cream! You only need 3 ingredients and 10 minutes to make a batch of this - no ice-cream maker needed!

This post was originally published in March 2015 – it has been retested, rephotographed, rewritten, and republished (to make it better for you!) in January 2019.

Overhead of loaf tin with vanilla ice cream in it on a grey background with waffle cones, an ice cream scoop and a tea towel in the background with bowls

I'm a big fan of making ice-cream at home but I've never found a vanilla ice-cream that I really love. They're all custard based/use 5 egg yolks/require cooking or are just plain complicated and taste weird. I mean they're good, but they just don't have that soft, creamy consistency of the store bought ice-cream that I love so much.

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Homemade Burger Patties (Josh's secret recipe)

January 8, 2019 By Laura 50 Comments

Josh's secret recipe for the best ever homemade beef burger patties. Perfect for burger night - especially if you put them in homemade hamburger buns!

This post was originally published in April 2015 – it has been retested, rephotographed, rewritten, and republished (to make it better for you!) in January 2019.

I do most of the cooking in our house but when it comes to homemade burgers I am given my marching orders.

I've made burger patties before, and they're ok I guess, but when Josh gets in the kitchen and makes a burger, I'm telling you, it's like no other burger you will ever eat.

This is a big call, but I'm making it. Josh makes the BEST burger patties around. And I've eaten a lot of burgers.

And guess what - he let me take photos and tell you about it! Today is the best day ever.

I'd never even watched him make the patties before. And I'll admit, even as I was watching I was thinking...hmmm, that is not how I would do it. I take it back. I take it all back. If I ever have to make a burger again (and I hope Josh always makes them for me) this is exactly how I will do them. And how you should too....

Meal Planning Tips & Tricks

January 4, 2019 By Laura 4 Comments

A few handy meal planning tips, tricks and ideas to get you started on the path to being more organised and feeding your family healthy and easy meals on a budget.

Butter chicken, mince pasta, BBQ pork ribs and chicken burrito bowls with text overlay

Happy New Year!! We're all in the right mindset, making goals and ready to eat well so today I thought I would share with you a few meal planning tips and tricks to help get you off on the right foot this year.

And guess what...we are starting slow! There is no point in starting with a bang, only to fizzle out in a week or two. What I want to talk about here is how to make small, simple changes that are easy to implement and easy to maintain so that you can eat delicious home cooked meals all year long!

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Best of 2018

December 31, 2018 By Laura Leave a Comment

The 10 best recipes of 2018 - 5 reader favourites and 5 of my favourites, plus what is coming this year!

And just like that, another year is almost over! I really love getting to the end of the year and seeing what has been popular with you! This year I have put a big focus on easy family friendly meals as this is the stage in life we are at - having a toddler means that there is less time for cooking elaborate meals and to be honest, even if I had time, I'm not sure I could be bothered! And based on what has been popular this year, you guys are in the same boat which is great!

That means that in 2019 I will be bringing you more quick and easy meals and of course, new ways to replicate store bought items at home in the hopes that you will save money and maybe eat a little healthier!

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2 ingredient chocolate truffles (3 flavour ideas!)

December 23, 2018 By Laura 2 Comments

These simple 2 ingredient chocolate truffles are easy to make, super decadent and look impressive on any fruit or dessert platter! They also make a great homemade gift. Plus I've got 3 flavour ideas - dark chocolate, white chocolate & Bailey's truffles!

Plate full of dark, milk and white chocolate truffles

Click here to pin this post to your desserts recipes board on Pinterest to save it for later

Are truffles something you make a lot of? My mum has always made amazing truffles - she does a chocolate and an apricot version (I'll share those with you one day!) but today in the name of simplicity, I've got 3 amazing 2 ingredient chocolate truffle recipes for you!

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Easy Roast Veggie Salad

December 20, 2018 By Laura 6 Comments

This quick & easy roast veggie salad is perfect for lunches or as a healthy side dish for dinner. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand and don't forget the delicious honey balsamic dressing!

Roast Vegetable Salad on wooden table with serving spoon and dressing

It's been a long month of sweet things over here (but no complaints right?!) so I thought I would mix it up today with a savoury recipe that is perfect for all year round but would certainly not be out of place on the Christmas Day spread! This easy roast veggie salad is a winner and it can be served either hot or cold meaning you can make it in advance!

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3 Homemade Sugar Scrubs

December 17, 2018 By Laura 2 Comments

These 3 sugar scrubs make a wonderful homemade gift idea - and you can choose between peppermint, coffee or lavender and rosemary! They take 5 minutes to make, from ingredients you probably already have!

A few years ago I made my first ever homemade body scrub and I was converted. I'm not one for spa treatments, bath salts (we don't actually have a bath!) but a little body scrub every now and then makes me feel pretty fancy!

But of course if you know me, you'll know that if I can make it myself, there is no way I'll spend $15 on a little packet of scrub. And seriously, once you see how easy it is to make these (and using ingredients you already have at home!) you won't buy them again either!...

Brownies, Blondies & Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar {3 homemade gift ideas)

December 13, 2018 By Laura 3 Comments

The cutest homemade gift idea - how to make brownies, blondies and chocolate chip cookies in a jar to gift to the baker in your life! They are inexpensive, thoughtful and easy to make.

I was talking with some friends the other day about how crazy things get at Christmas time. There are so many things to do, so many people to see and so many presents to buy...it can get expensive!

So today I've got a fun homemade gift idea for you that is really inexpensive! I've taken 3 of my favourite recipes and put them in jars - my chewy chocolate chip cookies, fudgy brownies and raspberry and white chocolate blondies. Something for everyone! They look cute, are easy to make and more than anything else, they are a really thoughtful and fun gift!...

Gingerbread Granola

December 10, 2018 By Laura Leave a Comment

Our favourite breakfast cereal has been given a Christmas upgrade! This sweet, spicy gingerbread granola is perfect for eating all December long and also makes a great homemade gift idea!

The time has come to be in full Christmas mode. The way I see it, so much preparation goes into this one day, so I'm going to get as much mileage out of the build up as I can. And if I'm being honest, I actually think I enjoy the lead up to Christmas more than the day itself. I mean, obviously I LOVE Christmas Day, but there is something so magical and exciting about the anticipation of Christmas! Do you agree?

So in the name of being excited about December, we have pulled out the Christmas pj's, played Christmas music, put up our tree (no mean feat with a toddler in tow) and baked Christmas cookies! And of course, we can't even do something normal like eat breakfast without Christmas creeping into it - I've made my favourite granola, the Christmas edition! ...

Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing

December 6, 2018 By Laura Leave a Comment

These super spiced easy Gingerbread Cookies with royal icing are the perfect festive baking project!

You guys know that I try to keep things simple around here. We are all about no fuss, easy recipes. Well, sometimes I break my own rules. Because look how PRETTY these decorated gingerbread cookies are!!

The cookies themselves are not fussy at all. A simple gingerbread cookie recipe, with ramped up spice flavour. Because nothing is more disappointing than a gingerbread cookie recipe that tastes like a plain cookie with a bit of ginger thrown in for fun. These cookies have a whopping 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, plus cinnamon and allspice! Go big or go home I say!

Use whatever shaped cookie cutters you have. I got this set from Kmart for $6 and they are perfect! Here is another option too....

Cinnamon Roll Wreath

December 4, 2018 By Laura 5 Comments

A festive twist on a classic recipe - this cinnamon roll wreath will be the star of your holiday table! It's simple to make but looks so impressive.

Ohhhhh YES...it's DECEMBER!!! That means the ban has been lifted and I am officially allowed to embrace all things Christmas! It seems tough, no Christmas in November (I know!!) but to be fair, Josh's birthday is the 19th of December so I count myself pretty lucky that I don't have to wait until after that.

So of course, the bread baking challenge recipe for this month has a festive twist. It's almost the exact recipe I use for my cinnamon rolls but instead of individual rolls, you split the roll in half and twist it into a wreath - simple, effective and totally worthy of being the centrepiece of your Christmas morning breakfast table. ...

Parmesan Pork Chops

November 28, 2018 By Laura Leave a Comment

These parmesan pork chops are easy to prepare and make a great weeknight meal. Fried and then baked, the crispy coating is so delicious and they're ready in 30 minutes!

These parmesan pork chops are straight up, farmer friendly food. We are most certainly not in salad or healthy eating territory here. We're talking juicy pieces of meat, coated in breadcrumbs and cheese and quickly fried then finished off in the oven before being served up with a big old pile of mashed potatoes. Channeling our inner 1950s housewives and preparing the most basic of meat, potato and veg dinners for our husbands who have been hard at work all day and need something satisfying and hearty when they walk in the door.

Except that lately, Sadie has decided that bedtime must go on for about an hour and has just learnt the skill of procrastination. Milk, socks, book, mum, dad, Grumps, Sage. You name it, she wants it before bed. Meaning that if Josh isn't home yet, I'm stuck trying to chill her out so that she doesn't get too worked up and dinner is totally put on hold. ...

How to Make S'mores

November 25, 2018 By Laura Leave a Comment

How to make s'mores at home. The quintessential American campfire dessert, made for New Zealand. Plus, how to make them on a campfire, the oven or the microwave!

One of my must try food items when we were in the USA was s'mores. I'd seen pictures, heard all about them and seen recipes for s'more flavoured just about everything, so I needed to know! And what is more fun than sitting around a campfire, toasting marshmallows and then squishing them between a couple of biscuits and some melty chocolate??

So for us Kiwis down here, without the essential ingredients, I thought I would break down exactly what they are, how to make them and what to use!...

How to Make Marshmallows

November 22, 2018 By Laura 4 Comments

Easy to follow, step by step instructions to show you how to make marshmallows at home! Perfect for s'mores, hot chocolate or as a homemade gift idea.

Ok so I know it's not December yet, but am I please allowed to get excited about Christmas already??!! I'm really good at waiting until December (usually) but for some reason I decided that I needed to put Christmas music on while I was editing the photos for these amazing homemade marshmallows and there was something about the sprinkling of icing sugar on them that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and super excited about Christmas. Appropriately, it was White Christmas that was playing as I was writing this...even though we don't get white Christmases, it's been snowing this week in the South Island and has been freezing cold here too which is super weird for this time of year!

These marshmallows are part of the three part series getting you ready to make s'mores this summer - although summer is feeling like a long way away as I sit here in my slippers with the cold wind creeping under the door. ...

Homemade Graham Crackers

November 20, 2018 By Laura 9 Comments

How to make Homemade Graham Crackers - the perfect cookie for snacking, dipping or making s'mores with!

We are lucky enough to have travelled to the USA a couple of times and both times, I had a list a mile long of all the American food I wanted to try. Somewhere on that list was graham crackers. I had heard a whole lot about them, seen them in countless recipes and I needed to know what they were. Are they crackers? Are they cookies? So I tried them...and they were DELICIOUS! But the best thing about graham crackers is that they are the key ingredient in s'mores!

If you don't know what a s'more is, stay tuned - this week is all about s'mores and what you need to make them!
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6 inch Sprinkles Birthday Cake

November 16, 2018 By Laura 4 Comments

Celebrating my 30th birthday with a super fun and colourful 6 inch sprinkles vanilla birthday cake! Layers of vanilla cake full of funfetti, topped with a simple vanilla buttercream and of course - more sprinkles!

Look, I'm not really sure how this has happened, but according to my birth certificate, I'm 30!! The funny thing is, this is not what I thought 30 would feel like.

5 year old me thought 30 was old. Like, really old. 13 year old me thought 30 was probably pretty boring. 18 year old me thought 30 was a really long time away and by then I would have done all of these amazing things and then settled down and started a family. So other than the fact that 30 feels like it really crept up on me and are you sure it's not my 20th birthday??? out of all the above options, 18 year old me actually had it pretty spot on. And you know what 5 year old and 13 year old me? 30 feels pretty awesome and like I'm not even old at all!

Although I did get a new kitchen appliance (multi cooker/instant pot lovers, are you here?!) for my birthday and was happy celebrating with a few family and friends at a casual Sunday afternoon food truck dinner picnic, so maybe I am showing my age!...