Brownie’s Brownies: A love gift of joy
This Christmas, in the spirit of giving, I want to bless you by sharing our recipe for Brownie’s Brownies. You’ll find it at the end of this post.
My mother’s pumpkin scones recipe
My mother’s pumpkin scones recipe is one of my son’s favourite recipes. He has been using the recipe for years and it never fails. It’s a special reminder of a much-loved grandmother who was a gifted home cook. You’ll find … Read More
Damper: Have you made this iconic Australian soda bread?
Damper is an iconic Australian soda bread made from wheat flour, water or milk, a pinch of salt and a rising agent. You may use milk powder instead of fresh milk, and add butter or oil. Using these simple ingredients, you … Read More
Betty’s Jelly Slice: Delight your guests this Christmas
This Christmas, I’m making Betty’s Jelly Slice as a special treat for my family and friends. It’s colourful (fitting for the season), melt-in-your-mouth delicious and (most importantly) super-easy to prepare. If you have been following my blog, you may remember … Read More
Love ginger? Try this old-fashioned Ginger Sponge recipe
I have fond memories of my mother’s two-layered Ginger Sponge cake. It was one of the cakes she included in her Saturday morning baking and slices of which ended up in my school lunchbox the next week. Another cake my … Read More
Italian cuisine in Australia: Spaghetti with Homemade Pesto
My first experience of “Italian” food was my mother’s spaghetti with bacon, onion, tomato and grated cheddar cheese. As a child, I thought it was really delicious, but my father was not so enthusiastic. After all, he had tasted real … Read More
Chocolate Slice: An Aussie Christmas Treat
My Christmas baking this year has included a special Aussie Christmas treat: Chocolate Slice. I made this sweet slice for two pre-Christmas functions last week and, on each occasion, it was a great hit. So much so, many people asked … Read More
Betty Anderson: 100 years of gratitude and loving service
This story is a tribute to the late Elizabeth Annie (“Betty”) Anderson, of Rockhampton. Betty died on 25 February 2020, aged 100 years 6 months. I met Betty when I was a child. She was a long-standing family friend. My … Read More
My mother’s 1949 spiced meatloaf: Home cooking in post-war Australia
Recently I tried my mother’s 1949 spiced meatloaf recipe. It’s a good example of home cooking of that era. I used her old mechanical meat mincer to produce the mince for the meatloaf. The mincer worked perfectly, and the meatloaf … Read More
Thelma Baker’s Honey Pie
In my recipe collection, I have an old-fashioned honey pie recipe. It’s the only recipe in my collection attributed to “Thelma Baker”. Every time I make this sweet pie, I think of her and thank God I had the pleasure … Read More
Health Slice: Classic 1980s low-fat fare
I tried Health Slice for the first time in the 1980s. I was visiting a friend at the time and she served this delicious freshly-baked moist and chewy fruit slice for morning tea. When I asked about the recipe, she … Read More
Vanillekipferl: Austrian Christmas Biscuits
Vanillekipferl, or Vanilla Crescents, are among the many traditional festive biscuits baked each year at Christmastime by home cooks in Austria, Germany and a number of other European countries. For most families in these countries, Vanillekipferl are an essential part … Read More
Crusted Savoury Beef: A pot pie
At the end of this post, you’ll find my recipe for Crusted Savoury Beef. I rediscovered the recipe for this delicious beef mince pie when I was scouring through my collection of recipe books. The recipe is not new. It … Read More
2 Easy baked puddings: Nana’s Impossible Pie and Blueberry Bread and Butter Pudding
Are you looking for simple, no-fuss, wholesome desserts that will delight your family and woo your guests? Then I suggest you try these two quick and easy baked puddings: Nana’s Impossible Pie and Blueberry Bread and Butter Pudding. You’ll find … Read More
Easter in Germany: The Easter lamb cake
The Easter lamb cake (in German “Osterlammkuchen”) is one of Germany’s enduring Easter symbols. Baking or purchasing a lamb cake and serving it on Easter Sunday is a tradition many German families have passed down from generation to generation. Up … Read More
