Peach and strawberry pie

I made an amazing white peach and strawberry pie last weekend. So amazing that my boy licked his plate.

I felt like a summer fruit pie on the first day of summer, and I had a few ripe fruits on hand. I made this pie with what I had in the pantry, fridge and fruit bowl. It's super easy and tasted wonderful.

I'm not one to measure precisely, so feel free to improvise on my recipe. It would work well with nectarines or apples, or other berries.

1. Dice three white peaches (I guess you can use yellow peaches too) and hull a punnett of strawberries.
2. Place the fruit in a saucepan with a teaspoon of vanilla paste (or essence), a sprinkle of cardamom and cinnamon, the zest of half a lemon and a tablespoon of sugar. I think some grated ginger would be amazing too.
3. Cook the fruit on a low heat for around 20 minutes.
4. Place a sheet of pastry in a pie dish (you could make your own but I used puff pastry that I had in the freezer) and spoon in the fruit.
5. Leave the liquid in the saucepan and cook on high heat until it's reduced and sticky. Pour this back over the fruit you've placed in the pastry.
6. Cook on 150 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.
7. Eat and proclaim how wonderful it is. Plate licking is optional.

Farmer's market, slow cooked beef stroganoff (and leftover pie)

Last Monday - the last day of my long long weekend - I put the slowcooker on and sat and relaxed. Slowcookers are wonderful that way. They cook your food while you do something else, or nothing at all.

I've been going to my local farmer's market on a Sunday, after seeing the cows on Four Corners. I want to eat ethically and locally raised meat. From my parents' property or from the farmer's market. So while I've eaten meat out at restaurants (and spent a full week vegetarian), the only meat I've cooked has been my parents' lamb and local beef from Family Farmed Meats. I also try to buy my fruit and vegies from local grocers - so good to support them, and much tastier!

The market is lovely - in a shed at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds every Sunday from 9.00 am - 1.00 pm. It has fruit and vegies, baked goods, meat, honey and cheese.

 L'Artisan Cheese from Timboon is amazing. Seriously :)

 

 I bought the triple cream brie, the big white one. It's soft, creamy and strong. Better than any supermarket cheese!

 Michael's breaky barbie is fantastic! He has a small menu but so tasty! The hot chocolate is wonderful.

This is the best breakfast ever - poached egg with polenta, fried bread, a salad of greens, fennel and cabbage, topped with beetroot in yoghurt, celeriac and lentil purees. ♥

So, I used the meat I bought at the market, along with some vegies bought at the market and my local grocer to make the stroganoff.  Carrots, beans, mushrooms, eggplant, tomato, capsicum, sweet potato and pumpkin (kindly cut by my grocer due to my thumb). I loved the sun through the window as I took these photos.

I got by with a little help from my friends - convenience seasonings. These eliminated the chopping - my thumb was too sore. And the slowcooker seasoning pack adds lots of flavour.

 Here's the beef. So tasty, and great value.

 All in the slowcooker. This was about six servings.

Towards the end of cooking, I added sour cream and also cooked pasta bows for serving. It was so very yummy!! I had it for dinner once, and two lunches in the week.

I still had a pot of leftovers, so I reheated it on Saturday night and made it into a pie. I love this pot - so vibrant :)

 My pastry was a little broken.

 I pieced them together in the pie dish and hoped for the best.

 And the topping! Not a pretty pie, but a good use of leftovers!!

Public holiday Monday

Public holiday Monday, I love you. Especially after the frantic week last week and before the doubly frantic work week (three days) ahead.

I had a sleep in, did some washing, talked to the lovely Luscious Llama on the phone in preparation for my Sydney trip on Friday, packed some lunches...

...and generally rested. I completed two draft articles and another two are in preparation.
 
This weekend, Future Music Festival + Top Gear Live have been on in my suburb. I could hear them both - lots of doof doof and revving engines. I don't care for either but I do love living in the entertainment capital of suburbia.

I went to Fraus for brunch. And ordered the usual classic hot chocolate...

 

And I had a new crepe (well, one I haven't eaten before):

Ham, eggs, cheese and bechamel. Oh how I love eating bechamel.

Over brunch, I fielded childrens' stares with polite yet tired smiles, and browsed Yen magazine, featuring a musical favourite, Julia Stone.

I was pleased to see the gorgeous artwork of Bec Winnel in Yen. I went to school with her.

I also cooked a pie for last night's dinner, and the week ahead. It's going to be busy, I tell you!

It's an easy pie, with a chicken breast and half a pack of frozen vegies.

Aussie stirfry is pretty boring. Carrots, corn, beans, maybe squash, cauliflower and capsicum. No bean or bamboo shoots.

I chopped a leek instead of an onion, plus a fat clove of garlic.

Softened them in olive oil.

Chopped a sad looking squash from Mum's garden.

And used kitchen scissors to cut the chicken. Kitchen scissors are the best invention ever.

All of the ingredients went on the stove to cook for about 30 minutes on low heat. I seasoned them with vegeta stock powder.

Nope, didn't make my own pastry. Nor is it low fat. It's a pie of convenience.

I let the filling cool slightly before putting it on the pastry.

And brushed the top with melted butter, baked for 30 minutes.

 Delicious!

While having dinner, I flicked between the evil antics of Paul Robinson on Neighbours... (he's kind of sexy in an arrogant old man way)

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Remember the sexy/evil relationship between Paul and Izzy? Those were the days.

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And this street showdown between Susan and Izzy.

 

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...and the where are they now? special on A Country Practice on Channel 9.

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They don't make TV shows like they used to.

Have a great week!