Couture.

I positively love Couture. I love it.

Another thing I love is Versailles. Oh, Paris!

Below are both these things.

Karl Lagerfeld.

Potato Skins with Pesto Mash

What a good idea for a starter. Potato skins are very delicious and you could make them on their own with a little sour cream (or cream cheese) and sweet chili sauce or you could make a pesto mash with the insides. Sadly I can not take any credit for the pesto mash, a friend showed me this idea she had gotten from a friend. But it is wonderful :) Here I made half with Pesto mash and half plain with cream cheese and sweet chili. It's up to you though!

You will need;

6 Medium Potatoes

2 Tablespoons of Pesto

Milk

Butter

Salt and Pepper

Cheese (for top)

Cream Cheese or Sour Cream

Sweet Chili Sauce.

First put your oven on to 250 degrees celsius. Whilst it is heating up put all the potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes, forking both sides first. Once they are partly cooked, spray oil and salt and pepper on them and put in oven until really crispy on outside and soft on inside.

Once they are ready, cut them length ways in half and scoop out the insides of the potato into a bowl. Don't scoop right to the skin, leave a thickish layer of potato in the skin. This is what makes them potato skins.

When you have all the potato scooped out, spray the skins again and put back into the oven on the same high heat and cook until they are nice and crispy.

While this is cooking, make your pesto mash. Just add a little milk (a very little) and some butter and the pesto along with some salt and pepper. Easy!

Ok now your skins are done, fill half of them with the mash and put a sprinkle of cheese on top (see below) then put back in oven to melt the cheese on top.

Whallah! These are the most delicious things ever. I am not even kidding. Especially if you put cream cheese (or sour cream) and sweet chili sauce on some of them.

Enjoy.

Sweet Corn Pancakes with Ricotta.

Oh Pancakes!

Pancakes are lovely plain, with fruit and berries, with lemon and sugar and hundreds of other fillings. But. Sweet Corn and Ricotta is a marvelous idea for a savory breakfast.

The ingredients;

1 Egg

100g plain Flour

300ml of Milk

Salt and Pepper

I/2 tin of Sweet Corn

Spring Onions (optional)

Ricotta Cheese

Butter (for frying)

First make up the pancake batter. Flour, egg on top then whisk in milk gradually. You might not want to use all the milk depending on how thick you want the pancakes to be. You chose. Once you have your consistency, add some salt and pepper and sweet corn (and spring onions if desired...it is a yummmmmmm adition).

Once you have the batter, heat your NON STICK pan until it is reaaaaaaaaal hot and put in a wee nob of butter and let the whole pan get a taste. Then pour in a ladle of the mixture making sure you get the sweet corn in this. Keep an eye on the heat, you will need to turn it down considerably soon. Your pancake should be ready to turn when you see the sides sticking up and the middle looks to be bubbling slightly.

Keep making them till batter runs out. This made 3 large pancakes when I made it the other day.

Get your ricotta out and once pancake is on a plate, put a dollop of it on top.

These are just too yummy.

I hope you think so too.

I wan't a maxi dress. now.

I just want a maxi dress. One that is not too long. But one that covers my ankles. Here are some ideas of what I would like it to look like. Well perhaps not, but I like these all the same.

Oooo Lala.

I am not opposed to tribal prints. However I can not find one as acceptable as above.

I really REALLY love this one (above)

Lime and Chili Couscous with Grilled Sweet Potato.

Mmmmmmm. Couscous.

Couscous is only good if you flavor it well. So don't be scared to pack it full of different flavors.

This couscous I made was Lime and Chili , with grilled sweet potato on the top. YUM.

You will need;

1 Medium to large Sweet Potato

1 Small red onion

1 Cup of Couscous

5 Tablespoons of olive oil

6 Tablespoons of lime juice

1 Teaspoon of lime zest (if you have fresh limes)

1 Teaspoon of chili (flakes or fresh)

1 Teaspoon of cayenne pepper

3 Cloves of garlic

1 Teaspoon of ginger (fresh is better)

3 Tablespoons of vegetable stock

Boiling water

First, peel and cut the Sweet Potato into discs (or however you want) and partly boil them. Once partly boiled you can then throw them in your George Foreman for about 15 mins.

In a pan, place oil, diced onions, garlic, ginger, chili and cayenne pepper and fry until onions are soft. Once it is at that stage put in the lemon juice and vegetable stock and let simmer for a few mins. After a few minutes, put in the couscous and stir through the mixture. Immediately pour in the boiling water just to cover the couscous and no more. Take straight off heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes you can take a fork and fluff it up, it should be perfect.

All you need to do after that is add the sweet potato and salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe makes enough for 2 servings.

Basil Pesto.

Pesto is also one of the most delicious of things. I can't take any credit what-so-ever for this recipe however.

This recipe comes from Jonsi and Alex's Cookbook (a link to their page can be found on the side bar). It is well worth a look, there are many wonderful recipes in there.

For this basil pesto you will need;

1 cup of Basil Leaves

4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 clove of Garlic

1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

1/2 cup of pine nuts

All you need to do is throw it all into a blender together until blended into a paste. It's simple and wonderfully tasty. On this occasion I had it with Gnocchi but it works with pasta, in salads, wraps, sandwiches...anything really. When I have it with pasta type dished I like to put a little cream cheese with it. It a nice little extra.

Dreaming of Winter.

Oh winter. Oh winter.

aldo shoes.

these are from Topshops fall collection.

I particularly love these shoes and leg warmers.

pictures from Nylon.

Hummus.

Hummus should be a staple to everyones diet. I love it. I seriously could eat it for breakfast lunch and tea.

This Hummus I made was Jalapeno Hummus. But you can make it with almost any kind of flavouring. I will give you some ideas below.

For the basic Hummus base you will need;

1 tin of chick peas

2 tablespoons of olive oil

5 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of Tahini

2 good sized cloves of garlic

a few shakes of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tin of water

Plus you can add whatever flavouring you chose. Today, Jalapenos. I added about 10 of them but depending how hot you want it you can add or take away.

Ok, first I would drain the chickpeas and put into a blender.

Add on top the garlic, oil, lemon juice, tahini, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper.

BEOFRE you add the water, blend all these ingredients together. THEN slowly add water until you get a smooth but thick consistency. You may not need all the water.

The worst thing would be if the hummus was too runny!

Thats pretty much it. Enjoy with some toasted Pita or Rivita or Carrot Sticks :)

Some other ideas for flavouring could be;

Caramalized red onion (on low heat fry finely chopped red onion in oil and balsamic vinegar for about 30 mins)

Lemon and Coriander (just add a little more lemon some lemon zest and dried or fresh corriander)

Sundried Tomato (just chuck them into the blender with the mixture)

Lime and Chili (use lime juice and zest instead of lemon, and add fresh chili or chili flakes)

Be creative :)

Spicy Potato and Leek Soup

For todays lunch I made Spicy Potato and Leek soup. It has been one of those things I have been making for years and years.

I like to add chilli to it as I think it complements the other flavors. But I know chilli is not everyone's cup of tea so leave it out if you like.

You will need;

2 medium sized leeks

4 medium sized potatoes (use good quality ones or they just end up breaking)

5 cloves of garlic grated

4 tablespoons of vegetable stock

a few shakes of paprika

chilli flakes to taste

Olive oil

Cut up the leeks and garlic and fry in the olive oil. Whilst that is frying cut up your potatoes into cubes and then fry them along with the leeks and garlic.

I would then put the paprika and chilli flakes in.

After these have cooked a little pour boiling water into the medium sized pot pretty much up to the top.

Then add the vegetable stock. I usually end up putting a little more in then 4 tablespoons as I like it very flavorsome.

Leave to boil for about 20 mins or until potatoes are soft.

That is pretty much it. Its so easy to make and tastes so good. Yuuuummm.

Also, these are my favorite patent leather shoes from New Look and Necklace from a little boutique in Sydney.

This is what I am wearing to play my gig tonight.

I'm a Humphrey, so syrup is a food group.

My look will be inspired by Taylor Momsen today.

I love her look at the best of times and today my eyes will be especially dark and my stripes intense.

I would also like a maxi dress very much. Although, most of the time I am too short for them.

Mushroom and Lentil Curry.

Today I made a mushroom and lentil curry. and boy was it yummy! I generally make things up as I go so I have decided to write them all down from now on for anyone who would like to try them.

Mushroom and Lentil Curry.

1 good sized onion

A punnett of mushrooms

1 1/2 cups red lentils

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon cummin

1 teaspoon ground corriander

3 cloves of garlic

Fresh ginger (same amount as garlic)

Chilli to taste

A few shakes of cayenne pepper

4 table spoons of tomato paste

A can of chopped tomatoes

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon vegetable stock

Salt and pepper to taste

This is probably about 3 servings worth.

Fry chopped onion with mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and other spices in the olive oil until partially cooked.

Add lentils, then tomato paste and chopped tomatoes with the vegetable stock and a little water.

Let this all cook together on a low heat for approx. 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Stir occasionally and you may need to add more water as the lentils start cooking.

If you like things a little less flavorsome try just half a teaspoon of the spices and a little less garlic and ginger. but the quantities I have here I would say would make a medium curry. But my idea of a medium curry still burns my mouth a fair amount.

Enjoy.