Category: Super Food Ideas

September 2003 – Birthday Party, Cheesecake, Jelly Bean, Boom!

“That’s great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane”…so begins the fabulous REM song, “It’s The End of The World As We Know It”.  And for me, this year actually began with a 7.6 magnitude earthquake when we were holidaying in Darwin.  Last month we celebrated my birthday in absolute chaos (more on that later) whilst on holiday in Port Douglas. And when I say chaos, I mean a total f*cking nightmare.  So when the random number generator chose “Birthday Party, Cheesecake, Jelly Bean, Boom!  I thought it might be a good chance to reset and have a little party to make up for the day that was ruined!  The vehicle of choice for this month is Super Food Ideas, from September 2003 and I went in search of party food.  

Butterfly Cakes

But first, let’s take a little wander down the memory lane to the heady days of September 2003.  R Kelly’s Ignition (Remix) was #1.  Less said about that the better I think.  Finding Nemo was top of the box office and The Da Vinci Code was still the most popular book!  

The Menu – September 2003

Birthday Party Menu

Margarita

Now, I can’t think of a much better way to kick of any birthday celebration than with a classic Margarita!  And this one was perfection!!!!!  I 

Margarita

 

The cocktail napkin you see in the above photo was one of a set of napkins I bought in Port Douglas.  They are all super cute and also an inspiration to make the rest of the cocktails featured on them! 

And as with the margarita, the first four days of our holiday were wonderful.  Port Douglas is such an amazing place.  Rainforest, reef and beach – great restaurants, perfect weather….the only downside is the crocodiles…and the murder birds!  

Margarita Recipe

Margarita recipe

Seafood Pizza

As you may have noticed, I love my seafood!  This nicely leads me to where our holiday turned paradise into a nightmare.  Day 5 of our holiday, which was my actual birthday we had planned to move from our PD central apartment to a house around 10km out of Port Douglas.  It was also the night of The Matildas v England final of the Women’s World Cup.  We had been out for a lovely dinner the night before so the plan for my birthday was to grab a seafood platter from Port Douglas when we left and then enjoy the evening in our house.  Dip in our private pool, , bit of football on the telly, champagne on ice, and our gourmet seafood platter…could life get any better?

Seafood Pizza 1

Better?  No.  What we hadn’t figured was that it was about to get a whole lot worse!  

We turned up at the house, for which we had a confirmed booking from one of the largest, if not the largest booking agencies in the world.  The Fussiest Eater sends a text to the owner asking for the keypad number as the gate is locked. We are there for about 5 minutes when a woman comes out of the house.  “Can I help you?” she asks.  “Oh, yes, you probably just got our text.  We’re here for our holiday”  

Apparently we weren’t. 

In the time that we had made our booking and our actual holiday, the house had been sold.  It was no longer holiday accommodation.  

It was now 3:00pm on a Saturday, we had no place to stay for the next four nights and we had a rapidly warming seafood platter on the back seat of the hire car. 

Seafood Pizza Recipe

Seafood Pizza

Party Pies

Party Pie1

You know this is an Aussie Meat Pie because the secret ingredient is a spoonful of Vegemite!  I made mini versions of this pie – in Australian we call these Party Pies so they were perfect for my Birthday Party Menu!

Now back to Port Douglas.  The Fussiest Eater began calling the owner of the house. He confirmed that he had sold the house and had told the booking agency to cancel all future bookings.  I started trying to find us accommodation.  The first place I found wanted $15,000 for the four nights.  The second $6000.  Finally, we were able to find a studio room back in Port Douglas for the four nights for a price that we could actually afford.  And that had a fridge in which we could put the seafood platter!  From there we called the booking agency who offered to not only refund the cost of the house but also to pay for the emergency accommodation.  

The following day we were also able to move into a one-bedroom apartment in the same complex which was a lot better than the studio but still how we had wanted to spend the last few days of our holiday. 

As of today though, the booking company have yet to refund us the money for the second Port Douglas Apartment.  We are idiots who did not get their OG offer in writing and they are now saying that as the second apartment was cheaper than the house technically we are not out of pocket.

Technically they ruined my birthday and did not deliver on the holiday we paid for and expected. 

Technically I could have chosen the house that cost $15000 instead of that studio apartment as our alternative accommodation and technically they would have had to refund us the difference. 

I didn’t want to be an arsehole. 

I’ll leave that up to them.  

Meat Pie Recipe

Aussie Meat Pie

 

Chewy Almond Crescents

We now turn to the sweet part of our birthday party menu.  These were great!  Really tasty and not overly sweet.  You couldn’t really taste the apricot jam which was a shame.  When I make these again, I will maybe add some chopped-up dried apricots into the mix.  Or maybe add a glaze with the jam.  They were delicious regardless.  These would be great with a cup of tea or coffee or equally with a little glass of Baileys! This was probably my favourite thing on the menu.  I also loved the butterfly cakes but they were similar to cakes I had made before.  These were all new and I was so happy to discover them!

Chewy Almond Crescents

Accomodation saga continued….As of today though, the booking company have yet to refund us the money for the second Port Douglas Apartment.  We are idiots who did not get their OG offer in writing and they are now saying that as the second apartment was cheaper than the house technically we are not out of pocket.

Technically they ruined my birthday and did not deliver on the holiday we paid for and expected. 

Technically I could have chosen the house that cost $15000 instead of that studio apartment as our alternative accommodation and technically they would have had to refund us the difference. 

I didn’t want to be an arsehole. 

I’ll leave that up to them.  

Chewy Almond Crescents Recipe

Chewy Almond Crescents2

Lemon Curd Butterfly Cakes

These were so pretty and also delish.  I loved the tanginess of the lemon curd with the sweetness of the cupcake!

Lemon Curd Butterfly Cakes

The one-bedroom apartment was great.  However, on the first night, I was woken at around 2 a.m. by the sound of what sounded like a woman screaming. Channelling my inner Nancy Drew,  I got out of bed and looked out the window but the side street the room looked out on was deserted.  I was just getting back into bed when I heard it again.  This time I went to the main room to look out of the front windows but the main street which we overlooked was also quiet.  I went back to bed.  I heard the same noise once again at around 5 a.m. This time I wondered if maybe someone in the neighbouring rooms was having an argument as again there was no movement on either street.  

There was no mention of any attack on the news the following day so I went about my business.  As we were walking back to the apartment from dinner I heard the same noise.  This time though I was able to see that it was coming from a bird that we had just walked past.  A quick Google Search identified these murder birds as Bush Stone Curlews.  Thankfully no Nancy Drewing needed for me on the second night.  Or thereafter.  

Lemon Curd Butterfly Cakes Recipe

Lemon Curd Butterfly Cakes

 

My Nigella Moment  – Passionfruit Glazed Shortbread

For first-time readers, this refers to the moment at the end of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows when she sneaks back to the fridge to have another bite of something delicious.  In the context of these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that does not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in either because I made it and it was really good, or I just didn’t have time to make it but it was one of the most appetising things in the mag!

I love shortbread and passionfruit so these were high on my list of things to make.  They would have also fit in nicely with my birthday party theme but I ran out of time and had to choose between the Almond Crescents and these.  In the end, I have eaten Passionfruit Shortbreads before whilst the Almond Crescents were something new to me so I chose them.  These though?  High on my list of things to make!  And believe me, when I do…I will definitely be popping back to the biscuit tin, Nigella Style, for just one more!

Passionfruit Glazed Shortbread Recipe 4 (1)

 

Super Food Ideas really came through for my birthday-themed menu!  As did Port Douglas for my birthday holiday.  Despite the…ahem…hiccup with the accomodation, PD remains one of my favourite holiday destinations!!!! 

 

 

May 2003 – The Letter P

Welcome friends to Twenty Years Ago today, where we find out what the good people of 2003 were eating via a magazine of the time and a self-imposed challenge by which to deliver a menu. Today’s magazine was Super Food Ideas from May 2003 and the challenge was to build a menu that featured the letter P.

But first, let’s set the scene by having a quick peek at what was hot in May 2003. The Matrix Reloaded was number one at the office followed by X2: X Men United and Bruce Almighty. Topping the Australian music charts through that same month were “In Da Club” by 50 Cent, “Rock Your Body” by Justin Timberlake and “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence. Also, sneaking up on those charts was another favourite of mine, “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes so for my mind, May 2003 had some pretty good music and some fairy average films. In book sales for the month, The Da Vinci Code was #2 and The Devil Wears Prada was #8.

So, pop some JT on your speakers and open that bottle full of bub, because we are going to party like it’s your birthday with a menu featuring the letter P.

The Menu – May 2003

May Menu

Chicken Liver Paté – To Wake You Up Inside

There were actually a few options for the starter – the paté which I chose, a prawn cocktail and some mini potato cakes with smoked salmon and creme fraiche.  I literally eeny meeny miny mo’ed these three recipes to choose one.  The pate was easy to make and was quite delicious.  It was a little grainier than bought patés but that probably says more about my food processor than any real flaw in the recipe.  

Chicken Liver Pate1

Chicken Liver Pate Recipé:

Chicken Liver Pate

 

Pepper Steak – To Rock Your Body

The pepper steak main was delicious!  And another classic to go with the very traditional starter!  And although I am trying to limit my consumption of red meat, this is likely to go on high rotation!  

Pepper Steak

Pepper Steak Recipe:

Pepper Steak

 

Pecan and Date Syrup Pudding

I was soooo disappointed that I didn’t have time to make this.  I even bought all the ingredients but, the weekend I had planned to make it, I also realised we had most of a bag of apples that were getting a bit old…so apple pie it was.  However, as I said I have all the ingredients so this pudding may make an appearance in the coming weeks.

Pecan and Date Syrup Pudding Recipe:

 

Pecan and Date Syrup Puddings

 

 

My Nigella Moment  – Chilli Crab

For first-time readers, this refers to the moment at the end of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows when she sneaks back to the fridge to have another bite of something delicious.  In the context of these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that does not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in either because I made it and it was really good, or I just didn’t have time to make it but it was the most appetising thing in the mag!

I mean…who does not love a Chilli Crab.  I mean…who does not love Chilli Crab.  We had the most memorable chilli crab in Malaysia.  We went on a tour to see the fireflies where part of the tour was dinner.  The restaurant looked pretty basic – plastic plates and cups, definitely catering to the tourists going to see the fireflies so we were not expecting much.  Then they brought out the chilli crab!!!  It was amazing.  So fresh and tasty.  It was divine.  So expectations were high on this one.  Could I do our memories of chilli crab justice?  

Chilli Crab

I am not going to blow my own trumpet to say this was as good as our Malaysian meal.  For a start, it was not followed by cruising down the river watching fireflies, it was followed by a night on the couch watching Forgetting Sarah Marshall which was this week’s film club choice!  BUT…this was AMAZING!!!!  A seven-nation army couldn’t hold me back from this one!  

Chilli Crab Recipe:

Chilli Crab

Oh my gosh, Super Food Ideas delivered on the P recipes!  This was a great month of eating for me culminating in that chilli crab…possibly the best month yet!  And the pudding still to come!

So tell me, if you were making a menu featuring the letter P, what would you make?

And have a great week!

 

 

 

 

Spicy Mac And Cheese Bites

How many of you have ever had a horror day on the cooking front?  The day when nothing went right?  So It was with me when I went to make the “Baked Curly Shells and Proscuitto Cake” recipe from the November 2002 editiion of Super Food Ideas mag.  For various reasons, about to be elaborated upon, these morphed into these spicy mac and cheese bites!

Spicy Mac And Cheese Bites

Spicy Mac and Cheese Bites – The First Error

The base of the OG recipe was ricotta cheese.  I went to the deli section of my local supermarket.  “Can I have 250 grams of ricotta cheese please?”

The little gobshite behind the counter (believe me, the truth of this statement will bear out) said.  “We don’t have any”.

“Ermmm…..could you check out the back please?

He went out the back but he returned far to quickly to have checked for anything.

“We don’t have any””

Ok.  So I was shopping at around 7pm so the proper, non-supermarket, deli was closed.  The tubs of ricotta in the dairy aisle  were all the size of small swimming pools.  I didn’t want to be spending the rest of the week finding recipes to use that much left over riicotta.    So I decided to use bechamel, for which I had all the ingredients for at home.

“‘Ok, no worries, can I have 12 slices of proscuitto please?

“‘Of what?”‘

“PROSCUITTO”

Let me be clear, we’re still not at the point where he became a gobshite.

Spicy Mac And Cheese Bites2

 

Spicy Mac and Cheese Bites – The Second Error

So I got my proscuitto.  Sorry, PROSCUITTO.  And headed home.  Boiled up my macaroni.  Made my bechamel.  Mixed my macaroni and bechamel together.  It was a little bland.  I added some chilli flakes.  It’s the Sri Lankan in me.  I like things a little spicy.  I then went to line my muffin tins with proscuitto.  (Just like last weeks cupcakes, I was making smaller versions of these “cakes” to work with my picnic theme.

I opened my pack from the deli and was faced not with proscuitto but with Sopressa!  Which is an incredibly spicy salami.

Now my first ever job was in the supermarket deli.  Never ever would I have mixed up proscuitto and sopressa!!!!  And this my friends, is what made him a gobshite!

But by now it was close to 9pm.  I  did have the energy to get back in the car, drive back to Woolworths, explain what had happened, swap out the sopressa for proscuitto, drive home…

So I remembered that old Italian adage.  “When life gives you sopressa, make….mac and cheese bites anyway”‘.

These little mac and cheese bites were so good!  I would probably drop the chilli from the pasta mix when making again though as, with the sopressa they were really quite fiery! They were also good reheated and cold / ambient temperature!  So would be great picnic food.

The OG Recipe

Baked curly shells

My Spicy Mac and Cheese Bites

Print

Spicy Mac And Cheese Bites

Spicy mac and cheese!  Perfect for picnics, lunch or anytime!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 250g curly shells or other macaroni
  • 12 slices or proscuitto or 24 slices of sopressa
  • Chilli flakes (optional)
  • 2 tbsp bread crumbs
  • Butter

Cheese Sauce

  • 500ml milk
  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • 50g butter
  • 100g grated vintage cheddar cheese
  • Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
  • salt and pepper

Olive oil spray  / butter for the mufffin tin

Instructions

Cheese Sauce

  • Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
  • Add the flour to the butter and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.
  • Gradually add the milk, whisking all the while to remove any lumps.
  • Cook, stirring all the time, until the mixture boils and thickens.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until the sauce is the consistency of custard.
  • Remove the sauce from the heat, add stir through the cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add a pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg and some chilli flakes if desired.

Macaroni

  • Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the packet. You can reduce the cooking time a bit as the macaroni will be baked later.
  • Heat your oven to 180C.
  • Mix the cheese sauce into the macaroni.
  • Grease your muffin tin.  I prefer to use a spray for this but you can use butter or olive oil if you prefer.
  • Line the bottom and sides of each muffin cup with sopressa or proscuitto.  Cut the proscuitto into 2 pieces.
  • Spoon the pasta mixture into the lined muffin cups.
  • Sprinkle with breadcrumbs
  • Dot with butter
  • Place into the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the tops are nicely browned.
  • Let sit for a few minutes before removing from the pan.

 

Spicy Mac And Cheese Bites3jpg

Let me know if you make either recipe!
Have a great week!

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