HAPPY SPRING, DARLING!

Ribbon Storage

Hurray! No more tangled ribbons with this tidy storage solution: Simply thread your pretty satin spools onto a man's pants hanger! x

The Egg

First came the nook, then came the eggs! Beautiful, fresh, free-range eggs are available @ The Chook's Nook, thanks to Katherine's busy chooks!  First in, first served! x

Scarf Storage

All you need for some sweet & simple scarf storage is a coat hanger and shower curtain rings! Brilliant! x

Daffodil Day

Remember: Daffodil Day @ 30th August 2013 - Get your daffodil from The Chook's Nook. All donations go to the Cancer Society. x

Happy Mess!

Underneath all the coloured card, stamps, punches, pretty ribbons, stickies, glue stick, colouring pencils, matching markers, cutting board, cuttle bug and tea cup, there is a dining room table, and probably a sleeping kitten - what am I making? One single card! Happy Mess! x

Woodland Owl

This Woodland Owl has moved into The Chook's Nook along with some of his friends from Maclyn Crafts: handcrafted cards & fibre arts - come visit and take a new buddy home with you! x

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies - simple yet divine! x  Before you know it they will all be gone - please see the recipe below!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies (makes about 15 - 20)

1 cup chunky peanut butter (I highly recommend Pic's Original No Salt) 

1/2 cup raw sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence

2 free-range egg

2/3 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used Whittaker's 50% Cocoa Dark Block)

a pinch of salt, if you wish (not if your peanut butter happens to be salted!)

Preheat the oven to 180C.  Line an oven tray with baking paper.  Beat together peanut butter, raw sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.  Mix in rolled oats and baking soda.  Fold in chocolate pieces.  

Roll dough into balls and evenly place onto baking paper.  Flatten gently with prongs of fork.  Bake cookies for 10 mins and remove when edges begin to turn golden brown.  Cookies will continue to cook once removed from the oven.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy with a nice cool glass of milk!

Choc Chips

Dear Whittaker's, I love you to bits, if only I didn't have to smash you to make chocolate chips!  New product idea? x

Dessert Tea

Check out these guilt-free desserts. Drink up darlings! x

Lovely Limes

New Zealand Winter smells like citrus! I simply swoon over zesty limes. x

Tarte Tatin

Tarte Tatin Challenge accepted!  And that was the easiest thing.  Finding a recipe proved much tricker.  I wanted dairy free, and non puff pastry version.  It seems like most recipes just opted for the easy way out, using a sheet of ready made pastry.  So here is what I came up with.  Didn't turn out too bad either, if I may say so myself!  Will I make it again?  Probably not, as it did use a lot of fat and sugar.  Can't quite convince myself that tarte tatin is 'healthy' despite the apple. x

Tarte Tatin (Serves 4)

Dough:

1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/2 cup coconut oil

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Combine flour, salt and coconut oil, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Knead in water and cider vinegar.  Turn dough out onto a piece of baking paper, and pat into a round shape (measure against stainless steel pan for correct size).  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until ready to use.

Apples:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup raw sugar

2 large Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored & cut into 1/4s)

Preheat oven to 220C.  Put coconut oil into oven-proof pan, sprinkle sugar evenly over the top.  Arrange apples on top.  Place pan over medium-high heat and cook until oil melts, and sugar dissolves and starts to caramelize.  Continue to cook until apples soften (10-12 minutes).  Remove from heat.  

Take out chilled topping and place on top of apples.  Tuck in around apples (careful not to burn yourself!).

Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden brown, for about 20 minutes.  Take out of oven, run knife around sides of pan.  Place a plate over the top and carefully invert to release tarte from the pan.  Voilà!

Joyeux Quatorze Juillet!

Joyeux Quatorze Juillet! I feel inspired to bake something tasty to celebrate the day! But with only one dubious egg left in the house, I am somewhat limited. Tarte Tatin springs into mind, but... too lazy to peel the apples. Maybe later! x

Tag! You're it!

New in The Chook's Nook: Pretty Tags by Jo, because everything looks better with a pretty tag - a beautiful bargain @ $2 for 8 - assorted colours available! x

Sweet Vegetables

Using vegetables in baking sweet treats fascinates and intrigues me.  For the first time ever, I have successfully made a batch of carrot, cranberry and walnut muffins tonight.  While they contain plenty of white flour, oil and sugar (nevermind that I used raw), I could almost fool myself into believing that these muffins are just that little bit "healthier" than your standard cupcake.  All thanks to the addition of a humble carrot.  Maybe next time I will introduce some wholemeal goodness to the mix!

Next on the list is beetroot chocolate cake, pumpkin pie, zucchini lemon loaf, and who knows what other potential star ingredients the vegetable section of the supermarket is hiding!  But first the recipe for these yummy Carrot Craisin Walnut Muffins, which taste a bit like Christmas.

Carrot Craisin Walnut Muffins (makes 12)

1 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
2 free-range eggs
200g grated carrots (I ended up using 2-3 medium sized carrots)

Preheat the oven to 180C.  Prepare muffin tray with cupcake cases.  Sieve dry ingredients into a large bowl.  Add walnuts and craisins.  Introduce oil, beaten eggs and grated carrot into the dry mixture and fold everything together, taking care not to overmix.  If you find the dough is too dry, add some rice milk.  

Fill muffin cases evenly.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when gently pressed.  

Once muffins have cooled a little, feel free to ice them.  I used a simple mixture of lemon juice and icing sugar to drizzle over the top... mmm!

Healthy Cinnamon Scroll Anybody?

It was such a cold, grey Sunday today!  Really made me crave hot, sugary-sweet Cinnamon Scrolls, so I went on a quest to track myself a recipe down, preferably dairy-free and semi-healthy.  By the time I had found what I wanted, the sun had come out, and 1/2 the day was over, but nevermind!  I discovered a wholemeal recipe, that promised to be done in 30mins (no ridiculous dough-rising-waiting-times for me!), and even dairy free!  If you like the nuttiness of wholemeal flour, you'll probably like this.  

Here is what I found, and adapted to suit my tastes:

Wholemeal Cinnamon Scrolls (makes 9 guilt-free, snack sized scrolls) 

Dough:
1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour (surely it would work with regular flour, too?)
1 teaspoon raw sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 cup buttermilk 

(remember buttermilk substitute: 3/4 cup milk/soymilk with 1 teaspoon vingar/lemon juice)

Filling:

2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)

1/3 cup raw sugar

2 teaspoon cinnamon

handful of sultanas

Icing:

1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon soymilk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Preheat the oven to 180C.  Prepare muffin tray with cupcake cases (you'll only need about 9).  Combine all the dough ingredients in a bowl and mix until a dough forms.  Turn out onto a heavily floured surface, making sure the dough won't stick to the board.  Roll the dough out into an a rectangle about 5mm thick.  If the dough sticks add a dusting more of flour, but try and  keep the additional flour at a minimum.

Brush dough surface with melted coconut oil (you probably don't need it all).  Sprinkle with raw sugar, cinnamon and sultanas.  Carefully roll into a log and cut into 9 equal portions.  

Place the scrolls into the prepared muffin tray, squish them down a bit and brush with any left over coconut oil.  

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the scrolls spring back.  In the meantime make the icing by mixing the three ingredients together until smooth.  Allow to scrolls to cool for about 5 minutes and spoon icing over top each mini scroll.  EAT! 

Honey

A jar of honey, just a little something I picked up from the Gordonton Country Market yesterday. I was told by the stall holder that I might end up eating this creamy honey by the spoonful. He may just be right, as I absolutely LOVE honey (plus it's healthy!). My father used to keep bees, and there is something simply magical about the whole process. x

Lemsip

'Tis the season to be sick.  This little chook as been fighting germs all week.  Hence the mostly closed nook.  I must admit, I am not usually one for taking medicine really.  Natural goodies, like sage, lemon, echinacea and honey are one the top of my list when it comes to fighting a cold; and then I discovered Lemsip!  Bliss!  

Mandarins

Mmm... mandarins! Sweet, seasonal deliciousness! x

Pumpkin Galore

There sure will be a lot of Pumpkin Soup on our dinner menu this winter. These beauties are from a self-less, self-seeded pumpkin plant that made itself at home in our backyard during the warmer months! x

Update: In fact we made some pumpkin soup that very evening.  Super easy, of course, but also very satisfying with only 4 magic ingredients:

Pumpkin (steamed, then smooshed up)

Coconut Milk

Salt to taste

A pinch of Nutmeg

Now, I would really love to try my hand at pumpkin pie!

Handmade Gifts

Nothing quite like a quiet winter's evening in, curled up on the sofa, browsing the internet for crafty inspiration and creative goodness, dreaming of all the pretty possibilities... One of my resolutions this year is that I really want to give handmade gifts to loved ones for all those special occasions throughout the year.  While I would love to make as many as possible by myself, I will happily shop around in local craft markets or even buy online, as long as it supports home- and handmade!  

I wonder how many handmade gifts the Queen got for her birthday... Hope you're all relishing the long weekend! x

First Day of Winter

Today is the first day of winter.  Short days, limited sun, especially with fog lifting late and setting early again.  Plenty of cold, dark evenings, which calls for a cosy, warm atmosphere inside (my tummy!).  What better way to achieve this than by baking a batch of comforting cookies?

I was semi-desperate to have a biscuit with my cup of tea, so I looked for a quick and easy cookie recipe, found one and adapted it to my taste (see below).  If you like coconut, you will love these cookies!  They taste almost like shortbread, and leave the whole kitchen smelling like a tropical island - YUM!

Coconut Cookies (makes 18)

1 1/3 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar (i originally used 3/4 cup, but that was too sweet for my liking) 

1 egg

1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 cup coconut threads

1/2 cup rolled oats

NB: If your mixture is too dry, add a little splash of warm water, to make it into a cookie dough consistency.  Of course, if your mixture is too wet, add some more rolled oats to soak up the excess moisture.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Line a tray with baking paper.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl cream together the sugar, egg, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.  Combine with dry ingredients, stirring in coconut threats and rolled oats.

(Or, if you're too inpatient, like me, simply add all ingredients together  - dry then wet - at once in one bowl, without any drama!)

Time to get your hands dirty (wash them first though!):  Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture the palm of your hand.  Place balls evenly spaced onto prepared baking tray.  Gently flatten each ball with the prongs of a fork - this will give the cookie a nice imprint.

Bake cookies at 180 degrees for 10-15mins, or until the cookies are ready and slightly browned.  Let the cookies cool on the tray for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.  Good luck waiting for them to cool completely.  If you're like me, and you simply have to try one, go for it and enjoy with a cup of peppermint tea!

Casimiroas

Found these funny fruit in the tearoom today, with a note: "Casimiroas - (Also known as custard apples or ice cream fruit) - These are delicious. Let them go soft and slightly wrinkly, then cut open and scoop out the flesh. In good condition, the pulp will be the same texture as a soft avocado, but sweet. If you have a few raspberries, fresh or frozen, try the two together. Really tasty!" - How could I resist? Has anyone ever had these?

Update: If you ever get a chance to try casimiroas, DO!  They really are like eating custard - quite mind-boggling, but oh so delicious! x

Pink Thanks!

The temperamental autumn weather outside was perfect for baking sweet treats inside for the Pink Ribbon Morning Tea - On Sunday evening my favourite Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins were in the oven; new and improved Salted Caramel Cupcakes were next, followed by some wholesome Wholemeal Oat Rhubarb Muffins, which were actually surprisingly moist and delicious.  

The breakfast was a hit, with trusty little helpers, and lots of hungry mouths!  Thank you to all who took part in my NZBCF Pink Ribbon Breakfast at work - You are SWEET (like perfectly pink cupcakes)! x

And we raised lots of money, too!!!  Thank you to all the superstars who helped and supported my NZBCF Pink Ribbon Breakfast - Your donations were awesome! x

McDreamy

Relax - it's the weekend! x (NB: new monster in the nook - have nicknamed him McDreamy!) 

Monsters

Watch out! Monsters have moved into The Chook's Nook! No need to be scared though, these are for cuddling and hugging! Funky Originals by the very creative Michele. x

Expansion

Ssshhh, don't tell: The Chook's Nook has expanded and is slowly but surely taking over the tearoom... x

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Yesterday, at the Gordonton Country Market, I tasted one of the most delicious and taste-bud-challenging things ever: Salted Caramel Cupcakes!  I simply had to find a recipe, and here it is - modified to suit my needs/tastes, of course:

NB: The original recipe uses 1 cup plain sugar, 3/4 cup milk, no egg, margarine instead of coconut oil, plus fleur de sel instead of rock salt.  I'm sure you can use butter if you prefer, as well as "normal" milk and sugar.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes (makes 12)

1 1/2 cups plain flour (sifted)

3/4 cup raw sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup rice milk
1 egg
1/3 cup grapeseed oil

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

Icing:

1/2 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup raw sugar

1/4 cup rice milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 cups icing sugar (add 1/2 sifted cup at a time to cool caramel)

rock salt (for sprinkling on top - use mortar/pestle to make salt smaller)

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 180C.  Line muffin pan with cupcake cases.  Sift dry ingredients (plain flour, raw sugar, baking soda,  and salt) into a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together rice milk, egg, grapeseed oil, vinegar, and vanilla essence.  Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine. 

Fill the cupcake liners evenly with batter.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.  Let the cupcakes cool completely before icing.

Icing: In a medium saucepan, melt coconut oil (or margarine), whisk in raw sugar, rice milk, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, and let boil for 3-4 minutes, while still stirring.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla essence, and let cool.

Time to taste!  This caramel totally reminds me of Werther's Original bonbons.

When cooled down, mix 1/2 cup of icing sugar at a time to the caramel, until it has the right consistency.  With a flat butter knife, spread an even layer of icing on the cupcakes and sprinkle with a few pieces of rock salt.

I hope you enjoy making and eating them as much as I did! x

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope all you darling Mothers out there had a blissful day today, and got utterly spoiled by your loved ones! xoxox

FYI: Picked these perfect, pretty pompoms up @ Gordonton Country Market yesterday from Itsy Bitsy.

Bunnies & Owls

New in the Nook: Maclyn Crafts: handcrafted cards & fibre arts - these darling little owl & bunny buddies are sure to brighten anyone's day with their sweet faces and funky colours! Plus the bunnies have the cutest pompom tails!!!!! x

Love You Mum!

Buckets of Kisses

Just in time for Mother's Day - Buckets of Kisses are coming to The Chook's Nook! These were so much fun to make on a sunny Sunday morning: finding the matching ribbons, packaging, tissue paper, and put it all together.  Buckets of Kisses - Made with LOVE and plenty of smiles, so PREEETTTTTTYYY!!! x

Fair Thanks!

Thank you for all your support & donations at my Oxfam Fair Trade Coffee Break! x

Fair Trade Ingredients

Happy ingredients for a happy Oxfam Fair Trade Coffee Break: Don't forget - Tomorrow: ITS Tearoom @ 10am! x

Banana Choc Muffins

My whole house smells like chocolate... Whittaker's Fair Trade Chocolate! x

Banana Choc Muffins (makes 12)

2 cups plain flour (sifted)
4 tsp baking powder (sifted)
3/4 cup sugar
125g Whittaker's Fair Trade Milk Chocolate (chopped) + 12 pieces
2 Fair Trade bananas (mashed)
1 free range egg (lightly beaten)
50ml grapeseed oil
3/4 cup ricemilk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Sift flour and baking powder together.  Mix in sugar and chocolate.  Add the milk, mashed banana and egg to dry ingredients until combined.  Fill prepared cupcake cases.  Place a piece of Whittakers chocolate on top of each muffin before baking for 15-20 minutes.  Until golden and skewer comes out clean. 

Candy Floss Fog

Who else saw the candy floss pink fog this morning over Hamilton? Delicious! x

Pink Donuts

Found these pink donuts by the front door when I came home: a sweet treat from the happy little girl next door. So I thought I'd share at least a photo with you - 100% fat free! x

pink & fair

The Chook's Nook is hosting two happy morning teas in the month of May!

Guava

At home just in time for guava season! I could easily gobble up this sweet and tangy fruit all day, like one of the fat and happy birds that have taken up residence in the guava shrubs! x

Passionfruit

Another seasonal treat: Passionfruit.  A kind soul brought a bag of this wrinkly, sweet-centered fruit into the tearoom last Friday, and I could help hunting and gathering some for Monday Muffins.

Oyster Mushrooms

Sweetpoint Capsicum

Local produce is best!

Beautiful local produce from the Farmer's Market: fresh oyster mushrooms from Raglan, Marokopa Spring raw honey by Sweetree, sweetpoint capsicum and garlic bulb, and Volare fruit & nut sourdough. x

Feijoas Galore

Autumn is the season for Feijoas.  Feijoas are popping up everywhere at the moment!  The yield of a single tree is generous, and surplus fruit is shared with neighbours, friends and colleagues.  Often found bagged up and waiting in cardboard boxes beside the road to be scooped up, available for $2-$3 a bag, from market stalls around the region: New Zealanders simply can't get enough of this little, green gem.

New Zealand Autumn smells like Feijoas.

What to do with all this goodness?  In it's purest form, cut a fragrant fruit in half and scoop it out with a spoon for a quick and healthy snack.  Or, maybe make muffins, like I did!

Feijoa Muffins (makes 12)

2 cups plain flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (my mix: ground ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves)

1 egg

1/3 cup oil (grapeseed)

1 cup milk (ricemilk)

1 cup chopped fresh feijoas

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Topping:

while hot: Raw Sugar & Cinnamon

OR

once cool: a dusting of icing sugar

Preheat oven to 200C.  Lay-out your cupcake cases into the muffin pan.  Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, mixed spice) into a bowl.  Add walnuts (if using), egg, oil and milk.  Scoop out feijoa pulp into a generous cup.  Fold through other ingredients, and combine until mixture is moist.  Spoon into muffin pan.  Finish by placing a walnut piece on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-15mins.  The muffins are ready if bamboo skewer comes out clean.  

Mix Cinnamon and Sugar topping and sprinkle over hot muffins, or dust with icing sugar once muffins have cooled.

ENJOY! x

Balloons & French Toast

Had a wonderful weekend OooHhhing & AaaHhhing at beautiful balloons for much of it!  Early mornings, loads of layers of cosy clothes, hot chocolates, friends, walking inside a balloon, waving at balloon flying off, smiling all giddily, sweet treats, watching the nightglow in the best seats ever, spectacular fireworks... and to finish it off today, French Toast and a looonnnggg nap!  

My favourite weekend breakfast du jour: French Toast!  So simple, yet so satisfyingly tasty for a Sunday.  

French Toast

Sliced Bread (Toast is good - I had three)

Eggs (1-2 per person)

Milk (I used rice-milk)

Grapeseed oil

Mix eggs & milk in a shallow bowl (I tend to do this by feeling rather than measurement, and if you run out, it's easy enough to make some more).

Soak slice of bread in the mixture on both sides.  Fry each sides in hot pan with a bit of grapeseed oil - golden brown like a pancake.  Stack on a plate and top with below.

I ran out of Maple Syrup a while ago, but discovered an easy way to create a sweet syrup substitute:  

Sugar Syrup

Water

Raw Sugar

Vanilla Essence

All three go in a saucepan to boil and bubble away until the syrup thickens to the right consistency.  Again done by feeling - if you have too much water, you just have to let it evaporate until the syrup is to your liking.

Toppings

Banana (Sliced)

Blueberries (fozen is fine - the hot syrup will thaw them quickly)

Sugar Syrup

Any refreshing berry or fruit will suit.  Next time I'm thinking of adding slivered, toasted almonds for a bit of crunch on top, as well.  Bon App!