Perfect soft boiled eggs

What is the secret to a perfect soft boiled egg? I find that most recipes are a bit out of date now that we mostly use extra large eggs to eat rather than the old standard of large.

I get the eggs out of the fridge for a few minutes and then bring the water to a gentle simmer (low boil), add the extra large eggs using a large spoon to gently drop the to the bottom of the saucepan and cook for just 5 minutes. Then remove drain away the hot water and run under cold water for a minute to stop the cooking.

Of course everything always tastes better when it's served on something pretty and at the moment we are using Greengate stoneware range for breakfast with glasses from Daiso the discount store.

We love to mix and match the egg cups, I find the Greengate range seems to work well and I can use my older Lulu Mint egg cups with the Summer White plates. My new favourite Simone White latte cup looks perfect in the mix.

If you have a better way to cook eggs be sure to let me know.

Stockists
Plates and Egg Cups - Greengate from Simply Sweet Home
Glass - Only $2.80 each from Daiso discount stores

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affililate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

The owner of Simply Sweet Home is my SIL.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission.

Perfect Lunch Box Apple Muffins

I'm always looking for easy to make kinda healthy food for the kids lunches.

Maybe like me, you are not completely organised but have good intentions.

I am not that mum that has the freezer filled with super healthy organic treats ready to pack and go it a pinch.

Sometimes if we are being fancy I top them with 

Cream Cheese frosting and raspberries

But I do have a few recipes up my sleeve that I can mix up and make in under 10 minutes, bake while I'm in the shower and have ready for the school lunches that day. They might not get endorsed by any fancy celebrity diet chefs but they are fast, I have the stuff in my pantry and I figure it's way ahead of a packet of processed stuff any day.

Plus they make 12 so I use them for afternoon tea and school lunch the next day with the few left overs for me :)

cupcake cases Greengate 

Quick Mix Apple Cinnamon Muffin makes 12 regular sized muffins
Note if you are out of buttermilk substitute milk mixed with a little vinegar, that's what I did with the ones in the picture.

3 small apples or 2 medium - grate approx half and cut the remainder in small pieces
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup buttermilk (#see note above if you are out)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use light olive oil)
1 egg
1 Tbsp butter melted (optional)
1 Tbsp cinnamon sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F).

Line a regular 12 hole muffin tin with baking cases.

Place flour, sugar, cinnamon, buttermilk, oil, egg and apple into a large bowl and mix until just combined.

Spoon evenly into the prepared muffin tin.

Place the muffin tin into preheated oven and bake for 22-24 mins or until golden on top, if you insert a skewer no mixture should stick to the skewer.

(Optional)One muffin at a time brush the top of each muffin with a little melted butter and then sprinkle cinnamon sugar onto the top.

*Sometimes if we are being fancy I top the muffins with a little swirl of cream cheese frosting and a raspberry but it squishes too much for lunchbox treats so it's just an at home thing.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

One bowl easy mix Raspberry Cinnmon Banana muffins

I do a lot of baking for the kids school treats. No big reveal there I guess. It's generally healthier, I know what it contains and our school is a nut free zone so I am always sure that those muffins or cookies I make myself are ok.

These muffins are one bowl easy mix which I love 'cause less washing and cleaning is always a big tick for me. Plus I know the kids will eat them and the won't come home crushed and all smushed which is an extra big tick in my books.

I can whip up these muffins in a few minutes pop them in the oven and have them ready for a school snack, after school treat or ready to go picnic pack in no time.

Which is pretty much what we did with this batch in the photo's. A tray of muffins, a bottle of pink lemonade a throw and some cushions and we had a picture perfect picnic in under 30 minutes including baking time at our local park.

Quilt and cushions all Greengate purchased at Mollegaarden

This muffin recipe is based on the Bitty Banana Cakes on page 60 of Sweets on a Stick.

Raspberry Cinnamon Banana Muffins makes 12 regular muffins
Replace the raspberries with blueberries or chocolate chips for a delicious variation.

3 very ripe bananas
1 egg
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
1 cup raspberry (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 160C (325F) and line a 12 hole muffin tin with baking papers.

In a large bowl mash the bananas well.

Add all remaining ingredients except the raspberries and mix until just combined.

Gently fold in the raspberries and spoon mixture evenly between the 12 paper cases.

Bake until the top is golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean (around 20 minutes).

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Cheesy Bacon Baked Egg recipe

Growing up baked eggs was one of my favorite breakfasts. It seemed so deliciously fancy so you can image my surprise when my mother showed me how to make it and I realised how very simple it is to make.

Fast forward many years and this became my signature dish for family brunch get togethers and once again this little dish tricked everyone into believing it was way complex than it really is.

It is the perfect bring along breakfast dish as you can easily prepare the cheese and bacon ahead of time, pop a carton of eggs, cream, ramkins and the prepared bacon/cheese mixture into a bag then quickly assemble and bake on site.

This dish is also fabulous to find any hotspots in your oven with the eggs clearly showing any areas that are cooking faster than the others. If this happens you may need to turn the tray around half way through cooking.

Maxwell Williams White Ramkin

I normally serve my baked eggs in plain white ramkins which hold around 150ml (4oz) approx 2/3cup like the ones pictures above.

Baked Eggs serves 4
Recipe can be halved, doubled or quadrupled. The cooking time may change depending on type of ramkin used. Ramkins should hold approx 2/3 cup.

4 eggs
8 rashers short cut bacon (or 6 regular bacon rashers)
3/4 cup grated cheese
4 teaspoons cream
olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 180C (350 F ).


Spray a light coat of olive oil into 4 ramkins.

Chop the bacon into 1cm (1/3") squares. If using regular bacon make sure you remove the skin.

Combine shopped bacon with grated cheese in a large bowl and mix together.

Divide bacon cheese mixture evenly between the 4 ramkins.  Make a little well in the center for the egg yolk to sit in.

Break an egg into each ramkin and then drizzle 1 tsp of cream around the edge of yolk, repeating for each ramkin.

Place on a baking tray and place in oven between 15 - 25 (approx) minutes depending on how you like your eggs done. You will be able to see the egg whites and yolks change colour and become more opaque as they cook.

Remove from oven and serve. The ramkins will be very hot. If serving to children I recommend that you scoop the baked egg out of the ramkin and pop onto a plate prior to serving.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Yogurt Push Pops - and now for something healthy for the kids

 OK - I'm gonna go right out and say it. Push Pops are gimicky.

Yup that's me here calling the kettle black.

I've been playing around with the push pops for a little while now and what I can tell you is that kids like them. Sometimes they don't quite have the fine motor skills to stop pushing in time, but boy oh boy do they like them.

So I'm all for letting that little fact work for me and I've been making up these yogurt, fruit and muesli push pops for the kids to have for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

and there's no guilt, cause it's healthy, fun and these little plastic babies while not great for the environment are washable and reusable.......and dishwasher safe as well.

Now I know your thinking, but can't you just scoop some yogurt into a bowl, and it's true I could, but around here we have a bit of a struggle every school morning to get breakfast eaten. If I say there is yogurt they want cereal, if I offer cereal they want pancakes (which is strictly a weekend thing here)......constant struggle.

Some days when I know that I will be focusing on other stuff this is a perfect breakfast as the kids think they are getting a treat and I can prepare it before hand and have it sitting in the fridge ready to go.

Pretty yellow print Greengate tea towel from - Just Plain Gorgeous Bulimba QLD Australia(07) 3399 2002

Push pops and Push pop stand from Popular Treats (Australia)

Also available here in the US

Yogurt, Seasonal Fruit and Muesli Push Pops -You can make it up any way you like but this is what I did:

Yogurt (I used The Original Greek Yogurt Co Passionfruit and Lemon Curd yogurt)
Muesli (I used cranberry toasted)
Seasonal fruit (peach, blueberries and raspberries)

Spoon in some yogurt until 1/3 way full, sprinkle in a couple tsp muesli, add some finely chopped peach.

Add more yogurt until nearly at the top of pop, sprinkle another tsp of muesli and garnish with some more fruit.

 

Cinnabon like cinnamon scrolls with coffee cream cheese frosting

Warm cinnamon scrolls with coffee cream cheese frosting - Mmmm melty deliciousness

When I traveled in the US I loved the smell coming from the Cinnabon stores baking warm delicious cinnamon scrolls and a while ago a came across a knock off version on My Tartelette. They were pretty delicious.

Then I came up with the idea to add coffee to the icing, and now they are not just delicious they are super dooper delicious.

I made these ones this morning with no special equipment in 2 hours (most of that time is resting time) and they were a perfect breakfast, just imagine them on a chilly morning with a cup of hot coffee.

Sadly my coffee machine broke a few months ago and I have yet to buy a new one so I have used instant coffee in this recipe and had to eat the scrolls on their lonesome. I am hoping my luck is about to change however, Not Quite Nigella has a competition at the moment to win a Nespresso coffee machine at her blog and I have my fingers crossed.

The recipe make 12 scrolls, in the past I have reheated the scrolls a day later in the microwave and they are still good. This recipe adapted from My Tartelette. It does use a lot of bowls so be prepared for a bit of cleaning up.

Cinnabon™  like cinnamon scrolls with coffee cream cheese frosting
as usual the recipe is suitable for Australian measurements any US conversion is in brackets

Rolls:
1 pkg active dry yeast approx 7 - 8 g (US 1/4 oz. size or 2 1/4 tsp)
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
76g   (2 5/8 oz or 1/3 c) melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs room temp
4 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

Filling:
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 TBS cinnamon
76g   (2 5/8 oz or 1/3 c) melted butter

Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting:
57 g  (2 oz 1/2 stick) butter, softened
57 g  (2 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c icing (powdered) sugar
3 tsp (1 TBS) whole milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp instant coffee


Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl, let rest for 5 mins while you sift flour and measure out other ingredients.

Mix together the yeast mixture, sugar, butter, salt &  eggs. Add flour and mix well.
Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands lightly dusted with flour.

My 5 year old daughter kneading the dough

If you have kids let them at it, my 5 year old daughter helps out with kneading all the time. I break the dough in half and we each knead for a while and then I swap the halves over so they get kneaded evenly.


Put in a bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size. It's winter here at the moment so I popped mine into the oven at the lowest setting with the door ajar.

Preheat oven to  200º C (400º F).
Once doubled in size roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface flat until it is approximately 54 cm (21 inches) long and 40 cm (16 inches)  wide. It should be about 1/2 cm (¼) inch thick.

Clockwise from top - 1. spread the softened butter all over the rolled out dough, 2. sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture and 3. the rolled up dough ready for cutting

For the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough, and then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar evenly over the surface.
Working carefully from the top (the long side ), roll the dough down to the bottom edge.

Cut the rolled dough into 4 cm (1 1/2 inch) slices and place 6 at a time, evenly spaced, in a lightly greased baking pan. Let the rolls rise again until doubled in size (about 30 min.). Bake for 10  to 12 minutes, or until golden on top.

While the rolls bake, make the frosting by mixing the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated. Dissolve the coffee into the milk and add to the cream cheese mixture with the vanilla. Mix on high speed again until the icing is smooth and fluffy.

When the rolls come out of the oven, let them cool for about 10 minutes, then coat generously with the icing.

Goldilocks porridge - vegetable porridge that's just right

Please don't stop reading my blog after you see these pictures....
 

In winter we have this Goldilocks vegetable porridge at least once a week if not more and I start those days with the satisfaction of knowing that I don't really care who eats all their vegetables at dinner that night.

I came up with this idea one day while looking at a carrot cake recipe and it's been a hit in our household ever since.

Pretty much it's porridge made on skim milk with some carrot, zucchini and blueberries added. Nearly every food group covered all in one go. I let the kids add some maple syrup and cinnamon sugar (obviously we are not adverse to a bit of sugar in this household), but I still figure it's less than they are getting in the commercial cereals.

If you have super fussy children who won't eat green vegetables peel the green skin of the zucchini before grating so they cant see the green bits and probably hold the carrot and blueberries. 

Vegetable Porridge (Serves 2 or served me, a 5 year old, 3 year old and nearly 2 year old)

2/3 cup oats (not instant)

1 1/2 cups skim milk (can use water if you have allergies)
1/2 carrot finely grated
1/2 zucchini grated
1/2 cup approx frozen or fresh blueberries

In medium saucepan stir oats, milk, carrot and zucchini over medium heat until simmering and mixture is the consistency you require, generally should be quite thick. If using frozen blueberries add and stir for a minute until thawed, remove from heat and serve. If using fresh blueberries, remove from heat, ladle into dishes and sprinkle over blueberries.

Serve with maple syrup and cinnamon sugar.

If you mix in frozen blueberries it'll look like the blue string goo from Bridgette Jones diary but it will still taste good

Blueberry Pancakes taste so good

Blueberries are out of season. I went to the supermarket and there were none to be found.

But my stomach does not know about seasonal foods, it will not listen or be diverted by rows of fresh plump and reasonably priced produce.

It wants blueberry pancakes. So thank goodness for frozen berries, which are a really good alternative to fresh when baking or cooking.


I love to cook blueberry pancakes. they are so easy and taste soooo good.

Blueberry Pancakes
makes about 10 pancakes depending on the size

Ingredients
2 cups plain (all purpose) flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
80 g (2 and 2/3 oz) butter, melted
300ml milk (1 and 1/4 US cups) milk
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen.

1 Start to heat the frying pan to a medium heat. Melt butter in a heatproof bowl in the microwave.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda (baking soda), salt and sugar into a bowl.

3. Using a whisk mix together the milk and eggs and then quickly whisk into the flour mixture. Whisk in the melted butter.

4. Gently fold in blueberries.

5. Melt a little butter in the pan and pour half a cup of batter into the pan and spread out to make a pancake. Cook until bubbles start to appear on surface and the edges start to set.

6. When ready to flip, carefully use a egg flip. Pop any blueberries that escape during the flip quickly back under the pancake before it sets.

7. Pop the finished pancakes on a plate in an oven set on low heat until the remaining batter has been used.

We serve our pancakes with maple syrup and cinnamon sugar.

If you have any little ones around, make sure to remember to cook a few mini pancakes for their special friends as well. Dolly pancakes are so delicious.


Mmmmm, blueberry pancakes they taste so good.