Lace

Pizza - Gluten Free Style

It was hard getting used to gluten free pizza - the bases are often rubbery or crumbly or just plain gross. If you go out for pizza it's the usual stress about cross contamination and they charge so much more for gluten free. So we make pizza at home and after trying a few different bases, we settled on corn tortillas and they are totally delicious :) In Australia you can find Mission corn tortillas at Coles, and Woolworths corn tortillas are gluten free.

Ingredients
6 corn tortillas
Tomato paste
Italian herbs
Salami/ham, diced
Mushrooms, sliced
Pineapple, sliced
Olives, sliced
(use your favourite toppings. Make sure meat is gluten free as processed meat does sometimes contain gluten)

Method
Line 2 pizza trays with foil.
Spread tortillas with tomato paste and sprinkle with herbs
Add toppings - I usually make 1 salami, 2 salami, mushroom and olives, and 2 salami and pineapple and 1 pineapple and mushroom

Sprinkle with cheese

Bake at 180 for 20 minutes
Enjoy!

(You'll have to imagine the finished version - I didn't take any photos as they burned a little :( Just around the edges and still totally delicious!)

Spicy Pork with Eggplant

When I lived in Japan I loved a dish called Mabo Nasu. It was made with some Chinese sauces that we can no longer have as I can't find a gluten free version, but I found a recipe on the Food Network that is kind of similar and definitely delicious. You can find the original recipe here and below is my version of it.

Ingredients

500g pork mince (I've also used turkey and it is just as good)

1 1/2 tbs soy sauce
1 eggplant, cut into 1cm cubes
1 onion, diced
1 capsicum, thinly sliced
a handful of green beans, cut in small pieces
1/4 small wombok (optional)
rice to serve
(you can pick and choose your vegetables - as always, I just use whatever I have in the fridge)

For the sauce
2tbs chili garlic sauce (I use Lee Kum Kee - it's also great for fried rice)
1/4 cup soy sauce (I usually cut this down to about 2tbs as it can be very salty otherwise)
2tbs rice vinegar (be careful with this - the Japanese version (my absolute favourite of course) has wheat in it)
1tsp basil (I use dried basil rather than fresh - it's just easier for me)

2/3 cup chicken stock

4 1/2tbs hoisin sauce (Chang's is gf)

1tsp sesame oil (I have left this out the last few times cooking this dish as I ran out and haven't bought more)

1tsp cornflour dissolved in a small amount of water

1. Place the mince in a bowl and add the 1 1/2tbs soy sauce. Mix and set aside
2. Add all of the sauce ingredients, except the cornflour, together in a bowl, mix and set aside

3. Chop vegetables. Place all except wombok in a wok/pan and cook over medium heat. I add the mince at the same time, but if you don't like doing this, cook your vegetables until the onion starts to soften, then take out. Add the mince and cook until all brown.

4. With the meat and vegetables (and the wombok) back in the wok, add the sauce. Stir to mix well. When it is simmering, add the cornflour dissolved in water. Stir until sauce begins to thicken.

5. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then serve over rice.

Boutique Markets

It is nearly here - my first Boutique Market is this Sunday 26 February from 9am to 1pm!

Boutique Markets this Sunday!


It always seems like you have so much time to prepare, but then suddenly the time is upon you and you are madly rushing about trying to make sure you have enough stock for the day, your stall display is all sorted out and you have plenty of packaging, business cards, change, etc.

I am slowly improving the look of my stall - my husband has been a big help with this by checking out different things I can use and buying them for me :) I just have to remember to take a photo this time!

I just know that Saturday will have me madly making things and coming up with new ideas that I just have to make right that minute. I really do need to learn how to organise my time better!

Plum

Blue and Green Must Never Be Seen.....

I think everyone has heard some version of the 'Blue and Green' saying. This has stuck in my head from when I was at school. We had a uniform change part way through high school and had a green tartan skirt with a blue jumper. The tartan had a red stripe through it, so I remember my mother using this saying.

For some reason Craft Cult wasn't picking up my latest Treasury, so here's a screen shot. You can check it out here.

Garlic and Lime Chicken with Olives

My posts have been a bit hit and miss lately and I apologise for that! Things have been a bit crazy with work and trying to prepare for markets and just life in general! Everyone knows the feeling I think.

A while ago I posted a recipe for Spicy Rice. We had it for dinner last night with this chicken dish I found on Food Network - it goes so well together. I have made a couple of very minor changes to the recipe, so I'll put it below. For the original, just click on the link above.

Ingredients
4 chicken thighs, cut into bite-size chunks
1 onion, diced
1 capsicum, cut into bite-size pieces
6 mushrooms, sliced (I sometimes put them in if I have them)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced

For the sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2tbs lime juice
1tbs molasses (available in the health food section of Coles)
2tsp Worcestershire sauce (check this is gluten free - I use Spring Gully or Beerenberg)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1tsp oregano

1. Prepare the 1st set of ingredients and place in a baking dish (I use a small lasagne dish).
2. Mix the sauce together in a bowl and stir until everything is well mixed. Pour over the chicken.
3. Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

I make this for 2 and we always have leftovers - aren't leftovers great?!?

Vintage Travel Posters

I absolutely love vintage travel posters. The colours are gorgeous and they just make me want to go to the places they are advertising.

I recently found a website where you can download some American travel posters for free and thought they would be great to use in different crafts. There are quite a few rules and restrictions, so make sure to read carefully. Here are some samples - hope you enjoy!

Sunday Market - The Young Designer's Market

I had a nice day last Sunday at the Young Designer's Market. It was a little quiet, but it was good to be back selling again. The weather cooperated....kind of. I was very happy that it wasn't raining, but it did get pretty hot during the afternoon. I met some lovely people too - on one side was Massuri with her gorgeous clothes, and on the other was Mystic Dragon with her wonderful hats and hair accessories.

You may remember that I have been madly crocheting for the past couple of months and this has paid off with my flower and heart coasters/doilies selling well. It's always so good to hear people complimenting your work, and from the comments I got, it seems that the crafts I've always seen as old-fashioned (and so love doing - crocheting and cross stitching) are becoming popular again.

Next market is on the 26th February, the Boutique Market, so more to come about that one later.

Chocolatey Goodness

I may have mentioned a couple of times that I love chocolate! So here it is, my treasury dedicated to one of the most delicious things ever. And with Valentine's Day just next week these would be a perfect gift (or part of it anyway!). Just leave this treasury on your computer screen as a not-so-subtle hint!

Spinach and Cheese Canelloni - Gluten Free Style

This deliciously rich and cheesy recipe came about because we couldn't have spinach and cheese pie anymore and gluten free canelloni shells weren't readily available. When they did become available they were really expensive, so thank goodness for the super versatile rice paper wrappers!

 

Ingredients - for the rolls
Up to 20 rice paper wrappers (spring roll wrappers)
1 pack frozen spinach
6 shallots
250g feta cheese (I use Danish)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup grated cheddar

 

Ingredients - for the sauce
1 bottle passata
1 medium onion finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely sliced/crushed
mixed herbs to taste - about 2 tsp
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 dessertspoons tomato paste
pinch red chili flakes (or to taste)
1-2 tsp sugar
Oil for cooking

 

Method
Do the sauce first so it can simmer while you are preparing the rolls.

1. Finely dice onion and garlic.
2. Add oil to pan and when hot add onion and garlic. Fry until onion soft and just starting to change colour.
3. Add the passata and the rest of the ingredients. Stir to mix well, turn heat down and simmer.

For the rolls:

1. Thaw spinach by placing in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Finely chop shallots and place in a large bowl*along with parmesan and finely chopped feta.
3. Add spinach, and mix ingredients well.

*If you would prefer a less strong taste of shallots, put them in the saucepan with the spinach and cook until they soften.

  

To put the rolls together:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Fill a large bowl, slightly larger than the wrappers, with warm water.
3. Damp a tea towel and lay on bench
4. Spray a lasagne dish with cooking oil and spread a small amount of your tomato sauce on the bottom (this helps to prevent the rolls from sticking).
5. Place a wrapper in the water and when soft, take it out and lay on the tea towel. Put your next wrapper in the water.
6. Add a spoonful of spinach mix to the middle of the wrapper and roll - bottom first, then the sides, then roll to finish. Place in lasagne dish.

7. Repeat until lasagne dish is full. When placing the rolls in the dish make sure they are not touching as they do stick.

8. Cover with tomato sauce and sprinkle with grated cheddar.
9.Bake for 20 minutes.
10.Serve and enjoy!!!

You'll have to imagine the cheese melted!

NB: This time I made 16 rolls with the above ingredients - how many you get will depend on how much filling you use. If you need to use another dish to cook them in you may need to double the amount of sauce you cook - it just depends on how much sauce you like!

Treasury

I have missed a few days this week due to work, but here is a treasury with gorgeous colours and gorgeous products. Enjoy!