going on holiday...

Today Callum and I are leaving the boys with my mum and going away for two whole nights without them with some friends who are visiting from overseas. Callums family have a bach at Lake Rotoiti. Its such a beautiful place to visit. The bach itself is a very simple cottage and the whole surrounding area is a national park. I will take lots of photos to show you when I get back.

Its quite isolated there and we have to take all the food we will need so I have been cooking and baking like crazy. I thought I would share a couple of the recipes for some of the things I have made.

Spicy lentil and tomato soup:

I love this recipe especially on a cold winters night sitting in front of the fire, which is exactly what we wll be doing. The quantities are a little made up, I make it a little different every time.

2 onions sliced

2 cloves of garlic chopped finely

2 tsp curry powder

2 tsp tumeric

1 tsp cumin

cayenne pepper to taste

approx 1 cup of lentils (any kind will do)

2 tins of tomatoes

enough water or stock to make it soup consitency (we usually have ours pretty thick and almost curry like)

soften onions in a little oil along with the garlic. Add the spices and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until lentils are cooked.

So easy and so delicious.

Sticky Lemon Slice

This recipe I pinched from a cafe I worked at. Its in the oven as I write this so i will have to post a pic later on.

base:

250gm butter, softened

1/2 cup icing sugar

2 1/4 cups plain flour

cream butter and icing sugar together in a food processor. Add flour and process until a ball forms. Press into a lined 32 x 21 cm tin. Bake for 15 mins and 170 degrees celcius. Prepare the topping while the base cools.

topping:

2 3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

4 tbsp plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

zest of 3 large lemons

120 mls lemon juice

Put all of the topping ingredients in a food processor and blend until combined. Pour over the base. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is firm to the touch and golden brown. Cool in the tin and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.