Tags
Alice Springs, Australia, cooking, Food, Kitchens, photography
The passed month in my kitchen has been interesting… in a good way. Our weather cooled and dried out to glorious, for about two weeks, and so my energy for cooking returned with gusto.
My husband is a dab hand at the barbecue, so that leaves me to do things in the kitchen. It is a sharing of meal preparation that we did when first married but due to him travelling we had to abandon for many years. Now we have returned to it and are both enjoying ourselves. Steaks and corn on the grill are a favourite. I usually try to buy an extra ear of corn, or two, so that I can cut it off the cob after it’s grilled and make this delicious salad. I saw it in a magazine at the hairdresser and never got an exact copy of it, but generally it goes something like this:
- Mixed lettuce leaves and baby spinach leaves with the following:
- cherry tomatoes
- cucumber
- red capsicum (bell pepper)
- feta cheese
- fresh sliced chilli
- corn, cooked and cut from the cob
- toasted pine nuts (optional, my husband doesn’t care for them, but I love them)
- olive oil, salt, and squeeze of fresh lemon juice OR balsamic vinegar
I made grain-free granola (which I’m pretty sure is a contradiction in terms…) cereal. (I am gluten intolerant, as well as a few other things) It is all nuts and seeds and pretty full on and so I seldom eat it as a cereal but as a topping on yogurt or Quark/cottage cheese, with some berries, or something like that.
I revisited some old favourites, cauliflower cheese with the leftover free range ham we had in the freezer from Christmas, taco salad, layered veggie casserole and created a new version of stuffed mushrooms. I didn’t use any packet mixes for anything in these, but they are all simple to make. I am trying to focus our diet on very healthy vegetables, protein and whole food fats. Don loved the stuffed mushrooms. The links above are for the recipes, if you are interested.
We consume a lot of vegetables, and if you haven’t seen or tried them, I highly recommend these green vegetable bags for helping keep your vegetables fresh a bit longer. They save me having to go to the grocery quite as often. Here in Alice I get them from Coles grocery, but you may have to hunt around to find another supplier in your local area.
I will leave you with the highlight of our month…not from my kitchen, but from the kitchen of good friends (with permission)… dinner at Casa-Lena. Casa-Lena is named for her mother who passed away a year ago this month. Theirs is a Mexican Hacienda style home they have lovingly built at the edge of town… in the bush, and the quiet. At night all you hear is the occasional dog barking in the distance. The stars are so brilliant you want to lie on your back and watch them appear. First Venus, then Orion’s belt, then the Southern Cross and finally the entire arm of the Milky Way unfurls above. It is a light show, unparalleled, on a clear summer night.
The meal was amazing, grilled scallops and prosciutto, barbecued pork belly, roasted carrots and pumpkin (butternut squash) with rocket, pear and toasted walnut salad. Died and gone to heaven, am living among the stars.
Happy days and starry nights to you.
(Many thanks to Celia at figjamandlimecordial.com for hosting the IMK series. Why not pop on over there to read some other interesting accounts of what is going on in people’s kitchens from around the world?)
Joanna said:
I can hear the quiet and feel the glow of your stars on the top of my head.And oh I would like to be transported to late summer in the heartland of Australia right now and share in your vibrantly colouful corn salad and all those wonderful dishes you are creating. Oh my my…. you all know how to live ! xx Jo
LikeLike
ardysez said:
Whenever people crinkle their noses asking ‘Why Alice Springs’, I am at a loss for words, because only pictures of days and evenings like this fill my head. Thanks Joanna xx
LikeLike
davidprosser said:
What lovely shots and what a spread you’ve laid on. Save me something I’m just getting on a plane !
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
LikeLike
ardysez said:
See you soon, then! xx
LikeLike
Betty Davies said:
My recipe book is fast filling up with “Ardys” recipes! Thanks Ardys xx
LikeLike
ardysez said:
I believe I have a ‘Betty trick’ or two in my repertoire too!
LikeLike
Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial said:
Ardys, that meal at Casa-Lena looks amazing! And to be able to eat it under the stars…unbelievable. I love roasted corn, and your salad sounds delicious. And what a great job you’ve done on all your dinners – all gluten-free too! 🙂
LikeLike
ardysez said:
Thanks so much Celia. The evening at Casa Lena really was one for the memory books. Funny how Life presents us those quiet little moments that seem more special sometimes than the moments that happen in a big flurry. xx
LikeLike
heidiannie said:
The last series of pictures belong in a magazine. Really fine with great atmosphere- thanks so much for sharing! So glad your husband is back to grilling!
LikeLike
ardysez said:
Thank you so much Heidiannie. I could have taken 50 more photos of Casa Lena, and have at various times over the years, but the food was waiting!! I always feel like I’ve been on a little Mexican vacation when we spend time there. And BTW, Casa Lena WAS in a magazine, a few years ago… ResideNT mag here in the Northern Territory.
LikeLike
Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas said:
I too am enjoying corn on the BBQ at the moment. I love the look of your salad. Your grain free granola looks great. But the pictures of Casa Lena are stunning. What a wonderful place.
LikeLike
Lorraine said:
The evening at Casa Lena looked amazing. How fortunate to be able to enjoy an evening under the stars. I am sure there was a bit of an “afterglow” for a few days. I like the looks of the grain free granola. I think I might have to try it.
LikeLike
ardysez said:
The grain-free granola (still seems silly to say, but I don’t know what else to call it) is good for those occasions when I’m kind of missing cereal. Even using it as a topping seems to satisfy my craving. xx
LikeLike
peakperspective said:
In the midst of a March snowstorm I am reading your blog and transported to the thick of summertime. I can nearly smell the BBQ and the campfire. If I close my eyes I can see the pinpricks of light in that glorious nighttime sky, but when I open them, I’m blinded by the whiteout of snow.
Thank you for the taste of what will be around the corner!
And as a side note, even though I absolutely detest mushrooms, I would have a bite of yours in a second. The photos are, as usual, most convincing! xx
LikeLike
Joanne T Ferguson said:
G’day! Your home is gorgeous and your photos mouth watering, true!
There is nothing like the smells and sounds of a bbq!
Thank you for this month’s kitchen view!
Cheers! Joanne
LikeLike
ardysez said:
Thanks Joanne. The beautiful home was not ours in this instance. I do love our home and it has its own beauty but is nothing quite as marvellous as Casa Lena.
LikeLike
Anne @ Life in Mud Spattered Boots said:
How wonderful to sit and watch the stars with that amazing food to eat.
LikeLike
ardysez said:
It was, Anne, quite a special evening.
LikeLike
Francesca said:
The warmth of the evenings really shines through in your photos. The vegie layered casserole is something I must take not of. It reminds me of something I used to make and forgot about. Thanks
LikeLike
ardysez said:
I’m glad the casserole has reminded you of an old favourite. My fondest hope is to somehow inspire people.
LikeLike
Sally said:
I use similar ‘keep fresh’ bags to preserve my haul from the farmers’ market. Could rip off a piece of that pork crackling right now.
LikeLike
ardysez said:
Thanks for reading Sally. Wish I could send you the crackling!
LikeLike
Glenda @ Healthy Stories said:
Wow that pork looks amazing, and such a pretty view from the hacienda. I wish I had a view like that from my kitchen too.
LikeLike