Archives for October 2015

How I’ve Organised my Kitchen Pantry …

October 30, 2015

  Last month, I shared some simple tips that would be helpful if you were organising your pantry. There’s some great ideas so if you would like to read more, just click here.   My pantry has always been quite well organised but recently I decided it was due for an overhaul after I fell in love with some gorgeous red wire baskets, which I picked up for next to nothing in the Boxing Day Sales. I like to review my pantry at least once a year, as I’m always looking to improve things and my new baskets provided the perfect excuse! As my family’s needs change, … read more

Banana and Oat Muffins …

October 28, 2015

This is a simple recipe for Banana and Oat Muffins that are deliciously moist and perfect for morning teas or snacks. These only take about 10 minutes to throw together, you only need to dirty a single bowl and are so yummy straight from the oven while they’re still piping hot! Enjoy! Banana and Oat Muffins …   Print Prep time 10 mins Cook time 19 mins Total time 29 mins   Author: Mrs Organised Serves: 12 Ingredients … ⅓ cup olive oil ¼ cup golden or maple syrup ¼ cup honey 2 eggs 1⅓ cups mashed … read more

Butterscotch Biscuits …

October 26, 2015

These are one of the easiest biscuits to make … they only need 4 ingredients and about 15 minutes of your time. And did I mention how delicious they are? Enjoy! Butterscotch Biscuits …   Print Prep time 15 mins Cook time 13 mins Total time 28 mins   Author: Mrs Organised Serves: 30 – 32 Ingredients … 1 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 ½ tablespoons golden syrup 2.5 cups self-raising flour Method … Preheat oven to 180C and line 3 biscuit trays with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and golden … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips # 8 … How to Substitute Buttermilk in a Recipe …

October 24, 2015

  When I’m cooking or creating a new recipe, I try to use ingredients that I would normally find in the fridge and pantry … things that I cook with all the time. It’s not only easier, it’s often cheaper and it also means I don’t buy things I won’t fully use or ingredients that I don’t like or am unfamiliar with. In those instances, I try to find a substitute by modifying something that I already use. One such ingredient is buttermilk and I occasionally stumble across a recipe that needs it. It’s not something I usually keep in my fridge or buy because I find … read more

Shortbread Biscuits …

October 22, 2015

Shortbread has always been one of my favourite biscuits and this recipe is rich and buttery … so delicious! Shortbread Biscuits …   Print Author: Mrs Organised Ingredients … 1⅛ cups butter, room temperature ½ cup caster sugar 2⅔ cups plain flour ½ cup cornflour, lightly packed ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt Method … Cream the butter and sugar, using an electric mixer, until well combined. Add plain flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt and beat on a low speed until mixture comes together to form a dough. Transfer … read more

Brown Rice Salad …

October 20, 2015

Yum … the only word needed to describe this delicious, healthy Brown Rice Salad! This is one dish I make a lot when I’m asked to bring something along to a family dinner or barbecue. I also make this often for dinner but usually halve the quantity. Because this is a salad that’s eaten cold, it’s perfect for school lunches and a great alternative to sandwiches and wraps as it’s so filling. Enjoy! Brown Rice Salad …   Print Author: Mrs Organised Ingredients … 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice 3 shallots, chopped finely ½ small red capsicum, chopped 1 x … read more

How to Care for Your Bath Towels …

October 18, 2015

  One of the earliest stories I shared on the blog was my Bath Towel Buying Guide … a list of things that I consider when buying new bath towels. I love having nice towels in the bathroom and once I’ve bought gorgeous new towels, I like to keep them looking fabulous for as long as possible.   Here are some simple tips to help you care for your towels so they will look fresher and last longer:   Always wash new towels in cold water before you use them for the first time. This will reduce any lint. It will also help to improve absorbency because … read more

Choc-Peanut Brownie Biscuits …

October 16, 2015

If you love brownies, you’re going to fall in love with these biscuits … it truly will be a case of love at first sight … or should I say, love at first bite! These Choc-Peanut Brownie Biscuits are rich, chewy and scrumptious. Unfortunately, they won’t be suitable for school lunchboxes if your school has a “No Nut” Policy but that’s perfectly okay because it simply means there’ll be more for you. So pour yourself a drink, put up your feet and munch on one (or maybe five)! Choc-Peanut Brownie Biscuits …   Print Author: Mrs Organised Serves: 30 … read more

10 Facts Every Woman Should Know …

October 14, 2015

  Everywhere you look, every day, we’re surrounded by “perfect” images of women on social media, billboards, TV, magazines and in the general press, so it’s no wonder that many of us can end up feeling less than adequate. I stumbled across this post on Facebook today and it really resonated with me. It’s a healthy dose of perspective to remind us that we need to believe in and love ourselves and that perfection is a myth … we’re only human, faults and all! I thought I’d share it with you … let me know what you think.   Everyone has rolls when they … read more

Chicken Curry with Potato and Peas …

October 12, 2015

It can sometimes be a rush to get dinner on the table when you’ve been at work all day … that’s what makes this recipe so perfect! It uses fairly simple ingredients and is relatively quick and easy to prepare. This is also a very mild curry so even the kids should enjoy it! Chicken Curry with Potato and Peas …   Print Author: Mrs Organised Ingredients … 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes 2 cups broccoli, cut into florets 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed 1 large onion, sliced ¼ cup … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips #7 … How to Cut your Slices Perfectly …

October 10, 2015

  When I was learning how to cook, one of the things that frustrated me most was cutting a freshly made slice only to end up with it looking like someone had taken to it with a chainsaw. No matter how hard I tried, I used to crack the beautiful chocolate surface or get crumbs from the first couple of cuts all over the remaining pieces … sound familiar?   Well, many years, lots of trial and error and loads of practice, here are a few things I’ve learned to help you cut your freshly made slice, perfectly.   To remove your slice successfully from … read more

Coconut Biscuits …

October 8, 2015

This is an old family recipe that I’ve been baking for years. It’s quick and easy and only needs 6 ingredients. This is a great snack for kids lunchboxes or for after school. Enjoy! Coconut Biscuits …   Print Author: Mrs Organised Serves: 30 Ingredients … ½ cup butter 1 cup castor sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract/essence 1 egg 2 cups self-raising flour 1 cup desiccated coconut extra castor sugar Method … Preheat oven to 175C fan-forced and line a baking tray with baking paper. Beat butter and castor sugar together until pale and creamy … read more

Halloween Party Invitation … FREE to Download …

October 6, 2015

  Halloween is just around the corner and, although it’s not an Australian tradition, it is being celebrated more and more with families. My kids are a little older now but when they were younger we used to have a little Halloween Party with all their friends … so much fun!   If you’re planning to host your own little Halloween gathering, a good party always starts with a fabulous Invitation, so today I’m sharing a cute invitation with you that I’ve created … absolutely free!   Share it with your family and friends and download as often as you … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips #6 … A Quicker, Easier Way to Prepare Crushed Garlic …

October 4, 2015

  What is it about garlic? I just love it and I use it all the time when I’m cooking. I never, however, shared the same passion for my garlic press. Using it was the easy part, but it was the cleaning that used to drive me crazy. I couldn’t simply throw it in the dishwasher without first using something pointy to remove the leftover garlic from all those little holes before rinsing it … and that was time consuming. But I had to concede that if I wanted fresh garlic, then I’d just have to put up with it … boo hoo!   Recently though, my garlic press broke … … read more

Mars Bar Slice …

October 2, 2015

I have a terrible sweet tooth that I regularly do battle with and probably the sugary treat that will tempt me most is chocolate. I totally lack willpower when I’m around chocolate. I, therefore, figured out long ago that total deprivation would never work and so, rather than totally denying myself chocolate, I instead work on controlling the amount I eat. It’s been a fairly successful approach, so my tip when making treats like this delicious Mars Bar Slice is to reserve it for special occasions only like birthday parties or family get-togethers and to then cut … read more