An update...

Ok - so I meant to post this awhile ago (sorry guys).  So to go with the Dairy Free theme, I tried out a dairy free creme brulee recipe a while ago, it uses Coconut Milk instead of cream - so it's lower in fat and gives a really nice coconut flavour to the dessert and tastes amazing!

As you may know I was back in Christchurch at Easter where I had planted about 6 cherry tomato plants, so I decided to try out a Tomato, Chilli and Lime Chutney recipe from the Tui Gardening Book - as there were SO many tomatoes! I've never made a chutney before, but the recipe was easy and super yummy, although im not sure i'll ever try skinning cherry tomatoes again - it's very time consuming!

 Both recipes are in my Tastebook :)

Cupcakes..

Dairy-free Red Velvet Cupcakes were requested - so here is the end result Mmm :-)

Birthday cake

So I wish I had more time than just after work..but I managed to pull together a cake for my birthday - happy birthday to me lol
Chocolate cake bottom and kermit is lollycake coated in marshmallow fondant

I've been busy - but not too busy to cook :)

So I've been a little slack lately - but lets just blame that on moving countries and looking for a new job - but now that I'm all settled in I thought I'd show you some of the fun stuff I've been up to :)

Dairy Free Eggless Chocolate Cake - it's SO easy and so yummy - the last one we made didn't even have time to cool down before it was eaten!

I also made so very simple (also dairy free) bread the other night to go with some soup

And last but definitely not least - the very NZ Cheesecake.  A friend of mine suggested I mix lollycake and cheesecake together - so I create a Lollycake Cheesecake. It's a lollycake base with a vanilla baked cheesecake topping.  Not the easiest thing to make when your in a country that doesn't sell Eskimo lollies or Malt biscuits but i managed to import some just so I could try it out!

So that's all from me for now - it's birthday week in my flat at the moment - so I'm sure there will be some birthday cake pictures coming soon :)

Busy week of cooking this week! - It started with Creme Brulee last Saturday, followed by a delicious homemade pizza (pizza dough recipe is in the Healthy Recipe Book) on Wednesday. 

 Thursday I had friends over for dinner - so I tried out one of my new recipes - Bacon-wrapped Chicken stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta.  It was very YUMMY. 
Dinner also included my Cob Loaf Dip, Roast vege salad and Brownie Bottom cheesecake (they can be found under my Favourite recipes)

Thursday night I also had time to make Cheese and Onion Monkey Bread for morning tea on Friday - check out the recipe under my favourite recipes - it's a huge hit with everyone.

Morning Tea overkill..

Yesterday Al mentioned we should do morning tea today...i went a little crazy and we had SO much food...calzones, stromboli and chocolate chip cookies :) All recipes I'd never made before too.

First ever attempt at Macaroons :)

So today I was flicking through on of my many taste magazines and found a recipe for Chocolate Macaroons so I thought I'd try them. I've never made them before (and never tried one either) but heard that they're yummy but hard to make.

So they turned out a bit flat and the icing a bit thinner than i expected - although that could have been because I didn't wait long enough for it to thicken :-) But will wait for the taste verdict - guinea pigs welcome - before i make them again...

Click on Quite Contrary Kitchen Recipes at the top of the blog for the recipe :)

2012 Cooking Challenge - 52 courses and 12 cupcakes

I've got so many different recipes and recipe books that I want to cook from, but never seems to get round to it.  So this year I'm setting myself a New Years challenge to cook something new from one of my numerous recipes every week - whether it be an appetizer, entree, soup, main or dessert, and try a new cupcake recipe once a month...Now I just need to make a list of the 52 recipes and 12 cupcake concoctions :)