Simple Vanilla Cake

Nothing smells better than a cake baking in the oven and that's exactly what I wanted the kitchen to smell like today! There is something about it that makes the house feel so homely & welcoming. So if anyone is around feel free to come in & try it. I just made one fresh this afternoon. 

When I call it simple trust me I mean it. I'm not one for complicated cooking & too many ingredients. I seriously whipped it up in 5 mins & then popped it into the oven.

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1 cup milk

3/4 oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Mix sugar and eggs with an electric beater, then add flour, milk, oil & vanilla.
2. Bake in oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 60 mins 

Yes it is really that easy & these are ingredients that you always find at home! So if your craving a little sugar this is something to indulge in. Enjoy

Very very Easy Quiche

Bacon, Corn & Zucchini Quiche

I love this recipe, it's so simple & tasty. It has never failed me & it can be done so quickly with whatever ingredients you have at home. This recipe makes 2 quiches in a shallow round baking dish which is even better, one for now & one for later. 

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
3 Tbs melted butter
1/2 cup Self-raising flour
1 1/2 cups grated tasty cheese
2 cups of filling (eg. bacon, corn, zucchini, spinach)
2 sheets puff pastry or short crust

1. Preheat oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, butter and flour
3. Fold in cheese & fillings
4. Oil dish & line with puff pastry
5. Bake for 40 mins in dish or 20-30 mins in muffin tray

Mixed Berry Muffins (Wheat & Egg Free)

1/2 cup mixed berries crushed
1/3 cup soft brown sugar
1/4 cup canola or sunflower oil
1/2 tsp baking soda/ bicarb soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cups flour (gluten free)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1. Mix berries, sugar and oil together well.
2. Sift baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and flour together.
3. Mix berry ingredients into the dry ingredients with milk & vanilla.
4. Stir to just combine. Do not over mix.
5. Spoon into muffin tray.
6. Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 20-25 mins or until lightly browned on top. 

So how does it taste without wheat flour & eggs? I'll let the photo of Charlie tell the story.

Savoury Wheat & Egg Free Pancakes

1/2 cup gluten free flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup + 1 Tbs milk
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 cup grated veges (eg. zucchini, potato)

1. Sift dry ingredients together
2. Mix milk, vinegar together
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir with a whisk gently until just combined. 
4. Add grated vegetables & combine (add more milk if the batter is too thick).
5. Heat a frying pan over medium to high heat. Melt oil/ margarine or butter in pan.
6. Cook until lightly brown on both sides

Feeding a Growing Boy

Introducing food has been fun but we were to discover a wheat/rye/barley & egg allergy in our little boy Charlie. Lucky for us we have a good specialist from the Children's Hospital at Westmead who has given me heaps of information about ways to cook for him. Here is some of the useful information I was given & it has helped me feel less overwhelmed about trying to cook wheat & egg free especially with his 1st birthday coming around the corner (what kind of cake doesn't include wheat & eggs?!!).

Wheat Free Cooking Tips

Instead of wheat use rice, corn, potato, rye, oats, soybean, buckwheat, millet & arrowroot. These grains are different to cook with from wheat flour. Follow the hints below,

• Soya flour combined with cornflour works well as a substitute for wheat flour in biscuits, chocolate cakes & fruit cakes (see substitution 1)
• Rice flour may be used in muffins, biscuits & some cakes (see substitution 3 & 5).

Substitutions for 1 cup (150g) wheat flour:

1. 1/2 cup cornflour or arrowroot plus 1/2 cup soya flour
2. 1/2 cup soy flour & 1/2 cup potato flour
3. 3/4 cup rice flour
4. 1/2 cup buckwheat flour & 1/2 cup cornflour
5. 1/2 soy flour, 1/4 cup potato flour & 1/4 cup rice flour

What to avoid:

• wheat flour
• wheat meal
• wheat-based baking powder
• starch
• gluten
• durum flour
• couscous
• semolina
• thickener no. 1400-1450 (derived from wheat)

Egg Free Diet Tips (egg substitutes/ replacers for baking)

It is possible to make cakes & muffins successfully by adapting recipes you use at home. The texture of the product may be a little different but the taste is good.

For 1 egg, substitute with one of the following:

• 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tbs liquid (water, juice or milk), 1 tbs vinegar
• 1 tbs yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 tbs apricot jam, apple puree, golden syrup or other fruit puree or jam
• 1 1/2 tbs water, 1 1/2 tbs oil, 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup water and 2 tsp gelatine (dissolve gelatine in warm water)

For 3 eggs, substitute with one of the following:

• Dissolve 1 tbs golden syrup in 300 ml warm milk
• Dissolve 1 tbs gelatine in boiling water then add cold water to make 1 cup. Cool, then whip until light like beaten egg whites before use.

There are commerical egg substitutes which you can buy in your supermarket.

So it seems like there will be a wheat & egg free cake I can make my boy when he turns 1. I'll keep you posted on how that goes & share the recipe with you all. 

The Beginnings of a Housewife & Mum

I thought I'd create this blog to write about my journey as a housewife & mum. I have been married for 21 months & have discovered many new & challenging things in terms of maintaining a home & of course sharing it with someone. I'm a mother to a gorgeous 10 month old boy who is keeping me on my toes especially now that he is learning to walk! And because I have so much spare time I'd like to use this place to share my thoughts, ideas & newly learnt recipes.