Sunday dinner with my family – sharing recipes, stories & special moments
Hi and welcome back! This morning I was pinged by Instagram that thesmallthing.com.au had mentioned meatballsandmuffins.com in a post about making the bliss balls I’ve shared over the past few weeks (thank you Krystina) and, that got me wondering if others have tried making any of them. So I thought I’d ask you and, if…
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I love my One Pot Fragrant Chicken Stew even in Summer for two reasons. Firstly, the vegetables used in this dish are my favourite summer vegetables. They add so much flavour, sweetness and delightful colour to this dish – they make it look so appetising. Oh, and did I mention how good the aroma from the vegetables…
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This is a special post for Krystina from thesmallthing.com.au, a fabulous children’s decorator and stylist who does amazing work – just check out her website and you’ll see what I mean. Krystina wrote a comment on my Instagram post for RASPBERRY BLAST BLISS BALLS last week and asked if I could create some “lunchbox friendly”…
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Hey there! Thanks for checking in on my progress. I am really happy to report that I am going great guns with my self-inflicted challenge to replace white sugar with healthier alternatives! And do you know what I am finding? The more I stick to this challenge, the more I realise it’s not that hard…
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Have you eaten homemade falafels? If you love chickpeas and haven’t ever made your own falafels, you are truly missing out! I promise you, that once you make them at home, you will never again want to eat store-bought falafels. Not only do they taste fantastic when they are just cooked, but they are incredibly easy…
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If you’ve been following Meatballs and Muffins the past couple of weeks, then you’ve probably read my other posts on healthy balls and bars I’ve been creating. If you haven’t, then just scroll the HOME page and you’ll easily find then. This is a new combination I came up with yesterday that I really liked…
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Well hello and thanks for visiting! Now, I’m sure you’ve had a busy day and deserve a break, so why don’t you kick off your shoes, make yourself a coffee or tea, then let’s sit down and talk Blackberry and Coconut Muffins.I really wish you could have one of these Blackberry and Coconut muffins RIGHT NOW with…
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It’s been almost two weeks since I started my sugar challenge and I can honestly say that I have not used any refined sugar in my cooking during that time. Not only have I not used refined sugar, but I have also managed to reduce the amount of sugar I eat overall and that’s got…
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Last Sunday was officially our first family dinner for 2018. It was the first time we could all get together since Christmas day, so you can imagine how excited I was! Not only was I excited about having my family together, I was super excited because I would get to use the Christmas gift I…
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Today is Day 6 of my personal challenge to replace refined white sugar with healthier alternatives in the food I cook. It’s been an interesting challenge so far and in the process I’ve gone a bit mad on making healthy bars and little balls of yumminess. Well, the fact is that I can’t help myself…
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How about a quick and easy, but oh so very delicious Thai Beef Salad? The question of ‘what to cook for dinner‘ is one that many mothers agonise over every day. This is especially true for working mums – I know because I am one of them, but it doesn’t have to be so difficult.…
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It’s still early days, but I’m pleased to say my challenge to replace refined sugar with healthier options in the food I cook is going great so far! Well … the fact that I haven’t actually “cooked” any sweets yet may have something to do with that 😮 But, I have been doing some research and…
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My husband called me from work yesterday and said “Can we eat something light for dinner tonight? I’m feeling really uncomfortable and I’ve reached my limit, so you have to stop me from eating bread and sweets”. “That’s easy!” I replied, “Just don’t buy any of that stuff when you do the shopping!” Realistically, I…
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Hi reader, welcome back! If you’ve been following my posts, you’d know how much I looooove smooth creamy chocolate mousse. Well, now I have another flavour to share with you – Chocolate Espresso Mousse, which I made quite by accident one day. So what happened on this particular day, was that I was running really…
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Welcome to 2018! Before we get on the subject of the Aromatic Greek Octopus Salad, I’d just like to say HAPPY NEW YEAR and I hope you had a lovely Christmas. My resolution for 2018 is “to live a fuller life”. I’m not sure what that means yet, but I’ll let you know once I’ve worked…
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Have you used Amaranth grains to cook with? If so, how do you use it and what do you think about it?Recently, I came across a packet of Amaranth grains that my daughter-in-law gave me some time ago. It’s been sitting in my pantry for ages mainly because I wasn’t sure what to do with…
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Chicken Caesar Salad would have to be one of my all-time favourite salads. It has everything I need and want for a delicious hearty lunch or light healthy dinner when I’m not so hungry. Although it’s a little more work, I make my own croutons and dressing from scratch because it makes all the difference…
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When you have more than one female in the same kitchen at the same time, there’s bound to be fireworks. That’s exactly what happened when two cooks decided to bake a Greek New Year’s cake.They agreed to use a recipe one of them found online because “it looks good”, but when they started making it,…
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It’s been a few years since I hosted Christmas, so I’m pretty excited about hosting this year. My youngest son said that I’ve gone over the top and a bit crazy with my decorations, but I can’t help myself – I just love Christmas! I’ve decided to cook mostly Greek dishes for our family Christmas…
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Christmas means many things to many people. To me, Christmas is a time to rejoice and be thankful for all I have been blessed with. It’s a time to be grateful that I am alive and can spend time with my amazing family. Christmas is a time to put aside differences and celebrate all that…
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Summer berries make the most delicious smoothies. I love the combination of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries any time of the day, but especially after a pilates workout when my body is screaming for something refreshing and nutritious and this Berry Nutty Smoothie does it for me! I know you’ll love this smoothie because, not only…
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If you read my last post, then you’ll know this is the Summer Fruit Salad that I promised to share with you. It’s topped with Greek yoghurt, a sprinkling of toasted muesli and a drizzle of honey. It’s so simple it’s almost embarrassing, but if you’re after something refreshing, delicious and very nutritious, then this is…
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Hello, thanks for popping by! Summer has arrived and that means beautiful sweet RASPBERRIES and lots of them – yay! Right now, raspberries are plump, sweet and juicy, making them ideal to eat in all sorts of ways. One crowd pleaser that I’d like to share with you are my NO FUSS WHITE CHOCOLATE AND…
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Also known as Tomatoes & Capsicums Stuffed with Rice & Herbs Yemista is one of the most traditional of Greek dishes made all over Greece, but there are many variations depending on the region. This version is one of my favourites.To me, Yemista is summer on a plate! The vibrant colours of the vegetables drizzled with a little extra virgin…
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These Cranberries and White Chocolate cookies are buttery and delicious. They have fruit and 2 cups of rolled oats in them, which makes them almost healthy, so you won’t feel too guilty eating them. This is a recipe I found in the Bill Granger Holiday Cookbook, but I have made them a little less sweet. Wrap them up in cellophane…
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I made these little beauties for dessert at yesterday’s Sunday family dinner and let me tell you, one each was definitely not enough because, I’m sure you’ve worked out by now, my entire family is obsessed with anything chocolate. These Chocolate Hazelnut Minicakes are so deliciously scrumptious, they are impossible to resist. They are flourless…
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Roast chicken has always been a favourite dish in my household. In fact, when my boys where teenagers, I would have to roast 2 large chickens because 1 was never enough and, even then, I’d have to choose my piece quickly or I’d end up with the carcass to eat. I have yet to come…
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We were all super excited about getting together for our family dinner last Sunday, not because of the food – but, because we would get to see the photos from Michael and Cath’s wedding back in July. Finally, after what seemed forever, the photos arrived and we couldn’t wait to see them. So after finishing…
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If there is one dish I really crave for during the bleak, cold days of winter, it would have to be warm comfort food like this flavoursome and fragrant Slow Cooked Aromatic Beef stew. This Slow Cooked Aromatic Beef recipe is so easy to make and one that will satisfy your hunger and nourish your…
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Well hello, Thanks for visiting! If you’re a mum who’s looking for a healthy snack to add to your child’s lunchbox, then you MUST try these delicious muffins. They have just enough feta to add a little saltiness and the pinenuts add a delicious nutty flavour, making them a great way to get kids to…
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If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll know I’ve had some dramas with perfecting my peanut butter & chocolate muffins. Well … After “adding a little more of this and a little less of that”…my PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE MUFFIN recipe is “now perfect” and that’s according to my home food critics, who always tell…
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This is one of my ‘go to’ dishes when I need to cook a hearty meal but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. I can have this dish on the table in 15 minutes from start to finish. Although it’s not made the traditional way, my version of spaghetti and meatballs is just…
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If you are looking for a simple but very fresh and delicious salad, this is it! The star ingredient in this salad is fennel, a crunchy, slightly sweet vegetable that adds a refreshing taste to any dish. Fennel’s aromatic taste is often described as reminiscent of liquorice and anise. Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin…
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This morning I woke up to realise it’s only 4 weeks to Christmas, so today is the day I started preparing to cook all things Christmas for this special time of the year. I love Christmas and everything it represents: the decorations, the birth of Christ, giving more than receiving, forgiveness, family time, food, holidays,…
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FOOD, FUN, LAUGHTER and SONG – these are the words that come to mind when I think about our Sunday family dinners and our last one was no exception. Last Sunday was such a warm sunny day, which seems to be the norm in Melbourne at the moment and I’m loving it, so we had…
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What do you cook for dinner on a warm Spring night that doesn’t require slaving over a hot stove? PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS, PANCETTA & CHERRY TOMATOES – what else! If you’re like me and you want to provide a great tasting healthy dinner for your family, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen…
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Hello again, Recently I shared a post with you about a wonderful dinner I had with my son Anthony. It was one of those special moments that I got to spend one-on-one time with one of my boys. “Gee, it must be great now that your 3 boys have all grown up and are independent.…
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Hi Reader, Here is another asparagus recipe as part of my Spring series that I know you and your family will enjoy. This is a ‘no brainer’ dish to make during the working week when you come home after a long day at work and need to cook something quick and easy for dinner. This…
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I decided to ‘joosh up’ my zucchini muffins by adding pancetta and dukka to make an adult version of the plainer zucchini & cheese ones I have previously shared that kids love. These muffins are a little spicy, so they’re perfect as finger food to serve with drinks or as a snack when you get…
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I just wanted to say “thank you so much” to everyone who has clicked that FOLLOW button on my blog so far. Like many bloggers, setting up Meatballs and Muffins started out as a fun thing to do, but I can now honestly say that I AM HOOKED and it’s mainly because of you! Knowing…
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This is another dish that celebrates Spring! This delicious tart has a creamy filling and light buttery pastry. It’s one of those recipes that you will go back to again again because it’s easy to make and so delicious to eat. It makes a perfect lunch served with my BABY LEAVES & HERB SALAD on…
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My nephew and his lady Nicole are getting married and a couple of weeks ago we were invited to meet Nicole’s family. With only a few months until the wedding, we were excited to get to know the people who raised the lovely young lady who would soon join our family. It was no surprise…
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A great night was had by all last Saturday celebrating Lydia’s birthday and safe return from the UK. It’s so great to have you back with us – Billy is especially happy 🙂 Well done Billy on arranging such a successful night and well done to your mum for putting on a great spread. Here’s…
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Hi Reader, Thanks for taking the time to visit. I know your time is precious, so I’ll do my best to make good use of it by sharing something I hope you will enjoy or find useful. Once you’ve read it, I’d love to know what you think because, as someone who is new to…
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I came up with this dish recently quite by accident and I loved it so much that I decided to share it with you as part of my series of asparagus dishes. But, there is a story behind this dish. It was last Friday when I had gone shopping to pick up a few things,…
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You don’t need to do very much to asparagus to make it any more delicious than it already is. Simply lightly grilling it on the BBQ or baking it, then drizzle over a really really good extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar and sprinkle a little sea salt, brings out the unique earthy…
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Rhubarb and Almond Cheesecake This is one of those cheesecakes that you will never forget once you taste it the first time. It has a sensational tangy flavour that makes you want to eat more than you know you should.
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Well, the good news is that you can you can stop worrying because, fussy eating is simply a stage that many toddlers go through, often in their second year. Having raised 3 children of my own and looking after my grandson (that’s him in the photo above), I can tell you from experience, that a…
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After what seems to have been one of the longest and coldest winters, it’s such a relief to see evidence of what looks like spring. Birds are once again singing, rose gardens are blooming and, best of all, my greengrocer has started stocking fresh spring vegetables -YES! Now don’t get me wrong, I love winter…
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Are you are a lover of chocolate desserts? If you are, then I guarantee you will love these luscious gooey centred chocolate minicakes because they are quick to make and so delicious to eat. The only catch is that they must be eaten straight out of the oven. They are great for a dinner party…
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