Making pasta from scratch:

Recipe taken from My Kitchen Rules website - http://au.tv.yahoo.com/my-kitchen-rules/recipes/article/-/9018190/porcini-fettuccine-with-roasted-hazelnuts/

So very yum scrum:

Preparing the dried porcini mushrooms for the pasta mix. (I wouldn't bother with this next time.)
My first ever batch of pasta dough:
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
The dough didn't want to go through the cutters beyond what is shown here, so I ended up cutting the rest by hand.
Drying - this shot was taken before the 'pasta disaster' where a lot of it got stuck and ended up on the floor.

The hazelnut pesto was very tasty indeed:

All in all, I voted the pasta experience a success and will be getting the roller out again soon. I will however learn from my rookie mistake of putting all the pasta sheets on top of each other - this lead to sticking and some rather chunky pieces. Never mind - we live and learn. :-)

Sunday breakfasts:

Sausage bites with mushroom scrambled eggs:

Spanish-inspired - eggs, poached in veggie liquids, with chorizo:

Both meals served with pane di casa bread from Brumby's (which has now taken over as my favourite 'fancy' bread - the title used to be held by Brumby's sour dough).

Pretty red capsicums. Just because.

Crochet night @ Cabin Fever Cafe

I've found my new favourite cafe. True to it's name, Cabin Fever is a very small space but the awesome retro design and accessories more than make up for that. One of my favourite features is the wall of one-off tea cups and saucers. Patrons select which lovely tea cup they would like to sup their beverage from and it's brought to you with a funky tray and tea pot, to offset your choice.

I was there for a crochet night and it was a fantastic little venue to do some crafting. (The fact that I didn't immediately get the hang of the crocheting didn't do anything to dampen my enthusiasm and in fact I ordered a 'how to' book on crocheting as soon as I got home - watch this space for more on that.)

The food menu is brief but what I tried (corn & zucchini muffin) was really yummy, and I hear tell they make a mean cheese toastie. Ruth, the manager, is just lovely and I can't recommend this place enough. Check it out in Bon Marche Arcade, off Barrack Street. I'll definitely be going back, and might just take my knitting...

My tea cup of choice, with my crochet hook and yarn:

Preparations for crafting:

Tea cups to choose from:
Zucchini & corn muffin and coffee:
Chai tea and retro tea spoon:
L's tea cup and tray choice:

Recent cooking ventures

Flourless chocolate cake:

Thermomix sorbet:

(I really want a thermomix.)

Jamie Oliver pizza sauce:

(Jamie At Home, pg 183)

Roast capsicum & coriander relish (whole):

(Ottolenghi, pg 125)
Roast capsicum & coriander relish (blended):

Breakfast @ Greenhouse

Wild mushrooms and slow-cooked eggs on sourdough toast:

Very nice coffee:
The eco-friendly design:
Interiors:

The verdict:

Great coffee, pretty good food, awesome decor. The wait staff were either really good or quite bad. But all in all a very pleasant experience, and the decor/atmosphere were awesome. I'll be going back again to try some other things on the menu.

Knitting: The Big Bad Purple Baby Blanket

(From Stitch 'N Bitch: A Knitter's Handbook by Debbie Stoller. Pattern "Big Bad Baby Blanket", page 187.)

This project took months and months, and I think it ended up being much bigger than the pattern intended - the sunglasses in the first picture give an idea of scale. It would comfortably cover a grown child, not just a baby (thanks to my using a different type of yarn than the pattern specified, and obviously not getting the conversion quite right). But, given that it was knitted for a dear friend living in chilly London, I think having a big thick blanket that can be doubled over will be just fine for Bubs.

The Bubs in question is due to arrive in less than a week, so fingers crossed the blanket gets there in time. (I was knitting it right up till the eleventh hour - curse you Summer heat for getting in the way of productive knitting.)

Some photos of recent cooking endeavors:

Pea & mint rice pasta:

Pancetta for the pasta:

(Blurry) Heart-shaped meatballs for Valentine's Day:

Beetroot & feta spaghetti: