berry berry good

Tis the season for fresh summer produce. Berries, melons, all the things that make you feel light and breezy perfectly compliment the warmer days and longer nights.
This blueberry syrup can be used for a multitude of recipe's and the blueberries can be substituted for your favorite raspberries or any other berry you may fancy.


Blueberry Vanilla Syrup

Put three cups of freshly washed blueberries into a small saucepan.

Add a cup of water a cup of vanilla sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Add half of a vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and bring to the boil.

Once it's boiling bring it down to a nice simmer. The blueberries will begin to burst and fill your house with warm berry jam aroma.

After about half an hour, the pectin in the lemon will begin to thicken the syrup.  Take it off the heat and allow to cool a little.

Remove vanilla pod and fill an old bottle with this deliciously fragrant jammy syrup. If you wish to have a smoother syrup, be sure to strain it before storing. Use it with the Doughy Lemon Maple Yogurt Cake or in a summer cocktail.  The uses are endless! Explore!

when life gives you lemons...

...there's a heck of a lot more to make than lemonade!


Our neighbor has the most amazing lemon tree. All year round the tree is laden with the most succulent juicy lemons. Although my favorite variety is the Meyer for its kinder bite, when it comes to cooking with some extra zing the good ol' traditional lemon makes for the biggest impact.
One of my favorite cakes is a simple yogurt cake that my mum would make. She'd take it straight out of the oven and while it was still piping hot, cover it in heavy dosing of cinnamon and sugar. We'd sit with our cup of tea and call it a day! This lemon yogurt cake with a blueberry syrup (that will just blow your mind) is an homage to that time in the kitchen with my mum. 


Doughy Lemon Maple Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt 

sift into a bowl

in a separate bowl whisk together

3 jumbo eggs

3/4 cup of sugar

1 cup of your favorite whole yogurt (I recommend fage greek yogurt)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/4 cup of good maple syrup

2 teaspoons of lemon zest

gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until thick and evenly combined

add 1/2 a cup of vegetable oil to mixture and carefully fold in until even.

place in greased loaf pan and put in the oven for around 50 minutes until center is doughy but cooked.

The next part in this process absolutely takes this simple cake to the next level..

Lemon Vanilla Glaze

Combine 1/3 of sugar and 1/3 cups of lemon juice into saucepan.

Add half a vanilla bean with seeds or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Once syrup mixture is brought to the boil and sugar is completely dissolved remove from heat.

Slowly strain hot syrup over warm cake and allow mixture to soak completely into loaf.

loaf will be shiny and inviting... I dare you to resist!

The best part is that it keeps getting better over the following days. The worst part is that it's yet to last more than an afternoon!

packing punches

More often than not people wait for reasons to celebrate (birthdays, engagements, holidays, weddings) and then sometimes the pressure that comes with celebrating such momentous occasions can actually make the day stressful, negating the 'celebration' part altogether.  Everyone's busy with life, kids, work and sometimes when you're out of practice the idea of hosting any type of event is enough to tip you over the edge, which is one of the reasons that I launched my business the chirpy bird and why I love what I do.  It's not about events, it's about lifestyle and I love showing people how easy it is to commemorate the simple moments and joys in life. Whether it's the season finale of Lost or tonights UFC fight with Jackson vs. Evans, finding things to celebrate is a great habit to get into.  I personally have never been big into watching two grown men beat the living daylights out of each other, however some of my best friends find it to be extremely exciting.  So tonight I'm choosing to celebrate the way that I know how, by giving everyone a good ol' punch. One black & blue and red punch to be exact! Oh yes, diving head first into the boxing theme...here we go!

Watermelon Punch 
Watermelon
Handful of fresh mint
Superfine sugar
Ginger Ale
Vodka
Lime

Cut up watermelon and blend until smooth. 

p.s. notice the OPI Tickle My France-y nail color I was raving about a couple of days ago! 

Finely slice two tablespoons of mint and add to blender. Also add one tablespoon of superfine sugar to watermelon mixture.

Fill desired pitcher with ice. By the way if you don't have enough pitchers for your party, have a look around and see if you have any cool vases that can double.

Stir in two cups of Watermelon mint puree.

Add 1 1/4 cups of Ginger Ale.

I'm Australian so I like to start with at least 1/2 a cup of Vodka and then go up from there if necessary. Now's a good time to taste test. Then add the juice of two limes.

Add slices of limes to your mixture and sprigs of fresh mint to garnish.  I also love to wrap my pitchers with basic kitchen twine to add a little rustic effect.


Black and Blue Punch


Using frozen blackberries and blueberries here saves lots of $ but if you've got some berries left over from the farmers market that are looking dull, use them up! Waste not want not!


Copy the Watermelon Punch recipe above but substitute the berries for the watermelon. If you've chosen to use frozen berries, it's best to wait until they've thawed out a little so they're nice and juicy.  


enjoy!

sunday morning hangovers.

Last night my LA family and I had a little early birthday celebration at my favorite LA hotspot, The Soho House.  The sun was setting, the drinks were flowing and it wasn't long before we were all taking shots and in full celebration mode. My girlfriends and I found ourselves in the restroom chatting about our pending hangovers when a girl burst out of one of the stalls instantly imparting her strategy for that ever illusive 'night of drinking without a hint of a hangover'. 

I did a little research this morning and there is actually some evidence to support her said theory.  

Tequila is the constant ingredient and the rest goes something like this.

Tequila and the juice of two limes followed by

tequila and pineapple juice.

Continue to alternate between the two for hangover busting power.

The key ingredient here is the Bromelain found in the pineapple juice which is a super hydrating and anti inflammatory enzyme.  Apparently the citrus in the lime  kicks up the bromelain power and keeps you super hydrated, allowing you the fun of a boozy Saturday night and dodging the nasty, puffy hangover that usually follows.

Unfortunately I can't give her a shout out as I don't remember her name and if this actually works then who knows, she might've been an apparition. Then again right after our restroom rendezvous I saw her accost a celeb at the bar and proceed to give him advice on how he can improve his character on his current hit ABC series, "give me more eyes, not so much mouth... you rely too much on your mouth and it's uncomfortable..." Clearly she's a well of wisdom.

After my night of filthy dirty martini's I'm going to take some advil and take my puffy swollen self back to bed.

Whoa Baby!

When I see one of my dearest girlfriends with her baby everything in my body screams, "I want one!" It's true that I've always wanted babies but as I get older I become more aware of the complexities of raising a happy child and just how much it changes everything you once knew to be true.  
I spent an afternoon with this fashion savvy new mommy making her Mama's Abondiga soup and chatting about motherhood.

1 lb lean ground turkey
2 eggs
1 cup white rice
3 lg potatoes
1 tablespoon oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

combine meat, eggs, spices and rice

What were the biggest changes you experienced after becoming a Mom?
Everything changes. You always have an idea of what motherhood will be like but it's all those things multiplied by all the things that you never could've anticipated. I expected my marriage to change but I didn't realize that it would change quite so much and all for the better. The love I share with my husband has deepened in ways that I didn't know were possible.  When I look at my baby, I see him starring back at me and the love that we shared in order to create her. It's more profound than I ever could've bargained for.

chop potato into large pieces and fill large soup pot 1/2 way with water. Bring to boil.

My friendships are the ones that have suffered the most since Stella was born.  Babies are magical little things, they have the ability to cut through all of the 'bs' and find out who's in for what. Sometimes we can find ourselves surrounded by friends that are all about the good times and that's okay but when you're a new mom and you're terrified, you need the real deal girlfriends, your 'sisters'. You need that tribe of people who will come over and listen to your fears about leaving the window open or ramble about the wonders of poop and how today you're a bad mom because you forgot to cut your babies nails. You need people around you who will give your friendship room so that you can become the woman and mother that you are trying to be. 

make meat into desired sized meatballs

Advice for new moms?  
Just let go.  Realize that you can't control everything, you will be surprised, confused, elated, EXHAUSTED and emotional on a daily basis from the second this creature is born.  Nothing will be how you imagined it to be.  Nothing.   ~ Except for how deeply you will love this child... and even the depths of that love will shock you

add meat balls to boiling water and allow meatballs to cook for 30 minutes

Baby weight advice?  
Don't even think about dieting for a good four or five months.  And even then - do it gradually.  Enjoy your time with your new cub, relax and eat the comfort food that (good) friends will bring to you.  I spent a lot of time worrying about getting my pre-baby body back, in addition to all of the other stresses and lack of sleep that comes with being a new mom!  It was so stupid.  Let yourself heal.  Again, let go!  I didn't even begin to feel like myself again until at least five months, and when I did, I was HAPPY to get on that elliptical and get back into the swing of life and watching what I ate.  And then the pounds just melted off.  But remember, your post-baby weight is determined by where your body was BEFORE you got pregnant.  I was lucky to have been in great shape because I was working out a lot with a trainer before our wedding, so that helped. 

add potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes are soft

Fashion advice for new moms?  
Don't go out and buy an entire new wardrobe for your "in between" size.  But it's ok to get a few things.  It will make you feel better than still wearing your maternity gear, and nothing is more depressing that trying to squeeze into your old jeans when you feel like you'll never fit into them again.  So, get a decent pair of jeans - don't spend a lot, you will get rid of these in a few months. (I found some at Old Navy, spent like $25 bucks, they were cozy, cool, inexpensive and I wore them every day!) Keep your leggings and flowy tops, but pack away your maternity clothes and THROW AWAY the giant underwear and go to Victoria's Secret to treat yourself to some new ones!  It will make you feel good and excited to get back to being you again.  Once you're back to your pre-baby size, follow my blog! hahahaha

serve piping hot with warm tortilla and cheese. Delish! 

lemon cookie drops

These little gems are a lovely alternative to chocolate for those few people out there who actually need an alternative to chocolate! They're great after a really spicy meal and can be made with any citrus so feel free to mix it up!
This recipe makes 60 cookies.
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/3 and then later 2/3 of confectioners sugar
1 1/2 lemons finely zested
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Place 1 1/2 sticks of room temperature butter in your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. It's always really important to start with room temperature butter so leave it out overnight or speed up the process by putting the butter in a ziplock and laying it in some room temperature water.

Whip butter until it reaches a fluffy consistency.

Gradually add 1/3 cup of powdered sugar to the whipped butter mixture.

Once the mixture is combined and fluffy, add the zest of 1 1/2 large lemons.

Add two tablespoons of lemon juice and one tablespoon of pure vanilla extract.

Once everything is fully combined get ready to add flour (keep in mind that you can never really over mix butter and sugar, it's when you add the flour that you have to be careful)

Sift together 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of good all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon of course salt into a separate bowl.

On the lowest setting of your mixer (or do it by hand) gradually fold in the flour mixture. Right before you add the last 1/4 of a cup, (or there about) fold the rest in by hand until it's just incorporated.  

Separate mixture into two equal parts and form a log with 1 1/4 inches diameter on a piece of parchment paper. 

Roll in parchment and make sure that the log is an even thickness of 1/14 inches. Using a straight edge ruler helps. 

place in refrigerator for at least an hour until the dough is completely firm and cold. Then cut into 1/4 inch rounds and place on a backing sheet lined with parchment paper approximately 1 inch apart.

Bake for approximately 13 minutes until cookies are barely golden, rotating half way through to ensure even baking. Transfer to wire cooling rack and allow to settle for 8 minutes. While still warm toss with 2/3 of a cup of powdered sugar and enjoy!