The Royal Wedding!

Congratulations Kate and Wills.
What a beautiful wedding!!
The dress in one word "stunning"!
Pippa's bridesmaids dress also gorgeous and did you see their second dresses for the party afterwards... I'll bet there will be plenty of copies on the rack soon.

Hollywood xox

Hollywoods Sunday Lunch Pumpkin Soup

So I was home alone today as I said before because hubby is off playing golf. So I decided to make myself some yummy pumpkin soup (perfect for the cooler weather).
So here's how I did it:

chopped up butternut pumpkin (can also use Kent Pumpkin)
put on baking tray lined with baking paper, sprinkled over olive oil, sea salt and fresh rosemary leaved.
Baked at 180 degrees until cooked and golden

Placed two chopped onions, 1 chopped clove of garlic in large saucepan and cooked until onion caramelised. Added baked pumpkin and vegetable stock and cooked over stove for approx 30 minutes.
Then used the kitchen whizz to blend and added a dash of milk, salt and pepper to taste.

x Hollywood

Now did I mention that the swans lost on Friday ..... I should have stayed home and watched the royal wedding live!!

Check out the photos I added to the Rhubarb Tarts

Vege and Herb Garden

So husband is at golf today and I have done 4 loads of washing. When I was hanging the last load of washing out I looked over at my vege/herb garden and thought that our followers might be interested. Both Snickers and I grow some of our own veges and herbs. I live in a unit block and only recently created our communal garden. It has been great because I have met so many people in our unit block through doing the garden!!
If you live in a unit block remember to seek Strata approval before starting.
Im currently growing:
* cherry tomatoes
* rocket
* chilli
* celery
* silverbeet

* herbs (basil, chives, mint, thyme, corriander, parsley, rosemary)
* and I have a bay leaf tree!!

I used fresh chives and parsley straight from my garden for the poached chicken sandwiches and pumpkin soup - fresh rosemary.

Secret ingredient to a successful vege/herb garden - cow poop!

x Hollywood

Mother's day special : Hollywoods famous poached chicken sandwiches

Ok so I am really trying to make up for my slack blogging now.... this recipe is for my famous poached chicken sandwiches. I get asked to make these time and time again.  They are perfect for a picnic (we had them on our wedding day when at the photo location :) ) and would be ideal to make this mothers day.
They are SO EASY!!!

Boil chicken breast (as much as you require for the amount of people you are cooking for) in vegetable stock until the chicken is well cooked through.

Remove chicken from stock and allow to cool.

Chop celery, fresh chive and fresh flat leaf parsley and place in a bowl.

Finely chop chicken and add to herbs.

Add whole egg mayonaise and sour cream until it coats the chicken. Use approx 1/2 cup mayonaise to 2 tablespoons sour cream.

Add slithered almonds (to add a nice crunch) and then season with salt and pepper.

Now add to buttered bread and slice as you wish.

Occasionally I mix things up a bit, here are a few variations:
* basil instead of chives and parsley
* seeded mustard
* add avocado

Note: this sandwich refridgerates well, so you can make it the day before required.

Hope you enjoy, my secret easy sandwich recipe is out!!!

X Hollywood

Easter Potato Bake "slightly healthier than usual"

So I have been away up to Northern Queensland for easter. We ate fresh coral trout, bugs, tiger prawns, tusk fish etc etc. To compliment all our fresh seafood we ate a lot of fresh salads but also I made this fabulous potato bake off the top of my head.....
it goes a bit like this....

Peel and very finely slice potatoes (however many you need for you guests - we were cooking for 11 people)

Peel and also finely slice 2 small onions

Spray olive oil into you baking dish

Neatly layer the dish, 1 layer of potatoes and then sprinkle some finely slice onion. Continue until you reach desired quantity.

Mix 1/2 cup of light cream with about 1 cup of light milk, add 1 teaspoon garlic, 2 tablespoons seeded mustard and 2 table spoons of plain flour. Beat with a whisk until well combined. Poor over potatoes.
Garnish top with freshly grated parmesan, nutmeg and freshly chopped chives.

Opps nearly forgot to add taste the milk mixture first and adjust quantities of garlic and mustard to suit your palate. Season with salt and pepper

Cook in a 180 degree over until the potato is cooked through and the top is crispy golden brown.

Sorry about the photos, I only took photos before I put it in the oven

It was delicious and much healthier than full cream versions.

x Hollywood

I've been a slack blogger!!

OK, so you may be wondering why you havnt seen a blog from Hollywood lately? Well, the only real, truthful answer I have is that I have been slack!! I have cooked and photographed just havnt got around to putting them up.
So for this I get the title "slack blogger"

To make ammends to all our faithful followers I promise to do a 'super blog session'..... starting now....