Ginger kisses: a mystery solved

I absolutely LOVE ginger kisses and went through a stage of buying them all the time from the supermarket.  They are a baked treat that are a favourite in New Zealand and Australia and are basically two ginger 'cookies' (although the texture is more like cake) with vanilla buttercream in between.  Kinda like a ginger version of the whoopie pie. 

Banoffee cupcakes with dulce de leche & cream cheese frosting

These cupcakes were one of my first ever cupcake creations. 

I had my first slice of Banoffee pie (or Banoffi pie) years ago at the Herne Bay RSA and I tell you, it was a revelation.  Caramel, bananas, cream and cookie crust are a dream combination.  So when I first started making cupcakes a couple of years ago, I went about trying to recreate this classic dessert as a cupcake.

Review: Jafa, Grey Lynn, Auckland.

The NZ Herald gave Jafa a rave review recently, so when the girls decided to have brunch on the Saturday of the Queen's Birthday weekend, we picked Jafa for a girly catch up.

Penne with chorizo and coriander pesto

C has fond memories of growing up in Oratia, West Auckland which is about a half an hour drive from the CBD.  The area is what you'd call semi-rural, semi ruggard and  C's family home overlooked a native bush covered valley in the Waitakere Ranges.  A world away from the urban jungle I grew up in, in Hong Kong!

One childhood memory C particularly likes recalling, was how one year C's mum planted a massive bush of coriander.  When the bush was about to go to seed, C's mum made a humongous jar of coriander pesto which sat in the fridge for about 2 seconds before C and his two older brothers demolished the lot.

World peace cookies and thank you's

Touted as cookies that are so good a daily dose could bring about world peace and happiness, these Dorie Greenspan cookie are chocolately, moreish and a perfect thank you gift.

Snack attack: jalapeno and cheddar mousetraps

Who can resist a grilled cheese sandwich?  Not many, if any.  Spice them up with some pickled jalapenos and you've got yourself a hell of an afternoon snack.  Super easy, super fast and oh so satisfying.

Sauvignon blanc cupcakes with raspberry cream cheese frosting

Everyone knows that strawberries and champagne are a match made in heaven.  So why not make strawberries and champagne cupcakes?  Unfortunately, strawberries are out of season at the mo and it seems we drank our last bottle of bubbly a little while back, so making do with what we had/could find, I made Sauvignon Blanc Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting.

Tea party with law ladies

Sometimes it's good to be a girl.