What'd you do when life hands you lemons?

There are many good answers to that question - get a bottle of gin or tequila, make lemonade, polish the furniture.  I'm normally partial to the gin suggestion, but as it's only just past 10 am, I'll refrain for the moment. 

I came across this recipe the other day, channel surfing.  One of those TV cooking demos was making what looked to be really easy, and using lemons.  We had a large bowlful of those citrussy little gems which, if not dealt with promptly, were going to be wasted, which I hate.  So, off to the supy to buy some frozen berries (them being out of season at the moment) and voila!  We enjoyed it at the beach over the weekend, and now the remnants are enlivening our lunches.  I forgot to take any pictures of it once cooked, but I'm sure you can imagine what a lemon-berry loaf looks like.  Make some lemon icing if you fancy, I didn't bother and frankly it didn't need it. 

125 g butter
3/4 cup sugar
zest from 2 lemons
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted 
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup berries (I used mixed)

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Spray/line 23 cm loaf tin.
2. Cream butter and sugar.  Add zest and beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Add flour and lemon juice and fold until just combined. 
4. Fold in berries and spoon into tin.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cooked through.
6. Remove from oven and allow to rest in tin for 10 minutes before turning onto wire rack. 

It's kaimoana time again, friends

Sunny days, daylight savings on the way.  Time for BBQs and seafood.  With the ABs playing France tonight, we've got chips and sangers for the kids, but what about us, more discerning big kids?  Perusing the wares at the local supy this arvo we settled on prawns.  Skewered.  BBQed.  Mean. 

KB's a master of tasty seafood - full of flavour, but not overpowering the delicate nature of the fodder itself.  Tonight's was tasty as usual, but with the addition of a couple of different ingredients it took on an amazing silky texture, almost creamy, and flavoursome as hell. 

Mix the following (and anything else you have to hand and feel inclined to throw in), brush over skewered prawns, and go to BBQ town.

Lemon zest (plenty plenty plenty)

Mint

Wholegrain mustard

Salt and pepper

Capers, mushed up

dash of sugar

if you like piña coladas...

Okay, this isn't actually anything to do with piña coladas, but piña colada sort of rhymed with peanut butter, so...  Hey, it's a Sunday night, so throw a girl a bone here.  Anyhoo... a couple of weeks ago we had friends and their families over for lunch, potluck.  There are two things which rule about potluck meals - you don't have to cook everything, and there is a variety of dishes to sample.  Oh, and a good portion of the dishes go home with those who brought them.  So three things.  Sweet.  This recipe is for a satay sauce.  Ooooh, I hear you (sarcastically) coo.  Seriously, before you roll your eyes and declare there's nothing special about satay, it's just a peanut sauce, try this one.  Get some chicken kebabs (that's what we had), or slap a layer onto a tasty homemade burger, then sink your teeth into a taste sensation.  Over the top?  No.  This sauce, from Mel Instone, is sublime.  It's got a nice twist, from the chilli and fish sauce.  I'm just trying to thing of more ways to slip it into our evening fare.  Maybe on pizza bases?  Or just on a spoon.  Yum.  So good.  Hungry.  Going to make some more.  Bye!! 

1 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 cups coconut cream/milk

1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

a little oil

1. Fry onion and garlic in oil. 
2. Add all other ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. 
3. Eat and enjoy!!