What's cooking in our home this week!

It's been a busy week with lots happening in our house. We have had some hurdles to jump as well as some little sideline projects we are working on- hence no blogging for a a few days!

I'm not naturally a lunchy type person- unless it's made for me…- and Im especially bad when there is lots happening and distractions of the small people. This simple cauliflower salad is quick and easy, relatively healthy, fresh and tasty.

It was given to me recently by a good friend, Susan and since then its been getting quite a bit of midday (well mid afternoon) airtime! 

Cut your uncooked caulifower into small florets. Mix a quantity of Kewpie Mayonaisse with some wasabi (optional and to taste) in a seperate small bowl. Combine with cauliflower and place in a bowl or on a plate. Sprinkle over black and white sesame seeds. Dont worry if you don't have the black sesame seeds- I bought some at our visit to the South Melbourne Markets a few weeks ago. Up until then I just used the white sesame seeds and it was fine.

How easy is that???

Seriously yummy and can be eaten as a side salad or accompanied with your drinks and nibbles as a tapas style dish.

This past week has also seen a batch of my mother in law's amazing Tomato relish cooked up in our kitchen with a rather large bag of juicy over ripe tomatoes purchased at the markets last weekend.
Relish is a staple in our house (much like milk and bread). You can never have enough of this little jar of goodness!

And this delicious Orange and Garlic Roast Chook from the latest Home Beautiful Magazine.

Trying to enjoy the last few weeks of outdoor dining with the kids before daylight savings ends and the cooler weather sets in.

What food were you cooking up this week in your home?

Guest Post- Leigh's Herb and Pancetta Poached Chicken

Today I am very lucky to have Leigh from ChitChatChomp as my first Guest blogger on Townmouse Countrymouse. ChitChatChomp is a lovely blog filled with delicious, french inspired recipes and the most gorgeous photos, that will leave you salivating and wishing Leigh lived at your home. Leigh's style of cooking is based on keeping it simple, using seasonal ingredients and giving it a french twist. Even if you're not into cooking, this blog is definitely still worth a visit for the visual feast your eyes will be treated too, the lovely french stories that go with each recipe and the other interesting travel pieces Leigh enjoys writing about. Leigh describes herself as "a Melbourne based Taurean, home cook, amateur photographer and a lover of all things french!"- I just love her style of cooking and am in love with her photography (definitely not amateur!!!).

I hope you enjoy Leigh's post as much as I have…..

Being someone who lives and breathes recipes and food, I'm often asked what my favourite type of food is to cook.  Funnily enough, it's not the easiest question for me to answer as it completely depends on the season, time of day and of course the biggest factor, my mood.

If it's a mid-week meal during Summer, I love nothing better than experimenting with salads, and at the moment it's the ones that contain lentils that have me drooling.

A lazy weekend on a cooler day, I can guarantee you that my oven will be on and something yummy and soothing will be inside bubbling away.

However, there seems to be a few common links that bring most of the food that I love to cook together:

1.  Simplicity

2.  Fresh, organic produce

3.  A tilt towards French flavours

Herb and Pancetta Poached Chicken

  

Oh la la!

Light enough for a Spring/Summer evening, yet hearty enough to satisfy anyone on a cooler night, rugged up under a blanket with a wine in hand.

A dish that also freezes and defrosts beautifully!

You asked me what I like to cook, well....voila!

Special thanks to Leigh for this lovely post.

All photos taken by Leigh.

These and many more can be found on ChitChatChomp.

Are you a lover of all things french???