I'm Back! With Spinach & Ricotta Dip

It has been 20 long months since I posted on the Baker & the Curry Maker and a lot has happened in that time! I have a perfect new man, a funky new home, a new exciting job and a brave new hairstyle plus a few new gorgeous friends. I've been itching to get back into the blogging lately. I almost made it back last weekend with a lemon slice but I was staying at my parents place in Clare and didn't have my camera. And so this is my returning recipe.... Spinach and Ricotta Dip.

I've had this at morning teas at work a few times and I actually get frustrated when staff bring it along. I want to pick it up and take it back to my desk where I can devour it all myself. This week another pesky staff member brought it in and I decided to make one all of my own today so I can sit in the comfort of my lounge room and inhale it. I so badly didn't want to share with my boyfriend that I made him one all of his own also!

It's simple and always a hit!

300g Ricotta
500g Frozen chopped spinach
100g Danish Feta
300g Sour Cream
1/3 cup chopped chives
30g Spring Vegetable Soup Mix
Freshly Ground Pepper
Cob bread

Squeeze and discard all liquid from thawed spinach. Place into a large bowl. Add ricotta, feta and sour cream. Stir until well combined and smooth. Add chives and dried soup. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Mix until well combined.

Using a serrated knife, slice a 3 to 4cm-thick slice off top of loaf. Set aside. Remove soft white bread from centre of loaf to form a bread 'bowl' and use this to scoop out the dip. Spoon spinach and ricotta mixture into loaf. Serve immediately.

E.

Banana Bread

Here's a nice easy, comforting recipe for you when you have left over bananas, like we all do sometimes.

This recipe comes from Woman's Weekly cookbook collection, and is the only banana bread recipe I have ever used as it was perfect every single time.

1 ¼ cups self raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
20g butter
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup milk
½ cup ripe mashed banana
Preheat oven to 170C.

Grease 14cmx21cm loaf pan.

Sift flour and cinnamon into a large bowl and rub in the butter.

Stir in the sugar, egg, milk and banana and mix. Do not over mix, the batter should be lumpy.

Spoon into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked when tested.

Cool and serve sliced with butter.

S

February Daring Bakers Challenge - French Bread

I somehow landed a whole Saturday to myself. Sitting in front of the Saturday morning music clips with coffee and hot cross bun I wondered what I could do. After a few sleepy minutes I realised the next Daring Bakers Challenge – Julia Child’s French Bread!

The challenge had been set about 2 or 3 weeks ago at this stage by Mary from Breadchick and Sara from I Like to Cook.


As I looked through the Daring Bakers discussion site I noticed many people were bowing out because this month’s challenge was too hard… Hmm how hard could it be I thought.

I then read the recipe (which took a long time!) and understood why people had had such a thought! Maybe I should consider bowing out gracefully myself…

I walked into the kitchen at 11am and cleaned everything to have a fresh canvas, and with that the games began. Some people said it took them 9.5 hours. I assume because I was in hot and humid Sydney, Australia I lucky as it only took me about 4 – 5 hours start to finish. The dough rose much quicker than the recipe indicated, both times.

And so, with all that time kneading, waiting for the yeast to do its job, and brushing the rolls with iced water every 3 minutes during their time in the oven they came out great! They were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I was very pleased. I was surprised they were so salty, but I’m not complaining! What a treat that all this effort and time produced gorgeous little French dinner rolls. Thanks Mary and Sara.

We don’t have a printer at home, so I went up to a local internet café and printed the recipe. It was 11 pages! Therefore I am not posting it here. If you would like to check out the recipe, please find it here.

And, of course, if you would like to check out my fellow Daring Bakers, please do so here.


S