The most recent love of my life... MY KITCHEN!

It's easy to spend time in such a beautiful and elegant space (even if I do say so myself). Cooking here and in my new oven is a dream.

I've been baking, roasting, grilling and frying up a storm. Here's a sneak peak at one of my latest creations. Chewy in the middle and crunchy on top with little hidden chocolate delights.

The best ever Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

½ cup plain flour

¾ cup cocoa powder

1 ¼ cup caster. sugar

160g unsalted butter

2 eggs, cold

⅛ tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. cornflour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup. chocolate chips

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line a 20x20cm pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2.     In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and sugar. Heat in the microwave on high for about 1 minute and 15 seconds. Remove, stir, and cool on the counter for 5 minutes, then stir in the vanilla extract and cocoa powder.

3.     In the bowl of a stand mixer add the warm (but not hot) butter/sugar mixture. With mixing speed on low add one egg at a time, mixing just until incorporated.

4.     In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add dry ingredients. Mix until no flour pockets remain. Remove bowl from stand and fold in the chocolate chips..

5.     Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the brownies are set. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30-45 minutes before cutting. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Lights - Teledo Pendants from Schots Home Emporium 
Countertops - Carrara Marble from Corsi & Nicolai
Oven - Belling 110cm Richmond Duel Fuel Range Freestanding Oven from Harvey Norman
Door & Drawer hardware - Cast plain semi-circle drawer pull and Round cupboard knob from Schots
Splashback Tiles - Carrara Bianco Herringbone Mosaic from Beaumont Tiles

And the landscaping begins...

So now to get our heads around landscaping an almost entirely empty 1 1/3 acre block (eeeek).

We are starting with the driveway, we want something that is easy to use and that is no easy feat when Jason drives and F250. However, it seems we have somehow managed to reach that happy place between usability and  aesthetics.

Bringing in the big guns

The progress has been somewhat hampered by yet another downpour of rain as soon as any form of heavy machinery lands on site. It is now a bit of a running joke with the machine driver that, 'hey its raining again, I must be at the York's'.   

Our very own moat.

That being said it is really starting to take shape now, rain or not.

Perhaps one day we will lay bitchumum on the driveway but for now we are just going to have to settle for stone. The wall in the above pic will have to be retained and we are going to make a full length garden bed along it at about 1 metre high. We're hoping to use a brick to match the coloured concrete of our verandah.

INSPIRATION: