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Butterfly cupcakes are very old fashioned but classics are classics for a reason. My boys went nuts for these pretty little cakes which was surprising because they are rough & tough type boys! Made quickly with minimum effort and maximum effect, this recipe is a great one to have in your back pocket for a morning tea or picnic. Its a warm spring day that we meet photographer, Sarah (sarahmeiphotography@gmail.com, @sarahmei.photography) at Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden in Lavender Bay for a picnic themed photoshoot of the boys and I. Hubby is home on crutches following a knee reconstruction and honestly I'm glad to get out of the house and have a break from being nurse! #givemeabreak She tells me she has given up her career as a lawyer to pursue photography and I can totally relate because before kids I was an accountant/business analyst and am so enjoying my new life as a food blogger! You have to follow your passion in life and I am only too happy to support other women in business #girlboss. Sarah has a lovely nature and is extremely patient with my motley crue as we wander the garden while she snaps away. As you can see from the photos above and the new images on my blog, Sarah has a real talent for capturing those beautiful family moments that happen in between the poses. For this shoot I want to bring some sort of food item that will look pretty in the pictures but also act as a treat for my two snack monsters to keep them motivated. I remember butterfly cupcakes from my childhood and its decided. “Cupcakes cook so quickly they are a great alternative to baking a whole cake and kids seem like like them more! If you're more of a baking novice like me, butterfly cupcakes look quite impressive but don't actually require much finicky decorating work other than plopping down some jam/cream then inserting the wings. A dusting of icing sugar also hides a multitude of sins.” Butterfly Cupcakes adapted from a taste.com recipe Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Makes: 12 Cupcakes 200g Butter, softened 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Paste 1 Cup of Caster Sugar 3 Eggs 2 1/2 Cups of Self Raising Flour 1/2 Cup of Milk 1 Cup of Raspberry Jam 300mL Thickened Cream Icing Sugar for Dusting Step 1- Cream the butter, vanilla and sugar in a mix master or using electric beaters until light and fluffy. Step 2- Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. The mixture will look split at this stage. Carry on and believe! Step 3- Fold in the self raising flour and milk until combined. Step 4- Divide evenly into a 12 hole muffin tray lined with patty pans and bake at 180c for 15 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Step 5- Whip the cream till stiff and set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut an inverted dome in the top of each cupcake and split in half for your wings. Step 6- Place a teaspoon of jam in the cavity of each cupcake then top with the same amount of whipped cream. Place the 2 cupcake wings at and angle, then dust with icing sugar.

The bottomless brunch circuit in Sydney has many heavy hitters, but none as exciting as the new entrant: Boozey Brunchey at Holey Moley. A combination of mini golf, pub food and bottomless booze promises a fun time had by all. It is a lazy Sunday morning where I join my fellow diners for a spot of mini golf and bottomless brunch. I've been looking forward to this meal because rather than the very civilized smoked salmon scrambled eggs and glass of bubbly you get at most bottomless brunches, the Holey Moley offering includes a choice of specialty cocktail on arrival, 2 hrs of unlimited tap beer/cider and wine, a choice of 3 pub grub food items, bottomless waffle fries and all the mini golf you can handle. Did I mention that all of this is covered by the princely sum of $50? I spend more on a manicure! #nailedit Newtown is such a cool, grungy area of Sydney that Holey Moley fits right in with a vibe that I can only describe as carnival-golf-dive-bar. I can't help but feel like a big kid, spying out the themed putt putt experience that lies ahead. In a group of 4 today, there are enough of us to try the entire menu, including cocktails which arrive first. Squeals of delight erupt from the men (relax fellas) when we see the Shark Bite, served in a ceramic shark shaped vessel, housing Pampero white rum, Malibu, blue curacao and coconut shaken with pineapple juice complete with miniature rubber ducky floating in the seas within the sharks mouth. I'm not a lover of this one, mostly due to my coconut aversion but everyone else likes it. Just on that, I know it's hard to believe that a Thai doesn't like coconut since it features so heavily in Thai cooking and the truth is, I like it in curries and basically all savoury dishes but I don't coconut in sweet preparations: desiccated coconut, coconut desserts but I quite like a fresh coconut juice! Who says I'm shallow and uncomplicated? #itscomplicated #mysteriousgirl The other cocktails are a Nutty Espresso Martini with Smirnoff vodka, hazelnut liquer, espresso coffee with shavings of Reece's peanut butter cups and a tequila and Midori mix topped with jelly baby garnish. The espresso martini is my favourite, with just the right amount of kick from the alcohol and coffee tempered by the sweetness of the chocolate shavings on top. With tummies grumbling, we are all very happy to see the food arrive in quick succession, each dish prettier and more whimsical than the last. Take the Krabby Patty Burger for example, the potato bun is coloured a vibrant hot pink which surprises and delights. The burger itself is great! The patty is juicy and tender with hints of onion through it, the crispy fried onion ring adding a welcome crunch in opposition and the fresh salad ingredients brightening everything up. I really really enjoy it. I can't help but notice that all the dishes have been created with fun and flavour at the forefront, this is echoed through to the vibrant and vivacious house staff who seem to be in a party mood along with us. I know my kids would love to come here for the exciting food and the mini golf, and after seeing a kids party happening in the back courtyard, it seems that it is a kid appropriate venue during the day where parents and kids can have a great time. Not only is the presentation of the food filled with joy, the interactivity aspect is very clever. Both the popcorn shrimp and fried chicken ribs are accompanied by matching sauces in syringes where the lucky chosen one of the table *me* gets to squirt its contents all over the dish (insert dirty joke here). The popcorn shrimp is crisp and flavourful in the batter, but I feel like the size of the prawn being very small lets this dish down. Had the prawns have been larger, the prawn flavour maybe would not be lost up against the fried batter. The chicken ribs have great depth of flavour and the acidic hot sauce is the perfect accompaniment, cutting through the fried oiliness that can sometimes be overbearing. “Lets take a second to talk about waffle fries. It's like a potato wedge and a french fry had a perfect little baby, combining the seasoning of the wedge and the crispness of a fry. As part of the bottomless brunch deal, these beauties are unlimited and man, are they good! I wish for some barbecue sauce to go with these puppies but there happens to be a large crowd at the bar and I decide it isn't worth lining up for." After cocktails, we move onto beers and wine which are able to be taken throughout the mini golf course with little shelves placed thoughtfully at each tee so you can concentrate on putting. There are heaps of putters available in varying sizes for us more serious golfers- I wish my golfing talent matched my trash talk- and we work our way through the mini golf course. The themed holes contain lots of hazards to keep it challenging enough for adults yet easy enough for kids. Upstairs is a second bar and the back 9 holes if the first 9 don't satisfy. There are heaps of photo opportunities throughout the course and the venue including fluorescent angel wings, Simpsons couch, Finstones car and E.T. push bike. For an afternoon filled with fun, whimsy, laughter and tasty food, Holey Moley is a great choice of venue and the bottomless brunch is definitely the way to get the best value out of the experience. Perfect for parties or groups of friends, my two boys will love this so I am keen to bring them back for lunch and golf! Holey Moley Newtown 387 King St, Newtown *I dined here as a guest of Holey Moley and Rafael Ruiz from Travel & Lifestyle, but all opinions remain my own

Every family has their own version of beef stroganoff. Growing up, my mum served hers over pappardelle or fettuccini. Hubby swears by rice because that's how his mum made it. And I was enlightened when someone told me their mum served hers over mashed potato! Genius! In my house, much to my kids dismay, I serve mine over cauliflower rice because I'm calorie conscious during the week BUT I put a lot of love and care into my beef strog, slow cooking the beef until it is tender and falling apart. It does take more time, but it is so worth it, and if you're off to work for the day, a slow cooker can do most of the job for you! Beef stroganoff sounds and looks like quite a rich and heavy dish but I love the acidic element brought in by the addition of Worcestershire sauce and sour cream. It brightens and lightens it all up so you don't have that uncomfortably full feeling after eating it. For years I couldn't manage to cook beef strog without ruining it when I added the sour cream. It would always curdle and leave me with the unappetizing appearance of little white blobs throughout the sauce. Hubby of course never mentioned it, instead chowing down and telling me it was delicious every time when it obviously wasn't! Actually he has never ever given me negative feedback about my cooking, which is very kind because I've made plenty of kitchen mistakes over the years! #kitchennightmares. "You don't bite the hand that feeds you" was what he told me one day after I questioned him about it. Clever man. I guess that could be the one of the keys to a happy marriage: making your partner feel appreciated and valued even when they stuff up! In fact, especially when they stuff up. Don't get me wrong, its not all roses in my house, I have two boys who are definitely not afraid to tell me if something is "yucky". Those two are very good at bringing me back down to earth! “The trick to avoiding curdled sour cream is the temperature. You are combining essentially what is a hot stew and cold sour cream out of the fridge. This is what causes the cream to curdle. I like to err of the side of caution and I let the pot and its contents cool completely, then I stir through the sour cream, no more curdling! For those nights when you're in a rush and don't have time for this, you can temper the cream. With this method, you pull the sour cream out of the fridge while the beef is cooking and let it come to room temperature, then take a spoonful of the hot liquid and mix it into the sour cream, then mix the sour cream back into the pot.” I've written this recipe for a double serve. That is, it will feed my family of 4 (2 parents + 2 kids) for 2 nights in a row. I love doing this as it means for all the effort and time I put into slow cooking the first night, I get the following night off cooking. #kitchenhacks This recipe does need time to cook down the chuck steak into that fall apart meat we all love, if you happen to be home, this is great, but most of us work for a living and this is just not practical. Enter the slow cooker: this thing is your best friend when you're time-poor. You can get so much flavour out of these things with really minimal effort. A few minutes prep in the morning (or even the night before), and you will reap the reward of coming home to a house filled with the most beautiful aroma of a slow cooked stew, and you haven't even been there for most of it! Using a slow cooker, you can brown the meat, and throw everything in except the mushrooms, sour cream and herbs. When you get home, simply add those final touches and boil up your chosen starch and token greens. Hey, if you really want to make it simple, why not just serve with some crusty bread? Divine! Slow Cooked Beef Stoganoff an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 2.5 hours on the stove or 8 hours in the slow cooker Serves: 6 Adults or 2 Adults and 2 Kids for 2 nights with sides 1kg Chuck Steak, cut into large cubes 2 Tablespoons of Plain Flour 2 Tablespoons of Oil for frying (I use rice bran oil) 1 Onion, sliced 3 Cloves of Garlic, diced 3 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste 1/3 Cup Worcestershire Sauce 2 Teaspoons of Paprika 800mL of Beef Stock 200g Button Mushrooms, halved 200mL of Sour Cream (I use light and it works fine) Parsley or chives, chopped for garnish Step 1- Season the flour generously with salt and pepper in a bowl, then toss through the chuck steak so that every piece is evenly coated. Step 2- Brown the pieces of beef in the oil a large heavy based pot over medium heat (I like cast iron) in batches, remove and set aside. Step 3- In the same pot, saute the onion until soft. Add the garlic and stir for a further 30 seconds, then add in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and paprika and stir through to cook out for a further 30 seconds. Step 4- Add back the beef pieces and any juices and top with beef stock so that the meat is covered. Bring to the boil, then cover with the lid and turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook until the meat is tender and falling apart. This should take about 2 hours. During the last 10 minutes, add the mushrooms and cook through. If using a slow cooker, brown the meat, then throw in everything else except the mushrooms, sour cream and fresh herbs and cook on low for 8 hours. Step 5- Turn the heat off and allow the pot to cool. Then stir through the sour cream and gently bring back to a low simmer. Do not bring it back to the boil or it will curdle. Taste and season with salt and pepper Step 6- Spoon over the starch of your choice. Mid-week I use cauliflower rice, but this is beautiful over pasta or rice. Top with chopped parsley or chives.

It's a big call: Best. Ever. Moist. But it's true! I have been tweaking this recipe for years now and I have finally hit perfection (in my very humble opinion). In fact, not only have I been working on the flavour and texture of these muffins, I have been working on the cooking technique so that it needs no machinery and is made in a flash. So salvage those sad old brown bananas- which actually taste the best in muffins- and thank me later. But seriously, have a peek at the recipe below. 8 ingredients. 3 steps. And the result is beautiful. As always you can change things up to suit you. Have 4 bananas? Chuck 4 in! Got half a packet of pecans? Throw them in! Want to spoil the kids (or yourself)? A packet of white chocolate chips thrown in goes down a treat! I think that half a cup of sugar is plenty but if you want these muffins sweeter, go ahead and add more. “This is a great recipe to make with kids. I get one peeling bananas, the other one mashing, and then measuring is an opportunity to learn fractions #asiantigermum. You'll probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already, just add overripe bananas!” Best Ever Moist Banana Muffins an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Makes: 12 Muffins 3 Bananas, mashed 1/2 Cup of Vegetable Oil 2 Eggs 1/4 Cup of Milk 1/2 Cup of Caster Sugar (replace with honey or sweetener if avoiding sugar) 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla paste or extract 1 3/4 Cups of Plain Flour 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder Step 1- Line a 12 cup muffin tray with patty pans. Step 2- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients with a wooden spoon. Step 3- Pour evenly into the muffin tray and bake at 180c for 20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

Cauliflower is such an underrated vegetable. Much like brussels sprouts, it gets a bad wrap as being 'smelly' (a trait of the cabbage family of veg) but again like brussels sprouts, cauliflower comes alive when it is roasted. The caramalisation by tarnishing the edges adds a sweetness and savouriness at the same time that brings so much flavour to this soup. Made in a cinch, its a quick, healthy mid-week meal that actually has no meat and no heavy starch- if you omit the bread! I don't cook for my kids anymore. That sounds bad, but it's true. Gone are the days of cooking separate meals for adults and children. I cook one family meal a night, a meal that I want to cook, and if they choose to eat it, great, and if they choose not to, then that's also their choice. I have no problem sending my boys to bed without dinner if they choose not to eat it! #Idonotnegotiatewithterrorists. With that in mind, when I saw that cauliflower was on special for $1.90 per head at the supermarket I grabbed it thinking they will never eat this but it's so cheap! #thriftymum. I knew I was going to roast up this $1.90 bad boy and make it into a soup but I had to come up with a plan to make it more exciting and appealing to Mr 2yrs and Mr 4yrs. I had visions of a soup topped with lashings of crispy bacon, shaved parmigano reggiano and cheesy garlic bread soldier 'dippers'. “Imagine my surprise when I blended the roasted cauliflower with very basic pantry ingredients: onion, garlic, chicken stock, and it tasted amazing. The soup doesn't need any of those jazzy extras. The roasted cauliflower brings all the flavour you need. The kids love it too. Whenever I cook this soup everyone has second and third servings.” Having growing boys in the house, there is one extra I do have to serve with any soup, and that is bread. I like making cheesy garlic bread: flat bread with garlic butter, parsley and melted cheese; but any will do. This method of roasting in the oven then blending into a soup works really well with pumpkin as well. Takes about the same amount of time so you could even do a mix of vegetables if you wanted. Roasted Cauliflower Soup an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves: 3 Adults or 2 Adults and 2 Kids 1 Head of Cauliflower, cut into florets 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 Brown Onion, diced 3 Cloves of Garlic, diced 800mL of Chicken Stock (to make this completely vegetarian, replace with vegetable stock) 2 Tablespoons of Thickened Cream (to make this vegan, replace with extra virgin olive oil) 1 Pinch of Nutmeg Squeeze of Lemon Parsley, chopped for garnish Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for garnish Step 1- Toss the cauliflower florets in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper on a lined baking tray. Roast at 200c for 20 minutes, tossing half way. Remove. Step 2- Meanwhile, use a large pot to saute the onion in the remaining olive oil until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and saute for a further minute. Step 3- Choose 3 of the best looking roasted cauliflower florets and set aside for garnish (if you're so inclined) and add the rest of the florets to the pot and top with chicken stock, or enough to cover. Step 4- Using a stick blender, whiz the soup until very smooth and velvety. Step 5- Stir through the cream, nutmeg and lemon. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Step 6- Serve in bowls topped with chopped parsley, the reserved cauliflower florets and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

As you can imagine, growing up with a Thai mum, I have eaten more than my fair share of Thai food both in Thailand and Australia. It's a cuisine I cook regularly as well, so to say I am a tough critic of Thai restaurants is an understatement. My visit to SaiMai by Thai I M up the quiet end of Church St in Parramatta introduces me to some of the prettiest and most beautifully presented Thai food I have ever seen. I am invited to a food bloggers lunch at SaiMai by Food Blogs Media and I am keen to meet the other bloggers who will be my dining mates for the day. It's funny this world of online bloggers because we often chat with each other online before we meet so when we finally do meet in person for the first time it feels like we're old friends! It's a gorgeous group of ladies for lunch and it's quite fitting because the food at this restaurant is absolutely gorgeous. After ordering, the food starts coming out thick and fast, served by the lovely waitress who is more than happy to bend over backwards with whatever we need. The presentation on these dishes is unlike anything I have ever seen before in Thai cooking. The vibrant colours and contrasting textures and heights make the food (and even drinks) look utterly delectable and very tempting. One thing I can definitely tell even without trying these dishes yet is that the utmost care and love has been put into their preparation. Even the steamed rice is topped with crispy fried garlic and roasted cashew nuts. These are those extra little steps that set restaurants like SaiMai apart from the others. I can't wait to shoot everything and tuck into this feast. The first thing I try is the Lychee Lemonade, which I find way too sweet. This is actually quite authentic to how drinks are served in Thailand, and in fact I remember as a child being given what tasted like straight, un-watered down cordial in Bangkok and loving it! Now that I'm older, my palate is drawn toward more zingy, piquant flavours and the Thai Lime Tea is just perfect for me. You have the sour lime, some sweetness and slight bitterness from the tea that creates the perfect combination for me. I will also add that Thai drinks tend to be on the sweeter side to balance all the spiciness in the food. We see this in the Thai Milk Tea which looks as pretty as a picture. Quite sweet again but not so much that it's unpalatable. Onto the food: the Red Duck Curry is prepared with duck breast which has been roasted and sliced. This is a nice change up from the usual duck pieces found in this curry and to my disbelief some of the skin is still crisp! Australian's really love a red duck curry for its milder spice and sweet addition of lychee or pineapple so no doubt this is a very popular dish in the restaurant. The crispy soft shell crab is exactly how it should be, crisp and crunchy batter encasing tender, sweet crab meat. Cooked to perfection. I find myself wishing for a more complex sauce, rather than the sweet chilli sauce it is served with. “I have the same thought when I try the Pad Mee (the mild flavoured pink noodles) and the Walking Barramundi (whole fried fish), but to my relief, the lovely waitress places down a small bowl of Prik Nam Pla, the ubiquitous Thai dipping sauce on the table and the day is saved. Prik Nam Pla can be made a few different ways but it always includes fish sauce, chilli, lime/lemon and a tiny bit of sugar. This one also has copious amounts of fresh garlic which is a very welcome addition. The sauce is spicy, sour, fragrant, salty and the perfect counter balance to all the sweet notes in the dishes. I really love the fish with the sauce together as a duo. This little bowl of sauce really makes my meal and I consume almost the entire thing!" The Choo Chee Prawns are not served traditionally, rather they are fried in a crispy batter, then sit upon an artfully drizzled pool of the choo chee curry sauce. Its lovely, I still find it quite mild though #morechilliplease Then I realise that each prawn is meant to be eaten with the slice of fresh chilli which is placed beside it and my extra chilli craving is satisfied. Of course not everyone likes their food spicy and my fellow diners are not as chilli crazed as I am so it works out well that we can add fresh chilli and chilli sauce to our own personal tastes. I'm not sure what to expect when the Fisherman's Hook dish is ordered from the menu; what arrives looks spectacular. It is a mixed seafood and vegetable stir fry which is presented with a ring of prawns crowning the dish. I try a prawn, and a piece of fish, and a piece of squid and they are all cooked absolutely perfectly. The squid is very tender and without a hint of chewiness. Desserts are again a feast for the eyes, the most traditional being the Mango and Sticky rice. This dessert is found all over Thailand and is probably the country's national dessert. Being so simple, it really relies of the quality and freshness of the mango and I feel we are quite lucky that we are just coming into mango season here in Australia. The mango is ripe and sweet and just beautiful. At SaiMai this is paired with coloured sticky rice cooked in coconut milk and a red velvet coconut cream. I don't really get what the red velvet part is, other than the pink colour (it just tastes like sweetened coconut cream to me!) but it goes great with the rice and mango. The other desserts are lovely, the fried bananas are tender and soft inside a crispy crumb coating and wonderful with ice cream, the deep fried ice cream is a contrast of cold and hot served with chocolate sauce and the roti is quite creative actually, presented like a taco, holding a scoop of ice cream. SaiMai is not your traditional Thai restaurant. It seems like they are catering to Western/Australian market with their milder and sweeter flavour profiles. For Thai's like me, or chilli fanatics, there is always the Prik Nam Pla to spice up their dishes, or you can always ask them to cook things extra spicy. They have re-imagined the classic Thai dishes and presented them in a way that is a pleasure to look at and a delight to eat. SaiMai by Thai I M 2/410 Church St, Parramatta *I dined here as a guest of SaiMai and Food Blogs Media but all opinions remain my own

Perched upon the rooftop of the Westfield Sydney building in the CBD is an oasis of Turkish inspired dishes, extensive bar and luxe surroundings; Babylon is your new sultry date night venue. My visit to Babylon is actually anything but a date night. We are here for Father's Day, celebrating my hubby surviving yet another year of Fatherhood. #itsabattle We've packed the 2 kids and carted them into the city for a nice lunch and a couple bottles of wine after reading positive reviews of Babylon in the food press. It's a bit of a strange location, on the very top floor of the Westfield building, but once we are inside this 800 person capacity venue, we see it is split into 2 large restaurant dining rooms, an outdoor terrace (serving a bar menu only) indoor casual booths and a number of private dining rooms in varying sizes. This split allows such a massive restaurant to still feel intimate. The fit out is exquisite: complementary marbles, travertines, leathers, timbers and luxe fabrics such as velvet and silk combine to create a thoroughly modern but warm and moody aesthetic. You can see now why I think this is more of a sexy date venue than a family venue, but nevertheless they are so welcoming of my children and I can see many other families here for lunch on this Sunday. It helps that Mr 2yrs is fast asleep in the pram and Mr 4yrs is engrossed in Paw Patrol on his tablet with headphones firmly attached to his head. Please don't judge me for using screentime as a babysitter! It's the only way we are able to take the boys to nice restaurants! #parentingwin The menu is a concise collection of Turkish inspired dishes, also borrowing flavours from Lebanon, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt. I always do the ordering for the family, we like to share everything anyway and I prefer to be in control so I go ahead and order for the table, including a negroni and old fashioned to start as a reward for dealing with the boys' sugar high and subsequent low, after an ill-conceived Fathers Day treat of chocolates in bed that morning. #mumfail #sugartantrum The food comes out immediately. Like too fast. Hubby agrees that it feels like they are rushing us, maybe because it is Father's Day and they need to turn over the table? Or perhaps they are mindful that children like to eat quickly? I would have preferred to enjoy my aperitif and then on with the food and wine but it's not the end of the world. The food is all wonderful. I actually don't have anything bad to say about any of the dishes, they are all beautiful. The Turkish bread with za'atar butter is gorgeous with the butter actually being smoked and served in a little gold dish with an engraved cloche. Topped with the smooth and light hummus and fried crispy chickpeas, its the perfect start to a meal. This is also popular with Mr 4yrs, while Mr 2yrs is still asleep! We also have an eggplant salad where the eggplant and capsicum have been cooked over the custom built Turkish grill, leaving the dish smokey and tender, with fresh zingy pops of pomegranate seeds. The final starter is a raki cured kingfish and hubby is hesitant when I order this because we tried a few rakis on our recent trip to Greece and weren't fans but Turkish raki is more anise flavoured than Greek raki which has more of a pure alcohol taste. It is lovely in this dish, the fish has just that right level of firmness after being cured and I am delighted when what I think is a blackberry turns out to be a luscious little pile of caviar! The citrus in the dish makes it bright and refreshing and tasting of the sea, wetting our appetites for the heavier dishes to come. “I love the lamb and pistachio kebab. The lamb and especially the sumac onions remind me of the Turkish kebabs I used to get after school in Burwood in my teens. In fact, from time to time I still drive across the city from Crowie to Burwood for an authentic Turkish kebab, cooked over charcoals and served with onion salad, garlic yogurt and the best bread. #willtravelforgoodfood This dish is all the same flavours but served in an elegant and modern way. The pickled and charred chillis add a welcome kick to set your taste buds alight. Surprisingly Mr 4yrs refuses to try the lamb kebab, even after I tell him they are sausages, and instead he prefers the Duck Pie which is a spectacular dish. Landing on our table the pie attracts "oohs and ahhs" from hubby and I as well as both the boys (Mr 2yrs now awake and ready to party). It is a self serve carving job and upon slicing into this beast, the filo pastry shatters into a million pieces of crisp layers. The filling is slow cooked and shredded duck meat mixed with spices, currants and nuts. It is also a very generous serving for the price. I know myself, a whole cooked duck does not yield much meat and it seems like there is at least the meat from one whole bird in this pie. We are surprised to notice that the pie is dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon, but it totally works! Sweet and savoury a match made in heaven. Sometimes pies like this can be dry but not this one at all. All four of us devour this pie and send the plate back to the kitchen completely clean. So my kids wouldn't eat a sausage looking lamb kebab but no problem with a duck pie! Go figure.. these are some gourmet kids. #pleasehelpus We take our time enjoying the last of our red wine and ponder desserts. At this moment I can see a change in the boys like a tsunami approaching: the novelty of eating out is wearing off and they are growing restless with their tablets so I deploy my secret weapon to get us through to the end of the meal: chupa chups. I'm not winning any prizes for being healthy mum of the year here but it works and buys me and the other diners an extra 20 minutes of quiet. I'm a pretty easy going mum but I absolutely do not tolerate my children being loud and disruptive in restaurants. They are pretty good usually but I always have a bag of tricks up my sleeve! As a special Father's Day treat, the restaurants gifts us a plate of baklava which is what we would have ordered from the dessert menu anyway so finish the meal there. Piling into the taxi to take ourselves home, I think back on the meal and usually there are a few things I would have like to have seen added or done differently, but on this occasion it was really a wonderful meal and I have no negative feedback other than that feeling of being rushed with the food coming out so quickly. I'm sure it was a one off as the staff were more than welcoming and happy to let us take our time eating and drinking. The flavours were familiar but elevated to a point of being a refined take on classic dishes. Hubby is already planning on taking clients here for a dinner in one of the private dining rooms and I am keen to shake these kids and come back for that date night I know would be so perfect here. Babylon Level 7 Rooftop, Westfield, Pitt St, Sydney *This meal was paid for independently

These lamb shanks are inspired by my recent trip to the Greek Islands. I've used dried oregano, port wine (easier to find than the famous Santorinian Vinsanto dessert wine) and fava beans, again a signature ingredient of Santorini. These Greek flavours are a nice change up from your regular lamb shanks and remind me of a wonderful time away. Now that I'm in my 30s, the way I travel is very different from how I used to in my early 20s. Gone are the days of youth hostels, late night clubbing and shopping in night markets, these days, my idea of a good holiday is a luxury hotel, relaxation, and an early bed time! #nanna My latest holiday was in Greece where upon my return I opened my suitcase to find it full of food! I had all sorts of treasures: spices, nuts, sauces and jams. Who have I become?! What happened to the suitcase full of Bintang singlets, counterfeit DVDs and regrets of my youth?! How times change. Food is now at the forefront of my holidays and actually my daily life. I am the woman who spends breakfast thinking about lunch, and lunch thinking about dinner! Now when I'm travelling, I'm tasting and absorbing, taking mental notes of flavours I can try out in my cooking at home. “It was in Santorini that I dragged hubby to a cooking class to learn about the local ingredients and techniques. We were shown this fava bean (aka yellow split pea) puree which captured my heart. I'd never come across it before, it was smooth and creamy and light yet earthy and I thought it would be the perfect accompaniment to lamb shanks with a Greek inspired sauce.” Fava bean puree is similar in flavour to a hummus, and you can serve it cold as a dip or warm as a side for meat. I have to admit, I'd never cooked beans or lentils from dried before, it's not something we really ate growing up in a Thai household and it seemed like a lot of work. Seeing it for myself, it really isn't. Simply throw the beans in a bowl and cover with water. From there you just leave them alone until you're ready to cook. This has opened up my eyes to the possibilities of dried legumes. Stay tuned for the results of my upcoming experiments. Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with Fava Bean Puree an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes Serves: 4 Adults Oil for frying (I use Rice Bran Oil) 4 Lamb Shanks 2 Stalks of Celery, finely diced 1 Carrot, finely diced 1 Carrot, sliced 1 Onion, finely diced 1 Onion, sliced 2 Cloves of Garlic, finely diced 2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste 1 Tablespoon of dried Oregano 1 Cup of Port 800mL Beef Stock (or enough to cover the meat) 250g dried Fava Beans aka Yellow Split Peas, soaked in water overnight 2 Bay Leaves 100mL Extra Virgin Olive Oil Step 1- In a large heavy based pot (I like cast iron), heat a glug of oil over medium heat and brown the lamb shanks, seasoned with salt and pepper on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside. Step 2- In the same pot, saute the finely diced: celery, carrot, onion and garlic until soft. You may need to add some more oil. Step 3- Add the tomato puree and oregano and stir through to cook it out. Deglaze with the port and let it bubble until mostly evaporated. Step 4- Return the lamb shanks to the pot and pour in enough beef stock so that the shanks are covered in liquid. Step 5- Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover with lid and simmer until tender and falling off the bone. This will take between 2 and 2.5 hours. I like to check on it every half hour or so and just flip and rotate the shanks to ensure even cooking. Step 6- Meanwhile you can prepare the puree: In a pot over medium heat, saute the sliced: onion and carrots in some oil until soft. Then add the soaked fava beans, bay leaves and enough water to cover. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until mushy. Remove the bay leaves. Step 7- Using a stick blender, whiz the fava beans with the extra virgin olive oil and plenty of salt until smooth. Keep warm with a lid on the stove until you are ready to serve. Step 8- Remove the cooked lamb shanks from the pot and boil the sauce rapidly to reduce until syrupy or to your preference. Season with salt and pepper. Return the shanks to the pot to warm through. Serve with the fava bean puree.

For those of you who are uninitiated, Hot Pot (aka Steamboat) is a communal, interactive dish where a large pot of simmering soup is placed on a burner in the middle of the table and diners cook their own food by dipping items into the soup like a Chinese version of fondue. The typical things you have are thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, wontons and noodles. I was lucky enough to be invited to a media dinner hosted by Hungry Diner at Macanese Hot Pot global chain, The Dolar Shop in Haymarket and let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious and left me wanting more! For those of you who have had hot pot before, The Dolar Shop isn't your average joe, it's more towards a premium, fine dining style, only serving the best quality ingredients like Japanese Wagyu, fresh local seafood, and a killer wine list with a list of Grange vintages as long as my arm! With a dish like hot pot, the cooking is so quick, literally for some items, the work of seconds, so it is really important to have good quality stuff. It can taste horrible when its served with cheap and nasty meat, and this is certainly NOT the case here. The tables are fitted with little induction burners at each setting so you can have your own individual hot pot which is fitted with their iconic ceramic Dolar Shop collar (so you don't burn your precious little fingers) and filled the the broth of your choice. There are 6 to choose from and I go with the Szechuan Hot and Spicy (extra hot) and their signature Dolar Shop Spare Rib broth. The spicy broth is not actually very spicy to me so I add in more fresh chilli #thaiscanhandletheheat. Next, we head to the sauce bar where there are a plethora of different sauces and add ins so you can make your dipping sauce just the way you like it! Mine obviously comes out tasting the best, and it is a dark and mysterious mixture of different soy sauces, oils, chilli, fried garlic and eshallots, topping it off with fresh spring onions and coriander. Now I know there are some coriander haters out there in the world, and to you I say: stop fighting it and just embrace the coriander! #corianderlife But the beauty of the DIY sauce bar and actually the entire concept of The Dolar Shop hot pot it that you can customise your entire meal to make it exactly as you like it. From the broth selection, the sauce station, the meat and seafood selection to the cooking of the meat. You get to choose your own adventure and lord it over your fellow diners when yours comes out tasting the best. I know from personal experience. Then our gorgeous waiter (who looks after this big boisterous group very well) starts getting down to business and bringing out the real heavy hitters. First we have a Big Eye Ocean Perch which is presented beautifully all sliced up and ready to go, with dry ice cascading over its flesh like morning mist on a snow capped mountain. Then the most amazing platters of wagyu: different grades, different cuts, different textures. And as if that wasn't enough, platters of pork belly, lamb, tofu, shrimp balls, wontons, noodles, fresh vegetable basket and a mushroom platter! This meal is the definition of indulgence, and I AM TOTALLY HERE FOR IT! The presentation on everything is so appetizing and pretty, its almost too good to eat! Almost. I tuck in, dipping the most marbled piece of wagyu into my broth for about 10 seconds, then dredging through my (self proclaimed) award winning sauce and into the gob. “Wow. The fat running through that piece of beef allows that thing to fall apart with just a couple of chews and leaves the inside of my mouth with a coating of unctuous goodness that lingers long after swallowing. This is goooooood sh!t. The Szechuan broth is divine: complex with what must have been hours of work to develop the flavours with the Szechuan peppercorns driving the wonderful numbing and tingling sensation that makes you feel alive. Topped off with some extra chili, this is perfection for me. My other half, the Spare Rib broth tastes a little bland by comparison, and although its nice, to me, it's got nothing on it's spicier, sexier room mate. With each slice of new meat, I am treated to a new texture and flavour. Big highlights are clearly the top grade wagyu and the shrimp balls which are minced and flavoured shrimp dropped directly into my broth, cooking to form a delightful little meatball. The prawns perplex me. Not realising the tasty little bugger still has his shell on (how do I know it's a 'he? why am I assigning a persona to a prawn I'm about to eat? I'm strange sometimes...), I drop him into my hot broth and wait for him to cook. When I fish him out, I have a poke with my chopstick and realise I'm going to have to peel him and its not going to happen with a pair of chopsticks! Typical me, I grab him and having just come out of hot broth, I burn my damn fingers! After cooling, I peel his pesky shell off but now my fingers are not only burnt, they're messy and sticky with broth. I wish they came peeled. Or I wish I had thought to ask for them to be peeled. Other than that little bug-bear, it is an amazing dinner! Not only is the food and service wonderful, but I feel quite privileged to be welcomed into the food blogging scene and be considered a peer. I've not been at this very long so this is a little win for me and although I was nervous as hell to be walking into a dinner not knowing anyone (it felt like a blind date! Is it weird that I made sure my underwear matched?!) I had a great time! If you haven't tried hot pot before, I urge you to give it a go. It is such a fun way to have a meal with a group, or on a date night and why not start with the best? The Dolar Shop 1909 Dining Precinct, Level 3 Market City, 9-13 Hay St, Haymarket *I dined here as a guest of The Dolar Shop and Hungry Diner, but all opinions remain my own.

From the man behind some of Sydney's best bars: Lobo Plantation, Kittyhawk and the food and beverage hit, Big Poppa's, comes Jared Merlino's latest opening, an Italian all-day cafe, restaurant and bar, Bartolo. We've actually been open 8 months, the waitress informs me, when I ask on a beautiful sunny Winter Sunday for lunch. I am here in the chic bistro-vibe restaurant with my sister and mum for another birthday lunch (YES- another one!). We are following this with a painting session at Cork and Chroma in Surry Hills so having an early lunch before our foray into the visual arts world. #artists I saw Bartolo in Surry Hills listed among the best new openings on Broadsheet or Concrete Playground or something like that so off we went to try it out. I really love a restaurant that is open all day. With 2 young kids, I'm often eating at strange times, hello- dinner at 5pm!, breakfast at 7am! Those of you without kids, PLEASE enjoy your sleep ins now, because once you have kids, a sleep in is about as common as getting a 7th nugget in your 6 pack at Maccas. #7thnugget #touchedbyanangel #gobuyalottoticket The 3 of us are quite decisive women when it comes to food so we make quick work of ordering and start working on the first bottle of Pino Grigio. Everything is brought out very quickly by friendly and efficient servers and water is topped constantly. My sister is nursing a hangover so not her usual lively self, but she is pushing through like the drinking thoroughbred she is. She grimaces at the first glass, but finds her groove quickly. When I see Burrata on a menu I always have to order it. It is such a beautiful product and really doesn't need much added to it to taste amazing, and this one is no exception. The chefs at Bartolo have served theirs with marinated tomatoes, a puree made of an Italian green similar to broccoli, basil oil and white anchovies. Tomatoes and basil are pretty standard accompaniments to burrata but the white anchovy is really a stroke of genius. Anchovies can be polarizing (hubby declares them to be stinky little hairy fish) but white anchovies are actually pickled and more plump than normal, adding a vinegary zing that brightens the entire dish. We all agree it is absolutely beautiful. We mop up the left over oil and puree on the plate with the housemade focaccia which is light as a feather pillow. Our other starter is the Wagyu Rump Beef Tartare with mustard mayo and black olive. This is served with a crisp bread which we shatter and use as little barges, carrying the tartare as precious cargo. The beef is chopped chunky enough that we still get the texture of the meat, but fine enough that we are able to chew without any discomfort. The dressing, add-ins and mustard are the perfect balance with enough salt, sour, sweet to make us 3 very happy women. We are all very impressed with the quality and balance of these starters, and really looking forward to mains. “I am keen to try the gnocchi here because I have made it my personal mission in life to find a gnocchi that lives up to the incredible dish that chef Alex Herbert used to serve at her Surry Hills restaurant, Bird Cow Fish which unfortunately closed in 2012. Her gnocchi was so soft and light, it had the texture of mashed potato that somehow held together in little pillows. In my mind, that is the gold standard, triple A rating, best in class, G.O.A.T. gnocchi of the world and I would love to have those tasty little morsels in my life once more. Judging by the standard of these starters we just had, things were looking good.” Alas, the gnocchi arrives, and although its very nice, its just not the same. Which begs the question, was it all just a dream? Did I build this gnocchi up so much in my head that nothing will ever live up to it? My fellow diners (who also had the pleasure of having the gnocchi at Bird Cow Fish) agree this dish is nice, the pillows are anything but stodgy but they don't reach the heights of the dream gnocchi and the legend of the gnocchi will haunt them forever #gnocchidreams. Wow that's a lot of passion about gnocchi. But if you had the gnocchi at Bird Cow Fish, you know what I'm talking about #ifyouknowyouknow While the conversation continues on between my mum and sister, I am quietly making sweet love to my pasta. The special of Tagliatelle with a Pork Belly Ragu and Pork ribs is right up my alley. The housemade pasta is a perfect al dente, the ragu of pork is rich and luxurious and cooked down to falling apart stage with tomato sauce that tastes (creamy?) maybe? It is delicious! I could eat this dish every day of my life and never get bored. The ribs on top are cooked very well, and tasty but I kind of see it like putting red lipstick on Gigi Hadid. Its a nice addition, and I'm definitely not mad at it, but not necessary. The pasta is a 10/10 it on its own. And the beans! Oh the beans. These beans were punching waaaay above their weight. I mean, they're just green beans! But these beans had a fresh crunch that you get from cooking them only just enough to take the raw edge off, dressed and served a top an almond pesto that was a revelation. The final topping of crispy fried shallots just sent it into oblivion. Anyone who doesn't like to eat their greens should try these. The almond pesto and fried onion adds a savoury meatiness and umami hit that we're all obsessed with at the moment. Definitely going to try to recreate these at home. Unfortunately, dessert time suffers the same fate as the gnocchi. The tiramisu really is lovely, the mascarpone is light and the coffee flavour has a welcome intensity, but being such a ubiquitous and classic Italian dish, we each have a dream tiramisu in our heads, eaten years ago that can never quite be topped. It didn't help that the very personable waiter hypes up this tiramisu so our expectations are very high. Again, it is a lovely dessert but just not living up to our memories of amazing tiramisus devoured on Italian holidays. Sometimes those memories are better left un-topped. Wrapping up lunch, we are so impressed, even without our dream dishes being matched. The casual yet chic decor, impeccable service, gorgeous food and beverage all come together in a symphony of warm hospitality that makes it feel like Nonna is out back in the kitchen cooking. My favourite dish, the pork belly ragu pasta just might even join the ranks of my all time favourite dishes in my head. I feel sorry for all the pastas that try to live up to that beautiful mash up of carbs and swine. #sorrynotsorry Bartolo 359 Crown St, Surry Hills *This meal was independently paid for.

A beautiful setting at Circular Quay with views of the Harbour Bridge, great company, Mexican food from the Rockpool Group and bottomless cocktails, wine and beer, how could anyone not enjoy themselves at the Bar Patron- Weekend Lunch? My sister and I are here today for the Patron Weekend Lunch as a sisterly catch up and a continued celebration for her birthday last month. Her birthday seems to last longer and longer each year! Just wait till she's my age and birthdays just mean more wrinkles around your eyes! The bottomless lunch deal here is a good one: it's a share style menu of guac and salsa, tacos, choice of main then 2 desserts. Drinks are unlimited for 2 hours (subject to RSA of course) but include a selection of 4 cocktails, wine, sparkling wine and beer all for $99 per person! So many of the bottomless brunches/lunches in Sydney are just bubbles which is great for some, but for me, I can't drink that much sparkling wine, my stomach isn't used to all the bubbles, but white wine I could drink allllllllllllll day! There is something here to keep everyone happy. The setting is lovely, in the venue that used to house Ananas down in Circular Quay with the service: quick and friendly. Our very patient waiters have no problems taking photos of us for the 'gram and answering questions about the food. Margaritas are the first drink of the day and our chips and guac come out straight away. They are exactly how they should be: crispy salty chips, creamy indulgent avo and spicy piquant salsas. The margarita is a bit sweet for me, but my sister loves it and sticks with this for the rest of the lunch, I quickly switch over to a Sauvignon Blanc which is nice and dry and more to my taste. As we didn't read the menu properly, the dishes that come out are a surprise, and it is a happy one when the chicken tostadas land. I pick one up mid conversation, and after several attempts at taking a bite in a lady-like manner, I give up and just apply it to my face. This is not an easy dish to eat, and definitely not first date food when you're trying to be cute #firstdatecuteness. The crispy tostada shell cracks under pressure from my bite and I end up with the topping in my hands and on my plate. I eat the rest of it with a knife and fork, feeling like a total idiot trying to get what is essentially a big tortilla chip on a fork! The flavour however is great, with a smokey bean puree, salad, spiced chicken and salty cheese forming a really nice balance and (albeit messy) bite. The tuna ceviche is also lovely and actually reminds me of a Thai Som Tum salad (papaya salad). The lime, peanut, cherry tomato, fish are all common ingredients in the 2 dishes so very similar. The conversation continues, with talk of my sister's upcoming wedding and honeymoon planning dominating #bride. We are so engrossed that I almost don't hear and do a double take when the lovely waiter places the next plate on our table and announces it is a mushroom taco. That's right, a mushroom taco. Now I don't have any hate for vegetarians or mushrooms for that matter, but I would never order a vegetarian taco. Ever. I am a meat and seafood lover and I'm proud of it! Wishing I had paid some attention to the menu, I say thank you and just ignore the plate on the table, like that pile of dirty laundry sitting in the corner of your bedroom that you should really wash but can't be bothered and just hope that it disappears if you don't give it any attention #lazyhousewife. I can tell my sister isn't impressed by the mushroom taco either because she ignores it too! Soon after and to both of our relief, fish tacos are served up and we both tuck in without hesitation. For once, both of us are quiet. There isn't really too much to say about these fish tacos, they are perfectly nice, but lacking in flavour and just missing that oomph of a smokey salsa or spicy crust, or just something to take it to the next level. They are pretty forgettable. After the underwhelming fish tacos, and the mushroom tacos just sitting there like an unwanted Christmas gift, the mood is somber and we finally surrender to trying these vegetarian lepers of the taco world... “I could not have been more wrong about these damn mushroom tacos! They are absolutely delicious! All the extra oomph we were looking for in the fish tacos is hiding in the mushroom taco! The oyster mushroom is meaty, slippery and chewy, with a dark and smokey chilli oil that is just that right level of spicy, scattered throughout are fried garlic chips that add a toasted umami quality with a touch of bitterness that I love and peppery watercress to top it all off. The tortilla is obviously freshly made as well and so thin and delightful, it really is a great dish. I stand corrected.” Never again will I scoff at mushroom tacos, it just goes to show how fantastic these set menus are. They give you the opportunity to try things you wouldn't normally order, and give you a chance to explore a whole new world outside of your status quo. I am hereby sorry to all the vegetarian dishes I have refused to order, and vow to try to be more open minded and adventurous when it comes to ordering. For main dishes, we have a choice of 3, I suggest the skirt steak but my sister feels like fish so we ask for the market fish which today is New Zealand Salmon, marinated and grilled and served with a salsa, red rice and beans cooked in pork fat. The salmon is a touch overcooked and I pass this feedback onto the waiter. I don't know if he passes this info back to the kitchen or not but its totally still enjoyable and we don't have any problem still polishing it off! The red rice is flavoured nicely but the dish that makes me smile is the beans. I love anything cooked in swine #swinelover Pork is my favourite meat as I think it just has so much flavour and that is definitely what it is doing for these beans. They are dark and delicious and the perfect accompaniment to what is quite a light main dish. At last we have desserts and can I just add that the wait staff are very attentive with the drinks, my wine glass is never left empty for long which is exactly what you want when you're drinking on a time limit. My sister and I both agree that the desserts were where Bar Patron excelled today. First we try the Polvorones which are dulce deleche caramel sandwiched between 2 spiced shortbread biscuits. They. Are. Divine. There's nothing more I can say about these, other than that we scrape every bit of caramel and crumb from that plate and send it back completely clean. The other dessert is a Tres Leches (3 milk) cake, sitting and soaking in a sweet milky pool with strawberry segments floating around it like little jewels topped off with a crown of torched meringue. Oh my gosh, this is another beautiful dessert and we make quick work of it, slurping down every last sip of that milky soup. All in all the Patron Weekend Lunch at Bar Patron was a pleasure. No issues with limited alcohol selection, or not enough food, which seems to be an issue at other bottomless lunch/brunch offerings. And aside from a couple of niggles with food, overall it was beautiful. Great food, lovely decor and view, plentiful drinks to accompany and helpful friendly service. We have already made plans for another visit with a bigger group of girls. Bar Patron 2 Philip St, Circular Quay *This meal was independently paid for.

I have been craving a really good chicken roll, and when nothing I bought lived up to my expectations, I just did what any modern woman would do, I took matters into my own hands and made it myself! You parents out there understand when I say that parenting is like a constant battle. With two toddlers we are constantly negotiating, consoling, entertaining, disciplining, refereeing, teaching and caring so much so that hubby and I sometimes find it easier to divide and conquer. We were in the car on our way from a morning at the Aquarium and we had a ticking time bomb in the form of Mr 2yrs who needed a nap when we realised there was no food at home for lunch. I went into drill sergeant mode and started barking orders and within a minute everyone had a task to do, and mine was to run into the supermarket and grab something quick for lunch while the boys headed home to start nap routine (non-parents wondering what a 'nap routine' is? Just be happy you don't have to know and enjoy your lives!). “I knew exactly what I was going to get because after countless dry chicken sandwiches just insulting my cravings, I was finally going to do it right! I was a woman on a mission, running through the shops, grabbing all my ingredients, throwing them through the self service check out and rushing home.” Back home I quickly whipped up these Waldorf Chicken Rolls which is a sandwich version of a Waldorf Chicken Salad, using apple and walnuts to take the humble chicken and mayo roll to new heights. I'm going to go out on a limb and just say it: this is the best sandwich I've ever made! It exactly satisfied my craving, with hubby and the boys gobbling theirs down as well. This is so simple it's really only 2 steps and only takes 5 minutes to throw everything together, its a great quick lunch or could be served as part of an afternoon tea as a miniature version. Waldorf Chicken Roll an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: None Serves: 3 Adults or 2 adults 2 kids generously 1 White Baguette, split lengthwise and buttered 1/2 Roast Chicken, chopped (mine was from Coles, I didn't cook it!) 1/2 Apple, sliced thinly and julienned 1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped 1 Cup Mayonnaise (this is according to taste, I LOVE mayo so I use a lot. Use less if you're not a mayo freak like me) 1 Teaspoon of Truffle Mustard (Dijon if you don't have this) Salt and Pepper Handful of Parsley, chopped Step 1- Combine all ingredients except the baguette in a large bowl and combine. Step 2- Spoon the chicken mixture into the buttered baguette.