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Love Notes Restyle Studio

Love Notes Restyle Studio

Category Archives: Our kitchen

Bear Bento

28 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Bento, Bento Boxes, Cook, Flickr, Fruits and Vegetables, Nori, Omurice

Made by Love Notes Restyle Studio

Bear Bento Boxes

We’ve been seeing lots of Bento Boxes floating around and were inspired by Meijo’s Joy Easy Bear Bento. We decided to build our own version. 

How did we do it you ask? Here’s a slight breakdown…

Bear Bento Breakdown

Bear Bento Breakdown

Salad contained:

  • Carrot hearts – inspired by this pin via CraftBits & CraftGossip
  • Star shape apple piece – inspired by this pin via Elandria At Sea. We used a star shaped cookie cutter
  • Zucchini Tots – inspired by this pin by raylynntexas, via Flickr

Bear consists of:

  • Tomato rice (Omurice) – inspired by this pin via christinesrecipes.com – this is for the main face of the bear
  • Spam – sliced and fried then cut in half to make the main part of the ear. We stuck it into the rice with uncooked spaghetti
  • Scrambled egg – for the inside of the ears and face
  • Hand-cut Nori – for the eyes, nose and mouth

Tomorrow we’ll give you the recipes for the Zucchini Tots and the Tomato Rice (Omurice). It took about 1.5 hours all together to get it all together and was so much fun to create.

The most important piece to this post is that Amour’s niece and nephew loved their  bento box – huge success!

The kids and their Bento Boxes

The kids and their Bento Boxes

Have you ever made a bento box? This was probably one of our proudest moments with cooking as it was so satisfying and quite easy to do 🙂

Take care, until next time…keep restyling!

 

Related articles
  • Gyudon Bento 牛丼弁当 (justonecookbook.com)
  • What’s in YOUR Bento? The Why and How of the Egg Mold… (mysmallpotatoes.com)
  • What’s In YOUR Bento? Week 3… (mysmallpotatoes.com)
  • Learn to Make Tasty, Balanced Lunches with the Bento 101 Course (lifehacker.com)
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Strawberry and Mint Sangria

26 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Apple juice, Chardonnay, cooking, Sangria, Strawberry, Wine

Strawberry and Mint Sangria

Strawberry and Mint Sangria

In a previous post I shared with you all that I dressed up as Jellybean for my sister’s 30th Birthday.

Jade's 30th Birthday

Jade’s 30th Birthday

She asked that I make a cocktail for her – so a hunting I went in Pinterest for the perfect one for her.

I was inspired by this pin of Strawberry and Basil Sangria. When I went to the store to buy all of the things needed there was no Basil to be seen so I replaced it with Mint.

Tools of the trade...

Tools of the trade…

Ingredients:

  • 1 punnet of strawberries
  • 1 large pink lady apple
  • 1/2 bunch of mint leaves
  • 1 bottle of Chardonnay
  • 1/2 cup low GI sugar
  • 1 cup soda water
  • 1 cup pink lady apple juice

What to do:

  • Thinly slice the strawberries
  • Dice apple into small bits
  • Put all of the mint leaves in a bowl and stab away at it with a fork – the pin describes this in a much more refine way – but the gist is stab stab stab 🙂
  • In a large jug place the fruit, sugar and mint. Let it marinade for 10-15 minutes
  • Add soda water – gently stir
  • Add apple juice and chardonnay – mix well
  • Enjoy!
Jades 30th Birthday

Sangria being enjoyed by a Japanese schoolgirl, a princess Jasmine and a Jellybean!

Take care, until next time…keep restyling!

Love Notes Restyle Studio

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  • One-Glass White Sangria Recipe (mommyofamonster.com)
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Chrysanthemum Mug Cake

18 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Chrysanthemum, Cook, Flower, mug cake, recipe, Tea

chrysanthemum mug cake

chrysanthemum mug cake

My sister and I were looking for mug cakes to try – we came across Kirbie’s Cravings and their Microwave Matcha Mochi Cups.

We decided to make our own version but instead of matcha (green tea) we decided to use chrysanthemum tea.

Chrysanthemum tea is a flower-based tea made from chrysanthemum flowers. It has a floral aroma and the version our family commonly drinks also has a sweet honey taste to it. I have pictured the tin we use below. We get it at our local Asian groceries.

chrysanthemum tea

chrysanthemum tea

You can look up the many claimed medicinal qualities of this tea – we drink it because we like the taste 🙂

Here’s what you need (for our version):

  • 4 tbsp wholemeal plain flour
  • 4 tbsp Low GI sugar
  • 1 tsp chrysanthemum powdered tea
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 5 tbsp skim milk
  • 1 egg

Here’s what you do:

  • Mix it all together in the mug
  • Cook in microwave for 2 minutes (depends on microwave)
  • Stick a skewer into it to make sure it comes out clean
  • Drizzle a little honey on top
  • Enjoy

It’s quick – its easy – it’s delicious!

Do you have a favourite mug cake that you make? I’d love to hear about it – my next one will be a green tea version – then maybe a red velvet – or peanut butter…hmmm now I’m hungry 🙂

 

Love Notes Restyle Studio

Related articles
  • 6 Edible Flower Recipe Ideas (theflyingfugu.com)
  • Recipe: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mug Cake! (planetmarsz.wordpress.com)
  • Chocolate Cake In A Coffee Cup (geekalabama.com)

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Blueberry Ice Candy

11 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Australia, Blueberries, Blueberry, Ice Candy, ice cream, icy pole, Philippines, raw sugar, rice milk, Sugar

Made by Love Notes Restyle Studio

Blueberry Ice Candy

In the Philippines, ice candy is a popular dessert. Best way to describe it is that it is a homemade creamy icy pole.

Buko Ice Candy from Busog! Sarap!

Buko Ice Candy from Busog! Sarap!

Normally it is made with milk, sugar and some sort of fruit – mangoes, coconut, avocados – anything! Today’s version I made especially for my niece, Mischa. Mischa has a few allergies so this version was made with this in mind.

What you need?

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 2 teaspoons raw sugar
  • 1 cup rice milk (this can be replaced with any milk you prefer)
The Process

The Process

What you do?

  • Put a small saucepan onto a medium heat – add the blueberries and the raw sugar
  • Cook until the sugar has dissolved – the blueberries will start to release it’s water
  • Keep cooking until the syrup thickens up a little
  • Set aside to cool
  • Add in the rice milk
  • Pour into ice candy plastic bags – or any type of icy pole moulds
  • Freeze until solid
  • Enjoy – nom nom nom!

Mischa was my little helper for this project – she particularly loved it when we were cooking down the blueberries because I used the wooden spoon to apply the blueberry syrup as lipstick on her lips – hehehe!

Do you have any special icy pole recipes that you could share with us? It’s super HOT here in Australia – so any excuse to help us cool down would be great!

Take care, until next time…keep restyling!

Amour xx

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Apricot Toastie

30 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

apricot, apricot toastie, brie, Cook, Sandwiches, white chocolate

Happy Hump Day! Hope you are all having a good one.

Apricot Goodness...

Apricot Toastie Goodness…

The other week we were telling you all about our toasted sandwich obsession being a Blackberry Toastie. Well we’ve tried another version being the Apricot Toastie!

Made by Love Notes Restyle Studio

All you need…

Here’s what we used:

  • Some bread
  • Brie Cheese
  • White Chocolate
  • Fresh Apricot sliced

Bang it all together into a sandwich maker – keep it in there until it’s toasted to your liking. Again enjoy with a hot beverage of your choice :)

It’s another delicious version! So please try it!

Take care, until next time…keep restyling!

Amour and Renee xx

Related articles
  • Blackberry Toastie (lovenotesrestylestudio.com)
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  • How Many Ways Do You Grill Your Cheese? (circleoffood.com)
  • Apricot Jam (thermodelights.com.au)

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Issy’s Fruit Tea

29 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

apple, apricot, camomile, cinnamon, craisons, fennel, Fruit, ginger, Health, homemade, Issy's Fruit Tea, lemon, mint, Orange, Tea, Tea bag

Issy's Fruit Tea

Issy’s Fruit Tea – in a pot

Issy is my friend’s daughter, she is also my friend. She is absolutely, no doubt, my favourite 16 year old. Issy inspires me to be myself and to be creative.

Every time I see this gorgeous girl she is making something new and wearing something effortlessly cool. Today, she had made fruit tea.

Issy’s fruit tea

  • Handful of mint leaves – oven dry for 15 minutes
  • 2 oranges, 1 lemon, 1 baby fennel, Ginger (to taste) – oven dry for 45 minutes
  • Store bought dried craisons, apple, apricot, added to oven mix 10 mins before end.
  • Mix in jar and add stick of cinnamon and the contents of 2 camomile tea bags.
Issy's Fruit Tea - even the puppy wants some...

Issy’s Fruit Tea – even the puppy wants some…

Yummo!

Love Notes Restyle Studio

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  • In the Kitchen: Giada’s Ginger-Tea Lemonade with Basil (abullseyeview.com)
  • tea for three (reallyrisa.com)

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Mango Pandan

26 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Asia, Australia, Australia Day, buko pandan, coconut, Condensed milk, cream, dessert, Filipino people, Mango, mango pandan

Made by Love Notes Restyle Studio

Mango Pandan

Today is Australia Day here in the land of the green and gold Oz.

English: Australian rules football jumper, gre...

English: Australian rules football jumper, green and gold with mudlarks logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To celebrate we decided to do an Aussie twist to the Filipino dessert Buko Pandan. Buko Pandan is a creamy dessert with fresh coconut, condensed milk and flavoured with Pandan. What is pandan? I guess you could say it’s Asia’s version of vanilla.

Our Aussified version of this Filipino dessert classic is the Mango Pandan – basically we substitute the fresh coconut with juicy sweet Australian mangoes! Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi!!!

Ingredients:
– 1 x can Asian green jelly grated (see picture below)
– 1 x tub Philadelphia dessert cream (alternatively some thickened cream will do the same thing)
– 1 x tablespoon condensed milk
– 1 x teaspoon Pandan (see picture below)
– 2 x large mangoes diced

Green Jelly and Pandan

Green Jelly and Pandan

Method:
– Gently mix jelly, cream and mangoes together
– Add condensed milk
– Add pandan
– Gently combine to distribute the green colour of the pandan
– Adjust amount of condensed milk and pandan to your taste

Be warned this is a very sweet dessert to be had in small doses. But geez it’s a delicious ‘sometimes’ food 🙂

Enjoy! Happy Australia Day!

Related articles
  • Buko pandan (countybakermom.wordpress.com)
  • A Very Filipino Christmas (littlegirlbigmeals.wordpress.com)

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Blackberry Toastie

21 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

blackberry, brie, Cheese, Cheese sandwich, Cook, Grilling, Home, Hot, milk chocolate, Sandwiches, Toast

Made by Love Notes Restyle Studio

Blackberry Toastie Goodness

Happy Monday! How good does our toasted sandwich look? We’re hungry again just looking at it! Nom nom nom…

We’ve been slightly obsessed with toasted cheese sandwiches recently and we wanted to try a sweeter version of it.

What you need...

What you need…

Here’s what we used:

  • Some bread
  • Brie Cheese
  • Milk Chocolate
  • Fresh Blackberries

Bang it all together into a sandwich maker – keep it in there until it’s toasted to your liking. Then enjoy with hot beverage of your choice 🙂

It’s delicious! So we urge you to try it!

Have you got any versions of the mighty toasted cheese sandwich that you would like to recommend to us? We love food so please don’t hold back – we’ll give most things a try 🙂

Take care, until next time…keep restyling!

Amour & Renee xx

Related articles
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  • A Sandwich Made By A Man (abusymommy.com)

 

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Grape and Gin Summer Cocktail

17 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Beverages, Cocktail, Gin, lemon, Lemon-lime, Lime, Love Notes Restyle Studio, mineral water, soda water, tonic water

We tried two versions of this lovely tarty drink back on New Year’s eve.

Grape and Gin Goodness...

Grape and Gin Goodness…

 

Version 1

  • 500g green seedless grapes
  • 3 x limes
  • 3 x lemons
  • 1.5 cups gin
  • 1.25 litres lemon lime sparkling mineral water
  • 300ml tonic water
  • ice

Method:

  • remove grapes from stems and wash
  • place grapes in bag and freeze until solid
  • slice 1 x lime and 1 x lemon
  • juice 2 x lime and 2 x lemon
  • blend frozen grapes
  • add all to jug with gin, tonic and mineral water
  • add ice to serve
Pretty summer cocktail...

Pretty summer cocktail…

This was delicious but got a bit too much after a few so we ended up trying version 2 – which we preferred!

 

Version 2

  • It’s exactly like version one – but swap out the 1.25 litres lemon lime sparkling mineral water with 1.25 litres soda water

We prefer our cocktails with just a hind of flavour hence in the end version 2 won out of the two.

How do you prefer your cocktails? Packed with flavours or light and refreshing?

Please share your favourite cocktail recipe with us – we’d love to give it a try.

Take care, until next time…keep restyling!

Amour & Renee xx

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Binagoongan Chicken with Eggplant

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by lovenotesrestylestudio in Our kitchen

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

bagaoong, chicken, cooking, eggplant, Filipino dishes, recipes

Binagoongan Chicken with Eggplant

Binagoongan Chicken with Eggplant

Binagaoongan is the filipino term used when a dish is simmered in bagaoong. Bagaoong is a commonly used filipino condiment made of shrimps. This results in a salty paste that tastes similar to fish sauce.

This is a dish that Amour’s sister in law Michelle makes for the family. Amour usually only likes eggplants as baba ganoush (eggplant dip) but she loves this dish! It’s delicious to the max!

Tomatoes and Eggplants

Tomatoes and Eggplants

Ingredients:
1 x whole chicken breast sliced
2 x medium eggplants sliced (1/2 inch thick)
1/2 x can tomato (diced)
5 x roma tomato (quartered)
1 x red onion (peeled and quartered)
1 tablespoon cooked bagaoong

Bagaoong

Bagaoong

Method:
– On a medium heat fry eggplant slices with a little oil. Fry all slices in batches until all are softened. Remove from pan
– Fry the tomatoes and onions again with a little oil. Soften then remove from pan
– Leave a few tomatoes in the pan then add the chicken. Fry the slices a little so the meat just turns white on either side. Like the eggplant do this in batches as you don’t want to overcook it
– While the chicken is cooking cut the eggplant slices in half with scissors
– Add to the pan all of the chicken, tomatoes, onion and canned tomatoes. Cover and let it cook on medium heat for around 5 minutes. Don’t let it get too watery if it starts to just remove the lid
– Add bagaoong and stir it through. Allow the dish to bubble away for a while untouched. What you want is for the dish to dry up a little so that it isn’t watery
– When it’s a little dry add the eggplant and turn down to a low heat. Only cook for a further 3-5 minutes. Otherwise the eggplant loses it’s flavour
– Taste if it needs more saltiness. If it needs more add bagaoong a little at a time, stir then taste. Just remember a little goes a long way!

Please try this dish and let us know how you go with it. For all the pinoys out there – do you have a binagaoongan dishes that you would like to share with us? We’d love to try it 🙂

Take care, until next time…keep restyling!

 

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