Well friends I finally GOT it…. The famous Chicken Burgers from my friend Barry Crocker (see below for his Red Thai Chicken Curry recipe it is totally YUM!)

These Chicken Burgers are a ‘must have’ for our family when we are in LA, visiting our friends, the Crockers. It’s taken years for me get this recipe from Barry and I’m so excited that not only do I now have the recipe but I’m sharing it with all of you. For my Aussie friends, this is a perfect option for a lovely summer BBQ by the pool. Add a quick salad to the mix and you have a perfect lunch.

In the video, Barry indulges in his burger with very little added. My suggestion would be some Asiago Cheese, some pickles, whole grain mustard and some crunchy garden lettuce. Seriously YUM!

Susan. Enjoy ~

Okay, for all of you who follow us regularly and who LOVE our ‘tried & true’ familyroom recipes, this one will NOT disappoint.

Barry Crocker Jr. and his lovely family are some of our closest friends and whenever we are together one thing is for sure…. we will EAT! We love getting together and it’s always a food explosion, whether it be Philip’s famous Seafood Nights complete with freshly shucked oysters, Crab and Lobster and usually a bucket o’ clams, Barry’s delicious Chicken Burgers (I promise I will get that recipe from him….) or our familyroom fav Bill Grangers Caramel Chicken food when we are together NEVER disappoints. This coupled with years of family memories, kids growing up, challenges in life, the highs and the lows and then, of course, everything in between. With all of this, we consider the Crocker family one of our nearest and dearest and a safe place for all of us.

So, without much more I want to share this video with you, Barry has not only shared the recipe but he’s taken the time to share it via video for our family, friends, readers, listeners and followers to enjoy. I promise that once you have this, you won’t regret it and you (like myself) will crave it. Also, your kids will enjoy it and the moment the scent begins to travel through your home, your kitchen will have a gravitational pull that simply can’t be denied. It’s perfect to serve guests as well and you will dazzle them with your culinary brilliance. Additionally, it keeps well so leftovers are perfect.

Enjoy friends and thanks Barry for doing this and believing in thefamilyroom. For those of you in LA if you want to see more of Barry, check out Hope Church Santa Monica where he and Suzie his wife and my friend for life) Pastor. His three gorgeous children are there as well and I they are some of the most beautiful influences in my children’s lives. Explaining that to you really sums up thefamilyroom ~ we are all about building extraordinary families, developing relationships and strengthening the communities we live in. Trust me LA friends, if we were there, we’d be at Hope Church Santa Monica.

Enjoy! Susan

Well friends, this is probably the second most requested recipe on our site. Additionally, it’s one that friends and family have enjoyed whilst dining at the ‘Sohn Kitchen’ on many occasion. Just last night I had another Facebook request for this delish dish. My friend Clare, who is the mother of three beautiful children (aged 3-10) made the request this time.

Interesting that this recipe, being Brussel Sprouts, is one that friends and family love. Brussel Sprouts is a vegetable that usually requires years of tastebuds maturing and developing, yet this recipe is loved my both young and old. My youngest, who is now 6, started requesting this recipe on a regular basis, after it first hit our table about 2 years ago. Cooked in this manner, the once bitter and shunned Brussel Sprout has become a family favorite and as I mentioned, one that is gobbled up and requested by many a guest.

I no longer hesitate preparing or sharing Brussel Sprouts, rather I head straight for them in supermarket and buy up big, especially around Thanks Giving, Christmas and Easter. I also buy when my kids and husband or guests request which is usually on a bi monthly basis.

So, thanks to my lovely friend, Andre Carthen, we can now enjoy this nutritious vegetable with confidence and pleasure.

Friends, here is something special from one of my dear friends Samantha Cosatto. Samantha is one of our Aussie familyroom girls and one thing you need to know about Sam is that she can cook. We all love gathering at the Cosatto home, for a meal, because you can be guaranteed it’s going to be absolutely scrumptious. Sam is a whiz in the kitchen and is one of my dearest friends. It’s not just her culinary skills that draw me to her, it’s her beautiful friendship, our compatibility when it comes to raising our kids and the dreams, hopes and desires we have for them. We both come from strong families and share similar family experiences. As an added bonus our hubby’s are really good friends as well and our kids love hanging together. So, this friendship is one that goes far beyond the kitchen however we both find that our kitchen is one of the places that anchors us. Why? Simply because we value the dining table experience and truly understand how food can and does bring us together as families, friends and communities.

Sam is married to a lovely Italian man (Tony). Through Tony’s Italian heritage Sam has learned the importance of food and keeping everyone well fed. I can assure you, you will never leave the Cosatto home hungry and if you are ever within driving distance from their home, the door is always open and there is always and extra chair at the table waiting for you.

Below is a recipe Sam emailed me. She thought it would be great for our website and in true form she has NOT disappointed. I hope you enjoy this as much as we have. Lamb is a perfect dish whatever the season ~ coupled with a nicely chilled Rose, full bodied Red or even White Wine if you prefer Lamb is a treat. Serve this on a bed of rice and you have a dish that will please family and guests alike.

QUICK LAMB CURRY

1 tbsp oil
500g Diced Lamb
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp Korma curry paste (or mild curry paste)
1 ½ cups (375mls) beef stock
1 large potato, peeled and cut into large cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
½ cup frozen peas
200mls coconut milk
Corriander to garnish

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat, add the lamb and brown in batches
2. Remove and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, garlic and ginger to pan and cook, stirring for 5-6 minutes.
4. Add Korma paste and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes
5. Return lamb to pan, add stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Add the potato, carrot, peas and coconut milk and cook for a further 25 minutes or until lamb is tender.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Lastly, I would like to invite you to tune into our online radio show that airs live every weekday morning at 9:30am. This week our guests include: Musician, Trisha Evans – LIttle Warriors Founder, Glori Meldrum – Kathy Ireland Worldwide Chef, Chef Andre Carthen – Author of ‘The Maker’s Diet’, Jordan Rubin. To listen simply go to www.blogtalkradio.com/susanjsohn. We hope you’ll join us.

Today on RealLife Radio we talked about the new study that links Working Mother’s with Childhood Obesity. It was an interesting conversation and one I suggest you listen to ON DEMAND. Lots of points were addressed and at the end of the conversation workable solutions provided.

We have determined that whether working out of the home or not we must be INTENTIONAL about our shopping, our eating and our exercise.

With that in mind, we decided to share our Pancake Night suggestion and recipe. Pancake Night is perfect for those busy days when you find yourself running at break neck speed, whether it be from meeting to meeting, laundry load to laundry load, dance classes to basketball games or soccer matches. Some days are just crazier than others. It’s on those days that we are constantly reminded that we have nothing out for dinner and for whatever reason we draw a blank when it comes to a dinner solution. We visualize the Golden Arches, chant Mama Burger in our head but really don’t want that option. So, on those nights why not make it Pancake Night. Trust us, the kids will love it, dishes are minimal and it can turn a stressful night into a fun night of ease and comfort.

familyroom Pancakes

1 1/4 cups flour (I like to use wholewheat)
3 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp melted butter or oil (I use olive oil)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1 beaten egg

Sift (I don’t sift but it is suggested) dry ingredients together, then add egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Fry on hot griddle until brown. Serve with your favorite syrup or topping (also don’t be afraid to jazz it up by adding fruit to your batter before cooking ~ banana’s, berries or even chocolate chips if you want to have some fun). If your kids or you don’t like syrup then try the Aussie way with lemon juice and a little sugar (sounds strange but it is SO good). Also, if you want to get extravagant pour a little full cream over the syrup. Delicious!

Enjoy friends and make Pancake Night your own. Your kids can make them and they love doing it so put your feet up and have fun.

Susan

familyroom friend, Donna McCreery posted her upcoming dinner on Facebook the other day and it caught my eye. I’m a big fan of Moroccan food however haven’t made much at home. This is something I plan to change and with this new ‘tried and true’ recipe I can start now. Below are Donna’s words and her recipe. I can’t wait to make this one….

Susan

I love to cook and want to pass along the pleasure of different flavors, spices and ingredients from other cultures to my children. I try to include a vegetarian meal into our diet at least once a week. This one is a favorite. Hearty and healthy…enjoy!

Moroccan Stew

2tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup each diced celery and chopped green bell pepper

1 clove minced garlic

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes

1 can (19oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (19oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp lemon juice

2tsp grated ginger root

1tsp each ground cumin, curry powder, ground corriander, and chili powder

1/2tsp salt

1/4tsp black pepper

1/4 cup raisins

2 tbsp each light peanut butter and chopped fresh cilantro

Method:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients, except raisins, peanut butter and cilantro. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Stir in raisins, peanut butter, and cilantro. Mix well, simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve hot over bed of brown rice.

Love Donna

Over the past few weeks, I have made meals for a few friends who have either been under the weather or just on the run and crazy busy.

I find Lasagna an easy meal to make for friends for a number of reasons: 1) Most kids like Lasagna 2) It’s an easy meal to transport 3) You can jazz it up by adding spinach, grated carrots and other ‘hidden’ veggies 4) Couple it with a salad, some garlic bread and the meal is ready to go.

For whatever reason, our famous Sohn Lasagna is something people seem to love. The recipe has been requested time after time so tonight I finally found a moment to pull it all together. This recipe is familyroom tried and true, it has passed even the toughest of palates so relax and know that it won’t disappoint..

Lasagna

Oven Temp: 375 ~ Cooking Time: 1 hour ~ Pan Size: 9X13 inch ~ Serves 12-14

Meat Sauce:

2lbs ground beef

4 cloves of chopped garlic

½-1 tsp oregano

1 Tbsp salt

2-15oz cans diced tomatoes

2-6oz cans tomato paste

1 cup chopped onions

Or….. If you’re pressed for time, you can cheat and buy a store prepared sauce. If you do this I would buy the roasted garlic meat sauce and as natural as possible.

Cottage Cheeze Mixture:

3 cups dry cottage cheese {if you can’t find dry put your wet cottage cheeze in a strainer and let it drain}

3 beaten eggs

2 tsp salt {you can leave this out if you want. I usually do}

½ tsp pepper

2 Tbsp parsley flakes or preferably fresh parsley chopped

½ cup parmesan cheeze {the finer the better}

1 bag shredded mozzarella cheeze

Method:

Fry ground beef and drain grease {IMPORTANT}.

Add other ingredients and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Combine cottage cheeze mixture, except mozzarella

In a greased baking pan place a layer of noodles + ½ the cottage cheeze mixture followed by a layer of mozzarella then the meat mixture {this is where I add my own flavour to the mix…. I add spinach, eggplant, zucchini or whatever you want. Alternatively, you can grate veggies and add them to your meat sauce if you have a ‘picky’ eater. This is an excellent dish to ‘hide’ a lot of goodness. Get creative and make this your own}.

Repeat beginning again with the layer of noodles, cottage cheeze mixture, mozzarella and finish with the meat mixture and mozzarella and any left over parmesan to sprinkle.

Bake. Recommended baking time is 1 hour however I usually take it out after 50 minutes. The last 10minutes seems to brown it up just a little too much. This is best cooked ahead of time and then reheated. For some reason it holds together better that way.

This recipe freezes well. If you slice it up and put it in zip lock bags it works really well for kids lunches {if microwave is available}. I take it out of the bag in the morning, place it in a glass container, pop it in their lunch bags. The Lasagna coupled with a piece of fruit a veggie and maybe a cookie and your child has a perfect, very filling hot lunch.

Susan xo

Here’s a recipe I tried this week that went down a treat. If you’re expecting a larger crowd this year, this seasoned barbecued pork butt (which is actually pork shoulder) is worth the effort. I used a pork leg. 

PLEASE don’t let the lengthy recipe put you off…it’s actually quite simple…just mix, rub & roast. 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 kg pork shoulder or leg 

Canola or vegetable oil 

6 tbsp honey 

2 tbsp apple juice 

170ml of your favourite BBQ sauce (I used HP sauce)  

SPICE RUB: 

3 tbsp paprika 

3 tbsp soft light brown sugar 

2 tbsp garlic salt 

1 tsp ground cumin 

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning or your favourite herb & spice mix (I used Moroccan spice combo) 

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper 

55ml canola oil or vegetable oil  

GARNISH:

55g spring onions, chopped

2 tbsp flat-leafed parsley leaves 

2 tbsp finely chopped red chilli (optional) 

2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 

1. Combine all the spice rub ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Pierce the meat all over with a small knife (quite deeply) and massage spice rub into the meat well.
3. Place in a bowl and cover or put in a sealed plastic bag and marinade overnight in the fridge. If time restricts, an hour or two is fine.
4. You have the option of grilling this slowly in the barbeque for 6 hours before roasting. Again, if time is not your friend, go straight to roasting.
5. Place 2 sheets of heavy duty foil in the base of the roasting pan ready to wrap the meat.
6. Place the pork cut in the centre and drizzle combines honey and apple juice over it.
7. Wrap the pork in the foil and roast on a low oven for a minimum of 2 hours or until juices run clear…don’t let it dry out.
8. Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 mins.
9. Discard the foil and slather the BBQ sauce over the pork and pop back in the oven or grill in the barbeque for another 30 mins.
10. Once the glaze has caramelised, place the pork on a platter and scatter with the garnish.

Enjoy!

Michaela.

Image by Notes and Photos

Hot Chocolate Mix

For a popular jar mix that is easy enough for children to prepare as Christmas gifts for their teacher, babysitter or grandma, read on.

This recipe also makes a lovely jar gift for your office colleagues or co-workers, neighbours, the paper boy, those friends who drop in around the silly season…whoever!

Hot Chocolate Jar Mix Recipe

Ingredients:
1½ cups skim milk powder
1½ cups white sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
¾ cup non-dairy creamer

Method:
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well. For a finer mix, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix well.

Store in an air tight container. You can purchase glass jars with tin lids from many homewares stores that will look great or simple pour into a sealable plastic sleeve that will look beautiful in either a silver tin or a mug with a couple of candy canes wedged in for a Christmassy touch!

Directions:
Place 2 or 3 tablespoons in a mug and add boiling water.

Decorate the jar with tied ribbon, name tags, a strip of Christmas paper around the middle or cover the lid with circle of fabric tied on with ribbon or raffia. You could even print your own labels to stick on each jar.

Image by 'I Do' It Yourself

Image by World Label

Variations:
· For Mocha Hot Chocolate, place 2 or 3 tablespoons of hot chocolate mix in a mug and fill with hot coffee.
· After processing all other ingredients in the blender or food processor, empty mix into a bowl and stir in 1 cup of mini marshmallows.
· Replace the plain non-dairy creamer with a flavoured creamer such as French Vanilla or Hazelnut.
· For spiced hot chocolate, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to mix, or ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
· For raspberry hot chocolate, add one package of raspberry Kool-Aid to the mix and increase the sugar to 2 cups.

The same could be done for cookie mixes, cake mixes, herb mixes, etc…

Have fun!

Pam.