Amy Minichiello
A Weekend away & Anniversary Chicken
“It is a wet and miserable morning in this little part of the world, so I’ve left you both a stash of firewood and some simple slippers...
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Welcome to
A Mini Kitchen, a place where the simple, slow and joyful memories that surround food are shared together with recipes to bake, cook and create for the ones you love.
Food
love
laughter
& memories
Recipe archive
Amy Minichiello
- Oct 7
- 3 min
One-pan Roast Chicken Drumsticks with Parmesan, Cream & White Wine
We have two very cheeky Common Mynas that stealthily squeeze themselves through the wire of our "Girls'" (aka Chooks) yard. I watch them...
304 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Sep 3
- 3 min
A Comforting Pear & Chocolate Cake
On the far left corner of the stovetop sits one of my silver saucepans. It is a spot I find myself coming back to time and time again - a...
156 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Aug 6
- 3 min
One-pan roast chicken, chickpea and eggplant kasundi
There is always at least half a dozen or so tinned varieties of pulses sitting on the shelf of our pantry. They are my go-to for adding...
142 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jul 15
- 3 min
Dark chocolate brownie with red wine
A package arrived the other day, the accompanying note read - Dear Amy, with the colder weather settling, we are now firmly in Gluhwein...
106 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jun 26
- 4 min
Quince crumble tart
Lately, my mind has been abuzz with all things encased in that flaky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth combination that makes up one of the...
88 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- May 10
- 3 min
Lamb Shank Curry
As soon as there is the slightest hint of a chill in the air I instantly crave meals that require long, slow cooking. It is comforting...
436 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 17
- 3 min
Spring onion cheese Tart
Beau and I had to grit our teeth as we pulled the rather robust spring onions from the earth in which they were grasped tightly into. So...
94 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jan 7
- 4 min
Two Summer Jam's - Apricot & Plum
It has been a relatively cool start to the summer season down here in this part of the world. The earth has been soaking up the heavy...
131 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jan 2
- 7 min
Pork Chops with Crispy Crackling, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Crispy potatoes. Apple & Rhubarb Pie.
It was a little after 11 am, I had just set the table. I took a step back as I counted the chairs - 6 in total. A smile spread across my...
89 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Nov 28, 2020
- 7 min
A Rather Good Lasagne, Crisp Green Salad & Tingly Lemon Gelato.
The latch of our front gate can quite often be heard from inside our little weatherboard home heralding the arrival of guests. Beau more...
212 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Nov 21, 2020
- 5 min
Spiced Fig & Walnut Bread
Every Sunday night once the house has been blanketed in silence and both Beau and Viviana have drifted off to the land of dreams I slice...
232 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Oct 24, 2020
- 6 min
Curried Lamb Forequarter Chops, Potatoes, Rice Pilaf with Silverbeet. And Apple & Banana Shortcake.
The opening sentence in the hefty cookbook that is "The Australian cookbook" reads...The revolution in Australian cooking over the last...
163 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Sep 29, 2020
- 2 min
Rhubarb & Rose Jam
"Pop." That satisfying sound as the tight seal is broken, inside in all of its sweetened glory is the most wonderfully irrediscent jammy...
196 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Sep 21, 2020
- 4 min
Pumpkin & Hazelnut Cake with Ricotta Cream
"It reminds me of something similar mum used to make..." If there is a sentence to conjure up feelings of joy, then this is it. As a...
210 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Sep 8, 2020
- 4 min
Rhubarb & Lemon Scones with a Jasmine Scented Drizzle
A tussie mussie of foraged spring beauties sits on the windowsill above our kitchen sink - the light mauve, deep burnt orange and faded...
313 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Sep 1, 2020
- 3 min
Spiced Pumpkin Sourdough Pancakes
It was close to midday by the time I had wiped down the kitchen sink. Two loaves of freshly baked sourdough sat proudly on the bench as...
53 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Aug 20, 2020
- 5 min
Sticky Date Cake with Poached Pears & A Sourdough Crumb
I am finding the scribbled notes on the lined piece of paper in my notebook hard for me to even decipher...Arrows pointing here another...
181 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Aug 11, 2020
- 2 min
A Warming Winter Soup of Pumpkin, Ginger & Lemongrass
The calmness of the bay and the wild unpredictable waters of the ocean can both be reached within minutes from our humble little...
115 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jul 29, 2020
- 3 min
Fennel, Chorizo & Marinara Risoni
My heavy-based casserole pot sits on top of the stove even when it's not in use. It's covered in cooking stains, burnished marks that...
82 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jul 1, 2020
- 3 min
Rhubarb and Coconut Meringue Slice
They are the final addition to my basket, their long, slender rosy-red stems balance on top of a beautiful snow-white cauliflower, a...
212 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jun 24, 2020
- 3 min
Lime, Nasturtium & Poppyseed Syrup Cake
There are numerous boxes stacked high on top of one another in my mum and dad's garage. A treasure trove of forgotten objects and...
98 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jun 4, 2020
- 5 min
Hot smoked Salmon & Potato Pie
Margins of time are so very precious - these in-between stolen moments can be found right throughout the day, after putting a load of...
248 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- May 27, 2020
- 2 min
Sausages with Tomatoes & Capsicums
As the days become increasingly shorter and that late afternoon nip in the air has us retreating back into the warmth and comfort of our...
148 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- May 14, 2020
- 4 min
Silverbeet, Spinach, Ricotta and Herb Hand Pies
It was one of those days where the air was crisp but the sun shone a soft glowing light, it fell over the trees and the fine blades of...
338 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 28, 2020
- 4 min
Quince & Dark Chocolate Ricotta Crumb Cake
Luscious, creamy ricotta would have to be one of my favourite ingredients of late. Being so versatile it's always so handy to have...
269 views1 comment
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 28, 2020
- 5 min
Fig and Walnut Frangipane Tart
It had been raining all day, the type of rain that soaks into the earth saturating everything in sight. A very pungent onion caused my...
99 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 28, 2020
- 4 min
Honey-roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese Tart
The smell of tomato plants always reminds me of my Nanna. As I brush my hand over their leaves and bring them to my nose I am a little...
160 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 28, 2020
- 2 min
Green Spaghetti with Carrot top & Silverbeet Pesto
Where does the inspiration for a meal come from for you? Every morning, I open the fridge door to jars full of jams, chutneys and...
33 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 28, 2020
- 2 min
Rosemary, Lemon Verbena & Almond Shortbread (gluten free)
In the pantry on the third shelf sits a container that is more often than not filled with some sort of home baked goodies. It just feels...
47 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 28, 2020
- 3 min
Apricot Crostata
My eyes were drawn to an open cardboard carton that sat on the workbench beside our front door. I had just arrived home and my first...
69 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Dec 21, 2019
- 4 min
Spiced Cherry Jam
As we drove off down the uneven dirt road, destined for our return home, his little sing-song voice exclaimed, "Mummy, I like that...
81 views1 comment
Amy Minichiello
- Oct 1, 2019
- 4 min
Dark Chocolate, Roasted Almond & Cumquat Marmalade Cake
At times it begins with a thought; an idea starts to form in my mind. It may have been something I had read, smelt or tasted and in some...
244 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jun 22, 2019
- 4 min
Hot smoked salmon, Brie & Quince tart
A slice of oozy creamy brie sat on top of a piece of Smyrna sun-dried quince and I was in heaven. As I stood there savouring every last...
102 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jun 9, 2019
- 5 min
Nanna Joy's Sausage Rolls
My feet quickly scurried over the icy-cold pavers towards the carport; our second fridge lives out there and I grasped whatever it was...
1,408 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- May 31, 2019
- 6 min
Quince Frangipane Burnt Butter Tart
Butter; What is it that makes it so special? What is the very first thing that pops into your mind at the mention of it? Is it a golden,...
159 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- May 10, 2019
- 5 min
Quince & Apple Tart with Hazelnut Crumble
I really never used to look forward to the colder months; the change in seasons and the rain were more of a hinderance than anything...
181 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 16, 2019
- 5 min
Chocolate & Quince Easter biscuits
My thick woollen turtle neck jumper slips on over my head and I pull a double layer of socks over my feet. Our little home, with its...
115 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 7, 2019
- 7 min
A Pot-luck Picnic and a Burnt Butter & Beetroot cake
The sun had not yet peeped over the horizon as I peeled myself from our cosy bed. I had set my alarm early that Sunday morning to allow...
98 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Apr 2, 2019
- 7 min
Lemon Scented Baby Cakes with Honey-Roasted Figs & Goats Cheese Curd. And a recipe for Fig &
Early morning rain had dampened the earth and the sun was playing peek-a-boo with the clouds. Mum, Beau and I quickly threw our legs over...
165 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Feb 24, 2019
- 6 min
Shakshuka & A Cheesy, Herby Cornbread
One of the many reasons I love cooking so much is that it can take us to faraway places. Places that we may have been to before or dream...
177 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jan 29, 2019
- 5 min
Ricotta Gnocchi with Ragu
A chunk of crusty, stale bread sat on the kitchen bench, homemade might I add. I have come to take a great amount of joy in watching my...
347 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jan 12, 2019
- 4 min
Blushing Apricot Chutney
My eyes lit up with excitement as Ben came in the door carrying a bulging brown paper bag in his arms. He had just been chatting to our...
124 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Dec 11, 2018
- 4 min
Fennel, Olive & Tomato Baked Chicken with Fennel & Garlic butter
I can't quite recall what we had done earlier in the day, but my mind, like most days, wandered off to thoughts about dinner. Two fennel...
556 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Nov 15, 2018
- 4 min
Mushroom, Ricotta & Blue Cheese Crostata
I had been dreaming of creating a lovely spelt and rosemary pastry that would delicately fold over a filling of creamy ricotta and...
131 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Oct 9, 2018
- 4 min
Mandarin, Poppy seed & Pine nut Friands
The container of melted butter was carefully placed onto the kitchen bench. The creaky timber swing door opened and a whispered voice...
125 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Sep 16, 2018
- 3 min
Cauliflower Parmigiana
Hiding behind those big green leaves that gently cup the snow white florets hides a humble vegetable that can be prepared in so many...
157 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Aug 28, 2018
- 5 min
Roasted Vegetable Lasagne
When it comes to comfort food the first few meals that come to mind are slow-cooked casseroles, hearty soups and Mums roast dinners....
362 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Aug 12, 2018
- 4 min
Cookbooks and "tea" biscuits
"I don't read novels I read cookbooks." This is what I say when asked "what book are you reading at the moment?'. Although, I must admit...
221 views0 comments
Amy Minichiello
- Jul 29, 2018
- 4 min
Lemongrass, Ginger & Pumpkin Soup
Arriving home after a week of sunshine filled days, long morning walks along the beach and multiple dips in the ocean we were very...
148 views0 comments