When I asked my father where he’d like to go to for Father’s Day this year, he didn’t pick a fancy place, or a notable place, or a place he was curious about. He picked the place that we used to get takeaway from regularly when my mum was too busy to cook, Hoh Won. Yes, he’s not a man for trying new things. Being that it was Father’s Day we made sure to book at this little suburban Chinese restaurant. It’s small but popular and does a booming takeaway business. Indeed, the last time we actually ate in here was when I was about 12 years old.

And because my dad loves to eat early (he’s in bed by 9pm every night, see he really doesn’t like adventure), we are sitting down to dinner at 5.30pm. There is already a table mid meal which makes us feel a little less odd. Looking at the blackboard, we do a double take as blackboard specials actually appear on the menu. We get excited at the idea of Peking Duck for $22 but upon asking, we learn that you only get 1/2 a duck which is about the normal price for 1/2 a Peking Duck so we pass. My father loves seafood so we order a slew of dishes that are different from what we normally order. The tables are very close together, with extra tables added to cater for Father’s Day.

Chicken and Ham roll $4.80

Our entree is a Chicken and Ham roll. Before you think this is a normal chicken and ham bread roll, it’s not, rather it’s chicken and ham rolled up and then sliced and deep fried. It’s not bad although they used to make much better chicken and ham rolls about 10 years ago.

Sizzling Seafood Platter $14

Our sizzling seafood platter arrives in a bowl and the waiter pours it into the sizzling cast iron plates, spilling some of it onto the tablecloth. He shrugs and we’re left to pick up several pieces of food that have fallen on the tablecloth after he leaves. The seafood platter itself is good, full of scallops, fat prawns, squid and fish with a fragrant gingery taste and thick sauce.

Chicken with crab meat $13

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Its an rainy day during Sydney’s Winter that I decide that the Spaghetti Pie recipe will get an look in. There’s nothing better than being inside when its raining and it becomes a little more gratifying when there’s something delicious smelling in the oven.

Being particularly time poor that day, I short cut the meatballs by using Chevups skinless sausages which are low in fat and high in meat. I added some fresh breadcrumbs to them to fluffify and lighten them, some milk to bind and stirred in the broccoli and oddly enough, we have a new meatball favourite.

I also couldn’t get by without using my favorites tomato pasta bake sauce, Remano Creamy tomato and basil from shock horror, of all places, Aldi. Its creamy and very tomatoey and we make special trips to Aldi to stock up our cupboards with it. My husband and I are those oddball people that actually love cottage cheese. We could eat it by the tubful so I need no convincing to use it. In fact the texture, once cooked, is like using mince. And since I’m not a fan of mozzarella, I used regular tasty cheese, nothing fancy there. It wasn’t as crispy as the recipe suggests that it would be - perhaps the addition of the pasta sauce instead of regular tomato sauce did it but it was still very good and a favoured alternative to spaghetti and meatballs.

(Rainy Day) Spaghetti Pie from Deceptively Delicious

This is a perfect recipe for that leftover pasta you’ve got in the fridge from last night’s dinner

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 ozs/90g whole wheat spaghetti or angel hair pasta (or 1 cup cooked leftover pasta) I used fettucine
• 1/2 pound/250g lean ground turkey or sirloin (I used 200g chevups sausages and 50g fresh breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup broccoli puree
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 cups bottled tomato sauce
• 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup carrot puree
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella (I used regular tasty)

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Coat a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander (Skip this step if you have leftover pasta)

3. In a small bow, mix the ground turkey or sirloin with the broccoli puree, egg white, parmesan and garlic. Form the mixture into 1/2 inch balls

4. In a large bowl, stir the cooked pasta, tomato sauce, cottage cheese, carrot puree,, and salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the pie plate and smooth the top. Scatter meatballs on top and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake, uncovered until the centre is firm and the cheese is bubble, 25 - 30 minutes.

Prep: 20 mins Total: 45 mins serves 8-10

By Jessica Seinfeld from Deceptively Delicious

On our drive back to Sydney, exhausted but blissfully happy at having a great time at the Snow, we sought out a great place to have breakfast. The little country style shop near the house was closed this Monday morning so we drove towards Sydney through Tumut to find a bigger town. I was looking for something cute and blog worthy whilst everyone else was looking for a meal to fill their growling stomachs. Luckily we happened upon the Coach House.

Housed in a sandstone building, there is a front counter with hot pastries, pies and sausage rolls and walking through, an eating area with handy monogrammed green blankets to help ward off the cold. We grab a blanket each and settle in to examine the menu. Ordering and paying at the front I ask about certain items and choose the home made raisin bread and pancakes (told you I was hungry!). The breads, pies, sausage rolls and quiches are all made there daily.

Poached eggs and toast $9

It takes a while for our food and drinks to arrive and when they do, they arrive one by one. Anneli’s poached eggs arrives first. The wholemeal bread is delicious, with a lovely crunch to it- Anneli loves it so much that she enquires as to whether they sell it by the loaf. They do, but require a day’s notice. After a few more queries they offer her a frozen wholemeal loaf which she happily purchases ($4).

The Hot Chocolate with marshmallow, one of those items that the cold weather enhances so superbly is not very impressive, tasting like the base is made up of water and chocolate instead of milk and chocolate - weak and watery.

Cappucino $3.00

The cappucino suffers a similar fate, very weak and not particularly full flavoured.

Raisin toast $3.70

My fruit toast arrives, with that lovely crunch and full with plump raisins. I slather it with the butter and crunch away happily.

Pancakes with syrup (or honey) $6.80

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