Brought to you by Coles.
Family dynamics are funny things. My older sister was pretty much my idol growing up. Forget Madonna and Kylie Minogue, it was all about my sister Sarah. Whatever she did, I wanted to do. Whatever she had, I wanted it too. Sarah was the epitome of cool. Heck, she had a Ken Done quilt cover, a waterbed and a kick-butt, red cassette player. It doesn’t get much cooler than that {we’re talking the 80’s here}.
When she’d have friends over for dinner, we all had to keep the embarrassment levels down. You know, keep the weird under control. She also had another rule, no homebrand products. Well, not visible anyway. I remember this one night, Ma had made us all dinner {probably rissoles and mash, love} and then for dessert we were having cheesecake, homebrand/no frills-type cheesecake. Ma made the mistake of leaving the box on the benchtop. My sister was mortified. I think she might have locked herself in her room, and played some music. It was epic, man.
I had to giggle when Coles asked me to try a bunch of their own brand products. It took me back to that night way back when. They said they wanted to shout my family dinner, as long as we used Coles Brand products. Challenge accepted {pity that my sister lives 13 hours away and couldn’t join us!}.
I started early with afternoon tea. We had friends over so I made some cheese and bacon scrolls {using Coles Brand tasty cheese}. You can find the recipe here. The adults had lemon slice. Thumbs up all round.
A little entree before dinner involved prawn gyoza and mini pork buns {you can find them in the freezer section}. I’m a big fan of the gyoza, but not a fan of aniseed so the pork buns {which have a hint of aniseed} were gobbled up by Hubby. For the dipping sauce you can just use a soy and add a bit of chilli for a kick.
For main we had slow cooked lamb shanks in red wine. The good thing is they only take 35 minutes because they’ve kindly been slow-cooked for 5 hours for you. We had fresh veggies with it. {Excuse my photography, I can never take nice photos of meat but they tasted delish}.
Now for dessert. You might have seen the ad for the Coles peanut butter ice cream. Hubby and I knew what we were finishing our meal off with and it was this. I’ve decided it’s pretty much that Snickers wedding cake I made in ice cream form. In other words, crazy good.
And with that, dinner was done. I was impressed. The gyoza will be making a regular appearance at our house for lunches, and that ice cream is my new favourite {it’s dangerous stuff!}. So, there will be no hiding of packaging in our house. a la my sister, maybe just of the ice cream once it’s sneakily been eaten!
Coles is giving one lucky reader a $150 gift card to take on the same challenge. To be in the running just answer the following question: Who would be your dream dinner guest {dead or alive}, and why?
{boring bits}
One entry per person
Open to Australian residents only
Competition closes June 6th 11:59pm
The lucky winner of this competition is Eva L. Congrats! x
My Nan: she so desperately wanted great grand children and never met them before she died. She’s now got two gorgeous boys (mine) and a girl due any day now (my sister’s first). She’d be so thrilled to meet them, even for a couple of hours.
My Pop: So I could prove to him that I can finally cook pea & ham soup better than him.
Elvis Presley, I reckon he’d love that Peanut Butter Icecream!
My Mum, who we lost 11 years ago yesterday, I would love her to see what beautiful teenagers her grandchildren have grown up to be and to show her what an adventure we have experienced making our great new life in Australia.
But mostly to prove to my Mam, that one of us can cook!!
My newly married husband and our bridal party as a big thank you for being awesome friends and making our wedding day the best day ever! We are all foodies and I have a list as long as me (5ft 11.5 inches) of recipes I would love to cook & share with my gorgeous friends 🙂 inspired by Masterchef nightly and Jamie Oliver…..
Angelina Jolie, I just read the article in the Sunday paper where she says she hopes her children want to do something other than acting, such an interesting woman and involved in humanitarian efforts across the globe. Ps I just bought those coles lamb shanks on the weekend ready to cook tonight, they look great! Anything to make my life easier.
Jamie Oliver, but I would expect him to work for his supper. His food always looks so nutritious, wholesome & delicious.
My grandchildren, my kids are still young, so these imaginary people are certainly not “alive”. My dream dinner guests would be the family that my husband and I have created. Probably sounds odd, but I can see it. We will have a country house and a long table outside under a tree and I will be able to see the rewards of my love and nurturing. A while off yet…
My dream dinner guest would have to be Barack Obama – as if that wouldn’t be amazing! I’d be terrified to cook for him, but having a meal with someone so powerful would be incredible.
The talented person who invented gooey chocolate brownie ice cream. They are obviously a creative genius and I’d love to pick their brain!
I’m a bit shallow but as much as I love good food I love to pretty things, so I would say Brad Pitt. It would be the dinner I would remember forever
Nelson Mandela if he were still alive. To be able to learn from one of the greatest peacemakers of our generation and to eat with him would be an awesome experience.
Im thinking I would invite Hamish & Andy. Hamish could keep my kids & husband entertained, while I could hook my gorgeous & single friend up with the equally gorgeous & single Andy!! Win-Win :o)
My Pop. We lost him last year after a year week battle with melanoma and he didn’t get to meet my twin boys born 4 weeks later. Would love to see him one more time, have dinner with him (he doesn’t like anything spicy!) and give him one last cuddle and tell him how much I love him
Definately Nigella Lawson, we’d eat beautiful food and she’d make fabulous cocktails and do all the talking in that heavenly voice of hers 😀 Jan x
P!nk 🙂 I have a fifteen month old daughter and would love to pick the brains of one of the seemingly more honest, strong, fun and yet at times humble female role models for both mums and daughters!
Dream (and dreamy!) dinner guest would have to be Kevin McCloud from Grand Designs fame – I would even cook for him!!
Would have to be a lady I met about 4 years ago in a laundromat. She was in Tasmania on holidays and I was there because I was on leave from work and our washing machine had broken down. We chatted for ages. I was feeling pretty low because of work being horrid, money being tight and of course no washing machine and two beautiful but grotty toddlers dirtying up their clothes. I shared my concerns and worries with her (as you do with strangers in a laundromat) and we really seemed to have a connection. When it was time for me to leave we gave each other our email addresses and had a cuddle. She then put her hand into my jacket pocket and told me to promise her that I wouldn’t look at it until I had l left. I thought to myself was a gorgeous old lady putting a fiver into my pocket to buy myself a coffee or something. I promised her and then left, completely forgetting about it till I got home and removed my jacket. Putting my hamd in my pocket instead of pulling or a $5 note I pulled out a wad of $50’s totaling $500!
So, I would invite Ingrid to my table for dinner so I can properly thank her for not only enabling me to fix my washing machine but to also buy warm winter jackets for the kids!
Even though I have emailed her and had a reply, Im still not 100% sure she wasn’t my guardian Angel sent to pick me up when I was down but either way I’d love to see her again.
Wow, I have goosebumps reading that. What an Amazing story.
My Father in law (passed 11 days before my first son was born) so he could have one last meal with his son & two grandsons he never got to meet. . Just the thought of how amazing that would be has me in tears
American chef Nick Kokonas would be my dinner guest! At the peak of his career he was diagnosed with tongue cancer which, apart from being life threatening, resulted in him losing his sense of
taste! Quite important for a chef! Not wanting to be kept down he trained his chefs to mimic his palate and learned how to cook with his other senses! Later he received the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef in America Award.
I am going to purchase his book and read it because apart from my culinary interest I am
always looking for inspirational stories like this to motivate myself and, more importantly, my husband who was diagnosed with lung cancer late last year. He is finding it hard to cope mentally as well as physically. It really helps to read or talk to others in similar situations who find the positives and fight
for a better life and ultimately their own survival!
Would have to by my husbands brother, he passed away when he was 14 and i would love to sit with him and meet him and have him meet his niece and nephew.
Definately would be either my grandfather that died when I was very young, I dont remember him at all! I would love to have known him! Or it would be my husbands nanna who past away a couple of years ago! Such a beautiful woman whom I know could have taught me so much – from her life stories to gardening, she used to have the most beautiful gardens!!!
Miss her greatly!!! Miss not having a greanfather too! 🙁
P.S
Those bbq pork buns are a FAV here!!! Aswell as the mini burgers, spring rolls… well most of their little frozen boxes of ‘easy’ foods that ease the stress of the crazy hours!!
Nelson Mandela, Gandhi , or Desmond Tutu someone with thought provoking discussion on how we can all live in harmony together in our fabulous country
Dream dinner guest would be my dad. He died when I was 3 months in a car accident and to be able to speak and touch him would be amazing.
I’d have my parents over we had a falling out for a couple of years and things have never been the same since 🙁
My dream dinner guest would be the American film maker John Waters. He is so unusual & intelligent & has an interesting view on many things. I’m sure it would be an unforgettable experience.
Would have to be my late Grandmother, she was a pillar in our family especially for the females. I would love for her to meet my 3 daughters and impart her wisdom on motherhood and love them they way she love me and my sister….
Funnily enough, Ken Done would be my dream dinner guest… I would love to find out how that man’s mind works!
Thanks for the chance to win 🙂
You, as I think you would be wonderful company, your recipes are awesome and I love to read your stories and life experiences, and kids could play away
My husband. With very, very busy children and our mutual jobs I hardly recognise him anymore. Would love to sit down for a good old ‘child free’ yarn and reconnect. We haven’t had an uninterrupted convo for 21 years.
My dream dinner guest would be my late father in law. I never got to meet him as he was taken so young. My husband misses his father dearly and I would love to see them united again. I can imagine the chatter and smiles just thinking about it.
My dream dinner guest would be my nana! I never had a chance to meet her as she passed away before I was born. I would love to chat to her and see what she was really like. I’d also love for her to be able to meet my children!
Having Eddie Vedder over for a private acoustic performance for my hubby and I would be awesome! He’s my crush and I love his music.
My dream guest would be the Dalai Lama. He would have an amazing aura about him and he’d love anything you’d serve him for dinner … and he’d be happy to be there … plus you wouldn’t be able to wipe the smile off your face for the rest of the year!!
You actually. Would be a good laugh sharing kids, food and décor stories with a similar minded woman 🙂 Nicole Smith
Oh, we gobbled up the coffee and choc crunch Coles ice cream last night! Yum!
I’ve never considered this question before and immediately thought of my grandfather as I had been thinking lately it would have been lovely to have conversed with him when an adult and parent myself, not just a kid.
My dream guest would be God! I’m not a practicing religious person, but I have so many questions about life and why this and that, that as they say the way to a man’s heart is though food so perhaps all content he would divulge some answers to me!!
Wolverine, because I wouldn’t have any trouble carving the roast, with those claws of his! (Plus you know, he is Hugh Jackman!)
Joseph Fiennes, because he’d be great eye candy. I wouldn’t mind if he didn’t talk. I’d just want to look at him. 🙂
Pedro from Game of Thrones. Gone too soon, I want to have a meal with him so I can listen to that sexy accent of his.
Nelson Mandela…he has always been my mentor in life with the motto of understanding not hate…he would truly be a wonderful, interesting guest at the dinner table for all the family
As long as they washed up after me, I don’t care who joins me!
Dolly Parton – she can sing for her supper and share some moonshine recipes…. I will do the dishes to spend an evening with this very clever and talented lady.
When everything around here needs is frantic, loud and needs doing in a trice, dinner ALONE with a rom-com DVD – no interruptions – would be nice!!!
My best friend Karen. She moved to Brisbane and l miss seeing her face to face and having long dinners where we just sit and chat.
Mother Teresa would be my guest. She could teach me compassion, empathy and patience. I bet she would love dessert!!!!
I’d love to dine with John Lennon, passionate people are always the most entertaining and engaging – whether you agree with their perspective or not, it’s enlivening to chat with someone who feels so deeply 🙂
dolly parton because i sing her songs at karaoke i sound exactly like her too embarrassing because im a construction worker
My Grandmother. She had 14 kids and was always smiling. Now that I’m a mother myself I’d love to sit down for a good old chat with her and learn from her wisdom and advice.
I’d really love to chat to Carrie Bickmore from The Project. She seems really down to earth and natural and I think we’d really get along.
My dad who passed away nearly 12 months ago.We were very close and always had a chat over a cup of coffee .He was my Dad and my Best friend.
My sis, because she always brings her best recipes to share 🙂
My grandma, she always told the best stories of her childhood, the war, how she met my grandpa, family stories, I could listen to them forever 🙂
Oprah is high on the list, remarkable social insight in a gist, sharing all she has learnt, probably while telling me “That chicken is BURRRRRRRNT!”
My Grandfather who never got to meet my husband or my kids, he would be so proud of the family I’ve created, and I’d be so proud to share one last meal with him.
Curtis Stone so he can give me a few culinary hints and ideas so I can make the most of my weekly Coles grocery visits!
My Nanny, after every meal she would reach into her handbag and have a surprise for me. Best way to finish a meal
Colonel Sanders because I would love to know what his secret 11 herbs and spices are 😉
While typing this i’m watching Masterchef and Garrys love of food and sweets is infectious…. I’d make him my famous (to my family) cheesecake!
Myself in 20 years… I am an infamously fussy eater, so I could work out which foods future me likes so I have new foods to eat and can avoid the unpleasantness of trying those I don’t like!!!!!
…yes, I’m special 😛
Tony Abbott. I’d love to show him how the average Aussie really lives!
I quite like that idea!
Jesus would be a fantastic guest, he’d be better than the rest, he could turn the water to wine and today that’s not a crime.
My late Nan, I’ve started cake baking/decorating since she passed and I would love to show her my work and have her first meal with all of her great-grandchildren <3
My late Aunt. To have another chat. Another smile. One last hug and to hold her hand.
And to feed her some good food.
To tell her that I love her just one last time…
My Grandfather! I’d love to relive my youth and be sitting at the kitchen bench with him playing “Guess Who” while he’d have his afternoon beer, or learn how to make his famous and most mouth watering Pork Ragout and crunchiest and tastiest pork crackle bites I’ve ever had!
My nana. She lives in New Zealand and we both love cooking. I haven’t seen her in person for about 11 years, we do skype though. I’d love to cook a meal with her.
My parents. They live over a 1000km away, so it woukd be lovely.
My 3 year old son – he would be happy with Mummy’s decision to have the peanut butter ice-cream for all courses and for just that moment I would forget all the rules the poor little man has to endure during dinner…..
My dream dinner date at the moment would be my husband of 7 years as we have four young children – including twins – and don’t get chance to chat to each other let alone enjoy a meal together as we’re so busy 😉
My Dad. He passed away 20 years ago and the other day after a minor tiff with my mother ( all sorted now! ) I thought how much I’d like to whinge to Dad about Mum and how crazy she was driving me, because he would understand. 100%!!!!
Author and Foster carer, Cathy Glass. I have read all of her books and I find her to be an inspiration. How Cathy can see and hear so many stories of the lives of children, welcome them into her home and help to make positive changes in their lives is unbelievable. I would love to ask her where she finds the strength!
So many people. There are so many people on the list but I think the one person who would be my dream dinner guest would be the wife of the current Governor General of Australia – Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove. As an Army wife myself I just want to know how she coped with the challenges we face. Would be cool if he could tag along as her +1 too 😉
I would invite you Chantelle!! I love your view on life, it is just so damn positive, and sometimes I need a bit of positivity!! ( I know sounds all sucky, but I could also pick your brain about running a successful blog etc)
My dream dinner date would be one of my longest and closest friends. We used to have dinner every Sunday (and watch some trashy tv) together for almost 3 years before all our babies came along. Now it’s hard to make a meal for all of us that include 2 husbands and 5 children!
I would love to win the voucher so we can plan and organise a family friendly meal for all of us!
My grandparents. I would love to show them I can cook them a roast dinner with the same love and laughter they did. My heart smiles when I smell a baked dinner cooking on a wintery Sunday.
My best friend Sally. She’s just recently had a hernia repaired and is on bed rest. Of course I wouldn’t make her come to us, I’d go to her place and cook her a nice roast with all the trimmings and then we’d pig out on ice cream for dessert and I’d try not to make her laugh too much 🙂 Then I’d clean and vacuum her flat and steal all her washing and take it home and wash and dry it for her.
My dream dinner guest would be my father who passed away 2 years ago.I miss him terribly and to have him for one more dinner would be super special to ask his advice and for him to realise how much my life has changed since he left us.
Just my husband. We have a 16mo old and a 6w old so it’s been a long time since we were able to enjoy a meal just the two of us!
Katy Perry, she is so fun and colourful and I think we’d laugh a lot. She’s so kooky and doesn’t take things seriously …all the things you want in a dinner guest!!
My second mummy! I met Brie through my mums friend, Brie is married to their son. I spent 3-4 wonderful days soaking up the sunshine and talking girl chat. We haven’t seen each other since. we talk regularly but due to schedules and her being a mum with kids and me well not yet anyway time has never been on our side. Love her to death and this week really wish I could have dinner with her. Xx
As a huge Anne of Green Gables fan I would invite Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of the Anne of Green Gable’s series. There are some wonderful references to food, meals and the nourishment that food provides in the books. I would love to be able to discuss the books with her, the characters and the setting of Prince Edward Island.
My dream dinner guest would honestly have to be Jamie Oliver. Gosh, I love his whacky way of talking, and how he can ‘smash’ out something so quick and have it be delish. Wish I could cook like that!
My Poppa, I only knew him as a child and I would like to chat to him as an adult and find out about his life and share with him mine.
It would be my dad, he is the best man I know, he is wonderful, I don’t think I could think of anyone else i’d rather have dinner with if i had to choose…
my bestie, she lives on the other side of the world now and I just miss her all the time..what I would do for a sit down dinner and conversation with her
My best friend he passed away at 28 years young suddenly, I was pregnant with my 1st daughter and he never knew I was pregnant. He was a incredible man who I miss dearly, I would love to be able to introduce my kids to him as I always talk about him and miss him dearly. I would love him to know as a struggling single mum I would love to cook him anything he wanted, even though cooking isn’t my strong point I would do anything to see him again and spend more time with him. He is gone but never forgotten.
Billy Connelly would be my dream dinner guest – I reckon though, not much eating would get done – too much talking and laughing!
My mum, so she could meet my beautiful family. x
Not Tom Cruise, lol. Would have to be Jamie Oliver. Maybe he might even cook it for us.
It would be a couple – Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – they have just lived and done so much in their lives, I could just sit and listen to all their worldly stories all night!
Maya Angelou – I really feel like she had an untold story, even though she was so open and honest about her life… there was something more, and I would choose her to be able to sit down with her and hear more about her life.
My nan. She has dementia and although she’s met my daughter has never understood who she is, she hasn’t known me for a while. I’d just like my nan back as nan, even for a short time.
I reckon that dude from river cottage Australia would be a cool dinner date.he is so inspirational. But I would probably expect him to cook. Is that fair?
Oprah Winfrey. Because she rocks!! I would love to hear her stories and to be inspired 🙂
Id love to hear a motivational speech from Tony Robbins over dinner to discover my potential, find my passion, live my dreams and stay motivated. It would be a life changing experience.
Maybe Chrissie Swan….a bit of a laugh and some good insight.
Lamb Shanks for me {smells good} & chocolate sauce pudding {recipe courtesy on my mother-in-law} with double whipped cream xo Delish.
I would have my Nanny Fay for dinner, she died when I was in grade 7 and I loved her so much I was heartbroken. I adored her & I know she would adore my 3 little men & shower them with love. Every time my dad took us to visit her we would get to pick a lolly out of her awesome lolly jar & she would always write ‘no worries be happy’ in our birthday cards. How I wish that dream could come true. If I had to pick a live person it would be Hugh Jackman!!
My dream guest would be Laura Ingalls Wilder. I know, not very cool but I grew up reading and re-reading her books over and over again and I just have sooooooo many questions. But if we are talking fictional characters then it’s Tank Girl for sure, I think she would be pretty fun to get on the wines with.