tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68882363282693369802023-11-16T10:06:28.391-08:00 My Private Dining RoomAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-38269441356735176652015-10-27T03:14:00.000-07:002015-10-27T03:14:37.843-07:00Where am I...?<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't really know what to say. It has been so long since I have posted. I have been reading so many amazing blogs this last year and every time I come back to this space I end up wondering what I really have to offer this space, my readers, that someone isn't already offering somewhere else.....and lets face it, probably better than what I have been doing here too. I'm not feeling down about it all, I want to blog, I even miss it. however 2 kiddies, keep me so busy it is difficult to invest into this space to a level I feel it deserves. I'd rather just not waste my time....or anybody else's. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That said, Instagram is proving to be a great mini-blog forum for this busy mum. So please hunt me down there. I hope that one day soon I will find the time for this again. It's good for me to do it. And I hope one day it will be good for you to read it.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-75614851749304148792015-01-10T00:07:00.000-08:002015-01-10T00:07:19.749-08:00Christmas and Beyond<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was going to write a beautiful post here about how lovely it was to get away for Christmas this year, but quite frankly, the way things are going, it would take till March for me to finish it. The truth is we ate toast a lot, we took a lot of naps and we drank too much sugar based drinks. All in all, it was a good Christmas. Hope you all had a beautiful Chrissy too xoxo</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-15554207938455001282014-11-17T06:49:00.002-08:002014-11-17T06:49:42.874-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m here again, and so soon! Please don’t get used to it. But
I figured you guys deserved an actual recipe from me, it really has been a
while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My main aim in the kitchen these days is to start putting
together a store of recipes that I can fall back on. Simple recipes, recipes
that require as little time as possible in the kitchen. I have always
approached the kitchen with a desire to stretch myself as a cook, to challenge
myself and grow my understanding of food and flavors. My work at the E.C.M. Kitchen has really kept me quite driven in that quest. Out of that work, a growing passion for food has also encouraged me forward. On the
upside, in the past, I always had the time to explore, test and experiment in
the kitchen. I am a great dawdler in the kitchen, not that I don’t get the job
done, but I like to take my time, I like to enjoy the process, to savor
watching (and smelling) the dish come together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a luxury I no longer have. Dawdling that is. And
with a the added pressure of ongoing morning sickness I feel a need to start
adjusting how I cook for our family now, before there is a second baby and the
time limit is even smaller. I almost feel an urgency about it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You see, with all this pushing forward on the quest, I’ve
discovered a big gaping hole in my repertoire. Simple recipes that taste good. This
is strange because I love simple food. I adore avocado on toast. I think a
poached egg is heaven. And don’t even get me started on pesto pasta. But quite
honestly, that’s it, those three things are about as big as my simple food
recipe pile stands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is another side to this. I can’t stand mac and cheese.
There are few things on this earth I could pair with the word ‘hate’, but that
would be on the top of my list. Most of the simple meals for families being batted
around out there just aren’t to a standard of flavor that I am used too now. I
can’t do mac and cheese. In fact I am not even a big fan of pasta bake full
stop. Or casseroles. Has anyone else noticed that when you make a stew
everything tastes the same? The carrots, the meat, the potatoes, they all take
on one the flavor and there is no….oomph. Oh help, I just sound like a whiny
child now. I just want layers or flavor. Even if it’s just like the slight tart
change you get between the flesh of an apple and its skin. Tell me please that someone understands this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want simple dishes that still rock in flavor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A new quest
has begun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And with all that out of my system, I give you recipe number one. A
twist on Maggie Beer's Pumpkin Bruschetta. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A very dear friend sent me one of Maggie's books a while ago, signed and addressed appropriately by the dear Maggie
herself, but it has since been sitting on the shelf due to my lack of time to
give it a proper introduction to the kitchen. Pouring over her starters this
week, I pulled out this recipe as it appealed to another problem I have in the
kitchen right now. Not being able to cook. Or at least, not being able to stand
over cooking food. I <i>can</i> cut pumpkin
and bung it in the oven and walk away from it. That, I can still do well. I can
see this dish becoming a great fall back dinner for us in the future, and it
was actually very good too. Simple of course, but good. And for myself, not
being able to eat the goat’s cheese whilst pregnant, the roasted pumpkin
smashed onto the toasted ciabatta by itself, was still totally lip smacking. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Roast Pumpkin on toast</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(slightly tweaked from Maggie Beers Roast Pumpkin Bruschetta recipe)</i></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Butternut pumpkin (as much as you like)</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>onion (optional) </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>good quality olive oil</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>fresh rosemary</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>sea salt</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>cracked pepper</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Verjuice </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>about 3 garlic cloves (more if you are making a big batch of pumpkin)</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>a loaf of ciabatta bread</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>soft goats cheese</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>a lemon</i></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>preheat oven to about 240C</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cut pumpkin into small 1cm-2cm pieces and place on baking tray, throw on some smashed garlic cloves (hold one garlic clove back for the bread), thinly sliced onion, and the fresh rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil and season well. Bake till the tips of the pumpkin start to caramelize. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Take tray out and drizzle over verjuice. Maggie recommends a 1/4 of a cup for only 200g, so I think you can be quite generous with your drizzle :)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Place it back in the oven for about 5-10 minutes. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The ciabatta loaf can be sliced and toasted, grilled or fried in a little oil (as I did), if you grill or toast you can drizzle with a little oil, but when cooked, rub with the set aside garlic clove (cut in half first to get max flavor of garlic on the bread) </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Then place goats cheese onto toast, and serve the hot silky pumpkin on top. I added some more sea salt and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice to really help make the dish pop.</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-4485011431919924092014-11-15T07:02:00.001-08:002014-11-15T07:16:47.409-08:00A journey of motherhood through photographs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDafc_HF8LZncyMGm8n8i16wx56Zd7PIeJ3VBA6_PwTLqXXagUgW9hRrp-EvrGSM1IB2CR6YSJmCKzgCm8qGyIAlSmXzO1x5UnaIFASW2jejUeiywdnOWW9ST1qchY8bK6_A78YTpHXo/s1600/IMG_3509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDafc_HF8LZncyMGm8n8i16wx56Zd7PIeJ3VBA6_PwTLqXXagUgW9hRrp-EvrGSM1IB2CR6YSJmCKzgCm8qGyIAlSmXzO1x5UnaIFASW2jejUeiywdnOWW9ST1qchY8bK6_A78YTpHXo/s640/IMG_3509.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC1vYXmB3DXNNXieUgg4kC8yvW1u5bwvwn2ilsKRIS9v_N5sFIa01nozjWMHgL6o-OBu-AbejbpilCgPOW9eJuVHdh-e4qzKe4gCQQVYt2WW0Y4uQOjJ68QttVdFfEVu5_IufpOfQDbo/s1600/IMG_3510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC1vYXmB3DXNNXieUgg4kC8yvW1u5bwvwn2ilsKRIS9v_N5sFIa01nozjWMHgL6o-OBu-AbejbpilCgPOW9eJuVHdh-e4qzKe4gCQQVYt2WW0Y4uQOjJ68QttVdFfEVu5_IufpOfQDbo/s640/IMG_3510.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaH8VtIOEf0xhrkKuibSDSG1cLckbVMWFNeI1p28B7Bp5fukdepkvblsxbu_19hbeYwoY8NE2fs5uLPpg3Qddc2eIn6N2Aj0PnSqtN0Zgk_cGgPli_GvjE5dQIjRW7u-8GwJh0nZHv8QA/s1600/IMG_3526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaH8VtIOEf0xhrkKuibSDSG1cLckbVMWFNeI1p28B7Bp5fukdepkvblsxbu_19hbeYwoY8NE2fs5uLPpg3Qddc2eIn6N2Aj0PnSqtN0Zgk_cGgPli_GvjE5dQIjRW7u-8GwJh0nZHv8QA/s640/IMG_3526.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhP3n4xbCRzS_QBw7AS1bZITGGfmyjDWYZprZsvhY1WSzFIUpHW-wxszW9TB01iZPY6qBiPEaJ0wWYqWrmBzW4EsgVaAoqLAqhEGXVV7fGqMAb8IOBo-iy4fwaGIO1ehyphenhyphenbTO2-4p1QZA/s1600/IMG_3531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhP3n4xbCRzS_QBw7AS1bZITGGfmyjDWYZprZsvhY1WSzFIUpHW-wxszW9TB01iZPY6qBiPEaJ0wWYqWrmBzW4EsgVaAoqLAqhEGXVV7fGqMAb8IOBo-iy4fwaGIO1ehyphenhyphenbTO2-4p1QZA/s640/IMG_3531.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07igkPi9O84pzz1GclUo6HLxg9c49778ioqdrVAeCXa-RhyeqxT2pWZK2EbokpAOwb71zXV1R-rgpOBwR9o5tvVQO7sU796RsiBg0l1Pc3nWemSyvUvGCkvmGhKOo6QJ5olmXIalEZaw/s1600/IMG_3555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07igkPi9O84pzz1GclUo6HLxg9c49778ioqdrVAeCXa-RhyeqxT2pWZK2EbokpAOwb71zXV1R-rgpOBwR9o5tvVQO7sU796RsiBg0l1Pc3nWemSyvUvGCkvmGhKOo6QJ5olmXIalEZaw/s640/IMG_3555.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am far from the worlds greatest photographer, I'm not even sure you could call me a 'good' photographer, but I can say that in photography I have found a sort of solace. That is probably not the right word when I think about it, but may be it is. May be acceptance would be a better word. Acceptance of where I am, acceptance of motherhood, acceptance of the fact that I don't have to get it all perfect. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some how, when you cut out all the details and focus on homemade cookies, you remember that she talked about cookies for the next week non-stop. She played 'making cookies', she feed me fake cookies, she squealed when cookies came on the TV. It's not that I want to create these perfect memories and forget that actually making these cookies with a 2 year old was a messy and frustrating experience, no, not at all. She has far too many emotions and far too little patience for that to be an overly joyful experience. No. But you <i>do</i> remember that you made an effort to invest into her childhood, to make it something special, something that can stimulate her, grow her (grow us both) and you invested in that bond between mother and child. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has also kept me accountable. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I haven't taken photos for a while, it means there was nothing worth photographing. It reminds me to get her outside, to take her to new places and do knew things and it probably means she has been watching too much TV again. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It reminds me to say, 'yes' to meeting a friend at the beach, even though it would be easier to say 'no'. It reminds me that most of the time, those magical moments don't just happen, you have be intentional about them, that you can't just sit around and wait, you have to choose to invest. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can say that being creative, taking photos, no matter how bad the photograph is, if I look back on them and feel joy, it makes it easier to learn how to love the journey. </span><br>
<br>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-40371939348971273452014-10-14T22:36:00.002-07:002014-10-14T22:36:42.092-07:00CAKE!<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7naiUmlafTK-3PEP7_xiW_RruRPOT4U0gG4S0vWqR2Nb5wNgM0KGUYCQCLnMK9kMx4x7-B5KtjPEvSyl36Y3Vbhyphenhyphenkhkd7jI22H89PkhiK5OcKcyzK5j95hwukHoxWtw5440IhCygRgR8/s1600/IMG_3440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7naiUmlafTK-3PEP7_xiW_RruRPOT4U0gG4S0vWqR2Nb5wNgM0KGUYCQCLnMK9kMx4x7-B5KtjPEvSyl36Y3Vbhyphenhyphenkhkd7jI22H89PkhiK5OcKcyzK5j95hwukHoxWtw5440IhCygRgR8/s1600/IMG_3440.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently read this post by <i><a href="http://mamawatters.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/for-very-special-birthday.html">Mama Watters</a></i> and thought I might
take a little inspiration for my husband’s birthday this year. My daughter is
pretty focused when it comes to cake, it’s her favorite food item and she talks
about it A LOT. So I thought giving her a chance to
decorate a cake for daddy’s birthday might be just the sort of activity she
would enjoy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We made a ‘daddy’ garland together earlier in the week which
turned out to be a very relaxing way to spend the afternoon together. But
Sunday morning, I guess we just caught her on the wrong day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her first word of the morning was; ‘cake’. I tried to cover her relentless asking by telling my hubby she
just wanted pancakes and convinced him to stay in bed. Did I mention it was
meant to be a surprise? She yelled ‘CAKE!’ all the way down stairs getting more
and more excited the closer we got to the kitchen. I spent a few minutes convincing her she
needed breakfast first, set her up in the high chair, then set out our
cake decorating station and hung the
bunting. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRXahFHb5vRuN7cPx8rBBOdN9i8F5F7OUGfWDxIRGe_N7p8qLzPTnTLmG053Pt9fOREBdD5jW9X_hp2A285jiQpH3_ESz_iUKhjPtTNuhVkJUiH-YrGvuS86jDvFbnavmntQgypJzp48/s1600/IMG_3457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRXahFHb5vRuN7cPx8rBBOdN9i8F5F7OUGfWDxIRGe_N7p8qLzPTnTLmG053Pt9fOREBdD5jW9X_hp2A285jiQpH3_ESz_iUKhjPtTNuhVkJUiH-YrGvuS86jDvFbnavmntQgypJzp48/s1600/IMG_3457.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Come time to decorate the cake the
poor girl just about had a melt down when I placed the store bought sponge cake
in front of her and she realized she wasn't just allowed to just dig in. Second meltdown attempt happened as I was desperately</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> trying to smear icing on the top
as quickly as I could; she asked if the cake was hers and her fool of a mother said,
‘no honey, this is Daddy’s cake’.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Fool.</i> Another meltdown.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The decorating itself was almost fun. She took to it like a pro, although she
did take a bite out of several lollies before adorning the cake with the half
eaten goodies. We had another melt down when we were finished and I took the
cake off her. And another on the stair well when we tried to go up to wake daddy- which meant walking in the opposite direction to the cake. Sigh. You
made it look so easy Mama Watters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All that aside, daddy loved his cake and afterward we all hopped in the car and headed off to the beach for a coffee and to run off the morning’s sugar.
Sadly we had a few more mini melt downs at the beach; the seagull was too
close, she didn't want her hat on, she <i>wanted</i> her hat on, mummy forgot her
shoes, mummy forgot to order her a baby chino (although daddy forgot to order
mummy something to eat and mummy felt like having a bit of a meltdown herself-
so I can understand that one) and we decided to call it quits early and head
home. Not surprisingly the wee one fell asleep early AND slept long (which was
perhaps the best present of the day). Not surprisingly mummy will probably
attempt to do it all over again next year. Because she is a little bit foolish
like that. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-29244913928186967152014-09-19T04:59:00.000-07:002014-09-19T05:00:03.505-07:00New Zealand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKANG1jMJ8S9ANwb_IkNATBfdq0wQpxI8HgMcEJgvEM7NhPqisQBf1yoUH-G43T6lExTOkyuXn0Kxy6uCfVoCRSjaKmJQ_nMgjWn-RKfGCHCM7LAZgkoCmo8hKmCMezQiUy-nzVnlhVA/s1600/IMG_2469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKANG1jMJ8S9ANwb_IkNATBfdq0wQpxI8HgMcEJgvEM7NhPqisQBf1yoUH-G43T6lExTOkyuXn0Kxy6uCfVoCRSjaKmJQ_nMgjWn-RKfGCHCM7LAZgkoCmo8hKmCMezQiUy-nzVnlhVA/s1600/IMG_2469.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As some of you may know we recently took a trip across to
New Zealand. It was a long overdue trip to see the in-laws and introduce our wee little princess (who is about to turn 2!) to all the
family who hadn't met her yet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coincidentally, we also landed in the middle of
Aucklands restaurant fest! One thing I was really looking forward to doing on
this trip was to sample the local produce and food industry in NZ, long admiring it
from afar it was going to be a real highlight for me. Alas, we hit a rather
significant snag before we even set off. I was starting to feel a bit ill, in a
strange kind of, “I can’t even look at chicken”, sort of way. And after heading
off to bed one night because I couldn’t take the smell of dinner I decided it
was time to confirm what becoming increasingly obvious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yep, Pregnant. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although we
are actually quite excited, it comes with a little apprehension towards the
actual pregnancy itself. My last pregnancy had me vomiting for the full 9
months, a trip to the ER, lots of bed rest and lots and lots of very expensive
anti-nausea tablets. I came out of that pregnancy shattered (both
physically and emotionally). So the thought of heading back into that zone, only
now with a toddler to take care of, I won’t lie, it’s a little scary. How am I
supposed to take care of a 2 year old when I can’t even take care of myself? I will admit;
knowing what I was getting myself into this time has helped. I told people
straight away knowing I would need both prayer and support to get through this,
I booked myself into the doctor to get on the Zofran, I started drinking
copious amounts of water, knowing I had to keep as hydrated as possible for as
long as possible and stocked the cupboards with
A LOT of snacks. The rest would have to be just ‘figure it out as you go’.
Consequently though, our NZ trip was a lot less food focused and moved a much slower
pace. The whole trip slowed right down and became less about traveling and experiencing NZ for itself and more about family time. Which quite honestly, is not at all a bad thing.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-52766501436285754142014-07-21T06:53:00.001-07:002014-07-21T06:55:55.820-07:00For the love of a good description......<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Quote;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">“It
was a meal that we shall never forget; more accurately, it was several meals
that we shall never forget, because it went beyond the gastronomic frontiers of
anything we had ever experienced, both in quantity and length. It started with
homemade pizza - not one, but three: anchovy, mushroom, and cheese, and it was
obligatory to have a slice of each. Plates were then wiped with pieces torn
from the two-foot loaves in the middle of the table, and the next course came
out. There were pates of rabbit, boar, and thrush. There was a chunky,
pork-based terrine laced with marc. There were saucissons spotted with
peppercorns. There were tiny sweet onions marinated in a fresh tomato sauce.
Plates were wiped once more and duck was brought in... We had entire breasts,
entire legs, covered in a dark, savory gravy and surrounded by wild mushrooms.</span></i><i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">We sat back,
thankful that we had been able to finish, and watched with something close to
panic as plates were wiped yet again and a huge, steaming casserole was placed
on the table. This was the specialty of Madame our hostess - a rabbit civet of
the richest, deepest brown - and our feeble requests for small portions were
smilingly ignored. We ate it. We ate the green salad with knuckles of bread
fried in garlic and olive oil, we ate the plump round crottins of goat's
cheese, we ate the almond and cream gateau that the daughter of the house had
prepared. That night, we ate for England.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background: white;">―<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19316.Peter_Mayle"><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none;">Peter Mayle</span></a></i><i><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/940715"><span style="text-decoration: none;">A Year in
Provence</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Link;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mihophoto.com/projects/dinnerinny/"><i>http://www.mihophoto.com/projects/dinnerinny</i>/</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another Quote;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“To the cauliflower
and onion, she suggests that you add a few sprigs of thyme and a few whole,
unpeeled cloves of garlic, all of it slicked with some olive oil. Then you
chuck it in a hot, hot oven, and after barely half an hour, the cauliflower
winds up velvety, meaty, even rich, and the onions relax and soften into
sweetness, and the garlic is tender enough to spread on toast, and a dark,
savory, somewhat bewitching smell has filled your kitchen - or your entire
house, if you’re me and your house is small and the exhaust fan doesn’t really
work, even though it roars like the engine of a semi scaling a mountain pass.
Then you grate some Parmesan over the whole pan, slide it back into the oven,
and pull it out when the cheese has melted and crisped into crisp, lacy,
frico-like webs and shards.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Molly Wizenburg,
Orangette, 21.3.14<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMS966VxR31htXtQ934Pgi_mr13K2XUUzhu7wG2yxJjn-Hkh_lQfmApeAgHqJE7jiMU4SM1puPcxTMdkil4VXf1YiG8batPRlTfN41VB8oaqKyPvX8cYd_vqUsqWgL4SGtZaYn6F76Ynw/s1600/IMG_2037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMS966VxR31htXtQ934Pgi_mr13K2XUUzhu7wG2yxJjn-Hkh_lQfmApeAgHqJE7jiMU4SM1puPcxTMdkil4VXf1YiG8batPRlTfN41VB8oaqKyPvX8cYd_vqUsqWgL4SGtZaYn6F76Ynw/s1600/IMG_2037.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I will keep coming back to this book, I have to. It settled
something in me. More than enjoying cooking, more than enjoying serving and
eating, and yes more than the community that forms around a good solid meal. Because
what makes <i>A Year in Provence </i>so special
is the documentation of both a good meal and of the community around it. See a
good meal ends, but a good writer or photographer can solidify the memory by
making your saliva glands wet, you happy hormones pump, and your right-brain
inspired to spur on to the next good meal.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I discovered a very small, seemingly insignificant fact this
month. My favorite reads are all written by journalists. At first this was
nothing more than a little, “Ha! Isn't that interesting”, moment, but after a
few days though this little thought turned to something more, something I
should have really, quite honestly, figured out a long time ago. Despite almost
failing high school English, I really enjoy writing. Despite my fleeting
photography attentions, I really enjoy taking photos. I really REALLY enjoy
capturing a moment. Something special, be it a mood, a conversation, a group of
people laughing, or just a really enjoyable meal. I think I should go back to
school or something…..HA!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On that note; Broccoli. Broccoli Pesto to be specific. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have taken on a
quest to work on my daughters appreciation for Broccoli. This involves having a
little bit served to her on a regular basis, not so much as to completely put her off,
but so she gets used to seeing it. I’m also serving it in different forms, such
as pesto- which I must say she wolfed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m
such a big fan of pesto. I’m not sure what it is about it that makes it so irresistible
to me. And I can’t better it, I have to eat it tossed through hot pasta and
adorned with fresh Parmesan so that it melts slightly into the green mess.
EVERY time without fail I ponder tossing through chopped cherry tomatoes or
some grilled zucchini and EVERY time without fail I shake my head and bury my
fork, it’s always just perfect as it is.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCGPilkfXZBVUsObXNRU3aDQO0XGwrxw-fXl5tQGCkgJBXuwPK7DTFEaDJ4tC_Lz_kn3G5KHvLoiTNkqYLW4Ysdk9aL4npqtTmRBENb0ncdqPRW0OL902NNODAsKlui7BuuhTWlyR_bg/s1600/IMG_2044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCGPilkfXZBVUsObXNRU3aDQO0XGwrxw-fXl5tQGCkgJBXuwPK7DTFEaDJ4tC_Lz_kn3G5KHvLoiTNkqYLW4Ysdk9aL4npqtTmRBENb0ncdqPRW0OL902NNODAsKlui7BuuhTWlyR_bg/s1600/IMG_2044.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Broccoli, Rocket and Green Pea Pesto.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 head of Broccoli<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 cup of Rocket<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>½ cup of Peas<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>½ a Lemon<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 Garlic clove<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>¼ cup of <o:p></o:p>Pine-nuts</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>a good amount of salt<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>oil (about a quarter to a third of a cup)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>shaved Parmesan (third of a cup for the pesto and half a
handful for on top of the pasta)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cracked pepper<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Wash and roughly chop broccoli head, place in food processor
with rocket, peas, garlic, lemon juice, pine-nuts, salt and oil. Process till
smooth paste. Toss through hot pasta and serve with Parmesan and cracked
pepper.</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-61899740140899018622014-05-23T06:19:00.000-07:002014-05-23T06:19:21.271-07:00I Heart Chick-a-peas <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSS7_Pnt305csSEimpHEgSLE5gB90OtJHNBAvCyki75aunKKyWVunfmh_m44Hrbsulq1NeuoQICSUOJ5UL2dyjx9WrbyaGeeECd1j1QZKuPdcYCJAJBt6HKT7XmJUuXElugst_tImY6C4/s1600/IMG_1657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSS7_Pnt305csSEimpHEgSLE5gB90OtJHNBAvCyki75aunKKyWVunfmh_m44Hrbsulq1NeuoQICSUOJ5UL2dyjx9WrbyaGeeECd1j1QZKuPdcYCJAJBt6HKT7XmJUuXElugst_tImY6C4/s1600/IMG_1657.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4rxikPhleVDnN_ZhVs6LiDtBsaOX7Osi_AKGsAodagadK41bLpI3mDPuWRZWZdHk-Bmq2fEWtHUKyzrAwYlzOoPYuzJNj88xQkd0S6jbXUAX7JouQCPQEl5JxWICMGxMFPVM7kTyiR4/s1600/IMG_1664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4rxikPhleVDnN_ZhVs6LiDtBsaOX7Osi_AKGsAodagadK41bLpI3mDPuWRZWZdHk-Bmq2fEWtHUKyzrAwYlzOoPYuzJNj88xQkd0S6jbXUAX7JouQCPQEl5JxWICMGxMFPVM7kTyiR4/s1600/IMG_1664.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi all<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How are you doing this month? We are doing very well here at <i>myprivatedining</i>, despite picking up a few colds, we have managed a steady flow
of visitors, outings, new projects and a few decent sized pots of curry. Every
month I feel like we are finding better balance and flow as a still fairly
newish family. Just coming more and more into ourselves really. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my new projects this month involves a ripper of an interview with a friend (which I will post as soon as I can manage) about the
cultural and food consumption changes she has been making in her own household recently. It’s
a wonderful insight into the effort and challenges involved not only changing
how you eat but changing the approach of the whole family. I’m really looking
forward to sharing that with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have also learnt how to crochet this month. Don’t ask me
why, more just a desire to do something with my hands I think, and in all
honesty I expect it to fall flat on its face at any moment. It’s just for a bit
of fun really.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a few other things we are cooking up (excuse the
pun) which I am very excited about, but I will share them with you later as
they progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month’s recipe is a simple one for you. If you are
anything like me, you always have a can of chickpeas tucked away somewhere in
the back of the pantry. I can’t get enough of chickpeas, they are cheap and
easy and I throw them in everything. My husband even went so far as to ask if
we could have a month long break from them some time ago, but, what can I say,
he missed them more then he thought he would. So, he was very happy to receive them
back into his life when I found a bag of dried chickpeas in the back of the
cupboard last week. After a good soak, a little simmer and a somewhat
therapeutic skin pulling session, we threw them on a bake tray with a little
oil, a few spices and a good sprinkling of salt and into the oven. Before we
knew it we were picking hot spicy chickpeas off the bake-paper and making windy
noises with our mouths as we popped them down our hatches before they were
properly cooled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only thing I can say is that you may want to eat them on
the first day as the few we kept for later snacking really were a bit of a
letdown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><u><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roasted Chickpeas<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 can of chickpeas, drained (you can grab a couple of handfuls of the dried and go the longer route as we
did, but either is fine)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cayenne pepper<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paprika<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Punch Poron (seed mixture)</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sea salt<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cumin<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Lay drained chickpeas on a tray with bake paper, drizzle with oil and roll chickpeas around to coat them in the oil. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sprinkle with spices (according to your personal taste) and salt</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Bake in moderate oven till they only slightly colour, you don't want to dry them out. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I took them out a couple of times and shook the tray to make sure rolled around and didn't burn on the underside.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Enjoy warm :)</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-75207977235553842552014-04-27T23:27:00.000-07:002014-04-27T23:27:14.044-07:00Wild Rice Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhti0MimZKCszeXa0vU5Bl_ohnySiSEc-qvBlU2jtiDaT7Ted4u9x7b1PAyOFvupiIKBSiH-PWAj4al7Tauh_maP1D8n1qRS26G9gV-HoU4CinAHlzCoDjX-OOT87ckaXztzeTMb2GN8t4/s1600/IMG_1626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhti0MimZKCszeXa0vU5Bl_ohnySiSEc-qvBlU2jtiDaT7Ted4u9x7b1PAyOFvupiIKBSiH-PWAj4al7Tauh_maP1D8n1qRS26G9gV-HoU4CinAHlzCoDjX-OOT87ckaXztzeTMb2GN8t4/s1600/IMG_1626.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOl0jn-aZK8s24E8D_N1NnE2ZOS7QLyk_g7KjOv3FmgEXsqkgcAaJfr4lf21iGJQXEc1nUUayQ8nJVdqmwqDtLUV6dcR8NpPL-8rM2b0BSV7TG4JcfeqHuwrSc4ujsMbkJ3wuugTuUQk/s1600/IMG_1631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOl0jn-aZK8s24E8D_N1NnE2ZOS7QLyk_g7KjOv3FmgEXsqkgcAaJfr4lf21iGJQXEc1nUUayQ8nJVdqmwqDtLUV6dcR8NpPL-8rM2b0BSV7TG4JcfeqHuwrSc4ujsMbkJ3wuugTuUQk/s1600/IMG_1631.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These days most of my cooking experimentation is aimed at
just getting dinner on the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As much as I would love to be hanging out at local
restaurants or hunting down the latest coffee joint and as much as I would love
to spend a whole day making some ridiculously complicated cake, the little
spare time I have is usually spent cleaning, re-organizing or laying somewhat
comatose in front of the computer flicking through blogs and pretending to read
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am however submitted to that for now. Perhaps that is why
the house has seemed so much quieter recently, because my soul has quietened. I
feel a little more settled in this season. I know one day I will be released
again, but for now, I may as well enjoy what this space of time has to offer me.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so my creative outlet has not so much squashed as just
refocused. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing that has caught my interest is inserting more grains and
legumes into our diet. I have always loved my g’s and l’s and with a tightening
budget and bend towards simpler eating there couldn't really be a better
platform for trying out more of these recipes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So that brings me to a wonderful wild rice salad. My dear
friend ‘Mina first introduced me to this one, I’m not sure where she got it
from but over time it has changed a little, and it will probably continue to
the more I make it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Admittedly the photo
attached contains the more hip-pocket-savvy mountain rice, but if you are happy
to spend the extra coin I really recommend you try the proper wild rice at
least once. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with all salads, they are really quite flexible depending on
your pantry or the season. But there are 3 elements here that really make this
salad what it is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly, the rice. These alternative rice’s add so much more
flavor and texture than just plain white rice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secondly, the dressing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Finally, a handful of
finely chopped crasins. I love finely chopping things that are full of
sweetness or just bolder in their flavor. They make such an impact on the dish
but in a much subtler way, so that it goes from an, 'ok' dish, to a, ‘Oo that’s so yummy,
but what is that flavor I can’t quite put my finger on??’.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everything else is pretty much rattle (the cupboard) and bake (whatever falls out)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Wild Rice Salad (base recipe)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>consider adding more seeds and grains to this recipe</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Roast veg (I used sweet potato, cauliflower and mixed carrots, all chopped into small pieces and roasted with a bit of olive oil and seasoned well) about one baking tray full.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 cup of wild rice</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>toasted corn kernels</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 can of chickpeas, drained</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 bunch of asparagus </i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a handful of craisins finely chopped</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>coriander (leaves, stems and roots)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 a lemon, juiced</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 tablespoon of honey</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 garlic clove</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>olive oil (for dressing), about 1/2 a cup (give or take)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 teaspoon(ish) of salt</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cook rice as directed on packet</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>for corn fry kernels till they start to colour</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Slice asparagus and place in a bowl, boil kettle and pour over, leave until asparagus brightens in colour then drain.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Combine mixed roast vegetables, asparagus, corn, craisins, chickpeas, roughly chopped coriander leaves with cooked rice.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>to make dressing place lemon juice, garlic clove, dijon, salt, honey and the steams and roots of coriander(you may need to pre-chop them a little first) into a food processor with oil and blend till smooth (you may need to add more oil and salt if it needs)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>combine with salad.</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-49354709464540279792014-04-08T00:22:00.001-07:002014-04-09T07:24:02.311-07:00Tarte a la Tomate<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-z_qbtAvDRODY4VAM0SmXopDv_qYCZxUhcN_DsmXnsIemjJSD2SF3na0wRYu48KqLYwnrjXHJuVJ4smAGFnIDY5ceywkfmsU-gx-n-AokydjpTdASn6BP0vNE7qikzojh-G9eM6c5uI/s1600/IMG_1445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-z_qbtAvDRODY4VAM0SmXopDv_qYCZxUhcN_DsmXnsIemjJSD2SF3na0wRYu48KqLYwnrjXHJuVJ4smAGFnIDY5ceywkfmsU-gx-n-AokydjpTdASn6BP0vNE7qikzojh-G9eM6c5uI/s1600/IMG_1445.JPG" height="425" width="640"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been very excited to bring you this month’s recipe.
But first things first, if you've noticed that the top of my page has had a
little change, well done, and I have to pass credit to my dear friend Eleta,
who by chance has <a href="http://www.thebunnyshoppe.com/"><i>this</i> </a>great little
online jewelry store (plug, plug, plug) <i>and</i>
if you happen to live in Perth she also shows up at various markets around the
city (thank you hon’ xoxo) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But back to food. I feel like I should have some wonderful
story to share with this recipe, like a back story to place emphasis on just
how special a recipe this is. Truth is I have squat. Nothing. I found the
recipe, I tried the recipe, I slid the recipe into my ‘favorites’ file and
there I think it shall stay for quite some time. It is simple, (or at least as
simple as French gets) it is buttery, it is sweet and salty and something you
want to eat with your eyes closed and a sultry French songstress wooing you in
the back ground. It is Tarte à la Tomate. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Perfect for dinner parties, picnics or sneakily chowing down whilst sitting on
the kitchen floor and hoping no one is looking so that you don’t have to share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So without further delay, here she is…….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Adapted from <i>Food of
the world’s</i> <i><u>The cooking of
Provincial France)<o:p></o:p></u></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><br></u></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Tarte à la Tomate</u><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pastry:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">140 grams of butter<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">170 grams of plain flour<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon of salt<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3-5 tablespoons of cold water<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine and chill for 3 hours<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Butter and dust lightly with flour a false bottomed quiche
or cake tin (8-9 inch) then roll out pastry (may need to take out of fridge for
5-10 minutes before rolling out) lay pastry in tin, cut off over hang and
return to fridge for an hour<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Topping:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cheese: Combrè, Swiss or Gruyere (I’m sure you can put in
whatever you like or can get from local shops) about 500 grams<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2-3 large tomatoes (I used about 600 grams of cherry
tomatoes)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Freshly ground pepper<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fresh basil, about 4 or 5 leaves<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30 grams of Parmesan cheese- grated<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30 grams of butter<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with a good amount of salt and
leave to drain for 1 hour.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bake pastry (using blind bake method) at about 200 degrees
for 10-15 minutes depending on your oven, remove baking paper and weights,
prick pastry with fork all over and return to oven for another 5 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lay sliced cheese over pastry, then lay tomatoes on top.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the Parmesan across
and a little of the basil- finely chopped. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Melt butter and pour over top of tomatoes and return to oven
for around 25 minutes till starting to golden.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Adorn with some freshly chopped basil and serve.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-88778613148497272982014-03-25T20:54:00.001-07:002014-03-25T20:54:59.331-07:00A Little More Time at Home<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdDyGIJHocSfUEjQSvjjLjm-RddvFZCTm-LRYCqRL0NVhSWgQm_Y4mO-voBpi289MwozzDfFLITTiqMqXbPpfJfcPjH7ntLTuvBNWKpzXnabp88VKEeEhUMNs2Tenx5t1OmcOUhD5yj8/s1600/IMG_1372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdDyGIJHocSfUEjQSvjjLjm-RddvFZCTm-LRYCqRL0NVhSWgQm_Y4mO-voBpi289MwozzDfFLITTiqMqXbPpfJfcPjH7ntLTuvBNWKpzXnabp88VKEeEhUMNs2Tenx5t1OmcOUhD5yj8/s1600/IMG_1372.JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month
has been a little cooler and a little slower.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A big part
of the ‘slower’ has been me trying to refocus my time. Less trying to ‘make
more’ time for things as if I can possibly conjure up more hours in the day
from deep within the earth and more ‘taking time out for things’, only a slight
difference but a world of difference in my head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most certainly
a more realistic approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I am
spending more time in the garden, which relaxes me somehow, having more coffees
at home instead of braving cafes with an overly energetic toddler. Then there’s
taking slow walks with the wee one around the block, (usually stealing flowers
from the neighbors) instead of packing lunches and taking car trips to parks.
I’m even allocating more time during the day to the basics like housework instead
of trying cram it all in just before bed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mostly it’s
just going out less and staying in more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, and then
there is breakfast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes,
breakfast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And by that
I mean actually eating breakfast rather than just thinking about it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While it is
my favorite meal of the day it is also my most abandoned meal. But that’s
motherhood right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an
attempt to correct that though, I have joined in with those doing the Cooking
Cure via the Kithcn, to push my home cooking habits back towards a healthier
mark. I figure the only way to really stop my meal skipping is to get inspired
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, I
bring you granola. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actually
granola’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plural. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever the
plural for granola is……granoli?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahem, I
bring you two recipes for granola (better?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first is
a raw sprouted granola from Green Kitchen Stories- but I need to add a note
that I very stupidly overlooked. If you are from a crazy hot or humid climate,
you may find that your sprouts, like mine, ferment very quickly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take two of
this recipe was done in only four hours instead of the recommended 36-48 hours.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think
these guys are based in Sweden? Need I say more?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second granola was less a recipe and more a pantry
raid/sneaky appetite trick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know from experience that eating something small and sweet
can kick start my appetite. I’m sure there is something scientific there about
stimulating saliva glands, but that aside, the thought of something small and
sweet can lure me into sitting down to a meal instead of getting distracted by
other duties. For breakfast, it has to be granola. This recipe is a little
loose, like I said it was more of a pantry raid than an actual recipe. Half
packets of nuts, chopped and thrown together with handfuls of whatever else I
could find floating in the cupboard and tossed with warm maple syrup and mixed
spice, roasted and voila’! Homemade granola.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now to work on lunches………..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><u>Maple nut granola.</u></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><u><br /></u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love granola but can’t
eat too much, especially first thing in the morning. A tablespoon or two on top
of muesli and fruit or Greek yoghurt and fruit salad is my favorite way to eat
it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Approx. 2 cups of mixed nuts (I used mostly hazelnuts, with
some almonds and pistachios to mix it up)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Half a cup of coconut<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A third of a cup of sesame seeds<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mixed spice to taste<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Half a cup of pumpkin seeds/mixed seeds<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Half a cup of oats<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Two tablespoons of brown sugar<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>8 tablespoons of maple syrup<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 tablespoons of olive oil<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Salt to taste.</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Soak pumpkin seeds and coconut for one hour</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Roughly chop nuts, mix with sesame seeds, mixed spice, oats, brown sugar and drained pumpkin seed mix.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Heat maple syrup and oil in a saucepan until combined</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>pour over and stir through granola mixture. Spread mixture out on baking tray and put in oven and roast till golden (stirring regularly) </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Remove and season- allow to cool before breaking up and storing.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-11335947362163808992014-02-21T01:56:00.000-08:002014-02-21T02:00:09.323-08:00Everything is Gold (Yogurt and date smoothies and link to raw choc raspberry tart)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XSPuO4lRTrd0WoojIouH-tbwGGbzK5JpH73gzOCWcanbPP8JeeemiZd012MvWbYkP_8Psfhbb0difZQh8onJDiL7W0Exfbqop0Ydix3Vnufx_rhNDyoYYSGa6QOm4t7CM3NlijmUoa8/s1600/IMG_0824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XSPuO4lRTrd0WoojIouH-tbwGGbzK5JpH73gzOCWcanbPP8JeeemiZd012MvWbYkP_8Psfhbb0difZQh8onJDiL7W0Exfbqop0Ydix3Vnufx_rhNDyoYYSGa6QOm4t7CM3NlijmUoa8/s1600/IMG_0824.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">>Spiced stone fruit on yogurt with fresh raspberries and toasted pistachios</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>>Chocolate raspberry tart with (an attempt at) dairy free chocolate</i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
<i></i></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><i>>Princess Squirmy 'gardening', aka moving dirt from one pot to another and back again (can keep her quite busy for some time with this)</i></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>
</i><i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>>Kale smoothie</i></div>
</i></span><br />
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<br /></div>
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Everything is gold.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I feel like, somehow, I have been transported to the outback
with its hot dusty winds and its vast golden paddocks. Except that I’m not in
the outback, I’m in suburbia- Inner city suburbia I might add, and that
beautiful wheat gold is actually a collaboration of streets and streets of dead
lawns. Summer is here and in full force!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The last few nights we have moved all our bedding downstairs
onto the tiled lounge room floor (the only room with air-conditioning) The
port-a-cot is now a fixture in the entry way, and all our bedding has been
rolled up next to the couch with a throw rug tossed over for effect. Each night we roll our doona-swag, and toss a
coin to see who gets the couch and who settles for the floor. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I believe my point is this: I am really just making more
excuses as to why I haven’t been cooking. It’s too hot!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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That said, it’s not too hot to BBQ! <i>And boy do we love a webber meal in this house</i>! It’s also not too
hot for yogurt with spiced-cinnamon-stone-fruit. Nor is it too hot for green
smoothies, date and yogurt smoothies, (well actually any sort of smoothie
really) watermelon icy-poles, homemade muesli’s, spoonful’s of hummus or
green-olive-chimichurri on everything, and it is never, <i>NEVER</i>, too hot for raw cake! <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s my personal opinion that raw cake could and should take
over this town. It is just perfect for Perth. It’s healthier, super tasty and
it’s at its best served straight out of the freezer! <i>And</i> because of that great freezer element, you can chop it up and
store pieces in your freezer taking out only as you need. No wasted stale cake!
At this point I’m wondering if I should be selling the stuff. I’m not trying to
do that here. Honestly. I’m just in-love with the stuff. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you haven’t had it before and are a little cautious,
think of it as more of a no-bake slice. Technically, it’s nothing new- perhaps
just the name? I know my Grandmother has been making versions of it for years.
However I think with improved home kitchen appliances, the recipes too have improved.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have linked a raw-cake recipe below, but if you have any
great recipes you would like to share with me, please don’t hesitate too! I've
also shared the date and yogurt shake I have been having a lot of recently.
It’s been a wonderful power-pop for when I can’t get to a proper
breakfast/lunch, which is, at this stage of the motherhood game, still far too
often.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Enjoy</i>!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><a href="http://www.wholefoodsimply.com/chocolate-and-raspberry-tart/">Chocolate and raspberry<u> tart</u></a></i></b>. (<i>Thank you to Kellie for introducing this one to me</i>)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Date and Yoghurt
Smoothie<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>1 cup of Greek/plain
yoghurt<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>1 cup of milk<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>4 ice cubes<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>12 pitted dates<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>1 tablespoon of ground
almonds<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Throw it all in a
Thermomix or good quality smoothie blender until smooth.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-91021282276131276082014-01-07T23:51:00.001-08:002014-01-07T23:51:12.231-08:00New..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="text-align: start; clear: both;"><font color="#000000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrUOh47W2WwtWi1esIQwwSPmGjcK5qge29n-3GSAkJ-gHI1fwJ2tJysTFtOkx5f8fikQ-bVIthD7D0acJ6tdfBZUAup83K6vz4syNjIIG-lyJMzuFHxIA8KDM0ahm3__-sNvkJgdOpzc/s640/blogger-image-2081283284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrUOh47W2WwtWi1esIQwwSPmGjcK5qge29n-3GSAkJ-gHI1fwJ2tJysTFtOkx5f8fikQ-bVIthD7D0acJ6tdfBZUAup83K6vz4syNjIIG-lyJMzuFHxIA8KDM0ahm3__-sNvkJgdOpzc/s640/blogger-image-2081283284.jpg"></a></font></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There hasn't been much kitchen action around here the last couple of weeks, at least nothing worth writing about. <br>Eggs on toast. <br>A few shamefully bad curries. <br>Twice a day muesli. </span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moving house, Christmas Banquet for 160, a fundraising event to oversee and just the general hoo-hah of Christmas business all round. It's been an exhausting end to the year. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Not to mention that Summer is peaking. I glisten all day long and not because I am a vampire but because it is 30+ degrees and I can not handle the heat the way I did pre-pregnancy (one of the odd side effects of baby-creating). </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Lord knows how I will handle it when we work up past the 40's. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On the upside, the webber has come out in full force! </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Before we left the last house we celebrated with a couple of pear ciders, a packet of mixed vegetable chips and Chimichirri on steak cooked to perfection the way the webber always does. It was a wonderful way to farewell that house and the season we had there. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As far as the new place goes, life has moved forward as if nothing really has changed. Princess Squirmy has adapted to her new environment with much ease- mostly I think she just loves the new staircase- and now that we are meeting the end of the unpacking, the place is already starting to feel like a home. It's smaller, but better designed, there is not much garden, no grass, but some terrific parks close by and an enclosed courtyard that P.S. Can run around in relatively unsupervised which is a new and wonderful experience for me. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><font style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I dare say I am ready for 2014 now. Finally.</font><font face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </font></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-44867264018701676722013-12-12T19:08:00.000-08:002013-12-14T20:11:44.423-08:00Wrap-star<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglogMsCA1izFmeAEg6XKZD0nIgbMHiu1MgjhjMU9NnpBkVrQGLy9HzUlfzqUXhW-pLoK7iuPwDO6MFv9feQCd_-WrruRXVTJ6mvPW6TZt5L5ULb57XjqE325MoHTB9asZARYTYUX541og/s1600/IMG_0765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglogMsCA1izFmeAEg6XKZD0nIgbMHiu1MgjhjMU9NnpBkVrQGLy9HzUlfzqUXhW-pLoK7iuPwDO6MFv9feQCd_-WrruRXVTJ6mvPW6TZt5L5ULb57XjqE325MoHTB9asZARYTYUX541og/s640/IMG_0765.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almost here!</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I get very excited about wrapping presents. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almost more excited about the wrapping than whats inside. I just find that something simple, wrapped beautifully- sings so much more to me than something extravagant wrapped in supermarket paper.......</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess that is just the odd way I can be sometimes.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like the simple pleasures.</span><br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-90796425936293453502013-12-11T09:07:00.003-08:002013-12-11T09:07:47.028-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxdRPNVjJqqwMkweJNRISvqHP-jSnnwGI21NFQ5vdzs8dn1DJzw-Phw7kR2OABDxrWGY1PMbzNGlSKN2KyA9nmOY2Crt6ITgT6mQUPEYa51wjL82CrfkofL1eaCj6waB8BfNkgL6TeAE/s1600/IMG_0783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxdRPNVjJqqwMkweJNRISvqHP-jSnnwGI21NFQ5vdzs8dn1DJzw-Phw7kR2OABDxrWGY1PMbzNGlSKN2KyA9nmOY2Crt6ITgT6mQUPEYa51wjL82CrfkofL1eaCj6waB8BfNkgL6TeAE/s640/IMG_0783.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbAcEk-w17qIuv99mOzAWMMLHkLpCJymyGybRYKCTlWay5kCGsyyP5Ixmc2IaEut0P4rWfTp-RqlU96LBClhQbPhOMayUVaF8B5dqCQ5uulAyEpNcNoAKyYEIkYZfo57xYYXNNFW1BHA/s1600/IMG_0797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbAcEk-w17qIuv99mOzAWMMLHkLpCJymyGybRYKCTlWay5kCGsyyP5Ixmc2IaEut0P4rWfTp-RqlU96LBClhQbPhOMayUVaF8B5dqCQ5uulAyEpNcNoAKyYEIkYZfo57xYYXNNFW1BHA/s640/IMG_0797.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chaos.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Organized chaos may be, but still chaos.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am starring keenly at my diary this week. I need to be far more organized than I know how to be. Let me give you a quick run down....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today is the 12th. That is 13 days till Christmas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In that time I need to finish packing up the house, do <i>all</i> my Christmas shopping, plan a Christmas celebration banquet for over 160 people, move house and clean this rental property up for the final inspection, oversee and pull off that banquet <i>and-</i> all this on top of my everyday life that is actually fairly full already. Did I mention we are down to one car?! Help!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somewhere in there I need to follow up on a specialist appointment for Princess Squirmy, re-enroll her in swimming class, attend 2 Christmas events (separate from the banquet) and figure out the bus timetables so that I can do all of the above.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet.......</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A peace that transcends all understanding</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet- this is where I stand. In <i>that</i> peace. I know if I can just keep my focus and not loose my head, everything will work out. At this point I am eager to just get settled into the new place. I'm going to buy myself a beautiful bunch of flowers, put them in a vase and place them in the middle of the dining room table. Then I am going to turn on the oven and bake myself something that makes the whole place smell like home. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Till then......I'll try to enjoy the chaos.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-76536069552786886952013-12-05T21:13:00.000-08:002013-12-05T21:25:23.081-08:00Loosing is Winning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqAWN-XuaiAEtv1Qfvl7fJ6pdMieL6jYu_lR6GD6SqRgzt2SMR4bTLlz8f6X-z6kjF7eaKIa8rEA0oml0Gm62fYtw1eL0sHV5xSdpaxI_ON9T3W6usO-0Bq4ENhsKfOGh4Znkr8m-qDo/s1600/IMG_0751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqAWN-XuaiAEtv1Qfvl7fJ6pdMieL6jYu_lR6GD6SqRgzt2SMR4bTLlz8f6X-z6kjF7eaKIa8rEA0oml0Gm62fYtw1eL0sHV5xSdpaxI_ON9T3W6usO-0Bq4ENhsKfOGh4Znkr8m-qDo/s640/IMG_0751.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Luke 17:33, "If you cling to life, you will loose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it."</i></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have eased into motherhood like a woman getting into a cold swimming pool. With all the grace of that grimacing squealing beauty dipping her toe in and removing it several times before convincing herself if she can just get her toe used to the water then may be she can start on the foot. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actually at this point I feel like I'm in the deep end and I don't know how to swim. Instead of swimming around and having fun, I'm clinging to the side looking longingly at the sun bathers on their towels laughing and sipping cocktails.</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jerks. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of them.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay okay, that's not exactly the whole picture either, and I don't think anyone is a jerk.........at least not because they don't have kids.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But there are certainly days when my feelings lean that direction. And that's when my thoughts wander back to Luke 12. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the days when I feel like I am loosing at everything. I've not answered messages, phone calls or emails. On the days when people are ringing me regarding those messages, calls and emails because now I am hold <i>them</i> up. On the days when the washing is beyond piling up and I realize that my husband has been wearing the same work clothes for far to many days. (poo-ey!!) On the days when I only eat one meal......dinner......AND only at 9pm. On the days where I mixed up my dates and times and left someone important sitting in a cafe for an hour and a half before leaving (late) for their next appointment. On the days when you are so tired English thinks second speak the window somewhere out...........</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the days when I look around, throw my hands up and say, 'today I lost'.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I lost the war on being a good friend, worker, wife, daughter, b</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ut the days I chose to loose at all these things, are the days I win at being a mum. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course there are days where I have had to choose to loose the mum battle and win a different battle, but mostly its the first one :)</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am learning that to win in one area is just to loose in another area and that every minute I need to look at all my battles and decide which one I am going to win in that moment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I stand here reminding myself not look backwards longingly, but to walk forward, enjoy the swim and remember that to while winning is actually loosing, loosing is always winning too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm going to go now and discover what I lost while I was writing this blog ...... I think whatever it was just went down the toilet bowl......Oh Help!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bye for now!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-82870847730819253542013-11-19T05:47:00.001-08:002013-11-19T05:47:18.271-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENreHbQnhdkV9EUUU6PjSlitRviiJRjKmZQW4rnzs6dK4_8nTrYLimMxHqRvWbflTNkahyphenhyphensIS9EdfYTZYOoWMmFBuUvgngcCdyYWvSCxuy6ZaNqayY9X2SIybubUA9VRmeAXla_nbq2Q/s1600/IMG_0494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENreHbQnhdkV9EUUU6PjSlitRviiJRjKmZQW4rnzs6dK4_8nTrYLimMxHqRvWbflTNkahyphenhyphensIS9EdfYTZYOoWMmFBuUvgngcCdyYWvSCxuy6ZaNqayY9X2SIybubUA9VRmeAXla_nbq2Q/s640/IMG_0494.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have this problem where I make twelve or so cups of tea a day but only actually get to drink one or two. Actually I should say I <i>start</i> making twelve or so cups, but most end up sitting in a sorry state on the kitchen bench until I ditch them and start again. It's one of the small things I never saw coming in regards to motherhood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I confess somewhere in my head I wondered if I would have time to learn to paint, or finally learn to play that guitar in the corner of my lounge room. I wouldn't say I went so far as to expect that I would be able to do such things, but I certainly entertained the thought that it might be possible. As per usual, I was wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I read on something the other day about a family with fourteen children.....FOURTEEN!! I cant even find time for a cup of tea with one! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sigh. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thought of attending a painting class has become a distant memory. For now I will just try and remember that there is a half made cup of tea on my bench and if I can finish making it I am doing well. And if I can manage to drink it while it is still warm, then we are having a great day!</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-91213437574760844332013-11-06T21:01:00.004-08:002013-11-06T21:13:04.550-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have been blessed enough to live in some really lovely locations since we have been married. Despite not always having the pay check to match, somehow we managed to to land ourselves near the city and near some lovely cafe strips. Although we haven't been able to make full use of the restaurants we do wander down regularly for a cup of coffee. </div>
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Granted the last house we lived in for a long period of time was a bit of a hole. It had shag pile carpet that I think was once meant to be cream, (who puts down cream carpet in a rental house anyway huh?) late 70's decor in the kitchen and bathroom, and just for fun, if it was raining and you were on the loo, there was a crack in the ceiling that would drip on your head.</div>
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However it was a lot of fun and we made it work. </div>
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At the peak of each summer we would drag our mattress down stairs where it was cooler. For a month of the year we'd sleep in the lounge, drink loads of chilled cheap white wine and watch piles of DVDs. There was a stage for a while there where we acquired a second hand record player, I completed the look with a lava lamp and a bean bag and we would lay back on a Saturday night and listen to Dire Straits or Pink Floyd. Making the most of those shag pile carpets :)</div>
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Last week, in the midst of organizing for a fundraiser (sorry I should add as I was packing the car up the day before the big event) I got a call from our rental agent informing us that the owner wanted to move back in. I have to say while I understand this is the life of a renter, still, my heart sank.</div>
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I have so enjoyed living in this light airy house with its beautiful wild-flower-filled garden and it's closeness to everything important. </div>
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And there that element of this is where I had my baby girl and brought her home to her first bedroom.</div>
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Where she took her first steps.</div>
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And perhaps even one of the first places that has actually felt like a home.</div>
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Such is the life of a renter</div>
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So my dining table will be moving. I hope that we will enjoy the next place just half as much :)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-80479222267673069592013-10-24T23:00:00.001-07:002013-12-11T09:19:47.990-08:00Raw Hazelnut and chocolate cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuOjY1cVzzxAEojrUoJ4LHJ_dSQTZJZN6eSFyG0PhxP3vmu64-n8VbCPajAQnVaJ0Wb4gGcfoAvkuvNOG7JqPuAKavp1hbwdqkuyauZnTmcv-QC8LGr6hlbX6N-q0Hz4kfG1AjlUXEW0/s1600/IMG_0354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuOjY1cVzzxAEojrUoJ4LHJ_dSQTZJZN6eSFyG0PhxP3vmu64-n8VbCPajAQnVaJ0Wb4gGcfoAvkuvNOG7JqPuAKavp1hbwdqkuyauZnTmcv-QC8LGr6hlbX6N-q0Hz4kfG1AjlUXEW0/s640/IMG_0354.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Red Velvet, Red Velvet, Red Velvet! I really like Red Velvet cake! And recently there has been a lot of it walking through my kitchen. Actually if I was to be honest, almost <i>too</i> much. In fact, I have been giving it away. But this you already know from previous posts. So I had some friends for lunch this week and having had enough of cakes, (at least for a week or so- this is <i>not</i> a permanent state- I promise!) I was craving something a little different. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is what I discovered. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raw cake. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't say I discovered as much as say- it's everywhere and I just decided to make it. Because it <i>is</i> everywhere. It's like, <i>soo</i> hot right now (yes, I did intent to sound like a 14 year old girl) But it IS so hot right now. All the cafes are serving it. Out with gluten free and in with raw food! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Honestly, fads make me a little suspect. It feels like in the last 5 years Australia has become gluten crazy. I guess the whole carb thing wore off. Anyway, rightly or wrongly I have become a little stand off-ish when it comes to such things. Raw food however, or at the least raw sweets, have definitely clicked with me. I ate a raw orange macaroon thingy the other day and it was divine (Note to self; must find a recipe for that.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apart from the fact that these treats are pretty expensive to buy OR cook, I can see myself becoming a pretty big fan. yummo!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raw chocolate and hazelnut cake;</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The recipe I used is.....<i><a href="http://www.rawfoodrecipes.com/recipes/hazelnut-chocolate-cake.html">HERE</a></i>, although I did swap the cacoa powder for just Cocoa Powder and not quite as much either (2 tablespoons) and I think I just ended up using normal sugar too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-82092248903524951982013-10-14T00:03:00.000-07:002013-10-14T00:04:19.041-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes Ill be walking through a green grocer and Ill look at something and start salivating. As I did this weekend. Yesterday it was the silverbeet that jumped out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actually silverbeet is a childhood favorite of mine. Heated just enough to wilt it, then let a nob of butter melt over and coat those </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">delicious</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> dark</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> leaves in silky goodness. I have no desire to eat silverbeet</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> any other way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I was approaching the checkout I remembered reading <a href="http://www.orangette.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/over-and-over-and-over.html" style="font-style: italic;">THIS</a> the day before and ran back for a zucchini too. <i>Though I skipped the cheese and bread, I thought the zucchini looked good enough to shine just on its own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just to complete the meal, Princess Squirmy went down for a significant nap so I was able to have a sit down lunch <i>AND</i> eat it hot(!) whilst enjoying the sun (and what a beautiful warm sunny day it was too) warm my bones and tickle my skin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simple pleasures I tell you, are just bliss.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-79029737509475094522013-10-05T17:15:00.001-07:002013-10-05T17:18:47.431-07:00This week at the Private dining room........<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yo5iwzgoY6x0OHpwiO3QTQRmRUT3uZypMhDurM0iPZBjY__SUd2rsYRuzcvBO73dJTODNtCbuhhzv93dI6CMZalWIjAoq4RSuVcXxx6vxn6oaWK-TsUtX2BPjIeNrmprjKdEpBYqwB8/s1600/IMG_0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yo5iwzgoY6x0OHpwiO3QTQRmRUT3uZypMhDurM0iPZBjY__SUd2rsYRuzcvBO73dJTODNtCbuhhzv93dI6CMZalWIjAoq4RSuVcXxx6vxn6oaWK-TsUtX2BPjIeNrmprjKdEpBYqwB8/s640/IMG_0331.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-75867739334055442402013-10-05T17:13:00.002-07:002013-10-05T17:21:50.113-07:00Halfway across Europe for a coffee and cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnHunyKqgZLvBmcBYgeFWEoy594yCtbpF2t3pa7zpLVF_mT-_q_KxNq26_UnqNmDARBbeV0U0K2QYuuPP9kmM242-KvVps0P3Tllj4Ig1lEjFoxfWSUt6_9Jv1u-lekuY-u9jbKspX3Q/s1600/IMG_0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnHunyKqgZLvBmcBYgeFWEoy594yCtbpF2t3pa7zpLVF_mT-_q_KxNq26_UnqNmDARBbeV0U0K2QYuuPP9kmM242-KvVps0P3Tllj4Ig1lEjFoxfWSUt6_9Jv1u-lekuY-u9jbKspX3Q/s640/IMG_0321.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPBYtGxXezizuR-8H_gcZIKIfUDRdfWySWjHzYt-r41u01585azHSkzurpulIeAuilVS5BeTWc85NRnVCRG1zr7f719UaZZixNVYbRdZSsrL_UdRF74lzBSpnthXVudv0lLdSJKOuhoU/s1600/IMG_0318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPBYtGxXezizuR-8H_gcZIKIfUDRdfWySWjHzYt-r41u01585azHSkzurpulIeAuilVS5BeTWc85NRnVCRG1zr7f719UaZZixNVYbRdZSsrL_UdRF74lzBSpnthXVudv0lLdSJKOuhoU/s640/IMG_0318.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two days ago I made a cake for a friends daughters birthday and finding myself with some left </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">over batter made up a couple of mini cakes, one of which I </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">took down to the neighbors in </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">exchange for a cup of coffee and a yarn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whilst I was there some friends of theirs popped in and it was made known to me that the man </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in this party, who was half Scottish half Dutch- a potent cocktail that matched my own genetic </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">recipe, was a bit of a cake monster himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Oh yes", I was in formed by his wife, "Its the Dutch in him, the Dutch are all cake crazy! </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">obsessed! They'll travel halfway across Europe for a piece of cake and a coffee- not even a </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">meal, just the coffee and cake! Its all they talk about, </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cake, cake, cake, cake ,CAKE</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As she threw her hands up in the air, half in amusement, half in dismissal, somewhere deep </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">inside me there was a resounding "ohhhhhhhhh!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It all makes sense now........</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm off to the kitchen to make another two cakes now :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-50359691640716337202013-09-29T23:16:00.002-07:002013-09-29T23:16:32.539-07:00This week at the private dining room.......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTMX_46Mlt8i2hsddGGe_2pXU50QbyJ883JwsEbIGwcareRz4XVdGEK8rLpviuBV8xFpvjWEsxPfwnWtVFUU8GGiSayB2MRmCBs9PCvGcHMT25OTcWlDkdkukuTXmAsDrclmhIrEykaE/s1600/IMG_0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTMX_46Mlt8i2hsddGGe_2pXU50QbyJ883JwsEbIGwcareRz4XVdGEK8rLpviuBV8xFpvjWEsxPfwnWtVFUU8GGiSayB2MRmCBs9PCvGcHMT25OTcWlDkdkukuTXmAsDrclmhIrEykaE/s640/IMG_0314.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-24693070328284976732013-09-29T23:15:00.001-07:002013-09-29T23:15:51.292-07:00Pink Bottle BrushThis week has been an inside week. It has been dreary and damp with occasional pockets of sunshine to tempt you with the prospect of emerging from the house cave. The garden however has exploded with colour and every time the sun pokes its head out I run outside to gather the latest bloom explosion to decorate the cave with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0WzwIAu0L8-PVRhHaz6goWURzFzqn7UOLy9azsgPJ20MIfX1rlZczqq-3LKqZHdWAw5zCAScubeyJIQ4kUnY4jJR9ZBYkwfLT6-6Q4X7a-pXpuVfjuNP6e3kOzaHUf9Xub_0C_xb_Q0/s1600/IMG_0252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0WzwIAu0L8-PVRhHaz6goWURzFzqn7UOLy9azsgPJ20MIfX1rlZczqq-3LKqZHdWAw5zCAScubeyJIQ4kUnY4jJR9ZBYkwfLT6-6Q4X7a-pXpuVfjuNP6e3kOzaHUf9Xub_0C_xb_Q0/s640/IMG_0252.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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I am not a bottle brush person normally, but these fluffy pink lovelies have captured my heart.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPKNU1TWOXk_tnaSWN10LK3ajdvgzktPopVhVt6mvAgJB-T27DbkePSd2wphZCKtxbLTI-ZSplSzW1qdwiqB07nVN1yajhUhZOgRcaQ69ZapvKs0wIKIClZARUZzEcfxYen62HyzzIKE/s1600/IMG_0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888236328269336980.post-40407308391595026442013-09-28T07:13:00.002-07:002013-09-28T07:13:25.408-07:00For the love of pots!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hN2Ax6-Uviga7kEyHLXw9Fl416Hq4VolCxvj15H0yrg9zcZASc0cv6HtN03ax70v0rTIYRtEYA48lAfHNNEbr_hZ8_z0rurtcsNoy6uG6-oF5_U7RiLYLJhiVU-i8DDJdISrCB4cG-M/s1600/IMG_0277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hN2Ax6-Uviga7kEyHLXw9Fl416Hq4VolCxvj15H0yrg9zcZASc0cv6HtN03ax70v0rTIYRtEYA48lAfHNNEbr_hZ8_z0rurtcsNoy6uG6-oF5_U7RiLYLJhiVU-i8DDJdISrCB4cG-M/s640/IMG_0277.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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A few months ago I heard a rumor about <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/magazine/">Taste.com</a> bringing out a new magazine. Naturally I was interested to see what they would come up with especially when I heard about some of the collaborators. Much to my delight the magazine is lovely! Even better was the fact that if you could cook the cover you stood a chance of winning some gear for your kitchen. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKGKF3uC8EM7FEOP_wrYiqfoz8L0XQcWgmSPO9uSsf_3C7DkpjW1AkoMyp3M_NP7yo3BMex7ffl2F1xIFhP2B-GXBz2_12aaky1qKeAK6RaBJyXlt00vmNAfSPXfKsl3iFV4kgk0aQW4/s1600/IMG_0290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKGKF3uC8EM7FEOP_wrYiqfoz8L0XQcWgmSPO9uSsf_3C7DkpjW1AkoMyp3M_NP7yo3BMex7ffl2F1xIFhP2B-GXBz2_12aaky1qKeAK6RaBJyXlt00vmNAfSPXfKsl3iFV4kgk0aQW4/s640/IMG_0290.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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These little babies are not something that would usually come out of my kitchen, but when I spotted <i><a href="http://www.scanpan.com.au/products/view/727/clad-cs5-5-piece-cookware-set">these</a> </i>babies being offered as a prize I was immediately fumbling around desperately for a pen to scribble down a shopping list. My current pots require me to keep a screwdriver in my cutlery draw for regular tightening, not to mention they have become pitted inside (<i>not the most hygienic</i>) so new pots are pretty high on my wishlist right now.</div>
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Don't know if I'm in with a chance but, here's hoping........</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoVFujSTtvOGpyF-w61QlFNUrF2d5NRKmoNLG7Utxn8XLRIXYOoL_s_1qCou0z1vXwAgFnwXAik2Sh0qGb-fOoFydGRKhRFWN1MFhF6Y9nnN3i5Gz51_H4qKaOzbclGsjK_KI2cWwuNY/s1600/IMG_0310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoVFujSTtvOGpyF-w61QlFNUrF2d5NRKmoNLG7Utxn8XLRIXYOoL_s_1qCou0z1vXwAgFnwXAik2Sh0qGb-fOoFydGRKhRFWN1MFhF6Y9nnN3i5Gz51_H4qKaOzbclGsjK_KI2cWwuNY/s640/IMG_0310.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13505397984226446711noreply@blogger.com0