Christmas is coming!

Christmas is coming...
I've been trying to get myself more organised than usual. Miss Joy's Birthday is the week before Christmas and so usually I feel like I cant get into Christmas until after her birthday. So this year I'm trying to get the majority of it sorted before her big day. Note the finished Advent Calender that I was working on last blog post. The Nativity Scene was an ambitious project I thought I could do...but in the end my Ma in Law came to the rescue. Its good to have the reason for the season right on the mantle piece.
Still so much to do...buy and wrap Christmas presents, attend various social events, finish Christmas cards and craft projects. On top of the usual working/family/cleaning cycle. I love this season! 

Baking...
It seems I'm on Xmas sweets duty this year. Both sides of the family have delegated desserts for me to do. So many ideas going through my head....
I also like to do a Christmas Eve baking drop off to those nearest and dearest....So I best be getting me a 5kg bag of sugar this year.

While I was at the super market a few weeks ago I couldn't resist getting these cute little mini spring form tins. They are as big as your hand. Too cute! Yesterday was the first time I used them for little mini blue berry cheese cakes. I was making a larger one for a friends birthday party and added just a touch more of the ingredients to have a little extra for two mini tins. My kids love cheese cake (I wonder where they get that from?). I was making a my famous Mocha Cheese cake and scooped out a little batter before adding the coffee flavouring. I added a hand full frozen blue berries on the top. And baked them for 25 minutes. They were just too cute! And quite delicious. I will have to try this flavour combination for a larger cheese cake. The tartness of the berries cut through the richness of the cheese cake part.

Mini blue berry cheese cake on a dinner sized plate

We each had half each for dessert. So good.

Here's the finished mocha cheese cake.  I hope it will taste okay. Unfortunately I cant go to her special party because of work tonight :( But I hope some cheesecake will make up for it.

Listening to...
Katie and Brian  Torwalt  and I just bought the latest Jesus Culture featuring Martin Smith CD. So good. Loving having a cleaning session while cranking up my stereo and singing my lungs out to Jesus.

Excited about...

• Only two more weeks left of school until the summer holidays start.
• Spring cleaning.
• Getting some painting projects done...okay watching hubby doing it ;)
• Summer
• Barbeques
• Beach trips

So much to be thankful for....

A productive Sunday.

Today I woke up full of beans. Okay...so not quite straight away...After Hubby had picked us up our favourite coffee, from our favourite cafe. Then I woke up full of beans. This morning I had to share a little something about our amazing get away to Sista's conference at church. (Kristy has already done a cool blog about it here.) I was a little nervous. Speaking to a bunch  of  people(200)  is a little daunting...but they are extended family, so hopefully it went well. 

I had a sleep day yesterday after my night shift so a more productive day was in mind for today. After a monster clean up of the house, Joe and I got to work and juiced a whole bag of lemons picked from Grandmas. I have this cool attachment to my Kenwood mixer that juices citrus in no time. 

I put some in an ice cube tray for juice when you need it and  decided to make lemonade out of the rest. Normally I would just add sugar and water to the lemon juice. But this time I made a sugar syrup, using 1 cup of sugar to about 1 cup water heating it in a pot until all the sugar was dissolved. I added it to the jug of lemon juice but it was still a bit tart so I repeated the process until the desired sweetness was achieved. It eliminated that dreaded "sugar sink". Will definitely do this again. 

I thought  the kids might like a lemonade  ice block...but I couldn't find the top bits to my ice block molds ..So used a bit of Kiwi ingenuity and improvised with some plastic forks. Yeah...Nah. I think I will dig a little deeper and try and find the real ones next time!

Christmas Advent calendars 
Tracy from "The Scrap Heap" was advertising these on her FB site.  The Left is what came in the kitset...which by the way was way cheaper at Tracy's shop than at Spotlight...just saying. And the right is what it could look like. COULD being the operative word. I'm a little rusty in the crafting department. There were a few times I felt like a five year old...you know when things stick to places they aren't supposed to. Ahem...

I did enlist in hubby's help. This is not just a one afternoon job! Each little box needed to be put together. Its not finished yet though. I do have twelve (!) more days to go until we start counting down until the big day. Better get cracking!

While we crafted I managed to put together the yummiest dinner in ages. Slow Roasted Pork Belly with crispy skin and roasted trio of root vege (spud, kumara and pumpkin) and fresh garden Asparagus and the yummiest "Jus" ever. The pork belly recipe was from Jamie Oliver. And yes....I followed a recipe...okay... mostly.
While I was dishing this delicious dinner up, I was thinking to myself...My kids probably won't appreciate how yummy this dish is at all, my talents are wasted on them...yadda yadda. Boy was I  wrong. They all loved it. Joe said "this was the best dinner I have cooked him in his whole life". A winner then. Restaurants charge loads for "pork belly".  I found a nice sized one for $12 from the supermarket  that fed all 5 of us and it wasn't too hard to make when I followed Jamie's recipe. Give it a try at your place.  

Yep. That was a productive day...and now I need a nap!

Monkey moo...enjoying his lemonade ice block.

Baklava cigars

As usual it started with a hankering then a craving...And then of course I had to make it. Today's experiment Baklava. A Mediterranean dessert made with nuts and filo pastry and a sugar syrup.

I googled some recipes and then of course...made it my own (take as *still hates following recipes*).

I have a baby shower  to attend tomorrow and need to provide a "plate" for and I know my pregnant dietitian friend is going to love these. I decided to try a "cigar"  instead for the traditional diamond shaped ones because I thought it would be better for a finger food plate. I used the "nice and natural nuts" product range. I LOVE having a bag of these handy on my night shifts. They just hit the spot and  are super healthy too.

First I had to get over my fear of FILO!
Its so paper thin and I'm so clumsy.
I heeded the advice of the recipes and placed a damp tea towel over the filo pastry while I worked with one sheet at a time.

Ingredients:
300g of mixed nuts. I used Nice and natural "Energy" and "Balance" Mixes. Use a food processor until crumbly but not yet fine.
1/3 Cup soft brown sugar
1Tblsp melted butter.

1 Packet filo pastry
Melted butter

Carefully work with filo pastry using melted butter as needed using a pastry brush to keep filo moist and workable. Take one rectangle of pastry and fold in half with a light coating of butter. Put a Tablespoon of nut mix on the top end and roll in to a tight cigar (see pictures ).
Place all the rolls on a baking tray and bake until golden on 180C for  approximately 20 minutes.

Sugar syrup
1 and a 1/2 cups water
4 Tblsp Honey
2 Tblsp white sugar
1 tsp orange or lemon rind
1 tsp Masterfoods mixed spice

Place in a small sauce pan reduce down for 10 minutes. Generously brush all of the syrup over the filo cigars once baked. Let the cigars sit in the syrup to absorb for a few hours.

Enjoy.

Whats been cooking

As I mentioned a couple of blogs ago, we have been really into My Kitchen Rules this season. It had drama, cattiness, juries oh...and there was some cooking too. I don't know why, but watching Auzzies on this show just cracks me up. It was really cool having some New Zealanders in this season too. And don't get me going on the two judges/hosts.. Gotta love hearing Manu's french accent. 

I was hoping the guys would win, but alas it was the girls in the end. Both were worthy contenders.

Image

Of course watching the show has been inspiring me to try a few new recipes. None of which turned out particularly fantastic...but it was fun none-the-less

The first was  Moussaka. The greek contestants Steve and Helen inspired me to try this one. Its a layered egg plant and mince dish (usually Lamb...but I just used beef). And then covered in a Bechamel Sauce with plenty of cheese. I never used to be a huge fan of egg plant as a kid...but my tastes are evolving and I am starting to enjoy it. And in this dish the mince and cheese flavour masks it a bit. 

The eggplants are sliced length ways into 3cm slices then "salted" for 20 minutes then spread out on a baking tray. Sprinkled with bread crumbs they are then baked until the eggplant is cooked and breadcrumbs are golden (20min). I used Panko crumbs here.

Layers are made with the mince sauce (similar to a bolognaise sauce) and the pre-baked egg plants similar to a lasagne. 

Place the layers so there is a little room on the sides of the dish. Cover in a bechamel sauce with a little more cheese on top. And bake until golden. 

 A nice hearty delicious meal.

Nic and Rocko got my cravings going for macarons. This is my second attempt...and needless to say, I might need some one on one lessons from Rocko for these. They sucked...but they still tasted yum, in their own special way. Maybe I could just invent a completely different cookie because they were nothing like the real thing. I think I know where I'm going wrong...

These were Passion fruit and white chocolate flavoured. 

The finished product looked like a cross between a "Yo-yo" and a macaron!

And lastly I had a go at making my own ravioli. Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with a tomato and basil sauce.  

Wow these little guys were super fiddley.  But I took the advice of contestants Nic and Rocco, dubbed the pasta kings, and used a kitchen whizz to mix up the dough instead of kneading it by hand. It worked a treat. Overall my pasta making skills are improving slowly. The first time we made home made pasta, the whole ordeal took us 2 hours! Now its more like an hour. 

Totally worth the effort though. 

Quite Delicious!

Between browsing on Pintrest and watch cooking shows, theres a million things I wanna try and make, but never get around to doing it so much. Are you a fan of trying new dishes?

Note: I haven't left any recipe here....because I googled them and tweeked them...as per usual :)

I need one of these signs in my kitchen!

image

blink and they're gone

"How'd the holidays go?" A colleague asked me last night. Hmmm...two weeks of holidays and blink and they are gone. At the beginning I dread two whole weeks of noise and hub bub with little space and time for myself, but then they are over.
All three kids have sported snotty noses, so perhaps they are a little run down from the school term anyway. I didn't plan anything too strenuous, just a smattering of activities with a whole lot of down time.

The first week I was husband-less which made it slightly harder than usual. He is usually in charge of putting everyone to bed while I cabbage on the couch. So I even had to do that as well as keep them entertained all day. No matter. He paid me back with  chocolate.
Holy Moly did you know that Sydney has a "Lindt Cafe". Hubby bought me back chocolates you cant get here. I-MUST-GET-MORE.

So we get these ones here. The best chocolates ever. BUT then you can get peanut butter filled ones and cookies and cream flavoured ones...and others. So good. Thanks Hubster.

he didnt get me this many....Image form here

I can't get over how much Mr Crazy Pants 2 year old loves stacking and making towers with these blocks. He has learned the colours and can name some of the shapes. Smart little monkey.

 Of course more important part of the fun is busting the tower down again. He's not called the destroyer for nothing. 

 Hubby had a day off work. With both boys occupied else where, we took the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with our first born. We did something grown up and went for a little bush walk. This track is in our city and yet I had no idea. It was a lovely walk. 

I took the older two to the movies twice. We saw Diary of a wimpy kid and Madagascar 3. Both times I smuggled in microwave bagged pop corn. Hehe. A bag each, way cheaper than the movie stuff, not sure if its healthier though.
The rest of the holidays were filled with play date, a craft session with Tracey at the Scrap Heap ,  overnight stays with Grandma, computer games, lego, free activities at the library.

What do ya know.... I guess we did do quite a lot.

I am looking forward to getting my house back on Monday...even if its only clean and tidy just for a few hours a day.

The progressive blog

The progressive blog.

You know that feeling when you really want to blog because it has been far too long...and you had all these ideas leading up to it and then when you actually sit down to do it...you draw a blank?

Well today I'm going to try a progressive blog. It is literally going to take me all day. I will leave the page open and when I remember something again...I will come and type it down. Capeesh?

9am: Google the word "Capeesh". The spell checker is not picking up the word I mean. Found it:

“Capisce?” is American pseudo-Italian slang for “understand?”In formal Italian, capisce is pronounced “cah-PEE-shay,” but in slangy Italian and English it’s “cah-PEESH.”

Well that's some great learning right there. And its only 9:02 on a Monday morning. Must be an Italian cultural themed 24 hours, because last night we watched a funny as rom-com called "When in Rome" with Kristen Bell and some other tall dark and handsome fella. I recommend it if you like predictable rom-coms. 

Later.....

I was looking back on some photos of a family get together yesterday to find a descent one of me. Alas...my  eyes are shut in most of them. Lame.

True story....when I was going for a passport photo a few years ago, Miss joy was 18months old  also needed a passport photo. I thought she would take a million pics and wouldn't sit still etc. Wrong. She clicked first shot and I needed several (10) shots because my eyes were shut in all of them. In the end we had to go flash-less. What a dink. Another embarrassingly true story my drivers license photo looks hideous because the same thing happened...but that time I made my eyes extra wide open so they wouldn't shut and it looks ridiculous.
At least hubby looks lovely. Weirdly Miss Joy is now starting to do the same thing...maybe we should both get our eyes tested.

We took the kids up the Auckland Skytower yesterday. The glass floors are so cool.

Later still...

I am so over talent shows..the voice...american idol...blah blahs got talent. Its too much.
But last night we caught the end of NZ's Got Talent. Did anyone see that "loop song musician". That was amazing. Here's the link in case you missed it.

I've never seen anyone do that before.

Okay enough of this. I better get some stuff done. I am the queen of procrastination.
I've decided to get back into some fitness and healthy eating. So I will avoid that chocolate brownie that a friend bought me. It's calling my name from the fridge. Eat me, eat me. I will resist and do my DVD exercise instead.

Many many many moments later.

Okay so now my arms hurt and I can barely type....but. I. must. see. this. through.
What was I thinking restarting my new fit lifestyle with a Gillian Micheal's DVD. I should have gone for a gentle walk.
Bah. I need a lie down.

I found the link to this on Pinterest. Its a banana slicer. I love a good kitchen gadet but this  has the funniest reviews ever. They really are taking the mickey. There are 250 reviews most of them are pretty funny.

I love funny people.

My current blogging pet peeve: Going to leave a comment on blogger accounts and they have word verification....which you need a PHD to decipher. Or the the "must wait till blogger approval". People please.  I need to read the published comment...in case a) I made a spelling mistake...or b) it made no sense....and finally c) sometimes I'm just nosy and want to know what everyone else said!

As you can see you when you leave me a comment (which I know you will!!!)...it has been made extremely easy! No word verification or waiting.
JUST. SAYING.
xx

Eek "Survivor" starts up again on Sunday night. We love Survivor. Hubby has got all the Quotes down pat. 
Stuff Jeff always says...

• Previously on... Survivor...
• Come on in, guys!
• First thing's first. Immunity, back up for grabs.
• Let's get to today's reward challenge

Can't wait.

Well that will have to wrap up a days worth of random thoughts through my day.

bullet point life

 My Life as it currently is, in bullet points.

• Have ya missed me?
• Im going to blog in bullet points today.
• Just a catch up on random things Ive been up to. 
• I finished work at 11:30 last night. I came home tired but couldn't get to sleep. So I got up and watched the Box for a while...okay until 1am. Then got up to sort kids for school etc.
• Perhaps blogging when tired isn't such a good idea.
• Our church's women's ministry in doing an 8 week course on Lisa Bevere's Lioness Arising Book. I am really enjoying it.
• Miss Joy and Joe did great at their school cross country. 2nd for Miss Joy and 1st for Joe. I love that they give their best. Proud mama.
• Its been the weirdest and hardest year. Grief, potential grief, big changes, kids having anesthetics. One thing I know for sure; God is faithful and His peace transcends all understanding.
• I finally had a blood test to confirm what I already knew. I have low iron. Probably have had it all year. Have been feeling quite slow and tired this year. Not a good way to help deal with the previous bullet point. 

• I am obsessed with "My Kitchen Rules" (TV 2) . Ahhh Pete and Manu. 

•  I did a Treaty of Waitangi workshop last week. Lessons learnt: 1) When you get a group of talking woman together, the opportunities to go off topic are endless. 2) The only British  man in the group will be the first to be shown how to "Hongi". 3) The key to being culturally safe is to be sensitive to other peoples beliefs, cultures and values, and communicate, communicate, communicate. 
• I had my hair done a couple of weeks ago. Its a bit different. I like that I never have the same hair style year in year out. I was talking to my hairdresser about it. She says she has the same clients who come in to have their hair set the the same way every week/month. I hope I don't do that when I'm old.

 

• I am sure that I have the poster child for the terrible twos. I think I am dangerously close to being one of those mothers on "Super Nanny". Jo would be rolling her eyes at the camera about me. And if I caught her I would go all nutty at her, saying things like "you don't even know what you are talking about....you don't even have a  24/7 family yet....you aren't sleep deprived...they haven't worn you down to a nervous wreck...of course the kids YOU nanny are lovely because kids are always better behaved for strangers...and grand parents..." 
• Whoa. I have no idea where that came from. I told you I shouldn't be blogging tired.

•  The All Blacks creamed the Auzzies on Saturday and it was GOOD.

• I thought I may have got away with having no winter ills. Alas. I have the sniffles today. 

• SPRING IS ALMOST HERE! <------------ ( can you tell I may just be a little excited about it)
• I got into spring cleaning a little early and wiped down a few cupboards on Saturday. I didnt mean to. I was just looking for some ingredients to make carrot cake.
• I did not have the right ingredients to make carrot cake. I'm keen to make one though.
• My sister in law is visiting from Australia. Yay.
• While I was awake last night, I was wondering to myself if  blogging was a little naff.
• The kids and I have started a new thing. Its called fantastic Friday. Its when I pick them up from school and we go and have some fun somewhere instead of coming straight home. A play at the park and an ice cream for example. Its Miss Joys favourite part of the week. Who knew something so little could mean so much as long as you do it every week.
• The kids have got a couple of pen pals. Two kids in Perth the same age as them. How cute the little hand written letters. It would be easier to be email buddies. But why not encourage a little bit of hand writing practice and old fashioned snail mail. 
• Whew....That was a lot of random stuff. Hope all is well in your world.
• This picture crack me up. A parody on  "Haters Gonna Hate"