What a beautiful part of the day:

Serenity.....
Dew covered grass
Cool wet toes in thongs as I release the hens
The noise of the wild birds slowly awakening those around
A lone rooster crows....

The smell of freshly made coffee
The thoughts of what to do today
Shuffling events to make the most of it all
... Doctors Appointment
Brookfield Produce Market
Planting tree ferns.. watch them grow
Palm fronds to the tip
Antique rustic bench seat ... to pick up my ebay purchase
Mt Crosby SS garage sale

Ideas swirling, should I get creative, should I clean or should I simply say, "NOPE?"
Maybe I could whip up that dessert I have been wanting to bake
Star anise chocolate Pie!
The choices, the life and the freedom
Oh Saturday how I love you.

17/06/12

The chook house

Darkened sky surrounds me.
The crisp cool air dances on my cheek.
The resonating taste of coffee lingers in my mouth.

I move forward, slowly, watching.
Dodging divots and unlevelled ground.
Hesitantly.
Carefully.

I open the gate…..
The metal cold to my touch.
I greet the girls and Mr Woo.

What is it? I see it sit.
I watch it glare.
I watch is startle.
It runs towards my legs, my dressing gown.

A rat.
I nearly pooh as I muffle my internal girlie squeal!

Butter Icing

BUTTER ICING

• 250g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups of sifted icing sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence/extract
• 3 – 4 tablespoons of milk or cream

1. Beat butter in a mixer. Turn mixer speed down I preparation of adding icing sugar.
2. Add icing sugar.
3. Increase mixer speed while adding vanilla, salt and ½ of the milk or cream.
4. Beat for 3 minutes –check for consistency. Add more milk/cream if necessary.

Scrumptious Slow Cooked Meatballs

There is something about mince meat and winter….well .....okay then, and summer..... and autumn and spring actually! Such a versatile item that with the addition of other ingredients can go far. The meatball recipe I have made today will be consumed for dinner with the rest being turned into school lunches.

I shall post a picture fo the finished recipe this evenign after it has cooked.

The best thing about using a slow cooker is the minimal use of dishes. I place some hot water in the sink as I commence cooking and wash and dry the dishes as I go.

You may prefer to brown you meatballs prior to placing them in the slow cooker, but I am not fussed either way. They still taste the same and the sauce covers them anyway.

What you need:

• 1 bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1 finely chopped white onion
• 1 stalk of finely chopped celery
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 800g heart smart/organic beef mince
• 2 teaspoons mixed herbs
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 red chilli (optional)
• 1 beef stock cube
• 3-4 sliced of chopped raw bacon (optional
• ¼ cup of grated cheese Tasty or Parmesan
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 farm fresh eggs (do not use caged eggs please)
• salt and pepper (1/2 teaspoon of each)
• 2 cups of chicken stock (homemade preferably)

• 1 pouch of tomato paste (sometimes I cut the stock in half and use 1  tin of tomatoes)
• white rice and wholemeal self raising flour to roll meatballs in

 

Now I cheat here. Except for the beef, bacon, cheese and breadcrumbs, I simply place all ingredients in a food processor and give it a quick whiz. DO NOT PULVERISE!

Place this mixture in a large bowl with remaining ingredients.

Roll meatball size patties in your hand and place these on a plate to rest.

Once you have finished making all of your meatballs. Roll these in white rice and then wholemeal self raising flour.

Refrigerate or freeze them for an hour. That said, I very rarely do this as I simply want to get them in the cooker.

Now for the slow cooker part. Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker. Place your meat balls into the slow cooker.

 Stack them nicely folks.

Place stock and tomato paste in a bowl, whisk and pour over the meat balls.

Slow cook for five hours and serve with rice.

Variations: add a bunch of coriander/basil.

MAYONNAISE

MAYONNAISE.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 x egg yolk,
• 10 ml of water and/or lemon juice,
• 200 ml grape seed oil.

Mayonnaise is the emulsification of oil and egg yolk to create a rich, creamy dressing. The secret to a decent mayonnaise is making sure you use enough water or lemon juice to make it hold together perfectly.

Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. Whisk the yolk of one egg in a bowl with 10ml of water /and or lemon juice. Whisk it until is it foamy.

Keep whisking while you gradually drip up to 200ml of oil. Your mayonnaise will gradually appear before your eyes. Your mayonnaise should be beautifully glossy.

If your mayonnaise is too thick simply gradually add a little water to ad viscosity to the mixture.

- Season to taste with salt, lemon or chilli, garlic, fresh herbs, mustard or sweet chilli sauce.

Well it has been some time since I have touched base. I guess getting my head around a new school and the new National Curriculum has taken a toll. That said, we have been busy nesting at home. I have decided that the 10 things in my life right now....will be about the home.

1. Listening

I have discovered the joys of listening to my iPod while mowing the lawn. I feel for the neighbours when I break into spontaneous song, but I guess there are far worse habits a neighbour could have. They may be celebrating the fact that our lawns are in resting phase and now no longer require a weekly haircut. It is time to service the mower and put new blades on in preparation for Lawn Warfare in the ‘burbs.

Speaking of lawn – oh it is coming along nicely. We are now in a position where we can really see a huge difference from when we moved in two years ago.

I adore a couple of songs at the moment:

* Check out Ronan Parke – This 12 year old has an amazing set of pipes – singing one of my all time favourite songs. I have always felt a connection with this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WIkjasLRNI&feature=share

* Keith Urban’s Tonight I Want to Cry - totally within range and can be belted out at high decibels. This song resonates with me too for some reason. To acknowledge pain in life means you have reached higher ground and can look back on times that have formed who you are today. I guess for me, this song allows me to look back on times in my life that have hurt and allows me to appreciate the good place and space I am in now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czb5P_pw8Fc

* Jes Hudak’s Different World – I wish I had written this song.

2. Eating

There has been a bit of a lull in the kitchen recently. Normally I am cooking up a storm, but every now and then I take a break. Simple pleasures like home made pizza are understated. Fresh vegetable and rissoles – another favourite.

The larder is stocked with supplies, as is the freezer. I am LIKING online shopping very much. It saves the incidental unnecessary purchases and allows me to sync my cooking with my shopping list. I shall promise to find my MoJo and share more recipes and ideas soon.

3. Drinking

Well it is great to report that I have severely cut back my coffee intake. I start the morning off with the juice of ½ a lemon in boiling water. It started off as a chore but I now find it cleansing. During the day I am drinking T2’s Ginger tea. I am probably only having two coffees a week, if that.

 4. Wearing

Well we have started winter and I am enjoying the cooler weather. I love the crisp air in the morning as I wear my dressing gown and thongs when letting the cooks out each morning. I deliberately take my time to appreciate the morning. Wearing a scarf brings back many a childhood memory. I have heaps of scarves, many have been hand knitted by m mother to compliment my wardrobe. She asks for colours, patterns ideas and length. I love the short scarves we have designed that simply wrap around the neck and have enough length to tuck into a vest without the bulk.

I love wearing AFTERSHAVE too. Nothing better than a hot shower and a squirt! Grey Flannel is the favourite and Oldie but a Goodie.

5. Reading

 I really have not been doing very much reading for leisure of late. I have read a bucket load of report comments and no doubt as I edit other teacher’s there will be more to come too. I have done a lot of reading on line in order to ensure the deck we are building will last.

I have read heaps about caring from Bromeliads – these are some of my latest ones.

6. Weather

I simply want to cut and paste from last time…. “I love what Mother Nature is throwing at us. I love the feel of the cool air upon my face when I am sleeping. I love the crisp morning air as I venture outside at 430am to hit the chook run….”

The days are slowly becoming cooler, but nothing horrid. I love the fact that there is no humidity and that the gardens are getting enough rain to flourish.

7. Wanting

The last time I touched base I wanted to complete the mosaic project I had been working on for Graham and Lin. It is great to report that this has been completed and is up on their pool wall.

I am wanting:
To complete a mosaic for home. I am going to do these three for us at home. I am planning on putting them on the fence in our pool area.

To get creative by building a garden feature.

To organise a mosaic workshop in the next holiday break. I have had a number of people contact me to ask me to share some tips. GAME ON.

To hit the garden in preparation for the open day that is looming…last weekend in September

To extend the chook run.

To help Peter to finish the deck around the pool.

To give away and sell at least ten items that we have not touched or used in the two years we have been here.

8. Feeling

 I am feeling pretty good actually. All facets of life seem to be aligned.

We have made new friends with Pauline and Andy from our local Hardware store. We had a set DATE NIGHT each month where we visit a different restaurant. 

I feel satisfied with the manner in which I have settled in to my new school and feel that I a now in a position to slowly weave my magic.

9. Thinking

I am thinking that I need to be vigilant in preparing another visit to Camp Eden. I think another visit will allow me to reconnect with myself and form a stronger appreciation of the skills I have but often let sit idle.

I think I and to improve my organisational skill with regard to FILING at work.

I think I love everything around me at the moment!

10. Enjoying

I am enjoying the prospect of spending further time in or garden. We have a number of people coming to stay this year who will notice the changes that we have made around the place. I am enjoying Cluckingham Palace and I am enjoying the prospect of building a little chook house our next clucky hen and place her on fertile eggs.