Our Curtains...

Have had a bit of an easy week here...

Caught up on heaps of Bug squishing in the garden, cleaned 2 bed rooms from ceiling to floor & all bit's in between, spent far too much to see Mega Mind, B☼ finished Koo's home school submission for grade 1 & we have new curtains for our bedroom !!!! 
: )» 

We were supposed to paint our room after a major de-clutter but the weather hasn't been favourable unfortunately...          
 Moo's room still has her old curtains as she wants to re paint it to a more "Twilightish fashion" whatever that means??!!??!?!?!?!?!?

Hope you all have a great New Years...
: )»

Festive foods # 2

These truffles are a version of a recipe found on the Simple Savings website... Thanks Mimi... : )»

Chocolate Peanut Truffles...

1 ½ cups almonds ground fine in a food processor or blender
½ cup of Peanut Butter   (The recipe had Tahini but I had no Sesame seeds or paste so substituted...)
¼ cup Golden Syrup  (The Recipe had ½ cup of Rice Malt Syrup but we had none... Honey could be added as well...)
¼ cup cocoa
1tsp vanilla extract/essence
85g of dates chopped finely in  the processor

Desiccated coconut to roll Truffles in...

-We only have a small processor so ground the Almonds & set them aside in a bowl.

-Next I chopped the dates into small pieces then processed them into fine pieces. 
-Then the ground Almonds, Peanut Butter, Golden Syrup, Cocoa & Vanilla were added back in with the dates.

-This was all processed until the ingredients were combined well.

-A heaped Tbsp of the mix was then rolled into ball, covered in the Coconut, placed into a container & refrigerated for ½ an hour before serving.

Then Enjoy.....

 

Rocky Road...

250g Milk Chocolate
50g Cooking chocolate bits
125g Cashews
50g Raspberry lollies
50g Strawberry Cream lollies
100g Marshmallow Clouds...

- Melt Chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan that has water boiling in it.
- Once Chocolate is melted mix in nuts & lollies.
- Dollop out mix onto baking paper..
Is as easy as that... The next batch will be with Coconut Chocolate, Jelly Beans & Strawberry Creams just for something different...

These are the wonderful treats that B☼ made...
Vanilla Almond Biscotti...
This is a recipe from a Family Circle "Herb & Spices" cook book that B☼ changed slightly...
3 egg whites
125g blanched Almonds that have been toasted in a pre heated oven at 180°C for 4 min.
½ cup Vanilla Castor sugar (If you don't have Vanilla sugar you could just add 2tsp of Vanilla essence to the sugar & mix in)
3/4 cup of plain (all purpose) flour


- Pre heat oven to 180°C
- Grease a 26 X 8cm bar tin & line with baking paper.
- Beat Egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form then slowly add in the sugar & continue beating until sugar has disolved.
- Add in Almonds & sifted Flour, gently fold together.
- Spread into bar tin & smooth over the surface then bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven & allow it to cool in tin. Once completely cooled, remove from tin, wrap in tin foil & refrigerate overnight.
- Pre heat oven to 160°C.
- Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, cut loaf into 5mm slices, arrange on tray & bake for 30 minutes or until the biscotti are lightly golden & crisp.
- Remove from oven & allow to cool on rack..... ENJOY !!!

 Candied Peanut...

4 Tbsp Golden syrup
1 Tbsp water
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Cup of Roasted unsalted Peanuts

- Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- In a large saucepan heat syrup, sugar & water until combined while stirring the whole time.
- Bring to boil while stirring the whole time. Do not allow to burn....
- Then simmer on a low heat for 5 - 10 minutes while stirring the whole time.
- To test if Candy is ready, drop a small amount into a cold glass of water, if it turns brittle it is ready.
- Mix in nuts, empty onto lined tray, spread out & allow to cool...   

Macadamia Crunch...

4 Tbsp Golden syrup
1 Tbsp water
1 Cup White Sugar
1 tsp Bi-Carb Soda (Baking Soda)
1 Cup of Roasted unsalted Macadamia nuts

- Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- In a large saucepan heat syrup, sugar & water until combined while stirring the whole time.
- Bring to boil while stirring the whole time. Do not allow to burn....
- Then simmer on a low heat for 5 - 10 minutes while stirring the whole time.
- To test if Candy is ready, drop a small amount into a cold glass of water, if it turns brittle it is ready.
- Mix in nuts, then stir through Bi-Carb Soda quickly. Empty onto lined tray, spread out & allow to cool...

All these goodies are going into bowls along with some Kinder Surprises for the kids, Ferrero Rocher's & mini peppermint/chilli dark Chocolate bars...

Due to the heat & humidity we have had to bag most of the treats to keep them fresh until Saturday...

Hope you all enjoy these treats if you attempt them..
Have a great Holiday all....
: )»

Out with the old...

B☼ & I have decided that instead of sitting on our Butts these holidays we will be tackling some small jobs around the house...
Odd Jobs...

We bought the Ikea DIGNITET curtain wire "system" a few years ago after losing to many battles with curtain rods & Venetian blinds...
Love the idea of the system, BUT the clips just wouldn't stay on the wire no matter how we tried to clip the hooks on... Not a good look as you can see... I did try crimping the hooks over but to no avail as the hooks kept "jumping" off...


The other problem was that the old curtain material was rather cheap in price as well as quality... The white backing started to turn to powder & come off after about 18 months... As part of a late spring cleaning I washed the curtains as gently as I could but a lot more of the backing came off... We dipped into the emergency fund  & took a trip around the local fabric stores to locate some suitable material to make replacements for ours & Koo's windows...      


Koo's Windows...

We had had enough of the hooks so decided to put eyelets into the top hem... It was easy enough to put them in & they appear to be able to take a fair amount of weight without distorting the material...

Our curtains will be a bit more involved... We found the material we wanted but needed to buy some triple pass sun block backing as it isn't lined... The cheapest triple pass backing we could find in the size we needed was $13per meter... They also had a discount rack with some white curtain material that had a triple pass backing for $6per meter so I suggested to B☼ that we could use that instead & she agreed...
Shall post the results the results on another post before the weekend...

Have a great one all...
: )»

Festive foods....

Eggplant Sun dried Tomato Dip...


4 Lebanese Eggplants, roasted for an hour @ 180°C
8 Sun dried Tomato halves, chopped
1 large Roasted Capsicum from jar, chopped
1 large clove of Garlic
2/3 cup of roasted Cashew
2 dessert spoons of grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp of lemon juice
2 large dessert spoons of sour cream...


Scoop out the flesh from the Eggplants & add with all ingredients, except for Sour Cream, into food processor... Process until desired consistency is achieved...
Mix through Sour Cream & serve with Favorite Veg sticks or biscuits...

It looked better presented but I forgot to take a Pic....



Pizza Scrolls...


We made 3 different batches of these... Ham & Pineapple for some of the kids, & 2 Antipasto varieties for the adults...
Ham & Pineapple Pizza Scrolls...
6 sheets of Puff Pastry
Tomato paste
Mixed herbs, (I used oregano, Basil, Marjoram, Rosemary & Thyme mix.. )
½ a 440g tin of Pineapple pieces, drained & excess liquid squeezed out then chopped
200g of double smoked sliced ham, Diced
Grated Mozzarella Cheese

• Lay out sheets of pastry then apply a 2 tsp of paste to each sheet & spread evenly.
• Spread ham & Pineapple evenly on the pastry leaving a 3-4cm section along one edge to allow for sealing.
• Start rolling sheet towards sheet towards the sealing edge.
• Cut the logs into 2cm sections & bake in a oven on a baking sheet @ 180°C for 15 min or until the pastry has "Puffed" sufficiently.

Antipasto Pizza Scrolls...
6 sheets of Puff Pastry
100g  of double smoked sliced ham, Diced
Capsicum Tapenade
Basil Pesto
8 grilled Artichoke sections
1/3 cup mixed Mushrooms
1/3 cup sliced Spanish Olive
Mozzarella Cheese

• Lay out the sheets of pastry then apply a 2 tsp Tapenade to 3 sheets & 2 tsp Pesto to the other 3 sheets, spread evenly. 

• Spread the remaining ingredients evenly on the pastry leaving a 3-4cm section along one edge to allow for sealing.

• Start rolling sheet towards sheet towards the sealing edge.

• Cut the logs into 2cm sections & bake on a baking sheet @ 180°C for 15 min or until the pastry has "Puffed" sufficiently.

 We wrapped the logs in the blue sheets that separate the pastry sheets for transport to friend house where they were cooked & shared along with the dip & a few drinks...

Have a great one all...
: )»

Soup & Bread...

It is about time we use up the last of the Pumpkins & Sweet Potato so thought A soup was in order....

Pumpkin & Sweet potato Soup....


1½ onion, chopped

4 cloves of Garlic, crushed
1.5kg Kent Pumpkin, chopped into 2cm pieces
500g Sweet Potato chopped into 2cm pieces
1½ dessert spoon of Curry powder.
100g of Mushrooms chopped
1L of Campbell's Chicken Stock

Brown Onions & garlic in pan
Add Curry powder & cook for 1 min
Add Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Mushrooms & cook on high for 3 min
Pour in stock & bring to the boil then simmer until Pumpkin & Sweet Potato are soft...
Pulverise with stick blender or in food processor..

Bacon, Onion Herb bread....
To begin with, ½ an onion & 100g  eye Bacon were finely diced & fried off...

To the bread maker pan I added 375ml of water with a tsp of Chicken stock powder mixed in & 2 Tbsp of oil...  A bag of  normal bread mix was then added along with a tsp of bread improver & 1½ tsp of dried yeast...

The Bacon & onion Mix was added in along with a dessert spoon of Parmesan cheese, ½ a cup of grated tasty Cheese,  ½ tsp each of dried Thyme & Sage when it "Beeped" at me at the add in stage...

They soup was served with a "swirl" of Coconut Cream.....
Very Tasty !!!!
Have a great one all....
: )»

Grilled/Fried Veggie Burger...

We have started to harvest the Eggplants.. **Does Happy Dance**
1 of my Favourite ways to use them is in a Grilled/Fried Veggie Burger...



We sliced a few small Sweet potatoes, an eggplant, some Capsicum & onion... These were all fried in a small amount of oil & crushed garlic until soft...
The veg were then served on a bun with some cheese, meat patty, & topped with some fresh Lettuce, Tomato & Basil straight from the garden... YUMMO !!!

This Post was lifted from Our Simple Savings blog...
Feel a tad lazy tonight... ; )»
Have a great one all....

: )»

Snakes Alive...

 We went to a Reptile Show at the Ipswich Turf club yesterday.... Saw some great looking specimens & got some ideas for alternate housing for Eddie.....

 The Green Tree Python below is a snake I have always been fond of, but due to price & what I have been told  about their temperament, it shall be one I shall appreciate from afar....

This Blackhead was a bit of a highlight for me... It is a new Variant  & the difference is quite striking as you can see from the picture in the centre... (Centre Pic taken from freesnake.com)     

On a sad note for me, we came across a local dealer who we sold Queenie to.. She was on display & he said she was one of the nicest Spotted Pythons they had bought ..   : (»
they had seen none of the snappy behaviour she had given us... He also said that She was a HE & it could explain some of the snappy behaviour she displayed as some males can be quite territorial.. This is something he said he had seen before in his own collection... I felt like buying Him back & renaming him Baldrick, But B☼ said no ... : (»    At least I got to have a cuddle & another goodbye...

Have a great one all...

: )»

Baking with the girls...

Have been at it in the kitchen again the last few days... Yesterday we used the the Chickpea & Bean Salad recipe from the other day to make up a Quinoa version... Is basically the same except for cooking 1 cup of Quinoa in 2 cups of water with 1 tsp of Chook stock powder... This was cooled & added to the other ingredients...Went down a treat with the family & we still have heaps left for dinner tomorrow night...

 Chocolate Maccadamia nut Brownie.....
Also made up a batch of Chocolate Maccadamia Brownies to help "Grease the wheels" at B☼'s work....
 This is a "Coles" recipe I grabbed from Simple Savings & have altered slightly.... (just can't help myself)
 

Fudge Brownies...

200g unsalted Butter
150g chocolate, chopped
1 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
 2tsp vanilla essence
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup chopped Maccadamia Nuts
Method
1. preheat oven to 180
2. Lightly grease and line a 180by280cm shallow cake pan (I use a square Silicone "pan")
3. Melt Butter & Chocolate in Microwave or in a double boiler on stove
4. remove from heat. stir in sugar.
5. beat in eggs, one at a timethen stir in Vanilla
6. sift in dry ingredients and mix.
7. stir in nuts.
8. pour into prepared pan and cook for 35 -40 min
9. Allow to cool completely in pan, then remove cut into desired sized pieces...

 Vanilla Essence...
A few of the Vanilla beans that I bought a while ago were finely used to make 700ml of Vanilla Essence today...

16 beans (8 for each bottle) were slit down the middle, had the seeds scraped out, chopped into 1.5cm long sections & then placed into 2 swing top bottles we once used for home brew...
16 x beans was $10.40 &  700ml  Vodka  was $32.00...

All up it worked out to be  $32.40 for 700ml or $4.60 per 100ml of pure Vanilla Essence which is a small savings on the purchased bottles but a lot more fun to make with the kids...
**Sits back & smells Vanilla scented Fingers**


Bread Mix...


Also did up a bulk batch of bread mix for the bread maker...
We make a 1kg wholemeal loaf in an Aldi machine...
 
350g of white flour
250g of ATTA flour
1.5Tbsp of milk powder
1Tbsp of raw Sugar
1.5tsp salt
This is all bagged up in reusable clip lock bags & kept in a 8.5L Decor container until needed....
To use we first add 2Tbsp of oil & 350ml of water to the bottom of the bread pan.. On top of this goes the bread mix followed by 1tsp of bread improver & 1.5tsp of Dried Yeast....

This saves us time when it comes to putting the bread on late at night or as your running out the door in the morning....


Have a great one all.....
: )»