Just Like Martha

Happy Birthday Bryan...

Hello, back again after a busy morning in the kitchen getting ready for tonights Birthday Dinner ..our friend Bryan is celebrating a (lets just say) 'significant' Birthday and we wanted to make it extra special by having a surprise Dinner Party for him...first things first...a special Birthday card..

Part of his pressie...these are the yummy new chocs I am trying instead of my usual Rocky Road...

And one for each guest to take home that doubles as a placecard...

I wanted the dinner party to be special but there had to be some reference to the 'Birthday Boy'...

Well that's all I can show you had better get back to it...my kitchen beckons...we are starting off with a Cheese and Dip platter compliments of one of the guests followed by Asparagus served on pastry with hollandaise sauce....Atlantic salmon on a bed of mash, topped with deep fried chilli and a side dish of seasonal salad and corn couscous....Roasted pears with a toffee sauce and French vanilla incecream for dessert then of course Birthday cake...if anyone is still hungry (LOL) there are some choc treats to have with coffee and tea....my tummy is rumbling...time for a cuppa then back to it for me xx

Birthday treats to take to school

Earlier in the week on their 'Pupil Free Day' Taylor and a couple of girlfriends spent the day cooking some Birthday treats to take to school to celebrate a friends Birthday....like mother like daughter huh, look what she came up with...

A very yummy looking chocolate cake and then this...

A decorated noodle box (hmm think someone has been into my papers and Fiskars punch - LOL) filled with chocolate fudge rocky road (a new recipe I am trying out for Chrissy - Taylor tried it out for me - yummo!)

Back later for another post....I know two posts in one day its too much isn't it!

A Birthday and some cookies...

Another Birthday wish to send out....this time for a work collegue...Happy Birthday Mandy x

Mandy is a big fan of my home-made ROCKY ROAD...hope she enjoys it...

And last but certainly not least the cookies that Lilly baked before (yep that was BEFORE) school this morning...her school principal calls her "cookie girl" and always asks her is she has been 'baking'....no guesses as to who received these double choc cookie delights - LOL

YUM they look good hope she saved a few....

A Dust Storm...some notebooks..cards and cake!

Well most of Sydney woke this morning to an eerie sky..a severe dust storm had hit most of NSW bringing with it winds up to 90km/h...the skies looked thick with fog and glowed an eerie orange...

The sky finally cleared but the winds have been up ever since...a good day to stay inside (so much for my three loads of washing LOL) and create..

First some cards...

And come notebooks...yep more Birthdays coming up at school (before long everyone at Taylor's school will have one of these - LOL)..

I am loving these plasric bags Jane....we need to shop together more often!

After all this creating must be time for a cuppa and a slice of this yummy cake...

Vanilla and Coconut Cake with passionfruit icing ....yummo..after all a girl can not live on 'creating' alone..LOL..seriosuly this cake is good, the recipe was in the Sunday paper a few weeks back but if anyone would like a copy just leave me a comment.

Bye for now xx 

Home - catch up day

Well today was a much needed catch up day at home...some washing, ironing, cleaning and cooking....good yummy stuff like this..

 

A yummy boiled fruit cake, perfect with a cuppa! We are going out to dinner on the weekend and I said I'd bring something yummy to have after dinner, melting moments are always popular so I made these..

 

And well, one flavour melting moment never seems enough so I made these too..

 

Then there was a 'mini disaster' with the muesli slice (yep I said slice) which actually ended up becomming cookies (after the slice fell apart)...ahh well I bet even Martha has disasters sometimes - LOL

 

Lets hope they taste good!

Back tomorrow for the big reveal?? What colour will Annette choose????

Cooking for a good cause...

 

Taylor's school is doing some fundraising today to collect much needed funds for RSPCA, the girls were asked to bake some cupcakes, the winning cupcake will receive a prize. Coincidentally our good friends were over on the weekend and look what they bought over for us to see...

 

This book is FABULOUS - very Martha and very delicious, I want to try out every one of these 175 cupcakes...Dellie has picked out her favourites for me to bake for her Birthday...hmmm...

 

and this one....

 

LOL glad to see Dellie has so much faith in me...might work up to them...maybe next years Birthday...Taylor decided to keep with the animal theme for the RSPCA and went for these cute cupcakes...

 

I think she did a pretty good job...what do you think?

 

And some more using lollies from COLES..animals again of course..

 

Not bad for an afternoons work in the kitchen xx

A Baby Shower for Brooke

Last weekend I hosted a Baby Shower for my niece Brooke...the theme for the shower was FISH and the table was decorated with 'water bubbles' cut out from various blue and green scrap papers....a banner made with various papers...there was a 'fish bowl vase' filled with sand, shells and handmade felt fish....lots of yummy food compliments of my helper Maggie and I, and of course yummy slices made with love for Brooke by my mum! There were even 'cookies and milk' in 'shot glasses'.

I made a 'tree' which formed the centrepiece of the present table on which hung cookies that Taylor and Lilly made and I iced in the shape of a baby suit or 'onsie'...at the end of the party everyone got to take home a cookie as a party favour!  Brooke received some lovely presents...it was such a lovely afternoon of celebrating...can't wait to meet the new addition in a few months...

 

I made a mini album for Brooke to include thoughts, photos of the lead up to the big event and the girls put together a collection of lullabies and classical music, burnt it to a cd then scrapboooked a cover....Brooke LOVED her gifts...

 

 

Have a good night see you tomorrow for the last day of PURPLE xx

Happy Birthday cake

Happy Birthday JUDY! Hope you liked your special Birthday cake we made you....Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese icing - yum!

 

Just luv the tiny violets that have popped up around the garden like weeds...handy for decorating though don't you think!

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

450g can crushed pineapple            1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup SR flour                            1/2 tsp bicarb soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon                          1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 cup brown sugar                        1/2 cup dessicated coconut

1 cup mashed banana                    2 eggs, beaten lightly

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to moderate, grease cake tin, line base with baking paper. Drain pineapple over medium bowl, pressing with spoon to extract as much syrup as possible, reserve 1/4 cup syrup.

Sift flours, soda, spices and sugar into a large bowl. Using wooden spoon, stir in drained pineapple, reserved syrup, coconut, banana, egg and oil; pour into prepared pan.

Bake cake moderate oven about 40 minutes. Stand cake in tin 5 minutes then turn onto wired rack to cool. Spread cake with cream cheese frosting.

ENJOY xx                 

Card Making and Cookies

I have been busy catching up on some cardmaking...lots of Birthdays coming up over the next few months....I have a folder with months and Birthdays listed so I make the cards in advance then a few days before its ready to send (scary I know to be THAT organised - I can hear my friends laughing!!)...its a bit like exercise the thought is not so pleasant but when it's over you feel SO good! LOL.

 

The first was made for some friends who are heading off to live overseas for a few years...and just a little something to remember me by...

 

Love these little notebooks, perfect size for your handbag and trust me they come in pretty handy, all my girlfriends will be getting them as part of their pressies this year....I am going to be selling them too on my Etsy site (more news on that later!!)

Then some assorted Birthday cards..

 

 

 

 

And finally a cute card for a family member...I just LOVE these cute "family themed" stamps by Heidi Grace...soo cute!

 

Are you still awake?? You probably need a cuppa and a yummy cookie - I know I did!

Mel made these yummy cookies the other day...www.melissagoodsell.typepad.com..they are super easy and very yummy...RASBERRY COOKIES (made with rasberry jam !!)

 

They are seriously good go over to Mel's blog to get the recipe or email me and I'll send you a copy...now after a big few days its time for a glass of wine and a quiet Friday night!

See you on Sunday for Shadow Shot!

Cooking Soup - yum!

We have had a few wintery days in Sydney lately and the family has decided its time for soups to make an appearance on the dinner table..now you won't get any arguments from me...its quick and easy to make, freezes well, is nutritious and a big pot of soup goes a long way...here are some of our favourites...

 

RED LENTIL SOUP

Cook a diced onion and some garlic with a little olive oil in a large pan. Add 1 cup red dried lentils, tin chopped tomoatoes and 4 cups vegetable stock...yep you read right - its that easy! Bring to the boil then let simmer for 20 minutes or so on the stove top before serving with a dollop of natural yoghurt or sour cream and some fresh basil.

And another family favourite....

 

This photo doesn't do this justice, its the 'before you blend' shot, but trust me its yummy and a favourite of mine at dinner parties!

CREAMED FENNEL SOUP

Slice and chop fennel. Melt small amount of butter in pan and fennel stirring over low heat for approx. 10 minutes (don't allow the fennel to turn colour), add 2 chopped potatoes and 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to boil then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season to taste and when cooled slightly transfer mixture to food processer. Add 125g creamed cheese and process until smooth and creamy. Return to pan, add 1 tbsp chopped chives and 1 tbsp lemon juice and stir until just heated through.

Hope you enjoy some of our winter soup favourites!