Just Like Martha

Halloween is almost here...

Only a few more sleeps to Halloween..the time of year you either love or hate...love it as its kinda cute to get the kids dressed up and walk door to door asking for lollies (our street usually organises themselves and if you WANT to participate you hang a baloon on your letterbox - perfect)...and hate it as if you are not planning on participating the constant bashing at your front door long after its kids bedtime is very tiresome....

But I have to say love it or hate it, its becoming more and more popular in Australia..the shops are all decked out with all sorts of amazing creepy stuff to buy and decorate....perhaps we just need to 'go with the flow'....

A few of our friends 'get into the swing' so I have purchased some ghastly treats and decorated a cello bag....what do you think???

I am really pleased with the way they turned out!!

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....

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????

Rocky Road Recipe....finally

Finally I am posting what I promised a week ago...oops!

Chocolate Rocky Road

Block chocolate suitable for melting, handful coconut, handful peanuts (if desired), approximately half packet marshmallows (some of the 'homebrand' marshmallows are larger, cut these in half if you are using them)....now comes the creative bit...add a handful of whatever you like...some are happy using those cherry things (we hate them) I have used jelly snakes cut up, turkish delight, soft jubes even licorice allsorts chopped.

Melt the chocolate (I cheat and use the microwave approx 1 1/2 minutes - don't overcook or it will burn you only want to melt the choc), then add to all the other ingredients, mix well and place on greaseproof paper in a shallow sih in the fridge to set (the paper makes it easier to get out) Once set (a few hours) cut into pieces and enjoy.

White chocolate Rocky Road

Just a variation on the theme...I like to use rice bubbles instead of peanuts and have made this often for Breast cancer events and used all thinks pink ie. pink marshmallows and pink lollies..looks great and boxed up with a big bow makes a great prize in a fundraising raffle!

Don't get too precious about the type of chocolate you use, I know people always sprout about using extra good quality etc but seriously with all the other stuff you use the chocolate is really just holding it all together good ol Nestle or even Homebrand will suffice.

What do YOU put in your Rocky Road???

 

What I am working on.....

Almost Thursday...where has the week gone? Just a few pics of what I have been up to over the past few days...and for those waiting on the ROCKY ROAD recipe check back in another day or so I am making some white Rocky Road for a dinner party this Saturday and will post the recipe as soon as I have finished!

First a scarf almost complete for a Birthday pressie - one of Lilly's girlfriends..

This could be a way off yet..one of those "seemed like a good idea at the time projects"..its a blanket for Lilly's bed (shades of pink - of course) shame I am such a slow knitter...and shame Taylor also wants one (in green and blue)...ah well I did say it was "a work in progress'!

 

Invitations for a Baby Shower I am hosting early August...

 

And finally some cooking...Lilly's year is organising a cake stall tomorrow as a fundraiser so I had a baking afternoon to help out...some chocolate chip cookies....tiny vanilla cupcakes with yummy violet icing and these cute little 'cup and saucer' sets - the kids will love these...

 

 

 

Okay thats it from me for today its very late and I mnust get my weary bod upstairs to bed...thanks for stopping by xx

Rocky Road

We are going to a school function tonight and have been asked to 'bring a plate'...I am taking a large platter of yummy samdwiches but thought I'd also whip up a batch of homemade Rocky Road - yum!

 

I have been making this for years and its a huge seller in my "Christmas Shop"....its made up as I go along and I change the ingredients depending on what is in the cupboard. This batch has jelly snakes which works well with the usual coconut, peanuts, marshmallow and chocolate.

 

If anyone is interested in the 'recipe' leave me a message and I'll send it to you.

Happy Saturday night everyone, visit again tomorrow for Shadow Shot Sunday!

Birthday and Halloween Treats

Well I am officially another year younger....yep another Birthday has come and gone and boy was I spoilt rotten! My day began with a swim in the ocean (probably our last for the year the singer nets go out on Monday - those pesky little jellyfish will be back in the tropical waters of North QLD, no swimming Nov-May)...then a yummy breakky and a day filled with greetings and pressies from my nearest and dearest...and then I finished the day enjoying dinner with friends and a yummy Birthday cake baked by Taylor (I am so proud of her cooking efforts of late).  Have a look at this bit of yummyness that arrived in a parcel from my parents...quite ironic given one of my previous posts and hand-made Christmas cupcakes don't you think?

   

And I cannot wait to get some 'baking time' in with this pressie - yum scrum!

 

Then the following day was of course Halloween... now I know a lot of people see this as an unnecessary holiday celebrated by Americans and should be left in America, but...when you think about it there is no real harm in getting a little dressed up and 'trick or treating' close to where you live, after all its a great way to share some neighbourhood spirit.  We were invited to a party, the people had gone all out and their house looked fantastic, everywhere you tuned there were more spiderwebs, headless creatures and even a rat in a cage (my favourite once I found out of course it was pretend - amazing what you can buy at trick shops these days). Even the food was themed, "fingers" for the kids (sausages with tomato sauce and radish as the nail), green pasta, blood in our champagne..you get the picture...a few 'repsonsible adults' took the kids 'trick or treating' (not sure how responsible a witch, Elvis and Ghoulish monster looked with about 15 kids in costumes ranging from cats to draculas)!!! Lots of fun, this is what we took along, they are 'ghost' cupcakes in case you were wondering (www.marthastewart.com - of course!)

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone xx

A Christmas decoration swap and yummy treat for afternoon tea

Another beautiful day in Far North Queensland (actually I lie it has been raining on and off all day - but still a glorious 26'), a perfect day for comtemplating Christmas cards, crafting and the ever growing present list. I know it sounds beyond comprehension to some but I love to get all my Christmas cards written ready to post Dec 01 and ALL the Chrissy shopping done by the end of November so I can just enjoy the 'silly season' and all it has to offer, its such a wonderful time of year.

I've just joined a group to "Swap a Christmas decoration" over at www.embelish.blogspot.com with the lovely Em - its my first ever swap so I hope I can live up to the challenge - have put my 'Martha' hat on to see what I can create - stay tuned!

Taylor is at a music workshop all day so I thought might appreciate a little treat for afternoon tea....these are easy peasy and very yummy - GRANOLA BALLS

If anyone is interested here is the recipe, have also made them and drizzled melted chocolate over them - perfect for the end of a dinner party and if you use metal patty pans they look fancy!  Enjoy xx

Granola Balls

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 tbps butter

1 cup rice cereal

1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup dried fruit (I've just used dried apricots here, cranberries on their own work well too)

Basically mix together fruit, rolled oats and cereal, then add honey, peanut butter and butter which has been melted together in the mocrowave.  Mix well then put teaspoonfulls into patty pans and place in fridge to set. You could also spread this mixture into a pan then slice up but I kinda like the individual morsel approach!