Candle.

Mum and Dad gave us this lovely candle from a little weekend away.

Jasmine.

8 year old daughter ran back in from the bus stop this morning with the first sprig of jasmine and placed it on the cabinet in the entry. Can you see it?

Ferrari.

This coffee grinder had a ferrari sticker on the side.

I Love Ikea.

Groovy soap pump and draining thing that sits over the sink to let the washed strawberries and cherry tomatoes drain.

Third Weekend.

This was our third weekend at the lake, well that is if a weekend is 24 hours. We attended soccer, choir, doctor's appointments and voting before heading to the lake. We have had glorious weather and lots of time outdoors. One weekend was with Grandpa and this weekend with very good friends who enjoy the mud.... like a Pig in mud really!

Paprika Chicken.

A wonderful Hungarian dish, which Mrs Ildi and a good friend from school-Sushi, always made. Husband E's Hungarian Godmother made it as well.

Paprika Chicken


2 kg chicken pieces – drumstick, wings, Maryland anything with bones as bones gives it flavour
2 large onions chopped
4 cloves garlic sliced
5 tablespoons sweet paprika powder
3 large red capsicum diced
4 very ripe tomatoes diced or you can used tinned tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar – makes sauce not taste tarty
Salt / pepper
Bay leaves – depending on size 2
Cornflour mixed with water
Oil



Saute the onions and garlic in some oil. Then add the paprika powder and cook the spice for a minute. Add a little more oil if need be as you want to release the flavour of the paprika and not to burn it.
Add the chicken pieces and seal.
Add the tomatoes and capsicum and add enough water to just cover all ingredients.
Add salt, pepper and the sugar.
Bring to boil then cover and reduce heat. Cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until chicken is cooked.
Once chicken is cooked, take out the chicken and put aside.
With a fine sieve and spoon, collect the diced capsicum, tomato and onion pieces and push these thru the sieve with the spoon. You are trying to get all the flavour out of the veggies and discard the skin.
Once this is done, thicken the sauce with blended cornflour and water and return chicken to the pot. Warm thru chicken and serve with pasta or potatoes and veggies.

Oblivious.

We had a national election yesterday. I voted at 8am as a very busy day lay ahead of us. At the end of the day, we headed to the lake. There is no phone, TV or oven. Ovens don't tell us about election results, but phones and TV's do. We arrived home late today, and it was wonderful wondering who the winning party was. The result; noone won. A most interesting time in Australian politics.

Clearing Paperwork.

Today I plan to clear some paperwork, rather I am hoping to read through magazines that have been lent or passed on to me. A day of resting I hope.

I also hope to bake banana cake, and there is laundry, dinner, dusting and cleaning of floors!

However, only baking and dinner preparation are now left to be done and it is 10:30am.

Visions from the Lake.

....this last photo was taken by 11 year old son. He enjoyed playing card games.

Quiche, From Another Mother of Four.

Bacon and Cheese Quiche

4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 small tin evaporated milk
1 cup of ham or bacon
½ cup grated cheese
½ cup of plain flour
¼ to ½ a cup of bran
T softened butter
herbs
Optional
*half a small grated or chopped onion
*salt/pepper

Method

Mix all ingredients.
Pour into a pie plate and bake at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes or until filling sets.
Note:
Nice with smoked salmon and dill. Can add fetta, prosciutto and asparagus to impress family.
Can double recipe for a larger dish, then it becomes a frittata.

This recipe is in Mrs N's words! The bran and flour fall to the bottom of the quiche to make a base.

Spiced Apple Cake.

Spiced Apple Cake:

170g butter, melted (plus 20g extra, melted)

1 cup pure icing sugar

3 eggs

1 cup plain flour

2 t ground cinnamon

finely grated rind of one lemon

3 apples, peeled and cored

2 T raw sugar.

Preheat oven to 190 degrees centigrade. Grease and line a 22 cm pie dish or 20cm round cake tin.

Beat butter and icing sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.

Add flour and cinnamon. Fold into butter mixture, with lemon rind until combined. Chop 1 apple and mix into batter till just combined.

Spoon batter onto prepared pan and smooth surface. Slice remaining apples and arrange on top. Sprinkle over raw sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes. Brush the top with melted butter. Cool in pan.

-I found that the apple on top was dry. I might not even put it on top in the future. The apple in the cake was nice. I wonder what it would be like if I used canned pie apple? I have had success with other cakes in the past, when I have placed the apple in the pan first and then poured the cake mix over it.

Of course the picture in the magazine looked delicious and it could just be me!

This is from the Australian Good Food magazine.

Odd Things That I Like.

Some odd additions to the house that I quite like: an oldish desk for 8 year old daughter from my parents. It won't last forever and won't survive further restoration, but it will do.

6 year old daughter's art work brightens up the bathroom....

And God Said.

.......And God said "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. Genesis 1:9.

The Computer: Help or Hindrance?

This post from Aimee, was just what I needed to read today as we are later and later in the morning.

My hours of productivity are compromised as well.

The computer and emails are not in themselves bad though and for me are my link with friends, neighbours and family. It is also the basis for organisation for the soccer team and the Community Fire Units.

I need to consider which hours are invested here.

Moroccan Beef and Carrot Tagine.

This recipe comes from the "Australian Good Food" magazine.

Moroccan Beef and Carrot Tagine.

1 T ground cumin

2t sweet paprika

1t ground ginger

1kg beef chuck steak, cut into chunks

butter

2 onions, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 large carrots, cut into large chunks

400g can chopped tomatoes

2/3 cup pitted dates, halved (I used sultanas)

2T honey

1 cup beef stock

1 cinnamon stick

Cook garlic and onion till golden with butter.

Coat beef with cumin, paprika and ginger.

Cook in the garlic/onion mixture till browned. Add carrots.

Add tomato, date, honey, stock and cinnamon. Bring to the boil. Reduce to low and cook for about one and three quarter hours, till the beef is tender and the sauce is a rich colour.

I served mine with mash, couscous would be more authentic.

I doubled the recipe.

This was so good. Not such a hit with the children though, but give it time......