I love stumbling across new blogs to read....there are a few I read daily, which include:
http://ohnoa.com/ - absolutely hilarious and I love her "Funny Bitch Friday", where she showcases blogs written by female bloggers, introducing bloggers and bloggees to new hilarity.
http://thebloggess.com/ - one heck of a woman who finds herself in all sorts of odd situations - be sure to check out her posting about Beyonce the Chicken...she is also inspirational in terms of the project she founded about the travelling red dress (which isn't always a dress and isn't always red), as well as being very open about her struggles with mental illness.
http://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/ - Karen from Canada posts about her townie chickens, recipes, renovation and decorating ideas and general tips on how to do various activities and home repairs with a huge dash of humour (including admitting when things don't work out) and style
http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/ - This blog exhausts and inspires me in equal measure. While procrastination is more than just an idle past-time for me, this blogger shows how much can be done if you just get on and do it.
http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/ - Sugar goodness is the (main) name of the game on this site, where Peabody shares her trials, tribulations and joys (and her CCS - crazy cocker spaniel) and recipes that might inspire you to try something new.
http://betterafter.blogspot.co.nz/ - One day, I'm actually going to try doing some of the amazing transformations that are found on this blog - free furniture converted from drab to fab by extremely talented people inspire me - even if it is just to look at the renovations.
Anyhoo, that's my top six of the moment....it's a constantly changing group, but all interest me for different reasons....
Besides, who could resist Beyonce the Chicken???
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Monday, 23 January 2012
The joy of a sunny summer day
Never underestimate the power of a sunny day off in summer, particularly when it comes as a day off work...it's amazing how much you can achieve when you have the motivation of enjoying the day once the small jobs that you've put off get done.
That being said, it is a pain in the proverbial when you can't get the lawnmower to start!
I have to admit, it is fun walking through town with the cat wailing in his box all the way just after 9am(the vet is within walking distance of home)...getting him into the cage while he does the ninja starfish is entertaining too (you know - all limbs extended and rigid with claws at full scratch), but once he's in the cage, all he does is wail. Poor baby. The vet gave him a mostly clean bill of health and topped up his vaccine, which is great - just need to keep an eye on his teeth now.
Getting a hair cut and using vouchers I got for my birthday back in October was fun too - and getting the lawnmower to FINALLY start when I got home, so I could attack the lawn and get it back down to something approaching normal length was an added bonus.
Sometimes all you need is a nice sunny day, something cool to drink and the radio playing in the background to have your perfect summer day.
That being said, it is a pain in the proverbial when you can't get the lawnmower to start!
I have to admit, it is fun walking through town with the cat wailing in his box all the way just after 9am(the vet is within walking distance of home)...getting him into the cage while he does the ninja starfish is entertaining too (you know - all limbs extended and rigid with claws at full scratch), but once he's in the cage, all he does is wail. Poor baby. The vet gave him a mostly clean bill of health and topped up his vaccine, which is great - just need to keep an eye on his teeth now.
Getting a hair cut and using vouchers I got for my birthday back in October was fun too - and getting the lawnmower to FINALLY start when I got home, so I could attack the lawn and get it back down to something approaching normal length was an added bonus.
Sometimes all you need is a nice sunny day, something cool to drink and the radio playing in the background to have your perfect summer day.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Sigh. Nope. No Summer After All.
Since 1 December (the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere), it has rained at least once in every 24 hours. Horrible, horrible, horrible. So it was definitely the kind of weather that encouraged a Sunday roast on the weekend. A really yummy leg of lamb that I had bought from Farro Fresh in Auckland was destined for the oven and the sacrifice was worth it. The leftovers this week have made it even more worthwhile.
I roasted it on a bed of rosemary from the garden - the only real downside to it was that I had to pick sprigs of rosemary out of everything, because they aren't exactly easy to chew. The smell however, was totally divine and the taste even better. I think next time I would either wrap the rosemary in muslin or finely chop it, so I don't have to worry about twigs!!!
A simple dessert to finish is chopped strawberries with a couple of spoonfuls of sweetened condensed milk. Yum!
I roasted it on a bed of rosemary from the garden - the only real downside to it was that I had to pick sprigs of rosemary out of everything, because they aren't exactly easy to chew. The smell however, was totally divine and the taste even better. I think next time I would either wrap the rosemary in muslin or finely chop it, so I don't have to worry about twigs!!!
A simple dessert to finish is chopped strawberries with a couple of spoonfuls of sweetened condensed milk. Yum!
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Where are the fairies?
You know, once in a while, I really wish the fairies were still around - you know, the ones that do the vacuuming, laundry, lawns, gardens and cleaning.
At the moment I'm wondering if they are lost, stolen or strayed, because I sure haven't been able to find them!
Failing that, I guess I have to do it all myself (at least until I get another flatmate to share the load)... we have now had two consecutive days of sunshine, which is helping dry out the soggy garden...I may get another courgette or two yet, after having chopped off most of its leaves after they got powdery mildew. There is a reason it is easier to buy things at the market (farmers or super) sometimes.
So because I couldn't be bothered cooking a full meal because of the heat, last night was leftover night and I made a version of a panzanetta, an Italian bread salad.
At the end of the day, the bakery department of one of our local supermarkets bags up leftover breadrolls at a discount, so you can get some of the nicer breadrolls (like sundried tomato and olive) cheap as chips. I had three leftover from a bag I got the other day, so they weren't great for eating on their own, but perfect for this salad...although next time I would recommend using no more than two rolls for a bowl full of salad - otherwise it is more bread than anything else. Stale rolls seem to work in the this much better than fresh.
Some Kind of Panzanetta
Start by cubing the breadrolls - I like mine fairly chunky, so about 2cm x 2cm cubes - and put them in a pan that you have heated up a couple of tablespoons of oil (a mild olive oil gives this a light and delicious taste), drop in the cubed bread and stir it round until it is all lightly coated and starting to brown. Basically what you are making are giant croutons, but not as crunchy.
Put them in whatever type of salad you prefer (I added ham, lettuce from my garden, tomato and some onion that I softened in a pan with the ham) and add your preferred dressing - my favourite at the moment (which can be used as a dip for bread if you want to try something different) is a citrus vinagrette made by a local company called Prenzel...
Enjoy the bonus of feeling virtuous from eating salad (if you have that as a resolution) and being economical by using leftovers.
At the moment I'm wondering if they are lost, stolen or strayed, because I sure haven't been able to find them!
Failing that, I guess I have to do it all myself (at least until I get another flatmate to share the load)... we have now had two consecutive days of sunshine, which is helping dry out the soggy garden...I may get another courgette or two yet, after having chopped off most of its leaves after they got powdery mildew. There is a reason it is easier to buy things at the market (farmers or super) sometimes.
So because I couldn't be bothered cooking a full meal because of the heat, last night was leftover night and I made a version of a panzanetta, an Italian bread salad.
At the end of the day, the bakery department of one of our local supermarkets bags up leftover breadrolls at a discount, so you can get some of the nicer breadrolls (like sundried tomato and olive) cheap as chips. I had three leftover from a bag I got the other day, so they weren't great for eating on their own, but perfect for this salad...although next time I would recommend using no more than two rolls for a bowl full of salad - otherwise it is more bread than anything else. Stale rolls seem to work in the this much better than fresh.
Some Kind of Panzanetta
Start by cubing the breadrolls - I like mine fairly chunky, so about 2cm x 2cm cubes - and put them in a pan that you have heated up a couple of tablespoons of oil (a mild olive oil gives this a light and delicious taste), drop in the cubed bread and stir it round until it is all lightly coated and starting to brown. Basically what you are making are giant croutons, but not as crunchy.
Put them in whatever type of salad you prefer (I added ham, lettuce from my garden, tomato and some onion that I softened in a pan with the ham) and add your preferred dressing - my favourite at the moment (which can be used as a dip for bread if you want to try something different) is a citrus vinagrette made by a local company called Prenzel...
Enjoy the bonus of feeling virtuous from eating salad (if you have that as a resolution) and being economical by using leftovers.
Sunday, 1 January 2012
What is that yellow thing?
I think it may actually have been the sun, poking out from behind a cloud (or two, or three). At least it came out long enough to make me think that I could get the sheets washed and dried. Fingers crossed.
So here we are in a New Year and summer is trying very hard to make itself scarce. Strawberries are thin on the ground (literally) this season, simply because of all the rain that has fallen. While the courgettes have been hit hard with mould because of the humidity, the yellow beans have taken off - think they'll do quite nicely with the steak I have in the fridge for dinner.
So for Christmas this year, one of the things I made was shortbread. I used Gordon Ramsay's recipe (more or less) that I cribbed off one of the Christmas cooking shows and am still not sure what I think of it, as it was very sweet.
Shortbread
1 tsp Vanilla essence
2 eggs
Mix eggs and vanilla
125g butter
90 g caster sugar
Cream until smooth, add eggs and pinch salt. Add 250g plain flour, mix to a dough. Roll to 1cm thickness and put on baking tray. Chill for an hour, bake medium oven 20min until just done, then sprinkle with sugar.
His recipe used vanilla seeds from a pod - I only have essence and that does the job just as well.
Enjoy...
So here we are in a New Year and summer is trying very hard to make itself scarce. Strawberries are thin on the ground (literally) this season, simply because of all the rain that has fallen. While the courgettes have been hit hard with mould because of the humidity, the yellow beans have taken off - think they'll do quite nicely with the steak I have in the fridge for dinner.
So for Christmas this year, one of the things I made was shortbread. I used Gordon Ramsay's recipe (more or less) that I cribbed off one of the Christmas cooking shows and am still not sure what I think of it, as it was very sweet.
Shortbread
1 tsp Vanilla essence
2 eggs
Mix eggs and vanilla
125g butter
90 g caster sugar
Cream until smooth, add eggs and pinch salt. Add 250g plain flour, mix to a dough. Roll to 1cm thickness and put on baking tray. Chill for an hour, bake medium oven 20min until just done, then sprinkle with sugar.
His recipe used vanilla seeds from a pod - I only have essence and that does the job just as well.
Enjoy...
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
And so it begins...
I might have known...I finally take off time between Christmas and New Year - for the first time in four years - and in comes another tropical cyclone. The first of December marked the first day of summer in this part of the world and it has rained almost every day since. November was hot and sultry and held the promise of an amazing summer, but it has been spectacularly meh.
The garden is struggling, because there is so much humidity that the leaves keep being affected by a mould. Today has almost been wintery, meaning that a cheats stroganoff was definitely a good way to use up some of the leftovers I had hovering in the fridge.
Cheats Stroganoff
1 medium onion
2 carrots
1 piece of rump steak (400g)
1 tin of diced tomatoes
2 tblsp of cream
Slice up the onion - I prefer slices, but diced is okay - whatever you want will be fine. Soften the onion in a pan with a little oil or non-stick spray. While it is softening up, peel the carrot and slice into rounds and dice the steak into 1cm cubes. When the onion has softened up, stir in the carrot, the tin of tomatoes and the steak and pour everything into an oven-proof dish and put into an oven at 175C for approx 30 minutes. Stir a couple of times during the cooking time and when it is all cooked together season to taste and stir through the cream. Serve with some rice or breadrolls to soak up the yummy juices.
You can boost this by adding in some frozen mixed vegetables or tinned four bean mix to make it go further. I used some smoked garlic salt to season and the tinned tomatoes were basil and oregano flavour.
The garden is struggling, because there is so much humidity that the leaves keep being affected by a mould. Today has almost been wintery, meaning that a cheats stroganoff was definitely a good way to use up some of the leftovers I had hovering in the fridge.
Cheats Stroganoff
1 medium onion
2 carrots
1 piece of rump steak (400g)
1 tin of diced tomatoes
2 tblsp of cream
Slice up the onion - I prefer slices, but diced is okay - whatever you want will be fine. Soften the onion in a pan with a little oil or non-stick spray. While it is softening up, peel the carrot and slice into rounds and dice the steak into 1cm cubes. When the onion has softened up, stir in the carrot, the tin of tomatoes and the steak and pour everything into an oven-proof dish and put into an oven at 175C for approx 30 minutes. Stir a couple of times during the cooking time and when it is all cooked together season to taste and stir through the cream. Serve with some rice or breadrolls to soak up the yummy juices.
You can boost this by adding in some frozen mixed vegetables or tinned four bean mix to make it go further. I used some smoked garlic salt to season and the tinned tomatoes were basil and oregano flavour.
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