Dream Dinner Party for Eight.

No budget. Any guests dead or alive you could invite.... what would I do? First of all, don't get me wrong - I love to cook - but I love being cooked for too. So I think I'd take a break from the kitchen and ask Nigella Lawson to cook and eat with us. At her house would be fine, as she'd be comfortable there... that's important to me! So...

Slow Cooker Sausage and Eggplant Casserole

This one doesn't sound like much and even when you're making it you wonder if it's going to turn out a bit bland, but let me assure you - it is YUMMY. It tastes like you slaved over it but it is super easy and light on the fat content too. Ingredients: 600grams lean beef sausages 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2...

What will they think of next #12

Now I really, really need at least one of these!First of all: The Ultimate Key FinderAttach the receiver to your key ring and the card somewhere where you won't lose it (I know kind of defeats the purpose if you do!)If your keys are anywhere within 25 metres (80 feet), this powerful little bloodhound will sniff them out at the push of a button,...

Mummy's homemade baked beans

As I mentioned yesterday, this one is a favourite of my kids (and us!) and is a great lazy dinner or lunch or a luxurious breakfast. We had ours for lunch yesterday - a winter warmer.. Ingredients: 5 pieces shortcut bacon (i.e. only the eyes) diced 1/2 clove garlic, thinly sliced 1 420g can five bean mix, drained 1 420g can cannellini...

MealPlanMonday: most of the hard work over..

I'm liking this meal planning. I've really surprised myself. I love knowing there will be no wastage. I love that I have planned my meals according to our schedule and now I have a number of doubled recipes waiting in the freezer for coming weeks (lasagne, meatloaf, beef casserole).This week:Monday(tonight) - Vegetarian Nachos (using zucchini...

Motivation Monday: This works!

OK, so how did you do?I got all the of things off my list - so I'm happy! (well albeit one but I will be doing that this morning - Call my Nan in Adelaide) My linen closet is beaautiful and it's great having the camera back and taking pics of my growing girls again!This week:1. Clean out the nick-nack drawer in the kitchen (you know the...

Vege Garden update Week 13 - First harvest!

Finally we eat from our garden!Peas and beans are harvested - only a dozen or so pea pods at this rate but about 2 dozen long string beans! We're having them this evening with our baked dinner! Yumm!Peas before shelling After shelling.and here are our beans! Now our cauliflower - I have been worried about these but on reading up - it's normal...

Winter and eating for immunity year round

I'm a food-nut. I'll admit it but I only kicked into top-gear food-nutty-ism when we had our children. I was determined to feed my children (well Eloise at the time) only the best foods and make her as healthy as I could. I was lucky that she was such a robust baby anyway and loved her food which encouraged me to experiment.I bought a few...

Save the expense and chemicals - Home remedy garden insecticides

I was inspired watching Gardening Australia last night and I definitely won't be buying any more commercial poisons again!Here are Colin Campbell's home remedies:Scale and Mealybugs: Make an oil preparation that suffocates them by mixing four tablespoons of dishwashing liquid into one cup of vegetable oil. Mix one part of that mixture to...

Grocery Choice: Canned

Not happy Jan.The Grocery Choice project seems to be canned. Not happening.This is something definitely as a young family with large grocery bills, only looking to expand than contract to be able to see and compare grocery pricing online - would be invaluable.Well it seems it is valuable. Valuable to large supermarket chains - who take at...

Jinxed?

Now the puter is broken - oh my I'm so sad, I miss it so much! $99 just to have it looked at plus repairs - Sony only has a 12 month warranty on laptops (I think that's just ridiculous but please don't get me started!). That was WednesdayThen the heater died Thursday.Our toaster died yesterday. What today you reckon? I hope it only comes...

HappySnapSaturday: BucketStilts

My girls had their first experience of BucketStilts on Thursday at playgroup. Cute and hilarious....

FrillyfrivolousFriday: Friendship loaf with Joelene Sugarbaker

Happy Friday a...

My first..

Can't believe Michael Jackson has passed away. Seems a bit surreal? At the tender age of almost thirteen, I was the proud owner of the Thriller Album (and then bought the Off the Wall album too!) and had one of these poster adorning my walls. (below) I had begged my parents to buy it for me at the Royal Easter Show. So that would have been...

FrillyFrugalFriday: Getting the hang of this..

Yes, I've had a pretty good week. 1. I've stuck to my meal plan - actually last night made dinner and then my parents took us out for dinner, so I have an extra meal in the freezer now!2. I joined Simple Savings - already implementing some of the great ideas and tips from there - there's literally thousands...!3. No using the dryer - and...

I don't want to alarm you.. but..

It's exactly 6 months until Christmas. Stop looking away from the computer and shaking your head! Start making your list, checking it twice! If you are looking to make some presents this year - get started! I'm actually going to make some new christmas stockings this year and some decorations I think!For us Aussie's the big toy sales are...

Reality Bites: Come Fly with me.

ANTM:OK I have thrown something at my TV. Cassie has to gooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Nowwwwwww. Elle MacPherson (apparently Cassies' favourite model!) gave her sage advice not to smoke, and what does she do? The minute Elle has turned her back- Cassie's out sneaking a cigarette.........! The agents love her though. She does produce good...

Nooooo!!

Something on my beautiful RED puter is not happy. Either the battery or power card. Won't boot up now - I had a spare power lead, neither work. I hope it's under warranty! (Sony and it's 18 months old) Now I'm on hubby's spare laptop - meh - better than nothing but I miss my baby and it's only been hours.....

Dear person/s who won the OzLotto Jackpot...

Now then. If you won the 50 million or part-thereof in OzLotto last night I'd like to appeal to your generous side (i.e. beg) for these items that would certainly make my life just that little bit (a lot) more pleasurable.....Dualit four slot toaster in red. When I lived in London, my boyfriends' mum had one - my love affair with dualit...

Word-to-the-wise Wednesday #2

In this cold weather..It inspires a lot of people to bake. After you've finished cooking, leave the oven door open and warm the house up. Save your heating bill!Save to saveSimple Savings have $10 discount on their annual membership - join up for 1 year for $37 instead of $47 - valid until 9pm 30 June. We joined! Love ...

Cheaty Lemon Meringue Pie

I got this recipe from Simple Savings - it is yummy substitute however if you're expecting it to be like a *real* one - this isn't it but it's pretty close! It's a great one to make up quickly - seriously only took me about 40 mins from beginning to end. Ingredients:BaseApproximately 12 milk arrowroot biscuits80 grams butter/margarine,...