Free printable - my bathroom sign (with a bit of backwards humour!)

When you don't move into a new house there are relics from those who've been there before you.  In this house, it's picture hooks, we must have removed, plastered and painted over at least two dozen of them in our lounge and dining room, about 6 in our dining room and we still have a ways to go.

there are some picture hooks though which I've re-used, and this one is one of the very few.  Every time you wash your hands after using the family bathroom, there's a big hook looking at you in the reflection.. so I put a quick end to that on all days, Christmas Eve.  Couldn't look at it a second longer.

Something I'm always on to my frills about is washing their hands properly, with soap.  So I thought whilst they are in there washing their hands it couldn't hurt for a reminder.  But they'd be looking in the mirror so I reversed it... :)

I just printed it in A4 and put it in an Ikea frame.

Of course, when you look at it in the mirror it looks like this:

and up close:

DOWNLOAD HERE! FREE!  

Here's the reversed signs:

Blue (like in the first image)

Lifesaver (like the one I have framed)

Here's the non-reversed signs (in case your view of not of the mirror!)

Blue
Lifesaver

Crispy potato topped lamb and and bean pie - and mandoline fears

Have you ever had an appliance or even tool that gives you the hee-bee-gee-bees?  For me, that is the mandoline.  My mother had an orange one in the eighties and I remember vividly her slicing her finger nearly half off with it and the blood - oh the blood.  I remember it being in the kitchen, but not being used.  Almost like an example of extreme caution: kitchens can be dangerous.

It was something like this:

When I saw the recipe for 'Crispy Potato topped lamb and lentil pie' in this month's Super Food Ideas I wanted to try it, and my food processor slicer has broken, and as much as the thought of slicing potatoes that thin seemed like good remedial therapy - I knew I had to face my fears.  I needed to buy that mandolin.   Many foodie friends of mine rave about theirs - and their fingers are still attached to the hands right?  I really should stop being a baby?  They must have moved on a bit with the technology right?

I thought about all the other things I could use it for.  Potato bake, batons, cheese.  Right-o.  I was ready to invest.   So I got myself a zyliss one.  It's pretty good actually, and no need to touch what your slicing, the guide you hold takes it all the way down to nothing.

Lastly, I need to disclose that this is NOT exactly the recipe at Superfood ideas - I adapted based on ingredients :)

Ingredients:

• 800g lamb mince (I minced 1.2kg of forequarter chops!)
• 2 medium brown onions, diced
• 2 tb oil
• 2 x 400g diced tomatoes
• 1 tin cannellini beans
• 1 1/2 tsp dried herbs - or whatever you like from the garden (I used thyme, rosemary and parsley)
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 10 fresh beans, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 tb tomato paste
• 800g new potatoes, washed and sliced thinly

Method:
In a frypan or large saucepan heat the oil and add the brown onion and fry until transparent.  Add the lamb, bit by bit and brown also.

Whilst it is browning, chop up your herbs, I love having fresh herbs in the garden, and chopping them up and taking in their perfume makes me feel quite virtous!

Add the herbs, then the vegetables - fry off for about 3-4 minutes then add the beans - the whole tin including the water and then the beef cube and diced tomato.  Simmer for about another 5 or so minutes.

Then you can get using the mandoline!  See how the potato just fits in the top... that means I can hold the edges and away from those scary blades. It will work it's way down until there's no more potato... no pushing with fingers at all!

 And look how pretty they are... I didn't even bother peeling them...

 By now your lamb is all beautiful and stew like - so turn on your oven to 200 degrees c

Take the lamb off the stoves and transfer into an oven-proof dish.  Layer your potatoes how you wish.. I think this looks pretty don't you?  Cover with aluminium foil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

Then take off the foil and cook for a further 20 minutes - I like my potato nice and crispy - but you might not so just bake it until it's golden brown on top.

Serve!   In the words of Dora: Delizioso!

Do you have a fear of the mandoline or any other kitchen/house appliance?

What happens around the dinner table...

Growing up, especially when younger we always ate at the dinner table.  I remember it with equal amounts of nostalgia and dread.

I do remember learning how to use a knife and fork, how strict my Dad was with table manners - 'Elbows off the table', 'Don't talk with your mouth full',  'Don't open your mouth when chewing' and that dread of all dreads - 'Don't leave the table until you've finished everything on your plate'.

I recall sneaking into the backyard and burying something once in the compost.  Another time I vomited ham-steaks and pineapple all over our glass dining table.  I didn't always conform and I've never been able to eat ham steaks or ham and pineapple pizza since.

Hubby remembers being told to eat the things he didn't like on his place first, and he coined his phrase which he even uses today 'Peas are poison'.  (Luckily the frills adore peas). Talking of peas, I remember peas being used as a pretty hefty threat at the dinner table. 'If you don't eat your peas you'll have to go the kids' home where they shove them down your throat with a fork'.  This was usually enough to have me eating peas in submission, usually doused in tomato sauce (ketchup).

When I was a teenager I don't remember eating at the table as much, moreso the television - maybe this was where the trend started - but then again that could be my hazy memory. I still remember in that period though, family dinners at the table, and moreso with nostalgia.  Sharing the day's events, making plans, talking about food.  There was no longer the crime and punishment of something left on your dinner plate - that was now called leftovers.

These days we eat at the table every night.  The TV is off, we talk about those familiar things - what happened at school, what we're planning for the weekend and of course, this is where my little ones seem to ask the hard questions - 'What is God?' 'How do babies get in your tummy?' and the like.

There are certain rituals in this house too - we always thank the cook, and there are some rules about finishing your plate.  Generally my girls are great eaters so we don't need to pull the heavy that often but we never offer alternatives and unless there is a compelling reason (i.e. we don't like it, they had a lot to eat that day or they are unwell) it's off to their room for the rest of the night to read before bed - i.e. no TV after dinner if they refuse to finish their dinner.  It doesn't happen that often to be honest.  We are working on asking if they can be excused from the dinner table.

It's important to me that we continue to connect each day with each other over our nightly meal.  I worry when I return to work I won't make it home for dinner - what will happen then?  There will always be the no TV and sitting at the table thing, but not altogether it seems.   Perhaps only a few nights a week and the weekends... better than not at all!

Do you regard eating together at the table an important ritual or is it a car-drive or other routine in your day that gives you that interaction?  Are there 'rules' at your house?

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When responsibility gets in the way of a dream...

Pretty soon I'll be going back to work.  Well in about two months to be exact.  And it feels like like a watered down version of death row.  Which sounds terribly dramatic I realise as no-one is exactly is going to die per se but my one of my dreams is and that is to continue to write here full time and experience food in a full time way.

Not to say I'm going back to a workplace that is totally unbearable or that I work with dreadful people.  Neither are the case - I'm lucky that my profession (consulting and project management) is both interesting and rewarding.  I'm really lucky.

I see the contestants on Masterchef and although I have not even a speck of an inkling to participate, I understand why the thirty-somethings and forty-somethings are there.  I'm sure a good portion of them have dreams of being celebrity chefs with book deals but I'm sure there's an equal portion of the contestants where responsibility got in the way of their food dream.  I can totally relate to that latter portion.

So friends, don't panic - I fully intend to keep frills going because if I'm honest I'm going to need it more than ever as my 'happy place' and my 'time out'.  I'm only going to be working part-time - and commuting long hours which will give me time to write... (still can not decide between the iPad2 and the Galaxy.. anyways....)

I still have big dreams for frills (no it's not a book! I can't tell you how many people have asked me when my book is coming out??!) and I'm sure going to work isn't going to be an obstacle to making that happen, probably the opposite.   I can see a lot more slowcooker and fast food on friday posts coming and of course, there will always be Sunday baking project and the less than 30 minutes categories getting a work out.

Everyone gives up a dream for responsibility - it could be living overseas, it could be driving a mini-bus for your five kids instead of that much lusted after vespa you'd love to escape on.    Have you given up a dream because of responsibilities?


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Why food legacies are important

I'm not usually one to quote but his quote is one of my favourites, and comes from the god-father of slow food, Carlo Petrini:

"The greatest models of gastronomy come from women and not from chefs"

I've mentioned before that I come from a family of foodies.  Food is the common bond (apart from the obvious) in our family and we use food to show love and also we use it as a common interest.  Even in tense times (no family is perfect we all have disagreements right?) many fences are mended over making a salad, taking time out to wash the dishes or sharing a recipe everyone's enjoyed right?

Whenever I'm sick, I want my Mum.  Even though I have a husband who is wonderful when I'm sick (and not so great at reciprocating that, that's another story..) I always crave my mother's hugs, a stroke to my forehead and her cooking.  I so miss her cooking.  It's sad we live so far away from each other and I can't get that bit of comfort when I need it.

These days with my own household and trying to foster that love of food in my little frills and already they have 'favourite meals' and meals they request when they are sick. They have birthday treats and 'special meals' they like to request at special times.  

Most of these recipes aren't particularly complicated but they come from the heart and that's really what matters isn't it?  For me, that's my Mum's chicken cacciatore.  To be honest whilst I'm sick I'm sure my mother's vegemite on toast would have healing powers - she puts 'just' the right amount on.

I asked my Mum what the favourite dish of her mother (my Nan) was: 'Lambs fry and bacon - not sure what she does but it's delicious no one does it like her'.  I haven't had this yet but I think I'm going to request it now.  In this same conversation my Mum also said she has such positive associations with making pastry and dough - this she learned from her father, and he from his mother.

  'I can still to this day feel his big hands cradling mine as he taught me to knead dough'.  

I think that exact sentence will live with me always.  You guys know about how I love bread and dough.  I feel so connected to that sentence - probably a lot more than my Mum realised she relayed her own food legacy.

So my friends, even if you're not from a family of foodies, you think you're a very basic cook or don't think you have anything special to offer your children in terms of taste, process and food appreciation - you DO.  

You have an amazing opportunity to pass something down to your children - not only your favourite recipes - simple or otherwise - but as an extension of yourself - how you like food.  It could be as simple as vegemite on toast.

Do you have a favourite way your Mum does things or do your kids have one?


Psst, go over and spoil yourself or your Mum with the Lindt giveaway this month!

Motherhood with a side of accidental martyrdom

I had the most bizarrely wonderful conversation one night last week.  Actually I had a few.  But this one in particular started at a Wynard bus station when I was on my way home from ticking something off my bucket list. (Saw and met my favourite author!)

A woman sat next to me and literally started ravishing a takeaway salad.  At 10.45pm at night.  I figured she must be a busy shiftworker or mum.  Or both.  In any case she noticed my amusement at her ravenous grabbings of salad and apologised to which I responded 'no, please, you look like you need it'.

We got talking about authors, writing, blogs (turns out she's a personal friend of these wonderful bloggers) and we got chatting about motherhood, as mothers do.

We exchanged 'war stories' and when she said she hadn't planned to have a 5 year gap between her kids but that's the way it happened - and she felt fate had stepped in because she felt she had sacrificed less of her identity to motherhood, being able to juggle an identity with a baby/child and into school before the next baby arrived.

It got me thinking.  I had such a ridiculous small break between my three girls (18 months) that I did sacrifice particularly after having Laura and Olivia my identity, and slowly but surely I'm regaining the parts of me that make me... me.

Am I a 'new' me?  With the imminent return back to work will I just take on another mask 'work me' then 'home me' - where is the 'me-me?'  I'm not sure.

What makes me --- me?  Is it internal, external, esteem, environment... everything?  I find myself 'reclaiming' things in my life (like seeing my favourite author, this month I've managed to catch up on one of his novels (one to go) which is something I've not been able to do - or rather not prioritised for the past five years.

This I like to call 'accidental martyrdom' because I immersed myself in motherhood - my children needed me - and I needed to be with them.  Not a sacrifice, I'm not a martyr - but I can see how when you come out of the fog of the 'early years' you start to realise what you have been missing out on and people may view that as 'all the stuff you gave up' to have kids.

What do you think?
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A shift is coming my way...

And I can feel it...  I'm a mixture of excited and sad.  I'm going back to the corporate workforce.

Not just yet though - mid this year - I'll have the frills settled into school and I'll be ready.   I'm very lucky to love what I do - I'm a project manager/consultant and have worked in my field and specifically this role for a number of companies for the past 12 years - take about 3 years off in the past 6 since I had my babes.

I'm looking forward to working with new clients, fixing issues, being challenged coming across old colleagues, meeting new ones.   I'm looking forward to having more financial freedom, a place to be other than home, getting my hair cut on a regular basis - shopping for work clothes and shoes, let's not forget the shoes.  The kids will be able to do more 'extras' and I'll be able to upgrade my computer, my phone and everything else I've neglected since I finished up work.

You see, for me to be the one at home - we made significant material sacrifices.  I was the major breadwinner of our family - my hubby though well qualified and experienced and at the top of his game, does not have half the earning capacity I do.. and that's not his fault - it's just our industries.  But we've gone without things like holidays, new clothes, haircuts, beauticians (OK that's just me) two cars, swimming-ballet-and-the-like-type lessons and even pre-school because to us, well more importantly me - with my hubby's support - to be at home with our girls whilst they were young.  There's only one chance to do this and because we did have them so close together in the scheme of things -it wasn't too long to 'go without' or be out of the workforce.

No regrets.  But my hubby will be very relieved to see that extra income coming in you can imagine!

So all in all this year is a big change for all of us.  I will miss being there for every drop off and pick-up, being able to help the school in a physical way as much as I do now, attending every little performance or carnival, hosting playdates every week and all the things I'm enjoying now.  I shall be savouring every bit of it - because before long our life will be a rush of dropping off, picking up, getting home, fed, homework done and bed each night.   Hopefully I can work 3 or 4 days a week but that's not always possible in my line of work - nor is working from home.

And of course, I'll be keeping up the blog - it is my sanity I tell you - I'll NEED to continue my blog to keep me sane!

Are you a working parent to school-aged kids?  Any tips you want to impart to me?
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What do you make of this? Cheating/cooking/serving suggestions ?

I was amused by  this article by Petra Starke - Adelaide's Sunday Mail yesterday (Thank you to Megan and Shell who sent it to me!)

If you've been reading this blog for two years or two minutes I need to tell you something.  I'm not a complete food purist, I do prefer to make things from scratch, sometimes I'll use frozen veges instead of fresh, sometimes I'll use a jar of pesto if my basil plants are looking a bit naked, and I love myself a cheaty recipe for the CBF nights of cooking - but I don't do the packet mix unless totally humanly unavoidable - which oh, probably when I make cheaty french onion dip.  But I don't think cheaty recipes can be a 'lifestyle'.  You can cook from scratch, there is a lot to be said for appreciating the ingredients of your meal - and there are usually more than four.

But you've got to hand it to these ladies they've built an empire with these self-published books, their publicists obviously work hard and they're onto something because they've sold alot of books, and I mean A LOT.

I don't own any of the 4 ingredients books - it never really appealed to me - neither has the TV show -  but I've got to agree with the writer - pesto sauce on lamb chops is not a recipe, it's a serving suggestion!

Do you have the books?  Do you watch the show?  Love/don't love/don't care?
Do you think there are too many TV chefs?


Image sources
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Ice, ice baby.

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I laid in bed, over-swollen belly full of babies and in a heatwave.   I was on bed-rest and I didn't like it one.little.bit.  I had so much to do.  I didn't want to be in bed all day.  But I had to concede once the specialist gave me two options:  bed rest at home or bed rest in hospital.

At least at home I could see Eloise whenever I wanted to.
At least at home I had decent food.
But the hospital was airconditioned... hmmm just focus on the other two things.

I'd done well to last 'til 34 weeks.  My fundal height was 49cm and I even worked up until a week ago. But I guess it was those three flights of stairs that did me in at the end....

Apart from the airconditioning I craved, and the cheese and tomato sandwiches or icecream with chopped bananas and strawberries that I ordered from the in-house restaurant (i.e. hubby in the loungeroom and ordered via MSN messenger from my laptop in the bedroom no less) I wanted ICE.  The cold ice-cube kind.  I wanted LOTS of ice.

At one point hubby gave up making it and bought five-kilo party bags of it, which I would devour in 2 days.   On the way to my ob and scan appointments, we'd pass through Maccas drive-through for a large latte for hubby and a large cup of ice for me.

Ice?  They used to ask? With what drink?  Just ice.  Please.

I would crunch it, and devour it in no time.  Now apparently ice is an indicator for iron deficiency in pregnancy - but I don't think I could have got much more into me via supplements so ice it was.

As soon as the babies were born - no more ice cravings!

Did you/do you have cravings?

That ever-elusive secret recipe.... do you have one?

I think of myself as a pretty good sharer-erer of information - particularly recipes... but I know there's people out there with a secret family recipe...   Of course there's Col. Sanders (I'm pretty sure someone cracked that, the 11 herbs and spices had a couple of additives and colouring numbers too I think) and then for years it was my Nan's Christmas cake.   A few years ago she handed that over to my sister and last year I got the Christmas pudding recipe... but I still don't have one family recipe and if I ever do get it I'm sure I'm not allowed to share it.

That's not fair is it?

The recipe is for my Mother in Law's German apple cake.   It's pretty simple I'm guessing and my hubby has the recipe (can you imagine he has it and I don't!?) but I'm not allowed to have it, yet.  Hubby is very protective of this recipe and whilst I've got the best excuse in the world to put my feet up and watch him make an enormous mess in the kitchen whilst he makes it.... I still want it.

The first time I ever ate the apple cake was when I first met my mother-in-law.  It was April 2002 and hubby and I had just gotten engaged after knowing each other for 5 years and being together for 1.  I still hadn't met my soon-to-be mother in law.   I walked in sheepishly, my nerves all the more rattled after hubby had told me after we pulled up at the front door after a 5.5 hour drive that he'd never officially bought a woman to meet his Mum, no less invited her to stay overnight I had a feeling there were going to be a lot questions... a lot of sizing up.  Hubby being the only child of a single mother I expected no less.

I walked in, hiding my engagement ring,  she was warm and welcoming but I was the supporting act - she was very pleased to see her son and whilst I found my way to our (separate) beds, hubby sat in the kitchen whilst she made herself a cup of tea.   I came to the table, and again, put my hands under the table to allow them to catch up.

Hubby sensed my nerves and held my hand tight.   She sat down with the tea and asked me how the drive was - I smiled and said it was a pretty drive and then something took hold of me..  It was the smell of fresh pastry and cinnamon.  At that point it had also aroused my mother-in-law - she opened the oven and oh I can tell you I will never forget that smell.

She served me some apple cake with cream a la mode and it was divine.  She told me it was her father's recipe who was a bavarian baker, and it had been passed down through his father and his father before, all bakers.  I felt I was ready right there to become part of this family.

So over this family recipe hubby broke news that I was a new part of theirs.  She was shocked but thrilled - best piece of cake I've ever eaten.

Do you think I get the recipe?  Not YET!

Does your family or do you have a secret recipe?  Is there a secret recipe you're after?


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11 Things I'm looking forward to in 2011

1.  My babies start school - they are so excited and they are so ready
2.  New era for me personally - more time for me to focus on me
3.  Hubby and I celebrating 10 years as a couple (though 14 as friends) in March - we should mark that somehow..
4.  Dunk Island holiday in June
5.  Visiting family in Cairns in June
6.  Doing more markets this year - I've been enjoying them this year, so more of the same thanks!

7.  Watching my family grow up - by this time next year we'll have two six year olds and a seven year old - I'm guessing they'll all be old enough to take on the fireworks (didn't happen for us this new years)

8.  Returning to my SAP world (part-time) in July - I've missed it!
9. More financial freedom which happens with number 8
10. New laptop which also goes with number 8 (mine is 4 years old and very tired!)
11.  Turning 40 in July!  (Going to have a party!)

What are YOU looking forward to in 2011?

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Frilly Christmas 2010 - Part two - Christmas food traditions

I thought I'd show you how I have brought in Christmas traditions of my family growing up, into traditions of my own family...

Now this one is really a present - the Cherry Chomper was a gift to me from Santa - Thank you Santa..!  Now I can make my very berry cherry cake and my vanilla cherry cake so easily - this gadget is the BEST.  You put the cherry in the mouth part, press down the body, it removes the seed and puts it in the little bin-thing in the bottom and you take out your cherry and EAT it.   No mess!  (You can get them at good kitchen retailers for about $20)

The other reason I showed you the photograph of the berries is because it is a bit of a tradition to have lots of fresh fruit, along with croissants and jam for Christmas breakfast.   It's easy-peasy and good that the kids dose up on fruit before everything else... (below is my fig jam and my strawberry jam)

When breakfast is cleared away then the kitchen table is laid out with Christmas fare..

This is my Nan's Christmas cake which she makes one for every family each year - soaking her fruit for a month!  It's amazing! 

 Here's the chilli honey cashew nuts I made this week along with fruit bon-bons.  I always associate these along with the below columbines and scorched almonds...

Here's some of my loot - my sister who knows me so well gave me the cookbook and 'Home made' cookie and pastry stamp, and my Mum gave me the new preserve book, some teatowels and some other goodies too :)

Silly hats are a must on Christmas day...

I love Laura's combination of two hats here... hehe.

Here are the frills with the Christmas bon-bons - I mean wearing silly paper hats is part of the drill too isn't it?

And of course Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a cold Christmas lunch - including prawns and ham - and for hubby - his favourite - pork!

And how could we forget TRIFLE???

We didn't have room for pudding on Christmas day - but I promise next year I will share that recipe with you - it is my Nan's recipe and I've got to say I've tried many-a-pudding and everyone who has tried it agrees - it's the BEST.   I've been eating it every day since!

Do you have Christmas food traditions?

Christmas Tree 2010!

Well it's done, thank goodness - and we're a little late given that every other year I've not been able to wait until December at all - this time we waited until almost a week of December had passed.  I don't know if that's indicative of how busy December is or that December busy-ness is now spreading backwards to November. Probably the latter.

So the girls donned their new Christmas dresses I made and we got to work!

Passing the tree pieces to Daddy - our Tree it 8ft high and we bought it when we lived in a federation semi - with tall ceilings - it just touches the roof here - so no star or angel unfortunately.   I do love it though it's made from a bristle rather than plastic.

 Laura prefers supervising!

So once the tree is erected, then comes the lights and tinsel...

And then we all go crazy with decorations - (well Mummy and Daddy re-distribute to higher places and spread them out a bit too!)

It's nice to have a tree that we don't just decorate the top metre - as we did for a few years there when the girls were small - that was funny.  I have a chuckle now when I walk into houses with toddlers and see it or a Christmas tree on top of a table!  Bless those toddlers!

Have you done your tree yet?

Come have a cuppa with.... MY MUM! Not to be missed!

How could I pass up an opportunity to photograph my parents' kitchen and have a chat with my MUM right?  I refer to her a lot and other members of my family who have heavily influenced my love of food and produce.

My Mummy in her (always clean) kitchen!

How do you have your coffee or tea?
Strong coffee, skim milk and one sugar. Coffee has to be good quality though.

The two must-haves to avoid dehydration headache in Cairns - the water cooler and the coffee machine!

What you love about your kitchen?
My double oven and walk in pantry

What would you change about your kitchen if you could?
I would take down the wall to the playroom and open in right up. Would also install folding glass doors instead of windows, so it overlooks the garden and pool and opens up the room.

This butchers block has been a centrepiece to my family home for the past 25 years  - Dad picked it up from a local butcher I think for free or close to it, and restored it to it's natural beauty - it's about 200kg though!!  The pots and pans overhanging them have been a constant feature, great idea huh?

Who do you cook for at your house and how often?
It mostly my husband and I these days, but I still cook like I have my three daughters at home, so there's always plenty of leftovers to freeze. This is handy when my husband is away. Sometimes I don't cook for 2 weeks at a time and live on leftovers!


Would you consider yourself more of a cook or a baker?
If you asked me that question 10 years ago, I would have said baker. I love to bake and there were always a lot of people around to bake for. These days I'm a bit of an all-rounder cook. My girls however have taken up the baking challenge with gusto and are very good at it. I'm pretty sure this comes from my dad. He would whip up a plate of pumpkin scones or an apple pie at a minutes notice.

This is a new addition to the kitchen - and I'm coveting it!

Most desired kitchen appliance?
I would love to finish off my Kitchenaid collection with the ice cream maker and eventually the Food Processor (all in black of course).

Most used or loved gadget you own?
My Oscar. We start every day with a fresh vegetable and fruit juice. It's easy to operate and clean and makes the best frozen fruit ices for the children. It's the one really healthy thing I do every day.

Who taught you to cook?
I don't think anyone taught me to cook. I have very early recollections of my grandmother baking and my dad was always cooking something. I have a very clear memory of my mum letting me make mud cup cakes in her best patty pans on a very hot day in the burbs and they actually baked on the concrete path and we turned them out. I don't know whether she was teaching me cooking or science that day cause we also fried an egg on the same path. I would have been 3 or 4. I was however heavily influenced by my neighbour Mrs Budgy (an Italian lady with no English) and she taught me how to make everything Italian from scratch from tomato sauce to treading the grapes for wine, bread and salami. This is probably when I began to be fascinated with food and especially Italian food.


Any kitchen disasters you can report?
Many. Isn't that how you learn? The worst is probably putting salt in a cake instead of sugar and parisian essence in another instead of vanilla.


Your signature or most requested dish?
It has to be lasagne. And I make a vegetable one now too that is a bit healthier with lots of baked root vegs. Always a hit!

This is a fabulous litebox that is above the oven - it's like a night-light to eat a midnight snack!  Mum picked it up at a salvage yard for five dollars!!! (frugality is in the blood!)

Your favourite quick fix mix meal?
Pasta - always pasta and the BIG  salad.


Favourite cookbook?
I have so many and love them, but my favourite would have to be THE COMMONSENSE COOKBOOK that my sister bought for me in 1979. She inscribed it with "Happy Birthday to a Great Cook". Each page has either food spilt on it or scribbles and drawings by my girls. Very sentimental but some great old basic recipes too.

I recognize some (OK all) of those ;)

Something you just cannot bear to eat or cook?
Rabbit. Just don't like the idea of a bunny becoming food, plus all the horror stories about mixey that come with it. Never liked Brussels sprouts until recently either until I learnt how to make them properly with cauliflower, oil, garlic and black pepper.


If you could have anyone come and cook in your kitchen (alive or dead) who would it be and why?
 Once I would have said Martha Stewart (just love her) but she's just too bossy for me. Have to say my Nana Tillie and my Mum. I do miss hanging in the kitchen with my Mum. We had so many good times there over a glass of wine and a boiling pot or two. My Nana Tillie died very young in the scheme of things and I missed out on learning all of her tricks. Just love sharing with other women in general, but passing memories and recipes down though the family is the ultimate for me.



*sniff* Just as my Mum misses time with her Mum (my Nan) I miss spending time in the kitchen with her!  I think reading this many things about what, how and why I cook make sense... right?   I found it quite amusing that her appliance covet list is identical to mine (except I want metallic pearl...!)


Do you have a food relationship with your Mum/grandparents?

A girls dream

I have had one of those days that so far  you'd write down as your perfect day.   I'm really sitting back and marveling at this wonderful day.   A day that pre-kids would have been a good day but not spectacular.

To a busy Mum who doesn't take time for herself, although she knows she should.... To a Mum who has felt a little overwhelmed and overwrought of late..  To a Mum who knows the rest of this year is filled with appointments, commitments and  to-do-lists longer than Santa's...

This day has been spectacular.

• First of all I got a sleep in.. until 7.50am
• Then I went to the hairdressers.  A decent hairdressers.  A hairdresser that didn't have me crying and inhaling lindt (like last time) It was a wonderful time, friendly and professional, settling and with an excellent result.  They needed to do a LOT of correcting, not only to the colour (oh my the colour) but to the cut which apparently was very uneven and lop-sided!  Annnnyway..I've gone a bit darker than usual but you know, sometimes you just want your hair healthy - and now it looks and feels healthy.
• I got some further pampering with an eyelash tint (hello eyelashes, wondered where you were!) and eyebrow wax and tint.  
• Then it was onto the shopping! I've replaced my holey 7 year old Tevas with some $15 ipanemas.   Bargain and so comfy..
• I bought some Colorado sandals... in red of course.
• I got a summer sheer dress cardigan reduced from $89 to $39!
• I found the advent calendar I'd been hunting high and low for three years today - ON SALE.  
• Then lastly my coveted handbag which I just refused to pay $800 for 2 years ago was in a mall hairdressing salon (OK well a replica but hey) for $60.  I didn't buy it, but I'm going back tomorrow.

The retail and shopping gods were on my side today.

How was your day?