Tuesday 28 April 2015

Wordless Wednesday : I will nap here !


or here 

Sigh - She has made a mess of my outdoor lounge ! This was before ! I Nap Here when the weather is fine and I have time !!


 

Wednesday 22 April 2015

Wordless Wednesday : Orphaned Joey

Found on our Property Monday night - an orphaned Baby Girl about 3 months old said Wires Carer
Small Teddy Bear

THE VERY BEST OPTION FOR A RESCUED JOEY IS TO ORGANISE GETTING IT TO AN EXPERIENCED WILDIFE CARER IMMEDIATELY -WIRES !

http://www.wires.org.au/







Sunday 19 April 2015

Comfort Food ~ Anzac Biscuits

Are you , like me ,reaching for comfort food on a cool, windy day.


I can only imagine the comfort it brought to the diggers in the trenches.
This is a straight forward recipe and easy to follow instructions - prep is 10 mins tops.

I'm too lazy to bake much, or complicated recipes - so need all the help I can get.

Anzac biscuits have a slightly crunchy texture with oaty, golden syrup flavour. Usually ,they are crunchier on the outside the day of baking and softer the next. I imagine they were hard tack by the time they reached the 'boys'.

It has been claimed the biscuits were sent by wives to soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation.

Makes about 20-25 biscuits.

125g butter
2 tablespoons (40ml) golden syrup

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup plain flour
2/3 cup raw sugar or raw caster sugar

2 tablespoon (40ml) boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Preheat oven to 160 ° C or  (140 ° fan-forced).
Baking one tray of biscuits at a time : use the oven rack in the centre of the oven.
Bake two trays of biscuits at a time : with one oven rack in the upper half of the oven and one in the lower half of the oven.

I didn't line my baking trays with baking paper (because I've run out ...that's how I roll) - they didn't stick thankfully. I also made mini Anzac biscuits in a muffin tin because I ran out of tray space.

  1. Combine oats, coconut, flour and sugar together in a large bowl and mix dry ingredients well. 
  2. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and golden syrup , stirring occasionally. When butter has melted, combine bicarbonate of soda and boiling water in a small bowl and stir into butter and golden syrup mixture. It foams and doubles in size.
  3. Add butter mix to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. 
  4. Place firmly packed tablespoons of the mixture about 5-6cm apart on the trays - they can also be rolled into balls. (I didn't and I forgot to flatten them till right about now)
  5. Slightly flatten the balls with a fork. Bake for about 15 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown but still soft 
  6. Longer cooking times will result in a crispier, drier biscuit.
  7. Cool biscuits on trays , or transfer to wire racks. Cooled biscuits store best in an airtight container.
  8. Serve with your favourite tea ...enjoy !



Tonight, I'm grateful - we have a ute load full of chopped wood , from a long ago fallen tree. A friend cuts it for us, in return for us letting him chop his own wood.




Tuesday 14 April 2015

Wordless Wednesday : Mysterious Grass Trees - Twin Sentinels

Taller than the twins


Xanthorrhoea acaulis - A Grass tree  ?
Xanthorrhoea glauca subsp.agustifolia Grass Tree ?
Xanthorrhoea johnsonii -Johnson's Grass Tree ?



These magnificant Grass Trees grow one to two centimetres per year -possibly over 100yrs old. Grass trees have a life span of up to 600 years - finally three years of searching our property we found them after a neighbour told us of their existence.

If you come visit you'll have to find them !




Thursday 9 April 2015

Taking Stock - April

Making : A Mess when I bake or cook.
Cooking : Waffles in my new waffle machine - just DIVINE .
Drinking : Copious cups of tea to stay warm lately ...waiting for wine o clock.
Reading: "Embrace" ( just finished The Husband's Secret - a page turner)
Wanting: Rissotto for dinner - not happening :(
Looking: More curvy than I want to be
Playing: UNO with the lads
Wasting: Celery - I bought for juicing and kept putting it off.
Sewing: ? Not happening -repairs are in the basket or shoved somewhere till I set up my machine.
Wishing: Someone would come and do my sewing
Enjoying: Shopping for clothes with my bargain hunting boys
Waiting: For 5 o clock !
Liking: Sleeping in during school holidays
Wondering:
Why bad things happen - devoid of reasoning.
Loving: The first fire of the season.
Hoping: I get my replacement part for my soup maker, soon.

Marvelling: at special effects in "Night at the Museum Secret of the Tomb"
Needing: A holiday ...like a Cruise.
Smelling: Seriously -you don't want to know it's down below.
Wearing: gym gear because it's too much effort to change and too early - because we're going out for dinner.
Following: My kids around picking up lolly and chocolate wrappers (oh and before that their Easter eggs)
Noticing: Friends going through a very difficult time and deciding to help
Knowing:
That it was the right thing to do.
Thinking: Why I bother waiting till 5pm - since no-one is watching !
Bookmarking: How to make a Cat tent from a t-shirt.
Opening: Packages - I got two surprise packages (with chocolate and toothpaste) from Colgate and Oral B on the same day LOL.
Giggling: The tooth pinata was a riot.


 
Feeling: Grateful for rain over Easter , Sunshine today and new adventures in the wings.

Taking Stock is Thanks to Pip at Meet Me at Mikes.

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Cadbury Easter Giveaway ~ Where do you hide your stash ?

 Who refuses a Chocolate Giveaway post ?
 I cannot lie my favourite chocolate is
https://www.cadbury.com.au/



Wasn't I the most popular girl at the post election counting table with new Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations Egg Bag spreading joy late into the night - 110G (RRP $4.69). Cadbury Marvellous Creations Egg 30g is set to be an Easter favourite again this year (RRP $1.69)

Bringing more magic to Australia this Easter , Cadbury has launched some eggciting new additions to their range. 



Back by popular demand, the Cadbury Marvellous Creations special Easter flavour is available once more for a limited time only! Tantalise your taste buds with the Cadbury Marvellous Creations Easter range is made from a delicious combination of Popping Candy, Raspberry Chips and Beanies, all combined with Cadbury’s signature Dairy Milk chocolate.
 To complete the range, they welcome the return of the 200g Cadbury Marvellous Creations Gift Box 190g Cadbury Marvellous Creations Bunny (RRP $7) and 300g Cadbury Marvellous Creations
Egg Crate (RRP $13) 

Oh - when I saw this ...



MY boys will go nuts with this Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt Pack (RRP $12). Each pack contains a combination of Cadbury Dairy Milk & Caramello Easter Eggs, Easter hunt baskets and an activity booklet! I'm planning  the perfect interactive Easter Egg Hunt at home.

 





Not to be beaten - the new 464g Crème Egg Jar containing a mix of delicious Cadbury Creme Eggs & Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate (RRP $25.00) is sure to be a winner.



Cadbury has pulled a few perfect Easter gifts for family, friends and loved ones out of their hat - with the launch of the Old Gold Egg  and 420g Roses Egg . The  Dairy Milk Bunny is back better than ever with the magical arrival of both a boy and girl themed bunny (RRP $5.50).

Apparently , when eating chocolate bunnies most people tend to eat the ears first, saving the feet until the end, while others bite indiscriminately ...who researches this stuff ?


The Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt and Family Picnic at Werribee Mansion will return in 2015, bringing joy to over 6,000 families. The Easter Egg Hunt will continue to support the Good Friday Appeal, with Cadbury raising over $1million for the cause to date.

Be quick - shop for all of the magical Cadbury products at leading supermarkets, discount department stores, independent grocery stores and petrol and convenience stores .

To find out more about Cadbury - browse the range and learn all about your favourite Cadbury products visit www.cadbury.com.au.

My boys are always on the most wanted list for violation of the Cuteness code and Chocolate rules. Mr Smug came and told me "ha ha" he found my Easter eggs the other day. His face dropped when I said they weren't his.

This flashback from 2008 their first Easter !






want ...

wanted ...
Put your hands up ...

It was him ...want some ?
what evidence ?






GIVEAWAY






I have 2 Large Crème Egg Jars to giveaway, one each to 2 lucky readers. 

Each Prize pack contains :
39g Cadbury Creme Eggs
100g Cadbury Dairy Milk Hollow Egg
130g Cadbury Creme Egg Minis Egg Bag
Total per prize pack: $25


Just leave a comment and tell me in 25 words or less where you hide your stash ? or sneaky Easter Hunt ideas.

You can like them on Facebook 
Unfortunately, the prize will not arrive until after Easter.
Most creative answers win !
Australia Residents Only.
Ends Tuesday 7th April.

I was supplied with a selection of Cadbury Easter treats to review and giveaway. All opinions are my own . I am sharing my stash. This is not a paid sponsored post - it just supports my chocolate addiction and frees up other income, which helps support my favourite charities - Cancer Council , NBCF and Children's Tumour Foundation.