Knitting and Plum Cake..

I've been busy making stuff.  Lots of knitting lately.  My last 3 projects I have flirted with the yardage chicken and lost every time.  Note to self: do not be so impetuous and actually weigh yarn and do yardage before you cast on.  Anyhow: there has been a Quaintly, and then a test cowl, and now I am onto knitting this lovely shawl as a KAL.  I will be doing another test knit cardigan next week when some suitable wool arrives from Bendigo (note to self: do not even look at 10ply patterns when you have no 10ply in stash!)

 Isn't my big girl growing up?  She so desperately wants to be older than she is, while I (of course) want her to stay little for ever.  Look at those green eyes - enormous.

I got quite a lot done on this while I was at the hairdressers today.  It struck me that sometimes even grey hairs have a silver lining.  More grey hairs means more knitting time.  Seriously though, most of my knitting time each week is squeezed into karate, kid's appointments and time spent waiting so I am really glad to have the opportunity to knit!

Our plums have had a bumper crop this year - laden, the branches sinking low to the ground.  We have had plum jam, stewed plums, dehydrated plums, and now, thanks to www.foxslane.blogspot.com plum cake.  This http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/16131/upside+down+plum+cake has fast become my new favourite cake, not the least because it generally leaves a few little crusty, plummy bits around the side of the tin for the cook to eat while it is still steaming and oozey.  So good.  Today, I made two of them and because I was home alone I even got to lick the beaters. Life is good my friends, very, very good, and for the simple things I am profoundly grateful.

Chorizo and Spinach Fettucine

Isn't it funny how blogging actually changes your life?  This was a thrown together tea but I had to stop eating half-way through to take a photo to go with the recipe because it was just so yummy!!!

This is basically like our usual fettucine recipe I just mixed it up a little.  Just chop one largish onion and some bacon and fry it up in a glug of olive oil with a couple of chopped chorizos.  Add in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach and some sundried tomatoes towards the end.

Mix together about a cup of grated parmesan, some cream, and an egg yolk.  Stir through the rest of the ingredients and add to some cooked spinach fettucine.

YUMMO (oh, and I cooked the onion, bacon and spinach first and reserved some for the purists in our house before adding the chorizo and tomatoes - that kept everyone happy!)

And lastly I just had to share this photo because I love that children learn in so many different ways.  This sweet boy is about to head off  to Primary School.  He has very set ideas of what he wants to learn, and of what he needs to know before he gets there.  He asked Hannah to teach him to count by 2s, 4s and 10s because he thought it might be useful to know that before next Monday!  We are doing lots of reassuring that he doesn't need to know it all - just to be willing to learn, and "have a go"

Zippo happening on the craft front.  Hoping to finally get the craft room painting finished this weekend.
Happy Wednesday!

Just kickin back

I am LOVE, LOVE, LOVING the holidays.  It is so blissful to not have to do the school run.  This morning Hannah made pancake mix while I read one more chapter of my book before getting up.  We use Cousin Caitie's mix which is essentially 1 cup of SR Flour, 1 cup milk, 1 egg, vanilla and salt.  We double it if we are hungry.  This morning Hannah made double (by herself)  I forget that she is capable of doing things like that now.  She even put everything back in the cupboard and wiped the bench when she finished.  A bit too grown-up really.  Anyway, for everyday use these pancakes are very kid friendly and a great vehicle for lashings of butter and maple syrup or far too much sugar and lemon juice.  For really decadent, special day, a-bit-more-time-in-the-kitchen pancakes we use Molly Wizenberg's recipe from "A Homemade Life"  I think I have raved about this book before.  It is full of wonderful recipes and achingly beautiful writing.  I can't decide whether my copy should live with the recipe books or my favourite stories so it tends to float between the two categories and often lives on the couch.

No photos with this post but if I was motivated enough I could show you:
a backyard full of cream-painted planks waiting for pergola building
a backyard full of dying weeds waiting for landscaping and turfing
a boy still in his pyjamas watching more kids tv than usually acceptable
a girl drawing her own map of Australia (as you do?!?)
a girl who wrote her first "novel" on 2 sheets of foolscap yesterday (and yes the heroines were named after herself and two school friends LOL)
a house in dire need of a really good clean
a small person who insists on taking her nappy off and leaving puddles and er...presents... around the house (anyone want to buy a brand new but slightly wee-ed on sweetheart punch?)
children who have managed to have 3 playground plays in 3 days
a contented if messy mummy who is just enjoying chilling with the cherubs!
Happy Wednesday!

Biscuits and Miscellaneous Activities

This recipe has been given to countless people over the years; they started as my uni flatmate's "Auntie Barbs Brownies" and were then known in our uni years as "PMT biscuits"; when I started with Creative Memories they became my "Workshop Biscuits".  I think of them as my 8 minute always-on-standby biscuits.  Call them what you like; they are GOOD and they never last long in our house!


Melt 1 large tablespoon of REAL BUTTER in a pot or in the microwave then into the pot add:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup SR flour
pinch of salt
1 cup of choc chips and peanuts, or sultanas, or apricots, or whatever takes your fancy
1 egg

Mix, roll into balls, place on greased baking tray with a fair bit of space between them as they spread out.  bake 180 degrees for about 8 minutes.  Leave to cool a few minutes then slide off with a butter knife.

The combinations are endless.  Our favourites are apricot, almond and chocolate chunks but even just sultanas are good!

We hit pay dirt at our local op shop last week when we stumbled on a two dollar basket sale.  I ended up with a lovely skirt for Hannah, a heap of new china, another little jug to add to my ever growing collection, a couple of balls of crafty wool, a lovely 70s style bowl, a pretty old doiley, and a stack of pillowcases perfect for upcycling into some smaller projects - $2 well spent!

Hannah is loving school and the flurry of activities that go with it.  Last week was Crazy Hair Day:Today was Sports Day.  As an athletically challenged super nerd I was a little apprehensive about Sports Day.  I am pleased to say that the emphasis was clearly on participation and having fun - so far our little school is just coming up trumps every single time!

A very hot, tiring, but happy day was had by all!

Yesterday I finally spent a crafty day with a good friend.  You can read all about it here http://www.nicolewood.blogspot.com/ (I forgot to take photos but I am really just directing you here because Nic said such nice things about me LOL!)

And lastly, a photo of the sweet girl and her newest accomplishment - she has found her thumb!

And no, I still haven't done my tax ARRRGGGHHHH! 

Happy Wednesday,

Keep smiling,

Nell