Recipes Galore

I have a few recipes to share, none terribly fantastic but the Chicken Maryland is the start of me using my one cook book and cooking everything from it! Exciting.

CCC Pie.
This is an adaption of something my mum used to make when I was a kid.  We had smoked Fish pie (just swap in a can of smoked tuna in place of the chicken and omit the cranberry sauce) and I've changed a few things around to make it CCC (Chicken, cheese and cranberry).

2 sheets puff pastry
White Sauce (good recipe here)
2 cans of smoked chop chop chicken
1/2 cup grated cheese
Cranberry Sauce

 1.  Preheat over to 180 degrees celcius.  Spray square tin with oil and use one sheet of pastry for the bottom of the pie.

2.  Make white sauce.  Add Chicken and stir.

3. Fill tin with pastry with white sauce mixture.

4. Put 4 or 5 dollops of cranberry sauce over the top of the mixture and cover with cheese.

5.  Cover the pie with the remaining pastry sheet and bake until golden brown.

Chocolate Peppermint Yo-yos
This is from a new idea page that I've had lying around for yonks.

150g unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 egg
3/4 cup white melting chocolate
1/4 tsp peppermint essence

1.  Place butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add combined sifted flour and cocoa. Add egg. Beat on a slow speed until combined and mixture forms a soft dough.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 5 mins or until firm.

2. Roll 2tsp of dough into balls.  Place 4cm apart on two oven trays lined with baking paper.  Press down with a fork to flatten slightly.

3.  Cook one tray at a time in a moderate over (180 degrees celcius) fpr about 20-25 minutes.  Cool on trys.

4.  Meanwhile, combine chocolate and essence in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

5.  Sandwich biscuits together with 1 tsp of chocolate mixture.  Stand them at room temperature until set.


Chicken Maryland
From Brenda Kitchen's on the table in 20 minutes.

Burnt mine slightly :(

500g sliced chicken breast fillets
1tsp Lemon pepper seasoning
Plain Flour
1-2 eggs
Dry Breadcrumbs
1T Olive Oil
4 slices low fat ham (I used bacon)
Pineapple Slices
Grated Cheese
Paprika
Chives

1. Mix breadcrumbs and lemon pepper seasoning.  Whisk eggs in a bowl and coat chicken in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.

2. Cook on baking paper lining an electric frying pan in the olive oil until golden brown. Once flipped top cooked side with ham, pineapple and cheese and let the cheese melt by covering the pan.

3.  Sprinkle with paprika and chives to serve.

Day 22: How have you changed in the past two years?

Two years ago - that's 2009 right? Wow... I've changed a a lot really.  Working at a different school, different last name, I'm now a mother, Vince died and we now have Jake.

I would have to say quite honestly that 2009 was the worst year of my life - I wasn't enjoying my job, it was just over a year after Dad had passed away (December 2007) and my close family was pretty much self imploding without Dad to keep us all together. It's funny.  I am so happy with things now that I completely forgot how horrible '09 was until I started to have a think to write this.

In 2009 we were living where we are now, having owned the house for 2 years. I had just left the first teaching job I ever had after 3 years and was starting at another school - one it turns out did not really sit with me very well.  I had a difficult class (which I usually excel with) and although there were some great people at the school who were both supportive and good friends, a mixture of what I will lightly brush over as 'management issues' and things not sitting in well with my own personal teaching philosophy - I didn't like it one bit. 
A close family member was going off the rails due to dad's passing and the term 'emotional roller coaster' doesn't even start to describe this aspect of my life at the time. I really don't know what I would have done without my sister at this stage - I think she got me through it and I owe her a lot for that. Thanks Sis!

2009

But, as a quote that I love goes, "Every day is not good but there is something good in every day". And I think that can go for years too - Every year is not good but there is something good in every year.  Mr. Man and I got engaged in May of 2009 and also getting our first Rottweiler, Vince,  is something that sticks out. I vividly remember the day we decided to get a dog (and there was no question it would be a rottie).  It was a Saturday in July and we had been traveling the countryside looking at wedding venues. We were sitting in the car at Cornwall Park eating lunch and chatting. I don't recall how it came up but Mr. Man said we should get a dog and I jumped on the opportunity.  The next weekend we had our little man Vince.

But the question was how have I changed. Well, I'm a wife and a mother now. I love my job and I love the people I work with. My family life is a lot better, not like it was before dad died, I don't think it ever will be but the family feeling we have now is a lot closer to what it used to be. Our first little man Vince was tragically taken away in 2010 but we are lucky enough to have the gorgeous Jake now.

I'm essentially the same person but I'm much more happier with life than I was 2 years ago. 2009 was a dark place for me and I'm just so lucky to have such a great partner and sister that helped me through it. Viva la 2011 and beyond!

2011

Silent Sunday

Day 23: Sunflare.

Things I'm loving...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.

1) Loving bath time....

 ...and letters to Santa with Little Miss.

2) Love spring cleaning and being able to send lots of the clothes I don't wear anymore to charity.

3) Love making a point of using the stupid amount of candles I have lying around.

4) Love choosing which recipe book I'm going to cook all the recipes from for one of my 101 Challenges. I decided I wanted one that had a variety of things in it, (although I had to talk myself out of making everything from my 'Golden Book of Chocolate' recipe book) which narrowed down the field of many contenders - I have too many cook books don't I? We had piles of cookbooks all over the place as you can see. The photo on the bottom right shows the finalists.

I then ran the finalists by the big man of the house and he liked to and chose his own winner which I had to over ride and choose his other favourite after scrutinising both options.

So our winner is 'On the table in 20 minutes' :) Seen here on the left of the top image.  I had to take a photo of what my cook book shelves look like now after a clean out.  Books from biggest to smallest on a shelf make my OCD day! :D

I'm having a great week - what are you loving? <3

"Television! Teacher, mother, secret lover. "

Day 21: 1 of your favourite shows.

Lots to choose from! So not just one.. here's some of my favourite TV shows.

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."

Day 20: How important you think education is.

Before I start - yes I've skipped Day 19, I don't think I could create a very good post about the topic.  Disrespecting my parents.  Yes.  I was a teenager for several years. End. Lol!

Now back to education.  Being a teacher I obviously think it's pretty important but, my beliefs on what 'good' education is might differ from some people.

I think a well rounded, well educated child needs learning to come in many ways - doing, talking, listening, experimenting, making mistakes, asking questions.  This should not be all done in schooling but be a relationship between schools and families to make this happen to the best ability. 

An education isn't all tests and homework. Nor is it about having all the answers at any one time. It's about having the ability and the thirst to be able to search for the answers to any questions that are meaningful to you, not someone else.

As the title to this post says - "education is not the filling of a pail..."

My job as a teacher isn't to fill children up with knowledge.  My job is to give them opportunities to acquire the knowledge themselves.  I can lead them to it, I can help them through it, I can prompt, but I hate to just tell.  You're not truly learning when you are told something. You might remember it for a little while but it's not the true learning that needs to occur for all students.

"...but the lighting of a fire".  It is my job to get children excited about learning and knowledge.  It is my job to show children how to find the answers to their questions. It is my job to facilitate by asking, by prompting and by guiding.

I hate the way some people view teachers.  Just this past weekend I had to endure someone prattle on about how bossy we are (which I am.. lol) and how we think we're always right (which I also am :D).  Good teachers love learning themselves. In my case, I might think I'm always right but I'm always, always open to learning new things and expanding my horizons. We might come across like we think we know everything but in my case it's just me learning, making new connections with the ones I already have or cementing my knowledge by discussing what it is I already know or have experienced. 

We're also teachers by habit.  I think  a lot of good teachers are born good teachers and because of this we usually know a lot about things - as I said before, we like to learn.  We apologise for trying to teach you some of these things - even when you don't want to be taught.  We just do it.  We're not all arrogant know it alls, just me.  :)

"Everyone believes In how they think it ought to be"

Day 18: Your beliefs:

Well, as previously discussed I don't prescribe to any religions.

My beliefs stem from ethics I suppose.  What I think people should do and what I think living a good life means based on what you put out into the world and how you make everyone else feel.  In saying that I strongly believe that everyone has reasons for doing whatever they do and doing it however they please and that's OK by me - as long as you also give me the same courtesy by letting me express my opinions, strong and annoying as they are.

I believe people should try to be the most positive person they know.  I read that on 'Life's little instructions' which I have posted here and I couldn't agree more.  I think the reason 'Life's little instructions' speaks to me so well is that I believe in a whole lot of it.  Along that vein I also like William W. Purkey's quote, "You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth." Now I sing in the car but the other day stuck in Auckland's awesome traffic I saw a girl bopping along in her car, singing at the top of her voice and having a great time.  She looked incredibly happy and I bet she was.  That's what I aspire to with my vehicle concerts.

I believe in kindness and thoughtfulness.  Two things that I feel I need to improve on myself.  I think I'm fairly kind by nature but my thoughtfulness lacks because I am so unobservant. I'm working on it! In fact lots of my 101 challenges are based on this fact.

I believe in striving for excellence (not perfection :) Right Rere?) in everything you do.

I believe in having a laugh and not being too uptight.

I believe in letting things happen and letting people be who they want to be and be how they want to be.  I can't change anybody else but I can change what I do and how I react to things. This is something I try to instill in all the kids I teach - to make the world your own by changing yourself and the way you see things, don't waste time trying to change others.



I believe in happiness. Whatever it is that makes you happy I think you should make time for it. We're all busy people, and I love being busy - it keeps me sane - but I think part of that busyness needs to be staying busy with what you love.  For me that's spending time being out and about with family and friends, taking copious amounts of photos, reading, writing my blog, laughing at silliness, playing ball with Jake and (believe it or not) working. Which brings me to my last belief - you need to love what you do for a living.  Sure makes life  a lot easier if you do.

Life's little ups and downs

Day 17: Your highs and lows of this past year.

I've been very lucky this year to have had so many highs. I'm a listy kinda girl so here we go;

Highs:
Getting married in January.
Getting pregnant (a wee surprise) and having Little Miss in September.

Lows:
Not being able to attend Year 5/6 camp for which I coordinated organisation because of my pregnancy pains. :( boo early pregnancy.
Poppa passing away.

Those would be the major ones I think. I feel like I'm missing something.  The thing is I don't really have 'highs' and 'lows' as such.  I stay pretty neutral, it's all part of being such a cruisy individual. 
I've had a great year really! How can you top those two highs? Won-der-ful! <3

Silent Sunday

Day 22: Hands

Things I'm loving...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is. 

1.  Loving the opportunity to get together with my antenatal group today after we've all had our bubbas - and what a gorgeous bunch we are!

PS:  Spot the monster (Little Miss is about 5 weeks older than the next oldest) and spot the opportune predator (bubba again!). Tsk tsk Little Miss!

2.  Loving getting through some things in my 101 challenge.  You would have seen some of my recipes if you read the blog all the time.  I've also been looking for which recipe book I'm going to cook every recipe from and have began to get into my reading again.

Over the last week I've read 4 of my 'ology' books which I collect.  Because I collect them I just buy and often don't read when I'm too busy.  Am glad to get these four under my belt now.  I'm counting all 4 of them as '1' book of my 20 that I need to read for the challenges as they're pretty slight books.  Fun times!

3.  Loving getting to the movies for a midnight screening this week.  I like the Twilight series but I wouldn't call myself a Twihard.  I suppose I am enough to go to the movies at that time of night.  Lol.

I am an avid subscriber to the 'Books are better than the movies' train of thought and still am but thought this movie was pretty good considering.  They capture the story of this novel fairly well. I always like to see how they bring the book to life. LOVE this song from the movie <3

4.  Love my little winged princess. Keep a watch for more chalk creations to come!

5.  Pink nails!

6. Loving having lost 5.7kg in a month. And to be fair... I haven't had to change much - heaps more fruit and veges mostly.  Still wanting to kick it up a notch but phoar! What a good start!

And another think I'm starting..

Photo dump Fridays! Where I get rid of all my photos from my mobile devices each week.  Mostly the iPad - god bless you instagram!

Two for one!

Day 15:  Your favourite tumblers

I need to start my saying that to write this post I began to look through pinterest as I sort of follow tumblrs vicariously through it.  And in my usual fashion of doing 1001 things at once I accidentally deleted one of my boards - the one with all my favourite quotes on it.  It was like I almost died, like a little part of me is now lost forever.  Back button didn't work.  I gasped and said a very quiet because the baby is sleeping "noooooooooooooooo!".  Horrific.  Anywho, my pinterest followers are going to see a tonne of quotes coming through as I need to replace this little part of me. Grrr, stupid stupid stupid.

Anywaay... I don't necessarily follow tumblrs as such.  Like I said above I follow them through what others have posted on pinterest.  There are a couple of good fitness ones that I frequent and I love bookfessions because it speaks to me. These sorts always make me giggle as they're so true.  One of my 101 challenges is to do the 30 day drawing challenge and I think I ay use tumblr to accumulate these in one place.

Day 16: Your views on mainstream music

I must say, I needed to do this before I began writing this...

Not because I necessarily needed a definition, I know what is meant by 'mainstream music' as such but I wonder what would constitute as not 'mainstream' nowadays with the boom of the internet and pretty much being able to get into whatever music you want with a bunch of others who like it too.

My question returned with this little gem from wikipedia;
"Mainstream music denotes music that is familiar and unthreatening to the masses".
PS:  What did we do before google?  Oh that's right, 'ask jeeves' *shudder*.

So... my thoughts on music that is familiar and unthreatening to the masses?  Great!  Can't really complain about nice, clean boppy little tunes can I. Of course - there's always something to offend someone nowadays.  Something like Katy Perry for example that I would find fairly unthreatening is quite offensive to some who say that a role model for young girls should not be dressing in such skimpy clothes or having some of the lyrics she has. And don't get me started on the video for the new LMFAO song.... disturbing I'm sure to those who know that many children would see this video, and probably enjoy the melody etc. But fairly unthreatening to me.

In conclusion.  I like a vast range of music, mainstream included and to give you a short sharp view:  on the whole, I like it!

"Memory is a diary we all carry around with us".

Day 14: Your earliest memory.

My earliest memory took place when I was around 2 years old (so I'm told). It was the night our border collie, german shepherd cross Toby ran out on to the busy road we lived on and was hit and killed by a car.  What a night to remember huh?  I don't remember the whole thing.  I just remember being outside with my dad letting my sister's car in as she came home from work. That's it.  But family members tell me this was the night Toby died.  I have faint memories of Toby (which would probably be my earliest memories) but they're very fleeting and it's this night that I can actually remember stills from.

From my childhood I remember spending lots of time with family, especially my Nana - I went to stay there during school holidays-, I remember annoying my brother when he was playing on the computer, it was always my turn if he was on there and I remember dressing up as a fairy to go to my kindergarten bike off! Thanks for the loan of the tinsel mum!

I like to think I have a fairly good memory for both things recent and past but I must say since being pregnant and being the mother to an almost 3 month old I've had a few of those memory brain cells fried.  One thing I'm also terrible at remembering are colours.  I can remember a moment perfectly and describe all details to you but I will remember something to be green when in reality it was red - block in the processing cortex perhaps?  The brain is a strange thing.

Pistachio Crusted Chicken

Another one of my 'one new recipe a week' challenge contenders. Again, this is from a 'Woman's Weekly' magazine I have ripped out and stowed away for good keeping.

NB  The recipe is actually for 'Almond crusted chicken' but I had pistachios I needed to use up so have improvised.  They did the trick :D

Pistachio Crusted Chicken
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2t Paprika
1/2 cup plain flour
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
4 chicken schnitzels
Oil for shallow frying

1.  In a bowl combine breadcrumbs, nuts, zest and paprika. Season to taste.  Place four on a plate.  Whisk egg and milk together in a shallow dish.

2.  Coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess.  Dip into egg mixture and toss in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat. Place chicken on a tray and chill for at least 15 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium.  Cook schnitzels for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden.  drain on paper towel. Serve chicken with veges of your choice.

"You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!"

Day 13:  Somewhere you'd like to move or visit.

I honestly don't mind where I'm living as long as my favourite people are with me. I do although get very grumpy at the house we're currently living in and am waiting very patiently to be able to talk to the bank lady when our mortgage is up for renewal. I want a new house! 

I want a house with endless storage space and a GIGANTIC kitchen. I want a property with trees in the backyard for Little Miss to climb in when she's old enough and lots of space for Jake to run around. I want Mr. Man to have the garage he's always dreamed of so he can potter around all day and feel satisfied with the job he's done when he comes in in the afternoon. I want a house that when I see it, when I walk in, I'll say to myself...this is it.  5 years ago that was this house, and what a great first home it was, but now I need more - and our growing family will need more at some stage too!

I want to visit tonnes of places. Up until the beginning of this year I had only ventured as far as Australia but I really caught the travel bug going to Thailand - so big, so much to see and do, so different. I hate long plane rides with a passion but I think I'd put up with it to go to some of the destinations I most want to travel to.  Here are some.

(From top left to bottom right) New York, Safari in Africa, Rome, Turkey, Japan, Abu dhabi.

A day in the life of a housewife and mother.

Day 12:  Bullet your whole day.

My day started with waking up to Leah talking to herself in her room over the monitor.

• Gave Leah a bottle.
• Popped Leah in her bouncy chair in the bathroom and had my shower.
• Made bed and tidied bedroom.
• Popped Leah under her play gym while I....
• Fixed Leah's bottles.
• Got dinner out of the freezer - tonight Sausages and salad.
• Wrote menu on the board for the week.

• Cut up strawberries and ate half for breakfast (other half put away for desert).
• Fed Jake.
• Folded washing while talking to Leah under the play gym.
• Changed Leah
• Put Leah to sleep
• Put clothes airer outside in the sun.
• Fielded some emails and emptied my RSS feeds.
• Played adventure world, my facebook game of choice at the mo.
• Talked to Shaye on Facebook about how our bubbas were doing.



Nice Clean Vanity :D

• Cleaned bathroom and toilet.

• Fed Leah.
• Played with Leah - cycling with her legs, play gym, pat-a-cake. Fun times!
• Took photos.
• Played with Jake - throw the bone, fetch the bone, repeat.

• Read some books to Leah. Leah read a story to mummy as well.

• Changed Leah and put her to bed.
• Checked Facebook.
• Drank cold coffee and ate an apple (supposed to boost metabolism) while I watched a bit of Dr. Oz.
• Made salad for dinner and boiled eggs for lunches.

• Update FB status
• Threw bone for Jake to fetch again.
• Got Leah up.
• Dance with Leah.
• Said "mumumumumumumumumumumumumum" to her for a good 5 minutes.
• Fed Leah.
• Ate my lunch and cleaned up while Leah played under her play gym.

Getting good at this tummy time thing

• Changed and fed Leah (again!), put her down for a sleep.
• Made custard Tart for desert, here is the recipe;

Lemon Tart


400g short sweet pastry
 Filling:
1 cup prepared creamy greek yog-it
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2T Lemon and Barley fruit juice (I use the Baker Halls brand)
1t Natural lemon essence


Roll pastry to 3mm thickness and use to line a dish. 
Place a piece of baking paper in the pastry case and blind back for 15 minutes at 190 degrees celcius.
Remove baking blind materials and back for another 5 minutes.  Cool.
Whisk all filling ingredients together.
Pour filling into pastry base and back at 180 degrees celcius for 25-30 minutes or until filling it just set. Cool before eating.

• Wrote some of this blog post and uploaded some of the photos so I don't have to do it all later!
• Got Leah up and had a chat with her on the couch.
• Played with her under the play gym.
• Fed Leah and had lots of cuddles, very sad little girl with a sore tummy I think.
• Put Leah down to sleep.
• Updated photos on facebook (365).
• Completed a smile city survey.
• Practised some chalk drawings outside for photo ideas I have.

• Bought washing in and folded it up. 
• Got bubba up and took some photos, then we had some more fun play under the play gym - the excitement that comes from a few hanging toys - you have no idea!
• Got bath ready for bubba's bath while she enjoyed the excitement on her own.
• Bath bubba, clothe bubba, feed bubba.
• Watch Ellen.
• Feed bubba, wrap her up and put her down for the night.
• Empty dishwasher.
• Finish this post!

Other things I will do before the day is out include watching shortland street, making dinner when Mr. Man gets home, reading my book and playing on the iPad while I watch TV.  I neglected to write in copious times I played my scrabble turn on Words for friends today too, lol.

My favourite part of the day was being read to by my beautiful daughter and seeing Jake make sure Leah was OK when she was having a little cry.

Time to get ready to do it all tomorrow!