Pie

I love going to different cafes and trying their home-made pies! Last week in Auckland, husband and I decided to spend the morning of the end of the conference having breakfast at Verde - a cottage/garden/gift shop/cafe.

So my pie instict kicked in and I decided I was hungry enough to have one for breakfast. Chicken, bacon and leek it was - and boy - Yumbo!

Being inspired by the savoury delight I tried making my own version with short pastry.

Being smaller than the average 'guy pie', one is not enough! Ideally puff pastry would be better, but it has heaps of butter so I opted for the 'lighter' version. Like my crosses?

What pie fillings do you like?

Pasta Night!

So I've been wanting to make home-made pasta for ages, and since my amazing uncle Ray has a pasta making machine, we decided to make a night out of it. And what fun it was! I'm sure I'm half Italian as I could just live on the stuff.

We made two kinds of pasta. Ravioli, filled with basil feta cheese, pastrami and sundried tomato, and smothered in a Alfredo sauce (oh the smothering!), with cracked pepper and a fresh garden salad.

And with the left over pasta dough we made Tagatelli - which had to hang on our clothing rack overnight to dry! I knew that clothing racks had other hidden talents.

And believe me, once you've eaten the fresh home-made stuff, you will never want to eat the packet pasta from the shops ever again! I am now ruined. I was surprised to find that after eating a plate-full of home-made pasta, I didn't feel stuffed or bloated either.....mmmmm interesting thought.

So here are a few pictures of the night. Everyone had a go at rolling the pasta - and of course eating it!

The dough.

Preparing the filling.

The rolling.

Making the Ravioli.

Wa-La! Lets eat!

Thanks clothing rack.

I heart

It must be time to share again - about the things I'm loving at the moment. So here we go!

Nothing beats eggs on toast for brekkie, or lunch, or hey even dins! But if you're in a rush - make them in the microwave! Yes it only takes around 2 minutes to cook the perfect scrambled egg. No frying pan or cleaning up afterwards!

In a large microwave safe mug, beat two eggs and a quarter cup milk. Add grated cheese and salt and pepper if you like. On high microwave the eggs for 2 minutes. Stir and if the consistency is to your liking, then serve. (if they are still a little runny, microwave for another minute). So yum, for sooooo many reasons.

Oh and FYI, if you don't at least break the egg yolk, your eggs WILL explode in your microwave. Been there, done that.

I'm enjoying some delicious South African chocolates and sweets that came back with my uncle on his trip back home.

My utmost favourite are these delightful little treasures called Gum Chums. They are kinda like M n M's here except they are filled with a bright pink, chewy jelly centre, surrounded by a creamy layer of milk chocolate and a crunchy candy coating.

My bag is nearly finished....saddies :(

I'm finally enjoying my fringe. After a shocking experience at the Snip n Style, or the Style n Snip, whatever, I have now come to terms with my new look. Even if I have to straighten the fringe everyday, it is a fun doo to try.

I have of late been told that I need to lose a few kg's, needless to say I have been walking, thanks to an organisation that sent me a goal chart and some information about the simple, yet effective way of exercising. So here we go people, I'm eating Gum Chums and then walking - a losing situation? Maybe, but at least the Gum Chums won't be lasting too much longer....goodbye my sweet little darlings....

A friend gave me the new Katina's cd sometime last year, and while I'm not a huge fan, some of the songs on this album have crept their way into my heart. They have even written a second verse to the very much loved Eagles Wings, originally by Reuben Morgan. Might do it on Sunday morning. But I love listening to older songs that have been refreshed and brought back to life by just adding a new or forgotten verse.

And lastly but not leastly, fundraising has been FUN draising, if you know what I mean. Last week a bunch of us made waffles as RYM's first fundraiser and made $50! It was very enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to doing more very soon. Anybody got any good fundraising ideas?

Peace out, munchkins.

Sweet muffins from Heaven!

Well Kristy and Arna, you girls have inspired me to do some baking. I don't often bake but when I do I really enjoy it!

So, if you ever get to eat one muffin before you die, then this is THE muffin. White chocolate and date muffins. Wow. I had a baking sesh with a good friend of mine a week ago and she shared this amazing recipe with me. So yesterday I needed a distraction from the thought of having to preach, so into the kitchen I ventured! And wala....

The amazing thing about these muffins is that the white chocolate caramilizes on the outside of the muffins and goes all sticky! I know! Can it get any better than this?

Caution: You can only eat ONE of these muffins in a sitting. If you try to eat another you WILL throw up (or in an extreme case have a lot of gas - there are dates in these after all!) Very rich. Very deadly if you overdose.

So go on give it a go. Its just the basic muffin recipe, and then you chuck a whole heap of cut up dates and white chocolate buttons. And because it is a heavier muffin (full of daty goodness) it won't rise as much, but that's okay, we don't judge - we leave it up to our tastebuds!

Enjoy!