kiss kiss bang bang!

This movie was absolutely hilarious! i loved every minute of it. Not just because it had Robert Downey Jr in it :P

The story was fun and exciting, the acting was great from all actors which included Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan and it was full of action, suspense, laughs and romance!

I definitely recommend watching this flick if you haven't already xx

Traditions!

When i was a little girl family traditions were the highlights of my life!

Sunday roast dinners with my Grandma and the family, watching carols by candlelight together on Christmas Eve, Easter Egg hunts on Easter, watching singing in the rain on my birthday every year.

All of these traditions are so important for children to be able to enjoy family time and celebrate life together. But a you grow up you lose those traditions as they don't seem as important or they just seem childish.

Now i am a mummy i realise how much i want these traditions back. Not just the traditions i had but also new traditions that i have been able to create for my family to enjoy. So my new resolution is to create new family traditions for my family!

Singing in the rain on my birthday is a tradition that never grew old or changed :P and how could it?? how could i not enjoy sitting with the people i love watching such a classic film full of dancing, giggles, singing and love xx

Chicken and vegetable soup!

Mmmmm!! now i'm not really a soup person......in fact i hate soup!! but seeing as it is winter and there is 3 other people in my house i need to think about i decided to give this one a try. So first time making a soup and first time enjoying a soup!! looks like i'm on a roll :D

Chicken and vegetable soup!

(serves 4)

1/2 large barbecued chicken, skin and bones removed

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 brown onion, roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 litre salt reduced chicken stock

1 cup dried pasta

1 cup shredded cabbage

2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley leaves

1. place chicken on a chopping board and using 2 forks, shred chicken. (you need about 2 cups)

2. heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. add onion, celery, garlic and carrot. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion is softened.

3. add chicken, stock and 2 cups cold water. bring to the boil. add pasta. cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.

4. stir in cabbage and parsley. cook for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy :D

dishes of the week 7!

Meals

Monday ~ Chicken and vegetable soup with pasta

Tuesday ~ Hearty lamb burgers

Wednesday ~ Mini Meatloaves with sweet potato chips and salad

Thursday ~ Treasure hunt soup

Friday ~ chicken sausage frittata with sprout salad

Saturday ~ tuna salad

Sunday ~ family noodle night

Desserts and snacks

Jam roll pudding

Sausage rolls

gingerbread cookies

My first market :D

Excitement and Nerves!

So tomorrow is going to be the day i have my first ever Market stall selling all my creations from my Polkadot Bitz and Pieces store on Facebook :D

I am incredibly excited and have been waiting for this day for months BUT i am also very nervous! eeek. I am sure i will be fine once i get there.....today i have been busy getting everything packed into boxes and packaging gift box's etc and finishing up on all the finishing touches. wow! what a day....

I have used my kitchen bench a few times to try out various layouts for the stall and that has been very helpful. makes me feel not so overwhelmed!

Anyway....business cards are readyy to go, products are almost ready to sell, boxes are packed, tablecloth is waiting and i'm shaking with excitement and nerves......Bring it On!!!!! xx

More items from my Polkadot Bitz and Pieces store :D

kids stationary tidy

My new logo :D

Candle table setting

Apple Pie

This is a simple recipe for a classic Apple Pie this is the second recipe for Apple Pie that i have tried and so far i like this one the best! But i am on a mission to make the BEST apple pie......for now though here is the recipe :P

Apple Pie

(serves 8)

Pastry

1 and 3/4 cups of plain flour

1/3 cup self raising flour

1/4 cup caster sugar

2 tablespoons custard powder

150g butter (chilled and chopped)

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons iced water

Pie filling

1.5 kg granny smith apples

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup caster sugar

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 egg (lightly beaten)

1 tablespoon demerara sugar

1. Make Pastry Process flours, sugar, custard powder and butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk, vanilla and water. Process until dough comes together, adding extra water if necessary. Shape dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, peel, quarter and core apples. Cut into thin wedges. Place in a large saucepan and stir in cinnamon, caster sugar, lemon rind and lemon juice. Cook covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes or until apple is tender. stirring occasionally. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 180C . Grease a 4cm deep, 20cm round pie dish. Roll two thirds pastry between 2 sheets baking paper until large enough to line base and side of dish. Press pastry into dish. Using a slotted spoon, transfer apple to dish. Discard liquid.

4. Roll remaining pastry between 2 sheets baking paper until large enough to cover filling. Place over filling. Trim edge. Press edges to seal. Prick top of pie to let steam escape during cooking. Brush with egg and sprinkle with demerara sugar.

5. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until pastry is golden. Cover with foil if over browning occurs. Stand for 5 minutes and enjoy with ice-cream or cream :D

Dishes of the week 6!

Meals

Monday ~ pork chop, mash and veg

Tuesday ~ Lemon chicken stir fry

Wednesday ~ Italian Meatballs

Thursday ~ Pappardelle tuna amatriciana

Friday ~ Aussie chow mein

Saturday ~ Apricot Sausage Casserole

Sunday ~ Singapore noodles

Desserts and snacks

gingerbread people

Monte carlo cookies

Jelly and mousse

sausage rolls

The positive of having an injury.....

Today my true clumsiness decided to come out and play........I twisted my ankle, hurt my knee and wrist and bumped my head! golly gosh i was in the wars today. Well because of my twisted ankle i have had to hop everywhere and as that is not very safe or comfortable i spent most of the day on the couch.................what could i possibly find positive about a day like that??

Well for a start i got to play Saints Row 2 on xbox because there was no kids here to fight over it with hehe and secondly it gives you a lot of time for thinking which meant i was able to come up with lots of new ideas for my store Polkadot bitz and pieces! and i really can't wait to get started and then of course show you the final products :P

So a day that started out painfully with tears and ouch's turned out to be a happy and exciting day! there is always a positive for everything you just have to find it xxxx

My Life

This film was incredibly beautiful........first thing's first....have a box of tissues ready!!

My Life is a film about a guy who finds out he is terminally ill and only has a short time to live, he is married and has a baby on the way so decides to make a video for his new child. This film has a great story and keeps you wanting more the whole way through.

Michael Keaton and Nicole Kidman provide beautiful performances and the film is incredibly powerful and moving.

I highly recommend this film. It isn't a very popular one.....i didn't even know it existed until i looked up great tear jerker films. But it is worth the watch :)

Quiche Lorraine

Incredibly simple.....Incredibly yummy.....and Incredibly kid friendly.....

Quiche Lorraine

(serves 4 )

2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry (partially thawed)

2 teaspoons olive oil

5 middle bacon rashers (finely chopped)

1 brown onion (finely chopped)

3oo ml thickened cream

4 eggs

3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and lightly grease a 24 cm flan tin (i use a pie dish), use pastry to line the base and side of tin, trimming to fit. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook for 5 minutes or until golden stirring occasionally. Add onion and cook stirring for another 3 minutes or until onion softens. Transfer mixture to a bowl and leave to cool for around 10 minutes.

3. Place pastry lined tin on a baking tray, line pastry with baking paper and fill with uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. remove paper and rice and bake for 5 minutes.

4. Spoon bacon mixture into pastry case. whisk cream and eggs together in a bowl and pour over the bacon mixture. sprinkle with cheese, season with salt and pepper and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Stand for 5 minutes and Enjoy :)