16
NOV
rocky road
I had some leftover marshmallow from the toadstool cake I made Erika for her birthday (piccies on Insty), so thought I would make some rocky road. Easily the most addictive and moreish treat — even hubby, who doesn't like overly sweet things, gobbled it up. So here's the recipe:
11
NOV
making macarons…again
03
AUG
hang in there
I know I've been horribly neglectful of this blog lately, and I'm so very grateful for your sticking around. So many things are taking a back seat at the moment, and I can't promise when I'll be back in the full swing of things. My poor sewing machine has been packed away for months! I am pretty active on Instagram though, mainly because it's so darn quick and easy, and because of the lovely sense of community. If you don't have Instagram, you can still view my feed online. Visit my profile on Webstagram — it would be lovely if you said hello. xx
09
MAY
happy half birthday…
...to my beautiful and oh-so-happy baby girl, who is six months old today (can you believe it??!). Love you to the moon and back, honey.
30
APR
what an amazing baby!
I couldn't help but share this vid with you — my beautiful sister and her gorgeous little Lucy are the stars! (well, I think so anyway)...
28
APR
spoiled rotten
Oooh, I am so very excited — check out the spoils from my recent shopping adventure! Can't wait to play!
21
APR
macaron mania
Yes, I have succumbed. And before you say 'puh! She's spelt macaroons wrong!', as I did the first time I saw it spelt this way, I should tell you that 'macaron' is French (although apparently derived from an Italian word). The English word 'macaroon' can also refer to a coconut macaroon (one of my mum's favourite biscuits from the Women's Weekly 'Beautiful Biscuits' cookbook!)...
19
APR
first taste
Is it wrong that I found Erika's obvious distate for baby rice cereal so damn amusing?! Can't be a fussy eater in this household, my dear! Maybe we'll have better luck with pumpkin...
18
APR
fig clafoutis
Success! Fig Clafoutis was delicious! Reminded me a little of mum's Lemon Delicious – a cross between a pudding and sponge. I got my recipe from Taste.com.au (click link to view), but I would make one change for next time...
12
APR
fig love
Over Easter, hubby, bubby and I, plus my extended family, holidayed in Blairgowrie. We had such an amazing long weekend — full of great food, walks on the beach, table tennis, tennis, card games and laughs. We also visited my sister-in-law's family on their gorgeous property in Red Hill. We have a wonderful tradition of drinking...
01
APR
fudgy brownies
I had a hankering for baking. So I made brownies. Oh so delicious, and oh so simple! We were feasting on slabs of this little beauty in no time. fudgy brownies 200g chocolate, chopped (milk or dark, whichever you prefer. I only had milk chocolate in my pantry at the time the craving sprouted, so that's what I used) 150g butter ½ cup caster sugar...
21
MAR
what i made
Snapper with fennel, capers and lemon Delicious November 2011 (issue 110) p. 170 I honestly wouldn't change a thing about this recipe. The fish was awesome and ready in a flash (great for a quick mid-week meal)...
14
MAR
mars bar bites
I made these delicious little bites for Lucy's first birthday and they were a hit! And so easy to make... this recipe makes about 28 bites. mars bar bites 3 x 60g Cadbury Whip or Mars bars, chopped 75g butter 1 tbsp golden syrup 3 cups Rice Bubbles 150g milk or dark chocolate (cut up into chunks, or chocolate buds) Handful hazelnut kernels...
10
MAR
what i made
Those long time readers may remember 'menu monday'? Well, seeing as things are a little more chaotic around here these days, I didn't want to commit to doing that every Monday (we won't starve, I promise), so ta-da! Here I present 'what I made'... just a little food diary so that I can keep track of the recipes I've cooked...
09
MAR
happy one-third birthday!
This striped little monkey is four months old today... can't put into words how much I love my baby girl. I hope you're all having a lovely day. {pics from my Instagram feed, taken by Nana with her new DSLR — well done Nana!}...
08
MAR
lucy’s first birthday
My lovely niece, little Lucy-Lu, is turning one tomorrow! She's such a gorgeous munchkin. I may not have mentioned it before, but little Lucy was born with a small left hand. It was spotted during my sister's week 12 pregnancy scan, and confirmed at another scan at 15 weeks. All existing bones are perfectly formed...
20
FEB
thank you, thank you
I just realised that I never got around to showing you the little thank you I made to send to family and friends upon Erika's arrival. I had neither the brain capacity nor the time to come up with a new concept, so used the same elements I designed for my niece Lucy's
13
FEB
pikelets! pancakes?
Well, my mum always used to call these pikelets. Not sure what the diff is between pikelets and pancakes, but this is a fool-proof recipe to golden brown deliciousness. I cook them so often that I no longer need to check my scribbled notes. It's so easy peasy: Put the following ingredients...
06
FEB
crochet softie
My beautiful long-time mate Ali made this crochet softie for Erika. Isn't she a star? I have not been brave enough to try — to crochet a softie looks so hard! Aren't home-made gifts just tops? Love, love and more love. Peace out. xo
24
JAN
strike a pose for boondie baby
Check out Boondie Baby's burp cloths latest model! Erika is a natural! To find out more about Boondie Baby's beautiful handmade wares, visit the Boondie Baby website. And here's the link to their burp cloths. Or you can buy online at Made It...
23
JAN
crochet monkey rattle
How gorgeous is this crochet monkey rattle? I just had to purchase when I spied it at Mathilda's Market in Malvern last year. From memory I was either very close to my due date, or overdue — hubby spotted quite a few stares and the odd person pointing at me and my enormous belly. Ah, those were the days...
20
JAN
instagram filter photoshop action
So you know about my Instagram obsession, yes? And how the app has some groovy filters to apply to your photos, yes? Well, a warm vintage filter is really trendy these days, and I was hoping to apply something similar to my high resolution images in Photoshop. I found some actions online,...
18
JAN
Lucy Lu
My beautiful 10-month-old niece, Lucy. She is such an independent and spirited little cherub. Always grinning from ear-to-ear, she is super chuffed when standing or exploring. She has a habit of blowing raspberries when you do something she doesn't like — such as feed her when she's full...
16
JAN
9.5 weeks
Miss Moo is changing so much, a million teeny-tiny changes each day. I'm changing too. I've always been a heavy sleeper, even as a kid. I can distinctly remember my mum and sister sitting around the breakfast table, discussing a violent storm that passed through the night. 'Storm?', I'd ask, and they'd roll their eyes...
11
JAN
8.5 weeks
Blowing bubbles for Mama!
04
JAN
happy 2012
Wow. What a whirlwind eight weeks. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about popping by to say hello! But where to find the time? The days pass with the blink of an eye — I almost miss meals the clock races by so fast! My gorgeous girl Erika is growing so quickly...
04
DEC
meeting the puppies
Arriving home from the hospital on day 5... The boys have received Erika into their home very graciously. Darcy, who has always been Mama's baby boy, was a little sulky at first but has recovered well. They both greet me with waggy tails in the middle of the night when...
23
NOV
first car trip
...on our way home from hospital, five days old. Kiss those chubby cheeks! Mwah!
18
NOV
lovely gifts
Little Erika received such wonderful gifts from friends and family on her arrival. Check out this amazing bunch of flowers from the lovely ladies at work. Does anyone know what this flower is called? It's stunning!
17
NOV
after first bath
Erika's head of dark hair really fluffed up after that first bath! Here she is, sleeping peacefully on day 2 in hospital...
15
NOV
birth of erika joy
No words. Just photos of the most ah-mazing experience, meeting our beautiful one for the very first time. It was love at first sight... gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. More images to come.
11
NOV
welcome, our baby girl
It's a girl! 'George' has finally graced us - Erika Joy, born 4.19am on 9th November. Weighing a scrumptious 7lb 14oz and sporting a full head of dark hair, she is so beautiful it's hard to not cuddle her as she sleeps. We are looking forward to having her home and introducing her furry brothers,...
08
NOV
one week over…
...and nothing. Nada. Zip. Doesn't this bub know how much I value punctuality? Unfortunately I've been experiencing some severe upper abdominal pain for the past three days, which is making the once exciting journey a slow one. My obs thinks I've somehow pulled a muscle/s...
01
NOV
ready when you are
It's official: we made it. Baby G is due today. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that, with all the stress and worry that we've endured, this little twosome is about to become a threesome. In the super stillness of early morning (I couldn't sleep), the excitement I feel is mixed with the sadness of lost loved ones who will not be sharing...
28
OCT
baby blankie in progress
The little cot blanket I started is coming along nicely — finished the first two bands of colour (of four), just started on the third. It's lovely to have a little project to work on that doesn't involve much brain power. I'd really like to have the quilt finished first, given that winter is more than 6 months away and I probably won't need this little wooly blanket...
25
OCT
39 weeks
39 weeks today, can you believe it? I am amazed at how quickly these nine months have flown. I am so acutely aware that in no time flat (any day now, really), my whole life will revolve around a new little being. This week, I'm seriously slowing down — taking advantage of the opportunity for rest and relaxation. Yesterday arvo I had a two hour...
20
OCT
the (wo)man with the (quilt) plan
Hey y'all! So here 'tis — my cot quilt design for George's room. The centre panel and 80% of the linen panels will be visible on the top, with the rest visible between the cot bars. I was going for a random collection of squares and rectangles in the main panel — I'm already thinking about my next quilt, which I think will be more structured...
30
SEP
cot quilt for george
Here 'tis: the fabrics for George's cot quilt. I'm aiming to keep it quite neutral with natural and grey linen's, with a splash of greens. I've got a design in my head, just need to find the time to get it down on paper (or computer, anyway). I can't wait to get my sewing machine out of hiding! It's been too long, eh Nina?...
28
SEP
baby shower
Last Sunday my gorgeous mum and sister hosted a beautiful baby shower for George and I, surrounded by all the lovely ladies in my life (with a few notable exceptions). There were delicious finger sandwiches, sausage rolls, mini quiches and sweet treats as far as the eye could see. I put in my two bob and made the Lamington...
24
SEP
baby’s room
Welcome to George's room! Still a work in progress (let's face it, I'll be adding and subtracting for years), but most of the bare bones are there. I am really keen to make a quilt for the cot and a felt cushion for the chair — but where to find the time?! I am finishing up work at the end of next week, so perhaps then (along with the other items on...
12
SEP
most nights look like this…
Me in my snuggly PJ's and/or trackies, with Darcy using Georgie as a cosy head-rest — and not seeming to mind the odd bump or kick. xo
31
AUG
sugar flowers from the source
I went on a mission today to purchase some more sugar flowers to decorate the cupcakes I'll be making for my (fast-approaching) baby shower. And I found a doozy! Hot tip for my baking buddies: West's Cake Decorations in Burwood make all their sugar flowers on site, so they're cheap as chips. Great range too, and since they make...
17
AUG
baby shower invitation
With an ever-growing belly (and my sister's persistent nagging), I thought it was about time I designed my baby shower invitations. I can't believe how quickly time is flying — George is almost 30 weeks! No mistaking my baby bump for an overly indulgent lunch now. As much as I love it, I really do wish I could get some SLEEP....
10
AUG
burch & purchese
This new-ish addition to the South Yarra end of Chapel Street makes me as happy as a kid in a candy store... because well, I am a big kid and this is a very schmancy candy store. If you haven't heard the Burch & Purchese buzz around town, then let me enlighten you! Well-known around foodie circles, the general public may recognise...
20
JUL
felt-y goodness
Ever since I got my hot little hands on my wool felt freckle ottoman (you can see it in this post here), I've been a wee bit obsessed with felt. I'd been pondering what little cushion I could use on the feeding chair in the baby's room, when I had a bright spark — I know, I'll make one from felt fabric! Yes, that is what I shall do! I was disappointed with...
01
JUL
nursery decoration
I took this photo a while ago, it doesn't look exactly like this now. Apart from the removal of the plush rug (it was a temporary parking space, our carpet is a lovely grey), these days you're likely to see an ironing board erected in the middle of the room, plus a fluffy nougat puppy (aka Bailey) perched upon a pile of clean sheets...
20
JUN
little tootsies
We had our 20-week scan last week. Oh how amazing it was to see our beautiful, healthy bubba, happily bobbing around on screen. The frame in the above pic contains a card I made years ago. Inside it, the technician wrote down the sex of our George. I should label 'break glass in emergency'! I am pretty sure both...
08
JUN
i know i’m biased, but…
...everyone else I've spoken to agrees with me: this little munchkin is as cute as a button. Above is the thank-you card I made for my sister to send to her lovely friends and extended family. Lucy was about 8-9 weeks old at the time this photo was taken — I can't believe she's already almost three months old. When I see her I want to kiss...
06
JUN
yarra valley treat
Hubby and I picked up our new family-friendly wagon during the week, so we thought it would be fun to test it out on a good ol' day trip. We hadn't gotten up early enough to make the trek to Daylesford, so were content to enjoy the spoils of the (much closer) Yarra Valley. Have you ever been to the Bella Vedere restaurant at Badger's Brook...
03
JUN
george
I know I've been a wee bit slow on the posts lately, but I'm hoping you'll forgive me — I think I've got a pretty good reason... I've been busy being pregnant! Yup, that's right, I'm up the duff, have a bun in the oven, eating for two. I'm 18 weeks along now, and starting to get a bit more pep in my step (the couch and I became really well acquainted...
29
APR
Cheeky Cha-Cha
I can't tell you how chuffed I was to discover my step-sister-in-law had started a blog! This very talented lass is one of the key people who inspired me to learn to sew — the quilts and tote bags (and, as you'll discover when you read her blog, so much more) she has made for her little ones are truly gorgeous. I can't wait to...
27
APR
boondie baby
A very clever friend of mine has recently opened up an online store, filled with her handmade goodies for mum and bubs. There are waterproof change mats, burp cloths, cot quilts, and a whole lot more on offer, all in bright kiddy-friendly fabrics. You can view her current range on offer at the Boondie Baby stores on Etsy...
07
APR
delizioso!
Tucked away just off Collins Street, this little restaurant is a real find. The new venture of Tobie Puttock, The Kitchen Cat delivers fresh and traditional Italian fare. My partner-in-crime and I shared several dishes, each of which was incredibly delicious. This is what we had: • One of the pasta specials of the day, lamb ragu tagliatelle...
01
APR
welcome, lucy nina
Say hello to beautiful Lucy Nina. My sister and her husband welcomed Lucy into the world on March 9, weighing 7lbs 3oz. She is the sweetest little bub, I wish I could see her every day! I could take a million photos in five minutes (and post every one of them!), she changes expression all the time, even when she's sleeping...
24
MAR
plus quilt in progress
Hello y'all! I wanted to show you how I'm going with Lucy's quilt I told you about in the Princess Champion EJ post here. I'd seen the 'plus' quilt design on the Internet and loved it, so decided to give it a go. It seems complex, but is really very simple — sewn together in rows of 'dot, dot, dash' (that will make sense when you see the pattern)...
22
MAR
preggi belly
hurriedly shot these photos of my sister a couple weeks back (hurriedly because the light changes so quickly!) — she would have been about 33 weeks preggo at the time, I'm guessing. She's due in early March, and we're all so very excited. I thought her belly looked huge then, it's hard to believe it's gotten bigger, and will keep getting bigger...
08
MAR
princess champion ej
My sister is just four weeks from the due date of her first bubba — how time flies! (sorry Deesy, I know it's probably dragging for you now!) While inutero, the bubba has been called 'Princess Champion EJ' — as they opted to not know the sex, my sister figures this covers all bases. When selecting fabrics for the quilt (from Amitie, of course...
17
JAN
menu monday 9
Review of last week’s recipes: Hmm, the highlight last week is a toss up between the salmon with the preserved lemon mayo, and the schezuan pepper beef. I didn’t have the chervil required for the preserved lemon mayo, so I substituted with some fresh mint from my garden, which was just delish. Mint and asparagus (which I grilled...
10
JAN
menu monday 8
This week I’m giving Donna Hay’s No Time To Cook book another bash. I haven’t used it as much as I have her other books, but I imagine that’s just because I am now so spoiled for choice with the foodie magazines I work for. I like to get a good balance of meats when planning our meals — this week I’ve included chicken, beef, pork...
26
DEC
a day of food and fun
Whew! What a whirlwind of a day! I hope you all had a magical time with family and loved ones. To those of you whom I didn’t have the opportunity to give a big bear hug — I was thinking of you! Hubby and I started early by hosting breakfast for his mum, her husband and husband’s brother, plus hubby’s sister and husband. There was lots...
24
NOV
more than a mere trifle
Heeelllo peeps! I have missed writing to you all, I have! Ok, I know what you’re thinking. I missed Menu Monday. Again. Oh I know!! But seriously, my weekend was madness — I didn’t even have time to clean the house, let alone write a meal plan (friends and fam, had you popped by unannounced, I would have drawn the blinds...
15
NOV
menu monday 7
Well, I’m finally eating normal foods again after a nasty bout of food poisoning (which lasted two weeks — didn’t know that was possible!). Last night I cooked a t-bone steak with thyme butter and mushrooms, and if I say so myself, it was friggin’ awesome. I had been craving flavoursome foods after dining on mashed potatoes and bread...
06
NOV
saturday treat
It was such a beautiful day today, we couldn’t resist taking a drive to the Yarra Valley for lunch. If you’ve never been to Giant Steps Innocent Bystander in Healesville, you really ought to give it a go. Not only does the cafe/bistro serve wood-fired pizzas and bakery goodies, but they do wine and cheese tastings and sell all manner of jams,...
01
NOV
menu monday 6
Review of last week’s recipes: The highlight this week is a toss-up between the polenta-crusted veal and the middle-eastern chicken. I was particularly impressed with the juicy tenderness of the chicken, I think I’ll be cooking breast in this way every time: Pan-fry on each side for about 5 minutes or until golden, then transfer to a pre-heated...
25
OCT
menu monday 5
Review of last week’s recipes: The family faves last week proved to be just what I needed. So comforting and delicious. Mum and Dad ended up popping round for dinner on Teriyaki Chicken night, bringing with them another family favourite — Dad’s special fried rice. Yummo. Oh and a quick tip, if you’ve got left over polenta...
18
OCT
menu monday 4
Welcome back to Menu Monday! I’ve been a bit slack since returning from Italy, mainly feasting on whatever I can scrounge together (the other night I whipped up a tuna salad with lettuce, corn, beetroot, tomato and a red wine vinegar dressing — well done, pantry!). I haven’t yet finished the travel journal, I’ll get back to that soon...
23
AUG
menu monday 3
Review of last week’s recipes: Roast salmon with tarragon and caper pangrattato, served with green beans and scalloped potatoes: I purchased the recommended four fillets of salmon — they were huge! So, we invited hubby's mother and partner over for dinner, and it went down a treat. The pangrattato (essentially a flavour-infused toasted...
18
AUG
bake sale
The ‘Creative Pod’ (as we like to call ourselves) and Vogue Jo, with the help of super-organisers Bec and Tam, put on an old-fashioned bake sale at work to raise money for the RSPCA. It was an unbelievable success — much more so than we were expecting! We had morning and afternoon sessions; we sold out 16 minutes into the...
16
AUG
menu monday 2
Review of last week’s recipes: Highlight was definitely the sage-roasted pork belly. It is so deliciously rich and decadent, perfectly offset by the fresh fennel salad. Regarding the recipe, it says to roast in the oven at 160 degrees celsius for 3 hours, then increase the heat to 180 for the remaining 30 minutes. The increased heat is required to crisp...
11
AUG
toot toot!
I made this little quilt six months ago, as a first birthday present for Miss Elle. There is a huge love of trains in this household — a beautiful sepia, large-scale photograph of an old (London?) train station adorns the dining room wall, and you will spot little prints and wooden toys here and there. Clever mum, Amber, even made a lovely locomotive...
09
AUG
menu monday
Welcome to Menu Monday! Every Monday from today, I intend to share with you our menu for the week. I'm hoping this will motivate me to plan our meals every week (honestly, the planning can be more time-consuming than the cooking) and it will be a great documentation of the recipes I've cooked. So many times I have wanted...
01
AUG
jam and cream, oh my!
I love a good scone. It makes me think of Aussie country wives of my grandmother’s generation, who would have morning tea ready and waiting for their hard-working husbands. I’m sure I have a very romantic notion of what it was like to live in that period, far from reality! And besides, a scone is a jolly good vehicle for jam and cream!...
13
JUL
pampering piper
My mate Ali and I have been friends for 18 years. So you can imagine how chuffed I was when she welcomed her beautiful baby girl Piper into the world... seems like just yesterday. Well, it wasn’t yesterday — a couple weeks ago Piper celebrated her first birthday. And in fine style — mum baked an angel cake and everything!...
02
JUL
welcome, little tahlia
On the 14th of last month, my family welcomed a new addition — my beautiful little niece, Tahlia Mae. From the first, we have all been absolutely besotted with this miniature human. I can’t help but marvel at the miracle of life when I cradle her in my arms. To celebrate her arrival, I have made a little cot quilt, complete with soft...
01
JUL
the inner sanctum
Following on from my last post, in which I uploaded an article featuring Shannon Bennett and Guy Grossi... Last year I had the unbelievably good fortune to oversee a photo-shoot in the Grossi Florentino kitchen of Guy Grossi. The shoot was to promote Leggo’s tomato paste, and I was so excited to see the inner workings...
30
JUN
gastronome menu
Oh my goodness. Dining at Vue de Monde last night was a once in a lifetime experience: and it ought to be, because we can’t afford to go again! Whilst the final bill was what any ordinary Aussie would call ridiculously exorbitant, I couldn’t help but feel we were getting value for money. The luxurious surroundings alone warrant high...
14
JUN
happy birthday
I love a long weekend. After a busy week socialising with friends and family, it really is so very lovely to cosy up at home and get stuck into the project of the moment. Hubby is snuggled on the couch, I make him some fruit and cinnamon toast and a cup of tea, and turn on the sewing machine...
01
JUN
uppercase #1
I stumbled across a new magazine in Mag Nation this week. It’s a lovely little publication produced in Canada, called Uppercase, about all things creative and curious. There were a number of articles that got me a-thinkin’, possibly too many for the one blog entry. Hence this entry is called ‘uppercase #1'...
31
MAY
comfort food
I cooked a favourite comfort food last night — chicken, pancetta and cannellini bean stew, topped with crispy fried sage, and served with baby chat potatoes and green beans (from Delicious magazine, issue 93, page 132). For all winter’s down-falls, I love winter food. I love cooking it and I love eating it...
08
MAY
spring: high time for high tea
Each month my immediate family members take it in turns to host a get-together. We are all such massive foodies — and I’m chuffed that each child has either married a foodie or converted their partner into one! To keep things interesting, we will often adopt a theme — spanish tapas one month, and a modern...
02
MAY
splurge
Well, Amitie have done it again. I was determined to never buy a quilt kit again, but their display at the Australasian Quilt Convention had me swooning. It’s a miracle that I came home with just the one kit, really. Ok, so the level of dag at the AQC is extreme. But that’s ok — I understand they’ve got a very loyal...
01
MAY
the green quilt
Ooh, the days and nights are getting mighty chilly (I realise there are plenty of people in the world who live in areas where it snows and would guffaw at my perception of ‘chilly’). The leaves are starting to turn beautiful shades of gold and red and brown, and my breath makes puffy clouds as I walk to the train station in the mornings...
29
APR
stocking up
My chicken stock stocks had run low, so this past weekend I hunted and gathered — and came home with a bountiful supply of bones and vegies to cook up a storm. Store-bought stock cannot compare with home-made. It provides the base to so many delicious recipes: from slow-cooked stews, to soups and risotto’s...
25
APR
my first quilt…
...and so began my passion for quilting. This beautiful quilt was bought as a kit from a stall at the Australasian Quilt Convention, which is happening again here in Melbourne next week. I will definitely need to pop along to ogle all the beautiful designs and fabrics. I certainly won’t be coveting one of the gorgeous Bernina’s this year...
22
APR
mama bear!
oftie trial no.2 — Mama bear, from the book Softies (see previous entry, Polly). I was quite happy with the result of this cuddly ol’ gal — ears are a little wonky (adds to the charm!?), but I found the wool fabric quite difficult to get a smooth round edge. More practice required! And no, this is not the sewing machine used to complete the task!...
21
APR
polly, the pocket rocket
Meet Polly: my first soiree into the land of sewing. Polly enjoys cool autumn days with warm sunshine and lots of cuddles, but is afraid of residing on a shelf so low that the boys (read: puppies) will befriend her. Ideally suited to a little bubba (no sharp bits or buttons to chew off), I haven’t yet had the heart to part with her — one day!...