My Town

My town is an opportunity to share with you about where I live. I have lived in Geelong since 1981 after moving here with my family from Glasgow Scotland.
Geelong is Victoria's second largest city located on Corio Bay, we are the gateway to some of Victoria's most stunning attractions including the Great Ocean Road and the many stunning beach front communities along the Bellarine Peninsula.
Geelong has a population of 175,000 people and continues to be a popular place for people to relocate from the big smoke.
Life in Geelong is good, we are only an hour to Melbourne, Victoria's largest city but in some ways we still have that country town feeling.
I hope to be able to share with you some of our attractions over time through photographs that I will take.

The Geelong Waterfront - Located on Corio Bay

Giant Ferris Wheel On Geelong Waterfront

Some of the boats down the Geelong Waterfront

We have many Bollards like this all along the Waterfront 

Two more - Bathing Beauties 

Straight ahead is the swimming enclosure 

Mosaic Monday - Wind Swept

1. wind swept tree, 2. Wind-swept, 3. Girl Smiling With Wind-Swept Hair, 4. wind_swept

Recipe Challenge 4 - Mini Roma Tomato & Leek Agnolotti

This recipe is my own creation.
Recipe for 2 people


Ingredients

1pkt of fresh Large - ravioli or agnolotti (320g)
1 punnet (220- 250g)  - mini roma tomatoes halved
1 Leek chopped
1 clove garlic  
2 tbs good quality olive oil
2 tbs of caramelized tomato balsamic  
12 fresh basil leaves
Feta

Method

• Bring pasta to the boil and simmer until tender 
• Place olive oil in fry pan and heat, add garlic, leek and tomatoes and cook until leek is just tender and tomatoes just starting to soften
• Add caramelized tomato balsamic
• Drain pasta
• Layer 1/4 of pasta in a bowl and drizzle over a little olive oil top with tomato and leek and tear a few fresh basil leaves adding to the dish
• Repeat and top with some crumbled feta cheese

ENJOY♥

Recipe Challenge 3 - Beetroot Relish

Some friends have just given me some amazing fresh beetroot. I have always wanted to have a go a beetroot relish so here it is.

Ingredients
750g Beetroot
1 Brown onion
2 Cups balsamic vinegar
1Cup water
3 Teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
2 Cups sugar
2 Cloves or pinch of ground cloves
5cm Piece of orange rind
Sea salt & Cracked Pepper

Method
1. Peel & process beetroot and onion in food processor
2. In a covered pan, fry mustard seeds in a little oil
3. Add all ingredients to pan cook on a medium heat,
    cover and bring to the boil
4. Cook for 30 minutes or until the beetroot is soft
    and the liquid has reduced and thickened slightly
5. Pour into sterilized jars, seal an cool.

Recipe makes about 5 Cups and will keep for about 2 months.

To sterilize jars i put them in a hot oven 180oC for 10 minutes and boiled the lids in a saucepan on the stove top. Be careful when removing from the oven and make sure you do not put them onto a cold or damp surface as the jar may crack. I used a wooden chopping board covered with some old tea towels to sit hot jars on as I filled them.

ENJOY♥

Recipe Challenge 2 - Orange Marmalade and Sesame, Ginger Prawns

Orange Marmalade And Sesame, Ginger Prawns 

Ingredients
4 tbs orange marmalade

• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 300g egg noodles
• 1 tbs peanut oil, plus 1 tsp to toss noodles
• 1 small red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 12 green prawns, peeled (tails intact), deveined
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle
• Coriander leaves, to serve
• I teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 
  

• Method
• 1. Combine the marmalade, soy, garlic, ginger, vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
• 2. Cook noodles in boiling salted water according to instructions. Drain, toss with 1 tsp peanut oil and set aside.
• 3. Heat remaining 1 tbs peanut oil in a wok or deep frypan over medium-high heat. Add capsicum and onion and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add prawns and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Add sauce mixture, toss to coat prawns, then add noodles and toss for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Toss through spring onion and coriander sprinkle with toasted sesame and serve.

This recipe was quick and easy but very tasty, hubby gave it the thumbs up.


ENJOY♥

Mosaic Monday - Cirlces

                                   1. Records-Final Stand, 2. circles, 3. Slinky Links, 4. Circles

Recipe Challenge 1 - Mauritian Chicken Curry

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbs finely chopped coriander stem
• 30g-60g (1/4-1/2 cup) Keen's Curry Powder (or to taste - I used less) 
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 500g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
• 400ml water
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
• Light sour cream, to serve
• Steamed rice, to serve
• 1 bunch fresh coriander, sprigs picked

Method

1. Heat oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, stirring often, for 4 minutes or until soft and aromatic. Add the coriander stem and cook for 1 minute. Add curry powder and curry leaves. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.
2. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until browned slightly. Stir in the tomato and water.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the potato and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender. Season with salt. Serve with rice, sour cream and coriander sprigs.
   
   

                                                          

This recipe is both gluten and dairy free

For a vegetarian version swap chicken for cauliflower & chickpeas I also added some fresh green beans

Mosaic Monday - Heat Wave

1. Heat Wave!, 2. i am a fan, 3. Sun Mosaic - Doylestown, PA, 4. just that water feeling 

Mosaic Monday - Gelati

1. OHHHHHH !!! I GELATI !!!!!!!!!!, 2. hippie icecream, 3. colors, 4. Summer colours

Life is fragile

I was reminded again today that life is indeed fragile and that we do need to handle with care those who are nearest and dearest to us.

A young mum that I know is currently sitting by her young son's bed who at any moment will take his last breath. Young Seth will in the coming hours loose his life to a rare and cruel cancer that has ravaged his little body but not his spirit. Seth is only 11 years old but has been so brave through his battle.

Over the last couple of weeks I have been watching a mother blackbird bird protect her babies in a nest outside our back door. Only yesterday the nest was full with four little birds. I went to bring in some washing tonight and found that the nest was empty (my heart sank) I found one little bird cowering in the corner and mum making a lot of noise above my head. I grabbed a tea towel and tried to pick the bird up and place back in the nest with no luck, I went back out and tried again this time placing the baby back in the nest. Sadly it fell out and I decided it best be left alone with mum still watching over.

With this new year before us let us be always mindful of those around us, let us make every effort to protect the fragile and remember to tell and show those nearest and dearest to us that we LOVE them.