Mosaic Monday - Everythings Coming Up Green

1. Green leaf alien, 2. Green at my feet, 3. Green Tea, 4. green, 5. Green Tree on 6th Avenue,

   6. green dots, 7. Green Split Screen, 8. Green Apples, 9. Green Drop

More Pots And Pottering

Well some time back I started to plant some pots to put in our courtyard. The joke from Rob my beloved was that I was probably just going to kill them like the vegetable pots I tried. Well joke is on him as all is going well in my little potted garden

More recently I bought some Geranium seedlings from a local Nursery as I had been keen to have some in Terracotta pots for many years as they remind me of an old adopted Auntie we had back in Scotland. Well I am excited to see that one is already about to bloom.

I had also planted some bulbs that are also taking off very nicely. The Hyacinth a re red and are close to blooming. The daffodils and morning star are going well so I should be looking forward to a lovely pot of colour in the early parts of spring.

 Bulbs

As well as my pots I have been pottering and thinking of ways of tiding those very messy drawers in the bathroom vanity so here is my inexpensive Idea using plastic containers from the local Hardware.

                                      

    

Before

                                                                          

After



More Than Just Scrap's

More than just scraps but hours of childhood memories and play.

As a little girl growing up In Scotland I can remember collecting, cutting and

swapping scraps with my friends.

We would buy our scraps from Ivor's (the name of the man who owned the local shop).

Carefully cut them and them and then place them in between the pages of books to protect them.   

We would then spend hours with our friends pouring over the pages and contents of our books, sometimes swapping (if we had doubles) and other times not.

It was a simple and inexpensive childhood pleasure that provided a world of Imagination

 and enjoyment for many hours. 

Mosaic Monday - Cupcakes & Coffee

The picture on the top right is a shop in Melbourne that I love. I stumbled upon it one day going down a lane way full of great eateries and shops. It's the little cupcake - great coffee and great cupcakes.

Chorizo, red pepper & sweet potato frittata

Back in January I posted a ham & spinach frittata recipe that I made to take to a friends house for dinner. The frittata batter is the same but filling different, this one would be a favourite as I love the combination of the chorizo, pepper and sweet potato.

12 eggs
1 cup cream
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2tsp crushed garlic
2 Spanish chorizo sausage sliced
1 medium red pepper diced
1 medium sweet potato diced

Whisk together eggs, cream. parmesan add garlic set aside.
Boil sweet potato in water until just tender.
Fry chorizo and pepper in a pan until chorizo starts to brown (do not add oil to pan),
remove and place on absorbent paper.
Place chorizo, pepper and sweet potato in grease proof dish then pour over egg mixture.
Cook in oven 150 oc (fan forced) or 180 oc (normal oven) until golden brown.

Can be eaten hot or cold.

ENJOY♥

Something Sweet - A little treat

                                    

                                                                          Before

Triple Chocolate Jaffa Brownie

125g unsalted butter, cubed

350g dark choc, roughly chopped

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

1 cup plain flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

100g milk choc bits

100g white choc bits

1. preheat oven to 180 degrees and lightly grease/ line with baking paper 23cm square shallow tin

2. melt butter and 250g dark choc together. stir and cool.

3. beat the sugar, eggs and rind together until thick and fluffy. add flour and cocoa. fold in choc mixture, stir in the remaining dark choc and all the choc bits.

4. spread in tin and bake for 40 mins or until just cooked.

Slice into squares and dust with a little icing sugar..

ENJOY ♥

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Oh how I love winter food, Soup's, Stews and Warm Puddings. To top it off my husband also likes Soup's and Stew's.
Here is a simple recipe of my own that I love to cook and I love the aroma that it leaves in my house on those cold winter days.
 
Ingredients
 
5 litres chicken stock
4 chicken drumsticks
1 Cup frozen peas
1 Cup frozen corn
3 Celery stalks finely sliced 
1 medium carrot grated
1 medium zuchini grated
1 - 2 cups finely shredded cabbage 
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 cup angel hair pasta
Salt & Pepper to taste
freshly chopped parsley
 
In a large saucepan place stock, garlic, chicken drumsticks and all prepared vegeatables.
Bring to the boil and then simmer for 1hr.  
Add pasta, parsley and seasoning and cook for a further 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Remove drumsticks from suacepan and using a fork and knife reomve meat from the bones breaking up as you go. Returm meat to saucepan and serve the soup hot with warm crusty bread.

ENJOY ♥

Mosaic Monday - Cultural Diversity

1. Indian Dancer Hands, 2. _PMG0192x, 3. Mexican Folk Dancer, 4. Bolivian women, 5. Japanese girl in traditional costume, 6. Maori performing Haka in San Franscisco

Mosaic Monday - Bob The Chook

                                          1. Peacock, 2. peacock, 3. Peacock, 4. Peacock

Some would know we had a pet peacock for a number of years and his name was Bob The Chook.. Long Story.

The Challenge Update #2 - Happy Feet

1. My favourite shoes

It has been one month since I took up the challenge along with my friend Kim to give up something for 12 months to provide shoes for the children of Rukurukulevu village in Fiji. Well I am pleased to say that all is going well (a little to my surprise I must admit). I chose to give up diet coke as it was something I drank on a regular basis and something that I had been pondering giving up. No I have not replaced it with Pepsi Max, I have been drinking more fruit juice and much more water, I do have the odd lemonade as a treat.
I think that's about two pairs of shoes I have managed to buy for these beautiful children.

For more information on this blog visit http://hopeforavillage.blogspot.com/

Maybe you could join the challenge and give up something for a year or sponsor my friend in what she is doing.

Caroline♥