One of My Favourites :: White Bean & Coconut Curry

This would have to be one of the easiest and yummiest curries ever!  And my husband loves it even though he is not a fan of coconut milk.  Thanks to my brother who first made it for him as I would never have tried it.

You can find the recipe here (just loving Taste.com.au!!)

enjoy!

xxx

Try this! :: Donna's Jam Doughnuts

When I saw the front cover of the latest Donna Hay magazine, sporting some yummy looking jam doughnuts, I thought of my friend Shelley straight away.  She  l o v e s  jam doughnuts and who better to make them for than a die-hard fan?



image source

 So, my friend Rinny and I made the dough earlier that day.  Then after dinner, Rinny was in charge of the deep frying (she is the most responsible and steady under pressure - must come with being a nurse!), Shelley was in charge of taking photos, and I assembled. 


Dough ready for deep frying




In the hot oil




Ready for sugar and jam injection!



Slicing an opening for the piping bag

Squeezing in raspberry jam



Ooops, perhaps too much jam




First one to Shelley




But there were plenty to go around

 We were well rewarded for our efforts!

xxx

Off The Hook :: Hello Granny - Part 2

I know I said that I wouldn't have time to keep crocheting despite my new obsession to do so . . . 

I whipped these up the next morning.  Feeling a bit guilty for crocheting when I should have been knitting (or perhaps parenting, cleaning, cooking) I didn't tell you.

 

I did show all my new friends at my local craft group and received some much loved praise (yes, build me up buttercup!) . . . now I have ordered some crochet patterns from Sarah London (she had a sale Yay!!) and this book just arrived on my doorstep to keep me busy.

But I am now back to knitting - more about that later. . .

Book Loving :: God is a Knitter too!

I have recently discovered the wonderful writings of Max Lucado.  He captures God's love perfectly in his children's books, so much so that I find myself captivated.

God Thinks You're Wonderful is the first of his books to make it to my little library.

He writes so simply yet captures the essence of God for little children (and big kids aka me) so concisely.

And he reminded me today that God is a knitter too!  God knitted us, using our mother's womb.  He knitted my children, using my womb.  I love that analogy, not just because I knit but because the process of knitting is highly tactile and personal.  Every garment I knit, the entire length of yarn used has passed through my fingers, not an inch I haven't touched.  The process is time consuming and I do it as a labour of love.  Each garment is unique and covered in my fingerprints.

xxx

Birthday Boy (oops Man)

My marvellous hubby celebrated another birthday last week.  We aren't a birthday-gift-giving couple - we buy eachother presents together throughout the year as "just 'cause pressies".  So, not breaking with tradition, I didn't really get him anything!  Yes, I ordered a photography book yet to be delivered but nothing on the day. 

So later in the week, I organised with the help of my lovely friend Shelley, a little dinner gathering of Rick's older kids (bar one and his wife) as a surprise (they all live 1.5 hours away).  And he was surprised.  Rick's love language is acts of service so I think I hit the nail on the head with this one.

We dined on baked lemon & thyme chicken, roast potatoes, homemade yorkshire puddings (because Aldi discontinued them again!), steamed vegies and garlic bread.  Followed by the easiest of easy desserts: Apple Crumble!

And this is our favourite beverage at the moment that Rick drinks "despite it being pink"!



Plus, I must thank Ms Rita for taking the photos as I was tangled in dishing dishes and toddler wrangling. xx

One of My Favourites :: Raspberry & Coconut Cupcakes

These little ruby-filled cakes are so my one of my favourites that I made over 100 of them for my wedding reception!  I can't claim this recipe as my own even though I have made some changes.  It came to me via my dear friend Mim who had made her alterations after finding it in one of her recipe books (I suspect it was a Marie Claire but I can't be sure).

I used to call them friands, even though they really aren't, due to the friand pan I used to bake them in.  But now, with all the different patty cases available, and the fact they mean less cleaning, they have morphed into the humble cupcake.

As you know, I am never one to keep a recipe to myself as I love it when others like something I've made so much that they would like to make it for themselves!  Plus, I rarely create my own recipes, only adapt other's so I really have no right to keep anything to myself.

Rasberry & Coconut Cupcakes (I think the original name was Baby Raspberry & Coconut Cakes)
makes 12.

125 g unsalted butter
1/3 cup almond meal
3/4 dessicated coconut
3/4 cup caster sugar (or sifted icing sugar)
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
24 raspberries, fresh or frozen (I use frozen)

1. Preheat oven 180C fan forced. (conventional just cook for further 3 mins or until cooked through)

2. Place butter in a saucepan over low heat and melt until it is very light golden colour.

3. Place almond meal, coconut, sugar, flour and baking powder in a bowl and using a hand held mixer, mix until combined.  Add egg and mix.  Add melted butter and mix until well combined.

4. Pour or spoon mixture into prepared patty cases and sprinkle with 2 raspberries per patty case.  As Nigella told me, I use one of those icecream scoops that you squeeze the handle to release the contents of the spoon.

5. Bake for 12-15 mins (18 mins conventional depending on oven) or until cakes are golden and springy to touch and moist in the centre.

Serve warm with double cream or serve cold with a dollop of greek yoghurt.  Lovely to have with any type of tea but today we had them with a good old glass of milk

.

Okey dokey, if you want to make them more friand-like, increase sugar to 1 2/3 cups icing sugar sifted, and use 5 egg whites instead of 3 whole eggs.

By the way, I do love the look of sweet baked goodies with a powdering of icing sugar on top but I can't bring myself to do it as I think we consume way too much sugar in this household as it is.  I usually halve the amount of sugar in most recipes (as I did with this one).

Oh I do hope you like these as much as we do!

xxx

Off The Hook :: Hello Granny

I can knit and generally follow a knitting pattern but when I look at crochet patterns I am completely lost!  It may aswell be computer code or swahili! 

My new lovely friend Pam, showed me a few crochet moves a couple of weeks ago but then I lost my crochet hook!  So today, with new hook in hand and my new personal instructor Pip, I whipped up this little granny square.  I am so proud!

I showed it to Rick who says: "is it meant to have all those holes in it?" 
Me: "it's crocheting, not knitting, it is meant to have all those holes in it"
Rick: "yeah but they look so uneven, some are heart shaped"
Me: "I only just started!" (Perhaps he's more used to seeing my even knitting.)

Me: "Wow, I am so excited that I can now crochet - I'll have a lovely little dashboard cover for your ute in no time!" *smiling*
Rick: "No you won't" (he's happy that I am happy but that is where it ends hahahaha)

So, I will keep hooking yarn and will have a bonefide granny rug in no time. Actually, that is a full on lie!  I have too many knitting and sewing projects on the go - crochet creations are prioritised last unfortunately.

What is your main craft and what do you do to break it up?

xxx