Top 5 things to DIY in the Kitchen

I should have been a houswife in the 50's, or maybe even before then!
I love making my own sauces,  jams, etc!

So for a quick post, here is my Top Five list of things you really should try DIY-ing!

1.Make your own Pasta sauce - Soo so easy. Grab a bag tomatos off the clearance, or grow your own, add some herbs and seasoning, and your set!

2.Make Your own Jam - Even if you only do it now and then, It is soo much yummier than store bought and a great way to use up fruit. You can also control the amount of sugar thats in it, which is always a bonus!

3.Pizaa Bases and Bread - Ok so i mostly buy bread, but homemade bread is a nice treat! Pizza Bases, however, are always homemade in this house. So cheap, so easy, and again, really delicious!

4.Grow your own herbs and vegetables- Fresh herbs on hand - whats not to love? Try Basil, Thyme and maybe some Parsley. We've only had minimal success with some types of vegetable , but beans, spring onions and strawberries are normally good options to start off with. Our Lettuce has definitely been a good addition to our little vegie garden.

5. Pasta - No, I am not anti- bought pasta, but since i find it fun to make my own pasta, i challenge you to try it! I rarely by lasagne sheets anymore, and have even started hiding vegies IN the pasta!

These Lasagne Sheets have Spinach in them!

Recipe - {Parmesan Crusted Chicken with CousCous}

I dont know about you, but cooking dinner every night gets to be quite a uninteresting chore for me.
I love cooking, but it feels like we're eating the same few things, even when our meals are going in a 3 week (or more) cycle.

To make this very un-fun but necessary task a bit more enjoyable, I have started to venture out a bit with my cooking, and experiment. I have also been trying to use up whatever meat we have in our freezer, so that we can clean it out.

On the menu for last night was a meal using chicken breast. Normally, i would just make a stirfry, or something similar, but in the spirit of adventure, i created the following recipe pretty much from scratch!

{Parmesan Crusted Chicken with CousCous} 

With White Wine Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

4 servings of chicken breast (we used 2 large breasts for 2 adults and 3 toddlers and it was plenty!)

For the crust:

1/3 cup fine Parmesan cheese

1 slice of bread (I used multigrain)

1 tsp crushed garlic

Pinch of oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Melted butter

For the Sauce:

1/2 c dry white wine

1/2 c stock 

300ml cream

2tbs shallots, finely diced

1tbs oil or butter

Method:

 

1. Preheat oven to 180 Celsius
2. Place all crumb ingredients except butter in a food processor or stick mixer, and blend till combined well. 
3. Lay chicken pieces in a greased baking tray and brush generously with melted butter
4. Press crumb onto chicken to cover the top surface. 
5. Place in oven till crust is golden, and chicken is cooked through (approx 30mins - use a sharp knife through a piece to check for doneness) 

Meanwhile prepare sauce:

1. Place oil or butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. 
2. Saute shallots. 
3. Add wine and bring to the boil. Lower heat to simmering and reduce to half its original volume. 
4. Add stock, and simmer to reduce liquid to about 1/2 c in total. 
5. Add cream, and simmer till thick, but do not boil. 
6. Season, and serve hot.

Prepare Couscous according to packet instructions

Overall, the recipe worked perfectly! Hubby was much impressed, and all 3 toddlers gave it their seal of approval!

Five Minute Friday: Older

Photo: http://umeandwe.blogspot.com/

Prompt word: Older.

Go HERE to get the details.  You write for 5 minutes.  Just write... without thinking or editing your words.  


GO.

 Older... my girls are getting older and i dont like it! I love that i am watching them grow  into wonderful little people, I love that they are more beautiful than i ever expected, and its wonderful but as they get older, they get closer to leaving me! 

Just the other day i was thinking about this! They go to daycare 2 days a week and i miss them the whole time they are gone! And before i know it Miss E will be at big school and then i will miss her for 5 days a week! thats not so long away!

And i am getting older..moving on from this last baby phase and onto...onto what? Well i guess we will all see soon enough! and that is exciting, but i still miss my babies, miss enjoying them when they are little, and watching them learn those first things. 

Its also exciting that as a couple we are getting older, more mature together. Its quite strange to remember back when we were first married, and compare that to now! Things have changed so much, and i guess that is the essence of what i think of when i think of 'Older' I think of Change, and how it makes me miss the way things were, but also how it is good and exciting!

Older.... i look forward to that! 

STOP

Raising a 'spirited' child.

Strong-willed. Determined. Independent. Opinionated.
These are just some of the words you could use to positively described my almost 4 yr old.
Whatever you want to call it, there's no doubt that parenting her takes an extra measure (or ten!) of patience!


I don't know how many of you have children like this, but I am forever on the hunt for any tips, tricks, rountines etc. that may help make parenting my 'spirited' child easier, and make our household happier and run smoother!

I came across an article yesterday entitled 'How to raise a Spirited Child'.
Some of the tips they offered, we already employ, and it was reassuring to have that confirmed by somebody else. We've already found that giving Miss E notice of change, and sticking to a routine so she can anticipate what is coming, help immensely with her behavior. I also try not to get into situations that i know are going to end badly (like, shopping trips when she's tired). They also made a few suggestions that sounded interesting and that i plan to try out.
And i continue my search!

Do you have any tips for 'raising a spirited child' or just for a happier home in general? 

{Macaroons} - Attempt 2

Ever since watching the grand finale of Masterched 2010, I have wanted to make Macaroons. I love the vivid colours! Now, I've never tasted macaroons, so even if i do eventually get the texture right, i won't know it!

I recently attempted to make a batch of these apparently delicious treats, and failed miserably! (no photographic evidence, which is unfortunate, because you'll just have to take my word for how much i've improved!)

My second attempt worked out ALOT better than the first.....

Stay tuned for Attempt Three..scheduled to happen tonight!

A little Project - hairband holder

My girls have recently aquired quite a collection of cute little hairbands.
I fell in love with them when i was lucky enough to win a couple of sets on a friends blog, Busy Brissy Mum. She now has a little Facebook business and i can't help myself!
I do find, however, that i had nowhere to store the bands that was accessible, orderly and well, pretty!

'Little Piggies' from Ruby Jean

I happened to have a blank plaque hanging around in my craft stuff. So after a little bit of pasting and nailing, I now have a pretty answer for my problem. I still plan to do something with the middle of the plaque (unless i fill it up with more bands before i get a chance!)

(Yes, there are a couple missing. My girls won't go anywhere without wearing them!)

Forgive the wall paper...its going eventually!

Bake Up - Simple Baking Recipes

One benefit of being more organised around the home, and especially in the kitchen, is that we spend less on groceries. I am loving this because it means that we can buy some 'special' items, or save the excess money for other way more interesting things than groceries!
Today, I only have the youngest 2 of the 4 at home, and as they both sleep half the day, I decided to do a bit of a bake up. I started off with the goal to use simple recipes that used the ingredients i had on hand, nothing fancy.
First up was this lovely 'Bounty Cake'. I found the recipe on what is quickly becoming one of my favourite blogs... Just Love To Bake. Now before you go visiting here, beware of all the tempting recipes! I mean it! I can feel my waistline increasing just reading them, let alone making them!
This one, however, isnt too naughty, especially if you leave of the icing, which would still taste yum (Not that i did that :))

I also made apple muffins and berry muffins using this all purpose muffin recipe.

And a carrot cake without egg, since we ran out!

We already had some biscuits around, so i havent yet had need to, but i am planning to try out this great 4 ingredient recipe from  Stay at Home Mom. This is said to make 120 biscuits for $4! Now thats impressive!

I must say, all this baking has my home smelling beautiful on this wintery day! And we now have a lovely stock of yummy morning teas in the freezer for when i start uni back on Monday!