Belated Easter Post

As I often do I filled up my social/commitment calendar to the limit these past 2 weeks. Crazy but I don't want to miss an opportunity to catch up with family and friends. It is better to be a bit weary than be sorry.
I made Polenta biscuits for Easter gifts - plenty of chocolate bunnies around - with golden raisins soaked in Jamaican Rum. Everyone in my very Queensland family loves rum!

I used found/vintage plates for the gifts

This hand painted plate for daughter in law C

Wrapped ready to go

I made an apple and almond cake for desert for Good Friday. We ate on the roof of Son M's apartment. So hard to get the family altogether because of work schedules - but we did it.

This was delicious served with Greek yoghurt

I found this 'apple plate' at the RSPCA Op shop.

$3 - bargain

I couldn't help my self - started the soup making for the freezer. The end of the ham bone from Christmas - it was too big to fit in the oven, saved bacon rinds, and left over speck - seriously rustic.

The first minestrone

Then I poached a chicken - in reserved chicken stock, double the flavour. I put the chicken in the pot with the holy trinity (onion, carrot and celery) cover with water or chicken stock if you have some in the freezer. I then add salt and pepper corns, star anise and a piece of orange rind, bay leaf etc depending on my mood. Bring it to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and wrap it up for at least 2 hours to finish cooking. Saves power and is gently cooked- the chicken is so moist. Take the meat and skin off the bones, put the bones back in the pot to simmer and reduce for 30 minutes or so. Strain and you have very good chicken stock for your next project. If it is chicken soup, chop up a fresh lot of the 'holy trinity' and add to the stock simmer and taste test, then add some of the cooked chicken. Save the breast for salads, sandwiches etc.

Chicken cooking/resting

Some ravioli will make this a meal

Yacht race whilst having lunch