Polenta

I really love polenta. Excellent comfort food. I am planning to make it often this winter. Especially with cheese and parsley. I also want to try it with blue cheese.

Cold ready for cutting into shapes

I love it cut into diamond shapes but have a problem working this out. Intricate math problems are not my strong point.

Assorted shapes

Fried in olive oil and butter it can't help but taste good. I will work on the even shape thingie. I think that I could eat this with just a salad. But of course delicious with braised beef cheeks, Osso Bucco, or any slow braised meat with lots of gravy.

Looking forward to cooler evenings.

BREAD

I have only ever made bread once before and it was not good. My friend S was given a very posh gift basket of food for Christmas. It included this box of bread mix.

Even the box was expensive

She was not in the frame of mind to make the bread after she read the instructions.

All that kneading and sitting

So I went home with the box!
Finally on Monday I decided this was the day to make bread.

All of the ingredients in seperate packets 

I started at 7am - the seeds had to be soaked for an hour.

Then we got down to business

I know that I am not a good baker - not like No 1 son M. I don't have the patience but I really kneaded this as well as I could.

After resting (the dough) more kneading

It looked good

Not bad

It actually tasted very good. I took half of the loaf to S so that she could try it. Was even great toasted the next day. I was happy with the result but will not put bread making on my list of things to do.

Chicken and Leek Pie

My father used to make the most wonderful chicken pies to sell in our cafe (and wholesale to department stores for their cafeterias). I used to know the recipe for the filling but it was never written down that I know of. I haven't made the mixture since I was 15 years old (over 50 years ago) I don't remember it.
I suspect that he used a base recipe from Fanny Farmer's Boston School Cook Book and just went from there.

His cooking bible

He even used rendered chicken fat in his pastry. I was nostalgic for a chicken pie and researched some recipes in my library. I found one by Stephanie Alexander that uses my favourite ingredients, Chicken thighs, leeks, butter and cream. It had to be a winner.

I started with these

Fry the leeks, cut the chicken into small pieces flour and fry. Mix the lot with cream, parsley and seasonings and add the pastry.

The big pie

I made this a few times as it turned out so well. This week I made individual pies as I had lots of puff pastry in the freezer almost out of date. A good reason to use it up.

The same mixture made 12 pies

Just fabulous. I even ate one cold - had to do a test - as I thought they would be great for a picnic. I was right! Delicious!

Just the right size

The mixture can be made the previous day and then baked early in the morning. Packed when room temperature and bingo good solid picnic food with a crunchy salad.

Morning tea

My sisters and I didn't manage to catch up over Christmas. My outside area is looking good as I am spending more time on it, plus it was L's birthday today and Arrabella is in day care. What better time to make a cake a sandwich and homemade lemonade etc.

I had everything in the pantry that I needed including the pastry in the freezer for the caramelised onion and feta tarts.

I wish this are was more protected from the weather - I could leave this here all of the time

This plant loves the charity shop basket

I like the way these go together

Maxi had to check what I was doing

Butter cake with passionfruit icing

It was muggy between showers, the fans came in handy

The frangipani are on their last legs - not many left on the tree

Favourite cups

Lovely to finish off

Haven't worn this necklace for years

A very pleasant morning. Plus G will wash all of the linen table cloths. They were due to be done. I don't use them very often so it is important that they are laundered regularly.

Begonias

I just love begonias. Maybe because they are easy to grow and just ask for a nice spot some soil and water.
Last summer they really suffered in the heat and some were in a place where the morning sun hit just a little too long. During the heatwave in the past few days I bought this new lot inside for protection.

They blend with this print

This pot has seen a lot of begonias over the years

These usually are all on the back table

This lily is happy here

Maybe it likes the 'vintage' corner. The wooden cabinet came from Graham's grandmother, the wooden tray was a vintage buy from my friends M and S for my last birthday. It has a map of Australia minus Tasmania in different types native woods. They live in Tasmania and thought that their missing state was very funny. Plus a bamboo bowl that was used for sugar when I was a child.

This came from the bamboo factory at Slacks Creek in the 1960's

Talking about vintage - when I was cleaning the pantry a few days ago, I realised that these French preserving jars have been serving me very well. I bought them when the boys were babies - not even in school. I bought one a week as I couldn't afford them all at once. Talk about good value. They have lasted for over 50 years.

I have a lot of these.

I have just replaced the seals over the years. They even travelled to Western Australia and back.

A necklace to spark up an outfit

I went to the sales in the week after Christmas, not Boxing Day, I did that once never again.

I had only one thing in mind to buy. A new necklace. I have a wedding to go to in February. I am going to wear a pair of pants that are at least 10 years old but I love them, plus a leopard print wrap blouse that I bought second hand for $10.

I need a necklace to spark it up and make it all look cool and modern. I have no intention of buying more evening clothes as I have enough until I die.

I looked at every necklace in Carindale - just when I was starting to get over it, I found this.

A $10 bargain

I already have this little number that I bought on my first trip to Florence

I am going to put them together

This layering thing is all the rage at the moment. It will make the whole outfit look more up to the minute.

Black roses

My Grand daughter G gave me this for Christmas. I just love it and now want an occasion to wear it. I do have a black pleated blouse that it will look amazing with. Hope to wear it soon.

Cleaning frenzy for the New Year

It has been hot here for the last 2 days and the next 2 are going to be even worse. What else to do but crank up the air con and clean in the cool.

I tackled the pantry, deciding that everything out of date or that I don't think I will be using is GONE!. A wonderful feeling. I threw out 3 supermarket bags of expired goods mostly herbs and spices.

The mess

How can 2 neat people get a pantry in such array?

I hauled out everything and covered every surface in the kitchen

The laundry trolley came in handy

Tidy condiments

Each shelf scrubbed clean

There is now room to spare

Drinks sorted

My Singapore poster inside the pantry door.

A lovely reminder of a trip. I also have one from the Seychelles inside the linen cupboard. A great start to the new year.