Last day of the year 2011...

Last night we entertained Angus' Mum and Auntie Barbara with a pizza party. We cooked the pizzas in the weber with a pizza stone.

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I used Pioneer Woman's Pizza Crust recipe - it made a nice silky dough (allow about 1 hour for it to rise)

Pizza Crust
4 cups Plain flour
1 tspn salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried yeast
1.5 cups warm water

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Pour warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water, stir gently.
2. Add flour to electric mixer with dough hook, then on low speed , drizzle oil ntil just incorporated. Drizzle in the yeast water and mix until a ball of dough forms. Turn onto floured bench top, gently knead into a nice ball. Spray a bowl with spray oil then dump in the dough ball and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
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This quantity made 2 pizzas - when rolled out the base will look quite thin but it rises nicely and makes a good crust.
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Potato, rosemary and caramelised onion relish...
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Satay sauce, fresh chicken, red onion, snow peas, mushrooms, bocconcini cheese(baby mozzarella) ...
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... once cooked, dollop with sour cream and sprinkle with fresh rocket...
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This is my new pride and joy - I made the dough in this and it was so quick and easy.
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Margherita - tomato paste, fresh tomato, bocconcini cheese, fresh basil and pizza cheese.

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Other naughty things to come out of the kitchen - last Tuesday Kirby made Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese Bread - so sinfully delicious that I have banished her from ever making it again! I am going to burn that book!
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Last Tuesday we went to the beach so I knocked up this chocolate cake - it is Dana's Cup Cake recipe and can be found here... just scroll down her page a bit. I make it in a lamington tin and it is honestly the best chocolate cake ever! I use Nestle Baking Cocoa (in the red tin) and this makes it really rich and chocolatey!
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This is a pic of the books I received for Christmas - the curries and cupcake ones were in the hampers and the Australia Women's Weekly Classic Country Recipes was given to me by Kirby and Brianna. It is a lovely book and would make a nice gift for overseas friends.
Finally, after I got everything packed away from Christmas, there was this small lap quilt left over. After a bit of detective work, I found out it was my mothers. She had covered a basket with goodies with it when she came over. She made it several years ago when she went to a craft group - it's a double wedding ring pattern. Anyhoo, she said I could have it! Score!
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What are you up to for New Years Eve? Both our girls are off to different venues and we... are staying put! Gus is cooking lamb curry for dinner and I think we will have an early night.
See you next year!
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Cheers - Joolz