Rolling along...

There is nothing better than watching a batch of bread rolls gently brown and rise in the oven...

Okay, well maybe the smell of them when they come out of the oven...

Do you watch Recipes to Riches?   I've bought a few of the products. I bought the Savv's Kebab - haven't eaten it yet but when I do, I will work out how to replicate the recipe myself.  

Ricardo's beans - absolutely delicious! I'll be buying a few more tubs of these!

 

Here is that same vase if flowers a few days later. I love how they go pale.

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Off to get my hair did now.

Cheers - Joolz xx

 
 
 
 

I took these few pics last night on dusk...

Can you see the white (and red) roses in the background?  Our neighbours have a fantastic display of roses along their fence line...

My phone photos don't do them justice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The roses in my front yard have finally popped with their first blooms!

I love having fresh roses in the house...

cheers - Joolz xx

 
 
 
 
 

Peanut Butter Cookies...

...straight from the freezer...

When I did my show cooking the other week, I had left over cookie dough.  I have never tried freezing it before but thought I'd chuck it in there.  I made a roll and just wrapped it in cling film.

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Today, I got it out and let it thaw a few minutes then sliced it with a sharp knife.  I could have rolled them into balls but thought I'd see how the slices looked when cooked...

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They turned out fine, not quite as neat as when they are rolled into balls but very good!

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These taste like a peanut butter Anzac - very good!  Here is the recipe, it makes lots of cookies!

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I have to say that the Chicken and cashew curry I slaved over Sunday night was not a success.  It had absolutely no flavour.  The spices were there but pureed cashews give off no flavour at all.  I did not eat more that 3 mouthfuls before abandonning the dish. Gus ate his and thought it was okay.

I had cornflakes and milk.  :(

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Cheers - Joolz xx
 

 

Around the house today...

We went out for dinner with friends last night, such a fun time! We don't get together very often so for 4 couples to all be free on the same night was a bonus. One couple stayed at the venue and six of us travelled together (TG for a 7 seater Land Rover Discovery!) and we had a designated non-drinking driver to get us home safely. Lots of laughs and some lovely food...

I'm not used to late nights, we didn't get home until 2pm! I am a little slow today!

I plan to potter today so I thought I'd show you what I get up to. There are lots of little jobs to do...

First up, folding the 'smalls' ...

...which leads to this pile of hankies. Does your man still use hankies? Mine will not leave the house without one in his pocket.

Five minutes later - tah dah! Ironing done!

I found this dinner roll recipe the other day. I just screen shot the recipe so it goes to my photos on my iPad then its there for later....

The dough is now rising in the warmth of our 'good room'...

I kept on top of the laundry this week so I only have a small load or two to do...

I'm lucky to have a clothesline under our pergola. It just started spitting rain as I was about to hang these out.

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The dinner roll dough didn't rise as it should have - not sure if they will be light and fluffy or more like cricket balls!

I found it hard even to roll them into balls, more like I had to shape them by tucking in and under to form balls... :(

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They have risen a bit but not sure how they'll go when baked...

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Well, you just never know! They turned out really well!

Nice crust and a good crumb inside...

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I swept and tidied the front porch, hosed down the wrought iron table and chairs, decobwebbed the pot planters and watered.

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I then prepped the ingredients for our Chicken and cashew curry tonight. There are a few steps involved so I need to get it right. Being organised means less chance of mistakes.

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The pergola area has been tidied, swept and decobwebbed around windows and eaves. Washing has been folded and put away.

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Next up I made wholemeal chapattis to go with our curry....

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They are super easy to make - I added some yoghurt to the dough for these ones...

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It takes about half an hour to cook a dozen chapattis ...

I might start a new post for the curry.... Stay tuned!

Cheers - Joolz xx

 

 

 

 

Posted by Joolz with Blogsy

The Christmas Pud is steaming...

Although I won't be with my side of the family on Christmas Day, I will give them a homemade Christmas pudding, made with love.

This is my Mum's Renaware stock pot, enamel pudding basin and a plate from her 'best' china set....

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The recipe for the pudding is still on the Tandaco Suet mix box...I follow it almost to the letter...

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... apart from soaking the fruit in 1/2 a cup of brandy for over a week. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of brandy that goes in on making day.

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this is all of the dry ingredients mixed thoroughly...

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Then the brandy sozzled dried fruit is added (I added a small packet of glace cherries too)...

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Grease the pudding bowl with butter, make a cartouche with kitchen paper...

Add in the eggs, boiling water and bicarb soda and mix well...

Spoon mixture into the pudding bowl...

Press down the dartouche and trim it off...

Cover with another layer of kitchen paper and foil and tie tightly with kitchen string...

Put enough water in the pot so it will come about half way up the basin, emerse the plate upside down. This acts as a trivet so the pudding doesn't burn on the bottom...

Sit the pudding in and check that the water level is right. Too much water when it boils might allow water to get into the pudding. You don't want soggy pudding!

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Once up to the boil, put the lid on and lower it right back down so its just ticking over (mine is on 1) - now it just steams for 5 hours. Check every hour and add in a cup or so more boiling water so the level stays right.

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I hope it's a good pud!

Well I am back after 5 hours and the pudding has turned out wonderfully. As you can see, it has risen up to the top of the basin...

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the colour will darken once it is stored away in the fridge...

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The proof of the pudding is in the eating - but I reckon it will be delicious with brandy custard and cream!

Cheers - Joolz xx

 

 

Posted by Joolz with Blogsy