Baking Rhonda's homemade bread (rolls)...

I thought I'd give Rhonda's bread recipe a go - we are having an Italian dish for lunch today so I thought fresh crusty bread rolls would go really well with it...
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Add the yeast and sugar to warm water in a cup. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and it will froth up (this means the yeast is good and active) ...
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I decided to use my bread maker on the 'dough' setting (Rhonda said it was okay!)
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Add in the wet yeast mixture...
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And away it goes for 1 and a half hours...
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Now it's ready to tip out and knock down...
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Tip the dough out of the machine and give it a good kneading for 2 minutes...

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Portion the dough into pieces then roll/knead it into balls...
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Brush with water for a nice crust and top with oats, sesame or poppy seeds. I gave mine a snip with scissors to add detail... now you need to let them rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or so...
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Bake in a pre-heated over at 220C for 10 minutes then reduce to 200C for further 5-8 minutes...
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Oh, yeah!
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They browned up really nice and were very light and fluffy inside. I am very happy with this recipe.
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Joolz

Barbecue Chicken Skewers...

This is a very simple recipe from Taste.com ... combine pineapple juice, tomato sauce, soy sauce and garlic to make a marinade...
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Soak chicken pieces in the marinade for one hour...
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Prepare the vegetables to be skewered...
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Thread chicken and veggies onto the skewers (you could also add mushrooms) ... we had left over salad from Friday night so we just refreshed that a bit...

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Gus roasted some baby chat potatoes in Tuscan seasoning...
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Fire up the barbecue and grill the skewers... (next time we reckon we need to boil up the leftover marinade and thicken it with corn flour for a sauce to pour over the skewers)...
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Dinner is served! A simple meal made special by the fact that my dear hubby made it (he even set the table!). Does your husband/partner cook?

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Cheers - Joolz

Randomness on Saturday...

I made a batch of Oaty Cookies first thing this morning...

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(Web pic)

Now, this is your perfect 'heart in the clouds' picture...
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While driving to Adelaide this week, I spied my own 'heart in the clouds'...
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It was pretty abstract!
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This is DJ, our pet sheep - snuffling on a stalk of celery...
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After I juice each morning, I tip out the pulp for the two sheep to eat - they go crazy for it!
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I made Annette Sym's Chicken Laksa (um, last week sometime!) which you can find here. So good, Gus couldn't stop raving about it! I used red curry paste instead of Masaman and I completely forgot to put in the lemongrass! It was still delicious - with just enough hot kick to make you go back for another mouthful! He declared it even better for leftover lunch the next day!
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Late afternoon cup of Chai and a cookie...
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On Thursday night, on SBS, we enjoyed a new cooking show - Two Greedy Italians. Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo showcase Italy, it's people and it's food as only they can. They are old best friends and very funny together. It's a beautifully produced show, it will be our favourite for weeks to come. Here's the SBS site where you can either view the episodes or just preview the show. I am refraining from watching on line - I want to savour it on Thursday nights, relaxing with a wine. Luke Nguyen and Hesten Blumenthal are also on so it's a good line up from 7.30pm onwards (plus 24 hours in A&E is on too)!
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Tomorrow for lunch, I will attempt a recipe from Two Greedy Italians - Mamma Contaldo's Ricotta Dumplings (in a tomato basil sauce) which the old guys cooked in Episode 1.
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Gus is cooking chicken kebabs tonight then tomorrow night for dinner he is making Thai Green Prawn Curry - oh, I cannot wait! Pictures to follow...
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Cheers - Joolz

Bed revamp...

Our last quilt cover and set of pillows and cushions was over 2 and a bit years old and I have always found the cover to be very heavy, which drags at my feet. When I was in Adelaide earlier this week, I took the chance to go to Bed, Bath & Table. I had spied a nice cover when I was there last time. They still had it in a King size so I bought it and 2 matching Euro cushions and 2 pillowcases ...
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The girl who sold me the set said she changes her quilt set every season! What - 4 times a year! Good Lord!
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It is a nice cotton sateen fabric which shouldn't crease to much and it suits our bedroom perfectly. Even Gus likes it!
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It's been a big week so I can hardly wait to crawl in here tonight...
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Cheers - Joolz

Graduation 2012

Kirby had her Graduation on Tuesday and received a Bachelor of Marketing (Management) ...
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It was held at the Festival Theatre in Adelaide... here we are all seated behind the grads waiting for the ceremony to begin.
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The red object is a huge pipe organ - when the man played it, it sounded more like a funeral march than a celebration...
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The academic procession, Council and offical parties...
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Kirby receiving her parchment - she was too quick for me!

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Looks like she is bolting off stage!
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Kirby with her friends, Hana and Vanessa - friends since day 1 of Uni...

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Kirby and her framed parchment...
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Our beautiful girls...
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Bri tries the mortarboard on for size... 3 more years, baby!
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Family piccy...
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Kirby with her Nana Mac...
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Out for a celebratory dinner at Rigoni's
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Rigoni's - seriously good Italian cuisine...

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We are so very proud of Kirby's achievement. She is happy and enjoying her job as a Media Planner.
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Cheers - Joolz

U Wok, Gus!

Brianna knocked up a pavlova for a celebratory dessert last night...
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It was good!
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Cheers - Joolz