How low can we go?

June has so far been an interesting month money-wise (for lack of it that is). After Mike broke his hand, he was unable to work for a few weeks and then when he did go back, he could mow, but not weed-eat. ACC had stopped and so we had no other choice than to try and continue however we could. Mike's brother helped us out tremendously, but when he was also unable to help any further, we had to employ someone to come in and that meant Mike's wages were cut by 75%. Ouch!

So, once all bank accounts were depleted and we still had bills to pay and had already borrowed some money, I decided it was time to play 'how low can we go' - on groceries that is. In those few weeks, I got very creative. A lot of my recent baking was the product of using what I had in the fridge that needed to be used up, as well as using what else I could find in the pantry. When we had no bread, the kids had the corn muffins I made and even a day of cheese and crackers. They enjoyed the desserts I cooked up as well, especially on the nights that dinner was kind of interesting!! We had shepherds pie with pumpkin as a topping when I had run out of potato. I found a packet of Kings soup mix and threw in all sorts of other vegetables and made a nice thick soup (no bacon bones like it would normally have, but it was still good). One night we had toasted sandwiches for dinner, which come to think of it must have been the night before we ran out of bread for school lunches (poor planning there).

I used up loads of the canned food I normally keep in stock, which was good as I got to rotate in new stock when I finally did go shopping, which is something I often forget to do week to week.

It was amazing how long we were able to stretch what was left in the fridge/pantry before finally going shopping 3 weeks later than our usual shop (although we did end up getting some milk, fruit and bread in between). I know Wendy has done the $21 challenge before and this was kind of similar. I found out that it's good for loads of reasons to do this every now and then, including - you spend less, rotate stock and get real creative about meals. I made good use of my Destitute Gourmet cookbooks during this time, that's for sure! So I have now decided to try and move my shop by a day or two each time - ie stretch my usual fortnightly shop to say every 16 days. That's 4 less shops a year already and although I put my shopping off for 3 weeks, when I finally went and did it, the difference was only about $25 dollars more than usual, so totally worth giving it a go.

So how low we can go - apparently very, very low!

Investigating the roof

Mike had said for a while he thought he would get up in the ceiling and check our roof and insulation before winter set in. To him, it was just another chore to do. To Jayden, it was an exciting opportunity to go somewhere he'd never been before. He kept bugging Mike "When are we going up in the roof", "Shall we go up in the roof today", "Today might be a good day to check the roof dad" and on it went. Finally this past weekend (when I was busy getting a few of my own chores done), he cleared out our wardrobe (where the ceiling hatch is located), got the ladder and up they went. Jayden was so excited.

It's funny how you can so easily forgot the childhood excitement of the unknown you used to have, until you see it in your kids, for often the most mundane of reasons, like checking the roof!

He thinks it wood be a good place to store things (I agree), or perhaps have a play hut (I do not agree)! He will however be allowed to go up again next time Mike does - if the novelty hasn't worn off by then.

Time to go

In my seemingly never ending pursuit of de-cluttering the house, I have always seemed to put off getting rid of a few things. These things aren't of any great value, are certainly not of any use to us anymore and I should have gotten rid of some of them a long, long time ago, but somehow they always ended up getting missed in each round of Trademe listings, or items sent off to the fair, or the Op shop or simply given away.

Today I sat and started writing my "To Do" list, or 'Guilt' list as some call it, trying to make a start on tasks I either put off, or forget. These items made it to the list. Then it was there in black and white and I had to face the fact the whilst I had not really made any conscious decision to keep these items, they had hung around for way too long and I suddenly realised that these items represented the last of the pre-school items in our house (apart from a Shape-O which i intend to keep in the toy box for visiting babies). My children have grown up, are well past that stage and whilst I have no desire to go back to that stage, these items produced fond memories every time I saw them. I guess it can be hard letting go.

Two of the puzzles were bought for Taryn and so have been in our home for nearly 13

years! The other items were bought for Jayden.

I am proud to say they are now on trademe and will hopefully soon find a new home, with a new child/ren to love them. There are a couple of other items that will soon be joining them, but this time, I know they will go straight onto trademe or into the car to the Op shop, rather than get tucked away for another day. It really is time for them to go!

Now if I could just do the same for all the other stuff that needs to be sorted. Oh well baby steps (no pun intended).

Bread and Butter Pudding

Every week, my Dad drops off some bread to us (excess from a friendly baker) and this Friday just gone, he dropped off 3 loaves. With no room in the freezer (which is full due to ice build up, not unfortunately an excess of food), I decided a nice bread and butter pudding would be good for a cool winter Sunday night. I was right - it was good, with a small serve of ice-cream on the side slowly melting. Yum!

They are so easy to make. I don't have an exact recipe, as I just do it by feel, but as a guide, this one was made in a small casserole type dish and took about 10 slices of bread - buttered on 1 side. First lot laid down butter down and out across the bottom and 3/4 way up the sides of dish. Then layer with a scattering of sultanas in between until you are about 3/4 way up and have met the outside pieces. In a bowl, mix 4 eggs with 1/3 cup sugar, about 3 cups of milk and and little mixed spice or cinnamon. Pour over the mixture. Use a sharp knife to poke holes into the mix to allow the liquid to soak in fully. Sprinkle the top with some coffee crystals or raw sugar. Bake in oven about 180oC for about 45 mins, or until top is golden and has risen out of dish. Serve hot with cream or ice cream.

Chocolate Lovers Dream Dessert

Oh my goodness, this was so divine and I'm truly not saying that just cause I made it. This is a chocolate tart. So easy to make, I couldn't believe it. We even let the kids stay up and extra half hour to try a tiny slither of it tonight, even though normally pudding/dessert is only a weekend thing (and even then not both nights).

Anyway, if you want to make this you will need:

Pre-baked pie crust. I used sweet shorty pre-rolled pastry in a large flan dish, baked at 180oC for around 20 mins (basically until golden brown) - then allow to cool as it needs to be cool before the filling goes in.

Filling

1 pot thickened cream (300mls)

2 level tbspns caster sugar

tiny pinch of salt

115gm butter (softened)

430 gms dark chocolate

100mls milk

Pop the cream, salt and sugar into a pan and heat till boiling, stir to keep smooth. As soon as it is boiling, remove from heat and stir in butter and chocolate. Kept stirring and stirring until they have melted into the cream and the mixture has a smooth consistency. Slowly pour in the milk and mix well till smooth. If it separates at all (mine didn't but just in case), let it cool for another 5 minutes and stir in a little extra milk till smooth again. Once you have a smooth mixture, pour into the pre-baked pie crust and allow to set at room temperature, about 1-2 hours (or if you are impatient like me, in the freezer for a a few minutes to speed the process so the kids could have a taste).

Way yum and totally worth giving it a go. If you like chocolate, you wont be disappointed.

Mini Savoury Muffins

A couple of weeks ago, I did some baking for the PSG at school - mini cheese and corn muffins. They were quite nice, but in my opinion lacking in real savoury taste, so I changed up the recipe, added a few extra items and tried again. Super yum!

Easy to make and 1 batch makes 24 mini muffins (with fat rounded tops), which divides nicely into 4 each for a school lunch. Here's my altered recipe:

50gms melted butter

1 egg

1/2 cup creamed corn

1/2 cup grated cheese + 2 tblspn fine grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup sour cream (or 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup milk mixed)

1/4 cup sugar (real scant 1/4 cup, I use slightly less now)

1/4 tspn salt

1 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal (if you don't have cornmeal, you can just use another 1/2 cup flour. Won't taste quite as good, but still ok)

3 tspns baking powder

1 onion finely dices

1/2 capsicum finely diced

optional - finely diced pieces of ham/bacon

good pinch of paprika

Melt butter, add egg and sour cream and mix well. Add corn, onion and capsicum and stir through. Sprinkle over sugar and salt, add cheese and stir through (do not over mix)

Add cornmeal, flour and baking powder and paprika and stir to combine. Divide mixture into 24 greased mini muffin pan holes and bake 210oC for 15-20 mins, until golden brown on top.

Remove from oven and sit for 2 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool. They are nicest straight out of the oven whilst still warm, especially with a little mango chutney or similar, but still nice cold. Easily reheated in the microwave for a few second too, for a quick and satisfying afternoon snack. The kids love them.

Stalemate at checkers?

I was playing Taryn at checkers the other day and suddenly we reached a point where neither of us could move. I don't know how it happened and I've never seen it happen before, but it was certainly a unusual situation. I asked Mike. In disbelief he had to come look and couldn't figure it out either. So we called it a draw. Anyone ever had this happen to them?

Mum and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary

It seems today that not too many people make it to their Golden anniversary. So when Mum and Dad's anniversary started looming nearly a year ago, my sister Jo contacted us all and got the ball rolling on having a party for them. Jo and I did quite a bit of preparation work (shopping, cooking etc) and then more cooking on the night, so I didn't get out and take as many pictures as I would have liked, but here are a few from the night.

Firstly the cake. It is a solid fruit cake - one made from fruit I had soaking in rum, brandy, sherry and Marsala wine for nearly 2 years. It is mum's recipe and one I have baked each Christmas for the past 4-5 years now. It was so moist (despite dreaming it crumbled when they cut it - I guess not all my dreams come true thankfully). Jo made the gorgeous bow and gold hearts, then I iced the cake with fondant, she put all the decorations in place, then I piped around the bottom. Good combined effort and mum was really pleased with it (which was great, because she is a cake decorator and did all our wedding cakes, kids baptism cakes etc).

Next myself and my two sisters - Michelle (Mitch) in the middle and Jo on the right. Then a photo of my brother Brian (Bri or simply B, holding my gorgeous wee nephew Connor), as he was giving a lovely speech to Mum and Dad. He spoke about what wonderful parents they had been (and they really had and still are) and how they showered us with love and always had their hearts and the front door opens, no matter how many times some of us left and then went back home for a spell. he also spoke of how they helped us to follow the right paths (and I added in - "yeah and sometimes pull us back from the wrong ones"). It was a really lovely speech. Next is a photo of another nephew Matthew, who raised a toast to Nan and Pop. finally Mum and Dad cutting their cake. Damn it was good.

A good night all round. Congratulations Mum and Dad on your 50th Wedding Anniversary!

Sweet Treats from Home

Mum brought me back some real Bajan Tamarind balls from Barbados a couple of weeks ago. I love them. You can get some Thailand made ones here in some of the little international shops and they certainly can tide you over, but they will never compare to the real things from Barbados. Yum, yum, yum! What a sweet treat - and just like that show on TV "Destroyed in Seconds! lol.

Gorgeous Baby, Gorgeous Young family

I can't help myself when Vienna is around, I just have to snap a couple of shots of her - she's just so darn cute. She looked absolutely gorgeous in the knitted cape Ashley's mum had made for her.

At Friday crop a couple of weeks back, the whole family came. We enjoyed cuddles with Vienna and Ashley finished his ceramic frog he started when he was living with us and then restrung his guitar and played some tunes for us ladies. He's amazing to watch and we really enjoyed the music. I even turned the ipod off so he could keep playing for us.

It wasn't until I was uploading the snap shots I'd taken on the night that I found this one of the whole family, just before they left. They were talking to Glenna (or possibly Tania, or perhaps both of them). They are such a gorgeous young family. I love them dearly and will miss them terribly when the move, but have a feeling I will get to see them more than I first expected and I'll be looking forward to each visit!

Autographs

My mum and Dad recently went back home to Barbados for a months holiday. My Dad has always been cricket mad and growing up in Barbados, knew some of the past West Indian players. In particular, his best friend from his school boy years was Sir Garfield (Garry) Sobers. I asked Dad before he left if there was any chance he would see Garry and if so, could he ask him for an autograph for Taryn, who is also a little cricket mad and did exceptionally well in her first year of cricket, coming home from prizegiving with 5 certificates and an U12 Silver Cup for fielding.

Dad went one better. He attended a party with some his old friends and a group of international cricketers who were in Barbados for the World Twenty 20. He got several autographs from players of different countries, including of course Garry Sobers. The first photo is of Taryn going through the wee autograph/note book and seeing all the signatures. She was blown away.

We let that all sink in for a while and let her enjoy the other gifts Mum and Dad had brought back for her (including the other item she is holding in her hand - chocolate and candy covered sunflowers seeds - real yum!).

Mum and Dad had also been to Garry's home for dinner one evening, at which point Garry had presented Dad with one of his books for Taryn. We gave it to her the following morning. She was really taken with it and eagerly read the back cover (second photo). She couldn't believe Garry had sent it for her. Then we told her to read the first couple of pages, at which point she discovered the personalised autograph to her from Garry. It really made her day. Thanks Garry and thanks Dad. One very happy wee cricket mad young lady in this house now.

Jayden's Presents

Jayden got some really nice presents for his birthday. He got a PS3 multi game disc, ice sculpture kit, new PJ's, clothes, books, Ben 10 shirt, a watch, money and more. he really liked them all, but best you couldn't have guessed what his favourite present was. A fly zapper!!!

He has always loved taking the fly swap at my mum's house and going out onto the back deck and swatting all the flies. (I think it's right up his ADHD alley) He would do it for well over an hour at a time, probably two if we let him!. When we have been over for a bar-b-que or drinks out the back, mum's never needed to worry about having flies around, as he simply kills them off one by one!

This fly zapper was given to him by my mum and it is a battery one that actually 'zaps' the flies. He can't wait to use it, but being winter, not much call for it at the moment. Can't wait to see him have fun with it come summer.

Dart Board Cake

Jayden started to play dart with Mike a couple of months ago. He's actually getting quite good now! So, for his 9th birthday, he wanted a Dart Board for his cake. Cool, that's easy I thought, but wait - have you tried to divide a circle into 20 evenly spaced wedges? Not as easy as it first sounds. It didn't take me long to come up with a plan though. I went downstairs to the actual dart board and took a rubbing of the metal rims and with that, transferred a light indentation onto the fondant icing then iced the wedges into place and then painted them with a gel food colouring. Jayden was of course quick to point out that I had forgotten one set of the green & red rings, till I advised him I had done that on purpose, as the outer set were hard enough. He was stilled very pleased with the cake though.

Jayden doesn't usually do icing - at all. He will always scrape icing off a cake/muffin etc before eating it. He has however discovered that fondant is different and according to him - really nice (as opposed to butter cream or chocolate frosting), but, by the time he had finished the icing off his slice, he announced he really didn't have time for the cake! LO