Monday, June 25, 2012

Halfway Mark

We've reached the halfway point of N being away, and today happens to be our 13th wedding anniversary (in NZ, it's tomorrow here).  I guess, unlucky for us, given we can't celebrate together this year.

We've had a less hectic week, but still haven't much to show for it!  Some highlights:

* Playgroup at our place this week

* A bunch of skype conversations with family and friends (Thank you all)

* An impromptu playdate with J's friends that ended up with them staying for dinner after splashing in the paddling pool

* Hearing a friend preach at church on Ephesians 4:1-16

* Fun at Kai's 4th birthday party at a spray/splash park. Left my camera on the countertop with our sunscreen, but it was awesome to watch both boys having fun with the fountains of water, and chowing down on watermelon.

* Dessert for one (or two if you're not as greedy as me!)  Here's the recipe and my modifications.

Dangerous Chocolate Cake In-A-Mug (from St Matthews Church Recollections Recipe Book 1961-2011)

Ingredients:
1 coffee mug
4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp milk
Small splash vanilla essence
3 Tbsp chocolate chips (optional)

Method:
Put dry ingredients in the mug and mix well with a fork.  Add egg, mix thoroughly.  Pour in milk, oil and essence, combine then add chips if using.  Put mug microwave and cook for 3 minutes (1000W oven).  Cake will rise over the top of the mug, do not be alarmed.  Allow to cool, then tip out.  This can serve 2 if you want to feel virtuous!

And WHY is it the most dangerous cake inthe world? - because you are now only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake any time of the day or night!

My notes: a bit stodgy for cake so better as pudding eaten right out of the mug.  I have also made a variation (when cocoa was unavailable) substituting orange essence for the vanilla and spooning a couple of tablespoons of caramel sauce/icecream topping over the cooked cake still in the mug.  Yum!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

One Week Down

Well, we are one week into our time with N on a business/family trip to NZ.  We haven't had time to get bored, nor to take any photos.  Here's the lowdown...

*Monday: dropped N at the airport in the late afternoon.  Grouchy C in the car on the way home.  Discovered he had cut his first tooth when I got home.  No biting yet - yippee!

*Tuesday: I volunteered at Vacation Bible School (VBS) at church in the morning.  Cool programme.  Had said I could be thrown in the deep end given my teaching experience and was... led the preschool video viewing, discussion and drama session.  Got a bit sick of acting like a pig by the fourth rotation!  Boys had fun in nursery.  Skyped with Daddy each afternoon since now.

*Wednesday: regular playgroup in the morning.  C cut his second tooth.  Had a friend and her Russian visitor over for dinner.  They brought yummy mini pies from an orchard to sample. :oP

*Thursday: volunteered at VBS again.  Much simpler this time - assisting the Godly Play/ Montessori style scripture reading/drama, switching lights on and off and preparing glow-sticks.

*Friday: VBS final day.  Same session but this time I doled out gummy fruit snack fish - no such thing as chocolate fish or Spratz here!  J inadvertantly (I hope) brought home a 'mighty mixer' with his toy cars today.  Knows it will be returned next time we go to church but is making the most of having it at home!

*Saturday: library visit as usual.  Signed up for the Mayor's Summer Reading Program.  We already read at least 3 hours a week, so no extra effort required for child passes to local attractions and chance for prizes at the end of summer.  Hope to use some of the passes in the coming weeks.  Fort Worth Museum of Science and History was this weeks' pass.  Grumpy afternoon and then both boys had temperatures at bedtime. That's what happens when you're in nursery for half the week!

*Sunday: skipped church because of yucky colds, grotty moods. I am sick of their whining but otherwise fine.

*Monday: getting better, ventured out to the shop for some milk and to the post office.  Bought 'Cars 2' stickers for J.  Big mistake!  Tantrum each time I only give 1 sticker.  Goes to sleep with packet under pillow.

*Tuesday (today): J is croaky but otherwise fine.  C testy but okay on the whole.  Hunter family kindly comes over to babysit with their 2 boys (essentially a playdate where I didn't have to mind anyone).  They bring their lunch, lasagne for our dinner (delicious!), and squash & jalapenos from their garden.  Take boys for a walk while I indulge in a long shower, make bread and start tidying the closet.  What a blessing!  J still sleeping with stickers under pillow.  Off to bed for me soon.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

May Madness

May has been super busy.  Here are some snaps of our happenings.

Mother's Day at the park
 C is sitting...
 and J is feeling snuggly!
 How many toys fit on the truck?...at least 4
 It's warming up - lots of time on the patio now
 J drew a 'picture for Daddy' to celebrate his exam being over... just not on paper!
 Auntie April stayed
 J wasn't in the mood for pictures!
 This is the end of a half hour concert
 Mr Independent
 C can roll almost anywhere... wanna play?
 I finished N's kindle cover...
 ...at last!
 Belated Merry Christmas!
 And N finished building his model car
Whew!  What will June bring?

Monday, June 4, 2012

Berry Nice

The kitchen has been busy here lately, despite the heat.  I got a good deal on some blackberries (12 x 6oz punnets) through our food co-op a fortnight ago and this week I've ordered strawberries.

One punnet was made into blackberry and apple galette based on Sophie Gray's "Free-form fruit galette" (from Destitute Gourmet: Everyday Smart Food for the Family, p. 51).  The pastry is deliciously 'short' and easy... 1 heaped cup flour mixed with 80g butter until crumbly, add enough water (a few tablespoons) to bring it together in a smooth dough.  Rest in fridge 20 mins.  Roll out in rough circle of 35cm and place on baking sheet.

The recipe calls for egg yolk to seal the pastry but I didn't bother.  It is then supposed to be sprinkled with 2 Tbsp of semolina, which I didn't have.  I didn't have quick cooking tapioca either (the US pie-making staple) so I substituted 2 Tbsp of dry baby rice cereal (of which I have plenty at present!) to absorb the fruit juices as the galette cooked and prevent soggy pastry.  Then pile prepared fruit in the centre (about 700g).

Fold up the edges to encase the fruit and sprinkle with sugar, up to 1/3 cup.  Instead of using egg white to glaze the pastry, I dampened the exposed edges with water and sprinkled some sugar there too.


Bake approximately 35 minutes, or until fruit is cooked and pastry golden.  Serve with cream or icecream for a decadent touch. :o)


This one wasn't as spectacular as another galette I baked earlier in May with super-ripe apricots, mangoes and blackberries... odd but delicious combo!  This is a very versatile recipe that can be used with preserved, tinned or fresh fruit in virtually any combination (draining the juice or syrup off, of course).

Two more punnets of blackberries have been frozen for use in future pies, muffins, etc.

The remaining punnets were cooked in two batches of apple and blackberry jam.  The recipe is from a NZ food magazine but I've lost the reference (I think it may have been the inaugural issue of Dish).

Wash and thinly slice 350g of apples, leaving the core in and skin on. (I took out the stalk.)

 Place in a large saucepan with 1 kg of (washed) blackberries and 2 c water.  Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until apples are very soft.
 Remove the fruit with a slotted spoon and blend in a food processor until smooth.
 (Weigh the bowl you are about to use, or reset your scales to zero with the bowl on top.) Place a sieve over a bowl and push the fruit pulp through using the back of a spatula or metal spoon.  You should have about 1/2 c of seeds to discard, or else your sieve may be too fine. (I had way more to discard but I wasn't about to ruin my flour sifter!)
 Strain the cooking liquid over the sieved pulp and whisk together.  Weigh the mixture and add an equal weight of sugar, e.g. 500g of fruit pulp needs 500g sugar.  (See why it was important to weigh the bowl now?)  Put fruit and sugar back into the cleaned saucepan.  Add the juice of 1 lemon.  (I had frozen lime juice so I used about 4 Tbsp.)  Heat gently to dissolve the sugar - important so jam doesn't crystallize and go sugary when stored. (Put a saucer in the fridge to cool.  Sterilize jars.)
 Increase the heat and boil rapidly to setting point (see below), skimming any foam from the top.  (It only means the finished jam is more attractive, but I figure that the apples here are usually waxed so skimming of the froth can't be a bad thing!)
 Pour quickly into sterilized jars and seal.  (I finally found a use for all those baby food jars that are accumulating.)  Seals should 'pop' in when cool.  Store in a cool dry place.  (If seals don't pop, store in fridge and use within 6 weeks.  Makes about 4 cups.
Setting point:  To test for setting point, place a small amount of jam on a chilled saucer.  Gently push it with a spoon (not your finger - this stuff is hot!).  If it wrinkles it is at setting point otherwise, keep boiling.  When setting point is reached this jam sets quickly!
Sterilize jars: put through a hot cycle of the dishwasher.  Or wash in hot, soapy water; rinse well; place on an oven tray on a cold oven; heat to 250*F and leave for 1/2 hour.  Handle with care!