Wine Glorious wine...♥♥♥

Now...I like wine....but Let me Clarify that.  It must be good wine.  None of that cheap garbage that you pour from a cardboard box.
It has to be good quality and taste good with less preservative as possable.  That way you wake up feelimg much better and you dont get that icky feeling afterwards.  Of course all good things come in moderation, and enjoyed with good food.

The reason for this Post is that my hubby had to go out tonight to see a friend so I cooked a delish dinner, put the kids to bed and cracked open a botle of red....mmmmm, and 2 glasses later here I am writing this Blog...LOL.  No I must say, I never over drink....I just enjoy. 
All Im missing is my girlfriends...next time i will invite them LOL.

I NEED MY OVEN...RANT !!!

I have been so inspired over the last few days to get back to baking and cooking...as I love it so, so much however halfway through December 2009 my oven (my 6 month old oven, mind you) decided to just simply stop working.  I thought all would be sorted by now, but 3 months on...we're still waiting *sigh*...I have been dying to cook some yummies for the kids lunches and yummy afternoon teas for hubby,New recipes are piling up in my cuboard for delishous dinners but....Im still waiting. 

Without going into it, I have had never ending dramas from the manfacturer. After a loooooong, drawn out saga...with all fingers, toes and knees crossed, a branspankn' new oven should be here in two weeks.

WOOPWOOP!! lets see if they actually carry out on their word *sigh* 

 I need to Bake, I really do!

The Natural High!

WOW!  What a great start to the day I had.  After having my poached eggs on spelt and coffe for breakfast then rushing my rug rats out the door, I decided to hit the gym.  Im not sure if you remember, but a few months back I promised myself to lose weight and start feeling good (physically & emotionally).  Well, I had a slight hitch in the middle but I am glad to say that I am back on track.  I have been eating SOOO good, even Im quite proud of me LOL. 
So, this morning I got my Jogging shoes on headed to the gym and did a 60min fast pase walk on the treadmil doing the aerobic setting.  Up and down hills.  It was great.  It has realy kickstarted my exercise off, and I think Im back!
I am feeling as though I am losing weight....My muffin top is slowly dissapearing WOOHOO!  (still there but slightly).  I will weight myself first thing in the morning to see what I am.

Exercise is a truly amazing thing.
I find Pilates/Body Balance great for calming not only the body but for the mind as well as slowing down my thought process and re-grouping.  I also find from a physical aspect it is great for re-alining the body and keeping flexability...we dont want to all feel like old people do we??  Its keeping my body well oiled.  A wonderful, wonderful class.

Pump is a great class for strength and muscle toning.  I like this class alot as it shapes your body in a fabulouse way. 

Spin class...hate it or love it!  I Love it.  I used to hate it LOL.  NOT FOR THE FEINT HEARTED!  After sticking it out and getting over my initial UGH!  I could see I was starting to build up a stamina for it.  My physical/emotional strengths are defintly pushed to the limits in this class and I often yell, scream and almost pass out...but it is fantastic.  After all, whats 45 mins out of my day?  At the end of it all, I feel fantastic, I look a little better (well...I tell myself that anyway heehee)  and it assist in losing those few extra kg's.

Then there is doing your own thing...which was what I did today.  Usually when I do this I Do 30 mins hard on the treadmill then 20mins doing pin weights and 10-15 mins stretching and sits ups etc.

I love working out.  Some days I hate it as I find it sooo hard getting the motivation and mind behind it.  Especially if I am having a bad day, feeling tired, emotionally drained or just plain lazy.
When I kick my butt into gear and go, I ALWAYS feel better for doing it.  It lifts my spirits and is a fantastic mood booster.  It has helped amazingly with my depression.
Exercise mixed with healthy eating is a fantastic recipe for good health!

Julie & Julia...The inspiration...

Has anyone seen this movie??

Now...before I start todays post...let me just begin with apologies for not writing sooner.  Ive had a crazy crazy busy few weeks with Miss Mimi starting year two and Mr T starting his first day of Prep (a blog for another day :-D ) Also, I have had my sick mum staying with us which has been...well, exhausting.  ( but I love her to death).

So, now life is starting to settle down a little after all this and the school holidays.  I also have the dreaded "time of the month" this week and I am feeling drained, emotional, sore, exhausted and tired.  Today I decided as it is a rainey ol' day to get a few 'chic flicks', lock the front door, light my 'Ecoya French Pear' candle and have a much needed 'me' day.

SO...that brings me back to the movie 'Julie and Julia'.  Again, I ask 'has anyone seen this?'   All I can say is I AM VERY INSPIRED!  For two reasons...

1. It has got me all excited about Blogging again...it was so fun listening to all her blogging. I think what Julia did is somthing that would be very fun.  For those of you who havnt seen the movie Julia decides to write a blog using Julie child's cookbook as her inspiration. 
What I love about this is that Julia did what she loved...writing!... mixed with her other love cooking.  Combining her two loves actually made her happy and got her what she wanted in life.  So inspiring.  The key is...do what you want, enjoy what you do.♥

and 2. I LOVE COOKING!!! I LOVE COOKING!!! I LOVE COOKING!!!!

I want to cook, take cooking lessons, cook up a storm...cook, cook, cook!  I love it.

I know this movie is a girly chic flick but it was such a fun little inspiring movie.

Before this movie I didnt relise that Julie Child was a real cook ( I know...Im still learning LOL) and she has real cookbooks.  Her food sounds a little fattening and heart attack material (appently she likes butter...lots of butter) but it would be fun to use her recipes for a dinner party etc.
On the flip side, when i hear about Julia's blogging, sometimes I feel like she did when she says "does anyone listen?" and " sometimes it feels like your just writing to a big black hole" but regardless, we keep doing it.  It is a challenge and gives yourself somthing to plan and give yourself small short trm goals.  I know Im not exactly going what Julia did but it is food for thought (excuse the pun LOL).
Watching this movie made me relise my love for food...not just any food...good, well prepared food.  I love venturing to markets and picking out massave bunches of herbs, looking trough bakeries for different and unique types of breads, going to deli's and picking out stuffed Olives, roasted capsicums and marinated ocopus...as well as the unique european meats that are so lovingly prepared. picking out fresh handmade organic chocolate.   Mixing together fresh vine ripened tomatos that were grown in my back yard with olive oils and garlic and somehow adding all these things together and creating a tastey, delishous and filling, nutritious meal.(oh, and dont forget the wine ♥ LOL)  OOOOH man, I feel like cooking......Food made right, and in the right portions should be enjoyed!

Honestly, I can reccomend this movie to anyone as it is a happy movie.  I love the 1940-50's french feel it has!...if you havnt seen it, you gotta!!

My tasty BBQ Pies!

On Thursday we had some very special friends for lunch.  Seeing the weather has been rather warm here of late I decided to make some very tasty little pies.
I made 2 lots.  One~Sundried tomato, Pumpkin & fetta and Second~Egg & Bacon.  I served them with a loverly garden salad & a smidge of Balsamic Vinegar.
This is how I did them...
Shortcrust pastry (cut into squares)
Market Fresh Butternut Pumpkin (cut into tiny squares)
half a cup of sundried tomatos
Fresh Fetta cheese (also cut into small squares)
5 free range eggs (beaten)

I placed the pastry on top of kitchen paper and used that as lining.  I placed them into mufin trays and realy pushed them into the bottom so they have the same shape as the muffin tin when they come out.

I them placed all of the rest of the food into the pastry cups then poured the egg over the top.


For the Bacon and egg ones I baiscally did the same thing except used differeing ingredients...

Hormone free/Low fat bacon...(or you can simply use lean ham and shread it)
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Garlic chives~ chopped.
5 free range eggs~beaten.

Again just place into the pastry cups and cover with the egg.  Once cooked remove the paper and serve with a drizzle of Balsamic.
Now, normally I would cook in a moderate oven for about 20-30 mins.  However, our oven is 'out of order' at the moment.
At first I panicked, I thought "Oh no...what to do!!" I even was about to drive to my sisters to use her oven.  Instead I thought, Hmmm, I often cook Pizzas and "bake" roast meat in our hooded BBQ so I wonder if I could "bake" mini pies.  I put 2 in as a trial, and I was totaly amazed at the result...they were perfect.  I must admit they were a little dark on the bottom so with the next lot I place a cake tin unter the muffin try to raise it off the hot plate...It worked a treat.
Im so happy with my discovery.  I might try a few other things.  Now I know if Im ever stuck, My trusty ol' BBQ will save me.

My yummy little Pies on my trusty BBQ.

Cardboard houses and coconuts.

As you can see, My kids have been busy over the school holidays.  Our toilet decided to need replacing a couple of weeks agoo and the new toilet came in a great big box...before the new toilet was even out of it, the kids were keen to get into it, as kids do.

This is my lil man getting into the painting for his new 'house'...

Miss Mimi too..they had a ball....

Seriously, who needs money and expensive toys...this beats anything.  We even cut doors and windows into it and they ended up finding another box for the garage and outdoor area (bbq etc)...now my kids know how to live LOL.

I also have to add, the other day when I dashed into the supermarket, my kids eyes caught site of the hairy coconuts.  They've never had fresh coconut before so Im all for fresh food new experiences.  They were cheap so I popped one into the trolly.  When we got home, Daddy drilled two holes into the top for the milk to pour out...we poured it into a glass, Next he cracked open the whole coconut  and they got to drink the milk out of it like a cup....Hmmmm, I must say (and didnt admit this to the kids LOL) but I wasnt too fussed on the fresh coconut milk...soooooo sweeeeet.
The kids didnt mind it and drank it all up.  Next the flesh of the coconut was cut off they they ate that.
They enjoyed it.  Im not sure they're in a rush for me to buy it again, but it was fun trying somthing new!

Im so, so lucky ♥

My hubby and I recently had the opportunity to have a night alone, thanks to my wonderful sister and her husband...wow!  It was nice.  We went to our favourite restuarant "Mario's" at Broadbeach....mmmmmm, I can smell the food as I type.  coupled with a bottle of red and a barefoot walk on the beach after dinner, all was just perfect. 
I just adore My husband and I have to just say that he truly is the most wonderful husband in the universe...well, at least I think so anyway. LOL. 
Yummy dinner and sea air go hand in hand with us...I love it.

Yes...we stopped and lied in the sand...heels and all!  LOL..