One week ‘til Santa!

Can you believe it? Where did that come from? And who’d have thought it would happen so quickly!

As I do most years, I have been baking some gifts for people. Both family and work colleagues. The first gift was shared over the weekend. A cute little recipe I picked up in the free xmas cooking magazine from Coles. Vodka Cherries.

750g cherries
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup water
1 vanilla bean
1 cinnamon quill
1 cup of vodka

I began by washing and pitting the cherries,

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and sterilising the jars. (You’ll need a 1 litre capacity)

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The usual critics made the usual comments.

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Combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan you stir it over a low heat without boiling until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil.

Add the cherries vanilla bean, and cinnamon quill (I used pure vanilla essence and ground cinnamon – they were in the pantry) and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the vodka.

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You then spoon the cherries into jars and cover with liquid. Seal tightly, and label with the date. They store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

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As per the recipe, these cherries are delicious served with ice cream, and a little of the syrup can be added to champagne for a cocktail.

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We may have used more than a little. But I can attest that it is also delicious in mineral water! They were a complete success at our luncheon table over the weekend! 😀

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I have also for the first time attempted truffles. Balls I can do.

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My dipping technique needs work!

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I think I’ll try these again next year, and just make some more fudge in the mean time!

To my readers, both the recent and those who have been with me from the start, I’d like to thank you all from the bottom of the cockles of my heart, and if I don’t speak to you in the mean time, have a safe, happy, and wonderful giftmas. May your stockings be full, your relatives be kind, and may Santa be generous!

Summer time …

… and the living is easy … !

We bought a new BBQ!

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Except that according to Webber it’s a Baby Q. Feeds six people though!

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So what do you do with such a thing, but invite people over!

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I can’t wait to do more of this simple fuss free relaxing entertaining this season!

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Cupcakes!

I may have gotten a new and shiny toy.

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I may have found some very cute papers in a nearby shop.

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It may have been someone’s birthday.

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I may have decided to put all these things together!

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More photos?

It seems odd to say it, but as much as I wanted to do a whole second post with pictures from the last Jurassic Lounge when I went back over them, they didn’t excite me.

Well, this one did. His names is Oscar.

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And maybe this one. I love the colour!

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And well … this is amusing. Museum staff obviously have a sense of humour!

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PUKECKO! (and echidna butt)

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So instead of posting more pictures from that night, I thought I’d just show you how I re-engineered that fudge recipe to be white chocolate and cranberries.

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Basically I did everything the same, but substituted white chocolate for dark, and switched out the coffee for a handful of chopped up dried cranberries. Looks good, tastes like it needed to be cooked a little longer.

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I think this is my new go-to/all-purpose fudge recipe! It’s so easily modifiable!

Also, have some proof that I do learn from my mistakes!

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Perfection!

Fudge and Frittatas

I got it into my head to cook something new and exciting the other night. I made fudge first because … I felt like it. I used this espresso fudge recipe because it looked fairly fool proof.

It was. So much so that I managed to forget to take any photos of me making it.

Finished, it looks like this

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and it tastes delicious!

I had also been staring at this spinach bacon and brie mini frittata recipe for a few days and thought it would be a delicious addition to my work day lunch box. Full of protein to get me through the afternoon.

So I gathered together my ingredients

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Chopped everything up

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And began putting it together

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I was impressed with just how quickly and simply it all went together! Though those of you with much experience cooking will spot my fatal flaw in this picture.

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Once cooked, they looked and tasted delicious! I have plans to make them in future substituting the bacon for smoked salmon, which I think will also work remarkably well.

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So did you spot my flaw?

That’s right. Baking powder. Baking powder was my undoing. You see (for those that don’t know), I filled each compartment to the top and had 3 empty. But baking powder makes things rise.

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Yes. I spent the next day cleaning the oven.

Rookie mistake *shakes head*