What a weekend! Hot rods, rides, fireworks and lots of family fun!

We really like to make the most of our weekends. With Mr P away so much, the family time is really important to maintain a close knit family. This weekend was as jam packed as we could make it!

We went to a yearly event, Rockin Rodz. We love going & the girls have a blast, Mr P gets to look at cars {I do too!} & we get to do it together!

{a couple of crazies playing dress ups in the photo booth!}

{I don’t know what I like more, the awesome colours or the cars?}

{$2 rides so there was no stopping Georgia!}

{listening to some classic rock ‘n’ roll}

Do you like to jam pack your weekends?

Guess who’s cooking! Redcliffe Style

Today on the blog, I am super excited to have the fabulous Rachel from Redcliffe Style cooking for us!

Rachel is one of my blogger friends. She is super stylish, super awesome & she writes a fantastic blog. I love how she can make a super healthy recipe so yummy!

Don’t believe me…see for yourself!

Take it away Rachel!

The easiest, tastiest and healthiest soup. This is so good it has even made it onto husband's list of favourites, and he was raised on a cattle station. This takes me 5 minutes prep, 10min cooking, then leave simmering for 45 mins while stirring occasionally.

Vegetable and lentil Soup

Ingredients

Vegetables anything and everything, whatever you have in the fridge.

This time I used...

3 carrots

2 zucchinis

2 celery stalks

1 Leak

1 (massive) potato

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

Plus...

Vegetable stock 2/3 cups

1 can of tomatoes

2 cups of red lentils

fresh basil

fresh parsley

olive oil

salt

pepper

parmesan

plus water if you need to reduce the thickness

Heat up the olive oil and then fry the finely chop the onion and garlic (and leek if you are using it)...

chop up any other vegetables and add them to the onion and garlic...

Stir and after a few minutes, add the can of tomatoes and stock... 

then add two cups of rinsed lentils...

bubble, bubble, bubble...

Put a lid on and leave...but watch and stir occasionally for approximately 45 minutes. Then add a generous handful of basil. I also threw in some parsley just because I had it.

Season to taste with salt and pepper

Garnish with parmesan and maybe add a slice of chewy bread and a glass of red.

 

PS: This is a thick and hearty soup. On the second day I often serve it over mash potatoes and with a steak for the meat eaters.

Don’t forget to stop by Rachel’s blog

Redcliffe Style

and check out her super cool blog!

Guess who’s cooking? Stay at home Mum!

Today I am kicking off a new feature

The very first guest is the fabulous Jody from

Stay At Home Mum

She is sharing one of the most popular recipes form her blog

Tim Tam Balls

If you have not heard of Stay at Home Mum, then make sure you go & check out this fabulous blog! There is some fantastic hints & tips on how to be a Stay At Home Mum while managing to survive & thrive on one wage.

Ok, now contain yourself. I know how much you all loved the Cookies & cream truffles (now known as Oreo balls), so here is Tim Tam Balls

Here goes,

• 2 packets of Tim Tams-I used two flavours -White and Dark Rum and Raisin
• 250 grams Philly Cream Cheese, softened
• Shredded coconut

In a blender (I have also used mortar and pestle) blend Tim Tams (one flavour only) then add 1/2 tub Philly for each packet of biscuits and mix together. Roll into balls then roll in coconut
Can be served straight away or popped in fridge to harden slightly

Recipe Tips and Hints:

• Tim Tam Balls can be frozen.  Layer in baking paper and seal in an air tight container for up to four weeks.
• Other flavours that work include Dark Choc Mint, White Chocolate with dried cranberries and crushed pistachios, Turkish Delight (use the Turkish Delight flavoured Tim Tams).

For more budget friendly recipes, hints & tips…… head on over to Stay At Home Mum.

Read more http://www.stayathomemum.net.au/recipes/biscuits-clices/tim-tam-balls/

Screen printing

For Christmas last year, Mr P brought me a screen printing kit. How did he know that would be the perfect gift for me? Well, I did take him shopping for it! It has been on my to do list for a long time. The last time that I screen printed was in high school & I loved it! I have been dreaming of doing it again ever since.

I now have!

I don’t know why it took me nearly half a year to open the box. I think maybe my fear of failure stopped me. I didn’t want anything to go wrong. So I chose a basic design that was not only easy to print but also easy to design & draw.

Yay! I did it!

Now, it is not perfect but I love it!

It was so easy & now I am hooked again!

I am going to make a cushion cover out of this print.

I have so many more designs that I am itching to try & next week I think will be screen printing week! I will remember to put more paint on the screen for my next attempt.  I can already see a line of printed shopping bags hanging on my bag rack by the front door!

Linking up here

Lets go fly a kite!

On Sunday, we went to the annual Redcliffe Kite Festival. We go to this fabulous event every year.

The super sized kites are amazing!

The girls {and myself!} love the food!

The rides are the girls favourite thing to do!

I have some exciting things in store for my blog & all of the fabulous followers of this blog. The photo’s in this post have been digitally scrapbooked using My Memories Suite Digital scrapbook software. It is a fabulous program that can be found HERE. I have been lucky enough to have been given a special code that is just for my blog readers so that you can receive $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!

The code that you use is

                          STMMMS53960

It really is a fantastic program & you download it straight to your computer so no waiting for it to be posted!

Later this week I will show you a little more on what you can do with this fabulous program & will even be giving one lucky reader the chance to win this scrapbooking software!

That is right!

You could have the chance to win this awesome prize!

If you are anything like me, you have a million & one photo’s on your computer, phone, camera, memory card & on countless USB sticks. Here is you chance to be able to get those pics looking fantastic & ready view. You can share them via email, on your digital photo frame, screensaver, print them to make your own photo book, view them on your iPod, make a movie to send to family & friend’s….the list is endless!

Pan fried fish with aioli and a simple salad with herb dressing

My last recipe in the Gourmet Garden blog off/ cook off is a very fast & easy to make dinner.

Pan fried fish with aioli & a simple salad with herb dressing.

To start with, you need to make the aioli.

You will need

1 teaspoon of Gourmet Garden Garlic

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard

2/3 cup of olive oil

In a food processor, blend garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice & Dijon mustard to form a paste.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the motor is running.

Put it in the fridge while you make the rest of the dinner.

Make a simple salad using whatever is in your fridge. I used lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, carrot & Dutch Gouda cheese.

Make a simple dressing using

1/3 cup of olive oil

1 teaspoon of Gourmet garden Basil

I teaspoon of Gourmet Garden Coriander

1/2 teaspoon of Gourmet Garden Thyme

Mix well.

Pour it over the salad & coat all the ingredients with the dressing.

Then comes the fish.

I used Dory for this recipe.

In a container, coat the fish fillet with plain flour.

Cook in a pan on a medium to high heat with a little flavoured butter & olive oil.

Cook for 1 minute on each side.

Serve on a plate with the salad & aioli.

Crunchy coated prawns with Thai dipping sauce

My next recipe in the Gourmet Garden blog off/cook off would have do be my fave!

It is Crunch Coated Prawns with Thai Dipping Sauce

It is the dipping sauce that really makes this dish so delicious!

And it is the

 

Gourmet Garden Thai Seasoning

that makes this quick & easy.

You need

500g of green prawns

I cup of bread crumbs (make your own, they taste better!)

1 egg

a little milk

2 teaspoons of Gourmet Garden Thai Seasoning

juice of 1 large lime (around 1/3 of a cup)

2 teaspoons of brown sugar

2 teaspoons of fish sauce

Make the dipping sauce by mixing the Thai seasoning, lime, brown sugar & fish sauce. Set aside.

Now on to the prawns.

First, take the shells of the prawns & make the bread crumbs (blitz in a food processor)

Make an egg wash with the egg & milk. Set up a production line.

Prawns, egg wash, bread crumbs & a plate to put the prawns on.

Dip the prawns into the egg was, then the bread crumbs & place them on the plate.

Cook in a fry pan on medium to high heat in about 1/2cm of olive oil.

Cook for 1 minute on each side or until crispy & golden

Drain on a paper towel then  serve with the dipping sauce.

This is a quick, easy & very tasty dish. You could serve this as an entree or a main. I must confess that no one else in my house eats seafood so I had the pleasure of eating this all to myself!

Add a “zing” to your vegies!

We eat a lot of green vegies in our household. The girls love them. Yes, my girls really do love them. Georgia even eats fresh beans straight from the fridge. I love my greens too but sometimes I want to give them that little something extra.

Here is a way to give your vegies a zing!

Thai butter!

All you need is

Gourmet Gardens Thai Seasoning

& some margarine.

Mix 1/4 cup of margarine with 1 teaspoon of Thai Seasoning

Cook your greens. You can steam them or boil them. I par boiled mine tonight.

Drain the water off.

To your vegies (still in the saucepan) add a teaspoon of flavoured butter for each serving.

Cook over a medium heat for 1 minute. Shake the pan or stir the vegies as they are cooking.

Serve.

This are so delicious!