Happy Hens

This is me. The Hen. 

ONE week and I'll be The Bride!

It was a perfect evening. Full of fabulousness.

We drank champaign at a wine bar. I had my makeup trial and it looked really good, and lasted really well. And I totally loved my dress. Did I tell you about it?

I had a picture in my mind of a ballet tutu number - no idea if i could get it or what it would look like but the picture in my head was really cute!

I was going to Spotlight for some ribbon and happened to pass Alanah Hill, who was having a 75% OFF storewide sale! I couldn't pass by without popping in and there I found just what I had been thinking about  - Just like that!

Im picking up my gown today. Exciting.

I cant wait to be the Bride, but most of all I cant wait to be his wife.

Solids already!

 I cant believe we are starting solids already. It has been a slow process, especially considering the kids allergies, I have been very hesitant and boring, two weeks of rice cereal! This coincided with the moment he decided not to sleep anymore and all routines flew out the window!

The clinic nurse thought I was going too slow and needed to be feeding him 2 meals a day!!!!

What the.

Of course after this advice he flat out refused to eat anything at all. So I just decided to ignore her advice and do what I thought ws right for us and stopped completely for a week.

Then I tried some yogurt. mmmm yummy natural yogurt which he started slowly but seems to like. 

Its messy but its yummy!

So we are still taking it slow, but he has quite enjoyed the introduction of rusks too.

He sat and knawed on one while we had dinner last night. 

Everyone was happy.

Swing Time

Look who has a swing.

Look who Loves it.

Its great fun, especially when we love being outside.

Just like the big kids swinging, twisting, back and forth.

Lots of fun in the sun.

Gooey Caramel Muffins (with white chocolate!)

I cant stop.

Caramel, white chocolate, brown sugar, maple syrup, Oh my!

I got this from the February issue of Super Food Ideas, Issue 133. Well actually, I was reading the April issue and in the letters section was a letter sent in thanking them for their muffin spread in the feb issue sparking a new view on muffins and so I was intrigued to get the issue back out and look at it from a new angle and found these muffins.
I find this works for me. Going back over my receipe magazines I often find something new that I hadn't noticed before. Maybe I have a different pair of eyes each time! diferent thoughts? hmm

The receipe said it made 48 but I only made 12?! Thought I must have really gone to town, but afterwards realised it made 48 mini muffins! MINI muffins - that would just make you feel bad when you ate 4 in a row!

You should definately try these muffins
2 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour
1 tablespoon castor sugar
3/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 egg - I just left this out!
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup white choc chips
380g can caramel top n fill
icing sugar to dust

Add dry ingredients all together then add mil, oil and maple syrup and just mix together. Remember to not overmix with muffins. the less mixing the better.
line a 12 hole muffin pan with patty cases.
spoon in some batter, then spoon in some caramel then top with batter.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes in 170 degrees celcius pre heated oven.

I let them sit and cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before transferring to a rack and dusting with icing sugar. Caution when they are hot as the caramel can burn, BUT they are most delicious served warm.
ENJOY

a topper

Our wedding is far from old fashioned, but I cant go past a topper for our cake!

They are just too cute. 

who doesn't love a wedding cake topper.

Our cake is not a traditional white one, no fruit cake and no marzipan, but a little bride and groom atop will finish it off perfectly. 

19 days to go!

Homemade Hot Cross Buns

I have been thinking about making these since last year and I finally did it today. Today was the day.

They were fairly easy too. Easier than what I had built up in my head.

The receipe called for Sultanas but I knew my two munchkins would turn their noses up at the thought and I didnt want to make a batch that would not get eaten (except by me!) So I made an executive decision to substitute with chocolate! So I made Chocolate hot cross buns. 

The cross was actually a little fiddly, but I got there!

They LOVE them. I am so proud. 

I used the receipe out of the commonsense cook book. If you only own one cookbook, that is the one I recommend. I was a total non cook and this was one of my first books I used and I have never stopped using it. I dont always follow the receipes to the letter anymore but it still inspires me.

Chicken lasagna

Ever since the first time I made a vegetarian lasagna, years ago, I have never made a standard simple meat lasagna since. 

This week I threw together some chicken spinach and vegies with the ricotta cheese sauce and it was a lovely mix. The great colours show it must be good for you, along with its great taste.

My little helper helped! There is a process and it can be time consuming. You need to stir the white sauce for awhile but the taste is worth it. The other great thing I find is, I can put any vegies in and the kids will eat it up. love that.

This is my receipe I put together:

roughly 3 chicken thighs chopped up

 1carrot, 2 sticks celery, 1 onion 

handful of mushrooms & capsicum chopped

some mixed herbs and thyme

2 tins of diced tomatoes

tablespoon of brown sugar, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar

cup of spinach leaves

300g ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons of flour

60g butter

2 cups of milk

box of lasagna sheets


In a big pot I brown onion and carrot, add chicken and brown.
then add celery, capsicum and mushrooms, let cook for 5 minutes.
Add herbs, then add tin tomatos, brown sugar, tomato paste and vinegar and stir well, bring to boil then let simmer with lid on for up to 2 hrs. I usally let it go for an hour and a half. And I usually do this in the morning, so its got time to cook, then let it sit till I need it in the afternoon.

To make the white sauce....
Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and whisk over medium heat till turns a caramel colour then gradually add milk whisking constantly as you go. Keep stirring (I swap to a spoon) untill it thickens up and boils. Let it boil for a couple of minutes then turn off the heat and stir in the ricotta.

now...LAYER and LAYER it

I start with lasagna sheets, chicken and veggies mix then spinach, then white sauce, lasagna sheets, chicken veggie mix, more spinach lasagana sheets and topped with white sauce then add grated cheese and grated parmesan
(always make sure there is a sauce against the lasagna sheet to help it cook)

put in preheated 180 degrees C oven for 40 minutes (till all layers are soft when poked with a stick!)

Delicious

A bunch to a Bouquet

After a few florist visits that were not very inspiring I decided to hit yOu tube and found lots of inspiring videos on how to make your own bouquet - of course I could give that a go.

I ordered some florist tape on ebay  - easy so far.

I have been eyeing off some beautiful vintage style roses at a local florist so took the plunge and bought a bunch. 

I snipped the bottoms, stripped the foilage off and sat them in water for a day.

The next day I took the plunge and bunched together and wrapped!

Not a bad effort. And I feel even more confident now, I am going to hit a flower market tomorrow to look at more flowers incase something else captures my fancy.

Only three heads fell off in the making but they were not wasted!

Two days later, and a dance session on they are still looking good.

Movie night

We love movie night. Tonight was Toy Story 3.

Everyone was glued to the screen!

Time Flies

Its already March! So much is happening at the moment.

Time is flying by.

But it is also looking good with our new clock.

Was a lovely gift from my family and something we have wanted for awhile.

Finding a spot for it to live took a few trials but it has found a home above the mantle.