Cook Up With Vicki No 3...and a new Book!!!

I'm so pleased to be able to do these Cook-Ups with Vicki...

but no sooner have I done one and then the next Donna Hay magazine comes out!!!

It's the time of year I think when things scream along and then all of a sudden it's December!!!

From the August/September issue I have chosen...

Lemon, Thyme and White Wine Chicken...yummy!!!

For any of you reading who are not familiar with our Cook-Ups...

each issue Vicki and I choose a recipe, cook it and blog it!!!

Easy...anyone out there who would like to participate with us...

just do what we are doing...

choose a recipe from the current mag and blog it...

and then tell us all about it!!!

First up...the most important part (according to Hubby)...the Wine chosen by him...

the glasses...

the table...

Chicken, onion, lemon, garlic and thyme in pot...

Prepare a salad while chicken is in the oven...

and voila...here 'tis!!!

All ready to enjoy!!!

This was a really easy and quick recipe to do...nice and tasty too!!!

If you would like the recipe...go over here to my other blog My Dolce Vita

Yesterday my dear Hubby came home with a surprise for me...

this wonderful cookbook...Maggie's Harvest by Maggie Beer...

A lot of Aussies would know Maggie for her wonderful pates...verjuice...pastes and a whole range of goods...

Up until a couple of weeks ago she was on the television in a programme The Cook and the Chef alongside Simon Bryant...
Maggie has been living in the well known wine region of the Barossa Valley in South Australia since the 1970's...

And along with this magnificent book came this bag...

both the book and the bag have embroidery on them...

I was soooo over the moon at this most unexpected gift!!!

Don't know why but this photo downloaded sideways...

And here they are together...the book and the bag!!!

And just to finish off in Maggie's words...

'My philosophy is simple - to cook from the heart,

and to live in harmony with the seasons.

Overflowing with memories, musings and recipes,

this book is a personal collection of

my most treasured food experiences.'

It can't get much better than that Maggie!!!

The Magic Hat Has Drawn A Winner...or the luck of the Irish!!!

Today it is one year since I started my blog...

and pressing the little button that said 'create blog'...

not knowing where it will lead!!!

To celebrate my 100th post to be drawn on my Blogaversary JoJo and I drew the winning name out of this special Magic Talking Hat...see the eyes peeping out?

The prize was this book "The Tales Of Beedle The Bard"

All the names written out with scissors ready to cut...

JoJo drawing the winner...and it is

'Micki'

Congratulations Dear Micki...I think you will enjoy this...

I will post it out later in the week when I go to town..

Enjoy...

And for a surprise draw I thought this pattern...Happy Hearts by Helen Stubbings of Hugs'nKisses...could go to one of my Stitching Friends...

the very next name to be drawn out was...

'Simone'

Congratulations to the lucky winners and Thank You everybody for helping me celebrate!!!

Surprise Gifts From The Netherlands!!!

Last week one afternoon upon coming home a package greeted me at the front door...

I knew it was coming all the way from my dear blogging Friend...Simone

but I had no idea what it was...only that it was a surprise!!!

And it sure was!!!

This sweet little card...

saying she hoped the little presents survived the journey (all the way from The Netherlands)...

and that this card has been waiting to be sent to me for a long time...

Anything with nice food reminds me of you...

How very thoughtful is this!!!

Simone knows my love of food and how much I enjoy trying new tastes and recipes!!!

A little windmill card for JoJo...who is just entranced by them!!!

3 perfect teaspoons...one with a boat atop...the other with a cup of coffee/perhaps hot chocolate...and finally a windmill...No guesses here as to which spoon is for who!!!

A couple of gorgeous tea towels...

Simone also knows how I like things with 'Paris' on them...

One with the Eiffel Tower...the other

with the Arc de Triomphe!!!

And here they are all together!!!

Lieve Simone I was sooooo thrilled to receive this surprise package from you...

the teaspoon I use all the time and I am over the moon with the towels!!!

Bedank/Thank You so very very much for this wonderful gift which I will treasure and use with joy and I can't stop smiling!!!

Check Out Mothers Cupboard...

Wow...I'm just back from a few days away...and off to Stitching At The Bay tomorrow...

Haven't had much of a chance to check in on blogs nor leave comments but...

I have come across a fabulous giveaway hosted by Fiona...a Blessings Jelly Roll!!!

So hop on over...check it out and also take a look at her on-line store...Mothers Cupboard...

And have a wonderful weekend...and I'll be back early next week to draw the winner of The Tales of Beedle The Bar...Dzintra♥x

The Magical 100th Post!!!

Whoever would've thought last year...while recovering from surgery...that while looking around at certain blogs if you pressed this little button that said 'create blog'...that it would grow into a blog with 100 Posts!!! Plus recently another blog!!!

I have met so many lovely, caring, kind and generous people over this thing called blogging...

formed cyber Friendships...

stepped outside My World of Caring for a Daughter with a disability to places afar...

Laughed with you...cried with you and have thoroughly enjoyed myself!!!

To celebrate this Magical 100th Post I thought I would celebrate with a Giveaway of the Tales of Beedle The Bard book above!!!

I am a Harry Potter fan...a collector of the books...
colouring books...sharpeners...pencil case etc...
Above is part of my collection...including a couple of wands I made once...
A big kid my Hubby calls me!!!

The cute fluffy little Owl...

A Bookmark...

The set of books received for my Birthday last year with the adult cover version...

My Hubby even saw a floormat with Harry on it...alongside it is JoJo's Magic Hat...

I even have some of the children's cover versions...

Hubby recently bought me a shopping bag...

If you look on the right you will see a folder amongst my TAFE cookery books...

yep I even did assignments and handed in that folder with them complete!!!

A couple of posters from the latest movie...

Went to the local bookshop with JoJo to pick up our books last year the day they were released...

And the Harry Potter shop at Movieworld in Queensland, Australia!!!
If you are interested in a copy of The Tales of Beedle The Bard...

leave a comment here...

regular commenters automatically get an extra entry...
JoJo will draw this on my Blogevarsary...28th September...

Good Luck!!!

We read books to find out who we are.

What other people, real or imaginary, do

and think and feel is an essential guide to

our understanding of what we ourselves

are and may become.

~Ursula LeGuin, b. 1929~

American Science Fiction Writer

No furniture so charming as books, even if you

never open them, or read a single word.

~Sydney Smith, 1771-1845~

English Clergyman, Essayist and Wit

And the last Quote just about sums it all up for me...

I haven't read these books...

I can't wait to read them...

Just waiting for that special Magic Moment that says...now is the time!!!

And I know...once I start...I won't want this adventure to end!!!

It's Back To The Drawing Board For Me...er, I Mean The Kitchen!!!

As most of you know I have recently undertaken a Cookery Course at my local Technical College (TAFE)....as part of my course last year I had to do some service periods/work experience and I couldn't manage this at the time as I had just had surgery...

I am back at TAFE now for a certain amount of hours with my old teacher to finish off this course together with a bunch of new students...and I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed myself being back there again!!!

Must be something about that kitchen...or just perhaps the food...or just being with like-minded people... Today we cooked Lunch for the Mantle Restaurant at TAFE...

above is the whiteboard with all the courses on and the Teacher has started to allocate a meal for each student...
Asparagus waiting to be prepared for being wrapped in Puff Pastry with Gruyere Cheese...

I was allocated Lambs Brains served with Lemon Pepper Sauce and Confit Tomatoes...
Here is the sauce being made...

Cod waiting for the oven...

Calamari being quickly pan fried...

Creamy Potato Bake ready...

Lambs Brains...crumbed and served with the Lemon Pepper Sauce and Tomato Confit...

Calamari with Lime Juice and Coriander...

Sue presenting her Asparagus wrapped in Puff Pastry with Gruyere Cheese...

Cottage Pie...

Baked Fillet of Cod with Stewed Tomato Spaghetti Zucchini and Pesto Butter Sauce...

Pasta Carbonara...

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pineapple and Saffron Compote...

Lemon Meringue Pie...

Steamed Golden Syrup Pudding with Anglaise Sauce...

Ordinarily I would've posted this on my other blog My Dolce Vita but I am a bit behind on that one so thought I would post it here...and I vow to keep up with this one!!!