Something my mum told me...

Since I was a little kid, my mum has always told me if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. So that's the best explanation I can offer for my silence lately... Sigh.

Daydreaming...

 

 

About meat pies, sausage rolls, lamingtons, and Tim Tams... It's almost Australia Day! And no matter how long we live in the US, we'll always celebrate in our own little way :D

 

Love this sausage roll recipe... Unless I'm feeling too lazy. In which case I'll pick up some frozen sausage rolls and meat pies - they have pretty legit ones here. And lamingtons, I usually buy an angel food cake at the grocery store and modify this recipe. I'll get my Aussie treats, one way or another.

Something I need to remind myself of...

Song I can't stop listening to...

What's for dinner?

As part of a new year's effort to find a little more balance in my life, I have been working on finding some healthy recipes that are easy to throw together after a long day at work. This one was yummy and SO easy to make. Seared chicken breast with lemon herb pan sauce - so quick and delicious - and on the table in no time. We'll definitely be having this again soon! Check out Simply Scratch for more great recipes - I'll be sure to post about others I try and love.

Click here for recipe

A new year...

We celebrate every New Year's Eve with a big celebration, elaborate decorations and laughter, lots of it! Surrounded by people we love, family and friends, having a great time. And at midnight, we all count down together, and ring in the beginning of another year. Usually, I'm tired but happy, and filled with anticipation for the new year and all that it will bring. This year, not so much. I am a little more apprehensive about the new year than I am filled with anticipation, to be completely honest. I don't know what this year will bring. December seemed to put a bit of a damper on the end of 2012... And as I contemplated the start of this new year, I felt a little overwhelmed by all the worries, big and small, that were occupying my mind. And then tonight, I heard a sermon that can only be described as an answer to my prayers. A reminder - to trust God. Reassurance that no matter what we face in this world, nothing is too big or scary or complicated for Him. It's a few days late, but I'm ready to take on the new year! Grateful for so many blessings. Hopeful, because of miracle after miracle that God has done for me. Ok 2013, let's go! Ready for new things, whatever they may be! Happy New Year!!!

Gnocchi fail...

Gnocchi - starts off like this...

I love being home from work! Love the luxury of time to do things you have been needing/wanting to do for months. Like sweep up all the lint dust bunnies that cover my laundry floor. (Check!) Or make gnocchi from scratch and revel in my success. There are few things in life I adore as much as gnocchi - it is absolute perfection, the way I see it.

And ends up like this... ideally!

Well, not the way I made it. I will probably try again. As soon as the disappointment of watching my little dumplings dissolve into floating lumps of potato lessens slightly. At least I can say I've tried it! Here's how it went:

Me: They might not work. I've never done this before.
Hubby: They will. Everything you make works. Except for that one time.

NOTE: There were actually two times - the time he forgot, I cooked a delicious steak with the BBQ closed (hazard of being raised by practically vegetarians, no idea how to cook red meat!), and it shriveled into a tiny, jerky-esque piece of crispiness, so we went out for dinner. And another time, I tried some spanish lemon chicken recipe I found online and it honestly tasted like poison. Either there was a typo in the recipe or I misread it, but it was hilarious becaue we'd been arguing and it was completely feasible that I'd be trying to poison him - we laugh about it to this day.

Anyway, the water boils, the gnocchi are plopped in and...

Me: It didn't work :( We should get take out!
Hubby: What do you mean it didn't work? I mean, can we still eat it? What would it taste like?
Me: Really soggy, lumpy mashed potatoes
Hubby: Yum!
Me: We are NOT eating that.

A bag of penne saved the day, sauced with the sauteed mushrooms in brown butter sauce that I'd made for the gnocchi. I'm not quite ready to try again yet!