Bread!!

I made bread! Like really truly from scratch made bread!

I was watching River Cottage the other night (I love River Cottage, you can check it out here) and Hugh was talking about how easy it is to make your own bread. That day I had used a packet bread mix to make some bread in my breadmaker, but halfway through my breadmaker started making a funny noise. The bread came out ok though.

I decided to have a go making bread without a packet, putting all the ingredients in the breadmaker myself. After carefully measuring everything out and adding them in the right order, it turns out that the funny noise my breadmaker was making was telling me that the kneading knob was no longer kneeding.

So! Armed with a packet of Wallaby Bread Improver by Laucke and a recipe on the back. I attempted to make a loaf of bread from scratch.

And it actually worked!

I was so impressed I even managed to rescue the mix in the breadmaker (which I think will need to go in the bin) and made a cob loaf as well.

Hmmm...what else can I make with yeast??

Mixed and left to rest

Risen and ready to kneed again

Proofed and ready for the oven

Yum!

The loaf I rescued from the breadmaker

Pumpkin Pie!

I love Pumpkin pie!
It is so yummy and so tasty and makes eating a vegetable so much more appealing.
I decided to make one a few years ago and I recently made these little ones for a friends wedding.
I found the recipe online a few years ago, and try as I might I can't find it anymore.
I sometimes make the base just with a shortcut pastry, but the gingersnap base is extra good.
I know it is very American, but as it is Thanksgiving in the States next week I think you should give it a try.
Enjoy

Pumpkin Pie with Honey Cinnamon Cream

1 packet gingersnap biscuits
125g butter melted
1 1/2 cups of pumpkin (cooked and mashed)
1 cup of brown sugar
1tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1 tbs cornflour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
300 ml cream

Honey Cinnamon Cream
1 tub dollop cream
1 dessert spoon honey
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200'C. Place biscuits in food processor and process until smooth. Add butter and stir to combine. Press into the bottom of a 26cm springform tart tin. Bake for about 12 minutes. Reduce heat to 180'C

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is set.

Serve, warm or cool, with cream or ice cream.

Honey Cinnamon Cream
Mix all ingredients together.

These were little ones I made

A slice with all the trimmings

Quick Easy Pastas

I love pasta!!

Its so tasty and yummy and can be extremely healthy, made with cream, cooked in 2 minutes or cooked for an hour! I love it's versatility too! 

Last night I attempted one of Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals. It was tasty, but a complete disaster time wise! I have enough left over for dinner for N and I tonight, and c is sleeping like a baby so I wanted to use the time I have now to finish the ironing (check!) and do some crocheting on a new project before she wakes up.

Problem: A quick lunch that is not a reheat of last nights dinner

Solution: This pasta! I'm sure many people have made it before but this is my creation and I have decided it is tasty!

Tomato, Basil and Feta Pasta

(for 4)

Ingredients 

Spaghetti or other pasta (Enough for 4 people)

A bunch of basil

250g tub of cherry tomatoes

100g pine nuts

200g feta

50g  butter

1/2 a lemon

Cook pasta as per instruction

Chop tomatoes in half

Toast pinenuts in a dry frypan (if you want them toasted. I use them raw)

Tear basil leave into pieces 

When pasta is cooked drain and add butter. Stir until butter is melted

Add other ingredients and toss to combine Squeeze lemon over

Serve with cracked pepper

Yum!

I think it is really tasty

Hope you enjoy!

My First Crochet Project Ever!

When I was about 24 weeks pregnant I was really bored. It was Summer holidays. I had read everything on my summer reading list. I didn't really have that much prep for my class because the other girls I was teaching Kindy with the most organised most generous people I have ever had the privilege of teaching with, and I wanted to do something while I lay on the lounge so I didn't feel quite so lazy. A beautiful girlfriend was a crocheter and I had always admired her work. She made me a gorgeous scarf for Christmas (even though it is like 30C here) and I was like... I could do that.

My Nanna was a crocheter too and had tried to teach me a few years before she passed away. Mum still had all her hooks at home which was helpful.

So one night while at my girlfriends (we tended to hang out together on a Friday night, cause we were both pregnant and husbandless on that night) and I asked her if she would teach me. By the end of that night I could do a chain stitch and a double crochet (UK terms) and feeling pretty good about myself!

I stopped on the way home and bought some wool (from woolies at 10pm at night) and got the hooks from mum the next day.

Two weeks later (and treble stitch under my belt) and I had started a blanket. Its really not that great and and it quite messy in places. But it's bright and colourful and Little C loved it as a pram blanket. She loved sticking her fingers through it and pulling it, trying to munch on it. When I look at it now, 7 months later, its a little messy and maybe a little too bright, but I'm still really happy with it!

I think Nan would be proud, and probably a little annoyed that it took me this long to work out how fun it was!

Hope you like it. 

(The pattern is just a granny square and I just continued it around and around. My favourite granny square pattern can be found here. Happy crocheting)

My first row of trebles by myself. (I took a photo to send to my girlfriend to make sure I was doing it right)

Just as I started to put the edge on. It was curling, but it worked out OK. I got the pattern for the edge here

All finished. I still haven't stitched the ends in. (I'm not that good with finishing things)

Here we go!

Ok!

So I decided I am going to enter the blogosphere and do some blogging about the things I love! I have really appreciated other people's blogs (especially those with patterns to crochet or cook) while I have been getting use to being a new mummy at home with my gorgeous little girl. Plus I thought I should keep using some full sentences while I'm away from the classroom, just to make sure I remember how to punctuate things. 

So I'm going to try and post something once a week at least. Posting about the things I am making (I love to crochet.), the things I am trying to make (I want to learn to quilt), things I am learning about being a mum to my beautiful little girl, or the crazy things that are coming out of my kitchen. 

Here's a little about me. I wrote this for a group I joined about 2 days ago. I'm a stay at home mum with a 5 month old girl. I was a primary school teacher and will be again someday in the somewhat distant future. I love crocheting, TV on DVD, dancing (I sometimes teach a tap class) and cook books.

Here we go. Ready. Set.

Me and my gorgeous girl!