Om nom nom

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Some delicious treats to share with you! These are from our newest cookbook Vegies by Simon Bryant. A mixture of almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried figs, dried apricots, hazlenuts and puffed rice, held together with honey and maple syrup then dunked in dark chocolate. I classify these as a healthy treat.... right? RIGHT?

Here's them on a windowsill with our cute teapot. If only all food looked this attractive.

Ironcef Champion!

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I'd like to introduce you to the 2012 Ironcef champion.....me!

Each year my work holds an Ironcef  cooking competition where each team is allocated an ingredient and has to cook from it. Last year we got lemons and I made a lemon slice that came second so this year I felt needed to up my game.

Our ingredient this year was....*drum roll*.... chocolate! Now personally, I think chocolate is a tricky one to win a cooking competition on, so I knew I needed to do something that would really stand out. After lots of umming and arghing I decided on these delicious chocolate coverage orange peel from Smitten Kitchen.

These were in the fridge overnight as I was too busy eating and forgot to take photos on the day!

 There was some amazing competition (veal schnitzel anyone?) but I was so chuffed to be named winner.On the recipe itself, it was actually REALLY simple. Like put the orange peels in a sugar syrup, watch an episode of Game of Thrones, cool them down, dip in chocolate and then eat straight away place in container.

The Ironcef trophy!

Seriously. Make these.

Birthday wishes

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Well well well what a wonderful weekend I had! Saturday was my birthday which I spent brunching with family, having nanna naps, drinking strawberry daiquiris and Nepalese dinner with friends.

I finished my birthday dress just in time to wear it to the opera Friday night and again for Saturday night dinner.
Luckily remembered to snap a picture at the station!

Pattern: Colette Macaron
Fabric: blue cotton - Jack textiles Marrickille ~$3
Blue spotty something or other - Fabric Cave ~8
Notions: Zipper
Wear again?: yes yes yes!


Sunday I baked a lemon and peach cake using a lovely recipe from my new Donna Hay cookbook from Megan.

Mmmmm delicious!

Cooking up a storm

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The other night I cooked finished work early so decided to cook up a treat for me and Megan. I used a delicious stuffed eggplant recipe from Smitten Kitchen. It was a super easy recipe and turned out AH-MUZING!

Then I finished off these little hanging birds for Ben's niece's birthday (she's two!). I found a bird outline on the net, using some scrap fabric cut the outlines out of different colours ( I went with two white, two red).

Sewed the lace on for wings and buttons for eyes, stitched around the outside, stuffed and volia! Little birds!

I had some old beads I was given when we were doing a work clean-out so used these for in between the birds.

They turned out beautiful!

Marmalade jam

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Upon returning from my grandparents a few weekends ago I was given a giant box of oranges. Now I love oranges and all but I'm not quite sure what to do with a giant box full.

So I decides to try my hand at making marmalade.

I found a basic recipe on the ABC site here to follow roughly.

Orange Marmalade
500g Oranges
1 Lemon
4 Cups water
2 Cups orange juice
4 ish cups sugar
2 tsp jamsetta

Chop the orange and lemon finely and add water and orange juice. Cook until orange is soft. This took about 40 minutes for me. Then add the sugar and jamsetta and boil for 35 min.
Sanitise your jars in boiling water.
Then let the marmalade sit for 10 minutes and pour into your jars.