Butterscotch Biscuits

Quick to make and I always double or triple the recipe and freeze the uncooked flattened balls :)
If cooking from frozen allow an extra couple of minutes.

125g butter
1/2 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tbsp golden syrup
1 1/4 cups self- raising flour

Beat butter, vanilla essence, sugar and golden syrup together in a bowl. Stir in sifted flour until all combined. Roll into walnut sized balls. Place about 5cm apart on greased oven trays and flatten with a fork. Bake for 15 mins (soft) or 20 mins (crunchy) at 180c.

* My children prefer them crunchy - to freeze the dough I line a container with freezer wrap or baking paper and the slightly flatten rolled balls onto it. You can do multiple layers you'll just need to flatten the balls first before adding layers between sheets of paper.

Choc Weetbix slice & Chewy Weetbix biscuits

I took this with me a friends house for an Undercover wear party. It disappeared fast! It is also a firm favourite with my children :) I found these recipes when I was trying to use up some weetbix that my children have decided they don't want for breakfast.

Choc Weetbix slice
7 Weet bix, crushed
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups SR flour
2 tlbsp cocoa
250g butter, melted
3 drops vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180c. Mix all ingredients very well until there are no dry patches. Press mixture into a lined lamington tray. Bake for 20 minutes. When almost cooked - prepare the icing mixture and ice within 2 minutes of removing from the oven. Cut into small pieces when cool.

Icing
1 cup icing sugar
2 tblsp cocoa

Mix together with enough hot water to make a thin icing.

Notes - the original recipe has 4 tblsp coconut and only 6 weet-bix.
Everyone loved it without the coconut but you could change it back if you wished.


Chewy Weetbix Biscuits
250g butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tblspns golden syrup
1 tspn bicarb soda
3 tspns boiling water
2 1/4 cups SR flour
9 crushed weetbix
1 cup choc chips

Method
Cream butter and sugar. Add golden syrup and keep beating, then add bicarb dissolved in boiling water. Fold in flour, crushed weetbix and choc bits. Roll into small balls and place on trays and flatten slightly, leave enough room for spreading. Bake in 180C oven for 15 mins.

So much for my new years resolution to blog more!
Seems I am blogging less this year.
I'm going to start adding a few more of my favourite recipes on here to share with you all.
I've even been working with a few gluten free recipes!

My blog of the day is hanigan family recipes - loving those cute easter eggs!! YUM!

Easy Tuna Dip

Thank you to another Lisa for this recipe! Here is my version. This was a huge hit on Christmas Eve at my place.

Easy Tuna Dip

250g (8oz) cream cheese
185g (6oz) can tuna in brine or springwater
4tbs sweet chilli sauce

Drain tuna really well. (I tipped mine into a sieve and left it to drain for about 5 mins - stirring it a couple of times. If your can is slightly larger it won't make any difference to the finished product.
Allow cream cheese to soften, then beat it with electric mixer till it is soft and fluffy.
Stir in tuna and chilli sauce and mix until all combined.
Taste and add more sweet chilli sauce, to your own taste.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve with hard biscuits, as the dip sets once you refrigerate it.

Recipe can be halved.
If using the soft cream cheese in the tub you won't need to whip it first.
Also you can cheat and buy the tuna with chilli in one of the foil sachets and just stir that through the tub of soft cream cheese!
Also works with light cream cheese.

2009 - Nurture

This idea originally came from scrapbook guru Ali Edwards in 2007.

Here is the spiel from her blog:

"one little word

A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow.

Last year I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January - a word that I can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life. Last year my word was something I wanted to bring into my life in a more tangible way."

2008 was "Less" - which I really didn't do well at. I think most of the things I was aiming for didn't happen due to my own procrastination.

2007 was "enough" - which was the beginning of my journey to a simpler life and the year I stopped buying "stuff" just for the sake of it.

2009 - I have chosen "nurture".

Nurture [nur-cher]

-verb (used with object)
1. to feed and protect: to nurture one's offspring.
2. to support and encourage, as during the period of training or development; foster: to nurture promising musicians.
3. to bring up; train; educate.

–noun
4. rearing, upbringing, training, education, or the like.
5. development: the nurture of young artists.
6.something that nourishes; nourishment; food.

Over the next few weeks I am going to set a tangible goal for each month, that reflects the word nurture.

Slow cooker cassoulet

1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
300g chopped bacon
2 sticks of celery, finely sliced
400g diced lamb
400g diced pork
2 cups haricot beans
1 cup beef stock
1 cup water
140g tomato paste
1 tsp dried thyme
400g can diced tomatoes
1 bouquet garni
salt

topping
50g butter
2 cups soft breadcrumbs
1/ cup chopped parsley to serve

Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 8-10 hours, stirring halfway through cooking if possible.

Topping
Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry breadcrumbs until golden.

Serve cassoulet sprinkled with parley and toasted crumbs.
Place

Thyme Dumplings - to top a slow cooker casserole

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried thyme
25g butter
approx 1/2 cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder and thyme. Melt butter and mix into flour. Add milk until a soft dough is formed. Roll mixture into balls and drop onto top of casserole. Do this about 1/2 an hour before the casserole is ready.

Slow cooker - Moroccan Hotpot with cornbread

2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
6 chicken thighs, cut in half
2 chorizo sausages, cut in 2cm slices
400g can moroccan-style tomatoes
1/2 cup water

Place onions, tomatoes, chorizo and chicken into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
Half an hour before the end of cooking, spoon corn bread topping onto the chicken mixture, spreading to cover. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH and cook for a further half hour.

CORN BREAD TOPPING
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp paprika
25g melted butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk

Mix all dray ingredients together. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Mix together wet ingredients and pour into the well. Mix well to combine.

Slow cooker Minestrone

Serves 6-8

1 c red kidney beans
2 carrots, diced
3 pieces celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 rashers bacon, de-rinded and chopped
2 x 400g tins tomatoes
1/4 c tomato paste
6 c boiling chicken stock
1 bouquet garni
1 c macaroni elbows
1/4 small cabbage, finely sliced
salt
parmesan cheese to serve

Soak kidney beans overnight. Drain and rinse, discarding soaking water.
Alternatively, boil for 15-20 minutes, discarding cooking water.
Place the following in the slow cooker: soaked beans, carrots, celery, garlic, bacon, tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock and bouquet garni. Cover and cook on high for 6-8 hours.
Add macaroni an hour before the end as well as salt to taste. Add cabbage half and hour before ready to serve. Serve hot garnished with shaved Parmesan cheese.

***Did you know that red kidney beans, unlike other beans must be presoaked or precooked before using in the slow cooker. These beans contain aflotoxins, which are removed in the pre-soaking.
Don't be tempted to keep the soaking/precooking water you are not wasting nutrients but stopping these toxins making you sick.

Spicy Chickpea Salad

I've been trying to replicate a bought salad, I think this might come close. I've yet to try it as I don't have the ingredients on hand. I'd love your feedback if you try it before I do!

Dressing
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground paprika

Salad
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved (or you could use 2-3 large ones roughly chopped)
a handful of chopped parley
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together well.
Likewise toss all the salad ingredients together.
Pour dressing over salad, stir well.
leave for at least and hour for flavours to develop.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, before serving.

Makes 2 serves.

Fresh Pear Cake/s

I'm going to try this on the weekend as I have some pears laying around.

150g softened butter
150g caster sugar
150g plain flour, sifted
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tbs baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 170c
Line a medium 12 cup muffin pan.
Beat together all ingredients, except pears and almonds, in a bowl with an electric mixer - until light and creamy.
Spoon mixture into each cup - lay a couple of slices of pear on top of each and sprinkle over almonds.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Cool on wire rack.

This can also be baked in a greased and lined 20cm springform pan @ 180c for 45 minutes.

Apricot, white chocolate and oat muffins (updated)

These were a bit of an experiment to use up some of the remaining home preserved apricots.
I forgot the oats in the original recipe, but they are here now :)
Makes 24 medium muffins

425g tin of apricots in syrup, drained quickly (I used home preserved ones)
1&1/3 cups white sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
3/4 cup white chocolate chunks, chips or buds
extra white chocolate


Puree apricots (could also use fresh or dried ones that have been stewed).
Stir in sugar, oil and eggs.
Lightly stir in remaining ingredients until just combined.
Spoon batter into lightly greased/lined muffin tins.
Top each muffin with a piece of the remaining chocolate.
Bake 15-18 minutes in 180c /425f oven.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
These are awesome when still warm.

Old fashioned rice pudding in a slow cooker

Loosely adapted another recipe to make this - cinnamon was nice but I think next time I would use less or leave it out altogether.

3/4 cup white long grain rice
3 & 1/2 cups milk
3 tbs powered milk
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch salt
3 tbs butter (I grated mine into the mix)

Grease the inside of the slow cooker.
Stir in all the other ingredients.
Cook on high for 2 &1/2 to 3 hours.
Check after the lesser time - it will also keep cooking after the slow cooker is turned off...so turn it off when there is still a bit of liquid - it will solidify on standing.

I'm back!!!

Yes, I'll admit I haven't been around for a while...life has been moving a long at a cracking pace and right now I am finding it hard to keep up some days!
Nothing exceptional to report - just spending more time hanging out with friends and family.
I'll post some new recipes below - at least that is one thing I am doing lots of ...cooking and trying new recipes.
Enjoy and take care of you all!

Satay Chicken (slow cooker)

This one is loosely based on one that I think came from a FlyLady email.

12 skinless chicken thighs
3 tbs soy sauce
4-6 cloves garlic (crushed)
1tsp powdered ginger
3 tsp oil
2 tbs chilli sauce
1/3 cup peanut butter

Combine all the sauce/marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well - except for peanut butter. Toss halved chicken thighs in mixture to coat thoroughly.
Pour everything into lightly greased slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Remove chicken from dish and stir in peanut butter and
2tbs cornflour dissolved in 2 tbs water.
Return chicken to the pot and cook on high for 30 minutes.
Serves 6 with rice.

Swiss Steak (slow cooker recipe)

Antotehr in my series of family favourites. I think this one came from the aussie slow cookers group on yahoo. Thank you to whoever added it!


Swiss Steak

1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
750g diced beef/steak
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
2 small (440g) tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
2 tbs brown sugar

Toss steak in flour, seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.
Saute onion, cerely and carrot together in a frypan (or skip this step if short on time)
Place everything into the slow cooker and mix it well.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.***

Great served with mashed potoatoes and green vegetables.

*** Just remember not all slow cookers are created equal. The latest generation of slow cookers tend to cook hotter and faster than the older models. Make sure you test drive any new recipes on a day that you will be home. Then you'll know what timing and settings work for you!

Pasta Mince Casserole

This is the first in a new series of family favourite recipes - a lot of friends have been asking me for these as well as some of my favourite slow cooker recipes. it seems a few of my friends got slow cookers for Mother's Day and now need new recipes for them.
This one is an oven recipe that my Mum gave me - it is in her handwriting in an old diary. It was one of her very practical gifts to me, early on in my married life.
This one is also great to make up the night before, but don't put it in the oven till the next day. Also makes great leftovers and freezes well.

Pasta Mince Casserole
1 large onion (diced)
500g topside mince
3/4 cup grated carrot
2 medium tomatoes (chopped) or 1/2 tin drained chopped tomatoes
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 cups shell or elbow macaroni (cooked for about 7 mins)
2 cups grated tasty cheese
1 440g can cream of mushroom/celery soup or cream of soup replacement (see below)

Method
Little oil in a pan.
Add onion to meat, stir over high heat until lightly browned
Add carrot, Worcestershire sauce and chopped tomatoes.
Then add can of soup (or substitute), stir until heated through.
Grease a long casserole dish.
Place a layer of macaroni.
Layer of cheese.
Layer of mince mixture.
Continue until you finish with a cheese layer.
Cook for a bout 35 mins at about 180c, until cooked and lightly browned on top.

Not sure which website I got this recipe from but it worked well as a replacement for the tinned soup! Thank you to whoever it was :)

Condensed cream of chicken soup
1.5 cups homemade chicken stock
1 small onion finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tbs fresh parsley (1/4 tsp dried)
dash of paprika
1.5 cups reduced fat milk
0.75 cup plain flour


Method
Boil together stock, 0.5 cup milk and the seasonings for 3-5 minutes.
In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining milk and flour until smooth. Add tot he boiling stock mixture and continue whisking until the mix boils and thickens.
Mixture should be cooled and then refrigerated or frozen in portions.
Make approx 3 cups.
1.5 cups is roughly the equivalent of a 440g tin of condensed soup.

Chocolate Truffles (UPDATED)

I've had these twice over the past month at two separate Tupperware parties. I wanted to just post the link to the Tupperware Recipe page, but seems they are redesigning it right now so I am posting it here instead! Thought these would make a great Mother's Day gift or you could serve them with coffee at a mothers day meal :)

Tuppertruffles

Ingredients

50g walnuts or hazelnuts
300g dark cooking chocolate
100g good quality dark eating chocolate
25g copha (OR BUTTER)

Fudge centre
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tbs orange liqueur
1/4 tsp finely grated orange rind or few drops of orange essence
1 tbs dessicated coconut

cocoa for dusting

Method

1. Toast nuts on a microwave proof lid/plate in the microwave for 2 mins on 650w (medium high). Set aside to cool slightly. To remove the brown skins of the hazelnuts, place in a clean tea towel and rub together. Roughly chop the nuts and set aside.
2. Place the roughly chopped chocolate into a microwave proof jug. Grate the copha/butter and add to the jug. Microwave for two minutes on 650w (medium high), until softened but not all melted. Keep gently stirring until all the chocolate melts.
3. Place the sweetened condensed milk, liqueur, orange rind, coconut and nuts into a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the melted chocolate mix from step 2. Stir well until the mix become thick and fudge like.
4. Carefully spoon just enough melted chocolate to cover the base of your ice cube tray. top with approximately 1/2 tsp of the fudge mix. Spoon over a little more melted chocolate to encase the fudge centre.
5. Refrigerate or freeze the ice cube tray for 15-30 minutes or until set. Twist the tray to release the chocolate. Arrange artfully on a plate and dust lightly with cocoa before serving.

Notes:

*I used the Tupperware ice cube trays for these, but I have made other chocolates using other brands of ice cube trays - just as long as they are deep trays these will work.
* Truffles will keep for up to two weeks in a sealed container, in the pantry. In hot weather it is best to keep them refrigerated.
* Using milk or white chocolates in place of the dark will also work, but be sure to use 500w (medium) when melting these.
* Nuts can be substituted with dried fruit snipped into small pieces. Adding a whole hazelnut to the centre would also be nice.
* We doubled the quantity of orange liqueur and the taste was still very subtle.
* Butter worked well in place of the copha although the chocolates do melt a bit quicker in your fingers, unfortunately this means you will have to either eat them quickly or lick your fingers! How unfortunate!

Be warned you can really only eat one of these, they are very rich and very chocolaty!

Thank you

I just wanted to say a belated thank you to all the people who have visited me in the past week, both the new visitors and also my regular ones (You know who you are - most of your blogs are in my sidebar). All that positive feedback makes it all worth it. Some days I think it is all too hard, but then I remember why I try to live that way I do.
Because it makes me happy and as Rhonda said today I am part of the kitchen sink revolution! Go read her great post here and join us on our frugal and sustainable journey.
I value each and every comment I receive and read them all, even if I don't get time to comment on all of them!
Please keep visiting and leave a comment if you like :)
If you'd like me to add your blog to my favourites list then leave me a comment :) I know there are a lot out there that I read and then forget to add them to my list. Plus if you have any favourites why not share then with us.
I've also got some new recipes to share this coming week so I hope you like them.
Thanks again.
-hugs-
Lis

My life, simply

Rhonda Jean of http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/ asked all her readers to write about our versions of living a simple life. Here is mine.

I guess I was always brought up in a frugal way, I remember always eating home baked biscuits and my Mum making all our clothes. My Mum only ever worked part time and my Dad was always able to fix things. I can remember many of our bikes being made from parts salvaged from the local tip. We used to joke that Dad would bring home more from the tip than he dropped off!

In my early 20's I fell for all the advertising and keeping up with the Jones'. We had a mortgage and the interest rates peaked at 17%. We had friends over for dinner parties and rarely went out for meals as we couldn't afford it! We commuted over an hour each day to work. We decided to cut our losses and eventually we bought the worst house in a really nice street.
From that point on I started to remember the old ways. We did most of the renovating ourselves and learned lots along that way!
I have always enjoyed cooking and always owned a slow cooker. When I became pregnant with my first child that I really started to look at ways to cut costs. I knew I didn't want to go back to work immediately. My children both had cloth nappies and home made clothes.
Years later following my divorce I spent six months back under my parents roof. They still live the same frugal, gentle life I remember from my childhood.
Being a single parent with 2 children and a mortgage I try to lead a frugal but happy life. We also discovered that my son reacts to a lot of food preservatives and additives (the numbers as he calls them).
I work about 30 hours a week so have learned to be very organised. I have a wonderful boyfriend who helps a lot with meal preparation and planning. My children also spend 50% of their time with their Dad, so I work longer hours the week they are with him and shorter hours when they are in my care. Here is a list of things that come to mind, the everyday of our simple, frugal lives:
I cook from scratch and bake at least once a week, our own biscuits and cakes.
I recycle, I have started growing our own herbs.
This year I started a compost heap.
We collect water when it rains in our old rainwater tank.
I dry my washing outside on the line and have only ever owned one dryer (it came with a house) I always think before I buy something new.
My daughter loves going op shopping with me.
I clean with bicarb and vinegar mostly, using old clothes/towels as cleaning cloths.
I menu plan and stockpile when I see good specials.
I use a cash budget for most items.
I preserve excess fruit to use throughout the year.
I freeze excess veggies as well.
I shop at local markets in order to buy in bulk and then share with family & friends.
I try to buy only Australian foods, but this is not always possible with my budget.
I catch public transport when I can.
My children ride or catch the bus to school most days.
I don't use plastic bags for my shopping - I have green bags and mesh bags for my fruit & veg.
I make my own laundry liquid.
I cook freezable meals in bulk (like bolognaise sauce).
I don't have a dishwasher in my kitchen.
My children attend the local public schools and I try to stay involved in their education.

My favourite thing right now is that I have managed to save enough to take my children overseas this year. I still have my mortgage to pay off, but I figure the memories are worth more than I can put a price on. In a few years my children will miss too much school, so it is now or never.
I hope you enjoyed reading this. Thanks for stopping by.

Swapping

I've been fortunate in the last few weeks to receive a couple of parcels in the post!
I love getting mail!

The first one was part of Lightening's Smiley Saturday where we had to swap something pink.
My swap partner was a lady called Lizzie who also lives here in Adelaide - we had plans to meet and perhaps we still will but here is a pic of what she sent me:
(did someone tell her I was into scrapbooking and baking???)
Thank you Lizzie your pink parcel made me smile :)
My second parcel was part of the shopping tote swap organised by the girls at down to earth - mine came from Kelly who lives in the USA - Thank you Kelly I really do feel spoilt! For those of you who haven't tried the Reece's Peanut Butter cups - you are missing out! And I'm not sharing! YUMMMMM!

Swapping is a great way to make new friends! Do try it if you get the chance!

You Cheer Me Up

I have to admit I am feeling a little overwhelmed of late. Time seems to be passing too quick and I seem not be keeping up. One of the things I have tried to cut down on is my computer time, to allow more more time to do the things I need to do. This means I don't get to post as often, but I promise I will try at least once a week to get on here and share some pieces of my life, recipes and pictures.

Thank you to Tracy for this award!

Here are the instructions for this award:"If you are a recipient of the "You Cheer Me Up" Award, please find the blogs that cheer you up, copy the code to post on your sidebar and pass Ethel and Lucy across the blogosphere. You can use what cheers you up in your post, or copy this one, but please send your award recipients back to the original post on A Nice Place In The Sun to get a copy of the award code, post the image and read the instructions. I want to try to maintain a page of original and ongoing award recipients, so feel free to let me know if you've received an award when you pick up the image code."