Monday, May 31, 2010

Breeding champions!


Yes, we have another "Player of the Week" in our midst. Last week Ava won the award for her Playball group. It's all good practice for when she plays netball–mayber next year??

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Player of the week!


OK, I've been told I'm slackening off again with the posts. A couple of weeks back Ruby was awarded the title of "Player of the Week". MENPS Force has yet to win a game but not even the pouring rain will dampen their spirits.


I am embarrassed to say that I may have overdone the yelling from the side line last week. I promise to be better behaved this week Ruby. It's just so exciting to watch!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Remember when they were little[r]


Obviously Harry got stage fright!

Monday, May 17, 2010

What's for dinner?


I usually enjoy cooking but I HATE that question! This is as far as I get with menu planning. Now I'd better go and get that bird in the oven.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Apple pie


I am so impressed with how my free-form apple pie turned out I thought I would share it with you. There's nothing quite like it on a cold winter's night. Wait a minute, winter hasn't even hit yet. Well, a bit of practice won't do any harm. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 egg, separated
1/4 cup almond meal
2-3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Pastry:
1/3 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups gluten-free plain flour
125g butter, cubed, chilled
2-3 tablespoons chilled water

Method:
To make the pastry place the icing sugar, flour and butter into a food processor. Process until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Process until pastry starts to come together, adding more water if necessary.

Preheat oven to 190C. Place pastry onto baking paper. Roll out to a 30cm (diameter) circle. Transfer pastry (still on baking paper) to a large baking tray. Whisk egg yolk. Brush pastry with egg yolk, leaving a 5cm border around edges. Sprinkle almonds over egg yolk. Arrange apple slices over pastry (leaving border free). Sprinkle with caster sugar.


Fold pastry border in over apples. Lightly whisk egg white. Brush pastry edges with egg white. Sprinkle with brown sugar.


Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180C. Bake for a further 15 minutes or until pastry is golden. Serve with cream or ice-cream.



PS. I forgot to sprinkle the almonds over the yolk covered pastry base so I put it on top of the apples before I put it in the oven. It still turned out ok.

PPS. I got the original recipe from taste.com.au and adapted it ever-so-slightly.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Not quite right??

This is what I was doing on Mother's Day. Well, I wasn't actually changing the tyres. I was more of an observer.


And this is what Steve was doing on Mother's Day.


To be completely fair, we did go out for a nice breakfast first.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Colour my love


Long before I needed to, I coloured my hair. First I experimented with rinses that lasted 6–8 washes, then progressed to the semi-permanent variety. I always did them at home–why pay the hairdresser when you can do it yourself?

I first experimented with auburn shades to be just a little daring. By the time I'd reached my mid-twenties the reason for colouring was to even out my natural tone which had lightened due to the sun and surf. This lasted for about a decade, then I decided to give it a rest.

Not long after 'taking a break' from colouring the first grey hair appeared. I wasn't one to race off to the hairdresser (or the chemist for that matter). No, I decided to learn to love my grey(s)–they quickly multiplied!

I'm still trying to grow old gracefully–at least until I reach the point where they make me look older than I actually am. Sadly, I think that day may have arrived.

Whilst relaxing back with a coffee in a low-set cane chair on the weekend, Steve walked past and stopped suddenly. Something caught his eye. It wasn't my dazzling smile but a bundle of greys on my head. He couldn't resist the urge to pluck a few out–the evidence is above. He was silently pleased as he has been plucking his own greys for a few years now.

To top it off, this morning Eadie told me I had lots of white hair and accused me of wanting hair the same as hers–clearly confusing my greys with her gorgeous blonde. I may have to head to the chemist for a box of L'Oreal Castings today but will postpone a visit to the hairdressers for a bit longer.