Zaine and the dead duck

I know this picture seems morbid but it really isn't. Someone had place a dead duck near our driveway and we thought - great! what are we going to do with it? Al encouraged Zaine to help lay the duck to rest, why you ask? well he doesn't get out much and Al thought it was good opportunity to do what I like to call "community service"

Touch Rugby Tops

For the past I don't know how many years we have been running a touch team and this is what our washing line looks like on a weekly basis unless we can con one of the other players to take them home to wash them

Easiest Cookies ever - part 2

Last week (18/7-23/7) child no.2 school basketball team took part in the Regional Basketball tourny and of course I did my bit by doing some baking for the boys. I wanted to make heaps but didn't want to compromise taste or my reputation as a baker...hahahaaha and these cookies seemed ideal. If you check out my other post you will see I have changed the recipe and made an extra note in red at the bottom.

I couldn't get my hands on Chocolate cake mix so I improvised and used vanilla cake mix as my base. Each recipe can make between 30 - 40 biscuits, to achieve this I used a round ice-cream scoop then cut each one in half, roll into a ball and flatten slightly on the baking tray, this way you get fairly even sized cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies
- Vanilla cake mix + chopped nuts and chocolate chips

Peanut brownies
- Vanilla cake mix + 4 TB of cocoa + roasted peanuts

Chocolate Afghans
- Vanilla cake mix + 4 TB of cocoa + 2 cups of semi crushed cornflakes. Add your favourite chocolate icing and place walnut on the top.
** these were by far the favourite of the bunch. My husband said he had to hide them from child no.2.

Easiest Cookies Ever - You tube Recipe

Recipe
Ingredients:
2 packets of Cake mix (12oz - Home brand)
2/3 C of Vege Oil
4 Eggs - room temperature
2 Cups of Choc chips an - your choice

Method:
Sift the cake mix
Add all other ingredients
Add chocolate chips and/or nuts - your choice

Scoop into balls and flatten slightly on a baking tray
Bake for 8-10mins depending on your oven
* Very economical, can be doubled and great for school lunches

You can also check out youtube for the recipe based on an 18oz box of cake mix

Date Scones - Edmonds Cook Book

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:
3 TB firmly packe Brown Sugar
25g Butter Melted
Can of pineapple rings - reserve a 1/3C of the pineapple juice
100g Butter Softened
1/2 C Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 Lemon
2 tsp Coconut Essence - not essential, I've made it without and it tastes fine
1C of Self Raising Flour - add a bit of baking powder if you don't have any self raising

Heat oven, grease/line cake tin. Sprinkle brown sugar and melted butter over base
Drain pineapples and reserve 1/3C of juice. Then arrange on the base over the brown sugar and melted butter.
Place the second measure of butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat until pale and creamy.
Beat in Eggs, one at a time. Stir in Lemon Zest and Coconut Essence, then fold in sift flour alternately with the reserve pineapple juice.

Spoon mixture of pineapples, then smooth the surface.

Bake 35-40mins or a skewer comes out clean.

Note: Double the mixture so you have a thicker cake.

It's a new day

hi all,
sorry for my absence a lot has been going on since my last blog post. To cut a long story short, I had some health issues, financial issues, personal issues - you name it I've had it. I figure there is always someone worse off and after having some time out at Camp, talking and sharing with friends, it has no only lightened the load but helped me to refocus on what's important.

To that end this blog will now be about me and my family and all the stuff that comes along for the ride