Post Xmas....

Oh my...have I been the slack one....December ..has been full of visitors and busyness...I just haven't got round to blogging so much...umarr....quietly reprimands myself...ha ha...a whole new year 2012 fast approaches... shine our lights as brightly as we can..be a beacon ....love one another....keep positive and remember ....have no fear and doors will open.......enjoy life....lol...short and sweet this day...have grand kiddies leggoing all around the house!!  Oh I have made 2 banana cakes this week...I will put recipe on the next blog!!.........till the next time!.....be good to one another!

LASER SKIRMISH...

First time ever I played laser skirmish!!...What an awesome fun time I had...out of our group of five I came brilliantly last!! ha ha... exhilarating fun was had by all.Running round with gun in hand in  the  darkness..kept shooting at the husband...he didn't want to shoot me back awwwww...bwahahahahah . One would think the family member who was an actual soldier would of won...lol..but The most awesome daughter in law took out the top spot!.well done!! I didn't get a group photo...and I took my camera..oh yes...but this dum bunny...left the battery still sitting in the charger!! lol...hubby took a few photos with the mobile but hay...just not the same...Had a quick trip to Surfers Paradise and back...weather.....  sky could of been bluer...but it stayed fine  ...Love when family visits...makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!!   Im a lucky mum...I get to see all my kiddies over the next month at various intervals...grand kiddies...even a new mother in law!!....Not to mention saw my own mum this weekend too....I cant believe I haven't blogged in 2 weeks....must put on another recipe...ok mondee morning...must get motivated..until the next time...bye...  :)

OLD PETRIE TOWN

Spent a most fascinating morning at Old Petrie Town..north of Brisbane.....Many market stalls...permanent displays..museums and  pony rides for the little ones. Free to get in  and free parking.....a wonderful mornings entertainment...The old station has only the track you see...doesn't go further...but standing there it really felt like a train was going to pull into the station! And we know I just LOVE trains! So many unique  gifts ..of all kinds...I bought a unique one of a kind door stop...cat lovers would appreciate! I even found an old brass bed..nearly identical to my own I bought 20 years ago...I will definitely  be going back..and a fantastic place to take visitors from interstate..when they visit. There were clairvoyants...... an awesome array of shops ..places to stop for a bite to eat..and coffee....fancy gourmet foods...and well just everything..you'd want in a mornings out!...Though it doesn't look busy in the photos..it was!!...but not too busy that you get squished in the crush...ok folks...have a good one!  P>S as I say...click on photos and they will show bigger   :)

MAKING BUTTER

This morning..making butter took my fancy! Now it does take 5 or so  minutes of vigorous..and heart pumping shaking  of the container to separate the buttermilk from the creamy yummy butter. But the effort is well worth it...now half way through you just have a  jar of whipped cream...but persevere..and it soon separates.
Drain the buttermilk...Ill use my later for pancakes.  I also added a pinch of Celtic sea salt. I made mine in 2 batches..yes 2 heart pumping sessions...invigorating  lol...so 600 mls of cream made at least 300 grams of delicious fresh creamy butter. Make sure there is enough space in your container for the cream  to move around. OK so that's it...simple and foolproof!  oh yes one more thing...make sure your cream is pure...no additives or thickeners....until next time.....

TRAINS.....

I Love Trains.....
From the romantic opulence of the Orient Express...to the local suburban transit line...I love them all.
I received the brochures in the post  for THE GHAN...platinum class ..hay why not!! $3000 one way to Darwin!! here's a link from Getaway. http://getaway.ninemsn.com.au/fsaustralia/927224/the-ghan    (CLICK ON IT..IT WILL TAKE YOU THERE!)

Must put on my to do list...a gals gotta dream.  Looks exciting..What I find most intriguing is the abandoned stations and subways from around the world...some stuck in time since the early 20th century...frozen with memories. I hope to get a train adventure on my blog before too long. :)...pic is of a long abandoned subway station in NYC.  Ok I have a few little day trips coming up...and recipes so stay tuned...

TOOWONG CEMETERY

Started out early this day for a wander around Brisbane's oldest cemetary...it is 200 acres...and Im sure I didnt see it all! The  biggest most opulent graves on hill tops ect,seem to be for politicians, 

mind you from way back when they had more respect,back in the day.

The teaset  monument is  to a little girl...sad...but a fitting tribute to her life. SO many nooks and crannies.....Took the husband and son with me...and It was an hour or two of trying to find each other...as I took off alone  as soon as the car was parked! If you look in the distance..you can see part of Brisbane city. A few miles of walking in the very warm Queensland sunshine...and I was done....lots more to see...but maybe another day...the do have a ghost tour of a saturday night...Ill have to be going to that some time...  :) and we know I love a good ghost story!! 

P>S  If you click on the piccies they open up bigger   :)

STEAMED PUDDING

OK first recipe ...My mother in laws steamed pud ...now I only put in 1/2 cup of sherry...but in a recent conversation..she  announced oh noes...not enough, that one whole cup was more to her liking....I may adventure into that amount next time!!

INGREDIENTS:

TBS BROWN SUGAR HEAPED
2 CUPS OF MIXED DRY FRUIT.
I CUP OF CHOPPED DATES
DASH VANILLA EXTRACT
70 GRAMS REAL BUTTER
1CUP MILK
TBL MIXED SPICE
3/4 TSP of BICARB SODA...TEASPOON
HEAPED CUP OF FLOUR>>>WHOLEMEAL WORKS TOO  I USE SELF RAISING ...
!/2 CUP OR TO TASTE OF SWEET OR CREAMED SHERRY...I RECOMMEND MCWILLIAMS BRAND>

OK....
Add  the fruit...dates...butter...milk..vanilla...sugar..and sherry...into a saucepan
heat till simmering...just takes a few minutes.  Take of stove...add BICARB....watch it froth up...then add the flour...and there ya have it...the mixture....now put into a greased pudding bowl...cover with baking paper and alfoil....tie with string....make sure water tight...or if you have a good ol fashioned steamer like me with a lid...well then still add the paper...then the lid! 
Now you can either boil on stove in a saucepan of water for 2 hours...making sure water goes half way up the sides of steamer....or like I do in  a slow cooker  for about at least 6 hours on high......make sure if on stove...water doesn't boil dry!!...slow cooker much more easier...just do the same..1/2 way up the side of pudding tin with water..in the slow cooker.  :)

WOO HOO ....STARTING A NEW BLOG!

First post...and fresh new blog...which means old recipes done new.... brand spanking new adventures and treks...Stay tuned  for regular updates...Its gunna be fun!! You'll find I'll change the template background regularly!! Change is as good as a holiday, so they say...and one has to wonder..who THEY are??...ha ha.....