Christmas Is Coming... Time To Think About...

The yummy treats I only make once a year...
At Christmas time.
Over the years I have developed my favourites and they have changed as I no longer feed a family but just myself... And perhaps a friend or two.
So I can indulge in ingredients a bit more.
I also love making something new.

Last year I found this recipe in an old 1992 'Home Beautiful' magazine...
And decided it was worth a try.
The top photo is how mine turned out... More fruit and nuts than cake...
But that's how I wanted it.
The recipe below made two cakes in loaf tins and I made two small ones in little round containers that I gave to friends for presents.
I didn't have any terracotta pots but that would be fun to do.
I still have a tiny bit left as I eat it slowly...
But it's time to start buying the ingredients for this year's cake...
And spreading the cost over a few weeks.
Same again I think!

 

Northern Dolls... Burlesque Caberet...

I was in Whangarei recently and went into the shop 'Bra's and Things' looking for underwear...I was served by two lovely young ladies who told me in the course of events...
That they were two of the very talented people in 'Northern Dolls'.
They gave me a flyer for their upcoming show.
You can follow them on Facebook here.
And read their revews below.
I will be watching out for their next show...

Charlie Chapstick

Ayla-Jane von Tease

Missy Magination

Cherry Divine

 

 

 

Tried And True... Never Fail...

I have been making these muffins for the last 45 years!
They are so simple, easy and always delicious.
I lived in Wellington, New Zealand from the late 1960's for 11 years.
One of the things I did while I was there was have a share in  a market stall...
I think it was in an old multi story building in Lambton Quay...
There were about six of us, each making different things...
We took turns to 'man' the stall...
And it was lots of fun.
I made and sold literally 1000's of these muffins.
Over the years I have continued to make them...
The same basic recipe but sometimes with a twist...

HERE IS THE RECIPE (Makes 12 muffins)
2 cups baking bran
1 cup white flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
1cup milk or water
(I use water and  put 2 tab skim milk powder into dry mix)
4 teasp baking powder (or use self raising flours)
2 teasp baking soda dissolved in warm water...
Add 4 tab golden syrup to this and...
2 tab oil (or melted butter)
Mix into dry mixture adding more water as needed.
Mixture should be reasonably moist.
Put into greased patty tins.
Bake about 15 minutes - till top bounces back when pressed -
about 220deg C. Adjust for a fan oven.
VARIATIONSAdd diced apple or pear, cinnamon, cloves...
Sultanas and diced ginger...
Cooked mashed pumpkin, nutmeg...
Grated carrot, marmalade, mixed spice.

The muffins in the photo...
I soaked a cup of dried fruit in Whisky overnight, added 1 chopped pear and 4 teasp cinammon.
I used self raising flour, ommited the golden syrup, put 2 tab milk powder and mixed with water till a moist, slightly sloppy consistency.
I put almonds on top.
Yummy - they have all been eaten... and not by me!

Gustav Klimt... 150th Birthday...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delicious Japanese Cuisine... At The Beach!

A friend invited me for dinner...
We both love eating Japanese style...
So that's what we had for dinner.
Properly cooked Sushi rice mixed with rice vinegar...
Fresh raw Salmon...
Lovely just ripe Avocado...
Steamed Broccoli floretes... Not strictly Japanese... But have to eat some greens!
Little bowls of soy and wasabi and pickled ginger...
Japanese plates and chopsticks.
We dipped and mixed with our chopsticks in our bowls of rice.
A 5 ***** restaurant.
I hope I get invited again...

Angela's Skin Food... Dry Skin Body Cream...

 
I continue to make my own body cream...
Since first sharing the recipe with you I have fiddled round with it,
adjusted and changed some of the ingredients and how I make it to
see what makes a difference and what makes it better.
I have also found another web site and provider of organic
ingredients and recipes. Have a look here.
Reading recipes and other peoples comments on what they
 have, made helps me to assess and refine what I am doing.
It was tempting to buy some ingredients, and in time I may...
But for now I want to use what I have in my cupboards...

The problem with my first atempts...
The finished product tended to separate, more so in the
 warmer weather. So I have tried different oils to see if that
makes a difference... It does.. especially if it's a thicker consistency oil.
I read that essential oil is a preservative, so I now put more of that.

I also read about beating the two mixtures together and the temperature.
My conclusion is... The more you beat it while it is cooling
 the thicker it goes and the less is separates.
I have recently installed a 2000watt inverter.
This marvellous bit of technology turns the 12 volts from my batteries
 into 240volt so I can run electrical things up to 1700 watts through it.
So now I can use my hand held whizz stick.This has made a huge
difference to the consistency of the body cream.
Here is the recipe again..

DRY SKIN BODY CREAM

¾ cup almond oil or oil of preference

(I have achieved the best results using Olive or Avocado oil)

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 oz grated beeswax (I have increased this)

2/3cup rosewater (or any herb tea)

1/3 cup Aloe vera gel

12+ drops rose oil (or any other)

2-4 Vit E capsules

Melt oils & beeswax - carefully so melted not over heated

Mix rosewater, aloe, oil & vit E together

Pour this into oil mixture while still hot

Beat till well blended & cool.

I beat for 2-3 minutes, leave a while and beat some more, several times, till cool & thick.
The more of the solid oils you put (Beeswax & Coconut Oil) the thicker and more like 'butter' the end result will be....

Early Morning Departure...

Having spent the weekend at Ahipara then with a friend in Kaitaia...
Parked at the bottom of her drive...
Monday morning was cold and frosty.
It's 7.45am... The ground is white... Mist in the distance.
The sun is coming...
But parked where I am in the shade I have to wait for it to come over the hill...
And past some trees.

The moon was still  up...
A spectacular Far North morning...
In the supposed Winterless North...
Not really!

I moved onto warmer places.

Not far south, or really east if you look at a map...

On State Highway 10...

Is beautiful Cable Bay.

I pulled off road... Again...

Parked in the brilliant sun and made coffee.

This is one of my favourite... Amongst many... Far North beaches.

I think I could park here for a few days without anybody objecting. 

I
I continued on... Stopped at Kerikeri... No shopping this time...
Onto Whangarei where I stopped to pick  up my mail and my DoC Pass...
That I have just renewed for another year... $175 to park for 2 weeks at a time at any DoC Camp in New Zealand... Except at the peak Christmas holiday time, when my pass is not valid and, like others, I have to pay a nightly charge.
And here I am, again at Utretiti... Just in time for the sunset.