Recipes

Chocolate ... hand me the chocolate, wine and a good book

Margareta-Admin — Sat, 29 May 2021 01:27:53 +0000

Chocolate ... hand me the chocolate, wine and a good book

Margareta-Admin Sat, 29/05/2021 - 11:27 am

Just when you think life has a semblance of normality, and WHAM! you get to the counter of the local Roadhouse, after hearing of the latest lockdown here in Victoria, and there sitting on the counter are ... chocolate freckles. Oh My Lord. It was like visiting the Tinamba General Store, on a Saturday morning with my Dad when I was a kid, where if I was lucky, Mrs Gray would count out 20c worth of lollies, in a little white paper bag. And if I was really lucky, in the bag would be at least two chocolate freckles. So, on Friday, I stood at a different counter, about 40 years later, needing some kind of comfort thing! And my healthy eating diet went right out the window because I bought a packet of freckles PLUS M & M's and chocolate Peppermint Crisp! Lordy Moses - it was a lolly fest, I can tell you!

I waltzed back home and, as I do when I'm feeling slightly stressed, I started to bake. In went all the biscuit ingredients, followed by the M & M's. On went the freckles and into the oven it all went. VOILA! M's Lockdown biscuits were born. I thought I'd share the recipe with you here, just in case you too live in Victoria and are locked up with your kids for the next ~~seven~~ six days. I'm here to help, honestly. See bottom of post for my recipe.

The other thing I did yesterday afternoon was review my TBR pile which, I must admit, is teetering towards being out of control. Despite a plethora of choice, I could not find something to interest my jumpy mind. I simply couldn't concentrate long enough, nor find the right book to give me the 'feel goods' I wanted. SO, I restarted Sasha Wasely's latest book, Spring Clean for the Peach Queen, and didn't regret it one bit. What a lovely, comforting and warm story it is. But, it wasn't that long since I last read it (Easter time), so tonight I think I'll move on. Any suggestions on a warm, comforting book to read? Or even something a bit more edgy - I do like a good action/espionage/Jack Reacher kind of read ...

Spring Clean for the Peach Queen, Sasha Wasley

The other thing I picked up was my crochet. I've just cast off my hook (do you use that term in crochet?) a beautiful Aran weight blanket for my new great nephew. (Adding in a 'great' to the word nephew is confronting! Lucky he's the most adorable little baby EVER and I'm a "GREAT!" Aunty :) I was really pleased with this blanket. It's beautifully weighted, warm as toast and the pattern is delightful to create. It's 'Cosy Stripe' from Lucy at Attic 24. I used a chunky yarn from Fiddlesticks in three divine colours - white, mustard and a dark grey.

Miss K has now requested one too, but in a beautiful soft pink, white and dark grey. The thing I love about this pattern is it's very rhythmic, easy to remember and do, and the blanket keeps you so warm as you work it up! I find crochet my form of mindfulness. It keeps my fingers busy and my mind active, whilst at the same time, I find it relaxing. H always gives me a hard time about being an 'old granny with my knitting', but he does also help me choose rug patterns and colours when I'm all bamboozled, so I don't think he's that against the whole idea. Crochet is also quite social - it means I can contribute to the family conversations going on around the fire in the evening rather than being shut away in my own world, reading a book. That said, I don't think I'd survive without a book within an arms length.

This was a rug I completed last year during lockdown and it has found a home on the end of our bed. I love snuggling under it on those extra cooler nights we've been having as winter slowly makes it's way into the hills. The colours of this cosy rug really make my heart sing, and it's light enough that I can wrap myself in it if I'm having a cuppa in bed early in the morning. I really do look like an old granny then :)

The farm has been busy with cows calving and general maintenance. Nothing much changes with the running of the property during lockdown. Cattle still have to be fed and watered, AI'd and calved down. Fences still have to checked, moved out or in depending on the height of the water in the weir. Life continues outside at it's natural pace - sometimes flat out (calving, weaning, joining) and other times, simply plodding along. We had a couple of new embryo calves hit the ground recently. A stunning pure bred white Speckle Park heifer, and a cracker Hereford bull; both with the very best of Australian and Canadian genetics. It was SO exciting to see these two arrive. We've been wanting another Purebred Speckle Park white heifer for ages. And to get a cracker Hereford bull too. It's a match made in heaven for the commercial beef market!

Our eldest is working flat out flying helicopters up in the Northern Territory. Lucky him! He keeps sending me photos of magnificent Katherine Gorge and all the red dirt country he flies over. My heart does a big squeeze, because after our mustering season in the Pilbara a few years ago, I think a part of my soul remains in the red dirt of the north. The fact my first born is flying rather than being safely on the ground probably doesn't help either. But still, he's doing what he loves and we are incredibly proud of all he has achieved. He's really worked hard to live his dream. We're hoping to visit him sometime in the near future and catch up with our family and friends in the Territory. Something to look forward to is always good, I feel. What are you looking forward to? If it's a trip up north and you happen to be in the NT around Katherine this year, look up Nitmiluk Heli touring and take a flight with either Brent or Matt. You'll love it!

Our boy flying for Nitmiluk Heli touring

Photo by Jenny Ribolli

The other two teenagers in the house are about to hit the books with home schooling again. They're both doing VCE, one Year 12 and other Year 11. It's tricky, but we are so very proud of how resilient and hard working they are, despite the challenges of satellite internet and trying to Zoom! 'MUM, it's dropped out AGAIN!' is the catch cry of home schooling at our place, and lockdown would have to be the only time I curse when it rains. The internet really has a hissy fit then! I've been finding little rituals like a 10am cup of hot chocolate complete with it's warm, fluffy foamy topping, is just the thing. Plus one of Mum's Lockdown biscuits, of course ;) I hope, if you get a chance to cook some biscuits too, they give your family the 'feel goods' that come with good, old fashioned homestead baking. And don't forget the chocolate. It's a must. Truly.

M's 'Lockdown' Homestead Biscuits

Ingredients

125gms butter

1 cup of sugar (I sometimes drop it back a bit to 2/3's cup)

Pinch of salt

Dash of vanilla essence

1 large egg

2 cups of Self Raising Flour

1/3 cup of milk depending on how dry/moist the dough is ...

1 packet of M & M's or whatever addition you want to make. Sometimes I use 100's & 1000's or splinters, or choc chips or chopped up chocolate bars - be creative!

Method

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and salt. Add the egg. Combine well. Add SR flour alternating with milk. Make sure you mix well. Add your M & M's/Choc chips/etc. Roll mixture into small balls and place on a well greased or papered tray leaving room for the biscuit to spread. If you want to add a freckle to the centre of each biscuit, do it now.

Place in a pre-warmed oven on 160degC for around 12 minutes or until golden and cooked enough for your biscuit loving family. Cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Tags

Spring Clean for the Peach Queen

Sasha Wasley

Lockdown Biscuits

Recipes

Freckles

M & Ms

Peppermint Crisp

Fabulous Fifty

Margareta-Admin — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 23:09:26 +0000

Fabulous Fifty

Margareta-Admin Thu, 29/11/2018 - 10:09 am

Believe me when I say I have actually been writing to you all. Blissfully tapping away at blog posts over the last couple of weeks … but you haven’t seen them. The computer gobbled up two, I forgot to add the blog attachment to an email sent to my Web manager as I left for overseas (you’ll understand why shortly) and then, well, a beloved relative passed away and that post was too morbid to see the light of day.

So, here we are on a grubby, windswept day, rejoicing over a number of sporadic days of rain with a cup of Earl Grey tea, a piece of rich chocolate cake, and at my feet, a rapidly growing puppy whom I still haven’t told you about.

Let me rewind. The new addition to the family arrived some weeks back, in all her golden haired, brown eyed, floppy eared, fluffy, huggable glory. To the absolute dismay of Lucy, who is the undisputed Queen of Dogland around here, and the delight of Ange, who has re-found her playful teenage years after finally realising, ‘No, the new pup is not a rabbit, Ange, and therefore NOT fair game.’

We couldn’t for the life of us decide what to call this new kid on the hill. Usually there is a name rebounding around my head for any new arrival. But, for this little gorgeous bundle of fur, nothing suited. We tried EVERY name we could think of, a new one each day. My Dad even got in on the whole affair, ringing each morning with a different suggestion. It really was quite hilarious. The dilemma was eventually solved by my Dad, who was quite determined, and we now have a ‘Zoe’ flying around the big veranda’s terrorising Lucy, as well as Winks, (the one eyed cat), Garry, (our resident Blue Tongue Lizard), and countless drop tailed skinks. Despite the disaster zone, she is VERY cute.

Roll on to November and my birthday – a half-century. From what I hear, some people have trouble adjusting to the whole ‘50 years old thing’. Not this little black duck. One of my oldest friends from primary school started sending me a countdown of old photo’s to ’50 Shades of Grey’ (to the absolute hilarity of my kids. The 70’s and 80’s clothes, the hair …! What were we thinking?!), until on the big day itself she simply sent a picture of the word, ‘Gratitude’.

And it was this feeling that encapsulated my whole day, gratitude that I had actually made it, reasonably intact. Wrinkles by the dozens, yes, but I prefer to think them of evidence of all the laughter in my life. A few rusty limbs, yes, but I prefer to think of those as evidence I’ve worked – and sometimes played - hard. A few grey hairs, yes, but I prefer to think I have been lucky to have family and friends to love and worry about. Gratitude. It was the perfect definition of my birthday.

Especially for this …

My gorgeous, wonderful, incredible husband and kids presented me with a present (in addition to the puppy …) on the morning of the big day. I couldn’t work out what the package was as I felt it, rattled it, muttered under my breath, ‘What on earth is it?!'

I slowly peeled back the wrapping paper and there nestled in a lovely, small zippered bag sat a little folder and a letter that said, amongst other funny things, ‘Pack your bikini for FIJI!’

I was speechless, something which is quite a feat.

Looking across at H, I stammered, 'What have you done?? We’ve been to Canada … we’re in drought … we’re buying hay …!’

He shrugged. Looked philosophical. ‘It was a dilemma, but then I thought, Bugger it! You only turn fifty once. And it was a good deal.’

Kids, cows, dogs and farm were apparently organised and all I had to do was turn up at the airport with H and my passport (and the bikini, which you can read as a rashie and boy pants. Remember I’m 50... )

And it was the most amazing holiday of my life.

Nothing to do other than sit by a pool … snorkel on a reef … sit by the pool … sip wine … sit by the pool … be served breakfast, lunch and tea … sit by the pool …

IT. WAS. DIVINE.

Fab Fifty in Fiji

To this day, I still can’t believe they got away with it. I didn’t suspect a thing! My husband, the kids, my Dad, family, friends, the travel agent, the vet, the AI Tech … all in on it. The things H had to reorganise around me … and NOT LET ON!

What a man.

What a family.

What a holiday.

How lucky I am to be fabulous fifty!

#Fambamcookup

This week’s #fambam recipe heads straight for the sweet tooths amongst us. I love a good slice recipe because a tray of it generally lasts longer than a cake around here. Although, I do think this one might fly out the door … !

https://www.newideafood.com.au/lemon-marshmallow-slice

#Bushread

I’m reading Matthew Reilly’s new blockbuster, The Three Secret Cities, featuring Jack West Jnr. Despite their grandiose nature and far from realistic plots, I do love a good Matthew Reilly novel!

http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Three-Secret-Cities/Matthew-Reilly/9781501167195

#loving

… my hanging flower baskets dotted with petunias, which have burst into bloom. The hanging flower baskets I saw across Canada looked spectacular so I thought I’d give it a whirl up here. They’ve struggled, but we finally have flowers!

#laughing

… with my daughter at her ruby-red Hereford heifer, Bella, who is due to calve early next year. Bella’s been regularly spotted this week babysitting a couple of black and white Speckle Park calves. She must’ve decided she needed some practice! Wrong colour, but right idea.

Until next time,

Margareta xo

Tags

Lemon Marshmallow Slice

The Three Secret Cities

Matthew Reilly

Lake Hill, Latrobe literary buffs and a recipe (of course)

Margareta-Admin — Thu, 25 May 2017 07:19:52 +0000

Lake Hill, Latrobe literary buffs and a recipe (of course)

Margareta-Admin Thu, 25/05/2017 - 5:19 pm

And so, Lake Hill is launched. Huge thanks to all you wonderful readers who have bought, read, talked about, and generally supported Lake Hill as much as you have. The book reached No. 2 on the Collin's Booksellers Best Seller list (The Barefoot Invester, pipped me at the post, darn it all :) and was still going great guns at No. 6. Apparently the book is plastered on light walls at the Sydney, Brisbane and Perth airports too, but as I'm nowhere near those lovely places, I'll have to take my publisher's word for it :)

Onwards with the Gippsland LAKE HILL tour! This weekend is the fabulous Latrobe City Literary Festival!

On Sunday, I’ll be joining author’s Paul Mitchell, Scot Gardner, and Dorothy Johnston from 10 – 4pm at the Traralgon Library. If you’d like to meet your favourite author, ask questions about their books, learn about the creative writing process or find out how to write your OWN book, this is a fabulous opportunity to mine four authors’ brains in the one room!

For more details, go to: http://www.latrobe.vic.gov.au/Whats_On/Events/Events_Calendar/Register_…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And for the cooks in the room who saw my carrot cake on Facebook the other day, I promised to share the recipe here. This carrot cake is no fuss cooking at it’s best. It’s moist, and absolutely delicious. And it’s a large cake so should last for quite a few smoko’s! (Note for Jenny & Wayne C: this is the one I need to bring to your house when we come look at your cattle {smiley})

Carrot Cake

Ingredients

CAKE INGREDIENTS

2 ½ cups Self Rising Flour

1 teaspoon Bi-Carb Soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 eggs

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

2 cups walnut halves

4 cups grated carrot

½ cup well drained pineapple (crushed)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INGREDIENTS

185gm butter, softened

185gm cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 ¼ cups icing sugar

good squirt of lemon juice

Method

Preheat oven to 170 deg. Grease a 25 cm (or thereabouts) cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper. (I used a 26cm round spring form cake tin as that’s what I had in the cupboard.)

Sift dry ingredients into a big bowl on mix master. (Preferably a beautiful raspberry pink Kitchen Aid Mix Master, which hopefully your family gave to you for your birthday as your old second-hand Sunbeam, died. ) Briefly mix gently. Slowly add in sugar, eggs and oil. When combined add, carrot, pineapple and walnuts. Mix until well combined again.

Pour mixture into prepared cake tin. Bake for approx. 1- 1 ¼ hours or until you insert skewer into centre and it comes out clean. Turn onto wire rack to cool. (DO NOT LET ANYONE EAT IT YET! The best is still to come …)

CREAM CHEESE ICING: Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla in small bowl of mix master until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in sifted icing sugar until combined and add a squirt of lemon juice.

Spread frosting over cold cake. Can decorate with extra walnuts. I didn’t and it was fine. I figured all the walnuts in the mixture were enough for my kids to manage :) (The little darlings aren't big fans of nuts ... No comments about their mother please ..)

The original recipe was from the Australian Women’s Weekly, which I have tweaked a little.

Enjoy!

Margareta x

PS I'm reading THE LOCKSMITHS DAUGHTER by Karen Brooks. Can't get my head out of it!

Tags

Recipes

Carrot Cake

The Locksmiths Daughter

Latrobe Literary Festival

Catalogues, Clothes and Cakes

Margareta-Admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 04:05:11 +0000

Catalogues, Clothes and Cakes

Margareta-Admin Fri, 14/10/2016 - 3:05 pm

As I don’t live in town, I never get junk mail. This would be a dream for most people who get inundated with trailer loads of the stuff, but for me, it’s disappointing. I LOVE junk mail, probably more so because it is such a novelty. When I visit town-based friends or family, I have been known to pick up their catalogues and simply tune out, while I devour all the advertised delights, particularly at Christmas time when there is such a plethora of material.

You can now understand my absolute delight when the new RB Sellars catalogue arrived this week. And OMG is this year’s summers catalogue a beauty. It’s so big and thick it almost classifies as a book! The colours, the large pictures! You can see all the items and styles so clearly, which is particularly helpful when you are ordering by mail/online. I held off opening the latest catalogue until after dinner, when, with my cup of tea in hand, I was able to sit down in front of the fire and SAVOUR every single page. Sigh. (The male models are also damn cute & make rather good models for the blokes in my books. :)

Let me clarify here that I am not a fashion plate. I don’t even resemble a fashion-sized saucer. When I have a book tour coming up, I head to a couple of my fav local shops where the wonderful ladies there tell me what looks good. But when it comes to my everyday farm and normal ‘town’ wear, I am a shirt, jeans and boot QUEEN. I have certain likes and dislikes and so, today, I thought I’d share a few of my GO TO favourite outfitter’s – because, well, you know, those shirts, jeans and boots have to fit right. And look good into the bargain.

When I first discovered, in my teens, that my fashion style was good old fashioned “rural wear”, I used to save up my dollars and head to town to buy that RM Williams ‘Good’ shirt, and RM’s were also my choice boots. These day’s I rarely even visit poor old RM’s due to the fact I think they cater more for ‘citified tastes’ and after wearing soft, cushioned Ariats, why would I go back to flat, hard RM’s?

My work boots have also changed from Blundstone’s to Redback’s as I find them more comfortable on my feet. And when my daughter steals my Red Back’s, I head for my Ariat Lace-up’s, which despite being a pain because of the laces, are an absolute dream to wear all day. I could go on forever about the places those boots have been …

But let’s head back to clothes …

Mr RB SELLARS, I am an AVID fan. True to size, I order a LOT of clothes from these guys as do many of my friends. Work-shirts, jeans, jumpers – you name it, my family has got it. I only order the ‘light weight’ workshirts though as they are our ‘goto’ summer wear – light, cool and yet protective. The heavier weight ones, I find (because I am such a cold frog), are not warm enough for me in the winters of south-east Victoria. At this time of the year I switch to the flannel shirts, and RB SELLARS does these in gorgeous female colours. No more borrowing H’s navy and brown and forest green and black flannies … Winning, I say, totally WINNING!

Definitely something to do with their eyes

My daughter and I also have a lovely warm puffer jacket, vests, jumpers (in a range of purples and pinks, of course) and the boys have jeans and workshirts in blue, green, and blue, and blue and more blue. I think they like blue. Must go with their eyes. Or something …

Another provider of the work-shirt is Nungar Trading. Just as good, but I had to order a smaller size (normally a 10-12 and ordered an 8). Nice colours and a comfy, soft shirt once you wash and wear and wash and wear … which you will as they are a good, hard-wearing item.

Dust and Boots is another wonderful provider of my ‘go-to’ work shirt. A company run by an amazing lady from her property in QLD, these shirts are true to size. They also have a more luxurious feel and because of this I tend to use this as my “good work-shirt”. You know the one – town trips, farm field day’s, sale yards etc. Topping nice pants, they are a ripper.

Which leads me to jeans. We’ve all got our fav’s thanks to varying body shapes. What fits my mates doesn’t necessarily fit my flat arse and lanky legs. My jeans of choice for the last few years have been, yes, you guessed it, Ariats... A little on the pricey side, but seeing they wear so well, I swallow and hand over the cash. I have pairs going in rotation. Good, nearly good, old, really old - more holes than denim, which I have found are really good for holding up your wine glass at the end of the day. Bonus ladies! (Julien Miquel on Twitter... GENIUS https://twitter.com/jmiquelwine/status/734980159548366848 )

Grace in LA Jeans

Recently the girls at the Bairnsdale Horse Centre (where I buy all my jeans and boots) showed me a pair of Grace in LA jeans. The bling you see, the bling was to die for! I bought them, and have been wearing them, but they don’t quite fit like my Ariats. I’m persisting though and hoping I get used to them because they are very, very pretty. See … (picture)

And after warbling on about ‘work’ clothes, I simply have to point you in the direction of Hitchley & Harrow for the prettiest OOH LA LA shirts I think I’ve EVER seen. Favoured by camp drafter’s across the country, these rather pricey ‘good’ shirts are simply beautiful. I haven’t got one yet, but, ladies, I tell you, I am SAVING up, madly as I really would like one for my next book tour. That’s my excuse anyway. I’m sure you can find yours, after you take a look.

Now, enough about clothes for this week otherwise you’ll think my blogs been taken over by a rural fashionata! (So not.)

Seeing Christmas is looming, I wanted to share this recipe for a simple fruit cake that popped up over on my Facebook author page. Such a simple recipe! Nicole, a lovely reader of my books and blog tells me this recipe is an all time favourite, and whatsmore, she uses a Big M for the iced coffee and the resulting cake is AMAZING. This is what we need in the festive season, my dear readers, AMAZING and SIMPLE! I’m all for it.

You can find the recipe for the ‘Simple Fruitcake” http://blogs.abc.net.au

Alas, I now must stop chatting to you and get cracking on the editing for my next book, LAKE HILL, which will be in your hands come May 1, 2017, just in time for Mother’s Day! So exciting! (And don’t tell anyone, but I think we even have a cover! Can’t show you yet, but when I can, you’ll be the first to see it!)

Do you have a favourite country outfitter?

What simple recipes do you love using at Christmas?

Until next time,

Margareta x

Tags

September School Holidays Start Now

Margareta-Admin — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 04:03:08 +0000

September School Holidays Start Now

Margareta-Admin Fri, 16/09/2016 - 2:03 pm

Today hails the start of the September school holidays. For those of you past having kids of school age, this won’t necessarily cause a bump on your road. Except, perhaps, if you’re a grey nomad travelling around and all of the sudden everywhere you want to go is booked out, jam packed with screaming kids or even – woe forbid – the local Dan Murphy’s or IGA has sold of out of your favourite wine (#mumsinneedofliquidtheraphy).

In my house it means I have to come up with ‘The Project’. Yes, living three hours from Melbourne means those dinky little lists in daily newspapers entitled ‘20 things to do with the kids on school holidays’, will not work out here. We don’t have a zoo (well, maybe an ‘onfarm’ native fauna one …), nor a fun park to turn to when things get tough. And I might add, that awful word BORING is not allowed to be mentioned or even breathed up here on the hill. (admin - when I was a kid say BORING and you'd be cleaning venetian blinds quicker than you could think "whoops I shouldn't have said that!")

Despite the fact, in most cases, the kids find heaps to do around the farm, it usually involves that torrid thing called, ‘Work’. Hence, The Project’. I figure if I call it ‘The Project’ maybe they won’t twig what it really is!

For example, these holidays, H has time off from his ‘other job’ and we will be building those ongoing cattle yards that I keep banging on about. (Maybe we might get them finished?) The Farm Boy is excited because he gets to drive the tractor, use the post hole borer, learn how to weld, and so long as we don’t mention the word ‘work’, he’s as happy as a boy let loose in his Dad’s machinery shed.

The reverse of this colour scheme .. sort of ... because I love pink.

The Princess on the other hand is a little trickier and this is why I have another ‘Project’, just for her. And that is … (Ta Dahhhhhh …) painting the mailbox. Yes, I know. Sounds boring already, BUT we have decided to turn our very mundane ‘cream with a brown roof’ roadside mailbox into a bathing box. Are you excited? I’m excited. (Can you hear my joy resonating through these words?) We have chosen the colours; bright pink walls (LOVE pink), turquoise roof, yellow trim and have even been on the hunt for one of those little round vent things that usually sit above the door. (I have no idea what they’re called.) Unfortunately we can’t find one, so I think H has been co-opted by the Princess to make one instead.

Love a good campfire we do!

After they have exhausted themselves from all this work activity, we might take a day or two to find other things to do like a trip to town to the movies, or the pool. They’re always good standbys. And then there’s the bonfire or camp-out night where they have mates over, cook and then eat half-raw sausages and try to toast a decent marshmallow. (The dog usually gets quite overloaded with charcoal and sugar at this point.)

"We will get through" is my mantra.

Whilst I DO love having the cherubs home, I will have to admit, my dear readers, that I am the mother who, on the first day back at school, will wander around the house and garden in a dazed state just picking at weeds and playing with my dogs, wondering at the peace and quiet that has FINALLY returned to my world. For at least five days of the week, anyway, and until mid October when the world starts to go mad with the ‘End of the Year’. (I sighted Christmas decorations last week in Spotlight! In September!! True Fact!!!)

A couple of great links I came across this week.

Over at Dolly Henry, Megan is having a wonderful chat about ‘Why being “too busy” to reply is damaging your small business”. This was a wonderful, thought provoking post particularly relevant to this day and age of constant availability. Emails, texts, messenger. Everyone is available in the here and now. A lot of people manage it well; they LOVE having all this technology at their fingertips and prefer an email to a phone call. Me? Well, I’m of the old school. And sometimes, I get overwhelmed. This post was a little reminder, that despite how I’m programmed, I need to move with the times and this is an excellent post on etiquette in dealing with modern communication.

Across at Best Recipes, they had these ‘Muffins that taste like donuts’ and O.M.G. are they going to shoot my no sugar diet to hell. Take a look and if you make them let us know how it goes. (Repeat after me: I AM NOT MAKING THEM. I AM NOT MAKING THEM.)

Rural and women’s fiction author, Rachael Johns, has also been twittering and facebooking that there are now MINT MALTEASERS available in the supermarket. If my diet didn’t go down the gurgler with the muffins, it sure will now. I will have to be physically restrained from picking up a box next time I’m in IGA. Only thing for that will be avoiding the lolly isle completely and that’s going to be difficult seeing it’s school holidays (#mumsinneedofsugartheraphy)

On the book front, I have just finished reading a FABULOUS book by Jane Harper called ‘THE DRY’. Set in northern Victoria it’s a crime/thriller novel that started a publisher bidding war, the likes of which is unusual in Australia to say the least. It’s a brilliantly executed novel where the joy in reading lay in the minute details of country life. Harper pegged this small country community under the stress of drought and other more sinister things (cue spooky music) perfectly.

On the rural romance front, Nicole Alexander’s latest novel RIVER RUN, has hit the shelves. I bought this for H for Father’s Day as he loves Nic’s books and am now waiting VERY impatiently for him to finish. It sounds like another fabulous read from an author who is at the Heart of Australian Storytelling.

I also have the spectacular Liane Moriaty’s TRULY, MADLY, GUILTY on the go, along with HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOK SHOP by Veronica Henry which I was drawn to by its gorgeous cover. I haven’t been able to get into it yet, so no comments until I find a nice slice of time to devote entirely to the book.

Barbara Hannay’s latest, THE GRAZIER’S WIFE, has also made it to my TBR pile. Barbara’s sweeping historical and contemporary dual narrative saga’s rarely disappoint, so I’m looking forward to dipping into that one. At the moment though it is with my Great Aunt, who LOVES reading these kind of books. It also serves the purpose of H not seeing just how many books are sitting on that TBR shelf :)

Podcasts have also become a recent addiction. After putting the kids on the bus, the dogs and I tramp up and down hills (my ‘lets check fences/weeds/cattle and get fit at the same time’ routine) and I have taken to listening to all kinds of brilliant interviews. Unfortunately yesterday while getting particularly immersed in one such podcast, I lost one dog - the Kelpie, Ange. After retracing my steps, in the pouring rain (down the hill which meant I had to go back UP the hill AGAIN) I found her. Off home we went, where I found I had now lost the OTHER dog - Lucy, the pint sized Jack Russell X. Back I go again (still raining) cursing. I found her sitting under a large tree obviously taking refuge from the deluge. Not happy Jan (or Lucy, as the case may be). Off I trudged again with BOTH dogs and I made it home albeit soaked but having finished the podcast AND with TWO dogs (or the real working dog and the one who just thinks she is). So be warned. Podcasts can be addictive and all-consuming. And cause you to lose your canine mates. Let’s hope that doesn’t translate to misplacing my kids over the next two weeks!

Until next time.

Margareta

Tags

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School Holidays

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2015 Christmas Book Suggestions & Ice Cream Cake Recipe!

Margareta-Admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 00:39:29 +0000

2015 Christmas Book Suggestions & Ice Cream Cake Recipe!

Margareta-Admin Tue, 22/12/2015 - 11:39 am

Amid 40 degree heat (with NO air conditioning I might add) we partied our way through the first family Christmas celebration yesterday. It was so much fun, with lots of laughter and jokes being shared around the Christmas tree and dinner tables.

That was AFTER they’d all managed to slog their way down the drive and negotiate the electrified bungy cord gateway keeping the cattle from entering the house yard. My brother-in-law from Brisbane (all 6’2” of him) was the only one who rang me from 100 metres away. ‘Ummm … this gateway? How do I open it?’

‘There’s a plastic handle. Grab hold of it and then drop the cord.’

‘Handle? Ummm … I don’t want it to bite me.’

‘You need me to come and save you?’

‘Yep.’

City slickers, I don’t know …

Christmas Book List

Last week I mentioned I’d give you a few book ideas to consider for your Christmas present list. I’ve let the side down this year a bit. Being away doing the mustering season in north western Australia from June to October, cut into my reading time in a large way.

BUT, I can give you a few recommendations based on the reading diet of both myself and a few others close to me whose reading tastes I admire.

Wild Lands, Nicole Alexander

My husband loves Nicole’s books and Wild Lands, her 2015 release, was no exception. For the lover of sweeping Australian saga novels with historical overtones.

The Secret Years, Barbara Hannay

My Great-Aunt adored The Secret Years. This contemporary and historical dual narrative moves from outback Australia to Cornwall, London to war torn Papua New Guinea in a story based on family, heroism and love.

The Saddler Boys, Fiona Palmer

My go-to girl of rural fiction, Fiona Palmer, has once again delivered the goods with this well-rounded lovely rural love story which packs a punch.

Close Your Eyes, Michael Robotham

It’s no secret that thanks to my amazing webmistress/assistant, Karen, I am a HUGE Michael Robotham fan. A man who beat Stephen King to the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger Award in 2015 for his standalone novel Life or Death. Close Your Eyes is another masterpiece. If you love, or have someone in your family who loves crime fiction, this incredibly talented Australian author is your man and this is your book.

(Karen - If you've not read Shatter (from earlier in this series) you might want to start there - which will be no trial!)

The Cuckoo's Calling, Robert Gailbraith

Aka J K Rowling, Robert Galbraith is my new literary love. I couldn’t put these books down. Cormoran Strike is my new Jack Reacher. Sigh. (Lee Child novels) These two books are from previous years but I suggest you start with The Cuckoo’s Calling so you can enjoy the series to the max.

The Silkworm, Robert Galbraith

What I want to read over Christmas …

I really want to read this book. The reviews have been fabulous and I have enjoyed Tricia’s other rural novels.

Between the Vines, Tricia Stringer

Set in and around the world famous Ghan train, deep in the Australian outback, Judy Nunn always delivers well researched, captivating Australian sagas.

Spirits of the Ghan, Judy Nunn

A master at work – the blurb of Kate Morton’s new release has me intrigued and I ADORE the cover.

The Lake House, Kate Morton

As you can probably tell from my comments as well, my webmistress is quite a fan of Crime Fiction. She's added a couple of recommendations that might work for fans of my books as well.

Historical Crime fiction set in England around the Suffragette Movement, Dody McCleland is a qualified doctor working as an autopsy specialist in a time of massive change for women. Beautifully researched and elegantly written, this is a great series from WA based Felicity Young.

A Dissection of Murder, Felicity Young

A Few Right Thinking Men, Sulari Gentill

Another Australian historical crime series, written by ex-lawyer and Truffle Farmer Sulari Gentill who lives in the stunning Snowy Mountains, these books are written with great historical authenticity and a beautifully pitched touch given that they sometimes cover very tricky subject matter.

And it wouldn't be a newsletter from me without a recipe!

Margareta's Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:

4 litres of vanilla ice-cream

400 g of chocolate honey-comb pieces, chopped into chunks

or 200gms chocolate honey-comb pieces (chopped) and a bag of maltesers

220g bottle of chocolate Ice-Magic

Fresh berries & icing sugar

Put 4 litres of ice-cream into 2 big bowls (Half ice-cream between the two). Leave to soften for 10 minutes (don’t let it melt).

Gently fold in the chopped honeycomb (&/or maltesers). Grease a 26cm spring-form tin. Line base and sides with 2 layers of baking paper. I suggest you go 2-3cm above the edge of the pan with the paper, creating ‘hungry-boards’, so you can get all that yummy ice-cream into the tin.

Spoon ice-cream mixture into the tin and level with a knife or spatula. Freeze overnight.

Just before serving tip ice-cream cake from tin (I removed sides of tin along with the paper, laid a plate on the ‘top’ and tipped the cake upside down so the bottom became the top.) Drizzle immediately with Ice Magic, allow a minute or so to harden then top with fresh fruit. Sift icing sugar over the fruit to finish.

This cake goes ultra well with plum pudding but it would be terrific with any other desert or just by itself.

Note: You can replace the honey-comb/maltesers with other lollies or chocolate bar treats. Let your imagination run wild!

Time to stop pretending! Christmas is definitely on the way

Margareta-Admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 03:15:43 +0000

Time to stop pretending! Christmas is definitely on the way

Margareta-Admin Wed, 02/12/2015 - 2:15 pm

As you know, I haven’t been around here during the second half of the year. The family has been a bit busy chasing cattle in the remote Pilbara region of W.A.

But we're back and in what seems like a blink of an eye, we're all staring down the barrel of that jolly old time called Christmas. Now, I’m not going to be one of those doomsayers and remind you there is only something like 17 or 16 days left until the big day.

No, I’m not.

Instead I’m going to tell you about one of the most exciting events ever to happen. My Jacaranda tree has FLOWERED! Oh my goodness if you knew how many of these stunning trees I have KILLED over the years you’d be yelling and throwing a party for my blooming tree too! So pretty …). That list will be on the blog next week just in time to help with your Christmas shopping!

Jacaranda Tree in Bloom

Although this absolutely mind-blowing event did not supersede the fact that last week my daughter was made a House Captain for 2016 (very proud) and my youngest son, the Farm Boy, spent his first four days at secondary school (Heavens, where did all those primary years GO?!)

So, seeing as holidays start on Friday, at the bus stop this morning I said to the kids, ‘Right. We need some projects lined up!’

At which point I was drowned out by a chorus of ‘No, mum! NOT PROJECTS!’

I mean what’s the problem with projects? They keep the kids busy while I try to write a book …

Anyhow, these two rug rats assured me they had projects of their own to complete. There was no need for me to dream up anything! The Princess is moving bedrooms so apparently the job these holidays (when she’s not water skiing, swimming, playing with lambs and doing death defying moves on her rip-stick) is to make her new room look ‘beautiful’. O-kay. So that’s going to take six weeks, huh?

And the Farm Boy? ‘My project is to improve my motorbike riding,’ he says. Right. Like the holidays earlier this year where he broke his leg ON THE VERY FIRST DAY, and spent his whole holiday on the couch. Good one, lad. Sounds like a great project. Not.

So yesterday my beautiful kelpie Ange and I made a trip down to South Gippsland to collect some trainer sheep for the Farm Boy so he can practice working his dog. That might take the pressure off the trips to the hospital and so forth. I can only live in hope.

My Ange - Absolutely LOVE this dog :)

Great Christmas Ideas

I came across a great idea the other day for a fabulous family present I thought I’d share with you. It was over at The Organised Housewife (Yeah, I know. We can always aspire though can’t we?)

It was a family movie Ice Cream Gift Box and it’s going to be on my gift giving list this year. Perfect for the family whom you have no idea what to buy. (My own kids would love, love, love it. Hint hint to any family reading this ...:)

The other was a very yummy sounding recipe from Annabel Langbein - Overnight Christmas Cake. Now, I haven’t made this Christmas Cake yet, but thought I’d give it a whirl seeing it apparently cooks while I sleep - a whole 12 hours! Does that mean I’m actually going to GET 12 hours sleep? I’m not sure, but suspect if I do it’ll be because I’ve swigged the rest of that brandy.

Of course, there is always my tried and true Christmas Jelly slice. A couple of friends of mine have already made this gorgeous looking slice this year and I thought I’d remind you it’s there on my blog for your pleasure should you be knocking your head against a brick wall and saying, ‘Oh my gracious, just WHAT am I going to make and take …’

Christmas Jelly Slice Plate

Yep it’s that’s time of the year.

Until next time,

Margareta

P.S. I'm currently putting together my yearly 'personally recommended books to read this Christmas' list which includes a rural book or two (I've heard ROSE RIVER by Margareta Osborn's not a bad read

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Recipes

Making a fashion statement ...

Margareta-Admin — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 02:19:31 +0000

Making a fashion statement ...

Margareta-Admin Wed, 03/06/2015 - 12:19 pm

Welcome to Winter!

Posh New Boots!

Brrrrrr ... oh my golly gosh, hasn't it been cold! I swear, on Monday, I couldn't feel my feet ALL DAY! This necessitated a rather radical move. A supremely radical move seeing this family is a 'Redback' workboot family. I went out and bought myself a new pair of work boots! I know ... I know ... such a sacrifice seeing, for me, boots are kinda like books and chocolate - you can never have enough. (Don't tell H I said that. He still doesn't know how many books I actually OWN thanks to a revolving mobile library system that ensures a lot of my novels are out on loan to friends :)). BUT, cold feet? Not an option. Wet feet? Not an option. Uncomfortable - "I surely hope I don't have to trudge up another hill in these bloody boots" - feet. Not an option. And soooooo ... I went and had intense discussions with the lovely Sue at The Stable Door in Sale. Found the pair of boots I have been coverting for the past FIFTEEN years have gotten better and better. SO I sucked it up, and bought a pair. And OH MY LORD, are these things like walking on clouds of soft, fluffy, waterproof bits of nothing. I am in HEAVEN I tell you. Absolute boot heaven. Thank you Ariat, once again. Your Terrain boots are like salted caramel Tim Tams and a Monica McInerney book all wrapped up in a heated, fluffy towel.

Chic!

So this morning's fashion statement is brought to you by a bag of second hand clothes from a friend (flannie shirt), Mountain Design Outlet store (puffer vest and bargin rack men's shell jacket), Murray Goulburn (Farmtech Milking vest), Ariat (jeans albeit rather worn and ripped), Fever (yummy scarf), my lovely Auntie Denise (hand knitted blue beanie) and Ariat again - my NEW BOOTS! Aren't they just the trick! Only thing is, the laces are going to drive me nuts but its a small price to pay for comfort.

So whilst many other of your favourite authors may look like they've walked off the cover of the Australian Women's Weekly, Australian Country Style or even Vogue, this author isn't one of them. Just ask the locals. Although, in saying that, I did just get some rather divine author photo's taken and thanks to my goregous stylist Ms Sandra who always makes me feel a million dollars, and a very talented and delightful photographer, Angela Landua, from Danae Images in Traralgon, they didn't turn out too bad. I'll show you next week!

New Book

I started writing a new book this week. Are you excited? I'm excited. After a while of nothing talking in my head (it was truly getting rather depressing just listening to my OWN thoughts) I've now got two books on the go which isn't good for my brain as I don't know which one's talking to me at any one time. When I get 'that book look" (as my family call it) my daughter has taken to asking me, 'Which one is it, mum?' Apparently 'the look' then turns blank. I just hope I don't get my Lake Grace's and Pilbara's mixed up.

The Packing Pile

Packing

Despite spending last week thinking I was dying of the flu which necessitated a few days in bed (I know! It was that bad!), we are getting organised to leave for the Pilbara. The LandCruiser could be forgiven for thinking it's having a birthday what with new tyres, mechanical repairs and things that were falling off all secured back on. The heavy duty trailer has also got in on the act with new bearings and such. A dog box is now made and ready for the kelpie complete with roll up blinds should he get a bit hot. All very flash and fancy.

My floor is starting to disappear as I make piles of stuff on the 'must go' list. I'm getting to that point where I'm looking at it all and starting to subtract items (the "it really doesn't HAVE to go pile") because I know from past experience, it just won't fit. And it's actually quite amazing just what little 'stuff' you really need in order to live. That said, H and I have bought new sleeping bags for our swags as the old ones really were on their last legs. Busted zippers, rips and tears - I'm afraid the last trip across the Simpson Desert on the roofrack, finally did them in. My new sleeping bag is pink, which has the Princess throwing it all sorts of looks and I'm guessing if it goes missing, I'll find it in HER swag!

In cooking this week ...

You have to go to http://lilluna.com/creamy-swiss-chicken-bake/ and make this! Oh my, what a simple and absolutely delicious recipe ( and superb for this long weekend). Preparation takes about 5-10 minutes and then whack it in the oven to let the heat do the rest. Perfect if you need to go back outside to feed the animals in the evening - it cooks while you're getting everything else fed and settled for the night. The best kind of recipe, I think.

What I'm reading ...

I have just finished Robert Schofield's MARBLE BAR, a very enjoyable read, with lots of action and all set in the Pilbara where we are heading. Very timely. I'm half-way through a new book by Milly Johnson called THE TEASHOP ON THE CORNER. It's a very light read so while I was sick, just the book I needed as I couldn't concentrate on what I was saying let alone what I was reading!

I also have a treat in store for myself that I've been keeping for our trip across Australia. Tony Parson's latest book, RETURN TO MOONDILLA, came out a little while ago and it's been sitting on my bedside table waiting for a 'holiday' where I can just sit and read (a week across Australia should account for that). Touted by Tony's publisher (Allen & Unwin) as the Father of Australian rural fiction, I would have to whole-heartedly agree. I have always revered Tony after a) reading his CALL OF THE HIGH COUNTRY fiction series which was my second introduction (after Di Morrissey's 'Heart of the Dreaming') to the then embryonic genre and because b) he is a renown working dog breeder and trainer who established one of the top kelpie studs in Australia, 'Karrawarra'. In fact, he was awarded an OAM for his contribution to the propagation of the Australian kelpie. Now in his 80's Tony is still writing, and this is another action packed novel set in rural Australia that will appeal to fans of crime and romance.

The blurb:

Return to Moondilla tells the story of a former journalist, Greg Baxter, who's recently returned to the area he grew up in (Moondilla, inspired by the NSW South Coast) to finish what he hopes will be a best selling novel. Far from being able to concentrate on his novel, however, the successful , handsome writer and martial arts expert is subjected to the attention of some attractive women, including the feisty doctor he once had a crush on. He also finds himself drawn into a police investigation of a lcoal drug-dealing syndicate; After an attempt on his life, and with his trusty German Shepherd, Chief, at his side, Baxter realises his days will be numbered unless he can help the police break the drug ring open...

I spoke with Tony after the release of his new book and here's what we chatted about ...

What was the inspiration for this book:

The pointlessness of drugs and of one man's stand against their use. I had some experience with martial arts a long time ago and used this as a kind of spearpoint for the story. After all their heroics and the development of a virgin country I hate to see Australians involved in drugs. I've said this fairly forcefully in the Prologue of Moondilla.

How it's the same/different to his CALL OF THE HIGH COUNTRY series (which I ADORED by the way)?

Moondilla is quite different to the High Country books. I left Penguin because they wanted to 'box' me in to rural type books and I didn't want to be boxed in. I'd written thousands of articles and transcribed complex material to simpler language when I was with the ag/vet companies (plus written radio/TV commercials) so I was confident I could extend the scope of my writing. 'Back to the Pilliga' was a breakaway novel to a certain extent and 'Return to Moondilla' is a further departure where the bush is replaced by a river and coastal town plus, of course, the drugs. The manuscript of the next novel is with A & U and it's quite different again.

Is the move towards a suspense story something you've always longed to do?

I wouldn't say the move ... is something I've always wanted to do. I regard myself as a storyteller and I think it's important to stretch oneself into new fields. Having said that I've got enormous admiration for Agatha Christie and her crime novels. I would very much like to be able to write something as good as hers. My children's book 'The Bird Smugglers of Mountain View' is another rural suspense story. It's in most of the schools up here and John Williamson likes it a lot and says it should be in every school. He's a bird lover too.

The Lad and his "Boy"

Purely personal, do you still have a keen interest in working dogs? And why the kelpie, not the border collie?

I don't breed Kelpies now. I had 70 years with Kelpies and I think I've done enough in that field. I wrote four books on the Kelpie , The last is a 700 page book which is regarded as the best book on the breed ever written. It's $150 in the shops but it has sold well around the world. Nearly every good working Kelpie has my Karrawarra blood in it.

Why the Kelpie?

It's (with the Cattle dog) Australia's national dog. It has had a greater influence generally than Border Collies even though BCs do better in trial work.

What's next for Tony Parsons?

I would have to be excessively optimistic to look too far ahead regards future books. I'm 84 and I'm assured not many people my age are still writing novels. There's the manuscript at A & U and it's set in the Glasshouse Mountains. It's quite different but I like it a lot. It refers to the demise of the Kabi people with the onset of white civilisation. I wrote some songs for this story one of which was in collaboration with one of my lovely granddaughters. Beyond that is the biggest novel I've written which I am in the process of rewriting. It's the story of the search for a Nazi war criminal. I did a tremendous amount of research for this book and I hope I live to see it published. There's others in first draft but whether I ever get to them or would want to by then, I couldn't say. I don't have my old energy and the body isn't what it was.

Thanks Tony, and good luck with your new book!

In other rural book news ...

Helene Young is touring the east coast with her new novel, NORTHERN HEAT which is on bookshelves now.

Jenn J. McLeod (SEASON OF SHADOW & LIGHT), Tricia Stringer (HEART OF THE COUNTRY) and Karen Davis crime writer - DEADLY OBSESSION) have also been wandering around NSW for 12 days in a bus with BETTER READING, promoting their new books and having one heck of a good time.

Arriving in June is also my friend, Pamela Cook's newest rural novel, CLOSE TO HOME.

These great books just keep on coming ...

Until next week, I'll keep packing and you guys keep reading and stay warm.

Margareta x

And we're off to the Pilbara!

Margareta-Admin — Mon, 25 May 2015 05:08:27 +0000

And we're off to the Pilbara!

Margareta-Admin Mon, 25/05/2015 - 3:08 pm

Life is frantic up on the hill at the moment. H is welding up cattle yards on another block, I'm trying to organise our home lives which got a tad scrambled while I was doing pre-book tour stuff, mid-book tour stuff and post-book tour stuff, and keeping up with the permanent job - kid taxi duty. And when I'm not involved there, I'm getting farm books up to date, going through cooking books and ... packing.

Yep. You heard right. Packing.

A lot of people when they get the chance to go AWOL head to decadent beachside destinations like Fiji, Vanauta, Phuket or, if you're lucky, the Greek Islands. (Mykonos anyone?)

But not us. No, Sireee. (I don't think we'd actually know what to do if we ever got to sit on one of those glorious overseas beaches.)

H and I - plus two two kids and one kelpie - are leaving our farm in the hands of a very capable farm-sitter and we are heading right across the Nullabor into Western Australia and about half way up that state (give or take a few hundred k's or so), where we are going to work the mustering season on a friend's (very large) cattle station in the Pilbara. Cooking, truck driving, mustering - all that kind of stuff. The kids will have a life experience they'll never forget especially seeing their mother and father, who are most definitely NOT teachers, are going to try and teach them for a term (shoot me now ) amongst other things. Although, I have no doubt regardless of our (lack of) teaching ability, by the time we head for home the Farm Boy will be able to tell you his version of how to run a cattle station, drive a Scania truck, fix a bore pump and windmill plus hazard a guess on how to fly a mustering helicopter. The Princess will be an mini expert at yard work whilst painted in hand ground red ochre (she loves the stuff), have the ability to transform beef into 10 million different dishes (where's my old station recipe book amongst all these boxes?), make slices by the slab, and of course, as she is want to do when no one is watching, dance to the chorus of dozens of galahs. Or lots of frogs if it rains. Which it probably won't because the place is scarily close to Marble Bar. H won't want to come home because he'll be in his element (bushie that he is) and neither will I. (This is on-the-ground research for another book. Or two or three.) See, it's a WIN WIN situation here. (Just nobody mention snakes at this point in the conversation and I'll be very happy).

We have a window of opportunity here on the farm as all is quiet until October. Our home place is having a spell from stock, there's no irrigating to do at the other block, no fires to worry about and so, we leave in two and half weeks! Yes, it's a mad scramble even though we won't be taking all that much. According to H, that is. Remember our trip to QLD last year? If you're new around here - a very big hello and welcome! - you might like to look at this and see how I got the car boot closed. This time it'll be a Landcruiser tailgate and H is already giving off all these warning growls of 'it can come, IF and only IF it fits ...'. Obviously I'll have to make sure there's room for me or I might be conveniently left behind. But then he wouldn't have the yummy butterscotch bickies or homemade rolls or chicken casserole detailed below, so I think he'd relent. Just for me. I think ....

Anyway, once we're packed (yes, I will take a photo) and we are on our way, if you hear of a Toyota Landcruiser, a heavy duty trailer, one mum and dad, a pigeon pair of kids, one cattle dog, two motorbikes and an array of swags & all sorts of other stuff "you have to take to camp your way across Australia and halfway upwards" all going missing, you'll know it's us.

Stayed tuned for updates of the mad scramble to leave followed by life in the Pilbara for a family of Victorian hillbillies!

RECIPES

Last week on my Facebook Page I mentioned some Butterscotch biscuits I made from an old recipe of my mum's. I had this piece of paper from her ancient cookbook and had tried every recipe written on it except for these little beauties. I have no idea why it's taken me so long! They are absolutely beautiful. And so, as requested by you lovely Facebook followers, here is the recipe for these yummy bickies which had my younger children asking me, 'Are they called Butterscotch because they're made of butter and that stuff some people drink?'

(I just want you all to know 'some people' is not their mother.)

Butterscotch Button Biscuits

BUTTERSCOTCH BUTTONS

125 gms butter

1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

1 1/4 cups of Self Raising Flour

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

1 tablespoon of Golden Syrup

Beat butter, vanilla, sugar and golden syrup until light and fluffy. Fold in flour. Roll teaspoons of mix into balls. Flatten slightly with fork.

Bake in slow over approx. 20 minutes

Focaccia Rolls

FOCACCIA ROLLS

The other recipe I was asked for this week, was for some foccacia rolls I made over the weekend in order to have hamburgers. Because we live a long way from the shops I usually keep bread and rolls in the freezer, but this Sunday night I ran out (head slap!), and knew what little bread I had was needed to make tomorrow's school lunches. What to do? I really wanted to make 'homemade' takeaway. (If we buy takeaway from our nearest town, by the time we get it home it's cold and yuck!) So I scouted around in the freezer for something else but hamburgers had taken hold of my mind. I was kind of salvitating over a nice juicy hamburger stacked with salad. So fixated was I on this treat for tea, I decided to have go at making the rolls myself. Now, I'm no bread maker from way back like some people who read this updates so please feel free to share your own lovely bread roll recipes. In the meantime though, here's mine. They turned out a treat and a half. Please note, I combined a couple of recipes to get this one, and I used an old Breville Baker's Oven Plus Model No. BB250 (750gm loaf).

Here's what I did:

I grabbed my trusty Bread Maker bread pan and poured in 330ml of lukewarm water, folllowed by 500gm of Lauke Bread Machine PreMix Crusty White Bread flour (make sure this covers the water as you don't want the yeast coming in contact with the water), followed by 4gms dried yeast.

I placed my bread pan in the bread maker and set it on '8' for Dough and allowed the machine to knead away for 10 minutes. Turned it off. Pulled the bread pan out. Dusted the bread board with CORN flour (CORN flour I said, most important for some reason I can't remember) and tipped the dough onto the board. I covered the dough with a bowl and allowed it to rest for about 10 minutes.

I then dusted the dough with said CORN flour. And placed the dough into the bowl and covered it with cling wrap. You've then got to place the bowl in a warm place for about 20 minutes or so for the dough to rise. (I either put mine on the dash of the car, or, if the fire's blazing, on the hearth to the side of the open fire.)

When dough is nicely risen, tip it back out onto your CORN flour covered board and divide dough into roll size portions. Glaze with milk and top with sesame seeds (if desired.)

Cook in hot over (220 deg.) until golden brown. And Voila!

Hamburger rolls!

Home made 'take away' that's YUM!

Homemade Takeaway

CHICKEN & DUMPLING CASSEROLE

I was also scanning a few of my favourite cooking websites recently for a nice, mouthwatering, heart warming casserole. I'm not sure about your house, but Saturday's around here seem extra busy and by the time they all off-load coats, hats, boots and pile inside on a Saturday evening after a big day, everyone's STARVING. Soooooo.... I went looking for a new recipe and after a few false starts and the odd cries of 'darn it, why can't they just use NORMAL ingredients', I found this little beauty. It was easy, I HAD ALL the ingredients (ie. they were normal pantry staples) and I served it all on it's own but you could add rice to make it go further should someone unexpected rock through the back door.

Check out this link for the recipe, thanks to Chef-in-training. I highly recommend it. You could also ditch the dumplings and whack the casserole into pies. BEW-DI-FUL!

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2015/05/chicken-and-dumpling-casserole/

WHAT I'M READING ...

I've been trying to read Alice Hoffman's, MUSEUM OF EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, for my bookclub this week but got distracted last week by a great Australian author Robert Schofield and his novel, HEIST. Set around Kalgoolie the book is an action crime read and I tell you, this man gives one of my favourite authors in this genre, Lee Child, a run for his money. (Are you impressed? I was. No one has ever given Jack Reacher a shove like Gareth Ford).) You might remember I hosted Robert on my website some time back when his latest novel MARBLE BAR was released? I hadn't gotten around to reading his first and loosely connected HEIST. I wish I had now! SO glad I remedied my error too! So if you like a good action novel, take a look at Robert Schofield. You won't be sorry.

The other book I recently had the pleasure and great honor of reading was an early copy of my lovely friend Deborah O'Brien's (of MR CHEN'S EMPORIUM fame) new book, THE TRIVIA MAN. Due on the shelves in June this year, look out for this one as you're in for a treat. It's no secret I love Deborah's work and THE TRIVIA MAN is no exception. A cleverly told, beautifully written story which is a quirky and heartwarming tale about finding your true place in the world, set against the backdrop of a weekly trivia competition.

‘Trivia is a serious business, not a social occasion' Kevin Dwyer, the 'trivia man'

The blurb ...

Dubbed ‘brainbox' by his peers and ‘weirdo' by his sister, Kevin Dwyer is a middle-aged forensic accountant who has never had a real friend, other than his eight-year-old nephew Patrick. When Kevin joins the Clifton Heights Sports Club trivia competition as a one-man team, and convincingly wins the first round, he is headhunted by the other contestants. But Kevin would prefer to be on his own. That is, until he meets Maggie Taylor . . .

Maggie is a Latin teacher and movie buff, who's good at her job but unlucky in love. In fact, she's still besotted with the man who dumped her years ago. Nagged by her friend Carole about getting out and meeting people, Maggie reluctantly joins the trivia team founded by Carole's husband, Edward.

Over a season of trivia nights, Kevin, Maggie and her team will experience arguments and crises, friendships and romances, heartbreaks and new beginnings. And maybe, just maybe, Kevin will find his happy ever after . . . - See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/deborah-obrien/the-trivia-man-97808…

I couldn't put this one down. If you loved the ROSIE PROJECT, you'll adore, THE TRIVIA MAN.

Well that's it. I have to go and cuddle my little Jack Russell, Lucy, as we can't take her with us on our AWOL trip from the wilds of the Gippsland High Country to the wilds of the Pilbara. I'm squeezing in every last cuddle I can but she is in extremely good and loving hands while I'm away so I'll just have to suck it up and cuddle the kelpie, Crosby instead. That's if The Farm Boy will share his best mate with me :) I might just have to pick up another kelpie along the way. Just don't tell H I said that, okay? :)

Until next week,

Take care and happy reading, cooking and farming. And packing ... :)

Margareta x

PS. For all you Apple users and iBooks lovers, THE COWBOY is available on iBooks now. And if you love it, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review. Thanks so much!

Tags

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

Alice Hoffman

Museum of Extraordinary Things

Who's making ANZAC's today?

Margareta-Admin — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 03:25:08 +0000

Who's making ANZAC's today?

Margareta-Admin Sat, 25/04/2015 - 1:25 pm

The checklist for today, ANZAC DAY, April 25, 2015:

Dawn Service where hundreds of locals gathered. Tick.

Tears while the last post was played. Tick.

Stories shared with the children over breakfast of H's grandfather - a tunneller - killed on the Western Front in WW1, and his father - a Navy man - who fought in WW2. Tick.

Stories shared with the children over breakfast of my Great Uncle, killed whilst a POW on the Burma railway. Tick.

Anzac Biscuits in the oven. Tick.

A quiet, respectful day on the farm. Tick.

It's all part of ANZAC day in our house. What's ANZAC day like in yours?

Today, I thought I'd take this opportunity to share my amazing ANZAC biscuit recipe. These yummy treats are loved by all at our place. They're so easy to make, I often whip them up on Sunday nights if I've got nothing for the lunchboxes or smoko to start the week. Dive in. Give them a go. And say a small prayer as you place them in the oven. I do.

Lest We Forget.

ANZAC Biscuits

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

1 cup caster sugar

3/4 cup of coconut

Method

Turn oven on to 160 deg (Slow oven)

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Melt 125 gms (1/4lb) butter in microwave. Add 1 tablespoon of Golden Syrup. Whack back in microwave for 30 seconds or so, ensuring it's hot for the next addition.

Combine 1 teaspoon of Bi-Carb Soda with 2 tablespoons of boiling hot water. Add to hot butter mixture, stirring gently and it will FIZZ.

Add to wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine well.

Use a big teaspoon to place a teaspoon of mixture (roll it in your hands so it's a ball) on a greased biscuit tray. Repeat until all mixture is used. (Usually three across tray)

Bake in a slow oven for around 15 - 20 minutes.

Loosen biscuits on tray with egg flip while still warm. Cool on trays.

TO FINISH:

I drizzle my cooled ANZAC biscuits with melted chocolate (Nestle or Cadbury Milk Melts). They taste spectacular!

Ummm ... bad for you? YES!. Yummy for you? YES! But it's comfort food and it's Saturday and it's ANZAC day ... so I haven't got a problem with that.

ENJOY!

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Anzac Biscuits

Anzac Day

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WHAT I'M READING ...

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Who's making ANZAC's today?

Leave a Reply

Recipes

Chocolate ... hand me the chocolate, wine and a good book

Leave a Reply

Fabulous Fifty

Leave a Reply

Lake Hill, Latrobe literary buffs and a recipe (of course)

Leave a Reply

Catalogues, Clothes and Cakes

Leave a Reply

September School Holidays Start Now

Leave a Reply

2015 Christmas Book Suggestions & Ice Cream Cake Recipe!

Christmas Book List

What I want to read over Christmas …

Margareta's Ice Cream Cake

Leave a Reply

Time to stop pretending! Christmas is definitely on the way

Great Christmas Ideas

Leave a Reply

Making a fashion statement ...

New Book

Packing

In cooking this week ...

What I'm reading ...

Leave a Reply

And we're off to the Pilbara!

RECIPES

​BUTTERSCOTCH BUTTONS

FOCACCIA ROLLS

CHICKEN & DUMPLING CASSEROLE

WHAT I'M READING ...

Leave a Reply

Who's making ANZAC's today?

Leave a Reply

BUTTERSCOTCH BUTTONS