Christmas

Merry Christmas & a good book for the holiday season!

Margareta-Admin — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 06:22:42 +0000

Merry Christmas & a good book for the holiday season!

Margareta-Admin Wed, 22/12/2021 - 5:22 pm

Merry Christmas to You

Merry Christmas to the wonderful person who holds your part of the world to-gether. (Yep ... I mean YOU!)

Me-rry Christmas to Youuuuuu!

(And hopefully you can't hear me singing this, because I might be able to write books, but you've got to look for my sister to find the the one in the family who can hold a tune!)

After a challenging end to 2021, with the loss of some beautiful people near and dear to us, kids finishing VCE, cattle who simply will not stop demanding I do something with them, be it AI programs, embryo programs, sore feet ... the list, as you probably know if you're a farmer, goes relentlessly on .... here we are. It's nearly Christmas. Whew! And most of us actually made it, after the crazy world which was 2021.

I have one book to recommend to you this year, which you simply MUST have in your Christmas stocking, your partner's Christmas stocking, your older children's Christmas stocking, your grandparent's Christmas stocking ... you get the drift. This book is a MUST READ and is for EVERYONE who loves rural life, dogs, cattle stations and incredibly inspiring life stories. It is written by my dear friend Aticia Grey, and is the companion book to a new ABC Documentary series by the same name 'Muster Dogs'. Airing at 7.40pm on Sunday January 23, 'Muster Dogs' is a four part series following the lives and development of five kelpie pups, including Aticia's own Miss Gossip Girl. The series also features some other friends of mine, Neil McDonald and Joe Spicer, both iconic and superb working dog trainers who helped me with the working dog scenes in my book, Lake Hill.

You may remember some years back, how our family traveled across the country to the Pilbara region of stunning Western Australia and did a mustering season on a half million acre cattle station. Aticia and her family own that station, called 'Glenflorrie'. Teesh, as she is known to her family and friends, is a dear friend of our family (we even feature in the book!) and I was privileged to be a mentor to Teesh as she worked on her incredible story. With a warm, engaging and utterly inspriational storyline which will make you laugh, cry and wish you were on a red dirt property working a team of dogs,(or at least feel like you are), 'Muster Dogs' is a must have book for your reading pleasure this summer.

Muster Dogs by Aticia Grey is available in book stores, online and via audio.

You can also contact Teesh direct via her website Pilbara Working Dogs to order a signed copy and grab one of her amazing images (yes, as well as being a superb cattlewoman, author and dog trainer, she's a gun photographer as well!) or a truckers cap or a myriad of other stuff. My own working dog, Ang, came from Teesh and it's her image who features on a shirt.

Ang, you're famous!!!

Have a wonderful, merry and utterly relaxing Christmas wherever you are in this wide brown land of ours, (or overseas!)

Much love,

Margareta x

Tags

Pilbara Working Dogs

Christmas

2021

Drought and Fires - Summer in Australia

Margareta-Admin — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 04:13:24 +0000

Drought and Fires - Summer in Australia

Margareta-Admin Sat, 11/01/2020 - 3:13 pm

Drought and fires … welcome to a new decade and summer in Australia. Our hearts go out to all who have been affected in anyway by these wretched bushfires - burnt out, burnt over, evacuated or even on a Watch and Act. It’s had us all on high alert and continues to plague the media, our minds and our hearts. For some, it will be years of recovery, for others, not so long but still distressing. We’ve had family and friends in the centre of these dreadful blazes and our love and compassion is with them all.

Thankfully, at the moment, up here at Glenmaggie, despite being in an evacuation zone at one stage, we are going okay. But there are fires burning to the east and to the north of us, and the landscape and bush are so dry; it’s going to be a L O N G summer. We’ve had a few mls of rain, we’re well prepared, and have an evacuation plan in place if necessary, depending on the day, conditions and who’s at home. Crossing fingers …

Creative Group & friends hard at it in the local hall, sewing up toiletry bags ...

I’ve been busy with a Creative Group I’m a member of, making emergency toiletry bags for those in need, many of them going on trucks of hay and other urgent supplies - donated and organised by some amazingly generous people - in the first days after the initial East Gippsland fires. It was only a little thing, but as well as helping those in need, it enabled us do something, however tiny, to assist. The fellowship amongst all those in the local hall, cutting material, ironing, making bags, threading ribbons, packing toiletries and writing messages of support was inspiring and heart warming. Stories were told of some incredible people, those directly affected and impacted by these devastating blazes, who, despite having a blackened farm and livestock needing to be fed, or who despite having lost their own homes, were helping others and trying to make sure people who they consider worse off, were assisted first. Stories of survivial against the odds ... so many stories being told then, and now. It brings tears to your eyes.

So many are doing so much. Those who trying to put their lives back together, the people who have stepped up as unlikely leaders in this crisis. It is amazing and humbling to see and hear. We, as humans, haven’t lost our ability to empathise and come running to help our fellow man. It’s truly a beautiful thing to witness.

So, here we all are. On high alert. Not moving anywhere much other than feeding and watering the stock we have left here on the farm. The drought has hit us hard, but at least we aren't relying on the farm for our primary income, and for that we are so very, very grateful.

Having two six foot + sons at home over the Christmas break, I’ve cleaned out my office. Furniture was lugged around, cobwebs removed. I can now see out my lovely window and gaze at the lake ... It is beautiful. The boys did it all with good grace, and only the occasional rolling of the eyes. No. 1 son is home again having achieved his dream of a Diploma in Aviation. He's now a fully fledged Commerical Helicopter Pilot. Look out skies! No. 2 son is working both at a part time job and on his pride and joy - a Toyota Hilux Ute. He's in Year 11 this year and turns seventeen soon. I can't believe my boys are so grown-up! And our daughter, who is now taller than me (making me officially the shortest in the family!), was onto me having worked out some time ago that “mum cleaning out her office” is usually the precursor to a book. She's a perceptive young woman this third child of ours, who has her sights set on agriculture as her future career.

The start of another beautiful Attic 24 project - The Dahlia Blanket #attic24 #dahliablanket

I’ve started a new crochet blanket, an Attic 24 piece called the Dahlia Blanket in a spike-like stitch. The colours are bright and beautiful; they make you smile and I’m finding the crochet very therapeutic.

I’ve also picked up a number of books over Christmas and put them down again, not really finding anything to keep me focused. That was until yesterday. The Shelley Bay Ladies Swimming Circle by Sophie Green appeared on my iPad in the Limited time - Under $5 section. I read the sample (love the samples!) and thought, ‘Why not?’ And I’m really enjoying it. Its nice to find the right read at the right time, isn’t it?

Christmas seems so long ago, even though it was only weeks. It was a fabulous family time up here on the hill.

Auntie Doreen wielding the electric knife on her AMAZING pavlova!

So much delicious, mouth watering food was brought along by everyone. H's favourite salad was on the table thanks to my sister-in-law, and our Auntie Doreen's divine Christmas Pavlova was my absolute go-to dessert.

Santa and Rudolph arrived on the hill ...

We were even incredibly lucky to have Santa to visit (!) along with Rudolph, his very horse-like looking reindeer. Santa walked down the drive, ringing a beautiful crystal bell – not unlike one my mum treasured ;) – and singing in a rather offbeat voice. He knew ALL sorts of things about our family. Unfortunately my Dad was late arriving for lunch, so he didn’t meet the tall, rather slimmed down (must be the drought) jolly old man in red. But we were able to tell him; Santa really does keep a naughty and nice list after all. Yikes!

Lake Glenmaggie - Christmas Day Shenanigans

The day was topped off by some skiing time out on the lake. We were so lucky to pretty much have the whole Glenmaggie Weir to ourselves. I think everyone else was either sleeping under a gum tree or so full from lunch they thought they might sink. I know I would've had I ventured out on a ski. I let the kids take the Christmas day honours instead. Amid drought, feeding cattle and fires, there's still got to be some school holiday fun to be had, don't you think?

Love

Margareta x

Tags

Christmas

2019

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

Tags

Christmas

2015

Recipes

Need Help With Your Christmas Shopping List?

Margareta-Admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 10:16:17 +0000

Need Help With Your Christmas Shopping List?

Margareta-Admin Wed, 03/12/2014 - 9:16 pm

The first week of December - my official crank up week for Christmas. Unfortunately, as I have edits due at two publishing houses for both ROSE RIVER and my new US novella, I haven't gotten into festive mode yet. Although I'd better hurry, the kids are currently counting down the days until end of school and I haven't even STARTED Christmas shopping yet!

(Breathe Margareta, breathe.)

This led me to thinking about my Christmas list. What should I buy those nearest and dearest to me this year? Which then led me to thinking about YOUR Christmas list. What are YOU going to buy your nearest and dearest with regards to reading material this year?

Need a hand? (You also might like to join me in those breathing exercises?)

There have been many, many books on my TBR (To Be Read) pile this year and whilst I'd LOVE to mention a whole swag of them, that's only going to confuse both of us, and my brain is addled enough. Instead I focused on the books I simply could not put down. The ones that came with me to the bus stop, to the kids swimming and running training, netball and even to the shed when I thought H wasn't looking. These were the novels I had to have with me just in case I got the slightest excuse to stop and read.

AND I only gave myself five choices. Gulp. Do you know how hard that was?!

After much debate, here they are, in no particular order accompanied by a suggestion as to who they might be a good present for. Although (disclaimer following), I might get it wrong, so don't blame me if your mother-in-law/father-in-law won't speak to you for weeks, okay?!

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

A no brainer choice. I simply could NOT put this book down even going so far as to read it while having cups of tea, eating breakfast & lunch. Dinner was out of bounds but I can tell you I was wishing the family would eat up fast and then do the dishes for me so I could get back to reading!

Here's the blurb:

I guess it started with the mothers.' 'It was all just a terrible misunderstanding.' 'I'll tell you exactly why it happened.' Pirriwee Public's annual school Trivia Night has ended in a shocking riot. A parent is dead. Liane Moriarty's new novel is funny and heartbreaking, challenging and compassionate. The No. 1 New York Times bestselling author turns her unique gaze on parenting and playground politics, showing us what really goes on behind closed suburban doors. 'Let me be clear. This is not a circus. This is a murder investigation.'

BIG LITTLE LIES is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, school-yard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

For the mother/grandmother/aunt/daughter who has attended play groups, parents and friend groups, in fact been involved with committees of any sort - and made it out the other side in one piece. Or not.

Hello From the Gillespies - Monica McInerney

I'll admit it. I'm a HUGE fan of Monica's work and she'd have to do many things wrong for me to hate one of her books, but I honestly did love this one. At the time I needed 'a chocolate' (sweet and engaging) read and Monica delivered ... and then some.

Here's the blurb:

For more than thirty years, Angela Gillespie has sent friends and family around the world an end-of-the-year letter titled ‘Hello from the Gillespies’. It’s always been cheery and full of good news. This year, Angela surprises herself – she tells the truth . . .

The Gillespies are far from the perfect family that Angela has made them out to be. Her husband is coping poorly with retirement. Her 32-year-old twins are having career meltdowns. Her third daughter, badly in debt, can’t stop crying. And her ten-year-old son spends more time talking to his imaginary friend than to real ones.

Without Angela, the family would fall apart. But when Angela is taken from them in a most unexpected manner, the Gillespies pull together – and pull themselves together – in wonderfully surprising ways . . .

For the mother/grandmother/aunt/danughter/friend who loves an easy, warm and engaging story. There will be laughter, there will be tears, but once you turn the final page you will be more than satisfied. (Hint: Wrap it up with a box of tissues.)

Evergreen Falls - Kimberley Freeman

Inspired by elements of her own grandmother's life, this gem by Kimberley Freeman has a dual narrative. A master of the historical, I loved the way Kim brought the 1926 Evergreen Spa Hotel alive in my mind, with all it's grace and rich extravagance. She then effortlessly flips to modern day and a romantic love affair that will change one young woman's life.

Passion, romance and intrigue thread this novel together using both historical and modern day storylines.

The blurb:

1926: Violet Armstrong is one of the few remaining members of staff working at the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel as it closes down over winter. Only a handful of guests are left, including the heir to a rich grazing family, his sister and her suave suitor. When a snowstorm moves in, the hotel is cut off and they are all trapped. No one could have predicted what would unfold.

2014: After years of putting her sick brother's needs before her own, Lauren Beck leaves her home and takes a job at a Blue Mountains cafe, the first stage of the Evergreen Spa Hotel's renovations. There she meets Tomas, the Danish architect who is overseeing the project, and an attraction begins to grow. In a wing of the old hotel, Lauren finds a series of passionate love letters dated back to 1926, alluding to an affair - and a shocking secret. If she can unravel this long-ago mystery, will it make Lauren brave enough to take a risk and change everything in her own life?

Inspired by elements of her grandmother's life, a rich and satisfying tale of intrigue, heartbreak and love from the author of the bestselling Lighthouse Bay and Wildflower Hill.

For the great-aunt, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother in your life who loves a rich tale of bygone days spliced with modern-day life and love.

Life or Death - Michael Robotham

Simply incredible. I don't normally read thrillers but my lovely website manager (told you so ... told you so ... told you so!) talked me into reading this one and I was gobsmacked. The writing is superb, the storyline intense and intricate, the situation entirely plausible. I gave it to my husband after I'd finished and he read it in a matter of days as well. One hell of a read.

Why would a man escape from prison the day before he's due to be released?

Audie Palmer has spent a decade in prison for an armed robbery in which four people died, including two of his gang. Five million dollars has never been recovered and everybody believes that Audie knows where the money is.

For ten years he has been beaten, stabbed, throttled and threatened almost daily by fellow inmates and prison guards, who all want to answer this same question, but suddenly Audie vanishes, the day before he's due to be released.

Everybody wants to find Audie, but he's not running. Instead he's trying to save a life . . . and not just his own.

A great one for the male (or female) reader in your family (and then you can pinch it back from him to read first ... or second depending on who wins the stoush :)

The Sunnyvale Girls - Fiona Palmer

Fiona Palmer has become the author of my first personal choice when it comes to rural fiction. I can see, feel and breathe her stories, which seem to roll effortlessly from a very able pen. With the added Italian POW aspect embedded into this particular story, The Sunnyvale Girls, is a polished and well rounded tale that gives you plenty to think about.

Three generations of Stewart women share a deep connection to their family farm, but a secret from the past threatens to tear them apart.

Widowed matriarch Maggie remembers a time when the Italian prisoners of war came to work on their land, changing her heart and her home forever. Single mum Toni has been tied to the place for as long as she can recall, although farming was never her dream. And Flick is as passionate about the farm as a young girl could be, despite the limited opportunities for love.

When a letter from 1946 is unearthed in an old cottage on the property, the Sunnyvale girls find themselves on a journey deep into their own hearts and all the way across the world to Italy. Their quest to solve a mystery leads to incredible discoveries about each other, and about themselves.

For anyone who loves a rich, well-told yarn.

There you have it. My personal picks for 2014. Of course, there are a plethora of fabulous books to pick from this year so, whatever you choose, happy reading ... oh, I mean shopping! {blush}

RURAL BOOKS CURRENTLY HITTING THE SHELF

If you love your rural books, there are a few rural authors who have novels out in time for Christmas. (Just in case you want to put them on your own Santa list! ) These include THE GREAT PLAINS by Nicole Alexander, GEMMA'S BLUFF by Karly Lane, OUTBACK GHOST by Rachael Johns, RIVERBOAT POINT by Tricia Stringer and the list goes on. Check out http://www.australianruralromance.com for more rural books available in the festive season.

CHRISTMAS BARGAINS

If you're into romance eBooks along the lines of Nora Roberts, Linda Lael Miller and Diana Palmer, over at Tule there's a great lineup of Christmas eBook novellas, with some going really cheap at the moment. Our own Alissa Callen has one called HER MISTLETOE COWBOY available for approx. $3.39. There's also a few on sale for a limited time at 0.99c (titled Christmas at Waratah Bay; Just in time for Christmas; No Rest for the Wicked).

Oh and if that's not enough for you - some special offers on Amazon for Rural Romance (both Aussie & US based) The House at the Bottom of the Hill by Jennie Jones, Promise Me, Cowboy by CJ Carmichael and Marry Me, Cowboy by Lilian Darcy.

Should be something there to keep us all occupied in that post Christmas lull!

Tags

Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty

Christmas

Hello From the Gillespies

The House at the Bottom of the Hill

Merry Christmas and a festive recipe or two ...

Margareta — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:42:04 +0000

Merry Christmas and a festive recipe or two ...

Margareta Thu, 20/12/2012 - 10:42 pm

In view of Santa's impending arrival next week, no doubt followed by a hoard of relatives (or even just one or two) for lunch or tea at your place on the BIG day, I thought I'd share two of my most favourite festive season recipes which have seen me through the last couple of Christmas days in great style. They also might help you!

But first I'd like to wish you all the very best for the festive season, a happy and fun-filled Christmas Day and a safe and joyful New Year. I hope 2013 is filled with all the very best of things for you and your family. My family and I, after having a what is usually a wonderful day at my father's property, will head on up into our mountains on Boxing Day for a week or so of brumby spotting, fishing, motor bike riding, horse riding and swimming up on the high plains. We hang out for this break every year, done in conjunction with a whole bunch of like-minded wonderful friends. Think Nunkeri Plains in BELLA'S RUN and you've got the place.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your incredible support this past year. Without people such as yourselves, buying and reading my books, I wouldn't have been given the opportunity by Random House to share more tales from the bush. So for this I send my heartfelt appreciation, and invite you to come say hello in March when we release and tour with the next novel from 'The Voice of the Bush' - HOPE'S ROAD.

But in the meantime it's back to the real world and a recipe or two. Tonight is our local community Christmas Tree, a tradition that has been going for nigh on a eighty years or so (give or take a decade). Our brand spanking-new CFA station has been draped in tinsel and fairy lights ready to welcome Santa on the fire truck. The Christmas tree is up and the tables ready to groan with the weight of the food.

My contribution to the night will include the old standby Jelly Slice with a festive twist. Here's the recipe ...

Take 1 packet of Arrowroot biscuits (I find these crush better than Marie biscuits) and either vitamise, place in plastic bags and slam with the rolling pin or place under four wheel drive tyre and drive over half a dozen times. Take your pick, just make sure the bickies are crushed into crumbs. Melt and mix 8ozs (or 250gms) of butter in microwave and pour over biscuit mixture. Combine. Press mixture into slice tray and place in fridge.

Make up one packet of red jelly using 1 cup of boiling water and 1/2 cup of cold water (you can also use 1/2 cup of ice cubes instead if you're in a hurry). MOST IMPORTANT: Add 1 desert spoon of gelatine to jelly mixture before you pour in hot water. This stops the jelly from sliding off the rest of the slice. Place in fridge to cool.

Next, take one can of condensed milk. Open it and try not to lick the lid. Pour into mixing bowl, using a spatula to scoop out the dregs. Boil kettle and while you're waiting, try not to lick that yummy milk off the spatula. (Ooops ... damn, did she say not to?!) Dissolve 4 teaspoons of gelatine in 1/2 cup of boiling water. Add to condensed milk and stir. Add the juice of two lemons. If you don't have fresh lemons, squirt in a generous portion of bottled lemon juice (Yep, I didn't know it came in a bottle either until recently). Stir mixture until thickened. (You can stick in your finger and taste to make sure it's lemony enough. Just saying.) Pour over biscuit mixture that has been resting in slice tray in the fridge. Let both layers set in fridge again for ten minutes or so. Pour red jelly over top and pop tray back in fridge to set.

Now, make up one packet of GREEN jelly using 1 cup of boiling water and 1/2 cup of cold water. MOST IMPORTANT AGAIN: Add 1 desert spoon of gelatine to jelly mixture before you pour in hot water. This stops the green jelly from sliding off the red jelly and making one hell of a mess. Place in fridge to cool. When red jelly on slice is set, gently pour on green jelly and again leave in fridge to set. (There's a lot of 'setting' going on but you can do other stuff in between, like read my novella A BUSH CHRISTMAS on your iPad or kindle why you're waiting. You can read all about the Burdekin's Gap community Christmas Tree. I mean, no one can say you're not doing anything. You're making them jelly slice for goodness sake!)

The outcome of green jelly on red is the slice looks like it's red from the top, but at the side or when it's up against the light you get a stained glass window of festive jelly looking right back at you. It's just beautiful. Especially if you set the slice out on a plate and alternate with Chocolate Royal 'Plum puddings'. (In this picture, chocolate royals, green mint leaves, red raspberry lollies and white icing or white chocolate).

My second hit recipe for Christmas is a Warm Roasted Potato Salad. As soon as it appears, it just disappears! I was given the recipe by a friend a few years ago so I'm not sure where it came from orginally but man, is this one a goody.

Ingredients:

1 kg or so of chat potatoes, not peeled; 2 tbsp oil; 1 tub of Basil, Cashew & Parmesan Dip; salt & pepper;1/2 red capsicum diced or cut into fine strips; 1/2 salad onion or a couple of spring onions, finely chopped; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 bag of rocket leaves (or I use half bag rocket leaves & half mixed gourmet lettuce).

Dressing: 2 tbsp sour cream; 1 tsp lemon zest finely chopped/grated (or some lemon juice if you don't have zest - see below).

Preheat oven to 200 degress celcius. Cook potatoes in boiling water until just tender. Drain. Put potatoes into a mixing bowl with the oil, 3/4 of the Basil, Cashew and Parmesan Dip and salt & pepper (to taste). Toss until potatoes nicely coated in mixture. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Place potatoes on tray. Roast for 20 or so minutes or until golden and crisp.

In a separate bowl mix the remaining dip, sour cream and lemon zest. (If you don't have any zest just add a good dollop of lemon juice.)

Once potatoes are cooked, toss potatoes, their juices and crispy bits with the capsicum, onion and lemon juice. Spread rocket leaves out on a platter, top with potatoes and then the dressing. Serve while warm.

YUM-MY!

Have a faulous Christmas and I'll catch up with you again in the New Year. (I might even have a brumby photo or two to share if we're lucky!)

Margareta xo

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Jelly Slice Recipe

Warm Roasted Potato Salad Recipe

Christmas

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