Strawberries!

If you are like me and you always buy alot at a time (or you grow them) because everyone loves them so much, sometimes you might need ideas on how to eat them different ways.

Here are some wonderful and yummy ways I found over at Domesblissity - Please go over and check out her wonderful blog - she's very inspiring with lots of delicious recipes and loads more!

1. Strawberry Jelly

Mix up a jelly as per instructions. Add fruit and leave to set.

2. Strawberry ice cubes

You can leave the strawberries whole. Place in an ice cube try and fill with water. Add to a glass or jug of cold water to serve. You can also mash/blend/puree the strawberries, fill the ice cube tray and add the strawberry ice cubes to dacquiris, lemonade, champagne or suck on as is.

3. Strawberry icy poles

Add pureed strawberries to icy pole moulds, as is or mixed with fruit juice, other pureed fruits, yoghurt, lemonade, whole pieces of other fruit.Whatever your imagination comes up with!

4. Strawberry pancakes

Chop strawberries and add to your favourite pancake or pikelet batter. The above photo is from Rachel Ray's Magazine so it's only fitting that I list her recipe below.

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving
• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla. Preheat a nonstick griddle over medium heat.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the melted butter. The batter should be thick and smooth. Fold in the strawberries.
3. Spoon the batter onto the griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook the pancakes until set and thoroughly bubbly, about 3 minutes. Flip them with a spatula and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

5. Strawberry butter

Mix finely chopped strawberries with softened butter. Spread on anything that you would usually spread butter on.

6. Strawberry and apple crumble

You can find the recipe here

7. Strawberry, yoghurt and muesli parfait

In individual glasses or cups, layer any flavour yoghurt you have with muesli (or granola) and blended/pureed strawberries. Top with more chopped strawberries.

8. Strawberry Eton Mess

Either make or purchase meringues, crush and mix with whipped cream and chopped strawberries.  Serve in individual serving glasses.

9.  Strawberry cake

Use a  plain un-iced sponge cake from the supermarket topped with plain whipped cream and topped with strawberries or add the chopped strawberries to the cream.

What the kids are reading!

It was a really wet day yesterday and cold. We had a small taste of spring last week, and then it was taken away. Yesterday seemed so short and dark. Very dark. After school and before dancing we visited the library as the girls were complaining they had run out of books to read, plus we had some to return to the library. I'm happy my girls love the library so much. They always find plenty of great books to keep them going. Perfect for snuggling up in bed on a cold night with.

Kates teacher is reading a series by Justin D'Ath which has Kate hooked. So she was thrilled to locate some yesterday.

Ella loves the Judy Moody series and was thrilled that one she had reserved was waiting for her.

The movie based on this book is out next month, she can hardly wait to see it. She also reserved this one.

Ella still loves comprehensive picture books and found these cool ones

and there were some favourite authors in there too

This should keep them going for a bit and hopefully the weather will warm up again soon!

Spring Cleaning

I've spent the last 2 days spring cleaning the girls' rooms. I did Kate's yesterday which took me twice as long as Ella's did today. Her room is bigger and she does have more stuff, so I guess that's why. I got rid of quite a bit of rubbish and clothes to pass on. It's nice now that they are done. Not sure which room I will get done next but hoping to get through the whole house in about six weeks.

Ella's room

Kate's room

At the Movies

Today we woke up to pouring rain after a storm swept through just after 4am. So what better way to spend a couple of hours than going to the movies. The girls had been waiting ages to see The Smurfs.

We are lucky enough that Phil is home for 5 days, so he got to come along too. It was a great movie and I highly recommend it!

September garden

We are spending so much time outside at the moment, eating most of our meals out there (yes, even breakfast!) before summer hits. It's so lovely out there right now with new flowers popping out every day, birds sitting in the trees singing, the cat comes outside too - it's a real family affair!

I'm loving geraniums right now

And pansies are always so cheerful looking

more geraniums and pansies together

miniature pansies

Carrots growing fast

Strawberries growing!

rainbow chard

tomato and capsicum have really taken off

pretty colour

a quiet spot to sit

Ella's Purchase

A few weeks ago, Ella told me she was saving up to buy a pillow pet she had seen advertised on tv. She could never quite remember the details, so she recorded a program with the pillow advertised in the ads, then paused the ad and wrote down all the details.
She then took two weeks to decide which pet to buy and we ordered it last week. Every day since then she has asked after school whether a parcel has arrived for her. I had strict instructions I was NOT to open it. I had been out all day today, so a card was left in the letterbox for us to collect a parcel from the post office. We stopped to collect it on the way to ballet, and she opened it just before going in to class.

Sunday

Well with the RWC underway, I am spending alot of time on the couch soaking it all up! With three games played this afternoon/evening the girls kept themselves busy and made some biscuits

While I was in the shower (after a morning of gardening) I came out to Kate saying morning tea was ready outside! Aren't 10 year olds the best!

I had to laugh when Gordon wanted me to turn on the outside tap for a drink. This cat only drinks running water (always from the bathroom tap) so need to find something to catch all the excess.

Sun, Sand and Sea

 

After dancing today, we packed a picnic and headed to South Beach for a glorious afternoon. The temperature was 25 deg, a perfect spring day! The beach was really quiet, which was great, we had it almost to ourselves. The girls dipped their feet a bit and then got in the water a bit further, but after awhile they got a bit chilly so opted to play in the sand instead!

There is nothing like fresh watermelon to enjoy on a warm day at the beach

 and some chocolate cake always goes down well

 

there were handstands on the beach

shells to collect

getting braver in the cool water

climbing the rocks

got to love that gorgeous backdrop and of course those gorgeous children!

Ella stopped to look at the dogs swimming at the dog beach next door

 

cheeky seagull comes to visit

Ella does some digging

after 2 hours at the beach, we loaded our bags back into the car and headed to the playground and cafe for ice cream, hot chips and a play! A lovely Saturday afternoon!