Just before I go.....

I thought I better send my Inkurable Challenge before I chill out in Culburra. The challenge this month was Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate, or for those non foodies amongst us Beige, Pink and Brown. I hope I have put in enough Strawberry!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

I don't know how I'm going to cope!! No computer for a few days while we have a brief sojourn down to the holiday house in Culburra. I think I'll be alright, but I will miss my cyber/bloggy friends. I'll just wish you all a very Merry Xmas and hope you all enjoy the special day with family and friends and then I best get back to packing. See you back here soon.

Its starting to look a lot like Christmas

It must be Christmas I'm starting to panic! I'm sure I'll get everything done but you always worry that you have forgotten something. We are spending Christmas with our daughter and her partner and her partners parents. I am really looking forward to it! Although we were still with family last year, we didn't have either of our kids with us. This year we have Jess but Jordan is still in Scotland. Lucky thing is going to have a white Christmas, although I don't think a young hip 20 year old will fully appreciate it! I have been busy making journals for Christmas. I was pretty happy how these two turned out. In real life they are quite sparkly from the Starburst sprays used.

Are we tired of making Christmas cards yet?

The call went out for "more cards please". Thankfully it wasn't for christmas ones, so this is what I came up with for the lastest batch for Trin.

Look What I Got!

For the last two Christmas's the girls in our Decorative Artist Association have come together and painted a quilt. Each person paints a blank piece of calico dedicated to a theme and give them over to be made into a quilt. We then recieve a ticket in the draw to win that quilt. I was thrilled to recieve this years quilt, the theme which was either the sea or the Central Coast and the girls out did themselves. I don't know if the photos do it justice but each panel was a work of art (LOL). Thanks goes to the lady who made the quilt up. As an added bonus, the panel that I painted was made into a cushion.

Fig Salami??? No meat products in sight!!

Walnut, Prune and Ginger Fig and Walnut

Thought you all might like to share a recipe for a change. For the last couple of years I have been whipping up these little nuggets for gifts and in some cases I have been known to have made a small cottage industry out of selling them in great numbers! Don't be fooled into thinking they are actually salami, its just a play on words LOL! I weight them out at about 150 to 200grams and each batch makes about 4 to 5 logs. Word of warning though, if you are serving them on a lovely cheese platter, cut them into thin slices and arrange them creatively as they could look a little like doggies do do if you don't!

The Recipes:

PRUNE & GINGER SALAMI
440g pitted prunes
100g pitted dates
40g crystallized ginger
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 tablespoons Port
Icing sugar

Blend prunes and dates together. Add ginger, vanilla, mixed spice and port. Mix together.
Divide mixture into 4. Sift icing sugar onto some cling wrap. Place one piece of mixture onto cling wrap and roll mixture until approx. 12cm x 5cm. Wrap in foil and leave in a cool place.Serve on a cheese platter with a strong cheese such as pecorino.


FIG & WALNUT SALAMI
500g moist dried figs
100g pitted dates
40g crystallized ginger (optional)
chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 tablespoons port
Icing sugar

Blend figs, ginger and dates together. Add walnuts, vanilla, mixed spice and port. Mix together.
Divide mixture into 4. Sift icing sugar onto some cling wrap. Place one piece of mixture onto cling wrap and roll mixture until approx. 12cm x 5cm. Wrap in foil and leave in a cool place.Serve on a cheese platter with a strong cheese such as pecorino.

Which ones do you like?

Just sitting in my little room at the back of the house codgetating, yes codgetating, over which one of these babies will become part of the annual christmas card production line. Can't quite decide. Can you help?

Journal

See you didn't have to wait that long! Just another Journal, not too sure about this one, I like the concept but I think I have gotten to be a little messy.

Gee is that the time already?!!

I have a little saying that you can often hear me say and its goes like ïts not really Christmas unless you PANIC!" Yup and thats just what I aim to do this year (again). I love Christmas! Unfortunatley I slide into that dreamy state of looking at the cook books, making cards (and not sending them), cruising the shops and soaking up the atmosphere. Yesterday coming home from work I was madly waving to Santa driving the bus! I got a little teary!! Anyhoo I just wanted to say, I'm back with the program and hope you will stay tuned because soon, very soon, I'll be posting some pictures of my manic dabblings and would love it if you dropped by to visit.