School holiday project- skateboard deck design ready to ollie, kick flip or pop shove it!

Have an old skateboard? This is a great project during hols.  Kids can create their own art masterpiece and turn it into a tramp board, shelf  for bedroom (with or without wheels) or just  a piece of art.

You will need

• Old skateboard - if you can't find any old ones floating around, you can buy cheap ones at Kmart for $8. You can also pick old ones up at garage sales etc
• Screw driver 
• Sandpaper
• Pencil and paper
• White or Black acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Rags
• Posca paint pens (awesome pens to paint with, buy at newsagents or art shop. Eckersleys art have a great supply, www.eckersleys.com.au
• Clear  spray sealer

Grab an old skateboard.

Unscrew trucks and wheels.

Lightly sand skateboard deck.

Wipe dust off 

Decide on design and practice drawing on paper. Google images are a good source. If you like graffiti style there are some fantastic ideas. Let your imagination run wild. 

Paint board in white or black paint acrylic paint and  let dry. You will need to give it at least a couple of coats. 

Once dry pencil or chalk in design. 

Paint design using Posca paint pens. These pens are easy to master and give good coverage. 

When finished spray with  2  coats of sealer. 

End result - your own original masterpiece to ollie, kick flip and pop shove it!

The Refreshing Taste of Summer - Watermelon Salad

Summer is my favourite time of the year. With holidays and beautiful weather it is a good time just to enjoy the sunshine, go to the beach, take a walk, swim, catch up with friends over a BBQ or just laze around with a good book and an ice cold drink.

And with so many great fruits in season it hard to pick one. Watermelon is a big favourite in our household. It is fantastic on its own or in salads, drinks or ice blocks. Try this salad for a tantalising dance on your taste buds, the refreshing taste of watermelon, saltiness of feta cheese and the beautiful aroma and freshness of mint, along with the coolness of cucumber.

Watermelon Salad

• 1/4 watermelon, diced
• 1 red onion sliced
• 200 g feta cheese diced
• 1 cucumber diced
• 1/2 cup of fresh mint shredded
• Red wine vinegar - optional

Mix all ingredients except vinegar in serving bowl, drizzle with red wine vinegar. 

This salad goes wells with home made fish and chips -  Serves 4. 

 Turn oven on to 200 degrees celsius.  Dust 6 fish firm white fish fillets in plain flour, dip in egg, and coat in a mixture of breadcrumbs, lemon pepper,shredded Parmesan  cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Slice  8 potatoes  into 1cm thick fingers. Toss in olive oil and lay on lined baking tray. Season well with salt and pepper.  Bake for 30 mins then  add fish fillets on tray, lightly drizzle with oil and bake for another 15-20 minutes. 

Serve fish and chips with Watermelon Salad and Homemade Tartare Sauce. 

To make home made tartare sauce, mix together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, chop finely 2 dill pickles, 1/2 lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon capers rinsed and chopped.

Enjoy xx

Ps.. Try this combination - for a great entree serve sliced watermelon and with grilled/bbq haloumi and mint, it is delicious. Or for a healthy dessert the kids will love...thread diced watermelon, strawberries and pineapple on skewers and serve with yoghurt.

Would love to hear your ideas.

School Holiday Activities Recipe for Success , Just Add Fun, Family and Fondue!

Another Christmas over and done and dusted.  Then there's is the dilemma of keeping the kids entertained and active over the school holidays.  Here are my picks.

Gold Coast City Council have a great "Active & Healthy Holiday Program" running each day over the holidays for all ages. Visit www.gcparks.com.au and click on "check on what is on offer here".  I was really surprised, there are a lot of fantastic activities this year for everyone for very little cost if any (a lot are FREE) from art workshops to skateboarding and slack lining and the new and "parkour" (great for my eldest who loves to run and jump obstacles) at the Southport Broadwater  Parklands to Sushi making, film making, bongo drumming, tie-dying and group fitness.  There is also a parents bootcamp twice a week.  My youngest, the budding master chef, is sushi making tomorrow.

"Flip Out" is  a massive trampolining playground at Tweed Heads.  Full of trampolines everywhere, this will get the heart rates pumping.  Heaps of fun. www.flipout.net.au

Gold Coast Iceland is the place to go to cool down.  Strap on a pair of skates and off you go.  Great prices and great in the fact that you only pay if you are skating.  Remember to bring warm clothes and for the adults not skating - grab a Zarraffas takeaway coffee just down the road. www.goldcoasticeland.com.au

Gold Coast Compound is the skateboarders and scooters paradise.  3 hours of jumping off ramps into foam pits is heaven. www.gccompound.com

Jigsaws are an awesome rainy day activity.  Kmart have 500 piece jigsaws for $1.00. Lay them out on the dining table and the whole family can enjoy the moment as they stop and place their pieces in the masterpiece.

Doodle Art is a great idea. A hive of busy activity these posters are.  I wouldn't know where to start.  They come with poster, and pens and keep kids busy over time. Eckersleys at Labrador, www.eckersleys.com.au have a good supply.  A vibrant store full of  arts and crafts supplies.  They do run workshops there as well.

Fishing, my favourite.  Grab a couple of fishing rods, bait and pack a picnic.  There are so many great fishing spots on the Gold Coast.  Pack swimmers and towels for a swim afterwards.

With beautiful weather and many of us going back to work  it is nice to catch up at the end of the day.  
Grab that esky, picnic rug and head to the park with skateboards, footballs  and dog etc in tow.  Pack some wraps, cooked chicken and salad and drink.  It is a beaut way to relax at the end of the day.   And for dessert, bring along fondue set with tea light candle (these can be bought at many kitchen shops or department stores).   Have the kids chop up strawberries, marshmallow, banana bread and of course bring along the chocolate to melt.  Enjoy xx

Chocolate Fondue

1 250 g good quality milk or dark chocolate
1/3 cup of thickened cream 
Strawberries, husked and sliced
Bananas or Kiwifruit, sliced
1 packet of marshmallows
Banana bread cubed


Place chocolate and cream in fondue bowl, light burner and stir until smooth.
Dip strawberries/marshmallows/banana bread in chocolate, yum (make sure you have plenty of forks!)

New Year - Exercise, and Eat Pav!!

2013 has come and gone and so did our resolutions. I did stick to one last year and that was to start a blog and I did.  A first in many ways. 

This year I need to exercise. I had a year last year of doing very little always putting it off, thinking that the 17 stairs (so my youngest tells me) at home going up and down was enough but obviously not enough as my wobbly bits still wobble and are heading south! As we know exercise  has many benefits from improving cardiovascular health, sleep, mood and keeping that spark in your sex life, all in all creating a happier and healthier you! 

So my aim is at least 30 mins jogging or walking the dog each day. I'm off to a good start today, walking around the lake at Twin Waters. I do need to update my tunes on my iPhone after listening to John Mayers "Bigger than my Body" and Birdy's "Skinny Love" time and time over. 

With exercise in hand I have decided that if I keep it up and I will, that the good old Aussie/Kiwi Pavlova is a wonderful dessert to indulge over New Years and Summer holidays. It is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, heaven! My tips - beat really well, use clean dry bowl, eggs at room temperature and do not be tempted to peek in oven - keep door closed at all times.

Pavlova

6 egg whites

2 cups caster sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar 

1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour

2 cups whipped cream

2 punnets sliced strawberries

4 sliced kiwi fruit

Pulp from 4 passionfruit

Turn oven on to 150 degrees Celsius. Draw 26 cm circle on baking paper and turn baking paper over and place on baking tray. 

Beat egg whites with electric beaters in large dry metal bowl until peaks form. Slowly add caster sugar beating well after each addition leaving 2 tablespoons of sugar in cup. Mix sugar, cornflour and vinegar to form a paste and add to mixture. Beat really well for 5 to 10 minutes until all sugar is dissolved and you have stiff peaks. I find it is better to beat for 10 minutes. 

Spread the mixture inside the circle with a flat metal spatula. Once fairly even run spatula up sides of meringue creating furrows. I go round twice doing this to strengthen the sides. Swirl on top and place in oven for 40 minutes. Turn temperature down to 120 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes then turn oven off and leave to cool in oven. When cool decorate with whipped cream, strawberries, kiwi fruit and drizzle with passionfruit.   Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Xmas Cake

This weekend I am making our Christmas cake and as always I leave it to the last minute but there is nothing better than a piece Christmas cake with a cuppa on Christmas night. So here we go, back by popular demand, here is our family recipe.

A little late, but it is always still worth the wait. 

Xmas Cake

Ingredients

• 1 Bag Fruit Mix (Approx 1 kg)
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
• 1 395 gsm Tin Condensed Milk
• 350 gsm butter
• 1 1/2 cups of cold water
• 1 Tablespoon of Plum Jam
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 2 1/2 cups of Plain Flour
• 2 Tablespoons of Brandy (optional)
• 1 Teaspoon Glycerin

Method

• Line cake tin well with baking paper
• Turn oven  to 180 degrees celcius
• Place all ingredients in large saucepan except baking soda, flour and brandy.
• Stir well and bring to boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes
• Sift baking soda into cool mixture and stir well. 
• Stir in sifted flour.
• Bake 180 for  approximately 2-2 1/2 hours - check with skewer.
• Optional - pour some brandy over cake when cold

This cake is great as is or topped with melt in your mouth butter icing.

To finish spread with plum jam all over cake,  roll out marzipan and mould over cake, trimming edges.  Place softened butter (approx 250 gsm in bowl) and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add 3 cups of icing sugar and beat until mixture is pale and fluffy.  With palette knife spread icing roughly on cake. 

Enjoy and wishing you all a very merry xmas xx

(This recipe is for personal use only, please obtain permission from the author to use commercially)

More Christmas Gifts and Rum Balls

Still looking for that ideal christmas gift...

www.redballoon.com.au  have some great gift ideas from gourmet to outdoor adventures and experiences.  There is something for everyone there and a wonderful idea for the hard to buy.

For a quick getaway or a great gift.  Jetstar have a "All I Want For Christmas Sale"  special going at the moment.  Check out their website www.jetstar.com/au/en/special-offers but  I know they go very quickly so  you had better be quick.

www.theiconic.com.au have an awesome range of gifts for everyone from clothes to shoes and accessories.  The "Holiday Gift List" has gifts from  $9.95. Great Staple Basic T's  for the males @ 2 for $25.00 are a great stocking stuffer.    And if you are still looking for that xmas party dress click on  Iconic Boutique.

At Big W I found a portable bbq, great for the  boat or picnic and just brilliant to cook those yummy Saffron Chicken Kebabs on.  It is the  Wiltshire folding portable charcoal BBQ, and comes with with the lot. Just make sure you get a bag of Redheads Natural Wood Charcoal at Bunnings to cook with and of course food!


Rum balls make a wonderful home made gift that is easy and loved by all and best of all - made with love!

Rum Balls  

Ingredients

.                        1/4 cup (50g) chopped sultanas

.                        
1/4 cup (60ml) dark rum

.                        
3/4 cup (65g) desiccated coconut

.                        
2 cups (about 300g) chocolate cake crumbs

.                        
1/4 cup (60ml) sweetened condensed milk

                       Coconut or chocolate sprinkles to coat

Method

.   Mix sultanas and and 1 tablespoon of the rum in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.

.    Place the sultana mixture, remaining rum, coconut, cake crumbs and condensed milk in a medium bowl and stir until well combined.

.    
Line an oven tray with baking paper. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on the lined tray.


Place the coconut or chocolate sprinkles on a plate. Roll each rum ball in sprinkles or coconut to coat. Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge.  

Melbourne, wear comfortable walking shoes!

I am sitting on the floor at the departure gate at Melbourne airport. Just my luck the departure gate was the most furtherest away to walk and just a handful of seats available. 

Just had a great three days with Mum and sisters, it was fabulous to see them and i do miss not seeing them as often as would like. Gone are the days when you can pop over and see your Mum or sister for a cuppa.  

So we had a wonderful 3 days raking up the miles and burning calories shopping at DFO, Queen Victoria Markets, visiting the zoo and taking a tram trip to St Kilda, only resting our very weary feet at night. 

My sisters had tickets to Bon Jovi which I am most envious. They had an awesome time and the belted out tunes of "Livin' on a Prayer" could be heard across at the wharf.  Lucky Mum and I! 

Melbourne is a fantastic city. It is alive with a mix of great people and culture. And they really have getting around the city sorted. I look  forward to visiting soon.