50 years of LOVE.

In January my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

FIFTIETH!!!!!!

That is half a century!

Not bad eh?!

Worthy of a party.

A BIG party.

Man oh man that is an amazing achievement in anyones books.

Sometimes life is hard yakka and in a marriage there is always someone else to consider.

And then there are the five children they had that were also VERY much there as well.

They had their troubles and most of us kids had our troubles with them too at some stage or another.

I have been living with my husband for nearly 25 years and totally get how marriage is not easy.

Most of my memories of their union are joyful, happy & loving.

No marriage is fun - ALL the time.

All marriages require work, require attention, require negotiation.

Sometimes we are better it than other times.

Sometimes it feels easy.

Sometimes it feels really really hard.

Sometimes happiness comes with sadness.

Sometimes loving someone doesn't mean you like them all the time.

I don't reckon it is REAL if it is not like that.

But what I see in my parents marriage is:

50 years of friendship.

50 years of love.

50 years of respect.

50 years of family.

50 years of living life with passion.

They have been and continue to be inspirational people who at the heart of everything they do is LOVE.

In January we helped them celebrate this HUGE achievement.

FIFTY years together.

Their five kids.

Many many of their friends- new & old.

There were lots of people.

Young & old.

All different.

All unified by their love of my Mum & Dad.

The guests were asked to write a short passage of something they loved about them.

It was fantastic.

Us kids took turns in reading out these messages.

Some anonymous.

Some not.

Some whimsical.

Some serious.

All loving.

It was a great party.

Food.

People.

Music.

and a whole load of that magic ingredient.....

L O V E.

HUGE congratulations to you both.

I love you.

xxx

MY BROTHER'S FAMOUS CHICKEN LIVER PATE:
One of my brother's was a chef.  He has since changed career.
He trained under the very gorgeous Maggie Beer.
She is EVERY bit as lovely in real life as she seems.
You may well have bought her fabulous pate.
Well.......my brother made his famous pate recipe (this is not Maggie's recipe but my brothers own) for the party- it was A HUGE hit.
It always is.
Many of the people at the party have asked for the recipe.
I hope it becomes one of those dishes that when eaten conjures happy memories of a fabulous celebration.
Food is great like that isn't it. Reminding of us significant events.
Like me- my brother LOVES to share.
He was more than happy to have me publish his recipe for you all to enjoy.
I made it a couple of weeks ago using Milawa organic Chicken livers. It was D I V I N E!!!!!
And very very simple! go on give it a go. You won't regret it.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 large onion
• 1 garlic
• Bay leaf, salt, pepper, nutmeg, crushed cloves, juniper berries, some green herbs like thyme and parsely
• 1 –  1½ cups red wine
• 250g butter
• 300g chicken liver

METHOD:
1.  Sauté  onion garlic and herbs and spices - on medium heat until translucent

2.  Add red wine, simmer for a few minutes

3.  Add butter and allow just to melt

4.  Blend all this up in vitamiser or food processor – take out the bay leaf first!  Do this while it is still fairly hot – so you will have to be extra careful not to burn yourself

5.  Add liver and blend until all smooth.  Adding these while the onions and wine is still hot ensures more even cooking.

6.  Put into cooking dishes – oven proof bowls or terrine dish

7.  Put in double boiler: cover dishes with foil, put in oven tray with a kettle of boiling water and cover tray with foil.

8.  Cook in moderate oven 150 -170º, for 30 minutes or so.  Just to barely cook the pate, leaving it pink inside.

9.  Refrigerate.

10.               Once cold, cover with a thin layer of barely melted butter and cracked pepper; or as Maggie Beer does, with aspic and juniper berries.

Note this does not have a very long fridge life:  approx. one week 

I'll let Nina weave her magic with this one:

Wearing my Teflon Coat

Last week saw the beginning for school for my Number 4.

He hopped into his school uniform with the excitement that comes for the beginners.

It is either that or anxiety.

Number 4 has been waiting and waiting for the day.

And so it came.......

And so off he went.......

Another one.

It makes me a mix of happy & sad.

Happy for him at all that is ahead.

Sad for me that it signals the beginning of the next part of him growing up.

But I still have another with me.

So off we went alone.

Just the littlest & me.

Imagine!

That for me is something I have not been able to do for over 10 years.

Just me and ONE child.

It was liberating.

Back when I had only one child I was a beginner too.

Bound by my own stress & worry & nervousness that comes as a new parent.

Not able to just purely enjoy the moment.

Always thinking about sleep time, whether I had packed the right snacks etc etc.

Not anymore......those things don't worry me.

I know it works itself out.

So we went to Ikea and I felt free.

Free to enjoy.

Free to take time.

Free to just be.

Free to let my littlest run....

Let the judgers judge.

Let the grumps grump.

Let the brows crease as people look at me letting my child climb & run.

He is doing no harm.

He is being a child.

He is still able to enjoy the freedom of living in the moment.

I will help him make that last as long as I can.

Much like I don't let the minutiae of parenting get to me anymore I have also learned to wear a teflon coat to protect me from the people who judge the way I parent.

Sometimes the teflon coat gets holes and I need to patch it up.

Sometimes I wish I had the quick responses to their barbs.

They always come later don't they....the comebacks.

Darn it.

Just once I wish I could deliver a line of awesomeness that silenced those judgers.

Never mind.

They're not really listening anyway.

MADHUR JAFFREY'S RED PEPPER CURRY (Lal Masale Wali Murghi):
This curry is a real long time fave- for most of my family. I know my sister cooks it fairly regularly too. 
my kids and I love to try and say it's name really fast- tongue twister style.
My sister gave me my copy of Madhur Jaffrey's classic- 'Indian Cookery' way back in 1992! It is still going strong despite being well splashed with cooking ingredients.
This curry is from that book. 
It is a great curry for kids as it is flavoursome but doesn't need to be hot- the chilli is optional and it tastes fab without it. 
Madhur like Charmaine Solomon is one of the best recipe writers for curries out there I reckon.  Both of their books have stood the test of time. 
Don't be put off by the list of ingredients! 
As long as you have a food processor it is a VERY simple recipe.


WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 large chicken, jointed - or pieces of your liking. You will get  a much tastier dish if you cook meat with bones. 
• 2 onions
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 4 cloves garlic
• 25g ground almond
• 350g red capsicum 
•  2 teaspoons coriander
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli (optional)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 225ml water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

METHOD:
If your spices are whole grind them (it really is worth roasting them gently before you do this to release more flavour).


Place onion, ginger, garlic, red capsicum (or pepper), almond meal, & all spices in the food processor and blitz till a paste. 


Heat a heavy based saucepan to a medium heat & add oil.

Add the blitzed mix and fry gently. Stir until the oil starts to separate from the paste.


This will take about 10 minutes or so.  


Put the chicken in and stir to coat all pieces.


Add water, lemon juice & black pepper.


Reduce heat and allow to simmer gently for an hour or so.


Serve with rice.

I love this song by Mick Harvey...it seems appropriate. What works for some doesn't for others....compassion and understanding are good things to remember.

Getting it right....

As the Summer holidays draw to an end I always reflect on the holiday that has been.

Preparing myself mentally for the feeling of loss I have Every. Single. Time.

The loss of my constant companions.

I love the noise of the Summer holidays with my crew of five.

Listening to the slow drizzle of small humans into the lounge room in the morning to snuggle with each other on the couch to watch cartoons.

The same cartoons I snuggled on the couch to watch with my siblings all those years ago.

Easing into breakfast that is more like morning tea by the time the hunger calls them to the table.

Weet-Bix is devoured and so the day goes.......

Children around.

Mumma in the kitchen.

Meals driven by hunger....not by the clock and need to keep routines.

Pyjamas are the clothing of choice.

Bare feet.

Unmade beds.

Happiness.

And then WHOOSH.......

Just like that the house falls silent.

My Summer companions are back at school.


Every holidays I start with this nagging sense that because we have chosen to have a big family it means that I have to say 'No' to a lot of requests.

The disparity between the ages makes doing a lot of things really really hard.

Dragging the littlest around to activities that the older kids like is just asking for meltdown city.

It usually ends in tears.  Mine mostly.

I have talked to another friend- who is a mumma of many- of this conflict.

The feeling that the big ones give up a lot because of the little ones.

I think about it a lot.

I have talked to my mum about it.  Also an experienced mumma of many.

There is no denying the feelings are there.

What I looked for this holidays was what my lot gain by being in a family of many.

No matter our family- the size, the type, the way we parent- we all strive for this feeling of 'Getting it Right'.

We can't.

At least not all the time.

But we can try to give our kids the best we can.

And my kids genuinely enjoy being with each other.

On reflection of this Summer holiday just about to end...... I am happy that I have given my kids space, time & freedom to be.

To be a friend.

To be an explorer.

To be a thinker.

To be a scientist.

To be a musician.

To make mistakes.

To be a learner.

To be a cook.

To just be........

Perhaps they don't miss out on that much after all.

GOURMET GIRLFRIEND'S EDAMAME & TOFU:
Summer holidays and hungry tummies means dinner time comes & a mad scramble to satisfy the Hangriness (hungry= angry)!
This is a quicky but a goodie!
I always have a supply of frozen Edamame. And i usually have various types of Tofu around too.
This meal is perfect as I can get it to the table in the time it takes the rice to cook- 15 minutes!
It is super nutritious and soooooo good!


WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 packet of frozen soybeans
• 1 packet of marinated spicy tofu (from Asian grocer- or substitute with firm tofu)
• 1 red chilli
• 4 cloves garlic
• szechuan pickled veg - or I used fresh Wombok
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• oil

METHOD:
Heat a pan or wok to a high temp.
Add a tablespoon of oil.
Add cabbage and garlic & chilli.
Fry till fragrant & cabbage is soft.
Add edamame.
Stir till edamame is defrosted.
Add tofu.
Add oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar.

Heat through and serve with fluffy rice.

There were a lot of ball games at our place over summer...mostly driveway or beach cricket but I love this song and we listened to a lot of Jim Noir this Summer so it seems perfect:

Decluttering

Recently I spoke of my desire to make a few changes for myself this year.

One of my goals is to de-clutter.

I am aware that de-cluttering of my personal space will allow me to de-clutter my mind too.

Do you feel like me?

Are you overwhelmed by stuff?

Both physical stuff and mental stuff?

I know I am.

Whilst I LOVE all my bits & pieces and could NEVER EVER be a minimalist, I do see that a re-organisation of my physical space will allow me to reorganise my mind space too.

I need that.

I need to make some room in my head.

Some room for some quiet.

So when my lovely friend Bec invited me to join her in doing the 40 bag challenge I leapt at it.

I feel like I am going into rehab.

We are doing it together to keep each other honest.

I am sure we will have to have meetings too!

To support each other.  They may or may not involve coffee & cake....

I like doing things like this with others.

Do you?

Do you want to join in?

We are starting in late February.

Let me know if you are in!

GOURMET GIRLFRIEND'S CARAMELISED CAPER CABBAGE:
Yesterday I had a cabbage love-in with Pip & Michelle about how much we LOVE cabbage!
I know this is not a universally held adoration. BUT us three would eat cabbage any ol' way. We LUBS it you see!
I made this recipe up last year & have made it quite a few times since.
My kids LOVE it too & ASK me to cook it for them! YAY!
I love it served with a crumbed Pork chop- because I love PORK & cabbage...a culinary marriage hard to beat.
But it is also great with fish, chicken or just on it's own! YUM.
I serve one wedge per person- so cut as many wedges as you have people. 
1 wedge = 1/4 small cabbage.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 head purple cabbage 
• 1 orange (zest & juice)
• 3 tablespoons baby capers
• 3 tablespoons butter

METHOD:
Slice the cabbage into wedges- keep root intact to help cabbage keep it's shape.


In a pan melt half the butter till sizzling.


Add the capers and cook till crisp. Remove and set aside

Add the cabbage and the remaining butter.


Cook on a medium heat for about 5 mins or until you can see the cabbage is caramelizing.


Turn and do same on other side.


Now add the orange juice & half of the cooked capers to the pan & turn heat right down.


Pop a lid on and cook through till cabbage is soft (about 5 minutes more).


Remove lid and serve.

Sprinkle remaining capers and orange zest onto each wedge.

My boys have been spending lots of time playing music together.....it made me think of these VERY talented siblings. 

Family weekends

We spent the week unwinding.

No gaming.

Just old school family games.

You know I am all for rewinding.

Taking back childhood.

Slowing things down a little.

Sometimes the pace of life just gets too fast and childhood is one of the things that is getting faster & faster.

It's too fast for me and I am grown up!

It is important to me as a parent to find a balance between progressing with my children in our awareness and engagement with the ever changing world but allowing some time to go slow & be children.

I guess fundamentally it is what I do with my approach to food too.

I am happy to use some very modern gadgetry to help me but at the heart of it I like to use simple & excellent quality produce grown by people who care about producing food with love.

I try to use Organic products wherever I can.

I like most of all to buy my produce direct from the farmers.

Otherwise from Melbourne's other lovely markets.

Melbourne now has a wide range of farmers markets across the city where you can engage with the people who grow the products you buy.

We are so lucky to have this all at our feet!

It is one of our family's favourite weekend activities.

The kids love it as much as me & hubby.

They talk to the farmers too, asking them questions. listening carefully to what they have to say.  Learning important stuff.

We don't usually have a list of things to buy but just buy what takes our fancy- and usually A LOT takes our fancy and we struggle with our trolley and the five kids back to the car!

It is a whole lot nicer in every way than fighting our way through the ghastly stupidmarket to do our shopping!

Look at these pics of Saturday morning's farmers market at Collingwood Children's farm, where we did our shopping on Saturday.

Would you rather be stuck at the checkout or here?

I know where I would rather be.....

Hard to believe it is in inner city Melbourne isn't it!

You can find our more about Melbourne Community Farmers' markets here.

One of the reasons I was there this Saturday was to finally meet in real life the very gorgeous people behind Daylesford Organics. The business of Kate & Bren.

You may know of Kate from Foxs Lane. She of the magnificent crafty uber cool Vintage caravan and travels around Australia with her DIVINE family & tell us all about it in heart-wrenchingly honest style!  Yes her. OH me oh MY!!!!! 

Well, Kate & I have been writing little missives to & fro a while. It was certain we would meet one day 'In Real life'.  We share a slice of our souls I am sure.  

And now they were back in town & I was DAMN sure I was going to get to squeeze that Ace Ladycakes as soon as I could!

So we took our troops to meet that Foxy lady and her foxy family that day.

It was fantastic to finally hug.  

To squeeze that loveliness.  

And then we went home with dozens of golden loveliness in boxes from those Foxes (I'm getting all Dr. Seuss on you!) and I needed to make Mayo!

I had another of my gorgeous friends coming over for lunch (my beautiful friend Colette from Ut Si cafe & gallery )and was making a massive steak sandwich to share between lots of hungry adults. I needed a good herby Mayo to go on that steak sanga- and boy did those eggs make good Mayo! 

And then because Kate & I had had NOWHERE near enough of each other I invited them to come for dinner at our place that night after the markets.

It was one of the BESTEST ever days.......a day filled with things so dear to my heart. Music, food & LOVE. Shared with people I care about.

Happiness & LOTS of it.

I went to bed a very happy lady....in fact I am still smiling days later at the thought that it won't be long before our families get together again.

I could not have been happier to have these beautiful people at our table sharing beer, home made pizza, coffee & life.

GOURMET GIRLFRIEND'S HERBY WHOLE EGG MAYONNAISE:

Did you know how EASY mayonnaise is to make from scratch?

It really is.

I like to use the whole egg as I can't stand the waste.  And it is easier! No separating the eggs....

I grew up eating Mayonnaise that my Mum made.  It was always delicious.  And although it will keep in the fridge for a few weeks I don't recall it ever lasting that long!

You can add whatever herbs you wish.

I had some fresh Basil & lots of parsley so that is what is in this recipe and I used my own Mustard (recipe for that here).

This recipe makes about 3 cups.

I HOPE you NEVER buy shop bought mayo again!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 2 whole organic eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 tspn salt
• 1/2 bunch Parsley
• 1/2 bunch Basil
• 2 tblspoons Mustard

Add herbs, mustard & salt to food processor and blitz.

Add eggs, mustard & vinegar and process till combined.

Set food processor on to a slow speed and drizzle oil in a slow & even stream to the egg & herb mix until it is a nice thick consistency.

Put into a sterile container & refrigerate. 

It will keep in the fridge for several weeks.

And because tonight I have a date with Polly Jean I just HAVE to share an ol fave of hers with you: