Dahlias are putting on a real show at the moment and if you don’t grow them, you cam grab them for about $5 a bunch from the fruit shop. Or your hairdresser can give you a bunch from her garden. Whichever way you can get your mitts on them, they are a real joy.
Chocolate cake is always a good idea and I was reminded on the weekend the true joy of a simple cake, done well. Thick frosting, soft cake inside. I mean yes. YES. If you want the recipe click here and stop thinking about it.
Hedges have been trimmed at our place and they are looking so good. Those sharp lines, smooth tops and tidy edges have me smiling.
Don’t get me started on the apples that are off their tits on our tree in the backyard this year. Either the birds haven’t found them yet, or there’s just so much fruit to choose from around the place.
Either way I have been baking with apples. I made this cake, it’s good, you should too.
And then on the weekend I made an apple pie. I don’t have an exact recipe as I made it up as I went, but this is what I did: I peeled and sliced the apples (quite a few, but ours are small) I added them into a sauce pan with a dash of water and a good half a cup of brown sugar and maybe 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. I cooked that until soft, added in a slither (maybe 50 grams) of butter and a tablespoon corn flour which made it glossy and thick. Then I got frozen puff pastry, lined a pie dish, piled in the cooled down apple and made a lattice top from cutting the pastry into strips. Brushed with egg wash and baked it until golden brown. It was very good.
If the colour hasn’t already started to fade and change on your hydrangeas and you can get your mitts on a late bloom that’s still as perfect as it was in December, then do and immediately whack into a vase. Don’t waste a minute.
If you can cook dinner that’s in one pan then you should really roll with it and I have seen quite a few recipes floating about social media in the new year. I made this one with gnocchi that you roast and the rough/vague recipe that I used van be found on Instagram here. If you do have a crack I would roast the veggies for longer to really develop the flavour and I would add the gnocchi in a little later than I did (and I would blanch it for 30 secs or so in hot water to fluff it a little more. Have a go though, it was a tasty meat free option.
I have been walking the last two weeks and I have been reminded how good it is to get moving. I whack a podcast on and I don’t stress about the time I am going, or running, or this or that, I’m just doing it and I’m enjoying it. I hope I stick with it during the school term.
And I have been so proud of all the girls back at school into the new year. Maggie has been great and I am so proud of how brave she is being every day. She’d grown up a lot and I can already see her reading improving. I always worry about her being so young, but she’s doing ok. She’s going to be ok. For this minute in my mind at least.
Plus, she still lets me hug and cuddle her, and that’s a very good thing.
What’s something good happening in your life?
Since the 15th January I have walked every day (only missed 2 when I had raging headache). I had a heart/lung transplant in April last year & a bumpy recovery so it is amazing to actually be walking, able to breathe, not turning blue & actually enjoying it. Something I have never been able to do before in my 52 years of living with my old heart & lungs.
wow Heidi that is wonderful. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling.
cheers Kate
That’s the BEST! Hope you continue to feel wonderful x
I too have been walking every day, it’s the one joy I do as here in The UK we’re still under pretty strict lockdown…..please let it finish soon??!
I made a variation on the recipe that’s doing the rounds with feta,tomatoes etc, I read that you wasn’t very impressed but I followed the Jamie Oliver version which was fabulous, he used ricotta covered in olive oil and herbs,many different tomatoes ,onions, garlic red capsicum and chillies…sooo good!
Blimey, Maggie is the spit of Daisy in that photo!!
Thinking of you guys over there so much – hope the weather starts to turn at least!