Back on the bike i go....maybe not today

I really hate it when I fall out of rhythm, I was doing so well with my get fit campaign...11 kg lost to date....but I have hit a major pot hole...I can’t get motivated...aghhh HELP ME!!! I don’t want to put the weight back on, so why oh why can’t I find the motivation (after 2 months of saying I’ll start again tomorrow). I have set my next mini goal which is 5kg...but I just bring myself to start exercising again.


This is such a whoooaaaaaa is me post......Come on Lou.... it’s time for that bikini.

Ideas

My head hurts! There is nothing worse than coming home from work and thinking about what to cook for dinner, especially when hubby's first words coming through the door are 'what’s for dinner tonight?'. Just hearing that makes me want to say...get your own, and yes I do say that sometimes. So I have decided to try some different recipes.

My first one tonight was a disaster. I used a recipe off a well known magazine website, and BLAH was it revolting. I hated the flavours of lemon, white wine and chicken stock; it had such a strong tarty flavour.

Anyway I am venturing out and trying another recipe I found off the net, it's this one here. I think it should be ok, so I will report back when I have made it, probably on Thursday.

If anyone out there has some nice recipes they would like to share...please do!!! I need major inspiration!!

Guess the names of these Kangas

Well I’m back from Port Stephens; a little sunburnt, a little tired and a little full. We discovered a little winery and brewery on our way to our apartment so we decided to stop. I wasn't really fussed on the wines, but hubby loved the beers. There was this beer made by the brewery called 'Make love Not War' I just loved the name of the beer and loved the bottle even more, it's the first time I have seen a beer bottle with a cork.


Have a close look at the label, isn’t it fantastic, so different....but I bet you can't guess the name of the two Kangaroos! I'll give you some time to guess!

ANSWER: ROO and TING

Weekend Bliss

Well my holidays are drawing to a close (insert sigh here), I have officially done nothing but sleep in and stay up late; I think I have lost all motivation, which is unlike me. But in saying that it has been nice to just do nothing, contradiction much?


Tomorrow morning were off to the beautiful Port Stephens, though it looks like the weather isn’t on our side :( This is the third time we have gone and each time it has been windy and rainy, so fingers crossed the weather perks up! Were going with hubby's parents and his Aunty and Uncle from America.

Hubby and I will do a quick pit stop to the Hunter Valley on the way there; I am dying for some goat’s cheese and marinated olives...not to mention a glass of sav!!

So I better go and pack....hopefully I will have some nice photos to share!

Have a great weekend!

Halloween

I know I don't have children, but I really do dislike the idea of Halloween here in Australia. I think it's just another excuse to jump on the commercial bandwagon. Anyway last year hubby and I were so embarrassed as we were inundated with children door knocking in their scary outfits for treats, the only type of 'junk food' we had were celebrity slim muesli bars or extra chewing gum...whoops.

So this year I have decided to make some little witch cupcakes to hand out. After searching the net I landed on Martha Stewart's website and found these little beauties. http://www.marthastewart.com/article/witch-cupcakes

Whirlwind

Oh my!! What a whirlwind my life has been over the last few months...I honestly can say that it has had more twists and turns then that of Brooke and Ridge on the Bold and the Beautiful! But i'm back, and everything is ok!

So much to say and so much to show! So far I have lost 10kg, and i'm feeling lighter and happier then I have ever been inside and out. I still have a bit to go...and the next stage of operation get fit... 5kg mini goal starts tomorrow.

Hubby and I are going to a mini break next weekend to Shoal Bay...we staying at a beautiful little resort style place...and we have our own swim out.

Anyway...it's late...will report more tomorrow!!!

OH...P.S Thanks to those who emailed me to see how I was...such beautiful friends xxxx

I heart cupcakes

I am obsessed...I love them, anytime, anywhere as long as they are decadent. So I decided to make my nan some for her 80th birthday. I made a whole lot of other yummy sweets that went down a treat. But these little beauties were my favourite of the day, they took a while to decorate, but i am getting better over time. excuse the photo, normally I am a clean freak when it comes to serving food on a plate, but it looks like i didn't wipe the plate clean from the sprinkles and cupcake crumbs.

A Sad Loss

We heard yesterday that my husbands grandfather passes away. It's a very sad time for all the family, especially as some are estranged. It has been an emotional and trying time for hubby and myself fielding calls from all the family.

Anyway we are off to Canberra tomorrow for the funeral on Friday, and we have the viewing tomorrow night.

I'm packing lots of warm clothes as it's so cold down there.

RIP Pop

Weight Loss Update 3

Yippee.....Week 3 and the weight is coming off...slowly but I'm getting there. It's been a great journey, my eating habits have really changed. I'm still having my treats, but I am eating more frequently.....

So the big number down is 3.4kg!!!! Only 16.6kg to go.

I have been Tagged!!!

I have been tagged by the beautiful Kir from Life as Kir http://kirrily.blogspot.com blog. If your not following Kir's blog...I order you to go there now! Kir has an amazing life, has travelled near and far. I love reading her posts! Oh and she is so chic...Kir has amazing taste in fashion!

I have to answer the designated questions and then tag some of you. I hope you enjoy reading my answers and I look forward to reading yours!

Here are the rules:

Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention & add one more question of your own.Tag eight other people

What is your current obsession?
Renovating our house. We have been living here for 2 years this July. We have done so much to our little cottage so far, but I can't wait to get my hands dirty in the holidays.

What are you wearing today?
Black bootleg pants from Country Road, Marco Polo jacket, black v neck stretch 3/4 sleeve top and black witchery boots. Does my Mimco bag count?

What’s for dinner?
I made Italian tonight. We has fettuccine marinara, olive tepenade pizza crust and mussels baked in a tomato and white wine sauce. yum!

What’s the last thing you bought?
A single bed for our spare room. I bought it today from the Sleep City factory outlet center up the coast. Bargain at $180!!

What are you listening to right now?
Nickleback, and I must admit I dusted off Michael Jacksons CD.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Hmm...this is a hard one, so I'm going to say America in general...wherever there is shops and sales I will go.

What is your favourite colour?
Silver

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
I'm going to say my wedding dress, I just love it and it's the most expensive piece of clothing I own.

Describe your personal style?
It's mixed depending on the mood I'm it. Most of the time it's smart casual, then professional for work, and weekend gear on the weekend.

If you had $300 now, what would you spend it on?
I would go and try out laser hair removal..weird I know, just I really want to try it.

What are you going to do after this?
Check my email..I love getting emails and messages, they make me feel special as someone has thought about me!

What are your favourite films?
When Harry Met Sally
Pretty Woman
Gothika
Love Actually
Dirty Dancing

Your favourite smell?
At the moment I'm loving vanilla.

Do you collect anything?
Yeap...hubby would say lots of junk! I collect shoe boxes.

What makes you follow a blog?
It depends...I love reading about peoples personal journeys, reading recipes and looking at photos for inspiration.

Who would you love to have dinner with?
Patrick Rafter...yummmmm

What’s one thing you dream of doing?
Splashing our on a shiny new BMW

What is your biggest regret?
Not trying hard enough.

What is your favourite thing to do on a rainy day?
Jumping in bed and snuggling up to hubby watching a movie.

Do you have a tattoo?
No but I'm dying to...For my 40th!

Are you left handed, right handed, ambidextrous, or a little of both?
I am right handed.

What are you looking forward to in the next 12 months?
Travelling through the Middle East again next year.

What aren't you looking forward to in the next 12 months?
Working!

I'm Tagging the following!!!!
http://domesticchristine.blogspot.com
http://thejourneyofmsgems.blogspot.com/
http://www.thatrandomleila.com/

Weekend is so close

Yay! I love weekend time. Saturday I work nannying from 8-5pm and then the rest of the weekend is free time! Hubby and I decided that we will be going up to the family farm on Saturday night for a bit of relaxing time. So I have decided that I want to hit the op shops and antique shop...oh and the farm auctions as well.

You see I'm collecting little of bits and pieces for my guest room make over. I think I have been inspired by all those home reno tv shows I watch. I have two weeks to make over the room, and I have a few ideas but I'm still searching. I have a budget too!! $500 for everything! I will share my disaster when I get started. So far I have picked up some great bargains which I'll post pics of tonight. A bucket cane chair and a metal decorative thing for the wall. I'm searching for a nice wall decal...so I'm searching etsy.

Tonight were off to some swankish new restaurant that has opened in the city, I think I spend more time eating then sleeping. I'm looking forward to it, i have been so good with my regular eating this week....and I'm down 2.3kg in 2 weeks so far.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! May it shine and stay that way. I know I have been tagged in a few blogs so I will be posting those sometime this week.

xxxxxx

Life's Journey

Sometimes I'm amazed at where I am today. A loving husband, wonderful friends and family, the sweetest dog and a beautiful house...all this before hitting the BIG 30 (still a few years off). I was that student sitting next to the window at school, looking out and dreaming of the big wide world ahead, having dreams and planning my future away, always looking towards the future rather then the now.

So today I find myself in the now...the now what stage. Should I change careers even though I spent 4 years at uni studying, do I really want to leave a secure job, close to home to study something new...but what? What will I study...what will I do...do I want to start at the bottom again and work my way up, do I want to bring TTC forward so I can have that year off to think about my career...so many questions, so many thoughts.

Something is missing in my life, that spark I had in my early twenties, that spark that gave me the energy and confidence to take on the world, that spark that was in my step, that twinkle in my eye. Do I risk my teaching career to take on the unknown.

Hmmm...to stay in the now....or move towards the future?

Eton Mess...My version of a smashed pav!!

I am deliciously in love with Eton mess, I just love this dessert it's so quick and easy to make and it looks fab when you serve it up in mini cocktail glasses or a big glass bowl.

So I thought I would share my version of the Eton Mess...you can add anything you like it's so versatile. A quick and easy recipe, great for got summer days or BBQ's and those cold winter days in front of a warm fireplace!

My Mess

INGREDIENTS

200g strawberries, sliced
2T caster sugar
1T brandy
1/2 meringue
5T caramel sauce
1 tin passion fruit
2C thickened cream
2 drops vanilla essence

METHOD

1. Whisk thickened cream to form peaks.
2. Combine strawberries, sugar, caramel sauce, passion fruit, vanilla essence, brandy in a bowl. Stir through.
3. Roughly smash pavlova and add to mixture, loosely mix together. Note this doesn't have to be well combined.
4. In small bowls spoon in a little cream, layer with meringue mixture, top with cream.
5. Serve the mess...YUM

Weigh in...Week 1

Well I am 1.7kg down, not bad for the first week eh? Do I feel lighter? NO Do I feel healthier? Yes, I am on my way!

Goal for Week 2: Increase water intake and exercise more!

It's that time again.......

MONDAY

Monday must be the most horrible of days.

The reasons it's horrible are too horrible to say.

But with that said, I'll try to explain

Why Monday must bring us oh so much pain.
You see on Monday, you work with a frown.

The full work week ahead has gotten you down.

The weekend has come, and the weekend has passed,

And like all weekends it just didn’t last.
But Monday sure lasts, it lasts so long.

You keep checking your watch to see what’s wrong.

But against your wishes your watch is just fine.

Against your wishes you can’t speed up time.
So you sit and you wait and you pretend to work.

You dream of a boss that isn’t a jerk.

But then you wake up and you almost cry.

You wish and you wish that the day would just die.
But wait, please listen, don’t worry my friend.

For one thing is certain, all Mondays must end.

Now that it’s been said,

I’ll say it again.

More Mondays will come and more Mondays will end.

http://www.officehumorblog.com/index.php/2006/02/06/poem-monday/

Why?

Why do I always feel let down by people. Hubby tells me it's because I always want t be there for people, help them, talk to them, be their friends. I do not care if they are smart, attractive, big or small, eloquent, rough and tough....I just try!!! So why am I invisible? Why do I feel used! Why do I get the call after months of not hearing from a person that they want to catch up, only to find that they need something, or they want to talk. Take Take Take...NO MORE!

It's not just 'in real life' it's online too. I comment about peoples photos, status, I answer their emails, messages...but to no avail....taken again.

So now I'm no more Mrs take....but Mrs Over It! I am not going to put my head on the line, not going to call people just to catch up, not going to comment on things because I care...WHY...because I need something given to me as well. I'm not a robot, I'm not strong (although I would like to be), I am HUMAN!!

Kitchen Hunger

I'm desperate to renovate my little kitchen...at a budget price of course. We had a real estate agent give us a valuation recently and we were pleasantly surprised with the valuation. When we were showing him around the house I made a point at saying ...ahh the kitchen needs a revamp...but to my disgrace the bugger told us the kitchen is fine...shock, horror...he sabotaged me!!!

But in true fashion I won't back down, even if hubby is taking the agents side. So I need to find something that is max $3000...that doesn't include the appliances.

Anyway here is a pic of the kitchen (previous owners accessories)

See it's drab, lifeless, dark, lacks freshness!! See See??? Well I can anyway...?

ANY IDEAS???

Weight Loss Journey...Update 1!

Never again will I look like the above left! (Taken 6/8/09)

Yes it's time for update 1! Well I have started my get fit for babies campaign, ultimately I would like to lose 10kg before we think about starting...just something my psychic helped me think about (crazy I know...but she knows, trust me!). I am so afraid of gaining more weight though the pregnancy journey and not being able to lose it all. So it starts from now.

I am still feeling bloated, but also feeling good about myself for starting, that's always the hardest part! I have a 'healthy me' journal where I jot down what I have eaten, how I'm feeling, my highs of the day and my lows. It's a place where I can be totally honest with myself and not be judged. Now please note, this is not a 'diet' if I called it that I wouldn't stick to it!!

And I have goals! When I lose 5kg I get to purchase one thing of etsy, when I lose 10kg I get to buy a new wardrobe (no limit), now if that's not enough motivation for me what else would be?

I can't wait till Friday, measurement day!!! Goodbye old unhealthy Lou...Fingers Crossed for a healthy, happy week!!

Love your body girls!! Lou xxxx

Osso Bucco

Don't you love it when you find the perfect recipe? Well after years of searching, and minor adjustments I found this recipe for Osso Bucco. I made this with a nice fluffy bowl of mash...just delightful! The trick is to finely dice the vegies and use a salt reduced stock.

INGREDIENTS

6 pieces osso bucco

1 small brown onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

1 T plain flour

1/2 C white wine

1/2 C tomato paste

2 C salt reduced beef stock

3 bay leaves

Salt/Pepper

Topping:

1 clove garlic

3T finely grated lemon rind

1/2 C finely chopped parsley

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Season and brown the osso bucco. remove and place in a baking dish.

2. Reduce heat in frying pan, add a little oil and cook onion, celery and carrots for 3-4 minutes. Add flour and stir to coat. Gradually poor in wine, stock and puree. Stir until liquid starts to boil.

3. Poor vegetable mix over meat in casserole dish. Add bay leaf. Cover

4. Cover and place in oven. Cook for 2 hours. Check every 30 minutes and add some water if needed.

To Serve: Place on a bed of mash and top with parsley, garlic and lemon mixture. Delish!!

How much is too much?

Dearest Hubby,

I understand men need to compete, be winners, are always right (not)...but seriously can you take on a challenge a tad more sensible??

That's right, hubby dearest took on the SSS shank challenge...and failed! For those who don't know the SSS barn is a steakhouse, similar to the Outback Steakhouse, which seem to be in country areas. They have a challenge, a huge challenge. Eat an entree, 2.5kg shank and dessert and you get your name up on the honour board...big whoop I say. So hubby decided to take the challenge, this shank could have fed 4 people...it was a MONSTER shank! What a waste!!

Have you seen the pic? WHOA!!

There's nothing like....Warm Apple Pie!

I can't stand cooked apples, I much rather bite into a lovely green crunchy apple. But I do love this recipe for warm apple pie with custard. I make it all the time. The recipe was passed down from my mother in law and I have made it for the last year with with nothing but compliments from people. It's one of those recipes that you can whip up when you get that dreaded phone call that visitors are coming over. (See photo of apple pie from my last function) So here it is...yummy warm apple pie!

APPLE PIE

INGREDIENTS


250 g butter
1 pkt slithered almonds
3 cups self-raising flour
1 large tin apples
1 cup sugar
1 T cinnamon

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
2. In a bowl sift flour, add sugar and softened butter. Mix with a wooden spoon and then with your hands to combine. The consistency of the mixture should be soft and combined. You might need to add more butter if it's not.
3. In a spring form tin, using only 3/4 of the pastry mixture, press onto base and sides...make sure mixture is evenly spread.
4. Pour in apples and sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. With he remaining 1/4 mixture, tear into 'blobs' and place on top of apple mixture. Alternatively you can grate the mixture on top, but the blobs work out well as they spread like biscuit mixture when cooked. Topped with 1 packed of slithered almonds.
6. Cook in oven for 45 minutes.
7. Allow to cool and remove from baking tin. Cute and serve with custard and cream!

YUM!! Let me know when you make this recipe!!

Lethargic Lou

I am so tired, I don't think I have ever been so tired before, everything hurts. I'm not eating properly- no 3 meals a day. I really do believe that my poor diet lacking in essential nutrients is making me feel this way add on top of that the crazy hours I worked last week and BOOM I'm a walking monster!! Here is a breakdown of my working time:

Hours worked:

Teaching: Monday-Friday 7.30am-4.30pm (54hours)
Nannying: Saturday and Sunday 13 hours
Waitress's: Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights: 17 hours

TOTAL TIME WORKING: 84 Hours

Those hours are crazy!!! So here I am on Monday, in bed, feeling like someone has hit me over the head, trying to sort out my life. And then I receive my psychic reading. I love my psychic, I get a reading done every 6 months or so...it's always changing, but then again I don't ask the same questions...LIE..the one about having children always manages to squeeze in.

Am I happy with my reading? Yes and No. I think I even shed a tear. I need to look after myself. Bottom line. No excuse. And I can't afford to start tomorrow...that's always my reasoning when it comes to looking after myself. So why does it take someone else to tell me something I already know, something I teach and preach to my students to make me wake up and realise that my life is on the line! I am so angry at how I have treated my body, what has it done so wrong to me.

So this is the day! This is the day that I have woken up to myself. The day where excuses don't count. The day where my life hangs in the balance. I have to look after myself... because in reality I wont be around to see my future children grow up, to look after my husband when his old.

So lets toast...... Today is the day that I am going to learn how to love myself again. First step is to throw out all those small size clothes I have been clinging onto for so long. Set my goals for the next 6 months including my weight loss plan.

Ready...Set...Go

Borner - The Original V-Slicer..My saviour!!!

Why do I love Monday and Thursday's? Because I open my email to find my copy of Peter's of Kensington Newsletter- full of specials. I have had to restrain myself, my poor credit card needs a rest. Anyway I did something naughty, I purchased a V Slicer! I have ALWAYS wanted one, but I have resisted those annoying stands at the local Westfields trying to sell them.

BOY!!! This gadget is my new favourite! I used it to make pea and ham soup, julienne my carrots, bruniose my onions and paysanne my celery....wham bang...it was that easy, within 5 minuted I had all my precision cuts done!!

Ooops it's that time.....tonight I am making vegie soup...off to rekindle my love with Mr V Slicer.

More American Food Madness!!! Where will it end??

Want more? Honestly I thought that there couldn't be anything worst than the last food I gave you Baconnaise! Also Leila informed me that there is Bacon Vodka??? EEEEKKKK

Well this time I have found it....ready for it.....cheese in a CAN!! That's right, forget about Kraft singles...we have cheese in a can...did i mention it was in a can? And I thought cheese in a jar was bad!! What's so bloody hard with cutting cheese from a block?

So will you give it a spray??

Only in America!!!

Only in America! After a tiring month, and finally having time to sit down and surf the net...I stumble upon this...Baconnaise- a bacon flavoured mayonnaise! How un-kosher! The thought of it makes me feel sick. I know I'm fussy, but when dear hubby says he wouldn't eat this product I know it's just plain wrong!

So my question for you is... have you or would you purchase this product?

A Montage of the year that was....

At my brothers wedding

Our beautiful daughter dog 'Missy' as a pup

My beautiful hubby

Our beautiful wedding party

Us xoxox

Happy Anniversary to US!!

Well we have made it to a year. Has it gone fast...NO Has it gone quickly...NO.

Hubby and I have decided to celebrate three ways today and tonight....Firstly were going back to where he popped the question, for a romantic stroll on the beach. Were taking our daughter dog Missy as well. The weather isn't so nice today so it will be nice to have a lovely romantic stroll.

Next...were having afternoon tea with our parents and opening a couple of bottles of Moet followed by the cutting of our top layer of our wedding cake. I can't wait...I can't remember for the life of me what the top layer flavour is.

Finally were going to one of my favourite seafood restaurants, I'm thinking some prawns and lobster but it depends what I feel like.

So a year hey...looking back at the last year or so I am so proud of the things we have accomplished...I'm going to try to post some picces...

Love Me xxxx

SPINACH AND FETTA PIDE

I have been slack....I really enjoy reading peoples blogs, I love the way they write and the photos they take...but I just find mine so boring. So with my holidays coming up, I plan to spend much more time jazzing it up.

Anyway, enough about me...I entered this recipe into a competition months ago, and today I found out I won 3rd place...YAY!!!

So here is my recipe for a yummy Turkish Pide, it's a great meal!

SPINACH AND FETA PIDE

Ingredients



200 grams plain yogurt
pinch salt
250 grams self-raising flour
1 bunch English spinach, washed, shredded
150 grams feta, grated
150 grams haloumi, grated
2 tablespoons mint leaves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon salt





METHOD





1.Preheat oven to 180C fan-forced.


2. Place yogurt and salt together in large bowl.


3. Gradually add flour until you have stiff dough. Tip onto a lightly floured bench and gradually knead dough.


4. Roll dough out very thinly into a long rectangle.


5.Place spinach. feta, haloumi, mint onto middle of dough.


6.Season with pepper and nutmeg.


7.Carefully roll the dough up from one of the long sides to create a log. Place on a lightly greased baking tray. Pinch edges together to seal.


8.Brush with milk and cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.


9. Slice to serve!!

Babycakes....yum!

Why is it when i start to 'diet' I dream of all the food I have not had in a long time....and all bad for you. Today all I could think about was..... Babycakes especially since I was going to Summer Hill to see my doctor.

Babycakes have the most decadent cupcakes ever! My favourite at the moment is Latte Moment- a rich latte flavoured mud with marscapone swirls and a chocolate coffee bean YUM! And it tastes even better with a skinny latte.

Anyway on with my diet...no Babycake today...maybe tomorrow??

Fardoulis Chocolates...Orgasim Anyone??

OH MY GOD....These chocolates are orgasmic...trust me!!! I first stumbled across them 4 years ago when I took my grandmother out for coffee at Rhodes, and I have never looked back! We have a intense relationship, you know what they say one a day keeps the doctor away.

Ok, time to fess up, I once ordered a carton (approx 100) and I ate them all in a month...yikes! Not to mention the extra carton i ordered when doing our wedding favours.

So I DARE you...have a try, you know you want to!! Ok, I'll help out! For every strawberry champagne,or limoncello,chocolate you eat i'll match you!!!

http://www.choc.com.au/

Winter Warmers...Already??

I can't believe this weather....a weekend ago I was on my husbands family farm up the coast for my SIL wedding in 44 degree heat and this weekend I spend nannying for 3 young children with the heater on! Who would have thought that the slow cooker would have found itself out of the back of my kitchen cupboard at the beginning of Feb!

So I have dusted off my slow cooker recipes and started cooking winer warmer meals. Before I go into what I cook in it, I just waned to give my slow cooker a plug! I love this kitchen hand, it's so easy to use, cheap to run and when I come home from work and the meal is cooked...it's just bliss.

So here is my yummy recipe for Chicken Delight

INGREDIENTS

550 g Skinless chicken thigh fillets

5 Medium potatoes cut into thick slices

4 medium carrots macedione (cubed)

2 large onions brunoise (diced) or you can slice them thinley

2 cups hot water

4 T chicken stock powder

2 cloves garlic thinley sliced

1 T salt

1 T pepper

¼ t thyme

2 T finely chopped parsley

2 T gravy powder

METHOD

1. Place a layer of potato, carrots, and onion with garlic in slow cooker.

2. Place chicken thighs on top of vegetables.

3. In a bowl combine remaining ingredients. Give it a quick mix.

4. Pour liquid mixture over chicken. (If more liquid is needed depending on the size of your slow cooker add more chicken stock, salt, pepper and water.)

5. Cover with lid and cook on low for 8-9 hours.

Serve with rice if you want to extend the meal.

Valentines Day

Yes, yes...I know this is a day to cherish your beautiful partner, but for me I hate it. I feel it's just another commercial day in the calendar. I would much rather surprise hubby occasionally and vise versa. I would rather he not spend ridiculous amounts on flowers...so the decision was made for us to share a beautiful dinner together, probably at our favourite Lebanese restaurant and finishing it off with a banana paddle pop!

I am addicted...ALREADY

I love to start off each year with my new classes giving them some food facts, it's a great tool to ease them into listening to me for a year :) I also allocate a student to research their own 'Food Fact' and present it to the class, we do this during our first lesson of the week. I love the expressions on their faces, their scrunched up noses, the blinking of the eyes, the groans and ahhhh's...their responses are magical....so here are some of the food facts they have given the class so far...you never know you might learn a new thing!!

5 FAST FOOD FACTS

1. Australia produces 190 million dozen eggs a year.
2. Apples are made up of 25% air, that is why they float.
3. You're More Likely To Be Hungry If You're Cold.
4. Peanuts are used in the manufacture of dynamite.
5. Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.

Whats a wedding without a yummy chocolate fondue...10kg of chocolate went in 3.5 hours...I think we hold a record! Oh and thats my beautiful baby brother...looks nothing like me huh!!

Looks like I have given in!!!

Well I have tried and tried to stay away from blogging...just having a facebook account I find all too consuming (or should I say addictive), it must be my addictive personality...BUT I have done it..my very own blog spot. What do I do next?? Who will be enticed to read it, or comment...what if I am the only sole who does....???

Ahhh the relief, I no longer need to stalk others blog spots dreaming about having my own. My own blog spot...NOW WHAT??? Food of course, it's my passion, my everything (sorry hubby...but lets face it if someone gave me a plate of scrumptious chocolate mud cake we know what I am going to choose). It's my downfall in life, I dream about it, think about it and teach it everyday...I am obsessed!! But we neeeeeeed it!!!

So here it is, my blog...about my life, about food and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I will.

Louise xoxox