It's the time of year when I wish I could change the date to the previous month. Only 35 days to Christmas and I'm only just thinking about gifts. Actually that's a big fib, I've been thinking about them for ages, just not got around to doing anything about them.
This year has been really expensive for Rob and myself- what with the move and the renovations, which still aren't completed. I'm lucky with my kids here. They aren't really big on receiving gifts, they just like the get togethers. The Melbourne connection is just about covered, but the Goldcoast remains a problem.
It's all the grandchildren that I have, who are difficult to give to. Two of them I've never met. One of them I only met when he was little. Strange that those three children have the same mother. Her eldest daughter visited Rob and myself at Easter last year and we had a great time together...she's now close to 17 and not living at home - Goodness knows, when the next time we see her, will be.
I've not seen my granddaughters on the Goldcoast since 1998, but at least we keep in touch. I dearly want to see them before they go their own ways.
It's funny but my eldest daughter's little girl,who was our ring bearer, never seems far away, even though they live in Melbourne too. I guess that's because her mum and I yack on the phone quite often. I'm hoping that they might find time (and money) for a visit before too long.
Anyway, enough of my whinging. It's nearly time for the annual "Rob & Vickie Silly Season Party." Invitations are out and so far we've had 8 replies. Only 5 days to go before the RSVP date is here. It's on Dec.10th and this year I'll have my daughter Deena to give me a hand with the catering. She's probably the only person I know, who can work alongside me in a kitchen, without getting in my way. She has the ability to get on with things without having to be told what to do. Deena is nearly as much a perfectionist in the kitchen as I am.
I did a trial run of Christmas dog bikkies yesterday and they proved to be a munchie success with Zelda. Karl (son) took home a couple to test on his two dogs. If anyone wants the receipe, just ask. My son ate one himself and declared them to be pretty good. I nibbled one and it gets my seal of approval too.
I've made one batch of cheese straws and they go into the freezer today. I'll make another lot about a week before the party. Freezer space is one thing we don't lack!
I've been collecting nice bottles to use for Taragon Vinegar. I make my own labels and I must say, the finished product looks really professional on the shelf. I love giving home-made pressies.
Having said that, I've got to go make a batch of ANZAC biscuits for our own use. I'll probably make up some more to package for the kids for Christmas gifts.
OK...time to get my A into G.
Catch you all later.
Vickie.
Posted by Midus at November 21, 2005 12:05 PMGreetings!!! I'm glad you feel close to Kate. I like sending you emails and pictures and yakking on the phone. Guess what!!! I hope you are sitting down (tee hee)... I told Kate what you had said and she said that she might talk to you on the phone next time you (or I) ring... note that that is a "might". The telephone is still her least favourite form of communication (her words).
I have a very nice (take it from the multitude of dogs who received them as pressies) dog bikkie recipe too. Ours are peanut butter based. What's yours?
Pam and I are doing festive fruits and nuts next Wednesday. They keep well in cellophane and jars. Simone and I are making eggnog on the first weekend in December. I have a huge amount of fresh rosemary and am trying to find ways of using large amounts of it before it flowers. Any ideas?
Hope you have a lovely "Bash". Who knows when we will get to FNQ again. Sadly, I can't see it being 2006.
Anyway, I'd best go. Got washing to put out.
Take care and hugs to the 3 of you
Hi Jacqui!
Nice to know that Kate might speak to me on the phone again. LOL
Here's the dog bikkie recipe.
Dr.Harry's Canine Cookies.
(Parsley for sweet breath and lots of Vit.C and iron.)
Preperation time 20mins
Cooking time 30mins (approx)
Makes about 36 bikkies.
2-3 cups finely chopped or minced fresh parsley (use a food processor!)
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot (I shredded mine in processor)
1/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
2 & 3/4 cups of wholemeal flour
2tbsp unprocessed bran flakes
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 to 1 cup water.
Preheat oven to 180c. grease or line biscuit trays.
Mix parsley/carrot/cheese and oil in a bowl.
In seperate bowl mix dry ingredients.
Add parsley mixture and stir well.
Gradually add 1/2 cup water. Mix well -add more water if needed to make the dough moist.
Knead for one minute on a floured surface.
Roll the dough until 1cm thick. Use a bone shaped cutter or even a glass to cut out as many bikkies as you can. Re roll the scraps and continue cutting.
Place on biscuit trays and bake for 30mins or until they are brown. Cool on rack.
The biscuits will harden as they cool. Store in an airtight , dog-proof container for up to 2 months.
It takes a fair amount of fresh parsley but it's worth it. Zelda loves them.
I'd be interested to have your bikkie recipe too btw. Nothing like variety!
Rosemary eh. Long stems including leaves make wonderful skewers for bbq kebabs, just thread the meat on and grill.
Here's one for mustard.
Rosemary-Orange Mustard
This grainy mustard is spicy hot but great for cooking or dipping pretzels. The flavor improves after a few days so plan accordingly.
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1 1/2 Tablespoons dry mustard
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
Minced zest of one orange (about 1 heaping Tablespoon)
Juice of same orange
1/4 cup minced fresh rosemary leaves
Few dashes of salt, to taste
In a blender grind the mustard seeds to the texture of polenta. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Allow to sit at room temperature for a couple of hours. Stir again and taste for salt, adding more if desired.
Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Yield: 1 cup mustard
Make a good rinse for darker hair by brewing an infusion of Rosemary - it seems to stop color fade and greying.
Throw handfulls of Rosemary into hot baths for a wonderful pick-me-up. It also has healing properties.
Burn the stems of Rosemary instead of incense. It has a lovely piney aroma. You can also burn Rosemary on the barby coals - everything smells delicious then.
Bind a large bunch of Rosemary together with jute string to form a brush for table crumbs.
Make small bunches into whisks for whipping olive oil etc. Gives it a lovely flavour.
Have you heard this saying before?:
Rosemary only grows in the gardens of the righteous. If rosemary grows vigorously in a family's garden, it means a woman heads the household. Rosemary will grow no higher than six feet in 33 years so that it doesn't stand taller than Christ.
Sorry we won't be seeing you next year. I was hoping you might get further north than Coffs. Who knows, we might win the Lotto and get to make the trip to Melbourne.
Good luck with your projects. Hope my ideas for the Rosemary glut help. I'll see what else I can come up with. If you find a way to use up a huge amount of Taragon, please let ME know. LOL
Love to all,
Vickie.
Here's the Dog Bikkies recipe from the deep south.
Make a Peanut Butter Dog Treat
by Beth Goldberg, owner of Latka's De-licious Doggie Treats
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix milk and peanut butter in a large bowl, until smooth.
3. Combine flours and baking powder in a large bowl.
4. Gradually stir flour mixture into wet ingredients.
5. Knead dough by hand, adding small amounts of milk to the mixture if the consistency is too dry.
6. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface to desired thickness and cut out treats with cookie cutter of choice.
7. Bake on cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, modifying timing to adjust for dough thickness and treat size.
8. After the oven has been turned off, treats can be left to cool and dry for several hours before storing.
Enjoy them Zelda and friends!!!!
The rosemary ideas look pretty good. I have saved them :)
Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but we are not going to Grafton in 2006 either. Phil only gets the July holidays off with Kate and me and his nice brother Bill is coming down with the fambly to visit us at the end of the holidays. Victoria's school holidays are totally out of whack with every other state, because of the Commonwealth Games.
Take care
It's OK, you didn't give me any indication you were heading for Coffs in 2006. I realised, when I thought about it, that we saw you all at the Wedding last year...just wish it could have been for longer.
I'm probably a little jealous that Anne manages to see more of the family than I do. I seem to have turned into a homebody- not to mention being a little strapped.
Thanks for the recipe. Now all I'll have to do is work out the oven temp.
I did some more T/Vinegar today and some "The Good Oil - from Vickie's Kitchen"...that's olive oil/rosemary/chili & garlic. Looks lovely in the bottles and the labels turned out well too.
Tomorrow I mow the lawn with our new Victa. I've not used a motor mower since I stuck my foot into the blades of one in '82. I must admit to being a bit apprehensive.
Love,
Vickie.