Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you are ready for a sugar rush (I know, there is a lot of sugar in these!), then these biscuits are for you. When you have mixed the ingredients all together and you have placed teaspoonfuls onto a baking tray, do not flatten the biscuits out. They will naturally flatten whilst baking. The recipe states that it makes 30 but I got more like 40.

In the above photo, the middle cookies were baked for about 2 minutes less than the others either side of them.

*Taken from the back of packet of Cadbury Milk Chop Chips 230g pack*

Ingredients

125g butter

1 cup soft brown sugar

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 egg

1 1/2 cups Self-Raising flour

3/4 cup Milk Chocolate Chips

Method

Preheat oven to 160C.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla essence and egg. Stir in the flour until combined. Add the Choc Chips, mix.

Place teaspoons of mixture on greased baking trays and bake in moderate oven for 10-15 minutes.

Makes 30

A View Of Cairns

The building Lyndon has helped construct in Cairns city, is nearing completion. People have been moving into their flash apartments and penthouses, and the hotel section is up and running.

We went in to his work on Sunday so I could have a look around at the near completed construction work. And to take some photos. The view from Level 13 (the highest level) is wonderful with views of the Coral Sea reaching to The Great Barrier Reef, the Marina, the lagoon, the city center and the surrounding rainforest clad mountains...

This above snap is of (besides the large carpark) the bay Cairns is situated along. It is not a beach but rather mudflats, which can sometimes be a little smelly. The tide here goes in and out but walking alongside the boardwalk which adorns the flats, you can usually spot an abundance of wildlife (mud crabs, fish, pelicans). The light blue patch there above the carpark is the gorgeous lagoon, which is a hub for all the beautiful people. The white building on the right is part of the Shangri-La Hotel complex.

Ahh, the lovely Marina/Reef Terminal. This is where the large boats take hoards of cashed up people out onto the Reef. Some trips take up to 2 hours to reach particular areas of the Reef.

This is looking westerly over the City skyline. Yep - no high rises here (the highest complex is the one Lyndon has been working on!) but plenty of hotels and apartment blocks. And shops. And drinking places.

Cairns population has been steadily growing and latest reports state that Cairns has the fastest growing population in Australia (there is so much employment opportunities available up here. We are prime example!) Once a sleepy little northern town, it is now building into a hustling little city with the fifth busiest airport (for both domestic and international) in Australia.

I love Cairns for its diversity of people. I love it for its tourism and for its tourists. I have never seen (nor lived in for that matter) a place like it. No where reminds me of somewhere else. It has a heart all of its own. It has this laid-back, leisurely feel with a great outdoor lifestyle. People don't worry about the little things in life, it's all "She'll be right mate" and it is not unusual to spy the pubs bustling with early morning drinkers.

And sure, there are a couple of things I don't like about the place (which includes the never-ending rain sometimes for weeks on end) but overall it is a great place to visit and a wonderful place to live.

For the time being.

Spaghetti Nicoise

Surprisingly, this was rather delicious! And very, very tasty...

*Taken from Murdoch Book's 'Fast Food'*

Ingredients

350 g spaghetti (I used angel hair spaghetti)

4 eggs

3 x 185 g cans tuna in oil

1/3 cup (50g) pitted and halved Kalamata olives

100g semi-sundried tomatoes, halved lengthways

4 anchovy fillets, chopped into small pieces

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

2 tbs lemon juice

3 tbs baby capers, drained

3 tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, then cool under cold water then peel. Cut the eggs into quarters.

Empty the tuna and its oil into a large bowl. Add the olives, tomato halves, anchovies, lemon rind and juice, capers and 2 tbs of the parsley. Drain the pasta and rinse in a little cold water, then toss gently through the tuna mixture. Divide among serving bowls, garnish with egg and the remaining chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Serves 4-6

Warm to Cold...

So we've figured it is about time that Monet and I went south for a holiday, to visit family and friends. We've had both lots of parents up here numerous times and it's only fair that we go down and repay their visits. Part of me is really looking forward to it, but the other part is dreading the cold weather. Bone-chilling cold.

Even this morning Monet went out on our back balcony (which catches the sun all day) and said "It's cold out here Mum!" She was right. It was. But it was 19 degrees Celsius. How ridiculous is that? We're complaining that it is 19 degrees!! (That's about in 66 Fahrenheit). I have jeans on today and it is currently about 25 degrees (77F). If we were still living in Melbourne I wouldn't be complaining how cool it was at night at 19C but rather boasting about how hot it was! I'm still shaking my head at myself.

We are flying to Melbourne on August the 1st with a 2 hour stop-over in Sydney. So our plane trip is going to take like 6 hours, but the tickets were cheap so I am not whinging over that. It might be nice for Monet and I to stretch our legs! We fly back out on the 12th, but we are going to Brisbane for 3 nights and meeting Lyndon down there. 2 holidays in 1, we are having. How lucky are we?

Now, because we get around in t-shirts and skirts/shorts/mid-calf pants for most of the year (except today when I am wearing a pair of jeans but I am starting to feel warm so I might have to change), we don't have winter clothes. I have a big winter coat stored at my parents which I will be wearing, but Monet really has nothing. She does not know what flannelette pyjamas are, let alone own any.

That is why the local Department Stores are loving us today.

I have lay-byed for Monet the following; (and you can only imagine how cute and gorgeous the following are) - a pair of Dora the Explorer flannie pjs, a pair of denium jeans, a black pinafore with matching funky top, a fleecy Dora the Explorer tracksuit, a green zip-up fleecy jacket, woollen tights, a pair of Dunlop slip-on shoes and a pair of Gumboots. For myself, a pair of new jeans and a black woollen jumper/cardigan over top thingy (you understand that don't you?) I will need to get myself some shoes that cover my toes. I don't have any.

I love shopping for clothes for an impending holiday. Always have. It is a rule Lyndon and I have. Holiday = new clothes.

Do you ever buy new clothes for impending holidays?

(Sorry, Blogger not liking paragraphs today. Again!!)

Reach Out For The Sunrise...

Since we've been getting out of bed at around 6:30am these days (thanks to Little Miss Monet), I have been spying the most awesome of sunrises. Today was no exception. A lot of the time my camera doesn't do the sunrise from my kitchen window any justice, but I think you'll agree with me that this morning's was brilliant and my camera captured it wonderfully.

This colour and the cloud formation only lasted not even 5 minutes.

The sunrises here over the Coral Ocean, so I am hoping to get down the beach early enough one morning soon to take some photos to share with you...

Ain't nature just amazing?

Chicken and Leek Pies

I once wrote in my cookbook that this recipe reminded both Lyndon and I of the old KFC Chicken Pie's they sold many (many) years ago... Monet actually ate this pie (she takes after her dad!) but she did pick out the peas and corn kernals (which I add!)

*Taken from the Murdock Book 'Fast Food'*

Ingredients

60g butter, 1 leek, thinly sliced

4 chicken breasts (about 200g each), cubed

50g plain flour

1 cup (250ml) chicken stock

300ml cream

1 cup fresh or frozen peas, blanched

1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the leek for 2-3 minutes, or until soft. Add the chicken and cook for 45 minutes (I cooked for about 10-15 mins), or until cooked. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until it starts to bubble. Add the stock and cook until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the cream, reserving 1 tablespoon to glaze the pastry. Cook until the mixture just starts to boil. Stir in the peas. Season. Remove from the heat. Preheat the oven to moderately hot 200c.

Divide the filing among four individual pie dishes or ramekins. Top with a circle of pastry, cut just bigger than the top of the dish, then press around the edges to seal. Brush the surface with the reserved cream. Make a small slit int he top to allow steam to escape. Place the dishes on a metal tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Serve with a green salad.

Serves 4

Quick Apple Crumble

I had bought some apples very cheaply on my weekly shop and decided to make an apple crumble, one of my favourite comfort foods. This was quick, easy and oh-so-yummy. Enjoy.

*Taken from the website 'Taste'*

Ingredients

800g canned apple (I stewed my own)

3/4 cup plain flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

150g butter, chilled, cubed

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup desiccated coconut

Method

Heat oven to 200C. Spoon apple into a 6-cup capacity ovenproof dish.

Place flour, sugar and butter into a food processor and process until it resembles breadcrumbs.(I did this method by hand). To this, add the oats and coconut and mix.

Spoon oat mixture over the apple and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Ribbit...

We had a little visitor on our balcony last night... (I'm just hoping I didn't blind the poor thing with my flash!!)


So, he wasn't that little. He was quite large in fact and he was lovely, even though I kept my distance. I didn't want him jumping onto me.

He is a Green Tree Frog, the largest one I have ever seen in nature. I've seen ones this size in the local zoo and we used to get them at work in Victoria when they'd hitch down a ride in Banana boxes from up here in Far North Queensland, (I worked in a supermarket), but they were never this size.

I told Monet this morning who visited us outside when she was sound asleep. She was pretty excited when I showed her the photos, it is a pity he came when she was tucked up in bed. I hope he returns at some stage, but I'm not sure Lyndon is too keen on him returning... *smirk*