Anyone Else Have a Kitchen Like This??

Those days when you hope the doorbell doesn't ring, and no-one sees your house the state it is in, let alone your kitchen?

Well, I'm feeling brave today, and I'm going to let you walk in on my mess.

Here it is:-

 Wow, what a mess!  I had stuff everywhere, the remains of a pancake breakfast, a full sink, dishwasher to empty, a deep fryer to put away and a floor to clean.

After 30 mins, what a difference!  Just a floor to clean and some odds and ends to put away :D

I Have a Secret...

Shhh...it's in here...

 Let's take a closer look, shall we?

 Hmmm...

It turns out I have a lot of skin care product.  This is my secret stash of unused products.  The ones I use every day are in the bathroom in a basket with my perfumes and my husband's colognes.  These will make it in there.

I have a lot of Natio stuff, because they have lots of special deals such as "Spend over $35 and get free products".  Since I use their alcohol-free toner, cleanser, facial scrub and intensive moisturiser, I easily spend that much every 3 months.

Other products I have received as a product tester.  You can sign up to do that, but you never know if the products are going to react badly with your skin or are going to be good.  Scary!

Some are gifts that I have been given.  I really do like this stuff!

There are a few hand creams as well, and that's probably a good thing because Phil really likes those!! I have tried buying him his own, but apparently that's not the same thing. ;D

This stash also comes in handy for times when I donate to a local women's shelter.  They require hand/face creams and lip balms, and it's just easier to pull some out of this stash than have to duck out to the shops.  I think it's win-win all 'round.

Apricot Muffins - Easy Lunch Box Snack

Using my recipe from here: http://denleydiaries.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/apple-and-prune-theromix-muffins.html, I decided to omit the other fruit, and add a handful of dried apricots instead.

I blitzed the dried apricots in the Thermomix until they were little chunks, then added the rest of the ingredients.

This time I turned the mixture into miniature muffins so I could freeze them for school lunches.  These muffins ended up nice and crunchy on top.  Mmmmm!  There was enough mixture to make three large muffins as well.

They freeze really well, and are a fantastic thing to grab out of the freezer if you need breakfast on the go.

My February Garden

It has been raining so much lately that when I went out to look at my garden, all I saw was mud. Perhaps a reflection on my mood this week (I like sunshine but not heat...sunlight keeps the depression away).  Then I had a closer look.  There is beauty...I just had to look for it...

 Like these tiny, delicate rose buds from my climbing rose

 Storm realising that his 'broom friend' was inside, and he begged to be let in to play.  He was told a very firm "NO!".  So he took his frustration out on my unfortunate door mat (he is chewing it...bad bunny!).

 This injured Blue Tongue Lizard decided to scare the living daylights out of us and wait for food right outside our back door.  Its tail has been chewed off and a  hind leg damaged, but it will be safe here.  It has developed a fondness for watermelon, and yesterday was the first day it didn't hiss at me when I placed bite-sized morsels of watermelon in front of it.  It started licking at it before I had even taken my fingers away :D

 My Frangipanni tree is in full bloom.  It smells delightful.

 It's not as much fun when the flowers all fall in the pool...

 and turn into this.  All clean now.

 I found this on my new bean plants.  How could one fat caterpillar...

 do this much damage?  Decimated my plants :(  I hope they spring back quickly.

 I smiled when I saw this.  Somebunny decided to sit their big fat furry behind in my plant pot, just like his Daddy.  I planted some more spring onions in there.  Charcoal demolished my spring onions just before he passed away, and now Storm appears to have developed a liking for them.  Surely spring onions can't be good for bunnies!!??

 My passion fruit vine is loving the rain.  Will we actually get any flowers though?

After a hard days' work, I feel the same way.  Storm flops down very suddenly on his side when he is content.  It freaks me out, because when they have their eyes closed, they look dead.  Notice his ear flopping down?  That's a sign of a very relaxed bunny.

My Music Studio

I had a little bit of sorting out to do in my studio.  Over time, things get into a big mess no matter how organised I start out.  I don't like wasting student's lesson time, so I grab things in a hurry if needed, then have to do a bit of a tidy up at the end of the day.

 First on the agenda was to sort out this shelf.  I have a lot of weird stuff on that shelf!

 I laminated some flash cards for students.  I'm not a control freak, but I do like to keep their musical minds nice and tidy too ;D

 I called my teacher and booked myself in for lessons again.  Oh how I have missed those!!  So now I have made a big effort to not only review what my students are learning, but to practice music for my level as well.  It hasn't been easy, I tell you!!

Theory, Theory, Theory and more THEORY!  Lots of pencils, erasers, highlighters and items my students need for Theory classes.

If I'm organised, I can think clearly. And that, my friends, is a very good thing!

Thermomix Chocolate Frappes

I blame Phil for this one.  He loves the chocolate Frappes they sell at McDonalds.  Complete with creme etc.  They're a little too icy for me - very cold drinks trigger my asthma, but I do like their frappes after an hour ;D


I thought I would treat the kids to one just before they return to school (bittersweet - I enjoyed having them home these holidays).

 Mmmm don't they look delicious!

This is what I used to make them:-

• Three handfuls small ice cubes
• Drinking chocolate (I used Cadbury's, of course)
• Cream
• Milk
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar/blitzed raw sugar

How to put together:-

• If you're using raw sugar, blitz 2 tablespoons raw sugar on speed 9 for 30 seconds.  If not, omit this step
• Fill the bottom of the Thermomix up with ice cubes, until it comes level with the top of the blades.  Don't turn on yet.
• Add in milk until the ice cubes are just covered.
• Throw in your icing sugar if you're omitting step 1.
• I probably used about 1/4 cup drinking chocolate (or perhaps it was 1/3 cup...I love that stuff!).  Cocoa powder would probably work better - perhaps only 1/8 of a cup - but I didn't have any left in my pantry cupboard.
• Add about 2 tablespoons cream
• Okay, now you're ready to blitz away.  Speed 6 for 10-15 seconds.  Check that all the ice has been crushed up.
• Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and more drinking chocolate if you wish.  Enjoy!

Serves 4 or three if hubby is absent, and a daughter has three glass fulls of the stuff!  My son and I had two glasses each.

It's like a chocolate slushy.

If you want it more icy, add more ice.


You may not want the sugar in it either.  Omit if you're unsure, you can always add it at the end and blitz for 10 seconds.


I'm going to try and melt some 'real' chocolate, then add the other ingredients once the chocolate has cooled a little, but not today.  I think my body needs a break from all the rich foods!

Saucy Tuna Pasta in the Thermomix

I can't take full credit for this recipe.  I got the basic one from my Home Science teachers back in High School.  So I guess it's a big thank you to Mrs McKenzie and Ms Johnston for giving me this recipe and teaching me how to cook so I could practice on my Dad ;D

You'll need:-

• 50 grams butter
• 50 grams plain flour
• 1/4 capsicum (de-seeded)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 small can corn (drained)
• 1 large can tuna in brine (not drained)
• pre-cooked pasta *(I added in about 4 cups of macaroni)

1. Chop capsicum on speed 4 for 4 seconds.
2. Place butter, plain flour, and milk in Thermomix.  Speed 2.5 at 90 degrees C for 5 mins.
3. Add tuna juice and cook for further 3 mins on speed 2 at 90 degrees.
4. Add tuna chunks  and mix on speed 2.5 for 30 seconds.
5. Add corn, then cook on reverse speed, 90 degrees for 6 mins on speed 1.
6. Add cooked pasta and chopped basil.  **Taste and add seasoning if you think it needs it.  Mix for 2 mins, 90 degrees on reverse at Speed 2.

*You possibly could add raw pasta at step 2, but I already had some cooked leftover pasta in the fridge that had to be used up.

**I love the fact that the biggest hint for this dish from Mrs McKenzie was to add the tuna juice.  It adds its own salt to the dish, and intensifies the flavour.  I don't add any more salt but you are welcome to.

 My kids informed me it looks a little runny, but they devoured it!

I added a little Parmesan cheese to each bowl once served

You could add other herbs and veggies to this dish.  Grated carrot, zuchhini, peas etc.  My kids don't like capsicum, but they didn't even know it was in there!  Mwahahahah :D