Natural Beauty

Isn't nature just truly beautiful.  I never tire of smelling the roses outside my front door or sitting down on the waterfront and just relaxing and taking in the scenery.
I am blessed by living in such a beautiful place.

Breathe

My week

Been a week of creativity.  How has your week been?

Sue x

CWA Date & Ginger Cake Recipe

I decided to pull out the old CWA cook book that I found amongst all my books last night looking for a date cake recipe.  I can remember mum using this book so much when I was growing up.  I was so glad she never threw it out.   It is so easy these days to find recipes on the internet but I still love using my cook books when I can.  This cake turned out so good.  Very moist.  Recipe below if anyone wants to try it.  I added to the original recipe but not much.

Date and Ginger Cake

1 cup chopped dates

125 grams butter

1 cup water

3 tablespoons of golden syrup

1 tablespoon of ground ginger

1/4 cup of ginger pieces

1 3/4 cups of plain flour

1 egg

1 teaspoon of bi-carb of soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Method:

In a saucepan over low heat add dates, butter, water, ginger pieces and ground ginger until the butter has disolved.  Remove from heat and add in bi- carb.  Let the mix sit until just warm.  Stir in flour, egg and baking powder.  Pour into a greased, floured tin and bake in a MOD oven 160 c or 150c for fan force for 1 1/2 hours.

Enjoy!

Sue x

Long Weekend

How much fun, family and relaxation can you fit into a long weekend.

Picnics, grandchildren, egg decorating, boat watching, patting farm animals, visiting family, lunches, soap making, upcycling clothes, gardening just to name a few. 

What a fantastic weekend.  I hope everyone had a wonderful easter doing what you enjoy doing the most.

Good Friday Tradition -Brisbane to Gladstone Race (Bluewater Festival)

Every year since we have lived at Redcliffe (12 years) it has been a tradition to head to the water and join in the festivities of the Brisbane to Gladstone Boat Race.  For the last 4 years I have been part of the market stalls at the Bluewater Festival at Shorncliffe.  This is where the race starts.  I truly love this festival as it is so family friendly and full of great activities for all ages.  Two festivals running this day.  One at Redcliffe which is a great festival BUT so busy you really don't enjoy yourself.  It is like peoples day at the Ekka.  So this year not a stall holder but a visitor and off we went to Shorncliffe.  Bill, William, Rhiannon and myself.


Shorncliffe.  What a perfect day.



Easter Biscuit Decorating

What a great way to start the Easter Break with some easter decorating with the Grandchildren.  Rhiannon, Callum and Noah making their own creations with Arrowroot Biscuits, Icing, Sugar decorations, jelly beans, and sprinkles.  They truly loved the activity.  This looks like a new tradition to start every easter.'

I hope you all have a wonderful easter.  Tomorrow we are off to Shorncliffe for the start of the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race plus a picnic lunch.

Sue x

A not so lazy Sunday

It certainly has been a busy Sunday today.  Early morning rise at 5.30am.  Washing  to be done as well as baking and some gardening.

Easter is only a few days away so hubby asked me to do a trial run on some homemade Hot Cross Buns.  I love Hot Cross Buns.  None of those Chocolate ones they have in the shop.  Just the original ones but with no peel.  Hubby not a lover of peel.  I am very pleased with the result so I thought I would share the recipe.

HOT CROSS BUNS

1 egg
plus 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup Milk
80 grams butter
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon rind grated
1 teaspoon cinamon
2 teaspoons mixed spice
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup sultanas

Method
Place all ingredients in the bread maker and set the breakmaker to mix dough.
Add fruit at the signal.  Most breadmakers will beep so you can add them in.
Once completed take out of breadmaker and punch the dough down.
Roll pieces of dough into a ball.  This mix will make about 16-18 average size buns.
Place these 1/2 inch apart on a greased pan.  Cover and rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
Mix up a 1/4 cup of plain flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and enough water to make a paste. 
This is the mixture to make the cross.  Use a piping bag or a freezer bag with the tip cut off and pipe a cross on each bun.
Bake buns in a preheated oven 180c or 160c if you have a fan forced oven for about 20 minutes.
While the buns are baking mix a 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water together and heat until sugar is dissolved.  Let it simmer for a minute or two.
Take of the heat.  Brush this on the top of your hot cross buns to give them a gloss.

Happy cooking everyone.

Sue