Brisbane's Biggest Morning Tea

Brisbane's Biggest Morning Tea

Follow this link to find out what the lovely Caryn from My Life. My Style. is doing to raise funds for the Queensland Cancer Council. She's a real goer and a fabulous woman, to boot!!

xxMs.K

Mother of the Year?

It's all systems "go" at the Kitchen Kitsch house at the moment. I have put my hand up to convene the Sweets and Jams stall at Miss M's school fete this year so I've been busy writing school newsletter articles, collecting jars, handing out ingredients and wondering why the hell I took this on.....
I thought I should start putting my two cents worth in and got cracking with some serious chutney making over the week end. Here's what I made:

               Apple and Cranberry Chutney                

700g Granny Smith apples

250g dried cranberries

1 onion

350ml Apple Cider vinegar

200g sugar

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp salt

Peel, core and chop the apples into cubes, dice the onions, whack the whole lot into a large pot and simmer quickly for about 45 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and the fruit has softened.
Spoon into sterilised jars and screw lids on tightly. Store in a cool dark place.

Seriously easy, seriously good!!

Et Voila! Complete with cute little hats.....Fete style!  Remember me when you're voting for Mother of the Year.

xxMs.K

To Pick or Not to Pick???

........I'm not talking noses here, but if I was the answer would be a definite "yes"!! What??? No, I'm talking about my Garden of Neglect. Here is my latest creation.....

My very first Gerbera, my fave flower of all time, the bloom that featured in my bridal party all those moons ago. I don't really know why I've never attempted to grow these before but by Jove's they are a hardy bunch.  This is the pot that, weeks ago, housed my huge harvest of basil that I made my pesto out of. It grew spontaneously and I thought all would be lost for my Gerbera who was trying to share its home with the pushy basil. I must say I focused more of my attention on the basil as I thought it had more of a chance.  So proud.....but now, not sure if I should pick my single bloom as a prized treasure to put on my table for Mother's Day or leave it flourishing in its own beauty in the garden. Oh the decisions......"without further adieu" (don't you love, yet hate that phrase?) I wish all the fellow Mums out there, especially my wonderful Mum, a very happy Mother's Day tomorrow, and I hope you get all you wish for.....read: a day to yourself without the hubby and kids....!!!! Oh behave!!


xxMs.K

PS. Apologies for the hiatus, I didn't realise how long it has been since my last post....(feel like I'm in the confessional with Father Bernard.)

Refurbs

Alot of busy-bee action has been happening at the Kitchen Kitsch house lately. I've been madly stripping, sanding, painting, stuffing....no, not myself......my furniture!!

Refurb Nombre Un:

Dining room pendant light

Et voila!

Fabulous fabric from Fabric Traders

Refurb Nombre Deux:

3 old dears from Ebay, $10 a piece

Et voila!

Ahhh....that's better

Refurb Nombre Trois:

x2

These have been in my family for yonks so I hope I haven't offended anyone by doing this to them:
Et voila!

Oh the fun!!!

Here's a snippet of a new project I'm working on.  Some of my collection I'm lending to a friend for her Vintage Inspired Wedding in October....

xxMs.K

Hearts and Flowers

Is it my imagination or have my daisies, chrysanth, flowers grown in the shape of a heart? I love how my garden thrives on neglect and yet if I'd tried to topiarise (???) this into a heart shape it could never look as good as nature intended.  My little green friend thinks they're cute too!! Keep your eyes off 'em buddy.....

xxMs.K

Simple Pleasures

Isn't it amazing how simple things can turn your day around? After a fairly ordinary Tuesday, with crankiness abounds, I was watering my herbs late afternoon when I noticed that for a change my basil was growing in wild abundance. I decided to pick almost every plant of it and whip myself up some pesto a la Ms.K. Not being one to regularly follow recipes and favouring just leaving things to chance I picked off the leaves, whacked them in a blender with some walnuts, garlic, S n P, a bit of parmesan and some olive oil et voila.....pesto!! I have a cute little jar that holds lovely memories of Paris for me, and as luck had it the pesto fit to a T. 

Then I went out to pick some cherry tomatoes from a vine which grew spontaneously among the retaining wall "boulders" in our yard.......and honestly I have never watered, fed, paid any attention to this vine but they're the best tomatoes I could ever have attempted not to grow!

Topped off with some sourdough, steamed broccolini, a piece of grilled salmon.....and a cheeky red wine chaser.... it was the best, simplest meal I've had in yonks!

xxMs.K

Easter Treats

Oh boy, I usually leave Easter gluttony up to the kids but tonight after dinner I smothered my single Hot Cross Bun ration with lashings of peanut paste and nutella. It was seriously good mannn ........until next year....Happy Easter; think I'll have another!!

xxMs.K