Providing meals from your pantry

I regularly visit a blog called

HoneyHillFarm

Shan is running a series of helpful hints to help provide meals from your pantry. I am a bit late in getting this up as she is already up to part 5.

If you haven't already, take a look at this lovely peaceful blog.

Hope you are having a good week.

xTania

Happy Birthday to my youngest daughter Talia who turns 22 today.

Random photos of Australia - taken by Phil

Test driving the Rio Tinto Engines destined for Weipa, Queensland.

Meet Phil.
(better known as the worst half)

Now Phil is a Locomotive Driver/Trainer based in Port Augusta. He loves his job and gets to travel to some very remote locations. He has taken many photos over the years and I thought I would include a post on some favourites.

Some of the trains Phil drives are 1800mtrs (1.8kms) in length and weigh 3,500 to 4,500 tonnes. He gets to drive the Indian Pacific as far west as Cook on the Nullarbor and the Ghan as far north as Roe Creek, just out of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Camels crossing the track at Watson, South Australia.

Other trains he drives are the super freighters (double stackers) that go from Sydney to Perth and Melbourne to Perth. Phil drives the Port Augusta to Cook leg of the journey.

Double rainbow at Tent Hill, just out of Port Augusta, South Australia

Phil also travels to places like Whyalla, South Australia where BHP and One steel are based. He takes the steel and freight trains to Broken Hill in New South Wales on occasions.

Another rainbow at Olary, on the way to Broken Hill.

He also takes the occasional freight train to Adelaide, South Australia.


Ironstone Lagoon, about 110kms north of PortAugusta. This was taken after the big rains in December 08. Normally would be a dry salt pan.

Crossing the Olary Bridge with a storm brewing ahead.

We call this a Whirly, whirly but I think the aboriginal people call them Willy, willy.

After rains at Bookaloo, 80 kms North of Port Augusta in December 08.

Bookaloo, December 2008

This little statue represents the millionth concrete sleeper laid on the Tarcoola to Alice Springs line.

View here for a clip that Phil took while on the Indian Pacific on the Nullarbor.

And here for another train clip.

Wishing you all a happy and safe weekend,

xTania

Today my grandson Blake is 5.

Happy Birthday sweet boy.

Love Nan and Grumpoo xxx

Getting back into the swing of things

Up, up and away. The packet of chips above became pressurised in the aeroplane. DS's soccer ball also inflated while flying.

Our view from where we were seated. There were only 23 people on the trip over, so we were seated evenly about the plane. Once in the air we were able to stretch out in the spare seats.

We arrived 25minutes early into Perth, below.


The second day that we were there we witnessed a major bushfire nearby. Taken from out the front of the house where we were staying. This fire was deliberately lit but luckily didn't destroy too many homes. We could see the helicopters and planes dropping water from the air onto the fire. The shot below was at the beginning of the fire. It got way bigger and the stench of smoke hung around for days.

A day at Perth zoo....

Wrestling the big lizard....

A koala just hanging around trying to stay awake....

Another creature taking it easy, not sure this Orang-outang should have that plastic thing in his mouth....

We also went over to Penguin Island only five minutes away from where we were staying.

A little dolphin spotting....

And the seagulls were all nesting.....

Feed time for the penguins...

We arrived home safely last Monday, and left for Port Lincoln to do some fishing on Tuesday.

I am now trying to catch up on everything. Work for me again tomorrow, hubby went back today and son is going off to school tomorrow. Back to reality again. I did enjoy the break away though.

Finally just thought I would mention about our fridge. We have two, so hubby's big idea to save a dollar was to turn one of the fridges off while we were away. Upon turning it back on when we got home I noticed it wasn't working. We called our son in law (handy refrigeration mechanic) to have a look, and his response was, "you turned off a fridge to save about $3.20 and now you need a new fridge". Last time I listen to that husband of mine, it was a real pain removing all the stuff from one fridge to the other. Now I can't tell what is in the remaining fridge as it is packed so full that I can't fit another thing in there.

xTania

ANZACS - The band played Waltzing Matilda

Click on the image to listen to another true aussie, Slim Dusty singing, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

In remembrance and thanks to all our diggers.

ANZAC day is a special day for all Australians and New Zealanders.

ANZAC - Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

For more about our ANZAC'S see here and here.

Tania's Home Day Care

Not a lot to blog about around here at the moment. We have found ourselves busy in other areas of our lives.

Although still a work in progress, the Day Care area is being used now and the children are loving it. The gates are finished so we have an area in the shade to play. With the lovely weather that is around at the moment it is nice to sit here and not get too hot.

I have added a cubby house, basketball ring, picnic table,

A Shell sandpit, todi car, blackboard/easel/feltboard/whiteboard and hoops.

An area for me to sit and watch and maybe sneak in a cup of coffee or tea,
blow some bubbles and a little old rocker.

Inside I have been decorating the walls and hanging a few things from the ceiling.

Our play dough table.

Home corner, still in need of more things in this area. I will be adding a child sized table and chairs soon.

Multicultural pictures, these are aboriginal.

View from the entrance door.

Looking outside through the gates.

Looking over the gates and see how dry it is. We are looking forward to getting some rain as it has been dry for too long.

This will be my last post for a couple of weeks. We are going to be flying over to Perth on Saturday to visit our friends who are having a hard time coping since losing their daughter in November last year.

Our son is excited and a bit nervous about his first flight in a plane. Can't say I like flying either but it beats two days travelling in a car to get there, this way it is only three hours. We leave Adelaide at 6.15am and arrive in Perth in time for breakfast at 8.15am Perth time.

Take care of yourselves and I will see you when I get home.

HAPPY EASTER

x Tania

Pizza, Scones and Speedy Tuna Bows

Using the above flour I tried my hand at completely homemade pizza. I would usually buy the pizza base and put my own toppings on but never again since tasting the real thing.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients
220gms Bread and Pizza Plain Flour, sieved
15gms fresh yeast OR 1 teaspoon dried yeast
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons lukewarm water 1 tablespoon olive oil

Place flour and salt into a food processor or mixing bowl.

Dissolve yeast in a little lukewarm water then stir in remaining water.

Make well in centre of flour mixture, place liquid into well and gradually work the flour in from the sides.

Remove dough from bowl and knead by hand for about 5 minutes.

Place dough back in bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume. (I sat mine on the front seat of the car in the warm sun).

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface.

Makes 1 x 30cm pizza base. I made two of these, one vegetarian and the other with ham added. The favourite one in this family was the vegetarian one.

Some more recipes from
The Secret of Healthy Children

I have been giving some of these a try this week.

Fruit and nut scones

2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup raw nuts and dried fruit (I used almonds, raisins and apricots)
1 cup reduced-fat milk extra milk for glazing

Preheat the oven to 230C. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar into a bowl. Rub in the butter with fingertips.

Add the nuts and dried fruit and mix well.

Slowly add the milk and mix gently with a wooden spoon. Then knead until you have a soft dough, adding a little flour to you hands as you need it.

Roll out the dough to 11/2cm thick. Cut into rounds with a scone cutter or upside-down glass.

Place the scones on a greased oven tray and brush with extra milk. Bake for 7-10 minutes until the tops are golden and the sides are firm.

Lift onto a cooling rack or, if they are to be eaten immediately, wrap in a tea towel to keep warm.

Serve warm with a little butter, margarine or jam as a tasty morning tea or after school snack.

I guess it looks the same sideways.

Speedy Tuna Bows

*Quick and easy to prepare and takes just under 30 minutes to cook.

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
125gms mushrooms, thinly sliced
425gm can chopped tomatoes
95gm can tuna in spring water
freshly ground black pepper
400gms pasta bows (farfalle)
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Heat the oil and saute the onion and garlic until the onion softens.

Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Mix in the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain the tuna, break up with a fork and add to the mixture. Mix well and simmer uncovered for a further 10 minutes. Season to taste with pepper.

Cook the pasta according to the packet directions. Drain.

Toss the hot pasta and sauce together. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4

(I think that more tuna could be added to this recipe).



Hope you are all having a great weekend,

xTania