buttons & a recipe for a lovely saturday afternoon

Recipe {1} :: How to make a lovely Saturday afternoon ::

It's raining. The kids are playing with our next door neighbour boys (at their house, not mine......). I'm sitting here, with my second coffee for the day - will think about lunch when the kids come home complaining of hunger! We'll go to (their) grandma's this afternoon.* 

I'm listening to my own music (not the kid music which is on constant repeat around here. At least they've got good taste in kid music, so I don't mind having it on, but it's always good to have something a bit more grown-up).

I've been writing the big list for everything I need to do and get done before the big market (more on that later). It's more than a bit scary writing it down, and counting how few studio days I have between now and then, and we'll be away in Cairns for a week during that time as well. Family - if you are reading this - I'll be calling on some major baby-sitting and help with labeling and packing and such stuff market stuff - that you've all become accustomed to anyway.

It also feels good to be writing lists. And making real plans. For me, and for Red Seed and for my new directions. I am super excited about my new fashion range. I do like a good list to work off, and I haven't had a big event to work towards (business / creative / me wise) all year. So this is good.

Recipe {2} :: How to make buttons ::

For my little contribution to the lovely and fun ABCD gift bag giveaway, I decided to make some cookies (biscuits**). While putting it all together, I was reminded how much I like doing that aspect of event organising. (like party bags and things like that). Making the labels and tags and thinking through how it will all look. It's fun to do. A good combination of my creative and organised / planner sides. The production line of the final putting together didn't go quite as planned, due to a few reasons. 1) I left it late in the day to start baking, and then packaging up - so was rushed. That's simply the way I work, I know it now. Inspiration always stricks at the 11th hr! 2) All three kids (Ash was here too) were really excited to help me. They did the biscuits shape making, and the putting it all into bags and attaching the labels. We went through a few variations before settling on the easiest + quickest of holding it all together with a paper clip. I did want a hole punch + twine, but was too hard for the kids to do neatly enough for my likes (some things I can't let totally go of). Don't worry - the kids washed their hands about 20 times with warm water and soap while doing the making...

I got the inspiration for making button shaped cookies from Cupcakes, Cheesecakes Cookies. I'm not going to show you their shortbread buttons as ours didn't quite look as beautifully button-ish, like theirs. To our defence, we were 3 young kids + a rushed mama and we made about 140 or so, whereas they were a professional kitchen and they only made about 20 in total. Just saying.

I was pretty happy with the way they did turn out anyway. And I was really impressed by the way Ari stayed so dedicated to the job of putting the holes in all those round dough pieces. Mish + Ash did a fair bit of raw-dough eating, and silly shape making, but Ari stuck to it until they were all completed.

We made two flavours. I'm only going to give you the recipe for one, as it was my favourite. Of course, I didn't actually follow the recipe in the book. Oh no, I couldn't do anyway as simple as that - could I! We sort of started following a basic cookie recipe, but strayed so much that I think it's fair to say it's our own recipe. Here it is ::

Cardamom & Pear Button Cookies ::

1/3 cup oil (use melted butter if you like, or an oil with no distinct taste)

1/4 cup sugar (whatever sort you choose, brown probably best - I used raw, as we had no brown)

2 eggs

25 - 30 cardamom pods - crush and grind the seeds really well (remove the pod hard skins). We use a stone mortar and pestle. (which is invaluable in my kitchen).

1/4 cup pear concentrate syrup

1 1/2 cups wholewheat flour (S.R or use plain with a pinch or two of bicarb)

In your mixer (machine or by hand) beat really well the oil, sugar + eggs. They'll make a nice thick oozy mixture. Add the cardamom and pear concentrate. Then the sifted flour, and mix nice and gently (by hand). It should be a stiff mixture - if not add more flour until you can knead it easily. Roll it out between two sheets of baking paper to about 3mm thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut until you've used all the mixture. (You'll need to rework and reroll it as you go, use some extra flour if it gets too sticky). Using the back flat part of a wooden skewer to make two or four holes, like a button. You can also use a fork around the edges if you want to make decorations like that (we didn't as the kids' didn't have a light enough touch, and just squashed the dough our of shape). 

Bake in at 180C, checking after 5 minutes, and perhaps turning them over. You don't want to burn your buttons, you just want a nice slightly light brown colour. Perhaps 10 - 12 mins at total most. Cool on a tray and serve at your next crafty get-together. 

I had some mixture that I didn't make into buttons, and rolled into a long round about 5cm thick. I then pinched smallish bits off and baked them like that, until nicely cooked. They had a different taste, as they we softer inside. I'm calling them Pinch Cookies. Give it a go, the rough edges got cooked in varying amounts, which meant some bits were more burned and some bits gooier than others. Yum. 

You could also freeze the log, until you need it, and use a sharp knife to cut into rounds. Which means you can make freshly baked cookies at the drop of a pin, or a button!

*yes, their grandad does live there too, but must face reality that grandma is the major drawcard and the one they especially love visiting. I know they do love you just as much grandad - it's just that, well.... you know anyway.

** does anyone know the difference between 'cookie' and 'biscuit'? I always thought it was the Australian / British word compared to American word. But then somewhere along the line I read that biscuit was factory made and cookie was homemade. I've been thinking that I do like the word cookie more, but then wonder if it's too American-ish for my Aussie friends. And cookie also makes me think of cookie-cutter (see alternate definition for what I mean), which is generic and not at all handcrafted, artistic.....

(By the way - I'm not entirely what one would call "Aussie" in any sense of the word. In fact, at school people used to think Sylv + I were English as we actually spoke correctly, and finished our words rather than dropping the last letter, as is very Aussie. "Ya' kno', 'ey" translates as "You know, don't you". Hey (or 'ey) being a particularly Aussie sentence ending sort of word.)

simple tart

At the organic market on the weekend I got some lovely looking rainbow chard (or silverbeet, I'm not actually sure if they are the same or different, but ours had rainbow stems). We decided to make chard + feta pie, which of course is very yummy, but also quite simple to make. 

I made mine very simply - and both the kids ate it all. Ari didn't like the pastry, but I don't mind that, at least he ate the filling and the salad. 

Firstly pastry - you don't need any equipment at all. There are quite a few different recipes that I use, well actually I barely use a recipe at all. Just rememberings of things. But it's as simple as making bread, only you put it in the fridge to set for at least 1/2-1 hr, rather than letting it rise. If you don't want to make your own pastry (though really it is much cheaper and better for you + the environment) you can use puff or filo pastry.

My quick pastry:

flour (you can use wholemeal, plain, spelt or whatever you prefer, though I've never had much luck with rice flour)

butter - frozen is good, and you can grate it in (you could also use any vegan substitutes you have)

Mix it with your fingertips, until it resembles breadcrumbs. My kids love doing this (though if your kids are prone to this sort of thing -last photo - I'd possibly advise against!!). Slowly add a few bits of water until it forms into a dough mix, then knead it lightly. Put it in the fridge, in a plastic bag, for at least 20 minutes, though 1hour is better. {While I don't actually bring plastic bags into the house there is always something to use. That random bread bag, or the plastic bag a friend brought in, or the one you accidently got on the day you were feeling tired and stressed and hasseled by the kids and forgot to take your vege bags}.

Once you've left it to do it's thing in the fridge, roll it out and put into your tart/pie tin. I don't grease my pan, but I suppose you may need to depending on what you cook in. If it's not rolling too well, you can instead push it into the tin with your fingers forming it across the base and up the sides until it's sort of thinnish, but no holes please. Then back in the fridge for 20 mins - while this part is not absolutely necessary (and often doesn't happen at my house), it helps the pastry to not shrink while cooking.

I always put it in the oven for a little while before adding the filling, but I don't (currently) have a very good oven. Do remember that the filling it cooked, so the pastry will need extra time. But don't over cook it at this stage. Perhaps 180 for 15mins ? check it, and keep an eye on it.

{this pastry doesn't look really cooked, but believe me it was 

yummy and flaky and crumbly just the way it should be}

For the filling, what we did was:

Fry some red onion (you could use shallot, leaks, white onion, anything) in olive oil. Oh first, fry off your spices; I like cumin and coriander and whole black mustard seeds, and also whole fennel seeds (but my family are a bit fussy about the fennel..), and a bit of sea salt + pepper (do keep in mind, when adding the salt that feta can be quite salty itself, so taste your feta and season accordingly). Then add the onion + garlic and lightly fry. Don't let it burn. Then I added the silverbeet stalks, cut up into smallish rounds. And after that's cooked on the pan {I swear by my cast iron, cheaper version of Le Creuset}, I added the silverbeet leaves cut up sort of roughly, not too small, but not too big.

I sploshed in a bit of water, and put the lid on. With low heat I let it cook for a bit, to let the silverbeet break down.

I decided to make a quick white sauce to add to it. - just a blob of butter, a spoon of flour - mix on the heat, then add milk (I add cold and stir really quickly to get out any lumps). I added the sauce to the silverbeet mix. It's just as good without the white sauce.

Other things you could add are red or green lentils (cooked first, of course), potato, sweet potato, pumpkin (you could just lightly steam/boil that, until tender then cook into the silverbeet). 

Then put your filing into the pie case. We put the feta on top, and sort of pushed it in, but you could just as easily mix it properly through the filling (and add other cheeses too, if you want). No lid as the pastry didn't stretch that far (forgot to buy more flour at the healthfood shop). Into the oven until the feta is nicely melty and possibly has a good burnish-golden brown on it. 

I often make pies quite differently to this. I suppose this really would be called a tart, rather than a pie. But whatever - it was very yummy. Sam ate up at least 2 helpings of seconds (me as well, but that goes without saying - you may like to know I have my Winter coat on - on my tummy, bottom + thighs.....)

We served it with a very simple salad. Mini roma tomatoes, lebanese cucumber (if you use the other sort, and have never tried a lebanese one, please try one as they are must tastier, and less watery), fresh yummy market carrots (well, it was all market stuff, but organic carrots are often so much more sweeter than non-organic), red capsicum (both Sam + I prefer green, which we find sweeter, but the kids prefer red), and torn parsley leaves. Topped with a good glug of olive oil and generous squeezings of lemon or lime juice.

Gina - I think silverbeet + haloumi pie would be yummy as well. You could mix the haloumi in, or put it on top and it'd go all gooey and golden (unless you have a terrible oven like mine!).

Please let me know if you make this simple easy tart, or any alternatives.

*Ha, I bet you all thought that the title "simple tart" was about me, hey.... hmmmm - I know you!

saying yes

Sometimes I just keep saying no.
For many reasons

It's too hard

too annoying

too messy

too much effort

I'm too mean

too lazy

couldn't be bothered.

Yes, I am a mean mother

aren't I?

Anyway. Yesterday when Mishi asked me to make playdough I said

yes

And you know what.

It was easy and fun and lovely and resulted in many glorious hours of happy play. Yesterday and today, and probably tomorrow as well, at least.

Recipe :: 1 cup of flour {don't use expensive organic, like I did - but then again, if it's all you have in the cupboard, then just finally say yes and do use it!} 

:: 1/2 cup salt 

:: 1/2 cup of water {we steeped some Karkady flowers (Hibiscus tea) in hot water to get a beautiful light pinkish colour}

:: 1 teaspoon of tumeric powder makes a lovely soft yellow colour

{More wonderful reasons why you don't need to go and buy that fake food colouring}.

Let your kids mix the flour, salt + tumeric (or omit if you're making the pink colour), then add the water (or brewed tea for pink colour) bit by bit until you have a good kneadable consistency. It shouldn't be too doughing or wet - just add more flour if you need. Keep it in the fridge in a container, when not in use.

Give the kids a flat, easy to clean surface with some rolling pins, cookie cutters, and their imaginations. 

Then go off and have a few quiet moments on your own - or stand and watch the beauty that comes from saying yes.

{old faded laminex table and daggy kitchen floor with thanks to our house}

{chip in blue cup courtesy of our teeny tiny ceramic kitchen sink - cute, but inconvenient}

{Mishi's hair-do by herself - a look she sports most every day at the moment, in some form or other}

{lovely yellow tea towel is from here - currently on sale, though they've been in our home for at least a year or more}.

baby cakes, hearts and an ant

My kids like having "something sweet" for afternoon tea.

We all sit down, at our outside table (where we eat most every meal at the moment), and share our treats, an afternoon coffee, or warm milk, and some conversation. Talking over our day, or trying to decide on our dinner (every day, the thing of trying to decide what to make for dinner).

Yesterday we baked some little cakes. Some for Ari to take for school lunch. And some for us to have for afternoon tea.

Very easy to make, very delicious, and quite good for you - in the scheme of chocolate cake. 

As you can see, they don't last very long. These photos were literally taken click, by click, by click - my camera could barely keep up with the little hands disappearing cakes!

Recipe (if you're interested) goes a little bit like this* :: Chocolate Beetroot Baby Cakes

Cream together 50g butter + 50g soft brown sugar (you can also melt it together in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water, if your butter is too hard - like ours was!). Stir really well, to cool it down a bit, then beat in 2 eggs. Add 75g cocoa powder, 100g finely dessicated coconut and 1-2 finely grated fresh beetroots. Stir well. Then add 2T plain yoghurt and 1 cup milk. Gently stir in 100g self raising flour. You want a fairly wetish (but not totally runny) mixture, that is easy to transfer to your cup cake cases. So add more yoghurt if it's too dry, or more coconut if it's too wet. 

Spoon into little cupcake cakes, and bake until nicely cooked. (Our old oven is so unpredictable, I can't honestly tell you what temperature it bakes at; but most little cakes take about 12-15mins in 179 degrees C, oven. I do so so so miss our beautiful new oven, at our other home, and can't wait until we buy our own home again so we can have a beautiful kitchen!).

We bought these heart shaped cupcakes, at the insistence of Mishi - she wants them for her birthday party. (The little round ones have been in quite constant use for a long time). I've been using silicon cupcake moulds for quite a while now (year or so?), and while I guess the plastic isn't a fantastic thing to be using, I have never had any cakes that haven't unmoulded with ease, and don't have to use papercases all the time. (I have, in the past, had big issues with metal cupcake tins not unmoulding easily, and having half cakes fall out inside of the whole cake slipping out easily - I do recommend these little silicon baking cases, if you're having those issues).

*baking with two smalls means that measurements are never quite accurate, and stirring is a bit erratic. And given my personality, I never follow a recipe, making the cake and quantities up as we go along.

 

{can you see the little ant who was enjoying our tasty cakes, too}.

cookie factory

We made some cookies, yesterday, to give the kindy teachers today.

We mixed, measured, rolled and cut. Then waited and waited for our (old old) oven to bake them. We made 5 batches in total. Enough cookies for everyone.

This morning the kids wrote their labels, and filled the bags - carefully counting them out, and deciding which shapes would go in which bag. While Ari + I tied the labels on with some lovely hemp twine, he talked about us being the packing and wrapping section of the cookie factory.

He's quite into factories at the moment. Mainly because of Willy Wonka.

The smell of orange throughout the house last night, was so lovely. I'll for sure be making some orange cookies again. Ari did declare them to be quite yummy.

Vanilla + Spice Cookies ::

Start with 125g room softened butter, mix with your fingertips into 225g plain flour, until resembles breadcrumbs. Add 80g soft brown sugar, 2 capfuls of vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice or ginger powder. Roll out onto a flat surface, with some flour to prevent sticking. Using your favourite cookie cutters, cut as many shapes as you can. Then re-roll and cut again until you're used all the mixture. Place onto baking tray, lined with baking paper. Bake at 180C for about 15-20 mins, or until just golden.

Orange + Coconut Cookies ::

As above, but substitute about half the flour with dessicated coconut. Finely grate orange zest, not peel or rind, into the mixture. Add sugar and vanilla. A little squeeze of fresh orange juice, is you need the mixture to be a little bit wetter. Roll, cut and bake as above.

Enjoy!

on a thursday :: roses and cakes

this vase is right beside where we walk past, i bend down many times a day to inhale the intoxicating perfume.sylve, my sister, who gave the flowers to me for my birthday, saw them today and said that even though they haven't lasted a long time, they were worth it.
the roses have started dropping their petals.
the girl bent to pick these petals up, at the same time that i reached for the camera to take photos. sometimes still life that i see gets caught up in the flurry and movement of life. can't be helped.
yesterday the boy made some muffins / cup cakes / baby cakes.
at the age of 4.5, he is already a very talented and intuitive cook. he does lean towards sweet things, though he often makes great savoury snacks.
he collects everything needed to make the cakes. remembers the general guidelines and ingredients. pours in a little milk and some cocoa, with sultanas and berries, sometimes coconut, and flour. spoons them into the little cases. and we put them in the oven for him.i am slowly trying to teach him to clean up when he is finished.these were a little tough and chewy. when i said that perhaps it was because he had put the flour in first and mixed it too much, he said 'i didn't know', as if a 4.5yr old should know things like that. but i think next time he will know that.

take notice - if you don't feel your children afternoon tea in time, they will make it themselves! some days i only have to make dinner around here.

the perks and perils of work-at-home

These past few days I've been head down at my little sewing machine. I'm starting to feel a bit vibraty in my body, and the whir in my head matches that of the machine. I started to wonder if she was making strange noises and getting sick, but I think my mind was just rambling a bit.
Aside from making one tiny little mistake on my stack of 30 cushion covers (which actually equates to a whole lot of unpicking and re-ironing and sewing; 2 1/2 hours extra to be exact!), things are going quite well.Getting through the list of things that I have to get done for Stitches & Craft, all the things that have to be dropped off at the courier in ..... ummm... less than a week. Yes - you read correctly. We have less than one week to do all the screenprinting and sewing and packing and making and ironing and pricing and......
I'm actually feeling quietly optimistic about it. Though I do have some good child-minding lined up for the next few days. And some late nights planned, and maybe even early mornings. And the back-up plan of taking extra stuff in the car with us down to Melbourne.But I know that whatever we get done is all that we can get done. And it'll be amazing. And Sam and I will look at our work, and smile to ourselves and each other, knowing we've done a pretty fantastic job.
I'll let you know.

So, the little things that have been holding me up, and keeping me a tad bit behind schedule. Well, it's these little creatures.Yesterday we stopped work to have a glorious morning tea picnic. Baby cinos and baby pancakes, served on the new birthday picnic/baby blanket* and the cutest little tea set (which matches the picnic rug quite well). The smallest of us in a ballerina tutu of course.*These baby yoghurt pancakes are so easy to make, you should try them yourselves. We serve them with gloops of sugar free jam and yoghurt (because we rarely have cream in our fridge). To make them you need one cup of self raising flour, one cup of milk and about 3 tablespoons of natural yoghurt (you could use flavoured yoghurt or grated apple or blueberries, and add cinnamon or nutmeg or vanilla if you like - we do try to not add sugar, as the kids often want to smother them in maple syrup or golden syrup). Stir it all up, it will be like a thick slurry, with some small lumps. Add a tiny bit of melted butter - which means that you shouldn't need to grease the pan, and they shouldn't stick. Then dollop into pan, and cook for a few minutes before you turn. These won't bubble to let you know they're cooked the way that regular pancakes do. The yoghurt adds a lovely texture and flavour.Best enjoyed with loved ones, or on your own for a few quiet moments.
*Related post to come very soon.
PS - thank you for your lovely comments on my skirt from my past post - I'm really loving wearing it, and have plans (wishful thinking) to make some more skirts for our Melbourne trip.