And So I Don't Forget...

30 Before Marriage: A Seafood Feast

After scouring our recipe books and a trip to South Melbourne Market fishmonger, I brought chaos to the kitchen cooking a two-course seafood dinner.  

For entree we dined on stuffed squid. The stuffing was nice but the squid just didn't taste quite right. Maybe I overcooked it, maybe undercooked it, I really have no idea. 

The spice-crusted rockling fish though, that was delicious. If I do say so myself. ;)  

Easy, yummy and reasonably healthy, I see more fish dinners in my future but from here on out I'm leaving squid to the professionals. And with that, I'm ticking off one more 30 Before Marriage goal:  

7. Cook a seafood dinner.

13 goals complete, 17 to go. 

Indulging our Love of Pizza

Yesterday, using some of the money we were gifted for our engagement, we bought a portable pizza oven. 

A quick snap of the first pizzas cooked, before we ate it all. Crispy base and yummy goodness.

Money well spent I think.  

Friends Christmas Get-Together and my Incredible Ham

Christmas got an early start for us yesterday with a lunch got-together at a friend's house. Our contribution - a maple honey mustard glazed ham. Although a little more charcoaled than I would like (oh my goodness was disappointed about that!) it turned out pretty darn delicious.

Pat, our host, cooked the most technological turkey you've ever seen. This bird had multiple sensors, lights, even a camera hooked up so you could see the turkey when the barbecue hood was down. Tasted good too. :)

There were stuffing muffins (called stuffins or muffings depending on which end of the table you sat), the ham and turkey, a pumpkin salad that was actually yummy, lemon cake for dessert and Erica even made fudge for everyone to take home.   

It was one of those wonderful afternoons where you are surrounded by conversations and laughing, the food is delicious, drinks are flowing and the next time you look at your watch, hours have disappeared.  

Merry Christmas my friends. We should do this again soon.

Birthday / BoyF is Home Celebrations

On Tuesday night after climbing friends Ben and Naomi surprised me with a birthday cake at dinner, complete with candles. Can't believe I didn't twig - the cake came in with us and they organised it with staff without me realising anything. I was delighted. 

On Wednesday night I had a birthday dinner at Belle's Diner with Mum, Dad, Jenna and her boyfriend Darren. There were lots of presents.  

On Thursday morning BoyF arrived home, his training course finally finished. That afternoon we attended our first potential wedding venue inspection/appointment together.

On Friday we headed off for a night in the Yarra Valley, stopping at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery on the way. Yummy.  

I found Gracedale accomodation searching online. Got to love a place that puts fresh roses in your room, but those views - wow. 

For dinner Friday night we went to Stones of the Yarra Valley where we indulged in the 5 course tasting menu. Oh, it was delicious. 

Saturday morning, after a cooked breakfast at our hotel, we headed to a winery for another wedding venue appointment before browsing some antique shops and stores in Yarra Glen. After lunch at Hargreaves Hill brewery, including an incredible chocolate brownie, we headed off for home. 

A couple of wonderful, and necessary, indulgent days.

Noah's Ark

 

 

 

8 different colours of buttercream. Piping bags and parchment bags and couplers and tip numbers 4, 6 and 21. So much piping that my hand protested, loudly.

I feel pretty proud of Noah's Ark.

And we unceremoniously cut into him and had some for dessert the other night. Doesn't taste half bad either. ;)

14 for Lunch

Yesterday, as sort of a belated birthday/housewarming, we hosted 14 for lunch. (Well, it ended up being 13 as Boyf's aunty was sick and couldn't attend.)

You don't realise how big this room is until you add a 3 tablecloth table!

Boyf was responsible for the roast lamb, potatoes and gravy. (Don't think he is allowed to tease me about taking feet photos anymore!) I made a greek salad, coleslaw and chocolate mousse cake. His Mum provided a pavlova, and sister-in-law Peta, a potato salad.

As the final carload headed off late in the afternoon, Boyf and I congratulated ourselves - a little surprised, I think, at how well it had all gone.

It was a great day. Chatting, laughing, adoring on not-quite-baby Claire and sharing holiday photos. (I got a some lovely compliments about photos I have framed, which is always wonderful for my ego.) I think general consensus was Boyf's house has been improved with a few additional feminine touches. ;)

Although I think Boyf snapped a few photos, I didn't even pick up my camera once people had arrived. Too busy chatting. ;)

Turning 30, Part 2

After what seemed like weeks of preparation (although I admit painting rooms and framing photos probably isn't standard party planning!) party time was finally here.

Yellow House was polished and scrubbed, looking her finest.

Food was laid out. Drinks were on ice. Fairy lights were sparking outside, even though it was still daylight.

After a hectic day getting everything organised, suddenly there was nothing to do but wait for guests. Sometimes I think that is the hardest part! :)

A few minutes before the appointed hour Mum and Dad arrived, bearing chocolate mousse (which people raved about) and other goodies. At 7:05pm Lucy and Chris walked in, with Chris claiming they were late. :) I had time to open their present then more and more people were arriving all at once. My 30th birthday party had begun!

For many people it was their first time visiting Yellow House. The peacock blue dining room isn't for the faint-hearted but it got a lot of compliments. Some people even assumed I'd purchased the photos on the wall; incredibly good for my ego! ;)

With the weather forecast predicting rain, I'd been concerned about everyone fitting inside. But, it all worked well in the end. People moved about and interacted - there was that wonderful buzz of conversation.

Boyf's mother and mine, laughing away. A worrisome sight!

The party seemed to race by, with the last guests leaving a little before 1. I think it was a really good night. I must have asked Mike that at least 5 times after everyone had gone home. 'You think everyone had a good time?' I certainly had.

A lot of work, a bit stressful. But I'm already looking forward to holding the next party. No house painting next time though!

26

Grilled corn with chipolte mayonaise.

Waghu beef sliders with caramelised onion and tomato relish.

Strawberry Shortcake Pie.

Baked churros with cinnamon sugar.

It may have been a little hectic in her kitchen when I arrived but it was totally worth it. Absolutely delicious! 

Thanks for a wonderful dinner little sis, and one last Happy Birthday!

Never Said Edible Was A Requirement

From the title of this post you can probably guess, this wasn't my most successful 30 before 30 item. But I'm ticking it off and calling it good done. I did: 

1. Bake a pie.

Alright, it wasn't quite that disastrous - the chicken and mushroom filling was actually quite nice. I just had a tincy, tiny problem with the pastry not being cooked. Opps!

Right about here is where I missed a step. Darn recipe that didn't say anything about blind baking!

I did save the leftovers - you just eat around the raw part. But next time, I think I might try baking a tart instead. :)

8 down, 22 to go.

This Week

This week I bought up big on Hambly transparencies after learning the company would not be producing any more collections. Sad about that - love using them in minibooks. 

This week I finished organising my studio. It isn't all pretty and I'll probably continue rearranging and moving things about as I go but, for the first time since I moved, everything now has a home.

This week I attended a day-long training session on HR policy and legislation. It was incredibly boring. Mind-numbingly so. 

This week I had a Thursday night dinner out with friends. It was one of those wonderful nights that seem to sparkle - great Vietnamese food, stories and snappy one-liners. So many laughs. The highlight of the night would have to be Ben's not-quite-birthday. Suddenly the lights went out and there was a hum in the air as an inappropriately shaped banana fritter was brought out. The whole restaurant joined in singing Happy Birthday. Lots of jokes and Facebook posts at Ben's expense. :)

This week I had an emergency procedures drill at work. The wardens were based in my office and it was interesting to hear all the planning and organisation.

This week I ordered a couch. And a kitchen island bench. I'm feeling broke. :) I started looking at chaises before deciding that would be too imposing in my space.  After sitting in many, many couches this weekend and last, I decided to purchase the first one I'd liked. I almost ordered it over the phone but made the effort to go back in to the store. That's when I sat on this couch for the first time. I adored the design and was very surprised to learn it was actually really comfortable. And on sale. A grey version will be arriving at my door in 3 to 5 weeks.    

This week I finished creating the Sunday pages for my Week in the Life photobook. I'd be more pleased about that if it wasn't the first day I've really worked on. Only 6 more days to go! :) But, I'm really pleased with how it is turning out and I'm looking forward to holding the printed book in my hands. 

This week my guy came with me to the football. It's the second game he's been to ever. He meet me after work and we spend a few hours holed with from the wet and miserable weather at Hairy Canary before heading to the ground. It was a good match, fairly close with a Geelong win, and I'm pretty sure he enjoyed himself. However, I may have agreed to go to the Demolition Derby in return.