Pretty in Pink

Where has the time gone....................

2007-07-30T15:41:00.000+10:00

I owe a huge apology to everyone, Iam very sorry!!
I'm sorry I haven't updated my blog since like forever!!!

However there is a reason, I have been sooooooooooo busy.
I have not had any spare time at all.
I feel like a walking zombie at the moment and am so happy everything is back to normal.
Well back to normal for now anyway!!

Where to start...
So much has happened.
I have been so busy with work.
I have worked over 20 x 12 hour days with only one day off, Yuk!!
Iam totally exhausted!!

While working I have been trying to finish organising my wedding plans, they are coming along smoothly thank goodness!!

I received my wedding invitations!! Yes that's right my wedding invitations!!
I was like a little kid at Christmas time opening them with my gorgeous fiance he was even excited.
At long last I received them and sent them on there merry way.
They turned out perfect they look fantastic definitely worth the wait, I love them!!

Time has gone by so quickly I didn't realise how close my big day was away it is getting so close, so very exciting!!!
Here is a peek at my wedding invitations they are so beautiful!!!!!!!

The Invitation

Inside The Invitation
Wishing well card

R.S.V.P card

Envelope seal

Hope everyone had a lovely Monday......

Home sweet home............

2007-07-08T13:00:00.000+10:00

We have returned from Melbourne back at home at last. It is nice to get away but it is soooo nice to get home and sleep in your own bed and be in your house.
It was great catching up with friends and family I wish we lived closer as you realise how much you miss them when you catch up with them.

We picked up our wedding bands, very exciting they look so beautiful I can't wait to be able to wear mine!!

I was able to do some knitting on our trip away and have Nealy finished my scarf....
Still have a little bit to go.

Melbourne is such a wonderful city I love it when we get a chance to visit there is so much to do, see and eat in Melbourne!

As it is cold here I have decided to make up a big pot of Lamb shank and Vegetable soup, it should go down quiet nicely as it will warm us up in the inside......

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend

Something to smile about

2007-06-30T15:17:00.000+10:00

Today it has been 1 year since my gorgeous Fiance sked me to marrying him.....
What a lovely memory.....
I have been thinking and recalling of the this day 1 year ago when my nervous fiance asked me to be his wife.....
What a special day.......

A dash of Pink to wish for

2007-06-30T13:23:00.000+10:00

Everyone has a wish list... On my wish list, I wish for

Pink Kitchenaid Mixer

Pink LeChasseur French oven

A Pink LeChasseur Baking dish

Pink Kitchenaid Blender

Jamie Oliver Professional Stainless Steel Set

Jamie Oliver Mug

Tea Set

Robert Gordon Teapot

Donna Hay Cook Book

The list could go on forever but I have listed a few of my fav things I wish I could call my own, maybe I might get a surprise at Chrissy time......

I have a passion for teapots especially pretty ones and just love the Robert Gordon teapot...

I think there is just something special when you can have a little luxury like drinking tea out of pretty cups served from gorgeous teapots.........

Donna Hay is such an Inspiration I just Love her cook books the recipes are pretty easy to follow and are full of flavor I just Love cooking up a storm with the guidance of Donna Hay's books....

When I first seen the Pink kitchenaid range I fell in love. Kitchenaid have brought out a range of colors but I think the Pink looks best!!! I can't wait to be able to light up my kitchen with some kitchenaid appliances and some LeChassuer Baking dishes maybe Christmas time......

I have been searching for a really good quality saucepan set and finally found one after a long search it's the Jamie Oliver range I would love to get my hands on a saucepan set from Jamie's range.....

Jamie's mugs are too die for he has brought out a range that suit's the individual there are so many to choose from....

I have shown a small piece of my wish list and would love to hear of other's wish list if anyone would like to share with me feel free to share your wishes................................................................

Chocolate pudding bar recipe

2007-06-29T14:29:00.000+10:00

Not much to talk about since my last post as Iam back at work (yuk).

Chocolate pudding bar
Ingredients
250 gram packet of malt biscuits
3 x 80 gram Crunchie bars, refrigerated
395 gram can of condensed milk
600 ml thickened cream
Cocoa powder

Method
Line a 3cm deep, 26cm x 16cm baking tray with baking paper.
Layer malt biscuits over base of pan, cutting to fit if necessary, so base is completely covered.
Wrap crunchies, still in their wrappers, in a clean tea-towel, bash Crunchie bars so they are broken into small pieces.
Using an electric mixer, beat sweetened condensed milk and cream in a large bowl until thick and pale.
Stir through Crunchie bar pieces.
Spread cream mixture over biscuits. Top with another layer of biscuits.
Cover and freeze until firm.
Dust with cocoa powder cut into squares.
Serve
Keep in Freezer

Enjoy!!
Warning This slice is highly addictive it is so Yummy!!

Something sweet.........

2007-06-27T21:14:00.000+10:00

I thought I would cook up a slice for Daryl,

So I decided to try something new and make 'chocolate pudding slice'

It is absolutely delicious yummy!
I will be definitely be making this again 10 out of 10.

Chocolate pudding slice

Wedding Bliss............

2007-06-26T18:33:00.000+10:00

Week by week Iam going to add a little insight into my wedding day. I will not be giving too much away as I want to keep it as a surprise!!

This week it's all about color......................

Shades of pink

Different shades of pink soooooooooooooo many to choose from. Lucky me, Iam in heaven looking at them all!

Invitations

The final guest list is done and has been sent off.

Now we are just waiting for the invitations to be printed and sent back to us for sending, I will post one as soon as I receive them.

Off to Melbourne

Next week we are off to Melbourne.

We are going to pick up our wedding bands sooooooooo EXCITING.

Daryl and I thought it would be nice if we got our wedding bands engraved.

So I ave chosen something for Daryl's and he has chosen something for mine.

We won't find out what is engraved on them until our wedding day.

I can't wait to find out what Daryl has come up with!!

We will also meeting up with our wedding photographer and having a pre-wedding shoot, very exciting I can't wait!

I have been going through my cupboard trying to find something to wear for the photo shoot.

It's always the way some many clothes but nothing to wear lol!!

We have neally finished our ceremony booklet we have just got to finalise our vows and where done.

We want to have personalised vows so we have been writing them together neally done.

That's about it for now.
It's all very exciting!!

Luv

Jennilee

Day of pamper

2007-06-26T16:40:00.000+10:00

Lucky me!
Today started with breaky in bed croissants and Jam and a cup of tea.
Than I went to have a facial, followed by a massage!
How lucky am I!
My body feels sensational at the moment I feel soooooooooo relaxed!
God it's good to have a day of pampering!

Wonderful News

2007-06-24T21:12:00.000+10:00

While I was checking my emails tonight I came across an email from my beautiful big sister Abby.
She happen to mention that she and her family where moving here to Cobar (where Daryl and I live). WoW That is like sooooooooooooo EXCITING!! I neally fell off my chair when I read it. I had to ring her straight away as I didn 't believe my eyes that she was going to be moving here from Outback SA. I can't wait for her to move here with her family. Oh I am just so excited, another thing to count down on. VERY EXCITING!!!!

More Rennovations..................

2007-06-23T22:21:00.001+10:00

I have been busy as you can see and I have come up with a new look for my Blog.
I just Love it!

Beanie search......

2007-06-22T21:17:00.000+10:00

Iam looking for a adult size beanie pattern for beginner's. So if anyone out there has a beanie pattern easy enough for a new starter to follow feel free to contact me as when Iam finish my scarf I would like to start on a beanie.

For Abby

2007-06-21T21:33:00.000+10:00

As requested by my Beautiful big sister I have found some pumpkin recipes that she might like to try.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust
1 1/2 cups of biscuit crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
75 grams of butter, melted

Filling
750 grams of cream cheese
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons of plain flour
5 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon grouns cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 ground all spice
1/8 freshly grated nutmeg
500 grams of steamed and pureed pumpkin

Method
Preheat oven to 180'C
Crust
Stir together the ingredients in a bowl and press onto the bottom and 2.5 cm up the sides of a buttered 23cm spring form pan.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes.
Cool on a rack and increase the oven temperature to 290'C.

Filling
Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and flour with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add the whole eggs, one at a time, add the vanilla, beating at low speed until each ingredients is incorporated, scrapping down the bowl between additions.
Remove 2 1/2 cups of the filling from the bowl and reserve.
Beat the yolks, spices and pumpkin into the remaining filling until smooth.
Spoon the pumpkin and plain fillings into the pan, swirl with a knife to get a marbled effect.
Bake in the middle of the oven foe 12 minutes, or until puffed.
Reduce the oven temperature to 100'C and continue baking until firm, about 1 hour.
cool the cheesecake completely on a rack and chill overnight befor serving.
Serve at room temperature.

Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients

250 grams of butter
1 cup of Sugar
1/2 teaspoon of lemon essence
2 eggs
1 cup of cooked mashed pumpkin
1 cup of plain flour
1 cup self- raising flour
500 grams of dried mixed fruit

Method
Preheat oven to 170'c
Cream the butter and sugar with the lemon essence.
Add the eggs and whisk well.
Add the pumpkin mix well.
Sift the flours, than add to mixture.
Add the mixed fruit to the mixture.
Mix well.
Than pour into a greased and lined deep 23 cm round cake tin.
Bake for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
Turn out of the tin when cake is cold.
Wrap in foil.
Keep for a week before cutting.

Herb and Pumpkin Damper

Ingredients
1 kilo of plain flour
1 teaspoon of bicarb soda
2 cans of beer
water
2 cups of cold mashed pumpkin
2 tablespoons of dried mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 200'C
Mix all together to a pilable dough.
Put in oven for about 3/4 of an hour to an hour, until when you tap it, it sounds hollow.

Pumpkin Jam

1.5 kilograms of Pumpkin (measured after peeled)
1.5 Kilograms of sugar
1/2 cup of water
juice and rind of 2 lemons

Method

Place the diced pumpkin and water in a pot, Bring to the boil and simmer till the pumpkin is very soft.
Drain and mash till smooth.
Add the lemon juice and rind, then the sugar.
Bring back to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar before boiling point is reached.
Boil for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is thick.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin & apricot Jam

Ingredients
3 kilograms of pumpkin
200 grams of chopped dried apricots
2 kilograms of sugar
the juice of a lemon

Method
Cover pumpkin with water in a large saucepan, cook pumpkin.
When pumpkin cooked drain the water into another saucepan.
Add the dried apricots to the water and cook until soft.
Add to the pumpkin along with the sugar and the lemon juice.
Boil until it gels.
Bottle jam.

Hope you enjoy them the cheesecake one looks yummy!

MM04

2007-06-21T19:40:00.000+10:00

I have decided to take part in MM04 hosted by Preserveless http://preserveless.blogspot.com/ . Taking part involves entering your favourite muffin recipe and drink, drink can be hot or cold.

So I thought I would give it a go here is my muffin and drink recipe. I made these up the other night and they are so yummy, my gorgeous fiance quiet enjoyed the treat.

Toblerone Muffins

Makes about 12

Ingredients

2 Cups of Plain Flour

1/2 cup of Cocoa Powder

4 Teaspoons of baking Powder

2/3 cup of Brown Sugar

120 grams of melted butter, cooled

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs, lightly whisked

200 grams Toblerone milk chocolate, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180'C. Grease or line with paper cases a 12 hole muffin pan.

Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in sugar. make a well in the centre.

Whisk butter, milk and eggs in a jug, Pour into well.

add Chocolate and mix until combined.

Bake muffins for 15 to 20 mins or until cooked.

Stand muffins in pan for 5 minutes. Serve warm

Hot Chocolate

Makes about 1 litre

Ingredients

1 Litre of milk

300 grams of Milk or Dark Chocolate

Method

Place milk in a deep saucepan slowly bring to the boil.

Add chocolate then, using a whisk, whisk until frothy and chocolate has melted.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy

Time goes by so quickly

2007-06-21T19:27:00.000+10:00

Wow my days off went so quick. I was so busy, I had no time to post on my blog as you can tell sorry.
We have been trying to finalise our wedding ceremony booklet, as we are getting married in a church we have been doing some research of readings. We have nailed it down to a couple of readings that are really nice and have a great message behind them.
It is such a relief that we have neally got our ceremony booklet completed.

We finalised our dinner menu which is one big thing crossed of the list.

The list is getting shorter soon everything will be done and we can just sit back and wait for the day to arrive.
I can't believe how close our big day is Iam getting so excited as it is not far away.

I received my copy of stitch 'n' Bitch and love it! I would recommend it to anyone that knits as it is full of tips and patterns, it is such a fantastic book. I have been reading it madly filling my head with heaps of tips, I love it1

That's it for me for now.

Renovations

2007-06-17T02:58:00.000+10:00

My blog went under some mild renovations as you can tell I finally came up with a new name for my blog 'Pretty in Pink' I have a few things that have that written on them I think it suits for now anyway lol.

My Days Off

2007-06-16T19:35:00.000+10:00

Tonight is my last night shift than I am on days off(Woo hoo).

As I am a shift working in a Lead Mine as an Emergency Service Officer. I work a roster that is 4x day shifts on 4x days off 4x night shifts on 4x days off.

I leave home at 6 and get home at 8 so it works out to be a 14 hour day.

I had to do an extra panel of night shifts this panel (to help out my boss) as I am surpose to be on day shift.

I can't complain as when I am on my normal roster (back next panel) I am on the same shifts as my gorgeous fiance, He works underground. We both work at the same Mine.

The night shifts take a bit out of me.

So for the first couple of days it's a bit slow and steady letting my body catch up on much needed sleep, rest and relaxation.

These days off I have a few things planned other than relaxing and recovering from night shift and the usual chores

- tidy the house
- Washing
- Ironing
- Washing my beautiful babies (Jacko and Sophie) as they are inside puppies when we are home, they get a bath once a week.

We have a few things we need to finalise for our wedding

- Ceremony program
- Dinner menu
- Invitation Layout and wording

I am going to try and cook a recipe for 'In the bag' which I came across at http://www.cherrysenglishkitchen.typepad.com/ , you get 3 ingredients and you have to cook up a recipe using these 3 ingredients, you submit your entry with a picture of your dish.
It looks like so much fun so i thought I would put my cooking skills to use and have a go at it.
I have a great recipe in mind, I will post as soon as I make it.

My gorgeous fiance will be playing golf, one of his favourite activities.
He has a golf competition on, it's on Sunday fingers crossed it is a beautiful day for him.

I am hoping to get some knitting in, as I am eager to get my scarf finished and get started on a new project.
But as I am new to the whole knitting thing still on my learner's I am as slow as a snail.
So I am patiently knitting away day dreaming of my next project.
I am thinking a beanie in the same color as my scarf.
As than I will be able to put my new knitting skills in use on a pattern.
Yes that's right I said pattern I know I have been dreading the thought of attempting a pattern but i have faith!!

Help is on it's way!!
I have ordered the Stitch ' N bitch book.

To help me with my knitting journey, can't wait for the mail man/woman to deliver it to me, very exciting.
There is also a lovely lady in town that owns a craft/ sewing shop. she has offered her help if i come to any trouble, which was so nice of her.

So help is at hand if needed.

For Elisabeth

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do, I attached a photo for you as well, the photo turned out great, the guacamole looks delicious!!

Guacamole and pita chip

Ingredients:

1 Avocado, halved, stone removed and peeled

2 Tablespoons of lemon juice

1/2 a small red chili, finely chopped

1/3 Cup of Sour cream

3 Spring Onions, finely chopped

3 Pita bread

You can buy your own Pita chips as I have done or make your own.

Place avocado in a bowl

Using a fork roughly mash avocado

add lemon juice, chili and sour cream

Stir to combine

Stir in Spring onions

Season with salt and pepper

Pita Chips

Grill bread on both sides until golden brown

Cut into wedges

Serve guacamole with wedges

Enjoy!!

Learning to knit

2007-06-14T21:55:00.000+10:00

I have decided to teach myself to knit, so fingers crossed let's see how I go.

I thought I would start with something very basic so I have decided to knit a scarf.

I started last night and am very proud so far of my progress. I hope one day soon I will be able to put the whole fear of reading a pattern behind me and be able to make beautiful gifts from patterns.

If anyone has any tips that they would love to share please feel free to comment

Busy as a bee

2007-06-14T21:15:00.000+10:00

It has been all go the last couple of weeks with so much going on I have had no time to post on my Blog as you can tell very slack but have a good reason as I have been flat out doing Wedding stuf and lucky me got a visit from my handsome nephew Wyatt, I can't believe how much he has grown he is soooooo CUTE! It was so nice catching up with my big sister, her fiancee, Jesse and Wyatt.

Iam sooo excited about my wedding day it is starting to become so real now that we are getting closer to the big day.VERY EXCITING!!!

We had our food trial the other week and the food was absolutely delicious!!!

It was a really great weekend got to catch up with Katie and Sam and Denise and Peter and my Dad even came down to the food trial we all had a ball.

Daryl and I met with the minister and discussed our wedding ceremony very exciting!!

I met with my hair dresser that will be making mine and the girls hair gorgeous on the day, she is such a great hair dresser and really nice can't wait for all the girls too meet her.

So much has been happening.

2007-05-26T13:46:00.000+10:00

Here we go, I am starting a Blog as advised by my beautiful bighead!
I am not to sure what the whole Blog thing is about but am gong to give it a crack.

I am getting married to Daryl (the most amazing person I have ever meet) in 112 sleeps and am getting so excited as it is so close and the time seems to be flying by.

Our wedding party is made up of 3x bridesmaids who are Abby( My beautiful sister who to me is know as my precious Bighead), Anita( My wonderful Sister in-law to be and Daryl's twin sister), Nicole (one of my very good friends who lives here in Cobar) Maid of Honor who is Miss Katie (Who is such a Beautiful person and my closest friend) 3x Groomsmen who are Jason (Daryl's Brother), Travis (know as Hoges One of Daryl great mates), Paul ( Know as Subba another one of Daryl great mates) Best man is Sam ( Daryl's Best mate since forever)
2x flower girls Jasey and Bridie (who are Nicole's beautiful girls).

We are getting married at Griffith. With a ceremony at the Uniting Church and celebration/Party to follow at the Gemini motel.

Everything is going great with the organising it has been so much fun!!

Now something else...
My beautiful nephew is coming to visit me on around the 10th of June and Daryl and I are so excited to see him as it has been so long since we seen our little man!!

Well I hope my blog is OK so far.
Enjoy and don't forget to comment.

Luv Jennilee