Its beginning to feel.....

It's beginning to feel a little bit like Christmas at our house.  We spent last night putting up the tree and sitting back admiring the finished project.  I spent the afternoon wrapping presents and writing out our Christmas Cards.  

Every year there seems to be less and less Christmas Spirit floating around, but this year I have managed to capture just a very small piece of Christmas Spirit, it is all wrapped up in under our tree.

I also made a batch of Almond Biscotti this afternoon, this was a failure... But Mr M refuses to allow me to throw it away.  It tastes beautiful... but looks a little worse for ware.

Silent Sunday

Summer is here !!

Silent Sunday

Yesterday was a friend of ours birthday and his God Daughter had her little boy there.  An absolute treasure.  He was so much fun. 

My Version of Pumpkin Pie

Recently we have received a few organic pumpkins. As we had an abundance I thought I would treat Mr M to a pumpkin pie.  I searched high and low for a recipe. None of which appealed, this is what I came up with.

The verdict - "Make this one again !"

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

2 Cups Pumpkin Steamed and Pureed (about 1/4 of a medium pumpkin)

150 gms brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinammon

1 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

1 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons Cornflour

3/4 Cup Double Cream

Pastry

1 and 1/3 Cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

100 gms chilled butter, cubed

100 gms pure icing sugar

110 gms hazelnut meal

4 - 5 Tablespoons Chilled Water

 

Method:

Mix flour, hazelnut meal and icing sugar together, run in butter till mix resembles fine bread crumbs.  Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, till mixture forms a soft ball.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Roll mixture between 2 sheets of baking paper till big enough to fit your pie dish base and sides. 

Line Pie Dish with baking paper and cover with baking beads or rice (this weights the crust so it doesn't go all uneven).  Bake at 180 degrees for 10 minutes, remove weights and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until golden. Reduce oven to 160 degrees.

Meanwhile, steam pumpkin till very soft.  Place pumpkin into a bowl and puree with a fork.  Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, mix together.  Add eggs and cream and combine till smooth.  Bake in 160 degree oven for 1hour and 10 minutes.  Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours to chill.  Serve cold with a small amount of double cream. 

Hope you enjoy this as much as Mr M !

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

I knew I would be slow off the ground with the blogging, but I am trying.  Life here has been really busy over the last few months.  We have not had much time at home at all.  I thought I would start slowly again with the blogging and try and post one thing each week.  

I am going to call this Silent Sunday.  

This blog may or may not contain words, but is an attempt to show you the beauty I see in the world around me.  Welcome to Silent Sunday.

Lillies

Loving these beautiful white Oriental Lillies....

My Cote Est

Hi there, This is my first post. My Cost Est means my East Coast. We live on the East Coast of Australia in our own little patch of Heaven. My husband Mr M and I both work full time... this keeps us busy. We have a daughter (all grown up now!) and a wonderful little dog know as Master M... he is awfully cute and very well behaved... He loves Mr M... has to be around him all the time. The sun shines out of Mr M's soles.... I have been looking at alot of blogs lately and have had the feeling that I too need to blog ! I am an avid cook... Love cooking things for special occassions and planning menu's for all sorts of events. I am going to fill you in on the adventures around my kitchen and home... It all starts here. I feel that I will be slow to start, but will build momentum in time... All the best, Mrs M...