Watermelon Sorbet

Somehow I'm hoping I don't get anymore 'followers' there's something just loveable about opening my Dashboard & seeing my 12 disciples!

If you must know, I haven't had any time to cook anything inventive. I'm sure to turn my grill into the gateway to creative desperation but as it stands I'm still knee deep in empty boxes, scrunched up newspaper & odd sockies.

So I give you this:

If I could find words to describe my affection for watermelon I would, but suffice it to say it is in my opinion the Queen of fruit. (Albeit a fat queen, but Queen nonetheless)

If it wasn't for slices of ice cold, crisp, juicy, dripping, red goodness we may as well just fold up & lie in the baking sun being bitten relentlessly by mosquitos whist having our eardrums rendered useless by the semis.

My heart was nearly stolen forever when friendly pal of mine walked a mile to bring me home a watermelon one day. Though come to think of it he probobly rolled it all the way to my doorstep. Could life get any better than having a watermelon in the fridge with your name on it? I THINK NOT!!

So here's how it works. Grab 1/2 a watermelon & cut it into chunks & de-seed it. Beware of your children lest one stick a seed up their nose & it sprouts forth a watermelon shoot making for an embarassing trip to the doctor. (No laughing, it happened to my Bro-in-law, it could happen to you!!)


Try despeartely to not snitch too much & then blend it with 2 or 3 tbsp of vodka & if your inclined 3 tbsp-1/4 a c of sugar. Remind yourself you're not making a frozen coctail & so you are NOT going to add more vodka & down it in a moment of weakness.

Put it back in fridge for at least 2 hrs or freezer for 1/2 an hr to get reeeeally cold again.

If you have a ice-cream maker you can at this point (following the makers instructions) churn the watermelon from slushy juice to freezing goodness.

If you don't have an ice-cream maker have no fear, you can always make this a granita by pouring it into a 8-11" baking tray (or other suitable tray) and freezing it for an hr or 2 (till it's hard but not rock solid) then scraping it with a fork into a bowl for a nice Kakigori-ish feel.


Now if you're want to get into the asthetics you may want to put some little mini choco-chips too but personally I think frozen chocolate has an awful texture so I didn't bother.


A little word of warning. Don't overdo it with the vodka as the alcohol will prevent it from getting solid. But keep a look out for "Massive Indulgence of WHOLE Vodka soaked Watermelon" experience, coming as soon as I can get my hands on one. And you better be at my house when I make it or I will have to polish it off myself

Aaaaand......that's all that she wrote.....catch youes later!!

Around the block.......

Hey ho my 11 followers, been awhile but I'm still alive & kicking....quite often my left leg when my 1 year old keeps trying to bite me to show me how very much he loves me.

For any of you who didn't know I was moving....I moved! And if you thought I was ignoring you.....I was!! Of course I was also steeped in rooms of boxes, manly men doing manly things like lifting, hurling & otherwise moving 5 unromantic 2 ton trucks worth of the ever ambiguous "STUFF". Not to mention giddy children enjoying the melodious sounds of their grimy feet soiling my freshly waxed naked house & thoroughly echoing it onto the next prefecture. Needless to say the week has been long.

Huge thank you's to everyone who helped us out. Mr. McNair who never ceases to amaze me with his ability to work overtime and survive on a combination of happiness & CC lemon. Oli & Mr. D who took time on their day off to unload boxes with DH, & last of all the terribly efficient Navi who navigated himself swimmingly through the ocean of furniture on our first day here & virtually saved me from being stuck with the 6 hoodlums in a "Tarzan/Jane" situation.

Any of you who have moved recently can testify with me that it takes awhile to recover so as much as I'd like to beat my brain for 2 or 3 really exciting things to tell you. I'm going to have to settle for a few pics from our move.

Moon mental season is upon us & I'm actually sensing either a moment of pure genius or complete stupidity coming on for a non-baked birthday treat for my dear Cancer Husband of love & fantastic truck packing skills.

On with the pictures now, shall we?:
I know this is dumb....but this pic hurts..........BAD!! Baking ware that is packed away yet!


I just knew there was something missing from my pre-teen floor waxing adventures......RED BULL!!

PS. Two words that make me cringe like no other: "CLEANING SUPPLIES!"


An empty house & my Libra children.


Good bye old house (& lawyer boy, who shall not be missed much)


Kids will find anywhere to play. One of 6 rooms in the "war zone".


A moment w/ DH. Bloody Marys & smoked salmon hours de vours.



Ritz/Parmesan/smoked salmon/(cough cough, mayo)/dill & capers.

In the words of Steve Irwin, "Ain't she a beauty, mate?"

What we have in common.....

Well....since I have a moment to myself I think I need to share the issue that has been dragging it's sorry self through my mind. I'd like you to take a moment to observe these pictures.......


Baked potatoes, tortas, pot roast, muffins, rolls, quiche, focaccia, pies, cakes, buscuits, casseroles, crusts, turkey, cookies & buns....................

I'm sure you know what they all have in common. (Besides from the obvious fact that most of them are an unattractive shade of brown)

Each of these items have spent time in an oven.

...........And frankly I don't think I can say anymore about it or I may just get too wracked with emotion. Seriously, if you're quiet you will hear me now as I weep over my keyboard like a pathetic cooking niney.

Though I won't deny some tiny part of me likes the challenge of going at it without one. I already foresee a greater desire to be in the garden & focus more on fresh foods, grilling, BBQing, possibly even canning. But for the most part I'm just a sort of in denial. I don't have much energy to go on a baking binge before we leave. I just take little mini-moments throughout the day to stare at my oven whistfully & sigh in an audible & possibly alarming way to the occasional offspring who catch me mooning over it.

But who knows perhaps there will be a massive breakthroughs in electric oven technology in the next month that will enable electric ovens to blast to a healthy 200c in 5 min or less.

Not likely, but if not....who needs cake,there's always sushi, right?

Cooking with Jamie: Sticky Saucepan Carrots

.....well not personally cooking with him but I figured since I took the time to pick up the book at the library, pick out & scan recipes to try I better post some as well. I get finicky about posting recipes according to when the fruits or veggies are in season & as you may have heard me rant already, carrots are best in winter -- but hey let's not be too picky.

But (as you may already know) we're going to be moving house soon. And as well as wiping noses & chasing half nekid hoodlems & packing boxes, I'm also trying to come to grips with the fact that I will not have a convection oven in our next house. (breath in...breath out). More on that later.

So since I haven't posted a reasonable recipe (unless you include Lemonade with Maple syrup & Cayanne pepper, eww). I give to you the mighty Naked Chef's Sticky Saucepan Carrots! (somehow I loathe to say that in one streaming sentence and if you can without cringing a little in your soul there's something wrong with you).

Lazy me has scanned the recipe for your viewing pleasure. Die hards will click on the picture. Die-not-so-hards....I'm sure I've lost you already:

Cute little babies B4

Cute little babies after!!



Not bad for a simple recipe. I think it goes great with steak/hamburgers & potatoes.

Mini-Photographer strikes

Miss #2 loves to take pics...I'm sure she's got an eye for it.

This is probably one of 10 photos of DH & I --- EVER.



Many hours were NOT spent styling my hair to look "just so" --- Wind blown & free-spirited. Secret to psychotic mother hair style.......JUST WAKE UP IN THE MORNING & don't really care enough to try. Promise, you too can own this super-duper-bed-head special!!