postcard from Sydney – Christmas Eve

Arriving in Sydney was sheer bliss for me. The sound of cicadas, smells of the beach and summer BBQ's, and the cacophony of happy kids excited for Christmas was exactly what I'd been hoping for. (more…)

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summer wardrobe declutter

Now is a great time to go through all of those recently worn (and not worn) summer clothes and sort them out. I need to do this job because my closet is about to be gutted and remodelled. It's not a job I've been looking forward to but it will help when I have to estimate how much space I'll need. Rather than tackle my whole closet, which can be a little overwhelming, I'm just targeting my warm weather clothes. …

Kylie’s rocky road christmas tree

My sisters are both great cooks. They're particularly good at cakes, cookies and desserts. This delicious treat has been the centerpiece of our family Christmases for many years now. My sister, Kylie also makes mini versions for teacher and hostess gifts. This is one treat that tastes even better than it looks and it looks pretty good! (more…)

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chicken cacciatore

Have you ever felt like a comforting winter stew but didn't want red meat again? Chicken Cacciatore is the answer. I'd heard about this dish, but hadn't even tasted it let alone cooked it. It's delicious and this recipe has a secret ingredient that I made sure not to tell my family about. It's anchovies, ssshhh! Recipe note: I found the liquid reduced much more quickly than the recipe said it would so I only cooked it half the time.…

glazed eggnog muffins

My kids adore eggnog, so an eggnog muffin recipe was a no-brainer for me to try. This recipe works really well and the subtle eggnog and cinnamon flavors are delicious. I'm planning on taking a break from cooking this Thanksgiving (my first time in years), but I wanted to make something fun for the holiday, and what better way to watch the parade on TV than with some glazed eggnog muffins to munch on! Recipe: Eggnog Muffins by motherthyme.com

easy rack of lamb

If I need to cook a nice dinner quickly, I'll often choose rack of lamb. I like lamb from Australia or New Zealand. Maybe it's just a flavor I'm used to and it's readily available at most supermarkets. While this is an expensive cut of meat, rack of lamb is a delicious, dinner party appropriate meal and it's very easy to prepare. (more…)

entry make-over

This is one of the parts of my house I was most excited about remodeling. That might sound strange because it's not an area you linger in, but it's the first thing you see and it really was pretty dark and unattractive with it's faded carpet-wrapped stairs, the broken cottage-style handrail and the cracked art deco lead-light window. I replaced laminated flooring with more of the large scale matte gray tile I've used elsewhere throughout the house. The front doors…

healthy chocolate-banana fudge

I've finally come to realize I'm never going to be able to give up sweets. I crave them most afternoons and every night. Instead, I thought I'd start looking for some healthier alternatives. This fudge recipe tastes pretty good straight out of the fridge. It's not quite as good at room temperature. The ingredients are surprisingly healthy: coconut butter made from shredded unsweetened coconut (avail. here), a very ripe banana, unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, pure vanilla extract. I tried making…

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buying art

We love art. Our paintings are the first thing we unpack when we move house. We bought art when we couldn't afford it and we bought it when we could. Some of it has increased in value and some of it probably hasn't but we don't really care because we have no plans to sell it. We just love it, that's all. I bought this painting of a little French car directly from the artist for my husband's birthday. My…

lose weight and get fit for free

I haven't belonged to a gym in more than ten years. I wouldn't describe myself as a super fit, in fact I'm pretty lazy when it comes to working out, but my doctor is reasonably happy with my weight and diet and I do just enough exercise to squeak by. I'm lucky to have a good metabolism and my Dad's skinny legs, but I still keep track of my calorie intake (using this free app), cook most of our meals,…

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