Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Frittata - the holiday edition



"I'm hungry" If I had one dollar for every time I heard this in the school holidays I'd be rich! It seems no amount of food will quell their appetites. By the time grocery day comes around it becomes harder to come up with snacks that will satisfy. But these frittatas seem to hit the mark and the recipe is so super easy the kids can make them too. It might just help out with that other all too common holiday phrase "I'm bored", sound familiar?

All you need to do is make the base mixture and half fill muffin trays then just add in what you have to hand, this can be a real win for fussy eaters. Cut up the ingredients and let them choose what they put in! A true "mum" trick is to let them help make the food, in my experience this means they will eat the food! Or at least try it! 

Empty the fridge - Holiday Fritattas.

Base mixture
4 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Grated cheese to sprinkle on the top.

Additional ingredient suggestions

Diced onion (lightly cooked till soft)
Capsicum
Fresh herbs - We used chives and Thyme
Tomato
Feta
Ham or Pastrami
Mushrooms
Capers
Olives
Mushrooms
Cracked pepper
Or anything else you might have small amounts of in your fridge and you enjoy eating! 

Whisk together the eggs and the milk and half fill some nonstick or greased muffin trays. Add in any of the above ingredients to suit your taste. My kids loved this part, choosing what the put in their Frittatas, making sure they knew which ones to avoid - like my ones with the capers! 

Sprinkle with a small amount of grated cheese. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 180oC for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden and set to the touch. 



If the weather is nice, take them outside once they have lightly cooled and have a picnic in your backyard. Everything tastes better alfresco don't you think? Especially in the holidays.



Friday, October 3, 2014

Regal



When the request was put to me for an "Elsa" dress at first I thought I'd wing it, taking some aqua fabric and see how I went. That thought didn't last too long though, the stress! Instead I called on the lovely Bronwyn from Pattern Postie .You all know about her wonderful online pattern store right? if not go and have a look! I knew that a proper pattern would mean less tears, from both of us!

 After a quick online search I located a pattern that was perfect, McCall's 7000.


I was given the lace by someone downsizing many years ago, I was so happy to find a use for it and don't you think the flower pattern looks a wee but like snowflakes? (perhaps if you squint a bit?)

I made a couple of modifications to the pattern, the back silver cape-like part came around the front of the bodice in the pattern, but I wanted a more trailing look and just attached it to the back of the bodice. "Queen Elsa" herself had picked up a few bits and pieces at Fabric-a-brac with her dress in mind, so I sewed strips of  some netting she found over the bodice part. It has glittery painted on strips, which look a bit like "fractals" Just a single strip of stitching holding it in place so it moves as she does and catches the light. (It looks better in real life, - trust me).


There is a long cape included in the pattern, with a smaller shorter cape overlay. I used the pattern pieces for the shorter overlay and made a mini "shoulder warming" cape. The velvety soft faux fur was from my stash too! Such a great feeling to be using up bits and pieces (something that needs to happen more often, ahem). The cape was finished off with snowflake buttons that "Queen Elsa" had picked up from Bronwyn at
Fabric-a-brac too (she had a very tempting stall filled with great buttons and ribbons etc). That girl of mine has a great eye for detail.


A quick cardboard glittery crown and some silvery shoes and the look was complete! No tears!


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

daisy



I knew there was a reason that I planted these big frilly daises - for making GIANT daisy chains. The perfect way to welcome Spring!