White Christmas

Not what you where thinking but the white sweet that is full of fruit and very easy to make.

Even though Christmas is still 7 weeks away it doesn't hurt to think of Christmas recipes.

My Nana would always make this at Christmas time, and I must admit I loved it, but I had to make sure that I didn't overload on the sugar factor, as it would give me a nose bleed.

It is very easy to make and you can get you kids to help, just make sure that you pour the hot copha in.

You can either put it in a tin and cut it into pieces or put it into small patty pan papers. This makes an excellent Christmas gift.

This is the recipe my Nana always used.

White Christmas

250 gm copha, melted, 1 cup pure icing sugar, 1 cup sultanas, 100g glace cherries, chopped, 100 gms dried apricots chopped, 1 cup desiccated coconut, 1 cup full cream milk powder, 1 1/4 cups rice bubbles

Line a 18cm x 28cm tray with baking/parchment paper or place patty pan cases on a tray.

Mix all ingredients except copha together, pour over copha, mix well.

Pour into tray and flatten with the back of a spoon, or place spoonfuls into patty pans cases. Place into the fridge to set.

If you made it in the tray upend onto a chopping board and cut into pieces.

Eat and enjoy.

What have I been doing

Well what have I been doing, after my parents when home then Miss Fish went into respite my time is my own till next Wednesday.

Oh Bliss !

So I have been nailing down some of my runners lol

Two of them I have been finished and yesterday I free motion quilted 2 others.

This is some of the quilting detail on the puppy runner.

The 2 other runners I used a piece of scrap damask that Mum gave me and created one with holly leaves and berries. Which really isn't relevant in Australia but we still use it as a symbol of Christmas.

The other one I have put on 2 have circle using fan shaped pieces. After it has been bound, todays job. I will make pleated fabric centre, it is a bit ahrd to explain, but when I have finished it, I will post a photo to show the detail

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The runner with the half circle flowers.

Satay Chicken - My all time favourite chicken recipe

Now I must admit that I love this satay sauce I always make plenty because it is just nice even over rice.

You need to marinate the chicken in the sauce, I usually only marinate it for about 20 minutes, because I decide to make this dish on a spur of the moment, but it can be left covered in the fridge all day.

Now I don't bother fooling around putting my chicken on skewers , because I will only have to pull the meat of before eating. Especially as Miss Fish can't handle meat on skewers, last time I gave her meat on a skewer she nearly put it into her eye trying to get the meat off !

I cut the chicken into long strips about 2 cm wide and the length of the chicken fillet.

You can use this satay sauce if you make gado gado.

Satay Chicken

Chicken fillets cut into strips - this recipe is enough for 3 fillets

To serve - steamed rice

Marinade: 1/2 can coconut cream use any liquid in the marinade and keep the thick cream for the sauce, 1 stalk of lemon grass, white part finely chopped, 1 tsp ground turmeric. 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar, 1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander

Mix all marinade ingredients together add chicken stir to coat. You can put on skewers just before cooking.

Satay Sauce:

remainder of coconut cream, 1 dessertspoon sweet chilli sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp lemon grass powder - I use Peter Watson brand my last tin lasted many years, 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar, 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

Stir together in a saucepan heat slowly, if you heat to quickly the oil comes out of the peanut butter. Taste you may need more sugar or sweet chilli sauce.

To cook the chicken heat a BBQ grill, griddle pan or a large frypan. Add the chicken strips cook 2-3 minutes, turnover reduce heat to medium. leave another 2-3 minutes or until cooked through but still moist.

Remove and serve with steamed rice and satay sauce.

Fishtales Restaurant - Warrnambool - VIC

While my parents were up we went out to tea, as we didn't want a large meal we decided to got to Fishtales.

It is a cafe/restaurant that started many years ago. You can get all day breakfast, chicken, fish, beef, lamb or vegie burgers. Fish and seafood, risottos, pasta, stirfrys and curries.

You can also get freshly squeezed juices and smoothies.

It isn't a very expensive place to eat. Miss Fish had the junior meal which consisted of a piece of flake, 1 potato cake, 1 fried dim sim and chips served with a lemon wedge and tartare sauce. She thoroughly enjoyed it as well as some of the wedges that we ordered.

I had a tandoori chicken burger, which consisted of chicken pieces in a tandoori paste on a roll with lettuce mix, tomato slices, cucumber slivers in greek yoghurt.

Mr CLI had a cajun fish burger which had grilled fish which had been coated in cajun spices on a roll with lettuce mix and sliced tomato.

My Mum had a plain grilled fish roll and my Dad had a scrambled egg and bacon 'sarnie'.

We enjoyed all our meals and left feeling quite full.

So if you are ever in Warrnambool drop into Fishtales for their all day breakfast or a great burger.

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/vic/warrnambool/fishtales-cafe-13538758-listing.html