Try your Luck Tuesday - Celebrate Earth Day!

During my blog wanderings I was fortunate to discover a Blog wholly dedicated to living naturally, authentically and with conscience versus consumerism.
My kind of Blog!

I dream of the day I can live that well, with dedication.
I'm a long way off,
I feel weighed down and it's a slow crawl out of the muck,
but I am crawling!

So today we take you to the Magic Onions.
I love what she has to say about Commercial products vs. Handmade
(took the words right out of my mouth!)

In cooperation with the Etsy Natural Kids team
they are giving away several homemade goodies
in celebration of Earth Day.

Go on...Try your Luck...

click the button to Try Your Luck

and discover a wonderful new Blog at the same time.

Food Fight Friday!

Hmmmm...Well I WAS going to sling some chocolate cake at you today...
But it actually became a brownie...
and then we smothered it with strawberries and whipped cream
and ate it!

Jax and I wanted to make one of our new favorite chocolate cakes for a friends birthday yesterday but as is the case in my house at the moment...the recipe was MIA!

Now normally my memory would be good enough to pull it off but as it's had a beating this year...ummm NOPE...Chocolate Fail!

I can't even sling some flour at you as we used the last of it and we're now waiting for a boat load from Mexico!

Yes you just heard that right...My flour is on it's way from Mexico...

Actually it's from San Diego but has been stuck in Mexico for the last 3 weeks!
(It could be just me but I find the flour here heavy as sand and not easy to bake with, so I've asked Fhubby to fill the bilge with good ol' all purpose flour from America, it's an experiment!)

well, after all the excitement that Fhubby was actually setting sail last week, they got 2 hours out and had to turn back in to Cabo due to a problem with the Generator and Auto pilot.

Harrrrrrrrrrrrumph!

So apparently, they've now finally left (again)
If I hear otherwise during the next day or two I suggest you hide behind your sofas...
food won't be the only thing I'm slinging!!!

Happy Weekend Lovies,
I'll try hunting down that recipe for you!

Woodchuck Wednesday - Toot Toot

A friend recently cried out on Facebook....
"I hate all these rubbish toys for kids!...I don't want any of them!"
Plastic might be fantastic when it comes to the handy credit card..
however as a kids toy, I have to agree...
Most of it is pure Rubbish!

So I'm happy to report that after a wee holiday break with her family,
Ann the woman woodworker is back in her workshop
producing sturdy, whimsical, and lovingly crafted
natural toys for tots!

Oh bless you Ann and thank you for saving us
from the heartless, plastic, mass-produced, Rubbish trying to invade our toy chests!

Toot Toot Toodle on over to her shop

I'm so diggin' her retro camper and truck!

Try your Luck Tuesday

I thought I'd try to bring you something new on Tuesdays.
There are just so many wonderfully creative and generous people out there in Blogger land.

So far we have won several lovely goodies and Jax just loves when the post arrives just for her!

So todays offering is from a fantastic new site I've discovered called Tip Junkie!
Seriously chock full of good tips, giveaway links and Mom-preneurs!

They'll be giving away over $6,000 worth of prizes all day today so get in quick...you've still got the time zone on your side!

Click on the button to Try Your Luck!

Food Fight Friday!

Today I'm slinging a Fresh Berry Pavlova at you!

Or was it at me, or was it all over my little mucky moosh mini me?!

Jax has been asking for pavlova for weeks, as soon as she heard that Uncki Greg from NZ was coming for a visit. We made him a pink one for his birthday last year, minor disaster in trying to be culinarily creative, and she has never forgotten it!

So in honor of his Visit and in honor of my Aussie Fhubs finally leaving Mexico, Pavlova it is! We'll let them duke it out as to which country it really originates from...I'll be busy eating!

Now I've made Pavlova with a hand mixer and it turned into Marshmallow Fluff NOT Pavlova, so I highly recommend a good mixer...unless your trying to teach yourself and your 3 yr old patience!
I've also used various sources for recipes but can never come up with one that is the same so I'm just giving you the combination I've found works for me.

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 cup fine sugar (castor is best)
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp White Vinegar

Preheat your oven to 130C or 250F, rack in middle.
line a baking sheet with baking paper and draw out either one large circle or approx 8 smaller 3" ones.

Beat your egg whites until medium peaks form
Continue beating whilst gradually and slowly adding your sugar.
When you've got Stiff Peaks, use a spatula to fold in the vinegar and corn starch.

Either spoon or pipe onto your circles leaving a slight indent in the center to hold the fruit later. (just like a big serving of mashed potato's with a place to hold the gravy!!!)

Now place in the oven and set your timer for 1 hour.
After the hour...Turn off oven but do not remove them from the oven, just place a wooden spoon in the door and walk away again. (this is seriously where the patience thing kicks in!)

After about 45 minutes they should be sufficiently cooled and ready for anything!!!

Vanilla whipped cream, forest berries, drunken strawberries, peaches and kiwi's, passionfruit and mango....

What they're not ready for is the devouring ability of a 3 yr old on a sugar mission!

Some days it's good to be an irresponsible mother!