In My Kitchen, November 2015

The last month of Spring.

In my kitchen I have dried fruits, glace fruits and nuts soaking in orange juice and brandy.  This weekend I had good intentions of making two Christmas cakes but alas, I’ve been out of the house so much it hasn’t possible.  The fruit and nuts continue to soak up the brandy which is not a bad thing and I will get these cakes made during the week.

The beginning of my Christmas cake

The beginning of my Christmas cake


In my kitchen I have Uncle Toby’s muesli bars.  These muesli bars have been reformulated and now contain even more nutrition, less sugar and salt, and an increase in fibre and wholegrains.  As the bars are now healthier than ever, they are an excellent choice for a school lunch box or snack on the run.

Uncle Tobys Muesli Bars

Uncle Tobys Muesli Bars

In my kitchen I have Pitango’s meal pots for one.  Pitango sent me three of their new one-pot lunches that feature cuisines from around the globe.  There was chicken curry from Sri Lanka, Chorizo and Chickpea from Spain and Miso Chicken from Japan.  I found it terribly convenient to have these in the fridge so that when I was home during the week and ravenous, all I had to do was put one of these pots into the microwave for two minutes then lunch was ready.

Pitango One-Pot Meals

Pitango One-Pot Meals

I was impressed that Pitango uses only quality ingredients in its meal pots and appreciated that the company uses free-range chicken.  Each pot retails for $5.00 which I think is a good price for a lunch.  As we all struggle with busyness, a few of these in the fridge would be very handy.

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry with Rice

Pitango Sri Lankan Chicken Curry with Rice

Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea

Pitango Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea

In my kitchen I’m hobbling around on a broken foot.  There actually aren’t any broken bones but I’m talking it up because of the pain I’m in.  I had an unfortunate and spectacularly embarrassing episode at the gym on Friday, (another one).  Tiago asked me to jump from side to side on a bosu ball (hate them), and towards the end of the set my left foot came down on the black edge instead of the floor.  My foot snapped over to the side and I fell in a heap in front of a large audience.  After Tiago scraped me up off the floor I couldn’t put any weight on my foot.  I don’t know what’s wrong with it as I haven’t had time to see a physio.  Getting fit is hazardous.

It's the left one

It’s the left one

Later that day I had to catch a ferry into Circular Quay to see Alfie perform in a concert at the Opera House.  I strapped my foot and off I went hobbling all over the city and screaming internally with the pain.  He sang in a choir of 700 children from around 30 schools across the State.  It was very exciting for him and a few red wines at the Opera House bar were a good anaesthetic (for me not Alfie).

Performing at the Sydney Opera House

Performing at the Sydney Opera House

In my kitchen we are in mourning.  Last night was the final of the Rugby World Cup and we did hope the Wallabies would be the world cup winners.  Alas, the win went to the All Blacks but there is no shame in coming second.  In the lead up to the final, even the Opera House was lit up to wish the Wallabies well.

Go the Wallabies

Go the Wallabies

In my kitchen I have a platter of chocolates and lollies.  Yesterday was Halloween and Alfie went out with his friends trick or treating.  It’s amazing what bounty you can amass in just a couple of hours.  I don’t know what he’ll do with all this loot but the sight of it horrifies me.

Halloween loot

Halloween loot

In my kitchen I have Rosie who is just a wee bit traumatised after her visit to the groomer.  I’m even more traumatised because I asked him not to cut the hair on her ears or trim her tail because she uses her feathers to sweep my kitchen floor.  And because there’s a language barrier I made sure to repeat myself three times.  When I collected her the groomer was all smiles as he presented her.  I wasn’t smiling because her ears had been trimmed and her tail feathers chopped.  And sweeping the kitchen floor was her most important job.

Rosie

Rosie

That’s what’s happening in my kitchen this month.  I’m sure next month’s post will be full of the Christmas frenzy.  If you’d like to take part in an IMK post, please link up with the lovely Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

Supported by her big sister

As he goes into the Opera House, he’s supported by his big sister

Comments

  1. Impressive venue for the performance. Congratulations to Alfie for being part of the choir.

    Sorry to hear about the foot. It seems to be a common ailment of the females in your family. 🙂 Hope you heal up and feel better soon. As always the Christmas cake sounds delicious. Sending a virtual fur scritch to the streamlined Rosie.

  2. Ouchies… poor Charlie. Lucky you have so many good things in your kitchen to keep you busy xxxx

  3. Those bosu balls should be banned! I was made to do a ‘dead fly’ on one (lie on your back and try to put your legs and arms at 90C) and never went back to the class ever again – it was quite undignified and unnecessary!!!! Alfie’s haul is impressive – maybe sneak them away and ‘regift’ them in a Christmas stocking?!

  4. Ooh, that foot sounds very painful. Looks like you’ll be really busy making cake this week. GG

  5. Oh thankfully because we train outdoors we don’t have a Bosu ball! That doesn’t mean that Nina doesn’t find other ways to torture me though! I hope you get better soon Charlie 🙂

  6. Sorry to hear about your foot Charlie – I do hope it is on the mend soon. Exercise is downright hazardous.

  7. I’m so amazed that you, an Aussie, celebrate Halloween! It’s definitely not part of the culture in Queensland, though perhaps in the city it’s more prevalent?

  8. Ouch – sorry to hear about your foot – you might need to add some more brandy to the fruit and a snifter for the cook to get that cake made. Seeing Alfie perform at the opera house must be a great feeling, despite the painful foot. And that is scary to see how many lollies Alfie was given – sylvia lights up at the idea of trick or treat and I just make it a no go idea because I fear seeing loot like this brought home.

  9. I was always devastated as a kid that we missed out on the fun of American Halloween. Now, of course, I’m still a little envious of all the Aussie kids now lapping up all the loot!

  10. Sorry about your foot! One more reason for me to despise the BOSU

  11. Hope your foot is on the mend – Charlie – that child of yours sure gets around, but what a wonderful experience for him:-)

  12. Hope your trotter gets better soon or all hell is gonna break loose in your house without you!. Poor little Ruby being sidelined from her most important job. A bit of hand talking/ instruction is required there next time Charlie x

  13. Hi Charlie, wow! how wonderful for Alfie to get the support of his family, I bet he is quite talented. So sorry to hear about your foot, I keep hurting my right foot all the time and my husband said I should wear steel toed shoes.

  14. I hate the bosu ball although it is good for balance, sounds very dangerous what you were doing on it though. I see the redness on your left foot and hope it recovers soon.

    Hearing you son perform must have been thrilling! My son’s choir sang with the SF Symphony one year, we were so proud.

  15. Great post! I actually broke a few ribs falling off of a bosu ball. i hate them too.

  16. Sorry to hear about your foot, Charlie … I hope it heals quickly. I also have dried fruit soaking which will be made into Puddings next weekend on our annual Pudding Day! x

  17. Exercise IS hazardous, and feet can hurt too because it’s hard just to elevate the damn things and do nothing.
    (ps. Please keep these Christmas baking prompts coming, I keep forgetting in between reading your posts.)

  18. Ouch!!!! Foot pain is not fun! Hope you’re doing better soon, although it doesn’t seem to be stopping you from your normal running around. Nothing can hold YOU down! 🙂 I remember my mother soaking her dried fruits and nuts in brandy for her fruitcake (probably very similar to your Christmas cake). Oh how I miss those cakes! Can’t wait to see the finished cakes.

  19. I love the look of your dried fruits, glace fruits and nuts soaking in orange juice and brandy – my Nan always makes me a fruit cake {she passed on the recipe to me last year} but whilst she can still make them, I’ll be enjoying her christmas cakes each year.

  20. Aah…I like Rosie in the kitchen. Nice overseer! Perhaps the brandy would make the foot feel better–just a thought. LOL.

  21. Yip getting fit is hazardous, thats how I broke my wrist getting fit on a pushbike, somehow I got distracted and wham my head hit the road….. the bike was fine, managed to save my iPhone which was thrown on the road and managed to crawl myself and the bike to the side of the road, before a car came screaming down the hill and bowled me over….. and 5 years on I am still not back to my old job and never will be. Why oh why did I want to get fit back then….. and they say exercise is good for you “YEAH RIGHT”

  22. Hope your foot mends soon and you might want to get some physio which will speed recovery time. Love the rituals of Christmas baking and soaking fruit in brandy is one of them. Well done Alfie for performing at the Opera house 🙂

  23. I’m so jealous that Rosie helps you with the housework! Izzy just makes more for me! Ouch on the foot—moms cannot be injured! Love your “in the kitchen” features. xoxo

  24. Singing in the Opera House has to be a dream for anyone who performs. What a beautiful place that is. I couldn’t afford to go to as many things as I’d want to if I lived there.

    I asked John the other day if we needed to have a Christmas cake because it was just the 4 of us this year and he said, “Oh yes, Mum would miss it.” Riiiight.

    Charlie eats his way through the kitchen floor but he has no great duster. 🙂

  25. What a very busy kitchen Charlie, so sorry about the foot – maybe a good excuse to take a break from the gym. 😀
    Have a super day.
    🙂 Mandy xo

  26. How exciting for Alfie and your whole family, congratulations Alfie. Precious photo of brother and sister.
    Hope your foot is mended and all is well, nothing serious.

  27. I do hope your foot injury is nothing serious, although it sounds to be that way with all of the pain.

    Congrats to Alfie. He is one talented young man.

  28. Thats so funny Charlie, seeing your feet in your kitchen post. The Christmas fruits for the cake will enjoy soaking up the booze- it makes such a lovely aroma too.

  29. So much candy!! 🙂 Looks like someone had a successful Trick or Treat 😀

  30. Nice toes Charlie! And what an impressive venue for Charlie! Hope Rosie gets to help her mama with the floor soon x

  31. Ouch Charlie I hope your foot is on the mend. I’m finding getting fit a bit on the painful side too at the moment! Your soaking fruit looks fantastic. I home sick for Sydney after seeing your pics.

  32. Hope your foot mends quickly. I avoid the BOSU for that reason! I’ll stick to weight machines, treadmill, elliptical and yoga. Sounds like you’ll be busy with cakes this week. We manage to sneak away most of the Halloween candy and give it away. I actually found one of the trick or treat bags this year still full of last year’s loot!

  33. Oh no Charlie! I haven’t been by in awhile and I was sad to see this on the first post of yours I’m catching up with – I hope your leg feels better and you get to go to a doc soon – at least there’s no swelling right?
    I think I mentioned this before – but your Christmas cake sounds a lot like Sri Lankan Christmas cake!

  34. Alfie’s Halloween haul looks like ours. It’s interesting how different our candies are – but our bowl also has the Haribos. Funny! Your one pot meals look great. That would be perfect for busy lunch days! Congrats to Alfie on another successful choir performance and I hope your foot recovers quickly!

  35. Sorry about your sore hoof. Hope you’re on the mend soon. You just gave a reminder that I must start my Christmas puds.

  36. What a shame about your foot, fortunately you’re heading into summer so you won’t need to worry about bandages fitting into shoes, sandals are much more forgiving. Congrats to Alfie, he certainly Has many accomplishments. Those ready made meals look good, certainly helpful in a pinch.

  37. Getting fit is so overrated Charlie!!! hehehe but I do hope your foot is better soon. I can almost smell those christmas cakes…I’ve never made one!! I really should remedy that come to think of it. What a thrill to see your boy at the Opera house!!!
    Jan x

  38. I hope you foot/ankle is on recovery. No more crutches in your family!!! Congrats to Alfie on his achievement!I can’t wait to see your christmas cake finished product.

  39. Congrats to Alfie! Such a fun event. Sorry about your foot — how painful that must be. The red wine was a good idea. I prescribe a daily dose. 😉 Fun post — thanks.

  40. So sorry about your foot, I hope you have had time to get it checked. Thanks for the reminder that I need to start my fruit for a Christmas cake. With the way times flies, we will be eating it before we know it.

  41. Can I come visit you in your kitchen, Please?
    I will massage your poor foot, too! xx

  42. i am so sorry to hear that you’re having trouble with your foot. You are definitely too active to have pain when you walk! You must have been as proud as you could be to witness Alfie performing in that gorgeous Opera House. What a thrill for him, and for your family! And just so you know, I’d be thrilled with a piece of one of your Christmas cakes–a long distance temptation. 🙂

  43. Your poor foot (and pride)! I hope it is healing and this doesn’t signal a shift from Arabella being on crutches for months to you taking that role. Alfie’s performance sounds spectacular and I liked the lit up Opera House for the Wallabies – it’s been big news over here in the UK but I don’t really follow rugby much, which the British find incredible!

  44. I hope your foot is feeling better Charlie. Have you borrowed arabella’s crutches? Love the look of those pitango meals. Rather than fruit in liquor, I am soaking chillies etc in vinegar with fish sauce for my annual making of the Worcestershire sauce. Always something on the go at Xmas.

  45. Charlie, sorry to hear about your foot and Rosie’s unexpected reprieve from floor sweeping duties. (Lovely feet, by the way, but the left one definitely has swelling.) Hope you’re “unhobbled” soon. Thank goodness for the medicinal properties in red wine… and what an exciting evening for your family (Alfie especially) at the Opera House!

  46. It is always a pleasure to visit your kitchen, Charlie! The Christmas cake made me miss my own mother as she always had hers made and painted with whisky by this point. I am not that organized, nor can I get all the ingredients I need. As for your poor foot–so sorry you are hobbling about, but what pretty feet and perfectly straight toes you have!)

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