Sunday 28 May 2017

Birthdays, cooking, kidlettes and eveything else in between

The last couple of weeks has seemed to have just whirled by.
 
I've had so many plans which haven't worked out that well but then we've had quite a few special family events and random things that have been really good.
 
First of all was a completely random late (school) afternoon trip down to Bribie Island.  It takes a little over half an hour to get there (more or less depending on taffic). 
 
 
This was also a lovely hubby suggestion and idea which is so extremely amazing because as much as I love this man,  he NEVER instigates ideas to do absolutely anything.  Every idea for outings, events, celebrations etc have to come from me so this was sort of an angel singing kind of moment.
 
 
 
 
The fact that we ended up having fish and chips (after he'd bought the blood worms for his fishing trip the next day - I knew that there had to be some kind of reason), watching a beautiful sunset over the mainland in the distance was so much of an unexpected added bonus. 
 
Then a couple of dolphins swam by which added to the extreme excitement of it all.  No photos of the dolphins sorry.  I was just as excited as the kids feeling like I had been 'let out' for the afternoon.
 
Anyway, it was really lovely and a couple of days later we celebrated my Uncle's 70th birthday with a lovely lunch out with the family.  I didn't even think to take a photo of the day as I was having such a good time.
 
The next day was Mother's Day and there's no photo's here either.  It was about the 2nd or 3rd time in a decade that lovely hubby was home for Mother's Day which meant that for an extremely rare occasion I could actually relax and enjoy myself.  (I've often said that Mother's Day is usually the busiest and most stressful day I have every year). 
 
 
I've also been doing some more cheese making.  Please turn your head to the side....
 

 
 
The editing of my photo way beyond me at the time, even if it was to give a quarter turn to a photo. 
 
What you see though is the process of making Haloumi cheese.
 
Yes I made it myself.  Yes it is incredibly yummy and awesome.
 
I blended a couple of people's recipes and ways of doing it and ended up doing what was best and easiest for me. 
 
Pressing it between something heavy (water filled milk containers on a baking tray and a cutting board worked a treat)....



 
 Then blanching and salting the final product made me pretty proud of what I had achieved.

 
 
Then there was the final drum roll and cooking of the Haloumi to see if it really turned out okay.  No matter how well you think you have done, it can all turn to pot if it tastes like crap. 
 

 
 
It was INCREDIBLE. 
 
Even Master M said that it tastes exactly like the shop bought cheese.
 
I also made some ricotta which is super easy and made a pretty incredible spinach and ricotta filling for some ravioli the kids and I made.
 

 
In between all of that we also celebrated my brother's birthday and then my birthday.  (One week in May is always a busy family time.)  Oh and lovely hubby was home for my birthday too which was just as miraculous as having him home for Mother's Day so it was a good week.
 
 ...and just to finish things off for the moment.  I've finally picked up the crochet hook for the first time in a couple of weeks and have started a new project with this lovely pure alpaca yarn I have.
 

 
 

I hope you are all having a lovely week.
 
xx Susan
 
 
 
 


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