Girl Style Friday- busy at home

 Sofia is wearing...

Leggings from the Warehouse

Long sleeved top from Trademe

Tunic from Cotton On Kids

Na'uli is wearing...

Top from PP

Dress from her cousin Clara

Tights from Farmers?

Boots from Trademe via Sofia

Mid-week Meal: Beef Pot Roast

Until I found this recipe I always had trouble making roast beef. It would always turn out dry and overcooked. This recipe is from the Edmonds Book. It's really easy and the meat is so succulent and best of all you get a deliciously tasty gravy at the end.
Heat a little oil in a large pot. Sear your beef topside roast on each side.

 Add 1 packet of onion soup mix and 1 cup of liquid beef stock. Bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for a couple of hours or until meat is soft and starting to fall apart.

Remove the meat and rest on a plate while you complete the gravy.

Add about 1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard and 1 tablespoon of cornflour (mixed with water) to the cooking liquid. Stir over a low heat until thickened.

I served our roast beef with a medley of roast veges (parsnip, orange kumara, pumpkin and potato) and peas...

Tonight

Tonight there was a beautiful sky...

Tonight there are two excited girls hoping for a surprise in their Easter baskets tomorrow...

Mid-morning

Don't you love those days when things go to plan? Just the simple things that is...
children wake up happy,
shower without worrying about children getting into the sugar (yes it happens!) or any other mischief,
children play happily together,
washing is on,
sun is shining,
time to make some muffins,
a job off the list is underway (today that is a batch of tomato sauce bubbling on the stove)
and it's time to sit down for a coffee and fresh muffin

Also loving my new mug from Nelson potter Russell Harding

Girl Style Friday Visit to the Country

We spent a nice day today with my big sis. They live about half an hour out of town and it's nice for us to get out there for some country air, a sisterly chat and a few cups of tea. The girls had a lovely day with their cousins and love seeing the animals.

Sofia is wearing

Top: trademe

Cardigan: made by me, just finished

Leggings: hand-me-down from big cousin

Gumboots: The Warehouse

 Na'uli is wearing

Jersey: thrifted by Great Nanny

Leggings: passed on from Sofia

Gumboots: thrifted by Allie

 Tessa is wearing

Cardigan: made by Mama

Dress: thrifted

Gumboots: from Na'uli

Mid-week Meal: Prize Pie Burgers

This recipe is from Alison Holst's Dollars and Sense Cookbook (very good book by the way). It's made with really basic ingredients and is so deliciously tasty.

Prize Pie Burgers

Short Pastry
Put 3 cups flour in a bowl. Grate in 200g cold butter. Rub the flour and butter wth your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add 1 cup grated cheese. Mix in 14 tablespoons cold water or enough to make it stick together. Refrigerate for about 5 mins.

Filling
Mix together 450-500g mince, 1 packet onion soup mix, 1/4 cup tomato sauce and 1T flour.

Method
Roll pastry into two 30cm squares. Brush one pastry sheet with a little water then arrange the mince mixture on top in 3 rows of 3.

Carefully lay the second pastry sheet on top. Press between the rows working from the middle outwards.

Cut into 9 square pies and cut a steam vent in each. Brush tops with milk or beaten egg.
Bake at 200degrees celcius for 30 minutes or until top and bottom crusts are golden. Serve warm or cold.
Here's my ones served up for dinner this week...

Can freeze for up to two weeks. If packed frozen in a lunchbox they should be thawed by lunchtime.
I had about 900g meat so I added another packet of soup mix and some extra sauce and I made twelve using the same amount of pastry.

Mid-week Meal: Steak and Veges

I got a bit late organising this post so this was actually last night's meal at our place. Nothing flash about the presentation but it was very tasty

Ribeye steak
Potatoes courtesy of Dad
Kumara mash (orange kumara mashed with cream)
Silverbeet Pasifika style. When I cook silverbeet as a side dish I add some finally diced onion before cooking. When it is almost cooked I drain the water out and replace it with coconut cream and add some salt and pepper.

Girl Style Friday at the library

This morning we went down to the library to choose some new books. We walked in on a bit of a celebration. You see our local library has only just reopened to the public since the earthquake as it has been used as a council office until now. They were putting on a little welcome back party. There were a couple of musician/storytellers putting on a performance which we just caught the end of. Then some cake and other yummies for the kids. That was a bit of luck. Must keep an eye on the library website as I think they're going to be putting on a few extra fun things for children seeing as some other libraries are still closed.

 

Here's Na-na nibbling on some raisins. She is wearing:

Shoes: hand-me-down from cousin Clara

Jeans: from Clara too

Top: trademe

And here's Sofia. She's wearing:

Top: trademe

Pants: Pumpkin Patch

Shoes: Pumpkin Patch sale

I just purchased this cushion from this Le Bons Bay shop. It was made by one of my big sisters Jen. I've mentioned before that I like fantails and the red blanketing looks good with a dark red feature wall in our lounge.

The girls have been fighting over who will sit with the cushion on the couch!

Girl Style Friday

I'm not sure where this idea originated but I've been enjoying seeing some photos of other people's very cute and styley kids. Thought I'd join in this week...

Sofia
Top from Trademe
Skirt hand-me-down from big cousin Zoe (or Willow?)
Tights from Farmers (after the February earthquake they had a sale of 55% off kids clothes in Christchurch so I stocked up on pyjamas, underwear, socks etc)
Boots-Country Road boots bought for a fraction of the price on Trademe

Na'uli
Hoodie:Hand-me-down from Allie
Pants:Baby Factory
Boots:a market in Geraldine