Dinner in a dash

I love the cricket.

I look forward to it so much every year - and with the introduction of Twenty20 to our great game, I'm even enjoying State level cricket!

Pete, Michelle and I packed a picnic dinner and headed to Adelaide Oval last week for a gorgeous Summer night on the sidelines.

I made marinaded chicken lovely legs and repeated the yummy salads I did last year, topped off with picnic rolls. Michelle finished us off with brown sugar yoghurt cream with raspberries and strawberries. Yum.

Nights like these help you forget you're back at work and the holidays are over. I love Summer!

PS. Don't you love Pete's expression? Mere mention of the word 'blog' has him recoiling in fear!

Sticky Sesame Chicken Drumsticks

Preparation Time
5 minutes

Cooking Time
55 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)
80ml (1/3 cup) tomato sauce
60ml (1/4 cup) soy sauce
60ml (1/4 cup) honey
12 (about 1.8kg) chicken drumsticks (I used lovely legs - they're just a bit more elegant!)
1 tbs sesame seeds
Sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Method
Combine the tomato sauce, soy sauce and honey in a glass or ceramic bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the chicken on the tray and bake in oven, turning once, for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and bake for a further 15 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Place on a serving platter and serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Just as good served cold.

Recipe from here

Get me a valentine!

I need to get me a Valentine!

How cute is this little shop? I bought my 'Live What You Love' print from Heartfish Press last year and love how they've extended their collection.

Gorge.

Great minds . . .

. . . think alike.

I'm with you, Leighton!

Pic from Seventeen Magazine via the fab pink and green owl tumblr

I heart Barbie

Who's loving the new Barbie ad?

I am!

(And I'm still searching for my Ken!)

Born of a wrong era

Sometimes I think I really was born in the wrong era.

Mona Lisa Smile was on telly this week, and I could just not get enough of the striking red lippy, pearls and full skirts.

So classy. Sigh.

Pics from here

A type of Mess I'm happy to clean up!

The fabulous Emma came over for dins last week and I thought it the perfect excuse to put together one of my favourite comfort dishes - Eton Mess.

I had a pomegranate in the fridge I was desperate to use, and I remembered a Nigella Lawson take on the traditional English dessert she tried a while back.

Time poor and lazy, I bought some pavolva nests from Woolies and smashed them up with whipped cream and pomegranate juice. I then piled the mess high and topped with delectable pomegrante jewels, splattering the bowls with juice as I took out my week's frustrations on the pomegranate with a wooden spoon! (NB. Do not wear white shorts during this workout!)

Easy peasy, and sooooo good (but oh so bad - sorry Emma, I know I promised you Weight Watcher's friendly dinner!).

What a perfectly pink dessert (on top of my perfectly pink early birthday present from JB - thanks darling girl! Loving my new glossy pink wicker {is it wicker?} bookshelf x bedside table)

xo

When I'm skinny . . .

. . . I want to wear a bikini like this.

Pic from here

dear kate . . .

I got the cutest email from dear Pip the other day.

It made my day . . .

dear kate - i think i have found the embodiment of you - in a skirt...

And how right she was.

May I introduce you to the Flynn Skirt.

O.M.G.

How fabulous are these darlings?



Thank you Anne M Cramer.

Now it's just a matter of choosing the colour! I think I'm leaning towards navy and white stripe. Love a good nautical flavour.


Oh, and the small issue that we're not sure if she ships to Australia. Does anyone know? I've dropped them an email, but waiting to hear.

I want. I need. I have to have!

Pics from annemcramer.com

Taste test

Miss Brown Button - you have a lot to answer for.

I am slightly obsessed by the Etsy Taste Test, determined to find that item with the 'X Factor' that encapsulates my 'taste' like no other.

After a few goes and some ruthless editing (don't be afraid to 'refresh items'), I think I'm nearly there. Nothing as fabulous as Kimbo's OMG dress but we're getting there.

How have your searches gone?

PS. There's quite a bit of pink in my recommendations, hey!? Guess it does have good intuition!

Pics from here, here, here, here and here

Eat lamb on Australia Day

My Dad owned a meat wholesale business so I grew up on an indulgent diet of a-grade red meat.
Delish.

You could say that I'm a meat snob, but I believe I've owned up to this before so no guilt here.

Each year, I look forward to Sam Kekovich's address to the nation.

To those non-AFL fans or friends abroad, Sam Kekovich was a football player back in the day and has earned himself a reputation as a straight talking, no nonsense Aussie larrikin.

Most recently, he's been used as an ambassador for lamb - or a 'Lambassador'.

Each Australia Day, Sam fronts a campaign for Meat and Livestock Australia, encouraging all Aussies to embrace their Australianism and eat red meat. This is his seventh year shocking the public with his politically incorrect views and vegetarian taunts, but I love him!





Form an opionion as you will but I know one thing - I had a smile on my face when I picked up some lamb cutlets from the shops tonight.

'Don't be un-Australian . . . eat lamb on Australia Day. You know it makes sense!'

Nice one, Sam.

A welly good time

I headed on down to Penola last week for the highly anticipated Coonawarra Vignerons' Cup.

It's one of the Limestone Coast's most popular race days - full of good food, wine and of course the style associated with country racing.

Unfortunately, the weather gods weren't smiling on us (nor the rest of the country at the moment!) and we were met with torrential rain for hours on end on the day of the event.

The day was called off after four races . . . and despite my efforts to hide under a green Coopers poncho, I looked like I'd spent the day swimming in the Brisbane floods.

Stylish? I think not.

I had borrowed a jumpsuit from a friend for the occasion and opted for gold flat sandals - reasoning with myself that flats were a much safer option than heels in the conditions.

Bad decision - my beautiful new Witchery plaited thongs were trashed as I was ankle deep in mud all day. The jumpsuit dragged in puddles and my fabulously straight hair electrified in the rain and curled like macaroni before I had time to even reach the gate of the racecourse.

Let's not start on my fringe.

So it got me thinking about the need to dress for the elements.

And how perfect would've a pair of wellies been? I've fallen in love with the striped pair from Joules above and know I would've been able to maintain a certain level of style if I'd followed the lead of Kate Moss and dressed for the occasion.

She's written the script when it comes to wellies at social outings and if they're good enough for her, then they're good enough for me!

Love the Hunter pairs above - would be a treat at a country race meet, complete with tartan, flock of sheep and obligatory glass of bubbles.

There's nothing like a day at the races.

Prepfection

In my dreams, I own this necklace . . .

. . . and I wear an outfit to work like this . . .

. . . and sit at an inspiring desk like this . . .

. . . and chillax on the weekends like this . . .

. . . and head to the markets in these . . .

. . . and have hair like this . . .

. . . at my wedding in which my groom wears the pink version of this . . .

. . . and looks like this.

A girl can dream!

Thank you prepfection - you are fabulous

xo

For the Mum-to-be

What do you give the couple that has everything? I mean EVERYTHING.

My brother and his wife are gorgeous, the most big-hearted, generous, down to earth people you've ever met.

I love buying them presents and returning their generosity, but they have everything they need. EVERYTHING.

From ice cream makers to coffee machines (and even the posh glasses to go with it), they've got the lot.

As for setting up the nursery for the little one due at the end of Feb? Sorted!

Yes, even a Buzz AND Woody toy take pride of place on a shelf already.

(Although I suspect that was more of a present my brother bought for himself!)

So, I was determined to get something quirky and unique for her Baby Shower, unlike any Jolly Jumper or bib or rattle they already had five versions of.

Enter bagladies.com.au

Okay, so it's a little bit cheeky and some might even say crass, but I could guarantee they wouldn't get multiple copies!

It was one of the last presents Ange opened on the day and although the reaction was one of laughs rather than goos, I was happy with my efforts.

And just so you don't think I'm a complete bogan, I did also spoil her with a hot pink 'skort' outfit from Baby Gap, with tiny little baby pink flamingoes dotted all over it.

Cute.

Last two pics from bagladies.com.au

Big hugs

I've been AWOL from The Polkadot Pantry lately, but wanted to stop by to send my love to all the Queensland bloggies out there who are hurting from the floods across the State.

It's just tragic and heartbreaking - 75% of the State has been declared a disaster zone.

Keep safe and please look after each other xo

Pic from weheartit.com