Top 10 Highlights of October 2013

Pink Bloom

Pink Bloom

October had really been a very busy month for me. I was preparing the boys for their end of year examinations and was clearing my backlog of readings to be done. As the school year comes to the close I am reminded that I need to finish all ongoing campaign work on the blog before the kids are out of school for a whole 7 weeks.

Here are some highlights of the month that just went by.

Fruity Salad

Fruity Salad

1.  Kiwi season has come around again and this time we were sponsored some Golden Kiwis by Zespri.

Pitcher Plant

Pitcher Plant

2. The boys were intrigued to see pitcher plants over at grandaunt’s house. The lunch that we had there on the weekend also gave me a chance to conduct a live science lesson with them.

The kids

The kids

3. Being a Kid is so much fun. There is less stress and a lot of things are taken care of for you by the adults.

Tofu basket with seafood

Tofu basket with seafood

4. We ate out at a few new places this month. Tofu basket was something new that I tried which I enjoyed. It tasted much better then the traditional one which was made out of yam.

Chicken Macaroni

Chicken Macaroni

5. Chicken Marcaroni soup is something which I enjoy eating and I’ve recently started making it at home for the kids to eat too.

Tiger girl

Tiger girl

6. There are many ways to say – I love you. Here are 10 ways that I say I Love You.

7. I have been reading up a lot this month  and learned more about the kids character.  Raising boys by design and Creative You are books which tell you why kids behave in a certain way.

Monkey boy cooking

Monkey boy cooking

8. The kids too have been learning quite a fair bit this month. Besides the academics we continued with holistic learning.

White Bloom

White bloom

9. I have been reflecting a lot on parenting. It isn’t an easy job but I know that I am doing the best that I can.

10. Wedded bliss isn’t something that one should take for granted. It is something that one needs to constantly work.

What were your highlights for the month of October?

 

Yummy Pizza, Bread and Pancakes with Greenfields

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Greenfields cheese

Greenfields cheese

 

 

I’m  sure you have heard and seen Greenfield’s  milk being sold in major supermarkets but do you know that they also have their own line of Mozzarella cheese? It is also made at their factory in  East Java. Sold at $6.35 at Giant supermarket as well as Giant Hypermarket, Cold Storage and Mustafa. It  is a really tasty treat and gives flavour to home baked pizza.

Hawaiian Pizza

Hawaiian Pizza

The cheeze oozes in your mouth when you bite into a slice of the pizza and it is really yummy. Making homemade pizza is not that difficult and with the correct cheese it makes it easier to have the prefect home baked pizza each time it is made.

The steps to making pizza.

The steps to making a home baked pizza.

The ingredients which you would need  are

For the base

– 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

-1 teaspoon white sugar

-1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

-2 1/2 cups bread flour

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 teaspoon salt

Toppings

– Tomato paste

– Sliced ham

– sliced pineapples

– mozzerella cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
  3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker’s peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Doggie boy with Greenfields milk

Doggie boy with Greenfields milk

Besides pizza we have been making many other yummy treats with Greenfields milk.  The kids love the chocolate malt while  I opt for the low fat variety.

The kids have been using the milk to make Milk pudding and mashed potatoes while I’ve baked their favourite breakfast items using it.

Rasin bread

Raisin bread

The ingredients and steps for making raisin bread

The ingredients and steps for making raisin bread

It takes a few hours to make the bread but it certainly beats having store bought bread for breakfast.

Blueberry pancake

Blueberry pancake

Blueberry pancake is another common item on our breakfast menu. I normally make this on the weekend for the kids to eat for breakfast.

Making the blueberry pancake

Making the blueberry pancake

Ingredients

-1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1 tablespoon baking powder

-1 1/4 teaspoons white sugar

-1 egg

– 1 cup milk

-1/2 tablespoon butter, melted

-fresh blueberries

-maple syrup (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. In a small bowl, beat together egg and milk. Stir milk and egg into flour mixture. Mix in the butter and fold in the blueberries. Set aside for 1 hour.
  2. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto frying pan . Brown on both sides and serve hot.

 

GF NEW LOGO_E - final

Greenfields  milk comes from our own scientifically-sourced and managed  herd and does not include additives, chemicals, antibiotics and hormones – just all natural honest milk. Their milk is produced, pasteurised and packed
within the dairy and it is single-pasteurised, ensuring optimal freshness. Their  MOZZARELLA CHEESE is made from 100% fresh cow’s milk. You can purchase Greenfield products from most major supermarkets and hypermarkets.

 

Disclaimer:I received sample packages of Greenfields products for review purposes. Originally posted on Dominique’s Desk. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Dominique unless otherwise noted. This post has Compensation Levels of  2 . Please visit Dominique’s  Disclosure page for more information.