Let's Do GIVEAWAYS!!!

Ok, so some of know how I love a good bargain, but even better than a bargain is a  FREEBIE! So where can one get a good freebie these days? Well if you are after a new RUBBERMAID MICRO-FIBRE MOP, then head on over to THE TRUTH ABOUT MUMMY's blog and enter her giveaway.

If its a giveaway that is more about YOU, then head on over to Nikki's blog, STYLINGYOU, to be in the draw for a whole bunch of prizes from a Ruthy's Rides Cruiser Beach bike valued at $399 to a massage valued at $150 and exercise wear also valued at $150. There are a bunch of goods being given away. You gotta be in it to win it!

If you are after something for your baby, or someone who you know has a had a baby then head on over to JUST US KIDS ONLINE, for your chance to win an Aden + Anais Muslin pack.

Mrs Woog is going all out with her JVC Camcorder giveway that you can't miss at her WOOGSWORLD blog.

TROPICALMUM is doing her first giveaway of a waterproof mattress protector, so show some support and enter for chance to win!

I think that's it for now, I will post more when they come up, otherwise if you have one I would be more than happy to spread the news:)

HOW CAN YOU BE PREPARED FOR DISASTERS OR TIMES OF NEED? Join the Be Prepared Challenge

The main reason for starting my blog was to teach others about being prepared in times of need. My main focus is food and having a food store in case of emergency weather it be a natural disaster or financial crisis or anything that will effect you and your family in a big way. You might want to go through some of my older posts to see what I have written or you can use the link to Provident Living, which is a site that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints runs. I am a Mormon, which is why I know about it. I also suggest you take a look at Gavin's blog and Bec's blog. They are running a 4 week challenge at the moment to help and encourage people to organise themselves so that if something does happen, you can be prepared. I strongly recommend everyone consider the challenge, as you never know what is going to happen and if the floods have done anything to us, it should make us think about what we are doing for ourselves and our families should something like this happen to us.

Below is the anacronym that Gavin and Bec are using for their challenge.

I also would be more than happy to answer any questions and be as helpful as I can be to you, should you like to know more on how to prepare yourself. Just leave a comment/question and I will be in touch .

DID I BUY A THERMOMIX TM 31 ??

I am sure this is the burning question on the mind of all those who frequent my blog:p. I've done all the research, checked out the competition and I have finally made a decision. I decided in the end not to get a Thermomix at this point in my life. I have other things in my life that I can put $2000AUD towards and get more from it. However, I do intend to get one when my means allows for it. There are some amazing benefits to having a Thermomix for sure, I do not doubt that, but I also don't understand why a machine has to cost so darn much! Its quite ridiculous actually.

 I have bought something in the mean time, as I don't actually own a blender as my other one carcked it about 6 months ago! So it has been 6 months since I have been able to enjoy a good home made smoothie or milkshake! I was desperate to get 'something'. I scored my Dad in the Christmas Pick this year and he is always good for a great present. He decided in the end just to give me money so I could choose the exact blender I wanted. So of course, I went about researching for all the types of blenders that were available here. I do have to say, that prices for blenders here in Australia are truly ridiculous!! For example a Cuisinart Blender and Food Processor, which is the one I was leaning more towards retails here in Australia for anywhere between $230-$170AUD. In the States RRP is around $100USD. So what's up with that?? We just get ripped off here and it has always been that way, you don't need me to tell you that!

Anyway  I decided in the end to get a Breville Professional 800 Collection. There were a number of reasons that made me feel it was a good purchase.

1.The Polycarbonate jug. Its a 2L jug which is a good size for our family, its light weight - unlike the glass jars, they are so heavy, there would be no way I could let my eldest child make something and lift a glass jug to pour or even to assemble.
2. There is an ice crushing mode, which allows for slushies which is a hit in our family - great blackmailing material for the kids- hehehehe!!!
3. It has Kinetic blades which means you get even blending - no lumps and nowhere for food to get trapped.
4. 2000W motor - this was I think the best wattage available from a department store.
5. 2 year warranty on the product and 5 year warranty on the motor.

So what does all this mean? Well it means I have a pretty darn good blender that I am very happy with and I didn't have to spend heaps of money to get it!! It retails for $329AUD but there was a sale on and I got it for $269. Again, a bit on the pricey side I know, but I intend to have this blender for a long time and its far cheaper than any other blenders that I have been researching as being the best on the market - commercial included.

One of the reasons why I was drawn to the Thermomix was because it made amazing sorbet. However, the more I saw it being made, the more I thought, I am sure this can be done on a regular blender. Granted, it can't be done in 30 seconds, but really at the end of the day, what is the big difference between good sorbet in 30 seconds and good sorbet in 1 minute or longer for that matter?? Personally, I don't think there is any difference, so I went ahead and made some sorbet in my Breville. I will note, that you do have to stop the machine a couple of times to move the mixture around. A tamper would be perfect, if they ever make one available. When you think about it really, its the ingredients that makes the sorbet great, not the machine! My first run of Raspberry, Banana, and Pineapple Sorbet was a hit! The kids loved it and so did my husband. It was so wonderful that my son requested sorbet for his birthday breakfast, and how could I say no?! It is all fruit! I made the sorbet two ways and I will note them in the recipes below. Basically, if you want to make it yourself, you could do it on any blending machine that is made to crush ice or frozen fruit.

 My next step will be making ice cream. I will attempt to do this in my Cater Mixer and also my Breville Professional Blender. You will have to stay tuned in for this one, because it will be done in a way, I am sure a lot of you will not be expecting......hope I have your attention:) I also hope to be able to have photos of this process or even a video!

Raspberry, Pineapple, Banana Sorbet

1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup chopped frozen pineapple (canned or fresh)
1/2 cup frozen bananas
1/4 cup water
1/2 - 1 tablespoon castor sugar - or to taste its up to you
1 egg white

Add ingredients to blender, it is possible you may have to do it in two batches. On my machine I have an ice crushing button, so I would use this button. Otherwise  use the pulse setting a couple of times and when the mixture is broken up, blend. Remember to STOP machine and mix ingredients around and over the blades.
It is done when the fruit it combined and mixture is smooth and pinkish.

Creamy Berry Sorbet

1 cup mixed berries
1/2 - 1 tablespoon of castor sugar
1/2 cup milk - may need more

Add ingredients and blend on ice auto pulse or as above. This is a creamier mixture and the kids loved it!

DO YOU KNOW WHAT BATTEN DISEASE IS?

I have just written a post on my other blog MummyRants, as I felt it more a fitting place to put it. Its about Batten Disease, and if have never heard of it, I would love for you to take a look at the post and also the clip that goes with it. Its a real eye opener:)

http://mummyrants.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-you-know-what-batten-disease-is.html

HOW COOL ARE YOU?

I find this post kinda funny and rather twilight like. I shall explain. I was listening to 106.5FM today with Claire and the other guy(terrible but I can't think of his name right now) on my way home from the gym and they were talking about a time in their life when they felt really cool! The guy related an experience when he was about 15 or so when he was wearing sequent jacket at a dance. Kinda funny!
Claire's experience is of when she went to a club and her friend knew the DJ and they were waved up to go back stage to where the COOL people hang out! So of course she too felt COOL!! Had to have a laugh at that too!

As for me, I was thinking about this today and tried to think back when I thought I was truly cool! I remember when I was in high school feeling awkward about myself and not feeling part of the crowd because I didn't want to do drugs, smoke, or allow a boy to touch me inappropriately. So yeah, I felt a little awkward, but still didn't want to challenge my standards. I did feel cool the day we had to do Public Speeches. I had my class rolling around the floor in laughter and I got a perfect score from my teacher and I was pretty much the talk of the grade. I then felt the pressure in subsequent years to beat myself in humour and shock performances, which I did successfully each year. Even the COOL kids thought I was COOL! I got over my awkwardness not long after the success of my first speech and while I didn't always feel COOL, because Highschool is such a pain in the butt and the bully was still the bully, even though she thought you were ok that day, she would still hate you tomorrow for now particular reason! It gave me the confidence I needed to show people who I really was, even though I would not give in to the peer pressures around me.

Well, that kinda got a little serious all of a sudden, didn't it? To chill us out a bit, here are some funny pics I came across when I was checking out CRAZYTOWNMAYOR's blog. The twilight experience occurred because of the radio show talking about COOLNESS and then I came these funny picks on her blog about being too COOL!!

So how COOL are you??

LIKE DISCOUNTS? CHECK OUT SPREETS!

I stumbled upon a new site called, SPREETS. To be honest with you, I thought, here we go, another company tryng their best here in Australia to give discounts. I have been with companies like this before and most of the discounts and offers have been lame or are in weird locations, or limited time frames. However, this site and a few others are actually quite good. I came across todays special which was a 4 course Dinner for 2 at Red Thai Spoon in Top Ryde and then 2 free tickets to Event Cinemas for $60. I have eaten at Red Spoon at Castle Hill and absolutely loved it. But what a price $60 for dinner and a movie?  Since I want to make this year, a year of actually watching movies, I figured it was very fitting. The time frame is also reasonable, from 14/1/11 to 14/4/11. I have purchased mine, so check it out and sign up, there have been some great deals to be had!

Prayers for Lori

To the right you will find a button that reads Ramblings of a Stay at Home Mum, that is Lori's blog. I have never met her in person nor do I know her last name. I met her blogging and she has posted comments on my blog now and then. Right now, she is in sad circumstances. Her husband is fighting for his life. I can't imagine how this would feel. It's like a storyline from a movie, but someone I know is experiencing it. If you want to support her check out Wanderlust's post. There is also way you can donate to her family as well. My prayers are with you Lori:)

SO WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?

I'm lovin my holidays at the moment. I have really had a good chance to unwind and relax and do a bunch of stuff I don't normally do. Blogging is one of them. When I'm working, I can only concentrate on that and making my family function and then if I have the time, make my house stay clean - as best I can. So its just great to sit back and chill out - as best one can in an Aussie summer! I have blog a few times already, I went away down to Nowra (south coast NSW) with friends for New Years. Watch my first movie at the movies in about a year. It was MegaMind 3D and I loved it!!  So life is good. It gives me time to reflect on making sure I don't take things too seriously, which I tend to do. I also have time to veg out on the computer and look up silly stuff on You Tube, like the ones I've posted below! We are a funny people aren't we?

So what have you been up to? Whoever you are? I always wonder who reads this blog. I know people do, becasue of my stats page, but as few messages/comments are left, I'm not sure who reads my posts, what they are like and how they came across my blog. At the end of the day, not sure that I care that you don't add a comment, just happy that you stopped by, had a look, and liked it even for just a minute or two what you see and read. So thanks:) But if you care to comment or link your blog, what are you up to?

YOU WILL NOT STOP LAUGHING AT THIS!!!

So I felt like I needed a bit of a laugh and decided to head on over to YouTube, as there is always something on there that brings a smile, a chuckle, and sometimes a fit of uncontrolable laughter!!

Now I am one of those naughty humans that find it funny to see others fall over - not if you hurt yourself though, that's not funny:( But I do laugh when others have a little trip or wobble, not sure why, but it has always been the case. Some say I am horrible, but others laugh along with me. On the upside, I do laugh when I trip over, and if I haven't hurt myself, join in on the laughing with those around me!! So I am a good sport!

Anyhoo, I came across this clip on youtube, and was in fits of laughter. I laughed so hard, my sides hurt and dare I say it but my pelvic floor muscles did not protect me for just a second!!! So if you are feeling a little down and need a good pick me up, check the video out, it should not dissappoint:)

This next one is a little gross, but the most precious part about the clip is the reaction of the news reader!

Hope they put a smile on your face:)

ROCKY ROAD BITES

I  have seen some cool christmas treats lately, which got me to thinking, even though I did not have much time to do my own cooking this year, i did have time to make these little yummies! Who doesn't love Rocky Road? If you have never heard of it, you must make it as soon as possible and understand the true sweetness of this amazing treat! I have had some great rocky road over the years and of course, some not so great. My secret is to use the best chocolate, which for me is Cadbury Dairy milk and good quality nuts, preferably not peanuts, for no other reason than, I prefer not to use them!! I tend to go for cashews, but really any kind of nuts is fine, or you can also opt for no nuts. I have heard that traditional Rocky Road has coconut, but I don't use it and also glace cherries which aren't popular in our house so I use raspberry lollies but you could use freeze dried or dried raspberries/strawberries to be a bit more healthy. You could also get away with Craisins as well. I made these christmas eve and it took me all of about 25mins to make make them and then it takes about 30mins to set them in the fridge. Super easy!

Ingredients

500g quality milk or dark chocolate melted
1 packet marshmallows chopped - Pascall Marshmallows are the best in the world!!!
1/2 to 1 cup nuts - can be roughly chopped.
1 packet raspberry lollies chopped.

Line mini muffin tray with paper or foil cases.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl with melted chocolate until well coated. Place in mini muffin cases and refridgerate for about 30mins or until set. Makes about 50

You can make them bigger or in a rectangle pan and cut to size. I just found that these were the prefect size to just pop into the mouth without looking bad!!!

All these ingredients can be stored in your pantry or freezer short and long term. Its a great treat for dessert for a party. They also make a great gift, especially if you need something quick.