Recipe: Cajun Barramuni Pasta

For anyone observing Lent and especially for a yummy fish feast on Good Friday, this is my alternative to the usual fish and chips. It's my own concoction, so feel free to experiment, I'm probably missing some vital ingredient, but I like it anyway. And if you come up with any improvements let me know!

Takes about 20 mins to prepare and cook and serves 4

Ingredients:
500g orchetta pasta (or your fav. pasta)
600ml thickened full cream
60g butter (optional as it makes it richer)
1 large or 2x small barramundi fillets
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch salt
Juice of two lemons
Dash dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

method:
Juice the two lemons and set aside.
Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the noodles.
In a large saute pan, heat the butter till melted. Add cream and heat through, do not boil.
Add lemon juice and dash of wine, stir through continuing to heat until cream thickens slightly. Continually stirring, add pinch salt, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.
Taste intermittently so you get it lemony and peppery enough for your tastes. It should be quite strong in flavour.
Lay the barraumndi in the pan and splash cream mixture over. On a medium to low heat allow the fish to cook through, turning once to cook through evenly. You'll know it's done when the fish easily flakes apart.
Continue to stir cream so it doesn't get gluggy. You'll know it just right when the cream will coat the spoon. Break up the fish into largish flakes to serve.
Serve with a fancy carrot and parsley garnish for colour, and a small garden side salad and garlic bread.

Yum yum yum!

I'm on {KID}independent today!

A clever young lady has written today's post over at {KID}independent, the new home for all that is funky, indie and on your must have list for kids! Oh wait... that's me! hahahahah ;p

Indi asked me for my top 10 kids songs. It was a tough list to compile but I'm happy with the results, hope you are too.

Check out {KID}independent here...

Introducing Frankie Rose Designs

I was recently in Sydney for a family Christening and managed to pop into Mathildas Markets in Paddington for a brief squizz at all the goodies on offer. There is some stunning talent in the handmade world for kids goodies, and adorable fashions most certainty were not lacking.

I was lucky enough to find Sydney designer Frankie Rose and immediately fell in love with her simple, practical but oh so adorable designs for both boys and girls.


After much searching I'm very happy to have found more boys lounge pants in funky fabrics and Frankie Rose has provided just the ticket, I especially love these gold fish numbers and hopefully many more will follow. I only have a few items this time, lounge pants, smocks and tunic tops, but will hopefully be bringing you more in the coming months.


There are more Mathilda's Markets coming up in April through July all around the country, check their website for details.

Bearded Lady

Because I live in the tropics of North Queensland, I often dream about cold weather, or rather fantasise about it and all the cool cold weather clothes I could wear. I have a totally awesome red raincoat (which is definitely not breathable and therefore totally unsuited to even the coldest days we experience here) that I love so much I will wear it around the house with the a/c set to perma-frost just so I get some use out of it.

My inappropriately warm clothing obsession also extends to hats. I have just recently donated all of my pre-loved beanies to good will and have only saved a couple that are just too awesome to throw out or that I actually wear (around the house with the a/c on).

But today I found these...


This is the coolest beanie I've ever seen! I don't care that I'm a girl, I'd wear it!

And then there is this one...


Perhaps not everyday wear, but you'd be a hit on Saint Patricks Day or maybe just for special going somewhere fancy occasions.

I also found this one. It seems a little medievil to me, but I do like the curls and handlebar moe...


You can even get ones with detachable mustachios, so you can mix and match to suit your mood!


Click on any of the pictures and it will take you to the lovely Etsy stores where any of these can be found.

I kind a like the idea of putting on a hat like this and going about my day pretending that I'm not a girl with a beard. But first I think I'll need to invest in a hat rack. Or better still a shelf full of those dummy heads on which to perch all my fancy hats! hmmmmmm....

Why everyone should like giants

I'm in the process of writing a guest blog piece (I'll spill the beans once I'm published *wink*) and have been fluffing about looking for inspiration when I came across this little beauty. I was mooching around researching what a fan will do for the object of their adoration, which is a bit of tangent, but i liked what I found.

I don't really know Kimya Dawson's songs that well, other than I Like Giants which got a fair bit of airplay a couple of years back on Triple J, and the Juno soundtrack. Back then I really liked the fact the song stood out to me among all the alternative punk and Australian hip hop that saturated the play lists (don't even get me started!!).

What I love about Kimya Dawson now is that her music and her artwork have inspired quite a few fans to create music video's (on you tube) for her songs. They are really something a bit special and a lot of work has gone into creating them.

It's a lot like the Caspar Babypants ones I featured earlier, someone has found the music so special and has been so moved by the lyrics or the ideal that they have put used talent into create a very personal tribute which not only goes directly to the artist, but out for the whole world to see also.

Introducing Poppy Bean and Bloss

One of the newest additions to Monkeytail and Wellington are these gorgeous custom made waldorf dolls from Poppy Bean and Bloss. Each doll is completely handmade using all natural fibers, and even comes wearing some cute little knickers and a hand knitted cardy!

The part I love most about these dolls is the way they warm up when you cuddle them and how that take on the scent of the child who loves them most. Plus they also come with an additional outfit which is all important when you are 3 and up :)

This is a picture of the latest addition to our house "Tilda" which Wellie met on her recent 3rd birthday. The two are inseparable and have been known to sport matching clothes and hair dos!


Michelle is also a sock monkey aficionado and makes some super cute stripey monkeys. You can catch Poppy Bean and Bloss at the Handmade market in Canberra on Sunday 28 March from 10-4 at Kamberra Winery. Checkout the Handmade Market website for more details

Scooter Heaven

I have an ongoing love affair with scooters. Unlike most people, it didn't start with endless reruns of Roman Holiday, but on a rental on Magnetic Island where I crashed a sum total of three times due to some dodgy brakes, but couldn't wipe the stupid grin off my face the whole time. After that I was totally hooked.

I'd actually always fancied myself as a bit of a hot chick on a motor bike, channelling my inner Pinky Tuscadero or just like Michelle Pfeiffer in Grease 2. But being a person of rather small and light stature, I didn't really want to be commuting about town on a pee-wee 50, so a scooter it was. A sleek and ultra cool Vespa was way out of my price range, so I opted for a Piaggio. More plastic, less storage, less prestige, but hey, it still sounds italian right?

So my misadventures see me scootering around town, getting burnt to a crisp in the tropical heat. Third degree burns on my butt when trying to ride in a skirt and then there was the time I got stung on the cheek by a very angry scooter hating bee! I loved every minute of it right up until when riding home from work in a storm a gust of wind caught me and blew me right into the side of a removal truck whilst I was navigating a round-a-bout.

The stories I heard back later were much elaborated and actually sounded much cooler (one I may or may not have started myself had me sliding mission impossible style right under the truck), but in all reality I just put my arm out, bounced off and wobbled the rest of the way home very shaken and doing about 40km under the speed limit practically on the footpath. After that I road my beloved scooter less and less and eventually we parted ways when I sold it too another scooter mad chicky with a pink leather jacket. I'm such a scardy cat :(

However I will always look back upon my scootering days with a certain fondness one has for miss spent youth, and when I'm a reckless old lady with little to loose I'll be back out on the highway on my scooter. I'm just hoping it won't be the type you can hire at the chemist.

Here are a few ways I can still get my scooter fix until I can live the dream once more...

Bike, Scooter, and Chopper Projects for the Evil Genius (Evil Genius)


This one will have you ditching the kids and planning a real Roman Holiday! It's a fun read as well as being a bit of a travel guide.

Vroom with a View: In Search of Italy's Dolce Vita on a '61 Vespa


How cute is this coin purse? And in pink too! Available from Retrospettive on Etsy

This one makes me wish I'd pay more attention every time my Mum tries to teach me how to knit! Available from Leah Sutton's shop on Etsy

Music News: Lunch Money, Caspar Babypants and Zooglobble

The biggest and best news of all this week is that the first two albums from indie/kindie rockers Lunch Money is now in store at Monkeytail and Wellington! YAAAAAY!! I'm hoping to bring you an interview with lead singer/songwriter and lovely gal Molly Ledford in the coming weeks. In the mean time, here is a taste of the awesomeness which is Lunch Money...



Oh.... and I urge you to follow Molly's blog, where instead of a nice wordy post, she puts her thoughts into song.

Caspar Babypants fan's love him so much they make music videos for him! Now that's dedication! Here is a super cute one that some fans have made of their little fella to Caspar's I Made up My Mind from More Please



The blog Zooglobble which is a bit like the Rolling Stone for Kindie Rock has launched a radio station on Live365.com. DJ Stefan Shepherd brings you "Kids Music Worth Airing" and currently has three playlist on rotation. Live365.com is super easy to use, just create a free account, go to your account settings and download the music player and away you go. Here's a quick link...

A grown up guide to colouring in

We love colouring in around here. So much so that we have almost an entire shelf on the bookcase dedicated to colouring in books. And don't get me started on the variety of crayons, textas and pencils that goes with it.

Being artistically challenged, I always go for the colouring books where someone with real talent has done all the hard work and I just have to fill in the blanks. Seeing as I do much of my colouring in with a 4 and a 3 year old, we all like to come out at the end with our version of a master piece.

These are a few of my very favourite colouring books which are great for both young and old.

With the recent movie release, Alice's already huge popularity has taken a staggering leap forward. But as with all the classics, the original is always the best. This is a 64 page abridged edition with colouring in pages of the originally published illustrations.

You really can't beat the Rosie Flo's and Johnny Joe's colouring books for a cross between paper dolls and colouring in. There is currently around 16 different books in the range.

Taro Gomi is the king of squiggles. His big fat drawing and colouring books are great fun as they encourage you to elaborate on his simple designs and complete the picture. Great for older children who are a bit beyond simply colouring between the lines and developmental learning and following direction

Issue 5 of Anorak is dedicated to colouring in. I love Anorak as it has a bit of everything for kids and every issue has a colouring and drawing feature and it's always something out of the ordinary. Issue 13 is all about drawing too!


Currently one of my favourite graphic artists is S Britt. His artwork keeps popping up in all the places I love... Junior Society.... School Years Journal.... and so many more. This is his clever little colouring book you can get from his store on Etsy! Oh and his website is my ultimate favourite too!

I'm sure there are so many more, these are just a few of my favourites. If you know of others, let me know, the collection always has room to grow!

Handmade Heavan: Sushi Plushies

I have a new found obsession with Sushi. I have all my life been a very fussy eater, but entering my 30's has seen me break new ground in discovering culinary delights I would never have even sniffed before.

Whilst looking for something totally unrelated today, I can across these adorable little plush california rolls "Sushi you can hug". I don't know why I would possibly need one, but I think it would look oh so sweet smiling at me from my desk whilst I burn the midnight oil.

Hmmm, may just have to cancel the lasagna for tea tonight and go get some salmon nigiri instead. Lasagnas always better reheated anyway ;p

California Sushi Roll

Wasabi and Ginger

Find these and more at http://www.sushishirtsxd.com