Happy Love Heart Day

For the most part, Australians love to shorten their words.  Chocolates are "chockies."  Breakfast is "brekkie."  The garbage collector is the "garbo."  Afternoon is "arvo," not to be confused with "avo" which is avocado.  An umbrella is a "brollie."  Biscuits (cookies) are "bikkies."  And my favorite: Lipstick is "lippie."

There are, however, a few words that are actually longer here.  If I were wrapping a present (prezzie) for, say, my daughter's birthday, I would use tape and wrapping paper.  Here we use "sticky tape."  If that gift were a coloring book, she would spend her leisure time "coloring."  Here she would spend her time "colouring in."

Speaking of coloring, and birthdays, my youngest daughter wanted this cake for her birthday.  It was in the American Girl magazine a year ago.  I couldn't find the actual magazine, but we still had the "mini mag" - the magazine for the doll.  I had to use a magnifying glass, but the recipe was there!

Emily and I made rainbow pancakes to match.  Thanks, Laura, for the idea.

Back to Aussie lingo.

In Australia, a heart is an organ.  That shape, the symbol of Valentine's Day, is a "love heart."

I love heart you!

But, my heart is given to someone else.  Happy Valentine's day to my sweetheart, Shon.  This is our 15th Valentine's Day together.  He knows what I like.

Thanks for the lilies.  (I'm not a big rose fan - definitely a highly over-rated flower.)

And I know what he likes.  Shon's favorite dessert is Amish Apple Pie.  It's a family favorite.  Here is the recipe.

Amish Apple Pie

1 C sour cream
1 egg
3/4 C Sugar
3 T flour
1/4 tsp vanilla
3 - 4 C diced, peeled apples
1 unbaked pie crust

crumb topping:
1/2 C brown sugar
1/3 C flour
1/4 C butter at room temperature
1 tsp cinnamon

Beat sour cream and egg together.  Add flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  Stir in apples.  Bake at 400 F for 25 minutes.  Remove pie from oven.  Spread with crumb topping.  Bake 20 min more.

A couple tips:
-Use a nice big pie pan (I like the pyrex glass pans with the handles) or your crumb topping will spill all over your oven and might even catch on fire (like it did when I baked this pie at the Shanklin's house!)  But then again, it's nice to have your kitchen smell like cinnamon and spice for 3 weeks.  (Been there, done that.)  Trust me, put a cookie sheet underneath your pie, just in case.

-Only use 3/4 of the crumb topping.  There's just too much of it.  Make a double pie crust and use the extra topping to spread on the extra pie crust.  (You're children will thank you!)

-Use a medal pie ring, to cover the crust so it doesn't get too brown.  Take it off when you put on the crumb topping.

Happy Valentine's Day.  I think I'll go put on a little lippie and smooch my hubby.

Lest we forget. . .

Happy Anzac Day!

Australia took a holiday on Monday to remember the Anzacs. Anzac stands for Australia/New Zealand Army Corps.

Not knowing much about the Anzacs, I checked a book out from the library. I didn't know. I didn't know that Australia had such a part in the first and second world war. I didn't know Australia went to Vietnam. I didn't know that Australia is still fighting today in Afghanistan and other areas of the world that need extra security.

I think war stinks. I understand why we have war, but it is a complete waste of human life and natural resources. If leaders would stop being corrupt and people would be kind and tolerant of each other, war wouldn't be necessary. But it is. I pray for peace, but I also pray for the safety of the men and women who are fighting for peace, no matter what country they are from.

As a mother, it hurts to see the pictures of men lying on battle fields. I know some of them had wives and children, but they all have a mother.

I was profoundly impressed with the respect and honor that Australia shows its veterans. We went to an Anzac Day concert at one of our favourite places, the South Bank. It was beautiful. The Queensland Symphony played, prayers were said and hymns were sung, along with a standing ovation renditions of "Advance Australia Fair", and "Waltzing Matilda", and the pipes were playing - the Queensland Police Pipes and Drums. What is it about bag pipes? I can't get enough.

During part of the concert they showed pictures of families being reunited with their loved ones. Those pictures really touched me. I've been there. My father is a Gulf War veteran. I remember the day in December that he left. We drove to Salt Lake City where we stood in line all day to get our military ID's updated. We went to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and they sang "I'll be home for Christmas." It was a live recording, so we had to try not to sob as our family cried through the song. Even more vividly, I remember the day he came home. It was an explosion of hugs, people holding signs, singing patriotic songs, and happy crying. Fathers were holding babies they had never seen. We came home and our neighbors had decorated our house in yellow ribbons. I saw that same expression of joy and sacrifice on the families in the photos at the concert.

Thank you for your sacrifice, and also thank you to Australia for showing the respect to your veterans that they deserve.

Here's an Australian classic and a new family favorite:

Anzac Biscuits

125 g butter, chopped (1 cube)

2 Tbsp golden syrup (Americans, look in an import store, or try 1 T molasses and 1 T corn syrup.)

1/2 tsp bi-carb soda (baking soda)

2 Tbsp boiling water

90 g rolled oats (1 C)

150 g caster sugar (1 C white sugar)

65 g coconut (3/4 C)

1 C flour

In a pan, stir butter and syrup until butter is melted. Then add the soda and water. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix. Bake at 150 C (325 F) for 20 min or until lightly browned. My oven burns everything (really, it's not my fault!), and I like things chewy rather than crunchy, so I only cook them for 10 min. They have a great chewy texture and a wonderful carmel flavour. Even my children, who don't like coconut, love these cookies. Don't forget the flour (I did the first time I made them - actually, my recipe left it out - honestly, it wasn't my fault!)

You know you're not in Kansas anymore . . .

We had a great weekend. We had nothing to do (meaning no birthday parties to go to - actually, there was a birthday party but it was on Sunday and Sarah decided to politely decline - but they brought her party favors anyway, wasn't that nice?!)

We went to the beach. There are so many awesome beaches here, and we can't wait to try them all. Where to start. We looked at a map and asked the kids. They picked Mermaid Beach, on the Gold Coast. An hour in the car and we were there.

It was beautiful. We stayed inside the flags and did a little boogie boarding. The surfers were having a good time - I can't wait to try that. (Inside the flags is the safe area to swim - no rip tides.)

It was Sandwich Sunday this weekend - a sort of munch and mingle after church. We were asked to bring finger food. I confess - I like to make food that tastes good. I want to please people with my culinary skills, you know, make someone's day with a bite of something delicious. So I stressed a little about what to make for Sunday. I'm still laughing about it. I didn't have a thing in my cupboard to make anything exciting (creme brulee isn't exactly a finger food, but it's a croud pleaser) and did I mention that all of the stores close at 5 on Saturday, so there was no running to get a missing ingredient (or popsicle sticks and glue for a 6th grade bridge building project - thanks for the notice, Bryce) and thinking ahead is not one of my greatest skills right now. I keep thinking that will change when all of our stuff arrives . . . you can only blame so much on rental furniture.

So I threw in the towel and made boring old cinnamon rolls. Actually, it's one of my favorite recipes that I got from my friend Jill in Farmington. It makes a ton and is perfect for General Conference. What could be better than enjoying spiritual enlightenment while snuggling with my man, and eating my favorite comfort food?

So I was a little shocked when my boring cinnamon rolls were a hit. People kept coming up to me and asking "what are these?" Someone asked if they were coconut buns (what the?) and no less than 5 wanted the recipe. We're most definitely not in Kansas, Toto. I probably could have made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and still had the same reaction though. (I need to find out what coconut buns are. . . )

But, in case you want the recipe, here it is.

Cinnamon Rolls

1 C water

2/3 C sugar

1 T salt

bring to a boil and add

1 C butter and let melt.

then add

3 C milk

in the mean time, add

2 T yeast to

1 C warm water

and let it get frothy, then add to the other liquids. add

4 beaten eggs and

12 C flour

(add 6 C and mix on low 30 sec, then faster 3 minutes. Add remaining flour and knead for 5 minutes)

Divide in 2 and place in 2 oiled bowls. Let rise until double (1 hr) then roll out and sprinkle with melted butter and cinnamon sugar.

Bake 350F (180 C) for 13 minutes. Makes 4 large cookie sheets.

Tastes great with cream cheese frosting.

And speaking of church, look who is passing the sacrament. When did I get old enough to have a 12 year old?