Autumn Leaves

With all the cold weather and and whinging about being cold (and yes it is just whinging, its not that cold yet), I've still managed to get out to the local Op- Shops and markets over the past couple of weeks. 

These canisters are awesome! And in great autumn colours. And the Pyrex  casserole dish is perfect for making two serves of chocolate self saucing pudding! (Yes, I have already tried it.....waited until the kids went to bed and then quickly made some for us grown ups and scoffed it in two minutes flat!)

Vintage kitchen porn

I picked up some kids books from the 50's and 60's from a record seller at the markets. They are in great condition but my only gripe is that he stuck awful stickers to the front that have damaged the covers during removal. Oh well, I buy things because I like them, not for resale. On the upside Mr C picked up a Zappa on vinyl that he had been looking for for a while, so I can't be too hard on the guy!

Chuckles is impressed with the one the left that he refers to as "The Party Book"

This week I have been lucky with boys clothes, which is lucky as Chuckles seems a) outgrow everything in five minutes or b) soil whatever he is wearing. Deep breath...this will pass!

I picked up his outfit below for about $7! The pants were in the dress up section of the oppie and I'm sure the woman thought I would be permanently scarring my son by letting him wear them every day. The coat is lovely wool, very warm, dates from pre 70's and only cost me $2. Whilst shopping at the farmers market all the old dears kept telling me how pretty "she" was. And they didn't mean Poppet.

Poppet's coat is thanks to a few awesome friends with great taste that give us all their cast offs! Huzzah for hand me downs!

Toilet stop for chuckles means chance to play in the autumn leaves!

Till next time.
xxCC

Linking up with Her Library Adventures and

Love Pie

Since its well and truly on the way to winter I'm finding more and more meals I am cooking are of the comfort variety. I love pie, its easy, and sooo comforting!

This recipe owes a lot to Veggie num num. I didn't have all the ingredients so came up with this instead.
Despite being vego it has to be the meatiest pie I have made. Mr CC kept stoking on the gravy and polished it off in about two minutes flat.

And yes, this is made in a love heart cake tin.......my pie dish broke a while back and I have been too lazy to replace it.
Enjoy!

Mushroom and Lentil Pie
Pastry (enough for pie and top).
Surprise surprise I used Belinda Jeffery's Shortcrust recipe. The pastry from veggie num num above looks pretty good, or use your own (or just buy some).

For the filling
500g  mushrooms, diced. (I used flat)
1 leek
1 clove garlic
Splash red wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1Tbsp flour
1 can brown lentils
sage
rosemary
1 dollop sour cream

Brown leek in a sauté pan in some olive oil on a medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until mushrooms start to brown. Add lentils. Add a generous splash of red wine (and some for yourself!). Mix the stock and flour together and add to pan. Add herbs to taste and put on a low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until gravy has started to reduce. Stir sour cream through just before spooning into pie.

Line pie dish with pastry, add mushroom mixture, put on a pastry lid and brush with milk and bung it in the oven on about 180c for about 30 minutes.


While at the farmers market I managed to score a bunch of heirloom carrots! They are so pretty, I wanted to stick them in a vase. I also managed to get the last bunch of baby asparagus. I usually use foil in the recipe below, but didn't have any, hence I get to go all masterchef wanky and call in something that sounds remotely french and fancy. I also served it with some potatoes in olive oil and rosemary (hmmm, what fancy words can I call that?)

Honey Carrots and Baby Asparagus in papier. 
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of baby asparagus
T butter
T honey
sprinkle thyme

Wrap all ingredients in foil or baking paper.

Wack in the oven for about 45 minutes on 180c.

OK. Not the prettiest pictures ever...but hey, I have 2 kids under 3 and I'd rather dinner was hot. 

What comfort foods do you crave?

Birthday records

A number of years ago two babies were born in the same hospital 3 days apart. They didn't meet for 27 years, but when they did they fell in love, had some wild joint birthday parties and then settled down and had kids. This week Mr Chameleon and I turned 35. When we turned 30 we celebrated with an all night fancy dress party, 31 was spent on a boat on Halong Bay and today we took the kids to the cinema for the first time and came home and drank tea.

I must have aged as I think I prefer the latter!

Amongst a week of baking and stressing over other things (more of those in posts to come) I managed to buy a few things, including Mr Chameleon's birthday present. Some may say I'm stingy, I prefer vintage ;-)

After we had a conversation a couple of months ago about John Peel and his record box (containing the records he would take with him in a fire), I decided I wanted to buy Mr Chameleon one. Now, there are quite a few on ebay, but most were out of my price range, so I put the call out to the thrift divas that are my mother and sister in law. Mum found this for me after posting a wanted add on a facebook sale site.

This one holds 12". I now need to find something to hold 45s. Actually I think I may have started something and wanted to collect a few more!

OK, so it doesn't hold 142....but it is probably more portable. 

I also picked up this Star Wars version of Guess Who at the local Oppie. It was sitting in the window calling out to me with its $3 price tag. I know its isn't perfect (it was created after the prequels so contains Jar Jar Binks, but at least it isn't auditory) , but it has all the pieces and gave me something to put in the record case (since I ran out of time to buy him a new record). We had a game the other night and its great. You can get rid of a whole bunch of characters if the first question is "Are you humanoid?"

I picked up this set of 10 linen napkins from the same shop. I love crisp white linen (or in this case still wrinkled white linen) with the fresh greens in the embroidery. A couple of them have a few age spots, but otherwise they are in great condition.

Would look great on a Christmas table!

I also did a bit of facebook garage sale shopping this week. I had noticed this Sesame Street doona (duvet) cover a few weeks ago and finally succumbed yesterday. At this stage I am thinking of using it for fabric. Either as a skirt or pillowcases.

Wow! Cookie monster is Australian?? 

I think big bird is still my favourite.

And yes...the skirt will probably be for me and not Poppet.

CC

Linking up with Flea Market Finds over at Her Library Adventures.