Lounge - Revealed

It's taken a little while for me to reveal the lounge.   I'm still moving furniture around, experimenting with different artwork and I think it'll be a little longer before I'm completely happy with everything.

The colours used had to compliment the existing carpet throughout the house which consisted of black, taupe & blue.  All colours are from the dulux range.  Feature wall is Taihape, fireplace, ceiling & architraves is aoraki quarter with the main wall colour being sandfly point.  

I have a little collection of pottery and artwork so wanted shelving on either side of the fireplace to house my collection.  The idea of the black wall was to form a backdrop that allowed some of my collection to be the feature as oppose to the wall itself.

There is still a bit to do with the lounge to get it right, but for now, I'm really happy with the finished result.  It's such a transformation and has changed to whole feel of the home.

Happy living people!

Honey Mustard Chicken

This dish is finger licking good!!  It is so simple to make and I guarantee you'll be wanting seconds. 

If you don't have coconut water, simply replace with water, or you can add some liquid chicken stock. 

If you don't want to use a whole split chicken, you can use about 8 chicken thighs, or pieces, but please ensure to leave the skin on and the bone in.  This ensures the meat is tender and juicy.  Remember to check the time if using chicken pieces as they will cook faster in the oven. 

This takes 35-40 mins to cook and about 5 mins to devour.  Enjoy!!!
 

Ingredients

 

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoon whole grain mustard

3 tablespoons liquid honey

2 tablespoons coconut water

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 sprigs rosemary

1 whole chicken, split and flattened

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the rosemary and give it a good whisk with a fork.  Taste to see if you need more honey, mustard or coconut water to ensure you get it tasting just how you want it.

 

Heat a little extra olive oil in a large oven-proof pan over medium to high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until nice and brown.  Add the mustard mixture and then top with rosemary.

 

Place into the oven and roast for approxmately 35-40 minutes or until the juices run clear, basting once during the cooking process.

Serves 4-6.

Bacon Wrapped Seafood

If you want to impress you dinner guests or jazz up the classic kiwi BBQ then this is definitely the way to go.  It’s a fabulous way to enjoy the wonders of the sea and this is a really good starter for those who haven’t ventured into the unknown of eating seafood.

Oysters, Scallops and mussels all work extremely well with the bacon, but please ensure that you use a good quality bacon that will crispen with the heat of the BBQ. 

 

Some would say it’s a crime to even think about cooking an oyster, but it really does taste delicious and it a great way to deal with the massive seafood that are produced from the wonderful waters of Aoteroa.

I love to have these as a starter while people are casually sitting around sharing their life stories.  I also love to eat them with a glass of NZ white wine, but make sure you have more than enough for everyone because they’ll definitely be coming back for more.

Ingredients

1 doz fresh oysters
1 doz fresh mussels or 6 big mussels (shelled)
1 doz fresh scallops
16-20 slices of streaky bacon
Salt & pepper
Toothpicks

Method

Place a slice of bacon on a chopping board and line up an oyster, ensuring the bacon will cover a majority of the seafood.  Roll the oyster along the bacon until it is covered with just enough seafood sticking out both ends.  Cut the bacon and skewer the oyster with a toothpick.  Repeat with remaining oysters.

 

You might want to chop any large mussels or scallops to ensure they are bite size bits. 

Season with salt and pepper and cook on an oiled hot plate or BBQ until bacon is lovely and crispy golden.  Serve immediately.

Makes 36

Ombre Drawers

I have been getting a little brave with some of my painting lately and decided to give a set of drawers I picked up a new lease of life with the ombre effect.

I'll be honest and say that I was quite excited about it because I've wanted to do this effect for quite some time.  I used a mix of paint I already had which was Annie Sloan Florence and Pure White, balancing the tones as I went.




The before shot .. not very good I know

 

I am really happy with the final product and many people have complimented me on it.  I am even keen to look at some other interesting colours for future designs.

 

Happy living people!

 



Chic TV Tray

It's sure been a hectic few weeks for work, but I managed to get a little bit of painting in.  I find it helps to destress after a long day.  This project was a small TV tray that I picked up.   See what you think?

 

I am really happy with the final product.  It's the first time I've tried a design, although it is just stripes.

 

Have a great weekend peeps!!

 

 



Five Spice & Ginger Lamb Shanks

These flavours are amazing!  I can assure you that you’ll be more than happy with your efforts if you serve these shanks up for dinner.

Serve them with lots of mash or rice to mop up all the lovely juices, or for a low carb version serve with some nice greens or a salad.

If lamb shanks aren't in your budget, this works just as well with beef shins or any lower grade cut of beef or lamb.  Simply make sure you allow enough time to let the meat cook so it's lovely and tender.

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp five spice powder

1 tsp dried chilli powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup Chinese rice wine
2 tblspn tamarind concentrate
2 tblspn brown sugar
8 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 ¼ cup water
8 lamb shanks


METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C

Place the shanks in a single layer in a large shallow baking dish.

Dry fry the five spice, chilli, cinnamon and star anise in a small frying pan, stirring until fragrant.  Add the remaining ingredients and pour over the shanks ensuring the shanks are covered well by the marinade.

Bake, covered turning occasionally for 2 hours.  Remove shanks from the dish, cover and keep warm.  Skim away the excess fat then strain sauce into a small saucepan.

Bring sauce to a boil and serve over the shanks.

Serves 4.

Happy living people!!