Cooking with Moi!

Thai Green Curry – my way
In the thick of chilly winter nights, comfort food, blankets and slippers, I often get the urge for a sharp, spicy meal to wake up my taste buds. Thai Green Curry is quick, easy and is one of my favourite dishes.
Dice an onion and sauté in a hot pan. Add a big dollop of Thai Green Curry paste (I use pastes because I am far too lazy to make my own. We also have a fantastic range of Thai food in NZ). Stir until fragrant.
Add diced chicken – either breast or thigh. I prefer thigh for flavour, but it’s pretty fatty and rich, so it’s for special treats only.
Add chopped veggies. I like to match the colour of the paste – green beans, zucchini, green capsicum, peas, mushrooms for bulk. Stir a bit to take on the flavours. Add a couple of shakes of fish sauce.
Add a tin of light coconut milk. This stuff is pure poison to the hips – even when you use light milk. But nothing comes close – that Evaporated Milk in Coconut “flavour” is awful. Don’t use it!
Simmer away until the sauce has thickened and the veggies are tender.
Serve with Jasmine or Basmati rice and, I know I’m mixing my cultures here, freshly made pappadums.
Mmmmmm.

As promised.....

There was lunch at the table.....

Dress ups with new pigtails and Karen Walker jewellery

Playing in Basil's cat tunnel.....with fist stuffed in mouth to stop laughing....

Chasing of ducks.....

and feeding of ducks.

It was a smashing day all round.

Toddler fun

I'm baby sitting Amelie tomorrow morning and as usual am worried about all the things she could kill herself on in our non-baby-proofed house. Do I light the fire? Or will she faceplant into it? What about the gas heater? Or just strap her to a hot water bottle?
Luckily when Amelie was born my sister made me an Amelie fun kit, which basically has all the toys she didn't have room for in it, along with some of my old books from when I was a wee tacker, like The Nickle Nackle Tree and Amy's Place, or Kimi and the Watermelon.
However, Amelie's attention span is short, being 2 years old and all, so I'm going to have to come up with games and toys of my own.
First on the list is the fluffy toy that's alive! Basil the cat will be roped into a game of chase. Thankfully, Basil is very good around children. He tolerates, but never scratches. Thank god. Basil may even get a brushing if he is very good.
Second is that old favourite, musical kitchen utensils. Pots and pans will be assembled into a kit Lars Ulrich would admire, and we'll wake up the neighbours.
Third is dressups. I have a jewellery and makeup collection that makes many kids' dreams come true. I just know that Amelie can pull off bright red lippie with some feathered earrings and Karen Walker necklaces.
If she's not tired by this time, we'll go for a stroll down by the creek where many ducks are hiding out from the hunters during the season. A loaf of bread, mittens and a jacket = good photo opportunities.
After this, it's on with the Disney Channel while Aunty Amy has a rest and a cuppa.
A couple of rounds of Row Row Row Your Boat might be in order, or as Amelie calls it, "Wo Wo" followed by some dancing around to the Ministry of Sound.
Her parents will no doubt be back by this time so I'll tearfully hand her back and clean up the chaos. God I can't wait to have one of my own.