Posts by Kate Hannah

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  • Hard News: This time it's Syria,

    Trying to explain to the children last night that there will likely be some kind of "action" - Miss 9 kept asking if that meant war - brought the dilemma home. I think you've captured here the crux of that dilemma - that watching a regime conduct chemical strikes against its own people, against civilians - is unbearable. But watching the alternative is also unbearable. What to do? What to do?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks,

    Oh so many kitchen hacks! One for starters that I discovered when kids were little: blitz leftover beef casserole with your stick blender then reheat in a pot with a little cream & seasoning. Serve stirred through farfalle. Invented as way to get kids to eat stew, discovered is delish & great way to have a repeat dinner in same week while avoiding the déjà vu feeling.

    Quick gluten free crumble topping that's as good as the regular (I love crumble so that's saying something. )

    Melt some butter: how much? Maybe 100g? I'm of the thick layer of topping school, and the apples MUST be stewed. Stir into butter oats, ground almonds, cinnamon & brown sugar - ratios can vary - until crumb consistency reached. Top your stewed fruit & sprinkle with flaked almonds if you have some. Bake.

    I'm sure I'll return. Talking about food is pretty much my favourite thing ever. But the whanau are here soon for slow-roasted lamb...

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Hard News: My Food Bag: is it any good?, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    I think it's likely too pricey for us too, but would be keen to try to see how it works, and how I like or dislike the lack of flexibility. I menu plan (this month a month ahead, using Cuisines as inspiration) and try my best to shop only weekly, via countdown online, plus the fruit and vege. I also have many quick healthy things ready in the freezer. But I can see how this would be good especially as a way of getting other family members involved in the cooking iekids and or husband who is great cook but has less tolerance for the full on planning that I do, and fewer recipes in his head. Having the ingredients on hand and the recipe means I could just hand over to Miss 15, for example.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Hard News: My Food Bag: is it any good?, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    I had the same thing with Foodbox when I first started - I struggled to get through the weekly delivery but after several years have adapted ensuring stuff gets used. I would love to try #myfoodbag as I'm always keen to introduce variety to my cooking and am happy to try new recipes most nights as long as i have all the ingredients. last week I cooked four new recipes from the March Cuisine having planned my shopping thusly. 2 will go into high rotation for our family, the other 2 were okay but not any better than existing recipes I use/do. But cooking after work is my wind-down time, and I already get groceries and fresh fruit and vege delivered - ie I might actually be the target market.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Hard News: Fact and fantasy, in reply to James Butler,

    NOOOOO I'm never going to be able to get rid of that Isabelle earworm.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Busytown: “Glory! Glory! There’s the salt!”,

    Oh Jolisa! Just beautiful. And I am fairly sure the page that floors you in After the War is the one that floors me also. With a 15 year old in the house, I am leaving the re-reading of those marvellous YA novels till later on - remembering how important it is to discover these things for oneself, as opposed to having your mother tell you that you must read this book.But I'm rapturously re-reading The Librarian and the Robbers aloud to the smaller fry. The joy in the language, the wonderful women Mahy wrote, who take no crap and can fix the world. Serena Laburnum may just be up there with Flora Poste for me as a bossy, bluestocking role model with ridiculously long hair and a distinctive fashion sense - courtesy of the Blake illustrations.

    And I love The Catalogue of the Universe story - what a wonderful foundational myth for your family ...

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Capture: Dogs Love Cameras Too, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    They really are delightful Jacqui - she's got a fab personality, good with all sizes of kids, is super toasty warm as they have very fast metabolisms, and you're allowed to feed them treats as they need fattening up! good walker and a real point of conversation - noone can ever go past without a comment. She likes to lean heavily against my legs when I'm in the kitchen and look up at me with her beautiful aristocratic face .... poor Pipi the maltese however is getting fat and is on diet - she feels very hard done by. The kids like to dress up both of them in dolls' clothes. They accept this torment with grace. Good dogs.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Capture: Dogs Love Cameras Too,

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    and as you can see I'm swayed enough to let her bony old greyhound body get up on the couch next to me.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Capture: Dogs Love Cameras Too,

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    This is the gorgeous Georgia (Georgie) who is dangerously close to converting this cat-lover. She belongs to my sister and her partner - they have a wee maltese cross called Pipi too who is delightful - but Georgie's beautiful. She's in bed with Zoe, a practise which now takes place every time they come for dinner. She starts lurking in Zoe's room as soon as she sees the pjs go on. Felix has moved onto the bottom bunk with the express intent of luring her into his bed. She is a visitor, but much loved. Perhaps being the dog of a much-loved aunty helps?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where do you get yours? (Food…, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    Yes GI is pretty fantastic - food and opshops of the best kind - making for it being one of my fave places to wander. I got 5 Poole cups, assorted colours & two side plates for $12 in the Sally Army Shop.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report

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