Two friends reunited (via facebook) bridging the time gap of 30 years, the geographical gap - Australia and USA, and the generation gap; by blogging about food, fashion, fotography, fitness, family, and friends.
Renotta ........http://rrtdesigns.blogspot.com/ Web- www.shopatnextdoor.com/ http://projectknitway.blogspot.com/
Clara ........"Developing a fusion of contemporary food with health, fitness and creative ideas.
http://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com - Web www.fitinyourjeanscuisine.com/
http://babyboomerconnections.blogspot.com/ Web www.babyboomerconnections.com.au/


Friday, December 30, 2011

Christmas Reflections - lovely to witness children's delight

Lovely to witness children's delight
Hi R
I can see that you had a wonderful traditional Christmas.
I had a great Christmas with friends and family when it was lovely to witness the children's anticipation of Santa's arrival along with their delight in opening presents.

However,  from the thoughtful, granny position, I am concerned about the balance in our society, of the religious celebration with the commercial version.  Many of our children are brought up in a spiritual vacuum, with schools no longer giving scripture lessons which were the only source for some.  As is the case in the natural world, a vacuum will attract other forces.  Children need to know what the story is, and can later make up their own minds  as to how they respond to it.
Hope AJ had lots of fun for his second Christmas.
Clara
SMH  - Saturday, December 24  contained a wealth of thought provoking articles.   As Hugh McKay says in The Essay  "......Christmas is quite simply the biggest festival of the year, rich with symbolism and ritual and steeped in enduring myths and legends that - like most enduring myths and legends - have something useful to teach us. In this case, humility is the keynote."

For more - http://babyboomerconnections.blogspot.com/2011/12/balance-santa-with-xmas-story.html

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

A dish to use the Christmas ham deliciously

R wrote - "We had a lovely Christmas eve dinner of baked ham, cranberry relish, sweet potatoes and salad. Today we will have ham and eggs for breakfast, ham sandwiches for lunch and ham and bean soup for supper. I will welcome any other suggestions you have for ham."

A great way to use up Christmas ham.
A dish to use up the family ham so here it is. I love it's simplicity, it's balance and the contrast with Christmas food.
Ham, anchovy and fennel pasta








500g /1lb large pasta shells
1/4 cup olive oil

180 gm / 6 oz ham, cut finely
freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp chopped anchovy

1 small fennel buIb - finely shaved
1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 long red chiIli~ chopped

Cook pasta in a large~saucepan of salted water. Drain and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy based saucepan on a medium heat.

Add ham, season with pepper and fry for five-minutes. Add anchovy and fry for one minute. Add pasta, fennel and parsley to saucepan and toss well.
Sprinkle with chilli and serve with salad leaves.

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Morning

Greetings C from the North Pole,


It's a balmy 32 degrees F at 8:10 on Christmas morning. I know that thanks to Dashboard, an app that follows me wherever I go and tells me where I am, what time it is, the temperature and the latest news. We had a lovely Christmas eve dinner of baked ham, cranberry relish, sweet potatoes and salad. Today we will have ham and eggs for breakfast, ham sandwiches for lunch and ham and bean soup for supper. I will welcome any other suggestions you have for ham. We enjoyed a glass of champagne while fashionably dressed for the north woods. Candles were glowing, fireplaces roaring and the tree lit. It was a very old fashioned Christmas and then we face timed with AJ, Andrea, Alexis and Anthony. Modern technology! Today I will spend a quiet time with my iPod, my iPad, my iPhone and my mac trying to figure all the photo stuff out. Thanks to photo streaming and iCloud, every time I take a photo it shows up on all the devices. I'm not sure if it is mystical, magical or just downright maddening! But I will persevere with the apples of my eye. Thought you'd enjoy a few photos taken and manipulated with these.


faux fur and real, with my faux uggs

self portrait photo shopped just a bit

Sunrise on Christmas Day
Best to you and your family,


Love


R



Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas

Hi C,

Merry Christmas C from the north pole. We're up here at the cabin and it is crunchy cold....0 degrees, a two paw kind of cold. That's when the dogs freeze up, stand on two legs and need to be carried back in. But it is very beautiful, a White Christmas, frosty and perfect. Santa surprised me with a pretty little tree all decked out on our deck. Deck the halls...

love,

R and R


Waiting for Santa



deck the deck

Friday, December 23, 2011

Asian herb salad ideal for christmas lunches


With a wonderfully wild freshness due to the overuse of
delicate herbs, this is a definite Clara favourite.
Hi there lovers of Asian Salad
Asian herb salad got the tick with key players at the birthday party so I am going to repeat it for Christmas Day.  It went perfectly with the first course of BBQ chicken skewers served Asian style. See link below
The wonderfully wild freshness is achieved by massive overuse of delicate herbs along with an Asian dressing.
Clara


Ingredients
250g / 8 oz rocket (arugula) leaves - (trimmed of excess stems (substitute any peppery lettuce)
125g / 4oz each of mint, basil, cilentro leaves (leaves picked from stems, washed and spun dry)
30g / 1 oz chervil if available
2/3 cup canned bamboo shoots - (preferably already cut into matchstick)

Dressing
2 shallots, peeled, halved, and finely sliced
l tbsp rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
l tsp sugar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp mirin
sea salt and pepper


For the dressing, mix the shallots, rice vinegar, and sugar together in
a small bowl and set aside.
Trim any excess stems from the arugula, and pick the herb leaves from
their stems. Rinse and spin dry the arugula and herbs. Cut the bamboo
shoots into matchsticks.
To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, sesame oil, mirin, sea salt, and
pepper together in a large bowl. Stir in the shallot mixture, then taste
and adjust the flavors.
Very lightly toss the arugula, bamboo shoots, and herbs in the dressing,
and serve, with chopsticks.

Link for chicken skewers belowhttp://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com/2010/10/skewers-capture-finger-food.html


Sunday, December 18, 2011

Holidays give time for reflection and renewal



 Christmas and holiday greetings
 for fun with family and friends
Agapanthus  bloom at Christmas in Sydney and could be called our Poinsettia. Affectionately referred to as Aggies, they are hardy, enduring and self sufficient.





The video below takes you to my Christmas garden, with added  thoughts for reflection and renewal.
Clara





Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Passionate about leafy greens and herbs

Hi R
Yes - Leafy greens again!!  From the garden

Blogger Queen is back!!!! - and so are my beloved green leaves.  I'm wondering if you are eating enough of them - they help everything else so must be good for insomnia.  The secret though is to get them as fresh as possible when you can virtually see the vitamins jumping out.  Obviously, the best way to eat greens is uncooked, fresh from the garden, with spinach or rocket being my favourites because of their versatility. They can be stir fried in a little olive oil, wilted by steaming for a very short time, but I love them when added to cooked vegetables, at the last minute for extra colour and super nutrition.
 

Christmas in Australia is salad oriented since it is mid summer, but we eat salad all year, sometimes adding the leaves to warm roasted vegetables and drizzling with a  dressing.   
We enjoy flat-leafed parsley, known for it's excellent flavour, spinach (perpetual leaf, easy to grow with continuous cropping), some shallots for salads which harvest in 8-12 weeks, to join the  rocket which can be sown all year round - love the peppery flavour added to roasted veges, and wilted rocket is divine. Our basil crop is doing well as is the lemon-scented thyme, lemon grass, Vietnamese mint, as well as ordinary mint - this part of the land has a few hazards re survival of the species - insects, possums (protected).

Because our little plot doesn't get quite enough sun, this year I have added some large pots of herbs in a sunny spot.  Even though the yield isn't huge, I adore being able to pick a few leafy greens every day, knowing that they are such a powerhouse re antiageing qualities. 
Clara 

Leafy Green Info
It was common for our ancient ancestors to eat up to six pounds of leaves per day, ie a grocery bag full of greens each and every day? Calorie for calorie, they are perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, can help prevent age-related cognitive decline and may also reduce your risk of skin cancer among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.
Almost Carb-Free, with the carbs that are there packed in layers of fibre, which make them very slow to digest.


Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important functions.
Vitamin K
•Regulates blood clotting
•Helps protect bones from osteoporosis
•May be a key regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthritis.

Fat-soluble vitamin, so make sure to put dressing on your salad, or cook your greens with oil.
Quick-cooking Greens
These greens can either be eaten raw or lightly cooked. Six cups of raw greens become approximately one cup of cooked greens and take only a few minutes to cook. Spinach, Chard, Rocket, Beet Greens, Dandelion greens, Sorrel and Cabbage belong in this category.
Greens should be dry or almost dry, after washing; store in a bag with as much of the air pushed out as you easily can. I like to put a barely damp paper towel in for just the right amount of moisture. Then, put them in the vegetable drawer of your fridge.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Flipping Out

Hi C,


Sorry I missed calling you today. I was planning to call around 5am my time, 9pm your time. Best laid plans. There I was awake at 1 am with my usual insomnia. Out comes the iPad, not a good idea. Instead of lulling me back to sleep, it flipped me out with this app called Flipboard. You get lost in it, finding one more interesting bit of information after another as you flip from page to page. I just finished reading an interesting novel called A Visit From the Goon Squad. The author introduces you to a cast of characters in the 80's and takes you with them into the year 2021. It ends with a description of children referred to as "pointers". Everyone communicates through a device by pointing at it. Pointers in the future, flippers in the present. Oh well... I finally fell back asleep around 3 and then overslept and missed my window to call you. Next Monday, I promise. Thought in the mean time you'd enjoy my self portrait taken in the wee small hours. If you look closely you'll see a photo of Brad Pitt on the cover of the NY Times magazine. I looked a lot like him!  R



Friday, November 18, 2011

Getting Up There


We were having a chat at nextdoor the other day about fun stuff like trips to New York and Broadway shows. Young Ellen had just been there and saw Follies with "you know, that older woman". This led to the comment, "yeah, she is really getting up there". I thought to myself, well in that case I am really, really getting up there. I've been thinking a lot about that since then...getting up there. Let's face it, it does have a negative connotation, and yet the expression is made up of a string of positive words. Getting for example: to accomplish, earn, receive, achieve etc. And up, that's a good thing. I'd rather be up than down. Add a Y and you have yup, that's better than nope. And there, a place, going forward...going there. Really, "getting up there" is a great place to be. I like being there. I get up every morning happy to be there, free to enjoy my day and do as I please. Up, Up and Away.












Tuesday, November 15, 2011

OJ turns one!

Hi R
Can you believe OJ is one?!!!!  It's amazing to observe children grow and develop.  I love watching them as they take on the world and develop their own style and relationships. 

OJ had a great time being the centre of attention.
Nonna Clara
ps - I wish OJ could meet AJ. 






Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Koftas make great party food

Hi R
In the first week of November we have a special horse race, called the Melbourne Cup where the whole nation stops to pick a winner.  Once this event is over, it's time to make plans for Christmas which of course involves food. 

These koftas make great party food for the silly season or even for a birthday party, a BBQ or a family meal. This recipe is for OJ who is turning one next week, and is having a party. He loves spicy foods (like his nonna and eats amazing things like avocados!)
Nonna Clara

A kofte is a Middle Eastern and South Asian meatball. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat—usually beef or lamb mixed with spices and/or onions. The meat is often mixed with other ingredients such as rice or bulger. They can be BBQ'd, grilled, fried, steamed, poached, baked or marinated, and may be served with a rich spicy sauce or a yoghut sacce. In Arab countries, kufta or kefta is usually shaped into cigar-shaped cylinders.


Kofte with mint yoghurt dressing is great party food
Meatballs / kofte with mint yoghurt dressing
Makes approx 16
For the mint yoghurt sauce combine
1/2 cup thick natural yoghurt (greek)
2 tbsp mint, finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon


For the meatballs750g / 1 1/2lb good quality lamb mince o(r a mixture of lamb and beef)1 cup fine fresh breadcrumbs
1 onion, finely chopped or processed
1 tsp fennel seeds, dry-roasted, finely ground (or ground fennel)
1 tbsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted, finely ground (or ground cumin)
1/4 cup finely chopped mint and/or combination of mint and parsley
1 tbsp lemon zest
1
egg white
salt and pepper

Oil
Combine ingredients; season to taste. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours if possible to allow flavours to mingle and make mixture easier to handle.

Mould the meat mixture into small sausage shapes and skewer with metal or wooden
kebab sticks (soaked in water for 20 mins).

Spray with a little oil and cook on BBQ for 5 to 8 minutes, turning once.

Drizzle with yoghurt sauce or serve sauce separately. Serve with toasted pita bread and
lemon wedges.



Variation - Moroccan Kefters - Substitute fennel for paprika,
and instead of 1/2 cup mint, use a combination of chopped coriander,
mint and flat-leafed parsley.
Season with black or cayenne pepper and serve with Moroccan bread.

Variation 2- Alternatively form into balls or patties, BBQ or cook in the oven and call them spicy meatballs.

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Sunday, October 30, 2011

In the Closet

Hi C

I'm sitting in the closet in the the semi dark listening to AJ coo and snuggle in his crib. There are a million other things I could be doing but none I want to. It's just so pleasant being here. I have no photos to post, no witty comments to share, just this peaceful place. You may be wondering what we're doing in the closet. While for the time being, it's the best place for his crib, and it's more like a dressing room than a closet. I have great plans for a little AJ room upstairs once he is a bit older but for now this is the place to be.

Granny Renotta


Saturday, October 29, 2011

What to wear with skinny white jeans?


Hi R
Re - What shoes to wear with skinny jeans? 
When I visited you in USA I  totally immersed myself in jeans - what length to wear them, how to cleverly adjust the length etc   But it was fall, so we didn't do 'what to wear with skinny white jeans.'
Ok, so we are coming into summer but it still feels like winter.   It hasn't been warm enough to bare the toes but it's time to wear white jeans.
So here I am - on my way out to meet up with weekly, long term, similar - aged friends and I am wearing new white skinny jeans I bought on sale; to-die-for Hudson jeans with fabulous detail, which fitted damned well! I tucked them into my short black boots, and said, 'Let's go, Baby!"

So then G says, " Aren't those jeans more suitable for a younger woman? Fightin' words!

I ran it past my friends who said, diplomatically, unlike G, "You have such slim hips etc"
But in the lift, on our way out, husband of friend said, " Hmm, I see what he means - whatever that meant!" Did they have a quiet conversation about it? How extraordinary!

I know it was the white jeans tucked into the black boots that caused the upset, but I really like that look with blue jeans. Perhaps it was the contrast that didn't work.
Clara


Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Monday, October 17, 2011

The Rules - JEAN SCENE - BECAUSE WE THINK YOU SHOULD - FIT IN YOUR JEANS

Hi R
I know you are enjoying  http://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com fresh and healthy, tasty;  and  thought it would be good to share your expertise re how to wear your jeans so you look absolutely fabulous.

There's nothing like a great fitting pair of jeans and yet they can be hard to find unless you know the rules.   With the expert help of Renotta, www.shopatnextdoor.com who could write a book about styles, length, what shoes and tops to wear with what  etc........ and Lynee Follow That Girl , here is the answer.  "We have over 1300 pairs of jeans in our store and an all-consuming passion to find the perfect pair for everyone who walks through our door." We all look forward to answering your questions about jeans or healthy tasty food, because that is our passion.
Clara


JEAN SCENE BECAUSE WE THINK YOU SHOULD FIT IN YOUR JEANS

To What Length Should You Go? Adapted from 'Jean Scene' www.shopatnextdoor.com
and Follow That Girl the latest from Lynee
We could write a book about the length of jeans. Suffice it to say most jeans are too long and need to be shortened. If you're a jeanophile, you know that the original hem needs to be reattached. There's nothing worse than jeans looking like your mom chopped them off for you or shrunk them in the dryer. At 'Shop at Nextdoor', Milwaukee USA, we have perfected the art of reattaching the original hem so when you purchase your jeans, we'll shorten them for a small fee. But since you may not live here, here are a few hints you can apply.    
Firstly, you need someone in the know re the 'New York' method of shortening jeans so your best bet would be your specialist jeans store or boutique.

The next decision is how long should they be? That's where we come in. Having shortened over ten thousand pairs, we feel we have something to say about it. For starters we're just going to deal with bootcut, flare, and trouser jeans. We'll leave the skinnies and leggings for next time. We all know we want to look fabulously tall and lean in our jeans even if we're not. So here's our rule of thumb: if your shoes show, your jeans are too short. You want your jeans to just skim the ground, about 1/4" short of dragging. It gives you that long continuous line even if it's an illusion for most of us.
The next thing you need to deal with is what shoes you will be wearing. Unfortunately, you can't wear one pair of jeans with flats, comfy heels, and killer spikes. We're good, but we're not magicians. You have to pick one height shoe and go with it. And yes, it means you have to have more than one pair of designer jeans. We'll say it again, there's nothing like a great fitting pair of jeans. And there's nothing worse than a pair of jeans that are too short!

Renotta (jeanophile)
Renee (fashion blogger)
Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Sunday, October 9, 2011

First Kiss,

Hi C, 


Long time no blog. Been caught up in all of life's daily activities, especially that fashion show which I obsessively created 12 knit combinations of scarves, gloves, hats, shawls, arm warmers, coats, sweaters, you name it. I was still knitting just a few hours before the show. I would have knit nose warmers if anyone would have been willing to wear one. Would I do it all over again? Probably. Was it worth it? Definitely! The end product was beautiful and was so much fun to see on all my girls. I just made it through the show in the nick of time with a strange "scratchy" throat feeling. The next day I was in bed with the worst cold I have had in years. I know what you are thinking, over worked herself, not enough sleep etc. But actually, no that was not the case. A few days before I was babysitting little AJ who was sneezing. He's so sweet, so when he planted not one but two kisses on me, I knew right away what the consequences would be. Would I do it all over again? ABSOLUTELY. Was it worth it? POSITIVELY!

R

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Leafy green vegetables - the 'little black dress' of the vegetable world.

Hi R
Back on track with green leaves which we need to eat heaps of since we are grazers.

Leafy green vegetables are like the 'little black dress' of the vegetable world. They go with just about everything and they’re appropriate for every occasion.  Green leaves are perhaps the most anti-ageing of all foods and since I am passionate about my greens, once I start on them I seem to need to give all the good news. (below)
Hope you and Roberto are eating plenty of fresh green leaves.
Clara

Obviously, the best way to eat greens is uncooked, fresh from the garden, with Spinach or Rocket being my favourites because of their versatility. They can be stir fried in a little olive oil, wilted by steaming for a very short time, but I love them when added to cooked vegetables, at the last minute for extra colour and super nutrition.
'Eat More Green Leaves' because we are grazers
Sichuan Style Spinach or Green Leaves
30g peanut oil
20 black peppercorns
4 dried red chillies
2 garlic cloves
2 bunches English spinach
Sea salt
30ml chinese wine
Dash sesame oil
Heat oil over medium heat, add groundpeppercorns and chilli until fragrant. Remove, add garlic, then wine, salt, spinach and cook until wilted and liquid nearly evaporated. Add seasoning, and chilli.



It was common for our ancient ancestors to eat up to six pounds of leaves per day, ie a grocery bag full of greens each and every day? Calorie for calorie, they are perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, can help prevent age-related cognitive decline and may also reduce your risk of skin canceramong many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.
Almost Carb-Free, with the carbs that are there packed in layers of fibre, which make them very slow to digest.


Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important functions.
Vitamin K
•Regulates blood clotting
•Helps protect bones from osteoporosis
•May be a key regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthritis.

Fat-soluble vitamin, so make sure to put dressing on your salad, or cook your greens with oil.
Quick-cooking Greens
These greens can either be eaten raw or lightly cooked. Six cups of raw greens become approximately one cup of cooked greens and take only a few minutes to cook. Spinach, Chard, Rocket, Beet Greens, Dandelion greens, Sorrel and Cabbage belong in this category.
Greens should be dry or almost dry, after washing; store in a bag with as much of the air pushed out as you easily can. I like to put a barely damp paper towel in for just the right amount of moisture. Then, put them in the vegetable drawer of your fridge.



Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Monday, September 12, 2011

Re the very delicious, very wicked Pear and Almond cake. And real reasons french women don't get fat

Hi R and other skinny jean wearers
Re - the very delicious, very wicked Pear and Almond cake which was posted on http://fitinyourjeanscuisine.com and which you no doubt saw and wondered what was happening.

Clara's first attempt at
Pear and Almond Cake
tasted amazing but didn't look
quite the same as Belinda's

Veronica, http://stantoninteriorstyle.blogspot.com who passed this recipe on to me, commented,
"Clara, the cake is very good but don't eat too much or you won't fit into your jeans! "
And she is absolutely correct! It should have come with a warning so here is a retrospective one. 
What was I thinking? I promise it won't happen again, but here is a little justification via an article in the weekend Telegraph.
The secret - small portions.

"Oui! the secret's out: real reasons french women don't get fat." And the relevant point here follows exactly what Veronica wrote.
"They eat cake and chocolate - Why it works paradoxically: not having a list of forbidden foods can put an end to bingeing, Sainsbury-Salis says. French women only eat small amounts of treat foods- and those foods are available in small portions."
There were a few other hints which I will tell you about in the next blog
Clara
ps I only ate one and a half pieces with low fat, low sugar icecream .......it was a special occasion.......... hmmmmmmmm
pss I hope Roberto didn't see the blog. 


Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Look at me, Nonna!! From the warm fuzzy distance of grandparenting

Nonna tip - don't get the age wrong as I did once
but never   ever again!
Hi R and other grannies out there
It's wonderfully fulfilling to watch grandchildren develop - to witness the ages and stages, be able to give out treats generously, to have fun etc -  from the warm fuzzy distance of grandparenting. 

A big weekend sleepover which felt like Christmas where one's attention is scattered in many directions and the house is full of stuff. 

Now it's quiet and orderly - we return to normality with lovely memories of spontaneous hugs, Poppy makeovers and tricky questions. 
Nonna Clara - Facilitator of Clever Craft and Good Kitchen x

ps - Poppy's snoring was also recorded - something I have always threatened to do  but have never quite been courageous enough. 





Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email

 clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Monday, September 5, 2011

Pears marry well in peppery salads with stronger cheeses

Hi R
Hey, what are you guys eating in downtown Milwaukee?  What is in season in Fall?

I'm continuing my love affair with pears - whether it be the rusty-coloured beurre bosc, yellow-russet josephine to the winter nelis or honey pear. The delicate sweet flavour of pears marries so well with peppery rocket and the stronger Parmesan or Roquefort (blue)  cheeses. 
I think you would enjoy these two salads, as Americans love the sweet and sour combinations of flavour.  You can substitute rocket for any  lettuce but I like to experiment with some of the more robust flavoured varieties.
Clara

Pear, rocket and parmesan cheese salad
Pear, rocket and parmesan cheese salad







1 bunch rocket, trimmed
1/2 small green oakleaf lettuce, washed, dried
(If desired, you can use all rocket if you prefer
125g / 4 oz piece Parmesan, shaved


Witlof, pear and hazelnut salad with roquefort

Serves 4

2 heads witlof - red if possible - or other bitter lettuce, separated, washed and dried
1 bunch rocket, washed and chopped
4 tbsp hazelnuts, roasted skin rubbed off and coursely chopped

180g / 6oz  Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp chopped chives
2 firm pears- about 300g such as william or corella peeled, halved, cored with quarters cut into 3 or 4 slices. Place in a salad bowl with 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and juice of 1/2 a lemon. Add ground pepper and toss gently.
When ready to serve, add witlof, rocket, hazelnuts and parmesan to bowl with pears, season lightly with salt and toss gently. Finish with crumbled cheese and a sprinkling of chives.


Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Thursday, September 1, 2011

TOMTOM - so where do you want to go, Clara?

I dedicate this blog to my mates, LWL (ladies who lunch) who started at the same school as FIRST-TIME teachers.  Lovely catch up - great communication.  And the reason I purchased my TOMTOM.  All will be revealed..............
LWL - Circa   mid to late 60's- teachers  



It arrived today - my first non book purchase on-line


You are going to help me find my way!

Hi R
Well........ thanks for your somewhat emotional response to my technical question re what is so good about your ipad?  ie "I'm in love with my ipad. It makes me happy just to think about it."

I haven't made any decisions yet re an I Pad or Android but I did make another important purchase.  And here it is.......  A TOMTOM!  Love the name - makes me feel as though it's going to communicate to me how to get where I want to go. 

So where do you want to go, Clara?  

The answer is. "To where I decide to go."  Therein lie choices, not only re destination, but how I want to get there.

OK,  so here's the history - Ladies who Lunch - LWL - destination was via a route I chose not to take.  I don't do expressways anymore  ever since the unfortunate journey via the airport from Artarmon to an address in Artarmon.  Well - I got into the wrong lane - then was afraid to go sideways fearing that I would be lost forever.

So, everyone else was still driving out of their comfort zone,  except me - which was confronting and cost a lot.
After counselling from the group, when I saw a special deal on the net re TOMTOM, I decided to go for it. 

When I told G about it, he said I really didn't need it, because I didn't drive anywhere out of the area.  So I said, "The less I drive, the more fearful I become."  He understood and is supportive  - we had a lesson even, where I drove to IKEA land via GPS and felt good about it.  He agreed to shut up re my other driving habits - Yeaaah!

So - TOMTOM has arrived and I need to read the manual. Hmmmmmm
Clara



Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Pears offer elegant tastes and textures


Corella pears look attractive as a table centre



Hi R
The first day of Spring today.  The early spring garden players are there - fragrant Jasmine, orchids, magnolia and wattle.  Not much in the garden to cut for indoors,  but I love the look of fruit and vegetables as much as all their other benefits.  Pears, pomegranates and quince are my favourites because of their shape, with oranges and lemons for their colour.

Pears are in season at the moment with many varieties to choose from - taste being the best test.  I don't know why the saying goes, 'Everything went pear shaped', with a negative connotation, since the shape of a pear is beautiful.  So many beautiful old paintings feature pears see below  and
one day I want to use pears as a subject for printing or pastels. 

Of course, the best way to serve pears is raw, perhaps cut into 4 and served with almonds, but 'Pears in Red Wine' is an elegant, relatively healthy dessert so long as the cook doesn't drink the rest of the wine! 
Clara

Pears in Red Wine
6 large brown pears
250 ml / 1 cup good quality red wine
150 grams / 5oz - sugar
cinnamon stick
orange and lemon rind

Method
Wash the pears and core, leaving on the stem
Place upright in a baking dish into which they fit tightly
Sprinkle with sugar, add cinnamon and the orange and lemon rinds and pour over the wine
Bake in 190 degrees C (375 degrees F) oven until the wine has almost evaporated. Baste during the baking. Serve with indulgent yoghurt.


Right - 'Pears in Art'




.

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Should Grannies go for IPads?

Apad 10.2-inch Google Android 2.1 WIFI Touch Screen Tablet PC

R wrote recently - "Treated myself to an iPad, so much fun
Have the day off to play in my studio. Have to lock my iPad away or I will while the day away with it."

When I asked why it was so much fun, she replied, "Well how can I describe my iPad?   I can't. You just have to have one to understand how amazing it is. I stalled on it, kept thinking what could be so great till one night I said what the hell and ordered one on line. The next day I had buyer's remorse but it was too late. Good thing I love it so much." 

And then another friend, a reluctant computer friend who didn't even answer her emails in the past, sends me an email from ............ you guessed it - Her I Pad!  What is happening?  Why am I missing out on all this fun?

Of course, I feel that now I need one too so the journey begins - I-Pad or Android?  Where is the key board?  What is essential and non-essential?  All this from someone who started out teaching not with an I Pad but with a Jelly pad.   What is a jelly pad you ask - not quite as ancient as the stone tablet, it was a simple method of transferring pictures to a child's book as an alternative to the existing printing technology of the guistetner which was super messy.  The jelly pad was simply  a gelatine mixture in a cake tin; you traced over the image with carbon paper, placed it onto the jelly into which it sank.  You then pressed each book onto the pad to make a print.  (A search on Google says it was called a
'hectograph or gelatin duplicator and was used in the 20th century' - remember the 1900's.)
Ok - so we are moving forward  - the question is do I really really need an I pad or an Android?
Clara :)

ps - do you know these symbols yet? A friend passed this on to me - he picked it up from his kids and general chat on FB (Facebook) and Twitter. It's like street slang that has just evolved as people want to type less online and sms.
:) means smile -look at it sideways (tilt head left)
;) means wink smile
:( means sad
:D means big smile
Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au