Dinner with the Girls... (and 6 children)

Last night it was Valentine's Day. And I could have had a romantic dinner with candlelight, roses and sweet-nothings. But I would much rather share a Saturday night with my 2 gorgeous girl-friends and their various off-spring.

The fact that that there were no offers of romance is incidental. Even if there had been, I would still have chosen dinner with my fabulous friends and 6 children. No, really. I would.

I don't get to sit down with my girlfriends nearly enough, so it is vitally important that we have quality chat time.

No exaggeration! The importance of conversation (catch-up, information sharing, the revealing of secrets, general chit-chat and giving of advice) cannot be underestimated.

So, it is always my goal to get out of the kitchen when the crowd descends, and get myself thoroughly involved with what is being shared.

Determined to have that 'quality friend time' (ie. "quality time spent with friends", as well as "time spent with quality friends"). I put together a menu of old favourites - all made well in advance.

Lamb stew - prepped in the morning, and left simmering in the slow cooker for 6 hours. Have to love the slow cooker.

Roast vegetable and rocket salad - prepped in the morning, and tossed together with the dressing at the last minuteCriss-cross potatoes - a baked potato variation, that is prepped an hour or so before the guests arrive.

Home-made pizzas for the children - easy-peasy, made ahead, into the oven just before arrival time.

And home-made, smooth-as-velvet, totally-wicked, chocolate ice-cream. More about this tomorrow. (note to self: do NOT finish all the ice-cream, must leave some to photograph. Must leave in freezer. Do not be tempted!

To make it even easier for everyone (that is, easier for me), I set everything up as a buffet, and let the beasts loose.

The roast vege and rocket salad is always a hit. It has substance, tastes great, looks impressive, and is 99% made ahead.

300-350g peeled butternut pumpkin
300-350g peeled sweet potato
250g zucchini
2 red onions peeled and cut into wedges
1 Tbsp olive oil
Ground black pepper
Sea Salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
50g rocket leaves
1/3 cup balsamic dressing of some sort

Chop the pumpkin, potato, onion and zucchini into large bite size pieces. Too small, and they tend to burn.

Lay all the chunks in a baking tray. Smother with olive oil. Add a generous amount of black pepper and salt, and toss about with your hands, to ensure every piece is well coated.

Ooppps, forgot the zucchini. Let's try that again....




Right, that looks better.

Roast in a 180-200 degree oven for about 30-35 mins.

I know I sound a bit vague on this, but I've come to learn that every oven is different. Mine seems to be hot... if a recipe says 200 degrees, then I opt for 180. You know your oven, and what works best for you.

And if you aren't on intimate terms with your major kitchen appliances yet, then just keep an eye on the proceedings. Don't presume that the temperature and time in a recipe will be perfect for you. I've learnt this the hard way.

When you remove the veges from the oven, turn it off, and pop in the pine-nuts on a baking tray. The heat from the oven will toast them nicely. Do not forget they are there. Do not leave them for longer than about 3-4mins. I did. And I had to re-do the nuts.

In fact I had to replace the pine nuts with slivered almonds, because I mutilated the pine nuts, and I didn't have any more. The slivered almonds still went well with the salad... so it wasn't a major calamity. I mean I've had worse disasters in the kitchen. This was nothing!

Put aside the nuts. Put aside the veges in a large serving bowl. Leave them on the bench, or chill in the fridge.

A little bit before you are ready to serve, add the rocket leaves and nuts to the roast vegetables. Add the dressing. Toss about a little. Done.

This salad is best at room temperature, so you can leave covered on the bench until it's time to eat.

This salad is also good the next day. I love left-overs! The rocket will wilt a bit, but it still tastes pretty darn good.

The way to romance

Tomorrow is Valentine's. And it's impossible to miss... even when it bears absolutely no relevance to me. No flowers for me this year, no surprise packages, and no romantic dinners. Instead I am hosting a small gathering - a completely un-romantic get-together of 3 women and 6 children!

Between my 2 dearest friends and myself we have one husband on contract in Iraq, one husband working in Hong Kong, and one no-longer-a-husband. And 6 children.

But if I was planning a romantic dinner then I would focus on the key elements:

• ambience - soft light, candles and music
• dressing up - you just feel more romantic when you get out of the daggy tracky pants
• easy menu - so you stay at the table with your partner, and not sweating in the kitchen
• bubbles - because... they're perfect

These images were part of a photo shoot I did last year. This is not me. But it is my dress. It doesn't look this good on me.

Oh my aching sweet tooth !

I am on an eternal quest for the perfect Horizontal Hostess arrangement - that utopia of entertaining with: evocative ambiance; attractive, delicious, abundant food; conversation and laughs bubbling amongst fabulous people; and the hostess (me) in the midst of the proceedings with nothing more to do than pour the bubbles from time to time.

I have come to recognise that the buffet set-up is a very good option when trying to attain this ideal. And here is one gorgeous buffet (courtesy of Amy Atlas Events).

So, ok, this was put together for a kids party (can you just imagine the sugar rush), and doesn't cover many food groups. But it is just sooo enticing. And I don't even have a sweet tooth... give me salty chips, crunchy crackers, dips, pate and cheese any day. Still, there is something about this buffet that makes me feel like a kid again, and makes me want to dive in and grab a handful.

Goes to show that some flair in presentation goes a long way in creating interest, theme, and mood.

Here are some other divine dessert buffets from Amy Atlas... this time for grown-ups.




I adore this last one... it would be hard to feel 'piggy' when the goodies are presented so beautifully. Who knew cupcakes and chocolate could be so sophisticated.

I think I may have to plan a dessert buffet for one of my own gatherings.

A disaster that puts everything into perspective

Stories are now being told of the utter horror that has unfolded in Victoria.

I hug my children tight, as I hear of mothers and fathers trying desperately - and hopelessly - to escape.

The loss of life, the loss of homes, and the helplessness of having everything you own destroyed. It gives me such clear perspective on the tiny little problems - hiccups really - that arise daily in our lives.

It's an addiction

My name is Jo Dixon... and I am addicted to magazines.

Here is just some of my stash. (Please don't pay too much attention to the raw floorboards... a result of ripping up the carpet in a frenzy one morning, and not having decided what to replace it with).



I justify my habit.

Most of my monthly investments (please note: "investment" - not spending, splurging, or frivolous purchasing), are utterly necessary of course. Lifestyle, interiors, home, cooking... I need to be informed on all of this for my website.

Investing in local and international titles ensures that I have a broad base to draw inspiration from.

Of course, I do recognise that I have a little problem. I get excited with every new glossy cover. I know when most titles are due to hit the stand. And have been known to buy the same magazine twice... when I can't remember if I already have a title, usually because I haven't had time to read the original purchase.

But it could be worse. My addiction doesn't stop me from fitting into my favourite jeans, it doesn't kill my brain cells (I like to think I'm exercising the grey matter just a little), and what I read, and see, so often inspires me to do, and be, more.

So, I will not feel guilty.

But, I must decide how long to keep my back issues... I'm running out of space!!


This little guy will help hold back the onslaught of glossy pages.