Easter Egg Hunt

Yesterday we went to the IWCU annual Easter egg hunt for the kids.
The weather was about a million times better than it was last year! The sun was shining and it wasn't particularly cold - in other words the perfect morning to go running around outside.

The kids loved hunting for eggs and of course they loved eating them even more... unfortunately it is rather hard for the husband and I to resist them too so their stash is disappearing at an alarming rate.

My cute little bunny:

Hope you have a great week ahead!

Dancing Queen

Stella had her last dance lesson this week.

It was a little bittersweet since all her friends will go on to the next set of classes and she will not because we are moving. I guess I better find her something similar in our new town.

Here she is, having the time of her life.

Enjoy your weekend!

Spicy Sausage Pasta

Sometimes you need a little bit of heat.
A subtle hit of chili to wake up the senses.

That is exactly what my spicy sausage pasta did. Merques sausages, jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, tomato frito, onions and garlic. With the obligatory olive oil, balsamic vinegar and some cayenne pepper. Add a dash of cooking cream to the sauce and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Delicious and very spicy indeed!

Monday, Monday

Here we are again.
The start of a new week.
I booked our move date (the end of May) and already have boxes arriving this week... I need to start packing because I'm obsessing about it. I also want to either trash, donate or sell a LOT of stuff.

But first I'm heading out to visit a friend whom I have not seen in ages. Yay!

Here is Stella, devouring a cucumber.
To say she is not fond of vegetables is an understatement.
My silly little girl.

Lists...

We have a million things to do.

OK, I know everyone has a million things to do but it feels a little overwhelming right now with the new house and everything. I have long lists...

This week I:
- got quotes from moving companies;
- ordered grass for the new house;
- confirmed a delivery week for our floors;
- gave notice for Stella's playgroup;
- gave notice for Heidi's dance class;
- gave notice for my sewing lessons;
- went to two different schools in Doorn and found one that can take both kids;
- enrolled Heidi in her new school;
- gave notice to her current school;
- made an appointment for Heidi to spend a morning at the new school in May;
- had a disagreement with the current school principal due to an 'administrative error' on their side and I'm still waiting for an apology from him which will probably never happen;
- measured all furniture in our house to see if they will fit in the new one;
- checked whether my library card is valid in our new town, and it might be the same province but no, I have to cancel and reapply;
- went looking for a bargain on curtains but so far no luck, the search continues.

My husband also gave notice to our Internet and television provider and got our new house linked to our current energy and gas provider.

Big sigh.

Little by little we do what we can. This weekend we will start the DIY work on the house so wish me luck.

On a brighter note - the weather has been glorious and we spent yesterday afternoon outside drawing on the courtyard.

Hope you have a lovely sunny weekend ahead!

Tuna, Courgette and Lemon Pasta

I'm sure I've mentioned this tuna pasta before... it is becoming a weekly favourite in our house.
For me and the husband, but not so much for the kids.
The best thing about it is the fact that it a quick dinner with very basic ingredients.
I tend to make enough pasta for all of us and then divide it with a tuna sauce for us and something else (like cheese!) for the kids.

You need one or two courgettes, a lemon, two cans of tuna (in oil or water), a clove of garlic, a dash or two of olive oil, 125ml creme fraiche (low fat) and the pasta of your choice.

Start with cooking your pasta - you will make the sauce while the pasta cooks which with dried pasta should take 12 - 15 minutes. Halve and then slice the courgette into thin slices, sprinkle some salt over and let it sit aside while you heat the olive oil and crush the garlic. Drain any water from the courgette and add it with the garlic to the pan. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Zest the lemon and add it to the courgette with the juice of half the lemon (I'm assuming a small to medium lemon). Once the courgette is almost cooked add the tuna to the pan and heat it through for a couple of minutes, also add the rest of the lemon juice. Now add the creme fraiche, mix it well and heat it up for about a minute. Add to the pasta and mix well - serve immediately with a bit of parmesan cheese.

Yummy!

Sausage with Polenta and a Tomato, Mushroom and Aubergine Sauce

I love polenta.
It is tasty, easy and most importantly: cheap!
You can slow cook it or it can be cooked in about 10 minutes depending on the type you use (I'm not that patient so you know how it went in my kitchen).
Cook it with milk or with water or with stock or a combination of all three. And here is the kicker, you can even let it chill and then grill it later!!
Lots of potential for experimentation :-)

I served my polenta with a basic beef sausage and a hearty tomato and mushroom sauce. Basically a lot of mushrooms, tinned tomatoes, one aubergine peeled and diced, one big onion and a clove of garlic with a bit of pepper, beef stock and a dash of sugar. And grate some parmesan cheese over the polenta once you've served it if you have some!

The kids are still a bit wary of polenta but at least they have been tasting it without spitting it out and that is the first step..