Triumph at last!!!

The slow cooker quest has ended and also in the same day so has the Polenta quest!

I am now the proud owner of a Breville Banquet Meal Maker (no where near the RRP on the website I might add). Fourth store lucky, the first store I went to (begins with K) wouldn't sell me the one they had as it was their "display" one. Big props to Harvey Norman who after going and looking offered to pack up their one on display for me if I was happy to have it as they had no others left. Damn skippy as Lula would say.
And how cool is this, tucked into my box with my slow cooker was a little box which transpires to be some sort of joint promotion between Breville and McCormick giving you five of the new Slow Cooker recipe base range - Mild Chicken Curry, Tomato & Onion Sausages, Garlic & Herb Lamb Shanks, Mediterranean Chicken and Beef & Red Wine Casserole.

And for my polenta, I finally found it. The Coles located at K-Mart had it in their health food section, the little part where you go to find all the special gluten-free type things and other -free foods. I couldn't believe my luck so nabbed two packets.
Miss Stash informs that while out with Sandra D the other day they popped into that big health food store under the Quadrant car park and they also stock polenta as well as fine polenta.

I finally rented the final installment of Resident Evil, however as much as I liked it and as good as it was, it has left me in suspense. Seriously I hope there is a fourth installment some day, because I personally felt there was a lot of unanswered questions at the end, who made it to Alaska? What was there? Did Alice create a "cure" for the T-Virus in the underground laboratory? If so did it work? Have the evil Umbrella been finally crushed once and for all???
This is all stuff I wish they had answered.

I also rented a quirky Canadian film called Walk All Over Me about a small town girl who runs of to the big city and looks up her ex-babysitter, who now works as a dominatrix. Then Girl meets Boy, Boy turns out to be chased by Bad Man and hired goons because Bad Man thinks Boy stole money from him. Madness ensues as everybody trys to bluff everyone else and find the money first.

What I actually bought for my collection was Who's That Girl? starring Madonna. I love this movie, and I really liked Madonna in it. She was also good in Desperately Seeking Susan. But I really didn't like her in Dick Tracy as Breathless. Although I think her best big screen work ever was when she made Evita.
And apart from her cameo role in one of the recent Bond films I have never seen any of her other work. I really can't offer a full judgment on her acting ability.

The Daft White Cat is currently perched atop my monitor glaring at me and occasionally waving a paw at me. Must be feeding time.

I decided it was time for an update of what I have been cooking lately from Nigella's books.

There was the pancakes from Nigella Bites, whipped them up in the blender in mere seconds. Too easy and very yummy to eat.
The Chili from Feast, next time I'm keeping it all for myself. The Best Chili I have ever eaten! Alas no sign of polenta so I had to forgo the cornbread topping. And I accidentally over limed my guacamole. But otherwise a success. One thing I wasn't happy with the Chili was the cardamom pods, it's all good till you bite into one. Blah!!!
Then there was the Croque Monsieur Bake from Express, I left the mustard out as there is only one mustard eater in my family, if you make this and leave out the mustard - it needs something put back in it's place. I'd like sweet chili sauce, and also to omit the ham because I don't like ham.
It was a simple thing to throw together and then fridge it overnight.

Now I am sure there is something else I have tried recently from them, I don't have them to hand and I can't conjure up an image of anything.
I made the Cheese Risotto from Express a while ago, I loved it, I seriously need to practice my risotto making skills, but I figure since the first attempt was edible it was a success.
High-Speed Hamburgers also from Express are good, as is the Go Get 'Em Smoothie. And not forgetting the Glitzy Chocolate Puddings.

I am now the proud owner of a second slow cooker (crock-pot)! I was on the hunt for a slightly larger one than I already own, it's not worth trying to work out the fraction of difference I'd need to make in recipes to get them to fit my current one.
Alas unable to find what I wanted I ended up coming home with a baby one, a little 1.5L (approx 1 1/2 quarts) one! It is very cute, and I figured the right size to just put whatever is going to be dinner in and leave it till I come home.
Really I see myself using it for stuff I've already made in advance, and just popping it in and leaving it on low so I come home to already heated dinner. Or just when I'm home it'd be enough for soup for me to keep it hot, so I can pop back and have another bowlful.
This is vital in my house, having to wait for stuff to heat or be delivered, means I usually end up eating whatever I can in my fridge.

The big test will come, when I attempt to cook porridge in it! I love porridge and having read about other people making it in slow cookers I am very, very intrigued.

I made a trip into see the BlackSpot, their own brand equivalent stuff is all marked down to special prices, so I went to poke about and look for anything I might want. The Inca equivalent, same quantities of wool, acrylic and alpaca felt nasty where the Inca was lovely to feel and I have a hat started in some Inca somewhere so I know for sure it knits up nice.
I wanted to knit an alpaca project up and I have some but I can't remember what ply it is and think I may have to rejig the pattern slightly because I think it may be a tad finer ply.

Reminds me of a conversation we had at the knitting coven yesterday!

more cat pictures

Which incidentally put a woman with big boobs on the cover of a magazine and you sell more copies, a proved fact in publishing!

It's that time of year, again!

The Unholy Trinity perhaps???

I have two weeks of long blissful freedom before I go back to school and I plan to make the most of it!
Just started 2 nights ago is Vickie Howell's Peacock Scarf in some Vintage Hues. It has turned out really well so far, and I am super pleased with it.

For the first time ever, I saw Stargate Atlantis last night, I was up and roaming about when it started, I have no idea who anyone is or what the hell was going on. But the Man with the Dreads was Tasty!!!

I've treated myself to a new Bratz doll, whenever I'm in a department or toy store I always check for Bratz, I still haven't got my hands on the Wicked Twiins. You know one day I will walk into that aisle and they'll just be there waiting.
Anyway I came out today with a Play Sportz X-treme, I got the X-treme Kick Boxing one. The only other choice was a pile of X-treme Skateboarders. Obviously not as popular.
After showing Miss Stash my new acquisition, she told me she'd seen a Skydiving one in a toy sale catalog. Now that would have been cool to see!

Something that is going on my to buy list, cause it's not yet released is this new book Knock Down Knits: 30 Projects from the Roller Derby Track.
I was trying to explain to Miss Stash about Roller Derby this afternoon, if only I'd known about the book then as well. My mother knew what Roller Derby was, I was so impressed.
Now if someone will just write a book that combines pole dancing and knitting I'll be set....

And just because I love it, here is a clip from the 1950's of womens Roller Derby. It's a classic and dare I say slightly cooler looking than some of the modern clips I've seen.