Funny coloured eggs + hot cross buns

I've been totally out of blogging and blog-hopping lately. Kind of missed my regular cyber haunts but have also been busy doing other things. Guess this happens to almost everyone, huh?



Got a heat-activated, gel-type egg colouring kit from a supermarket and had a lot of fun 'marbling' eggs and trying not to make a mess on the table and work tops. Had so much fun that I even coloured the uncooked eggs - which meant when I used them, I had to be careful cracking them open. Making trouble for myself, eh?




A happy Easter to Christians and happy holidays to those who get four days off. :)
These Hot Cross Buns were made from this recipe.



Had no idea how they're supposed to taste but I liked them well enough eaten warm with butter (first bun pic). I subbed some of the orange juice in the frosting with lime juice to make it nice and tangy. This is an untraditional 'paste' for the crosses. Traditionally crosses are made of flour and sugar mixed with water or milk and can be quite stringy or tough.


The texture of the buns is quite light and fluffy. I put in dried cranberries and sultanas, and bits of sweetened orange rind on some of the crosses.

Rat-tailed Dog in the Year of the Ox + Spanish Omelette

Phew, I'm like a new mum (at this advanced age!) -- exhausted from endless rounds of walks, run-arounds in the park and me putting on coat and shoes (I need Velcro sneakers! Can't tie shoelaces anymore for the umpteenth time!).

The pup has grown into a teenage mutant ninja Dogzilla. Just look at the contrasting pictures.










Where has the cute little pup gone?!



Like a typical rebellious teenager, she at times does not do what I ask her to and even 'talks' back by making funny noises or barking once loudly (that got put paid with 'correction' from the puppy expert who visits us once a month). The picture at right shows you the "don't tell me what to do" brooding face, with her left ear flipped up punk-rock-style. Nice, huh? Oh, and she steals my couch-blanket too when I leave her alone in the living-room. The cheek. Apparently I'm now her 'mum' as she isn't that crazy about her original dog-mother-smell-infused towel we brought her back with.

And she snores. (Isn't it enough that my other half snores? I must be paying back for some past-life karma.)

So who has the time to cook elaborate dishes? Not me. So here's a
Spanish Omelette,
adapted from recipes on the 'Net and what a Spanish friend taught me:

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium potato, cut into small cubes
salt n pepper, to taste
1/2 onion, chopped (optional)
3 eggs
1 tomato, cubed
4 button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 tablespoons grated cheese (optional)
1 tablespoon chives or spring onions, snipped (optional)


Method:

1. Heat oil to medium hot in a small frying pan (the size you want for your omelette). Cook the potato cubes in it for 10 minutes, or until you can pierce a piece with a chopstick.
2. Grind salt and pepper to taste over the potato. Add mushrooms, onions (the Spaniards do NOT usually use onion or garlic for this but I like them) and whatever veggies you like. Add tomato last.
3. Beat eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour into the veggies in pan. Sprinkle grated cheese over it if using.
5. Down heat to medium-low. Cover the pan if you like -- to help the top to gel faster.
6. Lift side of omelette to check done-ness. Be careful not to overcook. Carefully slide the omelette onto a plate bigger than your pan. Replace upside-down pan over it (put a silicone or heat-proof pad over pan bottom if it feels safer) and flip over. Remove plate and place pan back on stove.
7. Cook for 1 or 2 more minutes and invert or slide omelette onto serving plate. Eat it warm (before the dog needs to go out for yet another pee-poo).