These are a few of my favourite things (for the moment)

Sorry, the title was just so I could pull together some random things.

Pears: I have been eating at least a pear a day for the last couple of weeks. William Bartlett pears are cheap, good and in season at the moment. I have never really been into pears, apples or nashis, yes, but not pears. Also different fruit must have a time, place, variety and ripeness and no weird brown bits. E.g. I will eat fuji, sundowner and gala apples and they may be eaten whole. Green apples, nashis and pears (only bartlett so far) must be quartered and cored. Bananas (cavendish only) must be slightly under-ripe. Strawberries are more exciting to buy than to eat, ditto grapes, there are always some in my fridge, festering slowly. Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

I decided I would do some baking with the pears. I cooked 2 pears with some soft brown sugar, a little butter, powdered ginger, crystallised ginger and mixed spice. (sorry, I am crap at measuring things... go all out with the quantities!) I cooked it until it was all caramel-ly and soft. Then I let it cool as I made the following cake and folded the pear mix through at the end

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/13581/cinnamon+tea+cake

When done I brushed it with melted butter and sprinkled with a mix of caster sugar, mixed spice and extra ground ginger.

The end result was amazing!!!! It tasted like a gingery doghnut with chunks of pears. Could have actually been more pear-y so next time I will try 3 to 4 pears. I will definitely make this again soon!

Another thing I like at the moment is this pasta: super quick, fresh and yummy. Literally made in less than 10 minutes.

I call it "Awesome Tuna Pasta for One (sexy lady)"

Put saucepan of salted water on to boil.

Tear up a couple of fresh lasagne sheets (I use the latina ones they are thin and when they cook are soft and lovely. 2 of these is enough for 1 person. )

Throw pasta into pot when boiling and cook for 4 minutes (time from when pasta comes back to the boil) While it is boiling keep going with the other preperation.

Open tin of tuna in oil (sirena brand is yummy, don't use the stuff in brine it tastes like old fishtank water, also, the oil is good for you and you drain off most of it anyway, don't make me tell you again not to use the stuff in brine or even worse in springwater: YUK)

Roughly chop a big handfull of flat leaf parsley.

Toast a tablespoon or two of pine nuts (I do this in the microwave)

Zest a medium lemon.

When pasta is done drain and throw in tuna, parsley and a little olive oil and squeeze the entire lemon into it (trust me, its not too much lemon go crazy with it!)

Put back onto burner until the excess water and lemon has evaporated and the pasta is heated through. Add salt and pepper.

Put into a bowl and sprinkle with pinenuts and lemon zest. Yummy. I like it beacause all the lemon cuts through the tuna and you still get the texture of the tuna but with a far milder taste.

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WARNING: Not food related!!!

I recently found this bracelet that I bought last year at the British Museum gift shop (best tourist destination gift shop I have ever been in!) and I had to have it. It is more creamy toned in real life. (I should have shown either more or less of my hand in this photo as it looks like a strange puffy stump)

The bracelet has 8 different metal panel thing each with a different design.

I am making an effort to wear more of my statement jewellery as I have a lot of it but am a bit lazy to put it on.

I am also making an effort to have fresh flowers in the house. I really think it is a fairly low cost way to spoil yourself and brighten your day. Lillies are not my favourite flower: a bit boring and conventional but they are long lasting and relatively inexpensive. These lasted 2 weeks.

I had some tulips a couple of weeks ago when the weather was cooler and they lasted a full week and were gorgeous. Such a great colour. It is getting a bit warm for them now thought.

Well that's it for this evening. I have to go now and watch Man vs Wild (SBS 8.30pm monday)with Bear Grylls (yes, that is his name) an ex British SAS guy who likes to scale mountains with no gear, wrestle snakes, eat scorpionsdrink the liquid from elephant poos and generally be very manly in the outdoors. Sorry Mr Undomestic Goddess, but if I was stuck in the wilderness I would choose Bear Grylls over you. But I love you anyway!

Nighty-night!