Maori Boys

I just watched this music video on TV and couldn't resist the urge to share NZ music with everyone. I honestly, started watching this and couldn't stop...I felt like I had been time-warped to the 90's. I think most of the street scenes were filmed on Queen Street. PLEASE ENJOY!

Leaky Ceilings

Mike and I had the unfortunate discovery of a large puddle of water in our kitchen during the first heavy rainstorm here. I initially thought I had left the fridge or freezer open, since I am scatter-brained and have a tendency to do that, but it was the ceiling. On Sunday morning we had a huge rainstorm, which left approximately 1/2 a liter of water in our strategically placed bucket. Unfortunately, we live in a country where it rains...LIKE EVERY DAY. Well, at least every day for the last few days (we've gotten the remnants of the storms that flooded Australia). I have been tasked with the chore of waiting for the plumber to arrive. Althought I don't necessarily mind staying home, I don't like being told I have to stay home until said plumber arrives. Mostly because he hasn't provided an inkling of a time frame for when he will arrive. I COULD BE STUCK HERE ALL DAY! I have a terribly exciting life to attend to...sort of.

Plumbing aside, Mike and I went on a photo scavanger hunt. Although we don't claim to be talented photographers, it was a great way to see the city and explore side streets and different places. I will post pictures of said scavanger hunt later because we have a few more pics to grab. On our scavanger hunt, I saw THE CUTEST, THE CUTEST dog in the whole world. AHH! I could've taken that dog home. Yes, it was small; yes, it was an accessory. Yes, I quickly began negotiations with Mike to acquire a similar dog (which were all unsuccessful). I don't know what breed it is though, any clues?

A Lesson

As I was stumbling throughout the world wide web, I found this amazing photo taken in the Queensland floods. Amazingly enough, the snake is giving the frog a ride to dry land. According to the photographer, the snake did not eat the frog upon landing. Perhaps we should all take a lesson from the snake and the frog and realize we accomplish more working together than we do working apart.

Coconut Cream

Coconut Cream
Heavenly. That is what I have to say about this dessert. It is a definite fix to a sweet tooth and it isn't terribly difficult to make. The hardest part of this dessert, for me, was getting it to stand properly, for a photo, other than that I just scooped it out in big jumbled pieces and it was just as good.


Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 cups cold milk
3 (3.5 ounce) packages instant coconut cream pudding mix
1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in the pecans. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth; fold in 1 cup whipped topping. Spread over the crust. In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with coconut. Refrigerate overnight.

I found this recipe at: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/coconut-cream-dessert/Detail.aspx

Banana Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes

I have an INTENSE love for a really delicious banana cupcake. Especially, a banana cucpcake with cream cheese frosting. As Rachel Ray would say, "Yum-O." The great thing about banana cupcakes is the banana makes them very moist, so you would really have to muck up the recipe for these cupcakes to turn out terrible. I decorated mine with M&M's, since that was all I had in my magic food cupboard, but usually you would class them up with a bit of chopped walnuts. DO NOT SKIMP ON THE BUTTERMILK!!! It is ESSENTIAL to the perfect cupcake (Yes, I'm yelling at you by writing in all-caps)!

The Best Ever Banana Cake (courtesy Recipezaar)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
2 1/8 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas ( 2 big bananas )

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 200 degC
2. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
3. In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
5. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
7. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
8. Stir in banana mixture.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
10. Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes.
11. This will make the cake very moist.
12. For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
13. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla.
14. Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
15. Spread on cooled cake.
16. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting

The Pavlova

Pavlova
The longer I live in New Zealand, the more I've come to understand the behemothic importance of the Pavlova to the Kiwis. Pavlova is a dessert named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, and was so named after the dancer toured in Australia and New Zealand. Herein lies the debate: both the Aussies and the Kiwis claim the origin of the dessert. In fact, the competition of the "Pav" is so intense that Kiwis made the world's largest pavlova to one-up the Australians, and as far as I can tell, the Aussies haven't recovered. When visiting New Zealand, it's probably best to believe that the Kiwis claim ownership.

Making Pavlova
1. INVEST IN AN ELECTRIC MIXER
The beautiful sculpture of a pav seen above was created using a hand mixer, I don't recommend it. Have you ever tried creating a meringue and home whipped creme with a hand mixer?

Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Servings: 1 pavlova

Ingredients:

• 3 Egg Whites
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Directions:

Beat egg whites until stiff (forms peaks).

Add sugar - heaped tablespoon at a time - beating well after each addition. Then beat for at least 10 minutes. This is very important.

Then sprinkle vinegar, cornflour and vanilla essence into mixture. Beat until blended.Coat baking paper with water drops to allow baking paper to stick to sides of tin and pile pavlova mixture in 20cm circle.

Heat oven until 300°F (or 150°C). Put pav in oven and immediately turn oven down to 250°F (or 125°C) and leave for 1 hour. Then turn oven off and leave in oven until cold. (Usually overnight).

This makes a nice crust on outside of pav. Before serving, cover pav in whipped cream and decorate with your favourite fruit.

I got this recipe from: http://www.kiwiwise.co.nz/recipe/grandma-taylors-pavlova-recipe

Cape Reinga 2

Lighthouse 2

Distances from the tippy-top of New Zealnd

Where the Tasman meets the Pacific

Maori man giving tourist a traditional greeting

Cape Reinga

It was windy, that's why Mike is squinting

The Lighthouse

Glamour shots by Deb

More glamour shots by Deb

Te Paki Sand Dunes

Truck to rent boogie boards, complimentary instruction on how to get the least amount of sand up your nose

Brave dune riders, the man sliding down completely lost his board moments later

The hill is a lot bigger than it looks

Mike and I

90-Mile Beach

Kauri wood carving

Staircase in Kauri Tree

Mike at 90-Mile Beach

Me at 90-Mile Beach

St. Paul's Rock

Yay!

Mike and his thinking face, though the robocup shirt robs him of credibility.

A 70-year old couple came down this right before us...I didn't think I was going to make it

OMG! We live in New Zealand (the grass appears inviting but it was full of spiders)

Puketi Forest 2

Dinosaur-sized fern

Giant Kauri Tree

Sun peaking through the trees

Another giant Kauri

Puketi Forest

Our campsite, minus the territorial bird that terrifed Mike for two days.

Yeah...it's not what you think

Felled Kauri Tree, could make 10 houses from one tree

Medium sized Kauri Tree...much bigger than they appear in the photographs.

Hot Water Beach

The peaceful side of the beach

Beach-goers digging holes to get to the hot water, then sitting in them like savages.

I should practice better posture

Yeah! Bay Watch Action.