Poached chicken....once tried, never forgotten....

Okay folks.

Not long to Christmas now.

Here in Australia, it's dang hot during the Festive Season. So I tend to try to find do ahead type dishes that allow us to chill on the day...literally and figuratively.

This is a firm favourite for any time of year here, but especially at Christmas. It yields a full flavoured, moist and succulent result, that you just don't get with baking or pan frying. Once you've tried chicken breast prepared this way, there's not turning back.

You need:

Approximately 1 skinless chicken breast per person (that is half of a full breast of chicken)

6 cups of stock or flavour infused water

Equipment:

One large saucepan or wok with a firm fitting lid

One large container with lid for storage

How to:

Bring your flavour infused water or stock to a slow boil. Ideas for flavours include commercial stock cubes, peppercorns and bay leaves, half commercial stock with half coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves and coriander (cilantro), white wine and vegetable stock.

Pop the skinless chicken breasts into the simmering stock and return to the boil. Put the lid on and switch OFF. Yes...off. This works best on an electric hotplate where the heat subsides slowly, but can still be achieved with gas by giving the water another heat blast after about ten minutes of resting. Rest the whole thing, lid on-no peeking, for about 25 minutes.

Check the chicken breasts by slicing one in half (you'll be slicing them for serving anyway). They should be moist and juicy and succulent. If they are still pinkish or raw in the thickest part, return to the stock and rest for a further 10 minutes, reheating the stock just a tad first. Dont' boil it or the chicken will become tough!

Store the breasts in the cooking liquid until ready to use. This keeps them juicy. These can be prepared up to 48 hours ahead of use.

To serve, carve across the breast diagonally into thick slices and arrange attractively on your serving platter.

Seve over a finely sliced home made coleslaw, and garnish with anything from salsa, to guacamole, to fresh mango and coriander (cilantro), to dukkah, as pictured. My festive dukkah is a ground combination of nuts, dates and citrus zest and is utterly delicious if I do say so myself!

But that recipe is for another day...

What's on your Tray of Bliss today?

More Boho Gypsy Bedroom...Peacock chairs and feathers...

On my Tray of Bliss today is a handful of Peacock feathers.

The Diva and I purchased these on a recent trip to Alma Park Zoo. She's decided to have them displayed on her shelves in her new Boho Gypsy bedroom, in a big tall vase.

The funny thing is, I remember doing exactly the same thing at her age. Is it just a perennial obsession with this age group, or is it a case of all fashion, personal or decor, comes around in circles?

They will look rather lush, and I couldn't help but recall that I also had what is called a Peacock chair like these ones....

...so of course the hunt is now on for a similar one for her.

Fortunately they are a thing that isn't terribly in vogue presently, so they make regular appearances at the local thrift shop. That said, I've probably just cursed myself and I won't see one for yonks!

I used to have my Peacock chair in a sunny corner of my bedroom with a comfy cushion and a batik sarong draped over it. Well, it was the 70's!

Hers will be somewhat more lush. Perhaps a velvety shawl or a hand knitted blanket will be more welcoming.

What's on your Tray of Bliss today?

Motherly Advice....Living a fulfilled life...

In the interests of this post, I'll share that I have a family history of Ovarian Cancer. 

My mother and maternal Aunt and Grandmother all succumbed to this insidious disease at around the age of 60 years. Therefore, at the age of 51, I find myself taking stock of where I am and what I have achieved in my life.

Okay, I'm never going to be a political leader, a Princess, a film star or a celebrity chef.

But a wise person once said to me, 'just do the things that fulfill you, and then if the time comes to face Death, you can do so with peace in your heart'.

That time comes for all of us.

So how do you make sure that that peace is in your heart when it arrives?

I don't believe in a Bucket List as such. This term of course, made famous by the movie of the same name, (as far as I am aware) where two men work their way through a list of 'must do or see' tasks before dying. The term arising as they wanted these things seen or done before they 'kicked the bucket'.

I had one when I was young, although it was a list of goals back then, not a Bucket List. Dying was far from my mind and my Mother was young and healthy. Being the driven young woman that I was, I actually achieved quite a lot of the ambitions on my list before I turned 30. Then I had my third son 11 weeks prematurely, he was subsequently diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and I was told he would never walk or participate fully in life (well, they were wrong there!), and suddenly those things on my list were no longer important.

My list went from 'Become Lord Mayor' and 'Be a famous writer', to 'make sure Mr A has the life to which he is entitled', 'put affairs in order in case something happens to me and Mr A has to survive without me' and so on.

At this stage, I achieved all I set out to for Mr A. He is a fine young man, successfully living independently, playing a sport, doing his own shopping, studying and participating in life to the fullest of his abilities.

My other sons are happy and successful, and my daughter is able to follow her theatrical and dance passions. Importantly, I also have a loving husband, who means the world to me.

I've travelled a little, been treated to some pretty gems, have a beautiful home and garden of my dreams, and a life that I can, overall, look back upon with pride.

Thankfully though, I am hard pressed to imagine what else I need to do to find peace.

I am at peace with my life, my experiences, my mistakes and my own personal failings. I don't seek a better life, a better job, a better husband or a better house. I have loved, been loved, been disappointed, heartbroken, sad, and lonely. I have grieved for a parent, a friend, a grandparent, a baby. I have driven an old car and a new car, and they were both just a means of transportation. I have made a difference in the life of disabled people and been blessed with a longed for girl child after having three wonderful sons. I have travelled a little and seen the parts of the world that make my heart sing. I've viewed the Mona Lisa, The Thinker and Monets Garden. I've met movie stars and rock stars. I've escaped tragedy on more occasions than I like to explore.

In my dreams, I can fly (and I do so often), I can converse with my Mother, speak my mind to lost loves, mend friendships, say the thing I meant to say, respond with witty repartee, and sail and ski and run fast. I don't need to do those things in my waking life.

My bucket runneth over.

What's on your Tray of Bliss today?

Windows to the World...

Sorry...I've been painting. My daughters new room that is.

She's away for a few days at school camp, so we're taking the opportunity to make some progress with her Gypsy Bohemian Bedroom.

The walls will be this colour. It's called Taubmans Daylight and it's the colour of this clear sunny sky. That's what my daughter requested..."a sunny sky colour Mummy'...

Her furniture is white, and we have patchwork covers in happy reds, blues, and pinks.

So her window coverings will be pretty gelato colours in the same shades, done as above. Swathes of voile in muted reds, white, and pastel shades, no two the same.

Pretty.

What's on your Tray of Bliss today?