Turn up the heat for tradtional dinners
My friends said that they were cranking up the air con in Australia on Christmas day as their mum's had made traditional turkey dinners. It was almost 40degrees and they were sweating inside as their oven was on cooking their big birds all day. We instead were cranking up the heat and braving a bit of nippy weather to bbq our Christmas dinner. Not very traditional indeed, I don't think we have ever had a turkey at Christmas. Luckily it was sunny and the cold was a dry biting cold so it wasn't too bad, and Quinn did it all while we sat around the fireplace -thanks SQ! Also, from all the of toys my nephew received he loved this box full of food toys the most. Perhaps there is a budding chef there? Many times we would find him with all the pots and pans and bottles of oil and vinegar spread out before him while he quietly was in his own world stirring and 'cooking.' Just need to make sure that when he gets strong enough to open these bottles that they are filled with water. He needs to keep practicing as he is going to make us Christmas lunch one day, maybe it will be a turkey by then.

What you always wanted to know about sausages

1. The word sausage comes from the Latin word salsus, which means something salted
2. Sausages are eaten at 71% of UK BBQs - not a surprise?!
3. 50% of British households buy sausages at least once a month
4. Sausages were called 'bangers' during WWII because they exploded when fried, due to the high water content- I always wondered why they were called that
   
5. Sausages are mentioned in Homer's Odyssey

There, now you have some dinner party fodder in case you were stuck!

BBQ femme fatalesScared to turn the propane tank off, burned the steaks and let 50% of the roasted vegetable slices fall through the grill - for Saturday's dinner the ladies were in charge of the BBQ while the men were at the Pillar and Post spa getting massages - huh - role reversal non?!

It took three females in different shifts and using different techniques to dodge the billowing smoke to make the steaks, vegetables and potatoes. They were all well done of course as bloody steaks are not the favorite with the laydees. It was a funny sight and these two photos show how lovely Lisa was presiding over the bbq at one point. It was all done with a little flare-jewelery et al.

My sister's latest and greatest thing to cook on the bbq is finely sliced potatoes with the skin on them. They taste amazing - just lightly brush them with oil and place them on the grill. Be careful not to lose most of them down the grill - this happened to her but probably because she was using a faulty set of tongs. (notice the jewels, manicure and...charred steak-men don't look this nice bbq'ing)

Men - teach your ladies to bbq so when you happen to be at the spa we can hold court!