Happy Grand Final Day!

Happy AFL Grand Final Day Everyone.  It has been a productive week in Casa Di Idealiving, sorry for the lack of blogs this week, but I will say the past twenty-four hours the sewing machine has been working hard.

Unfortunately, for our house hold, there is only one football team you support (if you want to be left in my fathers will) being the Adelaide Crows.  I am quite embarrassed to confess this at the current point in time, considering they finished fourteenth of the Premiership ladder.  My poor Dad is so obsessed with the Crows to the point that when Oliver was born he instantly became a Adelaide Crows member and of course with all the merchandise.  At three days of age he was photographed with the memorabilia...... obsessed much??!!
Luckily, the poor child starts AFL lessons next term, let's just hope he has more hand eye coordination than his mother does.  My sporting experience does not extend to far, for example; tennis, I hit more balls over the fence rather than the net, netball I prefer to run from the ball as I am really to concerned about damaging my nails and even cricket involves catching a ball!!  Best to put me in a dance class, in a Pilate's or yoga studio where less damage to myself or more importantly to others can be done!

So, before you all run off to the shops to buy a horrible pack of sausages to cook up at your AFL Grand Final parties this afternoon, have a look at the following recipe, its quick, yummy and I am certain sounds far more appetizing than a pack of sausages;

Mini Chicken Souvlakia
Makes 20
Prep & Cook Time 35 minutes (+ Refrigeration)
Ingredients:
1kg Free Range Chicken Thighs
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/3 cup finely chopped mint
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (if you like your food hot, I change it to 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika and 1 teaspoon of mild paprika)
Plus Approximately 20 bamboo skewers
Method:
Trim any fat away from the chicken and cut into 2cm thick strips.  combine chicken with remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Thread chicken onto bamboo skewers and refrigerate for approximately 3 hours.  Note, soak the bamboo skewers in cold water for an hour before using to prevent them from scorching during cooking.  Cook skewers on heated oiled grill plate, preferably barbecue, until browned and cooked through.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.**

I also like to serve these with a yogurt and garlic dressing.  This is very simple,  all you need to do is combine 2 cloves of crushed garlic with 1 cup of good quality plain Greek yogurt some cracked pepper and sea salt flakes.  Stir to combine and serve in a nice bowl.

So, hope you all have a fabulous long weekend and Grand Final Day.  As for me, well it's not officially midday yet so the lovely bottle of Elderton Shiraz (Thanks Ashmead gang xx) may have to stay unopened, well 55 minutes and counting....
Have a fabulous one lovelys.
Enjoy,
Tammy xx

** Mini Chicken Souvlakia, The Australian Women's Weekly Christmas & Holiday Entertaining 2009/2010