Thursday, December 15, 2011

Just Off The Topic...iiNet's Freezone

I do hope the end of the year finds everyone well. I myself cannot believe this year is coming to an end...where does the time go???

But I just wanted to write a quick post on well, a little of everything. And believe it or not, nothing culinary related.

First up, internet connection.

If you are reading this on your laptop, then you most certainly already have internet connection in your abode (unless you have managed to figure out your neighbours Wi Fi password!). But a super, duper quick, easy-to-read-bill coupled with fabulous customer service is what I am looking for in my internet connection company and I must say, iiNet provides all 3 and more!

When I was searching for a new internet company earlier this year (I have never researched this before this as I was always privileged enough to have male housemates that did it for me!), I knew iiNet was the way to go because that was what the house was using before. Despite it's pricier menu when compared to it's competitors, what attracted me most was it's contract-less nature and ease of setting it up. Additionally, the package came with VoiP.

If you don't know what the latter is, well, shame on you. It's basically a phone line (yes, you get an actual phone home number, often beginning with an 8 here in Victoria) whereby all you do is purchase the cheapest cordless handset (I got a Uniden for a mere $25 and gosh, they are 100% better than those Panasonics!!!!) and literally plug it into the phone socket.

VoiP uses your internet data and allows you to make calls to national landline numbers for virtually nothing. Think Skype. So why would you need VoiP you ask? Well, it permits you to own a "landline" phone number as a means of contact, lest you did not want to give out your private mobile number.

But what I really wanted to shout out from the mountain tops is that iiNet also has this thing called Freezone and I will literally cut and paste what it is: "The iiNet Freezone is a selection of sites and servers on the internet that you can download from, without it counting towards your monthly quota. Better still, if you do max out your quota, downloads from anywhere in the Freezone can still be accessed at full speed".

If there is a reason why I am watching less telly, it's because I am glued instead to ABC iView and You Tube. Better still, my laptop is portable which means I get to watch Nigella's Feasts whilst hanging the laundry outside, sitting on the throne inside, cooking in the kitchen plus the all-fabulous whilst lying in bed before I go to sleep (and yes, my laptop has accidentally fallen from the bed because of the latter!).

If you are a fan of Grand Designs and it's catchy opening tune plus Restoration Home and Country House Rescue, you might want to check this out. You can also catch Alan Kohler with all his witty latest financial news on Inside Business (remember when he wore glasses???). The fabulous thing about it is that is not only free fiscally, but also advertisement free and you can fast forward, pause and re-play!!!

I cannot believe I have written an entire post about this but I think it is something worth sharing. Watching Nigella whip up her Strawberry Cloud Cake whilst I am washing my hair in the shower is definitely worth raving about :):)

NB: Goodness, no, I was not paid by iiNet for penning this post. I wish I was though...:)


Thursday, December 1, 2011

Piri Piri Chicken & Dressed Potatoes (JO's 30 Minute Meals)

With salsa music playing the background, Leng and I whipped up a weekday night dinner of Jamie's Piri Piri chicken and dressed sweet potatoes. It was decided on a whim and before you could say "let me take out the chook from the freezer" we had already made the piri piri sauce in the Magimix!

VERDICT: 8.5/10 The sauce tasted just like what you get from Nando's!!! Amazing! Because we grilled it on the Weber and then continued to bake it in there instead of the oven, we also got the fabulous grilled/bbq flavour.

The only thing I would change next time would be to perhaps add a bit of sugar as the sauce was beautifully sour. This would probably aid in the chicken getting a sticky, glazed appearance too.

Recipe here




Leng made the potatoes and it was really easy! Jamie uses the microwave for the first time in his career on his cooking shows to make this rustic mash.