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Category Archives: The Block

Chicken and Corn Chowder (or Nanchow)

Remember the cooking challenge we did on The Block? Well, we won with this recipe…

My Nan makes it and now we make it!

Ok, so I am NOT a cook. Not good at it. Although, I am capable, it’s just that I don’t enjoy it. I cook for survival.

But this one is easy! I can do this one!

Ingredients

1 onion
Bacon
1 carrot
2 potato
1 cooked barbecue chicken, with meat removed from carcass
1 can corn kernels
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 L milk

Instructions

Saute onion and diced bacon. Add dice carrot and diced potato. Add the chicken, then the can of corn kernels (including the juice). Add the can of soup, then the milk.

Simmer for 30 mins or until veggies are soft.

Garnish with salt and pepper and serve with crusty bread.

[Chipped bowl - that the Chambo's household for you ;) ]

So easy! Let me know if you make it too.

Oh and while I’m on the topic of food, my husband likes to make bruschetta every few weekends. I love this stuff!

Complete with Christmas plate and all ;)

PS. Yes, be shocked that I even took photos of food prepared by myself! This is the first and last time you’ll see my blog turn in to a food blog hahaha! I’m just not creative at all in that area! I’ll leave the food blogging to the experts :) I’m the kinda girl who flicks past the recipes as fast as I can in the magazines. My sister comes to my house and rips them all out as she knows I’ll never look at them. I’m just not that in to food. I go to restaurants and order the same thing every time. I’m not adventurous at all!

Enjoy…

Never ever look back

I was reading some blog posts the other day giving advice on social media. Boy, aren’t there are a stack of bad and confusing posts out there? If you’re new to the game, you could be left feeling overwhelmed and frightened!

Do this, do that, don’t do this…

I love giving advice, don’t get me wrong (I give it here and here and here). I love sharing what I know! But it can get confusing hey? Whose posts do you read? Where do you even start?

My biggest piece of advice is “never look back”. Own it.

I have learnt so much over the past 18 months. I’ve learnt more than I probably have EVER learnt in my life. I’ve had 150,000 facebook fans of The Block tell me what they think of me. 50% good and 50% bad.

But you know what? I don’t care now. At the time I found it hard, but I gained a new strength. Actually it’s been good for me. I feel better about myself now than I ever did. I’m comfortable. You can say whatever you like to me and it’s not going to bother me.

My point today is: never ever worry about what you’ve done in your life – proud of it, or not. Life is all about growing and learning and making mistakes.

Guess what, I blogged and tweeted waaaaaaay before I went on a tv show. Everything I’ve ever done online is still there. I swore, drunk tweeted, and laughed, and made fun of stuff. That’s nothing I am worried about. I own it. It’s me.

So be yourself. Never look back. Keep tweeting and writing and laughing.

Live your life. Don’t worry about what people will think. Those that hide will lose and be lost.

Own everything! Work it baby…

The best example of this is from Josh and Jenna – they named their business Bicker Design Co. How ironic? I totally love it! But what an awesome example of running with what you’ve got. Never shy away from who you are!

Now, get on with your day and make the most of it… xoxo

I won a freaking Logie!

Well, WE won a Logie, but it sounds more amazing when I say I won a Logie – and why not? Ha!

What a crazy few days I’ve had! But I want to start with a huge thank you to Helen Manuell who made our gorgeous dresses. I have never felt so special in all my life.

I have a thousand photos from the day/night. I know this post will be photo heavy!

Here is my red carpet fun! My eyes were darting all over. I told Josh and Jenna I could not talk to them because I couldn’t concentrate on a thing they were saying. There was waaaaay too much to look at! I was supposed to be looking all gracious, but I spent most of the time squealing and pointing. The Block’s producer Julian Cress was following me with his camera because I was entertaining him with my antics. Josh said “this is so much more enjoyable with you Katrina because you keep getting hysterical and it’s funny!” Waz kept asking me if I needed a paper bag.

This is what happened when I spotted Delta Goodrem!

I have never seen Rod move so fast. He turned around to see me with Delta and he bolted to be in that shot!

The girls.

The view from the top at the very end of the red carpet before we went into the Palladium.

The table.

The event card!

Jen Hawkins. Do I look slightly excited? Ummm and how tall is she? She’s talking with Claire from Woman’s Day and Jen looks like a giant! Well she is a giant! And gorgeous – like really really gorgeous.

One Direction!

So I was squeezing through some chairs and rubbed my bum against someone… I turned and apologised and realised it was One Direction. I then grabbed my camera and managed to get this (below). It wasn’t easy! There was security everywhere. There were big guys crouching on the ground all around them and I had to ask them could I take this. It was only that Zayn (I had to google to find out what this little fella’s name was!) said to his security that he was ok to take this shot. Please don’t hate me all you young girls. And yes, they are adorable and so cute and fresh!

There they are performing. They were good too.

This is me dancing to One Direction.

Here we are! You’ll have to buy TV Week next week to see our shots all together. I can’t believe we won.

Who would have thought hey. 12 months ago my life was totally different. I am so grateful.

PS. We’re not knuckle-heads and I know there are new contestants now and I can’t wait to see them in action, but it was the 8 contestants from 2011 who have set the bar. Life is what you make it. Everyone starts with nothing…

I had a ball and would do it all again in a heartbeat.

I’m going to the Logies tonight!

Ok, sorry if you’re sick of all my Logies talk – I promise it will all be over soon, but hey I only get to do this once and not many people get to do this at all!

It’s 5am and I woke with a fright. I am so excited.

I’ll have a running commentary of my day on twitter so follow along there if you’re interested. I can’t tweet during the event :( Sorry! But I will try to sneak some photos on twitter for you…

Most of the Logie people are either in Melbourne already, or will be there early this morning getting hair and make-up done. I decided to do things backwards. There is only 1 flight to Melbourne from Wagga today and it’s not until 12.30pm. I opted to take that flight because my other option would have been to fly down yesterday. Too hard with 3 little kiddies leaving them behind for 3 days (my husband is coming to the Logies – well he’s not in the Logie room, but at the Channel 9 Partner’s Function and then the After Party).

Plus, I wanted my best friend (my hairdresser) and another good friend of mine to do my hair and make-up. So I’ll arrive at Crown Towers at 2.30pm and have to be ready by 4pm. Helen Manuell (who is making our dresses) will meet me at Crown with my frock and will dress me. She’s also making Giaan Rooney’s so Giaan is coming to my room to get ready as well.

We gather as a group to start walking the red carpet from 4.30pm.

My Mum and Dad are travelling down this morning too. They are sitting in the bleachers right on the red carpet. They can snap plenty of photos, so I’ll get Dad to text me some and I’ll tweet them before the show (if I can!). They have to gather at the Crown at 2.30pm and will be seated in the bleachers from that time until the red carpet finishes at 6.30pm. They aren’t allowed to get up or go to the toilet! My parents are so excited. They are staying at The Langham, so will head back there to watch the show on the tv.

The Block gang are all walking the red carpet as a group. We’ll be told when it’s our turn. We’ll wait in a room with all other celebrities, then jump in a car/limo and be taken to the red carpet.

Then the show begins! I’ve got my smile and poses ready lol ;)

After, we’ll be at the After Party! I’ll tweet you from there that’s for sure.

Tomorrow we are heading to an invite only media event at the new Block houses. I’ve seen them before, but they were a mess, so can’t wait to see them again! The invite says “cast from The Voice, Celebrity Apprentice and Tricky Business will be attending…” OMG does this mean Delta or Keith Urban will be there? I’m sure they won’t, but you never know…

Anyway, here is a teaser of my dress. I know it will be so hard for you to see some of the detail on tv because I won’t know if I’ll get any air-time or not… You may only catch a teensy glimpse of me…

 [the green and blue are pins - they won't be there!]

Ok, gotta run. I’m starting hair and make-up here in Wagga at 8.45am, then dropping kids in different places by 11am to be on that 12.30pm flight. I’m taking husband’s suit, our shoes and accessories on the flight with me – imagine if my bags got lost!!! Ouch.

Tweet you soon (and I’ll Instagram everything!).

Who would you like to meet at the Logies?

Tania and I were discussing this the other day and we know we definitely want to find some of the Home and Away guys. HOT!

I really want to meet Natalie Bassingthwaighte. I’ve always had a thing about her. I wrote about it here.

I am also hoping Lara Bingle is there – you know I have a thing about her too – we had dinner with her here. I told Tania I would be getting Rod to meet her, but my husband will be fighting Rod for her attention. HA!

I’m so excited to be seeing FloRida again. I saw him last year and he was sensational! Not sure how I feel about One Direction… happy to be amongst it all, but they don’t float my boat haha…

Apparently there will be extra security and lots of screaming girls around. I’ll be excited for the hype. My Mum and Dad are sitting in the bleachers and they have to be there at 2.30pm to be seated! No leaving to go to the toilet at all until the red carpet walking is over! It’s going to be a massive day!

So, if you were there, who would you like to meet and why?

1 sleep! Excitement is building!

 

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