Happy Australia Day From Continental Travelnurse!

Happy Australia Day from your friends at Continental Travelnurse. Some of our best nurses come from Australia and New Zealand and we love it when London celebrates Australia Day. Great tennis on the telly and great fun in the pubs and all over the city. If you're in the UK, check out these fun events going on Thursday, January 26. The first pint is on us!

Celebrate the Wines of Australia on the Vinopolis Wine Tour -- the perfect event for those who love their drink made from grapes and Australia.

Aussie Day at Entree. The Battersea restaurant is owned by two Aussies so you won't be surprised they go all out for Australia Day with special menus all month long including surf and turf, kangaroo carpaccio and more, all paired with the perfect wines.

The Walkabout Pubs make it their business to be all things Aussie. So make sure you set aside enough funds for a cab ride home.

If you're feeling ambitious, you can whip up some of these specialties and invite your friends over.

AUSSIE MEAT PIES

There's a reason this recipe is an Aussie classic - serve these pies and you'll see why!
900g beef rump steak, trimmed, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 rashers middle bacon, trimmed, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 cups salt-reduced beef stock
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
4 sheets frozen ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, partially thawed, halved diagonally
2 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, partially thawed, quartered
1 egg, lightly beaten
Tomato sauce, to serve

LAMBINGTONS

Ingredients (serves 15)
Melted butter, to grease
75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
70g (1/2 cup) cornflour
6 x 59g eggs, at room temperature
215g (1 cup) caster sugar
1 tbs boiling water
170g (2 cups) desiccated coconut
· Chocolate icing
300g (2 cups) icing sugar mixture
35g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
60ml (1/4 cup) milk
60ml (1/4 cup) boiling water

Method
1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a 19 x 29cm (base measurement) lamington pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly.
2. Sift the combined flours together into a large bowl. Repeat twice.
3. Use an electric beater to whisk the eggs in a large clean, dry bowl until thick and pale. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking well after each addition until mixture is thick and sugar dissolves.
4. Sift the combined flours over the egg mixture. Pour the boiling water down the side of the bowl. Use a large metal spoon to gently fold until just combined. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn cake onto a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside overnight to cool.
5. Trim the edges of the cake and cut into 15 squares. Spread the coconut over a plate.
6. To make the chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add the milk and water and stir until smooth.
7. Use 2 forks to dip 1 cake square into the warm icing to evenly coat. Allow any excess icing to drip off. Use your fingers to roll the cake in the coconut to evenly coat, then place on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cake squares, icing and coconut. Set aside for 1 hour or until icing sets.

Of course, the day wouldn't be finished without a singalong on "Waltzing Matilda" and "I Still Call Australia Home." Have a great and safe day!

Another Travel Nurse Settles Down

Continental Travelnurse deals with only the best trained nurses from around the world and the best facilities in the UK. Is it any wonder that virtually every travel nurse we bring to the UK is offered a permanent staffing job? Most politely decline because what they love is travel and fun and exploring Europe before settling back home. But every once in a while one of our nurses has such a happy experience they do decide to make the move permanent.

So congratulations to S. Wong, who chose to take a staff job here. She wrote to thank us:

Thank you very much for your email. I really enjoyed working with you, too. Thank you very much for all your help and support. The staff and Leslie have been great and very efficient. Annabel did mention I can always go back to Continental Travelnurse and that is very reassuring.

I have recommended Continental Travelnurse to my colleagues and friends. I will continue to promote Continental Travel Nurse. Take care .

Thanks again and have a great time in your new position!

Your friends at Continental Travelnurse

Check out our website for more information on the many opportunities you can discover with Continental Travelnurse.