Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Secret Family Recipe - Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

It's getting colder and I am getting the munchies.

Oh and this is one of my favourite dishes, its a green and dark cream straight sided pudding basin by Denby.

Kentucky Candy

I received this lovely package from Jessica via swap bot, the other day and the kids went crazy with their begging.

ANZAC Biscuits

It was ANZAC day Friday (26th April), a very important day for us in Oz.

ANZAC biscuit
noun:- a national biscuit of Australia, purportedly invented on the war fields of the First World War. The recipe can vary but the essential ingredients are rolled oats and golden syrup.

ANZAC Day
noun:- ANZAC day in Australia, April 25th, the anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli in 1915, is the national day of remembrance for Australian Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen, killed in wars overseas.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Ok I admit it . . . . . I'm flat

I have fallen into one of those blogging slumps that many of us get into, you just don't feel like letting people out there, in. At the beginning of 2008 I made a resolution to say 'NO' more often and to look after 'Self and Family First', and I think that I have been getting a handle on that. But unfortunately it has meant that blogging has taken a backseat.

Alex started school at the beginning of the year and it is taking me a while to get used to being a full time school Mum, there is so much to learn. Alex who was so ready for school, hasn't looked back, and is beginning to develop school attitude, which if it wasn't so different to his normal easy going persona, it would be funny.

I did go to Perth and had a wonderful time, but got back and felt really flat, and flat is how I can explain how I have been feeling for a long time. My camera battery is also feeling flat, so pictures have be few and far between but to recap the last two months.

The Cake and Cupcakes have still been coming out of the kitchen but at a much more sedate pace than this time last year. I do have orders for 2009 but 2008 is scarily quite. Mind you I have been enjoying the stress free weekends. Lets hope the pace picks up a bit over Winter, and if it doesn't I am planning a series of display cakes, just for fun.

In my last post I mentioned that Transformers were taking over my kitchen, well they brought their All Spark, which is 'the power force that created the Transformers, or something' (definition provided by Alex!).





And when it is cut open, you get Classic Vanilla Pound Cake, torted with Honeycomb buttercream. Sounds good to me. More pictures can be found here.

Easter was full of chocolate, Mr. E. Bunny does a wonderful job at breaking our health eating plans, and is very helpful with putting kids and adults alike into sugar overload. I helped the teachers celebrate Easter by providing them with cupcakes on the last day of school.




The best banana & macadamia Cupcakes, topped with chocolate fudge frosting, styled with sugar paste bees, yellow sprinkles, royal icing flowers and edible glitter.

And for those who could not do without their morning coffee hit I provided deliciously lite coffee cupcakes, studded with crushed Macadamias, frosted with espresso buttercream, and styled with a chocolate egg and a dusting of espresso powder and edible glitter.



This year I have made a commitment to myself to make the majority of presents, so friends and family received vanilla and chocolate sugar biscuits as Easter gifts, instead of over priced store bought chocolate. Unfortunately I didn't get any good pictures, but these will give you a good idea. Sam was a great help with the decorating of the biscuits whilst Alex was at school.








Well I have to walk a friend kid to Kindy, I'll be back soon to tell you all about the Black and White Wedding Cake & Cupcakes that I was creating earlier in the year.