Baking Challenge 7 - Banana, Boysenberry, choc chip muffins

Not sure if I can class this as a "new" recipe, but I did try something new by adding boysenberries to a favourite banana cake recipe a good friend gave me. I must say they are really yum, Al really liked it too and said it was something that his late father would enjoy eating as it has just the right amount of each and didn't need any special icing on the top.

Urban Legend - Neiman Marcus Cookies

I really don't care that the story about the lady and her daughter getting ripped off by Neiman Marcus and that it has been DEBUNKED as being a mere urban legend, lengend smegend... The recipe is waay too goood not to try.

Everyone who has tasted them says it's good. I thought it a bit weird to blend the rolled oats into a fine powder(semi fine) but i'm telling you this is the best thing ever. I've added choc chips, white choc chips, walnuts and hope to get a bit more adventureous over the holidays

For example:
Dried fruit - apricots, apples
Nuts - pecan, almonds, brazil
Shredded coconut
Chocolate - mini mm's, different flavoured chocolates

Feel free to add any combo's you think may work or you just simply like

Maybe this is a start of "test kitchen" challenge

Christmas Challenge 2

I know I've left my run a bit late - almost non existent but here is my second installment. I've made these for a few special people and hope to deliver them tomorrow. I got my sister to save these jars for me all year and they have come in very handy.

Christmas Jar Recipe
1. A clean empty Maconna coffee jar or something similar
2. Ribbon
3. Christmas themed paper, or anything you want; really
4. A few choice embellishments AND
5. Something yummy to put inside - favourites choc's in this instance
Note: the lid was a bit boring so I carefully removed the plastic seal and put some christmas sprinkles inside and then put the seal back on

Christmas Newsletter

Still not done, too many distractions...

* Christmas Workshop at Carolann's
* Aiko my baby niece who is too cute to resist
* Working more hours
* My vege garden
* Scrapbooking
* Christmas shopping - only two pressies to go...woo hoo!!!!
* Baking yummy treats
* Organising the family
* Facebooking, Blogging, Emailing
and much much more....

Christmas Challenge 1

Well I did say I would make an attempt to do at least one christmas thing each week and finally did this. Again this was something a friend used to do for her market and I couldn't remember exactly what her's looked like so I let my fingers do the walking around google - images.

I hope my version does hers justice.

Note: I didn't have any eye balls and use some silver bling I had lying around in my extensive scrapbooking stash.

Baking Challenge 6 - Rolled oats and choc chip cookies

This is my good friend and fellow scrapbooking sister recipe. The first time I tasted these yummy morsels was at scrapbook camp and I must say I did have more than my fair share...burp. So I was very happy when she kindly emailed me the recipe.

As those who know me know I don't do things by half and doubled the recipe which in hindsight I shouldn't have done, but they did turn out yum. I probably put to much in them eg...chop chips, white choc chips, dairy milk choc chunks and chopped walnuts as this made them hard to roll into balls and flatten, I thought I had a total disaster on my hands.

This time I did get a photo of them before they were gobbled up by family, but I definately will be making these again, and again, and again.

Baking Challenge 5 - Chocolate Almond Slice

I wasn't sure about this recipe but I shouldn't have really, because it was a huge hit. I made 2 batches, one for the house(family) and one for my son's shared morning tea. His class liked it soo much they want the recipe, which reminds me I should start adding them to my blog. If you are wondering where the photo's are I didn't think anyone reading this would appreciate seeing crumbs at the bottom of a empty container....lol.

Baking Challenge 4 - Raspberry Crumb Slice

Not bad for a first go...if I was to do anything different I would use more jam cause you can't quite see it in between the 2 layers, but in saying that it called for 1/2 a cup but I don't think I use 1/2 a cup...lol.

Still tastes good so can't complain too much...lol.

Baking challenge 2 - Lemon and Coconut Slice

As I was at home today I'll give this recipe a go, of late I've been looking for recipes with a small no. on ingredients and this one fit the bill.

I followed the recipe to the letter - ok I didn't cream the butter and sugar but it didn't make much difference. I even used the icing recipe as well...lol. I must say they turned out yum.

If I was to change something it would be the Lemon Icing, it would probably added white choc buttons so it would set after being spread out making it easy to wrap it with gladwrap to take for my morning tea....yumm!

Feedback: I took some to work and cut them up into small squares and they were a big hit so I 'll be adding this recipe to my collection.

$20.00 bargin

Son no.2 school shoes had hole in the bottom so off to the good old "shoe warehouse" or as I still call it "no.1 shoe bar" some habits are hard to break.

I spied these lovely ladies in the CLEARANCE aisle way down the back end of the store, woo hoo croc heaven. I know some if not most peeps don't like them but I swear by them, they are so, so comfy and so comfy, did I say comfy..lol.

I was only going to buy 2 but as they had a special sticker on them which meant buy 2 get 1 free - awesome. These used to retail at $50.00 when they first came out and then $29.95 and then $10.00 each - "why would you go anywhere else" (ref: The Castle - movie)

I was a bit worried about the size(10) but when I matched them up to my lilac size 9's there is very little difference - phew, but I would have worn them anyways

Cellophane and Cupcakes

For years I had never quit mastered the art of cutting wrapping and tying cellophane around cupcakes and during another marathon night of baking(why o why do I do it....crazy I guess), it came to me, the lightbulb literally went off and then reality sunk in, why had I not thought of it before - duh!

Step 1: Cut a square piece of cellophane leaving enough room to cover the cupcake with enough height to secure it with curling ribbon etc
Step 2: Place the cut cellophane on the top of a small bowl, slightly bigger than the cupcake (not too much bigger).
Step 3: Take the said cupcake and push down onto the cellophane so the edges stick up and secure with the ribbon

Birthday Boy

As it was my son's 16th birthday on Saturday I decided to make some cupcakes and had big plans of making a chocolate banana cake(for him), banana muffins(for the team) and caramel slice(for him again). All I can say to that is 2 out of 3 aint bad...really I couldn't be arrrssseeeddd...lol.

All the players and supporters loved them with loads of smiles from ear to ear. What is even funnier I brought a box of toy mobile phones(the kind that have the water game in the front screen). They were a huge hit with everyone - just goes to show there is a little kid in all us.

Baking Challenge 1 - Chocolate Caramel Slice

As it was my youngest and last child's birthday I wanted to bake him something he really likes to eat - caramel slice. I found a recipe in a magazine and gave it a go. It turn out near enough how it should not bad for my first attempt.

Review: If I was to make this recipe again I would change the base and not use crushed malt biscuits and melted butter - enough said I think ...but they look gooooooooooooooooood and very tasty but it needs to be eaten in small doses which is good for the figure.

Review 2: We didn't try it again until today(day2) and there even better, there is something to be said about the saying it always tastes better the day after or in this case the day after that. A friend of mine who makes it said "it surpassing mine" which is a very humbling and also very flattering. On the way home this arvo I brought more supplies - malt biscuits and condensed cream.

Update: Remember how I said my husband can be very generous with my baking, well he's done it again with the slice and his brother in law likes it very much, but at the same time he can't help making comments - please..bake it yourself next time..lol.

RECIPE:
250g malt biscuits
150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
395g can of condensed milk
60g unsalted butter, chopped
1/4C brown sugar

Preheat oven 180C and prepare shallow tin 20x30cm (whatever you have on hand)
Crush malt biscuits using a food processor until fine and then add cooled melted butter, bake for 6mins. Set aside to cool
In a saucepan, combing, condensed milk, chopped butter and brown sugar. Stir over a low heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves. Stir constantly for 12 - 15mins over a low heat or until golden brown and slightly thickened. Pour over the baked biscuit base, bake 10min. Allow to cool and spread over toppping before cutting
Chocolate Topping - 150g chocolate and 20g vege.shortening. Stir until smooth, pour over slice, chill until almost set.
* I took the 2 top layers of a king size bar of dairy milk chocolate and added a bit of canola oil and melted in the microwave and then poured it over the base.

Chocolate Banana Cake

mmmmm!!!! I have been wanting to make this cake for some time. Ever since a guy at work asked me whether I had made one and because I love a challenge I did my usual google search and found this cool website http://www.joyofbaking.com/. This recipe does have alot of sugar but before I can make any changes I have to follow the recipe to the letter first.

After I finish creaming and icing it hubby pipes up and says "when I ask for a chocolate cake I get nothing, when I don't ask for one I can't even eat it (too full from dinner). The morale of the story is to keep your mouth shut cause you never know what might come out of the oven.

Review: We'll suffice as to say - nothing left but crumbs. I ate the first piece and the last, Al ate as much as he could and gave away the rest....man he can be generous with my baking...lol.
You couldn't taste the banana but I wonder if it(banana) along with the oil replaced the butter which also made it ultra moist. I probably could have done without the 3/4's of a bottle of whipped cream OR the lashings of chocolate icing on the top, but come on cake just aint the same without them.

Here is where you can find this recipe - I use this site quite a bit for recipes
http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateBananaCake.html

Halloween

Now my cupcakes aren't as georgeous looking as Miss Wendys ghosties and spidywebs but they still taste good, Edmonds Cook book has the best recipe in my opinion and easy to adapt to suit any occassion. Cannon's teacher liked the look of his one and jokingly placed an order.

Softball season 09

We kicked off the season with a win.

So proud

Cannon is a real star. Last night we went to watch him at the Starjam end of year concert held in town, all the workshops around Auckland and North of Auckland came along to show off what they had been doing during the year... Totally awesome. So many people told us how much of a blessing he is and how much they loovveed his dancing. When he got down to the knee spin the crowd went off....

Enough thinking

Nah...I don't think I'm going to start another blog. Once I sort out how to do the labels I'll put my creative pieces of work under it..."stick it down and call it done" - great words from some of my scrap booking sisters.

I've been thinking

As with my other blog sisters they have one blog for family etc and one for their creative endevours and I think I may follow suit. Soooo with that it now means I will have three blogs, my vege buckets, niuean princess and one to be name...Pacific Stylez comes to mind but we shall see

Models Inc.

Aiko had her pretty dress on for white sunday and you know me can resist a photo shoot of my favourite niece

Spilt Milk

We needed milk my dutiful hubby went out to get some. He managed to get both bottles home but dropped one in the driveway...so our normal bargain of 2 bottles for $5 became rather costly at 1 for $5. When he came in to tell me of his unfortunate accident I told him to grab the camera before the milk dried.

Photo culling part2

I did start doing this as I'm bored out of my tree being sick at home again. I managed to reduce some folders by half which is good, I've tried to put my scrapbookers hat on when sorting them out, I figure no more than 5 per layout and a few more for a mini album or themed 12x12 album.

Al helped me sort through his father's funeral photo's for the photo album and he almost had another little cry but managed to stop himself - he said when he was looking through them it was as if he was looking at someone elses funeral...

Photo culling

I really do need to cull the thousands upon thousands of photo's I have saved on my hard-drive

Baby Aiko

Phoenix is all fingers and thumbs when trying to hold Aiko, but over the coming days, weeks, months and years he will be lots of practise

Scrapbooking and Baking

Work opened up a competition asking for its employees to share their "passion" so I entered this layout to show 2 of them - what a lethal combo.

Niue Day

Was a huge success this year...heaps of people, stalls and singing and dancing. I didn't take as many photo's as last year, but is all good. As usually I spent all my profits($5) on food, cupcakes and pineapple pie...yummmm!!!!

The day started off with a prayer, speeches from founding NAC members, current NAC members and raising of the Niue and New Zealand flag, a couple of years ago Phoenix and his friend had this great honour.

There is a lot of work that goes on in the background to make this day a success and I hope to be part of that success in coming years and perhaps look at encouraging others to continue with this good work.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching my parents sing and dance and truely enjoy the day's celebrations.

Down the tubes

I'm sick again...I know you've heard it all before but it's true. I made it through Friday with some effort and lucky I had my trusty inhaler with me. Stayed in bed for the rest of the weekend feeling blah....

This week in review

Monday - family funeral, I was asked to take a family portrait of immediate and extended family. I might just have to hide my camera from now on or leave it at home - but what are my chances of actually doing that.............NONE
Tuesday - Went to visit Aiko, she is so smiley now but still dread changing those pooey nappies
Wednesday - I entered a competition at work "what is your passion" I sent a photo of my latest scrapbook layout of my famous chocolate crunch. Coaches and Managers meeting for Auckland United Softball Club later that evening.
Thursday - Al and I went to pick up our brother in law from the Airport, he's up from Wellie for a Church Assembly. Another visit to see Aiko..still hating those pooey nappies...lol. Facebook and then bed.
Friday - Hope to go to a family evening organised by work, Supernatural and Smallville are must viewing on TV
Saturday - Niue Day Celebration at New Lynn Community Centre come along if your out that way I'll be the one collecting the stall holders money with clip board and reciept book at the ready. Might have time to do some grocery shopping as well afterwards.
Sunday - hope to do a bit of sewing, paperwork for the softball team and some relaxing

It's been one hell of a week, I've been sick at home with allergies....yes i'm feeling a bit sorry for myself but I'm sure I will recover, sniff sniff. As you know I can never sit still so in between sucking on my inhalers I sorted through my scrapbook supplies, did some layouts and the tiniest bit of gardening.

The problem with doing a craft clean out you are left with so much stuff that you can only offload so much to friends, family, schools and local church groups. I have a cousin who runs a second hand shop so I could offload some of it there are dirt cheap prices. It's just costing me in space to store it.

I cleared out some paperwork too...boring but I now have 2 empty clear folders...woo hoo.