Ode to Jeremy

Short version:

Today I made cupcakes. I forgot to add enough icing sugar. What you see if pretty much all butter. Gross! Oops. What a waste of time. You'd think I would have wondered why the frosting was so yellow! The end.

Long version, if you're bored:

At 1:30pm today I was standing in my kitchen with 12 cupcakes. They were frosted and ready for the baby shower I was attending at 2:30pm. That's why I'd popped them back in the pan - to travel (note to self - must one day buy cupcake carrier). 

Now all I had to do was clean the kitchen, shower, get dressed, wrap the present, get Lucie packed for her play at my Mum's and then of course, arrive on time. I hate being late, so that final one was up there as a priority.

All of this was very much possible because I was in fact running on time. Now that the cupcakes were done I was set to keep moving. Jeremy then popped his head in, shocked that I hadn't passed them through "quality control". "But I only had enough flour for a batch of 12" I explained. 

Sure enough, he managed to find out there were going to be 11 guests at the shower. THANK GOD he did. "While they look great" he announced, "I think I just ate whipped butter". That was when I realised I'd tripled the mixture but forgotten that part when it came time to add my icing sugar. So yes, they were essentially butter frosted cakes. 

Two choices - 1) cry and admit defeat or 2) start over. We of course took the second option. I did consider option one for about 30 seconds but that was all I had time for. 

I didn't have time for more baking and nor did I have anymore butter so I had to re-use the same frosting. Jeremy did the took it off each cupcake as I made it over again by adding MUCH more icing sugar. It tasted way better - I'd not tasted it earlier as I'm trying not to eat anything bad for me but this time wasn't risking it (just a teeny-tiny bit). While I piped them again, Jeremy quickly dropped Lucie over to Mum's. He's working tonight so she couldn't stay home. I then had time to wrap the gift and dress. The shower had to wait, but I was clean already anyway! The kitchen wasn't, but that was hardly life or death.

Me and ten (due to another round of quality control "to double check") cupcakes made it safely to the baby shower at 2:45pm, not too bad really. 

My point - Jeremy was amazing. When I fall over he's always there to lift me up. I'm ok when things are hectic and crazy, but he's even better. He is the most relaxed and stress free person you'll ever meet. Can you believe he even cleaned the kitchen after I left? I came home to total organisation - the true way to my heart (and he knows it). 

If you're wondering, the new cupcakes looked exactly as above. There simply wasn't time to photograph them. 

Baby showers can be hard when you were meant to be pregnant too, but it was still REALLY, REALLY lovely. I only got 7/40 on a game about baby animals though, I am so bad at anything animal. I also wrote Foal, as foul. I don't know why. I like horses, so it wasn't intended. I hope nobody found my answer sheet.  

Those who know me will know that I LOVE to bake cookies. I've been baking them since I was 12 and am always trying to find the perfect cookie recipe. Eating some of them has no doubt contributed to why I HAD to spent 45 minutes at the gym today, as I did yesterday, and will do tomorrow (and then some). 

So while it's a fun hobby it's not the best one for you. My strategy over the last couple of years is to only ever bake when they're to leave this house, be it for a play date or to give away. In other words, best to be sure there is recipient for the cookies before I end up eating them myself (or Jeremy too, he's not one to say no to a cookie, or three).

Today's version I'll call the 'Cinnamon, maple, milk chocolate chip cookie'.

Here goes... 

Ok, it might seem a bit dorky to lay all of the ingredients out and while it might seem I did so for the purpose of this blog, it's actually quite authentic! It's a habit I got into a months back when I was halfway through a batch only to find that I didn't have any flour. I was home alone with a sleeping Lucie and it was too late to call on our neighbours (I am a late night baker). Needless to say the recipe failed after I'd left a half made cookie mix to sit for so long. 

Thankfully I do now have a neighbour who I can (and have) called for a baking emergency. The amazing Kylie next door has in fact met me at the letterbox armed with cocoa one late night. That said, I still like to avoid such emergencies (and yes, I do know that baking is not life or death stuff). 


As you can see from the above, you'll need

• 180g butter (yes, this seems a random number but it's what I had left today in my fridge so what I used and therefore what the other quantities are based upon).
• 2/3 cup caster sugar (for the Americans, this is very fine) 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 cup very firmly packed brown sugar 
• 2 eggs  *
• 2 cups of plain flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup coconut 
• 1/2 cup oats 
• 250g milk chocolate chips, or whichever take your fancy. 

* for so many reasons I use free range eggs. 

It's a pretty standard format and if you're familiar with cookie baking you'll know exactly what to do with the above. Firstly, cream the butter and sugars. Do this for AT LEAST five whole minutes. This is something I've come to learn is essential. A super fluffy, creamy start is the key to a good cookie. 


Now add the eggs and beat for another minute. Add the maple syrup at this point and leave mixing for a further two minutes (on high). By the way, you'll need an electric mixer or a whole lot of hand power if you don't have one. The former would be much easier. I use a kitchen aid, which along with the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook is the BEST gift I have ever received. 


It's now time for the flour, cinnamon, coconut, oats, baking powder and soda. At this point do not overly mix, just add and beat until combined. Finally, my favourite part of any cookie baking - add the choc chips.

Roll into balls and bake at 170 degrees for ten minutes. Slightly less for a very soft cookie. 


What you get should look as follows:

The pics below...
1) A serving suggestion. Ok, I did try this.. but only two bites. 
2) A cooking suggestion. Cooking with girls in princess dresses is very much a part of life in our household.

Lentil as Anything

A good day. 

Lots on. It's HOT, HOT, HOT though. It feels like (high) thirty something at least. We've already been to the pool once today and we'll be going back this afternoon.

Anyway, I've been meaning to write about a fabulous lunch we had on Saturday. A catch up with fellow nurse, Christine, at a place where you pay for what you feel your meal was worth and what you can afford. An amazing concept. You'll find Lentil As Anything venues here.

According to their website, it's about being "a part of a unique financial model that is centred on the values of trust, generosity and respect that gives people the opportunity to eat out and be social regardless of their financial situation".

It's a not-for-profit organisation that supports the refugee community of Melbourne by providing employment. It's really an amazing place. 

What I love about it - anyone is welcome. There were all kinds of people eating and I loved the diversity.

There are no pretenses. It's what you see is what you get. It's SUPER kid friendly and best yet, the food is fabulous (all vegetarian - which even though I'm not, is yummy).

 

Lucie was in heaven because they let you leave your mark on their wall. 

 

The Lamington Cupcake

Without meaning to, I've done a bit of an Australia Day theme today! Shame I'm late.

After posting the pics of Lucie's beloved tattoo, it occurred to me that I should document the Lamington cupcake. I made these for the (great) Australia Day BBQ we went to (thanks Alex & Adam!) and plan to make them a yearly thing. 


While I'd love to claim I was the first to come up with the concept, I highly doubted I was. The cupcake is hardly a new thing and nor is the lamington. A quick google just now proved this was so, and though I didn't in fact 'copy' another, this was a make up as you go thing. I probably saw one years ago and kept it in my subconscious! 


Anyway... if you want them.. 


1. Make an easy peasy basic butter cake recipe and do cupcakes.
2. Ensure you use a recipe you know, love & trust. 10pm the night before an event is NOT the time to try new ones. * See below for example of why.
2. Five minutes before they are baked, add one teaspoon of strawberry (or raspberry if you're so inclined) to the top of each (note from Jeremy: it's not a true lamington without jam) and keep on baking.
3. Leave to cool (another lesson I had).
4. Whip up your favourite chocolate butter cream or otherwise. 
5. Pipe, spread or whatever suits, your frosting/icing. I'm pretty into piping these days but do whatever you find easier/more fun. 
6. Sprinkle with coconut. Personally I think a shredded looks better
7. Place an Aussie flag in each and all done!


My super simple butter cake recipe (the one that works)

This is SO easy that I don't even cream the butter & sugar. It's a one bowl job, seriously. Very handy. Very quick.

60g butter
1 teaspoon vanilla essence 
3/4 cup caster sugar 
1 egg
3/4 cups milk
1 1/5 cups self raising flour


Makes 12 cupcakes 


* What a waste. Take one in the bin.

A warning however. 


Letting the kids near this:

May result in this:

Thanks to Lucie and her BBFFs (Will & Jack) for being such dedicated taste testers. Their fourth partner in crime, Tom, had already been carried out on a sugar high by this point). 


BBFF - (boy) best friend forever

My little Aussie

Lucie is going through an 'obsessed with Australia' phase. Ever since Australia Day last week she's being all about being Aussie. She's wanted to know more about Australia being discovered, how is happened, etc. Strangely she was most fascinated with the fact that Captain Cook has since died (of course she asked about where he lived now). She just assumed he'd still be around. I guess at four you just don't understand that 200+ would be just too old. 

Anyway, with all of this patriotic behaviour I had to laugh at her choice of t-shirt when she asked me to take a photo of her new tattoo. 

By the way, I had nothing to do with the funny model pose :) 

Proud

I've never really been good at sports. It's not something that bothers me, it just is what it is. It's just not my thing and there's no problem with that. For some reason however, Lucie seems to not only love her sport but to have a level of skill & coordination that most certainly didn't come from her mother. It's all Jeremy's doing, no doubt about it. I hope in the years to come she can find and be a part of something she loves, be it sports of otherwise.


Anyway, I did once win a trophy. In 1987 for netball. It's not what you think though, it wasn't about being good at it. I won the 'team spirit' award. I've told Lucie about it before and she is so into the whole story that when I was cleaning out our house recently (big cull!!), I just couldn't part with it. I gave it to her to keep and you'd have thought I'd given her the world cup trophy. 


For the last few weeks she's been taking it everywhere with her. She shows it to people we visit and even took it into our neighbour's house to show it off. It's kind of embarrassing (especially when she blurts out that "guess what? Mummy is so good at netball she won this" - only to have them realise we're talking the '80s). More than anything, it really makes me smile. 

The impact we can have on our kids lives is so evident sometimes. What stands out so much to me in all of this, is how clever, how perfect and how highly skilled we are in the eyes of those who look up to us (even if it's only really team spirit you have to offer). 

Here goes nothing

I have wanted a blog forever. 

It's 1:26am and half an hour ago I decided it was time. I guess I couldn't sleep. Ok,it was an hour ago. It took me an hour to edit the photos in (I had no idea how). 

So, why did I start this blog? 

Reason 1 - 
I read a million and one (fabulous) blogs and feel like I'm being so nosey. That's kind of true of me given that I love to know what's going on. Truth be told, that's what I most love about blogs. It's a glimse into the lives of those who grow to love, all while being allowed to look! I love being the fly on the wall. It felt time to share something of myself too. I got sick of my comments showing a blank photo. I felt too snoopy & stalker like. 


Reason 2 - 
I want to keep a reflection. Maybe one my daughter can read one day. I know I'd sure love to have one of my own Mum, or even grandmother. 


Reason 3 - 
I feel like I've got a journey ahead of me and maybe writing about it will help. This journey involves a few tricky elements: 


1). We (that would be Jeremy & I) are trying to give Lucie, four, a sibling. Not much luck there :( More about that later. Sure it will come up.


2). Lucie has a Mum with a face that's 'different'. Even though she has no idea, the other kids will tell her soon enough. To her I'm just Mum. And in her words... 

"when you smile, you're just the same as other mums" (said after I tried to convince her that I DID have a face that was a little different).She's starting kindergarten this year and school next year and we all know that kids can be cruel. 

My approach is to be honest and open. I figure I can share through this blog. 


If you've read this, thank you. I'd love to see you again. xo

p.s - oh, and it's called Parry Romberg Syndrome :) Thought you might be wondering.