Very Vanilla Cupcakes

I didn't get to do any baking this weekend as we were out and about for most of it.

So today I started to suffer from withdrawals and decided to bake my favourite vanilla cupcakes.

Sometimes, even though there are a whole heap of luscious, decadent cake recipes out there, you just need the pure, unadulterated innocence that is vanilla.

Normally, I don't bake things that have more than one step to them if Rusty isn't home to entertain the little guy. But today I decided to have a crack at it.

It all started out well....until it came time to fill the cupcake papers with batter. Right about that time Blue decided he wasn't happy with this baking caper and made sure I knew about it.

Undeterred, I strapped him into his Ergo and off we went to distribute all the silky batter between our 24 cucpake papers.

About 5 in, my little man decided that he just wasn't gonna take it anymore and wriggled his little heart out....batter went everywhere and my plans for perfect, beautifully decorated cupcakes went out the window.....

I'm crushed!
I had plans to make these little bites of vanillary perfection stunning, to wow you with my decorating prowess.

Unfortunately, I had to hastily pipe the icing on with an 8 month old on one hip and piping bag in the other.
Not the most elegant look but they are still yummy!

Very Vanilla Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Adapted from The Crabapple Bakery Cupcake Cookbook By Jennifer Graham.

You'll Need...

- 2 3/4 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 200g softened unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups castor sugar
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup full fat milk at room temperature

Then you...

- Preheat your oven to 170c. Line 2 x 24 hole muffin tins with cupcake papers.
- Sift together flour & baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter for 2 mins. Add caster sugar a third at a time, beating for 1-2 mins after each addition until the mixture is almost white in colour and the sugar has almost dissolved.
- Add eggs one at a time beating until the mixture is light and fluffy after each addition.
- Add vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add a third of the flour to the creamed mixture and mix on low speed until well combined. Pour in half the room temperature milk and beat until just combined.
-Repeat this process finishing with the remaining third of the flour.
- Do not overbeat as this will toughen the mixture.

Spoon mixture into cupcake papers, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 mins then turn out onto wire cake racks to cool completely before icing.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

- 200g softened unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup milk

- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

- 8 cups icing sugar (yep you read right....8 cups)

- Cream the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the milk, vanilla extract and 4 cups of your sifted icing sugar,
- Beat for 3-4 mins or until mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the remaining 4 cups of icing sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth and of a spreadable consistency.

- Add any colouring or flavouring you wish and beat until you reach the requied colour or flavour.

Easy Peasy Pavlova

After chatting with a couple of friends recently, I've been really surprised at how many people are too scared to  make pavlova from scratch, opting instread to buy a ready made one from the supermarket.

If you'd ever had a homemade pavlova you honestly can't compare the taste and texture to the ones you buy in a box.

Yeah they're quicker but a hell of a lot more expensive and they just don't have any wow factor to them!

A good pav is sooooo easy to make as well if you know some of the tricks....

= Cook a pav in a slow oven without the fan on if you can. Always allow your pav to cool in a switched off oven with the door just slightly ajar until it is completely cold.

= Use room temperature egg whites and make sure the bowl your using is completely clean or they won't stiffen.

= Add your sugar in a steady stream while beating. Don't just dump it in.

And thats it. Top your pavlova with whipped cream and seasonal fruit and your all set!


You'll need...

- 6 egg whites (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cup caster sugar
- Pinch Cream of Tartar

Then you...

- Preheat oven to 120c or 100c if using a fan forced oven.
- Line a pizza tray or baking sheet with baking paper and mark a 23cm circle*
- Beat egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form.
- Add caster sugar in a steady stream and beat for 10 mins or until sugar has dissolved and mixture is glossy and stiff.
- Add cream of tartar and beat a further 1 minute.
- Bake 1 hour until firm. Turn off oven and allow to cool with oven door slightly ajar until completely cold.

- Just before serving top with whipped cream, pureed rasperries or assorted seasonal fruit.

* Don't fill circle right to the edges as pavlova will spread just a little.

Thanks for stopping by
Hugs
Dee

Short Skirts, Knee High Boots & Jodie B

I grew up in a small country town.
The sort of place that is too big to be quaint and too small to be of any real interest.

Kind of stuck in the middle with very few redeeming qualities from either side. It really is one of those places you pass on the way to somewhere greater.
Unless of course, your into roses. In which case, settle in, take a load off and walk through the award winning rose gardens.
Huh? No, I'm not being sarcastic.
Where I grew up really does have rose gardens, it's the only thing that even allows our litle backwater to make it into any of the tourist handbooks.
They're fantastic and the scene of many important events in my life.
Seeing the bottom of my first bottle of bourbon and the time that....Oh, Hi Mum...Rose gardens? What rose gardens?

I got side tracked again. Sorry!
Like I was saying....

There are a few things you should probably understand about living in a small town if you've never had the pleasure...

1. Everyone knows everyone else.
2. Everyone has an opinion on everyone else - whether grounded in reality or fiction and will most likely have no compunction with sharing said opinion.
3. Never let the truth get in the way of a good gossip.

In my young, impressionable mind our town seemed to be broken into three main female social groups. Nothing like youth for a truly black & white view on things...

The Matrons - Older, upper middle class women who wore pearls, Diana Ferrari flats and were never seen out in public without a full face of makeup. They were on the school, art gallery, council board and just generally stuck their nose in everywhere and everything.

The Mothers - Middle class women who wore trackpants and runners just about everywhere. Very rarely wore makeup and generally look like they are on the way to the footy, gym or to play tennis. Are normally involved in the netball/basketball/ footy club and for some bizarre reason short hair or perms featured heavily.
Every now and then, they may break out their jeans....but only on special occasions and never with heels.

Bronx Warriors - A different social group entirely. Separated from the rest of the town by the freeway, none of the above rules applied.

There is one factor that all three groups have in common. They all snipe about each other!

As an adolescent growing up in this environment it scared the jeepers out of me - because I didn't want to be like any of these women. But there didn't seem to be much else to choose from.....

That is until I met Jodie Brilliant, the complete antithesis of them all.
She wore short skirts, knee high boots and makeup - while pushing her babies' pram down the street.
Jodie always looked funky and fresh and made me realise that you can still be sexy and you even when you are a wife and mother.
She was responsible for the purchase of a short, tartan skirt (and the following world war 3 with my mother) in my teen years because, you guessed it, she used to wear one.

I wonder if I can lay the blame for my shoe obsession there too? What do you think? Doable?

So imagine my suprise and excitement when we crossed paths again - thanks to social networking and the lovely land of Facebook.
I have to admit, I was nervous.
What if this icon of my youth let me down?
What if she wasn't really as cool as I remember her?
What if she had joined ranks with The Mothers?  or ever worse The Matrons... I don't think my poor heart could take it.

Drum roll please........

Meet Jodie Brilliant.
Graphic Designer, Photographer, Artist, Sculptor. Unwitting role model & style icon.

Jodie runs one of my favourite websites Wicked Monkey. An amazing collection of her photography and art work.

I honestly am in love with her creations and I'm waiting to be able to purchase some for my home.

If I didn't have to save up to send my son to university I'd be set. But sadly, sometimes these things have to wait....That reminds me I really need to ask her about layby...

As if she is not already busy enough, working as a graphic designer, she is also creating her own lifestyle magazine, as she realised there was nothing out there  "linking home, lifestyle, arts, music, culture and people with funky, classy, witty, clever content"

I can't wait til it's ready to share with you all!

Did I mention you'll be able to find little old me there too - just in case I don't already ear bash you enough   :-)

So here is a big shout out to unwitting and unaware role models.

After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I mean that in a strictly non Single White Female kinda way.

Oh, and thankfully, neither of us has joined ranks with The Matrons or The Mothers, although I think I rock my maternity yoga pants with the hole in the knee. Maybe I'll start a new trend.

Grunge Mummy.

Think it'll take off?

Thanks for stopping by

Hugs

Dee

10 (not so) interesting facts about little old me

So since we are still in the getting to know you stage I thought I would let you know a few little facts about .....me!

1. I'm scared of the dark!
Yep, unless it is lit up outside like a race track I will not go outside in the dark....ever!
Thanks Dad for hiding out there and jumping out at me during my childhood. It hasn't scarred me at all.

2. I have been engaged for 6 years, planned 2 weddings and I'm still unmarried. Yes, there is a story to go with it which I shall share with you soon.

3. I am the eldest child, with 8 years between my brother and I - he is only 17 and his youth scares me.
Did I think I was 10ft tall and bulletproof at 17?
Wait, don't answer that!
Incidentally, Rusty is also the eldest. Battle of wills anyone?

4. I don't like cake.
I know, it's horrifying. I think it comes from years of eating dry, crumbly cake (sorry mum) but I am trying to re-educate myself. It's a hard job having to pour over my recipes and decide which delectable morsels to bake each week. But someone has to do it I guess... 

5. I haven't eaten take-away in 8 months.
Impressed? It is less a force of will and more a fear of pain. I am waiting to get my gall bladder removed...

6. I got incredibly excited about finding pink sea salt in my local supermarket today. I understand it is pretty much the same as normal sea salt...but it's pink.
This clearly makes it superior!

7. I am absolutely addicted to The Pioneer Woman.
Ree is completely responsible for the dishes still being in the sink today. Try her Tres Leches Cake....Oh  my goodness....insert Homer drool here...

8. When I get really tired I say things backwards, sideways and upside down.
When we first started dating I was trying to explain to Rusty that I liked the movie Tango & Cash. Except it came out as Pango & Tash.....

9. For the first 5 years of my working life I worked in the construction industry spending all day with men. And we think women have temper tantrums....sheesh!

10. I love this blog.
I'm still learning and working out the direction I want to take but apart from my son and Rusty...it makes me happy. Happy is good!
I hope it makes you happy too!

Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs
Dee

Chocolate Bavarian Desert

When you think of Chocolate Bavarian what do you come up with? For me it's the frozen desert you get from the supermarket or when you order a meal deal through Pizza Hut.
A freezer burned chocolate mousse concoction over a powdery chipboard biscuit base.
Yuck!

So, last week when I was lacking a little in inspiration (and sleep) of what to bake for his lunches, I told Rusty to set me a challenge.
When he asked me to make a Bavarian from scratch I was apprehensive. After all, they are still gonna taste like frozen chocolate mousse over cardboard right?
Oh, how wrong I was....

I made these bavarians in the mini form only because it's easier for Rusty to take in his lunchbox but they would work just as well as a whole tart/ pie.
It's up to you!
So Sara Lee eat your heart out....

Mini Chocolate Bavarians

1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon gelatin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup whole milk
170g milk/ dark chocolate chopped
3 egg yolks lightly beaten
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 packet sweet biscuits
melted butter approx 150g

Ok start off with your biscuit base.
-In a food processor (or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin) crush a packet of sweet biscuits until they resemble chunky breadcrumbs.
-Mix in melted butter until the mix holds together when pressed with the back of a spoon. You don't want it too buttery so just add a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.
-Press into the base of cupcake liners or a pie tin and refrigerate while you make your filling.

-In a medium saucepan add sugar, gelatin & salt.
-Whisk in milk, chopped chocolate (the finer the better) and stir until chocolate & gelatin dissolves and the mixture is nice and smooth.
-Stir a small amount of chocolate mix into egg yolks and then tip the eggy chocolate back into the sauce pan and cook for 2 mins. (we add the choc to the eggs to temper them so that way you don't end up with chocolate scrambled eggs)

-DO NOT BOIL!

-Pour into a large bowl and press cling wrap onto the top of hot liquid and chill until partly set. About an hour - but check regularly as you don't want it to be too solid.

-Beat cream and vanilla together until stiff. Fold into chilled chocolate mixture until well combined and smooth.

-Pour over crumb base and chill for 4 hours or overnight.

-Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

I have a confession to make....

I have a confession to make....

*takes a deep breath*

I am addicted to foodie blogs.
I'm a blurker (someone who reads blogs but rarely posts) and I find myself getting cranky when my favourite blogs don't update....for days....weeks...at a time.
Feed my addiction. Please, don't tease me.
I can't help but wonder my wonderful readers, if we are all voyeurs who can't help but peer through the windows into these outstanding writers' lives.
They write so artfully, that they draw us in and before we know it we're sharing their triumphs and failures.
Sure, we love the recipes but if we were going to be completely honest....there is more to it, isn't there?
Come now, don't be shy. We're all friends here.

I have recently had to create a folder in my favourites toolbar for foodie pages....and then sub folders within to categorize my fave's, those I am warming up to and those that just haven't proven themselves to me yet but that I feel have promise....

I am collecting webpages just the same way as I used to collect shoes, with single minded passion and determination.
At least webpages don't cost a weeks wages and give me blisters.

My favourites are so well written, funny and engaging. They inspire me to try harder, achieve more and challenge myself.

Then I think to myself, do these fantastic men and women who take the time to post wonderful recipes, gorgeous photography and witty anecdotes for us to enjoy, suffer from writing angst just like me?
Do they wonder if anyone actully reads their thoughts, interests and events?
Do they even care?
Maybe they just write for the purely cathartic release of it all.
Perhaps, they are just so in love with their culinary creations or their childs achievements, even their husbands D'oh moment, that they just have to share...even if no-one is looking.

I regularly suffer from bloggers angst.
Moments before pressing the "publish post" button, I break into a cold sweat. I shake, I shiver!
The little monster who resides quite happily on my shoulder cheerfully points out that absolutely no-one is interested in my life, my obsession with feeding people or my attempts at humor.
I am making a fool of myself. I should just stick to writing in birthday cards, which incidentally noone reads either!
For a moment, I look and listen to him. I nod in agreement. I thoughtfully contemplate all that he has just pointed out. I stare so closely that I notice the pimple that is coming up underneath his left horn.
Then I calmly pick up the fly swat on my desk and knock him into next week......

Ok here I go, Is it hot in here? It feels warm...
Maybe I've got a fever? I've got the chills....

Nope just "publish post" fear again...

So here's a bit shout out to all the amazing bloggers who feed our addictions, give us something to enjoy with our morning coffee and encourage our harmless and completely non creepy voyeurism....
Very few people understand the amount of time, effort and soul that goes into each and every blog post.
So thankyou for the down time, the giggles and the extra few kilo's that your recipes have shared with me.

And to my lovely voyeurs- you make it all worth it.
Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs
Dee

Climbing the beanstalk....living in the land of the giants.

Growing up in a realtively small statured house I never realised that I am considered short. Like, really short....
And I suppose in the real world I'm not that bad. At an ambitious 5'3 or 161cm's, there are definately people out there shorter than me.
Coming from a home where my mum is barely 5ft and my Dad is about 5'9, I figured I was about the middle of the road.

Even when I dated very tall guys in high school, I was spared from feeling odd by the inevitable presence of mothers or sisters around the same height as myself.

And later on, just to even things up I fell in love with high heels.
Magical 4 inch stilettos that were not only something absolutely beautiful and artistic to behold but they raised me up where I belong baby!

Ok, so they shortened the tendons in the backs of my legs so badly that one physiotherapist warned me that my achille's tendon would snap one day and unravel right up to my thigh. But thats the price you pay for stunning shoes!
In fact, I never owned a pair of flat soled shoes until my pregnant belly became so unwieldly that random strangers were concerned for the safety of my ankle's.

When I met Rusty, who stands a glorious 6'4 in his socks the height difference never really entered into my mind. Although it did enter my wallet and then onto my chiropractors bank account.
Having to get the crick's in my neck straightened out from trying to reach up and kiss the human skyscraper I fell in love with, is a rather expensive exercise.
In my highest pair of heels I fit neatly under his arm, like a christmas present.
In fact, he still jokes that if I had a flat head and my father owned a brewery I would be the perfect woman!
Anyway, I never felt even slightly out of place.
Until I met Rusty's family.
Spending time with my wonderful in-laws makes me feel like I've climbed the bean stalk. Everything about them is tall.
Even their house was tall. A queenslander, up on stilts.

Rusty's mum Sue is quite stauesque at just under (?) 6ft. She has the kind of long legs I have only ever dreamed of and I am almost positive she doesn't own a pair of high heels, not that she needs them.

My sister in law Jodie is 6ft and maybe a little more, has legs Giselle Bunchden would turn green with envy over and even now at 7 months pregnant looks willowy & ethereal.

I looked like I was due anyday and had gentlemen on the street ask me if I should sit down, just in case....

My brother in law Shaun is almost as tall as Rusty and even Nick, who is disabled is taller than me!
Oh the humanity....
My only saving grace is that Rusty's Dad, Tony is only a fraction taller than me. But he maintains it's because he's shrinking with age and once was a giant also.
We let him run with that, it's easier.

Now dear reader, I understand that your sitting there thinking...."Ok, they're taller than you. So what?"
Let me paint the picture for you.....
Have you ever been in a house where you can't see the numbers on the telephone....because it's up too high?
Or needed to get something out of a top cupboard in the kitchen but there isn't a step ladder to be found?
Ever stepped into a shower and you can't move the showerhead down...because you can't reach it in the first place?
Yup, I thought you'd get the picture.

My height is a joke that never gets old with these guys, and nothing brought the joke home more than recently when I took Blue to see his Child Health Nurse for his 6 month checkup.

Now, I knew I'd had a big baby. I saw photos of myself 2 weeks before he arrived....I looked like I was overdue with quads, it was truly frightening.
Not to mention uncomfortable.
So like any new mother I adore these visits where they measure and weigh and basically decree from a 5 minute visit, months apart whether or not you are succeeding at caring for this tiny infant.
As you can imagine, repeated measuring, referring to records and constantly saying "Hmmmmm" under your breath is not welcome at these appointments.
Just when I was about to break all composure and scream "WHAT???" The nurse turns to me and says...
"Please don't take this the wrong way but your son is a freak..."
Right....of course, I'll take that comment in the positive and happy way it was intended.
I must have looked pretty thunderous because she hurried to mention that at then 6 months old, he was 80cm's long and in the 98th percentile.
Which is a fancy way of saying if you put 100 little boys the same age in a room only 2 would be taller than him.
That mean't that at 6 months old.....my son....is HALF my adult height......

As you can imagine, everyone is having an absolute field day with this. I am almost positive that my mother in law remembers and giggles daily. Quite possibly, while she is reaching up to the top shelf in her kitchen to grab a mixing bowl.
But I am choosing to look on the bright side.
Very soon he'll be able to carry the groceries in, dust the ceiling fan's and take the washing off the line for me.
In fact, he'll probably be able to carry me when my legs get tired at the shops.
Sometimes being short has it's advantages.....

Glass half full me thinks!

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs
Dee

Mini Lemon & Raspberry Cheesecakes (No baking required!)

The sun is shining, the birds are singing...I'm sneezing. All these facts point to one exciting and important fact. It's spring!

So in honour of the warmer weather I thought it was time to break out one of my fave spring / summer deserts.
If you are like me and your winter baking tends to centre around chocolate...this is a lovely creamy, light change.

It's also a fantastic, simple recipe that is easy to adapt for individual tastes. Don't like lemon? Why not use passionfruit, or lime, or strawberries....see the possibilities are endless!

Mini Lemon & Raspberry Cheesecakes....

Makes 12

- 1 pkt plain sweet biscuits. Eg: Marie

- Approx 150g unsalted butter melted

- 1 tin condensed milk

- 250g Philadelphia cream cheese

- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (approx 2 lemons)

- 2 teaspoons gelatin, dissolved in a little boiled water

- Handful fresh or frozen raspberries

Then you....

- Line a 12 hole muffin tin with foil cupcake liners.

- Place sweet biscuits in a food processor and crush to breadcrumb consistency or if your like me and don't have a food processor pop all the biscuits in 2 zip lock bags and belt the crap out of them with a rolling pin. It's a fantastic stress reliver! (you'll actually have enough biscuits for 24 cupcakes so I freeze the leftovers)

- Mix melted butter in with crushed biscuits a little at a time until the crumbs hold together when pressed with the back of a spoon but are not overly soggy.

- Press into the base of the cupcake liners and chill while you make the filling.

- Using an electric beater with a paddle attachment beat room temperature cream cheese until smooth.

- Switch to whisk attachment and whisk in condensesd milk.Gelatin & lemon juice. Beat until well combined and smooth.

- Puree raspberries and press through a sieve to remove seeds.

- Pour cheesecake mix into cupcake liners and dollop raspberry puree on top.

Swirl through with a skewer and chill in refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.