The Making of a Master McChef

One of my favourite clients is married to a Scotsman who has recently started cooking at the age of 60. She loves a good joke and asked me to make him an apron with a kilt attached. "Hmmm" I thought, how am I going to do that?

Well, I got some tartan, worked out how to space some knife pleats...

fashioned a sporen (Ha!) and attached it all to a standard adult's apron. Here's the finished product!  Oh yes, and the matching 'Master McChef' Hat of course.

I wonder if he has snags or haggas on the barbie?

Either way, I'm off for a cuppsy tea (and a Nenish Tart). What? 
:  ) Kim

My friend Barb and her Ginger Kisses Recipe

Meet my friend Barb.  She's from the 80's I think, and not quite what she used to be.

Barb and I met at our local op shop a couple of months ago  and since then she has happily assisted with lots of lovelies like these Ginger Kisses for example.  Recipe below.

And yet, she doesn't like to oblige every time I ask for her help.  If I ask her to cream butter and sugar in the big bowl instead of the little bowl, she flings big chunks of my ingredients all up the wall and onto the floor.  At least I know her limitations... and sadly, she matches the decor of our kitchen.  One day we'll win lotto and get rid of the ugly gumnut tiles and green laminate.

Here is the recipe, I found it online ages ago and unfortunately don't know who to credit for it.  It's a goodie anyway.

GINGER KISSES

Ingredients

125g (2oz) butter

125g (2oz) sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 egg
225g (8oz) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1/3 cup milk


Method
Cream butter, sugar and golden syrup. Beat in egg. Sift in dry ingredients, add milk and mix with a metal spoon. Place teaspoonfuls on greased trays. Bake 10 - 12 minutes at 200ºC.  Fill with mock cream flavoured with 1/4 teaspoon lemon essence.

MOCK CREAM FILLING
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence/lemon essence

Method
1. beat butter and icing sugar to a cream

2. add vanilla/lemon essence, stir in well
3. sandwich between 2 Ginger Kisses.

Yum!!  Enjoy with a lovely cuppa tea.  : )

How to stop yelling at your kids

Pic courtesy of Muhawi001

I've realised lately that all Mums yell at their kids, or have wanted to at some stage.  It's being talked about amongst my friends, at playgroup, in the shop and being blogged about.  I'm as guilty as the next person when it comes to yelling.  We often feel infuriated, stressed, rushed, exasperated, frustrated and many other things when our children don't behave the way we want them to, when they flat out ignore us, defy our requests, make unreasonable demands, take far too long to put a pair of shoes on.....  I've noticed something funny though.  My Toddler Cuggle is so often a well behaved little angel on a Friday.  

Fridays are the only day of the week I don't have hard and fast plans.  No strict schedule, no 'hurry up', 'quickly', 'we're going to be late', 'where have your shoes gone?'.  Fridays are protected with my life as a No Rules Day.  Sometimes we have baking days so we have something warm from the oven for our morning and afternoon tea, sometimes we stay in our jarmies and allow the TV to go on for extended Wiggles watching; sometimes we go to the park or we make play dates or Toddler just runs around in the back yard while I potter around hanging washing and just doing normal things.    Sometimes we have to run errands, but whatever we do I keep it casual and I try to make my little girl the focus.  I ask her what she wants to do/wear/eat and take the attitude that it doesn't matter how long anything takes.  These are the days where I really appreciate my child's budding personality, her jokes, her quirks, her ability to be so sweet and considerate.  I get lots of spontaneous cuggles and kisses that are usually only reserved for Daddy.  (He's the stereotypical fun one). 

I know I'm among the lucky ones to have the luxury of an entire day like this most weeks and I'm sure things won't be so easy once the 2nd one arrives in August.  It wouldn't be reasonable to allow 'no rules' days too often either, our kids might end up with rotten teeth or square eyes.  We'd be late for work, they'd be late for kindy or school and everyone would be cranky from not being fed on time and not being able to find anything in a very messy house.  

The moral of the story though - if we can find a little bit of time here and there to focus on the child/children and not on the clock, we might all feel a bit calmer and happier, and less like a psycho-mother like I do sometimes.

Not that I'm any expert but this Dr Cuggle also recommends a damn good cuppa tea when all else fails.  : )

At My House: Heirloom Pumpkin Gnocchi with Tomato & Olive Sauce

This is my first attempt at pumpkin gnocchi, any gnocchi actually.  It tasted good, but I did run into some trouble getting to the end result.  Preparing the dough was fine, but making the little shapes requires a fork and a flick of the wrist that I haven't quite mastered.  We'll definitely be having this again, so time to practice next time. 

I used this recipe, cooking my pumpkin by baking it in the oven for half an hour or so.  We were given an heirloom pumpkin from our interstate visitors recently, they bought it from a farmer in Kyogle.  Apparently he sets up his truck outside a servo there if you know the area.  It was beautiful, the flavour was so distinctive and reminded me of the roast pumpkin Nan used to include with our Sunday Roasts.

There are other things happening at our house this week, however I'm doing that stupid, unproductive thing where you have a toddler on your lap thinking you can type a quick post and keep them happy at the same time.  I've pulled her fat little hands off the keyboard and mouse a few times now.  I think it time for a cuppa tea and a nice story with her cuddling in next to me.

Happy Anniversary Mr Cuggle

It has been 4 years and 1 day since this stolen kiss between you and I Mr Cuggle.  I love you dearly.... even if you are pain in the neck sometimes!  Like when you agree to go to Melbourne for work on our anniversary.  You were forgiven the moment you kissed me sweetly on your way out at 5am yesterday, leaving me a love note like you always do.  Counting the hours til you get home this afternoon ya big boof.  

xxx

At my house: Making Toddler Headbands

Here's another 'midnight special .  After Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters I felt sudden inspiration.  I made this as a thank you for a client's little girl who is having a birthday soon.  It matches one of the personalised tops I made her last week.

Thanks again Lou for the 'At my House' game.  The pattern and tutorial for this headband can be found on Heather Bailey's Blog.  I used about 9.5cm of elastic including allowance for seams to fit a 2 year old.  I made the band width narrower than the pattern and the elastic under the knot is designed to be exposed but I think I can do something about covering it the next time I make one.  Overall, pretty happy with the outcome. : )

Donna Hay Banana & Coconut Pudding

This is a new favourite that we enjoyed by the fire.  Sounds romantic doesn't it? Well it wasn't, our beautiful Toddler Cuggle and our Puppy Cuggle were enjoying the warmth of the fire too.  It was a nice family moment. : ) 

This Donna Hay recipe adheres to my strict standards to be called a favourite - yummy, easy, fast and requires only 'normal' ingredients that are likely to be in the house.  The recipe is on the Donna Hay website but I notice they've attached the wrong picture. I know because it is in the Winter 2006 DH Magazine (issue 28) where I got my pudding recipe.  The website picture is actually of 'Winter Trifle with Spiced Custard'.  Might have to try that one next time.  Yum.