Chocolate Date Roll

Okay so I'm still plodding with my recipes but I must warn you before you get all excited and think what a delicious sounding thing this is.........when I made it.....it was a freaking disaster.  I don't often get COMPLETE write offs with my cooking but unless you want to eat chocolate covered rice bubbles then this is not the recipe for you..........

But perhaps someone out there can make this and let me know where I went wrong.....I challenge you!

Chocolate Date Roll from the book: The Kindness of Strangers – Kitchen Memoirs

by Shonagh Koea

 One-third of a large cake of dark chocolate (perhaps king size)

200 grams of dates

100 grams of butter

50 grams of brown sugar

Three cups of rice bubbles

Desiccated coconut

Put the dark chocolate in a saucepan with the dates, butter and brown sugar.  Melt all this very carefully over a low heat until the dates are quite soft.  Add three cups of rice bubbles and mix well.  When it is cool enough to handle, roll the mixture into two rolls, each about four centimetres in diameter, then roll in desiccated coconut.  Wrap in greaseproof paper and store in the refrigerator.  Cut into slices to serve.

PS not going to review it due to it being a disaster!  I think that speaks for itself.

Johnny Depp and I......confession time.....

It's a documented fact (well I write about it in my blog....) that I think Johnny Depp is....well..... pretty gosh darn awesome.  A great actor, true to himself (as far as I can tell!) and not to shabby on the eye.

Well here's the confession.....

I wouldn't ever know what to do or say to him if I meet him!!  Lucky for me never likely to happen but if it did I'd be worse than 13 year old girl...giggling, not being able to talk and very self conscious.

Why have I suddenly come to this conclusion?

Johnny stares down at me from the calendar that my dear friend, The Crafter, gave me day after day and quite frankly its hard to get anything done!  But the Farmer was away last night and after the kids were safely tucked into bed I retired to the lounge........glass of wine in hand (yes I know it was a weekday and I'm not meant to be drinking then but well bite me!)........looking at the washing pile, the pile of  filing that was sitting there and numerous other things to be done........ and I thought sod it all!  I pulled out a Johnny Depp DVD.......assumed the prime spot on the couch and RELAXED. 

Fricken awesome. 

I even went as far as watching some of the bloopers and other bits after the movie had finished.  I watched a segment with Johnny and Keith Richards......2 legends just hanging out, talking about cool stuff and being lads.

But then came the realisation.......How would I ever hold a conversation with Johnny Depp?!!  It would be tragic beyond words.  Another wannabe fan with a teenage crush that has lasped into her thirties.  Sad.

Anyway I feel the best thing to do right now is to think about some intelligent questions, so when he does phone......I'll be ready. 


Johnny, just give me a week or so, okay?! ;-)

Working Mums - guidelines anyone?!

Working Mums. What's the guidelines? I must of lost the manual on how to do it properly! ?

The title 'working Mum' is for all Mums with kids, whether they are in paid employment or not.

My dilemma about being a working Mum always seems to be worse when I'm not in "paid employment".  Today for example I am child free (mine and anyone elses) and I'm cleaning, have some plums on the stove making plum sauce, hanging washing and mentally debating whether it's wise to take on an other children when I am constantly feeling I'm not getting all my things done. 

Specifically "things" are not just vacuuming.  Its the cleaning down the cupboards, giving things a jolly good scrub, fingerprint removal off odd places, cleaning the oven, tackling the linen cupboard, not to mention the outside stuff - oh yeah and then catching up with all and sundry, trying to squeeze in some time with nieces that I don't feel I know so well, not to mention other friends with kids that will be in school by the time I get my shit together.

So back to the question - taking on another child, on days I'm already working - smart?  Possibly not, but if you already have kids it's not such a big issue is it?  Well I guess the fact they need 7.30-4.30 care is a factor.  But do I WANT to do this?

The arse of it is that no one can answer that question for me. 

And in all truth I probably know the answer but hate to let people down.  Dumb huh?

On the other hand, how do other people manage?  I have some amazing friends who work and juggle kids.  Why can't I?  Hmmm.

All this doesn't mean I'm not happy with my lot, I most certainly am.  In fact perhaps happier than I've been in a while - it's just ensuring that it all works and works well.  And I've found, especially with the blog, it's better to write it all out and reassess than let it stew.  So there you have it!

15 things that annoy me......

Not sure why but I'm feeling particularly irritable today...to change my mood I thought I would just have a wee vent......

1.  Wee on the toilet seat
2.  Wee on the floor discovered by your foot
3.  Children dropped off to me with a large full steaming nappy
4.  Snubs on social networking working sites
5.  Having to re clean the bathroom you cleaned just hours before
6.  Stuck on Weetbix
7.  Waking early when you don't have to
8.  Finding the perfect dress/top/pair of shoes.....that isn't in your size
9.  Never winning Lotto
10. People that don't use their indicators
11. Having to look after children that are sick, that aren't mine
12. Having to repeat myself, especially with little or no voice
13. When people don't RSVP
14. Food scraps in the sink
15. Not having enough time in the day

I'm not entirely sure that made me feel any better but at least I can see that it's all small stuff.  As Miss 4 would say 'Mum, build a bridge, and walk over it'.  I'll try.

Why getting 'the Bird' made my day.....

Most people don't like being flipped the bird.  Some people think it's inappropriate.  Silly even.

I think it's very funny especially when done between friends.

So today's posting is all about how getting 'the bird' has literally made me smile all day.  I would say laugh all day but I've lost my voice so laugh probably isn't the right word.....grin and cough, wheeze a bit but definitely it does not sound like laughter......so I'll stick with smile.

These are hilariously funny biscuits that a very dear friend (this post is all about you!!) made and gave to me.  They totally appeal to my seriously off beat sense of humour and I'm thinking would make a great addition to the next 'bring a plate' school function -anonymously of course!

I like the fact that their are friends in my life who keep me on my toes.  They give me shit, take the mickey and make me laugh out loud.  This friend in particular pulls them out of the bag in fine form, when you least expect it, like at 9 this morning.  And I've been smiling ever since!

So thanks my finger pulling friend and for those of you who don't know how to pull the Bird (or the finger) instructions below!

1) Extend either arm at an approximately 90° angle perpendicular to the body.

You'd be surprised how many people don't give The Finger correctly. Save yourself from unnecessary embarrassment by going over these few simple steps. Be Strong. Be Proud. Then Flip. Remember: You are the master of your own bird.

2) Bend arm at the elbow. Position it parallel to the body, forming three sides of a perfect square. 3) Close palm tightly. 4) Fiercely upturn digit between pointer and ring finger.

PAY ATTENTION NOW!

5) Hold approximately 10 seconds to a minute for emphasis.

You don't have to be a size 8 to be HOT!

Now that I have your attention.......I'd like to share that I have discovered something very important.  Sexiness, healthy body image and confidence don't come from having a size 8 supermodel figure.

SHOCKING I KNOW.

And well I can't actually confirm this in the sense that the last time I had a size 8 figure was when I was 8 years old.  But for most of my life I have always been concerned about how I look.  Even when I got married and was probably at my slimest I was still worried. 

The thing that hit me yesterday was that I had been in town, on my much needed day off, I had make up on, was wearing heels and a skirt and just had my haircut and (brace yourself) I got a couple of "looks" from some not bad looking specimens of the opposite sex. 

Before this goes to my head I hasten to add it wasn't the new haircut, clothes or heels but the confidence I had with myself.  It literally shone through all the other stuff.  I was, am, happy.  You could be in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and still get the same effect because how you feel about you on the inside.

Okay so I hear a collective sigh....yeah yeah heard it all before but it's true.

I'm prioritising what's important.  Eating well, living well and knowing that I'm not always going to be in control of things but that it's my attitude that will dictate how I handle what comes at me.  And I never knew before that having that state of mind will affect everything.  Especially how I feel about the way I look!  Talk about light bulb moment!

So I'm loving my curves, in fact while watching Bonanza (yes the old TV show ......) the Farmer mentioned about the curves on that actress which sparked a conversion regarding the kind of actress/role models around for women today.....we decided that girls with curves are way hotter.....that's what being a woman is all about!  Which means the Farmer thinks I'm HOT.  What more could a girl want.......?!!   hmm perhaps just a phone call from Johnny Depp?! Ha!

“I didn't discover curves; I only uncovered them.”  Mae West

Making Icecream

So Master Seven made Ice cream with his Gran at his last visit to the Farm.  And it reminded me that there was a recipe from Shonagh Koea book I needed to try.......thus......

Ice cream from the book: The Kindness of Strangers – Kitchen Memoirs

by Shonagh Koea

2 large eggs, separated

100 grams of icing sugar

Three tablespoons of Cointreau (we just used vanilla essence with all the lovely little seeds!)

300 millilitres of cream

Grated rind of one orange

Beat the egg whites until stiff, then gradually beat in half the icing sugar to form a white opaque meringue which holds in peaks.  In another bowl beat the egg yolks with one teaspoon of the Cointreau and the rest of the sugar till very light in colour.  In a third bowl whip the cream until it holds its shape, then lightly stir in the rest of the Cointreau.  Gently mix the egg yolk mixture with the cream, then finally fold in the whisked eggs whites.  Turn into a 1.2 litre (two pint) mould – a loaf tin or cake tin or plastic food container is fine – and put in the freezer with the orange rind sprinkled on the top.  The only disadvantage to this recipe is that it creates quite a lot of dishes to wash.

 

Janes' review:

1; being a sucky flop 2;definitely do this one again  3; being add to your repertoire immediately

Taste: 3 - Quite possibly the best ice cream I've ever had!

Ease: 3 - took 3 bowls and Master 7 got tired arms (toughen up!) but otherwise pretty simple!

Brown Sugar Shortbread

So I'm still plodding on with cooking these recipes and here is the lastest installment...........

Brown Sugar Shortbread from the book: The Kindness of Strangers – Kitchen Memoirs

by Shonagh Koea

250 grams of butter

One cup of brown sugar

One and a half cups of flour

Half a teaspoon of baking powder

Half a cup of cornflour

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the brown sugar, flour, baking powder and cornflour.  Spread out in a sponge roll tin and bake for twenty minutes at 160 degrees Celsius.  Cut the shortbread carefully into finger shapes as it is cooling in the tin and remove from the tin when it is cold.

 Janes' review:

1; being a sucky flop 2;definitely do this one again 3; being add to your repertoire immediately

Taste: Very nice aroma while cooling - 2

Ease: Took just minutes to get in the oven - 2

Taste testers aged 7 and under – Quite yum and yum

Taste Tester 35 and over – a bit dry

Overall quite nice – I’m not very good at making shortbread, not sure why, but this was probably my best attempt.......