May 232012
 
MasterS turned 1 on the 12th May. 
We celebrated a week later due to one of Drew’s bestmates got married.. 
But I am pretty sure MasterS didn’t mind being looked after by his Nanna and Grampy AND his 2 cousins. In fact I think he rather enjoyed it.

Fast forward to last Sunday.

Lil Man’s Jungle Themed 1st Birthday Party

Lion Biscuits
Jigsaw Puzzle Biscuits






Getting ready for the Tiger Cake

Ra Ra Cupcakes
Triple Chocolate Brownies and White Chocolate with Raspberries Brownies

It was a family effort for decorating the cake.
I made the icing
Drew’s brother cut the decorations to the right shape and started icing the cake
Drew then decided he needed to take over to make it smooth

MasterS’s Tiger Cake
MissC nicking a Ra Ra Cupcake before the party started
Having a lil rest before people arrive
Decorations – Orange and Green Jungle Theme



Ra Ra Cupcakes (Ra Ra rice paper edible prints)


Used Alchemy Juice for the non-drinkers (They were very successful!)

Grampy and his 3 grandsons (baby boy #4 was sleeping)
MasterS enjoying a cuddle
Melting moment all over his moosh!
 
Ooo that looks tasty!
Passed out from sugar high

My friends (the boys and their wives) I have known since I was 15
My Niece (on Drew’s side)


Birthday boy still asleep
Grampy a lil annoyed he got stuck with him
Great Grandad Bowyer made a wooden whale moneybox
Just give me the cards to read


Everyone wants to open presents
Happy Birthday MasterS
Ra Ra Cupcakes
I want THAT one!
And that one!
And all of that cake!
But definitely that cupcake!
Choosing which one they want
That one!
No THAT one!
Nibble nibble nibble

This Birthday Celebration has been brought to you by 
Wordless Wednesday.. 
May 132012
 

Cooking the Books #3 BANANA LOAF


I was born in New Zealand and one thing I remember growing up is my Mum’s love for Edmonds Recipes. Whenever we went back to NZ for a holiday to visit Mum’s side of the family we always picked up an Edmonds Recipe book. I have three in my own collection.


I had two over riped banana’s in my fruit bowl and knew that they would either go in the freezer for the lil squirts Yonana’s (post soon) or banana bread. 


So today I picked out a recipe for Banana Loaf from the Edmonds Cookery Book. Perfect for baby led feeding and freezing!!


Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups Self Raising Flour
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Milk
75g Butter, melted
1 cup Mashed Banana (equals about 2 medium bananas)


Instructions: 
Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Mix in sugar. In another bowl beat eggs. Stir in milk, butter and banana. mix quickly into dry ingredients, stirring until ingredients are just combined. Spoon into a greased and lined 22cm loaf tin. Bake at 180c for 45-55 minutes. Leave in tin for 10 minutes before turning out on wire rack.


Can be sliced and frozen for lunches.

May 082012
 
How To #1: Add a Follow Me Button to Blogger

  1. To add a Follow Me Button to Blogger, you need to find big Facebook, Twitter and RSS icons.
  2. Download it and upload it to Google Picasa or Flicker (whatever picture uploading site you use).
  3. Open a word document and paste in the following code:
    <a href=”http://www.facebook.com/yourpage” target=”_blank”><img alt=”Facebook Page” src=”http://yourpage.com/uploads/2012/10/button1.jpg” width=”20″ height=”20″/>
  4. Your feed address may be something like this:

    http://your-blog.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

    To find your feed address:

  5. Open the picture you uploaded.
    Right click on the picture, and click ‘Copy Image URL’

    Paste the URL into the code.
    Yes it should look like a long and weird URL address.

    To find your uploaded picture web address:
    Go to the website where you uploaded your pictures. (if using google picasa – go to google photos.)
  6. Do a separate code for each of your pictures.
    Remembering to change your Subscribe To wording for each one.
    The target=”_blank” means that it will open in another tab
    The  height=”48″ width=”47″ means the size of the logos on your blog. You can adjust these to be bigger and smaller.
  7. Line up the codes in word so they are one after the other for adding to your blog. As you want this all in one gadget.
  8. Now go to Layout:
    Add a Gadget tab and add a “HTML/JavaScript” gadget.
  9. Paste the codes.
    Click Save.

Have a look at your blog. Do they appear? I hope so!

Unfortunately I do not know how to do this on WordPress or any other blog hosting site! 
But I would assume the concept is the same – or use a plugin/widget.

May 062012
 

Cooking the Books #2 – CINNAMON BUNS


Today’s recipe is from the book ‘All About Bread‘ – by Elisabeth Stanley. My Mother-In-Law introduced me to her flours when Drew bought me a Bread Machine a few years ago for my birthday!


Ingredients:
255ml Water
500g Sweet Bun Flour
11/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
Cinnamon Sugar – 1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Bun Icing


Bun Icing:
Sifted Icing Sugar
Tablespoon of water
*mix at end to get a thick but dribbling off spoon consistancy


Directions:

  • Place water, flour, yeast into the Bread Machine, Set machine to Dough setting.
  • When cycle is finished remove dough from pan and expel air.
  • Cover with dry cloth and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Roll dough into a rectangle approximately 30cm x 22cm x 6mm.
  • Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar leaving about 2cm along the long side nearest you.
  • Roll up like a Swiss Roll making sure the seam is underneath.
  • Mark lightly into 12 equal pieces.
  • Gently cut through the dough with a very sharp knife.
  • Place each portion in prepared pan, cut side up.
  • Allow to double in size approximately 45 minutes.
  • Bake for 25 minutes (180c or 160 fan forced).
  • Allow to cool.
  • Ice with Bun Icing.

Yes I was drinking Pumpkin Soup while baking

Bon Apetite!