french apple cake

any cake with apple in it I am always eager to try and am never disappointed. And this French apple cake was all sorts of lovely, although I must admit I did alter the recipe just a bit. I added an extra apple to the recipe and just a teeny bit more of vanilla too. It did not last the afternoon but then again nothing really does with my four men. I used this recipe and it is definitely one that will be making again.  day 7 of my christmas baking project...tick.

please, please, please

finally getting around to posting photos that have nothing to do with baking.
it has been a long time hasn't it?

some gifts I got from an aunt...isn't the tweety bird usb amazing?

AND finally posting my package to Che, my amazing package partner...please, please, please let it arrive safely

croquembouche

halfway through my baking project and although this croquembouche wasn't initially on my christmas baking list, I am glad I finally got to make one. I only wish I could have gotten a nicer photo but I was completely overjoyed that I finally finished, as it was a long day of baking. I ended up making the toffee about three times, if it didn't work out on my third attempt I was getting ready to give up. So although it doesn't exactly look like Adriano Zumbo's croquembouche I was happy with my attempt and quickly took a photo before the light completely disappeared. The crunch is SO spectacular! definitely worth all the blisters I endured.

I hope everyone had a lovely christmas day, ours was very simple - which to me was perfection.

apple crumble

It is day five of my christmas baking project and I have to admit I am struggling a little keeping up with it. My little sister came over so I could teach her to make brazo de reina, the day I was supposed to be baking so I had to postpone my baking till yesterday.  When I did finally start it was so late and it got dark all too quickly and I was unable to take any photos. I did manage to take some photos today although I forgot to put icing sugar on top of the apple crumble :( by the time I remembered all the remaining four apple crumbles had been eaten! I will say this was an experiment on my part and this recipe isn't found anywhere but are more or less bits and pieces I put together inspired by the apple crumbles purchased at Gloria Jeans. When I first purchased these apple crumbles they were really yummy but now they have changed so much and often I feel so disappointed that I decided to try to make them myself. They didn't turn out as pretty as the ones from gloria jeans but my food critics at home said they were absolutely delicious.  This is definitely one that will be made again and hopefully will look much prettier in the future...fingers crossed :)

 

banana whoopie pies

Day four of my christmas baking and although I really lacked the energy today I decided to bake and finally use my overripe bananas today to make some banana whoopie pies with nutella cream cheese frosting, for those who are interested I used this recipe. I've got to say this is the third (or fourth, I really can't remember) time that I have tried making whoopie pies. I don't know if I am doing something wrong but they rarely or more like never look like the photographs I have seen and frankly the taste isn't that spectacular. The kids really loved them though which I am glad about, but I think I will give up on making whoopie pies again. It is a bit of a let down as so many people post recipes and seem to enjoy them so much...I really did try to like them :/

I did want to make something nice and easy though as it is Andres & mine wedding anniversary. Today we celebrated 18 years of marriage...the boy must be a little crazy by now I think!

rustic apple tart

day three of my christmas baking project and on my baking to-do list for today was rustic apple tart, I used food is luv recipe. This is definitely a recipe that has to be tried as it is absolute perfection. The only change I made was popping them out of the baking tray to make the bottom firm up a little and it made the pastry extra flaky...and extra yummy too! Definitely try this one out, I am sure you will love it.

film corner

My review
Albert Nobbs ?
Love & basketball ?
Meet me in St Louis ?
Red Dog ???
Sunshine cleaning ??
The Inbetweeners ???

I have to say that the inbetweeners is definitely not a PG movie, in fact it is quite the opposite. But it has some really funny bits, especially the dancing which was what attracted me to this movie. It is hilarious!

bunting

a day spent crafting and cutting and a little sewing, this is the outcome.
and I am overjoyed that this bunting doesn't have to be perfect, in fact it is the imperfections that adds charm to it.  Well, that is what I tell myself ;) Now...I just have decide what cake to make on sunday for the kitchen tea :/ it is the first time I have been invited to one.

strawberry bread

Day two of my christmas baking project and on the baking to-do list was this strawberry cream cheese bread as suggested by Kristi ;) It was the easiest thing to whip up but I was utterly disappointed with the quality of the strawberries we have at the grocery store.  Woolies had the bitterest bunch and I don't know if this makes a big difference to the overall taste of the bread.  But is deliciously moist and not overly sweet and not to mention the cream cheese mix is scrumdiddlyumptious ;) While mixing I had a few licks, just to see if the flavour was ok though ;)

Day three? I think I'll make banana whoopie pies with nutella or perhaps baklava

mini baking project

I have decided to do some serious baking around here, for too long has my oven been neglected and forgotten. Too long have I put recipes into my favourites always promising myself I would get around to it eventually. And so, I made a 12 days of christmas baking project of all the recipes that I have been dying to try but have been far too busy to attempt. The only problem is that it won't be twelve days as that amount of baking will seriously do damage around here so I have to restrict it to every second or third day otherwise we are going to have a few santa's in this house. I have a few items I want to try out that include rustic apple tart, baklava, strawberry cream cheese bread, tiramisu and chocolate and salted butter caramel macarons. I still have a few spots that I haven't yet decided what to make but I am sure that if I scour my recipe books I can find a few more.  If you have any suggestions, please send them through :)  The first on my list was the above red velvet cake, it was gobbled up so quickly I never got a chance to take a proper photo.

On another note, son number three has returned from a week long camp with his school and how I have missed him.  It is just me & him tonight so we are having a pizza/movie night and the pizzas smell heavenly.  He did however bring back not so very good news, I loaned him my canon ixus camera and it is no longer working, apparently he took it to the beach without the cover, fingers crossed we can somehow fix it.

Oh! and my two older boys received awards on Friday, just for attendance but still very proud of them.





I haven't been too well lately and I am sorry I haven't been around much or commenting much, I have had a terribly awful time with anxiety related issues. It seems to be getting worse every day and I definitely feel I have a hormone imbalance. I will be starting a cream that supposedly helps and fingers crossed it does a bit of good as this anxiety is a bit overwhelming.

Have a lovely weekend dear friends ;)

christmas tree

Sydney has had a very cold start to summer, in fact we have seen nothing but rain.
So while cooped up...yet again, I made a little christmas tree. I think it is just missing some shiny glitter.

a chocolate caramel slice weekend

I felt like cooking yesterday but truly I have been feeling so lethargic lately I really couldn't do anything too difficult, my solution? a chocolate caramel slice, not very healthy but sometimes you need to be a little wicked right? My only problem is the base turned out so terribly crumbly, I was grumbling to Andres about it but as much as I grumble it is still being eaten and as long as my 4 boys plus 1 are enjoying it I am happy.

Happy weekend friends :D

my week at home

Not much to say this week, or things to photograph as most of my time is spent at home.
That tomato pictured above came from my garden, originally there were six but only two little tomatoes survived, but it was oh so yummy! so different to store bought tomatoes. The books are some freebies I got from Vinnie's, I was hoping to draw in them BUT for now they are housing some flowers. Don't they look pretty?

op shop finds

Just a few photos of my latest op shop finds...although I must admit I was looking for some swimmers for number three son as he has a camp coming up very soon. The past two days have been spent in about 9 different op shops with awful luck and the most horrible weather too! (it has been absolutely freezing in Sydney and the rain just never stopped) the clothes I found were either too big, too small or too expensive. But luckily and in the smallest shop too I found a pair for him, you would not believe how much of a nagger he can be so to have that crossed of my list (and his list) was a huge relief. These little 'extras' above are just my bonus for such tremendous and hard work ;)

• The above thermos was something I actually found Wednesday but had to leave it behind as I didn't have any cash on me, a usual occurrence for me with my tribe. I am starting to think they can smell it as soon as they walk in the door! anyway, I left it behind and it felt terrible. I felt heartbroken that someone else would own it but I went back today remembering where I had left it and for a brief moment held my breath and it was there...waiting for me :)
  
• The pretty plate was 50 cents and intended for holding cakes. It is now happily holding a banana bread but I doubt the cake will stay there long
• More golden books...but still looking for 'Ukulele and her new doll' one of my favourites when I was a young girl
• These gorgeous vintage dress patterns were $2 but I only had $1 on me and I told the sales assistant I only have a dollar and was going to say...wait while I go get some but before I could he said that will do just as long as it gets used, that is the most important thing :)
• A vintage pillowcase with a gorgeous floral pattern
• I finally bought the peppermint magazine, I thought I would miss out before the new one came along
• AND I won a double pass for filling out a uni survey, although the movie doesn't look that wonderful to me the fact that I will be going out on a date with Andres will make it worth it
  

film corner

Hangover Part II ??
I don't know how she does it ???
Monte Carlo ?
My Future Boyfriend ??
One Day ??
Our Idiot Brother ?

I am hoping that the book 'One day' will be better than the movie :( AND 'I don't know how she does it' wasn't as bad as I had read from reviews

bow ties & a cute bear

I spent most of first day of freedom cleaning...how utterly boring right? and my day just went on forever. There was lots to do, in fact I am sure there will be plenty tomorrow too :/
I also managed to finish my little bear with the slightest change, he was looking awfully plain so I decided to add a little bow tie, I hope the recipient falls in love with him OH and the little rabbit in the hat too ;)

weekends bits 'n bobs

This week has been rough, truly rough. So many things happened, some good but mostly not so good. I will spare you all the details and I am sure if you knew the details you would be very happy I didn't share them.  But thankfully the weekend is here and with it comes a breath of fresh air and a time to reflect on all the good things God has blessed us with. I am with my family and we are all healthy, what more could I ask for?

Above are a few of my weekend bits and pieces....my plum tree which still is fruitless, I think it is in need of a belting (an odd thing Chileans do when fruit trees don't give fruit, they hit it which my aunt is famous for) and a little bit of crocheting.  Nothing much but it feels amazingly good now that my uni year is over :D

my 4 kangaroos

the absolute joys of my life!
and yet often the reason why I am a little (or a lot, depending on who you ask) cuckoo
they are growing way too fast for me :(