Summer Break 2011-2012 Journal

Following much in the steps of Elisa Blaha, I'm on my way to creating a Summer Journal to collect and transcribe my adventures (which I'm hoping to continue having), baking joys, and whatever else might happen throughout my break before uni returns on March 5. My journal is a bit different to that of Elisa's, having created my front and back covers out of packaging cardboard, but I gain plenty of inspiration from her journals and blog posts to help me along my way! Here is the beginnings of 'Summer Break-> 2011-2012'.

Excuse all of the funky camera angles - I got a new (really great) digital camera for Christmas, and I've been giving it a bit of a work out as you can see haha (:

Red Velvet Cheesecake

After buying a couple of copies of Woolworths Good Food magazine, I'm hooked on it and it's recipes. It went straight on my (very late) Christmas list to Mum and Dad, and lucky me received a 12 month subscription! Woo Hoo!


Anyway, I truly recommend that you check out the mag - it is only $3.95 after all! And no, I'm not working on commission...or at all in fact haha :) Here's some pics of the Red Velvet Cheesecake I whipped up for our New Years Day BBQ lunch as dessert. Everyone loved it!!

 

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Year! xx

Shit Girls Say

One of my favourite bloggers, Erica, shared this hilarious YouTube video on her blog Tartraz and so I thought I'd pass on the favour - it's hilarious. And what's even better is that there are more of where this one came from!! Once I began watching it, a lot of pointing and 'ohhhh's' starting happening from me behind the screen here because the videos are just way too accurate! Enjoy girls :D


PS: I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!! xx

Christmas Cards 2011

 

So I've made a good dent in the number of Christmas cards I like to hand make for friends. Here's a look at the first few I've accomplished so far. Link me to your blogs and Christmas creations :) I'd love some merry inspiration!

Homemade Mint Thins

The summertime is my baking season. My best friend and I have a little competition which he is less than fond of (even though deep down I think he relishes on the rivalry, although I will 'win' by default haha) affectionately referred to as 'The Bake-Off'. Once uni ends for the year, we both put our hand to various cake, biscuit, cheesecake and whatever other recipe we can find and hopefully impress, flaunt and most importantly terrify the muffin-tops off each other!


Well yesterday I put my hand to a Homemade Mint Thins recipe I found. They didn't exactly turn out looking like they were 'supposed' to, but I much prefer this 'Tegan version' (mostly because the biscuits are much bigger - hello hips!).

Here's the super easy recipe and some mouth-watering chocolatey photos..

Ingredients

Cookies

1 ½ cups flour

¾ cups unsweeted cocoa

¼ tsp baking soda

1 ¾ stick butter

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp milk

½ tsp vanilla

1 ½ tsp mint extract

Topping

1 cup chocolate chips

1 tsp mint extract

Method

Cookies

1. Mix together flour, cocoa salt and baking soda.
2. In a separate bowl, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat for one minute.
3. Add milk, vanilla and mint. Beat for an additional minute. Slowly add the dry ingredients while still beating.
4. Once mixture is well-combined and resembles small pebbles, use your hands to form into a ball. Roll the dough into a log and wrap in waxed paper. Chill for 2 hours.
5. Slice into thin rounds and place on grease-proof paper. Bake at 180ºC for 12-15min.

Topping

6. Melt chocolate in bowl set in simmering water, and add mint.
7. Once cookies have cooled and become crispy, coat their tops in chocolate by dipping them or smearing with an icing knife (I had some trouble here - I'd advise melting the chocolate completely before adding the mint extract, rather than adding it and then melting).

(Recipe source: http://mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com/)

Your Man Reminder

I came across this hilarious reminder for women about breast cancer on a blog of Blush!nk, 'Glamour This' and so I thought I would share it. 

la la love.

I've got a second blog running called 'la la love.', putting the light bulb on all things beautiful, baking and most likely out of my banking boundaries! So click on it and checkcheckcheck it outttt! ;)

Banana Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

 

 

 

If you would like the recipe I go by, just let me know!

Year 12 Formal

 

 

 

Last day of my semester break today, so I thought I would make the most of that and of my creative mojo. So after some not-so-neat, but very fun painting, I came up with this page using a photo of me and a friend at our Year 12 Formal from 2009. I'm really happy with it...gee, painting can be so tranquil! Have a great week :)

Viennese Fingers

If  you would like the recipe to these little lovelies, then just leave a comment and I'll get it to you :) It's super easy!!