hello again.

Yet again another Saturday done and dusted.

Such an easy day today.   I didn't get out of bed till 9.30 this morning.  Ambled through a coffee even played some games on facebook.  I didn't even think about cooking till nearly 11.00.  Not having the grandkids this morning certainly made a difference.  I'm also only cooking for number one son and  family tonight, so no stress. Miss Tash has to work tonight so I do have to baby sit the chunky one but that's not till later this arvo.

I'm making porcupine meatballs, cauliflower cheese, mashed potatoes and carrots for main tonight and they don't have to be started till late this arvo, so I only have to concentrate on sweets at the moment.

First off I'm making the biscuit base for the banoffee tarts,  This is just heating and pressing chocolate ripple biscuits into the patty pan trays. Nice and simple.

My mind is always ticking over, thinking of what I can make that is different to what everyone else makes. What can I change about a recipe that will make it mine. I have frozen raspberries in the freezer that I want to use so I'm going to make something with them.  Look at some recipes, look at some photos and decide.
I'm going to take the common jam slice to another level and make DOUBLE RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE STREUSEL SLICE.  Sounds pretty impressive I think.  Now to make it.

I make a plain biscuit type base which is cooked first. I covered that with raspberry jam. I covered the jam with the frozen raspberries and then covered the raspberries with a crumble type topping.  Cooked that, then when it had cooled, drizzled melted white chocolate over the top.  Now for the taste test.  You don't know whether these things are going to turn out until that first taste.  Could be a bin it thing. But no.  Sounds impressive, tastes impressive. Yum.  The frozen raspberries just give it a nice tangy taste that goes well with the crumble top.  I'm happy.

Miss Tash arrives with Chunky so we have a cuppa and a late lunch and a bit of a chat before she has to leave for work.  Chunky's tired so I'm hoping she'll sleep for a while. Her mum leaves, so I get her a bottle and lay her down.  She drinks the bottle, pitches it over the side and proceeds to scream.  Damn.  Kristy comes to the rescue and pushes her around the block in the pram.  Twice.  She's asleep.   Thanks Kristy.

So I tidy up a bit and get the table ready for tea and Chunky's awake.  40 minutes.  Oh well.  The man takes her outside to play for a while so I can continue on.

Its time to think about getting the meatballs and the cauliflower on. So I put the cauli on to boil while I'm playing in the mince steak and rice and rolling it into balls.  I throw the balls into the tomato soup and put them in the oven.  I take the cauli off and leave it to drain while I make the cheese sauce.  That's done  and ready to put into the oven.  I peel the potatoes and carrots and they are ready to go too.

Once 6.00 pm arrives, I put the cauli in the oven and put the potatoes and carrots on to boil.  At the last minute I decide to make a bread and butter pudding.  I quickly butter the bread and cut it into pieces.  I put that in a dish with some sultanas then whisk some eggs, milk and sugar together.  I'm not putting it together till the other bits come out of the oven.

Lizzy Lou arrives with the kids, she's lost her voice.  I need a hearing aid to understand her lol, but we manage.  Only have to ask her to repeat every second thing.

Now we are just waiting for number one to arrive so I can dish up.  He arrives so I mash potatoes, drain carrots, take the meatballs out of the oven, dish them up, take the cauli out, its good.

I finish making the bread and butter pudding, into a water bath and into the oven.

Eat, drink,  whispered conversation, yelling kids, fighting babies..I love Saturday nights.

Dessert.
I take the bread and butter pudding out of the oven and check it. Its done.

I whip cream and put the banoffee tarts together.  They look great. Can't wait to eat them,

They are excellent even it I do say so myself.

Tea's over.  Lizzy lou and family have gone.  Miss Tash rings to say she's on the way.  She wants tarts. She got lucky,  I even saved her some.

MissTash arrives then next thing,  number five arrives.  He demolishes half the raspberry slice with half a bottle of cream.
Chunky proceeds to fall asleep in mums arms, which makes it awful hard to drink tea and eat tarts, but Miss Tash soldiers on,even though her arm is now numb, as you do.

It's time to for them to leave before they both fall asleep in their chairs.  Nite.

So I send my lot to bed and clean up  a bit.   Only a bit. And here I am.  Again.

Before I go, I had a revelation through the week.  I made something I haven't had in years.  Napolean slice.  Made with cake, pastry and jam. We use to have them as kids.  That was a mighty long time a go.  It was good.

And last, but not least.

nighty nite.

CHOCOLATE BANOFFEE TARTS

1 packet chocolate ripple biscuits
1 can caramel top and fill
2 - 3 bananas, thinly sliced
300 mls thickened cream, whipped with 2 dessertspoons sugar


preheat oven to 170 c
you will need the half round patty pan tins for this.

lay biscuits across the holes in tin.

heat in oven till biscuits are soft.

press biscuits into holes to form tart shapes.

cool.


place a couple of slices of banana in bottom of biscuit.

cover banana with caramel.

pipe or spoon on whipped cream,

place another slice of banana on top of cream.

best to fill biscuits about 1/2 hour before serving.  banana will go brown if left standing for too long.

pressed biscuits will store unfilled in an airtight container.

BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING.

serves 4

4 slices bread, buttered
1/2 cup sultanas
5 eggs
3 dessertspoons sugar
2 cups milk
nutmeg

preheat oven to 180c.

grease a 7 x 11 heatproof dish.

1/2 fill lamington tray with water.


cut each slice of bread into 3 pieces.

arrange  bread around bottom and sides of dish.

sprinkle with the sultanas.

whisk the eggs, milk and sugar together.

pour over bread and sultanas.

sprinkle with nutmeg.

place dish into tray of water.

place all in oven.

cook for 25 - 30 minutes.  check by putting a small cut with a knife through to bottom of dish.  if solid through to bottom, it's cooked.

serve with cream.

DOUBLE RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE STREUSEL SLICE.

BASE

preheat oven to 180c.  grease and line swiss roll tin with baking paper.

2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
125 grams cold butter, cubed
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk

using a processor, mix flour, sugar and butter till fine.

add egg and milk and mix till dough is formed.

if no processor,using two knives, cut butter through sugar and flour mix till mix resembles breadcrumbs.  add egg and milk. using hands, mix into a dough.

press mix into tray.

cook for 15 minutes or until just brown.

FILLING

1/2 CUP raspberry jam
300 grams frozen raspberries.

spread jam evenly over base and then sprinkle the raspberries evenly over the jam.

TOPPING

1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup oats
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
125 grams butter, melted

mix all together and sprinkle over raspberries.

cook approx. 20 minutes or till just brown on top

melt 120 grams white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water.

using a teaspoon, drizzle chocolate over top slice.

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

serves 6 - 8 people.

1 1/2 kilo cauliflower
4 cups milk
4 heaped dessertspoons cornflour
extra milk
2 cups grated tasty cheese
salt to taste
extra grated tasty cheese

preheat oven to 180 c.  grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

boil cauliflower in salted water, till just cooked. drain.

place cauliflower in baking dish.

heat the 4 cups milk on medium temperature.

mix the cornflour with enough of the extra milk to make a paste thin enough to pour.

stir cornflour paste into heating milk.

bring to boil.

remove from heat and stir in grated cheese and salt.

stir till melted.

pour sauce over cauliflower and sprinkle with extra grated cheese.

cook till nicely brown, about 20 minutes.

NAPOLEAN SLICE the old fashioned way

1 sheet puff pastry
200 grams butter softened
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 cup cream
1 3/4 cup self raising flour
raspberry jam

preheat oven to 200 c

bake pastry sheet till nicely brown

remove from oven and turn temperature down to 180c

cool pastry.

grease, flour and line bottom of square cake tin.

cream butter, sugar and vanilla.

add eggs one at a time, beating well.

fold in flour and cream in two batches.

spoon into tin and level.

cook for approx. 40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

cool.

cut cake in half (side to side).

spread each half with a thickish layer of jam.

cut pastry to fit on cake (bottom part)

place top section of cake on top of pastry.

ice.

ICING

3 cups icing sugar
2 teaspoons strawberry essence
3 drops pink food colour
1/4 cup milk approx.

mix all together but add one tablespoon milk at a time until spreading consistency.

NOTE. you can use a packet vanilla cake mix if preferred.

Here we go again. Another Saturday, another birthday.  Will they never end?  Oh well, it's Kristy  this time  Happy birthday Fluffy.

It's been a long, long,  looooong day today. I'm so glad it's done.  Too many kids and not enough time.

The day started off so well.  The grandkids arrived to be baby sat, had one extra today, but in the scheme of things one extra makes no difference here.

I'm so tired at the moment I can't even remember what I started cooking first this morning. Thinking, thinking,
Oh yeah, I softened up the biscuits and pushed them into the tins for the lemon meringue cheesecake tarts.  I love working with the biscuits, hate rolling pastry.

The kids are hungry, of course, so I made everyone some toast and vegemite and a drink, then continued on my happy little way. And just to make things easier, Kristy's out of bed and watching the kids for me.  Well, she has to,  if she wants her birthday tea.

Now that  I'm  on the go, I made some packet red velvet cupcakes. I only made these because I wanted to try out the solid icing and heart cutters that I bought. I'm not real clever in the solid icing type things. Remembering that I have to make a chicken cake with it in two weeks. I also made a glue to stick the pieces together.  Wasn't too bad, just like playdough for mummies and at least the glue worked.

Next it was onto cherry ripe slice. Haven't made this for ages and seeing as Kristy had been nagging me to make it  and it is her birthday.....
So I crushed biscuits, melted copha,  chopped glace cherries ( sticky little things that they are) and mixed a few other bits, melted some chocolate and there they were.

How can it be lunchtime already?  I can't even see my bench at the moment, better clean up first.
Make sandwiches, more drinks, a coffee for me, put a kid too sleep and back to the kitchen.

Time sure does fly when you're having fun lol.  Time to melt some chocolate, roll some chocolate in baking paper, melt some more chocolate and dip some strawberries.   This is for the birthday cake which I will eventually get around too but I wanted to get all the chocolate over and done with.  Did I say strawberries? Some of them are big enough to be apples. but they look good covered with chocolate.

Next its on to the cheesecake for the tarts.  This bits so easy, beat some cream cheese and sugar, add some lemon curd and cream and fill the biscuits. I'll make the meringue later because the man of the house is out and the meringue is browned with the blow torch.  That's his job.

Me, I'll make the icing for the cupcakes,  just a simple vanilla butter icing.  Pipe it on, attach the hearts and that that done too.

The man arrives home so I whip up some eggwhites for the meringue, pipe that on, and out with the blowtorch.  Good job old man.

After cleaning up yet another mess, I look at the time.  I was going to make sausage rolls.  Not a hope in hell.  I send the man down the shops for some frozen ones,  I haven't made the birthday cake and even looked at main course.

Now it's rush hour.

Cake first.  Whip strawberry cream, I'm using store bought sponges because it's quicker, cut cakes in half, jam, cream, more cream, unroll chocolate..excellent..attach chocolate, throw strawberries on top..one birthday cake, one extra.

Now for mains. Macaroni cheese and agnolotti arrabbiata.  Cook noodles, make white sauce, grate cheese,mix together, chop some bacon,in the oven, one done.   Pitch some pies and sausage rolls at the oven, fry some onion and garlic add tomatoes and other bits, throw things everywhere because by now I'm really flustered,and I have no bench space left, cook the agnolotti,  throw some cocktail frankfurts in some water to cook,    take a breath,     drain the agnolotti , put it in a dish, tip the sauce over it, some parmesan cheese. PHEW. Done.  Damn,  butter the bread stick.  Done.


Everyone's here (have been for 1/2 and hour or so ) teas a bit late, but its only 7.10 so I haven't done too bad...but you should see the kitchen...
Dinner is served.

We eat. It's good.  Time for cake.

I serve up one with the cupcakes as a birthday cake and one with the extra strawberries. Looks good.

We sing, we eat, we eat some more and the night is over.  Except for the kitchen.  I'm dreading the kitchen.

If there was ever a time that I don't know where to start, this is it.  Thank god we had disposable plates because there is no where to stack anything else.  I'm going to move everything out of the dining room and go from there. And go from there to bed lol.  Not really but almost.  Wash  what will fit in the dish washer and drainer, look at the pots and trays.  Not happening. Sit at computer, type type. Time to say goodnight,

Oh I cooked last Sunday..

Neenish tart biscuits (no tarts involved)

Now...Goodnight

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SPONGE CAKES


220 grams dark cooking chocolate
1 1/2 kilo strawberries (6 punnets)

1 store bought sponge (2 round pieces)
600 mls cream
3 tablespoons sugar
7 teaspoons strawberry essence
6 drops pink colouring
strawberry jam

375 grams dark cooking chocolate

TO MAKE CHOCOLATE PIECES FOR AROUND THE CAKE

melt the 375 grams chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water, stirring till smooth.

using 4 pieces baking paper approximately 30 centimetres x 18 centimetres
spread the 375 grams of melted chocolate evenly between the 4 at about 3 milimetres thick, leaving a gap at the sides and ends.

when almost set, cover each with more baking paper the same size and roll up like a swiss roll.  refrigerate for an hour or so till set.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRIES.

melt the 220 grams chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water, stirring till smooth.

dip 1/2 of each strawberry into the chocolate, shaking off excess.

place onto trays covered with baking paper.

let set.

whip the cream with the strawberry essence, sugar and food coloring.

cut each sponge in half and spread bottom half with a thin layer of jam.

place each bottom on a serving plate.

cover jam with a layer of cream.

place top on each sponge.

cover each with cream, top and sides.

remove chocolate rolls from fridge.  un roll.

place chocolate pieces around outsides of sponges. breaking if necessary.

cover top of sponges with chocolate strawberries.

I served one with cupcakes as a birthday cake and 1 with the extra chocolate dipped strawberries.

refrigerate uneaten portions.

Party size amount of strawberries. halve the amount of strawberries and chocolate if required.

AGNOLOTTI ARRABBIATA

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 heaped teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon chilli powder
4 tablespoons tomato paste
800 gram can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste

625 gram packet spinach and ricotta agnolotti

shaved parmesan to serve

heat the oil in a large frypan.

add onion and garlic. cook, stirring till soft.

add oregano and tomato paste. stir through,

add tomatoes, water, sugar, chilli and salt and pepper.

bring to boil then simmer, covered for 10 minutes. uncover and cook another 10 minutes.

while sauce is cooking, cook agnolotti according to directions on packet.

to serve, tip agnolotti into a dish and cover with sauce.

sprinkle with shaved  parmesan.

MACARONI CHEESE

500 grams pasta
6 cups milk
6 heaped dessertspoons cornflour
extra milk
salt to taste
500 gram block kraft cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups grated tasty cheese
6 rashers short cut bacon,  chopped (for top)
1 1/2 cups grated tasty cheese (for top)

preheat oven to 180 c

boil pasta in a large pot of salted water till al dente. drain.

in a medium saucepan, on medium temperature, heat the 6 cups of milk.

mix the cornflour with enough of the extra milk until you have a smooth pourable paste.

stir cornflour mix into heating milk.

bring to boil stirring.

lower temperature  and add cheeses stirring till melted.

add salt to taste.

tip pasta into a medium sized baking dish and stir cheese sauce through.

sprinkle with tasty cheese and chopped bacon.

cook till nicely brown on top, about 20 minutes.

CHERRY RIPE SLICE

1 packet chocolate ripple biscuits crushed
125 grams butter melted

4 cups dessicated coconut
200 grams glace cherries
1 teaspoon pink food colouring (more or less depending on what you like)
1 can condensed milk
125 grams copha melted

200 grams dark cooking chocolate
30 grams copha

line a 9 x 13 dish with baking paper

mix crushed biscuits and melted butter together and press into bottom of dish.

refrigerate while making filling.

in a large bowl, mix coconut, condensed milk, cherries, food colouring and copha together. stir till well combined and you have the desired colour.

spread evenly over biscuit base.
refrigerate while melting chocolate.

melt cooking chocolate and 30 grams copha together in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water.

spread chocolate over filling.

refrigerate till set.

LEMON MERINGUE CHEESECAKE TARTS
(made with butternut snap biscuits)

makes 27

you will need the half round patty pan tins and a blow torch for this.

2 pkts butternut snap biscuits (won't need them all)
125 grams cream cheese
25 grams caster sugar
100 mls thickened cream whipped
2 tablespoons lemon curd

3 egg whites (meringue)
3/4 cup caster sugar (meringue)

preheat oven to 170 c

lay biscuits across top of patty pan tin.

place  tin in oven  and heat till biscuits are soft.

push biscuits into tin to form a tart shape.

cool.

with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, lemon curd and caster sugar together till smooth.

stir in whipped cream.

spoon evenly into biscuits.

with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites till soft peaks form.

add in sugar in 1/3 at a time, beating well after each.

spoon or pipe meringue onto cheesecake.

brown with blow torch.

NEENISH TART BISCUITS

BISCUITS

preheat oven to 180c. line baking trays with baking paper.

250 grams butter softened
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups plain flour.

with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.

add egg and vanilla, beating well.

stir in flour till well combined.

roll 1/2 heaped dessertspoons mix into balls and place 9 to a tray as they will spread a bit.

flatten lightly with a fork dusted in plain flour.

cook approx 10 mins or until just changing colour on top but lightly brown on bottom.

cool.

seperate into tops and bottoms

CHOCOLATE ICING

2/3 cup icing sugar
1 heaped teaspoon cocoa powder
5 teaspoons (approx) hot water

mix all together. adding 1 teaspoon water at a time until spreading consistency.

spread 1/2 a top biscuit with chocolate icing.

if icing thickens while spreading, add another drop or two of hot water.

PINK ICING

2/3 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon strawberry essence
2 -3 teaspoons hot water

mix all together, adding 1 teaspoon water at a time until spreading consistency.

spread over other half of top biscuit.

if icing thickens, add another drop or two of hot water.

FILLING

raspberry jam

113 grams butter  very softened (not runny)
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

with an electric mixer, cream butter.

add icing sugar and vanilla, beating till smooth.

spread bottom of each biscuit with 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam.

top with a heaped teaspoon of butter cream and sandwich top and bottom together.

store in airtight container.


this is my own creation.  let me know what you think about them.

hi again.
After sitting here typing for ever, I lost internet, my page froze , I couldn't save anything, so here we go again.  Blog mark 2.

Today is Number 5 sons birthday. Happy birthday Damo.

I had a sleepless night last night. Why at 1.00am, 2.00 am, 3.00 am etc, am I designing miss Chunky's birthday cake in my mind? Just because miss Tash wants a chicken cake, you know, all yellow and feathery.
How the heck am I going to make that? God only knows. Still I hopefully have a plan and a few weeks to get it together. But I deviate, back to today.

The alarm goes off and I have to be up because not only am I babysitting the grandkids, but I also have to make Damo's birthday cake that should have been made last night.  Its a chocolate ripple cake and it needs a lot of fridge time. But it's not going to be a plain old fashioned chocolate ripple cake.  Oh no.It's going to be my new take on one.

So while I'm waiting for the kettle to boil, I open a packet mix because that's what you do when you're short on time and get that into the oven just as the kids are coming in the front door.
They haven't had brekky, so I feed them, drink my coffee and leave them happily playing while I head back to the kitchen.

The cakes out and cooling, so I make a ganache to go on that and then whip and flavour the cream, cover the cake with the ganache, dip the biscuits into milk (which I wouldn't have had to do if I had made this cake last night) to make sure they soften up and sandwich them together and cover everything with the cream. I put that in the fridge and pray that it turns out.  Won't know till I cut it tonight. I never do a trial run, just hope for the best lol.

Last week, Lizzy Lou had requested I make a caramel wafer slice, but I had already made dessert then, so she had to wait, so being nice, and because I hadn't made it for a while, I made it for her today.(recipes on here a ways back.

I made the kids some lunch, got one to sleep, and because the man of the house had gone out and taken another with him, things were quiet. There was a recipe I had seen in a magazine so I figured now was as good a time as any to try it. Palmiers...made with puff pastry. I filled some with apple, some with cinnamon sugar and some with jam.  Quite nice with a cuppa.

Time for that cuppa, a play with the kids, a clean of the kitchen, a vacuum of the floor, a clean down of the table, a pick up of the toys and it's time to put tea on.
Nice and easy yet again. Cajun chicken wings, shop bought because they were 2 kilos for $4.99. cheap hey.
and pork rashers with a mix of barbeque sauce and honey barbeque sauce, slow cooked in the oven. Also scalloped potatoes again because Damo wasn't here last week when I made them and they're his favourite. Also put a frozen lasagne in, just in case we didn't have enough.
And last but not least honeyed  carrots. They are so easy . 5-6 carrots peeled and sliced longways, cooked, drained, back into pot, then add a tablespoon of butter and a couple of tablespoons honey, heat through and serve.

We eat, drink and be merry. The time of judgement has arrived.  Time for the cake.  I get it out of the fridge, throw on some quick decorations and hope for the best.

We sing happy birthday and its time to cut .  Fingers crossed.

So happy. Looks great , tastes even better. Totally yummo. Everyone loved it, mini food critic included..

So all in all, another successful Saturday night come and gone (its now 1.41 am) and I'm off to bed . Hopefully not thinking of yellow and feathers.

Nite all.......next week.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE, MINT RIPPLE CAKE

1 pkt duncan hines devils food cake mix
3 pkts chocolate ripple biscuits
2 x 600ml bottles thickened cream
12 teaspoons peppermint essence
12 drops green food colouring
1/4 cup thickened cream (for ganache)
100 grams dark cooking chocolate (for ganache)
25 grams butter (for ganache)
3 peppermint crisp bars crushed
mint thins for decorating if desired

make cake according to directions on packet. cook in a square tin. cool.

level top of cake and cut in half.  lay halves side by side.

melt the cooking chocolate, 1/4 cup cream and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water, stirring till smooth. cool slightly then spread evenly over both cake halves.

whip both 600 ml bottles of cream with the peppermint essence and food colouring.(use more or less of the essence,according to taste)

sandwich each of the biscuits together with a heaped teaspoon of the cream and lay across the width of the cake. continue till the cake is completely covered.

use the rest of the cream to cover the top and sides of the biscuits and cake.

cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
overnight is better but if you need it in a hurry, you can quickly dip each of the biscuits in milk before you sandwich them.

decorate with crushed peppermint crisps and mint thins.

to serve, cut across the width of the cake so as to get the stripes.

this is a big cake (cos there's lots of us)
so just halve the recipe for a smaller version.

PALMIERS (sweet puff pastries)

6 sheets puff pastry thawed
1 cup demara sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
4 - 5  tablespoons apple puree
2/3 cup jam (any type)

preheat oven to 190 c
line baking trays with baking paper

CINNAMON AND SUGAR

using 2 sheets pastry, sprinkle 1/4 cup of demara sugar on each sheet.

cover sugared pastry with a piece of baking paper and using a rolling pin, gentle press sugar into pastry.  remove paper.

using a small sieve, sprinkle each sheet with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

starting at an edge of each sheet, roll pastry into centre then repeat with other side.

wrap pastry back up in its original piece of plastic backing and freeze for 15 minutes.

cut each sheet into 12 pieces and cook for approx. 15 minutes until crisp and golden.

APPLE CINNAMON

using 2 sheets of pastry, spread apple evenly across each sheet..

sprinkle apple with 1/4 cup demara sugar and
cinnamon ( with sieve)

roll, freeze and cook as above.

JAM

using 2 sheets pastry, spread each sheet with 1/3 cup jam.

roll, freeze and cook as above.

Well another fattening Saturday almost over.

Had quite an easy day today. No grandkids to babysit today.  Even slept in. Had  a nice leisurely first cup of coffee, played farm heroes for  a while then wandered up to the kitchen.

First off was the tim tam cheesecake. Much easier than I thought.  Melt some chocolate, whip some cream, beat some cream cheese, crush some biscuits, line a tin.  Plonk in the fridge. Done.

Thought I should make some bikkies, so  because my friend had given me some oranges, I made some orange yo yo's.

Just in case we didn't have enough, I also made a coca cola cake.

Was just thinking about sitting down at my computer again when miss Tash arrived with the Chunky one.  Miss Tash has a broken rib and Chunky is , well, chunky, so lifting her all the time makes a broken rib quite painful. So we had a cuppa and a chat about Chunky who insists on depositing everything she can get in to the toilet, money and bank cards included.  Gotta love getting them out again. So miss Tash is off to get a lock for the toilet (didn't know they made them but they do). So we have Chunky who is happily playing with my boys.

While she's happy, I head back to the kitchen to start on tea.  We are having roast butterflied chicken with garlic and chilli, scalloped potatoes and mixed vegies.

The potatoes need about 1 3/4 hours in the oven so I'm starting on them first. Peel and slice the spuds, chop some bacon, open a jar of garlic and a packet of grated cheese and we're all set.  Pour over some cream, cover and into the oven.

Miss Tash is back, another cuppa,  try the yo yo's (yum) and back to the kitchen to put the chicken in the oven.  I ice the cake while there as well, and because I have time, I whip and flavour the cream for the cheesecake as well.

Number one son's gone fishing, so Lizzie and the kids arrive.  While we are chatting I decorate the cheesecake.  Looks good enough to eat.  Lets get tea going.

Dish up and shovel down the chicken and vegies.  Can't wait to look at the finished result of the cheesecake.

Looks good.  Tastes great.  I'm a happy girl.

Lizzie and the kids go home cos miss Lily is tired. But that's ok because the kids are back tomorrow. Babysit Sunday comes around quick. Miss Tash is going too.  Chunky hasn't had asleep all day. We are hoping she'll sleep tonight. Poor miss Tash looks knackered.  Chunky looks lively.  Good luck Tash.

So that's my whole day, stress free, mishap free and I even got my mess under control. That surely doesn't happen too often.

And finally, the mini food critic.....

But the last word comes from the man of the house....

see ya.