Eldest's Number 9 cake with wedding roses!

Long busy weekend with our eldest's birthday festivities.....over tomorrow evening. I am zonked.
This cake is a repeat of the number 7 cake I did two years ago, partly due to not much time to create and partly due to her asking for something similar. I used a bundt tin and a loaf tin, easy to shape then.

Differences being the cake inside is chocolate yogurt - my mum's fail safe recipe with 1 egg, yogurt, oil, butter etc. Lovely and moist, and never has turned out bad.
Did much more roses this time, due to lots of leftover marzipan and fondant from Christmas. Light pink is default, options were black or green colour, plus its very easy to create pink.
The roses make it look like a wedding cake, so I was told by one of the eldest's friends, but they are easy to do, I did around 7 a day for 3 days and let them harden in the fridge.
Tons of tutorials online, takes a minute for a rose and a very small ball of fondant, marzipan is a bit stickier.
Dr Oetker wafer daisies.
Overall result no cake left at all today, now to form some concoction from the bits leftover for her actual birthday :)

Happy New Year 2014!

Its 8pm and all three children are high on the excitement of going out on New Years Eve.
I'd be more than delighted to have them home and sleep normally, they have all their lives to do the NYE thing, but seem to be the only one who thinks so among friends etc, so off we go. Will deal with the crankiness and tiredness tomorrow. Hopefully all fine and they will play until post midnight.
Meanwhile Happy New Year all, lots of health and happiness in 2014!
Three cheers :)

Unrelated pleasure givers..... stuffed squid and Christmas cactus

Two unrelated things - this is the Christmas cactus that was struggling along since I bought it at the church fair last Christmas, forgotten about in the toilet ledge, occasionally watered, and then, beginning December, these pink things started appearing and this is the current pic of the plant - such a pretty flower, from me, who is not a gardener/plant lover.  Its very little, around a handspan, but has been currently promoted to upstairs toilet shelf, with my mum's cross stitch thingie underneath. Currently seen in Ikea and Morrisons, but this appearing from the wasted looking cactus is soo pretty.

Second surprise/pleasure giver/whatever was the arrival of a friend of these gorgeous stuffed squids late last night, they are divine......never had anything like them, think they are prawns and tentacles chopped up inside with something like mole masala. Everything's melt in the mouth and something H (who's tasted everything Goan possible, or so he thought) has never had in its entirety.
Gorgeous, and didnt know the lady could cook like this. Feni added to sorpotel she says, makes the difference. Told her the cookbook should be out in 6 months.
Little things in the middle of this mad week of sorting the eldest's parties.

Christmas pudding in the slow cooker

Merry Belated Christmas!!
After a mad 4-5 days, finally a semblance of normality in our house. The children have decided their favorite thing out of the pile of presents is the ubiquitous Mario Party (Mummy, it has to be the 9). They've seen it in many friends houses and have wanted one for yonks. The strange bit is it was given on Christmas eve as a reward for stuff at school, and has over ridden every other present received. Our house has finally succumbed to the Mario mania or whatever.
Did a goose for Christmas lunch, turned out fantastic and is going to become a must have every year I think. Love the brown meat, the 2.5 hours it took to cook, the non dryness, the lovely goose fat for the potatoes etc.
Had sorpotel next day for lunch before visitors went back.
Then the Christmas pudding, H loves it, its the only Christmas dessert Ive had in the Uk in all the years I've lived here and I dont like it much. H said we must have it as a tradition sort of thing? Read up a few recipes, did it in the slow cooker and it was loooooovely, moist and all the kids ate it too as a first. Must try, lovely and moist and much less fat/sugar than I thought.
Didnt get to take a pic of the final product but this is it being mixed with the non breadcrumbs bits of bread on the top. And in the slow cooker with no string around it.
Here is the basic recipe.

Butter for greasing
100g sugar ( I used light brown)
100g  suet
450gm raisins
50 g plain flour (used self raising)
50g fresh wet white bread chunks
Grated zest of one orange
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
small pinch salt
2 eggs
50ml rum
 2 pint pudding bowl
tin foil
I mixed everything together, got everyone to stir and put it in a Pyrex bowl. Covered with two layers of foil and put it on a tin biscuit cutter. Steamed for 7 hours on high. No refrigeration required. Serves 8

 

Started batch 2 of the kulkuls and Christmas pudding in the slow cooker!

 Kulkuls in progress, I've now tweaked the recipe to add a bit more sugar and a bit more semolina/rava...... this is the result of more than an hour of shaping, with the children and H helping....?
Wish it would be quicker. I've done a fruit cake, which took 15 mins of prep and then the baking.

 Fortunately, the end result wasnt as dark brown as my usual,figured out how to be patient and let the kulkuls fry on low heat for longer.
Unfortunately a quarter of what I've made is finished by children who think its the best thing to happen to food on a Sat (I think its forgetting to feed them a full lunch and their empty tummies).

This is my oldest's shortbread, made into smaller shapes using a plastic bottle lid. Just flour butter and sugar, nothing else, baked for 8 mins. Tastes gorgeous, suggested she dip half into melted chocolate.
A new addition to our Christmas sweets.

Not to forget the Christmas pudding I've tried in the slow cooker, its been cooking since afternoon and hopefully will turn out ok. Much easier to do than I expected, the proof is in the ........

Tomorrow is time for the rose cookies - notoriously difficult I've heard and seen, never tried. Also the marzipan penguins. To post pics later.

Our attempt at handmade cards

I've wanted to do the handmade cards by the children for years now, never got down to it until last weekend, when the supposedly too many packs of M&S/WH Smith cards vanished.
Have we got more friends/family since last year to send cards to was our first thought, no, of course not, its the children who do. Cue getting out the paint, shapes etc and attempts to create something Christmassy Many opinions, views, ideas etc but finally got some done.
Unfortunately, the children's cards have now taken over the lounge, lots more cards to be written - by tomorrow or Friday. So, am I doing another round of paint, cutting, sticking etc - hopefully not and its back to M&S this afternoon. Its lovely to see the children so excited about their own cards, and making them, but given that each card takes a while, I'd like to do it when we have more time. Not in the middle of all the Christmas plays, choir performances etc etc.
Need to start our sweets nowww - the kulkul ingredients have been on the countertop for days now, should be home and free for more than 30 mins this evening......

Already the 10th of December......2 weeks left

How cliched is that.....there is Christmas coming out of every person and place's mouths etc.
Been to 3 shops this morning and have had Jingle Bells in its 100 versions stuck in my head (unpleasantly).

Before I sound like a complete sad grouch, I am excited. Seriously. 2 weeks left. I havent posted in a very long time, as usual, lots happening and I have had lots to post about but am making a start.
Back to Christmas, 2 weeks left and we haven't bought any presents. At all.
Would be normal for some I suppose. Hopefully Amazon will come to our rescue, there are lots of items in its baskets, waiting to be paid for and delivered.
We've decided on food hampers for our lovely ex neighbours and friends without children (who spoil ours rotten all year long). Bit boring, but better than getting them 10 mantelpiece ornaments.
Then our children's presents - the middle child has decided he wants the xbox 300 something, and all 4 ps versions, besides which, there are around 20 toys picked up from tv ads on his list. I dont think he actually wants any, will be happy with anything he gets - hopefully!
Don't like the peer pressure at school where all the 6-7 year old friends he has have the above mentioned console thingies......anyway.
Then the saga of our tree - we got a real one this year, little realising the hassle of sorting out a stand. Cue H looking for very expensive stands costing much more than the tree. Found a cheapish one finally. I was keen on the sand in bucket thing but never mind.
Got it last week, its been sitting for over 10 days in a little bit of water, with any luck, we will have a few branches left for Christmas.
Our good old fibreoptic artificial one seems like a good idea.

Then the sweets/cake. Children very excited about everything and its very sweet and contagious. Next weekend the sweet making thing. I am doing cake, kulkuls, trying rose cookies for the first time, barth/baath. Non Goan - white choc truffles, Christmas pudding chocs and I'd like to try besan ladoos.  Will post pics
Sounds ambitious, and I dont think its all going to happen, after typing it out........might have some kulkuls at least :)

Goodies from Goa!

 Friends coming back from Goa, pack of goodies :)
My mum loves Pascoal's Bakery in Mapusa, picture shows the doce she's bought from there. Usually its the bolinas. They are very fresh and we get a big huge box when she comes or we go to Calangute.
The doce is very good. Conclusion from H who usually doesnt like the standard version.
I went to Pascoal's last year, actually this Jan. Its bang in the middle of Mapusa market, in all the madness, a very small but very busy bakery, staffed by 4-5 even busier women (at the time I went). They dont have a huge selection but what there is, is very good.
Reminded me of St Xavier's Cafe, which I have been going to since I was a year old or younger, been told. Now of course, its jazzed up and a potato chop costs much more than it did. Think a mince samosa is Rs14? Still love going there.
 We arent going to India for a while now, things happening here,

plus both sides of parents have been over a few months ago. I'm going to miss our annual trip and all the shopping/eating my pani puris and meeting friends. Lots to look forward to here though.

Forgot to mention, thats aam papad in the picture, H likes it and my mum remembered to send it. I'm not a fan.
Costa's Bebinca is a fantastic solution to transporting and then gorging on homemade non preservative filled Bebinca before it gets spoilt.
The kids used to love it, still do, but eat less of it now.
And of course, the mandatory cashewnuts.......again in Mapusa market, I was told to only buy drum roasted and nothing else.....never heard of it before but they did taste nicer. Like roasting them in an oven, or better......

White chocolate bundt cake with strawberries/raspberries

This is H's birthday cake, no chocolate other than white ok for him. Tried adding an element of healthy eating with the fruit added.
The kids loved making the chocolate curls, of course, as is obvious, half the chocolate was eaten while making.
Standard sponge with a bit of white chocolate.
White chocolate, yogurt and butter icing.
White chocolate shards made by spreading melted chocolate on parchment, putting in fridge and then breaking up.
Love my bundt tin bought in Bombay for Rs120 (£1.20) Where is the rupee going........

Majorca in October half term for around £700 for 5 of us

 Cheap ish getaways in school holidays are possible. To my initial disbelief.

My previous post has a few pictures of beautiful Majorca, we only went to Cala D'Or and a little bit of Playa De Palma. Speaking to people who've been there many times, Cala D'Or is probably the nicest place there (no clue of comparisons).
Given the beautiful beaches, lovely salads and better weather than England, all of Majorca would have been lovely for us I think.
We were told to avoid Magaluf and Arenal........

Starting with H saying we needed to go away, bit surprised because he does.not.like.travelling.at all. At all. Anyway, this was a few weeks before half term. Anyway, we decided on Scotland - Loch Ness etc and decided to drive there and stop at hotels on the way. Pricing it up made more sense to stay at home, so I began looking at Ryanair flights to Spain. Greece came up as an option - Corfu, for the 5 of us for £420 return, I was excited and began to look at hotels, by which time the fares had gone up. Never mind.
Randomly entering Spain in the search, found this Ryanair flight to Majorca half term Monday to Monday (Teacher training day bonus) for £330 for the 5 of us.
Spoke to H.
Booked.
On travel republic, booked 6 nights at Hotel Cala Gran half board for £240 and a night at the Iberostar Royal Cristina for roughly the same price. Less than £300 for half board. The Iberostar, we just got lucky, its usually much more expensive and I'd found the Helios which was the same price.
Booked, after seeing the reviews of the hotel.
Booked an airport transfer for £43 and came back by bus for £20. For the 5 of us again.
Half board meant no lunch, we bought nice bread, a huge jar of olives, mussels and sardines every couple of days and had  the mandatory ice cream/water bottles - around 25 Euros. Oh and a 2 Euro bottle of lovely Sangria included.

And thats it - around £700. 

Yes, we did spend 5 Euros on phone calls, 6 Euros on a towel, 8 Euros on little treats for the children and not including tips which were at each meal in the hotel etc but didnt bring back much stuff, other than a few turron packs for friends. Chorizo is cheaper in Sainsburys as I have found out after carrying 10 packs from the Canaries.

So whats the point of my post - expensive half term doesnt have to be so, the only caveat is that you have to keep looking and keep looking until the last minute.
And be prepared to sit at home with day trips out if nothing materialises (else there's always our good old Holiday Inn)
£700 was what it was going to cost us for hotels and meals going to Scotland. Plus the driving and the cold. We will go someday of course, but Majorca was a lovely bargain break and I hope hope hope we get a similar deal again.

Lastly, we were apprehensive about flying Ryanair, too many stories of how they fleece people. Happy that we had a very pleasant flight both ways, spoke to some lovely co-passengers and overall had a good experience. As long as you stick to their rules (eg print boarding passes at home, luggage right size and weight), everything's fine.

How many bags did we go with? 4 rucksacks and a trunki, each weighing less than 5 kgs. Seriously.
:)

Majorca Oct 2013...to be completed....

We've been away in Majorca for a week, a week before booking and planning and the week before that a bit mad. Anyway, back refreshed but freezing in the horrible early British winter. Early as in 2-3 degrees for early Nov......too soon.
Majorca was not Goa weather, the temperature was 22-23 degrees, too cold to swim in the sea but for us, fine.
 This is the Balearic Sea, from Cala Esmeralda. We walked to look for the beach, but ended up at this rocky path which led to a diving station. Sat there for a bit and enjoyed the stunning views.

Lots happened, there was a storm with our hotel apartment flooded, as a result of which we were given this gorgeous room/suite overlooking the beach. Below is the view from the children's bedroom window.

This is another view of the beach a minute from our hotel, Cala Gran, from the icecream shop. Majorca is expensive, like the Canaries, I assume its because its an island, or maybe just touristy prices. Never been to mainland Spain to compare.

Our hotel in Cala D'Or shut for the season end Oct so we moved to Playa De Palma Iberostar for a bit. This is the stunning Playa de Palma, the length reminded me of the Caandolim-Calangute-Baga stretch, but a deep green/bright blue sea and white sand. 100 m from our hotel.

Another beach pic, there are loads more but need to block out the kids faces before I put them on.

Very beautiful, very scenic, very touristy, very lovely salads and a must see!

Next post on just how cheap it was for us :)

The magic of Youtube on Virgin

I've spent most of last week with a sick cranky 3 year old, missing his grandmother and with a bad cough/cold/fever. Fortunately all is well now other than me being left with a hacking cough.
In the middle of it all, I was very pleased with Virgin's YouTube on the TV thingie. The sick child has watched endless reruns of Peppa Pig, including one hour long compilations, Peppa Pig in Spanish (on his insistence) and so on. We dont subscribe to the paid for Nick Jr etc anymore so this was a blessing, at least for the week.
Not over the moon with Virgin's services though, BT was much better for phone and Talk Talk for the internet. Their promised fibreoptic broadband was the reason we switched, and its almost the same as TalkTalk........however, the TV service is much much better than Sky. We've had Sky for years now, and dont miss it at all now. There is much more variety and features with the box and of course, if you havent already twigged by now, YouTube!
The children have spent an hour today dancing to 'We Didn't Start the Fire' after a school assembly which started off a chain of Billy Joel songs. Need to get them onto Dire Straits next time! Will leave Lenny Kravitz for a bit though.

B&Q 's Kids Do It classes

My mum's left...and we're all sad, seen the elder two in tears for the first time when someone leaves, the youngest is confused and not himself - I miss the help so much and of course, other stuff about her in Goa etc.
Anyway, H is working, today I booked the elder two for a B&Q Kids Do It class at Halesowen. Read about it, heard about it, seen it in action and so we went.
Its highly recommended. Free for members of the DIY Club, sign up online or instore. Else its £5 per child, which I think is well worth it.
The children made a Halloween sign, they drilled, screwed in nuts and bolts and of course, painted. Loved it all, the lovely Jim even let the youngest have a turn with his own stuff. Apparently this was an easier one compared to the sawing etc done on other weekends.
Much better than taking them to a softplay or whatever, we're going to be regulars, well at least once a month i think. It runs every weekend, for approx an hour.

I've erased the children's faces, heard worrying stuff (probably being paranoid...)

My first 'selfie'!

Everyone gone swimming, tried to dress up for church, tried on a few other things and horror - stuff I haven't worn recently is tight :( I have put on 17 kgs since my eldest's birth :( This is my first ever selfie to make me feel a bit better - Size 12 does still fit and Size 14 skirt - consoling myself both from Next which is smallish anyway.......probably not. Need to fit into everything else now.
Health reasons put before vanity according to H.
Onwards and upwards, need to give up my big bags of crisps No 1.

Real life take over

Its been more than two weeks since I last posted - I do not currently have a full or part time job but life has been so filled with all sorts, need to document the sagas that have happened at some stage.
Current dilemma is whether to start my own business with all my voluntary and professional experience behind me or find my elusive part time job in the media.
Little did I know before getting married and moving to Birmingham how coveted jobs in the media were in this country. To add to it, I have had three children and long extended periods of maternity leave. The two together does not make me a fantastic candidate for the jobs I am looking for.........hopefully someday.
The option of starting my children's events business seems appealing but.......God willing, will post a positive update in a few months time.
My mum is leaving next week.......after giving me a long break from the cooking and household chores. The garden is looking astonishingly different, thanks to her constant trimming and taking 100 odd bags to Lifford Lane!
Had a lovely horse riding party for my middle child, will post pictures in a bit. Made a huge batch of blackberry liqueur, its all over! Need to do another one but the blackberries arent happening as much as earlier.
Have made lots of apple tart, apple cake etc, Now another 40 odd apples waiting to be prepared. A friend of mine has made this gorgeous apple miskut.
Need to look for some pictures to post now.