Potato and Carrot Balls

This recipe is so so versatile...the basic idea is there and you can add any ingredients(corn kernels..tuna...peas...spinach...the possibilities are endless) you want to it and just adjust the quantities as you go along...i had some potatoes and carrots i had to get rid off so i made potato and carrot balls.....2 carrots i used and a cup of Parmesan cheese...it's also a really good idea for using leftover mash potato...

Ingredients for basic potato balls:
4 medium sized potatoes
1 egg
salt and pepper for seasoning
breadcrumbs to coat

Method:
1. Boil potatoes until soft. Peel and mash them.
2. Cool the mash. Better in the fridge.
3. When ready to use, add seasoning, egg and other ingredients.
4. Shape the mash into balls and coat them in breadcrumbs.
5. Deep fry or shallow fry the balls until they are golden brown.

Jap mayo is always good for dipping....

Orange Chocolate Mini Muffins

Wanted to make savory muffins this week but didnt get the chance to go get the ingredients so ended up making whatever i have in the fridge and pantry...

Few things to note when making this...mostly common sense but u know me and common sense..it always turns up AFTER i have done what i need to do...orange juice from orange will be much better than the orange and mango bottled juice i used(to clear what is left)...to give it a more "orangey" taste..add rind of orange....of course i couldnt do that because my juice came from a bottle...last but not least...if u have a kid that after digging out the choc chips declares that "I'm full", melt the choc chips and stir it in instead....choc coloured muffins always look more appealing anyway...

Ingredients:
2 1/4cups self-raising flour
1/2cup caster sugar
125g butter, melted, cooled
1/2cup milk
1/4cup of orange juice
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
as much choc chips
some rind from orange

Method:
1. Sift flour into a large bowl. Whisk butter, milk, eggs, juice, rind,sugar and vanilla essence together.
2. Mix all ingredients together including the chocolate chips.
3. Bake in mini muffin maker for 10 mins. If using conventional oven, bake as you would mini muffins.

Scones

i have never really liked scones because when eating them on it's own...they dont tend to go down the throat well...it's usually really really dry...but this scone recipe..is so so good...even when it's left overnight......i made up a batch of scone dough, split the dough into half...added ham and cheese to one half(mini scones)...and choc chips to the other(mini mini scones)...bake time was the same regardless of size...one tip when making mini mini...instead of mixing the choc chips into the dough..shape the dough to individual sizes first then add the choc chip to the individually shaped dough...much easier that way...and needless to say...J lurves the mini mini...he was sneaking into the kitchen yesterday pigging out on them...

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/16549/best+ever+scones

Ingredients for basic scone dough:
3cups of self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
1 cup cream
1 cup lemonade

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 220 degree Celsius.
2. Sift flour with salt.
3. Mix everything else together and roll until you get a smooth dough.
4. Shape into the size you want and place on baking sheet or lightly greased tray.
5. Bake for 10 -12 mins.

Have used this recipe to make blueberry/white choc, dates, choc chip, ham and cheese...all turned out well...

Candy Sushi Making Kit

You know how u surf youtube and see people making stuff and think...OH GOSH..SO CUTE...i soooo wanna make it too?? this was one of those times....saw this selling at asian grocery and tot i so NEED to make it...heee...this is a vid of how it was made by the youtube person
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr-qewC-4gY

and this was the final product, which was produced by yours truly and a couple of friends, who was just as fascinated...heee...altho i must say...the candy itself wasnt tat fab...it's all in the process...fun fun fun

Yubo Lunchboxes

So now that J has started kinder...he has to bring his lunches and snacks on fri...and you know how i go mental at the chance of shopping with the excuse of...WE REALLY DO NEED IT...i found this lunchbox...ordered it from amazon (cheaper including shipping) and have been using it since the start of kinder...lurve lurve lurve it...everything can go into the dishwasher...yes everything including the whole lunchbox..handle and all..although it's not hard to wash 3 containers by hand....i lurve that everything fits wonderfully including the ice pack and tat nothing wobbles or knocks against each other..if u know wat i mean...

http://www.getyubo.com/

and here's presenting Jayden's first lunch in his pirate yubo lunchbox!!

Damper

Jayden loves damper, which he was introduced to by his childcare...so I attempted to make it...not sure if it's damper..but jayden loves it...how to describe it....hmmm...if u had popeye's chicken before...it's the same thing as their biscuit...a cross between bread and biscuit and scone...this is the basic recipe...but i reckon one could just go and be adventurous with it...savory would be my choice though...

I made then into "personal" size...but bake time was the same...was wondering shouldnt the bake time be lesser since they were smaller? oh well...i am no baker...but seems rite anyway...

http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Easy-Australian-Damper-L3230.html












Easy Damper (smaller version)
Ingredients:
250g self-raising flour
1/2tsp salt
25g unsalted butter, chilled
175ml milk + extra milk for brushing

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 190 degree Celsius.
2. Mix flour and salt. Rub butter in until it resembles fine crumbs.
3. Stir in milk to make a soft but not sticky dough.
4. Divide into 8 portions. Roll into ball, flatten, make a cross with butter knife and brush with milk.
5. Bake for 30 mins.

Ethan in the Mornings @ 3ish months

so baby can do half turns...laugh with sound since a day ago and is like ridiculously clingy to me in the evenings and nite

Brotherly Love

So that day I walked into the room and found Jayden saying this to Ethan, "I lurve you Ethan" and then looking all embarrassed when he saw me...hee heeee...hopefully this lurve of his will last once Ethan starts snatching his toys...