Lemon polenta cake with lemon verbena syrup

It was a beautiful sunny winters day when we visited Lake George over the June long weekend. It was also my mums birthday.

I made her this cake.

The recipe came from a magazine in the waiting room at the doctors clinic. It sparked my interest so I took a photo with my phone back in March. I found it a couple days before mums birthday while looking through photos and decided it was the perfect time to make it.

The cake travelled well on the dash of the car. While it's supposed to be served with yogurt, on this occasion I threw a can of cream in the esky. The kids were happy, and so was everyone else, the cake went down well after our BBQ lunch.

Lemon polenta cake with lemon verbena syrup

Lemon polenta cake                                                              Lemon verbena syrup

125 gr butter                                                                           100ml lemon juice

2/3 cup caster sugar                                                              ¼ cup caster sugar

2 eggs + 1 egg yolk                                                                 lemon verbena sprig, leaves removed

100mls milk

1 cup SR flour

3 ½ tablespoons fine polenta

Rind of 1 lemon

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon icing sugar to dust + Greek yogurt to serve


Preheat oven to 175C. Grease a 26cm x 22cm tin.


Beat butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add egg yolk and mix until combined.

Stir in milk and flour alternatively, then polenta, lemon rind and salt. Pour into tin and bake for 20-25 minutes.

While cake is baking, place lemon juice, sugar and lemon verbena leaves with ½ cup water in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar. Boil for 3-4 minutes to thicken syrup. Strain syrup to remove leaves and keep warm.

Remove cake from oven and using a skewer poke about 20 holes in cake. Pour syrup over cake.


Serve warm or cold, dusted with icing sugar and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Because it was so delicious, I remade it for a lunch dessert at home with a friend a week later. This time I served it with a dollop of Greek yogurt, and threw a couple rosemary flowers about. Still delicious!

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Age is just a number, plus a few new wrinkles

I turned 46 on the weekend. I don't feel 46. Well, now that I think about it,  there may be some days...like when I look in the mirror. A few extra lines, that grey streak in my hair (which I recently fixed with a trip to the hairdresser), not to mention the saggy skin starting to form around my jaw and neck region! What does one do about that?!

I actually had a really good day, some shopping by myself in the morning, a bit of gardening, a visit from a friend who arrived with a bag of lemons (yes!) and then out to dinner with Boggy and the kids. Getting a decent photo of the kids altogether proved a little hard. I don't what is so hard about "smile, look at the camera".

The clincher for my birthday was when I walked into the servo to pay for fuel. A nice (charming local) bloke I've known for years turned around to leave and he said to me "You look younger every time I see you!", which was about the best thing you could say to a 46 year old on her birthday. I put my hand on his arm and said, " Do you know what Bert? It's my birthday today and that's a wonderful thing to for you to say". I got a kiss on the cheek as well.

When I was at the supermarket earlier in the day, it took me twice as long with the conversations it created when I saw people, who without good old Facebook wouldn't have known it was my birthday. I bumped into a mate who I share a birthday with and it was hugs all around. He actually saw my car out the front and came in looking for me. How wonderful!

Looking back on my week, there has been some good things, I am always reminding myself to be grateful (most of the time I fail miserably).

Spur of the moment the girls and I hit Target for cheap white t-shirts to paint for footy colours day. Thank goodness they were happy with them. I was happy with them! It felt good to be creative in this way. I hadn't printed a t shirt since high school in art class ( a midnight oil t-shirt). I made a stencil from clear contact and went to work with fabric paint. I'll be doing some more tshirt printing for one of my tiny tots classes to wear for the gymnastics annual concert.

There's a tree flowering at the entrance gate at work and it smells divine! It's a great time of year, and that smell reminds me of sunny warm days.

The term is nearly over, two weeks left. I am so proud of myself getting through my first term coaching school groups, it's been a learning curve and I guess some experience up my sleeve.

Super happy too today, as when I get home from work (I have Kindergym and Tiny Tots), my September Bella Box should be waiting for me at the back door. Woop woop! 

Crows and Port shirts. Not to shabby.

Beautiful free lemons! 

Birthday lunch, roasted veg with lentils, spinach and feta. Yum, yum!

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Five and seven

Yes, I'm the mega flukist. All of my kids are born in the same week in November. 

My girls turned five and seven during last week, and my son turns 24 today. 

Isabel and Summer were born two years and two days apart. This means joint birthday parties every year, getting the celebrations done and dusted in one fell swoop.

I can't lay claim to any of these photos. Luckily I had good peops who womanned my camera while I was otherwise occupied for two hours of craziness. 

I did manage to sit down for moments to drink a glass of wine and to scoff some cheese and crackers. How I love cheese.

The cakes were easy this year. Summer was happy with a Shopkins cupcakes, all made from a packet mix.

The day before I had no idea what Isabel's cake was going to be. I baked a buttercake slab and cut out a number seven. Thankfully she was happy and even helped decorate with the sugar sprinkles and wafer flowers. 

All over and done with for another year. 

Sharing with Denyse

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Muddy puddles and snow balls - birthday nibbles

My girls turned the ripe old ages of three and five, a week ago. 

Summer wanted a Frozen cake, and Isabel, a Peppa Pig cake. 

Isabel's cake was easy. I made the same cake she had for her third birthday. At first she asked for a Barbie cake, and then changed her mind and wanted Peppa Pig. 

Summer's cake was a square chocolate cake, covered with buttercream icing and edged with white chocolate. I did order Frozen figurines for this cake, but they never arrived from China in time. Of course, a month later they are still not here. 

I did find these 3D printable dolls from this fab website. They did the job and aren't too hard to put together. It's the cutting out that is the hard bit.

Seeing it was a joint Frozen(slash)Peppa Pig party I also made some absolutely delicious nibbles to go with the theme.

The snowballs, were made from the cut off pieces of cake, left over after cutting out the Peppa Pig cake. 

I crumbled the cake, and then added coconut milk. Add the coconut milk a bit at a time, until the cake crumbs can be moulded into a ball and hold that shape. 

I refrigerated the balls while I melted white chocolate in the microwave at 50%. Then coated the balls, sprinkling with dessicated coconut and then leaving them to set on baking paper in the fridge. I used a skewer to hold the balls while I dunked them in the chocolate. Chuck the chocolate back in the microwave if I starts to get less runny while you are on the job. 

You could use any type of cake, any type of liquid. Think fruitcake and grog(hick!), or chocolate cake and orange juice. Banana cake and coconut milk. OMG. You could use other types of chocolate too. 

I found this recipe on Taste for these little fellas. I left out the fellas bit, and just made the biscuit and chocolate bit. I even heard one of the dads comment on how 'wicked' the muddy puddles were. They were pretty awesome!

I didn't have the right tray, but just put the biscuits in the oven on a flat tray and then moulded them, cupped in my tea towelled hand and making a bowl shape with my fingers. Not hard, but oh so yummy.

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Key to the door

Celebrated my son Jake's 21st over the weekend with family and friends. It went well. It wasn't a crazy piss up, just good food, music, conversation and lots of laughs. 

It was fantastic to have them all come together for his birthday. I made a short speech, but filled with lots of emotion. Words cannot express how much I love this kid. 

I'm not much of a selfie person, but took this one when I got home. I was happy, I thought I looked good, I felt good. 

I've been feeling a bit down lately, it's been a lot of things all ganging up on me. I am my own worst enemy though.

Twice in the past two weeks, someone has said I don't look old enough to have a 21 year old. It's nice to hear considering all I see are wrinkles when I look at me in the mirror. 

A lady I hadn't seen in a while, from my past, told me I inspire people. I inspire her. I dunno how. But the words were much needed and soaked right into my soul.

I am feeling better. 

Are you your worst enemy sometimes?
Have I inspired you? 
Ever wish you could go back to your 21 year old self and have a good chat? I do.

Butterfly and Peppa Pig Cakes

I've made this cake for both my girls, for their first birthdays. It is really simple, starting with a round cake, making four cuts, slapping on some icing and a few well placed lollies, and done! It gives the illusion that you've just slaved away for hours creating a masterpiece, when really, its the proverbial 'cake walk'. I used my chocolate cake  recipe, omitting the cocoa, adding 5 Tblsps of passionfruit pulp and adding an extra half a cup of flour.

 



Summers cake 2012

I used mini marshmallows on both cakes to outline the wings and a musk stick for the body. When I made the cake for Izzys first I used smarties, Summers was much plainer and smaller, as I concentrated my efforts this year on the peppa pig cake.

Izzys 1st birthday cake, 2010. I used the same candle for Summers this year.

The girls had a joint birthday party this year, being Summers 1st and Izzys 3rd. I made a peppa pig cake for Izzy, which I concentrated my efforts on, it was freaking me out just thinking about it, but it all came together in the end. I used this template for the head and fashioned my own template for the dress.  

Izzys 3rd birthday cake 2012

I made a slab cake using the buttercake recipe and cut the head, ears and dress from the one slab. I cut a few extra ears, just in case! My one hot tip is to have a mug of boiling water to dip the icing knife into, it makes spreading the icing much easier and smoother. Have a tea towel or towelling paper handy to wipe the water off in between. I also had a picture of Peppa on the lap top next to me to use as a reference.

I had a glut of whipped cream, Mum dropped off about 5 litres of the stuff left over from the show kitchen. I used this with enough icing sugar to make it thick and used pillar box red food colouring to make the pink, and red of the dress. The eyes and shoes were done with a tube of black writing icing.

The bases I used were glass chopping boards covered in foil. They make awesome cake boards. 

Buttercake

250g butter, softened

2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/2 cup caster sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted

1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted

3/4 cup milk

 Beat butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

Add flour and milk alternately, Stir to combine.

Pour mix into a greased and lined slab tin, mine was about 25 x 32 cm.

Bake at 180°C/160°C fan-forced for 35 - 40 minutes

A sick Summer again



Third day in hospital, this room is getting smaller and smaller.

Bloods have been taken again to make sure the infection has gone.

Improvement and a smiley girl on Wednesday

I turn 40  tomorrow, the last thing I want is to wake up in this hospital room. I hope to god whatever it was, besides the urinary tract infection, has gone and we can go home. Meanwhile we are waiting for lunch to arrive for another day.

Summer is back to her normal self, she is very wary of the nurses and doctors now though. She is still choosy who she gives her smiles to,  as much as the nurses all try.

Last night was the worst, she had an antibiotic injection and had her canula line taken out. It took me three hours to get her to sleep before they had to give her the injection, so I was trying again after that. I eventually laid down to get some sleep at nearly midnight.

A severely depressed teen ran down the hallway crying and burst through the doors and escaped. I heard the nurse ring the cops to go looking for him. And not long after, I’m across the hall from the emergency ward, heard them bring him back and then heard them talking about suicide watch. My heart went out to him, especially as it was the end of  Are u ok? Day.

The nurse asked me in the morning if I was woken up by the drama, I wasn’t even asleep yet. I wasn’t too concerned about our safety but more worried about what he was going through. She just answered “Life is just sad for some people”. I hope he gets through his sad period and goes on to a happy life.

I am getting  so behind in my photo a day challenge, I can’t wait to get home and catch up.

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We made it home in the afternoon, bloods were all clear, but she is low in iron. I am so glad to be home, I’m so glad she is over it. We can move on.

It's 12 past midnight, Happy Birthday to me!!! Time I got some sleep.

We have a third birthday to attend tomorrow, I still haven't had time to buy a present. Then family and friends are helping me commiserate celebrate my 40th for dinner out.

We took silly photos on the computer to pass the time

  

Girls Night Out - Open Slather

I haven't been out on a girls night out in so long, it's ridiculous. Before this night I hadn't had a drink for 18 months, ever! Over the weekend I joined my sister Carmen, and her friends to celebrate her birthday. Our little sister Sophie had flown from Victoria (her birthday is the day before, her hubby bought her a plane ticket to come over for the weekend). So for in more than a while we were all parting together. It was a bit spesh.

Me, Carmen, Sophie

Carmen and I are the same age for the next three weeks, before I turn 40 (I'm in denial!) have a birthday next month. 

I was intending and did drink a bottle of low alcohol wine, then there was the shooter, and the few light beers at the pub later on. I was surprised how I handled it, I thought I'd be on my ear after the first glass. I did keep nibbling and drinking water here and there. I had the best time!! A night out was long overdue.

Later at home, while I pumped and dumped my booby milk, I checked in on Facebook(as you do), and was quite chuffed to see that Kelly from Handmade tears and triumphs has given me a Liebster award! How nice is that?! So now I get to pass it on to some other bloggers too :) When I first started my blog (nearly four months ago), I really had no idea how big blogging was. How daunting it was to be a little fish(still a little fish) in a big ocean, Who was going to read my crappy, insignificant blog? I soon came to realise that there was a great support network for newbies and I will be excitedly happy to pass it on and make someone elses day to receive it.