on date nights and going to the movies

Last spring I got really burnt out after a long string of weekends that lacked a proper date night.  I want and need some true downtime every weekend, and when I don't get it I get cranky!  Since that time I've been more aware of trying to make date night happen every weekend if we can.  We are fortunate to have my parents close by and especially lucky that they love to watch the boys and the boys love to go to their grandparents.  What a huge blessing that is!

Do you like to go to the movies?  I always have, but I've never really gone consistently.  Lately, though, we've been trying to go to dinner and a movie every date night.  You guys, it has been so fun!  There is something about seeing a movie on a big screen that is special and exciting.  And I think being entertained together as a couple is also very bonding.  I love talking about the movie with Ken and having something to ponder over the next few days.

Here is what we have seen lately:

:: Thanks for Sharing.  It's a movie about sex addiction.  I loved all the "addict" stuff and getting to see into that world of meetings and 12 step programs.   Great clothes & set design too.  Loved this.

:: Enough Said.  So much to think about here--about relationships and how women act.  Julia Louis Dreyfus is so great.

:: Gravity.  Stunning!  And not what I expected.  I've loved Sandra Bullock ever since Practical Magic.

::  Don Jon.  Another sex addict movie!  But different than the other one.  I loved this one too, and the ending surprised me.

:: Rush.  70's car racing drama!  Love love loved all the period details, the stunning visuals, and the exciting true story.  Don't miss this!  Hurry before it leaves theaters.  I felt so lucky that we just happened onto it at the dollar theater.

Usually I go into these knowing next to nothing about the movie, which is how I like it.  Ken scans the reviews to see what is good.   I like to see things that are uplifting--I don't like disturbing, dark or violent.

Do you like going to the movies?  What have you seen lately?

Fondant Ruches and Ruffles

One of the reasons I like vintage and shabby-chic is that it lets me get away with (I confess)... shabby?!

I really admire cake decorators who produce works of flawless perfection.

I'm thinking about 2 of my favourite cake-godesses: Jessica Harris (jessicakesblog.blogspot.com) and Sharon Wee (weelovebaking.blogspot.com), to name but two.
But I'm also completely intimidated by them, and just don't know if I've got such precision in me - insert sad face here.
So, if a project calls for lots of ruches and ruffles, I'll tackle it - knowing that I'll probably be able to hide the inevitable imperfections  - insert happy face here!

I based these (very do-able for mere mortals like me) ruffled flowers on a tutorial by Melissa Diamond over at mycakeschool.com  http://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/pretty-pink-flower-cake/

Happy ruffling!

xxM

family dinners

I continue to be super interested in figuring out family dinner.  My goal is to develop a core of simple, healthy, homemade, no-special-ingredient, tasty dinners that are liked by all of us (or at least each of us likes some part of it).  Here are five dinners that I consider pretty tried and true by now. 

Shown above--
:: stuffed peppers.  I love these!  The boys don't eat the actual peppers but will eat the filling (sort of--not Dieter so much).  Funny anecdote:  on the night I was making these particular peppers I cut myself on the lid of a can of tomato sauce and had to go to the hospital for stitches!  Major bummer, but Ken finished the dish for me, so we still got to enjoy them when I got back. 
:: chicken with cucumber-yogurt sauce.  So easy and fresh tasting.  We love this. 
:: meatball stroganoff.  So tasty!  From Everyday Food.
:: spatchcocked chicken with chickpeas (here).  I do this a bit differently than the recipe--the chickens are so large these days, it takes longer to cook than the recipe states.  I do 20 minutes, then add the chickpeas, and do 20 more minutes.  This is so tasty with cilantro and lime as the recipe suggests, but I also want to try serving it with mango chutney.
:: and finally, Moroccan chicken stew.  Everyone loves this and it is so quick and easy.  I buy a bag of sweet potatoes and a box of whole wheat couscous at Trader Joe's and they come out perfectly even to make this three times.  After the three times (spaced a few weeks apart) I retire the recipe for awhile.  I love doing it this way because I hate having ingredients left over.  I find I won't use them if they are just randomly in the pantry, so I avoid that now.  I love having a clean, simple pantry.

It is really easy to find organic ground beef and organic chicken at Trader Joe's so that is what I do.  We are fairly meat-centric these days.

 It is starting to feel fallish around here and I'm getting excited about making cool weather fare, chilis, stews, soups, and casseroles.  Yay! 

What are you loving for dinner lately?

Tiered Cookies (Cookie Stacks)

First, I'll make a quick trick brick stack

You'll have seen similar cookie stacks before, I'm sure. There are a number of variations out there. But aren't they all gorgeous in their simple perfection?
Mine aren't perfect - far from it. But the idea - oh, I wish I could come up with such things! Maybe one of these days. Until then, I'll blame my be-fuddled brain and its need to borrow inspiration on years of sleep deprivation and too much Dr Seuss...
; )

Then I'll make a quick trick block stack

Anyway - you too can make a quick trick cookie stack....


You'll need:
Paired biscuits in 3 sizes
Royal icing
Royal icing or gumpaste decorations

Outline and flood the biscuits - pay attention to the edge, as you want to outline relatively close to the edge but not flood over it.
Allow to dry.
Stack once dry - use a blob of icing in between the tiers to glue them together.
Pipe on some dots.
Finish off with a pretty iced flower (or gumpaste flower) on top.

You can make a quick trick chick stack

You can make a quick trick clock stack

Happy creating (or re-creating!)

xxM

(With sincere apologies - and appreciation! - to Dr Seuss, Fox in Socks)

pumpkin patch fun!

Thanks so much for all your kind birthday wishes for Rainer.  It's hard to believe my baby is seven!

On Sunday we had a fun trip to the pumpkin patch.  We've been going to Faulkner Farms for several years now.  (An early trip documented here).  This day was beautiful, with a cool breeze blowing through.  We could not have asked for a nicer day.  The boys loved running through the hay maze over and over, especially Rainer.  We mostly sat and watched the boys play, which was awesome.  I love seeing them develop into little independent people.  They're so "free-range" these days.  I love it. 

We also took a hay ride and got kettle corn and delicious caramel apples.  I hadn't had a caramel apple for years--probably decades.  The flavor of tart juicy apple with caramel and tons of peanuts was amazing.  I'm basically still obsessing over it, a day later.  What is your favorite fall treat?

happy birthday Rainer!

Rainer turned 7! His birthday was during the week, but we celebrated on Saturday.  He wanted Swedish meatballs for his dinner.  I made him an ice cream cake and cookies.  He got lots of presents and was super excited.

I'm so grateful that we have this little guy in our family!  He brings me joy on a daily basis.  He is the cuddliest one and such a love.  Happy birthday Rainer!

And by the way, a few recipe notes:

• I always use the Swedish meatball recipe from this book and I buy lingonberry sauce at Ikea whenever we are there.  We love this simple meal!
• the crust for the ice cream cake turned out ROCK hard.  And I do mean rock hard.  Next year I'll use plain chocolate wafers and the recipe that comes with them.  (Instead of using Joe Joe's and winging it).
• Each year he gets the number of candy pumpkins that he is turning.  The first time we used the candy  pumpkins was here.
• The cut-out birthday cookies are half whole wheat this year.  I ran out of all-purpose flour so had to go with half whole wheat.  They turned out great.
• his birthday breakfast was an organic toaster pastry, pears, and pomegranate seeds.

Rainer's birthdays are documented on the blog from year one (here). 

I am going to try to blog every day this week.  I hope I can do it!  I honestly think taking a few minutes to write and post photos helps my mood and stress level so much--by making me take a few moments to contemplate the good things.

Fondant Kimmidoll

Oh, so little time...so much to make!
I had planned on making a little bevy of these beautiful characters, but haven't yet gotten past the first one.

I saw "Kimmidolls" decorating a market stand selling washi tape (love!!) and immediately knew that I'd have to reproduce them in sugar. They looked simple enough. But the hair confounded me!

In the end I used with this shape, and moulded it to her head. It still isn't perfect, but I can (have to) live with that : )

I stepped out of my comfort zone and hand painted her dress, I'm not sure if she likes it...

And now she's living on my kitchen dresser, waiting for a few friends to join her. I think she's resigned to a long wait...
: )

xxM

Cute High Street Finds: Miss Selfridge's Romantic Style

I'm really not into shopping on the high street, with the vast majority of my wardrobe coming from online purchases. However, I do occasionally see items which catch my eye.

My favourite mainstream fashion shop is probably Miss Selfridge, because they tend to have a softer, more romantic theme with their clothing than other shops. Here's some items I've picked out which can currently be found on their website.

The faux fur collar is super cute and has been a pretty popular winter item in various J-fashion styles for a while now. I like the bow detail on the jumper. You can keep warm whilst feeling elegant.

The detail on the collar of this blouse is so pretty! I think it would look great paired with this tapestry skirt for a mature yet adorable coordinate. I am very tempted to buy this!

I love red coats, and this one is no exception! This coat also comes in "nude" (I hate this term for a colour-- that is not what I look like nude!) The only drawbacks are that it's probably only suitable for mild weather rather than winter, and it doesn't look like it has pockets. Still, the bows are really lovely.

When it comes to high street shopping, I am very much against buying items at full retail, and like to wait for the sales! I have gotten some great bargains on items which I would have thought would be so popular there'd be none of them left to even be in the sale. Shopping only in sales does mean you may miss out on certain items though, so if you really love it, then buy it!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Have you seen any cute or quirky high street items lately? I'd love to see them in the comments! ❤

Butterscotch Apple Cake

Ah, spring rain!

With all my frequent allusions to the weather on my blog, you'd be forgiven for thinking I was a meteorologist in my previous career - I wasn't! Growing up in SA, the weatherman on TV was always the weather man never a glam weather-girl, so I never felt any pull towards that profession.
But now I'm a baking-girl, and the weather and the seasons have such a strong influence on what I bake and the classes I run, that it's a matter of daily concern.
 And that is something I must remember to be very grateful for! In my real previous profession I would have spent most of the day in an air-conditioned, artificially-lit environment; with few or no windows on the outside world. Unhealthy, huh?!
Now, if the rain is playing havoc with my royal icing, I can just choose to make a comforting butterscotch apple cake instead : )

And with its ingredients of apples, oats and pecan nuts, you can be comforted with the belief that while it may be cake - it's good for you. Really!

Apple and Pecan Cake
Recipe by Tea, Cake and Create

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup veg oil
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup oats
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups finely chopped apple
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarb
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans (save a few to scatter over the top of the finished cake).

Beat together the eggs, sugar and oil.
Sift the dry ingredients together.
Mix into the beaten egg mixture.
Fold in the oats, nuts and apple.

Divide batter into 2 round cake pans (I used 7inch pans)
Bake for 35 - 40min, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cream cheese icing
 (Makes enough for filling and covering the cake, halve the ingredients if just filling between layers and covering the top of the cake. )

2 x 250g tubs cream cheese, chilled (the dense variety - like Woolworths  or Lancewood brand)
200g butter at room temp
1 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
Vanilla extract

Beat together icing sugar and butter until smooth.
Add cream cheese and vanilla and beat until mixed.

Spread on the cake once it has cooled completely.

Butterscotch Sauce

85g butter
30ml brown sugar
40ml golden syrup
40ml cream
1tsp vanilla extract ( or 8-10 drops of Vanilla Girl vanilla)

Melt the butter, syrup and sugar together in a saucepan. Stir constantly  until all the sugar granules have melted.
Add the cream and vanilla. Mix well.
Boil for 3 minutes.
Stir occasionally.

Don't let the sauce boil for too long - this will make it turn into toffee....which is only a problem if you are planning on pouring it not chewing it...

Allow to cool before pouring over cream-cheese-frosted top of the cake.
(If you've refrigerated it, just soften the sauce by heating in the microwave for a few seconds.)

Scatter some chopped pecans over the butterscotch surface.

Yum!!

xxM

knott's berry farm

We had a holiday on Monday, and since it is so very unusual for our district to take an October holiday of any sort (it was actually a furlough day for us and a teacher work day for the boys' district), I was feeling in a festive mood and wanted to really make something of it.  We decided on an overnight trip to Knott's Berry Farm!  We drove up Sunday, spent the night in the Knott's Berry Farm hotel (and played in the pool there) and went to the amusement park on Monday, where we suspected it would be uncrowded.  It really was uncrowded!  We practically had the place to ourselves and there were very few lines. 

I'm not a huge amusement park person, but I love seeing the boys' wonder at them.  And Knott's Berry Farm has a certain appeal to me, with its history.  It started as an actual berry stand and  a chicken dinner restaurant.  The restaurant was so popular that Mr. Knott started adding attractions the amuse the diners lining up for their chicken dinners.  Eventually more and more attractions were added and it changed into an amusement park (but they totally still run the restaurant and people still line up for the chicken dinners, ourselves included).

Knott's has an old feel to it.  I think the central part of the park, with its old West theme and old buildings, is largely unchanged over the decades.  They still have a blacksmith there and a glass blower and an old schoolhouse with a "school teacher" who will tell you about the history of the park.  I was disappointed to learn that the park is no longer owned by the Knott's family, but a big conglomerate now.  Oh well! 

The boys loved the whole experience.  I was weirdly fascinated by the crazy modern roller coasters and kept staring in wonderment.  I would NEVER go on one, though.  The log ride is as daring as I get (it has a big drop at the end!), and those swings in the top photo.

I'm still meaning to post about our Disneyland trip too, which was this summer and was very different.  Do you go to amusement parks?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.