7 April 2013
22 December 2012
27. Poppyseed Roll
According to folk beliefs poppy seed eaten on Christmas Eve provide happiness, and young girls prepared the poppyseed for cakes in order to hurry their marriage proposal. Poppy flower heads - a plant that contains the seeds- is a symbol of fertility and peaceful sleep (a little anecdote- poppyseed is also used to make a home made opium- no wonder that they had “peaceful sleep”)
What will you need?
3 cups of flour
180 ml of warm milk
150g of butter or margarine
6 yolks
45 g of fresh yeast or 14 g of instant yeast (I think it depends on the manufacturers, read how much flour is needed for how much of instant yeast)
6 spoons of sugar
pinch of salt
x 2 (800g)tin of poppy seed mass (available in any Polish Shop)
(You can make the mass yourself but in order to do that you’ll have to use a grinder and it takes a lot of preparation, I took the easy way out so I didn't have to worry that the poppy seed will turn too hard/soft or that everybody will get high over the Christmas dinner hah)
How will you make it?
Mix the yeast, sugar and the milk, while turning on the oven. While the oven preheats to 160-170C put the yeast in the oven until it rises, just remember not to leave it for too long as the temperature rises every second, it should get fluffy.
In separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients to fluffy yeast mixture and at the end add the soften butter.
Leave for a while in the bowl covered with a table cloth while you clean around and wonder around for few minutes.
Decorate with some icing and …. Enjoy. This recipe always works and makes wonderful poppy seed rolls (actually four of them). I have been told I bake like Grandma... almost made me cry with pride.
26. easies- the Christmass Cookies- Transform yourself into a cookie machine!
What will you need?
1 block of butter (250g?)
4 eggs
5 cups flour
3 cups icing sugar
100 gr cocoa
2,5 spoons of baking soda
Spices of your choice...
(I used cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg)
little bit of milk
How will you make it?
Preheat your oven to 170C... and yes, now comes the easy part, super easy in fact. You mix everything together... (soften the butter in the microwave to make it even MORE easier). The dough should be sticky enough and transform into one solid ball, just remember if its to runny- add flower, if it breaks to easy- add milk.
and you knead the dough and put in the fridge while slowly bit by bit steal handfuls of the dough; flour the chopping board and roller... cut out the cookies. Ta-Da! It's just easier to keep the dough in the fridge, easier to roll I mean.
Bake until mocha-chino brown (6-8 minutes) on a tin and sheet of baking paper (makes the washing up easier)and let them cool while you play with shapes and cookie cutters, use your imagination. Leave them on a tin after they're ready and out for around half a minute--they harden then a bit and are easier to manage and transport to the cooling station :)
Note to herself: next make sure you don't let anybody into the kitchen because they're gone before they manage to cool :)
20 October 2012
25. Cheer-Me-Uppers Vanilla Cupcakes
What will you need?
3 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1.5 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 teaspoons of baking soda
pinch of salt
2 eggs
3/4 cups of oil
1 cup of milk
vanilla essence
How will you make it?
Preheat oven to 150-180 C (Depending on how old and useful is your oven) and mix in two bowls dry and wet ingridients. Add them two together and mix further.
Prepere your cupcake/muffin trays by laying down the papers. Help yourself with a ice scream scoop (I discovered that trick today and it made my muffin life easier). Bake for about 15 minutes.
Decorate, I decorated mine with Butter Cream Frosting and sprinkles.
27 September 2012
24. What happens to neglected blogs?
I remembered about "here"-- that secret place. But let's focus now. I simply didn't have time, I simply didn't have enough strength. But that doesn't mean (and I think I mentioned that somewhere before) that I stopped being a housewife. Although in this case it kind of did because I'm out of home for most of the day and when I come home there is this lovely dinner waiting for me... Can you imagine? Dinner... for me. I thought those time will never come and it was only a dream. Don't get me wrong I love cooking but its a bit different when you HAVE TO cook and when you can choose to. Its as simple socio-housewifish behavior that can be simply called "responsibility". My Cookie Monster is turning into a real woman. Soon I'll be able to steal his clothes (oh wait, I'm already doing it) and be able to bitch about menstrual pains (ooops). Its strange to exchange responsibilities and if anybody was there knows the ups and downs of it and definitely know the phrase "NOW you know how I felt for the last few years".
And yeah I got all smart for last few weeks being back in collage and all. Even got new glasses. Its been a good change and I already feel buzzed with that confidence when you are doing what you suppose in life. Its an amazing feeling. I have been all about people around me for the last couple of years and although I know its selfish and egocentric I am finally doing something for me, while keeping in mind others.
20 April 2012
23. Flan Cake/Muffin Disasterrrrrr!
At list I can say that Cookie Monster is supportive and it probably be all gone by the morning. He have done it before-- as long as its brown and taste like chocolate he doesn't mind. It could be raw to him, could be burned could be anything.
Isn't it pretty though? A little chocolate flower with gooey-raw-peanutbutter inside that somebody step onto. The cake just went flat before my eyes and I tried to fix it with what was supposed be a muffin topping. Hell I should be bricklayer not a baker.
Well here is a little something to make you smile and think that yes-- we all do those mistakes in kitchen.
13 April 2012
22. Friday 13th Update.
I have been busy with my daughter and with my hubby. The story tells of a wicked tooth fairy that took away one tooth and gave another in our family. YES! Our princess have a first tooth which makes Mommie dance like crazy. And yes. Cookie Monster was sick- had some real dental infection with swelling that lasted for more then three weeks. Me being a good wife was running around with ice, antibiotics and was also forbidden to bake. Looking on the bright side I blend our dinners anyway for Little Princess so that way I simply went all the way with blending. I know I'm awful but I think its funny.
On top of all that I passed my driving theory, send millions of collage and job applications and now awaits any replies. So bear with me dear readers in anticipation that moves me to the point where there is no more cleaning to be done. Decided to take my life back in more organized order and do something that would insure a better future for all of us.
With the recession here in Ireland its hard to get a job-- its a fact. You have people with PHD's working at McDonalds, so where do I Little Housewife fit with my little bit less then Leaving Cert Education? I do believe that when you want to find a job you will. Hard work, hard work. Somehow I am positive and think I'll make it. I am unforgivably crazy ambitious and I aim too high for my qualifications, but my philosophy is as long as I get the interview then I can blind them with my charm hah. But no more cleaning toilets, don't feel like that kind of a job is in any way shameful but it is just SICK. And YES by that I mean people signing their names on wall with their own faeces. Yes you heard me right. William was his name. Not for my stomach anymore. So yes job hunting is up and about for which I am very excited. Also I am really excited of the possibility of going back to collage and finishing what I left off.
I did see one very nice job vacancy in my local paper and wrote them a poem. Yes you heard me right, its a rather different approach but it will be a nice experiment to see how it turns out. I wanted them know that the fact that I chooses to become a Mom and dropped out of collage because of it didn't mean that my experience is less. Its different but also useful. Hopefully they'll notice me so my dream of working there can follow true. I have nothing to loose which leaves me rather desperate but on the other hand with open mind that looks outside the box.
So anyways I hope you enjoyed the read and I am sorry for the fact that I can't really drop in to yours for a cuppa to read around. But soon my friends... Soon.
29 March 2012
21. St Patrick's pot of gold.
Once upon the time in a fairy land of green fields
(bear with me dear readers-- keep your eyes peeled)
Lived a family in houses that looked all the same.
All happy they ventured out on that very same day.
They smiled with a cheek to the bright sun outside,
and so they went all out on a mission-- at list they tried.
They so enjoyed sticking their tongue and tasting the wind.
Decided to find a rainbow if you know what I mean.
On their adventure they met everybody celebrating St Patrick Day.
That is the lad that did something with silly old snake.
So yes, they joined the crowds at back of the parade.
Look up, its a balloon! Some drunken fairy must have lost it by mistake.
Look up, its a balloon! Some drunken fairy must have lost it by mistake.
They met all kind of things while looking for their pot of gold...
and bravely enjoyed their fresh air in a wind
that was so Irishy-brrr-cold!
They have met wonders like no one else,
they even met monsters made of clay.
And with the smiles all the way--
They fought red dragons on their way
They met the Leprechaun with his pot of gold
and quickly realized one thing...
What will they do with money? After all they're no queen or king...
They are family and family they stay...Because in their love a true gold treasure lay..
.
16 March 2012
20. The New Bitchy Little Housewife.
I could make millions on acting. And laying to yourself is a good humor, it gets you going true the day. The truth is I have been really depressed inside, kind of worn out, the outside is always cheerful, helpful to everybody. And I think that what I am about to discuss in here played a little part in the whole process. Yes, something as simple as cleaning. I had days when I would want to cry-- I was that tired. And what would I do? I would drink coffee, clean the house spotless to make everyone happy. To make everyone feel like home. Anyhow I realized with today accident that I HAVE TO STOP being this little bird that flies whenever somebody is in need. That Helicopter-Cheerful-Mommie-Face that hovers her hands around everybody so everybody is happy and settled. I'm saying stop to "treat everybody as you would like to be treated", they don't give a flying fuck. Enough with make everyone happy. I have let the whole house sit on my head, even the dogs can't see an authority in me anymore and they won't listen to me one bit. I had this amazing dream about a perfect home and just like that it became a nightmare. And it is a fact you can't make house a home when you living with people. Family or not they're not my children and I do have to stop treating them like ones. The worse part (for which I am sorry) that instead of changing what bothers me around I would moan and I would whine to poor Cookie Monster. The ears on that man.
To make it all clear we did discuss it as a household before. We even made turns in cleaning each room which lasted a few weeks and after which I would always clean it myself. I heard all the excuses from "I'll do it next week" to "I'm very busy" and "Its not my mess, the dogs did it". Well to be frank the dogs didn't poo up the toilet seat and YES I have no intention of cleaning that anymore. No matter how dirty and disgusting the bathroom will get I won't move my finger. No washing dishes. No cleaning the floor. They can swim in filth and yes I am accepting (with a broken hearth) to swim in their mess as well, but its for a good cause. From now on I'll clean whats mine and only (careful) when I'll be in a mood to do so. I'll clean for my daughter and clean after me and husband, but that's about it. And I know my hubby will clean it after them if I don't do it, only can hope that soon he will get tired of doing it as well. And I know that they are small things like crumbs on the worktops, spills of coffee, little papers etc... but I don't intend to do it anymore.
I don't care anymore if the exams are coming, don't want to hear if its hard in collage! Or if they're tired from working, did I ask them to do it? Are they doing it for themselves and no one else? YES. Enough. I work as a Mom for 24 hours, sleep for about 6 (with a wake-up in between for a boobie) and I don't complain.Why? Because as hard as it gets there is nothing more fulfilling and beautiful, nothing more noble that one could do. And yes its hard but I chose it and I am taking full responsibility for it.
They have a life why can't I have one. I'll start having actual fun with my daughter, I'll start exercising, I'll bake more often, I'll start socializing, I'll go to collage, get driving licence. I'll have time to do it all. I'll de-clutter my whole life. If you can count--count on yourself. Its my new motto.
And if you wondered why all this change, why "the worm has turned"... Well I hit myself in the head. Why? Because I slipped on a piece of pate because SOMEBODY had one to many and didn't care where the food is going, was too lazy to take a plate or simply didn't care that I cleaned that floor on my knees every second day. I'm not here to judge. And I don't care, because I'm a Bitchy Little Housewife.
6 March 2012
19. Apples and loads of Crumble
I need to catch up with a lot of things around here.
With the bum da ba bum of the heating stove I did get the energy to clean. Here and there at list. Yes I do live with three men that are useless when it comes to cleaning, don't mind doing the damn dishes. Two boys work too hard to have energy for anything, and one boy is busy with school and work on weekends. So yes, I could say that I have a daughter and three teenage boys, they're all older then me and one is my father but in one way you could put it like that. I hate it and love it at times. At list my baking is not going to waste.
Talking about baking I do truly adore apple cakes. Anything with apples will work with me. I think its that amazing smell of freshly baked apple tart, crumble or cake that reminds me of my childhood. My Grandmother use to bake her famous apple cake early in the morning. I remember waking up even before my mom and dad were on their feet. Waking up so early that you could hear the morning murmur. I would take my little pillow and on bear feet sneak quietly downstairs where my grandparents live. I still remember the feeling of cold floor. I would float on the smell of apple cake like some characters in old cartoons. I would climb onto a chair in my Grandma's kitchen, with anticipation so big that it moved my little feet back and forth. I would look at her while she was preparing me a slice that was still worm and some soothing glass of cocoa.
So here it is... a piece of my memories. Somehow converted into me now. Twisted in some ways with little bits and pieces added here and there.
What will you need?
For the dough
400g of flaur
250g of margarine
2 egg
100g of rich dark sugar
100g of normal sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
For the apple filling
around 400gr of peeled and sectioned apples
juice from half of a lemon
1/2 spoon of cream
4 spoons of dark rich sugar (any sugar will do)
cinnamon
some kind of blender
Few more apples cut into fours
How will you make it?
Start by preheating the oven to 180C. Cut the margarine into small cubes and add the rest. Knead the dough by helping yourself with mixer (don't take the responsibility for over heated, burned mixers but it did work for me!). Prepare a tin and use 2/3 of the dough to make a base of the cake.
Blend ingredients for the filling, I used a standard smoothie maker that I also use to blend food for my daughter. As long as you mix it with spoon from time to time and get it "going around" it should be fine. You can off course use any blender or kitchen processor but once again do it how you feel and go with your instinct. You should end up with a nice brown smoothie.
Lay the base of the cake with few apples cut in fours and then pour the smoothie mixture. Now comes the fun part, tear the remaining dough and sprinkle here and there. Bake in 180 for around 15 minutes until golden and then add on top of that another few minutes in lover heat (around 100C)
Enjoy!
19 February 2012
18. The battle of good and evil- Marzipan and Chocolate Cake
But that's not all. Let me tell you... There is something reassuring about mixing butter with sugar... don't you think? There is something relaxing about whisking... something soothing in the sound of the hand mixer. Something bold in licking your fingers. There is something almost orgasmic and relieving about chocolate.
There is something poetic about baking.
Although the original cake is called Devil Food Cake, my version of it has sprinkle of heavenly marzipan.
What will you need?
For the cake150ml of boiling water
100g of cocoa
100g of dark rich sugar
125g of marzipan
150g of butter
around 1 cup of dark rich sugar
almond extract
2 eggs
250g plain flour
flat tea spoon teaspoon baking powder
flat tea spoon bicarbonate of soda
For the frosting
125ml of boiling water
50 grams of marzipan
50 grams of dark rich sugar
200g unsalted butter cubed
300g best-quality dark chocolate finely chopped
300 grams of chocolate (I used milk chocolate) finnaly chopeed
chocolate fudge can
shot of Baileys (I think any alcohol will work)How will you make it?Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare your tins by laying out paper and buttering the sides.
Shift cocoa, dark sugar, and add marzipan to one pan and put onto burner stirring all the time untill marzipan is melted and you end up with a nice smooth mixture.
Mix butter and sugar until heavenly fluffy.
In a seperate bowl mix flour, and both baking powder and baking soda.
Dribble the almond extract into the creamed butter and sugar and add both eggs, mix untill smooth.
To that add the flour and mix well, then slowly and with love add the cocoa mixture.
Spread evenly into two tins and bake at 180C untill the toothpick comes out clean
Put water, sugar and butter into a oan on low heat untill melted.When this mixture begins to bubble, take the pan off the heat and add the chopped chocolate,
add chocolate and mix off the heat untill chocolate has melted, if needed put on heat for a while and mix again.
Add about 5 spoons of chocolate fudge and doing the same that you did with chocolate.
Devide mixture into half and to one add shot of Baileys.
Leave both cakes to cool and frosting to set, whisking now and again.
Between to cakes add the frosting with alcohol and cover everything with non-alcohol frosting. Decorate.
11 February 2012
17. Liebster Blog Award
Liebster is a German word meaning dearest, or simply beloved. I do remember the countless hours of learning that language that with sadness I have to admit I began to hate. Yet still it was rather a hate-love relation ship and finally it came to some use.The award is given to new and fresh bloggers with less than 200 followers. Thank you for noticing me there among thousands of other bloggers. It is my honour to receive my award from the lovely and talented
Jess from http://www.onsugarmountain.com/ ,
Ridwan from http://rivankie.blogspot.com/
Ruth from http://springofacuriouseed.blogspot.com/
It is a kind of chain letter award which I do adore. I think the idea is great to share what you love about blogging community the most. It kind of shows how great it is-- always good to be appreciated and because too often we are all quick to criticise and slow to praise.
The rules are:
It is a kind of chain letter award which I do adore. I think the idea is great to share what you love about blogging community the most. It kind of shows how great it is-- always good to be appreciated and because too often we are all quick to criticise and slow to praise.
The rules are:
If you receive the award, you should:
1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Hope that the people you’ve sent the award to forward it to their five favourite bloggers and keep it going!
So now that I got three awards I wonder if I get to choose 5 or 15 another blogs? I'll think I'll stick to the magical number five, because well-- let's keep it simple.
1. My first choice is the wonderful Brygida whose blog, Unique, moves me in it's dedication. I don't do it because we're related (oh yes we are), and because I truly love her and she is my role model (oh yeah she is) but because I see every day how much she struggles to get everything right, how much she dedicate to people around her and sometimes forget how important she is, and how important are those little moments when you do something for yourself.
2. Next choice is Foodessa which never fail in her quality of writing and quality of the recipes shows. I adore her recipes and I do find that she is also becoming quite an accomplished photographer from post to post. I never seen somebody that dedicated to food and there are only few people like her that put THAT AMOUNT of work into every post. On a side note she also is a fellow old record lover ;)
3. My third choice is Lady from Alchemy in the Kitchen , she is talented and passionate writer, with photographs to die for, sinful sweeties and family-friendly recipes that are made magical.
4. My fourth choice is Choc Chip Uru which is my favorite and fellow chocolate lover. She amaze me with the dedication to chocolate, her desserts are just amazing and I do have to say- she always put a smile on my face and I do feel that we're both one of kind. If you ever feel like chocolate I do recomend her blog recipes and if you want a friendly face she's also very helpful.
5. My fifth choice is Gastronomia Cordobesa - for me she's the idea of food blogging where whatever the language you connect in wonderful magic of food recipes. Her recipes are quite experimental and exotic, but still make wonderful alternative to those that are known to me. The lady writes in Spanish and Google Translate is our blogging saver, which I find very exciting.
Many thanks again to you guys for giving me this award.
31 January 2012
16. Spicy Orange Sponge Cake
Anyways, anyhows.
Here is something special. Something new, experimental. According to those who tried it.
"Mmmmmmmmmmm"- Cookie Monster.
"Don't you want to take a piece to work? - asked Little Housewife - No, I'll wait until morning because I would have to share it with others" - Cookie Monster
"Did you like the cake?- asked Little Housewife - I did, didn't I tell you? I was probably too busy eating it. Sorry Hun." - Daddy Grandad.
What will you need?
For the cake
2 cups of flour
1.5 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup of silky yogurt (unsalted sour cream or buttermilk might work as well)
3/4 cup of oil
1 zested lemon
pinch of dried crushed chilies
vanilla extract
For the syrup3/4 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
juice from 1 orange and its "remains"
cloves
cinnamon
dried crushed chilies
How will you make it?
Preheat the oven at 180C. Prepare the tin (I used the universal round one) by laying out the baking paper. Put all the dry ingredients to one bowl and wet ones in the other. Bring together and mix until nice and creamy. Pour into the tin and bake until the "clean toothpick" moment. I had to adjust the temperature in the first 20 minutes to 150C because my oven act weird on me lately, so if you have any suspicions don't be shy to just check it.
In a small pot bring all the ingredients for the syrup together and let it bubble for a bit. It should get thicker when its cooled then puncture the cake and let it all in... I used a simple tea-strainer to help myself out and drain all the juicy bits. If you think your cake had enough just scoop around the remaining syrup. Don't over do it, otherwise you will end up with a mush instead of a firm moist cake.
Enjoy!
4 January 2012
15. Just after Christmas
As for the New Years I also have few plans and resolution...
Because suddenly I decided to change almost everything. Because I like it that way, let say it is because the stars in the New Year were a strong inspiration. Ideas, plans and resolutions are impatiently demanding its immediate realization. You may say that this whole revolution is associated with me coming into a new decade of my life, perhaps its only hormonal, or only a simply me being crazy. All the same to me really. I am planning to replace everything I can, clean everything I can and do myself some good. I think its a good time for a change, from simple things like replacing cosmetic that no longer apply to my age category to learning to drive and going back to collage. In my mind I draw graphic, trees, tables and schedules that would help me out. I imagined myself by the end of this year and suddenly I had a head rush that is clogging my head up in a painfully way. But I'll do it.
Hope everybody is enjoying themselves as much as I am. Oh, gotta love Christmas, although we didn't have any snow we had a 100km/h wind that blew off my neighbor roof gutter. Yep its this time of the year, when only white on the streets you can expect is when a bin is blown over and nappies are flying all around the neighborhood. As one of my friend would say... White Christmas my ass :)...
20 December 2011
14. Christmas Flavored Cookies
What will you need?
1/4 cup of honey
5 tablespoons of butter, softened (around 100 grams)
1/2 cups of icing sugar
1 egg
2 and 1/4 cups of flour
1 tea spoon of baking soda
2 and 1/4 cups of flour
1 tea spoon of baking soda
drop of orange juice
2 table spoons of :
ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice
around 2 table spoons of cocoa
How will you make it?
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Mix together softened butter, egg, orange juice and honey until it turns into a nice fluffy paste. Sift in the flour, icing sugar, baking soda and spices. Knead the dough, and put it into a fridge for about half an hour, if you're lazy no harm done, its only to ease the cookie cutting process.
Cut out different sized cookies, and before baking don't forget to cut little holes with a straw if you intend to put those cookies up. Bake the cookies for about 7-10 minutes depending on size. Mine were baking on for 7 minutes and turned out just fine. Let them cool and decorate.
How will you make it?
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Mix together softened butter, egg, orange juice and honey until it turns into a nice fluffy paste. Sift in the flour, icing sugar, baking soda and spices. Knead the dough, and put it into a fridge for about half an hour, if you're lazy no harm done, its only to ease the cookie cutting process.
Cut out different sized cookies, and before baking don't forget to cut little holes with a straw if you intend to put those cookies up. Bake the cookies for about 7-10 minutes depending on size. Mine were baking on for 7 minutes and turned out just fine. Let them cool and decorate.
13. Christmas Madness :)
Yes, yes I AM ALIVE. I still breath and I am doing quite well for myself. Only the lack of time... This year's Christmas Madness consumed me completely. Affairs, parties, holidays plans, gifts, traffic, crowds, gifts, purchases, changes, planning, organizing and of top of everything this years lack of snow! But my City did its chores and look how beautiful it looks. It amaze me every year with its fairy lights and amazing atmosphere. Sometimes I stop and think that I would sell my soul to the Lucifer for moment of peace, a free head full of only things like..."You take care of everything, I rather take a nap". I think I should make it official that I DO NOT take responsibility for myself when Christmas actually happen. On the other hand I have everything figured out and so far so good. We dress our tree in on the Christmas Day and honestly I can't wait. I made the decorations myself this year! I felt like a 3 year old, I didn't have so much fun in a long time! I just can hope that Santa this year will be able to cope with the spring weather outside and arrive on time. And since the New Years is coming around the corner and I have less and less time on my schedule I wish you all the best my Beloved Friends. I wish you that this year till the last moment of it will be without nerves and upsetting surprises.That you find time to briefly reflect on yourself and future plans.That by the stroke of 12 o'clock on the New Years Eve everyone of you will be among people who you love and with a glass of chilled champagne in your hand. I wish you for the following year to surprise you and fulfill every last cherished dream of yours. So you would not know loneliness or false friendship. To heath and happiness stayed with you all the way.
13 December 2011
12. Chocolate Muffins
What will you need?
For dry ingredients:
2 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of cocoa
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
For wet ingredients
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
3/4 cup of oil
rum extract
Plus one bar of chopped dark chocolate
How will you make it?
Preheat the oven to 180 C and prepare your muffin tray by laying out the little muffin papers. Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl and then in another all the wet ones. Pour wet ones into dry ones and mix with without much care. In the end add the chopped chocolate. Fill the muffin cups to about 3/4 of height. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Decorate. Enjoy your IQ points ;).
7 December 2011
11. Happy Birthday Little One and Happy Birthday Bigger One!
Finally I managed to sit down and enjoy myself with the wonders of free time. Yes, the Little Devil is asleep. Lately with my Little Cutie Pie we discovered the wonders of teething, which in fact is kind of exhausting for Little Housewife. Ok, lets admit it... very exhausting, because I still try to do everything, remember everything and so on, while she needs a lot of attention and screams like hell if she's not getting it. Also a little baby blues hit me down to the floor, after still being sick (don't have time to get well), but I am a strong woman and I manage myself, and hide it very well. Its usual small things that get you down and build up at the end of the day. Like that woman who cut line in the store or the fact that your dinner is burning. But enough of bragging about me, I wanted to post about my two most important men in my life at the moment since it was theirs celebration this week.
My Little Brother finished his first year of life. Yes, I remember the face of my Mom when she discovered she's pregnant. Her eyes filled with confusion asked me "How the hell did that happen?!" and well I told her "When two people love each other..." and "imagine two bee's"... Thankfully there wasn't any problems with the pregnancy itself and the Little Brother is well... perfect! It was a crazy time in our family and we joke that pregnancy was contagious at that time. Few days after she gave birth to my Little Brother I discovered I was finally pregnant. Now it may be insane at times, and I do wonder how we don't go coo-coo but nothing and no-one bring us together as a family as those two Little Devils. I really enjoy spending time with Little Brother, because well somehow he feels different from my other brothers. Besides, he is so cute that IT IS a fact- he was born to be spoiled by his favorite sister! This time there was a special colorful-birthday cake made specially for him. There is a huge age gap between us and I am overpowered with sisterly-motherly feelings for him. Its amazing to see him grow, take pleasure in small things and being a true happy child. I wish for him to stay like that for as long as possible, to be so innocent and pure as he is now. To have a life full of simple joys, to wake up in 40 years from now and with clean consciousness say "I am proud of my life and myself"
So my Little One... HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love you so much!
This is how we enjoyed ourselves. Its always ALL about him around my Mom's House but this time it was even more.
First Bite!
The Joy on his face- priceless!
Now moving on to my other MOST IMPORTANT MEN IN THE WORLD its Cookie Monsters Birthday Today. I really wish we could have more time to spend together. Its hard at times and well lets be honest, when having a baby a relationship matures from childish-passionate to the most valuable true friendship. I do love him so much that there isn't enough words in English to write what I really wish for him, not only today but everyday. There are so many things ... First of all and mostly important I wish him to be happy. Enough time to appreciate the glittering diamonds in the snow, the gold sunset in the summer and every single impulse of youth gushing from nature into fragrant flowers in the spring. I wish him to dream as many dreams as he wants and make them real. As much love as he can take and as much optimism from the world around that he can bear. A mind free from unpleasant memories leaving on only the good ones. For his beautiful eyes I wish they stay sparkling in this amazing blue that's full of youthful cheekiness and enthusiasm. I wish him to be truly happy like no other, to wake up every morning with that amazing smile of his. I can only say it's a real shame I am unable to hug him, kiss him and say it to him somehow at this moment. Its a shame that its a normal working day and that everyday you kind of forget how much you wish the other half to be happy. That on occasions you lost yourself in everyday life, and I know, I am here to remind him that he is indeed the most loved man in the world and I try my best every day. I wish I could make this day special for him. But Cookie Monster says that he doesn't have birthdays and I tried to explain to him that he is NOT OLD and that he just have YOUNG wife. But the truth is he will never grow up and I wish him to stay young forever. I think he should celebrate birthdays though, have that one little day to remind yourself that you're indeed one in a kind and its all about you. For one day. I wish I could surprise him, give him what ever he wants this year... even if it means 10 trays of chocolate cake. But we both decided (read I decided for him) that this year we'll postpone him getting older for the weekend. I planned something really special and 18+... and I can only give you a hint...
This is how we enjoyed ourselves. Its always ALL about him around my Mom's House but this time it was even more.
My Little Brother telling me to stop singing! (Yes, I got a singing voice after my father)
First Bite!
The Joy on his face- priceless!
Now moving on to my other MOST IMPORTANT MEN IN THE WORLD its Cookie Monsters Birthday Today. I really wish we could have more time to spend together. Its hard at times and well lets be honest, when having a baby a relationship matures from childish-passionate to the most valuable true friendship. I do love him so much that there isn't enough words in English to write what I really wish for him, not only today but everyday. There are so many things ... First of all and mostly important I wish him to be happy. Enough time to appreciate the glittering diamonds in the snow, the gold sunset in the summer and every single impulse of youth gushing from nature into fragrant flowers in the spring. I wish him to dream as many dreams as he wants and make them real. As much love as he can take and as much optimism from the world around that he can bear. A mind free from unpleasant memories leaving on only the good ones. For his beautiful eyes I wish they stay sparkling in this amazing blue that's full of youthful cheekiness and enthusiasm. I wish him to be truly happy like no other, to wake up every morning with that amazing smile of his. I can only say it's a real shame I am unable to hug him, kiss him and say it to him somehow at this moment. Its a shame that its a normal working day and that everyday you kind of forget how much you wish the other half to be happy. That on occasions you lost yourself in everyday life, and I know, I am here to remind him that he is indeed the most loved man in the world and I try my best every day. I wish I could make this day special for him. But Cookie Monster says that he doesn't have birthdays and I tried to explain to him that he is NOT OLD and that he just have YOUNG wife. But the truth is he will never grow up and I wish him to stay young forever. I think he should celebrate birthdays though, have that one little day to remind yourself that you're indeed one in a kind and its all about you. For one day. I wish I could surprise him, give him what ever he wants this year... even if it means 10 trays of chocolate cake. But we both decided (read I decided for him) that this year we'll postpone him getting older for the weekend. I planned something really special and 18+... and I can only give you a hint...
With chocolate cake on top...
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIGGER ONE!!!
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIGGER ONE!!!
22 November 2011
10. True Hottie...
-I am sick- I said to my Cookie Monster this morning. In my dictionary it means "come here, help me, hug me, feed me, give water, try not to squeeze me so much, take care of me". After much of coughing, sneezing and sounds like "eeeee", "oooohhhh" and "meeeh" Cookie Monster decided to fight my cold with all his powers. I know he doesn't like the sight of me in pain, I'm truly proud of him that he managed true my 24 hour labor, but let us not go back in there just yet. Too early. The word "pain" changes its meaning after something like this. Its like a bust to your inner masochist- having a baby. Anyways you have to know that this men doesn't know what "sick" or "men flu" are. He is one of a kind who with a broken arm hanging on a few threads would still go to work. He is a men who doesn't take sick days or those "lazy, I don't want to get out of the bed" days off either. He is definitely the opposite of me. And to my surprise he went to work late, so I wouldn't have to attend to my Little Lady and my parenting today was simply having a boobie out. It was a fact that I couldn't possibly lift my 6,2 kilo weighting Pumpkin, I was too weak.I was told that my duty today is to SWEAT. A LOT. And yes, I'm sick and I have to complain. Sweating in those kind of situations is not pleasant for me, it's not something I enjoy or it's not like its something I can will to happen.
I think it is a skill you can acquire in high states of meditations in a sacred ninja training. It's when you turn your own will not to bend to your normal human reactions to temperature. You can't be weak, you have to take as much hot tea as you can. He thinks its easy not to urge yourself for some reliving cool air. He think its easy not to peak out of the duvet for some relive. I was even told to have my hood up. I feel like those cakes I am baking for him. I am itchy, sweaty and blah. Not really lady like. I was also told not to shower until morning. I was forced to be hot. And believe me not in a kind of a sexy hot. But he also made me a cute little nest in our living room, full of blankets, duvets, toilet paper and hot tea. I even got my own personalized sandwiches (greasy sandwich with fried eggs, ham and loads of onions). I even got one of his sandwich just in case and now THAT is a sign of love and compassion in the manly world. So in the end he doesn't want me to suffer and its for my own good. It kind of felt like Christmas although I would enjoy the laziness more if not for the fact that I am still unable to breathe, move and talk. My mind feels like my hair look like.
16 November 2011
9. Base for Butter Cookies
What will you need?
For the base...
2 cups of flower
100g of unsalted butter
1 cups of sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
YOUR FAVORITE INGREDIENT
When choosing your special ingredient you can add almost everything to those cookies, from food coloring to make it more fun or special to cocoa and nutella, ginger and honey or simply an vanilla extract. Those cookies are very easy and quick to make and very... and I mean it... very tasty. Its my number one choice when it comes to uninvited quests or quicky presents.
How will you make it?
With a hand mixer mix the butter until light and fluffy and then add sugar and eggs. With a bigger spoon add flour and baking powder to it. Add your special ingredient that you choose. Shape with imagination, and pierce each cookie with a fork or toothpick. Bake in 160C for 6-8 minutes depending on the size, can be stored in a can for longer.
11 November 2011
8. Coconut Cookies
What will you need?
2 cups of flour
pinch of salt
3/4 bar of unsalted butter
1,5 cups of sugar
2 eggs
vanilla extract
0,5 cups of buttermilk
2 cups of coconut flakes (medium desiccated)
whole almonds (optional)
How will you make it?
Mix flour, salt and baking powder in separate bowl, in another one with a hand mixer (or standing one) mix butter and sugar into a fluffy paste. Don't be lazy, it needs time. I mixed for about 5 minutes, then add eggs and vanilla extract. Keep mixing and slowly add flour to it till you have nice looking dough. Add coconut flakes and buttermilk to it. Put it into refrigerator for about one hour for the butter to set.
Put the heat up for around 190 C and on greased tray put little balls of dough. After the time in the fridge its nice to work with. I also used almonds, putting them inside of the little ball shaped cookies, giving that extra crunch. You can roll the cookies into some coconut (if you have left overs like me) or leave it plain. Bake each tray for 15 minutes.
Leave it to set for a while before removing from the tray. Enjoy!
10 November 2011
7. Garlic Bread chasing me in my head!
I would include the soup recipe but I think everybody knows how to do it, its just a matter of adjusting the flavors the way you like it. For those who never made veggie soup its simple enough... briefly you add some meat/bones (chicken for example, I always use whole chicken that I previously skinned and chopped off the meat that I use for the day after) veggies and cook it. Then blend it. And then spice it up. Its amazing how even something simple like soup may differ in different countries. I ate the blended kind of soup for the first time when I came to Ireland and thinking of it if I would never think of blending the soup, or doing the soup like this in Poland. I would knock myself in the forehead and probably say something like "I'm not making baby food, am I?", and I remember the face of my Irish friend when I gave him some of the Polish styled soup. He was like "What are ye? Eating Water in Poland?"
So anyways I started baking, the smell was unlivable and the bread was gone in seconds. I was amazed that the bread was so tasty and for a first timer I did pretty well.
What will you need?
around 1 kilo of flour
10g of fresh yeast or instant yeast (depending on the pack you adjust the amount of bought yeast to the amount of flour, on my little pack there was 1 pack of yeast- 500g of flour)
1 table spoon of salt
1,5 cups of lukewarm water (more or less, you'll have to see during making of the dough)
garlic
fresh herbs of your choice- I used fresh basil, dried oregano and basil
How will you make it ?
If you are using fresh yeast crush it and mix it with water and salt and add it at the end to dry ingredients. If you are using instant yeast simply add it to the flour, then add other dry ingredients (chopped garlic, herbs, salt) and water. Knead the dough. Set the dough into a warm place covered for at list 30 minutes (the dough should double its volume). Knowing that I wont find a warm place in my house I put it into my oven for the smallest amount temperature possible, leaving the oven door open at all time. I know its not really environmental friendly and electric bill friendly way to do it, but I let myself crazy with those kind of things from time to time. When the dough is bigger, nice and puffy, form two loafs and bake each for about 40 minutes in 180-200 °C. Remember to grease the trey preffebably with butter. Enjoy the smell, taste and amazing satisfaction.
8 November 2011
6. Cookie Monsters Super Power.
7 November 2011
5. Cookie Jar
It was a really busy day for me today and soon its time to regenerate my batteries once again. Note to herself: LEARN TO DO THAT. Although Little Lady sleeps longer and longer at night I'm still tired. I have circles under my eyes, never had them. Cookie Monster jokes that now we look like one big family since he's always tired and yet full of duty-to-do. During the collage times I was always the more lazy one that slept for a minimum of 16 hours. I did so many rounds up and down the house today that I begin to wonder about the condition and expiry date of our stairs. At one point during the day I couldn't do anything more. I couldn't concentrate on the conversation, I couldn't listen, couldn't feed, couldn't move. I started feeling that overwhelming "piss off", hands trembling, breathing that's shallow and nervous. I looked more like a witch rather then a fresh housewife. In my mind a voice screamed "THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO!". I felt that my head is going to explode, that for one second in a long time I wished that world would just stop. I put the Little Lady into her rocking chair and sneakily moved her towards her father and quietly, like a shadow I moved myself to the bedroom. I left a full sink, dinner on the cooker and closed my eyes pretending to be asleep. Covered my head with a pillow and stayed there for half an hour. It was goood. I was fresh and ready to go again.
After that nap I had so much energy that 'I made cookies. I have to admit I stole the idea few days back from Mrs. Unique and created a Cookie Jar. You can see her Cookie Jar by clicking here.
Anyways I did the Cookie Jar as a present for my Cookie Monster. I try to make sure its full of home-baked goodness, but its hard to keep up with this guy!
The Cookies were a bit tricky to made since the dough was very crumbly.
What will you need?
175 g soft butter
1 cup of sugar
lemon juice
1,5 cup of flour
5 tablespoons of Nutella
2 tablespoon cocoa
How will you make it?
Mix butter with sugar,add lemon juice, add flour and knead the dough quickly using your hands. (it will be very fragile and not very easy to work). Divide the dough into 2 parts and add Nutella and cocoa one of them.
Roll two pieces out one on the another and roll up, I didn't worry much about braking dough, just model it with hands. Cut it into cookies. Bake in preheated oven (170 C) for about 10-12 minutes. Do not remove cookies from the tray straight after but let them cool a bit and let them harden.
After that nap I had so much energy that 'I made cookies. I have to admit I stole the idea few days back from Mrs. Unique and created a Cookie Jar. You can see her Cookie Jar by clicking here.
Anyways I did the Cookie Jar as a present for my Cookie Monster. I try to make sure its full of home-baked goodness, but its hard to keep up with this guy!
The Cookies were a bit tricky to made since the dough was very crumbly.
175 g soft butter
1 cup of sugar
lemon juice
1,5 cup of flour
5 tablespoons of Nutella
2 tablespoon cocoa
How will you make it?
Mix butter with sugar,add lemon juice, add flour and knead the dough quickly using your hands. (it will be very fragile and not very easy to work). Divide the dough into 2 parts and add Nutella and cocoa one of them.
Roll two pieces out one on the another and roll up, I didn't worry much about braking dough, just model it with hands. Cut it into cookies. Bake in preheated oven (170 C) for about 10-12 minutes. Do not remove cookies from the tray straight after but let them cool a bit and let them harden.
4. Friendly Hat...
On the side note I also take this opportunity to share my latest knitting creation. I thought I do a hat for my Little Lady because she hates them to bits, she cry every time we put them on her head and sometimes when she remind herself that she has it on. Its quite funny and I know I am cruel. The wool I picked is very soft and fluffy and look how surprised she is (picture below). No crying. Mommies hats are the best! On the right a living prove on how my daughter is good for me. While I was enjoying myself while knitting (I forgot how good it felt) she was a true cheerful companion on my Friendly Hat quest.And here is my suprised beauty...
2 November 2011
3. Family-Sized Apple-Cherry Cake
I decided on something quick and simple. I think I was bit too sure of myself when I started this blog. I simply don't have time, strength and I am in need of a good A4 sized organizer. But still hanging here on my quest to become super woman. Nobody never told me that motherhood (especially the early stages of it) going to be easy and I know its a full-time job, so bear with me please.
Coming back to baking adventures I had few apples that were on the edge of their sweet apple lives and cherries left from dinner's compote. So I created a full baking tray of sweet goodness. It is going to be a nice surprise when Cookie Monster comes back from work early in the morning.
What will you need?
What will you need?
3 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
6 eggs
4 full tea spoons of baking powder
half cup of olive oil + another half cup of hot water
some fruits (I used cherries and apples coated with cinnamon)
How will you make it?
Combine sugar and eggs, then add flour and baking powder to the mixture and while still stirring add olive oil. Mix all untill nice and smooth. Pour the mixture on the tray (grease it and "breadcrumb it" so It won't stick) and sprinkle the fruits here and there.
Bake in 180 C for about half an hour. You will need too peek from time to time if the cake is not getting burned, it is ready when golden in colour. Check it with a toothpick to be 100% sure. I waited untill the cake was cool and I decorated the cake with icing.
1 November 2011
2. Chocolate Breakfast
Yesterday night after putting my cutie-pie to sleep I decided to do something nice for me and my beloved Cookie Monster. I didn't bake for what seem to me ages. Baking is one of those activities that gives me huge feeling of achivment. I decided on something small and quick. I didn't really have time or the strenght to take up a huge and long baking project. I decided on my favorite chocolate cake that can be done in minutes while you relax with nice cup of coffee. So I wrapped myself into my fluffy dressing-gown, put on Louis Amstrong... and started baking.
What will you need?
3 cups of flour
3 eggs
3/4 of cherry jam (optional)
3/4 cup of cooking oil
1 cup of sugar
teaspoon of baking soda
and cocoa
How will you make it?
Now comes the easy part. You mix everything together. Bake it in around 170 C. It should be ready after around 30 minutes, check it with the toothpick. It is my favorite base cake, taste good with any filling and its super easy to make. Depending on how much cocoa you add the cake gets more and more chocolaty-like, it is nice and crumbly. When adding very little milk or cream you can experiment with the texture and adjust it to your own needs and taste.
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