10:47pm

It's 10:47pm on Sunday the 28th of November. It has been forever since I posted, sorry! I have been a mixture of too busy and too lazy, but the cooking has never stopped! 


Since the last update I have made gluten free chocolate brownies, readily eaten by my softball team! (we have our final this week - wish us luck!) Also, I made chicken, mushroom and zucchini pasta for lunch on Saturday. 


But the food highlight was most definitely my Korean friend taking me to a local Korean place her friend owns. It sells a mix of Korean/Western food - for $1.50 I got some spicy chicken, a meat parcel and this really tasty thing that was noodles coated in sauce, wrapped in seaweed before being battered and fried. This was probably my favorite thing, though it was all so good, because of the texture combination of the soft noodles and the crispy batter. It is now 11:06pm and I am starving just thinking about it! We had to run in the pouring rain to get it and got totally drenched, but it was so worth it!


So, the Gluten free brownies are a huge favorite with all my friends. The reason I originally made them was for my friends who is gluten intolerant, but they tasted so good that I just kept making them!  they are really easy - chuck ingredient in a bowl, mix, bake and hey presto! I like to add nuts in for a bit of crunch, but what ever floats your boat - they taste fine without.


I woke on Saturday morning feeling industrious, so went to the shop 'round the corner and bought myself six mushrooms, one zucchini and three chicken thighs. An hour later and I had added these things to a tomato sauce, added shallots, garlic and plenty of chili, cooked some pasta and bam! Lunch was served! It turned out better than I expected, I just cooked the zucchini and mushroom before adding them to the sauce at the last minute so they provided a nice texture. An easy lunch for the sporadically industrious among us!


11:13pm and time for some exciting news! Next week is 'integrated studies' at school. This is a themed week where you spend all your time - normally in groups - to complete a project to present to the rest of the grade on Friday. We have one a term, so three in total through out the year, and our final one can be spent doing anything we want, so I am going to cook. (no surprise there!) 
We have limited access to the school kitchens, so I have chosen things that I need no oven for. I am going to do a gingerbread house - I will bake the gingerbread at home and decorate it at school. That will take a day, so for the other four I am going to practice my icing skills and hopefully apply them to a tiered cake (also to be baked at home.) Depending on how much kitchen time I get, I may also make a savory dish to give some variety. Will hopefully receive more details as to what time I get with an oven and stove this week!
But as part of my project, I will be blogging everyday on my progress - so my teachers are to read this blog! So, better go through my older post and check my spelling and grammar ;) But I am really looking forward to a week spent prancing about in my apron and cooking.


Last but not least, I am currently saving to make a 'culinary investment.' This referring to a set of clear mini Pyrex cup and saucers that are just to cute! and practical... If I get them, I want to try and make a coffee mousse topped with whipped cream and flaked chocolate. This would be served as a 'cuppuccino' for dessert. 


11:25pm, time to end my ramblings and get some sleep...
After a little fanfic, of course
Until next time, (which will hopefully include the brownie recipe and pictures!)
Ims x

A Humbling Brithday

This has had to be one of the best birthdays ever! I am truly on my knees with thanks for everyone who helped to make this day so special!
Waking my family at a painful 6:30am, they came and gave gifts with gracious, cheerful smiles. From them I received a Kindle, amazon's e-book reader! It is really awesome and I have lots of fun already, thank you so much!
But the best bit came at school, when everyone gave me the most amazing and thoughtful gifts ever - in my case - home wares! I had already been given some cake tins by my family, but my friends also gave me two different types of gorgeous measuring cups, mini soup ladle a mug and more!
My bestie made me a cake (mmm, rich chocolate - my favorite!) and everyone was so nice all day. I know I complain to much, and today has really humbled me - I have the best group of people around me a girl could have!
So, birthdays are not just about the gifts, or even the awesome home-made cake. On our own birthdays we should strive be humble and grateful for those around us.

I look forward to spending lots of time cooking with my new supplies: job no. 1, bake some thank you cup cakes for everyone!

Now for some pictures!

Bundt and tube tins, plus mini bundts!

It is hard to tell by this photo, but the white measuring
cups are babushkas! They fit together so nicely, and are
as sculptural as they are practical.
The multi-colored  flower ones are also very sturdy,
 I am sure I will get a lot of use out of them!

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. 
C. S. Lewis