They Say What They Say

To cheer myself up after all the mother-related stress, I decided that I needed a treat. So tonight I made rice pudding for dessert. It's a new recipe that I recently found on taste.com.au and oh my god, it is seriously is the yummiest rice pudding ever! I am so in love with this rice pudding I would gladly eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That's how much I love it!

Caramelised Indian Rice Pudding

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 50g unsalted butter
• 200g arborio (risotto) rice
• 1.2L milk
• 1/2 cup (80g) sultanas
• 150g caster sugar

Method:

Place cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon, butter, rice, milk, sultanas and 50g of the caster sugar in a 8cm-deep, 20cm-round microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 35 minutes on high, stirring every 5 minutes, until rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (At this stage I spooned the pudding into individual serving bowls before sprinkling on the extra sugar.) Sprinkle with remaining sugar, place under a hot grill and cook for 10 minutes until the sugar is bubbling and golden (similar to crème brûlée).

Yummiest. Rice. Pudding. Ever!

To cheer myself up after all the mother-related stress, I decided that I needed a treat. So tonight I made rice pudding for dessert. It's a new recipe that I recently found on taste.com.au and oh my god, it is seriously is the yummiest rice pudding ever! I am so in love with this rice pudding I would gladly eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That's how much I love it!

Caramelised Indian Rice Pudding

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 50g unsalted butter
• 200g arborio (risotto) rice
• 1.2L milk
• 1/2 cup (80g) sultanas
• 150g caster sugar

Method:

Place cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon, butter, rice, milk, sultanas and 50g of the caster sugar in a 8cm-deep, 20cm-round microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 35 minutes on high, stirring every 5 minutes, until rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (At this stage I spooned the pudding into individual serving bowls before sprinkling on the extra sugar.) Sprinkle with remaining sugar, place under a hot grill and cook for 10 minutes until the sugar is bubbling and golden (similar to crème brûlée).

Yummiest. Rice. Pudding. Ever!

The weather today has been miserably cold and wet. I was going to ride to work but changed my mind at the last minute when I opened my front door and saw that it was pouring. Thank god the bus was running five minutes late, that's all I can say. But it didn't stop me from going to gym after work for a quick 40 minute cardio session and some crunches. After that I came home and had the most enormous dinner of grilled chicken and steamed vegies. With all that good food and exercise I should be feeling all virtuous if it weren't for the fact that I stuffed my face with Scotch Finger and Nice biscuits at the training session I attended today :~\

However judging by the rain pelting down at the moment I shouldn't even contemplate using my bike as transport tomorrow and will drive to work instead. I want to go to gym again (third day running!) and while I could do what I did today - get the bus home then drive over to Fitzroy - but I'm more likely to get there if I take my stuff with me and go straight after work. My motivational levels are quite high at the moment, but the weather is a big downer and usually at this time of year once I get home, I'm home for the night.

Speaking of transport my car registration notice turned up in the mail today and I am sure it's at least $50 more than it was last year. Did they put the fees up without me noticing? I bet you they did, the bastards.

*grumps*

In news not related to driving or exercise, inspired by zebra363 I am having a go at making sourdough bread. I found a recipe in an old copy of Better Homes and Gardens magazine at gym the other day¹ so I stole it and have been conscientiously feeding my starter for the past three days. When I checked on it this morning it was so huge I had to transfer it to a slightly bigger bowl, which I hope hasn't disturbed it too much. I have one more day of feeding to go and then on Thursday I can bake. I'm already planning on starting work early so can go home at 4pm to muck around with flour and give it its requisite five hours or rising time. If all goes well I will be feasting on lovely fresh bread for breakfast the next day. Or else tossing a rock-hard lump of foul tasting dough into the bin with many muttered curses.

Eeep, posting has started over at spn_j2_bigbang 2009! OMG, so much fic, so little time!!


¹Okay, so it's slightly related to exercise, but only slightly.

The weather today has been miserably cold and wet. I was going to ride to work but changed my mind at the last minute when I opened my front door and saw that it was pouring. Thank god the bus was running five minutes late, that's all I can say. But it didn't stop me from going to gym after work for a quick 40 minute cardio session and some crunches. After that I came home and had the most enormous dinner of grilled chicken and steamed vegies. With all that good food and exercise I should be feeling all virtuous if it weren't for the fact that I stuffed my face with Scotch Finger and Nice biscuits at the training session I attended today :~\

However judging by the rain pelting down at the moment I shouldn't even contemplate using my bike as transport tomorrow and will drive to work instead. I want to go to gym again (third day running!) and while I could do what I did today - get the bus home then drive over to Fitzroy - but I'm more likely to get there if I take my stuff with me and go straight after work. My motivational levels are quite high at the moment, but the weather is a big downer and usually at this time of year once I get home, I'm home for the night.

Speaking of transport my car registration notice turned up in the mail today and I am sure it's at least $50 more than it was last year. Did they put the fees up without me noticing? I bet you they did, the bastards.

*grumps*

In news not related to driving or exercise, inspired by zebra363 I am having a go at making sourdough bread. I found a recipe in an old copy of Better Homes and Gardens magazine at gym the other day¹ so I stole it and have been conscientiously feeding my starter for the past three days. When I checked on it this morning it was so huge I had to transfer it to a slightly bigger bowl, which I hope hasn't disturbed it too much. I have one more day of feeding to go and then on Thursday I can bake. I'm already planning on starting work early so can go home at 4pm to muck around with flour and give it its requisite five hours or rising time. If all goes well I will be feasting on lovely fresh bread for breakfast the next day. Or else tossing a rock-hard lump of foul tasting dough into the bin with many muttered curses.

Eeep, posting has started over at spn_j2_bigbang 2009! OMG, so much fic, so little time!!


¹Okay, so it's slightly related to exercise, but only slightly.

It's a public holiday in Melbourne today, one of the few that my work actually gives us, and so I celebrated by getting up early and making rhubarb and ginger jam. Bread and jam is never better than when the jam is warm out of the pot it was made in. I've also done the dishes, made coffee, watched an episode of of Magnum PI (and oh my, didn't the guys wear short shorts back in 1980!) and phaffed around on teh intertubes for a while. It's been a pretty successful day off so far and I haven't even gotten dressed yet!

My next trick will be a trip to the gymnasium and a wander around Brunswick St for a while. After that I'll come home and bottle the jam and then have a go at making crumpets. Yes, crumpets! I found a recipe last night and really want to give it a go. Plus, now that I have all this jam I need something to eat it with. And my sourdough won't be ready until Thursday because it takes five days for the starter to ferment.

I've also been spending a large amount of time at the Spence St DFO the last couple of days, shopping for FIVE HOURS with A & H on Saturday and returning a dress that looked way better in the shop than it did when I got it home on Sunday. I didn't buy much either day, but on Saturday I found a cute hippy-esque tunic that can double as a beach dress in the summer as well as the one I returned, and when I went back yesterday I found a pair of boots to replace my favourites that died this time last year and a new pair of sneakers for gym. The boots look a little like this:



There was a couple of other pairs of shoes in the same shop that I really loved. It would be bad of me to go back and buy them, right?

Yeah.

Last night they screened the recent Ballet Shoes telemovie on ABC. I must now re-read the book to remind myself when I loved it so as a child, because god knows those whiny brats on my TV screen in no way resembled the characters I desperately wanted to be when I was ten.

Ah Castle, gotta love him...

It's a public holiday in Melbourne today, one of the few that my work actually gives us, and so I celebrated by getting up early and making rhubarb and ginger jam. Bread and jam is never better than when the jam is warm out of the pot it was made in. I've also done the dishes, made coffee, watched an episode of of Magnum PI (and oh my, didn't the guys wear short shorts back in 1980!) and phaffed around on teh intertubes for a while. It's been a pretty successful day off so far and I haven't even gotten dressed yet!

My next trick will be a trip to the gymnasium and a wander around Brunswick St for a while. After that I'll come home and bottle the jam and then have a go at making crumpets. Yes, crumpets! I found a recipe last night and really want to give it a go. Plus, now that I have all this jam I need something to eat it with. And my sourdough won't be ready until Thursday because it takes five days for the starter to ferment.

I've also been spending a large amount of time at the Spence St DFO the last couple of days, shopping for FIVE HOURS with A & H on Saturday and returning a dress that looked way better in the shop than it did when I got it home on Sunday. I didn't buy much either day, but on Saturday I found a cute hippy-esque tunic that can double as a beach dress in the summer as well as the one I returned, and when I went back yesterday I found a pair of boots to replace my favourites that died this time last year and a new pair of sneakers for gym. The boots look a little like this:



There was a couple of other pairs of shoes in the same shop that I really loved. It would be bad of me to go back and buy them, right?

Yeah.

Last night they screened the recent Ballet Shoes telemovie on ABC. I must now re-read the book to remind myself when I loved it so as a child, because god knows those whiny brats on my TV screen in no way resembled the characters I desperately wanted to be when I was ten.

Ah Castle, gotta love him...

I've just stumbled across the Vintage Pattern Lending Library. I think I'm in love, especially with these. I want a job there NOW!

I'm also in love with the cake I made to take into work for my birthday. Yes, I know, one shouldn't be expected to make one's own birthday cake. However it seems to be a tradition amongst the library fraternity in Australia to supply your own cake on the big day. I've done it with every library I've worked in it would seem odd to not be baking my heart out before or on the day in question. This year my birthday treat for the gang was a chocolate and hazelnut Tyroler cake, made extra special through the use of gluten-free flour to accommodate my colleague who has Coeliac disease. Word to the wise; like most cakes involving chocolate it's even better when it's a couple of days old and has had the chance to mature for a while. OMG, yum!

I'm not so much in love with work at the moment. Sometimes being a boss is hard and I have new found respect for those in charge when, on a daily basis, they are confronted with the neuroses of others and they can't say a thing because it would be high unprofessional, not to mention just plain rude.

Mostly, though, I'm in love with ( this: )

Need I say more?

I've just stumbled across the Vintage Pattern Lending Library. I think I'm in love, especially with these. I want a job there NOW!

I'm also in love with the cake I made to take into work for my birthday. Yes, I know, one shouldn't be expected to make one's own birthday cake. However it seems to be a tradition amongst the library fraternity in Australia to supply your own cake on the big day. I've done it with every library I've worked in it would seem odd to not be baking my heart out before or on the day in question. This year my birthday treat for the gang was a chocolate and hazelnut Tyroler cake, made extra special through the use of gluten-free flour to accommodate my colleague who has Coeliac disease. Word to the wise; like most cakes involving chocolate it's even better when it's a couple of days old and has had the chance to mature for a while. OMG, yum!

I'm not so much in love with work at the moment. Sometimes being a boss is hard and I have new found respect for those in charge when, on a daily basis, they are confronted with the neuroses of others and they can't say a thing because it would be high unprofessional, not to mention just plain rude.

Mostly, though, I'm in love with ( this: )

Need I say more?

This was doing the rounds at the office the other day. At first I was skeptical, but then I tried it out and I was exceeding pleased to find that it really does work. One of my staff suggested that it'd be great for when unexpected guests drop by for dinner and your dessert options are limited. Personally I just love the idea that I can now have chocolate cake any time I damn well please *g*

Chocolate Mug Cake

4 tbs SR flour
4 tbs sugar
2 tbs cocoa
1 egg
3 tbs milk
3 tbs vegetable oil
3 tbs chocolate chips
dash of vanilla extract if desired

Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a large, greased coffee mug. Place the mug into a microwave and cook on 1000 watts (High) for three minutes. The cake will rise above the top of the mug while it's cooking, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a tad and then tip into a bowl if desired.

Yum!

This was doing the rounds at the office the other day. At first I was skeptical, but then I tried it out and I was exceeding pleased to find that it really does work. One of my staff suggested that it'd be great for when unexpected guests drop by for dinner and your dessert options are limited. Personally I just love the idea that I can now have chocolate cake any time I damn well please *g*

Chocolate Mug Cake

4 tbs SR flour
4 tbs sugar
2 tbs cocoa
1 egg
3 tbs milk
3 tbs vegetable oil
3 tbs chocolate chips
dash of vanilla extract if desired

Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a large, greased coffee mug. Place the mug into a microwave and cook on 1000 watts (High) for three minutes. The cake will rise above the top of the mug while it's cooking, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a tad and then tip into a bowl if desired.

Yum!