Month: February 2015

baking love: almond macarons

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Macarons seem to be everywhere on Lifestyle Food lately, and I have seen so many recipes, so many hints and tips, some different and some the same, that I wanted to have a go for myself.  I felt like if I took all the hints and tips from each and threw them together, I may come out with something that resembles a macaron.

I’ve been suprised that this recipe has been such a success.  Four batches now and each worked perfectly.  The key difference for me is using frozen egg white.  Basically I had stopped making macarons because of all the leftover egg yolk, and now I don’t have any!  Let me know if you try it, and how yours go.

LTL - Almond Macarons

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product love: packet mix baking

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I used to be a big fan of the packet mix.  I will not lie about it.  They take the thinking away from you.  They are simple and easy.  Quick and less messy.  I can grab one of these and every other ingredient I am guaranteed to have in my fridge or pantry.

There is, however, one packet mix that is a HUGE hit in our house, is a HUGE hit for everyone I’ve made them for, and I will continue to make even though I’ve abandoned all others.   Continue reading →

baking love: v day makes and a touch of diy

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I made these beautiful waffles for our Valentines Day morning breakfast…  I use the thermomix Easy Peasy Waffles Recipe, topped with fresh blueberries, icing sugar, maple syrup and a vanilla bean ice-cream.  So simple and we really enjoyed them.  My toddler especially!

LTL - baking love

I made this beautiful lemon, ricotta and almond cake, the recipe I was given from my gorgeous cousin over on blogofahappywife.  It’s gorgeous and so is her blog!

LTL - lemon, almond and ricotta cake

LTL - Cake Slice

And finally, for dinner, some gnocchi with a basil pesto and snowpeas.  The gnocci I could have made in my thermomix, but honestly, it makes wayyyy too much and this recipe I found via Lorraine Pascale was so simple.  Instead of using potatoes, marscapone is used.

LTL - baking love - gnocchi

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And we used these inexpensive IKEA Spice Racks to make beautiful book shelves for Ellie’s room.  And when I say inexpensive – they are $2.99 EACH!
Just an easy DIY Paint Job.  I love using books as art.  Thanks again Pinterest!

LTL - DIY Shelves

eloise - month five

little loves: eloise – month five

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lauren taylor loves eloise

– 6.5kgs and 63 cms long
– Fitting 000’s very well still.  00’s are still too big…
– Will stop whatever she is doing when Daddy comes home from work.  She wants to give him huge smiles and she loves touching his face.  It’s so gorgeous if she isn’t asleep!
– The giggles are constant.  So constant.  She is such a joy.
– She has started saying Mumumum, and Mummy.  Always a whinge.  Totally a sound, but because Judd said Dadadad first, I am claiming it.
– Shorter sleeps, and down to three sleeps a day.
– AND finally we have moved on from the weekly poop to more regular.  I know these kids are going to hate this when they are older, but it is totally noteworthy to us boring parent folk now.
– She is really good at the Jolly Jumper!  Bouncing straight away.
– I tell her all the time that she is just happiness in a bundle of joy.    Will give me reassuring smiles while Judd is throwing a tantrum in the shops.  She is my saving grace.

little loves: judd – month one to twenty four

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I am a Pinner.  Yup, I love Pinterest.  There are so many amazing idea’s, and this chair/growth photo is just one of the little gems I’ve been lucky enough to come across.  When Judd was born on the 11th January 2013 and for every month after, we sat him on this chair and took a photo.  And now that we have twenty four photo’s (I have a few more as I took them at Easter and Halloween as well) it absolutely blows me away.  I’m so glad I did it now.  I wrote a synopsis each month of Judd’s development and posted it on my other blog, and now that I have this one, I want to make sure this still records it also.  So in this post, I will list months one to twelve, and then the few posts I did between thirteen and twenty four months, and each month on the 15th, which is Ellie’s date, I will be continuing this tradition with her.  I hope you enjoy seeing them grow, as much as I enjoy showing them off! Continue reading →

craft with my little loves: valentines day

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LTL - VALENTINES DAY - TODDLER CRAFT

Judd has taken to Mister Maker in the past week, so as soon as I got out the paint, his apron, and some paper, he was all over it.  I didn’t even have to tell him what we were doing.

I took a simple toilet roll holder, folded it into the shape of a love heart, and used it for dipping in red paint.  Judd made some cards for Valentines Day.

That was our little craft for Valentines Day.  I wanted to do thumb prints and ‘Thumbody Loves You’ cards, but Judd insisted on using his pointer finger, so that didn’t work.  Two year olds 🙂

Thank you Pinterest.