Birthday Invitations

In a couple of weeks it is Mimi’s Birthday and this year I decided to make my own invites.

Final outcome.

What do you think? I am quite pleased with them.

Happiness.....

I came across this on Lagom Design and it really got me thinking. As I read down the list I realised that I do most of them. Since reading it I have reassessed how many projects I have on the go. I have added it here to remind myself what not to do!!!

ABC Series - A-Z of Margate

Something that caught my eye when I was at the Turner Contemporary on Sunday was this card by Donald Urquhart.

I just thought it was really cute and reminded me that I am not up to date with my ABC series. Also it made me realise that there are so many things I just didn’t know about Margate.

A blustery Sunday Outing

We have been threatening to go the Turner Contemporary for ages so on Sunday with sailing cancelled (it was too windy) we decided to take a blustery trip over to Margate. The weather was deceptive. It looked really warm in the sunshine but there was a biting easterly wind which made it feel freezing cold.
On the east coast with an easterly wind the sea always gets really rough.

 We stopped for coffee in their great coffee shop which overlooks the sea and I had an amazing Chocolate Muffin (shhhh don’t tell N at Weight Watchers!)

Last Week # busy few days.

Last week was a bit busy and I didn't get much time to sit down.  We spent a lovely time with our families over the Easter weekend.

On Tuesday I took Mimi and her little friend M to Howletts Zoo for the day.  It was great, there were lots of baby animals to look at the children had a lovely time.  It was an experience taking two  toddlers out on my own.  We were doing okay with one in the buggy and one on the buggy board until we got to the play area.  They both ran off in different directions and it was really busy.  It freaked me out a bit especially as one of them wasn't mine.

Mimi enjoying her picnic at the zoo

Thursday we walked into town to meet my friend J and her two girls I and S for lunch.  On the way into town it was lovely and warm in the sunshine but then the showers came and it felt like we had been plunged into the middle of winter.  I took some great photos on the way into town with my htc phone using instagram.

Then Friday Mimi had her little friend M to play for the morning.  They were just so cute together and played beautifully.  You know what its like some children play well together and others just fight and rub each other up the wrong way but these two together were lovely to watch.  I don't know what the obsession is with cardboard boxes but they played for hours.

Rhubarb Crumble Cake

I just love Rhubarb and I am pleased to see it in abundance at the local vegetable shops.  When we were children my Mum used to grow it at the bottom of the garden.  We used to eat it raw, stewed on cornflakes for breakfast (I was never too keen on this) and rhubarb crumble.  Today I brought some more and decided to try something new.  With Mimi's help we made a rhubarb cake for dessert.  I got the original idea from Hannah's Kitchen.

Ingredients:

Pre heat your oven to about 170degrees

2 sticks of Rhubarb washed and cut into 1inch strips

Cake Base

185g Caster Sugar

185g Butter (I used unsalted)

185g Self Raising Flour

3 eggs

Crumble Topping

85g Plain Flour

43g Butter (I used unsalted)

28g Caster Sugar

Method:

1. Cream your butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
2. Slowly add your lightly whisked eggs
3. Add your flour and mix until combined
4. Add your mixture into your pre-lined tin
5. Carefully place your rhubarb on the top of your cake mixture
6. Make up your crumble topping by combining all the ingredients together in a bowl and using your hands rub it until it resembles bread crumbs.  Try not to make it too fine.
7. Sprinkle your crumble over your rhubarb and place in your oven.

Because this is a recipe I made up it was a bit difficult to gauge the timings.  I started checking it after about 30mins but it will probably take nearer to 50mins.  When I was testing with my skewer I kept thinking it wasn't cooked but I think I just went through a piece of rhubarb. 

I think that this is one of the best cakes we have made so far.  Probably not very good for the Weight Watchers Points (but I worked it off at step and load so it's okay!!).  We served it up for dessert with reduced fat crème fraiche or cream in Mikes case.

Chocolate Mocha Cake

My Mum mentioned that she might pop up for tea this afternoon so I decided to make her a cake.

I adapted a coffee and walnut cake recipe from my favourite cook book The cookery Year Readers Digest unlike the image on Amazon mine is a well used copy which was handed down to me from my grandma and has pages literally falling out.

My well used cookery book.

My original intention of making a coffee and walnut cake turned into a chocolate mocha cake. (I haven’t been shopping properly for a few weeks and I was missing a few ingredients.)

I was pleased with the outcome and would make this again.

Mummy and Mimi’s Chocolate Mocha Cake

Ingredients:

4oz/113g margarine or butter
4oz/113g demerara sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsps of coffee granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon of boiling water
3oz/85g self raising flour
1oz/28g cocoa powder

Beat your butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy.
Crack your egg into a separate dish and lightly whisk them with a fork.
Slowly turn the speed up on your mixer and gradually add your eggs to your sugar and butter.
Sift in your flour and cocoa powder and mix until combined.
Pour in your dissolved coffee granules and mix.
Pour your mixture into your prepared tin and bake in a pre heated oven at 160 degrees (fan assisted) for about 30mins.

To make your icing:
60g of unsalted butter
120g of icing sugar
1 tsp of coffee granules dissolved in half a tablespoon of water.
20g of cocoa powder

Basically I just put it all in my magimix and mixed it together until it was light and fluffy. I then cut my cake in half and put half in the middle and spread the remainder on the top. Depending on the size of your cake you may need to adjust the quantities for the icing.