WASHED!

I was amazed at how dirty a house can get, simply from being.

 

 Difference between clean and mucky - yuck!

But cleaning the house isn't the only things we're getting done this easter weekend. Getting the house ready to sell has involved gardening, painting, woodwork, water blasting...allsorts.


It's really satisfying and it's TOTALLY exciting getting in gear to find a new house. Oh the possibilities. :D

Silent Sunday

Week 15: Bag

 

Things I'm loving...Mini edition

I'm stuffed! My week has been an incredibly long one. So among other things... all I'm going to love in the blogosphere this week is giving away Baker's Delight Vouchers.

And the lucky winners are, commenters #2, 1 and 7 - That's you Rachael, Lynn and Jill.

Get in touch with me and I'll get these out to you asap.

Thanks to everyone who entered :)

xox

Baker's Delight GIVEAWAY

Would you like a $10 Baker's Delight voucher? I have 3 to give away.

Perhaps you'd like to purchase some scrummy Hot Cross Buns as featured in my review which you can view by clicking here.

If you'd like to be in the draw to win one of these babies just comment on this post with your email address and tell me what you think you might like to buy with your spoils. You can view the Baker's Delight range here. Gotta be in to win!

I will draw three comments at random using random.org on March 22nd. That gives you one week to enter, please only do so once.

Get amongst it!
xox

Things I'm loving...an extended version

"Every day may not be good but there is good in every day".

Things I'm Loving returns! After a short hiatus caused by the fact that I've been too bloody busy to make sure I'm doing it. I won't make any problems but I do hope to be back with a vengeance for this staple - watch this space!

So, in lieu of the fact that I've been hopeless with 'Things I'm loving' this one is going to be HUGE and encompass a few weeks rather than just the one.

I am loving 30 seconds Spray and Walk away for indoor mould! I hear you scream, Kate, could you start with anything more boring? But seriously, it's exciting when something you pay good money for really works and works a charm. And man does this stuff deliver the goods! We get a bit of surface mould during the winter months and we'd neglected to sort it out at the end of last winter. Now we're getting our house ready to sell it looked quite unattractive. After a brief argument with the lovely husband about painting it (him wanting to, me not) I bought this stuff and to roof looks like new again - and no scrubbing at all. You actually can spray and walk away. Amazing. Get some, it will change your life.

 

OK, now back to things I usually love.

Have you seen how gorgeous my daughter is?

I'm loving 18 months. The talking, the laughing, the little personality emerging. 18 months is the bees knees. I especially love the fact that Leah's hair is now long enough for piggy tails! Favourite!

I'm loving free hot cross buns. Did you read my review? Delicious. Keep an eye out for an upcoming giveaway of Baker's Delight Vouchers too. :D

Loving good news from the real estate agent about what we could potentially get for our house and starting to look for new house options - EXCITING!

We loved the Ngatea water gardens and thoroughly recommend you go. It's amazing. Cheap, not far from Auckland and a fun and interesting day out. 5 stars!

Loving the book club I started. We had our first meeting and although the book was boooooooooring (Don't read 'Seriously....I'm Kidding' I heard it's good to listen to if you can get the audiobook). Excited about this month's book and looking forward to meeting lovely ladies some more.

Love, love, loooooooove my amazing pair of custom vans my wonderful husband got me for our 2nd Wedding anniversary. Thank goodness for cotton shoes (cotton being this year's present material)!

Bring on next year's 'leather' presents. I still giggle when I see the 5 year material.... WOOD! LOL

If you think the shoes are as amazing as I do you can find the creator here. They're reasonably priced and the artwork is amazeballs. He'll do any design you want but they will be originals. The first pair that Damien wanted for me were based on a pair the guy had already done but he made Mr. Man change the design a bit as he won't replicate the same design twice. So quite cool really, 100% original and all that jazz. Watch this space too cuz a little friend of mine might have her own awesome sauce pair too.

Loving this incredible weather we're having. Yes the fact that the grass is yellow sucks, yes it's bloody hot, yes I can't be bothered gardening in this heat (hold on that might be a good thing...) and yes I've gone through probably thousands of liters of coke zero this summer, but... it's glorious to have this kind of sun, day in and day out for months now. So good. 26 degrees in March? Bliss.

No complaints from this girl about the awesome weather.

LOVE this etsy shop - studio8. Bought a necklace and it's cute and great quality. Fully recommend.

What are you loving this week?

Rocky Road Brownie Slice

Base
150g dark chocolate, chopped
125g butter, chopped
2/3 Cup caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 Cup plain flour
 1/4 Cup self raising flour, sifted

Rocky Road
125g mixed marshmallows, chopped
1/2 cup jubes
1/2 cup unsalted nuts
500g milk chocolate, chopped, melted

You can really add whatever you please into the rock road mix. The original recipe called for cherries and coconut but it's not my style, jubes, much more so my style :D

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and lightly grease and line an 18x28cm slice plan, extending paper 2cm above edge of pan.

2. Combine chocolate and butter ina  small saucepan on low. Stir until smooth. Cool for 10 minutes.

3. Stir through sugar and egg. Fold in flours. Spread mixture into prepared pan, bake for 15 - 20 minutes until firm. Cook to room temperature.

4. Rocky Road: In a clean bowl, combine all ingredients and stir in chocolate.

5. Spoon chocolate mixture over the base, chill for 1 hour or more until firm.

6. Cut into squares with a hot knife. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Baker's Delight - Hot Cross Buns

Remember the end of last year when I did a review for Baker's Delight Christmas goodies? They obviously thought I needed more plumping up (yeah right!) and have also offered for me to do a review of their Eater Goodies. 

Unlike the Christmas Goodies, I am a complete Hot Cross But moster. I love the things. I wish they could be sold all year round. It's the only thing I rejoice coming out months before the actual celebration - Christmas decorations on shelves in October? Ridiculous, Hot Cross Buns on the shelf in January? Genius!

Let's listent to a happy Australian baker talk about his buns...

I have to agree Bazza (generic Australian name), those buns are fresh! 

I would go as far to say that these are the best bought hot cross buns that I've found this year. I usually like the ones from Pak n' Save but they're just not hitting the spot this year. These Baker's Delight ones - spectacular...if you like the yeasty flavour of hot cross buns. These ones were very much yeasty and a bit doughy, which I like, but I understand that others don't like that so much. Mr Man had a wee groan about it, until I reminded him they were free and full of chocolate. I personally love this Baker's Delight. Keep up the good work!

I tried the chocky ones first. I'm not usually one for the chocolate variety, often commenting that I think it's a bit stupid, but these were the cat's pajamas. I ate it straight from the bag, nothing on it, no toasting, no butter, just boom, in my mouth and it was a (wait for the cliche) a taste explosion! They are jam packed with chocolate chips and the cross on top is actual chocolate, not some weird chocolate flavoured bread adaption, actual chocolate. Delish!

Both varieties unfortunately didn't do so well being toasted, they were very floppy and didn't hold their shape very well. Yummy, but not exactly how you would like them. They didn't crisp up much.

The traditional 'fruity' variety were also delicious, fresh as can be and packed with currants. They didn't have any orange rind in which I was very thankful for. 

I don't know whose bright idea it was to start putting orange rind in hot cross buns over the years, but if I find you...you better watch out. Ridiculously stupid idea - yuck. 

Good on you Baker's delight for saying NO to orange rind. I salute you. 

The only thing I can pull up these tradition style buns on is the lack of glazing on top. I love glazing on home made hot cross buns and my ma knew it. I understand, having worked in a bakery in my teens, that not putting a tonne on for buns that will be sold in plastic bags is logical as that stuff is sticky, but still, I missed it.

Here are some silly pictures of Leah enjoying her Chocolate Variety Buns. There was lots of 'mmmmm-ing' during the ravenous consumption of this goodie. Leah was very impressed. She says 'let me review Baker's Delight hot cross buns anytime!'

Verdict? YUM MUM!

Dressin' up ain't hard to do....

 The trusty husband hard at work. What a good dadda.

Painted.

And the finished product...

Silent Sunday

Week 14: Road

Banoffie Pizza

I'm in a pizza mood lately. This fit in nicely :D

Maple toffee sauce
2T butter
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup maple sauce

1 pizza base
2 bananas, sliced
1/2t cinnamon
1T chopped nuts

Vanilla ice cream to serve

Place the sauce ingredients into a saucepan, bring to boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat over to 200 degrees celcius and place the pizza base on a lined baking tray. Heat the base for 5-9 minutes or until golden. Take out and spread with 1-2 table spoons of maple toffee sauce, top with slices bananas and sprinkle over cinnamon.

Place on serving place and sprinkle over nuts and top with ice cream and more sauce.

Serve immediately.