The Ultimate Gluten free take-a-plate slice - Caramel Topped Brownie!

I must admit I am pretty proud of this creation. Perfect, just in time for all those take-a-plate outings you are bound to have coming up in the next month or so.
Fudgy, dense, moist brownie on the bottom, chewy buttery caramel in the middle topped with a soft real chocolate topping and oh so perfectly divine!

Even better - it is gluten free! For all those that gluten free is not an issue - simply replace the baking mix cup for cup with normal wheat cake flour and you will be fine, it works either way. 

Recipe:

For the brownie base:

Pre-heat your oven to 180 Deg C (350 F) and line a 30x20cm (8x12in) tin with non-stick baking paper.
Melt 155g (5 1/2 oz) of butter in a medium sized bowl.
Add to the butter 1C of sugar, 1/3C of Cocoa and 2 large eggs. Beat well to combine with a wooden spoon.
Fold in 1C of quality Gluten Free Baking mix (or if not gluten free, then 1C of normal baking flour)
Pour into the tin and spread out evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just firm.

For the Caramel:

In a microwave proof glass bowl (or in a double boiler if you are very patient) combine 1 tin of sweetened condensed milk, 2 Tablespoons of golden syrup, 110g (4oz) butter and 1/3 C sugar. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stir, cook a further 2 minutes and stir again. Continue to cooking for 1 minute intervals, stirring between each time. It takes approximately four minutes of this depending on your microwave. It needs to be a deep golden colour and when you place some caramel on a cold surface it will set sort of soft but chewy. Alternatively you can cook in a double boiler, stirring constantly until it reaches soft-firm ball stage (this takes ages, hence the microwave cheat)

 Don't panic - when it gets properly boiling the butter will separate from the caramel and it will look curdled - trust me it will come together in the end.

Once cooked to the chewiness you like, beat well with a handheld beater until it all comes together (about a minute) then pour on the brownie base. Sit this aside to cool and set.

For the Chocolate topping:

Melt 250g (8 1/2 oz) of 50% cocoa solids good quality chocolate with 50g (2oz) of unsalted butter - it takes about 1 minute in my microwave. stir well to melt any last pieces of chocolate and pour over the set caramel. Place in the fridge for about an hour to set the chocolate. Cut in to bars with a hot, dry knife. Store in a air tight container. Will keep at least a week - but it never lasts that long at our house!!!

EEeeepp Christmas is coming!

Dare I say it - Christmas isn't that far away! If you are anything like me, that is very exciting! If you are a bit of a grinch, feel free to book mark this page to read in early December :-)  I love Christmas and always have. It may have something to do with the fact that it is my birthday 2 days before Christmas as well, so it has always been my favourite time of the year.
This year I have decided that we needed a new kind of countdown to Christmas in our house - when they were little we had a tree that had little doors on it, and each day they could open a door and hang the little bell from it on the tree, this worked well with one toddler and one baby but as soon as they could argue about whose turn it was it kinda all fell over!
This year, I plan to have each envelope to have an activity or fun thing to do/look forward to for each day.

 

 

All the items were easily available - I did make the little envelopes, but I'm sure they would be easy to source. The frame is a cheap photo frame from Kmart, the butchers twine is from Spotlight, the 1-25 cards and the stick on decals are from The Stationary Warehouse and the little pegs are from Lincraft. I'm sure you could find these items in many other stores as well.

 

 

Ideas for the cards on the inside:

Help ice the Christmas cake

 

Make palmier hearts for after the candle light carol service tonight (a Christmas eve Tradition in our family)

Make some invites and plan a Christmas party (I have pre-invited the parents of this party, so they already have it booked in, so the fact that they get 4 days notice from the invites is ok)

Make a cinnamon ornaments wreath for the front hall way

Make the family and friends Christmas cards

Paint/stamp some brown paper to make our own Christmas paper

Make food presents for the Grandparents/Aunts/Uncles

Hide Rudolf's nose – ongoing until Christmas eve (a game where you hide a red ball in the house, and the first person to find it hides it somewhere else)

Reindeer cupcakes  or these

 

Make your own snow globes

Bake some rice krispie ornament treats

Write our own twinkling holiday sign

Make gingerbread houses

Put up the Christmas tree and decorate it

Make something to wear to the Santa parade

White choc marshmallow popcorn and a Christmas movie

 Host a Christmas party for our friends

Sock the neighbours

Flour fight! We don't get snow at this time of year, so why not get messy with flour?

Santa beards with shaving foam and take some photos!

Family picnic under the Christmas tree and read the Christmas story under the tree

Toast some marshmallows

 

Do you have any family traditions you would like to share that I could add to this list??

 

 

Rainbow Butterfly party - my (current) youngest turns 4!

 

Well life has been a  bit busy lately, what with the pregnancy ticking along and a business from home, working the weekends at my other job and raising two wonderful girls!
Little Miss 3 wanted a "Rainbow Butterfly Party" for her fourth birthday - so this is what we did:

 

Butterfly and Roses centerpiece

 

 

Marshmello fondant is our new favourite!! so much cheaper than regular fondant AND it TASTES LIKE MARSHMELLO!

 

 

 

 

 

Face painting is always a hit with the kids!

 

 

Rainbow jelly oranges went down a real treat at the icecream bar

 

 

 

 

Once everyone had eaten their savoury course we moved all this sugar to a little coffee table and let the kids (and adults!) make their own ice cream sundaes. I was amazed at how grown up the kids were about it! They lined up nicely and took about the same amount of lollies a parent would have served them anyway, and they hardly spilled anything. Goes to show that kids step up to responsibility if we give them a chance.

 

 

 

 

After the usual rounds of pass the parcel (known for some reason in our house as castle castle...), a treasure hunt outside, the making of butterfly puppets with much glitter/sparkle/feathers and a face paint, our happy punters had a good jump on the trampoline and headed home.

Baby Shower Gift Ideas

As a last post in this series - Baby Showers. What do you buy that won't just get popped in the trash?

1. Cloth Nappies. Modern Cloth Nappies (diapers) are becoming hugely popular, which is wonderful for our environment as well as much healthier for baby bums. But it can also be a huge investment to get started. Receiving a couple quality covers or package of prefolds is a huge help.
2. Baby Soap/ Nappy creams. Try and buy local and natural. A good quality product is worth it's weight in gold.
3. Restaurant gift cards. Some days it’s just a juggling act and to have dinner taken care of is a complete relief. Grocery store gift cards and coffee shop gift cards are also very nice to receive.
4. Spa Packages. Being a parent of a new baby is pretty exhausting. Most days are considered a success if everyone got fed and mom got a shower. Giving a massage, hair appointment or facial/manicure/pedicure are all great gifts that celebrate the mum.   
5. White Noise maker. For first time parents, it’s nice to have baby used to noise while sleeping, so parents can vacuum, have the doorbell ring or talk on the phone while baby is napping and not worry about waking baby. It’s also great for the baby with older siblings, so baby can nap and the siblings can play.
6. Baby Proofing. Plug outlet covers are great, or a baby gate.
7. Camera. If you know the parents well and know what their camera situation is, this is an excellent idea.  Having a nice camera makes a big difference in picture quality.
8. Photo Session. There are many wonderfully creative photographers these days, and having sweet pictures of your family is really special.
9. Pamper with Smells. Gift an essential oil diffuser and a bottle of essential oil. 
10. Blankets. Just to warn you, most babies get a lot of blankets. But a good quality swaddle can be a life saver- these swaddling blankets are fantastic.
11. Books. It’s never too early for books.
12. Clothes. Ok, I’m going to be honest here: people love baby clothes and love buying baby clothes. The issue is that most of the clothes they give baby, just aren’t practical. I always had plenty of dresses for my daughter and cute sweater vest outfits for my sons, but what I really needed were some basics: Sleepers, bodysuits, pants, socks, a jacket and wool tie-on hat. Think ahead about what size you buy for what season, a summer baby won't want a summer dress in size 6 months!
13. Meals. Dinners are great, but if the family has a good support network and is receiving meals, how about some easy breakfast and lunches? Yogurt parfaits, granola, artisan bread, butter and jam or bagels and cream cheese are lovely gifts. 
14. Doula Service. If mom hasn’t given birth yet, doulas are amazing to have with you, Dad’s particularly love this gift. An experienced doula will help set the new parents mind at ease, and assist any support people in helping mom the best way possible.
15. A voucher for a cleaner for the first few weeks. Getting out of bed is hard enough in the first few weeks, knowing that someone will come in and vaacume and clean the toilet can be a big relief.
16. Offer to babysit the older kids. A day at the park or the museum so mum and baby can just sleep. 
17. A older sibling bag of goodies. simple activities and books/puzzles to keep the older ones occupied while mum tends to the baby.

 

Interesting Gifts for Adults

How hard is it to buy for that adult in your life that HAS EVERYTHING?! Here are some different ideas that won't just sit around and gather dust!

1. Gift cards. For some this may be too impersonal, but it is a great way to support local sales, rather than the big multi-national companies. Suggestions: Local Farmers market, local coffee roaster, restaurants.
2. Get creative. Make pillow cases with fabric that resembles their interests. Knit or crochet wash clothes for their kitchen or nice wool socks.
3. Give color coded towel sets. Using their favorite color or monogram each person’s towel. Make sure you buy quality, thick, large towels.
4. Events. Tickets to a play, concert, dance or sports event, yearly membership to a zoo, museum, children’s museum, science center.
5. Natural skincare. Find a local supplier of handcrafted items.
6. Food items. Homemade is coveted by many. Homemade jams, jellies, quick breads, cookies, candy and jerky are great. For the real food friends: Peanut Butter Bites, Sprouted Lentils in a jar, dehydrated fruits and veggies make a beautiful gift. Who wouldn’t love a jar of dehydrated chili peppers? An excellent coffee or wine is enjoyable if you don’t have time to spend in the kitchen, many times you can find local options.
7. Lessons. Often times people are interested in learning a musical instrument, dance or taking a photography, art or quilting class, but don’t splurge on themselves.   
8. Give a gift of love. Safe drinking water, animals, food, medical care, etc. for those in need around the world. Compassion, World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse are great organizations and have many gift options.
9. Service. A gift certificate for car-detailing, manicure & pedicure or a message. An AA membership.
10. Magazine subscriptions. There are many many choices - find one to fit with their interests.
11. Give time. Homemade gift certificates for a coffee date, game of checkers, babysitting or a walk through a park.
12. Joint activities. Give a cookbook and ingredients for a dinner. Set a date to cook together. This works for adults as well as children.
13. Give a family photo or family portrait session. Most grandparents just want an updated family photo, perhaps one from each family, or photography session over the holidays when all the extended family is together and a group photo can be captured. A calendar made with special photos of family members is wonderful as well.
14. Heirloom seed packs are great for the avid gardener or an essential oil starter kit for those interested in natural healing.  

 

Interesting gift ideas for toddlers

Following on from my last post, here are some ideas for gifts for toddlers. Toddlers have shorter attention spans and endless bounds of energy. Take advantage of these and tailor your choices to the individual child.

 

1. Puzzles. I’ve always been surprised at how early little ones understand puzzles and really enjoy them. Keep them simple - try wooden ones as they will withstand the not-quite-so-fine motor skills of a little one.
2. Books. It’s never too early for books. Did you know that reading to babies and toddlers changes the way their brains develop?
3. Photo Album. Little ones love looking at picture of family members and of themselves doing things or at special places. You could go on an adventure and take photos during the day and turn it into their very own story book.
4. Good Quality skincare or novelty soaps. Try and find locally made, handcrafted items. 
5. Pajamas. Kids love pajamas - mine will spend all day in them so days!
6.  Lessons and Classes. Swim lessons, dance, gymnastics are all great ideas and benefit little ones.
7. Sprinklers. Some good old fashion fun right there!
8. Bird Feeder and Seed. Having a bird feeder outside a winder is very entertaining for kids to watch and helps get them interested in wildlife.
9.  Memberships. Children’s Museums, the zoo  or family gyms are all wonderful.
10. Artwork Picture Frame. Displaying our children’s artwork is important and also very fun. But the fridge tends to get filled up and parents at times feel guilty for throwing anything away. 
11. Towel Set. My kids love their hooded towels - they have a variety of animals and princess ones.
12. Waterproof swimming bag. And maybe a trip to the pool or beach to go with it!
13. Math Counters in a small bucket/bag. Stack colors together,  make patterns, practice adding and subtracting.
14. Savings Account or Stocks. Setting money aside each birthday or holiday may not be very exciting for these little people right now, but when they turn 18 and realize the amazing start they have in life, it will be a huge blessing. You can give a small token gift that they can open and enjoy on their special day, but put the majority of the gift into a savings program.
15. Music. Kids love music! Some great kid-geared artists are: Raffi, Tom Chaplin, Sandra Boynton.
16. Sleeping Bag/portable bed. Having their own sleeping bag can make little ones pretty excited about sleepovers, trips or camping out family nights.
17. Piggy Bank and Coins. This may take some supervision, but all the little people I know absolutely love putting coins into their piggy banks!
18. Play Silk scarves. These can be used as capes for super heros, skirts, dresses, wraps to carry their baby dolls, over chairs and couches to make a fort, the possibilities are endless.

 

Gift Ideas For Children

So it has been quite some time since my last blog post. 14 weeks of feeling like sleeping and spewing kind of puts one off writing (or doing anything for that matter!). We are now 20 weeks into a third healthy pregnancy and feel very blessed for this.

Many parents spend this time of year working out what they will be getting for their children at Christmas, and working out a budget to suit. Below are so low/no plastic, high positive memory ideas for both Christmas and Birthday ideas:

1. Memberships. Zoo, science museum, children’s museum, etc. These are particularly great for family gifts! Many young families want to enjoy day outings, but affording them can be a challenge, so give them the gift of a yearly membership.
2. Subscriptions. Kids enjoy getting things in the mail. Why not encourage their reading by getting them a magazine subscription for something they are interested in!
3. Events. Movie tickets, tickets to a play, concert or sports event are really exciting! Having an event to look forward to makes the rest of life more enjoyable.
4. Activities. Mini golf, bowling, skating rink. These are so much fun! And a big part of the fun is going together. Children love spending time with the adults in their lives, they want to see you enjoying your time as well as enjoying them.
5. Classes. Music, dance, riding, drawing, classes are a great way to encourage children in their interests and let them know that you pay attention to them and what they enjoy.
6. Recipe and Ingredients. Kids love cooking with their parents. Baking something special or cooking dinner is an ideal time to spend together and learn life skills. Print out a recipe, purchase all the ingredients and set a date for cooking together. Or do a cookie in a jar gift.
7. Crafting Date. Our daughter loves making crafts. I do to, I really do enjoy the creative aspect. But I rarely take time out to do it with her. These crafting dates mean the world to our creative little girl. Keep a basket of craft supplies and get out a book for inspiration.
8. Arts and Craft supplies. If your craft box is running low, stock up a little on things you need. Add in something fun the kids haven’t used before. A gift of art and craft supplies often brings on the imagination and kids can’t wait to get to work!
9. Coupons. An envelope of coupons that they can “spend” at any time: I’ll do one chore- no questions asked, movie and popcorn night, you pick the movie!, 1:1 game of cards or basketball (whatever the child’s interest is in), sit and read a book with me, Stay up 1/2 hour past bedtime
10. Restaurant Gift Card. Dinner, ice cream, coffee, cupcake- whatever suits their fancy! Give them the freedom of inviting whoever they wish: it may be mom or dad, it may be a grandparent, aunt or even teacher that they would like to spend more time with.
11. Dress Up Clothes. These do need to be limited, but  2 dresses and couple play scarves can get hours and hours of play!
12. Calendar. Many children like to know what is going on, what day it is, how many days until ____. They can write down their own classes, appointments, play dates, etc. And if they ask you, send them to their calendar so they can get used to being in control of their own schedule. You can even schedule “spontaneous days”, so they know that something different will happen that day. Trust me, it will help them enjoy the spontaneous outings!
13. Books. We get a lot of books from the library, but there are some that I just can’t find there, or it takes us longer to read through.
14. Clothes. When kids only have a certain amount of clothes, they often enjoy getting clothes. Make it a point to get something that fits their style. That may mean western clothes, super-hero, fancy dresses, etc.
15. Snacks. If your child is a foodie, they will love this! Some homemade granola or cookies made just for them, is a special treat!
16. Outdoor Supplies. If you are an outdoorsy family, giving kids their own fishing tackle or gardening equipment can be a big deal. It’s also something that gets left on the shelf in the garage, so you always know right where to find it.
17. Telling Time. The average child these days doesn’t know how to read analog, or finds it takes too long to think about it, so they search for a digital watch. Getting them a cool watch makes them want to be able to tell time on it.
18. Games and Puzzles. Games and puzzles are great activities for when kids have to be indoors. It’s a good practice to have individual quiet times during the day, and having a puzzle to sit and work on by themselves helps brain development and problem solving skills.