Barbecued Pulled Chicken Sandwich

This past weekend has been one of those weeks, where everything spins off in every direction but the one you want it to. Work is crazy busy. The rains haven’t stopped, and now my backyard is a river with the sides of my house transformed into rushing rapids, and then on top of that, lightning struck a nearby telegraph pole, sending us into a blackout. So, hubby and I did the next best thing; we went to the shops for a coffee.

When we got back home, I decided it was time to use my slow cooker since it’s a bit nippy, and I’m craving a hot meal.

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Pumpkin Attack!!!

All right, it’s not pumpkins attacking us, thought that might be cool, especially if they sprouted miniature legs and arms.. hmm that sounds cute actually.

Anyway, I’m digressing. Halloween! That’s what I want to talk about, and how much I love this holiday. Why? For two reasons. Okay just thought of three.
1. An excuse to get together with family and friends
2. Bake to my heart’s delight and hold a halloween tea party
3. This one is obvious – Horror!! I love the black stuff

I know halloween is still over a week away, but I convinced a few people at work to hold a halloween morning tea, and before long everyone in the department was on board. Yipee. Everyone brought a plate of anything they wanted. I decided to bake up some chocolate frosted cookies in the shape of pumpkins and bats… muahahaha

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Sonic Birthday Cake!

Tomorrow my friend’s son, Connor, is turning 7 and I’ve just finished making his birthday cake. He loves Sonic The Hedgehog so I’ve made him a racetrack following the curve of number 7. Hubby did a great job with the carving of the cake and details.

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Soft Lofthouse Style Frosted Cookies

I’m basically addicted to Stumble Upon - surfing sites that I never would have found otherwise, and I found the most awesome site – Sweet Pea’s Kitchen. Highly recommend checking it out.

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No-Bake Cheesecake Cupcakes

Cheesecakes are one of those desserts that most people can’t resist, and that’s me to a T (oops, no pun intended ). I have a standard cheesecake recipe that I always make in a round pan topped with strawberry jelly. The vanilla cheesecake and cool jelly are a perfect union. But lately I’ve been on a cupcake roller-coaster, so I adapted my recipe to cheesecake cupcakes and even made some variations – cookies with cheesecake filling, vanilla cheesecake topped with a Hersey’s kiss, and a caramel cheesecake surprise cupcake. Treat yourself to some yummy goodness. Plus, no-baking required!

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Wood-Oven Baked Bread

This week is whizzing past way too fast, and I’m still chasing my tail, way behind on my scheduled editing and blogging. Here we are in Thursday, the one day a week I share what I’ve baked… and I baked nothing

So instead, I’m going to cheat since it’s my blog, and share with you some wonderful photos of delicious bread my mom baked in the wood fire oven my dad made… yep, he’s very hands on and creative when it comes to building almost anything.

Enjoy!

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Almond, Date and Oatmeal Cookies

Last Christmas just happens to be one of my all time favorite George Michael songs. But last Christmas is also when I gave my father-in law an old-fashioned metal cookie jar brimming with snickerdoodles. I was so proud of myself for coming up with such a cool gift, but it has now backfired on me.

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Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

It’s mother’s day this weekend, and I’ll be indulging my mom with these yummy lemon and poppy seed cupcakes. Very easy and quick to make, plus all the fun is in the decorating.

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Like a Cheesymite Scroll

Oh cheesymite scroll, every Saturday morning I devour you at my local café, and crave more as soon as I swallow the last morsel of salty goodness.

Unable to wait for the next weekend to come, I’ve decided to make you mine always, and like Young Dr. Frederick Frankenstein had said, “Alive! It’s alive! It’s alive!” I shall make you, ‘Mine! It’s mine! It’s Mine!’

 

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Hot Cross Easter Cupcakes

 

 

Easter is almost here and I’m so excited about the long weekend and eating delicious treats. Fingers crossed I get a huge chocolate Lindt bunny from hubby. (hint hint)

Mum’s making lasagna for Sunday lunch, and the family’s turning up. That’s when I’ll also be handing out Easter chocolates to the kids.

It’s rare that I turn up anywhere empty-handed, so I’ve been pondering what to make for the get together. At first I considered a vanilla cheesecake topped with strawberry jelly, and it just happens to be hubby’s favourite, but it’s a chilled dessert and it’s been getting colder. A chocolate cake? Nah, that’s not Easter exciting, unless I top it with loads of chocolate Easter eggs. Or maybe hot cross buns, except I’m a bit time strapped. Then it hit me, what about hot cross cupcakes. A twist on the buns, and they can be done in no time.

I decided to go with a basic vanilla cupcake recipe with sultanas and cinnamon. And the fun part is decorating the cupcakes, aside from eating them, of course. :P

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Drool-Scrumptious Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

I know, I really should restrain myself from making a chocolate dish, especially with Easter just around the corner, but it’s been chilly cold the past few nights. Plus who wouldn’t want a warm, chocolate pudding while snuggled up on the couch. Yes, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. I’m making little mention of that fact that tomorrow I plan to do a major re-shuffle of my novel, which a month ago I thought was ready to sail into the submission world. Another reason, I need the pudding.

This has to be the world’s easiest and quickest pudding made from scratch, and it took me hardly any time. I challenge you to give it a try. You’ll be drooling as much as me. I have to give huge thanks to my friend Cassandra Heneghan for sharing her recipe with me.  She always has the most tempting delights.

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When all else fails, bake a French baguette!

I love rainy days. The clouds are plump and gray, and ready to drench us. It’s been like this most of this week.

So I try and sit down to write. Usually the rain and cold are conducive to writing, but not today. I keep thinking about a block in my world setting for my current novel, and how to expand it further, not to mention the trickle effect it will have on my entire novel. Eeeekkk I don’t want to think about it, so I’m going to bake something to clear my thoughts.

French baguettes are my choice today. They are comforting, plus sumptuous with scrambled eggs for breakfast the next day. I cheat by using a bread machine, but this is easily done by hand as well. If you’re interested, email me and I’ll send you the details.

Give it a go and you’ll be surprised how quick and simple they are to make, not to mention yummy. Let me know how your baguette turns out.

 

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You know you want a snickerdoodle…

When I’m not writing, but still need a creative outlet or time away from editing, I turn to baking. One of my all time favorite cookies are snickerdoodles.

The first time I ate a snickerdoodle was in Seattle as I lined up for PAX (a computer gaming convention) with my hubby. These wonderful girls were selling cookies for charity, and after two hours in the python queue, I jumped for the delicious cinnamon cookie.

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