Here are some links to donate and help families who have lost their loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods. 

• Salvation Army
• Americares
• Feed The Children - Disaster Relief
• Save The Children

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I think today, writing is definitely not on my agenda. After fixing up 2 essays and writing another one, can you blame me?

Today, I feel like focusing on photos, photosphotosphotosphotosphotos, and did I miss any photos?

Anyhow, today I am going to live up to being Choc Chip Uru and present to you these bars.

These soft, gooey, feels-like-they-are-half-baked cookie bars. With chocolate chips.

And for a little extra, loaded with Mars Bars. Chopped, gooey, caramel-nougat-kill-me-now Mars Bars.

I can see a small wisp of drool sliding out of your mouth unaware. Yeah, you’re welcome

Oh, and this uses my special chocolate chip recipe! Get excited guys, because as far as all the recipes for chocolate chip cookies go, my one is the only one using this method and therefore has the best results!

Mars [Chocolate Chip Cookie] Bars
Featuring Choc Chip Uru’s Secret Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 130g butter, divided in 1/2, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tbs dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup caster/white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbs golden syrup
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup self-raising flour (SRF)
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon/allspice
• 3/4 cups chocolate chips + extra to sprinkle on top post-baking
• 3/4 cups mars bars, chilled
  

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (180 degrees if not fan forced oven). Line a shallow, long baking tin with baking paper which drapes over the sides
2. Roughly chop the mars bars into small pieces (do not eat half while doing this like I did)
   
3. Melt half the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally and let it brown – when smells nutty and turns brown, immediately take off heat and let cool
4. Place other half of butter in a bowl and beat with all sugars until pale in colour (continue scraping down sides of bowl)
5. Add in brown butter mixture and beat until well combined
6. Add in egg and beat until combined
7. Beat in vanilla essence and golden syrup
   
8. Sift both flours, cinnamon and salt into the wet mixture and stir until few streaks of flour remain
   
   
9. Add in mars bars and 3/4 cup chocolate chips and stir through until just combined
   
10. Press down into the lined tin, making sure it touches all corners and is nice and smooth
    
11. Bake for  20-23 minutes or until golden with a brownie-like crackly top (I KNOW!), golden and slightly puffy
    
12. Immediately sprinkle on top the extra chocolate chips (aesthetic purposes) – do not touch them then because the residual heat will start to melt them slightly
    
13. Let cool in tin for 10 minutes before taking out using the overhanging paper and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack before cutting into large  small pieces and eating storing

Notes:

• You can make it into cookies (just roll into balls and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and flatten slightly with palm before cooking for roughly 12-14 minutes or until golden brown).
• For the best pictorial of the first couple of steps, please see this post :D

Oh what… all gone?

Give me some inspiration to write my friends – what would you like to know about next time?

And we were talking about getting beautiful! :D
In my opinion, there are a lot of things which contribute to beauty, here is a little list:

1. Self-confidence
2. Good clothes
3. No stress
4. Enlightenment - Agreeably, Buddha is really the only one who has achieved this so far but hey, can’t we try?

The idea of beauty is convoluted these days, truly I have to write a post about it soon! But that is later. For now, you can get all off the above and more to make yourself beautiful just by reading Marcela De Vivo’s wonderful article below! 

Oh, and as a reward for becoming beautiful, then check out some cookies just for you below

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Beauty Benefits Of Yoga

People turn to yoga for many different reasons, whether they’re trying to meet fitness goals or want to achieve a more peaceful state of mind. Yoga provides instant gratification and a lasting transformation, and is on establishing a healthy lifestyle.

Yoga does through by involving different meditation routines in order to achieve a balanced union between the mind, body and the spirit. This is done through posture to pose, and breathing exercises.

Image Courtesy of http://www.timetospa.com

When bringing a certain level of mental commitment, a person can attain inner peace with the practice of yoga. It can help alleviate stress, attain mental stability, and heighten focus.

Yoga is also considered a form of complementary alternative medicine, which many people use in combination with western traditional medicine, to help cure or alleviate symptoms of certain ailments. Yoga can be practiced in two ways: aerobic form and non-aerobic form.

The non-aerobic form of Yoga exercise is suitable for all ages. Non-aerobic exercises help to alleviate neck, shoulder, spine and knee pain. It can also be used to help conditions like osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and rheumatoid arthritis.

But there are other benefits that you might be surprised to learn about — in particular, the beauty of benefits of yoga.

Beauty Benefits 

The practice of yoga can be an excellent tool to achieve a beautiful outward appearance. It helps to remove harmful toxins from the body, while activating good cells. Those good cells are what makes healthy, glowing skin and hair.

The meditation aspect of yoga is also extremely important for you skin, as meditation helps to reduce stress. This means that your body is producing a smaller amount of stress hormones like cortisol, which is linked with acne-related problems as well as the formation of lines and wrinkles.

Practicing yoga also allows the body to absorb nutrients from nutritious foods, while certain poses can help in the digestion of food. This process helps combat food cravings, which means can help you keep that svelte figure earned from mastering the more aerobic poses.

Image Courtesy of srilankayogaretreat.blogspot.com

To maximize the beauty benefits of your yoga routine, make sure to drink plenty of water — at leat 64 ounces. Water is needed to remove the toxins from the body through sweat and urine. Consuming a proper amount of water will also help to hydrate the skin, hair and nails.

There are certain yoga exercises that have anti-aging benefits.

A simple Yoga Asana exercise begins by standing straight with the feet about one foot apart, begin by covering your face with your hands and breathe deeply ten times. Then begin to rub your face, forehead and cheeks and then again take ten deep breaths. This exercise is great in the prevention of wrinkles, and helps a face to radiate and glow.

Another simple exercise that helps to bring forth a glowing face and creates a nice jawline, is the rotation of the tongue along the outside of your gums twenty-one times before meals. This massages the cheek capillaires, tones the gum, and helps to eliminate facial wrinkles.

Whatever the fitness level, yoga can provide many benefits inwardly and outwardly. It is an exercise and ritual that works to improve the inside first by providing inner peace and a mental calm, which then radiates outward.

**Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area. She writes on everything from technology to travel, but specialises in health, working with Skin Energizer to develop interesting beauty content. 

************************

Thank you very much Marcela for sharing such a fantastic new take on Yoga!
Wow, truly that is all you need to do to be beautiful? Let’s see if ticks the list:

1. Self-Confidence - Check – If I could tangle myself into a pretzel, definitely, I would feel a little superior to the average guy on the street who can’t even touch his toes
2. Good Clothes - Check – I do not know about you guys, but girls, our butts look fabulous in yoga pants! It is natural!
   

   Cookie break! I think the pretty flowers are really fitting for the whole chill-relax-be-beautiful theme

3. No Stress – Big Check – In all seriousness, as written above, yoga is a way of relaxing your mind and letting it rest for a simple 5-10 minutes before it is up and powered for the remainder of the day – A little silence period for your brain goes a long way and keeps your thoughts clearer. Imagine if you were working (as a HSC student should be JOKES!), 24 hours a day, without a break non-stop, pulling out files left-right-and-centre – Your desk, office or room would be a disaster. How can you function if you do not take a breather and reorganise yourself, just as your thoughts have to – don’t let them pile up on that desk in your brain!
4. Enlightenment - Check if you want it to be – A lot of meditation and getting in touch with your spirituality will definitely lead you there

Ok, so now my rejuvenated, re-beautified readers (though you already were beautiful before), you deserve a treat for all that hard beautifying!

Do you remember how last post, there was a lot of emphasis on Gluten Free (and while we are talking about it, if you haven’t entered, go enter the give away )?

Well, I decided, to honour the Gluten free diet, I would make my own gluten free treats. And thus the softest, crumbiest, bestest (don’t judge) peanut butter chocolate chip cookies were made. They crackle of sugar in them was just omg. Died. Just now. Seriously, I don’t know how I am still typing…

“Are they easy?” One may ask.

“It’s got 5 ingredients.” Is my reply.

So little cleaning

Gluten-Free Choc-Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from: Divine Baking 
(though there is that much you can change )

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chunky peanut butter (I mean generous one cup!)
• 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips (+ extra for the top) – I used an assortment

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper
2. Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl until combined
   
   
3. Stir through chocolate chips until just mixed through
   
4. Use moistened hands and roll tablespoons of the dough into a ball
5. Place on the tray, roughly 2 inches apart
6. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand
   
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are puffed and golden on the bottom, soft to touch
8. Straight out of the oven, place a couple of chocolate chips on each cookie!
9. Let cool on trays for 15-20 minutes before removing to cool fully on wire racks
10. JUST kidding, eat them immediately. You think I am joking? Pssht…

Notes:

• Wouldn’t it be fab to try this with other nut butters?
• Add in some vanilla essence if you want to make it 6 ingredients (grumbles)
• If you want light coloured cookies, then use caster sugar instead of brown – you can use half and half but the cookie will still be more dark

I have a very special post today for you all, I hope you will all enjoy it very much!
A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Lorna Foreman’s publisher, asking me to host this wonderful writer on her virtual blogging tour! 

You know how big bands tour the world, leaping from city to city? Well, Ms Foreman is leaping from site to site, promoting her new book, Wheat Watchers and guess what, Go Bake Yourself is hosting her today! YAY!

At this point, I hope I am building up some hype for you but the big question is – Who is Ms. Foreman? Do you know? Yes, no, maybe? Well, look who just walked into the studio because it is time to meet her – Enjoy!

Oh, and before I forget, I hope you also enjoy the giveaway as part of this

***********************************

About Lorna Foreman:

Writer and artist, Lorna Foreman, has been a journalist for over ten years, writing on the arts.  As well, she is a regular contributor to Fifty-Five Plus magazine, having written her column, The Rest is Best since 1998.  Lorna wrote, produced and hosted 30 half hour programs entitled Welcome to My Studio for the local community television channel.  She is also a contributor to the online newspaper, Cornwall Free News and is currently working on two children’s books.

Wheat Watchers is primarily for Celiacs and Gluten Intolerant people and it is her first cookbook. She has also written When Life Becomes Real, a compilation of 11 years of her columns. Lorna lives in Cornwall, Ontario with her two cats who are not gluten intolerant but like watching her cook just in case she has something for them. She works with a business partner giving workshops that deal with making changes in your life, something people resist and need to understand how to make into an adventure.

***********************************

Ok, so writer extraordinaire, lots of experience and above all, a Foodie like the rest of us, which makes her even better! She has overcome her gluten-free intolerance deliciously, not only beaten it but made it a good thing, evident by all the delicious recipes compiled in her newest recipe book, Wheat Watchers!

But what is the hype about this book? Isn’t it just like any other Gluten-Free Cookbook?

Hahahahahaha… No. It is much better because these recipes have been tried and tested, loved and improved upon and put together with easy instructions. Go Lorna!

***********************************

About Wheat Watchers:

**A note by Lorna Foreman

On the practical side, “Wheat Watchers” came about when I was told I was possibly a Celiac – or at best – gluten intolerant. That was in 1996 and it was a shock.
I did wonder if I would ever enjoy eating again. Besides the problem with wheat, I am mildly lactose intolerant which presented a double whammy. Little did I know what an adventure I was undertaking – and adventure it was – and still is.

In 1996 trying to stay away from gluten, especially in a small city, was a real challenge. But I am always open to new directions and I set off to assemble a new library of cookbooks. I was dismayed at the dearth of cookbooks dealing with gluten free diets so the obvious thing was to write my own. That is how this cookbook was born.

I spent most of a year translating ordinary recipes into “Lorna Approved” ones. I also invented some of my own. They are a result of much trial and error since it is not always possible to just exchange gluten free flour for wheat flour. Textures had to be taken into consideration as well as what keeps batters together.

My late husband was the cook in our family as I professed to ‘hate cooking’.
He helped considerably with some of the dishes, but the baking was strictly my responsibility. After all it is the desserts that give the Gluten Intolerant and Celiacs the most grief.

After vowing to my mother how I would never bake, she must be dancing and laughing “up there” when she sees me having such a good time in the kitchen. I had a lot of fun over that year and still challenge myself to discover or translate a new recipe.

***********************************

I am sure you can relate to her experiences which led to writing this book, especially of course, if you yourself have been diagnosed with a Gluten Intolerance. But for anyone out there who suffers from an allergy or intolerance, Lorna is such a wonderful example of someone who not only overcame it but used it to enhance her lifestyle!

That is pretty inspiring to anyone

And can you believe this lady at one stage was a self-professed cooking-hater – oh how her times have changed! With a lot of effort and strength, Lorna has created a range of recipes which have flavour and cater to her needs! 

And now… drum roll please… I present to you the very lady herself to share an exclusive recipe and incredible story – Ms Lorna Foreman!!!

***********************************

But despite not liking to cook and bake I decided to produce a cookbook. I like adventures and this was certainly a different form of adventure. I promise you – I did have my expert cook friends test every recipe before it went into my book.

Convincing my husband that everything I made would still be delicious (I crossed my fingers there) just taste a little different from what we were used to was an interesting undertaking. Then I went through my cupboards and tossed all offending products into a big box. I list those items in my cookbook. My friends were the lucky recipients of these items. Had to go out and replenish the pantry but at least I didn’t have anything to tempt me.

Any change can be difficult. I convinced myself that cooking was really a wonderful creative endeavour (I am an artist as well so came up with some interesting scenarios) and going gluten free was a wonderful experience. I also convinced myself that my body was lucky because so many of the products that people are becoming intolerant to are often the very ones that are tampered with to increase productivity. Therefore, I would be much healthier. That is the biggest motivation I can think of. It is amazing how we can, with a different perception, change our habitual way of thinking.

For my baking I use rice and soy flours and while I have experimented with almond and coconut flour, I prefer the first two. Kamut and Spelt flours can be tolerated by some of us who are just intolerant but are no-nos for a Celiac.

I use quinoa and millet and have several main course recipes using them. Brown rice I use a lot. And thank goodness I can get brown rice spaghetti. I must have been Italian in a previous life because I love pasta. Fortunately I go to a local Italian restaurant who will cook my own brown rice pasta for me whether it is spaghetti or fettucine. I stay away as much as possible from the ready made gluten-free products. Now that I have learned to like cooking, I prefer knowing exactly what goes into my dishes.

My inspiration comes from two sources – one is to stay healthy and the other is trying to make food that is delicious. At first I used to apologize to friends when they came for dinner…..”sorry,” I would say, “this isn’t the real pasta….” Then I realized you really couldn’t tell and anything else was just a different recipe as far as they were concerned.

If I could wiggle my nose and suddenly be able to eat anything I wanted that contained gluten, would I? Nope. I love the slightly different taste that quinoa and millet adds to recipes. And once I realized that those cakes were just not going to rise up quite as high as the ones made with wheat flour, I just got used to it.

I’d like to share my very, very favourite cake recipe!

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

By Lorna Foreman

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup soy flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1/2 cup drained pineapple bits
• 1/4 cup raisins

Method:

1. Sift flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice into a bowl.
2. Add juice, oil, eggs, carrots, raisins and drained pineapple and mix well.
3. Pour into greased 9″ x 13″ cake tin. (I actually use an angel food cake pan with the center tube insert which makes an attractive display on a cake dish).
4. Bake in preheated 350F (180C) oven for approximately 50 minutes until lightly brown and tester comes out clean.
5. Top it with (homemade or store bought) cream cheese frosting. Yum!

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I made a carrot cake once. It was pretty soft, moist and delicious but there was no way it would cater to a gluten-free person. I had no idea how to change it either. But now, I am thinking, even though I do not have Celiac disease, that I would LOVE to try this cake. It looks so crumby and incredibly delicious. And that cream cheese frosting on top makes it just right. 

Using rice flour, soy flour? Not only is it creative but I bet the different flavour it adds would be ridiculously delicious! And now, I am sure we can use these substitutes in other cakes and experiment for ourselves, just like Lorna! Thank you so much! I know that I speak not only for myself, but for everyone introduced to you today that we have learnt a lot from you!

To Find Out More:

• Follow Lorna on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LornaForemanAuthor?fref=ts
• Visit her website to keep up to date: http://lornaforeman.com/about-lornas-books/

But the fun is not over yet, not at all!

Giveaway Time!

Lorna generously sent me a copy of her incredible gluten-free cookbook and guess what everyone, I am going to be giving it away to one lucky reader (internationally!!!) Whether you are gluten-free or are intrigued to try a new diet type, or if you just want to eat delicious food, here are some ways to win her wonderful cookbook:

1. Comment on this post
2. Like Lorna’s Facebook Page and leave an additional comment
3. Like Go Bake Yourself’s Facebook Page and leave an additional comment

If you win, you could potentially be enjoying recipes like:

• Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Decadent Fudge Dessert
• Cream of Carrot Soup
• Vegetable Noodle Salad

and many more!

This giveaway closes on the 25th of May, and on the weekend, whatever the post, I shall be announcing the winner! So be sure to get in your chance!

But WAIT, there is even more! If you want another additional chance at winning the cookbook, I am not the only one holding this contest! First, second and third winners will win an autographed copy of Lorna’s cookbook! Just press this link and hold onto that hope!

Lorna Foreman – Author – Giveaway

And now, it really is all that there is
Hope you all enjoyed this incredible post and thank you again Lorna, for stopping by! And I hope you have a hugely successful blog tour!

I love you. Happy Mother’s Day. I know I can’t sing in front of people yet but I hope you like this recording. I know you want to hear me sing so that is my gift to you. I hope you get my message and just how much I appreciate everything you do, be it stuffing chia seeds down my throat or bringing me tea and biscuits when I am sick

Lots of love <3
Uru

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Download: mums-song.wav

Your hand fits in mine
Like it’s made just for me
You keep it so warm
And it, secures me
And I’m holding on so tight just to cross the concrete street
‘Cause I need you right by me

 I know you’ve always loved
My smile and my laugh
When I bake
You’ve always loved
Everything I make
You have to exercise way more than usually
But you eat it just for me

 I won’t let these little things slip out of my mind
Cause if I do,
It’s true,
It’s true, I won’t say thank you
For all that you do
All those little things

 You can’t get out of bed without a cup of tea
Yet you still will if I go early
And all those times you’ve dropped me to my activities
You do so much for me

I know you’ve never loved
When we argue, not talk
You never want
For my room to be locked
You always want to discuss something with me
And I’m sorry I’m so busy

 I won’t let these little things slip out of my mind
Cause if I do,
It’s true,
It’s true, I won’t say thank you
For all that you do
All those little things

 I’ll always love you more than I could ever show
You’ve always loved me from such a long time ago
I must let you know I’m here for you
And I know you’ll always be here for, me too

 And I’ve just let these little things slip out of my mouth
‘Cause it’s you,
Oh, it’s you,
It’s you they add up to
And ma I love you
And all these little things 

I won’t let these little things slip out of my mind
Cause if I do,
It’s true,
It’s true, I won’t say thank you
For all that you do
All those little things

***********************

Did you hear that little voice shouting in the background at the end? Haha, that was my mum asking me for dinner, how ironic is that

Two of my friends had this idea to change the lyrics of a small part of One Direction’s song Little Things (a song I personally love!) to make an apology and this sparked the idea for my mum’s present! Not an apology but I wanted to change all the lyrics to showcase my relationship with her

Now, I know the world is divided into Directioners and Directionaters, but you have to appreciate how gorgeous that song is! Which made it perfect for the occasion

Please ignore my singing, haha it was to get a message across. As special as you should treat your mum everyday, today put in a bit of extra effort. Skype for a while longer, go out to lunch, or just sit down and think about her.

She’s worth it

If you are like me, then why not bake something? Albeit, I baked this for her party but it would be perfect for Mother’s Day. Why?

1. It tastes heavenly – I legitimately mean angelic
2. It is pink – colour of the girl and all that
3. It is soft, spongey and has mousse involved – creamy awesomeness!

This was taken post party – sorry for the bad shot!

Do you really need more encouragement?

*My changes are in bold

Lime Macaroon & Strawberry Mousse Cake
Source: Mastering The Art Of Baking

Ingredients:

Macaroon:

• 4 egg whites, room temperature (mine were not but it was fine )
• 170g caster sugar
• 1 tsp strawberry essence
• 140g almond meal, sifted
• 35g plain flour, sifted
• 2 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp lime juice

Strawberry Mousse:

• 600ml thickened cream
• 180g white chocolate
  
• 250g strawberries, washed and hulled - I used 300g frozen, thawed to room temperature overnight
• 2 tbs strawberry jam
  
• 1 tbs powdered gelatine
  

Extra:

• 100ml thickened cream
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 95g flaked almonds, lightly toasted (in the oven at 180 degrees, tossing occasionally for 10-15 minutes)
  
  
• Strawberries and icing sugar (and mint) to garnish
• 6 tbs strawberry jam

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line two 22cm springform cake tins with non-stick baking paper
   
2. Use an electric mixer to whisk egg whites till soft peaks form. Gradually add in sugar, whisking continuously and well until the meringue is thick and glossy (rub a bit between your fingers and it should not be grainy)
   
   
3. Whisk in strawberry essence
4. Combine the almond meal, flour and zest in a large bowl
   

   Love that green!

5. Add in the meringue mixture and combine with a large metal spoon careful
   
6. Divide between tins, smooth surface and bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned
   
7. Cool in tins, covered with a tea towel to ensure it does not dry
8. Bring 125ml of the 600ml of cream to simmer in a small saucepan
9. Remove and add in the chocolate. Set it aside for 30 seconds and then stir until melted – Set aside for 30 minutes to cool
   
10. Process the 2 tbs jam and strawberries till liquidated in a food processor
    
11. Push through a sieve and discard of seeds and lumps
    
12. Sprinkle the gelatine over 60ml of warm water and set aside for 5 minutes to soften
13. Stand jug in a small saucepan filled a 1/4 way with simmering water. Heat gently till the gelatine completely dissolves
14. Whisk the remaining cream from the 600ml until firm peaks form
15. Fold into the cream the gelatine, strawberry and chocolate mixture until just combined
    
16. Remove one macaroon from its tin (flexible and sticky and soft)
17. Spread the other macaroon still in its tin with the remaining jam generously
18. Pour mousse on top and evenly spread
    
19. Top with the remaining macaroon. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
    
20. Whip the extra 100ml of whipped cream with vanilla essence till it forms firm peaks – refrigerate until needed, covered
    
    
21. Remove the cake from its tin and spread a thin layer using the pre-whipped cream around the sides (not on top)
22. Cover the sides with crushed, toasted almond flakes
    
23. Dust with icing sugar and (since I did not have fresh strawberries in season, I improvised) refrigerate until ready to be enjoyed!
    

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Here is the click of the original song – those British boys…

Now just because I made a bit of pun on Star Wars (like everyone makes today, let me clarify), does not mean I expect Darth Vader to come light-sabering rudely through my door as I sleep or Darth Maul going all touchy.

It was a pun boys, no harm intended. It is not like I am, you know, sucking up or anything (even though no death would be quite nice) but I rather like Star Wars and you nutty… I mean… um… wickedly cool awesome characters!

So ANYWAY, talking about puns and wordplay on this fabulous day basically, in my opinion, dedicated to it, guess what guys, MY GRADE GOT OUR JERSEYS

Oh, ok so let me explain myself in a bit more depth, though if you are in Australia, without a doubt you would have seen every senior high schooler with one

In Year 12, you are given a commemorative jersey to wear, a sign that you are in the final year of your high school life.

Love that stretch!

Truly, it is such a magnificent moment when you don that same top that you have seen those scary, scary seniors wearing in year 7. You do feel ‘Yes, this is it, I have made it. Oh my god…’

Can I explain it, that rush of sensation? Probably, but I would not give it the justice it deserves

Anyway, at the majority of schools, tradition states that you get creative and jazz up your name on the back of your jersey. Me, creative? With a name like Urvashi (shock horror, my name is actually not Choc Chip Uru – cue gasp *gasp*), it is pretty hard but that is why you have friends in the grade who help you out a.k.a think of the name for you

Here is a photo of my mates and I showing off our jerseys!

Cindyrella; KANNwefixit; PI is YUMI; contaiJESS; yes we KANN; cURVASHIous, talkaTHIV, INFAMY, NALfunction

To go with a pun-filled, friend-filled, jersey-filled post, you would think I would be putting up some rugby (football) food or something, but instead, I think I will share with you JJ’s (or should I say, contagJESS’s) very belated birthday cookies made during the holidays.

Reasons for making this cookie batch:

1. It uses brown butter – hellooo have I taught you nothing? Brown butter = perfection, seriously guys, read my lips here
2. There is a mixture of caramel, peanut, marshmallows and chocolate involved – Oh, I’m sorry, but did I just tap into your innermost desires?/
3. They. Are. Fat – Thin, chewy cookies, yeah, everyone loves ya but cookies, when you are fat, you are irresistible! 
   

   Big boys…

4. S’mores are involved. Nuff said.
5. It has double marshmallow action – Imagine Agent Marshmallow on a mission. Suave, sticky and beautiful. Now imagine 2 of them. On the same mission. Day-um!

That’s right my American brothers (and sisters), guess what! Australia now sells Marshmallow Fluff (atWoolworthsShoppingCentreOnlyLimitedStocksblahblahblah)
Thick, sticky, better than melted marshmallow but still essentially melted marshmallow in a jar. GENIUS!

Oh Marshy… where have you been all my life! Link me guys for more recipes you recommend for Agent Marsh. Brownies? More cookies? Cake? Frosting?
Hit me

While I wait for them all, I think I may make another batch of these cookies for myself…

Caramel Peanut S’mores Cookies
Adapted from: Geni’s Own Chocolate Chip S’mores Cookies

**Just a note, Geni is a genius in the kitchen, so seriously, trust all of her recipes **

Ingredients:

• 170g butter, browned
  

  Forgive the horrid photo!

• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• Generous ¾ cup Marshmallow Fluff (or, before I discovered it, I used to melt 1 cup of marshmallows with 2 tbs of golden syrup )
  
  
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• 2 ¼ cup plain flour – you may only 2 cups, judge the dryness of the batter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• ¾ cup chocolate chips
• ¼ cup caramel chips
• ¼ cup peanut butter chips
• ½ cup digestive biscuits, roughly broken
• 1 cup mini marshmallows (or cut up normal ones, trying not to eat the ‘bad shape pieces…’)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and place baking paper on two large baking trays, then set aside – Geni says not to spray your sheet with oil because (and I quote) ‘it causes your cookies to spread like nobody’s business’
2. As soon as the butter has browned, immediately beat in the marshmallow fluff, sugars and essence – Note that it will be very separated at this point and weird – but beat for 5 minutes
3. Add in the eggs and the mixture starts coming together without lumps, I promise!
   
4. In a separate large bowl, combine sifted flour, baking soda, salt and digestive cookies
5. Pour over the wet into the dry and stir until a few streaks of flour remain
   
6. Add in all the chips (not the marshmallows) and stir until just fully mixed through
   
7. Use a medium ice cream scoop and scoop onto baking trays, leaving around 6-7cm between each cookie (and slightly press down each ball with the palm of your hand )
   
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are semi-golden, a little soft and almost done – place the marshmallows on top and immediately place under the grill of your oven (broiler pan) – I am not kidding you, in less than 30 seconds, the marshmallows were brown and beautifully, the cookies fully baked but 10 more seconds and flames would have started – so be extremely careful
   
9. Remove tray from grill and let cookies cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing and letting cool on a wire rack
10. Enjoy to your hearts content!

Note:

• You see how there are brown and normal marshmallows on my cookies – well, in my first batch, I forgot to put the oven on grill and so baked the marshmallows into the cookies – nice tip if you want to keep colour
  
  
• Next time I may just use my trusty blow torch to blacken the tops, for more stylish effect

Just eating it makes me want to sing ‘What A Wonderful World’

I want to share with you the loveliness of a small, quaint town called Forster that I visited with my parents a couple of weeks back at the beginning of the holidays. According to Wikipedia and my lack of direction sense, it is a ‘large coastal town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia’.

They say large but really, psssht, it is pretty small considering you can walk roughly from one side to the other in 2-2 ½ hours
Why do I say it is quaint? Why is it not a full on, up and coming, technologically raging city?

Because it focuses on

1. The Beach
2. Awesome food (I will prove it in a minute)
3. Relaxation

Did you see the word technology? Did you see the word traffic? Did you see the word nightlife? Nope? Oh, then therefore it is quaint.

Don’t get me wrong, of course they have running water and toilets inside and wi-fi connection and everything actually, but the fact that it does not focus on all that is so wonderfully refreshing. And a perfect post-exams getaway.

As per the norm, there was a couch in the apartment we were staying in. Said couch (sorry to the owners!) has a permanent CCU butt-mark imprinted on it. Because, I kid you not, ask my parents, I do not think I budged from there unless it involved going out and eating. Otherwise it was eating on the couch and watching reruns of olden golden shows like Happy Days and Family Ties.

But I have mentioned eating, and relaxing and all this, don’t you think you should be seeing some photos of it now? Oui, d’accord. What would you like to start off with? Breakfast? A wonderful idea

Enter Tartt. Yeah, that’s right, two tts. Makes it better. No sarcasm, legit, this was one delicious café. Let me show you

http://thetarttcafe.com – direct source

The interior was cool. Chalky writing, gothic frames and an emphasis on black without overdoing it at all. It was actually chic and I loved it. Immediately on entering, you feel relaxed, you feel chill, grab some menus and choose counters or a table. Find what you want and head over to the counter, order and go back.

No hassle, no nothing. Simple, direct and a very friendly staff to top it off

The large skinny cappuccinos, extra hot (yep, memorised my parents coffee style!) were delicious according to them. Personally I cannot comment on the taste, but it did look rich and warm.

Non-coffee does not mean non-drink in the morning, so I ordered an orange juice. Pulp free and so refreshing, I felt like I was drinking sunshine. Cliché? Who cares, it is so true

Now the food *Wiggles eyebrows and smacks lips in anticipation*.

Shall we start with simple and work our way up? Yes, I think that would be best non? My mother dear, she is not perhaps the most creative or refreshing breakfast eater. Bluntly said, she likes her toast. She likes thick, white toast with a hearty amount of butter and a hearty amount of jam.

Allow me to quote Biff (for Back To The Future hardcore fans out there who are my brothers!), ‘Well lookie what we have here’. It is exactly what she got
She got thick cut toast with the usual suspects ($5) – told you they were cool!!!

Continuing on, we reach daddy. Daddy actually had a little bit of an enlightenment moment at this restaurant. You see, he forgot to say he wanted the eggs scrambled. So they gave him fried eggs.
When he tasted it, his eyes widened, his jaw slacked and the egg almost fell out. JOKES, but he was flabbergasted that he had not tasted this style of egg in so long and thus, forgotten its deliciousness. So for the rest of the trip, I think at least once a day, he told us how happy he was that he now had three types of egg possibilities. Scrambled, fried or an omelette. What a cutie! (he takes after my own heart in his happiness in food… or should I say I take after him? )

Daddy ordered the BIG TARTT – Bacon, eggs, chorizo, mushrooms and tomato on thick cut toast ($16.50)

Now comes moi! I was tossing up ferociously between the nourisher (a muesli, yoghurt, fruit awesome mixture) or the French toast but my maple syrup love won this time and that was what I ordered. Specifically, the French Toasted – Thick French toast topped with bananas, maple syrup and served with honeycomb butter… Yum (yes, they say that on the menu and with full right!) ($14.50).

Generous, is how I like to describe this French toast. Generous, tasty beyond belief, sweet, no hint of over-egginess. A marvellous concoction. That honeycomb butter. Just don’t even ask me how they did it but it slithered all over my bread and just wowed me. WOWED. And the berries and the banana… oh my mouth waters thinking about that thick cut toast drenched in syrup.

Et voila

General Overview

• The service was fast, despite the restaurant being nice and busy
• Easy access to cutlery and napkins inside the café
• Water was given on request
• I saw people with takeaway coffee in the cutest little customised cups saying I ‘heart’ tart <3
• Not a hint of pretentious even though the quality of their food gives them reason to be
• Their pizza is heaven – we tried it last time we went so just a note

Rating: 8/10

Booking: Unnecessary – it is a get or wait situation and not formal enough

Address:
Wharf Street
Forster 2428
New South Wales
Australia

Phone: 6555 6690

Websites:

• http://thetarttcafe.com/home
• http://thetarttcafe.com/menu
• http://www.facebook.com/ilovetartt

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I do believe it was that same night, that we decided to head on over to the Mexican restaurant of Forster. It was a little out of the way from the main strip (Wharf street).  If you follow my facebook page, you would have seen a little sneak peek of this restaurant

The first thing that hits you BAM on is the interior décor. I am talking mega-awesome transportation to Aztec times (thus the name, The Aztec ). There are dangling, colourful, feathery decorations hanging from the ceilings. The walls are blood red and the tables are beautifully striped and coloured.

There are hangings and murals of Aztecs everywhere and a huge neon bar sign to the corner of the restaurant.

The menu itself is designed specifically to the theme as well and it is very attractive how much effort has gone into planning the décor. Truly, it provided an ambience for eating the meal

Our server was a really sweet lady and immediately on arrival, she comes with menus and then whisks away to get us a bright pink bottle of water and cups. Oh and did you notice the colours of the napkins? By this time, I was almost expecting Speedy Gonzales to pop out from within them!

We start off with our drinks. Honestly, I was this close (imagine me almost pinching my thumb and pointer finger together) to persuading my parents into a cocktail for me (hello, 18 in 4 months!) but we are law abiding citizens and that stupid conscience got in the way. So I settled for a non-alcoholic cocktail a.k.a mocktail

A Tequila Sunrise (from $6.95) to be precise. It was sweet and delicious, the orange, cranberry (I think I tasted a hint) and pineapple juices mingling effortlessly together with a side of ice. Tangy and so refreshing!

My mum, usually the water drinker of the family, kicked off those shoes and ordered a Lemon Lime Bitters. It was for once, not too sweet and had a substantial amount of bitter, which made it quite delicious

My dad. Anyone who has read my reviews for a while knows his standard drink. Jack Daniels and Coke. A classic .

Moving along to the food, we did not split up with the whole entrée then dinner, rather ordered it all together.
For the first time in my life, I found out there was such a thing as a Mexican salad. The Tossed Salad – Daily fresh vegetable salad with Mexican dressing and cheese ($8.95) was enjoyed thoroughly by my mum and dad and not at all by me. Keep reading and you shall see why vegetables were not the top priority of the evening

I ask you now, what is Mexican without Nachos? Nada, nothing, zilch. So we ordered a nice Full Plate of Nachos – Triangles of toasted tortilla chips, smothered with oven grilled cheese and drenched with delicious red sauce served on a bed of beans ($15.95).

It definitely lived up to its name, these chips were warm, the plate was hot and the cheese. Well, it burned the top of my mouth because I became impatient
The salsa sauce was exquisite and god knows, I tried heaping on more beans than the chip could carry

With this, as accompaniment, we got a small bowl of Sour Cream Sauce ($2.50), Guacamole ($3.50) and Green Jalapenos ($2.50).

It was well used, as you can see, with my colossal nacho chip

Daddy was not in the mood for meatiness so we both ordered the Vegetarian Enchiladas – Soft tortilla dipped in spicy sauce stuffed with a filling of your choice, rolled and topped with cheese and oven-baked in Mexican sauce. Served with herb brown rice and frijoles (our filling was frijoles and sauce).

Lighter than a burrito, and in my opinion, tastier than it too, the filling was hot and delicious and when you added in a dash of sour cream and guacamole, you actually went to heaven

I will get to dessert in a minute, because we did not have it here. After all that hot food, we needed something chilled

General Overview:

• Personally, finding this restaurant was like finding a long lost friend. My family used to go to a restaurant called Montezuma’s but it got shut down. Then a couple of years back, I found a place called The Aztec on holiday and was surprised by the similarity of the menus. Then, on finding it again and looking at their site, it would appear that they have joined forces and become one franchise. Mystery solved
• Just to clarify, frijoles are slow cooked beans with flavours and spices and are then slightly mashed

Rating: 9/10 (I love!) Mexican Food)

Booking: Not necessary on a weeknight, might be on a weekend

Address:
8 Little Street
Forster, NSW

Phone Number: 6554 5906

Websites:

• http://www.aztecmontezuma.com.au/index.html
• http://www.aztecmontezuma.com.au/menu.html
• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Montezumas-Mexican-Restaurant/146996605383521?fref=ts

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Now, you wanted dessert? Well, ok, we went down to probably the best ice cream shop ever. The Natural Waffle Ice Cream Parlour. Beats Baskin Robbins and boy, Wendy’s holds no candle to it! I will review it for sure next time, I promise, but for now, I hope you will be content with these delicious photos

My Banana With English Toffee Swirl which put all Banana Paddlepops to shame and was possibly the best flavour combination I ever had in ice cream. So rich, creamy yet not artificial at all

My daddy got the classic delicious Cookies & Cream but dressed it up with hot fudge sauce and nuts. Rock on daddy!

I apologise for this photo quality but mum was in dark lighting when I took it etc. etc. BUT, that does not change the fact that she really enjoyed the silky smooth, chocolatey flavour of Swiss Chocolate Chunk ice cream!

 *****************************

You think I am finished yet? Psssht, of course not, you get your food porn fill when I say you are full

Beach. Sand. Surf. How could we possibly not eat a burger during our stay in Forster? C’est impossible! And so conveniently located right at the edge of the beach, lo and behold, Beach Bums Café. Awesome name is a mild description.

You see the circled bit? Yep that is the café. The sign actually reads, Food With A View. And that is an understatement.

Straight from the café, whether you be inside or out, you see straight onto the sand and into the water. I would have taken a picture but there were people sitting outside blocking my window view. Gosh, what-ever.

You go to this café for when you want to be allowed to be nitty, gritty, wet and hungry. The smell of the ocean permeates the air; you go in barefoot and in a string bikini if you want. There are no rules, this is just a simple, awesome post-swim hang-out with plastic chairs and tables, fast service and delicious food.

My mum is not a burger person so she ordered her regular Cappuccino, all vibrant in its cool orange cup

Burger time babes. I cannot begin to describe how uber fabulous the burgers are here. They are hearty, they full to the point of collapsing out and come wrapped in baking paper. Awesome-sauce right?

I ordered of course the Vegetarian Burger – Patty, lettuce, without beetroot, onion, tomato, salsa ($7). That salsa, bro, it was incredible, absolutely fan-friggin-tastic!

The bread was soft, the filling was warm and the flavours came together beautifully. Winner

My daddy had a hankerin’ for fish so he ordered the Fish Burger – Battered fish fillet, lettuce, tomato, tomato, cheese and tartare sauce ($7). Was he happy? Oh yeah, he most certainly was

Ok so, here comes our mistake. Mum, not being a burger person, wanted fries, so we decided to get a family plate and share it. I don’t know how big families are in Forster but day-um, I don’t recall ever seeing such a large platter of chips. It could feed at least 8 people! And we were 3. Oh our valiant effort to atone for our mistake by eating more chips than necessary

Next time, we learnt to get a large and not the Family Fries ($10). But they were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and golden perfection. Oh and thick cut, just how we like them, smothered in tomato sauce

What are burgers and fries without a shake right? Daddy and I share a bond through strawberry milkshake. Ahahahahaha, did I say milkshake? I meant thickshake. Strawberry Thicker-Than-Thick Thickshake ($5.50).

Honestly, it felt like we were sucking up ice cream and not a drink, it was that thick. And creamy. And delicious. That strawberry flavour was insanely awesome. I could drink it again and again. And I have the stomach capacity for it, thank god

General Overview: 

Rating: 7/10 (in comparison with other cafes overall but highly recommended for its food alone and the relaxed feeling and association with the beach)

Booking: Psssht.. hahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahaha…

Address:
Corner of North & Beach Street
Forster NSW 2428
Australia

Phone Number: 6555 2840

Website:

• http://www.beachbumscafe.com.au
• http://www.beachbumscafe.com.au/# – menu
• http://www.facebook.com/beachbumscafe

*****************************

Overall, Forster may not have an insane number of cafes or restaurants, but so far from experience, each one is foodie heaven – I dare you in fact, to visit Forster and find a bad restaurant!

Besides the above, my family and I also visited another couple of cafes and went to an insanely awesome Italian. But, c’est necessaire that I leave something for next time non?

For anyone in Sydney, truly I reckon you should visit, I mean, you are only a 3-3 ½ hour drive from paradise!

Respected, admired and commemorated for their efforts in saving their nations and allowing the freedom in which we live today.

Lest we forget.

http://germanamur.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/anzac-day.html

**************************

Meet John Smith. He is a 15 year old boy of the early 20^th century, living by cricket and just starting to get those hormonal ticks which make him interested in Elizabeth, whose hair he used to pull when they were little.

The bugger blushes when she is around, honestly, bright as a tomato.

It has just hit mid July and he celebrated his 16^th birthday with his mates, and a homemade cake from his mum on the patio of his backyard. His skin is peeling at the tip of his nose from the harsh Australian sun but in the winter, it feels too good to go back inside.

Two weeks later, his mum comes home with a stricken look on her face. Britain is at war. Therefore, Australia is at war. On August 4^th 1914. John can feel bubbles of excitement in his stomach, and he rushes out the door to meet his friends, especially James. He does not notice his mum holding her stomach as if in pain. His little sister is still chewing on her bunny ear.

He thinks he is pretty muscular for a 16 year old. He practices a little swagger. He stops shaving every day, despite his stubble barely growing. Yep, Johnny-boy, you are in, he thinks cockily to himself. With that uniform and the mates, this will be over by Christmas and I shall come home a hero.

Medals. Decorated. Revered.

Not like his teacher, Mr Brookes, a ‘conscientious objector’. He just doesn’t want to fight, that white-feathered bloke, John has seen the fear in his eyes. What a coward. What an unpatriotic fool.

Johnny is waiting to enlist, James behind him, and can hear his heart thudding. What if they say I am too young. What if? Oh Johnny, the government would never say no to a voluntary recruit. If a boy of 15 can get in, why can’t you?
An officer sizes him up and down, nods, and sends him off. Teeth check, chest check, do you have any disabilities? Are you healthy?

It is 1915 now, and John has been fighting for a while. He cannot say the conditions are ideal, living in a trench where the food is harder than rock, the water must be boiled and the mud is their bed. But it is for Australia. For his country. To keep the nation safe, the government said so.

Oh John.

It is 1916 now, and John is starting to feel tired. Tired of the waterlogged boots and the unruly French winter. Tired of the constant smell of rotting bodies surrounding him and the smoke of gunfire sticking to his skin. Tired of limping since they amputated some of his gangrened toes, leaving little lumps at the end of a bloated foot. Tired of sleeping with his eyes open in the case of enemy attack.

So, so tired.

A rat the size of a cat is sniffing around his canned, sloppy beef and he does not even care. It is already off anyway. James is going over the top* tomorrow and he is an excellent shot. John is certain he will make it, even though a niggling feeling keeps telling him that has never worked. He pushes the thought away and gives James his boiled water and a hardtack biscuit to soak it in.

James is smiling shakily, his hands full of machine guns, his backpack sagging from the weight. He is in position now. All he needs is the whistle to blow. John can see him, and just before the shrill whistling begins, James looks at him with a smile. John grins back. He can do it.

2 minutes into the attack. John looks up over the parapet, his eyes scanning for soldiers running. No Man’s Land** has claimed each one, its mud soaking in their bodies, never to see the light of day again. There is silence. And John realises he is still looking for James to come running back.

It is 1918 now, and John does not even know what he is doing. Where has he been, what has he seen? It is early November now, and John is still wearing that tattered coat and still in those blistering boots, his body that of a man’s and too big for his clothes. Is he really 20? He cannot think, only react on autopilot to the bombs exploding and to the generals barking.

Any shrapnel, grazing his skin, is not even felt anymore. It is as if it is a permanent part of the air. Along with the blood and the grey. John is grim. When was the last time he smiled? He has written so many letters home but received only 3 back. Has his sister started school? Do they still have school?

The sky is murky, foreshadowing more rain, and this night, it is his job to keep watch and fix the barbed wire. He is on the front. And so there he finds himself, with the rain sluicing down his back, a gun at his front, trying to keep the barbed wire in rolls.

Pricks. Cuts. Wounds.

And that is when he hears the whistling. The enemy, whistling. And just before the bomb is dropped, he swears he sees James. Not tough, haunted James. The 15 year old baby face with more pimples than freckles. And just as he reaches for him, everything goes black.

One week later, the Armistice is signed. War is officially declared over. But the turmoil does not end. How can it when Mrs Smith is only now informed of her son’s report as a missing person? Is he dead, is he alive, why can he not be found?

There is no one to tell her that John is scattered in a million pieces, his dog tag swallowed up in the swamp. His sister was so happy when her friends told her of their uncles, their dads, their brothers’ return. She now waits by the fence daily so she can be the first to see her brother when he comes home.

After all, her mother’s telegram said ‘missing’. And to a 6 year old, missing does indeed mean, missing.

Nothing more.

*Over The Top – A technique in WW1 in which soldiers took all their belongings and ran in a line from the top of their trenches with hopes of reaching the enemy trench and capturing it after crossing No Man’s Land

**No Man’s Land – A swampy, death trap between the two trenches in which the constant bombing and fire made its land hazardous to anyone crossing it

***************************

This is not a true story, but to commemorate so many soldiers, whether they have died or gone missing (rest in peace)or lived to tell their tales, I have made ANZAC cookies as tradition expects (Part One).

I have twisted the recipe to make something more for the generations of people who deserve the world for their efforts. If Karma is real, these people should lack for nothing on returning back to the world, which took so much from them without reason.

ANZAC Apple Pie Ice Cream

Adapted From: We Are Not Martha

Ingredients:

Custard Base

• 1 ½ cups full cream milk
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup thickened cream
  
• 1 vanilla bean, horizontally split
• 1 cinnamon stick

Filling

• 3 medium apples, cored, peeled and cubed
  
• Lemon juice
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs plain flour
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tbs maple syrup – I completely forgot to add it in but trust me, if you make this, add it
• Butter, softened to room temperature

Cookie Mix In – 1 batch Anzac Cookie Recipe

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 205 degrees C. Rub a generous amount of butter in a large oven safe dish
   
2. Add in the apple slices and drizzle with lemon juice
3. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, spice and maple syrup
   
4. Sprinkle the apples with this mixture and toss to make sure they are fully coated
5. Cover the tin with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the apples are soft and caramelised
   
6. Meanwhile, combine the milk and sugar over low heat in a saucepan until bubbles come up around the edges and the milk has a slightly translucent look to it
   
7. Whisk the egg yolks together in a separate bowl
8. Once the milk has heated, pour half into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, and once it is well combined, pour back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture
   
9. Put back on low heat and add in the vanilla bean + its seeds along with the cinnamon sticks and cream (I had to slum it with cinnamon from a tin and vanilla essence)
10. Stir constantly until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon – it will take time but patience will yield a thicker and creamier ice cream in the end
    
11. Once the custard is the desired consistency, take off heat and sieve into a large bowl, discarding the bean and the stick
12. Place plastic wrap directly onto the surface to avoid a skin forming and refrigerate until cool
    
13. Place the baked apples in a box and refrigerate until cool
    
14. Mix both cooled custard and apples together then refrigerate for another 2 hours to ensure maximum flavour mingle
    
15. Churn according to instructions of ice cream maker.
16. After it is fully churned, stir through broken up pieces of ANZAC Cookies throughout it and freeze before spooning straight from the freezer…

Note:

• Bake the oatmeal cookies again for a little longer (5 minutes) at 180 degrees C for crunchier cookies in the ice cream
  

  My mummy… showing the perfect cookie

• Drizzle through with caramel for a caramel apple pie ice cream – I drizzled mine with butterscotch sauce leftover from making Sticky Date Pudding for my brother’s birthday just like last year

She began to dream about her own Greek wedding. Despite not being Greek and not knowing any Greek men. Hmmm… So she settled for the next best thing and found a darling new Greek restaurant hidden to the side of the Piazza of her local shopping haven…

******************************

The name is just so fitting for this restaurant. Located right on the edge of the Piazza, it is not the most obvious making it quite mysterious

http://www.facebook.com/EnigmaDining

I suppose it is also more mysterious because of the cuisine it serves. How many of you actively know Greek cuisine inside out (If you are Greek, refrain from answering!) and say, ‘Oh, I want to go eat Greek tonight.’

But this is from an Australian perspective, maybe globally, Greek food is better well known, but here in Sydney, Greek restaurants are not that common, especially in comparison to Chinese, Thai or Italian restaurants.

But I found one and it was awesome!

Class. This place had class. And my brother and I felt so classy… until when I got up and bumpedthetablesothesaltnpeppershakersfellandcausedacomotion… don’t judge me, I am only 17!
To top it off, I may or may not have handed them to someone who actually was not working there but was in a white shirt and black pants… because he gave me a huge ‘what the hell?’ look but I was too embarrassed to really say anything before fleeing

Bane of my existence…

But otherwise we were pretty high up, I must say

This place had a dress code (no singlets) so, when you compare it to Nandos sitting opposite it, we felt like we were in a whole other realm. Haha, personally, I was this close to wearing thongs and thank god I did not!

Anyway, they were not that full on our arrival so we had immediate assistance and waiters who were at their optimum in professionalism and friendliness. It was such a change from the usual rush!

We started off with drinks, in which my brother got the Dry Ginger Ale ($4.50) and it was a little sweet with a real kick – honestly, I am not the biggest Ginger Ale fan but this was exquisite

I just asked for some water, and of course, embarrassed myself here as well because, in the age of today, of course you don’t just ask for water (apparently!). You must specify – tap or sparkling or mineral yadda, yadda, yadda
So I eventually mumbled ‘tap please’ by the end of the miscommunication but truly, felt out of my depth!

But the water was refreshing and I loved the lemon in it. BAM, class

Then, swiftly, we got our cutlery and napkins, ready for our entrée. My brother and I decided to go with the Enigma Meze Plate ($35) – Tzatziki & taramosalata dip, wood fired pita bread, marinated olives, dolmades, feta cheese, grilled haloumi cheese, BBQ chorizo and sardelles. This was of course, after being assured it was suitable for two people, though you know my family’s appetite by now, so you must be wondering why we bothered

First, let me use my awesome Greek translation (via Wiki) skills for you

Taramosalata = A dip which features the salted and cured roe of the cod or carp
Dolmades = Grapevine leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables
Sardelles = Anchovies

Where do I even start with this platter? All the components were so well-laid out and looked so enticing. My mouth is watering as I think about it again. Sigh…

Well, my brother was thrilled to be left with the non-veg parts all to himself. Here is his shot of the chorizo and anchovies. For him, the anchovies were an inch away from eating a handful of salt and I have heard them to be an acquired taste depending on your salt handling capacity
But the chorizo, hot damn, my brother definitely believed it to be the best he has ever had. And he has a lot of chorizo experience, believe you me

Courtesy of my brother!

How about we move on to the haloumi cheese now. These days, cheese and I are not really seeing eye to eye. After eating this, we are the best of buds again! It felt like there was a coating of cheese covering soft cheese. And the grilled taste was delicious, so smooth and well, cheesy! Big thumbs up!

Then we move on to the Dolmades. I have never tasted anything like this before, the vine leaves were salty and the mixture of vegetables and rice was sweet but savoury at the same time. I know, I am so nonsensical! But it is true and they were delicious – I felt so cultured eating them

The olives and the fish dip (because come on, that name is so long!) were delicious as well according to my brother. I did try the olives but honestly speaking, I am not the biggest salty olive fan but the olive oil rub they were in really gave them a kick!

Now, we move on to the tzatziki and feta and bread. Put them together and you a flavour explosion going on, no joke!

The bread was firm, the dip was fresh and that feta cheese… so delicious with its dripping oil and herbs….

This was how we finished. And, the wonderful people at Enigma asked us if we wanted to keep the dips and olives for our main meal. Who does that? And this is where, you make ignore because I will keep fan-girling over the class
Actually, I would not say fan-girling, more like fan-peopling because my brother was also very giddy at this

A new set of cutlery and a new napkin later….

Hands up if you like lamb? Oh, wow what a spread (this is a virtual image by the way but I am sure many of you do!) Well… if you ever visit Australia/are in Australia, do come visit this place for their Wood Fired Slow Roasted Lamb – Served with baked crispy potatoes and seasonal oven baked vegetables with Tzatziki dip as a side ($39).

Courtesy of my brother!

The lamb was tender and the perfect pink, cooked to perfection and flavoured beautifully. The potatoes (for which I can attest too) were crunchy golden delicious and the vegetables had been sautéed. Perfect side.

I had originally planned to get the Yemista (Tomatoes and capsicum stuffed with rice, fresh herbs and Spanish onions) but can you believe they ran out during the lunch rush? I will be back, if only to try this dish!

But they accommodated beautifully for my vegetarianism by providing a Roasted Vegetable Stack (drizzled in balsamic vinegar sauce) – Served with grilled haloumi cheese, dolmades and fresh shoots. I may be vegetarian but am not a huge fan of eating vegetables like this. Until now.

The dolmades and haloumi cheese were of course, delicious (as described above) but these vegetables, just look at them. How could they possibly not taste good?

The sweetness of the sauce went very well with the perfectly roasted sweet potato, eggplant and zucchini (which I originally thought was cucumber ).

Perfectly roasted…

Here, we show our fabulous appetites again. Check out the desserts!

My brother, a classic, went for his favourite Sticky Date Pudding – Served with a warm rich caramel sauce. Wild berries and vanilla bean ice cream ($15).  Rich, sweet and delicious, it was up to the standard of any great Sticky Date (of which my brother has a lot of experience of trying)

Though I find it funny that they would write ‘wild berries’ and serve it with a single pretty strawberry….

I went all out for some ice cream and got the Assorted Ice Cream ($12) – Choice of either Gelato (hazelnut, chocolate, vanilla, pistachio) or Sorbet (Mango, passionfruit, lemon, raspberry). I was going to get only hazelnut but then the kind waitress told me it was three scoops. Instead of changing my order like I should have, I grinned like a goober and ordered 1 chocolate and 2 hazelnut

Yay me!

The gelato was very smooth and the flavours were intense but by combining chocolate and hazelnut, it felt like I was eating Nutella Ice cream

General Overview

• Very friendly, fast service with continual checks if we needed anything – though it must be taken into account that there were not many diners
• I think they should keep greater stock of their food and do not know their own popularity – it is an adjusting matter since they are newly opened but they also did not have a panna cotta dessert available
• The professionalism of their serving was evident

Rating: 9/10

Booking: Recommended more for lunch than dinner but to be safe, at all times

Address:

Shop 21, The Piazza
Castle Towers Shopping Centre
6 Castle Street
Castle Hill NSW 2154

Phone Number: 8850 3330

Websites:

• http://www.enigmadining.com.au
• http://www.enigmadining.com.au/menu
• http://www.facebook.com/EnigmaDining

Just before I leave you to fantasize about Greek food, I just want to note how awesome it is that my brother (big burly teenage hungry brother) still lets me take photos of the food before digging in
And that he orders such exotic food that no one else in my family tries!
I wuv you bhaiya <3

And I mean short. Honestly, you guys will be majorly surprised considering I have trouble stopping my typing

For now, enjoy the first part of this massively awesome dessert to come!

As you all know, ANZAC Day is coming up to commemorate our brave soldiers who fought in the world wars. I promise there will be more on that in Part 2.

For now, I would like to share with you all the best ANZAC cookie recipe ever.

They are soft, but crunchy on the outside, especially when straight from the oven

And the cookie flavour is magical, all dripping in golden syrup

Anzac Cookies
Adapted From: Exclusively Food

Ingredients:

• 130g butter
• 3 tbs golden syrup
• 100g rolled oats
• 90g desiccated coconut
• 150g plain flour
• 85g brown sugar
• 85g caster sugar
• 1 tbs boiling water
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbs full cream milk (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Line two large baking trays with baking paper
2. Stir butter and golden syrup over low heat until melted and combined
   
3. Mix oats, coconut, flour and sugars together in a large bowl
   
4. Combine baking soda and water and pour into the butter mixture
5. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir till combined – I needed the milk because my mixture was still a little dry to make into balls – use your judgement here
   
6. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and place 5cm apart on the trays
   
7. Flatten the biscuit balls with a fork
   
8. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden. The longer you cook, the crispier the cookie (and for the recipe to come, it will need to be crispy )
   
9. Cool biscuits on a wire rack (or be like me and eat them straight up

Don’t be mad guys
Part 2 coming soon!

Come on guys, we are keeping this blog G-rated right? Ok, perhaps PG but nothing more, I promise, cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.

Oh dear.
Did I just go all Saw-style, M/MA 15+ on you? Oops… honest mistake

Anyway, let me go back to the topic on hand. Bread. Dough. Yeast. I may have made it, used it, before but honestly, it is the kitchen bad boy.

Moody.
Delicious.
Rebellious.

Scenario 1:

Oh, so today you are wearing your brother’s jumper and wearing clogs with no one to impress? Oh, allow me to turn out as the most delicious slice of bread in the whole world. But shhh… it will be our secret because by the time someone else comes over who can eat it, I will be all mouldy. I’m just saying girl, I love you for you.

Scenario 2:

Oh so, I heard you were having a dinner party today? Damn, I am just not in the mood for you to make me into some fancy braided bread babe, stop trying to change me. I only want to be with you. Therefore, my yeast will not foam, my dough will not rise and I will bake only on the sides, leaving a nice raw middle. Cause babe, it’s only you and me.

Yep, bad boy bread to the bone. What a witch!

But just like bad boys, bread is an addiction and a staple part of your life. Doesn’t matter that it is the reason your hair goes grey at the age of 20 or you chew your nails beyond cuticle point.

You need it. And bread knows it. And boy, oh boy, does it exploit this knowledge.

So next time you are making dough, ready to fashion into bread, remember, you are definitely not controlling it. Rather, you are falling deep under its charm and for its dashing, rugged good looks.

Stupid bread.
I love you.
Why can’t we work?
Don’t do this to me!
You know what, I give up on you – 2 days later – Bread? Babe? I’m sorry…

Classic

On the rare occasions where Mr Bad Boy is feeling especially generous, the results just make all the past problems fall away.

The outside is crunchy and golden, and then you reach the softness inside and chew. You can feel the freshness and do I really need to explain the smell? The smell of every single bakery around the world, the smell that could bring every single villain down to their knees.

In the case of this delicious bready experience, initially, I tried to make a cousin of his (won’t mention which) and we had a huge fight. Wooden spoons were thrown and heads were banged on counters.

But I ended up with a better bad boy anyway

The garlic element teamed with a sprinkling of salt and the delicious glossy butter-oil mixture take this bread to new heights.
And is a perfect example of why one should put up with this witch’s tantrums in the kitchen sometimes

Enjoy!

For a printable recipe, please email me at gobakeyourself@yahoo.com.au, it is not working and I apologise for that

Garlic Knots
Adapted From: Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 5 cups plain flour
• 1 ¾ cup lukewarm water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tbs caster sugar
• 1 ½ tbs dry yeast 

Garlic Coating:

• 3 tbs olive oil
• 3 tbs butter
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
  
• Sea salt (a must)

Method:

1. In a large bowl, sift flour
2. In a medium bowl, combine water, ¼ cup olive oil, sea salt, sugar. Sprinkle over the yeast, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes or until foamy
   
   
   

   I know, it looks soooo gross right? I died a little when I saw it… blech…

3. Pour mixture into flour and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined
   
4. Tip out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead till soft and smooth, slightly elastic
5. Fashion into a ball and place dough into a lightly-oiled, large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draught free area or until doubled in volume (can take up to 3 hours according to your temperature, mine took 1 ½ hours in Autumn)
6. Line three baking trays with baking paper
7. Punch dough to expel air in one go. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and oil your hands and rolling pin. Divide dough into 2 parts
   
8. Flatten one section of dough slightly with your hands and then use the rolling pin to shape it into a rectangle, approximately 5 inches x 16 inches and ½ inch thick
   
9. Use a pizza cutter and slice strips it are ¾ inch x 5 inch in dimension (mine were random, leading to thick and thin knots but I liked that – rustic )
10. On the oiled surface, roll each strip back and forth with your hands to form an even rope (a few cracks are ok). Tie into a knot (mine was slightly pretzel style because I did pull the knot in all the way) and place on baking tray, keeping each knot ½ inch apart
    
11. Repeat with the remaining portion of dough
    
12. Cover the baking trays loosely with clean tea towels and let rise until doubled in size (another hour or so)
    
13. Preheat oven to 205 degrees C
14. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown (if smaller, try 13-15 minutes)
15. Garlic Coating: Combine garlic, butter and oil in a saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally till melted and mixed. Add chopped parsley
16. Using a brush, coat the knots generously in the mixture and then sprinkle liberally with sea salt
    
17. Serve warm, toasty and with soup for the ideal meal