I am usually greeted with a look of confusion when I tell people that I don't like Hot Cross Buns. There's something about the smell, I think it's the cinnamon, that just turns me off. I have the same problem with Raisin Toast. But I thought it was about time to suck it up and I figured if I made them myself then I'd be more inclined to enjoy them. It's raining and dark ...
Vegan Chocolate Cake
(These are the berry version - mini cupcakes with raspberries, and raspberry glaze) I actually use this recipe quite a bit, and not because it's vegan, but just because it's yum! The recipe gets a good workout during Lent, and is a great last minute recipe because I always have everything in the pantry. It's also a great recipe for anyone with an egg or dairy allergy. To ...
Too much Basil
My basil has gone crazy this year. Hubby doesn't eat cheese, so I couldn't make a huge batch of pesto to use it up, which left me to think about what I could do with it. Well I decided to cop out and let future Abby worry about that, so I froze it. Did you know you can freeze basil and it's almost as good as new when you come to use it? It's much better than dried basil and ...
Fun with Stop Motion Animation
Hubby is between jobs at the moment, so we've been having fun making a stop motion animation with some Lego over the last few days. To make the stop motion, we took a heap of pictures with the digital camera and then put them all together into a video using Windows Live Movie Maker.This would be a fun weekend activity to involve older kids in. Keep in mind, that it can ...
The Low-down on Hand-Me-Downs
There is a lot of stigma around hand-me-downs, and I know a lot of people that curl their top lip up at the idea of them, but I'm not sure why. Especially, when it comes to kids clothes. Babies and children grow so quickly that things usually only fit for one season, so it seems a waste to see all your hard earned cash being spent on clothes that may only get worn a few ...
Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti
I like my biscotti pretty thin, that way I don't need to worry about chipping a tooth when I bite into one. This recipe is great for gifts and can be done in several stages if you don't have the time to do it all at once. Because the recipe doesn't use any butter, these keep really well and stay nice and crispy. Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti makes about 70 3/4 cup ...
Baked Beans from Scratch
Baked beans are Man food. Every boy I know loves them! Girls, not so much. And think I know why. We are all subject to canned baked beans as kids. They're horrible, overly sweet mush, with nondescript flavour. This can put a person off for life! Make them yourself however, and they're a treat!Full of fibre and protein, this is a good meal for babies too. Under 12 months, I ...
Zippered iPhone Wallet – tutorial
Do you ever go out and all you want to take is your phone and maybe your keys and a credit card? But you don't have any pockets? This little wallet is the solution. It snugly fits your iPhone and a couple of cards, and I added a handy little clip for my keys. I originally made this to clip to the Ergo when I go out for a walk, but it's really handy so I've been using it for ...
Printing Fabric Labels with Spoonflower
July 2012 - See my 6 month follow up hereSpoonflower is so hot right now in the home sewing world; and with good reason! Where else can you get your own design printed onto small quantities of fabric for a reasonable price? I'm not sure if you've ever looked into having labels made, but it is expensive. You have to get a minimum quantity and you are typically limited ...
5 (Almost) Instant Toddler Snacks
Here is a quick list of things that I make sure I always have on hand, so that when the cupboard seems bare, there is still some healthy options for my hungry little boy. These are some alternative suggestions to the normal fruit, yogurt, toast and dip that you might think of. I'm a bit unimaginative when it comes to snacks, so it's always good to have several options. As ...
Easy Polar Bear Glove Puppet
This little hand puppet makes bath time more fun. It doubles as a wash cloth too. I made a few up using the leftover pieces of towelling from making the bath robe. It's quick and easy to put together and you have a few options for doing the face. For one, I glued on the nose and used fabric paint for the eyes and mouth. For the other, I hand stitched the features on. Either ...
Thai Beef Salad
This recipe is on high rotation at our place during Summer. It's pretty quick to put together, although you do need to marinade the steak. The longer the better, but if you forget, 15 mins is better than nothing. I have left the marinade off before, but it's just not the same. We put noodles in to make it more of a dinner, but you can leave them out for a light meal. Thai ...