Nothing beats those mid week blues like a bit of baking. I bought some sugar paste a while back and didn’t know what I should do with it so I decided to make cupcakes and decorate them with chocolate fudge and sugar paste hearts. Red velvet cupcakes are apparently all the rage so this is what I did.

Ps. This is not my recipe, I just googled ‘red velvet cupcakes recipes’ and the first search was what I went with. This is the recipe I used.  As usually I never stick to a recipe so I these are the changes I made:

• I used half plain flour and half self raising flour.
• I didnt use as much sugar either (man I hate sugar),
• Instead of buttermilk I used half milk have sweetened cream.

I would probably make some other changes if I were to do this again. More Cocoa Powder and a bit more lemon rind, also cook for 20 mins as specified in recipe just to keep a them a bit more moist.

My red velvet cupcakes in the oven.

I let cool and put on my chocolate fudge:

• 60g dark chocolate
• 15g of butter
• 1 1/2 cups of icing sugar
• 2 tables spoons of milk

Here they all are covered in fudge and with their sugar paste heart.

I only allow myself one the rest I give away. I ate mine with a giant tea!

Heart breaker? Most def! Enjoy!

This dessert is definitely not drdietright friendly, so I posted it here instead! Prepare to feel hungry. This one didn’t last longer than 1 day in our house. Yes a whole tarte tatin in less that 24 hours.

The one thing I would like to point out here was that I dont have an oven proof skillet so I had to cook the caramel and apples in a pot and then continue the oven process – ie cooking and the puff pastry in a cake tin. Also my measurements aren’t exact because I rarely measure things (I know I know)…

300g Caster sugar

100g butter

3 apples ( 2 red/ 1 green)

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1/2 tsp of vanilla essence

Puff pastry

Start by peeling your apple and cutting them into quarters. I placed them into a circle to see how they would fit into my pan… I decided to cut them into more quarters so I could fit more apple around and avoid leaving spaces.

I then moved onto dissolving the caster sugar in a pan, stirring it so it doesn’t get stuck. Then I added butter in small cubes. Getting the sugar to a nice brown caramel will took a while. I probably added too much butter. I fiddled around with the heat for a while until I could get a good colour and thickness, then I added the apples.

I placed the apples in the pot in an organised manner, but then the caramel got too sticky and hard  (I’d turned the heat down so this is why it got too hard). I couldn’t coat the apples so I opt for more heat to dilute the caramel again and then mixing the whole mixture so that the apples got covered properly.

Once I had stewwed my apples in the caramel for about 5 minutes, I added the vanilla and the lemon juice. Mixed it again just a little and poured the mixture into the pan and with a fork I organised the apples into a more presentable way.

Then I covered the apples with the puff pastry, which I had rolled out just a bit larger than the tin and pricked all over with a fork. I placed it over the apples and just tucked the edges under the apples.

I gave it about 20 minutes in a 180 deg oven, until the pastry puffed up and was golden brown.

Then I pulled it out of the oven and allowed it to rest for about 15 mins. Before trying the ultimate flip, I twisted the pastry around to make sure it hadn’t stuck. then I flipped and wahooo… it didn’t get stuck and just plopped onto the plate. Because I had a bit too much caramel the sauce made the pastry lose its crunch.

With the left over apples and remaining puff pastry, I made this small, apple and honey tart. I baked the pastry for about 10 minutes. Poached the leftover apples in a little water. Once the pastry was puffed I cut out the centre top part and laid the sliced the apples in the centre. I then dusted the apples in a bit of cinnamon and then topped it off with a drizzle of honey. The photo below is pre – honey.

Next time I would really like to try and make my own puff pastry!

As a 28 year old female I often get asked when I am going to have children. Most of my friends do, but I don’t and I am not ashamed of this. Whereas my friends have spent time mastering the art of motherhood, I have focused on studying and building my own career. I have built a business, which in my opinion is not much different to having a child.

I have an internet child called CouponsHelper. CouponsHelper came into my life in July 2011.

• I had been working on it from October 2010 before launch (let’s call this part the pregnancy stage).
• Every since its launch date it has needed much nurture, love, care and dedication.
• It has cost me money (maybe not in diapers but still)
• It has kept me up many nights.
• Cause me concern, worry and stress.
• I post photos of CouponsHelper on Facebook and people like my photos
• Where my friends are now worrying about which school to send their children to, I worry about which social network Couponshelper should appear more on.
• When my friends worry about bullies, I worry about critics.
• It makes me think about its future and what it is going to be

So if anyone asks me what have I been doing with my life and why don’t I have any children, nowadays I reply that I do have a child… it’s name: couponshelper.

It is a browser extension that notifies users of available coupons on any site they are browsing. It helps people save money. It exists for Firefox and Chrome and over 40,000 people have it installed.

If you want to learn more here is a French guy reviewing it:

If you want to install:

Couponshelper for Chrome

CouponsHelper for Firefox

Most people don’t know this but I am the voice behind, the song ‘Beautiful Eyes’ which was created by Ubahn and remixed by Jo Micali.

I performed at the Bay Music Awards 2010… which was a life changing experience, because I love to sing but I am definitely not an aspiring dedicated musician.

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Was in canberra for two weeks and my sister asked me to paint something using hues of orange.

Admittedly this is not normal style of painting but it really worked for me. This is a zoom in of a flower, I use lines of different hues of oranges, reds and yellow to create a dizzy clarity.

With the left over paint I used a stensil and 4 baby canvases to create this other flower

This is more about the frames than the actual paintings themselves.

They actually looked better without the stupid paintings I did in the center. The idea here was to create 4 squares based on a colour hue. So blue, purple, green and red. I rolled and rolled tons of pages from magazines, then collected the colour hues and went with the framing idea. Ill probably redo the internal images one day

Probably my best piece of art.

I had this canvas for 3 years, under this painting there are 3 other seriously paintings. The technique I used here was ‘pouring’. Yes, I am an artist therefore I can invent terms!
I diluted my paint into small bottles and poured paint over the canvas. Waiting for each colour to dry before doing the next layer. I have no idea how blue ended up on the canvas, it was not planned. The grey is left over wall paint.
The mirror ended up on the canvas to cover up a huge blotch of paint. I broke 3 mirrors to do this so 7 x 3 years of bad luck right? I believe the mirror makes this painting, the idea behind it the feeling of being shattered and a broken self. Sometimes I wake up and look at this painting and think, yes that is just about how I feel today.

I can not believe some of the comments I have been reading in the Libya related articles on the timesofmalta.

The only way I can justify religious people and their harsh mentalities is by assuming that they do not understand what is going on in the Maghreb.

Comments made early yesterday on the timesofmalta

More Comments made today on TimesofMalta

So, today my post is an explanation of the Libya situation in a nutshell.

Imagine a government that:

• Is rich and flaunts its riches
• is well aware of the poverty around it
• Distributes the country’s wealth to a ruling class comprised primarily of the family of senior government figures.
• Instructs the army to shoot and kill their own populace
• Tells its air force to bomb its people

Imagine a people:

• who see their government and its chosen people flaunting the country’s  riches
• who can’t afford a loaf of bread
• who want a voice.
• who get shot for protesting against the unfairness of such a regime
• whose family members have disappeared or been tortured for speaking out
• who have nothing to lose

Image by Ammar w/ Al Jazeera

Malta! Before making racist, arrogant, pig headed comments take a step back and see how you would fit into such a society. A society of basically good people, forced to revolt for basic human rights and an accountable government.

Imagine you are in the army and that you have just found out that the government has just taken a lot of money and pocketed it. Imagine that your son or nephew has gone in front of a public building to protest about it and was shot and then imagine receiving an order from your authorities to shoot any protesters. Would your loyalty to your country be untouched? Would you still pledge allegiance to the country’s rulers, who are responsible for the brutal killings of your countrymen? Would you still think that defectors are cowards or criminals of war? Didn’t think so.

With the cold winter months still among us here in Europe and the Eurovision no longer pending, you may feel slightly stuck for something decent to watch. Well here it is my top recommended series that will definitely keep you entertained until Spring/Summer 2011.

Gilmore Girls

Funny,witty, serious, and sad at times. The Gilmore Girl’s is about Lorelei and her daughter Rory.The 7 seasons, show Lorelei’s up and downs relationship primary with her uptight, prim and proper parents as well as the drama of her personal relationship. Rory on the other hand experiences all the typical experience of a teen growing up in a small town and going to Yale. Read More on IMDB

Friends

Funny. Everyone has heard of friends, but have you watched it from beginning to end. The 10 seasons, show all aspects of life experienced by 6 close friends, Rose, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, Monica and Phoebe, who live together in NYC. Read More on IMDB

Frasier

Frasier is simply brilliant. Funny in many ways and often leaves you thinking ‘I cant believe he said that’. The relationship between Dr Frasier Crane and his brother Niles is quite perfectly normal, but how they interact with the people around them is quite extraordinary. Niles with his secret love for Daphne and Frasier’s odd relationship with his ex-wife makes for quite a few laughs. Read More on IMDB

Sex in the City

Woman, power, fashion and NYC. This series is one strictly for the ladies.  Watch four woman, but specifically Carrie Bradshaw as she and her friends deal with love, life, sex, sex and more sex in the city of NYC.  Read More on IMDB

If you are looking for MORE here is a list of others worth looking into:

Seinfield

How I met your mother

The Big Bang Theory

Two and a half Men

Accidentally on purpose

Joey

Off you go… pop some popcorn, make some tea and wrap up on the sofa in a fleecy blanket and enjoy.

The title already tells you that I am not a V-day fan, in fact I am very happy that this pathetic hallmark holiday is almost over and I do not have to see love hearts all over shop window displays, and people skipping around like cupid has stuck an arrow up their arse any longer.

Here are my top 5 reasons GIRLS hate Valentine’s day:

1. We do not particularly like dressing up in french maid outfits

2. Vday does not mean I MUST have sex with you. If you pissed me off a day or two before V’day is not going to magically path your way to getting some

.... all alone

3. We do not need another bear with an I love you heart on it or bottle of perfume

Awww... I dont think so

4. We find it embarrassing having roses being bought to your work

Omg, Red roses, really you shouldn't have................................ been so predictable!

5. Single girls: YES, I agree it sucks there is a day that being single (even by choice) is shoved down your throat, and NO, you can not have dinner anywhere on Vday because everywhere is infected by couples

If you insist on parading your love... at least give us something to look at

Without seeming cliche, Im glad to say that Im a stable liker and lover. I like the people I like, every day of the year and same goes for the people I love.

Now read 5 reasons guys hate Valentine’s Day