Designed and created by a positive minded, Gluten-free, thyroid cancer survivor!

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Words to inspire . . .


Worry looks around, Sorry looks back, Faith looks up - and Hope floats
~Athour Unknown


Friday 16 March 2012

Irish Chocolate Bliss Cake

I thought with St. Patrick's Day being tomorrow that maybe I might share one of my favourite cake recipe's with you all. . . I call it Irish Chocolate Bliss Cake, and it's pretty easy to make.


Start off with a good chocolate cake mix . . . if you have the time, or ingredients or feel like making the cake from scratch go ahead and do that too. It's what you add to that base recipe that really makes it great!

Preheat the over to 325 F - the mix or recipe may suggest otherwise, but disregard and preheat to 325 F anyways . . . trust me ;)

So . . . start with that basic mix. Follow the instructions on the box, but instead of using vegetable oil, use olive oil. And instead of using water make sure to use milk - but not just milk. Divide the amount of milk the recipe calls for in half and do one part milk and one part Baileys . . . YUM!! Don't think you'll be tipsy afterword, or that you can't serve this to kids as the alcohol will burn off during the process of baking the cake :)

Once you have followed the instructions on the box, making those little adjustments, you will then add a cup of chocolate pudding and a cup of Balkan style yogurt. This will make the best tasting most moist (almost pudding style cake ever!!)

When it's time to bake make sure to grease or spray your pan, or cupcake tin really well!! I like to use a bundt pan for these cakes because even while they are moist that can still hold the form.

I place the pan in the oven for close to 1 hour - check after 45 minutes though. When you can stick a toothpick in and it comes out almost clean, it's ready!!!

Let the pan cool slightly (approx. 5 minutes or so) then flip it out onto your cake board or serving plate.  Once it's cooled down (maybe about 20 minutes or so) then drizzle the cake with dark, milk and white chocolate.

Tasting tip . . . either enjoy this cake with a shot of Baileys or have it with a nice Guinness or Mill St. Coffee Porter!!


You can thank me later ;)

Slainte!!

Tuesday 13 March 2012

There are some days . . .

when I just think - good god, what am I doing and how can I stop doing what it is that I don't like. Well, unfortunately you can't just flip a switch and presto your life is changed and becomes as you want it - you have to carry on, do what needs to be done. All the while never, ever stop wishing and dreaming. Without dreams or aspirations, what's the point? I mean really if you have nothing to drive you forward or to look forward to you may as well just curl up in a ball and end it all.
I'm a glass is half full kind of a person (usually that glass is half-full of some sort of cabernet) and you can almost count on the fact that I can find a positive side to most anything . . . though there are times when I can be equally as cynical. My steadfast belief is that cynicism is just unfortunately something that you learn over time. Cynicism just worms its way in - but it's up to you to figure out how you are going to let it affect you. I for one have to curb my cynicism with humour and sarcasm. . . life is all the more enjoyable with a little bit of humour and sarcasm thrown in for spice.

Now that I look at it all in writing here, I'm forced to think - maybe it's not even cynicism at all. It's experience. Experience has shown me that some things in life . . . are just crap. You just have to put up with some crap in life - deal with it, sort it, work in it - to get to the good stuff. Into everyone’s life a little crap must fall . . . and sometimes it's just a little and other times it's a whole lot! Either way, it's not forever, because just as sure as the sun shines - change will also surely come. Nothing ever stays the same and sooner or later life will change and the clean-up crew will come along and sweep the poop deck clear.

So on this day, as I sit and wonder about how to make my way through this latest pile of $h!t thrown at my feet I think - it's not so bad because I have confidence and I'm doing the best that I can. Things will work out. Eventually something will come along and things will change - and even if they don't change for the better no problem, because eventually that will change too. "This too shall pass." Ultimately I'm in charge - I'm the starring role in my own life story. It's my choice ultimately to carry on whatever path I'm presently on. And, I think that's what a lot of people forget - if you’re not happy, it's in you to change things . . . it's not someone else's job to do that for you.

"When you laugh, the whole world laughs with you. When you cry, you cry alone" - I don't know who originally said that, however I do know my Grandmother used to say now and then. It stuck with me. As does the saying below . . . and I wish to you all the following!!:
I was inspired today - and from of all things watching an episode of Rachel Ray. I think in fact I saw a version of what I would love to be - Rachel Allen. An Irish cook who travels the Irish countryside cooking fresh food, having a great old time. Now the food thing is great, and I love to cook - but in all honesty I would have to throw in some wine, whiskey and beer tastings, pairings - you know what I mean. That would be more me ;)

So to honour today’s inspiration (and in honour of St. Patrick’s Day coming up!!) - and as a treat to those of you who actually read to the bottom of this post . . . here is my secret/not so secret recipe for making Irish Bliss Cake.

It's so simple - take one box of vanilla cake mix and follow it's directions but instead of adding all the milk required add 1 cup of Baileys (to that add whatever amount is still needed of Milk) and use olive oil instead of vegetable oil . . . to that add a cup of vanilla pudding and a cup of yogurt.
Mix it all together and bake for whatever time the box tells you to . . . but bake at 325 degrees F.

****Always, always - cook your cakes at that temperature. Just sayin' - they always turn out much better at that temp,

Cheers!! Aka - Slainte :)

Maybe there is a cookbook in my future . . . ``How North American Women get Fat.``

Sunday 4 March 2012

Which is better?

The snowflake begins . . .
Novel one line - Question or statement?

What happens when you learn that history was fooled by religion and that myth and legend had it right all along?

or

Legend has it that myth and folklore is true and was fooled out of history by fear and greed.

or

Legend has it that myth and folklore had it right all along . . .


Questions, comments, concerns? I would love to hear whatever you might have to say!!