things for boys

My Surprise Virtual Baby Shower!

2013-05-16T08:49:00.002+10:00

I have a group of women I call my friends, but we've never met in person (except for one). They all write crafty blogs, much like my own and at some point in time, I made a comment on their blog or they made a comment on mine and we've struck up a friendship.

I chat to some of them almost every day, some not as often, but I still think of them as my friends. Sometimes I think that's silly...We've never met and unfortunately, it's unlikely that I ever will meet some of them. Are we really friends? Wow, this is a deep post coming from me!

But then my lovely friends do something like this! Something so kind and generous and creative and I know I was silly to ever doubt they were people I could call friends!

Ros from Sew Delicious came over yesterday to pick something up, but then revealed she had an ulterior motive. I was intrigued. I thought maybe she had an emergency sewing project...exciting. But it was so much better than that!

Laura from Craftstorming had organised a virtual baby shower! All my lovely bloggy friends from all over the globe had organised a baby shower! For me!

I am so amazed by the creativity and the generosity that is in these beautiful handmade gifts. I apologise ladies, as my pictures do not do your items justice, but I had to show them off! I love that I can see the things that I love from each blog in each gift...the things that made me follow these amazing blogs in the first place!

Jo from Bubala made me this awesome nappy bag I have to admit that ever since Roman was born I've been using a boring black bag that came free with a box of nappies! How embarrassing! Well, I shall be embarrassed no more. This bag is just too cool! Is it weird that I'm looking forward to carrying a nappy bag around? You can read all about it here on Jo's blog.

Laura from Craftstorming made this gorgeous Kimono Set. The fabric is so lush and soft! And rainbows...my favourite! I can't thank you enough for organising all of this Laura. I feel so very special! Get the pattern and tutorial here.

Ros from Sew Delicious made these handy Baby Change Mat Liners. We need to set up a second change station upstairs, so these will be perfect! So much cuter than the boring towels I used last time! Use her tutorial to make your own.

Dara from Coffee and Lilacs made these lush Upcycled Cashmere Pants! I have been giving them a quick cuddle every time I walk past them. The cashmere is delightfully soft and fluffy. I think the cold weather combined with their cuddlyness means that these will be in high rotation! Follow Dara's tutorial to make your own Cashmere Pants.

Narelle from Cook Clean Craft made this gorgeous flat teddy. Roman is a big fan of minky, so I'll have to hide this from him, but I can see it becoming a special friend for the new baby. You can find Narelle's tutorial here.

Jen from Mend and Make New made these gorgeous hats. The fabrics are so lovely and soft. I love wearing Merino wool myself and love it for babies too. The owl print from Spoonflower is super soft too! Get the pattern and tutorial here.

Last, but not least is Janelle from Emmaline Bags. Janelle made these beautiful little baby shoes. I have no idea how she made them, they are so neat and perfect. Click here to go to Janelle's blog to see what pattern she used.

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and will never forget this lovely day! I am full of happy tears reading all your amazing posts! Hormones or happiness? I don't care!! Thousands of actions shots to come in the next few weeks, no doubt.

Big Tote Bag Pattern Giveaway: Winners and Pattern Sale!

2013-05-12T09:03:00.000+10:00

Drum roll please! The 2 winners of a copy of The Big Tote Bag PDF Pattern are..................................

Sandra Cootes Cartwright and Kama Clark! Congratulations ladies!! I have sent you both an email. Please get back to me within 2 days to claim your prize.

Thanks to everyone who entered. If you weren't lucky enough to win a copy of the pattern, then head on over to my Pattern Shop. This week only the Big Tote Bag pattern is on sale!

The Big Tote Bag PDF Pattern 10% off! That's only $4.50!

A Beginner's Guide to Knitting: Equipment

2013-05-10T08:36:00.000+10:00

I've been sewing for as long as I can remember, but knitting is more of a newly acquired skill. About 5 years ago, I just decided one day that I would learn how to knit. Both my Grandmothers are amazing knitters and I felt like it was in my blood, that I must be able to do it. Armed with some cheap metal needles and horribly bright pink acrylic yarn, I knitted a babies jumper. It didn't turn out perfectly, but it wasn't bad and from then on I tackled many new projects.

Neither of my Grandmothers live close by, so in this digital age, I taught myself the easiest way I knew how, via the Internet! And if you've come here because you want to learn how to knit, then I'm going to show you all the equipment and sites you need to know about to achieve that! I'm not going to show you 'how to knit', that has been done by a great number of sites already, but I will show you where to find these sites that proved to be so invaluable in the days when I was starting out. I've also listed what you need to get started...so, let's get knitting!

At the most basic, all you need is a pair of needles and a ball of yarn to get you started. Because of this, knitting can be a fairly inexpensive hobby to take up, but the cheapest needles and yarn aren't always the best.

Needles

Like I said above, I started with some cheap metal needles on my first project. They hurt my hands and certainly didn't entice me to want to knit more. Soon enough I bought my first pair of Bamboo needles. Sure, they cost more, but they were less than $10 and made a world of difference! They are softer on the hands and just a pleasure to knit with. I also find that they are less slippery than the metal ones. So if you start out with metal needles, but hate them, don't be afraid to try another kind of needles.

These days, I use Bamboo needles or my Denise Interchangeable Needle Kit. I find these needles almost as comfortable to use as Bamboo and I was sold on the idea of the kit essentially containing so many pairs of needles. I haven't bought another pair of needles since, so it ended up saving me money in the long run. If you'd like to know more about it, take a look here.

As I mentioned, needles come in all different shapes and sizes. Thinner needles produces finer knitting. Circular and double pointed needles mean you can work a tube, like a sock or hat without a seam running up the side. Your pattern will tell you what needles you need. I'll talk about patterns in Part 2 of this series.

Yarn

If you want to sound like you know what you're talking about, then it's called 'yarn' not 'wool'. Yarn can be made from wool, but also acrylic, cotton, alpaca, silk, bamboo, cashmere, possum fur and all kinds of other things as well as blends. My Grandma has even spun some yarn from Samoyed dog hair! Yarn comes in a ball, ready to use, or often in a twisted up hank or skein (pronounced 'skayne'). These will need to be wound into balls to use easily.

I started off my first project with some cheap acrylic yarn. It's not that bad and will do a good enough job for most things. It does make my hands sweaty though. Wool is nicer on the hands, but can be itchy for some people. You can also get lovely (expensive) wool yarns that feel so silky you wouldn't believe they're wool.

I think starting out with acrylic yarn is fine, but take a look at some other varieties too. When I make things for myself I never use acrylic. I can't wear acrylic clothes because they make me sweaty and stinky so I avoid acrylic yarn. If you're knitting for babies, it can sometimes be a good idea to use acrylic instead of wool as some babies get irritated by wool. Cotton is usually a pretty safe bet.

When buying yarn, always hold the ball up against your neck for a minute. You can gauge how warm it is and also tell if it's itchy at all. Also, stick your nose right in and have a smell. Some yarns smell terrible and that's enough to put me off buying them! If you need more than one ball for your project, make sure you buy them from the same dye lot. This number is printed on the paper ball band and matching them up will make sure you get a consistent colour throughout your project.

The ball band contains a lot of information such as the fibre content of the yarn, what needle size is recommended (helpful when you are trying to match a yarn to a project) what gauge/tension you can expect for the needle size (how many stitches and rows you will get per inch or 10cm) and also the care instructions and dye lot (mentioned above).

Yarn comes in different weights (thicknesses), so you will need to consult your pattern to know which one to buy. I'll talk about patterns in Part 2 of this series.

Other equipment

Here is a list of other items that are handy to have when starting a knitting project:
Scissors - For cutting yarn
A blunt tapestry needle - Used to weave in your yarn ends or join your knitting pieces together. Find one with a nice big eye (hole) to make threading your yarn through easy.
Tape measure - To check how long your pieces are. Patterns often say 'knit for 10 inches' or similar
Crochet hook - Why does a knitter need a crochet hook? They come in very handy if you drop stitches. That means they fall off the knitting needle and can start to unravel.
Notebook and Pen - Can be handy to take note of where you are up to if you need to stop knitting.
Stitch Markers - These are useful when you need to mark a certain point along the way of your needles. They simply slide onto the needle between the stitches. I usually use small safety pins or rubber o-rings. You can also buy pretty looking ones.
A Knitting Bag - You need something cute to put all your knitting stuff in. Here's one I made my friend using my Big Tote Bag pattern.

Ok, so now you have all your equipment sorted out! In Part Two of this mini-series, I'll talk about online resources and the kinds of patterns to get you started.

Want to know when Part Two is coming out? Follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Bloglovin or via email.

*None of this post is sponsored by any of the companies I have listed. They are simply products I personally like and have bought.

Giveaway Day - Big Tote Bag Pattern Giveaway

2013-05-07T08:56:00.000+10:00

May Giveaway Day has arrived at Sew Mama Sew and I'm taking part. Bloggers everywhere host a giveaway, and best of all, you can find them all in one spot, so if you're in a competition entering kind of mood, go crazy!

I'm giving away 2 copies of The Big Tote Bag PDF Sewing Pattern. Because it's a PDF pattern, this giveaway is open Worldwide!

How to Win:

Use the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of the page to tell me what you would use your bag for. Bonus entry for people who like Things for Boys on Facebook. It's a great way to keep in touch with what's happening on the blog. Feel free to leave me a comment too, but only entries via the Rafflecopter form are eligible to win.

I'll pick my 2 favourite answers who will each win a copy of the PDF pattern. Giveaway closes May 11th. If you're a winner, you'll receive an email by May 12th.

I've made a knitting bag, a library bag and several other bags using this pattern. The page for the knitting bag also has a full tutorial showing you how to add a centre divider to the bag.

Head on over to the Giveaway Day page and check out all the giveaways that are going on!

Want a copy of the pattern now? Head on over to my Shop.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Apple and Sultana Muffins

2013-05-04T22:11:00.000+10:00

Hubby loves Buttermilk Chicken for dinner, but I often end up with half a carton of buttermilk in the fridge that gets forgotten about. This time I made sure I put it to good use. These muffins are really easy to put together and could be changed up a lot with all kinds of fruit or even choc chips. The recipe is based on this one from taste.com.au. The cooked muffins hold together really nicely and aren't crumbly, so are great for little kids to eat without making too much mess.

Apple and Sultana Muffins

2 cups (300g) self raising flour, sifted (here's how to make your own)
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (250ml) buttermilk
2 eggs
1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
2 apples with skin still on, grated
1/2 cup (85g) sultanas

Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).

Place flour, sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir to combine. In a jug, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and oil. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Then, stir through the grated apple and sultanas.

Spoon mixture into a 12 muffin papers (I used the regular sized silicon ones). Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or cold.

Sewing 101: French Seam - Tutorial

2013-05-01T08:51:00.000+10:00

French seams are a handy little skill to have in your repertoire. They're great for delicate fabrics because they enclose the raw edges inside two seams, so any fraying will stay hidden in the seam. And because you're sewing two seams, they make strong seams with a bit of insurance. They take a little extra time, but look lovely and neat on the wrong side and really add a professional finish. They work best on straight seams or seams with only a slight curve, such as the side seams of skirts, trousers or tops.

Would you believe that in France they call it an 'English Seam'?! I like to use French Seams when making pillowcases or fitted sheets for strength and when sewing the sides seams of tops for myself for loveliness. They make you smile when you look at them. Or is that just me?

How to sew a French Seam - Tutorial

To start off with, your given seam allowance needs to be split into two, giving a little bit for each part of the seam:

- A 1.5cm seam allowance will be split into: 5mm for the first seam, then 1cm for the second

- A 1cm seam allowance will be split into: 5mm for the first seam, then 5mm for the second

- A 5/8" seam allowance will be split into: 1/4" for the first seam, then 3/8" for the second

- A 1/2" seam allowance will be split into: 1/4" for the first seam, then 1/4" for the second

For the first seam, pin your pieces wrong sides together. This is opposite to the way you normally would. Sew your first seam, using the measurements above.

Press along the seam to set it. Then open out the fabric and press the seam to one side.

Now, fold the fabric over so that the right sides of the fabric are facing, and press the seam flat.

Open the fabric and trim the seam allowance down to 3mm (1/8"). It's easier to press the seam before you trim the seam allowance off, even though it might not seem like it.

Now you can sew the second seam. Your fabric will be right sides together (like normal). Sew your second seam, using the measurements above. Your raw seam is now hidden inside the second seam. Lovely!

Open out the fabric and press the seam to one side and you're done!

Aren't they pretty? What other tutorials would you like to see on seam finishes?

KCW - Coastal Cargos, Flashback Tees and Fancy Pants

2013-04-28T09:52:00.003+10:00

These would have to be some of the least 'Coastal' or 'Cargo' looking Coastal Cargos I've seen. I wanted to play with the pattern and Roman needed some pants for Church, so they're more Tuxedo style. I really like the pattern, it gives you so many options, so there will be a lot more of these coming. I've already bought 5 pieces of fabric for other pairs!

These pants were nice and challenging with quite a few techniques I haven't tried before. The welt pocket and zip fly were first times for me. The fly nearly drove me insane! I had to pull out a pair of hubby's jeans and examine them for it to make sense to me. I'm glad I did it though, as one of my aims this year is to try and challenge myself with my sewing. I did let out a 'squeeee' of delight when zipping them up on Roman this morning...tiny man trousers!

The pants also give you a lot of opportunities to use some hidden and fun fabric. I used my final scrap of this rainbow stripe fabric that Roman loves. I used it in a pair of slippers for him in a previous KCW and he loves his 'rainbow slippers'. I'm hoping he'll be happy to put the pants on for the same reason.

Again, a bribe of a fruit bar resulted in some usable action shots of the pants. Hubby took about 15 photos and then Roman decided to stick his finger in some bird poo and wipe it off on the pants...photo shoot over!

I realise I'm a bit late to the Neon trend, but I've had this paint for ages and finally got around to using it. It looks yellow in the pot, but very green on the fabric. I think the grey is coming through a bit. Again, I've used the Flashback Skinny Tee for the pattern. I've lost count of how many of them I've made. The shape just fits Roman perfectly, so I don't think I'll be trying another top pattern any time soon. I'm not sure if that's smart or boring?! I cut up a Champagne cork for my stamp and brushed the paint onto it with a paintbrush.

And finally, I've been making up a few pairs of Fancy Pants Leggings. A few weeks ago I tested the pattern for Laura from Craftstorming and made Roman up a few pairs of pyjamas with Flashback Skinny Tees for tops. I didn't want the new baby missing out, so this week I also made up some in baby size! These are the 3 - 6 months size and I added the feet for warmth as it will be cold here by the time they fit. I love the bum panel in these pants...it gives you so many options for having fun and when Roman digs under the couch for lost cars, the bum panel looks super cute sticking up in the air!

All in all, I'm really happy with everything I completed this week. I challenged myself with the Coastal Cargos and the making of the Peter Rabbit Jacket and also got a couple of wardrobe staples done for the boys. Some days I got a lot done and others none. How did you fair this week?

KCW: Peter Rabbit Jacket

2013-04-27T13:22:00.000+10:00

Roman loves Peter Rabbit. He actually has 2 Peter Rabbit softies, one named Peter, the other named Michael. In the photo above, Peter is on the left, Michael is on the right. I think Michael just wins out as the favourite, but if Michael isn't around, he's happy to hang out Peter.

For a while now, I've been planning on making him a jacket to match 'the boys' and when Kids Clothes Week popped up, I started to get my supplies together.

There were quite a few steps involved in making the jacket. First off, I bought the French Terry fabric online (thanks Lee Bee), but the colour turned out to be a fair bit lighter than it looked on the computer, so I dyed it a few shades darker. Thankfully, the colour came out just right! It's always such a risk plunging a piece of fabric into the dye. I don't think I dissolved the dye quite enough though as there are a few spots on the fabric from dye granules. When I cut out the pattern I made sure to put the worst ones on the lining.

I drafted the pattern myself, using the Heidi & Finn Urban Hoodie (see my previous version here) as a base and following this diagram which shows how to draft a shawl collar onto a regular top. I left the back and sleeve pieces as is. It worked out really well and wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I pinned the paper pattern pieces together and folded it over to make sure it was the right size before cutting out the fabric.

The jacket is fully lined, so I left a hole in the lining side seam for turning through. Because the fabric is a knit, I stabilised either side of the hole with some interfacing to stop it stretching when I turned it through. This worked really well, so I'll have to remember it for next time.

When it was all put together, I took a look through my button stash but didn't have anything quite right. Ros, from Sew Delicious came to the rescue and gave me the perfect buttons from her collection! Thanks again Ros!

I think Roman is pretty happy with the jacket even though he had to be bribed with snacks to put it on for the photos. I think the hardest part of KCW is always trying to get action shots!

Cooking the Books: Series Round Up

2013-04-25T08:32:00.000+10:00

Cooking the Books has come to an end. I've had a great time testing out a couple of my previously unused cookbooks and have loved seeing what my guests have been testing out. I hope it's inspired you to try out some of your cookbooks too!

Here's a re-cap of what everyone made. Click on the pictures or the title to be taken to the post

Spiced Nuts - Gifts from the Kitchen blogged by Me

Roast Pork Belly - The River Cottage Meat Book blogged by Meg from Elsie Marley

Choc Mint Cookies - Sweet Eats blogged by Sarah from Butter with a Side of Bread

Chilli con Carne Meatballs - Jamie's 15 Minute Meals blogged by Ros from Sew Delicious

Chocolate Pear and Almond Puddings - Chocolate Indulgence blogged by Me

Coconut Lime and Blueberry Slice - Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache blogged by Laura from Craftstorming

Frangipane Jam Drops - AWW Cakes Bisctuis Slices blogged by Narelle from Cook Clean Craft

Lemon Chicken - 4 Ingredients blogged by Emily from Fuss Free Cooking

Thanks again to everyone who participated, I hope you had fun too!

Cooking the Books: 4 Ingredients

2013-04-24T08:18:00.000+10:00

Lucky last in Cooking the Books is Emily from Fuss Free Cooking. I've been following Emily's blog for a long time and it's easy to see why...everything she makes looks amazing!! Since she posted her recipe for home made Kecap Manis, I've never bought it again and I can't wait to find an excuse to try out her Steamboat. It's definitely not a blog to look at when you're hungry. If only there was a such thing as a scratch and sniff computer screen!

Hi Things for Boys readers! I’m Emily from Fuss Free Cooking.

Firstly I’d like to thank Abby for the invitation to guest post during her “Cooking the Books” series. When she approached me with the series, many cookbooks flashed before my eyes. I must admit my cookbook hoarding has escalated to a new height ever since I started blogging 3 years ago. “It’s in the name of research”, was what I keep telling myself unfortunately.

After going through a couple of cookbooks, I’ve finally found THE ONE that befits my cooking mantra: fuss free. It is none other than the 4 Ingredients - Fast, Fresh and Healthy” by Kim McCosker, Rachael Bermingham and Deepak Chopra which I can’t believe was out of my radar all this time. As I went through the recipes, I was looking for a kid-friendly recipe for Abby’s blog. It is a tricky task I put myself up to, after all, I have been cooking for my beloved and myself all this time and we all know that children are the toughest food critics.

After going back and forth on a number of recipes, I have decided on the lemon chicken recipe. I have a feeling that kids may like these lemon chicken pieces with a slight crispy and tangy exterior. However, judging by the amount of greens I have on my pictures, I have a feeling I may not make the cut with the little critics ha!

Lemon Chicken

Serves 4

4 free range chicken breasts

4 lemons, juiced and zested

1 cup corn flour

1 ltr cooking oil (canola, sunflower, or peanut)

Salt and pepper to taste

Emily’s Notes: I scaled down the recipe to 1 serving, in case you’re wondering why the amount of chicken does not reflect 4 chicken breasts on my play-by-play photos. I used 4 pieces of chicken tenderloin, juice and zest of a lemon, added some black pepper and salt in the lemon juice and marinate for 10 minutes (which was contrary to the original recipe which specifies to add the salt and pepper just before serving). To make the batter, I added about 2 tbps of corn flour. But you could eyeball it by adding the corn flour a little at a time until the lemon juice and the water from the chicken looked like a thick batter (think pancake batter) when the juice amalgamates with the corn flour.

Cut chicken into thin strips. Place in a bowl add lemon juice and zest. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Add corn flour, the mix should resemble a thick batter. If too runny, add a little more corn flour.

Heat half the oil in a small pot, fry a few pieces at a time giving the oil enough time to regain heat (replace oil if needed). Place chicken on a tray with absorbent towel to remove any excess oil. Season with sea salt and pepper then serve.

Emily’s suggestion: In order to make a complete meal, I’ve accompanied the chicken with apple and chopped spinach and rocket leaves salad. As for the “sauce”, whip some plain yoghurt with honey/maple syrup and cracked pepper drizzled with olive oil.

Thanks Emily! So lovely of you to cook a kid friendly recipe. It looks delicious and I think it would be a big hit with Roman...salad and all, although he'd probably just pick out the apple pieces. ;) Thanks for participating in Cooking the Books.

Have you made a recipe from this book? Leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

Cooking the Books: AWW Cakes, Biscuits and Slices

2013-04-22T09:28:00.000+10:00

Baking today is Narelle from Cook Clean Craft. Before blogging, Narelle was an Engineer just like I was! It sure feels like a lifetime ago for me. Last year I participated in Boy's Own Style Month on Narelle's blog. Now she's returning the favour and testing out the Australian Women's Weekly: Cakes Biscuits and Slices. Take it away Narelle!

I love to bake – maybe it’s in my genes since my maiden name is Baker. Unfortunately, trying to hold the post-baby weight under control means I don’t indulge in making sweet treats as often as I’d like. When I do, I often turn to my Australian Women’s Weekly cookbooks. They are always reliable, with the same recipes my Mum used when growing up.

When I first moved out of home, I made frangipane jam drops, but my size control was a little out of whack. My biscuits were huge and I didn't cook them anywhere near long enough. Not a good result (but I still ate them!).

For this challenge, it was time to give them another go. I showed much more restraint in creating my dough balls and they turned out much better (funny about that!).

Jam drops are an elegant cookie to serve with afternoon tea – very lady-like, don’t you think? I can’t eat too many at once since the jam is a little sickly sweet – not a bad thing. Here’s the recipe from Australian Women’s Weekly Cakes, Biscuits and Slices

Frangipane Jam Drops

125g butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 cup almond meal
1 egg
2/3 cup plain (all purpose) flour
2 tablespoons jam (we used strawberry)

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)

Beat together butter, sugar, vanilla extract and almond meal until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until just combined. Then, stir in the plain flour.

Place level tablespoons (or heaped teaspoons) of mixture onto a greased oven tray, leaving 5cm (2”) space between them. Make a small hole in the top of each biscuit and fill with approximately 1/4 teaspoon of jam.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until golden. Cool on their trays.

Great minds think alike, and Abby and I are having similar cookbook challenges this year. My goal is to cook three things from all my cookbooks by the end of the year. Read all about the challenge here.

Thanks Narelle! We're all big sweet tooths in this family so I don't think they'd last 5 minutes. I also love anything almond flavoured, so I'm sold! Thanks for participating in Cooking the Books.

Have you made a recipe from this book? Leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

Cooking the Books: Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache

2013-04-19T08:42:00.000+10:00

Baking today is Laura from Craftstorming. We've been following each-other's blogs for a while now and have become very good friends...if only by email! I first found Laura's blog when I was looking to make Roman some baby sleeping bags (grobags) and came across her awesome version! Laura not only sews, but bakes too and you'll find plenty of delicious goodies on her blog. Today she's testing out a recipe from Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache.

Hello 'Things for Boys' readers. I was really intrigued when Abby told me about this series, it's such a great idea. I have a lot of cookbooks, including several that I haven't used yet. I was pleased to be nudged into trying a recipe from one of these books.

The book I chose to cook from was 'Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache' by Harry Eastwood. The recipes do what most of us dream of - they make cake healthy, or healthier at least - and claim to do this without compromising on flavour. Several standard cake ingredients such as butter and wheat flour are replaced with healthier alternatives like vegetables, ground almonds and rice flour. It's beautifully styled and I've almost made a recipe from it many times but always opted for a more traditional recipe just in case they result wasn't very tasty. Fortunately that was not the case with the Coconut, Lime and Blueberry Slice.

There were so many recipes I wanted to try but my decision was made when I saw the description for this one, which states that 'this cake is loaded with Australian morning light'. Although I don't really like the way the author talks about the cakes as if they are people, I think she might have a point there. A beautifully light sponge which sits upon a thin layer of crispy and sweet coconut.

This is one of the few recipes in the book that uses butter although it is just in the coconut base and could be easily replaced. The sponge uses courgettes as one of the main ingredients. It was incredibly runny before I put it in the oven so I was slightly worried but it was the perfect texture once baked. Everyone who tried it thought it was absolutely delicious, Casper even said "that was yummy, I need more cake". Now I just need to decide what recipe to make next.

Coconut Lime and Blueberry Slice

Coconut Base
80g caster sugar
50g unsalted butter (this is slightly more than the original recipe)
pinch of salt
150g desiccated coconut

Cake Layer
2 medium eggs
150g caster sugar
150g topped, tailed, peeled and finely grated zucchini (courgette)
zest and juice of 2 whole limes
120g white rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
200g blueberries
Icing sugar to dust

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 22cm (9") square baking tin with baking paper and brush with vegetable oil.

For the coconut base, put the caster sugar, butter and salt into a saucepan and heat gently. Once the butter has melted it will form a paste.

Put the coconut in a large bowl and pour the paste on top. Use a palette knife to mix together then finish bringing it together with your fingers.

Push the mix into the base of the baking tin. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. It can burn easily so check every few minutes and reduce heat if necessary.

While the coconut base is baking you can make the cake layer. Beat together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the grated zucchini (courgette) and lime zest and beat again.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt and lime juice. Beat until well combined and pour into the baking tin on top of the coconut layer. It will be quite runny at this stage. Scatter the blueberries into the cake mix and place in the oven for 30 minutes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into slices. It helps to have a cake slice to get both layers out in one piece.

Enjoy!

Thanks Laura! That does sound like one interesting book...any excuse to have another piece and I'm in! Thanks for participating in Cooking the Books.

Have you made a recipe from this book? Leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

Cooking the Books: Indulgence Chocolate

2013-04-17T09:09:00.000+10:00

I totally judged the book by it's cover when I bought this. The cover photo of those dried up orange slices dipped in dark chocolate had me licking my lips, so I bought the book without a second thought. The book, Indulgence Chocolate: A Fine Selection of Sweet Treats is one of a series of Indulgence books. I've also got Indulgence Cupcakes and Indulgence Petits Fours. The covers are printed canvas which makes the books feel extra special.

I love the pear, chocolate and spice combo, so I didn't need any convincing to test this particular recipe out. These puddings are pretty sweet, but actually quite light. Test one out with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream!

Chocolate, Almond and Pear Puddings
makes 8

1/3 cup golden syrup
8 tinned pear halves (from 825g/29oz tin - my tin had about 11 halves in it)
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour (all purpose flour)
30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground Allspice (optional)*
55g (1/2 cup) ground almonds
3 eggs, at room temperature
165g (3/4 cup well packed) brown sugar
60ml (1/4 cup) milk
1/3 cup golden syrup, extra
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Grease 8 holes from two non stick 6-hole giant (Texas/1 Cup) muffin tins.

Spoon the golden syrup into the bases of the muffin holes. I added about 2 tsp to each, but didn't measure that I'd used 1/3 cup. Place a pear half in each, cut side down.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and allspice into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the ground almonds.

Beat the eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and glossy. It'll look a bit like liquid meringue. With a spatula, fold in the milk and then the flour mix until just combined.

Spoon the pudding mixture over the pears. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edge of each pudding and turn out onto a wire rack.

Serve immediately drizzled with the extra golden syrup. These puddings are great to make ahead, simply reheat in the microwave. They can also be frozen.

*I used the ground Allspice as listed in the recipe but I also think cardamom, cinnamon, Pfeffernüsse Spice Mix or mixed spice would all work well. You could also leave the spice out if you'd prefer it straight.

Have you tested out a new cookbook lately? Leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

Cooking the Books: Jamie's 15 Minute Meals

2013-04-15T09:41:00.000+10:00

Joining me for Cooking the Books today is Ros from Sew Delicious. Ros is a very lucky girl as she happens to be my only 'met in real life' blog friend! I love hanging out with Ros as I only have a couple of other crafty friends and it's great to be able to chat about fabric and sewing with someone whose eyes don't glaze over (sorry Hubby)!

Ros and I have met up at the Zoo a few times with our kids, enough that Roman thinks Ros lives at the Zoo. I know some days it feels like I do! Today, Ros is showing us a recipe from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals

Hi I'm Ros from Sew Delicious - thanks Abby for having me take part in Cooking The Books!

I confess that I do have several books that I haven't cooked from, but I thought I'd share a dish from a book I've used a lot since I bought it, as I figure many of you are on the look out for kid friendly food.

These Chile Con Carne Meatballs are from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals. I loved the show and I love the cookbook. Watching Jamie's shows over the years has taught me a lot of great tips and tricks and I do believe I am a better cook thanks to him. He is not my only favourite though - I am a big Nigella fan too!

My kids are 4 and almost 2, and meal times can be a bit messy and difficult. One of the reasons I like this book so much at the moment is that the recipes are quick, but not lazy. I would happily dish them up to guests.

I made a few adjustments to this recipe. Instead of bulgar wheat, I use couscous, which I always have in the pantry. The recipe also includes some char grilled chillies, but I leave those out of our family version. Some kids might have trouble with the salty sharpness of the preserved lemon, but I love it so I keep it in and the kids can pick it out!

I like the way that Jamie serves the food in this book in a communal style, where you serve yourself to a helping at the table. When I was a kid, my Mum always served individual meals to us, and I felt like I had no control over what was on my plate. Serving meals this way has encouraged my children, especially my four year old, to choose how much she would like to eat, and go back for seconds if she would like to. I think it has helped her move on from a particularly fussy phase and try new things.

I reduce the portion size by about 1/3, and we still have enough for two adults, two kids, then an extra adult size portion for my husband to take to work for lunch the next day.

The question everyone asks - can you do it in 15 minutes? Yes and no. If I got all my ingredients out, pots and pans ready to go etc, and my kids were not at home, I would have it done in 15, no problem. But someone is always asking for a drink, the phone might ring, I'll have to break up a squabble over a toy, so 15 minutes to do anything around here is always elusive. But I don't think it's ever taken as long as 30 minutes, so that is pretty great! Which brings me to another recipe - the Spaghetti Puttanesca from Jamie's 30 Minute Meals is a real family favourite here too!

I love to post the occasional recipe on my blog - you can check out my Spinach Feta Quiche or my Vanilla Baked Cheesecake amongst others on my Recipes page. Happy cooking!

Thanks Ros! I have a few of Jamie's books, one of which I've never used. I really should pull it out, I love his recipes! Thanks for participating in Cooking the Books.

Have you made a recipe from this book? Leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

Cooking the Books: Sweet Eats

2013-04-12T08:41:00.000+10:00

Joining us is Sarah from Butter with a side of Bread. If you haven't been to the blog before, then check it out. The girls do a great job of making you very hungry! Today, Sarah is testing out the recipe for Chocolate Mint Cookies from the book, Sweet Eats by Rose Dunnington.

I’m so excited to actually get to open my new cook book that my Sister-in-law gave me for Christmas. It is called Sweet Eats by Rose Dunnington. This book is full of yummy treats, some easy and some a little more challenging. As I was doing this for a blog post, I decided to try something a little easier and let me tell you, this recipe for Chocolate-Mint Cookies is very easy. It is also very yummy. I made a plate for my husband to take to work and his co-workers had them all gone within minutes!

I also think this recipe would be great to add things to and dress up a little. Dried fruit, marshmallows, caramel, nuts, anything would work well with this basic cookie recipe. So, have a go at it and make it your own!

Chocolate Mint Cookies

125g (1/2 cup or 1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (You can use vanilla extract. Raspberry extract may taste good too)
3/4 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I tend to go a little overboard with this ingredient)

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Cream the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Add the egg and peppermint extract, and beat until combined.

Stir the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a second bowl. Mash any lumps with your fingers. Add this dry stuff to the wet mixture. Mix well. (Hint: Do not overmix)

Add the chocolate chips. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly blended.

Put spoonfuls of dough a couple inches apart on lined cookie sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes.

Use oven mitts to remove the cookie sheets from the oven. Use a metal spatula to transfer the hot cookies to a wire cooling rack. Grab a glass of milk and enjoy!

Thanks Sarah! I'm a big fan of the choc-mint combo, so I know these cookies would not last very long in our house! Thanks for participating in Cooking the Books.

Cooking the Books: The River Cottage Meat Book

2013-04-10T08:28:00.000+10:00

Cooking today is Meg from Elsie Marley. Meg is famous for running Kids Clothes Week, where people all around the world focus on sewing some kids clothing for the week. I've taken part twice before (see here) and I love it! The next KCW is coming up at the end of the month, go here if you'd like to join in.

Meg not only sews, but she cooks too! Her latest recipe for smoky roasted eggplant had me drooling all over the keyboard...I think it's the runny egg and the fact that us pregnant women aren't meant to eat them...torture! Today, Meg is testing out a recipe for Pork Belly from The River Cottage Meat Book.

Hello, Things For Boys readers! I was super excited that Abby asked me to be a part of Cooking the Books. I said yes right away, but then I realized all the cookbooks I own are very well used. We have a small kitchen and I had to ruthlessly edit my cookbook collection to make it fit in the space available. Cookbooks, though, are my favorite kinds of books--I read them like novels!

I never stopped reading them, I just had to stop buying them! That is where our library comes in handy. Any cookbook that catches my eye goes on my hold list. Most weeks I have a stack like the one pictured above waiting for me. Eventually, I have to give them back, which means many meals I want to make go uncooked. This series was the perfect opportunity to dive head first into one of those books.

I picked the book on the top of the stack: The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. The book is half reference and half recipes. All of the recipes looked delicious, but the one that stood out was Roast Belly of Pork with Apple Sauce. Your first thought might be, "Well, I'm never going to make that." And a few month ago, that probably would have been my reaction too. Part of my new years resolution was to eat a more varied diet. Life is too short to only eat chicken, beef, or pork! There is a whole world of meat out there and oceans full of fish too (I won't even touch on the crazy amounts of fruit and veg to try). I was also interested in eating more sustainable meats: grass fed, pasture raised, organic. The problem with this kind of meat is that, though delicious, it is quite expensive. Luckily, if you are willing to be a little adventurous, sustainable meats can be super affordable.

I bought this pork belly at our local farmer's market for $4/lb. That is a long way from $20/lb organic lamb chops. The farm I bought it from (Jordandal Farms, if you are in Wisconsin) raises all their animals on pasture and though they are not certified organic, they practice sustainable, organic principles. Now pork belly is, I admit, not the easiest cut to obtain. It's what bacon is made from, so usually it's made into bacon. If you track down a local farmer, they are sure to help you out. And your work will be rewarded, because HooWee! is it delicious.

Once you have the pork belly, you just need a little salt, pepper and thyme and soon you'll wonder how you ever lived without this amazing meal.

Roast Pork Belly

from The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (with my notes in italics)

ingredients

The thick end of the belly (last 6 ribs)---I have no idea what this means. I asked for pork belly and he asked if I wanted a 3lb piece or a 12lb piece. I picked the 3 pounder.

salt and fresh ground pepper--yes! lots of salt

fresh thyme leaves--I used about 10 small sprigs.

directions

Score the skin of the belly with a sharp knife and rub with salt, pepper and fresh thyme leaves, getting the seasoning and herbs right into the cracks.

Roast in a hot oven, 220°C (425°F) for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180°C (350°F) and cook for roughly another hour, until the juices run clear when golden brown.

If the crackling is reluctant, whack up the heat again, as high as you like, and check every few minutes till it's done.

I roasted my pork belly a bit longer, because I was nervous. But I probably shouldn't have. He doesn't say to let the meat rest, but I think you should--15 minutes is good. To crisp the crackling I had to turn my oven way up. I tried the broiler (griller), but it burns too easily. The oven, cranked up to 250°C (500°F), works really well. You may not skip this part! The crackling is the most unbelievably delicious thing. Out of this world, I tell you!

The pork belly shrinks up quite a bit, which surprised me. Makes it look like a Sunday roast. Actually, roast pork belly would be a perfect Sunday meal. It takes a few hours in the oven, but all of them are unattended. Weekends or when you have some puttering around the house time is the right time to make this meal.

The recipe also has directions for making apple sauce, but since I was already making mashed butternut squash (aka smashed squash!) I simply sautéed some sliced apples in butter. He suggests serving some kale to "ease your conscience as you lap up the lard." I followed his advice and made a variation of my kale salad. The meal was a huge success! Thank you, Abby, for making it happen!

Thanks Meg, that sounds amazing! Any time we're out at a restaurant and there's Pork Belly on the menu, hubby will order it, so I'm pretty sure I'll be cooking this soon. Thanks for participating in Cooking the Books.

Have you made a recipe from this book? Leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

Cooking the Books: Gifts from the Kitchen

2013-04-08T08:39:00.000+10:00

I'm so excited that Cooking the Books starts today! If you have a cookbook on your shelf that you've never used, get it out and cook along with us!

Participating in the series is:
Meg from Elsie Marley
Sarah from Butter with a Side of Bread
Ros from Sew Delicious
Laura from Craftstorming
Narelle from Cook Clean Craft
Emily from Fuss Free Cooking

If you decide to take up the challenge and cook from some of your unused books, please put a message up on the Facebook page, the thingsforboys twitter, on the Flickr Group or just leave a comment on the blog.

I'm kicking off the series with a quick little recipe from a sweet little book, Gifts from the Kitchen by Annie Rigg. It's full of great ideas for homemade gifts for all occasions. There is a good mix of sweet and savoury treats and also a few liqueurs and cordials too. The book also includes gift wrapping ideas and an indication of how long your treats will stay fresh for once they've been made, which is very handy information if you are giving anything as a gift.

I'm testing out a fairly simple recipe for Spiced Nuts. The recipe doesn't give suggestions for other flavour combinations, but the spices could easily be changed to suit your taste. I also halved the recipe in the book and my quantities are shown below.

Spiced Nuts
makes about 2 cups

375g mixed nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, peanuts, macadamias)
25g pumpkin seeds
25g sunflower seeds (I used 50g of a pumpkin, sunflower seeds and pine nut mix)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes (I used Smoked Maldon Sea Salt)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika (I used smoked)

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Tip all the nuts and seeds into a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine evenly. The seeds tend to fall to the bottom, but that's ok. Add the olive oil and the honey. I measure out the oil in my measuring spoon first, then tip it in the nuts. The spoon gets a nice oil coating so that you can measure the honey and it comes out of the spoon easily.

Add the spices and mix well to coat all the nuts evenly in the spice mix. Tip the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Spread the nuts out in an even layer.

Roast the nuts for about 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool on the tray. I'd suggest testing a few when they are just cool enough to handle and checking whether they need any extra salt.

I ate al the nuts over a couple of days, so didn't give them as a gift. The book says they'll last for 3 days, but I'm sure they'd stay fresh for longer than that.

Have you made a recipe from this book? Please leave a comment us know what you thought of it.

An Accidental Renovation

2013-04-03T14:13:00.000+11:00

It was meant to be a quick mini-renovation, but this has quickly turned into a much bigger project. For a while we had been planning to update the pantry over Easter weekend. It was 3 little cupboards and 2 open nooks and it drove me crazy trying to find things. I'd have to look in 5 spots to find anything! The plan was to get 2 tall cabinets to replace the 5 sections.

Our kitchen is an Ikea kitchen, so we thought it would be a fairly quick job. Pull out the old cupboards, head to Ikea for a pair of tall matching cabinets, come home and put them together and then put them in...easy! The picture above gives you a bit of an idea of how it looked at the start.

Well, as we started to pull out the old cupboards, we quickly realised that this was going to be a much bigger job. The DIY install the previous owners had done was worthy of an episode of Cowboy Builders! Most things were glued together...they had 1 screw if we were lucky! We were amazed the kitchen hadn't fallen apart! We decided that we would be most comfortable ripping that whole side of the kitchen out and starting from scratch. That way, we knew the job would be done right.

After a lot more demolition work, we got it all back to bare studs to start fresh...just what you want to be doing about 8 weeks away from having a baby?! I'm not much use to hubby and the dust makes me sneezy, so he's been doing a fantastic job mostly on his own. I've been hiding upstairs thinking I'm sewing, but mostly touching my fabric (yep, I do that too). The frames are starting to go up and it's starting to come together. We are also hoping to re-use a lot of the cabinetry from the old one to make the shelves in the new pantry. Nothing like a bit of recycling!

We decided to group it into sections, so that the work doesn't all need to be done now. Hubby's going to concentrate on the pantry and we'll leave the fridge side until later (hopefully not 5 years later, but probably a couple). Now that it's a real renovation, it does mean that the new pantry will be bigger...which is exciting. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the section on the left of the heating duct is new. The old pantry finished where the hole in the floor is. The fridge will move over to the left to make room.

Roman has been enjoying it all and helping out. He had lots of fun measuring the fridge for us, even calling out random numbers and was surprisingly good at using a screwdriver. That's his new fake 'camera' smile...awww!

The Chenille Quilt

2013-03-30T09:02:00.000+11:00

About a month ago, I posted that I was all set to get started on my first quilt, a Faux Chenille Baby Quilt. You can see the post here. I was so excited to do this quilt and it all went so well until the last step! It's actually been ready for a couple of weeks, but I needed some time to get over the disappointment! Have I sucked you in yet?...keep reading!

To make the quilt, I followed this tutorial on Aesthetic Nest. The first big task of stitching the lines went quicker than I thought it would (about 4 hours all up) and was also not as boring as I thought it would be. Next, came slashing the rows. The chenille cutter made this a very easy job and it was done in about 20 minutes flat!

I decided I wanted rounded corners on the quilt, which meant I needed some bias binding. I'd never made it before, but that also turned out to be a fun task. I made continuous bias binding using this tutorial and this chart to figure out how much fabric I needed to use to make it. It's not a pretty tutorial, but it was the clearest explanation I found.

After squaring up the quilt, rounding the corners and making the bias tape, I then put the binding onto the quilt. I decided to machine stitch it onto the chenille side of the quilt, then hand stitch it to the other side. This did take a while as I'm not very quick at hand sewing, but the result was worth the effort. It's lovely and neat and sits perfectly. I knew that if I machine stitched it on both sides, there would be wonky stitching and I would not be happy.

Ok...if you're still reading then well done! Now, comes the horrible bit! All that was left to do was wash the quilt. Against my better judgement, I went with what I had read in several places and DID NOT pre-wash my fabric...you know what's coming next. I even bought some colour catchers to be on the safe side. After the first wash (using cold water) the quilt came out a little yellow along with the colour catchers. While it was still wet, I put it back in for another cycle (still with cold water) with even more colour catchers. It gets worse from here...This time it came out blue! The colour catchers were nice and blue, but obviously not enough to catch all the dye. You can see in the picture below that there is a bit of a blue tint to the white background of the fabric.

I left it to soak in some water and had a good cry. Sadly, it didn't make me feel much better or magically make the dye come out. Anyone else cried over a quilt? I tried soaking it in Colour Run Remover and Napisan and all sorts of things with no luck, so it went on the line to dry.

A couple of weeks later, I've now come to terms with the whole ordeal and can look at the quilt without instantly wanting to throw it in the rubbish! I did love making it and think I will still tackle another Chenille Quilt, but will definitely be pre-washing my fabrics! Keen eyes will notice that before I washed it, my quilt had some green robots on it. The yellow has run out of them and now there are a lot more blue robots on the quilt. Roman asked me where the green robots had gone...queue another tearful episode. I blame the pregnancy hormones!

Here are some other tips I picked up along the way:
- Pre-wash if you think your colours will run (I know I already mentioned this, just don't want you to forget)
- If the fabrics you are using for the chenille are printed, then the colours will be muted when it's all cut. When buying my flannelette for the chenille layers, I picked printed flannelette (so the back is actually white) as I could only get the colours I wanted in prints. Once the chenille is cut and fluffed up, you can see the back of the fabric, so the white has muted the colours a bit. Also, because my flannelettes had a printed pattern (the colour and white) this has also muted the colours. If you're after a bright quilt, try to pick plain dyed fabrics.
-Next time I would actually use 4 layers of fabric for the chenille or make my lines closer together, or even choose a bright fabric as the backing. There is a bit of a gap between the chenille lines once they've fluffed up, and the backing fabric shows through. I chose white, but would pick something brighter next time. By backing fabric, I mean that I chose to add a layer under all the 'chenille' layers that was not cut when making the chenille. So, my quilt has 2 un-cut layers.

Vegan Apple Cake

2013-03-26T10:34:00.002+11:00

No one in our household is Vegan, but we do follow Lent before Easter and Christmas, so egg-free and dairy-free recipes come in handy. I often bake this Vegan Chocolate Cake, but sometimes it's nice to mix it up a bit. Apple and Cinnamon is a classic combination, although you could leave the cinnamon out if you're not a fan. This recipe is based on this one from Cake Duchess, but I've changed it a fair bit to suit what I had on hand.

Vegan Apple Cake

Juice of one lemon
2 large apples
1/2 cup sunflower oil (or canola/vegetable oil)
1 cup almond milk (or rice/soy milk)
2 tsp vanilla extract
225g (1 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
100g (2/3 cup) wholemeal (whole wheat) flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
220g (1 cup) white sugar

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter and flour a Bundt tin or brush with Pan Coat.

Juice the lemon and put the juice into a bowl. Peel and core the apples then cut into small chunks. Stir the chunks through the lemon juice.

In a jug, stir together the oil, almond milk and vanilla.

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir in the white sugar and make sure it's all evenly combined. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and pour in the oil mixture. Fold together and then fold through the apples and lemon juice.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for about 45 - 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. This cake is best eaten on the day it's made.

Peanut Swaddler for the Baby

2013-03-22T08:24:00.000+11:00

I've had a bit of boring sewing to do lately. Mainly replacing the elastic in all of my cloth nappies. I've got about 25, so that's 50 bits of elastic! Of course, the unpicking takes twice as long as sewing it back on. I think I've still got 7 nappies to go.

To reward myself for my efforts so far, I thought I'd do some fun sewing! This project has been on my to-do list for a while. Roman loved to be swaddled as a baby. We didn't have anything like this, and would just wrap him up in blankets...he could bust out within a minute! I didn't want that to happen this time around, so made up one of these. I've heard great things about them from other Mums and I'm keen to give it a try when the new bub comes along.

I used this tutorial and free pattern from Sugar Tart Crafts. It looks much cuter with a bub swaddled inside it, don't you think?

I love the 2 way zipper...such a clever idea! I tried to get it work with some continuous zip tape, but had no luck. I bought a 16" zipper and a second 5" one just for the pull. I think the pattern says to get 2 long ones, but there's really no need as all you want off the second one is the metal pull. Making the 2 way zip was easy with the 16" zip. I think it needed the nicely finished ends on it to get the pulls to slide on.

Because it's coming up to Winter here, I lined the Swaddler. To do that, I just cut all the pieces out twice, once for the inner, once for the outer. It changed the construction order a bit, but otherwise worked great. If only I was tiny enough to hop inside and test it out!

I still want to make one more for when this gets covered in dribbly little baby gifts and needs to go in the wash.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

2013-03-18T14:58:00.000+11:00

I've had a craving for cheesecake lately, so I used the excuse of having some family over for dinner to make one. I like chilled cheesecakes because they're not as rich, so you can eat a second piece and because they don't have the stress of baking and potential cracks. I don't think I've ever actually made a baked cheesecake, all the rules have scared me off!

This recipe is based on this one from taste.com.au but as always I've changed it up a bit. I also finally got around to using the adjustable cake ring I bought when we lived in London. It worked so well! I didn't bother to line it or grease it and the cheesecake popped right out. I just expanded it a little to loosen the cake...easy! Here's a few links to similar versions from pastrychef.com, from chef.com.au and from legendcookshop.co.uk. I bought mine from Lakeland but I can't find it on their site now.

I want to make another one and use passionfruit instead, I think it would be a great combination! Also, I think a jelly layer on top would look cool! I guess that means I need to eat more cheesecake? What a shame...

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

200g plain sweet biscuits (I used Arnott's Marie)
100g butter, melted
250g frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons boiling water
3 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
180g white chocolate, chopped
2 x 250g blocks cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup caster sugar (or white sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (185ml) light evaporated milk

Put the frozen berries in a sieve over a bowl and allow to thaw. Mine took about 1 hour. You could skip this bit, but the berries are likely to bleed and leave juicy spots in your cheesecake.

Line base of a 9 inch round springform pan with baking paper. As mentioned above, I used the adjustable ring, so I didn't line or grease it. I just sat it on a flat plate.

Blitz biscuits in a food processor into crumbs. Melt the butter and mix into crumbs. Pour the crumb mix into the bottom of the tin and flatten with a spatula or your hand. Put into the fridge to chill and firm up.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside.

Place boiling water in a small, heatproof jug. Sprinkle over gelatine. Stand in a pan of simmering water and stir until gelatine has dissolved. The height of the simmering water should be about equal with the height of the gelatine/water mix.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Next, beat in the melted chocolate. Finally, add the evaporated milk, any juice from the berries and gelatine and beat on low until evenly combined. The mixture will be smooth and glossy. Fold in the berries.

Pour cream cheese mixture into pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight or until set.

Crab Balls with Asian Noodle Salad

2013-03-13T08:33:00.000+11:00

It has been crazy hot in Melbourne! Too hot to sew, too hot to cook, which is why the blog has been a little quiet. We are on track to have 10 days in a row over 30°C. I must say right now I'm missing the air-conditioning from the old house, but the pool makes up for it. I've also been putting my heat pack in the freezer and resting on my forehead at night. It definitely helps me sleep!

This is a great hot weather meal. It doesn't heat up the kitchen too much and it's nice and refreshing for a hot summer night, but substantial enough to fill me up.

Crab Balls
Makes 16 balls, enough for 2 for a light, summer dinner

250g picked crab meat (I used the meat from 3x140g cans, water squeezed out)
1 tbsp sour cream
1 egg
1/2 spring onion, finely chopped, keep the rest for the salad
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
salt and chilli flakes to taste
40g butter

Combine all ingredients together except butter in a mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. Shape tablespoon amounts of the mixture into firm balls. If the mixture is a bit too wet to shape, squeeze out some of the excess liquid as you go. Sit in fridge for about 30 mins.

Fry in melted butter until golden on all sides, turning them as they cook, for about 8 mins. Serve on top of Asian Noodle Salad

Asian Noodle Salad with Soy and Tamarind Dressing
Serves 2

100g packet bean thread vermicelli (cellophane or glass noodles), cooked and run under cold water
6 radishes, cut into slices
1 lebanese cucumber, cut in quarters lengthwise and sliced
top half of a baby cos, chopped
top half of spring onion, from crab balls, finely sliced
handful of coriander, chopped

Dressing
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp sesame oil
chilli flakes, to taste

Combine all salad ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix all dressing ingredients together, breaking up any lumps of sugar. Taste and adjust if necessary. Pour dressing over salad and use your hands to toss evenly. Divide among two bowls and server with crab balls piled on top.

Cooking the Books - Upcoming Series

2013-03-08T13:21:00.002+11:00

Just before we moved house, I got all organised and started to put this series together. It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time.

I love cookbooks and I love to collect cookbooks. I like to flick through them and I feel like I'm being all creative just looking at the pretty pictures and reading the ingredients! I've been known to even take a cookbook for bedtime reading. Anyone else do this?

This year, I'm on a self imposed ban. I cannot buy any new cookbooks until I've cooked at least one recipe from all the books I already have. Take a look at the 2 pictures below of my cookbook shelves. I've scribbled out all the ones I have used, but there are about 18 cookbooks waiting to be tested.

I knew I couldn't be the only one out there with unused cookbooks on their shelf, so I've got together with some of my blog friends to bring you this series. Joining me for the series will be:

Meg from Elsie Marley cooking Roast Pork Belly
Sarah from Butter with a Side of Bread baking Choc Mint Cookies
Ros from Sew Delicious
Laura from Craftstorming
Narelle from Cook Clean Craft
Emily from Fuss Free Cooking

I'm also testing out a recipe for Spiced Nuts.

The series will kick off on the 8th of April (see post here). Join us as we test out some recipes from our previously untouched cookbooks!

Want to join in the fun? Please leave a comment on the posts if you have used a recipe from the book and let us know what you thought of it. Also, if you decide to take up the challenge and cook from some of your unused books, please put a message up on the Facebook page, the thingsforboys twitter or on the Flickr Group. Happy Cooking!

Simplicity 3503 Pattern Review

2013-03-04T12:16:00.004+11:00

As you might know from the blog's Facebook page, we have internet finally! I'm slowly getting back into the blogging habit, but it's taking longer than I thought...sorry!

I made this dress a while ago to add to my maternity wardrobe. The pattern itself is not maternity, but the placement of the gathers and the use of knit fabric makes it comfy for my growing belly. I think the cross over on the front will also work for breastfeeding too which is a bonus!

I have used this pattern more than any other commercial pattern I have. I've made 4 dresses for myself with it and one for a friend. I've used 'View A' every time. Depending on your fabric choice you can make a casual or formal dress. I've made one with a stripy cotton stretch knit that is super casual I feel like I'm in a nightie all day, but another with a nice printed stretch poly that's a bit dressier. It's also knee length.

I'd highly recommend this pattern for anyone wanting to take on knits or make something for themselves. There aren't a lot of pattern pieces and once you've done all the gathering it comes together pretty quickly. The pattern versions give you a lot of options so you could make a whole bunch of these without them being the same.

I couldn't help myself, so I made a few changes along the way:
- I'm only 5'4", so I took a bit off the length...probably 8". It looks a bit short in the picture at the bottom, but for the version pictured I used a piece of fabric I already had and that was the most length I could get out of it.
- I left out the pockets. Because I made it as a maternity dress, I didn't want the pockets gaping or stretching.
- The biggest change I made was to draft a new back piece. The back is more like a t-shirt on this version, whereas on the original version the back looks like the front with a cross over. I also did this on my casual version. (Picture bottom right)
- I also shortened the midriff band. In my other versions I left it at the original length, but I wanted the waist to be high on this so that it would sit over my belly.

Take a look at me wearing it with my 27 week belly. Every time I see a picture of myself I think I need to work on my terrible posture, so I sit up nice and straight for the rest of the afternoon, but by the next morning I forget. Anyone have any good tips to make me stand tall?

For more reviews on this pattern (and lots of others) check out patternreview.com. I always check there first before starting a pattern. It can save you a lot of headaches!

Linking up at Make it Wear it Thursday