Skating Fridays

Welcome to the 2nd edition of Skating Fridays! I had such an overwhelmingly positive response to the inaugural post that I will try to make this a weekly thing. Thank you all for being so supportive and interested in my life outside of baking.

If you are unfamiliar with skating, there are 4 levels that adult skaters can test out of in the United States Figure Skating (USFSA) track - think of it like belts in karate. You start off with Pre-Bronze moves-in-the-field (or MIF), then Bronze, Silver and finally Gold.  One must take and pass the corresponding MIF test before testing its equivalent in other disciplines like freestyle (that's the one with jumps and spins) and pairs. Dance is completely separate.  If and when a skater competes, he or she must compete at the highest level that has been passed.

Here is a link to the diagrams and some videos that the USFSA showcases on their website for each level of MIF.

Last week I showed you my forward outside and inside double-three turns for my Gold MIF test. Today I wanted to show you one of my weaker moves - backward inside double-three turns. It took me months to figure out how to do these correctly, but they are improving. I'm curious - after viewing the videos below, can you tell which is my weaker side?

Left backward inside double-three turns:

Right backward inside double-three turns (got interrupted by some kids during one of the turns):

The MIF pattern is not on the circle like I have demonstrated above but rather in alternating half circles down the length of the ice. Fun, isn't it?

And just because I can't work on MIF all the time, here is one of my favorite spins... it's a sit spin / cannonball / back sit spin combo.  My back sit isn't very low, but it's something I'll keep working on.

Less than a month to go before Test Day!

Welcome to the 2nd edition of Skating Fridays! I had such an overwhelmingly positive response to the inaugural post that I will try to make this a weekly thing. Thank you all for being so supportive and interested in my life outside of baking.

If you are unfamiliar with skating, there are 4 levels that adult skaters can test out of in the United States Figure Skating (USFSA) track - think of it like belts in karate. You start off with Pre-Bronze moves-in-the-field (or MIF), then Bronze, Silver and finally Gold.  One must take and pass the corresponding MIF test before testing its equivalent in other disciplines like freestyle (that's the one with jumps and spins) and pairs. Dance is completely separate.  If and when a skater competes, he or she must compete at the highest level that has been passed.

Here is a link to the diagrams and some videos that the USFSA showcases on their website for each level of MIF.

Last week I showed you my forward outside and inside double-three turns for my Gold MIF test. Today I wanted to show you one of my weaker moves - backward inside double-three turns. It took me months to figure out how to do these correctly, but they are improving. I'm curious - after viewing the videos below, can you tell which is my weaker side?

Left backward inside double-three turns:

Right backward inside double-three turns (got interrupted by some kids during one of the turns):

The MIF pattern is not on the circle like I have demonstrated above but rather in alternating half circles down the length of the ice. Fun, isn't it?

And just because I can't work on MIF all the time, here is one of my favorite spins... it's a sit spin / cannonball / back sit spin combo.  My back sit isn't very low, but it's something I'll keep working on.

Less than a month to go before Test Day!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Fatal Trial by Mick Bose

     When a CIA veteran goes missing, his daughter Faye Duncan decides to take matters into her own hands and investigate. She soon finds much more than she bargained for.

     Alex Querci, a gifted young physician, begins to see strange cases of sudden epilepsy at the ER. As Alex searches for the reason, he comes across Faye Duncan.

     Together they are plunged into a mystery where death stalks them at every step. From the art of healing, they must now become experts at the art of survival, and prevent a great tyranny against mankind from being propagated forever....(synopsis from Goodreads)

     I had a difficult time getting into this book.  There were a lot of characters and story lines and none of them seemed to go together.  It was slow going for the first 40 pages or so but once Faye and Alex met I really started to enjoy the book.

     There is a lot of action in this book.  People are dying, patients are turning up missing from the hospital, and people you trust are turning out to be at the center of the mysterious trial.  Alex and Faye have stumbled onto a medical trial that is causing patients to have seizures.  Pair that with the fact that Faye's missing father may have been taken into the trials against his will and the couple are racing against time to save him and the other patients that are part of the trial.

     We learn about the pawns in the medical trial scheme and slowly unravel a story that goes back decades, all the way to the 1940's.  I had no idea who was at the center of the trials and when I found out I was very surprised!  It definitely kept me reading to the end to find out what was going to happen next.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. a Rafflecopter giveaway

     When a CIA veteran goes missing, his daughter Faye Duncan decides to take matters into her own hands and investigate. She soon finds much more than she bargained for.

     Alex Querci, a gifted young physician, begins to see strange cases of sudden epilepsy at the ER. As Alex searches for the reason, he comes across Faye Duncan.

     Together they are plunged into a mystery where death stalks them at every step. From the art of healing, they must now become experts at the art of survival, and prevent a great tyranny against mankind from being propagated forever....(synopsis from Goodreads)

     I had a difficult time getting into this book.  There were a lot of characters and story lines and none of them seemed to go together.  It was slow going for the first 40 pages or so but once Faye and Alex met I really started to enjoy the book.

     There is a lot of action in this book.  People are dying, patients are turning up missing from the hospital, and people you trust are turning out to be at the center of the mysterious trial.  Alex and Faye have stumbled onto a medical trial that is causing patients to have seizures.  Pair that with the fact that Faye's missing father may have been taken into the trials against his will and the couple are racing against time to save him and the other patients that are part of the trial.

     We learn about the pawns in the medical trial scheme and slowly unravel a story that goes back decades, all the way to the 1940's.  I had no idea who was at the center of the trials and when I found out I was very surprised!  It definitely kept me reading to the end to find out what was going to happen next.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. a Rafflecopter giveaway

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Defining Yourself

In my last job, I had the opportunity to go to conferences, classes and functions on a fairly steady basis.  On Tuesday, I went to my first industry related function for my new job.  I'm naturally a shy person...but my last job had me in front of new people ALL the time.  That I fell out of that "muscle memory" so to speak made me surprised a bit about how nervous I got.

To make matters worse, one of my co-workers was one of the two speakers for the night and he made the group go through the exercise of sharing three things about ourselves that are non-work related.

Sounds simple and innocuous, right?  Don't ask me how or why...but it made me start thinking about how people define themselves.  About how I define myself. 

I shared that:

• I'm on the board of directors of a dachshund rescue.
• I'm a voracious reader
• That I love to travel and always have my passport with me

I listened intently as people shared about themselves. After all, if you can find something in common - it gives you an opening to start a conversation.  The labels that were most utilized were: husband/wife and mother/father. 

I felt a little like a failure.  I'm neither a wife or mother.  Trust me - I wish I was both! (If you happen to see my Mr. Right...send him my way!  I've been waiting a LONG time.)  If you had asked me at 20 where I'd be in 2013, wife and mother would be on that list. If I had found the right guy, I would have happily tied the knot well over a decade ago.

Heck, if you had asked my high school or college friends where I'd be - almost all of them would predict that I'd be a wife and mom.  I was the one that helped them through relationship break-ups, make-ups and the occasional pregnancy test; didn't go through a "party" phase and played matchmaker for a number of people.

I guess I need to change my earlier statement.  I feel like a huge failure.  But it also make me curious how you define yourself.  What are your most important life titles?



*No, I'm not looking for pity.  Please just accept this as one of the few times that I'm sharing about where I feel lacking in life.*

In my last job, I had the opportunity to go to conferences, classes and functions on a fairly steady basis.  On Tuesday, I went to my first industry related function for my new job.  I'm naturally a shy person...but my last job had me in front of new people ALL the time.  That I fell out of that "muscle memory" so to speak made me surprised a bit about how nervous I got.

To make matters worse, one of my co-workers was one of the two speakers for the night and he made the group go through the exercise of sharing three things about ourselves that are non-work related.

Sounds simple and innocuous, right?  Don't ask me how or why...but it made me start thinking about how people define themselves.  About how I define myself. 

I shared that:

• I'm on the board of directors of a dachshund rescue.
• I'm a voracious reader
• That I love to travel and always have my passport with me

I listened intently as people shared about themselves. After all, if you can find something in common - it gives you an opening to start a conversation.  The labels that were most utilized were: husband/wife and mother/father. 

I felt a little like a failure.  I'm neither a wife or mother.  Trust me - I wish I was both! (If you happen to see my Mr. Right...send him my way!  I've been waiting a LONG time.)  If you had asked me at 20 where I'd be in 2013, wife and mother would be on that list. If I had found the right guy, I would have happily tied the knot well over a decade ago.

Heck, if you had asked my high school or college friends where I'd be - almost all of them would predict that I'd be a wife and mom.  I was the one that helped them through relationship break-ups, make-ups and the occasional pregnancy test; didn't go through a "party" phase and played matchmaker for a number of people.

I guess I need to change my earlier statement.  I feel like a huge failure.  But it also make me curious how you define yourself.  What are your most important life titles?



*No, I'm not looking for pity.  Please just accept this as one of the few times that I'm sharing about where I feel lacking in life.*

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Chinese "pineapple" (bolo) custard buns 菠蘿包

Redemption. Don't you just love it? After my epic fail in the Chinese custard buns that I made recently, I was extremely discouraged in trying to make Asian bakery style buns again. My yeast didn't rise in the previous recipe, and I was scared to try something similar another time.

Imagine my surprise when I got assigned Christine's Kitchen Chronicles for this month's Blogger's Choice swap, which is hosted by Sarah of Taste of Home Cooking. Although I had been eyeing Christine's bolo bao recipe for a long time, I was hesitant to try it after my baking failure since the bun technique was similar. "What the heck," I thought, "Let's give the bolo bao a try."

My bolo bao (菠蘿包) dough did not want to rise (I'm guessing because my butter was still too cold), so I tricked it. I covered my dough, popped it in the microwave for 20 seconds and let it rest. Then, about 15 minutes later, I zapped it for another 20 seconds in the microwave and put it aside to rise. When I returned 2 hours later, my dough had risen. Success!

These buns were beyond phenomenal. I did not add an egg wash to mine, so I didn't achieve the beautiful golden color on the top of my pastries. However, everything else was spot on. The dough was light and chewy, and the custard inside was slightly sweet. And of course, the best part of the entire bun was the topping, which is something that I could eat plain.

Thanks, Christine, for sharing such a fantastic recipe. I'm happy to say that this was a successful attempt at a pretty intimidating pastry.  And in case you're wondering, the bolo bao is often referred to as a "pineapple" bun because of the marks on top of the bread. The diamond pattern resembles the exterior of a pineapple. There isn't any real pineapple in the pastry otherwise.

Dough

• 2 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 TBSP sugar
• 1 and 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 medium egg
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 TBSP milk powder
• 3 TBSP butter

Topping

• 6 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 g salt (a pinch)
• 1 TBSP milk powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Yellow food coloring (optional)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Another egg for egg wash

Custard filling

• 3/8 ounce custard powder*
• 1 and 7/8 ounces wheat starch (tungmin flour)*
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten

*You can substitute with 1 TBSP of vanilla pudding mix (NOT instant) and 1/4 cup corn starch

Directions
Place the dough ingredients in a bread machine according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.  Set to the dough cycle and start the machine. It takes about two hours for the dough cycle to complete. (I do not own a bread machine and simply kneaded the dough by hand, covered it with plastic wrap and heated it in the microwave for 20 seconds. I then let the dough rest for about 10-15 minutes and reheated it for another 20 seconds in the microwave. I let the dough rest for another 2 hours before it rose.)

While the dough is resting, make the topping.  In a large bowl, mix the butter and powdered sugar together. Add in the salt, milk powder, vanilla, and food coloring and mix well.  Then add the beaten egg and mix.  Finally, mix in the flour and combine. If the dough is too sticky, place it in the refrigerator to firm up.

Prepare the filling.  Combine the custard powder (or vanilla pudding mix) and wheat starch (or corn starch) in a non-stock saucepan. Add in sweetened condensed milk, and mix over low heat until combined. Add butter. Bring the mixture to a simmer while constantly stirring. The mixture should turn into a consistency like paste.  Remove the mixture from stove and allow to cool slightly.  Once the mixture has cooled, add the egg and stir constantly until it has been well incorporated. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, shape them into balls, cover with a damp towel and set aside.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and separate into 12 equal pieces.  If dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour.  Using a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough ball into a circle. Thin out the edges more than the center.  Add a custard ball in the middle, and wrap to form a bun.  Pinch centers to seal and place on parchment paper lined baking pan, seam side up.  Repeat for the other buns.

Remove topping from refrigerator and divide into 12 pieces.  Flatten topping dough with hands and gently place on top of bun.  Using a knife, score the topping 3 times vertically then 3 times horizontally.  Repeat for other buns and let dough rise for 40-50 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

After final rising, gently re-center topping if needed.  Gently brush egg wash over each bun.
Bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees.  Then, reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Allow buns to fully cool before storing in air-tight containers. These buns freeze exceptionally well (for several months). Simply reheat them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds to serve.

Yield: 12 buns

Source: Christine's Kitchen Chronicles; originally adapted from Chow Times and Recipezaar

Redemption. Don't you just love it? After my epic fail in the Chinese custard buns that I made recently, I was extremely discouraged in trying to make Asian bakery style buns again. My yeast didn't rise in the previous recipe, and I was scared to try something similar another time.

Imagine my surprise when I got assigned Christine's Kitchen Chronicles for this month's Blogger's Choice swap, which is hosted by Sarah of Taste of Home Cooking. Although I had been eyeing Christine's bolo bao recipe for a long time, I was hesitant to try it after my baking failure since the bun technique was similar. "What the heck," I thought, "Let's give the bolo bao a try."

My bolo bao (菠蘿包) dough did not want to rise (I'm guessing because my butter was still too cold), so I tricked it. I covered my dough, popped it in the microwave for 20 seconds and let it rest. Then, about 15 minutes later, I zapped it for another 20 seconds in the microwave and put it aside to rise. When I returned 2 hours later, my dough had risen. Success!

These buns were beyond phenomenal. I did not add an egg wash to mine, so I didn't achieve the beautiful golden color on the top of my pastries. However, everything else was spot on. The dough was light and chewy, and the custard inside was slightly sweet. And of course, the best part of the entire bun was the topping, which is something that I could eat plain.

Thanks, Christine, for sharing such a fantastic recipe. I'm happy to say that this was a successful attempt at a pretty intimidating pastry.  And in case you're wondering, the bolo bao is often referred to as a "pineapple" bun because of the marks on top of the bread. The diamond pattern resembles the exterior of a pineapple. There isn't any real pineapple in the pastry otherwise.

Dough

• 2 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 TBSP sugar
• 1 and 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 medium egg
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 TBSP milk powder
• 3 TBSP butter

Topping

• 6 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 g salt (a pinch)
• 1 TBSP milk powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Yellow food coloring (optional)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Another egg for egg wash

Custard filling

• 3/8 ounce custard powder*
• 1 and 7/8 ounces wheat starch (tungmin flour)*
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten

*You can substitute with 1 TBSP of vanilla pudding mix (NOT instant) and 1/4 cup corn starch

Directions
Place the dough ingredients in a bread machine according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.  Set to the dough cycle and start the machine. It takes about two hours for the dough cycle to complete. (I do not own a bread machine and simply kneaded the dough by hand, covered it with plastic wrap and heated it in the microwave for 20 seconds. I then let the dough rest for about 10-15 minutes and reheated it for another 20 seconds in the microwave. I let the dough rest for another 2 hours before it rose.)

While the dough is resting, make the topping.  In a large bowl, mix the butter and powdered sugar together. Add in the salt, milk powder, vanilla, and food coloring and mix well.  Then add the beaten egg and mix.  Finally, mix in the flour and combine. If the dough is too sticky, place it in the refrigerator to firm up.

Prepare the filling.  Combine the custard powder (or vanilla pudding mix) and wheat starch (or corn starch) in a non-stock saucepan. Add in sweetened condensed milk, and mix over low heat until combined. Add butter. Bring the mixture to a simmer while constantly stirring. The mixture should turn into a consistency like paste.  Remove the mixture from stove and allow to cool slightly.  Once the mixture has cooled, add the egg and stir constantly until it has been well incorporated. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, shape them into balls, cover with a damp towel and set aside.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and separate into 12 equal pieces.  If dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour.  Using a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough ball into a circle. Thin out the edges more than the center.  Add a custard ball in the middle, and wrap to form a bun.  Pinch centers to seal and place on parchment paper lined baking pan, seam side up.  Repeat for the other buns.

Remove topping from refrigerator and divide into 12 pieces.  Flatten topping dough with hands and gently place on top of bun.  Using a knife, score the topping 3 times vertically then 3 times horizontally.  Repeat for other buns and let dough rise for 40-50 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

After final rising, gently re-center topping if needed.  Gently brush egg wash over each bun.
Bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees.  Then, reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Allow buns to fully cool before storing in air-tight containers. These buns freeze exceptionally well (for several months). Simply reheat them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds to serve.

Yield: 12 buns

Source: Christine's Kitchen Chronicles; originally adapted from Chow Times and Recipezaar

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

25 Quick and Easy Spring Celebration Desserts

Most holidays we spend with Chad's family (mine is 2,000 miles away). I am usually in charge of desserts. So, to make your weekend a little less stressful I put together these 25 Quick and Easy Spring Celebration Desserts.

Continue Reading »

Most holidays we spend with Chad's family (mine is 2,000 miles away). I am usually in charge of desserts. So, to make your weekend a little less stressful I put together these 25 Quick and Easy Spring Celebration Desserts.

Continue Reading »

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Double-decker Bunnies, take two

Two cookies always beat one, yes? 

Last year, I made little double-decker bunnies and thought this year needed some double-decker action as well.  (That sounds weird.)

Anyway...I love the shape of this bunny cookie cutter.  It's just perfect for a "chocolate" bunny.  I do have three egg cookie cutters (everyone needs three, right?), but none larger than the bunny cutter.  So, using the bunny cutter as a guide, I just cut large eggs with a paring knife:

These babies are big...the egg cookie is 6 & a half inches.  Easter is for celebrating.

{Oh, PS. That edible Easter grass?  Cute, but not exactly delicious.}

To make these double-decker bunny cookies, you'll need:

• sugar cookies cut with a bunny cookie cutter and hand-cut with a paring knife
• royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor Sky Blue mixed with Ivory & Chocolate Brown, Bright White
• disposable icing bags
• coupler and tips: #2, #1
• squeeze bottles 
• toothpicks
• small ramekin
• small, clean paintbrush

Use #2 tips to outline both the bunny and the egg.

Thin the blue and brown icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup.  (Reserve some of the blue icing for piping details later.) You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin.  Count of 2-3 is good.  Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed.  Pour into squeeze bottles as needed. 

Fill in the outlines with the thinned icing, using a toothpick to guide to the edges and to pop large air bubbles.

Let the cookies dry at least one hour.

Add the details to the bunny cookie, using a #2 tip for the bow and #1 tip for the eye.

Let the cookies dry uncovered, 6-8 hours, or overnight.

The next day, add the "speckles" to the eggs.  Mix equal(ish) parts water and chocolate brown food coloring.  Dip a clean paintbrush into the mixture and flick over the cookies with a GLOVED finger.
(For more details and pictures of the speckling process, click over to this post.)

This will dry in about 15-30 minutes.

Apply piping consistency icing to the back of the bunny cookies...just a bit will do, we don't want oozing.  Gently press in place on the egg cookie.  Let dry for 30 minutes or more to set.

Double-decker, 6-inch tall, speckled eggs & bunnies.  Just one placed in a treat bag and tied with a pretty ribbon makes the perfect Easter gift!

Happy Easter, bunnies! 

---

Two cookies always beat one, yes? 

Last year, I made little double-decker bunnies and thought this year needed some double-decker action as well.  (That sounds weird.)

Anyway...I love the shape of this bunny cookie cutter.  It's just perfect for a "chocolate" bunny.  I do have three egg cookie cutters (everyone needs three, right?), but none larger than the bunny cutter.  So, using the bunny cutter as a guide, I just cut large eggs with a paring knife:

These babies are big...the egg cookie is 6 & a half inches.  Easter is for celebrating.

{Oh, PS. That edible Easter grass?  Cute, but not exactly delicious.}

To make these double-decker bunny cookies, you'll need:

• sugar cookies cut with a bunny cookie cutter and hand-cut with a paring knife
• royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor Sky Blue mixed with Ivory & Chocolate Brown, Bright White
• disposable icing bags
• coupler and tips: #2, #1
• squeeze bottles 
• toothpicks
• small ramekin
• small, clean paintbrush

Use #2 tips to outline both the bunny and the egg.

Thin the blue and brown icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup.  (Reserve some of the blue icing for piping details later.) You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin.  Count of 2-3 is good.  Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed.  Pour into squeeze bottles as needed. 

Fill in the outlines with the thinned icing, using a toothpick to guide to the edges and to pop large air bubbles.

Let the cookies dry at least one hour.

Add the details to the bunny cookie, using a #2 tip for the bow and #1 tip for the eye.

Let the cookies dry uncovered, 6-8 hours, or overnight.

The next day, add the "speckles" to the eggs.  Mix equal(ish) parts water and chocolate brown food coloring.  Dip a clean paintbrush into the mixture and flick over the cookies with a GLOVED finger.
(For more details and pictures of the speckling process, click over to this post.)

This will dry in about 15-30 minutes.

Apply piping consistency icing to the back of the bunny cookies...just a bit will do, we don't want oozing.  Gently press in place on the egg cookie.  Let dry for 30 minutes or more to set.

Double-decker, 6-inch tall, speckled eggs & bunnies.  Just one placed in a treat bag and tied with a pretty ribbon makes the perfect Easter gift!

Happy Easter, bunnies! 

---

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Miranda Party!

The hilarious Miranda Hart!

So as you may or may not be aware, I'm totally obsessed with Miranda (the TV show and the comedian!) If you haven't seen the sitcom, you simply must! Funniest show ever! I love how she's just naturally a funny person, I love the slapstick and the self-deprecating humour, I love the Britishness of it! And of course, the fart jokes! (Heheheheheh). It's not lost on me that Miranda is a female comedian, a female comedian who created, writes and stars in her own sitcom, a wildly successful mainstream one, no less. Totes amazeballs! But mainly I just love her because she is absolutely hilarious.

We've gotten heaps of our friends onto the show (including my cousin, who in turn, spread the Miranda love far and wide when she travelled through Europe last year), and I must have seen the first episode at least a dozen times! I just can't get sick of it.

We were so excited when the third series started in December, and there was a point earlier this year when we literally had two nights a week dedicated to the viewing of Miranda with friends. (Tuesday nights were mini-Miranda marathons for a friend who was catching up on the series, and Wednesday nights we'd have everyone gather at our place to watch the latest episode). Sometimes it became three nights, as I'd have to re-watch certain episodes to pick up things I'd missed because we were laughing too hard.

The logical conclusion of all this? A Miranda party! Essentially this was an excuse for our fellow Miranda-obsessed friends to sit around one afternoon, watching Miranda and eating cake.

Having watched the series so many times, I've started to notice things in the background of the show - like how Miranda (the character) always seems to have a cake or two in her flat, or at least at tin of biscuits or a plate of sweets! And you know, her flat is surprisingly stylish for someone whose shtick is that she's not very chic. My cousin and I often seem to have long discussions about the Miranda world, the characters, the quotes, the storylines. (Like, why didn't Clive know that Gary was back? And what happened to Clive anyway?) I know this is extremely dorky, but I suppose it's too late to be shy now!

At first I had thought I could try to recreate some of the cakes featured in the show, but they all seemed to be big, multi-layered affairs like Victoria sponges with whipped cream and berries, coffee sponge cakes etc. (And yes, I did make a list). Whilst I'm sure they would have tasted heavenly, I didn't want to make so much food that we wouldn't be able to eat it. In the end, I decided to make a selection of Miranda-inspired food, in generous quantities, but in bite sized pieces so we could keep picking at them all afternoon long.

My friends brought savouries and other snacky bits and pieces: cheese, grapes, chocolate Digestives (so very British!), crackers, crisps and so on. (I bloody love crisps!)

The snack table

The party definitely felt like a success - for the first few hours no-one even asked if we could watch TV, but kept hovering around the snack table, or as I like to call it: my "nibble and mingle zone". Some of us even had savoury, moved to sweet... then switched back to savoury! Wild and crazy, I kid you not!

I only made one hot item: a big plate of sausage rolls. (Hehe, "sausage").

Sausage rolls

My sausage rolls are super easy: I just use my favourite pork sausages, cut off and discard the skins, then wrap them up in store-bought puff pastry. I glaze them with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, then bake them at 200C for 30 minutes. Super yum!

I also made some mini Malteaser muffins (i.e. Nigella's malteaser cake, baked as mini-muffins), which I felt were like a bite-sized version of the many multi-layered cakes in the show.

Malteaser Mini Muffins

No savoury muffins here!

Malteaser Mini Muffin

I also thought Miranda (the character) would appreciate how nipple-tastic they are! Hehehehe. (Ooh! Naughty!)

Malteaser Mini Muffin

I made a batch of coconut macaroons too - not that these have ever been on the show, but I wanted something gluten free for one of my friends who is a coeliac, and having British biscuits in a tin felt very "Miranda". (I also had egg whites in the freezer and coconut in the pantry - winning all around!)

Macaroons

Very tasty, moist little coconut treats. Oh good lord, that's moist! It's a Nigella recipe, definitely worth giving it a go!

Macaroons

The pièce de résistance was a pavlova, (Miranda eats pavlova before partying with Tamara in the episode: "A New Low"), which again, was a gluten free treat we could all enjoy! And even though I said I didn't want a bunch of huge cakes, I thought it would be nice to have one central, large cake. I made it on the morning of the party, and decorated it just before my friends arrived.

Meringue!

I was impressed with how stiff (Ooh.. naughty!) the meringue mixture turned out. Check it out!

Meringue Tower!

I was almost tempted to bake it in the tower shape, but thought a normal cake shape would be more sensible.

Cake-shaped

Pavlova

Pavlova!

Normally I'd slice up the pavlova and serve it on individual plates... but eh, I didn't want to do any more dishes, and we were all friends, and everyone was looking at the pavlova with hungry eyes... we plonked the pavlova on the coffee table, sat around, grabbed a spoon each and dug right in! Communal pavlova!

Digging into the communal pavlova

Miranda: "There's no need to cut that!"

Pavlova!

Finally, sugar-satiated and full, we moved the remaining snacks to the coffee table, put another pot of tea on and started watching Miranda. Such fun!

Snack table

Now that I think about it, this party seems to be like a really low-key version of my Mad Men-themed birthday party of 2011!

Do you watch Miranda? Do you have a favourite episode? Favourite character? What's your favourite Miranda moment? Are you team Gary or team Mike? What are your thoughts on themed parties?

The hilarious Miranda Hart!

So as you may or may not be aware, I'm totally obsessed with Miranda (the TV show and the comedian!) If you haven't seen the sitcom, you simply must! Funniest show ever! I love how she's just naturally a funny person, I love the slapstick and the self-deprecating humour, I love the Britishness of it! And of course, the fart jokes! (Heheheheheh). It's not lost on me that Miranda is a female comedian, a female comedian who created, writes and stars in her own sitcom, a wildly successful mainstream one, no less. Totes amazeballs! But mainly I just love her because she is absolutely hilarious.

We've gotten heaps of our friends onto the show (including my cousin, who in turn, spread the Miranda love far and wide when she travelled through Europe last year), and I must have seen the first episode at least a dozen times! I just can't get sick of it.

We were so excited when the third series started in December, and there was a point earlier this year when we literally had two nights a week dedicated to the viewing of Miranda with friends. (Tuesday nights were mini-Miranda marathons for a friend who was catching up on the series, and Wednesday nights we'd have everyone gather at our place to watch the latest episode). Sometimes it became three nights, as I'd have to re-watch certain episodes to pick up things I'd missed because we were laughing too hard.

The logical conclusion of all this? A Miranda party! Essentially this was an excuse for our fellow Miranda-obsessed friends to sit around one afternoon, watching Miranda and eating cake.

Having watched the series so many times, I've started to notice things in the background of the show - like how Miranda (the character) always seems to have a cake or two in her flat, or at least at tin of biscuits or a plate of sweets! And you know, her flat is surprisingly stylish for someone whose shtick is that she's not very chic. My cousin and I often seem to have long discussions about the Miranda world, the characters, the quotes, the storylines. (Like, why didn't Clive know that Gary was back? And what happened to Clive anyway?) I know this is extremely dorky, but I suppose it's too late to be shy now!

At first I had thought I could try to recreate some of the cakes featured in the show, but they all seemed to be big, multi-layered affairs like Victoria sponges with whipped cream and berries, coffee sponge cakes etc. (And yes, I did make a list). Whilst I'm sure they would have tasted heavenly, I didn't want to make so much food that we wouldn't be able to eat it. In the end, I decided to make a selection of Miranda-inspired food, in generous quantities, but in bite sized pieces so we could keep picking at them all afternoon long.

My friends brought savouries and other snacky bits and pieces: cheese, grapes, chocolate Digestives (so very British!), crackers, crisps and so on. (I bloody love crisps!)

The snack table

The party definitely felt like a success - for the first few hours no-one even asked if we could watch TV, but kept hovering around the snack table, or as I like to call it: my "nibble and mingle zone". Some of us even had savoury, moved to sweet... then switched back to savoury! Wild and crazy, I kid you not!

I only made one hot item: a big plate of sausage rolls. (Hehe, "sausage").

Sausage rolls

My sausage rolls are super easy: I just use my favourite pork sausages, cut off and discard the skins, then wrap them up in store-bought puff pastry. I glaze them with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, then bake them at 200C for 30 minutes. Super yum!

I also made some mini Malteaser muffins (i.e. Nigella's malteaser cake, baked as mini-muffins), which I felt were like a bite-sized version of the many multi-layered cakes in the show.

Malteaser Mini Muffins

No savoury muffins here!

Malteaser Mini Muffin

I also thought Miranda (the character) would appreciate how nipple-tastic they are! Hehehehe. (Ooh! Naughty!)

Malteaser Mini Muffin

I made a batch of coconut macaroons too - not that these have ever been on the show, but I wanted something gluten free for one of my friends who is a coeliac, and having British biscuits in a tin felt very "Miranda". (I also had egg whites in the freezer and coconut in the pantry - winning all around!)

Macaroons

Very tasty, moist little coconut treats. Oh good lord, that's moist! It's a Nigella recipe, definitely worth giving it a go!

Macaroons

The pièce de résistance was a pavlova, (Miranda eats pavlova before partying with Tamara in the episode: "A New Low"), which again, was a gluten free treat we could all enjoy! And even though I said I didn't want a bunch of huge cakes, I thought it would be nice to have one central, large cake. I made it on the morning of the party, and decorated it just before my friends arrived.

Meringue!

I was impressed with how stiff (Ooh.. naughty!) the meringue mixture turned out. Check it out!

Meringue Tower!

I was almost tempted to bake it in the tower shape, but thought a normal cake shape would be more sensible.

Cake-shaped

Pavlova

Pavlova!

Normally I'd slice up the pavlova and serve it on individual plates... but eh, I didn't want to do any more dishes, and we were all friends, and everyone was looking at the pavlova with hungry eyes... we plonked the pavlova on the coffee table, sat around, grabbed a spoon each and dug right in! Communal pavlova!

Digging into the communal pavlova

Miranda: "There's no need to cut that!"

Pavlova!

Finally, sugar-satiated and full, we moved the remaining snacks to the coffee table, put another pot of tea on and started watching Miranda. Such fun!

Snack table

Now that I think about it, this party seems to be like a really low-key version of my Mad Men-themed birthday party of 2011!

Do you watch Miranda? Do you have a favourite episode? Favourite character? What's your favourite Miranda moment? Are you team Gary or team Mike? What are your thoughts on themed parties?

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