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The Cookie Spatula . . . Works For Me Wednesday

Another one of the tools I can't live without for cookie making is my cookie spatula.

It's thin, flexible metal and slides right underneath my cookies without breaking them.

Just try that with a thicker plastic one! ;) Not only do I use it for decorated cookies, but I use it for every cookie I make...I wouldn't be without it!

Do you have one?

We Are THAT Family hosts Works For Me Wednesday...click on over and see what's working for everyone else!

Related posts:

Another one of the tools I can't live without for cookie making is my cookie spatula.

It's thin, flexible metal and slides right underneath my cookies without breaking them.

(photo courtesy of bakerstools.com)

Just try that with a thicker plastic one! ;) Not only do I use it for decorated cookies, but I use it for every cookie I make...I wouldn't be without it!

Do you have one?

We Are THAT Family hosts Works For Me Wednesday...click on over and see what's working for everyone else!

Related posts:

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Tuesdays At The Table - Oatmeal Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

Welcome to Spring! HURRAY! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. This week, TATT is going to the dogs. Like all dogs, my pups enjoy a good treat. However, the boxes don't display the fat & calories the way I'd like them to. One of my Cocker Spaniels - Peach Blossom passed away a few years ago after living with Cushing's Disease. I learned from her the value of watching my herd's waistline.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons wheat germ (sometimes I use flax seed)
1 tablespoon of honey
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup organic peanut butter (my pups like chunky)
1 1/4 cups hot water

Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the peanut butter, honey and water. You may need to add more hot water if the dough is really sticky. Knead the dough well. Roll out onto a floured surface and roll out to 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters (I use pawprints) to cut the dough into shapes. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (depending on size of cookie cutter used). Turn off oven and let the treats dry out overnight. Pack into airtight container.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

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Linguine alle vongole or "Perfection in a bowl"

Linguine alle vongole is one of my favourite suppers, which I first made in 2005 during my How to Eat Project, and I don't cook it nearly as often as I'd like. Despite it taking a grand total of 15 minutes to make, I don't have a nearby supplier of fresh clams. But, last Saturday I had a nice outing to the market, and thought I'd pick up a small amount of clams for my dinner. 150g was about $4, which seems expensive, but considering all the other ingredients are so cheap, it turned out to be a tidy little dinner.

So, here's how you make it.

Soak 200g of clams in a bowl of cold fresh water.

Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. When the water comes to the boil, add salt and 100g of linguine. Nigella suggests 150g, but I feel that is too much for one person. Cook for the length of time specified on the packet. This is usually about 12 minutes, which gives you just enough time to prepare the rest of the dish. If the pasta is cooked before the clams are ready, just drain it and pour over a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking.

Meanwhile, slice up 1 clove of garlic and crush a dried red chilli.

Add the garlic and 2 tbs olive oil to a pan, and cook on a low heat until softened. (Don't let the garlic burn). Add the crushed dried chilli and cook for another minute. Drain the clams, giving them a rinse to get rid of any excess grit. Turn up the pan to medium-high and tip the clams into the pan. Pour in 80 ml of white wine, which should bubble up vociferously.

Clamp on a lid and let the clams cook for 2 - 3 minutes, or until they all open up. Give the pan a shake every now and then to help the heat distribute evenly.

You will have to throw away any that refuse to open up. Turn off the heat and tip the pasta into the pan, giving it a good stir to mix the clams through evenly, and to make sure all the pasta is coated with the sauce. Add a small sprinkling of chopped parsley, give it another stir, and you are done! There is no need to add cheese (heaven forbid!), and I find it salty enough without adding salt, but taste and see how you go.

It is hard to describe how simple and delicious this meal is. Even though I reduce the amount of pasta from Nigella's recipe, I leave other quantities unchanged, as I just love the salty garlic liquid. There is something about the briney clam liquid, combined with the garlic, chilli and fresh parsley that is just wonderful.

Clamp on a lid and let the clams cook for 2 - 3 minutes, or until they all open up. Give the pan a shake every now and then to help the heat distribute evenly.

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Christina's Surprise Baby Shower

Last week I had the priviledge of throwing my work BFF, Christina, a surprise baby shower. I tell her just about everything...so keeping this a secret was a big accomplishment for me. :-) Believe it or not, it's only the second surprise party she's ever had! I appreciate that she didn't throttle me when she walked into her fake "meeting" and discovered a party instead!

Wow, in this picture...she barely looks pregnant!

My boss sprung for pizza for the group, and I got the cake. I'm a geek, but I'm proud of the inscription. Even if I did use a piece of baby bottle shaped confetti as a comma between "Christina" and "for"! (For the record, it wasn't until I read the cake that I realize that I truly am that anal about punctuation.)

Yes, I know it's a little ghetto...but we did punch in a bucket. Can I tell you all that I went to 4 stores looking for punch bowls?!?! This was my compromise.

It doesn't look like a lot, but I bundled things tight in that laundry basket! Onesies in sizes from newborn on up to 1 year, carriage toys, towels, wipes, binkies, swaddling blankets. I went NUTS!

I saw this onesie with a monkey on the butt, and had to buy it!

I think that both Christina's mom and her hubby's mom are both going to be fond of this onesie. :-)

Lastly is my little homemade touch. I made a baby blanket for the little one. I wish I had taken a better picture!

Throwing this party was a ball! The look on her face made up for the fact that most people didn't contribute to the "group" gift. Losers!! Even if they didn't contribute...it didn't stop me from spending tons of money.

So, no one else get pregnant (you know, other than the 11 of my friends who are already pregnant- three of you with TWINS!) until my bank account recovers...mmmkay?!?!

Wow, in this picture...she barely looks pregnant!

Yes, I know it's a little ghetto...but we did punch in a bucket. Can I tell you all that I went to 4 stores looking for punch bowls?!?! This was my compromise.

It doesn't look like a lot, but I bundled things tight in that laundry basket! Onesies in sizes from newborn on up to 1 year, carriage toys, towels, wipes, binkies, swaddling blankets. I went NUTS!

I saw this onesie with a monkey on the butt, and had to buy it!

I think that both Christina's mom and her hubby's mom are both going to be fond of this onesie. :-)

Lastly is my little homemade touch. I made a baby blanket for the little one. I wish I had taken a better picture!

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Just Something I Made

Let me introduce you to a wonderful blogger and graphic designer, Cathe, of Just Something I Made. Cathe's blog is like nothing I've ever seen. Full of FREE downloads, art, and projects...inspiration on crafting, collecting...not to mention, it just looks really cool! I'm not doing it justice...you have to see for yourself!

Here are two recent entries from Just Something I Made:

{FREE labels for your jars of glitter. Hmmm....I'm thinking maybe labels for SPRINKLES should be next, Cathe!}

{And check out this idea for personalized pancakes!!!}

Well, this week is Just Something I Made's 2nd blogiversary and guess what Cathe is giving away?!? Bake at 350 Cookies!!!

{You may remember my camera hates pink, so these flowers are really a bright pink, not the purple-y pink you see here. Grrrr. }

Here's how to make them:

With black royal icing, use a #3 tip to pipe the outline of the cake (AmeriColor Super Black). {I really wanted the outline to stand out here...you can always use a #2 tip for a thinner line.}

Pipe the outline of the flowers with the same tip.
Thin white royal icing with water to the consistency of thick syrup, let sit several minutes (AmeriColor Bright White).
Stir with a rubber spatula to pop any air bubbles that have risen to the surface; transfer to a squeeze bottle.

Fill in the background of the cookie in white.
Thin the colors for the flowers (AmeriColor Egg Yellow and Deep Pink).

Fill in the flowers.
Let sit at least one hour.
Change the tip on the black icing to a #2 tip. Add the number on the cake, dots on the white icing and pipe over the outline of the flower for definition.

Let dry overnight.

So, pop on over to Just Something I Made...there may even be some cookies in it for you! ;)

I'll be linking this up to I'm Lovin' It Fridays over at TidyMom because I'm lovin' Just Something I Made...and I'll *always* love cookies!

{FREE labels for your jars of glitter. Hmmm....I'm thinking maybe labels for SPRINKLES should be next, Cathe!}

{And check out this idea for personalized pancakes!!!}

Well, this week is Just Something I Made's 2nd blogiversary and guess what Cathe is giving away?!? Bake at 350 Cookies!!!

{You may remember my camera hates pink, so these flowers are really a bright pink, not the purple-y pink you see here. Grrrr. }

Here's how to make them:

With black royal icing, use a #3 tip to pipe the outline of the cake (AmeriColor Super Black). {I really wanted the outline to stand out here...you can always use a #2 tip for a thinner line.}

Pipe the outline of the flowers with the same tip.
Thin white royal icing with water to the consistency of thick syrup, let sit several minutes (AmeriColor Bright White).
Stir with a rubber spatula to pop any air bubbles that have risen to the surface; transfer to a squeeze bottle.

Fill in the background of the cookie in white.
Thin the colors for the flowers (AmeriColor Egg Yellow and Deep Pink).

Fill in the flowers.
Let sit at least one hour.
Change the tip on the black icing to a #2 tip. Add the number on the cake, dots on the white icing and pipe over the outline of the flower for definition.

Let dry overnight.

So, pop on over to Just Something I Made...there may even be some cookies in it for you! ;)

I'll be linking this up to I'm Lovin' It Fridays over at TidyMom because I'm lovin' Just Something I Made...and I'll *always* love cookies!

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This Does NOT . . . Work for me Wednesday

Baggies are not an acceptable substitute for piping bags.
There I said it.

There are books and TV hosts out there who will tell you, just snip off the end of a baggie when piping icing...it works "just like a pasty bag." Well, they lie.

When I made Cheryl's' cookies, I ran out of piping bags. {The HORROR!} We were down to one car for the week, my husband (WITH THE CAR) was out to dinner with customers and it was 8:00 at night. I was desperate. I reached for the baggies. I even used my couplers and tips with them.

They tore, they bulged, they flopped, they were unruly....I may have said a bad word.

Trust me...if you're going to decorate cookies, make it easier on yourself, go for a piping bag.

Whew! Rant over...now go visit some happier tips over at We Are THAT Family. But tell me, are there baking tips that *don't* work for you?

More Bake at 350 WFMW tips can be found here.

Baggies are not an acceptable substitute for piping bags.
There I said it.

There are books and TV hosts out there who will tell you, just snip off the end of a baggie when piping icing...it works "just like a pasty bag." Well, they lie.

Whew! Rant over...now go visit some happier tips over at We Are THAT Family. But tell me, are there baking tips that *don't* work for you?

More Bake at 350 WFMW tips can be found here.

reade more...

Berlin Bar & Ling Nam or "Why I love Melbourne"

So, Sydney was great, but I am truly, madly, deeply a Melbourne girl. On Saturday night we went out to celebrate my bro's girlfriend Su's birthday. First stop, a dingy laneway bar, followed by late-night Chinatown supper! You can't get more Melbourne than that!

Berlin Bar
16 Corrs Lane
Melbourne, 3000
Ph: (03) 9639 3396

Well, it was only going to be a matter of time before I made my way to the new German-themed bar in Melbourne.

Berlin Bar is on Corrs lane, right next to Eurotrash, and you have to climb some stairs and ring a bell before someone lets you in. Our waitress was super-nice and friendly, but apparently the guy who let Su in had a bit of an attitude. Incidentally, we found that lots of the waiters were French, and we didn't spot any Germans. (Not a big deal, obviously, just interesting to note).

The bar is split into East and West Berlin, with appropriate decor. We sat in "East Berlin". Our table was a bathtub, there were bunk beds and ammo boxes around, and The Great Dictator was (rather anachronistically) projected onto one of the walls.

It was table service only, and for some reason the drinks list that we got was much more limited than the website. Either way, there were some cocktails, and a good selection of German beers. (Sadly, the Feuerzangenbowle didn't appear to be available).

Unfortunately the cocktail list isn't available on the website, so I am going from memory here. Apologies if I've missed any ingredients!

Top Left: Funkturm - Cocktail with grapefruit juice - $18
Top Right: Checkpoint Charlie - Hennessey & Chambord, some juices and a pepper-rim - $18
Bottom Left: Pear & Muscovado Julep - $18
Bottom Right: Love Parade - Can't remember the alcohols, but it had muddled strawberries - $18

Of the cocktails we ordered (most of us were drinking beer), my faves were the Love Parade and the deliciously grapefruity Funkturm. However, I can't say that the cocktails blew us away - there are heaps of bars in Melbourne that do a larger range of cocktails, at similar prices, but better quality. (Match, Toff's and Polly spring to mind, although I'm sure there are many more). I also prefer Champagne or vodka-based cocktails, and they didn't have too many of them here.

I was going to go to Berlin Bar for my birthday this year, but I'll probably choose somewhere else now. Although, if they start serving German-themed bar snacks, I'd be back in a flash!

The bathtub table.

As usual, all that drinking makes you hungry, and at around 2:30am we were feeling peckish. Luckily for us, it was a very short walk down to Ling Nam for supper.

Ling Nam
204 Lt Bourke St
Melbourne 3000
Ph: (03) 9663-2347

We always seem to end up at Ling Nam after a night of drinking (which actually doesn't happen that often for me; I'm a responsible adult now!) It's my favourite CBD supper place. Yes, I like it more than Supper Inn - gasp! And, it's open til 3:30!

Here's what the 10 of us ate:

Clams in XO sauce with Crullers - It's a house speciality, I think. Every table seems to have a plate of these, and I've never seen this dish at another restaurant.

Double serve of deep-fried chicken ribs with salt and chilli. Crazy-strong with the MSG but still tasty!

Massive bowl of plain congee to share.

Sweet and Sour Prawns. Yes, we teased Justin that he was being really Aussie ordering sweet and sour prawns, but by god these were good!

Stir-fried spinach. Because green vegetables will cancel out all the alcohol and fried food, yes? Delicious.

Double-serving of salt and pepper calamari. Oh yes.

And that, my friends, is one of the reasons why I love Melbourne.

The bathtub table.

As usual, all that drinking makes you hungry, and at around 2:30am we were feeling peckish. Luckily for us, it was a very short walk down to Ling Nam for supper.

Clams in XO sauce with Crullers - It's a house speciality, I think. Every table seems to have a plate of these, and I've never seen this dish at another restaurant.

Double serve of deep-fried chicken ribs with salt and chilli. Crazy-strong with the MSG but still tasty!

Massive bowl of plain congee to share.

Sweet and Sour Prawns. Yes, we teased Justin that he was being really Aussie ordering sweet and sour prawns, but by god these were good!

Stir-fried spinach. Because green vegetables will cancel out all the alcohol and fried food, yes? Delicious.

Double-serving of salt and pepper calamari. Oh yes.

And that, my friends, is one of the reasons why I love Melbourne.

reade more...

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