Dear Inventor of the Electric Blanket.

There are many times throughout winter where I send a silent praise to you, however this year, I'm sending thanks to you directly. Or possibly your family, depending on when the electric blanket was invented.

Actually, I feel I need to research this topic further before continuing. I also need to close my eyes and enjoy the warmth this glorious blanket is encasing me in on this cold, winter night.

So, the first electric blanket was invented in 1912 by American, Sidney I. Russell. Typically, an 'electric blanket' by American standards is a blanket that goes on top of your top sheet, but the blanket invented by Mr Russell was the 'electric blanket' us Australians (and other Commonwealth countries) know. Aka, the type that goes under the fitted sheet and warms from below.

Mmm, warmth.
Whilst I started writing this in the warm depths of electric blanket bliss, I am currently coming to you from my not-so cosy couch, waiting do Spawn to stop sooking and get ready for his shower. (Because who can be bothered arguing? I'm over it today!)

I digressed, majorly.
To the family of Mr Sidney Russell; thank you. Thank you for having an amazing father/grandfather/great-grandfather/uncle/etc. Thank you to Mr Russell's parents (may they RIP) for raising a man who would come to bring joy to SO MANY PEOPLE. Such a simple joy, but joy nonetheless.

Peace out, fellow toasty crazies.

- L. x

Holy God in Heaven. [Churro Popcorn]

Get in my mouth.

I did a thing. I was googling random snack ideas yesterday and ended up on the topic of popcorn. Spawn LOVES popcorn. I'd almost say his obsession is borderline unhealthy, but he's not quite that bad, and he does enjoy it straight out of the popcorn popper thing.
Maker.
Popcorn maker.

Wait, where was I?

Right, popcorn. School snacks.
Anyway, Americans are crazy and do the weirdest things to the simplest of foods. Some are too bizarre for my lowly Australian self to comprehend, whilst others leave me with an, 'OMIGODINEEDTHATINMYMOUTHBEFOREIDIE!' face. I love that face.

Who loves churros? Who loves popcorn? Who loves cinnamony goodness? Who loves the idea of combining this into one orgasmic snack?!
Thought so. Me too, my friend. Me too.

So here we go. Churro popcorn!
This will be a little more complex for us Aussies as opposed to the lucky Americans, as we have to make our own cinnamon chips. But it's okay; they keep for ages and you'll inevitably use them in everything anyway.
Muahahahaha.

Cinnamon Chips!
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbspn ground cinnamon
2 tbspn vegetable shortening (could possibly use copha; not sure??)
2 tbspn light corn syrup
1/4 tspn vanilla extract - optional

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 95c. Line baking trap with baking paper and spray liberally with oil.
In a medium sized bowl, combine all ingredients until they have come together and are crumbly.
Spread onto baking paper using a spatula, shaping into a rough rectangular shape, about 5 mm thick.
Put in oven for 35 minutes, or until it is bubbly. You do not want it to crisp in the oven, it will do so when it cools.
Allow to cool completely and then chop into small square chips.
Store in an airtight container.

Well, there's one part done. Now for the fun part! POPCORRRRN!

Churro Popcorn.
INGREDIENTS:
6 cups popped popcorn
1/2 cup cinnamon chips, melted
2 tbspn caster sugar
2 tbspn sugar
1 tspn cinnamon

METHOD:
In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, sugar, and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, drizzle the melted cinnamon chips over the popcorn. Toss to coat and then immediately sprinkle sugar mixture over popcorn. Toss again to coat.
Allow the popcorn cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.

I got this recipe from here.
http://www.melissas-cuisine.com/2012/04/churro-popcorn.html?m=1

Enjoy, fellow crazies! I know I have.

- L. x

Have You Ever?

Ever felt like this?
Have strange things happened?
Are you going round the twist?

Hahahaha. I didn't mean to go there, but sometimes it just happens when I think 'have you ever'. 90s Aussie kid life, I suppose.

So anyway, I've imposed a Facebook ban on myself. Today is day one so it hasn't really been too difficult, as yet. Feels weird to not see the pretty blue app on my phone's homescreen though. Nor to constantly receive Facebook notifications. I like it!

I'm hoping to reacquaint myself with the real world. Not that I'm not a part of it WITH Facebook; I just find myself checking Facebook on my phone when I could be embracing the sunshine at the park, or talking to mums whilst I wait to pick Spawn up from school. The little things. I miss those. I often wonder what life will be like for Spawn in the future; the way technology is going at the moment makes me wonder if everyone will live dormant in little pods, a la Matrix style. Sad thoughts, sad thoughts indeed.

So I'm going to show Spawn that I don't need my phone permanently attached to my hand. I don't want him growing up wondering if I somehow have the phone attached to my anatomy. I REFUSE TO BE THAT MUM.

Here I am. Hahahah. It's starting to get hard. For those of you who don't know, I have a couple of really awesome support groups on Facebook. Groups that help me maintain sanity when I feel all is lost in this world. Groups that make me realise I'm not alone when I wonder how I'm going to continue raising Spawn for the next 12+ years. Lord help me, that IS a scary thought. Spawn will be 18 in 12 years!!! YIKES!

I haven't lost my sanity yet. Sundays are a chill day here, so Spawn and I have been chilling. I'm just on here looking for recipes for school lunch snacks so we can spend the afternoon in the kitchen. Well, I will. Spawn will come and go as he pleases, in true male fashion. ;)

Peace out.

- L. x

Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes approx 18.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup sugar
1 tspn baking soda
1 tspn salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 tbspn white vinegar

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 170. Line cupcake tin with patty cases.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, then make a well and add rest of ingredients. Mix to combine then beat for two minutes on medium.
Evenly divide mix between cases and bake for 20 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed in the middle.
Allow to cool completely before icing.

Yes, I'm THAT Mum.

Do you remember what it was like when your first born was a baby and you had all these plans? Whether it was making tentative plans to send your child to a private school, being the doting parent who attends all your child's extra curricular activities, to being the parent who would *NEVER* let their child cry it out in their bedroom?

I was the parent who would ensure my son didn't watch TV as long as the sun was shining. If his behaviour turned out of control (my brother had ADD), I would never consider medicating him.
Not that I'm against those who do these things; it just wasn't an upbringing I wanted my perfect child to experience.

Hahahaha. Ohh, naive new mum L, you were so cute and innocent!

I did okay with my plan to minimise the television Spawn watched - he didn't really watch TV at all until he was 18 months old. And even then, he was limited in his exposure towards it until he was at least 2. Now, however? Our TV is always on ABC Kids whenever Spawn is home (unless he has a movie on upstairs), even though it isn't always being watched. Take today for example; the sun is shining, it's relatively warm for a mid-winter afternoon, and Spawn has come home from school early, like he does every Wednesday and Thursday. He is currently glued to the television whilst I sit on the couch. Neither of us are absorbing any of that glorious vitamin D - and I'm okay with that!

Anyway, I completely digressed from my reason for blogging today!
Yesterday during our paed appointment, it was decided that Spawn would trial medication to help with his anxiety. So now he is not only on Ritalin, which has a bad stigma on its own, but he is also on a medication commonly referred to as Prozac. Yup, my almost 6 year old is on Prozac.

The decision to give him that half a tablet this morning was most definitely NOT made lightly. In fact, I think it's one of the hardest decisions I've made to date as a parent. I filled the description with the thoughts of, 'the pediatrician knows what he's doing' and, 'calming Spawn will help him do better at school and become more confident in his abilities' - because let's face it, dealing with anxiety doesn't really help ones confidence.

Even so, I struggled with the idea of actually having Spawn take the pill. Until a glorious friend (you know who you are!) reminded me on a Facebook status of the main point behind all of this: "anxiety is just another medical condition that can respond to treatment."

Which brings us to now. Spawn was noticeably calmer at school this morning. After his first half a tablet. Not sure if it's because of the Prozac, or merely because he self-settled, but either way, I no longer regret my decision to trial Spawn on it.

Have faith in yourselves, fellow parents. None of us make decisions regarding our children lightly, and we shouldn't be made to feel like bad parents if our decisions don't conform with the 'norms' of society.

Love to all.

- L. x

Beef Lasagne

I LOVE lasagne. All the variations of it too, depending on my mood. However, whenever I make it, I always wing it when it comes to the contents! So my own lasagne is amazing one day, mediocre the next. Such a pain! (I do this with several meals, to be honest!)

So I've started writing recipes down as I go, then saving them if they're amazing. That way, I may never make another meal the same, but others can enjoy my success! ;)

INGREDIENTS:
1 tbspn olive oil
500g beef mince
2 small carrots, diced
150g bacon, diced
1 brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, dic....crushed (lol)
1 cup beef stock (or red wine!)
700g jar of passata (I used a little less - didn't have quite a full jar)
1/3 cup water
1 cup pizza blend cheese (or mozzarella/parmesan blend)
6-8 instant lasagne sheets (approx)
White sauce:
90g butter
1/2 cup plain flour
3 cups milk

METHOD:
Preheat large saucepan over medium-high heat with oil. Add 'vegetables' and bacon, and cook for 6-7 minutes, until softened. Add mince and cook for 2-3 minutes, until slightly browned.
Add stock and simmer for 2 minutes, then add passata and water, bringing to boil before reducing heat to medium-low and simmering for an hour. Stir occasionally.

To make white sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over med-high, then add flour and whisk until it starts bubbling. Remove from heat and gradually add milk, ensuring it's well combined between additions. Return to heat and whisk constantly until sauce begins to boil. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 180 and lightly grease dish (whatever you want to cook your lasagne in), then place lasagne sheets to cover bottom. Try not to overlap too much.
Add half the beef mixture, half the sauce, then place another layer of pasta. Add beef, then pasta, then top off with rest of sauce. Sprinkle with cheese then cover with foil and place in oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil then return to oven for 10 minutes, until cheese is golden.
Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving. Great with chips, salad, roasted buttery corn cobs.... everything really. :)

Enjoy!

- L. x

Always Keep Fighting.

No matter what.

Life isn't meant to be easy. It shouldn't be this hard either, but one thing I have learnt recently is that as long as I'm fighting, everything is worth it.

There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.
Take the good with the bad.
Stars cannot shine without darkness.
A bad day is a lesson for another day.
If every day were easy, no day would be spectacular.
Determination is the key to success.

For I believe in happily ever after, and I will not stop until I get there.

Peace out.

- L. x