Heading to T.O

Today we're heading off to the big city! Well, Toronto. Just for the weekend.

My friends daughter is turning one and she is having quite the shindig for her.

Gone are the days of making sure I have enough underwear and wine and I'm out the door. I spent all of yesterday (and some of the day before) planning and packing for Daphne. Highchair, pack'n'play outfits for 3 days, extra socks, snacks, toys...I already have three bags packed for her. Lists and lists and lists.

Will and I are rushing today to make sure we can clothe and (somewhat) clean ourselves while were gone. It's funny how it takes 3 times longer to pack for a 27lbs person as it does for 2 full grown adults.

Also, I'm pretty sure we wont find much food on the way that D would find suitable so I've got lunch and snacks in a cooler ready to go.

I'm going to have to sleep on the way cause I'm exhausted from all this planning!

I am very excited to see them again though. I think it's been a whole year since I've visited...to long.

Should be a fun weekend!!! Hopefully I have some pictures to share when we get back :)

Pesto and Feta Flatbread

Made this fast and easy flat bread for dinner the other night. I made my own pesto but you could very easily use store bought...and I bought the flat bread but it would be even better with homemade.

Brushed the flat bread with oil, sprinkled with s&p and baked for about 10 minutes. Topped with dollops of pesto, feta and thinly cut strips for red onion and popped it back in the oven just long enough for the feta to get all melty. Yom.

 Before it went in the oven:

Freshly out of the oven:

The crust is crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, the feta is soft and creamy and the red onions add a really nice pop of sweetness.

Fast and easy and addictive!



Edit:
I was so obsessed with how good this was I made it again the next night but I made homemade crust. It was even better than this one...so good I didn't even take pictures. ooops.

Messy Spaghetti Baby!

Please enjoy these pictures of a baby covered in tomato sauce.

Chilly Sleigh Ride

As I'm sure you saw in a previous post Daphne got an awesome sleigh for Christmas. We waited patiently for snow so we could try it out properly...and we were not disappointed.

I could see her being a lover of winter sports as she grows up. She has no problem being out in the snow...clomping around in her big ol boots, snot frozen to her face, sopping wet mittens...not a complaint in sight. She loved every minute of it.

And what better after a chilly day of playing outside? A messy spaghetti dinner...obviously!

Many sauce covered baby pictures to come...

Buttercream LIES

If anyone every tries to tell you how to make "buttercream" without icing sugar run in the other direction. They are lying. Its gross. 

I decided I wanted to make a cake but totally overlooked the fact that I only had a cup of icing sugar in the house. So I googled to see if there was some way to make an icing similar to buttercream without it. I found a recipe that was 4.5 tablespoons of flour, 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Cooked over low heat until thick, beat in stand mixer until room temp and then beat in a cup of butter. 

As you can see the texture was...bleck. It looked like a glaze after I had made it but once it was on the cakes it looked curdled/seperated/like it escaped from hell. Tasted ok...for what it was.

I couldn't bring myself to even try a piece. I sent Will to the store the next day for more butter and icing sugar and made a proper buttercream

So good. Never fuck with a classic. Just go buy more icing sugar. It's worth it.

--Siobhan xoxo

Daphne's New Sleigh

Daphne got this awesome sleigh for Christmas!

She LOVED being pulled around the kitchen so I'm guessing she is going to love it even more in the snow!

Hunting Toddler

Here you'll see a young Daphne in her natural habitat. 

Stalking her unknowing prey using a classic face down pose and blue/orange plumage.

She approaches the beast slowly using a technique I can only described as "snake like".

Unfortunately the young one will go hungry tonight. She was spotted and her shrieks of glee have startled off the wild Shelley. 

There is always tomorrow, little one.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope everyone had an excellent time last night!