I am not a particularly good cook. In fact, it is fair to say that before I moved out west I didn't really cook at all. Stirfys, pasta dishes and the like, but certainly no baking.
Since being "a farmer's wife" (ha ha), I have developed some fairly basic cooking skills. I can produce lasagna, more stirfrys, the good ole spaghetti bol, salad, a baked dinner, cook a steak or sausages, you know, fairly typical family fare. I am also in my posession some good cook books (The Family circle encyclopaedia is my bible) and from them I have a repetoire of baking basics, mainly muffins, cakes, cupcakes...yep that's it. I have many variations on my muffins! Oh and some fairly shonky slap-happy attempts from the Women's Weekly birthday cake book, which have always impressed the kids. My oven always produces cakes that are higher on one side, but you have to look closely. I still wouldn't say that I am a great cook, taking food somewhere such as BBM I am always wracked with nerves, and apologising for the quality of my food. But my family like most of what I produce so that is the main thing (Luckily Trevor's Mum was a shoddy, slap-happy cook too, so I have not much to live up to).
Over the years I have modified recipeds to suit various needs, eg soy milk, dairy-free butter, skim milk, and mostly in our uneducated palate this seems to have not made much difference to the end result. A while back at a WW meeting there was a conversation about cooking with splenda and other artificial sugar substitues. Most of the older women there were horrified, and stated that it was disgusting. Those younger women in teh room proclaimed that they could tatse no difference. Well I am sorry, but I now have to suggest that either these young women have some canny trick not written on the splenda pack, or they are worse cooks than I am and can't taste the difference, and splenda is in fact complete shite (sorry mr splenda man- will I get in trouble? No, no one reads my blog anyway!)).
Today I made a cake at Prue's request and decided to have a go at the choccie cake recipe on the splenda box that had sat unopened in our pantry for some time. Now I am sure that I followed the recipe, and my basic cake making skills were up t the job... but this is the result. Apart from the way it looks, I found it completely inedible (probably a good thing!). My ever faithful test kitchen tasters... LOVED IT!
This however was the result.......
12 comments:
it kinda looks like its radioactive Nic!
I hate splenda too...you are not alone.
Hi Nicole
I just had to comment. I love the middle photo of your uniced cake. Perhaps nurse nyngan could scrapbook the cake photos. Don't forget the Show is on soon. Maybe you and nurse nyngan could compete in the cooking section! I enjoy your blog!
Thanks for commenting Neralie. I know you always have a read, but finally a comment! No I don't think that I will be giving NN a run for her show money. Sometimes my baking turns out perfect, other times, like today, a disaster. The predcitability level is just too low to rely on!
hmmmm, interesting! :) LOL..... I haven't tried the splenda yet... maybe I shouldn't????
OMG... I can't breathe, seriously I am peeing myself laughing here!! That is sooo funny. I agree with Neralie about the middle photo, but you should have put those stick on googly eyes onto it!! I agree about the Splenda, even with my dietery needs - I'd rather go without than use that crap!
A quick tip about lopsided cakes. Do you have a fan forced oven? If so, that is your problem. About half way throught the cooking process - turn your cake (or muffins, cuppy's whatever) a half turn. For some reason some ovens put out an uneven stream of air. Mine does it all the time & that's how I even it up. Even does it to my Zuchini slice.
About the nesting - mmmmm, I was beginning to wonder. Then I woke up this morning with a filthy headache, went to the bathroom & breathed a very big sigh of relief. Any luck, tomorrow I will be having my Mirena inserted!
well i could always have a go scrapping it......it certainly would not be the most unusual request. Brother David thinks i could make a good job of scrapping the IGA Catalogue
The bizarre thing is that Trevor and the kids have polished off therest of the cake today, and maintain that whilst looking quite odd, it actually tastes delicious! Maybe I am just too influenced by packaging as my DH always tells me (Can't resist new glossy packaging on anything!) because I thought it tasted bad.
LMAO!!!! it looks like a fake hamburger made out of sponge or foam, we used to have a fake house brick made out of sponge , it reminds me of that!! that is soooooo funny, I'm peeing my pants! Your a brave lady to post a photo and i'm glad it got eaten! ooooooohhh so funny! It is so like something that i would make!
I think that it, looks back on,a bit like those little old people made out of stockings that used to be popular at crafty shops.
Hmm I would have been posting my culinary disaters a long agao if I had known they would amuse people this much!!!! II must brag that at midnight last night I made the yummiest white chocolate and banana muffins (bugger the splenda!)
At least you tried is all I can say!
I love your new look to your blog, everyones blog is getting more and more fashionable, mine is in reverse!
I am glad you mentioned the Aussie Bloggers site on your last post, like other people I have always found it hard to find Australian blogs.
Don't kid yourself that people aren't reading your blog, even if your statistics tell you that only twenty people are looking at it every day, it could be twenty different people each day, which theorectically adds up to many people tuning in. And who wouldnt ? You have a lovely sense of humour.
PS Are you are interested in part time work where, in desperate need of proffesionals, the organisaiton would let you set your own hours? Please contact me via facebook if
you are interested, not my email address as I rarely check it.
Take care. Nicky E
The cake looks like it's had a bodgy tummy tuck in Thailand.
Splenda causes metabolic syndrome. Like diet coke. Chuck the bloody stuff out!
FAR OUT Nic I have just laughed my head off I agree it looks like a bad tummy tuck.... This is just hilarious...
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