Cupcakes with Granny

A few weeks ago my Granny Pam bought all her Granddaughters the new 41st edition of the Be-Ro Home Bakes Recipes book having seen an advert on the side of a bag of Be-Ro self-raising flour - she has been baking with a very old version of the same book all her life. The only problem with this is that I really can't bake. Whenever my Mum and sister would make buns I have only ever done two things: 1. lick mixture off various utensils and 2. get in the way.

So whilst my first thought was to make something out of the book for my Granny as a thank you, in the end I chickened out and asked if we could bake something together instead.

We went for the obvious, cupcakes!

Be-Ro Cupcakes Recipe
4oz Be-Ro self raising flour
4oz caster sugar
4oz unsalted butter
2 eggs beaten
2 Tbsp milk
(Plus a few drops of vanilla essence which we didn't actually have in.)

Preheat the oven to fan 160, conventional 180 or gas 4. Line your muffin tin with paper cases (this recipe is supposed to be enough to make 6 big buns, we doubled so I could bring some in for work mates Monday - plus the buns are enormous, you can get 8 easily out of this recipe). First sift the flour into a bowl and put it to one side. Now using an electric whisk, cream your sugar and butter together until it goes floaty light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, vanilla essence and milk with a little bit of flour after each addition until all the ingrediants are combined.

Divide the mixture into the cases and bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden. We actually baked for nearer 30 minutes because they were so big we werent convinced 20 minutes would do it. Then get decorating - my favourite part!

The decorations were a bit of an improvisation. I went for 3 themes - strawberry, lemon and a very sweet Hokey Pokey topping from the Be-Ro recipe book. We also adapted the Hokey Pokey ones slightly to have chocolate cake rather than plain, and because we didn't have maply syrup we used golden.

Hokey Pokey Frosting
Gently melt 3oz butter, 1 Tbsp milk, 1 Tbsp soft dark brown sugar and 1 Tbsp maple syrup in a saucepan. Beat in 7oz sieved icing sugar and let it cool before swirling over cupcakes and finishing with a crushed honey comb bar.

The lemon and strawberry frosting was a comination of butter, icing sugar and milk with pink colouring for strawberry and lemon juice for lemon! A Granny top tip was to microwave the lemon juice before adding it to the butter/icing mixture. I'm taking her word on it too because the lemon cupcakes were my favourite - they also had a hidden filling of lemon curd!

All in all what a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Even if I do say so myself, the are gorgeous - and according to family and colleagues they taste just as good!

Guess Who's Back...

To the lovely people who signed up to be notified by email about my blog ramblings, I apologise, I'm back.

I can't promise for how long or in what way but I was just redirected to my little blog here after I was notified that someone anonymously commented on my law personal statement post - it was a nice comment thankfully. I was reminded how much I used to enjoy this, I guess I'm one of those people who just likes to talk about themselves! So what's new?

Let's see, Urm, first things first I graduated with a 2:1 from Edinburgh University. Go me!

The charity I started last year is going from strength to strength under the safe guard of the new and lovely Project Manager. I got a job, my first proper one! I'm now a trainee Recruitment Consultant in an education staff supply firm and whilst admittedly I stumbled into it I'm absolutely loving it. Can't say I'm loving the long hours just yet (7-4.30 some days, 9-7 on others) but colleagues keep assuring me I'm going to get used to, it it's just going to take a few months. Yesterday I got my first pay cheque (well not first ever but you know what I mean)!

I'm not even sure what I'm going to write about anymore, as I said to my boyfriend last night it's much easier to maintain a blog when, as a student, for 9 months of the year you really have very little going on. But this blog was meant to be a sort of timeline, and I like to think this is a whole new chapter, so I guess I'll just write as and when I feel like it. I imagine alot less will be about coffee shops now as I rarely I'm rarely out of the house/office.

I think part of the reason I stopped before was I made a few mistakes with how I ran this. For example telling people on Facebook made me feel more nervous than anything that people were judging me, I'd love to be on of those 'screw em' type people but I'm just not - far too paranoid. So if your reading this then great, I'm not going to go out encouraging people to anymore. And if you're reading this and going 'oh gaaawwd why has this rubbish popped up in my email' please unfollow/unsubscribe! Also I'm sorry if there's spelling, grammar, formatting mistakes but I'm blaming it on the iPad.

As far as it stands these are the general topics you might (if I manage to stick to writing for more than just today) see pop up in future...

• My job and things I learn along the way e.g. sales dos and don'ts as I figure them out for myself
• Career stuff generally e.g. Cv writing, interview tips, where I'm at and where I'm trying to get to.
• Wedding/crafty/pretty things... I'm still a gooey romantic at heart and my Pinterest page is still going strong.
• My opinions. I stress the word opinions, I accept that I'm not even close to well read enough to be able to offer really important or influential opinions on anything but for example especially with regards education now I'm starting to get there, with a boyfriend studying for a PGCE and discussing education news with head teachers all day long you can't help but get involved and a bit soap box-y about some topics.
• Weight loss via Slimming World.

That's a fairly big thing or feels like it for me to just put out there, a year ago now I lost a stone with Slimming World and I've never felt better about myself, but final year at uni being stuck inside studying/eating/studying/sleeping/eating etc everyday for 3 months meant that didn't last long! However I started again over the summer and so far it's going well, I'm 11 pounds down and trying to make it more of a lifestyle thing than a diet as such. It's scary to admit to people that not only are you unhappy with the way you look but that you're trying to change it, somehow it becomes more pressure when people are either rooting for you or just observing to see if you manage it. But this is important to me and in a sad sort of way I really enjoy it, so this may end up being a bit of healthy eating blog who knows, and for that matter who cares!

• And finally I suppose just whatever pops up or I feel like writing about!

Anyway thank you for reading if you genuinely are interested in my jibber jabber!

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Finals Shminals

 

Reason, Season or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, season or a lifetime.

When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a reason,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a season,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIfetime relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

The Dissertation

I am literally about to submit this bad boy...

 

It's a weird feeling, I'm not as ecstatic as I expected to be. Nervous if anything, and tired. As soon as I pressed print (which took some serious psyching up) I got that IT'S ALL WRONG feeling. I suppose it's a bit late for that now! Fingers crossed for me anyway please! 

Express LD - the website!

If you've been following my blog posts you'll know that along with my fourth year studies I'm currently Project Manager and Co-founder of a charity project called Express LD. Express LD aims to give practical support to students with dyslexia whilst also dispelling the stigma surrounding learning difficulties. In December we held our first launch workshop which you can read about here.
This week our wonderful treasurer Sarah presented me with the sweetest stickers with our logo on, I was so excited I gave out four to friends straight away, last night in Revolution bar I saw one of them still had it stuck to his shirt whilst working, I might of overreacted but man that made me happy!
But that's not the big news, the big news is that after months of planning and hard work we have a website, I'm so incredibly proud. 
A massive, huge, humongous, gargantuan thank you goes out to Tom Shore (aka Austin) for doing this for us out of the goodness of his heart. 
Hopefully over the next few weeks we will be adding some professional photos of the team and workshops, plus a new 'events' page. But for now I present to you Express LD, the website. Go take a look! 

www.expressld.co.uk

All I Need to Get By - living with the iPad 2

Now this post is probably going to look weird. I'm basically trying to get used to a blogging app called 'blogsy' that came highly recommended for blogging on the iPad. I assumed blogging would be something done easily on the iPad, I was sadly mistaken. It's a bit of a faff as it turns out. But in any event I read some reviews as you do and went with blogsy. It's going to be a learning curve I reckon, and I have no idea how it's going to look on the actual blog. So bare with me if there's the occasional funky looking tad messy post, this is why! So far the app looks really very clever though it's just I need to get used to it.

This is all part of my mission to show people out there that you really don't need to spend so much money on a mac if you have similar habits to me. I useD my laptop for Facebook, twitter, I write essays, edit documents, read PDFs, use pinterest, blog, i make power points, occasionally mess around with excel, listen to music and watch movies. And out of all that literally the only thing I've struggled with using only an ipad2 is not being able to watch flash videos, for which I've been using my ancient acer laptop because I can't live without The Office and New Girl.

A lot of people have asked how I'm doing my university work without Microsoft, well I haven't been using pages either, I am using an app called 'open office' which cost me £13 and it's brilliant, does the job just great. I can open word documents without them having to be converted, I can edit them, then I use 'dropbox' to save everything on both my iPad, laptop, uni computers and online in just the click of a button. I also have 'box' for the charity business. Essentially, I don't need to edit photos or music or videos. And that's the only thing I think you might struggle with on an ipad. Having said that I've been told its doable. So there was no sense in me buying what Tom referred to as a "£1000 Facebook machine".

I also bought a refurbished one, apple don't do student discount on iPads and I read about the refurbished option which in the end was a great shout. I saved £60, it has the same warranty and returns policy as non-refurbished machine and there's not a scratch on it.

Back to blogsy, the pictures are dragged in from my camera roll on the iPad via picasa. I've been messing around with the camera since I got it (most pics are edited with Instagram). I'm just having trouble moving them all onto one line,just having three in a row. So they are a bit all over the shop, like I said its a learning curve and I'm sure I'll get better with time.

 

Sunday Afternoons

This is possibly my favourite playlist on 8tracks. It's just happy and lovable.

I'd Spend My Sunday Afternoons With You

It also introduced me to the song 'Smile' by Uncle Kracker which is makes me SO happy.

Men and Women Can't Be Friends

Unbelievably, one of my good friends hasn't seen 'When Harry Met Sally'. This is for him, and my Dad since it's his favourite film. 

The two clips below show some of my favourite quotes/unnervingly true observations from Harry.

Part 1 is right at the beginning of the film and part 2 is set several years later, after Harry and Sally bump into each other at the airport for the first time since their trip to New York in part 1. 

Eugh it's just such a good film! Now there are so many more clips I want to add on but I'm restraining myself. 

Thoughts of a Yorkshire Pudding

My friend Chris just started a blog: "Thoughts of a Yorkshire Pudding"! As a newcomer to the world of Apple products (I just purchased the Ipad2 - which is now my pride and joy) I heartily approve of his first emotional 'I love Steve Jobs' post. Not to mention the epic name. Check it out.

Psychology in a Nutshell

So this is my life now...

I'm currently writing my dissertation...  

Selective Memory as an Explanation for the Interpretation of Dreams as Precognitive 

... which is of course super fun! Anyway, as a result I'm essentially living in the basement computer lab of a building called 'hugh rob'. Luckily I have many a companion. Take for example the mature student who regularly falls asleep with his hands down his pants, or the girl who made a bed underneath the desk. I like to think of the dungeon as a place where the light of dreams and hope dwindle in the cold, dank sewage of reality. Some people understandably need a nap to get through the day. 

In any case, dear diary, I arrived today at 9.30pm, having done a cheeky 8 hours at the hotel, to find my dear friend Robyn. This is basically what went down...

  

Spread the Love

Maybe it's easy to say since I'm happy and in love this Valentine's but I'm really enjoying the whole thing. Facebook and Twitter are filled with happy thoughts and people declaring their love for one another, and all along Middle Meadow Walk (my way into uni) some angels have hung adorable little pink felt hearts from every tree. Actually I can say that, I was single last year and had an amazing day with my friends feeling just as loved as I do today.
I just dont think Valentine's should only be about big romantic gestures or being spoilt rotton (for one thing Valentine's day should be about both halves of a couple and not just a reason for a guy to have spend a lot of money). The sad thing is that some people feel downright depressed on days like today, and that shouldn't be the case. I'd rather Valentine's day be about showing appreciation for everyone you love. And if you are in the happy couple category, then on behalf of men everywhere, make sure Valentine's day is a day for you both! 

If You Can't Say Something Nice

Advice for the day...

Meh

Well I'm not so sure about that, but it's no picnic granted. And it is from the Telegraph...

Serenity

"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
 the courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

My Nana and Grandpa bought me a beautiful gold locket for my 7th birthday with these words engraved, it's amazing how often they bring me comfort.  It's from the Serenity Prayer, which is not actually in the bible, it was written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in the early 1900s. 

Valentine's Day

Instead of go uber mushy and gross everyone out for Valentine's day with an epic love post, I'm going to let this picture do it for me and that'll be the end of it. For Valentines I am not buying Tom a card, I am buying him a whole chicken. Both practical, scrumptious and close to his heart.

Cupid's Arrow

I'm getting in the mood for Valentine's Day.

Not that Tom and I making a big hoo-hah out of the occasion -  I keep having to remind myself that we are students, and we are skint - but I've been in a lovely-love-yey-Valentine's-day type mood today. Therefore despite it being a tad early, here's some Cupid style inspiration...

All these pictures & more with their original sources can be found through 'My Valentine' pin board on Pinterest.

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

... It's the name of a film not of my next uber-sentimental post. I know that will come as a relief to some and disappointment to others!

Anyway, I won't blab on too much but I just thought I'd put it out there, this is definitely 'one to watch'.

We had a decidedly lovely evening the other night cramped around our kitchen table with the most calorific home made cheesecake ever and 2 of our best friends. 

About that cheesecake... melted Mars bars throughout, with a chocolate hobnob base, marshmallow topping and butterscotch source. Like I said, supercalicalorificexpealidocious.

Anyway back to the film: I adored it, in part at least for very obvious reasons (Ryan Gosling... topless... in a rom-com...with Steve Carrell/Emma Stone- honestly how could you not love that?) The surprise came in that the boys (Tom and Chris) loved it too, which makes it a winner in my books. I suspect their admiration for Ryan Gosling was for different reasons, such as his incredibly awesome array of suits, and the fact that he's a total 'LAD'.

It's not all about him though, it's also a funny and touching story with a bit of a twist towards the end. So yeah, if you've got time to spare give it a go. Over and out.

Still Funny