1,006 Readers

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU!

What a wonderful gift to come home too! I've hit over 1,000 readers of my little blog (therapy session!)

Thank you all my wonderful readers, I can't wait to hit the next 1,000!

Time to celebrate with some Jelly Babies and Cider!

Love you all

xxxx

Chocolate Fudge Brownies Recipe

Hi Guys,

The other day it was not only my 25th birthday, but on the 6th April my darling Mike turned 26, and it was my chance to bake and fatten up his work colleagues. I did make some Marshmallow muffins and Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies (what the recipes, just ask) but I also made these little guys, which I think http://theicingonourcake.blogspot.co.uk/ would love!

Ingredients

          85g Butter, plus extra for greasing,

200g Low-fat Cream Cheese,

1tsp Vanilla Essence,

225g Caster Sugar,

2 Eggs,

3 tbsp Cocoa Powder,

100g Self-raising Flour,

50g Pecan Nuts (chopped) I replaced this with Marshmallow due to Mike not liking nuts!

Fudge Icing

4tbsp Butter,

1tbsp Milk,

75g Icing Sugar,

2tbsp Cocoa Powder,

Pecan Nuts ( again I used Marshmallow)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease and line your tray!

Beat together the Cream Cheese, Vanilla Essence and 5 teaspoons of Caster Sugar until smooth. Set Aside

Beat the Eggs and remaining Caster Sugar together until light and fluffy.

I brought Eggs from the local produce store across the road from work, the shells were blue which scared me a little. I loved the richness of the yolks!

 Place the Butter and Cocoa Powder in a small pan and heat gently, stirring until the Butter melts and the mixture combines.

I have to admit it smelt so good I could have eaten this! I almost ate butter!

 Then stir into the Egg mixture, fold in the Flour and Marshmallows.

Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth on top. 

Carefully spread the Cheese mixture over it, then cover it with the remaining cake batter ( I used a slightly bigger tray so I had to double everything!). Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. 

Leave in the Pan to cool, it may seem burnt on top but that's the Marshmallows that were in the mixture.

To make the icing, melt the Butter in the Milk. Stir in the Icing Sugar and Cocoa Powder. Spread the Icing over the Brownies and decorate with the Marshmallows.

Cut into whatever shape you fancy and serve, or in my case send off to work in a tin wondering how it will survive for.

 It's so simple, and easy to enjoy apparently! (I got to taste non!).

Bye

xxx

10 Things I've Discovered Planning A Wedding 6 Month Count Down Review

Hello There,

So as I promised when we hit the 6 months count down I would review this blog and tell you what I have learnt 7 months later! So I've kept the original post in purple and my up-dated thoughts in red. So here we go. Sorry I've neglected to blog for a while I had my hen party at the weekend which I will discuss with you!

1. It's Your Day! LIES! BIG FAT LIES!

Anyone who says this phrase to you is lying through their teeth, it's the biggest contradiction I keep hearing again and again, EVERYONE has an opinion.

This is still true! In fact at the moment I am in a deep battle with my mother in law who get this, is concerned that we will be disappointed in the party as there will be a lack of younger people at the party! So she said she will pay for some evening guests so we don't feel deflated. We got so excited but here's the catch the evening guests are HER friends!  So at them moment she already has 3 friends invited and wants to invite an extra 14 people! It is quickly becoming not our wedding but her sons, and its all about me, me, me! This is a battle I AM going to win! Big rant I know, but as I have discovered while talking to others than I am not alone and venting this to you guys! You in the same situation? 

2. Everyone Has An Opinion

No matter who they are, they will tell you what would be good! I love my family dearly, but everyone and I mean everyone has something to say about what your doing, how it should be and what they think you should have! Their opinion MUST be considered. And before you ask 1 is different from 2, because with 2 if their paying you have to bow down to their request. This applies to my fiancee, I wanted a full band diamond wedding ring, i'm getting a half :-(

This has died off now, pretty much everything is planned and pre-paid for.  Plus informing everyone that this wedding is making us skint keeps people off our backs! 

3. Family Involvement!

They might not be paying a penny to the wedding but they WILL make you feel bad in not giving them what they want and you WILL feel guilty that them purely attending is going to cost them money. Resulting in tears and arguments.

This again has died off a little, now i'm battling grandparents who want to pay for there food, crazy right!  Our family have now hit the excitement part so there not so much concentrated on that, but our families have a wonderful faith our hotel will be empty even though we keep saying that last time we spoke to them in February it only had 6 rooms left.

4. The Tears and Arguments!

You can never be prepared for this rollar coaster! Everyone in your wedding party will be subjected to this and if you haven't, your next!

Yeah, this is still happening, I have moments where I am going YAY i'm getting married then moments of I can't be bothered any more, why am I doing this?

5. Being Emotional Crushed!

I was even more unprepared for this......Last night I accidentally cut an invitation!!!! I'm FINE - but I just can't talk about it...............

No comment!

6. Making It Yourself!

This is a wonderful process but so time consuming and emotional, yet soul crushing at the same time, especially when it goes horribly wrong.

Yet again I still can't comment on this, I've still got to make more invites, the seating chart, menus, place cards and wedding favors! God help me!

7. Your Family Must Secretly Hate You!

Why is it the moment you plan a wedding your family gets even stranger! I swear every time I visit or talk to someone I get, I'm not talking to them, Don't sit them near me, I'm not having my photograph taken with them, just to list a few of many! Is it too much for world peace for one day? For us? Our families are going to clash, no matter what due to different backgrounds, so it could go either way....everything will be magically fine or arguments and amazement if no one gets kicked out. Might replace my dad's suit with a ref's outfit.

I love my family dearly, we shall see what happens at the wedding! But my Bridal Shower was perfect!

8. Everyone Has An Uncle K**b Head or 5!

The guest list, my god! Inviting people you are embarrassed by or just don't want near you, well tough because you can't invite them with out them, and they won't come if there not coming........ This discovery is supported by point 1 and 2. I have no comment.

Still invited and most still have not RSVP'd! 

9. Diet! HA!

Everyone at work keeps hearing me say ooohhh I need to diet before the wedding, well HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah no one who has actually said the words I need to loose a bit of weight before the wedding has generally began or attempted. I've given myself 6 months before the wedding as my diet cut off and lets face it, it's only half a stone. No motivation here, too much cake and meals to enjoy!!!!

Well Mike and I were serious about going on a diet 2 months ago, this has still not happened! Trying to eat healthy, but the unhealthy food is the best! Mike has lost a stone but I've not lost or gained! 

10. On The Verge!!

Pretty much when I discuss or plan the wedding i'm dancing on that fine line of a mental/emotional break down or becoming Bridezilla. This is mostly tested when trying to arrange everyone getting together.

I am not a Bridezilla, but I have a Mother-in-lawzilla! Maybe closer the time I might become one, but I'm trying to learn to let things go, well some things, I'm trying to be diplomatic!

So what do we think? It's all go, my next 3 blogs are about my Hen, Chocolate Fudge Brownies, and meeting the vicar!

Bye 
xxxx