That's Noice!

Each year Australians produce 21 million tons of waste. It is estimated that most kids produce approx 30kg of waste each year from their school lunches alone. And with most of it being plastic of some sort that will take for ever to break down.

We could significantly reduce this waste by making lunch time nude…for the food that is! (tho we won’t judge you if you want to eat your lunch nude ;) )

This is the Nude Food Mover from smash. Designed to make it easy to have a nude lunch everyday. Super handy little compartments for you to pack all your little bits and pieces for a nutritious and environmentally friendly lunch.

There is also a range of funky neoprene skins to keep it all cool. You can purchase them from most major retailers in the lunchbox section, or you can purchase a box and skin set online and get 25% off when you use this code NFMP12509 from now until 1st February 2010. Also check out Lift the Lid for great ideas on what to pack in your lunch box.

Smash is also giving you the chance to win $1000 worth of sporting gear for you school and help raise money for The Smith Family.

Just go to Nude Food Movement and answer 5 very easy multiple choice questions. For every five questions you get right, Smash Enterprises will donate $1 to The Smith Family’s Healthy Eating Programs and 5 points to your nominated school. The ten highest scoring schools in Australia will win.

I don’t know if these painter’s palettes are even used anymore? I haven’t seen one in use since Xanadu.

But they make for a great cupake concept!

I don’t know anything at all about these cupcakes, except that I found them on Tumblr.

I would normally have the pink one, but today I’m thinking I’ll have the green one. Which colour cupcake do you want?

A few months ago Smith’s started the Do us a flavour competition, to come up with a new iconic Australian chip flavour. After 1000′s of entries, 4 flavours have been picked, put into limited production and are now on sale.

The flavours, Steve’s buttered popcorn, Aline’s caesar salad, Lucas’ late night kebab and Vinnie’s BBQ coat of arms. It’s now up to Australia to vote for their favourite.

I know which one I will be voting for…none!

The buttered popcorn was OK, but didn’t really taste like popcorn. I guess the fact that they are chips and not popcorn may have something to do with that.

The Caesar salad, kudos to them for managing to make a chip taste like lettuce. But just because you can..does not mean you should. Lettuce flavoured chips is just wrong!

The kebab wasn’t too bad, a bit spicy and probably less bizarre tasting than the rest.

BBQ Coat of arms, now to me I thought it meant it was bbq roo and emu flavour..would you not think that? The smell was very strong, as was the taste and despite the site saying it wasn’t actually roo or emu my tongue said it was and I couldn’t go past a little lick.

The children polished the rest of the bags off, so they must have been edible at least.

Have you tried them, what did you think?

A few years ago I had a Tim Tam milkshake in a cafe in Newtown, and I’ve never forgotten how fantastic it was. Ever since, I vowed to recreate it at home.

It’s taken me a long time, but I finally got around to it! The things I do in the name of research for That’s Noice ;)

Tim Tam milkshake (1 serve)

Ingredients:

1. 1 x packet of Original Tim Tams (on special at my supermarket this week, yay!)
2. Milk (probably about 250ml)
3. Optional: vanilla icecream if you want it really thick
4. Optional: Milo or similar if you want it really chocolate-y

Method:

1. Blend milk and about 3 Tim Tams (and ice cream and Milo if you want) until the Tim Tams are finely blended
2. Add 2 more Tim Tams, but don’t blend them quite so finely this time
3. Pour the mixture into your glass – chilled if it’s a hot day
4. Chop and crush 1 last Tim Tam to sprinkle on top of your creation

The biggest mistake I made was that I was too lazy to go up the street and buy full cream milk to make this, so just used the skim milk we had in the fridge – full cream milk would be TONNES better!

Here’s the gratuitous food porn shot:

So it’s not exactly something I’d make every week – maybe every year ;)

Pink Ribbon Day is being held on Monday 26 October, supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

One of the best ways I can think of supporting Pink Ribbon Day is to make and eat pink cupcakes!

I found some cupcake inspiration on Flickr – aren’t they beautiful?

I am the packet mix queen…yes, I can hear you gasping and fanning yourself. Packet mixes..the outrage! Was once even told (by a loon on AFW who has since been deleted) that you aren’t a real parent if you use packet mixes..pfft what a load of shit!

First we make the cupcakes. So for this, I used a Greens Vanilla cake mix. Mix the room temp egg and butter together, then milk..now you add the packet in. It does make a difference, so don’t be lazy and bung it all in at once! Then baked till..well, they are cooked..duh! Or, if you aren’t into packets, you could try out Rah’s perfect basic cupcake recipe.

Once they’re cool, cut little holes in the top for the Lemon curd. I just used some stuff from a jar (not the cheap stuff eww) but you could make your own I guess..if you were so inclined.

Then comes the fun! I wanted some of that spiffy soft and fluffy meringue, not that boring regular stuff. So I found myself a recipe for Italian Meringue at Gourtment Traveller. Took awhile to track down a candy thermometer.

So you will need..

• 200g Caster Sugar
• 200ml water
• 5 egg whites
• Pinch of cream of tartar (which I didn’t have, asked google and it said i’d be still right without it. But I probably wouldn’t be taking my advice )

First, combine the sugar and 200ml water in a small pan and bring to the boil while continuously stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Then, Reduce heat to medium and brush down sides of pan with a clean, wet pastry brush to remove sugar crystals. And you’ve got your candy thermometer in there..right?

So you now cook until the syrup reaches 115c on your trusty thermometer, which takes about 15mins. Once you get there start whisking your egg whites with cream of tartar in a clean, grease-free bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

Still cooking your sugar while your whisking away ( so you will need a stand mixer or a helper monkey) till your sugar reaches 121c.

Increase the speed to high and while it’s running, gradually pour syrup into meringue. Beat at medium speed until cooled to room temperature and meringue is thick and glossy (15-20 minutes).

You can pipe it or just spoon it on, which I preferred the rough look and you could fit more on.

The meringue is already cooked, but a little browning is nice. I stuck them under the grill for a bit. A blow torch would be ideal for a nice even brown.

Super nom-a-licious they were much better than those I have had else where!

I have been subscribed to this flickr group for quite awhile now, I could never dream of creating anything like these..but a girl can drool.

Australian Cake decorators is a group of super talented baking Aussies sharing their amazing creations. Cupcakes, wedding cakes, kids cakes..you name it, they can make it a cake!

1. Akie, 2. Chinese bridal couple topper, 3. Peonies and Cranes, 4. Berrylicious, 5. winter wonderland, 6. Little Betsy Baker Cupcakes!

Now doesn’t that just get your mouth watering with delicious anticipation!

Went to pay for my petrol, and spotted these. The display box with this huge picture of a camels balls. I stood stunned for a bit, you cannot be serious? Then I came to my sense and grabbed some..I must blog these!

Every part of these is just so very VERY wrong. The packet for a start, that is one badass camel, with his nose ring and…big balls. But why is he looking so happy? If his balls have been lopped to package up for kiddies to chew on.

You know it’s bad when even the kids are disgusted and after cutting one open refuse to taste it.

Not to be out done by Red Bull, V too has released a new energy shot drink, the V Pocket Rocket.

It sure packs a punch, in this little 60ml bottle there is 160mg of caffine. That is equal to a large 500ml can of V or 2 cups of coffee. Not sure about the dietary supplement claim though?

It appears you are suppose to drink them at room temp, but I put mine in the fridge for a bit.

Now V, you know I love you and I hate to bag you, but..its bloody awful! It tastes like cough medicine.

On checking out their website, the FAQ state “V Pocket Rocket has been specifically formulated for adult consumption which is why we’ve made it taste the way it does.” In other words they made it taste like crap so kids won’t drink it. Umm, ok then.

Certainly does give you a buzz, if that is what your after and you can slam it down quickly to avoid the taste.

If you’re on a diet, or pretending to be… best you not read any further.

Sara Lee’s new Minis – baked cheesecake bites. Itty bitty bits of cheesecake, so you can have a little taste and not feel guilty by having a whole piece. The idea sounds good…in theory.

Spotted an ad for these a last week and have been having an inner-discussion with myself every time I go to the shop, “yes, you should buy them”…”no you don’t really need them”. Finally, “I could try them and blog about them!” and the fact they were on special at Woollies today won.

Grabbed some strawberry and chocolate ones. There is also classic and caramel. They come packaged in two little tubs of 18 pieces, is this a serving size suggestion? They are made to be eaten straight from the freezer?

Let’s just say, they are bloody yum, and good luck stopping at one…or three.

=O M G nom!

Spring time is here, and there are so many of our favourite delicious fruits in season. We love nothing more than sharing a huge bowl of fruit salad. Can’t get any better..right?

Well that was until I learnt of this little addition to your fruit platter from Barbara. It is so easy, and SO freakin awesome!

A 1/2 packet of tang (you can use orange, or mango..which is my fav) mixed into a tub of light sour cream..and voilà. Awesome kick arse fruit dip, I like it best with strawberries, and rock melon *drooool*

Are you looking for a cupcake recipe that’s easy to follow?

That will work every time?

That doesn’t need 3 separate bowls just to mix the batter? (a-la Crabapple Bakery recipes)

The perfect cupcake recipe?

You’ve come to the right place!

This is a recipe that I’ve been using for well over 4 years. For all the cupcake books I own (almost a whole row on our kitchen bookshelf!), I always find myself going back to this vanilla buttercake cupcake recipe. You throw all the ingredients in at once and it just works.

Technically, this is a recipe for patty cakes (anyone remember those??), so they’re slightly smaller than the now-popular “American-sized” cupcake.

Vanilla Buttercake Cupcakes with Vanilla Butter Cream Icing

Makes 24 “patty-cake” (slightly-smaller-than-average) sized cupcakes.

Based on this recipe, each cupcake contains 9.5g fat and 186 calories.

Cupcakes:

125g softened unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
150g caster sugar (2/3 of a cup)
3 eggs (room temperature if possible)
225g self raising flour (1½ cups)
60ml milk (¼ of a cup)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to moderate (180ºC/160ºC fan-forced). Line two deep 12-hole patty pans with paper cases
2. Combine ingredients in small bowl of electric mixer; beat on low speed until ingredients are just combined. Increase speed to medium; beat about 3 minutes or until mixture is smooth and changed to a paler colour
3. Drop slightly rounded tablespoons of mixture into paper cases. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack; turn top-side up to cool.

Cupcake papers and my colour-coordinated decorations

Can’t we just eat the batter straight from the bowl?

Ready for the oven

Buttercream icing:

(Double this if you want to create funky swirls on your cupcakes)

125g softened unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
240g icing sugar or icing mixture (1½ cups)
2 tablespoons milk

Method:

Beat butter and extract in small bowl with electric mixer until as white as possible. Gradually beat in half the sifted icing sugar, milk, then the remaining icing sugar. Tint with food colouring, if desired.

Buttercream icing ready to be piped onto the cupcakes

I use a glass to make it easier to get the
icing into my disposable piping bag

VOILA! I piped the icing using the Wilton 1M swirl piping tip

Cupcake Camp is coming to Sydney!

A Cupcake camp is basically just a get together..with cupcakes! Sydney Cupcake camp will also be rasing funds for RSPCA Cupcake Day

When

Friday 28 August, 2009
5:30pm -7:30pm

Where

CBS Interactive Sydney
Level 12,
50 Goulburn Street,
Sydney

Check out the invite for more details and to register!

Guys, I think my diet is on its way out the window!

Ben and Jerry’s, the famous American icecream brand is coming to Australia, and specifically, to Sydney in September.

WOOHOO! Ben and Jerry’s is my favouritest icecream, although I only got to eat it in the month I spent in the UK. Cookie Dough was my favourite although I hear Phish Food is where it’s at.

The official word is that supermarkets will stock tubs soon and outlets will soon open up at cinemas, with a plan for national domination within the next couple of years.

I’m not sure if it’s still the case, but I saw the real Ben and Jerry interviewed on The Colbert Report a couple of years ago and they said that the top execs of the company only ever earned 20 times the salary of the lowest-paid staff within Ben and Jerry’s. It’s a sentiment that appeals to the HR student in me and I think shows a side of companies that should be seen more often.

If you’re looking for me, I’ll be the one at the front of the queue at the official opening of the first store!

We have reviewed a few of Sydney’s Cupcake Bakeries. But what about all the bakeries in other states? Thankfully we have some guest reporters who are up for the hard task of eating cupcakes!

The lovely Kay from Moggie Madness visited the My Sweetopia bakery in Brisbane to give us the inside scoop. From her pictures and review these cupcakes look awesome, I can’t wait to try some myself soon..

This is what Kay had to say…

“Fantastic icing/topping to cupcake ratio, moist crumb. The chocolate base is really chocolatey and after one of those, I didn’t have it in me to go back for a second to try one of the vanilla ones. The espresso topping was made from cream and was just the right amount of coffee flavour. The only thing I struggled with was finishing my mocha coffee because the chocolate in it was a bit too sweet and not quite the taste I was expecting. It was still nice but with the chocolate of the cupcake it was just too much IYKWIM. Apparently they designed the wedding cake for the B105 Naked Wedding too.

I’m looking forward to going back to try some more on my next Monday off…or maybe the next cupcake bakery at West End. ;)”

Thanks so much Kay! It is a hard job, but someone has to do it!

If you have visited a cupcake bakery near you and would like to submit a review, let us know.

My Sweetopia
Shop 8/ 180 Grey St, Southbank Qld

Monthly desktop wallpapers have become quite popular of late. I love changing my wallpaper every month, and some of my favourites lately have been from the amazingly talented Definatalie.

This month she has out done herself again, I think they are the best yet! I just love the colours, and the nifty little spots for neatly sorting your desktop icons.

The wallpaper comes in a range of sizes, along with a matching wallpaper for your iPhone. Visit Definatalie to grab yours!