Harvest of Friends Blog Party!

Mrs. Couch decided to join in the Harvest of Friends Blog Party hosted by Lynette of Dancing Barefoot. Let's play 20 Questions.

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging?

Chips & Salsa

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?

French Vanilla Coffee

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?

On a farm in the mountains near the beach.

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?

Cleaning the bathroom.

5. Who do people say you remind them of?



6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam?

Me, Mrs. Couch, I'm the social butterfly.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?

It's A Wonderful Life

8. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night?

Sleep

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?

Sign Language

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?

not sure

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?

His smile.

12. What is something you love to smell?

Lilacs

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.

not sure

14. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it?

Save it.

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?

Loud. Myself.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?

Old Navy

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?

Sit in the sun by a pool reading an Agatha Christie mystery and drinking ice cold sweet tea.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?

Frugal

19. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real)

Joe in Little Women

20. Would you want to be famous?

No.

Link up and join the fun - - - I hear there are prizes!

MckLinky Blog Hop - Time To Laugh (for Back To School)

A fun educational vid for the kids going back to school!

Back to School Lamington Recipe

So...you want to send your kids back to school with a new treat...something tasty, and different? well, try a lamington! An Australian speciality, lamingtons are a cake, coated with a chocolate-y mixture, and doused in coconut. They are exquisite when served with whipped cream, but excellent even without!

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 slab sponge cake (one day old)
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 - 3 cups desiccated coconut

To make the icing

• Cool the cake for at least half an hour in the Fridge or Freezer, then cut into squares or fingers
• Combine the Sugar and Cocoa in a large bowl
• Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan until the butter is melted
• Add to the sugar/cocoa mixture and mix to a fluid yet not runny consistency

To put it all together

• Make a production line of Sponge Fingers, Chocolate Icing mixture in a bowl, coconut in a shallow container or plate, and a cooling rack with paper underneath
• Using a fork dip the sponge fingers into the icing, roll it in the coconut covering it well, and then place on to the rack to dry
• Once they have dried, place in an airtight container and leave to "mature" for at least a few hours, preferably overnight, before eating

Encouragement

Perspective has always been a problem for me (Mr Couch). I tend to focus too sharply on things of little importance, often to my detriment. I'll sit here agonising over one little detail on this blog, and obsess endlessly until I get it right (in other words, until I win. Mr Couch=typical male).

Then, Mrs Couch will come over and tell me that it's alright, that the blog looks fine, and that I don't need to furrow my brow until thirty parallel lines appear on my forehead, just because the border is 3px when maybe 2px is fine? Of course, I'll go right back to taking care of that 1px. I'm stubborn like that.

But she has the ability to perk me right up. She gives me validation and assurance that things are fine, and though my pixel obsession might remain, it will be less of a burden than it was. Perhaps that is the most pressing form of encouragement - lightening someone else's load now and then.

And though Mrs Couch is the most amazing wife I could imagine, we all have the ability to encourage others and inspire. Just smiling at your barista in the morning, and giving a generous tip, can put that person's day on a whole other trajectory. Little things. You know.

We're starting our first event soon, the Back to School thingy. And it's going to be huge. I hope, (along with building up our little infant blog) that it serves to encourage everyone who participates, because there's nothing more gratifying than sending out that "you've won!" e-mail. It's good to encourage someone else.

Who can you encourage right now?

MckLinky Blog Hop - Favorite Kid Photos

This week's Blog Hop theme is "Favorite Kid Photos". You can have one or more of your favorite photos your kids, grandkids, someone else's kid or even YOU when you were a kid. Funny, precious, heartwarming... your favorite!

My god-son and god-daughter were our ring bearer and flower girl in our wedding. I got such a laugh from this series of photos. Pay close attention to the sweet little face encircled in red . . .

MckLinky Blog Hop - Favorite Food w/Recipe

A Favorite Aussie Dessert - {Caramel Slice}

1/2 c. plain flour
1/2 c. self-rising flour
1 c. desiccated coconut
1/2 c. soft brown sugar
100 g. butter

Filling:
30 g. butter

2 tbs. golden syrup
400 g. can condensed milk

Topping:
125 g. dark chocolate, chopped
30 g. butter

Preheat oven to 180C. Line base and sides of a shallow 28 x 18 cm tin with aluminium foil.

Sift flours into a medium mixing bowl; add coconut and make a well in the centre. Combine sugar and butter in a small pan and stir over a medium heat until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved.

Add butter mixture to flours and stir until well combined. Press over base of prepared tin, using the back of a spoon. Bake for 10 minutes; leave to cool.

To make filling, combine butter, syrup and condensed milk in a small pan. Stir constantly over a low heat for about 10 minutes until mixture boils and lightly browns. Pour over pastry base and bake for 20 minutes. Set aside until completely cold.

To make topping, combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Stand bowl over a pan of simmering water until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Spread over caramel filling. Leave to set. Using foil, lift slice from tin; cut into squares or fingers to serve.

Note: store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Need to convert the measurements and temps? Do what Mrs. Couch does...visit Online Conversions.