Without Betty & blenderThe first chocolate cake I made without Betty Crocker! All ingredients were individually mixed, with no blender (my arm was hurting) and some Kiwis were laughing at me that I never made a cake from scratch. Who needs to make one from scratch when Betty Crocker's takes 3 minutes to blend and all you have to do is add 2 eggs and some water!? My mother was a working woman!

No ingredients came from a box and luckily there was baking powder or baking soda in the cupboard. It took WAY more time than using a ready mix but was interesting to try. It was delicious but am not sure it came out exactly right as it felt really heavy, not 'moist and delicious' like Miss Crocker promises. (Betty Crocker is a brand of cake mixes in America for all those peeps that don't know who I am referring to)
Stellina and the heckler (BH) enjoyed decorating it and eating it and it was worth all the hard work in the end. I think my next purchase is a blender. I probably have one arm muscle bigger than the other as this weekend I made a banana cake sans blender too. All these cakes are not good for my preparation for the beach in March but I guess that is what flowy sarongs are for.

Well tickle me pickle and onion

Something old something new, something pickled....

Monster munch crisps, which are in the shape of a paw, have been re-launched this month. The kind people at Monster Munch sent me a few packets to have a taste as we didn't have these growing up in the Canadian wilderness.

On a side note, I am still waiting for someone to bring KETCHUP flavoured chips/crisps to the UK! Not sure what is taking sooo long? I should just stuff loads into my suitcase at Christmas and sell them at Borough Market in the new year to see if the flavour catches on. Hostess people send me some boxes pls!

Anyhoo, I tried these funny little fluffy crisps and the pickled onion flavour is quite interesting. It gives you the same satisfaction as a salt and vinegar crisp but it is pickles and onions instead. I do like anything sour and salty so this was actually a nice combo. And also with all snacky crisps they were moorish.

I haven't cracked open the roast beef flavour (as am a bit scared of that one) but the flaming hot one was quite nice, kind of like a bbq flavour. I really wish someone invented a really hot crisp flavour where your mouth is actually on fire. Monster Munch people, how about a Tabasco flavour?

They also sent me an old pack and a new pack to see the new and improved Allante (Married with Children fans will only get this). It is kinda cute that the old ones were little and the new ones have had a growth spurt.

I never really noticed these in the shops before but now am going to buy a pack for the little Stellina to enjoy and also give her the fun mask they included in the package, she might like that for show and tell. And I still owe her a gelato, kids don't forget.