Count Down of the Silly Season!!

Well it's officially the last day of Spring, the last day of November and I think those of you like myself with kids start to panic know that tomorrow is the start of a new day and not just any day December 1st, the day we start counting down to the Jolly man in the big red suit jumps down the chimney.  For my husband and I, this is our sons first year he will really understand Christmas, especially as now he can actually start to string together a sentence, generally with words such as "I Want," and "Me" everything you want at Christmas time. All I know is this, basically if you have kids you have 2 weeks left of your sanity before; school, ELC, co-curricular activities and even child care all close their doors to us. I love seeing all the parents go back to work, come mid-January, exhausted, bags under their eyes and I can almost imagine these tiny little humans running frantically around the house while Mumma and Daddy are sitting in the corner hugging their knees and rocking...... so maybe I am over exaggerating just a little!  

Our little man is full of energy, a lot of work, but we love him dearly and it is a matter of keeping him occupied with different Christmas activities, painting, helping me cook, wrapping presents, play dates etc. (and less Pinot Noir happy hours for Mumma).

We will be doing the 12 days of Christmas on our Blog soon, but let's not jump the gun too quickly, it is still November 30. So, make sure you have organised your Christmas cake, have your fruit soaking if you haven't made your cake already. Also, for Christmas shopping, head over to our facebook page and have a look at Serendipity's range of accessories and baby blankets. Some are now available through etsy.com any questions just send me an email serendipity.designstudio1@gmail.com

To finish off today's blog I wanted to start the season with one of my favourite recipes from the lovely Nigella Lawson:

SNOW-FLECKED BROWNIES

Makes 20

Ingredients

375g unsalted Butter

375g Dark Chocolate

6 eggs

350g Caster sugar

1 tbs vanilla extract

225g plain flour

1tsp salt

250g white chocolate buttons

2 tsp icing sugar for dusting

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line the sides of a base of a 33 x 23 x 5.5cm baking tin with foil or baking paper. Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a large heavy based pan over a low heat. In a bowl or large measuring jug, beat the eggs together with the caster sugar and vanilla extract. Allow the chocolate to cool a little,then add the egg and sugar mixture and beat well. Fold in the flour and salt. Then stir in the white chocolate buttons or chopped white chocolate. Beat to combine then scrape and pour the brownie mixture into prepared tin.

Bake for about 25 minutes. You can see when the brownies are ready because the top dries to a slightly paler brown speckle, while the middle remains dark, dense and gooey. Even with such a big batch you do need to keep checking on it; the difference between gungey brownies and dry ones in only a few minutes. Remember, too, that they will continue to cook as they cool.

To serve, cut into squares while still warm and pile up on a large plate and sprinkle with icing sugar.**

Have a fabulous week everyone.

And please head over to our facebook page and tell your friends too.

Enjoy,

Tammy xx

**Nigella Lawson, "Feast, Food That Celebrates Life," 2004, recipe has been slightly altered.

A New Name...New Beginnings

What a hectic few weeks it has been.  I don't know about you, but I feel like this year has just flown by me and after bringing back 'ideal living' the name was just not meant to be, so my loyal followers, I can now officially say as my Business Registration has all been made official, so Serendipity Design Studio is the new and improved business and blog you are following. How exciting! So, many wonderful ideas and designs are now going through my head and now will be able to come to life. All I can say is our formal dining room is completely covered from top to bottom in silk and tulle, ribbons and feathers, sequins, swarovski crystals.... I am completely in heaven, feel sorry for the men in my life, my son and my husband, hmmm not so happy with the current state of Casa Di SDS!

Unfortunately I wont be releasing my complete new range this side of Christmas, I have decided to concentrate on the accessories and the rest will follow in the new year.
But saying this, we have some very cute headbands for Christmas, toddler to adult as well as the beautiful crochet hats, so take a look:

Crochet Hat in Red with large black & white spot removable flower

Crochet Hat in Ivory with White peonie Look removable flower

Crochet Hat in Red with Black peonie Look removable flower

Crochet Hat in Ivory with Black peonie look removable flower

Assorted Christmas Headbands

Adult & Toddler Size Headbands Available

Red Grosgrain Christmas Headband - Toddler Size pictured

Black Double Bow Grosgrain Christmas Headband - Toddler Size Pictured

 

 Red Grosgrain Christmas Headband - Adult Size pictured

 

White Grosgrain Christmas Headband - Toddler Size pictured

Our French Minky range of blankets of course are also available and I will have new photo's up on the SDP facebook page in the next couple days. Until then, any headbands and crochet hat orders please email me at at serendipity.designstudio1@gmail.com with the size and colour you are after, address etc. please see are face book page for prices.

My husband Alexander and I, well more my decision, poor Alex just is pressured by my outlandish ideas at times. I have decided to throw our first Thanksgiving dinner. Although we are not American, I Love the tradition of giving Thanks and coming together with your nearest and dearest. Although I still have my menu to set all I can give away is that I have one very large Turkey being delivered to Casa Di SDS, so I would love to hear everyones recipes for turkeys. What you have done in the past, maybe for Christmas if you have not done a Thanksgiving. Stuffing recipes cooking success etc.

I absolutely love this time of year. I have to say it is my absolute favourite time of year and although in Australia we do not have a traditional 'White' Christmas there are still things that make Christmas beautiful; My mother-in-law makes the most amazing home made Christmas pudding, I make my grandmothers traditional Christmas truffles as well as Christmas shortbread and homemade Christmas Cake that is soaked in Brandy for the month of December and of course our entire house from the front gates to the back doors are  

adorned in Christmas decorations. I admit by the time January 1st comes I do feel absolutley exhausted.

So, to end todays blog it has to be something to do with Christmas, and something related to Thanksgiving. I made this dessert for Christmas last year, and it's a recipe I do for dinner parties, you cannot go wrong:

White Chocolate Cheesecakes with Frrosted Cranberries

Makes 12 Prep & Cook Time 1 hour (plus refrigeration time & cooling time)

Ingredients

300g plain sweet biscuits

150g butter, melted

3/4 cup thickened cream

360g white chocolate

1kg Philly cheese chopped, softened

330g caster sugar

3 eggs

2 tsps vanilla bean paste

Frosted Cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

300g frozen cranberries thawed on paper towel

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C (130 fan forced). Grease a 12 hhole muffin tray approx 180ml each cup and line with baking paper or muffin cases.

2. Process biscuits until fine. Add the butter and process to combine. Divide mixture among the holes; pressing down firmly over bases. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. Combine cream and white chocolate in a small saucepan; stir over low heat until smooth, cool.

4. Beat the cream cheese, caster sugar, eggs, and vanilla bean paste with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the chocolate mixer. Divide mixture among the hole in cheesecake pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Cool in the oven with door ajar.

4. Refrigerate cheesecakes several hours or overnight.

5. Frosted Cranberries spread the sugar on a tray. Roll the cranberries in the sugar to lightly coat.

6. Serve cheesecakes topped with frosted cranberries.**

That's it for me lovelies. make sure you head on over to our facebook page and support Serendipity Design Studio and tell your friends too.

Thanks all, have a great weekend.

Enjoy,

Tammy xx

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Serendipity-Design-Studio/258387700875695

**The Australian Woman's Weekly Christmas & Holiday Entertaining Special 2010/11, recipe has been slightly altered