Fat boy baking Enterprises No. 6 (and little bit of utter glutony)

Back by popular demand.  Or more accurately my sister politely requested that I post something.  So upon finished our skype chat this Sunday, I felt inspired to do a little baking.  Blueberry and Sour Cream loaf cake, from the Hummingbird Bakery Book, kindly donated by my above mentioned sister.

I have been informed that it is delicious.  Sadly; due to the vagueries of the ability of my taste buds still suffering from the effects of a cold; I have been unable to experience the full affects of the supposedly delicious cake.

The the little bit of gluttony. A week ago I decided to make some Cheez Whiz (if you are unsure Google it. And here is the recipe http://www.grouprecipes.com/66270/home-made-cheez-whiz.html).

And then decided it would be good idea to use it on Nachos.  This is the result - Nachos con esencia de Sheriff.

To make this heaping mound of food, all you need is nachos, beef mince, baked beans (my preference would be Heinz), spices (I used a packet of fajita spice mix), 1/2 a chili, soured cream, salsa, Cheez Whiz, and little bit of grated cheese.

Cook the beef with some of the fajita spice mix and a 1/4 of a chili, in another pan cook the beans with fajita spice mix and 1/4 of a chili.  When ready combine into one sauce pan.  Cover the bottom of large bowl with nachos, put some of the mince/beef mix on top, then some soured cream, and salsa, finally finish with some Cheez Whiz (you may need to heat this up in the microwave to make it a little easier to spread).  Then add another layer of nachos and repeat the process.  Finish by sprinkling grated cheese on tap, and put under the grill in done to your satisfaction.  And enjoy.

I think you find it is gluttony at its finest.

Fat Boy Baking Enterprises - No. 4 & 5

No 4 - Grasshopper Pie

Not quite as exotic as it sound.  Consists of a chocolate biscuit base, marshmallow based mint flavour topping, and cream; lots and lots of cream.  Nearly a litre of double cream was used in the making of the pie.  And for me it was little too much.

No 5 - Caramel Cupcakes

These were much more successful and greatly enjoyed by all who tried them.  Not to be recommended if you are on a diet due to the amount of sugar, butter and caramel required to make them.

Fat Boy Baking Enterprises - No. 2 & 3

I promised this to my dearly beloved big sis.  But due to the fact I am somewhat lazy and useless most of the time it has taken me a while.  Anyway here are my latest cooking exploits:

No. 2 - Eton Mess Cupcakes:

These were delicious and full of sugary goodness, and jelly tot on top.  I even surprised myself with these.  Link to the recipe is below

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/638376

No . 3 - Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Banana, Blueberry Compote, and Maple Syrup

Again full of sugary goodness.  This seems to be a running theme to my cooking.  And for my big sis here is the recipe for my American pancakes (if you fella ever feels like having something other than crepes).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/fluffyamericanpancak_74828

Too make them chocolate chip just add chocolate chips. Simples.

Fat Boy Baking Enterprises - No.1

This is what I cooked for breakfast this morning (just to make you feel jealous big sis).

American style strawberry pancakes (that is bits of fresh strawberries mixed in with the batter), made from a new recipe, with a strawberry and blackberry compote kind of thing, with maple syrup.  I am now on massive sugar rush.

Just for my big sis

Well I know it has been a while, and I haven't got much to say.  But here are some pictures of a fancy dress party I went to recently.

So I got my face glued back together last night.

I wasn't planning to write another blog this week, but three things have happened that I decided could wait to be made public.

Firstly........

As you can see from the above photo I have acquired a cut just above my right eye.  I was at hockey training last, and for some reason I decided, that on this occasion, discretion was not the better part of valour.  Seconds later I was proved to very wrong as face connected with the ball.  So of I went patched my self up and drove to hospital (before anybody starts worrying in was not a particularly hard blow to the head).  45 minutes later I was leaving hospital with a newly glued face.

The next 2 are things that happened at work.  I discussed in a previous blog I have issues with work at the moment and the next 2 things were perpetrated by our 2 new team leaders.

The first one was done by the person who got the team leader role ahead of me.  On Monday she posted on her Facebook wall 'wishes she could choose who she works with. Sometimes people are just pricks'.  This probably wouldn't have too bad, except for the fact a lot at people who she works with are her friend on FB, and ended up reading it including myself. That is not to clever, and that is not mention the fact that she posted at 3pm when she should have been working.  Well, I had show Rex, but when I went on later it had been removed, so obviously the boss had a word with her.  Although, I am certain he probably didn't raise the question of why she was on FB.

The second was off 'sick' on Monday.  But as we found on Tuesday essentially it was nothing more that sever hangover from getting drunk on Saturday night and not getting in until 6:30 in the morning.

Sometimes it just hard to believe that people can do such ridiculous things.

But that basically it.  I just felt the need to share.  Hopefully you have read this far after you stopped laughing about my mishap.

Well at least this week as been anything other than boring!

Hello, my name is.....

So, as another week has roll by.  Another joyful week at work has gone by, the atmosphere in the office keeps getting worse.  Although I did manage to blag a couple of days out of the office by going to a meeting at a customer in Durham.  So Thursday night was spent in a hotel eating Tescos sandwiches, watching 'Scot Pilgrim vs the World'.  Which actually turned out to be quite entertaining, I would recommend watching it you have a spare couple of hours, especially if you are a Micahel Cera fan.  I will leave work there.  I could be raging all night at the ridiculous things that keep going on at work.

So I shall move on to this weekend.  This weekend was actually quite good, we won 5-1 at hockey, sadly I didn't score though.  But at least we won.  I we conceded after 20 seconds in the first half.  Man Utd also won, 5-0, and another Berbatov hat-trick.  To add to that Man Sh#tty also lost.  It is just a shame that Arsenal didn't lose as well.

Saturday night was spent at my friend Noise's hovel.  He rents a room in a house in Kingston (London - not Jamaica (unfortunately).  For those of you that saw my house on Horspath Road, it was probably on a par for disgustingness.

And finally especially for my brilliant and amazing big sis, a picture of me in the t-shirt she bought for my birthday.

This is quite from one if my favourite film 'The Princess Bride'.  Which I definitely recommend watching.

Big thanks sis.

A spectacularly bad start to the week

Well last week pretty much sucked.  So we will leave it where is in the past.  Played 2 games of hockey over the weekend, drew one, and lost one.  Have the loss was 10-1.  Very ugly.  The only mildly dim light on otherwise grey weekend was the fact that Man United some how managed not to lose to Spurs, despite playing quite badly.

But there one more misfortune to be plundered.  I need to fill up my car before Monday, so I decided to go the long way home so I could go the cheapest petrol station on my way back.  All was going to plan until having filled up on my home on to ran into a pot hole that can only be described as small crater.  I woke up to flat tyre.  So I changed the tyre, but when I check the alloy it had buckled.  So that is going to cost me at least £200, which I then have to try to claim back of the council.

So after that bout of joyfulness, lets hope the week get better as it goes on and I have some cheery things to write about in my next blog.

My Christmas gifts in pictures (for my sister)

Basically picture of the 3 best things I got for Christmas:

My new watch from Rex.  It is D&G don't you know.

My new knitted coat (Rex reckons it is a cardigan, but I won't wear it if she calls it that)

My new Star Wars t-shirt (and Rex's slippers)

And finally something I didn't get for Christmas, but big sis wants to see them.

Addidas Star wars R2-D2 C3PO Special Addition.  Cracking.

No I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth.

Sorry to my 3 avid followers, and my one stalker that I know about.  I realise that it has been a while since I last blogged.  To completely honest, a large part was because I couldn't be bother.  As written in a previous blog, I find it a little stressful, and often quite work to write my blogs.  So whilst I have Christmas, football and new Xbox games to play my motivation to write dwindles.  Anyway, thanks in no small part to the encouragement offered from dearly beloved sister I am back.  For some reason I am yet to comprehend, Bex and excellent chap find it amusing/interesting.

Back to the matters at hand.  Christmas was good, spent with the better half's family, who, thankfully, are all lovely.  I got very spoilt.  I will post some pictures of the wonderful things I have received.  Christmas lunch was spent at a hotel in Oxford.  It was very nice, but to me it feels weird to be going out on Christmas day.  I have only ever done it once before when I was in Australia, when I didn't have much choice.  I prefer to stay at home with the family and cook enough food to feed most of England.

Unfortunately I got ill after Christmas (which also added to my laziness with regards to the blog).  So New Years ended up being a quiet affair.  I went for a pleasant meal with Rex and was home by before Midnight to see in the new year will a glass of Champagne.

It was my birthday yesterday, again which was quiet.  I have now reached the ripe old of 31.  To be honest, I figured I would never make it to 30.  For reason I aways thought I would do myself a mischief before then.  So to echo my sisters reasons to be cheerful, I will try take every year as a bonus and try to enjoy it as much as I can.  Which as turns as it not always easy.

Anyway, I feel I have now rambled for far too long.  Seems I have got verbal diarrhea after not having written anything for so long.  Well, I will try not to leave so long between blogs next time.

Until then stay Safe.

Snow is falling all around us!

So, I am taking as long as my brother now between each post, only I don't have the excuse of travelling.  I think like many things I start I soon lose interest to keep it up.  I start finding things I would rather be doing (usually playing the Xbox at the moment).  I suppose the main reason is that it usually takes quite a long time right my blog mainly because it takes time to think I about what I am going to write.  And partly because I am being distracted by the TV whilst I write it.  My lazy self also thinks that the longer I leave between posts the easier they will be to write.

So anyway here goes.  Last week was good.  I went and did some serving of machines at one of our customer in Chester an visiting another customer near Huddersfield.  It took me 6 hours to get home, and then I spent a further 3 hours getting too and from the Westfield to do my Christmas shopping.

Friday was our department Christmas party, it was an alright night.  Didn't stay out that late.  It also started snowing on Friday.  So having spent most of Wednesday in the car, I spent 4 hours on Saturday travelling to the other side of Wycombe and back.  The traffic was hideous.  So spent another night sleeping on the sofa at my mates place.

I have spent the first 3 days of this week working from home, the first 2 days because of the weather, and today because the suspension collapsed on my car.  The spring had broken.  Thankfully it only cost me about £100.

The next time post Christmas will have arrived.  So merry Christmas to you all and I hope Santa Claus brings you everything you would like.

Actually quite an interesting week

Well, I think the atmosphere in the office has reached an all time low.  We finally had the kick of meeting for new team followed by lunch out.  This turned out to be 3 of the more uncomfortable hours of my life.  As my boss blustered through questions about how things were going to work, whilst being quizzed by the temp who is due to leave, and the new person who is taking her place, which we still hadn't be told about.  If it wasn't so depressing I think I might actually have fell about laughing, it was so comical.

The other person from our team who is also leaving (by her own choice), then had her exit interview and told the HR manger about all the problems in the department.  Another manager also spoke to the HR manager after speaking to some of our team at the company Christmas party on Thursday night.  So things could get very interesting this week in the office.  I am glad I am not going to be office until Thursday, I think things could be about to get a lot more uncomfortable.

Anyway, back to better things, we finally played hockey for first time in 3 weeks yesterday, and we won 5-1.  We had some our (Rex's ;op) friends round for dinner last night, which was nice.

I will be driving to Chester this afternoon to to assist with servicing at one customers.  Anyway, I think I shall leave it there for now.  I am getting quite hungry, and it is time for lunch.  Hopefully, I will have more interesting things to about the goings on in the office to tell you about.

Basically nothing happens

Hello to all my (probably not so much now) avid followers.  I know it is getting longer and longer between posts.  But basically nothing really happens in my life that is worth talking.  Sure I can keep writing, went to work, work was rubbish/good/frustrating etc, but there is only so often you can write the same thing.  Or tell you about hockey (We lost our last game) and this Saturday's game was frozen off.  Plus Call of Duty: Black Ops has provided quite a large distraction

Anyway, what that rambling lack off cohesion is mounting to is this.  I have come to the realisation that life, as I have stated in my blog title, is inherently boring.  Therefore trying to write about it on a regular basis is actually difficult.  I know my big sis doesn't, but she has 2 ankle biters that provide her with plenty of subject matter on which to enthuse.  Or my big bro who is currently gallivanting off round the world, and therefore has plenty of adventure to regale us with whenever he writes his blog.  I often wonder if other people feel like this (although seeing as the only people that read this blog are my bro and sis I am not sure if I will ever find out).  And I am sure many people would happily have 'dull' life.  But for me I would prefer life to be little more exciting.

Although having said all that, life has been a little more exciting recently.  Last week I managed to get out on the road for a few days and visit some of our customer in the south west.  Ended up costing me a fortune as I cam back with a case of cider, some cheese and few new items of clothing (there was surf shop outlet shop, everything was very cheap).

Anyway, think I will leave it there.  I was planning on watching the rest of the football.  But see as United are currently 2-0 down.  I might just go and have a shower then return to playing Black Ops.

Love to you all.

Dan

Quick post.

Right, what has happened over the last few days.  Good weekend.  We won at hockey (though we really didn't deserve to).  I even managed to score a goal (quite a good one at that), my first of the season.

Saturday night was spent getting exceedingly drunk, watching the boxing, and playing poker.  It was a great night.  I even managed to give my for house mate, Fish, a black eye whilst do the normal drunken male pastime of play fighting (that at least should please my sister).

Sunday was supposed to be spent recovering.  However, I ended playing a game of mixed hockey.  That will teach me to not reply to a text message.  Well at least I managed to sweat most of the alcohol out of my system, and I even managed to score again.

Anyway, the last two days have just been work, and then spending the evening playing Call of Duty Black Ops,  Rex has become of bit of an Xbox widow of late.  I think I may need to join Xbox anonymous.  In fact as soon as I have finished writing this post I will be going straight back to it.

Which is about now,  don't really have a lot else to tell you.  Back to my boring life, this week.  Thankfully.

Until next time.

Always on schedule, but never on time

Right, finally have found the time to sit and right this blog.  Basically last week was pretty rubbish and didn't fancy sharing the dark crevices of my somewhat broken mind with the normal humans being of this world, and course any other that my be out there (it is a probability after all).  Anyway basically they have restructured my team at work, and in the process of created some leader roles to carry out along with our regular activities.  I applied for the team leader role and lost out to somebody who spends more time on Facebook than she does working.  So I was a little bit upset by this.  Anyway, so now I am going to start looking for a new job.  So that was the story of last week.

Won hockey at the last weekend was, which was good.  Nothing much else to say about that.

This week has flown by, luckily managed to get out of the office for a couple of days.  I spent last night in leads.  All I will say is, its grim up north (well at least the weather was).  But it meant I got to 'work' from home this afternoon.  Which basically consisted, various instant message conversation with colleagues and making a few phone calls.

Anyway, am going to go now, and start using Facebook again, so just in case another team leader role comes up I will then be fully trained.

Laters one and all, I will try not to leave it so long until me next post.

Bad weeks and busy times!

Right, so I haven't been on recently.  Basically I had pretty crap week last week.  Some issues at work.  Which I unfortunately I left late today, so I still can't tell you tell all about it, as I have to go and get ready for hockey training.  Anyway, I am staying in leads on my own tomorrow night so should have plenty of time to tell you all about.

Until then, stay safe.

I have been very lazy!

Sorry to my 3 avid followers.  Have been fairly lazy over the last few days, and have failed to add to my blog.  Also been quite busy.

Not a lot has happened since I last blogged.  Usual mundanities of work. Had a good weekend.  We won
8-3.  Had good night out with the missus and a few of people from hockey.  Then played golf on Sunday and played quite well again.  Which is good.  And a very funny thing happened, one of the chaps was playing a shot out of the bunker, and he shanked it out and hit one of the other chaps flush on the leg.  We all then showed him the requisite sympathy, and fell about laughing.  It made taking my putt very difficult.

Seeing as not a lot exciting happens in my life, I might as well tell you about something else that was quite funny.  Also the very same chap, We like playing pranks on him as work.  So, over the last few weeks every time he was in a meeting I would tape one his highlighters (he had 7) to the underside of his desk.  So we managed to get four under there before he said anything.  At which point we all claimed to know nothing about it.  So I then stuck another highlighter under his desk.  I was hoping this would carry on for while yet, unfortunately somebody crumbled like a fine cheddar, and told him what was happening on Friday after I had left work. Most disappointing.  So I came in today to find my desk somewhat rearranged.

Anyway, I will leave it there for today.  I will try to keep you informed of any other pranks I pull.  Sorry Bex, no inspirational tv quote again as it is taken so long to write this post.  Hopefully it has at least made you chuckle.  I promise you a new quote in my next post.

Love to one an all,
Dan

Halfway through the week

Bex you picked a classis show there.  Especially loved Polymorph.

So still sleeping in the spare room.  Rex is still little poorly.  Hopefully tonight should be the last night.

Not much to report as usual.  Work is still work.  Been a little less hectic this week thankfully, noy many breakdowns.

What else I have I been up to, not a lot really.  Watched Man U beat Wolves last night.  Hernadez scored the winner again.  That boy is fast turned himself into a legend.

So that is about it.  Got hockey training tonight.  Hopefully one day I might be able to tell you of something really exciting that has happened to me.  But for now I am going to have to leave there.

No tv theme to day I am afraid.  But will think of a good one for my next post.

Monday in as a few a words as possible (also Saturday & Sunday)

Saturday - Hockey, lost 4-3.  We should have won, but threw it away.  Most annoying.  Out for beers, with the hockey lads in the evening.  A good night was had by all.  And was staying at the old house.

Sunday - Get up reasonably late, feeling lovely and fresh.  I had forgotten how cold my old place was.  So spent the rest of my day sat in the armchair watching football.  It was just like old times.  And thankfully United managed to win.  Wayne who?  He needs to start watching Hernandez.

Monday - Sames old, same old.  Joys of work.  Thankfully had a good feed at home and now just chilling out in front of the TV.

Will be sleeping in the spare room again tonight as Kelly is ill.  Well at the least the Xbox is in their.

Starting run out of inspirational TV theme lyrics, so might have to start rationing them.  But here goes one more:

Tomorrow,
why wait till tomorrow,
Tomorrow sometimes never comes.
Love, me,
there's a song to be sung
And the best time is to sing while we're young.

Big sis, we need to skype again soon.  Will try to give you a call later in the week.

The answer my dear sister to your tv theme from Tuesday is Bread.

Apologies for the lack of appearances over the last couple of days.  It has partly been laziness and partly because when nothing really happens it is quite hard to find things to write about.  So in the hope was that by leaving it a couple of days I might have more to write about.  That plan kind of backfired.

Work has been hectic sorting out problems for much of the last .  And dealing with engineers at time is like dealing with children.  I think I need a naughty step.

Nothing else really tell you, hockey training on Wednesday night was good.
Went out for the dinner with the missus last night
Tonight promises to be a quiet evening, I might go and visit my Xbox in the spare room but that will be as far as I am going.

Well think I might wind it up.

I will finish with my usual tv theme quote of the day.

Our whole universe was in a hot dense state,
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started. Wait...
The Earth began to cool,
The autotrophs began to drool,
Neanderthals developed tools,
We built a wall (we built the pyramids),
Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries,
That all started with the big bang!

(Bex - Don't know if you will know the programme, but the song is sung by one your favourite bands)

Hockey tomorrow, fingers crossed for a win.

Dan

Oh, and nearly forgot, Wayne Rooney has signed a new contract at Man U.  Truly a strange week in football.  But at least he is staying (for now).  One bright spot in a relatively grim week.