Everything in moderation, including moderation

These. Are Nanaimo bars. Rich crumbly chocolate coconut base, delicate smooth custard filling, topped with a crunchy layer of chocolate that when you bite into it, smooshes the creamy centre all over the shop. If you aren’t salivating there’s something wrong with you.

These remind me so much of Canada. Nothing can top Tim Hortons. Nanaimo bars are painfully good, and look way more difficult to make than they actually are. Trust me. I wouldn’t make them if they were difficult.

I’ve made these mothers twice in 10 days, that’s how good they are. I wanted to share this recipe on Canada day, but I was balls-to-the-wall sickly so here it is, over a week late. Prepare your waist line for the glory that are Nanaimo bars …


Ingredients
1/2 cup of butter, softened 
1/4 cup white sugar 
5 tablespoons of cocoa power 
1 egg 
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs {I used Digestive biscuits. Just smash ’em} 
1 cup flaked coconut 

1/2 cup butter 
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons of custard powder
2 cups confectioners sugar

1 ounce semisweet baking chocolate
2 teaspoons butter

Method
On the stove over very low heat, combine butter, sugar, and cocoa powder and stir until smooth and butter is melted. Take off the heat. Beat in the egg, stiring until thick. Mix in the biscuit crumbs and flaked coconut. Press into an ungreased tin {8x8inches} using the back of a spoon.

For the middle layer, cream together butter, cream and custard until fluffy. Mix in the confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread on top of bottom layer and allow to cool in the fridge. 

While the second layer is chilling, melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan. Spread over the chilled layers. Allow to set in the fridge before cutting into bars. Prepare yourself to slip into a delicate sugar coma. 

Original recipe can be found here

Seal of approval

I’ve had an itch recently. I researched some {awesome and alternative} yarn and craft related tattoos, and this came up in my image search … Thanks, Ryan. I know you got my back.  

Thinking outside the box

Since me and leopard print tissue box have spent so much time together over the past week, I realized I had a blog post staring me straight in the face. First, I must credit this trick to my mom.

This is a simple trick that can be applied to many things around your home. It’ll save you money, while giving the illusion you can fritter your money away on fancy things; reusing a fancy tissue box by refilling it with a cheaper brand of tissue. Because you’re fabulously frugal.

What you’ll need:
– fancy tissue box
– cheap tissues for when  fancy tissues run out
– 2 paperclips

Step 1: go through fancy tissues as you normally would. Step 2: when fancy tissue box is empty, don’t throw it out! Heavens, no. Carefully open the side of your tissue box {or bottom, depending on the box}. Step 3: fill with cheaper and otherwise blasé brand of tissues, then close your tissue box with the help of two cleverly disguised paper clips. I use paperclips in stead of tape, since tape may peel the fancy pattern off your tissue box.

It doesn’t sound like much, but this reduce, reuse, recycle trick can be used with loads of stuff around your house on many levels. You just gotta think outside the box.

Do any of you have your own sneaky and deceptive tricks that you use around your home? I bet you do.