Tuesday 24 May 2011

The power of the blog

I've had a crap day! (I'm not talking about being frustrated because I couldn't find somewhere I could eat gf food safely or having to deal with the puffer fish!) It all started literally a few minutes after I woke up and got a phone call with unexpected, unfair and unjust news (no one died and everyones' health is fine) but what I was told was ridiculous! The kind of news that makes you cry with anger and frustration as you begin to prepare yourself for yet another fight that you shouldn't have too.

You might be thinking what the hell does this have to do with gluten??? It doesn't directly but this post is about the power of the blogging community.

As I went through my day and numerous calls I had to make, I felt like just curling up on the lounge and watching a dvd, forgetting about the world (and I guess wallowing if only for a bit in my own self pity).

Then I realised I hadn't written a post for the blog and I hadn't cooked anything or taken a picture of the food to put on the blog! As you know I am posting a recipe of the day as well as writing about other things. You might think, who cares, it would have been fine but its what really lifted my mood (along with some support and love from some great friends and family).

You see I'm the kind of person who is there for friends and family no matter what time of the day or night, what I'm doing or how I'm feeling, if someone needs me I will be there, if I said that I will do something there has to be a pretty good reason for not doing it.

So knowing that I have a fantastic blogging community, people who I don't even know from all over the world read my blog daily and would be expecting for the latest post and recipe to be put up, got me off the lounge.

I knew what I was going to cook, I got the recipe book out, turned the oven on and got started. To focus on the cooking, making sure I didn't mess it up ,my mind started to tune off and the stress and anger started to ease. It was great to see the patty cakes rising and come out looking great, to make the icing and ice the cakes, to take a picture of the cakes for my readers (as I said I would), to make my husband and myself a cup of tea, to watch him enjoy eating what I cooked and to taste the nice fluffy cake and the sweet chocolate icing myself, washed down with a mouthful of hot tea.

Thank you to my readers, to the blogging community for giving me something that I have to do, no matter what (obviously there are a few exceptions), for making me focus on the smaller things and forget (if only for a while) about the bigger things.

If you or someone you care about is having a crap day, or a shit week, month or year, if you can go and see them, listen, but then take them out or give them something to do, even if its helping go grocery shopping or to walk the dog. It will allow them to focus on the smaller things in life, to forgot just a little about the bigger problems.

If you have a daily commitment to someone or something (aside from work), it could be walking your dog, writing a blog (didn't mean to rhyme), no matter whats happened in your day, try and carry through with that commitment. It will make you feel better, trust me.

Keep on reading xxxx

Recipe of the Day
Patty Cakes
Recipe is from the 'Gluten Free Bible', this recipe can be used for a plain cake, patty cake etc

Makes 12 Ingredients
125g butter (I softened and melted slightly in microwave)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup gf self raising flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup gf cornflour
11/2 teaspoons gf baking powder
3 tablespoons lukewarm milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celiscus. With a electric mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth and light. Add vanilla and an egg and beat well. Add the other egg and beat again.

Sift the flours into the butter mixture and mix, add milk to make a smooth, moist batter.

Spoon the mixture into creased patty cake tins, only 3/4 full. Bake for 12 minutes or until firm and golden. Place on a wire rack and cool, ice (frost) and eat!

Enjoy
xxxx
Thank you again