Over the Kitchen Counter: Angie's Place for Cooking and Crafts

Classic Victoria Sponge Cake

My daughter has been watching Downton Abbey and The Crown and requested a Victoria Sponge Cake in honour of those shows. She is obviously like me and easily tempted by the suggestion of a special treat. The cake had been shown several times on the episodes and she couldn't stand the craving any longer.  She forwarded this recipe to me from BBC food for a Classic Victoria Sandwich cake. It looked simple enough and I assembled everything so she could make it easily...and then I ended up doing it myself.

I must say the cake turned out perfectly. It looked exactly like the photo in the recipe and tasted so scrumptious. It's funny because it is a very basic, plain cake. It doesn't even contain vanilla and the filling is simply buttercream and strawberry jam. I guess given the historic nature of the dessert, only the most pure and readily available ingredients were used...butter, eggs, flour, sugar and jams from the pantry.

I loved the texture of this cake - lighter than a pound cake and denser than a chiffon. It is similar in flavour to scones with clotted cream and jam, not very sweet but just right and wonderful with a cup of tea. I made sure to dust the top of the cake generously with powdered sugar to offer both an extra touch of sweetness and a beautiful presentation.

I will definitely be making this Classic Victoria sponge cake again and I think it will be lovely to serve to guests with afternoon tea. One thing to note if you are planning on giving this recipe a try is that it is written for a European reader and uses metric measurements and weights, along with English ingredients such as castor sugar. I just replaced that with granulated sugar but made sure to beat the sugar with the butter very well until dissolved. I hope you will try this amazing but simple cake. I can't wait to eat it again! 

Crest Whitestrips Review

I had no interest in teeth whitening until I saw a summer selfie and thought my smile could use some brightening. After years of tea drinking, red wine, and blueberries, it is no wonder my teeth are stained. Regular dental appointments and a fancy toothbrush mean no cavities for me but obviously, even professional polishing doesn't whiten.

I did a little research and picked these Professional Effects strips. The kit contains 20 packets with upper and lower sticky strips (for a total of 40). For some reason I was really nervous to actually use them since I'd read about teeth and gum sensitivity and the warning is even written on the box. My family members assured me it wasn't that bad and to give it a try.

I did watch a YouTube video of a young girl applying the strips and found it very helpful to see someone actually going through the process. A couple of useful tips were to pre-fold each strip before adhering to the teeth (so as to centre the strip evenly) and to use the edge of a fingernail to press the surface of the strip into the space between teeth. This allows the gel to make contact with the whole, visible front tooth surface.

I'd read about drooling too but after the first time, realized if I just sat still reading or watching t.v., I could forget about the strips in my mouth and not swallow or talk. I definitely set a timer to make sure it was over at exactly the recommended 30 minute mark. If distracted it goes fairly quickly.

Pulling the strips off is very simple and a quick rinse and brushing leaves the teeth feeling clean and smooth. I really didn't experience any extreme sensitivity although my mouth felt a little achy afterwards, similar to how I feel after visiting the dentist. Subsequent applications got easier and easier and now don't bother me at all.

I definitely notice a difference after only 5 applications. My smile seems brighter and less yellow. It is suggested to use the entire box of 20 treatments for full results that should last 12 months or longer. Apparently, according to the website, the product contains the same enamel-safe ingredients dentists use. I will finish the remaining strips and hope to see lasting results. If I only need to do this every 50 years, it's not so bad! If I like what I see I might consider little top-ups now and again. There are many different varieties of these strips to choose from so I doubt I will need to do another full treatment for a few years.

Hello Fresh: Part 2!

Last month I wrote about the eggplant dish I made based on a Hello Fresh recipe my daughter received with her meal service delivery. It was so delicious and while I was super tempted with the idea of having 3 meals planned, shopped for, and delivered to my door, I suggested that the service was not for me. Expense was my main concern, followed secondly by calorie count for the meals...BUT...never say never!

My daughter gave me a coupon for a 3-meal FREE trial. It seemed silly to just throw that away so I ended up signing on to the subscription. I know all about the pitfalls of such a set-up, I'm a child of the 70s and remember the Columbia House system and even when Netflix sent DVDs in the mail! I read the fine print (there isn't much) and decided there was nothing to lose by trying Hello Fresh. Secretly, I really wanted to sign up because I am in a total rut when it comes to feeding myself. As a vegetarian living with a family of carnivores, I have been struggling to prepare meals for myself in addition to theirs. I usually end up eating the carb and veggies from their dinner or frying an egg. I do love to cook and eat great dishes and the plant-based menus available at Hello Fresh sound mouthwatering.

So, here we go! My first delivery is next week, which happens to be ideal since my hubby will be eating his meals with work during that time. I can focus on unboxing, reading, and preparing my own meals. I cannot wait to dig in to the amazing sounding vegetarian calzone, Shepherd's Pie, and squash risotto. I will be sure to post my pics and reviews too.

The Hello Fresh app is very easy to use and I can see the recipes, ingredient list, and nutritional information in advance of my delivery. I can plan my meals accordingly and work out what I'll need for the other days. Apparently the meals yield two servings but my daughter says they are usually way too big and she subdivides further for lunches or the freezer. I plan on using the service about once a month so I can freeze suitable dishes for other weeks of the month. You can skip menus you don't care for or when you're away, and there is no minimum required to keep your account 'active'. I'm thinking this is the kick I need to get re-inspired about my own vegetarian meals and I can branch out from fried eggs for a at least a few days a month!

If you've ever tried a meal delivery service, please let me know your thoughts by commenting below!

My Pandora Bracelet: Lucky Charms

There were a few Pandora charms I wanted but didn't have a plan for...until I was eating a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal and reading the box! The list of marshmallow charms inspired a new bracelet theme and I couldn't wait to start putting it together. I already had quite a few of the beads waiting to be used so I only had to search for a few more to complete the design. Retired ones were the most difficult to source but with a bit of Google work and patience, I found what I wanted!

Here is the final reveal of My Pandora Bracelet: Lucky Charms edition...inspired by good luck charms AND a bowl of kiddie cereal!

Broccoli and Rice Gratin

I hope all my Canadian friends had a lovely Thanksgiving. We certainly enjoyed the beautiful weather and time with family. When we got home and it was time to get back to reality, dinner needed to be made and I had zero motivation and not much in the fridge to work with.

My go-to cookbook is always the set from the Milk Calendar collection and I usually have success finding something quick and easy to make. This time I found Broccoli and Rice Gratin and it worked perfectly with what I had on hand. It was very fast to make and all prepared in one skillet. The flavoured rice is combined with chopped broccoli and baked in a casserole dish, with milk replacing water to cook the rice.

A nice touch is a small amount of freshly grated lemon peel, added after cooking, and a buttery crumb topping. It was so tasty and everyone was satisfied. I served the gratin as a side dish with Italian sausages for the meat eaters and it was a light meal in itself for me, with a salad for everyone.

You can find the recipe for Broccoli and Rice Gratin from the Dairy Farmers website, www.dairygoodness.ca/recipes/broccoli-and-rice-gratin  (sorry I couldn't get the link to work for some reason!). I hope you enjoy this simple rice dish as much as we did.