threelilprincesses.com

Author: Kellie O’Brien

  • RECIPE: Choccie hot cross bun and butter pudding

    RECIPE: Choccie hot cross bun and butter pudding

    The “naughty'' ingredients

    THE Bloke in The Shed and Princess Ella donned aprons yesterday to put together this Eastery take on the humble bread and butter pudding. Comfort food to the extreme.

    If this doesn’t get you in the Easter mood, then nothing will. Except for probably Cadbury’s Roses, a cake of blackforest chocolate, Turkish Delish, oh, and maybe a few Ferreros. (*hint hint*).

    • One packet of choc chip hot cross buns (Either minis or regular size. Minis allow for better serving portions).
    • 30g butter, softened
    • 125g roughly chopped dark chocolate
    • If you want to be fancy 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped or just a few drops of vanilla essence.
    • Zest of one orange
    • 600mL thin cream
    • 600mL thickened cream
    • 4 eggs
    • 170g caster sugar
    • Icing sugar, to dust (after cooking).

    1. Split the hot cross buns and butter each half. Lay the bases, butter side down in a baking dish, sprinkle with the chopped dark chocolate, then place the bun tops on the bases, again butter side down with the crosses to the top.
    2. Place the vanilla in the saucepan with the creams and zest, and heat over low heat until just simmering. Remove from the heat.
    3. Beat the eggs and sugar until just combined, then pour into the warm cream, stirring continuously. Strain the custard over the buns and set the pudding aside for 30 minutes for the buns to soak up some of the custard. (The pudding can be prepared to this stage several hours in advance and refrigerated – just bring to room temperature before baking.). I found I had too much custard, but that’s OK because I stuck it in a bowl and put it in the fridge for another yummy dessert.
    4. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 170°C.
    5. Place the pudding dish in a large roasting pan and pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the pudding dish. Place in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the custard is set. Dust with icing sugar and serve with extra cream if desired.
    Leftover custard
    Hmmm, probably not a good idea to put icing sugar on before they go in the oven!
    Not the prettiest picture, but oh so yummy!

    What’s your favourite Easter dish?

  • FEATURE: Hunt is on for Easter Bunny

    FEATURE: Hunt is on for Easter Bunny

    THE countdown to the fella with the fluffy ears and tail is well and truly underway here. So much so, we spent yesterday getting in the spirit of Easter. For morning tea, we indulged in chocolate hot cross buns. Later that afternoon I looked in the mirror, only to notice I had it all around my mouth. No wonder the mailman wouldn’t look me in the eye.

    We then scoured the pantry with the intention of making some Easter Candy Bark but, alas, there was no chocolate. Some gremlin ate it all while blogging late at night. Hmmm, who could that be?

    Instead, we went and got out this little creation made by her dad back in January.

    White Rabbit-come-Easter Bunny

    A couple of weeks ago this very hat became rather famous after making an appearance on Mrs Woogs’ blog Woogs World. She sent a call out for Easter hat creations, so I submitted the above photo (yes, they are pink undies) and this description:

    Princess Ella, wearing her bunny hat, painstakingly made by her dad, (painstaking, because it’s held together with a pink ribbon and 1000 staples). He originally made it as part of a one-year-old’s Alice In Wonderland birthday party in December (yes, that’s one serious birthday party). Ella, obviously being the white rabbit. Not really the crafty type, hubby was so impressed by his own efforts he put it away ready to reuse at Easter

    But this all wasn’t quite enough. We needed to make something “Eastery’’ and so we headed to the doodle drawers – I mean, craft drawers – and discovered some red felt. The idea was to make a basket to put eggs in during her Easter egg hunt to come Sunday morning.

    Ella got into the spirit of things by donning the hat while we did our craft. But be warned, she ain’t no Easter Bunny. She told her dad this week she can’t use a proper toilet seat. Why? “Because I don’t have a big fat bum’’ You see? How on earth could she be an Easter Bunny? (And, by the way, she takes after her Mum in that department).

    Anyway, here’s our step by step guide to making an Easter basket:

    Get a square piece of felt
    Cut slits from the corners midway to the centre of the square
    Interlink the sides and glue together. We had no craft glue, so used sticky tape. Yeah, doesn’t quite have the same appeal!
    Cut a strip of felt and glue to make a handle
    Decorate. This is Ella’s version of a cat face. Why a cat? I have no idea. Then add eggs.

    Oh, and reveal the full effect of the hat (which makes her look decidedly like Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland).
    Although, I was lucky to even capture these photos, considering how fast the egg was devoured.

    Then, patiently wait for Easter Bunny….

    So, what Easter craft activities have you been up to this week?

    I’m linking up with FlogYoBlog Friday over at Where’s My Glow?
    FYBF

  • PHOTOS: 16 tricks to capture perfect photos of your children

    PHOTOS: 16 tricks to capture perfect photos of your children

    Catch them unawards!

    SINCE starting Three Li’l Princesses there’s been two recurring questions. The first: how did I start the blog (and did it cost me a lot of money) and the second: how do I capture such great photos of the girls?

    The first question I’ll leave for another post. However, the second question I will tackle today. Please bear in mind that, while I have had some professional training many moons ago and did take photos as part of my job as a journalist, I am by no means a pro. You’ll need to visit someone like Carly Webber from Mamma-razzi or Darren Rowse from Digital Photography School for that.

    So, here is my experience with photographing babies and children:

    • Find when the best part of the day is for your child/ren. We schedule photo playtime for early in the day when the kids aren’t tired and the light is good.
    • Often the best shots are candid ones, when they’re totally unaware of the camera. Go to the park, play around with craft or get them to do some other activity they enjoy, then start snapping.
    • Use your zoom. By zooming in on your subject you create depth of field, which creates a beautiful blurred background.
    Use your zoom to create depth of field
    • Consider your background. Is it too cluttered and will it detract from the subject? Unless you’re trying to achieve the above point, in which a busy background can look quite effective, keep your background clean.
    • Avoid windows as a backdrop. It will play havoc with lighting and your subject.
    • If you struggle to get a baby to look in the direction of the camera, dangle a noisy toy above the camera. This can also achieve that “winning smile’’ you’re after.
    Use noisy toys to get bub's attention and produce a smile
    • Sometimes it can take 20 photos to get “the one’’. With the advent of digital, this is now no longer a problem.
    • Get down to your child’s level.  Taking a photo from your level only produces photos of the top of their head or distorted images. In saying this, sometimes it is fun to play around with different angles though.
    Experiment with angles
    • Think outside the square. Babies have the cutest toes, fingers and noses. Get up close and then zoom in on these features to capture something unique. If your camera has a “macro’’ setting, switch to this as it accentuates detail – exactly what you’re after.
    Zoom in on toes…
    … and fingers.
    • Use others’ photos for inspiration. My only disclaimer with this one would be to avoid Anne Geddes. Lovely as her photos are, she takes hours to produce one shot.
    • Have in your mind what you’d like the photo to look like. Often it comes out nothing like you predicted, but often it’s also a lot better!
    • When you get to the editing stage, consider changing the photo to black and white. Sometimes an ordinary photo can “pop’’ in black and white. It’s particularly ideal if your bub or child has the less appealing spots or scratches over their face, and can soften the look of a photo.

     

    In colour…
    and black and white
    • If you’re taking indoor shots in winter and light is a problem, try putting your camera on the low light setting, turn the flash off all together or bounce the light off a wall or ceiling to avoid washing out the subject.
    • Use the rule of thirds – that is, to break your photo into nine squares and place the important elements of your composition where these squares intersect. It produces nicely balanced photos that are easy on the eye.

     

    Putting the focus into the top third of the photo
    • Some days the kids just aren’t in the mood. These are the days when it’s best just to pack the camera away. Otherwise, you run the risk of them hating the camera all together.
    • My biggest tip would be to have fun. If you’re stressed by the whole thing, the kids will be too. Get out the bubbles, a ball, go for a run in the park, a swing or a slide and simply shoot.
    Having fun!

    I also attribute some of it to our camera, a Canon PowerShot S95, which I would highly recommend. Firstly, it’s compact, which means I’m more tempted to pop it in my handbag when I head out, as opposed to a full DSLR, which is too bulky for a mum struggling with two kids.  It has full manual capabilities, while also having the auto option. It seriously is one of the smartest cameras I’ve used. I may even write a review on it soon if anyone’s interested.

    What tips do you have for taking photos of your kids?

  • FEATURE: Get by with a little help from my (imaginary) friends

    FEATURE: Get by with a little help from my (imaginary) friends

    Ella is a social butterfly… with all her imaginary friends!

    PRINCESS Ella astounds me with the extent of her imagination. While once I would have been concerned that she was spending too much time at night reading books to her imaginary friends in bed, I’m now super proud. “Can you find the letter eeee, Teddy? Yes, that’s right. Good boy, Teddy’’.

    You see, this strange behaviour isn’t going to see her turn into Mel Gibson. Apparently, children with imaginary friends retain knowledge faster than other children, are more sociable and more creative. Or so I read somewhere. I’ll be whipping out our favourite Chocolate Brownie recipe and inviting more friends over, I think.

    Ella also walks around the house, pretend mobile phone cradled between her ear and shoulder, parroting an adult’s conversation to a “friend” on the phone. I’m guessing she’s either mimicking her dad or a child care worker. It couldn’t be me.

    The conversation usually goes something like this: “Oh, I know. That’s terrific. She’s been such a good girl today. I know. I’ll just write that down on a piece of paper (scrambles for paper and a crayon). Now, let me see. It’s e, u, h, k. I know. I know. Yes, I know.’’

    Mostly, her imagination has helped spawn incredible art work. Just look at this elephant she drew. Remember, she’s only three – and that long thing is its trunk.

    Then, only two days ago, while I was trying to get Baby Holly to sleep, she was busy with her craft and card making. I came out to find she’d made this rabbit for her cousin’s birthday. All. By. Herself.

    She proudly showed it off to me by lifting it up to my face. At this point, the taped on ear flopped downwards. “Oh dear, mum’’ she said, in a rather sad voice. “He’s got a floppy ear’’.

    However, there is a downside to having a child with a vivid imagination. A couple of weeks ago she had a play date with her cousin of the same age. The pair ran around the house, laughing and squealing because a monster was chasing them.

    Then, suddenly, everything went quiet. No, don’t worry, the monster didn’t eat them. Wondering exactly what mischief they might be into, her mum and I started searching through the house. Here the girls were, in my bed, in the nudie rudie playing hairdressers, doctors …. and massages. Worrying, or what?

    How do you foster your child’s imagination? Does your child have imaginary friends?

  • LESSON FOR WIVES No. 5: Big Girls Don’t Cry

    LESSON FOR WIVES No. 5: Big Girls Don’t Cry

    The photo Ella will hate Kel for in years to come.

    I’M PRETTY sure when you are in the process of scolding a three-year-old it is not OK to giggle. Picture the scene: Princess Kel is trying to dish up dinner, I’m cradling a tired and grumpy six-month-old and Princess Ella (the three-year-old) is proceeding to whine at great volume about anything and everything.

    Then, Princess Ella erupts into tears because mum won’t put her on the bench (where her sole intent is to dirty the already clean washing up sitting nearby). Kel proceeds to tell her it’s dangerous to sit on the bench by herself. “But I’m a big girl,’’ comes the reply from Ella.

    It’s on the end of a frustrated lecture that Princess Kel finishes off with the sentence: “big girls don’t cry’’. There’s an awkward moment of silence, followed by muffled laughter from Kel and I as we clearly both image the falsetto voices of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons launching into the ’60s song of the same name, Big Girls Don’t Cry. If only our lives were a musical.

    It got me thinking about other song titles we might find helpful when disciplining our “little angels’’. Here’s a few suggestions:

    What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye

    Respect – Aretha Franklin

    Walk This Way – Aerosmith and Run DMC

    You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Dusty Springfield

    I Fought the Law – Bobby Fuller Four

    Fortunate Son – Creedance Cleawater Revival

    You Can’t Always Get What You Want – Rolling Stones

    Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac

    I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bonnie Raitt

    Voodoo Child – Jimi Hendrix

    Any other suggestions?

    Read more Lessons for Wives.

  • FEATURE: Grateful for Easter Bunny

    FEATURE: Grateful for Easter Bunny

    Ella was lucky enough to speak to Easter Bunny this week

    This week I’m grateful for:

    • A hubby who has a stellar Easter Bunny voice – a high-octave voice he doesn’t mind using on his office phone to a three-year-old on the other end. You see, after Ella was misbehaving last week, I resorted to ringing Easter Bunny to tell him not to visit. Since then, we’ve had a super little angel. It finally resulted in Ella getting to phone the deliverer of chocolate eggs on Wednesday to let him know he can now visit her next weekend. Imagine Bindi Irwin talking after sucking on a helium balloon: “Now, you keep being a good little girl for your mummy and I’ll bring you a lovely chocolate egg”.
    • The wonderful people at ECCO, who sent the most gorgeous pair of shoes and a $250 voucher for a reader. It’s days like these I’m extra glad I started blogging.
    • For catching up with family. Ella had cousins visit from interstate this week and was able to twist their arms to watch her dance lesson today. However, she was far too interested in her new audience to actually dance. While everyone else was mid twirl, she was busy waving to her cousins on the sidelines. Too cute.

    So, what are you grateful for this week?

    I’m joining with  Maxabella Loves to share what I’m grateful for.