We Rock!

Actually it is not just 'We Rock!', it is Wii Rock!  

Our Wii is expanding by leaps and bounds.  MacGyver had been checking out a set of drum pads on GumTree and the seller asked whether MacGyver would like to get the guitar set as well.  After haggling down the price, we found ourselves the new owners of one pre-loved Wii Rock Band.  MyGirl and MacGyver picked it up yesterday.

The kids' cousins have had Wii Rock Band for years and I have seen these kids play both the guitar and the drums which such skill and dexterity that I was simply awestruck. However, after trying the game out myself, my appreciation of their skill has just increased a hundredfold.  

It is so hard to play this game.  And I was already playing on EASY!

For the drums yesterday, the kids laughed as I played.  "Mom!  You are a half beat off." Somehow the signals from my brain to my hands to hit the drum pads were not quite fast enough.  (So much for hand-eye coordination.)

This morning on the guitar for the first time, after MyGirl gave me the instructions on how to play, my reaction was, "Oh I have to strum with my right hand, too?"  MyGirl laughed thinking I was joking.  It was only when I started to play that she realised I was actually serious.  

The boys joined in after a while and RD asked me, "Which is easier, the guitar or the drums?"

I replied, "Definitely the drums because for the guitar, your left hand has to press something and then the right hand has to strum."

I tell you, when you watch the kids, they make it look so easy.  I have decided that I'll just be part of the audience, thank you.

Here is MyGirl playing the guitar ...

GI on the drums ...

... and RD on the (real) keyboard.

Taste of Home

It is no secret that MacGyver loves the egg custard type desserts like leche flan, egg pie, egg tart, custard cake and the like.  He says he once finished a whole llanera of leche flan I had made for him.  I don't really remember that.  I think I deleted that story from my memory banks because I refuse to believe that I allowed him to do so.  I simply don't want to think about the number of eggs and amount of sugar I had allowed him to consume in one go if he really did eat the whole llanera.

Of course it is entirely possible that the convenient deletion of that memory gives me a clear conscience to continue trying out similar recipes, considering I tend to gravitate towards those types of desserts if left on my own.   (Something like that movie Clean Slate or 50 First Dates where everyday the main character starts the day fresh.)

I found a a recipe from a blog of a Filipina living in the States for custard cake that I had wanted to try during my leave. The recipe called for a 9" baking pan.  Based on the photos on the recipe, my 9" square pan was too shallow.  I decided to use the 9" round pan which was deeper.  Once again I left my maths out the window during the baking session because clearly the area of a 9" round pan is smaller than that of a 9" square pan.  Besides, the fact that I used the 9" square pan as the baine marie should have triggered me to conclude that the round pan would be too small.

The desire to get the cake in the oven must have been greater than the need for logic because into the round pan went the caramel and once it was in that pan, there was no turning back.  The custard followed soon after.  

After that, I poured in the cake batter inside the pan.  I poured ... and I poured ... and I poured ... then I stopped.

There was just NO MORE SPACE for the rest of the batter!

I had to place the rest of the cake batter into a small baking dish.

The (overflowing) 9" round pan sitting inside the 9" square pan went into the oven beside the small baking dish.  Needless to say, the round cake was literally over the top.

Instead of a regular looking custard cake, we ended up with a mushroom-like cake.

Both cakes turned out nicely.  The extra batter made a sponge cake which just disappeared after we sliced it.  The round cake had a nice crispy edge as a result of the overflowing batter on the rim of the round pan.  The cake was nice and moist.  MyGirl watched the cake bake and extended the baking time to ensure that it passed the skewer test and was baked all the way through. The custard part turned out well.  We had opted to use powdered milk instead of the specified evaporated milk using the recommended 2/3 c powdered milk : 3/4 c water to make 1 c evaporated milk equivalent, using estimated ratios to make about 12 oz of milk).  And finally, the caramel on the bottom  (which eventually became the top) was not excessively sweet.

By and large it was a great success.  

I would definitely want to try it again.  It does not seem as sinful as leche flan because one serving does not have as much of the custard as one (MacGyer-sized) serving of leche flan. Besides, if MyGirl and I are able to perfect this, we could make it our pot luck dessert for special occasions.   

(Of course, any excuse to try it again would work, too.)

Chilling with the Queen

The kids chilling with the Queen.

Chilling with each other by day.

(Keeping each other warm by night.)

(Who invented the term 'chilling' anyway?)

Not Just Fluff

We went to the grocery to buy some ice cream after dinner.

The pillows on sale seemed to be joining us in our excitement.

They were announcing our new status in big bold letters.