I always wanted four kids. It was my magic number. But fertility issues and eggs that have passed their use-by date have nixed that plan. And that’s ok! Given that the children I do have were made in a cocktail shaker by the clever kids at Casa Conception, and the fact that I’m so old they could carbon date me, I consider myself lucky to have any children at all.
But Raffles and Sugarpuff are so splendidly awesome there are days when I do still yearn for another bub or two. But things happen for a reason and today I discovered the reason why the universe stopped me at two. It’s because I wouldn’t have been able to handle that much awesomeness…
It’s school holidays and the lovely folk at Canon had loaned me a Canon EOS 1200D to road test. I was keen to see how it captured images indoors and in low light (brilliantly it turns out and something my current DSLR isn’t so flash at – if you’ll pardon the pun) so we headed to see Tyrannosaurs at The Australian Museum.
Sugarpuff and Raffles each brought a little friend along. My experience of four children lasted approximately four hours. Post trauma therapy will be ongoing. It’s not that any of my charges were anything other than adorable… it’s just that where two young children unleashed in public requires only my undivided attention, four is like herding cats.
To those of you with more than two, you are freakin’ superheroes! And I will personally mint medals for you. Me, I was in a state of panic pretty much the whole time and didn’t know which way to turn.
While one was hamming it up with the exhibits…
The others were hiding under a chair “in case they got eaten”… which at least gave me the opportunity to shoot in very low light.
Before vanishing into a pod in the museum’s Kidspace.
And the other had vanished completely. Eeek! I hope his mother wasn’t too attached to him…
The camera, unlike the expanded family, was easy. Designed for the first time DSLR owner, it’s user-friendly and takes great shots with zero effort, which was handy given chasing four kids was using most of my powers of concentration.
While the camera can be used in fully manual mode, it also takes amazing shots in automatic mode, perfect for busy families. Special features like no flash, movie (it shoots in full HD),video snapshot and black and white mode (which proved particularly fun among the museums artifacts) are all just a simple turn of the wheel away.
My entourage of little cavemen had a fab time and I managed to bring all four of them back, but I have to admit I was relieved to return to the safety of home where I could trap them in a confined space and not worry that they’d eloped with a T-Rex or were off wrestling stuffed lions.
The kids were still up for a little more dino lovin’ action so I shoved them in front of The Croods and hit the kitchen to make some cookies with a primeval twist. Dino s’mores… complete with salted-caramel primordial ooze.
And again this clever Canon camera – which is anything but prehistoric – came to the party, proving particular great in macro mode to quickly shoot our dripping gooey sticky s’mores… before the kids demolished the lot!
THE RECIPE
Salted caramel dino s’mores
Ingredients:
130g butter
130g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
250g plain flour
1 tbs caster sugar
1 tbs cinnamon
Marshmallows
Dark chocolate
Salted caramel sauce (recipe to follow) Method:
- In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla essence and beat well
- Divide dough into two portions.
- Flatten individual portions, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
- Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Roll out the dough to 5mm thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out circles.
- Use a plastic dinosaur to make footprint indents in the dough.
- Mix remaining caster sugar with cinnamon.
- Sprinkle indents with cinnamon sugar mix.
- Place on lined baking trays in oven for around 10 minutes or until golden.
- While still sandwich marshmallows, a piece of chocolate and a generous dollop of salted caramel sauce between to biscuits.
- Pop in microwave for 25 seconds on high.
- Enjoy!
Quick Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
125 ml double cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and whisk together.
- Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for five minutes stirring regularly.
- Allow caramel to cool for around ten minutes then it’s ready to use.
- Will store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for about a month.
All pictures in this post were taken on the Canon EOS 1200D
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I received a Canon EOS 1200D to test drive for a few weeks. I’m under no obligation to share but I think it’s a great entry level DSLR for families wanting better images than their smart phone or compact camera can provide, so I wanted to tell y’all about it.
Lisa
July 7, 2014 at 8:24 pm (5 years ago)They look delicious 🙂 Did you know that you can buy Graham Crackers in Phillipino grocery stores?
BOYEATSWORLD
July 7, 2014 at 11:18 pm (5 years ago)Yep… but they don’t come with dinosaur prints I’m afraid 🙂
stephiemesh
July 8, 2014 at 11:45 am (5 years ago)That looks divine!…..and I love the cute little dinosaur feet on top!
BOYEATSWORLD
July 8, 2014 at 1:07 pm (5 years ago)Thanks. They’re pretty yummy!
Have A Laugh On Me
July 8, 2014 at 1:16 pm (5 years ago)Those photos are awesome, my son would to see the dinos! And those s’mores, YUMMO! That camera sounds fab, I’m just getting used to having a proper camera, they are hard beasts to tame, think I’ll have a lesson or two! x
BOYEATSWORLD
July 8, 2014 at 5:40 pm (5 years ago)Hey Em, you’ll get used to camera in no time at all. SO much fun to play with. 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
July 8, 2014 at 5:23 pm (5 years ago)These look so delicious! And hehe I think it’s just about perfect as it is with two so adorable kids-more might be too many! 😀
BOYEATSWORLD
July 8, 2014 at 5:39 pm (5 years ago)Two is my new magic number Lorraine! 🙂
Kylie Howard
July 9, 2014 at 1:46 pm (5 years ago)What a lot of fun you have with your kids. Love the dino’ smores – cute!
BOYEATSWORLD
July 9, 2014 at 7:46 pm (5 years ago)Thanks Kylie, It was a fun day. Despite the heart attacks.
Jo Hungerford
July 9, 2014 at 7:22 pm (5 years ago)Haha! Love it. Haven’t had s’mores since I was little – love the idea of salted caramel on them
BOYEATSWORLD
July 16, 2014 at 7:46 pm (5 years ago)Tales them to a whole other level Jo! 🙂
Jodie@FreshHomeCook
July 16, 2014 at 7:27 am (5 years ago)You are a champ for managing four little people – I find two more than enough most days! I love our Canon camera – it takes gorgeous clear shots on auto & manual (still perfecting that mode though).
The s’mores are brilliant! Love the feet effect & marshmallows are always a winner! Pinning for future fun in the kitchen! 🙂
BOYEATSWORLD
July 16, 2014 at 7:47 pm (5 years ago)Thanks Jodie, I’m with you. Two’s my limit! LOL. x
Twinkle in the Eye
July 16, 2014 at 12:50 pm (5 years ago)That looks positively sinful! #pinningaround
BOYEATSWORLD
July 16, 2014 at 7:47 pm (5 years ago)Definitely not slimming, but so yummy!
laurenm83
July 17, 2014 at 6:08 am (5 years ago)Love these, Mr 2 would love these and I can hear him roaring already!
BOYEATSWORLD
July 17, 2014 at 6:48 am (5 years ago)They were a big hit with mt lot, Lauren 🙂
Anne
July 18, 2014 at 11:59 am (5 years ago)Lovely photos Aleney. Great blog and your kids sound like they keep you very much on your toes. I’m a sucker for salted caramel and even though I haven’t got any little dinosaur lovers, I might have to give them a go.
BOYEATSWORLD
July 19, 2014 at 8:56 am (4 years ago)You can always go sans dino prints! they’re pretty yummy!
Bake Play Smile
July 18, 2014 at 1:34 pm (5 years ago)These are just the most awesome thing ever! I’m totally sending this through to my sister-in-law now as my nephews would LOVE these! So incredibly cute! Thank you so much for linking up with our Fabulous Foodie Fridays party! xx
BOYEATSWORLD
July 19, 2014 at 9:04 am (4 years ago)Thanks hon! They went down a big hit with my little ones and their pals. 🙂
House in Tillford
July 19, 2014 at 8:25 am (4 years ago)Haha what a cute day and those smores look great!
BOYEATSWORLD
July 19, 2014 at 8:55 am (4 years ago)Thanks. It was fun – in a crazy kind of a way 🙂
goodfoodweek
July 21, 2014 at 11:12 am (4 years ago)This is a super cute idea and we have a big dinosaur fan here in the house, so I think they would be a really big hit! Stopping by from #FFF and I really loved your blog… Four is my number of children that I’d like (I have a 15 month old and am 30 weeks pregnant with our second). Interested in guest blogging for me when baby number two arrives?
BOYEATSWORLD
July 21, 2014 at 1:56 pm (4 years ago)Glad you like them. Would love to do a little guest blogging for you when your littlest little one arrives. 🙂
Amanda @ Cooker and a Looker
July 21, 2014 at 2:22 pm (4 years ago)Two is my magic number too Aleney. The fact that their two parents only have two arms is merely a coincidence! 🙂
BOYEATSWORLD
July 22, 2014 at 1:12 pm (4 years ago)You are so right Amanda! They designed us for two, tops.
SweetNatured
July 22, 2014 at 8:10 am (4 years ago)Yum! My girls would love these!
BOYEATSWORLD
July 22, 2014 at 1:12 pm (4 years ago)They are pretty irresistible to small people 🙂
Kate
August 9, 2014 at 3:16 pm (4 years ago)Oh yum … I think even big people would like the dino smores!