Sue Zann Toh

Tim Tams are my most favourite chocolate biscuits, possibly ever. They’re made by Arnotts and from what I’ve been told, aren’t easily available other than in Australia.

This isn’t strictly a recipe, but more of a way of eating these delicious chocolate treats. This Tim Tam “eating technique” has been called Tim Tam Slams and Tim Tam Torpedos.

Ingredients

• Tim Tams, any flavour you like, but Original is probably the best
• Cup of coffee, black or white

Instructions

1. Bite off opposite/diagonal corners of the Tim Tam biscuit
2. Use the Tim Tam as a straw and suck the coffee through the biscuit
3. As soon as the coffee reaches your mouth, pop the whole Tim Tam into your mouth.

The Tim Tam is going to melt pretty quickly, so don’t hold onto it for too long or it’ll drop into your coffee! You should get a pleasant chocolate explosion in your mouth. Enjoy!

Buy Tim Tams from Aussie Products.

Unbelievably, the High Court of Australia has today ruled that mod chips are legal… again.

For those who don’t know the history of this case, here’s a very brief summary of the mod chip battle between small business owner, Eddy Stevens and the electronics giant, Sony.

The legal battle started in 2001, when Sony filed a suit against Stevens, and has been ongoing for four years. In 2002, the Federal Court ruled that mod chips were not in breach of copyright and therefore were legal. Sony appealed this decision and won their appeal, therefore making mod chips illegal. Stevens then appealed to the High Court, which unanimously ruled on Steven’s side and mod chips are now deemed legal again in Australia.

I can remember the first ruling in September 2002 where mod chips were deemed legal, there was almost a mad rush to get your console “chipped”. Then soon after the courts ruled on Sony’s side and all of a sudden everyone was worried that they now have a chipped console.

I found it amazing that back in 2002, Australia (possibly the only country in the world) could find that mod chips are legal. I still find today’s news amazing, but I can see the reasoning behind the latest ruling and Stevens’ lawyers did successfully argue the two issues in this case.

The first issue is whether mod chips circumvent a technological protection measure and therefore breach the Copyright Act. The second issue is whether the act of playing a pirated video game breaches the Copyright Act (playing a game requires data to be copied from the disk to the RAM of the console) where game makers didn’t granted a licence to copy the pirated data on to the RAM.

Steven’s argument for the first issue was that making a pirated copy of a video game was illegal, but using a mod chip to play a pirated video game wasn’t. His argument for the second issue was that people simply playing a video game didn’t mean they were making an illegal copy of the game on the console. The High Court ruled on Steven’s side on both issues and so mod chips are legal to use again.

Read the Full High Court Judgement in the case of Stevens v Kabushiki Kaisha Sony Computer Entertainment.

Recently a “Husband Superstore” opened where women could go to choose a husband. It was laid out in five floors, with the men increasing in positive attributes as you ascended.

The only rule was, once you opened the door to any floor, you HAD to choose a man from that floor. If you went up a floor, you couldn’t go back down except to leave the place, never to return.

A couple of women went to the shopping centre to find some husbands.

First floor: The door had a sign saying, “These men have jobs and love kids.” The women read the sign and said, “Well, that’s better than not having a job or not loving kids, but I wonder what’s further up?” So up they went.

Second floor: The sign read, “These men have high paying jobs, love kids, and are extremely good looking.” “Hmmm,” said the ladies, “but, I wonder what’s further up?”

Third floor: This sign read, “These men have high paying jobs, are extremely good looking, love kids and help with the housework.” “Wow,” said the women, “very tempting.” But there was another floor, so further up they went.

Fourth floor: This door had a sign saying “These men have high paying jobs, love kids, are extremely good looking, help with the housework and have a strong romantic streak.” “Oh, mercy me,” they cried, “just think what must be awaiting us further on!”

So up to the fifth floor they went.

Fifth floor The sign on that door said, “This floor is empty and exists only to prove that women are impossible to please. The exit is to your left, we hope you fall down the stairs.”

Two weeks ago was my 45th birthday and I wasn’t feeling too good that morning. I went to breakfast knowing my wife would be pleasant and say, “happy Birthday!”, and probably would have a present for me.

As it turned out, she didn’t even say good morning, let alone any happy birthday. I thought, well, that’s wives for you, the children will remember….

The children came in to breakfast and didn’t say a word.

So when I left for the office, I was feeling pretty low and despondent…

As I walked into my office, my secretary Janet said, “Good morning boss, Happy Birthday’. And I felt a little better that someone had remembered.

I worked until noon, then Janet knocked on my door and said, “You know, it’s such a beautiful day outside, and it’s your birthday, let’s go to lunch, just you and me”.

I said, “By George, that’s the greatest thing I’ve heard all day. “Let’s go!” We went to lunch. We didn’t go where we normally go; instead we went out to a private little place. We had two martinis and enjoyed lunch tremendously. on the way back to the office, she said, “you know, it’s such a beautiful day. We don’t need to go back to the office, do we?”

I said, “No, I guess not.” She said, “Let’s go to my apartment”.

After arriving at her apartment she said, “Boss, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll go into the bedroom and slip into something more comfortable”.

She went into the bedroom and, in about six minutes, she came out carrying a huge birthday cake - followed by my wife, children and dozens of our friends, all singing Happy Birthday.

And I just sat there, on the couch, naked…….

If eyes are the windows to the souls, then make the most of your eyes with these top 5 tips for gorgeous eyes.

1. Making Small Eyes Look Bigger

Create the illusion of larger eyes by using these makeup tips and tricks:

a) Use eyeliner on the outer rim of your eye lid. Blend the eyeliner with a cotton bud to soften the line. Brush a light shade of eyeshadow on the upper outer lid, just below your eyebrows.

b) Curl your eye lashes! Invest in a good eye lash curler that fits the contour of your eye. Curling your lashes will instantly make your eyes appear bigger, even before you add mascara.

c) Try wearing false eye lashes… they’re easier to apply than you think!

d) Apply a generous helping of mascara. Try waterproof mascara to help prevent smudging, and remember to replace your mascara every three months, even if there’s plenty left in the tube. Mascara is a common makeup product where bacteria will grow. Prevent eye infections by replacing your mascara every 3 months.

2. Colored Contact Lenses

Enhance the natural color of your eyes with contact lenses. Regardless of whether you wear eye glasses or not, colored contact lenses can brighten up your eyes. There are two types of colored contact lenses, enhancement tint and full color tint. Enhancement tint is translucent and will lift your existing eye color. A full color tint is a deeper opaque tint that can dramatically alter your eye color and look. Contact lenses should always be fitted by an optometrist.

3. Solutions for Light Colored Eyebrows and Eyelashes

Sick of drawing in your light colored eyebrows and eyelashes? Try tinting your eyebrows and eyelashes. Visit your local beautician for this quick semi-permanent tint, it should take about 15 minutes. Add definition to your features and simplify your daily makeup routine. You can skip the mascara and eyebrow pencil for a few weeks with a eyebrow and eyelash tint.

4. Late Night Eyes

Too many late nights can leave your eyes looking tired, puffy and blood shot red. Although you may not feel so fresh the next morning, you can look fresh by using refreshing eye drops to clear up redness and dedicated eye gel to cool and reduce puffiness around the eye. Store your eye gel in the fridge for future use to reduce puffiness. Drink plenty of water and avoid salty foods and alcohol, which may dehydrate your skin, especially around the eyes.

Alternatively, if you have a bit more time in the morning, try chilled cucumber slices place over your eyes. The natural astringents in cucumbers helps to bring down the puffiness from a late night out. Tea bags dipped in water and chilled in the fridge or freezer also works wonders for puffy tired eyes. The antioxidants from tea leaves helps to soothe and prevent permanent damage to the delicate skin around the eyes.

5. Remember Your Eyes in Your Beauty Routine

The skin around the eyes is the most delicate of skin on your body. Remember to avoid the skin around your eyes when using your facial cleanser. Warm water is all that is needed to clean the skin around your eyes. Use eye makeup remover to completely remove any makeup around the eyes, don’t use your normal cleanser or soap, as they may dry out the skin around the eyes, promoting early wrinkles and fine lines.

Invest in a good eye cream or eye gel. They are formulated especially for the delicate skin around the eyes and won’t irritate eyes. It’s never too early to use eye creams or gels! The earlier you start, the longer your wrinkle free days will be.

And remember, a good night’s sleep is one of the best beauty defenses against tired, puffy and red eyes. Get good rest, at least eight hours a night, for gorgeous, fresh, stunning eyes.

Keep your hair gorgeous throughout winter. With heaters often on indoors, hair can become dry, brittle and prone to split ends. Here are the Top 5 beauty tips for keeping your winter hair healthy and shiny.

1. Protect Your Hair From the Sun

Although the temperature is cooler, your hair, like your skin, can still be damaged by the sun’s harmful UV rays. Protect your hair from sun damage by wearing a hat while outside. This will also protect the delicate skin on your face from sun damage. Sun damage hair feels dry and brittle, and is often prone to breaks and split ends. If you don’t like wearing hats, invest in a good finishing spray with UV filters.

2. Shampoo School

Help keep your hair’s protective natural oils by not washing your hair too often. Your hair will adapt to a less frequent washing routine if you leave it as long as possible between washes. Try using a shampoo formulated for dry hair, they are often milder and won’t strip your hair of its natural oils.

Give your dry hair a little more attention by using a small amount of conditioner in your hair before you shampoo. This will help prevent the shampoo from washing out the natural oils your hair needs for health and shine

3. Give Your Hair A Treat

Nourish dry and brittle winter hair with a weekly deep conditioning treatment. Got a little extra time? Give your hair an ultra nourishing treatment by applying your favourite deep conditioning treatment and wrapping your hair in a shower cap and towel. Leave for 30 minutes then rinse completely. Your hair will thank you for it!

4. Banish Dull Hair

Dull hair is often the result of product build up. Product build up could be any styling products not properly removed by your usual shampoo or conditioners that are too rich or not properly rinsed out. Hair that is lacking in shine and lustre can be easily fixed by using a clarifying shampoo whenever needed. Take care not to use clarifying shampoos too often, it can cause your hair to become dry!

5. No More Split Ends

Dry, winter hair can be prone to split ends. Prevent and get rid of split ends by getting a regular trim every six to eight weeks. Not only will regular trims keep split ends at bay, but you’ll love the feeling of freshly cut hair throughout winter.

Caprioskas have to be one of my favourite alcoholic drinks (not that I drink so much). It’s so simple to make so you can’t really get it wrong. It’s tangy and refreshing and perfect as a summer cocktail. Just a word of caution, this is a strong drink and not for the uninitiated!

You’ll need a cocktail shaker and a pestle (or rolling pin!) for this recipe.

Ingredients

(Per person)

• 0.5 cup of crushed ice
• 2 shots of Vodka (about 30 mL or 1 fl.oz.)
• 1 lime cut into half wedges
• 1 teaspoons of brown sugar (or however much you like)

Instructions

1. Add the lime wedges and brown sugar into the cocktail shaker and crush together with the pestle until the lime juice has been released.
2. Add the vodka and crushed ice to the cocktail shaker and shake vigourously until mixed.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass and enjoy!

Optional

To make a Caipirinha, replace the vodka with rum.

Fruity caprioskas are a delightful variation on the traditional caprioskas. Try adding 2 pieces of fruit such as lychee, mandarin or strawberries, or 2 teaspoons of mixed berries after Step 1, crush with the lime wedges and sugar, then continue with Step 2 and 3.

Made famous by Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, the Cosmopolitan is the ultimate chic chick drink. Not only does it look gorgeous with it’s pink colour, but it tastes absolutely divine.

You’ll need a cocktail shaker and (of course) a martini glass for this recipe.

Ingredients

(Per person)

• 1 shot of Vodka (about 30 mL or 1 fl.oz.)
• 0.5 shot of Cointreau (about 15 mL or ½ fl.oz.)
• 0.5 shot of cranberry juice (about 30 mL or 1 fl.oz.)
• 1 wedge of lime
• Crushed ice

Instructions

1. Chill the martini glass by filling with crushed ice.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add the Vodka, Cointreau and cranberry juice. Squeeze the lime wedge to release the juice and add to the shaker with some crushed ice.
3. Shake well.
4. Throw away the ice from the martini glass and strain the mixture into the glass.
5. Garnish with a cherry, slice of orange peel or slice of lime and enjoy!

Optional

Some people think that using real lime fruit is a little too tangy and sour. In this case, you can replace the lime with lime juice or lime cordial. I don’t usually recommend this, but some people may prefer Cosmopolitans this way.

A New York style Cosmopolitan has a little more berry flavour to it. To achieve this, add ½ shot of Chambord (a raspberry liquor) to the cocktail shaker before shaking it.

I got this recipe from the side of the Rice Bubble’s box. I haven’t tried it yet, but I did buy the ingredients that I needed. Sounds yummy and easy enough to make.

Ingredients

• 200 grams white chocolate (chopped)
• 100 grams milk chocolate (chopped)
• 2 cups of Kelloggs Rice Bubbles

Instructions

1. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave (in a microwave safe dish) until almost all melted. Remove and stir until all melted then add to the Kelloggs Rice Bubbles until well combined.
2. Gently press the rice bubble/white chocolate mix into muffin trays to form a cup (use a spoon). Put the muffin trays with the rice bubble/white chocolate mix in the fridge for an hour or until set.
3. Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave and use a pastry brush to paint the inside of the rice bubble cups with the melted milk chocolate. Put the rice bubble cups back into the fridge and remove about 30 mintues before serving.
4. To serve, put ice cream and/or fruit in the rice bubble cups.

Suggestions

I can imagine filling these cups with vanilla ice cream topped chocolate sauce and sprinkled with chopped peanuts, that would be delicous! You could even add cubed bananas and you have a new way to serve banana splits.

I don’t know if it’ll work, but you could try using Kelloggs Coco Pops instead of Rice Bubbles for an extra chocolate treat. Perhaps using milk chocolate (in place of white chocolate) and dark chocolate (in place of milk chocolate) would suit Coco Pops better.

Final thoughts

I personally think this recipe is so easy that even kids can make it. It would make a introduction to cooking for kids!

A very yummy and delicious snack that’s super simple to make. It’s guaranteed to be a party favourite. All you need is three ingredients and a microwave!

Ingredients

• 3 Mars Bars (regular size)
• 3 oz butter (85 grams)
• 3 cups of Kelloggs Rice Bubbles

Instructions

1. Melt the Mars Bars and butter in the microwave using a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second sessions with stirring between each session until Mars Bars and butter are well combined.
2. Add the Mars Bar and butter mix to the Rice Bubbles and gently combine well with a wooden spoon.
3. Press the mixture into a rectangular baking tray.
4. Refrigerate the pressed mixture for a couple of hours or until set.
5. Remove from refrigerator and cut into cookie sized pieces.

Optional

Try topping the Mars Bar Slices with chocolate. Simply melt some white, milk or dark chocolate (whatever your preference) in the microwave. Dip each slice in the melted chocolate to form a chocolate base or top, depending on how you present them.

Another option would be to fill a decorating bag with the melted chocolate and using an icing tip, decorate the slices as you wish. Draw lines, waves, circles or if you’re daring enough, try a flower or a smilie.