Week Two

So week two after surgery, my hand seems to be improving rather quickly, to my delight.

Week 2 is meant to be "very light tasks", this list keeps expanding... Sometimes including things that aren't so light...which then get recinded! Honest! You don't know until you try, right?

For instance, opening doors : NOT light. Who knew? Typing (with my wrist straight and my palm NOT touching the keyboard) : light task. Lifting a small glass : NOT light. Lightly scratching itchy mosquitoe bites (damn things love me!) : light task. It's a learning process.

Today I think I might even venture out on my own... I want to go to Honest Ed's. I just realised, I need to by a 9" x 13" baking dish to replace the one I broke! I'm going to need it for dinner tonight! Doh. I also want to get a 8" springform cake pan, or if they don't look very sturdy, then a regular cake pan. I also need some baking ingredients and pipping bags. Not really sure I can get them there, but i figure it doesn't hurt to look, right?

Neda's birthday is tomorrow, and the gang is getting together Friday night. I offered to bake the cake, obviously with my mommy's help. Poor woman, she's getting roped into all kinds of baking! I mentioned to Neda I wanted to bake her a cake (when she said Angie was going to get one). Her response was "Oh, I'd rather have one of your cakes than anything Angie would get!" Yay me! What a delightful compliment!

When I was thinking of making a cake for Sabrina's birthday, I mention to Neda this chocolate torte I'd been eyeing. She seemed to really like the idea. "ooo, yes, with rasberries on top!" She'd said. So I think I will make that for her. It's actually really simple as well, which is good for my 1-handed self. Well, 1-handed for cooking anyway, as that is NOT a light task!

I've been thinking of how to top it, as I've not yet found any option that truly satisfied me. Right now I'm thinking of putting ground hazelnut on the sides, and drizzeling white chocolate on top, then, maybe a pile of ground/chopped hazelnuts on the very centre. I'm not so good at visualizing things. Or possibly sprinkling the top with ground hazelnuts, then the white chocolate glaze zigzagged across the top. That sounds better I think.

The one thing I'm worried about is how everyone else will like it.... I have, I think, one lactose intolerant person coming. I'm slightly intolerant, so butter has never bothered me. Dark chocolate doesn't contain milk...so that should be okay. They ate my fuge, come to think of it, so this should be okay then. Will likely won't eat it, he doesn't like cakes... Sabrina might complain it's too rich, Angie will say it's too fattening. But I'm not adding sugar, it's just rich, this is why it will be cut in very very thin slices!

Oh well, it's Neda's birthday, and I think this is something she would really enjoy. I'll keep the glaze very light, so there is just a hint of sweet. She'll love it, I'm sure.