Birthday Girl 2023!

I have had a wonderful day today, spoilt rotten, and the day has been spent in good company.
Lunch was ginger and pineapple chicken, something that is easy to make and not too time consuming, followed by cheesecake.
I used the wok today, and cut two chicken breasts into cubes then cooked them in water. My sauce is a tablespoon of corn flour, the juice from a can of pineapple, a generous splash of dark soy sauce, half a teaspoon of ginger, two teaspoons of sugar, and a chicken stock cube. If this thickens too much, you can just add more water. Once the chicken is cooked, I drain off the stock and a couple of little bits which go in Maya’s dish, then add the sauce mix, pineapples, and today some chopped red and green peppers.  Cook it all together on a low heat, but stir frequently. I served it with rice and prawn crackers rather than naan bread or popadoms.

I made the base for my cheesecake last night so that it had plenty of time to set.
The cheesecake mix is a tub of soft cream cheese (200g) and a carton of double cream (300ml) plus a level teaspoon of sugar. You can also add vanilla essence, but I didn’t have any. I used a different brand of cream cheese today which gave the mix a delicate cheesy tang but wasn’t overpowering. I whisked that and the sugar, then gradually added the double cream, whisking until it thickened before adding any more. Once stiff and fluffy, I spooned it over the biscuit base covering it completely. For decoration, I cut two caramel bars into slices.
I thought it looked a bit empty, so cut up a different type of bar for the middle.
This was actually bigger than what I usually make and I had to use my cake box base as I didn’t have a plate big enough!

I’ve had some lovely cards, including one from a work colleague from 1980 and another from 2002. Neither forget my birthday or us at Christmas.
I had presents too: Hubby bought me earrings and our friends bought me chocolates and a wall plaque. It also gave Hubby the chance to put up the one I bought him for his birthday in November!

It’s been a terrific day.