Me minus MasterChef equals ???

For those who don't know, my husband and I have decided to move to Perth - that's 'back home' for me...after 16 years of living in Sydney. And what an absolutely amazing 16 years it has been. I came here knowing no-one, a 20 year old with nothing more than a bag full of courage and whole lot of hope. When I look back at that time I can't believe I was so brave! Now, well into my 30's I am about to make another big move and yet again I am counting on that bag full of courage and whole lot of hope.

Lets be honest - there is no way I will be able to re-create the fabulous career I have had in Sydney when I move to Perth and yes that does scare me! I have been blessed to have had a career that I have absolutely loved - for the 18 years I have worked in TV I have loved it. And I have to remember that it all started in the tape room at Channel 10 in Perth! My career is where I found my identity - but is that all I am? Laki Baker - TV Producer?

It's interesting where we find our identities isn't it? Surely I am more than my career? I am a wife and daughter, a sister and friend - doesn't that count for the better part of my identity? Why is letting go of MasterChef so hard then? Is it the show itself? Is it the fabulous crew? or is it that I had it so good on the show?? I had one of the best jobs and I was successful at it. Is it that I just wont know what to say when people say 'What do you do?' how does 'I used to work on MasterChef' really sound? Will I lose my 'coolness'?

So, what does Me minus MasterChef really equal? I don't know...but I'm looking forward to finding out!

Because I am a Girl

There is no doubt that I have an extremely blessed life. I have a beautiful family - parents who did anything for their children, brothers and a sister who are close, a husband who adores me. I have a fabulous group of friends and am surround by so much love and support. I have a dream job - I work on MasterChef - I produce the MasterClass episodes and I look after all guest chefs on the show - booking them, working with them...It's probably one of the best jobs in TV at the moment! I am an educated woman with an established career that I love. I am grateful for everything I have.

Not everyone is as blessed as I am. Girls around the world and in our own backyard go through their whole lives wishing they weren't born a girl, wishing that they were allowed the same opportunities as boys, hoping they will have freedom to chose their husband, dreaming of what it would be like to go to school, praying they'll survive to the age of 5.

We can make a difference in this world if we want to. My mum, Lalani, is making a difference. She is a true women's advocate and has been for as long as I can remember. After the Tsunami hit Sri Lanka, my mum and dad (who were in Sri Lanka at the time) did everything they could to get food, water, clothing and medicine to those affected in the South. But when they returned to Australia, my mum decided that she couldn't just forget what she had seen and so she began a project to help rehabilitate the people affected - in particular the women. The project would

seek to educate and empower the many women who had lost their husbands by helping them to use skills they already had and could develop such as sewing, cooking and rope making, to gain an income.

This project is now in it's 5th year and we, as a family, have all pledged to keep this going. We recently witnessed first hand how powerful our help had been as we met with the women and heard their stories. It has been all because of my mothers relentless efforts from fundraising to speaking about the cause.

My mother has been the most influential woman in my life and this is just one reason why. I am so glad to be a girl, to be a daughter, a wife, a sister, a girlfriend. My hope is that girls around the world will all feel this way - proud and happy to be a girl.

Because I am a girl...I can change the world.

http://becauseiamagirl.com.au/2010/

MasterChef Top 50 Pavlova Trial

This is a story about a girl trying to pretend she can cook and offering to recipe test a trial Pavlova recipe – trial because the producers (the ones higher up than me) wanted to see if a bigger pav could be made by changing an existing recipe… Names have been changed to protect…well to protect me in all honesty!!! I will warn however that there is much swearing…much much swearing, for which I do apologise!

So, to start with I pre heat the oven, once at right temp I start the clock....

It takes me 30 minutes before I get the pav in the oven. I don't think I beat the egg whites enough before adding the sugar, but the mixture has that lovely glossy sheen to it anyway. I beat it longer once the sugar is added in hopes that the mixture firms up a little. It does, but maybe not enough… [I realize later on that I am using the wrong part of the mixer to beat the eggs because I didn’t see the proper piece until I was putting the mixer back in the box!]

Be fore I go further I must say that my mum is a gun pav maker and makes perfect pavs every attempt…I now how a pav is made!!

There is nothing to do whilst the eggs are beating - so it's a fairly uninteresting first 30 - except of course when I put the mixture on the tray....

When I place it on the tray I can see it's not firm enough. In a true demonstration of a lack of loyalty the pav mixture spreads it way across the tray - looking like a 'cow pat' as Spencer notes in reference to a picture of it I send her. But I don't have time to re-mix it. I get it in the oven.

After 10 minutes you're meant to turn the heat down which I do - but it takes a further 10 minutes for the heat in my oven to get down to 120. F*$#*^g Gas Ovens.

The pav is looking like a slightly risen meringue disc. Not the pav my mum makes! F*$#*^g Pav. F*$#*^g Mrs Producer for making me do this.

Whilst in the oven it takes me 10 minutes to beat the cream and chop the strawberries - then it's a further 40 minutes of sitting and waiting and looking at the oven and licking the spatula, then feeling sick, then washing the utensils then looking at the oven then getting mad at husband for laughing at my pav, then looking at the oven again, then contemplating trying again in hopes of cheating my way into looking like I am the pavlova queen...which clearly, I am not.

The recipe says to take pav out of the oven to cool down...this goes against my instinct which is to let the pav cool in the oven, but I dutifully take pav out of oven and watch it deflate, then crack - stupid task anyway. I let it cool and it cracks some more (great...) then when cool, I slap on the cream and strawberries and hope that Mrs Producer says don't worry about bringing it in tomorrow, pics will be fine, but of course, she doesn't and now I must walk into to the office with deflated pav and a deflated ego to go with out....plus the pictorial evidence of my failure. F*#k F#*k F#*k!!!!!!!

I will never make it as a contestant on MasterChef, but at least I make it as good producer on MasterChef!!

New Years Resolutions

Oh yes, just like everyone else, I have foolishly made New Years Resolutions...I have a proven track record that clearly shows I don't stick to them, yet here I am with a fairly long list and a hopeful, positive attitude.

So why should this year be any different? It probably shouldn't be - but damn it I am going to give it a red hot go. Again.

Wondering what's on the list?? Exactly what you would expect from a person who makes New Years resolutions.

There's the obligatory weight loss (at the top of the list every year - though with a 35th birthday looming I am definitely making this a huge priority - 20 Kilos in 12 months...EEEEEK!!!!)

There's the overseas holiday (An actual possibility seeing as though we have said yes to a trip to Sri Lanka)

The home makeover (Already started - but will it be finished?)

Remembering birthdays anniversaries and special occasions before they happen not after (Already failed at this one)

Being more giving of my time and my heart (Making a good effort thus far)

swearing less (Never, ever going to happen)

Praying and reading my bible everyday (I only have 10 days to catch up on...wait, what date is it today? The 10th? oops!)

Prioritising God, Church, Husband Family and Friends over Work (Already setting a cracking pace on this - lets hope it lasts!)

Making sure I make it to date night, which is once a fortnight (Husband does not like date night without his date and I don't like date night being spent with my computer or work colleagues!)

So there's the list. It's fairly long but you know what this year I am determined to keep and achieve at least half of them and I shall blog about it to keep me honest!

That reminds me - last resolution - to blog about resolutions...Tick!