Homemade Life

# 190 Coconut cakes

2012-03-08T11:43:00.000Z

These little cakes are a favourite with my husband and they're really easy to make. The fact that there's no flour listed below is no mistake, these are flourless cakes.

Coconut cakes

150 g caster sugar
3 eggs
250g desiccated coconut (I was 50g short but they still came out fine)
50g butter, softened
Zest of half a lemon
Glacé cherries

Preheat the oven, gas mark 4. Line a muffin tray with paper cases.

Beat the eggs and the sugar until creamy. Add the coconut, the lemon zest and the softened butter and mix until well combined. Fill each paper case 3/4 of the way, place a cherry in the middle of each cake and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: This batter makes about 16 cakes so you'll need to bake them in 2 instalments.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

# 189 Look what the postman brought

2012-03-05T08:51:00.000Z

I don't enter many giveaways but when I saw the one hosted by Dawn the author of Rattling On I couldn't resist entering because the prize was this book here.

And can you believe it I actually won the book? It arrived Friday morning and yesterday I tried one of the recipes, I baked the Orange Drizzle Cake (didn't make the icing though) and it's delicious, very orangey and light. Thank you Dawn :-)

Paula

# 188 Fridays recipes: Spicy chicken with pasta

2012-03-02T14:53:00.001Z

This is a very simplified version of a family favourite dish which I make time and again with slight variations. For example, I will either use fresh coriander or dried basil and oregano, sometimes I'll add sliced carrots while others a selection of frozen vegetables or just leave them out altogether.

This time most of the flavour came from the spicy chorizo I used and which I bought by mistake, I didn't read the label properly and bought spicy chorizo instead of the regular one we usually have. This dish always goes down well especially with our son.

Spicy chicken with pasta

5 chicken thighs
A dozen spicy chorizo slices
1/2 can chopped tomatoes
Olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 chicken stock cube
Pasta (about one handful per person)

In a pan fry the onion and the chorizo slices in a little olive oil. Let it cook until the fat from the chorizo starts oozing out then add the chicken, let it brown on all sides. Add the chopped tomatoes, the stock cube and a little boiling water. Put the lid on and cook over a low heat for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionaly.

Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve. Add a little more boiling water and the pasta, check the seasoning, cook for about 5 minutes then add the chicken. Cook until the pasta is al dente and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 187 A blog award

2012-03-01T09:17:00.002Z

I've been very rude as I should've posted this a while ago but then I kept getting distracted with other things.

Tracy from Depth of Field has given my blog this award.

Thank you Tracy :-)

She has another blog called Mad About Bags. While Depth of Field is about photography and she takes beautiful photos you should go and see Mad About Bags is a crafts blog, with plenty of crochet and bags and many other pretty, colourful things. So whenever you can, sit yourselves down comfortably with a cup of tea or coffee, one or two biscuits and spend sometime browsing through both her blogs. You'll find it's time well spent.

Paula

# 186 Winter is on the way out...

2012-02-29T14:55:00.002Z

or so it seems today. It's nice and sunny outside and warm too just perfect for a long afternoon walk.

Paula

# 185 February photo scavenger hunt

2012-02-28T16:21:00.000Z

It's time for another scavenger hunt hosted by Kathy from Postcards from the P.P.

For one reason or another I haven't been out much so most of the photos below are old photos taken in previous years.

Photo taken 2 years ago on a visit to Lydiard House, Swindon. I'm terrible with flora and fauna names so I'm not sure what these are called. Does anyone know?

Ok, not exactly black and white but almost. This photo must've been taken 1 or 2 years ago and it's the church tower here in Berkeley. The tower was actually built a few metres away from the church. The story goes that when the church was being built and work began on the tower, each morning the workmen would find that the previous day's work had been demolished. People started saying it was the work of the devil and the workmen actually started to believe this as each morning the same would happen so they would keep moving the tower further and further away from the main body of the church until it arrived at the location it is now.

Empty benches on the Cotswolds Way overlooking Wotton-under-edge.

900-year old Berkeley Castle.

This photo was taken one evening in October 2011. I looked out of my kitchen window and there was this amazing double rainbow in the sky, I quickly grabbed my camera and was still able to capture it.

One of my early handmade cards.

The February page of the calendar I've been making.

This is a decoupage picture I made for my mum, I love the background paper which was cut from a page on a very old music book.

In October 2010 we went to the Forest of Dean Railway and travelled on a steam train. This is one of the stations, I think it's called Parkend.

A lovely bowl of homemade soup with a slice of homemade bread.

Old trains at the Forest of Dean Railway.

I couldn't find anything for cupid so in desperation I turned to the dictionary.

You can see what others have come up with here.

Paula

# 184 Sunshine

2012-02-25T11:33:00.000Z

It's a lovely sunny day today and quite warm too. The washing is drying outside under a beautifully blue sky with a few scattered white clouds, my favourite kind of sky. There's also a fresh loaf of bread baking and I just made myself a cup of tea which I'm having with one of these made yesterday morning.

Wishing you all a great weekend.

Paula

# 183 Fridays recipes: Savoy cabbage soup with spicy chorizo

2012-02-24T11:22:00.001Z

I can't explain why but I always associate soup with Winter and during the cold season I make a fresh pot of soup every 2 to 3 days. I usually keep it simple, lots of vegetables cooked in boiling water with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

This soup however has had a little twist added in the form of a few slices of spicy Spanish style chorizo. If you like really spicy food just add more chorizo.

Savoy cabbage soup with spicy chorizo

3 big courgettes
3 big carrots
1/2 butternut squash
1 parsnip
2 chicken stock cubes
1/2 Savoy cabbage, shredded
A few slices of spicy Spanish chorizo
Olive oil
Pinch of salt

Peel, chop and put in a pot all of the vegetables listed above except for the cabbage. Cover with water, add the stock cubes and bring to boil then let it simmer over a low heat for about 30-40 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if needed, drizzle some olive oil and blend. Add the shredded cabbage and the slices of chorizo and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 182 Fridays recipes: Lemon cake

2012-02-17T13:44:00.000Z

Weekends wouldn't be the same in our house without cake, in fact I must admit I'm a bit of a cakeaholic (I think I just made up a new word!). One of my favourite things is a slice of homemade cake and a cup of tea.

I made this lemon cake for the 1st time the other day, it's not the moistest of cakes but goes perfectly with a good cup of tea or coffee if you prefer.

Lemon cake

250g butter, softened
250g caster sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 eggs
350g plain flour
50g cornflour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Juice of half a lemon

Preheat the oven to 180 ºC and line a rectangular cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Beat the butter with the sugar and the lemon zest until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time alternating with spoonfuls of flour and the baking powder, add the lemon juice and mix well.

Pour into the cake tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until done.

Remove from the oven and allow the cake to rest for about 10 minutes or so. Let it cool on a wire rack.

Cut the cake in half lengthwise and spread some vanilla buttercream (I use shop-bought). Put both halves of the cake back together again and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

Paula

# 181 Reader's Bill of Rights

2012-02-16T14:09:00.000Z

Many years ago while at University I admitted out loud to sometimes cheating when reading. You see I really don't like very long descriptions, I find them boring and sometimes will skip a page or 2. I made the mistake of saying this in the presence of a very exacting friend who was very shocked and who let me know exactly what she thought of it!

Today, quite by accident, I found the Reader's Bill of Rights written by Daniel Pennac, I wish I'd known of it back then!

Paula

# 180 Fridays recipes: Mini sausage rolls

2012-02-10T13:27:00.000Z

I make these often for A. to take to school in his packed lunch, he loves sausages and these mini rolls are so easy to eat, they're gone in 2 bites and he doesn't have to worry about using both hands to hold them so the sausage inside doesn't somehow escape!

This is not my recipe but Lorraine Pascale's, she presented it the other day on her TV programme Baking Made Easy. You can read her recipe by clicking here.

Easy as these are to make I simplified mine even further even though I pre cook them for a few minutes until golden on all sides. I do this by not adding any further seasoning to them or herbs as Lorraine does (no need really as the sausages are already well seasoned) and I put them straight in the oven as soon as they're all rolled out and brushed with beaten egg.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

# 179 Turning a new page...

2012-02-06T14:35:00.000Z

...on my calendar.

I don't know what it is but I really enjoy cutting images from books and then putting them together to create pictures.

The image above is of my calendar page for February, unfortunately the photo doesn't do it justice.

My latest decoupage project is this set of 3 pictures for my niece. I really like them and hope she will to.

Paula

# 178 January photo scavenger hunt

2012-02-04T10:08:00.001Z

Kathy from Postcards from the P.P. is the brains behind this Scavenger Hunt. I'm still missing 2 photos from the list she drew up for the January challenge but I've just realised that if I don't post my photos now I'll be too late so here goes. If you'd like to see what others have come up with just follow the link above.

Taken sometime ago at Blenheim Palace, I was trying to get a really close up shot of the little ones but the parents looked so threatening I gave up.

Are these doves? Anyway these 2 have been around my garden quite a lot.

Blurred reflection of a tree on one of the lakes at Woodchester Park.

Side entrance at St. Mary's Church in Berkeley.

This is the most interesting thing in my bathroom at the moment!! I really like the colours with the light from behind, somehow it reminds me of stained glass.

Photo taken last month on a short walk around Coaley Peak viewpoint in Gloucestershire. You can see the River Severn in the distance.

Map at Coaley Peak viewpoint.

Messy room at Stackpole. Taken last July when my son and his class went to Stackpole for a week.

An odd number of pine cones.

I love could gazing.

I'm off now to see what others have posted.

Paula

# 177 Fridays recipes: Turkey breast steaks in breadcrumbs

2012-02-03T14:29:00.001Z

This is a family favourite. These turkey breast steaks in breadcrumbs make a delicious and comforting meal served immediately with white rice, they're also a good option for a picnic or packed lunch in which case I like to cut them into thin strips or into smaller pieces so they look like nuggets.

Turkey breast steak in breadcrumbs

Turkey breast steaks (if they're too big I usually cut them in half)
3 garlic cloves, cut in half
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes or mild chilli powder
2 tablespoons red Port wine
Pinch of salt
Milk
2 eggs, beaten
Breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

In a food container mix all the ingredients listed above for the marinade. Add the meat making sure the marinade covers it, add a little more milk if necessary. Cover and put in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before cooking (I usually do this in the morning and cook the meat in the evening).

Dip the turkey steaks in the beaten eggs and then coat them in breadcrumbs making sure they are evenly covered. Pat them down gently and fry in vegetable oil.

Serve with white rice.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 176 Of books and libraries

2012-01-30T13:08:00.001Z

I've finally finished the book I was reading, I'm ashamed to say it took me a whole month to do it but I read it from beginning to end and, not to loose momentum, I've begun a new book, this one.

I've always been a library goer and nowadays that's where I get most of my reading books from. There's a small public library here in Berkeley, only a 5-minute walk from my house but unfortunately it's one of the many small public libraries that will be closing down very soon due to budget cuts. The good news is that a group of people got together and everything seems set so the library is run as a community library by volunteers.

Anyway, all this to say if there's a public library near you please visit it as often as you can and borrow a book or 2 once a while, this will help increase numbers and maybe help garantee its future.

What are you reading at the moment?

Paula

# 175 Fridays recipes: Individual chicken pies

2012-01-27T12:50:00.000Z

Every Friday I plan my menu for the week ahead and do my shopping accordingly, the part I have most difficulty about is what to send A. in his packed lunch and as if this wasn't enough the husband often needs to take one too. I like them to have something they'll like and I know A. would gladly have sausages every single day but I think variety is important too. These individual chicken pies are perfect both for a family meal served with white rice, vegetables or a salad or eaten on their own when included in a packed lunch. The filling can be cooked from scratch or better still you can use any meat leftovers you might have.

I use my muffin tray which has 12 holes, this gives me enough pies for a meal and then have some extra for their packed lunches the following day.

Individual chicken pies

2 chicken breasts cut into small pieces
A few bacon rashers cut into thing strips
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
2 or 3 tablespoons mushroom soup powder
1/2 tub double cream
Block shortcrust pastry
Beaten egg to brush the pastry

Preheat the oven to 180 ºC / gas mark 5.

In a pan soften the onion in a little olive oil, add the bacon and the chicken and allow to cook for a few minutes until it's no longer pink.

Add the double cream and the soup powder, mix well. Add a little boiling water if needed. Check the seasoning and cook for 10-15 minutes over a low heat stirring occasionally.

Roll out the pastry following the instructions on the packet. Cut circles of pastry and line the holes of a muffin tray with them. Fill with the chicken, brush the edge of the pastry cases with the beaten egg and add a pastry lidd.

Press all around the edge of each pie to make sure both the pastry case and the lid stick together. Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 174 January craft's review

2012-01-25T09:59:00.000Z

Craftwise January is turning out to be quite a productive month which surprises even me. I guess this is due in part to one of my resolutions for 2012, to spend less time on sites like Pinterest and Flickr admiring what other people have made and actually spend that time making stuff myself.

Here are a few of the things I made so far. I've included below the links to the tutorials I wrote for both cushions and which were posted on my other blog.

Crochet patchwork cushion
Mini circle in a square cushion

Paula

# 173 Making Winter: Jam thumbprints

2012-01-24T12:21:00.000Z

One of my favourite activities on a cold, gloomy Winter day is to bake. The warmth that comes from the oven during baking, the smell of a freshly made cake or batch of biscuits is so, so comforting then add to that a nice, hot cup of tea with a slice of that cake or one of those biscuits and I can't help feeling so much better no matter how bad it is outside.

Lately, these biscuits have been making regular appearances in our biscuit box and are much appreciated by us 3 especially me and A. I've been using the pumpkin jam I made back in November from the flesh of the Halloween pumpkin but obviously you can use any jam you have.

Jam thumbprints

1 large egg
100g sugar (both caster sugar or light brown soft sugar work fine)
100g butter, softened
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Jam

Preheat the oven to 180 ºC.

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients, except the jam, and mix to make a dough.

Make small balls with the dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper, they will spread a little so don't put them too close together.

With your thumb make an indentation in the centre of each ball and fill with jam. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Allow them to cool a little before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Keep in an air tight container.

Enjoy :-)

Notes:

- With this amount of dough I usually fill 2 baking sheets which I put in the oven at the same time, one in the middle rack the other on the bottom.. When the batch in the middle is ready I remove it and swap the bottom baking sheet to the middle rack letting them cook for a few minutes more until golden.

- I found the perfect tool for these biscuits, a potato cutter (photo below) my mum has had for ages and which she no longer uses so I borrowed it. I use the larger end to make the indentations on the dough and the smaller end to measure the jam for each biscuit.

Paula

By the way this post of part of the challenge Making Winter by Silverpebble and Thrifty Household. If you'd like to join in just check their blogs for more information.

# 172 Fridays recipes: Dark chocolate cake

2012-01-20T10:46:00.000Z

By comparison with previous years this Winter is actually quite a mild one, I think the lowest temperature we've had so far was about 2 ºC during the day. But still it feels very cold and when it's this cold there's nothing better than lots of tea and a slice of the most lovely dark chocolate cake.

I made this cake twice already and one of those times was for Christmas, no one except me likes the traditional English Christmas pudding so we have chocolate cake instead. I filled and covered it with ready made chocolate fudge and then sprinkled with chopped walnuts, it was delicious and didn't last for very long.

This is the recipe for the cake, it really is very good on its own so no need to add any filling or anything else if you want to keep it simple.

Dark chocolate cake

200g plain flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder
200g caster sugar
200g butter, softened
100g dark chocolate, melted
6 eggs

Pre-heat the oven to 180 ºC and line a round cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Beat the butter and the sugar, add the egg yolks and carry on beating. Add the melted chocolate and mix well then add the flour with the baking powder. Lastly add the egg whites beaten to soft peaks and mix gently. Bake for about 40 minutes or until it's done.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 171 I pledge to read the written word

2012-01-17T13:16:00.000Z

I've added a new button to the bottom of my sidebar and seeing that one of my resolutions for 2012 is to read more I thought it was very appropriate.

I go to the small local library quite often but mainly bring home cookery and craft books which for some reason don't count as reading books in my mind. So my first book for 2012 is The Children's Book by A.S.Byatt, I remember having read one of her other books before and really liked it so when I saw this one on the shelf I thought I'd give it a go. I'm enjoying it but making very slow progress, I'd better hurry up and read it before I have to return it.

I'd love to know what you're reading at the moment if you'd like to share :-)

Paula

# 170 Fridays recipes: Creamy chicken korma

2012-01-13T12:54:00.003Z

I love collecting recipes for dishes I think we might like, I keep them in 2 binders in A4 plastic pouches. One of the binders contains all the sweet recipes and the other all the savoury ones. This dish is based on one of those recipes taken from the free monthly ASDA magazine, as usual I've adapted it to the ingredients I had at the time leaving out the ones we're not so keen on and including others we like, even the meat I used is slightly different from the one specified on the original recipe (I used chicken instead of turkey!). The recipe below is the one I made, it makes a delicious mild curry with a nice thick sauce but if you like it hotter just add more spices.

Creamy chicken korma

Chicken drumsticks or thighs
Tub of creme fraiche
1 1/2 teaspoon korma curry spices
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, deseeded and cut into pieces
1 courgette, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup coconut milk
Pinch of salt
1/2 chicken stock cube
2 tablespoons tomato concentrate
Chilli flakes
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed

In a bowl pour half a tub of creme fraiche, the korma and the curry powder, the tomato concentrate and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Marinate the chicken in this mixture making sure all the pieces are well covered, I usually let the meat marinate over night but at least a couple of hours before cooking is fine.

Pour a little olive oil into a large frying pan and add the onion, the garlic and the red pepper. Cook for a few minutes to soften and then add the chicken. Cook for a few minutes until it's golden on all sides. Add the marinade, the coconut milk, the courgette, the stock cube and a little boiling water just enough to half cover the chicken. Put the lid on the pan and cook over a low heat for about 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken from the pan, transfer the sauce to a deep container such as a measuring jug, for instance, and blend*. Pour this back into the pan, add the meat and cook for a few more minutes before serving with white rice.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

* You don't need to blend the sauce if you don't want to, I did it mainly because I knew my son would complain about the courgette and the red pepper bits and also because I wanted the sauce to be nice and thick.

# 169 Resolutions for 2012

2012-01-11T09:34:00.001Z

So far so good! I made a mental list of the things I want to achieve this year and it's going well, whether it stays that way we shall see.

This year I want to spend less time online and more time doing/making things and generally being more active, this includes walking more (weather permitting), exercing more (on the Wii, I'm not a gym person!), being a little more house proud, reading more and being better organized. I've been managing this with the help of lists, every evening I'll write a list of the chores for the following day and then work my way down the list. Any chores that haven't been done that day will top the list for next day until they are eventually completed.

So far this is working, I'm managing to get a lot more done than I used to and I feel more on top of things which is great. Fingers crossed I'll keep on track.

Have you made any resolutions for 2012?

Paula

# 168 Fridays recipes: Spaghetti with bacon, walnuts and pineapple pieces

2012-01-06T11:52:00.000Z

This is a dish I came up with the other day when we got home quite late from our weekly shopping and I needed to make something quick for lunch. Since them this dish has featured quite often in our weekly meal plan and always goes down a treat especially with A.

Spaghetti with bacon, walnuts and pineapple pieces

Smoked pork belly cut into small cubes (or bacon rashers cut into thin strips or bacon lardons)
Olive oil
Handful of walnuts
2 or 3 tablespoons canned pineapple pieces
2 or 3 tablespoons double cream
Spaghetti

Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until it's al dente.

Meawhile in a large frying pan fry the bacon in a little olive oil until golden and crispy. Add the walnuts and cook for a couple of minutes more. Drain the olive oil, add the pineapple pieces and the double cream. Mix well and set aside.

Drain the spaghetti and add to the frying pan mixing well so the bacon, the walnuts and the pineapple is evenly distributed. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 167 The BMM (Bread Making Machine) Challenge: Filhoses

2012-01-04T17:07:00.000Z

Filhoses is a traditional Portuguese Christmas dessert of which there are many different versions, as far as I can remember my mum always makes them for Christmas. The dough used to make filhoses is a bread dough to which you then add other ingredients such as sugar or honey, orange zest, orange juice or Port, eggs, etc. This dough is then kneaded and left to prove until doubled in volume.

When ready the dough is cut into small portions which are then stretched thin and fried in vegetable oil. Once fried they can be dipped in a syrupy mixture or sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

A few days before Christmas it occurred to me how similar this dough is to that of the sweet brioches I often make and so with a few changes to the recipe I was able to make filhoses just like the ones my mum makes but with a lot less effort.

Filhoses

1 teaspoon fast action yeast
250g strong white flour
2 to 3 tablespoons honey (or you can use caster sugar instead if you want)
75g butter
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Port wine (you can replace this with orange juice, but I prefer the Port)
Zest of an orange

Put all ingredients in the bread pan in the correct order. Select the basic dough setting (2h 20 mins in mine). When the cycle is complete tip the dough out into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and put in a warm place to prove until doubled in size.

In a deep container mix some caster sugar with cinnamon, also pour a little vegetable oil into a bowl and place near the pan where you're going to fry the filhoses. This is used to grease your fingers so it's easy to stretch the dough without it sticking.

Cut small portions of dough and stretch them gently, I don't worry about any holes that might appear or about the shape. Fry 1 or 2 at a time, the oil should not be too hot or they'll fry too quickly. Keep turning them with a fork until golden on both sides and remove to a tray lined with a few sheets of kitchen paper towels to absorb any excess fat. Sprinkle each filhós with the mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Keep in an air tight container.

Enjoy with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

Paula

# 166 Season's Greetings

2011-12-23T13:06:00.001Z

To all the readers/followers of this blog or anyone who happens to stop by I wish a very

Merry Christmas

and a

Happy New year.

Paula

# 165 Attempt at flower arranging

2011-12-22T14:53:00.000Z

2 years ago I volunteered to help decorate Berkeley Castle for Christmas without realising there was a lot of flower arraging involved. If I tell you that on my 2nd day there I was put in charge of the teas and coffees that should give you an idea of how bad my flower arranging skills are!

Anyway, yesterday me and A. went for walk and along the way we picked some flowers and twigs that I wanted to use to create some sort of arrangement for Christmas. You can see the result of my efforts below, not at all what I had in mind but I'm liking it more and more especially the crochet sleeves with the little bells and the twigs with the coloured beads.

Paula

# 164 Autumn walks in Berkeley

2011-12-20T10:05:00.001Z

My long morning walks are suspended for the time being and instead I've been on the Wii a lot. Well, by that I mean about 50 minutes most mornings. It's just been too cold, wet and windy to go out but there have been a few brief moments when the rain stopped and the sun came out and when that happened I grabbed my camera and went for a quick, short walk around Berkeley.

Paula

# 163 Fridays recipes: Orange cake

2011-12-16T15:50:00.002Z

This simple cake is delicious and easy to make.

Orange cake

200g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
125g butter
125g flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Zest of 1 orange + juice of 2 small orange

Whisk the egg whites to form soft peaks and set aside.

Soften the butter and mix with the sugar until creamy and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, the orange zest and mix again.

Fold the flour with the baking powder alternating it with the eggs whites. Pour into a tin lined with greaseproof paper and bake in a pre-heated oven until done.

Remove from the oven but not from the tin. Squeeze the juice out of 2 small oranges and add a tablespoon of sugar if needed. Slowly pour the juice over the cake, don't use it all if you think it's too much. Allow the cake to rest in the tin for a few minutes before removing it.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 162 Making Winter: Warm wooly slippers

2011-12-15T08:57:00.001Z

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen ~~mittens~~ slippers

Of all the pairs of slippers I've made so far I think these are one of my favourites. They fit snuggly and are soft and warm being made from 100% wool. With these on my feet, a hot cup of tea in my hands and a delicious homemade biscuit I'm a happy bunny no matter how gloomy and wintery it is outside.

By the way, if you haven't heard of the Making Winter challenge set by the authors of Silverpebble and Thrifty Household you can find out more about it here. To take part in December's bloghop add your link here.

If you'd like to have a go at making a some slippers like these you can find the tutorial here.

Paula

# 161 Calendars as Christmas gifts

2011-12-14T11:42:00.000Z

Personalized calendars make a great gift for close family especially for those relatives who it's very difficult to buy gifts for, my dad and my in-laws fit into that category.

This year I'm sending them personalized desk calendars from this company. All I had to do was choose 13 photos, 1 for each month plus one for the cover. I chose only photos of A. as they only get to see him once a year in the Summer, I'm sure they'll like these, besides they make a very useful gift that is used all year round and it's convenient to post as they pack flat.

Sometime ago I had a photo of A. printed on canvas by this same company and they did a brilliant job. If you're stuck for ideas why not have a look on their web site, they have a wide range of products so you're sure to find one that's perfect for the occasion or recipient.

Paula

# 160 Christmas cards

2011-12-10T13:29:00.001Z

Along with the gifts I've been making all year long to be ready for Christmas I had also planned on making my cards early but somehow it just didn't feel right. As a result I kept delaying it until the first week of December when I really couldn't put it off any longer. But they are finally done, the task for next week is to write and post them.

Paula

# 159 Fridays recipes: Curried burgers

2011-12-09T09:55:00.001Z

My son A. loves these burgers and when I make them he always asks for an extra one to take in his packed lunch the following day.

Curried burgers

400g lean mince beef
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon mild chilli powder
Pinch of salt
Vegetable oil and butter for frying
Double cream

Place the curry powder, the chilli powder and the salt in a bowl. Add the mince beef and mix well.

Divide into equal portions and shape the burgers with your hands. Place them on a plate, cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Fry the burgers in a little vegetable oil and butter until they are golden brown on both sides. Remove them to a plate and drain all the oil from the pan (you don't need to clean the pan just drain all the fat). Put the burgers back in the pan and over a low heat add some double cream (the quantity depends on how much sauce you want to make). Turn the heat off as soon as it begins to bubble and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 158 A special delivery

2011-12-07T12:22:00.001Z

Inside the latest packet I received from my mum was this.

It's salty cod, a fish much appreciated in my home country, eaten all year round but with special significance at this time of the year. Traditionally families get together on Christmas Eve and eat poached cod with boiled potatoes and various vegetables all with a generous drizzle of good quality olive oil. I can just imagine many of you are probably going Eugh! which is understandable as this is like Marmite you either love it or hate it.

In a previous packet mum has sent me a few table cloths including a Christmas one which I'll be using this year. The crochet edgings are her work as is the cross-stitching which she learnt from me a few years ago and look how neat and tidy it is at the back as well. Well done mum!

Paula

# 157 The BMM challenge: Apple and Cinnamon pull-apart

2011-12-06T16:05:00.001Z

This Apple and Cinnamon pull-apart features in the great Big Book of Bread by Anne Sheasby in the Speciality and Festive Breads chapter, I made it back in October when I was given a lot of apples and it was delicious.

Apple and Cinnamon pull-apart

For the dough:

450g strong white flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast
25g caster sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
150ml milk
125ml water

Add the ingredients to the breadmaker pan in the order specified in the machine's manual. Set to Dough (2h 20m in mine).

For the filling:

175g light soft brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eating apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons double cream
25g butter, diced
25g walnuts, finely chopped (the original recipe mentions hazelnuts but I prefer walnuts)

Combine 55g soft brown sugar and the cinnamon, then add the apple slices and toss to mix well.

When the breadmaker finishes the cycle, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock back. Roll out to form a rectangle. Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a border of 1cm around the edges.

Starting from the long side, roll up the dough tightly. Cut into 12 even slices and place them upright but at an angle so they just rest on each other in a greased tin (it's easier if you use a loose-bottomed springform, as mine doesn't have a tube section in the middle I placed a slice of the dough there). Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Bake in a pre-heated oven (190 ºC) for 25-30 minutes or until risen and golden brown. Cool slightly in the tin and then turn out onto a wire rack.

Meanwhile, place the remaining soft brown sugar, cream and butter in a small pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring gently to the boil, then simmer uncovered for about 4 minutes or until the mixture thickens a little. Brush the hot pull-apart with this mixture and then sprinkle with the walnuts. Pull the rolls apart to serve.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 156 November photo scavenger hunt

2011-12-03T11:34:00.001Z

The challenge set by Kathy from Postcards from the PP for this month's scavenger hunt was tough and so most of the pictures below are "library" pictures, that's to say I went through my many photos to find the ones that fit the theme. In my defence I have to say they were taken by me, except for the self-portrait one, so it's really not cheating, is it?!

So here they are, I'm 2 pictures short as I couldn't come up with anything for Polka dots and Lucky charm. You can see what others have captured with their cameras here.

Memorial at Stourhead.

A purple scarf made to be given away as a Christmas present.

Staircase at Shugborough House

Pretty silhouette in one of the rooms at Hughenden Manor.

Poppy wreath at Stourhead.

Christmas garland I made last year with old cards and joined together with a crochet chain (tutorial).

This is one of the blankets I made earlier this year, it's been keeping me warm in the evenings while watching TV and working on other crochet projects.

One of our favourite meals (recipe here).

Paula

# 155 Fridays recipes: Cabbage and coriander soup

2011-12-02T14:36:00.001Z

A nice bowl of hot soup is very comforting, plus it makes a great light meal with a slice of homemade wholemeal bread. Just the thing to have on a cold day.

Cabbage and coriander soup

1/2 butternut squash
1/2 turnip
1 small onion
3 large courgettes
Small bunch of fresh coriander
2 vegetable stock cubes
Drizzle of olive oil
1/2 cabbage, shredded

Peel and chop all the vegetables, except for the cabbage, and put them in a pan. Add the stock cubes, the fresh coriander and cover with water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Add a drizzle of olive oil and blend. Then add the shredded cabbage and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or so.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 154 Finished...

2011-11-30T15:25:00.001Z

Mum's lap blanket

A scarf to be given as a Christmas present

A hat for myself to go with this scarf

Another scarf, also a Christmas gift

2 new pais of slippers (instructions here)

Paula

# 153 Sunny Sunday in Berkeley

2011-11-27T17:12:00.001Z

Paula

# 152 Fridays recipes: Tea biscuits

2011-11-25T17:17:00.001Z

I found the recipe for these biscuits online and they're so delicious and simple to make I've baked them several times already. I've left out the icing decoration because I'm not vey good at it but also because I prefer my biscuits simple.

If you'd like to try these yourself, the recipe can be found on the Baking Mad website here.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 151 Autumn walks in Berkeley

2011-11-23T12:46:00.001Z

These last few days have been grey and wet and with darkness closing in a little after 4 it's no surprise some people suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) at this time of the year.

Today is slightly better though, there are a few rays of sunshine coming through the clouds once in a while and hints of a blue sky here and there, so I grabbed my camera and went out to try and capture some much needed colour.

Paula

# 150 Making Winter: Sweet chestnuts

2011-11-22T09:53:00.001Z

To me nothing embodies the spirit of Autumn as chestnuts, roasted or boiled they are delicious and comforting.

I received a parcel from my mum last Saturday and among other things I found a bag full of lovely chestnuts which I boiled as desert for after dinner. If you've never tasted boiled chestnuts you should because they are so good.

First score the skin of the chestnuts with a sharp knife (mind your fingers!). Put them in a pan and cover with water, add a pinch of salt and a generous pinch of ground anise (this is the "secret" ingredient that will make them taste heavenly). Put the lid on and bring to the boil, then let it simmer for 30-40 minutes or until they're cooked through. Drain the water and allow the chestnuts to cool for a few minutes before peeling the skin off.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 149 Fridays recipes: Herby roast chicken with potatoes and cherry tomatoes

2011-11-18T13:51:00.001Z

I love a good roast and roast chicken is my favourite. This dish is simple, delicious and just perfect for a cold winter day.

Herby roast chicken with potatoes and cherry tomatoes

1 whole chicken
Potatoes, peeled and cut in half
Herbs de provence
Mild chili powder (optional)
Salt
Olive oil
Cherry tomatoes

Place the chicken and the potatoes in a baking tray, sprinkle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of herbs de Provence, some mild chili powder if you want, season with salt and drizzle a little olive oil.

Roast in the oven, basting occasionally. Add the cherry tomatoes about 20-30 minutes before the roast is ready.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 148 Fridays recipes: Pork and cider casserole

2011-11-11T09:15:00.001Z

At the end of each month I always look out for ASDA's free magazine, there's a recipe section which I always browse through and cut out all those recipes I think we might like to try. The October edition included a very appetizing Pork and cider casserole.

I have since cooked this dish twice and it's delicious, of course I had to make a few changes as I didn't have all the ingredients listed and had to replace them with the ones I had in the cupboard I also left the mushrooms out because husband and son don't like them.

Pork and cider casserole

Olive oil
4 pork steaks
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 celery stick, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
100ml medium cider
1 chicken stock cube
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
2 or 3 tablespoons reduced-fat crème-fraîche
1 level tablespoon cornflour

Pour a little olive oil into a pan, add the chopped onion and celery and soften. Add the pork steaks and brown on all sides. Add the carrots, cider, stock cube, dried thyme and mustard seeds. Cover and simmer very gently for 30-45 minutes. Add more cider if needed.

Add the apples to the pork with the crème-fraîche and the cornflour (mixed with a dash of cold water) and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with vegetables and mash potato or chips.

Note: The second time I made this dish I used 2 small pork joints which I cooked in the slow cooker. The method is the same as above except that after you have browned the joints on all sides you then transfer it to the slowcooker. Cook it on low for 4-5 hours and then check to see if the meat is done or if it needs a little more time. Also, this time around I blended the sauce before serving to make it smoother.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

# 147 The BMM (Bread Making Machine) challlenge: Bagels

2011-11-10T08:55:00.001Z

These weren't the prettiest of bagels, they all turned out more squarish then round but they tasted so much better than the shop bought ones we'd tried before.

I followed a recipe from the book Simply Good Bread by Peter Sidwell but made a few changes as below.

Bagels

1 teaspoon fast action yeast
400g strong white flour
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons butter
220ml water

Place all ingredients in the bread pan following the order given in your bread machine user guide and set it to the dough setting (2h 20m in mine).

Once the cycle is complete remove the dough to a bowl, punch it down, cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough so you have equal portions and quickly shape each portion into a smooth ball. Punch a hole in the centre, for this I used a round cookie cutter. Place on a baking sheet greased or lined with greaseproof paper and allow to prove for 20 minutes.

Bring a shallow pan of water to the boil and place 2 or 3 bagels in at a time. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes on each side and them place them on a baking tray. Brush with an egg yolk wash and bake for 20 minutes at 180 ºC.

These are great for packed lunches and picnics and make a nice change from the normal bread we have everyday.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 146 Making Winter: cozy crochet slippers

2011-11-08T11:29:00.000Z

Whether you love Winter or really don't like it at all and prefer Summer you might want to check out the Making Winter challenge set out by Emma from Silverpebble and her friend Mrs ThriftyHousehold.

Me, I've always prefered Winter to Summer because where I come from Summers are always very hot and I don't cope well with all that heat. For me Winter is all about wrapping up so you feel nice and warm, it's about being cozy, eating delicious food that is piping hot, drinking lots of tea with homemade biscuits, going for walks and look out for any hint of colour amongst the grey and so much more.

In the spirit of coziness I've been making woolly crochet slippers for myself and to give away as gifts to family and friends. I'm using 100% wool and leftover wool blends from previous projects. I'm really happy with these, they're comfy and have been doing a great job keeping my feet warm.

What about you. Do you love or hate Winter?

Paula

# 145 Weekend outing: Stourhead

2011-11-07T08:21:00.000Z

If ever there was a case of a picture being worth a 1000 words this is it. Stourhead, in Wiltshire, is stunning this time of the year, I know my photos don't do it justice but they'll give you an idea of the beauty of the place.

The photos below are only a small selection you can see more on my Flickr album by clicking here.

Paula

# 144 Fridays recipes: Buttermilk scones

2011-11-04T09:53:00.000Z

I love scones and over the years have tried many different recipes (with various degrees of success)! I also bake all year round but, to me, scones are an Autumn/Winter treat and I just love to bake them for Sunday tea after a long walk or day out.

These are delicious and you can go from weighing the ingredients, to kneading the dough, baking them and and having them on the table ready to eat in just 20 to 30 minutes. Serve them warm with butter or clotted cream and jam and a pot of tea. Lovely!

This recipe is from the Big Book of Bread by Anne Sheasby.

Buttermilk scones

225g self-raising white flour (I usually use plain flour and add a teaspoon of baking powder)
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
25g butter, diced
150ml buttermilk
Beaten egg or milk to glaze (I sprinkled them with a pinch of cinnamon and sugar instead)

Preheat the oven (gas mark 7) and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl, lightly rub the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in enough buttermilk to form a soft dough.

Turn this dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, then roll out until about 2cm thick. Use a plain or fluted cutter to cut the dough into rounds (to cut the scones in the picture I used my brownies pan divider which allowed me to cut several scones in one go). Place on the baking tray with a little space between them.

Brush the tops with beaten egg or milk or sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top. Bake for about 10 minutes or until well risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and serve warm or cold.

Enjoy :-)

Note: To the scones above I added a few raisins.

Paula

# 143 October photo scavenger hunt

2011-11-01T12:47:00.000Z

It's time for another photo scavenger hunt hosted by Kathy author of Postcards from the P.P. This is my 2nd time joining in and I'm enjoying the challenge of going out with the camera looking for photo opportunities that fit the clues. These are my entries for this month's challenge, to see them larger just please click on the image.

Seen last Sunday in the kitchen garden at Baddesley Clinton.

This is our public library back home, there are a few samples of grafitti on the wall there but to the left, across the road there's a wall full of wonderful paintings. I had actually made a mental note to photograph them while on holiday in the Summer but with one thing and another I never got the chance.

Golden tree in the nearby Deer Park.

Nearby River Severn.

First signs of Autumn.

This photo was taken in the Summer while on holiday in Portugal.

Early morning at the beach.

900-year old Berkeley Castle, still inhabited by the Berkeley family and practically on our doorstep.

Pumpkin carved by A.

Fake creepy crawlies at Packwood House.

Carved pumpkin in the woodlands around Packwood House.

One of the many witches we saw last Sunday when we visisted Baddesley Clinton.

You can see what others have come up with by clicking here and maybe join in the fun next month.

Paula

# 142 Weekend outing: Packwood House & Baddesley Clinton

2011-10-31T14:10:00.002Z

This was our 1st proper weekend outing since the accident we had ealier this month and although we're still a little on edge, or at least I am, it felt good to go back to our normal weekend routine.

Because we didn't want to drive too far we chose Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton, both are National Trust properties only a couple of miles from each other and a little over an hour from where we live. As usual we visited the houses first and then went for a walk in the gardens and woodlands which are looking beautiful in their Autumnal colours even if haunted at this time of the year, especially Baddesley Clinton where there were lots of witches and scary things about :-)

Yews at Packwood House

Packwood House

Witch at Baddesley Clinton

Baddesley Clinton

Paula

# 141 Fridays recipes: Fish fillets in breadcrumbs with rice cooked in tomato sauce

2011-10-28T14:59:00.001+01:00

We had this recently for Sunday lunch, it makes a nice change from the usual roast or meat dish and it reminded me of my mum's cooking.

I used frozen pollock fillets but any other frozen white fish fillets will do just as well.

Fish fillets in breadcrumbs

In a plastic container mix milk (just enough to cover the fillets), 1 or 2 cloves of garlic crushed, 1 bay leaf, pinch of salt, fresh dill (optional), lemon juice. Marinate the fish fillets for at least a couple of hours.

Use a few sheets of kitchen roll to dry the fish fillets as much as possible and dip them in beaten egg before coating them thoroughly in breadcrumbs. Fry in hot vegetable oil until golden and crispy.

Rice cooked in tomato sauce

1/2 cup of rice
1/2 onion finely chopped
1/2 can of plum or chopped tomatoes
Fresh coriander
Chicken stock cube
Olive oil
1 1/2 cup of boiling water

Drizzle a little olive oil into a pan and soften the onion, add the rice and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, the stock cube, the fresh coriander and the boiling water. Cook until the rice is ready.

If you want you can add sliced carrots or a mix of frozen vegetables to the rice. This should be done when adding the tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Paula

Note: the amounts especified above for the rice are the amounts I usually use for the 3 of us.

# 140 Autumn walks in Berkeley

2011-10-26T16:11:00.000+01:00

I was just going to say what a lovely sunny day it is but as I sat down to write this post a dark grey cloud settled above making everything look gloomy. Anyway I'm glad me and A. went out for a walk earlier when the sun was shining.

These photos were all taken today. It drizzled a little when we were coming back home but I didn't mind because when I looked around I saw this lovely rainbow, not a whole one as you can see but still quite amazing.

Paula

# 139 Sunday walk

2011-10-24T13:42:00.000+01:00

Nearby Woodchester Park is often our destination of choice when we want to go for a long walk through some lovely, tranquil woods and it looks beautiful at this time of the year in its Autumnal colours.

Paula

# 138 Fridays recipes: Spinach, bacon and chorizo pizza with mozzarella

2011-10-21T09:56:00.000+01:00

This is one of my favourite pizzas and I've just realised I haven't made it in quite a while now so top on my grocery shopping list for tomorrow is spinach and smoked pork belly.

I usually make my own pizza base following this recipe but if you're short on time you can buy a ready made pizza base and prepare only the topping. If you prefer to make a deep crust pizza base you'll find the instructions here.

Pizza topping

1/2 an onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
A few slices of chorizo
A few cubes of smoked pork belly
Spinach
Mozzarella cheese

Pour a little olive oil into a frying pan, add the chopped onion and let it soften for a couple of minutes. Add the chorizo slices and the cubes of smoked pork belly and cook for 5 minutes or so until they brown slightly. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the spinach to the frying pan and cook until just wilted. Press the spinach with a potato masher to get rid of most of the water.

Spread the spinach over the pizza base and then the chorizo and the smoked pork belly. Finish with the mozzarella broken into pieces and bake in a pre-heated oven until the cheese melts. Serve with a lettuce salad.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

Note: The recipe given here for the pizza dough makes quite a large pizza base which is good if you have a big family or a healthy appetite but if like us you only have a small slice of pizza then you'll have lots leftover. I don't mind eating pizza from the day before but the base tends to become slightly soggy and it doesn't taste as good. What I do is I divide the dough in 2 portions, one for the pizza base and the other I divide into 2 or 3 buns which are baked at the same time as the pizza. My son loves these little pizza buns and usually saves one to take to school the next day.

# 137 The BMM (Bread Making Machine) challenge: Sweet brioche buns

2011-10-19T13:15:00.000+01:00

I love my breadmaking machine, I've had it for nearly 2 years now and have not bought bread from the shop since. However, I realised that during this time I've not been very creative in the bread making department and I want to change that, I want to try different breads and with the machine doing most of the hard work there really is no reason or excuse not to.

So from now on I'll posting recipes for breads, buns, baps, rolls, etc. both sweet and savoury and aimed at bread machines. I'm starting off with a favourite of ours, sweet brioche buns. These are perfect to take on a picnic filled with cured ham, cheese or bacon or eaten warm with butter and jam for Sunday tea.

Egg glazed brioche buns.

Sweet brioche buns

1 tabespoon fast action yeast
250g strong white flour
3 tablespoons sugar (I've used caster sugar, demerara sugar, honey or golden syrup)
Sprinkle of cinnamon or mixed spice
75g butter
Pinch of salt (sometimes I leave it out)
2 eggs + 1 for glazing (optional)
2 tablespoons milk (on occasion I've replaced the milk with buttermilk or natural yogurt)

Place all of the above ingredients in the bread pan following the order recommended by the manufacturer of your bread machine. Select the Basic Dough programme (2h 20mins in mine).

When the cycle is complete tip the dough out of the bread pan onto a lightly floured surface and cut small portions of the dough to roll into little balls. Place these on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and allow to prove until doubled in size or for about 20 to 30 minutes. What I do at this stage is turn my oven on to the slow cook setting and place the tray with my brioche buns in the grill compartment which is above the oven. Alternatively you can boil some water, pour it into a bowl and place the tray on top covered with clingfilm or a tea towel.

Once the buns have risen glaze with the beaten egg if you want and bake at 190 ºC/gas mark 5 until golden brown. In my oven this usually takes about 20 minutes.

Brioche buns without any glazing.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

# 136 Autumn Walks in Berkeley

2011-10-17T11:56:00.001+01:00

I'd heard it from someone before but I didn't believe it and then heard it again on the radio on Saturday: temperatures are going to drop and there's even the possibility of snow in some parts of the country!

Well, it has certainly turned colder and today I had to put on my much loved and much worn wool cardigan.

Early yesterday (9.30 is early for a Sunday, isn't it?) we sett off for a walk up to the Deer Park and back, we were expecting a windy, very cold walk and dressed accordingly. It turned out to be quite a mild and warm morning and on the way home we were carrying ours coats not on our backs but on our hands.

Early morning mist.

The sun finally making a breakthrough.

Did you go for a long walk this weekend?

Paula

# 135 Fridays recipes: Black eye bean soup with bread chips

2011-10-14T10:36:00.000+01:00

As the days get shorter and colder there's nothing like a delicious, hot, comforting bowl of soup and this one ticks all those boxes.

Black eye bean soup with bread chips

1/2 a butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
3 big carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 a leek, washed and sliced

1/2 an onion, chopped
2 to 3 courgettes, peeled and sliced
1 can of black eye beans, drained
2 vegetable stock cubes
(I also added some leftover veggies I had in the fridge)

Put all the above ingredients in a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and then simmer over a low heat for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the heat, drizzle a little olive oil and add salt if needed before blending.

Make the bread chips (this is what A. calls them!) just before serving. Cut a thick slice of bread, preferably 2 to 3 days old, into finger sized pieces. Drizzle a little olive oil into a frying pan and when it's hot add the bread. Let it cook on all sides until golden and crispy.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

# 134 A craft minded post

2011-10-11T15:04:00.002+01:00

Look what I found the other day in one of the local charity shops.

I love the illustrations, they're so pretty and so perfect for a variety of craft projects like these decoupage pictures I made recently for my mum...

or these bookmarks...

or even these pretty cards...

If you want to know more about decoupage you can start by reading this post and this one too.

By cutting out and arraging images from different sources you can create beautiful and truly unique items for yourself or to gift someone and with Christmas almost around the corner why not have a go at this easy and inexpensive craft?

Paula

# 133 Keeping things in perspective

2011-10-10T11:39:00.000+01:00

Last Saturday afternoon a woman lost control of her car and crashed into us, we saw her coming straight at us but there was nothing we could do to avoid it. Fortunately no one was hurt not even a tiny scratch and in the end all it comes down to is crushed metal.

Although we managed to drive our car home it's not roadworthy and so now we have no car. I'm staying in all day today waiting for the insurance company to call me to get the ball rolling. Despite all the upset this is causing I'm trying to keep things in perspective because after all it could've been worse, a lot worse.

I found this online earlier today and it's helping me deal with my anxiety and to keep calm about the whole thing.

"A sense of perspective is vital to keeping sane and avoid small problems that can unnecessarily overwhelm us."

"Sometimes we can get worked up about problems that are very insignificant."

"Concentrate on good things, try to ignore the problem/issue completely and throw yourself into something different. If we can absorb ourselves in another task then we give time to ignore the problem. Later we realise that what seemed like a big problem is now less problematic."

You can find the whole article here.

Paula

# 132 Fridays recipes: Leftover roast chicken and leek in a creamy sauce with golden potatoes

2011-10-07T13:21:00.000+01:00

I made up this dish the other day to try and make a meal for us out of some leftover roast chicken and half a leek forgotten in the veggie drawer of the fridge. It turned out delicious.

Leftover roast chicken and leek in a creamy sauce with golden potatoes

Potatoes
Leftover roast chicken, shredded
1/2 a leek, sliced
Olive oil
1/2 tub of double cream
2 to 3 tablespoons of lekk and chicken soup powder (I used the Knorr one)

Start by boiling the potatoes with their skin on, add a pinch of salt to the boiling water. When cooked through, peel the potatoes and let them cool.

Meanwhile pour a little olive oil into a pan and add the sliced leek. Cook for a few minutes until soft, add the chicken and cook for a few minutes over a low heat.

Remove the chicken and leek from the pan on to a plate and set aside. Add half a tub of double cream to the pan and mix in the leek and chicken soup powder. Keep stirring over a low heat until it thickens. Add the chicken and leek and mix well, add a pinch of salt if needed. Remove from the heat.

Cut the boiled potatoes in half and fry them until slightly golden in colour. Serve with the chicken and the leek.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

# 131 Autumn colours

2011-10-05T11:36:00.000+01:00

After a few glorious days of sunshine and clear blue skies it's back to cooler, wetter, darker and windier weather. It is Autumn after all and this is also one of my favourite seasons, the other one being Spring.

In some places Autumn colours have really started putting on a show as folliage changes from a lush green to hues of yellow, orange, red and brown.

Paula

# 130 Weekend outing: Shugborough Estate

2011-10-03T16:37:00.000+01:00

What a lovely, sunny weather we've been having here in England, it feels really good to look up and see a bright blue sky and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.

Yesterday we visited Shugborough, near Stafford in the Middlands. As usual we did a tour of the house, walked around the gardens and explored the parkland.

Here are some photos I took.

Front of the house.

Back of the house and formal garden.

The library.

The park.

Lovely chestnuts, unfortunately there weren't many.

Paula

# 130 Fridays recipes: Chicken in tomato sauce with rice and red kidney beans

2011-09-30T10:15:00.000+01:00

This is pure comfort food and one of my family favourite dishes.

Here's the recipe.

Chicken in tomato sauce with rice and red kidney beans

5 chicken drumsticks (you can also use chicken legs or a whole chicken cut into small pieces)
1 small onion, finely chopped
A few slices of chorizo
Smoked pork belly, cut into cubes
1/2 can of chopped tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube
Olive oil
Paprika or Mild chili powder
1 can of red kidney beans, drained
Fresh coriander or dried basil and oregano
1 bay leaf
Rice (I usually use half a cup of rice for the 3 of us)

Pour a little olive oil into a pan and soften the chopped onion. Add the chorizo and the smoked pork belly and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook until golden on all sides. Add the chopped tomatoes, the red kidney beans, the stock cube, the fresh coriander or the dried herbs, the bay leaf and a pinch of paprika or chili powder. Add boiling water enough to make the stock, cover with the lid and cook for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionaly.

Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add a little more boiling water if needed and add the rice. Let it cook for a few minutes and then add the chicken again. Serve once the rice is cooked.

Note: This is a very versatile dish that lends itself to a lot of alterations depending on the ingredients you have. You can add chopped carrots at the same time as the tomatoes and beans. Or you can add frozen vegetables when you add the rice. You can even leave out the beans or use a different type instead of red kidney beans.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

# 129 September photo scavenger hunt

2011-09-29T14:13:00.000+01:00

A while back I was reading someone's blog (sorry, can't remember whose it was) and a photo scavenger hunt was mentioned, this sounded like fun and this time I decided to join in. This photo challenge is hosted by Kathy from Postcards from the P.P. If you don't know what a scavenger hunt is there's more info here.

These are my photos for September according to the list given by Kathy.

Right now I have some apple jam gently bubbling away in the slow cooker. The smell of apple, cinnamon and brown sugar is oh so good!

Someone's idea of a good joke and quite funny actually.

Husband and son relaxing on a hot Summer day.

My desk also serves as a filing cabinet.

Travelling light.

A few lovely, warm blankets.

Paula

# 128 This n' That

2011-09-28T18:26:00.000+01:00

Wow, can you believe this weather? The thermometer in our car read 24º C ealier this afternoon, there's the bluest of blue skies, no clouds (believe it or not) and a lovely warm sunshine. I can't help feeling this is the Summer we should've had and apparently, if the weather forecast on the BBC website is anything to go by, it's going to last for a few weeks well into October. Brilliant :-)

When the weather's like this I always try to fit in some walking time in between cooking, cleaning, tidying, baking and constantly reminding my son of the homework he needs to do. Not only that but I actually need to be sat next to him to make sure it gets done!

By the way, I almost forgot to show you what I received for my birthday.

2 books I wanted,

and a table cloth my mum bought back in July when the 2 of us went shopping, she then added the pretty crochet edging. Isn't it beautiful?

Below are a few photos taken while walking sometime last week.

This probably happened due to the very strong winds we had a couple of weeks ago.

A. spotted this giant mushroom among the grass, the biggest I ever saw.

Paula

# 127 Fridays recipes: Saffron's brownies

2011-09-23T12:14:00.000+01:00

It was my son's birthday yesterday, 12 years that have gone by so fast I don't know whether I'm coming or going!

When asked what he wanted to do for his birthday his answer was stay home and have a especial meal only for the 3 of us and so I spent most of yesterday in the kitchen cooking chicken curry, meatballs in spicy tomato sauce, basmati rice, flat breads and of course the dessert.

Instead of a traditional birthday cake I made brownies which I then cut into small circles with a cookie cutter and made the mini towers you see below.

This is the perfect brownie for chocoholics although personally next time I make this I'll use dark chocolate instead as I found the milk chocolate a little too sweet, I prefer slightly bitter chocolate.

If you want to try this brownie recipe you can find it here, I didn't make the topping and a good thing too as it really doesn't need it unless you're going for a chocolate overdose :-)

Paula

# 126 Craft stuff

2011-09-20T10:21:00.000+01:00

My crochet hooks and knitting needles have been seeing quite a lot of action lately, no sooner a project is finished another is begun and I have a few more planned that I want to make soon, preferably before Christmas!

Today I want to show a scarf and a bunting, one knitted the other crocheted, one for myself the other for my beautiful 4-year old niece Mariana, one in pretty bright colours the other in beautiful dark tones.

Here they are (insert drumroll here)!

My pompom scarf and...

...Mariana's crochet bunting.

The scarf was knitted with leftover wool from 2 previous projects, the Eva's shawl I made for my mum and the keyhole scarf for myself (both posted here). The bunting was crocheted with cotton bought while on holiday.

I love them both, I can't wait to start wearing my fun scarf (I love the pompoms) and I wish I could see my niece's face when she receives her bunting.

Paula

# 125 Weekend outing: Dyrham Park

2011-09-19T07:56:00.000+01:00

The days are getting shorter, greyer and noticeably colder, it's the last week of Summer and the Autumnal hues are starting to appear.

We revisited Dyrham Park yesterday after deciding against our 1st chosen destination (Shugborough Estate) on account of the weather.

Dyrham is a beautiful property but this time what caught my eye were the colours of the trees, they were simply beautiful. I love the Autumn with it's yellows, oranges, browns and reds.

Paula

# 124 Fridays recipes: Blackberry crumble cake

2011-09-16T12:03:00.000+01:00

If you're not tired of blackeberries yet here's another recipe I tried recently and really liked. As the name suggests it's a cake with a layer of blackberries and a crumble topping. I think my cake needed a few more minutes in the oven as the middle seems uncooked but let me tell you it disappeared in the blink of an eye :-)

The recipe is from the Good Food Channel website and you can find it here.

Paula

# 123 Turning 44

2011-09-15T13:11:00.000+01:00

It's my birthday today and I've been going through my many photos trying to choose a pretty image to post here and then this arrived in the post only a few minutes ago and I knew I had the image I wanted.

The most adorable handmade birthday card and...

...the prettiest handmade necklace.

I received this from a school friend whom I haven't seen in about 20 or so years but somehow we always kept in touch. She's so talented and always makes the prettiest cards and necklaces among other things and takes the most beautiful photos which you can see here. Thank you Paula :-)

Paula

# 122 Summer walks in Berkeley

2011-09-13T11:16:00.000+01:00

Only a few more days to go until Summer is over, officially anyway as it really wasn't much of a Summer in the first place was it?

For one reason or another I haven't been out walking much lately, it's either the weather or having to stay home waiting for a delivery so as not to miss the post.

Anyway looking through all the photos I took on our walks I realised there's still a few I haven't posted here yet and so here they are, the last photos of the Summer walks in Berkeley. Of course there'll be more walks and more pictures, weather permitting, but those will be in a brand new series of posts called...

...you guessed it "Autumn walks in Berkeley" unless I come up with a more original title :-)

Berkeley Castle kennels and stables.

View over the River Severn from the Deer Park.

Folly.

Paula

# 121 Weekend outing: Berrington Hall & Croft Castle Parkland

2011-09-12T13:09:00.000+01:00

Hold on to your hats, it's windy today!

Did you have a nice wekend? I hope so. We followed our usual routine, grocery shopping on Saturday and then out most of the day on Sunday, fortunately the scattered showers didn't spoil it for us but it sure was windy, pretty much like today.

We revisited Berrington Hall and Croft Castle, both National Trust properties and both in Herefordshire.

Berrington Hall

Gate to the walled garden.

Display of different varieties of apples in the potting shed at Berrington Hall.

Dinner set. All pieces were individually handpainted and they are all different.

Croft Castle

Paula

# 120 Fridays recipes: Blackberry crumble

2011-09-09T10:02:00.000+01:00

There's been a lot of blackberry picking and crumble making in our household. Blackberry season is in full swing and with so many brambles full of them around here it'd be a shame not to make the most of the free fruit available. Have you seen the price the supermarkets charge for a small box of blackberries?

Apologies for the quality of the pictures, I know the crumble doesn't look very appetising but it really was delicious. Better than taking my word for it though is if you make one yourself, so get picking those berries :-)

For this crumble I sort of followed this recipe by Marie from The English Kitchen but as usual made a few changes as below.

Blackberry crumble

Blackberries (enough to cover the bottom of a shallow ovenproof dish)
125g butter, melted
85g + 3 tablespoons demerara sugar
250g oats
100g plain flour
Pinch of ground mixed spice

Preheat the oven.

In a pan mix the blackberries with 3 tablespoons of demerara sugar and cook over a low heat for a few minutes. Pour into a shallow ovenproof dish.

Mix the melted butter with the sugar, add the oats, the flour and the mixed spice and mix well together.

Spread lumps of this mixture over the blackberries and bake until filling is bubbling and the topping is golden.

Enjoy!

Paula

# 119 Holiday snapshots

2011-09-07T12:50:00.000+01:00

These will be the last in the series of holiday snapshots and also some of my favourite among the 1550 or so pictures I took in Portugal.

Until next year.

Paula

# 118 Holiday snapshots

2011-09-06T09:44:00.000+01:00

Today is wet and cold and grey and I need some sunshine to cheer me up even if it's only through looking at pictures, if you feel the same I hope you like the photos below taken at the beginning of August, on a sun filled day, in the town of Lourinhã in Portugal.

Paula

# 117 Weekend outing: Tyntesfield

2011-09-05T10:01:00.000+01:00

A. is back to his school routine and very excited about going to secondary school: different subjects and teachers, traveling to and from school on the bus, etc.

The last Sunday of the Summer holidays ended on a high note with some lovely weather. It did drizzle a little early in the morning but it soon cleared up and the rest of the day was sunny and warm, just perfect for another visit to Tyntesfield situated near Bristol and only 30 minutes or so from where we live.

We'd been there earlier this year in March on a cold, grey day. The place looked quite different this time with lots of flowers and of course a little sunshine changes everything. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Paula

# 116 Fridays recipes: Slow cooked beef stew

2011-09-02T09:17:00.000+01:00

A few months ago we bought a slow cooker for sale at half price, like the one below.

I'm not going to write a long post on the advantages of slow cooking but if you want to know more you can read about it here, here and here.

I love my slow cooker especially for cooking beef. After a few hours of a gentle bubbling in the ceramic pot the meat is tender to the point you can cut it with the fork and so flavoursome.

Slow cooked beef stew

Stewing beef, cut into cubes
Onions, chopped
Carrots, peeled and chopped into chunky pieces
A few slices of chorizo
Thick slice of smoked pork belly, cut into cubes
Olive oil
1/2 can of tomatoes, chopped
1 or 2 beef stock cubes (depending on the quantity of meat you're cooking)
1 bay leaf
Paprika or chilli powder

In a pan soften the onions in a little olive oil. Add the chorizo and the smoked pork belly and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the meat and fry until browned. Add the paprika or chilli powder, the bay leaf, the carrots, the chopped tomatoes and the stock cubes. Add a little boiling water if necessary and bring to a simmer.

Transfer all ingredients into the ceramic pot and place the pot into the slow cooker base. Place the lid onto the slow cooker and cook for approx. 4-5 hours. Serve with pasta, rice or mash potato.

Enjoy :-)

Note: Before using a slow cooker make sure you read the instructions that come with it regarding any do's and dont's, suitable foods for slow cooking and cooking times for the different settings.

Paula

# 115 Holiday snapshots

2011-09-01T08:08:00.000+01:00

This series of posts is near the end and I've not yet talked about the food.

Every Summer when we go back home for our holidays we all make a mental list of the things we want to eat and which we've been missing all year long.

As strange as it may sound to some of you, top on our list is fresh fish. The Portuguese are the greatest consumers of fresh fish together with the Japanese (fact extracted from the EasyJet inflight magazine). Yes, it smells and yes the house will stink but it tastes so, so good!

When on holiday I really don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen so the food has to be simple but delicious.

Beautiful non uniform tomatoes in different degress of ripeness...

...turned into a lovely salad.

Diced turkey meat on skewers with onions and pepers.

Salty cod before being drained ready for cooking.

Sea bream.

Mackarel.

Sardines.

Paula

# 114 Weekend outing with The National Trust

2011-08-30T08:24:00.000+01:00

This is how we spent Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, visiting beautiful houses and gardens making the most of the long weekend, the last until Christmas!

On Sunday we visited Tintinhull Garden and revisited Montacute House and Barrington Court. These 3 Somerset properties are only a short drive away from each other and so we were able to visit them all at our ease without rushing.

On Monday we revisited 2 other properties: Coughton Hall (Warwickshire) and Hanbury Hall (Worcestershire) both only 1 hour away from where we live. As usual I did a lot of picture taking and hope you enjoy the photos.

Tintinhull Garden

Montacute House

Bath in a cupboard.

The branches on this wallpaper were painted by hand and then the birds and the flowers were cut from pattern books and glued in place. Beautiful.

Barrington Court

Coughton Court

Hanbury Hall

Toy Victorian Theatre made of wood with movable back plate so different scenes can be added.

Paula

# 113 Fridays recipes: Pear and blackberry crumble with homemade custard

2011-08-26T09:35:00.000+01:00

With the abundance of brambles in the surrounding countryside it's easy to pick enough blackberries for a lovely crumble, with that in mind when me and A. go for a walk we always take a little box with us just in case.

The recipe for this pear and blackberry crumble is from a book I borrowed from the library the other day, this one here. The custard recipe is from the ASDA magazine.

The first time I made this crumble I did use pears but I have since made it twice with just blackberries.

Hope you enjoy it.

Pear and blackberry crumble

2 pears, peeled, cored and tossed with the juice of 1 lemon
225g golden caster sugar (I used demerara sugar)
1 teaspoon mixed spice
450g blackberries
100g butter chopped, plus extra to grease
225g plain flour

Put the pears and lemon juice in a bowl, add 100g of the sugar and the mixed spice. Add the blackberries and toss thoroughly to coat.

Preheat the oven. Lightly butter a shallow dish and carefully tip the fruit into the dish in an even layer.

Put the butter, flour and remaining sugar in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Tip into a bowl and bring parts of it together with your hands to make lumps. Spoon the crumble topping evenly over the fruit and bake for 35-45 minutes until the fruit is tender and the crumble is golden and bubbling. Serve with custard, cream or ice cream.

Custard

Heat 300ml whole milk and 150ml single cream in a pan to boiling point.

In a bowl whisk 6 medium egg yolks, 50 g caster sugar and 2 level teaspoons of cornflour together until frothy. Pour on the milk and cream in a thin stream, whisking. Return the pan to the heat and keep stirring with a wooden spoon over a very low heat. When the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon remove the pan from the heat and dip the base in cold water to cool it and halt the cooking process.

Note: I made custard again yesterday but this time used only half the amounts stated above and used UHT skimmed milk and light doube cream instead of the whole milk and single cream. It worked fine.

Paula

# 112 Summer walks in Berkeley

2011-08-24T10:51:00.000+01:00

It's a lovely day today, there's a beautiful blue sky dotted with white fluffy clouds, a warm sunshine and a cool breeze. Perfect weather for a walk and some blackberry picking.

The countryside around here is full of brambles and although most of the blackberries are still a very long way away from being ripe enough to be picked we still managed to pick a box full of nice, black, juicy ones.

Watch out for a lovely crumble recipe later this week, meanwhile hope you enjoy the pictures below taken back in July on a day just like today.

Paula

# 111 A few craft projects finished

2011-08-23T15:24:00.000+01:00

There's been a lot of crochet and knitting going on here and I'm very happy that in the past few weeks I managed to finish my shell blanket...

You can find the pattern for this stitch here.

... my mum's shawl...

Eva's shawl pattern in PDF.

...and a scarf for myself made with leftover yarn from previous projects.

The crochet borders for all these come from this book by Edie Eckman and they are respectively borders number 15, 57 and 27.

Paula

# 110 Holiday snapshots

2011-08-22T11:25:00.000+01:00

Rock pooling is a lot of fun and fortunately for us the tide was low in the mornings when there weren't many people about yet.

After breakfast we would set off and walk to the rocky part of the beach to explore. While I took photos, A. would be looking for pools big enough for him to splash in or just watch the little fish and shrimp left trapped in the small pools on the rocks.

Paula

# 109 Fridays recipes: Warm tuna salad

2011-08-19T09:50:00.000+01:00

This warm tuna salad is delicious and makes a very economical meal plus it's easy and quick to make and very colourful.

Warm tuna salad

Vegetables (I use a mix of frozen vegetables)
Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 egg per person
Canned tuna (steak, chunks or flakes)
Mayonnaise
Olive oil

Boil the potatoes and the eggs in salted water. Halfway through add the vegetables.

Meanwhile drain the tuna and put it in a deep bowl. Shread it with a fork.

When the potatoes and the vegetables are cooked drain them to get rid of all the water and add to the tuna.

Add spoonfulls of mayonnaise and mix well. Decorate with wedges of hard boiled eggs and drizzle a little olive oil over the top.

If you want to make a posher version of this salad use poached white fish instead of the canned tuna, add a few cooked prawns and decorate with a few olives.

Enjoy!

Paula

Note: As you can see in the photos above I didn't mix the potatoes in with the rest of the ingredients as I usually do and that was purely because I thought it would look more presentable this way.

# 108 Summer walks in Berkeley

2011-08-18T09:46:00.000+01:00

Today doesn't feel or look like Summer although it's the middle of August. Quite different in fact from when these pictures were taken when out walking back in June & July. At least I can always come back to them to get my fix of colour, sunshine and cloud gazing.

The old Berkeley mill.

Floodgates farm.

Paula

# 107 Holiday snapshots

2011-08-16T08:02:00.000+01:00

Continuing with some more pictures from our holidays, here are a few taken at the beach.

As you can see the weather was quite changeable and we had everything from heavy rain, strong cold winds and only a couple of nice sunny days but still we had lovely long walks by the sea, A. did lots of bodyboarding, we played beach ball and took things easy.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

My favourite time of the day at the beach, early morning when there's no one around...

...apart from a few surfers here and there.

Morning walk to the rocky part of the beach to explore.

On the clifs.

This part of the beach had to be fenced off due to rocks falling from the clifs.

The beach at low tide.

Paula

# 106 Weekend outing: Brockhampton Estate & The Weir Garden

2011-08-15T08:22:00.000+01:00

After spending most of Saturday rushing from one shop to another buying the school uniform for A., plus shoes, plus food for the week ahead, plus lots of other things we needed it was good to take things easy on Sunday with a nice long walk in a pretty place and a picnic.

We revisited the Brockhampton Estate and after lunch we decided to go and visit the Weir Garden in Hereford. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Stunning views from one of the walks on the Estate.

The house.

The gatehouse.

The Weir Garden

In the walled garden.

Paula

# 105 Fridays recipes: Basic cupcakes

2011-08-12T08:45:00.000+01:00

On the last day of school the Year 6 children were treated to a Leavers Disco organised by 2 of the mums.

As a treat I baked 2 trays of cupcakes following the recipe below which is from a book I once borrowed from the library, unfortunately I can't remember the title or who the author is but I'll try to find out and let you know.

I made lemony cupcakes and chocolate ones and decorated with shop-bought chocolate buttercream and icing which I made by mixing icing sugar with water, just follow the instructions on the icing sugar packet. To finish off I placed a sweet on each cupcake.

Basic cupcake recipe

115g butter at room temperature
115g caster sugar
2 eggs
115g self-raising flour or plain flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 tablespoons milk
Grated zest of 1 lemon or 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (optional)

Preheat oven and line a muffin tin with paper cases.

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour and fold by hand. Stir in the milk and lemon zest or cocoa powder if desired.

Spoon mixture into each paper case and bake until risen and golden (about 20 minutes or so).

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Paula

# 104 Hello Kitty scarf

2011-08-11T13:13:00.000+01:00

Back in June I blogged about a few of the projects I had in mind as Christmas gifts and I'm happy to say another one of those projects has been ticked off my list as my niece's scarf is now finished.

Having pockets on both ends of the scarf is a great idea and I feel very tempted to make one for myself, I don't like wearing gloves much and am also not too keen on cold hands either.

I hope Mariana likes her scarf .

Paula

# 103 Pinterest and a couple of revamped T-shirts

2011-08-10T15:53:00.000+01:00

Most of the time I've been spending online lately has been on Pinterest, I just love this site. If you haven't heard of Pinterest check it out, it's well worth it.

What Pinterest is is this very cool tool that allows you to create boards where you then "pin" all those images you find on the web and which you really like and want to keep. It's like when see something in a magazine, for instance, and cut it out for future reference whether it's a recipe, a crafty pattern, an inspirational quote, etc. And the best thing is you'll always know where you got it from as the image pinned will link to the original site or blog. Brilliant!

Inspired by some of the lovely images of revamped T-shirts on Pinterest I thought I'd have a go at customizing 2 of the T-shirts I was planning on taking on holiday and because this was done the day before leaving I chose something quick and easy.

These are the 2 plain T-shirts I revamped. On one I used a heart shape from fabric I've had for a long time and on the other a crochet flower made from a chart in a crochet magazine. You can see the chart here.

I think I might revamp a few other items in my wardrobe. What about you? Have you revamped any of your clothes? What and how?

Paula

# 102 Holiday snapshots

2011-08-08T08:42:00.000+01:00

Hello, hello, hello,

Hope you're all having a great Summer so far.

We got back from our annual holidays last Thursday having flown out July 25th, destination was our home country Portugal.

The first few days were spent visiting my parents and sister and then we headed out of Lisbon to go to a beach on the Silver Coast.

I have taken lots of photos and will be sharing a few of them here. I was still taking pictures on the return flight when my camera showed the message Memory Full! In total I shot 1553 pictures and all I can say is Thank Goodness for digital cameras :-)

The photos below were all taken while in transit and that's why they look a little blurred.

Sanctuary of Christ the King built on the left bank of the River Tagus and overlooking Lisbon on the other bank.

Águas Livres Aqueduct in Lisbon.

Traditional windmill on the west coast.

Wind turbines on the west coast, there are lots and lots of these scattered everywhere on the hills.

Town of Lourinhã, European Capital of Dinosaurs.


Our final destination, Areia Branca Beach.

Paula

# 101 Fridays recipes: Deep pizza base with tuna in tomato sauce, peach and mozzarella

2011-07-22T12:09:00.000+01:00

Now, there's a mouthful :-)

It finally dawned on me last week how to make a deep pizza base for my homemade pizzas and here's how I did it in case you've been wondering too! It's so simple I don't know why I didn't think of it before.

The first obvious step is to make the dough and I make mine in the bread machine following this recipe.

When the dough is ready tip it onto a lightly floured surface and roll with a rolling pin. Using a plate as template lightly score the dough with the tip of a knife.

Roll the edges towards the centre until they meet the scored line. Cut a piece of greaseproof paper to cover the bottom of the pizza base and evenly spread some baking beans. Blind bake in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes then carefully remove the baking beans and bake for 5 minutes more.

Mine looked like this.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan soften some finely sliced onion in a little olive oil then add chopped tomatoes, dry basil, oregano and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes and add a can of tuna mixing well into the tomato sauce. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, you want a nice, thick tomato sauce.

Spread this on the bottom of the pizza base and finish off with a few slices of canned peach and mozzarella.

Bake until the dough is golden and cripsy.

Serve with a green salad and enjoy :-)

Paula

# 100 Summer walks in Berkeley

2011-07-20T12:41:00.000+01:00

The pictures below were taken early evening last Thursday when me and the husband went for a walk at our usual destination: the Deer Park near Berkeley.

It's usually a peaceful place to go for a walk but even more so at 8 in the evening and the feeling you get from being there at that time is completely different. The sun is getting lower in the sky and casting a golden light on things and nature's noises become suddenly more distinct.

While the sun was setting to our left...

...this is what it looked like to our right. Amazing!

Paula

# 99 Postcard from Pembrokeshire

2011-07-18T09:19:00.000+01:00

On the list of things the children had to pack for their residential visit to Stackpole was a 1st class stamp.

A postcard from A. arrived on Friday, the same day the children made the journey back home.

They arrived tired but happy having thoroughly enjoyed their stay.

Meanwhile today they're back at school for their last week before the Summer holidays. There's still a few events before next Friday: Sports Day, Leavers Assembly and Leavers Disco and then it's goodbye primary school and hello secondary school in September.

This will be a whole new chapter in our lives as many things will change. A. will be going to school and coming back home on the bus, our timings will also be a little different as he'll need to leave home earlier in the morning and will be arriving later in the afternoon.

He's very excited about going to a new and much bigger school and so are we but it also feels a little scary, our boy is growing up way too fast!

Paula

# 98 Fridays recipes: Chocolate chip brownies

2011-07-15T11:38:00.000+01:00

I made these chocolate chip brownies last Friday for my husband's birthday, the recipe used is from the booklet that came with my brownie pan but as I didn't have all the ingredients listed I made a few changes as below.

Chocolate chip brownies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Chocolate chips (I used half a bar of chocolate and cut it into small pieces)

Cream together butter and sugar. Add the eggs and mix. Combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Line the brownie pan with baking parchment and grease the divider. Pour the batter into the pan and spread. Press divider into batter and bake in a pre-heated oven for about 35 minutes, check with a skewer to see if they're cooked and remove from the oven. Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy :-)

Paula

# 97 Summer walks in Berkeley

2011-07-12T10:22:00.000+01:00

One of the things I've been wanting to do for a very long time is to go for a walk at the Deer Park in the evening in Summer.

This may sound crazy to some of you but there's usually such a wonderful light from 7pm until sunset that I always thought it must be lovely to be up there at that time.

As luck would have it when we set out for our evening walk yesterday there was a white cloud spreading over Berkeley which means we didn't really get the lovely light I was looking forward to, but we still had a very pleasant walk. We met only one other couple, they were leaving as we were arriving and from then on it was just us, the birds, the deer and the beautiful landscape.

That was a great end to the day, hope you like the pictures!

Entrance gate to the Deer park.

View from the gate towards Berkeley.

Yellow flowers all the way up the path.

View from the Deer Park.

Paula

# 96 Residential visit to Stackpole

2011-07-11T12:57:00.000+01:00

If everything has gone according to plan, A. and the whole of his class (apart from 1 child who didn't go) should be arriving at Stackpole round about now - it's nearly 1 pm. They will be staying until Friday after lunch when they get on the coach for the 4 hour journey back home.

A. is our only child and my routine is usually set around him, getting his lunch box ready every morning for him to take to school, collecting him in the afternoon and taking him swimming in the school pool. Reminding him countless times to have his shower before dinner, to brush his teeth before going to bed, to make sure his clothes are ready for next morning, etc. You know the drill.

So today feels a little strange, and I know tomorrow will be even more so but I'm also excited for him because I know he'll have such a great time and enjoy every minute of it. Can't wait for Friday though and to hear of all his adventures.

Paula

# 95 Fridays recipes: Banana & Oats Muffins

2011-07-07T20:12:00.000+01:00

I like bananas as a fruit but I don't like banana flavoured foods such as yoghurts, milk shakes, etc. However the other day at a PTA cake sale I tried a banana muffin someone had made (they looked so delicious) and was pleasantly surprised so I made a mental note to look for recipes online and to try and make some banana muffins for us. I also wanted to use some of the porridge oats I have in the cupboard and so this recipe was just the thing.

I made a few changes to the ingredients used as follows.

Banana & Oats Muffins

2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup oats
3 tablespoons honey
2 eggs
3/4 creme fraiche (only because I didn't have any yoghurt)
100g butter softened
2 ripe bananas, mashed

Follow the instructions on the recipe website, the only thing I did differently was I didn't sift the flour.

Personally, I loved these muffins as a breakfast alternative to my usual toast. Husband and son not so much although A. did have 1 or 2 with his milk for breakfast. I think next time I make these I'll make a few more changes maybe try with different fruits, dry fruits and/or nuts.

Paula