Monday 30 June 2014

Sausage Roll Gate

Oooh

I don't how to write this.

I've been let down by my human bean.

First I was all.



"Let me have the sausage roll please "

"What was that , no ?!"



"Oh , I don't know what to say , think or feel"



" I'm heartbroken , I don't how we can move on from sausage roll gate"

"Oh and ps don't look at the carpet at the foot of your bed"


" Yours Jack Black , disgruntled cat , follower of fashion and lover of white wine "


G is for gutted.

Sunday 29 June 2014

Easy Carrot Cake Recipe #boredombakes


Easy Carrot cake.


Picnic Pleasures


I don't know about you, but  I don't always buy what I need for the family grocery , and as a result can mean impulse buying on food, that is not to say that we can't have our treats in life ! but with a little planning we can factor in treats in our lives.


Take this weekend for example we are off to a family picnic , now I could go and be lazy and just buy  a meal deal for 3 and it would cost £9 but I got to thinking what if I spend that £9 and created my own picnic?! Most staples you'll already have it in.



"I am not going to the shop again : said Mr T

First was the wraps.


Simple and quick !

The day before I had set about making a carrot cake I was lacking walnuts and the spices that usually go in, I made my recipe up as I went along it was what I've come to call a boredom bake.




Ingredients

200g of finely grated carrots
175g Soft Brown Sugar
200g of wholemeal flour
3 Large Free range eggs
175ml sunflower oil or olive oil
75g Ground Almonds
1 and half teaspoon vanilla flavouring ( mine was made from vanilla pods but was a liquid )
Icing sugar 
Natural orange flavouring /orange juice 
or 2tbsp of orange juice/water
Method


Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C. Grease a brownie tin or any other tin that you usually use ( that is square ) non stick is the best.  l always use Lakelands cake release finding no need to worry about using baking parchment etc, but use what suits you.

Next tip the sugar,ground almonds, vanilla flavouring  into  bowl, afterwards pour in the oil and add the eggs. Then with a wooden spoon lightly mix, adding in the grated carrot and mix again.


Shift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and then lightly mix all the ingredients – when everything is equally combined then it is time to stop mixing. amalgamated stop mixing. The resulting mixture will be be fairly soft.


Next pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for around 40 -45 minutes Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes. When it is down it should feel warmth and springy in the centre. Let the cake cool in the tin then turn out onto cooling rack.


Mix the icing sugar in a small bowl with either the water combined with the orange flavouring if you haven't got orange juice to hand, or you could even hand squeeze some.


Then place the cake on a cake sat and or serving plate and boldly drizzle the icing back and forth , flourishing with some grated orange peel to finished off.






I used some Liberty Print hankies I had won from Flax & Mallow as a placement to set my cake stand upon ( I have only one cake stand! )






I think I am a converted Liberty Print fan .


"Oh joy the bank balance" said Mr T


"Don't worry they are only £6 each or 2 for £10" said I ( Mrs Ninja Cat)






I then cut up the carrot cake into squares ready for our picnic pleasures * the annual family picnic my husband is one of 7 so you can imagine it is a very big clan meeting.





How exciting that House of Fraser have included me in a Blogger cook book , it is so exciting seeing your name and recipe in print.





Linking to #cookBlogshare at GoldenBakes

Sunday Silent #SilentSunday

Saturday 28 June 2014

Can You Feel It ?

Can you feel it ?


Can you see it ?



Does it envoke ?


Are you connected ?



Are you startled upon a stormy sky?

Will you splash upon reflective puddles you and I ?



Can you you see a glimmer of light through the trees for you and I ?




Friday 27 June 2014

Muddles And Puddles






What a muddles and puddles week.

One where I should have kept stuff in, over done twitter.


A conservation at the doctors leads to a chat about social media and it boils down to understanding.

Either understanding how to use it or being misconstrude.

Well I've got myself out , pulling my metaphorical socks up and this is what I did.

5 minutes.

Always have been and always will be a believer in the 5 minutes, as that 5 minutes can set your frame of mind up.
And no one quite frankly wants to wallow it can become a case of human dominoes.

So for my 5 minutes of restorative calm I picked a common old garden puddle.



Thursday 26 June 2014

Makes You Think

So I've been blogging since 2011 I've come  along way , had amazing opportunities , made a great set of friends on line and in real life. Then there's the down side which coupled with stress leaves you rather down.


Mistakes.

Hurting friends.

I'll not apologise any more.

I liken my self to Hagrid well meaning but gets it wrong and blamed for mistakes.


Hands up I've made mistakes such big big ones personal and blogging.,



You see the more of me you have the less you want me , making sense ?

And it's the same mistakes over and over again.

Staring me in the face.

I'm not a bad person.

In fact if anything I put myself down.


Just getting to the post box the other day was an achievement.

So where to ?

Now .

Before loneliness stares me in the face.


Tuesday 24 June 2014

21 Covent Garden Review

It was a beautiful summers evening when my friend Lorraine and I strolled down to Convent garden after a busy day at #Britmumslive the air was warm but a slight and gentle breeze settling upon my ears. Well actually we hopped in a taxi as we were cream crackered but you get the picture and the scene is other wise set.




I love Convent Garden I adore it, I am always talking about it, I love the colour, the vibrancy, the architecture , shops & restaurants. it is such a social place that I can't help but flock to it when I am in London . Convent Garden draws you in and I am very much happy to being in it's persuasive charms , I feel at a loss when I have to leave its natural charms. The restaurant I had been invited to and review was 21 Convent garden and I was more than happy to accept along with my companion Lorraine.


It was a little to dark to eat outside but earlier in the evening I think it something we would have done. Upon arriving we found the entrance of which there are two but we went down a little spiral staircase in a subterranean world which was a cellar and were shown to a little booth , which intimate enough but just enough to people watch if you so wished.

Starters


After pursuing the extensive menu, I settle upon Lamb Cutlets with a salsa verde, rocket & pecorino priced at £10.50.



LAMB CUTLETS 
salsa verde, rocket & pecorino 



I love the presentation and the fact that your don't have have every meat dish served with some potato dish in whatever guise, though I did have a side order of new potatoes.


Lorraine choose Black Pepper Calamari Saffron Aioli priced at £7.25 and the presentation on this again demonstrated that the way food is shown , doesn't have to be just plonked on a plate.

BLACK PEPPER CALAMARI
saffron aioli 

The calamari came with the mayonnaise which was saffron infused.

Main course



Prior to coming I had been exchanging emails from a lovely lady at The Print room and one of her recommendations was the Figaro pizza £14.25 , I had told this to Lorraine who promptly ordered it !




FIGARO 
mozzarella, Milano salami, Parma ham, pepperoni, cherry tomatoes, goat's cheese, red onion, black olives, oregano & roasted garlic olive oil 
In all honesty , you would share if you have haven't had starter and then had dessert after, but Lorraine seemed very happy with it !




When The pizza came the waitress told us that previously it had anchovies on it and that not many people found that appealing, so they now made the Figaro pizza with out  this and it is now an even firmer favourite.

I on the other hand decided to order Salmon cooked in a paper bag with baby leeks, garlic rosemary and broccoli, looking back on the net I see this fish was previously monk fish , salmon I think better in this Italian environment with salmons natural affiliation to pasta etc.




SALMON COOKED IN A PAPER BAG
baby leeks, garlic, rosemary & broccoli




I have to say it was amazing, the smells and aromas can reach you as you read this review so the only thing you can do is to try the restaurant out for yourself.

Cocktails

Who doesn't love a cocktail ?! this was in lieu of having a pudding , having a cocktail is a treat for me and pin points a memory.

BodEguita 21 English twist on a Latin classic, blended Beefeater gin, strips of cucumber,mint leaves lime for a mellow, minty hit ( the cocktail in the tall glass) The other cocktail is Tickled Pink cocktail A gorgeous mix of home-infused strawberry wine Chambord, finished with a splash of lemonade. £8 each but they do have cocktail hours.


Fancy a bite then why not pop down to 21 Covent Garden 

21 The Market
Covent Garden
London WC2E 8RD

Sunday 22 June 2014

Blog Yourself Happy

There's a time to dance.
A time to cry

This was what happened at Britmums a gathering of great minds , a melting pot of ideas , pooling together resources. Crowd sourcing in the greatest capacity known to blogging community , drip feeding of ideas, modelling , evolving , growing as a person.

Emotional wobbles but wise words from social butterflies ; I've grown this Britmums got a little upset but a certain social butterfly pulled me in. keynotes have the ability to trigger emotions buried deep, that is what they are their for. So many heart warming and emotional journeys and oh how we tried but couldn't contain our emotions.

I had one of my best blogging pals there @meedja from squeaky baby.




As ever I blog myself happy.

#Britmumslive



Me with the spoontacular @spoonpaws !

Evolving.

Crying.

Learning.

Hurting myself and others.

The blogosphere is a bigger place than I thought and that is why I have taken steps to concentrate on me and get back to knowing my friends..


Silliness.




Friendship.






Confidance.



New friendship sealed after meeting for the first time.


@scrapebookkerry a true and gentle lady.







Friday 20 June 2014

Speech is a doorway

Speech.

Remember fellow bloggers.



You see "speech is a doorway , question the unknown "

Go make it happen.

See you all at #Britmumslive

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Turkey Red Onions & Stokes Sauces

You dash it.
You spoon it.
You trickle it.
You dollop it.
You drizzle or even splash.

Sauces mini miracle in a bottle , life changer meal saviour, necessity table mate .

A sauce can be more it can  transform a dish into a delectable dish.


Ingredients 

Enough turkey breasts for 4 people
2 red onions chopped 
70g of Stokes Barbeque sauce
70g of Stokes Chipolte sauce.( combine the 2 sauces and mix together)
3 sliced carrots ( quite thinly)


Method 

Preheat the oven to 200c

Slice the turkey breasts.

Place in a roasting tin.

Next add the onion.

Also add the sliced carrot

After this cover the turkey,carrots and  onion in the combined sauce .

Cook for around 20 minutes.


Then serve in wraps or serve with rice.



Disclosure : I was send the Stokes sauces to see what I thought and I was not told what to write.

How To Make Bunting The Easy Steps


Bunting


When I think of bunting I think back to the Silver Jubilee of 1977 and later on the Diamond Jubille , bunting is indicative of street parties.

Who doesn't love to see pretty bunting flapping in the breeze on a summers day with a gentle breeze blowing through.

And oh how I loved bunting at the last Jubilee , bunting is fun , bunting is lazy summers days.






How To Make Paper Bunting

You can use any paper you like from old wrapping paper, to comics ( just make sure they aren't rare comics old seer music etc.


You will need paper scissors and glue and ribbon.

You can choose a theme floral or perhaps vintage

Cut triangles out of paper using a template for uniformity .


As the bunting is made of paper it won't withstand the ultimate rain we are likely to have , so perfect for indoors.




Fabric bunting

Fabric bunting is as easy as paper bunting to make.
Mother Scuffer loves her bunting in fact she you are there search her blog as she has at least six bunting posts, she loves a good bit of burning does that Mother Scuffer !

Take a look at this 'How to make fabric bunting ' from Rachel Tripp

Children's Art Work

Are you over run by your child's art !? Have you run out of room on your fridge and your kitchen cupboards !? Then why not turn their artwork into bunting , you could even laminate it !


Themed Bunting




You 've heard of yarn bombing ? why can't we bunting bomb everywhere ?!

Will you join the bunting revolution !?



Monday 16 June 2014

Emotional Glue



I love nothing better on occasions than when I have time to myself but to go for a cup of tea and and jacket potato, the crying shame is that you are not obliged to buy cake, and you must dictate "I want that slice , please" in a cake endured hypnotic stare.



That is a refinement and a timeless edge to a cup of tea in a proper cup and saucer and the pieces of china don't even have to match. The little things in life  become the biggest of all and are our emotional glue.








Next it is on to the local art centre where there is a exhibition on football is there something going on at the moment but I suspect it might have to do with the absence of my husband, who sounds instructions at the television as if manager of the team will hear him. Either than or he knows more about the beautiful game than Seb Blatter.



After which it is trawl around the charity shops which brings a bounty of some tops and vintage Ladybird books, much schoolgirl sniggering is to be had at some of the pages. And the femisits might  be thinking that 'Mummy' does an awful lot but fear not daddy is back for bedtime.





Further wandering reveals shops and prettiness, ideas and linking together ; emotional glue.



Family home : emotional glue.

Sunday 15 June 2014

I 'm off To Britmums What is My blogging Super Power ?

Off to Britmums

So I was thinking what my blogging super power is ...

Is it photography ?



Is it the cat ?




Is it my recipes ?



Is is my humour ?




What do you think  ?



I am a happy sort.




I can get sad.




I am very much of the moment for the moment type of person.


Life is an adventure .


SO what is my power or am I yet to find it ?