Special Delivery from Father Christmas.... and Mr P is taking over my kitchen!

Welcome to 2012 everyone! Where did 2011 go?!? I hope that you all had a great New Year! We had a very quiet New Year and were tucked up under the duvet in the land of zzzzzzz before midnight!

In between Christmas and New Year, Father Christmas made a special delivery......

I am now the proud owner of one of these......



My new baby!






















Oh yes! I am now the proud owner of a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer! It's only been out for one trip so far.... and I must stop stroking it!  I really can't wait to get some time in the kitchen to use it! What to make first!?

I also spent some of my Christmas money on a few items for the kitchen -  a new stainless steel stock pan (to replace the ye olde aluminium pan that was inherited from my gran!); some lovely new roasting tins and baking tins and, of course, a raft of cook books..... including Tea with Bea which is a lovely book and got some really great reviews on Amazon.

I didn't really get to have a look-in to the kitchen over Christmas and New Year. Mr P appears to have been inspired by my recent cooking and even volunteered to cook on Christmas Day for us.

With New Year's Eve looming, Mr P volunteered to cook again.... and he said he'd cook anything that I fancied...... and I fancied Pasties! Mr P has never made pastry before, let alone a pasty.... and he's a vegetarian....

When I make pasties for him, I actually use quorn beef pieces..... I did direct him to a blog (cough cough) that showed him how to make a pasty!

Anyway, he used the pastry recipe from the Great British Bake Off cookbook series 2 and followed my guidance for putting together the pasty....

Learning to "chip" the veg....

First time at crimping..... and the lovely decoration!

Served with a cup of tea!



Proper Job!

I have to admit, he made bloody good pasties! And his pastry was amazing too!I think I may have to start to watch my back in the kitchen before he takes over and kicks me out! He even used my new pans before I had a chance and I think was just as excited about my KitchenAid as I was! He keeps badgering me about when I am going to use it next! Pah! Bake off in the Pengelly Belly household then! Bring it on!

Right, I'm off to watch The Sport Relief Great British Bake Off!
Cheerio,

Nic xoxox