A little bit of weekend sewing...

Hello peeps!

For once, I've managed to catch up on some sewing that I have been meaning to do for a while. A few friends have recently had little additions to their families and I've had a list of projects lined up to celebrate their arrivals!

First off has been some personalised alphabet bunting. I didn't use a pattern to make the bunting. It was made out of scraps that I had in my stash and all I had to buy was some bias binding. It wasn't a big job, maybe a day all told.

My second project was something that I have been eyeing up for a while after looking at pictures on flickr and reading other people's sewing blogs. One of my favourite designers, Anna Maria Horner, has wrote a number of books including "Seams to me: 24 reasons to love sewing" and "Handmade Beginnings". I brought Seams to Me when I first got into sewing and it's a great book. I brought Handmade Beginnings this year so that I could make adorable baby clothing for all of my friends who are hatching left, right and centre!

So, hear is my labour of love... (well, it took me just under a day to make my first one)...

Baby in the hood - 12 months

I thought I'd use mis-matched buttons

Mr Bear is a very good model when you can't find a 1 year old!

Delighted with the result!

It was a fairly easy pattern to follow. Definitely take time pinning the sleeves and the curves of the hood - use lots of pins get get a good finish! The pattern includes sizes from 0-3 to 18months so there are plenty of opportunities to make more. All in all, it cost me no more than £12.00 to make. I can't wait to see my friends little girl in it!

Better crack on and make some more... I'm thinking hungry caterpillar fabric on the outside with apple fabric for the lining! The possibilities are endless!

Cheers for now,

Nic

xoxox

A little bit of Pendeen Pottery...

Howdy folks,

I came home from work this evening to find a nice surprise from the post man which I'd like to share with you. Mother and Father had kindly sent Mr P and I a little pressie in the post for our wedding anniversary this month (of which we are heading to Mexico!). Crikey, where have six years of wedded bliss gone!?

Our little package contained goodies from Pendeen Pottery in Cornwall. I love drinking out of handmade pottery mugs and using handmade wares in my kitchen. Me thinks that I have something that I would like to collect and to go alongside my Bordeaux Pottery from the Isles of Scilly!

So, two lovely mugs, two egg cups and a lovely little serving dish for olives or olive / vinegar!



The beginning of my collection...




Egg cups for boiled eggies on Sunday Morning! Cluck Cluck!

 The colour of the pottery also reminds me very much of home! I can't wait to use them! And I can't wait to back to Cornwall to expand my collection!

Much love to my parents for being very thoughtful!

Cheerio,

Nic xoxoxo

Soup and baking weather

Hello my lovelies, how are you doing?

I must admit that I think winter is on it's way and the summer is long gone. As I type this, its howling with wind and lashing it down with rain outside, I'm in my PJs and my fluffy Seasalt bed socks.... and it's only the beginning of September! Bah humbug!

I made my first batch of soup for the wintry season at the weekend which was inspired by my dad's tagine which I have blogged about recently. I thought I could create a Moroccan flavoured soup and it worked very well indeed.

Just follow my tagine recipe, but omit the chicken / quorn. Make sure you make it in a big stock pot. The only thing different that I did was add some stock and water to cover the vegetables. Bring it to the boil and simmer for 40minutes. Then blitz! Before you do blitz, remember to take out the cinnamon sticks and the star anaise!

Mmmm lovely warm soup and fresh bread!

Since the weather was so dreadful and I had become a rugby widow at the weekend, I decided to have a go and making some raspberry and coconut slices from a wonderful little book from Marks and Spencer which only cost me £5.00. It's full of macaroon, tray bakes, slices and biscuits to make!

Raspberry jam layer on top of the doughy base

Sprinkle with coconut and sugar



End result (must reduce cooking time slighty!)




Perfect!

 This slice keeps really well in the cake tin for a week... unless the giant mouse in the house eats it all!

Cheerio, got to go and get my banana cakes out of the oven... there's a birthday at work tomorrow and bringing in cake!

Nic xoxox

The proof is in the pudding!

Hey all! Did everyone have a great bank holiday!?

Shame the weather wasn't ideal. We had lots of rain in Oxfordshire and it was so miserable on one day that we even lit the fire. Though we did have two rays on sunshine... our lovely friends Mr and Mrs H from Cornwall came up to spend a few days with us.

Luckily they are real foodies too... and Mr H brought with him some lovely Polgoon Red and White wine to sample. As you could imagine, the weekend was spent eating, drinking and drooling in our local kitchen shop (spending lots of money!).

Le weekend menu included vegetarian enchiladas, home made pizza and tagine which were all very well received. On their last night Mrs H and I whipped up the most amazing easy peasy pudding courtesy of Mr Bill Granger (Simply Bill).

We made banana butterscotch pudding and it was amazing! Um, I would have liked to have shown you a "before" picture, but we never got that far... so this is all that I have to show you...

The proof is definitely in the pudding (or the lack of!)

Here's the recipe (and most of the ingredients are already in your store cupboard!)
Serves 4
Ingredients (For the pudding):
125g/4½ oz plain flour
3 level tsp baking powder
125g/4½ oz caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 banana, mashed
250ml/8fl oz milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
85g/3¼ oz butter, melted

For the topping:
100g/4oz soft brown sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
150ml/5fl oz boiling water
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).
Sift the flour, salt, sugar, baking and powder into a bowl.
Add the mashed banana, milk, butter, egg and vanilla extract and whisk together until well combined.
Pour into a greased 1.25 litre baking dish.

To make the topping, place the brown sugar, golden syrup and water in a small pot and bring to a boil.
Pour the boiling mixture carefully over the pudding, then bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a skewer.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Here are some sites for you to visit to see what it would have looked like!
Site 1
Site 2

It's definitely something to look forward to in the winter when it gets cold!

Cheers for now,

Nic xoxoxo

Caught Red Handed!

My oh my, it's been a while since my last blog post! I do apologise! I don't seem to have had much time to spend in the kitchen recently.

However, I did make up for it at the weekend. I had a bit of a Bill Granger day on Saturday. I've got several Bill Granger Books but I've never had much time to indulge in them. Over the past month I've been eyeing up some recipes for a "not so summery day". And the "not so summery day" arrived at the weekend...

So, on Saturday, whilst Mr P was watching the Rugby, I made a beetroot dip and a caramelised onion dip; the most amazing banana loaf (actually, the recipe made two loaves!) and a cheesy pasta gratin.... all from three different Granger books! And everything came out amazing!

Check out the colour...

Looks great, tastes great!

Dips for Mr P whilst watching the rugby!



Mmmm delicious banana loaf! Ideal cycling cake!



Cheesy Gratin... with a nice cold glass of white wine.

Then I carried on to make Chocolate Tiffin, a Walnut, Cardamon and Lemon Cake and a carrot cake! Not all for home though! Cakes for work! Lucky devils!

Ahhh, tiffin.... no bake cake!

Cardamon, walnut and lemon desert cake! Yummy!

Mr P came and gave me a hand to lift the mixing bowls as the ole wrist still isn't up to lifting heavy Mason and Cash bowls! And then I got caught red handed licking out the bowl...



I am the cook at the end of the day! Got to have some perks!

 Well, I'm off to watch the first episode of The Great British Bake Off... don't spoil it for me as it's a recording as I haven't watched it yet!

Food festival in Oxford on the Bank Holiday Weekend as well! Watch this space!

Cheers for now!

Nic xoxox