Warm as toast!

I have been hiberating during the colder days/weeks and only going out if I have to! It's January and all I hear from people is how cold it is - some have said "miserable" - others - "dismal"! It IS January and it IS winter! LOL.

I must say, yes, it is cold and for that reason, I use these times to catch up on jobs that need doing around the house that won't take up precious time in the sun during spring and summer. Our central heating system is VERY old. Come 11th February, we will have been in our house 25 years and it was installed years before that. I guess it has seen it's day and will be another financial burden to replace later this year ready for next winter!

Keeping warm has been expensive this year - what with the increase in fuel costs. However, we do have a backup Calor gas heater which is in the lounge, so I have done many a job in there - like write out my Christmas cards for this year!! LOL. Yes, another job that I won't have to do come beginning of December. I also bought all of my stamps - 2nd class, while the post office still had Christmas ones. That way, I won't have that added expense either and if the cost of stamps go up, I will still be able to use them.  Forward planning is my aim this year - not a resolution but one thing that I am hoping to achieve.

 Last week I met up with Amanda and we had a craft morning together - knitting. Amanda showed me how to knit double moss stitch, which is something that I have wanted to learn. Time flew by - like it does when you are having fun.

I think she will be pleased with me as I have completed a pair of hand warmers which I have yet to take a photo of and post but I will do that for next time.

Also last week, at our ladies evening at church, we had a 'Great British Bakeoff' challenge. The choice of recipes were Paul Hollywood's 8 strand plaited loaf (which I chose to make), 12 mini Victoria sponges or a pie with top and bottom crust. It was a fun evening, sampling everyone's bakes.


I came joint 1st with my loaf! I was really surprised - especially as there was an Italian lady who bakes bread regularly and didn't win with hers (which was rather more raised than mine - maybe it was the taste and texture they judged). I know she added honey which isn't in the recipe!

I can tell you, even with PH's recipe instructions in front of me and his masterclass on the tv - step by step I stopped & started, I struggled with the plaiting.

Next time, we shall probably make pasta from scratch, so I used my loaf!! and bought some 00 flour in readiness. I think I shall make some black pasta! Well....Nigella did and she used squid ink! Anyone know where I can find some? *Ü*

Enjoy your weekend and stay as warm as toast. *Ü*

Sweets for my sweets!

I have had requests for me to post my Christmas foodies which I made throughout the festive season...and consequently has helped to add inches to my waist without my permission! LOL. Ohh I just LOVE the build up to Christmas and the time when I raid my books and magazines for recipes and favourite traditional bakes. It seemed like I never turned the oven off at times and I still managed to make enough for an army even though there were just a few of us on occasions!

So here are some of my homemade makes and bakes. Enjoy! Steak and kidney pudding. - not for Christmas but our wedding anniversary meal that I cooked.

A German cake that my mother-in-law used to make when she was alive.

A ham a la The Hairy Bikers....it was most delicious.

Christmas Eve - prawn cocktail

 Tiramisu

I have made a few cakes since Christmas but I haven't taken photos - they disappeared too quick!
That's it! No more baking for a while now and I am counting down to begin a healthier eating plan starting 1st February. That is a more realistic date than 1st January - on my calendar.

Good luck with those of you who are trying to do the right thing and well done to you if you have accomplished the resistance to temptation and lost a few pounds.

Toots for now and keep warm,

Life in the fast lane!

It seems that each year flies by faster than the previous one and here we are in 2013! I am not one to make new year resolutions these days as I am not good with dealing with stress! I can do without it and pressures of keeping resolutions only fill me with guilt and a sense of failure if I don't keep them!

So this year, I will just be myself - again and hope that by me doing my best to please - everyone, it will be enough!

This Christmas past, I managed to cook/bake - and eat more than ever from the array of recipes in magazines, cookery books and tv programmes that I have seen. I have come to learn that it is my favourite thing of all to do - cooking and baking that is. It is an art in itself. The product of which disappears fast - which I find is the only disadvantage. However, I can always view it at a future date - on my hips! LOL.

I have lost count of all of the recipes that I used but here are a few - from various cooks/chefs - such as Jamie Oliver, The Hairy Bikers, Nigella, Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry - and Pinterest. Baked ham, a German cake that my mother in law used to make, chocolate and pistachio fudge, marshmallow fudge, tiramisu, strawberry eton mess, cinnamon swirls/buns, tropical fruit salad, ready salted ridge crisps, half dipped in melted chocolate. Yum...and a ton of other goodies!

My family know me well and for Christmas, I received 2 more cookery books - Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals and The Great British Bakeoff book of 2012...and I bought The Hairy Bikers Christmas book that was in the WHSmith sale for £5! Bargain.

Now...all I have to do is find a recipe for Broccoli and Stilton soup to use up the block I still have sitting in my fridge! Anyone for soup?!

 

***HAPPY NEW YEAR***

***MERRY CHRISTMAS*** to one and all!

In The Bleak Mid Winter!

Brr...I am allergic to the cold and it has been freeezing here. Not that we have had snow but the central heating has decided not to work!

It has been like that - on and off for a few weeks now and last week was the last straw! After some investigating, it was noted that there was a leak in a water pipe that was dripping onto the electrical components and was shorting out. Eek!

When the plumber/electrician arrived - finally - yesterday, he said that the wiring behind the pipe had worn. Well, over 25 years, I guess something had to give up in time. So, I am very happy to say that we now have heat but it will take quite a long time before the house will feel anything but normal again.

On a more positive note, I had my post op results and I have been announced healthy. *Ü* That is such a relief, as always, the worse possible news does come to mind.

So, now I can concentrate more on Christmas.

It will be a quiet Christmas for us this year - just the 2 of us, so we have invited 2 of the missionaries from our church to join us for Christmas lunch. They are away from home for 2 years and miss their families - especially at this special time.

The autumn and run up to Christmas always finds me in my kitchen, cooking and baking tasty treats. This year hasn't been any different. I have found warmth in the kitchen from the gas cooker, so it has doubled the benefits of baking! *Ü*

These Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting were soo good...

...as was this roast pork a la Nigel Slater - marinated in blackberries.

I made chocolate marshmallow fudge and a cake that my mother in law used to make when she was alive. I just wish I had taken more notice of the ingredients but I have managed to find a similar recipe on the web.

I LOVE all of the cookery programmes that are on at this time of the year. It brings back memories of when my 3 daughters were little and that was one of my favourite things to watch on the television.

Writing lists are something else that I do a lot of! They are reducing though and hopefully, I will have everything wrapped up by the weekend. Enjoy your preparations and don't get yourself stressed.

Toots for now and stay warm,

It doesn't rain but it pours!

I LOVE autumn. It is my favourite season. We get all types of weather in autumn. So far, we have had some beautiful sunsets after glorious days of sunshine and we have also had our share of showers!

There are so many stories of flooding and disaster right now, it seems unfair to mention my 'little' problems. However, they are just as devastating when they happen and it takes a while to get them sorted after the time it takes to find the source. Take for instance, the boiler! Why do they choose to go wrong when the weather is cold and you need the heating on?

Then there's the water tank! The water heats to boiling point and bubbles over the tank on the flat roof and gushes through the bathroom ceiling on the 1st floor! It's happened on more than one occasion recently. (We have an old tank that needs to be replaced).

Just as I pulled the plug from the sink yesterday morning, I heard water spraying from a pipe that didn't sound like it was travelling through the pipe. Eek! That is another job to be done and it's getting expensive. We are being challenged to the limit right now!

Hoorayyy! We managed to get heating on by Thursday evening. I had been in hospital for a procedure on Tuesday and was hoping that it would be fixed by the time I arrived home! I HATE the cold. I am allergic to it! Thank goodness for my electric blanket. I LOVE my electric blanket.

OK...we've had the showers, now it's time for the sunshine - which is said to follow, so bring it on - pleease!