Me

Me

Saturday, 11 February 2012

My second draught excluder and the downstairs toilet!

Today I've had quite a lazy day - I been sewing for most of it!

I've finally made my second draught excluder




My lovely husband plastered our downstairs toilet today. We are doing our house up so that we can move away from this village we hate. At the moment we live close to the borders of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, but actually in Northamptonshire. I grew up in Oxfordshire (Thame and Chinnor) but was born in Chalfont St Giles. I would love to go back to South Oxfordshire (we are close to Banbury which is North Oxfordshire), but my husband is self-employed and is known in this area. Obviously he doesn't want to travel too far everyday.

So Steve has been busy getting our house ready to go on the market (although there is a long way to go yet).




For tea we had homemade beefburgers and sweetcorn relish - it was yummy!

Sweetcorn relish

1 onion - finely chopped
1 stick celery - finely chopped
little olive oil
4 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp vinegar
black pepper
pasatta
2tsp cornflour - mixed to a paste with a little water
tin of sweetcorn

Method

  • Gently fry the onion and celery in oil.
  • Add the sugar, vinegar, pepper and 2 good squirts of pasatta.
  • Simmer for 15 mins, adding more pasatta if necessary.
  • Stir in the cornflour and add sweetcorn.
  • Mix well and pour into serving dish.
This worked really well with my hamburgers -

  • Put mince in a bowl, add shake of paprika, pinch of mixed herbs, pepper, parsley and chopped onion.
  • Bind with a beaten egg and shape into burgers.
  • I grilled mine for 5 mins each side and then finished them off in the oven while I made the relish.
It's time to bake again tomorrow. I need to make Ashley's birthday cake for Monday.

Mandy x

Thursday, 9 February 2012

Flo, Snow, Baking and Knitting...

Hi,

I've been suffering with headaches again (I need to stress less), so I haven't been on my laptop much this week. This is a bit of a catch-up:



I'm always taking pictures of Flo - we love her so much xxx

She's just so gorgeous and loves having her photo taken

Just sitting and watching

Flo loves the snow!

Peanut cookies

Chocolate chip cookies

Fruit buns

Little cherry cakes

Flo in her new parka coat off for a walk in the snow

I don't have any photos for this part, but I have started knitting! I haven't done this for years and was never very good at it back then. However... I am giving it another go and have started off by knitting large squares to sew together into a blanket (hopefully)  :0)
I'll let you know how I get on!!!

Mandy x

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Today has been a good day!

Hi,

We are facing more difficult times ahead (when will our luck change?), but staying as positive as we can.

Today I noticed that Shirlie Kemp had replied to a comment I left on her blog. She has actually looked at my blog!!! I absolutely loved Wham and Pepsi & Shirlie in the '80s, So I can't believe that Shirlie would have the time or interest in my little blog. That was a boost that I badly needed - thank you Shirlie x

Please take a look at Shirlie's blog. She creates beautiful images with her clever styling and photography.

http://www.shirliekemp.com/

Well I wonder what tomorrow will bring???!!!

Mandy x

Monday, 30 January 2012

Sewing again...

Hi,

Today I've been busy doing housework and sewing. I had a seat pad for my rocking chair, but the fabric was quite dated. Well today it is covered in a lovely gingham check fabric:




Who knows what tomorrow brings???

Mandy xxx

Sunday, 29 January 2012

I'll try again, baking day photos...

Hi,

I hope I have better luck with the photos today!

A victoria sponge


Cornish pasties - this is the first time I have made these.


Melting moments dipped in chocolate.

Melting moments filled with butter icing.


Vanilla cupcakes - decorated by my lovely girls.


Plain scones and fruit scones.


Sausage rolls - a Paul Hollywood recipe (the one with caramelised onions)





Afternoon tea


I love to see the table spread with goodies and now the leftovers are in tins ready for pack-ups this week.

Mandy x

Saturday, 28 January 2012

Baking Day

Hi,

Today I have been busy baking...

Sadly, my photos are not loading today, so it will have to keep until tomorrow now :-(

Until then ...

Mandy x

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Corned Beef Patties and Flo in the Snow!

Hi,

Today I made a really simple but tasty tea - corned beef patties and salad.

I mixed mash potato, chopped onion, corned beef, worcester sauce and parsley together. I dipped each handful in flour and shaped into patties. These were fried until crispy on both sides.

I served them with salad and sliced beetroot. They were really filling.

Pudding was ice-cream, broken meringue nest and chocolate sauce or chocolate curls.
I am trying really hard to use up as much as possible rather than throw food away. This pudding was a use-up kind of pudding.



This evening, Flo had her first experience of snow!!! She loved it, she ran around with Jake and didn't want to come back inside.




Tomorrow, I plan to do some baking ...

Mandy x