My first blog hop!

HI guys, sorry for the radio silence, ~I've been focusing on the other blog My Empire Of Dirt

I'm hosting my very first Blog Hop!

It's basically a collection of everyone's favourite recipes, so we can all try new things :)

Feel free to stop by and join in :)

What's Cooking? Blog Hop

The Kindness of Strangers and a Tad-ah moment

Hi guys :) Have you had a good week? Mine's been super busy!!

This is the face of Marie when i'm baking and not paying enough attention to her! ;) Isn't she looking so grown up now?

I've been a busy bee in the kitchen, We have a new shop opened in the village  and they were selling 200g punnets of strawberries for 79p! So, as usual when i get fruit, i made jam!

Look at that lovely rich colour! 

Sure, it only made 1 jar, but that's enough for me and The Bearded Wonder! 

I also canned my very first batch of apple pie filling, doesn't it look nice? 

I made the usual batch of scones...and a big ta dah moment! 

I made bread rolls!!! Ta daaahh!!! Now, everyone who  knows me knows that i have had..um... issues with baking bread, i just couldn't get it right! It either turned out like a brick, went doughy in the middle and black on the outside, or was completely inedible.

So after months of scouring the internet for that elusive easy bread recipe, i found one in an old cookbook at the back of my drawer! 

Ta-dah! Yum! They were super easy and super soft and scrummy! So we scoffed two each with some homemade leek and potato soup and slathered in butter :)

The kindness of strangers. Isn't that a lovely sentence? Well, I got to say it twice this week! 

First, last Sunday i got the most AMAZING gift of a vintage Jones hand-crank sewing machine off freecycle. It came complete with needles,bobbins,feet, original receipts, including one with a King George VI stamp! 

The second was this lovely dining table and chairs, which has taken up residence in my "sewing room" haha, too grand a title for a room with barely anything in it!

 I also found a fun little fabric with sheep on it and made a wee pin cushion 

How has your week been? Have you had any nice surprises?

Leftover Chilli and More Kitten Spam

Hi guys! :)

 I made a delicious slow cooked Chili for tea yesterday, i enjoyed it so much i had the leftovers for supper too! Along with a yummy wholemeal pitta bread that was on its sell by date so i got a pack of 6 for 17p! So me and The Bearded Wonder had 1 each and i've popped the rest in the freezer for another day

Look at that face! Playing with the new mouse toy i made her and wearing her swanky new ruffled collar (also handmade)

 Fierce Kitty!

Banana Bread Recipe and Kitten Spam

Hi guys! :) 

Today i'm being super organised and writing down my Banana Bread recipe :)

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 1/2 cup plain flour

2-3 overripe bananas

1/2 cup caster or brown sugar (according to preference)

1/3 cup of butter
1 egg

Golden syrup (Optional)

1tsp Baking powder (Optional)

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Preheat oven to 160 (fan) Gas mark 3

Mash your bananas until super soft and almost looking like a puree

Soften butter at room temperature if you are super organised (or like me, you can pop it in the microwave for 10-20 secs) 

Cream the butter and sugar together (For those new to baking; stir until well combined and fluffy looking) 

Add your bananas
Stir in the egg until well combined

Sift in the flour and baking powder (Note: please always remember to do this, banana bread is pretty heavy so the sifting just adds a little extra lightness)

At this point you can add just a squeeze of golden syrup and stir

Line a loaf tin with baking parchment

Dollop in your mixture

Pop in the oven for 1 hour

Drool over delicious smells emanating from said oven

Resist the temptation to open the oven door (You lose the heat and it doesn't bake properly)

When it looks like the picture below, remove from the oven and test by sliding a knife into the middle (It should come out clean; if not pop it back in for 10 more minutes)

Add another drizzle of golden syrup over the top

Slice whilst it is still warm.

Eat and enjoy lavishly spread with butter or on its own with a cuppa

Exclaim loudly (for anyone who will listen) at how clever you are ;)

I finally get to bake again thanks to a wonderfully kind lady from my knit and natter group, who donated this wonderful mini oven! Thank you! <3 

Now, onto more adorable matters

Look at me human! Don't you know who i am?

 Enjoying the sunshine

Ghost Cat- An artwork
She was playing with her new ball and was having way too much fun to  pose for a pretty photo

An adorable chicken we saw on our walk to town yesterday

An equally adorable goat, also on the way to town

Finally got a day sunny and windy enough to hang out the washing! Thank goodness! Downside is; i got slapped in the face whilst i was trying to hang it!lol :)

Do you wanna make a mug cake?

This. 

The best quick fix invention ever! I know it's not traditional baking, but i've had to compromise as we had to sell the cooker for a bit of extra money for when we move.

As long as you have all of the basic ingredients, and a microwave, you shall never be far away from this yummy, self-indulgent little snack.

What you'll need:

A large mug 

2tbsp - self raising flour

2tbsp- caster sugar (or granulated)

1 egg

1tbsp butter (or vegetable oil)

2-3 tbsp of milk

any filling/flavouring you fancy, such as 1tbsp cocoa powder, chocolate chips etc.

What you'll do:

Add your butter to the mug, zap in the microwave for 10 seconds to melt the butter, (you don't need to do this if using oil) add the sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy.

Add the rest of your dry ingredients and mix again until combined.

Add your egg and milk

Whisk until smooth and creamy (not what it looks like below, i know, but i hadn't finished!)

Pop in the microwave and zap for 3-4 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. stick a knife in the centre and if it comes out clean it is ready.

Put the kettle on and make tea/ coffee in your favourite mug.

When your cake is done turn out onto a plate (or if you like you can eat it straight out of the mug!)
I drizzled some chocolate icing and some pieces of toffee on mine! Yum!

Enjoy!

Cooking With Beef And Lamb- Cooking Tips

These are all hints and tips i have came across during my mishaps adventures in cooking, mostly from books and other blogs, i will link back to the source when i can :)

Scrummy Apple Crumble.

Evening all! :)
I have been cooking up a storm this afternoon making homemade lasagna and apple crumble. Yum!

I have been using my new gadget, the JML Multi Chef, bought for the bargainous sum of 2 whole pounds at my local salvation army shop (an Aladdin's cave of treasure!) it comes with lots of fun attachments such as a lemon squeezer, egg separator, 4 different graters and slicers, a paddle, and a chopper. i had lovely thinly sliced crispy potatoes with my lasagna and rings of apples to go in my crumble  (For the record, i think normal chopped apples taste much nicer in a crumble, i just wanted an excuse to use a gadget!haha)
I apologize in advance for the awful picture quality, i am stuck with a cheap compact camera as the one on my phone is broken.

So, apple crumble.

You will need:

150g plain flour
200g porridge oats (adds a lovely texture)
30g sugar ( either is fine)
100g butter
Pinch of cinnamon and/or nutmeg to taste

Lets Get Started!

Peel, core and chop your apples, sprinkle on a smidge of sugar (white or brown, either is yummy!)

Pop apples in a  pan and cover with water, stew until soft. Also i kept my peel on as a texture preference

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, add butter and rub together until mixture resembles quite chunky breadcrumbs.

When apples are soft, spread over the bottom of a pie dish, add sultanas at this stage if you like, and sprinkle over a pinch of nutmeg/cinnamon

Spread over the crumble mixture

Pop into the oven for 30-35 minutes until crumble in golden (Don't do what i did and almost forget about it. Saved this one in the nick of time!)

Add cream/ice cream/custard (or if you really want a taste sensation all 3!) and enjoy with a cuppa!