Red

Red

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

Taken for my flickr group 7 days of shooting.

Its Week #37 and the theme for this week is : Red Lines

I was pottering around making cards this afternoon… using watercolours, so I picked up a piece of white card, my red watercolour pencil… the rest is history :o)

The 3 Muskateers

The 3 Muskateers

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

If only dogs could talk…. wonder what my irish Setter would be saying?

Bolteus Fungi Infected with Mould

Bolteus Fungi Infected with Mould

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

Photograph submitted to my Flickr group 7 Days of Shooting – Its Week #36 and the theme this week is Food.

This photograph represents todays topic which is worn and weathered wednesday.

I came across this whilst walking in the woods at the back of the house I think it is some kind of Bolteus Fungi, infected with mould.

Christmas Morning Muffins in March!

                           

I fancied making more muffins today, wasn’t quite sure what ones I wanted to make, so had a look through the book that I made the blueberry muffins out of yesterday..

Scanning through the index under muffins I came across Christmas Morning Muffins, turned to the page they were on, scanned through the ingredients… yep had everything, so I made them.. yes I know its not christmas, but they sounded delicious 🙂

Here is the recipe and a picture of how they turned out …..

for the muffins:

• 200g plain flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 75g demerara sugar
• good grating of fresh nutmeg
• 1 clementine or small orange
• approx 50ml milk
• 60g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 150g dried cranberries
• 12 bun muffin tin with papers

For the topping :

• 2 teaspoons demerara sugar
• half a teaspoon cinnamon.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C / gas mark 6
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicard and sugar, and grate over a generous amount of fresh nutmeg.
• Squeeze the orange or clementine juice into a measuring jug, then pour in milk on top until it comes up to the 150ml mark
• Add the melted butter and the egg and beat to combine.
• Pour the jug of liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until the ingredients are more or less combined, remembering that a lumpy batter makes light muffins.
• Last of all, lightly fold in the cranberries and fill the muffin cases.
• Mix the demerara sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the muffins.
• Stick them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Makes 12

 Option : when ready, break open, spread with butter and marmalade.

Meat Balls in a Rich Tomato Sauce

Another easy recipe and a lovely hearty dish, especially in this cold snap.. its baltic outside here today..

I think the troops will enjoy eating this for their tea tonight.. I’m going to make some ciabatta bread and make garlic bread slices with it.

Enough waffling .. on with the recipe.. this recipe was taken from The Womans Own Cookbook – ISBN 1-85051-316-3 its a book i’ve had for ages.

 Meatballs:

450g / 1lb minced beef

1 clove of garlic, crushed

25g / 1oz fresh breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

half a teaspoon of dried basil

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons of flour

3 tablespoons of oil

Sauce:

1 onion, chopped

100g / 4oz mushrooms, sliced

half a teaspoon fried basil

2 tablespoons flour

150ml / quarter pint of beef stock

2 tablespoons tomato puree

1 8oz can chopped tomatoes

4 tablespoons brandy or sweet sherry (i used marsala)

Pasta:

275g/10oz tagliatelle

50g / 2oz butter

SERVES 4-6

Method:

• Mix the beef, garlic, breadcrumbs, seasoning and basil together, binding with enough beaten egg to give a firm mixture.
• Form into walnut sized balls and dust with a little flour.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs until light brown all over.
• Remove from the pan.
• Add the onion, mushroom and basil to the pan and fry for a few minutes until soft.
• Stir in the flour and cook gently until light brown.
• gradually stir in the stock, tomato puree, tinned tomatoes and brandy/sweet sherry or marsala.
• Adjust the seasoning and add the meatballs.
• Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the sauce is thick.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water  for 8-10 mins until just tender, drain well and add the butter.
• Arrange the pasta on a serving dish and top with the meatballs and sauce.

Raspberry Chocolate Cornflake Cakes

  

It’s Bank Holiday Monday here, i’m off work, my husband is working and the kids are at school.. so i’m on my tod today, just the cat and the dogs for company..

I thought it would be a good idea to get all my jobs out of the way first so the washing line is full, kitchen is gleaming once more.

I decided to make some chocolate crispie cakes for the kids when they get in from school, except I didnt have any rice crispies or plain chocolate.. I only had cornflakes and raspberry chocolate, good enough for me … here they are 🙂

 

Ingredients :

• 50g butter
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 100g Cote d’Or Noir Framboise smooth rich dark cholocate with raspberries
• 75g cornflakes

Method: 

1. Gently melt the butter, syrup and chocolate in a small, heavy pan. Stir in the cornflakes.

2. Place large spoonfuls of the mixture on a buttered baking sheet and leave to set in the refrigerator.

     

Happy Easter Everyone

Wishing you all a lovely Easter

Blueberry Muffins

I’ve had a day in the kitchen today… and I made some blueberry muffins  🙂

The recipe is extracted from Nigella Lawson’s “How to be a Domestic Godess” Book – ISBN 0-701-16888-9

Ingredients :

75g unsalted butter

200g plain flour

half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

75g caster sugar

pinch of salt

200ml buttermilk (or 100g yoghurt and 100ml semi-skimmed milk) – I used the latter

1 large egg

200g blueberries (I only had 135g but they turned out well)

12 bun muffin tray lined with 12 paper cases.

     

      

Method :

• Melt the butter, and set it aside to cool for a little.   Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C / Gas Mark 6
• Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, and in a measuring jug beat together the buttermilk (or yoghurt and milk), egg and melted butter.
• Using a wooden spoon and a light hand, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix gently to combine.   Don’t worry about lumps; the important thing with muffins is that the mixture isn’t over-worked.
• Fold in the blueberries, again keeping mixing to a minimum.   You could also add orange zest at this point if you wanted.
• Spoon into the muffin cases – I use an ice cream scoop and a small rubber spatula for this – and bake for 20 minutes, by which time the muffins should be risen and golden and firm on top.   Eat warm or cold as you like: I like warm, broken with fingers smeared, mouthful by mouthful, with good unsalted butter and blueberry jam.
• Makes 12

     

A Spot of Lunch

I made a lovely spot of lunch this afternoon for the kids and I, there is just something about a large plate filled with goodies that makes you want to tuck right in 🙂

Ham & Cucumber Sandwiches for my daughter

Ham & Cheese for my son

Just Ham for me

Some Walkers thai sweet chilli crisps

Sliced red peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, cheese sticks and strawberries as a garnish… It was rather yummy 🙂

Cardtopia!

The crafty and card making side of my life has really taken off and has, started to take over my blog a bit… so I thought it might be a good idea to start a wee blog simply for all my crafty card making stuff.    I have spent the morning setting it up and sorting it out… if you fancied a wee peek, you can find it here..  🙂