A spot of lunch…….quesadillas

We made these for lunch today… easy to make and rather yummy indeed.

To make them you will need:-

• a packet of wraps
• half a tin of chopped tomatoes
• a tablespoon of tomato puree
• a heaped teaspoon of dried oregano
• a bunch of spring onions chopped (I didnt have any today so used red onion)
• 1 green chilli chopped
• Grated cheese

Method:

• Put the oven on at 200 degrees C
• place 4 tortilla’s onto a baking sheet
• mix together the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and oregano.
• spread a thin layer of the tomato mix over each tortilla
• sprinkle the spring onion/red pepper over the top of each tomato covered tortilla
• then sprinkle over the chopped green chilli
• then cover each one with grated cheddar cheese
• place another tortilla on the top of each one (just like a lid)
• Put in the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese melted and heated throughout
• Serve …. mmmmmm yum!

Its too good for greedy spaniels 🙂

Join in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning

I can’t believe a year has passed since we held this event… a very worthwhile cause, and a charity dear to my own  heart,  losing my mum to this dreadful disease 4 years past.

Tomorrow at work, we are holding another Coffee morning in conjunction with the Macmillan Cancer Apppeal for the Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning.

This is a great way to raise funds, it gets the troops at work eating good, wholesome, additive free, home baking whilst contributing to a good cause 🙂   

I have been happily baking away in the kitchen all evening and hope to get some pictures and recipes up soon.

I just need to keep the vultures (Hubby & Kids) from hovering around the kitchen long enough to get the goodies safely put into containers to take to work tomorrow morning!

UPDATE :

I have to thank Sam @ MacMillan Cancer Support, who contacted me though my blog and left some lovely comments… 🙂

Sam also left me an information video on the fundraising work that MacMillan Cancer Support carry out… Please take time out to have a look at this very worthwhile cause.  

MacMillan Cancer Support

I Love My Springer Spaniel …

 

Did I ever tell you that I love my dogs….. especially my mischievious Springer Spaniel boy…

He just has the cutest nose…..

 

He poses in front of the camera for me…. (what a handsome chap)

 

 

He can also be very focused ….. (on rare ocassions)

 

  

 

He loves to have the odd 40 winks here there and everywhere…

 

 

 

He loves to look out the window and watch the world go by….

 

 

but most of all…… he loves to smile….. lots…… even with his eyes shut….

 

I love my springer boy 🙂

Anniversary

It’s our anniversary tomorrow, we will have been married for 18 years ! !  .. where did the time go 😉

I made the card this morning for my husband, whilst he was out working,  nothing too fancy, just plain and simple, and words that meant something, rather than just “happy anniversary” and I absolutely love the way this card has turned out.   Once it was finished, I sealed it in its envelope and placed it on the fireplace behind a big candle holder, slightly hidden, so he would get it in the morning.

In case your wondering why I’m posting this before our anniversary, what if my husband see’s the card before the big day…. I’ll let you all into a secret…

When he came home from work I had to type up a quote for a job he had just priced, I did this, handed him my laptop and left him to go print it out upstairs….

I went out into the back garden, my son was cleaning out the rabbits and I went to see how he was getting on… five minutes later, my husband appears, wraps his arms around my waist from behind and plants a huge big kiss on my neck, thanks for the card he says ………….arghhhh I couldn’t believe he’d opened it!

He had of course, completely forgot about our anniversary, let alone that it was tomorrow,  and thought I had made him a nice wee card, as I do from time to time.   

Before he came into the garden he’d asked our daughter, in and flap, what day it was… she said it was sooo funny, wished i’d been a fly on the wall 😉

So that’s why I’ve been able to post the picture of the anniversary card.

Dirt Baths, Spiders & Cakes.

Phew!

Its been one busy day!

I started this morning, woke up at 7am, made myself a cup of tea and some toast.

Up went the ironing board and I did 2 solid hours of ironing, mount everest no longer exists in my kitchen! its a great feeling getting it up to date.

Then, once the troops surfaced and were fed, I had a power of shredding to do, I kept all the shreddings as next thing on my agenda was cleaning out the cheeps… Grace, Gloria and Brenda, whom, I still have to introduce to you all! (i apologise).   I let them roam around the garden until their coop and run was fresh and sparkly. 

 

I let Daisy out for a wander too and she headed up to the far corner of the garden for her daily dirt bath… chicken little didnt join her, she is broody at the moment and chose to keep her butt glued inside the Eglu.

I then had a few things to store away in the greenhouse, when I opened the door, this little lady was sprawled out on her web right across the front door.. I’m not particularly fond of spiders, I dont mind taking pictures of them but dont ask me to shift one (shudders).. so the stuff that needed to go in the greenhouse had to wait until my OH came home .. he’s the big and brave spider shifter of the household 🙂

We have friends coming over to visit us tonight, so my next job was to head into the kitchen, where i made a huge big lasagne, I must remember to post my recipe on here for it.  I also made some chilli cheese potato skin thingies 

I also made this nice Pink & White topped Sponge Cake

I’m off for a shower now before our friends arrive tonight ….

Have a lovely weekend everyone 🙂

F L A S H D A N C E . . . .

Yep… I went all the way back to my teens last night… my daughter and I went to see Flashdance the Musical.. and it was FAB!!!

I was the same age as my daughter (whispers 16) when Flashdance was the all the rave and FAME was the best thing since sliced bread on the telly..

The music was great, the singing was fantastic and the dancing was out of this world.   Here is the blurb on it 🙂

“The first ever tour of the World Premiere production of FLASHDANCE is set to take Edinburgh by storm!

Set in Pittsburgh, USA, FLASHDANCE tells the story of 18 year old Alex, a welder by day and ‘flashdancer’ by night, whose dream is to obtain a place at the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy.

The show, based on the Paramount Pictures film (Screenplay by Tom Hedley and Joe Eszterhas, story by Tom Hedley), features an iconic score including the smash hit “Maniac”, along with “Manhunt”, “Gloria”, “I Love Rock & Roll” and the Academy Award winning title track “Flashdance – What a Feeling”.

Full of pulsating raw energy and breathtaking choreography by Arlene Phillips (Grease, Strictly Come Dancing, Starlight Express, Saturday Night Fever) FLASHDANCE is an unmistakably unique musical about holding onto your dreams and love against all the odds. It promises to be the musical event of the year – so take your passion and make it happen! “

Chorizo and Chicken Casserole

Chorizo and Chicken Casserole

Chunky pieces of chicken cooked slowly in a rich tomato sauce, spiked with fiery chorizo. The hotter the better, served with buttery cheesy mash… yum.

Ingredients:

• 4 Chicken breasts, skin removed
• 500 g fresh, hot chorizo
• 2 – 3 slices smoked bacon, rind removed and finely sliced
• Half a bottle of red wine
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 250 g of small baby onions, peeled
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1 large can of chopped tomatoes
• Pinch of thyme and oregano
• Paprika (optional)

   

Method

• Use a large, oven proof casserole (with lid)
• Fry the onions and carrot in olive oil, after a few minutes add the bacon and soften for 5 minutes
• Remove the vegetables/bacon and turn the heat up
• Add the chorizo and chicken and brown (do this in batches so that the bottom of the pan is not covered)
• You may want to drain excess oil from the chorizo
• Return the vegetables/bacon and add the wine, simmer vigorously for a few minutes
• Add the peeled baby onions, tomato puree, tomatoes and herbs
• Bring to a simmer, put the lid on and cook in a low oven for 1 hour
• Check seasoning (may not need any as the sausage will season for you). If needed add a pinch of paprika for more smoky heat.
• Serve with buttery cheesy mash.

 

Beautiful White Roses…

I bought these flowers yesterday in my local supermarket, they were reduced, so I picked up 2 bunches which provided me with this absolutely beautiful desplay and they only cost me 98pence!

I love having flowers around the house 🙂

Wood Pigeon Babies

Wood Pigeon Babies

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

Our babies left the nest today , we found them cuddling up together under a small conifer in the back garden..

They do still seem to be going to and from the nest so we will need to leave cutting down the last leylandii for a good couple of weeks yet.

They are awfly cute 🙂

Tomatoes & Chilli

Tomatoes & Chilli

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

Tomatoes & Chilli

This is the last of my tomato crop.

The plants in my greenhouse are well past their best, so I have decided to pick whats left and clear out the plants. The lack of sunshine has not helped their growth and fruit production this year.

I think they were also hit by some kind of tomato blight as some of the stalks and branches had grey furry stuff growing on them, has anyone else experienced this on their tomato crops this year?