Happy Halloween

Happy halloween

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

I made this Halloween card this evening…. I had so much fun making it and I absolutely love how it turned out 🙂

Made using the following : –

• DCWV Rock Stack – used one of the sheets out of this as my base card Black card with silver skull and crossbone design.
• Various shiney and matt mirror card
• Karen Foster Resin Happy Halloween Metal Embelishment
• Ribbon from my stock

This card would be great for giving to a teenager, rock chick, or mosher for halloween…

Couscous and Sausage Salad

The kids had been up at their grans for their tea tonight, so I didnt need to cook this evening for them, and I fancied something light to eat.

I had been flicking through a mag that I had picked up at my local supermarket and this recipe caught my eye, a quick check to make sure I had all the ingredients, yep, had everthing… and off I went 🙂

  

(For a veggie meal, you can use Feta instead of sausage)

• Serves 4
• Ready in 25 minutes
• Price Per Serving £1.60

Ingredients :

• 400g Sausages
• 200g Couscous
• Juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped (I used about 12 cherry tomatoes)
• 4 Spring Onions, sliced
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 3 tbsp chopped mint leaves (I didnt put them in)

Method:

• Grill or fry the sausages until cooked, then thickly slice
• Pour 250ml boiling water into the couscous in a bowl, cover and leave for 10 minutes
• Whisk the lemon juice and zest with the olive oil and season, then stir into the couscous (after its 10 mins cooking time)
• Stir in the tomatoes, spring onions, parsley and mint
• Add the sausages and serve.

 

 

 

Sunday Brunch…

We love doing our lunches like this… put everything on plates and then dig in and enjoy 😉

Roast Chicken, Lovely Ham, Cheddar Cheese, Slices of Smoked Cheese with ham bits inside, and some Bavarian Smoked Cheese….

Lovely fresh Crusty Bread and beautiful sweet cherry tomatoes…

The fruit Platter… Melon, Pineapple, MacIntosh Red Apple, Red grapes and Strawberries.. yum!

Mars Bar Rice Krispie Squares

 

Ingredients :

• 4oz Rice Krispies
• 4oz Butter
• 4 Large Mars Bars (I used 8 of the snack sized ones)

Method:

• Place a heavy based pan on the cooker top with the gas/electricity turned down low
• put the butter into pan and melt
• chope the mars bars into thick chunks and put those into the pan
• leave the mars bars for a minute or two until they start to melt
• then stir continuously until it all comes together
• pour in the rice kirspies and stir until covered in the hot chocolatey mixture
• empy the contents into an oblong container and flatted down with the back of a spoon until its evenly spread over the container
• once cooled cut into slices
• Pour yourself a cuppa and have a slice or 3 🙂

Enjoy ….. 😉

50,000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes that is 50,000 visitors to my

little corner of blogdom...

Just wanted to say a wee thankyou to everyone who drops in 🙂

Seeing as wordpress so kindly provided us all with Poll Daddy, I thought I’d give it a whirl…

 

Have a lovey day … as you have all certainly made mine .. thankyou 🙂

Thinking of You Card

Thinking of You Card

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

This evening I toddled off upstairs to make another card, I’m enjoying making cards at the moment, as it feels like a long time since i’ve been able to just do my own thing.

This evening’s creation is a Thinking of you card, made up with the following:-

• Black glitter cardstock
• Black card with embossed clear swirls
• Black Paper Flower (Think its a Sarah;s Bloomers one)
• Creamy flower with black swirls is Making Memories 5th avenue
• Thinking of you disk found in my stash
• Black ribbon, courtesy of one of my new jumpers 🙂

Wishing you Peace Card

Card

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

In my lunch hour today I took a wander over to WHSmith’s as they have a half price sale on some of their card making stuff… I particularly wanted the 50 square card bundle for £4.99, they had cream and white… so for a change I bought some cream.

This evening, after i’d sorted out the troops, I settled down to make a card… this time just going with the flow no pressures of having to make a card for an order and racking my brain for idea’s.

My card was made up as follows:-

• Cream Square card and envelope from WHS
• Laura Ashley backing paper
• Grey cardstock that I got from Hobbycraft
• Grey Bazill Ribbon
• Sentiment was via a kit I ordered off QVC some time last year.

I love the way the backing paper that I added to the grey card with the sentiment flows in with the original backing paper applied directly to the card .. (a total fluke I must add) 🙂

Weding Proposal Congrats Card

Congrats

Originally uploaded by T o w n i e

A friend at work sent me a text today, her boyfriend just proposed to her and she said yes 🙂

So I made her a lovely wee card….

Card made using the following : –

• Basic white square card
• Laura Ashley flowery paper… its beautiful 
• Bazill stripey ribbon
• frame, sentiment, flowers and button from stash

I also like to finish off the envelopes on my cards nicely too, this time I placed a Making Memories 5th Avenue Paper flower and a tiny white button.

Choc Chip & Flax Seed Shortbread

INGREDIENTS

 

8 ozs (225g) Plain Flour
4 ozs (100g) Cornflour
4 ozs (100g) Icing Sugar
8 ozs (225g) Butter

A handful of Chocolate Chips

A small handful of Flax Seeds (Linseeds)

 METHOD

 

 

 

Chop butter into small pieces, and place into processor with sieved flour, cornflour and icing sugar. Whizz until it gathers into a ball.

either….

Turn the mixture out onto floured surface, work in the choc chips and flax seeds and roll out to ½ inch thick. Cut into rounds with pastry cutter and place on a greased baking tray.

Or

Roll into a large sausage, work in the choc chips and flax seeds until evenly incorporated throughout the dough, roll out into a large sausage shape and cut into thick slices (my preferred option its quicker!)

Just thought i’d mentioned the Flax seeds again… they’re a gorgeous colour 🙂  as well as being healthy and good for you!.   I only found out last week that they are also known as Linseed’s, just goes to show you learn something new all the time 🙂

Cook for 15-20 minutes at 350f/ 180c / Gas 4 till firm and light brown. Place on a wire rack and sprinkle with caster sugar while warm.

Tip – to keep shortbread fresh and crisp, place in a plastic bag when cool and then in an airtight tin.

Update : When my OH got in from working, he had a cup of tea and one of my choc chip and flax seed shortbread rounds… “oh” he says… “these wee seeds just look like dog fleas” !!?!?!?!

Dog Flea’s indeed… !! he did enjoy the shortbread tho, until on his last mouthful crunched a seed in between his teeth and it put him right off … guess i’ll leave the flax seeds out the next time… either that or rename them 🙂   “Choc Chip ‘n’ Dog Flea Shortbread” LOL

Pecan Shortbread

 

INGREDIENTS

8 ozs (225g) Plain Flour
4 ozs (100g) Cornflour
4 ozs (100g) Icing Sugar
8 ozs (225g) Butter

A handful of pecans plus extra to place on top

 

 

METHOD

Chop butter into small pieces, take a handful of pecans and place into processor with sieved flour, cornflour and icing sugar. Whizz until it gathers into a ball.

either….

Turn the mixture out onto floured surface and roll out to ½ inch thick. Cut into rounds with pastry cutter and place on a greased baking tray.

Or

Roll into a large sausage fill a plastic bag with some demorara sugar put the shortbread sausage into the bag and coat the outside edges in the sugar.. remove and cut into thick slices (my preferred option its quicker!)

   

   

Cook for 15-20 minutes at 350f/ 180c / Gas 4 till firm and light brown. Place on a wire rack and sprinkle with caster sugar while warm.

Tip – to keep shortbread fresh and crisp, place in a plastic bag when cool and then in an airtight tin.