Village Green

Had a potter at the Village green on Saturday,  at one of our large local parks.

Funky bags



Beautifully crafted wooly birds

Scrummy Kidsonesque vintage fabrics



Mosiacs




Daughter Bollywood dancing!



Abtract artworks

Smashed!

The quirky glass piece above, which HAD to be mine was once a smashed car windscreen,  heated in a kiln, the glass pieces all meld back together, looks great on my mantlepiece! £2 BARGAIN!

 A  most enjoyable 2 hours, scouring all the stalls, lots of gorgeous homemade goodies. Daughter was very fed up, as was cold and windy, I would have stayed longer...

Friday night Curry feast!

I LOVE CURRY!!

As you can tell, I am mad about the stuff, I crave it all the time, I can't go a week without having one, hence my expanding waistline....

 I was very virtuous back in  May, in preperation for my wedding. I planned my wedding over two years, but bought a dress that was 4 sizes too small for me , determined not to be a fat bride!  but never lost an ounce in those two years, because of my love of food, and aversion to excersise.With only 8 weeks to go, my dress was no where near to fitting , I needed to lose at least 2 stone, so enthusiasically embarked upon a liqiuid only diet, it was just 3 shakes a day, amounting to a mere 400 calories a day, starvation level bascically... with litres of water, well I did it, I lost 2 stone in 5 weeks, it was painful... very painful, but I still carried on baking for my children, and cooking lovely home cooked meals, I just used to take in the smell...,

 However, I still gained sooo much pleasure from baking, during those long weeks ,I just love doing it, and my children  love eating it, they  go to the cake tin when they return home from school, what surpise awaits in there today? There were 3 different cakes on Tuesday to choose from, my eldest son said " you have too much time on your hands"!  bloody cheek! I could spend my very little spare time catching up with my oil painting, but I am addicted to baking! If there is no cake in the house which is a rarity these days, they soon complain,  NO CAKE!! , what have you been doing all day   I'm not mad keen on the sweet stuff myself, i'm more of a savoury gal, cheese, and bread is a major downfall, and spicy stuff, and wine! good job too or I would be twice the size...although I am partial to chocolate brownies, and chocolate in any form in small doses;)

All in all ,I have been  a very busy bee in the kitchen this week, I made my first batch of vegetable soup, great to have in freezer, when you want a quick and easy meal.  Always making Fruitcake, hubby's fave, banana cake( because I always have bananas that are going off, and can't throw food away)they are staples in this house , delicious chocolate brownies, they went down a treat! Recipe from fellow blogger:) Big batch of  Chutney yesterday,  and all these curries, which have taken about three days in all, as I make a base gravy, one day, which I use in all my curries ( they do this in restaurants), it's what gives it its really authentic taste, I will blog this recipe another day, or if requested, then marinating of  meats, then pre cooking stages, gives the meat more flavour, then final day today of cooking it all last stages, with Pilau rice and  Onion bajhees. My house is going to smell nice for days...

What has been even more wonderful about cooking all of this stuff, is that I have had peace and quiet to do so, as my little daughter started nursery at the school she will be going to, full time next September, so I have 5 mornings a week (9-12) FREE!!, it is bliss I can tell you! Even though its a little sad she 's growing up so fast...

Anyway, the reason i'm blogging this, is that it's going to be my last feast of curry for a while, as I am endeavouring yet again to get in shape, in time for Xmas, as have gained all the weight I lost back in May.

I must try and walk more too, it's about the only form of excersise I can bear, aside from swimming which I love! I am very lazy!

Anyway hope these pics get you drooling! I am going to  really enjoy this tonight, knowing that I cooked it all myself, followed by a  few glasses of white wine, nice  music, and chat, with my lovely hubby. Perfect start to the weekend :)                                           


                                     


Beef Madras



Tandoori Chicken and Onion Bajhees




Bombay Aloo

 

                                





Pilau Rice

Chicken Korma



Have a lovely weekend all! Thanks for looking at my blog!

Back for Autumn, with recipe!

Well I'm back, I've been so lazy, haven't blogged since March!! Although I haven't stopped reading everybody elses blogs, I've been busy, got hitched in May, been on a couple of  holidays in July, and September, and have enjoyed the glorious summer we have had!

Autumn is however my favorite time of the year, and I've come over all Mrs Beeton, and have been making Jam and chutney, it's very satisfying foraging for  food, and my little girl really enjoyed blackberry picking!

 Have been given a windfall  of apples, by my mum, and making wonderful jars of goodies, that will have many uses, and keep us going through the long winter months, and all for free!!


                                        Anyway as requested by fellow preserver Dee,


                                         A recipe for Tomato, Apple and Chilli chutney:


I made a huge pan of this, but you can halve the quantities:


4lb ripe tomatoes roughly chopped ( i didn't skin them)
400 g Onions,  chopped , same as above
9 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into biggish chunks
3 mild red chillis, chopped fine, seeds n'all (optional)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Thumb size piece fresh ginger, finely chopped, or 2 heaped tsp dried ginger
4 tsp black mustard seeds
5 cloves
350 g light muscavodo sugar,( I didn't have it so used white granulated)
500 ml malt vinegar
Handful fresh  coriander chopped.(save for the end)

                              You will need a big, preferably  heavy based stainless steel pot.

                                      
                             And lots of jars, ask people to save them for you, to build up a supply.

                               

                                           Mix everything up except the vinegar and coriander

Now add half of the vinegar, give a stir and place over a med heat and heat gradually, until the sugar starts to dissolve, continue stirring, bring to a simmer,  and leave for 30-40 mins.

Stir in the remaining vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste, you will have to taste until it's right! and continue simmering for another 30 mins, until it starts to thicken, if  its a little runny, then give another 15 mins.

Add your coriander in 5 mins before you turn off heat.

Ladle into hot sterilised jars, seal straight away (I put my clean jars and lids on a baking tray, in the oven on a low heat gas 1 for 15 mins.)

All that remains is to label your jars, kids will enjoy getting involved with this :)


                                                        I got all this! really pleased!

                                      This chutney will be best left to mature for a couple of months...
                                  
        That's if I can resist not opening one before Xmas, to have with a lovely mature cheddar and crackers!

Will also be lovely with cold meats....

I will be giving away a few for Xmas gifts!

Now what to make next?

Spring has sprung!

Hurrah, spring has sprung! we have had some lovely days, I know its arrived when I no longer need my coat! I've been spring cleaning house, clearing debris from the garden, jetwashing decking as was so slimy and slippery, was quite dangerous for my little one.It's great to see all the buds on the plants, sure everything is a bit late this year though...

Well I have had a very busy few weeks, been working on a commission for an old school friend ,who lives out in Oz, and thank goodness it's finished, it was one of those  paintings that kept going wrong, it was really stressing me out, so glad its done, and perfect,  the verdict was good! I'm always on a learning curve when i'm painting, it is enjoyable, as long as you have long stretches of time with total silence and no interruptions, but life isn't like that, I have a noisy two year old, and two older children to see to, so its always a bit manic to say the least.

I visited my lovely nan, a couple of weeks ago, I love going to see her, she still lives in the same house in Hampshire, that I was born in 37 years ago, it still has a sense of magic for me, I can remember the garden seeming huge when I was a little girl, and at the end there was a secluded area that backed onto a river, its all fenced off, so safe, I used to peak over the top! My cousins and I used to build den's out of all the garden chairs and have picnics and make mud pies, golden days, we didn't need toys, just imagination...

It was strange taking these pics of my daughter standing in all the places in the garden where I was photographed as a child, she loved playing out there as much as I did, she  especially loved the little wishing well, where my nan has deposited some of my grandads ashes as he used to have a cigarette at the bottom of the garden and flick his ash in there, so very fitting nan! Whilst on my visit, I had my usual stroll up to the precinct, 1 min from her house, and bought my delicious pea fritters, oh I just love them, its just mushy peas in batter, but you can't get them in Essex, its a West country thing... and they are just divine, I scoffed it before I could even take a pic!

Before I leave to come back home, my dear old nan always tries to give me bits and bobs , ornaments and the like,  she says you may as well take what you want now, as when i'm gone  it will all end up in a charity shop! So this time I took her old china hen basket, I have loved this since I was a small child, so am happy to be storing my eggs in it now, and nan is happy its being used, as it was just collecting dust on her top shelf in the kitchen.

I'm not a happy bunny at the moment ,as on a really strict diet, what with my wedding being 8 weeks away now, so have cut out anything worth eating, no alcohol, which I really miss, I enjoy a few glasses of wine on a Friday and Sat night,so its very boring at the moment, Couldn't go out for my usual lunch and be spoilt on Mother's day this year, but had some lovely cards from the kids and lovely flowers, the boys bought me some Daffs, and little girl chose some stunning tulips with daddy!  Still cooking, and baking for everyone else, though, oh well, the smell is nice! Daugher and I enjoyed making these gingerbread men, I always put in about three times the specified ginger though, recipes are far too weak.

Anyway busy weekend ahead, hope weather stays nice! xx

                       
 Things to make you cheery, on gloomy days ......
                                            

                           I'm finding it quite hard to be enthusiatic, and motivated, with all this cold, gloomy weather, takes a big effort to step outside my front door, as I go everywhere on foot as don't drive, it's not so much the cold, I hate the RAIN!!  So I have been baking a lot and I mean a lot!, as well as doing lots of crafts with my little girl, to keep her occupied, we especially liked making the paper lanterns, and the puppet theatre and finger puppets, with nanas help, why is the glue so crap with these sets? had to buy stronger stuff, even now there  body parts keep falling off :\

Can't wait for the spring, we have had a few teasing days where you can smell it in the air, I am itching to get out there and start tidying my garden, my lovely tulips are poking out from the soil in the big pot they are in, they were stunning last year, and brightened up the otherwise drab decking in the spring, Shame they don't carry on flowering through to May, as i'm getting married and would have loved them in my bouquet, but have decided on roses, peonies, and lots of gorgeous dark green foliage.

I need to brutally lop my Eucaylptus tree, its grown four times the size since we planted last spring, and is swaying all over the place, i have to keep tying it to the fence. I have lost lots of plants because of the harsh winter conditions we have had, still I managed to bring some in to the conservatory, in the autumn and they are doing well. Am looking foward to strolling round local gardening centre on Sundays in the spring, summer, growing some  tomatoes ( my man insists on this even, if he's not that good at it-we try try again!) and  I want to try peppers,this year, and lots of  fresh herbs again, yummy!

Well back to wedding plans, can't belive its only 11 weeks to go, lots of fine tuning now, but as my other half keeps reminding me 'the journey is all part of it! ' Ive been planning it for two years now! My main worry is trying to squeeze into my dress, yikes!!

Thing that have cheered me up this past fortnight:

Watching my eldest  son play his first school concert, he is learning to play bass guitar, he was a star! I was brimming with pride:)

Finding a lovely little lunchbox for madam,to take to playgroup,  she feels all grown up now,and  stays the whole session, which means 2 and half hours of blissful freedom, to do what I wish... We love Hello Kitty!

And a lovely orange windmill chosen by little S  at our garden centre. 

Lovely lillies,for my table, I prefer them when some are shut, they look more elegant, can't stand the fragrance though, reminds me of TCP!

Some proper cake tins, fed up with storing cake in old sweetie tins, and these mugs, I love animal prints, thought the colours are really bright and cheery!

My man has layed some stunning dark laminate flooring on top of our original floorboards, they were all oddly cut, broken and bumpy and kept chipping, and  old nails kept snagging all our socks! they looked so scruffy, they now look fab! still look like wood, so that has cheered me up! Still lots of projects to be getting on with though..never enough time..

As you can gather from my Blog page title, im a bit of a fan of the film The Wizard of Oz, have been ever since childhood, and adore Judy Garland... Well the other day I snapped this rainbow from my front door, and have been thinking about the film, and wanting to curl up with my daughter, get cosy on the couch, and watch for the first time, which is just what we did at the weekend...with breakfast im bed made by my lovely man, watching it with her me so emotional, i'm sooo sentimental! She didn't even flinch at the witch, the tin man, or the Lion, all of which sent me into a screamimg fit, hiding behind my grandparents couch, when I was little. She has now watched it about 6 times , and is singing 'We off to see the Wizard......Love it!

I got my little S some little shoes that are very similar to the Ruby slippers except they are pink and glittery, she loves them and thinks they are magical...When i was pregnant I bought a Dorothy doll from the US, its like Barbie, has the gingham dress etc, but I will save it for when she is older, I bought it for me really ;)

Anyway, my daughter is off to her Nanas for the afternoon, so I best get on with painting a commission i'm working on...

Talking of gloomy days, the sun is shining now!!

Happy days, there's no place home! Jenny xx

Coconut cake

Well, this is my first post...My friend says I should start a blog of my own so here I am. I've been enjoying lots of baking ,whilst my children are on half term, shame of it is, I'm on a diet, so only taste testing for me, when really I would love a big chunk! :( This cake is the most requested in my house, so I will share...

I always do this recipe as an all in one method, it never fails, and is always super moist!

Preheat Oven to gas 3 / 160 c

Grease and line with greaseproof paper 2x 7 inch cake tins

Put all the following into a large bowl:

6oz Self raising flour-sieved from a height

1 rounded tsp baking powder

6oz caster sugar

6oz butter-very soft room temp

1oz dessicated coconut

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3 floz water

Whisk on full power with electric whisk, or in a stand mixer for 1 minute

Divide the mixture between the two tins and spread evenly with spatula

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until springy to touch, turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the buttercream filling:

3oz icing sugar

2oz butter, very soft room temp

drop vanilla essence

drop water

1 tsp dessicated coconut

Mix with a spoon until creamy and fluffy

When cake is cool spread one half with buttercream leaving a little to spread on top of the cake,

Spread the other half with stawberryor raspberry jam , then sandwhich cake together.

Spread remaining buttercream on top of the cake and sprinkle with toasted dessicated coconut and some glace cherries if your feeling really kitsch!