Halloween - World Vision's Night of Hope

Normally I do not really do much for Halloween.
I have carved a couple of pumpkins with Joseph in the past and given sweets to the odd trick or treater and that's about as far as it goes!
This year I was asked if I would carve a different style of pumpkin.
A loving pumpkin of hope and not a scary one!
I jumped at the chance!
I have carved a heart into our pumpkin this year as a lantern of hope to remember all of the children around the world who live in fear! Children here is the UK are getting ready to enjoy a fun night of scares and fears however there are too many children who live in real fear each and every day!
I was shocked to read that almost 40,000 girls (not women!) are forced into a marriage that they are afraid of and certainly no where near ready for.
This is Sylvia's story or fear, worry and hope:

When Sylvia was just 15, her brothers pulled her out of school and the lessons that she had cherished in her dream to become a nurse. She could tell there was something they weren’t telling her and she was afraid without her mother there to protect her.

That night, her brothers brought a man three times her age to their home. They told Sylvia she was to marry him. They told her, that if she didn’t they would carry her into the bush and force her to do it.

"I was so upset, I didn’t understand why they were doing this. I’d heard about girls being beaten day and night by their husbands and I was afraid," said Sylvia.

After arguing with her brothers, Sylvia ran away. She didn’t know what to do, but her sisters had told her of Aunty Ruth, a World Vision Child Protection Officer in Uganda, who taught them that early marriage was wrong. She wrote a letter in secret for her sisters to give to Ruth.

When Ruth received the letter, she intervened immediately. She spoke to Sylvia’s brothers and she helped them to see that this was wrong.

"I was so happy when I sent Aunty Ruth the letter and she responded, I felt safe and protected. "

Sylvia was over the moon. She had been taught that people all over the world should be able to make their own choices, to shape their own future, to live free from the terrors of child marriage. Sylvia’s bravery also means that her little sister Hope no longer has to fear the same.

At World Vision, we believe every child should be free from these fears. Free to enjoy their childhood, to be loved, protected and cared for.

That’s why, this Halloween, we’re asking you to carve a heart into your pumpkin. We’re asking you to stand with us, to stand with them, to stand with children like Sylvia all over the world who live in fear each and every day. So please, take this simple step, carve a heart into your pumpkin this Halloween and place it in your window as a lantern of hope for children living in fear.

This story and photograph is thanks World Vision.
Visit http://www.worldvision.org.uk/get-involved/night-hope to see how you too can get involved in helping.
Each child should be free from fear!

Here is our lantern of hope. We will be proudly displaying this in our window to show that we want to turn a night of fear into a night of hope.

 

After carving our our pumpkin I decided that I was not going to waste all of the lovely pumpkin and used it in a lovely comforting beef stew!

Ingredients

500g lean stewing beef
2 leeks
1 large red onion
1 swede
Insides of 1 pumpkin
Beef stock
Black pepper
Sage
Worcester sauce
Gravy granules

Method

1 - Place the stewing steak in the slow cooker
2 - Chop all of the vegetables and add to the meat
3 - Mix together
4 - Place the slow cooker on a high heat for 1 hour
5 - After an hour add about 1 pint of boiled water and a beef stock cube, black pepper and sage. Turn the slow cooker to a low heat and leave for about 4 hours
6 - Before serving sprinkle a few gravy granules into the stew to thicken up the juices. Give the stew a good glug of Worcester sauce for a kick of flavour and serve

This meal is such a versatile stew and you will have plenty left for a meal the following day.
I served our stew with some sage coated roasted sweet potatoes but it is also great with good old mashed potatoes or and a large Yorkshire pudding.
Tonight I will be using left overs to make either a pie or a cottage pie style meal topping the stew with mash and a covering of grated cheese before grilling!
However you serve, it is delicious!
You can even replace some of the vegetables with others that are in season or what you have to hand that is the beauty of this meal.
Enjoy x

The Bug Continues!!!

Arrrr!!!
I thought that the dreaded bug was actually leaving us!!!
But no!!!
Isabella has started with a temperature this afternoon and hubby has come home feeling like death warmed up. To top it all I am not feeling too great either, but on I plod!
Joseph is the only one, touch wood, who is still feeling ok.
I am just hoping and praying that we get a good nights sleep and that in the morning that we are all feeling better.
I am not the greatest of nurse when it comes to my poor, patient, hubby. I think that, as a woman, I just get on with it. I think that it is a well known fact that men get everything worse!
I really do need to brush up on my nursing skills, which I am sure he would agree, and try to be a bit more patient with him.
Sorry huni, I will try, I promise!
At the moment everyone is tucked up in bed so I thought I'd have a cup of calming chamomile tea and have a quick blog while it is all quiet.
I have got so much to post and so little time.
Having Taylor poorly at the beginning of the week has meant that I have got behind with everything.
Today I thought that I could start to catch up and then little Isabella starts with feeling bad.
On a good note though, I had Joseph's parents evening today and I am so proud of him. His teacher has told me that, overall, he is doing great. Excelling in maths and achieving great improvements in his literacy and reading. We just need to work on his spellings which is what I expected. I have always struggled to get Joseph to practise his spellings, it is something which he really does dislike, and don't I know it! But he is doing great and I am sure that he will continue to.
We have started to have some regular me and Jos time in an evening. I have been making sure the majority of the jobs are done while I cook tea or just before the twins bed time so that when we come down I can give him 100% of my time. We have started to read a book that we have got to review and we are both thoroughly enjoying having that bit of bonding time.
It has been missed so very much!
I have still got to post about my easy peesy yummy salmon dinner that I made the other night, I have made some new bread rolls today which I will share and I have a cake to make!
Along with our daily on goings and stories I have so much to tell.
First I need my lot, and me, to get fit and healthy again and kick this bug out of our house.
Hopefully it'll be gone tomorrow.........
Fingers crossed x

Wednesday Words - A Quote That Got Me Thinking

This week I have chosen a quote that I was told by someone that has really made me think.
I have thought about what it means, when you may think about it and why it might be said.

The quote is:

 

"Ask yourself a question, will this matter a year from now?"
Richard Carlson

 

From the first time I read it, a few weeks ago, I have been trying to get my head around its true meaning.

Be it right or wrong this is what I came up with.

I believe that we were told this so we think about everything that we do, particularly the meaningful things, and make them count!

Make them still mean something in a years time and beyond.

It could be a quote which is taken two ways but I have taken it as a positive quote.

Make each special occasion count. One that will not only be treasured on the day but in a years time and years to come after that.

Wednesday Words are hosted by Emma a Crazy With Twins who today has posted a short but sweet saying that I am sure will make many of us smile, have a look

http://www.crazywithtwins.com/2013/10/30/shortest-ever-wednesday-words/

 

Heather Honey Cake

 

Unfortunaltly I missed week one of Great Bloggers Bake Off so I knew that I had to bake a cake during this month for the link.

Whilst we were away in Northumberland we visited the Chain Bridge Honey Farm where we bought some of their lovely heather honey.

As soon as I had a taste my baking mind was instantly on the go and thinking what delicious cakes could be made.

I couldn't wait to get baking once we got back home and this yummy cake is what I came up with!

 

Heather Honey Cake

 

Ingredients

 

150g Mixed dried fruit with citrus peel

100mls Bitter ale

150g Stork margarine

150g Golden caster sugar

175g Self raising flour

3 Eggs

2tblsp heather honey

 

Method

 

Pre heat the oven to 150C

 

1 - At least an hour before you want to make the cake place the dried mixed fruit in a bowl and pour over the bitter ale and leave to soak to plump up the fruit

 

2 - Cream together the Stork margarine and caster sugar until light

 

3 - Gradually add the eggs along with a spoon of flour to prevent curdling

 

4 - Sift in the flour and mix

 

5 - Add in the fruit and mix. I wanted the create a layer of bitter soaked fruit at the bottom of the cake, however if you want your fruit to be evenly distributed throughout the cake add it with the flour before mixing

 

6 - Place in a prepared cake tin and bake for about an hour or until a knife comes out clean when placed through the centre. After about 40 minutes check the cake as I found that it browned quite quickly and needed to cover with foil until it was baked all the way through

 

This cake is delicious when served warm either as it is or served with cream, ice cream or even custard!

Enjoy x 

 

 

 

With this recipe I used Stork margarine. This was very kindly sent by the Stork team for bloggers who took part in Great Bloggers Bake Off to bake with!

Thank you!

http://www.bakewithstork.com/

 

The Great Bloggers Bake Off is hosted by the lovely Helen and Jenny at:

http://www.thecrazykitchen.co.uk/p/the-great-bloggers-bake-off.html

http://www.mummymishaps.co.uk/category/gbbo

 



So tired!

What an exhausting day!
My tiredness, unfortunately, is not down to getting caught up on all my housework and post holiday laundry.
My tiredness is all down to having a poorly boy!
On Friday night Taylor had a really high temperature. We dosed him up with good old Calpol and put him to bed. When we got up on Saturday morning he had developed a nasty rash on his front and a bit on his back. He was a more clingy than normal but he was getting on with it.
Come Sunday the rash was even more prominent and red. We rang nhs direct who told us that it didn't sound like anything to worry about and to continue as we were with Calpol.
When we got up this morning it was still there and had progressed onto his arms and legs so I got him an appointment to be checked out.
Thankfully everything was well with the doctor's checks. His chest, ears, throat and temperature are all normal so they have put the rash down to a viral infection.
He is ok as long as he is dosed up with medicine but has been more clingy and cuddly. At one point he wouldn't let me out of his sight. The second I left the room he screamed for me. Bless him, he must be so frustrated not being able to tell me what's wrong and how he is feeling.
I find days when little ones are poorly so exhausting. I just want to see his happy little face and hear him giggle as he runs around driving me crackers with his climbing.
Hopefully he'll be feeling more himself tomorrow. I just pray that little Isabella doesn't come down with it next or Joseph.
I've got a couple of recipes to post this week. Over the weekend I made a delicious heather honey cake which I am dying to share. I've also made an easy peesy delicious salmon dinner tonight that is not only yummy but also easy and quick to make!
I've got a lot planned and can't wait to start!
But first of all I'm having an early night so I'm ready for whatever tomorrow may bring.

Porkie Picnic Pie - Star Baker Week 10!

This bake is inspired by a pork pie.
I love pork and pickle pies but I wanted to do something a little bit different.
My Porkie Picnic Pie is layered with ham, chutney, sausage meat and red onions with a layer of black pudding running through the middle.
The pastry is a plain flour crossed with a sage pastry.
After seeing poor Kimberley's picnic pie with a soggy bottom, I have played it safe and pre cooked my meat before putting into my picnic pie.
I am so proud to say that this pie won me Star Baker for week 10 of the Great Bloggers Bake Off that is hosted by the lovely Jenny and Helen at

http://www.thecrazykitchen.co.uk/p/the-great-bloggers-bake-off.html

http://www.mummymishaps.co.uk/category/gbbo

Now I want to share my recipe on A Mummy Too's Recipe of the Week. There are some fantastic recipes at http://www.amummytoo.co.uk/2013/10/extraordinary-recipeoftheweek/ so check them out!

 

Porkie Picnic Pie

Ingredients

Sage Pastry

125g plain flour

65g chilled butter cubed

Pinch of salt

2 tspn dried sage

1 egg yolk

30 mls water

Plain Pastry

125g plain flour

65g chilled butter cubed

Pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

30 mls water

Filling

Ham

Sausage meat

Real ale chutney

Black pudding

Red onions

Method

1 - Make the plain pastry by adding the flour, butter and salt to a food processor and blitz until you bread crumbs consistency

2 - Add the egg yolk and water and blitz until it is starting to come together

3 - Remove from the food processor and form a ball, wrap in cling film and flatten into a disc

4 - To make the sage pastry do as before but add the sage with the flour

5 - Place both pastry discs into the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes

6 - To prepare the filling heat the oven to 180C

7 - Take the sausage meat and divide into two pieces and shape into rectangular shapes that will fit into the loaf tin that you will be using for the pie

8 - Place into the oven on a grill rack so that any fat juices are drained away from the meat

9 - Once cooked on both sides remove from the oven and leave on one side

10 - Take the black pudding and slice, then place into the oven until cooked on both sides and place on one side

11 - Take the pastry from the fridge and roll out

12 - Do the same with the sage pastry, then cut out even strips

13 - Lay the strips, evenly spaced over the plain pastry and roll so that the two pastries are mixed but still visibly different

14 - Line the loaf tin with baking paper this will make it easier to remove the pie

15 - Place the bottom pastry into the loaf tin

 

16 - Add a layer of ham, a layer of chutney, a layer of sausage meat, a layer of red onions, the black pudding, a layer of red onion, a layer of sausage meat, a layer of chutney and the final layer of ham

 

17 - Top with the sage pastry, glaze and place in the oven for 45 - 60 minutes
18 - For the handle roll some pastry and wrap with a thin roll of sage pastry, glaze and place in the oven with the pie

 

 

 

Silent Sunday

 

 

Great Bloggers Bake Off - Final Week Porkie Picnic Pie & Mickey Mouse Birthday Cake

I am so pleased that I have had the chance to bake this week for the Bake Off. We returned from our much deserved holiday yesterday so I have washing galore and jobs a plenty but I have prioritised!
Baking first!!!
My bake this week is inspired by a pork pie. I love pork and pickle pies but I wanted to do something a little bit different. My Porkie Picnic Pie is layered with ham, chutney, sausage meat and red onions with a layer of black pudding running through the middle. The pastry is a plain flour crossed with a sage pastry. After seeing poor Kimberley's picnic pie with a soggy bottom, I have played it safe and pre cooked my meat before putting into my picnic pie.
This, as other weeks, has been a first bake for me. This is something that I have never baked and have spent a long time thinking of the flavours to add together. I am loving the challenges that I have faced each week and have certainly risen to the challenge.
For my showstopper bake I am using the twins birthday cake that I made this year. This is a cake that I made before I started my blog and it was my first "novelty" cake and am proud of the results and really wanted to share it!

 

Porkie Picnic Pie

 

Ingredients

 

Sage Pastry

 

125g plain flour

65g chilled butter cubed

Pinch of salt

2 tspn dried sage

1 egg yolk

30 mls water

 

Plain Pastry

 

125g plain flour

65g chilled butter cubed

Pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

30 mls water

 

Filling

 

Ham

Sausage meat

Real ale chutney

Black pudding

Red onions

 

Method

 

1 - Make the plain pastry by adding the flour, butter and salt to a food processor and blitz until you bread crumbs consistency

2 - Add the egg yolk and water and blitz until it is starting to come together

3 - Remove from the food processor and form a ball, wrap in cling film and flatten into a disc

4 - To make the sage pastry do as before but add the sage with the flour

5 - Place both pastry discs into the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes

6 - To prepare the filling heat the oven to 180C

7 - Take the sausage meat and divide into two pieces and shape into rectangular shapes that will fit into the loaf tin that you will be using for the pie

8 - Place into the oven on a grill rack so that any fat juices are drained away from the meat

9 - Once cooked on both sides remove from the oven and leave on one side

10 - Take the black pudding and slice, then place into the oven until cooked on both sides and place on one side

11 - Take the pastry from the fridge and roll out

12 - Do the same with the sage pastry, then cut out even strips

13 - Lay the strips, evenly spaced over the plain pastry and roll so that the two pastries are mixed but still visibly different
 

14 - Line the loaf tin with baking paper this will make it easier to remove the pie

15 - Place the bottom pastry into the loaf tin
 

16 - Add a layer of ham, a layer of chutney, a layer of sausage meat, a layer of red onions, the black pudding, a layer of red onion, a layer of sausage meat, a layer of chutney and the final layer of ham
 

17 - Top with the sage pastry, glaze and place in the oven for 45 - 60 minutes
18 - For the handle roll some pastry and wrap with a thin roll of sage pastry, glaze and place in the oven with the pie 

 

 

 

 

Mickey Mouse Novelty Cake

 

Ingredients

 

300g self raising flour

300g butter

300g caster sugar

6 eggs at room temperature

1 tspn vanilla paste

Royal Icing - white, red, black, yellow and blue

Apricot jam

 

Method

 

Pre heat the oven to 180C

1 - Cream the butter until smooth

2 - Add the sugar and mix until light and creamy

3 - Gradually add the eggs along with a spoon of flour each time to prevent curdling

4 - Sift in the flour and mix

5 - Divide the mixture into two cake tins of different sizes

6 - Bake for approx 45 - 60 minutes or whenever a slim knife comes out clean when placed through the centre

7 - Once the cake is cooked leave to cool completely. I made the cakes the day before decorating and kept them in an air tight container overnight

8 - To decorate, heat the apricot jam in a saucepan

9 - Roll out the white royal icing to the size that you need to cover the cake

10 - Slice off the top of the cake so that it is flat and turn over, use the flat bottom side as the cake top

11 - Smooth over the hot apricot jam over the cake

12 - Gently lay on the royal icing, ensuring that there are no air pockets

13 - Repeat for the other cake

14 - Place the smaller cake on top of the larger cake

15 - Using the yellow and blue icing I stamped out the twins names and placed them around the outside of the cakes

16 - Roll out the black royal icing and stamp out Mickey Mouse head shapes and place around the outside of the cakes using the hot apricot jam as an adhesive

17 - Do the same with the red icing and place 4 Mickey Mouse head shapes on the top

18 - Make small balls using the red icing and secure around the join of the two cakes

19 - I also added two red number 1's around the outside as it was their first birthday

 

 

 

 

The Great Bloggers Bake Off is hosted by the lovely Helen and Jenny at:

http://www.thecrazykitchen.co.uk/p/the-great-bloggers-bake-off.html

http://www.mummymishaps.co.uk/category/gbbo

 



Homemade Potato Rosti

 

I always find that as the summer ends and autumn come I am cooking a lot more comfort food. This includes more meals using potatoes.

I always tend to do the same old potatoes, mashed, boiled, chipped, roasted, so I thought it was time to try something new!

I love potato rostis but I do like to cook fresh foods for my family so I thought I'd have a go at making some of my own.

They are so simple and cheap to make with the added bonus of tasting delicious!

 

 Homemade Potato Rosti

 

Ingredients

 

Maris Piper potatoes, peeled - I used 6 potatoes as there were 5 of us eating, this can either be increased or decreased depending on how many people you are cooking for

1 red onion, chopped

1 egg

Dried sage to taste

Black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

 

 

Method

 

1 - Coarsely grate the peeled potatoes and add the chopped red onions

 

 



2 - Place the potatoes and onions in a clean cotton tea towel and squeeze as much water out of the potatoes as you can. I was amazed by how much actually came out!

 

3 - Once you have got as much water out as possible place back into the bowl and add the dried sage and season to taste

 

 

4 - Add the beaten egg to bind

 

5 - Heat some oil in a large heavy based frying pan

 

6 - Once the oil is hot add the potato mix by spooning a ball into the pan and pressing it down to about 1cms thickness

 

 

7 - Cook for about 5 minutes or until brown and turn over and cook as before

 

8 - Once both sides are nice and brown, remove from the pan and leave on a warm plate covered with foil to keep warm while you cook the rest

 

These rostis are great to have with some good quality sausages, mushy peas and sweetcorn or great as a hash brown substitute with a good old full English breakfast! They will go well with any meal. They are cheap and easy to prepare and are a welcomed change to the usual ways to cook and eat potatoes.

 

 

 

 

http://www.britmums.com/2013/10/join-marispiperbritmums-linky-challenge/

 

This post is an entry for #MarisPiperBritMums Linky Challenge http://www.britmums.com/2013/10/join-marispiperbritmums-linky-challenge/ sponsored by the Potato Council for Potato Week 7 - 13 October, celebrating Maris Piper potaotes and how we like to eat them. Learn more and find recipes at www.lovepotatoes.co.uk

 Love Potaotes



 

Home Time

Yesterday it was our time to return home and back to reality.
I do love being away but I also love coming home. The first night back in our own beds is always bliss!
We treated ourselves to a brunch before leaving Northumberland. We stopped off at our new favorite farm shop The Sunnyhills Farm Shop. We had a delicious full English breakfast. I even tried black pudding for the first time and loved it! We brought back some of their sausages and pies home they are that good! We've said that from now on we are going to make it a tradition to stop off there on our way home for a breakfast.
As we left Northumberland it was absolutely pouring with rain so we were lucky it was our last day. We had a good steady ride home.
As soon as we got home I went to check on my chickens! This is the first time that we have left them and I was amazed by how much I have actually missed them. I'm sure, in their own way, they were pleased to see me as they just stood next to my feet waiting to be stroked!
So now it is back to normality and routine. For once I have not missed my treasured routine. We had a lovely holiday and I am going to start looking for our next as soon as I can.
First things first, this morning it is Joseph's swimming lesson. When we get home I will be dying to get into the kitchen to bake. I have missed baking and being in my kitchen. Today I am going to be baking my porkie picnic pie for Great Bloggers Bake Off and a yummy honey cake using some heather honey that we bought from Chain Bridge Honey Farm.
So a busy baking day and baking posts to come!
There are plus sides of being home!

Family Holiday - Last Day Holy Island

Yesterday was our last full day in beautiful Northumberland and thankfully it was a lovely day!
We decided to cross the causeway and visit Holy Island.
I am always amazed by life on the Island that for a great deal of the time is cut off from the mainland. Just thinking about how life must be makes you appreciate having everything so accessible. However life must be so calm, peaceful and back to basics. It is a beautiful island that has quaint little shops and wonderful scenic walks.
We enjoyed visiting a couple of shops and a picnic before we walked to the castle.
Joseph ran off ahead as usual and went exploring. My dad took him down to the waters edge to see if they could find any crabs but I don't think that they had much luck!
My mum and dad took the twins for a walk so that the hubby and I could take Joseph up to have a look around the castle. It was a steep walk up but it was more than worth it just for the stunning views over the sea. It was beautiful to see the sun beams shining through the clouds onto the water. Joseph was pleased to have a bit of quality time with his mum and dad to himself and really took in the history of the castle. After we had explored all of the rooms we began our walk back down and caught up with my mum and dad and the twins. The long walk back had earned Joseph a well deserved ice cream before we set off again!
Once we had crossed over the causeway and were back at the caravan we started to pack up whilst Joseph went for a swim. My parents have been a god send to have with us as they have been able to take Joseph to the arcades and the pool while we have been busy with the twins. I know that next holiday the twins will be even bigger and we'll be able to do even more but I still feel bad that I'm not doing these things with him but that's a different post all together!
We have had one of the best holiday's and we have created so many happy memories. This is definitely one of our favourite parts of the country and I am sure that we will enjoy many more holidays here together.
We are already planning the next!!!