Catch Up

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post, I've had a few problems with my computer.   Finally here is a catch up on what I've been doing.

 I've made more cakes.  This one's another chocolate one that I made for Mother's Day, and there's a banana one just come out of the oven.  I bought banana's as they are supposed to be good for runner's, but I kept forgetting to eat them!!

 I made my mum a lovely lilac bag for Mother's Day. She came up to visit my nan on the train and so taking flower's back with her on the train wasn't very practical - also a bag lasts longer.

Remember the fabric from the last post, I made myself a gypsy style top from it.

Finally, I have been running - a lot.  After my last race I (stupidly) decided that I would aim for a Half Marathon and my mum's always saying that she never sees me race as she is in Devon and I usually race near my home in Buckinghamshire.  So I entered the Great West Run, which is on 6 May.  I've got my mileage up to 9 miles now, very slowly.  Nest weekend I'm running a race called 'Brill Hilly'. 

I've also ordered some lovely fabric to make some summer shirts.  I'm hoping that with the bank holidays that are coming up, I will be able to find some time to sew properly rather than just running up something quick.

birthday baking

 It's daughter's 13th birthday tomorrow and she's having her friend round for tea and to go ice-skating at the local rink before tea.  So I've baked a few cookies.

 She didn't want a big cake so I've baked some muffins, I'll ice them quickly in the morning

I've borrowed a cake stand from my friend and as luck would have it, if I take off the bottom tier it has space for 13 cakes, I've put it on this nice cake plate.  I'm going to serve the muffins like this with a few candles stuck into the top cake.

Then on Saturday we're having a family tea party so I'll be doing loads more baking.

Waste not.....

Or what to do with some rather tired veg and a few things still left over from Christmas/New Year.

Yesterday I really had a bit of a 'using up' session.  As well as a collection of 'past their best' veg, there was some pastry from a pie that I had made for dinner on Saturday, a few bits still left from the festive season and lots of opened packets of flour, sugar and butter all with small amounts in.  Son does cookery at school and is  always taking new packets in when he cooks rather than using up the opened ones!!

First on the list were some pasties, to use up the pastry.  The filling is leek and stilton - just perfect for lunches this week.

Then I made a lovely ratatouille, to use up a part used aubergine, a courgette, an onion and some cloves of garlic.  All it needed was a tin of tomatoes to make a good meal with some crusty bread.

Finally to get rid of some of those nearly used packets of sugar, flour and butter I made a chocolate brownie. It also used up some walnuts left over from Christmas and was greatly appreciated by the 'troops'.

Now that I have cleared some of the cupboard and fridge, I can see what I actually have.

100th Birthday Cake - Finished

 Here's the finished two tier cake

And a closer picture of the top tier, complete with ribbons and roses.

Cake continues

 Slowly but surely the special occasion cake is making progress.  Daughter made the round chocolate top tier yesterday.  I've wrapped it up carefully and put it in the freezer ready to ice nearer to the day.  I've done this many times in the past with Birthday cakes and it does save a last minute panic.

And I put the marzipan on the bottom fruit cake layer.  After preparing the cake board by covering it with white ready roll icing.

Christmas Pudding Day

Sunday I finally made the Christmas pud.  I only make a small one each year as there's only my dad and mother-in-law that eat it.  I have a special recipe that I make each year which isn't quite traditional as it contains beer.

Here's the little beauty after it's been steamed ready to have fresh baking paper cap and be stored away ready for the big day.

Progress has been made on the ruffle dress, the collar is finished and completed with three small buttons to close it - just the hems to do now.  But I realised I need another top/dress for a work party, I have a lovely piece of satin that a work friend gave me for my birthday and this needs to be made into the work party outfit to show her how much I appreciated the gift.  The birthday cake needs to progress.  Daughter has promised to help me with making the chocolate cake and perhaps the icing, in return for me highlighting her hair.  At nearly 13, I think she is finally beginning to show some small signs of being a girl, although wearing a skirt is still very much out of the question.  But it could be worse, I could have a daughter who wants to wear very inappropriate outfits.  As well as this I have two sixth form open evenings to attend with son, not to mention getting the rest of the christmas shopping and wrapping up things that need to be distributed early, so apologies but blog posts will be a bit sporadic.

Bake me a cake

Thanks for the comments to the last blog on cake recipes.  I asked at work as well as there is a fantastic lady who specialises in baking and icing cakes.  Every one seems to agree that the Delia Smith Christmas cake recipe is a good one.

Here's my version of it.  It seems to have come out well and I certainly hope it tastes good as it's going to be the bottom tier of the 100th birthday cake.  

I'm going to be amazingly busy for the next few weeks what with the cake and the preparation for Christmas. I've started on my dress for the party, which is a rather smart red day dress with a gathered and ruffled front, and next weekend I'm making the Christmas pud.  Then there's the chocolate top tier of the cake to bake and both cakes to ice by which time Christmas will be well and truly upon us.

Anyone have a good fruit cake recipe?

We have a VERY special family occasion coming up next month, not Christmas but my Nan's 100th birthday (I hardly dare mention it in case something bad happens) and I have been asked to make and ice two cakes for it.  A chocolate cake and a fruit cake.  Whilst I'm not an expert at cake making, I've made the kids loads of novelty birthday cakes over the years and I iced my brother's wedding cake. I have a well tried and tested chocolate cake recipe, which I have used lots for kids birthday cakes, but I don't have a well tested fruit cake recipe.  If anyone can point me in the direction of one I will be grateful.

There will be more on the progress of the cakes and other crafty bits associated with this event in the next few weeks.

Apple day and lots more

Remember these?

 Well they were joined during the week by these.

So I started making the chutney first thing on Sunday morning. You can find instructions here recipe

Then whilst the oven was on cooking a Sunday roast for most of the family I cooked most of the remaining marrow stuffed with a lentil mix and spicy mexican cheese.

Apple flapjack was baked

and individual apple tartlets

and spicy apple cake

and some choc chip cookies for those that don't like apples (how could they not like apples!!)

Autumn gales and apples

The first of the autumn winds has been blowing for most of the day.  It has brought down quite a few of the remaining apples on my apple tree.  I have rescued some of them and will try to salvage some more and pick the rest at the weekend.  Then I need to decide what to do with them all.  They are usually really good for keeping, but this year they don't look like they will keep well so I'll have to get out all my apple recipe's.  I have a load of tomatoes as well so I suspect that chutney is top of my list to make.  I'll have too find out some jars.  If I can find time to get some blackberries and/or elderberries then I'll be able to make some jam as well and crumble and I have a great recipe for apple cake ........ It'll all have to wait until the weekend so I hope I can find the time.

busy bee

I have been busy this weekend. It stared with baking bread and ended with making pumkin risotto. In between bags were made, dogs were walked, Chill jam was made along with spicy apple cake and rock cakes. And there was even time to go to the new theatre in Aylesbury on Saturday evening to see a show called 'Circus Hillarious. I was a bit dubious, but it was very funny.

Here are a few pictures of what I have achieved

now to do the boring stuff - ironing, making beds and tidying.

Next week I hope to show my plans for my next knit ( a teal jumper) and a skirt that I plan to revamp to go with it.

Sewing Sunday and other things

After going round the shopd on Saturday (son needed new tracky bottoms)I was inspired to make a white suntop/dress. White isn't really my colour, but there's lots of it in the shops and I had a nice piece of white embroidered, seqined cotton in my stash so I decided to use it. I have been thinking about making a top crochet straps for a while any excuse to practise my crochet skills, and I had some pewter coloured Rowan shimmer leftover from a scarf I made as a christmas present.

Saturday night I found out the crochet necklace pattern that I wanted to adapt and began the cochet

Sunday morning the chickens woke me up nice and early - I didn't see it this way at the time!!. I made some bread (I usually do this on Saturday but the shopping trip prevented me doing it) and cut out the material.

Then went for an eight mile run whilst the bread was rising. I'm still running very slowly, eight miles took me 1 hour 20 minutes. When I came back I settled down to sew.

The simple sundress soon came together and after trying it on and making adjustments, I was ready to attach the crochet.

and here is the finished item, hanging up and ready to wear.
The picture doesn't really do it justice - I must get one of me wearing it!