Liebster Award

The Liebster Blog Award is given to favourite blogs with under 200 followers. It comes from the German word 'Liebster' meaning beloved or dearest.
I still consider myself quite new to blogging and I do it mainly for me, as a kind of therapy and of course a way of sharing the things that I, and our family do. So imagine my surprise and delight at being given a Liebster award, I'd never heard of it and to be honest a lot of the time I forget that there are people that actually read what I write! 
I was given the award by Sarah of Tilly Mint Boutique, someone I met very recently when joining the WI (WISH)  Who I now know writes a lovely blog (I had a good look through, loved the Christmas Advent swaps!!)
So now that Sarah has nominated me, along with some other great blogs, I can now nominate my 5 favourite blogs in line with the rules of the award:


- Show thanks to the bloggers who awarded you by linking back to their blogs…
- Post your top 5 blogs and let them know by leaving a comment on their blogs…
- Post the award on your blog!


Even I can manage that!


So my first two awards go to The Philosophy of Lists and Moss Stitch. These are the blogs of two lovely ladies that I am lucky enough to call friends. We've known each other for around 12 years, and theirs were the first blogs I ever read. I treated them like a magazine article and would grab a cuppa and sit down to see what great things they'd been up to or places they had visited. They both write about many subjects and I find myself waiting for their next installment. I used to say, "I wish I could do that" and thanks to some words of encouragement and guidance from The List Writer, I do!


Next is The Syders who I stumbled across while reading another blog's post. It seems we have many things in common, Mama Syder and I, she's a really lovely lady whose blog often makes me laugh and frequently makes me cry. 


A Wannabe foodie the wonderful Juju, who started off as someone I followed on Twitter and now has become a real life friend. She's very clever and creative and she has great things coming in the pipeline. She's also really funny!


And last but not least Rising to the Berry. Lovely Anneliese is baking her way through Mary Berry's Baking Bible. I love reading about her successes and mishaps. She's a bit over half way now but there are many great recipes to come.


So there are my nominations. I think it's a lovely idea and I'm really grateful to Sarah for nominating me.

Valentines Craft and Bake 2012

As part of my 'trying new things' I wanted to start taking part in other peoples blog hops or competitions, not so much for the chance of winning but just to take part and get involved.

The lovely Jacqueline at Cakeboule set up a 'Virtual Valentine craft and bake competition' where she invited anyone to take part and enter either craft or bake entries on a Valentines theme.

Mr P and I don't really 'do' Valentines, not because we're unromantic, but just because we don't feel the need for a special day to say I love you. Flowers are over priced and restaurants are over booked and it's all got a bit commercial. What we do try and do it have date nights at home, where either one of us cooks for the other or we cook together. The children go to bed early (they don't mind at all and even tell me off if I don't get dressed up!) and we have some 'us' time.

All that said, I was more than keen to take part in Jacqueline's competition. I am as soppy as they come and I love a bit of romance. As Jacqueline will be away for Valentines day she's asked that all the entries are in early, which I think is great as it might give other people ideas of things that they could make or do rather than go down the commercial route.

So craft or bake???? Hmmmmm.........I did both!

I always give my children a gift on Valentines day. Nothing big, in fact sometimes it might just be a heart shaped lolly and a home made card, but it's a little reminder that I love them very very much and it makes them feel involved in something that usually passes children by.

For the children I made keyrings or bagcharms whatever they decide to use them for. They were quite simple to make and I think they'll like them, but these I will save for Valentines day itself.

4 Hearts for our 4 Sweethearts

They're made from soft red fleece, stuffed just a little bit and then embellished or embroidered. I had real trouble getting just the 'ring' bit of a keyring (got them now from trusty old eBay!) So I bought keyring blanks.

Then for the baking. I had so so many ideas in my head and I wanted to make them all, but I managed to narrow it down to two bakes that I made today.

First was this heart shaped chocolate cake, topped with chocolate ganache and a simple message. Mr P does love chocolate, so what better way to say I Love You, than on a chocolate cake?

Then I made these Cupcakes, so that everyone could enjoy a little bit of love in cake form!

I made rose one's with little handmade roses and edible red glitter

I made swirly one's again with my handmade roses, but no glitter

And Heart-topped ones too

So this is how I've chosen to remind the one's I love, just how much I love them and not just on Valentines day, but all year round.

Some of the other entries to the competition are amazing and very varied indeed. I really look forward to seeing them all once they're in. And if you want to enter, it's not too late. The closing date isn't until 4th Feb 2012 and I know Jacqueline would welcome new comers. Pop over to Cakeboule if you fancy joining in.

Cake of the week

I don't always have an entry to Helen's Cake of The Week Blog but this week I have two!!! (well. sort of!)

The first are my pink & pretty Cupcakes made for MB's Birthday that I blogged here. She turned 8 and she was really pleased with them

And next up are my Raspberry and White Chocolate profiteroles. An idea I came up with a while ago but the sauce gave me trouble. This weekend I cracked it. You can read here how Mr P and I got it sorted and made these beautifully light little mouthfuls filled with a pretty pink raspberry cream......Mmmmm!

So there you are, not 1 but 2 and one not technically a cake!
Make sure you pop over to Casa Costello to see the other entries too.

At last......(Raspberry and White Chocolate profiteroles)

A good few months ago, back in the summer, I came up with the idea of making Raspberry and White Chocolate Profiteroles. I like chocolate profiteroles but thought it would be nice to have something a little lighter and more summery. Sadly they didn't work out as I'd hoped. The choux buns turned out fine as did the raspberry filling but the white chocolate sauce......disaster! I don't mind admitting I was disappointed. I'd worked out the recipe in my head and I had fully expected it to work. I've been making chocolate sauce since I was a teenager, using the same recipe but I'd never made it with white chocolate and hadn't taken into account that white chocolate doesn't behave quite like milk or dark chocolate.

I've not tried to make them again since simply because I've not really made time to play around and get the sauce right.
Mr P has recently found an interest in baking and in pastry, in particular, so he suggested that we have a go at perfecting my idea together.
He popped out this morning to get a few necessary ingredients and set about making the choux buns when he got back. The recipe he used is from Michel Roux's book Pastry. They turned out really well.

Excuse the tiles waiting to be grouted!

Once they cooled I made the raspberry sauce using 2 small punnets of raspberries and a shake of icing sugar. I put them in the food processor with the sugar and blitzed until smooth then passed through a sieve to remove the seeds. This was added to a bowl of whipped cream (standard 284ml carton of whipped cream) gently folded in until you have a beautifully pink, fragrant, raspberry cream. You might like to taste and see if you want any more sugar, but you don't want it to be too sweet and sickly, remember you have the white chocolate to come!
Use a piping bag with a smallish nozzle to fill you buns (and eclair cases if you make those too) Mr P did this while I made the chocolate sauce.
The best way to melt white chocolate it seems is to have a pan of boiling water and place a bowl over it (Bain Marie) break up your bar of white chocolate (150g) in to small pieces, place in the bowl and walk away. DO NOT HAVE THE PAN ON THE HEAT. After about 10 minutes go back to the pan and stir with a spoon. The chocolate should have melted. Slowly add a small carton of double cream stirring all the time. It might look like it's all gone horribly wrong but just bare with it and keep stirring. If it doesn't look like a smooth creamy sauce, put the lowest heat setting you have on under the pan and stir, stir, stir. Slowly and gently it will come together. Allow to cool a little and pour over the choux buns just before serving.

The only thing I failed to do was take a picture of the beautiful colour of the raspberry cream inside, we were far too keen to get stuck in and eat them!
I have to say they did not disappoint this time, they were wonderfully light and not at all sickly. I actually lost count of how many I ate (probably for the best!)

This is one of those desserts that is really worth the effort. They didn't last very long and everyone had seconds or thirds until there were none left.

So at last the dreaded white chocolate sauce has been mastered and we've  decided we're going to make more things together, Mr P can concentrate on his pastry and me the fillings, team work at it's best.

We'll definitely be making these again especially in the summer when raspberries are in season.
If you decide to make them, I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Note - If you are wanting to make the eclair version, make sure you coat them with melted white chocolate before you add the cream to make the sauce for the profiteroles.

A game called Needs Must!

So times are hard, most of us know that and with my current job situation (or lack of one) our family too is feeling the pinch.
At times like this I go back to meal planning. I sit down and work out what we will eat for the next week, rather than wandering aimlessly round the supermarket, filling my trolley with random items. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, snacks and treats all have to be catered for and sometimes it takes a while to sort it all out. I like to give the family variety and I'm determined that the children will be less fussy. In all fairness they're really not that bad, but I want them to be more adventurous and more open to eating what is put in front of them without the need to dissect and identify every single ingredient! I was finding, even though I was meal planning, at the end of the week there would still be the odd few things rattling around in the fridge, not always but sometimes going to waste. So the other week Mr P gave me a challenge. He suggested that when I meal plan, I only account for six out of the seven days, and on that last day (usually a Thursday as I shop on a Friday) I make a dinner using only what is left over from last weeks shop, be it in the fridge, freezer or cupboard.
Now, I have to say whenever in the past I've complained about the cupboards being empty Mr P always says "my empty or your empty" because you see, they are two entirely different things. He always says he could live for a month off of what I call empty cupboards! Hmmm.....I'm not so sure, but I was up for his challenge.

I like the idea of making things a game or a challenge, call it what you will, but I get that from my Mum. She always said there was a certain excitement about having to stick to a budget and seeing what you could get for your money ( she was remember used to rationing ) or setting yourself a task, ironing, cleaning a room whatever needs doing, and seeing how quickly you can get it done. Silly? Maybe, but if it makes things just that little more interesting, why not?

So week one of the challenge saw us having a yummy vegetable curry made from all the left over veggies in the fridge (carrots, potatoes, an onion, a bit of broccoli) some tinned tomatoes and a jar of sauce I had in the back of the cupboard  along with some chick peas and butter beans. I also had some naan breads which was lucky as there was barely any rice left. It turned out really nice and the children all ate it, despite asking several times if there was any meat in it. So week one went well.

This week I hadn't given much thought to our 'needs must' dinner, kind of defeats the object for one thing and yesterday I made a batch of soup from all the left over veg, while I was making the casserole for last nights dinner. So it won't be vegetable curry again.
The children were asking this morning and seemed very concerned that I had no clue as to what I would cook, which just makes me smile, they're so used to my planning.

But tonight I'm thinking L & R will have something along the lines of bacon, beans and potato wedges and M will have the same as Mr P and I, Bacon, tomato and green pesto pasta with garlic bread.
Tomorrow I will shop and refill the almost empty fridge (at the moment housing sauces, bacon, butter and not much else) and the unloved looking shelves, with supplies to last us the week.

It does mean being more organised and it does mean that we can't just go to the fridge or cupboards and help ourselves to whatever, whenever but that's the way it is right now. We're an awful lot better off than many other families are right now and we all have three decent meals a day. I don't think teaching children to be 'careful' with food or money is a bad thing. On another positive note we're wasting an awful lot less than we used to, and wasting food means wasting money, not something we can afford to do right now.

So there we are, Mr P's 'Needs Must' challenge! Feel free to join in and if you do be sure to share your Needs Must recipes :o)

So Far So Good....

I'm determined for this year to be a good one. I feel like we're due one, but I also realise that you can't just sit back and wait for good things to happen. There are certain things that I hope will happen, but they are not in my control. So while I watch and wait I'm going to make some good things happen, little things but who knows where they will lead?
I wrote a New Year blog post and I have to say the amount of lovely comments, messages and emails I received really gave me a boost. Everyone commented on what a positive post it was, I had said in it that one of my aims was to be more positive about things and once you write something in a blog and tell the world about it, you have to do it....right?
I'd like to think I've had less downs and more ups, it certainly feels that way and yes I know it's only the middle of January but that's me being positive!

This year I'm going to try and say Yes more. Yes to more things that I want to do. It's no secret that I haven't made many any friends since moving North and that's not because I'm not friendly or approachable, the opportunity just hasn't arisen. Drop off at two separate schools to start with didn't help, nor did finding a job where you work alone in a different location everyday, so how do you make friends?

I met four amazing ladies (Juju, Julia, Helen and Fran)  through the wonder that is Twitter and met up with three of them in Manchester at the Christmas markets. It was like meeting up with old friends, not new ones and the only downside is that we're pretty spread out in terms of where we live, but that won't stop us meeting up as and when we can. I class them as real friends and I'm very much looking forward to meeting up again very soon.
Helen, who lives closest to me, couldn't make the markets, but had previously asked me along to a Clandestine Cake Club. I didn't go. If I'm honest I was too shy to go along. I would have known no one and I had no one to take either so I didn't go (Sorry H x)
 I've previously let too many things pass me by, well not any more!
Helen, amazing lady that she is, was setting up a new branch of The WI and again asked me along. I ummed and arred  about going, as again I would know no one and had yet to meet Helen face to face, but other than that I could find no reason not to go. I had a word with myself. For work I stood up infront of a hall full of strangers on a daily basis and yet I was stalling going somewhere to meet like minded people in my area. So that settled it, I told Helen I'd be there and went along to the meeting.
At the meeting I of course met Helen, in person and sat myself next to a lady, who happens to live very close to me indeed! We'll meet once a month, but there will be sub groups set up with the opportunity to learn new skills or crafts and share interests too. Suddenly I don't feel so alone.

And I've also signed up to go to the next meeting of a local CCC  where the theme is Patron Saint of Cakes. I have no clue what cake I will make and take along, so suggestions welcome! But as the organiser pointed out, it's not a competition, it's just for fun. Fun......yes....I think I remember how that works!

So that will be two new things I've joined or taken part in this month already!
I'm also set on making foodie things that I've never made or maybe never tried before. Some of them are simple, like tomato soup! No, I had never made it before, not until last weekend, that is. As for cakes I want to look more at using royal icing or sugar paste to decorate small and larger cakes. I've never tried, so today I took a tiny step in that direction and made some cupcakes for MB's birthday. I usually just do swirly butter icing but today I did some with Royal icing too.

I hope she'll like them. I've got a little glittery pink '8' candle to stick in the top cake for her.

On the sewing front I aim to make my first garment. I've had the pattern and the fabric for months, just been putting off trying it. Not for much longer, well until next week. It's only comfy pants or house trousers for my girls, but as M pointed out to me the other day if I don't make them soon, she'll have outgrown the pattern!

So, I think it's so far so good on the 'new' front...I wonder what else new will come from there first steps I've taken? New friends, new crafts, new skills.....who knows, but it's all very exciting!

Fishy Fishy......

Through Twitter I started to follow a lady called Hannah Wong (@HannahW1g) in fact I think she may have followed me, anyhow she has a website called The Resurceful Cook it has recipes and meal plans for couples and families, quick shops, dinner parties all sorts. It really is very useful. You can even get it to do a shopping list for you, if you like, it's fantastic. I've made several recipes from the site and all were enjoyed by our family. I'd often chatted to Hannah on Twitter or re-tweeted posts she'd put on and one day she messaged me and asked if I'd like a book called Fishy Fishy.

There was no catch, she didn't ask me to write a review and I didn't have to enter a competition or anything. She just sent me a direct message and asked of I'd like it as she had a 'spare' copy. I was really pleased. Fish is one thing I have trouble getting the family to eat so a fish cook book would be very welcome.
A couple of weeks later it arrived.
It's a beautiful book, lots of nice pictures a forward from Dermot O'leary, co-owner of the Fishy Fishy restaurant. There's information on fishing methods,controls and quota's, how to buy and how to prepare. The recipes cover starters, barbecues, everyday and special occasions as well as sauces, side dishes and desserts (not including fish!)
It's a great book to look through and read, but not many of the recipes are what I consider family or lets say child friendly, not when those children just about eat tinned tuna!
I was determined to try out at least one recipe on the whole family so I opted for the Fishy Fishy Fishcakes the safest option there.
The recipe was pretty simple to follow, nothing complicated, no strange ingredients. Fingers crossed the fusspots  family would like them.

They were easy to make, not too time consuming and you can make them in advance a store in the fridge until ready.

The recipe says it makes six but I made nine and a baby sized one for L who may or may not have a fish allergy. You start them off in a frying pan and finish them off in the oven,
They turned out just like the ones in the book but sadly as we're still to take the new camera out of the box the picture I took on my phone hasn't come out very well. Maybe because I was rushing as I just wanted to sit down to my tea.
I served them with potato wedges and a mixture of curly kale and peas. Yum!
They really were delicious and more importantly the family really liked them. Empty plates all round.

So I'd say if you like fish this book would be good to get, lots of lovely recipes and information, but maybe not the best book for family fish recipes for reluctant fish eaters. I however am pleased to have it in my collection of cook books. Thank you Hannah x

Please note - I was not asked to write this review, nor did I receive any recompense. The book was sent to me as a gift not as part of a promotion

A break in the clouds

I'm not big on New Years Resolutions, I never end up keeping them anyway, but with all that's happened in the last few weeks, I do feel like it's time for some changes for me and some for my family too. I find myself starting 2012 with no job and no clue as to what I want to do next. I may not get to choose, at the end of the day I have three children to feed and bills to pay like everyone else, so it might be a case of taking what comes up.

I was reading this blog today, which in turn led me to another blog where the writer talks about wanting to put more importance on experiences than things or stuff. I could relate to both blogs, although certainly wouldn't be able to compete with the experiences the second blogger was talking about but the idea is the same.
Me and Mr P got to talking on Christmas Eve about how much importance is put on stuff and how we feel some of the excitement has gone from Christmas for some children as they no longer have to wait until Christmas or a Birthday for that special gift. Everything is so accessible now and a good many children get gifts all year round. I'm not ashamed to say I don't include my children in that. They almost always have to wait for things and get some things as gifts that other children just get given for no special reason. Sometimes they have to choose between things for example, a bigger gift or a party. I'm not afraid to tell them they can't have it all, or in fact that I can't afford something. This is one area of my life I don't have any plans for changing. I am proud of my children and their attitude towards money and possessions. I was worried on Christmas Eve that their little piles of gifts looked so small, but as they get older the gifts seem to get smaller and more expensive! I spend the same on each of them and they each had one main presents and a few other smaller gifts. But I needn't have worried as they were all delighted with the gifts they received on Christmas morning and in fact R, my 8 year old said the best gift he got was the quilt I made him (should I send the shiny new iPod back?)

So what will I change?
 I need to find a new job, hopefully it will be something I love. There is one plan I have in mind which involves cake and crafts, that some of you know about, but what I need to work out is whether I have the courage and drive to do it, or if I can live with the sacrifices it will mean making in the early stages...........Hmmmm?

I want us to eat better. Mr P always tells me that I'm ahead in this area, but not ahead enough for my liking. So I want to try more things, different things and I want my children to do the same.

I'm not going to diet. They don't work, at least not long term, and as I have been told, I don't really need to.
I'm a size 12 (can't believe I've published that fact!) I'm not huge as I used to have myself believe and complaining about my slight muffin top or curvaceous bottom is pathetic. If nothing else good came out of that car crash it was this! I'm not going to beat myself up anymore. I'm a 30 something mother of 3 beautiful children with a man who loves me and I'm alive! If my accident had happened differently I would have been lucky to be sat here typing this so no more putting myself down or beating myself up over things that really don't matter, and who's looking at me anyway!! So from now on I'll make an effort every day (this has already been noticed by the children, they thought I was off out on NYE!) and if I feel like wearing stockings or nice undies, then I shall, whatever day of the week it is!

I'm going to be more positive. I suffer from depression (another huge admission) It's not there all the time, but it comes in waves. It's easy to slide when things get you down, they escalate or spiral out of control. 2011 was a pretty bad year all round. It started with my Mum's funeral and ended with me losing my job and having my 'near miss' accident with other negative experiences scattered through the year. So instead of thinking about all the negative stuff (and there was plenty!) I had a think about the good things that happened last year. I thought it would be a short list but actually there were quite a few good things that happened once I started picking through it all.

- We had our first visitors 'Up North' two sets in fact, good friends and then my sister and her husband
-We discovered a new park
-Mr P turned 30
-M got fantastic SAT's results
-I took the children to London for a week we saw lots of sights and caught up with old friends
- We went on a lovely holiday
-M started secondary school
- The children spoilt me on my birthday
- I met three amazing new friends
-I wasn't seriously injured (or worse) in my accident.
And there were more sunny days, long walks, family dinners and birthdays to share too.

Today we got up early, well earlier than the rest of the holidays, it was dry and the sun was shining for the first time in ages. I went for a walk with the children and Bruno. It was lovely.
Tomorrow the children are back to school, Mr P is back to work and me, well, I'm not. I have forms for the liquidators to fill in to claim my owed wages and a job hunt to start. I'd happily be a SAHM but it doesn't pay the bills, so while I am at home I'm going to try and enjoy it and make everyday count. Now that I've seen that break in the clouds I want try and hold on to that feeling. This year has to be better than the last and maybe, just maybe if I believe good things will happen they will.

May 2012 have more sunshine than clouds

Smile, it confuses people!