Orange & oat cookies

Isn't it great that when you are older no one tells you not have have cookies before your dinner. Well in fact my husband tells me all the time but what the hec I'm older than him so who is he to tell me what to do! Anyway these cookies have oranges and raisins in so I expect I am covered for 2 of my 5 a day. They are sturdy too so good for dunking in tea.

You will need;

200g rolled oats 

200g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

grated zest of 2 oranges

100g raisins

juice of 1 orange

2 tbsp honey

3tbsp soft brown sugar

1 tsp mixed spice

100g butter

Method;

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 4
2. Melt the butter and the honey together in a pan.
3. Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl and add the butter mixture and the orange juice.
4. Roll into walnut sized balls and flatten slightly. Bake on a tray for 20 mins or until golden.

Inspired by and reminded of strength

<Source>

I went and saw The Lady the story of Aung San Suu Kyi and her work in Burma. Sitting in the cinema  I remembered that it must have been since her Nobel Peace Prize that I had read her name in the first three pages of the paper. It is so easy for us to forget what is happening in the world as our news reports loose interest and fill our lives with inconsequential nonsense. 

<source>

Often people say what can I do? How can one person make a difference and I look back at history and I am reminded that it is flooded with individuals who act as beacons of human spirit and their strength influences the world. One person often does make a difference because they never stop believing they can.

Take some time today to remember there is a world out there where events are happening far beyond what is being reported in the paper and ask yourself how you can make a difference today and be inspired by the strength of others. Be reminded that our world is filled with sadness, suffering and injustice but it is also filled with light, hope and heroes.

My star wars dress

I love handmade, I love star wars and I certainly love my new dress. Made by the marvellous Judith of Rusty Cuts. Visit her etsy shop and I am sure you will find a lovely frock of your own. I can't wait to wear mine in summer. The dress is very well made and even arrived ironed which meant I could put it straight on - bonus. The dress arrived beautifully packaged with real personal touches such as a toy zoo key and an old photo slide. 

Outfit Details;

Belt - Charity Shop

Boots - Fly

Cardigan - Primark

Dress - Rusty Cuts

Tights - Primark

My current happiness - accessories

White Feather Headband  - Shop Olivine

Crochet okapi necklace - Okapiknits

Cherry Earrings - smafactory

 Silver bird's nest ring - circes house

Double bow - red velvet

 La bella luna earrings - shop olivine

Silk crepe bloom - Mignonne handmade

Have a great weekend everyone, I'm going to a Mad men style office party tonight what are you up to?

Spicy Lentil Loaf

I love spicy food and I love things that can be eaten hot or cold it means less cooking for me during the week.

 

You will need;

 

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

7oz kidney beans

14oz (cooked weight) green lentils

1 free range egg

2 grated carrots

80g grated cheddar

3oz bread crumbs

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp garam masala

salt and pepper

Method;

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / gas 4. Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. Cook the onion in the oil with the garlic and spices.
3. Put the cooked lentils, half the kidney beans and the onion mixture into a food processor and whizz together.
4. In a mixing bowl stir in the carrots, cheese, the rest of the beans, salt and pepper, breadcrumbs and tomato ketchup.
5. Spoon into a loaf tin and bake for and hour. I covered the top of the mixture  for the first 30mins so that the top does not get too burned.

This can be sliced and served on the same day or cold the next. I fried a slice the next day and served it with a poached egg on top.

Take Care
Nicolette xo

 

My own backyard

One of my new years blogging resolutions was to do more outfit posts? Why? Well I love clothes and it is good fun. Why have I not done more of these sooner? That's an easy one I'm shy. This was my husbands first foray into photography I think he did a good job. What do you think? Even Archie appeared in the post with me this is becoming a real family blog.

Outfit Details;

Belt and Skirt - Charity Shop

Shoes - London Rebel 

Cardigan - Tesco (very old)

Top - Kookai Outlet on Ebay

Fruity Healthy Snack Balls

 

This is a really quick super healthy recipe, full of slow release fruit sugars for energy. These are a good one to make with little ones as they love getting messy hands, you'll see what I mean. 

You will need;

 

300g dried apricots

150g dried pitted dates

80g coconut cream

sesame seeds to coat balls

 

 

Method;

1. Weigh out your fruit and coconut cream and put into the food processor.
2. Whizz up until it is a rough paste.
3. Meanwhile toast your sesame seeds. I do this in a dry frying pan.
4. Roll into balls, not too large think bite sized, your hands will get very sticky here. Then roll in the seeds. They can be stored in a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They are a great addition to a lunch box.

 

Take Care

Nicolette xo

 



Make a rattle ball

As I mentioned in my knitted bear post here that I had a new baby addition to my family. New life just keeps on coming, I also have four friends expecting also! There must be something in the water. I am going to start making lots of lovely treats for them.

Here is a really simple one that even a novice sewer can make. Mama Hargreaves gave me the pattern and her big sis taught her, and now I'm showing all of you.

You will need to collect fabric scraps and cut out the templates below. You will need to add a seam allowance to the templates below.

To get the rattle you need to put large bells in some of the triangle shapes you're about to make. Babies like to spit up on their stuff so to enable you to pop your rattle ball in the wash you need to sew your bell into some plastic first. I used a bit of an old plastic bag.

Next you will need to sew two triangles to each ellipse right sides together. Remember to leave a gap to turn the shape the right way around. Next you need to stuff the shapes with toy filling or wadding, you need to make sure they are stuffed nice and tight.

Once you have finished stuffing all of the shapes remembering to put bells into some of them I used 3, close them up using ladder stitch. Now you are ready to start joining them up. Take four and join them at the top and bottom. It will make a flower type shape. Do this twice. 

Join the two flower shapes at the base this will form the centre of your ball. The last four shapes will only be joined at the top. Once you have inserted the last four pieces you have completed your ball. See how pretty they are. I am sure between four of my friends at least one of them will have a girl. I will probably run up a few in blue to make certain.

Ps. This is the first post I have included pictures taken with my new camera - but more on that later!

Frozen

The last few days my valley has been like a beautiful magical winter wonderland. When the frost comes I love it. I love the way that the ground looks like it is covered with glitter. I love the crunchy sound that the ground makes when it is frozen. I love frost.

Sweetcorn & potato pasties

These are a great little snack I made them for my husbands packed lunches for work. I made the pastry with wholemeal flour but you can substitute plain white flour in this recipe.

You will need;

for the filling;

2 medium white potatoes
1 onion
1 small of tin sweetcorn
4 florets of broccoli
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
5oz cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

for the pastry;


You will need flour, wholemeal or plain. For the amount of flour you use you will need half that amount of butter.
Now here is the trick. Take the butter straight from the fridge and grate it into the flour. Next rub the flour and butter together with your fingertips. Once it is fully mixed together add  small amounts of ice cold water, enough to form the pastry.
Wrap the pastry in film and return to the fridge for at least 4 hours! Now you know my pastry secret keep it under your hat will you.


Method;

1. Peel, boil & mash the potatoes and set aside. 
2. Chop the onion and fry in a little oil. When it is soft add the corn, herbs, seasoning, potatoes and cheese.
3. Wait for the mixture cools meanwhile roll out the pastry. I chose to make mini pasties you can pick your size.
4. Brush the pastry with milk and bake at 180C for 20mins or until the pastry is brown.

Welcome to the world!

We are in celebration here our cousin has brought  a new baby boy into the family! I am so very very pleased to say hello and welcome to baby Zachary, so pleased I knitted him a bear. Up to now I have only ever made very simple items, usually a variation on a rectangle so this was a major undertaking for me. The pattern is by Debbie Bliss from her book Blankets, Bears & Booties.

Banana fritters recipe

I love hot puddings and love bananas. My mum always cooked food from around the globe but at the heart of our heritage was Indian food so I was always surrounded by the spices and smells of Indian cooking growing up. Now I'm all grown up I add them to non traditional dishes all the time. I am all for a melting pot of culture and what better place to start than the kitchen.

you will need;

freshly grated nutmeg

2 green cardamon pods

1tsp fennel seeds

2 eggs

3 bananas

5 tbsp plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

dash of milk if needed

method;

1. Mash your bananas, this recipe is a great way to use one that are past there best and a little soft. Take the black seeds out of the cardamon pods and crush them with a pestle and mortar.
2. Add the fennel, nutmeg and crushed seeds to the bananas. Then add the eggs, flour and baking powder. At this point if the mixture is too stiff add a dash of milk. 
3. Season a pan with a little oil. Drop spoon sized amounts of the batter into the pan and fry on a low heat. 
4. When the bubbles begin to appear on the top the fritter will be firm enough to flip over. Fry the other side until golden.
5. Serve hot as a pudding or snack - I had mine for breakfast.

New year brings fresh focus

As most of my regular readers will know the last two year was a real mixed bag for me I lost my baby boy to a miscarriage and battled cancer twice. Whilst I am aware that bad things happen everyday good things do too no matter how hard it is to realise that when you are at a low ebb. The great thing about the last two years is that I kicked cancers ass twice and am not only well but emotionally stronger for it. I got married to a man is is devoted to me and we started to cement ourselves as a family unit. I love this photo of our shadows as we hugged.

I have also gained a new and enriched focus on my work.  I love to make goals for myself and this is something I do throughout the year not just in January but who am I to argue with tradition. There are so many things that I am looking forward to this year in addition to achieving my goals. 

Joe and I will get to celebrate our first wedding anniversary together and we are looking to sell our home and buy a new one together. I have three friends who are expecting and a cousin who will give birth any day now and I can't wait to welcome those babies into the world. My friend and my sister are getting married this year and two of our close friends just became engaged. All in all there are many things to look forward to this year - I can't wait!

My Personal Goals for 2012

• stop biting the skin around my nails, I really want pretty hands yet I get very dry skin around my nails and I pick and bite at them - it's a nasty habit and really should stop I won't feel like a proper grown up until I do.
• Shave time off my marathon this year I am aiming for 40mins! I will keep you posted on that one.
• Print out some photographs and take more. I know there are many photographs trapped on the hard drive but for me nothing will replace have a physical copy. I plan to start taking more photos this year, documenting events and memories and just taking pretty images.
• Play my guitar in front of people. I started learning this new instrument a year ago and enjoy a strum and a practise but have not yet found the courage to play in front of others.       

Business Goals

• Write an e course. I have a number of ideas for these in my ideas book I have a year of hard work ahead of me but I am determined to achieve my goals.
• launch a new blog design watch this space as this will be happening soon and I am very excited about it. It will also make the blog easier to navigate 
• Start a new set of paintings. As any creative person knows your direction is ever changing. Over the past few months I have been sketching and thinking about new pieces. It is exciting to me to see my work mature grow and develop.
• Re-brand and re-launch my textile design company
• Develop a new website for my textile design company.
• Start video blogging. I am nervous about this one as (1) I hate my voice and (2) am actually a shy person. However if things were always easy they would cease to a be a challenge. There are many diy and recipe posts I would love to share with you that would lend themselves to video so I promise I will become less camera shy.

What goals have you made for the new year? What are you looking forward to the most?