Olympic Torch Relay Fun and Lazy Susan project completed!

Well Olympic fever has well and truly hit here now...it was the Torch relay through my town today so on mass everyone lined the streets to cheer on each of the torch bearers. The weather, in true English fashion was appalling, but despite the ever constant drizzly rain (and one or two torrential downpours) and my Bah Humbug attitude towards the whole Olympics hoohar, the day was actually a lot of fun and enjoyed by all I think (even me!). I am feeling pretty shattered now actually and am looking forward to settling down in front of the TV tonight and then early to bed...my Rock and Roll lifestyle is so enviable!

The Olympic Torch passes us going up Chalkwell Avenue.
Just after this photo was taken the heavens absolutely opened up and we had the most torrential downpour- I'm glad I got to see it and get this photo beforehand.

I missed doing my Monday Shout outs as this week being nearly the end of term is a mad one at work and I have been in everyday this week so shout outs will have to wait til next Monday, but I have finished my Lazy Susan craft project so thought I'd share that with you.

I purchased a pine Lazy Susan from IKEA about 3 weeks ago for the bargain price of £5.39! I couldn't resist such a bargain and while I had no need, or for that matter desire, to own a Lazy Susan I thought if I could make it look pretty I'd find a use for it .

SNUDDA

Lazy Susan, solid wood birch

£5.39

It was very plain and boring so I started by sanding it right back to bare unwaxed wood and staining it using strong coffee and coffee grindings.

I then drew a design on it using a French sign I got from The Graphics Fairy...but ended up not liking it so sprayed it with a very light coat of semi-gloss white to cover the design.

You can kind of make out the design I had originally put onto the board, but wasn't happy with.

All sprayed and ready for podging!

I found an old piece of wrapping paper I'd gotten from a French Art Exhibition I'd seen at the Tate Modern a few years ago and used that to cover the whole board. Using my trusty Mod Podge I spread a layer over both the board and the paper and placed the paper on top and lined it up. I smoothed out the paper to make sure all the air bubbles were out and I left to dry completely.

When it was totally dry I noticed that in a couple of places it didn't completely cover the the board and sides so I got a small piece of very fine sandpaper and lightly went over the whole top smoothing and "ageing" the edges and centre of the paper.

I sanded the edges so they blended into the sides without harsh paper lines.

I also sanded the centre of the board to give it an aged, "lived with" look.

I then gave it 3 good coats of a clear acrylic varnish to make sure it was protected from any spills or things that were placed on it. I am really happy with the way it has turned out and I am sure if I had to buy it now I'd pay a lot more than the £5.39 IKEA charged for it.

Voilà the completed project!

I trust you are all enjoying your Friday, I am now going to go out into the garden to catch the last rays of sunshine (it decided to make an appearance in  the late afternoon) before the Gnats descend and it's too bitey to be outside anymore.

Did you manage to see the Olympic torch relay in your town?


Enjoy the rest of your weekend, I hope it's a good one for you.

xx P xx

My baby boy is 6!

It hardly seems like yesterday that I was waddling round grumbling about how nice it would be to see my feet again, and was this heat ever going to go away as I was too fat and not enjoying being sweaty and puffy! I guess my baby boy was listening and being kind to his Mumma because he decided enough was enough made his appearence 5 weeks early!

That was 6 years ago today, oh how time has flown. I look at him now and can't believe he is the same teeny tiny little bubba boy that was in such a hurry to arrive.

He has really grown-up into a proper boy now, still mad haired and still Mummy's little guy, but a proper grown-up boy, into all the strange things little boys find so fascinating.

1 year old eating his greens.

Skateboarding is his new craze, it's what he really wanted for his birthday, so when I picked him up from school yesterday I surprised him with a new "deck". Wow who knew a skateboard could have made him so popular. All the way out of school and along the road we were greated with envious remarks of 'oh wow you have a skateboard...COOL!' He was mobbed at the park so held court and showed off his boarding prowess (and sustained his first boarding injury too). It's off to the skate-park tonight to practice some tricks, I am sure it won't be too long before he'll be telling me about his latest ollie, being a goofy, his primo stack, fakies and k-grinds speaking in a language I'll never hope to understand and there'll be no more kisses for his Mummy in public!

He'll still always be my Boo, Moudgie,Puss or Bushie though no matter how big he gets.

Happy Birthday my baby boy!

1st Birthday

2nd birthday



3rd birthday



3 years old- First day at school!

4th Birthday- The Elvis tshirt seems to be
a popular party outfit!





5th birthday- opening presents



I hope your Wednesday is a good one, I kind of wish I was at home with my birthday boy rather than at work but never mind we'll celebrate tonight!

Are you or any of your family having a birthday today?

xx P xx

One for you Oskar!

Chook for dinner!

I don't know about you but in our house we seem to go through and inordinate amount of chicken in a week! Don't get me wrong I love, love, love chicken...I like to think I am a fairly adventurous and inventive cook and while I do like the ways I prepare our chicken dinners it does get a little blah and samey after a while, there is only so many ways you can present grilled chicken before it gets boring; and so on Tuesday I found myself doing something I never dreamed I'd ever do...looking up how to cook chicken recipes on Google! WOW there are millions of chicken sites out there and I never knew how versatile the humble chooky thigh could be. I thought it would be a nice idea to share some of the recipes I found in particular the one I tried as it has opened up a whole new avenue of culinary delights for me.

I made this recipe using single cream rather than the suggested double cream, not for any health or weight loss benefits it was just all I had in the fridge at the time. I also used vege stock not chicken stock again cause it's all I had in the cupboard. It was one of the most delicious chicken meals I've eaten in a long while, is was simple and quick to prepare and was a hit with all the family- I can thoroughly recommend this!

I made this and it is delicious!

Chicken Pasta with Thyme-Mint Cream Sauce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

·         Pasta, such as linguine or fettuccine

·         2 Tbsp olive oil

·         1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         1/2 cup of dry white wine

·         1/2 cup chicken stock

·         1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

·         2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

·         1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

·         1 teaspoon lemon zest

·         2 teaspoons honey

·         1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar

·         1/2 teaspoon salt and more salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

1 Heat 4 quarts of salted* water in a large pot for the pasta. As the water heats, prepare the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the chicken pieces, spreading them out initially and then not stirring them, so they have an opportunity to brown. Once lightly browned on one side, use tongs to flip the pieces over so they brown on the second side. When pieces are browned on both sides, and just cooked through, remove to a paper towel lined plate.

2 Deglaze the pan with white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and let liquids reduce by half (turn up the heat if necessary). Add the cream, mint, thyme, lemon zest, honey, salt, and vinegar. Reduce the sauce by half again.

3 Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook following directions on pasta package. When pasta is ready, drain and add to cream sauce when cream sauce has been reduced by half and is thick enough to coat a spoon. Add chicken to the pasta and sauce. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

* Use a teaspoon of salt for every quart of water. Some people wait until the water is boiling to add the salt. Makes little difference to me. Just make sure you get the salt in the pasta water or your pasta will be tasteless.

Serve immediately. Garnish with a little chopped fresh mint and thyme. Serves 4-6.

This is another chicken dish I make from time to time especially in the winter. I like to serve it with a loaf of crusty home made bread (with plenty of butter!) It is a 'me-concocted' recipe so the amounts are very fluid...adjust to your needs.I prefer to use chicken thighs as they are so much more flavourful and less dry than breasts.

Chicken and Choritzo
Chicken breast or thighs- enough to feed your family
A good quality Choritzo sausage- I use a non-spicy one because I am feeding all my family but it is delicious if you want to make a hot/spicy version of this recipe.
Red onions halved and sliced into thin slices.
Red wine
Tinned tomatoes
Tomato paste
Smoked paprika
Vege stock cube
Salt and pepper to taste.

Brown the well seasoned chicken thighs/breasts and cubed choritzo in a pan, add onions and cook until soft. Remove onions and chicken and deglaze the pan with about a cup of red wine using a wooden spoon to get all the yummy bits off the bottom of the pan. Add stock, paprika, t. paste and tin of tomatoes and simmer for about 10 mins. Add onions and chicken and cook slowly for about an hour-a slow cooker is good for this recipe as it allows the stew to cook slowly and the flavours to meld together. It is also nice to add kidney beans (canned sort) at the end of the cooking time.

This is an EASY and YUMMY recipe and is perfect on a cold wintery night to warm you up. Served with a large glass of a good hearty Rioja...perfect!

I am definitely going to try this one soon. I love African food- the spices they use and the rich flavoured sauces are amazing.

Mmmmm this African chicken stew looks absolutely gorgeous!

African Chicken Peanut Stew Recipe

·         Prep time: 15 minutes

·         Cook time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Use chicken legs, thighs or wings for this recipe. They have more flavour and will hold up better with the flavours of the stew than breast meat.

INGREDIENTS

·         2-3 pounds chicken legs, thighs and/or wings

·         3 Tbsp vegetable oil

·         1 large yellow or white onion, sliced

·         A 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

·         6-8 garlic cloves, chopped roughly

·         2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

·         1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

·         1 quart chicken stock

·         1 cup peanut butter

·         1 cup roasted peanuts

·         1 Tbsp ground coriander

·         1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

·         Salt and black pepper

·         1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

METHOD

1 Heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot set over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken pieces well, pat them dry and brown them in the oil. Don't crowd the pot, so do this in batches. Set the chicken pieces aside as they brown.

2 Sauté the onions in the oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.

3 Add the chicken, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts, coriander and cayenne and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt, adding more if needed. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 90 minutes (check after an hour), or until the chicken meat easily falls off the bone and the sweet potatoes are tender.

4 Remove the chicken pieces and set them in a bowl to cool, until cool enough to touch. Remove and discard the skin if you want, or chop it and put it back into the pot. Shred the meat off the bones and put the meat back in the pot.

5 Adjust the seasonings for salt and cayenne, then add as much black pepper as you think you can stand—the stew should be peppery. Stir in the cilantro and serve by itself, or with simple steamed rice.

Ah the classic Lemon chicken. I know it is easy to prepare but I have never quite mastered it...hopefully this recipe will be the one!

Lemon chicken- a delicious classic chicken dish.

Lemon Chicken Recipe

·         Cook time: 55 minutes

Add to shopping list

INGREDIENTS

·         3-4 pounds chicken parts (thighs and legs recommended), skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat

·         2 Tbsp lemon zest

·         1/3 cup lemon juice

·         2 cloves garlic, crushed

·         2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)

·         1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

·         1 teaspoons salt

·         1 teaspoon black pepper

·         2-3 Tbsp melted butter

·         Lemon slices for garnish

METHOD

1 Place lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch. (This will help the marinade penetrate.) Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Rotate the bag so that all chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (in case of leakage). Let marinate for 2 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a large baking dish, skin side up. Reserve the marinade. Use a pastry brush to brush a little melted butter on to each piece of chicken.

3 Bake for a total of 50 to 55 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear (breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F). Half-way through the baking, at about the 25 minute mark, baste the chicken pieces generously with reserved marinade.

Depending on the size of the breasts, they may be ready before the thighs, so if you are cooking a mix of chicken parts, keep that in mind, you may have to take them out of the oven before the thighs.

Let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

4 Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top (save the fat for cooking with later, or discard, but do not discard down the drain or it will solidify and clog your drain). Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken.

Serve alone or with steamed rice.

All this food talk has made me slightly peckish...must be nearing lunchtime, time for the Oly-monster to awaken and prowl round in search of food! Time for me to go then!

What's your favourite chicken recipe...I would love to hear from anyone who has any other suggestions for me on how to make my chicken meals more exciting! Perhaps so old family secret recipe you'd like to pass on?!


 Hope you have had a fabulous week so far, thanks for stopping by.

xx P xx

White chocolate and blueberry scones

This is one of my favourite recipes to make and quite a few people have asked for the recipe recently....so here it is. They are simple to make and taste delish!!!
Start with a simple scone recipe- I use Mary Berry's Best ever Scone recipe but any plain scone recipe you have would be fine.

The secret to a good scone is not to handle the mixture too much and to make the dough on the wet, sticky side.

450g plain flour
2 rounded tsp of baking powder
75g butter
50g caster sugar
2 large eggs
about 225mls of milk
1 punnet of blueberries
1 200g block of white chocolate chopped into small chunks

Preheat the oven to 220°C.
In a bowl rub together with your finger tips the flour, baking powder and butter until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar.

 Beat the eggs together and add enough milk to make it up to 300mls (keep about 2Tbsp aside for glazing the scones)

 Gradually add the egg mixture until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. During this time I add the punnet of blueberries and chopped white chocolate to the mixture.

Turn the wet, sticky dough onto a well floured board and flatten out to about 1-2cm. I use the palm of my hand to do this as a rolling pin doesn't work so well on the sticky mixture.

Using a 5cm fluted cutter stamp out the scones and place them on to a tray covered with baking parchment.

Brush the top of each scone with the egg mixture you put aside before. Ensure you cover all the tops as anything that isn't given this egg wash stays white and not glossy and golden as they should be.

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 mins until golden brown. When done transfer to a wire rack covered with a clean tea towel to keep them moist.

They aren't the best looking, cook book style scones. They don't seem to rise as much with the added extras in them. But the proof is in the tasting and believe me these taste absolutely fantastic!

These should be eaten as fresh as possible they are gorgeous when they are still warm. If you make loads and don't use them all they can be frozen and reheated (from frozen) in a moderate oven for about 10 mins.

Well happy baking, would love to hear from anyone that has a go and makes these if yours rose or were they a bit flat like mine? Anyone have any scone making tricks they can share, I'd love to hear from you!!

xx P xx

Pretty shoes tutorial... OH how I love Mod Podge!

 It is so great when you wear something that people comment on asking where you got it, commenting how lovely it is etc etc. It is even nicer when you can proudly say that "I made this!"
I LOVE shoes and have "several" pairs in my wardrobe! I love quirky, different, pretty, one of a kind shoes (ala- Irregular Choice,Rocket Dog, Jimmy Choo) but unfortunately could never afford to own a pair as they are so expensive... sob sob!
Not being one to let a little thing like no cash stop me from owing something everyone would comment with jealousy on, I decided to make my own shoes! I am a Mod Podge junkie (if it sits still I'll mod podge it!) and knew it would be the perfect to use for shoes, I had used the outdoor one on a few other projects so knew it was amazingly waterproof and durable. After pouring over sites on handmade, fabric covered shoes getting inspiration I grabbed the glue and some scraps of material and got to work.

These were the first pair I made. I started with £4 shoes from Primark in an odd brown colour. I used different scraps of fabric and leather and added felt balls and felt leaves to the front. I get masses of complements from people when ever I wear them... I really love these shoes.

 These were my wedding shoes- but when can you ever wear white satin shoes again??? I covered them using torn up tissue paper and covered them with several layers of Outdoor Mod Podge to keep them weather proof. I haven't worn them yet, not too sure what outfit to match them with? 

I thought I would share a tutorial with you on how I created my latest pair of shoes.

Step 1

Get an old pair of shoes. These can be newly purchased shoes or old ones you no longer use, it doesn't matter either way, in fact charity shops are great for cheap shoes cause it doesn't matter what they look like to begin with. Mine had flower decorations on them that I simple snipped off.

Step 2

Trace out a template of you shoe onto paper. I used tissue and laid the shoe on to the paper and roughly traced round it. You don't have to be too accurate as you'll trim the excess off later anyway. Then cut your template out of fabric, like you would with a sewing pattern.

Step 3

Cover shoe in Mod Podge (I used the Outdoor type ) and place fabric on top and move about til it fits well. I then pushed the fabric into the rim of the sole with the end of my unpicker, but anything with a small sharp end would be fine.

Snip little tabs into the fabric round the instep of the shoe and glue down. I held the tabs down with mini clothes pegs but again clippy anything will do.

Step 4

Repeat the steps for the back of the shoe. I didn't cover the heel on this pair but have with previous shoes.

Step 5

When the glue has dried completely trim the excess fabric off using a very sharp craft knife (it goes without saying please take special care when using sharp knives!)

All trimmed up

  

Step 6 

Now decorate! The sky's the limit here so go mad! I used lace, ribbon and small wooden hearts with super glue to stick them on to make sure they didn't come off. I finally gave them a couple of coats of Outdoor Mod Podge to make sure they were weather proof.... and here they are!

Looking forward to being able to wear these as soon as the weather warms up...whenever that may be!

Hope you are having a great Wednesday where you are.

xx P xx

Oh Mod Podge how I love thee!