Nature in the Home :: May Day

I'm so excited that the lovely Lou from Little Green Shed's Nature in the Home series has started again. This week the challenge is all about reviving the ancient tradition of flower baskets, where you (anonymously) leave  posies of flowers on friends and neighbours doorsteps on May Day.

Happy May Day x

Recipe :: Banana Waffles

I start work super early so midweek I miss making breakfast for les enfants. I get to do the exciting weekend breakfasts when we have loads more time and get to laze about eating it in bed!

A couple of weeks ago I bought a waffle iron. Since then, I have made waffles at every opportunity. This has gone down well with the kids! 

Banana Waffles (makes 5-6)

You will need:

100g flour
100ml milk
1 egg
1 banana
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
2 tbsp oil

Mix flour and sugar together in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Beat the egg, milk and oil together in a jug. Mash the banana and add to the milky mixture. Gradually add the liquid mix to the well in the flour whisking slowly adding a little flour and milk to the well at a time to make a smooth batter. 

Pour into your waffle iron and cook for 3 mins. Serve with your favourite topping, my children like honey and sprinkles...(I know. for breakfast. terrible mother). 

Recipe :: Daily Bread - Cheddar Cheese Soda Bread

I've been looking for a good cheddar cheese bread recipe for some time. Last weekend I had a go at this recipe. It was very easy, and very yum. I would say that the texture is more like a giant cheese scone than bread though and this should most definitely be eaten with a chunk of butter on the day you bake it (which to be honest is not hard!). 

                        

You will need: 

• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100g unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
• 50ml milk
• 100g cheddar, grated
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
• a pinch of salt and  pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and place a roasting tray with an inch of boiling water in it on the bottom shelf of  the oven.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mix resembles breadcrumbs (you could whizz up the butter and dry ingredients in a food processor).  Add the grated cheese and gradually pour in the milk stirring until combined into a loose dough, shaping it into a ball. Place on a floured baking sheet, stick the rosemary into the top of the dough and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes - it will be ready when it sounds hollow if you tap the base of the loaf. 

Eat immediately* with hunks of salty butter....mmmmm.

*well, perhaps let it cool enough so you don't burn your mouth!

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E :: Having a cheeky snooze.
C :: Patiently waiting for his best friend to come to play.

Taking a picture of my children each week in 2014. Joining in with Jodi.


I'm really late in posting this week, and my favorites from this week are the lovely Badoo looking thoughtful on the beach and little Milly playing peacefully.

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C&E throwing sand on Crantock beach.
A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014. Joining in with Jodi.

Recipe :: Overnight Brioche Rolls - The Perfect Weekend Breakfast

I stumbled across this super easy looking recipe in an old Co-Op Magazine. It looked so simple and the perfect weekend breakfast for lazing about with the children.

There are 2 steps, you make the dough the night before you want to eat the rolls, then you bak them the next morning to enjoy for breakfast. it feels so nice to have freshly baked brioche, but really unfussy.



You will need:

500g strong bread flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried yeast
1 teaspoon salt
150g butter
4 eggs
200mls milk
12 teaspoons sugar (for sprinkling on top of each roll.

Beat the butter and 2 tablespoons sugar together in a large bowl. Add 3 of the eggs and 1 tablespoon of the flower and beat together until smooth and runny. Add the remaining flour, the yeast, salt and milk and beat until you have a smooth dough. Cover with cling film and leave the dough at room temperature overnight to prove (or at least 7 hours),

The next morning, roll the dough into satsuma sized balls and place into a greased 12 hole muffin tin. Brush with the remaining egg and sprinkle each roll with a tsp of sugar.

 Bake for 25 mins at 170 degrees Celsius.

Enjoy warm with butter and homemade jam - yum.

Keeping it simple.

At the end of 2013 I find myself craving a simple existence, one without unnecessary complications. 2013 has been an amazing year in many respects and at the same time the busiest for our little family. As the excitement of Christmas fades I find myself welcoming the fresh start of 2014 and am so pleased to try to uncomplicate my life a little. 

Happy New Year Everyone, I hope you all have a wonderful one!

xx

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C&E opening presents on christmas day, we booth them matching cameras. Love their little faces :)

Joining in with Jodi and the 52 project. The last of 2013. I'm looking forward to taking part each week in 2014...

Let it Snow

I love this feature of my Kids Pom Pom Scarf on ordinarilyaimee.com how cute is the snow! I wish it would properly snow here, it rarely does and the children are so hopeful that it will this christmas. Aimee is a brilliant illustrator and has some amazing printable calendars in her shop.

Kids Pom Pom scarf here.

Happy days x

Hello December....

November was over in a flash - hello December!

I'm surrounded by mountains of wool and dreaming about putting the Christmas decorations up at the weekend - I LOVE this time of year! I've been enjoying browsing Pinterest for festive ideas and cannot wait to get immersed in the holiday sprit!

Follow Emily Talling Ho Ho Ho! on Pinterest

Ho ho ho...

Pom Pom Pom di Pom...

Perfect little pom pom scarves for your little people in the shop now....

Happy days x

Autumn Pear Cake

This is my favourite cake recipe at the moment. It is super easy and a brilliant way of using up a glut of pears, its also pretty yummy!

Autumn Pear Cake

You will need a 9 inch Spring Form cake tin.

- 6-8 Pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

- 300 ml Golden caster sugar (measure in a measuring jug)

- 3 large eggs

- 250g Unsalted butter

- 300g Plain flour

- 1 tsp Baking Powder

- Dark brown Sugar to sprinkle (approx. 2 tablespoons)

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cream the butter and caster sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and whisk into the mixture adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg. Add the remaining flour and baking powder to the mixture and beat until combined and smooth. Grease the cake tin and spoon half the mixture into the tin. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon and arrange a layer of pears, using half of the fruit. Carefully spoon the remaining mixture on top of the layer of pears and place the remaining pears carefully on top of the cake pushing into the batter slightly. Sprinkle with the dark brown sugar and bake for around an hour or until a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Happy Autumn!

Autumn Caramel Apple Jam Recipe

            

I just love this time of year. Leaves falling, the prospect of wintery walks and time to cozy up in the warmth with a nice cup of tea and a pile of wool.

For me, it’s also a favourite time of year for recipes. I've tried a couple of new autumn inspired recipes this year so far, which I am excited to share. This first is a delicious Apple Caramel Jam adapted from here, just perfect on a crumpet or a chunk of homemade bread. Yum.

Apple Caramel Jam

This makes around 3 small jars of jam.

- 8 apples peeled, cored and chopped

- 1 tablespoon of butter

- 2 cups of demerera ugar

- 1 cup granluated sugar

- 1/3 cup water

Sterilise the jars by baking in the oven on a low heat for 30 minutes. Meanwhile add the apples, water and butter to a heavy bottomed pan and bring to the boil. Cook for 8 minutes stirring frequently. Add the sugar, stir and boil for 2 minutes without stirring.

Carefully transfer to the sterilised jars and put the lids on the jars. Allow to cool then refrigerate. The Jam will keep unopened in the fridge for around 6 weeks, once open consume within 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

Happy days x

Happy Halloween!

Chunky Pumpkin Wrist Warmers by LumiStyle

Happy Halloween! We're very excited in our house this year, its pumpkins and ghostly garlands galore! I've got a mammoth night of frantic costume sewing ahead of me tonight (orders are: A Ghost Bat (?!) and a Dinosaur), I  may be awake rather late!

Happy Haunting everyone! x

Pumpkin Wrist Warmers in the shop here!

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Charlie, my lovely boy on his very first day of school. my how time flies.

Edie riding a pony, her first every go, she loved it!

Joining in with the 52 portraits project, taking a picture of my children each week. 

Happy days xx

Garden Goodness

Lots of things have been happening in the garden recently. This year we planted a couple of small raised veg beds to try to grow a few veggie plants in. 

a leek amid the strawbs

This week its exciting to see that we finally have a very small cob on the sweetcorn! 

There are other treats growing wild in the hedges, lots of blackberries, and rosehips - many, many rosehips - I can't wait to try making rosehip syrup with them.

The hydrangea's are in full bloom and are in various shades of purple, pink and the most vibrant peacock blue. Just lovely. 

But I think I am most excited about my courgette plant. Every year I listen to people speak about their glut of courgettes and every year I watch as mine are eaten by giant slugs, wistfully dreaming about the courgette cake recipes I have just waiting for my non existent glut. This year, there will be no glut, but thanks to my darling friend who gave me a very healthy plant this year, I may just be able to make that cake with my very own courgettes! Thank you V x

Happy days x

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Its been a busy old week. We managed to enjoy an afternoon of sunshine on the beach this weekend, lots of fun was had splashing and swimming in the sea! 

Charlie: Pays such attention to details, collecting white shells to decorate his sandcastle.

Edie: I love how excited she gets about the simplest things. Strawberry ice cream was such a treat!

Joining in with Jodi and the 52 portraits project, taking a picture of my children each week. 

Happy days xx

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Edie: Blowing bubbles, her absolute favourite thing.

Charlie: Eating a cupcake in the garden, fingers covered in buttercream.

Joining in with Jodi and her 52 weeks project and taking a picture of my children each week. 

Happy days x

Wednesday Wonders: Daily Bread

Grandma's Bread - 8X10 F... janeheller $35	maxi light yellow dress / sh... Aolo $74.9	CIJ SALE - White Peony Photo... JillianAudreyD... $30	Sheep in Fog, Animal Photogr... EyePoetryPhoto... $30
vintage MACRAME plant holder... vintagemarmala... $24	Deep magenta birch architect... 2of2 $40	Gathered pinafore skirt with... THREADBEAT $125	White Porch Perfume Oil Coco... LongWinterSoap... $9
CIJ SALE Oriental Copper Rou... MeshuMaSH $31.5	Coral Flowers Print 8"x... calamaristudio $13.5	Change the Color - Vintage D... becaruns $325	Vintage 1940's Green Ena... msjeannieology $12
Full Body Apron With Blue, R... AllVintageFabr... $17	Tree Mansion. RPatrickPhotog... $25	Roman - Leather Tobacco Pouc... TheDrifterLeat... $35	Natural linen table runner -... pillowlink $40.99

This week's roundup of a few of my favorite rustic finds from Etsy at the moment.