Saturday 2 November 2013

Recipe: Microwave Crumble


So I have something to let you all in on...I don't have an oven!  I did, back in April, and then the element blew and since then everything has all been a bit of a roller coaster and it just hasn't been top of the to do list.  Don't get me wrong, I massively thought it would be, and then it sort of became a bit of a challenge in myself to see how long I could last.

To be honest I think it has been good for us.  Instead of popping something in the oven for dinner I've been cooking a lot more fresh food on the hob and grill.  I miss being able to bake, make bread and home made pizza.  I've found that I can make flat bread on the grill, we make fudge and on the hob treats instead of baked goods, and I do still have a microwave.

I've never really been one for using a microwave instead of to reheat things, and defrost.

But the other week I thought I would try a crumble.  This was inspired by the fact that G found a recipe for microwave brownie and it really worked.

Sure Microwave crumble doesn't go crispy on the top, but if you think of it as a different thing then it actually works!  Last night we had homegrown pear and blackberry crumble! Yum!

Serves 2-3
Ingredients 
(all are rough as I tend not to measure with crumble)

4 tbsp plain flour
4 tbsp rolled oats
2 tbsp grape nuts (optional)
4tbsp caster sugar
50g butter
1tsp baking powder

4 medium pears (pealed, cored and chopped)
blackberries
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dark Brown Sugar

  • Heat fruit, vanilla extract and sugar in microwave until fruit starts to soften.
  • In a separate bowl rub the butter into the flour.
  • To this add oats, grape nuts, sugar, baking powder
  • Mix all this together
  • Add to the top of the fruit
  • Microwave for 2 minutes
  • Check and the depending on the heat of your microwave heat for another 1-2 minutes.











Friday 1 November 2013

What made me smile this week

Not On The High Street Baubles - £16.95

Every week I read loads of cool blogs, find amazing things on websites and make recipes that I've found...and then I go and forget all about them and can't find them!

I thought I would share with you some of the things that have been making me happy this week.

My new beautiful boots that were only £35.00 from Next!!! Absolute bargain.  I bought them in 1/2 size too big so that I can wear them with big comfy socks in the winter.

Not On The High Street Christmas Decorations are fab fab fab!! Loving all the ideas and feeling inspired to get out the craft set and start making my own bits and bobs.

New Iphone red case from amazon - professional but fun and super cheap! Just waiting for this to arrive tomorrow.

Tasty crumble and pie in a jar from Fossil.  I love the Fossil blog and definitely am loving following the different subjects and inspiration they bring to it.

Holy Mac - these fried bananas look amazing and I will definitely be making them this week.

I am so pleased I finally got round to putting my new business venture Posh Tot Tea up on Facebook.  

And finally... if you are a cat person and want a bit of a giggle - check this out - Texts from Mittens
Western Boots - Next £35.00

Fried Bananas - Rachel Schultz

Thursday 31 October 2013

HAPPY HALLOWEEN




HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This is my first year really embracing Halloween and it's actually good fun.  Every year I make sure I have sweets at the ready as we normally have about 10 groups of children and their parents from the area come trick or treating.  

This year I've had people telling me they think the house looks great and they love the Spiderman Pumpkin that G made for the Halloween party.

Loving embracing the festivities...just hope I don't run out of sweets and end up with tricks for the rest of the night.


Outfit Inspiration: Autumn is coming


Second Hand Barbour Jacket, Dorothy Perkins - Super Skinny Jeans,
Next - Western Boots,  Essie 'Fiji' 

I want to be able to use my blog to share where I find my clothes and inspiration for outfits as I find that a lot of the blogs out there are great, if you're tiny!  I'm not.  In all of my adult life I've been bigger, having gone from a size 20 down to a size 16, where I am now.  People often say that I have good style, but I often don't believe it because I'm busy thinking how much better the outfit would look if I was slim.

I find it so hard a lot of the time to put outfits together because I see things on skinny people and think that I can pull them off!! I must remember to tell myself 'No'.  Not in a negative way, as I think it's positive to embrace how you look, but I think it is important to say No and be REALISTIC about your size.

It has taken me a long time to find what suits, and often I don't get it right.  But I hope that by sharing what can work on here, those of you out there who are bigger ladies and struggle will feel inspired.

I am loving the chilly weather meaning I can embrace coats, boots and layers.  Having just picked up the newest Simple Things, a mug of green tea and rain outside is most certainly making me embrace the autumnal layers.

Super purchase is my early Xmas prezzie from G - my good as new second hand Barbour from Dirty Harry's in Brighton for £100.00!!

Wednesday 30 October 2013

My Autumn Must Haves

Lovely Winter Waxed Barbour Jacket

My Autumn Must Haves....

The clocks went back this weekend....It's officially gloomy and dark...and ever nearing winter!  There are a few things I'm really craving this autumn.  Most involve being comfy and cosy!  What are your Autumn must haves this year?  I would say most certainly the blanket from Loaf is a definite (if only it wasn't quite so many pennies!)


Clarks Chelsea Boots

Woodwick Trilogy Candle - Warm Woods




Gorgeous blanket from Loaf

Honey and Almond Pop Corn

Tuesday 29 October 2013

Halloweeeeeeen...





Feeling totally inspired this year to embrace the Halloween Season.  I have never really done Halloween before, as we grew up in the countryside we never really went Trick or Treating, and it just wasn't something as a family we embraced.  Since meeting G we have never really celebrated Halloween either as it falls two days after his birthday so we always celebrate that instead

However, this year I wanted to try something new and embraced that fact that the two fall within days of each other and took over G's party ideas and through a fantastic Halloween party.  I have been inspired over the last couple of years having read the fantastic Cupcakes and Cashmere as Halloween plays a prominent part of the year.  This post especially made me want to embrace all things food for the Halloween holiday.

As I lost my job last Friday I embraced being at home (along with applying for lots of jobs) and did all things party!  I themed our food, made lots of Halloween craft decorations and generally got excited about the season.

I think my favourite additions to the party were the pepper puking chutney, the raspberry and milk jelly brain (mould from Asda), and silver skull candles from Asda.

Happy Halloween folks x

(and Happy Birthday G)













Monday 28 October 2013

City of London Gin Distillery





City of London Distillery

Get yourselves to COLD!  We had such a fantastic evening here for my sisters 30th Birthday Celebrations.  I organised the trip for the whole family to meet in London an head to COLD, located in the heart of the city, just off Fleet Street.  Hidden down a narrow street and down some stairs the funky basement bar has a brilliant atmosphere.

The huge brass stills take pride of place opposite the bar and the hundreds of different Gin definitely offers you something you won'y have tried before.

We had booked onto a Gin workshop just for the 5 of us where we were greeted with a City of London Distillery Gin and Tonic on arrival before being guided through the history of Gin, with the illustration of different Gins to taste.  We were shown, with the use of the in house still, how gin is produced and given a run down of different types of Gin.  

For £30 each this was most certainly a brilliant evening out, the staff were lovely, the Gin was tasty, the atmosphere was lovely, and I now love Gin even more!

Gins to try:

Gin Mare
Aldi - London Dry Gin
City of London Gin
Greenall's Gin









You know its Autumn when you start Jam Making


Fab Jam labels and Lids - Amazon


Yippee! It's jam making season. Woohoo!

I have really tried to embrace the jam making season this year and am delighted with the two types of jam that I have made - both of which were from produce in mine and mum's garden - Apple and Blackberry, and Ginger and Pear (oooo so yummy!).

The best bit about jam making is if you barely have to buy anything for it, so in effect it's either a stockpile for you to use throughout the next year or several Christmas prezzies, all at very low cost.

Throughout the year I have been collecting empty jam jars and so these didn't cost a penny either!

I never realised how easy jam is....

Pop ingredients in pan,
Heat to dissolve sugar,
Put a tea plate in the freezer,
Boil for 10 mins,
Take the jam off the boil and drop some onto the tea plate - it should go solid so that when you run your finger through it wrinkles,
If it isn't set boil for another 5mins, and test again.

I have found it super easy to sterilise jam jars in the microwave and I have a brill jam funnel that makes it really easy to fill everything up.

GET ON THE JAM MAKING!