Recipe: Orange Marmalade

One the items on my 2014 to do list was to make a preserve I had never made before. For Christmas Bean bought me The Preserving Book.

This weekend was the first weekend that G and I have spent doing nothing since the beginning of December. G has spent the weekend on the couch full of the cold so I decided to keep myself busy and looked through the preserving book.

There were loads of things I wanted to try and I went for orange marmalade.  It is quite long winded as you have to boil up the orange skins and then chop them all up into tiny bits - bit i guess if you had a snazzy grating machine this might do it for you!

I doubled the recipe in the book and got 8 jars! I'm loving the marmalade.

2013 Favourites

2013 has seen its fair share of ups and downs but some of my highlights of this year have been:

• Appreciating the love from the women in my life at my HenDo
• Marrying my gorgeous Fiance G on May 4th
• Honeymooning in Florida
• Gaining some fantastic friends, Harriet and Ellis
• Learning how to make jam
• Improving my pie making ability
• Discovering nail transfers
• Learning how to make paper pompoms
• Discovering 'The Simple Things' Magazine
• Learning to love red wine
• Visiting Scotland for the first time
• New borns and being asked to be God Parents

Stunning Wedding photography by Sara Reeve

Honeymooning on the Disney Boardwalk, Florida

Sunset nails for they fantastic sunny days this Summer

Tootsy - the new addition to Mum and Dads -
inherited from my fantastic uncle who we lost this year

Homemade Guacamole - How tasty you are!

Late Summer days hanging with Bean at the parents farm

Appreciating the taste of Scottish whiskey in Edinburgh in August

Favourite dress from Jojo Maman Bebe

Borough Market - Treating Bean to a weekend in London to Celebrate her 30th

Long days out with new friends

The new cafe that has opened around the corner from home - Marmalade

Homemade Gifts

I am delighted that G and I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen this year honing our skills. 

This meant that we could make something homemade and special for our friends and family this year, while keeping cost down, but putting a lot of time into each and every one.

We have homemade jam, chutney and fudge this year.  We hope all out friends and family enjoyed their tasty treats.

Lemon Curd

The recipe is from The Good Housekeeping Cookery Book which I have to say is going to be one of the most important cooking books I own.  It has everything you would need it in from cut of meet, to preserves, to how to make different kinds of pastry.  I love it but have been a bit daunted by its size and haven't delved into the pages before today.

This really couldn't have been much more simple to make and I am so excited about having homemade lemon curd in the fridge.  It's just as simple as jam and really scrummy and fresh.

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!