Vistaprint Wall Calender Review!

I was looking through my old blog posts and realised how much I enjoyed baking - which I haven't done much of lately due to my hip pain meaning I cant stand for too long! 

 

I really want to get back into it and have made a pledge to bake at least once a week - I love baking more than I do pain so im sure I can battle through! lol

 

Anyways...when I got the opportunity to review Vistaprints selection of Wall calendars I knew exactly what I wanted to do. 

 

There were so many foodie photographs on my blog where I said "ooh I forgot about those!" that I thought I would get 12 of them made into a calendar!

 

I tried to co ordinate them with the months - ie Summer Fruits for the start of the sunny seasons,

 

sweet mince cupcakes in November

 

and Rocky Road for Christmas!

 

This would make a fabulous gift for someone who either loves to bake or select pictures of fun things you have done over the year to remind you to have just as much - if not more - fun next year!  

 

I have lots of pictures of Evie so im going to get another made 12 photos during her first year!  Starting in May when Amelia is due I will have a photograph for each month which will show Amelia growing with Evie - it will not only bring back lots of lovely memories but allow us to see just how much alike or different raising two girls is!

 

I love the quality of the calendar and have never been let down by Vistaprint with both business and personal cards too. 

 

TTFN

Debbie

x

I was given a wall calendar of my choosing to review, all opinions are my own.

Quickest, Easiest and Best Ever Play Dough!

Evie is a huge Playdoh fan but goes through it like a girl possessed!

 

If its not left out to dry, its all clumped together in one lump until it resembles something our dog could have left as a surprise!

 

We knew we had to do something to keep her supplied and that was when we came across the most fabulously quick and easy Play Dough recipe!

 

What you need:

 

2 cups of plain flour

1/2 cup of salt

2 tbsp. cream of tartar

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups of boiling water (added until mix is right - I used approx. 1 1/4)

couple of drops of glycerine

couple of drops of food colour

 

Measuring spoons

Bowl

Mixing spoon

 

Rolling pin, knife, cutter - toys to play with! :)

 

Measure out and mix together the flour, salt, tartar and oil.

 

 

Add the water in 1/2 cups and mix well until sticky but combined.

 

Add the food colouring and glycerine and again mix well.

 

Allow to cool slightly.

 

Remove from bowl and kneed until it is no longer sticky and becomes fully pliable!

 

All done - there is more than enough to put half away for later!

 

 

Store in an airtight container for up to 6 mths!

 

And this post shows it is easy enough for a 3 year old to do - obv mummy did the boiling water but the rest is Evies work :) 

 

TTFN

Debbie (and Evie!)

x

I Love Ta Dah 6x8 Polaroid Photo Block - review and GIVEAWAY!!

I am a huge photograph and family pictures fan which means I have pretty much zero wall space anymore around the house! What do you do when you have no wall space left - you move to desk tops! 

Something that caught my eye while looking through the I Love Ta Dah website was the polaroid photo blocks - now, if you are anything like me you love old photographs, including the layout style of polaroids!  

 

How fantastic is it that we can now get photo blocks that look like these timeless classic -  in a myriad of sizes with whatever your want written on there too!  Dates, places and names need never be forgotten anymore! 

 

This is the ideal gift for those who like to display personal photographs and momentos at work or at home, in the office, living room, bedroom - the choice is endless!

I went for one of the first pictures we took of Evie running on grass - she showed how determined she was and I love the Shakespeare quote which I have wanted to use for a while now! This just sums up her fierce little attitude and hope she realises we noticed it quite quickly - you don't mess with a princess!

With crystal clear instructions on how to order your own photo block this site is a sure winner.  Not only do they give you a choice of size, but a choice of font and colour frame too!  I can imagine black and white pictures would look stunning!   

 

Excellent  customer service and super fast delivery combine to make this one site that I would recommend over and over again!

This would be the perfect gift for Mothers Day and I Love Ta Dah are giving you the chance to win your very own custom 6x8 Polaroid Photo Block! 

 

All you need to do is enter your details via the rafflecopter widget below and keep your fingers crossed....simple as that! 

A winner will be drawn after 1 week which means you have ample time to ponder over which picture to choose!

Good Luck!

 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

TTFN

Debbie

x

Fairtrade Fortnight recipe 3! - Meriingue, lemonCurd and Passion Fruit Torte.

Here is the third and final recipe for Fairtrade fortnight - have you used any of the Foncho bananas within your baking during the last two weeks?  I would love for you to link to them in this post!

 

Today we have....

 

JAMES MARTIN’S MERINGUE, LEMON CURD AND PASSION FRUIT TORTE

 
Credit: Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 24 February – 9 March – www.stickwithfoncho.org.uk.

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 2 hours 30 minutes 

Serves 6-8 

Ingredients

For the meringue:

• 8 egg whites

• 375g Fairtrade caster sugar

For the lemon curd:

• grated zest and juice of 4 Fairtrade lemons

• 100g butter

• 4 whole eggs, lightly beaten

 

to serve:

 

• 400ml double cream

• 8 passion fruit

• 2–3 tbsp Fairtrade icing sugar

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 100°C/200°F/ Gas mark 1/4.  

2. Draw 3 x 25cm diameter circles on sheets of baking parchment and place them on baking sheets. 

3. For the meringue: Put the egg whites in a grease-free bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.  Gradually add 200g caster sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form. Put a little blob of meringue under the edges of the baking parchment to secure it. Spoon some meringue onto each circle and spread it out to make a disc, flattening lightly with the back of the spoon. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, leaving the meringues inside for 2 hours, or preferably overnight. When crisp, remove from the oven. 

4. For the lemon curd: Put the lemon zest and juice in a heatproof bowl, then add the butter and remaining caster sugar, stir well, and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until totally dissolved, then beat in the whole eggs and whisk until thickened and cooked through. Remove from the heat and cool over a bowl of ice, whisking occasionally until completely cold. 

5. Whip the double cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form, then gently fold in the lemon curd. Scoop out the seeds of 6 of the passion fruit and fold lightly into the cream. 

6. To assemble, place a meringue disc on a serving plate, then top with half the lemon curd cream. Place a second disc on top and spread over the rest of the cream. Place the last disc on top and press very lightly to settle, then scoop out the seeds from the remaining passion fruit and spoon over the top. Dust with a little icing sugar and cut into wedges to serve.

 

I am planning on making this for our Easter egg hunt and picnic! So excited to see how it turns out!

 

TTFN

Debbie

x

 

Fairtrade Fortnight- recipe 2! Banana Coconut Pancakes!

The second recipe dedicated to a love of Bananas and Fairtrade Fortnight is from the rather dishy Paul Frangie!!

 

 Banana Coconut Pancakes

Credit: Paul Frangie,www.thisdudeknowsfood.com www.stickwithfoncho.org.uk 

Ingredients

 

• 2 Eggs

• 1 Ripe Fairtrade banana

• 2 Tbsp coconut flour

• Pinch of salt

• Blueberries

• Fairtrade Honey

• Toasted coconut flakes

• Ghee, Fairtrade coconut oil or light Fairtrade olive oil

You’ll need:

• Kitchen processor (or large mixing bowl and fork)

• Frying pan

• Spatula 

Method 

Kitchen processor (or large mixing bowl and fork)

1. Using a kitchen processor mix/blend the eggs, ripe banana, coconut flour and salt together ( mash the banana in a bowl using a fork, then add the eggs and beat well, add coconut flour and pinch of salt and whisk again with fork).

2. Heat frying pan on medium high and add a teaspoon of ghee/oil.

3.  Each time pour a small amount of batter into the frying pan (around the size of your palm) around six evenly sized pancakes.

once cooked carefully flip the pancake using a spatula and fry on other

5. Remove and stack pancakes on plate (cover with a bowl to keep warm). 

6. Garnish pancakes with toasted coconut flakes, blueberries and a drizzle of honey. Serve and enjoy!

 

TTFN

Debbie

x

 

Eggs Benedict! #Shortcuteggsperts

Shopping list

3/4 cup low fat natural yogurt
2 tsp lemon juice
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white sugar
pinch black pepper
dash of tabasco sauce
4 muffins
8 eggs
Salmon (dh doesnt like salmon and said it was nice without so just add as much salmon as preferred per person)

Step by step :

To make the sauce: In the top of a double boiler, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, egg yolks, mustard, salt, sugar, pepper and tabasco sauce. Cook over simmering water while stirring constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

1. In a large stock pot heat 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Carefully break the eggs one at a time into the boiling water. When all the eggs have been added, reduce the heat to medium. When the eggs float to the top, remove them with a slotted spoon and let drain briefly.
   (or muck it up completely, work your way through 11 eggs, give up and do them in floating dishes!!) LOL 
2. To assemble final dish: Toast muffins and place on warm plates. Top each muffin with a slice of smoked salmon and a hot poached egg.
   
                                                           Drizzle with the yogurt sauce.  ENJOY :D

 

 

This post is an entry for the #ShortcutEggsperts Linky Challenge sponsored by British Lion Eggs. Learn more and find recipes at www.eggrecipes.co.uk”,

 

 

TTFN

Debbie

x

1st Day of Spring!

I love to decorate for the season, whether it be the fireplace, bunting, wreaths or table centrepieces.  I have started on our spring décor and thought it might be nice to share some ideas with you over the next couple of weeks :)

I have lots of these metal rings and to be honest they've sat here for years, I have used the polystyrene rings to make wreaths before but the metal rings kinda scared me!  

Don't know why...?! 

It could be down to the amount of blank space or the thought of filling in those whole two rings with little bits of ribbon that got me...could I really sacrifice that much ribbon on a wreath!? haha

 

Anyways, after finding a renewed love for my sewing machine I was digging in the sewing box and found a pink sheet of brushed cotton and also an old skirt which I had bought  from a charity shop for the purpose of using the fabric for something - im guessing this was it!

After cutting both into strips with pinking shears I started attaching with a simple knot. It didn't take too long to cover the whole wreath and to be honest was quite therapeutic while watching tv! 

After Evie picked it up and proclaimed it would be Amelias for above her cot I decided not to add any little Easter eggs or twiggy bits to it for the season but will display it as it is - the pretty pinks certainly say Spring :)

 I will definitely be making more for different seasons!

TTFN

Debbie

x