Home Made Yorkshire Puddings - Revised

Another food blog!!! 

As you know I am determined to start cooking things from scratch and next on my hit list was Yorkshire Puddings.

No more Aunt Bessie's for us (well that is the plan)

I trawled the Internet for recipes and they all looked pretty similar and easy enough and this is the one I went for.

125g of plain flour
300 ML of milk
2 eggs
Pinch of salt & pepper

Sieve the flour into a bowl
Make a well and put in the eggs
Then mix until firm
Add the milk and mix thoroughly

Leave to stand for 30 minutes

Oil and pre heat muffin tray

Add Yorkshire pudding mixture and cook for 25-30 minutes

Do not open oven door until they are cooked (as I learnt to my horror last week as I ended up with very flat stodgy yorkshires and I only opened the door for a second)

Makes at least 12 Yorkshire Puddings and I always have some mixture left.

And that's it! Simple and very tasty Yorkshire puddings. Amelia currently will only eat yorkshires so I am judging her as a bit of a expert and she says they are much nicer than Aunt Bessie's so that's good enough for me :)

Update

Ok after my early smugness my yorkshire puddings stopped rising (damn you yorkshire puddings!!)

So after much sulking and head scratching (and the power of Google) I know add 3 eggs rather than 2, make sure my oven is on full wack, get my oil sizzling before I add the mix and then turn the oven down once the mix has been in for 10 minutes and (touch wood) they have been great since.

Making real gravy.... Revised!

I was a bit nervous of this one for some reason, but in reality it was very simple and absolutely delicious.

I will not go back to instant gravy for roasts ever again, it made such a difference to the meal.

So here is what I did

Put pan with meat juices onto the hob and heated until fat started spitting

Then I added two table spoons of plain flour and mixed to a paste

I then added hot water from my potatoes and whisked

You can add a stock/oxo cube at this point if you desire (I did)

Then I whisked some more


I left to simmer on the hob whilst I dished out and it thickened up nicely

I will say that I struggled to get the flour to mix completely so I had to siv the gravy but for my first attempt I was delighted with the result.

Update!

I have figured out how to not make lumpy gravy (woo hoo) and its down what I stir with. If I use a spoon with holes in then viola I don't get lumps, which makes me a happy girl :)

Sunday catch up....

Sorry I've been a bit quiet of late, I've had a horrible chest infection that has exhausted me, along with being ridiculously busy, I don't seem to have had a spare minute.

We have been planning Amelia's 4th Birthday party and after going through every type of party imaginable she has finally decided to have a soft play party (thank god! At least we can just leave them to it). So the invites have been sent and all I now need to do is come terms with the fact my baby is almost 4!!!!

Talking of my beautiful 3 year old (still saying it whilst I can) she finally got her gymnastics jacket after we ordered it 2 months ago (don't ask). The absolute delight on her face when she got it though was well worth the wait. She hasn't had it off since Tuesday and even went to bed in it on the night she got it, bless her :)

In other news, I have managed to make a start on some of my other projects (at last!)

I made a garland for my kitchen window, I originally was going to make some curtains but as the kitchen can be quite dark I decided against it but I still wanted "something" and I saw this on Pinterest (gotta love that site) and went for it.

It looks great but I can't get a decent picture of it, for the life of me (grrr)

I plan next week to paint my kitchen chairs (I know, I've been saying it for months but I mean it this week).

Also I'm on the look out for a shelf unit to refurb and then the kitchen will be pretty much done (until I rip it out and put French doors in)

Oh and I'm after a big ass rug for in there as well.....

What else have I done.... Oh yes... sew, sew and more sewing. I have some new fabric which is beautiful to touch and predicting its going to be popular.

And I got some fabric to start making some bunting, I'm starting simple with some birthday bunting for Millie Poo so I will post that hopefully next week.

And that's about it, hubby is off next week so visits to a local farm, swimming and a ride on Thomas the Tank Engine are all planned.... Happy Days!!

For sale - Laura Ashley Hydrangea / Awning Cushion Covers...

Beautiful Laura Ashley Hydrangea cushion covers with Laura Ashley Awning on reverse

Zip closure

16 x 16 inches

£15.00 (free P&P)

Other options available

With plain cream reverse, zip closure - £12.00

Plain cream envelope reverse - £9.99

Other colours and sizes are available so please contact me.

Seams overlocked to prevent fraying

14 days return policy

For your peace of mind payment is via PayPal and you can also order on my eBay account Juleshome2012

Sunday catch up

Well it's been a busy old week

Spent lots of time with my sister, which is something I love doing and we don't do enough off, I think a little pampering weekend is on the cards soon.

Then it's been all cushions, cushions, cushions! Mad busy, which is fabulous. Well, apart from the girls wrecking my house whilst I sew (argh) but I am not complaining :)

I am currently buying new fabric for some lovely spring time cushions, bunting and I want to crack the door stop (bloody cube shape!)

Time to step it up a gear I think.

Cooking wise it's been a low and then high, I had the family around for lunch last Sunday and I was all smug about my Yorkshire Puddings and guess what.... They didn't rise!!!!!

How frigging typical!

Then Monday I made Toad in the hole and it was perfect YAY!!!

All comes out equal in the end...

But now we are all ill well the hubby and I are coughing and spluttering, feeling sorry for ourselves. A quiet weekend is on the cards with a visit to grandparents on Saturday and a little walk and the pub on Sunday.

Hopefully we will be back fighting fit sharpish.

Yummmmmy Toad in the Hole

Cushions, Cushions, Cushions

My very talented sister cutting Amelias hair

Cousins having fun!

Real gravy....

Today I made gravy for the first time and all I can say is "Oh my god! Why have I not made gravy before!

(I didn't get chance to take pictures so proper blog post next Sunday)

It was simple enough to do (it did go a tad lumpy but my siv soon sorted that out) and it was by miles the nicest gravy I think I've ever had and I'm really not exaggerating it was divine.

In fact my whole roast was perfect (happy dancing), the lamb melted in your mouth, roasts were lovely, my Yorkshire Puddings were perfection and I got all my veg fresh from the farm shop yesterday and by god you could tell the difference. Poor Kit Kat had no left overs!

Even Miss "Fussy Pants" Amelia ate something other than just Yorkshire Puddings.

My homemade apple crumble is now in the oven so lets see if I can do a full house :)

Laura Ashley Woodland Creatures Childrens Nursery Cushion Cover 16"

Beautiful Hand Made Cushion Covers made in Laura Ashley Woodland Creatures Fabric.

Size 16 x 16 inches

I can do other sizes if required

This cushion cover has a cream envelope reverse

£7.99

Laura Ashley Josette Bolster Cushion Cover

Laura Ashley Josette Bolster Cushion Cover

Same fabric front and back

Zip fasten

£14.99

A little taster of my spring range

Spring is in the air and I am seeing lots of lots of yellows about so I have made this little beauty today with more to come over the next few weeks :)

Reversible Laura Ashley Awning Fabric, Zipped 

£13.99 Free P&P

Bank Holiday Fun at the Beach

Well it wasn't exactly beach weather (it snowed on the way) but we are a hardy (Ha Ha Ha) bunch, so we bundled up in lots of layers, waterproof trousers and wellies and off to the beach we went.

I love the sea, for me it has a real calming effect, it definitely soothes my soul like no other place can. Luckily we live only about 25 minutes from the coast so we can go on a regular basis and there are some lovely beaches near us so I am blessed.

We went to Southport which is a bit more commercial than our normal beach but we wanted food, doughnuts and donkey rides with it being so cold. A little bit of comfort on a cold day...

The girls and the dog had a great time, even Isobel (much to my surprise) went on the donkeys and LOVED it. I think a bit of pony riding is now on the cards in the summer, I really love how much they enjoy animals and this I want to nurture as much as possible.

But sodding hell it was freezing!

The girls made a few sand castles, chased the dog and then we headed off for food as it was just too cold.

I am looking forward to a bit of warmer weather so we can go to the beach more regular, Amelia is already planning picnics.

A little bit of cold won't stop her from building sandcastles 

A few snaps we took in the summer at our usual beach

Toad in the Hole

I was delighted with how well this recipe turned out.

Now I know it's a very simple one to do but I was surprised at how tasty it was and it looked great.

And of course as we know I am no Nigella so any success is to be celebrated :)

The Recipe

Toad in the Hole

125g plain flour
300 mil milk
3 eggs
A pinch of salt and pepper
Sausages

Siv the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle

Add the eggs and then mix until firm

Gradually mix in the milk

Season with salt and pepper

The mix thoroughly until smooth

I also siv the mixture to ensure it is lump free

Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes

Heat oven to 240c

Heat oil in your roasting tin until the oil is smoking.

Whilst oil is heating I fried the sausages (but you can grill them if you prefer)

Once the sausages are cooked I put them onto a plate ready to quickly add them to my Yorkshire pudding mix.

Get your heated oil out of the oven and immediately add the Yorkshire pudding mix then sausages and put back in the oven.

DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR UNTIL ITS COOKED

After 10 minutes turn the oven down to about 180/200

Total cooking time 25 minutes

Serve and enjoy!

I used Asda extra special thin Cumberland sausages which are 90% pork, since the meat scandal I have definitely changed my buying habits and these sausages where surprising good value at £2.50 for twelve, I pay more than that normally for sausages with no actual meat in them!

Tip - Getting Rid of Stubborn Smells

If you have children then you know that when toddlers are sick it is THE most horrendous smell that seems to linger for weeks.

My youngest is a sickie child, I have lost count of the times she has vomited in her bed, over the carpet, on my living room rug (which I ended up throwing out as I didn't know this little gem then), in the car, in fact she has been sick more in one year than Amelia has in total. She is a nightmare!

This is my tip for removing the smell of sick and any other unpleasant smell.

Mix washing powder with bicarbonate of soda and brush gently into the area, leave overnight then vacuum.

No more smell

This works like a charm

I also use it to freshen up my carpets and it makes your room smell wonderfully clean and fresh.

Sunday Catch Up

It's been a nice old week this week (well apart from Friday afternoon but I shall get to that later)

Easter Week meant hubby was off on Monday and we had a nice trip out to the beach in the snow! It was blinking freezing but a good day, girls were well wrapped up and they had a great time building sandcastles, going on donkey rides, chasing the dog and eating dongnuts, it was fab.

Then hubby went working away for the rest of the week so I spent a lot of time at my mum and dads, which I love doing. Even though I haven't lived there for 15 years (WHAT!!!!! 15 years!! Give me a minute I've just put myself into shock, 15 years???) deep breaths, lets carry on! My mum and dads will always be home and I love spending time with them and my girls adore them, Amelia stayed there this week with my 5 year old niece but I can't get Isobel to stay, the little clingy madam, she just cries "Home Mummy, Home".

During the school holidays I have my niece whilst my sister is at work, my niece and Amelia are as close as sisters, they bicker, they argue but they have loads of fun and are always so excited to spend time together it's lovely to watch them playing.

I took them both to the cinema on Thursday whilst Isobel was at nursery to see Wreck It Ralph, Amelia fell asleep and Ella was mesmerised but blimey it's not cheap is it! Nearly £40 for 3 tickets, 3 drinks and some sweets, I don't understand the logic of making it so expensive. Surely if it was cheaper people would go more often, I know I would now that the girls are getting old enough to go. .

Then Friday arrived, Amelia hadn't been well at my mum and dads during the night coughing. She wasn't too bad during the morning then after lunch the dreaded croup cough kicked in. I had taken the dog for a walk and my hubby called me to come home as she was struggling to get her breath, so off we went to A&E for the second time in 5 weeks. She was poorly little girl and its awful to watch, makes my heart go out to those parents who have to deal with child illness every day, it must be so hard. The children's department are wonderful, they get you in and seen within minutes and very shortly after the wonder drugs are administered she is quickly on mend thankfully.

Poorly Me Me, fast asleep in hospital :(

And finally we have sunshine!! It's still a bit chilly but gosh it's nice to see that sun. Nothing much was planned for the weekend, a few little walks with Kit Kat, playing in the garden and then a big family lunch on Sunday, just lovely.

Enjoying the sunshine

Tip - How To Remove Stains From Oil Cloth

If like me when you first purchased your oil cloth, did you think stains would just wipe off?

Yes?

So did I!

So you can imagine my horror that very first day I used my brand new Laura Ashley Amelie Oil Cloth and the girls had spaghetti bolognese (yes you can see what is coming...) and lets just say they aren't the tidiest of little eaters but I wasn't concerned, it would wipe straight off..... Right?

Erm no, it wouldn't come off

In fact, it stained bloody awfully.

I tried everything to get the stain out from bleach to toothpaste and nothing worked.

I was mortified so I put a distress call out to the wonderful people of Twitter and someone heeded my call.

The tip was from the marvellous @_Ger_Foley_ and I was advised to leave the oil cloth out in the rain, yes that's right the rain!

I thought they were bonkers but I had nothing to lose and we were having the wettest summer on record so my washing line wasn't getting any other action, I gave it a go.

And guess what?

It only went and worked

No stain... At all!

I was impressed to say the least and apparently the rain removes all sorts of stains including biro!! (Not that I've had to try that one)

It does make me question what's in our bloody rain though, but hey who am I to argue with the great Mother Nature who obviously likes Laura Ashley.

I'm learning to cook (and bake)

Ok as you know I am not the best in the kitchen, if I had to describe myself I would say I was Susan from My Family, where I subject my own family to some terrible creations. Granted over the last couple of years I have improved but I rarely make anything from scratch so that is what I want to change.

I am setting myself a challenge to learn one new recipe from scratch a week starting this week with Toad in the Hole. A good old family favourite that hopefully won't be too difficult, lets break me in gently!

Other things on my list for the rest of the month are:

Apple Crumble
Spaghetti Bolognese
Real Gravy

So wish me (my family) luck, I will let you know how I get on.

Week 1 - 30 Day Squat Challenge

Day 2

55 Squats, 55 Crunches, 25 Press Ups (kneeling)

Today was hard!!! Sore from yesterday but what I like the most is its done in 5 minutes and you feel like you've worked out.

Day 3

I have woken up VERY sore, my bum, thighs, stomach and arms.

Today's 60 should be fun, at least tomorrow is a rest day

Update on day 3, it's 6.30pm and I cannot walk! Or sit! Or stand!

Ouch!!!!

Day 4

Rest Day! Yay!!!

Glad it is a rest day as I have a sore hip

Day 5

I need to do 65 squats and crunches, 33 press ups....

Motivation seems to have left the building

Going to do it now.... Now.... Erm in a minute... No now!!!

Done! Sort of.

No definitely done but by god abs and arms hurt today, the squats aren't too bad it's the other stuff I'm really struggling with.

70 tomorrow.....

Erm... Well I fell off the wagon but I am starting again next week, just rubbish I know