Lead Up to Christmas

You might be able to guess from the absolute lack of posts that I haven't had much time for creative things. At the start of the school year I had surgery on my lower back so sitting up right was difficult then the new National Curriculum hit wis with a bang (I am a Maths teacher) and every spare minute was spend developing the course, materials and assessments.

It is now time to try me and dad's cider and it is very nice, dry but I like that.

I have managed to potter with peerie things over the year but disappointed that I still haven't finished my Aztec blanket (goal to finish that by end of January).

I have done another 4 rows but must finish it soon

 

For a few weeks me and the lasses would meet up on a Sunday morning and knit, I made a tea cosy from Smith & Jamieson's book... All that's left is to add a pom pom to the top.

As you may have guessed by now I feel strongly about homemade christmas gifts. I feel that now days people just give gifts because they feel they ought to but I like popping past a friend hoose with a peerie something and knowing that they'll get some joy oot of something I have spent time making. I definately do not do it just to get something back. When I wis a teenager whenever my mam and dad asked me what I wanted for christmas I would say a book, perfume or Lego... And I still do.

Festive fireplace, West End Hotel in Kirkwall

This year I had big plans for the peerie boys gifts (there are 4 of them now this year - congratulations to Gina & Robert on peerie Josie) but time ran away with me and then will be next years plan. Instead I made them some sock toys to keep their zebra's company.

Josie's first christmas gift from me ... A peerie sock teddy

 

Oliver's dad has a farm and on that farm they have a collie, so I made him a sock puppy

I also made Lucas a puppy as they have a beagle called Spencer and thought he'd like another.

Last time at was at Ryan's hoose there cat had gone missing so I made them a sock kitten

I made some christmas vodka for the man who started this craze in my flat, Murray my old flatmate, he would always make raspberry gin and something equally as tasty in the festive season so I thought he would appreciate this.

Making Christmas Pudding Vodka at the same time I made a pumpkin pie

Playing on Pinterest I found instructions for making candles which sounded straight forward and original so I made the lasses cinnamon candles in some beautiful glass tumbler I found. [In my excitement I forgot to take a photo of these so plan to beg one of the girls after Christmas Day]

What do you do in the lead up to Christmas?

51 Days of Summer: Week 5

I have set myself a challenge to take a picture each day of my holiday - to encourage me to do something exciting and help me remember what I've been up to.

Day 29

Got a lovely pre/post operation care package from my friend Gemma

 

Day 30

Eccles cakes by Emma

 

Day 31

Checked-In to the hospital (scary
)

Day 32

They got the date of my operation wrong so they let me go
 into Aberdeen to see Mam

 

Day 33

Operation went well and the morphine wore off before tea (yeay)

 

Day 34

Got home today, it was bumpy, but I am glad to be out of the hospital 

 

Day 35

Struggling to sit still so I turned to the world of Foreign cinema

51 Days of Summer: Week 3

I have set myself a challenge to take a picture each day of my holiday - to encourage me to do something exciting and help me remember what I've been up to.

Day 15

 

For Dad's birthday we went to the Scalloway Hotel it was good

 and appreciated after a big walk to Uyea

 

Day 16 

Book 2 of my Summer reading list

 

Day 17

  

Found this while I was helping my Mam take down a flower arrangement at the Kirk

its is my Grampa and Willie o' da Bouyn working at da cru

 

Day 18 

Frozen apples ready to make some cider

 

Day 19

 Watching Mam make potted mackrel

 

Day 20 

Cider is starting to ferment

 

Day 21 

 Was haunted by a GIANT black bumblebee

Tennis Ice-cream

After watching Andy Murray work his way to the Wimbledon final I decided that my Pimms needed some strawberries and cream to go with it. But I wanted to have a little fun with it so then thought ... ice-cream!

 

When I think strawberries I also think shortbread (very British) so here is what I came up with.

 

Strawberry Cream Shortbread Ice-Cream Recipe

 

 

Ingredients:

600 ml double cream

100 g caster sugar

4 egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla paste

150 g shortbread

1.5 punnets of strawberries

1 tbsp jam sugar

 

Method:

First I put the cream and vanilla paste into a heavy bottomed saucepan and put it onto a low heat and brought it to a simmer. Whilst keeping one eye on that I whisked the egg yolks with the sugar until they were pale and fluffy.

 

Once you start to see the milk simmering remove it from the heat and slowly ass it to the egg yolks, whisking all the time. I cheated and used the Kenwood Chef to do this ... as you may no by now Kitchen disasters are a habit for me.

 

Once combined pour it back into the sauce pan and return to the heat continually stirring until it thickens then pour it into a heatproof bowl and cover with clingfilm. Place in the fridge until completely cold and you are ready to use it.

 

Meanwhile cut up the strawberries (as small as you like) put two thirds into a saucepan with the jam sugar and put on a low-medium heat, soften the fruit for 10-15 minutes until it thickens. Put the rest in a separate bowl and set to one side.

Crush up the shortbread and put on a lined baking sheet and crisp up in the oven for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool.

Once all your ingredients are ready add the custard to your ice-cream machine then when it is almost ready at the raw strawberries and shortbread then at the very end add the strawberry syrup.

And serve xxx

Auld School Granny Baking ... Take 2

On Saturday I decided that I needed a peerie nostalgic treat so I made my Granny's Beremeal Bannocks for the first time.

The only recipe that we have is a list of the ingredients with some measurements

so I used my memories

 

Beremeal Bannocks Recipe

 

Ingredients:

         4 oz       beremeal

         8 oz       self-raising flour

         1 tsp      bicarbonate of soda

         1 tsp      cream of tartar

         1 tbsp    treacle

         200 ml  buttermilk (roughly)

 

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and add the treacle. Once combined stir in the buttermilk until it just comes together then turn out on to a well floured surface and roll out. Try not to over work it.

 

Cut the dough into your desired shape then place on a hot griddle (dry frying pan) on a medium heat. Once they puff up and colour turn them over, the timings of this will depend on the heat of your hob.

 

Like my Gran I shaped the dough using my hands

(they look more authentic like this)

 

The wee corners are always a treat for the baker

Eat these with what ever topping you prefer, my two favourites are salt beef &English mustard or rhubarb jam & butter ... splendid!!

If you try these please let me know

what you think

xxx

51 Days of Summer: WEEK 1

I have set myself a challenge to take a picture each day of my holiday - to encourage me to do something exciting and help me remember what I've been up to.

Day 1

Listening to the Rolling Stones at Glastonbury while waiting for the boat North

Day 2

 

Making baileys panna cottas with strawberries

Day 3

 

First walk of the summer with the pack... This is Meg in motion

Day 4

 

Working on the Aztec quilt and its starting to take shape

Day 5

 

Molly decided she was more important and escaped from the boot

Day 6

 

Working my way through my Summer reading here is book #1

Day 7

 

Pimms, Wimbledon and the new Simple Things magazine ... Enough said :0)

Roasted Vegetable Wrap

 

One of my all time favourite lunches (like most) came from the BBC Good Food website, it is a simple wrap consisting of hummus, grated carrot & rocket. It easy to make the night before and robust enough to survive in my handbag on the way to work.

I was wanting to mix it up a bit but keep it easy to transport. So I thought roast veg and cream cheese.

Roasted Vegetable & Cream Cheese Wrap

 

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
1 carrot
1 aubergine
1 red onion
1 red pepper
4 garlic cloves (optional)
160 g cream cheese (I used extra light)
100 g rocket
4 tortilla wraps
Rapeseed Oil
Salt & Pepper

Method:

Dice all the vegetables and put on a roasting tray. Bruise the garlic gloves and mix with the veg and a drizzle of oil.

Roast the veg in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-40minutes - Stirring occasionally.

When you take them out of the oven allow the veg to cool, remove the garlic from there skins and smash it with a pinch of salt and a tbsp of oil. Put the veg into an airtight container and mix with the garlic paste.

 

When you are ready to make your wrap take a tortilla and spread a thin layer of cream cheese, then add 2 tbsp of the veg and a handful of rocket. Roll it up and put it in a suitable container for transport. I prefer to wrap mine in a little tin foil as it keeps the wrap secure.

Bon appetite xxx

May Weekend Shenanigans

After two back-to-back weekends of travelling I was so excited to stay in my Kirkwall and chill. So I invited some of the girls over for high tea and a catch-up.

This was a nice way to spend my Saturday, I may post a recipe for the vol-au-vents

in the future but I have plans to make them even tastier

I started my plan with vol-au-vents and mini eclairs but the more I thought about the eclairs the more I wanted to put my own spin on them. I love peanut butter and had a very tasty peanut butter moose at the Kirkwall Hotel the other week and I thought maybe I could use that idea but lighten it up with some fruit, well then I happened to catch the end of a Hairy Bikers programme where they made creme patisserie so I thought that would be the base to add my peanut butter to. Then when I was buying my ingredients I noticed some very nice strawberries and voila...

Peanut-Butter & Jelly Eclairs

Ingredients

Choux Pastry:
60g butter
130ml water
80g plain flour
3 large eggs

Creme Patisserie:
180 ml whole milk
35 g granulated sugar
35 g self raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 large egg yolks
2.5 tbsp peanut butter
40 ml double cream

Chocolate Topping:
80 g milk chocolate
80 g dark chocolate (70%)

Method

 

For the pastry melt the butter in the water until all of the butter has melted and the water is simmering. Add the flour to the wet mix and stir over the heat for approximately 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and beat in the eggs one at a time, this will go a little runny at first but keep stirring, it will come together.

Pipe onto a non-stick tray and place in the oven, turning it down to 195 degrees celsius for 25 minutes. Place on a cooling rack.

To make the creme patisserie mix the flour, sugar and salt then add the egg yolks and whisk till it is combined and pale in colour.

Then heat the milk until it starts to simmer, carefully/gradually pour the milk into the egg mixture, whisking the whole time. Return the mixture to the sauce pan and stir continuously.

Once it starts to thicken add the peanut butter and whisk until its the required thickness. Pour into a heat proof bowl and cover with cling film (make sure it touches the top) and allow to cool.

Once cool, whip the cream until soft peaks then fold in the creme patisserie.

Simple to make just strawberries & jam sugar but super tasty

When you are ready to make the eclairs melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Cut the eclairs and spread a layer of strawberry jam (I used homemade but you could use shop bought). Then a layer of the creme patisserie, closing the eclair and drizzling with the chocolate, place on a cooling rack. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge until required.

After words I went a walk with my friend heather and her loopy labradoodle Lucy,

yes she is clean off the ground

 

I didn't get much time between finishing the eclairs and the lasses coming over so only got one photo... I will bulk this up with more photos next time I make them.

Let me know if you try them xxx

Apple & Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal

 

I am an early bird at the weekends but during the week I have next to no time to get ready let alone make something healthy and filling but I try my hardest.

The other day I was thinking about all my options when it comes to breakfast and I remembered Jamie Oliver's 'Pukkolla' it is super easy and tasty. Here is my version to use up kitchen staples at the end of the month.

Apple & Cinnamon Overnight Oatmeal - Serves 5

8 large handfuls of oats

3 handfuls of sultanas

2 tsp cinnamon

Enough soya milk to cover

4 apples

1 tsp light brown sugar

Instructions:

1. In an airtight container mix the oats, sultanas and 1 tsp of cinnamon and cover with the soya milk,
     refrigerating until needed.

2. Cut and core the apples, place in a pan with the other tsp of cinnamon and the brown sugar, heat on
    a medium heat until they have softened and have a nice light glaze, refrigerate until needed.

3. When you are ready to eat, put a desired amount of apples in a dish and heat. Then spoon out a
    couple of desert spoons of the oatmeal into your bowl, top with the apples and a wee spoon of
    yoghurt and enjoy.

What do you eat for breakie on busy days? xxx 

Easter Weekend 2013

Home in Shetland for the holidays ... Yeay!

Went a wee walk to Bridge End with Meg this morning, hard to believe that folk down south are bothered with snow and ice and I went a walk in a t-shirt and fair-isle cardigan, not snow boots and waterproofs. Hope this weather lasts!

Took we walk past the house my Gran & Grampa used to live in and there are still signs of Gran's green fingers around the garden.

Me and Mam went for a peerie nosey in Nibble Fingers in Bolts Shopping Centre, this was the first time I've been there and I have fallen in love with it, so many possible crafting idea and new projects I could start... I bought some things in the sale to keep me busy.

On Easter Sunday me and Mam used the new Paul Hollywood Bread Book, we chosen crumpets, they took a peerie start to master but once we cracked it they tasted amazing.

How have you spend your weekend?

Happy Easter!! x

Ploughman Inspired Pizza

I like to play around with pizza toppings and this came to me when I was wondering what to do with some left over mature cheddar.

Ploughman Inspired Pizza

Ingredients:

1 onion

4 tbsp passata

100 g ham

100 g cheddar

1 mozzarella ball

3 tbsp chutney

1 tbsp polenta

Pizza dough

First make your doughy, I adapt a Jamie Oliver's recipe, see older post, with flavoured oil and dried oregano.

Then I caramelise the onions. And set the to one side to cool.

Once the dough was ready I rolled it out using polenta and decorated with the rest of the ingredients.

Put in and oven of 250 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.

I served mine with celery on the side.

My flatmateloves my chilli and blue cheese pizza so when he was sceptical about a new one but we both really enjoyed it and it is now gone ...   :o(

Sugar Free Bread & Butter Pudding

 

As I previously mentioned, I'm trying to icut down on processed sugar but had some buns that needed using up and have been thinking about bread and butter pudding since I realised I'd have left overs so I decided to use argave syrup to sweeten it. In the future I may put sultanas or autumnal fruit in it but my flatmate isn't a fan.

 

Recipe:

Ingredients:
5 small buns
20 g butter
300 ml soya milk
50 g argave syrup
1 egg
1/2 tsp cinnamon (more to sprinkle on top)

Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

1. Cut the bread and spread with a light layer of butter and place in the tray, overlapping the slices.

2. Warm the milk with the syrup and cinnamon over a low-medium heat until they are combined. Pour this over the egg and whisk until mixed.

3. Pour over the bread and leave for 10 minutes to soak up the custard. Transfer to the oven and bake for 40 minutes until it is golden on top and your kitchen smells amazing.

...hope you enjoy it!

Wholemeal Bread Rolls

I am currently trying to do two things at the moment 1) use up more of the stuff in my pantry and 2) eat less processed sweet food.

So when I came home last night I wasn't wanting to go to the shop and wanted to be relatively healthy so I made these to have with scrambled eggs... Once they were ready I was really chuffed considering how I had thrown them together so I thought I might share it.

Recipe...

Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius

Ingredients:
475g wholemeal flour
2.25 tsp yeast
320ml warm water
1 vitamin C tablet, crushed into a powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil

Mix the flour, vitamin C tablet, salt and oil together in a bowl.

Measure out the warm water and add the yeast, leaving it in a warm place to froth up.

Once you are happy with the wet mixture stir it into the flour mixture until it all comes together, then knead for 5 minutes. Place in a warm place for 1 hour 30 minutes until it has doubled in size.

Then knock back the dough and divide into 8 rolls shaping them into round balls. Place on your baking tin and allow to rise for another hour and a half.

Once risen brush with a little milk and scatter on seeds of your choice and put in a preheated oven for 20 minutes until thou can smell them in the kitchen and they sound hollow when you knock their bottoms.

..If you try this please let me know how you get on!

Wee Trip to Stromness

 

Yesterday I went through to Stromness for a peerie nosey and a change of scenery.

Main aim of the trip was to go to the Bayleaf Delicatessen and get some loose tea I had seen the last time I was there and more popcorn.

Black Olives, Pickeled Figs, Loose Tea, Popcorn & Manchego Cheese

The deli has lots of nice things in it and displayed a local artist sketches, John Cumming (my uncle) and Yvonne Grays's book.

I got a little carried away but made lots of yummy things out of my purchases.