September.

In the past few days I  have been trying to get through my backlog of photos and blog posts. I happened across a photo folder named simply "September" . I had a little laugh to myself as I looked though it. It was a random mix of photos taken throughout September and it cheered me up and made me smile, so I thought I would share.

My new dresser, a gift from a dear friend, made it's way into our kitchen and into my heart.

**sigh** I have always wanted a dresser.

I Think she wants to be white, but we are getting to know each other a little better before we do anything too drastic!

My beloved Cath jug that my sweet hubby bought for me on our road trip, bnow has a home. Front and centre on the new dresser!

Our crazy girl having a snack and some down time before her very first day at Rainbows.

A touch of warmth added to our living room, courtesy of some new curtains.

A snuggly puss sneaking a cuddle with the Baw baw.

mmm my first batch of jam.

Getting to grips with packed lunches.

Our anniversary Hydranga in bloom.

A little sunshine

And  two of my favourite  people.

September seems to have been a very warm and happy month with many touches of red.

Seems perfect to me!

Coconut Cupcakes with vanilla buttercream

These were yummy! So yummy in fact that I stole one while they were cooling I iced it and hid in the kitchen cupboard (away from the kids)  to eat it!

I think I might make some more for the Birthday  that is coming up later this week!

Makes 12

110g Butter

180g caster sugar

2 lge eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp almond extract (optional)

125g SR flour - sifted

120g Plain flour - sifted

125ml coconut milk

25g desicated coconut

- Preheat oven to 160c

- Cream butter and sugar with hand mixer

- Add eggs one at a time, mixing in between. Add vanilla and almond at the end.

- Combine the two flours in a seperate bowl

- Add 1/3 of the flour mix to the creamed mixture and beat well.

-Pour in 1/3 of the coconut milk and beat again

- Repeat steps until all the flour and milk have been added

- Fold in the desiccated coconut using a metal spoon

- Spoon into the cupcake cases - fill to 2/3 full

- Bake in the oven for 25 mins

- Cool in tins for 10 mins before moving to cooling rack

Vanilla buttercream

110g Butter at room temp

60ml milk at room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

500g icing sugar - sifted

- few drops colouring (optional)

- Beat in butter, milk , vanilla and half icing sugar until smooth.

- Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat until buttercream is smooth and creamy.

Add colouring 1 drop at a time and beat well.

** I didn't add colouring as I wanted pink but had no red colouring and they still looked sweet. Actually no one noticed the icing as they were inhaled in around 10 mins.

**Also I used muffin sized cases and it made 12 so I guess this is the right size to use

warming winter soup

I got this recipe at my slimming class on Monday night. I thought I would share as it certainly doesn't taste "slimming" and is so hearty and warming. Just what I need today as it is blowing a gale and hammering snow and sleet , not a good recipe for the nursery run :( EVERYONE took their cars so I had to park so far away! We were soaked through by the time we got home.

Sweet potato and lentil soup

1 1/2 Tsp curry powder
1 1/2 onions (finely chopped)
1/2  apple (grated)
2 garlic cloves (crushed or chopped finely)
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger (grated)
1 1/12 lbs sweet potato (chopped finely)
1 1/2 pints stock ( I used chicken)
3 oz red lentils
1/4pint skimmed milk
juice 1/2 lime
spray oil (or could substitute with 1 tbsp olive oil if you are not a chubster like me ;) )

- Toast curry powder - medium heat for approx 2 mins
- add oil
- add onions, apple, ginger and garlic. Gently cook for 5 mins stirring occassionally
- add stock, sweet potato , lentils and milk.
- check for seasoning
- cover and simmer for approx 20 mins
- blend until smooth
- stir in lime juice


This is the first time I have made it, I think next time I will add 2 pints of stock, as this recipe makes  a very thick soup.

yummy

While strolling round the shops on Saturday with my Mother in Law and Sister in Law we came across this beauty

Sorry the pic is so awful but this was a 7 foot tall Christmas cake! My phone is usually really good at taking pics but maybe I was so excited by the though of so much cake! It was huge!! The woman who had made it was cutting a bit as we passed and the smell was gorgeous! mmmm yummy.

Halloween feast #2

Today we made Mummy dogs. The kids enjoyed making and eating these! They are basically hotdogs wrapped in strips of puff pastry to resemble mummies' bandages.


what you need

I had 8 hot dogs and cut them in half

I used pre rolled puff pastry and cut it into strips

A little milk for washing over the pastry before cooking.



Then you just wrap the strips of pastry around the dogs
 

this takes much concentration

Baste with a little milk.Then pop onto a baking tray and into the oven, I am not sure how long they cooked for , maybe 15 mins?
 

Cook until golden and then enjoy. My kids dippped them into tomato ketchup (which if you were going to be trully gross you could call blood. I didn't because K is a bit chicken hearted about creepy stuff)

Halloween feast #1

I have decided to do a week long Halloween feast. Every day I am going to do at least one Halloween themed meal, snack or treat.

Last night I made jacko lantern style oranges filled with strawberry jelly/jello.

sorry for the rubbish pic I couldn't get a good one at all

They went down very well!

Even the photo face seal of approval!

we have no pics of Fraser eating his unfortunately, Murray was upstairs cleaning up a halloween horror that the cat had left! yuck!

And I would also like to say that my kid actually does have clothes and also we do own a hairbrush! But what can I say? It certainly doesn't look like it from the most recent pics!