Layout Kit

It has been far too long since I scrapped but spending time with my ardent scrapper friend inspired me to rediscover my mojo ... or at least to give it a bit of a shove. Last summer I purchased a layout kit from Merly Impressions which had sat on the floor in its box for 6 months. This month I have enjoyed completing it and reliving memories from a holiday 19 years ago.

 Unfortunately my photos weren't the recommended size and I think the layout looks a little too 'boxy' compared to the Merly example. This layout did challenge me to do random stamping which, for somebody who likes straight lines, is a little scary.  Fussy cutting is always a challenge for me and I kept looking at the piles of flowers thinking 'surely this is enough?'  I added a touch of glitter to add some sparkle and overall am happy with the result.

For the next layout I deviated from the recommended paper and used an alternative side. This was a major step for a rule follower!  I was initially hesitant about this layout but it is now my favourite. The photo was a very old one and not good quality but with a little photo editing to add a vintage feel to it the end result was perfect.  More fussy cutting and stitching and I began to feel that I was back under the eagle eye of Chrissy on last years scrap retreat.

I find it hard to create a layout that does not include journalling and this layout did not provide much space to journal. I decided to make a mini book with the left over scraps and to my delight then discovered Basic Grey magnetic snaps which were the perfect solution to attach it to my layout.

Now that I've discovered this method of securing books I shall create a lot more on future layouts. I know that pride is a sin but I am quite proud of the amount of fussy cutting that I did and that I didn't cut off too many bird's legs!

Thank You to Merly Impressions for giving me the inspiration and products to create layouts that bring me such happiness in sparking old memories.

Prawn Cocktail: Retro Food

I had never thought of food as fashionable but Prawn Cocktail seems to be (or should I now say unfashionable).  I almost feel guilty for liking it but it is quick and easy to make at home and is still a guilty pleasure.

It's always worth keeping prawns in the freezer as they don't take long to defrost for that impromptu dinner.  I'm not sure that I've ever used a specific recipe for Marie Rose sauce but maybe once I used one for inspiration.  I now throw things together and it is one of those instinctive dishes I like to create.  A family member repeatedly points out that it is easier to buy a jar of sauce, but for me there is no comparison and it takes less time to make it than to drive to the supermarket.  So go ahead and surprise yourself ... retro food really does taste good.

To serve two people start by putting 4-6 heaped tablespoons of mayonnaise in a bowl (I like to use half normal mayo and half garlic mayo).  Add one teaspoon of tomato ketchup and one teaspoon tomato puree and stir through. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (I like to use a shake of celery salt).  Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and ensure thoroughly mixed.  Stir in prawns reserving a couple for decoration.

In your best dish arrange whatever green stuff you have to hand ... lettuce, rocket, spinach, baby leaf.  Spoon prawns and sauce on top and sprinkle with a shake of paprika before serving with a wedge of lemon. 

For a different twist add finely chopped capers / gherkins.  In fact as I am repeatedly discovering, you can do anything you like ... and if you don't like it, don't do it again!

Twin Crafting

I have not been at all crafty in the last few months and the push that I needed was the impending birthday of my granddaughters.  Their dear Gramps is making toy boxes and we need to be able to distinguish between the two.  I was inspired by a facebook page: Handmade@79 and decided that a decorated letter would be perfect.

Hobbycraft sold MDF letters and my local craft shop Cards of Distinction tempted me with cosmic shimmer paint.  I then searched in my stash for buttons and ribbons and set about decorating.  It felt good to get tactile with paint and buttons again, maybe now I can find my scrapping mojo again soon ...

is for gorgeous

is for inspired

Spare Ribs in Black Beans and Garlic

This month I have not improved on my tardiness to post a recipe in the first week but I hope this has been worth the wait. 

Some recipes get forgotten over the years and it's like discovering a new friend when they are cooked again.  I was given this recipe verbally by a Chinese Malay lady who I worked for. It has been hiding in my battered old handwritten recipe book created in 1982.

It is easy to see how well used the recipe is by the splashes of soy sauce and oil on the pages:

It makes a change from barbecued spare ribs and is well worth a try. You can serve it with rice or noodles but I have a particular weakness for noodles. Any stir fried vegetables will add to your five a day and make it a very tasty meal worthy of competing with any take-away.

Serves four ... preheat oven to 180*C / Gas Mark 4

Ingredients: 

3lb spare ribs (big meaty ones)

4 Tbs light soy sauce

3 cloves garlic

2 scoops of black beans (fermented dry black beans) I usually soak them in water for 5 mins and then drain to remove excessive salt.

1 1/2 dsp sugar

salt and pepper

enough oil until coated and glistening

Method:

• Separate the ribs and chop into 1" pieces (or ask your butcher to do it)
• Place in an ovenproof dish and season with crushed black beans (crush them with the back of a cooks knife).  
• Add all other ingredients and turn to coat. 
• Bake in oven for 45 - 60 minutes. Cover for the last 20 minutes.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

The Power of Puree

I have an addiction to cutting out recipes from magazines because they look good and I want to try them ... and then I file them away in the 'one day' corner of my mind. Last weekend I found a folded up piece of paper torn out of the Sunday Mail You magazine from July 2000.  It had four recipes on it and I can't remember now which one I wanted to try, but Tim's carrot puree with basil looked good when I needed a different way to cook the interminable supply of carrots in my fridge.

And now there is no going back ... the best carrot recipe ever!

Ingredients  (serves 2 adults and 2 small children):

500g / 18oz medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 Tbsp chopped basil

60g / 2 1/4oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated

salt and black pepper

a knob of butter (optional)

Method:

Steam or boil the carrots until tender, then drain.  Add the basil, parmesan and seasoning and puree in the blender or food processor until smooth.  Finish with the butter, if you like.

This recipe is too good not to share - you really should give it a go.  

It's quick, easy and tasty ... what more could you want

A Little Taste of Christmas Crumble

I have not started the year with blogging reliability but I will now try to do better (sounds like a school report).  I have been remiss about my commitment to post in the first week of each month but better late than never.  Christmas was inevitably busy and I never got round to making half the things I intended to, although the cake was a great success as always and is now long gone.  

I have a treasured recipe from an old Somerfield magazine of many years ago for a 'Spiced Crumble'  I much prefer to call it a Christmas Crumble as the addition of cranberries and cinnamon give it that distinctive Christmas flavour.  It is the perfect thing for cold winter evenings when we need something simple but tasty.

A crumble's a crumble ... but this is a little different

• Heat the oven to Gas mark 4 / 180*C.  Soak 200g mixed dried fruit in warm water for 30 minutes and then drain.
• Cut 200g chilled unsalted butter into a mixing bowl, add 150g plain flour and rub together unitl it has a breadcrumb like texture ( I use a food processor)
• Add the zest of 2 lemons, 60g soft brown sugar and 180g whole rolled oats and mix well
• Peel and cube 2 large Bramley apples and place in an ovenproof dish. Mix in the juice of 2 lemons, the juice and zest of 1 orange, 100g fresh or frozen cranberries (I have used dried when no fresh available), the pre-soaked dried fruit and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
• Scatter the crumble over the fruit and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm with whatever you like.  The original recipe suggested clotted cream ice-cream but I prefer custard, and you can always have cream if you want to be indulgent.

Bubble and Squeak Soup

I'm not very keen on sprouts but am proud of the fact that I will eat almost anything, and after all ... those little green blighters are the epitome of festive fare.  This week I searched my books for a recipe that I tried a few years ago but seemed unable to find again.  I searched the internet and my cupboard full of books and am thankful that I finally found it on an old newsletter from 2005 from Riverford. 

In my mind it is the best thing to do with brussel sprouts and is very tasty.  So go on ... give it a go and revolutionise your view of sprouts.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 rashers streaky bacon, rind removed and cut into small pieces

500g potatoes, diced

300g brusssel sprouts, chopped

1.5 litres chicken stock

25g parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Method:

Heat oil in a large pan.  Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the bacon and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until it begins to brown. Add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.  Add stock to cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add chopped sprouts and simmer for another 10 minutes or until cooked.  Liquidise or pass through a mouli. Add more stock if required.  Season and sprinkle with parmesan.

I really hope you do try it and even more that you enjoy it