Crisp and Evening.

No snow but a lovely frost the other morning, by the time I thought to take this photo alot of it had gone, but it stayed crisp most of the day!!



Then in the evening we had another beautiful sunset!



Been busy today and again tomorrow so may not be blogging, but I haven't gone, just missing lol!!!

Living the High Life!

I love living where I live, I only wish I could share with you the view of the sky at night. Being out in the country we have no light polution and some nights there are so many stars in the sky, you just stare in wonder. Tonight is one of those nights and its chilly!!

As usually I have not been sat around on my butt! Hubby went to work and T went on her Passplus lesson and had her first drive on the motorway and into Bristol on a busy Christmas Saturday, she loved it. Anyway whilst she was out I went to Devizes for fireproof rope for my multifuel stove in the front room, it had worn away so needed replacing which involves scraping and wire brushing and cutting and glueing!



I apologise for the pic, I am taking some terrible photos at the moment, probably because I am using a different camera as my old one is being held together with elasticbands!! I miss it!! As you can see the new rope is in place. I thought to try and save our coal I would saw up some old pallets I had been using to edge beds with. Huh! easier said than done, boy was it hard, but at least I have one box full



which will be enough if we need it. Sometimes our front room being north facing can get a bit chilly in the evening and you need a burst of fire to help warm it up abit! We have found where the giraffe (draft to everyone else) is coming from and we may have to remove the ceiling in the porch to find out! That is one job I don't mind supervising but won't do as I'm not keen on spiders!!

Then I topped up one of the cakes with some brandy



ate a couple of mincepies, mmmmmmmmmm they are so lovely. But I have frozen 4 dozen now. Still have some mincemeat left to make some more.

Note to self: 2009 make more mincemeat than you did this year!!!!

Now I am here, typing and catching up!

Mincepies

This is all that remains of the mincepies I made yesterday!



Fortunately they weren't all eaten, I managed to freeze 2 dozen!!

And made some more!!



the tray on the right I will freeze! Well I will if I can cool them quickly enough as hubby is home and already tucking in!!!

Wish me luck!!! lol!

Best Kept Secret

Now this is my best kept secret ever, don't tell everyone, you must promise, I'm sharing it with you and you alone, OK?

I know most people can make their own mincepies, but do you know the real secret to getting the beautiful pastry you get in some of the more expensive shop bought ones?

Pate a Sucre, to you and me Sugar Pastry. I learnt this when I went to Catering College, one or two years ago!!! It is the business.

Now I have doubled up my ingredients as I know I will use it, but I suggest if your going to try it for the first time to use the following recipe.

Just 5 Ingredients



200g flour (soft) 8oz
50g sugar 2oz
pinch of salt
125g butter 5oz
1 egg

Sieve the flour and salt (by the way I use plain flour)
Lightly rub in the butter to a sandy texture.




Mix the sugar and egg until dissolved.



Add the sugar and beaten egg.



Gradually incorporate the flour and butter and lightly mix to a smooth paste.



Now this is a little bit sticky so you would need to add a little(I mean a little) bit of flour!





Allow to rest in a cool place before using.
I pop it in the fridge, wrapped in clingfilm and leave for about 45 mins, or until you are ready to use it.
This is a very delicate (short) pastry so will not take heavy handling. Don't let it get too warm otheriwse it will break. Take your time!






First batch ready for the oven!

Now cooked



another 2 dozen cooking



If I don't get these in the freezer quickly they will be eaten!!!!!!

Power Struggle!

Jake has been throwing his weight around again, by picking on Sassy, but sadly Tango was involved and fortunately for us did not retaliate, he did the next best thing



and is now sleeping in Jake's favourite spot!! lol!! Jake is wandering round like a lost soul, keeps popping in and out the cat flap as he has nowhere else to sleep! If he carries on at this rate he is going to wear the battery out!

But look where he is down the garden, I have marked the pics and he's just below the mark,



you can just spot his back legs in this pic.



Off to the greenhouse here! He has never been this far from the house before!!

Sassy is ensconced as usual on our bed!



Meanwhile there is the most beautiful aroma of Christmas Cake around, it has been in the oven since yesterday, as the warming oven had cooled so much overnight I moved it up to the main oven which is also still quite cool.

Right it has stopped pouring with rain so I'm off out into the garden for awhile, whilst the sunshines!!

In the Kitchen.......... again!!

I picked up a bag of pickling onions from Asda the other day so as I had got up so early and had nothing else to do, I peeled them and had them in vinegar before breakfast, but not before my cup of tea!



Here is one with the spiced vinegar and one with it still to be added!

Then after breakfast, still having loads of the day ahead, I decided to make another Christmas Cake. Well it was a matter of having too really as there is now only one left from the two I made before!




I forgot to take one of it in the cake tin. But its in the bottom oven where it will stay for probably over 24 hours!

Meanwhile my friend Tango was observing from the other side of the kitchen.



I don't approve of them being on the work surfaces, but hubby lays an old towel out for them here in the winter as it is warmed from below by the freezer. You can tell how cold it is as to whether they use it or not. This is not where any food preperation occurs!

Found this and thought of you

I found this here shoeboxblog it made me smile!