A simply lovely afternoon

Pony rides at a friend's birthday party. George is quite the young cowboy and such a lovely setting in the autumnal sunshine

Cakes and Wellies

I volunteered to make a load of cakes for the cake sale which was part of George's pre-school sponsored welly walk and fun run morning.  Ry was doing his bit by entering the 10K rather gruelling hill run (coming a very respectable 2nd / 30, cue happy husband).  George and I donned our wellies and I got baking.  Calorie counting was not in the equation although as lovely as I like to make my cakes look sometimes, once I know how much lard has gone into them the appeal can diminish a little. See content of Mars Bar cake below...

Mars Bar Tray Bake: Recipe
Cupcakes: Recipe
Plain and cherry shortbread (My absolute fave): Recipe from Tana Ramsey's Family kitchen

INGREDIENTS

• 100g plain flour
• 50g cornflour
• 50g caster sugar
• 100g cold butter

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160ºC/310ºF/gas 2½. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin
2. Add the flour, cornflour and sugar in the bowl of the electric mixer, chop the butter into small cubes and add that.
3. Turn the motor onto lowest setting and watch as mixture gradually becomes crumbly and then begins to come together in heavy lumps. At this point turn the motor off and tip the cumbly lumpy mixture into greased cake tin.
4. Push the shortbread down firmly with back of dessert spoon. Flatten as much as possible and prick all over with a fork.
5. Bake for 25minutes until cooked but not brown.
6. As soon as it’s out of the oven but still in the tin, but into slices and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar. Leave in tin until cooled.

Will keep for 2-3 days in air-tight container and also freezes well. Apparently.

A happy family post welly walk, cake sale and fun run.

Sardine Thursday

Market day today. 10 Sardines for a fiver - we bought 20!  George's love of bones does also extend to fish and he loved this evenings's creation. Grilled sardines seasoned and drizzled with lemon and olive oil and banged under the grill for 3 minutes each side (a la Jamie Oliver!).  Served with the last of the allotment runner beans, some market asparagus and some rice which I fried with some garlic, red onions, thai fish sauce, little peppers from the greenhouse (chillis would have been fab but George not so keen) and parsley.  All a bit of a mish mash but pretty yummy.

Autumn leaves

Can't beat a bit of leaf kicking in the gorgeous Wendover Woods.

Tomato Tarte Tatin

Some things, like tomato soup, even home made, are a bit all or nothing for me. Love it then hate it. I'm so over it now.  But still got tonnes of tomatoes and was pretty pleased with this very simple non-soup tomato creation.


Recipe

Indian Summer

I always thought they were something of a myth. Not so. We had a wonderful few days of sun and heat.  The smell in the balmy air, the golden shine of the late summer sun and the wonderful lack of expectation made those days feel like such a gift.  Summer went out in a blaze of golden glory.

The second summer flowering always produces more vibrant coloured flowers - to attract the insects which are far fewer in number than earlier in the year.

Crab apples

Birthday Boy

The last couple of weeks have been packed full of parties, presents and cakes.  My baby boy turned 3 on Monday.  Sorry darling, no matter how you fight it you will always be my absolutley gorgeous and most special baby boy.  One animal themed party - complete with tractor rides - and one Mickey Mouse party made for a very happy, if slightly spoilt, birthday boy and a completely knackered mummy.  The chaos does mean the the pictures are limited to my talented dad's rather than my own.



I made the cake (chocolate of course) with the slightly illuminous grass and out of proportion barn etc! My friend and mummy  of 2 other birthday boys made the gorgeous animals from marzipan and sugar paste.



Tractor rides were a big hit

I love this picture which shows the stress involved in trying to ensure that each of the 38 children had a turn at unwrapping pass the parcel!

I hired a tin from the local cake shop to get Mickey's face shape.  Then just used a piping bag to make his face. I'm thinking it was easier than it looks.

George is Mickey Mouse mad right now. I have resorted to telling him most days that we have a power cut to restrict the television viewing.

George with two such special friends.

Passing the taste test.

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