tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86662946989080165172024-02-19T07:26:14.853-08:00Filipino Food RecipeThis is where you can find easy-to-follow Filipino recipes.Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.comBlogger673125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-63333861995378357792016-10-20T11:55:00.001-07:002016-10-20T11:55:22.750-07:00Review: Birley's Sandwiches, Cannon Street, London<div class="x_MsoNormal">When I was just starting out in my career a more senior colleague used to go to <a href="http://ift.tt/2eos3W9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Birley’s</a> to buy his lunch most days. That was at least ten years ago and when I went to a Birley’s recently I thought ‘wow, they’ve been going for ten years’. In fact, they have been around for more than 25 years, according to the company’s website – the secret to their longevity is perhaps partly that they do move with the times but aren’t built around trends. If you just want a ham sandwich (that isn’t pre-packaged), you can get a sandwich – but they also do things like Cajun spiced chicken focaccia.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I was on a course near to the chain’s Cannon Street location and didn’t have long for lunch, but didn’t want to take a sandwich back to the windowless basement room the course was in. I didn’t think I had time to eat in a café but tried Birley’s and was pleasantly surprised. I got a table, and had enough time to eat a hot toasted Cubano sandwich containing ham, pulled pork and pickles, and get back to my course in time.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal"><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_3794_4135" role="button" tabindex="0"><span style="color: black;">You order your sandwich at one counter and go to another to pay, which keeps the flow of customers moving (and means you can browse what is in the counter without people being in the way), then return to the counter with your ticket and wait for your number to be called – this gives them time to toast a sandwich if you order something hot.</span></span> You can definitely buy cheaper salads and sandwiches – even in the City – but in my opinion Birley’s is worth the extra money.</div>
Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-61242499699507632202016-10-18T12:55:00.001-07:002016-10-18T12:55:36.867-07:005 easy ways to DIY the perfect gluten free Christmas hamper<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When it comes to giving a gluten-free person a great gift, it can be hard to find something that they will like. Staying clear of some of the most popular type of presents makes it tricky to come up with ideas, especially for those who are not naturally good at shopping for presents for other people. Giving someone a hamper at Christmas is a good way to give them a selection of their favourite things but if that person is gluten free, it is vital to ensure that everything inside the festive basket can be enjoyed.</span></span><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This means that it is important to do a bit of research before buying anything and looking at the ingredients is a good idea, and anything that is gluten free will be advertised as such, so look at the labels before buying.</span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tasty gluten free hampers for Christmas</span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">are fairly easy to put together once a few gluten free items have been identified and while some people will choose to put their own hamper together; others will prefer to use a company that specialises in Christmas hampers to put together a special gluten free basket.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whichever way appeals, here are five things to put inside a gluten free hamper this Christmas:</span></span></b></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Candles</span></span><br /></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the easiest ways to give someone who follows a gluten free diet something nice is to avoid giving them anything food-related. Scented candles can be put into a nice hamper at Christmas and given as a gift and they can come with different smells, in a variety of colours and all kinds of sizes and shapes.</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Toiletries</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another great gift to give a gluten free person is some toiletries, including:</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aftershave</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perfume</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moisturiser</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bubble bath</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Face creams</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soaps</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These can come as a mixture of items in one basket and they make for the perfect gift for anyone who likes to pamper themselves.</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alcohol</span></span><br /></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not all alcohol is gluten free, so it is important to do some research first.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Below are a few examples of alcohol that doesn’t contact gluten:</span></span><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vodka</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gin</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rum</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tequila</span></span></div>
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</ul>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Important</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: However, it is important to note that some flavoured alcohol will contain gluten and lots of alcohol contains wheat, so it is vital to check out which bottles are safe for someone on a gluten free diet.</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fruit & Flowers</span></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another great way to buy someone a present that doesn’t contain gluten is to buy</span></span> <a href="http://ift.tt/2aQqYn4" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Christmas gift baskets from </span></span></a><a href="http://ift.tt/2aQqYn4" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://ift.tt/2aQqYn4</span></span></a> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">filled with fruit and flowers.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gluten Free Food</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, the easiest way to buy a gluten free dieter something that they can eat is to buy specialist gluten free food and this can be done by checking out labels or shopping online in a dedicated gluten free section of a website.</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many people now follow a gluten free diet for a number of reasons and as such, putting a hamper together for a gluten free person this festive season is easier than ever before. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>This is a sponsored post for TheBasketPeople.com.au</em></span><br />
Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-80414755503479643792016-10-17T12:01:00.001-07:002016-10-17T12:01:38.050-07:00Meal Planning Monday 2016 - Week 42<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dJmTDJ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2dJmTDJ" /></a></div>
<strong>Monday</strong><br />
spaghetti Bolognese<br />
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<strong>Tuesday</strong><br />
tuna steak and spiralized veg for me, chicken chargrills for him<br />
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<strong>Wednesday</strong><br />
prawn stirfry with spiralized veg and creamy quark sauce; my husband will go to his mum's<br />
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<strong>Thursday</strong><br />
bubble and squeak patty for me, gammon for him<br />
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<strong>Friday</strong><br />
burger and chips<br />
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<strong>Saturday</strong><br />
Lunch: hotdogs<br />
Dinner: chicken thighs and roast potatoes (cook extra chicken for tomorrow)<br />
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<strong>Sunday</strong><br />
Lunch: pizza bagels<br />
Dinner: filled Yorkshire puddings using leftover chicken<br />
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This is a blog hop- join in!<br />
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<div class="InLinkzContainer" id="670854"><a href="http://ift.tt/2ebQw45" rel="nofollow" title="click to view in an external page.">An InLinkz Link-up</a></div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-30494162930529692472016-10-16T03:55:00.001-07:002016-10-16T03:55:48.276-07:00Tips and advice from some of the best bloggers around at Stylist Live<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2eiJVRw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://ift.tt/2dsNVRT" width="400" /></a></div>
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Where can you hear from Michael Zee, the man behind the Instagram sensation Symmetry Breakfasts, Kate Doran from food blog Little Loaf, Alex Stedman of fashion blog The Frugality, Amali de Alwis, CEO of Code First: Girls, restaurant critic, author and TV pundit Grace Dent, Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, lawyer, cookbook author and wife of former Deputy PM Nick Clegg and Dan Doherty of restaurant Duck and Waffle? Why, at <a href="http://ift.tt/1RClJrs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stylist Live</a>, of course!<br />
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I love Stylist magazine - it's distributed free of charge in certain large cities (including London where I work) and at airports, a ground-breaking idea for a 'proper' magazine. It's weekly so smaller than the monthly glossies but in my opinion the same level of quality and a really excellent publication, as its various awards prove.<br />
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Several months ago I saw an ad in the magazine for Stylist Live - an event in London featuring over 150 inspiring talks and workshops with stalls and demonstrations. I feel like I don't often spend a day doing something just for myself, so took a day off work and bought an early-bird ticket for just £15, which gave me access to reserve one session plus a catwalk show - but crucially, I could go to any other talks on the day if there were still spaces.<br />
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So off I went on Friday, arriving at the show just as it was opening, and headed straight (well, after getting some breakfast) upstairs to the rooms where the talks and workshops were taking place. Perhaps because it was Friday (Stylist Live also took place on Saturday and Sunday) there weren't quite so many people and I was able to get into all the sessions I wanted to and usually got a good seat near the front.<br />
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I went through the schedule and circled the talks I was interested in (plus the one I had already booked) and decided to start the day with something a bit different - a talk on coding from Amali de Alwis, CEO of <a href="http://ift.tt/1bZ7SJ7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Code First: Girls</a>. Her organisation teaches girls how to code, aiming to increase the number of women in technology. She gave a fascinating talk about women in technology and basically explained how the internet works, and is clearly passionate about what she does and why more women shouldn't be afraid of coding.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2eiJ2se" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://ift.tt/2dsQdjR" width="400" /></a></div>
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She explained coding languages and talked about how you can create websites - I asked Amali whether it's very difficult to move from a blogger platform like this Google one that I use, to create my own website - something I'd never dreamed of doing in a million years. Amali said it's really not that hard, and Code First: Girls offers 8-week evening classes in London where by the end of it I can have created my own website looking exactly how I want it. I might have to do that!<br />
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The second talk I went to was by Alex Stedman from <a href="http://the%20frugality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Frugality</a>. I'd never heard of it as it's a fashion blog and I don't follow those - Alex has 70,000 followers on Instagram too so must be doing something right! I've since browsed her blog and it looks really good - Alex is a stylist by background and shares clothes and accessories you can buy on the high street that don't cost a fortune.<br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2eiIItt" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://ift.tt/2dsOStA" width="400" /></a></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex Stedman from The Frugality (right)</td>
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Alex gave advice on using affiliate programmes (eg Linkshare) to make a commission from anything on your site that you promote and readers click through to the retailer to buy; she also felt that having too many sponsored posts on a blog is not a nice user experience as you lose your voice. The best way to grow your following, Alex suggested, is to put yourself out there on social media - people won't just stumble across you.<br />
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She also felt it was important to have a niche and not to try to be something to everyone - which I do with this blog. It's inspired me to think a bit more about my brand! Her other tips included:<br />
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<li>only work with brands that fit your style (you have to say no to good freebies sometimes)</li>
<li>get a good camera - but it doesn't have to be expensive</li>
<li>have a consistent style in your photography</li>
<li>curate your Instagram grid to give it a balance</li>
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I really liked Alex and thought she came across as very articulate and clued-up and was surprised I took so much away from listening to a fashion blogger.<br />
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The next session I went to was Michael Zee on 'how I turned my food blog into a business'. You've probably come across Michael's work - he's the man behind <a href="http://ift.tt/1D9ymlF" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Symmetry Breakfast</a>, which is such a brilliant idea. His brand is instantly recognisable from the photos - to Alex's point above - and when someone in the audience asked how he managed to get such great photos in terms of lighting and set-up, Michael admitted his dining room just happened to have the perfect natural light in the mornings. He made it sound effortless, but I'm sure it's anything but!<br />
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He started posting pictures of the breakfasts he made for himself and his partner on his personal Instagram feed but friends suggested he create a dedicated account, and when it was shared by a well known shoe designer his followers leapt overnight.<br />
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Michael's book <a href="http://ift.tt/2dsR8Rs" rel="nofollow">SymmetryBreakfast: Cook-Love-Share</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2eiKtqw" height="1" style="border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> is now out and he said in answer to a question about whether he was approached to write it (he was), that if nobody approaches you to write a book, then don't be scared to self-publish. In fact, blogging and Instagramming is self publishing anyway!<br />
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One fact I loved was that Michael - who was really funny and likeable - admitted that he owns over 1,000 plates which are arranged by type in cabinets along the entire wall of his dining room.<br />
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There are so many great food blogs around but I felt quite bad that I had never even heard of the <a href="http://ift.tt/1d5NWQB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Little Loaf</a> since blogger Kate Doran had been invited to give a talk on 'how to create a brilliant food blog'. I've since visited her site and can say she does indeed have a brilliant food blog, and a book: <a href="http://ift.tt/2eiJGGe" rel="nofollow">Homemade Memories: Childhood Treats With A Twist</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2dsO4ok" height="1" style="border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> Kate actually brought some homemade biscuits to the event for everyone to try which was a lovely touch - and they were really good!<br />
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate Doran from Little Loaf (left)</td>
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Kate had lots of useful advice for food bloggers:<br />
<ul>
<li>decide what you want to get out of blogging - is it mastering new recipes or getting comments from readers, or something else?</li>
<li>The best blogs let the audience into a little piece of your world</li>
<li>be true to yourself</li>
<li>good photos are really important - always shoot in natural light if you can</li>
<li>don't over-style photos but do use props. For instance, an apple pie is quite brown but if you put some fresh green apples next to it, it lifts the whole photo.</li>
<li>build a community on social media</li>
<li>write for your readers, not for algorithms</li>
<li>post regularly (she emphasised this doesn't have to mean frequently) so people know when to expect something</li>
<li>but only post when you have good content, not to just throw something up</li>
</ul>
I then went to get some lunch and had earlier spotted <a href="http://ift.tt/1Ng2Ful" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Mac Factory</a>, a stand selling macaroni cheese, which I love. They are based in Camden and do various events and festivals - they literally only sell macaroni cheese, but with different toppings. I chose 'posh spice' with chorizo, harissa and onion; all their macaroni cheese pots are topped with a parmesan crumble which is really nice. The harissa was a tiny bit too spicy for me but I loved the dish and it reminded me I should really make macaroni cheese more often - unfortunately my husband isn't a big fan of pasta but I am trying to slowly change his mind!<br />
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The catwalk show was next and I considered not going but there weren't any other talks at that particular time I wanted to go to, so I thought I may as well. It only lasted about 20 minutes and consisted of five themed 'looks' including about 8 models in different outfits to fit each theme. We were given a programme listing everything so you could pick out anything you liked and know which shop it came from which was a good idea. I did actually end up buying a silver skirt when I got home - not from one of the catwalk looks as some things were quite expensive and a lot of shops don't cater for my size, but I found <a href="http://ift.tt/2eiJWou" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this one in Evans</a>.<br />
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Finally I went to a panel session on what we will be eating next year - but the speakers quickly got away from food trends and started talking about everything from restaurants they liked to which music festivals have the best food (Wilderness, apparently). The panellists were Grace Dent, who I'd seen on TV only the night before on The Apprentice: You're Fired; she is a restaurant critic, columnist and author - she's written various books including <a href="http://ift.tt/2dsQMKx" rel="nofollow">How to Leave Twitter: My Time as Queen of the Universe and Why This Must Stop</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2eiOhYK" height="1" style="border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" />; Miriam Gonzalez Durantez was introduced as a lawyer, mum, <a href="http://ift.tt/1JgaXWu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">food blog</a> and cook book author - <a href="http://ift.tt/2eiLbUX" rel="nofollow">Made In Spain: Recipes and stories from my country and beyond</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2dsSwnj" height="1" style="border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" />- interestingly, they didn't mention the reason that she became widely known in the first place which was as the wife of former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Obviously she's a very successful woman in her own right and not living in her husband's shadow! (As an aside, I loved her style and the dress she was wearing). The third panellist, Dan Doherty, is the head chef at <a href="http://ift.tt/1L40JFn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Duck and Waffle</a> which I have previously <a href="http://ift.tt/2dsRac2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reviewed here</a>, and also has a cookbook out: <a href="http://ift.tt/2eiKFGf" rel="nofollow">Toast Hash Roast Mash: Real Food for Every Time of Day</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2dsOkUA" height="1" style="border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br />
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Dan, Miriam, Grace, Stylist deputy editor Susan Riley</td>
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Asked what food trends they particularly liked, Dan cited the rise of Middle Eastern cuisine (particularly in London) while Miriam waxed lyrical about the turbot at the River Café, which she said was "like a religious experience". Grace was quite derogatory about the increase in restaurants and cafes selling just one type of food like the pop-up crisp restaurant and the cereal café in London.<br />
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In terms of trends coming up, Miriam suggested that healthy eating would continue to be big - specifically high protein and goat would become more popular as a meat, while nuts and seeds would continue to be important. She also spoke of the move towards the chef and the customer being at the heart of the dining experience and that food is "much more person-focused".<br />
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Dan felt that the clean eating trend had perhaps gone too far; that the intention was good but it is "getting out of control" and that it's more important to eat balanced meals. Grace was happy to see people are increasingly "taking vegetables seriously as a main dish" -she is not vegetarian but often doesn't want to eat meat and spent years ordering two sides instead of a main dish, to which Dan joked "chips and mash?"<br />
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The panel gelled really well together and were very funny, especially when they were discussing veggie burgers that look like they are bleeding (like rare meat) - apparently the 'blood' is made from beetroot juice.<br />
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I was the only person to put a question to the panel in the whole session which was pretty cool. I asked which food trends had taken them by surprise, to which Grace immediately answered chia seeds. They are quite slimy apparently... I have a jar in my cupboard that I haven't got around to using very much of! She also wondered about "trends that refuse to die - when will we reach peak burger?". The bao trend - pork in buns - is "delicious but why are we queuing around the block?" she wondered.<br />
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Miriam mused that we don't eat enough fish in this country which surprised her as we live on an island, but she also thinks that the quality is going backwards.<br />
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Dan mentioned raw kale - a big food trend but he pointed out that raw brassica tastes "effing disgusting" and gives you a stomach ache. He also said he had come across raw coffee in tablet form which is supposed to speed up your metabolism, and Grace mentioned the fact that every so often the idea of eating insects arises - which she swiftly dismissed as never going to happen, and I have to say I hope she's right!<br />
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I had a look around the stalls at Stylist Live after the panel, and bought a lovely cow hide bag from <a href="http://ift.tt/2dsQinT" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Owen Barry</a> (I couldn't resist as my last name is Cowe!), had a mini makeover at Lancôme and generally browsed everything else that was on sale. I would have liked to try out the new Dyson hair dryer but the queue was too long!<br />
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Next year Stylist Live will be in Olympia - which I actually thought was a bit of a shame as I imagine that might mean it's even bigger. This year it was at the Design Centre in Islington which was easy to get to (for me anyway) and a very manageable size - easy to move between sessions without having to walk miles and enough stalls that you could get around without your feet killing you by the end of the day!
Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-24150406588646576822016-10-15T12:00:00.001-07:002016-10-15T12:00:47.141-07:00Jammie Dodger Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2eE6ZhO" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://ift.tt/2e7gYtv" width="400" /></a></div>
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We had a bake sale for Macmillan at work recently and even though I wasn't going to be in the office that day, I wanted to take part. I decided to make cupcakes as I was going to have to do them mid-week after work, and I don't get home that early thanks to a long commute.<br />
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When there is a lot of choice in a bake sale, the things that go first tend to be the more indulgent-looking or more unusual. I remembered ages ago seeing some Jammie Dodger cupcakes online and knew there was a recipe in the Hummingbird Bakery book .<br />
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">The recipe in the book explains how to make your own <span class="highlight" id="0.46316709408983225" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Jammie</span> Dodger-style biscuits, which might be a fun thing to do one day, but I didn’t have time for that, so I bought a packet of mini <span class="highlight" id="0.5260902812134462" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Jammie</span> Dodgers to use on top of the cupcakes. I remembered how good my cupcakes were that have an Oreo biscuit base and a Jaffa Cake base and decided to use a full-size <span class="highlight" id="0.5760684677276742" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Jammie</span> Dodger in the base, before the batter was cooked, and also add a spoonful of jam in the middle of the cake after it was baked, which isn’t part of the recipe and is my own adaptation.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Here’s what I did</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">Makes around 15 cupcakes</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">For the cake:</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">15 <span class="highlight" id="0.0963306268006624" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Jammie</span> Dodger biscuits</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">70g butter, softened</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">210g plain flour</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">250g caster sugar</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">1 tbsp baking powder</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">½ tsp salt</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">210ml whole milk</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">2 large eggs</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">15 tsp strawberry jam (about 200g)</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">For the frosting:</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">15 mini <span class="highlight" id="0.8181116291389836" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Jammie</span> Dodgers</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">500g icing sugar, sifted</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">250g butter, softened</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Preheat oven to 180C.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Mix the flour, butter, sugar, baking powder and salt with an electric mixer. Normally I would cream the butter and sugar first then add the eggs; this way gives you a breadcrumb-like texture which I think gives a more biscuity-flavour somehow, which is just right for this recipe.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Pour the milk into a jug and beat in the eggs and vanilla, and gradually pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, mixing slowly as you go. Increase the speed of the mixer until you have a smooth batter.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Line a cupcake or muffin tin with large cupcake cases. Place a <span class="highlight" id="0.2866409771563564" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Jammie</span> Dodger – with the heart facing up – in the bottom of each cake case, then spoon the cake batter on top until the cake cases are almost full. Bake for 20-25 minutes then leave to cool.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">When the cakes have cooled, use a teaspoon to remove a little of the centre of the cake, retaining the part you removed in one piece. Add a teaspoon of strawberry jam to each cupcake, and replace the 'lid'.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">To make the icing, beat the icing sugar and buttercream until smooth. I had intended to pipe swirls onto the cupcakes but ran out of icing (I thought I had more but didn’t!) so ended up spreading it on top to make it go further. Top with a mini <span class="highlight" id="0.9810488101155094" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Jammie</span> Dodger.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I'm sharing these with <a href="http://ift.tt/2eE6OTL" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Charlotte's Lively Kitchen</a> as she runs the Food Calendar challenge, and this month was the Macmillan Big Coffee Morning.</div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-38383691484309333032016-10-14T13:00:00.001-07:002016-10-14T13:00:39.867-07:00Chicken in a Red Pepper Sauce<br />
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This recipe comes from a card picked up in Sainsbury's years ago; I have made it before but never blogged about it so thought I would do so now. It's a good way to get extra vegetables into your diet - I don't like red pepper in large quantities but enjoyed this recipe.<br />
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To serve 4, you need:<br />
1/2 tbsp. olive oil<br />
4 skinless chicken breasts<br />
2 fresh chillies, deseeded<br />
2 large red peppers, deseeded, cored and chopped<br />
75g sundried tomatoes<br />
2 tsp soft light brown sugar<br />
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar<br />
227g can chopped tomatoes<br />
salt, pepper<br />
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Brush a large frying pan with the oil and cook the chicken breasts over a medium heat for about 15 minutes or until cooked through - it will take longer if they are large.<br />
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Meanwhile put all the other ingredients in a food processor and whizz until smooth.<br />
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Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat through for a few minutes, then serve the chicken breasts with the sauce on top.<br />
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-79165415504122061922016-10-13T13:19:00.001-07:002016-10-13T13:19:25.554-07:00Fizz, Balloon and Gift Birthday Card<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dnAz9w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2dnAz9w" /></a></div>
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This is a quick, informal card (perhaps in the way that Mary Berry means when she says informal) that is suitable for someone of any age and gender. I used a piece of red and yellow polka dot paper to cover a card blank which I decided to use in landscape orientation. The three pictures mounted onto it are cut from an old birthday card I received - there's nothing wrong with recycling! I added the words 'happy birthday' from a pack of silver outline stickers, mounted onto a piece of red card.
Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-91411990605314076942016-10-12T11:17:00.001-07:002016-10-12T11:17:54.705-07:00Salmon with Mustard and Gruyere Herb Crust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dJV1lu" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://ift.tt/2e9PEKM" width="400" /></a></div>
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I love salmon and often when I'm planning my week's meals, I put down salmon for one night - it tastes so good I don't really need to do anything, and can quickly cook a piece of salmon and some vegetables for a delicious dinner.<br />
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Sometimes though it's nice to do something a bit different. I found <a href="http://country%20pub%20oozing%20rural%20charm%20and%20rustic%20character.%20our%20picturesque%20surroundings%20provide%20the%20perfect%20backdrop%20for%20savouring%20the%20hearty,%20seasonal%20pub-food%20on%20our%20menu,%20and%20the%20carefully%20nurtured%20cask%20ales%20and%20fine%20wines%20gracing%20our%20bar./" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this recipe</a> in my BBC Saturday Kitchen Cookbook; it's also available on the BBC website.<br />
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You make a crust from breadcrumbs, cheese and herb, and press it on top of the salmon. I didn't bother with the part where you chill it in the fridge and instead mixed it and pressed it straight onto the fish.<br />
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The fish is baked in a mixture of fish stock and wine which keeps it light and gives it a lovely flavour. I didn't bother roasting the tomatoes as I don't like them, but didn't think the dish lacked anything for it.<br />
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-84014844560330338282016-10-11T13:58:00.001-07:002016-10-11T13:58:31.098-07:00Restaurant review: The Fox, Caterham, Surrey<a href="http://ift.tt/2d5GQYX" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://ift.tt/2dJ56OD" width="320" /></a>Do you have a favourite local pub? My husband and I aren't really drinkers and when we go out for meals it tends to be after work in central London, or when we are away visiting family or friends, rather than anywhere around where we live. But a few weeks ago I really fancied a Sunday roast. We were visiting my brother-in-law and his family but they had to be somewhere at midday, so I suggested to my mother-in-law, who was also with us, that we go for lunch afterwards.<br />
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We only decided this at the last minute and I don't know any pubs in the area where we were going to be - around Caterham and Kenley, so resorted to Google Maps to see what was nearby, then went to the establishments' websites and read some reviews. Perhaps not the way most people decide on a pub for Sunday lunch, but it worked for me!<br />
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I chose the Fox which described itself as a "country pub oozing rural charm and rustic behaviour" with "hearty, seasonal pub food". It's part of the Vintage Inns chain but it didn't feel like a chain pub at all, with its own unique character and a menu that didn't look mass-produced.<br />
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The restaurant area where we sat had wooden tables and chairs, while I could see armchairs elsewhere in the pub. A few people were sitting in the pub garden but it was too cold in my opinion - but as the restaurant started to fill up with people who had reserved tables, I wondered if the ones outside were there because there was no room indoors!<br />
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I couldn't decide which roast to have and decided to be a bit of a pig and have all of them! The Fox does a platter where you get beef, turkey and lamb for £11.95 - not a huge amount of each of course so it is a fairly big meal but quite manageable for one person (I would have liked more roast potatoes, but I'm a bit obsessed with roast potatoes). The Yorkshire pudding was nice, though the menu stated it came with a jug of gravy, and the gravy was already poured on - it looks like a lot in this photo but<br />
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there really wasn't enough of it, which the very friendly and chatty waiter acknowledged.<br />
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My husband had a burger (£9.95 with an extra £1 for cheese), because that's what he generally orders when we go out, and said it was really nice, while his mum had the baked camembert from the starter menu - it's designed to be shared as a starter, so made a reasonably-sized main course, though at £10.75 I thought it seemed a bit pricey for bread and cheese (even if the cheese was topped with cider-soaked raisins). She'd said she was saving room for dessert and though I was supposed to be following Sugar-Free September, I have to admit that I cracked!<br />
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My mother-in-law ordered the bakewell slice (£6.75) which was absolutely huge - we all ended up trying a bit and even though I don't normally eat bakewell tarts I thought this was very good. My husband had the Belgian chocolate brownie (£4.75) - he is very predictable - and I was torn between a few things.<br />
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I plumped for the Bramley apple pie (£4.75) - I love apple pie but never make it at home as my husband doesn't like apple, but I think I might just make one anyway and see if I can persuade him! It was extremely good, and overall we were very happy with our meal and will definitely be going back.<br />
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-68404810036858393942016-10-10T11:48:00.001-07:002016-10-10T11:48:24.282-07:00Meal Planning Monday 2016 - Week 41<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2e0NYHx" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2e0NYHx" /></a></div>
Last week's meal plan went out the window a bit as I was working late a lot and my husband was off work ill for several days. So there are various things I didn't make that I am going to put on the meal plan for this week, which makes planning a bit quicker!<br />
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<strong>Monday</strong><br />
Sticky sausages with carrots and couscous from this <a href="http://ift.tt/2d7OvRw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tesco recipe</a><br />
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<strong>Tuesday</strong><br />
chicken curry to use up coconut milk from <a href="http://ift.tt/UWjTt4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0033;">this recipe</span></a><br />
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<strong>Wednesday</strong><br />
my husband will probably be at his mum's so I will have some spiralized veg with a creamy sauce and salmon<br />
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<strong>Thursday</strong><br />
pesto chicken in tomato sauce with mashed potato<br />
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<strong>Friday</strong><br />
chicken kievs and chips<br />
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<strong>Saturday</strong><br />
<strong>Lunch:</strong> I'm out all day on a training course, where lunch is provided<br />
<strong>Dinner:</strong> tacos with potato wedges<br />
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<strong>Sunday</strong><br />
<strong>Brunch</strong>: beignets<br />
<strong>Dinner</strong>: roast vegetable and cashew pie from the new GBBO cookery book (chicken pie for my husband as he won't eat this), served with vegetables and quick herb butter sauce from the same book<br />
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This is a blog hop - join in!<br />
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<div class="InLinkzContainer" id="669437"><a href="http://ift.tt/2d7OtJB" rel="nofollow" title="click to view in an external page.">An InLinkz Link-up</a></div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-66897778992002409902016-10-09T08:59:00.001-07:002016-10-09T08:59:53.851-07:00Blueberry Compote Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dLoYQO" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://ift.tt/2egjWhw" width="400" /></a></div>
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While I was in the middle of Sugar-Free September I wanted to make a cake to take into the design agency I work with as I was spending a day working with them. I always take cake and didn't want them to miss out just because I wasn't eating sweet treats, so I had a good idea: to make a cake I didn't like and wouldn't eat!<br />
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I had some blueberries in the freezer that I'd been given and I don't really like blueberries (even in muffins). I've got a gorgeous-looking recipe book I've hardly used, called Cox Cookies & Cake - it was a pop-up (or in any case relatively short-lived) bakery in London's Soho that was a collaboration between baker Eric Lanlard and fashion designer Patrick Cox, that had very glamorous, decadent - and sometimes slightly naughty (cupcake toppers of topless men or showgirl legs) treats. I remember fondly going there with a friend while we were shopping in Soho for Halloween party costumes a few years ago.<br />
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Reminiscing aside, the book had a recipe for blueberry compote cupcakes, which looked perfect. I made the blueberry compote from scratch and used it to fill the middle of the cakes before they were baked - which was a bit unusual as normally I'd add a jam filling after the cakes were baked, but this seemed to work really well - not that I actually tried one, but I had very good feedback from the team!<br />
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To make 12 cupcakes, you need:<br />
2 eggs<br />
200g caster sugar<br />
125ml sunflower oil<br />
1/4 tsp vanilla extract<br />
250g plain flour<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
250ml soured cream<br />
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for the blueberry frosting;<br />
150g blueberries<br />
50g caster sugar<br />
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for the buttercream:<br />
250g butter, softened<br />
500g icing sugar<br />
2 tbsp. milk<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
and I added a few drops of blue food colouring as well<br />
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Make the blueberry compote first; I actually did this the day before. Heat the blueberries and sugar in a saucepan, over a low heat and stirring well, until the sugar has dissolved and the blueberries softened. I let mine cool and put in a container with a lid in the fridge overnight.<br />
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Preheat oven to 200C/ 180C fan. Beat the eggs and the sugar and gradually pour in the oil, mixing well. Add the vanilla extract, then fold in the flour, salt and baking powder. Stir in the soured cream.<br />
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Put paper cake cases into a muffin tin and put one large tablespoon of the cake mixture into each cake case then put 1 tsp of the compote on top.<br />
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Fill the rest of the paper case until 2/3 full with the rest of the cake mixture.<br />
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Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and allow to cool.<br />
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Beat the butter with the icing sugar and add the other ingredients; using a piping bag with a small star nozzle, pipe the buttercream onto the top of the cupcakes.<br />
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I'm sharing these with Treat Petite, hosted by Stuart at <a href="http://ift.tt/1xg2etW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cakeyboi</a> and Kat <a href="http://ift.tt/2eghyaO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Baking Explorer</a>.<br />
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-18254325076424065742016-10-08T02:49:00.001-07:002016-10-08T02:49:12.103-07:00Goat's Cheese Monte Cristos<a href="http://ift.tt/2dUlA9Q" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://ift.tt/2d1HZMj" width="400" /></a><br />
When I was at university, my friend Dan made the best late-night post-pub cheese toasties - I've had my own Breville sandwich toaster for several years (the same brand that my parents had when I was a kid, a long time ago) and there is definitely something comforting, if a little greasy, about a toasted cheese sandwich.<br />
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I usually add a slice of ham and maybe a smear of mustard to mine, but that's as fancy as it goes. I was looking through a recipe book I have reviewed before called Breakfast for Dinner looking for weekend lunch recipes and came across Monte Cristos - which are effectively cheese toasties but posher.<br />
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Apparently this particular recipe originated in the US - it uses turkey and goat's cheese, with hot red pepper jelly for sweetness and spice, though as I didn't have any and didn't want to make it from scratch, I used cranberry jelly instead. You don't need a dedicated sandwich toaster - you make this in a skillet or frying pan, brushing the bread with egg to make an almost eggy-bread texture.<br />
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To serve 4, you need:<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
8 slices bread<br />
100g spreadable goat's cheese<br />
1/4 cup hot red pepper jelly - I used cranberry jelly<br />
8 slices roast turkey<br />
2 tbsp. butter<br />
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Spread 2 tbsp. goat's cheese onto a slice of bread, then 1 tbsp. jelly. Top with a slice of turkey and another piece of bread to make a sandwich.<br />
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Whisk the eggs, milk and salt in a jug and brush over the top of the sandwich.<br />
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Melt the butter in the frying pan and place the sandwich in the pan, egg side down. Brush the other side of the sandwich with egg mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes then turn and cook on the other side, then keep warm wrapped in foil while you repeat with the rest of the sandwiches.<br />
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-24674751224447614902016-10-07T12:49:00.001-07:002016-10-07T12:49:21.514-07:00Slimming World Lemon Meringue Pie<div class="x_MsoNormal">
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Lemon meringue pie is delicious but normally quite high in sugar. Anyone wanting a low-sugar version of a lemon meringue pie should take a look at this <a href="http://ift.tt/2dFUnE7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Slimming World recipe</a>. It uses ready-made shortcrust pastry, so it isn’t entirely diet-friendly, but uses sweetener in place of sugar and doesn’t use any butter in the filling – it uses gelatine instead, which is much lower in calorie.</div>
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I already had some pastry in the freezer I needed to use up and my husband likes lemon meringue pie (he usually doesn’t like any of the desserts I want to make!) so when I came across this recipe in an old copy of Slimming World magazine it seemed like a great idea. Unfortunately I never get on with using my grill – it’s above eye-level and really hard to keep an eye on it – and I burned the top a bit!</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Other than that it was fairly easy to make, especially if you are using ready-made pastry, though you do have to allow the filling to set overnight in the fridge. I couldn’t find my baking beans so the bottom did rise up a bit when I blind baked the pastry case but I didn’t mind.<br />
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">To make the filling, you boil water with the sweetener until it turns syrupy, then remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon zest and juice and egg yolks. You then cook it in the microwave to set.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Stir in the gelatine, allow to dissolve and if you like you can sieve it to remove the zest though I left that in. Allow to cool and pour into the pastry case and leave in the fridge overnight to set.<br />
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">To make the meringue topping, whisk egg whites and sweetener and spoon over the base. Place under a hot grill just for a minute or two until lightly browned on top – be careful not to burn it! I forgot to take any photos after I took it out of the tin, but wanted to share this recipe anyway - this tasted really good, not really any different to a full-sugar lemon meringue pie in my opinion.</div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-71000362059194892192016-10-06T13:45:00.001-07:002016-10-06T13:45:28.744-07:00Review: Dartmoor Zoo, Plymouth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dVUuuL" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://ift.tt/2dwceyH" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you're ever in Devon I highly recommend a trip to <a href="http://ift.tt/2dVUE5p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dartmoor Zoo.</a> It's world famous as the subject of the book and movie We Bought a Zoo - you're unlikely to see Matt Damon or Scarlett Johansson wandering around, but the movie was actually filmed here (even though they changed the story to set it in America). The book, which I haven't read, is the true story of how Benjamin Mee bought the zoo - and what I like about the film is that Mee and his children appear as zoo visitors at the end.<br />
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I went to Dartmoor Zoo over the August bank holiday as I was visiting a friend who lived nearby. I went with my friend, her husband and their fantastic two-year-old daughter and another friend, and had a great time watching falconry displays, singing happy birthday to a lion and watching her unwrap a present, petting goats and enjoying seeing all the other animals.<br />
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Living in Greater London I'm used to zoos being expensive - London Zoo costs £24.25 for an adult entry, whereas Dartmoor Zoo costs just £8.95, while children under five are free. The gift shop was also very good value - I couldn't resist buying a cuddly toy for my husband as something of an in-joke. So I was a bit surprised that the café - actually called the Jaguar Restaurant - wasn't particularly cheap.<br />
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We could have taken a picnic with us but didn't and decided to eat in the restaurant. There isn't a lot on the menu - it's mainly panini with a few main meals like chicken tagine and roasted squash and goat's cheese risotto, and also a children's section of smaller meals. They had run out of the cheese and ham panini my friend wanted already so she had a pizza style panini with a side of cheesy chips. I had a falafel, roast onion, baby spinach, carrot and aioli panini (£5.95) - and some of the chips. I would normally go for ham and cheese but fancied trying something different and this was really good.<br />
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We also spotted the guy doing the falconry display in the restaurant - I wonder if he was feeding the owl?<br />
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The zoo isn't huge but there is plenty to see and we had a really fun day out; I took lots of photos as usual!<br />
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-59272610641545695002016-10-05T13:15:00.001-07:002016-10-05T13:15:48.877-07:00Blue Buttons Card for Dad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dSzl8L" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2dSzl8L" /></a></div>
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Looking through my craft stash I found some large foam flowers and stems which I don't use very often; they are quite difficult to get a professional finish with as they do seem more suited to children's crafts. But I remembered I had a bag of buttons and decided to make a flower shape using buttons. The topper says 'to a special dad' and was from a pack I bought on Ebay, while the background to the card is a piece of backing paper from a male themed set that has various words ranging from 'football' to 'couch potato' - luckily quite small so you can't really see them!
Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-43097956267518384732016-10-04T13:00:00.001-07:002016-10-04T13:00:27.564-07:00Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Tray Bake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dZd9J8" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2dZd9J8" /></a></div>
This recipe, from Xante Milton (aka Cookie Girl)'s Eat Me, is called Chocolate Chunk Tray Bake - but to me it was more like a cookie dough so I have added that in to the title of the blog post. I made this during the summer when we were going out for the day and wanted to take a picnic lunch; I wanted to quickly make something sweet that would travel well and thought of a tray bake or cookies, and when I came across this recipe, realised it covered both. What I didn't realise, as the recipe in the book is fairly sparsely written with no pictures or photos, is just how good this is! It was like eating thick squares of cookie that were still slightly gooey in the middle - absolutely delicious!<br />
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I also discovered they make a really good cookie ice cream sandwich, if you sandwich ice cream into the middle!<br />
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To make 16, you need:<br />
320g plain flour<br />
1 tsp bicarb of soda<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
110g unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
170g granulated sugar<br />
125g soft brown sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
340g chocolate, chopped into 1cm squares<br />
110g chopped hazelnuts<br />
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Preheat oven to 190C. Grease a large baking tin that is around 15 inches long by 10 inches wide, and around an inch or two deep.<br />
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Cream together the butter, both sugars and vanilla and add the eggs one at a time until well mixed.<br />
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Fold in the flour, bicarb of soda and salt, then stir in the chocolate and the nuts.<br />
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Spoon into the tin and spread out until the mixture is level and bake for 20 minutes.<br />
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Turn onto a wire rack to cool when it is still a bit squidgy in the middle - it will harden as it cools. When cool, cut into 16 pieces.<br />
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I'm sharing this with <a href="http://ift.tt/2dZdtYi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">We Should Cocoa</a>, hosted by Choclette and Tin and Thyme.<br />
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-7872053557402309462016-10-03T13:00:00.001-07:002016-10-03T13:00:16.922-07:00Meal Planning Monday 2016 - Week 40<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2cYmmzF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2cYmmzF" /></a></div>
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I have to say, I'm glad that Sugar Free September is over. I did really well to start with and cut out sugar entirely - even hidden sugars in things like bread, and I stopped eating potatoes as the gluten turns to sugar in your body. But it took a lot of forward planning, a lot of organisation, a lot of meals where I ate spiralized vegetables and watched my husband tucking into a plate of chips or even a pizza and also a lot of guilt when I did fall off the wagon. Towards the end of the month I ate a lot of things I shouldn't; I wasn't that bad (I didn't go and buy a Mars bar from the vending machine at work, if that's what you're thinking) but I did start eating white bread, and potatoes, and a couple of homemade chocolate brownies I made for a friend when we went to visit. Well, we can't all be perfect!<br />
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My weight loss has been up and down - I had lost almost 6 pounds, two thirds of the way through the month, but a health professional friend told me I wasn't eating enough and for sustainable weight loss, I needed to fuel my body multiple times a day. So I started eating more, and the weight crept back on. I also realised how much I struggle to drink two litres of water a day - I don't know how people do it! So I'm going to stick with eating as healthily as I can, with the occasional treat - such as enjoying the same meal as my husband. There's nothing wrong with chips once a week!<br />
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I will continue to eat salads rather than sandwiches for lunch and as the weather gets colder I will try some more wintery salad recipes or make some soups. I'm also going to avoid carbs in the evenings as much as possible, and definitely think twice before I have a sugary snack. I nearly bought some of my favourite Haribo in the supermarket today and actually got as far as the checkout when I dumped them to the side of the conveyor belt (sorry - I know customers aren't meant to do that)!<br />
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<strong>Monday</strong><br />
salmon and vegetables for me, gammon and mashed potato for him<br />
NB marinade chicken for tomorrow<br />
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<strong>Tuesday</strong><br />
chicken curry to use up coconut milk from <a href="http://ift.tt/UWjTt4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this recipe</a><br />
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<strong>Wednesday</strong><br />
my husband will probably be at his mum's so I'll have the two pork kebabs that are left in the freezer from barbecue season, with either any leftover rice from yesterday or couscous<br />
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<strong>Thursday</strong><br />
bubble and squeak tatties with veg for me, chicken chargrills for him<br />
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<strong>Friday</strong><br />
NB out of the office on a training course all day where lunch is provided<br />
Dinner - for a Friday treat, something like chicken kievs and chips<br />
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<strong>Saturday</strong><br />
<strong>Lunch:</strong> tuna melt bagel for me, bacon and scrambled egg bagel for him<br />
<strong>Dinner:</strong> spicy steaks again in the freezer that we never got round to barbecueing, with potato wedges<br />
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<strong>Sunday</strong><br />
<strong>Lunch:</strong> jacket potatoes<br />
<strong>Dinner:</strong> Slimming World diet coke chicken<br />
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This is a blop hop, join in!<br />
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<div class="InLinkzContainer" id="667639"><a href="http://ift.tt/2cYlXgF" rel="nofollow" title="click to view in an external page.">An InLinkz Link-up</a></div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-20502086783507110522016-10-02T10:15:00.001-07:002016-10-02T10:15:46.595-07:00Restaurant review: The Ham Farm Harvester, Eastleigh, Hampshire<div class="x_MsoNormal">
<div class="x_MsoNormal">Have you ever been to a <span class="highlight" id="0.03499172687708191" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Harvester</span>?</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I remember that slogan from the TV adverts years ago – I think their USP even then was the fact that you got a free unlimited salad with your meal, which they explained to you if you didn’t already know – hence asking if you had been there before.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I recently went to visit my family near my sister’s house in Eastleigh and we went for a meal at the <a href="http://ift.tt/2dRjW7s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ham Farm <span class="highlight" id="0.23990546207626268" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Harvester</span></a>. My sister actually used to work in that exact restaurant, behind the bar, when she was at university; she said it had changed a lot since then - it did look very modern.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">We were seated just in front of the main entrance so it was a bit cold every time someone opened the door to come in – not the best place for a table, to be honest – but it did mean we were near the salad bar and drinks machine. You get free refills on soft drinks and fill up your own cup with whatever you like; similarly, you take a plate and help yourself to whatever you want from the salad bar. It reminded me of the Pizza Hut salad bar from my teenage years, even down to having what seemed to be exactly the same potato salad!</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">There were a lot of things I'd happily eat on the main menu which had a lot of choice. Sometimes with this much choice you wonder if there are too many dishes to do well - or if they are bought in bulk from a catering supplier, which may well be the case, but everything was really good. There's too much on the menu for me to list here but if you can think of a way to cook chicken, they have probably got it; then there are 8 types of burgers, a slow-cooked section, ribs and grills, fish - though for such a big menu the vegetarian section is pretty small with only halloumi and chips, cauliflower cheese and tomato tart or pasta in a tomato sauce. I'd describe this as 'family food with imagination' - nothing that would cause you to puzzle over the menu to wonder what it is, nothing to think 'I like that but not the other things it comes with' (you are encouraged to switch the side orders if you want, from a list) - but it's more interesting than just fish and chips or pie and mash.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I was keen to try the 'beer-can style chicken without the can'. I've made <a href="http://ift.tt/Vglq6O" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beer-can chicken myself</a> which was really good. I wasn't sure if the Harvester meant that it was cooked in this way but you weren't served the beer can (for obvious reasons) or if it was cooked in a similar way but using something else, which they don't elaborate on, other than to say it's a rotisserie chicken.</div>
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I had the half chicken which was plenty and very well priced at only £8.99 for the chicken with a piece of thick-cut bacon, a large flat mushroom, fries, gravy and a pot of smokey ketchup.<br />
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">We'd all eaten a lot but had already caught a glimpse of the dessert menu which looked too good to resist! So the six of us ended up sharing two desserts - huge ice cream sundaes which were less than £4.50 each. One came with vanilla ice cream, pieces of honeycomb and toffee and a chocolate sauce, and the other had chocolate icecream (if I recall), pieces of Oreo biscuit and chocolate sauce. They were really good but very indulgent!</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I was pleasantly surprised by the Harvester and pleased to find everyone in our group was able to have something completely different but that they really enjoyed, so I would definitely go back.</div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-25816545324623747102016-10-01T04:35:00.001-07:002016-10-01T04:35:08.891-07:00Beer-Braised Beef Brisket with Branston<a href="http://ift.tt/2dz1nX1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://ift.tt/2cIP18o" width="300" /></a> I made a version of this recipe when I had a <a href="http://ift.tt/2dz2uWJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lesson at the London Barbecue School</a> courtesy of <span class="highlight" id="0.23454423793649576" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Branston</span>; we used thin steaks rather than beef brisket as they were quicker to cook, and they had been pre-marinaded.<br />
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I liked it so much I decided to make the full version of this recipe at home, which you can find on the <span class="highlight" id="0.6486252874918599" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Branston</span> website <a href="http://ift.tt/2cIQ0pf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here.</a></div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">To serve 4, you need:</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">500g beef brisket</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">Bottle of dark beer – I actually used Liefmans Fruit Beer for a lovely fruity taste</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">1 tbsp honey</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">1 head of garlic, cut in half</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">100g Danish blue cheese, crumbled</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">150ml buttermilk</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">1 tbsp cider vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">1 tsp garlic powder (available in the spice section of supermarkets)</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">Pinch of pepper</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">½ head of Savoy cabbage, core removed, and thinly sliced – I don’t like cabbage generally so used mooli instead</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">½ red onion, thinly sliced</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">1 carrot, peeled and grated</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">4 large flour tortillas (I actually served mine on the little gem leaves as I was avoiding carbs)</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal"><span class="highlight" id="0.7335903970203468" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Branston</span> Smoky Tomato & Chipotle Relish</div>
<div class="x_MsoNormal">2 sliced medium Jalapenos or green chillis (I left these out)</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Marinade the beef overnight in the beer, honey and garlic.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">When you are ready to cook, pre-heat oven to 120C – a pretty cool temperature. You are going to braise the beef, in the marinade, for 3-4 hours until cooked through and tender.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">When it’s ready, carefully transfer the beef to a plate or chopping board and cover with foil. Strain the cooking liquid into a pan and reduce to a glaze.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Use two forks to shred the beef, and add to the pan with the glaze and fold in.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Meanwhile mix the cheese, buttermilk, vinegar, garlic powder and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add the cabbage, carrot and onion and stir until all combined.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">To serve, place a tortilla (warmed in a skillet if you like) onto a plate, top with little gem, the slaw and pulled beef brisket. Add a dash of the Smoky Tomato and Chipotle Relish and sprinkle with chillis if desired.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I often make chicken fajitas but this was the first time I had served my husband pulled beef in a tortilla wrap and he really liked it. I don’t normally buy beer or have 4 hours to cook something in the oven so this isn’t something I’d probably make again, but I did really enjoy it – and it showed me once again how versatile <span class="highlight" id="0.10449930526974188" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Branston</span> is.</div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-36411803267624656962016-09-30T11:27:00.001-07:002016-09-30T11:27:23.970-07:00Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dtmJ2y" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://ift.tt/2cRiccE" width="400" /></a></div>
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Who remembers whoopie pies? They were all the rage five or six years ago; a friend gave me a whoopie pie baking tin and recipe book and I made <a href="http://ift.tt/2dtmbcW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">walnut whip</a> and <a href="http://ift.tt/2dtmbcW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">chocolate ones</a> decorated to look like Christmas puddings.<br />
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I loved the taste and texture, somewhere between cake and a soft cookie, so when I went down to see my family one weekend in August I decided to make some to take with me. I wanted to cater for a dad who doesn't eat chocolate and a husband who doesn't eat much cake unless it is chocolate - there are a few other things he likes so I quickly settled on toffee.<br />
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There is a recipe in The Whoopie Pie Book by Claire Ptak for salty caramel whoopies; she suggests you serve it with her caramel Swiss buttercream, but that uses raw egg whites and my sister is pregnant. I actually had some salted caramel icing sugar from <a href="http://ift.tt/ZIMUf3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sugar and Crumbs</a> so decided to use that.<br />
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I got about 9 large whoopie pies out of the mixture - even when I try to make them smaller, they seem to turn out huge!<br />
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You need:<br />
300g plain flour<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
125g butter<br />
120ml whole milk<br />
200g light brown sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
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Melt the butter in a saucepan with the milk, then remove from the heat.<br />
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Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla in a bowl then mix in the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk mixture and stir until combined. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins. Meanwhile preheat oven to 180C.<br />
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Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper and drop equal-sized spoonfuls of the batter onto the paper, spaced well apart.<br />
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Bake for 10-12 minutes until risen but still slightly soft. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.<br />
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For the filling, I beat the pre-flavoured salted caramel icing sugar with some margarine and used it to sandwich the whoopie pies together.<br />
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They may not be the prettiest to look at, but tasted great!<br />
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-16544963525932973732016-09-29T04:37:00.001-07:002016-09-29T04:37:24.632-07:00Pink Shoes Birthday Card<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2dtErIG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2dtErIG" /></a></div>
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While I was sorting out my craft cupboard I came across some sheets of A4 paper that I'd printed from a website with free printables, to be used as backing paper. I had several sheets left of different designs, and decided to use one with pink shoes and the words 'happy birthday' as the basis for a card. The shoes in the middle are small die cuts from a packet I bought containing shoes and handbags. I mounted these on a square of pink paper and used a silver 'happy birthday' outline sticker on another piece of pink paper. I think it looks quite nice, aside from the fact that the words aren't straight!
Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-9063356774044383142016-09-28T13:58:00.001-07:002016-09-28T13:58:27.972-07:00Slimming World Cauliflower Rosti Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2cCgEju" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2cCgEju" /></a></div>
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This recipe makes a nice side dish but is also something you could have as a main course. It's a Slimming World recipe that is syn free; it is quite starchy from the potatoes but not as bland as you might think, thanks to the addition of tomatoes, cheese, herbs and spices. You can find the recipe <a href="http://ift.tt/2ds8Net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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To serve 4, you need:<br />
for the base:<br />
700g potatoes, peeled and grated<br />
pinch of salt<br />
2 egg whites<br />
1 onion, grated<br />
low-calorie cooking spray<br />
for the filling:<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
3 garlic cloves chopped<br />
800g cauliflower florets<br />
150ml vegetable stock<br />
1 tsp dried mixed herbs<br />
handful of parsley<br />
120g Red Leicester, grated<br />
200g cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika<br />
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Preheat the oven to 200C. First, grate the potato using a cheese grater and squeeze out any excess moisture. Mix in the salt, egg white and grated onion. Use to line the bottom of a pie or casserole dish<br />
and spray with oil.<br />
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Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 mins, uncovered, then cover with foil and bake for another 20 minutes.<br />
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Meanwhile spray a frying pan with oil, and fry the cauliflower, onion and garlic and add the stock. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool, then in herbs, half the cheese, and the beaten egg.<br />
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Spoon into the pie crust, top with the rest of the cheese and the paprika, and bake for 30 minutes. Best served with green veg; if you wanted this as a side dish instead of a main course (which is how I had it) I think it would go well with sausages or vegetarian sausages if you want to keep the meal veggie.<br />
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I'm sharing this with Meat Free Monday, hosted by Jacqueline at <a href="http://ift.tt/2cZgOaP" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tinned Tomatoes</a>.
Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-84459864940842890222016-09-27T13:23:00.001-07:002016-09-27T13:23:29.354-07:00Restaurant review: Barraka, Artillery Lane, London<div class="x_MsoNormal">I usually – by which I mean always, unless I’m meeting a friend or out really late the night before – bring my own lunch to work. I’ve taken to eating salads and like making my own as I can put in exactly what I want. But I’d heard colleagues at work raving about a new place they bought lunch that did the most amazing and filling salads, so one day I decided to go along with them.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal"><span class="highlight" id="0.0702287617621854" name="searchHitInReadingPane"><a href="http://ift.tt/2ddFMjp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barraka</a></span> describes itself as serving Mediterranean street food. ‘<span class="highlight" id="0.3159707889581688" name="searchHitInReadingPane">Barraka</span>’ means ‘blessing’ in Moroccan and the owner wanted to carry on a family tradition of blessing people with ‘good energies and food’. It’s located down a little side street opposite Liverpool Street Station and doesn’t have much room inside – there are a few stand-up tables where you can stop and eat, but it gets quite busy at lunchtime and people are sometimes queuing out the door.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">When I went, staff were offering tastes of different items on a platter so I tried a piece of chicken schnitzel and a piece of Mediterranean chicken. One of my colleagues had tried the halloumi salad and thought it was wonderful but I decided to have chicken schnitzel. The staff take a large plastic bowl and spread some houmous on the bottom – something I’ve never had before in a salad but it combines really well with the salad leaves on top.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">There was a choice of four or five types of salad, from mixed leaves to chopped tomato and cucumber; then it’s topped with a generous portion of hot chicken schnitzel, which was freshly cooked while we were there, and drizzled with a choice of dressing. They also do the same filling in a baguette or wrap. It was delicious, really filling, and nice to have a salad with hot breadcrumbed chicken on top – if you can find this place down the alley (Artillery Lane) I highly recommend it!</div>
Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-16582031175483163622016-09-26T13:39:00.001-07:002016-09-26T13:39:22.023-07:00Meal Planning Monday Week 39 - Sugar Free September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2deosIU" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2deosIU" /></a></div>
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Sugar Free September was going pretty well - I'd lost almost 6 pounds - but then a friend who is a healthcare professional took a look at a food diary I'd done for her, and told me I wasn't eating enough. She said my body would only break down rather than store fat if it knew it was getting fuelled regularly - by skipping breakfast and going a long time between meals, my body would hang on to its fat reserves as it didn't know when the next meal was coming. I think she probably has a point so I trusted her when she told me to eat a healthy snack in the mornings and the afternoons, but she did warn that I would probably put on a little bit of weight first. So my 6 pound weight loss has diminished but hopefully will get back on track once my metabolism has been kick-started!<br />
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Having said that I did fall off the sugar-free wagon a couple of times - but on the whole I have eaten much healthier than I would normally!<br />
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Here's my meal plan for this week - the last week of September.<br />
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<div>For lunches I'm going to have chicken salad as I often do, and also try making the pink quinoa from the new Leon salad book.</div>
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<div><strong>Monday</strong></div>
<div>stir fry for me, chicken and bacon pancakes for him </div>
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<div><strong>Tuesday</strong></div>
<div>My husband is working from home and we have to rush out to our residents' association AGM not long after I'm due to get home, so the easiest thing by far is to ask him to put something in the oven for dinner. Since I don't often have that sort of food any more I'm going to treat myself to some scampi.</div>
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<div><strong>Wednesday</strong></div>
<div>something quick as I need to make cakes for a bake sale at work: rest of stir fry for me, chicken goujons for him</div>
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<div>Thursday</div>
<div>I'll do the coconut fish curry from <a href="http://ift.tt/2cA7yH0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0033;">this recipe</span></a> I was going to make last week but didn't, plus chicken curry for him. OR, potentially out at a friend's</div>
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<div>Friday</div>
<div>I'm working from home today. I'll have <a href="http://ift.tt/2c30JKU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0033;">cheesy broccoli bake</span></a> with Quorn sausages and he can have toad in the hole.</div>
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<div><strong>Saturday</strong></div>
<div><strong>Brunch:</strong> sausage sandwich or similar as I have to get a train around midday to get to my sister's baby shower</div>
<div><strong>Dinner:</strong> at my parents</div>
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<div><strong>Sunday</strong></div>
<div><strong>Lunch:</strong> at my parents' for my dad's birthday</div>
<div><strong>Dinner:</strong> something quick back home</div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8666294698908016517.post-29495258560943326122016-09-25T05:58:00.001-07:002016-09-25T05:58:22.038-07:00Sailing Family Scrabble Name Picture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ift.tt/2cXfK7I" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/2cXfK7I" /></a></div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">There’s something special about handmade gifts as you know that extra attention has gone into them – all the more so if it was handmade by the person giving the gift.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">Several years ago I made a <a href="http://ift.tt/1s97n3S" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="highlight" id="0.28316709162815145" name="searchHitInReadingPane">scrabble</span> name picture</a> for my now-husband’s brother and his family. I think it’s a lovely thing to have, and when it was my friend’s birthday this summer and I was struggling to think of a gift, I remembered this and thought she would like it. (Luckily, she did!)</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I found it much easier to purchase a frame this time, that was both a better size and price; Hobbycraft had these white box frames for £8 – which are currently only £4 in the sale, in fact I think I might buy a few more.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I bought the <span class="highlight" id="0.20391891719061117" name="searchHitInReadingPane">scrabble</span> letters from Amazon; they are not real <span class="highlight" id="0.09244145363394851" name="searchHitInReadingPane">scrabble</span> pieces with the little legs on the back to fit into the holes on a <span class="highlight" id="0.24908479348373302" name="searchHitInReadingPane">scrabble</span> board, but instead are flat, which makes them much easier to glue.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">My friend and her husband are really into sailing so I bought some sailing patterned paper from Ebay to use as the backing paper and used my Silhouette die cutter to cut out a sailing boat.</div>
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<div class="x_MsoNormal">I used the letters to spell out their names and that of their son, and the words ‘family’ and ‘love’ and placed the sailing boat at the bottom. I was really pleased with this and my friend said she loved it.</div>
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Kathrin Mithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02790175709940711306noreply@blogger.com0