Thirsty work!

The review of the Tesco's own mince pies is that they were very nice. We knocked a little hole in them and filled them with cream. Sashy just cut to the chase!

If you wanted to make your own mince pies then here is an easy recipe. It is satisfying to make them. 225g cold diced butter, 350g plain flour, 100g golden caster sugar, 280g mincemeat, 1 small egg, beaten, icing sugar to dust.

1. To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour, then mix in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Combine the pastry into a ball - don't add liquid - and knead it briefly. The dough will be fairly firm, like shortbread dough. You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later.
2. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6. Line however many holes of a pie tin with pastry and spoon the mincemeat into each one.
3. Take slightly smaller balls of pastry than before and pat them out between your hands to make round lids, big enough to cover the pies. Top the pies with their lids, pressing the edges gently together to seal - you don't need to seal them with milk or egg as they will stick on their own.
4. Brush the tops of the pies with the beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar.

Enjoy, silkies. Sweet slumber xxxxxxx

I like to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food!

(I don't usually talk in cliches- it just seemed appropriate). Have just polished off an absolutely beautiful spaghetti bolognaise made by moi. Finely sliced celery, onion, and carrot. One of each. Did them a bit then added the quorn mince. I usually cook with quorn because it's cheaper (and healthier for all you health conscious beauties) and I think I actually prefer it in bolognaise to meat. Probably because it's familiar as Mum has always used it. Then I put a cup of white wine in. Then two glasses of beef stock. Then Marky came in to the kitchen and let me have about a third of a bottle of red wine in it. Roasty was only getting to mine for 9 after work so I had about 40 mins to simmer it all together with the lid on whilst Sashy, Alex, Mark and I chatted in the living room (Jim's room, sorry Jim). Roasty then arrived with some cream for our pudding so I added a bit of that. Then spooned it over the spaghetti and let people add their own grated cheese.

We ate it so quickly I didn't have a chance to take a photo of it but this is the aftermath. It was extremely tasty.

We're having blackberry and apple pie and mince pies with cream for pud pud but I have to stop blogging as we're watching Wall-E and it's VERY visual.

Luckily I don't have too much else to tell as I only tidied my room and had my bath today. Didn't fancy leaving the house. Marky came back at 3 and I glumly told him I didn't have anything to do. He said, 'well can't you have your bath?' But I'd already had it!

Bye for now jam tarts xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two petis pois in a pod

Aaaahh. I'm so contented with the mini break to Paris that Bob and I just went on. We scampered round giggling and singing the only French we know, 'Moi je joue. Je joue a joue contre joue. Ah OUI!'

We also knew, 'Je voudrais deux steak et frites s'il vous plait et un bouteille de vin rouge.'

Bob said early on that the drawback of having her on holiday is that she needs to go to the toilet a lot, but she's also got a small stomach and that means she often can't finish her steak.

For lunch and breakfast we ate a mixture of baguette, soft cheese, chorizo, pears and grapes. Obvs finished off with Orangina.

When we were in Versailles and sulking on the mini group tour train round the grounds that we were too young to hire golf buggies, we ate our picnic and felt heartily better. Cheese and chorizo stuffed into a hunk of baguette felt so fresh. I wish I could have it today.

Around eating, we went to the Louvre, and the Orangerie to see the Monet waterlillies, fell in love with Marie Antoinette's miniature farm at Versailles (the donkeys fell in love with bob too when she fed them dandelions we found), hired bicycles and rode round the city, slipped under the tube barriers, and had lots of naps.

You may have noticed that we only wore stripes. That's because we're really French..

Au revoir Mes Amis xxxxxxxxxx

Souper Trouper

When I first arrived at Granny and Grampa's house we had lunch which was soup and a table picnic. A table picnic usually comprises some cold meat and or smoked fish with a bread roll, different cheeses, and fruit. We had an extra nice one this seshion with prawns, a boiled egg, some beetroot, feta, and gherkins and olives. Delish. The soup was Parsnip. Very easy to make. I think just chopped, peeled parsnips, onions, stock, and some curry powder and just mush all that together. Finish with a swirl of cream to top. It really is soup season right now so I hope that inspires you to start making. It is very warming.

For dinner that night we had steak. Granny has a special heavy slightly spiky tool that is designed to bash the steak as you're meant to first but I'm sure I could use something else when making it myself. So, beat them up a bit first. Then get oil really hot in a pan. Put them in. Turn them over when you think one side is done. Do the other side. Obvs before hand do your accompaniments such as roast potatoes, green beans, and roast tomatoes. Put the steak on the plate when done and keep the oil in the pan. Put a bit of water in and some lea and perrins and boil up a bit but not too much so it goes sticky. Then spoon it over the steaks and eat.

Strawberries and cream for pudding. What a classic.

Aah wish I was there now. But London is calling. Going to shower and go to the Co-op with Dave to get nice bread for our lunch with is dashy's spicy root veg stew again. Off i trot, my beauties.

Still got loads of news to feed you so expect more later!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Bubble TROUBLE!

Well, what hasn't happened since I last posted?? Have been staying at Pink Granny's and Grampa's tues-thurs. Had a lovely time and ate lots of tasty food which I shall blog about in a bit.

Got back yesterday evening and went with Dave to volunteer as front of house for Gracie's show, 'All I want for Christmas is centre stage.'

It was well fun. We served behind the bar for a bit with this cute girl called 'Alex' who loved us. Then we were meant to patrol the hall whilst the concert was on looking for thirsty audience members but we accidentally sat down and let everyone else do our jobs. Oops. The cast members were just TOO eager to fetch drinks. At the interval we fancied some crisps so we slipped back behind the bar and Alex pretended we were fired as she said we were the worst front of house ever! Whatevs. We were soon cuddling up to her and laughing and gossiping about other cast members. We then cleared up quickly at the end so we could leave to get some food. In my rush to get to pizza express I knocked a large laminated centre piece onto a candle and set it alight! Luckily I had only moved to the next table when I smelt it so quickly blew the fire out and rushed the smouldering remains of the centre piece into the

kitchen to hide it. Phew. Then I thought perhaps I'd blow some other candles out to prevent further arson and one spat loads of wax all over me. I could feel it drying on my face so flew to Dave's help.

Then we had a brilliant time at 241 pizza express (both chose the charity pizza that is only £6.70. Tasty and cheap). Then we got the tube home (self pay don't pay) singing all the way. Dave heard from Dashy that he and the boys and Sheens were getting the bus home so he made me stay up with him for them by buying me a beer and running me a bubble bath. I soon stopped grumbling when I saw the bath overflowing with bubbles, soft candlelight soothing my tired eyes and cool glass of beer resting on the side. Isn't he a treat?! He popped me in and then we all had a party in the bathroom until stupid Dashy unplugged me so I got jammed in with no water to keep me afloat. That was not so fun! But, luckily I managed to survive on dry land as I'm not a mermaid and we all were snuggled up in bed by 2.30 a.m. What a late night! Think will have to stay in bed all day today to make up for it.

Bye for now cherry blossoms xxxxxxxxxx

All by myself..

dear diary, I think I might try and turn my blog to a more romantic use.

What do you rec


Now although Alex wrote the above in jest when he found my blog unattended I've left it up to consider. My friends the other night (advertising person and scientific journal production assistant) were discussing office flirtations. They both have objects of desire within the office who may or may not know they exist. Regardless, the casual stalking does make their day go quicker. I haven't started my job yet and can't really afford to leave the house in the meantime so I don't tend to meet new people. Mostly I only have ducky and big ted for company.

Ducky is a light that Alastair gave me for this years birthday. I wanted him for ages to the extent that I emailed the lady in the shop to forewarn her that my then boyfriend was about to be claiming him. Alastair kept teasing me that he'd flown away before he could buy him for me which was very distressing. I put him in hibernation in my wardrobe for quite some time post break up as it was too hard to look at him but now he's out and flourishing by my bed. Had an unpleasant incident recently when Dave wrapped him up in black tape for a duck bondage outfit for halloween but he was quickly released. Big Ted was given to me for my 1st birthday by my uncle Robin. So he's about the same age as me but as Bob pointed out, I've aged better. She also says that he looks like I use him to mop up my wee when I wet the bed. FYI that's not true. He was brownish to begin with and the patch is from when my dog Lexie bit his face open.

Well, looking at big ted's fate it's probably best that I don't meet new people as you can see what happens to anyone I cuddle when Lexie is around... Plus I haven't got time. I've said it before and I'll say it again, those boxsets don't watch themselves.

Bye for now, dreamboats xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Karen O no its me

Can you tell who is Karen and who is me??

I'm going to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs tonight. Although I have loved them for years I don't actually listen to them that often. They shouldn't feel slighted as I don't really listen to any music. I'd better put them on now so I don't keep singing the wrong words to really well known songs. Ugh I am not looking forward to standing up for so long. Going to need a proper bath day on tuesday to recover.

Yesterday I had a lovely day with Mum. We went to see Anish Kapoor AGAIN, went shopping to buy me some work clothes and had lunch at 'Thanks for Frank' on Carnaby Street. I love it there. The food is always exciting and delicious and the cakes are amaze. Went there on Saturday after I went to Anish Kapoor too. I love repetition.

Mum had fish cakes with a fun salad of sweet potato, mange tout, and some other beany bits. I think I should make fish cakes one day.

This looks easy http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3627/simple-fish-cakes

We went back to Franks for tea after Topshop and I had banoffee sponge which was a really light moist sponge with a topping of banoffee toffee and some pretty sugar stars and Mum had a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and seeds on top.

Dave and I are watching This Morning and drinking tea. Bob is meeting us soon and we're hoping to visit one of the city farms or go to the Geffrye museum for their annual Christmas past exhibition.

Bye babes for now xxxxx