Cakes and more cakes...

I was going to name this post 'problems with silicon' but thought I'd get some dodgy readers with that one.

Had an interesting weekend baking cakes, namely a cake for Ma Bucket for her 70th. It was suggested to me by Pa Bucket but thought it would make a good present. So I set to work.

Three cakes later I decided that I hated silicon 'tins' and I'm going back to using my old ones again. I thought the point of the silicon ones is that things don't stick? I had a complete nightmare.

I also decided to use fondant icing (I usually use nice, messy buttercream) for a good finish. Several attempts later I finally got some on a cake...note to self:- use LOTS of icing sugar under the fondant icing, not a light amount that the packets suggest. Also, I need loads more practice with this type of icing - I needed to patch up some holes and then it didn't look neat enough for me.

Finally went to bed about 1am, totally fed up with the cake. So the next morning I made another one just in case I really did not like the first one.  But after putting the decorations on and placing a huge ribbon around the cake to hide the imperfections it didn't look too bad. Although Mr Bucket had to keep reminding me that "it is homemade and if they wanted a shop perfect one then they would have bought one".

Ma Bucket loved it and it tasted good so that's the main thing.

 One of the spare cakes that we'll have today

 But I learned a couple of new things doing this:

* Instead of using icing sugar to attach a ribbon to a cake, measure and then wet the ribbon (gently squeezing off excess water), then wrap around cake. Press and hold for a few seconds and then presto, the water and sugar bind together and the ribbon is held onto cake.

* To cut a big cake in half evenly, lightly score around the cake; wrap cotton thread around and cross over then pull slowly. This works, I tried it and the cake was cut really well.

I don't know if everyone knows these things but it was news, to the few people that I spoke to, about the ribbon trick.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend. Sam xx

Night out...

For the first time in...I haven't a clue how many... years, Mr Bucket and I went out for a night out. It was to celebrate our anniversary (15 years) which was a few weeks ago but this was the nearest date for everyone to be available.

So first we packed the kids off the the Grandparents. You know they don't mind that much when you have to prompt them to say goodbye as you're walking out the door.

Then we got all glammed up which is a lot harder to do when you haven't been out in absolutely ages; have NO idea what is fashionable (I generally live in jeans, t-shirts and favourite converse) and don't want to look like mutton dressed as lamb.

Then we went to an early evening showing of Men in Black 3 3D and it was brilliant. I've always love the MIB films but this one seemed more polished with better action and special effects. I even caught myself giving vocal encouragement to the gorgeous Will Smith, luckily not loud enough to embarrass myself though.

My only gripe was the 3D glasses - when are they going to sort some out for people who wear glasses???!!! I had to balance them on my glasses and only when the lights went low did I relax enough not to feel too stupid wearing them.

One other thing.... am I the only person who shovels so much popcorn in my mouth (hoover-like) that I end up with it going down my top and then I have to try to reach it without anyone else noticing what I'm doing.

Food was next and even though a Chinese was our first thought we eventually went to a Tapas Bar. I'm a tapas virgin, I had a vague idea how the food was served but I had to ask the waiter how many dishes was 'polite' for one person - we ended up with three each.

All I can say is DELICIOUS!!! Definitely going back and may even take the kiddies along too. Although, may be paying today for all the oil that a lot of the dishes used (along with chillies and garlic). Sam xx

Happy Easter...

 Source: Google Images

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter.

We had a fairly quiet day (except for the occasional shouting by moi for everyone to keep quiet - I now have a croaky voice).

Starter

I won't say what time I had my starter.


Main Course

 A nice big haunch of venison just as it's going in the oven. We've had this sitting in the freezer for ages so thought about time to try it out.

We added the end of our home-grown leeks from last year. Tasted absolutely delicious and will be growing more this year.


Dessert

Oops, started a bit early...

Also made this but had to wait as it took 3 and 1/2 hours to bake.

 
I don't usually bother with a pretty ribbon tied round it as it's only seconds before this happens...

And then the kids notice and before you know it, there's not too much left. Sam xx

Oh Help! Oh No! It's a ....

Gruffalo cake.

Well, that's what I called it anyway.

I bought some great cake pans from Lakeland (although already put a dent in them when dropping from a great height).  They are a 12 cup mini sandwich tin with loose bottoms and although mine didn't turn out exactly like their picture (how do they get those perfect looking cakes?), they turned out fairly decent.

 I even made some small Victoria sponges for Mr Bucket as he doesn't really like chocolate cakes
(I know, mad! Who doesn't like chocolate in ANY form!!)

Sam xx

p.s. I've added a button at the side for all you clever sewing geniuses.

Happy Valentines...

I was woken up this morning (steady there) with a gorgeous card and chocolates from Mr Bucket - Thorntons chocolates, of course (although wouldn't have minded the Belgian seashells).

They're not going to do the diet much good but nevermind, we all have to make sacrifices. Although, I've already sacrificed some chocs already this morning to two chocolate-loving monsters.

I promise, it wasn't all me. Honest!!!

On a crafty note, if anyone gets Molly Makes magazine you would have seen the cover showing the mug cozies on the front. They seem to be a favourite make at the moment and as I was in a crochet mood at the weekend, I thought I'd give one a go. TAA-DAA!!

I also finished the lovely, chunky purple scarf for Miss Bucket as well. TAA-DAA (again)!! It came out really soft and warm and I didn't want to part with it when it was finished.

The mug cozy was really easy to do and I must admit that I had fun and it looked really cute when it was on the cup. There is just one teeny, tiny problem with it - I'm a DRIBBLER. There, I said it.

No matter how carefully I drink a cup of tea/coffee/anything really, I always have a little dribble of drink slide down the side of the cup and usually landing on me. In fact I think my next project should be a bib.

Maybe that's what the mug cozies are really for, not to make the cups look sweet and cute and cuddly - they are to catch the dribbles from plopping onto your nice, clean clothes.

I'd better make a whole lot more of them then or that mug cozy is going to be washed loads and loads of times. Sam xx

Getting smaller...

Today is the first day of my 'diet'.

There, I've said it. I know that most slimming clubs or books or videos don't like to use that word but I will, because I want to.

I'm determined that this year my stomach will get smaller; my arms not so flappy; my legs not so wobbly; my thighs not so chafing. And I want to look HOT in a swimming costume for ONCE in my life!!!!!

There are also health issues that come with having extra weight but for the moment, what can I say, I'm superficial - I don't want to look fat anymore. It's going to be hard and I'm going to get fed up.

I know, at times I sound angry and I am but more at myself that it's taken this long to sort myself out. Although to be fair I did lose weight before the kids but then when I became pregnant and also afterwards, I just ate.

 Don't worry, I won't turn this blog into a 'losing weight crusade' but I might just let you know how I'm doing once in a while just to get it off my chest (no pun intended there).

Sam xx

Happy New Year..

Happy New Year to anyone who is reading this. I hope that 2012 will be a healthy, happy and wonderful year for you all.

I'm going to have to do this post in instalments today as I'm going to be busy cooking; watching tv; playing Mario Galaxy on Wii and imbibing copious amounts of sherry today.

Just in case you think I might have a sherry problem - I don't. It's one of those things that you only eat/drink at certain times of the year, even though you love it. Think pancakes on Shrove Tuesday; mince pies at Christmas; Cadburys cream eggs at Easter; Hot cross buns; the chocolate cake I only make at Christmas; Stews in winter time when the months are cold... Sherry is just like that, so I'm making the most of it as soon I won't drink it at all until, probably, I see the Coca Cola Santa advert on telly again.

12.40pm: I've the beef in the oven surrounded by home-grown onions. The smell is gorgeous and I've just peeled the roast potatoes and ready to put on the boil. I'm listening to Duran Duran on Radio 2 and I can hear Bucket jnr has just jumped on Mr Bucket whilst he's watching Worlds Strongest Man. Miss Bucket is currently watching re-runs of Doctor Who (it's David Tennant for all other DT fans out there - swoon).

Source: Google Images - the lovely David Tennant

1.50pm: Okay, dinner is a little late, still waiting for the beef to rest but it tastes lovely from the end bits that Mr Bucket and I have pinched. Potatoes look great and I've done loads of Aunt Bessies Yorkshires as Mr Bucket likes to have some with syrup for pudding. Hurry up beef!!!!!

5.00pm: Right then, dinner is definitely over - bellies stuffed, all bits eaten and condiments put away. I'm feeling really fat and lazy at the moment and Mr Bucket wants us to do Wii Fit

(lot of exercises) - NOT A CHANCE!!!

Pass the Roses tin and stuff me up baby...Only joking, I only had 3.

I've been considering the New Year Resolutions that is customary to do and I seem to have come up with the usual suspects.... lose weight, be happy and try to be more patient. I'm hitting the big 4-0 this year and even though I might have left it a little too late to lose loads of fatty stuff by the big date, I'm going to really dig deep this year and get it off for good. Hopefully I'll look semi-decent by the time the holidays come around. So fingers crossed and here's hoping.

Not too much more this evening except veg-ing out in front of the boggle-box and watching maybe Treasure Island with Eddie Izzard and then catching up with Sherlock Holmes or the other way round. I'll wait and see, both look good. I've just got to make sure that I don't start snoozing instead.

Once again, I wish you a joyous 2012.

Sam xx



Post Christmas

We had a brilliant Christmas.

The kids raced down on Christmas morning to see if Santa had delivered their pressies but I had to make them wait a little bit as Mr Bucket had worked Christmas Eve and needed some sleep (although they didn't agree with me on this). I didn't make them wait too long.

I love it when the unwrapping frenzy starts - I don't think they even look at the gifts. It seems like a race to see who can get the wrapping paper off all the presents the quickest. Then when it's all done, they finally sit and look to see what they have been given.

We had Christmas dinner at the in-laws, which is good in one way as it gives me a break from cooking but then again, I don't have any leftover turkey to snack on.

Last year Bucket jnr was given some Thomas the Tank Engine pants as a present from Granny and the look on his face as he launched them across the room with 'they're not presents' was priceless. So this year I was on the lookout and sure enough he was given some jumpers. As his face started to morph into 'that look' I quietly whispered 'say thank you' and grabbed them and replaced the gift with something else to unwrap. Disaster averted (it was funny though).

I've been keeping up with some of the blogs I follow and found a nice site, Ravelry, which gives loads of knitting and crochet patterns. I'm probably the last person to find this site but it's brilliant and I've already marked things I'd like to make.

After a lot of thinking, I'm going to try and concentrate on crochet this year. I'm only a beginner but hoping to get a LOT better. Also the usual New Year Resolution.... get fit and lose weight.  It's not small in error, I just thought that if it was that size it wouldn't seem such a big problem.

As I get older I like trying to find the best present for someone, it doesn't have to cost the earth and sometimes is something that I've put together. I find that I like giving presents more than receiving nowadays and it's always me who is last to open any gifts as I get more joy out of watching other peoples faces.

But I did get a couple of good ones....

Oooh, last night I made a Hairy Biker fish pie and I can thoroughly recommend it. I would tweak it slightly next time I make it but it's the first time I've ever attempted fish pie (I know, I can't quite believe it either) and I wanted to follow it to the letter. Definitely a winner though!

The kids weren't that bothered but then it didn't include chicken nuggets or chips - I'm going to keep trying.

Kirstie I just love. I like watching her on the telly as they are just feelgood shows. I know that she's not everyones cup of tea, but then who is????!!!!

And the Hairy Bikers are excellent - they are just mad and funny and make everything seem really easy. Although it's amazing how they manage to keep those beards clean.

Mr Bucket also got me my Michael Buble Christmas cd which I've been playing quite a lot. I might have to buy another just in case I wear this one out. How long can you play a Christmas cd for without someone mentioning that it's the wrong time of year?? I'll probably stop playing it around mid March.

All in all, not too many arguments; I only threatened to cancel Christmas twice and, amazingly, most of the toys have already been put away (still a few left to find places for). I would say that we've done quite well and I hope that everyone else had a good time too. Sam xx

Just chilling...for the moment

Hi, I'm still here just as the title says.

The kids broke up for the Christmas holidays and as you expect are really excited and counting the sleeps until the big day (2 more mummy).

We haven't really done anything too exciting over the past few days, just chilling out. But I do have a few jobs that I need to do and SOON. When we were off sick, the housework was shoved put aside and I really need to go around with a damp cloth as it's in that stage where you really don't want to move the ornaments out of place.

Also, all of a sudden, my kitchen floor has become an ice rink. Beware if you're just wearing socks because one foot on the floor and you are sliding past - nice pirouhette, 10/10, shame about the landing. I've got the mop out ready to give it a good scrub today. Can you imagine carrying the turkey and then 'WHOOPS'.

I've just made a load of cakes which will be iced today (although Bucket jnr has just said they are ALL FOR HIM as they are not iced) and then I'm making the mince pies and also our holiday chocolate cake. This is like a refrigerator cake, very rich and tastes really nice. I'll try and put a picture on before the mob descends on it and nothing is left.

I also need to start wrapping the presents tonight when the little'uns are in bed. I had to brave the shoppers yesterday and buy some more paper as I just knew that I didn't have enough and come Christmas Eve I'd be banging on the neighbours' doors asking 'please can I have some more'. We trudged out early and I'm glad we did because it was BUSY - I was glad to get back home.

So quite a busy cooking day for me but with a little help from the Christmas playlist on Radio 2 and a nice glass of sherry, it should go ok. Sam xx

Turkey...

Following on from my previous post (I'm on a roll now that I'm feeling a bit better), I was just thinking about turkeys.

Yep, that's right, turkeys.

My mum died when I was 20 and she was a good cook. In fact, she was probably more fabulous than I knew. But, unfortunately, I never knew how little time we would have together so I didn't show any attention to how she cooked/baked/made things. Silly, silly me.

I'm not getting into the ins and outs today but because of this and a few other factors, I was the one that was going to be cooking Christmas dinner.

I remember looking in countless cookery books and I can proudly say that the only thing that was a bit iffy was the roast potatoes which eventually were made into mash. But noone complained and the food was completely finished off.

But I'm wandering a bit. I was thinking of some 'small' errors that made some Christmases memorable for all the wrong reasons. I've had a couple of interesting turkey moments:

One year I was defrosting the turkey on the counter. I came downstairs Christmas Eve morning to find a half-gnawed turkey - bite marks on the breast and legs. I should mention that I had a cat at this time, who had decided to help himself although the turkey must have still been rock-hard and I can just imagine him trying to chew on the frozen leg and getting nowhere.

The funniest one though was early on in my cooking experience. I'd let the bird defrost and I went down nice and early Christmas morning to wash my turkey.

Now being quite a novice I still knew that the neck should be removed and the giblet bag taken out. So I pulled the neck out and very pleased with myself, turned the turkey over looking for its bottom end.

THERE WAS NO BOTTOM!!!!

I looked and looked again and I started to panic as I was really worried about the giblets that I knew had to come out. Eventually I figured it out - the skin was just stuck to the turkey. But this took me about an hour to find this out.

I did laugh later.....much, much later. Sam xx

Nearly there....

We are nearly healthy again - thank goodness! But I think I have succumbed to cabin fever. I quickly popped to the shops, well I said quickly......I was gone over an hour. Totally made the most of being kid free.

This year, like other years, we'll be going to the in-laws for Christmas dinner. When I first got married I wanted to cook Christmas dinner, so we had turkey on Christmas day which my mother-in-law cooked and then I cooked another turkey for our little group on Boxing day. It was a bit tiring.

Source: Google Images

I gave up a couple of years ago and now just cook a big meal on New Years day. This year it's beef.

But as I was going round a well known supermarket (no advertising here, hehehe) I caught a glimpse of some turkeys and thought 'they've quite a good family size - not too big or small'. Then I happened to notice the price, around £25, and I looked at how many people the turkeys were meant to feed - about 11 people.

WHAT????!!!!

I'm not kidding, these turkeys weren't overly big - they were about normal size. So either they are shrinking or we eat way too much. Now I like turkey (and we do have good appetites) but I could not justify the price this time.

So definitely NO turkey for us this year. Nevermind, I'm sure we'll still be well fed.

Onto another topic (or the same one if you've been reading this blog), I've finally finished the teachers gifts. YAY!!!! Mexican Wave. I've just got to wrap them up ready for the school parties tomorrow.

One thing down, a few more to go. Sam xx

Mince Pies

Before I start this post I just want to say a big SORRY if I'm boring anyone about my obsession with Christmas. I can't help it - it's a sparkly, tinsly (is that spelled right?) and cinnamon smelling addiction .... I LOVE CHRISTMAS.

There, it's out and I feel much better but unfortunately it won't go away until the big day gets here. So once again, I'm sorry.

Now lets get on.

I've started making mince pies, although I don't know why I bother so early as they never last for Christmas. I made quite a few yesterday, as you can see:

And now they're gone!

So I'm making some more. It's not too complicated (it can't be, for me) and doesn't take too long -thank goodness. The only hard part is keeping everyone away to give the pies enough time to cool down.

I'm sure most people have their own way of making them but I wanted to add my tuppence as well.



Mince Pies

You'll need:

8oz plain flour
4 oz butter (softened)
2oz caster sugar
pinch salt
1-2 tablespoons water
Jar of Mincemeat (I cheat)

Heat your oven to Gas Mark 8 / 230C / 450F.

Grease a bun tray. I use a shallow tray to make smaller pies so if your tray is more muffin size, you might want to double the recipe.

Put the plain flour, butter, caster sugar and salt into a bowl and, using your fingertips, rub everything together to mix the butter with the dry ingredients. It should after a few minutes look like soft breadcrumbs.

Add your water a tablespoon at a time and mix together. This will bind it but you don't want it too wet as the butter in the mixture will make it greasier the more you handle it.

Divide your mixture in two and roll out the first half quite thinly. Cut into larger rounds using a cookie cutter. If you don't have one then a cup or round lid would do.

Place the rounds into your baking tin and gently press down. Fill with a teaspoon of mincemeat. Try not to overfill as will leak out when cooking.

Lightly wet the edges of the pastry. You don't need a pastry brush, dipping your finger into water will be fine.

Roll out the second half of pastry and cut into smaller rounds for the lids. Place onto the larger halves and press gently down.

Using a sharp knife put a small hole in the top of each of your pies to let the steam escape when cooking.

Put the pies into the top half of your oven and cook for 20 minutes. I have a look at 15 minutes and because my oven can be a bit temperamental, I then turn the tray around and continue cooking for the last 5 minutes so the mince pies are evenly lightly golden.

When they have cooked leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before putting onto a wire rack or plate.

I like to dust them with icing sugar but you could also use any other sugar on top or eat them plain - I have.

I apologise to anyone reading this who thinks that this is just a little bit basic but I do not assume that everyone makes cakes/mince pies etc. And if you don't want to do it, then you don't have to do it.

But to anyone who decides to make these I can tell you that they taste great and won't last long.  
Sam xx

Made some cakes

I made some cakes for us. I like to make cupcakes for the kids and also try to make some for the school fetes but whenever I've made them they always look too small. I use the cupcake cases but when they are lined up with other cakes on the stall they seem absolutely TINY! So this time I used muffin cases and they actually came out quite big (although I'll need to double up on the recipe next time to get a decent amount of cakes).

I started to ice the cakes but I'd run out of piping bags. So I tried the trick most cookbooks/cooking sites say - use a plastic bag. So I did......and the icing exploded out of the sides by the tip.

After a few tries I gave up and just plopped the icing onto the cakes, smoothed it with a knife and covered them in sprinkles. Gotta love the sprinkles.

Didn't turn out too bad afterall and they tasted rather nice too. Sam x

A big bowl of nostalgia

Feeling a bit nostalgic again, don't know why....maybe it's the early nights closing in or the colder weather making me want to snuggle into all things comfortable, including things from the past. Right, where's my cardigan and slippers.

So Sunday I decided to make something that I remember my mum making, although I didn't realise that it took so long to cook - 2 hours. It had better be good!!!

I took the recipe from my Tana Ramsey's Family Kitchen book. It's one of those cookbooks that I could sit and just look at (also like Hairy Bikers).

I was almost tempted just to drink the evaporated milk - I used to love this poured over tinned fruit. And the nutmeg that I need to grate over it gives off gorgeous Christmassy smells.

And it was... Rice Pudding.

My mum used to make hers with sultanas but I've been told by Mr Bucket 'no'. He's a bit of a puritan when it comes to food, I think, and hates to meddle with traditional recipes too much. Maybe I'll make a big bowl of it (with sultanas) for myself next time although, if I eat the WHOLE bowl, I won't be able to eat anything else for the rest of the day.

And here it is...

And the verdict? Welllllll, not great actually.

The first problem was probably my fault as I tried to be a bit frugal and used some pudding rice that was a long way beyond its best before date. But I thought that as it's rice, it would keep fairly well. Obviously not.

I cooked the pudding for the 2 (long) hours and when I went to check there was still loads of liquid sloshing around. Not to be put off, I drained some off and put it back into the oven for a further hour.

The second problem was that it was brown, well a caramel colour actually, due to the nutmeg. Now I didn't mind this too much but unfortunately the kids weren't that impressed and even though Miss Bucket tried some, she still wouldn't budge. I think they have been influenced by the creamy whiteness of Ambrosia creamed rice pots.

So there you are, after all my joking earlier in the post about eating the whole bowl - I may just have to do that. Sam x