Posted in Sugarcraft Flowers on March 25, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Friday 26th March 2010 is National Daffodil Day which helps raise money for the Irish Cancer Society to help hundreds of thousands of people in Ireland suffering from various forms of Cancer. So please support if you see people out collecting tomorrow.
Here is my first attempt at sugarcraft Daffodils…hopefully will be part of a little spring display I’m working on!
Posted in Sugarcraft Flowers on March 23, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Just finished my spring sugarcraft night course, here’s what we made over the weeks, I haven’t yet found the perfect place to display my flowers, any excuse to go shopping at the weekend for a nice ornate bowl, vase or candle for my flowers.
Posted in Baking on March 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I absolutely love banana bread & its a great way to use up those bananas that are gone black & would otherwise be discarded. I will only use nice over ripe / black bananas as they have a much better flavour for banana bread, while this recipe does suggest 2 or 3 bananas, I would suggest only use 3 if they are small as if you have too much banana the texture of the cooked bread can be very sticky. Banana bread is perfect lunch box treat or enjoy with a cup of tea in the afternoon without feeling guilty!
Ingredients
275g / 10 oz self raising flour
1 egg
2/3 bananas
1 tsp bread soda
50g / 2 oz butter
100g/ 4 oz caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
handful chopped walnuts (optional)
handful raisins / sultana soaked in apple juice (optional)
Method
1. Grease 2lb loaf tin & place baking parchment on base of tin
2. Preheat oven to 180C
3. Put the bananas in a food processor or mash with a fork until you get a smooth consistency
4. Add remaining ingredients & blend all together well, it may seem a bit dry but as you keep mixing with a spoon it will all come together nicely.
5. Turn out into the prepared loaf tin, Bake for about 50min until it has risen & golden, test with skewer.
6.Cool slightly & remove from tin, then leave to cool on wire rack
7. Enjoy a slice with a nice cuppa tea!
Happy baking xx
Posted in Book Shelf on March 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I’m very excited, just found out Sophie Dahl’s cookery programme is starting on BBC 2 on Tuesday’s at 8.30 pm. If its anything like her first cookery book “Miss Dahl’s voluptutuous delights” it will be excellent. Her book is colouful, full of life & beautiful ingredients & recipes. Sophie opens the book introducing herself to you as if a friend, explaining how she fell in love with food. She has a natural talent of story telling just like her grandfather. Sophie’s book is split by season & using fish,meats & vegetables which are in season.
Sophie’s recipes encompass different influencing from all over the world. There are some interesting breakfast ideas from muffins, to poached eggs, porridge & my favourite “hangover eggs”. Nice selection of salads & soups for lunch, then some hearty suppers, including brown rice risotto with pumpkin,mascarpone,sage & almonds, Sea bass in tarrragon and wild mushroom sauce, & Crusted rack of lamb…. don’t they all sound mouth watering.
Gotta dash hav banana bread in the oven! x
Posted in Uncategorized on March 15, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Happy St. Patricks Day to all, hope you all have a great day.
Check out these yummy Shamrock cakes….
http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/2009/03/custom-shamrock-cupcakes.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cupcakechic/3328310245/
Posted in Uncategorized on March 10, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
This is the 3rd year of Waterford Festival of Food to be held in Dungarvan. It will be taking place from 16th – 18th April 2010.
For just a taste of what’s on offer… Food Trails, Cookery Demonstrations, Cake Decorating, Talks and Walks, Farmers Market Extravaganza and lots, lots more
I have attended the past two years & there is a great atmosphere & buzz around the town, from live music, drinks & of course plenty of food. Food Trails including excursions to beef farms, farm-house cheese & bee hives, also demos on growing own veg in an allotment, Picnic’s in Walton Park, historic walks of the town, cookery demonstrations & of course the massive farmers market on the Sunday including Hog Roast. It’s definitely worth a visit for any families or foodies..
http://www.welcomewaterford.ie/festivaloffood2010/
I’ll keep you posted on list of events…. in the meantime here’s some pics from previous years…
