No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

flowertotmum

Hello all..sorry i been away my laptop was being difficult..hubby has fixed it for me..love that man..

Thank you all so much for the lovely birthday wishes..i have had a great day..and some money..i can honestly say i do not know what to buy myself..i do need some new undies ..but that is it..think i will leave it in my money tin..you never know..

Candlelight..thank you for my beautiful card..i am so glad you had a lovely holiday..laughing at Flora..when we went away our cat Simba sulked for a week when we got home..and what wonderful news about your DD..i wish her a speedy recovery..

MLW..o how wonderful..baby Ezra has had a wonderful experience..
Today we received 2 amazing postcards from Nell..one from Sweden and one from New York..they have been duly marked on the map and will be researched in the week..i think its so wonderful of Nell and her friends...
How is Docky doing?

Well this past week was strange..we had some days off to catch up with baking and cleaning..we made some lovely broccoli bites..very yummy..but they are a bit stodgy and we can only manage one each but they are great filler uppers..we also made a no-bake cheese cake..unbelievably easy and scrumptious..will post recipe if anybody wants it..

I made some more laundry powder and a liquid for woolies..made some more carpet freshner too..

In the garden..we picked raspberries and strawberries..plus blueberries and my redcurrants have come too..Sam has harvested the last of the rhubarb,which was frozen in chunks for easy use..he also brought us more lettuce,spring onions and 2 courgettes..which i roasted with onions and tomatoes for lunch..

In the kitchen like i say the above were made but also ham cups..so easy and delicious with new potaoes and salad..will post that recipe also if anyone wants it..and today i made raspberry puffs with cream for pudding..i swear i am going to get huge lol...

This week i am hoping to maybe get some baby carrots..and we want to make some crack bacon..it sounds delish and as we all love our bacon i am hoping it will go down well..

I am hoping everyone is ok and doing well..
love you all
ftm

candlelight_2013

Oooo Sara I would love the recipe for no bake cheese cake please.

It has been a lovely day here, all holiday washing done, ironed and out away. Taking DD tomorrow to make an appointment for an eye test and then on to P* World because she has decided to buy herself a Tablet.

Take care everyone, sleep tight

Candlelightx

flowertotmum

Hi candlelight ..i got all my laundry dry too..its so nice to do it for free..hope her eye test goes ok and a tablet..i have one..its ok but prefer my laptop..the tablet is used more by the little people in the house who forget to switch it off and drain the battery..:(..

No Bake Cheesecake..

1 Biscuit base..
2 8 oz tubs of cream cheese..i used asda smartprice
1/4 cup of normal sugar
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1 cup of double cream

Beat the cream cheese until smooth,then slowly add the sugar and vanilla. Beat the mixture until well blended.

In a chilled bowl,beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.

Slowly beat the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix.

Spoon fill your biscuit base..smooth if you want too..let it chill for 4-6 hours..then tuck in..

enjoy candlelight..

i made my biscuit base from the Lotus cinnamon biscuits totally smashed up with some melted butter to bind it...then i put the base in to a deep cake tin..let it cool for a bit then made the cheesecake mix..i used a loose bottom tin so i could ease it out..bit i did cheat and lined it with baking paper so i could pull it out..honestly its delish and i don't like cheesecake..but i love this one..

love
ftm

scottishminnie

MrsLM- I'm so envious of little Ezra. He's achieved something I've always planned and never got round to- a trip to Glastonbury! I hope he was impressed with the incredible Ms Parton. I was lucky enough to meet Dolly some years back at her theme park and she seemed like one of the most genuine people ever. She was also tiny, almost doll like. I felt like a big fat hippo next to her!

FTM - hope everyone is covering from the excitement of the wedding and looking forward to lots more good summer weather. I'm sure you will find something suitable to treat yourself to at some point. I think it's more fun to keep birthday money for a later date. It seems more of a treat that way.

Hoglet- do you have a recipe for that prawn masala? I have a huge bag of cooked frozen shrimp which I should do something a bit more exciting than the usual stir fry with.

Candlelight - glad DD is doing well. Long may it continue.

Well it was a manic weekend here. My friend had her annual "party" so I was responsible for the birthday cake (decorated with poppies to mark armed forces day), strawberry pavlova, butterscotch pecan cheesecake, Florence's orange sponge and a last minute red velvet cake. I hadn't made red velvet cake before and was delighted at how it turned out although I need to work out a cheaper method. I needed two ounces of red gel food colouring which cost £5. I'm sure there is a cheaper way and one which won't have the kitchen resembling a murder scene with me as the chief suspect:rotfl:

I was left with masses of cream cheese frosting extra so I've made carrot cake for the office tomorrow and will frost it in the morning. My colleagues are most grateful for anything home baked so it will be very welcome- leftovers or not!

So, I'm off to water my fruit bushes before bed. I'm amazed how thirsty they are. I also hear the pheasant squawking so I guess the bird feeder is empty. That bird has no sense of time whatsoever:D

hoglet121

Hi Scottishminnie!

Absolutely - I'll post it tonight when I get home, It's quite different tasting - has a touch of sourness to it but we enjoy it

You must tell me your secret for red velvet cake - I cannot get it to work!

flowertotmum

Hi all..well i spent some of my treat money..

New undies..very nice..
2 cushions with the Eiffel tower on one and French script on the other..£1 each..so spent some but got plenty left..am going to leave it now in the tin.
SM..i love red velvet cake..unfortunately i buy the cake mixes..but if you can make it cost effective for me i will give it a go..

love you all
ftm

candlelight_2013

Hi everyone,

Sara thank you for the cheese cake recipe, it sounds delicious.

SM your cakes sound out of this world, I can imagine not much was left after the party.

I have made more jam today, peach and apricot, both YS so not as expensive as might be, and I bought loads of sugar from Costco last month.

My friend is visiting tomorrow (the one with the allotment) and asked if I would like rhubarb and gooseberries. OOO yes please I said, so I always like to make her something as a thank you.

I have made her a lemon drizzle cake, she will also have a jar of the peach and apricot, Lyn's Rhubarb breakfast jam and a jar of strawberry I made the week before we went away. They are so good if they happen to have a glut of anything. Both their Sons live away so there isn't any point saving it for them. We have been friends since our children were at primary school, so go back a long way.

Took DD to her various errands(sp), eye test next Monday (do you know it is £25 for an eye test, I was shocked?) and then to sort a Tablet for her, and then home. It was 12 noon before we arrived home but she and Himself had breakfast in Debenhams as a treat.

Weather is gorgeous here, hope it is the same for you all.

AOT are you OK? I have missed you.

Love to you all

Candlelightx

ArthriticOldThing

Hello all.
Thanks candlelight I'm not too bad thanks just not been posting much - still reading along though. Glad you had good holiday in Norfolk.
Have been trying to catch up with clutter clearing since came back from holiday - I live in a small flat that is full to overflowing with rubbish. Already taken 2 trolleys full to our church fair (its this weekend and though I must attend am determined NOT to buy any more clutter) and am amassing a heap for charity shop.
My feet are almost back to normal size - for me - but ankles taking a lot longer.
FTM a much belated Happy Birthday.

candlelight_2013

Good to see you AOT.

I have taken so much to the Hospice shop recently Himself is frightened I will leave him there as well:)

I know it is hard work but I do think you feel better when you have had a good sort through stuff, and to be honest most of us have probably too many possessions anyway. I just worry that when we are both gone our girls will have to clear everything out, and having done that job for Mum I wouldn't wish that on anyone. When Mum died the charity shops did very well locally.

Glad the feet are better, but I have to say my ankles are usually puffy by the end of the day. Although I say it myself I had good legs when I was young, but now I have "old ladies ankles":)

Take care

Love
Candlelightx. .

hoglet121

Sorry Scottishminnie, I haven't forgotten about the prawn masala recipe - had a couple of busy evenings that's all :-)