TARRAGON & THYME

I managed to get to Hobbycraft again for a short visit today.  OH wanted to go to TK Max as he wanted some new trousers so whilst he was there I started a proper browse around and picked up several bits and bobs to go with WIP projects and with my New Big Shot.  There were hardly any Big Shot machines left for sale today.  They had a few dies but not ones I was interested in. However I did buy some more embossing folders another Tattered Lace set called Fretwork Lace £13 for four folders and a couple of Xcut Embossing Folders a round frame and a square frame which are highly detailed and will be ideal for border cards.  These were £5 apiece. I also bought an Easy Rose Cutter Template for making paper Roses. I also bought three pigment ink pads in bottle green, red and blue.£1 apiece.  I do have a lot of stamps anyway that I have had for quite some time to use with them. I also bought four sheets of felt for Christmas ...

Ingredients: 4 firm pears 300ml/10 fl oz water a squeeze of lemon juice 1 tablespoon of sugar a jar of the pear and chocolate jam A pre-prepared pastry case baked blind (bought or homemade) Method: Peel core and half the pears; lightly poach them in the water lemon juice and sugar. Spread the jam on the pastry case and lay the poached pears on top. Serve with plenty of cream fraiche. Enjoy!

I have some pears I bought for the fruit basket which are starting to go a little past their best. Rather than waste them I am going to turn them into Pear and Chocolate Jam a recipe from Notes From The Jam Cupboard which can then ultimately be turned into a speedy Pear and Chocolate tart.  I have been drooling over this recipe for absolutely ages so having the pears to use up is a bonus as far as I am concerned and makes an early start to the New Year Preserve store.  I just hope it lives up to its promise. The more I preserve the more I believe that a lot of people do not go to the trouble of preserving food is that they are not really sure what to do with it once they have made that particular preserve.  I unfortunately have gone the other way and the more I do the more I want to do.  This particular book is a gem in this respect and well worth the purchase.  The ISBN Number is ISBN 978-1-78009-006-1. Please note this is my own personal opinion....

I have enjoyed my Christmas in that I have received some lovely presents from friends and family and acquired some useful equipment as well.  I am so very chuffed with the Big Shot Die Cutting and Embossing machine which has been my present from OH. That just has so much potential for me. I have also bought a new computer (a present from my mum and dad) and hopefully I should not have any more problems.   This new system also has quite a large memory which is going to be needed as I have stacks of family photographs to copy and scan for my brother and other family members. Fingers crossed and toes plaited that everything goes as it should.  One of the reasons for me investing in a new system is  that I have a lot of CD craft discs that I just could not use on my previous system.  I have yet to find out if they will work on this new one.  I have quite a few Debbi Moore Christmas based CD's and other ones that I have been c...

This Christmas I have had a yearning for a mixer produced originally by Schh you know who but it seems to have disappeared off the shelves.  Does anyone know whether they still produce this or has it gone like Burtons puffed potato crisps into the ether/oblivion.  I used to have it on a regular basis at Christmas.  Big sigh.   In readiness for the Christmas however I did buy a bottle of Advocaat and this evening I intend to have some Snowbells replete with a couple of Maraschino cherries.  Tomorrow evening a Brandycham. All tipples from the past. Do you have any favourite drinks from yesteryear. Catch u later Pattypan x

We enjoyed our Turkey we always do and there are a lot of leftovers.  The veggies I use up by making a load of mashed potato and then combining the cold veggies in with the cold potato shape them into discs (I use an old Tupperware Beefburger making set for this) and then I open freeze the discs in the freezer and then using freezer paper stack them in little packages for use later on.  OH is particularly fond of them with a fried breakfast however they are also ideal with roast pheasant or other game dishes. Once the main pieces of meat are gone from the Turkey (we either have this cold or sliced in gravy with veggies as another full meal or two) I strip the carcass of any bits of meat and boil up the bones of the Turkey for soup stock also to be frozen for use later on. With the remnants of meat, cold stuffing, cold breadsauce and cranberry sauce or fresh cranberries I make either small or large festive pies.  I have both sized pie makers and once cooked these ...

I have forbidden myself from starting anything new to do until I have some of the UFOS out the way which is cluttering up premium storage potential. Once they are finished they will hardly take any storing, but all the bags and paraphernalia that go with it that is a different matter.   I thought I would start with some of the smaller items as they will be quicker potentially to get out of the way.  I also thought that it would inspire me to keep at it as  and when I finish an item, it will spur me on to do the next.  Well that is the hope.  As I finish an item I will add the photos here so that you can see what I have been up to. Moving from Christmas into January is always a little grey opposed to the glitz of Christmas all the decorations are down and the colour has gone and it usually takes some readjustment especially after adding all those additional items and little specialities to the "fancies" and little treats section.  So now instead of bein...