Bits & Bobs and Oranges!

Catching up on housework (blah) and ironing (double blah). I had a go at an ATC, I won't be posting a picture or doing anymore!!!

I am also trying out some 'Amigurumi Patterns' these are Japanese Crochet patterns. Just playing around, if they turn out ok I'll post info on them!!

I recieved some new Yarn through the post the other day from Yarn Yard (link on right)


I will get knitting again very soon, can't say who for or what I will be knitting though!


Doing a bit of research for someone's Family History which is proving to have a twist or two!!!



No I have not gone totally mad and decided to up my Vitamin C intake!!!
These are Seville Oranges, and what do you make with them?????????? Marmalade!!! I have never made Marmalade before in my life and as I am game to have a go at most things I thought I would have a go at Marmalade, well it is a favourite of hubbies!! I am going to freeze these as I have been assured by Lottie that this will be OK. Then when I feel ready we are going to have a Marmalde Day!! If you fancy joining in, let me know and we can all make Marmalade together!!!

The Great Pip Challenge



This is the Ginger, do you think I should take it out of the propergator now???

Toffee Failure!!!

I tried to make toffee today and failed miserably!!
I have never had this problem before and I blame Marks Mum (God rest her soul). Whilst I was preparing for the great event Mark recalled his mothers attempts at toffee making and how she failed on more than one occasion! To be honest she was not a good cook at all, according to her beloved son!
I have made varying types of toffee for many years, including when I was at catering college! I have NEVER failed, until now.
Why I still have no idea!!
So all ingredients into the pan


Boiled to the correct temperature using a sugar thermometer...



Poured into a greased tin..



You can see its not quite right here...



and definately not here, it is all sugary in the middle, which I do not understand



so mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, back to the drawing board I think!!!

Christmas Pressie Preperations!!!!

I was really out of sorts this morning as I had to go for my follow up appointment with the specialist. Anyway the reason I was so nervous is, the op! hasn't worked and I still have the problem! I have mentioned in a previous post what I had done, it is a very painful operation and because I never, ever wanted to go through it again I have improved my diet 100%! I have lost 1 1/2 stone and I must admit the specialist noticed, he said 'I was a shadow of my former self'. I think he exagerated, but never mind I was thrilled!

Anyway he was, shall we say totally befuddled, when I told him what was happening, and he sat very quietly and shuffled and re-read all my papers. Mark was with me and he said the same as me, it was as if he was thinking 'what on earth can I do now!'

So I had more (very painful) injections, I have to take antibiotics and some steroids and go back and see him in 2 weeks! If this doesn't work I have to go back to theatre and he said' Mrs Woodlands if you thought last time was painful, this will be far worse'!!!!!!! So I am stuck between the devil and the deep!

So I came home and got on with what I like doing best...... making....... so look what I've been up to this morning..

8lb of Medlars

Quartered and put into a pan and covered with water bring to the boil and simmer for 1hr 30mins


put the contents into a jelly bag and strain overnight! Oh alright I started this yesterday!!!

Measure what is collected and for every pint add 1lb sugar

Boil until setting point is reached, spoon off the scum and put into sterilized pots!

the colour is amazing. Unfortunately it only has a shelf life of 6 months... if it lasts that long!

I cheated on the next one I went to the super market and bought little bottles of Olive Oil. Soaked the labels off, opened them up and filled them with Garlic and Rosemary. I would have used Chillies but my Mum is not keen on 'hot' but I think I know someone who would like it???

I still have to label them and will post a pic when done. Yes I could have bought bottles and oils seperately, this just worked out more economical for me!!

Then the cakes needed marzipaning!!

Whilst I was out getting bits and pieces after picking Tori up from school! It came to me, so I now know how I'm doing the Christmas Cakes! There will be nothing rustic about them either!!

A Bit of Good and Bad News, plus something about Cooking and Chickens!

So the mincemeat is done, recipe on previous post,

here it is just out of the oven, you should smell it Mmmmmmmm!! Now the bad news ......

it only made 4 jars, so if I put one in my Mum's hamper, give one to my sister that only leaves 2 and 2 is definately not enough for this family!!!!! So I will have to make some more!This is the smaller cake which I have laced in brandy. It is now wrapped up and I will marzipn and ice it early December.

This is the bigger one. I have made another one today but have made the recipe for a 9 inch round cake and am going to put it in the 8 inch tin, I like a deeper cake! So this will be given away! I thought I only had one more to make but a request has been recieved from Worcester Uni for Christmas Cake and Mincepies, can't resist really can I?????????

Do you think Mark will notice his brandy has gone down??????? It was a full bottle before I started all this baking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





We have had the chickens 6 months today and got 258 eggs, which is an average of 43 eggs a month, 10.75 per chicken per month!!!!!!!

Busy in the Kitchen!

Well after a successful shopping trip after school yesterday I managed to get all the necessary ingredients! So after taking Tori to school then chatting on the internet and phone for about an hour this morning I eventually got going!

I only wish I could let you smell my kitchen as I write this, its devine, very Christmassy!!

First the boring part.... lining the tins, fiddly!

I got so engrossed in the making I forgot to take a pic but here is the mixture in the tin ready to go in the oven.

this one went into the fan oven

and the smaller one is in the Rayburn, which of course because I want to cook on/in it decided's to misbehave and is raging away so I currently have the oven door cracked open (according to the instructions this is fine) but am having to check it about every 20 mins!!!!!

Oh! heavens I've just had an awful thought......................... hope its cooked before I get Tori from school!!!!!!!

Then clear this mess up...

before I start on the Mincemeat, which is very easy to do by the way and once you've made your own you will never buy shop made again...

this has to stand over night, then into a warm oven for 3 hours tomorrow before waiting for it to cool. Then you add the brandy and put it into sterelized jars!!! MMmmmmmmm!!!!!

Obviously as eveything finishes I will post pics!!!

Well must dash still loads to do, chickens, check cakes again, make the tea oh yes and have some lunch!!!! Got to take Tori to the New College, Swindon open evening with her best friend and his mum!!!!!!!!

Mincemeat Recipe

450g/1 lb cooking apples, cored and chopped (I grate them its quicker and you don't need to peel them!),225g/ 8oz shredded suet (beef or vegetarian), 350g/ 12oz raisins, 225g/8oz sultanas, 225g/ 8oz currants, 225g/8oz candied peel, finely chopped, 350g/12oz dark brown soft sugar, grated zest and juice of 2 oranges, grated zest and juice of 2 lemons, 50g/ 20z whole almonds chopped or cut into slivers,(I pop them in a plastic bag and whack them with a rolling pin!) 4 teaspoons mixed ground spice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg. 6 tablespoons brandy! I usually use more spices but you can add what suits you!

Combine all the ingredients except the brandy. Mix them very well in an ovenproof bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a cool place overnight for flavours to develop. The next day pre heat the oven to gas mark 1/4, 225F, 110C, cover the bowl loosely with kitchen foil and place in the oven for 3 hours. Remove from the oven, don't worry about the appearance of the mincemeat, which will look positively swimming in fat. This is how it should look. As it cools, stir it from time to time; the fat will coagulate and, instead of it being in tiny shreds it will encase all the other ingredients. When mincemeat is quite cold stir again adding the brandy. Pack in jars that have been sterelized. When filled cover with waxed discs and seal. The mincemeat will keep for years if stored in a cool dark cupboard. Not that mine ever does!!!!!

I'm bored, bored, bored, bored, bored!

So what mischief can I get up to that won't strain anything or get Tori into trouble with Mark!!!

HHmmmmmm!!!!!!

Aaaha the greenhouse, needs to be wrapped up for winter, all I have to do is put twiddly bits in grooves amd hold up the bubble wrap with some more twiddly bits simple and it was gorgeous today so got quite warm. So here it is before..................

and now after.............

The greenhouse is right next to the shed, and whilst I was routing around trying to find the bubble wrap, there was a massive cat fight on the roof of the shed, but on the side I couldn't see. When I had nearly finished bubble wrapping the greenhouse, Sassy appeared on top of the water butt, so I assumed it was her!!!

Then went inside for some lunch, it was so gorgeous that we shut the door to the lounge so Chimarnie wouldn't escape and left the back door open...... there we where, enjoying our soup and who should come marching up the garden path, yes you've guessed it 'Chimarni' wearing muddy boots! I only hope to goodness it wasn't him fighting and leaping off a 12ft high shed!!!! We then had to find out how he got out, clever b****r pushed open the small window in the kitchen, which is very stiff and jumped down from there!!! It is now shut and I have opened the velux instead!!!

Decided to do a bit of baking today, so what would you do with this lot then?

I did this.................

an apple cake, Mark will enjoy it, he's definately a pudding/cake man! I can remember when we went to stay with my sister, I think it was before Mark and I married, she always used to make these fantastic pudding especially for him! Spoilt he was, I'm sure everyone was surprised that I had got such a lovely fella and they wanted to make sure he stayed.... tee hee!!!!!

I was hoping I would be feeling a bit tired but I'm not, so all that I can do now really is tea and some knitting!!!!

Boring Housework and Mango Chutney

Thought I had better do some housework today, then got totally carried away by also cleaning the oven and the windows! I must be ill, so made up for it by messing up the kitchen again. I made some Mango Chutney

so here is the beginning with all the Fresh Ingredients

the middle

and finally the end result, which we now have to wait 2 weeks before we can taste it!

Cooking fun!!

So what am I to do with all those 'Green Tomatoes and Red.......Tomatoes' well you go looking for recipes and my friend Mrs Nesbitt had very kindly put a green tomato chutney recipe on'Its not Easy Being Green' forum so I followed it

Gathered all the ingredients and got chopping!

put it all in the pan and started cooking

no offence Mrs N but this doesn't look very appetising but we will continue because the recipe does say 'leave for 4 -6 weeks to allow to mature! Now it is in jars it looks quite tasty!!

Now what do you do with loads of Red Tomatoes, well I remember my other friend Lottie(cos of course I only have 2) had a Spicy Tomato Cooking Sauce on her blog so here is the onion, garlic and chopped tomatoes..............

then I added the spices

mmmmmmmmmmmm this looks very scrummy, its just cooling at the moment, ready for freezing.

and I still have this lot left

ps: can you see the little chicken in some of these pics??????