* Lazylol *

So long, Farewell.....

So it is goodbye to 2006.  A lovely year.  I always feel a bit sad at this time of year, sad to see another year go.  Of course I am happy to greet 2007 and wonder what lies in store.  I am making the usual resolutions, lose weight, be healthier, exercise more, enjoy everyday, be thankful, visit my family more, do more sewing etc.

I am not a big New Year's Eve fan, I've done my share of partying in the past but the last 4 or 5 years we have gone out to eat or watch a movie early in the evening and then home to share a few drinks and watch Jools Holland on TV. I much prefer it now, I suppose it is all part of growing up - lol. 

I was so behind with my Christmas blogging, lots to say but no time at all to actually say any of it  it.

So here is a brief round-up of the things I didn’t get to blog over the festive period.

My mince pies were perfect this year (for the first time ever!) – I’ve spend years trying to find the best recipe and this is definitely it.

Here they are waiting to go in the oven

Mince Pies

For the pastry

8 oz Self Raising Flour

2 ½ 0z butter

1 ½ oz lard

cold water

icing sugar (and a little extra for dusting)

Filling

Jar of shop bought mince

2 tbsps port/sherry

2oz walnuts/almonds, crushed up

Also had fun with the kids making gingerbread cookies for the tree

I have really enjoyed spending time with my family this Christmas.  My parents came round on Christmas Eve, we had a lovely lunch for just 5 of us on Christmas Day and then had a house full of folk in the evening for our annual party.  Lovely.  Lots of lovely gifts received by all.  However do not waste your money on this

It is a terrible game, no fun at all and the people who produced it should be ashamed!  We have lots of interactive dvd games with we love to play but this one was an ordeal!  So slow and frustrating!

However I did get some wonderful gifts and would like to show you a few........

My pretty secret santa gift from work

Desp Housewives DVD's, GORGEOUS Vintage Belle stationery set, mug and magnets, memory stick and lovely candles.

This great cookbook that I've been wanting for ages, can't wait to make something out of it

Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did - can't wait to do it all again next year!

Happy New Year !!

Penguins

I was so busy last week that I wrote a post and forgot to post it - derrrrrrrr

Anyway here it is, better late than never....

Things are getting pretty hectic around here but I am staying calm under pressure.  Actually I am quite pleased with myself I’ve done all the wrapping and delivered all the cards.  I wrote a list of all the food I need to buy and all the baking etc that I need to do on Saturday. I even made a list of jobs that need doing around the house before the big jolly man in the bright red suit heads this way.  I think they should ban working on the week before Christmas. I have so much to do and so many lunches/dinners/drinks after work to attend that I just haven’t got time to squeeze in 40 hours in the office.

In my ideal world I would only work in Spring and Autumn.  That way I could spend lazy days out in the garden all summer and hibernate in the winter.  I would be so happy if I didn’t have to step foot out of the door for the next month.  I would stay all cosy inside, crafting, baking and admiring the pretty twinkling Christmas lights.

The kids made me laugh yesterday.  I came downstairs to find them giggling on the sofa

Me – What are you all laughing at?

JB – We are watching Home Alone 2

Me – Why are you all squashed up on one settee?

JB – We are keeping warm like penguins

I know it sounds like they are little tots but they are actually 18, 17, and 15. (The 17 year old doesn’t belong to me BTW)  They used to love the Home Alone films when they were little and watching it again made them all giddy for Christmas!

Season's Greetings!

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. 

May your home be filled with love, warmth, friends and laughter. 

Eat, drink and be merry. 

There was so much I wanted to blog about this week, but as usual I have been too busy getting ready for the big day...sigh.  However, I have enjoyed the preparations and have had time to do other things too for a change this year. I feel calm and happy and for once I have a Christmas Eve filled with family and good things instead of the usual chaos!  Going to the cinema to watch a christmas movie and then to wonder around town to soak up some of the wonderful festive atmosphere.

See you in a day or three!!

Nigella

OK panic over, I managed to cross some things off the list.  Spent all day catching up on jobs around the house and wrapping a large mountain of gifts.  Just about all done now so i can start my favourite job of preparing the Christmas Food. Over the next few days we will be eating from the freezer which is almost full and I desperately need to make some room in there.  I've been checking out lots of recipes on the internet and watching all the food shows on TV. 

Love Nigella Lawson's new show.

Especially this recipe (my kind of recipe)

Serves 6

Christmas in a Glass

Ingredients
1 bottle of gingerbread flavoured syrup (or cranberry flavoured syrup)
1 bottle prosecco, or other sparkling dry white wine, well chilled

Method
1. Pour the prosecco into glasses. Add a capful of the syrup to each glass of the prosecco, to taste.

Bottoms Up!

We have a big family party on Christmas Day night so that will be perfect!  One thing that is concerning me is that all the party food I seem to see now is served warm.  I only have an average size oven so that would mean me standing there half the evening, putting things in and out of the oven.  I don't mind a few warm things though.  Is in NAFF to serve cold food now??

Christmas Rush

The Christmas Rush is beginning - I can feel it.  I am so calm and organised (or so I think!) and then all of a sudden I realise how close it is and PANIC...

OK, I know I still have lots of time.  Here is my list of things to do

• Finish shopping for my 15 year old ( I have every other gift I need to get but he is so hard to buy for this year and hasn't really asked for anything in particular, oh dear)
• put up tree and decorations
• Wrap gifts - I have already started (see pic) but only done a few.  Plan on doing a few each day rather than a lot in one sitting
• make a list of food needed for Christmas lunch and for our annual Christmas day family party
• shop for non perishable food and drink
• write cards
• post cards
• post last few presents going by mail
• go on a crash diet so can fit into new skirt - no more Turnocks Teacakes whilst wrapping (see pic)
• bake gingerbread house and cookies for tree

Tree is up.

J loves the decoration pictured below. I hate it but I haven't got the heart to tell him.  I actually like the wreath and sentiment but I don't like the angel.  Would it be terrible of me to give it a makeover before next year?  I was thinking of a softie angel or similar.  He has just been admiring it, oh dear.....

Christmas in Blog Land

 

I love reading blogs at the best of times.  I spend way too long everyday doing it (I know you are all saying 'me too' right now).  But I've just decided that I love reading blogs at Christmas best of all.  It reminds me of watching Christmas movies, where everything seems much more festive than in real life.  It's fab. I can't believe how excited all us bloggers are about christmas either,  everyone around here is moaning about how they hate shopping, how busy the shops are, what a faff it is writing cards/wrapping presents/baking/cooking.  Here in blogland I can be as giddy as I like and announce to the world that I actually enjoy all the little bits like writing cards and putting up the decorations.  And I know my blog friends do too.  No it isn't too much trouble to bake cookies to hang on the tree or design a gingerbread house, and yes it is worth it.  Ok so I burnt the christmas cake I made yesterday and I have a horrible cold, cough and sore throat but that is not going to stop me enjoying the preparations.  Sometimes I think I enjoy the run up to Christmas more than the actually event! lol

Some great blogs I've been enjoying today are

Tree Fall

Willow House

dolliedaydream

Posie gets Cozy

And aren't these adorable?  I need some. They are by Anna Maria Horner

York & Betty's

I've been Christmas shopping to York tonight.  I am exhausted but very happy.  You know I just adore York and it was so cozy and Christmassy tonight.  It is like going back in time.

The outdoor market was busy selling all sorts of goodies

My friend Lindsay treated us to afternoon tea at Betty's Tearooms.  What a delight. It was had to choose from the menu but eventually we decided a pot of the most delicious loose leaf tea I've ever tasted.  We had a tiered cake stand with a selection of crustless finger sandwiches, smoked salmon, egg, cream cheese, ham. Homemade fruit scones with homemade jam and clotted cream.  Then mini cheesecakes and brownies.  It was indulgent, every bite was divine. The pianist was playing Christmas Carols in the background.  I needed a treat after such a busy week and now I feel all happy and ready to start wrapping prezzies.

I treat myself to some of Betty's Special Tea Bags

You can shop online at Betty's too

Last Minute Christmas Cake

I am feeling a little worse for wear today after attending my first Christmas Party.  I didn't really think I'd had that much to drink but I am paying for it big time.  I spent the afternoon on the settee watching An Audience with Take That - it was good to see the boys back!

I am planning on making this cake - it's a Last Minute Christmas Cake and if like me, you haven't got around to actually making one yet, it could be the perfect solution. 

Here is the recipe for anyone who is interested -

The tree is sparkling, the presents wrapped, the guest room made up…something missing — the Christmas cake! With all the preparations we make for the festive season, it can be all too easy to forget something, but help is at hand with this Last Minute Christmas Cake recipe.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 - 2 1/2 hours cooking
Serves: 12

Ingredients
675 g (1 1/2 lb) mixed dried fruits
75 g (2 3/4 oz) glacé cherries, quartered
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Zest and juice of 1 orange
4 tablespoons dark rum or brandy
225 g (8 oz) butter, softened
225 g (8 oz) light soft brown sugar
4 large Lion Quality eggs, beaten
225 g (8 oz) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon mixed ground spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
50 g (1 3/4 oz) flaked almonds

Method

1 Place the first four ingredients in a medium pan.
Bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir
in the rum or brandy. Cool.

2 Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3 / 170 degrees C / 320 degrees F.
Grease a 20cm (8-inch) deep round cake tin
and line with baking parchment.

3 Purée one third of the fruit in a food processor.
Cream the butter and sugar together with an
electric whisk until soft and fluffy. Gradually
add the eggs, beating well between additions.
Stir in the flour and spices.

4 Stir in the fruit purée and then the almonds
and fruits. Spoon into the tin and level the
surface. Bake for 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Cool in the tin.

Advent

Yippee...let the christmas preparations begin...

today i am loving this little sign...... (it is so true)

We trimmed the tree at work and i've been humming 'deck the halls'.  I can't wait to put the tree up at home. I'm not normally so festive but I feel different this year for some reason. We are going to J's works christmas party tomorrow night so the tree will have to wait until early next week.  I like to have a few glasses of Baileys while trimming up!