Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Blipfoto

I'm often impressed by people's daily photos for Project 365 but, since I don't remotely blog daily, I've never got involved.  However, now having found http://www.blipfoto.com, which is not only British but Scottish and open to anyone to use, I'm now looking for inspiration.  Do have a look at blipfoto.
I'm really delighted with it.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Cup cakes

Helena on the blog hop has reminded me of my daughter's baking to take to her English class to celebrate her 16th birthday.  She had a fine time with food dye.


















This was before she discovered her wheat sensitivity but that hasn't curbed her baking enthusiasm.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Thank you to everyone who has left a comment

Today has been very busy and I haven't had much chance to go blog hopping but I hope to be able to visit everyone tomorrow.  I did take a few moments off when I saw the lovely sunset.


It's going to be a cold night.

Let's Eat ...

When I joined Amy's blog hop it didn't occur to me that it would happen at the end of half term.  So I haven't got any photos or other artwork. However, you are most welcome.

I was horrified the other day when my husband said that mince was my signature dish.  I'd heard the phrase and thought it had a far posher image.  I was also shocked my husband knew the phrase.  However, I suspect it's true.

When I was in the sixth year at school my mother thought if I took over the family baking it would improve my speed during Physics practicals (following a comment on my report!) and so I baked every Friday night, listening to Desert Island Discs which I'm sure was at night in the 70s.  I rarely cooked a meal.  I'd far rather read a book and wait for my parents (more often my father) to concoct something delicious.

At university I didn't need to cook but when I got a flat of my own I started to experiment.  I liked doing roasts and lots of vegetables but the easiest meal involved mince, a tin of tomatoes and tomato puree, chopped peppers and mushrooms, some stock and any herbs.  Leave it to simmer, cook some potatoes or pasta and you've got a tasty meal for family or friends.

If you would like a recipe here's one for wheat-free chocolate cake.  My mother found the original version in a magazine at the hairdresser's and we've used it for birthday cakes for decades.  This year I adapted it for my newly wheat-sensitive daughter:

6 oz butter
6 oz caster sugar
3 eggs
6 oz gluten free SR flour
2 level tbsp drinking chocolate
mixed with 1 tbsp warm water
4tbsp milk (leave this out if using ordinary SR flour but add 1.5 tsp baking powder to the flour)

Bake in a fan oven at about 160 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes

I use a handheld mixer to mix everything but I do it in stages, creaming the butter and sugar, mixing in the beaten eggs then the chocolate mixture, and finally the flour.  Cook it in two tins but it will not rise as much as a conventional cake.

Now let's visit the delightful Mel whose recipe blog is wonderful.