Dinner party

Scallops and chorizo.

Parmesan and poppy seed crisps.

I didn't take a main course pic...was a bit flustered serving it up! Nigel Slater's Chicken, mushroom and haricot beans with white wine, parmesean and cream sauce...was really delicious.

Chocolate dipped strawberries.

Chocolate "scribble" to decorate the mousse.

Chocolate mousse with fancy bits!

Paper lanterns.

Table decorations.

And of course we played the After Eight game...I won.... ;-)

(Slide an After Eight from your forehead down to your mouth, without using your hands!)

Burns' Night.

Celebrating a little bit late this year...

I liked the look of the label on this bottle of Whiskey...

Bringing in the Haggis....no bagpipes though unfortunately...

Cutting the Haggis with customary Skean Dhu..

Haggis with Neeps and Tatties...and a wee dram o' "gravy"...

Adam Ant.

OMG I was so excited! Adam and the Ants were one of my teen loves...Adam did look in need of a gym membership and perhaps some contact lenses..and maybe to lose that particular hat which made him look kooky..but when he sang Puss in Boots and Stand and Deliver...I was right back to being 16 and thinking he was God's Gift... ;-)

He had two drummers, one female who, I thought, was brilliant.  He also had a very sexy looking backing singer called Georgie Girl who began the night wearing a silver lame dress as she wiggled to the songs, later changing into a corset, 50's bra and pencil skirt and then returned minus the skirt to reveal her stockings and suspenders..I'm sure it pleased sections of the audience, but I think most of us had eyes only for Adam! It was the first night of his new tour. The programme felt a bit random, mixing old, new and classic anthems even resorting to T Rex covers near the end which although enjoyable were a bit disappointing..for me he could have finished with another rousing chorus of Stand and Deliver and the audience might have given him a standing ovation.

Sky kiss

Saw this "sky kiss" the other day...made me smile. An I love you moment.

Snowdrops.

Enchanted, as always by these delicate, but hardy little flowers...they seem to appear overnight..I love the way they push up through the soil and the grey/blue/green foliage..so beautiful.

Feed the birds

Seems like winter's finally returned..very frosty and cold today..lovely to see the birdies feeding..

Fruit scone

225g SR flour

50g unsalted butter

25g caster sugar

50g sultanas/currants

1 egg

milk to mix to a dough

Rub the butter into the flour and stir in the sugar and fruit.

Mix to a dough with the egg and milk.

Form into 2 circles and score into quarters with a sharp knife, brush with egg and milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 220C for 20 minutes.

Super scone!

Celery and Hazelnut soup.

Lovely, fresh, crisp, green celery....cut it and saute with some onion, hazel nuts, vegetable stock and season to taste....whizz up and ta daaa, a healthy, low fat, winter warming winner....

...of course if you drizzle cream on...well, that's your choice... ;-)

Full moon last night.

I hope you saw the beautiful moon last night...it was so wonderful as it rose...it looked as big as a dinner plate, like a backdrop in a film at one point, almost as if you could hug it ;-) ...I raced home to try and take its picture, faffing about with the settings on my new camera.

Toad out of its hole.

Sometimes, amid all the salady, healthy eating you just fancy some stodge...this was just delicious...ginormous Yorkshire puddings and locally made pork sausages...

Sunrise.

How lovely to watch the sun climb over the hill this morning.

Clifford's Tower.

We visited York Castle Museum, just opposite Clifford's Tower...lots of interesting domestic related history..although realising what you grew up with is now classed as historically relevant is a bit scary!! 

Christmas cake

New Year's Day....eating Christmas cake and Wensleydale cheese, a Yorkshire tradition taken most seriously!

"cake without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze!"