Uncle Harold Cake

Pour a plain sandwich cake mix into a rectangular pan, bake for 25 minutes and ice and decorate as you fancy. Some like coconut at this house, some don't. Uncle H loved this cake my mum used to make it especially for him when he visited. Cut into squares and devour.

Wild poppies

Beautiful wild poppies and daisies growing in town.

Look at the moon!

Aw it's so beautiful tonight.

The biggest Tiramisu in the world...well...almost!

Soak Boudoir sponge fingers in strong, cold coffee. Pour over either Marsala or Tia Maria liqueur.

Softly whip double cream, mix with mascarpone and vanilla custard (ready made if you're pushed for time)

Pour cream mixture over the sponge fingers.

Grate dark chocolate over the surface and dust with cocoa powder.

Oooooh!

It's pretty big...there will be 12 of us though... ! I daren't add up the calorie content. :-o

Ricci's breakfast fruit platter

An awesome platter of delicious fruit imaginatively presented. Wonderful!

Vintage pastry mixer

I bought this pastry mixer from a vintage stall at Harewood House, it's just like one my mum used to use.

Carnation

I love these unusual carnations, they look almost vintage.

Always the moon

Always...

I see the moon...

....and the moon sees me, peeping through the branches of the old oak tree, well cherry actually..

Paella

Fry chopped onion and garlic with diced chorizo in a large flat pan.

add some strands of saffron to hot chicken stock.

Brown chicken pieces in the chorizo oil.

add paella rice

stir in a glass of white wine then add the stock, salt and pepper to taste.

bring to a simmer before adding chopped red and green peppers and tomatoes.

When the rice has absorbed most of the liquid add raw prawns and frozen peas and cover with a lid.

cook for a further 10 minutes until the prawns are pink.

serve  the paella with a wedge of lemon....ole!

Lily of the Valley flowers

The Lily of the Valley is in full bloom and it smells divine.

Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb!

Just picked the first lot of Rhubarb. There's loads of it! I'll wash it and cut it up into chunks to freeze for on the long, dark Winter days.

Hosta

Beautiful hole-free Hosta before the slugs and snails get at it!

Wing walkers.

Saw these wing walkers at Harewood House on Sunday, they were amazing. Don't know how they dare do it!

Gorgeous clouds.

The clouds this evening are so beautiful, so many sherbet colours.

Bowl o' cherries.

First lot of cherries...delicious! Cool bowl too eh?!

Turkey Twizzers.

This was on Lorraine this morning..they're making some really healthy recipes so we can all look fabulous on the beach..I think I've lost weight just eating it.. ;-)

Grind Cumin seed in a pestle and mortar...the aroma is intoxicating!

Add ground cumin, lemon zest, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper to turkey mince.

Form into sausage shapes on a skewer (twizzer!) and chill for 20 mins before griddling or grilling until cooked through.

Make a tabbouleh-like salad using Quinoa.

Add chopped mint leaves.

Quinoa tabbouleh..spring onion, white onion, red pepper, cucumber, tomato, mint, lemon juice, black pepper and olive oil.

serve with a sprinkling of parsley and pomegranate seeds.

Garden bulbs

Anenome..I've always had trouble growing these..so I'm thrilled they've flowered!

Beautiful tulips..the doubles are so pretty.

Tulips all in a row..and the squirrel didn't get them!

Portugal Spring 2013

Gale beach.

cappucino.

Local wine.

Mussels.

Women's toilet...

Men's toilet....how cool?!

Cup of tea in the sun.

Orange seller.

Boats in a row.

I saw a ship...

Olhos de Aguas beach.

Carvoeiro beach.

Sand angel.

Gale beach.