12.17.07

Quick Update

Posted in General at 3:43 pm by theqotd

I’ve not posted anything for a week or so, this is mainly because I’ve been really busy both at work and at home – I am due to move house on Thursday so inevitably, whenever I’ve been at home I’ve been either packing or sorting things out for the move. When I’ve been at work I’ve also been busy (obviously because I’m at work….) because we had to let our accounts assistant go and therefore I’ve been trying to do his job as well as my own, and also at this time of year it’s year end so all round everything has been really quite manic.

That’s all for the update, I just wanted to post something to keep in the loop…………

12.02.07

Breadmaker

Posted in Wine, bread at 6:14 pm by theqotd

I’m really happy…. I spoke to my folks this weekend and they were asking what I wanted for Christmas. Now normally my folks just buy a token gift for me to open at Christmas and the spend the money on their grandchildren – something I happen to agree with – so I rattled off a few things that I said would be useful; generally vouchers to put towards something bigger.

For example I said that since I want to grow my own vegetables next year I could do with some seeds but I didn’t know what I wanted yet so maybe gardening vouchers would be good. Or alternatively that I also wanted a bread-maker, but the one I want is almost £100 so I could do with some vouchers to put towards it….

Now they bought a bread-maker a good while ago and they said it was no good (they also admitted that there was something fundamentally wrong with it as well – so got their money back and never bothered to get another one!) however my DSis loves hers. However they agree that if you’re going to buy one, you need to buy the best you can get… therefore agree that I would need to spend nearly £100 to get the right one

Anyway, bless their proverbial cottons socks, they said that since my birthday is in January they would get me a bread-maker (the one I want!) as a joint gift for both Christmas and Birthday. I’m really chuffed since although in theory I can afford to go out an buy one, I was determined to wait until next year and reward myself with one after I’ve managed to keep in budget for both Christmas and the monthly grocery budget that I set myself – that way I would feel that I had earned it.

So…. what to reward myself with now… well I have thought about this and one of the other items on my “Personal Projects List” is to make homemade wine and cider, therefore I think I’ll reward myself with the necessary kit to start making some wine.

Of course, with the bread-maker I should be able to save even more money on my grocery budget so I’ll be able to treat myself all the sooner with some homemade wine!

Meal Planner w/c 1 Dec 07

Posted in Meal Planning at 6:07 pm by theqotd

The meals I have planned for this week are as follows:


Saturday – nothing planned, since going out for dinner (yippee!)
Sunday – Steak and ale pie with either mashed potatoes or chips
Monday – Tuna and tomato pasta
Tuesday – Cheese and onion pie with jacket potatoes
Wednesday – Burritos
Thursday – out again for dinner (works Christmas party)
Friday – either chicken curry or thai green curry with rice and naan bread

Knitted Mittens/Gloves

Posted in Gifts, Knitting, gloves, mittens at 5:50 pm by theqotd

When I made the gloves for my nieces I didn’t have a pattern to fit then therefore I adapted a pattern that I had for adult gloves, the pattern is as below.
I have shown a picture of the completed scarves and gloves – still working on the hats!
Glove Pattern
Needles: 3.25mm
Cast on 30 stitches
Knit k1 p1 rib for rows 1 to 15
Change to Needles: 3.75mm
Row 16: k1 p1 to end of row
17: k16 m1 k1 m1 k13
18 and all wrong side rows: Purl all
19: k16 m1 k3 m1 k13
21: k16 m1 k5 m1 k13
23: k16 m1 k7 m1 k13
25: Knit all
27: k25 then turn
28: p9, turn and cast on 2 st
29: k11
Continue stocking stitch to row 38 on these 11 sts
39: k2tog (5 times), k1
40: p6
Break yarn, thread through the 6 remaining st and pull. Use thread to sew up thumb when complete
R1: With RS facing, rejoin yarn at the base of the thumb, pick up 3st from the 2 st previously cast on, knit all remaining stitches
2: Purl all even rows
3 – 12: Continue stocking stitch
13: (k2tog, k12, k2tog) twice
15: (k2tog, k10, k2tog) twice
17: (k2tog, k8, k2tog) twice
18: p10 and turn
Use a third needle to cast off both sets of stiches knitwise.
Break yarn and sew side of glove and thumb

Painted Flower Pots

Posted in painting, pots at 5:13 pm by theqotd

In my task to make as many things as possible this Christmas I decided that the best present I could think of to give to my DS’s teacher this year was a nice plant – complete with hand painted pot. Since it ishis last year at primary school I also plan to give one of these to his head teacher.

We went out yesterday to buy some paints (his old ones had all dried up!) and some terracotta pots. So today he has spent the last few hours painting the pots.
I have attached a picture of the finished pots along with the cyclamens that we bought to go in them.

Fudge

Posted in Gifts, fudge at 5:02 pm by theqotd

I’ve just finished making some fudge on a dry run ready for Christmas presents; the recipe was really simple and the smell is just delicious. In fact I know that it tastes delicious as well since I was able to taste the scrappings from the pan just after I’d poured it into the tray to set ….. yum….

Recipe:
Ingredients
397g can condensed milk
150ml (5fl oz) milk
450g (1lb) demerara sugar
115g (4oz) butter

Method
Grease and base line an 18cm (7in) square tin with baking parchment.

Gently heat all the ingredients in a large, nonstick saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously, until a temperature of 116ºC (240ºF) is reached on a sugar thermometer. Alternatively, test the fudge by dropping a little into a jug of cold water. If a soft ball is formed, the fudge is ready.

Remove from the heat. Beat until thick and grainy (about 10 minutes). Pour into the prepared tin and leave to cool. When cold, cut into squares.

Can be stored for up to 1 month in an airtight container.