Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono) - A New One On Me!

I have finally broken up from work for the festivities, I am finding it is quite a difficult time of year to actually relax.  Today could not be a PJ and Crochet Day as I had shopping to do.  Euan was a superstar accompanying me to two supermarkets without complaint...we did have lunch at one of them and it was nice to sit and chat together....for a change!!!  My Dad used to say I was like 'A bit of Sticky Toffee Paper' towards him and now I have a 'Euan' I can really relate to what Daddy meant!   I love family time if I don't have a lot to do...I need to slow down and chillax and make the most of the holidays now without stressing.  I have been doing a lot of 'stress baking' this last week, it is a form of procrastination from housework and makes even more mess, but I am happy while I am doing it.  I feel a few 'New Years Resolutions' coming on already.
     I used to read a Newspaper every day, but now I read the 'News' quickly online and read lots of Blogs.  I came across a brand new blog last week when Yvonne from Domestic Bliss introduced herself to me in 'Blogland'.  Yvonne is Scottish and living in Cyprus.  She posted a recipe here that intrigued me.  It is described as a 'Greek Cypriot Traditional Winter Warming Soup', I really needed a 'Winter Warmer'.  I like the concept of very simple food and I like trying 'New to me' foods.  My version of the recipe made enough for myself as nobody fancied 'Egg and Lemon Soup'.  I thoroughly 'googled' it and read all about it on 'Wikipedia'.  It is a very traditional and widely eaten soup.


Ingredients
500mls of water
1 vegetable stock cube
25g of Basmati Rice (you can also use pasta or tapioca)
1 egg (from your bestest clucky buddies)
The juice of 1 lemon
Cinnamon for sprinkling on top ( I got confused and used Nutmeg!!!  Doh)

Method
Boil the water, rice and the stock cube.  Mix the egg and lemon juice together thoroughly.  Add a tablespoon at a time of the hot stock to the egg and lemon mixture until you have approximately 200mls of mixture.  Stirring constantly add the egg and lemon to the soup.  It should thicken the soup smoothly without curdling.  Sprinkle with the spice of your choice!  Eat while nice and hot.  Very economical and nutritious.  Some foods you can feel are doing you good when you eat them.  This is a good healthy soup.  I will experiment again by using Orzo pasta and a few vegetables.

Brilliant Recipe For 'Easy Christmas Cake'

I came across this great recipe for 'Easy Christmas Cake'...I might just give this a go!  Enjoy.

Easy Christmas cake 

Ingredients:

2 cups flour 
1 stick butter 
1 cup of water 
1 tsp baking soda 
1 cup of sugar 
1 tsp salt 
1 cup of brown sugar 
Lemon juice 
4 large eggs 
Nuts 
2 bottles wine 
2 cups of dried fruit.

Method:

First, sample the wine to check the quality. Take a large bowl, check 
the wine again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level 
cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat o…ne cup of 
butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. 
At this point it’s best to make sure the wine is still OK. Try another 
cup… Just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eggs and add 
to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the frigging 
fruit up off floor. Mix on the turner.. If the fried druit gets stuck 
in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the wine 
to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. 
Check the wine. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one 
table. Add a spoon of sugar, or some fink. Whatever you can find. 
Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall 
over. Don’t forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl 
through the window. Finish the wine and wipe counter with the cat. Go 
to Tesco and buy cake .

Ooo! Oo! Exciting Blog Award

Ooo  Oooo!  How exciting, I have been nominated for a Blog Award, by the lovely Nicole at the her Blog of Yarny Lovliness;

 Nicole And The Bee.  Thank you.  The Liebster Blog Award is for Upcoming Blogs with less than 200 followers.  Now I have the grand duty of passing it on to five other Fab and Groovy Blogs.  What a tough thing to do.  I read so many blogs that to pick only five favourites is a really hard job.

My First Blog Award Nomination  is for Teresa Kasner there is something so homely and welcoming about Teresa's Blog.  I learn a lot from popping there regularly.  Teresa shares her beautiful home and family and documents her very full and busy life.  Her photography and craft work is always an inspiration.  It has been beautiful to follow through the seasons and holidays.  In a recent post Teresa tells you how to make one of these adorable snowmen.  Who can resist?

My second Blog Award Nomination is for Knits and Crosses.  This Blog has to be the one that has had me laughing the most.  I am  particularly a fan of Sarah's Cookery Posts.  I also think she is an incredibly talented lady, her knitting and more recently her weaving are really inspiring and innovative.  It is the best blog in my opinion for showcasing textiles from a 'Rigid Heddle' loom.   Her recent experiment weaving with scrap fibres have had beautiful results and her enthusiasm is infectious.  I am always interested to see what Sarah has been up to and her posts are varied and educational.  I love the textiles she creates and also the sewing projects she shares.  The above picture is from a recent post of a 'Prodigal Project' that was in long term hibernation.  It is a scrap blanket that has recently been completed and I think you will agree it is a beauty.

My third Award Nomination is to Chalky's World.  This is another inspirational Blog where I learn a lot.  The above picture is a small sample of the charity work that Linda undertakes.  Here knitting needles and crochet hooks must be smoking hot with work.  Linda makes toys for children, scarves for Japan, knitted and crochet squares for blankets, Hedgehogs by the dozen for 'Tiggywinkles' Wildlife Hospital, baby clothes and she also makes beautiful projects for her friends and family.  It is amazing what a difference you can make to other people through craft.  We have been awaiting exciting news from Chalky's world...a special  arrival is due any day.  He will be thoroughly loved and spoiled.  I also love Linda's cookery posts and I must make the 'Chocolate Pizza' some day soon.

I really did say Chocolate Pizza.

I have taught myself new stitches and patterns from Linda's easy to understand and useful tutorials.  I am always interested to see what is Linda's latest creation.

My Fourth Blog Award Nomination is for Grateful 4 Crochet.  This is another blog where I am never sure what to expect.  We have been to Fairyland (several times) and had a Fairy Party,  I like Fairy land particularly the Fairy Crowns.

I want a Fairy Crown!

I also enjoyed a recent trip to an Art Gallery, there were some fantastic 'illicit' photographs.  There is also a wide variety of Crochet Projects to peruse...my kind of blog :)

My fifth and final Blog Award Nomination goes to Different Choices.  I have really enjoyed Becks sharing her families December.  I have enjoyed the Christmas build up with her children, the simple pleasures in life.  Popcorn Garlands, Paper Snowflakes, Tree Ornaments, Seasonal Painting and Advent Tree Decorating.  I love the photographs of the children engrossed in their wide variety of crafts and creations.  Becks Home Educates her children and I am envious of this lifestyle.  Judging by the Blog the children are exposed to a fantastic education, sharing and appreciating family time together.  Not a hint of gratuitous materialism in sight, very hard to achieve in this modern world with a young family.  This blog reminds me not to overlook the simple things in life and how valuable it is to take time to 'smell the roses' and slow down a little and spend genuine quality time with our little ones.

I feel a bit sad to have only five choices because there are so many blogs out there that I really enjoy, I could so easily have nominated more more more!  If I have missed you out please don't think I don't love you!  Do dip in to my 'Blog List' that you can see on the left hand side of my blog as you can visit some fantastic blogs written by some really talented, interesting and 'funny' people.  xxx

How to make Clove Orange Pomanders

You will Need:
1 Small bored Child (Optional)
Oranges
Whole Cloves (They are much cheaper to buy from our local Asian Store)
Elastic bands
Ribbon
Ground Cinnamon

Method:
Poke cloves into oranges and tie with ribbon.  Rub with ground cinnamon for extra festive scent.  That is basically it.  Euan used cocktail sticks to pierce his orange before sticking in the clove.  I just poked the cloves straight in.  I used the elastic bands to leave space for the ribbon.

I would like to say I am proud of my son for making this one...it is a fantastic little festive activity for children...sadly though this is my messy Pomander.  I would really like some narrow red ribbon to tie neatly around it, I will also use a make up brush to brush excess cinnamon away.  It is a bit of a rush job!  Tut tut.  My son is disgusted and says it is a mess!  It smells really good hidden at the back of the Christmas Tree though  Euan is still working on his 24 hours later...

His is very neat and his approach is really methodical.  I have told him I would like to show his neat Cloved Orange on my blog when it is finished, as mine is such a scruffy example.  Now he is working extra carefully on it!   Henry and I are pretty slap dash and scruffy...Euan and his Dad are very neat and meticulous...it can often make for 'fireworks' in the house!  It takes all sorts to make a world.  I can remember my Mom making these Pomanders when I was a child and she would make them a few weeks before Christmas.  I think they lived in paper bags in the airing cupboard where they dry out nicely.  They will keep for months dried, but they are an instant hit of 'Orange and Spice' aroma fresh.  You can also make them with Lemons too, which I might try next year.

Happy 'Pie Day' Friday - Or should it be 'Pie Eyed Day' Friday?

The Hairy Biker 'Perfect Pies' book has over 140 recipes...so on my first Pie Day Friday I ignore the book and make up my own pies!  The definition of 'Pie' in the book is anything in a crust or wrapped in a crust, so the definition is pretty loose and includes, flans, potato topped pies, somosa's etc.  The Somosa recipes look great.  Yesterday I made Vegetable Pasties ready for today and my other half has taken one to work.  I made enough Pastry to make a pastry case too, so today I made a simple quiche.  I experimented with Cream Cheese and eggs, rather than the usual eggs, milk and grated cheddar cheese.  I invented 'Celery and Mushroom Quiche with Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese'.  I don't think it would win any prizes for appearance but it is pretty tasty and was very quick to make.  My camera is not on the blink, it really is that yellow, I can only assume this is due to the superior quality of my 'buddies' offerings.

Ingredients:
1 Pastry Case
200g of Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese
2 Sticks of Celery sliced very finely
10-12 Button Mushrooms Finely Diced
2 eggs (preferably freshly laid by your bestest chicken buddies)

Method:
I gently fried the mushrooms and celery until they were soft.  I put these in the pastry case.  In a separate bowl I mixed the eggs and cream cheese until thoroughly blended and poured this into the pastry case over the celery and mushrooms.  Bake the quiche in a hot oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

I have also been busy making one of my favourite Christmas Tipples 'Irish Cream'.  I have never made it before, but Christmas isn't Christmas without a bottle of 'Baileys' Irish Cream.  I watched a program called 'Superscrimpers Christmas Special'.  If this is scrimping I am more than happy to scrimp away.
Super Scrimpers Party Food Recipes, including Irish Cream can be found here:

I promise these are tiny glasses.  I have started to sip mine.  I think in this case 'Home made' really is best.  I have poured a glass for you, if you are not here within the hour I am afraid I will have to drink yours too.  Cheers!

To be or not to be...is that even a question?

Today has been a baking day.  Euan and I like the idea of 'Pie Day Friday'.  I have bought a new cook book.

I like Hairy Bikers and I like pies.  Euan read this to me last night as his 'Reading Book'.  Inspired by my new book I made a large batch of wholemeal pastry.  We have had some recent debates in this house about us consuming too much red meat.  In the past I spent about eight years as a Vegetarian, but during pregnancy craved 'Bones and heart!' I know it isn't nice but anyone who has experienced pregnancy cravings knows their is no reasoning with them, so I went with it and chewed on 'Spare rib bones' and did eat braised lambs hearts!  I felt a bit like Hannibal Lecter.  I never went back to vegetarianism.  If I keep my head in the sand I am fine eating meat but if I educate myself with online sites and worse videos, the meat industry horrifies me.  I try to be a conscious consumer.  I am not sure if I will be vegetarian again or not, but eating less meat has to be good.  Euan's argument is, I quote him 'It is ok to eat animals that we don't know personally'.  Obviously he thinks farms are like 'Old Macdonalds' farm with happy critters running around living a blissful life in sunny fields.  Todays baking in preparation for our first Pie Day Friday, was an old favourite from my veggie student days.  Wholemeal Vegetable Pasties.  They are like the good old 'Cornish Pasty' with a filling of root vegetables, onion and beans.  They sure are tasty and filling.

I made about eight hefty pasties.  The vegetables cook sealed in the pastry case and the flavours are delicious.

I had enough pastry left to make a pastry case that I will do something with tomorrow and also I made some 'Cheese Straws'.  My Dad is very partial to a cheese straw.  I will save him some.

I think all this talk of vegetarianism has unnerved a certain seven year old.  I found a 'silent protest' on my bed.  Somebody has asked his big brother for spellings and left me a couple of 'Post it' notes:

The first reads 'I want to be an Omnivore'.

Then just to clarify the second reads 'I don't want to be a vegetarian'.  Shame as I have made a huge 'Nut Roast' in place of a joint of meat for the weekend!