Tea Time Treats - January 2012

This months 'Teatime Treats Blogging Challenge' theme over at Lavender and Lovage is sweet pastries and breads.   'The Tea-time Treats Blogging challenge' is hosted on alternate months by Kate at What Kate Baked and Karen at Lavender and Lovage.  Any one can enter and at the end of the month there is a 'Showcase' round up of everyone's delicious contributions and ideas.  I will be entering  'Cinnamon Rolls' this month.  I have blogged about these beauties twice before Here and Here.  If you haven't made them yet, I strongly recommend you give them a go.   

Ingredients

Serves: 12

• 15g (1/2 oz) dried active baking yeast
• 7 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 450ml (16 fl oz) warm water (45 C)
• 800g (1 3/4 lb) plain flour, divided
• 2 eggs
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 dessertspoon ground cinnamon

Method

(I put the dough ingredients in my trusty old Bread Machine and let him do all the work.  Then I have time to write my blog!)  

1.

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 7 tablespoons sugar in warm water. Stir in salt and half of the flour. Beat mixture for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and oil. Stir in the remaining flour, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.

2.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together remaining sugar and 1 dessertspoon cinnamon; set aside.

3.

Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces. Take each piece of dough, roll into a log and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Then roll up the log into a pinwheel. Place the pinwheels in a lightly greased 23x33 cm (9x13 in) baking tin. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4.

4.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden.

Tip:

For a delicious addition, you can add sultanas, Craisins, pecans, or walnuts to the cinnamon and sugar mixture just before you make the dough into pinwheels.  I have also left mine over night so they are ready to bake in the morning.  You are hard pushed to find a better start to the day than a warm Cinnamon Roll and a house that is filled with a sweet cinnamon aroma.

One Week to go! 'Great Blogiversary Give Away'

There is one week to go until my 'First Blogiversary'.  How quickly the time flies.  One year ago since I posted my first post When Life Gives You Lemons.  My philosophy has not changed.  I still think 'When life gives you Lemons you should make a 'Lemon Drizzle Cake.'   I love the way cake solves everything!  (If only the politicians ate more cake!)  In fact I have plans to make a 'Lemon Drizzle' next week to celebrate a year of blogging.  I hope to make a beauty with a candle and everything!

In a year I have posted over 300 posts, phew don't I have a lot to say for myself!  I have made loads of 'Blog Buddies' and to date have 174 followers from all over the globe.  I am very grateful to you all for joining me in my madn adventures.  I have fun joining in with yours.

I have a small obsession with my 'Flag Counter' (a bit like stamp collecting) and check it a couple of times a week.  I have had visitors from 121 different countries with Qatar being the last new country.  (I still have to look up where that is!)  Fancy I have had visitors from places I have never even heard of!  My Geography knowledge must be bad!  We must not forget the 'Extraterrestrial Visitor. (Hello, smiles and waves - we know you are out there).

Now I love me a good 'Blog Give Away'.  I won't be celebrating for my birthday this year with a 'Give Away'.  I may celebrate '200' Followers at some point in the future, and '100 000' hits feels like it will be a benchmark, I still have a long way to go for that though (currently I have 67 000 hits).  If you can't celebrate your 'First Blogiversary' what can you celebrate?  It is not just a 'Big Year' for my Blog it is a 'Big Year' for Britain!  (Though most of us would not know it with the state of the economy!)  Her Majesty will be celebrating her 'Diamond Jubilee' in June and we will get an extended Bank Holiday weekend.  I am all for those!

Ooops Sorry, wrong picture!

Here she is in all her Glory

We are also proud (but very poor) hosts to the 2012 Olympics.

What a super 'Official Logo' It looks even better if you wear your sunglasses!

I thought it befitting that my 'Give Away Prizes' should have a touch of Great British Patriotism about them.  I will have One 'Lucky first Prize Winner' and Three 'Runner Up' prizes for the 'Grand Blogiversary Draw'.  I have a selection of these fine 'Tea Towels' to give away.  The first prize will be the much sort after set of all three.  The runners up will win 'One Randomly Selected' tea towel each.  They are sure to add a touch of glamour to your daily drudge!  I know they do it for me!

My Personal Favourite paying homage to The Great British Egg!

(I am sure you get eggs in the rest of the world though?)

My Day would not be complete without the Great British Cuppa.

(All the way from India!)

Doesn't the Union Jack look much better in Pink Patchwork.  I may write to Her Majesty and The Houses of Parliament to start a campaign to get it officially changed to this.  Much much prettier, don't you think?

I can't promise to iron the prizes but I am sure the 'winners' could do that for themselves.  To be in for your chance to win one of these fantabulous 'Tea Towels' you simply need to be a 'Follower' of  'Lucy In the Sky' and leave me a comment on this post.  I would love it if your comment could explain why for you, 'Britain is Truly Great'.  I will draw the 'Winners' by 'Random Number Generator' on my Blogiversary Day, 29th January 2012.  You need to have entered by 28th.  Let us eat 'Drizzle Cake' and be merry!

  

Good Luck and thanks again for following and all your lovely comments  X 

Would you like a Pretty Crafty Home?

Cherry Heart Blog

I have lifted the 'Cherry Heart' 'Mission Staement' for a Pretty Crafty Home from Sandra's Blog:

"This is what I want to do:

1.  Tidy, tidy, tidy and clean, clean clean!

The first step for me is to get rid of the junk and de-clutter.  It's time to get rid of the stuff I don't want, don't need and can't use or re-use and tidy up everything I'm keeping.  As I'm doing the tidying and de-cluttering I'm going to be giving this house the 'Spring clean' of it's life.

2.  If it has to live here, it should be pretty.

With a tat loving daughter and a husband with no thought for how things look, it's going to be tough to keep new ugliness and junk coming into the house, but I'm going to try hard.  If we do need something new, it should addto the home, not detract!

3.  If I don't like how it looks, and I can change it, I will.

I'm not planning on re-decorating the whole house, this is about finding the bits you don't like and changing them into something you do.

4.  Thrift, re-use and recycling are my watch words.

As it stands the budget for this little project is practically zero, so I'm looking for cheap solutions here! (Although there may be the odd exception, knowing me!)

5.  Crafting is king!

The most important thing thing of all.  This project is all about home improvement through crafting.  If it's home made and it makes me happier about my home then it's part of the project.



Now, this is just what I'm setting out to do.  If you'd like to join me you can define the challenge however you'd like to so it works for you and your home.  The principle is, if you're doing something crafty to improve your home, make it a more pleasurable environment to be in and look at then, it qualifies.  If you can thrift and recycle your way there - so much the better! "

There is a Flickr Group Here so we can see and share what each other has been up to.  I am on board with Sandra as my home is in desperate need of some Tender Loving Care.  There is no fun in 'Crafting in Clutter', I should know.  I find the blogging community very helpful and motivating where craft is concerned so I really like the idea of joining with others in a 'Mission' to have a 'Pretty Crafty Home'.  I am a little slow off the 'starting block' but today I have made some progress.  At least it is a step in the right direction.  I think I may be in 'Phase One' for quite some time.  'Tidy, tidy, tidy and clean, clean, clean.'  It isn't fun, it isn't glamorous and it sure is not pretty.  Euan has a physical reaction to de-cluttering his belongings, it ranges from going quiet and pale, to getting fretful and tearful and at all times there is the danger of a full blown meltdown of a tantrum!  I have made the mistake of tidying and de-cluttering his stuff when he is at school and the results were ugly!  I mentioned it this morning and explained it is getting a little out of hand and to enjoy our 'toys' we have to be able to have room to play with them.  He really really didn't like the idea.  Miraculously though he did get on board and we tackled his territory under his bed.  I have never known him willingly part with stuff.

Poor old broken sword!  My brother made 'Excalibur' for Henry and Euan inheritted it.  I think we will need to ask for another one.  We had a pile of stuff for the 'Tip' and another pile for the 'Salvation Army' shop.  It really feels like a result!  I felt guilty chucking stuff into the 'For Landfill' skip at the dump but needs must.  I hate going to the dump!  Usually you have to queue for ages and it is really busy but today the 'Declutter and Dump Angels' looked kindly upon us and we drove straight in.  We then went to the Barbers, for Euan not me!  After the Barbers we drove to the Salvation Army Shop with toys, books and clothes that would be good to re-sell.  Euan rescued one crocodile puppet that he decided he really did not want to part with.

It doesn't look much in the two photographs but it has really cleared a 'Play Space for Euan under his bed.  I have to go and do the 'Clean, clean, clean' part with the vacuum this afternoon as it was very dusty under there.  We found some Easter eggs that had been squirreled away!  Tut tut tut, shame on me!   Euan has a natural eye for a 'Pretty Craft Home' and said 'Do you know, I have always wanted curtains under here!' 

This is really the tiniest tip of the iceberg.  I have the whole house to work my way through.  Rome was not built in a day, and neither was a 'Pretty Crafty Home'!  I will just keep plodding in the right direction.  I will try and do a weekly update on my progress, it is rather like hanging ones dirty linen out in public though.  'My Name is Lucy and my house is a shocking mess!'

Ye Olde 'Coconut and Raspberry Tarts' ;) 'Pie day Friday.

It is lovely to see new followers on this Happy Pie Day Friday.  Hello (Waves), Happy Pie Day Friday.
Here is a bit of a twist on Ye olde 'Bakewell Tart'.  I made these Coconut and Raspberry tarts.  Bakewell Tart traditionally has ground almonds in the mixture, I didn't have any almonds but I did have desiccated coconut, in true 'Inthesky' style I made a substitution and even if I do say so myself they were quite agreeable on ones palette.  These were a thrifty nifty little bake as they use the homemade Raspberry jam that I made in the Summer.  I didn't fuss too much with the quantities, they are basically a Jam tart with a Coconut Sponge topping.  I can make these by guess work and live with the imperfections.

Pie Day Friday has been scuppered with lack of enthusiasm of the family front.  Henry is in his fourth week of being a vegetarian.  The other half has given up red meat.  I am using meat from the freezer but have not bought any and Euan is trying very hard to remain an omnivore.  We have been eating a lot less meat as a family.  Nut Roasts on Sunday, Vegetable curries, Vegetable stew, Vegetable soup, Vegetarian Lasagne, Vegtable 'Shepherds' Pie, Falafel,, Bean Burgers and other concoctions.  I wonder how long we will keep it up?

The Hairy Bikers like meat in their Pies!

Birmingham Children's Hospital

'This is a great building and is really interesting and ornate inside, it was built in 1862 in Steelhouse Lane Birmingham

Today we had an appointment in the morning at Birmingham Children's Hospital.  It was a check up for Euan with the Orthotics department regarding his insoles in his shoes.  Euan was diagnosed with a 'club foot', or talipes at a twenty week scan.  Talipes effects 1 in 1000 babies.  Before the scan I sat waiting and said to my partner "For some reason  'My Left Foot' has come into my head".   I know it is unbelievable but Euan's left foot is the one affected.   He was on the books at Birmingham Children's Hospital before he was born.  He made an unexpected early arrival in to the world, my due date was September the 4th 2004, he arrived 'Fit and well' at the beginning of July ( he has been in a rush all his life!).  He was in a plaster cast at five days old before he even weighed 6 pounds.  The cast went from his toes to his hip and needed to be changed each week.  He had this treatment in four week intervals, I cannot remember how many times.   Euan has been fairly regular at the 'Children's Hospital' ever since.  He had a series of plaster casts and when he was not in cast wore 'Boots and a Bar' for 23 hours a day until he was about two and then he wore them at night until he was about three and a half.  We had to shop for baby clothes that were easy to get on and off and my Mom would alter the legs in his clothing so I could still change him easily. He also had an operation at 10 weeks old.  Looking back it was all very stressful, but the Children's Hospital is a humbling place and I was always glad to be coming out with my own problems rather than other peoples.  At the same time Euan had his treatments Henry also had three lots of ear surgery and a 'Bone Anchored Hearing Aid fitted'.   We were always up to Birmingham with one or the other and by coincidence on several occasions they would have appointments on the same day in different departments.  We made a right family day out of it!  I have done a few over night stays on a children's ward.  Euan actually had his last surgery the day before his sixth birthday so we woke up to his Birthday on the Ward, he was treated like a Lord and remembers it fondly!   I always went overboard buying them presents when either of them went to hospital so they actually looked forward to going rather than dreaded it.  I am a 'Spoon full of Sugar' kind of Mom!  Many a tantrum has been averted with Cadbury Chocolate (another Great Product of Birmingham's Heritage) or a toy!

We did worry if our son would be able to walk properly and be comfortable.  In 5% of children the casting and boots treatment does not work.  Sadly Euan was one of those 5%.   He has had four surgical procedures on his bones, tendons and muscles.  These really helped him gain good structure and function of his foot.  He spent weeks in a wheelchair with us carrying him everywhere.  He will need further surgery at some point when he is older.  Currently he just wears insoles in everyday shoes and is fully mobile.  They take an imprint of his feet at the hospital and then it gets sent to the USA where the insoles are made and posted back.  He has been as 'Good as Gold' with any of his treatments, he is a very resilient boy.  He appears to have a high pain threshold and is a very active boy, he goes to sports club at school, and he likes walking and riding his bike.  If you watch him he walks with a slight limp to his gait.  Occasionally he will complain of pain in his foot or leg.  My parents take us to appointment and I am very grateful.  Birmingham is a big, busy city and it took us an hour this morning to get to the hospital.  We left home at 7.45am.  The city was a sharp contrast to the Forest yesterday.  Our appointment was an hour late, I grumble 100 X more than Euan.  He is a 'Mini me' sadly for him.  He really looks like me and has inherited several of my traits, including a fear of heights and quite extreme motion sickness.  Neither Euan or I can travel far at all in the car without feeling nauseous.  My poor parents have to suffer the two of us huffing and puffing in the back seat.  We do not make good passengers.  I am not sure crocheting Granny Squares in the back seat helped with my 'Motion Sickness' today!

I survived!

I went prepared with 'The Spotty Wellies' of experience.  Thankfully the frost was all gone so it was not too cold for four hours in the Forest.

The first job was to set up a safe fire.  Each child used 'Fire Steels' to make their own fire which was then built into one large fire.  The children loved the challenge of getting sparks and collecting tinder, kindling, sticks 'the thickness of your thumb' and then bigger lumps of wood.  The ground rules were very clear and for the most part adhered to.  They have a clear understanding that if they follow the rules they earn the privilege to go again next week.

The Fire was the centre piece of the camp, the kettle was crucial to my well being.

 We could sit around the warm fire enjoying a warm drink.  We will return to the same 'camp' for another nine sessions.  Two of the more experienced members of staff set to work making a 'table'.  I thought they were slightly bonkers, but came to really appreciate 'The Table' when it came to lunch prep and washing up.

The 'sink' was a bucket, set into the table.  This was ingenious and very useful.  The table also doubled up as a cloakroom for hanging coats and bags up.  The children charged around and generally built up hearty appetites.  They ate like Hobbits, snacking regularly and even the fussy eaters suddenly became far less fussy.  They built two rope swings and spent some time working on a shelter.

It was all great fun.  I enjoyed watching the children interacting with us and each other out of the classroom.  They had a lot of freedom.  It was not until I got home I realised how exhausted I am.  I hope the children sleep well tonight, they certainly should.  All I am good for is sorting my own 'brood' out and plodding on with my crochet Ripple Mountain.  Aaah, the power of 'The Great Outdoors'.