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!  

I nearly forgot to show you...

See that...For meee!  This really is a bit of gratuitous self indulgence, but boy oh boy is it fun.  This is my Christmas Swap Parcel from the 'Ravelry' Group 'We Love Lucy'.  Naaa, not me Lucy but the fantastically inspirational Blog and Crochet Goddess 'Lucy' from Attic 24.  The group share photographs of 'our' crafts, patterns, tips ideas etc etc.  We signed up to be allocated a 'Swap Partner' to 'stalk' in the nicest possible way and then spoil with crafty goodness.  Being the Mom of two boys I have come to expect not much in the way of material gifts for Christmas, birthdays and Mothers Day.  I will confess to having a couple of meltdowns on the receipt of 'Nothing' but I am over it now!  (I do get lots of hugs, kisses, laughs and consideration which really are the greatest 'gifts'.)  I hope I will raise two thoughtful, considerate Men that would not mind a trip to the Yarn shop should their partners desire it, however I fear I have a long way to go!  It is great to have found a way to shop for lovely jubliness and have somebody else shop for surprise lovely jubliness for Moi!  The box caused me great delight!  Then when I opened it.... Ooooo!

It was full of pressies!

How exciting!

Cute Little Crochet Stockings, filled with Sweeties.  One for each person in the house to hang on the Christmas tree.  These were on my list of 'things to do' as my knitted ones have mysteriously vanished, I think they have gone the 'The Land of The Odd Sockies' with all the other socks that vanish in this house.

Some Pretty (girlie) stitch markers...I love them.

The choccies have vanished...but not mysteriously.  I did have helpers.

This is for 'Girls' only, very pretty stationary.

I also had Yarn:  ( I nearly bought some of this for myself!)  I think it will make a fantastic warp thread for weaving.

More Yarn (This is crazy because I love this yarn and have bought it for other people but never had any of my own.  I sent the same yarn to Joanna, my Swap Partner!)  I feel a 'Queen Anne's Lace' Scarf coming on;

And more scrummy Yarn with matching buttons, that I am going to turn into a cowl, if anyone has any nice easy pattern ideas they have tried and tested I would appreciate the advice.  I think the colour and texture of this yarn is going to be great to work with.

I also had a smelly candle 'Snowy' perfect for the dark winter nights.

I have Christened this Hook, 'The Posh Hook' and it is really comfortable to use.  'Knit Pro' I feel like I am in a new league.  I would recommend them.

Out of all these goodies I have saved the best until last, my very bestest favourite, that I am thrilled with is this fab and groovy new 'Granny Square Project Bag'.  

It is beautifully lined too.  I think Joanna is very clever and I really could not thank her enough for my thoughtful box of delights.  How Lucky?  If a girl can't show off in her own 'Little Corner Of Blogland', where can she show off?  I have not been naughty opening before Christmas, part of the 'Rules' of the Swap are you open and share photographs of your goodies when they arrive.  Phew, I could not have saved this with all the will in the world.

Hippy Witch is Celebrating by Giving Away 'Bunty Bunny'

Lori at Hippy Witch Crafts is celebrating fifty followers on her Blog by Giving Away the adorable Bunty Bunny.  I have the wantsies!  She is so cute.  I thought you would love her too and you will love Lori's Blog.  Lori makes the most beautiful hand crafted toys and ornaments.  I have a bit of of thing for Hippy Witch 'Felt Toadstool Houses'.   They are the prettiest I have ever seen.

I was/am a 'big' Noddy and Big Ears Fan, toadstool houses really capture my imagination, I could happily live in a toadstool surrounded by Pixies and Fairies.  I am hoping Bunty Bunny might come and live with me too.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.

The Jolly Green Giant Comes To The Rescue

I spend a ridiculous amount of money on 'Corn on the Cob'.  I do love it, but not as much as these ladies do...

Here they are looking bedraggled they have been in the rain again!  They would rather have their freedom than be warm and dry.  Every day they are still a great source of joy and amusement to me.  I am so proud of them as they are still laying an egg each, every morning despite the frost and the reduced daylight hours.  (Uncle John, whom I mentioned in the 'Feeling Sad' blog post, loved their eggs, he couldn't eat many foods in his last few weeks but he really enjoyed his eggs.  It makes me happy to think he had some quality nutrition from my ladies, there really is nothing to better than a fresh egg.)   These girls eat well, they enjoy kitchen scraps and leftovers.  I feed them 'Layers Pellets' in the morning and 'Mixed Corn' before bedtime.  They loved picking their own fruit in the summer and guzzled blackcurrants, raspberries and blackberries like they were going out of fashion.  They also liked windfall apples.  Their favourite however is Corn on The Cob.  That is good in the Summer when they are in abundance and selling very cheaply, but at this time of year they are imported from as far away as Kenya and they are expensive, I sometimes have a lucky find and they are 'Reduced for a Quick Sale'.  They are a very welcome treat.  So I wondered if this would do....

The verdict from three happy, clucky girls is that it makes a very fine Winter Substitute for the real thing.  They would follow me to the end of the earth for a can I am sure.   

Festive Cushions - My First Sewing Lesson for 25 years

Forgive my model's dirty face...he had just finished a mug of Hot Chocolate.  (That is my mug of tea in shot!)  He is enjoying a cosy winter evening under his Granny Square Blanket on the sofa, watching TV.  He loves the weekends.  Euan is almost as proud of these 'Festive Cushions' as I am.  He was fascinated by sewing machine shenanigans!  I think he is going down with a lurgy as he is sneezing a snuffly, so curling up on the sofa is a great remedy.
The cushions are a result of reading too many ideas from Dottie Angel.  They are hot off the sewing machine in this picture and need pressing and buttons added.  Euan did want them immediately though and they are in use as I type!  I have never used my sewing machine before and I took it to my Mom's today, where we fathomed it out together.  I have not touched a sewing machine for 25 years.  I some how broke a needle at school and remember it hurting, so I am very wary of sewing machines...I spent more time in the queue for the teacher than actually sewing and never completed a single item.  My heart nearly leaped out of my chest today as soon as I started the foot pedal!  I was pretty scared.  I spent a lot of time breaking thread and threading the machine....is that normal?  I did it over twenty times!  I am delighted though that I have sewn semi straight lines and turned two 'Christmas Tea Towels' into cushions.  I did not think I would be able to do that!  I won't be making a wedding dress any time soon, but I can sew two tea towels together, whhooo hooo!

I would not give you a close up at this stage in my sewing career though!  I have been looking at craft with 'Tea Towels' on the net and can feel an obsession coming on.  18 Clever Dish Towel Ideas - Is my favourite so far :)  You can get some lovely tea towels and they are very durable and inexpensive.  I am thinking in the new year to make matching chair cushions for the dining chairs.  I am going to look for 'Cup Cake' Tea Towels.