tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54121904744563286872024-03-05T21:52:31.674+00:00Hannah CharlotteHannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-3447121177400501472020-11-19T15:08:00.000+00:002020-11-19T15:08:11.185+00:00New puppy checklist<h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>2020: The year of the puppy! </b></h3><p>I know there was a <b>considerable</b> rise in puppy prices and the whole 'bad-breeder' thing but my little boy has provided so much love and joy over the last couple of months, I wouldn't have changed a thing! </p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_5sQhCEZZvNb8XvnZRvzjPTFOGjnExVEXQYkEOdgev9Tk_Vc6IAcPCRS-ks7IxNmpKRL2QF4JXeW_IlACx4AwAcstKZUAr0VH_gaaXGEwnk4M93G21a4Am0P2kyVLPl00RqNr_d52Ng/s2048/825AFACE-9B3B-4894-B6DD-B2CA78E0DA58.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy." border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_5sQhCEZZvNb8XvnZRvzjPTFOGjnExVEXQYkEOdgev9Tk_Vc6IAcPCRS-ks7IxNmpKRL2QF4JXeW_IlACx4AwAcstKZUAr0VH_gaaXGEwnk4M93G21a4Am0P2kyVLPl00RqNr_d52Ng/w320-h320/825AFACE-9B3B-4894-B6DD-B2CA78E0DA58.JPG" title="Meet Merlin" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet my puppy, Merlin!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />I spent weeks doing research and making sure I had all the right things prepared for bringing my puppy home so here's my checklist of things I couldn't have lived without during those first few weeks. </p><div style="text-align: left;"><b>New puppy checklist:</b></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A crate (A controversial topic for some, but I chose to crate train)</li><li>Play pen - for when you can't keep an eye on him</li><li>Blankets - get a few, you'll be washing them a lot!</li><li>A bed</li><li>Food and water bowls (and a non-slip mat)</li><li>Treats</li><li>A treat pouch for walks</li><li>Food - make sure to find out what the breeder has been feeding them</li><li>Chews! - my pup was a chewer, so plenty of these will save your fingers and furniture!</li><li>Puppy-friendly wipes</li><li>Puppy-friendly shampoo</li><li>Towels - especially for the UK weather!</li><li>Poo bags</li><li>Plenty of toys - ranging in texture and complexity to keep them fun e.g. kong, rope toys, teddies</li><li>Collar and tag</li><li>Harness </li><li>Lead</li><li>Training lead - this will allow your pup to run around in the park without worrying about recall!</li><li>Car restraint - wether you choose a seatbelt or car seat, just make sure pup is secure in the car</li><li>Puppy pads (Not for everyone but your circumstances may require them)</li></ul><div><br /></div>It can be overwhelming looking at all the bits you need to buy for your pup and knowing what the best thing to get is. In my opinion, it's all trial an error - what works for one pup might not work for yours so just see what your little bundle of joy loves most!<br /><div><br /></div><div>Most importantly, enjoy your puppy xoxo</div><p></p>HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-21701816977873718102020-01-03T09:58:00.005+00:002020-01-03T09:58:54.998+00:005 things I learnt from buying my first home<br />
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Being in a position to buy your first home is both incredibly exciting and nerve-wracking. I've been lucky enough to have loads of people around me that have either been through it themselves recently or work in the industry and have the knowledge to advise and help in most situations! </div>
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So, although my experience was maybe 'easier' than most, i've compiled a little list of some of the things I learnt from buying my first home.<br />
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<b>1. Don't get disheartened</b></h3>
Throughout the process of buying my flat, I experience my share of disappointment and upset. I'd gone through the process of putting an offer in, getting it accepted... as far as I was concerned everything was going swimmingly. Then I got told that it failed the mortgage valuation and I wasn't going to be able to get a loan on the property because of 'severe structural movement'!<br />
I was back to searching for another flat, I quickly found another one that I fell in love with, just to have an offer declined and it taken off the market.<br />
Finally, despite all that, i've ended up with a flat I love - i've always been a believer in "<i>everything happens for a reason</i>" and I think in this case that's definitely true.<br />
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So my take away: Don't get disheartened when things don't go your way straight away, something better will always come along. I truly believe that.<br />
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<b>2. Find someone you trust that you can ask <u>loads</u> of questions!</b></h3>
I was in a very privileged position when going through this process, particularly during the mortgage side of things. My best friend is a *fantastic* mortgage broker and so I was able to go through her for everything, ask <b>loads </b>of questions and not feel stupid for doing so. Even questions that didn't relate to the mortgage obviously being in that line of work she had more knowledge about the process in general than I did and was able to offer solutions or at least point me in the direction of someone that might know the answer! I definitely think my experience would have been very different had I not had her to lean on.
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<b>3. Speak to a mortgage advisor </b><u style="font-weight: bold;">before</u><b> you start looking</b></h3>
This probably isn't something everyone would recommend but personally i'd say this is a big one!<br />
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I was so naïve when I first starting looking, i'd used one of the online calculators to find out how much I would be able to borrow and took that as gospel. Obviously, those online calculators can give you a ball-park figure but they don't take into account all your committed outgoings and finances etc. For me, it meant that I found myself looking at properties completely out of my budget and setting my expectations way too high!<br />
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I'd definitely recommend having the conversation before you get carried away on RightMove like I did.<br />
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<b>4. Gather inspiration!</b></h3>
This one may be a little trivial but it's probably the most exciting part of the whole experience! Well, at least for me it was. One of the things that i've always been most exciting for when it comes to moving out was being able to decorate and kit out my own place any which way I wanted. But, I think the most important thing is to not get blind-sighted by what you think you want! I went into the process open minded but with a vague idea of what I thought I wanted each room to look like... grey!<br />
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However, by trolling through instagram and Pinterest (for hours and hours), i've ended up with a teal sofa and pink curtains! You never know what will work in the space or tickle your fancy until you've spent the time looking at all your options.<br />
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<b>5. Be patient</b></h3>
I guess this one is kind of similar to number one but my god it's a big one! I can honestly say that the process of finding the perfect flat right through to actually moving in is one loooooong process. (I've been told it's even longer for flats because of the leases / management companies etc)<br />
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And, the worst part of the whole thing is when the solicitors are doing their bit and you hear nothing for weeks.. it honestly feels like nothings happening and there's no progression and then all of a sudden you're completing and moving in. It's a crazy journey and unfortunately one you just have to sit and ride out, it'll be worth it in the end!<br />
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<i>Please note: All of the above information is based on my experience of buying a flat in the UK.</i></div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-32491165512740042222019-09-09T14:17:00.001+01:002019-10-01T17:06:03.699+01:00Spinal fusion update - 2 years onIt's crazy to think it's been over <b>2 years</b> since I went under the knife to have my spine straightened and re-aligned. I'm fused from T11 to L3 with 8 screws and 2 titanium rods and I feel great!<br />
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I've been blessed with a relatively straight-forward recovery since my surgery and thankfully don't struggle much with pain. Don't get me wrong, it's not been plain sailing but when I read about the pain others have to deal with, I count myself as one of the lucky ones.<br />
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Occasionally I get an 'aching' pain down my left leg, it's always been my left leg that's taken the brunt of my weight and thus is the one that struggles with the pressure. Back in 2015 (maybe) I had a nerve-blocker epidural to help block the pain I was experiencing in my leg which worked perfectly for a few years but it's recently been making a reappearance!<br />
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Other than that, I get the odd twinge in my lower back but that's to be expected and watch what i'm doing at the gym rather than thinking that i'm invisible and a little niggle will just go away.<br />
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In terms of my scar, it's 11 inches starting under my bra strap and running down to just past my jeans but it's so neat! Scars aren't something that bother me normally but I did struggle to begin with having a huge scar that was an angry red colour, thankfully my surgeon did a great job at keeping it tight and thanks to him it's healed so well and no longer bothers me!<br />
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Despite the above, I can honestly say that I do not regret getting the surgery done, I was given the option to watch and wait with the view to probably have to have the surgery done when I was ~40. I obviously decided to go for it when I was 22 and i'm so glad I did.<br />
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For those in the process of making the decision about having fusion done, my advice would be to do your research - find real people (YouTube / blogs) that have been through it and listen to their stories. It really helped me to hear from people that had actually been through it and hear about their real experiences.<br />
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<i><b>p.s.</b> I don't think scars are anything to be ashamed of and no one should be afraid of showing them off, I know that now.</i>HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-8472747690288928752018-05-24T11:45:00.000+01:002019-09-04T17:14:25.570+01:00Raspberry & Chocolate cookies | Recipes<div>
One of my best friends has recently moved out in to her first home and whilst I was over there visiting recently we decided to bake together using her ‘Bake-off oven'! We chose a recipe from Janes Patisserie (of course), her White Chocolate and Raspberry cookies.
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Initially we were going to attempt to use frozen raspberries because that’s what she had in the house but we decided that the 5 minute walk to Sainsbury’s was worth it, to avoid ending up with a soggy cookie. We also added less chocolate chips and less of the freeze dried raspberries because we didn’t want to buy any more! ha! </div>
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We did probably over bake them a little bit and for some reason the mixture was really dry so they didn’t flatten as much as Jane’s appear to. However, I can confirm that regardless of the limited chocolate and chunkiness, they were delicious and it didn’t matter in the slightest. Win!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCcAu_wGcy9jKLMUJhbh9NTPelf1toTbmqATuDZ6igkTkrL4gCScEQJK3CZn50JLY9JG4SeKrsK5C9mIukDrT7aCEzjPDjhsaLb8EiW2tLjOA8Myo5fIbE0A4MxgYt8f0I7Y5cm_bPyI/s1600/Rasberry-chocolate-cookies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCcAu_wGcy9jKLMUJhbh9NTPelf1toTbmqATuDZ6igkTkrL4gCScEQJK3CZn50JLY9JG4SeKrsK5C9mIukDrT7aCEzjPDjhsaLb8EiW2tLjOA8Myo5fIbE0A4MxgYt8f0I7Y5cm_bPyI/s400/Rasberry-chocolate-cookies.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span></div>
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<li>300 g Plain Flour</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Salt</li>
<li>1 tbsp Cornflour</li>
<li>115 g Unsalted Butter/Stork</li>
<li>100 g Brown Sugar</li>
<li>100 g Granulated Sugar</li>
<li>1 Large Egg</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract</li>
<li>6 g Freeze Dried Raspberries (original recipe 15g)</li>
<li>200 g White Chocolate Chips (original recipe 250g)</li>
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<b>Instructions</b></div>
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<li>Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan and line two/three large baking trays with parchment paper, leave to the side.</li>
<li>Whisk the Plain Flour, Bicarbonate of Soda, Salt, and Cornflour together in a bowl and leave to the side.</li>
<li>Melt your butter carefully, and then add to a bowl. Add in the Sugars, and whisk the mixture together for two minutes. (I used my electric whisk, if whisking by hand, whisk for 3 minutes)</li>
<li>Add in the Vanilla and Egg and whisk again till combined.</li>
<li>Add in the flour mixture, freeze dried raspberries, and Chocolate Chips and beat till everything is evenly distributed and a cookie dough is formed.</li>
<li>Scoop the cookie dough using a cookie scoop for even portions, then roll into balls. Bake in the oven for 10-13 minutes.</li>
<li>Leave the cookies to cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely! Enjoy!</li>
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<a href="http://www.janespatisserie.com/2017/10/02/white-chocolate-raspberry-cookies/" target="_blank">Original recipe on Janes Patisserie</a></div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-72420638993742456212017-09-12T14:36:00.000+01:002019-09-04T17:13:38.395+01:006 week post-op update Today marked the first return to the hospital since I was allowed to go home 5 days after undergoing major spinal surgery. I was quite nervous about going back but actually quite excited to finally see my x-ray. It's hard to explain but I personally found it really frustrating walking out of the hospital after my operation without having seen the x-ray, there was something about the fact that I couldn't see what he'd done that really bothered me!<br />
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We got the hospital a little earlier that my appointment, 'checked in' and were told to sit in the infamous waiting room. The white board showing who was holding each clinic today was saying there was a delay for the spinal consultant.. typical!<br />
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Thankfully, I was called pretty quickly and sent off for an updated x-ray which I was called for almost instantly too. The usual "I just need to check you're not pregnant" questionnaire filled out and the x-rays done, I was sent back to the waiting room before being called in to the consultants room.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-op vs. post-op!</td></tr>
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All-in-all I think we were at the hospital for about 30 minutes. I was seen really quickly after my x-ray and the consultant was really happy with everything, the x-rays, the strength in my legs and the wound itself. I went through a few of my worries but he assured me they were all just my body getting used to it's new positioning and nothing to worry about.<br />
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He sent me away with some advice; take paracetamol (stay ahead of the pain, don't chase it), try swimming and up the physio. My favourite part of the whole appointment... he signed me off to drive again! I can't begin to tell you how good it feels to have my freedom back - it's been hard work having to rely on people to come to me or pick me up and ferry me about!<br />
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So, I can finally drive my poor little car that hasn't moved in 6 weeks (YAY!) and I can begin a phased return to work which, I never thought i'd say, but I can't wait. Being off work and stuck in the house for 6 weeks has been a lot harder than I thought it would be. I thought i'd just watch loads of series and movies and be fine but I had 0 interest in anything on netflix/amazon prime.<br />
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Trust me when I say, 6 weeks off work sounds so much better than it is! HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-73054818735727964652017-09-07T11:51:00.001+01:002019-09-04T17:13:48.109+01:00Recipe | Eton mess cakeOne of my go-to websites for recipes is <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1364651/eton-mess-cake" target="_blank">BBC Good Food</a>, each time i've tried one of these recipes i've always been impressed with how they've turned out. With being off work for 5 weeks, i've done a lot of baking recently - we had a couple of meringues left over from the other weekend so that was the basis of my search for this bake.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: "open sans";"><b>Serves: </b>~15</span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.2px;">Ingredients:</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">175g butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">5tbsp double cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">1tsp vanilla essence</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">225g plain flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">100g ground almonds</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">1tsp baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">200g golden caster sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">5 large eggs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">400g strawberries (1/2 roughly chopped & 1/2 thinly sliced)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">4 meringue nests <i>(we only had 3, and it worked fine!)</i></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.2px;">Method:</b><br />
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Grease and line a 30 x 20 cm deep traybake </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Melt the butter, then stir in the cream and vanilla</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Mix the flour, almonds, baking powder and a pinch of salt - then set aside</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Whisk the caster sugar and eggs, until very think and foamy (~5 mins)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Pour in the butter mix and whisk again then whisk in the dry mix</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Stir in the chopped strawberries</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Pour into tin and level</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Scatter the strawberries and meringue over the cake</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Bake for 40-45 mins until golden<br /></li>
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<span style="font-family: "open sans";">This was definitely more of a pudding that a snack cake, with a bit of extra cream it was really nice. It wasn't my favourite bake and i'm not 100% sure i'd make it again but it was nice enough and a great way to use up some left over meringues! </span></div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-4777625880775503572017-08-15T12:56:00.001+01:002017-08-15T12:56:27.656+01:00~2 weeks post opWhen I finally received the date for my operation I was so convinced that it would get cancelled that I didn't allow myself to get excited for it. It seemed like i'd be waiting forever for the operation to come round but it went so quickly!<br />
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I had to be at the hospital for 7am on Friday 28th July, by 9am I was in the anaesthetic room being poked and prodded with needles ready to be wheeled through the double doors into theatre. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous at all - I think because it had been such a long time coming I was just so relieved to finally be there.<br />
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The next thing I remember was waking up in HDU with an oxygen mask on a wires coming out from every part of my body. They'd put some kind of vaseline or something on my eyes too so I couldn't see properly. It wasn't pleasant. Although, it's not the norm, the staff allowed my parents to come in and see me when I was brought round (for about 5 minutes) - I don't remember much of the first day, and very little of seeing my parents.<br />
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The next morning I was taken down to a ward, it was just me and 3 other, older ladies. It was a really pleasant ward, the staff were all lovely (particularly the good looking, Spanish nurse!) and the other ladies were all very friendly too.<br />
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On the Sunday, I was sat up and took my first couple of steps into the chair next to the bed. At this point I still had the morphine drip which was an absolute god-send! The day that came out, I definitely knew about it!<br />
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I was surprised at how quickly everything happened once I was moved to a ward, the catheter came out within a couple of days and I was able to put my own clothes on pretty quickly too. Throughout my entire stay at hospital I had no appetite and very little energy. I napped a lot during the day but never managed to sleep through the night - the pain always woke me up! It's hard to explain how painful/uncomfortable the whole experience was/is.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zp4DRLH7QaD-EjA36qXzFpzDJD0HcZfc2QBKBKo2NZU6_XUATFLPNexRWh4jwBf3mu5qGfN33-G-m33anQ4ENFu_lMPXsTTlOfWzQ-QQ_f5jeHD8hmWXEI1eWmOCWda7n01ZrIckiDA/s1600/IMG_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zp4DRLH7QaD-EjA36qXzFpzDJD0HcZfc2QBKBKo2NZU6_XUATFLPNexRWh4jwBf3mu5qGfN33-G-m33anQ4ENFu_lMPXsTTlOfWzQ-QQ_f5jeHD8hmWXEI1eWmOCWda7n01ZrIckiDA/s400/IMG_0548.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had a slight reaction to the gauze too!</td></tr>
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Since the operation I've only had 2 days where i've regretted going through with it. One day being when I was given an enema which resulted in me developing a temperature and breaking out in a cold sweat not sure if I was going to pass out or vomit or both! It was a horrific experience!<br />
The other day should have been a happy day, the day I came home - I was fine all morning and even on the journey home. But once I was home and without the comfort of all the hospital staff and the reclining bed I really struggled to get comfortable and just had a bit of a breakdown!<br />
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But all-in-all I'm really glad i've had it done. I came home on the Wednesday morning following my operation and since being home i've improved massively. Everyone I've seen has been so surprised and impressed with how far i've come in such a short period of time. Everyday i've increased the distance i've walked and how long i've been sat up for.<br />
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Last Monday I had to go to the local nurse to get the dressing changed and the wound checked, she was happy enough with it to remove the steri-strips and sign me off to shower again (a massive relief!) However, since having the steri-strips removed the wound has weeped a little and we had a rogue internal stitch make it's way out which I had to go back to the nurse to have removed.<br />
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I'm still a while off returning to work and have an appointment back at the hospital at the beginning of September with my consultant to check the wound and hopefully we'll be able to see the x-ray finally! I'm hoping that appointment will be with my surgeon as we haven't actually seen him since the operation, i'm really intrigued to see how he thinks it went. Currently all we know is that he managed to achieve 90% of what he wanted to achieve but didn't managed to get as many screws in as he would have liked because there wasn't enough room...<br />
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So here's to the next 4 weeks.HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-81872081738841742212017-05-31T09:04:00.000+01:002017-05-31T09:04:15.573+01:00Scoliosis update | The pre-op<div>
I celebrated the end of the Easter holidays with a trip to NOH for my pre operative assessment, a 6am alarm and 5 hours later we left with more information and another few weeks of waiting! </div>
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I was given a checklist of all the people we were scheduled to see during the day and a form to fill out about the conditions of your home in preparation for release from the hospital post op. First up, I was taken down for an x-ray, my consultant had ordered a bending x-ray so that he could see how flexible my spine was and thus which surgery (posterior or anterior).
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We had a long discussion with my consultant, where he went through all the risks associated with the operation, what he was planning to carry out and how much of my spine he was going to fuse. (T11-L3 ± L4) Thankfully, my spine is still flexible - my curve reduces from a 42º to a 14º when bending meaning that my surgeon will be able to carry out a posterior surgery, rather than anterior and my surgery should only be a few hours. My consultant also told us that he’d requested another MRI as the one i’d had previously at Royal Berks hasn’t found it’s way to him!
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After the chat with my consultant I was taken for an ECG, blood pressure checks and blood tests. The nurse said that they don’t normally do ECGs for people of my age but because of the length of the surgery and the fact that it’s the spine, they were going to do one anyway. I was told I had a “text book” blood pressure but that my veins are wiggly and shallow. It took 2 nurses and about an hour for them to get enough blood to fill the little tubes they needed. I don’t have any visible veins in my “elbow pit” so they tried my hand to no avail. As a last resort, they tried the other hand and managed to get just enough.. the nurse said I was being “stingy” but it would have to do!!
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I had a chat with another nurse afterwards about the health of my lungs, heart and general health - questions about smoking, previous ailments and any medicines you take etc. After that, was a chat with another nurse about being a part of the British Spine Registry, which I joined - I think it’s just signing up to become a statistic essentially!
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Following that was another chat with a different nurse that went through more questions regarding my health and the suitability of our home for returning to, she carried out a MRSA swab and then gave me a bottle of antiseptic wash to be used the night before and morning of surgery and also a tube of cream to be used 3 times the day before and once the morning of!
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Finally, a little hallway chat with the Occupational Therapist about returning home and getting back to work. (essentially everything had already been covered throughout the day) It was a quick chat that concluded a very long day.
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All-in-all it’s a pain-free and relatively easy process, one that goes on forever but answers a lot of questions! I’ve been told to stop taking my pill (which you have to be off of for 6 weeks before they will operate) and to swap vodka for water! I’m still waiting on a date for surgery but have had the updated MRI, it’s now been 6 weeks since my pre-op and considering they only last 12, i’m hoping to hear soon.
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But for now, we wait. Again! </div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-67584716824949848622017-01-12T12:54:00.000+00:002017-01-12T12:54:01.985+00:00WHAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS!I hope you all had a lovely christmas and spent lots of time with your loved ones. I sure did, despite waking up with the weirdest stomach cramps on christmas morning (although it didn't stop me chowing down on my christmas dinner!) I really enjoyed my time off.<br />
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On Christmas Eve, my best friends came round to our house and we all exchanged presents between each other and had the best buffet dinner. Buffets are definitely one of my favourite kind of meals, especially when pigs in blankets are on the menu!<br />
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I was spoilt beyond belief again this christmas by my family and friends. I'm completely over the moon with all my gifts and have been making full use of all of them already! I've not included everything I got in the pictures, "fluff" and stocking fillers i've left out. I've also not included a picture of the box light my brother got me because I was using it to take the photos!<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: I'm not gloating. Incredibly grateful for everything I received, just love reading this posts so wanted to do one of my own.</i><br />
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Those caramalised pecans in the back of this picture, sound delicious right? Well! They're definitely an acquired taste. They've got a "hint" of black pepper in them.. those mother fuckers, are loaded with the stuff. Completely underestimating in the first time I tried them, my mouth was on fire!!</div>
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I'm yet to try out the brush pens, but i'm super excited. The trend of brush script grew so much towards the end of last year and I absolutely loved it. Fingers crossed, with a bit of practice i'll be able to create some lush hand written stuff too.</div>
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Okay, so i've heard tons about the Garnier Micellar cleansing water from different YouTubers and bloggers and have been desperate to try it out for ages, so was super happy when I opened this. I've been using it religiously since Christmas Day and I love it, removing my make-up has never been so easy.<br />
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The Venus Swirl razor, a little random some might say but honestly that thing is like shaving with a cloud, it so soft!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ER92cDbx6aBlVOB1dBVGkL3aCmnB-QBWQRfVf2t8YCyh-RlCe_lSUsLG3VUUuKefsZvjMqNMsPlDEWcGuApiEURiK6G6ORG7_tntNZwGou3oyiRwLlk7jOWRibe5Khyphenhyphen4_k_BiDI1NNo/s1600/File_000.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ER92cDbx6aBlVOB1dBVGkL3aCmnB-QBWQRfVf2t8YCyh-RlCe_lSUsLG3VUUuKefsZvjMqNMsPlDEWcGuApiEURiK6G6ORG7_tntNZwGou3oyiRwLlk7jOWRibe5Khyphenhyphen4_k_BiDI1NNo/s400/File_000.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My main present from my parents was the GoPro Hero 4 Silver. I'm really keen to start making videos, especially of little trips and holidays and I cannot wait to give this a proper go! Watch out for video updates on <a href="http://hannahcharl0tte.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/story-time-scoliosis.html" target="_blank">my scoliosis journey</a> too!<br />
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My girls got my the MAC palette and Real Techniques brushes which I can't wait to use this year. I used them on New Years eve and a few other nights out already and I love them! One of my goals for this year is to learn how to do my eye make-up properly so this is literally the perfect gift. Girls did good!!!<br />
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So that's what I got for christmas this year. What did you get?HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-27189472428859908092016-12-12T20:01:00.000+00:002016-12-12T20:01:37.524+00:00CHRISTMAS FAIR | STONOR PARKWith a massive hangover, I met up with a couple of girls that I used to work with and headed down to Henley to the <a href="http://www.stonor.com/plan-your-day/whats-on/" target="_blank">Stonor Park Christmas Fair.</a><br />
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It's the first time i've ever been to a christmas fair (other than Winter Wonderland) and I was really impressed. It was all really well done. Stonor House is a beautiful big manor house which we were able to walk around. We were restricted as to where we could go when we were inside, but they're decorated it all christmassy an historic. It was stunning.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How amazing in this tree. It was so much bigger than it looks here too. </td></tr>
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The actually fair part was also really cute, it was full of hundreds of stalls from different boutique/independent businesses ranging from homemade christmas decorations and cards to interestingly flavoured gin!<br />
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We stopped for a bite to eat at one of the little cafe bits but unfortunately they'd pretty much sold out of everything so I had a green tea and a scotch egg. Funnily enough, the scotch egg was really nice so I'm kind of glad they'd run out of everything else!!<br />
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I didn't buy anything in the end (it was a little pricey.. well what do you expect, it's Henley) but it got me in the christmas mood and gave me a few ideas for little gifts I can get my friends and family.<br />
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I'd definitely recommend it for that! I had really good time and the interior set ups were stunning. Neptune had a stall set up which was definitely one of my favourites!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBW2qbABDCOPXGZcEWG_G83tQwA99C1HVRlVzTTstrgyHRqD8q_7K5UGlcujxq_eXUKcSIAsnPIhOiQITESOaUCDXDIt_KkjoKDJ6bjSUHnUaDlxNXHO9gDiFGU_YQPkdGLp5zeYmvNcg/s1600/File_004.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBW2qbABDCOPXGZcEWG_G83tQwA99C1HVRlVzTTstrgyHRqD8q_7K5UGlcujxq_eXUKcSIAsnPIhOiQITESOaUCDXDIt_KkjoKDJ6bjSUHnUaDlxNXHO9gDiFGU_YQPkdGLp5zeYmvNcg/s320/File_004.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not On The High Street had a christmas tree!</td></tr>
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Each of these trees lined up by the entrance were decorated by different brands/companies including Not On The Hight Street which is one of my favourite brands for little knick knacks!<br />
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What's your favourite christmas festivals/market/fair?<br />
<br />HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-48640083908965403522016-12-04T11:11:00.000+00:002016-12-04T11:11:02.063+00:00RECIPE | FRANGIPANE MINCE PIESI love baking and I love trying new things, especially when it's a twist on something I already love to bake. I saw this recipe on the countryliving website and because my family love mincepies and anything almond/marzipan flavoured I knew they'd be excited to try these!<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.2px;">Serves: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 13.2px;">36</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.2px;">Ingredients:</b><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">400g plain flour</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">200g butter</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">2tbsp caster sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">1 medium egg, beaten with 2tbsp cold water</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">450g mincemeat (We didn't have enough to had to use jam for some!)</span></span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.2px;"><br />icing sugar for dusting</i></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.2px;">For the frangipane:</b><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">150g butter</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">150g caster sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">85g self-raising flour</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">100g ground almonds</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">2 medium eggs</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">1/2 tsp almond extract</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">flaked almonds</span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.2px;">Method:</b><br />
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">In a food processor, combine flour and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Add the sugar.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Keep the motor running and add enough egg until it starts to clump together. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Bring together with your hands to make a ball. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Knead briefly, cover in clingfilm and leave for 20 minutes. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">On a lightly dusted worktop, roll out the pastry to roughly 2mm thick.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Stamp out "36" circles and place into bun tins (cupcake tin!)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Fill with mincemeat, then chill. </li>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">They were really yummy and went down a treat with all the family and they're perfect for freezing too!</span></span></div>
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What do you think? Have you made any mince pie variations, let me know in the comments.HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-247230672562608912016-12-04T11:09:00.000+00:002016-12-04T11:09:01.696+00:00200+ MINCE PIES?!It's become a tradition at Christmas that my mum and I bake over 200 mince pies each year.<br />
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"Why so many?" I hear you ask.<br />
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My mum is a caretaker/cleaner for a lot of elderly people and instead of buying them all naff gifts we always bake for them - they always appreciate a home made gift! Alongside that, we've always taken them to family get-togethers over christmas as well as each taking some in for colleagues too. On top of all that, we need some for ourselves too right!!<br />
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We don't make our own mincemeat (we actually use Sainsburys own brand) but we always mix a teaspoon or so of brandy to give it a little kick! Funnily enough, we also don't follow a recipe for the pastry, it's just something we've made enough to know when it's going to work and when it's not.<br />
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Instead of making 200 of the same mincepie, we decided to make 50/50 (ish) of standard pies with a little pastry star and the other half with the <a href="https://hannahcharl0tte.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/recipe-mince-pies-with-spiced-orange.html" target="_blank">spiced orange crumble</a> that we made last year.<br />
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<b>Quick tip:</b> If you sprinkle icing sugar over them when they're cool, it covers a multitude of sins!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the little ones that didn't pass QA!</td></tr>
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I can promise you now that despite having baked over 200 already, we'll have to make more at some point..HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-7882962265576740042016-11-28T19:42:00.000+00:002016-11-28T20:52:18.870+00:00HALLOWEEN WEEKEND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you follow me on Instagram, (if not then you should be) you’ll know that I bake something almost every weekend, Halloween weekend was no exception of course but with GBBO having inspired me to challenge myself a little more, I decided to try and make something i’ve never made before! </div>
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Chocolate webs!</div>
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I’d seen a load of things using piped chocolate on Pinterest lately and as i’m currently really enjoying learning how to pipe, I thought i’d give it a go. I used a tube of white chocolate buttons (You know the ones that come out for Christmas) and melted them in the microwave for just under a minute. Having never done this before I was a little worried that the chocolate was just going to run straight out of the nozzle but it was thicker that I first thought and I swear it went on forever!! I managed to make so many little webs and spiders from just one tube of chocolate!
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We actually used a slightly different sponge mixture for these ones which, to me, looked a bit like a muffin mixture at first (and I can’t bake muffins.. at all). I’ll leave the recipe here for the cakes themselves. I’m so happy with how they turned out, for a first attempt anyway!
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My friends and I obviously all went out on Saturday night for halloween, we didn’t venture far and just stayed at our usual hangout. I have to admit that I didn’t make much of an effort in terms of costume though, instead I opted for an all black glittery mess!
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't see it, but there's so much glitter!</td></tr>
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My brother and I have only been carving pumpkins for the last 3 years but it’s become something of a tradition now.
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Let me tell you, trying to carve a pumpkin whilst you’re feeling pretty fragile from the night before is horrific. I hate the smell of pumpkin at the best of times so the smell of it when you’re a tad hungover is a million times worse! I like to make an effort with my pumpkins, I’m not one for going with a standard triangle eyed face - I prefer to go for something a bit more challenging. I’d initially planned to try and carve a zombie out of it but quickly realised that was maybe too much of a challenge and opted for a toothy grinned pumpkin instead.
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How did you spend your Halloween this year?
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<br />HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-68244477310653505412016-10-31T19:54:00.001+00:002016-10-31T19:57:42.259+00:00FOREST HOLIDAYS | ARGYLL, SCOTLAND<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14px;">
This is our second trip to a Forest Holidays retreat and it was just as good as the first. I was anxious that, having been to the Deerpark retreat in Cornwall last October and having an absolutely brilliant time, that this wouldn’t be as good - I’ve revisited places before and been disappointed when they weren’t the same! But, thankfully, despite the 7 hour drive and 6am alarm on a Monday morning we had another fabulous holiday and will definitely continue returning to the Forest Holiday retreats. </div>
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We left really early on Monday morning so as not to waste an entire day on the road, it meant we had a bit of an evening to unpack and settle in (obviously test out the hot tub) and relax before starting our holiday properly on the Tuesday.<br />
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The views were stunning, we’d chosen our cabin and were looking right over Loch Long. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see the sunset/sunrise from where we were, in fact the only sunrise we saw was on the journey home! The trails through the forest surrounding the retreat were also incredibly beautiful, we were really lucky with the weather and managed a whole week with no rain and relatively warm temperatures too (although we’d all packed for stereotypical just-above-freezing temperatures!).</div>
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Our activities varied throughout the week, we went for a walk which turned into an 8 mile trek through forest and brambles and up ridiculous hills, we also repeated part of the walk on bikes the following day but turned round half way and headed for the pub instead! Gorge walking was an interesting experience, we were all kitted out in coats and wellies but got a major sweat on when we realised that the chances of getting through the gorge without getting wet was very slim!! We also tried canoeing, which is organised by Forest Holidays and was really good fun - we spent 2 hours on the water looking for starfish and loads of other sea creatures.. although surprisingly, I saw no fish.
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Although we spent the majority of the week technology free, we did of course make sure to watch Strictly and GBBO! Most of our evenings were spent playing board games like, Monopoly, card games and we introduced Exploding Kittens and Drinking Bingo to the mix this year! We'd often end the evening with a dip in the hot tub and one particularly clear night we saw the most amazing sky, you could just about make out the outline of the milky way. It was incredible. </div>
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It's not very often that I come back from a holiday feeling as relaxed as I did this year. It was a brilliant feeling! Of course, the hot-tub and copious amounts of beer played a part in that too but just being able to spend a week not worrying about anything and having all day to do nothing.
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Before we’d even got home from this holiday we were discussing the next adventure, we’re thinking we might stick to the middle of the country this time. Despite the holiday being brilliant, the 7 hours journey was a bit of a killer! </div>
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Have you ever been to a Forest Holidays retreat, which one did you go to and what did you think?</div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-60532001748684826872016-09-30T17:09:00.001+01:002016-11-28T20:52:26.813+00:00STORY TIME | SCOLIOSISI've seen a lot of vlogs entitled "story time" lately, as a way for content creators to share a more personal story and raise awareness for a particular issue/condition that they have experienced. So, I wanted to do that same for something that I have had first-hand experience with.<br />
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What is scoliosis?</h3>
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Scoliosis, the abnormal twisting and curvature of the spine, is a progressive medical condition with no cure. It affects approximately 1 in 35 people and often presents itself, or worsens, during the adolescence growth spurt and is more common in females than it is in males. It's not uncommon for people with this condition to experience no/very little pain and require no treatment at all. However, if left unchecked scoliosis can result in lifelong surgeries, disability, chronic pain and in some rare cases it can be life threatening. </div>
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There is very little awareness for scoliosis considering the amount of people that are affected by it, because of that, I wanted to share "my story" to help shed some light on it. </div>
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My diagnosis</h3>
I was first diagnosed with scoliosis back in 2014 after I started running at the gym. I was experiencing lower back pain so went to the GP, thinking it was a nerve issue or a badly pulled muscle. After the standard 'Adam's forward bend test', I was referred to the local hospital for an x-ray to confirm and measure the degree of my curve. As you can imagine, this came as a massive shock to me and my family.<br />
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At the hospital(s)</h3>
After my initial x-ray I was told I had a 31º lumbar curve with a minor thoracic curve and that the likelihood was, i'd had the curve since I was about 12 years old and that it had been slowly progressing since. Since this appointment i've been back and forth countless times for check up x-rays and as i'm one of the 'lucky' ones that suffer with chronic pain in my lower back, hips and left leg I was sent for an MRI at the end of 2014. My MRI was an awful experience, I was in the 'tunnel' for about an hour and a half with my head between 2 blocks and the noisiest machine you can imagine! It was uncomfortable and really boring!<br />
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Following on from my MRI it was discovered that I have a protrusion on the bottom vertebra of my spine which is putting pressure on my nerves. I was given an epidural injection in the May of 2015 in an attempt to help the pain in my leg caused by the protrusion, it helped for all of about 6 months! The injection was classed as a day surgery and was given under general anaesthetic - sitting around in the hospital for 6 hours waiting for a 30 minute procedure was dull af!<br />
<br />
I was seen again at the same hospital by a different doctor (who was a complete twerp!) who decided that there was nothing more that could be done and discharged me. By this point, I was disheartened and still in a lot of pain.<br />
<br />
To our surprised however, I received another letter sending me back to the same hospital where I was later referred to a specialist at a different hospital! I was sent for another x-ray where they read my curve at 41º from T11 to L4 and that I was about 5cm out of alignment (meaning my head and pelvis don't line up at all!) - as a rule, if a curve is larger than 40/45º surgery is often considered(!). Hearing that the curve had progressed significantly was again, a big shock as I was fully aware that most adults with scoliosis don't see progression in their curve.<br />
<br />
My consultant decided that the best solution at the time was to monitor the curve for 6 months and see if it was still progressing. So, fast forward 6 months, i've been back to the hospital for another x-ray which unfortunately didn't give me the results I was hoping for. My consultant reviewed the x-rays and confirmed that my curve is still progressing albeit at a slow rate of about 1º every 6 months. He explained that 2º every year would be a massive increase by the time I was 40ish and suggested that I go through with Spinal Fusion Surgery to stop it in it's tracks.<br />
<br />
WHAT?!<br />
<br />
<h3>
The surgery</h3>
<div>
I'm currently waiting for a letter through the post with a date on it for now but i've done my research! </div>
<div>
Without going in to the gory details, essentially, the surgery is either done anterior or posterior and my consultant predicted that mine would be an anterior surgery. This means that they'd "go in" from the side rather than the back. Ultimately, what they do is take a bone graft and then fuse some of the vertebra before rodding and pinning it. There a very few long-term effects of having the surgery, other than the obvious (stiffness & inability to slouch!) there are only 3 things I won't be able to do.. bungee jump, sky dive and trampoline. </div>
<div>
Obviously, everything I know is from the research i've done and not from my surgeon. I'll know more when I get my pre-operative appointment.</div>
<div>
<h3>
<br />So what are the day-to-day affects of scoliosis</h3>
<div>
Everyone is different, but personally my biggest upset with the whole thing is the pain that I suffer with everyday. Since my diagnosis, i've learnt how to deal with it using over-the-counter pain killers and on occasion some stronger stuff! As i'm out of alignment, I tend to put all of my weight on my left leg, which leaves me with immense pain in my hip and a constant ache down my entire leg - particularly the joints. Being out of alignment also means that i'm forever stumbling all over the place/into people when i'm walking and on top of all of that it tires me out very quickly. Simple things like going shopping with the girls, is knackering and i'll be forced to sit down through pain and fatigue. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Other things like washing the dishes is a painful task, the act of bending slightly forward over the sink leaves me with back ache. Sitting cross legged for any length of time is out of the question too!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
"Luckily" for me, my shoulders are pretty much the same height (a common symptom is misaligned shoulders) which means that most people don't notice that there's anything different about me. However, the psychological/emotional struggles that come with having scoliosis can be really hard. I've been fortunate to have friends and family around to support me and so haven't suffered with this too much!<br />
<br />
Although I don't have misaligned shoulders, I do have slight uneven musculature on one side of my spine giving me a 'hump' which has also bothered me greatly. Despite people saying they've never noticed it until it's pointed out, it's the one thing that i'm really conscious of.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqT2UrmH-Wo5G5qbJvDlDcy65qO8QuSpWfRQEqINm6t7nHsBPACZL63aqWCNIZwRn4XLvgwzlrU7kISp2GcCMq5OaCXLohWvwtT0HdCDLyuxDawY5WAfC7NfDNQydr7wfFKA4Vvu4ATYw/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqT2UrmH-Wo5G5qbJvDlDcy65qO8QuSpWfRQEqINm6t7nHsBPACZL63aqWCNIZwRn4XLvgwzlrU7kISp2GcCMq5OaCXLohWvwtT0HdCDLyuxDawY5WAfC7NfDNQydr7wfFKA4Vvu4ATYw/s400/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't have a really prominent "hump" but you might be able to notice the slight uneveness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
What to look out for</h3>
</div>
<div>
As I said at the beginning of this post, I wanted to share "my story" to help shed some light on the condition and to encourage people to look out for the signs and symptoms. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'd personally never heard of scoliosis before I was diagnosed with it, it's not very widely spoken about so here's a list of things to keep an eye out for:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Pain in the back, shoulders, legs and neck</li>
<li>Rib prominence or a prominent shoulder blade - caused by a rotation of the rib cage</li>
<li>Uneven hips, arms or leg length</li>
<li>Uneven musculature on one side of the spine</li>
<li>Clothes not sitting properly</li>
</ul>
<div>
The earlier the curvature is caught the more that can be done to prevent it from progressing. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you want to read more information on scoliosis have a read of <a href="http://www.sauk.org.uk/" target="_blank">this</a> or drop me message and i'll help where I can. </div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-65085559306194935142016-09-27T10:14:00.001+01:002016-09-27T10:15:42.909+01:00RECIPE | APRICOT CRUMBLE SQUARESOne of the old ladies my mum works for is always gifting her the most random things! She's the sweetest, most thoughtful lady. This week was a punnet of fresh apricots so as it's not usually a fruit we'd buy, we thought we might as well combine it with this weekends bake. A little flick through the cookbooks and we found a recipe for apricot crumble squares!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFJdR0vCguDDjC0OPl6veJle80i-MSPlz2mGWoQxGG3I0cyUBpZCtq9cot2E7atlffknecIugcLV8or2kVHj34fNpvvdc-3EZIRkZa0LStAZQogsVhYxQMIscdqKwk7H8bllGyG2vjLs/s1600/IMG_2361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFJdR0vCguDDjC0OPl6veJle80i-MSPlz2mGWoQxGG3I0cyUBpZCtq9cot2E7atlffknecIugcLV8or2kVHj34fNpvvdc-3EZIRkZa0LStAZQogsVhYxQMIscdqKwk7H8bllGyG2vjLs/s400/IMG_2361.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>Serves: </b>16 squares (but I only got 12 out of mine - i'll explain later!!)<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
175g butter, softened<br />
200g golden caster sugar<br />
3 large eggs<br />
175g plain flour<br />
1tsp baking powder<br />
2-3tbsp milk<br />
8 fresh apricots quartered (or canned in natural juice)<br />
<i><br />icing sugar for dusting</i><br />
<br />
<b>For the topping:</b><br />
175g plain flour<br />
149g light muscovado sugar<br />
140g butter, softened<br />
1tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/2tsp salt<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Preheat the oven to 160ºc</li>
<li>Butter a shallow 22cm square cake tin</li>
<li>Put all the topping ingredients in a food processor with 1/2 tsp salt. Blend to make a sticky crumble</li>
<li>Using an electric hand whisk, blend the cake ingredients, except milk and apricots</li>
<li>Gradually add enough milk to make a creamy mixture that drops from the spoon</li>
<li>Spread in the tin and scatter with apricots</li>
<li>Top with the crumble and press down</li>
<li>Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean</li>
<li>Cool in a tin and cut into squares</li>
<li>Dust with icing sugar</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
I didn't have a 22cm square tin so using a rectangular tin and using baking beans and foil to make it a bit smaller. I did manage to make it too small which meant that the "squares" were a bit too big! </div>
<div>
They're more of a pudding (with creams obvs) than a tea-time cake.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I think they turned out really well though and taste really good! The crumble tastes a bit like the one I made for the <a href="http://hannahcharl0tte.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/recipe-mince-pies-with-spiced-orange.html" target="_blank">mince pies</a> last year. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Give it a go and let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments below. </div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-75952323522244414392016-09-20T12:37:00.000+01:002016-09-20T12:37:00.148+01:00RECIPE | BLUEBERRY MUFFINSConfession! I've never successfully made muffins, that both looked and tasted like actual muffins.<br />
<br />
So, at the weekend I gave it another go. This time using one of Paul Hollywoods recipes from the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/blueberrymuffins_67846" target="_blank">BBC Food</a> website.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVMo18_l-_J-sPOPkZVPEZTDkdO6ZGFMQEfw5A2KOPUGbJLgZzb_sr80h40MWfrzRhDIHt-S0snZxqbhfP0s2rdGEcjKtXNcKiUDa9wG3z-ifnOruLn1sSQ_kar97NmZkOg13y7-5-Mg/s1600/process_blueberry_muffins_600.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVMo18_l-_J-sPOPkZVPEZTDkdO6ZGFMQEfw5A2KOPUGbJLgZzb_sr80h40MWfrzRhDIHt-S0snZxqbhfP0s2rdGEcjKtXNcKiUDa9wG3z-ifnOruLn1sSQ_kar97NmZkOg13y7-5-Mg/s1600/process_blueberry_muffins_600.png" /></a></div>
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</div>
<br />
<b>Serves: </b>8 muffins<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
110g plain flour<br />
110g butter<br />
65g caster sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 1/2tsp baking powder<br />
125g blueberries<br />
pinch of nutmeg<br />
<br />
<i>double cream to serve</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Method:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Cream the butter and sugar together </li>
<li>Slowly add the eggs and mix for 3 minutes </li>
<li>Add the flour, baking powder and nutmeg - stir to combine</li>
<li>Refrigerate for at least an hour, preferably overnight (I probably left the mixture in the fridge for 1 1/2 hours in total)</li>
<li>Place a spoonful of the muffin mixture into each case, filling each to just over half way</li>
<li>Stud each muffin with approx 8 blueberries</li>
<li>Bake in an oven set at 200ºc for 20 mins or until golden on top</li>
</ul>
<div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7CR4RYW3zPHculiJbcq5ikX6oJzroa4iKL26UCl1ejQLl4y5WalkHdwUu9LGUQBUDgYJDnxE3FOn0fUVgfnJFSbqIkOyXMC6B4k_5FBDum_FmdG-gMAKAylFUb55baFvyrrUDeiMvvE/s1600/File_003.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7CR4RYW3zPHculiJbcq5ikX6oJzroa4iKL26UCl1ejQLl4y5WalkHdwUu9LGUQBUDgYJDnxE3FOn0fUVgfnJFSbqIkOyXMC6B4k_5FBDum_FmdG-gMAKAylFUb55baFvyrrUDeiMvvE/s400/File_003.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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To my surprise they actually turned out okay. I wouldn't say they were exactly like muffins but more like blueberry cupcakes. Nevertheless the recipe works and they taste really good!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When it came to eating them, I reheated mine for 30 seconds in the microwave and then dolloped a healthy serving of cream on top! Delish! </div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>Do you have any tips for making muffins that look and taste like muffins, let me know in the comments below.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-72330699302622099942016-09-14T12:58:00.000+01:002016-09-14T13:02:37.333+01:00RECIPE | MARY BERRY CHERRY CAKEMy Nan celebrated her birthday last week and it's tradition in her flats for residents to bring cakes to "coffee morning" on the Monday. Mum and I baked a lemon drizzle cake, some cupcakes and a cherry cake for her to take down with her.<br />
<br />
This is one of my favourite cakes to make, it's simple to make and super yummy! I always turn to Mary Berry or GoodFood for recipes for anything I make, this recipe is one of Mary Berry's and just happened to feature in the Great British Bake Off back in 2014!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidABqoTCjHtkZcMrhVSrwec5Tq5LkZPKYWs5FRwNLA_8Ds_A1HKlsMJc-qgPftAua3epH2yYi5G8PVY-5z5bQytFf7BkYnShKTKGflOKVVJEtHJ4V58Hnr9MWmpfftLuVef8G-6KKhpCY/s1600/IMG_2271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidABqoTCjHtkZcMrhVSrwec5Tq5LkZPKYWs5FRwNLA_8Ds_A1HKlsMJc-qgPftAua3epH2yYi5G8PVY-5z5bQytFf7BkYnShKTKGflOKVVJEtHJ4V58Hnr9MWmpfftLuVef8G-6KKhpCY/s400/IMG_2271.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm really happy with how it turned out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<i>For this recipe you will need a 23cm/9in savarin mould or bundt tin preferably (a 20cm round cake tin would do though).</i><br />
<br />
<b>Serves: </b>10-12<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
200g glacé cherries<br />
225g self-raising flour<br />
175g softened butter<br />
1 lemon (I only had a half but it was enough to be able to taste it)<br />
50g ground almonds<br />
3 large free-range eggs<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>For the decoration:</b><br />
175g icing sugar (I used royal icing sugar, it's a bit thicker apparently.. this was my first attempt!)<br />
1 lemon (I didn't bother with this)<br />
15g flaked almonds<br />
5 glacé cherries, quartered<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Method</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Preheat the over to 180ºc</li>
<li>Grease a bundt tin/savarin mould with butter</li>
<li>Cut the cherries into quarters and set aside 5 for the decoration. Rinse the cherries, drain and dry thoroughly with kitchen roll. Roll in flour to avoid sinkage! (In this instance, I rolled mine in the ground almonds)</li>
<li>Measure all the remaining ingredients out into a large bowl and beat well</li>
<li>Lightly fold in the cherries and turn into the prepared tin</li>
<li>Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and the skewer comes out clean (I covered the cake with foil half way through to avoid it burning on the edges)</li>
<li>Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto wire rack.</li>
<li>For the icing, mix the sugar together with the lemon juice to a thick paste, drizzle over the cooled back using the back of a spoon. </li>
<li>Sprinkle over the toasted almonds and remaining cherries.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
I'm not a fan of lemon in cakes so when we make this for ourselves I tend not to include an of the lemon as the recipe suggests. It works just as well and taste even better... well, I think so!<br />
<br />
Give it a go and let me know what you think of it. Send me pictures too!<br />
<br />HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-59244496218201304342016-06-15T12:00:00.000+01:002016-09-14T13:03:01.387+01:00BELLINTER HOUSE | IRELAND<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2016 marks the year of 21st birthdays, back in April was my best friends birthday and to celebrate another friend and I planned a little get-away for her. We decided on </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.bellinterhouse.com/" target="_blank">Bellinter House</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is a beautiful country, spa house in Ireland. Originally we’d planned to fly out midweek and return at the weekend but due to me being an idiot and not checking my passport was still in date, it was all postponed by 1 day. (And cost me a small fortune to rectify!)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a hectic beginning to the break (& a quick dash into LDN for a new passport) we stayed at a hotel near Gatwick airport the night before our flight where we were able to start the celebrations. I ended up with a pretty rotten hangover for the flight out!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once we got to Dublin, we spent the day in the town centre wandering round and ‘pub-hopping’. We also visited the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en" target="_blank">Guinness Storehouse</a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which was really good fun. There’s was a lot we didn’t get to see/do with only being in Dublin centre for the day. We were limited to how much time we could spend at the Storehouse due to needing to be back at the airport to collect our luggage! But, we did ensure we made it to the tasting session and collecting our free Guinness from the Gravity bar! Although, as it happens none of us were big fans of the drink, so opted for 1 Guinness between the 3 of us!</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once checked in and glammed up we headed for our pre-booked 3 course meal at the House’s award winning restaurant. It was bloody lovely, I can’t praise the food enough! We were all absolutely stuffed by the final course and none of us were able to finish it.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The House’s bar was lovely and quirky, the staff were all fabulous and the cocktails were on point! The bar also sold food which was filling but so delicious!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The main selling point for us was obviously the idea of visiting the spa. None of us had been before so we were all super excited and it didn’t disappoint. We’d pre-payed for a facial and back massage for all 3 of us with a glass of Prosecco to finish. Bliss! There was a hot-tub in the grounds of the house which we made full use of too, unfortunately we were advised against using the sauna or steam room because we’d had a facial (we weren’t pre-warned of this!) so we ended up just spending more time in the hot-tub!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite the unplanned start to the holiday, it was a lovely break and as if the Irish accent wasn’t enough to get us back, we’ve all said we’d love to return to Bellinter House again.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-fd551132-2789-32c9-e482-359b4e39f7bf"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have you visited Ireland before? Where would you suggest I visited next time?</span></span>HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-43548913550920659502015-12-30T12:00:00.000+00:002016-09-14T13:03:28.518+01:00DEERPARK, CORNWALL<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 19pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back in October me and 4 friends headed for the forest for a week long retreat in the good ol’ fresh Cornish air. We stayed in one of the Forest Holidays resorts, it was a bit of a last minute plan and a quite a journey, but it was great fun!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we arrived, we headed straight for the nearest alcohol-selling shop! After stocking up and grabbing a bottle of bubbly to celebrate our arrival we all jumped straight in the hot-tub, on our cabin’s balcony!!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was divine, being out in the fresh air but completely submerged in the perfect, hot water! Bliss!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cabins are super cosy and surprisingly warm – we were really lucky with the weather when we went, it was pretty mild, no rain and pretty sunny most days.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Between us we cooked dinner every night, including one exceptional roast! One night we even ordered curry/pizza to our cabin, they prepare the food in the reception and then deliver it to your cabin!!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a group we chose not to pay for the TV package and with the very limited Wifi too we were almost completely screen-free for a whole week! It was really nice, we brought a couple of board games and accompanied with drinks and food it was a perfect evening activity.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the main cabin/reception they offer different activities throughout the week. We took part in the Archery which we all really enjoyed and would totally recommend to any one heading to this resort. (not all the locations are able to accommodate for all the activities and amenities) Us girls also went along to the ‘duck race’ which consists of one of the rangers throwing a bucket of rubber ducks into the stream whilst everyone walks down alongside the water watching out for their duck, the first to go under the bridge wins a prize.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, one of the rangers has 2 dogs and one in particular took a fancy to my duck, resulting in the loss of it’s head! I received a compensatory prize of a box of fudge for my misfortune. Result!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On one of the days we hired bikes from the resort for £10 each for the day and headed off on a bike ride around the countryside. We decide to go off on our own devices in search of a pub rather than follow one of the trails. We asked at the reception and followed the rangers directions, after 3 very steep hills and 5 very sore cyclists we came across the pub only to find out it was inconveniently closed on a Tuesday lunch time… typical!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We questioned whether to turn back but rode on to find the next pub… also closed.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, after an additional few miles we ended up in Looe and had fish and chips on the harbor before turning back and tackling the 1000000 hills back to the resort. It was tough but the hot-tub sorted us out a treat when we eventually got back!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I can’t stress how much we enjoyed the cabins and the resort itself, it was just so relaxing and with great company made for a fab holiday.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’ve all said we’d return without a second thought. It’s a bit on the pricey side but with a group of 5/6 it’s quite reasonable and affordable for the quality of both the cabin and the service provided.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-af944636-2797-3a31-9f52-71e3d6c14a54"><br /></span>HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-87131641597769746802015-11-11T12:00:00.000+00:002016-09-14T12:59:24.948+01:00RECIPE | MINCE PIES WITH SPICED ORANGE CRUMBLE<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The recipe for these mince pies caught my eye when I was flicking through the Waitrose magazine one lunchtime, as a family we eat a lot of mince pies over the christmas period so it was one I knew would go down well! Mum and I batch bake about 200 mince pies every year, we tend to give them out as gifts and take them to events here and there throughout December, and we’d been thinking about trying something new this year so it was the perfect excuse to try these out.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They went down a treat!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyone really enjoyed them, warm and cold they tasted amazing. The crumble on the top added a really nice crunch to them too, I think the topping would work just as well on other fruits too alternative to the mincemeat. We followed the recipe for the pastry as well as the crumble although for ease we said we’d probably just make our usual, basic pastry recipe if we made them in bulk.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: 700; line-height: 2.05714;">Ingredients:</span><span style="line-height: 28.8px;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">225g plain flour
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">50g ground almonds
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">50g caster sugar
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">125g unsalted butter
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 vanilla pod (we used vanilla essence)
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 egg yolk
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">800g mincemeat</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>For the crumble:</b>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">75g plain flour
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">6tbsp demerara sugar
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">60g unsalted butter
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 orange, zest
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">1tsp mixed spice</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-41416f4e-278c-94bc-ba8d-b0bdb2625e2b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Method:</span></div>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make the pastry</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Mix flour, almonds, caster sugar, butter and vanilla essence to form crumbs.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add the egg yolk and 1tbsp cold water, pulse together into a dough.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Knead until smooth. (The recipe them says to chill the pastry for 30 mins, we didn’t!)</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make the crumble topping</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Mix the flour, demerara sugar, butter, orange zest and mixed spice to a chunky crumble mixture.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preheat the over to 200°c.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work top to about £1 thick & cut out 24 rings using a 8-9cm cutter. Press the rounds into the holes and lightly pinch the edges for a fluted effect.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divide the mincemeat between the cases (about 1 heaped tbsp in each) and scatter the crumble over the top.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crunchy.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes before turning out and transferring to a wire rack.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 24pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once cool, dust with icing sugar.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mince pies can be frozen for up to 3 months and re-heated when desired.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">We don’t have a 8-9cm round cutter so used a jagged edge cookie cutter which meant we didn’t have to flute the edges. We did find that the pastry didn’t roll as easily as others but that may be because we didn’t chill it as instructed!</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’d definitely recommend this recipe to anyone to try, I’ll be making them again during the christmas period for sure.</span>HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-23527984626069040012015-09-01T12:00:00.000+01:002016-09-14T08:20:53.104+01:00RECIPE | COCONUT CAKE<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was another BBC GoodFood recipe from one of my favourite cook books. It was a simply recipe, quick and easy to make. The sponge was amazing and tasted incredible, best sponge we’ve ever made, however we were really gutted at the lack of coconut flavour. We didn’t have any coconut cream so we used single cream instead, in hindsight using coconut cream may have helped bring the flavour out a bit more.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: 700; line-height: 2.05714;">Ingredients:</span><span style="line-height: 28.8px;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">175g butter, softened
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">175g golden caster sugar
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 eggs beaten
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">175g self raising flour
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 1/2 tsp baking powder
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">50g desiccated coconut
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">2tsp coconut cream or single cream</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: 700; line-height: 2.05714;">For the buttercream filling & topping:</span><span style="line-height: 28.8px;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">280g icing sugar
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g butter, softened
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">175g self raising flour
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">3tsp coconut cream or single cream
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">5tsp raspberry jam</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Method:</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-9aede9c3-2790-1407-9ee1-27dfb3ac0dc0"></span><br />
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4. Butter and line the base of two 20cm round sandwich tins.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mix the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and baking powder until smooth.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gently stir in the coconut and cream.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and smooth the tops.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bake for 25 minutes until evenly golden and firm.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Loosen the edges and leave to cool in tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make the buttercream:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> beat together the icing sugar, butter and cream until smooth.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spread one sponge with the jam.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Top with just under half the buttercream and sandwich with the other sponge.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 24pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining buttercream.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-9aede9c3-2790-2955-cb8d-1c91009b26e5"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We also chose to decorate the top of the cake with more desiccated coconut, sprinkled around the edges of the cake. I would definitely use this recipe again to make the sponge for sure! Next time i’ll try with coconut cream too in a bid to get more coconutty flavour into the cake!</span></div>
</span></div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-19736880305589742022015-08-23T12:00:00.000+01:002016-09-14T08:22:44.650+01:00RECIPE | CHERRY & MARZIPAN CAKE<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mum is a huge lover of marzipan so this recipe immediately caught her eye. It’s in the BBC GoodFood Bakes & Cakes recipe book but annoyingly I can’t seem to find it online anywhere.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: 700; line-height: 2.05714;">Ingredients:</span><span style="line-height: 28.8px;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">200g butter, softened
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">200g caster sugar
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 eggs beaten
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">200g self raising flour
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">200g glace cherries, chopped
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g ground almonds
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">2-3 drops almond extract
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">250g marzipan
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">50g blanched almonds, halved (we used flaked almonds)
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">Icing sugar, for dusting</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Method:</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-7cd236d8-2792-4f6d-3d5d-ddd84652113c"></span><br />
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heat the oven to 160c/fan 140c/gas 3. Butter and line a deep 20cm round cake tin.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and creamy.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pour in the eggs a little at a time and beat well. Mix in the flour, one third at a time.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fold in the cherries, ground almonds and almond extract until evenly mixed.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spoon half the mixture into the tin.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roll the marzipan to a 19cm circle. Lay this on top of the cake mixture and top with the rest of the mixture.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Level the mixture and scatter the almonds on top.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the skewer comes out clean. Cover with foil after 1hour.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 24pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes then turn out on a wire rack, cool completely then dust with icing sugar.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-7cd236d8-2792-6a22-e8d1-599b1a00c070"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The recipe went down really well with the family and made a great pudding, especially with a bit of cream! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s definitely one we’ll make again.</span></div>
</span></div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-45122498980837832282015-07-20T12:00:00.000+01:002016-09-14T08:24:59.203+01:00RECIPE | CHOC CHERRY MUFFINS<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The last time mum and I tried to bake muffins it went pretty badly, they were tough and didn’t look the part at all! We were put off the idea of baking any more for a while after that. This </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1737/choccherry-muffins" target="_blank">BBC GoodFood recipe</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for ‘Choc-cherry muffins’ had really good reviews and looked really yummy so we thought we’d try again (and we really wanted to use our Mary Berry/GBBO muffin cases).</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It only took about 30 minutes from start to finish and made 12. It’s a really easy recipe to follow and they were absolutely delicious!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: 700; line-height: 2.05714;">Ingredients:</span><span style="line-height: 28.8px;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">250g self-raising flour
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">1tsp bicarbonate of soda
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">140g dried sour cherries
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g bar white chocolate, cut into chunks
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g bar dark chocolate, cut into chunks
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g golden caster sugar
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 eggs, beaten
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">150ml pot natural yoghurt
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2.05714; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g butter, melted</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Method:</span></div>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl.</span></div>
</li>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add the cherries, chocolate and sugar.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add the beaten eggs, yoghurt and butter, stir to combine. It doesn’t matter if the mixture is lumpy, it’s more important not to over-mix!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fill the cases.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transfer to a rack to cool.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We found that we had to turn the oven down to 160c (fan) and even then they only took 16 minutes to cook! Taste wise, the dark chocolate is quite over-powering so when making them again we’d use milk chocolate instead.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-f1b1a6fd-2793-ed66-f1a6-988082534d45"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give them a try and let me know what you think of the recipe?</span></div>
HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412190474456328687.post-6991793995692122122015-07-10T12:00:00.000+01:002016-09-14T08:26:26.460+01:00CARDA BEACH KOS<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the end of May, I jetted off to Kos, Greece for a much needed holiday of sun, swimming and plenty of food! My friend and I booked a week at Carda Beach, a highly recommended all inclusive resort just outside Kardamena town.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’d been to the resort before, back in 2013, but as a group of 11. So it was a very different holiday. The staff were all really friendly and spoke decent English too. We got up for breakfast everyday but one, it was a buffet style and there was a great range. Lunch and dinner were buffet style too, with different things every day ranging from traditional Greek to your standard fish and chips! There were 2 a la carte restaurants within the hotel, an Italian and a Chinese. We went to the Italian when we visited in 2013 so we booked to eat at the Chinese this time and it was wonderful. The food was lovely and the restaurant itself was really nice, with very attentive staff.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.057142857142857; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We were a stones throw from the beach, but with neither of us having much interest in going for a swim in the sea we spent the whole week sunbathing, reading and enjoying plenty of afternoon naps. Our evenings were spent in the all inclusive bar which again was lush, it had plenty of comfortable seating, inside and out – we ventured into town 2 nights during the week but being the beginning of the season it was still relatively quiet.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was exactly what we both needed, stress-free and relaxing. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a luxury resort paired with great weather and beautiful views.</span></div>
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HannahCharl0ttehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356325624046172165noreply@blogger.com0