We've Started Sowing. . .

Yes, it is almost spring (isn't spring officially tomorrow? or is it the 21st?).  TJ and I have cleaned out the greenhouse today, washed the glass on the inside only, can't be bothered to wash the outside glass until it is a bit perkier outside, whisked away the cobwebs and spider nests, and we are all set to start sowing our seeds!!!!

TJ has his own little bench and has sowed some dwarf "Teddy Bear Sunflowers" to start off with.  He says he likes these since they always make him laugh!!!!  (click on the name to see what they look like - they really are funny looking!) Soon he will sow some much taller sunflowers.

I need to sow some sweet peas very soon - should have done it by now, but haven't had the chance.  The toilet rolls we have been collecting are for the sweet peas - they form a long root system, so toilet rolls are PERFECT for them - and they will break down in the soil, so very environment friendly - and cheap, of course!

Will also need to sow some broad beans soon as well as tomatoes. I have some Tomato seeds for a cold greenhouse that can be sowed now, most will have to wait for awhile.

Please let me know if I am wrong in anything I do.  This is only my third year in growing veggies and I am learning every year.  In previous years I have been more organised and bubble wrapped (insulated) the inside of the greenhouse and started sowing seeds in January, can you believe!!!!!  But this year, I am going to be a bit more relaxed about it all.  I am always one to start sowing before the packet says.  I figure if they don't come up, then it is just a packet of seeds I have lost, but almost everytime, they do come up earlier than they say, and then I can harvest so much earlier!!!  Really depends on the weather and I have been lucky so far.

Here is a list of everything I would like to grow this year: (some are very unusual)
Carrots (Nandor)
Parsnip (Gladiator)
French Beans (Cobra)
Tomatoes (Shirley, and Garden Pearl)
Swiss Chard (Bright Lights)
Broad Beans (The Sutton)
Beetroot (Cylindra)
Courgette (Gold Rush and Tuscany)
Spaghetti Squash (Pyjama)
Gherkin (Bimbostar)
Asparagus Pea
Spring Onions (Furio)
Cucumber (Crystal Lemon)
Runner Bean (St. George)
Pak Choi (Summer Breeze)
Borage (Starflower Mix)
Potatoes (Markies, and Kestrel)

Let's get sowing!!!  Please give me feedback and tips - I can use them!!!!!

Ladies Who Lunch. . .

Had a super FANTASTIC Ladies lunch at L'ortolan today!  5 of us school mums got together for loads of food, drink, chats and we all grew a little bit closer.  As someone said: "It was so nice to be able to sit down for a meal without having to cut up someone else's food and not be interrupted!" There aren't many things more precious in life than true, genuine friends.  I feel so lucky!

We arrived at L'ortolan and sat in the bar with a glass of champagne each while we pondered through the extravagant menu.

Then we were led to our private table where I had:

 SALMON
CONFIT OF ORGANIC SALMON, PICKLED MOOLI & WASABI MAYONNAISE

followed by:

PORK
CRISPY PORK BELLY, SPICED PUMPKIN PUREE & CARAMELISED KOHLRABI

and instead of dessert, I chose:

A lovely Cheese selection!

After that, we went into the conservatory and had filtered coffee with:

Petit fours, THEN had a port or two!

Needless to say, we didn't leave there until 4.30pm!  Couldn't believe how fast the afternoon went!  Unfortunately I had to get  
"back to life. . . back to reality"
to "mum duty" at home with dinners for DH and TJ, then bath and bed. (for TJ, of course, not DH!)  I now have a headache as I type this, gulping loads of water in between each sentence I type!

TOMORROW it is a big workout and detox to get over today's lavishness!!!!  (but it DEFINITELY was worth it!!!)

OMG! Huge Fundraising event!

Just got back from helping out with a Pampered Chef Fundraising event at a local college and total sales exceeded £1600!!!!  AMAZING!!!  It was a Ready, Steady Cook format and I helped one of the "contestants".  It was so much fun watching and helping this wonderful man make a vegetarian ring in front of loads and loads of people!
Anyone interested in having a fundraising event, click here:
Fundraising - the fun way!

Held a lovely PC show this morning . . .

A few of my ever so supportive "PC devotee friends" were there, and I really got to know the host,  a lovely woman named Karen.  Chatted with her for awhile after the show and she is so inspiring!  I wish her luck with her 13 mile run tomorrow - She will be running the Reading half-marathon next month for something she feels very passionate about!  Check out her special website:  http://www.justgiving.com/Karen-Shaya

Made a cake like this at Karen's show!  It was a total hit and soooooo very chocolatey!  I think it works much better in the Deep Dish Baker, rather than in the skillet.

Here is the Recipe:

Chocolate-Cherry Cake

This skillet cake works perfectly in the Deep Dish Baker as well as in the 30cm Skillet!

Sunflower oil, for spraying
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 can (400 g) red or black cherry fruit (pie) filling
50 ml water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 packet (500 g) devil's food cake mix (Betty Crocker)
200 g ready-made rich frosting or Belgian chocolate sauce
25 g toasted flaked almonds
Vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, to serve (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Lightly spray Deep Dish Baker or 30-cm Skillet with sunflower oil using Kitchen Spritzer; set aside. Whisk egg whites in Stainless 6-Litre Mixing Bowl using Stainless Whisk. Add fruit filling, water and almond extract; mix well. Add cake mix; mix until well blended. Transfer mixture to prepared skillet; spread evenly using Classic Scraper.

2. Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Using Oven Mitts, carefully remove skillet from oven (take care, as handle will be hot) to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool 10 minutes. Loosen edges of cake and carefully invert cake onto Simple Additions(R) Large Round Platter.

3. Spread chocolate sauce evenly over top of cake using Small Spreader. Sprinkle almonds evenly around top edge of cake. Cut into wedges using Slice 'N Serve(R). Serve warm with ice cream or frozen yogurt, if desired.

Yield: Serves 16  (well, that is what it is SUPPOSED to serve, but depends on how hungry you are!)

Cook's Tip: To toast flaked almonds, spread almonds in a single layer over bottom of Small Bar Pan. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4 for 6-8 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from oven; cool completely.

In a team for Race for Life!

 

 

Please check our website out:

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/pamperedchef

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Chitting Potatoes

I am NOT a sad ole git with nothing to do with my time, really!!!  I just HAD to start chitting my potatoes TODAY since I want to plant them out over Easter weekend.  (If you want to know more about chitting potatoes, see below) My plan is to dig a huge potato patch behind the greenhouse and split it in half with Kestrel Seed Potatoes (Second Early) on one half and Markies Seed Potatoes (Maincrop) on the other side.  Oh, and I will also grow some in bags as well.

If you have never grown potatoes before, I really, really encourage to grow them in a bag - it is super easy and since they are fast growing, very rewarding - especially if you have kids! If you want to know how, click here:  Growing potatoes in containers factsheet .

Here is some info on how to grow potatoes - click on the title below.  
(go on, I know you want to!!)

Growing potatoes

Terrible weather today, but spring is just around the corner! (really, it is!!!!!)

 

OK, so it isn't spring yet, BUT I just had our first Helleborus niger bloom today (Christmas Rose)  and it is blushing downwards as they usually do, however I managed to point my camera upwards to get a "semi-focused" shot.  Not the best, but it will do for now.  Spent loads over the weekend clearing out old, dead grasses and damaged limbs from the heavy snow. I am forever going to the tip to dump all the debris I seem to collect from our garden! 

The good news:  Can't believe how many spring bulbs have begun to surface from the ground! Every day I see something here and there getting a little bit taller. The crocus's are nearly blooming and the early iris's are forming their buds. Because of this, I keep telling myself that Spring, really is just around the corner! Please spring, come soon!!!!! - go away snow, sleet and cold weather!!!!!  We don't want you anymore!!!! (especially since Tommy has to go to school in shorts now!!!)

Yorkshire Puddings!

Made some mini Yorkshire Puddings with my Mini Muffin Pan and didn't use any oil!  For all you Americans (like me!) I didn't know what Yorkshire Puddings were until my husband taught me about the "English" way of having roast dinners.
Definition of Yorkshire Puddings from Wikipedia: Yorkshire pudding is a dish that originated in Yorkshire, England, and has attained wide popularity. It is made from batter and most often served with roast beef, chicken, or any meal in which there is gravy. 
When wheat flour began to come into common use for making cakes and puddings, cooks in the north of England devised a means of making use of the fat that dropped into the dripping pan to cook a batter pudding while the meat roasted. In 1737 a recipe for 'A dripping pudding' was published in "The Whole Duty of a Woman":^[1]

Make a good batter as for pancakes; put in a hot toss-pan over the fire with a bit of butter to fry the bottom a little then put the pan and butter under a shoulder of mutton, instead of a dripping pan, keeping frequently shaking it by the handle and it will be light and savoury, and fit to take up when your mutton is enough; then turn it in a dish and serve it hot.

 So there you have it!

Here is my recipe for "fat free" Yorkshire Puddings - no oil required!!!  PROMISE!
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Milk
in a 1 Cup measure, crack two eggs then fill to top with water.
Mix with a whisk, then pour into Pampered Chef's Deluxe Mini Muffin Pan.
Bake at 200 for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.

You can serve this with your usual roast dinners or you can make them as party food and fill them with anything you like i.e. beef w/horseradish, egg mayonnaise, etc, etc.