DIY * Printables

Holiday Printables and DIYs

It has been a while since I last blogged, but with the snow falling outside, i've resorted to the touristy thing and taken a hundred and one pictures of trees with snow. So yes, i have been neglecting my blogging but better late then never!

On the Poppytalk page, they have listed 15 beautiful holiday printables and DIYs that are easy and fun to do. Since I hear it's raining almost every day in Malaysia, why not try some of them out over a warm cup of milo? If you don't celebrate Christmas, you can also use some of these ideas for New Years!

Click here to see the slide show.

Eat * Cook

Toad In The Hole

I always have a little laugh when I tell my friends I am making toad in the hole for dinner. Their expressions are priceless, a mixture of confusion and horror! Well ladies and gents, the real deal about toad in the hole is that it does not include amphibians, rather, a couple of yummy sausages enveloped in a golden batter. I simply love making this meal because it is easy and always hits the spot.

Ingredients:

8 large sausages (good quality)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
100g flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
300ml milk
1 teaspoon dried herbs (I always use rosemary and thyme)
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 220C. Put the sausages in a shallow ovenproof dish or baking tin with the oil and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, turning the sausages occasionally to brown on all sides.
2. Meanwhile, make the batter. Sift the flour and salt into mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and put in the beaten eggs and half the milk. Mix the flour into the eggs and milk, gradually drawing flour in from both sides. Stir in remaining milk and beat vigorously with a whisk to make the batter smooth. Stir in the dried herbs and pepper.
3. Pour batter into the dish with the sausages and continue to bake in the hot oven for a further 40 to 45 minutes or until the batter has risen and is brown and crisp. Serve immediately with baked beans.

Art * Inspire

Happiness is a way of travel, not a destination...

Today, the three of us, Lars, Lucas and myself, are embarking on a little adventure. We will be visiting my motherland, Ireland, and my husbands country, Germany. I am incredibly excited and a little nervous as this will be the first time Lucas goes on a long haul flight. But I can't wait to introduce him to his cousins and for him to see his Aunt Lea again. Also, I think showing him where part his bloodline comes from is so very important. He'll fit right in with his blond hair and blue eyes!

Anyway, to all those going on their own journey, and i don't necessarily mean a trip somewhere, here is hoping your path is smooth and obstacle free!

Bon Voyage!

Design * Style Stealer

Urban Chic

From Top Left: 1. Mosaique Cushion, 2. Claire Pendant, 3. Kajsa Curtain, 4. Baha RAR Rocking Chair, 5. Bonn Coffee Table, 6. Greyhound Sofa, 7. Ikea PS cabinet 

Eat * Bake

Christmas Pudding

It is a tradition of my mother and my mothers mother to bake the Christmas pudding way in advance. I'm talking about two months before serving. The reason this is done is to give the pudding time to mature. the taste is more intense and that is what makes up a great Christmas pudding. However, this recipe itself does not need to be made early, in fact two days before Christmas should be just fine, but I do recommend that next year, you at least give it a month to mature for that added zing! Warning in advance, this is a boozy dish and I firmly believe that it can't be made any other way. It's tradition after all!

Ingredients:

225g dark molasses sugar
400g fresh white breadcrumbs
225 shredded butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mixed spice
350g sultanas
350g raisins
225g currants
100g candied peel, chopped
50g blanched almond, finely chopped
2 large apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
Finely grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
2 eggs, beaten
300ml Guinness
Approx 150ml milk

1. Put the dry ingredients, dried fruit, candied peel and chopped almonds in a large mixing bowl and stir well to mix. Add the apples with the lemon rind and juice, eggs and Guinness. Stir well to mix. Stir in enough milk to make a soft dropping consistency.
2. Pour the mixture into two greased pudding basins. Cover the tops of the pudding with circles of greased grease-proof paper, then with foil. Fold a pleat in the center and tie string around the rim. Leave overnight.
3. Place the basins in the top of a steamer or a large pan of gently bubbling water and steam for 4 to 5 hours, topping up water level from time to time during cooking.
4. Remove the basins carefully from the pan and leave until quite cold. Discard the foil and grease-proof paper and replace with fresh grease-proof paper and foil before storing the the fridge.
5. Steam again for about 2 hours before serving, with brand butter or warm custard.

Eat * Bake

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's December and that means it is time to put on your elastic waist pants and eat eat away! Okay, i'm kidding. Really, please don't listen to me because I don't want to be the source of the amount of sugar that's in your blood. But these cookies might just do it!

I spent basically a day filled with baking and icing these babies and let me tell you, I had a ball. Nothing quite as soothing as getting lost in a creative process. So if you have the desire to try your hand at icing some sugar cookies for Christmas, or really, any other festive holiday, the Royal Icing recipe I used was brilliant, especially for a first timer like myself.

Ingredients for Sugar Cookies (1 batch):

90g soft unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
200g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Royal Icing (makes enough icing for 3 - 4 batches of the sugar cookie recipe)

3/4 cup of warm water
5 tablespoons meringue powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 kg powdered icing sugar
Food colouring of choice

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and moving towards mousiness, then beat in the egg and vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and eggs, mix gently. If you think the finished mixture is too sticky to be rolled out, add flour sparingly. Form into a ball, press down into a fat disc and wrap in clingfilm, rest in the fridge for at least an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Sprinkle a suitable surface with flour, place dough on it and sprinkle a little more flour on top of that. Then roll it out to a thickness of about 1/2cm. Cut into shapes, dipping the cutter into flour as you go, and place the biscuits a little apart on a lined baking tin.
3. Bake for 8 - 12 minutes. When they are ready, expect them to be tinged a pronounced gold around the edges. They'll be soft still in the middle, but will set while they cool on a wire rack.
4. Meanwhile, in a mixer bowl, pour in warm water and meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened for about 30 seconds.
5. Add cream of tartar and mix for another 30seconds. Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer. Using the paddle attachment on the lowest speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes till the icing gets thick and creamy.
6. Cover the bowl with a dampened tea towel to prevent crusting or drying. Tint with food colouring.
7. Use the 10 second rule to test if the icing is too thin or thick. Simply draw a knife through the icing and count till ten. If the icing smooths out the line before 10 seconds, it is too runny and you will need to add extra icing sugar. If it fills in within the 10 seconds, it should be good enough to ice. Remember, if the icing is too runny, you will end up having a messy cookie. If it is too thick, you can add warm water to reach the desired consistency. Have fun!

Click here to see a cool method of icing cookies.