Happy New Decade!

Can't believe another year has passed and I haven't posted! I keep dipping back though as I hope to one day post regularly!

As you can see we continue to visit Loch Ness and take photos. Sunset is our favourite time for a visit.

The end of 2009 saw a large amount of snow which started falling on 19th December 2009 and, as of 8th January 2010, is still here. We have over 2ft of snow deposited still on our patio table and that is with some of it having thawed! I don't remember having snow and ice conditions for this length of time ever! Beautiful to look at, and photograph, but very dangerous underfoot! Still here for a few days yet I believe!

Stay safe everyone!

BACK TO BLOG!

Well I think the time has come to get back to the blog!

Such a lot going on last year & never really did make it back here. Of course, there was still plenty of baking, travelling & activity going on....just didn't record it here.

2008 was a year of change which, amongst other things, saw my oldest son sit &, thankfully, pass his standard grades whilst my youngest son started secondary school (which, incidentally, makes me feel very old!). My husband started a new post with his existing employer & I changed my working hours following a fellow colleagues' retirement! I managed to lose 2 and a half stone in weight...then put a large majority back on again! Story of my life!

One activity has remained constant throughout this year though - Loch Ness visits. We live a short drive away from the northern shore and often nip down to the Lochside to see the scenery. No day is the same...each day a different picture. During December 2008 we had some exceptionally cold days which saw the sky bright & the water still - casting wonderful reflections on the glassy surface. Such a pleasure & a privilege to see it. God's canvas.

SO MUCH TO DO...SO LITTLE TIME!

When I first set this blog up I was really excited about keeping an online diary! Now I know why I have never kept a diary! I have always been too busy to keep them up-to-date! But I am determined to keep posting even though it is at irregular intervals...it's fun & it'll be good to look back at.


I have been really busy with church publicity given the time of year; I've also being carving & cooking pumpkins as we seldom get the orange ones
after Halloween & they're great for making cakes. I know there's always the butternut but it nice to have a change! I've made pumpkin, honey & cinnamon loaf, pumpkin & ginger loaf, pumpkin date cake as well as frozen a load! On top of that I made my Christmas cake. it's a new recipe this year as I wanted to use whiskey instead of brandy. hopefully it'll turn out OK.

MMMmmm...it is now the 19 November & I still haven't finished this to post! People I will be back with recipes and the like very soon...I have obviously got to re-evaluate my life to fit this in somewhere as I enjoy doing it.....BACK SOON!

I'm Almost Back!

Goodness, doesn't time fly when you're having fun! Been away...school holidays! Found ourselves in Rome for a week! Wonderful!! Exhausted!!

So much to see & do. My husband, sons & I went...did the tourist 'thing': Colosseum, Campo Di Fiori, Piazza Navone, Vatican City, Trastevere, Trevi Fountain, Castel Sante Angelo, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Forum, Appian Way...it goes on! We stayed on the Via Nazionale which is an excellent location to get around the city from & just up the road from the main train terminal so great for our arrival & departure too. Temperature was around 25 degrees & it only rained for about 3 hours...very heavily...clothes-soakingly heavy...one day!!!! You can see our pictures on Flickr - we'll probably load them one by one (Click on Flickr link at the side of Blog). Above is a picture of us all awaiting nightfall over the Colosseum.

Now we're back...getting back into the groove of routine life. Kids are back at school. All my little one can think of is Trick n' Treat! I'm not a huge fan of the symbolism of Halloween but I let the boys go out & have a laugh with their friends...they're in it for the sweets...that's the whole story & nothing but the story! So...it's costume-thought time...pirates, mummy, zombie, Dracula, mad scientist, cowboy...wonder what it's going to be this year? My oldest is done with it now, "I'm going to answer the door this year & hand out the sweets," he said. Suits me fine!

Time for Harvest

It was harvest Thanksgiving at our church today so we were thanking God for all the food we have & how important it is for us to share that gift with those who don't have as much. Our church supports Highland Food Bank so the children collected all the provisions to take to the front & it'll be carted off to make up food packages for distribution in our locality. Our speaker also reminded us of how important it is to remember to share this gift from God practically & spiritually, by sharing our faith as well as what we have materially

Highland Feast 2007

OK all you foodies out there...it's festival time! Highland Feast 2007 started Friday 28th September and goes on until Sunday 14th October. There are lots of food-related events going on throughout the Highlands to celebrate food! Click here to find out more!

A few friends & I headed out to Cawdor Castle today for 'Living Food' - a celebration of all things organic food-wise from production to administration. There was organic vegetables, herbs, baking, soap, shitake mushrooms (smoked & plain!), meat, fish, chutneys, jams, Really Garlicky Company, Spoff...the list goes on!

A huge marquee was set up in the castle grounds full of stalls promoting the above. There was also an opportunity to purchase produce. It was great to see such a wealth of decent foods...all produced in Scotland...predominantly the Highlands & Islands area. Picked up a few chutneys, sauces & garlic bulbs myself.

It was a beautiful day too so we wandered into the Castle gardens for a browse. there were still quite a few flowers in bloom given how cold it has gotten here lately! Looks like a light frost tonight & apparently there was snow on the Cairngorms today! Signs of a cold winter to come? We'll see soon enough!

We then ventured into the tea room for lattes & baking before heading back home.

Catching up...again!

Such a busy week! Haven't even had the time to blog! Been busy baking for the Youth Weekend & just life in general! Baked chocolate cake, almond slice & chocolate & orange cookies for the teens...hopefully went down OK!

Chocolate Cake

250g self-raising flour
250g light soft brown sugar
50g cocoa
250g plain chocolate (I like Green & Blacks)
250g butter
4 large eggs

Filling
100g butter
200g icing sugar (sieved)
4 x 5ml spoon cocoa
5ml vanilla extract

Topping
1 and half bars (125g bars) Galaxy milk chocolate


Heat the oven to 160c/fan 140c/gas 3. Use a 20 x 20cm square cake tin - grease & line.

Mix the flour, sugar & cocoa together in a bowl. Melt the plain chocolate & butter together with 200ml water in a pan & then beat this along with the eggs into the dry mixture. Pour into the cake tin & bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool on a cooling rack. The cake may crack on the top a little but don't worry about that as we're going to smother it in milk chocolate :O) Yum!

To make the filling: sieve your icing sugar & soften your butter. Place butter into a bowl: cream it & gradually add the icing sugar & cream well together. Add the cocoa & the vanilla essence & mix in well till smooth in colour.

When the cake is sufficiently cool to fill: cut carefully in half & spread the butter cream filling over the bottom half evenly. Replace the top part of the cake & then prepare the chocolate topping. Melt all the chocolate in a Pyrex bowl over a pan of boiling water & stir the chocolate until all is melted & smooth using a fork. Pour over the top & smooth evenly over the surface...careful not to overload the edges if you don't want the chocolate to drip over the sides! I then use a fork & pattern the top before leaving the chocolate to solidify again.

You can, of course, use whatever filling & topping you would like for your chocolate cake...but this is what my Mum always did & it takes me back to my childhood when I do it this way! It will also keep for a few days using the above ingredients.

Go girls...& enjoy!


Almond Slice

This recipe I have had for years & have never forgotten where I found it. My mum-in-law has a friend who used to save all her magazines for me as she knew I collected recipes. The above was a reader recipe from People's Friend magazine which I have adapted slightly by adding the white chocolate! The kids love it (as long as they don't have a nut allergy of course!).


4oz butter
8oz condensed milk
2.5ml almond essence
8oz rich tea biscuits (crushed)
3oz dessicated coconut
100g white chocolate


Line a 18 x 28cm shallow tin. Place the butter & condensed milk in a large saucepan & heat gently until it has melted. Stir until well combined. Then stir in the almond essence. Mix the crushed biscuits with the coconut. Add this to the mixture in the pan & mix thoroughly. Press the mixture down into the lined tin & place in fridge until it has hardened (a few hours).

Melt the white chocolate & flick over the mixture in the tin to create streaks of chocolate in patterns across the top. leave in a cool place or back in the fridge until the chocolate has solidified.

Cut into slices to serve. Makes around 24 slices...depends how big you cut them! It'll keep a few days as long as you keep them in the fridge. it's best to take them out a wee while before serving as this allows them to soften & reach room temperature.

I forgot to take a picture...will take one & post here when I make them again!


Last but not least...chocolate & orange cookies!


3oz soft light brown sugar
8oz butter, softened
9oz self-raising flour
2tbsp golden syrup
1tsp vanilla essence
6oz milk chocolate chips
zest of 1 large orange


Grease & line 2 large baking sheets.

Heat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.

Beat the sugar & butter until creamy/pale. Stir in all remaining ingredients until you hyave a soft dough. Roll dough into 18-20 walnut-sized pieces & place on baking sheets - space out generously.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookies are lightly golden; they will be slightly soft in the middle but you want that. leave on the baking sheets until firm & then transfer to completely cool on a cooling rack.

Easy does it!!

I'll be back later to tell you about the Highland Food Festival! Going out to the cinema to see 'Atonement' with my friends!