Sunday 22 November 2009

Children in Need Update

Well we certainly had a good day raising money and I made £60.00 selling my cupcakes. I had hoped to take some photographs, but by the time I had remembered, all my cakes were sold and all that was left was the paper wrappers they were baked in.
The programme on TV was fun and the uptodate money raised is in excess of £2 million pounds. A great result and all the money to be used for good causes.
I have just been reading an article about a charity that supplies sewing kits to women who want to start their own sewing business, so I am going to investigate this further and perhaps this will be my next little project.
Have a good weekend, whats left of it.

Jalfrazi Curry

During the week I had a phone call from my sister to say that a cousin who we had not seen for 40 years had found her and wished to meet us. So we arranged to meet on Saturday evening at my house for a curry, chat and look back at old photographs.
Quite sad that we lost touch, but we have all moved around so much, living and working in different parts of the UK. My cousin who was 50 years old last year suddenly felt he needed to trace family again and so thats how we all came together on Saturday evening. What fun we had catching up on 40 years of news and events.
I decided to make a Jalfrazi Curry to warm our hearts. OF course we now have addresses and phone numbers and have arranged to meet again in the New Year.

Jalfazi Curry
Ingredients
1 onion - peeled and finely chopped
1 red chilli - deseeded and chopped
small piece root ginger - finely chopped
1 butternut squash - peeled and cubed
small cauliflower - broken into florets
2 tins chopped tomatoes
1 jar Jalfrazi curry sauce
small can chickpeas - drained
2 tomatoes-chopped
Method
1. Heat a couple of glugs of olive oil in a large saucepan
2. Add the onion, chilli and root ginger and fry for a few mins until soft
3. Add the butternut squashm cauliflower and chickpeas.
4. Add the tomatoes, curry paste and a half can of water.
5. Simmer for 40-45 minutes until tender
6. Add a couple of chopped tomatoes
7. Serve with pilau rice and naan breads

Thursday 19 November 2009

Children In Need

Friday 21st November is a big day in the UK. It is the day we spend fundraising in every possible way to raise money for 'Children in Need' and the money goes to lots of good causes. Many schools get involved and we having a non-uniform day, which means the students come to school in casaual clothes instead of their uniform and they have to pay for the privelege of doing that - usually £2.00. I have made so many batches of large cup cakes to sell for 50p each that I have lost count. The symbol of 'Children in Need' is a bear called 'Pudsey'. The day starts at 6.00am with requests for music played on the radio and donations made. The highlight of the day is a 7 hour programme on the BBC to raise money in unusual ways. I will let you know the final total next week when it will be published in the newspaper.

Tuesday 17 November 2009

Savannah in Photographs






What a place to visit. Around every corner there is something different to see. I tried to walk down by the river every afternoon to catch a glimse of the huge container ships that pass right beside you. I loved the story of 'The Waving Lady'.
The story goes that her boyfriend went away to sea and she went to wave him off. She went down to the river every afternoon to wave and hope for his return. HE didn't come back, but she waved for 40 years until she died.

Sunday 15 November 2009

Hello Everyone I am back

I have been away far too long and its good to be back. I moved house and then went to see my son who now lives in Savannah, Georgia for a 10 day stay. I came home and went back to work. It is now two weeks since I have been back at work and it feels like I have hardly been away. Anyway I have now caught up with myself and I am back to blog and tell you stories.
Savannah was just the best place to visit. As my son is now working at his very first job he was really busy during the day time and so we shared our evenings and weekend. As he lives out on Wilmington Island, I decided to stay in Savannah, so that I could met him for lunch and potter around the place during the day time.
I stayed at The Green Palm Inn, which if you are visiting Savannah is just the best place to stay. Diana was the perfect hostess. The minute I arrived I felt like part of the family. Help yourself to cakes and cookies in the afternoon and a glas of wine in the evenings. The room was comfy, homely with luxury and I had a great time. I met so many lovely people as we shared a large breakfast table. People from all over the states. A young coule who had just got married two weeks earlier in London and a couple on their first wedding anniversary. There was a lady and her two daughters from Canada, who had come for three days to go on a cookery course and a couple from South Georgia who were travelling by train from Savannah to Washington DC. I won't go on just now but to say The Green Palm Inn is a must for every traveller who goes to Savannah

www.greenpalminn.com

Breakfast was amazing and I really did not want to eat anything until the evening (well sometimes I did).
I asked Diane for some of her recipes and said she really must put them on her website.
Banana French Toast
1 stick butter - melted
Add 1 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Mix together
Prepare with cooking spray a 9x 13 pan.
Pour the butter/sugar mixture into the bottom.
Slice 4-5 bananas and place on top with the butter.
Slice 6-8 large croissatns lengthwise.
Place bottoms onto the bananas
Fill in the holes and make look pretty with the croissant tos.
Mix 1-1/2 cups milk and 6 eggs.
Add 2 tsp vanilla and 2tsp cinamon
Pour over the croissants
Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate over night.
Bake 350 degrees for 55 mins.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 mins
I top the french toast with caramel ice-cream topping, whiped cream and nuts.

This was served in a wedge for breakfast along with strips of bacon and fresh fruit.
Pleny of fresh orange juice and lashings of coffee.

I was set up for the day and with all the walking in Savannah a hearty breakfast is necessary.

Good to be back. Will share some photographs of Savannah on Mosaic Monday.