An excellent weekend

Oh no he didn't!  Oh yes he did!  Panto time!

 And I nearly didn't make it. On Friday evening as I drove to the end of my road I noticed that there was an enormous traffic jam (we don't get many as we live in the countryside) but realised that I was not going to get to Colchester the normal way. Took a detour through some lanes and hit the traffic jam from the opposite direction, so took the "long cut".  This took me about 20 minutes longer than I expected and arrived at the theatre with a 5 minutes to spare!  I found out after that a lorry had overturned on the A12, closing the road, this means that traffic diverts through the country lanes near us, but there was another accident on this route and it seems the whole of North Essex was at a standstill.
I joined the others from the WIGS (WI girls) at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester for a fabulous production of Sleeping Beauty.  What fun it was!  lots of singing, dancing, silly jokes, being squirted with water and an ice cream tub in the interval.

Saturday was a lovely bright and sunny day, popped to the market to stock up on fruit and veg and came home to get out in the garden.
 Picked up this lovely pot of daffodils for just £1.

I let the chickens into the greenhouse and they had a lovely time dust bathing - rolling around in the dry earth working it into their feathers.  They then stand up and have a good shake and cover me in dust!  They must have loved it as Sunday they laid two eggs.  Have been having one or none most days.  I don't think that Marjorie is laying though, I have had words with her.

 Time to start sowing some seeds. I love sweetpeas and try and grow lots on the allotment.  I am starting them off in the cold greenhouse now, in pots.  Sowed some mixed winter salad leaves in a big pot.  In theory you should be able to grow lettuce all year round and not have to buy those expensive bags from the supermarket, but I have yet to achieve this.  Perhaps that should have been my resolution this year  - to grow all my own lettuce!
Leek seeds in the greenhouse, onions and lavender in the airing cupboard - just got to wait and see now.....................  I will let you know if anything grows.

 Just one week after Alice's birthday it was Jared's turn.  His birthday was on Friday, but he had had exams this week and decided to stay at Uni and have  a party with all his friends.  He came home of Saturday and of course I made him a cake  - chocolate sponge (made with eggs from the girls) filled with cream (found half a pot in the freezer) blackcurrent jelly ( a Christmas present from a friend) topped with buttercream (left over from Alice's cake) and decorated with half a packet of chocolate buttons (left over from the gingerbread house).
Yes I am on a mission to use up all the bits and pieces in the cupboards and freezer.  Just shopping for things as I need them - I wonder how long I can go before I need to do a "big shop"?

Sunday was spent cleaning the house, doing my household accounts, a bit of crochet and finished by watching the darts final and Sherlock  -excellent weekend!

DECEMBER SCAVENGER HUNT

Well here we are with the very last scavenger hunt for the year.   What fun it has been and a bit of a challenge at times, so here we go..............

25

Wednesday 25th December  - Christmas day!

CHRISTMAS

Making mince pies - well it wouldn't be Christmas with out them?

RELIGOUS ICON

I bought this lovely wooden decoration in Hamburg a few years ago when I went to the markets there, it has to have special sized candles to go in it, so if anyone is going over next year perhaps they can pick me up a couple of packets?

SHINY

A close up of my tree, looking very shiny and twinkly!

MOVEMENT

Well nearly!  Just fooling!

CELEBRATION  
Me bringing in the Christmas pudding to the table, the flaming fountain was amazing, it certainly finished off our feast

WORDS

Well not really a photo, but found this subway art, printed and framed it and displayed it on the bookeshelf.  It has all the words that I need!

RECIPIE

Sticky date and raisin pudding served with Brandy butter ice cream and salted caramel sauce- recipie found in Good Food magazine December 2012.  I have made this two years in a row and it is delicious!

CANDLES

I love candles and often have them twinkling around the house.  This is my fireplace with some big candles.

WINDOW DISPLAY

I have been looking for a shop window, but not found one suitable, so here is my lounge window.  I spent a couple of eveinings licking and sticking all these paperchains and then hung them from the net curtain wire, with the nets pushed back. A metal Christmas tree candle stand is in the middle, I bought this at a German Market a couple of years ago.

CAKE

I have had to put two photos for this one! We have had two cakes this year. Alice and Jared spent one evening creating this wonderful Gingerbread house, a week later and we are still not allowed to eat 

 And this is my one.  A rich fruit cake made weeks ago, marzipaned and iced with little marzipan Christmas trees and silver balls sprinkled on top.  We were allowed to eat this one!

 

A very, very big thank you to Suzie over at Made with love thinking of all the catagories each month and linking everyone together. It has been great to see how people from all over the world have interpreted the photos.  I have been taken  to Colarado, Australia, Borneo, Wiltshire and Birmingham!!!  Looks like we are keeping this going in the New Year too!

Christmas time.......

Wow! can't believe a whole week has gone by since my last "advent calender" post.  So much has happened.  Alice came home from Moscow, it was lovely to have her home and we had fun cooking a feast together.  Jared came back from Uni, I think he found it a bit quiet at home after living in a mad student house!

 Nine plus a baby and a dog on Christmas day filled our house with people!  Alice cooked lunch with a little help from my sister!  We had turkey rolled and stuffed for those who don't like beef, rib of beef for those who do and a nut roast for those who don't like either.  This was served with veg from the allotment - brussel sprouts, potatoes (mashed and roast) parsnips and carrots (felt very proud to do this) also swede and peas, Yorkshire puddings, little sausages, stuffing, bread sauce and cranberry sauce!  

The pudding was quite a hit - sticky date and raisin pudding with rum butter (we ran out of brandy!!) ice cream and a great big flaming fountain on top!

It was lovely to spend some time with my sister, here we are on Christmas day!

There were two cakes on my dresser!  this is the rich fruit cake with marzipan and icing that I made and....

The gingerbread house that Alice and Jared made, there were some silver balls left over!  Just to point out that it was made from scratch, not a kit!!

More guests on Boxing day and a buffet for lunch! 

Mr HH and me!

It has been non stop from the beginning of November, making gifts, shopping, writing cards, cleaning and cooking.  Attending parties, meals out and other events, 3 days spent with various family members, I have loved every minute of the planning and organising but then yesterday nothing - oh it was lovely to go to the allotment and do a bit of digging and then come home and knit - what joy! 
Looking forward to a New Years Eve Ceroc party tomorrow night and then two birthdays to prepare for -  more cake! 

 

the very last advent calender

Tuesday 24 December 

Christmas eve!

Well I've done it!  I have posted an advent photo every day!

This is the finished gingerbread house that head chef Alice and assistant Jared made the other evening.  They have reached the grand ages of 24 and 21 and never made a gingerbread house, oh how deprived they have been, what a bad mother I have been to have never suggested this before! Anyway it looks wonderful, a centrepiece for the dresser!

In case you missed any of the other advent posts here they all are

 So off for a glass of Baileys, hang up my stocking and brace myself for the mad house of nine plus a baby for lunch tomorrow...........

Happy Christmas to all my blog friends, hope you all have a lovely day!

Advent Calender

Thursday 13 December
(woops a day late, but got home far too late to post it)

 My Mum is the chairman of Braintree district Council this year, her role is one of attending civic events and representing the council and the people of the district.  She has been very busy opening things, giving speeches and attending all sorts of events.  Last night was her Civic Carol Service.  It was held in Castle Hedingham church, which must be one of the coldest churches in Braintree.  Thick fog all the way there, 20 mile drive along the A12 and then some very narrow county lanes, thank goodness it cleared by the time we left.
I was allocated a seat in the front row, next to the Christmas tree, and everytime I moved the whole tree shook!

This event was attended by all the "important" people of Braintree and Essex!
Lots of chairman and mayors of different councils all wearing their chains of office (you could almost hear them all rattling!)  The leader of Essex County Council, the MP and a lady in a very impressive hat. She is the High Sherrif of Essex.  I had to look this up when I got home, but it would seem that this is a royal appointment and her role is to be present when royals visit the county, support the judges, police and charities.

The collection was in aid of the charitees that Mum has chosen to support this year: AlcoHELP, Safer places and the Scouts.  Representatives of these groups read the lessons.

It was all quite rousing with all the usual familiar carols, I am not sure why anyone needed the words!  Once in Royal David's City. It came upon the midnight clear. Silent Night. O little town of Bethlehem. Hark! the herald angels sing. In the bleak mid-winter. The first Nowell and finishing with O come all ye faithfully.  Thankfully the vicar was wise enough to zip through it all with out any faffing around. He must know how cold his church is, I did wonder how many layers he had on under his robes!

After we had mince pies, cups of tea and a chance to stand near the radiator!
It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

 

Advent Calender

Tuesday 10 December

 Mince pie making!  I make a sweet almond pastry and fill them with the plum mincemeat (without nuts or peel) that I made a few weeks ago.

 Some to take to my friends tomorrow night, froze some and only one left!

Yummy!  Think I will have to make some more...............

Advent Calender

Monday 9th December

Christmas cards

 All my cards are written.  Work ones have been given out.  Local ones will be hand delivered and some need posting.

I ordered my cards from Dots and Spots  The very talented Becky from Somerset designs and sells them.  She runs the small business from her home and there are some lovely photos of her home and studio on her Blog  I was lucky to take advantage of one of her Friday offers and got them half price and free postage.  She also has some lovely birthday cards and gift wrap, I am sure I will be placing another order soon!

Advent calendar

Saturday 7th December

London Christmas lights

Another outing today, this time to London. Got the train and then the tube to Notting Hill where I met my sister who had come from Birmingham.  We arranged to meet in the first cafe we came outside the station and thank goodness it was Jamie Oliver's!!  We had tea and hand made bread and jam, delicious, but we did think the raspberry jam had not set!
We strolled along the Portobello road market and treated ourselves to one or two things including a pair of boots each for just £5. Lunch was brushetta and cheesecake from the stalls.
Took the bus along to Oxford street to see the lights, have never seen so many people, it was heaving! The light were wonderful hundreds and hundreds of sparkly lampshades were strung up across the street from Marble Arch all the way down past Oxford Circus.  The shops were covered in lights - John Lewis, Debenhams, Boots and Selfridges.  I would have liked to have had a closer look at the shop windows but ut was just too busy to get off the bus and walk 

Another bus to the Southbank Christmas market and a glass of Gluhwein to warm us up.  A German plate of fried potatoes and garlic mushrooms filled us up!
We have had a lovely day out,  looking forward to next time!

no nuts or peel

When I first met Mr HH he said that he didn't like mince pies, it turned out that he didn't like mince pies made with traditional mincemeat as it always has nuts and peel in it.  
In 1996 I bought a magazine "Prima Christmas Traditions", which I still have and use each year for various recipes.  In it was a recipe for mincemeat.  I didn't realise that you COULD make your own!!!  The recipe had nuts and peel in it, but I figured out that I could just leave them out, yes, leave them out and that is exactly what I did.

From then on every Christmas I made a few jars of mincemeat and mince pies were enjoyed by all, including Mr HH.

Last year I tried a new recipe, Plum and Russet mincemeat from the Rivercottage Handbook No.2, preserves.  It was lovely, more jammy than brown and lumpy, but very nice, so have made some more this year

  

1kg of chopped plums are cooked in the juice of two oranges and then pureed.  This is mixed with the zest of the 2 oranges, 500g of peeled and chopped russet apples (I used normal cooking apples as i had been given some) 200g each of currents, sultanas and raisins, 100g of marmalade, 250g of demerara sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 2 tsp ground ginger and 1/2 a grated nutmeg.  50 mls ginger wine.  mix this all together and leave over night.  The next day cook for two hours in a very low oven (130C) and then stir in 50 ml of brandy. put into sterilised jars.

Then the fun begins

These are normal mince pies made with sweet pastry with ground almonds, they freeze well and I will probably make quite a few of these.

or maybe these ones with stars on top
 

 

 or maybe these puff pastry Christmas trees, a bit fiddly but my favourite

Our other favourite, that get eaten so quickly I can't find any photos of them are baked mincemeat donuts.   The recipe is in good food magazine




Can't wait to make these!

Will need to give the mincemeat a week to mature - well maybe a couple of days!