Crafts and Life

Ingredients 4.5 lb oxtail, cut into pieces 1 tbs plus 1 tsp black peppercorns 2 tsp caraway seeds 0.5 tsp cardamom seeds 0.5 tsp saffron threads 1 tsp ground fenugreek 1.5 tsp turmeric salt to taste 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1.25 lb small white onions 10 garlic…

The leg is almost healed (not even the tiniest bit swollen this morning!), the sun is shining, I am sat without a sweater on (almost unknown for me!) and I got some stitching done. Okay so it isn't one of the four I want to get finished first ~BUT it…

Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable oil 250g/9oz streaky bacon 6 potatoes, thinly sliced into rounds 2 onions, peeled, sliced 5 carrots, peeled, sliced 500ml/17½fl oz chicken stock salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 150g/5oz cheddar cheese, grated crusty bread, to serve Method 1. Heat the vegetable oil in a…

Ingredients 1 large chicken breast 1 tsp cornstarch 0.5 tsp salt 2 tbs sherry 0.25 lb smoked ham 12 small fresh mushrooms 4 tbs oil Method Skin and bone chicken breast; cut against the grain in slices 1/8th inch thick, then in 1 inch circles. Combine cornstarch, salt and sherry.…

Two quick bits of news :- I have a cleaner starting tomorrow! Okay this could push my debt free date back a bit but I will feel better about the house, which means I will feel better about me (might lose some weight!), and if I feel better about me…

Ingredients 3 tbsp olive oil 10 shallots, peeled and left whole 3 bay leaves 350g/¾lb dry-cured bacon lardons handful fresh thyme sprigs, on the branch, washed, tied together tightly with string 5 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped 750ml/1¼ pints red wine 2.5kg/5½lb chuck steak or braising steak, cut into 4cm/1½in cubes…

I've not posted on my diary for a while, things have been off and odd for a while but I aim (with an on-line buddy) to get me and everything about me back on track! So that is my house, my crafting and most importantly my health/weight, starting with food…

In case you are wondering this means he hopefully no longer needs to wear his muzzle as we have had a new fence put in down the side of the garden he was escaping from on a regular basis! In other news my first part of The Art of Crochet…

I am doing a PIF as I won one :-), if you wish to be in with a chance of winning please post your email address in the comments section and remember if you win to Pay It Forward as well! Send no less than 5 stitching/knitting/craft related items per…

One miffed Cairn Terrier, well we had to stop him eating the mesh fence somehow! Hopefully the new fence will mean he won't need to wear this for too long – because trust me it is not the easiest thing to get onto him!