Stir It Up Sunday

Ok so I know Stir It Up Sunday is traditionally for Christmas Pud, but I thought I'd make my mincemeat today....

I use Delia's recipe... You can't go wrong with a bit of Delia.  Except I don't use the almonds; I replace them with Glacé Cherries. So yesterday, we had this: 

I left it overnight in the Laundry Room (no radiator in there so nice and cool).  This morning I put it in a barely warm oven and left it.

3 hours later we had this:

I left it to cool completely, as suggested by Queen Delia in her recipe, before stirring in the brandy and dividing between sterilised jars.

Miss Bags and I will make our mincers later in December....  Watch this space!

Happy Stir It Up Sunday to you... I hope all your wishes come true....! xx

For Delia's recipe see here: 

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/mincemeat/home-made-christmas-mincemeat.html

(Today) I'm Obsessed with....

Neal’s Yard Remedies Mascara

Neal’s Yard Remedies of swanky blue bottles, Covent Garden, and Organic products fame have released a Mascara!!! 

It’s certified by the Soil Association and is 78% Organic.  It contains coconut oil, argan oil, aloe vera, white tea extract and other yummy natural ingredients to help nourish and condition your lashes.

I got mine at the weekend, its so lovely.  It glides on easily, the smooth silver packaging is beautiful and the SMELL!  Oh the smell is gorgeous!  I HATE the overly chemical, synthetic smells of mascaras – so this one is a real treat!  It gives me natural  lengthening and a natural curl to my lashes, and its BLACK!  It stays on all day, and comes off easily with eye make up remover.  I love it!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!

Did I also mention that Neal’s Yard Remedies have a whole cosmetics range that is Soil Association Certified?  Well, they DO!  The lipsticks and lip glosses in particular are fabulous…. Conditioning like lip balm, and flavoured with Organic Sweet Orange Peel Oil they taste like orange smarties!!!!!!

**I should mention that I have not received anything from Neal’s Yard Remedies for writing about their mascara or lip products.  I am however an Independent NYROrganic Consultant, and I do sell the products to family and friends.**

The Haunted Castle

It was Hallowe’en last week and for Miss Bags that meant one thing – a trip to the Haunted Castle.

We had been previously in October 2012, and she enjoyed it so much that when we asked her if she’d like to go this year she was beside herself with excitement.  The fact that she had a Hallowe’en party on the same day and that meant travelling to Warwick later with Daddy and she got to go to McDonald's as well was just the icing on the cake!

We stayed at our usual haunt (you see what I did there!) the Holiday Inn Express at Warwick. A no-frills hotel perfect for what we wanted which was somewhere to sleep (and I use that term very loosely with two weans in the same room) after a busy day at the Castle.  It’s safe to say that sleeping in a family room with two children and a sofabed is not for the faint hearted.  Miss Bags and the Wilburbeast decided to treat us to an impromptu Disco Dancing Display at 10pm, that involved bouncing on the sofabed and shrieking!  Nonna and Pops, on their way back to their room after spending time in the bar (not all jealous!) could hear the racket!  In our defence, ours were not the only children in the hotel and were by no means the noisiest/rudest/most badly behaved (delete as appropriate!)  On that note – why do some parents, when they are out in public with their children, steadfastly refuse to deal with or even acknowledge their offspring’s vile behaviour?!

The day at the castle was brilliant… lots to see and do for everyone… Miss Bags painted her own shield, and tried her hand at archery.  Wilburbeast watched the Birds Of Prey display, got scared by the wandering plague victims and generally ran about falling over in the mud a lot.  They ate ice creams, bought lightsabers and swords; and ran through the Haunted Hollows with glee!  We climbed up the ramparts and saw parts of the castle newly opened to the public, and I thoroughly enjoyed re-visiting the Kingmaker exhibition, having watched the White Queen on the BBC over the summer.

We were lucky with the weather and I feel like I have spent the whole weekend eating!  I’ve put on 3lb…. whoops!  Back to eating sensibly I think!

Miss Bags was very upset that her best good friend Bob was not at Warwick Castle this weekend.  So much so, she decided to write to Warwick Castle to tell them of her disappointment.  I dutifully mailed it today,  with a covering letter of my own, so we will see if they reply to her letter!

 

Bob.....!