COFFEE AND WALNUT CAKE

2 tbs Coffee Essence (eg Camp)
175g Butter, softened
175g Caster Sugar
3 Medium Eggs
175g S.R. Flour
100g Walnuts
For The Filling
125g Butter, softened
250g Icing Sugar
2 tbs Coffee Essence (eg Camp)
8 Walnut Halves

Pre-heat oven to 180'C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and flour 2 x 7in sandwich tins. Place all the ingredients into a bowl and beat until smooth. Divide between the sandwich tins and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until just firm to the touch in the centre.

Remove the cakes from the oven and cool in the tins for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, beat together the butter, icing sugar, and coffee essence until smooth, adding 1tbs boiling water if the mixture is too thick. Use to fill the cake and spread on top. Use walnut halves to decorate.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year Everyone - I hope you all had a good Christmas and wish you all the best for the new year!

This Christmas I decided to make my own Christmas cake and Mincemeat. I was really pleased with the mincemeat - the taste was out of this world. But the cake was a little disappointing - it tasted exactly like a bought one, even though there must have been 1/2 bottle of brandy in it. I keep telling myself this is a good thing as at least it didn't taste horrible!

The only problem now is I still have half a cake left and I am supposed to be eating a little more healthily!! - it will keep I suppose, lol

Mouse Skins!!

My daughter Kimberley is crazy about cats - so she has organised a coffee morning to be held in a couple of weeks in aid of the Cats Protection League. Guess who has been roped into it - yes, me!!

She has been sent lots of promotional material from the CPL and has been busy advertising her posters in shops etc. The Coffee Morning boasts a cake stall, tombola, a raffle etc. But guess who has to make the cakes and organise the prizes - yes, right again - me!!

I am also making Catnip Mice for her to sell. So far I have 10 unstuffed ones. My aunt is also busy with her needles. We hope to get a jar full by the time the Coffee Morning comes along!

Cross Stich Christmas!

I have now completed the full set of seasonal cushions. This is the last - the Winter Cushion.

Also on a Christmassy theme the kids and I have been making cross stitch cards. My youngest is only 8 and I am really pleased with the progress she is making with her needlework. I have also taught her to knit. There are not many 8 year olds these days that can knit!

We have also made mini cushions from the free cross stitch designs which come free with the monthly magazines. I sometimes find making them into cards a bit monotonous, so tend to do something a bit different with them now and again.

PUMPKIN SOUP

500g Pumpkin
25g Butter
1 Onion - chopped
2 Garlic Cloves - crushed
1 1/4pt Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Salt & pepper

Slice the top from the pumpkin and discard the seeds and remove the rind. Chop into cubes. Melt the butter and fry the chopped onion and crushed garlic for 2 - 3 minutes then add the pumpkin and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the stock and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil and simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Leave to cool and whizz in a blender until smooth.

A BIRTHDAY, WEDDING ANIVERSARY AND CRAFTY SHOPPING!

It seems ages since I last posted anything on my blog. The reason being is that September was an exceptionally busy month. What with getting the children back to school, shopping for new winter clothes for them and of course getting all my craft projects in order!

It was my birthday on the 26th followed 2 days later by our 15th wedding anniversary. In between, on the 28th was the anniversary of moving into our house 2 years ago. Everything seemed to happen in September for me!

Most women would want to be taken out for a meal on their birthday and bought jewelery or chocolates - well not me! All I wanted to do was to spend the day in Hobbycraft - so I did.

I came home with some gorgeous goodies - some sock wool, 3 books - one of sock patterns, a book about gift baskets, and one on making favours, a few other bits and bobs which I required. But mostly I ended up spending most of my birthday money on the kids! - they came with us so of course I had to buy them something too. Plus dinner for them in Pizza Hut! I didn't mind though - we probably eat in fast food restaurants no more than about 3 or 4 times a year.

I can't wait to get round to making more socks - although I have just started a jacket for myself. Hopefully I will start them before next spring!

Knitted Embellishments

Having rather a large stash of wool, I decided to make one or two little things that are easy and quick to make. As a way to make a little extra cash some of these goods are for sale on Folksy and in my blog shop. I very rarely have time to support our local schools, so I thought I might make similar things for their Christmas Fayre, as I'm sure I can make quite a few fairly quickly.