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Chocolate roll cake recipe
I have very fond memories of my late Mum’s chocolate roll cake so will be giving this recipe a try this year. SERVES 6 Ingredients Chocolate Roll 75g caster sugar 3 happy eggs 2 happy egg yolks 75g plain flour (sieved) 25g cocoa powder (sieved) Zest of one orange Chocolate Filling 6 happy egg whites 30g caster sugar 120g 72% dark chocolate 20g butter Candied Kumquats & citrus sauce 10 kumquats 150ml water 100g icing sugar Method Chocolate Roll Preheat your oven to 200⁰C/400⁰F/Gas Mark 6. Grease a Swiss roll tin, then line it with baking parchment. In a large bowl, whisk…
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Guess who is in the Tesco Toy Testing Team?
If you asked a child, what their dream role would be, I imagine Toy Tester would be right up there. My family were asked along to try out some Tesco toys just in time for Christmas. They had such fun looking at a huge variety of toys. We were really impressed that after the Casting Day the toys would be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Tesco provided us with lovely refreshments and we had a great family day out. My daughter loved the chocolate fingers. She also was very excited by the goody bags. As for me, with my Eighties obsession with Fame, I…
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How to make mince pies
How to make mince pies is the question on our lips at Christmas. An easy recipe for mince pies 150g butter 250g plain flour 50g ground almonds 50g caster sugar 1 orange pinch of salt 1 happy egg 1-2 tsp cold water 280g/10oz good quality mincemeat For the topping: 100g butter 75g plain flour 100g caster sugar 1tsp cinnamon powder 1 nutmeg Method Place butter in freezer overnight. Preheat oven to 180°C. Put the flour into a mixing bowl. Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flour and add caster sugar, almonds, and salt; zest the orange and add, then gently stir with a wooden…
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The terrible truth about menopause symptoms
On World Menopause Day, let’s celebrate that we mention the M word and are more open about sharing our experiences of what used to be called the change of life. What is the terrible truth about menopause symptoms? The reality is that the menopause varies from one woman to another with some suffering more than most. I am delighted that the lovely Sam has agreed to share her story with us. Let’s continue to tell our truths as women and let’s ensure we always reach out for the support we need. “My name is Sam and I write my blog StressedMum. I am 52 and a Mum and Nanny and…
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A wake-up call
A mum wakes in the middle of the night Away from home She glances around and sees her family Husband and 3 slumbering babes She sighs contentedly And then it comes She wakes up properly Her husband dives out of bed Two boys look bleary-eyed Confusion A rush A recognition that this moment has been long practised for It needs to be seconds ideally It takes precious minutes Mum seizes her sleeping daughter Throws her over her shoulder And they run A door is kicked down They find themselves freezing on grass And finally they wake up to just how precious life is And they will remember Linking up…
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November is all about job search
The theme for the Gallery this week is November. November’s theme for our family has involved a lot of job-seeking activities. Every day has involved trawling job sites. Most days have involved sending off application forms and CVs. In November, most week days have seen job interviews all over the country. It is proving stressful and very expensive. My husband is looking for a job. His skills are as follows if anybody hears of anything. Remember he is prepared to locate anywhere in the United Kingdom for work. * Advice – debt, welfare benefits, housing, employment * Negotiation – with third parties on clients’ behalf, with funders and partners *…
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Your Ultimate Guide to Aging Gracefully
Nothing is more exciting to a child than looking at the calendar and seeing that they’re officially one year older. Once you turn 25 or so, each New Year brings the scary thought that you’re turning into an old lady. But the fact is that aging is inevitable. As long as you’re alive, your body will age, but there are things you can do to keep yourself looking and feeling like you’re still in your prime. This guide will help you age gracefully. Take Care of Your Skin When people talk about looking younger, they’re typically talking about having tight and wrinkle-free skin. You’ve heard before that you need to…
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Celebrating Nature
I am joining in with the Gallery for the first time in ages. The theme this week is Nature. I love getting out and seeing the natural world. I love to be in wild woods sharing my late mother’s love of trees. When I need to get things in perspective, I head for the sea, my late Dad’s great passion. I remember staring out to sea when I realised Mum had very little time to live and feeling for the first time that I could live on without her or perhaps integrate her spirit into my life. It comforted me. We headed for the seaside at Norfolk recently determined to…
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Why your business needs a blog
We live in a digital age with companies like Pushgroup SEO London helping businesses to make the most of the opportunities presented by the Internet. People are buying online more than they ever did so every business needs a good online presence. Most have websites now and some have caught on to the benefits of social media networking. Today I am going to explain why I think your business needs a blog. Blogs attract customers It is estimated that perhaps as many as 80% of companies now use blogging as part of their marketing strategy. Blogging can give a human face to a company which helps build trust from actual…
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Difficult times
I am half hoping nobody reads this as I feel awful about keep going on and on about the tough stuff. I know so many people are facing harder times but we are struggling a bit to keep upbeat all the time with this so-and-so ing redundancy situation. We have both had redundancy situations in the past but always because of funding issues in the charities we worked for. That is hard but not hurtful as in the current situation where the Royal British Legion have dumped my husband after so many years of loyal service and whilst recruiting other staff to do very similar roles (they would argue that…
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How to create a cosy bedroom
How to create a cosy bedroom becomes an important issue as we turn on the heating and the colder months set in. We spend a lot of hours in our bedroom. It should be a sanctuary where we can sleep and relax. As we move into Autumn it is time to ensure that our bedroom gives us a warm and snuggly feeling from the moment we enter it at the end of the day. Check out deluxe bedding from Snug Interiors and perhaps incorporate some of my tips into your bedroom makeover. How to create a cosy bedroom As with all interior design projects, it is important to work out…
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Poppies poem dedicated to the Royal British Legion
Here is my poppies poem dedicated to the Royal British Legion after their harsh treatment of my husband and our family. It is of course inspired by Wilfrid Owen’s poem. Hard-working, totally committed to the task Flexible, working for clients, he put in extra hours Until people distant from the frontline turned their backs And, ignoring families’ plight, used their powers He phoned home. His wife lost all hope. But they limped on, wounded. Not the same; all sad Confused with it all; deaf even to the messages From online, real and new friends that got behind Help! Help! Why us? – A muddle of feelings Getting organised with job…
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Coffee and Walnut cake recipe
When my mum died, Dad gave me a folder full of recipes that she had kept. Some of her notes are now showing signs of damage and age so I thought I would start putting her recipes online to refer to and perhaps someone might want to have a go at them too and let me know how they get on. My mum was a great cook both a family one and as a paid cook for a variety of organisations not to forget her famous baking for church and community events. You will have to do conversions as she worked in ounces and I am not going to change…
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Wife Living Dangerously by Debra Kent
Wife Living Dangerously by Debra Kent is a book I found in a second-hand book store. The title amused me and I was intrigued as to what led a wife to live dangerously. After all, so many wives lead pretty mundane lives like mine I imagine. Perhaps it is just that as the menopause strikes, I question so many of my life choices including the one to get married at all. Is it possible for a wife to live dangerously? Is doing so recommended? Wife Living Dangerously Julia is the wife in question. Due to her upbringing she has always played by the book as a good woman, wife and…
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A glimmer of hope
We have been having a tough time. Suddenly, we have a tiny glimmer that we hope might turn into a big shining light. I can’t say much as I am so scared of tempting fate. It may yet come to nothing. Suffice to say, if the glimmer is more than that, our lives will change radically and soon. It would mean returning to a town where I did a lot of growing up, probably the first place I went into a pub without my parents. It is also the place where I first learned about class differences being defined as a juvenile delinquent because I went to a comprehensive school.…
