All in fun . . .

When I was 11 years old, I fell in love with The Monkees. Yes, those 4 brash young lads that used to grace our home television screens for half an hour every Sunday evening! Well, they were on television where I lived on Sunday evenings at any rate.

They were probably one of the first ever manufactured pop bands, but that didn't matter to me, nor to millions of other teens! I used to buy up any teen magazine that I could get my hands on with pictures of them in it. I'd carefully rip out their pictures and tape them onto the mirror in my bedroom. I would devour every scrap of information I could get about them. I think I had it all memorized. I also had all of their albums and knew all of the words to every one of their songs.



I was, in particular, completely enamoured with Davy Jones. He was so cute, much cuter than the others in my mind, although I did think they were all pretty dishy. But he had that lovely British Accent that just melted my heart every time I heard it. Sigh . . . I even wanted to marry him when I grew up. Oh the innocent child/girl fantasies I used to have about that guy were nobodies business!! He was a complete dream to me. He broke my heart when he started to date the Flying Nun and, of course, like most other teen girls at the time, I was devastated when the Monkees broke up!!



This is my friend Anna and yes that IS Davy Jones! Just this past weekend she got to go to a Monkees concert in Manchester! (minus Mike Nesbitt) Does she look happy or what! That lucky woman! I'd have been smiling all over the place as well! She says he is a really nice bloke and very tiny! I bet he smelled great too! Sigh . . .

When I was about 15 1/2, I graduated from being a fan of pop groups to being a groupie. Oh no, not in the way you are thinking! There were a group of local lads that had a little band that they had formed and I used to go with my friends to all of their practices. At one point I was even dating one . . . if you can call it that. We went to one movie together and held hands, and he invited me to his house to hang out with them all on one Sunday afternoon. All completely innocent.

What I didn't know however was, that I was also the "other" woman. Yes, this young lad had a girl in every port . . . or school . . . as it were! His other girlfriend went to the local middle school and so it was quite easy for him to see us both at different times. She was his real girlfriend, I guess. He only took me to the movies that one time because she was away on holidays, and he could get away with it. Sigh . . . heart broken I was when the whole truth came out.

He was not even all that good looking, really . . . but he did play a guitar. I think that was the main attraction really. That and the fact that he had long hair when not a lot of boys did, which was another plus. Thank goodness I grew up and became a little more discerning!



I no longer fall for the guitars or the long hair, although to be sure . . . I am still a sucker for a cute British Accent. ☺ This one also happens to be very sweet, kind, spiritual, intelligent, easy going and has a wicked sense of humour. Plus he also does windows and dishes and gives great back massages!!

I know . . . I am one heck of a lucky woman!

Here's a delicious chicken dish that we love around here. I tend to bake mine in the oven more than cook them on the grill. We only have a charcoal grill and it is a lot of faff to get it out. You can do it in a grill pan as well, although to be on the safe side, after the initial grilling, you should actually finish them off in the oven as well to make sure they are cooked through.




*Tandoori Chicken*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Delicously spicy chicken, grilled to perfection. Finger lickin good!

1 cup plain low fat yogurt
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS grated fresh ginger
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 bone in, skin on, chicken thighs
a bit of oil to grease the grill

Whisk together the yoghurt, lemon juice, ginger and all of the spices in a large shallow dish. Add the chicken thighs, tossing them to coat completely in the marinade. Cover and then chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Heat up your grill, grill pan, barbeque grill, or gas grill. Brush with some oil. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and remove from the marinade, allowing most of it to drip off, and wiping off any excess.

Place the thighs onto the grill, skin side down, and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, before flipping over and cooking them on the other side for a further 10 to 15 minutes, covered. Cook until all the juices run clear.

If you like they can also be cooked in your oven. Place onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake in a 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. oven for 35 to 40 minutes until done and the juices run clear.



Cooking over in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Berry Slump!

Poetry Saturday . . . The Cherry Now

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.



Now, of my threescore years and ten
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.



And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.
-A E Houseman (Loveliest of Trees, The Cherry Now)



The old Post Office in a village very near to where we lived down in Kent used to be surrounded by beautiful cherry trees in bloom about this time of year each spring. Can there possibly be a more beautiful sight to behold??? I think not!

My Step by Step program went well yesterday. I managed to keep up with most of the exercises, despite my bad knee, so that was good! It was mostly low impact, and I don't mind saying that I was perspiring at the end of the 60 minutes too! Then the best thing of all, I managed to lose three pounds in a week. Amazing. Go me! (I don't expect that kind of success every week though!)

We are off to the dog groomers with Mitzie early this morning. She is a digger we have discovered. She likes to dig in the dirt, and has taken to digging up our Jerusalem Artichokes. We have had to try to figure out a way to keep her out of that bed. We have to keep one step ahead of the little madame all the time! It's a good thing we love her!

A lot of people over here in the UK go for a Curry or a Chinese on Saturday evenings. We have a chippie down the end of the road that does really great Chinese. I love their Beef in Black Bean Sauce. Back home we often went to the Chinese Buffet place. I always adored the chicken wings and the Lemon Chicken. It's probably not very good for you, but once in a while it's ok to treat yourself just so long as you don't go overboard!



*Chinese Lemon Chicken*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This has always been my favourite kind of chicken. I just love the tanginess of the lemon sauce.

2 pounds skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 cups peanut or vegetable oil
Lemon slices (optional)
White sesame seeds (optional)

Marinade:
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2-inch piece of ginger, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Whisk together the soy sauce and sesame oil for the marinade. Coat the chicken with the marinade, cover and then place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least half an hour.

Combine the cornstarch and white pepper in a shallow bowl. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off. Roll the chicken pieces in the cornstatch mixture, shaking off any excess before frying.

Heat the three cups of oil in a large pan, until just smoking, then add the first batch of chicken pieces and deep-fry until cooked through. This will take about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Turn off the pan with the oil in it, removing 1 tablespoon of the oil into a medium-sized pot and heat over medium-high. (You can save the used oil for later use by allowing it to cool, then straining into an aluminum can or other container.)

Add the garlic and ginger to the 1 tablespoon of the oil, and cook briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, chicken stock, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook to thicken.

Remove the sauce from the heat. Add the fried chicken pieces and toss them in the sauce. Garnish with lemon slices and white sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with white rice and maybe some steamed broccoli or snow peas on the side.

There's a delicious Roly Poly Rhubarb Pudding waiting for you in The English Kitchen this morning! Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

The Simple Woman's Day book

FOR TODAY, February 22nd, 2011...

Outside My Window...
It's cold and damp. It's been raining during the night, although it isn't raining now. Will be glad to see spring. I just know it won't be long now. Our pear tree and the hydrangea all have buds on them.

I am thinking...
I had a lovely long conversation with Lura on the telephone yesterday. We hadn't spoken in a few weeks. It was so nice to catch up on all of our goings on. The hour went far too quickly, but then again, it's always like that when you are talking with a good friend. The time just races by!

I am thankful for...
My dear husband Todd. Because I am in Primary I never get to go into the other lessons at church on Sundays. This past Sunday was our Ward Conference and so they had a joint Priesthood and Relief Society lesson, and he took notes and shared all that he had learned and his thought on it with me last night at our Family Home Evening. I thought it was so sweet of him and so very thoughtful too!

From the kitchen...
I have candied orange peels up the kazoo! But they are not fattening and quite yummy too! Today I am getting a free grazing box from a company called Graze. My friend Holly send me a code last week to get a free one. It will be filled with yummy snacks. I just have to remember to cancel so that I don't get another one next week and pay for it!

I am wearing...
A nightie, some jim jam bottoms, my robe. Layering to keep warm.

I am creating...
Still working on new designs. Not long now until the first ones will be out and I can show you them. They are talking about another set in May/June as well, so it's all go! I also decided that I will dedicate at least one day a week to do doing some paintings, and I managed to do two yesterday! (Which was cool!)


I redid this one, but instead of using water colours, I used my normal method and I love the way she turned out. I also added a different quote to it. I will be listing her soon in my Etsy shop.



Then I also did this one. She's a butterfly girl, but I think she's just enjoying walking through the flowers with them, more than catching them! I'll be listing her for sale soon as well!

I am going...
I have a Primary Presidency Meeting tomorrow night and then a Pampered Chef Party to go to on Thursday evening, plus I have a Temple Recommend Interview at the chapel that night as well. Then on Friday evening we have a talent night at our chapel. There is going to be a cake competition for the ladies as well. It should be fun!

I am reading...



The Personal History of Rachel Dupree, by Ann Weisgarber
A stunning read, with more than a nod at Steinbeck, yet enough distance to place the writer in her own territory. The two settings, Chicago and South Dakota, convinced me of their authenticity immediately. The family grabbed my sympathy from the opening scene and every character is clear and well rounded. Unsurprising, then, that this novel took seven years to write. Wild as it was, the American west was also a peculiarly democratic place, as a black man - or even a woman - was entitled to stake a claim. Still, there are few black ranchers in the Badlands of Dakota in 1917 where Rachel DuPree and her husband Isaac farm 320 acres of tumbleweed.

"I hated the Badlands," Rachel laments, "the bigness of it, the never endingness of it, the lonesomeness of it, the weight of my hate bore down on me."

Her story, shortlisted for the Orange new writers award, is a catalogue of drought, dirt, expiring cattle and still-born children that makes life in a Steinbeck novel seem rosy. A thoroughly engrossing read thus far. I highly recommend. I finished this last night and I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It really gave one a good feeling about how much of a struggle times were in the Dakota Badlands back in the early 1900's.

I am hoping...
That everything goes well with the birth of my youngest daughter's baby. Her due date is tomorrow. There is no sign of him/her making an appearance yet that I know of. I also hope that I don't have to find out about it on facebook and that someone at least lends me the courtesy of letting me know in person. That would be nice.

I am hearing...
Early morning sounds . . . the house cracking and snapping as it comes alive. Clocks ticking. Walls creaking . . . cars passing by the front of the house . . . the honk of the taxi's horn. The world is coming alive. The birds are singing more and more in the mornings . . . a sure sign that spring is just around the corner, and I am thinking we are all needing a litte bit of that!!

Around the house...
Not a lot to do really. A load of laundry just finished in the washer so I will have that to hang up soon. Lots of ironing to do. Just the usual stuff, which is good!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
I plan on playing with my doll's house at some point, and working on my designs and then just the ordinary stuff that life is made from. A bit of this and a bit of that. Life is good.


Here is picture thought I am sharing...



I just love this new video by Sir Bob Geldof, Silly Pretty Thing. It just brings a smile to my face when I hear this song. It's so upbeat and happy. I think the video is pretty sweet too! It is hard to believe he is 58! I could not jump and do flips on a trampoline and sing at the same time! I'd have a hard enough time controling my bladder let alone anything else! It just makes me feel happy. It's a rare thing in a music video today!

And just as a closing thought for today . . .

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.
~Mark Twain

A reminder to us that most of the joy in life comes from serving others!

And there you have it . . . my day book for this week. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!

Here is a delicious entree that is not only quick and easy to make, but lower in fat than the usual version. Adapted from a recipe I found in a Martha Stewart cookbook. Her recipes are usually very good I have to say!




*General Tso's Chicken*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I have never actually had the real thing in a Chinese Restaurant, so I can't comment on how authentic it is, but I can tell you this is delicious!

1/4 cup cornstarch
16 ounces snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
2 tsp freshly grated ginger root
3 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
2 TBS soy sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 large egg whites
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch pieces)
2 TBS safflower oil to cook
Steamed Basamati rice to serve


Stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water in a large bowl until smooth. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes; toss to combine, and set aside.

Whisk together the egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in another bowl. Add the chicken, and toss to coat thoroughly.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet. Lift half the chicken from egg-white mixture, shaking off any excess. Add to the heated oil in the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken, and set aside with the rest, continuing to keep it warm.

Add the snow-pea mixture to skillet. Cover. Cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet, along with any accumulated juices, tossing to coat. Serve immediately spooned over steamed Basamati Rice.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, delicious Mini Meat Loaves!

Sometimes I get crafty . . .

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty."
~Dieter F Uchtdorf, Secound Counselor in the First Presidency



I have always loved this quote by this wonderful man who is a leader in my church. I am a very creative person and I can oftimes be found with glue, scissorss, paint brushes or pencils in my hands, not to mention needles and threads!

I had wanted to make something beautiful for on our mantle for Valentines Day. I often visit other blogs and am blown away by the creativity of their writers and the way they decorate their homes for each and every holiday. I have never really done that since I moved over here to the UK, but it is something that I often used to do when my children were growing up. Now, here in our new home, I feel the urge again to do these things. Its taken me ten years, but I am finally nesting and feel settled, I suppose! (Too bad there won't be any eggs to sit on!)



I saw these lovely paper machier letters at Hobby Craft the other day. I had gone in to pick up some wall and floor papers for the doll's house, and ended up walking out with some of these letters as well. I wanted to do a word collage for our mantle in the living room.

With Valentines day coming up, it just made sense to pick the word "LOVE!"



I think it turned out really nice, if I don't say so myself, and it was ever so easy to do.

I took each letter and painted them all over with several coats of acrylic paint. I used a rose colour, but you could use whichever colour you wanted to. Before I had painted them I had carefully traced them out onto plain paper so that I had their shapes.



While the paint was drying, I carefully traced the letters out onto scrap book papers. I used Hallmark Country Companions, Lover's Lane papers by Docrafts. I love Country Companion anything and fell in love with these sweet papers.

Once I traced out all the letters, I carefully cut them out. I brushed one side of each of the dried and painted letters with some Mod Podge and applied the letters. I then let them dry. Once they were dry, I trimmed any edges that needed trimming and then applied a coat of Mod Podge all over them . . . back, front and sides.



I still thought they looked rather plain though and so then I went through the papers and cut out some of the sweet figures on them with my sharp little scissors . I traced around their edges with a brown marker to give them some definition, and then I put puffy glue pads on the backsides of them. I applied these in a sort of a 3D effect here and there on the letters and gave them a coating of Mod Podge as well.



I still thought it needed more. I had some Papermania 3D floral borders with roses, butterlies and lady bugs on them, that went perfectly and so I got one of them out and cut it into sections which I applied here and there.



All in all I think the project turned out perfect! I just love it, and Todd thinks I'm really clever. It was so easy to do and I am thinking now of doing one to have there on display all year round, and one for Christmas as well!



I am so proud of this that I think I'll add it to Jen of Tatertots and Jello's Weekend Wrap Up party! Click on the picture below to take you over there where you will see the links to all sorts of beautiful creativity!



Here's a quick and easy dish to make for supper when you are starving and want something lickety split! I am a real noodle nut. Todd, not so much, and he's not fond of "foreign food" either, but he suffers it once in a while so I can indulge myself! He's a sweetie pie!




*Noodles with Pak Choi*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I'm a real noodle nut. This is a tasty stir fry, which makes a quick lunch or tasty light supper. There is no meat in it, but if you are really missing meat, you could add some chicken strips if you wanted to.

1 tsp clear honey
1 tsp grainy mustard
a generous splash of soy sauce
1/2 pound chestnut mushrooms, sliced
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound of thick noodles (The cooked ones that come in a pack)
1/2 pound of pak choi, sliced lengthwise

Heat a work or large skiller over medium high heat. Add the honey, mustard and soysauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Season with some salt and pepper and then stir fry for several minutes until tender. Add the noodles and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, giving them a good stir to separate them. Stir in the pak choi and ccntinue to cook and stir until wilted. Serve immediately.




Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a traditional Welsh Bara Brith.

Thoughts on Friends . . .

It's not until you strip it of it's leaves, that you can truly see the peculiar characteristics of individual trees . . . the massive and generous bough structure of the Beech tree . . . the majesty of the great Oak . . . the straightness of the Larch . . . the grace of the Birch . . . each unique and beautiful in their own ways.

It occurs to me this moring that it is the same with our friends. It's not until we have stripped off our outer facade and shared pieces of our hearts with each other that we truly see each other as we really are.



It is when the winter comes . . . and the big winds blow . . . that superficialities and pretence are swept away, and we see the bare bones of true affection in all it's strength and beauty.

A friend is someone who loves you despite your faults and weaknesses and who helps to bolster you up when the big winds blow and the winter comes . . . like a tree devoid of it's summer leaf . . . they can see your branches and the beauty that lies in your uniqueness, and indeed they celebrate it.



I am very grateful for the friendships in my life, and I am truly a blessed woman who can count many people as being my friends. Some are real and tangible and I can see them often, for they are close to hand. Other's are invisible and live far away, but they are no less tangible or important . . . for I have felt the touch of their hearts upon my life and that is too a beautiful thing.

"You meet your friend,
Your face brightens . . .
You have struck gold"
~Kassia

Today I offer a special prayer of thanksgiving for all the friends in my life. You know who you are, and know also that I love each one of you dearly.




One of the things I discovered, after coming over here to the UK was Curry. It was not something we ate a lot of where I come from in Canada, the only Indians there being North American Indians . . . and they didn’t eat curries . . . Pemmican and Bannock being more to their tastes. I have fallen in love with curry and East Indian food. I made this lovely curry for our supper last night and am looking forward to having the leftovers for our lunch today . . . as anyone knows with these types of things, it can only taste better for having sat over night . . .



*Sautéed Chicken Curry*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I love cooking with chicken breasts. They can happily accept many flavours and I love coming up with new ways of preparation. I think this is a delicious experiment of mine that I will be repeating often! You needn't serve this curry with anything more than some plain steamed basmati rice, and maybe a steamed green vegetable on the side. It really is delicious!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 TBS butter
2 TBS olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 fat cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS curry powder (I use a medium strength)
1 TBS peeled and grated fresh gingerroot
The grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup hot chicken broth
2 heaping TBS mango chutney
1 TBS chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 TBS chopped fresh mint
½ cup lightly toasted cashew nuts

Thinly slice the chicken breasts lengthwise and then again in half so that you end up with four thin pieces from each. Season well with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until hot and the butter sizzles. Toss in the chicken pieces and brown them well on both sides. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Reducing the heat sauté the onion, stirring until tender and translucent. Thisshould take 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute longer, taking care not to brown it as this makes it bitter. Add the curry powder, orange zest, ginger and orange juice, stirring to scrap up the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes to reduce somewhat and then return the chicken to the pan, simmering for 3 minutes or so to cook through. Stir in the chutney and sprinkle with the coriander, mint and cashew nuts before serving.

Serve hot with some steamed or pilau rice on the side and some naan bread to sop up all that lovely sauce.



If a curry's not to your taste, check out the Sticky Pork Filet with Balsamic Onions over in The English Kitchen!

To all the "Old Bessies"

I've heard of ships being named after Duchesses and Queens, streets named after councillors and famous film and pop stars, and beautiful roses named after the gardeners that developed them. Diseases are often named after the people who first contracted them or the people who discovered them. But up until now I had never heard of a teapot named after a Grannie!

Just recently a friend told me about a Grannie named Mrs Bessie Hudson. Mrs Hudson was a real dab hand at making a pot of tea. Over the years of her lifetime she must have brewed countless cuppas for all the guild nights, charity sales, boutiques and craft days, amongst other functions at her local church, St Paul's.



One day some of the St Paul's teapots needed replacing and when the question of new ones was discussed someone came up with a brilliant idea. A special chrome, 30-cupper was ordered and secretly inscribed with the words, "Our Bessie." At a surprise ceremony the Vicar launched it with a short speech and a packet of tea tied to the handle. Bessie acknowledged it with a regal curtsey and a light hearted reply.

It was just a bit of heart warming nonsense of course . . . but beneath all the silliness, there ran a warm seam of deep respect and esteem for this wonderful elderly lady who served her church and community so cheerfully and selflessly.



Our communities, churches and charity shops are filled with old "Bessies" . . . those lovely and wonderfully tireless volunteers who serve the public with smiles, chuckles and big old hearts. Today I'm raising a cup and saluting all the "Bessies" in our lives! Here's to you who make our lives and communities a nicer and happier place.



I am loving my new cooker. It has so many nice features that I had never heard of before or dreamed of. Special settings for cooking cakes, roasting meats, chickens etc. and even a special setting that you can use to rise your bread! What will they think of next???

This is one of our favourite Vegetarian suppers. It's so rich and satisfying you will never miss the meat! I just love anything with Mexican flavours!



*Enchiladas Calabaza*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

I’m not sure where this delicious recipe started. I’m not even sure it’s authentically Mexican. I only know that it’s a tasty way to get your husband and children to eat some vegetables in a most enjoyable way! A butternut squash filling makes these a vegetarian delight!

2-3 pounds butternut squash
6 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese
4 spring onions, sliced
½ tsp mild chili powder
¼ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp oregano leaves
1/4 tsp sa1t
pinch cinnamon
12 corn tortillas
12 ounces salsa, spicy or mild as you wish
1 cup grated medium cheddar cheese (or more if you want!)

Pre-heat your oven to 200*C/400*F. Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking tray and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and then scoop the flesh out as soon as you can handle them. (I hold them in one hand with a oven mitt and scoop out the flesh with the other using a spoon to scrape it out into a a bowl) Mash the hot squash together with the cream cheese until the mixture is fairly smooth and the cheese is melted all in. Stir in the spices and the chopped spring onion.

Lower the oven heat to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark4. Warm the tortillas in a skillet until pliable. Fill each tortilla with ¼ cup of the butternut squash mixture and roll up tightly. Place in a greased baking dish, seam side down. Pour the salsa over the filled tortillas. Top with the grated cheese.

Cover with foil, tightly, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is all bubbly and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving. We like to have these with sour cream and more chopped spring onions for sprinkling on top. Yummy!



In The English Kitchen today, some delicious Sour Cream Apple Squares.

The Twilight of the year . . .

How beautiful are the grey-blue twilights of October. I sit at the window looking out at the first stars that appear . . . pricking through the dusk, but all too soon darkness falls . . . a golden crescent moon hangs in the sky . . .

It is time to lower the blinds and draw in the curtains . . . time to light the lamps.



Oh, it is lovely in the evening . . . the time when one can rediscover the joys and comforts of home, softly lit rooms . . . the hearth all cosy and warm . . .

The wood snaps and crackles and the air is filled with that familiar scent . . . it is the smell of autumn . . .



One can sit and watch the flames for hours . . . a blanket covering the knees tucked up underneath you, a good book for reading on your lap . . . a soft light over head.

The flames flicker and cast their magic spell about the room . . . they sing a song . . . home . . . home . . . sweet, sweet home . . . a place to perfectly catch the mood of the season . . .



Such is the tranquility of spirit that comes only at this time of year . . . at the twilight of the year . . .

Have you ever felt that you were standing upon the precipace of something big?? I feel like that right now and it is altogether exciting and a little bit frightening as well. Only time will tell . . . but . . . wish me luck and say a little prayer or two . . . hopefully all will be revealed soon . . . soon . . .



Off to puppy school today. Mitzie is coming along ever so well. She is friendly to everyone she meets, and quite affectionate. She's laying next to me right now and it is such a lovely feeling. I was missing that . . .

Here’s a little delicacy I picked up through the years. My mom would make this sometimes when we were kids and it was always a real treat. Of course her's only had salt and pepper for seasoning. She discovered this recipe way back when we were living in Germany in the 1950’s. She always did it with veal which was not something she could often get. I like to make it with turkey or chicken breasts, or even pork fillets pounded flat. It’s always delicious.



*Wiener Schnitzel*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Traditionally made with veal steaks I more often than not make this with turkey or pork. It’s easy to do and always delicious! Serve with some lemon wedges for squirting over the finished dish!

1 pound of turkey cutlets, or pork fillet
(cut into 2 inch thick pieces)
(if you can get it veal cutlets are very good)
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp sweet paprika
Garlic granules
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TBS parsley flakes
2 tsp lemon juice
1 large egg
Oil for cooking

Pound the meat until it is about ¼ inch thick. Season each piece lightly with salt, pepper and garlic granules and set aside.

Beat the egg together with the lemon juice in a shallow dish. Put the bread crumbs along with the paprika and parsley flakes into another shallow dish. I like them up on the counter in a row….first the plate of meat, then the dish with the egg and finally the breadcrumbs.

Into a large skillet pour oil, approximately ¼ inch deep and heat until the oil bubbles when you drop in a few bread crumbs.

Dip your meat, one piece at a time, into the egg and then into the bread crumbs, coatingwell. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown on each side. Place on a paper towel lined baking tray and keep warm in the oven until you are finished cooking them all.

Serve hot with lemon wedges. Delicious!



In The English Kitchen today, some scrummy Buttermilk Scone Muffins!