The Simple Woman's Day book . . .

FOR TODAY, July19th, 2011...

Outside My Window...
It is wet and overcast . . . although not raining at the moment. It's also quite cool. What happened to summer? I think we had it in April!! Here's hoping September is a good month and makes up for it. We will be in Cumbria and I am hoping it won't rain every day.

I am thinking...
About Lura and wondering how her operation went yesterday. She has been on my mind constantly and the longer it goes without hearing anything, the more worried I get. I am praying in double time here, and placing all of my trust in the Lord, which is as it should be.

I am thankful for...
I've been dealing with a legal issue over these past few months, which goes back to my previous marriage and the financial settlement which was arranged. We are finally beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I was quite stressed about it yesterday morning, and beginning to think I might be dead before it was resolved, but after a few e-mails and a telephone conversation, I am feeling a lot more optimistic about things.

From the kitchen...
Leftover muffins and fruit, lots of lovely, tasty fruit. I love summer!

I am wearing...
A turquoise nightie and my slippers. Comfy, comfy, comfy . . .

I am creating...



This is my newest piece that I was working on yesterday afternoon. As you can see friends were very much on my mind. I will be putting it out mainly as cards, but if anyone should want it as a print that is also very do-able! Slightly different colours and older looking girls for this one!

I am waiting on an order I placed with Moo cards for stickers to put on the back of my cards. I thought I had paid extra for them to be delivered by last Friday, but alas, I misunderstood and it was this Friday coming. I know . . . Wot am I like???

I am going...
Not a lot on really. Meetings tomorrow night and that's pretty much it. I have my one step program on Friday, which I have missed for two weeks running and can't miss this week, and my reading lessons that I am giving every day. Other than that my calendar is empty!

I am reading...



The White Queen, by Philippa Gregory

Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this fictionalized historical account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.

The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills. I am really enjoying this book thus far, but then Philippa Gregory is a favourite of mine. This is the first book in a series of three, so watch this space!

I am hoping...
That the news about Lura is good news. I am also hoping that I hear something soon. I am on pins and needles the longer it goes.

I am hearing...
Early morning sounds . . . the clock on the mantle humming as the wheels inside it turn. The odd car as it goes by. Mitzie snuffling here curled up behind me on the sofa. The tap tapping of the computer keys as I write. Birds singing in the garden. All is right with the world.

Around the house...
Not a lot to do but Ironing. We are really enjoying this diswasher . . . marveling at how clean it gets the dishes. I am especially loving the glass ware and cutlery! I love squeaky clean! Todd is loving it too, especially as his fingers have been blissfully dry since it's arrival!!

One of my favourite things...
At the moment is puttering in my organized craft room. It is so nice to know where everything is and to have room enough to putter! Next we will be tackling the sheds!! (A tall order and it calls for nice weather too!)

Here is picture thought I am sharing...



The yellow rose bush out front is filled with blooms right now, as are all the rose bushes in the back. Our Hydrangea are also filled with lovely blooms . . . so, too, the lavender, sweet peas, petunias, geraniums, daisies, etc. Our garden is a riot of bloom and colour. I love it all so very much. The two pears on our little pear tree get bigger each day, and the apples on our apple tree as well, and they are getting rosier and rosier! I do love our garden . . . we are so very blessed. Mitzie has the run of it now and is really enjoying it as well. She likes to dig though and often gets her paws all muddy and is not too happy when I have to wash them before she comes in! I do so love summer, rainy or dry . . . and I see the sun peeking over the row of houses in front os now so a sunny day just might be in order! Here's hoping!

And just as a closing thought for today . . .

A magical perspective: If, in your mind, you can bring up the drawbridges on yesterday and tomorrow and restrict yourself to today . . . your cares will evaporate and your joys will skyrocket. ~anonymous

You cannot change the past. You cannot control the future. There's no point in worrying about either one. Just make your present the best that you can possibly manage and all will be right.

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!

I am being optomistic in posting this recipe here today. I am thinking of hot summer days and sunshine and the need for cooling desserts!!



*Almond Toffee Ice Cream Loaf*
Serves 8 to 10
Printable Recipe

A tasty way to beat the summer heat!

1 cup of toasted slivered almonds, divided
2 cups of vanilla wafer crumbs (about 42 wafers)
3 TBS butter, melted
1 (14 ounce) tin of sweetened condensed milk
1 TBS vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 (1/4 ounce) English Toffee candy bars, crushed
2 cups of heavy cream, whipped

Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil, allowing the foil to extend above sides of pan. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the almonds and then combine them with the wafer crumbs in a medium bowl. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture and set aside. Combine the remainder with the melted butter, and press firmly into the bottom and halfway up sides of prepared loaf pan.

Combine the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and almond extracts in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the reserved crumb mixture, crushed candy bars and remaining 1/2 cup of chopped almonds. Fold in the whipped cream.

Pour this mixture into the prepared pan. Cover tightly and freeze for 6 hours or until firm. To serve, remove from pan. Invert onto a serving dish and peel off the foil. Garnish as desired. Slice to serve.

Note: To toast almonds, place almonds in dry nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan until the nuts are lightly browned.

Here in the UK where Vanilla Wafers are not available use rich tea biscuit cookies or even plain shortbread biscuits. You want a plain vanilla flavoured biscuit.



Baking in The English Kitchen today, some delicious Queen's Muffins, stogged fully of buttery goodness and tasty dried currants!

The Simple Woman's Day book

FOR TODAY, January 11th, 2011...

Outside My Window...
It's cold, wet and windy . When the wind blows down the chimney it whistles and sounds twice as cold as it really is. One might almost imagine we were in a drafty old house lost somewhere out on the moors . . .

I am thinking...
Yesterday I realized that in just two short months we will have been back here in Chester a year. My goodness the time has just flown by! It hardly seems possible, and yet . . . it is!

I am thankful for...
Mitzie is healing very well from her operation. She had a good check up from the Vet yesterday and we were told we didn't need to keep that plastic thing on her unless we were not around to supervise her. I didn't have the courage to say that was what we were already doing!

From the kitchen...
I need to bake a cake. I am craving cake. A nice farmhouse fruit type of cake. Anyone else with me on this?

I am wearing...
Blue stripey jim jam bottoms, a turquoise short nightgown and my blue robe and slippers. Yes, I am still layering to keep warmer.

I am creating...
Still working on new designs and that special project. I have some new dolls that I am going to showcase soon as well. It's all go in my creative workshop! I feel like one of Santa's Elves, except a lot taller and my ears are not pointed!

I am going...
I have a Presidency meeting for Primary tomorrow night. I want to get in there early as I want to work on the bulletin board if I can. I will need to go into town in the morning to pick up a few things for it that I will need. I hope that it is not raining. Other than that I have not a lot of plans this week. So, all in all, a very quiet week ahead.

I am reading...



The Weight of Silence, by Heather Gudenkauf
A tense tale following the disappearance of two seven-year-old girls from a small town in Iowa, the storytelling is brilliant and easy to read. In short it is a can't put it down kind of book! Very engaging and wonderfully written. If you like books by Jodi Picoult you will love this novel. Spread over a 16 hour period of time it follows the disappearance of two 7 year old girls who disappear from their homes on the same night without a trace. Written a chapter at a time by a different narrator each time, (individual characters in the book) it is a real page turner!


I am hoping...
I have an appointment at that special clinic on the 29th of January and I am hoping it all goes well. I have been reading up on Knee replacements. It is a bit scary and I am deathly afraid of operations. The last operation I had, a tubal ligation (21 years ago now), I almost hemorrhaged to death afterwards. It was really frightening. I was walking out of the hospital to get into the car which my husband had pulled up to the door and everything just let go. I could feel the stitches ripping out and it was just like my insides were pouring out. He threw me into the back of the car and drove me around to the Emergency Entrance right away and back in I went. Very frightening experience to say the least!!

I am hearing...
Early morning sounds . . . the house cracking and snapping as it comes alive. Clocks ticking. Walls creaking . . . the Westminster chimes from our newest clock, Mitzie snuffling here beside me. Joyful sounds. The house is waking up. Some things never change . . . and that is a good thing I am thinking.

Around the house...
My kitchen table is so untidy. I am good at taking things out, but not so good at putting them back. It drives Todd to distraction!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
Not a lot, not a lot. A bit of this and a bit of that and a lot of puttering in between. Sounds good to me!


Here is picture thought I am sharing...



He first lit up our screens way back in 1994 as the brooding hero of Middlemarch and has recently been starring as Aurelio Zen in the BBC 1 series, Zen, on Sunday evenings. (Based on Michael Dibdin's best selling crime novels.) Not since Vinni Barbarino in Welcome Back Kotter have I been so enamoured of a male television character. Rufus Sewell . . . that hypnotic green gaze, those chiselled cheekbones, that toused crop, that sultry husky voice . . . dressed in a well cut dark Italian suit, and wearing Persol shades . . . striding around Italy, the place I want to visit more than anything and dream about going to one day. Sigh . . . I think Todd thinks I've gone mad. As the youth would say . . . I fancy him something rotten. I thought he'd make a little eye candy this morning. I hope you don' t mind me sharing!☺

And just as a closing thought for today . . .

The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.
~paulo coelho

A thought to inspire for today. I am glad that I can see the simple things. They greatly enrich my life in ways too many to count!


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's some more eye candy! Oh my, but this is some good. And calorie free of course! (Shhh . . . )




*Hot Butterscotch Sauce*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Beautiful served on top of cold ice cream. Delicious contrast to say the least!

1/2 cup packed soft light brown sugar
a generous 1/2 cup cream
5 TBS butter

To serve:
4 scoops of vanilla ice cream
some crushed nut brittle or toasted nuts

Place all of the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and cook for about 3 minutes. Serve hot as the sauce will set up when cool. Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and gently rewarmed for use another time.

To make a sundae, put a bit of the warm sauce in the bottom of two bowls. Add the ice cream and spoon more sauce over top. Scatter with some crushed nut brittle or toasted nuts and serve.



Bacon and Cheese Scones are being served over in The English Kitchen today.

Doors . . .

There are many different kinds of doors. Some look very welcoming and inviting and yet others look seemingly repellant, and most unwelcoming.



There are the friendly cottage doors, which have a cosy homely air. Doors which have tangled roses climbing around the entryway, clinging as if they love to linger there.



Door of churches have a hallowed look . . . doors which have had countless worshippers pass through their way to sing their songs of praise and to say their prayers.



There are prison doors through with men pass, bereft of hope . . . no longer free. Hospital doors that stand open, with mercy and humanity.



And then there is the door to our hearts. May anyone who enters ever fail to find a swift response of sympathy, a warm welcome, a kind word or two and . . . love for all therein.

Just a quick one this morning as I am running very late. I slept in! I must have been very tired to do that! I thought I would share one of the desserts that I made for work at the weekend with you this morning. It looks pretty fancy but is not all that hard to make. It does take time over several days to execute but is delicious. The pictures are not the greatest. The light was very poor and I didn't have a lot of time to faff with them. Trust me when I say it was totally delicious! All the guests enjoyed it immensely!



*Lemon Torte*
Serves 10 to 12
Printable Recipe

A delicious frozen lemon dessert with a glorious crown of meringue on top. Perfect for the special occasions in your life.

48 lady fingers
(These should be the soft variety, or you can make your own)
1 tsp lemon zest
5 large eggs, seperated
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
3/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup powdered sugar



Take one 9 by 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inch loose bottom or springform pan. Coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Take about 23 ladyfingers and cut a small amount off of one rounded end to create a flat bottom. Use these to arrange in a ring all the way around the inside of the prepared pan, with the attractive side touching the pan and the rough side inside. Line the bottom of the pan with the remaining ladyfingers, placing them pretty side down and cutting or tearing small pieces to fit into any gaps. Cover tightly with cling film and then place in the freezer.

Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl containing the lemon zest. Set aside.

In the top of a double boiler, and over simmering water, whisk together the 5 egg yolks, 2 of the eggs whites, the sugar and the lemon juice,.(Place the remainder of the egg whites into the fridge until later.) Cook, whisking constantly for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens enough to pool slightly on it's surface before disappearing into the mixture. An instant read thermometer should read 180*F/82*C.

Immediately scrape the mixture into the strainer over the bowl. Press all of it through with a rubber spatula. Stir to incorporate the lemon zest completely. Cover with cling film and allow to cool completely to the touch. This should take about 1 hour at room temperature. Stir often.

Place the cream into a chilled bowl. Whip, starting on low speed, gradually raising the speed to medium high, just until it thickens and begins to mound slightly when dropped from a spoon. It will continue to thicken while mixing it with the lemon filling, so do be careful NOT to overwhip it, or it will end up looking granular.

Using a whisk, stir about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the lemon mixture. Scrape in the remainder and fold it in gently and thorougly until uniform in colour. Remove the pan from the frezer. Scrape this mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Cover tightly with more cling film and freeze for at least 5 hours, or up to 5 days.

Pre-heat the broiler on your oven. Whisk the egg whites that you have saved until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and slowly add the icing sugar (sifted) until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Using a small spatula spread this mixture evenly over the top of the frozen torte, right to the edges. Swirl the top fo make it look attracive.

Place on a baking sheet and put under the broiler for about 1 minute, until golden brown. Remove from the broiler. Wrap the pan in aluminium foil, allowing it to extend several inches over the top to protect the meringue and then place back in the freezer for the minimum of one hour or up to one week.

When ready to serve, remove the freezer and gently push out if you are using a loose bottom cake tin, or remove the band if you are using a springform pan. Place on a pretty plate. Let stand at room temperature for one hour before serving. Cut into thin slices with a sharp serrated knife to serve.



Over on The English Kitchen today . . . Roasted Cod with Pancetta and Artichoke Pesto. Delicious!