Awards, Winners and a Giveaway

"Who knows but that something wonderful may happen today. Have Faith that it will. After all, every morning is a chance at a new day!" ~Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Here it is my 150th post and I have two reasons to celebrate and a whole lot of things to give away! I was just thrilled to discover a day or so ago that Lindsey of Cafe Johnsonia had gifted me with a "Blogger With Purpose" award. I just love getting awards! For one thing it lets me know that my readers appreciate all my work and effort and two, it affords me the opportunity to pass them on in turn to other bloggers that I love and adore!



Here's my five chosen recipients for the "Blogger With Purpose" award in no specific order:

1. Nicole from the blog Poppins
Nicole is a pretty nifty young lady from America (Utah to be exact) who is living and working over here in England as a nanny! Hence the play on Mary Poppins in the title of her blog. Her writing is both brilliant and entertaining and a wonderful insight to a foreigners view of life in England and a spectacular travelogue as Nicole visits various areas in the UK and Europe on her days off. I happen to know Nicole personally, but that's not why I am gifting her with this award. I'm gifting it to her because she is a fantastic writer and woman of heart!

2. Tracy from the blog Pink Purl
Tracy is another American lady, that now lives in Norway. Her page is beautiful. On there you will find a feast for the eyes and the soul. She designs and creates beautiful handbags and jewelry and is the gentlest, kindest lady you could ever want to know. Visiting her page is like breathing in a lovely breath of fresh air. I love her to bits. I also happen to know her personally, but that not why I'm giving her this award personally either. I'm gifting it to her because I think she makes a difference in the blogging world to all those whose lives she touches with her words!

3. Miranda of A Duck In Her Pond
Miranda is a really saavy and sweet lady from across the pond in Texas. Now, I have often heard that things are bigger and better in Texas, but I have come to believe that they also create brilliant writers in Texas as well and great women of heart. I have come to know Miranda through the wonderful words she pens on her page. She writes lovely stories about "The Land Under the Flowered Bed", with brilliant and tangeable characters, her words never failing to weave a magical spell around the reader. Why this girl is not yet published is beyond me! Trust me when I say, it won't be long!

4. Chelle of The Value of Cheerfulness
I've been visiting Chelle's page for a couple of years now. She has such a gentle and sweet spirit and it shows in every one of her posts. Her pages share with us her lovely life with her husband and wee little girl. She's a great young woman with a lot of faith and purpose in life and it comes through with ever post. Visiting her page is like taking a holiday in a warm and gentle place where flowers bloom all year round and the air is filled with joy.

5. Misty of A Road Less Travelled
I've only just discovered Misty over these past few months but feel as if I've known her forever. She writes from the perspective of a mother who grew up being abused and of her struggle to break that cycle. She's a fabulous mother and wife and woman of faith. Well, I'll let her words tell you. "Let this account stand as a witness that I have chosen to not be silenced. A witness that I am happy, that I have over come, that I am not bound my their chains. Let this blog be a witness of how proud I am to claim my past as my truth, and let this blog witness that I am every thing with out them." If ever anyone was a blogger with purpose, Misty is one!

So there you have it, my five recipients of the "Blogger With A Purpose" award. Ladies, wear it with pride, for you well deserve it! Now, if you want to, (you have a choice here, it's not mandatory) it's your turn to nominate your favorite blogs to receive a "Blogging with a Purpose" award. Here's what you do:

1. nominate 5 blogs which haven't had this award before
2. each of the blogs must have a purpose
3. the nominated blogs must make a link back to this page
4. the logo from the award must be put on their blog and it must link back to this blog!

It's as simple as that! Now, because I love to give people things I would also like to give each one of these ladies a small print of their choice of my artwork. Just a little momento like, so ladies take a gander at my work, pick your favourite piece and then let me know which one you would like and your mailing address and before you know it, a little piece of me will be winging it's way towards you!



In honor of my 150th post, I would also like to give to one of you, my readers, the opportunity to be put into a draw for what else, but . . . a cookbook!! Annie Bell's "In My Kitchen." Annie Bell is one of my favourite food writers, and this is one of my favourite books, and NO I'm not giving away my copy, but a brand spanking new copy. I have always thought that, if you give someone something that you love yourself, then you are giving them a real treasure! This book is just full of lovely recipes to prepare for family and friends! If you want to be in on the giveaway just leave a comment in this post, and next week I shall draw one of your lucky names as a winner, but then again, you are all winners to me! (Don't worry about your location, I'll post it anywhere!)

I thought I better give you my cottage pie recipe before it gets too warm for eating comfort food like this. My Todd is a real meat and potatoes man and is never happier than when I plunk down a nice plate of comfort food in front of him. He could eat this tasty dish every night of the week, he loves it so. Cottage Pie and Shepherd's Pie are not the same thing. While they are very similar in execution, cottage pie is made with either minced beef or leftover roast beef, and, shepherd's pie is made with minced lamb or leftover roast lamb. Both are totally delicious and what I'd consider to be comforting, moreish family food, although in all honesty I would not hesitate to serve this up to a good friend either. Then again, friends are family you get to choose for yourself aren't they?



*Cottage Pie*
Serves 4

Tender and flavourful minced beef topped with a tasty mixture of mashed potatoes and leeks. This is comfort food at it's best. I do not recommend freezing it with the topping of mashed potatoes, but feel free to make up the meat mixture and freeze that as it freezes very well. Then when you want a quick meal you can just thaw it out, spread it in a casserole dish and top it with some fresh mash! The melted cheese on top is it's crowning glory!

1 pound of minced extra lean beef
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 of a small swede (rutabaga) peeled and finely chopped
2 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried summer savoury, or mixed herbs if you can't get the summer savoury
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 TBS plain flour
1 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)
10 ounces of hot beef stock (I use stock cubes)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
TOPPING:
2 pounds floury potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
a splash of cream or whole milk
salt and a grating of fresh nutmeg to taste
2 medium leeks, cleaned well and chopped
2 ounces butter
2 ounces of grated strong cheddar cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Grease a shallow baking dish well with butter and set aside.

Heat a large skillet and add the oil. When it is hot add the onions and cook, stirring over medium heat until they are soft. Add the carrot and swede and continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the minced beef, and cook and stir for about 10 minutes, until the meat and the vegetables are beginning to brown. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper to taste, and then sprinkle with the, cinnamon, herbs and the flour. Stir in the tomato puree and the stock, cooking and stirring until it thickens and comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes while you make the topping.

Put the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender and then drain well. While they are cooking, melt the butter in a heated skillet and add the leeks. Cook the leeks in the butter until they are thoroughly cooked and softened, without browning. Remove from the heat. Drain the cooked potatoes well and then return them to the pot. Mash the potatoes well and season with a bit of salt and fresh nutmeg. Stir in a bit of cream to slacken them somewhat and make them fluffy and then stir in the cooked leeks with the butter that they have cooked in. Mix all together well.

Spoon the hot meat mixture into the greased baking dish. Spread the potato mixture evenly over the top. Sprinkle on the grated cheese. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is crusty and golden brown and the filling is bubbling up.



PS What do you all think of the music I have added? Is it good or not?