Sometimes I get goodies!!!

A week or so ago, there was a knock on the door about mid afternoon, which sent our Jess into a real tizzy. It's so wierd, she is such a meek and mild dog, but let the post man or a delivery person knock on our door and she turns into White Fang . . .

Anyways, Todd came back through with a huge black box, saying . . . "What have you ordered now???" ( Todd is so funny. He says I am like a Magician because I am always turning money into things, tee hee)

I was so excited because, just a week or so before I had been told that I would be getting a lovely Christmas Hamper from the folks at InterFlora for free! (and just for writing a little blurb about them too!) It was a win/win situation really, because I have been using InterFlora for years!



It was the lovely Christmas Festivities Hamper and I was just thrilled! Todd was all excited too, as I opened up the box. He couldn't believe that the lovely people at InterFlora has sent this to me for nothing. Inside was a sturdy wicker picnic hamper just brimming with a tasty assortment of festive indulgencies . . . from fine wines, luxury mince pies and a Maxwell & Frank's Christmas pudding to clotted cream fudge, lovely chocolates, and some tasty preserves and chutney's. I have always wished that someone would send me a hamper at Christmas time, and what a beauty this one was! I was most impressed with the quality and variety of the goods enclosed, and after seeing it, I would readily buy one of these for gifts was I ever so inclined.



The funny thing is I have been an InterFlora customer for years now. Because I live so far away from my family back in Canada, when I first came over here I did a search to find out a good way that I could send flowers and gifts to my family back home. I discovered InterFlora, and have been using them ever since. Each holiday occasion during the year, be it Easter, or Mother's Day, my mom's birthday or Christmas I order a lovely arrangement from them to be delivered to my mom, and I will most certainly be ordering some Christmas Flowers through them in just a few weeks time, to be sent to her again this year.

It's so wonderful that they deliver internationally, and I have to say, not a word of a lie, that my mother has always been thrilled with the flowers she has received from them. They have always arrived in wonderful shape and are just beautiful. I take my hat off to them, I really do. I have also used them to send flowers to a few friends on different occasions as well as to my two daughter's in law when they each told me that they were expecting their first babies. (I think an occasion such as that deserves a special gift don't you?) Anyways, this company is just wonderful . . . reliable, trustworthy and very, very good at what they do! I highly recommend them for all your floral and gift needs!

It was a gorgeous if cool day here yesterday, although to be honest Todd and I passed it in a bit of a funk as we were so tired after the day before! I thought a bit of an indulgence was due and so I made us this delicious Gingerbread Pudding Cake for our dessert after our dinner. I just love pudding cakes . . . you get a delicious moist cake along with a tasty sauce all at the same time! This one is one of our favourites, as we are real gingerbread nuts in this house!!!



*Gingerbread Pudding Cake*
Serves 12, (but can be successfully halved)
Printable Recipe

I just love pudding cakes, and this one is a spicy delight! Serve warm with ice cream for a realy tasty treat!

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup molasses
(mild and in the uk you can use 1/4 cup dark treacle mixed with 1/4 cup golden syrup)
1 cup water
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/3 cup butter, melted



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg and cardamom together in a bowl. Set aside.



Cream the butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in the egg. Mix the molasses and water together and then beaet that into the creamed butter, alternately with the flour mixture, beating only until blended. Do not over beat. Pour batter into an ungreased 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over top. Stir together the hot water and melted butter and carefully pour this over top of the batter. Do not stur. Bake for 40 to 55 minutes, or until the gingerbread looks all cracked on top and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Serve warm with some ice cream. Delicious!!



I made some good use out of some leftovers yesterday in the way of a Beef, Bean and Bacon Casserole. It's absolutely delicious and works well with leftover Turkey as well! (I'm quite sure there's a lot of that hanging about just now!) Check it out over on The English Kitchen!