Having a list of dreams . . .

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

A wise man was known to be writing a book, but the years went by and he was still a long way from reaching the last page. One day, when he was very old, a young man asked him if he was not impatient to see it completed.

The old man smiled. “All my life it has been my ambition to finish writing my book, but an ambition realized is like a snowflake in a warm hand. Take away my dream, and what would I have left?”

When he died, his pen was still in his hand, the unfinished manuscript in front of him. It is said he was smiling happily.

If the story has a moral, it is this: Don’t take away people’s hopes and dreams. Often they are the most precious things in their lives.

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

When I first read this story, I thought how sweet . . . but then, when I really started thinking about and pondering the words I thought . . . how sad. This poor man was so wrapped up in pursuing his dream, that he never ever really accomplished it. All his life and his work was in vain.

I have hopes and dreams, and I have more than one! I find them inspiring and they do give me hope, and everyone needs that. I like to think however, that once accomplished, these dreams and hopes will be replaced with other ones. I have a list that I keep on the computer. It is called Marie’s Dream list. Yesterday I was looking at it, and I realized that, out of 12 items on the list, I have already accomplished four!!! To me that’s amazing, and it brings me even more hope! I’m a third of the way through my list! I think it is also something which is called a bucket list . . . or a list of things you would like to accomplish or see before you die.

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

I think if we keep our hopes and dreams realistic, then there is more chance of them coming to fruition. And what are hopes and dreams for, if they never have any chance of coming true? People do need hope, and they need dreams. These are often the driving forces in our lives. The things that keep us going. But if they can never be achieved, and always lie outside of our grasp, they might well end up being the very things that serve to bring us down!

I would inspire you all to make yourself a dream or a bucket list. Fill it with pictures of the things you hope for. Look at it often and visualize yourself living within the grasp of these hopes and dreams. I dare say that it won’t be too long before, like me, you are able to strike some of them off your list . . . as they will already have come true. The nice thing about that is you get to replace them with new ones, and not to coin a famous phrase or anything, but . . . “That’s a good thing.”

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

I am so late getting up this morning. I don't think I slept barely a wink last night. I spent the whole night in a dream state just below consciousness! Crazy dreams too! The last one I had was about crocodiles in ponds (In my father's bedroom) and baby mice, which were running about and getting eaten by cats. Not sure what it all means, but . . . they were white mice with pink eyes!! Crazy stuff!

Here's a tasty pasta dish that will have your family drooling and sitting about the table in great anticipation!! I also make another version of these which has a taco filling. Both are very popular!


*Stuffed Pasta Shells*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

Pasta shells stuffed with a delicious meat and three cheese filling. It does make rather a lot, so I usually divide it into two casseroles and freeze one for another time. Be sure to cook your shells only to al dente (Still slightly firm). This makes them a lot easier to fill and means that they won't over cook during the baking.

24 uncooked extra large pasta shells
1 pound extra lean ground beef
fine sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste
1 large jar (26 ounces) chunky spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup water
1 container of chive and onion cream cheese (8 ounce)
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese (6 ces)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 large free range egg
1 to 2 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish, if desired

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Cook and drain pasta as directed on the package for al dente pasta. Set aside.

Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat, seasoning with some salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook until browned thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Drain off any fat or liquid that may accumulate and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Mix the pasta sauce and water in a large bowl. Place one cup of it into the bottom of an ungreased 13 by 9 inch glass baking dish. Mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup of the Italian cheese blend, the Parmesan cheese, egg and ground beef in a medium bowl. Mix well together. Spoon heaping tablespoons of the mixture into each cooked pasta shell. Arrange the stuffed shells over the sauc ein the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over top of the shells, covering them completely. Cover the dish with foil.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly and the filling has set. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Italian Cheese blend. Bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the cheese has melted. Sprinkle with the parsley just prior to serving, if using.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, Heuvos Rancheros! Ole!!

The Simple Woman's Day book . . .

FOR TODAY, January 10th, 2012...

Outside My Window...
All is calm, and dark, and somewhat cold. We've really had a very mind winter so far this year, and I dare say . . . with a LOT of wind. No snow as of yet. My mom says they haven't had a lot of snow either. Snow one day, rain the next so nothing stays. She says the ground isn't even frozen yet, which is very unusual for Canada in January!

I am thinking...
I got an e-mail from my daughter this morning wanting to know what colour I would be wearing for the wedding. That is the first time I have been asked that question. I don't know what to say. I haven't even begun to look for a dress yet. When I do though, it will probably be either blue or pink, because those are the colours I like and that look best on me.

I am thankful for...
The Holy Ghost in my life. It helps to guide me and helps me to make right choices most of the time. I know it may sound a bit corny to some, but it's true. I am so grateful for it's presence in my life. I don't know how anyone copes without it!

From the kitchen...
There is not an awful lot . . . leftover cookies I think. I am trying hard to be good.

I am wearing...
Turquoise Nightie, grey and pink jim jam bottoms, slippers and robe. Yes, I know it is a bit of an odd mix, but meh . . . it keeps me warm.

I am creating...



I think I am finally getting the art of shading hair properly!! What do you think??? I sat down and did this little lady yesterday afternoon after Todd got home from town. I never know what I am going to paint when I first sit down. I sit for a few minutes, plug in my Walkman and let the music speak to me and then, and only then does my pencil begin to move on the paper. What comes out comes out. I think she looks quite relaxed and reflective.

I am going...
I have an appointment this afternoon on the other side of town and then tomorrow the council is coming for another appointment for our shower. I think this is the final approval. (Fingers crossed it goes through!) I have invited some friends for lunch on Thursday. Todd has a hospital appointment on Saturday for his hearing, and I think an old missionary who is now home from his mission is coming to stay with us for a few days. I can't remember the exact day he arrives, but it will be nice to see him again! He was a nice lad! He has come back to be a witness in a trial over here. Apparently he witnessed a crime when he was on his mission. I had told him did he ever need a place to stay we had a room, and you know how the rest goes!

I am reading...




(watch the trailer, it's good)

Sadie, by Rebecca Belliston

Sadie Dawson thinks she has the perfect life until one Christmas Day when a misunderstanding leads to a brutal event that changes everything. Terrified, Sadie flees her boyfriend's wrath, two FBI agents, and her "perfect life." Lost in a Montana snowstorm and desperate for refuge, she's rescued by four guys on their annual holiday ski vacation. But even as her physical wounds heal, Sadie wonders is she will ever be able to escape the clutches of her wealthy and determined boyfriend. While her heart tells her there is more to a perfect life than diamond necklaces and elegant dinner parties, Sadie doesn't know who she can trust. And just when her heart settles, she finds herself abandoned by the one person who swore to protect her for a religion she doesn't understand. Will she have the courage to follow her heart and find the life that is perfect for her?

I am loving the strength and personalities of the characters in this book. It has caught my interest and kept it, a real page turner. Plus it is wonderfully refreshing to be able to read a "Romance" novel which is wholesome and doesn't have any nasty colourful bits. I highly recommend! (On a side note, she is also the daughter of Gerald Lund, author of a bazillion great books, my favourite of which is called Divine Signatures.)

I am hoping...
I was greatly relieved last week to find out that Todd only has Blepharitis in his eye, not a detached retina. Our eyes are so very important. I have often thought about had I to choose one thing to give up . . . sight or hearing . . . I would rather lose my hearing than my sight. You can feel sound if you need to . . . but I know of nothing that would take the place of my eyes.

I am hearing...
Nothing much. Mitzie is eating her breakfast in the kitchen. The keys are tapping. All is quiet outside. A very normal morning.

Around the house...

Source: marthastewart.com via Marie on Pinterest

The ideas that people come up with for storage are amazing to me. I don't know why, but my brain just doesn't work that way. I can think of a hundred ways to mess some place up, but to tidy it and organize it . . . I just have no clue. This idea here is from Martha Stewart and shows you how to organize and store your bedding. Just keep sheet sets folded tidily inside one of the matching pillow cases! It's such a simple idea and yet . . . why didn't I think of it????

I am looking forward to ...
I have a darned cold again, with the cough. I don't think I have ever really shaken it 100%. It just keeps coming back. Most annoying. I am looking forward to a day, hopefully in the not too distant future when I will no longer have it!

If I could change one thing it would be ...
That I could lose some of this extra weight I carry around with me. I know the solutions . . . but I can't seem to take hold of them. I wish I didn't like food so very much, or that I was one of those lucky people who never seem to truly feel hungry, instead of someone who lives, breathes, sleeps and EATS food! I'm almost always hungry, or at least thinking about my next meal.

One of my favourite things...
Is discovering new things . . . new ideas, new concepts, new books to read, new pictures to paint, new friends to make, etc.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
A bit of work . . . a bit of play . . . and everything in between!!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone, stop every motor and halt all activity for an hour some day to give people a chance to ponder for a few minutes on what it is all about, why they are living, and what they really want.
~James Truslow Adams (1878 - 1949)

We lead such busy lives. I think it would do us each some good to find a quiet space each day, even if only for 5 or 10 minutes to just stop and reflect on what life is really all about. We might be terribly surprised at the answers we get!

As a closing thought I would like to leave you with this:

"Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life."
~Sophia Loren

(I had no idea she was so deep!)

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 a tasty meal that I often cooked for my kids when they were growing up and now cook occasionally for the missionaries. What young person doesn't love burgers and since I am young at heart, I love these too. They're very scrummy indeed and a wonderful once-in-a-blue-moon treat!



*Easy Cheesy Topped Burgers*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Delicious open faced burgers topped with full on cheese flavour! Cheese, Bacon, Onion . . . What’s not to like about these! You know you shouldn’t . . . but you will anyways. . . go ahead, enjoy!

2 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
8 slices cooked smoked streaky bacon, crumbled
1 cup chopped spring onions
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 TBS tomato catsup
3 tsp hot pepper sauce (Optional)
12 minced beef patties (3 pounds)
Bread or hamburger buns, if desired

Heat gas or charcoal grill, or oven grill. In a small bowl mix all ingredients except for the beef patties.

When the grill is heated, place frozen patties on the grill. Cover grill, and cook over medium heat 4 to 8 minutes, turning once, until the patties are nicely browned and cooked through.

Carefully top each patty with about some of the cheese mixture. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. Serve on toasted bread.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Chunky Puy Lentil and Veggie Soup!

A bit of fun . . .

When I was a child, I always knew my mother was superstitious, although I may not have known the name for it at the time. I only knew that everyday occurances were always accompanied with a "saying" or two . . . like for instance "knives and spoons bring pantaloons and forks bring gentle ladies.". If we were dropped cutlery at all, it meant a visitor was coming . . . fork meant a lady and knife or spoon would bring a gentleman. If you put a piece of clothing on inside out, that was good luck! Better not change it back to rightside out though, for the luck would change! Shoes on the table . . . definitely bad luck. Spilling salt, likewise was bad luck . . . you had to throw a pinch over your shoulder without looking . . . now was it the left shoulder or the right? I think it was the left.

The opening of a door of its own accord indicates that a visitor is on the way, whilst a slamming door may damage the 'spirit of the house' and should be avoided.

Source: dreamywhites.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

When baking bread, remember . . .
'She that pricks bread with fork or knife;
will never be a happy maid or wife.' A loaf that splits open while it is in the oven warns of a death to come in the family; a loaf with a hollow centre presages a death; it is unlucky to turn a loaf upside down after cutting the first slice for this will cause the head of the household to fall ill; if a loaf crumbles in your hand as you are cutting it there is going to be a quarrel before very long; drop a slice of buttered bread butter side up and a visitor will arrive.

When you have finished your boiled egg, crush the shell or push the spoon through the bottom to avoid bad luck. This stems from the belief that witches collect up the empty shells and use them to go to sea and work spells against hapless mariners. Also, do not bring eggs into the house after dark as it is bad luck.

To stir the teapot anti-clockwise will stir up a quarrel. If two women pour from the same pot one of them will have a baby within a year. Mom believed in 'reading the tea-leaves' to predict the future, and also cards. Many hours were spent in these pursuits. She had a special deck of cards on the dresser in her bedroom which we weren't allowed to touch or tamper with.

Crossing two knives was bad luck. If you are given a present of a knife, give a coin in return to avoid 'cutting' the friendship.

'Let the superstitious wife
Near the child's heart lay a knife.
Point be up, and haft be down,
While she gossips in the town.
This amongst other mystic charms
Keeps the sleeping child from harms.'

Source: stylemepretty.com via Marie on Pinterest

If two spoons are found in a tea cup there will be a wedding in the family; if you drop one and it lands with the bowl upwards you are in for a pleasant surprise.

Members of the opposite sex should never dry themselves on the same towel as this will invariably lead to a quarrel between them.

When washing up, if you break a plate or cup, you can expect another breakage before the end of the day unless you deliberately smash some other small item to avoid the bad luck.

When rising from the table take care not to upset your chair, for this is a sign that you have lied at some time during your conversation. Anyone who lies down on a table will die within a year; any engaged girl who sits on a table while talking to her fiancé risks losing him; it is unlucky to change your position at the table after a place has been allocated to you; to place your chair back against the wall or fold your napkin after a meal at a fiend's home will prevent you ever visiting there again.

Source: dreamywhites.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

To break a mirror resulted in seven years bad luck. Early man, on seeing his image reflected in water, believed it represented his soul and should anything disturb this image then his own life was in danger. Mirrors have always been closely associated with magic. Mirrors are covered over with cloth in the room where someone has died for fear that anyone who sees himself in the glass will similarly die.

It is unlucky to pass anyone on the stairs (cross your fingers if you do so). Stumbling on the staircase is said to be a good omen and may indicate a wedding in the household before long.

Do not sing in bath as this will lead to sorrow before evening; any young girl who persistently splashes herself or her clothes when washing will end up with a husband who is a drunk. Get out of bed the right side. The left-hand side is associated with the Devil; but, if you can't avoid it, put your right sock and shoe on first. You will always get the best night's sleep if your bed is positioned in a north-south direction with your head to the south . . . this will ensure a long life. To be rich, point your head tothe east; to travel widely, the west. It is unlucky to put a hat on the bed.

China ornaments of animals should never be placed so that they face a door for they will allow the luck to run out of the house. It is unlucky to sweep any dust or waste material directly out of the house, as this will carry the good luck with it. Sweep such waste into the centre of the room, collect it up in a pan and then carry the lot out of doors to avoid any repercussions. A new broom should always be used the first time to sweep something into the house, to symbolize luck.

Source: journalofanobody.tumblr.com via Marie on Pinterest

A bird that flies into a house, foretells an important message, whereas if one hits your window and dies . . . there's sure to be a death in the family, but if a bird poops on your car, it is good luck. Likewise if it poops on your head!

If a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune, but if it walks away, it takes the good luck with it. Oh, and don't forget, keep cats away from babies because they "suck the breath" of the child.

When cows lie on high ground it is said to be a sign of good weather to come, while if they feed too close together or low excessively then rain is imminent. If a cow breaks into your garden then there will be a death in the family.

A cricket is a lucky house spirit that takes its luck away when it leaves.

To see a crow, one's bad, two's luck, three's health, four's wealth, five's sickness, six is death . . .

A howling dog at night means bad luck or somebody close to you will be very sick or worse.

Source: weheartit.com via Marie on Pinterest

The bright scarlet ladybird is a luck-bringer, probably because it is traditionally associated by its colour with fire. It is a sign of good fortune if one lands on a person's hand or dress. It must, however, be allowed to fly away of its own accord, and must not be brushed off. It is permissible to speed it onwards by a gentle puff, and by the recitation of the rhyme which runs,
Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home.
Your house is on fire and your children are gone.

A peacock feather has an evil eye at the end. Argus, the Greek legend, says a hundred eyed monster was turned into a peacock with all its eyes in its tail. Never bring a peacock feather indoors for decoration as they are unlucky.

A wish made on the first robin of spring will be granted.

Eating carrots improves your night vision . . . fish is brain food . . . chewing gum, if swallowed, remains in your body for seven years . . . eating the crust of the bread makes your hair curl . . . a pimple on your tongue means you've lied. When you hold a buttercup beneath your chin . . . if it doesn't shine yellow on your chin . . . well, you don't like butter.

Finally, never gift a person with a wallet or purse without putting a coin inside . . . an empty gift such as that will surely bring them bad luck.

Source: hviturlakkris.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

This richly embroidered childhood surely never did us any harm. It made for an interesting life, and while these things may be true or not, it doesn't really matter much in the scheme of things. I'll never drop a knife without hearing my mom's gentle voice whispering Knives and spoons bring pantaloons . . . and I reckon that's a good thing. I better go get dressed now . . . a little bird just sat on my windowsill, and I am sure to get some company soon!

It may seem bold of me to claim this as the world's best, but I do. It is, as far as I'm concerned and in my kitchen I guess that's what counts!



*The World's Best Macaroni and Cheese*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Nothing says comfort quite like macaroni and cheese. This is, in my opinion, the very best version!

16 ounces of macaroni
1/4 cup butter
3 TBS plain flour
2 cups hot chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1 cup shredded red leicester cheese
1 cup shredded strong cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
a dash of tabasco sauce
for topping:
a bit of Parmesan, cheddar, gruyere and red leicester cheese grated and mixed together with a few bread crumbs

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Lightly butter a large shallow casserole dish and set aside.

Grate all your cheeses and mix them together in a bowl. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to the boil and add the macaroni. Cook according to the package directions, draining it while it is still a tad bit undercooked. Drain it well and rise with cold water. Set aside.

Make the sauce by melting the butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour, mixing well and allow to cook for about a minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking it in vigorously until the mixture is thickened and smooth. Whisk in the milk. Heat thoroughly. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese mixture until it is well melted and amalgamated. Season to taste with black pepper and tabasco sauce.

Place about 1/3 of the cooked macaroni in the buttered dish. Pour over 1/3 of the cheese sauce. Sprinkle on 1/2 of the reserved cheese. Repeat layering until you finish up with the final 1/3 of the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with a final layer of the cheese bits mixed with the bread crumbs.

Bake in the heated oven until nicely browned and bubbling. Remove from the oven and enjoy!



Over in The English Kitchen today, there's a delicious Baked Apple Brulee!

“Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!”
~Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Lessons from a father that loves me . . .

This is my dad. I love him with all of my heart. I last spoke to him one afternoon last week. We spoke for about an hour. It is always nice to hear his voice and pass some time with him . . . even when he is thousands of miles away.

My father has always been my biggest fan. Always. He's always terribly interested in what I'm painting now and in seeing the ones that I have done. I gave him a winter landscape painting I did when I was a teenager and he still has it, framed and hanging on his wall. He loves it and I love that he loves it. When I look at it now, I think to myself . . . it wasn't really all that good . . . but he thinks it is and that's special to me. I am grateful that he is my biggest fan . . . you couldn't ask for a better one.



My father taught me that men can cry. I remember the first time I saw my father cry . . . it was when his own father had passed away. His father died the same day as President Kennedy . . . so there was double sorrow in our home. I was 8 years old, and so I remember it vividly. It broke my heart to see my father sobbing . . . but it taught me that men can cry and today I am proud of a father that showed me that it's ok for a man to cry. My father cries at sad movies and whenever his heart it touched. I am grateful for a father who is not ashamed to show his feelings.

My father taught me how to laugh. My father has the nicest laugh. I have fond memories of him watching Jerry Lewis movies when I was growing up and he would laugh himself right off of the sofa. My father's laughter is a beautiful sound to me. I am grateful for a father who laughs.



When I was a child my father always told me that:

1. It takes two to tangle. Fights never get started or stay started on their own. It always takes two.
2. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Being nice always gets you further.

I am grateful for those lessons.

I can remember one time when I was a teenager and I had had my heart broken. My father cried along with me. He was not afraid to show me that when I was hurt, he was hurt too. I am grateful for a father who cared enough to show me that.

My father taught me how to ride a bicycle, play the clarinet and how to spell. When we were children and we would ask him the meaning of a word or how to spell a word . . . he would always tell us to look it up in the dictionary. I am grateful for that . . . and for the hours we spent playing word games together as a family. He always picked the hardest words and made us work hard to discover what they were. The name of that particular game eludes me now . . . but I'm sure I will think of it later on.



My father has always been a voracious reader. I am a voracious reader. I guess I get that from him! I cannot remember my mother ever reading a book, but my father always had at least one or two on the go. Sadly because of his cataracts he hasn't been able to read these past few months . . . and once his eyes were operated on, he still couldn't read because he was waiting for new eyeglasses. I hope that he is able to get them soon, because he does love reading so very much. I am grateful for a father that taught me how to love reading.

My father taught me how to love music. All kinds of music. That is a love that we share. My father always played in the RCAF Station Band wherever we lived and I can remember going to watch him march and play in lots of parades as a child and being so very proud of him as he would march past. He could play the clarinet, trumpet, saxophone and harmonica and when I learned to play the clarinet in later life . . . we spent many hours playing together in two parts. It was so much fun and I am grateful for those memories. My father loves Susan Boyle. I always send him the latest Susan Boyle albums and I have one sitting here waiting to post to him . . . her latest one. I know he will love it. Today I am wishing I had posted it a few weeks ago when I first got it . . . instead of procrastinating . . .



I had a message from my sister this morning to tell me that my father had been taken in to hospital, and that they are going to fit him with a pacemaker today. I would ask please if you could all pray for him. His name is Tony. He is 77 years old and not the greatest of health, overweight, diabetic, etc. and he has a bad heart. (Obviously worse than we thought.) I hope sincerely that the last time we spoke was not the last time . . . our last words in that conversation. I love you.



My father taught me that he loved me. I am grateful for that.



This is my latest piece that I did yesterday afternoon. I hope that I have a chance to show my dad. I know he would love it. I thought the apples in her basket turned out perfectly and I love her little red shoes. When I was a little girl I would have loved to have a pair of red shoes. As always it is available as a print or a card.

We love potatoes in this house. You can take away my sweets, and my meat . . . but don't ever try to take away my potatoes. I think they are the one thing I could never live without. These ones here today are fabulous. Boiled potatoes, crushed whilst warm on a pan, sprinkled with herbs and spices, baked until the crags and crannies get all crispy and then topped with cheese and spring onions. Oh my. Some good.



*Dressed Road Kill Potatoes*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Everyone always loves these potatoes. They aren’t really road kill, but I guess they resemble road kill somewhat, only a lot more delicious and appetizing! People can’t get enough of these! You can really make as many or as few as you want, but I am thinking you will need more instead of less!

2 medium potatoes per person
Garlic granules, sweet paprika, mixed herbs, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil for drizzling
8 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese
4 spring onions, chopped fine

Put the potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until just barely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Drain well and set aside to cool.

Pre-heat the ovento205*C/425*F. Line an oven tray with parchment paper or grease it really well.

Take each cooled potato and smash it down onto the tray (hence the road kill) with a potato masher, without totally obliterating them, but leaving them with a nicely roughed up texture. Sprinkle them with the spices and herbs to taste. Drizzle them liberally with olive oil and place the tray in the heated oven. Bake them for 35 to 40 minutes until they start to get all browned with nice crunchy bits. Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with the grated cheese and the chopped spring onions. Serve.



Over in The English Kitchen today a soul warming Creamy Sweet Potato Soup . . .

Things I love about the UK . . .

I thought it would be fun today to share with you some of the things that I just adore about this country I have adopted as my own. Had I ever in my wildest dreams thought that I would be living here, and for so long? Never in a million years. That was not the plan. However here I am and here I stay! I'm a firm believer in the saying . . . "Bloom Where You Are Planted!"




1. From the moment I first glimpsed England from the air as my plane was landing at Heathrow for the very first time, I fell in love with it’s greenness. I have never been in such a green and lush country. From the air it looks like a big fluffy quilt, with beautiful green squares, each one bordered by lovely darker green hedgerow embroideries on the edges. Every tree has a greenish hue to it’s bark, from the moss (I am assuming it is moss) which grows lushly up it’s trunk, and in many cases Ivy. All the wooden fences have this same green hue to them. England, is just green and I love it!



2. Fish and Chips with mushy peas. England has some of the best fish and chips in the world, and when you combine that with a lovely side order of mushy peas you have perfection on your plate, or, in the case of a chippy, in your little plastic tub. I can remember the first time I had fish and chips over here. It was pouring rain and Todd rode to the local chippy on his bicycle to pick them up. Two pieces of cod and a portion of chips and some mushy peas on the side. The pieces of cod were so big they were literally hanging over the edges of the plate and the chips . . . beautifully crisp and browned handcut fried pieces of potato . . . But the mushy peas . . . At first I didn’t know what to make of them. They were bright green almost and vaguely foreign looking, but I was hooked from first bite. They were lovely and reminded me of my mom’s pea soup. (except her soup isn’t bright green, it’s yellow)



3. Double Decker Buses. I had never been on a double decker bus until I came over here. I don’t even know if they exist anywhere else on earth. Even my boys were fascinated when they came over here and saw them for the first time. They look ungainly, and as if they should topple over when they round a corner, but they don’t! (fall over that is) And . . . If you are on the top deck and you go over traffic humps you get a lovely bouncing in the air, bumpy ride. Not my ride of choice actually, but my sons did love it and so I humoured them.



4. The language. You would think that English would be English right??? WRONG!!!! There are ever so many different ways of putting things over here and they are quite different than back at home. For instance pants over here are not pants! They’re men’s underwear and pants are, trousers! Fanny is not a lovely girl’s name or your backside, but another word for a female body part. You put your luggage in the boot of your car and you lift the bonnet to check the oil. We wait in queues, not lines . Cookies are biscuits, nutters are crazy, toilets are loos and a snog is a kiss. (and that’s just for starters!) I fink it’s all luverly!



5. The accent. For such a small country there are a multitude of accents, and just when you get used to one, another one pops up. When I first came over here I lived in Chester and that area had almost a Manchurian accent, which after watching Coronation Street for years, I was quite used to and could make out really well. The accent on East Enders was not quite so easy. The Liverpool accent was even harder to decipher and don’t get me started on the Birkenhead accent. There is a Jordie accent, a Devon Accent, a Cockney accent . . . In fact there are over 650 different dialects and accents to be found in the UK, and you can hear some of them HERE .



6. Uniforms. Everyone here wears a uniform. You can tell what a person does and where they work just by the uniform they wear. Every store clerk, every bank clerk, they all have uniforms, and they all match. Back home you didn’t see that so much. Bank tellers just wore their every day clothes, well a bit more dressed up than every day, but you know what I mean. I love that about England. I love seeing a guy walking down the road and being able to recognize that he works at Tesco’s by the shirt he is wearing!



7. Sandwiches. I love the sandwiches over here. At first I thought they were a bit strange, I mean . . . cheese and onion, or cheese and tomato, come on! I had never heard of such strange combinations before. (never mind that I come from the land of peanut butter and jam) It was a bit daunting at first but I finally got brave enough to taste and I fell in love with them! Never in my life had I been able to eat anyone else’s egg salad sandwiches but my mom’s but I can eat yours over here! (that took a lot of courage on my part to try for the first time, let me tell you!) You Brits love your sandwiches, and there’s a sandwich to fit just about any occasion! Chip butties (buttered slices of white bread sprinkled with a bit of vinegar and salt and loaded with hot French fries and folded over) Bacon Baps. (soft white rolls loaded with juicy grilled bacon and brown sauce) Sausage Sarnies (the same thing but with grilled sausages) Baguettes, wraps . . . There is no end to the epicurian delights that await a sandwich lover over here!



8. Sunday Lunch. Sunday lunch is a British institution and so very well done. In any pub in England on a Sunday afternoon the only food on offer in most cases will be Sunday lunch and it will be pretty much the same anywhere you eat. Lovely roasted meat with boiled new potatoes, crispy roasted potatoes, a delicious Yorkshire pudding, assorted vegetables (usually carrots, peas and cauliflower) all topped off with gravy. If you go to a carvery you can have a choice of beef, ham or turkey or even all three! Most homes go all out on Sunday’s as well and serve up a lovely roast dinner mid-day! It’s a tradition I love!



9. The British Sense of Humour. People over here have a very unique sense of humour. I just love it. It’s dry and contains a lot of irony. You either get it or you don’t. I do.



10. British television. Over here you have some of the best television viewing in the world. Nobody does documentaries like the British. I love the historical dramas and when it comes to comedy, well, there is just no match for it anywhere else in the world. In fact the rest of the world often grabs their ideas from over here and then copies and adapts them for their own use. Sadly though they don’t seem to be making as many good shows as they used to and are relying heavily on reality television which just doesn’t cut it with me. Thank goodness for UKTV Gold however! We spend more time watching that channel than any other and it doesn’t seem to matter how often we have seen the same old shows, they are classic and funny and we enjoy them each and every time!



11. English Bangers. Ok, I know a lot of people don’t like them, but I adore them. The good old English sausage. Fat and juicy and full of flavour. (not the cheap nasty ones. They aren’t good in any language) My favourite is Cumberland, followed closely by a good Irish herb one. I was quite shocked the first time I ordered a hotdog on a London street and got . . . A sausage! Bangers and mash, Toad in the Hole . . . I just love sausages and the ones over here are the best!



12. The Seaside. I had never been to a seaside like the British seaside until I came over here. There is a lovely feel and a holiday air about in the British seaside. I love to walk along the piers and watch all the other people out walking and enjoying their days in the sun. It’s not even something I can truly describe and do it justice, it’s just something one has to experience. Ice creams with chocolate flakes, fish and chips, penny arcades, merry go rounds and loop de loops, rock and candy floss., and acres and acres of holiday makers baking and walking in the sun. There is just nothing like it on earth.



13. Weather. I love British weather. It’s always changing, never reliable and always gives you something to talk about in a bus queue. We are always experiencing the hottest summer on record, or the wettest autumn, the coldest winter, the driest this, the windiest that. And don’t forget the great rain of this or that year or the great storm of another. You name it, we’ve got it, or experienced it, and it usually has something to do with the weather!

So there you have it, thirteen things that I love about the UK. I hope it was as fun for you to read as it was for me to write! There's alot more things about the UK that I love, but I will save them for another time!

My very first meal over here was a Jacket Potato, eaten at Euston Station in London. It was expensive and came loaded with cheese, tons of cheese, scattered over the top. The British love their Jacket Potatoes (Baked Potatoes to you North Americans). They fill them with all sorts . . . tuna, coleslaw, cheese, baked beans, etc. My mom always made stuffed baked potatoes and we loved them. She'd remove the centre of the potato and mash it together with butter, milk, onion, salt and pepper and we thought they were positively gourmet!! I love stuffing my baked potatoes too, except I like to get a bit more inventive. I've stuffed them with lasagna fillings, chili fillings, cottage pie fillings, etc. This particular one here today is one of our favourites!




*Leek, Mustard and Parsley Stuffed Jacket Potatoes*
Makes 4
Printable Recipe

These tasty potatoes have all the flavours of a potato and leek soup, except in the lovely crisp jacket of a baked potato! It’s like all your Christmas’s have come at once!

4 large floury baking potatoes
3 TBS olive oil
1 large leek, finely chopped
2 TBS grainy mustard
4 ounces mature Cheddar Cheese, grated (1 cup)
4 TBS double cream
1 ounce butter (2 TBS)
3 TBS chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/gas mark 6. Scrub the potatoes and dry them very well. Prick a few times with the tines of a fork and place them into the pre-heated oven, directly on the oven rack. Bake until tender, about 1 ¼ hours or so. Remove from the oven and set aside until they have cooled down enough that you can handle them comfortably.

Carefully slice a lid from off the length of each one. Scoop out the inside flesh, leaving a thin shell. Try very hard not to tear the skin. Put the insides into a bowl, and keep warm.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the leek. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cooked leek to the potato flesh along with the mustard, cheddar and cream. Mix in well. Finally mix in the parsley and the butter. Season to taste and then stuff the mixture back into the potato shells.

Rub the outside of the potato shells with butter if desired and place the stuffed shells into a baking dish. Place back into the heated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is hot and bubbly, the cheese is well melted and they are beginning to get all crusty and brown on the top. Remove from the oven and serve hot.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a Curried Lentil Soup and some Curry Pinwheel Scones! There's also the little matter of a . . . ahem . . . giveaway!

Psst . . . There's a new print in my Etsy Shop: