All about smell . . .

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"Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived." ~Helen Keller

There is something really special about smells. They have the power to grasp your mind and take you back to any memory in your experience. They can make you feel really safe, or afraid . . . sometimes comfortable and sometimes sad.

My old wooden spoon has absorbed the smell of many a year, and . . . no matter how many times it has been washed and scrubbed, time's compelling odour abounds. The smell of garlic, onion and tomato paste permeate it and whisper golden memories of evenings shared with loved ones now living miles and miles apart.

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The smell of molasses cookies baking always takes me back to my grandmother's ample lap and the feeling of warmth and love as I cuddled there . . . the creak of her rocking chair and the crinkling sound of her kitchen linoleum as someone walked across it.

One time when my oldest son was a baby, I opened a bottle of gripe water and was instantly transported back to a time that was long hidden in the recesses of my mind. It is very hard to describe the feeling . . . but I remembered the taste and I felt comforted and safe . . .

Occasionally when I am in a chemists, I will encounter an elusive smell that I can't pin down to anything in the shop . . . but that in my memory reminds me of being a teenage girl and getting ready for Saturday night out . . . washing my hair and then using Lady Patricia hair conditioner . . . the pink one . . . it's a smell that makes me feel excited and warm inside, and quite, quite nostalgic. I don't even know if they make Lady Patricia hair conditioner anymore.

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The smell of Ma Griffe perfume always takes me back to my mother's bosom and the memory of watching her as she got gussied up to go out for a night on the tiles with my dad. There was always a feeling of excitement in the air and my mother always looked so pretty and my father so handsome. If I close my eyes, I can almost hear the rustle of her crinoline as she brushes past me . . . She would sometimes get the sitter to take a picture of them together, and when I go to visit her now, in her later years, I love to sit and look at the pictures, and remember that same air of excitment.

The top dresser drawer of the high boy dresser in the spare bedroom at my mom's still smells like a combination of leather, tobacco, cork grease and butterscotch wafers, or in other words . . . my dad. He was a consummate clarinetist and used to keep a hidden stash of butterscotch wafers in that drawer along with his cork grease and wallet. He's not been there in that room for a very long time . . . but the smell lingers on and reminds me of secret forays into the forbidden stash of buttery sweetness.

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The smell of a turkey roasting carries with it the smells of 56 Thanksgivings and 56 Christmases and all the feelings to go along with them . . . some happy, some sad . . . and everything in between. The love of family and friends . . . loved ones still here and other's long gone . . .

Evening in Paris . . . burning leaves . . . a freshly sharpened pencil . . . a wood fire . . . musty moth balls . . . these smells and others all hold the keys to magical moments in time, known only to me. Little treasures and gems hidden in my mind just waiting for me to take them out and hold them in my hands again, if only for a moment . . .



This is Chris and Tess! Chris served here as a missionary not that long ago and has returned for a short visit. I took this picture when they stopped off here last evening. Chris had been going to stay with us for a few days, but the trial he was a witness at got mis-trialed or some such, in any case . . . they ended up not needing him and so he is flying back sooner, so we only got to spend a few hours with him last night. (Tess is a good friend of his since Grade School and a really nice girl. Just friends folks!) Anyways, it was soooo good to see him and to finally be able to give him a hug now that he is not an Elder anymore and to meet his friend. We enjoyed a nice chat and he sang one of his favourite songs for us by Gordon Lightfoot and it was just lovely. He was always the singing Elder and has a beautiful voice. It was such a nice visit with these great young people. Would have been nice to have him stay a few days, but that's life! I'm sure we'll see him again one day!

I have people coming for lunch today and so I must dash. I do so love having company. I'm doing meat pies and mash, with a salad and soup to start and then for dessert . . . well, you'll just have to wait and see! In the meantime here's a lovely Pavlova which I made earlier . . . a couple of years earlier actually!! Yes, it's one from the archives!

*Classic Pavlova*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

The fruit used to top a pavlova is largely dependant on seasonal availability, although the classic pavlova is usually topped with mixed berries and some passion fruit pulp. Here I have used fresh raspberries and some raspberry coulis. Delicious! Please note that it is really important that the bowl you use to whip the egg whites up in is scrupulously clean from any grease. I always use a metal bowl as plastic absorbs grease.

4 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar (220g)
1 TBS cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
300ml thick cream, whipped until soft peaks form (1 1/4 cup)
1 TBS of peach schnapps (Optional)
3 cups fresh raspberries
1 cup raspberry coulis

Pre-heat the oven to very slow, about 120*C/250*F. Cover a greased baking tray with a piece of parchment paper.

Place the egg whites into a small clean dry bowl. Using an electric mixer beat on high speed for about one minute, until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, one TBS at a time, beating well after each addition until the sugar is dissolved. Fold in the cornflour and the vinegar.

Spoon the resulting meringue into a round shape on the prepared baking sheet, about 20cm in diameter. Level the top of the meringue with a rubber spatula.

Bake, uncovered, in the slow oven for about 1 ½ hours or until the meringue feels firm and dry to the touch. Turn the oven off and open the oven door. Leave the oven door ajar to cool the meringue slowly in the oven.

Remove the cooled meringue from the oven. Place it top side down onto a serving plate and carefully peel off the parchment paper.

Fold the peach schnapps into the softly whipped cream and spoon it onto the top of the bottom side of the meringue. Scatter the raspberries over the top and then drizzle with about half of the raspberry coulis.

Serve immediately, cut into slices with the rest of the raspberry coulis on the side so that people may add more if they wish.

Cooking in The English Kitchen today, The Ultimate Nachos!

“Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely. ... He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken.”
― Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Sometimes I think . . .

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Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
~Psalm 32:10

During my life here on earth, there have been many times when I have been forced to take an honest look at how much I trust my Heavenly Father . . . or how large my faith is. This test manifests itself in my life via the challenges life throws at me.

Let's face it . . . we live in the visible world, which is tangible and all too real. Despite the fact that I believe and trust in the invisible world, ie. the Kingdom of God . . . this world I deal with every day is far more real and something that I must live in . . .

We are all faced with bills we have problems paying, or diagnosis we did not expect. We live in a world that is bombarded daily with messages about how to take care of our health, our families, our futures, our pasts . . . and it can sometimes be very difficult to remember that ultimately God is in control. Of course we must always use common sense and responsability when making decisions . . . but the final outcome in anything and everything rests in God's hands . . .

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A Doctor can make an educated guess, but it is our Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He has numbered the hairs on our heads . . . and He alone knows how long the race is that we must fight. A financial planner might be able to offer us very good advice, but at the end of the day only God knows what tomorrow brings.

Being able to trust in that sure knowledge in Him requires faith, pure and simple trust . . . the great news is that He has promised that if we do, He can lead and guide us through anything that life throws our way. I know this to be true.

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I am off to the Doctors early this morning. Nothing out of the ordinary really, just to get the results of my last blood tests and see if the newest prescription they have given me is doing what it is supposed to do, and if so to have it refilled! I baked gingerbread men yesterday for the children of the ladies I visit teach and then yesterday when Todd was out watching the car our next door neighbour remarked to him how delicious a certain cake was that I had baked for him and his wife yonks ago, and how much they had enjoyed it . . . so I think I will bake another one for them today, just as a bit of Christmas Cheer. They are awfully good neighbours, which can be somewhat of a rarity in these modern times!

I just love Portugese Custard Tarts. I am not overly fond of the British Custard Tarts, although Todd loves them. They always seem a bit eggy to me . . . I guess my North American tastes go for things that are a lot sweeter. This is my favourite recipe for Portugese Custard Tarts. They're very easy to make. I don' t know why I don't make them more often??? Actually it's probably a good thing that I DON'T make them more often. I think they are far too, too tempting!



*Portuguese Custard Tarts*
Makes six
Printable Recipe


It only takes three letters to describe these delectable little creations W-O-W!! Try them for yourself and you’ll see what I’m talking about! Very quick and easy to make, and very impressive . . .

1 (9 1/4 X 10) inch sheet of puff pastry, thawed (about 9 ounces)
4 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 TBS cornflour
the finely grated zest of 1 lemon
a pinch of salt



Preheat the oven to 260*C/500*F. Take the puff pasty and roll it into as tight a coil as you can, starting from the short side. Cut the coil into 1 1/2 inch wide strips. Put the pieces, cut sides down, into six muffin cups. Wet your fingers with a bit of cold water and press the pastry over the bottoms and up the sides to make a thin shell. It's ok if they extend a bit beyond the rim. Put into the freezer to chill while you make the custard.

Whisk the egg yolks, cream, sugar, cornflour, lemon zest and salt together in a medium saucepan. Place over medium high heat and cook, whisking constantly until the custard begins to thicken. This will take about 6 1/2 minutes. It will look quite thin until you have been wisking for about six minutes and then in the last 30 seconds will thicken just enough, like magic! It should be as thick as lemon curd. You don't need to boil it.

Remove your muffin tin from the freezer and divide the custard equally among the prepared tartlet shells. (If you are using a 12 cup muffin tin, fill the empty cups half full of water so they don't burn, trust me)

Bake until the tops are slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around them and loosen them so that you can remove them from the pan and finish cooling them on a wire rack before devouring! (about 30 minutes . . . for the cooling, not the devouring . . . that shouldn't take all that long!)

What do do with the leftover egg whites???? Why Pavlova of course!



In The English Kitchen today, a delicious assortment of Christmas Lunch Side Dishes!

A wise Christian once urged, “Let us not spend Christmas … but let us keep Christmas in our hearts and in our lives.”
~President Thomas S Monson, Christmas Devotional 2011

Marie's Sunday Six

Here we are on the last Sunday before Christmas! Next Sunday it will actually BE Christmas! However did that happen? It's crazy, this past year has just gone like lightening! The way time seems to be going faster and faster is amazing to me. Is it just me, or does everyone feel this way??? Anyways, it is good to slow down for a few minutes today and dwell on some of the special things from my week, and I thought it would be nice to dwell on some of the special things from this "Holy"day Season that really make me smile!

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Celebrating the birth of the Saviour makes me smile. This most gracious and beautiful gift from our Heavenly Father is the centre of my life . . . not just at Christmas Time, but the whole year through. He truly IS the reason for the season, and I am so very grateful that I have had a seeking heart and a teachable heart. I celebrate Christmas all year long in my heart. It's about not the tree or the lights, or the food . . . or een the gifts. It's about the Saviour and a Heavenly Father who loved us enough to willingly send His only begotten son in the flesh to take upon Himself the sins of the world and give us the opportunity for eternal life, and to show us the way back to our Heavenly Home. How can this not bring a smile to anyone's face every day of your life. Jesus . . . the true reason for the season. This makes me smile.

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Singing all the Christmas Carols and listening to good Christmas Music on my ipod makes me smile. There is something so very special about the special hymns and songs that we listen to at Christmas that brings a warmth to my heart like nothing else. They are so very beautiful. From the first of December all the hymns in our Sacrament meeting at Church, with the exception of the Sacrament Hymn, are the carols that we all know and love . . . I adore singing them. I adore listening to them. I adore surrounding myself with their beauty and message. I also happen to love Michael Buble's newest Christmas album too, which also makes me smile.



Does that not make you smile too??? I can't wait to watch his Christmas Special on the telly tonight! Yes, I love Michael Buble and not just because he's Canadian either . . . although admittedly that is one of the reasons. I also happen to think he's a fab singer!

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They come in many shapes and sizes . . . from the incredible to the edible . . . the Christmas Tree makes me smile. I have always loved decorating my tree and I have always hated to take it down at the end of the holidays. I love to walk through the neighbourhood and see people's Christmas Tree's shining in their front windows. I love to walk through the city and see Christmas Tree's in the shop windows. I just love Christmas Trees! I much prefer a real one to an artificial one . . . that special smile of pine and fir takes me back in my mind to my childhood and the trees we had when I was growing up and all those wonderful feelings associated with the love of family and the holiday season. Who doesn't love that smell . . . it's awesome. Just awesome.

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Christmas Stockings make me smile. We didn't have stockings when I was a child. Well, not in the real sense of having a stocking that you could hang up on Christmas Eve and find filled in the morning. Santa used to leave us a red net stocking under the tree and they were ok, but I always wanted a real stocking. My children all had stockings. Each one had been handmade and beaded and sequined by myself and each one was as individual and as different as was each child. I do hope that they still have them . . . I need to make some for my Grandchildren now. I say that to myself each year . . . and then each year passes without me doing it. I need to start in January I think! Perhaps that can be a New Years resolution for myself this year. Make the Grand's each a stocking. Sounds like a plan!

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Christmas Baking makes me smile. Although I don't do as much of it these days as I used to when my children were growing up, I still do some and there is always a song in my heart as I go about it. Shortbreads, gingerbread men, sugar stars and trees and stockings . . . thumbprints and mince pies, fruit cakes and stollen . . . they are all wonderful and a special part of this special time of year. There is nothing more cheering than putting on an album of Christmas Music, donning an apron and breaking out the eggs and flour. Ahh . . . Christmas baking . . . it does a heart good.

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Wrapping up gifts for my loved ones both near and both far always puts a smile on my face at this special time of year as well. I just love being able to give something special to someone I care about and I put a lot of thought into the gifts I give. Christmas to me is not about getting, it's about giving and sharing love with those around you in a unique and special way. I want my gifts to be a gift for the eyes and for the soul and to be wrapped in all the love that I have for the person they are intended for. When I am wrapping each one I ponder the specialness and uniqueness of the person who's gift I am wrapping and all the love I have for them goes into it along with whatever the gift may happen to be. That makes me smile and hopefully it makes them smile too!!

I could go on and on about all the things at Christmas which make me smile and there are a bazillion of them. I guess what it all boils down to is love . . .

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Love for the Saviour and our Heavenly Father, love for family, love for friends, love for our fellow man. This is the message of Christmas.

All over the world at this season,
expectant hands reach to receive
Gifts that are lavishly fashioned . . .
the finest that man can conceive . . .
For purchased and given at Christmas
are luxuries we long to possess,
given as favors and tokens
to try in some way to express
That strange, undefinable feeling
which is part of this glad time of year
When streets are crowded with shoppers
and the air resounds with good cheer . . .
But back of each tinsel-tied package
exchanged at this gift-giving season,
unrecognized often by many,
lies a deeper more meaningful reason . . .
For, born in a manger at Christmas
as a gift from the Father above,
An Infant whose name was called Jesus
brought mankind the gift of God's love . . .
And the gifts that we give have no purpose
unless God is part of the giving
And unless we make Christmas a pattern
to be followed in every day living.
~Helen Steiner Rice

✿•*¨`*•.☆ O'Come ☆ O'Come ☆ Emmanuel ☆.•*¨`*•✿

Todd loves these. He thinks they taste like the bacon and egg pies of his youth. They are delicious for sure and very easy to whip up. They make a wonderful breakfast, not to mention a quick comforting supper on those nights when you have precious little time and want something on the table quickly.



*Ham and Egg Cups*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

All your favourite things about breakfast in a muffin shape!!! Biscuit, ham and eggs! Delicious!

1 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix (you can get this in the baking aisle of the grocery store)
¼ cup, plus 2 TBS of cold water
1 tsp instant minced onion
1 package thinly sliced fully cooked ham (about 2 ½ ouces)
6 eggs
Pepper
Chopped flat leaf parsley

Move oven rack to the lowest position in the oven. Pre-heat oven to 200*C/400*F. Grease six 6-ounce custard cups. Mix baking mix, water and onion until a soft dough forms. Divide between the custard cups and using damp fingers, press the dough in the bottom and up the sides of each cup.

Line each cup with 2 slices of ham. Break an egg carefully into the middle of each cup. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and the parsley flakes.

Bake, uncovered in the pre-heated oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven, cool five minutes, then loosen by running a knife around each and removing from cups to serve. You can also serve them in the cups, but I love to look at the golden brown outsides sitting on my plate. Enjoy!



Over in The English Kitchen today some delicious Rumpled Pizza Buns!

Poetry Saturday . . . Beautiful things

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Beautiful faces are those that wear . . .
It matters little if dark or fair . . .
Whole-souled honesty printed there.

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Beautiful eyes are those that show,
Like crystal panes where hearthfires glow,
Beautiful thoughts that burn below.

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Beautiful lips are those whose words
Leap from the heart like songs of birds,
Yet whose utterance prudence girds.

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Beautiful hands are those that do
Work that is honest and brave and true,
Moment by moment the long day through.

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Beautiful feet are those that go
On kindly ministries to and fro,
Down lowliest ways, if God wills it so.

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Beautiful shoulders are these that bear
Ceaseless burdens of homely care
With patient grace and daily prayer.

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Beautiful lives are those that bless
Silent rivers of happiness,
Whose hidden fountains but few may guess.

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Beautiful twilight at set of sun,
Beautiful goal with race well won,
Beautiful rest with work well done.

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Beautiful graves where grasses creep,
Where brown leaves fall, where drifts lie deep
Over worn-out hands . . . oh! Beautiful sleep!
~Ellen P Allerton

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I just love this poem . . . it speaks to my heart of lives well spent and the simple joys that make it worth living . . . the things in life that truly matter most of all.

Once again I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support over these past few weeks. You surely carried me aloft on them and I was strengthened and touched by each and every one. I do believe that I have the best friends and family in the world. Y'all are the best.

We are going to go look for some rhubarb crowns to plant this morning. I'm not sure if we will find any . . . we've probably left it far too late in the season. I also saw a cat figurine of a ginger cat a few months back that I had wanted to get for my mother for Christmas, but then . . . I left it for another day, so I want to go back and get it so that I can get my boxes all packed and ready to go over to Canada. Only 38 days people! Christmas is fast approaching!

I'll leave you now with a tasty recipe from my Marie's Muses Archives. I didn't really cook yesterday . . . we had a meal out to celebrate. Nothing outrageously expensive, just the local carvery where you can get two meals for £7. Cheap and cheerful! I'm in wedding mode now and going to be trying to take off a few pounds before the summer. In the meantime, this is drool worthy, even if I can only look but not touch . . .



*Bacon, Egg and Cheese Toastie*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a wonderful way to have your breakfast, all stacked together in one delicious pile. Every forkful brings you a taste of bacon, egg, cheese and toast, all together in one luscious mouthful!

4 slices of thick country style white bread
12 slices of dry cure streaky bacon
8 ounces of medium cheddar cut into slices
1 TBS butter
4 large free range organic eggs

This is my secret way of cooking bacon so that there’s no grease on top of your stove and no messy pan to clean up afterwards. Pre-heat your oven to 220*C/425*F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil wrap. Lay the bacon slices out onto the baking sheet without overlapping. Pop the pan into the heated oven and bake for six minutes. Turn the pan around 180 degrees and bake for another four to seven minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon. (For this recipe you only want it medium done and not too crispy as it will be going under the grill after) Remove the bacon to a plate, lined with paper kitchen towelling to drain. I, then, blot the top with more kitchen towelling. You can then just pitch the foil wrap into the bin and you have a clean oven tray to continue on with the rest of the recipe.

Heat your grill while you make the toast. Toast the slices of bread until they are medium toasted, not really dark as they will then be going under the grill and you don’t want too crispy a slice. Once they are toasted lay each one out onto the baking sheet and cover them with the slices of cheese equally. Divide the bacon equally amongst the sandwiches and lay it on top of the cheese.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat and pop some butter into it. When the butter is foaming, crack in the four eggs. Turn the heat down to medium and cook them slowly for a few minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are as done as you like them. If you don’t want them sunny side up you can flip them over if you like. We like them sunny side up. When they are done to your taste, turn out the heat and remove the pan to the side while you grill the toastie.

Pop the tray with the bread, cheese and bacon on it under the grill and grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the bacon is as crisp as you want it. It should only take four or five minutes. Remove from the oven and place a fried egg neatly on top of each. Remove to heated plates. Sprinkle each with a little seasalt and cracked black pepper. Serve.




Over in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Lemon Cake Pie!

“You can't go through life on "Borrowed light.”
~Dieter F. Uchtdorf

God loveth a cheerful giver . . .

We live in such uncertain times these days. Prices of everything are increasing with untold speed, and financial calamity seems to be threatening us with every corner we turn. It can be so very frightening indeed . . . I think one of the greatest adventures we have available to us in this special lifetime of ours though . . . is in learning to trust our Heavenly Father respect to our finances, our time . . . our energy. Giving from our wealth . . . no matter how much or how little we may feel that we have, is not truly a gamble. We may be dealing with the great unknown, but that is only because of our own limited vision. God has promised to meet our needs and as we know . . . God always fulfills His promises to us.

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
~2 Corinthians 9:6-7



You don't have to have untold wealth to be able to give. Giving can be something as simple as merely helping a neighbour or a friend, who has been a little bit under the weather, to fold her laundry, or to watch their children so they can go off and do something special just for themselves. It could be cooking a meal for someone who has been ill, or who is going through a rough time. It could even be as simple as picking up the telephone and giving someone a call just to let them know that somebody cares . . .

Giving freely of the resources I have been given . . . be it financial, my time, or otherwise . . . brings me great joy, and is made even more so because of the trust I have in my Heavenly Father and in Jesus Christ. I figure if Christ can turn water into wine . . . and feed 5,000 with a few loaves and fishes, then He has also the power to meet all of my needs. He's got the goods and the power to do just that and I can name countless times thoughout my lifetime where He has done just that! They have replenished my well of money, time and energy time and time again, their bounteous goodness constantly rains down on me . . .



The more that I learn to trust in them, the more that I give freely of what I have been blessed with . . . the greater the blessings I receive, and the sweeter the joy. It's funny how that goes . . . or maybe it isn't. I don't know exactly how it works, but only that it does work.. Forty years ago I may have had to stop and ask myself before I gave generously of anything I had . . . but time and experience . . . and my faith have taught me not to question my compulsions to give, but only to give . . . and to trust in that higher power, for He has given me a well that truly never runs dry. On that, I can depend. I guess it's all a matter of faith.

Yesterday I decided that I am going to go to both my children's weddings in 2012. I have a bit of savings and I will use it to do just that. Todd won't be able to go, but he is not really bothered overly much, and we just cannot leave the dog with anyone for that long, nor can we afford a kennel (not that we would ever want to put her in one of those). He and Mitzie will stay home and keep the home fires burning. I will be gone approximately a month, but it will be good and it feels in my heart like it is the right thing to do, no matter how out of place I may feel, or how other's may make me feel like I don't belong. It is not about me . . . it is about my children and my love and support for them. I'll also stay over for my mother's 80th Birthday so that she is not alone on that day. I am rather excited about it all now I've made the decision and it has given us all something to look forward to!

Here's a tasty and economical meal for those days when we are really feeling the pinch. Eggs are quite expensive over here these days, especially if you choose to buy free range one, and I do . . . but they still make an economical supper when you compare the price of them to the price of a piece of meat! This is kind of like an upscale version of egg and chips! (Eggs and potatoes I always have, and like the loaves and fishes, I can always expand to feed more!)



*Crispy Fried Potatoes With Eggs*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Simply decadent and satisfying, this is one of my favourite suppers. How can one fail to enjoy the crispy edged potatoes doused in the richness of the golden yolk of the egg . . . ahhh . . . heavenly bliss . . . You can leave the egg out and just fry potatoes if you want, doubling the amount and adding an extra spoonful of oil, but I wouldn’t . . . the eggs are what really make this dish!

500g (1 lb. 2 oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into approximately 1 inch chunks
2 TBS olive oil
A large knob of butter (about 20g)
2 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole and smashed
3 sage sprigs
2 eggs

Boil the potato chunks in salted boiling water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain very well then throw immediately into a 12 inch non-stick skillet that you have been heating the butter, oil, garlic and sage in. (I put this pan on just when the potatoes are about ready and heat it until the butter starts to sizzle) Start them off on high heat and cook until they start to look golden brown, then lower the heat slightly and continue to cook them until they get really crusty, tossing them about carefully from time to time. Be very careful not to mush them, although mushing them a little bit is good as it gives you more crispy edges and bits to enjoy. Try not to let the garlic or the sage burn. If it looks as if they are getting too done, lift them onto the top of the potatoes.

Once you have the potatoes all golden and crispy it’s time to cook the eggs. Move the potatoes over in the pan , making two big spaces for the eggs. Drop another bit of butter into the empty spot and crack in two eggs. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt over all and continue to cook over medium low heat, until the egg whites set and the yolk is as done as you like it. If you like you can pop a lid briefly over top, but try not to leave it there for very long as you don’t want the potato to get soggy. Serve up immediately, trying hard not to break the egg yolks. They go meltingly nice with the crispy potatoes.



In The English Kitchen today, delicious Blue Cheese and Cheddar Stovies!

The Simple Woman's Day book . . .

FOR TODAY, October 4th, 2011...

Outside My Window...
It is still dark, dark, dark. I'm not sure when the clocks go back, but I think it is soon. It is getting dark around 7pm now. It seems like it was only a few weeks ago that it wasn't getting dark until 10 pm and it was light between 4 and 5 am. The days are definitely getting shorter!

I am thinking...
The family of Amanda Knox must be feeling so relieved now. Their nightmare of the past few years is now over and they will have their daughter home with them. It must have been hell on earth for poor Amanda over these past couple of years. My heart broke for her as she was giving her statement.

I am thankful for...
Yesterday the missionaries were over to help Todd in the garden again. I could hear them singing hymns together as they worked. What a beautiful sound that was. I am thankful for the missionaries and all that they do for us.

From the kitchen...
Hmmm . . . I need to bake!

I am wearing...
Nightie, cream coloured with blue polka dots and lace trim, and a pair of new slippers I picked up at Asda at the weekend. They're really cute. Brown with cream and pink polka dots on them and little pink bows. I know . . . I guess I just love polka dots!

I am creating...


This is a complete departure from my usual little girls. I just felt like painting a Barbie like person yesterday. I do so love Barbie. What girl doesn't?

I am going...
I have my Presidency meeting tomorrow night, but after that there is nothing else planned this week. Other than my reading lessons, I am having a quiet week for a change. I must relax and enjoy, as I am sure that the month will slowly begin to fill up!

I am reading...



A Game of Thrones, a song of fire and ice by George R R Martin
This is the first volume of a brilliant trilogy, written in the style and muse of Tolkien. The first volume of George R R Martin's glorious high fantasy tells the tragic story of treachery, greed and war that threatens the unity of the Seven Kingdoms south of the Wall. Martin unfolds with astonishing skill a tale of truly epic dimensions, thronged with memorable characters, a story of treachery and ambition, love and magic. Set in a fabulous world scarred by battle and catastrophe over 8000 years of recorded history, it tells of the deeds of men and women locked in the deadliest of conflicts and the terrible legacy they will leave their children. In the game of thrones, you win or you die. And in the bitter-cold, unliving lands beyond the Wall, a terrible winter gathers and the others -- the undead, the neverborn, wildlings to whom the threat of the sword is nothing -- make ready to descend on the realms of men. A Game of Thrones begins the most imaginative, ambitious and compelling fantasy epic since The Lord of the Rings. Thronged with memorable characters, it unfolds with astonishing skill, a tale of truly epic dimensions. I am reading it on my kindle and am thoroughly enjoying. It's a can't put down kind of a book!

I am still reading this. It's really good.

I am hoping...
That all is well in your little corner of the world.

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 as she snoozes, all curled up behind me on the sofa. The tap tapping of the computer keys as I write. They are morning sounds. The sounds as I hear whilst the house wakes up around me and the day begins. I know I say the same thing every week . . . my mornings have the comfort of being the same day after day.

Around the house...



I am slowly working towards getting this look in my living/dining room. It is a work in progress. I love French Country, but with just a touch of elegance. I want it to be comfortably pretty without going over the top!

I am looking forward to...
Christmas. I know, I said that last week and this week we are one week closer! The mince pies have started to show up in the shops already! I would like to get BonFire night over with before we start indulging in those however.

I am pondering...
We have something in our church that each member is entitled to receive which is called a Patriarchal Blessing. They are modeled after the blessing given by Jacob to each of his sons prior to his death. They are gifts of knowledge and strength of one's coming challenges and blessings. A man called the patriarch (there is one in each church stake) lays his hands upon the heads of worthy members and pronounces a blessing according to revelation which he receives at that time. Each blessing is unique and pertinent to the person receiving it. At some point afterwards you receive a paper print out of what has been said and that you can refer to off and on through the years. I keep mine in my bedside table and I read it every night. It is amazing to me and a great comfort to me. Just last night I was reading it and something struck me that I had not noticed before. I will share it with you . . . in one part it said that as long as I lived a life that was pleasing to my Heavenly Father that I would receive many blessings, even blessings in disguise, and it struck me that that was exactly what I had received last year when I got made redundant. At the time, as you know, we were left reeling and it was a very difficult time for us. We couldn't understand why this was happening to us. It is amazing now that we can look back at that really difficult time and see that it was truly a blessing . . . a blessing in disguise.

One of my favourite things...
I have a set of journals I have kept through the years, prayer journals. It is interesting to read through them from time to time and see the answers I have been given to my prayers. God always answers our prayers. It may not be in the time line we wish for, and the answers given may not always be the ones we want to receive, but we always get an answer no matter what.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
There are the daily reading lessons, my meeting tomorrow night, and that is all. Quiet weeks are nice every now and then.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


(A painting of Christ by Liz Lemon Swindle,
one of my favourite artists)
I have a happy life, a blessed life, a full life. It is largely because I chose to follow the Saviour's plea . . . to come follow Him. Contrary to what the world might want us to believe, it is a rich and abundant life, filled to overflowing with comfort, peace and joy. It is a life that is filled with promise and hope. I wish that everyone could live such a life. The truth is that every one can have such a life if they should choose to do so, and it is a choice . . . there is no arm twisting, nor forcing. It costs nothing but the laying down of your pride . . . the reward being joy beyond belief.

As a closing thought I would like to leave you with the following beautiful song:



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 another recipe from my archives, which I am slowing switching over to printable recipes. This is a rare indulgence in this house, and quite, quite delicious!



*Heavenly Eggs Benedict*
Serves 3
Printable recipe

Eggs Benedict is really a delicious breakfast or light lunch. History has it that it was created at the Waldorf Hotel in 1894 for a customer hoping to find a cure for a morning after the night before hangover. It turned out to be a blessing for all of us, because we now can enjoy the results of his agony. What better way could you start your day than with a lightly toasted English muffin topped with a perfectly poached egg, napped in butterly gorgeous hollandaise . . . this is heaven.

6 large free range organic eggs (if you are going to have an egg as the star of the meal, it only makes sense to use the best eggs possible)
12 slices of pancetta, grilled until crisp
6 slices of baked ham
3 english muffins, split in half
butter
1 quantity of Hollandaise sauce

Have all your eggs at room temperature and break each into a small bowl before you start. Bring a pot of water, to which you have added 1 tsp of vinegar, to a slow simmer over gentle heat. Once you can see tiny bubbles on the bottom of the pan, carefully add the eggs, one at a time. Simmer, without covering for exactly 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for exactly ten minutes. (a timer is incredibly useful here) At the end of the time you should have a perfect poached egg, with a beautifully translucent and pefectly set white and a soft and creamy yolk. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, one at a time onto some paper kitchen toweling to drain.

Lightly toast the english muffin haves and butter them. Place them on a baking tray. Top each half with two slices of pancetta and 1 slice of the ham. Put a poached egg on top of each and spoon over an equal amount of the hollandaise, covering the egg. Place the eggs under a hot grill for about 30 seconds. (This shouldn't take long, you don't want them to brown. The surface of the Hollandaise should just be glazed) Remove to hot plates and serve.



*Blender Hollandaise Sauce*
Makes about 1 cup
Printable Recipe

Mmmm... deliciously buttery hollandaise sauce, made in just a few minutes, with all the ease of pushing a few buttons. Turns out perfect every time.

2 large free range organic egg yolks (Save the whites to make some meringues at a later date. They freeze very well)
2 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
4 ounces butter
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the vinegar and the lemon juice in a small measuring cup in the microwave for about 30 seconds or so, just until the mixture starts to bubble and simmer. In the meantime, place the egg yolks into your blender and season with a smidge of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend for one minute. Turning the blender on, add the lemon juice/vinegar mixture to the egg yolks in a thin stream, very slowly. (You can do this through the hole left in the lid after you remove the little plastic cap) Turn the blender off and melt the butter in the same measuring cup you used to heat the vinegar and lemon juice in until it is slightly foaming. Turn the blender back on and very slowly add the hot butter in a thin stream to the beaten egg yolks, once again through the little hole in the top of the lid. The slower you add it, the better. Turn the blender off and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, then put the lid on and blend again for a few seconds. Set aside.



There's another breakfast brewing over in The English Kitchen this morning, a delicious Re-purposed Biscuit Breakfast Casserole!