Poetry Saturday . . . My Creed

Source: greenlikebathwater.tumblr.com via Marie on Pinterest

To live as gently as I can;
To be, no matter where, a man;
To take what comes of good or ill,
And cling to faith and honor still;
To do my best, and let that stand
The record of my brain and hand;
And then, should failure come to me,
Still work and hope for victory.

Source: zsazsabellagio.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

To have no secret place wherein
I stoop unseen to shame or sin;
To be the same when I'm alone
As when my every deed is known;
To live undaunted, unafraid
Of any step that I have made;
To be without pretence or sham
Exactly what men think I am.

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

To leave some simple work behind
To keep my having lived in mind;
If enmity to aught I show,
To be an honest, generous foe;
To play my little part, nor whine
That greater honors are not mine,
This I believe is all I need
For my philosophy and creed.
~Edgar A Guest

Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest

Well, here we are on the brink of a new year . . . What will it hold for each of us??? Who knows . . . but I wish for each of you, something good . . . much joy, peace . . . happiness. Good health. Love/ May your cup of 2012 truly runneth over! Happy New Year.

I'll see you . . . next year!

I love anything with lemon in it, which puts me in a bit of a quandary as Todd does not. It’s just like pasta or chocolate cake . . . not his favourite thing. I do make him suffer through the odd lemon delight though . . . because I am mean, haha. This is a lovely lemon tart to start off the new year right.



*The Perfect Lemon Tart*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable recipe

The perfect lemon tart to me has more filling than crust in it and has a delicious full on lemon flavour, sweet but with just enough tartness to let you know you are eating lemons. I also like the crust to be crisp and light. This fit’s the bill on all counts!

Pastry:
6 ounces plain flour (1 3/4 cup)
1 ½ ounces of icing sugar (1/3 cup)
3 ounces softened butter (6 TBS)
Pinch of salt
1 large free range egg, separated
1 TBS water

Filling:
6 to 8 unwaxed lemons
6 large free range eggs
6 ounces caster sugar (Scant cup)
200 ml of heavy cream (7.2 fluid ounces)
A little icing sugar and crème fraiche to serve

First make the pastry. The easiest way to do this is in the food processor. That way the warmth of your hands can’t interfere with the process. Place the flour, icing sugar, butter, salt and the yolk of the egg (reserving the white for a bit later on) into the bowl of the food processor. Add the 1 TBS of water and process until it forms a firm dough. Remove from the processor and shape into a flat disc on some cling film. Wrap it up and place in the fridge to chill for about half an hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ Gas Mark 6. Place a large flat baking tray in the oven to warm as well. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out as thinly as you can on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin to a circle large enough to fit into a 9 inch tart tin with removeable sides. You will want it to come at least ¼ inch above the edges of the tin. Place it into the tin and then prick it all over with a fork. Lightly beat the egg white and then brush the crust all over with this. Place it onto the heated baking tray and then bake in the heated oven on the middle shelf for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 180*C/350*F now.

Make the filling as follows. Finely grate the zest from 6 of the lemons and squeeze enough juice to give you 10 ounces. Break the eggs into a large bowl and add the sugar, whisking to combine. Don’t over whisk it, just do it until they are well mixed. You don’t want the eggs to start to thicken. Whisk in the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Finally whisk in the cream and pour the whole mixture into a large jug.

I find the easiest way to fill the tart is to place the pastry case back on the baking tray and place it into the oven and then to pour the filling into the tart case while it is in the oven. That way you don’t have to try to carry the case and risk spillage. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the tart is set and feels springy in the centre. Remove from the oven and let it cool for about half an hour if you want to serve it warm. I actually prefer it chilled. Either way you have it, dust it with some icing sugar just before serving. Cut into slices to serve and serve with a nice dollop of crème fraiche on top!



Over in The English Kitchen today we have a delicious round up of the deliciousness that was 2011!! A month by month review of what I think was the most delicious recipe that I posted that month!


"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 . . .

Source: myrevelment.com via Marie on Pinterest

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 . . .

Source: goawaycomeback.tumblr.com via Marie on Pinterest

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.

Source: vi.sualize.us via Marie on Pinterest

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

The Simple Woman's Day book . . .

FOR TODAY, October 25th, 2011...

Outside My Window...
It is very dark and very cold. Not as cold as it can get in the winter, but the thermometer is definitely beginning to dip down . . . I am still sitting here hacking away. Sure sign of this time of year . . . the dreaded lurgy . . .

I am thinking...
I belong to a highschool group on Facebook. Well, it's not really a highschool group, but more a group of kids that used to hang out in a certain place. Most of us are Military Brats, with the odd civvie thrown in for good measure. It's been really interesting and fun seeing where and how everyone has got on in life. I'm really enjoying it. What's really nice about it is that all the walls have dropped. There are no "cool" kids anymore . . . or nerds . . . or prom queens . . . just good, decent, kind people, who have matured and have a story to tell and to share. I'm really enjoying it!

I am thankful for...
The scars that life has given me. They have helped to make me who I am and I like me. There is an old saying . . . Ain't nobody gonna get out of here alive! So let's appreciate what we got while we still got it!

From the kitchen...
Not a heck of a lot! Perhaps that is a good thing!

I am wearing...
L just giggled at the thought that I could have accidentally put the above line in here by mistake. Now that would have gotten a lot of attention! tee hee I'm wearing a pink nightied a robe and slippers. ☺

I am creating...


This is a little piece I did yesterday afternoon. I may never sell millions of pounds worth of stuff and I may never become a recognized artist, but I do so enjoy putting my whims and feelings down onto paper. This is a little girl on a swing, holding a sparrow in her lap. It reminds me of that song I learned as a child about God seeing the little Sparrow Fall . . . and how it meets His tender view . . . and of my relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father and my Saviour. I can tell them anything and I know that they are listening.

I am going...
We have our extra meeting for the Relief Society on Thursday Evening. This one is going to be foodie centred and we will be teaching the Sisters some great ways to stretch their food budget and how to make their meals more interesting and exciting . . . and different! Not the same old, same old!!

I am reading...



Below Stairs, by Margaret Powell

The book is a true account of the fascinating career of a 1920's kitchen maid, which promises any fans of Downton Abbey or Upstairs Downstairs a good read. Having worked myself as a cook in a "big house" I really enjoyed this peek into another cook's life and could easily align my own experiences with some of hers, although to be sure I had no kitchen maid to do all the dirty work for me and my boss was a bit of a nutter.

Margaret's background career started at the age of 14 when she became a kitchen maid in Hove, eventually progressing to the position of cook before, her marriage to a milkman in later life.

The book reads as virtually a transcript, bearing in mind that Margaret was knocking on a bit when she wrote this book. She recounts a lot of her experiences as wonderful or marvellous but still begrudges the position of 'servant' when some have nothing and others have too much.

The work of a kitchen maid is hard graft and never ending, with an early start and late finish. Her life as a cook improved her hours and work but she still tried hard and tried to work well with her employers which sometimes proved difficult.

My favourite bit of the book is when she describes her lodgings in each of the many grand houses she worked in. Sometimes it was rough and sometimes nice but never luxurious. I felt like Margaret had a lot of respect for her work and determination to do well but often came a cropper with a clash between employers or even the other longstanding staff. Whilst she was kind to people she did not suffer fools and as such would have been a good person to work for or with.

The language in the book is simple and paints a great picture of what it must have been like in the 1920s. Some employers were very generous, some were mean and some just misunderstood what the servants felt like and forgot they have feelings too.

It's hard to imagine in these days having a staff of 10+ people but these were the environments Margaret worked in and this is within the last 100 years of our world. Times have changed so much even in terms of cooking, Margaret describes working with the best (and worst) ingredients and abhorred cooking with margarine - it had to be butter! I did not learn to make any new food after reading this book but can see how things have changed.

I am hoping...
I got a letter telling me to make an appointment with my Doctor to see about the results of my ulta sound. I am nervous but remaining positive.

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. I love that about my days. They are quite, quite peaceful. (that's a good thing!)

Around the house...

Source: yourwhoiam.com via Marie on Pinterest

I love this idea of using an old door as a kitchen table. It looks very rustic and so very countrified! I love the idea of re-purposing anything and giving it a new life!

I am looking forward to...
I have not done a lot over the past week and a half whilst I've been ill. I am starting to feel a bit better now, although the cough and congestion linger somewhat. I am hoping that it is all gone by Thursday and that I can truly enjoy sharing with the Sisters at church. We have not made any other plans for the week . . . just want to get completely better is all.

I am pondering...
Everyone has a hidden story. We only see the surface or the things that people want us to see about them. If we were able to scratch the surface we would see something quite amazing I think . . . and we would be able to understand a lot more about why people are the way they are. There is an old Indian saying about not judging another until you have walked a mile in their moccasins. It is so true . . .

One of my favourite things...
I love to put my brushes and paint to paper and to see where they take me. I never know where I am going to end up when I begin . . . it evolves as my brushes stroke the paper. Each has a story to tell and I would hope that people who see my work can read the story I am trying to tell!

A few plans for the rest of the week...
Not a lot!!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Source: realsimple.com via Marie on Pinterest

Once upon a time my pantry walls used to be lined with jars just like this in the autumn. Oh how very much I enjoyed preserving summer's bounty for my family to use over the winter months ahead. I can remember looking at all the jars once the season's work was done for yet another year and feeling a great sense of pride in all I had accomplished. It was truly a labour of love and I got a great deal of pleasure from it. We are hoping that our garden will be a lot better next year and who knows . . . perhaps my hand will lend itself to doing this again. I did buy a nice dehydrator the other week. I took a page from Marlene's book and plan on dehydrating a lot next year!

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

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve."
~Albert Schweitzer

What true words these are. Most of my joy in life has come from being able to serve others. It is only in the giving away of your life that you truly begin to live it as it was meant to be lived.

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!


For the Simple Day Book . . . a simple tomato Tart. Enjoy!!



*Crisp Autumn Tomato Tart*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I had some tomatoes that needed to be used as well as some puff pastry. They just spoke tart to me and so I knocked this delicious one up. It's pretty wonderful what you can do with just a few ingredients.

1 (375g) packet of ready rolled puff pastry
4 ripe plum tomatoes, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1/4 cup homemade garlic mayonnaise
1 cup freshly grated strong cheddar cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese for dusting
Tomato vinegar for drizzling (optional, can use Balsamic)
a few basil leaves



Pre-heat the oven to 205*C/425*F. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper and lay the puff pastry out on top of it. Taking a sharp knife run it along about 1/2 inch from the edges all the way around the sheet of pastry, being very careful not to cut through all the way to the bottom. This will be the rim of your tart. Take a fork and prick it all over inside the edge. Place into the heated oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until slightly puffed. Remove from the oven and tamp down the centre area, leaving the edges puffed.

Spread the centre area with the garlic mayonnaise, covering it right up to the raised edges of the tart. Sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese. Lay the tomato slices over top of the cheddar cheese and sprinkle with a healthy dusting of sea salt and black pepper. Dust the top with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Place back into the hot oven an bake for another 20 minutes until nicely browned and crisp on the bottom.

Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes. Drizzle some tomato vinegar over the top and sprinkle with some torn basil leaves before serving. Delicious!



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a velvety Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms!

Poetry Saturday . . . Touching Shoulders . . .

There's a comforting thought at the close of the day,
When I'm weary and lonely and sad,
That sort of grips hold of my crusty old heart
And bids it be merry and glad.
It gets in my soul and it drives out the blues,
And finally thrills through and through.
It is just a sweet memory that chants the refrain:
"I'm glad I touch shoulders with you!"



Did you know you were brave, did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was one leaning hard?
Did you know that I waited and listened and prayed,
And was cheered by your simplest word?
Did you know that I longed for that smile on your face,
For the sound of your voice ringing true?
Did you know I grew stronger and better because
I had merely touched shoulders with you?



I am glad that I live, that I battle and strive
For the place that I know I must fill;
I am thankful for sorrows, I'll meet with a grin
What fortune may send, good or ill.
I may not have wealth, I may not be great,
But I know I shall always be true,
For I have in my life that courage you gave
When once I rubbed shoulders with you.
~author unknown



I just love this poem. I found it in a book of Poetry that my good friend Lura sent me for my last Birthday entitled, Best Loved Poems of the LDS People. It is just filled to overflowing with inspiration and beautiful verse. I love it.

I am a bit sad today as I won't be able to go to our church Stake Conference this weekend. These special meetings are only held twice a year and it is a chance to see people you havn't seen for six months and a chance to hear our local leaders etc. share what they have been inspired to share with us. They will be sustaining a whole new Stake Leaderships this time as well . . . but it would be irresponsible of me to go and spread my germs, so I'll just have to be patient and wait for Todd to come home and give me all the news.



Although I am still hacking and blowing my nose incessantly, I must be feeling somewhat better as I painted this yesterday afternoon. It reminds me of those school room concerts we used to give when I was a girl . . . everyone wearing their finest dresses and shoes and feeling so proud of what we were doing.

The refrigerator arrived safe and sound and we got everything set up and it is filled. This one we bought has a water dispenser on the door that doesn't need to be plumbed. You just fill it with water through a special filter and it chills it and you can push a lever on the door and it will dispense chilled filtered water . . . except for one thing. We filled it and all the water ran right through onto the floor because . . . the darn valve is missing that holds the water in!! I am quite annoyed about that! We picked this fridge specifically because it had that feature. It renders a great deal of the door area useless for storing anything else, about 1/3 of it. We are trying to see if we can get a part to replace it. I guess that is what happens when you buy at a scratch and dent place!

I am still not cooking much. We had reheated leftovers from our takeaway last night, and it still tasted of cardboard. I am still redoing my earlier recipes though onto printable format so here's a pumpkin pie that is my favourite recipe for pumpkin pie. Some people like to dress their up with a praline topping or some such, but I like mine plain and unadulterated . . . just pumpkin custard in a crisp crust with whipped cream on top does me fine!




*Pumpkin Pie*
Makes one 9 inch open pie
Printable Recipe

You can fancy up pumpkin pie however you want, with a crusted and sweet crunchy pecan topping, or a caramel flavoured filling. Nothing can top a plain old fashioned pumpkin pie however. This is the pumpkin pie of my childhood. It's the best in my opinion.

Basic short crust pastry for one 10 inch tart tin
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin, mashed or pureed
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten


Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/425*F. Line a 10 inch tart tin with a removable bottom with the pastry, trimming the sides evenly. Prick the bottom all over with a fork and line it with some tinfoil. Fill with some baking beans or rice and place it on a baking tray. Place in the heated oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Mix the pumpkin and other ingredients together in a bowl in the order given, whisking all together well, until completely incorporated.

Now comes the tricky bit. I like to leave the tart tin on the baking tray. Pull one of the oven racks about halfway out and place the tart shell on the baking tray on this rack. Carefully pour the pumpkin filling into the pastry shell and carefully slide the oven rack back into the oven. (This helps to keep the filling from slopping over which is what would happen no matter how carefully you tried to carry it from the counter to the stove!)

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 165*C/325*F and bake for 40 to 45 minutes longer, until the filling is firm, and a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before serving. A lightly sweetened and spiced whipped cream is the perfect accompaniment.



In The English Kitchen today, a delicious disaster, Five Minute Nutella Mug Cake.

A Mating Dance and Purple Plums . . .

We were sitting here eating our tea last night, nothing special, just some steak pies and chips, when I looked out the kitchen window and could see some mourning doves on the roof of the garden shed. Again, nothing special. We have several pairs of mourning doves that live in the area, and indeed a whole set of white pigeons that live somewhere across the road. The often sit on the rooves of the terraced houses out front of us. I love listening to the mournful cries of the doves in the mornings and the evenings. It is somewhat of a comforting sound to me. They wait in great anticipation several times a day for the bread crumbs and crusts that we put out for them.




Yesterday though, I was quite surprised, as they appeared to be fighting each other. I was a bit upset by all the activity until Todd told me that it was their mating dance . . . and then, what just a few minutes before had seemed violent and upsetting . . . turned into something of beauty to me. They fastened beaks together and were pulling each other about a bit, and then they would strut across the roofline, with wings apparently around each other. Quite beautiful really, taken in the right context. Billing and Cooing, I think is what Todd called it, and it is a name that perfectly suits, but then again nature is like that, perfectly suited . . .



We were very fortunate this past week or so to have been experiencing a beautiful Indian Summer, the finest I have ever experienced over here. It gave us a wonderful chance to finish up some jobs in the garden and I spent a few hours or so one day under the sun, listening to the birds sing and the bees buzz while I picked fruit in wonderful solitude, the fruit hanging from the branches around me like hundreds of big purple and blue easter eggs. The whole time I was picking, I couldn't stop thinking of all the wonderful things I was going to do with them . . . plum crumbles, cakes, muffins . . . chutnies and jams . . . wonderful, sugar plummy thoughts.



Back to the house, armed with a bag full of plums, I could hardly wait to get stuck in and cook up some lovely plum delights. First up I made some Spicy Plum Chutney. The kitchen didn't small half good whilst it was cooking!!! Todd thought he had died and gone to heaven. Next I cut quite a few into slices and froze them on baking sheets. Once they were frozen I packed them into heavy freezer bags. I can just take out as many as I want over the winter months to make crumbles and such.

Finally I baked this lovely German cake that we love. I say cake loosely, because it is really a cross between a cake and a tart. When you are eating it you can never quite decide exactly what it is . . . except to know that it is a lovely and rich early autumn treat. Slices of it, served warm with cold vanilla icecream melting down into it's rich crumbly goodness make me feel like all is right with the world. It can rain buckets tommorrow if it likes . . . for today I am enjoying the sunshine, the plums and this delicious cake, no I mean tart . . . oh what the heck . . . this wonderfully delicious taste of late summer!



*Cardamom Scented Plum Cake*
Makes 1 ten inch cake
Printable Recipe

I like to use the slightly tart purple Italian plums for this, but really any plum will do. A moist and rich cake with the delicate scents of vanilla and lemon, topped with tart and juicey sliced plums all underneath the cover of a delightly fragrant and spicy stresusal topping. This is definitely what I'd call moreish!

4 ounces butter (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 TBS sour cream
1 pinch salt
grated zest of one lemon
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups plums, pitted and sliced into wedges

For the topping:
6 TBS butter
3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardomom



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/375*F. Lightly butter a 9 to 10 inch cake tin with a removeable bottom and set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, lemon zest, vanilla, sour cream and salt. Whisk the flour, baking powder together and then add it to the creamed mixture, mixing it in well. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

Liberally spread the plums over top of the batter. I like to arrange them in a circular pattern, but that's just me, it's not necessary.

To make the topping whisk together the sugar, flour and spices. Rub in the butter until it is crumbly. Sprinkle it evenly over the plums.

Bake in the pre-heated oven on the middle rack for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, until the topping is nicely browned and the cake tests done. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes, cooling on a wire rack, before removing the sides of the pan. Serve warm, cut into wedges with scoops of good quality vanilla ice cream.

Mmmmmm . . . this is heaven in every bite . . . I wonder if it's good for breakfast?



There's an amazing Stilton and Celery Soup cooking in The English Kitchen today.

As summer slips away . . .

"Thou crownest the year with thy goodness . . . and the little hills rejoice on every side. The folds shall be full of sheep; the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn that they shall laugh and sing." ~Psalm 65: 11-13



Oh, I do love this time of year . . . summer looks to be slipping away . . . but we still have glorious days of sunshine to look forward to and cooler nights. (I am not overly fond of sticky hot nights). The farmer begins to see lots of promise in his ripening corn and counts his chances of a good harvest to be very good . . .







School holiday makers are making the most of the last few days they have left and are flocking to the seaside, where a festive air reigns . . . cotton candy, ice creams, rock candy, chips and games on the pier . . .



The verges of the woods and meadows are embroidered with lovely blooms, just this side of going to seed . . . and in the garden the crysanthemums are blooming away fiercely along with the gladiolas, dahlias and roses . . . the last hurrah before autumn arrives and they begin to die off . . . tangled masses of gaillardia, coreopsis, gypsophila, clarkia and marigold . . . blooms of gold and red and pink and blue . . . so pretty







But each day brings us closer to the summer's end and you can smell it in the air . . . the impending autumn has an almost palpable presence now on most days . . .







There is no time for regrets. Something new is always waiting around the corner, some new loveliness to be perceived, some new joy to be experienced. The thought of walking once again upon the acorns which crack beneath our feet, and picking blackberries and sloes from the hedgerows . . . the smell of ripe apples and pears in the air . . . the winding down of summer's clock. The evenings hold a certain glow . . . and the mornings, all a-chill hold the promise of sunny days just waiting to unfold.



We must catch them whilst we can . . .







My skin is driving me up the wall at the moment. I have eczema and the skin on my tummy is itching, itching, itching. I have a prescription cream that I use, but it is doing nothing to relieve it. It wakes me up off and on all night and I find I have been scratching, which does it no good whatsoever! Back home I used to take oatmeal baths and use Penaten Cream which I don't seem to be able to get over here. They even have the oatmeal soap over in Canada. I just suffer and hope that it will improve.



Last night I had my first bought out pizza here, and it was not very good. We were waiting for something to be ready at Curry's and it wasn't worth going home and so we popped into Pizza Hut across the road and had a bite to eat. Blech!! I miss Pizza Delight pizza and Al Greco. Perhaps I just got it on a bad day, I don't know, but to me it was no better than a frozen one and a frozen one is a lot cheaper! My cousin Hal owns a pizza restaurant back home (The Pizza Factory) and he makes fantastic pizza's. Darn, now I am wanting pizza for breakfast. Another itch that can't be cured!!!



Best think about chocolate pie then . . . this is a very easy to make and delicious chocolate mousse pie. I made this for Pat and Pete when they visited us down in Brenchley a few years back. I have not made it in a while. Time to rectify that! We are having a church picnic on Saturday and we are each supposed to bring a dessert to share. I think this will be mine!







*Decadent Chocolate Mousse Tart*

Serves 8

Printable Recipe



Not only is this sinfully moreish, but it’s also relatively easy to put together. I’d call it a dawdle! There’s no real cooking involved here. I think this will become a fast favourite with anyone who tries it!



200g packet of butter shortbread biscuits (about 1/2 pound)

100g unsalted butter (6 1/2 TBS)

1 TBS golden syrup or honey

100g bar of good quality dark chocolate (use one with a high cacao content, at least 70%) (4 ounces)

100g bar of good quality milk chocolate (4 ounces)

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

2 TBS of icing sugar, plus more for dusting

200ml of whipping or double cream (6.7 fluid ounces)



Give the biscuits a whir in the food processor, until they are quite broken down. You don’t want them too fine, but you don’t want big chunks of biscuit in them either. (You can also do this by putting them into in a zip lock food bag and giving them a good bash with the rolling pin!) Put the crumbs into a bowl. Melt the butter with the syrup or honey in the microwave and stir it into the crumbs, mixing it until they are all mixed together well. Pat the mixture onto the bottoms and a bit up the sides of a 12 X 36cm (5 by 14 inch) rectangular loose bottomed tart tin or a 23 cm (9 inch) round one. Put it into the fridge to chill while you are making the filling.



Break all the chocolate into bits in a large bowl and melt it in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes on high. Check it after about a minute and a half, giving it a stir. You may not need any longer than that, depending on how strong your microwave is. Stir in the vanilla essence and then sift in the icing sugar. Mix it in well. You will think it is going solid on you, but it isn’t. Whip the cream just until it holds it’s shape and then fold it into the melted chocolate mixture. Spoon it into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Place the tart in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours or up to two days.



About half an hour before serving, remove the tart from the fridge. Let it sit and then remove the sides of the tin and place the tart onto aflat plate. Dust with icing sugar and then serve. You can serve it with a little bit of crème fraiche dabbed on top or a scoop of ice cream on the side. Delicious!







There are delicious Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes over in The English Kitchen this morning! Just in time for breakfast!

The Simple Woman's Day book . . .

FOR TODAY, August 9th, 2011...



Outside My Window...

It is decidedly gloomy and cold. Summer seems to have left us for the time being.



I am thinking...

I am still working on the healing my heart business, but have been quite distracted by all that is going on in London. My mind cannot seem to get around it all! I don't understand the motivation behind the mindless destruction and chaos! A part of me is worried that it will spread. I know that we have been warned that these types of things will occur in the latter days, and that it is just another sign of the times we are living in, but it is very frightening and disappointing to see us having devolved into such a hedonistic and uncaring society. Have these louts no heart for the innocent people's businesses and homes they are burning and looting? I think that the Government should say enough is enough, impose martial law and bring in the army before it gets even worse.



I am thankful for...

My new glasses. At first they felt a bit strange, but I think I am used to them now. I can actually read with my glasses on now, and in fact can work on the computer with them on as well, which is something I haven't been able to do for years!



From the kitchen...

See below.



I am wearing...

A blue nightie and slippers. If the cold temperatures contine I will have to go back to wearing jimjams!



I am creating...

I have stacks and stacks of finished cards sitting in my craft room, all glued and glittered, and bagged and stickered up. I still have to list them in my Etsy Shop. I know, I said that last week and still have not gotten around to it. I have created a few new beauties though:







This first one is called Dare to be Different. I love the bright colours. She has a very cheery feel to her.







Love in a Garden grows, very soft and ethereal.







I am also taking an e-course at the moment called Flying Lessons. It is being taught by Kelly Rae Roberts. I am enjoying it very much thus far. It has been helping me to face my fears and I am hoping that it will help me to be more pro-active in getting my art business off the ground.





I am going...

I am going to the Dentist this afternoon to have that offending tooth that has been bothering me off and on for so long removed. I hate to have to do it, but there is no choice in the matter. Enough is enough.



I am reading...







The Girl in the Mirror, by Sarah Gristwood



Jeanne, a young French exile orphaned by the wars of religion on the continent, is brought to London as a young girl disguised as a boy. Growing up, the disguise has not been shed and she finds a living as a clerk, ending up in the household of Robert Cecil. As she witnesses the intrigues and plots swirling round the court of Elizabeth I in the last days of Gloriana’s reign, she finds herself sucked into the orbit of the dashing and ambitious young favourite, the Earl of Essex. The queen draws near to the end of her life, with no heir to follow, and the stakes are high.



As Essex hurtles towards self-destruction, Jeanne finds her loyalties, her disguise and her emotions under threat – in a political climate where the least mistake can attract dire penalties.



This is a beautifully written and evocative first novel, rich with the details of life and politics of Elizabeth I’s court. Jeanne’s struggle for survival and love is interwoven with her passionate pull towards the gardens she documents, a lovely and seductive backdrop to the novel.



Still on this novel and enjoying it!



I am hoping...

That my mouth is not too sore after the tooth extraction. I have a lesson to prepare for Relief Society on Sunday and I want to be able to concentrate fully on it.



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. The wind is blowing. There has been quite a turnaround in the weather it seems. It's cold and not very nice at all.



Around the house...

Ironing, hoovering, dusting . . . the usual household chores. Probably not much different than anyone else's house I think!!



I am looking forward to...

We have the missionaries coming for tea later this week. I love feeding them and spending time with them. They are great lads. I couldn't believe that Elder Yeager had not spoken any English before arriving on our shores from Germany! His English is so well spoken and with hardly an accent at all. I am planning on spoiling them again this week, and why not! They work so hard serving others, and it is nice to be able to serve them in return.



I am pondering...

I have been reading a great book on the Atonement of Christ called, Believing Christ by Stephen E. Robinson. It's really bringing me a new perspective on what Christ actually did for us. You can read one of his talks here, which gives you a glimpse of what is in the book. It's very, very good, and I highly recommend.



One of my favourite things...

Is sitting in the garden watching the goldfish in our pond and the frogs too. The lily pads are blooming and it is so very pretty at the moment. I think the fish have tripled in size since last year. We have 4 of them. I don't know what we will do when they get really big! We will have to give them to someone with a larger pond I guess!



A few plans for the rest of the week...

I have the Dentist today, the Missionaries on Thursday and of course my reading lessons which I am giving each day as well. My One Step Program on Friday and then the rest of the week is blissfully free, well . . . all except for my having to prepare that lesson. It is on Chastity and not an easy to topic to approach, but I'll do my best!!



Here is picture thought I am sharing...







This is me, dressed up for Sunday School at my Grandparents in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia. I was almost five years old at the time. I am holding the little white bible that my Father gave me for Easter that year. I do not know what happened to that bible. It disappeared in the Divorce. I think my ex probably burned it like he did so many other things. Anyways, I look at the picture and I think to myself what would I tell that little girl if I could . . . I think I would tell her first and foremost that she is the daughter of a Heavenly Father and that He loved her very much. That is life-changing knowledge. Had she known and completely understood the implications of that simple fact then . . . she may have made very different choices in her life. I always knew there was a God. I just never thought I was important enough for Him to actually care for me personally . . . I am very grateful that I do have that knowledge now and that I now know who I really am.



And just as a closing thought for today . . .



"Your task . . . to build a better world," God said. I answered, "How? . . . this world is such a large, vast place, and there's nothing I can do." But God in all His wisdom said, "Just build a better you." ~author unknown



Its so simple. I'm working on it!



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 are some tasty little turnovers that are a great way of using some of those lovely raspberries in the shops at the moment. I am hoping that next year we will have some of our own, but in the meantime I buy them. They're so good. I especially love the Scottish ones. These little turnovers are fabulous!









*Mini Raspberry Turnovers*

Makes 12 small ones

Printable Recipe



Juicy seasonal berries in a crisp and buttery shorbread crust!



For the crust:

2 cups plain flour

7 ounces butter (14 TBS)

1 large free range egg, lightly beaten

2 TBS granulated sugar

1 TBS chilled heavy cream

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp salt



For the filling:

4 tsp granulated sugar (Can use more if the berries

are overly tart)

1 TBS plain flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

2 cups (8 to 10 oz.) fresh red raspberries, rinsed and air-dried

or patted dry with kitchen paper toweling

1 to 2 TBS milk





First make the crust. Combine the flour, butter, egg, sugar, cream, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor, and pulse until the dough starts gathering together in big clumps. Turn the dough out onto a counter and gather it together with your hands into a ball. Divide the pastry in half. Pat each half into a square shape, about 1 inch thick. Wrap each in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.



Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll out one square of the pastry into a 9x14-inch rectangle. (If the dough is too sticky, you can also dust it with a little flour.) Cut the dough into six (4-inch)rounds. Remove the excess dough from around the rounds and discard or save for another use. Run a metal spatula under each round to separate it from the counter.



Stir together the 4 tsp sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the raspberries and gently toss to coat. Taste and add more sugar if the fruit seems tart.



Put a heaping tablespoon of raspberries (three to six berries, depending on size) in a single layer on one half of each dough round. Press gently to flatten the berries a bit. Dampen the pastry edges with a little water and carefully fold the other side of the dough over the berries to make a half moon. Press the edges of the dough together with your fingers or the tines of a fork. If any small cracks formed in the dough, pinch them together as best you can with damp fingers. Carefully transfer the turnovers to the baking sheet. (I use a spatula)



Repeat with the other square of the dough and the remaining berry mixture. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill for at least 15 minutes, and up to 4 hours.



Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.



Brush the tops of the turnovers, avoiding the edges, with the milk. Sprinkle with the sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool to warm or room temperature before eating. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.







It's Cream of Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese, but not as you know it over in The English Kitchen today!