Craft, cook, dance, sing and laugh!

Craft, cook, dance, sing and laugh!

Yeah, I mean it; if you do what you like, you will be happy. Not rocket science. I often came home from work feeling exhausted and wanting only one thing: shut the outside world out and put my feet up with a cup of steaming tea. However great that might sound, it's not always possible. We all have responsibilities and chores to do. I decided anyway, no matter how tired I might feel, my 'putting my feet up after work' time would not exceed a half hour. I get on with doing things and not just chores but playing Legos with my daughter, trying out a new bake, crafting something or listening to music and dancing to it. It is working in making me feel loads better. I don't feel as exhausted because I am happy to be self motivating myself to doing the activities I enjoy, if only I begin them and don't fall into a slumber. 

Here is an Easter basket I made out of old magazine pages. Paper crafting is a great way to recycle old magazines, which are usually colourful and bright.

Easter weaved paper basket

It is presently nearly 11 pm a2nd I 2have just taken out a batch of rolls from the oven (and have also eaten 2 already with butter!). Justine will have them for breakfast and I am guessing she won't have hers with butter or any other spread. To be fair, those rolls are delicious as they are. 

Soft pillowy rolls

These rolls are easy to make, hardly any kneading required and they bake for 20 minutes. However, it must be said that they need double rising; the time can be well spent painting your nails or doing your hair or even watching an episode of your favourite series on Netflix or Amazon Prime videos. Alternatively, if you have children, you could end up being Mia or Stephanie in a Lego session😉. They are worth it though. So delicious! I hope the Pioneer Woman won't mind that I reveal that the recipe is from her website. I absolutely love her show and her recipes. Please visit her website and try out the delicious recipes. It's no nonsense meals that are hearty, scrumptious and family-friendly. 

Anyway, time to dash, to read my book before some shut-eye. Have a good day, morning, afternoon, evening or night, wherever you may be. Until next time...

Nailed it!

I know this blog is supposed to be about life (yours) and style but let's face it, we spend a lot of our life eating or more precisely, cooking, thinking about what to make for dinner and so on. Therefore it's not surprising that recipes, tips and tricks are useful.
Everyone loves a little pot de crème or creme caramel dessert. I tweaked all the recipes I have found along the years and came up with my own very successful recipe. Silky, delicious and indulgent, this is an easy recipe to get perfect creme caramel every time.
It serves 6 in little ramekins or 4 in medium sized ones.
You will need 3 large eggs, 200ml whole milk, 100ml whipping cream, 3 heaped Tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat everything together with an electric whisk. You will also need 1/3 of a cup of granulated sugar to caramelise for the bottom of the ramekins. If caramelising sugar on the hob is not your strong point, do it in the microwave in a heatproof jug; use a small jug to make pouring easy. Add 1 and a half Tbsp water to the sugar and place it in the microwave on medium high and set to 2 and a half minutes. Then you have to do it by eye (and nose;)) until you get a nice brown colour and that unmistakable caramel smell. Increase the time by increments of 10 seconds. Stop the sugar cooking by placing the jug quickly in a bowl of cold water. Get your kettle ready with boiling water for the water bath. Pour the caramel quickly in the ramekins while still liquid. Then place the ramekins in a baking dish or deep tray and pour boiling water in the tray to about halfway up the ramekins. Pour the milk and egg mixture in the ramekins and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes. Your pots are ready! If you like nutmeg, grate a little bit finely on the surface of the creme caramel. Chill your little pots for an even better experience.

Happy Easter holidays!

Have you been having fun? We have been on Easter break for about five days. Rest was our priority as the last five weeks have been pretty full on at work and I am sure Justine worked very hard at school too:)

I always find time to cook tasty balanced meals though, no matter how tired I am. Justine has sometimes helped;) She loves mixing up various soaps in the bath (maybe she will be a chemist) and she extends her love of mixing in the kitchen!

I have also been crafting and watching my favourite movies again. I am reading The Hobbit (again!) and trying to make it last. 

Below, I am sharing some recipes with you and some ideas to make your everyday cooking easier. 

Pancakes 

These pancakes are easy to make, perfect for breakfast or snacking and they are practically foolproof. Here's how to make them:

Mix 150ml whole milk with one egg and 50g all-purpose flour. Add a dash of vanilla extract and beat well with a hand whisk. Last but not least, melt about half a Tbsp of butter and pour it in the mixture and beat again. Let this rest while you get the pan ready. A non-stick large frying pan is your buddy here. Heat it up on high until it's pretty hot then pour in a little bit of oil (about a tsp). Tilt the pan to coat it well with the oil. Reduce the heat to medium. Beat the batter before pouring each portion in the pan; there is enough for four big pancakes. Make sure there is a little oil in the pan before cooking each pancake and cook each of them for about one minute on the first side and 30 seconds on the other side. Spread with honey, Nutella or peanut butter or anything you want really!

Justine with the pizza we made

We made pizza a few times too. Making pizza at home is not as daunting as some might think. I followed Jamie Oliver's recipe; it always gives a great result. The crust is perfect and the topping leaves room for anything you might want to add or vary.

Me:)

Two of our colleagues left the college and we went out for a farewell dinner with them at the Indian Zest (by the riverside). The meal was lovely, the decor amazing yet simple and the staff very efficient. I took that picture just before going out. I am forty years old now, in case you were wondering about my age;)

Justine as Harry Potter for World Book Day

Justine dressed up as Harry for World Book Day:) and soon we will be going to Harry Potter world in Watford. We are both very excited!

My little caramel creme pots

These caramel creme pots are easy to put together. I will make sure to include the recipe soon. Below is the crochet basket I made for Justine to hold her Easter treats. I used chunky fabric yarn for it and basket stitch.

The card we made for one of our dearest friends

Feel free to ask me questions about the posts and its contents. Enjoy!