What I Got For Christmas 2014

As usual, I was spoilt by all my family and my boyfriend this Christmas. I recieved more than I could have wished for and am very grateful. As a disclaimer, this post is not intended to show off what I got but simply because I enjoy seeing other people's posts like this. Also, I thought it would be something nice to look back on in the future.

Starting with the photo above, I was very happy when I unwrapped the Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay Body & Hand Wash from my boyfriend's Mum. It was a very thoughtful gift as she had remembered when I went into a Jo Malone store with her a couple of months ago and was longing to try some of their products. She also gave me the Cedar & Lemon Bath Fizzer from a local shop in Norfolk, The Natural Soap Company. 
From my Dad and his partner we received a huge box filled with food, about half of which was homemade (not pictured). The box included a cake, some truffles, bicsotti, crackers and some nuts. This was great as with myself and Michael working over Christmas we hadn't bothered to buy much food in! Tucked away inside the box was the La Maison de Senteurs Hand Care Purse containing a mini Hand Wash and Hand Cream in the Fleur d'Orangier scent.
My boyfriend, Michael, gave me many things that I had on my wishlist and he knew I wanted. Possibly my favourite was the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette which has been on my wishlist since it was released more than a year ago. The LUSH Mrs Frosty gift set, which was limited edition for Christmas but contains 3 products, 2 of which are from their permanent line: the Butterball, So White and The Comforter.

Michael also gave me the Tweezerman for Benefit Eyelash ProCurl Curler, the Essie Favourites to Fall For Duo containing Bahama Mama and Chinchilly, the scent and the large mug in the Cosmic print from the Monsoon Home range at Denby. The blu-ray boxset I received from my brother, as well as a box of Lindt Chocolates (not pictured).
From my Mum I received  the Stuffed Burger Press from Lakeland. Also, following on the tradition of getting a new Christmas tree ornament every year we received not one but 4 new decorations. The Ceramic Starbucks Red Cup Ornament and knitted bear were from my Mum, the bird was from Michal's Mum and the silver glass bauble was from Michael.

I am very thankful for all the presents I received. I hope you all got everything you wished for.

Pecan Blondies

I have a bit of an obsession with white chocolate. These have the flavour of white chocolate melted into a cake giving them a buttery, smooth taste. Nuts and white chocolate is a well known food combination, and rightly so. These are simply delicious. They may even be better than brownies!

Makes 16 squares

You will need:

175g White Chocolate
115g Unsalted Butter
100g Caster Sugar
2 Medium Eggs
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
125g Plain Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder
150g Pecan Halves

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 C and prepare a 20cm square non-stick cake tin, greased and base-lined with greaseproof paper. Break up the chocolate and put it into a heatproof bowl with the butter. Put the bowl over a pan of of hot water and melt gently while stirring frequently.When the chocolate is nearly all melted, remove the from the pan and stir until smooth.
2. Stir in the sugar, and leave to cool for 2 minutes. (Don't worry if the mixture looks curdled at this stage.)
3. Put the eggs and vanilla into a separate bowl and whisk until frothy. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir well.
4. Sift in the flour with the baking powder and stir. Add 100g of the pecan halves and mix in.
5. Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin and spread out evenly. Scatter the remaining pecan halves over the top. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted halfway between the centre and the side of the cake comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool (if you can resist!), before removing the cake from the tin and cutting into squares.

Butternut Squash and Pancetta Pasta

This has become another one of my favourite past dishes. It is so simple to make, yet so flavourful. I love the slightly sweet flavour of the butternut squash along with the salty flavour of the pancetta.

Serves 3

You will need:

225g Penne Pasta ½ Butternut Squash (Peeled and diced)
1 Small Onion (Diced)
155g Pancetta (or diced bacon)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Clove of Garlic (Crushed)
½ tsp Dried Mixed Herbs
⅔ Cup of Chicken Stock
¼ Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

Method:

1. In a medium sized saucepan, add the olive oil and pre-heat over a medium. Add the pancetta and cook until it just starts to become crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same saucepan, add the onion and butternut squash. Season lightly and cook for 12-15 minutes or until they start to develop some colour. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Add the herbs and the chicken stock. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until the butternut squash becomes tender.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. 
5. Add the pasta to the saucepan along with the cheese and cooked pancetta. Stir until fully mixed and serve immediately.

Goat's Cheese and Red Onion Filo Parcels

These were a bit of an experiment but turned out well. When doing our weekly food shop we saw something similar in the supermarket and thought we would try to recreate them at home. Using online recipes for guidance we came up with these. I think they would be perfect at a party as buffet food or canapés.

The picture above has still got some flour on the outside from the filo pastry. They still tasted good, but it might improve them if the melted butter was brushed on the outside of them before they were cooked. Here's a photo to show how delicious the filling was!

Makes 10

Ingredients:

1 pack Ready-Made Filo Pastry
125g Goat's Cheese
3 Red Onions
25g Walnuts (chopped)
2tbsp Butter
2tbsp Butter (melted)

Method:

1. Peel the onions and finely slice them into half-moon shapes. Add the 2 tbsp of butter to a frying pan on a medium heat. Once melted add the onions and cook for 45mins to 1 hour, or until the onions have started to caramelise and have reduced in size, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat.
2. Cut the goat's cheese into 10 chunks. 
3. Cut each filo sheet into 6 rough squares. Using a non-stick baking tray, start to prepare the filo parcels. Lay a square of filo pastry on the baking tray. Using a pastry brush (or your fingers if you don't have one), brush the top of the filo square with the melted butter. Place the next filo square on top at an angle to the first one. Again, brush the top with butter. Place another filo square on top, brush with butter and place the final square on top. You should have 4 layers of filo pastry, which each have been rotated slightly so they are at different angles.
4. Brush the melted butter around the edge of the layered filo in a circle. Place a small amount of the onions in the centre, then place a chunk of goats cheese on top and finally adding some of the chopped nuts.
5. Gather the edges of the filo pastry up around the filling, pressing them together to seal the parcel.
6. Repeat until you have run out of filo pastry and filling. Should make around 10 parcels. When you have finished preparing them, spread them out on the baking tray.
7. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for 10-15 minutes, or until they are becoming golden on the top and slightly around the outside.

Banana Pancakes

I have seen a lot of recipes for healthier versions of pancakes around the internet, specifically Pinterest. The healthiest of them all seems to be those made with just eggs and banana. I am a bit sceptical of how these would resemble pancakes and whether they would taste good, so I found something which would look and taste more like a traditional pancake. I didn't see how I would achieve a pancake mixture without at least a small amount of flour, and I only make this occasionally either when I want a more special breakfast or when I have ripe bananas to use up. They taste really good and are fluffy on the inside. Great served with fruit and a little maple syrup. Best thing is how quick and easy they are to make, perfect for breakfast!

Makes 6 and Serves 2-3 people

You will need:
½ Cup of Plain Flour
1½ tsp Granulated Sugar (Optional)
1 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
½ a beaten Egg
½ Cup of Milk (any kind will work, I used Almond Milk)
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 ripe Banana, mashed
¼ tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract  

Method:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in medium sized bowl, and mix all the wet ingredients in a jug.
2. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk until combined and the mixture is smooth. 
3. Heat a frying pan up to a medium heat. Use a ladle or ⅓ cup measure to spoon some mixture into the pan. Cook for a few minutes on each side or until starting to brown a little. 

Enjoy with any of your favourite pancake toppings.

Requium by Lauren Oliver

I must remember in future to write a book review very soon after I reach the end of a book. I finished this book a couple of weeks ago, so although I expect this review to be very short I thought it deserved being written.

Once again, I will present to you the synopsis for this novel. Surprisingly Amazon doesn't provide this, I guess they assume, rightly so, that you would only want to read this book after reading the previous two. But still, it may be helpful in order to get an overview of the trilogy.

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.

"Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing."

Following the theme of the second book this one is written in a slightly different way. The story is told from both Lena and Hannah's point of view, alternating with each chapter. Their stories and lives seem very separate right up until the end when they ultimately converge. 

I enjoyed reading this book, and would certainly recommend it if you have read the previous two novels in the trilogy. Although I would have to say that this was my least favourite of the three. For a long period in the book the story doesn't seem to be leading anywhere, but the ending does conclude the trilogy and is worth it for that. 

What did you think of this trilogy? Do you have a similar book recommendations?  

Sweet Potato Curry

This creation was something my Mum and her partner made when they came to stay with us last September, and I've recreated it a few times since. The simplicity of this recipe is down to the number of steps it takes to make. It contains no dairy and can be vegetarian if the prawns are left out or replaced with an alternative.

Serves: 4-6 people

You will need:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion (diced)
1 red pepper (diced)
2-3 tbsp curry paste
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can coconut cream
1 large/medium or 2 small sweet potatoes (diced)
250-300g bag of frozen prawns (defrosted)

Method: 

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan pan. Add the onions and fry until softened. Mix in the curry paste and the red pepper and continue to fry for a couple more minutes.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and sweet potato to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and gently simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
3. Add the prawns to the curry and continue to cook until the prawns have heated up, but no longer as they are already cooked. Serve with rice.

note: this recipe works using either coconut milk or cream, although I do prefer the thicker, slightly richer sauce created using coconut cream. So I would recommend, if you can find it, using coconut cream as a preference.