I have new items up for sale/sold on my FB page :D

https://www.facebook.com/BeeyoutifullyHomemadeCrafts

http://www.largerfamilylife.com/2013/04/01/win-a-range-of-crazy-soaps/


Win crazy soaps here from Larger Family Life!

Homemaking and cooking day

Last Thursday I had a baking at home day.

 

Some pics :D

 

Lovely bread rolls

 

 

Recipe: 

 

500g strong flour (I used 100g of wholemeal and 400g white)

7g Yeast

300ml warm water

1tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

 

Mix for 1 min in mixer on minimum and then for 4 min on 1.

Tear into chunks and allow to rise for an hour, covered then cook for 25 mins at 200 deg.

  

Before we cooked shortbread

 

Recipe:

 

225g Plain flour

75g Sugar

175g butter

 

Mix together, put in tin, bake 35 mins at 150 deg.

 



Washing on the line in the snow - yes in April!

 

  Cooked flapjack

 

 

 

 Recipe:

 

226g butter

170g sugar (I mixed white and light brown)

340g Oats

1/4 tsp salt

3tbsp golden syrup (you can sub a tbsp bit for honey)

 

Melt butter and syrup

add to rest of ingredients in a large bowl

mix well

 

bake 15 mins at 180 deg

turn and bake 5 more mins.

 

Mark pieces and cut when cooled.

 

By Friday - yes, half the baking was gone!  I have locusts disguised as my family! 

 

Full moon

These pics I took last week at the full moon, I love my camera, (it was a joint birthday and Christmas pressie).  Look at the detail of the moon.  So pretty :D

 

 

 

Pizza!

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2013/02/22/best-30-minute-homemade-pizza-dough-recipe/food-storage-recipes

This is the pizza we have now, don't make it any other way!  Sooooooooooo yummy!

Make your own Creme Eggs!

Make your own Creme Eggs! Yummy!!

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

On Sunday night I had a go at making these Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls from 'That Family' blog.  They were a hit! 

I had to change the recipe slightly as when we tasted them we found them too cocoa-y and a bit strong, so added half a small tin of condensed milk before popping them in the fridge. 

Perfect!

They filled school lunch boxes on Monday, alongside the homemade bread and honey sandwiches, fruit and fromage frais :D

Now what else can I make?!?!

Yummies - links I have found! And a recipe :D

This is what we had for dinner Saturday night:

 

 
Mixed together it was a gorgeous Veggie and Quinoa Pilaff from the Slimming World book '50 Free Green Recipes'.  
Happy to share the recipe I use (like book with a few adaptations) if requested!

and this evening.....

I was cruising around blogs, avoiding housework - as you do - and came across a couple of luverly recipes that I might just try. 

* Firstly this one from Amy @ Everything is Homemade:

http://everythingishomemade.com/2013/03/20/roasted-broccoli-cauliflower-with-tahini-dressing/

we are a massive fan of Quinoa ('kee-nwa') here, see above! And but loved the idea that it was served on it.  Broccoli is another firm fave and we use chickpeas in our chilli so I am sure it would be a mahouuuuusive hit!

* another from Amy:

http://everythingishomemade.com/2013/03/18/greek-pitas-with-tzatziki-sauce/ 

Yum... from a family which lived for 3 years in Cyprus, this cannot fail :D

* Amy again: 

http://everythingishomemade.com/2013/03/15/homemade-cheesy-crackers/

Gonna definitely try this, the kids will lurve it for lunch boxes!


In fact just go check out her fab blog!  Its got LOADS of yumtastic recipes! And does what it says on the tin ;D  Tell her I sent you!

PASTA SAUCE

Basic tomato pasta sauce
Using smartprice or value pasta with this sauce and make a healthy, economical meal.
Now these are the ingredients I use, you notice that I don't really use measurements as I make it up as I go along! 

I sometimes leave it chunky and sometimes whizz it with a hand blender to make it a smooth sauce.

Its a great meal for hiding veggies and using up leftovers :D  You can leave bits out or add extras in.

Left over sauce can be frozen!  And added to with subsequent leftover sauces!  Or........ dan dah daaaaah ...... can be turned into a chilli sauce dead easily!!!  :D

Okay, the BASIC sauce we use is:

Tins of value chopped tomatoes (we use 5/6 for a large meal for a family of 6)
Mushrooms
Onions
Green/yellow Peppers
Italian Seasoning
Garlic

We have also been known to add:

(Chopped small)
Courgette/Zucchini
Carrot
Celery
Sweetcorn
Baked beans

You get the idea!

Bung it all in a huge saucepan, cook for about 15 to 20 mins, season, put on pasta/spaghetti, with or without cooked meat/meat substitute and sprinkle with cheese if needed!  Yummy!

Also the basic sauce is syn free on Slimming World!

Chilli
Do as above but add tins or soaked dried beans, and a couple of spoons of chilli powder and use a green pepper.  Serve with rice or jacket potato, and a dollop of natural yogurt x

Buy my craft items!

As you may have guessed I make my cuddlies! 

Here are a few of the items I make, if you wish to buy one of these or order a customised or memory version of one of these please EMAIL me!  Or visit my Etsy Shop :D Or visit my Facebook page x
 

Meet Mavis!

 

 

 

 

 

 She is a Beeyoutiful little Moomoo from a design by FunkyFriendsFactory.

All items can be found here on Etsy!
 

Meet Ruby!

 

 

 

Meet Honey!

 

 

 

 

BREAD!!

We LOVE bread and never buy shop made anymore and as I have a Kenwood (a birthday/Christmas present a couple of years ago!) this makes it sooooooo much easier to do!

Our staple bread is:

500g Strong White Bread flour (you can sub 100g wholemeal)
a tablespoon of oil (olive or sunflower is good)
a teaspoon of sugar
a teaspoon and a half of salt
7g of instant yeast (I use this one)
300ml warm water

Pop water in the mixing bowl, add yeast, sugar, salt and oil, get mixing with your dough hook on minimum as you add but by bit the flour.  Or you can just dump the lot in at the start, but I find the inside it much softer this way.  Once mixed - takes about a min - turn up a level and leave to mix for about 4 mins.

 

Ready to go!

 

 

Slow mixing to start...

 

 

Then turn up a speed for 4 mins.

 

 

Pop into loaf tin or shape and put on tray.

Its the one on the right, I took advantage of a hot oven to make 2!

 

 

Rise my pretty! This is after an hour.

Pop into loaf pan or shape and pop on a greaseproof papered tray and cover with another layer of greaseproof paper or oiled cling film for an hour or so til nice and big.
Heat oven to 190 deg C and cook about 25-30 mins til nice and brown and base sounds hollow when you tap it. Cool on a cooling rack.

Scoff.

Tada! 

Although you might want to wait a short while so you don't burn your mouth :D

FREE SEEDS!

Help those poor bees and plant some free organic wildflower seeds, link here!

This blogs about....

..... anything homemade!

I am a mum, wife and crafter.  I try to be frugal and enjoy making homemade stuff, toys, food, gifts, trying to grow food, canning/jam making, a teeny weeny amount of self sufficiency etc...

This blog is just about that! 

I will post what I make, or links to what I find on the interweb here and invite your friendly comments!

Please visit my links on the right for my FB toy page and my Etsy Shop -------> and click on the tabs above ^^^^^ for categories. 

Enjoy!