baking the easy way

I love baking muffins, they are so easy.  You just throw everything into a bowl, give it a quick mix, load your muffin cases, bake and 14 mins later you have a fab tray of yummy muffins ready to eat!  I often make them first thing for breakfast they are that fast.

I made these the other afternoon when I had a sweet craving but nothing in the cupboard to satisfy it.

All the ingredients in one bowl

That after a quick mix look like this....

Fresh out of the oven....

...and ready to eat!!

They are fruit muffins made with the only fruit in the house a couple of very ripe nectarines, which to be honest could have done with being a little firmer but still tasted delish :)

here's the recipe:

2 cups (300g) self raising flour

3/4 cup (150g) firmly packed brown sugar

2 nectarines, stone removed, chopped - skin on

1 egg lightly beaten

3/4 (180ml) cup plain yoghurt + milk mix (about 1/2 and 1/2)

1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil

Put muffin cases into muffin tin.

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl, stir in other ingredients.

Spoon mixture into muffin tin.  

Bake in moderately hot oven for approx 20mins. (I have an Aga thats why they cook quicker!)

Remove from oven, leave in muffin tin for a few mins to cool a little then either put on cooling rack to finish cooling or eat warm from oven ENJOY.....

Beach Style

Even though our English weather seems to have given up on summer there are many of you out there that are lucky enough to be heading off to sunnier climates and with that comes the perennial problem of packing.  With most airlines now restricting how much luggage we take (by charging us a fortune for more than carry on) its always an advantage if we are able to take items that are useful for more than one thing.  So today I thought I would show you what you can do with the simple wrap.

Here is one of our silk and cotton wraps.  Wear it as a scarf when you are leaving for the airport and whilst traveling on the plane.

Then, with a bit of wrapping and tying, you can use it as a sarong....

.....or as a halter top ....

you just take the wrap, put it around your neck, with the two long ends in the front, cross them over at the front and tie at back, then arrange the fulness to preserve your modesty ....

and if your feeling confident you can tie it around your head, to protect your hair from the sun and cover beach frizz

and you can tie it around your waist to give a pop of colour to trousers/shorts/dress....

And finally, around your shoulders against either the heat of the day or a cool evening breeze, or even just those persistent mozzies!!

Just make sure your wrap is soft so it drapes and generously sized and you have yourself a very versatile addition to your wardrobe that will take up very little space in your suitcase.

Summer Shopping

Well, I've finally given in to the weather and stopped looking at all those lovely light summer clothes and instead headed to M&S to check out the sale rales and picked up a couple of lovely lightweight jumpers. One in a lovely bright emerald green and the other in a light turquoise (light teal? decide for yourself!).  The necklace is from last season at M&S and goes with absolutely everything and the shoes were this years bargain buy which I wear all the time.  So at least the colours make me feel summery even if the weather doesn't ........

Its been a frustrating past week, with mistakes from suppliers and therefore, bespoke orders backing up because they tend to need special fabrics or colours I don't stock.  Still, I'm hoping for a clear run this week, wish me luck!!