Snippets

Well hello, how lovely to see you! Another week where not much has happened I'm afraid - I shall be SO pleased when these exams are finally over (but not nearly as pleased as E!). I find sitting in the car waiting for her to come out rather stressful and I'm really hoping that they have all gone better than she thinks they have! I found for her GCSEs that she actually did best in the ones which she thought had been quite disastrous, so I'm hoping it will be the same this year!

A few snippets of my rather ordinary, boring week then:

Torta di Pasta Frollo:

 A recipe tried from 'My Simple Italian' cookbook from the library. I tried to find the recipe online to link to but failed. The topping is rather lovely with the garlicky spinach, ricotta, parmesan and creme fraiche but the pastry base I found too buttery, so I'm not sure I'd recommend it anyway.

'Cheer Up' Butterfly Cakes:

 Loving my supermarket irises this week. Walking into the dining room and seeing the pop of purple and yellow is very cheering:

 Another lavender bag - I'm finding we can't have too much 'calm' at the moment!

 My new cookbook. I'd admired this book in W.H.Smiths recently but at £20 I thought I'd put it on my Christmas/Birthday wish list. Then I happened to spot it in T K Maxx for £4.99 and it just jumped into my basket! The recipes look absolutely delicious. We tried the Paneer Tikka Masala on Monday evening and it was very yummy indeed. R commented that it was 'restaurant standard' which is a huge compliment from him as he does like a nice curry. The recipe can be found here if you feel inspired.

 Trying out the Attic24's 'Teeny Tiny Hearts' pattern with some left over yarn. They are very quick and easy to make and quite addictive when you get going:

 Talking of yarn, I have a yearning to make another ripple blanket and this week ordered the Coastal Blanket yarn pack from the Wool Warehouse. E and I are off on a post exam jolly to Dorset for a few days soon and I like the idea of starting this there. Actually, I may do the tricky first couple of rows at home before we set off - no point in spoiling the holiday with cursing when I inevitably count the initial chain incorrectly!

 I rediscovered my dip bowl which I've had since L was a toddler. It came in very handy for birthday parties and, although I feel she would now balk at the pinkness, I still love it. Here it is providing revision snack stuff:

 Admiring the evening light whilst cooking dinner:

 Hamish keeping me company (and being dreadfully underfoot!) as I cooked:

 Another favourite - Ottolenghi's veggie paella:

Recipe here. I like to buy cook stuff as mementos on holiday and if I ever go to Spain a paella pan will definitely be on my wish list. Until then, I have to make do with my old wok!
Anyway, that's it for this week - as I said, not a lot of excitement but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Have a lovely half term next week.
Toodle Pip for now. x