We had the first snow of the year here on sunday - a light flurry and then yesterday we woke up to a whole millimetre of snow on the ground - ok so not much but enough to get me excited! I have my fingers crossed for a white christmas...if for no other reason than it is a good excuse to stay in and do plenty of christmas baking.
However, my baking and crafting is currently on hold as i've had the first of two operations to correct the de Quervain's Tenosynovitis (hows that for a cool name!) in my wrists. We started with the right wrist so, as I'm right-handed, I'm pretty useless at the minute - can't write, cross-stitch or even hold a spoon with my right hand. I'm typing with my left hand so its slow to say the least! Anyway, this is a temporary blip - stitches come out next week and by then i should be well on the way to recovery.
In the meantime, i have plenty of time to decide on my Christmas baking. I'm keen to make stollen this year which is a first for me but I just can't resist the marzipan-y goodness! Mr Ellie and I aren't keen on mincemeat so I'll not be making mince pies but I have made a Christmas cake which is getting liberally doused with alcohol - so far brandy and jim beam, shortly to be followed by amaretto! I fancy having a go at making danish pastries, mainly to practice making flaky pastry and creme patissiere (my last attempt at creme patissiere could have been used to provide the mortar for a house!).
Only 19 more sleeps til Christmas!!
Miss E xxx
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Sunday 6 November 2011
Phew....
I am finally sat down - have been in the kitchen all day today but we now have potato and leek soup (recipe to follow), chicken curry, butternut squash risotto and canneloni ready for teas this week so we won't be going hungry!
I thought I'd post my leek and potato soup recipe as I make mine without any milk (due to being mildly lactose intolerant) but most recipes add milk at the end for the creaminess. I have to say that I find my soup is just as creamy without the milk but if you prefer it with the old cow juice then add away!
Miss Ellie's Potato and Leek Soup
1 x 2.5 kg bag of potatoes (any sort, or alternatively, 2.5 kg of potatoes from the garden), peeled and chopped
2 leeks, sliced
1 onion, chopped roughly
chicken stock (1-2 pints, depends on the size of your pan and how thick you like your soup)*
butter
oil (preferably something like vegetable that doesn't have a strong taste)
seasoning (salt and pepper)
Put half the potatoes on to boil.
Sweat the leeks and the onion with a little oil and some butter until soft.
When the potatoes are cooked, mash them with a load of butter and seasoning to taste.
Put the remainder of the potatoes into a large stock pot/soup pan and add the sweated leeks, the mashed potato and then the chicken stock until it is all covered. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are cooked.
Blend it all up together, adding a little water and more seasoning if required.
I know it sounds faffy making the mashed potato first and sweating off the leeks when you could just stick the whole lot in a pan, boil it up and blend it, but trust me this really does add something special to the soup and is well worthwhile. If you are anything like Mr Ellie and I, then mash does feature regularly on your menu so next time you make some, make double the quantity and freeze half until you plan on making soup.
*I use chicken stock in my soup for the simple reason that i generally only make chicken stock. Every time Mr Ellie and I have a roast chicken, I always boil up the carcass and make it into stock for the freezer. You can of course use ready-made stock and you can try this soup with vegetable or beef stock - whatever floats your boat!
Right, time to get the cannelloni out of the oven and then I need to decide whether to cross-stitch for the rest of the afternoon or get on with knitting my gloves....oh the decisions!
Miss E xxx
I thought I'd post my leek and potato soup recipe as I make mine without any milk (due to being mildly lactose intolerant) but most recipes add milk at the end for the creaminess. I have to say that I find my soup is just as creamy without the milk but if you prefer it with the old cow juice then add away!
Miss Ellie's Potato and Leek Soup
1 x 2.5 kg bag of potatoes (any sort, or alternatively, 2.5 kg of potatoes from the garden), peeled and chopped
2 leeks, sliced
1 onion, chopped roughly
chicken stock (1-2 pints, depends on the size of your pan and how thick you like your soup)*
butter
oil (preferably something like vegetable that doesn't have a strong taste)
seasoning (salt and pepper)
Put half the potatoes on to boil.
Sweat the leeks and the onion with a little oil and some butter until soft.
When the potatoes are cooked, mash them with a load of butter and seasoning to taste.
Put the remainder of the potatoes into a large stock pot/soup pan and add the sweated leeks, the mashed potato and then the chicken stock until it is all covered. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are cooked.
Blend it all up together, adding a little water and more seasoning if required.
I know it sounds faffy making the mashed potato first and sweating off the leeks when you could just stick the whole lot in a pan, boil it up and blend it, but trust me this really does add something special to the soup and is well worthwhile. If you are anything like Mr Ellie and I, then mash does feature regularly on your menu so next time you make some, make double the quantity and freeze half until you plan on making soup.
*I use chicken stock in my soup for the simple reason that i generally only make chicken stock. Every time Mr Ellie and I have a roast chicken, I always boil up the carcass and make it into stock for the freezer. You can of course use ready-made stock and you can try this soup with vegetable or beef stock - whatever floats your boat!
Right, time to get the cannelloni out of the oven and then I need to decide whether to cross-stitch for the rest of the afternoon or get on with knitting my gloves....oh the decisions!
Miss E xxx
Its been a while...
It has been an awfully long time (or so it seems) since I was last here. I have had a rather hectic few weeks, which to sum up involved having my parents up to stay, meeting my grandfather for the first time in my life, losing my beloved hamster Tayberry, gaining another delightful ferret and adopting another hamster, getting another year older (and I wish I could say wiser...) and finally going to the hospital to get (at last, hoorah!) my date for surgery. Mr Ellie and I have finally sat down this weekend and had a bit of quiet time for the first time in what feels like an age.
However, I must not complain - it is far nicer to be busy than bored eh?!? The only problem is that with everything going on, I have not exactly got very far with any baking or crafting. When my parents came up to stay, I did a little baking and made orange and poppy seed cupcakes, chocolate orange fudge, white chocolate and raspberry frangipane tarts and mini mud pie cakes. I didn't manage to get any photos taken before they were gobbled up (I was having to care for the very sick hamster at the time as well) so you'll have to make do with your imagination on this one I'm afraid. I shall endeavour to make said goodies again sometime and share beautiful pictures with the world!
I have rediscovered the joy of fudge since then and just how easy it is to make, especially the recipe I used - all you need to do is heat up a can of condensed milk with 50 g of butter until the butter has melted, take it off the heat and stir in 200 g each of chocolate orange (I used a Terry's Chocolate Orange) and dark chocolate. Then it all gets poured into a lined tin and placed in the fridge to set - it couldn't be easier! Mr Ellie is very partial!
Today is going to be another cooking marathon so I'm in the process of drawing up a shopping list. So far, I'm making chicken curry, risotto and cannelloni. We'll see what else I have time for !
Miss Ellie xxx
However, I must not complain - it is far nicer to be busy than bored eh?!? The only problem is that with everything going on, I have not exactly got very far with any baking or crafting. When my parents came up to stay, I did a little baking and made orange and poppy seed cupcakes, chocolate orange fudge, white chocolate and raspberry frangipane tarts and mini mud pie cakes. I didn't manage to get any photos taken before they were gobbled up (I was having to care for the very sick hamster at the time as well) so you'll have to make do with your imagination on this one I'm afraid. I shall endeavour to make said goodies again sometime and share beautiful pictures with the world!
I have rediscovered the joy of fudge since then and just how easy it is to make, especially the recipe I used - all you need to do is heat up a can of condensed milk with 50 g of butter until the butter has melted, take it off the heat and stir in 200 g each of chocolate orange (I used a Terry's Chocolate Orange) and dark chocolate. Then it all gets poured into a lined tin and placed in the fridge to set - it couldn't be easier! Mr Ellie is very partial!
Today is going to be another cooking marathon so I'm in the process of drawing up a shopping list. So far, I'm making chicken curry, risotto and cannelloni. We'll see what else I have time for !
Miss Ellie xxx
Sunday 9 October 2011
I hope disasters don't come in threes...
So today is the day of the great Cooking Marathon and I've already had two disasters!! Admittedly, neither are cooking related but then that probably means that my next disaster will be torte-related! Ok, so neither of the following are truly disasters but superstition isn't exactly based on reasoned logic now is it?!? So my two disasters, and brace yourselves...first i sliced my thumb open on a tin of tomatoes and secondly Mr Ellie has gone to work with my gym card so I can't go to the gym this morning.
Ok, so not exactly disasters either of them but darned frustrating none the less! Still, on the plus side, my bolognese sauce for lasagne is on the go and my onions and carrots are all ready for beef and ale stew. I've got time now to knock up some pate sucre (sweet pastry) before I go shopping. I'm planning on leaving the christmas cake until much later as it needs about 4-5 hours in the oven, so I shall put that on once everything else is cooked.
Miss E xxx
Ok, so not exactly disasters either of them but darned frustrating none the less! Still, on the plus side, my bolognese sauce for lasagne is on the go and my onions and carrots are all ready for beef and ale stew. I've got time now to knock up some pate sucre (sweet pastry) before I go shopping. I'm planning on leaving the christmas cake until much later as it needs about 4-5 hours in the oven, so I shall put that on once everything else is cooked.
Miss E xxx
Friday 7 October 2011
Cooking Marathon
I have decided that Sunday will be a cooking marathon day - Mr Ellie has to work (boo!) so I'm all on my own (well if you don't count the 7 animals!). I have therefore decided that I will put the radio on in the kitchen at full volume (mainly to drown out my singing), put my 'pinny on and roll up my sleeves for a major cooking day. So far, (and I have to say that I am seriously considering adding to this list), I am planning on making:
Lasagne
Beef & Ale Stew
Tarte au Citron (a la Mary Berry)
Christmas cake
Cookies (yet to decide what flavour)
Cottage Pie
Bread - possibly foccacia
Sachertorte
Can you tell that I've been watching GBBO?!? I watched the masterclass last night with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood and picked up loads of tips. I'm going to watch it again on the iPlayer so that I can write everything down!
If I get time, I shall also be working on a cowl as I learnt to crochet at lunchtime yesterday (thanks to Miss A!) and I still have the second side of a tea cosy to knit. Plus, thanks to the very generous Miss A, I now have a load more wool tops for needle-felting so I need to start planning some projects for that.
Poor Mr Ellie will be on his hands and knees tomorrow laying laminate flooring whilst I am cosied up on the armchair knitting! He's such a good-un!
I promise to publish photos of anything I make - we'll see if I manage to make everything!!
Miss E xxx
Lasagne
Beef & Ale Stew
Tarte au Citron (a la Mary Berry)
Christmas cake
Cookies (yet to decide what flavour)
Cottage Pie
Bread - possibly foccacia
Sachertorte
Can you tell that I've been watching GBBO?!? I watched the masterclass last night with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood and picked up loads of tips. I'm going to watch it again on the iPlayer so that I can write everything down!
If I get time, I shall also be working on a cowl as I learnt to crochet at lunchtime yesterday (thanks to Miss A!) and I still have the second side of a tea cosy to knit. Plus, thanks to the very generous Miss A, I now have a load more wool tops for needle-felting so I need to start planning some projects for that.
Poor Mr Ellie will be on his hands and knees tomorrow laying laminate flooring whilst I am cosied up on the armchair knitting! He's such a good-un!
I promise to publish photos of anything I make - we'll see if I manage to make everything!!
Miss E xxx
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Of Pies, GBBO and Scones
On the way home tonight from work, Mr Ellie and I discussed the highly controversial topic of the pastry level that defines a pie from a casserole - we agree (and I have to say that Mr Ellie is quite vocal on this subject) that a pie is only a pie when there is a bottom on it. None of this pot of casserole with a half-hearted lid of puff pastry on the top - no, no dear friends, a pie must have a base of delicious all-butter short pastry as well as a top to seal in all that meaty goodness. The top can be either short or puff pastry, that is clearly down to the individual taste but it should enclose the meat so that the pie could stand alone without losing a single drop of gravy. In Mr Ellie's words: "When you live with a pastry chef of this quality, having a pie without a bottom is like having a ferrari and then taking a taxi to work every day" - methinks he flatters me!
I had already decided that I wanted to bake tonight but by the time the ferrets had had their play time and tea was made, it was time for the final of the Great British Bake Off. As you can imagine, I am an avid viewer of this program and divide my watching time between taking down tips and despairing at why I didn't enter the competition this year! I have to say that I would be distinctly more prepared than the contestants on this years show - it baffles me that none of them have ever made a croquenbouche or a sachertorte before entering the competition - lets face it, both recipes are in Mary Berry's Baking Bible (more of that later) and surely you'd want to make sure you could bake everything in the recipe books of the judges? Apart from anything, that way you could ensure that you knew how the judges liked their scones/bread/biscuits etc. to taste/look and thus give yourself a fighting chance. Anyway, I am pleased for Jo that she won - whilst she is definitely a little rough around the edges in many of her bakes (and I nearly cried when she announced that she'd never made praline before but was attempting it on her final bake tonight) I think she is a very honest baker and there is love in her cooking. I loved Holly for her technical skills and Maryann for her adventurous spirit and I wouldn't have like to make the final call on the winner but I think that all three were deserving finalists and I was pleased to see that Jo is considering opening a patisserie. I'd certainly visit if I was ever down that way.
And so to the final chapter of tonight - scones. After discussions in the office today and watching GBBO, I had decided that I wanted to bake scones tonight. I had promised the girls in the office that I would bring some in tomorrow but I fear that as we speak, Mr Ellie is polishing off yet another still warm scone and there may not be enough left for me to take into the office tomorrow. I used Mary Berry's Baking Bible, which really is a brilliant book and one that I would recommend to anyone. I am hoping to slowly work my way through and bake every recipe in the book:
Miss E x
I had already decided that I wanted to bake tonight but by the time the ferrets had had their play time and tea was made, it was time for the final of the Great British Bake Off. As you can imagine, I am an avid viewer of this program and divide my watching time between taking down tips and despairing at why I didn't enter the competition this year! I have to say that I would be distinctly more prepared than the contestants on this years show - it baffles me that none of them have ever made a croquenbouche or a sachertorte before entering the competition - lets face it, both recipes are in Mary Berry's Baking Bible (more of that later) and surely you'd want to make sure you could bake everything in the recipe books of the judges? Apart from anything, that way you could ensure that you knew how the judges liked their scones/bread/biscuits etc. to taste/look and thus give yourself a fighting chance. Anyway, I am pleased for Jo that she won - whilst she is definitely a little rough around the edges in many of her bakes (and I nearly cried when she announced that she'd never made praline before but was attempting it on her final bake tonight) I think she is a very honest baker and there is love in her cooking. I loved Holly for her technical skills and Maryann for her adventurous spirit and I wouldn't have like to make the final call on the winner but I think that all three were deserving finalists and I was pleased to see that Jo is considering opening a patisserie. I'd certainly visit if I was ever down that way.
And so to the final chapter of tonight - scones. After discussions in the office today and watching GBBO, I had decided that I wanted to bake scones tonight. I had promised the girls in the office that I would bring some in tomorrow but I fear that as we speak, Mr Ellie is polishing off yet another still warm scone and there may not be enough left for me to take into the office tomorrow. I used Mary Berry's Baking Bible, which really is a brilliant book and one that I would recommend to anyone. I am hoping to slowly work my way through and bake every recipe in the book:
For the scones tonight, I used her 'Very Best Scones' recipe - a plain scone and I am quite proud of how they turned out. Mr Ellie certainly enjoyed them and couldn't even wait for me to take a photo before diving in to steal one! For 'artistic' purposes, I put jam on one of the scones - I used the delicious damson jam that I bought at the weekend!
Miss E x
Needle-felt
This is my first attempt at needle-felting:
I didn't think it was too bad - a little rough around the edges maybe but a good first attempt. Mr Ellie said it looks like a black blob with a purple blob in the middle - thanks pet, much appreciated!
This is the lovely little bird that I bought - made my Jeanette Harbottle - its now making my desk at work look ever so pretty!
Miss E xxx
Miss E xxx
Venturing into Technology
I have to say that I am not what you'd call a technology 'wizard' - in fact I'm happier with paper and pencil than computers and mobile phones are just beyond me (I can text and make phone calls but much more than that and I'm foxed!). However, in an attempt to be more technological I have now created a Twitter account : @MissEllieCreate. I even managed to post my first 'tweet' - quite an achievement for me!
This weekend I went to Gibside (National Trust property) for their twice-monthly food and craft market. I mainly go to get the most delicious marzipan fruit bread from a lady there and Mr Ellie likes to peruse the game stall and buy pigeon burgers and 'Squabbit' (squirrel and rabbit) pie. I ended up spending quite a bit of money and had a good chat with many of the stall holders. One day, I hope to have a stall there myself. I came away with two HUGE slices of delicious frangipane tart, a jar of damson jam (the finest jam in the world in my humble opinion) and a needle-felting kit.
As soon as I got home, I got the needle-felting kit open - it comes with a piece of foam, a felting needle and a load of lovely carded wool tops in gorgeous colours. Basically you take a piece of the wool and place it on the foam and then start stabbing away with the needle. The principle is that the needle (which is barbed) forces the fibres of the wool to 'knit' together and this felts the wool. It takes quite a bit of time and you have to keep turning the piece over to get a nice smooth finish but it is so worth it - talk about therapeutic! I made a little black flower with a pink heart in the middle which could be made into a corsage or brooch - will post a photo. Word of warning to anyone wanting to have a go with needle-felting, the needle is really really sharp! I stabbed myself 3 times (you'd think I'd learn after the first time!) and have a very sore finger today! I shan't be deterred though - I already started another piece!
This weekend I went to Gibside (National Trust property) for their twice-monthly food and craft market. I mainly go to get the most delicious marzipan fruit bread from a lady there and Mr Ellie likes to peruse the game stall and buy pigeon burgers and 'Squabbit' (squirrel and rabbit) pie. I ended up spending quite a bit of money and had a good chat with many of the stall holders. One day, I hope to have a stall there myself. I came away with two HUGE slices of delicious frangipane tart, a jar of damson jam (the finest jam in the world in my humble opinion) and a needle-felting kit.
As soon as I got home, I got the needle-felting kit open - it comes with a piece of foam, a felting needle and a load of lovely carded wool tops in gorgeous colours. Basically you take a piece of the wool and place it on the foam and then start stabbing away with the needle. The principle is that the needle (which is barbed) forces the fibres of the wool to 'knit' together and this felts the wool. It takes quite a bit of time and you have to keep turning the piece over to get a nice smooth finish but it is so worth it - talk about therapeutic! I made a little black flower with a pink heart in the middle which could be made into a corsage or brooch - will post a photo. Word of warning to anyone wanting to have a go with needle-felting, the needle is really really sharp! I stabbed myself 3 times (you'd think I'd learn after the first time!) and have a very sore finger today! I shan't be deterred though - I already started another piece!
Wednesday 21 September 2011
Mmmm....Marzipan
So yesterday I made chocolate-marzipan biscuits. These are delicious chocolate biscuits which enclose a piece of marzipan. I've made them once before and they didn't work too well as they spread in the oven and made one large cookie so this time i put the baking tray full of cookies in the fridge for half an hour before baking and they kept their shape!
I would love to post a photograph but unfortunately Mr Ellie scoffed them before I got a chance - he is very partial to a chocolate-marzipan biscuit! I didn't even get a chance to decorate the biscuits with a drizzle of white chocolate.
Whilst I was baking I also attempted for the first time ever to make pasta from scratch. I got a pasta machine for Christmas last year and its never once been out of the box! I made ravioli with a little leftover bolognese sauce as filling. They weren't the most delicate ravioli in the world but they tasted good and only one exploded in the pan during cooking! Mr Ellie tucked into them so I think that's a pretty good indication that they were ok after all!
I think i might make chocolate brownie at the weekend - another of Mr Ellie's favourites (mind you I don't think there's anything he doesn't like...!). This time I'll try and post a photograph as well though.
Miss Ellie x
I would love to post a photograph but unfortunately Mr Ellie scoffed them before I got a chance - he is very partial to a chocolate-marzipan biscuit! I didn't even get a chance to decorate the biscuits with a drizzle of white chocolate.
Whilst I was baking I also attempted for the first time ever to make pasta from scratch. I got a pasta machine for Christmas last year and its never once been out of the box! I made ravioli with a little leftover bolognese sauce as filling. They weren't the most delicate ravioli in the world but they tasted good and only one exploded in the pan during cooking! Mr Ellie tucked into them so I think that's a pretty good indication that they were ok after all!
I think i might make chocolate brownie at the weekend - another of Mr Ellie's favourites (mind you I don't think there's anything he doesn't like...!). This time I'll try and post a photograph as well though.
Miss Ellie x
Saturday 17 September 2011
My First Blog
Welcome to Miss Ellie Creations!
Miss Ellie's is a brand new venture I am starting to share my love of crafting and baking. Given my other love - talking - I suspect that this blog will always be full of random thoughts which are completely unrelated to anything of a crafty nature.
I best take this opportunity to introduce myself - I live in Co. Durham with my gorgeous bf, two cats, four ferrets and a hamster. We live in a tiny little pit village but dream of moving to the countryside and living the Good Life. Mr Ellie wants to spend his life restoring old tractors and I want to be a proper country wife - jam-making, Farmer's markets and training Indian Running Ducks to do stunts!
Ellie x
Miss Ellie's is a brand new venture I am starting to share my love of crafting and baking. Given my other love - talking - I suspect that this blog will always be full of random thoughts which are completely unrelated to anything of a crafty nature.
I best take this opportunity to introduce myself - I live in Co. Durham with my gorgeous bf, two cats, four ferrets and a hamster. We live in a tiny little pit village but dream of moving to the countryside and living the Good Life. Mr Ellie wants to spend his life restoring old tractors and I want to be a proper country wife - jam-making, Farmer's markets and training Indian Running Ducks to do stunts!
Ellie x
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