Pumpkin and Ginger

No, we haven't got new pets (although they would be GREAT names for two orange kittens).

I'm talking about the real pumpkin and ginger. The stuff that warms you up when you walk out the door and realise that it's minus-brrrrr out there and you really should have put another sweater on this morning. 

I really should have been cleaning out kitchen cupboards today,

but when I opened the cupboards, I discovered exactly the ingredients I needed to make some of Cathie's gorgeous gingerbread biscuits. If you haven't visited her M.E. (Melbourne Epicure) blog yet, you really should. She is the most amazing cook and photographer (and really quite lovely too). Pay her a visit, you won't regret it.

The cleaning had to wait.

How could I not reach for my pinny and start baking?

(I am after all, one of the worlds best procrastinators when it comes to cleaning jobs. Just ask my Mum)

The girls were very pleased to get flower biscuits for afternoon tea.

 I think I'll make these again for E's birthday party.

The oven was nice and hot after the biscuit baking and I had a pumpkin and amazingly, some cream, in the fridge so I decided to have a go at Hanna of  Craftykin's pumpkin pie too. 

Turns out the Mr is really quite fond of pumpkin pie.

One of his favourites apparently. Amazing the stuff you find out after several years of cooking for them isn't it? Needless to say, I've added Hanna's recipe to my own recipe book to repeat again whenever I feel like spoiling him.

And whilst we are on the subject of pumpkins and ginger, I have another recipe for you. This is one of mine and is just what you need for a scrummy, warming, weekend lunch or dinner.

Spicy Pumpkin and Ginger Soup

1 large pumpkin

1 large onion, chopped

olive oil

knob of butter

garlic

2tsp Thai green curry paste

about 4cm ginger, peeled & finely chopped.

1 tsp dried cumin

1tsp dried coriander

chicken or vegetable stock powder (I use Vegeta gourmet stock)

1 cup water

1 tin coconut milk

salt and pepper to taste

• 
  
  Chop up the pumpkin into segments and roast in the oven with the skin on for about 20-30mins. Allow to cool then remove the skin from the pumpkin and mash it in a bowl.
• 
  
  Put a splash of oil in a large pan and add the butter. Once it has melted, add your onion and fry until translucent. Add the garlic and curry paste and fry for about a minute until fragrant.
• 
  
  Add the cooked pumpkin, ginger, cumin, coriander and stock and stir to combine.
• 
  
  Bring to a simmer. Cook for about 15 mins.
• 
  
  Add the coconut milk and stir to combine. I usually use my whizzer to puree the soup and make it less chunky at this point. You could seive it or pop it in a food processor if you don't have one of those hand held whizzy things (but if you don't have one, you really need one. They are fantastic devices!) 
• 
  
  Simmer for a further 3 or 4 minutes and serve.

I'm off to stick another sweater on and see if there is any of that pumpkin pie left.

Lazy Sunday

I did some baking with Eloise today.

I told her she could lick the bowl. Of course, she took me literally. What was I thinking?

We just had a day of pottering and catching up on jobs. It was a lovely feeling pegging out the laundry this morning and realising that about half of my childrens' clothes were handmade. I haven't made any more additions to their wardrobe this weekend but I think I've done my fair share of hours to be allowed say that I've completed the Elsie Marley challenge. It's been great fun seeing what everyone else has been making and finding gorgeous new blogs to follow.

The one crafty thing I have done this weekend is this little bit of embroidery.

I have cheated a great deal by personalising a doily but I think it is lovely nonetheless. I really want to turn it into a lavender bag but it has to be posted to Australia and I'm not convinced it will get through customs. I think I will play it safe and make a little zippered purse. It's for my lovely Nan. She had a mini stroke on Thursday. Thankfully she is okay but it has given everyone a dreadful fright. When the paramedics asked her if she could remember her name, she thought for a long time and said "Nan". A touching moment out of a very scarey day. She is so important, not just to our family but to so many people all over the world that I am keeping my fingers doubly crossed that the mini stroke isn't a precursor to a big one. She is an incredible, fun loving, bright and gorgeous woman. This photo was taken at a family birthday party a few years ago. She was racing the 30 year olds down the driveway on a moonhopper (and still managing to look totally glam and gorgeous!

Isn't she amazing?

My beautiful daughters took themselves off yesterday and made her the most gorgeous get well cards without it being suggested. I would love to show you a photo of the cards but I can't find them at the moment (the kids have set the lounge up as some sort of nursery and there are prams and dolls everywhere!). Hopefully, we'll find them later so we can get them in the post with her little purse tomorrow.

On a completely different note, there's a very cool giveaway over on Every Spare Minute. I'd say please don't enter but I know you are going to. The fabric is too gorgeous to pass up a chance on winning.

Good and Easy

I tried out one of my Aunty Peggy's recipes yesterday. It was marked "Good and Easy". How could I resist? The recipe is for a fruit loaf and boy was it good (it didn't last long!). It was easy too. Just as her note said.

I did mess up a little bit because I opened the oven door a few times to check it wasn't burning and it sagged a in the middle as a result! I obviously forgot all those instructions from my domestic science teacher at school to NEVER open the oven door while a cake was cooking. I was never very good at following instructions. I just prefer to make it up myself as I go along. Unfortunately, with baking, you really do have to follow the instructions. I had to grab one of my vintage cookbooks to check on the conversions from Gas marks to degrees C but we got there in the end.

Saggy it may be but it is REALLY good. It'll only take you about 10 minutes to put it together and throw it in the oven so why not have a go yourself?

Here's the recipe:

Aunty Peggy's Fruit Loaf

Ingredients

2 Cups Self-Rising Flour

1 Cup Caster Sugar

1/2 tsp Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)

Pinch of salt.

100g Butter

1 Cup water

1 Cup mixed dried fruit (I used Christmas cake mix because it was on special and I like fruit peel)

1 egg (lightly beaten)

To make

1. 
   
   Line a loaf tin and set oven to preheat at 180 degrees C
2. 
   
   Mix together first 4 dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. 
   
   Put butter, water and fruit into a saucepan and boil for 3 minutes.
4. 
   
   Pour into the bowl of dry ingredients along with the egg and mix until just combined.
5. 
   
   Pour into loaf tin and bake for 1/2 an hour at 180 degrees. Then turn down heat to 160 degrees and bake for 20 mins.

Do let me know how you got on if you made it and what you would change, if anything.

Why not make yourself a cup of tea, grab some craft books and curl up with a piece of cake this afternoon?

More Aunty Peggy recipes will be coming as I try them out.