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My friend Jue can live on sugary foods alone. She is constantly munching away at either a chocolate bar, a muffin, some apple pie! I enjoy her visits and our ‘girly nights’; I’m not a fan of sweet things but it is so satisfying to watch her face light up when I take goodies out of the oven! She has been working really hard at university (bless her shes been stressed out lately with her Masters), I thought she needed a nice ‘fix’. I know she loves white chocolate, so I made her a batch of these yummy chewy treats!  

Cookies are sinfully high in sugar and fat; I use creme fraiche or low fat yoghurt instead of all butter, it hardly alters the taste and gives you a lovely chewy texture on the inside. This is my basic cookie recipe, you can add chocolate chips, raisins, nuts…whatever you fancy!

Makes about 2 dozen

50g butter

50g low fat yoghurt or creme fraiche

50g sugar

100g dark brown sugar (to give that ‘caramel’ flavour)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence (or whatever you like)

170g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

170g white chocolate chips

55g ground nuts (I used peanuts but you can use almonds, walnuts etc)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4, and lightly grease 2 baking sheets

2. Cream the butter yoghurt/creme fraiche, and the two sugars until light and fluffy (it takes about ten minutes with an electric whisk)

3. Lightly beat the egg and vanilla in a cup, then gradually beat them into the butter mixture. Try to add a few teaspoons at a time because I’ve had BAD experiences with my dough separating! (when it resembles scrambled eggs)

4. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and STIR. Don’t use the whisk at this point you don’t want to knock all the air out of the dough. Gently ‘swirl’ the dry ingredients in with a metal spoon.

5. Add the chocolate chips and ground nuts last, and mix to combine.

6. Place heaped teaspoonfuls of the dough about 5cm/2in apart on the prepared sheets. Bake until the edges are only slightly coloured for 10-15 minutes. Let them cool for 2 minutes before transferring them onto a rack to cool completely.

A Note to the Four Sisters: If you’re going to make this recipe please follow the instructions, especially the part about cooking time (I know of at least one overcooks everything). If you leave the cookies in the oven too long they will become hard, brittle, and the chocolate will burn.

Serve with milk.

Read the ‘Casting On’ post for preparing the first row, and the ‘How to Knit’ post on information on how to hold the yarn.

PURL STITCH

1. With the yarn at the front of the work insert the right-hand needle, as shown below, through the front of the first stitch on the left-hand needle.

   

2. Wind the yarn from right to left over the point of the right-hand needle.

   

3. Draw a loop through onto the right-hand needle, and slip the original stitch off the left-hand needle.

   

To purl an entire row, repeat steps 1-3 until all the stitches are transferred to the right-hand needle. Turn the work, transferring the needle with stitches back to your left hand, and work the next row exactly the same! Enjoy!

KNIT STITCH

1. HOLDING THE YARN – Holding the yarn in either your right or left hand (I use my left hand, its a matter of preference), pass it under the little finger of the other hand, then around the same finger, over the third finger, under the center finger and over the index finger. The index finger here is used to pass the yarn around the needle tip, and the yarn circled around the little finger serves to create the necessary tension for even knitting.

   

2. THE KNIT STITCH – Hold the needle with the cast-on stitches in the left hand. With the yarn at the back of the work, insert the right-hand needle, as shown, through the front of the first stitch on the left hand-needle.

   

3. Wind the yarn from left to right over the point of the right-hand needle.

   

4. Draw the yarn back through the stitch, forming a loop on the right-hand needle.

   

5. Slip the original stitch off the left-hand needle.

   

Repeat steps 1-4 until all the stitches have been transferred from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle. Turn the work (switch needles in your hands), so the needle with the stitches is back in your left hand, in preparation for working the next row.

When you feel comfortable with this stitch, try making a simple scarf in garter stitch (this simply means knitting every row), you will be surprised at how quickly you can learn when you have a goal or project in mind!

For the meantime, let me explain the ‘core’ of all knitting. There will be 4 installments to the Knitting Basics posts, which will cover casting on, binding off, knit stitch and purl stitch. If you google ‘how to knit’ there will be a myriad of techniques, but as I’m NOT an expert on all of them I’m going to write about the techniques I use, the techniques that work for me…

CASTING ON

1. MAKING A SLIP KNOT – This is the starting point for the casting on techinique. Hold the yarn with your left hand, and make a loop as shown. Hold the loop securely with your left hand.

   

2. Using a knitting needle int he right hand, pull the back thread through the front one to form yet another loop.

   

3. Release the yarn from your left hand, and pull the two ends of yarn to tighten the loop on the needle. TADA! You’ve just formed your first stitch!

   

4. SLINGSHOT CASTING ON – Wind the cut end of the yarn (make sure you have about 50cm of ‘free’ yarn when you make the slip knot) around the left thumb from front to back. Wind the ball end of the yarn around the index finger of the left hand from front to back as shown. Hold both ends of the yarn in the palm of your left hand.

   

5. Insert the needle upward through the yarn on the thumb, down through through front of the loop on the index finger, then back down through the front of the loop on the thumb. I can understand if you feel this sounds complicated, but believe me, its super-easy… Just follow the diagram!

   

6. Pull the yarn through, thus forming a loop on the needle. At this point you can remove your thumb from the loop, then re-insert it and repeat step 5 until you have the required number of stitches.

   

 Casting on is quite daunting at first, but with some practice and a bit of patience you should have it ‘down’ in about 15 minutes!

Serves 2 (main meal) or 4 (as a starter)
2 chicken breasts
2 small chilli peppers (I enjoy it hot, just adjust this measurement to taste)
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
5 dried apricots
100g/1 cup of sweetcorn (canned or frozen)
700ml water
1 tsp cumin power
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt, to taste
Some vegetable oil for frying-approximately 1 tablespoon

1. Place the water and chicken on a medium heat and let it gently boil until chicken is cooked (around 10 minutes). Avoid over-cooking the chicken as breast-meat tends to get stringy and tough. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, garlic cloves, and chilli peppers. Chop the dried apricots into approximately 1cm chunks.
2. Take the chicken out of the water, and drain on kitchen towels. Skim off any scum and oil from the cooking water with a spoon, pass through a seive and reserve (this will serve as your chicken stock for the soup). Chop the chicken into 1cm chunks (similar to the dried apricots) and set aside.
3. Fry the onions, garlic and chillis with the vegetable oil over a medium heat until the onions are transparent (try  not to colour them). Add the sweetcorn and chopped apricots and fry for another minute.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock water, cumin powder and black pepper to the pan; cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. You can do some washing up, set the table etc…
5. Pop open the pan lid and taste (remember this is a boiling tomato sauce it will splatter and WILL burn), add salt. Finally place the chicken in the pan, allow the soup to return to a boil for 5 minutes.

This soup keeps for a few days in the fridge, so you can make it in advance and reheat it before serving.

Biscotti is one of my all-time favorite mid day accompaniment to tea, however many will consider this unorthodox (sorry guys!); in Italy, biscotti are usually eaten with vin santo, an Italian dessert wine, whereas in the United States and the United Kingdom they are often served with espresso in coffee bars.  Tea, wine, coffee or even hot chocolate, the overall brittleness of biscotti makes the treat ideal for dipping whatever your preference! 

Traditional biscotti would be made with flour, sugar, and eggs, which are then flavoured with nuts and/or aniseed. I have tried to stay ‘true’ to the traditional technique of making biscotti, but added a few yummy twists that will boost their nutritional value for a great-tasting, healthy snack!

Makes 24

215g (7 ½oz) plain flour

150g (5oz) mixed seeds (equal weights of pine nuts, linseed, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds)

100g (3 ½oz) sugar

50g (2oz) whole/chopped/flaked almonds (it doesn’t really make a difference to the taste, choose whatever you prefer)

Pinch of salt

½ tsp baking powder

2 eggs

Some milk for glazing

Preheat a 190°C/Gas 5 oven. Grease and flour a baking sheet.

1. Toast the mixed seeds and almonds (separately) in dry frying pan over a medium-hot heat. It will take about 4-5 minutes to get them nicely toasted. When cool, grind half of the almonds, and half of the seed mixture in a food processor, blender, or coffee grinder until pulverised.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and ground almonds/seed mix in a bowl and mix to blend. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs. Stir to form a rough dough, and then transfer to a floured surface and knead until well blended (it will be very sticky at first but will improve with kneading, try to avoid adding much flour). Knead in the remaining almonds and seed mix.
3. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll into logs about 2.5cm (1 in) in diameter. Place on the prepared sheet, brush with the milk and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Turn the heat down to 140°C/Gas 1.
4. With a very sharp knife, cut each log at an angle making 2 cm (1 in) slices. Return the slices on the baking sheet and bake for a further 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

I’m talking about regular, run-of-the-mill CHILDREN’S toys…

I’m sure you’ve seen it before, a once lovely, fluffy teddy bear reduced to a grimy matted ball of fluff. My sister has one such bear, a soft-stuffed bundle of cuteness; his name is Pookie. Pookie was a handsome fellow when he joined our family, but after years of constant handling and posing for photos… he started to look a little worn out. My sister took him on vacation to Cardiff, Wales to let out some steam (that’s when I noticed he was looking forlorn), and I set out of give him a not-so-Extreme Makeover.

He was as good as new, glowing with renewed cuteness. Here are my tips on how to clean soft toys:

• A. Preparation
  • a. Check the toy and make sure there are no split seams before throwing it into the washing machine. You don’t want bits of fluff and stuffing getting stuck to all your other clothes! (ask me how I know)
  • b. Any mechanical sound boxes must be taken out before washing the toy (even if they haven’t worked in years!), the water and later drying will cause them to rust.
  • c. For any difficult-looking spots (5 month old lasagne sauce, chewing gum etc.) that may need pre-treating, put a dab of laundry soap on the spot and rub with a rag cloth for about a minute.
  • d. Most old-fashioned or vintage style bears are stuffed with natural fibres, they should not be immersed in water. The fur can be wiped off with a soapy cloth, followed by a clean damp cloth.
• B. The Wash
  • a. Put the toy in a pillowcase and close it; either tie it up or use a large safety pin. A delicate care bag would serve the same purpose.
  • b. Use a tablespoon of baking soda in the wash cycle, it helps get all the dirt out and is hypoallergenic. With some vinegar in the rinse cycle, even children with the most severe allergies can still cuddle their favourite toy! If you want to use a detergent, only put a tiny amount (1 tsp per average sized toy) into the wash as most of the cleaning will be done by agitation.
  • c. Wash at a low temperature, around 30-40°C on a delicate setting. Most soft toys are made with synthetic fabrics, they don’t react well with high heat especially polyester fur type fabrics.
• C. The Drying Process
  • a. Check the toy for any parts that may melt before placing the toy into the drier (medium setting for about 45 minutes), if there are soft-looking plastic bits, air-drying may be a better option.
  • b. To soften the toys in the drier, place an old pair of clean sneakers or drier balls to pound the toys into a cuddly mass.
  • c. Air drying the toys is a great way to reduce damage to toys with fine fur (and the only option for toys with un-heatable plastic bits). If you have a dehumidifier, place the toy near there, after 2-3 days all the water is removed from the toy.
  • d. After drying, brush the toys with an old, clean hairbrush; one with natural bristles is best, and this helps get the matts out.

What about that cheesy giant teddy you got for Valentine’s day? It’s obviously too big to go into your washer, so here are two ways that seem to work for me (I prefer the second one though!)

• Dust it with baking soda or baby powder to remove surface dirt. Let sit for 20 minutes or so, then rub it vigorously ith a rough towel. This will clean off the surface dirt and get smells out.
• Another way, which is a bit of a hassle, is for you to carefully slit a seam (or just make one in some inconspicuous bit of the toy) large enough to pull all the stuffing out. Put the ‘hide’ into a delicate care bag (to stop bits of fluff from getting into your machine) and wash as usual. After it was machine or air-dried, you can re-stuff the animal and re-sew the seam. And VIOLA!

Advantages of washing soft toys are obviously that its more hygienic, but in addition, the toys look great and just like new! Theres no doubt that they will need washing again at some point, but you will know how to do it and make them look fantastic! Don’t neglect your toys!

Pookie…this one’s for you!

Thats when I thought “that sharp tangy taste would go great with a roast chicken”. I went out, bought a chicken, and set out to make this unusual roast. It was divine; the feta cheese worked its way through the meat, tenderising it, while the lime zest cut through the rich buttery taste of the creamy melted feta chicken giving a lovely fresh aftertaste. Don’t get put off by the idea of a roast, its not as difficult as many think, its a few minutes of preparation and it cooks itself in the oven!

Serves 4

Takes 20 minutes to make, I hour 10 minutes in the oven, plus resting time

1 large chicken (approximately 1.5 kilos)

2 tbsp olive oil

150g feta cheese

grated rind of 1 lime

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 clove of garlic (chopped finely)

1 medium onion (sliced in rounds)

FOR THE GRAVY

15g butter

1 tsp flour

200ml chicken stock

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas 7. Rinse the chicken inside and out, pat dry with kitchen paper (this makes sure that the chicken becomes crispy).
2. Make the feta cheese paste. Mix the olive oil, feta cheese, lime rind, parsley, and garlic in a bowl with some black pepper. From the neck part of the chicken, work your fingers between the skin and breast. Push in the feta paste and spread it evenly across the breast, thigh and drumstick meat. Cut the rest of the lime in half and place it in the cavity. Truss chicken.
3. Put the onion slices into the roasting tray. Place the chicken in the roasting tin ON TOP on the onions and rub salt and pepper on the skin (again this is for crispiness!). Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the foil, lower the oven temperature to 200°C/gas 6 and roast for a further 30 minutes. To check for done-ness, pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer, if the juices run clear then the chicken is ready, if still pink, place chicken in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
5. Transfer chicken to a plate, and cover with foil. Set aside for 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Skim the fat from the roasting tin, place chicken juices into a saucepan over a medium heat. Mix the butter and flour together and whisk into the chicken juices for 1 minute. Gradually add the stock, then bubble for 5 minutes, whisking, until thickened.
7. Put the chicken on a large platter, garnish with more parsley and serve with roast potatoes, steamed vegetables, or lots of buttery mash if you like! Enjoy!

Fabric softeners and dryer sheets may make your clothes feel soft and cuddly…  smell like a summer breeze in a lavender field, but you may be surprised at their constituents that may cause cancer, brain damage, and irreversible destruction to our waterways and environment.  v  PENTANE – harmful chemical when inhaled

v  A-TERPINEOL – research has shown that it can cause fatal edema, central nervous system damage, and respiratory problems

v  ETHANOL – can cause central nervous system disorders and is on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste List

v  BENZYL ALCOHOL – respiratory tract irritant

v  CAMPHOR – shown to cause central nervous system disorders

v  ETHYL ACETATE – a chemical narcotic and is on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste List

v  CHLOROFORM – a carcinogenic, anesthetic and neurotoxin

v  BENZYL ACETATE – research has found links to pancreatic cancer

v  LINALOOL – a narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders

[Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Information taken from http://www.msdsonline.com]

The chemicals in fabric softeners are horribly strong and offensive, that manufacturers are forced to use a large amount of fragrance to cover up the pungent smells. So in other words, once you take the fragrances away, you’re left with a cocktail of chemicals that could make your life a lot more complicated than you might like!

Although you may feel that your body will be able to cope with this exposure to toxic chemicals in fabric softeners, you may want to consider making a change if you have young children. Their growing bodies are more susceptible to the toxic effects of harmful chemical exposure.

Fabric softeners are designed to stay in your clothing for days, weeks, even months, basically until their next wash. Because of this, the chemicals are slowly released into the atmosphere taking one of 2 routes:

1.     Chemicals are released into the air and are inhaled

2.     Chemicals are rubbed against your skin for your skin to absorb

 Some health effects from being exposed to the above chemicals include central nervous system disorders (as if I haven’t said that enough), headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, contact dermatitis (skin irritation), mucus membrane and respiratory tract irritation, and pancreatic cancer. 

Although you might not notice the effects of these chemicals on a day-to-day basis, they can effect you gradually over time, as many more chemicals in your fabric softener have yet to be tested for long-term effects. When you think about it, there is no reason to expose yourself to those chemicals when there are safe, natural, and eco-friendly alternatives available! They are not only safer for yourself, your family members and the dwindling state of the environment, but they are tons more economical:

 ü  Place ¼ cup of baking soda (from the kitchen) to the wash cycle to soften clothes

ü  Vinegar is a natural softener; add ½  cup of white vinegar to the final rinse to soften the fabric (don’t worry about the smell it disappears when the clothes are dry)

ü  Dry the clothes for 80% of the recommended drying time, and hang them out to dry to do the last bit naturally. The tiny amount of damp keeps static from building up.

ü  Dry cottons and natural fibres separately from synthetic fabrics (they are the culprit when it comes to static, besides, they air-dry quite quickly)

ü  To scent your clothes naturally, place a small damp flannel with a few drops of essential oil in the final few minutes of drying OR place 10 drops of essential oil in a water sprayer (600mls) and spray onto drying clothes on a rack

 TOWEL TIP: Commercial fabric softeners tend to reduce absorbency of towelling fabrics; I have had many people tell me how much better their towels ‘dried’ when vinegar was used instead!