Scrummy Cheese Straws

Hello Lovelies,

This blog post is for La La Lucy (go and check her out), after posting my tomato and basil dip with cheese straws she left a lovely comment and asked whether I could pop up the recipe  so here it is.

These are probably the easiest thing to make all you need is some puff pastry and your favourite cheese.  You could be really good and make your puff pastry, but my pastry skills don't go any further than rough puff & shortcrust, so ready made it is.     

After you have rolled it out you need to grate your cheese over half of it then fold the pastry over and flatten  keep doing this until you have a block then roll out and slice.

Once you have sliced your straws pop them onto a baking tray on a silicon sheet or baking paper.  I normally put them in on 160C for 15 mins, but it is pretty dependent on your oven, so keep an eye on them.  

When they are finished in the oven put them on a wire rack to cool then serve them to your friends.

So this is the rather naughty recipe for cheese straws (if you can call it a recipe!)

Carmex || Review

Hello Lovelies,

Carmex was probably the first beauty related product I ever owned.  Instead of reaching for the Vaseline pot or a nivea stick I reached for the little pot of Carmex.  When I was at school I would keep a little pot in my skirt pocket as I literally get the worst chapped lips in the winter.
Carmex has been making lip balm since 1937 the original Carmex balm is a set formula in a small pot with a screw lid, a little bulky for pockets so these days I turn to the Carmex squeezy tube, its easier to pop in a pocket but also feels a lot more hygienic compared to sticky grubby fingers into a pot over and over again. 

Carmex lip balm restores the moisture that wind and dry cold air can suck out of our lips.  Some find the smell a bit off putting and just can't stand the tingling feeling but I personally don't mind it.  The only thing that is slightly annoying is the price, it is no way expensive especially not when it is put next to my eight hour cream, but at around £2.99 here it is way more expensive than the 99 cents it costs in America!

   

I give my magical Carmex a 9/10 for its lip protecting power.

Does anyone else use Carmex?

Tomato and Basil, a Match Made In Heaven

Hello Lovelies,

As you probably know I love hosting parties, whether it is a dinner party or a drinks with friends.  Part of my formula for a perfect evening is drinks and canapes when everyone arrives  this sets the tone for the party so you need to get it right.  I have three different dips/salsa that I always bring out to keep my guests happy.  The first is a scrummy creamy crab dip, but it is a family recipe and I would have to kill you if I told you!  The other two are a little more chunky, one is a salsa with a lovely kick while the other is a tomato and basil bowl of goodness. 

Ingredients

1 handful of plum tomatoes

2 chiquiño peppers

5 basil leaves

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 cloves of minced garlic

a pinch of salt 

First thing you need to do is chop up your ingredients, I cut my tomatoes into quarters, dice the peppers and finely chop the basil.
Once everything is chopped pop it onto a small bowl or jug and add your rock salt, minced garlic and olive oil and give it a stir.
Once everything is nicely mixed decant into a pretty dish to serve.

This is fabulous served with Bruschetta or given a little twist by using cheese straws, I make my own as it is so easy but you can buy them in almost all supermarkets Thomas J Fudges makes great cheese thins or if your relatively local Reeves the Bakers do packets that you could pass of as your own. 

Does anyone else like entertaining?

Splash of Colour Weekend Fun

Hello Lovelies,

Last weekend I met up with an old friend of mine from school for a bit of a catch up, instead of doing the normal tea and cake or bite of lunch we decided to go to the Splash of Colour Cafe and let our artistic juices flow!

Harriet decided to freehand her design while I took a rather more juvenile approach (even though I studied art). 

All around the shop there were examples of various plates, mugs and platters that could be painted, I loved the large cake plate with hearts and names of different cake all over it.

 As I wanted to make something for my two year old goddaughter I wanted it to be simple and colourful so I opted for ducks in two different colours, a sunny yellow and a bright orange.

After a lot of nattering and girly chat we finally finished painting our ceramics and pootled home for a quesadilla for lunch. 

the finished product

I thoroughly recommend Splash of Colour or anywhere similar, it was great fun to do something arty (even if we were the only people in there painting over the age of eight) rather than just drinking tea!  It would be fab to do with younger siblings or cousins as a little activity especially as the weather is starting to turn rather grim.

Has anyone else been to somewhere like Splash of Colour?

Benefit Coralista lipgloss in ELLE || Review

Hello Lovelies,

The only way I can survive a long train journey is with a good magazine to read, I love Elle as it has fab reading and lots of pretty pictures.  What got me more excited than usual was the freebie lipgloss (a complete bonus as I had forgoton mine), I have never actually tried a Benefit lipgloss but am a complete Benebabe so was happy to slap it on my lips and give it a whirl.

I cant think of any products that I have got in magazines that I have actually repurchased but this one I can firmly say will be popped in my shopping basket asap.

Benefit describes this gloss as a sheer coral and they are pretty spot on, I love coral lipsticks and glosses as they tend to make my lips a lovely natural pink colour.  Apart from the colour I love the fact that it isn't sticky or tacky on your lips, it feels more like a lipstick.  It is also in a fab tube which reminds me of the days that juicy tubes were the rage.  The longevity of the product is also really good, you will always have to reapply lipgloss but this seems to have great staying power. This is a fab product which gets an A* from me.

Will you be skipping out to buy a copy of ELLE?

Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil || Review

Hello Lovelies,

I have been using this Organix Moroccan Argan Oil (£6.99) for the last three weeks, I had never used one before but my mother has a ridiculously expensive one which she swears by, so after seeing this on various blogs I decided to give it a whirl.  After using it just once I have to admit to falling in love, on the hair care love list it is on par with my Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque, something my hair can't live without.

You apply the oil by rubbing your hands together then running it through your damp (towel dried) hair with your fingers.  Organix say that the oil 'penetrates, moisturises, renews and creates softness and strength' as well as protecting your hair from harmful heat and UV damage while giving you smooth sexy tresses.  

Likes/Loves:

the price (very affordable)
love the scent 
it smooths and controls frizz
it absorbs fast and isn't heavy
it is sulfate free

Dislikes:

I really can't think of any, which is rare as I am so picky when it comes to hair care products. 
    

This is a complete winner I have recommended it to so many people, when my shampoo runs out I am definitely going to give the shampoo a go.

Does anyone else use Argan Oil on their hair? 

Getting Crafty with Pumpkins

Hello Lovelies,

As Halloween looms ever closer I thought I ought to pop up a little post, having not really celebrated Halloween since I was about six and having never been trick or treating, as it's hard to do when you live in the middle of nowhere.  So I don't tend to get very excited at the thought of Halloween   However that aside I have always loved carving pumpkins (and eating them) so when my lovely cousin sent me a picture this morning of the pumpkin her and her children had carved, it sparked a full half hour of Pinterest searching, oohing and ahhing at all the seriously amazing pumpkins.   

After viewing lots of pumpkins I came across these two, there is a bit of a 'BOO' theme, but they were just so darn cute I couldn't resist.  I love the first four pumpkins spelling 'BOO!', they would look amazing if you had a wall or a large porch to put them on.  The second pumpkin appeals to my crafty side I love all the little buttons and the big spotty bow however as quirky and crafty as it is, I love my cousins toothy pumpkin, it is a traditional Halloween pumpkin and just like the pumpkins I carved when I was little. 

Are you a traditional pumpkin carver or do you like to get a bit crafty and step outside the box?