Sew a little love: March 2015

Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Friday, 13 March 2015

A tart a day blows the blues away...

This has truly been a week of ups and downs! It kicked off with me adding yet another candle to my birthday cake...oh dear...I am indeed losing count! As always, I have been spoiled rotten by loved ones and friends, and my heart feels warm and fuzzy inside with gratitude! The week has been full of blessings, but equally it has tested my reserve of strength, endurance, perseverance and patience! Plagued by seasonal colds, sore throats, and a general feeling of exhaustion, I have had to soldier on, as challenges at work have also meant no resting on my laurels! Our little man has been under the weather too, which has meant a little more practise at the old juggling act! But, there is always time for tea, and so we had a tea party yesterday after school...just because! So, just a few happy snaps to share today, and an easy-peasy recipe for those off-the-cuff, spontaneous get togethers with friends that require a sweet treat to be whipped up in no time!

Tea-party anyone?

Being South African means that we indulge in a traditional dessert called 'Milk Tart'. It is a custard based tart, with flavours of coconut and cinnamon. It is delicious! Well, I think so anyway. It is not at all what the writing on it says below...That's just me trying to put everyone off...so there would be more left over in the fridge for midnight trips to the fridge!

This is more like it! There is only one word for it really...'Lekker!' This means 'toe-curlingly, in-my happy-place good'!

This recipe is a quickie. There are many more complex versions of this dessert...making your own pastry case and using different ingredients for instance. However, a very clever lady shared this version with me a few years back, and I will forever be indebted to her! It is a winner, and as easy as pie..

You'll need:

* 2x packs of 'Nice' biscuits (UK) Any other coconut based biscuit would work.

* 2 liters of milk (Semi-skimmed or whole)

* 1 packet of instant custard powder

* 1 cup sugar

* 1 cup cornflour

* Cinnamon for sprinkling on top

Method:

Put all the dry ingredients into a big pot. Add enough cold milk to mix to a paste. Start heating on the hob/stove. Gradually add the rest of the milk, and keep stirring with a wooden spoon or whisk. Now, be patient! You'll be stirring for a while as it heats up. Do not leave to go and check Facebook! Keep stirring. Keep the heat low...keep stirring. If you leave it unattended, it will catch at the bottom, and you'll end up with a nasty burnt taste in your custard! After a while (okay, quite a while), the mixture will thicken into a lovely custard. When it looks thick, and drops off the spoon slowly, it is ready. Lay your biscuits in two layers in the bottom of a rectangular dish. You may wish to use a round dish, but then you'll have to smash the biscuits into a crumb base, mix it with a little melted butter, and tap it down into a base...Too much work! Slowly pour the custard over the biscuit base. You might want to ladle it over slowly, otherwise your biscuits will separate, and swim to the top!

Pop it into the fridge to set. Sprinkle some cinnamon over the top before serving. I sprinkle a bit of sugar on too for extra sweetness. Eat. Eat some more. Lick out the bowl. Put the bowl back in the cupboard...no need to wash!....okay, maybe skip that last bit and pop it in the dishwasher!

That's it! Apart from sweet delights, a few more snaps of loveliness...I was given a beautiful vinyl record player for my birthday (thank you super-duper most marvellous friends!) It sits inside the cheeriest baby blue suitcase, perfect for carting around. Oh be still my beating heart....

And of course, what would a birthday be without blooms?

May the weekend be a good one! Blessings counted, I count it as one very much needed right now!

Blessings

Thursday, 5 March 2015

Early Easter Flourishes

Hello my lovelies! Well, I cannot believe that March has already arrived! Is time speeding up? I can't help but feel that there are less hours in each day, and that the hamster peddling the wheel of time is as fit as a fiddle and peddling as fast as a blink of the eye! As soon as March arrives, I feel a renewed spring in my step, and the reason for this is just that...'spring'! Yes, spring is in the air, and the days already seem brighter, with the promise of colour, sunshine and the smell of fresh flowers! Dreary days be gone!

Now, I am already looking forward to Easter, as it is a special time of reflection and celebration for our family. Every year I look forward to getting some decorations out, and this year I have started earlier than usual. As I'm a working mum, I find that I have to plan and think ahead, as time is so precious and few and far between! That's my excuse...and I'm sticking with it! So, I have already made some new fripperies to add to he Easter dresser!

Quirky chaps with 'egg-straordinary' moustaches!

I found the idea for these on Pinterest. If you'd like to have a go, just pop over to 'a bit of pill pilli' for the tutorial. They were so easy to make, and great fun. I bet the kids would love it! I didn't use boiled eggs, but opted to blow out the eggs so that I could keep these for next year.