Curried Chicken & Mango Salad

I came across this recipe in the May 2012 issue of Good Food magazine and I just couldn't wait to try it. Mango! Curry! Chicken! Sesame seeds! All things I love, love, love to eat and it was everything it promised to be - light and delicious, spicy and exotically flavour-some. Don't just take my word for it though - give it a go and try it for yourself!

Buttercream

Since I use it so much in my baking I suppose I should give you all some simple variations that you can use again and again!

Let's start with the basic buttercream mix:
225g unsalted butter, softened
1tbsp milk
350g icing sugar
Beat it all together until smooth. Simples!
However, it just takes the smallest of steps to turn this oh-so-easy icing into something more!

Clíona's Amazing Chocolate-Caramel Christening Cake

Hello everyone! I've been a busy little bee the last few weeks - a new job and lots of life-stuff going on. My little niece-to-be had her chistening ceremony recently and her Mum asked me to make a cake I'd made before that she'd really liked. Well - say no more!

Earl Grey Tealoaf

I used to hate things like this, didn't like fruit in cakes and buns at all. In fact, hard as it may be to believe but I used not like baked goods at all. Yes, I was MUCH skinnier back then!LOL I didn't know what I was missing out on though, and once I started to change recipes to suit what I do like then I discovered that actually, fruity cakes aren't that bad at all. So here's my take on the humble tea loaf...made a bit fancier with posh tea and a variety of fruits.

Sticky Ginger Cupcakes

Well, buns really. They were meant to be cupcakes but I had no muffin cases left so I made them in bun cases instead. I LOVE ginger. LOVE it. Ginger bread, ginger in stir-frys, ginger beer, ginger biscuits. It's up there with lemon as one of my favourite flavourings so it will come as no surprise to you all that these buns did not last long in our kitchen...or that the leftover icing was eaten from the mixing bowl with a spoon...

Frosted Yoghurt Orange Cake

I found this recipe in GoodFood's 2012 calendar (it's the January recipe). GoodFood do this calender every January issue and it is month upon month of delicious recipes and gorgeous food photography. As is their entire magazine every month actually. Go on, go out and buy a copy. I'll wait...

Moved House,and Moving House again...

Well, we moved house anyway! Found a lovely house with 2 acres of gardens and ponies (ponies!) that are used to "mow" the grass, and a little stream and everything! We moved in and we were all super excited about living here, even to the point of discussing getting a mortgage and BUYING this place!
Six weeks later the landlord informs us that he's no longer happy that we have pets and that he wants us to move out...uh, okay...