Completion, leftovers, and a new family favourite

YUM - Emma making mud pies

Yes, its when your at the right place, at the right time, that memories can begin to be made.

And today was no exception.

After a hard days work finishing the glass house - yes that's right finally and in time for winter vegetables, our glass house is finished

Doesn't it look great!!

Anyway .. all I had planed for Dinner was leftovers

(a dinner I always look forward to as it never takes much preparation)

and I was looking forward to a easy/lazy evening when I came across a request for a Apple Crumble Pie recipe on a Forum I frequent.

Now those that know me would know that I love to bake - puddings being no exception ... so when the recipe was posted and I knew we had apples to be used, I felt compelled to try it! and boy oh boy how lucky we are .. this has now been entered into our family favourites and I can see it being made over and over to 'use up' those apples! .. and who wouldn't enjoy a serving when its complimented with cream and custard.

It even looks divine!

And I'm not sure if it breaches copyright ... but here's the recipe for you all to enjoy as well.

Apple Crumble Pie

Ingredients for the base
125g butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour

For the filling
Stewed apples

For the topping
4 tablespoons brown sugar
8 tablespoons flour
50g butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Mix base ingredients together and press into a greased dish or individual cups. Press some of the mixture up the sides as well. Fill the dishes with stewed apple. To make the crumble, mix dry ingredients together and rub in butter. Spoon topping over stewed apple; bake at 180 centigrade for 30 minutes

Enjoy!

Naki Yarn Swap #1 - 'Kiwiana'

Click the pic for a clearer image :)

.. Well what a blast last night was! (so much so that we have already planned #2 'Desserts')

i decided that when i got home @ 10.40 last night it was too late to update you all (sorry)

Now for a parcel by parcel description head to Sheryl's blog here: Shortly Stitches and Hannah's blog here: Rainbow Child

It was another lovely evening with such a great group of inspirational woman! ..... but i wonder who's going to get their Yarn Swap goodies on the needles first?

oh and i can't put in words how much i love my wool - Trudi did a great job! Perfect Rocky Road!

And here is the swap i did for Sheryl ... Yip i was the one that couldn't help but share my first sock yarn dying experience - i promise to behave next time! Yarn closeup

looking for something sweet?

Here's one of my family's favourite desserts:

It came about when i had pears in the fruit bowl that needed using. I have also made it with a banana added, with apples and tinned fruit salad mix - please yourself and your own taste buds

Caramel Self saucing fruit sponge pudding

Combine (the one pot cook in me mixes this straight in the pudding dish), and beat until smooth:

• 1 cup Flour
• 2/3 cup Sugar (i use less if my fruit is over ripe)
  
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch of ground cloves (a decent one)
• 1/2 cup milk

Stir in 4 chopped pears (we leave the skin on) - or use tinned fruit - i think that most tree fruit would work.

Place in pudding dish (if you have mixed in a bowl)

Pour over 3/4 cup Brown Sugar (i use a bit less), 1/4 cup Butter, 3/4 cup Boiling Water

Bake uncovered @ 180*C for 40-45 minutes

Serve warm with custard, yoghurt or ice cream - YUM

If you can't tell, I'm a bit of a guess before measure chef - that's how i learnt from my Mother and Grandmother. We had a rule as i was growing up that you need to write down what you put in a dish, just in case it was so yummy that it should be made again! tho seldom followed really as the nicest dinners were the left over use up's ... and it looks like the gift has been passed onto me. Don't get me wrong though as some nights dinner can be less than desirable!

And i love stumbling across new recipes on the blogs I've been visiting lately - dangerous for the waist line though.