Carpe Diem....... for 2012

This time of the year ,is for me, a time of reflection over the past year . Did I travel along life's path by going straight ahead or did I choose to take other paths when reaching junctions?
To be honest I probably did a bit of both. Sometimes decisions on life's journey are simple others tough.

 I know that I am more inclined and feel more comfortable to travel along where I can see where I'm going. However, I have decided that this year I want to be a bit more adventurous. Carpe Diem-Seize the day and take a few paths that branch off and see where they go.

 The Road not Taken-Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference. 

See the path leading off to the left for this is the one I will explore in 2012.

Welcome one and all.......

The wreath I made is on the door. There is a warm welcome inside.

The mince pie is hot from the oven.( I used Lorraine Pascal 's pin wheel  recipe)

The sherry and nuts are here.

The cake is baked and decorated with stars.

 The festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Cambridge has just started on Radio 4.

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

Ruttling along.............

Mr has a ruttle and has had for several days. Ruttle is a Kentish dialect word for a chest cold. While Mr has been battling his ruttling I have been busy in the kitchen. Christmas  for me would not be Christmas without Turkish Delight and the smell of rose water.

 

I used a recipe from Sarah Raven's book. Mmmmm the smell of the sugar and rose water filled the kitchen.

This recipe includes pistachio nuts which I love as a contrast to the sweetness and soft texture .

Well I better get the honey and lemons prepared to help soothe  Mr 's ruttle.

Tea Time Treats-Rudolph Cupcakes

Karen at Lavender and Lovage and Kate at What Kate Baked are co-hosting a great  event  "Tea Time Treats".  This month's theme, which is being hosted by Kate,  is Christmas. I have made some Rudolph Cupcakes.

Rudolph Cupcakes

1 tbsp milk   2 eggs   150g butter   150g caster sugar   150g s/r flour   1/2tsp baking powder   zest of a small orange  45g dried cranberries (chopped)

For the icing: 100g soften butter  150g icing sugar  2tbsp cocoa powder  pinch of salt

To decorate: Curly Wurly chocolate bars  white icing sultanas  12 glace cherries

• Preheat the oven 180 C/350F/ Gas Mark 4

• Put 12 muffin cases into a deep muffin tin

• Place the eggs, caster sugar,butter, flour, baking powder, milk and zest into a bowl and beat together

• Stir in the cranberries and spoon into the cases

• Bake for 20 mins

• Leave on a rack to cool

• Sieve the icing sugar into the soft butter and beat together until smooth

• Add the cocoa powder and salt and mix till smooth

• Chill in fridge for 20 mins to firm up

• Spread icing over cake

• Cut lengths of the Curly Wurly bars for the antlers and push into the cupcakes

• place a cherry on the middle for the nose

• Place two sultanas for the eyes adding a little white icing to the middle of these

• Chill until firm

This was a fun make and brought a smile to my lips as well as my family. Ideal for this time of the year. I saw this recipe in Your Home magazine alongside some other festive fun makes. I shall be certainly adding this one to my Christmas recipe collection and am going to try the others as well.