More Food!

Today I promised you my take on Mincemeat Tarts. I should clarify that this is not my recipe. I cut it out of a BBC Good Food Magazine years ago, but I have stuck to it religiously since. It is gloriously filled with butter and a seasonal treat. Not to be recommended on a daily basis year round!

The difference in these tarts from the norm is that the 'pastry' is not really pastry. It more closely resembles shortbread. But unlike shortbread you don't have to worry about overworking it and all that nonsense which makes my real shortbread crap! There are only four ingredients in the pastry -

225gr (8oz) cold butter
350g (12oz) plain flour
pinch of salt
100g (4oz) golden caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan 180C.

Cut the the butter into the flour, then stir in the sugar and the pinch of salt. Add no liquid at all. Just start working it with your hands until it comes together in a ball and knead briefly. To quite the recipe - 'the harder you treat it the better it tastes.' In fact I think it works better well kneaded because if you don't the pastry is too crumbly and then you have trouble taking the tarts from the tin without them falling apart. They still taste good but don't look so good to serve to guests!!

Now start taking small balls of the dough, roll them in your hands and then pop them in the tart tin.

Using the base of your rolling pin or similar blunt ended instrument,
press the dough into the tin.
If it isn't enough dough then just add some more and press it on top of what is there.
Do not use all the dough as you will need some for topping the pies!
I make about 18 and then see what is left when these are all topped.

Fill with the mincemeat of your choice.
This year I am going for the well aged last year's vintage in our house!

Roll a smaller ball...

... and smush it flat with heal of the palm of your other hand.

Press it on top of the tart, pushing the edges together to seal.

Brush with beaten egg.
I run a knife around each one too, to give a clean edge and aid in removing from the tin later on.

Sprinkle with sugar.
Then bake in the oven for approximately 20  minutes.

Bake until they are a dark golden brown. They need to be removed from the pan when still warm but not hot. Too hot and they will not stay in one piece; cold they will have adhered to the pan due to the high butter content. Or you can leave them in the pan and freeze them as is, like I did, and then pop them in the oven to defrost and serve at a later date. I'll worry about getting them out then!

This is an alternative recipe to the usual mincemeat tarts out there and the one I like. I like the biscuity-ness of them. I also like that I don't have to make proper pastry and roll it out, etc. Everyone has a favourite mincemeat tart recipe (if they actually like the things!) and this is mine. If you try it, I hope you like it too.

Susan

Stocking the Freezer

We are all be super busy in the build up to Christmas which is why I like to put a little extra time beforehand in the kitchen so that I have to spend very little time or energy feeding everyone after the big day. Today I made two things for the freezer. Samosas and mincemeat tarts.

My samosas are a cheats version really. They are dead easy to make and can be whipped out the freezer and popped in the oven to provide an extra flavour to the post Christmas Day buffet table type meals I tend to serve up. I started by peeling and boiling some potatoes and lightly mashing them. While they were cooking I got some ginger, garlic, chili and onion.

I chopped, grated, crushed or minced - as required. Then I gently cooked these together in a little oil in a frying pan. When they were softened I added some spices.

Cumin, coriander, turmeric and mustard seeds.

I added about a teaspoon each of these to the pan and cooked them for about a minute. The amount of spice you use is entirely up to you. What is too spicy to one person can be mild to another.

When the spices were aromatic I turned the heat off the pan and added the crushed potatoes and some peas. I gave it a good mix, added a pinch of salt to taste and that was the filling completed. The next step involved filo pastry. Nothing to be afraid of. To prove it I utilised one of Santa's my little helpers.

Take one sheet of filo - making sure to cover the rest so that they don't dry out - and brush evenly with melted butter. Plop spoonfuls of the potato mixture along the bottom edge evenly apart. I got four on each sheet. Using the point of a sharp knife cut a line in the pastry down the pastry between each spoonful of potato mixture. Fold the bottom corner of the pastry over the first pile of potato gently squashing the filling down flat. (I am sorry I didn't take photos of this process - I blame Emily and the distraction she provided (joking) - but really, as long as the filling is enclosed it doesn't matter how you fold it) and work your way up the strip folding the triangle over again and again on itself until you are at the far end of pastry. They will look like this when you are done -

Emily doesn't believe that the ones that aren't perfect triangles will taste as good.
I am going to prove her wrong after Christmas.

Now, layer them between sheets of grease proof paper, seal them in a freezer bag or container and pop them into the freezer. Instant food for family and/or friends in the post holiday easy peasy quiet time. Just cook them at a medium temperature until golden brown. A little mango chutney goes really well with them.

I'll tell you how I do my mincemeat tarts tomorrow. For those of you who hate making pastry - it is the perfect recipe for you.

Susan

Happiness is...

... a girl and a pony. I had two very happy girls today! My friend invited them over to spend some time with the horses and to have a riding lesson. Does life get any better than that?

I'll let their faces tell the story.

Glowingly happy!

Yup, her too!

First up.

Getting that rhythm.

Trying to pretend she wasn't pissed off her sister went first.

Kitted out and ready to go.

Woohoo!

Small issue with the fit of the riding hat!

It is most definitely love.
The pony is Murphy and he is brilliant.

So we have established the definition of happiness. The polar opposite would be the mother who was informed that another delivery had arrived, we had miscalculated and there was more for one child than the other. Someone had to go to town this afternoon and trawl the shops looking for inspiration. It took a while. It wasn't fun!

But I did do it. If another delivery arrives that we have forgotten about I am going to cry. Or hide it until a birthday rolls round!

Susan

Numpty Report

The parcels have been arriving fast and furious to this house. I have to say that I love, love, love Internet shopping. Beats the alternative! I have been shoving all the boxes into himself's office. Not sure if he appreciated that when he got home. Never mind.

After some time spent in town this morning (as much as I love Internet shopping some things really do need to be done by going and doing) and completing a huge grocery shop, I came home and informed himself we had to make sense of what we had ordered and ensure that we had received the appropriate items.

Imagine my surprise to find that one of these parcels was not in fact a product of Internet shopping but a package for me. I felt so bad because poor Helen must have been wondering if her parcel had gone missing. Archie must have been beside himself with worry! (If you have not yet met Archie then please get over to the blog now and have a look see. He is the most photogenic dog going, and funny to boot. Helen, writer of said blog is even funnier and such a fab quilter.)

I opened the poor neglected package to find this -

Helen and I did an exchange of goods and I am feeling quite sorry for her because not only am I a complete numpty not opening the package for a week, but I think I came up trumps with what she sent me.

Helen was a very lucky and deserving recipient of some 'scraps' from Aneela from the Walk in the Woods line of fabric Aneela designed, and Helen used some of it to make me this fabulous hoop. I haven't shown the girls. They are starting to get very covetous towards some of the lovely gifts I receive. I am far too selfish to be dealing with that!

And this pin cushion is very me, isn't it?! I am liking having more than one pin cushion. For one, it helps when the girls are forever 'borrowing' one. I no longer have to bellow at them to bring it back. I just continue jabbing into the alternative and save the girls - and me - a lot of agro. Oh, and in case you are wondering, I have been happily consuming one of those chocolate Santas while writing this. Contrary to the advice I heap on the girls, I am sure that it won't spoil my appetite for dinner!

So it was a happy, albeit delayed, post day. I sent an email to Helen and didn't know if I should be saying thank you first, or sorry that I am such a numpty!

Meanwhile, I continue to race around in an incredible imitation of a blue arsed fly. But it is all good because I did indeed get the last parcel posted today. I made one more zippy pouch as a gift when I found that I did indeed have another zipper that went with the fabric. I didn't take a photo. Because, as we have already established, I am a numpty. I also made more stiffy snowflakes. No photos of those either!

I do however have a photo or two for my progress report on the four year long quilt make. I have officially completed the hand stitching. (Three cheers please!) I may add more stitching after I have given it for Christmas, but for now it is just fine.

I've pulled out all the basting pins, and some stitching from the early years that I deemed unsuitable once I 'discovered' perle cotton. I made the binding and attached said binding.

I do not have any more photos of the quilt because himself did the school run to give me the time to finish sewing the binding on the front and I had to bundle it away in a panic as the car came up the drive.

I am incredibly pleased though. I have all my parcels posted. None of my cards done, but that is just going to be the ball I dropped this year and I can accept the failure. All gifts required within this household are either here or in transit. A good deal of the food shopping is done, other than the perishable stuff. Despite my worst fears I think I have it all in hand and I am so chuffed that it is worth all the tiredness up to now. It is a very satisfactory feeling so tonight I am feeling rather smug. Or it might just be a sugar induced high from the chocolate!

Susan

Almost There!

I posted two more parcels today. I have one more parcel to do and then all my postal obligations are met for this Christmas. Except cards. I have failed to write Christmas cards. Somehow that got lost in the jumble of things going on. Oooops! I somehow think it might not be happening now.

Today was a good day though. I made lots. I can only show you some of it again, but - trust me - I am very pleased with my output. One more school day left and then life ruled by schedules will relax for a while. I am looking forward to that. Next week will be focused on Christmas baking rather than sewing. In fact, as of Monday, I will need to clear away my machine and fabric and reclaim the dining room for its original purpose. Put my Modern Christmas Tablerunner out and let the festivities begin.

But until then, I continue to sew.

I originally made the centre block to use for the Modern Christmas Tablerunner Swap.
Today I turned it into a mug rug for a friend.

I then delved into my tiniest scraps.
Because Judith says I must never throw anything out.
This needlebook is for a friend who likes cats.

But I rather think I love the back more.
No offence to cats!
I am just really chuffed with the way this turned out.

I am even proud of the inside of the needlebook,
which is - after all - usually quite boring.

I broke up the day by leaving my machine and going to help at the school for the children's Christmas lunch. Amazing how much some children can eat. Enough said!!

And, as stated earlier, I can't show you the rest of my makes. I am sworn to Secret Santa secrecy. I hope that my partner likes it all when she receives it. Because it is killing me not showing you!

Obviously not my Secret Santa make.
I just wanted a Christmasy photo.

Susan