Pink Saturday - Dessert

Plenty of Pink this week – raspberries & more raspberries.

 

Well, mixed with cream they are pink.

 

Individual Raspberry trifles.

Cut trifle sponges in half and spread with a little raspberry jam.

Place in the bottom of the dish and add sherry or kirsch or any liqueur you fancy.

Blend a few raspberries with icing sugar to make a coulis and layer on top of sponge.

Whip double cream and layer that on top of coulis.

Add layer of berries.

Keep layering until 3/4s full.

Top with custard and toasted nuts , I prefer almonds.

 

Final course was a cheese board with grapes .

 

 

I hope you enjoyed these recipes there are many more in my head.

This week  go look at this blog  which is one of my favourites with beautiful photos - http://someplaceinthyme.blogspot.com/

And click on Beverley's button above.

JJ

 

Pink Saturday – Main Course

 

Last week I told you about  the first course of my special dinner party and promised you the main course this week.

It was supposed to be slow roasted leg of lamb marinated in various goodies but, as we were  snowed in I had to resort to the freezer.

I had a turkey crown left over from Christmas so out it came.

Firstly, here is the table decorated with my teal napkins and glass goblets with nightlights in them. This was a different occasion but it gives you the idea but it is laid for 4 not 6.

Recipe:

Firstly spread butter all over the turkey UNDER the skin. This is very easy if you push  your fingers gently underneath.

Dust with salt & pepper, add some root vegs & chopped onions to the dish with some white wine, cover with foil and cook in a moderate oven for 20 minutes per lb. plus 20 minutes over. Remove foil to brown the bird 30 minutes before finishing time.

Remove from heat and keep warm.

Gravy : Remove any excess fat from dish and the vegetables. Add flour to thicken and a stock cube if wanted. Mash the cooked veg as fine as possible and return to the gravy and simmer until the gravy is thick enough. Strain through a sieve and keep warm.

Presentation is important and here is the finished plate -

Succulent slices of turkey with stuffing, sausage and pancetta. Vegetables are broccoli, mange tout carrots, and parsnips cut into squares and baby roast potatoes.

That’s made me hungry now!

Cannot forget the all important glass of wine – my favourite – Hardy’s Crest .

 

Next week Dessert!

Beverley has asked us to mention other bloggers we have visited and last week I visited Susie at - http://1stfloorflat.blogspot.com/

She is a remarkable artist and obviously loves blogging as she has 7 yes SEVEN!

Well worth a visit.

JJ

PINK (Smoked Salmon ) Saturday!

As we need to eat I have never thought of cooking as an enjoyable hobby as I do about my painting and digital art. However, having friends to stay who enjoy and appreciate my food it has dawned on me that Yes, I really enjoy it and perhaps I could share this with my fellow bloggers.

Now, I cannot & do not follow recipes. If I find one I like I never have the right ingredients or something is included that one of my family would moan about so I improvise.

I love watching cookery programmes especially Master Chef and I pick up loads of tips and ideas and I find myself waiting for the end of the programme so that I can get in the kitchen and C O O K.

Yesterday I hosted a lunch party for these friends who are off travelling later this week. Only six of us, all retired and all happy to eat and drink early so that we can get to bed at a decent time!

Here is a photo of us taken last year in an American Diner.

I’m behind the camera -

So, what did I cook?

Starter : smoked salmon parcels with prawns Marie Rose.

First line 6 ramekins with cling film and then line the dishes with the smoked salmon leaving enough over to top each one.

Combine mayonnaise and tomato ketchup for the sauce adding lemon juice & black pepper to taste. Stir in the prawns and fill each dish. Not too full as they tend to leak.

Place the remaining salmon over the dishes. and chill in a cold place until needed.

To serve,

Upturn  the ramekins on to a plate and garnish with a little salad , slice of brown bread & butter and a lemon wedge.

 

Next week – the main course.

Thanks to Beverley for hosting Pink Saturday. Please click on the button above and be sure to visit.

JJ

Personalised Cards

Now I know you can buy personalised greetings cards on the internet but they are just stock cards with someone’s name added to the greeting.

I do REALLY PERSONALISED cards covering all occasions and the recipients are absolutely delighted.

Would you be interested in a very special card for that very special person or event?

Here are a few of the most recent one’s I have done -

1.CONGRATULATIONS : For a young man in Australia who has passed his Citizenship examination -

As you can see we have some Koala bears, sitting in a eucalyptus tree holding the certificate with his name on it.

2.ANNIVERSARY : For a couple married 42 years. Caricature figures based on a photo of them

She loves big earrings & they both love red wine.

3. THANK YOU : To a couple who love to walk and are currently in Spain doing just that.

He has a beard, she is blonde and they are in Calpe so I have drawn Calpe Rock in the background.

4. New Baby : Charlotte

Yes, a baby girl.

5. WEDDING :

 

This is just a very small sample of my work and with the magic of the Internet and email I am wondering if you might be interested in ordering one.

I would, of course need some information on which to base my picture and I can add any greeting you want.

Price, I am thinking £5 per card and I will post them. All are printed on glossy photo paper to enhance the image. The inside greeting  is on plain white card. I would email them to you for approval before sending.

This is very much just throwing out the idea to see if there might be a market for them. PLEASE, let me have some feedback and let me know what you think.

Thanks

JJ

PINK SATURDAY

What’s wrapped up in this big pink parcel?

A doll’s cot that was made for her Mummy 36 years ago.

Our little bundle of pink opening her Christmas present.

And matching outfits – how Cooooooool is that?

A splash of pink adds warmth to this photo of the treasures in my life.

First Pink Saturday 2010

 

Umm, projects for the new year? That’s a hard one Beverley as I have got out of the habit of making plans. I was so ill for over 10 years that I never knew from one day to the next how I would be feeling so plans were kept to a minimum. However, I am so much better now that I have already booked a holiday flight for May.

We are off to Spain for two weeks to spend with our friends who are travelling around the world this  year and will be in the Costa Del Sol for six weeks or so.That is after a trip to  the Far East in January for 9 weeks followed by a 3 week trip to Australia. I could NOT cope with all that!

So, lets see if I have any Spanish pictures to show you?

 

A pretty little harbour - Puerto de la Duquesa but very different.

 

A brand spanking new Hummer at the world renowned Puerto Banus.

Our cruiser.

The car we use to run-around in when in Spain.

Al fresco dining in Marbella

The very expensive apartments in the middle of the harbour at Belamadina

Ronda  one of the loveliest and most historical towns of Andalucia, southern Spain.

The bridge which straddles the 100m chasm below, has unparalleled views out over the Serranía de Ronda mountains.

Ronda is also famous as the birthplace of modern bullfighting, today glimpsed once a year at the spectacular Feria Goyesca.

The sight of so many poor donkeys pulling cartloads of people around was not to my liking at all.

The leafy Plaza Duquesa de Parcent,  boasts a convent, two churches, including the toy town bell tower of the iglesia Santa Maria de Mayor, and the handsome arched ayuntamiento (council) building.

So, to summarise  my project for 2010 is to have another wonderful Spanish holiday and to discover new interesting places.