Random Haul!!

Just back from Wilton where I picked up a few bits and bobs.

Boots

Had to pick up some Garnier Micellar Water (€4.92), Palmers body Moisturiser (€7.99) and some Palmers hand cream (€2.49)! I love Palmer's products they are so moisturising and they smell great!!!

Bits and Bobs

Got some more curling ribbons in more Spring colours! Most of the ones I have are a bit Christmassy! And some purple and green ribbons just because!!! And a doodle book, love stationary!

Euro Giant

Getting my crème egg on with 2 boxes for €5.00, mmm 10 crème eggs!! And some kinder bueno's!



So got my  beauty, craft and chocolate fix!!!
Shopaholic fix sorted!

xx

Baking Love ~ Minions ~ Cookies & Shortbread & Biscuits ~

Another Baking post! You never get tired of them!!

Wanted to share my ebay find with you! So here's a link to my ebay minions cookie cutter. Buying on ebay you can grab some great bargains (€1.58/ £1.23/ $1.76)  once you don't mind the wait for delivery! I forgot about these and was pleasantly surprized when the postman came!

These are great as they are plungers so easily cut your dough and press your little minions faces into it!

Here's their image:

Here's the odlums shortbread recipe, however any cookie recipe could be used with these cutters!

 

Shortbread Ingredients:

125g/4oz Odlums Cream Plain Flour

50g/2oz Cornflour

125g/4oz Butter (softened)

50g/2oz Caster Sugar

Mix all together, roll out, cut and bake for approx. 12 mins at 160C


And my process, (oops burnt a few!)

 

All lined up on the cookie sheet before baking!

 

 

Then I had an idea to ice them but didn't have any fondant icing! Fondant icing is great for these plungers, I would recommend this not my runny icing sugar water combo!!!

 

 

Painted them with a tiny paint brush and food colouring!!! Think I'll post this as a Pinterest fail!!!!

At first it seemed great but the icing kinda melted and ran in my warm kitchen!!! Maybe if I left the icing set overnight, who knows? But I was able to use the plunger on the icing after a few hours with no problem, should have taken a photo of that!!!!

 

 

 

 

Have you any baking fails? Or successes?

 

Any baking products you think I should check out?

 

xx

Spring ASOS Fashion Accessories WishList!!!

 

I think it's about time to go Spring accessory shopping, but first research and my wish list!

Warehouse Clean Tab Saddle Bag from ASOS at €45.07 I just love the look of this bag, and a girl can never have too many bags!!!

Esprit Cat Eye Gold Trim Sunglasses from ASOS at €35.21 black or gold?? It's still cold and windy but the sun is creeping out to blind me! That means it's time to get your sunglasses out!!!!

Ted Baker Mirrored Loop Bow Belt from ASOS at €77.46 just because... so cute! Thinking maybe with a skater dress??

 Ted Baker Cosmic Bloom Icon from ASOS at €54.93

ASOS Oversized Scarf With Paisley And Border Print Design €21.13 I love my scarfs so have to get a Spring Scarf!

 

I look forward to spring shopping soon!!!

 

xx 

Get your Cadbury Creme Egg Fix before its all over!!!

If you missed out and didn't get a seat at the Crème Egg Café you can still get your Crème Egg fix here!!! As you know I love pinterest, and I also love crème eggs!!!

These  are some recipe ideas I found on pinterest that I have been trying out!!! There are so many recipes I couldn't get through them all but check them all out here on Pinterest!

 

Hot Cross Crème Egg Pudding

Hot Cross Crème Egg Pudding from Good to Know read more here!
A Crème Egg Twist/Easter on the classic bread and butter pudding!

 

Ok so I cheated a little bit with mine, but only because I need a fast desert so I used readymade custard! Not as good as the homemade but an eggcellent dessert none the less!!!!

 Crème Egg Chocolate Fondant

From one of my foodie crushes  Rebecca at Winberry Crumble hear her recipe here!

4 crème eggs
100g butter
150g dark soft brown sugar
3 eggs
50g plain flour

Crème Egg Chocolate Mug Cake

Crème Egg Chocolate Mug Cake from My Fussy Eater read it here!
If you haven't made a mug cake you need to try one, they are so simple and quick to make!!

3 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

½ tsp baking powder

1 egg

3 tbsp plain yogurt

¼ tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp chocolate chips

2 creme eggs

 

Caramel Egg Stuffed Croissants

 

 

Caramel Egg Stuffed Easter Croissants from Taming Twins read here!!

This is a bit of a cheat but caramel eggs are only here for a short time too!!! Another simple recipe and a great breakfast treat!!!

 

Pack of ready to pop croissant dough

6 Cadbury's Caramel Eggs

1 Egg (beaten)

 

Crème Egg Brownies

 

 

 

Crème Egg brownies from Cravings of a Lunatic, read here!

 

8 tablespoons of butter

2 ounces semi sweet chocolate

1 cup sugar

2 eggs. beaten

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

10 to 12 mini cadbury creme eggs

 

Crème Egg Cupcakes

 

And this tasty offering from Cupcake Jemma, watch here!!!

 

 

 

So this Crème Egg season, how do you eat yours???

 

xx

Ps. if you missed my homemade Easter eggs find them here!

Homemade Chocolate Easter Egg Recipe Ideas

Yay! Reasons I love Spring.... Chocolate and Sweet Treat Related Holidays!!!

I picked up these Easter Egg Moulds in a discount shop a few years ago and they are just the best thing!!! Everyone loves a homemade treat and these eggs have gone down really well every year I make them!

Theme your eggs towards the recipient.

 

1 "Healthy" Chocolate Egg.

Ok this might not be technically "healthy" but it's the healthiest option here!

• Dark Chocolate
• Dried Cranberries
• Mixed Peel
• Chopped Nuts

I filled the base of he mould with fruit and nuts then poured in the melted dark chocolate
Let it set and join both sides
Eat!!!

2 "Sweets and Treats" Egg

• Milk Chocolate
• Dark Chocolate
• White Chocolate
• Sour Snakes
• Gummy Bears
• Skittles
• M&M's

Again fill the mould with sweets.
Drizzle over one type of chocolate, let set, repeat with next chocolate and repeat again!
Let to set completely
Fill the inside with lots of tasty sweets.
Use some melted chocolate to join both sides.

 

 

3. "Liquorish Allsorts" Egg

• Chocolate
• Liquorish Allsorts

Line up your liquorish allsorts in the mould.
Melt your chocolate.
Start to fill your mould with chocolate to hold sweets in place.
Let your chocolate set.
Fill your egg with remaining sweets.
Then use some melted chocolate to join both sides together and keep sweets inside.

Enjoy!!

4 "Tiramisu" Egg

• Dark Chocolate
• Boudoir Fingers
• Cocoa Powder
• Double Cream
• Mascarpone
• Espresso
• Sugar
• Rum/Baileys etc. (optional)

3/4 coat your egg with melted chocolate, let set so top is open.

Fill with Tiramisu:

Line with boudoir fingers soaked in espresso and rum
Mix mascarpone, cream and sugar together
Pour over fingers
Grate Chocolate over
Repeat layers until egg is full
Top with cocoa powder and grated chocolate
Garnish with a chocolate spoon



See the first one really was the healthy option!!!!

I keep these fresh and display them beautifully by wrapping in cellophane and ribbons.

Hope you feel inspired to treat your loved ones to a homemade egg-elicious treat!!!

So which is your favourite Egg??


xx

What's in my handbag? An Honest Account!

I have read so many of these "what's in my bag" posts on so many blogs and have always been like "ya right!" you have a perfectly organised, clean and tidy bag!!! Are you even female?? or some blogging robot!!!???

Then I met this lovely blogger Rianne Mitchell and read her "What's in my Bag?" post! Have a read and show this blog some love!!! This is an honest look at a handbag and after a chat she inspired me to do one too!!!
From "researching" this topic I also found a Stevie Nicks "What's in my bag?", which I kinda liked, read it here.
And of course the Zoella vlog where she finds a forgotten "surprize" inside.

So here goes:

(Disclaimer: I carry my life in my bag! Everyone always asks what I carry around with me!!! It will probably cause my back damage it's so full! At least I can beat off any future attackers with it!! Read on at your own peril)

First my bag is from Primark, I liked it as it is kinda flat so not too bulky to start with but it holds loads! This is my everyday bag, it gets a bit abused, (sorry bag). But I thought it a bit plain so I tied a Primark polka dot scarf onto the strap!

It also has a few compartments which I like to divide up my belongings. It makes everything so much simpler!!!

1.      Keys pocket

Makes life easier if you can find them quickly, especially in the rain!!!

2.      Make-up pocket

I don't usually bring my make-up bag out with me unless I'm staying out overnight or on a night out.
This pocket holds the essentials; lipstick, eyeliner, lip balm, Baby Lips,Vaseline, Carmex, Maxfactor Powder and brush and my toothbrush! (Gotta have my toothbrush just in case!)

3.      Tampon/pad pocket self explanatory!

I also keep bandages in here just in case I need then, this is a compartment I don't want to get dirty and crumpled, obviously!!!

4.      The vast void where everything disappears!

• Diary/Life Organiser
• Little notebook
• Purse (also Primark)
• Nail file
• Painkillers
• Umbrella (It has been kinda wet recently also Primark)
• Soothers  "sucky sweets" (it is winter)
• 2 half packets of Chewing Gum
• A lolly pop (Thanks Dad!)
• Anti-perspirant
• Phone
• Phone charger
• 2 and a half pens (who knows where the other half is!?)
• Ikea pencil
• Tissues
• Palmers Hand Cream
• Some lose change
• A diamanté ??
• Safety pins, you never know when you might need them!!!
• Someone else's car key (now this was a surprise find as I emptied my bag to write this, oops sorry)
• Camera
• Bobby pins
• Bobble
• A small torch
• Gloves (in case I get cold)
• Receipts... from everywhere groceries, make-up, tea...
• Crumbs... lots of crumbs and lint!! This annoys me, I mean where do they come from it's like they follow me around the house no matter how much I clean!!!!

On occasion (more than once a week) I will also have:

• A travel mug with me as I am about to have or have just finished a cup of tea!!!
• Bottle of Water
• Fruit, loving kiwi's recently
• Crackers (little snack)
• Mini pack of baby Wipes

This is what a real female handbag looks like!!! I apologise to any men who actually stumbled upon this... the mystery has gone!!!

Hope you have enjoyed reading this honest female account of the contents of a handbag... My Handbag! I should really tidy it more often!!!

Please share your bag contents with me!!!

xx

Paddy's Day Extra ~ Sweets ~ Gifts

Just a quick post to say Happy St. Patricks Day!!!

I love to make my friends cute little gifts so here goes:

I had recently finished a tube of Dr Oetker sprinkles after making my simple chocolate fudge (read it here!) and I thought it might come in useful and I was right. I was about to eat all my jelly beans when I had a moment of genius. (I made a similar gift a few years ago with skittles.)

So I divided up the colours into a rainbow and filled the jar!

Looking good!

Hope everyone enjoys the parade!

xx