Month: March 2014

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Thomas Kitchen Carving Challenge: Tomato Ladybirds with a Cucumber Rose

After a few attempts, this blog post is my entry for the Tesco Blogger Fruit and Vegetable Carving Challenge to win £150 meal voucher from Red Letter Days.   This week is the first time I have tried vegetable carving, so I’ve found it difficult, challenging and fun at the same time.  It’s easy to see why carved fruit and vegetables are so popular in Thailand.  The kids eyes popped open when it was ready to eat and sat on the table with dinner.

The kids gave me some inspiration to make it and the suggestion for marzipan when white icing didn’t work was genius.  I decided on Tomato Ladybirds and a Cucumber Rose.

Tomato l

I’ve already written a post about the vegetable carving that showed just how difficult I had found it.   Tesco sent me a set of Thomas knives to carry out the task with, and my first attempts failed miserably.  With a plan, and deciding to still have a last try, I decided to take it from a different angle and create decoratively carved food that my kids would enjoy picking off a plate.

I needed Philadelphia Cheese, Tomatoes, a Cucumber, some White Marzipan, Fruit Flakes, Chocolate Sprinkle Drops, Lettuce and a Carrot.  It took 6 bamboo skewers in all, with three for the tomatoes and one to make my cucumber rose with a carrot topped centre.

The marzipan sticks to the dried tomatoes very easily, so was perfect for the spots and base for the eyes.  I could have also used it for the top of the antennae, but I had fruit flakes so used them to have something different.

So, here goes.  My finished attempts and the photographs of how it turned out.

My cucumber rose in a container of lettuce for the decorative setting.

Tomato Ladybird Cucumber and Carrot Rose

My ladybirds on a bed of lettuce with carrot and cucumber decorations.

Tomato Ladybird 4

Tomato Ladybird 5

Tomato Ladybird 7

If you would like to find out more about the Thomas Kitchen Knives and win a set for yourself, head on over to the Giveaway post to enter.

If you shop at Tesco, you’ve probably noticed that they are running a sticker promotion between 3rd March – 1st June 2014 where you can save up to 70% on exclusive kitchenware products at Tesco. For every £20 you spend online OR in-store you can collect a sticker, once you’ve collected five stickers you can use these to save up to 70% off professional kitchenware items of your own.  

Stickers can be collected from 3rd March 2014 – 25th May 2014 and must be redeemed by 1st June 2014.  

I’ve already got enough stickers to get the chopping boards and the roasting tin, so I am a happy bunny right now.

Thomas

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Review and Giveaway: Thomas Kitchen Knives From Tesco – Closing Date: 1st June 2014

I’ve been attempting to take part in the Tesco Blogger Challenge recently, which meant I had to try my hand at vegetable carving.  In the end, I’ve had to give up as it seem that my skills really do not lie in carving vegetables.  I tried mushrooms and tomatoes and although I could slice and dice with absolutely no problem at all, the more delicate work for carving seemed to escape my hands.

So, in short, I found decorative carving much harder than it looked, but the Thomas knives that Tesco sent me to practice with are absolutely fantastic.  I really did think twice about showing you some of the pictures of my disasters, but hey ho, I can only get better if I keep trying.

See how much work I still have to do – to be able to do some of the fabulous carvings I’ve seen online.

Mine:

To give you an idea – THIS is what I was trying to get and failed miserably with.   It’s classed as “easy.”

Tomato Rose

I’ve not given up.  I have a plan and am going to try again, so be prepared for another post for Thomas Kitchen Knives from Tesco, but in the meantime, Tesco have also offered a set of 5 knives, including the knife block, for one lucky reader of my blog – and I want to get that out to my readers.

In the set are:

  • 1 x Knife Block
  • 1 x 4.5″  Utility Knife
  • 1 x 5.”    Small Santoku Knife
  • 1 x 6.8″  Large Santoku Knife
  • 1 x 7.4″  Cook’s Knife
  • 1 x 7.8″  Bread Knife

For anyone who is not sure what a Santoku Knife is, it has Japanese historical significance.  It is a knife that is excellent at chopping, cutting, dicing and mincing.    Blades usually range from around 5″ – 8″ and has a design that is comfortable in the hand, and allows good grip while still being able to use the full functions of the knives.  

The dimples on the blade help release the food after cutting and helps with its versatility.

The closing date for the set of kitchen knives on offer is 1st of June 2014 at midnight.

Tesco are also running a sticker promotion between 3rd March – 1st June 2014 where you can save up to 70% on exclusive kitchenware products at Tesco. For every £20 you spend online OR in-store you can collect a sticker, once you’ve collected five stickers you can use these to save up to 70% off professional kitchenware items of your own.  Stickers can be collected from 3rd March 2014 – 25th May 2014 and must be redeemed by 1st June 2014.   Find out more.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thomas Logo

Terms and Conditions

  •  Open to anyone over the age of 18.  Open to UK Mainland Entrants only.
  • 1 Winner will receive a set of Thomas Kitchen Knives and a Knife Block from Tesco.
  • The prize will be sent to you directly from Tesco.
  • The Scottish Mum Blog is not responsible for your prize and cannot be held liable in any way for non delivery or non receipt.
  • Winners will be notified within 3 days of giveaway end. If the winner does not respond within 7 days, a new winner will be drawn.
  • The winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter random generator.
  • Tesco and the Scottish Mum Blog reserves the right to amend, add or withdraw this giveaway at any time.
  • Each entry method entitles you to one entry into the draw.
  • You may tweet daily. Each tweet counts as a rafflecopter entry, only if you enter it into the rafflecopter widget daily.

 

 

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The Gallery 176 – Morning

Grannies Heilan Hame Digging

This weeks theme is “Morning”.

Last year, we paid a small fortune to hire a static at Grannies Heilan Hame, and one that was overlooking the beach.  It was lovely, and when the tide went out, there were some lovely mornings where middler could go and dig on the beach, even on his own as we were so close to him.    The view was absolutely gorgeous and is still the best view I’ve seen in the past year.  Even France just didn’t have anything like the same views where we were.

It’s fast coming up to April again and the fabulous time of year when new things grow and baby animals are born.  It’s a great time of year to be out and about with kids, and sunny mornings are something to be thankful for. I’m looking for ward to them coming around again very soon.

Grannies Heilan Hame 1

If you’re not sure what the gallery is, pop over to Tara’s at Sticky Fingers and see.   Just click the blog badge.

The_Gallery

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Soup Maker: Carrot and Ginger Soup Recipe – 1.6 Litre

Another soup maker recipe for you, but remember, you can also make this in a pan.

Carrots make for a wonderful soup.  It really does not matter what is added to the soup, there is almost always going to be an innate sweetness that the carrots lend to the recipe.

When serving this up, you can serve with a little cream on top, creme fraise, or even some natural yoghurt.

Soup Maker: Carrot and Ginger Soup Recipe

Lesley S Smith
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Course Soup
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g Carrots
  • 150 g Onion Peeled and Chopped
  • 1 Root Ginger Bulb Up to about 3 - 4 Inches Long. Peeled and chopped.
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 l Vegetable Stock
  • 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
  • Rainbow Peppercorns To garnish.

Instructions
 

  • For this recipe, to get more taste, lightly fry the onions and ginger in a frying pan with a teaspoon of coconut oil. The onions must stay white, so they will not need to be on for long. You can miss out this step and just put the ingredients straight into the pan if you are in a hurry, but the taste will not be so rich.
  • Add all the ingredients except the ground rainbow peppercorns into the soup maker and set it to smooth for 21 minutes. With stock, fill to Maximum In Soupmaker or up to 1600-1800g for all ingredients manually in a pot.
  • Serve and garnish with rainbow peppercorns.

Carrot and Ginger soup 5

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Featured Guest Post: Four Great Home Burger Ideas

A favourite of pub, restaurant and café menus across the country, the burger is one of the most satisfying and hearty meals around.

Kids love the tasty flavours and the French fries that often go with them, making them a great choice for easy home dinners. Plus, by making them yourself, you can quickly and easily come up with some great tasting burgers that will knock your family’s socks off.

Burger Fries

Chorizo And Chilli

To make a delicious chorizo and chilli burger, simply take some beef mince, some sliced chorizo sausage and some finely chopped chilli.  Mix together, let it rest for a few minutes and then grill or fry until cooked.

The spicy flavours of the chorizo and the chilli will set the beef off nicely and create a delicious burger for your family to enjoy.

Built-In Cheese

This one is great for anyone who loves a generous slice of cheese with their burger.

Simply take your beef mince, add a little seasoning and then form it into a burger around a large piece of your favourite cheese.

As the burger cooks, the cheese will melt, giving you a delicious surprise in the middle of your meat.

Sweet Potato And Feta

Though it can be hard to find a good veggie burger recipe, this one works really well and provides a tasty and nutritious burger for any vegetarians to dig into.

First, roast the sweet potato then mix it with feta and a little chilli. Add an egg to help bind it all together, and then grill or fry. Try not to cook the burger for too long otherwise it can become a little dry.  Serve with French fries and voilà.

Chicken, Avocado And Blue Cheese

A good healthy option for any meat eaters out there is a grilled chicken, blue cheese and avocado burger.

Just before the chicken is cooked, place a slice of blue cheese on top and allow it to melt over onto the chicken. As blue cheese is quite strong, you won’t need very much to really make an impact. Place a few slices of avocado in the burger for a great finishing touch.

Once you’ve found your perfect burger recipe, simply cook up some crispy McCain French fries to go with it and you’ve got a simple, delicious dinner that all the family will love.

AVT

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Win Kapersky Internet Security For A Year (Multi-Device) Closing Date 30th March at Midnight

I try very hard to keep viruses out of my Computer system, which is why I am always happy to help when a well known Internet Security Company begins to talk to me.  I don’t think enough of us take our online security seriously enough and anything that helps us to stay safe is a winner in my eyes.

I am pleased to offer a one year Internet Security package in conjunction with Kapersky for one lucky reader.

The Prize is:

A Kaspersky Internet Security –  Multi-Device for up to 3 devices for one year.

The closing date is 30th March at Midnight.

Kapersky Internet Security can cover real-time protection against all new and emerging malware and Internet threats.

kapersky internet security

It ensures that all applications and files that you open, save or download from the Web are scanned right away.   It will also monitor potential threats and analyse how dangerous they are and take preventative steps before they can do any harm.

Kapersky can cover Windows PCs, Macs, Android Smartphones and Tablets, iPhone and iPad devices, and also includes a safe browser for iOS.

The award-winning security will protect your PC against all types of malware and Internet threats, including trying to steal your money or identity.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions

– Open to UK Mainland Entrants only.
– 1 Winner will receive 1 Year of Kapersky Internet Security (Multi-Device) for up to 3 devices for 1 year.
– The prize will be sent to you from the Kapersky PR rep.
– The Scottish Mum Blog is not responsible for your prize and cannot be held liable in any way for non delivery or non receipt.
– Winners will be notified within 3 days of giveaway end. If the winner does not respond within 7 days, a new winner will be drawn.
– The winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter random generator.
– Kapersky and the Scottish Mum Blog reserves the right to amend, add or withdraw this giveaway at any time.
– Each entry method entitles you to one entry into the draw.
– You may tweet daily. Each tweet counts as a rafflecopter entry, only if you enter it into the rafflecopter widget daily.

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Maltesers Pancakes Recipe

These were the idea of my youngest child.  Wanting something a little bit different from regular pancakes, he wanted something a bit more sweet added to them.

We wandered the aisle of the local co-op to see what we could find and came up with pancakes with Malteser bits in them.

They’ve been more of a success than I actually could have imagined, so it was well worth experimenting with these Malteser Pancakes.

Malteser Pancakes Recipe

Adapted from Nigella Lawsons American Breakfast Pancakes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Snack
Servings 8 - 18

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 tablespoons Baking Powder
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 35 g Soft Butter
  • 35 g Caster Sugar
  • 300 ml Semi Skimmed Milk
  • 250 g Plain Flour
  • 150 g Crushed Maltesers

Instructions
 

  • Put all the ingredients into the mixer. Mix for 3 minutes. This pancake mix is actually quite thick in comparison to many of the older scotch pancake recipes as the intention is to have a pancake with a bit of a fluffy middle.
  • Heat a thick bottomed frying pan (or any pan) on the hob. I prefer not to use oil to cook my pancakes, but it means I do have to keep a close eye on them. I leave the heat almost at the lowest that it can go and cook them slowly.
  • When you see the top of the dollop of pancake mix beginning to bubble up, then it is time to turn over your pancake to cook the other side, which won't take long at all. Don't leave pancakes alone on the hob as they will burn very quickly.
  • You can get anything from 8 - 18 pancakes from this mix, depending on how big you make your pancakes.

 

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What Is Pancake Day? Tues 4th Mar 2014

American Pancakes 2

This year, pancake day falls on the 4th of March.

Traditionally, Pancake Day, or what is often called Shrove Tuesday in the UK, is the day before Ash Wednesday and signals the start of Lent.

Typically, the word shrove means to confess all your sins and it is often known as pancake day as it was a great way to clear the cupboards before the fast of Lent by using up milk, butter and eggs which are not allowed during Lent.

We’ve all heard of the Mardi Gras carnival.  That’s a Shrove Tuesday event, as is the well-known carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

The Christian season of Lent is to prepare for Easter.  As a non religious family, it’s always surprising to me to find out the holidays and customs which so often seem tied in to historic Christian practice.

Lent begins around 40 days before Easter (not including Sundays)

During Lent, lots of Christians go through a period of fasting and repentance to have enough time to reflect on Jesus Christ, his suffering and the sacrifice he made.

Although not all Christians follow or stick to Lent, and it doesn’t seem to be mentioned in the bible, I do hear people giving up things for Lent.  A tweeter gave up Twitter for Lent a couple of years ago which I found a little strange as i thought it was about repenting on sins, and I’ve not thought of Twitter as a sin.

Perhaps it’s very hypocritical of me to enjoy making pancakes for Pancake Day, but like Christmas, it has no religious meaning in our home, and is celebrated just for what it is.  A day for making pancakes.

Whatever it means to you, have a lovely day and make lots of great pancakes.

[gmc_recipe 22548]

 

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The Gallery 175 – Guilty Pleasures

I’ve not done the gallery for a few years, and I think it’s about time I joined back up again and got back to talking to other bloggers a bit more again.

This weeks topic is guilty pleasure and that one is actually quite easy as our house favourite has to be the beetroot brownies we were challenged to make a year ago.

brownie

They have some of the good beetrooty stuff in them as well as the other fully guilty pleasure ingredients so I try not to make them too often….  Did  say that I try?

Beetroot Brownies 1

If you’re not sure what the gallery is, pop over to Tara’s at Sticky Fingers and see.   Just click the blog badge.

The_Gallery

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Soup Maker: Peppered Mushroom Soup Recipe – 1.6 Litre

Another soupmaker recipe goodie.

Mushrooms are available here all year round and make fabulous soups.  The taste is completely different to anything you can buy in a tin.

This recipe does make for very thick soup when it cools slightly, so you might want to water it down a bit or use slightly less ingredients if you want a more watery soup.    The colour of mushroom soup isn’t the most appetising, but the taste more than makes up for that.

It might be too peppery for some, so if you don’t like the strong taste of peppercorns, add less ground peppercorns to give your soup a milder kick.

Soup Maker: Peppered Mushroom Soup – 1.6 Litres

Lesley S Smith
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Course Soup
Servings 4 - 6

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g Mushrooms Washed and Chopped
  • 200 g Chopped Leek and Onion
  • Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Rainbow Peppercorns
  • 1 l Beef Stock
  • Chopped Chives To Decorate
  • 1 Teaspoon Double Cream Per Person To swirl on the top at serving.

Instructions
 

  • This recipe is intended to be cooked on the smooth setting. Add your chopped mushrooms, leek and onions to the pot.
  • Add in a pinch of salt and your teaspoon of ground rainbow peppercorns and your litre of stock (or up to the 1.6 mark on a soupmaker)
  • Set to the smooth setting, or in a pan, simmer for 20 minutes and then blend.
  • Serve with a little cream to temper the slightly spicy taste of the peppercorns and decorate with some chopped chives.