Did you say have a holiday and eat lots of food? OK I will!

We wooshed of to Crete last week for a friends wedding. I have a few pictures from my phone for you (still not uploaded the ones from my camera!)

The beaches were amazing - this was my first sunny, abroad holiday. Now on to the food, the majority of the food we had was delicious! 

Finally here is Manny and me in one of the restaurants - it was amazing there!

Well walk tea room

I visited the Well walk tea room in Cheltenham yesterday. It is fantastic, proper tea sets, real tablecloths and lots of lovely things to look at whilst you are eating!

I had cheese scone and soup and homemade lemonade. Next visit I will be having a slice of cake!

I was inspired to do some baking and made a cheese and tomato quiche (I looked a few different recipes and then put them all together with a few of my own touches) 

I also made some mushroom and stilton pies!

After reading Sue's blog over at The Quince Tree I had to make her crumbleberry cake - I used rhubarb instead f berries and added crushed nuts and oats to my crumble mix for the topping. It was delicious - I can't wait to make it again and might head out to pick some blackberries soon!

Brownie, roast, park

This is my new Kodak brownie camera - my dad gave it to me today, it used to be his (and his famils) when he was younger and he found it at my grans house, knowing I have started collecting old cameras he gave it to me! It still has all the instructions and everything.  They have been looking for film for it but haven't found any - I am doing a few searches online - ebay seems to be the best bet so far!

This evening all I wanted was a roast - so a roast happened! Nutloaf, sin on roasties and mash, parsnips, carrots, sprouts and the all important yorkshires - it was delicious!

After all that food (I actually couldn't eat it all) I went out for a walk and found this park hidden away in some trees. There is also a giant tyre swing! I had a little play and on the way home got a bit adventurous and climbed a tree (well getting 2 ft of the ground is climbing it, isn't it?) I was lucky there was no-one else about so I didn't have to share the park - I love ones like this - I don't care that I am not suppose to play on them - they are fun!

Hope you have all had good weekends!

Rezzed in Brighton

 On Saturday me, Manny and Matt went to Rezzed at Brighto. Have I ever told you that Manny is a bit of a geek and loves games (well actually a lot of my friends do!) Rezzed is a convention type thing where loads of new pc and indie games are shown (I won't bore you with too many details!) and Manny got tickets for us all to go!

I spent the morning at rezzed and then whilst they went to some talks I ventured in to Brighton. It was AMAZING. I loved all the small, old streets with lots of independent shops.

There were lots of bright colours, lots of great window displays and many sweet shops (I may have made a few purchases!) also loads of food shops and restaurants.

and of course a vegetarian shoe shop! I really want to go back to Brighton for a longer time, I felt like I only scratched the surface of what they had to offer.

I then went back and met up with the boys for some frozen yoghurt - this one is Manny's - I had already delved in to mine before I thought of taking a picture!

We had just enough time for a quick walk on the beach.

and then on the way out I saw this sign - I have a feeling Steve did not intend this sign for me!!!  

Cooking

 Chilli - made in my brand new cast iron casserole dish - very excited. We went to Gloucester Quays this weekend to return something and I suggested looking in pro-cook, didn't expect to come out with £80 worth of cookware!! I got a cast-iron griddle pan and oven dish as well!

As you can imagine all I wanted to do was use them, the griddle needed to be seasoned so that still hasn't been used yet but that day we made a potato and cauliflower cheese, we made a HUGE vat of cheese sauce and still have loads left - I think this will be used in a lasagne!

 A few weeks ago when Great Bristish Bake off started again it inspired cake making and here we have the hummingbird cake - pineapple and banana - it is very similar to carrot cake and delicious!

Finally is pizza, it was part of our pizza, cocktails and film evening - we had a topping station and every made there own pizzas!

Eating out!

Just a little sample of some of the food I have eaten whilst out and about in the past few months!!

The food!

 Here is a little snapshot of some of the cooking I have been doing! Above is chocolate mint cupcakes! They are one of my favourite flavours at the moment - along with anything almond!

 This was from a new cook book - it has older recipes in and this was for popovers. They are basically Yorkshire puddings but with added extras - I did ones with cheese in and the others have lots of different herbs in. They are AMAZING! I really want to try cinnamon and raisin ones, I think they would be good, I will let you know how they go! I have just found this recipe - this may have to be the one I try!

 Pecan pie! I took a recipe out of the tesco or asda magazines, one of the free ones that you can pick up every couple of months. The pastry did crack a little bit but it was still yummy and next time I might try making my own pastry and seeing how it goes!

 Homemade muffins! I have a little obsession with egg mcmuffins and when I found out I could make them myself (in my opinion they taste better as well!!) the next step was to make the muffins myself as well!

 Every year we ask my brother what cake he would like for his birthday and every year the answer is the same, a train cake! I have to try and improve it each year for him, it is getting tricky now - anyone got any ideas let me know!

Lastly, something a little bit more healthy, goats cheese, asparagus and walnut salad - it is yummy!  have made it lots since this - is one of my favourite salads.

Lunch!

Rocket, tomato, mozzarella and seasoning yum yum yum

I have been doing some crafting bits and should have some pictures for you all soon!