Mint Blog

Create Order in your Environment

I have had the de-cluttering bug lately. Since putting another story on our house I have a lot more space which is fantastic. However, I have also fallen into the trap of just putting anything anywhere. This was starting to drive me crazy as nothing had a place and my home was becoming a dumping ground for stuff.

So for the past month I have been creating absolute order in my environment. I am not there yet but, I have made some great inroads I even bought a book sorted to help me work out how to be super efficient. It has been a pleasant surprise and I have actually taken quite a lot on board which has made a significant difference to my world. Some of the things are:

£ create a space for everything, then put away rather than put down (this is working very well).

£ Set your boundaries eg. If you have a book shelf for your books and you now have too many books for the shelf then loose some. The book case is the physical boundary for how many you can own. This is brilliant, why didn’t I think of this, I finally feel I have a handle on the toy virus which has infected our household.

£ Have a work in progress magazine holder in your work space. Then you have an easy to get to place for all those bits and pieces you are working on. This is also working fabulously.

£ Make friends with your bin and the delete key. I have always been quite good at this but I am even better now.

There are lots of little gems in this book and I highly recommend it. However, in the mean time you may just want to implement some of the tips I have listed above.

It has been very liberating to have less stuff in my life and I am looking forward to keeping it this way and only owning things I love, use and need.

Big Party Cake

It is party season in our house which means it is cake making season. Cup cakes, orange cakes and big number four cakes. If you have a lot of people to feed this big chocolate cake recipe is easy, moist and morish. Give it a whirl.

It goes like this:

• 2 cups of water
• 3 cups of sugar (I know it seems a lot)
• 1 cup butter
• 4 tablespoons of cocoa
• 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda

Place all these ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes

Then add:

• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sifted Self Raising Flour

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a large dish (mine is 28cm x 28cm). Bake at 180 C for 50 minutes or until you put in a skewer to the centre of the cake and it comes out clean.

Have fun with this one.

Risi e Bisi

This takes about 30 minutes to prepare and cook it is a brillian last minute family meal.

It is like a cheats risotto but loads easier (no stirring) and just as yummy. I found this recipe in the paper years ago, apparently it is Italian for rice and peas but because I am a sneaky mum and because bacon is the reason I could never become a vegetarian I have altered it a little.

You need:

• 60grams butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 285 grams frozen peas
• 3-4 rides of bacon chopped
• 1 zuchini grated
• 200 grams Arborio rice
• 4 cups chicken stock
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 2 tble spoons chopped parsley
• 60 grams freshly grated parmesan cheese

This what you do:

• Melt butter in a heavy based saucepan.
• Add onion, garlic and bacon and cook      until the onion is transparent and bacon is cooked but not crispy.
• Add peas and rice and cook for 3 minutes      stirring often.
• Add stcok and bring to the boil, seaon      with salt and pepper, cover and lower the heat to a simmer for      approximately 20 minutes.
• When the dish is cooked it has the      consistency of a thick suop of runny risotto and the rice is tender.
• Fold through the zucchini, parsley and cheese      off the heat and serve in pasta bowls with yummy bread.

Enjoy!

 

Reality Check

Sometimes the truth is hard to face! Lately I have been getting a few reality checks which have given me a few jolts and it all started when I saw the headline of my latest mag  '40 is the new black' and  (sadly), I turned to read this first.

Cut, to my little (successful) shopping expedition  the other day. I was very excited  to hear my favorite brand had opened a store near my home. I love Lorna Jane it is pretty much all I wear I am  a walking advertisement for them, I am sure I should get commission. Well it seems the closest I get to that is being offered a pair of LEG WARMERS or a scarf because I spent some ridiculous amount at their store.

Are you for real? LEG WARMERS! "I've been there and I don't need to go back", after the resurgents of the ra ra skirt, the bubble skirt, skin tight jeans, harem pants (yes I saw them the other day) all I am waiting for now is fluro, the g-string (in my aerobics class) and shoulder pads. Then all my fashion horror of the eights would be re-lived. "I'll take the scarf thanks".

Of course it isn't all bad I have delved into my jewlery box and found some fab ear-rings from the past, but hearing my niece say I am wearing vintage eighties was a bit of a shock. My understanding of vintage is that it is from your mum, gran, aunty etc. certainly not your own wardrobe. unless of course you need a reality check!

Porcupine Balls

This recipe was originally in one of those supermarket magazines I have changed it a little and it has become a Gallagher family favourite. It is easy, tastes good, cheap and we all like it.

You need:

• 500grams beef mince
• 1 brown Onion
• 1/3 cup arborio rice
• 1 lemon, rind finely grated (this is the secret ingredient)
• 1/2 cup basil leaves
• 1 can (500g) tomato soup (I always use Heinz big red)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 can crushed Italian tomatoes

This what you do:

• Combine mince, onion, rice, lemon rind, basil and seasoning (if you like) in a large bowl. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls, place on a tray and cover with plastic wrap then refrigerate for 15 minutes minimum.
• Combine soup, water and tomatoes in a wok type fry pan. Bring slowly to the boil over medium heat. Drop meatballs into simmering tomato mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
• Spoon into bowls and top with some basil (if you want to get gourmet).
• I usually serve with a salad or some greens.

Enjoy!