Two buddies in green

These two little cheerful fellas can't wait to find a new home!

 They wear a cosy fleece jumper to keep them warm.

 With something orange to keep them happy and smiling :)

 A heart or a flower? Which one do like the most?

 

Lucy Bigfoot the huggable bunny girl

Easter is nearly here so the bunnies are popping up everywhere! Look who turned up in our cottage!

 She choose a lovely floral dress from her ardrobe with lace trimming.

Her brown button eyes are always filled with mischief and she is looking for a little girl to play with!

 Her arms, legs and ears are attached with buttons so she can move them all.

Isn't she cute? ;)

Fried dough - lángos

When I was a kid and we went to the market with my Grandma I could always smell the fried dough (or langos as it was called) all through the place. Freshly fried, dripping with fat ot or oil, with garlic sauce, sour creme and grated cheese, served on a piece of paper... It was amazing!
I tried it at home since once or twice, but it never was the same.
However today I was stuck for lunch ideas to serve with the soup. Then I decided I'll give this a go. And it was a success, kids loved it too!

Ingredients:
400 g flour
2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled, mashed (or someleftover cooked potatoes)
7 g dried yeast
100 ml warm milk + extra
1 small tsp sugar
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp oil
oil or lard for frying

Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the potatoes. I used a sieve to press them through so they get very fine. Mix 100 ml milk, the yeast and sugar in a mug and leave in a warm place until the mixture gets frothy.

 Pour the yeast mixture to the flour, add the salt and the oil. Mix with a wooden spoon carefully adding more milk until it starts to come together.

 Knead with your hands until a soft dough forms. Cover and leave to rise for about an hour.

 Heat some oil or lard in a large frying pan. Take a small appleful of dough and pull with your hands into a flat patty. Don't worry if there are holes on your langos :) When the oil is hot fry on both sides until brown.

 You can serve this with some garlic sauce on top. Crush a few cloves, mix with water and salt and leave to stand for an hour or so.

 Bon appetite!

You can serve these with sour cream, grated chese, tomatoe sauce or even chopeed boiled egs on top. If you try them let me know how you like these and which topping was your favourite! ;)

Shamrock brooches

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching!! I found some scrap green and grey felt in my magic black box and my imagination kicked in. The result:

 The base is made of thick grey felt and a green felt shamrock is stitched on. Embellished with a few beads for that extra bit ;)

 We will definitely wear one each for the local parade and the Mass :)

 I made them in two sizes. What do you think, the big or the small ones are better?

 

Mother's Day hearts

Mother's Day is only a few days away! These little hearts are 100% hand stitched and can make a pot of lovely flowers into a unique gift :)

 Made using red felt and floral print fabrics, it was great fun making them :)

 I just love the button detail!

I love them all! Which one is your favourite?

Mini cottage cheese scones

I love savoury treats! And this one is soooo tasty! And so simple. And stays fresh for ages. Not that it stands any chance in our house of being around for ages... If I make a trayful they are usually gobbled up in an hour :)

 So, here is the recipe.
Ingredients:
200 gr butter
250 gr cottage cheese ( the drier, crumbly version, I usually get this in the Polish shop)
appr. 100 gr cheddar cheese, grated
250 gr flour
1 tsp salt
egg, beaten, to glaze

 Mix all your ingredients well, except the egg, using your hands. Leave to rest for an hour. Roll out to about 2cm thick, slash the top with a knife. Using a small round cutter cut out shapes, place them on a greased baking tray. Brush with the beaten egg. You can sprinkle them with sesame or sunflower seeds if you wish. Bake in a pre-heated (200 C) oven for 15-20 mins, until golden brown. Don't overdo them or they'll be dry!

And if you are having a party they are excellent as nebbles with your beer!
Let me know if you try them! :)

St. Patrick's Day hairbands

 

St. Patrick's Day is nearly here with all parades and celebrations! Little girls (and big ones too ;) ) can be very wearing this lovely hairband with a shamrock. Made of polka dot/ small print flower or re-used denim fabric it is very stylish.

 

 

I made a few in my little girls' sizes and they loved them :)

 

Which one is your favourite? Polka dot, flowers or denim?

A twist on the pancake mix

If you like pancakes but hate the standing in front of the hob for endless hours and flipping pancakes this recipe is for you. It uses a basic pancake mix with added yeast but is ready so much faster!

First of all you have to make a thick pancake mixture. I suppose you can use pretty much any recipe, I used my usual one, only adding more fluor and less milk.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
appr. 250 gr flour
400 ml milk
1 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
7 gr dried yeast
oil for greasing the tin
for the topping: coarsly ground walnuts, caster sugar

In a little warm milk dissolve the yeast and leave it stand until frothy. Meanwhile mix the rest of the ingredients well. Add the yeasty mixture, mix again. Leave to stand for about half an hour or so.
Pre-heat the oven on the highest temperature. Grease a tin well with the oil and put in the oven. When it's hot pour in the mixture and sprinkle with the walnuts and caster sugar. Bake for 15 mins or until the top is golden and the cake leaves the side of the tin.

 And you can cut it up and serve hot! With some home made apricot jam, yumm!

Oh, yes. Yours will be probably higher than this as I had two hungry little girls eagerly waiting for this so I didn't leave the yeast long enough to dissolve properly...