World Book Day – What was your favourite book as a child?

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In case you had managed to avoid it, today is World Book Day! Sophie’s love of books is showing no signs of waning and this is great news for me – I was also a book-worm as a child (and in fact I still am when I get time!) So I got thinking about the books I read when I was little, and I realised that books are one of the most transferable things across generations aren’t they?

I can’t imagine Sophie being interested in the TV shows I watched or the toys I played with – but she loves the books I used to read.

When I was younger I loved the Peter Rabbit books, and this box set of books was the first thing I bought for Sophie when I was pregnant. She really enjoys reading them and the illustrations are so sweet – it’s so nice to see her enjoying the same things I used to.

When I was older I loved The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe series of books, and again, I hope that when Sophie is older she will enjoy them too.

I asked a few blogging friends which books they enjoyed as children and if they read those books to their own children. How about you??

As a child my favourites were Enid Blyton Malory Tower’s books. LMC is too young for them still, but I’m busy collecting lots of vintage copies of all Enid Blyton books for when she’s old enough. www.beingmrsc.com

I remember being read Dogger by Shirley Hughes as a child so when I was pregnant I bought copy to read to my baby and i have read it to the boys a lot now. It isn’t a favourite of mine but it is one I associate with being read stories to me by my mum. My favs were The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe and the Little House on The Pararie Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder – I would read those every year. http://www.mummymishaps.co.uk/

My favourite as a tween was the Anne of Green Gables books but no I haven’t read them to Chloe as she doesn’t like that type. Maybe Erin when she is older. www.emmaand3.com

I loved books when I was younger and used to be at the library at least twice a week. I loved anything by Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl when I was younger and as an older child, I loved the Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High books. www.frugalfamily.co.uk

The Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse & Gobolino the Witches Cat – read to death as a child and did it all over again with my babies! www.keynko.com

I loved the Very Hungry Caterpillar and yes, it was one of the first books i bought… www.redtedart.com

Enid Blyton & Roald Dahl for me too, been collecting Roald Dahl books and reading them at bedtimes. My favourite story as a child was one about a hedgehog that helped a park keeper collect all the leaves – it was one straight out of my Dad’s head! http://www.seasiderinthecity.co.uk/

I love the poem the owl and the pussycat and I have read it to them so much both kids know it off by heart… http://www.abeautifulspace.co.uk

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was my favourite book – great for the imagination. I’m planning on reading it with my son when he’s a little older http://www.mummycentral.com

I loved The Worst Witch books by Jill Murphy. I bought the book set for Roo for Christmas so that we can enjoy them together www.boorooandtiggertoo.com

5 Epic Coffee Cocktails that will Blow your Mind

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There are many ways to enjoy coffee and it’s always good to try something different. One of the ways in which you can give your next cup of Java a little boost, is by adding your favourite tipple to it. And with this in mind, here are five excellent coffee cocktails to tickle your taste buds and give you a nice warm feeling inside.

1. Caramel Irish Coffee

Take the traditional Irish Coffee to new heights, by adding a caramel twist: the tang of butterscotch adds a little something extra to the normal recipe and is a great way to warm yourself up.

Add 1 oz of Irish whiskey, 1 oz of Bailey’s Irish cream and 1 oz of butterscotch schnapps, to 2 1/2 oz of fresh coffee and top off with whipped cream and caramel — it should only take a few minutes to put together. The drink was invented at Haven Rooftop overlooking Times Square in New York.

2. Espresso Martini

One of the most popular coffees mixed with one of the most iconic drinks: this is sure to be a popular choice whether you’re relaxing at home or you have guests around for the evening.

Combine 1 1/2 oz of coffee liqueur with 1 oz of vodka and 1 oz of espresso in a cocktail shaker packed with ice. After shaking them together, strain into a Martini glass and enjoy your new creation.

3. Café Royal

Straightforward to make and yet still packing a punch, the Café Royal is based around the Patron XO Café coffee liqueur that blends tequila with a coffee essence. You’ll be surprised at how much this drier ingredient can transform your taste experience.

Use 1 1/2 oz of Patron XO Café with your strongly brewed coffee, and then add freshly whipped cream and cocoa powder on top. That’s all there is to it, but you’ll find the change is striking.

4. Morning Rooster

Something a little different here: use a bowl to mix a cup of heavy cream with two tablespoons of agave nectar and one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and stir until firm.

Then use a cup to mix 1 1/2 oz of tequila, 1/2 oz of coffee liqueur and 8 oz of coffee. Top the coffee mixture off with your cream and there you have it: the Morning Rooster.

5. Wake the Dead

As its name suggests, this is a coffee cocktail that has a real kick. You’ll need a cocktail shaker filled with ice, together with 1 oz of coffee liqueur, 1 oz of tequila and 1/2 oz of espresso.

Pour all of your ingredients into the cocktail shaker and shake it thoroughly. You can then strain it into a shot glass and add a chunk of ice. Enjoy your pick-me-up, but you might want to brace yourself first.

If you’re going to take coffee cocktails seriously, don’t skimp on the preparation process. Make sure you have the right ingredients and the right equipment to hand — now might be the time to treat yourself to that Tassimo coffee pod machine that you’ve always wanted — and you’ll find that your drink tastes all the better for it.

So there are 5 epic coffee cocktails to get stuck into. Perfect for a dinner party with a bit of a difference and all guaranteed to blow your guests’ minds!

This post is bought to you in association with Tassimo

Listography – Top 5 Simple Pleasures

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I am thrilled that Kate from Kate Takes 5 has decided to reinstate the previously retired Listography! And her first Listoraphy is a good one, all about our top 5 simple pleasures – its nice to take a step back and actually take notice of the small things that make us happy – it can be very easy to take them for granted.

Sophie

listography

Just the little things she does make me smile everyday, so she of course has to be at the top of the list! A random cuddle, a silly smile, telling me she loves me and just lately all the funny little things she says. This morning I called her ‘sweetie pie’ and she replied with ‘no mummy, I’m not a pie, I’m Sophie’

My Bed

After a long day running round after a demanding toddler, climbing into my bed is a total ahhhhh moment. Its so comfy!

Sunshine

Its amazing how much better everything is with a bit of sunshine isn’t it? This last week we have had a few lovely days – I just love this time of year, winter is almost behind us and spring is on the horizon! I don’t mind the cold days as long as we have clear blue skies!

Springtime Family Walks

Nothing quite clears the cobwebs and winter stuffiness like a nice long walk with the family – its so much fun with Sophie as everything amazes her – how I would love to see things through the eyes of a child. Every experience is a new one.

Feeling content with life

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will have maybe read about my depression and how it has affected me. I feel so blessed that I can look around me and feel happy with my lot, with my family and my surroundings. Life is still tough at times, but these glimpses of contentment make the dark days easier.

If you want to take part in Listography, pop over to Kate Takes 5 and link up!

Bottled Heaven — Are Expensive Wines Worth It?

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A glass of wine marks an occasion, be it a simple family dinner or a toast at a wedding. It signifies both relaxation and celebration. It can also cost a pretty penny. Bottles of wine can sell for an astonishingly wide range of prices and, while generally the more expensive bottles seem to taste better, is it really worth paying hundreds — thousands even —of pounds for just one bottle?

To answer that, let’s take a look at some of the most expensive sparkling, red and white wines available today:

All Sparkly

Champagne, and vintage champagne at that, is generally thought of as the most expensive type of sparkling wine. There are several reasons for this, including the fact that bottles of champagne are made solely from grapes grown in France’s prestigious Champagne region. This instils it with an unparalleled exclusivity that other sparkling wines cannot rival, try as they might!

Champagne is produced by a highly specialised method known as “méthode champenoise”. This labour-intensive process includes a secondary fermentation of the wine after it has already been bottled and, although you can often find champagne deals in your local supermarket, the method puts a considerable amount on the price tag. Other, still very good but typically less expensive, sparkling wines include Italy’s Prosecco and Spanish cava.

Sale of the Century?

In 2013, the most expensive bottle of red wine ever to be retailed went on sale in Dubai. The bottle of 2009 Balthazar of Château Margaux, the first of the Balthazars ever to be bottled, went on sale at a jaw-dropping £122 000. Only six bottles of this vintage were ever bottled in total.

Breaking Records

Wine connoisseur and collector Christian Vanneque bought a bottle of 1811 Château d’Yquem for an incredible £75 000 back in 2011. In the process, he also made it into the Guinness World Records. The world’s most valuable bottle of white wine, from France’s Bordeaux region, has been called one of the best vintages ever produced. And, whilst not everyone would pay such a price for wine, Vanneque, a former head sommelier at Paris eatery La Tour d’Argent and judge at the famous 1976 Paris Wine Tasting, has a level of wine experience to give this credibility.

Good wine can cost a bundle, but it doesn’t necessarily have to. If you have the cash to spend you can certainly give your taste buds quite a treat. Is it worth it? Only your palette can tell you that!

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A glimpse of spring at Kedleston Hall

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The nights are getting lighter, the weather is getting warmer and the end of winter is finally getting near. I love this time of year when the countryside seems to wake up from its dull and gloomy slumber. Everything seems that little bit more alive and little bit brighter.

This weekend we put on our wellies and headed to Kedleston Hall, which is around 15 minutes away from us. The sun was shining and the sky was blue, and although it was still very cold, it was lovely to get out and about for a walk.

spring at kedleston hall

The flowers were starting to come through, in a couple of weeks it will look amazing!

spring at kedleston hall

The Gardens

spring at kedleston hall

The hall from the front (top) and the back (bottom left) and looking out towards the river

spring at kedleston hall

It was so nice to see blue sky!

spring at kedleston hallSophie had lots of fun collecting sticks and pine cones!

Getting creative with leftovers

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Just recently I realised that our meals can be quite dull, we often have the same thing time and time again. As there are only the 2 of us and a toddler, I usually make larger portions and freeze the leftovers to save me cooking on busy days, so I have been trying to make a different meal out of them. Below are some ideas of things to do with popular meals, not only saving time on cooking a whole meal from scratch, but using up your leftovers can save a fortune!

Getting creative with leftovers

Spaghetti Bolognese

Pasta bake – mix the leftover bolognese with cooked pasta, top with bechemel sauce and cheese and then bake in the oven.

Chilli Con Carni

Mexican Lasagne – layer leftover Chilli between flour or corn tortilla wraps, top with cheese sauce and bake.

Slow cooked pork

BBQ pulled pork – I recently blogged a delicious pulled pork recipe which is perfect for using up any leftover pork. You could also stuff the pulled pork into tacos or wraps.

Curry

Biryani – Add an extra jar of passata, some curry powder and mix with uncooked rice and water. Bake in the oven, adding more water if necessary.

Rissoto

Rissoto balls – wrap cooled risotto round chunks of mozzarella, then roll in seasoned breadcrumbs before baking in the oven.

Roast chicken

Add to soup, curry, rissoto or even pasta dishes

 I hope this has given you a few ideas of things to do with your leftovers – I’d love to hear what you do with your leftovers!