Recipe for Julia, and Ben, Before and After.

Here is the recipe for the double choc chip cookies, my way.

Preheat oven to 109c/375f/gas 5. line 2 baking sheets with non stick baking paper.
Break up 100 g Dark Chocolate and 100 g Milk Chocolate.
Cream together 110 g buttery stuff (suitable for baking) with 200 g light brown sugar, I use a wooden spoon but you can use a hand held mixer, it does not have to be light and fluffy.
Stir in 1 beaten egg and a few drops of vanilla essence, mix well. It may look curdled but beat it hard and it will give in. Add 165 g Pl Flour, 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda and 30 g cocoa powder and mix well so the colour is uniform, it should be quite stiff. Stir in the chocolate and mash well in with a wooden spoon, I use an ice cream scoop to make 5 cookies on each sheet, spaced so that they can spread out.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, they will be very soft and have cracked tops, remove from oven and leave to cool on the trays.
My fan oven needs the full 12 minutes, I have used choc chips but prefer to use chopped up bars, much cheaper. I have used half chocolate and half nuts/stem ginger/dried fruit and even shredded coconut.

My daft dog snuggled down on Fran's lap, before his visit to the groomer.

And here he is super smooth, I love him both ways.

A mixed up day, we have had brilliant sunshine, pouring rain, hail and dark grey skies, slight breeze and howling wind. I did get my washing dry outside though so it wasn't too bad.

I have been pressing and cutting more strips of fabric for Boy,s quilt blocks, tedious but it has to be done, I have enough sewn up for 1 top and decided to get the second one done straight away. It just made sense to use all those colours while they were out. 

Reasons to be grateful.

1. Line dried washing, smells sweet.

2. Lots of sewing ready to go.

3. My little smoothy Ben, snuggled on his favourite cushion.

4. Bones is back on the telly next week.

5. My lovely neighbour has copied some treasured LP,s on to CD,s for me.

My house looks as though a hurricane has been through, the ironing board is up with an overflowing basket beside it. I have my 3 tiny scrap bins out, 1 each for selvedge edges, strings and crumbs. My newly cut strips are stacked on the table ready to be paired up, the extra cuts are stacked by colour ready and waiting to go into their respective plastic boxes. I have 2 sewing machines set up and a pile of bobbins ready to be wound on one of them.

All that I really want to do is sew but I will make a brew and then clear the decks so that I can be guilt free.

I will take Ben out for a walk, he doesn't go far but likes to check the street out before he retires for the night. Once I start sewing he will curl up on his bed and snore gently.

Tomorrow I have to go and buy a man hole cover for my drain, I noticed this morning that one has a big crack in it. There is a lot of plant debris around but it is too wet to even think about touching it. I have a van coming Saturday week and intend to clear my little shed, I will bag up anything that is too woody to compost and take it all to the recycling center. The hire of the van and driver is a reasonable fruit cake and apple pie.

Dinner tonight was a frugal fridge bottom salad with a jacket potato

and a little grated half price cheddar. I had a dollop of my Christmas Chutney and it was very tasty and filling.

Right, time for that tea. 

           TTFN                                              Pam