Sweet Treats

People who know me will know that I am by no means a natural cook. But recently I have been trying really hard to teach myself how to cook better, and amazingly its been a success! I've come across some great recipes and I'd like to begin sharing some of them here.

First up, a close friend of mine told me how for Christmas a friend of hers had made her a pot of homemade jam. I loved the idea - i think its so much more special when something is homemade - and I decided to try and make some strawberry jam myself. A few mishaps and burnt fingers later voila! I did it and it tastes damn good. Here's the recipe that I found on the BBC Good Food website:

Strawberry Jam

Time: 1 hour
Makes about 4 pots of jam


Ingredients

1.8kg of small whole strawberries
Juice of 3 lemons
1.84kg of jam sugar
Knob of butter

Instructions

1. Wash, drain and hull the fruit and put in a large non-metallic bowl. Sprinkle over the lemon juice and sugar, gently mix. Cover with a tea towel and leave overnight. (This helps keep the strawberries whole.)
2. Put a saucer in the freezer. Tip the fruit and juice into a preserving pan or a 4.5 litre/8 pint heavybased pan. Heat gently, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Do not boil until it has.
3. Turn up the heat, then boil hard for exactly 4 minutes (use a timer). Take off the heat to test for setting point. Spoon a little jam onto the cold saucer. After a couple of minutes gently push your finger through the jam and if the surface wrinkles it is ready. If not, return to the boil for 2 minutes, then re-test.
4. Take off the heat and swirl in the butter. If the scum doesn't dissolve, skim with a slotted spoon. Cool for 10-15 minutes. (Pot when too hot and all the fruit rises to the top.)
5. Stir gently to distribute the fruit, then pour into warm sterilised jars. Put waxed discs on straight away, cover with lids or cellophane circles, then seal, label and wipe the jars. Keeps for 6 months in a cool dry cupboard.

 
Now having all this strawberry jam and wanting to make a dessert for Valentine's Day, I decided to make a Victoria Sponge with my own jam. I also got the recipe from the BBC Good Food website and it was just delicioussss! Really soft, sweet, and fluffy cake and just gorgeous overall with the jam and cream. Here's the recipe:

Victoria Sponge

Prep: 20 mins
Cooking: 20 mins
Cuts into 8-10 slices

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter , softened, plus extra for greasing
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 medium eggs
• 200g self-raising flour , plus extra for dusting
• about 6 tbsp strawberry jam
• 250ml double cream , whipped
• icing sugar , for dusting

Instructions 

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease and flour 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract into a bowl and beat well to a creamy consistency. Slowly beat in the eggs, one by one, then fold in the flour and mix well.
2. Divide the mix between the cake tins, place into the oven and bake for about 20 mins until risen and golden brown. The cakes should spring back when gently pushed in the middle. When ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 mins in the tin, before turning out onto a wire rack and cooling completely.
3. Spread the jam onto one cake and top with the cream. Sandwich the cakes together and dust with icing sugar.

Oh so good! Hope you enjoy the recipes!

Photos Copyrighted 2011

All You Need is Love

Feelings of the Heart

"I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible" 

Billy Crystal in 'When Harry Met Sally'

This morning is a special morning because last night my best friend since kindergarten got engaged to her boyfriend! I have not stopped smiling since I heard the news and I am so excited for her and this amazing new chapter in her life. I thought it fitting to share this with you today as it is Valentine's Day.

As one of my closest friends and fellow blogger If You Love Me Feed Me told me, it's a beautiful thing that people everywhere are celebrating love in all forms on this day. I am blessed with so much love in my life from so many different people and I am so grateful for that. So here's to love in all its wonder and beauty!

Happy Valentine's Day y'all!

True Beauty

"Beauty tips: For attractive lips, speak only words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
And for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." 

Audrey Hepburn

This has long been one of my favourite quotes. Lots of girls think their beauty lies in heavy make up, dressing or acting a certain way. But as cliche as it sounds, true beauty really does come from within - be it your kind acts or your goofy personality. I find people are most beautiful when they can allow themselves to be natural inside and out and embrace whoever it is that they are.
 

The Road Not Taken

Today I want to share one of my favourite poems with you...The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost:

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 20


The trail, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

This has always been one of my favourite poems. Now that I am at a crossroads in my life having just finished university and trying to decide what my next step is, it is especially relevant. I read this poem whenever I need to abate my fears about taking a less travelled path.

I'd love to know what poems you find inspiring?

Happy Friday guys!

Just Adorable

I saw this adorableee image on a site I found called WeHeartIt originally posted by Rafaaafrrrk. It's a lovely site where people can upload their interesting photography, and people visiting can then "heart" images they like to create their own online photo collection. This photo made me smile, and I wanted to share it with you so it could also make you smile! Enjoy!

Free Design - Love You

I have fallen in love with this song. It's so light and airy and kinda makes me feel like running through a meadow barefoot.

Oscar Season

The Oscars are right around the corner and guys, I can't tell you how much I'm loving the Oscar films right now!

First up, I went to see 127 Hours.

The movie tells the true story of Aron Ralston, who whilst hiking in Utah, gets his arm trapped under a boulder. After 5 days trapped he amputates his own arm with a blunt knife. The film is shot beautifully especially in the way it shows the stunning landscape. But the real beauty of it is how most of the film focuses just on James Franco, the actor who plays Ralston. There's not a huge amount of talking, or action, and much of the film is of the same frame. We just watch as Ralston takes steps to keep himself going, and tries to figure out a way to release himself and its awe inspiring. I think this film is a huge achievement for Franco and well worth watching. It will leave you contemplating what amazing things the human mind and body can do and survive even in the most dire of situations.

Second up is The King's Speech.

This film is pure perfection! There is no other way to put it. The film tells the story of King George VI in his fight to overcome his stammer. The acting is just sensational from Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter. The movie is filled to the brim with heart and wit and I can't see why anyone, young or old, can fail to fall in love with this gem of a film. And gawd Colin Firth I've had a crush on him since he played Mr Darcy!

Lastly, I went to see Black Swan.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, I found parts of this movie petrifying. Before I went I'd heard from others how disturbing it was. I thought pfft, whooses, it's a ballerina movie. How scary could it be? Answer - VERY. Despite this, wow, Natalie Portman. I'm a huge fan of hers anyway, but this movie is such an accomplishment for her. I read she trained in ballet for 2 years to prepare herself for this role and it shows. The film is exquisite in many ways, and after leaving the movie I realised more and more how clever the plot was. Despite the fact its a little gruesome at times this is a must see.

Overall, I have been hugely impressed with the Oscar line up this year! In the past, it has been very rare for me to enjoy so many of the movies nominated. Have any of you seen these films? What do you think?