Silent Sunday
Pure Christmas indulgence for the Foodie in your life…
Buying Christmas gifts is hard. Really hard. After all when you are buying for someone important in your life you don’t want to go completely down the novelty, funny gift route but you also know that just because someone likes to spend time in the kitchen they don’t necessarily want a new kettle as a Chrismas present. For me the perfect gift is something I can use (or eat) that is also a little frivolous. Chrismas is a fun time and the smile on someone’s face as they open your gift is where most of the pleasure comes from.. For me anyway.
Now you will know from reading some of my posts that I can be fairly thrifty and frugal but I also appreciate a little indulgence and you don’t get much more indulgent than a Harvey Nichols Christmas Hamper – labelled as the ultimate luxury gastronomic gift I think it would be hard to find anyone who wouldn’t be satisfied with at least one of the options.
I have my eye on this one:
At a rather eye watering £1000 I can’t imagine it will be under my tree Christmas morning but hey a foodie can dream. With so many tasty treats inside as well as champagnes, Port and even a 1.6kg candle ( I’m obsessed with candles don’t you know?) it would give days(weeks even) of pleasure.
They aren’t all so expensive, prices start at around £37 and there are options for the wine lovers and beauty kings or queens in your life too.
I’ve had lots of fun trawling through the different hampers and deciding which one is my fave.
Remember if you get a decent wicker basket with your hamper, it can be for life not just for Christmas 😉 I’m thinking picnics in the sun.
*This post is written in collaboration with Harvey Nichols.
38 weeks..
So I’m still here.. 38 weeks and 1 day pregnant. I had a pretty rubbish night of irregular but very painful contractions and once again my body almost tricked me into thinking it was time to start planning our trip to the hospital but no. Everything has eased off and other than a very sore belly and well other parts…ahem…I’m fine.
Cravings:
Still ice and teeth brushing but that’s about it. Exciting huh?
Weight/appetite:
I don’t want to eat much anymore. I get really hungry and then as soon as the food is in front of me I feel sick and full almost immediately. I am trying to eat small high calorie snacks as much as possible but still no weight gain in the past 5 weeks. My midwife isn’t concerned as overall I’ve gained enough weight and baby is growing well.
Baby:
At my midwife appointment this week she was concerned about the babys presentation (she thought she was breech) so I was sent for a scan that afternoon. Baby is thankfully still head down and is getting pretty big so that’s one less thing to stress about. She is still pretty active – normally whenever I try to eat which makes me feel rather queasy but I still love the feeling. I have had a couple of occasions now when I can clearly feel the outline of a foot and its a weird feeling. I don’t remember this from last time but I guess Izzy came early so that may be why.
Izzy:
Izzy is good fun at the moment, full of amusing chatter and showing off her dancing skills. We were lucky to be able to take her into the scan with us this week along with my mum and she loved it. She kept repeating “mammys baby” over and over and pointing at the screen. When we got home she was a lot more cuddly with my belly and I wonder if she is almost starting to understand – probably not but it may have helped. She also has started to call the bump “Baby ???” – the name we are considering and it sounds mega cute. We aren’t 100% sure of it yet so I won’t share but yay we finally have a shortlist ( albeit a very very short one).
Isn’t she lovely?
Rest:
Half the time I feel like I should be getting my rest and the other half I feel like I should be trying to walk this baby out. Most of the time I find it too hard and uncomfortable to rest, unless in the bath and whilst I try to walk more its nearly always too sore to walk for long. I tend to potter about the house more and the constant cleaning up the toy chaos and chasing Izzy about keeps me busy.
We have been eating out more which saves me cooking and is a nice break from being stuck at home and we had another cinema date last night to see Thor which was fun.
Me:
I’m a little less grumpy than I was but I still have my days (sorry) and I’m quite emotional but mostly now I am just really eager to meet our baby and kiss her soft skin.
Bump update:
Inducing labour:
After all my hospital visits and appointments this pregnancy I’m super keen to avoid being induced-this will happen 2 weeks Monday if I haven’t naturally gone into labour so now that she is term and a good size I’m planning to try all the natural methods of starting things off. So far we tried eating Chicken Madras ( I’m normally a butter chicken girl) and aside from burning my mouth and making me sneeze it didn’t work.. I have also tried pineapple..liquorice and raspberry leaf tea. What do you suggest?
Once again I hope this is my last pregnancy update but I will probably see you here next week 😉
Still can’t believe we made it this far. Well done baby bump.
Thanks for your support so far, its meant such a lot. Now just send me labour vibes please.
A few of my favourite things…
I should make this clear up front that this is not a review..or a paid for post.
Sometimes I just like products. Normally food related products.
I’ve decided that every few weeks I will share with you some of my favourite products of the month, if they have been sent to me for a review it will be clearly stated but for the most part they will just be things I have liked to munch.
This month there are four things which I have loved:
First up:
El Rey Pimento de la Vera ( sweet smoked paprika)
I was given this as a gift from my other halfs dad a while back and I LOVE it. The smell of it, the look of the tin and the incredible smokiness that comes from a small teaspoon in a paella or chorizo stew is just fabulous. I can’t recommend this enough. It will become a store cupboard staple I assure you.
Next are two products from the same company..
Lotus biscoff biscuits:
I’ve had these on several occasions accompanying my hot drinks at lovely local cafes so when I saw a pack of them on sale at Morrisons I HAD to buy them and they are delicious. They have a thin crunchy texture and a gorgeous flavour.
Lotus biscoff spread:
My mum has raved about this for months after trying it when on holiday in the summer and since then several twitter friends have made me desperate to try it so when I FINALLY found it in Sainsburys earlier this week I made the inevitable purchase and very glad I did. Delicious on toast or straight from the jar. Sweet, buttery..caremelised indulgence.
And finally …
Cottage Delights Oak Smoked rapeseed oil:
I found this on one of the random shelves you get at the till in TKMaxx and I will be truly gutted if I can’t find it again. If you see it buy it. It was reasonable priced (about £2) and the smallest amount gives such a lovely taste. I am a big fan of all things smoked anyway but this is the kind of oil you want to dip your finger in just to taste.. Better with homemade flatbreads though.
If anyone knows of an actual stockist of this oil please share.
Apologies for the poor quality of the photos.. It was a rather quick decision to write this post and so I just used my phone. Plus my camera is packed ready for the hospital!
I hope you manage to try at least one of my favourite things.
Me and Mine
Joining in with the Me and Mine linky run by Dear Beautiful
Here is a photo of me, my man, my daughter and my bump taken at a family wedding a few weeks ago:
Reading about the Me and Mine project really made me think about the fact that one of us is always missing from family pics.. It shouldn’t take a wedding to get a photo of the whole family. I’m determined especially as our new baby arrives very soon to get photos of the 4 of us regularly.
Rio – Brazilian cooking sauces review
Brazil is one of my very long list of places I must visit at some point in my life.. I’m thinking with the baby arriving any day now it may be a while before I get to go but I did get the chance to experience a taste of Brazil when I was sent the new range of cooking sauces from Rio to sample. Now of course I want to go even more.
Rio – A Taste of Brazil is the first authentic Brazilian sauces and marinades to be manufactured and sold in UK.
I was sent three jars of sauces:
Moqueca – A fragrant coconut sauce with a hint of lime and coriander, perfect with fish, seafood or chicken.
Bife de Panela – A sweet and sour sauce with a hint of cumin and vinegar perfect served with beef or pork.
Amendoim – A creamy fragrant mixture of coconut milk, nuts and ginger.
The first that I tried was Amendoim, I followed the jar instructions for this and it tasted delicious. We both really enjoyed and it has a nice chilli kick without being overpowering.
The second jar we tried was the Bife de Panela, for this I used a cheaper cut of beef and so I slow cooked it in the sauce with vegetables and it was really tasty. A different flavour to any sauce I have tried before and very mild. Izzy really enjoyed this.
The third jar we had this week which was the Moqueca and again I more or less followed packet instructions aside from adding a diced onion and mushrooms to bulk it up as I didn’t have a full packet of chicken breasts. I also added some extra coconut milk as it was a little too spicy for me in my current heartburn/acid reflux mode.
Our overall fave was the Amendoim. Lovely creamy, nutty sauce.
If you are lucky enough to have a local stockist I recommend you try it! There is also the option to buy direct from their website.
* I was sent these products in exchange for a review
The Waiting Game
So now that I am 5 days over what is classed as term I really do feel that I spend every day waiting. Waiting for a contraction, waiting for my waters to break…waiting for some thing. At this point in my last pregnancy my waters had gone and I had given birth to my gorgeous girl… So I have NEVER been this pregnant before. I don’t feel too enormous, I’ve managed to avoid most of the swelling this time and although my bump is pretty darn big the rest of me is ok but I feel rubbish. My head hurts, my eyes hurt and I have cracked, sore lips… Attractive huh?
I think the baby is draining every last bit of goodness from me and well I don’t mind her having it all but the downside is I feel awful.
Distraction techniques are needed. I need to be busy all the time or it will drive me crazy.
Yesterday afternoon we went to a lovely seaside village near to us for for the most divine ice cream and then took Izzy to an old amusement arcade and played on all the rides.. It made the day brighter.
I can see a rainbow…
Today we plan to go and see Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs 2! Izzy loves the cinema and I’m trying to make these last few weeks of being an only child as much fun as possible! Also I get to sit down.
What did you do in your final weeks of pregnancy? How did you pass the time and what were your first signs of impending labour?
Bump!
Silent Sunday
37 week update
Looks like we made it….. Woooooo. This morning our baby is officially classed as term and as long as all is ok when she is born she won’t require any special treatment. I am still in shock that she managed to stay in.
Last night I definitely felt like she was making her approach. I had ALL the classic labour symptoms but no I’m still here bump in tow for another day. Part of me really wants her to just be here..now. However I know that I don’t really have the energy for labour at the moment, thanks to all these contractions I’ve barely slept in days and I have a cold/sore throat so so its probably best she waits inside a little longer. Would be nice to have a pain free day today and I am dreaming of just how good a hot tub would feel…
So at 37 weeks what is new? Not much.
Cravings :
Still ice and teeth brushing but everything else seems to have disappeared for now.
Weight:
Haven’t really gained any weight again this week, in fact last week I lost a few pounds – apparently this is common close to labour.
Physical changes:
Baby has dropped so bump is a lot lower, feet are starting to swell more and my breasts are more tender. My appetite is poor, I force food down most of the time.
Baby:
She is head down and fully engaged – this means lots of pressure down below and I’m generally sore all day unless I’m in the bath. Despite being engaged she manages to move a lot especially at night and when I’m eating.
Preparation:
The nesting instinct is definitely there, the energy to do it..not so much but slowly things are getting done. My bathroom is almost complete thanks to my other half and his dad so that’s one less stress. All of babys items such as clothes, nappies, car seat etc are ready to go.
Name:
We still have no names…HELP.
Me:
I am so cranky and grumpy most of the time. I try to mask it most of the time and I think I do a pretty good job but I hate feeling this way. It’s been a hard 9 months and I’m really looking forward to this pregnancy completing.
Family:
I’ve been very lucky all along with the level of support from both my other half and all of family. Couldn’t have done it without them and particularly now they are a great help. Izzy is still making every day happier for us and is so funny I can’t help but smile when she is around.
Latest bump shots:
That’s all for now.. Hopefully my next post will be introducing my baby girl 😀
DIY Christmas Hampers
Last year I made Christmas Hampers for my family and also sold some to friends to give as gifts to their families. I had a fabulous time making them and really wish I’d had the time and energy to do it again this year but unfortunately not. Luckily for you lovely lot I am going to share what I put in the hampers and easy tips to do it yourself. A homemade hamper is such a lovely gift for someone special and so much cheaper than buying in a store although not as easy or convenient I admit.
So here is a pic of last years hampers:
I included:
Vanilla sugar – find how to make it here.
Spiced Salt – A Nigella recipe which you can below.
Orange and Vanilla Marmalade
Shortbread
Miniature Green & Blacks chocs
Candy Canes
Mixed fruit soaked in rum
Epic Hot Chocolate – Jamie Oliver recipe which I will blog tomorrow
Garlic and Chilli Oil
Chocolate marzipans
Chocolate nuts
Firstly what I would change if I was making them this year:
1. I would replace the cake tin with a basket. Although I liked the cake tin and its very handy and reusable I like the look of a basket.
2. Shortbread – I would make my own as so much tastier and a nicer touch I think. You can find my recipe here.
3. I would add some alcohol ..now I did actually include alcohol in some of the hampers I gave as I made flavoured Irish Cream using Plain Irish Cream with orange or peppermint flavoured extract but I would perhaps also add a small bottle of bubbly or wine depending on how thrifty I wanted to be.
The items my family loved:
1. The flavoured oil: my mum in particular loved this and I’ve refilled her bottle several times this year.
2. The epic hot chocolate – my sister loved this and I’m probably going to be roped into making some this year too. It makes a gooey thick drink perfect for dipping churros or waffles into.
3. The marmalade – Izzys great grandparents loved this.
4. The spiced salt/vanilla sugar – EVERYONE enjoyed these.
So how easy is it to do? Fairly easy, you just need some time.
Aside from the sugar, shortbread and hot choc recipes which I have already shared here are a few more recipes/tips to get you going:
Flavoured oil:
Firstly depending on how many hampers you are making buy your olive oil in bulk and as high a quality as you can afford as it makes all the difference. A simple garlic and chilli oil is easy to make.
Using fresh red chillies and whole garlic cloves gently heat with your oil in a heavy based pan for around 15 mins on your hob to get rid of any bacteria which may be lurking on your garlic/chilli. You could use dried chilli flakes instead if you prefer but whole chillies look more effective in the bottle. Wait until cool and then pour into your sterilised bottles, seal immediately and they are good for a few months.
* I bought my bottles from Lakeland and they were reasonably priced.
Chocolate marzipans/nuts:
For this you will need really good quality chocolate ( I went for dark) a block of marzipan and a packet of hazelnuts. Roll your marzipan into small balls then simply melt the chocolate ( I used the old Pyrex bowl over a saucepan method) and then dunk/roll your balls of marzipan and your hazelnuts into the choc and put on greaseproof paper to set. Whilst choc was still melted I added some little decorations ( white choc stars) but they aren’t necessary. Make small bags out of cellophane and add 4/5 chocs and tie with ribbon. Extremely easy but effective and tasty.
Festive spiced salt:
Mix together sea salt, pink/red peppercorns, dried chilli flakes and star anise in jars. This looks so incredibly pretty and tastes divine!
Tips:
*Look out for special offers on luxury chocs such as Green & Blacks and throw a few into each hamper.
*Always add a candy cane or two for visual effect.
*Buy large packs of caster sugar and sea salt to make up your flavoured sugars/salts and mix them at least 1 month prior to Christmas to allow the flavour to develop.
* Tie pretty festive ribbon around jar and bottle necks.
* Buy labels from craft shops and handwrite the description/date of creation on them.
*Make sure you sterilise your jars.
Coming up later this week…recipe for Epic hot choc and peppermint creams!
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