What If The Hokey Cokey Really Is What It's All About?

Hello All!

I've decided to do a HAUL post on things I bought at the MetroCentre in Gateshead. 

I don't go there that often, not since I left Sunderland, but I went a few weeks ago with the girls and got some great stuff. 

So I decided to go again this week and, since one of my best friends lives about 15mins away, we drove over on Monday. 

I'd heard about this American Candy place opening up and the week of it opening there were apparently queues out the door, so I was excited the check it out.

Well, evidently the reason the queues were out the door were probably because its smaller than my bedroom! It's a tiny place, for anyone who knows the MetroCentre it's in that little village set-up between the green & blue malls, so only teeny.

They had a few nice things, but my friend went to America for a couple of years and would send loads of stuff back so there was nothing that really stood out to me. I did get a couple of cans of Mountain Dew though because I've never had the proper American stuff, just that energy one you can get over here.

I also got some, more, candles. If you follow my blog / twitter you'll probably know I have a bit of an addiction to candles, and a quite substantially larger addiction to Yankee Candles...

BUT, in my defence, the Nature's Paintbrush is one that I've been after for ages!

 

Also, the Christmas Tree tealights were super reduced from Christmas so that's okay, right?! 

The Pink Rose one just looked pretty, and smelled nice.

And was only £1.50 from Primark. Bargain.

I have to admit to totally going off Primark in the last few years, and if I'm being honest, I got a bit snooty about it, thinking it was just cheap tat. BUT, I think they've really raised their game recently and although you can't expect to compare the quality against the more expensive shops, they do have some nice stuff.

The only clothing I bought from there was this Roxy Music top. It's really short so probably good over denim or high-waisted shorts maybe? 

I also got some stuff from the Home department, I really like some of the things they have on offer...

I loved this cushion, I'm redecorating my room with a neutral walls and colourful accessories set up so for £7, I thought this would fit in really well.

I also got these pillowcases, because they're so pretty, but mainly because they were only £2 for a pack of 2!

I got a huge bag for half price at only £5 which has a bright orange lining, and I was after some quite plain summer flats so I went for these nude snakeskin pumps for £5.

From Topshop I just got a couple of bits of jewellery...

The cross rings were £8.50, but the other ring was in the half-price sale so was only £2!

We went into That's Entertainment on the way home and I got some DVDs and some posters...

I'm not even embarrassed about the Avengers poster! It's only a mini one but I still unashamedly LOVE it :)

The DVDs, if you can't see them, are Three Kings, Tropic Thunder, The Office Series 1 & 2, Dogma and Pearl Harbour.

I also got two other posters which I havent put up yet, but they're big ones in the style of the "Keep Calm And Carry On" signs, but one's movie quotes and one's song titles. (I'll take snaps of them when they're up!)

I got a vest top from New Look for £8.99. I love the design.

Finally, I got a wooden sign for my room...

I like inspirational stuff like that.

So that's what I bought! (& spent far too much money on!) 

If there's anything you like that I've forgotten to say where it was from or how much then feel free to ask :)

I'm gonna sign off with something that me & my friend both absolutely adored but at £14 couldn't justify buying...

It tickled us anyway!

Anyway take care, Lots of Love, Taz x

One Of The Very Nicest Things About Life is The Way We Must Regularly Stop Whatever It Is We Are Doing And Devote Our Attention To Eating.

Hi guys!

I’ve got a few things ready to type up and post in the (I hope) not too distant future. There’s a birthday post featuring some of the beautiful presents I got, and another which I’m going to refer to as a “vintage venture” which I went on last week. So they should be up within the next week.

However, after the excitement of the jubilee… and the mass of cakes I ate in celebration of it (God bless you ma’am!) I’ve decided to type up one of my favourite recipes. If you hate the sound of it, don’t make it… I think it’s simple enough :)

And if you do make it, let me know how it goes!

I am unashamedly obsessed with The Hairy Bikers.
(Many believe this is because my father is hairy... and a biker.)
Anyway, my dad got their cookbook from a friend and because he is a self-proclaimed masterchef of the world he, naturally, believed it would be of no use to him and passed it down to his curinarily-challenged daughter! (for the slow kid at the back - that's me!)

I love their recipes because they're easy to follow, they don't use ponsey ingredients (Nigella, I love you, but no-one has oak-dried baby porcini mushrooms or cave-aged truffle pesto in their cupboard!) and they eat REAL food, these guys are not cooking for diet-dwellers!
One recipe I adore is Key Lime Pie so I thought I would share it with you all - ENJOY!

Ingredients

For the base

· 175g/6oz digestive biscuits

· 80g/3oz butter

· 50g/2oz caster sugar

For the filling

· 3 large free-range eggs, separated

· 2 limes, finely grated zest

· 125ml/4½fl oz lime juice

· 210ml/7½fl oz condensed milk

· 80g/3oz caster sugar

· ½ tsp vanilla extract

· pinch salt

To serve

· whipped cream

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

For the pastry base, finely crush the biscuits by placing into a plastic bag and bashing with a rolling pin (alternatively, pulse to crumbs using a food processor). Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then pour over the biscuit crumbs. Add the sugar, then mix well to combine. Evenly spread the biscuit mixture in a 23cm/9in pie case, making sure to cover the sides of the tin as well. Level off any excess biscuit mixture.

For the filling, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice and condensed milk until smooth and creamy, then mix into the egg yolk mixture. Pour the mixture into the pie case.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Gradually fold in the sugar, vanilla extract and salt, then whisk again until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue mixture over the filling in the pie case, using a fork to form the meringue into peaks.

Bake the pie in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the meringue is golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Place into the fridge to chill completely before serving.

To serve, cut slices of the key lime pie and serve with a few spoonfuls of whipped cream.

Hope some of you will give it a try and tell me if you like/love/hate it!

Will try and get those other posts up within the week but going away tomorrow on a birthday surprise trip!
(Will also post about that too!)

Until then, take care.

Lots of love, Taz x