mince pies homeade better than shop, you havent tasted MINE, not good at pastry, on the other hand, yesterday was grandaughters 8th birthday, made a Princess Unikitty cake, nearly killed me, the most fiddly cake I hae ever made! I am makin scented candles, bath bombs and steeps for Christmas presents though, does that count!!!
Philippa said she makes her own mince - I do too. It is much better than shop stuff and I make it without suet (or any kind of fat). I've made a second flavour this year - usually it's plum but I've made a ginger version this year as well.
But
I am rubbish at pastry. Happily, OH is pretty good at it. So I make the mince and he makes the pies . If you wanted to NB - next year you could make the mince with fruit from your garden in September/October as I do, then buy ready made pastry to make homemade pies in December.
I'm not saying that making candles isn't more than enough craftiness for one winter. Just that you could do as Philippa suggests without having to eat horrible pastry
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I buy pastry made with butter when I see it and store it in the freezer but I have promised myself I will have a go at making my own one of these days. I made cranberry mincemeat last time but like the idea of a ginger one. Do you just add ginger to the basic fruit mix or is it more than that?
I fancy trying mince pies with a frangipane topping this year. Might use the patchwork group as guinea pigs.
Wouldn't be allowed to make candles as we have 3 boxes of them out in the store but I am making some Xmas decs this year - felt and fabric. Keeps me quiet while watching TV in the evening.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
"Real" tree this year, sitting happily in water outside, Nordman, 2 mtr need more lights for it. have knitted decorations for it. Also knitting bee skep tea cosy for other grandparents, and Christmas stockings for youngest daughter and boyfriend, NO NOTHING whatsoever to do with indoor plants, which are doing very well, by the way LOL
Which poses the question, did cavemen knit? If so then we may have solved the conundrum.....
Obs - The gingery mincemeat uses apples instead of plums as the main ingredient and crystallised ginger instead of raisins (but still has sultanas and currants). I've not tried it yet - it's still 'maturing'. I'll let you know what it's like
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Thanks RG. If it turns out tasty maybe you could share the recipe. Xmas goodies thread for those who don't just want boring turkey and commercial mince pies?
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Two years ago,t he dog, who was then a puppy, DID actully take my knitting out of the dog flap. I was knitting one of those pouffes, which cost about £100, as a Christmas present, EVERY single time i moved from the lounge I put my knitting on the kitchen worktop, except ONE, then I saw the yarn going out the dog flap, traced it behind a trellis, (she also put my purse there!) luckily, it was very thick and grey because it was actually raining that day. Had it been your usual double yarn, or less it would have been ruined.
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mince pies homeade better than shop, you havent tasted MINE, not good at pastry, on the other hand, yesterday was grandaughters 8th birthday, made a Princess Unikitty cake, nearly killed me, the most fiddly cake I hae ever made! I am makin scented candles, bath bombs and steeps for Christmas presents though, does that count!!!
I'm here being pedantic again
.
Philippa said she makes her own mince - I do too. It is much better than shop stuff and I make it without suet (or any kind of fat). I've made a second flavour this year - usually it's plum but I've made a ginger version this year as well.
But
I am rubbish at pastry. Happily, OH is pretty good at it. So I make the mince and he makes the pies
. If you wanted to NB - next year you could make the mince with fruit from your garden in September/October as I do, then buy ready made pastry to make homemade pies in December.
I'm not saying that making candles isn't more than enough craftiness for one winter. Just that you could do as Philippa suggests without having to eat horrible pastry
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I buy pastry made with butter when I see it and store it in the freezer but I have promised myself I will have a go at making my own one of these days. I made cranberry mincemeat last time but like the idea of a ginger one. Do you just add ginger to the basic fruit mix or is it more than that?
I fancy trying mince pies with a frangipane topping this year. Might use the patchwork group as guinea pigs.
Wouldn't be allowed to make candles as we have 3 boxes of them out in the store but I am making some Xmas decs this year - felt and fabric. Keeps me quiet while watching TV in the evening.
"Real" tree this year, sitting happily in water outside, Nordman, 2 mtr need more lights for it. have knitted decorations for it. Also knitting bee skep tea cosy for other grandparents, and Christmas stockings for youngest daughter and boyfriend, NO NOTHING whatsoever to do with indoor plants, which are doing very well, by the way LOL
Oh, I know, I can KNIT indoor plants, then they wont need watering haha!
Which poses the question, did cavemen knit? If so then we may have solved the conundrum.....
Obs - The gingery mincemeat uses apples instead of plums as the main ingredient and crystallised ginger instead of raisins (but still has sultanas and currants). I've not tried it yet - it's still 'maturing'. I'll let you know what it's like
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Thanks RG. If it turns out tasty maybe you could share the recipe. Xmas goodies thread for those who don't just want boring turkey and commercial mince pies?
Stick to sewing Philippa
Sowing phillipa, I bet you are not rubbish at that haha!!(geddit!!) Damn Joyce beat me.
Two years ago,t he dog, who was then a puppy, DID actully take my knitting out of the dog flap. I was knitting one of those pouffes, which cost about £100, as a Christmas present, EVERY single time i moved from the lounge I put my knitting on the kitchen worktop, except ONE, then I saw the yarn going out the dog flap, traced it behind a trellis, (she also put my purse there!) luckily, it was very thick and grey because it was actually raining that day. Had it been your usual double yarn, or less it would have been ruined.