RUSTIC APPLE PIE, OH MY!

'Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.' - Jane Austen.

Oh, hi there.

I think those of us with taste buds can all agree that a homemade apple pie during the Autumn is one of life's little pleasures. It's a staple dessert to have around this time and the smell that is produced in

the kitchen while it's baking is just ahh-mazing. 

Come on, anything that looks as rustic as this is just perfect in my eyes. Pure homely, loveliness.

I don't bake very often, I think the last time I did was about two months ago, the kids and I made some chocolate chip cookies, which were from a pre-made mixture and which had been sat in the cupboard for way too long, I maybe should have checked the date on those.. They were yummy regardless. Anyway, I was saying I don't bake very often but when the colder months start coming in, I just want to BAKE ALL THE THINGS. Comfort foods are, well, just comforting aren't they?

With puddings I'm usually a custard girl, I blimmin' love the stuff but I have seen quite a few pins on Pinterest of apple pie with salted caramel sauce, and I blimmin' love that stuff too, so I just had to try them both together. And OMG, heavenly choir sound.

Now I've tried making caramel sauce before and I just cannot do it, it either burns or crystallises and to be honest it actually scares me a little. Imagine accidentally getting boiling sugar on your skin, ouchee. Well, thankfully you don't need to go through any of that to have delicious salted caramel sauce. This is so quick and easy, you can make it in less time it takes to make a cuppa. Honestly.

 

This recipe will make two medium sized pies, approx 8ins or one large pie.  

RUSTIC APPLE PIE

•  A block of ready-made shortcrust pastry (obviously if you prefer you can make your own pastry from scratch).
• 2 tbsp butter
• 8 apples peeled, cored and sliced thinly
•  1/4 cup soft brown sugar
•  1 tsp ground cinnamon
•  1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 
•  1 egg beaten to glaze the pie crust
•  Caster sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling

Method.

Preheat the oven 180'C, line your baking tray with parchment and if using ready-made pastry take it out of the fridge and leave it on the side. Peel, core and slice your apples thinly. Add two tablespoons of butter to a large saucepan and heat gently until melted. Add the apples to the melted butter and stir to coat them, add 1/4 cup of soft brown sugar and your spices, cinnamon and nutmeg to the apples and stir again. Leave on a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the apple slices have softened. Enjoy the smell. Once the apples have softened you can start with your pastry. Half your dough and roll each halves out thinly, into circular shapes, transfer onto the baking tray. Spoon the apples into the centre of the pastry circles, leaving 1 1/2ins border.  Fold the pastry inwards all the way around. Brush the pies with the beaten egg and sprinkle a little caster sugar and cinnamon over the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 40 minutes or until the crust has turned a golden colour.

CHEATS SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

•  1 cup of soft brown sugar
•  4 tbsp butter
•  1/2 cup of double cream
•  1 tbsp vanilla extract 
•  A pinch of salt

Method. 

In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients and stir gently for a few minutes over a medium heat until sauce has reached desired thickness. That's it. Serve drizzled over your freshly baked apple pie and enjoy.

I'll speak to you soon,

Take care

x

Hello September.

First of all please do excuse me while I do my happy dance. Those of you who love Autumn as much as me, feel free to join in with the butt wiggling. 

Now I realise that this blog has been anything but consistent since, well, the beginning really, but I feel today is a turning point. I have been meaning to get back at her for a while, so here I am.

Today is the 1st of September {yay!} and I am WAY too excited for Autumn. I love all the seasons for different reasons {rhyme heheh} but Autumn/Fall fills my tummy with that warm feeling when I think about it. The colours of the leaves, the comfort foods, the smells, the cosiness of blankets and jumpers, hot chocolate, PUMPKINS, honestly I could sit here all day and I'd still be typing things. So this is the plan, lots of Autumnal stuff, are you in?

I'm planning on posting recipes and craft ideas, home decor and outfit styles, a whole range of things and I am really looking forward to it.

For now I will leave you to enjoy these images of freshly picked apples, which I picked this morning from a friends tree, obviously with her permission, I wasn't creeping in her garden stealing apples {shifty eyes}.

Take care and I will see you again very soon.

X

Bound by love not blood.

Another month.
Another year.
Another Father's Day.

Time seems to fly by and stop still at the same time,
I wish I could just sit with you, drink tea and have a whine,
and although it's been a while I still expect you to call,
I would do anything, I would truly give my all.

For us down here, life has to go on,
and a lot has happened since you've been gone,
but I know just how proud you would be,
of all your kids, your smile I can see.

I hope you know just how loved you are,
keep on shining as the brightest star.
Thank you for been my dad and friend,
all my love up to heaven I send.

Thinking of you today and always.
X

EAT, SLEEP, PHOTOGRAPH, REPEAT.

Oh hey, its been a while, let's get back thither.

One of the last blog posts I did around 6 months ago {blimey, time is just flying}was my resolutions which I said I wanted to get out more with my camera. Well I have certainly done that. I'm not quite sure how it started but around a month and half ago, wait.. yes I do, I remember exactly how it started.
Sunday 17th April I woke up at about 3am, I was wide awake and there was noway I was getting back to sleep. I played on my phone for a while and then I just got this thought, more like an urge actually, to drive to the coast and photograph the sunrise. So I did it. I drove to Scarborough at 4am.
This was the first time I shot completely in M mode. I was stood on the beach, freezing I might add, just snapping away. When the sunrise was in full swing and my settings were just how I wanted them,  I looked at some of the shots I'd just taken and I was in awe of them. The sunrise was breathtaking and I'd managed to capture some photos that were nearly, but not quite as beautiful. That was the first time I got a feeling of elation from photography and I have been addicted to my camera ever since.

So from that day, I have taken my camera EVERYWHERE. Photography gives me motivation to get out and explore, it gives me happiness and wonder. And the main thing is, it has helped immensely with my anxiety. I feel content.

The only way I can describe what the feeling is like when I get 'the shot' is if you try and imagine you're holding a tiny magical unicorn that has a glowing halo around it's head while hearing the heavenly choir sound effect. Or maybe when you see a new baby/puppy/kitten or anything cute and you feel like you just want to eat it {I know the latter seems strange but that's how I feel, leave me alone}.

I have to thank my three boys for being patient with me when we take little road trips and I'm hopping in and out of the car, only a little whining going on but at least the kids are quiet... lolz. I'm only joking, I really do have a great husband who understands and who is fully supportive of my crazy obsession to capture pretty things. 

Thanks for reading, and thanks to those that uplift and encourage me. I'm sure you'll know who you are.

Take care

x

The Last Year of My Twenties.

Today I turn 29.. (insert 'not sure how I feel about this' meme).
In this post I wanted to note down the things I have achieved/accomplished while I was 28. I also want to write down the things I've learnt.
So let's get started, in no particular order:

I just about got over my fear of driving.
I started working again for the first time in 7 years.
I put myself out there with my photography, to volunteer with a charity.
I made a new friend (that's hard when you're an adult :) ).
I gave up my hair dying celibacy and dyed my hair GREEN and then PURPLE.
I got my Rapunzel length hair chopped!! (never again!)
Got reunited with a family member.
Dismantled a huge play house in the garden to make room for a little allotment and grew some vegetables, then forgot to look after it!
Got my first DSLR and started an online photography course.
Let the hubby live long enough to celebrate our first wedding anniversary and watched our first sunset together.

I've learnt first hand that if you give some people an inch, they will take a mile.
I've learnt that I am too soft and that I should really grow some balls.
I've learnt that it is possible to cry at a scary movie, which leads me to my next thing...
I've learnt that I am a very empathetic and emotional person.

I think that's about it, I'm not sure what I'd like to achieve before I turn 30, we'll just see what happens. I feel as though everyday I'm growing and learning, so I'm kinda looking forward to the next one of these.

Bye for now,
Take care,
Au Revoir,
x

Do you have a resolution?

With 2016 just around the corner, it got me thinking about 'New Years Resolutions'.
Just about everyone makes them, whether it be to drink less (always a popular one on New Years Day), exercise more, or eat healthier, they usually, almost always, get broken...
I feel like I know what I NEED to do with a new year, a new start, and that is to be selfish!! Yeah, you read that right, selfish.
I need to think more about myself, focus on what makes ME happy and do whatever it takes, even if the thought of it scares the hell out of me. I need my mind back in a positive state and I am so ready for the challenge.. I think..
My list looks something like this: (Not in any specific order)

* At least try CBT and see where that takes me
* Say NO when I need to
* Get out a lot with my camera
* Be less modest
* Give myself some time each day to not think, just breathe, maybe start yoga...again!

Then I have the usual ones:

* Stop smoking...again!
* Do more cooking from scratch
* Start saving, somehow

I think thats it... oh wait,

* Drink more water

Have you got yours yet or started thinking about it? Whatever it is, I hope it makes you happy because that is all that matters. I wish you and myself luck :)

Take care
Lucy
x

I need a Christmas tree..

For the people that don't know me personally, I love, love, LOVE Christmas!! I love everything about it but one of the things I really enjoy doing is decorating my home.
When the 1st of December comes around, the decorations are straight up, this will be the longest we have gone without putting the tree up though and it's killing me. Hopefully next Sunday we will have our cute little fir and it will all be complete. I say complete, I'll probably see little bits and bobs while I'm out and keep adding to the decor until it's too late... I can't help it, I have a Christmas decor addiction.

This is what our house is looking like at the moment.

It's sooo priddy. I also really love seeing other peoples Christmassy homes, so send me some shots of yours. 

Take care

Lucy 

X