I have given up on Summer....from now on....I'm dreaming of a VINE christmas

[Finedon.Dandy]

Looking forward to spending a christmas on the vine with all the grapes.

Tammy

Oh and then looking through all the seed mags in January...drool drool !!!

[Headfry]

Me too Tammy.....can't wait! I wonder what will be number one on the Grapes wish lists?
Think of all those winter/Christmas recipes....yummy
Beef stew and dumplings anyone?

[zazen999]

Don't give up yet - still got ages for those toms to go red.

but, I'll join you christmas day for chilli, nachos and all the trimmings.

[Rhona]

aaahhh... that's nice. I love looking through the seed catalogues on chilly January evenings, making my lists and little plans.

Summer may surprise us yet (by turning up?) but there's always lovely things to look forward to.

[Finedon.Dandy]

I make my own mincemeat and as the receipe I use calls for apples - I may make an early start and use some from the garden.

My toms are at last going red although they taste of nothing - at this rate I shall die of a salt overdose!

HF - I grew chillis for O this year so we can join you!!!

[zazen999]

It's me with the chillis; but anyone's welcome to the Christmas Day Chilli Party. It's been a tradition in our house since I couldn't be arsed to cook a proper dinner and we had peppers still growing on the balcony one Christmas Eve - putting 2 and 2 together we now have that every year. Plus roast dinner when we visit my brother's [Boxing day] - he's an ex chef so it would be mean of me not to eat his roasties wouldn't it...

[maytreefrannie]

I make my own mincemeat and as the receipe I use calls for apples - I may make an early start and use some from the garden.

Give your recipe for your mincemeat please please please

[Finedon.Dandy]

Grandpas mincemeat

500g raisins *1
250g sultanas *1
250g currants *1
125g glace cherries, halved *1
150ml dark rum, sherry or brandy *1
2 medium dessert apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped *2
2tsp mixed spice *3
1/2 tsp nutmeg *3
125g chopped roast hazelnuts *3
250g dark muscovado sugar *4
4 tbsp hot water *4
60g butter *4

1 - mix *1 ingredients in large bowl, cover and leave for 24 hours
2 - blanch apple *2 in boiling water for 2 mins, drain thoroughly
3 - add apple *2 to mixture from *1 and add ingredients *3
4 - mix *4 ingredients in a saucepan, heat very gently, stiring till sugar melted
5 - mix all parts together then pack into sreilized jars, seal, label and decorate lids etc

[di]

FD~Please oh please don't give up on summer yet~it may be rather shortened but hey!Many more possible sunny weeks ahead!
That said each batch of pickle/chutney i make now has a few go to oneside for chrimbly pressies & I'll prob soon make a start on some of my knitted/sewn pressies!

[Finedon.Dandy]

The weather does seem to have improved today so who knows. I must get on with my christmas cards though - usualy the sunny/hot weather can be very off putting!

[zazen999]

Grandpas mincemeat

500g raisins *1
250g sultanas *1
250g currants *1
125g glace cherries, halved *1
150ml dark rum, sherry or brandy *1
2 medium dessert apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped *2
2tsp mixed spice *3
1/2 tsp nutmeg *3
125g chopped roast hazelnuts *3
250g dark muscovado sugar *4
4 tbsp hot water *4
60g butter *4

1 - mix ingredients in large bowl

Then throw in bin, close bin, open window and breathe again.

Eugh; no offence to grandpa but yuk.

[Finedon.Dandy]

Bet you dont even like Christmas pud eh eh eh ! ! !

[HeyWayne]

27 degrees tomorrow and there was talk about something called "funshine" (I couldn't hear properly - LadyWayne had teh hairdryer/jet engine going.

[di]

You're not "that" far from us & we're now enjoying the start of a (almost)long hot summer!!!~so maybe just a w/e but hey ho still exciting!!Making some picnic goodies with the kiddies this a.m & thn off to lottie to enjoy those rays!

[Finedon.Dandy]

27 degrees tomorrow and there was talk about something called "funshine" (I couldn't hear properly - LadyWayne had teh hairdryer/jet engine going.

Well if it is I will be more pleased but kids will be even more so as I will be able to get the paddling pool out for them. Every day come rain or rain little Daniel raises his big brown pleading puppy dog eyes(its why we call him Daniel Spaniel!) up to me and asks "can I help with you to get the paddling pool out". *blub blub* and wicked Mummy has to say "No not today darling" *blub blub* (I love the way he asks "Can I help with you"!) So it really would be funshine!!!