sharonsiff

Chocolate & strawberry: I wrote this one as it just made me laugh out loud...and it might make you too ;) Not all it's cracked up to be. Strawberry's heart like shape and colour have been unimaginatively match made with a default love token, chocolate. But doesn't a strawberry dipped in chocolate just look like a fruit wearing big knickers/ big girl pants? And aren't they they the sort of thing asset-strippers feed to call girls in a cream coloured hotel room? I'd take chocolate and hazelnut over these two anyway. Although I have to say I do enjoy melting Galaxy chocolate and dipping in strawberries, then setting in the fridge. Although I do laugh a bit now when I pop them in my mouth as I think of the knickers comment ;)

Chocolate & Cardamom: Prepare and bake a 23cm sweet pastry case. Slit open 10 cardamom pods, grind up the contents with a mortar and pestle, add 300mls of double cream in a pan and scald. Remove from the heat and add 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces, and 25g unsalted butter. Stir until melted and well mixed. When cooled a little (don't let it set!) , pour into the pastry case and place in the fridge for two or three hours. When it has hardened, sift a little cocoa powder over it and serve with a modest dollop of creme fraiche. She says it works because...if you use cardamom in sufficient quantities you can pick out its enigmatic citrus, eucalyptus and warm , woody floral quantities. She finds adding a pinch of cardamom can make even the most ordinary dark chocolate taste expensive ;)

I have a fabulous book called The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit and now we have a fab food forum thought I'd share some of the combos...you can cook instead of crave ;) Chocolate & Alomond: Christopher Tan's Chocolate Soup with salted Almonds: Melt 1 tbs unsalted butter in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, add 45g flaked almonds and sauté them with care for 4-5 minutes,until they are golden brown. Set aside. Whisk 250mls water, 100mls whipping cream, 25g caster sugar and 40g sifted cocoa powder in a saucepan over a medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture bubble gently for 2-3 minutes, then add 100g chopped dark chocolate containing at least 60% cocoa solids. Stir with a whisk until smooth, then pouring into little bowls, top with almonds, divide into 4-6 bowls and serve straight away. It also says....it works because a wealth of nutty flavour notes are formed when cocoa beans are roasted during the chocolate making process. Similarly, the flavour of almonds is intensified by toasting, which helps them stand up to the chocolates strength of flavour.... Just think delicious Toblerone ;)

Of which some may be grey.....

Haven't read the book as I'm not in the slightest bit interested to be honest... I too felt like the only person not interested in this 50 shades lark... I'm far more interested in 50 shades of eyeshadow ;)

Thank you, much appreciated xx We are not finished yet sadly as I have given them eighteen more points that I would like them to answer. Seemingly, on top of the Sepsis they messed his insulin totally up! So much to get to the bottom of but at least if it puts safe guards for other folk his death/due to their countless mistakes will not be in vain. Don't get me wrong I am not anti hospitals, doctors and such like and have a lot of respect as I couldn't do it! Just that when it goes terribly wrong it really does have devastating consequences.

Lol..oh yes, Island speak and gobs, or trap...another word for mouth. Examples... Shut yer gob/ trap! Have you heard the gob/trap on her/him! You're in the know now Bakon xx ;)

Pitta Salad ( kebab shop style). Serves 2-3 2 red onions finely sliced 1 carrot grated 1/4 cucumber thinly sliced 4-5 red cabbage leaves finely sliced 1 large handful of shredded lettuce 1 tomato sliced 1 tbs lemon juice 3-4 red kebab sauce 1-2 jalapeño chilli peppers (jarred) 3-4 pitta breads Place the sliced onions in a bowl of cold water for around 30 minutes. Drain well through a sieve and pat the onions dry with kitchen paper. In a large bowl combine the sliced onion, grated carrot, sliced cucumber, sliced cabbage leaves, shredded lettuce and sliced tomato. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Dress with Red kebab sauce and garnish with the jalapeño peppers. Red Kebab Sauce (kebab shop style). Serves 1 6 tbs tomato ketchup 4 tbs water 1 tsp mint sauce Chilli powder to taste Pinch of salt In a bowl combine the ketchup, water, mint sauce, chilli powder and salt. Add chilli powder sparingly, at first until the desired heat is obtained. Add a little more water until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Enjoy...;)

Kung Pao Chicken serves 1 1/4 red pepper chopped 1/4 green pepper chopped 1/2 small onion chopped 1 dried red chilli pepper Dash of dry sherry I tsp rice wine vinegar 1 tbs soy sauce 1/2 tsp testament oil 1 tsp sugar 2 tbs of water 1 large chicken breast 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce 1 tbs vegetable oil plus extra for frying 1/2 tsp cornflower 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 2 tbsp roasted peanuts In a small bowl combine the red pepper, green pepper, onion and red chilli pepper. Set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the dry sherry, rice wine, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sugar, water and cornflower. Trim any excess fat from the chicken and cut into small pieces. Add the 1/2 tsp of soy sauce and vegetable oil. Mix well and add the 1/2 tsp of cornflower. Mix well again. Heat a wok or frying pan to a high heat. Add a little vegetable oil. Drop the chicken into the pan and leave for 30 seconds to seal. Stir fry the chicken for around 3-4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add the prepared vegetables to the pan and mix well. Stri fry for I minute. Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the prepared Kung Pao sauce. Mix well and cook for a further minute or until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the roasted peanuts and mix well. Pour the Knut Pao chicken into a long foil tray and serve with egg fried rice or plain chow mien to create that authentic take away feel ;)

I'll very likely be in the TV, food and cosmetics...crap at games but can see how others love it.

Thank you Doreen, it has been simply horrible as I'm sure you can imagine and the hug is very much appreciated xx

I think we all have our area where we feel most comfortable and I can totally admit that I have never felt overly comfortable posting and trying to advise folk on the general. Maybe it's because my quit was an ecig quit? Who knows..but I know I'm going to just stick to where I feel comfortable. I understand that folk come here to stop smoking and there are plenty of articulate members here who are fabulous at that side. The other side of it, socially, is more my thing and the social boards are great distraction for folk too. I only wrote this as I would hate folk to think I only come here to be social and am not really helping, that's not the case as I can get all the social I want on my Facebook page. So...I know I don't have to explain myself as I'm only answerable to myself but just thought it good manners to mention why I've gone from rent a gob on the main to a mute. Will obviously still be keeping up to speed on the main board...goes without saying

How beautiful! You all look fabulous, you really do xx

You know we still haven't watched the finale! Had a lot going on with family phone calls and all that jazz and haven't really concentrated on TV...which is sooo not like me..lol Lee is home tomorrow evening so will plan to watch it, excited and it's something to look forward to.

Sorry forgot to say!... Head full of Jolly Robins at times! That from research I found that the Bare Minerals liquid foundation contains Jojoba oil so for folk on more of a budget it can mean we can turn our drug store foundation into more of a high end finish? I purchased a Bourjios Healthy Mix foundation today as it promises long stay, like my Mac Pro Wear so am going to add a drop of jojoba tomorrow and see if what I think. It's half the price of my Mac (have loads left still mind you) so am interested to see the results. If you try it too let me know your thoughts...I love a good cosmetic chit chat ;)

I then tried this and just goes to show how little, if any, powder my face needed after this tip. Seemingly both tips came from Scott, the man behind the J Lo look and Body Bling. Wayne, who has done the videos, picked then up from Scott's seminar and shared with us, bless him.

Tried this very tip today using a drop of jojoba oil...thumbs up from me as it glided on beautiful. Will post the mopping up the excess in the next post

Missed so many fabulous milestones so rather than trying to catch up, and knowing my luck miss somebody! Will say here to all bloody brilliant and congratulations to each of you xx

Congratulations xx

Sorry for the delay! As soon as I've cooked tonight's dinner will set to and write them for you.

This is great! Now I'm back in action I will be posting and looking forward to other people's recipes and tips..brilliant!

How did you get on? I found mine much better by not first putting a coat of normal mascara on, although, my mascara is waterproof so a hard finish so I think that was the problem. Looking forward to your review xx

Sorry guys... I was first really quite poorly, then, had lots more research to do on Del's medical notes as we had a big meeting at the hospital on Tuesday. Went well in the sense they have admitted errors and the main one being Del should have indeed been put in intensive care when we kicked off at the hospital. Not good as it doesn't bring Del back but good as it was raised as a serious incident and new guidelines are now in place...so fingers crossed it doesn't happen to some other poor soul. Once that was done I cheered myself up doing my cosmetic research so am sorry I haven't been back sooner....got my head turned with cosmetics ;)

Don't doubt yourself Marti, it will all work out in the end as it usually does. You say she has hoodwinked some folk into believing your claims? Not surprised Marti as folk are fickle...doesn't mean it's true though so just try and mentally move on from that going over in your mind- you know the truth and that's the bottom line, sod em, not worth the thinking time. Keep your chin up Marti...this will all be over soon, it just will xx

I feel you Marti as the smell offends me now. I can't bear that stale smell on people, if I'm next to them in a queue... Just smells like stale poison crud to me. Actual real live smell, someone lighting up in front of me... No, not keen at all. Am dreading my dad's visit come Easter as he will reek of it, reek! edited to add: In fact that's how I knew I'd cracked it, and got myself a forever till I die quit as I had never, ever found it offensive and the smell would haunt me, because deep down I always wanted one really.