Keep calm and "cosy up" your life this winter...

Feeling pretty chilly, I decided to "cosy up" my life as much as I could and thought I'd share a few of the ideas I've tried -

please feel free to add your own cosy up ideas here.

 

1. PJ's on the radiator...

A really easy way to feel toasty warm - pop your PJ's on the radiator when you get in from work and after tea snuggle into them while you lounge on the sofa with...
 

 

 

2. Blankets, eiderdowns and scarves...

 

All of last year I "thrifted" tartan bits in preparation for the winter, Tartan scarves/shawls, blankets and a ruby red eiderdown were all squirrelled away into my loft last summer - ready for wintry evenings -

Now if I get a little chilly - I just snuggle under one of the blankets on my sofa -

D R E A M Y!

 

 

3. Play in the snow until your hands/paws are numb...

 

I love to wrap up really warm and go foraging in the woods with my little jack russel (Mr Harry Grimwood).

On our walks, we collect kindling and rose hips (well, I collect kindling and rose hips - Harrys far too busy snuffling!), and I make silly things out of the snow until I am really cold.

Then, the minute you step through the front door it just feels sooooooooo good to be home!

 

4. Light an open fire...

(5. & 6.) and make homemade bread and soup...

I use the kindling foraged from the wood to light an open fire

(and sprinkle on some pine needles I saved in a tin from the Christmas tree - fills the house with a lovely fresh pine smell).

Then maybe I'll get down to making some proper, wholesome. REAL, soup and home baked bread.

One of my favourite winter soup recipes is Carrot and Chestnut soup -
try it - you'll love it

 

 

Ingredients:

1 large onion chopped
2tblspn Olive oil
3 sage leaves (plus more to garnish)
200g (7oz) of chestnuts (vac packed) - chopped
500gms (1lb) carrots peeled and chopped

800ml (1pt 8oz) vegetable or chicken stock

3 Tblspns creme fraiche

 

Put all the ingredients (apart from the garnishing sage leaves and creme fraiche) into a pan and bring to the boil.  patially cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Pass the whole lot through a food processor until thick and smooth. Add cream to taste and serve with chopped sage leaves on top and freshly baked bread.

 After not having any success with baking from scratch in the oven (I think due to the fact that we always seem to live in drafty old houses!), I invested £10 in a bread maker at a car boot sale a few years ago - it's kind of cheating, but we've had some lovely loaves from it and once you get the hang of it you can make all your own flavoured breads.  

Just remembered that many years ago I made a tomato flowerpot bread which was heavenly - baked in a terracotta flower pot - must look out that recipe -

D E L I C I O U S!!!

 

7. Invest in a pure wool rug...

I was amazed at the difference a wool rug made to our lounge - not only does it look warmer, its soft and toasty underfoot rather than cold laminate flooring or wooden floorboards

 

8. Save electric and cosy up with candles...

 

The room always feels warmer with candles - sometimes I gather as many as I can find together and squeeze them all onto the mantle shelf!

 

9. Craft some winter warmers...

Visit sites like http://www.craftster.org/blog/crafty-diy-ways-to-keep-warm/

were you will find loads of tutorials on how to get crafty and keep warm at the same time - sewing, knitting and lots of other craft ideas to keep you occupied and warm for when it's just too cold to venture outside!

 

10. Check on older relatives and neighbours...

If you have elderly relatives and neighbours - pop in to see if they are warm enough. There are lots of government schemes to help older people or families on low incomes with heating bills etc.

Perhaps you can make a trip to the shops for them or help them to cook a meal?

 

Oh and don't forget the birds this time of year - put your scraps out for them (apple/pear cores, oats, cereal, etc) or any nuts left over from Christmas as a real treat.

 

Helping others always makes you feel cosy and warm inside.

 

KEEP TOASTY :-)

 

 

 

Mmmmmm Curry to die for!!

 

I had to share this really, easy, peasy, limey, squeezy, recipe with you

- which makes the most gorgeous curry.

 

 

You will need:

 

500gm Butternut Squash (also nice wth pumpkin)

400gm nice, big, mampy, raw tiger prawns

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 Tblsp Sunflower

1 garlic clove, crushed

50 pence pice size of ginger, grated

1 Red Chilli, seeded and chopped

1 Tsp ground corriander

2 Tsp tumeric

2 Tsp light brown sugar

400mls fish stock

400ml coconut milk

1 lime for zest & juice

 

Fry the onions in for about 5 minutes. Then add ginger, garlic, chilli and all the spices and cook for 1 minute whilst stirring.

Add the butternut squash and give it a good stir so that all the pieces are covered in the spice mixture.

Slowly pour in and stir the coconut milk and fish stock. Add the sugar and grate the zest of the lime into the pan.

Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the prawns and cook for five minutes.

Stir in the juice of the lime to taste.

Garnish with some chopped fresh coriander. I used the coriander that I had grown in the garden this year :-)

Just looking at that last photo makes me think I should get into the shed while the weather is still fine and sort out all the kindling into bundles ready for the woddburner in winter.

Collected most of it whilst out walking Harry in the woods. Promised myself I would collect a shedful this year and I'm nearly there!

Winter...Brrrr.... cold just thinking about it.