{mally powell}

Planning a no fuss feast

I am currently wrestling with a bit of a quandry. Next weekend we have a house full of guests and a family celebration on Sunday for which I want to cook something suitably celebratory - it's Mothers Day here in the UK and Ginger has a Big Birthday following (very) close behind.

But... we have a house full of family all weekend, so I don't want to be doing anything that demands too much time or attention. The more I can do up front or throw together quickly at the last minute, the better.

So: what to cook? Easy, low faff, high impact. And preparable well (as in DAYS) in advance.

I'm thinking roasted marinated meat - chicken? lamb? both? - with lots of dressed green leaves and a huge platter of jewelled couscous so people can dip in and share.

Some good bread. Some unctuous dips...

For pudding maybe big blousy meringues with whipped cream or (as we all seem to be trying to loose a few pounds ahead of various family weddings) more likely greek yogurt with vanilla paste stirred through and a big bowl of decadent out-of-season berries.

And cake. Obviously. Which is another question in itself. I'm itching to try a Pinata cake, but low faff? Easy and effective they may be, but low faff they aint!
The Blueberry and almond cake (pictured) I made last year was pretty simple and popular (not to mention yummy). A classic sponge is always pleasing, but best made on the day... or apple cake. Which I've been itching to make all winter and which has the enormous benefit of actually improving for a few days 'sitting'. So maybe apple cake, stacked, with lightly spiced cinnamon-vanilla butter icing and some sparkly golden cake dust (oh yes, I know all the technical terms) to make it look a bit more special...

101 things update

 
My 101 things mission is underway. I am working towards the ‘hit my ideal weight’ target, and I have also started work on my ‘crochet a granny blanket’ goal. Oh yes. Despite the grotty image (that was the best 'daylight' that November morning had to offer, I will try to get a better shot) I am inordinately proud of myself.

Admittedly progress is slow, but it is progress nonetheless: some of the 'squares' are even starting to look square(-ish)! At the rate I’m going it might even be ready by the spring. Or maybe summer. Ideal for picnics in the park, right?

I’m also thinking that I can count ‘teaching myself to crochet’ as one of my ‘do something new’s. I might chalk that up for October, when I started, as I think the Monster Making Crafternoon (oh yes) I attended at the weekend might pip it this month.

Inspiring stuff

via joannarutter.bigcartel.com

I've just discovered the gorgeous work of Joanna Rutter (via Bugs and Fishes). Simple loveliness: there are at least half a dozen things that I would LOVE to find in my Christmas stocking (I know I know, I only - well, mainly - say Christmas as I'm a summer baby so my birthday is behind me for another year).

Yet more of a reminder that I need to get on with making - or at least attempting - some simple loveliness of my own.

unexpected pleasures

Last year I made my very first quilt.

Not being an experienced or naturally gifted seamstress (to say the least) this was very much a labour of love. I started in the summer - in an unusual display of forward planning - and finished in good time for it to be Mum's Christmas gift.

She cut the squares for the patchwork years ago and I'd inherited them along with a good chunk of her fabric stash when she moved a year or so back. The idea was to give her the quilt she didn't have time to give herself, supplemented with some of Amy Butlers lovely Midwest Modern prints.

At a family party at her place on Sunday I saw the quilt 'in action' for the first time on my nephews bed-for-the-weekend (can you spot his bedtime reading of choice?). And I have to tell you, it looked pretty cool.

It started off neatly laid but was soon called into action as a fort/tent/strangely-squishy-space-ship...

I can't tell you how happy-making it was to see something I had created being used and enjoyed like that. And the look of amazement on my brothers face when I confirmed that the rumours were true and I had indeed made it myself was easily worth all those hours of hand-tying!

Now I just have to make one for myself, though I think I'll machine-quilt it this time...