My 1st Sewing School Class

This week I took my first class at Love Stitch in Heswall. After ten years teaching the girls at school, it was a new experience for me teaching adults. Six lovely ladies came along and here's a little natter about our morning.

The workshop space at Love Stitch is ideal for for small groups. It is a lovely bright room, well equipped and cosy. We were even treated to proper coffee and biscuits on arrival!

The three-hour class was to make this pretty cube cosmetic purse, which is always a favourite with my customers from my Etsy shop.

Love Stitch provided this range of gorgeous cotton fabrics by Tilda for the ladies to mix and match for their purses. They all selected different combinations!

They soon got down to the business of cutting out the pieces needed.

Then on to making the patchwork outer layer.

Next quilting the layers together.

It was great to see everybody beavering away! It was so quiet with everyone concentrating, not a bit like school!!

The binding and the zip were a little more tricky, but this stage was soon mastered by all.

I think you'll agree their finished purses are amazing. Each one looks slightly different in the different fabric combinations. There could be some very lucky recipients on Christmas morning!

Some of the ladies asked for written instructions incase they forget how to make them again. I have promised I will put together a tutorial just as soon I can find a spare minute. Look out for it in the Tutorials tab on the left hand side.

I have two more classes booked in the run up to Christmas. Follow this link if you are interested in booking a place.

Embroidered Home Picture - 21st November - 9.30 to 1.30

Applique Christmas Stocking - 9th December - 1.00 to 5.00

Love to see you there. Happy sewing!

Judith xxx

Sausages in Cider

Firstly I must apologise, I'm no chef and I'm not very good at making a plate of food look 'pretty'. I'm usually hungry and just want to eat it when a meal is ready! This one is definitely one of those but it's hearty and warming and you can serve it with whatever you prefer.

I love sausages but always try to use good quality ones, either Cumberland or simple pork. I always look around the shelves in the supermarket for the cheapest cider as it's going to be cooked. Your can cut up your sausages or leave them whole. I tend to leave them whole, otherwise somebody always moans that they've got less sausage than everyone else!

You can download my recipe for Sausages in Cider here

I hope you enjoy this warming recipe as autumn sets in!

Judith xxx

Enchiladas

I first made these enchiladas with the girls at school. They are really easy to make and can be made with either a chilli con carne or a spicy chicken and pepper filling. We used to give the girls the choice and they loved making them, although the spicy aroma followed them wherever they went around the school for the rest of the day!

The rolled up tortillas are usually covered with sour cream and grated cheese but I make them healthier by using half-fat creme fraiche instead.

You can download my recipe for Chicken Enchiladas here

You can download my recipe for Beef Enchiladas here

I hope you enjoy these enchiladas. Experiment with your favourite fillings and let me know what you like by leaving a comment below.

Judith xxx

Chicken and Bacon Crunchy Top Pie

This pie is very quick to assemble as it has a cheat sauce using tinned soup. It is very tasty but you shouldn't add any extra salt as the soup is already quite salty. The topping is a great way to use up dry bread. You could also use up left over cooked chicken from your roast dinner, just add it cold to the soup before it goes into the oven. Add whatever vegetables you like to the sauce.

You can download my recipe for Chicken and Bacon Crunchy Top  Pie here

I hope you enjoy this recipe

Judith xxx

Cheesy Crust Fish Pie

Firstly I must apologise that it's taken so long for me to add more recipes to my Easy Peasy Everyday Recipe File. Lots of people have asked recently for more, so here goes!

These next few recipes are already in the file so if you have a paper copy of the file, then you already have them. I will give you a 'shout' when I upload some totally new ones. I promise I will soon!

I often cook a luxury version of this pie over Christmas when I have the family staying. It tastes quite special with a mixture of fish and shellfish and wine. Also I can prepare it in the morning, so cooking needn't take me away from time spent with the grandchildren.

Of course if you prefer, you can top the filling with cooked mashed potatoes (and a little grated cheese) before cooking in the same way.

You can download my recipe for Cheesy Crust Fish Pie here

I need to confess that the picture at the top of the post not my own but a similar looking picture taken from the Internet, curtesy of Jo Pratt. This photo is just temporary, I will replace it with my own next time I make the pie.

I hope you feel encouraged to have a go and make this pie just how you like it. Let me know how you get on by leaving me a comment.

Judith xxx

Lasagne

We all like lasagne in our house. I particularly love it if you've left it in the oven just a little too long or you've reheated it and it goes nice and crispy round the edges. That's when you'll find me after the meal, in the kitchen with a spoon scraping off and eating the crispy bits from the sides of the empty dish!

Lasagne is a great meal to make when you've got lots of people round. Its cheap to make and you can stretch the filling out a long way with vegetable and pulses. Of course lasagne doesn't have to be made with a mince bolognese base, you can make your filling with anything you like: vegetables, salmon, chicken?

You can cut down the time it takes to prepare the lasagne, by using bolognese sauce you have made previously and frozen.

You can download my easy-peasy recipe for Lasagne here

Happy cooking!

Judith xxx

Southerner's Scouse

When I first moved from the south of England to the north west fifteen years ago, I had no idea what Scouse was. When I asked people I met, they all had different ideas of what should be in it. I guess that it's the same for lots of favourite regional dishes, everyone has their own variation.

To me Scouse is the same as the beef stew I remember from my childhood only my mother could not afford to buy beer to cook with (that's my adaptation!). I always look around the supermarket shelves for the cheapest bottle of ale I can find.

I love to add suet dumplings to my stew, making it really hearty and filling. I use Atora Vegetable Suet and just follow the recipe on the side of the packet. They're very easy to make; just mix suet, flour, mixed herbs and a little water, roll into balls and drop on top of the meat for the last 30 minutes of cooking. When they cook they swell up and taste yummy!

you can download my recipe for Southerner's Scouse here

Hope you enjoy this recipe. Let me know your variations for this regional dish. Leave a comment below.

Judith xxx

Christmas Sewing School

I'm really excited to announce my new venture. I've been talking to the lovely ladies at Love Stitch in Heswall and they've asked me to teach some classes as part of their Sewing School programme.

Before I tell you all about them, I will fill you in on whats been happening in my world over the last few months.

Just over a year ago after feeling dissatisfied with teaching for some time, I was finally pushed to jump when I was made redundant. Over the next year whilst covering a maternity absence, I came to the conclusion that what I really wanted to do, was something more worthwhile and rewarding; teaching has become a rather thankless job (those of you who are teachers may identify with this). I had been a volunteer with Safe Families for Children for a while and in July a part-time paid position on the team came my way. It was a wonderful answer to prayer when I got the job and I'm loving every minute. I no longer wake up on a Monday morning and count the number of days and weeks till the next break. I work with some fantastic people and lots of truly amazing volunteers.

For those of you who have not heard of us, Safe Families for Children is a Christian organisation that has a growing base of volunteers from local churches supporting local families, who are going through difficult times.

Working part-time is perfect for me, it means that I can return to some 'proper teaching'. By that I mean teaching others who want to learn practical skills to make things. Love Stitch is a lovely little haberdashery shop in Heswall on the Wirral where I live. It is a small independent business, which is rare on our high streets these days. It is run by a group of lovely enthusiastic ladies who make time to take care of their customers. The sewing school offers a range of classes to suit different interests and abilities. They also have a coffee shop serving delicious homemade cakes. There is a coffee and crochet group that meets there every Friday.

At the moment I have three classes booked in the run up to Christmas (there are others available too with different tutors).

The first class is on 12th November when we will be making this cube shaped cosmetic purse in Tilda fabric. The class will include the skills of patchwork, quilting and inserting zips. Follow this link to Love Stitch for more information.

The second class is on 21st November when we will be making this pretty wall hanging. In this class I will be introducing free-motion machine embroidery. For more information and to book a place follow this link to Love Stitch.

The third class is on 9th December when we will be making this large Christmas stocking incorporating free-motion embroidery. If you want to know more, follow this link to Love Stitch.

It would be lovely to see you at any of these events.  As I look forward to the future, I am full of ideas for other classes I could run as I try to inspire others to explore their creative side!

Until next time

Judith xxx

Lemony Prawn Tagliatelle

This simple little dish is really tasty, the lemon adds a real zing to the prawns! It doesn't need an unhealthy creamy sauce, it's good to go as it is. It's so quick to make (about 10 minutes) and you'll often find these jumbo prawns on special offer at the supermarket.

I found this recipe in a great little book of simple suppers, but I have reduced the lavish quantities of oil and butter used for frying. I've also added the corn and sugar-snap peas for an extra crunch.

You can download my recipe for Lemony Prawn Tagliatelle here

Just click on the link above and print out to add to your Easy-Peasy Recipe File.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!

Judith xxx

Spaghetti Bolognese

Everyone has their own variation of this Italian classic. There's no right way and only one wrong way to make it...using a jar of Dolmio! If you're cooking for a family or have a freezer, it's so much cheaper to make a large batch from scratch and much better for you than those gluppy brought sauces. You can stretch your batch of sauce by adding extra veg such as carrots, courgettes and peppers and the addition of cheap brown or green lentils gives a nutty taste and adds bulk. It's up to you to make it your own.

Last night I served mine with spiralized vegetables instead of pasta as I wanted to try out my new spiralizer that was a gift for my birthday last week. Ooh I've just remembered seeing this photo, I've recently started adding a little diced chorizo to my Bolognese, it gives a real zing to the flavour! And of course don't forget to add lashings of parmesan cheese.

You can download my easy-peasy Spaghetti Bolognese here.

Please. please leave a comment if you use my recipe.

Make it you own

Judith xxx

Armenian Lamb

Today's addition is Armenian Lamb. I love this dish as it is super easy-peasy to make, but tastes like you've slaved over a hot stove! The spices make it rich, aromatic and quite delicious, whilst it's not hot. I will often make this if I have friends over for dinner as its a bit different. It is based on a recipe that someone gave me years ago but I've tweaked it to make it healthier. You can also freeze any leftovers.

You can download my recipe for Armenian Lamb here.

Just click on the link and print and you can add it to you Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipe File. Look at the tab in the left hand side for other easy-peasy recipes plus you can add the front cover for your folder.

Don't forget to let me know how you got on by leaving a comment.

Happy eating

Judith xxx

Spanish Chicken

I used to make this dish with my Year 8 classes at school. It's very easy and helped to teach them the basic principles of casseroles.

Chorizo sausage (pronounced chor-eeth-o) has become a store cupboard essential in our house, we put it in everything! This dish is definitely improved with a glug of red wine, particularly if you have guests for dinner.

You can download my recipe for Spanish Chicken here

Just click on the link above for the PDF file and print it out. If you like it please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Buen apetito!

Judith xxx

Spaghetti Carbonara

I saw Rick Stein make this on the TV. He said that authentic carbonara shouldn't have cream in it, it's just very simple ingredients with eggs and parmesan. This makes it incredibly quick and easy to make. My version doesn't use the bucket-loads of oil that TV chefs always use!

You can download my recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara here

Just click on the link above for the PDF file and print it out. If you like it please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Thanks Rick Stein and Rachel for your yummy photo!

Judith xxx

Cottage Pie

Apparently it's cottage pie if it has beef in it and shepherds pie if it is made from lamb! Thanks again to my friend Rachel for this picture.

This was one of our staple mid-week meals when I was growing up and to this day I always have to put baked beans in it as this is how my mum made it and have it with sprouts. I'm feeling very nostalgic just writing this!

There are all sorts of variations you can try such as:

• add finely diced carrots and swede to the meat
• mash carrots or swede into the potato topping
• mix a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard with the potatoes for a mustard mash
• sprinkle grated cheese over the top of the mash
• add kidney, pinto or borlotti beans to the meat mixture
• when using lamb add chopped bacon and rosemary
• to make a cobbler - cover the meat with savoury or cheese scones (instead of mash). Make homemade scones, layer over the meat and cook for 25 minutes at 190 degrees / mark 5

You can download my recipe for Cottage Pie here

Just click on the link above for the PDF file and print it out. If you like it please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Judith xxx

Bacon and Pea Risotto

My bacon and pea risotto is always a hit with my husband, who says he doesn't usually like risotto. It's so easy to make, it's cheap and healthy too. This is the picture posted by my friend the first time she made it. It looks like she's added some extra ingredients and made it her own. That's what's so great about these dishes, you can get creative and change them to include the foods you like. I often add mushrooms and diced courgettes and it's extra nice if you use fresh parsley.

You can download the recipe for my Bacon and Pea Risotto here.

Just click on the link above for the PDF file and print it out. If you like it please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Happy eating!

Judith xxx

Cowboy Bean Bake

This one's a favourite with my daughter. I try to get her to cook once a week and this is one she likes to make. This picture was taken by my friend and was enjoyed by her family. I like it because it's a one pot meal and is very fulling and full of fibre too. You can use different types of beans: kidney, borlotti, cannellini, haricot, pinto, butter or a tin of mixed beans. This recipe is great if you're on a tight budget.

Serve Cowboy Bean Bake with crusty bread or some green veg.

Download my recipe for Cowboy Bean Bake here

Please feel free to download any or all of my recipes and build them into your own Easy-Peasy Recipe File. They are all available in PDF format. just click on the link above and print them out. I simply ask that you leave a comment below when you have tried a recipe to say what you think, I would love your feedback!

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating my Cowboy Bean Bake.

Judith xxx

Chilli Con Carne

As I mentioned in my introduction to my Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipe File, I was inspired to start this venture by a friend of mine. This is the photo she posted on her Facebook page with the comment

"Many of you will know that I can't cook but have been wanting to learn some simple meals to make for my little family. My amazing friend Judith has written me a recipe book and I'm hoping today's meal will be the first of many. We sat at our dining table for the first time! Feeling chuffed"

With her permission, I will be adding some of her pictures of the meals she has tried as we travel on our Easy-Peasy recipe journey!

Download my recipe for Chilli Con Carne here

Please feel free to download any or all of my recipes and build them into your own Easy-Peasy Recipe File. They are all available in PDF format. just click on the link above and print them out. I simply ask that you leave a comment below when you have tried a recipe to say what you think, I would love your feedback!

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating my Chilli Con Carne.

Judith xxx

New ventures - Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipes

I've never seen myself as a particularly adventurous cook, but I enjoy cooking and find simple baking relaxing. I love to eat good simple food and consider it important to provide proper nutritious meals for my family. I fell into teaching Food Technology as a second subject alongside Textiles and have taught 11 to 14 year olds to cook for the last ten years.

The idea for the Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipe File came about after chatting to a friend at a party recently. She was laughing about the fact that she had a lovely new kitchen and cupboards full of kitchen equipment but didn't know how to cook and resorted to living on ready meals. As others joined the conversation and echoed these views, I was shocked. I was brought up cooking with my mum and sister from a very young age, with a kitchen chair pulled up close to the worktop, indeed I do the same with my four year old grandson now! I took this experience for granted and thought every one could cook at least a few basic meals. I decided that night, using my experience as a food teacher, I would create a book of easy to follow recipes for the ordinary everyday meals that I feed my family on.

All my Easy-Peasy Recipes are what they say they are! I'm not claiming to be original and innovative, I just use a few basic ingredients and try to explain how to make each dish clearly and simply. I like to eat healthily most of the time so I can have a few indulgences as treats. Therefore in my recipes,  I don't add any fat when I fry, I fry the meat gently first to release the fat then use this to fry the onions etc. I also don't add any additional salt but use lots of black pepper. There is already enough natural salt in the foods we eat and your taste buds soon adjust to a less salty flavour This is far better for you. you can add seasoning as you prefer.

Each recipe card has Extra Tips where, for example, advice is given on how to batch cook and freeze some recipes. Each recipe card has suggestions for Alternative Ingredients to suit different tastes or to ring the changes.

I have started the file with a Cooking Tips page where I give really basic instructions on how to chop vegetables, explanations of cooking terms and suggestions for a basic herb stash for beginners.

Please feel free to download any or all of my recipes and build them into your own Easy-Peasy Recipe File. They are all available in PDF format. just click on the link below and print them out. I simply ask that you leave a comment when you have tried a recipe to say what you think, I would love your feedback!

Cover page for Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipe File available here

Cooking Tips page available here

Don't forget to leave me a comment to tell me how you got on. Watch this space for regular posts of Easy-Peasy Recipes. I'll be posting 'real' pictures of the dishes too. Happy cooking!

Judith xxx

From old t shirts to colourful bath mat

For a while I've been collecting together a load of old t shirts, old and unwanted, but too pretty to throw away. I had in mind, to make a colourful rug to brighten up my plain white bathroom and to compliment my assortment of brightly coloured towels. I have to say, I'm quite pleased with the result.

First I set about making some t shirt yarn. I cut off the hem section of each t shirt and across the chest under the arm holes. This left me with a wide tube of t shirt. I then made cuts from left to right across the body stopping a few cm from the right side seam. The next bit is the tricky bit. You have to open out the t shirt and carefully cut from one line of cuts diagonally up to the next, so that you end up with a continuous strip of fabric.

You then give the strips a bit of a tug so they roll up. this does depend on the knit of the t shirt, not all mine rolled up but it didn't matter when it came to plaiting.

I was soon rewarded with 14 colourful balls of t shirt yarn. Most of these t shirts belonged to my husband. My man isn't afraid of colour!

Next came the fun bit, the plaiting. I spent a few relaxing evenings plaiting these little beauties on my knee, joining in new colour stands with a couple of stitches as I went.

I soon had a massive squidgy ball of colourful plaited yarn.

At last it was starting to take shape. I coiled the plait around and machine stitched with a large zigzag. I tried using a ball point needle but found that an ordinary one worked best, only skipping stitches occasionally when going over really thick bits, like the seams. 

You have to be careful to stitch the coiled plait in the right direction so that as it grows, it extends out to the left of the needle, otherwise it won't fit in the machine. Oh by the way I ended up using about 12 of my t shirt yarn balls!

And here it is, a beautiful, bright, cheerful addition to my boring white bathroom. It's soft under foot and the best thing is, I can just throw it in the washing machine when it gets dirty.

A nice and easy little up-cycling project!