Pumpkin & Onion Flan.

While staying with my friend in Whangarei she made us a lovely pumpkin and onion flan for dinner.  I asked if I could have the recipe and have already made it a couple times since.  Once for my parents and earlier this week for our dinner.  It was quite a success and I will be making it again.

4 sheets of filo pastry (I have also used puff pastry which works well)
2 tbsp oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 onions sliced
1  cup grated pumpkin (as pumpkins seem to be hard to source here in the UK except those bright orange virtually inedible pumpkins available in October I have used butternut successfully)
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 tbsp sesame seeds.

1.  Lay one sheet of filo pastry on a clean board and brush with a little oil.  Cover with a second sheet and continue layering in this manner. (If using puff pastry, only one sheet needed)

2. Line 24 cm flan dish with the pastry, trimming 2 cm above the top of the flan dish.

3.  Beat the eggs, milk, sour cream and nutmeg together.

4.  Place onion, pumpkin and cheese in the flan dish and cover with the egg mixture.  Sprinkle on sesame seeds.

5.  Bake at 190 C for 40 - 50 minutes or until golden brown and firm to touch.

Christmas Day

A very lovely Christmas Day was had with family yesterday - just missing our youngest son who didn't want to come and my family in New Zealand who I miss dreadfully.

Christmas Morning

Little folk and presents gathered around the tree. 

Christmas Table - getting prepared

Merry Christmas!

Desserts:

Pavlova

Trifle

Christmas Pudding, Fresh Fruit Salad, Trifle, Pavlova

Loaf of bread for tea - a Christmas tradition of mine is to make a loaf of fresh bread - which always gets demolished!

Light Tea

Percy - pulled the stuffing out of this toy in the first five minutes!

With his antler

My Aunty Val with her new shower cap

Val & my MIL

Uncle Bob, Val & Mum (inlaw)

Hubby asleep - after all eating is such hard work!

Snooze....

Steven in his requested Christmas jumper that I made.

Kidney Detox

I have been suffering from lower back pain and aching as well as shoulder pain and pins and needles for some time now.  As a sufferer of RSD/CRPS, pain isn't a stranger to me, but this is something new.  

I have been to see someone today and he is sure my kidneys aren't functioning like they should and has recommended I embark on a lemon detox juice diet for a few days to kick start them into working properly again, as well as to up my daily dose of Magnesium for a month.  So I will see how it goes.  

I have had my first 250 mls so far and it tasted good.  

The ingredients are lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.   It said to juice the lemons - well I juiced the whole lemon in my juicer - yes the whole lemon.  

I am hopeful that this will help.   Will report back in a few days to measure the success.  

Friday Work & Play

Fuelled by my 'super' juice I was eager to start work this morning dismantling the picnic table and swing chair.

Sadly both were full of rot and are actually dangerous, so they had to go. Some will be salvaged and put to some use, although not quite sure what that use will be yet, the other will go to the tip with a load of other rubbish I have been clearing.

The area looks so much more spacious now and the garden is looking bigger each day.  Amazing what some long overdue clearing can do.

Next up I decided to make my own 'Insect Hotel'  I had seen some in the shops and knew just what to use to make one.

This old bird feeder had seen better days, so I gathered up a load of old bamboo that is no longer suitable for stakes and cut them all into short lengths.

One Insect Hotel with vacancies!

The side bits I stuffed with old leaves and twigs.  The wire wouldn't come out easily so I left it there.

Our ladybird was still around today.

She looks like she has had an injury to her wing/back.

Pretty pansies in the front garden.

They are looking really pretty.

The pond and rockery this morning - yes it is still there I didn't dream making it!

Mr Blackbird busy in the garden.

A rather dishevelled looking Blue Tit

The Dunnock is also busy looking for grubs.

I'm hoping they have a nest nearby.

Lovely markings on the wing and boddy.

A lovely Great Tit also came to inspect goings on.

While dismantling the picnic table the Robin kept close company and was always on the look out for any grubs that may emerge, and they did!  Quite a few tasty morsels were collected and flown off to a nest I presume before he was back for more.

Are you looking at ME?

After a morning of hard work what is needed?  Well I had planned on making a carrot cake but discovered I only had one egg and I needed two, so I made some sultana scones instead.

I love that these can be made so quickly and easily.  I freeze them and then can get one out of the freezer and heat up as and when wanted.

Perfect with some homemade plum jam and clotted cream. 

Will have to make the carrot cake tomorrow!