Smudge Saturday: Sleeping In

Smudge and I are taking a well-deserved rest this weekend.  Well, I deserve a rest, Smudge does nothing but rest!! Our internet has been down this week so I'm catching up on all my fave blogs and a few tv shows I missed.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

X
Molly

Giveaway time!

Hey guys! Laura from Caseta de Paper and I are giving away three months of ad space each!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

X

Molly

23 Before 24

I've finally got around to writing my 23 goals/things to do before I turn 24.  I'm about three months late, so I only have nine months left...  better get crackin!

1. Learn to make macarons

2. Do some volunteer work

3. Get my full driver's license

4. Be comfortable driving a manual, and drive through a city

5. Develop a regular exercise routine

6. Have one technology-free day a month

7. Spend more quality time with the husband

8. Read four books

9. Reach more people with my blog

10. Achieve a better balance between uni, blogging and down time

11. Become a better housekeeper

12. Develop a more structured routine for running the house 'stuff

13. Do things straight away

14. Start running.  I don't plan on running a marathon or anything, but I would love to be able to get out and go for a short run

15. Do a few cool DIYs for the house

16. Smile more

17. Be a little kinder to strangers

18. Visit a place I've never been

19. Get a new hairstyle

20. Keep a fitness diary

21. Stay in touch with out-of-town friends more regularly

22. Stop biting the skin around my nails

23. Go swimming in the sea

Do you have a goal list? Leave me a link!

X

Molly

Stuff I Luff #7

This cauliflower soup looks yum!  /  Dreaming of hair like this.

Winter is here and I need a new coat like this:

   How cute is this?           Love this quote:             

Love the colours in this outfit by Delightfully Tacky

Would love to live in this house:

X

Molly

Smudge Saturday: Study date

Me and my Smudgie-pie have a study date planned today.  Study is always so much better when he's in my lap!!  The hubby and I are planning to have a much-needed day off tomorrow.  We're going to go shopping for some new winter wears and for a few things we need for the house.  Should be fun!

What do you have planned for the weekend?

X

Molly

Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Sauce

• 1 3/4 cups packed pitted dates 
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 
  
• Sauce:

• 1 3/4 sticks (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make pudding:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease muffin tins.

Coarsely chop dates and in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan simmer dates in water, uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.) Let mixture stand 20 minutes.

While mixture is standing, into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Add date mixture and with a wooden spoon stir batter until just combined well.

Pour batter into muffin tins and set tin in a larger baking pan. Add enough hot water to larger pan to reach halfway up sides of muffin tin and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove smaller pan from water bath and cool muffins to warm on a rack.

Make sauce while pudding is cooling:
In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and add brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and stir in cream and vanilla. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. 

Cool sauce to warm.

Remove muffins from the tin. Serve with ice cream and warm sauce.

I love to freeze both the muffins and the sauce.  These are my secret treats that I pull out on a bad day or when I just really need some dessert.  I just take out a muffin, put about a tablespoon of sauce over it and microwave for 30 seconds.  Yum!!

X

Molly

Take my hand..

I stumbled across the coolest photography project today - hundreds of photos of a guy being led around the world by his girlfriend.  See the rest of the pictures here.

What do you think?

X

Molly