Behind the Seams

Party Perfect

Thursday 28th April 2011

With the Royal wedding just around the corner and street parties wetting our appetites for a good knees up. We decided to ask Katie Burnett from Les Enfants to give us some hints and tips on planning a party perfect for your own little Prince & Princesses…

We are here to help you plan the perfect party and that starts with deciding what is right for your child. It is important to take into consideration their favourite activities, themes, characters and their nature. Once you have decided upon an activity or entertainer, find a suitable venue and get the date booked as early as possible.

Venues should be easily accessible with good facilities such as parking, wash rooms and a small kitchen if food preparation is required. Also think about the weather, if holding an outdoor party, the addition of a marquee is always a safe option.

The time of the party is also important with the two hours between 2pm to 4pm being the most popular. However, 11am to 1pm is a good alternative as it leaves the rest of the day free, or even consider an after school party.

Good entertainment is essential so take recommendations from friends and follow up references or even see your entertainer in action and always make sure they are CRB checked.

With the basic details decided upon, the fun can begin and you can start creating your perfect party. We find that research is the key to a good party and there are plenty of inspirational party planning blogs and websites available to glean ideas. The US and Australian party markets are full of fantastic themes, designs and products and so why not use these images to create a mood board as inspiration for your party.

Begin with a colour scheme and your theme, for example we took a beautiful Dolly and Me design invitation as our starting point for this special third birthday party.

It is really fun to create something unique, we used guest stylists Fraser and Parsley to create this traditional party with beautiful details but why not do this yourself and add your own style to bring together a unique party for your child.

Start with the design of the invitations, etsy is a great place to find printables which you won’t see in the shops. You can then carry this theme onto other items such as napkin wraps, water bottle labels, party hats, all matching in with the dolly design. You can get great white tables and chairs from Ikea (a party planner’s favourite shop) which you can reuse or hire them in, and there is some very stylish wipeable oil cloth available now which can be used in the garden afterwards. Pretty melamine plates and cups are also a great alternative to paper and reusable for later parties.

Decking out your party space with bunting, balloons and ribbons all in the same colour scheme creates a fun environment and is not expensive. Also why not theme a couple of smaller areas for example we also set out a couple of areas where the dolls were having their own little tea party. You can even design costumes for your entertainers to match the theme and make sure you have a defined party entertainment space, this could be done with more oil cloth on the floor of in case the grass is damp.

If you are feeling very creative why not put together your own dessert table, the highlight of any party, a trend that has come over from the US. Visit the Amy Atlas blog for some amazing ideas. Your table can include a beautiful cake, pop corn, mini cupcakes, cake pops, biscuits, sweety treats and don’t forget some little take home bags to put the goodies in. Pom Poms and giant balloons are then a great way to frame the table and add a real wow factor.

There is often so much wasted food at children’s parties, so why not serve them pasta and crudités in little bowls, followed by cupcakes for dessert, and it is always nice to treat the adults to some nibbles.

Gone are the days of putting plastic items in party bags, why not give everyone a book or fill a white gift bag with lovely gifts, tie with a bow and add a personalised tag in your theme.

By doing it yourself and being creative you can keep the cost down and for a party to be perfect does not mean it has to have a big budget. Often the best party memories are those of children just having fun but if you are creative you will have lots of fun designing for your little ones and hold a party that is unique!

Katie Burnett is the Event Director at Les Enfants. For more information visit the Les Enfants website: www.lesenfants.co.uk

Party styling by Fraser & Parsley (www.fraserandparsley.com) and photography by Josie Parsley of Fraser & Parsley. Bespoke cake by Karen at YummyCard (www.yummycard.co.uk)

13 Comments

Warm Vietnamese Beef Salad from Ken Hom

Tuesday 26th April 2011

Thrill your summer taste buds with this delicious recipe from Ken Hom. Perfect for those lazy days in the sun or long evenings in the garden…

This is one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes. It has a clean, light flavour, with the stir-fried beef paired with a freshly dressed green salad that is typical of dishes served in tropical Vietnam. Although it is often served as a starter, I find it equally delicious as a main course in hot weather; simply double the quantities or add more salad.

Warm Vietnamese Beef Salad

Serves 4–6

450g (1lb) lean, tender beef fillet

1 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp oil, preferably ground nut oil

5 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic

225g (8oz) soft lettuce leaves

For the dressing

3 tbsp white rice vinegar

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

2 tsp sesame oil

3 tbsp oil, preferably ground nut oil

6 tbsp finely sliced shallots

salt and pepper

Step one

First make the dressing. In a large salad bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic and some salt and pepper. Gradually beat in the sesame and ground nut oils, then stir in the shallots and set aside until needed.

Step two

Cut the beef into slices 5cm (2in) long and 5mm (¼in) thick, slicing against the grain of the meat. Put the beef into a bowl together with the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and some black pepper. Mix well and then leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.

Step three

Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat until it is very hot. Add the oil and, when it is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for 20 seconds, until golden brown.Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Step four

Reheat the oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the beef to the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until it is barely cooked. Remove it and leave to drain in a colander or sieve.

Step five

Add the greens to the dressing in the salad bowl and toss thoroughly. Arrange on a serving platter, garnish with the browned garlic and top with the warm beef. Serve at once.

This recipe is from My Kitchen Table: 100 Quick Stir-fry Recipes by Ken Hom. For more recipes from the My Kitchen Table series, as well as technique videos, cookery blogging and more, visit the My Kitchen Table website.

How to create an indulgent Easter treat

Friday 22nd April 2011

Community member Undra wows us once more with her superb cake creation – this time in honour of Easter…

First of all, I’m very flattered to be asked to do an Easter cake blog. Cake decorating is my new addiction (as is the Boden Community). At first I thought of doing a simple round cake with some chicks and spring flowers. However the original plan has changed last night when I spotted this tree trunk cake on the Cake Central cake makers forum site. I thought ’I've got to make it’. So here it comes…

The cake is an 8″ inch simple lemon drizzle cake. Lemon drizzle cake is based on a basic madeira cake. The recipe I used is as follows:

For the cake

9oz butter

9oz sugar

12oz self raising flour

4 medium eggs

3tsp baking powder

3 tbsp milk

For the lemon syrup

5 medium lemons

icing sugar 3-4 tsp

To Decorate

500g green coloured sugarpaste

300g white sugarpaste

food colouring

bag of chocolate eggs

easter ribbons

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170degrees. Mix together the sugar and butter in a bowl, add eggs one by one, beating after each addition. Then fold in the flour, add baking powder and milk.

2. Bake for 1 hour 1/4 minute if you are using 7-8 ” inch round cake tin.

3. Then cut the lemons in halves, squeeze lemon juice out into plastic jug. Warm the juice in a microwave for 20 second then add the icing sugar (as much as you like to make the syrup).

4. Once the cake is semi cooled, prick with chopstick. I always use a chopstick, you can also use a long bbq skewer. Then pour prepared lemon juice evenly.

5. To start the decorating, I first of all covered the cake with buttercream and refridgerated for at least 30min to 1 hours to set.

6. Then I used a green sugarpaste to cover the cake, that was leftover from my daughter`s Tangled cake. I rolled the dough into large disk, once the measurement is bigger than cake, I then placed it on the cake. With one hand pulling the sugarpaste away and uncreasing and the other hand holding in into the side of cake.

7. Once the cake is fully covered cut the excess sugarpaste with sharp knife. I personally like covering the cake board with sugarpaste. I also like using crimpers around the edge and adding a finishing touch with ribbons.

8. Next I made tree trunk using cupcakes, covered with brown colored sugarpaste. Then using a tiny bit of black food colouring, I made a grey sugarpaste to use to make a bunny. I made bunny`s bum and feet and placed it on the cake to look like it was sticking out of the tree trunk.

9. Then I made rolls of sausage shapes and placed them on the cake to look like roots of the tree trunk. I also added a ladybird or two and made another bunny face to stick out of a large root and decorated it with small pressed flowers. If you don’t want to make your own, you can buy ready made flowers from the supermarket to save time.

10. Once you happy with your decorating, add some chocolate eggs. I added Happy Easter 2011 using FMM letter cutters too.

Happy Easter Boden Community:)

Undra xxx

24 Comments

Hot Cross Buns!

Wednesday 20th April 2011

Easter wouldn’t be Easter without Hot Cross Buns. This yummy foodstuff is so iconic that it even has its own Nursery Rhyme and who better to share this classic recipe with us than the Queen of cakes Mary Berry. Here is her how to guide to baking the perfect Easter treat…

This used to be baked as one large bun, but now it is usual to have individual buns. This recipe makes about 12 Buns.

Cake tins needed: 2 baking sheets

450g (1lb) strong white flour

1 level tsp salt

1 level tsp ground mixed spice

1 level tsp ground cinnamon

½ level tsp freshly grated nutmeg

7g sachet fast-action yeast

50g (2oz) caster sugar

50g (2oz) butter, melted and cooled

150ml (1/4 pint) tepid milk

5 tbsp tepid water

1 large egg, beaten

75g (3oz) currants

50g (2oz) chopped candied peel

For the glazing

2 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp water

Step One Lightly grease the baking sheets

Step Two Measure the flour, salt, spices, yeast and sugar into a large bowl and stir to mix. Make a well in the centre and pour in the melted, cooled butter, milk, water and egg, then add the currants and chopped peel.

Step Three Mix to a soft dough, then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours in a warm room. (Because this is an enriched dough, it will take longer to rise than a plain dough.)

Step Four Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface again and knead for 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each one into a round bun. Make a cross in the top of each bun with a knife, then place onto the prepared baking sheets and cover with oiled clingfilm. Leave to rise again in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C/fan 200 degrees C/gas 7.

Step Five Bake the buns for about 15 minutes until brown and hollow-sounding when the base is tapped. While the buns are baking, make the glazing by dissolving the sugar in the water over a gentle heat. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them with the syrup to give a sticky glaze.

For a more definite cross on the top of the buns, make up 50g (2oz) of shortcrust pastry (using 50g/2oz plain flour and 25g/1oz butter and a little water), cut it into thin strips and lay it over the top of the buns before baking.

This recipe is from My Kitchen Table: Mary Berry’s 100 Cakes and Bakes. To find out more about the My Kitchen Table series, visit www.mykitchentable.co.uk

7 Comments

Tote-ally reused and recyled – Make your own bag

Monday 18th April 2011

This week we have an inspiring ‘Things to do & make’ blog from Kate from M is for Make. Sewing machine at the ready…

I have been known to go shopping in my spare time and in my continuing efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle, I am trying to cut down how many plastic bags I bring home with me.

Only about 1 percent of the estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags consumed worldwide are recycled each year. Most end up in landfills (where they can take 1000 years to decompose), or in the sea. Last summer we went on a family holiday to France and I was really impressed to see that the supermarkets there didn’t have plastic bags, you were always expected to bring your own.

I always try to keep a tote bag folded up in my handbag. Should I feel the desire to do a bit of shopping while I am out, I can wave away plastic bags when they are offered to me at the till. You can buy these bags in most supermarkets now but they are really easy to make and personalise. Totes make lovely gifts too, you could whip one up as a thank-you present for a teacher or spend a little time making a really special one for a birthday present.

Here is how to do it;

Cut another 2 rectangles 65cm long x 10cm wide for the handles.

1. Cut two rectangles of fabric for the sides of the bag (making sure that the grain of the fabric runs up and down the length of the bag). I have used linen, really you could use any fabric, but something like linen or canvas will be stronger. I have made mine 42cm high by 35cm wide, but you can adjust these sizes to suit your needs. If you are using a fabric with a pattern, think about how you want the pattern to show on the bag before you cut it.

2. With the right sides together, sew the sides using a 1cm seam starting at the top, going down one side, along the bottom and back up the other side to the top again. Iron open your seams to give a nice sharp edge.

3. Fold the top of the bag over by 1cm onto the wrong side, iron it, then fold it over again a further 2cm, iron the fold and pin it in place. On the inside of the bag, sew all the way around the bag just above the fold.

fold over 1cm, then 2cm then sew just above fold

4. To make the handles, iron the piece long ways in half, wrong sides together, then fold each long edge into the centre and iron again. This makes a nice strong handle and all the raw edges are enclosed. Then sew from the short side, all along the long side and finishing again on the short side as close to the edge as you can.

5. Pin one end of the handle to the outside of the bag, tucking under the raw edge at the end. It should be overlapping the bag by about 3cm, and about 2cm from the side. Sew it onto the bag in a rectangle and then for extra strength, sew a cross in the middle.

6. Repeat to fix the other end of the handle to the same side of the bag, make sure the handle isn’t twisted. Repeat for the other handle and the bag is finished!

You can then choose to embellish the bag if you wish. I have added on some leaves made from the left over fabric from my bunting. You could add ribbons or other ready made embellishments that you can pick up from the high street like a flower or brooch for extra sparkle.

I have a tutorial for a more complicated version of this bag over on my blog including a lining and a base if you are ready something more complicated!

Happy sewing!

Kate

6 Comments

What Makes Me Happy by Giles Andreae

Friday 15th April 2011

Giles Andreae is a British poet and artist. If you don’t know him by name, his creations Purple Ronnie and Edward Monkton have undoubtedly crossed your palm in probable paper form. His new range of books for children ‘World of Happy’ were created from a wish to “encourage children to view the world as a place of wonder and of opportunity.” Here Giles shares with our community what makes him happy.

At the risk of sounding too much like a Boden catalogue shot, the first thing I think of when I’m asked what makes me happy is playing with my family on a beach in the sunshine.

There’s something so elemental and simple about sunlight that fills me with joy, with energy and with a love of life.

Children are a constant reminder of the importance of being playful, and of living in the moment – two crucial ingredients for happiness, which, all too often, get lost in the stresses and strains of adult life.

And the sea… oh, the sea! For some it’s the mountains, for others the moors, but I find the draw of the sea so overwhelming that it’s hard for me to be away from it for long. I like swimming in it, I love sailing on it, but just watching it can keep me mesmerized for hours and imbue me with such a sense of calm and of beauty that I feel truly grateful to be alive.

I am extremely lucky with my job too. For me, there’s something enormously fulfilling about creative endeavour and I find that producing something out of nothing, particularly when it has been a real struggle to get there, gives me a certain sense of achievement and satisfaction.

One of Giles' creations

There are many other simple and more transitory pleasures that can cause me to shudder with delight as well: cola fizzes, sheepskin slippers, rubbish TV, Yorkshire pudding and gravy, playing the guitar (very badly), an empty Inbox, silliness, children’s spelling, the perfect pair of pants, watching people dance with absolute abandon, unexpected kindness, my bed (oh, my bed!), having a smile returned by a stranger, pork scratchings, poetry, reliability, a long hot bath, tickling, anyone’s enthusiasm for anything, dishwashers, the way a 2 year-old walks, a cheesy power ballad and, while we’re at… accidental farting. I mean, who could find that NOT funny?

But when it comes down to it, it’s the simple things for me: family, friends, food, sunshine… and being lucky enough to enjoy it all from somewhere beautiful. Despite the hardships, great and small, that we’re faced with on a daily basis, we have so much in this world to be thankful for.

Tell us what makes you happy and you could win a VIP day out at London Zoo plus £1000 of Boden credit and lovely signed copies of Giles Andreae’s World of Happy books courtesy of Egmont. Enter here Boden fans…

4 Comments

Super quick Chicken Korma (Murgh Korma) from Madhur Jaffrey

Wednesday 13th April 2011

Dehli born cookery author Madhur Jaffrey is regarded by many as a world Authority on Indian food. She is famed both for her numerous Indian cookery books (Madhur Jaffrey’s Ultimate Curry Bible and Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian to name a few) and her acting career – she has appeared in over 20 films. Today’s recipe is brought to you from. This recipe is from My Kitchen Table: 100 Essential Curries by Madhur Jaffrey.

“When trying to cook fast, it helps to have all the right utensils to hand. Here, a blender to make the ginger–garlic paste and a frying pan that holds all the chicken in a single layer will be of great help. This dish can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated. It reheats well.”

Serves 4

4cm (1.in) piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

5–6 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 bay leaves

5cm (2in) cinnamon stick

8 cardamom pods

4 cloves

¼ teaspoon black cumin seeds

120g (4.oz) onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

3 tinned plum tomatoes, chopped

1.5kg (3lb) chicken pieces, skinned and cut into serving portions

¼ –1 teaspoon chilli powder

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons single cream

Step One

Put the ginger, garlic and 3 tablespoons water in the container of an electric blender. Blend until you have a smooth paste.

Step Two

Put the oil in a wide frying pan or saute pan and set over high heat. When very hot, put in the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves and cumin seeds. Stir once or twice and add the onions. Stir and fry for about 3 minutes or until the onions turn brownish. Add the paste from the blender, and the ground coriander and ground cumin, and fry for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for another minute. Add the chicken pieces, chilli powder, salt and 250ml (8fl oz) water. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over now and then.

Step Three

Remove the cover, add the cream and cook on high heat for another 7–8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Stir gently as you do this.

For more recipes from the My Kitchen Table series, as well as technique videos, cookery blogging and more, visit the My Kitchen Table website: www.mykitchentable.co.uk

8 Comments

Rick Stein gets crabby

Wednesday 6th April 2011

Well-loved chef Rick gives lunch-boxes a yummy Springtime lift with his tasty recipe for crab sarnies.

The Padstow Deli Crab Sandwich with Parsley, Chilli, Lemon and Rocket from Rick Stein:

If crab came out of its shell in lovely firm pieces like lobster, I wouldn’t be surprised if it fetched more money, because I often think it’s got a better flavour than lobster. Fortunately, crab is not enormously expensive and it’s really good in sandwiches. This is a great favourite at our deli.

Makes 6

12 thin slices of wholemeal bread

75g (3oz) butter, softened

5 tbsp mayonnaise (see page 39)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

½–1 red chilli, depending on heat, deseeded and finely chopped

500g (1lb) fresh handpicked white crabmeat

2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

50g (2oz) rocket

Step one

Butter the slices of bread and put them to one side.

Step two

Put the mayonnaise into a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice and chilli. Put the crabmeat and parsley into another bowl and lightly stir through the mayonnaise mixture. Season to taste with a little salt.

Step three

Put six slices of the bread, buttered sides up, on a board and spoon over the crab mixture. Cover with a generous layer of the rocket leaves and then top with the remaining slices of bread. Cut each sandwich diagonally into halves or quarters and serve immediately.

A relaxed Rick - we're big fans!

This recipe is from My Kitchen Table: 100 Fish and Seafood Recipes by Rick Stein. For more recipes from the My Kitchen Table series, as well as technique videos, cookery blogging and more, visit the My Kitchen Table website: www.mykitchentable.co.uk

6 Comments

Easter holidays are a-coming…

Monday 4th April 2011

As chosen by YOU: the perfect British break…

The all-rounder: CORNWALL

Famous for its legendary pasty, Cornwall is stunningly beautiful.

Places to explore:

Watergate Bay “amazing sandy beach & rock pools for the children” Andrea

Chapel Porth beach “for the perfect family beach holiday” Wendy

Polzeath “camping near the sea and surfing followed by fish & chips” Eloise

For a dose of nostalgia: NORFOLK

“I loved trips my parents took us on as kids to the Norfolk broads” Emma

“Wells-next-the-sea – the children love crabbing off the quay there” Andrea

Don't fall in!

Breathtaking scenery: SCOTTISH ISLES

“Mallaig, Isle of Skye for long holidays – Friendly happy people” Undra

“Next to Skye is Rona- the loveliest island of all!” Rona

“Isle of Mull and also Dumfries and Galloway, both beautiful, relaxing and unique!” Jennifer

Family friendly: WALES

Its stunning coastline, rolling valleys and lush green countryside make for a distinctive British holiday destination.

“Barmouth – North Wales. Great seaside bucket and spade town, fish and chips,small fairground” Angie

“Aberaron: Peaceful, beautiful and full of character and charm” Chloe

A Jurassic destination: DEVON/DORSET

“The Devon/Dorset coast is our destination every summer, it’s so beautiful” Louise

“The Jurassic Coast in Devon, especially Budleigh Salterton” Fiona

“Devon and the Dorset coast….mmmmm want to go tomorrow now” Victoria

See all of the recommendations and add your own to our list here.

7 Comments

Miss Hope’s Mother’s Day Marvels

Friday 1st April 2011

Miss Hope is back with a scrummy recipe for Cocunut Ice. Make some for your mum in time for Sunday…

There are a million grillion ways to make coconut ice, but here is mine, given to me by my mother along with a big nose and a tendency to talk incessantly about very little.

My Coconut Ice is soft, yielding and ultimately chewy. Better still you don’t have to cook it at all, but you do need super muscles of steel. I firmly believe coconut ice should be pink, really pink, this is not a moment to get all modern idealist with me young lady. What harm can a drop of pink really do? Remember when you were 6 years old and you ate worms and put peanuts up your nose, nothing bad ever happened did it?

NB Boden Ladies – if I read one more, ‘Oh the calories!’ ‘I simply mustn’t!’ ‘Whatever will Trevor say when I wear my tennis skirt?’ I will personally slap your love handles.

Ingredients

1lb 2oz. (500g) Icing sugar

397g of Condensed milk (1 tin)

14 oz. (400g) Desiccated coconut

Pink food colouring

You will need

20cm sq. x 4cm H. (8″ x 1½”) square baking tin lined with cling film.

The muscles of Martin the Muscleman and his Banana of Steel.

Makes 15-20 rinky-dink pink squares

It takes 30 minutes to make but please allow for cooling times over night

1. First of all sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, shaky, shaky, shaky, hum a little Shaky tune – You Drive Me Crazy or This ‘ol House would do very nicely.

2. Add the condensed milk and starting with a wooden spoon stir the mixture, then roll your sleeves up and get stuck in with your hands and knead the mixture.

3. Gradually add the coconut kneading the stiffening mixture until all the coconut is mixed in. It’s hard work and takes a little while but just think of someone you don’t like that much, your boss perhaps, your ex, I like to think of Mr Greenwood and his cartoon snoring.

4. Split the mixture in half. Press the first half into the lined baking dish, pressing it down with heel of your hand.

5. Colour the remaining half pink using the food colouring. It can be as pink as you wish, perhaps flamingo pink or a neon punk pink but pink it must be. Mix it well.

6. Take small balls of the pink mix and place over the white coconut mix in the tin. With your hand press the pink mixture over the white to form and even layer.

7. Allow to set for a few hours, though over night is best.

Handy Hint

Please do not eat worms or put peanuts up your nose, this would be rather foolish, especially at your age.

Hope and Greenwood’s Life is Sweet is published by Ebury Press at £12.99

5 Comments

Archive for April, 2011