A Frugal Trip For The Summer Holidays In Derbyshire

I'm ready for the holidays.

But I don't break up till next Thursday , I tell you I'm weeping into my cornflakes every single sunny butterfly blessed morning , with birds sitting on my hand happily tweeting away, or am I getting confused with Snow White / Mary Poppins ?! 

We dropped our son at his holiday job after which I decided to direct the chauffeur ( husband) to Caudwell Mill near Rowsley ( a mere skimming stone from Matlock) 

£4 is the entry price to the mill , there is various craft places there etc, the parking is free. So you don't have to visit the mill but it's worth a look if you've never been or not visted in years.

If summer doesn't come to you then you must seek it !

Blackberry Drop Cookies Cakes

I found myself cakeless , biscuit less and after the night I have had I need it the car was possessed and decided to alarm itself all through the night , I haven't seen my neighbours yet. This is one of those adjust to suit your needs recipes as I was boredom baking, so when I boredom bake I am very much baking by the seat of my pants which hopefully this time I have put on the right way around.



Ingredients

180 grams of plain flour
100 grams of sugar I was using coconut sugar which has a low GI
100 grams of low fat spread ( you may need more)
1 egg possibly 2
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
cup full of blackberries


Method

Preheat the oven to 180 c

Combine all the ingredients except the blackberries together.

Cover a baking tray with grease proof paper and dollop some of the mixture on ~ a spat really 

Bake in the oven for 20 ~ keep an eye on 

The result will be a flat but bouncy cookie cake 

Disclosure ~ I do wear more than pants when cooking ~ I may be over 40 but hot flushes haven't found me yet ... 

Remember this is a boredom bake so please adjust to suit your baking !!

The blackberries were 20 p from Tesco reduced of course , this is how we like to roll.

Degustabox In June

June saw the delivery of a rather delightful Degustabox which is always a privilege to receive a treat , I do mostly share , well you have to don't you ?! There was plenty treats that you could enjoy at home or at a picnic , I do love picnics , when I get my bicycle with a basket there will be more picnics !

With the hot weather I did try they Vybe juice and I really didn't like it , but I can see it appealing to other people. My husband was refreshed by the Rekorderlig cider ( made with Swedish Spring water) which suddenly packed a punch to his taste buds, there was also an adult inspired ice pop called Icycl ( sadly I had a faulty one that leaked so I didn't get to try it ) I did have the option to have this replaced but I didn't of this but I have heard good things from those who have tried it. Whilst Mr T was at work I could sit in the garden and enjoy a cool Zeo a lightly carbonated soft drink with naturally extracted fruits and botanicals.

Degustabox is a great way to try out new products Mr T loved the Love Chin Chin a West African snack which is rather like a biscuit combined with a cake. J loved the Brioche Paquier and this is now a staple purchase in our household handy for the summer holidays etc and car journey , pack lunches and so forth with them being indvually wrapped . Both my husband and myself loved the Kallo rice cakes smothered in chocolate a cheeky but healthy treat that is calorie friendly. The melba thins I can see will be useful for me taking to work as I won't have a lot of time to eat something before I have to go teach my lesson at school.

I cooked with the Coconom which is a coconut sugar and I can see myself do rather a lot of baking with this, here is a recipe I used it in recently.

When Is the First Thing you Do When You Get To Your Hotel Room?

When it comes to travelling I love it , if I could jet off every other week I would but I love the holiday build up the anticiatption , the planning , picking up the tips packing the case ~ organising everyone. Where as my husband isn't relaxed till we get there and the same when coming home , I am just chilled all the way and back , it puzzles my family that I do talk about planning the next holiday before we have even been on the one we are going on!

What are the first things that you do when you plonk yourself down in your hotel room when you have arrived for me it is


1. Check I have 2 pillows ~ otherwise no one can rest.

2. Make a cup of tea and nibble the free biscuits.

3. Check out the toiletries.

4 Unpack


I hear hear you screaming check out the view the view .. you see I combine this with number 2 on my list while my husband and son are channel hopping happily and whooping they found the sport! 



I looking a well known travel site you know the one where you read about hotel reviews and this made me giggle about what people did in relation to when they got to their hotel in Vegas.


"Toss bag in room, do a quick search of room to make sure there isn't a dead body or somebody missing a kidney in the bathtup... head to to play."


I do also check out the cleanliness of the room as that is an absolute , I have waited a year for a special holiday I want to be relaxed !

I also check out the local information in any brochures and then get ready to rumble , it is not unheard of me after freshening up after an 8 hour flight depending on the time of day when I land to get straight out exploring !

Countryside Confession

I see Kim Kashadian has been spreading herself round the British countryside, wondering why there has been so much shadow round? Well I think Kim's big back side has been creating a rather big shadow everywhere! Now I love the countryside and I adore tractors , I can identify the sounds between Massey  Ferguson and a John Deere. 

Thing is you'll not see me lollaping over it .

I mean I shop at Ocado but that doesn't mean I want to drape myself over a tractor or pout by a pile of dirt. What ever floats your countryside boat ~ however Kim think you might need to get yourself some more clothes....

If you've got it flaunt it ? Maybe not perhaps this is why we don't see any hedgehogs?

So I love tractors however I'm not going to love them in a saucy capacity....