Until last year, I had never tried to make quick-preserved lemons or pickles or anything that isn’t eaten immediately then I started learning more and more about cooking from Chefess Kate. She encouraged me with her easy yet traditional approach to escorting fresh Irish ingredients from earth to eating. Everything I know about cooking, I’ve…
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No-Sew Statement Tea Cosy
It’s elevenses and time for that mid-morning cuppa so why not also treat yourself to a cheerful tea cosy to keep your teapot warm? Here’s an easy no-sew way to customize any cloth tea cosy, like the kinds readily available at the corner store. No-Sew Statement Tea Cosy Time: 45-90 minutes, depending on the complexity…
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Bucket List
Bucket list Learn to milk a cow Make and/or eat pork-free beef Wellington Succeed at making a lattice pie crust top Finish recovering the crab chairs Visit all 50 states in the US (I’m around 36 or so now) Recertify in CPR and first aid (before my son turns two) Get over my hesitancy of…
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Joan Nathan’s Chicken Pandora with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts
Every New Year’s Eve, my parents threw an intimate gathering to celebrate the anniversary of their first date and each year my Mom had the tradition of cooking the cuisine from a different country. One year, it was Spanish paella, another year sushi. But to welcome in the year 2000, she made a full Kosher…
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Previously Loved Finds Friday: Glasses and Bowls
Four finds for €1.50. Good deal or highway robbery? Read about my last Previously Loved Friday finds!
Indulge in Good Skin Care
This is my Holy Grail of beauty products and what keeps me looking about five to eight years younger than my chronological age: • I cherish my Burt’s Bees Naturally Ageless Night Crème – 2.0 oz. (available from Amazon.co.uk) which I apply around my eyes and on my neck in the morning. • I use L’Oreal Paris Solar Expertise…
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High Tide and Pommes Gratin Dauphinois
The first time I ate something called Pommes Dauphinois was on my honeymoon (a self-guided tour of Ireland) at a place called Nimmo’s in Galway. My husband reserved a window table on their upper level with a view of the water. Romantic, of course, but our reservation and meal intentionally coincided with when the tide…
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Goodall’s A Modern Irish Cookbook and Book Launch
It has taken a few months, but I am finally getting around to telling you all about the Goodall’s A Modern Irish Cookbook and Book Launch. A Modern Irish Cookbook featuring recipes from Ireland’s most active and respected food bloggers. The book’s aim was to focus on Irish ingredients, producers and traditions with a modern emphasis…
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April Wish List
I’m building up quite a wish list collection now! January, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November, December 2012 and February 2013! Now time for April. Safety 1st Adjustable Multi-Purpose Strap Pack of 12 Straps Prince Lionheart Corner Guards (Chocolate) WD My Passport 1TB Portable External Hard Drive Storage USB 3.0 Silver Melissa & Doug Deluxe Latches Board Clover Round Extra Small Yo-Yo Maker…
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Irish Recipe Round-up
I have quite a few real Irish recipes and Irish-American recipes to share with you today so in the interest of space, I’m using links. I’ll include a few yummy photos too, of course! Irish Cream Cheesecake from Scratch Irish White Soda Bread What it’s like to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Cork, Ireland Luck…
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Indulge in Saint Patrick’s Day
A few of my favorite things from and honoring the Emerald Isle and the 40 shades of green (my blog about life in Ireland is 40 Shades of Life, by the way) that make this island legendarily beautiful with the warmth shown by its population, both here and around the world – plus some clovers…
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Irish Cream Cheesecake from Scratch
My grandmother taught me to bake the family cheesecake recipe when I was about 11 years old and within a decade I had adapted it to include Irish cream. I baked several for special occasions, for simple gatherings, for school auctions and bake sales and I even baked 30 individual ones for my birthday party…
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Irish White Soda Bread
To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, what better thing than to share some delicious foods from the Republic itself. Today, I’m telling you how Clare showed up on my doorstep a few weeks ago with a fresh-baked loaf of homemade Irish soda bread! It was adorned with sultanas and a gentle sweetness. The neutrality of white…
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A Peek at LB’s Little Boy Bedroom
My recent articles in The Cork Independent about crafty decorating for the home have me in the mood for writing more about stress-free decorating – because making your house a home shouldn’t be a source of angst. Today, I’m sharing how we decorated my son’s nursery! When we prepared for our son LB’s arrival, we…
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Dairy-free Cranberry-Carrot Muffins
I love carrot cake though the guilt of the icing not so much which is why I came up with this recipe. Well, that and because I hate waste and my juicer left a big container of lovely carrot pulp every time I made yummy carrot juice. For whatever the reason, this is a recipe…
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Classic Rice Krispie Treats
Today was an odd sunny, snowy day in Cork so I felt like something special. I enjoyed a mug of hot chocolate for breakfast and then fixed a batch of Rice Krispie Treats for my friend Kate. The recipe is the original one from the Rice Krispies website so visit it there for all the…
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Previously Loved Finds Friday: Everything AND the Kitchen Sink
After my last very popular post about my finds while second-hand shopping in Cork, I thought this should be a regular feature. It may not materialize every Friday but I’ll be sure you won’t miss a find. Since my last post, I’ve been shopping at second-hand shops as usual and I’ve found some lovely items….
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Squishy Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern
A few months ago, I explained how hand knit simple squishy baby blankets for my friends in a post on Zulily.co.uk blog and on this blog, but I hadn’t put the directions into an easy to download Pattern PDF or on Ravelry…until now. With basic garter stitch rows and doubled up yarn, a squishy blanket is created. The result…
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One Size Fits Most Cupcake Tea Cosy
When I was looking for a handmade Knitmas gift for a friend who desired a tea cosy, I only encountered sized patterns for specific-shaped teapots. This was to be a surprise present though so I couldn’t ask her, “Could you please measure the circumference, height, and handle length of your teapot?” without raising suspicion. So, I…
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Interweave Knits Magazine Profile on Designer Carol Feller
The Spring 2013 issue of Interweave Knits was released last week and my profile of knitwear designer Carol Feller is featured in it! Here is a sneak peek: Very exciting!!! I feel fortunate to have been able to work with such a well-respected magazine and to interview my friend Carol for this glimpse into her…
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