Making use of the things around me

 I've had a good weekend and been back on my knitting machine after almost 12 months with no obvious side effects(yet).

 I am determined not to buy any new yarn for my stash that isn't 100% wool, and isn't from the Derbyshire/Leicestershire area. So I am making use of what I have, which this weekend is an abundance of wool and citrus fruit.

I am sewing up seams, which I hate as mixing machine knitted wool and hand knitted panels isn't labour intensive but my new pink blanket will be worth it once washed and felted. I'll share pictures soon.

To keep you interested I will share with you pictures of Harriet and Henry my hedgehogs now for sale at http://www.hackwoodfarm.com/

  Both Hedgehogs are made from leftover end of balls of brown wool with a brown boucle yarn added to make very soft prickles.

Harriet and Harry the Hedgehogs bet you don't know which is which...

Mr LCD has gone to visit his Mum at home for a couple of weeks so I'm at my parents, which is kinda nice, I may of hit middle age according to Easy Living Magazine but my Dad still thinks I'm 16.

Before Mr LCD went away last week he visited our local Asian area in Derby and bought me so much fruit it would of never of been eaten before it turns. After a look around online I found two very good recipes for using up all the Oranges and Lemons he had bought.

Both recipes for Orange and Lemon curd can be made in the microwave in about 12 minutes, after zesting and juicing all the fruit. The Orange curd recipe can be found at; http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/7057/orange+curd I doubled all the ingredients to make 4 Jars.

The lemon curd recipe was found here: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/5001/microwave-lemon-curd.aspx. It may of just been my lemons but the lemon curd is very tart and lovely not like the over sweetened shop bought varieties.

The left over egg whites from the orange curd recipe can be used to make a pavlova just big enough for three but will also use up the kiwi and nectarines that are on the verge of turning.

To Four egg whites I added 250g sugar ,1 tsp white wine vinegar and 2 tsp of corn flour, you can also add either half a tsp of vanilla extract, rose water or orange water if you wanted to. Then bake in a 150 degree oven for 40-55 minutes.The one I have baked tonight is about 15 cm in diameter when it went in the oven, the mixture does spread slightly. We will be eating it for tea once it has been decorated, with low fat Greek yogurt with one table spoon of homemade Lemon curd stirred through.Yum.I do love a good dessert.

Hope you all had a good weekend.