TIME TO START CHRISTMAS IN EARNEST!

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a lovely Bank Holiday break.

For me the time has come to start my Christmas cards in earnest .. .. .. my customers have started asking for them .. .. .. and they want lots!! Eeek!!! Good job I enjoy making them !!

Clearly everyone but me is getting organised early this year.

This card is one of my first batches for this year - super quick and with cupcakes being the "in thing" at the moment I can see these being quite popular. The digi images come with holly decoration for Christmas cupcakes and cherries, candles and flowers for birthdays!!

and the close up

This used:

Backing Papers: Pink Petticoat "Fairy Lights" (half price for the next few hours)
Image: Pink Petticoat Image Download " Cupcakes"
Nestabilities: Classic Scalloped Rectangles Small
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Glossy Accents
Ribbon from the stash box

Just great for these batch makes.

Now back to last night's soup. It was so yummy it has gone on the list for the Christmas soup starter this year.

I received a few comments and emails asking for the recipe so I thought I would share it here:

Courgette Soup

Ingredients
60ml olive oil
1 onion sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1kg courgettes roughly chopped
350ml chicken or vegetable stock (I used vegetable)
350ml water
60ml single cream
6 springs of fresh dill
50g fresh parmesan cheese, grated (I used dried parmesan and it was fine)
salt and pepper to taste
honey to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a moderate heat

2. Add the onions and sweat them until they become translucent

3. Continue trying the onions and at the garlic and cook for a further minute

4. Add the courgettes, stock, water and cream and stir together well

5. Bring to the boil and then leave to simmer gently for 20 mins

6. Add the dill and parmesan

7. Season with salt and pepper to taste

8. Transfer to a food processor to blend (I used a hand blender in the saucepan)

9. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If it lacks sweetness add a little honey to draw out the sweetness of the vegetables.

The recipe cooked enough for 3 good portions yesterday and then we re-heated the leftovers and had another two good servings at lunch time today with some warm bread. Mmmm... super yummy!!!

Let me know if you have a try!! I got the recipe from http://www.videojug.com/

Have a lovely rest of the evening everyone.

Catch you again tomorrow.

Love Jules xx