Bargain chocolate. #MySundaySnapshot

So it begins, I have started buying some of the treats for Christmas. First up is the tubs of chocolates. I spotted them on offer in Tesco, 2 tubs for £7. I can't see them being any cheaper in the run up to Christmas, I will kick myself if they are.

I think the Quality Street and Roses are my favourites. They have been put away, in the cupboard under the stairs and I do hope they are forgotten about until at least the beginning of December. This might be the year where I don't have to keep buying them.

Week 41 of #Project365. 9th - 15th October. A photo every day for a year!

 Another week has flown over. A couple of weeks ago I was feeling quite lonely. After having 18 months with either Stu or at least one of the girls here I was feeling a little lost being by myself but I have got used to it again and I have been keeping myself busy, probably too busy because some days it feels like I've had no time to myself. I need to find more of a balance.

The weather sure has changed. I got up yesterday morning and had to go back upstairs to get my dressing gown. It was so chilly. I think we are going to have to think about putting the heating on, on a morning.

Now for a photo every day!

275/365 - 9th October

Becky has started collecting Monopoly sets so when I saw this in Poundland I had to get it. It was £15 which is quite cheap for a Monopoly set. 

276/365 - 10th October

Stu sanded my dressing table down and we got on with painting and sticking the sticky vinyl on.

277/365 - 11th October

I put a blue dye over the washed out purple and it went on well although I can't have washed all of the dye out as I ended up with blue hands and a blue pillow when I woke up the next day.

278/365 - 12th October

Leftover roast dinner pie but it ended up just being a vegetable one as I forgot to add the chicken. Oops. lol No one noticed or questioned it and it meant we have more chicken for the next day in Irn-Bru chicken. Just like the diet cola chicken but nicer. 

279/365 - 13th October

My finished dressing table and I love it. It looks so much better with a lick of paint and the vinyl on it. It cost about £12 in total. The cost of buying it and the stool and for the vinyl. I had leftover paint to use and one of the kids old hoodies to put on the stool.

280/365 - 14th October

My dad delivered a trailer full of soil to put on our garden. It's been on our to do list for a while but why pay for soil when you can just wait and find some builders who are finishing a job and want rid of it to give it away. hehehe We've put some grass seed on so hopefully it will look even better in a few weeks.

281/365 - 15th October

I was sent some reusable sanitary pads to try. The review post will be up next week.

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This week my Word of the Week is: Fixing! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

I feel like I've been so busy this week and I can't quite believe it's Word of the Week time again. This week has been about fixing things and making some things better. 

On Monday we had our yearly gas safety check. We told the man that whenever it is windy the boiler goes off, we've noticed it over the last month or so and don't want it going off in the middle of the winter, it was bad enough a couple of weeks ago when we had to reset the boiler about 7 times to run a bath. Grr! The man found the fault with the boiler which needs fixing. It's nothing major, just an air pressure switch which has worn out. Easy to fix but a bit harder to get the part as our boiler is quite old. If the part can't be found it looks like we need a new boiler. Eek! For the time being the boiler is fine to use but we will just have to faff about with it if it's windy before the man comes back which should be next week.

Over the weekend and the start of the week I was fixing up my dressing table which I got from the local auction. Stu sanded it down, I painted it and stuck the vinyl on. I am so chuffed with it. I bought the stool & dressing table for £5 and the vinyl cost £6. I used paint that was in the garage and an old hoodie to cover the stool so all in all it cost about £12. Such a bargain.

When we moved in here the front garden was a mix of little stones and grass. It was a right mess and has been on our to do list to sort out for the past 2 years. My dad came with a trailer full of soil yesterday and we got on with fixing it. He got the soil free from a builder he knows, it was going spare so cost nothing. We raked it out, put some grass seed on, watered it and it looks so much better already. I just hope the grass grows this late on in the year. 

How has your week been? I hope you've had a good one?

Ghost cupcakes for Halloween - Recipe!

Summer is long gone and now we're heading towards Halloween. She shops have been filling up with Halloween goodies but we always like to make some of our own especially with half term always being around Halloween. A few years ago we made shortbread witch fingers but this year I was sent this recipe as a suggestion to try, Ghost Cupcakes!

These are a brilliant addition to your Halloween party which would look fantastic on any table. Made with only 10 ingredients, these chocolate cupcakes topped with fondant icing and marshmallow ghosts are a crowd pleaser!

Makes 15 cupcakes

Ingredients:

175g self-raising flour

150g granulated sugar

50g cocoa powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

150ml vegetable or sunflower oil

150ml milk

2 eggs

100g dark chocolate

15 marshmallows

White fondant icing

Equipment:

Microwavable mixing bowl

Whisk

Cupcake/muffin tray lined with cases

Spoon

Rolling pin

Round cutter or tumbler

Toothpick

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan).

In the mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda with the whisk before adding in the oil, milk and eggs. Whisk until a smooth batter is achieved.

Divide the batter evenly between 15 cupcake/muffin cases and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until risen and springy to touch. Allow to cool completely.

Wash the original mixing bowl and use it to melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments (being careful not to burn it). Dip the base of each marshmallow in the melted chocolate and affix one on top of each cupcake. Pop in the fridge/freezer for a few minutes to set.

Roll out the fondant and cut out rounds (approx. 10cm). Drape the rounds over the marshmallows on top of the cupcakes to form ghost shapes.

Dip one end of the toothpick in the melted chocolate and use to dot two eyes on each ghost and enjoy!

You could cheat a little any buy ready made cupcakes or even use a packet cake mix if you are short on time.

Will you be doing any baking for Halloween?