...I mean 'Happy New Year!'

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Years break. We were lucky enough to have a White Christmas...so I thought I'd share some of my pics:

Brrrrr! And after all those cold photos here's a nice cosy one to warm us up!
Well it's back to the ol' grind stone....

xxx

...Aka how to make my boyfriend fat with MORE baking!

In my last post I mentioned the present I made for my secret santa - a Christmas Muffin mix. Well how funny that for MY present I also got a baking mix!! This one wasn't home made, but the principle is the same, and it came with a very cute little heart shaped cutter tied on with a gingham ribbon:

This weekend I hosted a bit of a Christmas dinner party for 4 of my closest friends. I worked super hard for it but I have to say that it was a huge success and everyone had a lovely time. To ease the load (work wise and expense wise!) one of my friends brought the starter (a delicious cauliflower and three cheese soup) and another brought the ingredients for dessert (Eton mess, made with raspberries). The main course and other bits and bobs were left to me. I made us a big roast ham dinner with roast veg (parsnips, carrots, butternut squash, red onions and garlic) and roast potatoes (par boiled then drizzled with olive oil and paprika before putting in oven - lovely!). There was a bit of stressing on my part that I would either under or over-cook everything, but I am very pleased to say that it all turned out perfect.


We then a bit of a break to enjoy the X-Factor final (I know, you gotta love it!) and I then served dessert, fresh coffee, cheese and biscuits, homemade mince pies and we had crisps and dips dotted here and there as well. I can tell youthat we could hardly move an inch by the end of the night! But I would rather there was too much to eat than not enough. There was so much food that we didn’t even cut the Christmas cake I had made! Here is a pic of the cake anyway, I guess I may save it for Christmas day itself (unless my boyfriend discovers it first!):

For the past 5 years now Belfast has held it's very own Christmas Continental Market in front of the City Hall. This for me has come to signify the start of the festive season and once the stalls start being erected I know Christmas is on the way. When the Christams lights are turned on it is a really magical place to wander through - it's a feast for all senses...walking past the many stalls there is so much to see, so many different smells, wonderful things to eat and Christmas music being played (and things to pick up and touch - just so that I cover all sense! lol).

Although slightly controversial, I think that our 'Belfast Eye' (a mini version of Londons) makes a very nice backdrop to it all. Some say that it takes away from the history of our grand City Hall, but I don't agree. I certainly think that the City Hall is a magnificent building, and I think we (speaking for the locals!) do take it for granted at times, but the Wheel just adds a modern twist to it all. The view is pretty impressive from the top as well!

Anyway, here are a few shots of and around the market:

'Tis the season....!

That was my attempt at the infamous Coke ad that is played this time every year. Once I hear that I know Christmas is just around the corner!

And with December comes the tree! I was round at my boyfriends house last night to help him decorate the tree. He is just a big kid when it comes to Christmas and would bedeck his entire house if he had the funds for it! So when it comes to the tree - 'the bigger the better' is his motto....and he did himself proud this year. When I walked in and the monstrosity in his living room I couldn't stop laughing - WAAAAY too big for his room, with the tip almost touching the ceiling! But saying that....it does now look perfect:


xxx

Almost December folks! Not long until Christmas! And I am (slightly smug-ly) delighted to say that I have almost ALL my Christmas presents bought! This has got to be a record for me, I am normally only just starting at this point in the year. Perhaps it is the influence of my very organised boyfriend, or perhaps it is because my parents are jetting off to spend Christmas in Australia and I had to get their presents bought before they left. Probably a bit of both.

So I thought I would share a few snaps of some of the presents I have bought. The receivers don't know about this blog so there is no danger of them peaking!