Recipe for Best Ever Vodka Christmas Cake

At last the pefect christmas cake recipe......enjoy!

Recipe for Best Ever Vodka Christmas Cake 

1 cup sugar,
1 cup vegan butter,
1 tsp baking powder,
1 cup water,
1 tsp salt ,
1 cup brown sugar,
Lemon juice,
4 large flax eggs,
Nuts,
1 bottle Vodka,
2 cups dried fruit.

Sample a cup of Vodka to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Vodka again to be sure it is of the highest quality then Repeat.

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of vegan butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point, it is best to make sure the Vodka is still OK. Try another cup just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy. Pour 2 flax eegs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the fruit up off the floor, wash it and put it in the bowl a piece at a time trying to count it. Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit getas stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver Sample the Vodka to test for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something. Check the Vodka. Now shit shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner.

Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the Vodka and wipe the counter with the cat.


I hope you all enjoy the giggles that I did when I was sent this. Thanks for stopping by and I hope your weekend is looking good..

~R~

Wordless Wednesday: Simple Pleasures...

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

The Cranberries ~ Complete play on iPod.



Image not my own and take no credit for it or it's creation...
but thank you to whoever did. ~R~
 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Wednesday is a very good one...

~R~

Grey Wolf and Me

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Missy Higgins ~ The Sound of White
Blondie ~ Sunday Girl
Suzi Quatro ~ Your Mama Won't Like Me
The Stranglers ~ Skin Deep
Jamie Cullum ~ Mind Trick
Gin Blossoms ~ Cajun Song
Maroon 5 ~ Fortune Teller
Carole King ~ Sweet Seasons
Beth Hart ~ I Felt Him Cry
Clare Teal ~ Begin The Beguine
James Morrison ~ Undiscovered
The Rolling Stones ~ I Miss You
Live ~ The Distance
Rhianna ~ Te Amo

Of all the animals on this planet...I have always been drawn to the wolf. I have no idea why...I haven't met that many of them personally. The odd few here and there and a particularly wonderful time at a wolf sanctuary. But way before I got up close and personal with this creature I found they captivated me.



Wild and Majestic

I found a story which really touched my heart about the wolf inside all of us and I hope you find something in it too. This isn't the story version, more of a summary of the story....

Makes a good point, eh?

I am not a collector of Wolf 'things' in fact I'm not a collector of anything animal related as it's just not me. But I do appreciate the awesome beauty of the Wolf also the danger and therefore have a great deal of respect for them.

The intense gaze...the intelligence of this creature stuns me.

How can you not be taken with this animal? I could sit and stare at them forever..although that probably wouldn't be good for my health as they would see that as a challenge. OK..I could sit and stare at the photo...forever. lol.

And yes..because of my love of this creature I am indeed fascinated by the whole werewolf world. I spend many happy hours in that world whilst escaping pain and meds...it's always a pleasure. lol.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope your week gets off to a great start...

~R~

Tears,Tea & Friendship

Rocket & Rose HQ Play List:

Thunder ~ Fired Up (Live)
The Fratellis ~ Lupe Brown
Stevie Ray Vaughan ~ The Things I Used To Do
Shakira ~ Donde Estan Los Ladrones?
Nickelback ~ Leader of Men
Tim McGraw ~ Where The Green Grass Grows
Adele ~ Cold Shoulder
Wild Cherry ~ Play That Funky Music
Poison ~ Your Mama Don't Dance
Robbie Williams ~ It's De-Lovely
Stevie Ray Vaughan ~ Cold Shot
Jack Johnson ~ What You Thought You Need
JET ~ Don't Break Me Down
Hoobastank ~ The Reason

This week has not been great for many reasons and with being ill too I have struggled to keep my sanity sense of humour. Hence, hardly any blog postings this week and I am sorry for that. And I once again thank you for your continued loyalty and patience.

Today has been by far the very worst day...as I have struggled with the side effects of my medications and the other many factors that my brain is struggling to process. So I found myself in tears from the moment I woke...until..well..the last couple of hours if I am honest.

ML has been on hand to try and help, Trustworthy has stayed up and talked with me and the sock stealer has been completely puzzled as to why I am an emotional basket case today. I guess we all have to have days where we can let our emotions go...it's healthy isn't it?



Image found online and is not my own. I take no credit
for it's beauty and wonderful words.

So when I was told about friends visiting this afternoon I was completely unsure as to whether I could do it. Two very close friends who on any other day I would be very happy to see, felt beyond me today. And I fretted and...well cried. They arrived and as soon as I heard their voices and watched the Sock Stealer get excited to see his new pal E...my fretting and tears ceased. My friends came in and after hugs of welcome and the making of tea and opening of the biscuits tin...the four of us sat down and caught up with each other. And for three hours I was tear free...often smiling...and a few times laughing.

After much tea drinking, biscuit eating (our friends tucked in as neither ML or myself could eat any..) and talking, not to mention the entertainment the two pooches provided..lol. It was all too soon for them to go and make their way to pick up Dev from work. And after they left I was so very happy they came and was the first to admit I had been wrong to fret or worry.

I'm English and so therefore do not celebrate Thanksgiving but if I did and I was asked what I was most thankful for this year...it would be my friends. Without them I would be lost...they can pull me back from the edge of despair that I have found myself teetering on a lot in the last six months. All of them are fantastic individuals...who all bring something unique to my life...and I am grateful for every single one of them.

This evening I am not in tears! But I am still raw but I am hopeful after a good nights sleep I will wake up in the morning with my usual resolve and strength...my fighter firmly back in place.

We all gets moments like this don't we? Surely I am not alone in this? If you are feeling something similar...please hang in there...This Too Shall Pass...

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Saturday has been a fantastic one filled with friendship and laughter....

~R~

Wordless Wednesday: It's Really This Simple..

Image found on Pinterest

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Wednesday is a good one?

~R~

IKEA Stash..

Rocket & Roses Play List:

Halestorm ~ As The Eagle Flies
Tom Jones ~ Sexbomb
Gun N' Roses ~ November Rain
Xtina ~ I'm OK
Robbie Williams ~ It Was A Very Good Year
Them Crooked Vultures ~ Dead End Friends
Sugarbabes ~ Push The Button
JET ~ Holiday
Kid Rock ~ Yo' Keep On
Crowded House ~ World Where You Live
The Black Keys ~ Gold On The Ceiling
Anna Nalick ~ Paper Bag
Skid Row ~ My Enemy
The Gossip ~ Listen Up!

During our recent road trip to Wales we stopped off at the Warrington IKEA store. I hadn't been inside one for three years...and believe me when I say...it was a long three years. lol. The reason for this is simple..the nearest store to where we live is a good hour or so drive away and with petrol prices increasing....it wasn't working out to be cost effective anymore. But as we were driving right by one...ahem...it seemed to be rude not to visit. lol.

Now we enjoyed walking through the layout of the Warrington store even if it was spread out over different floors and I can only say thank goodness for the escalators...lol. And we did get royally lost, despite asking for directions twice...trying to find the Marketplace. But I did get there finally...



My stash...for hardly any cash...lol And when did that
sneaky Red Dragon mug get in the shot?!

So from the Top left...a groovy laptop riser...perfect in design for what I need..no more collapsing springy ones. Underneath a stainless steel trivet that will hold two pans at least. Red Dragon mug (not IKEA) White bowl..great for photos. Olive green napkins stash. Front left: Patterned green glass bowl & mug. A two sided photo frame...and lastly one packet of vegan moose shaped pasta.

I just loved these as soon as I saw them..and they will
be guest starring on future blogs. lol.

I admit I do have a habit of buying cheap/bargain/budget/2nd hand crockery that will look good in photos for the blog. These were bought exactly for that. I picture herbals teas and breakfasts served in these very soon.

Moose Pasta...I love them. And completely
vegan.

This pasta is wholegrain and dense...a little really does go a long way..and it's delicious...with any sauce.

The scene stealing Dragon up close..lol
Memories of Wales...

Well that was my little IKEA indulgence and now can start looking forward to the next one in three years time..lol.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week has started well and you are smiling?

~R~

Almost Silent Sunday: Vegan Love

Rocket & Roses Play List:

Brandi Carlile ~ Bear Creek Album

A selection of vegan imagery...in this lovely vegan community we are living in...or trying to.

You should you know...lol

 

 

You get to wear lovely things

like this too...

 

 

And of course we have the humour..

 

 

Nutty? Moi? lol

 

 

We do have to spend quite some time

answering the Protein question...

 

 

It is...a pure joy!

 

 

This is great book for little ones..

 

 

We get great tattoos..lol

 

And last but by no means least........

 

 

Uhuh...we so are...lol.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Sunday is being very excellent to you all....

 

~R~



Treehouse Cafe & Shop, Aberystwyth

Rocket & Roses Play List:

The Dodge Brothers ~ Louisa & The Devil Album

When I first visited Wales (and fell in love with the place) I particularly loved Aberystwyth. For two reasons, firstly because of the sea front...we sat down there a lot and I felt at peace and could've just stayed there...forever..lol. And secondly for the Treehouse Cafe & Shop. ML had done a search for veggie cafes before we had left home and the Treehouse came up and was closest to where we were staying.

And although they weren't a purely veggie cafe...they did do a very good selection of veggie and vegan meals. I respected their slogan they had on their flyers and advertisements...

"Treehouse...Croeso/Welcome...herbivores, omnivores, carnivores and free thinkers all welcome..."

Downstairs is the shop and its earthy and organic and is a treasure trove of groceries (most of which were items I had been trying to get in England and failed) and fresh products. Upstairs is the cafe and is relaxing and rustic...everything a good wholefood and organic cafe should be..lol. OK maybe I'm pandering to stereotypes a little here...but it was just great..so I make no apologies.

So it only seemed fair that we call in whilst in Wales this time and we were close to it. We didn't eat in this time but I did enjoy a slow perusal of the shop and came away with a little bag of goods....



My stash!...lol

So from the left....the most exciting purchase was some Parmesan Style Cheeze...now we can buy the dried kind here but never before have I found a block of the stuff. I was almost giddy..lol.

Look! I was ridiculously happy with
this find..lol

Next up is the Savoury Pate which is a staple in our cupboard as it's great for a quick sandwich filling and is exactly what it says on the tube...a heady hit of savoury yeasty pate.

They have a very excellent selection of baked goods and I found a pasty that was Butternut & Pea filled.

Sorry for the blurry photo...lol. Most of their baked
goods are made in their kitchens...as was this one!

I enjoyed mine hot and surrounded by a rocket, cherry tomato and cucumber salad.

Salad with a little pasty...lol And by the way..
the plate is a tea plate!!! lol

The pastry was at first crisp and then melted in your mouth and so tasty. The filling was spicy and the butternut and pea combination worked really well together. So good.

Gratuitous filling shot...lol

Well it would've been rude not to include one, eh? lol I love the occasional pasty with a great salad. Sadly this will be my last wheat based one...but it was a great one to be remembered fondly. And I'll be trying this filling in my GF pastry recipe very soon.

Next up was another 'giddy' find...lol. I am a keen noodle enthusiast. Love them anyway they come and it's one of the sad things about going completely GF but I have been reassured by Trustworthy that I will live and find new noodles to try..lol. I also love miso..and edamame beans so when I found this package filled with all three things...I actually wehoo'd..the shame..lol. Oh well. Anyway....

GF, vegan and just simply awesome..lol

I will make my own version of this very soon. I'm so pleased that buckwheat is still OK...as I already have a stash of them in my noodle cupboard. lol.

The other items were a bag of TVP mince granules as I had big plans to stuff a pumpkin whilst there but never got the energy to do it but it will most definitely get used up. And last but by no means least a Vegan Nougat Hazelnut & Dark Chocolate Bar...well..just because! lol

So that was my Treehouse stash...I hope if you ever find yourself in Aberystwyth that you pay a visit to the Treehouse...if not to eat in..then to maybe do some shopping and some take out soup they serve behind the counter.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope your Saturday is a fantastic one filled with laughter?

~R~

Guest Host: Trustworthy...Veganroni Update

Trustworthy's Play List:

Porcupine Tree – Collapse The Light Into Earth
Max Sedgley – Happy
BJH – Dark Now My Sky
Pink Floyd – Keep talking
Bloc Party – Like Eating Glass
Portishead – Magic Doors
Porcupine Tree – Intermediate Jesus
Bach – VI. Gigue
Underworld – Good Morning Cockerel
St Etienne – Only Love Can Break your Heart
Chopin – Nocturne Op. 62 No.1 in B Major
Clint Mansell – The Last Man
Static D – Someone Else
Lissie - Stranger

Hey peeps

This first post in a little while is a quick update to the veganaroni experiment.

This mix comes courtesy of my good friend JLP, from Rhode Island, so big thanks to her. Apparently, fennel seeds are the key.

So the spice mix was this:

Sweet paprika

Smoked Paprika

Mustard seeds

Fennel Seeds

Crushed red pepper

Chilli powder (I substituted both of these for dried chilli flakes)

2 cloves of garlic (although I’m not too hot with garlic so I only used one lol)

Good quality dried oregano – the kind that tastes absolutely yummy!And not like dried grass.

 

 

I crushed all those up in a pestle roughly just to mix them (I actually toasted the dried powdered spices first, too, to really bring out the flavour).

I then put some thin tofu slices (drained and squeezed, if they don’t break apart)into a glass dish and mixed the spices with the olive oil. You will have noticed I hardly ever use exact measurements – I find experimentation and just winging it works every time. A general recommendation is about a tea or tablespoon of each spice, but not too much of the ones you don’t want to be overpowered by. Smoked paprika tends to break through a lot of the other stuff so maybe hang back on this a bit. Use as much oil as you like or don’t like. It needs a bit to not be dried out during baking and to taste ‘fatty’, but you don’t
need to over do it.

 

 

 

Cover the dish in two opposite-running layers of clingfilm (otherwise your fridge will stink of garlic) and place in the fridge for as long as you wish, nominally half a day, giving you time to make some awesome gluten-free base!

Then slice and use on a pizza as you would any other topping, and bake until crispy – this will take a bit of trial and error, and it may be a good idea to bake the vegaronis first. Doing it this way, letting them cool and chilling them for a bit back in the leftover marinade will also improve the texture.

 

 

 

Please enjoy and continue the experiment! I am going to try it with tempeh next, for a richer base flavour.

Till soon,

Love, etc

Trustworthy 

Rocket & Roses Chilli Hummus & Roasted Veggies Stuffed Burritos

Rocket & Roses Wales Play List:

The Union ~ Holy Roller
Pearl Jam ~ Release
Bodyrockers ~ I Like The Way You Move
Blondie ~ Rapture
Adams & Turner ~ It's Only Love
Dani Wilde ~ Where Blue Begins
Maroon 5 ~ Doin' Dirt
Don Williams ~ I Believe in You
Melissa Etheridge ~ Heroes & Friends
Nickelback ~ Next Go Round
Alice Cooper ~ Poison
The Zutons ~ Bumbag
Blondie ~ Sunday Girl
Paul Weller ~ Time Passes..

I make many apologies for the photos for today's posting. They were taken at night...under artificial light...and in a rush! But I had to share this meal with you..it was one I enjoyed over two days and loved every spicy moment of it. It came about simply by the fact I had roasted off a tray of pumpkin, red onions, yellow courgettes, red and yellow peppers and some baby beets and once I had used them for what I needed them for, I had leftover pumpkin, red onion and a little red pepper. I also had a pot of Spicy Piri Piri Hummus with which I wanted to make something. So it kinda came together with the aid of a mixing bowl and spoon. lol



Toasty on the outside...and soft on the inside...and so deliciously spicy.

I added the leftover roasted veggies into the bowl along with a small tin of drained and rinsed sweetcorn then added the hummus and mixed until it was all combined and evenly coated. Then using four tortillas I filled and rolled them and placed them into a baking dish. And grated some soy cheeze generously over all four. And placed them into a hot oven for 25 minutes.

They came out looking like this! lol

I served them with a large salad bowl consisting of rocket/arugula, cherry tomatoes and cucumber. No dressing..

The soft yummy filling exposed...

These weren't huge burritos and the two pictured were on a tea plate lol. But they were spicy, comforting and with the refreshing salad a real treat to eat. And as I said I enjoyed them over two days...the second day...blimey had the chilli intensified..lol. I needed a beer..but they were still awesome. Now I think this could easily be replicated by using standard hummus and either fresh chillies or chilli paste. Obviously you would need to adjust the amount of chilli to your own personal tastes.

Sadly this is the last time I'll be using wheat based tortillas for a while as I've had to accept that wheat is not my friend..so shall be going back to exploring the whole gluten free vegan world once more.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Wednesday is bringing you smiles in abundance?

~R~

Cwmtydu Cove, Wales..intense and intoxicating..

Rocket & Roses Wales Play List:

Rod Stewart ~ First Cut Is The Deepest
Kelly Clarkson ~ Miss Independent
Racey ~ Some Girls
Garbage ~ The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
Katy Perry ~ Thinking of You
Beyonce & Shakira ~ Beautiful Liar
David Bowie ~ Sorrow
Thunder ~ Lethal Combination
Lady Antebellum ~ Love This Pain
Within Temptation ~ All I Need
Tina Dico ~ Goldhawk Road
Kid Rock & Gretchen Wilson ~ Picture (Live)
Thunder ~ In A Broken Dream
Newton Faulkner ~ All I Got

If it is emotionally possible..I fell in love with a hidden cove in Wales. You folks know I have a obsession thing for waterfalls, right? I can sit, stand or lay gazing at waterfalls for hours. I am completely taken over by their power and beauty. And now it seems this little cove we found on holiday can make me do this too...lol.

The 'Nook' was in the middle of nowhere as I've said before and there was a single lane down from the entrance which was a very scary drive down the steep and twisting road...let me tell you! Lots of hands over eyes and girly shrieks until we reached the bottom..lol. But it was worth every second when you came out at Cwmtydu Cove. Now the weather had pretty much been heavy rain, light rain and moments of sunshine all week...which wasn't a problem for us and for me personally it was lovely and added atmosphere to the look of the cove. My camera came out and I went completely snap happy...and so here are some of results. I hope you enjoy them...

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

Apparently it had been a very important cove in its past. Once a smugglers cove with caves to store their bounties and then later the main way of bringing in supplies and iron..and we both wondered how the heck they managed that..but they obviously did..lol And also Grey Seals make visit every now and then...

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

The waves breaking against the rocks were mesmerising. I was completely taken away....

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

I felt my creative batteries being recharged every second of being there...never wanted to leave.

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

The right side of the cove. And the most dramatic I thought. The waves crashing and the sound were relentlessly overwhelming and I felt myself being drawn to them..felt completely lost at one point...

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

A close up view on the water meeting rocks...couldn't get the exact shot that I wanted but this one was close. On the flattened rocks I pictured feisty mermaids sat there...lol. Loved it.

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

You can't really see the cave entrance unless you look hard...so I shall leave that for you to work out...lol. Tease? Yes...always...lol

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

Sadly but not surprisingly I wasn't well enough to walk along the beach...so ML had to go alone and explore.

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

I would have loved to have gotten this close to the water. I even had my new Rock Chick wellies on too! Such a shame...

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

See! I was all ready to go splashing in the water...oh well..next time, eh? lol Nice boots, eh?

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

Now this is slightly different view so it was selected...lol. Love the curve of the rocks...

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

ML enjoying a stroll along the shore....deep in thought...probably..."Bloody hell it's cold!" lol.

© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

Back around to the left side of the cove...exploring the rock formations...to the left is the beginning of a large rock pool.



© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen 2012

The rock pool is lovely and is fed by a river that runs down into it and then out to the sea. Again I loved the rocks...thought they could almost come to life and talk to you and tell their tales...or is that just me? lol.

Well that was just a few of the snaps I took of Cwmtydu Cove and for more information about it click...here! 

I hope to go back one day and explore it like I would have loved to but for now I have the photos to remind me of the feeling of being so small and insignificant and enjoying the powerful energy from the water. Better than any medicine I'm taking right now!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Tuesday is being good to you?

~R~

Sunday Brunch: Isa's Sesame Tofu Scramble and greens with Yams..well..sweet potato..

Rocket & Roses Wales Play List:
 
David Bowie ~ Rebel Rebel
Jack Johnson ~ They Do, Don't They
Jim Reeves ~ I Won't Forget You
Jace Everett ~ Everything I Want
Thunder ~ Gimme Some Lovin' Live
Tina Dico ~ Undone
Imelda May ~ Inside Out
T-Rex ~ I Love To Boogie
Jim Reeves ~ Four Walls
Robbie Williams ~ Lovelight
Beats International ~ Dub Be Good To Me
Mr.Mister ~ Broken Wings
Beth Rowley ~ Only One Cloud
Skin ~ Shine Your Light

Firstly an update...

Well we arrived at our cottage in Wales...it was amazingly beautiful...calm and peaceful...but a complete dead zone for mobiles and WIFI for miles around. So we were in effect cut the heck off from the rest of the world..unless we drove miles to find a signal. And we didn't do much of that either because we had car disasters, so much if it was a movie it would've been very funny. So we spent a lot of time cosied up in the Nook, as it became known. ML playing with the log burner fire...and reading. The almost constant rain was awesome (please remember I am one of those rain loving creatures..lol) as we had skylights everywhere and the rain became a soothing balm as our stress levels crept higher over the week. Oh well..we tried eh? I shall be posting up some blogs over the coming week with tales of the things we did do. And one of my achievements of the week was to finally get a 7 letter word out on Scrabble!!! Which meant I won a game...at last. There was some serious smiling that night..lol. Rock and Roll eh? lol. Anyway...now we are caught up and I shall get back to the brunch...~R~

I was so happy that I managed to cook at least two dishes whilst away...ok..three if you include the disaster...Ahem. lol...anyway. The first dish I made was Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Sesame Scrambled Tofu and Greens with Yams from her Vegan Brunch cookbook. I love this dish and I have to admit that I function better on a breakfast like this and I am increasingly having more problems with wheat...which is a great shame as I love wholewheat pasta and noodles. *dramatic sigh* lol. On our way in to Wales we stopped at a Morrisons supermarket which are now stocking the most amazing selection of fresh veggies...so I stocked up on Green Kale, Purple Kale, Beets with their greens still attached (believe me this is a marvel for here!!) and some beautiful Swiss Chard. And as we can never get Yams here so I subbed them out for sweet potatoes.



© Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen
Sunday Brunch: Isa's delightful Scrambled Tofu and Greens with Yams/Sweet Potato

Isa's Sesame Scrambled Tofu and Greens with Yams/Sweet Potato
(Recipe from Vegan Brunch/Moskowitz)  Serves 2 - 4

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil plus extra for drizzling
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakeso
1 pound of extra firm tofu (I used 1 pkt of Cauldron tofu ~R~)
1 bunch of leafy greens, chopped (I used lush green kale ~R~)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 medium-size yams or sweet pots, baked, cooled, peeled and cut into bite sized
morsels
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Preheat a large pan over a medium heat. Saute garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in the oil for about a minute. Tear the tofu into bite-size pieces or to your preference and add them to the pan. Turn the heat up and saute for about 5 minutes, until the tofu is lightly browned.

Add the greens and soy sauce. Saute for about 7 minutes, or until the greens have completely cooked down. (Collards may take longer than chard or kale) Splash some water into the pan if needed. Add the yams/sweet pots and gently stir just to cook through, being careful not to mush them too much.

Transfer scrambled tofu to bowls and drizzle each serving with additional sesame oil, maybe a tsp per serving. Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds and serve. Enjoy.

NB: I take no credit for the creation of this recipe. It is the work of the very talented vegan guru Isa Chandra Moskowitz...and if you haven't already bought this book...then shame on you! lol ~R~

Now this does make a good panful so I ate it for breakfast for a few days lol. But where on earth was the hardship in that? lol. And it does get hotter with each day thanks to the chili flakes. But a great start to the day...and for brunch I usually serve it with a slice of good GF toast and a strong black coffee...or a Chamomile Tea...

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Sunday is a great one...we are now away to get the little four legged fella from his holiday home..that's of course if he wants to leave...lol

~R~

Road Tripping..Day Two Swinton to Telford

Rocket & Roses Car Play List:

MUSE ~ The 2nd Law Album (over & over again lol)

Well day two of our road trip to Wales started really well...we'd had great accommodation at the sunny Hello Hotel. Our room was spacious, bed comfy and the room clean. Can't really ask for more than that, eh? Only downer was the breakfast was 'bacon sarnies', a chocolate muffin and a bottle of orange juice. So ML enjoyed the sandwiches and I...didn't. lol. Oh well. Our plan was to sleep in and then hit the road to nearby Warrington and the IKEA store there. But first we had to deal with a car issue....our car decided to break it's bonnet spring...so a couple of hours later...a very helpful chap called Carl from a local garage..we were left with the reality, of the piece that was broken couldn't be delivered...anywhere....before Monday!!! So with minutes left on the Hello Hotel room which still had all of our 'stuff' and...oh yeah..me...in it...Carl bungee corded our bonnet shut so we could continue on our road trip. There were stressful tears, extreme use of Expletive Therapy and prayers sent up to the Rock Gods to help us. Not a great moment...

Neither ML or myself look like this..lol
But we could relate to the strain.

So..finally...we hit the road and had decided on the scenic route from Swinton to Telford following the old stage coaching route via the A49. First we called in at IKEA (blog posting to follow about my purchases..lol) and then.....then!...we hit the road. And although it was a slow road...the scenery was beautiful...and the old coaching houses along the way, were at times great but seeing the odd one or two boarded up was a little sad. Did I mention this was a slow road?? Our first destination on this route was a place called Ironbridge which turned out to be a very pretty little town and I hope to go back there for a long weekend to roam about and explore. But the main reason was to see the Ironbridge that spans a gorge. It was a very impressive sight. To visit the Ironbridge website click here....

The Ironbridge spanning the gorge.

However I have to say we arrived here at twilight and the lights from the shops and restaurants made the bridge seem magical.

After a few little detours..ahem!...we finally pulled up at our accommodation for tonight. Haughton Hall in Telford. Which looks very impressive from the outside...and I guess is on the inside...just very..erm..historical...lol. But our room is pleasant and the en suite clean..so what else do I need, eh?

Haughton Hall Telford

I have to confess I haven't been feeling my best today...so when we opened the room door I collapsed on the very large bed and stayed there for a while. Who knew riding shotgun could be so exhausting. So I am writing this..making many mistakes and struggling to stay upright...things I do, eh? ;-)

An example of our room...

Tomorrow we hit the road again...and our destination is our place in Wales...wehoo. ML hasn't decided which scenic route we are taking yet...but I will be back soon with further tales...

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Friday & Saturday is an awesome one..

~R~....Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....