Nutella 3 ingredient cookies

Anything with Nutella will always get a thumbs up in my book, and I know its not very 'healthy' but sometimes its ok to have a little treat now and then, and this cookie recipe has zero sugar which is always a plus. With only three ingredients its super simple to prepare and bake which means less time baking and more time eating. 

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup Nutella

2) 1 cup flour

3) 1 egg

Method:

1) with a electric mixer combine all 3 ingredients together in a large bowl

2) Spoon out onto a greased baking sheet leaving 2 inches between each cookie (they will spread)

3) Bake in oven at 350degreesF, 180degreesC or gas mark 4 for 6-8 minutes 

4) Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes

5) Enjoy !!!

There you have it, I told you it was simple, quick and easy and they taste amazing, these are a perfect gift idea, just make a batch and wrap them in pretty tissue paper or put them in festive tin for a great christmas gift.

Thanks for reading, and have a nice day.

Rachel Ward 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

As always I try to keep a healthy balanced diet, but every now and then I want a treat, something sweet and indulgent that I know I will feel bad for eating afterwards. Instead of having that regret feeling after a feast of chocolates I'm going to let you in on a little secret of mine. These cookies are delicious, there super moist and sweet and they defiantly fill that craving for something sweet without actually breaking any dietary rules. First let me start by saying these are not 100% healthy as they do contain some sugar and butter but they are defiantly better for you than a double chocolate toffee filled chocolate cake with toffee buttercream frosting. Anywayy...

You came here for the recipe and I won't hold you any longer, here it is (and please treat it with care, it's a gooden):

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon raisins/dried fruit

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees / gas mark 3

2) Using a electric whisk / stand mixer beat together the butter and sugar until combined

3) Add egg and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture (DO NOT OVER BEAT) 

4) Next add the flour, baking soda and salt into the butter mixture, after  mixing this in add your oats and raisins and beat until fully combined together

5) Line a baking sheet with grease proof paper

6) Using two spoons, scoop out the batter and place on the baking sheet about two inches away from each other (The cookies will spread in the baking process)

7) Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown, leave to cool for a further 10 minutes and then enjoy.

So there you have it, now you've baked your first of many batches of oatmeal raisin cookies and you don't have to stop at just raisins, here are a few other ingredients you could throw in the batter to create completely different cookies: 

• Coconut
• Almonds
• Nuts
• Banana Chips
• Chocolate chips
• Peanut Butter
• Sultanas
• Dried apricots
• Cinnamon & Dried Apple

The list goes on and on and on, there is no stopping this recipe, If you have any other flavour combinations you feel would compliment the cookies then please let me know as I would love to hear them.

If your more of a visual person, then your in luck, I made a little recipe video, with step by step instructions which hopefully you will find useful: 

Thanks for taking time out of your day to visit my blog and I hope to see from you again soon.

Rachel Ward 

Christmas is just around the corner...

It's only three months till christmas and already I'm getting that christmas feeling, I'm looking forward to baking christmas cookies and cupcakes and cake pops and after spending hours on Pinterest looking through various holiday boards it gave me a few inspirational tips and ideas for the upcoming holidays. I will be baking these closer to christmas and along with that I will post recipe guides and video tutorials along with step by step photographs taking you through the whole process of baking and decorating these desserts, but for now, heres a little sneak peak as to whats to come in the following weeks leading up to christmas! 

Cakepops -

I've make cake pops in the past, but to make and theme them in a festive way never crossed my mind until now, Using inspiration from traditional christmas characters I am going to create some unique cake pops that resemble reindeer, snowmen, and christmas puddings and more! Here are some visual examples: 

Christmas pudding cake balls - These are not really cake 'pops' but more like balls of cake, lets call them cake balls! They are make the same way as cake pops but without the stick and dipped in white chocolate to resemble the icing on a Christmas pudding then topped of with a jelly bean to add some fun colour. (full recipe will come closer to christmas) 

Rudolph the red nose cake pop - This is such a fun and quirky cake pop that I couldn't possibly not bake it this christmas, the red nose is make with a M&M or similar red sweet and the brown pipe cleaner creates the unique reindeer antlers, these are a perfect gift as they are wrapped in clear plastic wrap to keep them clean, bake a batch of these and give them to a friend or neighbour (thats my plan anyway) 

Snowmen cake pops - I love this cake pop with the cute Rolo chocolate hat its the perfect christmas time treat. This is make dipped into white melted chocolate and set with a Rolo chocolate on top, alternatively if you don't have Rolo's you can top the snowmen of with Oreo biscuits for a similar effect. The inside of these cake pops can be anything you want them to be, for me I think i'm going to fill them with a vanilla cake, and popping candy for a extra surprise. 

Christmas tree brownie pops - This is such a cool creation I don't know why i never though about it before, its a basic brownie mix baked, then cut into triangle, decorated with green frosting and red sweets to create a Christmas tree effect. A candy cane is then inserted into the bottom of the cake for a extra little treat, its also visually more appealing. 

Christmas Cookies -

Cookies and christmas go together like toast and butter, its a match made in heaven! Therefore of course I will be baking cookies like a mad lady this coming christmas, I have so many ideas that I don't think I will be able to make them all but here are a few of my all time favourite christmas cookie ideas:

The melting snowman - This cookie reminds me of the bath ballistic they sell in lush and thats what first interested me in this cookie, its a simple butter cookie on the base then topped with water icing, a marshmallow is them placed on top and detail is added with writing icing. You could have fun with this cookie and create a variety of unique snowmen.

Christmas trees& snowflakes - These are so cute and using festive cookie cutters you are guaranteed that each cookie will be exactly the same size which is a plus if your giving these aways as gifts. The pastel colours of these cookies are so pretty that I don't think I would want to eat them but just stare at them forever or hang them on my tree ! 

Christmas Cupcakes -

Yay! I saved the best for last, I love baking cupcakes and with so many festive spices and flavours, the best way to incorporate them is in a cupcake, from chocolate and orange to apple and cinnamon, theres a christmas cupcake for everyone. 

Gingerbread cupcake - The cupcake is adorable, make with a ginger cake, topped with vanilla butter cream and then a mini gingerbread man is placed on top of this cute little christmas time snack! 

Holly cupcake - So easy, yet so effective this chocolate cupcake is topped with vanilla bean buttercream then using jelly sweets its decorated to resemble a holly branch. To make this cupcake even more indulgent it can be filled with chocolate gnash in the middle, so when someone takes a bite, they will get a mouthful of gooey runny chocolate! 

Nutella, hazelnut cupcake - I know this doesn't look very christmasy but for me a Ferrero Rocher is a typical christmas treat so resembling it in a cupcake was perfect. Its a basic chocolate cupcake with a Nutella buttercream frosting then topped with a Ferrero Rocher. 

Caramel cupcake - Ahhh. Heaven in a cupcake is all I can say. I've always been a huge fan of caramel and nothing can take my love away from it so combining it with a cupcake just seemed to good to be true. It probably have like a zillion calories but ahh well, its a one of and what the hell its christmas, indulge yourself! This cupcake is a caramel cupcake filled with dulche le leche then topped with a caramel buttercream (don't worry a full recipe will come soon when I make this cupcake).

That's it for now, but no doubt i will think of more things to bake before christmas comes and when I don't you will be the first to know. 

DIY: Let's clear that skin !

Good afternoon, sorry I've been a bit MIA lately I've been really busy as you know i was in the USA (i'll go into that at a later date) for a few months but now I'm back and ready to rumble !!! So anyway I have LOADS of projects planned for the upcoming future, what with Christmas, Halloween and birthdays around the corner I have lots of baking to do and no doubt I will be recording my every step to ensure you don't miss a thing 👍

Anyway today my post is all about SKIN !!! Weather you have oily, dry or combination skin we can all look after our skin a little bit better and rather than using the store bought face scrubs, cleansers and moisturisers which are mostly full of harsh chemicals, I'm going to let you in on a few of my go to skin remedies that I make at home with little effort and may I add it hardly costs a £1. BARGAIN! And there are no harsh chemicals involved. Ok so enough of me chattier chatting, let's get to it;

1) BLACKHEAD REMOVER - get rid of your blackheads in literally five minutes with this quick and easy blackhead remover, all you have to do is chop a lemon in half and add 2-3 drops of honey straight to the centre of the lemon, then rub the lemon all over your face making sure to pay close attention to the blackhead prone areas of your face. Leave this lemon and honey mixture on your face for around go 10 minutes and then rinse with cold water and you will see the results immediately !

2) ACHE SCARS - did you pick your spots when you were a teenager and
Now you are paying the price with scarring? Well worry no more with this easy ache scar remover. First off all your going to need is 4 tablespoons of honey, 3 teaspoons of plain yogurt, 4 teaspoons of lemon juice and 1 egg white. Now once you have all these products your going to want to mix them together and apply the mixture to your clean skin and leave it here for 15-20 minutes, then rinse of with cold water. You should do this twice a week and after a few weeks you will see visible reductions in your ache scars.

3) OILY SKIN - Do you suffer from oily, shiny skin that you have to constantly powder or blot ? Well now I have to answer to your blotting prayers. Your going to want to take a avocado, one egg white and half a teaspoon of lemon juice and mix them together to create a paste, then apply this paste to your freshly washing face and leave for 10-15 minutes. After this time you should rinse your face of with cold water and vwalllllllllaaaa!!! Your skin should now me oil free.

4) DRY SKIN - or do you have to opposite problem and your skin is constantly dry, forget the store bought moisturisers and creams, here's what you need to do... Go and grab 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon of baby oil, combine them together in a bowl and apply this mixture to your face, elbows, knees or anywhere else you may have dry skin. Leave this mixture on for 20 minutes then rinse of with cold water. Repeat weekly for easiest results.

Anyway I think that's all i have for now, I'll be back a lot sooner than my precious post and will have more exiting, useful, creative tips and tricks to share with you (maybe even a little video to go along side them)

Thanks for reading my blog and as always have a great day 👋
Rachel (Catalow333)

Carry on must haves !

The time is nearly hear and I'm soon going to be jetting of to America to start the summer of a lifetime all thanks to Camp America!

I have been making a start on my packing organization and have started with my carry on bag. Now for me I'm the type of person who doesn't travel light, no matter how hard I try I always end up over packing, but I would rather be safe than sorry and I'm going to go through some of my Carry On must haves along with a few little videos (who doesn't love a good video !) 

Alright, lets start with the basics such as Passport, visa, ticket, fight info, medical insurance, confirmation of wear you are staying and any important addresses and phone numbers you may need. Will all these documents I take photocopies just in case you may need them for something, (its always good to be on the safe side than have to deal with the consequences later). I actually created a video regarding this topic if you would care to take a look, then by all means do, if not then I wont hold it against you :) 

What documents you need before flying! 

Ok, so now we have got the boring stuff out of the way we can move onto the more exiting carry on must haves! What I've done is condensed it down to my 10 must have items (now bear in mind I had about 35 items to begin with so this is the main things I could not fly comfortably without).

1) Laptop - I usually fly with my computer and don't feel safe putting it in my checked bag, I usually don't use it on flight but carrying it on my person throughout a trip just makes me feel less worried that it might get broken in transit. 

2) Music Player - Weather it be the music player on your phone, a MP3 player or even a retro CD player, music always make the time go by quicker, just turn it on, close your eyes and sink into your own little world without any interruptions from screaming children or chatty passengers. Now a great tip here is to invest in some sound canceling headphones and they will block out any noises that may arise on board an aircraft. I would recommend the Sony MDR-NC200D, they come with a travel case which is very convenient. 

3) Book - Especially for long haul flights, as getting lost in a good book has to be one of the best ways to speed up time. With todays technologies we are able to read books without having to lug around huge hardbacks, thanks to the Amazon Kindle and the Apple Ipad which both have downloadable books. 

4) Hand Sanitizer - I don't go anywhere without a little bottle of hand sanitizer, especially for airplane journeys were you are served food, instead of getting up and standing in a huge toilet queue to clean your hands, all you have to do is pull out your little bottle and freshen up! (Remember to put your sanitizer in a clear ziplock bag when going through security a it is a liquid) 

5) Fuzzy Socks - Everyone knows how cold flights can get, and if your like me and you like to take your shoes of then a pair of thick wooly socks are the way to go. 

6) Lip Balm - With the high altitude of a airplane, your lips can get pretty dry which is why I carry a small tube of lip balm with me, because there is nothing worse than chapped lips. Some of my favorite lip balms are Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm and the Carmex lip Balm Tube. 

7) Jacket/Fleece - As I mentioned earlier it can get pretty cold onboard so a warm jacket or fleece is a must have item. Trust me you will be forever glad you brought it, alternatively you could carry on a small blanket or scarf to wrap around yourself, when you start to feel a little cold. 

8) Snacks - Defiantly for a long haul flight as the price of snacks on board are ridiculously expensive, you may get a free meal and is so then thats great but for those of you who don't then bringing food along with you is a must, but be careful what do bring on as some airlines don't allow meat or poultry, just check the website of the airline your are flying with to make sure, you don't want to have your food taken off you before you even get on board. 

9) Camera - Even if you don't use it on board, you really don't want to pack it in your checked luggage as the baggage handlers may not be gentle with your bag and it could break, so having it with you is just a safety precaution. (This goes for all electronics or valuable items that have could get damaged quite easily).

10) Tissues/Wipes - Last but not least tissues, you never know when you might spill a drink or knock something over, it is easily done and the fold down tables on the back of airline seats are sometimes a little slanted and so drinks can easily slide off. 

Heres a little video I made, explaining in a bit more detail, enjoy:

Thanks for reading / watching

Rachel

Transform your clothes for the summer !

I realize I haven't posted in a very long time (2 months to be exact) and instead of giving you every excuse under the sun as to why I have been MIA I will simply just say that I am really sorry and hope you forgive me and I promise it wont happen again. Anyway I didn't create this post just to say hi, I have been working on a few projects lately and thought you might be interested in them.

Firstly Since it is the start of summer and the weather is improving for most, I created a few ways to transform your ordinary clothes (jeans & t-shirts) into summer must have pieces (Shorts & tank tops).

Lets start with your t-shirts:
All you need to turn a ordinary t-shirt into a tank/vest top is a pair of scissors, a marker pen and of course a t-shirt.
I always find its easier to watch how to do something, that to have someone try and explain things to me which is why I created a video with step by step instructions on how to create your tank top, so I hope you find it easy to follow-

Hopefully you found that instructive and were able to transform your t-shirt with ease.

Ok, lets move onto jean shorts, I actually created a post a few months ago in which I showed you how to create jean shorts, so if you missed it, here it is:

Transform denim jeans into shorts: 

Creating a pair of denim jeans shorts has to be one of the easiest DIY projects I have ever done, and all your going to need is a old pair of jeans, a marker pen, a pair of scissors and a needle and thread (optional). Again I will show you via my video how to create this simple transformation, I do hope you enjoy it:

So there you have it, I've shown to how to transform two very basic clothing items and now you have a great summer outfit to wear on the beach, out shopping or even just lounging around in.

Thanks for taking your time to read this and I promise I will be back very soon with another post :)

Rachel

DIY - Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatchers are so cool, and at first I was like "there's no way I would be able to make one of those, they look so complicated and difficult to do", but the truth is: They are so easy and simple once you have mastered the technique, and I have made this little video to show you exactly how to make one and all the crafts you will need. Its really not a lot and they do not take long at all to finish.

What you will need:
- string (a variety of colours would be ideal)
- metal rings or old bracelets
- beads
- scissors
- feathers

So now you have all the materials heres the step by step video, enjoy: 

Thanks for reading (or watching mostly haha) 

Rachel