Tank Tops & Cakes in Jars...

There are 2 things that are taking up my brain spaces at the moment...
Sewing a tank top
and
Baking cakes in jars.

Firstly lets start with the former...

A couple of weeks ago I went into a frenzy of downloading free sewing patterns online, I went to Burdastyle and Simplicity (I found a free pattern download for pyjama bottoms) and wherever else I found great patterns I liked.

I came across this very cute and yet simple Sorbetto Tank Top pattern on the Colette Patterns blog , Coletterie I had seen if before on The Sew Weekly when Mena had done the 7 Days of Sorbettos challenge (that lady is a-ma-zing), but hadn't done much about it. When I found it again I thought it would be a nice way to get into sewing clothes for myself.

So I printed off the pattern and assembled all the pieces and cut out the pattern.

Here is the pattern just as I was starting to cut the pieces out

Here are the pattern pieces ready to go!

I was thinking about what fabric I would use to make this tank top. I figured the weather is about to get stinking hot as summer approaches and I don't have a lot of nice cool tops that I can schlep around the house in that I wouldn't feel ashamed to answer the door in.

I have had some lovely black lightweight kind of broderie anglaise fabric for years and years and I thought it was about time to do something with it. So I washed it this weekend (I still have to press it though, naughty! Heehee) and I hope to get snip-snipping one evening this week.

Here it is...

The fabric I want to use.

You can kind of make out the embroidery.

Now, on to the other thing that is swirling around in my head-cakes in jars.
I don't know how, as it usually is with the wonderful art that is surfing the internet I came upon the craze that is Cake in a Jar.

Holy delicious and conveniently packaged to transport goodness!

There are sooo many creative kitchen magicians out there! I think these small jars of sugary loveliness are just the right thing for me. You see, the Mr doesn't eat cake...this makes me sad because I can't share any cakey goodness I bake with him. So if I make a for-no-reason cake I end up eating it all myself. Good for my lips, but terrible for my hips. Some people say these cakes could last for ages without even being in the fridge! But I think I would put my jars of delight in the freezer and bring them out when I want a treat.

I'll have to buy some Wide Mouth Preserving Jars, if I can't find them anywhere else I could buy them from here. According to a couple of sources (angry chicken, about.com) the wide mouth ones are better.

Also, here is an Instructables article about Pies in Jars - how great! Fresh pie whenever you're heart (or tum) desires.

Talking about cooking cakes in small receptacles there was a craze awhile back for 5 minutes mug chocolate cakes you can find the recipe here at Not Quite Nigella or here at All Recipes

So that's what's swirling around in my head at the moment. What's in yours? Leave a comment :)

Wanna Make Super Easy Bolognese Sauce?

So you do wanna make Super Easy Bolognese. 

My recipe is pretty rustic and homey. It's got mince but I like to slip some veges in there as well. I do enjoy a tasty, easy and quick dinner. 

RECIPE

Most of the ingredients can usually be found in my kitchen.

1 onion

Minced garlic

500g Mince

Stock cubes

2 carrots

2 zucchinis

400g can crushed tomatoes

400g can chopped tomatoes

Tomato paste

Italian herbs mix

Salt and Pepper

200g sliced mushrooms

Step 1) Grate your carrot and zucchini. [If you don't have any fresh veges you can pop some frozen veges in after you brown the mince.] Dice the onion roughly.

Step 2) Pop your pot on the burner and drizzle in some oil pop in your chopped onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the the onion is translucent. Then add the mince, brown and break up an large chunks. [I like to use my flippy thing to 'chop' into the chunks.] Once the mince is browned add a few stock cups and mush them into your mince. I like to use a couple of vege cubes and 1 beef cube.

Step 3) Add your grated veges or frozen veges if your using them. I grated my veges using the larger gratey side, I only do that because its quicker and I like to see my veges as I eat my bolognese. If you like you can use the finer gratey side.

Step 4) Mix in a big dollop tomato paste and canned tomatoes.

Step 5) Season your mixture with a few good shakes of Italian herb mix, salt and pepper.

Step 6) Stir in the mushrooms and bring your mix to the boil. Simmer for about 45 minutes or if your like me and you want it heaps sooner than that I make mine in a pressure cooker and cook for about 15minutes.

Step 7) While your waiting for your bolognese to cook make up your spaghetti. If you are like me and often forget to buy spaghetti this bolognese is just as yum on rice or on toast. Here is a picture of my pressure cooker and spaghetti on the boil. To make my pasta cook extra fast I put my pasta pot on a high heat burner with some water while wait for my kettle to boil then I pour boiling water into the spaghetti pot and add water. Wait until the water is at a rolling boil then add the spaghetti.

Step 8) If you do cook your bolognese in a pressure cooker you might find that your spaghetti is a bit watery after cooking. If you like you can simmer it a bit to make it thicker. But I don't mind mine a bit runny.

Step 9) Give your sauce a good stir and your good to go!

I serve my Spaghetti bolognese with baguette slices, butter (for the bread) and parmesan. I like to use the break to mop up the yummy juices from my bolognese sauce.

And there you have it. Super easy bolognese sauce.

Do you have a super easy yum recipe that you use as a fallback?

Is there a particular kitchen item that you love to use?

Until next time,

Get crafty and make something yummy you love,

V xoxo