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Photo: yaili / Flickr

Rabanadas tipsy cinnamon bread slices are similar in appearance to egg-bread. While they’re normally served at Christmas time in Portugal, in in her book Piri Piri Starfish Tessa Kiros suggests that they’re ‘also nice to make on a morning when you wake up early and can’t get back to sleep.’ Rabanados or tipsy slices should be made with tightly crumbed Portuguese bread, baguette or ciabatta bread. (more…)

Photo: dogeared / Flickr

Cranberry jam can be made at any time of the year: if you can’t find cranberries fresh, you’ll certainly find them frozen or even dried. This jam is easy to make as it doesn’t require endless boiling with sugar and pectin or lemon. All it takes is to combine one part cranberries with one part caster sugar and you’ll have a jar or two of jam to brighten up breakfast or tea. Make a large batch and you’ll have some berry-bright Christmas presents. (more…)

Photo: Philippe de France / Flickr

A design works if it manages to balance a creatively inspired idea with functionality, whether it is a turned vase, an over-the-top chair or a classic eight-seater table. The quickest way to know if an idea will work is to sketch it out with a pencil. You can then adapt the drawing to improve any shortcomings or change it as you see fit. Seek out inspiration if necessary and then prepare scaled working drawings for a smooth-running project. (more…)

Photo: kightp / Flickr

Green chutney goes well with bread, cheese and cold meats, which makes it perfect for picnics. You could also serve it with hot curry dishes. What’s more, you don’t have to wait for your tomatoes to ripen to make a green tomato chutney.  This recipe requires a preparation time of half an hour and a cooking time of two hours. Maturation time is one and a half months but the wait will be worth it as you’ll have a few jars of green tomato chutney to indulge in. (more…)

Photo: *Bárbara* Cannnela / Flickr

Chutney is made by cooking fruit or vegetables, or a blend thereof, to a smooth pulp consistency. The chutney is preserved with vinegar, spices and salt. Relishes differ from chutney in that roughly chopped fruit and veges are used, allowing for a coarser texture. Chutney making requires a heavy -based stainless steel saucepan. Don’t use copper or brass as the vinegar will react and the preserve will be tainted as a result. Mellow flavoured chutneys add zest to various dishes, including sandwiches and curries. (more…)

Photo: lowjumpingfrog / Flickr

Making your own soap is very rewarding and once you have the knack of it you can start getting creative by adding new ingredients. You can also experiment with different packaging for gift ideas. An easy soap to make is glycerine based. A lengthier process is involved in handmade soap which uses coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter and vegetable oil. This soap will have you in the kitchen stirring a pot over the stove. Find out how to ‘cook’ your own soap. (more…)

Photo: Sonjasun / Flickr

The great thing about making your own bath products is that you know exactly what ingredients have gone into them. Besides that, it’s fun to make things like bath-fizz granules and body cream at home. And you get to give wonderful gifts to your loved ones while enjoying any leftover stock for yourself. The body cream recipe we share here can also be used as a hand cream. The bath-fizz granules are similar to bath-fizz balls and the room spray and massage oil are oh-so-easy. (more…)

Photo: malloreigh / Flickr

The word ‘jam’ dates back to Elizabethan times when it was a slang word, as seen in 18^th century cookbooks. Jam is what came after the thick and pasty ‘tart stuffs’ of older days, made from boiling fruit juice with sugar until it had the consistency of jelly. It was then stored in pots and served with cream dishes. Jam-making was limited to the seasons back then but we have the luxury of freezers and can make it anytime today. (more…)

Photo: multikulinaria / Flickr

How can anybody resist having a rich ruby-red dollop of home-made raspberry jam on a slice of just buttered toast? Or with cream on a scone, fresh from the oven? This raspberry jam recipe requires nothing more than raspberries and sugar. The appeal of raspberry jam is not only its taste but its colour, so the trick is not to overcook it because you can end up with an unappealing brown raspberry jam if you’re not paying close attention. (more…)

Photo: energeticspell / Flickr

Save money by creating your own belts this season. Make a bold fashion statement with do-it-yourself belts in leather or bold fabrics and have loads of fun at the same time. So round up any pieces of fabric, bits of leather, plastics, buttons and bottle tops and start creating some colourful and eccentric belts to complement a variety of outfits. By following a few simple steps you can make your very own masterpiece! (more…)