Margot, Author at Coffee & Vanilla

DIY Mulberry Tissue Paper Moody Bedroom Lampshade – Ikea Hack

DIY moody lampshade for adults bedroom – easy and low cost décor idea.

Italian Food Stall at Staines Market – Best of Calabria

Have you ever been to Staines? I haven’t… before last Saturday. I did not even know much about it except that it is was home town of Ali G – satirical fictional character invented and performed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Staines is a little, quite town in Surrey, Middlesex just minutes away by […]

Crunchy Sesame & Ginger Honey Glazed Carrots

INGREDIENTS 500g carrots (washed, halved lengthwise, then cut into sticks) 2 tbs sesame oil (I used Virgin Sesame Oil from Cooks&Co) 2 tbs ginger honey (I used Sarah’s Zesty Honey with Ginger) some toasted sesame seeds to sprinkle – optional METHOD Toss carrots in sesame oil. Place them on non-stick baking tray and roast in […]

Mr Kipling’s Cake-To-Go Dispensers All Over UK

Mr Kipling’s Cake-To_Go dispensers are popping up all over the country at bus stops giving away free Angel Slices at the push of a button along with the aroma of freshly baked cakes until 1st of April. For more information on the Mr Kipling Cake-To-Go dispensers visit Mrs Kipling FB page. Mr Kipling’s Cake-To_Go LOCATION: […]

Baked & Delicious Magazine and Easter Competition (CLOSED)

Attention UK readers, Baked & Delicious magazine is running an Easter bake-off on their Facebook page – The Best of The Bakes competition with wonderful prize: Cupcake Decorating and Chocolate Martinis Masterclass for Two located in London worth £110. If you live in UK, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia you can also subscribe to Baked […]

Girl’s Room Butterfly Paper Lamp Shade – Ikea Hack

Paper lampshade decorated with butterflies – quick and easy DIY décor idea for girls’ room.

Irish Scones and Ginger Honey for St. Patrick’s Day

Irish scones, bread, honey and recipe ideas from Ireland.

Lunchbox # 117 – Cute Mouse Bread Roll

Lunchbox # 117 (for 6 year old girl) mouse bread roll sandwich with chicken ham made out of Yeast Teddy Bear Bun and edible marker cherry tomatoes seedless green grapes chocolate love bug Cheddar crackers huge strawberry bottle of water (not pictured) Everything placed in glittery EZ-Freeze lunchbox with a freezable lid and placed inside […]

Yeast Teddy Bear Buns

Super cute homemade bear shaped bread rolls, perfect for kids’ breakfast, picnics and lunchboxes.

Tuna Pies with Sweet Peppers and Dill

INGREDIENTS for the yeast pie base 6 cups of flour (about 1kg, leave aside 5 tbs for the topping) ½ cup oil (I used grapeseed oil) 1 tbs instant dried yeast ½ tbs or a little bit more fine sea salt ½ tbs fine sugar or a little bit more (I used golden caster sugar) about 400ml […]

Caribbean Scotch Bonnet Peppers

Scotch Bonnet Peppers (Capsicum chinense) are quite small but extremely hot similar to the habanero / habañero and close relative of rocoto / rocotillo chilli peppers. They are named for their resemblance to Scotch bonnets / Scottish hats. They can vary in colours as they are ripening turning from green through yellow, orange to red […]

White Fish Fillets in Creamy Leek Sauce

INGREDIENTS 750g frozen white fish fillets 3 vegetable cubes (10g each) 3-4 carrots (sliced) 1 large onion (diced) 25g unsalted butter 2 leeks about 2 tbs fresh / frozen dill black peppercorns 1 tbs garlic powder 3-4 tbs crème fraîche or double cream 2 cups water 3 tbs flour 1½ kg potatoes to cook separately […]

New Range of Oils from Cooks&Co

Let me introduce to you a new range of oils from Cooks&Co, one of the UK’s leading importers and distributors of fine foods. Virgin Sesame Oil (available in 250ml or 500ml bottles) recommended for salad dressings, vinaigrettes, stir fry dishes but also roasted carrots Walnut Infused Oil (available in 250ml or 500ml bottles) mild nutty flavour, […]

Pancake Day – Shrove Tuesday – Fat Tuesday – Mardi Gras

Pancake Day – Shrove Tuesday – Fat Tuesday – Fat Thursday – Donut Day – Mardi Gras – Tłusty Czwartek – Carnival Tuesday recipes & ideas.

Forman & Field Hamper – Review

Couple of weeks ago I was lucky to receive one of beautiful luxury hampers from Forman & Field filled with delicatessens, just to mention few: smoked salmon, cheeses, lemon curd, potted lobster, chocolate brownie, chocolates and even banana bread. Since 2002 Forman & Field delivers to your door fresh, traditional British produce from small, independent […]

Baked Cream Cheese Pancakes in Orange Sauce

Kids’ favourite pancake recipe – with sweet lemony cream cheese filling and orange sauce.

Granny Square Pyjamas Case or Cushion Cover

MATERIALS two colours of yarn two buttons EQUIPMENT crochet hook (I used 4.00 mm one) huge needle / wool needle METHOD First make two large granny squares like this. Using wool needle sew them together on 3 sides to create the case. On the fourth side sew on the buttons making chain loops on the […]

My First Granny Square – Drops

MATERIALS yarn EQUIPMENT crochet hook (I used 3.00 mm one) METHOD stitches used: chain (ch), double crochet (dc), slip stitch (sl) FOUNDATION CHAIN Start with 7 ch, connect ends of the chain with sl to create a circle. ROUND 1 (FOUNDATION ROUND) Work 3 ch as 1 dc and then work 2 more dc into […]

Strawberry Mocha Cookie Mix from Baked by Me

Just a short note to let you know about our newest discovery that we got a chance to test today: Strawberry Mocha Cookie Mix (£9.80) from Baked by Me. All you need to do is to add some butter, egg, then mix, spread on the baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes. My 6 year […]

Super Easy Half Double Crochet Mesh Scarf Tutorial

MATERIALS about 100g of yarn EQUIPMENT crochet hook – I used 3.00 mm one METHOD stitches used: chain (ch), slip stitch (sl) & half double crochet (hdc) FOUNDATION CHAIN Start with a chain stitch, even multiplies of 3 plus 1 extra stitch. I made two scarves, one 24+1 stitches wide, other one 30+1 wide. ROW […]

Mount Gay Rum and Rococo Chocolate Truffles

Just a short note to introduce to you perfect fusion of London’s famous finest Rococo Chocolates and the oldest brand of rum in existence – Eclipse Mount Gay Rum from Barbados. The truffles are gorgeous! Round milk chocolate ones are filled with rum soaked praline, while the oval dark chocolate truffles are completely smooth. Both […]

Doll’s Dress Crochet Pattern For Baby Dolls & Teddy Bears

Versatile toys’ dress crochet pattern that will suit almost any creature.

Biały Ser (White Cheese) / Hard Cottage Cheese/ Curd Cheese / Paneer

[inspired by “Paneer” recipe by Linda from With Knife and Fork] Biały Ser (White Cheese), Hard Cottage Cheese, Curd Cheese or Paneer are all variations of the same cheese, the only difference is the origin. Recently I found this article: “Making Paneer” by Linda on With Knife and Fork which reminded me of the cheese […]

All Star Lanes – Bowling, Bar & Restaurant at Westfield Stratford City, London – Review

Review of All Star Lanes – American bowling, bar & restaurant at Westfield Stratford City in London.

Home-made Play Dough

INGREDIENTS (for each colour) 2 cups flour ¼ cup fine salt about 1 tsp food colouring 1 tbs baby oil (I used lavender one) about 1 cup warm water METHOD Combine water and food colouring. In a mixing bowl combine flour, salt, baby oil and stir. Gradually add coloured water and knead the dough until well […]

Bouquet by Serenata Flowers Giveaway – Announcing The Winner (CLOSED)

I must admit that all the entrants had really good reasons to receive the flowers and I can only imagine how hard it had to be for Serenata Flowers to decide who the winner is! And that lucky person is Lynsey Kirkwood who had chosen Pink Purity bouquet to send for her mother. “I would […]

Lunchbox # 116 – Love Bugs

Lunchbox # 116 (for 6 year old girl) toasted English muffin (type of bread roll) with mature Cheddar cheese and heart made out of sweet red pointed pepper – instructions below vine cherry tomatoes pieces of clementine chocolate love bugs lychees bottle of water (not pictured) Everything placed in glittery EZ-Freeze lunchbox with a freezable lid […]

National Grandparents Day – Dzień Babci & Dzień Dziadka

In UK National Grandparents Day is always celebrated on the first Sunday of October. In USA & Canada National Grandparents Day is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labour Day (that takes place on the first Monday of September). In Poland Grandmother’s Day (Dzień Babci) and Grandfather’s Day (Dzień Dziadka) are celebrated on separate days: […]

Kid’s Gloves on a String

Both of my daughters, 1 years old and 6 year old, lose gloves constantly. The little one is throwing them out of the pushchair and the bigger one comes back from school with one or both missing all the time. That is why I decided to make for them “gloves on a string” like I […]

Extremely Smurfy Smurfberry Muffins

Extremely smurfy smurfberry muffins for the Smurf in your life… secret Papa Smurf recipe (!)

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Author: Margot