Monday 31 December 2012

Sweets

As New Year Treats, or as thank you gifts for hosts over the holiday season homemade sweets go down a treat (im sorry i couldnt resist)

here is a nice simple recipe

Snowflake Truffles
Serves: 16


Filling:

100g (3 ¼ oz) desiccated coconut

60g (2 ¼ oz) icing sugar

100g (3 ¼ oz) ricotta cheese

16 whole almonds

Ganache:

70g (2 ¾ oz) chopped white chocolate

3 tablespoons double cream

50g (2 oz) desiccated coconut, or enough to coat

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 1 hour

1.For the filing: In a medium bowl, mix together coconut, sugar and ricotta cheese to form a dough. Divide into 16 portions. 2.Roll each portion into a ball, pressing one almond each into the centre of each; cool in freezer for 20 minutes. 3.Place the white chocolate in a large stainless steel bowl and set over a saucepan of barely simmering water to melt. While the chocolate is melting, stir in the cream. Use a cocktail stick or fork to dip the truffles in the chocolate mixture. Arrange coated truffles on a platter. Sprinkle remaining coconut over the truffles while the chocolate is still melted. Cool in refrigerator until the chocolate coating hardens.  

Sunday 30 December 2012

New Years Eve Prep

After all the Christmas planning, meals and visits you can get to new year eve and want to just flop.
Here are some simple games and ideas to make it all a little easier.

The Night:

PLAN.
Whether throwing a party, being a guest or staying home, spend time sorting out a plan. who will you be with, will you need a taxi? will someone drive? what will you do to entertain the children.

THE ELDERLY.
Try to to forget elderly friends or parents, they may wish to be at home, but not everyone wants to get an early night. Offer to entertain or at least give them a call in the evening to make sure they have everything they need.

CHILDREN.
As keen as they may be to stay up getting them through to midnight can be hard. make sure everyone has an afternoon nap and have plenty of games to keep them occupied.

GAMES.
here are a few of our favourites

• STRIKE A LIGHT How To Play: Two party guests leave the room and together decide upon a word that the rest of the group will try to guess. They then return to the room and start a conversation together based around their chosen word, trying to give clues to what the word is - but without, of course, actually saying the word itself.

When a guest thinks they know what the secret word is, they must say, "I strike a light", then whisper their guess to one of the two original players. If they guess correctly, they can join in the conversation with the two players. If they're wrong, they must carry on until they guess correctly. The game ends when all the players have guessed what the word is.

• THE VICAR'S CAT How To Play: party guests form a circle and the first person begins by describing "the vicar's cat" with an adjective beginning with the letter "A". Each player then takes a turn finding a different adjective to describe "the vicar's cat" starting with "A".

Once everyone in the circle has had a turn, it starts again with the letter "B", and so on. Any player who fails to think of an adjective in ten seconds is out. The game continues through the alphabet until only one player - the winner - is left.

• FRUIT BOWL How To Play: You need an even number of people to play this game. Everyone gets into pairs, and each pair is given the name of a fruit. Someone at random calls out the name of a fruit, at which point the relevant pair must get up and swop places with each other. It starts off simply, but the idea is that as the game progresses, it becomes more complicated, with two or more fruit categories called out at the same time.

• LOOKABOUT How To Play: One person starts the game by showing everyone a small object in the room. Everyone then has to leave while that person hides the object somewhere in the room. When everyone is called back in, they have to search for the object. When they see it, they have to sit down quietly.

The game is more interesting if they don't sit down immediately but pretend to keep looking around for a few more seconds - otherwise it makes it obvious exactly where the object is. The last person to find the object becomes the next person to hide something.

• YOU'RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE How To Play: One player is "It", and they're the only person allowed to smile during the game. They then have to try, any which way they can, to make everyone else in the group smile. This can get very silly. The game continues until only one person is left not smiling - and he or she is declared the winner.

• BLINDMAN'S BUFF How To Play: One person is blindfolded while all the other players spread out around the room. The blindfolded person then has to feel their way around the room until they manage to catch someone. They then have to guess who it is they have "caught". If they guess incorrectly, the person is freed and blindman has to keep going until they correctly guess the identity of a person caught.

Once they manage this, someone else is chosen to be blindfolded. It's probably best for you to move any fragile or delicate items out of the way

TV.
there is always some nice New Years Eve TV so whether its a low key event or a party using a TV show that counts down can keep everyone entertained.
Above all have fun!









Saturday 29 December 2012

Winter Walks



After all the eating and talking, its great to get out and get some fresh air.
here are some great winter walks for all the family.

Friday 28 December 2012

Chestnut Chocolate Refrigerator Cake

this is an office favourite... very yummy

75g prunes, roughly chopped


75g raisins

3 tbsp brandy

150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

100g unsalted butter, cubed

150g gingernut biscuits, roughly crushed

150g cooked and peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped



Combine the dried fruit and brandy, and soak for at least two hours (or up to six). Line a 20cm square tin, or a 20cm-diameter round tin, with clingfilm. Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and leave to melt. Combine with the fruit and brandy, the biscuits and chestnuts. Pour into the tin, pressing down into an even layer. Leave until cool, then refrigerate until solid. Use the clingfilm to lift it out of the tin, and cut into squares or wedges.   its really great for when you have guests... or to sit in a corner and eat it all yourself :)

Thursday 27 December 2012

Images of Christmas








it may be all a blur now, so lets spend a few minutes just remembering

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Any Leftovers?

Hope you all had a great day yesterday.
So we have eaten till we are full, but their is still food left.
What to do?

Make a meal from them,

Turkey Casserole

2 onions , finely chopped


1 eating apple , cored and chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried sage , or 5 sage leaves, chopped

2 tbsp plain flour

300ml vegetable or chicken stock

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

2 tbsp runny honey

400g-500g leftover turkey , shredded

about 350g leftover roasted vegetables like roast potatoes, parsnips, celeriacs and carrots , chunkily diced

  1.Fry the onion and apple in the oil until softened in a casserole or deep pan. Stir in the sage for 1 min, then stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the stock followed by the mustard and honey.

2.Bring up to a simmer and stir in the turkey and roast veg. Cover and gently simmer for 15 mins until turkey is piping hot. Season and eat with mash or jacket potatoes.


Bubble and Squeak   •4 tbsp butter

•½ cup onion, finely chopped

•Leftover mashed potato

•Any leftover vegetables, cabbage, swede, carrots, peas, Brussels Sprouts, finely chopped

•Salt and freshly ground black pepper

•Fried bacon pieces (optional)


•In a large frying pan melt the butter, add the chopped onion and fry gently for 3 mins or until soft.


•Turn the heat up slightly and add the mashed potato and vegetables. Fry for 10 mins turning over in the melted butter two or three times ensuring the potato and vegetables are thoroughly reheated plus you are aiming to brown the outside edges but not to burn the bubble and squeak.

•Press the potato mixture on to the base of the pan with a spatula and leave to cook for 1 min. Flip over and repeat.

•Serve.

lets not forget the leftover desserts

another Jamie Recipe
• 200g leftover Christmas pudding


• 6 tablespoons cranberry sauce

red wine or mulled wine

Optional: 2 teaspoons sugar, to taste

• 1 x 500ml tub good-quality vanilla ice cream

• a large handful of flaked almonds, toasted

• 1 x 100g bar good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

What I’m giving you here is really more of a suggestion because the amount of Christmas pudding you’ll have leftover will really depend on how greedy your guests were on Christmas day. But personally, I love Christmas pudding and I think it’s almost worth having another pudding stashed away so you can make this as an after-Christmas treat.

Put a pan over a medium heat and crumble in your Christmas pudding. Squash it down a bit with a wooden spoon to help it heat up and get a bit crispy. Fry for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring every so often so it doesn’t catch. In another small pan on a low heat, add your cranberry sauce with a splash of red or mulled wine. Stir in and cook for a few minutes until warmed through. If your sauce is too tart for your liking, add a teaspoon or two of sugar. If you’ve made up a batch of my spiced sugar, then use that because it will be delicious with the cranberry.

Once your pudding is warm and slightly crispy and the sauce has heated up, divide half of your pudding between your four glasses or bowls. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the pudding, drizzle over your hot cranberry sauce, and a good sprinkling of toasted flaked almonds. Divide the remaining Christmas pud between your glasses and layer again with ice cream, cranberry sauce and flaked almonds. Finish the sundae off by grating over a bit of nice dark chocolate and dig in before the ice cream melts.

ENJOY!


Tuesday 25 December 2012

Happy Christmas

Have a great day from the StairSteady Team!

Monday 24 December 2012

The Night Before Christmas

As a child it was a great tradition that this evening we would sit as a family and read this poem. written by Clement Clarke Moore its a classic.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house


Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,



When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
  The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,



With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;   "Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!

On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"



As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.



He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.



His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;



The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;



He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;



He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"    
Happy Christmas Eve!

Sunday 23 December 2012

Mulled Wine

Christmas is very nearly here, and one of our favourite things to drink this time of year is Mulled Wine, Jamie Oliver has a lovely simple recipe
you will need:
• 2 clementines


• peel of 1 lemon

• peel of 1 lime

• 250g caster sugar

• 6 whole cloves

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3 fresh bay leaves

• 1 whole nutmeg

• 1 whole vanilla pod, halved

• 2 star anise

• 2 bottles of Chianti, or other Italian red wine

...and for a none alcoholic version use red grape juice

This is dead easy to make and tastes like Christmas in a glass. It’s a lovely celebration of those traditional festive spices like cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. If you’ve got your own favourite spices, then feel free to add those to the pot too. Let everything cook away and warm up gently so the flavours have time to mingle with the wine. I like to leave my mulled wine ticking over on a really low heat and just ladle some into glasses as and when guests pop in.



Peel large sections of peel from your clementines, lemon and lime using a speed peeler. Put the sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the pieces of peel and squeeze in the clementine juice. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and about 10 to 12 gratings of nutmeg. Throw in your halved vanilla pod and stir in just enough red wine to cover the sugar. Let this simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved into the red wine and then bring to the boil. Keep on a rolling boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until you’ve got a beautiful thick syrup. The reason I’m doing this first is to create a wonderful flavour base by really getting the sugar and spices to infuse and blend well with the wine. It’s important to do make a syrup base first because it needs to be quite hot, and if you do this with both bottles of wine in there you’ll burn off the alcohol.


When your syrup is ready turn the heat down to low and add your star anise and both bottles of wine. Gently heat the wine and after around 5 minutes, when it’s warm and delicious, ladle it into glasses and serve.

Saturday 22 December 2012

The Nations Favourite Christmas Carols

To carry on with our 12 Blogs of Christmas (blogs for the 12 days before and after christmas)
We wondered what the nations favourite Christmas carols were...good old google.
according to The Nation's Favourite Christmas Carol on ClassicFM
Top 30 Christmas Carols


1. O Holy Night

2. Silent Night

3. In the Bleak Mid-Winter - Gustav Holst version

4. In the Bleak Mid-Winter - Harold Darke version

5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

6. O Come All Ye Faithful

7. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

8. Coventry Carol

9. O Little Town of Bethlehem

10. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

11. Once in Royal David's City

12. In Dulci Jubilo

13. Joy to the World

14. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

15. Away in a Manger

16. Sussex Carol

17. Shepherd's Pipe Carol

18. The Three Kings

19. Gabriel's Message

20. Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

21. Gaudete

22. The Holly and the Ivy

23. Carol of the Bells

24. See Amid the Winter's Snow

25. Ding Dong! Merrily on High

26. Candlelight Carol

27. Good King Wenceslas

28. Angels from the Realms of Glory

29. The First Nowell

30. What Sweeter Music

we in the office love the Candlelight Carol (number 26)

really gets you in the Chrsitmas mood!

Friday 21 December 2012

Christmas Drinks

Hot Toddy Recipe


Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 oz brandy, whiskey, or rum

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 1/4 lemon

• 1 cup hot water

• 1 tea bag

Preparation:

1. Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey.

2. Add the liquor and the juice of the lemon quarter.

3. On the side, heat water in a tea kettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea.

4. Pour the steaming tea into the glass and stir.


Eggnog Recipe

Prep Time: 25 hours

Total Time: 25 hours

Yield: 16 Drinks

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, separated

• 1/2 cup super fine sugar

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 2 cups brandy

• 1 cup milk

• Nutmeg (use for garnish also)

Preparation:

1. Beat egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, nutmeg, salt and vanilla together until very thick and light yellow.

2. Slowly beat in brandy (rum and whiskey are also popular alternatives) and milk.

3. Cover and chill overnight.

4. Shortly before serving, beat the egg whites to soft peaks.

5. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beat this mixture to soft peaks again, creating a meringue-like cream.

6. Then slowly pour this cream over the chilled brandy mixture, folding in gently.

7. Serve the eggnog in a mug, Irish coffee glass, or punch cup and grate nutmeg over the top for garnish.


Brandied Apple Cider


Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 glasses

Ingredients:

• 2 apples

• 2x 375ml bottles of cider

• 250ml (1cup) Brandy or Calvados

• Cinnamon sticks to serve

Preparation:

1. Thinly slice 2 apples into discs discarding the ends, do not core.

2. Place the apple into a large heavy based saucepan and add the cider and brandy or calvados.

3. Heat until almost boiling but do not boil.

4. Serve in heatproof glasses such as Irish coffee glasses. Add cinnamon stick for decoration.


Thursday 20 December 2012

Crafts For Kids at Christmas

Christmas is a lovely time to get Children involved in festive crafts, below are a few ideas for you to try:


Christmas Tree Biscuits

Serves Approx 80 Easy Prep 15 mins + chill 30 mins Cook 12-14 mins

Hang these tasty Ginger and Cinnamon flavoured biscuits from the Christmas tree.

Ingredients

• 450g (1lb) plain flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 4 tsp Ginger Ground

• 2 tsp Cinnamon Ground

• Sea Salt Mill

• 200g (7oz) caster sugar

• 250g (9oz) unsalted butter, diced

• 4 tbs golden syrup

• 1 large egg, beaten

Cook's Notes

These biscuits can be kept in an airtight container for up to 1 week. This recipe makes approx. 75-80 biscuits, which may seem a lot but there will be plenty to hang on the tree, for the children to nibble on, and even more to wrap up in lovely Christmas film and give to friends and family.



Method

STEP 1 - Sift the flour, baking powder, Ginger and Cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Season with a little Sea Salt.

STEP 2 - Add the sugar and butter and rub in with your fingers until the butter is absorbed and the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

STEP 3- Mix the golden syrup and egg together and then stir into the mixture with a wooden spoon. Bring together with your hands and knead very gently to form a smooth, stiff dough. Shape into a ball and cover in clingfilm. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up.

STEP 4- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4.

STEP 5- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut into quarters, allowing you to work with each quarter at a time. Keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll it.

STEP 6- Roll out the dough to a thickness of approx. 3mm and cut into festive shapes.

STEP 7- Place the biscuits onto baking sheets lined with greaseproof paper.

STEP 8- Bake the biscuits for 12-14 minutes until golden brown, remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

STEP 9- Using a wooden skewer, make a small hole in each biscuit whilst they are still warm.

STEP 10- Once completely cooled, decorate as desired, tie a ribbon through the hole and hang on the tree.



Salt Dough Christmas Decorations



• 2 cups of plain flour

• 1 cup of table salt

• 1 cup of water



Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl and gradually add the water, mixing to soft dough.

Remove from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead for 10 minutes (this helps to create a good smooth texture).

Leave the dough stand for approximately twenty minutes before working with it.



Whilst the dough rests cover 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper.

Place dough on floured work surface and roll out flat (approx ½ – 1cms deep) – roughly the depth of a pound coin



Using cookie cutters to cut out shapes.

Make a hole in the shape while the dough is still pliable to allow ribbon for hanging. Don’t make the whole too small or you won’t be able to get the ribbon through. An old chopstick is about the right size

Transfer shapes to the baking trays



Dry the dough in a very cool oven.

Alternatively you can leave the dough to dry naturally in the air. While it might be environmentally friendlier, the drawback with air drying is that it can take up to 48 hours for the decorations to dry, whereas it will only take about 4 hours in the oven. Oven drying – 200F/Gas Mark ¼

You are now ready to decorate your salt dough shapes.

Decorating is really easy, acrylic paints work best as they create a nice smooth finish but you can use any paints you have. A coating of PVA glue once they are dry gives a nice shiny finish if you have used poster paints. You can also add glitter and gems once the paint is dry using hot melt glue gun or PVA.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Christmas Traditions Around Europe

Christmas traditions vary greatly from country to country even within Europe. Even the way we say Merry Christmas is widely different. Here are a few examples:


Dutch: Zalig Kerstfeast, English: Merry Christmas, French: Joyeux Noel, German: Fröhliche Weihnachten Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie, Polish: Boze Narodzenie and Spanish: Feliz Navidad.


Denmark

An old Danish tradition is the Christmas plate. This was a tradition in the early days where rich Danes gave plates biscuits and fruit as presents to their servants. These plates were the nicest and best kind and were not used for everyday use; this is the reason why they became so collectable.

These days the Danish take great pride making their own decorations with bright paper, bits of wood and straw. The parents secretly decorate the tree, and children are not permitted to see the tree until dinner on Christmas Eve. The tree is then lit up and families gather around to sing carols and hymns.

In Denmark Christmas Eve is called Juleaften and is the biggest occasion of the year. Parties go on all night, with traditional prune-stuffed roast goose, red cabbage, fried pastries, and cinnamon-laced rice pudding called Grod.

The Christmas elves called Julenisse are appeased with rice pudding, and dishes of seeds are placed outdoors for wild birds.



France

Christmas in France has many different traditions. On Christmas Eve, children leave their shoes by the fireplace to be filled with gifts from Pere Noel. In the morning they also find that sweets, fruit, nuts and small toys have been hung on the tree. In cathedral squares, the story of Christ's birth is re-enacted by both players and puppets.

Nearly every French home at Christmas time displays a Nativity scene or crèche, which serves as the focus for the Christmas celebration. The crèche is often peopled with little clay figures called santons or "little saints."

Food is served in great abundance at the grand feast of the season, which is called le reveillon. Le reveillon is a very late supper held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The menu for the meal varies according to regional culinary tradition, but can include goose, turkey with chestnuts, oysters, pate de foie gras, poultry, ham, salads, cake, fruit and wine.

In France it is a time for the whole family to come together at Christmas time to holiday and worship. On the eve of Christmas beautifully lit churches and cathedrals, ring out Christmas carols with the church bells. Once dinner is over and the family has retired to bed, they leave a fire burning and food and drink on the table in case the Virgin Mary calls in. Children leave their shoes or wooden clogs called sabots in the hearth for the Christ Child or Pere Noel to fill.



Germany

In Germany the Christmas preparations often begin on the eve of December 6th. People often set aside special evenings for baking spiced cakes and cookies, and making gifts and decorations. Little dolls of fruit are traditional Christmas toys. Germans also make beautiful gingerbread houses and cookies. The German Christmas tree pastry, Christbaumgeback, is a white dough that can be molded into shapes and baked for tree decorations.

In parts of Germany, people believe that the Christ Child sends a messenger in Christmas Eve. He appears as an angel in a white robe and crown, bearing gifts. The angel is called Christkind. There is also a Christmas Eve figure called Weihnachtsmann or Christmas Man, he looks like Santa Claus and also brings gifts.

Some homes in Germany have several Christmas trees, and in all towns across Germany, they can be seen glittering and glowing. They may also have advent wreaths of Holly with four red candles in the center. They light one candle each Sunday and last on Christmas Eve.


Italy

The Christmas season in Italy goes for three weeks, starting 8 days before Christmas known as the Novena. During this period, children go from house to house reciting Christmas poems and singing. They are given money to buy presents.

Children wait until Epiphany, January 6, for their presents. According to tradition, the presents are delivered by a kind ugly witch called Befana on a broomstick. It was said that she was told by the three kings that the baby Jesus was born, she was busy and delayed visiting the baby. She missed the Star lost her way and has been flying around ever since, leaving presents at every house with children in case he is there. She slides down chimneys, and fills stockings and shoes with good things for good children and it is said leaves coal for children who are not so good


Poland

Traditionally, Advent is an important season in the Polish year, with special church services, known as Roraty, being held every morning at 6am. The four Sundays of Advent are said to represent the 4,000 years of waiting for Christ.

Special tasks carried out during Advent are the baking of the Christmas piernik or honey cake, and the making of Christmas decorations. Pierniki are made in a great variety of shapes, including hearts, animals and St Nicholas figures. Traditional decorations include the pajaki, which are handmade mobiles, stars and decorated egg shells. Pajaki are traditional decorations, colorful paper chains and lots of electric lights.

Beautifully lit Christmas trees are placed in all public arenas, outside churches and in homes. Traditionally the trees are decorated with shiny apples, gift walnuts, beautifully wrapped chocolate shapes and many homemade decorations and candles. On the top of the tree is a star or a glittering top piece. In many homes, sparklers are hung on the branches of the trees giving it a magical air.

Christmas Eve, Wigilia, is an important part of the Polish Christmas. Oplatek is served on this day it is a piece of bread pressed with a holy picture on the surface. Oplatek is more symbolic than real food. People once carried these oplatek from house to house and wish their neighbors a Merry Christmas. Nowadays, the bread is mostly shared with members of the family and immediate neighbors. As each person shares the bread, they would have to do two things: forgive any hurts that have occurred over the past year and to wish the person all the happiness in the coming year.

Christmas is celebrated with at least 12 different vegetarian dishes like: mushroom soup, carp, cabbage with pea, stuffed dumplings, and shells macaroni with poppy "makielki". In some homes some hay is put under the tablecloth to symbolise Christ's manger.


Spain

Christmas is a deeply religious holiday in Spain. In Spain it is a very festive time at Christmas. On Christmas Eve, as the stars come out, tiny oil lamps are lit in every house, and after Midnight Mass and Christmas Dinner, streets fill with dancers and onlookers. There is a special Christmas dance called the Jota and the words and music have been handed down for hundreds of years. They dance to the sound of guitars and castanets. Most homes have a manger; these are complete with carved figures. Children think of the Three Wise Man as the gift bearers. Tradition has it that they arrive on January 6th, the date the Wise Men gave gifts to Jesus. The Spanish especially honour the cow at Christmas because it is thought that when Mary gave birth to Jesus the cow in the stable breathed on the Baby Jesus to keep him warm. Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena or "the Good Night." It is a time for family members to gather together to rejoice and feast around the Nativity scenes that are present in nearly every home. A traditional Christmas treat is turron, a kind of almond candy. Christmas Eve is the most important part of Christmas in Spain and dinner that day is the biggest meal of the year, people eat 'well' lobster is very common, and a roast of some sort is essential (usually lamb or suckling pig). In addition to all this, most families will also have soup (usually fish), and an abundance of other seafood, cheeses, hams and pates. Dinner starts late, at about 10pm and will go on for a couple of hours. Shoes are filled with straw or barley for the tired camels that must carry their riders through the busy night. By morning the camel food is gone and in place of the straw or barley are presents. Shoes also may be placed on balconies on the night of the 6th January in the hope that the Wise Men will fill them with gifts.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Stollen Recipe

Stollen Recipe


Ingredients

Serves: 15

• 2 teaspoons dried active baking yeast

• 175ml (6 fl oz) warm milk (45 C)

• 1 large egg

• 75g (3 oz) caster sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 75g (3 oz) unsalted butter, softened

• 350g (12 oz) bread flour

• 50g (2 oz) currants

• 50g (2 oz) sultanas

• 50g (2 oz) red glace cherries, quartered

• 175g (6 oz) diced mixed citrus peel

• 200g (7 oz) marzipan

• 1 heaped teaspoon icing sugar

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• toasted flaked almonds for sprinkling on top

Preparation method

Prep: 2 hours
Cook: 40 mins

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, caster sugar, salt, butter, and 3/4 of the bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition.

3. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, sultanas, dried cherries and mixed peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.

4. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

5. Lightly grease a baking tray. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the centre of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal.

6. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking tray. Cover with a clean, damp tea-towel and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 150 C / Gas mark 2 and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

8. Allow loaf to cool on a wire cooling rack. Dust the cooled loaf with icing sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon and finish with toasted flaked almonds.



Monday 17 December 2012

Christmas Preparations

10). Review Christmas budget, by doing this a long way in advance it allows you to set limits for presents, food and drinks. Make a list now of everything that needs doing and keep the list somewhere you know where it is… this saves the hunt the list later! Being able to cross things off the list once you have done them makes you feel you are accomplishing something even if you are adding more things than you are subtracting.


(9). Finish making homemade gifts – all home made gifts that don’t perish should be made as far in advance as you can. Food gifts like jams and chutneys will keep for 6 months at least. For gifts such as sweets and biscuits these are best made 2 days before Christmas and kept in a cold place.

(8). Update Christmas card list – dig out your Christmas card list and add any news names for this year to it. Make sure you have all the addresses you need and check last dates for postage to the UK and other countries if necessary.

(7). Make Christmas family and children’s cards – if you have children get them involved in this part of your preparations. Make sure you stick to any posting deadlines. If you hate writing lots of card in one go, keep your address book and cards in a bag by the side of the sofa so you can get a few written at a time over the next few weeks.

(6). Finish gift tags and wrapping paper – if you’re making your own tags and papers do this now, again it is something children can be involved with. If you’re not making them make sure you buy enough in now with spares for surprise last minute gifts.

(5). Christmas present list and shopping – make a list of everyone you buy for and add what gifts you intend to buy them to the list then you can ensure you stay within the budget you set yourself. Make a list also of what food you are going to buy, don’t forget to include nibbles and drinks if you are expecting people to call by. Make a list of who is coming for the day or staying over during the holidays, including details like vegetarian meals you might need to make. Also decide what you’re going to cook. Work from your Christmas dinner outwards because other meals can be lighter. If there is anything from your meal planner that can be made in advance, put a date by this of when you’re going to make and freeze it.


(4). Christmas Decorations – Get out all your Christmas decorations and lights and check they are working. Let the kids decorate your Christmas tree as they’ll be the ones nagging you for it! They can also help make some new decorations if you want from salt dough or from shaped biscuits.

If you order your meat, do this now. For an online food shop, get your order in now. You can update it over the next few weeks, but delivery slots will get booked up early

(3) Buy holiday drinks alcoholic and soft. Start posting your cards now. Start making some freezer meals now for easy meals and lunches for days when you don’t have the time to prepare anything. Make sure you label them clearly and date them.

(2) Buy treats and the Christmas meal items that won’t go off. Wrap presents, you could maybe plan it for a time when everyone will be out. Wrapping takes longer than you think and you don’t want to leave it until Christmas Eve.

(1). Do laundry so it’s not a chore over Christmas. Two days before, make soups and sauces that will keep in the fridge. Don’t leave your big food shop until Christmas Eve or your meal might be ruined by a key ingredient being out of stock. Give yourself time to find it elsewhere.

Christmas Eve – Pick up any last minute forgotten items. Deliver any close by presents you have left. Prepare all vegetables for tomorrow’s lunch and keep them in cold water to keep them fresh. Make any cold desserts. Set the table. Make sure you have a guide for when everything needs to be cooked tomorrow and stick this to somewhere easily seen.

Don’t forget to put out a carrot and water for Rudolf and a Mince pie and sherry for Santa!

Remember to give yourself breaks along the road to Christmas. If you get everything done early, you could, for instance, book a family night in with duvets and a good film. Who knows, it might calm down the children too!







Sunday 16 December 2012

Homemade Christmas Gift Tags

here is a lovely PDF for you to print off, showing you how to make some festive tags https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B2N4DYZB7_H_VXAtbV9xWlNDMEk

Saturday 15 December 2012

Christmas Poem

A lovely poem for you to enjoy today.

Friday 14 December 2012

Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients


1 lb (450 g) currants


6 oz (175 g) sultanas


6 oz (175 g) raisins


2 oz (50 g) glacé cherries, rinsed, dried and finely chopped


2 oz (50 g) mixed candied peel, finely chopped


3 tablespoons brandy, plus extra for 'feeding'

8 oz (225 g) plain flour


½ level teaspoon salt


¼ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg


½ level teaspoon ground mixed spice

8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter


8 oz (225 g) soft brown sugar


4 large eggs


2 oz (50 g) almonds, chopped (the skins can be left on)


1 level dessertspoon black treacle

grated zest 1 lemon


grated zest 1 orange


4 oz (110 g) whole blanched almonds (only if you don't intend to ice the cake




You will also need an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake tin or a 7 inch (18 cm) square tin, greased and lined with silicone paper (baking parchment). Tie a band of brown paper round the outside of the tin for extra protection.

This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Christmas

Method

You need to begin this cake the night before you want to bake it. All you do is weigh out the dried fruit and mixed peel, place it in a mixing bowl and mix in the brandy as evenly and thoroughly as possible. Cover the bowl with a clean tea cloth and leave the fruit aside to absorb the brandy for 12 hours.

Next day pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1, 275°F (140°C). Then measure out all the rest of the ingredients, ticking them off to make quite sure they're all there. The treacle will be easier to measure if you remove the lid and place the tin in a small pan of barely simmering water. Now begin the cake by sifting the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl, lifting the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing. Next, in a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until it's light, pale and fluffy. Now beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the creamed mixture a tablespoonful at a time; keep the whisk running until all the egg is incorporated. If you add the eggs slowly by degrees like this the mixture won't curdle. If it does, don't worry, any cake full of such beautiful things can't fail to taste good!

When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices, using gentle, folding movements and not beating at all (this is to keep all that precious air in). Now fold in the fruit, peel, chopped nuts and treacle and finally the grated lemon and orange zests. Next, using a large kitchen spoon, transfer the cake mixture into the prepared tin, spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon and, if you don't intend to ice the cake, lightly drop the whole blanched almonds in circles or squares all over the surface. Finally cover the top of the cake with a double square of silicone paper with a 50p-size hole in the centre (this gives extra protection during the long slow cooking.

Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 4½-4¾ hours. Sometimes it can take up to ½-¾ hour longer than this, but in any case don't look till at least 4 hours have passed. Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. When it's cold 'feed' it – make small holes in the top and base of the cake with a cocktail stick or small skewer, then spoon over a few teaspoons of brandy, wrap it in double silicone paper secured with an elastic band and either wrap again in foil or store in an airtight container. You can now feed it at odd intervals until you need to ice or eat it.



Thursday 13 December 2012

Reducing Stress at Christmas

Christmas is supposed to be a happy time but with so much pressure to have a ‘perfect family’ or a ‘perfect day’ it can be a stressful time for many people. This may be especially stressful this year with the current financial difficulties that lots of people are finding themselves in.


Here are some ideas on how to reduce your stress levels.

1. Manage expectations - The build up to Christmas is exciting, especially for young children. However, this is also a time when financial stress can build and if the items on Father Christmas’ list aren’t feasible, it’s important that the surprise isn’t saved until Christmas morning. Be open with your children about the cost of presents and give them an idea of what is affordable. Also manage your own expectations. If you make a list of three things that are really important for you to happen on Christmas day (make sure at least one doesn’t cost anything) eg. Nice food, family, games etc then make sure you include those in the day and let some of the other aspects slide.

2. Queue jump - Avoid the last minute chaos of the high street and shopping by thinking ahead. Make a list of the items you need to get and delegate if necessary! Make use of home delivery and internet shopping. Stock up on the basics and only shop in person for the important ‘extras’. Many special offers and sales are available online if you just shop around. You could also use price comparison websites to make sure you are getting a good deal. Some companies offer saving schemes where you are able to pay monthly for your Christmas presents. Everything doesn’t have to come out of one month’s budget.


3. Cutback commitments - If the thought of a drinks party with the neighbours or mince pie with old friends adds to the festive headache, politely decline. Be sensible about the amount of time you can commit to entertaining and being entertained! If the Christmas break provides a welcome opportunity to relax then take it. Be aware of these additional costs to your budget too as hidden extras can cause stress later on.

4. Share - If the Christmas build up leaves you feeling overwhelmed, share your concerns with someone close. Confiding in someone else will help you to rationalise your worries. Plan to also share the responsibility for the day itself, so that its success does not rest on your shoulders and in your mind. People will be happy to contribute. Maybe ask different members of the family to be responsible for a different course of the meal or for the drinks, or chocolates, or for the washing up, or organising games. Make sure that you allow time to just enjoy the day rather than just cramming all your time with activities and jobs.



5. Healthy mind - Exercise will help clear the mind and often, remove you from the immediate and often chaotic environment of home and its a free way to spend part of the day. Children often welcome the chance to run around and release all the pent up excitement too. If this isn’t possible on Christmas Day itself why not plan to do it Boxing Day afternoon? You can wear that new Christmas jumper or socks then too!

6. Keep perspective - Remember who and what is important at times of intense stress. The moment will pass and you’ll find comfort in letting it do so without the build up of emotion. Taking some deep breaths and imagining a calm place can help too. Saying something positive to yourself either silently or out loud may help too. If it is too much then offer to help with something in a different room or go get some air etc. removing yourself from the situation can help.


7. Relax - Don’t give yourself a hard time about making Christmas perfect. The responsibility doesn’t rest with one person and it’s worth always remembering that for most, it’s just one day of the year. Try some of the relaxation tips from the BBC on: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/coping_relaxation.shtml







Thursday 21 June 2012

Carers Week




This week is National Carers Week (18th – 24 June 2012), it is a UK-wide event aimed at celebrating and recognising the UK’s six million unpaid carers. Carers make immeasurable differences to the lives of the people they take care of whether it is a partner, relative or friend who are too ill or disabled to look after themselves. They also save the NHS and social services approximately £119 billion each year.


Carers Week is a consortium of eight national charities, they are: Age UK, Carers Trust, Carers UK, Independent Age, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, MS Society and Parkinson’s UK. http://carersweek.org/

Here are some facts about carers from the 2001 Census:

• 10 per cent of the total population are carers which is nearly six million people in the UK.

• There are 1.9 million people caring for more than 20 hours per week and 1.25 million care for more than 50 hours per week.

• Women are more likely to be carers than men. There are 3.4 million female carers (58 per cent of carers) and nearly 2.5 million male carers (42 per cent).

• Most carers (5.7 million) are aged over 18 and the peak age for caring is 50 to 59.

• More than one in five people aged 50-59 (1.5 million across the UK) are providing some unpaid care.

• There are 174,995 young people under the age of 18 who provide care, 13,029 of these provide care for 50 hours or more per week.

• There are three million people combine work with caring responsibilities for a disabled, ill or frail relative or friend. This is roughly one in eight workers in the UK.

As part of Carers Week a survey was sent out to 3,400 carers and this survey shows that being a Carer places huge strains on a person’s own health and wellbeing with two in five unpaid carers sacrificing their own health by putting off medical treatment to fulfil their caring duties. The survey also showed a negative impact on 83 per cent of carers’ physical health with 8 in 10 saying their responsibilities had caused them health problems, including everything from back pain to insomnia. A further 87 per cent said caring for a family member or friend has had a negative impact on their mental health. 64 per cent carers blamed their poor health on a lack of practical support and 50 per cent on not enough financial support.

These figures show that carers are being badly let down by the level of support they are getting. Social care and the NHS just aren’t meeting their needs. The numbers of elderly and younger adults getting help from councils has fallen in recent years and it is these unpaid carers that are left picking up the slack. Carers Week manager Helen Clarke said: "It's a scandal that carers can't get the time or support they need to look after themselves which could be jeopardising their health as a result. "Carers are feeling the strain of a woefully underfunded system and still we're seeing more cuts. "Unpaid carers save the Government a fortune - £119 billion a year - yet they're let down in return. It is time for urgent action to tackle the crisis in social care." Sarah Pickup, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said: "It could not be clearer that there is a desperate need for politicians from all parties to quickly find an answer to how we, as a nation, are going to adequately fund social care services in the future."

There are some agencies that offer help to carers these include carers groups, local organisations and charities. The Carers Week partners also offer a range of services for carers including carers’ centres, online discussion forums and advice and information service. For more information see; http://carersweek.org/about-us/national-partners

For practical support to help with caring whether this is equipment, short term respite, or a more substantial break in residential care a person needs a Carers assessment. Carer’s assessments are a way of identifying the carer’s needs. They look at their role as a carer: how being a carer affects them, how much caring they can realistically do (while still allowing them to be involved in other activities outside caring), and any help they need. To find out about a Carer’s assessment you can go through the local council or carer organisation or try: http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/guide/assessments/Pages/Carersassessments.aspx


For Help in finding out what financial help the carer or the person being looked after is entited to then you can either go through a charity such as Carers UK and Age UK who can give you a ‘benefits check’ or you can go to http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/index.htm


Looking at the statistics it is clear that at some point in our lives most of us will be affected by the issues surrounding being a carer and social care. We can only hope that the government place enough emphasis on this area so that they instigate sweeping reforms on the way in which this area is funded.

This might then allow carers to recieve the support they need to stay healthy and capable of continuing this vital role.

Tuesday 28 February 2012

Independence









Independence is not a simple thing to describe it is seen by different people as different things depending upon their personal circumstances. The dictionary defines independent as:


1. - not influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinion, conduct, etc.; thinking or acting for oneself.



2. - not dependent; not depending or contingent upon something else for existence, operation, etc.



3. - not relying on another or others for aid or support.



There are other terms that we associate with being independent including:



Free - able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint
Self-sufficient; self-sufficing; self-sustaining - able to provide for your own needs without help from others
Self-supporting - financially independent
Autonomous; self-directed; self-reliant - (of persons) free from external control and constraint in e.g. action and judgment

As adults to be independent mostly seems to mean not needing help or assistance from anyone or anything, being able to survive and stand on one's own and being able to think and make decisions for yourself.


Independence can be broken down into three different aspects: Mental independence, Behavioural independence and Survival-based independence:



Mental independence
Mental independence is being able to think for yourself regardless of what others think and say. It involves accessing your internal resources, listening to your inner voice, weighing up all the facts and feelings about an issue, as honestly as possible, and forming opinions based on this. It is not just following the social norms or rebelling and choosing the opposite opinions as these are controlled by others and external influences. Mental independence is the basis of independent thinking, independent decision-making, and leads to independent actions and behaviour.

Behavioural independence
This is based on mental independence, because it’s only after you can think independently, that you can make independent choices in life. These can range from very simple day to day things such as what to wear, what to eat etc., to life changing choices such as what to do for a living, whether to have children, where to live etc. In other words, mental independence enables you to act independently. Behavioural independence also involves acting in way that’s not controlled or overly influenced by others.



Survival-based independence
The whole point of independence is having the knowledge and the tools to be able to survive successfully in the world. This involves:


§ Financial independence: This entails earning money yourself to allow you to buy food, clothes and pay for shelter
§ - Safety-related Independence: This involves knowing how to maintain your safety, how to avoid dangerous situations and how to handle them if they do occur.
§ - Self-care-related Independence: This entails knowing how to look after yourself to maintain your good health and fitness, and taking care of all your needs, including social ones.



Independence is an important ingredient for developing positive self-esteem and therefore is an important ingredient for your happiness. Feeling that you know what you’re doing and where you are going in life, that you’re in control, that you know how to take care of yourself and how to survive and how to think for yourself is very empowering. It boosts self-belief and self-respect.

These ideas of independence however have to be flexible; confidence and previous abilities may be lost when people get older or people may have accidents or disabilities that cause the loss of some forms independence. Some people are inhibited from 100% independent living due to physical or mental restrictions which mean they require someone to assist them. In these cases, independence may have to take on different definitions to accommodate a person’s condition. It may still be possible for people to be independent by maintaining their mental independence to allow them to decide upon behavioural decisions, even if the behavioural decisions can only be achieved with some assistance. This is highly important as becoming dependent and feeling needy can reduce self-belief as well as potentially leading to feeling angry and resentful about losing independence.

People however aren’t islands and everyone generally lives with some level of interdependence on others whether that comes from parents, carers, partners or businesses. This interdependence is needed even for the most independent people. Independence is all in your point of view, and dependence (or interdependence) isn't always a bad thing as long as people are free to make that choice.

Tuesday 14 February 2012

Chosen Charity: Habitat for Humanity



Habitat for Humanity is a chosen Charity of StairSteady Ltd, we know how having a safe roof over your head is important all across the world.

As part of our support of Habitat for Humanity, our Managing Director, Ruth Amos will be going out with the charity in October 2012 to work hands on, on one of the projects in Zambia.

as part of the project Ruth needs to raise £2200.00


to get this started we are supporting the 200for10 campaign. asking 200 people to donate just £10, this can be done online http://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/ruthamos


Please donate just £10 and make a real difference to someones lives.



Thank You!

Thursday 9 February 2012

Cold Weather Safety Tips



Protect Yourself:


-Dress in several layers of lightweight clothing, which will keep you warmer than a single heavy coat.
-Mittens provide more warmth to your hands than gloves. Wear a hat, preferably one that covers your ears.
-Wear waterproof, insulated boots to keep your feet warm and dry and to maintain your footing in ice and snow.
-Take frequent breaks and stay hydrated.
-Seek medical attention immediately if you have symptoms of hypothermia including confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering.
-Seek medical attention immediately if you have symptoms of frostbite including numbness, flushed gray, white, blue or yellow skin discoloration, numbness, or waxy feeling skin.



Protect Yourself at Home:


-Be careful with candles – do not use candles for lighting if the power goes out. Use flashlights only.
-Prevent frozen pipes - when the weather is very cold outside, open cabinet doors to let warm air circulate around water pipes. Keep the thermostat set to a consistent temperature.
-Check smoke alarms once a month by pressing the test button and replace batteries as necessary.
-Don’t overload your electrical outlets.
-Don’t forget your pets – bring them indoors. If you can’t bring them inside, provide adequate shelter to keep them warm and make sure they can get to unfrozen water.
-If you plan on using an alternate heating source, never use a stove or oven to heat your home.
Keep a glass or metal fire screen around the fireplace and never leave a fireplace fire unattended.
-If using a space heater, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to safely use the heater. Place it on a level, hard, nonflammable surface. Turn the space heater off when you leave the room or go to sleep. Keep children and pets away from your space heater and do not use it to dry wet clothing.



Hints from the Red Cross

Tuesday 7 February 2012

Internet safety

- Don’t give out any personal information - Guard your home address, date of birth, bank or credit card information and phone numbers.

- Use caution when opening attached files - A file attached to an e-mail is a common way for a virus to spread. Think first before opening attachments even if you know the sender, and check with the sender if you’re not sure about an attachment.

- Use chat rooms that have moderators. You can usually tell if a site is moderated when you sign up or enter the chat room. Report incidents of bullying, sexual exploitation or other fraud to the chat room moderator straight away.

- Make sure your personal information is protected. Read a site’s privacy statement before you give out any personal information or download software. Check for signs that the Web site protects sensitive data; look for “https” in the Web address and for a yellow padlock or an unbroken key in the lower-right corner.

- Use strong passwords. Strong passwords have at least eight characters; include letters, numbers, and symbols; and are easy for you to remember but tough for others to guess. Protect your passwords, and change them regularly.

- Keep your computer current A computer that’s up-to-date is far more likely to be secure. Use a firewall and install antivirus software. You can find a selection of antivirus software providers reviewed at: http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/index.html
Although this site quotes prices for all products some are available for free or as trials.

Tuesday 31 January 2012















At this time of year money can often be a little tight for us all. The StairSteady team have come up with a few hints and tips on how you can save some money:







* Make a Menu for the Week – make a shopping list with the ingredients you will need for your menu. This will reduce waste and stop you buying items that will go off before you will eat them.







* Buy Own Brand – Supermarkets own brand goods are much cheaper than more well known brands. Buy it for two weeks and if you don’t notice the difference then keep it!







* Try a Local Market – If you buy in season vegetables and fruit from a market they are usually much better priced than the big stores that bring their produce many miles.







* Reduce Energy Costs – Shop around for energy providers, the internet or an independent magazine such as Which? (http://www.which.co.uk/) Will help you decide who will best meet your needs.







* Save Energy at Home – Don’t leave appliances on standby they can use up to 80% of the electricity as being on. Try to switch them off at the plug when not in use. Use energy saving light bulbs they use a fraction of the power. When replacing white goods go for the best energy rated one you can afford, it will save you money on your bills.







* Sell Unwanted Items - Everyone has items they no longer want, instead of throwing them away or letting them gather dust, sell or swap them! Local Car Boot sales or online auction sites are popular ways. There are also local newspaper sales sections and places such as gum tree http://www.gumtree.com/sheffield and free cycle http://uk.freecycle.org/ that sell or swap locally for free.







* Try Charity Shops – Charity shops have a wide range of things including clothes, household items, toys and games and books. There is often a bargain to be had!







* Use Vouchers – Many places have discount vouchers or reward schemes. Make sure you shop around for the one that fits in with your usual shopping habits. Check online for cheap day out vouchers or group buying sites. Look in papers for discount vouchers too.







* Use a Library - If you only ever read a book once then check them out at your local library rather than buying them, it saves on clutter too!







* Grow Your Own – It is possible to grow fruit and vegetables in very limited spaces. If you can turn over a section of your garden then you may well be able to grow enough for your families summer needs. Things can also be easily grown in tubs, hanging baskets and window boxes. They are fresh, chemical free and very cheap to do.







* Cook Your Own Meals and Cakes – Supermarket ready meals are often expensive and not very nutritionally balanced. If you cook your own meals from scratch but in bulk you can then freeze individual portions to use as your own ‘ready meal’. Cakes and biscuits are easy to make and cost a fraction of bought ones; children and grandchildren love to help too!

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Home Safety Tips




















The StairSteady team has done some research and come up with a long list of hints and tips to keep you and your property safe:







* Don’t walk around in socks or stockings on non carpeted floors. Try to wear rubber soled, low-heeled shoes when ever possible






* Get rid of small rugs as they are easy to trip up over.






* Make sure all of your carpets are properly fitted and all the edges are properly secured.






* Keep you home well lit using long life energy saving bulbs. Pay particular attention to stairs and walkways.







* Talk to your council, Social Services or local Independent Living Centre about having grab rails installed by steps, stairs, toilets and baths and showers.






* Get an anti slip mat for the bath and shower and replace it when it starts to loose its adherance.






* Avoid having any trailing wires. Try to group appliances next to power sockets if possible or consider having more sockets installed.






* Consider using a cordless phone or mobile to avoid having long telephone wires.






* Be tidy! Pick up anything that falls as soon as possible and think about putting small objects such as magazine racks and bins out of the way or beside large pieces of furniture.






* Wipe up any spills as soon as possible






* Never store heavy items or things you use often in high or hard to reach cupboards.






* Never keep anything on the stairs, keep stairs and walkways clear at all times.






* Take your time when getting up to answer the phone or door. Once you stand up take a second to make sure you don’t feel dizzy.






* Consider using nightlights for your bedroom and route to the bathroom or make sure you always switch the lights on before you walk across a room.






* If you need spectacles make sure you wear them at all times and get your eyes checked regularly.






* If you need a walking aid use it at all times and make sure you have one upstairs and downstairs so you don’t have to carry one on the stairs.






* Write out a plan if you fall so you know what to do as it is often difficult to think after the shock of a fall. You could also consider having a personal alarm system so you can get help if you need it.






* Install smoke detectors/fire alarms in your home. Some fire and rescue services in England offer free home fire risk checks. This involves firefighters visiting your home and offering fire safety advice for you and your household. They may be able to install your smoke alarm for free.




* Ensure your doors have adequate locks. Fit deadlocks to all outside doors and fit a security chain to the front door.






* Close and lock your doors and windows – even if you are only going out for a short time.






* Don’t leave valuables (handbags, keys, mobile phones, etc) in sight thought windows where burglars can see them.






* Remove keys from their locks and ensure they are put away, even if you are at home.






* Ensure that all ground and basement windows are fitted with locks.






* Never leave door keys under a doormat or plant pot outside.






* Use a security marker pen to mark your postcode on your property – this will enable the police to return any stolen property to you. Make an inventory and keep the list in a safe place.






* Light up inside your home – ensure that you have appropriate lighting and set some internal lights on timer switches, it gives the impression that a home is occupied.






* Secure important documents and valuable items in a safe place within your home or deposit them in a bank.






* Check all callers I.D. cards – all official callers from gas, electric, council, repair men etc all have I.D. cards with photographs and with a telephone number on and they should be happy for you to verify their identity.







Stay safe!