Let's Start With This One...

Good Morning Lovelies, 

After a long time, I have decided to bring back weekly recipes. I have started to bake again on a Sunday and I am loving it. I have made birthday cakes. I have made bread. And today I am sharing with you all a simple three ingredient biscuit recipe. 

These sugar cookies will add even more sweetness to the sunshine lovelies…

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Scoop or Teaspoon
• Tablespoon
• Baking Tray
• Baking Paper
• Fork/Imprint Markers
• Cooling Rack

Ingredients

• 113g or ½ Cup of Butter
• 67g or ¼ Cup of Sugar, Plus, 1 Tbsp for Dusting Sugar
• 146g or 1 Cup of Plain Flour, Plus 2 Extra Tbsp

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325F or 170C and grease and line a baking tray with baking paper. 
2. In a mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar together, until a pale yellow colour. Then add in the flour to create the dough. 
3. Scoop the cookies evenly using a small spoon or scoop into your hand - around 1/2  tbsp should be okay - before rolling into a small round ball and placing onto your baking tray. 
4. You can then make imprints onto the cookies or flatten them to form plain sugar cookies.
5. When ready, bake in the oven for around 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are lightly golden in colour. When they are ready the sugar cookies will be tender and soft. 
6. Allow them to sit on the tray for 2 minutes, before moving them to cool completely on a baking rack. They will go crispy during this time. 
7. Then simply enjoy them with some ice cream, a cup of tea or alone lovelies. 

Don’t forget to share with me your creations lovelies! I will be sure to share them on social and on the blog!

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

Taking a big step last week, I decided to mark my birthday in a huge way. Filled with anxiety and nerves, I wanted to make my 26th Birthday on the 14th July a big one. Beating my anorexia wise anyway. However, up until the last moment, I wasn’t sure if I could do it or not. But I won. And it was a sweet victory. 

Back when I was in hospital, I managed to enjoy apple crumble again. Yet, it was never as good as I remember my mum’s being. She is the ultimate apple and rhubarb crumble maker. In fact, even though she hates cooking, she is fabulous at it. If I do say so myself. 

There so, I made it my mission this week to enjoy her apple crumble on my birthday instead of a cake. Seeing as I was never a big fan of birthday cake anyway. For me, it was always about the classic fruit cake at Christmas, which is my next challenge. More on that later in the year. 

After spending some time researching ways she could help me make the meal more comfortable, she adapted the topping to be a mixture of Sweet Freedom Light Syrup, which is delicious and Mornflake oats. Together, when cooked, this became a bit like a gooey granola and was really nice. She then used cooking apples to make the apple mixture. 

Having chosen to have her leek and potato soup, unmeasured for dinner, which was also a big win for me. She heated up the pudding and scooped up a big portion with ice cream for herself, before I took a big, unmeasured again, scoop for myself too. With both meals being unmeasured or weighed, this was a huge win and to be able to sit with my mum at the table and enjoy them was another. 

I won’t lie. I was terrified. Having the bowl in front of me, full of her apple crumble, scared me to death. But upon the first spoonful I could remember and taste why I had chosen it. There was nothing wrong with it. It was actually supplying my body with fantastic nutrients, from the apple and oats. It was also a beautiful blend of winning. 

While the voice made me worry. The anxiety was there. Anorexia wanted to take over. I didn’t let it. I won and I won twice. Seeing my mum so proud was the best present I could have asked for. I will never ever forget it. The only thing that could have made it better was having my dad there to enjoy it with us.

For many, this step will seem small. It will seem silly. It isn’t though. If you're going through this illness, then I completely understand how something like this is one of the biggest things in the world. Every small step is one leading to a bigger goal. I have already asked my mum to help me this week with another. I am already terrified. But we will do it. If I can’t this week then I will try not to worry. There are new days coming in which I can try again to achieve it.

Just remember that lovelies. There is always another day coming! 

Joey X

Good Afternoon Lovelies, 

Normally, I would be blogging early in the morning, however today, I have come on a little later to share some exciting news I have just heard about! After months of looking at new designs and products, Amazon Launchpad has announced the winners of the Amazon Launchpad Innovation Awards. All of which, making amazing changes to the world! 

Awarded the chance to win a financial grant and free access to Amazon Launchpad for a year, the brands are all very different. One of them that stands out is the Påhoj bike seat and stroller. Made in Sweden, the brand has created a tool fit for environmental and social change. Working on helping to build a more flexible lifestyle, the creation makes it easier for parents and carers to go biking and walking with their children. 

With dual functioning, it is one of the simply amazing pieces that blew me away when I looked at the winners. Alongside them was a revolutionary new washing machine filter, a tampon changing the world, a enviromentally friendly way to cook BBQ food fast and a new smartcane, which helps those in need. 

To discover more of the brand's lovelies, visit the Amazon Launchpad site. I adore all of them and would love to know, which one stands out to you? Let me know! 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies,

What do you do when faced with a dilemma? Do you get straight to the root of the problem or worry about it first? I’m definitely someone who worries about it. To an unhealthy extent, due to my anxiety and eating disorder.

Over the past few weeks, I have been worried about a situation with a couple who we had become good friends with. Upon going away for my mum’s birthday, I had asked them if they would like to come for a day trip, in which they said yes. However, they asked us to let them know about the weather, as they didn’t want to come if it was raining.

There so, the day before they were due to come, we checked the weather and warned them of the rain due. We suggested that they didn’t come that week, as it didn’t look like the weather would get better and instead we worked on coming for a day trip instead. Something they agreed with.

However, the following day, they wrote comments on Facebook, hinting we had lied. When it was raining where we were. They then ignored all of my messages, before sending me some telling me to ask Jesus for forgiveness and that I would be born again if I did so. All of which leaving me feeling worthless, useless and guilty. Emotions that have continued to get stronger each day.

Struggling to come to terms with the matter, as I don’t think we did anything wrong, but I don’t want to fall out with them, has left a huge affect on me. Yet, it has also showed me that every day is a new one. Full of surprises and little moments of positivity!

I believe that there is a moment or more of goodness in each and everyone. And so I have begun writing what that moment us down. Something that leaves me feeling so much better.

I am proud of how far I have come. I don’t believe I should be asking for forgiveness and I don’t think people should treat others this way. If you have done wrong than be open and admit that, but otherwise, stay strong and fight for you. We are all amazing in our own way. Especially if we continue to fight on when people knock us down.

I ended the week feeling better by asking people what was the best thing about their day. It really helped. I am now asking you lovelies. What was one good thing about your day? Please, let me know, as I would love to hear all about it!

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

I am going to admit something now. I am a bit of an introvert. Don’t get me wrong I like going out and being with people, but I also love my own space and staying in. Probably a lot more than a party to be honest. I find it so soothing for my mind and so if I can plan the ultimate night in, instead of going out then I will. 

Luckily, one of the best things to have come out of lockdown is that lots of people are also feeling like this now. Including my amazing bunch of friends. We may want to meet up and go out at some point, but right now the plans for the ultimate night in and sleepover are getting planned. And I can’t wait! 

Especially when there are some amazing staying in kits now on offer to help make the night extra special. One of them being the brilliant pack from Your Big Night In. Created to include everything you may need for the ultimate gaming night in, the team behind it have thought about and gathered all the essentials you will need. 

Kindly they got in touch with me and offered me the chance to review another one of their boxes, which I couldn’t help but jump at the chance at. Planned over a rainy weekend, to keep me and my mum entertained, as there was nowhere to go due to the weather, I was amazed with what I received when the box arrived last week. 

Filled with food and drink goodies, plus The Red Bulletin magazine, I decided to review the big Gaming Night In box. Arriving super quick, the box that greeted me made me excited straight away. Designed like a cassette tape, the look is retro, but the contents are super modern. 

Placed within a reusable tote bag, made from 100% recycled cotton, there was the options of Rainbow Sweetie Pie Sweets juicy pick ‘n’ mix sweets, cans of Red Bull, Coconut Water and a whole host of other treats, including cheese puffs, crunchy corn snacks, sugar free gum and even more, the box had something for both me and my mum to enjoy. Although we did have a bit of an argument over the sweets aha! 

After looking through the box, my mum poured herself a Red Bull, made a coconut water ice lolly. All whilst I settled in with the magazine and flicked through the treats. We loved the ease of the evening, not worrying about what to choose in a shop. Having it delivered had made it that simple and stress-free. 

Your Gaming Big Night In didn’t just beat our expectations, but gave us a chance to try new foods, drinks and sporting games fun. Perfect with the football and tennis season upon us.

Brands have been discovered and we will be looking into them more. As well as the need and wanting for getting another one of the kits in the future. Especially around birthdays or celebrations. They would be great for Christmas (yes I said it aha!) in fact. I can just imagine cosying up with one on Christmas Eve. 

There are a number of kits available lovelies, all of which can be found on their website. Delve into it and make up the perfect cosy night in before lockdown lifts. I am sure you will not be disappointed by what you uncover. 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

Starting where the original series left off, Innocent Series Two, hooks you in from the get go. With a powerful performance from Katherine Kelly, the four episodes play out like a stage show that you won’t forget easily. Especially when you can watch them over and over again, as they are released on DVD, Blu-Ray and digitally from today.

Kelly’s return as teacher, Sally Wright, sees the actress put to the test. Setting foot in the dock, during the opening scenes, you wonder as a viewer how much she has had a part in the murder of one of her pupils. A male student, who she became very close too.

Not happy with the outcome, she battles to clear her name and find the real murderer. But as the police work to uncover the truth, it becomes a web of uncertainty that only watching one episode right after the other can solve.

With many murder mysteries, viewers are given moments of unneeded footage. This isn’t the case here. Every single moment, line and performance is needed. Kelly being the best of the bunch by far. There is a strength to the script that many TV shows lack after the first episode. This keeps you watching until the very end. Begging for more when the final credits role.

Although it is uncertain whether another series will be made, it is wanted. Badly. The team behind it have made a refreshing crime drama that will stand the test of time for ITV and viewers alike. Binge all the episodes now, catch up and then spend all the time you can begging for more. You will want it.

4 Stars

Joey X