So much to rejoice in this book – The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot – which features two people of very different ages. An emotional rollercoaster from debut author Marianne Cronin. It’s the new and unforgettable Richard & Judy Book Club pick and highly recommended by Annabel too!
Quick heads up on a brilliant make up brush kit from Marks & Spencer. Four great little brushes which are excellent value and quality (as we have come to expect from this brand).
More products that we’ve tried, liked and are happy to recommend to you.
M&S
Ariane Poole and Annabel did a fun, chatty Instagram Live today – all about make up for older women and how to look at any age. There were so many really useful tips so do try and watch the video which is on our Instagram feed.
Annabel swears by Ariane’s ‘looking great at any age’ make up products. Why not have a look at her website and, if you are impressed as much as we are with her range of products, you can obtain 20% off using our exclusive code: FRIENDS20
You can also join Ariane on her regular Instagram Lives every Wednesday at 7pm (UK time).
Products used in the Live video:
Annabel used from @arianepoole.cosmetics
Ariane wore:
To receive 20% Off at Ariane’s website use code FRIENDS20
“There are a lot of ways you can kill someone. I know because I’ve seen most of them at close quarters”
The recently retired High Court Judge, Wendy Joseph, describes in her bestselling book Unlawful Killings, what it is really like adjudicating on life-changing murder cases at the Old Bailey.
Wendy recently stepped down as one of the handful of judges qualified to preside over murder trials at the Old Bailey. And one of the few female ones at that.
For the first time, she can now talk about what it’s really like presiding over and ruling on life-changing cases. Through six extraordinary stories, she explores why we kill, what happens in court and what this teaches us about the society we live in. It’s a page-turner of a book – get your copy here.
If you live in or near London, you may be interested in attending a literary event on Wednesday 21 February when Wendy will be discussing her book, Unlawful Killings at Kent House in London’s Knightsbridge. For more information or to secure your ticket, please visit the website or use the QR code below. Doors will open at 7pm and there will be a chance to meet the author at the book signing after the talk. Tickets are £25 (or £20 when you use our exclusive promo code GRACE2024) and include a complimentary glass of Roebuck Estates vintage fizz.
This is a QR code. Simply hover your mobile phone’s camera in front of it and click on the yellow link that pops up. It will take you to the Kent House Series website where you can read more about the upcoming interview with Wendy Joseph which will be held in Knightsbridge, London on Wednesday 21 February.
Have you checked out our delicious new recipes yet?
Love a nibble before the main course but wanted something other than crisps, peanuts or pretzels. Spotted some ripe figs in the supermarket and decided to use those paired with goat’s cheese (or it is “goat cheese”, I never know!).
30
minutesRipe figs
Goat’s cheese
Runny honey
Toasted hazelnuts
Chervil (or a.n.other herb to decorate – optional)
More tried and tasted recipes can be found here
Was tidying out my kitchen cupboards yesterday and found my slow cooker gathering dust. Whipped it out, gave it a wipe and made this sausage casserole because it was grey and cold outside and I had a busy day ahead. Proved to be as comforting to eat as it looks. Inexpensive and filling – why not give it a try?
6
servingsJust chuck everything in your slow cooker and let the magic happen. Freezable. No slow-cooker? Follow the method to brown the sausages and veg, then put in a 2ltr casserole dish, cover and bake at gas 6, 200 ̊C, fan
180 ̊C for 2 hrs.
2 tbsp olive oil
454g pack 50% less fat Cumberland sausages
2 red onions, cut into wedges
2 celery sticks, trimmed and sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
150g mushrooms, quartered
150g pack Tendersweet carrots
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
½ tsp crushed chillies
2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml red wine
1 chicken stock cube, made up to 800ml
10g fresh rosemary, leaves only
4 tbsp cornflour, mixed with 5 tbsp water
green beans and crusty bread, to serve (optional)
More tried and tasted recipes can be found here
I love cooking food from scratch – not only healthier (with less salt and sugar than pre-prepared dishes) but also tastier. Plus, you can add any ingredients that you like to personalise the recipe to you and your family’s particular tastes. This Cheat’s Lobster Spaghetti recipe uses tinned soup – yes, tinned soup. The only tinned soup I would wholeheartedly recommend mind you. No-one is more surprised than me that it tastes as good as it does. I know I’m blowing my own trumpet here but this quick and easy recipe is one I think you’ll want to make again and again.
Annabel gave me some peanut rayu – a relish that I’d never seen before. Definitely once seen never forgotten – am now ladling spoonfuls onto anything remotely Asian inspired because I love it’s crunchy spiciness.
A super quick lunch or supper that may not take much time but is packed full of the taste of the sea. If you can’t get samphire, which I couldn’t (shame, I really love the stuff!) use rocket instead. I am definitely not a fan of tinned soup but Baxters Lobster Bisque is exceptional and certainly saves a huge amount of faffing around making your own.
150g spaghetti
8 shell on raw prawns (as large as you can find)
Half finely chopped red chilli.
Grated zest of an unwaxed lemon
Tin of Baxters Lobster soup
Quarter of cucumber
2 spring onions
Peanut rayu
More tried and tasted recipes can be found here
The Great British Bucket List: Utterly Unmissable Britain may be useful if you do. There are 60 mini adventures (from comically easy to mildly challenging) so whatever your age and abilities, you can do them. Which means we can all start ticking off the lists right here in the UK while we are saving up to book our flights to the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu and the Grand Canyon!
Jane Lovett’s first cookbook Make It Easy is packed full of foolproof, stylish and delicious do-ahead recipes. Have recently been revisiting some of the wonderfully tasty and wonderfully stress-free dishes. Highly recommend.
Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII is a remarkable archival discovery. The real story of Edward VIII – the King who abdicated the throne in 1936 – told in his own words, using an unpublished memoir and other never seen sources. that sheds new light on the man who gave up his throne to marry the woman he loved.
New Year resolutions… have you made any?
If so, are you keeping them or are they already in the proverbial bin?!
Grace and Annabel chat on Instagram about good intentions as we delve into 2024.
We’d love to hear about your New Year resolutions if you’ve got a minute… please leave your contribution in the Comments box below this post. Thank you.
4
servings40
minutesThis Sweet Potato and Lentil curry has a colourful vibrancy that I find very moreish to look at – and, of course, to eat! Lots of ingredients I know but so many of them are likely to be in your storecupboard. Absolutely delicious. Low calorie too – about 314 per portion. Great with rice (I use microwave as I’m lazy!), noodles or a warm naan bread.
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
a thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
6 fresh or dried curry leaves (optional)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 medium (about 500g) sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
75g red split lentils
400ml tin low-fat coconut milk
400ml vegetable stock
coriander, a handful of leaves
1 lime, wedged
Check out our Recipes section for more delicious things to cook
