{"id":22088,"title":"A UNICORN IN THE GARDEN","description":"A magpie, random, messy yet organised, creative, easily distracted, enjoy wonder, curious, eclectic, a tinkerer, cat lady, and a strange memory for remembering odd facts. This is me.","content":"<p>Let me introduce myself, I\u2019m Alison; I\u2019m a magpie, rather random, messy yet organised, creative, easily distracted, enjoy wonder, extremely curious, eclectic, love to cook, grow my own veg (well some of it), have two cats who I speak to quite often, a strange memory for remembering odd facts and the ends of detective dramas. In fact three words here sum me up: random curious eclectic.<\/p><p><\/p><h2>1 November<\/h2><h3><strong>A new collection is live and free postage weekend is coming soon<\/strong><\/h3><p>It's been a dull old day here, raining but with white skies as are often seen just before snow. Our two Tonkinese cats, Lyra and Marnie, turned tail at the early morning darkness back into the semi-warmth of our old farmhouse and have jousted all day as to who gets to sit on the permanently warm set-top box before the log burner is lit tonight.<\/p><p><\/p><p>Today I've been working both in my copy-editing role and on collections for A UNICORN IN THE GARDEN. I'm delighted to say that The Winter Circus seasonal-only collection is now live. Hopefully there is enough there to un-scrooge anyone. From Snowflake, with a beautiful early twentieth century micrograph of a snowflake by William Bentley; Winter Circus - my own design inspired by carousel horses wanting to be free to canter through the snow; Holly - a stunning 1915 watercolour by Hannah Borger Overbeck; Deery Me - an adapted 1897 illustration by Maurice Pillard Verneuil of a deer among the snow and trees in shades of pink, blue and white; and finally, my own design, Whisky Galore, one for those who like a wee dram on a cold night.<\/p><p><\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/g8pbggvim21xvyjjo1fyo95hwfnlxzmebuvlikvz7a21xefy.png\" alt=\"g8pbggvim21xvyjjo1fyo95hwfnlxzmebuvlikvz7a21xefy.png\" \/><\/p><p><\/p><h3>Free postage weekend<\/h3><p>Put a date in your diary for this weekend because, as well as Bonfire Night, it\u2019s free UK postage for every order.  With the money saved you can, save it for a rainy day, make my minestrone-esque soup, or even purchase one of our stickers as a stocking filler!<\/p><p><\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/awdjckjviz8kmotmixjqvm6nefxxdxw7tketqw5xvtwvdov0.png\" alt=\"awdjckjviz8kmotmixjqvm6nefxxdxw7tketqw5xvtwvdov0.png\" \/><\/p><p><\/p><h3>I did promise you a minestrone \u2026<\/h3><p>Well, more of an idea than a complete recipe.  Get a large heavy pan, cast iron if you have it. Dice an <strong>onion<\/strong> (either red or brown), a couple of medium <strong>carrots<\/strong>, a couple of <strong>celery<\/strong> sticks and sweat down with some <strong>olive oil<\/strong> and <strong>salt<\/strong> until soft. Add several rashers of <strong>bacon<\/strong>, chopped and a crushed clove of <strong>garlic<\/strong>. Cook for a few mins.  Add in a couple of handfuls of shredded <strong>white cabbage<\/strong>, a tin of <strong>chopped tomatoes<\/strong>, a carton of <strong>passata<\/strong>, a tsp of <strong>sugar<\/strong> (really helps the tomatoes), some freshly grated <strong>black pepper<\/strong>.  I suggest adding a tin of water at this stage too as you want to be able to cook the cabbage.  Simmer for 10 mins.  Finally add in a handful of <strong>orzo<\/strong> pasta (looks like rice grains and I\u2019ve found Morrison\u2019s is the cheapest place) or break up some <strong>spaghetti<\/strong> into inch long pieces and a drained tin of <strong>beans<\/strong> (kidney, cannellini, etc).  Simmer again for the time it takes to cook the pasta. Keep stirring as it can start sticking at this point; you may also need to add some more water. Once the pasta is cooked, taste and season. <\/p><p><\/p><p>Serve with a sprinkling of grated mature <strong>cheddar<\/strong> and some <strong>crusty bread<\/strong>. Even better the next day but you will need to add more water before you reheat it as the pasta will soak up the sauce over night.<\/p><p><\/p><p>Yum! (promise I\u2019ll take an earlier picture next time)<\/p><p><\/p><h3><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/bawm1f6wmti8g3m09lwffyitofg4jdpiexnf0oqdzqhl3yek.png\" alt=\"bawm1f6wmti8g3m09lwffyitofg4jdpiexnf0oqdzqhl3yek.png\" \/>And, on that note, goodnight!<\/h3><p><\/p><p><\/p>","urlTitle":"aunicorninthegarden","url":"\/blog\/aunicorninthegarden\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/aunicorninthegarden\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/aunicorninthegarden.co.uk\/blog\/aunicorninthegarden\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1667040877,"updatedAt":1667337673,"publishedAt":1667337673,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":242519,"name":"aunicorninthegarden"},"tags":[{"id":1991,"code":"winter","name":"Winter","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/winter\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/wmzxdxdlmzikusqo2pntfdzp1sxfv28tmzqgzevtsgjpp3qt.png?z=1.7&fx=0.51727736658959&fy=0.59023290188339","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/wmzxdxdlmzikusqo2pntfdzp1sxfv28tmzqgzevtsgjpp3qt.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.7&fx=0.51727736658959&fy=0.59023290188339","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/wmzxdxdlmzikusqo2pntfdzp1sxfv28tmzqgzevtsgjpp3qt.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.7&fx=0.51727736658959&fy=0.59023290188339"},"metaTitle":"A UNICORN IN THE GARDEN","metaDescription":"A magpie, random, messy yet organised, creative, distractible, enjoy wonder, curious, eclectic, tinkerer, cat lady, a strange memory for recalling odd facts.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[],"labels":[]}