chocolate orange cookies

Hey guys!!
One of the things that I wanted to do more of during the summer was baking. I take food tech at GCSE but my cooking skills are very minimal to say the least, so I wanted to try something new and see how it went.
My younger sister decided to help me as I made chocolate orange cookies, they taste so good and I wanted to share the recipe and how I made them with you.

You will need:
150g melted butter
150g dark brown sugar
120g golden caster sugar
1 large egg
1tsp whole milk
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
225g plain flour
75g cocoa
100g milk chocolate, chopped into chunks

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 160°C/320°F/Fan 150°C/Gas Mark 3.
In a large mixing bowl, stir the sugars into the melted butter.

You should see it change from this.....

to this.

Then beat in the egg, milk and zest/juice of the orange to form a wet mix.

It should look like this

Sift in the flours and cocoa, add the chocolate chunks and fold the ingredients together until everything is combined. Put large tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto lined baking trays.

Bake at the centre of the oven for 10-12 minutes. The centres will still be slightly sticky, so leave them to cool on the tray for at least 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies taste lovely and although aren't the healthiest, are a great treat when eaten in moderation. The texture and flavours are so nice and I will definitely be making them again!! Let me know in the comments if you like to bake and what your favourite thing to bake is, I would love to know.

Em x

'dream a little dream' review

Hey guys!!

I have been wanting to do a book review for a long time now but I was unsure where to start and what to review. However, in my June/July favourites post, I briefly spoke about a book called 'Dream A Little Dream' by Giovanna Fletcher and felt that it was a perfect book to begin with.
Dream A Little Dream is the third novel by Gi, and I am a huge fan of both of her other books. I was so excited when this came through my door and I finished the book within just a few hours!!
Dream A Little Dream is a romantic fiction novel that was released on the 18th June by Penguin. The blurb reads Sarah is doing just fine. Sure she’s been single for the last five years, and has to spend an uncomfortable amount of time around her ex-boyfriend and their mutual friends, and the rest at her tediously mundane job, but it’s fine. She’s happy(ish).
But it’s not surprising that when Sarah starts dreaming about a handsome stranger, she begins looking forward to falling asleep at night. Reality isn’t nearly as exciting. That is until her dream-stranger makes an unexpected real-life appearance, leaving Sarah questioning everything she thought she wanted.
Because people never really find the person of their dreams… do they?

I love the idea of Sarah dreaming about someone who then turns up in her everyday life, and Giovanna has presented this idea very well. Sarah is a likeable and friendly character and I wanted to be her friend and and hang out with her and Carly. She is also a very patient character as she is able to hang out with her ex and his new girlfriend without making a scene.

Brett was also a lovely character and there was a sensible difference between dream Brett and real Brett (although I preferred real Brett). I like the way Giovanna made Brett down to earth and similar to Sarah's dreams, he could have been portrayed as a very different character who was arrogant and didn't live up to Sarah's fantasies. The supporting characters in this novel were amazing too and I enjoyed the scenes where they were all together, as it felt like the reader was there too.

The story was well thought out and made me laugh, but also cry. The sensitive details were handled very well in a delicate way that didn't cause offence to readers, but went into enough detail to reach out to the reader and cause us to feel love, sympathy and passion towards the characters.

Giovanna writes in a way that causes me to feel happy, then sad and then complete sympathy towards the characters. I loved her first two novels and Dream a Little Dream certainly didn't disappoint, I cannot wait for book four!!

Also, the cover art for this book is so bright and colourful, it is not something I would usually like but I adore the warm tones combined with the house silhouettes. I would definitely recommend Giovanna's work to anybody!!



(Dream a Little Dream is available to buy from most major UK bookshops, RRP £7.99.)
Click to view on Amazon UK.
Click to view at Waterstones.
Click to view on iBooks.
I really enjoyed writing my first book review and would definitely urge you to check out Giovanna's work as her style of writing is simply wonderful. Leave a comment below as to whether or not you have read this book or recommend me something to read as I would love to do so,
Em x

eleven things

Hey guys!!
Recently I have seen so many doing the Eleven Things tag. I thought that it looked really cool and I haven't done a tag before so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and join in!!

1 ) What was your favourite toy as a child?
I used to have a Noddy tape player that I listened to music and audio books on that I loved.


2 ) What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I have always changed my mind on what I wanted to be, from a marine biologist or a teacher to a vet or a midwife. Although the job path that I liked most was a teacher which I still want to be now.


3 ) What is the best family day out you've ever been on ( as a child or adult ) ?
I used to go on family holidays to Cornwall or Devon with my family and family friends, who had children the same age as me. My sister is 5 years younger than me so I was always with these friends. One year, we went to a theme park called Crealy Adventure Park and I went on all of the rides, I think that this started my love for rollercoasters and theme parks as I really enjoyed it.


4 ) Which film is always granted to make you laugh?
I am such a Disney girl, I love every single Disney film but The Little Mermaid always makes me laugh as I love Sebastian.


5 ) Which sport do you enjoy playing the most?
I'm so unsporty but I like swimming and cycling.


6 ) If you won a million pounds tomorrow, what would be the first thing you would buy?
I would probably buy a plane ticket to travel the world as it is something that I have always wanted to do.


7 ) What is your favourite snack?
I like chocolate or crisps (im so unhealthy) but I also love pomegranate and banana.


8 ) What is the most useful tip/hack that you know?
If you overpluck your eyebrows, put Vaseline on them and they will grow back thicker, faster and fuller!


9 ) Do you play a musical instrument, if so which one ?
I used to play the clarinet but I haven't picked one up in at least 4 years.


10 ) Do you prefer holidays at the beach, country side or in the city?
I love beach holidays as they are perfect for getting a tan, but the countryside is always adorable and I love going on long walks. Also city breaks are always pretty, I love all three.


11 ) What is your must have fashion item for this summer ?
Topshop Joni jeans are amazing I love them so much.


This was a little different to previous posts but I really enjoyed it!! Let me know any answers that you have to any of the questions above or even do a blog post in response, I would love to see your answers.
Em x

motivation

Hey guys!!
When looking on Twitter today, I noticed that #MondayMotivation was trending and as I scrolled through I saw that so many people were joining in and sharing quotes, tips and advice on how to stay motivated. I was so happy to see this and see everyone supporting and helping each other. As I was reading this, I was a little unmotivated towards blogging, working out and school work. I have had a weeks break from everything and it is so difficult to get back into it. I decided to save some of the posts that I liked to share with you guys today.

I love this quote as it makes me feel as though I can do
anything if I believe in myself.

This quote just highlights that eating healthily will make
you feel so much better.

This is so true, jealousy gets you nowhere.

It is so important to ensure that you aren't solely focused
on changing your body, but your lifestyle.

Sometimes we all try to take on too much and it becomes
stressful, but noone can do everything.

Forming an idea on what you want to do in the morning is
important as it sets you up for the day ahead.

I have so many plans for my blog over the summer and I want to carry them all out and see how they go!!
Em x

manhattan coffee club

Hey guys!!
On Friday my friend Lucy and I went to Reading to do some shopping and we stumbled across the cutest coffee shop in the Oracle. It is called Manhattan Coffee Club and only opened on Thursday! As we walked past, we noticed the rustic furnishings and went in for a drink. I got a tea and Lucy got a coffee, both were reasonably priced and the staff were so friendly.
The shop had the most lovely atmosphere, with black and white walls, vintage wooden furniture and soft music playing in the background. Each table had a plant on it which I felt was a nice touch, and made the shop look fresh and clean.
In one corner was a book section. The shelves were covered in books which were available for visitors to read, or even take home if they replaced it with something else. I thought that this was an adorable idea. Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to photograph this up close but I will be sure to return soon and tweet the photos!!

I am so sad that Reading is about half an hour away from me because I want to go back often, its so cute in there. Have a great week,

Em x

june/july favourites

Hey guys!!
I hope you are all having a good week, I've only got one week left of school which really excites me.
As we are now halfway (what????) through 2015, I wanted to think about my current favourites, from makeup to books, nails to hair. I am always reluctant to try new products but I have branched out more this year and found lots of staples that I will continue to buy!!

Skincare: 
When doing my skincare routine, I spoke about the St Ives Apricot Scrub and I really feel like this has helped my skin so much. It is very soft and gentle but also is strong enough to remove any dull skin cells to leave my face feeling soft and smooth. I actually received a tester of this last year but didn't get round to using it until around January, but now I have completely fallen in love with it and I use it lots.

 After I have a shower and use a body exfoliator, I like to moisturise my skin. I actually have severe plague psoriasis which means that my skin is very sensitive and reacts to pretty much any product, which is literally the most annoying thing ever. I have tried so many body moisturisers and this year I found a body lotion that works!! The Ted Baker Pink Body Lotion leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated, but also smells of fruit and  flowers so what more could I ask for?

Haircare:
My hair is naturally blonde but during the winter months it turns brown. I looked for ages to try find a product that wouldn't drastically change or damage my hair, but would add subtle blonde highlights. The John Frieda Sheer Blonde Lightening Spray does exactly this, and it is so simple. All I do is spray onto wet hair and blow dry for gradual lightening.

Nails:
Last month, I was shopping when I came across Kiko. I had seen plenty of people rave about them online and the wall of bright nail colours excited me, so I had a look. I had to restrain myself from buying a ton of makeup that I didn't really need, but then I saw something that looked as though it might help me. I bite my nails and its a horrible habit but I picked up the Nail Care Ultra Long base coat. I apply this every evening and it has made a clear difference to the length of my nails.

Make up:
For ages I swore by the Collection Pressed Powder, but it was not long lasting on my skin and I wanted to find something new. When looking online I found that so many people loved the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. I decided to try it out and I wasn't disappointed! It leaves my skin with a matte finish and stays for 12 hours, my face doesn't feel shiny at all.

I adore red lipstick but I could never find a drugstore brand that would stay on my lips and that I really liked. Eventually I decided to go out and buy Mac Russian Red and I definitely haven't been disappointed. The colour lasts for ages and the difference between drugstore and high end has been clear here. I love this lipstick and I will continue to repurchase it.

Books:
Giovanna Fletcher is my favourite author and this month she released Dream A Little Dream. I will be posting a review soon of this book but I was so looking forward to it's release and I wasn't let down!! It is absolutely incredible and I would recommend it to anyone.

It's almost summer and I'm so excited to have lots of time to write blog posts. I haven't been posting on time recently due to exams but I am getting back into the swing of things now so expect more regular posts. Also, let me know what you would like to see in the comments or on Twitter as I would love to know what you think. Have a great week,

Em x

summer lists

Hey guys!!
Sorry that I didn't post this week, I had mock exams that I needed to revise for!! I hope you all had a good week.
With only a few days until I break up from school for summer and the hot weather approaching the UK, I wanted to make a list of everything that I want to do this summer. I love lists and when I saw Sprinkle of Glitter do this on her blog, I wanted to do it too!

Summer lists

Go to lots of pretty places

Take tons of photos

See my internet bestfriend again in hospital to cheer her up

Meet more of my internet friends

Go shopping in London with my bestfriend

Send a message in a bottle

Leave a positive note on a mirror

Go to the zoo

Go to Brighton 

Go pedal boating in Hyde Park

Spend lots of time with my youngest cousins

See my friends and make plans for most days

Read 15 books

Play Messy Twister

Build a blanket fort

Keep a diary

I always feel like the summer goes by really quickly and I don't make the most of it, but this year I am determined to have the best summer ever and spend lots of time with my friends. I might do an updated version of this after the summer and talk about what I did and include photos. Also, I am planning on surprising one of my bestfriends during the summer and I'm hoping that it works?? I'll take lots of photos and keep you updated!!

I will hopefully by posting again on Wednesday ;D Have a great week,

Em x